What's Going On With Metcalf?

[RiverDog]

DK Metcalf hasn't scored a TD for the past 5 straight games. He hasn't had a 100-yard game for his past 9 games (I'm not counting the two games he missed). Over that same 9 games, he's caught more than 4 passes just once. Last week, he caught 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's. That's quite a change from a 3-game stretch earlier in the year when he had 21 receptions for 337 yards and 2 TD's.

Injuries might be playing a role as he missed two games earlier in the season, but he was in on 55 of the 56 plays this last Sunday yet caught just 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's, so they can't be that debilitating.

So, what's the problem? Is it Geno? Grubbs? Or is it Metcalf? Why are we unable to take advantage of this guy's incredible athletic ability for more than just a decoy or to preoccupy defenses?

 

[Sperrydogg]

DK Metcalf hasn't scored a TD for the past 5 straight games. He hasn't had a 100-yard game for his past 9 games (I'm not counting the two games he missed). Over that same 9 games, he's caught more than 4 passes just once. Last week, he caught 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's. That's quite a change from a 3-game stretch earlier in the year when he had 21 receptions for 337 yards and 2 TD's.

Injuries might be playing a role as he missed two games earlier in the season, but he was in on 55 of the 56 plays this last Sunday yet caught just 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's, so they can't be that debilitating.

So, what's the problem? Is it Geno? Grubbs? Or is it Metcalf? Why are we unable to take advantage of this guy's incredible athletic ability for more than just a decoy or to preoccupy defenses?

I think it’s a combination of everything. The line sucks so JSN gets most targets cause he gets open when the play breaks up. Then they’re trying so hard to get the run game going but half our runs are TFL’s and then when we finally get somewhere geno gets sacked on third down. Our drives are short cause of the failures, we had the ball I think 4 times in the first half against Green Bay, sack on 3rd, sack on 3rd, interception, field goal and all a sudden we’re down 20-3

 

[RiverDog]

One positive about Metcalf's play is that he hasn't been committing very many penalties. He hasn't gotten any of those stupid ass personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that defined the earlier part of his career. But I wonder if it's a symptom of a problem, that he's not as motivated as he was in years past, that he doesn't care.

BTW, I am not necessarily ripping on Metcalf, rather asking an honest question as why we aren't seeing the production you'd expect out of a #1 receiver. Injuries are likely part of it, but when a guy plays all but one of the offensive plays, that excuse starts to wear thin.

 

[Natethegreat]

I think his knee may still be an issue. Plus we aren't taking the downfield shots we were earlier in the year and we are not throwing as much as we were to start the year.
We have in fact been trying to establish the run.

 

[Sperrydogg]

One positive about Metcalf's play is that he hasn't been committing very many penalties. He hasn't gotten any of those stupid ass personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that defined the earlier part of his career. But I wonder if it's a symptom of a problem, that he's not as motivated as he was in years past, that he doesn't care.

BTW, I am not necessarily ripping on Metcalf, rather asking an honest question as why we aren't seeing the production you'd expect out of a #1 receiver. Injuries are likely part of it, but when a guy plays all but one of the offensive plays, that excuse starts to wear thin.

I don’t know about that he ran a route that drew three defenders attention causing JSN to be wide open for a huge gain and he was visibly stoked for JSN, I bet the attention he draws has an effect on his catches lately and JSN’s

 

[RiverDog]

I don’t know about that (Metcalf doesn't care) he ran a route that drew three defenders attention causing JSN to be wide open for a huge gain and he was visibly stoked for JSN, I bet the attention he draws has an effect on his catches lately and JSN’s

I sincerely hope that you're right, and I don't have any evidence beyond what I mentioned. I was throwing it out there as a possibility.

 

[Sperrydogg]

I sincerely hope that you're right. I was throwing it out there as a possibility.

They commented about it on the broadcast what happens when you have a guy like metcalf on the play. The db that was supposed to drop back to cover JSN completely fell for covering DK underneath and he was surrounded by three defenders and JSN was all alone.

 

[Sperrydogg]

DK Metcalf hasn't scored a TD for the past 5 straight games. He hasn't had a 100-yard game for his past 9 games (I'm not counting the two games he missed). Over that same 9 games, he's caught more than 4 passes just once. Last week, he caught 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's. That's quite a change from a 3-game stretch earlier in the year when he had 21 receptions for 337 yards and 2 TD's.

