(11-03-2020, 07:15 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I wish we were seeing the same type of growth with Drew Sample.
Holy cow, he's been inconsistent as a pass catcher.

3 weeks of 40+ yards.
4 weeks of 0-7 yards with just 0 or 1 reception in those games.

Dude's on pace for only 348 yards.

I was really expecting more consistency/production as a receiving threat from a 2nd round TE midway through his 2nd season.

He's catching most of his targets, but there are games he's hardly targeted.
I don't know if it's because of not getting open in those games or his usage.

He's a little busy blocking.

(11-04-2020, 12:45 AM)sandwedge Wrote: He's a little busy blocking.

No doubt, Sample was chipping like a sumbitch the last two games helping out Burrow with some not noticing I see.

Good to hopefully great blocker with great hands. Has been the 3rd best TE pass catching wise so far in his Draft class as well.

I like Sample and don't understand the ones who don't, he does more than he gets credit for and is starting to live up to his 2nd 
round status in my opinion. He will have a big game if teams start respecting our other weapons too much.

(11-04-2020, 12:45 AM)sandwedge Wrote: He's a little busy blocking.

According to PFF, he's primarily been going out on routes, not pass blocking.

Total Snaps - 459
Receiving Snaps - 232 (50.5%)
Run Block Snaps - 177 (38.6%)
Pass Block Snaps - 50 (10.9%)

Sample has actually seen the 10th most receiving snaps of all TEs.
2nd most pass blocking snaps.
4th most run blocking snaps.

Although he's had the 10th most receiving snaps, he's only the 27th highest TE in terms of yards. So while he has blocked a lot, he's gone out for passes more.

PFF would agree with my assessment of him being inconsistent, as they give him a 56.2 receiving grade, which is 52nd in the league for TEs.

(11-04-2020, 11:38 AM)ochocincos Wrote: According to PFF, he's primarily been going out on routes, not pass blocking.

Total Snaps - 459
Receiving Snaps - 232 (50.5%)
Run Block Snaps - 177 (38.6%)
Pass Block Snaps - 50 (10.9%)

Sample has actually seen the 10th most receiving snaps of all TEs.
2nd most pass blocking snaps.
4th most run blocking snaps.

Although he's had the 10th most receiving snaps, he's only the 27th highest TE in terms of yards. So while he has blocked a lot, he's gone out for passes more.

PFF would agree with my assessment of him being inconsistent, as they give him a 56.2 receiving grade, which is 52nd in the league for TEs.

Looks like almost 50/50

receiving 232 and Blocking 222

(11-03-2020, 09:47 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Thanks broth. With Burrow we should always have a chance, that is how good he is.

He will learn, he will not make the same mistakes twice or often. He studies up on opponents and learns them.

He has great pocket awareness and is learning how not to take the big hits.

These are the big things to me, not even mentioning his record breaking stats. He learns and does the little things to help win games.

Give him time, we can beat Pitt. Just need to stop the run on Offense and don't allow too many big plays for TD's.

I feel the same, picking Pitt to win, but it is not impossible that we pull one out with what our new QB can do.

Just hope he can get his TD's up so he can break Mayfield's rookie TD record.

Although I don't put this very high on the priority list, it would be nice, and some of the defenses he will face down the stretch (with his weapons finally sorted out) I think he has a very good chance of this.  

(11-04-2020, 12:23 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Looks like almost 50/50

receiving 232 and Blocking 222

When combining pass and run block, yes. 50.5% vs 49.5%
But as I said, he's had the 10th most receiving snaps, yet not even in Top 25 in receiving yards for TEs.
A big part of that is likely due to the fact he's the 5th receiving option on the team.
If he was a more dynamic pass catcher, perhaps he would see more targets.

(11-04-2020, 11:38 AM)ochocincos Wrote: According to PFF, he's primarily been going out on routes, not pass blocking.

Total Snaps - 459
Receiving Snaps - 232 (50.5%)
Run Block Snaps - 177 (38.6%)
Pass Block Snaps - 50 (10.9%)

Sample has actually seen the 10th most receiving snaps of all TEs.
2nd most pass blocking snaps.
4th most run blocking snaps.

Although he's had the 10th most receiving snaps, he's only the 27th highest TE in terms of yards. So while he has blocked a lot, he's gone out for passes more.

PFF would agree with my assessment of him being inconsistent, as they give him a 56.2 receiving grade, which is 52nd in the league for TEs.

0 TD’s is what bothers me the most. We don’t particularly need him to stretch the field, but he should at least be a better RZ weapon. Ofc we all know what happened against JAX...

(11-04-2020, 01:45 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 0 TD’s is what bothers me the most. We don’t particularly need him to stretch the field, but he should at least be a better RZ weapon. Ofc we all know what happened against JAX...

Yeah, if I have a problem with Sample it is the lack of TD's in the Red Zone.

I have no issue with Sample's 2nd year progression.

He will just get better and better and how many TD's has Burrow thrown to any TD in 2020? They like to run, hit their backs and throw to Boyd and AJ.

(11-03-2020, 11:10 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Burrow's stats through the first 8 games in his career, with no preseason:

221/320 (67%) for 2272 yards, 11 TDs and 5 INTs.

This, despite facing what was at the time the #1 defense in the NFL (Indy), the Chargers, Browns (twice), Baltimore, Tennessee, Philly, and Jax.

And the best part is, the trajectory is still pointing up.  The plays he made with a 30 MPH wind at PBS on Sunday were simply incredible.  If JJoe doesn't commit PI in the end zone, he has another 35 yards and an additional TD.  pittsburg will be the real test.  They have the best defense in the NFL right now, and they will likely not be stopped often by the defense so he will be playing from behind.   Couldn't be much tougher a task.

I don't give them much of a chance to win, but because it is Joe Burrow, they have a chance.

Adding to his strong numbers, he’s doing it as the most sacked QB in the league going into last week. A rookie getting hit too much and putting up excellent numbers tells you the guy is calm under stress and makes good decisions. That is the biggest intangible for a rookie QB.

(11-04-2020, 05:03 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I have no issue with Sample's 2nd year progression.

He will just get better and better and how many TD's has Burrow thrown to any TD in 2020? They like to run, hit their backs and throw to Boyd and AJ.

I only remember the 2 targets to Sample in the Jags game and Burrow's first TD to Uzomah, other than that I don't remember
many targets to the TE's in the Red Zone so good point.

(11-04-2020, 05:07 PM)bengals1969 Wrote: Adding to his strong numbers, he’s doing it as the most sacked QB in the league going into last week.   A rookie getting hit too much and putting up excellent numbers tells you the guy is calm under stress and makes good decisions. That is the biggest intangible for a rookie QB.

Burrow is better under pressure, blows my mind.

This is why if we put a good team around him, we could be winning playoff games soon IMO.

When you look at Drew Sample's numbers they leave a lot to be desired on their own. This is not the type of production in the pass game you expect out of a 2nd year TE, who was drafted in the 2nd round.

When you look at his numbers, and then consider the following, they become all the more concerning:

-Joe Burrow has more pass attempts than any other QB. (More pass attempts equals more opportunity for receiving stats)

-Drew Sample has run more total routes than all but 2 TE's. (He's not staying in and blocking all of the time)

-Our offense is designed for a lot of quick, short and underneath throws. (This usally spells opportunity for the TE)

-Our only other quality TE was injured in week 2. (He's seeing the field more than initially intended/He has no quality competition in the pass game)

For whatever reason, he's just not producing. You may attribute that to his inability to get open, or you may think it's the coaching staff and play calling that is causing this. Regardless, the use just isn't there.

Even when I throw all of the above out the window, and just watch him with my eyes, he looks the part of what many thought he was; someone that was drafted way too early. He doesn't look dynamic in any way, and his hands aren't great.

He's not some sort of matchup nightmare. He's a guy who, even when he's produced somthing, is catching balls 8 yards and in. He's looked downright terrible in the Red Zone. If you wanted a TE who you can dump off a 6 yard pass to you could have gotten them much, much later.

To each their own, but he's only solidified my opinion of him from last year. (He was a terrible pick) He's been healthy, he's seeing the field a ton, and he's doing virtually nothing. That may change, but I don't know how anyone could be encouraged by his performance thus far.

(11-04-2020, 05:03 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I have no issue with Sample's 2nd year progression.

He will just get better and better and how many TD's has Burrow thrown to any TD in 2020? They like to run, hit their backs and throw to Boyd and AJ.

That’s the point. Sample has not been productive, despite being the #1. Uzomah had a nice TD before he went down.

(11-04-2020, 10:42 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: That’s the point. Sample has not been productive, despite being the #1. Uzomah had a nice TD before he went down.

Burrow's first TD and it shall live on...

Still like Sample though and he is not doing "virtually nothing" as Wes said.

(11-04-2020, 01:45 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 0 TD’s is what bothers me the most. We don’t particularly need him to stretch the field, but he should at least be a better RZ weapon. Ofc we all know what happened against JAX...

Higgins, Boyd, and Gio are all bigger threats in the red zone. Sample's not gonna get many chances down there.

(11-04-2020, 11:51 PM)jason Wrote: Higgins, Boyd, and Gio are all bigger threats in the red zone. Sample's not gonna get many chances down there.

Well he certainly blew the one he did get.

You can't cancel Luvnit. It's blood in blood out 'round here.