08-25-2023, 07:04 PM
(08-25-2023, 12:53 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Zac disagrees. If you listen to this podcast and his pressers he’s been 100% behind Joe.
Solomon Wilcots “ I’m sitting in pubs and coffee houses and get questions all the time about Joe Mixon and I keep telling them he’s a rare find and opposing coaches tell me we wish we had him” Zac Taylor “ Joe’s so physical especially when he’s out in space. Even if these guys take him down they pay the price for it and eventually you see on film they don’t want to do it anymore. It’s kinda Like when he makes them miss or runs them over. When he gets on the perimeter he helps he helps Tee and Ja Mar by wearing down those guys guarding them by wearing them down. He’s a great leader and before the game the opposing coaches are moaning about going up against him. We like his efficiency and in the passing game we love his effectiveness.
It is true Mixon is physical out in space and he does like to punish those who try and tackle him. He is a great pass catcher and
is very good with ball security. He also does wear down Defenders. I will agree with these things that Zac said.
The problems with Mixon are not these things on the field. It is poor pass protection, poor vision, lack of being able to break
tackles, poor balance and and lack of top end speed to finish big runs with TD's.
(08-25-2023, 01:08 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I give up on all of this.
Even if Mixon has a good/great year, people will still complain and want him gone/replaced etc, he's only one year removed from the Pro-Bowl and one of the best Pass Catching RB's out there.
In 2022, Mixon was top 25 (24th) in yards from scrimmage (which includes WR/RB/QB/TEs), Chase was 41st and Tee was 47th.
In 2021, Mixon was 8th, Chase 9th and Tee 39th.
Even though 2022 was a down year for everyone on that list, the TEAM still found a way to win and come with in a minute of going to a 2nd in a row SB.
I'm excited to see what both Joe's can do behind a better OL.
I won't be complaining or wanting Mixon gone if he has a great year and you can count on that.
(08-25-2023, 01:21 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: That's certainly not the case, and this mindset is part of the frustration of the whole topic. There is a blatant disconnect on what each fan or pundit considers "good". However, that doesn't mean that everyone is unreasonable and will still vilify Mixon if he has a great year. If Mixon has a good year, then I will happily say he has turned it around and he proved my doubts wrong. However, my idea of a good year is probably very different than yours.
Running backs are largely a product of their offensive line. One way of assessing how good a back is is to ask "what does he do for himself"? Is he a good pass blocker? Is a good receiver? Does he break tackles often and gets a ton of yards after contact? For Mixon, those three questions are two nos, and one yes. He does not, and has never, been very good at breaking tackles or generating yardage after contact. He is not, and never has been a remarkable pass blocker. He is a very talented receiver.
Even his 2021 season is unremarkable. He had poor efficiency and very high volume - of course his yardage and TDs look good, he ran the ball a lot. He'd better have high numbers or there is a big issue. He had the second most carries within the five yard line in the league, reminiscent of Jamaal Williams of Detroit last year. He benefitted from a high octane passing offense that got down to the goalline where he punched it in. That isn't particularly impressive, in my eyes.
If Mixon goes out there and starts breaking tackles and generating more production on his own, then I will be happy, even if his efficiency per touch is largely the same. That would be concerning to me, because that would mean the offensive line is probably not doing much, but it would show me that Mixon has some juice left. The issue is just that he has never done that. He has been one of the least elusive backs in the league over the last four years. Maybe he turns it around, I don't know. I would be happy if he did.
My stance isn't that I hate Mixon, though I have been an outspoken critic of his. He is simply replaceable and nothing special. I understand that the coaching staff wanted to keep him, but that doesn't really change my opinion in the least.
Great post. Same way I feel KillerGoose. Reps.
