Linebackers: A Liability In 2010, A Strength In 2011.
by danielreese05 on Aug 1, 2011 7:00 AM CDT
in Tennessee Titans Commentary
Email
Print
This is a definitive statement of fact. Read below to see the method to my madness.
Bold prediction numero uno: The Tennessee Titans will have a very good group of linebackers in 2011. I fully expect this unit to be head and shoulders above last year's group which is kind of like Houston's secondary being better than it was last year, but still, when I look at this unit, I like what I see very, very much. Everyone remembers how infuriating last year was when it was basically a given that any given tight end would run roughshod all over our defense. It's tough to put all of the blame on the linebackers, but at the same time we all knew it the problem was stemming from an inability to cover from most, if not all, of the players we had at the position. This year, that's not so. Barrett Ruud was probably the best coverage MLB on the market and, as you all know, we've got him. Honestly, I don't care if he's slightly below average as a run defender. He's a very intelligent player and has come in to fill a huge hole in the defense.
I've also raved about the selection of Akeem Ayers for awhile now, and while pad-less, contact-less, and most of all, kind of meaningless practices offer very little for me to back up my thoughts, he looked like a beast out there. Coverage, instincts, attitude, you name it, he had it. Ayers taking on big ol' Dave Stewart was the equivalent of the new inmate walking up to the biggest, baddest dude in the prison yard and beating him senseless on his first day there. This was Ayers' second practice ever and he went toe-to-toe with an established veteran whose nickname is Big Country. It's taking all of my restraint to not just gush about this guy in his own post, he's earned it.
Bold prediction numero dos: Akeem Ayers will be the defensive Rookie of the Year. This one may seem a lot more like going out on a limb, but I think that the combination of early playing time and raw play making ability should earn him some serious consideration for the award. Also consider this; since the beginning of the millennium, only two DRoY's have not been linebackers. Those two were Julius Peppers in 2002 and Ndamukong Suh last year. So unless anyone thinks that any of the top D-linemen in this year's draft are poised for double-digit sacks, the award will most likely go to a linebacker who is either a tackling machine in the middle or excels at rushing the passer. Ayers is the latter, but also adds great coverage skills which should result in a lot of takeaways stemming from his side of the field. What you have here is a winning combination. For all of the optimism I have for this season concerning Ayers, I also am aware that in the last twenty years, only three players not drafted in the first round have won the DRoY. Hugh Douglas in 1995, Kendrell Bell in 2000, and DeMeco Ryans in 2006. All but Bell went on to make Pro Bowl Appearances. However, it should also be noted that Ayers will, in all likelihood, be starting from day one. That fact alone pretty much levels the playing field with, or may even give him an early advantage over more highly drafted players like Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, and Nick Fairley.
Bold Prediction numero tres: Will Witherspoon will be the worst linebacker among starters. This is actually a good thing. To me, this basically means that he'll be more or less the same player he was last year, pretty darn average, but that Barrett Ruud will contribute more with his game managing skills and coverage ability and that Gerald McRath will find a way to return to some semblance of the form that made him so exciting in the first place. In retrospect, this doesn't seem like that bold of a prediction, but if I had told you that Spoon would be the worst starting LB on the team two weeks ago I doubt you would have believed me.
So there it is. Three reasons that I think will lead to a big A on the end of the year report card for our linebackers. They've also got a whole lot to gain from being a great unit. I share the feeling with many of you that the secondary might be the best unit on the defense next year with the continued maturation of Verner and McCourty and a regression to career norms from Griffin and Finnegan. We all know it all starts up front, but having two-thirds of the defense play well might just lead to this team upsetting a few opponents in their first year under together.
30 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
It certainly looks like they will be better.
I would think Ayers has a great shot at DROTY because he is a linebacker like you said. I’ll have to see them play to really feel confident, but its hard not to be optimistic after last season.
Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove
Also, Desean Jackson and Frank Gore are both ending their holdouts today per ESPN
CJ better take the hint!
Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove
You forgot the biggest reason that our defense is gonna improve this year
We have a defensive coordinator that actually has some kind of clue about what is going on and not just worried about flipping off officials.
