Bolden vs. Edelman...

[TIDE-HSV]

i think we will see one or two of them. don't have to worry about burning a redshirt.

Good point. However, given the people we've been signing at WR, we're lucky to get three years out of them, Smith being the exception...

 

[Con]

So now Slade has to start dating supermodels?

If he is lucky, yes.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Have you watched Metchie this year? He has nothing left to prove.

Thank you.

2020 stats:
Smith: 45 rec, 556 yards, 4 TDs, 12.4 ypc avg
Waddle: 25 rec, 557 yards, 4 TDs, 22.3 ypc avg
Metchie: 21 rec, 499 yards, 3 TDs, 23.8 ypc avg

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Thank you.

2020 stats:
Smith: 45 rec, 556 yards, 4 TDs, 12.4 ypc avg
Waddle: 25 rec, 557 yards, 4 TDs, 22.3 ypc avg
Metchie: 21 rec, 499 yards, 3 TDs, 23.8 ypc avg

However, you can argue that Metchie has had the "roof" of two burners and has benefited hugely from it. Smith is in the 4.4 range and Waddle is actually sub-4.4. Metchie is 4.6. There's no getting away from the fact that, instead of two burners on the outside, we now have one. I am a John Metchie fan. His hands are unmatched. It's just a different dynamic. No one can just be plugged in for a Waddle...

 

[AlexanderFan]

Have you watched Metchie this year? He has nothing left to prove.

I’m sold, but it’s still only been a couple of games that he’s put up these numbers. He has to have similar numbers to Waddle so there are two receivers the defense knows they have to defend. Face it, Waddle had the deep safety every play and that opened up the rest of the field for the others to run away from man, or sit down in wider zones.

 

[Bama Lee]

Also, it was the personnel in front of Waddle last year - Ruggs, Jeudy, Smith. Who you gonna bench to play Waddle wide? He also has a year of experience. It's going to be interesting to see if one of our burner 5* freshmen start to see some PT...

I was saying the same thing during the game about the freshmen

 

[B1GTide]

However, you can argue that Metchie has had the "roof" of two burners and has benefited hugely from it. Smith is in the 4.4 range and Waddle is actually sub-4.4. Metchie is 4.6. There's no getting away from the fact that, instead of two burners on the outside, we now have one. I am a John Metchie fan. His hands are unmatched. It's just a different dynamic. No one can just be plugged in for a Waddle...

Nope - With Waddle sidelined the entire game he had 7 catches for 151 yards.

 

[AlexanderFan]

However, you can argue that Metchie has had the "roof" of two burners and has benefited hugely from it. Smith is in the 4.4 range and Waddle is actually sub-4.4. Metchie is 4.6. There's no getting away from the fact that, instead of two burners on the outside, we now have one. I am a John Metchie fan. His hands are unmatched. It's just a different dynamic. No one can just be plugged in for a Waddle...

You said it better than I did for sure. He’s had one game without Waddle and has performed well. A few more and the defense will have to adjust.

 

[B1GTide]

You said it better than I did for sure. He’s had one game without Waddle and has performed well. A few more and the defense will have to adjust.

The fact is that Smith has been doubled all season, not Waddle. Waddle has lined up in the slot to avoid it.

You cannot double both WRs. Defenses will continue to double Smith and it still won't matter because he is uncoverable. Bolden will get Waddle's catches, but he won't break one for a 75 yard TD. Metchie will continue to get single coverage opposite Smith.

TBH, the loss of Smith would have been more damaging because it would have forced Waddle to play at WR and face double teams. It would have changed the entire dynamic of the receiver flow.

 

[Tideflyer]

That position group just got real interesting. The old school yard phrase, " Go Long " just took on added meaning!

 

[CrimsonProf]

Was talking yesterday about the need for Saban to give Baker and Jones-Bell some playing time. It's here, like it or not. If both of these guys live up to the hype, we might still have a shot.

 

[81usaf92]

Are we talking Edelman in his prime or Edelman the past few years?

I think Bolden reminds me more of Amendola and Hogan out of those Pats teams than Edelman.

 

[crimsonaudio]

However, you can argue that Metchie has had the "roof" of two burners and has benefited hugely from it. Smith is in the 4.4 range and Waddle is actually sub-4.4. Metchie is 4.6. There's no getting away from the fact that, instead of two burners on the outside, we now have one. I am a John Metchie fan. His hands are unmatched. It's just a different dynamic. No one can just be plugged in for a Waddle...

I get it, but he's gotten over the top of the defense several times. He's a good route-runner, so well-designed plays - even without burner speed on the outside - will give him one-on-one opportunities he can win.

 

[B1GTide]

Are we talking Edelman in his prime or Edelman the past few years?

I think Bolden reminds me more of Amendola and Hogan out of those Pats teams than Edelman.

Aren't they all the same person?

 

[TIDE-HSV]

The fact is that Smith has been doubled all season, not Waddle. Waddle has lined up in the slot to avoid it.

You cannot double both WRs. Defenses will continue to double Smith and it still won't matter because he is uncoverable. Bolden will get Waddle's catches, but he won't break one for a 75 yard TD. Metchie will continue to get single coverage opposite Smith.

TBH, the loss of Smith would have been more damaging because it would have forced Waddle to play at WR and face double teams. It would have changed the entire dynamic of the receiver flow.

Waddle has lined up outside and even in the backfield. I have a hard time saying Smith's loss would be worse. Not a choice I'd want to make. However, this has been a great discussion. I'm sure something similar has been going on back at the AD HQ...

 

[B1GTide]

I get it, but he's gotten over the top of the defense several times. He's a good route-runner, so well-designed plays - even without burner speed on the outside - will give him one-on-one opportunities he can win.

TN kept both safeties back the entire game, which made some of those passes harder to complete. But Mac and Bolden ate them up underneath as a result.

The harsh reality - your offense attacks all levels of the defense on every play. You force the defense into conflicts on every play. You don't need a bunch of super stars - you just need guys who will catch passes when contested or with a defender bearing down on them. You have that in spades.

 

[81usaf92]

Aren't they all the same person?

I would say Hogan was more of a home run threat, and Amendola was more of a 3rd or 4th option utility receiver. I can’t remember the last time Edelman wasnt a primary target for Brady or Newton. What I am saying is that Bolden is clearly a utility receiver while Edelman’s role in the Pats offense hasn’t been that way for sometime.

 

[B1GTide]

Waddle has lined up outside and even in the backfield. I have a hard time saying Smith's loss would be worse. Not a choice I'd want to make. However, this has been a great discussion. I'm sure something similar has been going on back at the AD HQ...

Worse only in that it would force Waddle to play exclusively at WR. You really would no longer have the freedom to move him around the way that you have. That would make Waddle, well, less likely to make some of those explosive plays.

 

[Down4ttown]

Baker is supposedly the fastest on the team. Bet he starts seeing reps, plus Xavier Williams can jet too.

 

[CoachJeff]

Bolden has the chance to be productive. He is not as multi-faceted as some of the other guys we've had.

So right now you've got Smith who can do anything - catch a screen, slant, tiptoe on the sidelines/endzone, and of course beat you deep .

Metchie is mostly just a deep threat. He hasn't shown much in terms of catching it short and making guys miss.

Bolden is a guy that will make plays on out routes and find holes in the defense. He is a good athlete, but he's not Waddle.

This offense is going to take a step back.