Is Matt Elam a bust?

[berad]

i watched a replay of the week 3 game in cleveland last night on nfl network and a few things struck me (besides it being a very good game).

 

1.  torrey smith made some excellent plays in that game, i hope we won't miss his production

2. i'm glad we still have steve smith and i hope and pray we get pitta back. 

3. jacoby jones has trouble catching the ball

4. matt elam missed tackles and always seemed to be in the wrong place.

 

keep in mind, this was only this game i was observing, and it's different when you re-watch a game, as you look at elements you might not have before when caught up in the moment of winning vs. losing. 

 

Steve Smith was excellent, held onto the catch that set up the winning FG.

 

Elam was hard to watch and responsible for a lot of lapses in coverage.

[ellicottraven]

The bottom line with a safety position is they have to be intelligent, football wise and otherwise. Unfortunately, Elam is neither. He is remarkably dull and thick to play safety or any other position in the NFL for that matter.

[Edgar]

i watched a replay of the week 3 game in cleveland last night on nfl network and a few things struck me (besides it being a very good game).

 

1.  torrey smith made some excellent plays in that game, i hope we won't miss his production

2. i'm glad we still have steve smith and i hope and pray we get pitta back. 

3. jacoby jones has trouble catching the ball

4. matt elam missed tackles and always seemed to be in the wrong place.

 

keep in mind, this was only this game i was observing, and it's different when you re-watch a game, as you look at elements you might not have before when caught up in the moment of winning vs. losing.

[/

I watched that game recently as well. Elam's play was maddening....stupefying actually.

Major upgrades are needed in the secondary. Just watching Brian Hoyer own us is all anyone should need to see. We have to draft some talent who can compete to get on the field and not stand pat.

[hawkprey]

His first year could be rubbed off as "he was just a rookie". Last year he was unprepared. The third year is the first time he's had career adversity. So let's see how he responds.

[Club Sec. 217 Seat 2]

Saw this thread and it got me thinking....Let me be the first to say I LOVED Matt Elam coming out of Florida.  I saw him play a lot and he was just such an explosive athlete that made plays all over the field.  I did have a few concerns bc he is kinda small in terms of height and length, and I also just wasn't sure where he would be playing bc was so versatile I never saw him in just one spot.  But having said that I was beating down the door for Matt Elam at the 32nd pick and was going nuts when we got him.  Bought his jersey and all.  Needless to say I have been super disappointed, maybe have worn that jersey once in the 16 home games they have had the past 2 years (Thank God for SSS).  And this past year watching his play was like getting repeatedly kicked in my naught parts. Missed tackle after missed tackle, the most egregious coming in the AFC Divisional game on Amendola I believe it was, where he scored a TD. Almost no ability to make plays. 

 

HAVING SAID THAT, I can remember not being overly impressed with the 2013 draft.  If you take a look at the players drafted in that draft, specially in the first couple rounds, there are not that many players that have panned out so to speak.  And most of the ones that have been pretty good, are mainly offensive players the top 2 prolly being Leveon Bell and Eddie Lacy.  But tons of defensive players that have been less than stellar.  Dion Jordan, Kiki Mingo, Dee Miliner, Kenny Vaccarro was benched last yr, Jarvis Jones with the Steelers, Bjorn Werner was a healthy scratch in playoff games this yr.  Probably the best D player out of the first couple rounds is Kiki Alonso.  So right now, looking like a lot of mediocre players from that class.  But there is still time for them to turn it around and that includes Elam, if he helps this team win a Super Bowl, idk if we will look at him as a bust if he contributes.

[Sami84]

Saw this thread and it got me thinking....Let me be the first to say I LOVED Matt Elam coming out of Florida.  I saw him play a lot and he was just such an explosive athlete that made plays all over the field.  I did have a few concerns bc he is kinda small in terms of height and length, and I also just wasn't sure where he would be playing bc was so versatile I never saw him in just one spot.  But having said that I was beating down the door for Matt Elam at the 32nd pick and was going nuts when we got him.  Bought his jersey and all.  Needless to say I have been super disappointed, maybe have worn that jersey once in the 16 home games they have had the past 2 years (Thank God for SSS).  And this past year watching his play was like getting repeatedly kicked in my naught parts. Missed tackle after missed tackle, the most egregious coming in the AFC Divisional game on Amendola I believe it was, where he scored a TD. Almost no ability to make plays. 

 

HAVING SAID THAT, I can remember not being overly impressed with the 2013 draft.  If you take a look at the players drafted in that draft, specially in the first couple rounds, there are not that many players that have panned out so to speak.  And most of the ones that have been pretty good, are mainly offensive players the top 2 prolly being Leveon Bell and Eddie Lacy.  But tons of defensive players that have been less than stellar.  Dion Jordan, Kiki Mingo, Dee Miliner, Kenny Vaccarro was benched last yr, Jarvis Jones with the Steelers, Bjorn Werner was a healthy scratch in playoff games this yr.  Probably the best D player out of the first couple rounds is Kiki Alonso.  So right now, looking like a lot of mediocre players from that class.  But there is still time for them to turn it around and that includes Elam, if he helps this team win a Super Bowl, idk if we will look at him as a bust if he contributes.

