Lee Evans to Jacksonville

**Whitty Hutton** · 04-16-2012, 10:14 AM

Welker's pass was no tougher than one he'd catch 9/10 times. Receivers drop balls. Basketball players miss freethrows. These things happen. But to just toss money and a draft pick and act like Evans is the worst thing to happen to the Ravens is crazy

**alienrace** · 04-16-2012, 10:23 AM

Difference between Welker and Evans is that Welker was/is a huge contributer on that team. Evans had FOUR catches all year, and was a total bust even prior to that last pass.

I looked at the replay again today, not sure why. He has time to secure the ball, heck, he almost has his second foot down before the db swats it out. It also confirms what I originally thought, that he is raising the ball up to get ready to celebrate. He starts turning his head toward the crowd in the back of the endzone. If he was trying to secure the ball he wouldn't be raising it up, btw, he be cradling his arms around it where he caught it. That makes no sense at all to say he was raising his arms to get a better grip. If anything, the way the ball is positioned, he'd have been lowering them to get a better grip.

It looks to me that he had no idea the db was going to swat at the ball.

**wickedsolo** · 04-16-2012, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by alienrace

Difference between Welker and Evans is that Welker was/is a huge contributer on that team. Evans had FOUR catches all year, and was a total bust even prior to that last pass.

I looked at the replay again today, not sure why. He has time to secure the ball, heck, he almost has his second foot down before the db swats it out. It also confirms what I originally thought, that he is raising the ball up to get ready to celebrate. He starts turning his head toward the crowd in the back of the endzone. If he was trying to secure the ball he wouldn't be raising it up, btw, he be cradling his arms around it where he caught it. That makes no sense at all to say he was raising his arms to get a better grip. If anything, the way the ball is positioned, he'd have been lowering them to get a better grip.

It looks to me that he had no idea the db was going to swat at the ball.

I agree that comparing Welker to Evans isn't very fair because Welker is a guy who has given the Patriots a stupid amount of production over the course of the last couple of seasons. So much, in fact, that they haven't really felt the urgency to get another decent receiver for a few years now after releasing Randy Moss.

However, both of those dropped/stripped passes will go down in infamy. The different - to me - is that Lee Evans HAD the pass and didn't secure the ball. That was a beautifully thrown pass from Flacco and Evans had it in the end zone. Welker's dropped pass came on him leaping up & back while twisting his body. Yes, the pass hit him in the hands, but that was still a pretty tough pass for a 5'9" receiver to come down with.

He had a fundamental slip up.

Anytime a receiver catches a ball in traffic they're coached to protect the ball by covering it up because the first thing a defensive back is going to do is try and dislodge it. He got both hands on it, was trying to focus too much on getting his feet in bounds, and Sterling Moore made a hell of a play by slapping the arm/ball and dislodging it.

**JAB1985** · 04-16-2012, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by alienrace

Difference between Welker and Evans is that Welker was/is a huge contributer on that team. Evans had FOUR catches all year, and was a total bust even prior to that last pass.

I looked at the replay again today, not sure why. He has time to secure the ball, heck, he almost has his second foot down before the db swats it out. It also confirms what I originally thought, that he is raising the ball up to get ready to celebrate. He starts turning his head toward the crowd in the back of the endzone. If he was trying to secure the ball he wouldn't be raising it up, btw, he be cradling his arms around it where he caught it. That makes no sense at all to say he was raising his arms to get a better grip. If anything, the way the ball is positioned, he'd have been lowering them to get a better grip.

It looks to me that he had no idea the db was going to swat at the ball.

I think hes trying to shield the ball by turning away from the defender and bringing the ball up to his left armpit or chest area just like one would when securing it while running. certainly not turning to raise his arms in celebration. if it was throw directly into his gut maybe i could see going down and hunching over to secure it, but with the throw leading him to spin and continued running he had to secure like one would while theyre running. I mean honestly who secures the ball at their bellybutton, its not even a natural position of your arms to hold it that low. Im pretty confident he knew the swipe was coming, which is why he was spinning away from the defender. I dont think it was because he was celebrating but he certainly didnt secure it quickly enough in that instance.

**Whitty Hutton** · 04-16-2012, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by alienrace

Difference between Welker and Evans is that Welker was/is a huge contributer on that team. Evans had FOUR catches all year, and was a total bust even prior to that last pass.

I looked at the replay again today, not sure why. He has time to secure the ball, heck, he almost has his second foot down before the db swats it out. It also confirms what I originally thought, that he is raising the ball up to get ready to celebrate. He starts turning his head toward the crowd in the back of the endzone. If he was trying to secure the ball he wouldn't be raising it up, btw, he be cradling his arms around it where he caught it. That makes no sense at all to say he was raising his arms to get a better grip. If anything, the way the ball is positioned, he'd have been lowering them to get a better grip.

It looks to me that he had no idea the db was going to swat at the ball.

Only because he was hurt half the year, and when he came back was thrown to what 8 times? If you gonna spend a 4th rounder for him yyou should atleast give him a chance to be used before declaring him a bust. At the end of the day it probably doesnt matter because Cam is incompetent. Wouldnt be surprised to see dude go for 700-1,000 yards with inferior offensive talent around him smh

**wickedsolo** · 04-16-2012, 11:07 AM

What does it matter where he goes or what he does there?

