Wagner looking good in practice

Caught part of Dan Quinn's press conference today and he wouldn't say that he'd play this week, but did say that he gave them 2 really good days of practice.

Sweet! Wagner being out has left a big hole in the defense.

I'd take a partial Wagner over a fully healthy Smith/Wright running past the play. Am I wrong?

Hypothetical here.. If you could have either a healthy Mebane starting or a healthy Wagner... Who do you choose?

Mebane

Honestly, a lot of the yards the Chiefs got didn't even go through Mebane's A-Gap, so Wagner being out there would likely have been more helpful. Playing against better qb play though I like having a guy like Mebane in the middle taking up blockers.

Hawk_Nation":30m1yi46 said:

Hypothetical here.. If you could have either a healthy Mebane starting or a healthy Wagner... Who do you choose?

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Both, please.

:mrgreen:

Id prefer Mebane against the Niners, but would have rather had Wagner for KC and Philly.

Hawk_Nation":1xlemnqg said:

Hypothetical here.. If you could have either a healthy Mebane starting or a healthy Wagner... Who do you choose?

Click to expand...

The choice for me is predicated on who is replacing them.

A few weeks ago I would have said Wagner, because they play of Coyle and KJ seemed...pretty much like a major drop-off.
After last week, and watching how Williams and Hill "performed"- gotta go with Mebane.

Grahamhawker":3032ege5 said:

Hawk_Nation":3032ege5 said:

Hypothetical here.. If you could have either a healthy Mebane starting or a healthy Wagner... Who do you choose?

Click to expand...

The choice for me is predicated on who is replacing them.

A few weeks ago I would have said Wagner, because they play of Coyle and KJ seemed...pretty much like a major drop-off.
After last week, and watching how Williams and Hill "performed"- gotta go with Mebane.

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Yep. Hill stinks at present, but boy can he recover a fumble. He's scooped up three this year... that's my silver lining for you folks.

Wagner for me.

So many times on Sunday the issue wasn't even at the DL -- it was the second level. Smith kept missing assignments and allowing huge running lanes. Too often Wright/Smith covered the same gap. On one huge run play Chancellor and Smith missed the assignment. Wagner directs this defense, organizes the other LB's and more than anything just knows where HE has to be.

Not to say Mebane isn't a loss, it's a huge loss. But it was slightly overstated at the weekend. We need Wagner back badly.

Smith and Wright sounds like a soap. That is about as good as they are playing, like a bar of soap.

Both of them can take the short bus outta here this winter.

Largent80":2f5gca6r said:

Smith and Wright sounds like a soap. That is about as good as they are playing, like a bar of soap.

Both of them can take the short bus outta here this winter.

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What if Wright stays at outside backer?

Bobby Wagner

The MLB has a much bigger effect on aligning the defense and diagnosing plays.

Mebane makes average lbs look good. Wagner makes average DT look good. Last weeks lb/DT combo make wagner and bambam look like world beaters. It will he nice to have one of them back

Mebane's value can't be understated, but Wagner (with Kam) provide the "Boom" for everything just past the line of scrimmage. Wagner's versatility with coverage, run stopping, and blitz means he can impact both aspects of an Offense. With Wagner playing last week, the Chiefs don't get +6 yrds a run.

Take a look at Charles' 16yrd TD...Smith is glued to his spot until Charles turns upfield. The one gap he needed to cover. Just don't see Wagner not diagnosing and being there.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/seattle-seaha ... chdown-run

Wagner, who is on the field for every defensive snap at an elite level, is more valuable than Mebane who is on the field for less than half the snaps of a game.

Seeing linebackers miss their gaps (mostly Smith) is the reason we got ran on so bad last week. If Wagner plays, I have very little doubt that Zona's rush gets easily stuffed.

Having Wagz out on D is like having Unger out on O. There is so much more to their game than plays they make in regard to the calls/assignments. Both is like having a lobotomy for their side of the ball.