He makes that tackle on amendola..and we would have only needed a field goal possibly to win the game.

 

All he had to do was wrap him up. Amendola wasn't going forward. Instead ..he matt elams it ( we will use this term in the future) and flys on to his shoulder while amendola is turning and boom.

 

I'm going to be honest here..it was one of the easiest tackles to make I've ever seen. I think that has defined who elam has been from the get go and who he is always going to be.

 

We have lost 4 games that i can remember SOLEY on his play

[Militant X 1]

not comparing Elam to Ed. I think Elam has the tools to be great but not the football IQ. All of his Gator highlights showed that he can contribute to his team because he knew what he was doing and he played fast. Also safety is probably the position with the most learning curve in today's game.

Shhhh!  We all know that what a person does in college has no bearing on their performance at the pro level.

[redrum52]

His FF against Indy was a big play... Didn't lead to the win but still

I forgot that was him. That fumble was the definition of clutch because without it we wouldn't have had a chance to win...

even though we lost.

The truth is, he cleans up his tackling and most fans will shut up. The question now is, is tackling something you just fix in one off season, when you've been playing football for so long?

[redrum52]

Saw this thread and it got me thinking....Let me be the first to say I LOVED Matt Elam coming out of Florida. I saw him play a lot and he was just such an explosive athlete that made plays all over the field. I did have a few concerns bc he is kinda small in terms of height and length, and I also just wasn't sure where he would be playing bc was so versatile I never saw him in just one spot. But having said that I was beating down the door for Matt Elam at the 32nd pick and was going nuts when we got him. Bought his jersey and all. Needless to say I have been super disappointed, maybe have worn that jersey once in the 16 home games they have had the past 2 years (Thank God for SSS). And this past year watching his play was like getting repeatedly kicked in my naught parts. Missed tackle after missed tackle, the most egregious coming in the AFC Divisional game on Amendola I believe it was, where he scored a TD. Almost no ability to make plays.

HAVING SAID THAT, I can remember not being overly impressed with the 2013 draft. If you take a look at the players drafted in that draft, specially in the first couple rounds, there are not that many players that have panned out so to speak. And most of the ones that have been pretty good, are mainly offensive players the top 2 prolly being Leveon Bell and Eddie Lacy. But tons of defensive players that have been less than stellar. Dion Jordan, Kiki Mingo, Dee Miliner, Kenny Vaccarro was benched last yr, Jarvis Jones with the Steelers, Bjorn Werner was a healthy scratch in playoff games this yr. Probably the best D player out of the first couple rounds is Kiki Alonso. So right now, looking like a lot of mediocre players from that class. But there is still time for them to turn it around and that includes Elam, if he helps this team win a Super Bowl, idk if we will look at him as a bust if he contributes.

The 2nd point is one I've tried to make. The 13 draft just hasn't panned out well so far and as a whole just looks like a terrible class for the most part.

[gooftroop]

There are two things about Elam that I'm not sure experience, coaching, or practice can change- poor tackling, and getting lost in space. And that makes me less than optimistic about his future...

[ratedr]

The safety class of 2013 has been awful overall, and Elam is probably the worst of the lot. I've seen NOTHING from him that tells me he's not a colossal bust, unlike Jimmy Smith who showed flashes but was constantly battling injury.

 

When Jimmy was off the field it was because he was hurt. When Elam is off the field, it's because he's been benched.

[redrum52]

The safety class of 2013 has been awful overall, and Elam is probably the worst of the lot. I've seen NOTHING from him that tells me he's not a colossal bust, unlike Jimmy Smith who showed flashes but was constantly battling injury.

When Jimmy was off the field it was because he was hurt. When Elam is off the field, it's because he's been benched.

Agree. I thought whenever he was on the field he looked good. Most of his problems I thought came from being a press corner and being asked to learn off coverage so he was still getting acclimated. His first year, I think the big problem was just staying healthy. I remember asking why the hell he started on ST and I don't remember really seeing him there after(getting injured on the first kickoff). Also had a huge pick in the playoffs in the AFCCG but most will probably only remember the Chargers game where EVERYONE stunk...

[ratedr]

Agree. I thought whenever he was on the field he looked good. Most of his problems I thought came from being a press corner and being asked to learn off coverage so he was still getting acclimated. His first year, I think the big problem was just staying healthy. I remember asking why the hell he started on ST and I don't remember really seeing him there after(getting injured on the first kickoff). Also had a huge pick in the playoffs in the AFCCG but most will probably only remember the Chargers game where EVERYONE stunk...

