RamView, August 8, 2014, by Mike Franke

[jrry32]

He had a couple good plays (Roberson), and I like his size, and talent, as you say. Gaines, IMO, has it. He missed on a play or two, but played a lot of snaps. and really shined, IMO. He's a keeper.

Yep, he seems to be. Roberson reminds me of a DB from Georgia that the Chiefs drafted a couple years ago named Sanders Commings. I was impressed by his cover skills and athletic skill-set. But as I broke down more and more film, I completely lost interest in Commings. The kid was a 6'2" CB with speed and cover skills. What made me lose interest? He gave no effort when tackling. He was an ole' tackler and a shoulder hitter. Never wrapped up, never broke down...his form was embarrassing. And a lot of the time, the effort he gave was embarrassing. He'd try to arm tackle a guy, miss and then quit on the play. It made me legitimately mad that a guy that talented had such a piss poor attitude.

Anyways, I'm rambling. Point is that DBs that don't tackle bother me...especially when they have the ability to tackle.

 

[DR RAM]

Yep, he seems to be. Roberson reminds me of a DB from Georgia that the Chiefs drafted a couple years ago named Sanders Commings. I was impressed by his cover skills and athletic skill-set. But as I broke down more and more film, I completely lost interest in Commings. The kid was a 6'2" CB with speed and cover skills. What made me lose interest? He gave no effort when tackling. He was an ole' tackler or a shoulder hitter. Never wrapped up, never broke down...his form was embarrassing. And a lot of the time, the effort he gave was embarrassing. He'd try to arm tackle a guy, miss and then quit on the play. It made me legitimately mad that a guy that talented had such a pee pee poor attitude.

Anyways, I'm rambling. Point is that DBs that don't tackle bother me...especially when they have the ability to tackle.

Agree...and that's what I love about Gaines...no fear. Comes up and makes a tackle on much bigger players. that shows me something. Joyner...same thing.

 

[DR RAM]

For sure. I don't see how you can put that guy on the field.

Don't get me wrong, I think Gaines is a great 6th round pick. When I first talked about this I said he had good ball skills. Nothing he's done has changed that for me. But there are reasons he wasn't a high pick and those aren't just because he's a smurf and can be boxed out by all the bigger WRs/TEs. But a great get in the 6th for sure. Maybe a little better than I thought but still screams good back up. Looks to have a great chance of being one of the 53.

JJ is a smurf too. He will make the team..call this a DR RAM take it to the bank/

 

[Alan]

DR RAM finding the similarities:
JJ is a smurf too.

Yeah, but he actually tackles.

He's going to have many of the same problems though. According to some of the camp write ups, he's been boxed out in many of his match ups against big guys. That's just a fact of life for smaller players. Some can overcome that but they'll still always have that going against them, they just compensate in other areas like greater anticipation for example.

 

[DR RAM]

Yeah, but he actually tackles.

He's going to have many of the same problems though. According to some of the camp write ups, he's been boxed out in many of his match ups against big guys. That's just a fact of life for smaller players. Some can overcome that but they'll still always have that going against them, they just compensate in other areas like greater anticipation for example.

Gaines tackled the whole game. Did you watch it?

I only ask, because he was one of the bright spots of the game, IMO, and unexpected, overall.

 

[CoachO]

I liked what I saw but I wasn't watching that closely. Liked his aggressiveness going after the ball. Didn't see how he fared in coverage. I was more commenting on how frustrating Roberson is. Has the cover skills to be a player in this league but just doesn't seem to care about tackling.

Kinda what I have been saying all throughout training camp. Even on the tackle for loss, he was lucky to trip up the guy with a well timed (lucky?) grab of the foot as he dove at the ground to avoid any real contact. Hammer used the line "covers like Tarzan, tackles like Jane" in describing Roberson at camp.

 

[DR RAM]

Kinda what I have been saying all throughout training camp. Even on the tackle for loss, he was lucky to trip up the guy with a well timed (lucky?) grab of the foot as he dove at the ground to avoid any real contact. Hammer used the line "covers like Tarzan, tackles like Jane" in describing Roberson at camp.

Doesn't seem to have the instinct to play corner. Made a couple of plays though. He looks BIG on the field.

 

[DR RAM]

Measureables probably don't mean anything less, than when playing corner.

 

[RamWoodie]

Gaines is, as I said, hit or miss. That wiff on Cooks demonstrated what I was talking about. He positions his body to smack the player with his shoulder and if that doesn't work out he''s toast. Still, he played a very good game. But I like him as a back up.

Gaines was the bright spot on the defense from what I saw. His play has me less concerned about the secondary. Try being objective a bit more...you picked ONE PLAY to justify what you think about the kid. He played a nice game...and the fact he's a rookie will show up...but the kid belongs...he'll make this team.

