Thread: Do Knox's Big Plays Make Up for Three Big Drops?.........

Some all around stuff for discussion;

Knox had another big game and as was suggested a couple of weeks ago we're using him more now and as long as we use him "correctly" I'm all in favor of it. To me "correctly" means going to him downfield and not calling for him to run short slants or even short hitches. I don't know what is is with him but his precision and concentration on the short stuff just isn't there. He dropped a short hitch at the line with enough room to gain a first down and more if he eluded at least one tackler and he slipped and fell on his ass on another. His last slip cost us a QB.

They need to just stop calling on him to run those routes and either play RWill for those of given Sanz another shot. I'm getting tried of watching Knox mess them up. Conversely he did a nice job on that kick return and the long pass at the end of the game and knew exactly how to run that skinny post he caught for the TD. Knox is strictly a burner and a downfield go to guy. Using him for anything else doesn't seem to work and risks picks just like last weeks.

Jay Cutler has become a good team leader and whatever may have been said about his poutiness or lack of interest if he's not playing isn't true any longer. He got involved and expresses a lot of emotion when Hanie was struggling early in the game. Everytime the camera caught him he was on the bench talking with Hanie and Shane Day and I think he was one of the main reasons Hanie settled down after those picks and had a better second half. Whatever personality issues he may have had in the past, real or imagined, they're gone now. This is still his offense as far as he's concerned and if he can't play he'll help coach. Kudos to Cutler!

Lance Louis has got some wheels!!!! I never saw an offensive lineman motor downfield after someone like that before. That cat can run! He took a great angle and Forte really helped by slowing the guy down just like Cutler had done for him the week before. Louis got screwed on the penalty call too. He had the back of his jersey around the name, not the inside of his jersey. I think the ref was misled by the fact that he had the strength to spin a 250 lb around by that and swing him to the ground. It may have looked like a horse collar but it wasn't. Even the broadcast booth was commenting on that. Should have been a no call.

I thought Corey Graham had recovered that onside kick. Just another bad break in a day full of them. One thing about Corey Graham that this coaching staff and JA should be learning is that the guy is always around the football which is where you want a guy like him. He got that pick off a deflection because he was running to the ball. If we don't extend his deal and elevate him in the defense we'd be making a big mistake. He can be a swing secondary guy. He's done well in the nickel and I can't see any reason why he couldn't also play SS or CB. He's learned a lot about coverage since his stint in Lovie's doghouse. He's only 26 and you can call me crazy but he may be the guy we can depend on to replace Peanut at CB once his days are over. They're are similar in size and we know Graham can tackle.

Tough luck for Iwuh. Hammy's can take awhile to heal so let's hope it's not bad enough to keep him out. He's a pretty valuable ST guy and the only experienced backup we have for Briggs.

Adams wasn't active and Toe was back starting with Okoye and Melton. I don't think that bodes well for AA. His play has slipped this year and I think we play the run much better with Toe right now than AA. I just noticed the line mking more run stops yesterday and Toe was in on many of them or at least consuming blocker in his gap and allowing other to clean up. The future at NT looks to be Toe and Paea, the "Tongan Connection".

Yes I heard Moose Johnston on TV say that about being on the balls of the feet when a cut is made (kind of bad when a former FB says that lol). I think it would be a fundamental precip of a wr coach to correct that-much like fighting for position on that inside slant that Knox also needs to work on that is relatively basic. Just another reason for me I want Drake gone.

So that boils down to unlearning a bad habit and substituting a good one. Sometimes easier said than done. I've been playing guitar for over 35 years and if I hadn't learned so many bad habits to begin with I might be as good as Jimi by now when what's closer to to the truth is I'm just.


I don't know that you can hang that one on Drake though. If Knox is doing that unconsciously it's hard to change. When you begin to think about things like that it really screws you up. You want to screw up an opponents golf game ask him if he inhales or exhales when he putts. You don't want Knox to have anything else on his mind but catching the ball. It is something he should work on in the offseason though. It's not just the SF turf that's doing it when it happens on the road.

That's a good point Soul but I feel Knox is still raw and learning the position at this level. If it was a old vet like Rwill I'd just say a leopard can't change his drops-er I mean spots. Martz's schemes alone mean even more mental gymnastics so basics should be paramount.Some of these things aren't a fine point but a basic fundamental part of the position. And at this level if your fundamentally flawed you can be exploited repeatedly.

Slipping and falling, plus dropping balls are even more important to correct and lessen than fighting for the ball or position.

Oh no doubt shorty and maybe as simple a thing as changing into longer cleats or a specially designed shoe with more heel traction would help. He can't keep playing that way so they have to figure something out. Johnny Knox hyas been one hell or a bargain as the toss in pick in the Cutler trade. But now that he's gotten to play as a #1 WR at SE more is expected of him than would be from most 5th round picks. He's good but he needs to eliminate his worst mistakes in order to advance.

He's never gonna get any faster than he is now so his hands, running better routes and learning how to outfight others for the ball is all he has left. It's time he made some progress in those areas.

Agreed Soul. I just don't think the person who's going to eliminate those mistakes is Drake. He has developed NO ONE.

Rwill has made progressions, and Bennett is OUR GUY. Knox is good for that desperation heave, or a slant pass, but not much more. I think if Caleb could've had the other WR's more involved in the game, we'd have had a different outcome...