Wrong on Alex Collins

[seahawkfreak]

[youtube]X2YWj-c8kqM[/youtube]

 

[ACFan]

Thanks for some cool comments guys, and thanks to storm74 for starting this thread.

I think the RB greats are able to see things unfold a half a step before everyone else.

That is what makes them "quick" and that's what keeps them in the league a lot longer than your average back.

No doubt AC had it in college, the guy commenting throughout the video above is saying the same things I've been saying.

Vision, eyes, instincts, you can see it time and again in that video.

I've seen those same instincts sporadically this year, but the change in speed of the game, and coming into a completely different blocking scheme, with a struggling O-line, made it too tough for AC to stand out or do very much.

Hopefully that is changing now, it would seem to be now or never for 2016-2017. We desperately need to develop a reliable run game to reach the Super Bowl, and Collins seems best poised to provide it at this point.

How much better would our Offense be if RW could ever get used to having the same guy back there?, he's handed off to someone different every week it seems. Continuity is huge, I have to think having a steady, reliable guy back there, who can do it all, every down, and not get hurt every 6 quarters, would help us look more like a championship team.

But a change in attitude has to happen on the O-line, I know we can't scrap the zone blocking, but we've got to be willing to filter some of those plays out for more old school smash mouth that would allow Collins (and Reece) to maybe do a bit more.

Be a team that's not scared to run it on 3rd and 1. I think we have to develop that mindset quick to reach the SB. JMHO

 

[MOSES]

I was wrong about Collins, too. I thought he looked pretty good back there.


Man, what is it going to take to keep Rawls from getting hurt all the time? Bubble wrap?

 

[KillerB]

ACfan has been repping his guy all season - kudos. For whatever reason AC looked a full step quicker in this game. Solid pass protection, hard nosed. I believe Rawls has plenty of heart and talent, but not enough durability for his running style...there's an opportunity here for AC to get a bunch of carries against a bad run defense in Santa Clara.

 

[scutterhawk]

We'll see. One game doesn't change my opinion on what he had shown prior to today.

You weren't impressed with watching him run like a man possessed? lol
I thought that he took advantage of his limited play time opportunity, and looked pretty good, considering.

 

[LeftHandSmoke]

ACfan has been repping his guy all season - kudos. For whatever reason AC looked a full step quicker in this game. Solid pass protection, hard nosed. I believe Rawls has plenty of heart and talent, but not enough durability for his running style...there's an opportunity here for AC to get a bunch of carries against a bad run defense in Santa Clara.

Would absolutely love to see AC able to go off on the 49ers!

Am also praying for Rawls, for come playoff time.

 

[bigskydoc]

Collins coming on near the end of the season is really no surprise. I've maintained that he was a "redshirt freshman" being developed for the 2017-2018 season. In pre-season, I said we would have to keep him on the roster or lose him to another team while we would have a good chance of getting Pope back if cut. Collins has a ton of potential, but was not an NFL ready back coming out of college.

You could see it in the pre/early season as he was getting tunnel vision and was struggling to adapt to Cable's system (he may have had more early success in a different system, but I think long-term, this is a good system for his style). He was the polar opposite of CM, never ad libbing, even when he should. Long-term, Cable and Carroll would rather deal with this problem than a back who never quite trusts the play call and balks at hitting where the hole should be. This is a big part of why CM could never stick here. Lynch could get away with, "just reading it and going," where CM couldn't. Collins needs to relax, and allow himself to read the field. I think his innate decision making is really good, but it is being squelched a bit by the coaches (for good reason).

Collins also struggled with the pass protection in pre-season (not a problem I recall from his college days, so I chalk it up to learning the NFL and learning our scheme). Thankfully he seems smarter than CM and actually can learn the scheme, where to line up, and where to block. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns into a solid blocker, though not our third down back.

He still isn't the all-around back that Procise is, but who knows if we can trust Procise to ever be healthy. At this point, I'm liking Collins as our bellcow going into next season unless Rawls can recapture the magic of last year.

 

[LeftHandSmoke]

Collins coming on near the end of the season is really no surprise. I've maintained that he was a "redshirt freshman" being developed for the 2017-2018 season. In pre-season, I said we would have to keep him on the roster or lose him to another team while we would have a good chance of getting Pope back if cut. Collins has a ton of potential, but was not an NFL ready back coming out of college.

You could see it in the pre/early season as he was getting tunnel vision and was struggling to adapt to Cable's system (he may have had more early success in a different system, but I think long-term, this is a good system for his style). He was the polar opposite of CM, never ad libbing, even when he should. Long-term, Cable and Carroll would rather deal with this problem than a back who never quite trusts the play call and balks at hitting where the hole should be. This is a big part of why CM could never stick here. Lynch could get away with, "just reading it and going," where CM couldn't. Collins needs to relax, and allow himself to read the field. I think his innate decision making is really good, but it is being squelched a bit by the coaches (for good reason).

Collins also struggled with the pass protection in pre-season (not a problem I recall from his college days, so I chalk it up to learning the NFL and learning our scheme). Thankfully he seems smarter than CM and actually can learn the scheme, where to line up, and where to block. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns into a solid blocker, though not our third down back.

