WPost Email: McCants Wants to Contribute
 

Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs compared Darnerien McCants to Art Monk in the off season before the Redskins signed him to a three-year, $4.5 million deal, which included a $2 million bonus. McCants must have felt like he hit the lottery after being a marginal player in his first two years in the NFL.

Last season, McCants used his 6-foot-3, 214-pound frame to snag six touchdowns, which tied him with Laveranues Coles for the team lead. The most impressive aspect of that achievement was the McCants made only 27 catches, making him a clutch player who excelled in the red zone.

But McCants' impact has been minimal this season. He has been inactive in all but one game.

"I know I can help this team and right now we're struggling," McCants said. "I've been through it before but it's never been this grueling. I was pretty excited out about the season but for it to turn out like this is pretty rough."

McCants has watched Taylor Jacobs pass him on the depth chart, and is mired at the fifth spot among receivers behind Coles, Rod Gardner, Jacobs and James Thrash. McCants confesses that he's not a good practice player, which he said has been a factor.

"Practice matters but how much does it matter when you're 2-5?," McCants said. "Some who look good in practice may not perform as well in the game."

One reason he's been surpassed by Jacobs is that Jacobs is a better contributor on special teams.

"Taylor's playing better and other guys haven't been hurt," Gibbs said. "We'd love to get him out there because I think he'd make plays for us. It's been a problem because of special teams. Right now Danny [Smith, the special teams coach] doesn't have Darnerien slated for special teams work.

"Right now with the limited number of receivers you can carry -- you can only carry four -- that makes it tough. I'd love to have him in there because we think he can make plays."

-- Nunyo Demasio

Ahhhh this reminds me of another athlete that doesn't take practice seriously....

"[I]Practice[/I]"? "We're talking about [I]practice[/I] here" ? -- Allen Iverson

Sounds like he still doesn't get it.

I like McCants a lot, but if he [I]knows[/I] he's not a good practice player or good on special teams, you'd think he'd be really working on it instead of complaining about it and making excuses...

Also, what's with Gibbs saying "you can only carry four" WR's? Isn't how many players are active at each position up to him???

since at most he goes 3 wide, thats probably all he wants... GW takes a lot of players for D packages, and they carry spare Oline/TEs etc...

Is hard work a prob. in practice. or is it the fact that he's just not that good in practice no matter how hard he work's?

I liked McCants in the Redzone. He made some great leaping catches for TD's last season & even ran some great posts opposite of Coles. It's a shame he's not active. However, Brunell would probably not be able to hit out there anyway.

[QUOTE=ChounsMan]I liked McCants in the Redzone. He made some great leaping catches for TD's last season & even ran some great posts opposite of Coles. It's a shame he's not active. However, Brunell would probably not be able to hit out there anyway.[/QUOTE]

with Brunell, we need a receiver who's at least 7'3"

7.3!! We need a receiver thats 10.3 with very long arms.

Practice like you play, what's so hard about that?

McCants comments disturb me. He doesn't practice hard, he doesn't play....pretty simple.

McCants comments disturb me, he is saying he is better than players infront of him and yet he cannot bring his A game to out play them in practice with no presure nothing on the line and he cannot be bothered/be able to break into the special teams .....soooooo how is he better again?

Very soon the Salvation Army Santas will be out ringing bells to get donations. That's when McCants can contribute all he wants to contribute.

Until then, it's all a lot of chatter on his part.

I don't buy into the claim that he's not putting forth the necessary effort in practice. I just think that certain guys just seem to really excel in games (not for a lack of desire in practice). I want McCants out there. We could use a good red zone threat.

[QUOTE=Ramseyfan]I don't buy into the claim that he's not putting forth the necessary effort in practice. I just think that certain guys just seem to really excel in games (not for a lack of desire in practice). I want McCants out there. We could use a good red zone threat.[/QUOTE]

i'm with you RF, it's different on game day. the tempo's diff. the energy's different it's what one does in the game that truly counts. i'm sure he's still involved in practice but uses a different gear than when he's in a game. i'd like to see him more in the game

Guys the writing is on the wall, he all but admits he doesn't practice hard.

