Taylor Jacobs starting Sunday

[SUNRA]

Originally Posted by joecrisp

Good point. Having watched TJ closely in camps over the past three years, I've been touting his abilities, and predicting great things from him. When you watch the guy working alongside the other receivers in practice, he stands out, because he really does possess so many of the attributes that make a receiver successful in the NFL.

But the one thing he seems to lack personality-wise-- and this is critical-- is that steely confidence and cocky self-assuredness that seems to always accompany today's outstanding receivers. Maybe that's one reason I've always liked the guy. But there's a reason so many great receivers-- Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, the list goes on-- exude such unmitigated self-confidence.

To play that position at that level, where they're able to dominate opposing secondaries and establish themselves as upper-echelon wideouts, they not only have to be superior athletes, but they have to possess an unwavering belief that they can mentally and physically dominate defenders. You can see a little bit of that Jordan-esque killer instinct in any great wideout, whether they brashly proclaim their greatness or not. It's communicated in the way they carry themselves, the way they look people in the eye, their vocal and non-verbal mannerisms. It's something you sense, not just in the words they speak, but in their entire expression of who they are.

I simply don't see that in Taylor. He's not a commanding presence. He's just a quiet, soft-spoken farmboy from rural Florida. There's nothing remarkable about him physically, and his personality is so stealthily unobtrusive that he would virtually disappear in a room full of average people. One might get the sense that Jacobs' goal in life is to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

That could be a big detriment to him, holding him back on the depth chart, while others with "louder" personalities jockey for the attention of coaches, and lobby through the media for more playing time and more looks from the quarterback on gameday. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. It could also be that, consciously or unconsiously, the coaches and quarterbacks interpret Taylor's lack of bravado as a lack of self-confidence. Why would they have any confidence in someone who apparently has little or no confidence in himself?

With Patten out of the picture this weekend, this is Taylor's opportunity to let his playmaking abilities speak for themselves. The question is, how loudly will they speak?

Good analysis for a WR who most of us have not had the priviledge of seeing in practice. When you described the personality and unassuming character immediately reminded me of the best WR the Redskins has ever had. Art Monk. Quiet, humble, unassuming and dangerous as hell in tight games. He was the quintessenstial of a player who spoke volumes with his play rather than his mouth. Taylor Jacobs has a big task ahead of him, but he should trust Gibbs and the system and run his routes as well as he did in training camp.

[SUNRA]

Has anyone heard about us signing Jimmy Farris to the team behind Jacobs?

[steveo395]

i really want jacobs to do good and he has potential, but i dont see it happening...i have a feeling he's not gonna do good

[That Guy]

brown seperated from the scrubs dbs every single play... i mean wide open... but you gotta catch the thing to be any good.

[Luxorreb]

Let's give Jacobs a chance. His injuries were freak. The internal bleeding, catching a cleat in the abdomen.. Anyway it is unfair to compare him to a Michael Westbrook, because I think Westbrook actually had mental problems, and/or comparing him to Albert Connell who I also believe had mental problems. It appears that Jacobs doesn't fall into this category so already we have an advantage Jacobs. I think we all hope he comes through and adjusts to gameday speed and hits. Cause the hits are hard when its on TV.
I am disappointed not to be seeing Patton for the rest of the season. I know people think he's a bum, but I still think he can be a huge asset to this team.
I'm missing Betts already. He looked like Stephen Davis last weekend. Hell, better and less damaged than Stephen. That catch in the middle for a TD was incredible. Beating Brooks! That's Betts' highlight film right there. Cartwright filling in for him Sunday. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Signing Parsons. Never seen anything to make me think he's anything special like Farris' 2 TD catches in preseason, but with Gibbs you never know who'll be the next superstar. Mark Rypien? Timmy Smith? Doug Williams? etc. That's kinda like saying Mark Brunell, Ladell Betts and Patrick Ramsey become legends. It's a longshot but hey with Gibbs ferocious work ethic and incredible way to make overpaid giants believe in a 'team' philosophy anything is possible.

[Drift Reality]

Originally Posted by joecrisp

That could be a big detriment to him, holding him back on the depth chart, while others with "louder" personalities jockey for the attention of coaches, and lobby through the media for more playing time and more looks from the quarterback on gameday. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. It could also be that, consciously or unconsiously, the coaches and quarterbacks interpret Taylor's lack of bravado as a lack of self-confidence. Why would they have any confidence in someone who apparently has little or no confidence in himself?

With Patten out of the picture this weekend, this is Taylor's opportunity to let his playmaking abilities speak for themselves. The question is, how loudly will they speak?

First off, you're a pretty damn good writer.

Second, I disagree that wide receivers need that Jordan-esque instinct to be successful. Art Monk?

He was literally a fly on the wall but he was one of the great ones.

Barry Sanders? He was another just amazing athlete who was a consumnate professional through the end but he simply didn't ruffle any feathers.

As Ken Beatrice always used to say, there is a distinction between cockiness and athletic confidence. Athletes who are cocky (TO, Randy Moss, etc.) have no place on the Redskins as far as I'm concerned; whereas we want the type of players who have confidence in their athletic abilities.

[Redskins8588]

Originally Posted by joecrisp

Good point. Having watched TJ closely in camps over the past three years, I've been touting his abilities, and predicting great things from him. When you watch the guy working alongside the other receivers in practice, he stands out, because he really does possess so many of the attributes that make a receiver successful in the NFL.

