glenecho wrote:Hmmm....good topic really...
I think that until somebody else on the offense can step up and prove they are a viable threat that we have no other choice BUT to keep AP. While I think he comes very close to hurting us more than he helps us, the bottom line is that other teams have to change their entire defensive philosophy when AP is in the game. You can't say that for anyone else on the team. As long as he's out there he DOES help open up the passing game (I know there are some that insist on arguing this point but...).
Without AP we simply have no offensive threat that requires teams to gameplan and focus on. Bridgewater's been pretty far from "fantastic", but without AP...wow...I don't really even want to think about it.
If Bridgewater or someone else would step up their game and become a viable threat I'd be all for getting rid of AP.
We have been talking about this for a while now and I'll say it here again. I don't think its a forgone conclusion anymore that AP is the hands down best option at RB going forward. His big gains are fewer and farther between, his break away speed is less and less, He no longer always makes the first guy miss.
The hard truth that I think most people don't want to deal with yet is that this year was AP coming off a year break, eager to prove that he is still the best. I would argue that it would be unreasonable to think that this WASN'T his peak going forward. He will come back next year on "only" 9 months of rest, you hear it all the time from older players, the seasons seem longer the off season seems shorter. He will be a year older with more mileage. I would argue that you could probably bank on Asiata and Jerick tandeming for a little over 1000 yards. That seems reasonable. I think its also reasonable that you could expect AP to get around 1200 yards. With numbers that close it becomes a matter of how the yards are gotten, how they effect game plans, etc.
This Season AP ran for over 100 yards 7 times. He was held under 50 yards 4 times with sub 100 games 6 other times. Those aren't bad numbers but he was "contained" more often than not. Will he still be the focus? Yes obviously, but now I would guess teams are going to try and contain him with less... and less... and less... I wouldn't be surprised if he sees 7 man boxes next year and there isnt appreciable change in his production. Is that bad? Not at all. Is that bad for 15 mil and the center piece of your offense? I would say yes.