Life got in the way last week, so I apologize for the lack of an article. As a reminder, after the fourth week (next week), I will start writing about the IDP rookies that were either valued highly in preseason or have been more productive than anticipated. I then will follow-up several weeks later with an update on the rookie IDPs...
A look at week 3…
With only 4-0 tackles and zero sacks after the first three games, St. Louis DE Chris Long has been an obvious disappointment. He's had some slow starts in the past (2009, no sacks in his first 7 games and 2010, the same stat line as this year through 3 games), but slow starts should never be ignored...
The good news is that Long has still been playing plenty of snaps, so the general thought process is that his talent combined with playing time will generate better numbers soon. The bad news is that this could be symptomatic of other issues, including a hip injury that made him only a 50-50 proposition to play against the Falcons in week two...
In case your head has been in the sand, Long is the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long. The athletic prowess in Long's family doesn't stop there, though. Long's brother is the recently drafted Kyle Long. Kyle was a standout in both baseball and football in high school and was actually drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2008. Instead, he chose to play football and enrolled at Florida State. Kyle left Florida State because of academic reasons, went to a junior college and eventually started playing on the offensive line. He finally transferred to Oregon and finished his college career there before being drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bears in this year's draft and started opening day at offensive right guard. Chris Long's wife, Megan, was a member of the University of Virginia lacrosse team...
Like Long, Miami starting DE Olivier Vernon is off to a slow start with only 3-1 tackles and half-sack. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps. While Vernon has struggled in many facets of the game, week 3 was his best week so far, and with Cameron Wake possibly out this week with a mild MCL strain, Vernon could have another strong week. Concern remains, though, as to why the preseason standout has generally struggled so far...
Detroit LB DeAndre Levy is sort of Rodney Dangerfield-like in that he doesn't get any respect. Despite averaging 68-30 tackles over his career per 16 game season, it seems like Levy gets discounted by both NFL teams and IDP prognosticators alike. His designation as a starter has often seemed up in the air, and he generally has not been regarded too highly in IDP leagues. Now in his fifth season in the league, though, Levy is really hitting his stride...
He has always been an intelligent player. He's also an eclectic sort whose idea of traveling is exploring the wilderness instead of the Eiffel Tower. In the most recent offseason, Levy spent almost a week hiking the Inca trail to Machu Piccu and then another week fighting his way through a remote area of the Amazon rainforest, living off the land throughout...
That kind of vacation may not sound ideal for most people, but Levy is not like most people. He finds that style of getaway to be exhilarating and allows him to decompress from his regular life and rigors of the NFL. Upon his recent return, his teammates and staff noticed he looked like a different player. First, he not only seemed more refreshed, but he seemed to be playing in a different zone. A more visual change was also apparent, as he was (and still is) sporting a large, bushy beard. Whatever the change, his play on the field has become noticeably better and he should finally start getting the overdue respect from all...
New England safety Devin McCourty spent his first two seasons, and the beginning of the third, as a cornerback. The team moved him to free safety last year and McCourty remained just as productive, both on the field and in the stat column. He has averaged 66-18 tackles per year, along with 5 interceptions and a forced fumble. This year, though, he only has 4-3 tackles and no interceptions or forced fumbles....
Fellow IDP Staffer Aaron Rudnicki smartly noted in his IDP Upgrades/Waiver report this week that McCourty could be feeling the effect of a lesser New England offense this season, with opposing teams having to throw downfield less and McCourty with fewer opportunities to make plays. McCourty, for unknown reasons, is no longer a team captain after serving two years as one of their six. However, he remains a leader both on and off the field. I believe his consistency over the years is no fluke, and while he may see a downtick in his overall numbers this year, they will very likely improve from his first three games...
Until next week…
If you have any comments or thoughts, please send me a message at baker@footballguys.com