How great would it be for this D if Hobbs steps up?

[BradyManny]

I will take what Hobbs did in 2007 out of any starting corner, any season. Especially on this team, where we only lose if a severe liability is exploited. Hobbs is far from a liability.

For anyone who has taken a peek at the football outsiders prospectus - one tidbit I found interesting (though not surprising) was that Hobbs had a better success rate than Asante last season, despite playing through two injuries and occassionally drawing tougher assignments.

I know stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, but this one is about as simple as it can get: of the passes targeted at each of them, Hobbs allowed a lower completion % in his direction. QBs had more success completing passes on the $50 million man than much maligned Ellis Hobbs.

Even more promising is that Bryant had a [slightly] better success rate than the both of them.


EDIT: Whoooops...Football Outsiders seems to do their success rate % for DBs backwards and I've misread it. Hobbs is behind Asante by 4% points in success rate.

 

[Sicilian]

For anyone who has taken a peek at the football outsiders prospectus - one tidbit I found interesting (though not surprising) was that Hobbs had a better success rate than Asante last season, despite playing through two injuries and occassionally drawing tougher assignments.

I know stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, but this one is about as simple as it can get: of the passes targeted at each of them, Hobbs allowed a lower completion % in his direction. QBs had more success completing passes on the $50 million man than much maligned Ellis Hobbs.

Even more promising is that Bryant had a [slightly] better success rate than the both of them.

I loved Asante, but he got paid like a shutdown corner and the fact is he isn't one. Ints are extremely valuable because they swing momentum so much, so in a lot of ways that covers his faults. But when it comes to the nitty gritty, basic responsibilities of a CB, Asante was average at best.

I think Hobbs can be better than him, just probably with fewer big plays. But let's face it, with the potential of our front seven and Meriweather poised to breakout, all we really need from our corners is solid play, nothing spectacular.

 

[BradyManny]

I think Hobbs can be better than him, just probably with fewer big plays. But let's face it, with the potential of our front seven and Meriweather poised to breakout, all we really need from our corners is solid play, nothing spectacular.

Yup, co-sign.

 

[stinkypete]

Here's a secret. Asante Samuel is not a shutdown corner. Never was. He is an average starter with average speed who gamples too much and misses far too many tackles. He has one particular strangth, jumping the route to make a pick. He is an opportunistic player who takes adventage of mistakes. Most of his picks have come in soft zone coverage, but for every pick there have been 2 plays in which he was out of position and beaten for a short gain and a first down.

Hobbs has his shortcomings too. He is undersized and gets killed against the slot. Still, in the past 3 years Hobbs has been MORE reliable than Samuel at being in position and sticking to his man. The difference between the two is a few picks and a big hit or two. It's time to lay off Hobbs, he is a solid corner and would start on MOST teams.