So why is C-Mike so good all of a sudden?

Dude is just looking sensational so far even though its preseason this is the best hes looked. Makes cuts super quick and is quick to the edge and finds running lanes super fast and storms through them, also isnt fumbling every carry like he used to. Did it really take him this long to put it all together? He could give rawls a serious run for his money this season.

Being traded and cut last season woke him up, before that it seemed like he just wanted to live like a NFL player instead of actually being one.

RussB":1lprp10j said:

Dude is just looking sensational so far even though its preseason this is the best hes looked. Makes cuts super quick and is quick to the edge and finds running lanes super fast and storms through them, also isnt fumbling every carry like he used to. Did it really take him this long to put it all together? He could give rawls a serious run for his money this season.

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His issues were never physical. They were mental. He struggled with the playbook and especially with learning his blocking assignments in passing plays.

As far as fumbles, go check the stats. You'll be surprised how many fumbles hes been credited.

Not to be Debbie Downer, but didn't Julius Jones also look amazing in Preseason?

Edit: He did look good in Week 1 as well.

Kennedyin92":26u5ylk2 said:

Not to be Debbie Downer, but didn't Julius Jones also look amazing in Preseason?

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Not being a Debby Downer at all. He looked great against Dallas. But their defense isn't stout against the run. Factor in Pre-Season and that might explain part of it. Also he has greatly improved since his trade to Dallas and last season's saga. He was a good back for us after he rejoined the team.

RussB":ngbggjwa said:

Dude is just looking sensational so far even though its preseason this is the best hes looked. Makes cuts super quick and is quick to the edge and finds running lanes super fast and storms through them, also isnt fumbling every carry like he used to. Did it really take him this long to put it all together? He could give rawls a serious run for his money this season.

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Because it clicked between the ears for him. The physical part of the sport or his own level of athleticism was never the issue.

Kennedyin92":3h9dwqsa said:

Not to be Debbie Downer, but didn't Julius Jones also look amazing in Preseason?

Edit: He did look good in Week 1 as well.

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Theres two differences with CMike then and now.

1. The fact he played pretty well for us when he returned last year.
2. The praise he was getting from the coaches.

The coaching staff rarely spoke about Michael and rarely played him. It left fans confused by his high draft pick compared to his actual playing time. On the rare occasions that they did speak about him they really only mentioned his struggles in pass protection and the mental side of the game.

That isn't the case now. They have been talking him up and praising his hard work and how he now "gets it".

I feel he has better focus, discipline and confidence now that people are talking him up. There was some doubt and negativity that surrounded him that first go-around when he was in Lynch's shadow.

I felt they did him a favor by trading him to Dallas last year. For as talented as he may be his RB coach showed less confidence in him compared to Rawls and even Turbo.

Basis4day":xd37mdwm said:

RussB":xd37mdwm said:

Dude is just looking sensational so far even though its preseason this is the best hes looked. Makes cuts super quick and is quick to the edge and finds running lanes super fast and storms through them, also isnt fumbling every carry like he used to. Did it really take him this long to put it all together? He could give rawls a serious run for his money this season.

Click to expand...

His issues were never physical. They were mental. He struggled with the playbook and especially with learning his blocking assignments in passing plays.

As far as fumbles, go check the stats. You'll be surprised how many fumbles hes been credited.

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Beat me to it. For all his inability to switch carrying hands with the ball, he hasn't put it on the ground very much.

Extrapolating what Cable has said about Michael, it was blocking assignments (as stated by Basis) as well as reading the correct hole, hitting it quickly, field vision, and maturity.

Watching him early in his career, I was always a bit annoyed about how he was always hamming it up for any camera, but he'd never done anything on the field. It seems he was enjoying the lifestyle of being an NFL player before really knowing what it meant.

Hell, if you gave me a few hundred thousand a year when I was in my early 20's, I doubt I would've done the right thing all the time with it either. I'm just glad he seems to have gotten it. His athletic ability is the very top few percent of all NFL RB's.

The mental aspect is just now using SOME of the physical. If his mind ever catches up to his body completely he'd be one of the best backs in the NFL. I posted in the gameday thread that he's the best athlete on the field at any given time. Check these out....

Hawks46":rb8v58ni said:

Beat me to it. For all his inability to switch carrying hands with the ball, he hasn't put it on the ground very much.

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Gonna focus on this. He has been switching the ball this pre-season. And he's been using both arms when in traffic. In fact, I've seen at least one criticism of him focusing on that too much.

Probably better to focus too much on ball security than not enough, like he did before.

Overall, he's been a much better back since he returned last season, and it's rather obvious that is more about what's between the ears than below the neck. I think he and Rawls will be a powerful 1-2 punch once he gets back.

The prospect of having to work a real job can make people do extraordinary things.

dogorama":2uu1d0s0 said:

The prospect of having to work a real job can make people do extraordinary things.

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Great point! :2thumbs:

The great thing about these runs that C-Mike is ripping off is that they are NFL players on NFL players. If we keep this up between Michael and the OL then RW should reap the benefits and thus the team as a whole.

He grew up. That's it.

I think it is not all about me thing anymore. Remember he was pointing out to the crowd that he was getting the ball all the time and they could key on him. Now he is more HUMBLE and paying attention instead of renting it. Going to work for 7/11 is a little humbling as much as working for a Fire Department like a football player is doing here.

vin.couve12":2tts8f03 said:

The mental aspect is just now using SOME of the physical. If his mind ever catches up to his body completely he'd be one of the best backs in the NFL. I posted in the gameday thread that he's the best athlete on the field at any given time. Check these out....

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Pretty compelling argument for his Physical abilities! If his maturation continues to catch up to his physicality, he could be lethal!

To answer the question . . . NZT-48.

vin.couve12":2h46k2l6 said:

The mental aspect is just now using SOME of the physical. If his mind ever catches up to his body completely he'd be one of the best backs in the NFL. I posted in the gameday thread that he's the best athlete on the field at any given time. Check these out....

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Thats pretty impressive.

RussB":169ue6ji said:

vin.couve12":169ue6ji said:

The mental aspect is just now using SOME of the physical. If his mind ever catches up to his body completely he'd be one of the best backs in the NFL. I posted in the gameday thread that he's the best athlete on the field at any given time. Check these out....

Click to expand...

Thats pretty impressive.

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I hadn't seen that before, it's just incredible. I am watching him run and if you notice he is putting great emphasis on wrapping up the ball, particularly at the end of his runs and that is partially why those runs end. When he wraps up he bends forward and the momentum takes him down before he is even tackled sometimes. Once he gets that figured out he'll tear off some really long gains. In the meantime I'm sure PC is just happy that he isn't fumbling.