Injuries might be playing a role as he missed two games earlier in the season, but he was in on 55 of the 56 plays this last Sunday yet caught just 3 passes for 28 yards and no TD's, so they can't be that debilitating.

So, what's the problem? Is it Geno? Grubbs? Or is it Metcalf? Why are we unable to take advantage of this guy's incredible athletic ability for more than just a decoy or to preoccupy defenses?

I think if we get some rhythm on offense we will see DK take the top off once again. Especially as teams start to realize they can’t ignore JSN anymore

 

[RiverDog]

I think his knee may still be an issue. Plus we aren't taking the downfield shots we were earlier in the year and we are not throwing as much as we were to start the year.
We have in fact been trying to establish the run.

That's certainly possible, but if his knee was bothering him so much to affect his play, you would think it would be something that his coaches would know about and wouldn't be playing him almost all the time, 55 out of 56 plays last Sunday.

Even in light of trying to establish the run, last week we threw the ball 33 times but just 3 were targeted for Metcalf.

 

[Sperrydogg]

DK is drawing that double team though and opening up other stuff. Our drives were really short and even moved by penalties and then Geno was out, after that was JV

 

[Sperrydogg]

That's certainly possible, but if his knee was bothering him so much to affect his play, you would think it would be something that his coaches would know about and wouldn't be playing him almost all the time, 55 out of 56 plays last Sunday.

Even in light of trying to establish the run, last week we threw the ball 33 times but just 3 were targeted for Metcalf.

Who had the most targets

When DK draws a third defender and someone else gets a catch it should be a stat, an assist

 

[Natethegreat]

That's certainly possible, but if his knee was bothering him so much to affect his play, you would think it would be something that his coaches would know about and wouldn't be playing him almost all the time, 55 out of 56 plays last Sunday.

Even in light of trying to establish the run, last week we threw the ball 33 times but just 3 were targeted for Metcalf.

33 throws isn't a lot in todays NFL especially considering we were behind from the get go.
Plus a lot of those passes were with Howell thrown in under a lot of pressure without any reps all week.
He was either getting sacked or getting rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

 

[RiverDog]

33 throws isn't a lot in todays NFL especially considering we were behind from the get go.
Plus a lot of those passes were with Howell thrown in under a lot of pressure without any reps all week.
He was either getting sacked or getting rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

No, but 3 targets out of 33 passes is less than 10% of them to your #1 receiver.

 

[RiverDog]

Who had the most targets

JSN had 12 targets, 4 times the number of times we threw the ball Metcalf's way.

When DK draws a third defender and someone else gets a catch it should be a stat, an assist

Agreed, but it's a pretty subjective stat.

 

[Sperrydogg]

JSN had 12 targets, 4 times the number of times we threw the ball Metcalf's way.

Agreed, but it's a pretty subjective stat.

That’s why it should require three defenders

 

[Chukarhawk]

DK struggles to get open on short and intermediate routes that's just a fact. He's never been a great route runner, some of that is poor technique and some of it is his build. He had abysmal 3 cone numbers, worse than Tom Brady. He needs longer routes to get open and we suck at blocking for the most part.

 

[Natethegreat]

DK struggles to get open on short and intermediate routes that's just a fact. He's never been a great route runner, some of that is poor technique and some of it is his build. He had abysmal 3 cone numbers, worse than Tom Brady. He needs longer routes to get open and we suck at blocking for the most part.

Yes, he is a long speed guy and right now the deep shots have been put on the shelf mostly.
We did have a nice play that got DK in motion and a quick target that worked.

 

[hgwellz12]

DK struggles to get open on short and intermediate routes that's just a fact. He's never been a great route runner, some of that is poor technique and some of it is his build. He had abysmal 3 cone numbers, worse than Tom Brady. He needs longer routes to get open and we suck at blocking for the most part.

Combine that with the fact that we're like dead last in the league at contested catches as a team and, well... smh.

 

[kidhawk]

I don’t know about that he ran a route that drew three defenders attention causing JSN to be wide open for a huge gain and he was visibly stoked for JSN, I bet the attention he draws has an effect on his catches lately and JSN’s

JSN has definitely been a huge benefactor to how defenses are covering DK. Injuries could play a part but seeing him double and triple teamed so often leaves someone else with minimal coverage.

 

[jammerhawk]

Metcalf is playing through injuries to his knee and his shoulder.

That should answer the questions.

the knee has slowed him as an elite Big but F-A-S-T WR. The awful pass pro isn’t helping either.