Missed the end of the game: Heard on radio that Eron Riley ...

[Dave Lap]

may have played his way on to the roster.

Really?

Thanks.

[RavenScallywag]

he had two really nice catches...one long one and one for a TD.

If he makes team from one performance, I'd be shocked. It may be more than Harper played his way off the team with yet another ridiculous flubbed catch and Riley was the best of what's left. If Harper gets cut, I would be shocked if we don't pickup a cut veteran to take his spot though. Riley is more P Sq material to me.

[Greg]

It may be more than Harper played his way off the team with yet another ridiculous flubbed catch and Riley was the best of what's left.
He actually dropped two, the second was a harder catch but he still needs to make them.

D Will played lights out, with 4 nice grabs plus drawing a PI on a long one. With Kelly Washington, D Will, Mason and Clayton I feel a lot more comfortable about our WR corp. Hopefully TJ can get healthy and Heap will stay healthy to give us a solid TE group.

[RavenScallywag]

I didn't see the 2nd one...but I think you could probably hear the exaggerated sigh from Harbaugh and Cameron when he missed that first one. That kind've miss deserved the Limas Sweed "phantom injury because your ego is bruised so badly" treatment like when he missed the wide open sure fire TD against us last year.

[xmradiodave]

He actually dropped two, the second was a harder catch but he still needs to make them.

D Will played lights out, with 4 nice grabs plus drawing a PI on a long one. With Kelly Washington, D Will, Mason and Clayton I feel a lot more comfortable about our WR corp. Hopefully TJ can get healthy and Heap will stay healthy to give us a solid TE group.

+1 on D-Will.

He finally showed me what all the hype has been about. I hope this guy stays healthy. If [when] Mason retires at the end of the season, I feel that D-will will move quickly up the chart. I actually got goosebumps watching his receptions last night.

[psuasskicker]

How'd the kickers do? The game was blacked out for me...

- C -

[pyite32]

How'd the kickers do? The game was blacked out for me...

- C -

Hauschka won the job last night. one field goal made and the snap was skipped to the holder, he was able to get past that distraction. I think it was 38 yards...

His second filed goal came with a little over a minute left in the 4th, and I think it was around 46 yards.

[B-more Ravor]

Hauschka won the job last night. one field goal made and the snap was skipped to the holder, he was able to get past that distraction. I think it was 38 yards...

His second filed goal came with a little over a minute left in the 4th, and I think it was around 46 yards.


I agree he won the job, but his KOs still leave a lot to be desired. Better hang time, granted, but not a whole lot deeper than what Stover was giving us.

[psuasskicker]

Prolly for the best, thanks. I think if we don't wind up bringing back Stover, I'll maybe give Haushka a shot in some of my fantasy leagues.

- C -

[Ravenswarrior19]

he had two really nice catches...one long one and one for a TD.

If he makes team from one performance, I'd be shocked. It may be more than Harper played his way off the team with yet another ridiculous flubbed catch and Riley was the best of what's left. If Harper gets cut, I would be shocked if we don't pickup a cut veteran to take his spot though. Riley is more P Sq material to me.

Totally agree. There is a reason he has been at the absolute bottom of the depth chart all preseason. I doubt he jumps onto the roster due to 2 nice catches against future burger-flippers.

Practice Squad, maybe. IMO, his biggest problem in camp was he can't run decent routes. For all his speed, his cuts are slow/ugly/sloppy, and there's no acceleration/quickness away from the defender. Hands were shaky, too.

A year of pro coaching may improve his WR skills. The speed and strength give him a high ceiling.

[RavenScallywag]

I've got to say this on Riley (who I was initially not very high on while everyone was proclaiming this kid to be the next Jerry Rice who just managed to fall out of the draft)...if route running is his only issue, this is probably the WORST you will see him. Route running can be improved. Bad hands, not as easy to improve.

I say give the kid a year on P Sq and let him keep practicing...Maybe he gets called up late in the season as an injury replacement and get his shot to show us his improvements.

[Jeremiah W]

He looks good. Sort of raw, but big strong and very fast with some decent change of direction skills. he should be safe to psquad, but there may be room for him if they cut Harper and Figurs.

Figurs has got next to no PT this preseason, but I did not see any drops from him.

The K thing to me is not as solved as it seems.

Who cares if he can make a couple 40+ yard FGs. I want to see the ball kicked into the endzone on almost every kick off, and Gano does it, Hauska does not. I think Gano can make a good percentage of 40+ yarders, he did it at FSU in big games, but I think the extra 5-15 yards on the kick off more than makes up for 5% more FG accuracy if that is even what it would be.

