jap
Legend
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2013
- Messages
- 6,592
I have hoped that Tavon, even more so than Sted, would benefit the most from association with Isaac Bruce. Isaac had the ability---much like Gayle Sayers, Barry Sanders, and Tavon himself---to make 90-degree cuts at top speed. Tavon certainly has the physical gifts to handle what Isaac could do; so one must question whether he has the mental savvy.
When Isaac came off the line of scrimmage, he had a way of running that at least one scout described as "gliding" that literally scared the crap! out of opposing DB's because they couldn't tell how fast he was moving. Press him too close, and he could turn on the jets and that electric cutting ability and be past you in a blink of an eye. Give him too much cushion, and he would eat you alive on short routes. Isaac was a master at "selling his routes"---that is making defenders think he was the primary target, drawing 2-3 defenders to himself and allowing easy one-on-one match-ups for Torry, Ricky Proehl, or the Wizard of Az. When someone else had the rock, Isaac would turn into a run blocking demon with a personal best of 14 pancake blocks! in a single game. (That is one facet of Tavon's game that he does not get as much credit for. That 89-yard TD jaunt by Tre Mason probably would not have been finished had not Tavon took out the two DBs who were running Tre down. Tavon shocked the first DB by shooting in front of him almost undercutting him so well the DB stumbled and fell. The second DB was rendered ineffective by a well-timed Tavon screen block nudged the DB out of position for making any tackle attempts.)
Tavon clearly has the electric cutting ability and is easily faster & quicker than Isaac. However, he needs to master the mind games, knowing when to fake to throw defenders out of position, when to slow down to allow them to overrun themselves, and when to accelerate to Warp Five. I am sure they can give him all the catching drills and exercises he needs to improve there. However, something less than the Vulcan Mind Touch needs to be implemented for Isaac to impart his route running savvy to Mr. Excitement.
When Isaac came off the line of scrimmage, he had a way of running that at least one scout described as "gliding" that literally scared the crap! out of opposing DB's because they couldn't tell how fast he was moving. Press him too close, and he could turn on the jets and that electric cutting ability and be past you in a blink of an eye. Give him too much cushion, and he would eat you alive on short routes. Isaac was a master at "selling his routes"---that is making defenders think he was the primary target, drawing 2-3 defenders to himself and allowing easy one-on-one match-ups for Torry, Ricky Proehl, or the Wizard of Az. When someone else had the rock, Isaac would turn into a run blocking demon with a personal best of 14 pancake blocks! in a single game. (That is one facet of Tavon's game that he does not get as much credit for. That 89-yard TD jaunt by Tre Mason probably would not have been finished had not Tavon took out the two DBs who were running Tre down. Tavon shocked the first DB by shooting in front of him almost undercutting him so well the DB stumbled and fell. The second DB was rendered ineffective by a well-timed Tavon screen block nudged the DB out of position for making any tackle attempts.)
Tavon clearly has the electric cutting ability and is easily faster & quicker than Isaac. However, he needs to master the mind games, knowing when to fake to throw defenders out of position, when to slow down to allow them to overrun themselves, and when to accelerate to Warp Five. I am sure they can give him all the catching drills and exercises he needs to improve there. However, something less than the Vulcan Mind Touch needs to be implemented for Isaac to impart his route running savvy to Mr. Excitement.
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