Which injured Hawk makes a difference.

The Hawks are peaking at the right time. If ADB and KJ and Fluker are all healthy for the playoffs, it could be a game changer. Which one do you think will be the biggest game changer when they're 100% for round 1?

Fluker. We need that big guy to galvanize the run game. Having Baldwin healthy would be great but Lockett, Moore and Brown have all shown they're capable of stepping up. And with KJ, I honestly feel Kendricks is better at this point.

West TX Hawk":2avv3wau said:

Fluker. We need that big guy to galvanize the run game. Having Baldwin healthy would be great but Lockett, Moore and Brown have all shown they're capable of stepping up. And with KJ, I honestly feel Kendricks is better at this point.

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You bring up an interesting point about KJ. I wonder what that linebacker corps looks like with him coming back.

Procise.

I agree with you about Flucker and Baldwin, but I just think that shoring up the linebacker corps is more pressing right now. KJ would help do that and I believe we would see teams have less success with the run game and the dump off pass coming out of the backfield with a healthy KJ on the field.

Our own Hall of Famer, Earl Thomas III, best free safety in the league. His impact came in two area:

1. On field, we sure are missing what a healthy ET3 could do.
2. Off field and locker room, out youngster and castoffs couldn't gel as a team with ET3 and his drama in the locker room. So we couldn't overachieve, we wouldn't be in the playoff hunt.

But we must give credit when that is due, ET3's injury was epic, huge difference maker.

toffee":2r4nmyof said:

Our own Hall of Famer, Earl Thomas III, best free safety in the league. His impact came in two area:

1. On field, we sure are missing what a healthy ET3 could do.
2. Off field and locker room, out youngster and castoffs couldn't gel as a team with ET3 and his drama in the locker room. So we couldn't overachieve, we wouldn't be in the playoff hunt.

But we must give credit when that is due, ET3's injury was epic, huge difference maker.

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There's zero chance he'll be back for the playoffs. If we lived in Narnia, I agree he would change the trajectory. I'm talking about real possibilities here.

Baldwin. If we're going to advance in the playoffs, it will likely be through a series of shootouts, as the Saints, Rams, and Bears are all currently ranked in the top 5 in the NFL in points per game. Russ needs all his targets bringing their A games.

For this team, it's either Doug or Fluker. As much as I want to side with Doug and his presence on 3rd downs, I have to side wide Fluker. His toughness and competitive nastiness is what we'll need in the playoffs. Plus, after Fluker and Simmons the dropoff is huge at RG. Sweezy is a much better LG, and the rest is weak.

We must run and kill clock and limit possessions if we are going against New Orleans and other high powered offenses. Plus, we need to limited exposure to our young defense.