Let's talk about the H-Back

[notex]

Not saying Michel is great at breaking tackles.... BUT alot of his "contact" came at, or behind the line of scrimage...

Big difference between lowering the head for a BOOM to a safety/corner coming into the box to fill a gap vs. shedding a DE that our FB/TE (or lack thereof) would have sealed the edge on or interior line missed a block. Getting the legs going and carrying momentum INTO and OUT of the contact makes it much easier to shed blockers...Go watch the game tape of Chubb vs. the Pats... he was getting huge holes and blowing up tackles at the 2nd/3rd levels... not behind the line

Yes, Nick Chubb seems to be the better back, but remember that there were 34 players taken before him.... In fact, that entire 2018 draft only produced two elite running backs - Chubb and Barkley (top 5 pick) so people need to chill with this rhetoric that we swung and missed with Sony. Also, I think there is still some potential for Sony to develop his receiving skills... He was very good at that in college I am not sure why it hasn't translated - that is the primary reason that Sony was almost universally seen as the better back in the draft. Sony had a late 1st/early 2nd grade and Chubb was mostly early-mid 2nd round grades. NE, more than any other team, values versatility and Sony STILL possesses the ability to be an "all downs" type player...

 

[captain stone]

...Yes, Nick Chubb seems to be the better back, but remember that there were 34 players taken before him...In fact, that entire 2018 draft only produced two elite running backs - Chubb and Barkley (top 5 pick) so people need to chill with this rhetoric that we swung and missed with Sony. Also, I think there is still some potential for Sony to develop his receiving skills... He was very good at that in college I am not sure why it hasn't translated - that is the primary reason that Sony was almost universally seen as the better back in the draft. Sony had a late 1st/early 2nd grade and Chubb was mostly early-mid 2nd round grades. NE, more than any other team, values versatility and Sony STILL possesses the ability to be an "all downs" type player...

Wrong, but thanks for playing...

 

[miloofcroton]

I'm really hoping McDaniels uses Vitale like he was used in college. He was a weapon, a small TE who ran a 4.60 forty, so he's got good speed and good hands. Asiasi, Keene and Vitale all on the field at the same time could be a deadly combo in both the passing game AND running game as blockers. You can have a 2 TE 2 WR set with an HB in the backfield with the QB, Or a 1 TE set with 2 WRs, RB and HB in the backfield with the QB. Just so many variations that can be so versatile. HOPEFULLY everyone stays healthy and McDaniels can take advantage of what we have talent wise.

Interesting. Vitale was 6'1" 235 at the combine, but he's listed at 6'0" 225 in the NFL. That, plus his timed speed, gives me a different impression of him. I didn't really know anything about him until now. So, judging by some college tape that I just watched, he really does have nice receiving skills, and I think he could be that H-Back I'm talking about.

If we just call the H-Back a FB, then I'd actually swing this conversation the other way and say we should never use a 2TE set. Either use Base (1TE, 1FB) or 3WR. 2TE sets where neither TE can play FB is just a crappy compromise that limits your run options.

However, DO use your FB all over the field, from I form, to wing TE, to slot WR.