Starting DT: Griffin and ?

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Joe Crisp:

One more post like the one you did on the gap numbering system and we'll have to change your screen name to "The Perfesser".

Excellent explanation. I hope everyone here copies your message and saves it to their hard disk.

I really want Brandon Noble to be a starting DT and for him to be productive this year but it would be next to miraculous for that to happen. He may not be the best pairing with Griffin in terms of size but he is EXACTLY the kind of guy you want to have next to Griffin in terms of the effort Noble gives on every snap of the ball. The knock on Griffin is that he has a tendency to take plays off and sometimes to take a series off and last year to take a game off once in a while. For Noble to "take a play off" he has to be carried off the field...

Thanks, SC! Your take on Noble and Griffin is dead-on. Noble truly deserves to be a starter, based on effort and heart alone. I'm definitely pulling for him, and praying that he'll earn that "miracle". Noble is able to overcome his size deficit as a nose guard through sheer effort and tenacity. Let's just hope that knee of his holds up and continues to improve.

Hopefully, with improved coaching from Williams and Blache, as well as the shining example of Noble working his tail off alongside him, Griffin will learn to be a more consistent player and put forth the kind of effort that Noble gives on every play. If that happens, then this D-line will be vastly improved.