Meriweather

[Patsmaniac]

He got a lot of playing time which is good, so maybe BB sees improvement. He missed that one tackle, which happens to the best of them on occasion, so I will cut his some slack. Did he look lost in other plays? I am not sure. On the last play of the game, I believe that as the safety he was just playing behind everyone else and protecting the endzone. Am I wrong?

 

[Mogamedogz]

On the last play of the game, I believe that as the safety he was just playing behind everyone else and protecting the endzone. Am I wrong?

He dropped what could have been the game ending INT.... right in the bread basket.

 

[All_Around_Brown]

For a guy that was touted as a stong hitter and a sure tackler...Ive seen neither, as a safety. That said, he seems fine on ST, which is where I hope to see him going forward. James Sanders has earned the right to start. Sanders deserves big kudos.

 

[Hollywood_Brady]

let the bashing begin... he sucked...

 

[Boston Jay]

I can't bash a rook.

By the middle of year 2 you better be showing something though.

 

[Ratoath]

For a guy that was touted as a stong hitter and a sure tackler...Ive seen neither, as a safety. That said, he seems fine on ST, which is where I hope to see him going forward. James Sanders has earned the right to start. Sanders deserves big kudos.

i disagree about meriweather. i know he missed a tackle on the big gain last night, but in general, i think his tackling has been very good.

your right about sanders though.

 

[bradmahn]

For a guy that was touted as a stong hitter and a sure tackler...Ive seen neither, as a safety. That said, he seems fine on ST, which is where I hope to see him going forward. James Sanders has earned the right to start. Sanders deserves big kudos.

I agree Sanders has been good all year, but I don't see what that has to do with Meriweather. If he can emerge as a good back up and can get in there in dime packages it would be a huge plus (in his rookie season).

He was in on a good deal of plays against the Bengals and absolutely manhandled Houshmandzadah on one "catch". But that was all the way back in week four, so let's forget about that. :bricks:

He's had good and bad, and played so little that the bad stands out, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves and say he can only contribute on special teams.

 

[BelichickFan]

i disagree about meriweather. i know he missed a tackle on the big gain last night, but in general, i think his tackling has been very good.

Meriweather was a good, consistent tackler in preseason and delivered a pretty good pop for his size; there's no reason to think that he won't be a good hitter as his career goes forward (I'm agreeing with you).

 

[National Sports Advisors]

I'm still waiting to see why they call him the "Hit Stick". Far from impressive last night. However, at least he is getting on the field and getting some playing time in crucial situations.

 

[psychoPat]

He dropped what could have been the game ending INT.... right in the bread basket.

His first two seasons
Asante
dropped many a ball he managed to get his mitts on.

 

[carolinatony]

" at least he is getting on the field and getting some playing time in crucial situations.


I agree. Let him play and lets see what he can do next year! You need to play and get that game experience.

 

[JackBauer]

He's had some growing pains, like most rookies do, but overall I haven't seen anything to indicate that he won't be an elite safety once he adjusts to the game at an NFL level.

 

[Oswlek]

He's had some growing pains, like most rookies do, but overall I haven't seen anything to indicate that he won't be an elite safety once he adjusts to the game at an NFL level.

Nor have we seen anything that indicates that he will be an elite safety.

Nobody knows what is in store for the kid. That is what is so great about this.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

I was a big Meriweather fan prior to the draft. He was very instinctive and reactive in college while now he seems to be hesitant, as if every move he makes needs to be considered over and over in his head before proceeding. Even his dropped INT last night can be related to this common rookie malady - many a star player in college wakes up mid-season in the NFL and feels completely lost and suddenly isn't even trusting his natural ability, like the skill to snatch a ball out of the air.

Some guys get over this hump, some don't, but BB seems to specialize in dismantling a rookie's college game and forcing them so hard to convert to BB's style that they smell like a bust because they don't even look good early on. Think Warren, Samuels, Sanders, Jackson, Wilfork, and others. This list doesn't guarantee that Meriweather will be the next dude to come around but his spotty play up to this point isn't a complete surprise.

 

[JackBauer]

Nor have we seen anything that indicates that he will be an elite safety.

Nobody knows what is in store for the kid. That is what is so great about this.

No, but based on his pedigree I'd say it's far more likely that he will turn out to be excellent than not.

 

[carolinatony]

He is playing which is more than we can say about Chad Jackson.

 

[JackBauer]

He is playing which is more than we can say about Chad Jackson.

Jackson also has several elite WRs ahead of him on the depth chart.

 

[unoriginal]

I don't think its a coincedence that Rashad Baker made several coverage screwups versus the Eagles, and suddenly Brandon Meriweather is on the field.

Reminds me of Hobbs and Duane Starks from 2005.

 

[zarakotas5]

He was very instinctive and reactive in college while now he seems to be hesitant, as if every move he makes needs to be considered over and over in his head before proceeding. Even his dropped INT last night can be related to this common rookie malady - many a star player in college wakes up mid-season in the NFL and feels completely lost and suddenly isn't even trusting his natural ability, like the skill to snatch a ball out of the air.

Some guys get over this hump, some don't, but BB seems to specialize in dismantling a rookie's college game and forcing them so hard to convert to BB's style that they smell like a bust because they don't even look good early on. Think Warren, Samuels, Sanders, Jackson, Wilfork, and others.

Excellent post, particularly the boldface. I tend to think that is the case, as well.

I quoted you because it's worth repeating. It seems that good points such as this get routinely ignored, if ever read...

From a personal standpoint, I think this is often the case. My first "big-time" experience, I played scared. Scared to f-up. So did many teammates I talked to that were able to admit it. Once you do f-up bad enough, one of two things happen: 1) you get mad and embarrassed, work like hell to never repeat it or 2) get "the fear" and spent your time treading water.

Meriweather seemed to play mad at the U. Now he's a frosh again. Let him miss a few meals and then crack somebody. He'll taste blood and be fine.

 

[FrontSeven]

I'm still waiting to see why they call him the "Hit Stick".

Because he's fond of taking hits off of sticks?