Nate Washington

[frankthetank1]

Re: Nate Washington

I was a HUGE Nate backer til this year.

Nate just doesn't have "natural" pass catching ability. Especially w/ a defender on him. Can he make plays, sure ... i give him credit for that ... but at the end of the day, I can't justify giving this guy a starters contract at the end of the season.

no way he will get starters money from any team

[Oviedo]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

[SidSmythe]

Re: Nate Washington

I was a HUGE Nate backer til this year.

Nate just doesn't have "natural" pass catching ability. Especially w/ a defender on him. Can he make plays, sure ... i give him credit for that ... but at the end of the day, I can't justify giving this guy a starters contract at the end of the season.

no way he will get starters money from any team

I bet he does depending on the FA market for WR. If it's thin, a team desperate for a WR will throw some nice money at Nate.

Especially if he comes up big in the playoffs. Remember Larry Brown???

[ikestops85]

Re: Nate Washington

I've never been a big fan of Nate. He has always been too inconsistent for my tastes. As a #3 receiver I think we have had better and we have had worse (Ced). However, my estimation of him as a player took a huge leap yesterday (pun intended) when he jumped up from that injury. That to me gave the team a big emotional lift which the offense definitely needed.

While I think Nate has improved this year the receiving corp as a whole has regressed. They have had far too many drops, far too many pre-snap penalties, and far too many mental mistakes (i.e. not recognizing the blitz and running a hot route). They also do not do well going for that 50/50 ball which the good receivers have the knack of catching.

Now that I said this I don't think the problem stems from a lack of ability. For some reason the passing game has been out of sync for most of the year. They have too much talent for it to stay that way so I can only hope they break out of their doldrums come playoff time. If that happens look for this team to start obliterating their opponents.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Nate Washington

meanwhile....

Santonio had another drop...

(hines did, too, but, I've been arguing that Santonio was more concerning to me than Nate - some disagreed).

But Santonio came up huge with the 47 yard bomb, the 35 yard punt return, and the sideline catch in the red zone in which he kept both feet in bounds after Ben escaped a Cowboy sack.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Re: Nate Washington

meanwhile....

Santonio had another drop...

(hines did, too, but, I've been arguing that Santonio was more concerning to me than Nate - some disagreed).

But Santonio came up huge with the 47 yard bomb, the 35 yard punt return, and the sideline catch in the red zone in which he kept both feet in bounds after Ben escaped a Cowboy sack.

That doesn't mean the drop didn't happen.

There have been quite a few games where Nate makes plays, then gets a drop and all people remember is the drop.

People forgive Santonio for his drops. They don't forgive Nate. I'm not sure why.

I've argued that for most of this season.

(I'm convinced Santonio has more drops than Nate).

[steelblood]

Re: Nate Washington

I like Nate, but he does not catch contested balls well at all. He has little strength in his arms and hands to secure the jump ball when a back is hammering at him.

[papillon]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

Which Steeler receiver makes plays in traffic? I don't mean catching a ball in the middle and getting rocked, they all do that, including Nate. I mean goes up and out battles a DB for the ball like TO. None of the Steeler WRs do that very well, hopefully, Sweed will be that guy very soon.

Pappy

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

Which Steeler receiver makes plays in traffic? I don't mean catching a ball in the middle and getting rocked, they all do that, including Nate. I mean goes up and out battles a DB for the ball like TO. None of the Steeler WRs do that very well, hopefully, Sweed will be that guy very soon.

Pappy

receivers are human, too... it's ahrd to catch a ball if a couple of 225 lb men are trying to prevent it. MOST WRs don't make catches in traffic.

[papillon]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

Which Steeler receiver makes plays in traffic? I don't mean catching a ball in the middle and getting rocked, they all do that, including Nate. I mean goes up and out battles a DB for the ball like TO. None of the Steeler WRs do that very well, hopefully, Sweed will be that guy very soon.

Pappy

receivers are human, too... it's ahrd to catch a ball if a couple of 225 lb men are trying to prevent it. MOST WRs don't make catches in traffic.

