Perillo: Mayo makes "play of camp"

[Patti37]

I have only been down to camp twice this year but Mayo has been quite impressive. He hustles, plays hard and seems to have an instinct for the ball. During the first camp, I kept an eye on him during the drills and he was talking and interacting with the coaches. I interpreted this as asking questions...trying to learn.

I really like what I see. I hope what I see in camp translates into a game.

 

[DarrylS]

Yeah, I think I'll choose to be excited as well. Sure beats waiting for the next installment of the Favre saga.

I thought that was the be all and end all of NFL Football..

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Don't watch much football?

Maroney is a very good goalline runner. You're being ridiculous.

I watch plenty of football, TO, but evidently we're not watching the same games. I have not seen him as a goal-line beast by any stretch. I do not think Maroney's strength is his nose for the goal-line. If it's fourth and 1, I don't think "all is well, this is a gimme" if Maroney is in the backfield. And more than likely in that situation, if Morris is healthy, that's who we'd see.

I believe he scored something like 6 TDs last year. I remember quite a few third down tough yardage situations and quite a few goal line situations where he was not able to make it happen. Short yardage running has not been his forte.

But maybe you know better because you watch more football or something. I'm not anti-Maroney and I don't think he's "made out of glass." I'm just a realist. He's not an unstoppable force who I'm surprised would be stopped at the stripe.

PFnV

 

[bradmahn]

I watch plenty of football, TO, but evidently we're not watching the same games. I have not seen him as a goal-line beast by any stretch. I do not think Maroney's strength is his nose for the goal-line. If it's fourth and 1, I don't think "all is well, this is a gimme" if Maroney is in the backfield. And more than likely in that situation, if Morris is healthy, that's who we'd see.

I believe he scored something like 6 TDs last year. I remember quite a few third down tough yardage situations and quite a few goal line situations where he was not able to make it happen. Short yardage running has not been his forte.

But maybe you know better because you watch more football or something. I'm not anti-Maroney and I don't think he's "made out of glass." I'm just a realist. He's not an unstoppable force who I'm surprised would be stopped at the stripe.

PFnV

In situations where the offense needed 2 or fewer yards for either a TD or first down, Maroney carried the ball 21 times and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. In addition to this, Maroney was FootballOutsiders' number two back in terms of success rate.

He's been a very good RB in short yardage situations.

 

[TripleOption]

I watch plenty of football, TO, but evidently we're not watching the same games. I have not seen him as a goal-line beast by any stretch. I do not think Maroney's strength is his nose for the goal-line. If it's fourth and 1, I don't think "all is well, this is a gimme" if Maroney is in the backfield. And more than likely in that situation, if Morris is healthy, that's who we'd see.

I believe he scored something like 6 TDs last year. I remember quite a few third down tough yardage situations and quite a few goal line situations where he was not able to make it happen. Short yardage running has not been his forte.

But maybe you know better because you watch more football or something. I'm not anti-Maroney and I don't think he's "made out of glass." I'm just a realist. He's not an unstoppable force who I'm surprised would be stopped at the stripe.

PFnV

Maroney has 6 TD's because the Pats throw so damn much. My personal opinion? He does have a nose for the goal line. When he gets the ball in short yardage GL situations, he is low and has a nice lean. He is not a "beast" in the vein of Alstott...but he is no slouch either. He is a large back in the 220 lbs+ range and can beat you to the pylon or find the crack and go straight ahead.

 

[PatsFan37]

Didn't Freddie Roach have the play of camp making a similar goal line stop once?

Too true. Thankfully, Mayo has been showing up every day in other areas, according to the many breathless reports. So we have our hopes.

 

[ScottieC]

Is what really happening? A first round draft choice making a nice play in training camp.

Wow, lots of sarcastic replies to this thread.

Let's review that play - A ROOKIE made a play on the 1 yard line against a Third Year Running back that we ALL expect to have a great year this year - Not to mention the Veterans that he would have had to get thru and by to get to Lawrence - On BOTH sides of the ball.

Yea, I'm with ya - I think we got someone special in Mayo and I'm impressed.

Lighten up folks - By all accounts this Mayo kid is going to a nice addition.

And don't forget that the more stories like this we hear, the less likely we have drafted a 1st round bust.

Thanks for the post!

 

[Rob0729]

The guy appears to be having a great camp, but let's not give him the Defensive Rookie of the Year title just yet. Let's see him in preseason games which aren't always the best indicators to how a rookie will do in the regular season either. I am cautiously optimistic about the guy, but I am not ready to get too excited.

 

[ScottieC]

The guy appears to be having a great camp, but let's not give him the Defensive Rookie of the Year title just yet. Let's see him in preseason games which aren't always the best indicators to how a rookie will do in the regular season either. I am cautiously optimistic about the guy, but I am not ready to get too excited.

I'd be willing to give him Defensive Rookie of the year! Can I do that?

