http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/football-scientist-assessing-lito-sheppards-decline/ This is an interesting take on Sheppard that I hadn't heard before. Kind of nerve racking. Hopefully he can get that INT number up.
This article pretty much sums up why evaluating football players in this statistical, moneyball way is just pointless. Dwight Lowery has a 7.1 ypa average, Lito's has been higher. I couldnt imagine a more meaningless point to make. I think Lowery has some good skills, so if they said, Lowery could get a look because he's got some of that ballhawking ability (did in college anyway), good short area quickness, good going after the ball, these sorts of things, I would say maybe they've got a point. But 7.1 against 9 even, could not be more meaningless. On different teams, lining up at different positions, playing in a different scheme, you can't measure them based on results like that, its no indicator of how either guy will respond in this position with this team in this scheme. Talk about the football players, not the stat sheet. This is almost as good as the other article i saw today, saying Lito's not a good pickup because he 'sunk to the bottom of the depth chart' in philly. Anybody with even a passing interest in football knows it had nothing to do with his ability to play and everything to do with him and Andy Reid being stuck in an elongated pissing match, this guy was in Stephon Marbury territory the last two years. To have any honest read on what the guys capable of, look at his career before Asante came on board, thats the player the Jets just traded for. If they'd take their eyes off the stat sheet and look at the player, they'd likely realize that Lowery with his average speed at best is a bad fit to play corner in Ryan's scheme, where corners will frequently be one up on a wideout with no safety help over the top and have to hold up. Theres a reason they went out and got a guy like Lito and didn't wait to see if somebody on the roster would step up, or somebody in the draft would work out. A guy with top end speed and solid cover skills is a necessity for Ryan's defense. Drew Coleman is a better candidate to end up as a starter on the outside than Lowery imo, not the greatest cover skills but hes fast enough to at least be in the area and make the tackle.
OK: for what its worth, but wasnt Lowery a like 4th. or 6th. round pick??? And we started this kid who did ok in the first few games as we had zilch else, but come the later part of the season, when we had zero pass rush and "The- Damn-To-All-Hell" Bend but don't win defense, Lowery got killed? It wouldnt have mattered who was back there sans for a Damn firggin Rookie! Manboobs killed this kid off. Im am all about Lito, but Lowery was sent ot "Thee Alter of the Defensive Idiot Gods"!:breakdance:
Arent these stats similar to asante Samuel? Risk/ Reward type of player.... Put him in the right system and he can excel. That being said I understand the point being made
I've actually spoken with KC a few times and he is definitely a fantasy geek. He knows his shit but he bases all his ratings strictly on statistics and matchups. I promise you he knows what CB will be covering the Lions 3rd WR and what type of impact that WR should have but of course there is no exact science about it. There have been times when he told me what guys to play based on statistical evidence and who they were going to be matched up against and they have failed for whatever reason. He is an intelligent guy who invests alot of time into what he does but I wouldn't base my evaluation of Lito based on KC.
Finally some realism posted about Sheppard. I thought I was the only person who had doubt about his current ability. As I understand it, he looked like Drew Coleman against 'zona last year though I don't know this first hand. He's worth a shot but I'm still hopeful Lowery will take the starting position based on improvement.
:rollseyes: The "Realism" is that they needed another body at CB and the deal they made has an "Out" in it if Sheppard doesn't hold the job and play real well. Looks to me like the Jets still want another CB and drafting 1 in round 1 is a decent possibility yet, you can never be sure about rookie CB's stepping in right away so, they have Lito Sheppard instea dof Ty Law as some kind of insurance....
Well, Lito has to at least be a question mark if the Eagles let him go. I would hardly call Philly a team that is questionable or worse at assessing defensive talent. They are not a team that hangs on to vets too long. At least on D. Heh.
I agree. He has wanted out of Philly for a while and I'm sure that caused a lack of preparation in the film room and gym. Now that he has a reason to want to succeed again he should show the ability that made him a probowler and 1st rounder. And if not....you have to love the structure of that deal I love the move, lets just hope for the best now.
I don't know if that happened, but Arizona is pretty good WR wise, wouldn't you say? Possibly tough to defend?
Of course. But I don't recall Darrelle getting burned for 3 tds. My memory is being strongly tested today, but let me see if I can recall the 5tds against us: 1. I think Revis gave up 1 against fitzgerald 2. I think Abram got burned up the middle 3. I give up but I don't recall even Lowery being beat for 3. Well, you probably know more than me on how they scored against us. Would you be happy with Sheppard giving up 3 tds against them? Now, I don't want to get negative on the guy. I hope he'll be great! I was really commenting upon what I perceived to be the "superman" status that he's been getting in the posts.
