Matt Elam leads NFL defensive backs in missed tackles

[FastEddie]

Feel like these are just growing pains. Even though its a shot at his technique, I feel like he is still trying to catch up to the game on a NFL level. Watching him in college he didn't seem to have problems.

[Gordo52]

I know we like to remember Reed fondly, but the tackling at the end of his career was as abysmal as it gets

Which isn't that far off from Elam is all I'm saying lol

[52520Andrew]

I know we like to remember Reed fondly, but the tackling at the end of his career was as abysmal as it gets

 

Not to mention that he would go down injured every other hit for us down the stretch. I have all the respect in the world for Reed but I think he is done(great that he got that int in the Super Bowl though, looked like the Reed of old on that play, and it was in New Orleans too)

[BmoreBird22]

Which isn't that far off from Elam is all I'm saying lol

Elam is more of a sure thing than Reed. I know what you were trying to say, but I disagree

[gabefergy]

Does anyone have his missed tackle count from last year

PFF had him at 11. I think their tackling statistics are very reliable. 

[BmoreBird22]

PFF had him at 11. I think their tackling statistics are very reliable.

Have to wonder if giving him the reigns to the defense and so many different tasks is affecting him mentally. He's just not playing fast.

I agree they're far more reliable than the NFL's

[The Mom Gene]

OK Mattie E....  It's time to shut these guys down.....   I'm tired of everybody bashing you, dude....  I'm from Florida, and I know you were a beast down here.....  Time to turn it up.....  I know you're a good player...  Time to prove it.

[JoeyFlex5]

Pollard was a solid strong safety but before coming here he was consider to be pretty bad at  pass coverage. He's always been good at tackling but even he had his moments with miss tackles cause he always wanted to go with the big hits. Calling him a above average strong safety is cool but i never really consider him that good . His pass coverage did get better  with us and it should especially with Ed Reed giving the calls but we used Pollard way differently than  how we are using Elam now.

 

We honestly did a good job with using Pollard in a way so he wouldn't get expose  in coverage

and we are in no position to do that for elam with the way our secondary is playing right now. 

 

also everyone who says pollard was some tackling machine.. he was allowed to play to his strengths, an in the box safety, because we had jimmy smith, cary williams, corey graham, and ed reed could still play single high coverage, so pollard was used as the typical enforcer at SS, making BOX TACKLES, and when he got chances to make open field tackles.. well ill just say go back and look at the super bowl, for example the niners first touchdown where pollard tried to shoulder tackle crabtree and bounced right off of him.

[GrimCoconut]

Have to wonder if giving him the reigns to the defense and so many different tasks is affecting him mentally. He's just not playing fast.

I agree they're far more reliable than the NFL's

Didn't he have the reigns to the secondary last year as well? I could've sworn I remember them talking about a rookie making defensive calls on the field last year. I could be wrong.

[BmoreBird22]

Didn't he have the reigns to the secondary last year as well? I could've sworn I remember them talking about a rookie making defensive calls on the field last year. I could be wrong.

I know Upshaw was making the defensive calls in his rookie season

[Maryland]

Feel like these are just growing pains. Even though its a shot at his technique, I feel like he is still trying to catch up to the game on a NFL level. Watching him in college he didn't seem to have problems.

We must not have watched the same Elam then, because he would go for leg tackles and shoulder hits in college too. 

 

You can check out his vids at draftbreakdown:

 

http://draftbreakdown.com/players/matt-elam/

 

If you're only going to watch 1 game, I'd go with the LSU one. He had the most action in that game. 

[gabefergy]

We must not have watched the same Elam then, because he would go for leg tackles and shoulder hits in college too.

You can check out his vids at draftbreakdown:

http://draftbreakdown.com/players/matt-elam/

If you're only going to watch 1 game, I'd go with the LSU one. He had the most action in that game.

Yeah, it was a big reason why I hoped we wouldnt draft him.

[Tru11]

12 missed tackles in 8 games is an avg of just 1,5 per game.

 

a 2nd year SS who plays SS,FS and nickle corner is missing 1 to 2 tackle per game.

 

so young players are now getting bashed for missing 1 to 2 tackles a game lol

 

wish people had such high standards for other players as well...........

[gabefergy]

12 missed tackles in 8 games is an avg of just 1,5 per game.

a 2nd year SS who plays SS,FS and nickle corner is missing 1 to 2 tackle per game.

so young players are now getting bashed for missing 1 to 2 tackles a game lol

wish people had such high standards for other players as well...........

It's pretty bad that a professional football player, a first round pick no less, is missing onr or two tackles every game. That means he's giving up first downs, extra yards, extended drives, points because he fails every single game at the most basic aspect of football. Its really inexcusable to fail at such a high rate. He has almost as many missed tackles as solo tackles.

