Thomas Eager to Prove His Worth

[MTK]

Thomas Eager to Prove His Worth

What do you guys think? Has he really learned or is he just saying the right things?

[47FAN]

i hope he has learned. we will see

[53Fan]

I really think he wants to do well. It's hard to say because I think they learn what to say before learning how to play.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I really think he wants to do well. It's hard to say because I think they learn what to say before learning how to play.

Good insight 53. I'm more or less convinced DT has insane physical/athletic ability... whether he has the smarts and ethic to be a real impact player is another question. I do think Zorn and Co need to meet him halfway for instance if Devin struggles to create separation against above average corners we need to create sweeps/gadgets/whatever to get the ball in his hands until his skills reach the next level. Right after saying that I think about Desean and how people say he's not the sharpest tool in the shed (but he gets open regularly). Maybe Zorn and Co need to communicate very high demands of Thomas and he'll just figure out how to deliver. I dunno.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Good insight 53. I'm more or less convinced DT has insane physical/athletic ability... whether he has the smarts and ethic to be a real impact player is another question. I do think Zorn and Co need to meet him halfway for instance if Devin struggles to create separation against above average corners we need to create sweeps/gadgets/whatever to get the ball in his hands until his skills reach the next level. Right after saying that I think about Desean and how people say he's not the sharpest tool in the shed (but he gets open regularly). Maybe Zorn and Co need to communicate very high demands of Thomas and he'll just figure out how to deliver. I dunno.

I honestly think he was a little overwhelmed this year with the whole transition thing. Some guys go to a new city and can handle all the everyday things and concentrate on football. From an interview I read it sounded like he even had trouble with the things outside of football that come with being on your own in a new place. He really didn't have that much experience in college. I think he has enough talent, he may just take a little longer than some of the other guys. I agree they should get him involved however they can. He didn't touch the ball much this year but he scored twice when he did, though one was called back on that BS penalty on Heyer.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I honestly think he was a little overwhelmed this year with the whole transition thing. Some guys go to a new city and can handle all the everyday things and concentrate on football. From an interview I read it sounded like he even had trouble with the things outside of football that come with being on your own in a new place. He really didn't have that much experience in college. I think he has enough talent, he may just take a little longer than some of the other guys. I agree they should get him involved however they can. He didn't touch the ball much this year but he scored twice when he did, though one was called back on that BS penalty on Heyer.

LOL. One of the few times Heyer found someone to block it's away from the play and late as hell.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Good insight 53. I'm more or less convinced DT has insane physical/athletic ability... whether he has the smarts and ethic to be a real impact player is another question. I do think Zorn and Co need to meet him halfway

I also wonder if he's getting the right coaching.
The more i read about Todd Haley the more i wonder about our coaching staff/OC/WRs coach.
I know I constantly mention this, but i beleive we need more young innovative minds in key position in the offensive coaching staff.
Who on our coaching staff helps Zorn design plays and make adjustments if he is the only one with an expansive knowledge of the WCO?

Zorn was Holmgren's QB coach and Redzone gameplanner, Holmgren also had Gil Haskell as OC and Keith Gilbertson as an offensive consultant.

Who does Zorn have to lean on?

Look at the Cards, Ken Wisenhunt was a proven OC yet he relied on Todd Haley to the point that he handed the playcalling duties over to him.

Who on this staff is Jim Zorn's Todd Haley?

Does Devin have some like him to push him like this:

The Daily Fix : Overlooked at Start of Playoffs, Cardinals are Super Bowl-Bound

Larry Fitzgerald was the Cards’ big star, scoring three first-half touchdowns. “On the awards podium after the victory, Fitzgerald sought out offensive coordinator Todd Haley,” Republic columnist Paola Boivin writes. “‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘for keeping your foot on my throat for two years.’ The comment hit Haley in the gut. ‘It’s why you coach, to see players succeed after they trust you and believe in you,’ he said. With three Pro Bowl selections to his credit, it’s clear Fitzgerald has talent. The staff thought he could give more. Fitzgerald thought he could give more.”

The Daily Fix : Overlooked at Start of Playoffs, Cardinals are Super Bowl-Bound

Are innovative plays being designed to take advantage of Devin's physical gifts?

Cardinals take Todd Haley's play from pie in the sky to reality - Los Angeles Times

Behind every playmaker, of course, is a maker of the play.