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
^This
I think we are going to see very early on just how bad Cecil was. A lot of the players have already mentioned the difference between the confusion under Cecil and the organization under Gray.
Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.
Do you have a link to any of that?
I’m curious to see those comments.
Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy, and here's what's happening in your world tonight.
by ronburgundy7427 on Aug 1, 2011 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions
There is a website that has discussed it extensively during the lockout
Had several stories about it including quotes! You should check it out!
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
Well played.
Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy, and here's what's happening in your world tonight.
by ronburgundy7427 on Aug 1, 2011 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions
You sound like one of those comment robots.
Buy cheap shoes!
W W W S C A M C O M
Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove
by BonzosMontreaux on Aug 1, 2011 9:03 AM CDT up reply actions
I just don't know how to do all those symbols!
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
Probably need a chinese keyboard or something.
Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove
by BonzosMontreaux on Aug 1, 2011 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions
step up yo ASCII art game, son
^
I \
I.. \
I…. \
I…….\
I_____\.. . . . .. \o/
_______ I ___________I________
[[COMMENT_CHILDREN_TOKEN]]#8230;………………………………………./
\ …………………………………….. /
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Pearl for Life.
The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.
Brilliant
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
no clue what happened in the middle there
auto formatting makes that shit challenging as hell. much respect to the ed hardy/ugg boot spam bots.
Pearl for Life.
The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.
I was thinking I missed a joke about token children
I was just gonna let it slide
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
by gramsey712 on Aug 1, 2011 10:13 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I wonder if 'Spoon could be a cap casualty.
Keep him through camp, let him and Ruud battle it out in the middle. OR could we see him shift back to the outside and you’d have Ayers-Ruud-Spoon?
Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy, and here's what's happening in your world tonight.
The ceiling is high for the revamped.....
Linebacker corp because they were so pitiful last year. It was so bad that on the fantasy service I read under players to pick up it would say pick up the Titans opponent TE because apparently the team didn’t have a LB who can cover a tight end. I don’t know about an A grade for the LB corp but after getting a big F last year just making a C would be better than average for me.
"Just because there's an absence of evidence doesn't mean there's an evidence of absence.
What I'm saying is there known knowns and known unknowns but there's also unknown unknowns.......... things that we don't know we don't know. "
,+####+######;`
:##+#+''''+###;
:####+''''####;
#####'+''+#### ,+####;
#+###''''+##+#. ,##+'''''+##.
####+''++#####: :'######+'''+##
####+''''#+#+#. `###'#+'''##`
;####'++'+####+` ##';#'''##; :####+#'`
##;#+''''###+##` ##::#'''+#+ '#######+
;#+##+''''#+####, ,#+::#+''+## ###::+###'
##:##+''+'#####++ ##:::##++'##+` `++##',,,:###
+#+:##+''''+#######++####:::+#############::::::+##`
; ##::###+'''''+##########:::::+##########;:::::::;#####,
+ '##::;#####++############::,::::;+###+::,,::::::::;+#####
;; #+#:::::'+####+++++######::::::::::::,::::.` `.:::;####
.# #+#::::::::::::::::::####+:::::::::::, ,::###'
## `###;::::::::::::::::::#######'::::` `'#+###+; .::###
### +##+':::::::::::::::::#######::. ,##+#+#+#####+#` ,:+##`
#### ;#####+::::::::::::::#####:: :###+####++########, :;##`
;####. +#######;:::::,:::::,:::, ##+#######'+#####+#+## ::##`
#'####; ##########'::,:::::,,::, :#####+#++++''++++#######. ::##
++'#####+#+#++########::,:::::::, ++#+#+####+''''''+##+#+#+#+; :;##
#''+##################:::,::::: +######+##+#+''''##+#########: :+#'
++'''+##;:::::::'######::::::: :#+#+#+#######''''#+##+#+#+#+#+. :##
#+'''''+###;::::::+####:::::. `#############+'++'+############# ,:#+
#+''+'''''+#+::::::###;:::: ##############'####'############## :#+
+#+''''''''+#;:::::###,:: :########+###+#####################. .:#+
.####+'''+'+#+:::::##::: ########+###+#####+#####+######+###+ :##
,#####+''''#+::::+#;:. ,#+#..............................###` ,'#,
`###+##''+#+::::#+: ####``````````````.``````````````.###+ :#+
;####+'##;:::++: ##+#; `.. #+#+# :##
+###+##:::,:, .#+### .... ##### :+#
##+##'::::. '##+## #+#+##..... `##+#+# ,##+##, ,'+.
+##+#::::` ++####' +######:.... :#####+, ######' .;#:
+###;::: #####+# #+#+#+#+.... ##+#+### ##+#+++ `:#'
' ####::: ####+#+#+#######.... ######+#+####### :#+
:#` ####::: ##+########+#+##.... ##+#+####+#+#++# `:#+
########::: ######++##+#####.... .###############+ `:+'
########:::` +########+#+##+#'... +##+#+##########' .;#:
:######;:::. ;########'###+###... #######'####++##. ,'#.
##::::::::: `###+'##'+#####+#... ###+###''#+'##+# :+#
,##::::::,: ####''''+##+####... `#######'''''#### :##
+##::::::: ####+''''+###+##;.. '######++'''####+ `:#+
##+::::::, .###'''''''+####+.. ##+##+'''''++### :'#:
###:::::: ##+''''##+#+#+##.. ####+###+''''+## :##
+##+::::` .+###+'#########.. ++#+##+#+'+###+ ,:#+
`####::: ####+'++#+#+#+#,. :####+####'####+ :##`
,####:, #+##+#########'. +#+#+##+####+## :;##
+##: .####++##+#+#+#. #####+###+#### `:+#
+#+: :#+####+######. ##+########+#. :+#'
##;: :#+######+#+#..###+#+######. :'##
`##:: `###########;'########+## :;##
,##:: ########+#+##++######+ :;+#`
:##;: `################## `:+##.
,##+:, +############' ::###`
###::, .;+##+;` ,:;###
+###:::` `::;###'
`##+#'::::,.``.,::::++###
`####+#+;::::;+######`
;##############:
,;+##+;.
Unofficial MCM QB Rating Hater
Epistemological Police
by rothbard on Aug 1, 2011 10:49 AM CDT reply actions 7 recs
SPAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Official MCM Hater!
"Our depth chart this year:
1) Not Vince Young
2) Not Vince Young
3) Not Vince Young
Looks like we upgraded."
Damn it feels good to be a contributor, Music City Miracles.
"We’re not backing down, we’re not scared of them...them and their 180 million dollar payroll"
- Kevin Gregg
by danielreese05 on Aug 1, 2011 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Ayers took on Big Country?
Why have I not heard of this. Can you pleaser post what you saw—- was it 1 on 1 etc…
GO TITANS!!!
by RhiNo6705 on Aug 1, 2011 10:54 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
just from the twitter feed that was up in the open thread from last night it sounds like they got into it 1 on 1.
Damn it feels good to be a contributor, Music City Miracles.
"We’re not backing down, we’re not scared of them...them and their 180 million dollar payroll"
- Kevin Gregg
by danielreese05 on Aug 1, 2011 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions
I saw it too.
Wyatt & the Titans Insider both reported it
Before I do anything I ask myself "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing.
Follow me on Twitter: @oHIoBrent
I thought it was Ayers and Stevens that go into it during 7 on 7?
by Titans_Firefighter on Aug 1, 2011 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions
I thought that, too. It was tweeted.
The Force is with you, young SkyLocker, but you are not a Jedi... yet!
Ayers is awesome
I follow him on twitter and started the #DROY trend everytime I tweet him and he responds when he cans. Ayers and cook are awesome twitter guys
Kenny Britt First and only WR
Cook follows everyone back too!
Twitter has brought players & fans closer than ever
Before I do anything I ask myself "Would an idiot do that?" And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing.
Follow me on Twitter: @oHIoBrent
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Music City Miracles
Related FanShots on Music City Miracles
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
- Having finally landed, Kellen Winslow looks for a fresh start in Seattle
- Tim Tebow teased with chants of ‘Lolo!’ in Jets locker room