 

[patchick]

Here's a thought on why we're all so giddy about Mayo: when was the last time the Pats had a high-round rookie come in and look awesome and exciting from day one? (Maybe Mankins, but he's a guard, ya know? )

The team is overdue for an exciting impact draft class, and this one holds a ton of promise to be just that. The reports on the rookies as a group -- and the #1 & 2 picks in particular -- have been almost uniformly positive. On August 3rd, that's as good as it gets!

 

[ScottieC]

Here's a thought on why we're all so giddy about Mayo: when was the last time the Pats had a high-round rookie come in and look awesome and exciting from day one? (Maybe Mankins, but he's a guard, ya know? )

The team is overdue for an exciting impact draft class, and this one holds a ton of promise to be just that. The reports on the rookies as a group -- and the #1 & 2 picks in particular -- have been almost uniformly positive. On August 3rd, that's as good as it gets!

I agree. I think that this Defense will be outstanding.

Seau back by...Tampa preseason game??

 

[Shakey]

I agree. I think that this Defense will be outstanding.

Seau back by...Tampa preseason game??

You can't have enough veteran experience

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Okay, so it's not so much that I don't watch football enough, I just don't read Football Outsiders enough.

I will grant that Maroney had 100% success on 6 plays last year, when he actually crossed the goal line. I do not know how many of those were from within 2 yards, that is, against a goal-line D (which as I understand it is what the drill was.) I seem to remember quite a few from well further out. But again, going by memory.

I want you guys to be right, but don't quite see how the certainty factor comes into play ("oh no way, he's a good goal-line back..."), when, in fact, he scored a total of 6 times last year. BF fan, thanks for phrasing your POV as personal opinion. I think that's the appropriate approach given what we actually know.

PFnV

 

[PatsFanInVa]

By the way, I read another slightly more descriptive account that specified the Mayo shoulder hit could be heard throughout the field house, that he darted through a gap, etc. It indeed shored up the "oooooh Mayo made a hit!" factor for me.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Points being, we're fans. And the only 'data' we have on the newbies right now is camp reports. I love Training Camp.

The thing that's fun about TC is falling in fandom with one or two obscure players and hoping they make the roster. I'm usually dissapointed.

Regarding Mayo, there are two things that stand out in most TCs. First, the guys who make a really big impression from Day One. Guys like Curtis Martin, Ty Law, Drew Bledsoe, Deion Branch, etc. you could tell were special right away. It was easy. At the other extreme you can see guys that are really struggling and might look like 'busts'. Worst ever was Chris Canty. One look at the spindle legs dwarf standing next to Ty and then worse when he was clueless on the field. Daniel Graham had a horrible TC, he was clueless, and he followed it with a sub par 1st season, but he became far from the bust that he appeared to me that 1st TC and 1st year. What's nice about camp this year is that excepting the QB (insufficient data) and LB Rudd who has not played until recently, not a one of the Pats draft picks looks anything approaching the TC bust level. An impressive bunch.

 

[jbb9s]

Silly Maroney - he should have used his secret kick pass to Mankins instead of trying to plow through Mayo.

 

[fgssand]

By the way, I read another slightly more descriptive account that specified the Mayo shoulder hit could be heard throughout the field house, that he darted through a gap, etc. It indeed shored up the "oooooh Mayo made a hit!" factor for me.

d%#*!@t - who blew the blocking assignment?? Woah is our "O" line. Cut that lineman.

Just kidding, proves the equal and opposite reality of TC when your team plays itself.

 

[PatsFan37]

Perillo

Jerod Mayo against Laurence Maroney were up first in pass coverage work. Mayo slipped and Maroney caught the easy toss from 12.

Jordan just beat Mayo easily for the quick out.

Mayo is struggling. Morris just beat him with an inside move and reception.

Mayo bounces back, running stride for stride with Maroney down the field to the point where Brady just held the ball.

Oh no, he's a bust, he's a bust. Aaaah. Hall of fame.

 

[SunnyDenmark]

Honestly I have not read every report about TC. I follow Reiss and Mrs B's and a few others - but not every single practice. Still from what I have read, it sounds very encouraging about Mayo. It could be better but he HAS made some plays against the first team offense.

So in my feeble mind, I have already given him my TC (pass/fail) grade of PASS. Now he has to prove to me that he can handle 'the heat of the battle'. You know - when the live bullets are flying. Hopefully the pre-season games will give us also a positive impression of his 'cool under fire' temperment. Then again, Cassell looks pretty good in pre-season games, but just seems to look like a deer in the headlights roadkill when he is thrust into a regular season game.....

Hopefully Mayo will get his gametime Zen from Bradys' mojo and not Casells.

 

[Patslifer]

I agree. I think that this Defense will be outstanding.

Seau back by...Tampa preseason game??

Why do you feel this way Scottie? I think it will be good, outstanding is a bit much, imo.