...On this flight, of course, he was studying footage of the Panthers against NFC South opponents. He was looking for tendencies by Carolina's defense, any pre-snap cues that might tip off what the Panthers liked to do, any weaknesses in their coverage scheme............................................ .................So, naturally, Haley went on the offensive. He tore out a sheet of notebook paper, clicked open his pen and started to sketch a play. It called for quarterback Kurt Warner to freeze the defense with a fake pitch, roll right, then look for star receiver Larry Fitzgerald streaking the left middle of the field........................
The 41-yard gain -- Arizona's longest play of the game -- gave the Cardinals a first down at the 10. They scored a touchdown three plays later for the first of a jaw-dropping 33 consecutive points.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by 30gut

I also wonder if he's getting the right coaching.
The more i read about Todd Haley the more i wonder about our coaching staff/OC/WRs coach.
I know I constantly mention this, but i beleive we need more young innovative minds in key position in the offensive coaching staff.
Who on our coaching staff helps Zorn design plays and make adjustments if he is the only one with an expansive knowledge of the WCO?

Zorn was Holmgren's QB coach and Redzone gameplanner, Holmgren also had Gil Haskell as OC and Keith Gilbertson as an offensive consultant.

Who does Zorn have to lean on?

Look at the Cards, Ken Wisenhunt was a proven OC yet he relied on Todd Haley to the point that he handed the playcalling duties over to him.

Who on this staff is Jim Zorn's Todd Haley?

Does Devin have some like him to push him like this:

The Daily Fix : Overlooked at Start of Playoffs, Cardinals are Super Bowl-Bound

Larry Fitzgerald was the Cards’ big star, scoring three first-half touchdowns. “On the awards podium after the victory, Fitzgerald sought out offensive coordinator Todd Haley,” Republic columnist Paola Boivin writes. “‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘for keeping your foot on my throat for two years.’ The comment hit Haley in the gut. ‘It’s why you coach, to see players succeed after they trust you and believe in you,’ he said. With three Pro Bowl selections to his credit, it’s clear Fitzgerald has talent. The staff thought he could give more. Fitzgerald thought he could give more.”

The Daily Fix : Overlooked at Start of Playoffs, Cardinals are Super Bowl-Bound

Are innovative plays being designed to take advantage of Devin's physical gifts?

Cardinals take Todd Haley's play from pie in the sky to reality - Los Angeles Times

Behind every playmaker, of course, is a maker of the play.

...On this flight, of course, he was studying footage of the Panthers against NFC South opponents. He was looking for tendencies by Carolina's defense, any pre-snap cues that might tip off what the Panthers liked to do, any weaknesses in their coverage scheme............................................ .................So, naturally, Haley went on the offensive. He tore out a sheet of notebook paper, clicked open his pen and started to sketch a play. It called for quarterback Kurt Warner to freeze the defense with a fake pitch, roll right, then look for star receiver Larry Fitzgerald streaking the left middle of the field........................
The 41-yard gain -- Arizona's longest play of the game -- gave the Cardinals a first down at the 10. They scored a touchdown three plays later for the first of a jaw-dropping 33 consecutive points.

Nice post dude!

[saden1]

I like Thomas, I think he's well on his way to becoming a good receiver. Everything he said was standard textbook player response to questions though. I think every player gets generic list of responses to questions or something.

Thomas needs to work on his route running, concentration, and knowing the playbook top to bottom. I'm hoping JC and the WR corp spend some time outside Redskins park together. this off-season.

[BDBohnzie]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I really think he wants to do well. It's hard to say because I think they learn what to say before learning how to play.

First thing I thought of when I read this...

Crash Davis: It's time to work on your interviews.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do?
Crash Davis: You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play... it's pretty boring.
Crash Davis: 'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

As far as Devin Thomas goes, I think he'll be a decent contributor to the offense. Another camp under his belt, and he'll be in the slot regularly before we know it. It would be nice to see Thomas and Kelly as #2 and #3 by the end of the '09 season...

[TheSmurfs22]

We will see come next season if his actions match his words. I hope they do!

[Trample the Elderly]

We shall see. . . .

[TheSmurfs22]

I wonder if he and Kelly weren't under the falst pretense that they would come in here and be All Pros. To some extent I have to say us fans (not all but some) probably had built them up more than we should have. I think and hope they both realized that the pros are much different than the collegiate level. Maybe too they have learned that the learning curve in the pros is short and you better get going or you are packing your bags and moving on.

[wilsowilso]

Wow Gary Fitzgerald sure put alot of new insight into that piece. What a vanilla article. Oh wait nevermind.

We need at least one of those three second round picks to become an above average starting caliber player. We just have to have it. Maybe if enough people see Thomas in the offseason and politely ask why he sucked so bad this year he will get some kind of angry fire lit inside him because it sure seems like he needs it.

[Eknox]

I hope so , we could surely use another receiver that can get open other than Santana