Rosterfarian
Sep 27, 2007 2007 Season, Lundy, Preview, RB free-for-all, Samkon Gado cured cancer, WR
I got so wrapped up in the weekly prediction post (which, by the way, are quickly becoming my favorite things to write) that I forgot to mention the team added TE/LS/ST Joel Dreessen and WR David Anderson to the active roster.
Now, while I was hoping for Charlie Adams because he’s 6-2 and relatively fast, I suppose David is a solid enough addition for the short term. He had one catch last year (27 yards) and 3 kick returns (30 yard average), along with three catches and on TD in the preseason. Of course, he’s also a 5-10 /196 white guy with a 4.53 40. Which is another way of saying make sure you temper your expectations accordingly.
Dreessen, aside from having bizarre back-to-back double letters in his last name, theoretically takes the place of Cedric Killings as a widebody who can run well enough to play special teams. He is also a long-snapper, which will be handy if Bryan Pittman and Jeff Zgonina die unexpectedly.
Just like a lot of people, I assumed that part of the roster additions this week would address the horrific running game that Jameel Cook and Sam Gado proffered last week. The theory is that Ron Dayne is going to be able to carry the load this week (and it’s not like the Falcons run D is much on tackling), which would make RB less of a priority. Unless he can’t. In which case we will either see Cook resume getting the bulk of the carries over Gado, which will make me scream at the TV, or see Gado assume the role of primary back, which will likely make me scream at the TV. Whither Wali Lundy?
Random tangent: Part of the non-Lundy stuff I’ve read this week has said he’s “slow.” Lundy, of course, ran a 4.43 at the combine. Gado ran a 4.68. If Wali is slow, Gado is best described as glacial.
I heart JJ
Aug 12, 2007 Amobi Okoye is 20, Jacoby Jones is unheralded, Preseason 2007, Ron Dayne likes pie, Super Mario, The Schaub Experiment, WR
News and observations from the video tape:
- Despite how they listed the starting lineup (i.e. Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, Anthony Maddox, ND Kalu), Maddox was actually lined up beside Mario on all the plays where I was able to ID the linemen. As described repeatedly here, this makes sense.
- Matt Schaub’s numbers were not good, but he made a couple impressive moves. The pass to Kevin Walter (dropped) with a blitz coming from his blindside was a thing of beauty and something that could not have happened last year. He got a little antsy on the possible TD pass to Walter, but I think he makes that pass 9 times out of 10.
- Jason Babin is seriously fast. He just slipped past a shoulder block and chased down the RB from the backside.
- Ron Dayne is still fat. I mean, he looks like he’s dropped a little weight, but he is f-a-t.
- I really hope Kubiak noticed how teams were over committing on the goal line runs. I agree with the TV guys that there is no reason to risk putting your QB out on a naked bootleg in the preseason, but even Jared Lorenzen could have run that one in.
- So, the first team D-line didn’t get as much penetration as I’d hoped. Kalu got in a little bit, and Mario had about three plays where he was this close. But that’s about it. I know the Bears O-line is very good (Rex Grossman was only sacked 21 times last year), but I still wanted to see a little more middle penetration.
- OK, I’m just going to come out and say it–we don’t need Bethel Johnson. Mathis and Jones have the return game on lockdown. Wow.
- I don’t think the announcers noticed that Manchild was not lined up alongside Mario. I say that because they were just talking about “people think maybe you put one of them on the other side… no.” What?
- Charlie Adams is a little faster and a little more physical than I remembered. But these drops (Adams, Walter) are killing us.
- Even if that was more hustle and output than we’ve seen in the rest of his career combined, Travis Johnson probably should have saved that little Riverdance for a TD that counted. Still, I laughed. Oh, and it was Babin again causing that pressure.
- Speaking of, we are getting good pass rush with our 2s against their 2s.
- Jacoby Jones was the best athlete on the field throughout the second quarter. I like this.
- Why the hell didn’t the officials stop the clock for a measurement on that Sam Gado catch with :17 left? It was within a yard… surely that requires the sticks. The only thing I can think is that Rosenfels called the TO too quickly.
- Kris Brown, 4/4. Consistently consistent.
That’s the end of the first half. I’m taking a break and I’ll update with second half notes this afternoon.