 

[CoachO]

Doesn't seem to have the instinct to play corner. Made a couple of plays though. He looks BIG on the field.

If you look at the group of CBs past the 1st four who are IMO, Jenkins, Johnson, Joyner and Gaines, Roberson probably has the best cover skills. He just doesn't want any part of the physical side of the game. To me, for him to have any chance of competing for a roster spot, he HAS to get on Special Teams. There is no way a 6th CB makes any roster without ST contributions. And so far, he isn't on any of them. Neither is Woodard. Huge Red flag for me.

McGee, for his lack of consistency in coverage, at least he has shown the ability to be a contributor on most of the coverage teams. So I would put him at the #5 CB spot.

 

[DR RAM]

If you look at the group of CBs past the 1st four who are IMO, Jenkins, Johnson, Joyner and Gaines, Roberson probably has the best cover skills. He just doesn't want any part of the physical side of the game. To me, for him to have any chance of competing for a roster spot, he HAS to get on Special Teams. There is no way a 6th CB makes any roster without ST contributions. And so far, he isn't on any of them. Neither is Woodard. Huge Red flag for me.

McGee, for his lack of consistency in coverage, at least he has shown the ability to be a contributor on most of the coverage teams. So I would put him at the #5 CB spot.

And if you don't want to get physical...then you can't play special teams..bottom line.

As a former player...what is better than playing special teams?...loved them, all of them.

As a former coach...you have to trust the players on special teams, and you have to have speed, and willingness of players to sacrifice their bodies.

 

[tahoe]

Gaines and joyner just have that football intelligence, they will get better and better with experience. Im not sure how mcgee will fit but I like jenkins, johnson, joyner, and gaines secondary.

 

[Alan]

DR RAM with a Q:
Gaines tackled the whole game. Did you watch it?

I only ask, because he was one of the bright spots of the game, IMO, and unexpected, overall.

Yes I did. I can't say that I watched every move he made but I haven't seen him make a wrap up tackle yet. Knocking the guy down isn't the same as tackling.

I take it you saw him actually make a real tackle eh?

 

[DR RAM]

Yes I did. I can't say that I watched every move he made but I haven't seen him make a wrap up tackle yet. Knocking the guy down isn't the same as tackling.

I take it you saw him actually make a real tackle eh?

I saw a few, yeah, real tackles for loss even.

 

[DR RAM]

Tackle definition: Win the battle, get the guy to the ground, before he gets past you....

 

[Alan]

RamWoodie liking Gaines:
Gaines was the bright spot on the defense from what I saw. His play has me less concerned about the secondary. Try being objective a bit more...you picked ONE PLAY to justify what you think about the kid. He played a nice game...and the fact he's a rookie will show up...but the kid belongs...he'll make this team.

I agree with everything that I didn't bold. I already said I thought he'd make the team so we agree.

I think I am being objective. Justify is a strange way to put it. Not sure anyone needs to justify an opinion. I used that play as an example and not as proof. I base nothing on one play. Someone posted some video of him in action and he made 0 tackles. Not one. He either knocked the guy out of bounds or smacked him with his shoulder. It was very effective when he connected. Not so much when he didn't connect. I saw him in some of his college games too.

So why do you think he fell to the 6th round?

 

[Alan]

DR RAM pulling a fast one:
Tackle definition: Win the battle, get the guy to the ground, before he gets past you....

So if you stick out your foot and trip the guy and he falls to the ground you tackled him? That is an unusual definition of tackle.

 

[DR RAM]

I agree with everything that I didn't bold. I already said I thought he'd make the team so we agree.

I think I am being objective. Justify is a strange way to put it. Not sure anyone needs to justify an opinion. I used that play as an example and not as proof. I base nothing on one play. Someone posted some video of him in action and he made 0 tackles. Not one. He either knocked the guy out of bounds or smacked him with his shoulder. It was very effective when he connected. Not so much when he didn't connect. I saw him in some of his college games too.

So why do you think he fell to the 6th round?

So why do you think he fell to the 6th round?

Pure luck.

 

[jjab360]

Yes I did. I can't say that I watched every move he made but I haven't seen him make a wrap up tackle yet. Knocking the guy down isn't the same as tackling.

I take it you saw him actually make a real tackle eh?

If you didn't see no.33 making plays all over the field, no offense but you weren't watching very closely. Gaines tackled very well all game long and even knocked a few balls out, though neither got called but one I know for certain should've been a forced fumble watching the replay from several different angles.

 

[jjab360]

Pure luck.

There really wasn't anything wrong with Brady's game coming out of Michigan when he fell to the sixth round, he just wasn't a very flashy player and never got the fanfare or attention that some of the higher picks at QB got coming into the draft. In a few years, I think it's possible we could be saying the same thing about Gaines.