That pick in the AFCCG is what convinced me that Jimmy would be okay. Just an amazing play.

 

Has Elam ever had a moment like that?

[The Raven]

That pick in the AFCCG is what convinced me that Jimmy would be okay. Just an amazing play.

 

Has Elam ever had a moment like that?

 

Honestly, the Lions game his rookie year temporarily convinced me he'd be good one day. 

[ludy51]

That pick in the AFCCG is what convinced me that Jimmy would be okay. Just an amazing play.

Has Elam ever had a moment like that?

The FF in Indy. And he had a strip in the Bengals game that got Mosely an INT.

And the INT in Detroit

Edited March 25, 2015 by ludy51

[ratedr]

Honestly, the Lions game his rookie year temporarily convinced me he'd be good one day. 

The FF in Indy. And he had a strip in the Bengals game that got Mosely an INT.

And the INT in Detroit

I'll give you all the Lions game, I was impressed that he called out Megatron and backed it up. 

 

He was much better his rookie year than last year.

[The Raven]

I think a lot of Elam's issues are confidence related. Let's talk about this. He wasn't supposed to start his rookie year. He just wasn't. It was gonna be the Michael Huff and James Ihedigbo show. Well, Huff was horrible and we had little choice but to throw Elam in there. He wasn't ready to play, then he struggled, and he's still struggling. Sometimes he over-thinks the game, and sometimes he doesn't think enough. Safety is a tough place to play when your confidence is shook. When your confidence is shook, you over-think so much it looks like you're just not thinking. Some players practically forget how to tackle and just dive at ankles when they lose their swagger. 

 

Elam's an athlete-- there's no question about that. I've seen him make plays, and I've seen him make good, form tackles. I've seen him read plays well and I've seen him react quick. 

 

Now in that Lions game, he made the mistake (or was it?) of talking trash to Megatron. In that game, he had to back it up. That was probably the one game he played where he played with swagger. 

 

To me, he needs a confidence boost. I don't know how he'll get it or when, but I think swagger is the missing ingredient here.

[Orange_Peanut]

Shhhh!  We all know that what a person does in college has no bearing on their performance at the pro level.

Why watch film then.

[PolishRifle]

I've given up on Jimmy too early, just to be proven wrong later, I'm not giving up on Matt Elam just yet.

[FlackAttack]

I think a lot of Elam's issues are confidence related. Let's talk about this. He wasn't supposed to start his rookie year. He just wasn't. It was gonna be the Michael Huff and James Ihedigbo show. Well, Huff was horrible and we had little choice but to throw Elam in there. He wasn't ready to play, then he struggled, and he's still struggling. Sometimes he over-thinks the game, and sometimes he doesn't think enough. Safety is a tough place to play when your confidence is shook. When your confidence is shook, you over-think so much it looks like you're just not thinking. Some players practically forget how to tackle and just dive at ankles when they lose their swagger. 

 

Elam's an athlete-- there's no question about that. I've seen him make plays, and I've seen him make good, form tackles. I've seen him read plays well and I've seen him react quick. 

 

Now in that Lions game, he made the mistake (or was it?) of talking trash to Megatron. In that game, he had to back it up. That was probably the one game he played where he played with swagger. 

 

To me, he needs a confidence boost. I don't know how he'll get it or when, but I think swagger is the missing ingredient here.

 

Dude is a professional getting paid millions of dollars. I dont care who you are, if you get drafted into the NFL, you need to be able to start on day 1 if your number gets called. This is a professional business filled with the best of the best.

 

If you dont have enough confidence, or need a "confidence boost", then youre simply not fit for the job, just like any other career. Elam simply isnt fit to play safety in the NFL. Period. Cant cover, cant tackle, dude isnt even mediocre, hes just plain terrible.

[redrum52]

Dude is a professional getting paid millions of dollars. I dont care who you are, if you get drafted into the NFL, you need to be able to start on day 1 if your number gets called. This is a professional business filled with the best of the best.

If you dont have enough confidence, or need a "confidence boost", then youre simply not fit for the job, just like any other career. Elam simply isnt fit to play safety in the NFL. Period. Cant cover, cant tackle, dude isnt even mediocre, hes just plain terrible.

If it was that easy there would be no draft busts. And if it's a professional business, why don't the people who draft and scout these guys get their share of the blame as well then?

If every office scouted, drafted and developed well, yiu wouldn't have a team like Detroit going 0-16 in season, but unfortunately, not every person drafted is a day 1 starter.

[redrum52]

Honestly, the Lions game his rookie year temporarily convinced me he'd be good one day.

Had a solid game against the Bears as well and was trending upwards when he wasn't playing out of position. No idea what happened last year cause it looked like he regressed, but I honestly would've forgotten those plays if not for this thread. He would've gotten more credit if the offense pulled their head out of their butt and got the game winning score.

