Granted I didn't play past the high school level but even if your team yells out pass or the number of the receiver you're guarding, unless your already turning to cover a route, it's pretty difficult to effectively defend the pass and turn your head. A hand up is the best you can do in some cases.
Only 5th? He should be capable of replacing TT at minimum.
He did enable someone else to make it though. The offensive linemen's ideal goal is to drive him back into the linebacker. If he can't do that at least don't give ground. When people talk about 'wrecking havoc' and penetrating the line (preparing for the last 3 words to be the only ones quoted
) they are talking about what Shelton just did, and why it is so important is because it allows our linebackers to make the plays. You want to 'keep that LBers jersey clean' aka don't let him get blocked and don't get washed into his level. A nose can go an entire game without a tackle and have an amazing game. Just like a nose can have 2 sacks in a game that he actually played putridly in. The kind of play you are asking the nose to make is an all-pro level play. Wilfork doesn't make that play. Ngata and Suh are the guys who make those plays. Wanting a rookie to blow up the play AND get off the block in time to make the tackle is just way too much.
Well, like Whitner said in his Twitter Q&A today when asked about Grossi's 6 wins prediction, "he's entitled to his own opinion" Very professional of him, he could of got nasty.
