Rouse Cut, Giordano Signed

[Mags FTW]

Jake has been marooned on Rouse Island.

[MickeyDavis]

I listened to the post game show on the way home from the game Sunday. One guy was was positive that Tausch was close and another guy was positive he was a few weeks away. Even if he's 100% healthy it would take awhile to get into football shape.

[Ayt]

I'm not sure what good Tausch would be. Barbre wasn't a problem at all last game (in fact, he was very solid), and its not like Tauscher can play LT.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I've heard Tauscher say all along that he's ahead of schedule, but I doubt he's "ready to go"

[aaprigs311]

I'm not sure what good Tausch would be. Barbre wasn't a problem at all last game (in fact, he was very solid), and its not like Tauscher can play LT.

Good teams have depth. Our offensive line doesn't have much besides Scotty Wells.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I'm not sure what good Tausch would be. Barbre wasn't a problem at all last game (in fact, he was very solid), and its not like Tauscher can play LT.

Good teams have depth. Our offensive line doesn't have much besides Scotty Wells.

I agree in principle, but not necessarily when it comes to the offensive tackle position. Quality depth just really isn't there to be had in the league.

[xTitan]

Who picked up Smith after he was cut?

Same team who picked up Martin and the same team we play this weekend: The Rams. Timing couldn't be more perfect for TT. This could only be more awesome for him if Smith picks off Rodgers first interception of the season on Sunday.

He would have to be activated first

[xTitan]

This is fairly simple, Anthony Smith might be the most over-rated ex-Packer in the last decade....he was cut because he was the d-bag version of Rouse....occasionally make a play but was often out of position, often injured, gambled, wouldn't or couldn't play special teams. It is 100% fair to be all over TT for not having better back-up safetys, maybe even a better starter than Bigby, but please let us not make Smith out to be anything more than he is and that is a journeyman. The reason Bishop doesn't play is because he is prone to giving up huge plays because he doesn't quite grasp his assignments, regardless of the big play capability he shows, McCarthy just is conservative by nature and refuses to play guys not smart enough to be assignment sure, hence the release or Rouse (should have happened sooner).

[El Duderino]

This is fairly simple, Anthony Smith might be the most over-rated ex-Packer in the last decade....he was cut because he was the d-bag version of Rouse....occasionally make a play but was often out of position, often injured, gambled, wouldn't or couldn't play special teams. It is 100% fair to be all over TT for not having better back-up safetys, maybe even a better starter than Bigby, but please let us not make Smith out to be anything more than he is and that is a journeyman. The reason Bishop doesn't play is because he is prone to giving up huge plays because he doesn't quite grasp his assignments, regardless of the big play capability he shows, McCarthy just is conservative by nature and refuses to play guys not smart enough to be assignment sure, hence the release or Rouse (should have happened sooner).

I'd agree that many fans probably got to excited by a few big plays from Smith in preseason, there is a reason we were able to sign him for a paltry signing bonus of only 150K. That said, i have no doubt he's better than Rouse. Of course when you factor in how much Rouse sucks, that's not saying a lot. It's like complaining whether Reece Gaines or Kevin Ollie was your backup PG, both are crappy options, but i'd still rather have Ollie. The NFL though is only a 16 game schedule, each game is huge with playoff berths often decided by a single game and just a few plays in each individual game can be huge in deciding that game. If say Smith is in there for the 3rd and 34 play instead of Rouse, maybe he doesn't get attached like velcro to a blocker, the Bengals have to punt instead of scoring a TD, and we steal that game we got outplayed in. No question that's plenty of speculation, but Rouse is a really bad football player.

My biggest issue is just that safety depth was a problem last year and Ted pretty much entered this year with the same crap behind Collins along with the not exactly pillar of health Atari Bigby. I just can't fathom entering a football season with Rouse as your primary backup at safety. That's not just playing with fire, it's playing with fire while your hands are soaked with gasoline. So yea, dumping Anthony Smith was far from dumping some really quality player. Smith then shouldn't have been the only challenger to the job of Rouse given his beyond alarmingly bad play when Bigby was hurt last year and his overall lack of instincts. Ted went into the season with three fullbacks, but only Rouse and a guy in Martin who didn't practice a snap with us all training camp/preseason to know if he's a good fit, is in his first year being moved to safety from corner, and doesn't know our playbook as protection if either or both safeties got hurt. People can call it bad luck that both safeties got hurt this soon, but the pro football gods often seem to have a cruel way of punishing teams for poor decisions at certain positions with terrible depth.

Hopefully this Giordano guy is a quick learner and if called into any action this year, he can play at least at a reasonably competent level. I don't expect backups to play as good as a starter, they are backups for a reason. Just don't be terrible as Rouse so often was.

[Ayt]

I think we just got Ollie in Giordano, Dude.

The bad thing about Rouse is he not only misplayed the screen pass, he then didn't properly drop into his zone on the 44 yard pass to Ocho on the very next play which left Bush out to dry one on one (I'm sure most blamed that on Bush). Rouse also misplayed the 5 yard TD to Henry when he basically didn't move. All of those mistakes were on the same drive.

I'm sure there were other plays where he did the wrong thing that we simply couldn't see because NFL TV angles blow.

[trwi7]

Giants claimed Rouse.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/61221137.html