Malcolm Smith...uh wow

[Hawknballs]

Wasn't Bruce a starting LB for the best defense in the league last year ?

just checking.

 

[ImTheScientist]

People seem to get too caught up on who is "starting". Doesn't matter who starts as there are a number of plays which occur after that first snap. They will play people based on situation.

 

[LawlessHawk]

You gotta have some brains to go with the brawn. Bruce falls a bit short on grey matter.

Uh, Wow.

 

[rideaducati]

Tarvaris Jackson threw a ball high and behind a moving target? NO WAY!

I love the fact that even the backup defensive players on this team are more athletic than most teams starters. The backups don't miss a beat because the coaching staff starts off by only putting them in for certain situations. Then, when they're ready, they're really ready.

It's gonna be sad watching some of the players that get cut go to other teams and do well. That's something new here.

 

[rideaducati]

Tarvaris Jackson threw a ball high and behind a moving target? NO WAY!

I love the fact that even the backup defensive players on this team are more athletic than most teams starters. The backups don't miss a beat because the coaching staff starts off by only putting them in for certain situations. Then, when they're ready, they're really ready.

It's gonna be sad watching some of the players that get cut go to other teams and do well. That's something new here.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

It's gonna be sad watching some of the players that get cut go to other teams and do well. That's something new here.

That's the price you pay when you're actually elite year in and year out. I love that we are at the cusp of being in the national conversation on an annual basis like Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Dallas, San Francisco, the New York teams and the like.

 

[sc85sis]

Tarvaris Jackson threw a ball high and behind a moving target? NO WAY!

I love the fact that even the backup defensive players on this team are more athletic than most teams starters. The backups don't miss a beat because the coaching staff starts off by only putting them in for certain situations. Then, when they're ready, they're really ready.

It's gonna be sad watching some of the players that get cut go to other teams and do well. That's something new here.

This isn't a T-Jack thread.

 

[scutterhawk]

Tarvaris Jackson threw a ball high and behind a moving target? NO WAY!

I love the fact that even the backup defensive players on this team are more athletic than most teams starters. The backups don't miss a beat because the coaching staff starts off by only putting them in for certain situations. Then, when they're ready, they're really ready.

It's gonna be sad watching some of the players that get cut go to other teams and do well. That's something new here.

This isn't a T-Jack thread.

It's always a T-Jack thread for "Ride A Bicycle"

 

[olyfan63]

Smith's play in those final six games (all at WLB) was incredible. It was the best play I have seen from the weakside linebacker position in many years with 41 tackles, those four INTs, two TDs, 138 INT return yards, and his fumble recovery in the Super Bowl. He has blossomed into a beast at the WLB position. Now that he is back from injury, I think it's his position to lose. Wright should battle it out with Irvin at SLB once he returns from injury.

If that's your scenario, I wouldn't describe it as a 'battle.' KJ should easily win. You gotta have some brains to go with the brawn. Bruce falls a bit short on grey matter.

Wow, talk about assumptive. Irvin has never played Linebacker at ANY level, and played last year in the NFL and didn't embarrass himself. There's a ton of LBers out there that played the position all the way through college, got drafted highly for that position and have looked much worse than Irvin, years later. Hell, we drafted one in the 1st round.

This is a guy who's sum of coaching at the college level was "line up here, run really fast and knock the QB down". Maybe it's the coaching staff at WVU that lack the grey matter.

Well said. Irvin played safety in JuCo. Skipped right over the LB position, from secondary to DE. The NFL is his first exposure to linebacker.

Kaep ran for 130 yards in the NFCCG, but almost none in the second half. Seattle moved Irvin to a spy role, a LB who is *faster* than Kaep, a very, very rare thing, thus forcing Kaep to throw the ball and leading to THREE turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Quinn is mic'ed up at half, telling Irvin to just spy on Kaepernick. On the All-22 watch Irvin spy Kaepernick, taking away his running option, forcing him to try to beat Seattle with his arm and decision-making.

