Lomé Dzidudu (3-7)
A 3-2 start to the season led to some optimism in West Africa. Five consecutive losses have put a damper on that.
The issue is clear: Lomé has the worst defense in the league (including being the only team allowing over 300 passing yards per game), and if they are going to go anywhere, fixing that has to be the priority. The running game–which really should be a strength of the team–also needs to get better, as they are 1 of 6 teams averaging less than 100 yards per game.
#Bottom Line
Draft Needs. LB, DB/S, OL/G.
Week Four Draftee Update: Gill Byrd. Has done well, with 2 interceptions and 20 tackles in 6 games.
#QB
Jim Kelly has been quite good, throwing for over 2900 yards and 24 TDs through 10 games, with a QBR over 90. Yeah, the 9 interceptions are a little high, and yeah, you wish he was a little more mobile. But he’s clearly a WFL level QB, and should stay through the team’s struggles.
#RB
For a team with this much talent, the position has been a bit of a conundrum. Thurman Thomas got hurt very early in the 1st game of the year, allowing Marshall Faulk to step into a role as a featured back. He gained 295 yards on 60 carries in those 3 games and caught 20 passes.
Since then, Faulk has only managed 198 yards on 51 attempts, and has caught 25 passes while Thomas, since his return, has been held to under 300 yards on about 90 carries.
Overall, it seems strong: 200 carries for 800 yards. But they are clearly still trying to figure out how to utilize both backs, a situation made worse by always being behind in games.
C.J. Spiller has been a capable option in reserve.
#WR & TE
The emergence of Tom Fears as a solid #3 option has been key to the offense, as Torry Holt (52 catches for 905 yards and 7 TDs) and Henry Ellard (40 for 698 and 8 Tds) continue to be among the best tandems in the league.
Both Elroy Hirsch and Sammy Watkins have shown flashes of greatness, but both are injured, with Hirsch out for the rest of the year.
Scott Chandler has been adequate at TE.
#OL
Ruben Brown‘s pending return should help. In his absense, the G play has suffered, with neither John Miller nor Cody Wichmann looking up to the task. Travis Frederick at C and Orlando Pace at T have been fantastic and Jake Long has been solid. Rodger Saffold may have lost his spot permanently, as he was overrun during the 1st 8 games of the season.
#DL
Whatever the defensive issues, they cannot be laid at the feet of Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, or Mario Williams, who have combined for over 130 tackles, 8 sacks, and over 20 stuffs and hurries. Merlin Olsen has done well as the 2nd DT, but the quality falls off quickly from there.
Help may be on the way: Deacon Jones, Marcell Dareus, and Bruce Smith should all return from injury over the next few weeks.
#LB
No interceptions. One sack (from Cornelius Bennett). Archie Matsos and Isaiah Robertson out injured. The LB corps for the Dzidudu is led by Alec Ogletree, which is an issue by itself. Jake McQuiade was never meant to see this many snaps …
Bennett has been solid since his return, Matsos is due back soon. That’s the good news, such as it is.
#DB
Terry McDaniel and Stephon Gilmore have combined for 115 tackles, and neither have been very good at denying pass receptions. McDaniel, however, leads the league with 6 interceptions, and Gilmore has 2 more, so perhaps they are not the issue. Gill Byrd has done quite well as a nickle back.
The S play in general has been quite poor: Da’Norris Searcy tackles well, but can be picked apart in the pass game, and the less said about Duke Williams and Lamarcus Joyner‘s play, the better.
#P & K
What the hell has happened to Greg Zuerlein? The best PK in the league last year has lost his touch, completing only 13 of 23 FGAs. He is perfect on XPs.
Johnny Hekker is solid as a P.
#Returns
Chris Givens is averaging 23 yards on kickoffs, which is fine. The PR game has been weak, with Roscoe Parrish managing under 5 yards per return.
#Awards
Team of the Week: Gilmore (1), Holt (2), Kelly (1), McDaniel (1).