That's my point, I like Nate and his ability to get open recently. Teams are finding out that it's not difficult for him to get behind them and yesterday I saw Ben actually throw one before Nate was open down the sideline. A little bit farther out in front of Nate and he could have potentially caught it, as it was, the DB was able to wait and get a hand in to knock it away.

Pappy

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

Which Steeler receiver makes plays in traffic? I don't mean catching a ball in the middle and getting rocked, they all do that, including Nate. I mean goes up and out battles a DB for the ball like TO. None of the Steeler WRs do that very well, hopefully, Sweed will be that guy very soon.

Pappy

receivers are human, too... it's ahrd to catch a ball if a couple of 225 lb men are trying to prevent it. MOST WRs don't make catches in traffic.

That's my point, I like Nate and his ability to get open recently. Teams are finding out that it's not difficult for him to get behind them and yesterday I saw Ben actually throw one before Nate was open down the sideline. A little bit farther out in front of Nate and he could have potentially caught it, as it was, the DB was able to wait and get a hand in to knock it away.

Pappy

agree with you, pap...

Not that Nate hasn't had any drops, he certainly has (as all WRs do). But, why is it that people hate him when he does it?

[Jigawatts]

Re: Nate Washington

Not that Nate hasn't had any drops, he certainly has (as all WRs do). But, why is it that people hate him when he does it?

Because he's from Tiffin and most people think he doesn't even belong on the field.
So a drop here and there justifies their thinking.

What about Holmes? He has way to many drops for a first round pick, but I don't think
he gets bashed as much as Nate.

[papillon]

Re: Nate Washington

While Nate is getting better he still does not make tough catches in traffic where he has to outfight the DB for the ball. I'm not sure if that is just learning to position your body or getting stronger but most of his successful catches he seems to have to be wide open.

I also don't think that he will be viewed by the league in the off season as anything more than a #3 receiver. No way he gets starter money.

Which Steeler receiver makes plays in traffic? I don't mean catching a ball in the middle and getting rocked, they all do that, including Nate. I mean goes up and out battles a DB for the ball like TO. None of the Steeler WRs do that very well, hopefully, Sweed will be that guy very soon.

Pappy

receivers are human, too... it's ahrd to catch a ball if a couple of 225 lb men are trying to prevent it. MOST WRs don't make catches in traffic.

That's my point, I like Nate and his ability to get open recently. Teams are finding out that it's not difficult for him to get behind them and yesterday I saw Ben actually throw one before Nate was open down the sideline. A little bit farther out in front of Nate and he could have potentially caught it, as it was, the DB was able to wait and get a hand in to knock it away.

Pappy

agree with you, pap...

Not that Nate hasn't had any drops, he certainly has (as all WRs do). But, why is it that people hate him when he does it?

I'm not sure, typically, Steeler fans love the underdog, Rocky Bleier, Merrill Hoge, etc. I'm not sure why the hate for Nate. I continue to hope that the Steelers can get a deal done with him for another 4 or 5 years. He's had a longer learning curve, but, I believe it's startgin to pay off. I'd hate to lose the ROI on him by sending him packing.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

Re: Nate Washington

everyone has to have a player they hate and Nate is ours.. dude could catch 6 TD's in one game but let Nate drop a 5 yard out on 1st down... that is all the haters will talk about.

makes no sense... Ward and Holmes have dropped twice as many passes but Nates drop will always be the one remembered cause of how he started his career here.

Same with Mendenhall...he is already known as "injury prone fumblehall" LOL!!

first impressions.. I'm just glad we are fans and not coaches..

Timmons would be gone..
Nate.. gone
Troy P.. gone

[Jooser]

Re: Nate Washington

I think noone can deny he drops alot of easy ones. But, ya know, so do some of the best, most overpaid WRs in the league. I have to agree he's a good 3rd WR option who has made more 'Big Plays' this year than Santokio or Hines. He is definitely improving and I like his speed. Just get some stick um Nate!