Pas on Peppers

[Faithwarrior118]

Source

Observations on the Week 5 action from two NFC pro scouts, and one AFC "area" scout:

• "Five weeks into the season and [Carolina defensive end] Julius Peppers doesn't have a sack yet? He's running into blockers, seeing double-teams even when they aren't out there. He's too good an athlete not to break loose, but it looks like he's getting frustrated, and his mechanics are breaking down. He's fighting too hard to get off blocks that aren't even there and making it harder than it has to be."

 

[Coach Micool]

I have to agree. The dude's a beast and can leap and run and make a play like the batted pass, etc.

But the dude's gettin blocked well by one guy most times, and even inexperienced guys- effectively.

I noticed yesterday he seems to make it easy for them in pass blocking. Run blocking tho, he tends to get the better of em easily.

It's like he has no 'moves' really. Just a bull rush with a juke or two- or pushing stright ahead, which he does ok, but no pressure with less than a five step drop.

BTW, Ron Mexico is gonna have a field day on his left side, if Rucker keeps rushing deep and wide and gets consistently pushed behind the play.

 

[WilliamJ]

i wonder when they will start calling holding against the guys that block him. kinda hard to go through a guy that grabs you by the arm pits. or maybe he needs some suppliments.

 

[UNCdubya]

Has he lost his quickness due to bulking up? His first year he was a lot lighter and I would assume had a lot quicker first step. He is still real fast but perhaps not as quick off the snap. He bulked up to be better at run support, could that be a factor?

 

[DJ_Tet]

Peppers has changed his technique since he was a rookie. Back then, he came out low, shot around the corner, and tried to come back around to the QB. It was something when it worked, but often it took a long time, and put him in terrible run position. He now comes up much higher, and engages his man and centers him. This puts him in terrific run position. He seems to play run first now, and that has slowed his pursuit to the QB even more. You have to remember he was never the Bruce Smith/Reggie White type that got a sack in 3 seconds, he may never get those types of sacks. But he creates tips, can play coverage, dominates his side when it comes to run, and will still get sacks.

Peppers still has a ways to go when it comes to the anticipation side of the game, pre-snap. Once he starts playing 'pass' on passing downs and relying on instincts to stop the run, then he will turn into the player we all wanted him to be this year. He's already stopping the run/screen on his side better than he ever has, and his goaline contribution has been significant as well.

 

[Collin]

Has he lost his quickness due to bulking up? His first year he was a lot lighter and I would assume had a lot quicker first step. He is still real fast but perhaps not as quick off the snap. He bulked up to be better at run support, could that be a factor?

No.