04-11-2022, 02:13 PM
(04-11-2022, 01:43 PM)basballguy Wrote: Yes, Hardman definitely ran the better route. But Eli was just slow to track his man in motion. If you look at the Hill play, Eli (seemingly learning from the TD) was much faster and step for step with Hill. If Eli moved with that same urgency he MIGHT have had a chance to make a play. As it stood, he never had a chance. But I only know what i see from the couch. I'm not a coach, a scout, or anything else. You see Eli Apple make a great INT on BB, i see a WR that had his CB burned but ran the wrong route.
I have two problems which drive this "hate boner".
1) In my opinion, he's a first round bust. He has yet to live up to his expectations. A man with his talent should be much better than he is.
2) There are many people that would rather ignore his volatility and just praise only the good (as fans i guess should do?). However, when it comes to Apple it just seems a little ridiculous.
Eli Apple was supposed to be, at a minimum, pro bowl material. Last year he was counting his blessings he was even on an NFL roster to start the season.
Who knows? Maybe this is the year he finally "gets it". After all, he did say the Rams ignited a flame or some shit. I guess he just decided to play the whole year (or last 6 years) without that flame?
I would have to replay the first play versus second one but I think the delay may have been a switch/no switch call as Hardman motioned from outside with a WR inside to the open side (in those cases you can sometimes switch the slot guy to the motion and the outside takes the slot). On the second one Hill came from the open side so there was no call to make so it was simply read and react.
As for the rest, where someone is taken has nothing to do with anything once they are in the league. If he was an UDFA and he played at this level versus being a 1st rounder it doesn't matter he is simply who he is. His talent is what he is, whatever someone projected it to be is on them but we now have an idea of what he really is so the talent he "should have" is no longer an unknown.
The volatility really as it has been pointed out is not unique to him. William Jackson III was also very volatile and he was supposed to be our #1 corner, for what Apple is (A mid tier 2) he is no more volatile than any other mid tier 2. You probably don't watch other teams as closely to notice it but heck even mid tier 1's have some crazy swings. Look at Charvarious Ward, he had some pretty wild swings in KC which is why they let him leave this year in FA but he was supposed to be their 1.