The Ravens are a business too and bringing back a receiver who basically ended the season, for all intents and purposes, may not be a great business move on the Ravens part. Just saying.

I personally think if it weren't for that roster bonus he was due he'd still be with the team. However, he probably got a better offer from Jacksonville than he would have gotten in Baltimore and it gives him the opportunity to start over with a clean slate elsewhere.

Looking back on the trade, it was a wasted trade, but at the time it made a lot of sense. Thankfully, due to comp picks, the Ravens recouped a 4th rounder. So, it's kind of a moot point.

**4G63** · 04-16-2012, 12:07 PM

**alienrace** · 04-16-2012, 12:23 PM

See, from those angles, he's already got the ball very snug in his gut, and he has no reason to raise the arms up. There is no doubt in my mind that he relaxes the grip too, with his right arm just before Moore swats down. That ball should have been caught and secured, there is no real excuse for it.

It totally looks like he was about to raise the ball in his left hand to celebrate.

**Ravens44** · 04-16-2012, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by alienrace

See, from those angles, he's already got the ball very snug in his gut, and he has no reason to raise the arms up. There is no doubt in my mind that he relaxes the grip too, with his right arm just before Moore swats down. That ball should have been caught and secured, there is no real excuse for it.

It totally looks like he was about to raise the ball in his left hand to celebrate.

In my opinion he relaxed the moment after he caught it.

IF it was me and I saw the ball with "super bowl trip" written on it coming my way, the moment it hits me in the gut with my two hands around it, I'm folding my body around that damn ball and going to the turf. I will become one with that freaking ball. I will not look up, I will not get up and jump around, I am laying there with the ball until the ref MAKES me get up. And even then, nobody gets that ball. I will let it go after I get home to put it on my shelf.

**Jayc00** · 04-16-2012, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by alienrace

See, from those angles, he's already got the ball very snug in his gut, and he has no reason to raise the arms up. There is no doubt in my mind that he relaxes the grip too, with his right arm just before Moore swats down. That ball should have been caught and secured, there is no real excuse for it.

It totally looks like he was about to raise the ball in his left hand to celebrate.

Agreed!

**Section 502 Raven** · 04-16-2012, 05:08 PM

welker got hit when he fumbled. i think it was laquan williams. evans never got hit.

**Derf** · 04-16-2012, 05:10 PM

**Whitty Hutton** · 04-16-2012, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Section 502 Raven

welker got hit when he fumbled. i think it was laquan williams. evans never got hit.

We're talking about the superbowl drop bro

**Teavo** · 04-17-2012, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Whitty Hutton

Funny how I dont see Patriots fans wanting to crucify Wes Welker and boo him. Do they actualy have more class than Ravens fans? It was ONE drop. It's not like Cundiff, who had shown several times he couldnt handle the pressure. Plus who knows what would have happened if he hadnt made that huge one hand grab on 3rd down in the Texans game

I live in New England, and dude, lemme tell ya, the folks up here haven't been so pissed off at anyone since King George III in 1776!

It wasn't even a bad drop. Welker had to spin around 180 degrees, take nearly two steps backwards while running at full speed, and leap into the air even to make the attempt. Many receivers would not even touch the ball, much less make the catch.

But no, suddenly "Welkah saaahhcks! Fahckin Welkaah!" all over the place. The torches and pitchforks were out for the guy. It was ridiculous.

The good thing is that my wife used to sort of have a crush on Welker. Thought he was cute. But not any more!

And Welker is 10x the player that Lee Evans is, and therefore less deserving of all the hate.

We can build a far more justifiable case to be pissed off at Lee Evans.

**Teavo** · 04-17-2012, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Ravens44

IF it was me and I saw the ball with "super bowl trip" written on it coming my way, the moment it hits me in the gut with my two hands around it, I'm folding my body around that damn ball and going to the turf. I will become one with that freaking ball. I will not look up, I will not get up and jump around, I am laying there with the ball until the ref MAKES me get up. And even then, nobody gets that ball. I will let it go after I get home to put it on my shelf.

+1000

I was a wide receiver in high school (not even a competitive one) and I was coached all day to do exactly this. A guy at Lee Evans' level should secure a football in his sleep without even thinking about it.

**Jayc00** · 04-17-2012, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Teavo

I live in New England, and dude, lemme tell ya, the folks up here haven't been so pissed off at anyone since King George III in 1776!

It wasn't even a bad drop. Welker had to spin around 180 degrees, take nearly two steps backwards while running at full speed, and leap into the air even to make the attempt. Many receivers would not even touch the ball, much less make the catch.

But no, suddenly "Welkah saaahhcks! Fahckin Welkaah!" all over the place. The torches and pitchforks were out for the guy. It was ridiculous.

The good thing is that my wife used to sort of have a crush on Welker. Thought he was cute. But not any more!

And Welker is 10x the player that Lee Evans is, and therefore less deserving of all the hate.

We can build a far more justifiable case to be pissed off at Lee Evans.

Exactly. If the All Mighty Tom Brady would have put the pass over his shoulder in stride then it would have been a big play possibly a TD, but no never blame the all mighty one that can do no wrong.

**alien bird** · 04-17-2012, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Teavo

It wasn't even a bad drop. Welker had to spin around 180 degrees, take nearly two steps backwards while running at full speed, and leap into the air even to make the attempt. Many receivers would not even touch the ball, much less make the catch.

Giselle could have made that catch. Just ask her.