Big Boy 82

[PoolBoy]

nobody's saying it so i will...my boy pope played GREAT today.

 

[82CardsGrad]

And here I was thinking you were gettin all cute with me...

 

[dogpoo32]

How many holds did he have today? Receiving he was great, but he needs to work on the basics and not hold!

 

[PoolBoy]

if you're a 6'8 man beast as well then yes

 

[PoolBoy]

yea...his blocking needs work, but its gotta be hard to block when you are that much taller, they need to teach him to get low.

 

[Duckjake]

Guys like Pope and Rolle are reminders to me that success in college football at the big football programs is 99.9% recruiting. Star players on their teams in college who are totally lost when they get to the NFL.

Pope is so raw you'd think he played basketball at Georgia instead of football.
If he can learn he'll be the best TE we've had since Jackie Smith.

 

[PoolBoy]

we need to use him better/more. im not comparing him to gates by any means, but we need to line him up in the slot like they do a little more. and in the red zone, give him a look. whiz is a former te, so i only expect him to get better, and i see him being a GREAT player in a couple years.

 

[Brian]

Pope did not play well today. Besides his penalties, he is the MAIN reason for the second delay of game penalty.

He lined up in the wrong place, Warner had to correct him, and Boldin couldn't go into motion until Pope un-screwed himself.

I had high hopes for him after he was drafted but so far his I.Q seems to be getting in his way.

 

[Shane]

Pope did not play well today. Besides his penalties, he is the MAIN reason for the second delay of game penalty.

He lined up in the wrong place, Warner had to correct him, and Boldin couldn't go into motion until Pope un-screwed himself.

I had high hopes for him after he was drafted but so far his I.Q seems to be getting in his way.

I would be surprised if he isnt the single most penalized player in the entire league to this point. Anyone know where to find out?

 

[PrescottLooie]

Pope is off side way too much !

 

[abomb]

Yikes. This thread is scary. Maybe you were watching a different game.

I had hoped Pope would develop more than he has. The false starts and holds are maddening.

 

[abomb]

I would be surprised if he isnt the single most penalized player in the entire league to this point. Anyone know where to find out?

I think he has 7 or 8 penalties. There has to be someone with more.

 

[ThunderCard]

I think he has 7 or 8 penalties. There has to be someone with more.

I counted 11, but I missed some of the Rams game.

 

[football karma]

He had a holding penalty that reversed a first down inside Redskin territory in the first quarter

He had a hold on a kick return that was totally unnecessary that put the team inside the 15 yard line

While I dont think he had one in the Wash game, he seems to be the successor to the Leaonard Davis "one false start a game" title



He also had a beautiful catch in traffic over the middle of the field for a big gain

 

[Mulli]

He had a holding penalty that reversed a first down inside Redskin territory in the first quarter

He had a hold on a kick return that was totally unnecessary that put the team inside the 15 yard line

While I dont think he had one in the Wash game, he seems to be the successor to the Leaonard Davis "one false start a game" title



He also had a beautiful catch in traffic over the middle of the field for a big gain

So he is learning what NOT to do.

 

[abomb]

I would be surprised if he isnt the single most penalized player in the entire league to this point. Anyone know where to find out?

I think he has 7 or 8 penalties. There has to be someone with more.

I went through the Gamebooks and counted 6;

SF

• 1st and 10 at ARZ 18 (3:28) PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 18 - No Play.
• 1st
  and 15 at ARZ 13 (14:56) PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 13 - No Play.

PIT

• 3rd and 5 at ARZ 24 (15:00) (Shotgun) PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 24 - No Play.

STL

• 1st and 10 at ARZ 46 (13:27) PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 46 - No Play.

WAS

• PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at ARZ 24.
• PENALTY on ARZ-L.Pope, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at WAS 49 - No Play.

6 penalties, 9 catches, 2 TDs and 2 INTs on balls thrown his way

 

[football karma]

Guys like Pope and Rolle are reminders to me that success in college football at the big football programs is 99.9% recruiting. Star players on their teams in college who are totally lost when they get to the NFL.

Pope is so raw you'd think he played basketball at Georgia instead of football.
If he can learn he'll be the best TE we've had since Jackie Smith.

Thing to keep in mind is that Pope came out as a junior. On many teams, Pope as a third round pick wouldnt have won the starting job his rookie year by default (or by Denny's decision). He would be allowed to develop, playing situationally until year three when he suddenly busts out.

I hope the Cards go out in the offseason and find a TE that is a real in-line blocking mauler. This would allow Pope to be in the role he is probably suited for -- a pass catching TE that can block, rather than a blocking TE who occasionally is thrown to.

 

[Austin Zonie]

Incognito has got to have more penalties than Pope. That guy is a walking penalty.

 

[Russ Smith]

Thing to keep in mind is that Pope came out as a junior. On many teams, Pope as a third round pick wouldnt have won the starting job his rookie year by default (or by Denny's decision). He would be allowed to develop, playing situationally until year three when he suddenly busts out.

I hope the Cards go out in the offseason and find a TE that is a real in-line blocking mauler. This would allow Pope to be in the role he is probably suited for -- a pass catching TE that can block, rather than a blocking TE who occasionally is thrown to.

The problem is if Whiz had been coach he almost assuredly wouldn't have drafted Pope because of his blocking. We all talked about that after the draft Pope was a very bad blocker in college because he was too upright, you almost can't find a pre draft scouting report that doesn't say that.

Whiz clearly likes TE's who can block because he likes to run, Pitt did have Heath Miller who's a better receiver than blocker but a better blocker than Pope.

Pope is a potential factor in the redzone at that size but yeah his penalties really are becoming a pain in the neck.

 

[football karma]

The problem is if Whiz had been coach he almost assuredly wouldn't have drafted Pope because of his blocking. We all talked about that after the draft Pope was a very bad blocker in college because he was too upright, you almost can't find a pre draft scouting report that doesn't say that.

Whiz clearly likes TE's who can block because he likes to run, Pitt did have Heath Miller who's a better receiver than blocker but a better blocker than Pope.

Pope is a potential factor in the redzone at that size but yeah his penalties really are becoming a pain in the neck.

no question.

The thing about college TEs is that you are hard pressed to find ANY who are solid blockers. There was one guy in this past draft who was considered a good blocker -- Matt Spaeth -- and nearly everyone else was rated as "needs to improve his blocking"

Its kind of rare that you find a truly complete guy

Who I like coming out this year (I think) is Fred Davis of USC. Big body, definately blocks and can catch.