Moats, Morrison update

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I love how Sheppard has gone from "WAY better than Poz" to "A backup on every other NFL team" in about 4 months.

Classic BBMB.

[557Miles]

Our entire LB core, save for Barnett (who is on the wrong side of his career for what it's worth), is a complete disaster. None of these guys have any business starting, and it's apparent that they have no idea what they're doing out there on the football field.

I have to agree LB is by far our weakest unit even though we have some young potential it needs alot of work. I know I will be saying a prayer every week for Barnett to stay healthy because he is the only playmaker we have at LB. Most teams have 2 good LB's some have a great one and a good one and some have 2 great ones, we have a good one in Barnett and thats it really. If he goes down it would hurt us more than it would hurt the average team. I think if you play a 4-3 you need to have a MLB that can cover and be fast enough to make tackles sideline to sideline. I don't think Sheppard or Morrison can do that at the MLB position but im hoping Shep steps up and wins the job.

[TAPITSB]

Is this about Moats over achieving? Or Shep under achieving???

Sounds like an attempt to find a spot for Morrison because he's on the bubble.

[Sampten]

I have to agree LB is by far our weakest unit even though we have some young potential it needs alot of work. I know I will be saying a prayer every week for Barnett to stay healthy because he is the only playmaker we have at LB. Most teams have 2 good LB's some have a great one and a good one and some have 2 great ones, we have a good one in Barnett and thats it really. If he goes down it would hurt us more than it would hurt the average team. I think if you play a 4-3 you need to have a MLB that can cover and be fast enough to make tackles sideline to sideline. I don't think Sheppard or Morrison can do that at the MLB position but im hoping Shep steps up and wins the job.

If Barnett goes down, this defense is screwed. I mean, we simply cannot afford an injury to Barnett. Our LB core is just so bad, it's downright sad. Maybe Shepp or Moats has a "breakout year" but the odds of one, or both doing so, are slim.

[TAPITSB]

I dont get the piling on of Shep that I keep seeing on this board....someone posts that he is getting pancaked in the Pitt game and the sheep pile on.....

Why dont you watch the games for yourselfs?

In the Steeler game....Shep was filling well and finding the ball pretty consistantly......he got beat on some plays by a OL coming through unchecked and im sorry....Ray Lewis doesnt overpower offensive linemen zero'd in on him.....neither does the Chicago MLB.......or any other (insert your favorite MLB name here) MLB's rely on DL in front of them to slow down pulling guards so they dont have a full head of steam when they make it to the MLB......

On the goaline stand (where Shep supposidly got bowled over) people are seeing what they want to see that are criticizing Shep......Shep was late to fill but did get there a couple of yards before the goaline....and stopped the initial forward surge of the RB (along with some help from Darius who didnt get completely into the play).....then with the help of a OL behind the RB he kept his feet and they started a second attempt moving paralel to the LOS and on the 2nd surge they crossed the goaline.....Shep is not going to stop TWO players like that and it is unfair to crit him on that play.

People keep on saying that a RB bulldozed Shep....that is not exactly how it happened.

really it was 3 players as Dareus was trying to shed the guard but couldn't and led him into the hole knocking Sheppard off the tackle.

[TAPITSB]

We've been 'building through the draft' for 12 years now. How's that working out? Seriously, you cannot expect to get 5-6 great players each year out of the draft. If you get 2 great players out of the draft and 3 decent backups, you had an amazing draft. See each year, people here think that we get 7 great players, when in reality, we're lucky to get 1. Usually we draft guys that pan out much more like Aaron Maybin or John McCargo, than we do Kyle Williams

This is like talking about your old girlfriend to your new girlfriend. New girlfriend didn't do all those things you broke it off for.

[TAPITSB]

If Barnett goes down, this defense is screwed. I mean, we simply cannot afford an injury to Barnett. Our LB core is just so bad, it's downright sad. Maybe Shepp or Moats has a "breakout year" but the odds of one, or both doing so, are slim.

Every time I watch I think Barnett is the worse one on the field.