Willie Andrews

[Oswlek]

I am a long-time lurker that felt compelled to make a first post. While I was reading the "Hot/Not" thread, I saw there was some good discussion on one of my boys, Willie Andrews. I'm mildly disappointed that he has been as good as he is, only because he was one of my "surprise" good players from this draft. He isn't a surprise any more

My take on his game is that he ran hot and cold, I personally think he took a step back from the previous game in what is going to be his biggest area of focus, special teams. Specifically:

* He let two catchable balls bounce and sacrificed 10+ yards of field position.

* After he apparently learned his lesson on the above mistakes, he was very tentative approaching the next ball and ultimately muffed it. He really needs to work on catching punts in traffic if he is going to be trusted with the job.

* He was surprisingly excellent at route running, although he did chest-catch that one ball. I hope the team doesn't need to use him at WR, but with the depth there, who knows?

* On the punts that he did field, he showed some great elusiveness. He seems to just slide through the coverage for 3-5 more yards than you would think.

* His KO returns were better (I wasn't all that impressed with this area against Atlanta), but he still needs to read the blocks better. I saw one where it looked like he could have gotten 5-10 more yards by cutting in the opposite direction than he did.

* I thought he was a little better as a gunner against Atlanta, but it could be because Arizona actually respected his game a little more.

* All that said, I will be very surprised if he doesn't make the team.

I thknk that is it, but I am almost certainly forgetting something. Hopefully this wasn't a waste of everyone's time and I welcome your opinions. Just for the record, the other jock that I am riding is Jeremy Mincey's. I have a strong feeling that he is going to be good enough to get playing time this year, and I have thought this right from the moment he was drafted, even though I know next to nothing about the kid.

(slinks back into obscurity)

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Nice observations, and welcome to the board. Why does that username look so familiar? (Edit: Ahh IndyStar?)

 

[PWRxWLF]

I am a long-time lurker that felt compelled to make a first post. While I was reading the "Hot/Not" thread, I saw there was some good discussion on one of my boys, Willie Andrews. I'm mildly disappointed that he has been as good as he is, only because he was one of my "surprise" good players from this draft. He isn't a surprise any more

My take on his game is that he ran hot and cold, I personally think he took a step back from the previous game in what is going to be his biggest area of focus, special teams. Specifically:

* He let two catchable balls bounce and sacrificed 10+ yards of field position.

* After he apparently learned his lesson on the above mistakes, he was very tentative approaching the next ball and ultimately muffed it. He really needs to work on catching punts in traffic if he is going to be trusted with the job.

* He was surprisingly excellent at route running, although he did chest-catch that one ball. I hope the team doesn't need to use him at WR, but with the depth there, who knows?

* On the punts that he did field, he showed some great elusiveness. He seems to just slide through the coverage for 3-5 more yards than you would think.

* His KO returns were better (I wasn't all that impressed with this area against Atlanta), but he still needs to read the blocks better. I saw one where it looked like he could have gotten 5-10 more yards by cutting in the opposite direction than he did.

* I thought he was a little better as a gunner against Atlanta, but it could be because Arizona actually respected his game a little more.

* All that said, I will be very surprised if he doesn't make the team.

I thknk that is it, but I am almost certainly forgetting something. Hopefully this wasn't a waste of everyone's time and I welcome your opinions. Just for the record, the other jock that I am riding is Jeremy Mincey's. I have a strong feeling that he is going to be good enough to get playing time this year, and I have thought this right from the moment he was drafted, even though I know next to nothing about the kid.

(slinks back into obscurity)

I agree with all of your insightful comments, and , stay out of that obscurity. I must add though, that the special teams as a whole have been fairly dissapointing. Aside from the surprisingly good kicking we have been seeing, the rest of ST has pretty much sucked. Except for that fumble last night, nothing has been going too good for them. Poor blocking, poor pursuit and just not much hustle. By mideseason, if those problems are fixed, and Andrews gets more comfortable, we should start seeing some more flashes. I do think he is a definite upgrade over Bethel though.

 

[jczxohn1]

I agree with all of your insightful comments, and , stay out of that obscurity. I must add though, that the special teams as a whole have been fairly dissapointing. Aside from the surprisingly good kicking we have been seeing, the rest of ST has pretty much sucked. Except for that fumble last night, nothing has been going too good for them. Poor blocking, poor pursuit and just not much hustle. By mideseason, if those problems are fixed, and Andrews gets more comfortable, we should start seeing some more flashes. I do think he is a definite upgrade over Bethel though.

Disagree with your assessment of ST. For the 2nd pre-season game, I thought they looked OK. Good containment in the middle of the field, some leakage on the sides. The really deep KO's didn't work as well as the the one's around the 5. (More time to line up blocking?) did see some hustle by Izzo and T-buck as well as Alexander and Gay. No big plays, no PENALTIES. (pre-season bye? hope not.) The rooks will pick it up as they get up to game speed. There is no way to really practice kamikaze. You can prepare, but you can't practice.

I like Andrews better than Bethel, too, but at this point, no discernable difference.

 

[patsox23]

welcome aboard oswlek - don't lurk so much. good stuff. I'm a big fan of Mincey's, as well. And I felt Andrews played better last night than a lot of people seem to think. He's a keeper.

 

[italian pat patriot]

also imo Andrews playied well
he is going to me the team and i can imagine it is a good success for him

then: let's see

 

[Pats726]

Welcome to the board...I think Andrews makes the team..he was one of the two players I thought would be sleepers in TC..the other was Patrick Cobbs.
I just think he's enthiusiastic and willing basically to do what it takes. He didn't look that awful as a WR and to just be thrown into that at this level even in preaseason is not easy. As much as people will get on him for the fumble, he did recover it and has made smart decisions on punt returns. One must remember the Deion Branch fiasco of 04 Game 1. He is smart and will only get better. I liked BJ as a KO guy..the fact that he was always a threat really made him a weapon...but I like Andrews as well and in the long run, he might be better overall. The ST has not "sucked"...they have been average on coverage, maybe not the best, but I have NOT seen a long return against them OR for that matter a long punt return either. The one outstanding play wa slast night when Alexander knocked the ball loose and Gay was on it quick. HAVE to see more of that!! I have a good sense this team overall will be better in the 3rd phase of the game in time.

 

[Krugman]

I like your post,OWLSEK,dont be a stranger.

 

[Krugman]

Oops...

Just see I spelled the name ,wrong,OSWLEK......sorry bout that

 

[scout]

Welcome. I've been thinking the same thing on his returns. A lot of times you will see a returner start to juke and fake and end up getting nothing, or/and getting hit hard. I like the fact that he just runs straight ahead and gets what he cans and that ends up being a nice pick-up when it looked like a no-gainer.