Saints Maintain Confidence in Stephone Anthony (1 Viewer)

[los226]

Did some quick Google searching.

BERNARDRICK MCKINNEY
Last week was arguably McKinney’s most impressive outing as a pro, thanks to both his play against the run and his pass-rushing. When Chiefs QB Alex Smith was not under pressure last year, he recorded an NFL passer rating of 110.5; with pressure, that dropped to 57.5. Keep in mind that the NFL’s passer rating doesn’t account for the 44 times Smith was sacked, either.

DENZEL PERRYMAN
Perryman is yet another second-year player who came on strong when given a starting role late in his rookie season. It wasn’t until Week 11 that the Chargers decided that the Donald Butler era was over in San Diego and allowed their second-round pick to wreak havoc on opposing running backs. Perryman would finish with an absurd 18.3 run-stop percentage, the highest among inside linebackers by four percentage points (Butler’s was 4.7, for comparison). His production should only get better with more experience and a better defensive line to keep him clean.

ERIC KENDRICKS
After racking up seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and returning his first career interception 77 yards for his first career touchdown (just like his mother instructed him to do), Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

PAUL DAWSON
Bengals waived LB Paul Dawson. Dawson was the 99th pick in last year's draft, so the Bengals are admitting this mistake pretty early. He played just 35 defensive snaps as a rookie while also covering kicks. Dawson might re-join the team on the practice squad.

If we count Anthony, then that puts the bunch at 3-5 are starters today. Is anyone else not surprised that we are on the wrong side of that number?

 

[Eman5805]

If we count Anthony, then that puts the bunch at 3-5 are starters today. Is anyone else not surprised that we are on the wrong side of that number?

Depends on your natural disposition towards this sort of thing.

Yes. I'm a little surprised. I thought Anthony would be one of the best players we got that draft.

I'm also not surprised Tyeler Davison became what he became either.

 

[crosswatt]

Not sure about Dawson but the other three are all starting and performing better than Anthony. Especially Kendricks who will likely be a pro bowler. He was viewed as the best lb going into the draft also, and yet we passed on him three times.....

He had 19 snaps on special teams, so I'm pretty sure he's physically alright.

When you listen to what Allen said at the end of that article, it sure sounds like the current vision for Stephone is to play an Otis Wilson (linebacker with the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl team) type role for this defense.

 

[los226]

He had 19 snaps on special teams, so I'm pretty sure he's physically alright.

When you listen to what Allen said at the end of that article, it sure sounds like the current vision for Stephone is to play an Otis Wilson (linebacker with the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl team) type role for this defense.

What type of role did Otis Wilson play?

 

[zippy]

I just didn't consider him a liability last season. He looked like one of the few bright spots. Maybe I completely misread it.

no u didn't. don't listen to half the ppl on this forum they usually know much less tahn u do. this defense is far worse than last years team. all these robertson fan boys are just ppl who read something some idiot at espn said and repeating it. stephone is the best player on that defense by a long shot.re thumb away.

 

[LombardiGras]

Stupar had a pretty good game against the Chargers, after that performance it's going to be harder to justify playing Anthony. Especially if Ellerbe be comes back after the bye. I think we might not see much of Anthony this season except for special teams.

 

[zippy]

Yeah its people thinking leading in tackles means something when you can't identify the strength of the offensive formation and you line your guys up wrong.

Or you are overaggressive and tend to bite on PA leaving the middle of the field open behind you consistently.


Or that of those 100 tackles only 4 of them were TFL and lead the team last year. Meanwhile Robertson already has that same amount 4 games in

I have no clue why they'd reel him in.

but robertson is leading in tackles on a far worse defense. he is out of position alot as well. and getting out hustled by a tackle to give up a touchdown in a vital time of the game against the falcons. not good. but plz continue to throw shade. smh

 

[crosswatt]

What type of role did Otis Wilson play?

If i remember correctly, Singletary was the MIKE, and had a good percentage of the field locked down the majority of the time. Wilber Marshall was essentially a freelancer, roaming all over the field looking for big plays. Wilson had contain on the edge and was a designated blitzer, and had over 30 sacks in the four year period between 1984 and 1987.


I personally think that we see him as Cam Newton's shadow next Sunday, spying him on possible bootlegs and attempting to provide edge pressure when he stays in the pocket.

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

Beef him up and make him a designated pass rusher........experiment?

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

but robertson is leading in tackles on a far worse defense. he is out of position alot as well. and getting out hustled by a tackle to give up a touchdown in a vital time of the game against the falcons. not good. but plz continue to throw shade. smh

Go home steve

 

[crosswatt]

Beef him up an make him a designated pass rusher........experiment?

I don't know if it's an experiment as much as it is a simplification of the game for him. I don't think you can get simpler then don't let Newton get past you.

Plus, Anthony is big enough and fast enough to handle the role. If you look at their combine numbers, Anthony is ridiculously similar in size and measurables to Vonn Miller.

Now, he's not anywhere near Miller in terms of skillset, but I don't see any reason why he could not in a limited fashion replicate his abilities at a respectable level. But that's just my uneducated opinion.

 

[LombardiGras]

I don't know if it's an experiment as much as it is a simplification of the game for him. I don't think you can get simpler then don't let Newton get past you.