And, guess who was in the game spying on Kaep on "The Tip?" Hell, the NinersNation site even gives Irvin props for containing Kaepernick's running.

Pete uses players at what they are good at, and for Seatle, Irvin was amazing as a spy on Kaepernick. KJ, bless his heart, just isn't fast enough to do that as effectively as Irvin.

Oh yeah, in coverage from the LB spot, Irvin had a nice pick in the Rams game.

Irvin plays a key role on this team, and it's really somewhat irrelevant who "starts" at that spot between him and KJ.

 

[Tokadub]

Kaep ran for 130 yards in the NFCCG, but almost none in the second half. Seattle moved Irvin to a spy role, a LB who is *faster* than Kaep, a very, very rare thing, thus forcing Kaep to throw the ball and leading to THREE turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Quinn is mic'ed up at half, telling Irvin to just spy on Kaepernick. On the All-22 watch Irvin spy Kaepernick, taking away his running option, forcing him to try to beat Seattle with his arm and decision-making.

And, guess who was in the game spying on Kaep on "The Tip?" Hell, the NinersNation site even gives Irvin props for containing Kaepernick's running.

Good points about Irvin, I LOVE his speed I hope he continues to grow as a player and finds his true niche on the team. He is certainly capable of making insane plays with his physical gifts, he just seems a bit raw but certainly worth the draft pick imo.

Malcom Smith is really good too, love his hustle and speed out there.

 

[Swedishhawkfan]

Smith's play in those final six games (all at WLB) was incredible. It was the best play I have seen from the weakside linebacker position in many years with 41 tackles, those four INTs, two TDs, 138 INT return yards, and his fumble recovery in the Super Bowl. He has blossomed into a beast at the WLB position. Now that he is back from injury, I think it's his position to lose. Wright should battle it out with Irvin at SLB once he returns from injury.

If that's your scenario, I wouldn't describe it as a 'battle.' KJ should easily win. You gotta have some brains to go with the brawn. Bruce falls a bit short on grey matter.

Wow, talk about assumptive. Irvin has never played Linebacker at ANY level, and played last year in the NFL and didn't embarrass himself. There's a ton of LBers out there that played the position all the way through college, got drafted highly for that position and have looked much worse than Irvin, years later. Hell, we drafted one in the 1st round.

This is a guy who's sum of coaching at the college level was "line up here, run really fast and knock the QB down". Maybe it's the coaching staff at WVU that lack the grey matter.

Well said. Irvin played safety in JuCo. Skipped right over the LB position, from secondary to DE. The NFL is his first exposure to linebacker.

Kaep ran for 130 yards in the NFCCG, but almost none in the second half. Seattle moved Irvin to a spy role, a LB who is *faster* than Kaep, a very, very rare thing, thus forcing Kaep to throw the ball and leading to THREE turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Quinn is mic'ed up at half, telling Irvin to just spy on Kaepernick. On the All-22 watch Irvin spy Kaepernick, taking away his running option, forcing him to try to beat Seattle with his arm and decision-making.

And, guess who was in the game spying on Kaep on "The Tip?" Hell, the NinersNation site even gives Irvin props for containing Kaepernick's running.

Pete uses players at what they are good at, and for Seatle, Irvin was amazing as a spy on Kaepernick. KJ, bless his heart, just isn't fast enough to do that as effectively as Irvin.

Oh yeah, in coverage from the LB spot, Irvin had a nice pick in the Rams game.

Irvin plays a key role on this team, and it's really somewhat irrelevant who "starts" at that spot between him and KJ.

My thoughts exactly. I am not really bothered if Irvin STARTS at DE or LB, i see him more as a big fast strong athletic guy that is really good to have on the field when we play big strong athletic QBs

 

[TwilightError]

Ir Irvin never does anything else but is a great spy on Kaep, he is easily worth a roster spot since we are likely to play them three times a year and their offense is not much if you take away the running threat of Kaepernick.