[jazz1988]

It's pretty bad that a professional football player, a first round pick no less, is missing onr or two tackles every game. That means he's giving up first downs, extra yards, extended drives, points because he fails every single game at the most basic aspect of football. Its really inexcusable to fail at such a high rate. He has almost as many missed tackles as solo tackles.

 

Yeah it is pretty bad and it may be inexcusable but even with that the road to get better is still available .

[The Mom Gene]

12 missed tackles in 8 games is an avg of just 1,5 per game.

 

a 2nd year SS who plays SS,FS and nickle corner is missing 1 to 2 tackle per game.

 

so young players are now getting bashed for missing 1 to 2 tackles a game lol

 

wish people had such high standards for other players as well...........

Thank you Tru.....  I shake my head sometimes....  This guy has had very little help back there, playing in an unnatural position in a beat up secondary... Seems like there may be some people that are expecting another ball hawk like Ed back there....  It's gonna take time.  Just another example of what we are used to, versus the norm.  Didn't we hear the very same things about Jimmy Smith a year or two ago.

[gabefergy]

Yeah it is pretty bad and it may be inexcusable but even with that the road to get better is still available .

He needs to find it asap, because right now he is looking like a pretty big bust.

Not aimed at you, but I dont understand all the excuse making. He isnt doing his job plain and simple.

[The Mom Gene]

He needs to find it asap, because right now he is looking like a pretty big bust.

Not aimed at you, but I dont understand all the excuse making. He isnt doing his job plain and simple.

The very same things were being said about Jimmy Smith just a year or two ago.

[rmw10]

The very same things were being said about Jimmy Smith just a year or two ago.

Jimmy's issue was the big play though. He played well except he couldn't get down how to cover the double move.

Elam isn't a bust yet, but he has tons of issues overall. Tackling, coverage, poor angles, poor instincts. Some of that simply isn't correctable.

[jazz1988]

He needs to find it asap, because right now he is looking like a pretty big bust.

Not aimed at you, but I dont understand all the excuse making. He isnt doing his job plain and simple.

 

 I definitely understand what you mean and you right. I think Matt Elam is a talented player and we are asking him to do alot within our secondary which may make second year player head spin but he's a first rounder and it's his job to be ready for anything.

 

 Sometimes players have to really experience some serious  down falls to really grow and hopefully he plays well on sunday.

[gabefergy]

The very same things were being said about Jimmy Smith just a year or two ago.

Maybe, by some people who weren't paying attention, but it has little to no relevance to the matter at hand. Jimmy Smith had to deal with injuries and he wasn't starting anyways.

 

Elam is still playing a huge number of snaps and failing miserably at his job. There are zero excuses to make for him. Safeties have two responsibilities, cover and tackle. He is awful at both things.

[BmoreBird22]

Jimmy's issue was the big play though. He played well except he couldn't get down how to cover the double move.

Elam isn't a bust yet, but he has tons of issues overall. Tackling, coverage, poor angles, poor instincts. Some of that simply isn't correctable.

I don't think he takes bad angles. I actually think he's in the right position more often than not. I also think his instincts are way up there in the rover position. Playing him in an unfamiliar deep coverage role/cornerback type role is clearly going to have a drop off in "instincts". 

 

I think his issues are partially due to not being how he was in college.

[rmw10]

I don't think he takes bad angles. I actually think he's in the right position more often than not. I also think his instincts are way up there in the rover position. Playing him in an unfamiliar deep coverage role/cornerback type role is clearly going to have a drop off in "instincts". 

 

I think his issues are partially due to not being how he was in college.

 

That's the issue though.  He's definitely at his best when he's able to come straight downfield and make a play.  Otherwise, he looks completely lost, and that shouldn't be the case for a 1st round player.  Right now, he's pretty much suited for the run game only, which is unfortunate.

[52520Andrew]

Elam is tied for the league worst in missed tackles for DBs, Flacco isn't tied for the league worst in turnovers among QBs(I believe that is Cutler who is also coming under a ton of fire). If Flacco led the league in turnovers, I guarentee you that he would be coming under fire.

[jimmypowder]

I remember the talk about Jimmy Smith being a bust but I always saw some talent there

and thought he could come around which he did.

 

I see none of that in Matt Elam  .Not even a little bit. Thus,I think he will be a bust. 

[jdynamite]

I wasn't high on him in the draft, but I thought he had Bob Sanders type of potential. His college tape showed a lot of flaws especially tackling(he never wrapped up). The NFL is a different ball game players are much faster and stronger. Throwing your body on every tackle instead of wrapping up doesn't work in the pros. His coverage skills are another story, but in all honesty there is nothing that justifies his job as a starting safety in the NFL. I'm not giving up on him just yet though.

