Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck
I really, really hope the team doesn't fall in love with Slaton's numbers (good as they are) and ignore the team's wretched performance in the red zone. They need a bruiser, a guy who can pick up two yards running behind a FB when everyone knows what play you're going to run. Green was great at that role when healthy. I desperately hoped that Chris Taylor would grow into that role.
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I couldn't agree more. To me Slaton is a better version of what Julius Jones was for the cowboys two years ago. That is not a knock. It is not to say he can't be one of the best RBs in the league. It is just meant to say why ask a guy to do things he doesn't do well.
Slaton clearly is tough enough and physical enough to run between the tackles and to carry it 25+ times a game, but this doesn't mean he is a short yardage back. Short yardage is a unique skill that is less about size than about pad level and how quick and hard a guy hits a hole. Marcus Allen and Emmitt Smith are the two best short yardage guys I've ever seen and neither was big, but they knew how to get low and burrow for the yard. Slaton does a ton of things well (speed, cutbacks, breaks tackles, moves the pile on downfield runs, catches the ball well). But he's just bad on short yardage.
I'd love to see us pick a short yardage runner in the draft (not necessarily a big runner though it could be). I wouldn't spend more than a 2nd or 3rd since we're talking about a part-time back, but I still think it's one of our biggest priorities this offseason (and the biggest on offense). Almost every great running team splits time with two or more GOOD backs. Of the top 7 rushing attacks (minnesota, tennessee, NE, Baltimore, New York Giants) all 7 have a #2 RB that plays an important role in the offense.
12-21-2008, 10:21 PM
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