How to use the Tugboat?

[denverbirdfan]

i've been thinking about marcel, and i'd like to see the cards use his talent. he pass catching ability out of the backfield reminds me a little of larry centers - so what about a "split I" backfield of smith and shipp that can add this threat? sure, not every down, but what do you think about a 2-tailback backfield every once and while? hodgins has to get tired sometimes.

 

[PDXChris]

I think with a healthy line they could mix and match any which way and it will be very successful.

 

[kerouac9]

One word: Wishbone.

Shelton - Kendall - ???????? - Davis - Clement
Bush - Blake - Jones
Hodgins - Smith - Shipp

Scary...


... To Cardinal fans.

 

[arthurracoon]

I think the beauty of having JS as OC and many pos. coaches who have been OC's before is that the play book will have a mix of ideas. I'm guessing it will have many formations because JS does not have a "set" stye of offense. He will mix and match offensive schemes.

The Cards might even use the wing-T offense sometimes

X XXXXX X
.......X
......X
......XX

That way we can have Hodgins, Smith, and Shipp in the backfield all at the same time.

I hope I will see an Offense that uses:

shotgun w/ 5 WR
2 Tailback
I-Form
Wing-T
singleback

 

[arthurracoon]

Is Marcell fast enough to be used in a singleback formation?

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by kerouac9
One word: Wishbone.

Shelton - Kendall - ???????? - Davis - Clement
Bush - Blake - Jones
Hodgins - Smith - Shipp

Scary...


... To Cardinal fans.

Great idea kerouac. Except, let's trade next year's first rounder for Qunicy Carter (if Jones will let us rape them like that) and become a pure option team. We don't have to stick to the wishbone though. We can be really creative and run the veer as well.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
Great idea kerouac. Except, let's trade next year's first rounder for Qunicy Carter (if Jones will let us rape them like that) and become a pure option team. We don't have to stick to the wishbone though. We can be really creative and run the veer as well.

Perhaps we can get Eric Crouch away from Green Bay (for Thomas Jones?). We have a former QB in Calvin Pace and Anquan Boldin. Perhaps we can play them under center?

This may, in fact, be why we pursued Kordell Stewart at the beginning of free agency.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by arthurracoon
Is Marcell fast enough to be used in a singleback formation?

No, neither of them are. Maybe Anderson. Personally, I don't think that Marcel and Emmitt are fast enough to run off tackle.

 

[arthurracoon]

Originally posted by kerouac9
No, neither of them are. Maybe Anderson. Personally, I don't think that Marcel and Emmitt are fast enough to run off tackle.

What about Scobey?

I think we will be using all 4 RB's throughout the course of the season.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by arthurracoon
What about Scobey?

I think we will be using all 4 RB's throughout the course of the season.

I don't know anything about Scobey; Section 11 does. Apparently, he's a hard worker.

But, I sincerely doubt it. Can you name a team in the league that uses more than 2 RBs other than injury? I know that the Raiders used 3 (Garner, Kaufman, Crockett), but they were in different situations.

Personally, I don't think that there are going to be enough carries for Emmitt to average 25 carries a game, and Marcel to average 15. I don't think the offense is going to have enough juice for either to average more than 30 "touches" a game, not to talk about Damien Anderson (who might end up returning kicks or something) or Josh Scobey.

 

[Goldfield]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Perhaps we can get Eric Crouch away from Green Bay (for Thomas Jones?). We have a former QB in Calvin Pace and Anquan Boldin. Perhaps we can play them under center?

This may, in fact, be why we pursued Kordell Stewart at the beginning of free agency.

lmao nice!

 

[JeffGollin]

I hope I will see an Offense that uses:

shotgun w/ 5 WR
2 Tailback
I-Form
Wing-T
singleback

Don't forget the broken I and empty backfield sets.

And with Boldin, passes off the flanker reverse.

On short yardage, some "heavy" one-back formations with Hodgins, Bush and F Jones as the 3 TE/H-Backs

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by arthurracoon
What about Scobey?

I think we will be using all 4 RB's throughout the course of the season.

I hope not or we have injuries. Like kerouac said teams don't use that many RB's unless they have to.

Shipp and Smith both have a nose for the endzone so neither needs to come out in goalline situations.

My personal belief is by the end of the year Shipp will get as many or more touches than Emmitt, not due to injury, but because it will be obvious Shipp is the better player at this stage of Emmitt's career.

I'm sure Emmitt will start the season as the #1 RB, I just don't think he'll finish the year in that role. That was one reason I wasn't overly excited to sign him, nice PR move but what happens if Shipp takes his job and you have to bench Emmitt, doesn't that "ruin" the good PR of signing him?

What I think will be interesting to watch this year is short yardage. We have one of the great short yardage runners in NFL history(Emmitt) and a guy in Shipp who shows great ability there too.

Bodes well for picking up all those 3rd and shorts we're going to be in if BLake plays well.

Boy my boss quitting a couple of months ago has done wonders for my optimism I'm just itching for the games to start.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
...it will be obvious Shipp is the better player at this stage of Emmitt's career.