I wanted Cyprien first then Elam. But I was okay with either. I felt Cyprien had more range as a coverage safety. I'm not sure how he's been coming along for the jags so I can't compare the two. I felt tackling would have been his strength perhaps he's thinking too much out there with blown coverages and missed tackles occurring weekly. ( those preseason articles praising his growth and development has me pumped.

[jdynamite]

I remember the talk about Jimmy Smith being a bust but I always saw some talent there

and thought he could come around which he did.

I see none of that in Matt Elam .Not even a little bit. Thus,I think he will be a bust.

I remember that very well also. These boards were filled with Jimmy hate he was injured some and bit on some double moves early on with limited playing time and people were all with the bust talk. ( I just felt like yeah he gave up a double move meanwhile Cary playing 7-10 yards off every play. )

[The Raven]

I remember the talk about Jimmy Smith being a bust but I always saw some talent there

and thought he could come around which he did.

 

I see none of that in Matt Elam  .Not even a little bit. Thus,I think he will be a bust. 

 

My thoughts exactly, minus the bust part.

 

Jimmy always showed flashes of pure brilliance. Elam hasn't really shown that, to me.

[K-Dog]

I remember the talk about Jimmy Smith being a bust but I always saw some talent there

and thought he could come around which he did.

 

I see none of that in Matt Elam  .Not even a little bit. Thus,I think he will be a bust. 

Kinda makes you wonder what the powers that be, people that eat, sleep, breath, and live football, people who have forgotten more about football than most people here could ever possibly know, people that get paid big bucks to make the right decision could of possibly seen in him.

I mean for him to make it that far in collage much less the draft and the NFL with out as you say  "Not even a little bit of talent"

Well its pretty remarkable that he was able to fool SO MANY so very smart people. Cept he couldn't  fool you.  I for one am amazed.

[GrimCoconut]

It really bothers me when people compare Matt Elam and Jimmy Smith. It honestly, sincerely pisses me off. 

 

First of all, I don't think Elam is a horrible player, but I do share concerns about him I did not share on Jimmy Smith. I actually never once doubted Smith's ability. Not once. I even vividly recall some of the people here who would say bad things about Jimmy, and I rarely hear them say "Man, was I wrong on him!" or anything like that now. There's no need to get childish and drag people through the mud here. That's why when you people say "Oh, I wonder how many of you said the same about Jimmy!" It's such an ignorant and baseless comment because it really doesn't enlighten anything. It's just stating that you think there's some comparison between the two and there's really just no comparison. 

 

I won't bother to highlight the ways they do not compare, but their careers are entirely different. One was eased into a starting position and had to work to become a starter with some good players ahead of him while he had a few setbacks in terms of injuries. The other has been a starter since day 1, and his biggest competition for a roster spot came from James Ihedigbo and Michael Huff--neither player remains on the team. 

 

Elam isn't having a good year. He posted good numbers last year, and I can't really comment a lot on how he did last year since I missed half the year, so I have to go off of incomplete data. But the mistakes I've seen this year are mistakes I should never see anyone make, and the biggest one I keep thinking about is that absolutely stupid thing he did when he didn't touch the WR down. That was by far the dumbest football play I've seen from a player on this team in some time, and is definitely ahead of Joe Flacco in terms of his interceptions. You do not stare at a WR who is lying on the ground and not touch him down. That's simply inexcusable. 

 

Regardless, Elam isn't likely to go anywhere until the end or near the end of his third year. It's premature to suggest he's a bust and it's premature to suggest he'll improve. He's coming to a crossroads, however, so he will need to begin to tighten up his game towards the end of the year. That's what I am hoping to see from him, anyway. I still think he can reach his potential, but in order to do that, he needs to be able to play anywhere we put him. I know a lot of people say he should be a rover, but the versatility is a key characteristic he should exhibit. I'm sure that's why we drafted him so high--we saw a guy who had versatility to line up anywhere we wanted to put him. So the excuses about him not being a natural nickel or a free safety just don't cut it for me. He needs to be capable of playing there. 

 

Considering the transitioning it takes to come to the NFL for safeties, I'll continue to excuse him for this year. The caveat is he had better pick it up towards the end of the year and in the playoffs if we make it, because if not, I suspect a long, hard long will come to evaluate him. His third year will, however, be his most critical. If he continues to make these mistakes in his third (next) year, then I do think he will be considered a bust. He should be ready by his third year. He came from the SEC, not Colorado. He also had Teryl Austin as a coach in his freshman year (college) and his rookie year (last year), so I feel that should have helped him here. Now, perhaps he is struggling because he lost Austin. Not sure if that plays any role, as he only coached him one year. We'll see. 

 

Wishing the best from him in the future. We could use it.