Better Play design probably helping Mcfarland

I wouldn't go that far, but he is definitely more explosive than Harris. I'm not sure he can wear down a defense the way we saw Harris do it in some games last season. That's what makes Harris a better lead back than Warren. My biggest problem with the idea of getting McFarland on the field more is that it takes opportunities away from Warren. Instead of just trying to get more speed on the field, the goal should be to create more opportunities for their best players. I mentioned this earlier. They don't need McFarland on the field to create big plays. Pickens, Johnson, Austin, Robinson, and Warren can all do that. Even Freiermuth and Heyward can make big catches down the field. Trying to force McFarland into all that is just more opportunity for Canada to try to get cute. Do we suddenly trust Canada to do that properly?

 

it certainly seems like it. That doesn't mean they are right. Every route he runs is one Austin could run. Or Robinson. Or even Heyward, who has shown a lot more in actual games than McFarland.

 

They had access to McFarland last year. too. Why is he suddenly going to give them big plays now when he wasn't good enough for them to bother to try him last season? The skill positions are deeper this time around with Austin healthy and Robinson on the team.

Also, the lack of explosive plays last year was rooted heavily in their problems at quarterback. Trubisky wasn't making enough of those throws when he started. Pickett played poorly at first, then succeeded in a more conservative scheme that included few aggressive throws down the field. That made any sort of big play difficult to come by.

McFarland has been in the league for three years. Do you really think any opponent will be surprised that he is fast?

 

That's the part I can't understand that he can't see.. If 1 of those TE'S catch the pass it's probably not going to be as big of a gain than if McFarland does..Only 1 offensive guy with his speed and that's Austin , but it is fair to think that the RB is probably even better than him in space after the catch ..When your #1 RB states that basically no one can guard him anytime he is 1 on 1 it could be a huge play .. Failure to take advantage of that is just criminal..

I guess we could look at it situational ..Let's say it's 3rd. and 2 from our own 25 1 play we split the TE out and he runs a quick slant and gains 10 yards as the LB runs him down a good a positive play .. Now same situation and McFarland runs it and has 3 steps on the LB he can't catch him and then he splits the safety and takes it to the house..A Great play ..This is why you use the guy with the jets..

 

A great read basically supporting what we have been saying as to the why he would make the 53 and also supports as to the why they will give him snaps to prove his skills in a real game ..

He just looks faster and crisper on his routes as I eluded to earlier in this thread he played the RB from other Teams which a lot run a bunch of Scat and spread it is clear that those practice reps have helped him..

The thing that Impressed me the most this pre season was that short TD run he showed power that I have not seen from him, he won the battle and knocked the defender backwards and finished the run...Leading me to believe he was in the weight room a good bit as well..

 

It wasn't circumstances that kept him down. It was his own poor performance in training camp and preseason. He had a golden opportunity to be the No. 2 running back last year. He had the advantage of being a former third-round pick, but an undrafted rookie beat him out. Bennie Snell beat him out, too.

Beating a guy the Steelers cut is impressive? That was the claim you just made with Muse. I like him, but come on. Splash plays in camp are nice, but he has done that before. In three years, it hasn't translated to the real games and it wasn't bad luck or injuries. It was his own inability to earn the playing time. Now you think it is a good idea to give him that time when the offense is even stronger when the skill position players ahead of him are better.

Also, it's not the best player. It is a full collection of better players. If he is on the field with Johnson, Pickens, Warren, and Freiermuth, I want any of those other guys to get the ball first. If he is in the backfield and he is out there Pickens, Johnson, Robinson, and Austin, every single one of those receivers is a better threat. Maybe they can scheme some things to get him open, but they would be better off using those plays to scheme an opportunity for Warren or Austin.

 

I saw it. I'm not arguing against him being on the roster. I'm arguing against him taking touches away from better players.

 

Nobody here is arguing against him being on the roster. Why waste time letting him prove his skills? The goal is to win games, not give guys opportunities.

He has shown power in some circumstances in the past in preseason. He just hasn't shown in it in a game that counts. He got a little stronger, but yeah, he also managed to run through a few second and third-stringers in preseason.

 

He was also behind a 2nd. and 3rd. string OL .. So to me I just take the runs as what they are ..Good decisions and good runs period.. Plus his speed beating guys 1 on 1 in coverage will translate no matter what string of Defense is out there ... A LB who runs a 4.7 can not Guard him 1 on 1 period..Most Defenses require the LB to guard the RB that's a huge Advantage for him and our Team..Also looking at snaps for most Teams the average for the #1 Rb looks to be around 550 or so our #1 was at 763 ..the average snap count for the 3rd. RB was around 200 ours was at 42 ..

It is clear that we are out of whack ..Najee is probably 1 of McFadden's biggest fans the more snaps that Najee takes the less his value is come contract time...

 

I would think of anybody, you would argue against him being on the roster. You clearly don't feel that they are going to try and get him touches outside of the traditional running back role. As far as that part is concerned, by your own assessment, he doesn't do anything well enough to be a full time starter if the other two were to go down so why keep him on the roster? Do you think any of the other guys they tried in the preseason would have been better suited? Someone in free agency? Asking honestly. Not being a smartass. Let's be honest, they're only one injury to Warren or Harris away from Mac getting significant carries.

