Blount to Replace Archer on Returns

[Oviedo]

What about Justin Brown or Marcus Wheaton on Kick Offs? I'm still OK with Archer back there but if you are going a different direction I'd rather try those guys over Blount. Definitely would NEVER put Antonio Brown back there.

[legend of polamalu]

It seems Archer runs really fast in a straight line right into the arms of a tackler. I Don't understand why he doesn't even try and make a move especially since this was his strength in college.

[phillyesq]

What about Justin Brown or Marcus Wheaton on Kick Offs? I'm still OK with Archer back there but if you are going a different direction I'd rather try those guys over Blount. Definitely would NEVER put Antonio Brown back there.

I prefer Justin Brown on the inactive list.

I'm ok with Blount -- no threat to break one but he's been a decent returner. Wheaton seems to have the skill set you would want, more so than J. Brown who is neither fast nor shifty.

[Oviedo]

It seems Archer runs really fast in a straight line right into the arms of a tackler. I Don't understand why he doesn't even try and make a move especially since this was his strength in college.

I assume they have specific returns set up that they are trying to execute versus freelancing like Archer probably did in college. If you watch his returns, the first wave of tacklers are getting to him with little blocking from our guys slowing them down. Our blocking on returns has been terrible IMO.

[steelz09]

I don't care how fast Archer is.... he won't amount to anything if he can't break a tackle that's equivalent to a sneeze.

[feltdizz]

I don't care how fast Archer is.... he won't amount to anything if he can't break a tackle that's equivalent to a sneeze.

most good kick returns don't involve breaking a tackle at the 10 yard line. I know Archer is fast but they still need to block for him.

[bostonsteeler]

most good kick returns don't involve breaking a tackle at the 10 yard line. I know Archer is fast but they still need to block for him.

This is the truth. The tacklers are on him almost before he sets off with the ball. He needs at least a little support -- enough perhaps to let him get past the first wave on occasion, if he's to break a long one.
He has yet to learn the shiftiness to make significant positive progress without a good supporting blocking cast -- something which AB seems to manage -- but if he got a seam, I'm sure he'd take it some distance. There have been no seams.

[JoshBroski]

It wasn't incredibly stupid. Your reaction is though. Blount did average 29.1 per KO attempt with NE last year, on 17 attempt. Archer was having a tough time getting it going. Blount is a different body type. Much heavier. I can understand the logic of it. Archer couldn't break through that initial wave, but maybe a more powerful runner like Blount could. He got a chance and didn't make anything happen. It doesn't mean it was incredibly stupid to try or that under different circumstances, he might not have some success.

I wasn't aware Blount averaged 29.1 yards per KO attempt in NE. Those are pretty surprising numbers. But what I saw on Sunday was exactly what I and most fans expected to see. A runner who was so slow that the KO coverage was able to reach him before he even reached the 12 yard line. I agree with the Archer benching (for the meantime), just not with the player they picked.

[JoshBroski]

most good kick returns don't involve breaking a tackle at the 10 yard line. I know Archer is fast but they still need to block for him.

^+1.

I think the problem with Archer is he's relying on his speed too much and not using his vision to find a gap or seam to run through. It could be the blocking too I honestly haven't watched the returns to closely.

[WVSteelerfan]

Archer hasn't had a chance. Our kick return blocking is horrible. The set up scheme is horrible. It wouldn't matter if he returned every kick for a touchdown, they'd all get called back for holding.

[Oviedo]

Archer hasn't had a chance. Our kick return blocking is horrible. The set up scheme is horrible. It wouldn't matter if he returned every kick for a touchdown, they'd all get called back for holding.

Spot on! Need to actually slow down the tacklers a little bit.