Plus, Anthony is big enough and fast enough to handle the role. If you look at their combine numbers, Anthony is ridiculously similar in size and measurables to Vonn Miller.

Now, he's not anywhere near Miller in terms of skillset, but I don't see any reason why he could not in a limited fashion replicate his abilities at a respectable level. But that's just my uneducated opinion.

It's not that I am down on Anthony, but I don't see how he's going to become a factor this year. I'm sure you are probably tired of us having this discussion, so lets phrase it another way... whose snaps do you take away to give to Anthony?


Stupar? Doesn't make much sense to reduce his role following a good showing. I'd expect for him to become more involved given the success he had last game.

Ellerbe? If he is healthy, he should be a starter at OLB and play the nickel as well. Dude might never come back healthy, but I think there's a good chance he is back after the bye week.

Robertson? He has been the MVP of the linebacker corps so far, played 100% of the snaps against the Chargers. There is not much chance that they will take Robertson out to play Anthony.


The Saints play a lot of nickel, which means there is often only 1 OLB on the field. There's 3 guys that seem firmly ahead of Anthony at OLB (4 if you count Mauti, who's gotten more snaps than Anthony at OLB in all but 1 game). I don't think they can justify playing Anthony ahead of any of the other linebackers right now. It's going to take multiple injuries for Anthony to get playing time.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I don't know if it's an experiment as much as it is a simplification of the game for him. I don't think you can get simpler then don't let Newton get past you.

Plus, Anthony is big enough and fast enough to handle the role. If you look at their combine numbers, Anthony is ridiculously similar in size and measurables to Vonn Miller.

Now, he's not anywhere near Miller in terms of skillset, but I don't see any reason why he could not in a limited fashion replicate his abilities at a respectable level. But that's just my uneducated opinion.

Mauti had better pass-rushing snaps than he did week 1 or 2 If I'm not mistaken.

They are going to just have to slow feed him and give him time to develop. We nabbed him in the 1st so the 5th year option is on the table should he suddenly "get it".

A lil time and patience. As another poster said he's got Ellerbe and Laurinitis in the room with him so he just needs to soak the game up and translate it to the practice field. Once they start seeing it there then we'll start to see him in the games more. The aim still has to be MLB for him though....he's the prototype for that role in an Over Front.

The Saints play a lot of nickel, which means there is often only 1 OLB on the field. There's 3 guys that seem firmly ahead of Anthony at OLB (4 if you count Mauti, who's gotten more snaps than Anthony at OLB in all but 1 game). I don't think they can justify playing Anthony ahead of any of the other linebackers right now. It's going to take multiple injuries for Anthony to get playing time.

Pure speculation here but his role could shrink even more if we try to make the 3 Safety set our base. SP spoke on getting Bell, Byrd, Vaccaro on the field more and in that role Vaccaro is basically the SAM LB replacement.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Did some quick Google searching.

BERNARDRICK MCKINNEY
Last week was arguably McKinney’s most impressive outing as a pro, thanks to both his play against the run and his pass-rushing. When Chiefs QB Alex Smith was not under pressure last year, he recorded an NFL passer rating of 110.5; with pressure, that dropped to 57.5. Keep in mind that the NFL’s passer rating doesn’t account for the 44 times Smith was sacked, either.

DENZEL PERRYMAN
Perryman is yet another second-year player who came on strong when given a starting role late in his rookie season. It wasn’t until Week 11 that the Chargers decided that the Donald Butler era was over in San Diego and allowed their second-round pick to wreak havoc on opposing running backs. Perryman would finish with an absurd 18.3 run-stop percentage, the highest among inside linebackers by four percentage points (Butler’s was 4.7, for comparison). His production should only get better with more experience and a better defensive line to keep him clean.

ERIC KENDRICKS
After racking up seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and returning his first career interception 77 yards for his first career touchdown (just like his mother instructed him to do), Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

PAUL DAWSON
Bengals waived LB Paul Dawson. Dawson was the 99th pick in last year's draft, so the Bengals are admitting this mistake pretty early. He played just 35 defensive snaps as a rookie while also covering kicks. Dawson might re-join the team on the practice squad.

JORDAN HICKS

Middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, though technically not a rookie, was playing in just his ninth NFL game. He called it as well as could be expected, according to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who does throw praise around freely.

"That was a very difficult game to get ready for," Schwartz said Friday. "The Cleveland Browns offense stretches you in a lot of different ways — the Wildcat, unbalanced line, extra eligible [receivers] on the field, the detached formations that they run. There's so many things — reverse, screen, you've got to account for the quarterback option.


"We had a lot of layers of checks in that game, and it all fell to Jordan. He handled it great. We had very few missed assignments in that game. We made a couple of physical errors … but it wasn't because we weren't in the right spots or in the right defense. And that falls on Jordan. And that was not just on Sunday. He did a good job the whole week. We threw everything we could at him, sort of overtrained him to be ready for that."

Eagles MLB Jordan Hicks brings Carson Wentz-type presence to defense - The Morning Call

 

[LoE]

JORDAN HICKS

I'd forgotten about Hicks. Seeing all these 2nd and 3rd rounders make it, while our 1st rounder sits on the sideline, is bumming me out.

I wanna be in a good mood today. It's Friday! But I'm on call, there's a hurricane coming, our 1st round pick is sitting on the sideline.

Somebody give me some good news.