He still isn't the all-around back that Procise is, but who knows if we can trust Procise to ever be healthy. At this point, I'm liking Collins as our bellcow going into next season unless Rawls can recapture the magic of last year.

Agree, they have held onto him on the 53 all this time for his potential future.

Would love to see the FO roll the dice big to move up and get Fournier but I suppose it's just wishful thinking.

 

[johnnyfever]

I agree he really looked A LOT better saturday. I do think he is much better at learning the playbook than cmike, but he just seemed to go down so easy and really didn't show that "fire" needed to be a great back. Takes 3 guys to take you down bruiser type of back. Rawls wanted and tried to be that, be he doesnt have the body for it. Collins looked as though he also lacked the balance. Ran with his feet too close together, was able to get knocked down way too easily from the side.

Saturday I was cheering for the dude. Looked completely different. Looked like he wanted it, not just going through the motions. I would still need to see more as one game doesn't mean he can consistently do it. Let's hope every other time he hit the field in a hawks uniform was the anomoly and this saturday was/is the norm. We will see as we don't really have a choice do we?

 

[LeftHandSmoke]

Yep, he's our only choice left.

GO AC!!!

 

[chris98251]

Losing weight and weight re distribution, better scheme and assignment understanding, he needed to learn zone blocking scheme running. Lets see if it carries over, one game does not make one an all pro but nice to see some things start clicking.

 

[WestcoastSteve]

I would love to rest Rawls and see more of Collins against SF

 

[ACFan]

Agree, they have held onto him on the 53 all this time for his potential future.

Would love to see the FO roll the dice big to move up and get Fournier but I suppose it's just wishful thinking.

Having watched Fournette quite a bit, I can tell you he's good, but not high draft pick good, he's not Eziekel Elliot good, so I think that really would be rolling the dice. He's only slightly better in the raw talent department than Collins. but doesn't appear to have as high a character, or as durable as Collins. Playing in the same league, I doubt he'll eclipse Collins career accomplishments. Fournette is going to probably put up better combine numbers than AC did, but I predict AC will have a longer career. Fournette is going to be quicker to whine and complain when things don't go well, my prediction.

I think we need O lineman, and then just keep taking swings at RBs from late 3rd round on, It's no secret I think Collins was a hit in last year's draft, Prosise may be as well if he can prove durable enough. We just need a stronger O-line.

 

[bigskydoc]

That was Left Hand Smoke, not me.

 

[johnnyfever]

We need to draft a durable back for sure. Never thought I would say this, but turbin would be nice right about now.

 

[ACFan]

That was Left Hand Smoke, not me.

my bad, bit of a typo.


fixed

 

[LeftHandSmoke]

^ thanks

Don't actually know enough about either AC or Fournette to compare them but do like the fact we already one of them as our own. Time will tell..

 

[Hawks46]

It was odd. Dude looked slow all season and all the sudden he looked lightening quick today. Hope he keeps it up.

Having watched him for 4 years, I always felt his biggest attributes were his eyes, football smarts and instincts, that is where his biggest gifts lie IMO.

So early on, he couldn't rely on super quickness or top end speed to make plays like CMike, or Rawls or even Pope could. Maybe his "slowness" was him still getting adjusted to the game.

He's always going to look slow compared to a smaller, jitterbug kind of RB, but those kind of backs are injury prone, can't pass protect, can't wear down a D, can't be depended on for steady production. have to be swapped in and out due to down and distance.


I thought coming into the season AC would easily be quick enough to play NFL RB, and barely fast enough.

If the game slows down for him (and I think it has now) those rare running instincts he possesses are going to shine, the kind of instincts Rawls, CMike, or even most RBs simply don't have.

AC's record of durability is unsurpassed, whatever he's capable of, it'll be available game in, game out, stronger in the 4th quarter than in the 1st.

AC may yet prove to be the long term answer at RB, at least until next year's draft.

You're a big Collins fan, and you seem pretty knowledgeable about him, so I'll ask this:

You say he's going to look slower than jitterbugs and guys like Pope and Rawls, yet he runs the same speed as them out of college: around a 4.55. Is he faster than quick ?

Next, we've been talking about Collins as a 'big power back" or a larger RB and he had to lose weight, but he was listed at 217 at the combine; less than Rawls or CMike. Did he gain weight before he got to the team ? Was he out of shape ?

He never really looked slow in college and he played in the SEC. There's ton of athletes there and not much of a lack of speed, yet his top end looked fine on tape. I'd have to surmise that he wasn't seeing things right and he was slow to read and hit the hole. What do you think it was ?

 

[bevellisthedevil]

All I know is the AC that I saw earlier in the season was hesitant and too heavy and couldn't get consistent push when Olineman were being blasted back into him.

The biggest thing I noticed was he looked noticeably thinner and even though the line was still getting manhandled for the most part AC was getting very skinny through the holes, swiveling his hips and showed a lot of ability to simply fall forward to get the extra two or three yards when he was getting tackled.

It is something the Seahawks have sorely missed for a long time. I am optimistic that he can continue to run with the same enthusiasm and style.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

We'll see. One game doesn't change my opinion on what he had shown prior to today.

And sooo many people care.

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