Griff Whalen needs to see the field more as a WR

[Narcosys]

Trent Richardson: 4.45

Thanks for the irrelevant trolling.

[Narcosys]

Grif is a SOLID ball player no ifs ands or buts about it!

Personall8y find all the Grif hate totally uneducated!

Weren't You one of the guys arguing with me in the Saints GameDay thread? Saying he was terrible...?

[NewColtsFan]

You didn't look at the article did you? Some people had him at 4.52.

Regardless, .07 is nothing. They are all 4.5 runners, and even if it's 4.6 it still doesn't make a significant difference.

You're nitpicking. The numbers are the same for them all, which was my point.

 

I looked at the article.    Remember,  I'm a Stanford guy.     I know Grigg Whalen.

 

And whenever Griff has been featured as a WR and the opposing defense decided they were going to take him out of the play -- he disappears.

 

Grigg is a decent little receiver.     But he's not Welker, or Edelman, or Amandola.

 

He's not even close to them.

 

Doesn't mean he can't be useful,  he can....    I'm just saying to people (including one poster who suggested Griff would catch 100 passes if he was with the Patriots)  to be more realistic of their assessment of Griff Whalen.

 

He has a ceiling...   and it's just not that high.

[Narcosys]

I looked at the article. Remember, I'm a Stanford guy. I know Grigg Whalen.

And whenever Griff has been featured as a WR and the opposing defense decided they were going to take him out of the play -- he disappears.

Grigg is a decent little receiver. But he's not Welker, or Edelman, or Amandola.

He's not even close to them.

Doesn't mean he can't be useful, he can.... I'm just saying to people (including one poster who suggested Griff would catch 100 passes if he was with the Patriots) to be more realistic of their assessment of Griff Whalen.

He has a ceiling... and it's just not that high.

All that is another topic for another time. I was commenting about the speed of him compared to the others.

[NewColtsFan]

All that is another topic for another time. I was commenting about the speed of him compared to the others.

 

My response was to the other poster who believes Whalen is a much better player than I do.

 

I see him as a decent 4 or 5 WR.    The OP sees him as something much better.

 

Just a different perspective......

[RockThatBlue]

He has a history of getting 7 yards when we need 9 because.... da ta da da.... he can`t drive ANYONE off of him. Yes the D was soft and He was out of bounds on his big play.

No he doesn't.

[Narcosys]

My response was to the other poster who believes Whalen is a much better player than I do.

I see him as a decent 4 or 5 WR. The OP sees him as something much better.

Just a different perspective......

Well then you threw me off when you quoted me and we digressed to this.

[lollygagger8]

And when he does, luck doesn't even look at him

 

He's probably tired of waiting 

[indyagent17]

He had one bad game (Saints) other than that, he is not a fumbler and is a catching machine. Not flashy but reliable 

[jvan1973]

The timing at Stanford's pro day is hand time.

The timing at the combine, is fully electronic.... like the Olympics.

Hand times are much faster than fully electronic.

So, Griff's time is faster than it would have been if it had been fully electronically timed.

So, you can ADD the time, not subtract.

It's not always faster, sometimes a hand time is slower. The human factor can indeed go both ways when you are talking about tenths and hundredths of a second

[NewColtsFan]

It's not always faster, sometimes a hand time is slower. The human factor can indeed go both ways when you are talking about tenths and hundredths of a second

 

A hand time that is slower than a fully electronic time is incredibly rare.

 

It may not be impossible,   but it's very rare.

[southwest1]

I've seen this any number of times in my 40 years of watching NFL football; he's undervalued. Stopwatch speed & quickness vs.  game speed & quickness is misjudged by flawed perceptions. Instincts, spatial awareness, route running, spacing in zones, body control, concentration, timing, etc. all matter as much, if not more than pure speed. Just look no further than Ted Ginn Jr.. IMO, of all the assets to judge, great hands will always be the most important skill a receiver can possess. That's why the position is called receiver not speeder.

 

The whole pattern is similar to the way Wes Welker was passed on by the Dolphins. The Patriots happily signed him, then beat the Dolphins like a drum by throwing TD's to him for years. Let's hope Whalen doesn't end up on the Titans for lack of judgment and spend the next 5 years spiking TD's in the Colts endzone. 

Nice post Douzer. Whalen is good at knowing where to sit down & catch balls in intermediate coverage & you're exactly right. A lot of WRs who may not ever be a superstar at their craft are good at getting a getting a 1st down & wisely either stepping out of bounds & just getting what the defense gives you & getting down not risking a turnover. Griff's good at that actually. I love your phrase "spatial awareness." Nicely put. 

 

I was thinking the same thing OP. Whalen is a sure-handed security blanket for Luck. It seems like every time we need a clutch catch to convert, it's Whalen that's making those plays. Yes not an elite WR by any means, but he fits a role VERY well on our offense and is criminally underutilized. We didn't see him back on the field after that 4th down conversion and we really needed someone to move the chains in OT.

A valid observation there Shive. Whalen will never mesmerize you with speed, but he will never make a horrible mistake that costs your team vital field position that usually ends in a loss. Football is all about the mistakes your non marquee guys don't make. 

[hawkeyes]

Weren't You one of the guys arguing with me in the Saints GameDay thread? Saying he was terrible...?

 

NOT!  Never seen anything negative out of my mouth about Griff.

[hawkeyes]

And whenever Griff has been featured as a WR and the opposing defense decided they were going to take him out of the play -- he disappears.