But the one thing he seems to lack personality-wise-- and this is critical-- is that steely confidence and cocky self-assuredness that seems to always accompany today's outstanding receivers. Maybe that's one reason I've always liked the guy. But there's a reason so many great receivers-- Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, the list goes on-- exude such unmitigated self-confidence.

To play that position at that level, where they're able to dominate opposing secondaries and establish themselves as upper-echelon wideouts, they not only have to be superior athletes, but they have to possess an unwavering belief that they can mentally and physically dominate defenders. You can see a little bit of that Jordan-esque killer instinct in any great wideout, whether they brashly proclaim their greatness or not. It's communicated in the way they carry themselves, the way they look people in the eye, their vocal and non-verbal mannerisms. It's something you sense, not just in the words they speak, but in their entire expression of who they are.

I simply don't see that in Taylor. He's not a commanding presence. He's just a quiet, soft-spoken farmboy from rural Florida. There's nothing remarkable about him physically, and his personality is so stealthily unobtrusive that he would virtually disappear in a room full of average people. One might get the sense that Jacobs' goal in life is to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

That could be a big detriment to him, holding him back on the depth chart, while others with "louder" personalities jockey for the attention of coaches, and lobby through the media for more playing time and more looks from the quarterback on gameday. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. It could also be that, consciously or unconsiously, the coaches and quarterbacks interpret Taylor's lack of bravado as a lack of self-confidence. Why would they have any confidence in someone who apparently has little or no confidence in himself?

With Patten out of the picture this weekend, this is Taylor's opportunity to let his playmaking abilities speak for themselves. The question is, how loudly will they speak?

I think that alot of people are missing the point. He is not saying that every WR carries themselves that way, but he is being "sterotypical" of the WR spot.

I agree that Art Monk, M. Harrison, or even J. Rice throwout verbal jabs at the opposind D, nor did they self-promote themselves either. But I do think that they carried themselves with a "swagger". They knew what they can do and how good they are, they just choose to let there playing do the talking.

I think that is what Jacobs needs to get a "swagger" about himself, and his skills.

Quick, someone call Portis and see if he has any MOJO left over for Jacobs!!!

[gortiz]

Bad News fellas,

I heard Taylor strained an eyeball glancing at the sun this morning, he was downgraded to questionalbe... oh well, at least he almost made it.

[Gmanc711]

Originally Posted by gortiz

Bad News fellas,

I heard Taylor strained an eyeball glancing at the sun this morning, he was downgraded to questionalbe... oh well, at least he almost made it.

[Master4Caster]

Time to shine, Taylor. Get the job done!

[BigSKINBauer]

Originally Posted by gortiz

Bad News fellas,

I heard Taylor strained an eyeball glancing at the sun this morning, he was downgraded to questionalbe... oh well, at least he almost made it.

really he is made of glass and sand

By the way what does patten being on IR do to our cap, i have never really understood that, do we get his money back or do we pay off the remainder of the year even if he doesn't play or what?

[skinsfanthru&thru]

Originally Posted by BigSKINBauer

really he is made of glass and sand

By the way what does patten being on IR do to our cap, i have never really understood that, do we get his money back or do we pay off the remainder of the year even if he doesn't play or what?

I'm pretty sure the only thing it would affect would be possible bonus money.

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by Redskins8588

I think that alot of people are missing the point. He is not saying that every WR carries themselves that way, but he is being "sterotypical" of the WR spot.

I agree that Art Monk, M. Harrison, or even J. Rice throwout verbal jabs at the opposind D, nor did they self-promote themselves either. But I do think that they carried themselves with a "swagger". They knew what they can do and how good they are, they just choose to let there playing do the talking.

I think that is what Jacobs needs to get a "swagger" about himself, and his skills.

Quick, someone call Portis and see if he has any MOJO left over for Jacobs!!!

Thanks, Redskins8588! That's essentially what I was trying to say.

When I was writing that post, I was thinking about two of my all-time favorite wideouts (and in my humble opinion, two of the best-ever): Art Monk and Marvin Harrison. Both conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism and have quiet, humble personalities, which is something I've always admired about them. But at the same time, you sense this sort of focused intensity from both of them (the Jordanesque quality I referenced). They don't express it in the same way as their more loquacious counterparts, but you see it in the stoic gracefulness with which they conduct and carry themselves-- which, in its own solemn way, is a sort of "athletic confidence," as Drift Reality so astutely pointed out (thanks for the compliment, by the way, Drift!). They don't need to speak in order to express their greatness. It's there for all to see.

As far as that relates to Taylor, I haven't seen that same confidence. He certainly has the work ethic and professionalism, but the razor-sharp awareness and focused intensity aren't as apparent. Maybe those are things he will begin to develop here in the coming weeks as he gets the necessary playing time. But that seems to have been the missing piece to this point.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by BigSKINBauer

really he is made of glass and sand

By the way what does patten being on IR do to our cap, i have never really understood that, do we get his money back or do we pay off the remainder of the year even if he doesn't play or what?

I think they get a reduced base salary for the games their out for being on IR, but no one really mentions it so i have no idea.

[Master4Caster]

Weeell, it's Sunday night. it's after the game. The Redskins lost. And I didn't see anything in Mr. Jacobs that makes me wish he was a starter.