You've gotta earn your playing time, and there's only one way to do that. On the practice field.

boy produced last year on the field, Old Man should let him produce on the field this year too :Smoker:

[QUOTE=Ramseyfan]I don't buy into the claim that he's not putting forth the necessary effort in practice. I just think that certain guys just seem to really excel in games (not for a lack of desire in practice). I want McCants out there. We could use a good red zone threat.[/QUOTE]

John Riggins hated to practice and he started. If McCants doesn't look good in practice then what does Barrow look like? Barrow should have been on the IR list at the beginning of the season. McCants should have been in at least three of the six games this season. I can see the point of using the WR's who can play on special teams, but Morton has been injured for at least three games which leaves a slot open to activate McCants and place Jacobs and Thrash at special teams and some deep patterns.

Hang on practice is very important to say ah this guy is off in practice but okay in games is fine when you are talking about McNair or a Randy Moss but have you thought it could be that Thash, Gardner, Coles and Taylor are just better than McCants?. Remember Taylor got very little time last year because of injury and Thrash wasnt here but was a starter on the Eagles team and okay critizied as the weak link but still helped them get to the championship game year after year.

Yes McCants did get a big contract but that was mostly based on film reviews because he would have been a free agent this year. It may be he just doesnt fit... or it may be he has a poor attitude or just basically there are only so many guys Gibbs can get out there...

[QUOTE=Redskins_P]Ahhhh this reminds me of another athlete that doesn't take practice seriously....

"[I]Practice[/I]"? "We're talking about [I]practice[/I] here" ? -- Allen Iverson[/QUOTE]

Iverson can back it up though. He is also a master of the game.

[QUOTE=ZackMills]boy produced last year on the field, Old Man should let him produce on the field this year too :Smoker:[/QUOTE]
Who cares about last season?

Different coach and system.

Past performances aren't going to earn your keep with a new staff.

:cool-smil

[QUOTE=SUNRA]John Riggins hated to practice and he started. If McCants doesn't look good in practice then what does Barrow look like? Barrow should have been on the IR list at the beginning of the season. McCants should have been in at least three of the six games this season. I can see the point of using the WR's who can play on special teams, but Morton has been injured for at least three games which leaves a slot open to activate McCants and place Jacobs and Thrash at special teams and some deep patterns.[/QUOTE]
So are we comparing Riggins to McCants? Please. Riggo earned his right to ease up in practice, and most of the time he was nursing injuries anyway.

McCants obviously hasn't proven anything to this staff, and the only way he's going to earn playing time is by impressing the coaches with whatever chances he gets, and the best way for him to do that is to wow them in practice.

[QUOTE=bedlamVR]Hang on practice is very important to say ah this guy is off in practice but okay in games is fine when you are talking about McNair or a Randy Moss but have you thought it could be that Thash, Gardner, Coles and Taylor are just better than McCants?. Remember Taylor got very little time last year because of injury and Thrash wasnt here but was a starter on the Eagles team and okay critizied as the weak link but still helped them get to the championship game year after year.

Yes McCants did get a big contract but that was mostly based on film reviews because he would have been a free agent this year. It may be he just doesnt fit... or it may be he has a poor attitude or just basically there are only so many guys Gibbs can get out there...[/QUOTE]
I totally agree. Gardner and Coles are definitely better. Thrash and Jacobs are both guys that bust their tails in practice and therefore have earned their playing time.

McCants, Jacobs and Thrash are all pretty equal if you just look at their raw skills, but what leaves McCants behind is his work ethic in practice. If you work hard under this staff you'll play, simple as that and that's the way it should be.