 

Though speed plays anywhere, it is easier to get outside against second and third stringers regardless of the line in front of him. Look at both big runs McFarland had in preseason games. Both times, the defender on the outside edge blew his contain. It's great that McFarland saw the mistake and capitalized on it, but those errors are less likely to happen with starters on the field.

If he's in the slot, what makes you think he is going to get so many more matchups against linebackers than Austin or Robinson? Do you really think opponents aren't going to know going in that he has great speed, but he's not as much of a threat to run and he can't block?

 

I think they are going to try to get him touches outside of the traditional running back role. I just think those touches should go to Austin, Warren, or Heyward.

No, he isn't good enough to be a full-time starter if there are injuries, but he is better than the other backs they had for that spot. That's what happens when you get to the third string. The players are going to be flawed. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be on the roster unless they can find someone better.

If there are injuries, I wouldn't be surprised to see Heyward get opportunities at running back ahead of McFarland. He's not a great blocker, either, but he's better than McFarland.

 

I know why you highlighted Muse. I teach rhetoric for a living. I know how to use it and I can usually spot the way others are using it, too. I'm just telling you that it isn't nearly as good of a point as you think.

I do believe they did make a mistake with Muse, but that's more about special teams and depth if they have injuries at inside linebacker than thinking he is some great cover guy. In coverage, the guy is a converted safety. He seems to recognize pass plays well. That doesn't mean he is great in man coverage or that McFarland beating him on a practice rep somehow means much.

Linebackers can't cover Austin, either. I'd much rather him get that rep in the slot.

Most of this board is dedicated to dissecting and debating the choices the coaches and front office make. It is silly to say we should just trust them and not argue. I try very hard not to do that when they do something I agree with and another poster disagrees. I'm certainly not going to just accept that as a deciding factor in a discussion here when it goes the other way.

 

I can buy that. I had not seen enough from the guys in preseason to warrant them getting a spot over Mac. I know Snell was liked over Mac by some on here but clearly the coaching staff thought differently.

 

That's the difference I think he is bigger ,stronger and faster .. Plus as was pointed out he talked about learning to follow his blocks ,so I contend he can run .. If the OL makes a hole or crease he can exploit it.. So if the D goes smaller in an effort to cover him that's a win for the OL a smaller guy to block so motion him into the backfield and run right at the smaller guy.. Or motion him back into the backfield and throw the swing pass to the other LB'S side ..ie the bigger ,slower 1 ..Or you run draw ? Or fake dive end around to 1 of your bigger guys to attack the smaller defender ..Or now you can drop back and pass and the man McFarland is charged to pick up is the smaller Defender not the 260 lb guy .. I could go on and on ....

The point being it's chess not checkers so if you can force a Defense to do something you have more than 1 way to make them pay for that adjustment...

 

Is he actually faster? Where are you getting that from?

He may be a bit stronger, but I still saw him getting run over even by undersized linebackers when he tried to pass block. The defense going smaller to cover for him doesn't help all that much if his running relies almost entirely on speed, which it does, and he can't block, which he can't. Y'all are too focused on getting cute rather than actually taking advantage of the team's best weapons. Don't we all agree that Pickens needs to get the ball more? Warren does, too. Harris and Johnson already get their share. Freiermuth creates matchup problems for defenses, too. Heyward has shown more ability to make big plays in real games than McFarland, so they need to find touches for him? You want more speed and home run capability, right? Doesn't that mean more touches for Austin? Robinson is going to get his share, too.

 

As far as speed goes it's just the eye test he also only ran the 40 at the combine because he was coming off injury he stated he had been clocked at 4.3 before .. He looks like 4.3 to me ..As far as snaps go it's Harris who probably wants to give them away ..As I stated the more snaps Harris gets the less his value will be ..

In HS and College he only had a few years of play and he probably just used all speed ..When he got to the NFL it appeared he was still trying to use all speed... It now looks like he is pressing the holes and then bouncing instead of straight running for the edge..In the past seasons on the stretch plays he would just bounce to the edge and try to out run everyone.Now he is pressing the edge waiting for his blocks and finding the running lane ..

Him being cut last year was probably the best thing for him.. As a 3rd. string RB he probably got limited work and limited coaching ..As the practice squad RB his main job is to imitate the other Teams RB and get our #1 Defense ready to stop them..As such he got a lot of Coaching on this is what this RB will do on this play these are the cut back lanes he will be looking for..The 1st week he played as Mixon who ran for 83 on us and caught 7 for 63..The next week a different style of RB in Harris in more of a North and South attack..The 3rd. week he was Chubb another read and follow your block type RB..The next week it was Breece Hall another read and follow your blocks RB..

This is just the first Quarter later in the year some more scat RB'S and pass catching RB'S so he got way more experience and Coaching than he ever has ..Just like I stated earlier He probably looked good playing as those guys and the Coaches got to see it .. I am seeing it in him as well and I think once you get to see what he can do against #1's then you will be on his side as well..

 

My apologies for not mentioning every single player who should get the ball more than McFarland. I did leave Washington out.

Washington can contribute if he doesn't touch the ball. They don't have to go out of their way to create opportunities for him. Those will come in the natural flow of the offense because he will already be out there often as a blocker. I'm not sure you will see many plays with him as the primary receiver. McFarland pretty much has to be the first or section option to have value because he is worthless as a blocker.

 

I've seen him against ones before. It mostly wasn't a good result. I certainly hope he has gotten better because he's on the roster. He certainly hasn't improved as a blocker or kick returner. He continued to suck at both in preseason.