Wandering Athol
02-13-2008, 07:36 PM
Interesting stuff from ESPN's KC Joyner....
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=joyner_kc&id=3243594&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl %2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3djoyner_ kc%26id%3d3243594%26campaign%3drss%26source%3dNFLH eadlines
[Samuel's] 41.3 success percentage -- the percentage of plays a player does something successful with the ball -- and 7.4 YPA last season were both steps back from his 2006 totals in those categories (7.0 YPA and 48.8 success percentage). His six interceptions were also down from 2006, when he posted career high of 10, and three of his 2007 picks came against backup quarterbacks. Samuel's drop of the potential game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLII also didn't help his cause. To put this another way, Samuel's starting spot in last Sunday's Pro Bowl looks more like it was granted on his 2006 performance than his 2007 numbers and suggests he might be worthy of a place on my annual overrated players list.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMO Samuel's a very good corner, not a shut-down corner. He gambles a lot and misses. He's also been a bottom feeder when it comes to picks the last two years. One thing folks underestimate about him that I like is his durability though.
If he gets a monster contract elsewhere, I'll be glad for him personally, and thank him for his service with the Pats. If he gets a monster contract from Kraft (which keeps begging the question: when was the last time BB & Pioli paid big money to keep a DB?), I think it'll be a big mistake on the Pats behalf. This upcoming draft seems deep at CB.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=joyner_kc&id=3243594&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl %2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3djoyner_ kc%26id%3d3243594%26campaign%3drss%26source%3dNFLH eadlines
[Samuel's] 41.3 success percentage -- the percentage of plays a player does something successful with the ball -- and 7.4 YPA last season were both steps back from his 2006 totals in those categories (7.0 YPA and 48.8 success percentage). His six interceptions were also down from 2006, when he posted career high of 10, and three of his 2007 picks came against backup quarterbacks. Samuel's drop of the potential game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLII also didn't help his cause. To put this another way, Samuel's starting spot in last Sunday's Pro Bowl looks more like it was granted on his 2006 performance than his 2007 numbers and suggests he might be worthy of a place on my annual overrated players list.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMO Samuel's a very good corner, not a shut-down corner. He gambles a lot and misses. He's also been a bottom feeder when it comes to picks the last two years. One thing folks underestimate about him that I like is his durability though.
If he gets a monster contract elsewhere, I'll be glad for him personally, and thank him for his service with the Pats. If he gets a monster contract from Kraft (which keeps begging the question: when was the last time BB & Pioli paid big money to keep a DB?), I think it'll be a big mistake on the Pats behalf. This upcoming draft seems deep at CB.