Kickoff – “Monday Night Beatdown” Edition
Dec 2, 2008 Amobi Okoye is an adult, BFD's Real Doll, Boobies, Kickoff, Stevie Wonder, Super Mario
Dumb. Jaws is smoking crack. “Mario’s a very good player (but), he’s not a dominant guy,” Jaworski said. “He’s more of a bull-rushing guy. He’s very talented, but he doesn’t have that explosive first step to get around the corner and really force that defensive tackle to turn his shoulders and run.” I generally like Jaws, but this is retarded. If Mario is not dominant, how does he have 11 sacks with zero help? If he’s not dominant, why is he double- and triple-teamed (and basically gangraped) on every play? If Mario isn’t dominant, why were the Jags assigned to block him jumping offsides every other damn play last night? Ask Joe Thomas if Mario is dominant. (If you have troubling locating him, you can probably find Joe somewhere near his QB’s lap.)
Random Thought. Amobi Okoye has definitely be underwhelming this year, right? Well, I had a thought last night (and it was echoed this morning by my buddy, Sid): We should move him to DE in certain sets. He has the speed to be a complement to Mario, he has the strength to hold the edge on running plays, and putting him outside would keep him from getting lost in the pile of bodies. Eventually, as he fills out more (remember, he’s barely 21), I’m fairly sure he will become a solid DT. But, for now, why not use his assets and limit his flaws by putting him in a position to succeed a little? What could it possibly hurt?
Mighty Mite. How bad ass is Stevie Wonder? This bad ass:
Slaton has been dealing with a bruised sternum and bruised ribs. Still, with only nine carries at the half, he cornered coach Gary Kubiak during intermission and grabbed him by the shirt to tell him he was OK, to give him the ball. After the game Kubiak compared Slaton’s personality — where “nothing is too big for him” — to Clinton Portis, a back he coached in Denver.
Finally. I’m pretty sure this was the opening scene from a letter bfd once wrote to Penthouse. “…then the curly-haired blond reached over to unzip another girl’s leather boot…”
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
I like Jaws too, and I think he’s high on that one, but my guess is that he was referring to the fact that Mario rarely just blows by a guy before he can get set (yes, he did on his first sack yesterday, but he doesn’t usually get his sacks that way).
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The thing with Mario is that OTs can often get out of their stance and face him, but it doesn’t usually mean shit because Mario can get by him. The best way to neutralize Mario is to get rid of the ball quick. Whenever the QB has to hold the ball for a couple of seconds, Mario will be in his shit.
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Mario is definitely dominant, but he’s dominant in the “you can’t block him” sense; not in the “burn by you while your hand’s still on the ground” sense. That’s my guess on what Jaws was saying.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:21 am
@Vega: You are probably correct on what he’s saying. My question, though, is what does it matter if he can’t blow past you if he can pick you up and throw you into your QB with regularity? I mean, he’s got 11 sacks, yet has NO help in the form of coverage or alternative pass rushers, so he’s doing it all on his own. That’s pretty fucking dominant. Plus, the dude plays the run very well.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
@Matt: Agreed, and like I said he’s still dominant, so it was in fact a stupid comment.
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If there’s one thing that still bugs the shit out of me though, is exactly what you said. Many pass rushers suck against the run, but Mario plays it extremely well. He also has excellent discipline on containment. Yet he gets no love for being a complete player. They just talk about him as a pass rusher.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
My favorite Mario play this year is probably the one where he almost sacked Derek Anderson by reaching around the Browns’ LT. Even though he didn’t get the sack, he drew a holding penalty.
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That, and when he destroyed Jamal Lewis.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Right, that play was amazing. He almost sacked Anderson through his lineman.
It’d be interesting to see what would happen with Amobi outside. It can’t hurt his performance. Between him and Travis Johnson, I feel like I can only think of three good plays all year.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
[...] Kickoff – “Monday Night Beatdown” Edition After the game Kubiak compared Slaton’s personality — where “nothing is too big for him” — to Clinton Portis, a back he coached in… [...]
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December 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Amobi at DE sounds good. But if we’re thinking playing people out of position, here’s a wild thought:
Kasey Studdard at DT. Sure, it’d be a project, but a) he’s a space eater, b) he plays with a mean streak, and c) he’d just be there to tie up blockers, freeing up Mario on one side and Amobi (or DelJuan or Bulman) on the other and/or Demeco on a blitz. It’s not like he’s cracking the rotation on the OL anyway.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I just went back and watched the DVR of the game.
Anyone else notice that sack no. 2 in the third quarter for Mario was out of zone coverage. Mario clearly drops back in coverage on some retarded zone blitz scheme and then after crazy legs Gerrard trips and rolls out, Mario comes and gets the sack out of coverage.
Who knows, maybe it was a “pretend like your going into coverage, then blitz” play….
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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
@Will the Thrill: I still think that the NFL might review that particular play and determine that it wasn’t a sack. Mostly, because I don’t think it was a sack.
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Ironically, if Mario isn’t in pass coverage, he doesn’t get the sack.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
@Will the Thrill: I noticed it during the live game, but I refuse to speak of it.
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December 4th, 2008 at 12:24 am
BTW, with the new setup, I can see the site at work, but can’t comment.
The crowd was fantastic on Monday, just thought I’d mention that. It was also cold as fuck out there. Since when is it not 80 degrees at the beginning of Dec in Houston?
Mario is a beast, any other description that doesn’t include that is null and void
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December 5th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Just wanted to tell my story of Monday Night Football. Tailgated with my fellow LoneSpot Tailgaters starting around 2:30, as soon as the gates opened. Grilled fresh, whole, pre-boiled lobsters (about 60) flown in from Maine with dozens of ribeyes and filets, and washed it down with some very potent, delicious home brew. Caught a great game (for us anyway) and drove home and went straight to bed (around 12:30 am). Woke up at 4:30 am and went straight to the airport to fly to Minneapolis and worked all that day and every day since through temps that haven’t gotten above freezing once. NOT ONCE!…all the while wearing my Texans flannel pajamas every night and my Texans necklace every day… AND I’D DO IT AGAIN IN A FUCKING HEARTBEAT!!!