DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Higgins?

I agree.

Earlier this season, I made the comparison of this O to last season's: it seemed like the addition of OBJ to the mix messed the chemistry all up. We saw it the year we were riding 7 wins with Hoyer. Then Josh Gordon came back, and it was like throwing a bunch of ball bearings into the machinery. Hoyer had been spreading the ball around, dudes knew where to be... things were clicking. Then, not so much.

I think this year has been another example of that. OBJ wasn't here during OTA's. Barely practiced with the rest before the season began. It has really been no surprise to me that things have looked as they have this year. I've been predicting 8-8 most of the year because of this specifically. OBJ hasn't really been a complimentary player... and that's what made last year's O so much fun: everyone complimented each other.

Sometimes, adding talent (even outsized talent like OBJ's) requires a rebalancing of the dynamics within the machine. If OBJ is here for another season, I think we might see what everyone was expecting this year.

Sometimes, things are more complex than a simple 'plug & play.'

Chemistry...... that’s a good word, clemmy.
It’s vital.

I remember a year ago around this time, wanting to keep the coaching staff we had intact. I used that word chemistry more than once.

I remember at least questioning the trade for OBJ because I didn’t think he was a huge need, as great a WR as he is. Never mind that we gave up a very good RG to get him, and a high pick.

I thought Perriman and Calloway were the deep threats we had in-house (obviously a lot has transpired since). Like you said, Baker spread the ball around nicely last year. In a way, it helped make him and us more dangerous.
Ahem.

And once the OC gets a shiny new toy like that, you gotta play with it.

All that said, hindsight is easy.

The second half of last year Baker spread ball to all different WR's.The organization actually played like a TEAM !

yep... to all you guys.

These last few posts could just as easily been dropped in the Odell thread and still been appropriate.

I agree with you, but it's more than who we're putting out wide.

Without even getting into the differences in scheme between last year and the beginning of this year, Higgins and Baker actually had quite a bit of time to get familiar with each other between playing well together second half of last year and both being stuck on 2nd team with each other to start that year.

OBJ seems to be the kind of receiver that is elite, but requires a lot of fine tuning in order to work him into an offense. I imagine he's a unique person for Baker to throw to. Not excusing anyone, I just think the OBJ-Baker offense would need more time to come together.

You made other valid points prior to this part. It’s difficult for me to assume this premise to be true when we have coaches who aren’t scheming to our strengths like the run game or starting guys like Terrence Mitchel over either one of our struggling CBs.

I don't know why we should be surprised with Higgins lack of play. With AB out of the league we have arguably the best WR in the league and we have reduced him to a mere blocker for our TEs. Why would we be getting the ball to Higgins as well? He's just another casualty in the locker room because this coaching staff can't seem to figure out how to use its high octane roster.

There you go!

It never mattered if Freddie beat the hapless been-gals today, it was always about starting Njoku. Freddie caved, we’ll see if it’s enough.

Is there any possibility that we can trade OBJ for a 1st and/or more?

With our other WR’s in house we’re fine, but that would allow us to get the OT / OG / LB / S we need desperately

I saw Higgins on my milk carton today.

Our wide receivers in house without OBJ are Landry and. . . Ratley?