Post by captain master talbot on Aug 6, 2009 11:10:02 GMT -5
Well he had two absolutely brilliant games last year without Plaxico, and then a third where he surpassed 300 yards for the first time that season.
I guess we're not going to count the Seattle/Arizona games because Eli actually had a passer rating of 100+, so any evidence that helps him cannot be used.
The other games where he didn't have Plaxico:
1. vs.Eagles: Every wide receiver was dropping balls. Hixon dropped that surefire 80 yard touchdown pass, nobody was getting open, etc., it was just a mess. However, Eli didn't throw an interception, and Brandon Jacobs, someone who usually has a field day against the Eagles D, left in the second half, although he was averaging about 5 yards per carry and had 50 yards.
2. vs. Dallas: This was just a messy game. In addition to Plaxico, we were missing Jacobs, and two of our starting offensive line. So the Dallas pass rush was going to have a field day on us. If you give us Jacobs, and you give us our entire offensive line, even without Plax, well ask Macaque. Manning was on his back the entire game, Hixon had no idea what he was doing. There was one play downfield where instead of trying to catch the ball with two hands, he tries to make a one handed stretch grab. If he does in fact use two hands, Hixon falls forward with the ball into the endzone, and the game looks a lot different. Plus, Tashard Choice or Felix Jones one of them, was having a field day against our D.
3. vs. Minnesota: Manning played the first half, and was 11/19 for 119 Yards with no TD/INT
Those were the 3 losses when Plax shot himself. Everyone seems to forget the Carolina game, where Eli played absolutely mistake free football, made plays when he needed too, and look, they won the game, and clinched the #1 seed (as long lived as it was)
Like I said before, everybody forgets the Seattle/Arizona/Washington/Carolina games. During those 3 games, Eli was:
83/119 (69.7%) 7 TD 1 INT 993 Yards Passer Rating: 111.1
Obviously, this doesn't count because obviously, Eli played excellent football, and that means it can in no way, shape, or form, be used in an argument for him.
I know he played shitty football, but hell, he did it WITH Plax (Cleveland). And most of all, he, and the entire team, played shitty football against the Eagles in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs.
From what I've heard in camp, and I know it doesn't mean much, the receivers are doing a decent job getting off the jam. But then again, this is against a world class cornerback in Corey Webster, and an up and coming corner in Aaron Ross.
Domenik Hixon CAN be a deep threat, and I suspect he will this year, IF he learns how to effectively get off the jam. He has blazing speed, and despite his two mess ups, great hands.
I've professed my man-love for Steve Smith in the slot, where he is nearly unstoppable (I'd put him in the top 5 of the NFL in the slot).
Sinorice Moss is impressing everyone, as is Mario Manningham. Nicks is catching everything that's coming towards him, and Ramses Barden is coming along great. Great hands, good speed, and is getting better at separation.
My prediction for Eli, this year:
3200 Yards, 64% Completion, 25 TD, 10 INT.
I guess we're not going to count the Seattle/Arizona games because Eli actually had a passer rating of 100+, so any evidence that helps him cannot be used.
The other games where he didn't have Plaxico:
1. vs.Eagles: Every wide receiver was dropping balls. Hixon dropped that surefire 80 yard touchdown pass, nobody was getting open, etc., it was just a mess. However, Eli didn't throw an interception, and Brandon Jacobs, someone who usually has a field day against the Eagles D, left in the second half, although he was averaging about 5 yards per carry and had 50 yards.
2. vs. Dallas: This was just a messy game. In addition to Plaxico, we were missing Jacobs, and two of our starting offensive line. So the Dallas pass rush was going to have a field day on us. If you give us Jacobs, and you give us our entire offensive line, even without Plax, well ask Macaque. Manning was on his back the entire game, Hixon had no idea what he was doing. There was one play downfield where instead of trying to catch the ball with two hands, he tries to make a one handed stretch grab. If he does in fact use two hands, Hixon falls forward with the ball into the endzone, and the game looks a lot different. Plus, Tashard Choice or Felix Jones one of them, was having a field day against our D.
3. vs. Minnesota: Manning played the first half, and was 11/19 for 119 Yards with no TD/INT
Those were the 3 losses when Plax shot himself. Everyone seems to forget the Carolina game, where Eli played absolutely mistake free football, made plays when he needed too, and look, they won the game, and clinched the #1 seed (as long lived as it was)
Like I said before, everybody forgets the Seattle/Arizona/Washington/Carolina games. During those 3 games, Eli was:
83/119 (69.7%) 7 TD 1 INT 993 Yards Passer Rating: 111.1
Obviously, this doesn't count because obviously, Eli played excellent football, and that means it can in no way, shape, or form, be used in an argument for him.
I know he played shitty football, but hell, he did it WITH Plax (Cleveland). And most of all, he, and the entire team, played shitty football against the Eagles in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs.
From what I've heard in camp, and I know it doesn't mean much, the receivers are doing a decent job getting off the jam. But then again, this is against a world class cornerback in Corey Webster, and an up and coming corner in Aaron Ross.
Domenik Hixon CAN be a deep threat, and I suspect he will this year, IF he learns how to effectively get off the jam. He has blazing speed, and despite his two mess ups, great hands.
I've professed my man-love for Steve Smith in the slot, where he is nearly unstoppable (I'd put him in the top 5 of the NFL in the slot).
Sinorice Moss is impressing everyone, as is Mario Manningham. Nicks is catching everything that's coming towards him, and Ramses Barden is coming along great. Great hands, good speed, and is getting better at separation.
My prediction for Eli, this year:
3200 Yards, 64% Completion, 25 TD, 10 INT.
