2008 Quick Reads: Week 4

Regarding Reggie Bush, part of his negative plays weren't his fault. On at least one carry he got hit as soon as he got the ball on a handoff, and on his -5/-6 yd. pass rec. Brees threw him the ball to avoid a sack. He was hit by the SF LB before he had a chance to turn around. Watching the game, it seemed like the Niners were really keying on Bush. Of course, they probably should have keyed on Lance Moore and Robert Meachem a little bit more. (Not to mention protecting the QB, and throwing better passes near the goal line.)

I was really hoping to see a word or two on Kyle Orton, perhaps contrasting his first half and second half?

Two Jets notes. One, Favre thought the play he threw a pick on was a free play because a defender jumped offsides. Not much of an excuse for a terrible decision, but it's something. Two, Coles should've had a 4th TD. He dropped a ball in the back of the end zone on the Jets first FG drive in the second quarter. It was a lightning bolt and the defender had tight coverage, but Coles got two hands on it. In my book, that means it should've been a catch.

Finally, does Warner have tiny Dave Krieg hands or previously injured fingers? Why the hi-di-ho does he fumble so much? Not that I'm complaining.

The real criticism is not that boom or bust rushers are undervalued by DYAR, but that DYAR is not measuring the player but the team. It's arguable that much of a player's "boom" is their own: their speed, elusiveness and prowess in the open field. A player's "bust", however, is largely team dependent. From an offensive line's ability to create a hole, to a passing game's ability to force linebackers/safeties and create favorable down and distance, successful rushing is a team effort. Regarding down and distance, it's easier to get 60% of needed yards on second and three than second and ten--or fifteen. But the rusher is credited or debited for the outcome of both plays, and I would guess four yards on second and three are worth more DYAR than ten yards on second and fifteen.

Can we really blame every rusher for his "busts"? How do "busts" translate when a player changes teams? Or the team itself changes? Is it any wonder that Tom Brady's injury coincides with the dramatic decline in New England's rushing offense? I think DYAR effectively measures a team's production when a specific player runs, receives or passes the ball, but I don't think it effectively measures the ability of the player himself. Ergo, the legendary question updated, what would Barry Sander's DYAR be if he ran on Emmitt Smith's Dallas Cowboys?

The real criticism is not that boom or bust rushers are undervalued by DYAR, but that DYAR is not measuring the player but the team. It's arguable that much of a player's "boom" is their own: their speed, elusiveness and prowess in the open field. A player's "bust", however, is largely team dependent. From an offensive line's ability to create a hole, to a passing game's ability to force linebackers/safeties and create favorable down and distance, successful rushing is a team effort. Regarding down and distance, it's easier to get 60% of needed yards on second and three than second and ten--or fifteen. But the rusher is credited or debited for the outcome of both plays, and I would guess four yards on second and three are worth more DYAR than ten yards on second and fifteen.

Can we really blame every rusher for his "busts"? How do "busts" translate when a player changes teams? Or the team itself changes? Is it any wonder that Tom Brady's injury coincides with the dramatic decline in New England's rushing offense? I think DYAR effectively measures a team's production when a specific player runs, receives or passes the ball, but I don't think it effectively measures the ability of the player himself. Ergo, the legendary question updated, what would Barry Sanders' DYAR be if he ran on Emmitt Smith's Dallas Cowboys?

I thought McNabb also had accuracy issues. If the Bears could put any pressure on him, it seemed like they could force a low throw.

Here's the Eyrd/Att

Boom King is already outdated?

What's the Derek Anderson comment supposed to mean? Why would the Bengals' linemen care about Brady Quinn?