No way in hell Joeseph Gibbs plays a guy who doesn't give the effort in practice or who is just a bad practice player. McCants will never suit up for us under Gibbs with that mentality unless we get hit by injuries. Who knows also...he could be having a hard time with specifics of routes and blocking schemes. Thats the type of stuff the media never talks about and Gibbs would never mention in public. It's telling that a guy so big with decent speed isn't playing special teams. Shows that no one trusts him to work hard enough in the short amount of time they have to practice to get things right on game day.

Gardner can make spectacular catches. Trash is a hustler & versatile (SP). Coles has played in Hawaii. Jacobs IMO is on the verge. So unless Mcants shows something in practice, I don't see him playing.

Wait, I'm totally confused. Why doesn't he practice well? It's not like he's playing on Sundays so what the hell is he saving himself for? I've said some very stupid things in here, but this guy is so good that he doesn't need practice? So on practice days he's Darnerian McCants and on Sundays he's Jerry friggin Rice (the 90s version of course)?

Give me a break. If you want to play then you do whatever the coaches ask of you to get on the field. Exhibit A, our 2nd round pick of last year! If McCants isn't contributing on special teams, isn't playing well in practice, then what does he do exactly? Catch tds in the red zone, well sorry it seems we've got this guy by the name of Rod Gardner to handle just that. I would like to see him or anybody contribute, but McCants' statement is weird to me. The coach is just supposed to give him a shot because he's McCants and he scored 6 tds last season? Oh, my fault did you said 6 tds? Because it sounded a lot like you said 6 tds. Oh, you don't practice well, never mind that because your 6 tds makes up for the fact that you can't get open or catch a cold in practice.

:party-smi

This brings up an interesting point. More than one person in here has jocked R. Gardner as a great player. Granted, he's played well, when absolutlely necessary. He's made some spectacular catches(diving, jumpballs, red zone, etc.), but what about the routine grabs? Isn't that the role of a #3 receiver? 3 catches for 41 yds. and 2 TDs sounds like a Redzone Receiver, not a Possesion man. I'm not saying that McCants is better for the team or even a better receiver or that any of this is Gardner's fault, but when a #2 receiver is virtually doing what an uneffective, inactive, non-practice player is capable of, there is more wrong than we are seeing. LC #1, TJ #2, #3 is a toss-up.

They say Jeff Garcia looks absolutely horrible during practice.

Drago: Considering how many yards we have passing per game 3 catches alone is spectacular 41 yards is simply amazing! Brunell can throw it about 7, YAC!

[QUOTE=memphisskin]Wait, I'm totally confused. Why doesn't he practice well? It's not like he's playing on Sundays so what the hell is he saving himself for? I've said some very stupid things in here, but this guy is so good that he doesn't need practice? So on practice days he's Darnerian McCants and on Sundays he's Jerry friggin Rice (the 90s version of course)?

Give me a break. If you want to play then you do whatever the coaches ask of you to get on the field. Exhibit A, our 2nd round pick of last year! If McCants isn't contributing on special teams, isn't playing well in practice, then what does he do exactly? Catch tds in the red zone, well sorry it seems we've got this guy by the name of Rod Gardner to handle just that. I would like to see him or anybody contribute, but McCants' statement is weird to me. The coach is just supposed to give him a shot because he's McCants and he scored 6 tds last season? Oh, my fault did you said 6 tds? Because it sounded a lot like you said 6 tds. Oh, you don't practice well, never mind that because your 6 tds makes up for the fact that you can't get open or catch a cold in practice.

:party-smi[/QUOTE]
Nice post, I agree

Good call! My point is, though, it seems he only makes the big play and is inconsistent all other times. He runs terrible routes and he really doesn't get that many YAC. Again, it may not be his fault entirely, but some of the blame for the poor passing game shoud be pointed in that direction.

And if anybody is looking for another reason why McCants is riding pine, read this article about Jacobs

[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26386-2004Nov4.html[/url]

Jacobs has simply beat him out for the job, plus he's more versatile.