Malcom Smith or Bruce Irvin?

[DrDix]

Irvin's INT was because of Thomas. Before the play, you can clearly hear Thomas yelling at Irvin to watch the wheel route. Sure enough, here comes the wheel and a free INT. Would not have happened unless Thomas diagnosed it and told Irvin.

Irvin has been underwhelming. If you're a mid first round pick, you're expected to be a difference maker. He seems more like a guy who just sets the edge to funnel stuff back inside and be a spy for mobile QB's like Kap. I don't see us resigning him. I do see us resigning Smith and having him be our full time SAM.

Wow you just described a team!!! Sweet!

 

[checkdanews]

Its to early to call him a waste of a 1st round pick, and hell with our front office we can stand to have a miss in the first round because we hit in so many other rounds. Give him time, maybe Pete is letting him play/learn the position before he starts adding wrinkles of pass rush to his gameplan so he doesn't put to much on Bruces plate, I say next year is the real test.

 

[Jville]

I'm not a prisoner of any adversary system. I'm on board with all 4 of our top linebackers.

All that speed and length at linebacker is going to continue to pay big dividends on into the final playoff game. All that work on linebacker coverage including trail coverage has shown up this year.

The rest of the country's media may be oblivious. But I've certainly seen the big upgrade.

Go Hawks

 

[seadoc30]

I don't understand why Irvin is not used in the blitz game more. Infact, I can't remember him blitzing the last time.

Anyhow, I think the smart thing would be to cut Clemons next year and move Avril into Clemons spot and Irvin into Avril's current spot. This would allow Avril and M.Smith to be a full time starter.

Clemons is done IMO. Could save his money and resign Bennett.

 

[Timberhawk]

Hopefully we get to keep them all. As it has been stated it is early on Irvin, who knows about injuries, etc. but since you asked I'd say Smith.

It was mentioned that Irvin didn't have the best game in the NFC Championship. Here is another example: On the Avril strip sack that Bennett nearly returns for a TD. On that play ET gets out in front and makes a key block on the O lineman on the Niners with the best angle to tackle Bennett. Well, Irvin was also in on that play and mind you is much bigger than ET. All Irvin had to do was run in front of and subsequently slow down the other oncoming O lineman and Bennett scores a TD which puts us up ten, game over. Instead Irvin runs ahead and actually runs around ET and the guy he is blocking which effectively took him out of the play. This as we all know allowed Bennett to be tackled on the five and we do not score what would have been a near game clinching TD.

One of the things I love about Sherman is that he isn't the most athletic guy but he studies so hard and has such a great understanding for the game he is constantly putting himself in the right place to make plays. I like Irvin and love his potential but the more I see him the more I feel he is the opposite. He is a freaking awesome athlete but doesn't have a great feel for the game. Of course maybe I am wrong and maybe he develops in this area. I hope so. My .02 anyway.

Go Hawks!!

 

[jblaze]

Something else that no one has mentioned yet is that if we lose a DE or two to FA, we can always put Irvin back at the DE in pass obvious situations like he was used in his first year.

We may lose Bennett and Bryant, so we may need him on the nascar packages in the future.

 

[EntiatHawk]

Clem is still very strong against the rush. I do not think his contract will allow him to stay which is too bad. I think Irvin will be just fine but needs more time. He was much rawer than many players but is physically gifted. So let them have time with him and it may pay big dividends.

Smith has played very well this year and really gives us depth. But we are going to have to get use to losing a few players here and there as we are reloading. We are the 4th youngest team in the league. Not good for the rest of the NFL.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Something else that no one has mentioned yet is that if we lose a DE or two to FA, we can always put Irvin back at the DE in pass obvious situations like he was used in his first year.

There's a reason Carroll and Schneider went out in the offseason and committed big dollars to Bennett and Avril, because they didn't trust Irvin to be the pass rusher he was drafted to be.

There's no scenario where I'm comfortable with giving that role back to Irvin. Besides, Avril signed a two year deal, so he's back.....and we won't resign Clemons, so some of that cap space can be spent resigning Bennett.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Something else that no one has mentioned yet is that if we lose a DE or two to FA, we can always put Irvin back at the DE in pass obvious situations like he was used in his first year.

There's a reason Carroll and Schneider went out in the offseason and committed big dollars to Bennett and Avril, because they didn't trust Irvin to be the pass rusher he was drafted to be.

There's no scenario where I'm comfortable with giving that role back to Irvin. Besides, Avril signed a two year deal, so he's back.....and we won't resign Clemons, so some of that cap space can be spent resigning Bennett.

Or maybe the team is actually smarter than all the superficial fans who think they can run the team better.

Maybe just maybe Caroll knows the progression of his own projects and in order for Irvin to become a complete LEO, he needs to be 1/2 Pass Rusher and 1/2 Linebacker.

Irvin isn't going to learn from the bench sitting on his ass, and so far he's been part of a team that together makes the #1 Defense in the NFL. And if Irvin is such a statistical nightmare, why does Quinn keeps playing him, keeps starting him. So, Irvin must doing something right.

Some people seriously need to be more supportive fan than judgemental critque.