 

IF we had TY, Donte, Fleener, Allen, Griff all playing - how is any team going to take every single one of them out of the game?  Its all about play calling and proper route running.

[NewColtsFan]

IF we had TY, Donte, Fleener, Allen, Griff all playing - how is any team going to take every single one of them out of the game?  Its all about play calling and proper route running.

 

All I was trying to suggest,  is that Griff Whalen is not a receiver who is likely to ever catch 100 passes in a season as one poster stated.

 

I think he's fine as a #4 or a #5.      But more than that?     Not to my liking....

[jvan1973]

All I was trying to suggest, is that Griff Whalen is not a receiver who is likely to ever catch 100 passes in a season as one poster stated.

I think he's fine as a #4 or a #5. But more than that? Not to my liking....

Wes welker was viewed like that as well in Miami. Belichick Brady and that offense turned him into a multi time 100+ catch guy. Tons of short underneath catches

[NewColtsFan]

Wes welker was viewed like that as well in Miami. Belichick Brady and that offense turned him into a multi time 100+ catch guy. Tons of short underneath catches

 

I understand that....

 

But from going by the "eyeball test"  the only things Whalen and Welker have in common is that they are both short, while wide receivers whose last names start with a "W"....

 

Otherwise,  I don't see much similarity....

[oldunclemark]

Whalen is fine...in a part time role..He's not going to play ahead of our top WRs or TEs..

He's fine.

[jvan1973]

I understand that....

But from going by the "eyeball test" the only things Whalen and Welker have in common is that they are both short, while wide receivers whose last names start with a "W"....

Otherwise, I don't see much similarity....

Griff is bigger and faster. He gets open underneath. He will probably never have a big role in this offense. But I think he could do well in a welker role in an offense like the patriots run

[Dustin]

Wes welker was viewed like that as well in Miami. Belichick Brady and that offense turned him into a multi time 100+ catch guy. Tons of short underneath catches

Welker led Miami in receiving yards in 2006. He was viewed much better than that, thus why New England gave up. 2nd and 7th round pick for him.

[jvan1973]

Welker led Miami in receiving yards in 2006. He was viewed much better than that, thus why New England gave up. 2nd and 7th round pick for him.

67 catches. Manning would get griff 67 catches easily in his offense

[Dustin]

67 catches. Manning would get griff 67 catches easily in his offense

Manning could get any WR 67 catches in his offense.

[Introspect]

Wes welker was viewed like that as well in Miami. Belichick Brady and that offense turned him into a multi time 100+ catch guy. Tons of short underneath catches

 

 

REALLY?  GTFOHWTBS!! 

 

Griff is nothing more that a 5 wideout!

[NBColtsFanatic]

I say we should at least adjust and give him a chance, because obviously T.Y. has been underwhelming, as with Andre.

[jvan1973]

REALLY? GTFOHWTBS!!

Griff is nothing more that a 5 wideout!

His current depth status says otherwise

[jvan1973]

Manning could get any WR 67 catches in his offense.

That's all I'm saying. I don't think griFF is some all world wr. But if used properly underneath he could be very successful

[krunk]

Luck has been underwhelming which is tied into why others seem to be underwhelming. As for Griff I personally feel he has a similar skill set to Amendola. If Griff went some where like New England I think he would do really well in that system. Guy has excellent hands and routes are great. Understands coverage's. Just not much of a vertical threat which is fine because its not his game.

[NewColtsFan]

Griff is bigger and faster. He gets open underneath. He will probably never have a big role in this offense. But I think he could do well in a welker role in an offense like the patriots run

 

If he's bigger,  it's not by much,  and I seriously doubt he's faster.

 

I think if he's a 4 or a 5,  then I think he's got the skill to get open and beat a defense.

 

I think if he's a 1 or a 2 or a 3,  and a defense runs a good man to man scheme,  Griff can be taken out of a game.  

 

Happened at Stanford.     And it's happened as a Colt.    He had 3 starts in 2013.     

 

When the defense pays serious attention to him,   then he can be out-matched.

 

Perhaps he's improved a lot since then.     I certainly hope so.     But I'm skeptical until he shows otherwise....

[Narcosys]

NOT!  Never seen anything negative out of my mouth about Griff.

 

Ah, well i apologize then, my mistake.  It was the SoutherCal and mahagga guys.

[Corndog]

With TY's injury, he should be starting today.  Although it will be a tough task against Denver's defense. 

[RockThatBlue]

I think Chud read this thread.

[James Harden]

I think Chud read this thread.

Whalen really showed his worth tonight. I expect we get to see him more now as a WR in the future. His chemistry with Luck is really shown. Whalen can be a clutch 3rd down WR when the game is on the line. 

[Pelt]

Get people that produce onto the field. Griff produces at WR. Andre needs to take a seat on the pine.

[chrisfarley]

This is priceless.

 

Fairest Dorothy Mine eyes have seen the glory. Dwayne's eyes have been gouged. The hungry survive Blessed, Andrew pic.twitter.com/A0fW3x9w7f

— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi)

November 9, 2015

[CR91]

And get Andre off.

[nsurg]

He's not bad, but he's no elite WR either. Let's reign in the expectations for him.

We've gone some years without an Aaron Moorehead/Roy Hall/Mike Hart. (Stanley Jean-Baptiese and Tim Fugger tried real hard, but never made that fever pitch so they only get an honorable mention.)

We should strive to keep it that way.

You hit the nail on the head.  We need to start a new league to counter-balance the lingerie league, do one with really nice ethical fan-favorites.  Tebow could thrive in such a setting.