Lockett responds to criticism about third down slide...

[Nunya]

Yesterday, Tyler slid down short of a critical first down by a couple of yards. It looked like he could have turned up field and made the first down, though he probably would have taken some hits. I am not implying that TL is soft or needs more field awareness. It was what it was. However, some people apparently was giving him grief.

TL also admitted he got away with a push-off on his TD.

Tyler Lockett responds to criticism about third down slide that came up short

Let Lockett Lockett.

www.yahoo.com

 

[SoulfishHawk]

He would been absolutely destroyed on that play. Sure I want him to just go get it, but damn, there were several guys waiting to take his head off. He almost always makes up for it.
Def. was a push off. But, on the TD that got called back for Hopkins, he clearly pushed off as well. At least the refs were consistent with letting it slide both ways.
On the lack of holding calls and not giving the Hawks the fumble......different story. As far as people calling him soft, easy to say from your couch. Later on he got BLASTED and held on to the ball. Sure doesn't look soft to me.

 

[Hawknballs]

That field also looked like hot garbage, at least over the tv. Chunks of dirt everywhere and people sliding more than usual.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Tyler's a stud, but it seems his focus hasn't quite been to his usual laser focused level the past two games.

I understand his need for self preservation, but there are times during a game you have to know you need to take risks in order to get the 1st down, TD, whatever.

That play yesterday was one of those times. No excuses, he has to not only know where the 1st down is, but he has to know that's one of the times he can't slide early to not take a hit. If we lost, we'd be crucifying him today for not trying to get that 1st.

 

[Milehighhawk]

For those of us that have been around for a minute, Lockett clearly has gone to the WR school of Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce in recent years and really I don't blame him. His frame can't hold up to the punishment that going for the extra yards often involves. He is a GREAT receiver and no one is calling him soft so go ahead and put that ridiculous straw man to bed already. That being said, I really don't like his response to this one. It is indeed the responsibility of anyone who carries the ball to know where the first down sticks are and that doesn't take a yellow line to determine. We have seen countless times where receivers/runners dive for the first down line so his response doesn't check with reality. Still love Tyler, but in those rare instances where you are converting a third down or approaching the end zone, you got to try for it.

 

[Hawkpower]

He would been absolutely destroyed on that play. Sure I want him to just go get it, but damn, there were several guys waiting to take his head off. He almost always makes up for it.
Def. was a push off. But, on the TD that got called back for Hopkins, he clearly pushed off as well. At least the refs were consistent with letting it slide both ways.
On the lack of holding calls and not giving the Hawks the fumble......different story. As far as people calling him soft, easy to say from your couch. Later on he got BLASTED and held on to the ball. Sure doesn't look soft to me.

You're going to get destroyed in this league as a WR.

TL has made it abundantly clear that if given the choice, he is avoiding contact this year, at the cost of catches or yards at times

That's his decision to make, and I understand it on some level, but he also needs to know that (as Shaun Alexander found out) criticism will also come his way, and rightfully so as well.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yep, absolutely. Gotta' go get that first down. And I'll get accused being a Tyler apologist, and I don't care. He's one of the most important players this team has ever had. And he's been CLUTCH as it comes. If people want to call him soft, have at it. Just a really lame thing to call someone from the couch or behind the keyboard.

 

[JPatera76]

Ultimately, he was 2 yards shy when he was still open and still could safely go down after taking up those 2 yards and gain the 1st down. Does it matter now? Nope we won. Granted Collins hit was brutal, and it showed Lockett can take hits however I think it says more about the league than it does players when some such as Lockett are stuck with the choice of preserving oneself or taking a brutal hit. Whereas if the NFL was doing its true due diligence to make it "safer" rules would be in place to eject players like Collins for that hit to lockets helmet he delivered.

I was actually stunned and surprised that Lockett wasn't pulled and checked for concussion.

EDIT: I don't think he is soft, just the play was. If there's any player, I feel is soft its Eskridge.

 

[Chapow]

He made a mistake. It happens. I'm sure he's aware of it, and I'd be pretty shocked to see a similar mistake from him anytime soon.

On his TD catch, I can't believe there wasn't a flag. I love me some Lockett, but that was a very blatant and obvious push off. Incredibly lucky to not get flagged there. Should probably try to be a little more subtle with that stuff going forward.

 

[Chapow]

I was actually stunned and surprised that Lockett wasn't pulled and checked for concussion.

Me too. I don't know how a player takes a hit like that and they just let him keep playing without any sort of check or evaluation. That was an absolutely savage hit.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

On his TD catch, I can't believe there wasn't a flag. I love me some Lockett, but that was a very blatant and obvious push off. Incredibly lucky to not get flagged there. Should probably try to be a little more subtle with that stuff going forward.

Baker agrees with you.

 

[JPatera76]

He made a mistake. It happens. I'm sure he's aware of it, and I'd be pretty shocked to see a similar mistake from him anytime soon.

On his TD catch, I can't believe there wasn't a flag. I love me some Lockett, but that was a very blatant and obvious push off. Incredibly lucky to not get flagged there. Should probably try to be a little more subtle with that stuff going forward.

On the Hopkins TD he (dHop) did the same, so it seemed the refs were letting them "play it out" in those regards.

 

[Ruminator]

In certain players' case including Lockett's, I fully support self-preservation occasionally at the cost of having to punt in order to be able to play all 17 games. Would rather lose a game than lose the season or, if we make the playoffs, find ourselves weaker with said player on IR.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yep, exactly what I was saying before. They were letting it go on both sides, as far as push off goes in the end zone.

 

[StoneCold]

Two questions. Was he unaware of the line to gain? And did he know and go down out of self preservation. The fromer is just a mistake, the latter is understandable though slightly less forgiveable. That said, Tyler has earned the right to do either with only slight head shake from me from the safety of my couch.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

EDIT: I don't think he is soft, just the play was. If there's any player, I feel is soft its Eskridge.

Eskridge isn't soft, he just plays dumb. Takes too many hard hits.

Which is weird for a player of his stature and quickness. You would have thought he'd learn by now how to avoid contact, get out of bounds and take a hit better.

Honestly, I panic every time he gets the ball. Feels like he's going to cough it up or get concussed. Or both.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yeah, Eskridge soft? If anything, he needs to know when to live for another play.

 

[CalgaryFan05]

Yep, absolutely. Gotta' go get that first down. And I'll get accused being a Tyler apologist, and I don't care. He's one of the most important players this team has ever had. And he's been CLUTCH as it comes. If people want to call him soft, have at it. Just a really lame thing to call someone from the couch or behind the keyboard.

This. He doesn't look soft to me. Never has. Never will - he can throw the occasional 'business decision' in there - but soft he ain't.

In the article, the 'aint no yellow line' comment strongly suggests that he just for whatever reason, didn't know where the marker was.

It was funny yesterday - literally 5 minutes after I told my wife: "Boy - I sure miss ADB - and TL looks alot like ADB in a bunch of the stuff that he's done" - and then he surpassed the Doug record. Vikings game. Full on Nike air single handed catch in horrible conditions. ADB was the man. Thankfully 85% of him has been pieced together to re-make Tyler Lockett

 

[AROS]

Baker agrees with you.

I'm still salty we didn't draft him when we had the chance. Home town boy? Baller? Ugh.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I'm still salty we didn't draft him when we had the chance. Home town boy? Baller? Ugh.

Yeah I love Baker's game. He's a stud, too bad he's rotting away on a dumpster fire of an organization. He'd be widely considered one of the top 2-3 safeties in the league if he played on a halfway functional team.