[FlackAttack]

If it was that easy there would be no draft busts. And if it's a professional business, why don't the people who draft and scout these guys get their share of the blame as well then?

If every office scouted, drafted and developed well, yiu wouldn't have a team like Detroit going 0-16 in season, but unfortunately, not every person drafted is a day 1 starter.

 

lol, this has absolutely nothing to do with what I posted. I responded to someone stating Elam needs a "confidence boost" in order to play better. If you need a confidence boost to play in the NFL, youre in the wrong business.

 

Of course there's going to be busts, Matt Elam is a bust..

[Tru11]

lol, this has absolutely nothing to do with what I posted. I responded to someone stating Elam needs a "confidence boost" in order to play better. If you need a confidence boost to play in the NFL, youre in the wrong business.

 

Of course there's going to be busts, Matt Elam is a bust..

 

players with confidence will react faster while those who have doubt will be thinking to much and thus react later.

 

 

in the nfl where things go at an extremely fast pace , reacting to slow will lead to things like missed tackles or getting burned in coverage.

 

its no difference then QBs who wait till a receiver is open before throwing the ball compaired to QBs who have the ability to throw receivers open.

 

just look at how Rodgers is able to throw the ball before the made a break and once the wr turns his head the ball is basicially already  there for the catch.

 

compare that to a player like sanchez or griffin who will wait till the receiver is actually open before throwing and thus tend to sack a lot of sacks in the process.

[stampedehero]

We are beating an old topic to death. During the regular season we found no supporters for #26.  After the playoffs he still lost his parade.  Forget It. We are screwed with his rookie contract for one more year.  We need race horses in the secondary and he is one fit for the plow. YES he is a bust.  

[FlackAttack]

We are beating an old topic to death. During the regular season we found no supporters for #26.  After the playoffs he still lost his parade.  Forget It. We are screwed with his rookie contract for one more year.  We need race horses in the secondary and he is one fit for the plow. YES he is a bust.  

 

/thread

[Club Sec. 217 Seat 2]

Honestly, the Lions game his rookie year temporarily convinced me he'd be good one day. 

 

He also almost missed that interception on the last drive that sealed the W.  It was thrown right to him and he bobbled it 3 times before securing it. 

[The Raven]

Dude is a professional getting paid millions of dollars. I dont care who you are, if you get drafted into the NFL, you need to be able to start on day 1 if your number gets called. This is a professional business filled with the best of the best.

 

If you dont have enough confidence, or need a "confidence boost", then youre simply not fit for the job, just like any other career. Elam simply isnt fit to play safety in the NFL. Period. Cant cover, cant tackle, dude isnt even mediocre, hes just plain terrible.

 

Your simplistic mindset here is just flat out wrong. There isn't a coach, player, or scout anywhere who will say confidence is not a factor. Have you ever played the game outside of backyard pickup games? I have, and it does make a difference.

 

If it was that easy there would be no draft busts. And if it's a professional business, why don't the people who draft and scout these guys get their share of the blame as well then?

If every office scouted, drafted and developed well, yiu wouldn't have a team like Detroit going 0-16 in season, but unfortunately, not every person drafted is a day 1 starter.

 

Ding ding

 

Had a solid game against the Bears as well and was trending upwards when he wasn't playing out of position. No idea what happened last year cause it looked like he regressed, but I honestly would've forgotten those plays if not for this thread. He would've gotten more credit if the offense pulled their head out of their butt and got the game winning score.

 

I still don't know if I'd say he was "out of position." People say he's not a free because he can't play single high, but I only remember 3-4 plays where he got beat over top as the single high. He's athletic enough, to me, to play free. The question is whether he's mentally sharp enough. That could come, or it might not. Although the NFL is moving towards have two balanced safeties as opposed to a free and a strong or a rover, I do think the best way to salvage Elam's situation is to use him as the rover type. But let me emphasize that nine times out of ten, rover safeties are just undersized LBs that can't cover like a safety should.

[GrimCoconut]

Everyone likes to use Jimmy Smith as an example why Elam could prove you wrong. I never felt that Jimmy would be a bust once. I've internally wrestled with the question whether Elam will succeed or not. Very different circumstances with these two players and they are at all comparable despite how some of us may want to portray a comparison

[52N19]

if you are a defensive football player who has been playing organized football for 10 years and you still can't do the most basic of defensive play which is tackling then you are not going to be an effective NFL player. you can't teach quarterbacks at this level how to throw accurately(boller) or receivers how to catch a ball. you need to come to the table wiht basic skills and progress from there. tacking is a basic skill. i rewatched the NFL replay of the cleveland browns game in cleveland. they should have cut elam after the browns game. then we wouldn't have had to live thorugh the missed tackle on third and long in the patriots game that turned into a touchdown.