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From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: Pro Bowl Starters (partial)
Message-ID: <801@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 22-Dec-85 03:08:12 EST
Article-I.D.: rtech.801
Posted: Sun Dec 22 03:08:12 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Dec-85 21:10:46 EST
References: <1171@mtuxo.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 47

> 
> 		  DEFENCE
> 
> 		  CB - Everson Walls (Dallas)
> 		  CB - Eric Wright (San	Fran.)
> 
>        The only	disagreements I	have with the NFC team ...
>        I would vote	CB Ronnie Lott of San Fran over
>        Everson Walls, just for the fact	that Lott is the hardest
>        hitting CB in the league.
> 
> 				  Lou I

Lott has played most of the year at safety, not cornerback.  The reason is
that he was being beaten on deep passes early in the season.  Walsh had to
switch him with Hicks, which caused problems for both of them, because
Hicks was used to playing safety and Lott was used to cornerback.  The
results weren't as bad as having Lott burned on a couple of long passes
every game (which was happening).

Lott had a great season last year, and a not-so-great one this year.  I think
I know why.  He's a hard hitter, but has never been much at close coverage.
Last season, he would play receivers loose, always keeping them in front of
him.  He would let them catch short passes, the slam the hell out of them.
This resulted in a lot of incompletions and fumbles.  He played the receivers
so loose that they had a hard time getting open deep; that is, they couldn't
pull some slick move and then run past him.

This season, I think someone decided that he would be better if he tightened
up his coverage.  Maybe one of the coaches did it, or maybe he decided it for
himself.  Anyway, the receivers were running by him because he didn't have
the cushion.  On short passes, he couldn't hit as hard, because he didn't have
a flying start.

Another thing that contributed to this was Lott's shoulder injury.  Maybe he
decided that he couldn't hit hard or often, so he would have to keep the
receivers from catching the ball at all, instead of letting them catch it and
then clobbering them.

Anyway, Lott hasn't had such a good year, and I don't think he's earned his
way into the Pro Bowl.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
"Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent..."

{amdahl, sun}!rtech!jeff
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