[Rxdoxx]

may have played his way on to the roster.


I don't think so, a UDFA had to have something to even get an invite, and he did flash a little late in the game. I think it gives him a PS year to get a NFL body and work on route precision.

Harper's 2 non-catches are more glaring. One was a basket attempt that bounced off the inside of his elbows, off the chest and out, no hand involvement. The other was tougher, he did have a defender restricting an arm from coming forward, but the hand that was free didn't do much. I still can see Clayton's one handed sideline stretch and grab. Harper didn't look anywhere close to that either on effort or on actually getting the free hand in any position to cause me to say "he really tried". It was almost a feeling that he gave up expecting a flag.

[ravenjoe]

I want to see the ball kicked into the endzone on almost every kick off, and Gano does it, Hauska does not.

I agree 100% - a real advantage to our ST unit if we're able to plant the ball in the endzone on every KO!

[shakester23]

I agree that it looks like Eron Riley played his way onto the practice squad with his showing last night, but certainly not the 53-man roster. Damn did he look winded on the sideline after the TD catch...or maybe overtaken by the emotion of scoring in an NFL (albeit preseason) game.

It also seems like Harper has unfortunately played his way off of the 53-man. Lots of potential but it appears that the repeated drops are now in his head. Man he looked frustrated after that second drop when he kicked the pylon. I was hoping that he would step up.

Although he did not get a lots of opportunities last night, I am wondering if Jayson Foster might end up snagging the 5th WR spot. He plays tougher than his size and always turns upfield for YAC immediately after the reception. With Webb fumbling again on a punt return, I wonder if they might view Foster as a decent second option for returns after Carr.

[effo5231]

I agree 100% - a real advantage to our ST unit if we're able to plant the ball in the endzone on every KO!

If Gano had been doing this, your argument might carry more weight. But in 8 kick off attempts, Gano had 0 TBs.

He averaged 69 yards per kickoff to Haushka's 64.

Compare that minor difference to Haushka's 86% Field goal percentage (which is higher by the way than Stover's 82% last year) to Gano's 33%.

[52decleetzu]

he had two really nice catches...one long one and one for a TD.

If he makes team from one performance, I'd be shocked.

Exactly.

Riley might have played himself on to the practice squad but not the 53 man roster. Just typical knee jerk reaction from media after he had a decent game.

2 catches agaist 3rd stringers while nice does not get you an NFL roster spot by itself,and he has dont pretty much nothing all camp besides that.

[Carey]

Totally agree. There is a reason he has been at the absolute bottom of the depth chart all preseason. I doubt he jumps onto the roster due to 2 nice catches against future burger-flippers.

Practice Squad, maybe. IMO, his biggest problem in camp was he can't run decent routes. For all his speed, his cuts are slow/ugly/sloppy, and there's no acceleration/quickness away from the defender. Hands were shaky, too.

A year of pro coaching may improve his WR skills. The speed and strength give him a high ceiling.

Completely agree! There's some potential there that could be tapped into, i'd like to see him on the practice squad as well

[YRKPARAVEN]

I don't think Gano was given much of a chance in pre season. If he can get the kickoffs in the endzone on a regular basis, he should have been given more of a chance. I understand his leg strength is clearly superior. How many chances was he given? 3 FG tries?

[psuasskicker]

If Gano had been doing this, your argument might carry more weight. But in 8 kick off attempts, Gano had 0 TBs.

He averaged 69 yards per kickoff to Haushka's 64.

Compare that minor difference to Haushka's 86% Field goal percentage (which is higher by the way than Stover's 82% last year) to Gano's 33%.

http://www.cw58.tv/downloads/images/smackdown_1024x768.jpg

[Stealthbirds80]

To concur with my past Jayson Foster thread, I believe he is #1 for that 5th WR spot (barring a signing from free agency). I think this only b/c he has two way ability on being a WR and also special teams plus his apparent ability to not drop passes. I'm not a " I got to have size" guy when it comes to WR as it is mostly talent and heart that makes a good football player regardless of size. I heard that the coaching staff was rather high on him also. Figurs is another one. I guess that he pissed the coaches off in practice b/c he also hasn't gotten any time on the field and wasn't pulling a "Harper". The latest I hear from my drive in on the radio was Foster has the inside on that 5th WR spot. We will see soon though. This is fun and this cut day made me watch the entire game last night like the rest of us on the game thread were doing. Patiently waiting for the names to come down.