...What I think will be interesting to watch this year is short yardage. We have one of the great short yardage runners in NFL history(Emmitt) and a guy in Shipp who shows great ability there too.

Bodes well for picking up all those 3rd and shorts we're going to be in if BLake plays well.

I disagree on the first statement. I think that Marcel and Emmitt are kind of "crossing" in points of ablility right now. It's a fine point, but I think they're basically at the same place right now, but Shipp obviously has more upside. I will say that in 2004 it will be obvious that Marcel is the better player.

Second, I would MUCH rather have Emmitt running the ball in goalline situations. Marcel fumbled a couple times in clutch red-zone, goal line situations last season (I think once in the South End zone against the Lions?), and I think it cost us a couple games, or almost did. Maybe this is something that another year will take care of, but I'd rather keep it safe in the hands of a savvy vet like Emmitt, or just give it to Hodgins (Personally, I'm a huge fan of the FB Smash in short yardage. That's what he's there for.).

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I disagree on the first statement. I think that Marcel and Emmitt are kind of "crossing" in points of ablility right now. It's a fine point, but I think they're basically at the same place right now, but Shipp obviously has more upside. I will say that in 2004 it will be obvious that Marcel is the better player.

Second, I would MUCH rather have Emmitt running the ball in goalline situations. Marcel fumbled a couple times in clutch red-zone, goal line situations last season (I think once in the South End zone against the Lions?), and I think it cost us a couple games, or almost did. Maybe this is something that another year will take care of, but I'd rather keep it safe in the hands of a savvy vet like Emmitt, or just give it to Hodgins (Personally, I'm a huge fan of the FB Smash in short yardage. That's what he's there for.).

yes the fumbles were my primary concern with Marcel. I still wish he was faster but it didn't hurt him last year.

I also think you're overrating Hodgins. The Rams record with and without him stat is really misleading his injury coincided with a lot of other injuries it wasn't as if he was the one guy that got hurt for them.

The guy in many ways is similar to us signing Grutt, good solid player who got a lot of notoriety because he was on the Rams and became a FA.

Grutt worked out well before he got hurt, I just hope Hodgins does too I don't think he's all that great of a player.

 

[arthurracoon]

What about a WR reverse.

Anquan Boldin can recieve the ball. He can:

1. Hand ball to RB.
2. Keep the ball and run
3. Keep the ball and pass (he was a QB in high school)

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
I also think you're overrating Hodgins.

I sincerely doubt that I'm overrating Hodgins. I don't think much of him. If Joel were still our FB, I'd say hand the ball to him on 3rd and short. I just philosophically am inclined to giving the FB the ball in short-yardage situations.

I haven't seen enough of Anderson or Scobey to know, but is it possible that either of them can be a "change of pace" back, a la Amos Zeroue, Kevin Faulk or Warrick Dunn? I know Anderson is quick, but I don't know if he's in their leagues, and I know little about Scobey.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

As much as possible. Shipp is going to do some things this year that will open eyes.

 

[EndZone]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I disagree on the first statement. I think that Marcel and Emmitt are kind of "crossing" in points of ablility right now. It's a fine point, but I think they're basically at the same place right now, but Shipp obviously has more upside. I will say that in 2004 it will be obvious that Marcel is the better player.

Second, I would MUCH rather have Emmitt running the ball in goalline situations. Marcel fumbled a couple times in clutch red-zone, goal line situations last season (I think once in the South End zone against the Lions?), and I think it cost us a couple games, or almost did. Maybe this is something that another year will take care of, but I'd rather keep it safe in the hands of a savvy vet like Emmitt, or just give it to Hodgins (Personally, I'm a huge fan of the FB Smash in short yardage. That's what he's there for.).

I think he did it twice in one game!

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I haven't seen enough of Anderson or Scobey to know, but is it possible that either of them can be a "change of pace" back, a la Amos Zeroue, Kevin Faulk or Warrick Dunn? I know Anderson is quick, but I don't know if he's in their leagues, and I know little about Scobey.

Anderson, if either (if either?).
Scobey has great speed, but doesn't have the swerve that a guy like famous amos does.
Scobey on KO's... that could work well.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I sincerely doubt that I'm overrating Hodgins. I don't think much of him. If Joel were still our FB, I'd say hand the ball to him on 3rd and short. I just philosophically am inclined to giving the FB the ball in short-yardage situations.

I haven't seen enough of Anderson or Scobey to know, but is it possible that either of them can be a "change of pace" back, a la Amos Zeroue, Kevin Faulk or Warrick Dunn? I know Anderson is quick, but I don't know if he's in their leagues, and I know little about Scobey.

Sorry must have confused you with someone else. Someone here has been saying he thinks Hodgins is our best offseason pickup and I thought that was you.

I think our best offseason pickup by far was Blake, addition by subtraction and addition by getting a good player.

 

[vince56]

Marcel fumbled because our idiot OC called counter plays at the goal line, allowing LBs to shoot the gap and hit Marcel before he had control of the ball. NEVER pull a guard in goal line.

As for him running off tackle, Marcel had like 130+ yards against the raiders, running primarily off tackle if I remember correctly. Marcel's speed should be of no concern. I believe he's becoming a great back.