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Time for Robinson to Shine Against Pierre-Paul
By D'Marco Farr
http://www.101sports.com/2014/12/19/time-robinson-shine-pierre-paul/
The honeymoon period officially ends this Sunday for Rams rookie left tackle Greg Robinson. I’m eager to see what the big guy can do against the Giants’ most disruptive defensive player, right defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
JPP has been a wrecking machine the last three weeks, tallying six sacks, including a career-high 2.5 against the hapless Washington Redskins in Week 15. He now has 9.5 for the season and is looking to join the double-digit club for the first time since 2011, when the former South Florida sensation broke out with an eye-popping 16.5 sacks. Let’s hope he gets that half-sack at home the following weekend vs. the Eagles.
Robinson, meanwhile, has been solid as a blindside protector. He’s steadily improved since his first NFL start at LT, sliding over from left guard when Jake Long suffered a season-ending injury in that 34-7 beat down at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Robinson’s Week 9 coming-out party on the road, the San Francisco 49ers threw the proverbial kitchen sink at him – stunts, blitzes, twists, a variety of pass-rush games. The Auburn product’s technique was crude, yet effective. What he lacked in polish, he made up for in unbridled aggression and hustle.
On several occasions, the 49ers got Robinson off balance, but once he recovered and locked on, he finished people. He’s only gotten better over the last month and a half.
It would have been just as much fun to watch Robinson’s story arc had he stayed at guard the whole season. The rules of engagement changed, however, and in a hurry. In the NFL, the ability to adapt is everything. Now, the left tackle job is Robinson’s to lose for the foreseeable future.
Being the second overall selection in this year’s draft means Robinson doesn’t get to sneak up on anyone, least of all someone like Pierre-Paul. After having the last two seasons destroyed by injuries, JPP is out to remind the Giants (and the rest of the league, since he’s about to hit free agency) that he’s still a premier talent. If you go back and look at the first 11 games of the season, you would say that his best days were probably behind him. Three-and-a-half sacks in 11 weeks is pedestrian, not worthy of a full-time starter at right defensive end. But over the last three weeks, he’s looked like a completely different guy.
If JPP can make Robinson look like a JAG, then Shaun Hill could be in serious trouble this weekend. The Edward Jones Dome will be morgue-silent. But if Robinson can keep mental mistakes to a minimum and play with a necessary physical edge, he’ll have a good chance to slow down Pierre-Paul. JPP has been the catalyst behind a defensive resurgence in New York. The Giants’ once-non-existent pass rush has finally jelled, totaling 22 sacks in the last three weeks. JPP turning unblockable has been a major reason why the Giants have been getting after the quarterback lately.
Pierre-Paul’s blend of power and speed often makes for an unstoppable force. Is Robinson up to the challenge of being that immovable object? Either way, the Robinson vs. Pierre-Paul matchup is shaping up to be a deciding factor come Sunday.
By D'Marco Farr
http://www.101sports.com/2014/12/19/time-robinson-shine-pierre-paul/
The honeymoon period officially ends this Sunday for Rams rookie left tackle Greg Robinson. I’m eager to see what the big guy can do against the Giants’ most disruptive defensive player, right defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
JPP has been a wrecking machine the last three weeks, tallying six sacks, including a career-high 2.5 against the hapless Washington Redskins in Week 15. He now has 9.5 for the season and is looking to join the double-digit club for the first time since 2011, when the former South Florida sensation broke out with an eye-popping 16.5 sacks. Let’s hope he gets that half-sack at home the following weekend vs. the Eagles.
Robinson, meanwhile, has been solid as a blindside protector. He’s steadily improved since his first NFL start at LT, sliding over from left guard when Jake Long suffered a season-ending injury in that 34-7 beat down at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Robinson’s Week 9 coming-out party on the road, the San Francisco 49ers threw the proverbial kitchen sink at him – stunts, blitzes, twists, a variety of pass-rush games. The Auburn product’s technique was crude, yet effective. What he lacked in polish, he made up for in unbridled aggression and hustle.
On several occasions, the 49ers got Robinson off balance, but once he recovered and locked on, he finished people. He’s only gotten better over the last month and a half.
It would have been just as much fun to watch Robinson’s story arc had he stayed at guard the whole season. The rules of engagement changed, however, and in a hurry. In the NFL, the ability to adapt is everything. Now, the left tackle job is Robinson’s to lose for the foreseeable future.
Being the second overall selection in this year’s draft means Robinson doesn’t get to sneak up on anyone, least of all someone like Pierre-Paul. After having the last two seasons destroyed by injuries, JPP is out to remind the Giants (and the rest of the league, since he’s about to hit free agency) that he’s still a premier talent. If you go back and look at the first 11 games of the season, you would say that his best days were probably behind him. Three-and-a-half sacks in 11 weeks is pedestrian, not worthy of a full-time starter at right defensive end. But over the last three weeks, he’s looked like a completely different guy.
If JPP can make Robinson look like a JAG, then Shaun Hill could be in serious trouble this weekend. The Edward Jones Dome will be morgue-silent. But if Robinson can keep mental mistakes to a minimum and play with a necessary physical edge, he’ll have a good chance to slow down Pierre-Paul. JPP has been the catalyst behind a defensive resurgence in New York. The Giants’ once-non-existent pass rush has finally jelled, totaling 22 sacks in the last three weeks. JPP turning unblockable has been a major reason why the Giants have been getting after the quarterback lately.
Pierre-Paul’s blend of power and speed often makes for an unstoppable force. Is Robinson up to the challenge of being that immovable object? Either way, the Robinson vs. Pierre-Paul matchup is shaping up to be a deciding factor come Sunday.
