NFC DEFENSIVE PLAYER otw

[FattyKnuckle]

I'd like to see the kid get DROY and hopefully the East Coast bias hasn't anointed Carter as that guy. It seems once they get a guy in their heads it's hard to shake free. Much like Sauce last year. Anointed early and then no one would even consider Woolen despite superior stats.

Woolen didn't even come in second place.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

You know, that's another one of the reasons I got upset about the KC/Jets game. Those refs turned a blind eye the whole year and he was anointed the DROY but NOWWWWW you want to call flags on him when it comes to holding and DPI? FOH.

But in regards to this board, Spoon left no doubt as to why he deserved it and if he maintains this level of play throughout the rest of the year then there's no way people can ignore that.

I had always heard it was a Venice Beach guy. Semi-pre-internet, kinda had to rely on hearsay for everything.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Jalen Carter?
Oh wait...............

(I kid)

 

[chrispy]

Woolen didn't even come in second place.

This might turn into a little motivational competition for Woolen and Spoon.... Woolen had 6 picks last year and missed an easy one Monday. It's got to burn him up that the whole country is talking about the rookie after one game. I'd bet dollars to donuts that Woolen doesn't drop an INT next game.

 

[keasley45]

The juice Spoon brings is exactly the ingredient the team needs. When he gets a mic in his face and says that part of the reason he does what he does is because of the coaching and scheme allows him to, it has to sharpen the focus of the other players. And that it what made the team great in the early years - every guy looking around and seeing what the others were doing with their opportunities. It's the competition. Make the system digestible so that guys can just play with their hair on fire.

You know Bryant is looking at Spoon and wondering if the team would have been ad dominant if he was at nickel that night. AND he for sure will approach his next opportunity with an elevated fire in his belly.

Same with Brown. Same with Adams. It becomes contagious, and soon, the defense isn't playing to beat thr opponent, they are playing to each individually be perfect and be the reason the bench clears to cheer, ooh, and ahh at what they've done, and ad a unit, that they become that feared group that no one wants to play.

Yes, the league has changed since 2013, but violence, intensity, ferocious play, and intimidation still count a ton. Especially in a league where physicality has waned, players don't tackle the way they used to and are prone to avoid heavy contact. In thatclimate, a team that can become a wrecking crew, can flourish, regardless of the rules.

Oh, and BTW, it's not like our O does t benefit from the rules changes that favor offenses. AND, we've got some dogs on that side as well.

It is inevitable that this team will challenge for a title very soon.

Pete - thanks for waking up.

John- thanks for stacking the team

Russ - thanks for being you

The 53 that make up this Hawks team - thanks for turning this rebuild into revenge against a league that left you for dead not 13 months ago.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

This might turn into a little motivational competition for Woolen and Spoon.... Woolen had 6 picks last year and missed an easy one Monday. It's got to burn him up that the whole country is talking about the rookie after one game. I'd bet dollars to donuts that Woolen doesn't drop an INT next game.

That's a pretty big assumption about his feelings

 

[CalgaryFan05]

This calls for every forums member to do something unprecedented….

We all….must…..post 21 Spoons.

I'm in!



Monday was fun to watch him.

 

[keasley45]

So in three weeks , weve had Geno as air player of the week, Walker as NFC offensive player of the week, and now Spoon as NFC defensive player of the week. Not bad for a team that cant draft and has no talent .

Is it common place for one team to claim spots on 'best of' lists for multiple weeks?

 

[olyfan63]

You know, that's another one of the reasons I got upset about the KC/Jets game. Those refs turned a blind eye the whole year and he was anointed the DROY but NOWWWWW you want to call flags on him when it comes to holding and DPI? FOH.

But in regards to this board, Spoon left no doubt as to why he deserved it and if he maintains this level of play throughout the rest of the year then there's no way people can ignore that.

It's great to talk up a rook who had a solid game, followed by an AMAZING game. But really, it's a TWO-GAME SAMPLE at this point, out of four possible. Thirteen more games to go. Will Spoon stay healthy enough to be on the field consistently? Will he be a guy with a trick hammy or repeated concussions who is only well enough to play in about half the games? Will other teams notice tendencies on film they can and do exploit? Will his performance drop off due to nagging injuries? So much schitt can go wrong, in the Not-For-Long (NFL) league.

For context, consider Jets RB Breece Hall, who rushed for 463 yards in 7 games in 2022, BEFORE his ACL injury. Hall averaged almost 6 yards per carry on his 80 carries. Projecting his 2022 numbers for a full season, he would have been a 1,000 yard rusher as well. The NY media may well have handed Hall the OROY simply for playing for a NY team.

Sure, DROY is within reach if Witherspoon continues his solid-with-bursts-of-spectacular play. DPOY, so that was perhaps a typo, though Bob Sanders would be a comp. Let's give it a few more games before we crown his ass. Maybe around the time we're talking playoffs. Playoffs? Did somebody say playoffs?

Anyway, Bob Sanders looks to be a nice comp for Spoon. After Sanders DPOY award in 2007, he only played 11 more games the rest of his NFL career. (Bob Sanders and Troy Polamalu are often mentioned in the same sentence) Let's hope we get Bob Sanders performance, but more like Troy Polamalu longevity from the kid.
Great article on Bob Sanders here https://theathletic.com/3322466/2022/06/07/colts-bob-sanders/

Sanders 2007 Season Highlights here: