Today we wonder if Paul Guenther is as creative as Hue Jackson when it comes to his personnel, Beyond the Stripes returns this week for a special preseason show featuring AJ McCarron and I put a challenge to Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan.
This is the time of year where coaches (and fans) are looking for the next hidden gem, the guy who no one expects to set the football world on fire to strike a match in training camp and the preseason.
Perhaps that player is Chris Carter.
We've been writing and tweeting about him here and there, noticing No. 49 with his hand in the dirt and pass rushing around big Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith. And there he was on Friday, earning first-team reps on the defensive line.
"I knew going into the game that that was going to be the situation, we had kind of been working at it all week and the week prior to that, too," Carter said."They said it was a position that I earned so I went out there to try to show some things. It's exciting to be able to get out there with all the first team guys and for everything to run smoothly, for us just to be cohesive out there and work as a unit and get off the field quickly every time."
It's somewhat surprising, considering that he was signed at the end of last season to help out with an injury-depleted linebacking corps.
But maybe it shouldn't be.
This is why the Steelers drafted him in the fifth round out of Fresno State in 2011.
Full article Good read from Jim, and once again, he gives the board some link love. Thanks Jim!
(08-18-2015, 02:57 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: I think Jim does a very good job of making his articles entertaining and informative. And, how can you not love the Wu-Tang references?
Raekwon responds to Jim's challenge! (with a haha)
(08-18-2015, 02:40 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Full article Good read from Jim, and once again, he gives the board some link love. Thanks Jim!
Fantastic. Loved seeing 'GarbageDisposal' referenced in there. How many board names here do you think would just get scrapped by the editors? I can think of a few.
(08-18-2015, 02:43 PM)GarbageDisposal Wrote: Jim O. for prez. Reedy who?
Wu-Tang is for the children!
We love you too ODB. RIP.
side note. anyone here check out 'Tao of the Wu' by RZA? enjoyable quick read.
(08-20-2015, 12:18 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Another nice article by Jim.
I really like Guenther giving a player like Carter a chance as a pass rusher.
I cannot remember the last time we used a Linebacker specifically in this way, maybe Pollack before the injury?
cant remember if we ever used harrison in that role or not... Most of our Tweer types havent panned out over the years but i believe at times we were training guys like geathers and MJ @ LBer due more to need though
(08-20-2015, 12:27 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: cant remember if we ever used harrison in that role or not... Most of our Tweer types havent panned out over the years but i believe at times we were training guys like geathers and MJ @ LBer due more to need though
If done correctly it is not a bad idea. I like the open mindedness and not just sticking to the same thing.
Gives Offenses another thing to think about. Similar to how Denver uses Vonn Miller. I know Carter is not near the pass rusher that Miller is but hey, it is another wrinkle and another player to use in our rotation.
Maybe Hunt is the odd man out cause i have heard nothing about him this Offseason except he has been injured. Too bad, i liked Margus's upside but his age was a deterrent in the Draft before we picked him and his lack of football experience was another big reason others stayed away.
(08-20-2015, 12:49 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: If done correctly it is not a bad idea. I like the open mindedness and not just sticking to the same thing.
Gives Offenses another thing to think about. Similar to how Denver uses Vonn Miller. I know Carter is not near the pass rusher that Miller is but hey, it is another wrinkle and another player to use in our rotation.
Maybe Hunt is the odd man out cause i have heard nothing about him this Offseason except he has been injured. Too bad, i liked Margus's upside but his age was a deterrent in the Draft before we picked him and his lack of football experience was another big reason others stayed away.
Well hunts back to practice now hopefully gets reps vs TB
only thing other than that is Guenther is pretty high on the guy
(08-20-2015, 01:04 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Man, would love to see that Margus Hunt guy from last Preseason that threw around that Colts RT in our rotation this Regular season.
I think he be good from a DT spot to bull rush the center right back into the QB
(08-20-2015, 03:42 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I already like Owczarski better than Dehner.
Dehner seems to put a positive spin on everything ala Hobson.
Agreed. I believe Dehner is a lifelong fan of the team. What gets me is that he wasn't like this when he first started covering the team. Suddenly, there's nothing/very little negative about this team at all. Jim comes from Green Bay and is very unbiased.
You can always trust an dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you have to look out for.
"Winning makes believers of us all"-Paul Brown
Loved that tweet -- didn't see it initially!! Made my day.
Hunt is definitely a d-end. He's participated in full contact since the first preseason game, but I could see them being extra cautious in Tampa. But he for sure will play this preseason (barring another setback). Right now I'm leaning toward this team keeping 10 d-linemen (using the Burfict/Ogbuehi PUP spots). The position group is just so strong and they found something in the UDFA Williams, it gives them some roster flexibility.
Carter continues to flash in practice as a rush end in the nickel, but I don't doubt he's got to create pressure and/or sacks in some of these preseason reps to validate it. He's still kind of on the outside looking in if everyone gets to cutdown week healthy, but it's intriguing for sure. I appreciate it from a coaching perspective in that right now, he probably isn't worth being on the field on the weakside over Vinny Rey and Marquis Flowers and PJ Dawson. And he got the QB with his hand on the ground in college, so why not put him in a position to succeed and see if he does? Worst case is he's not better than the other defensive ends and hey, what do you lose, really? Best case is he's this amazing pass rusher that gives your defensive scheme more versatility.
I know it wasn't against the 1s in the first preseason game, but I liked the ferocity I saw with Carter's hands and his ability to get to the QB. Let him get some snaps against the #1s in Tampa. With MJ still recovering, now is the perfect time.
(08-21-2015, 01:34 AM)jowczarski Wrote: he got the QB with his hand on the ground in college, so why not put him in a position to succeed and see if he does? Worst case is he's not better than the other defensive ends and hey, what do you lose, really? Best case is he's this amazing pass rusher that gives your defensive scheme more versatility.
This. Even if he doesn't make the Bengals these preseason games help him flash for other 3-4 teams that might have a spot for him.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
