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Ryan Mathews, not tough enough?


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With all the hype surrounding Mathews, there are some doubters

:link:

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/44843/is-ryan-mathews-ready-for-increased-role

 

I drafted him in my main league the last two years, as a rookie in the 1st round of a 2 player keeper(1 offense and 1 IDP) and lost,in part because of it and got him in the 6th round last year and won, somewhat because of it. He has a deep skill set, but I worry about his attitude and toughness and don't know if I can buy into the workhorse hype :thinking:

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I'd take the opinion of Norv Turner over a Scouts Inc. writer though injuries are always a concern with any RB - only half of the top ten scorers managed to last all 16 games last year. Mathews was already 7th best scoring for RBs last year and that was with Tolbert stealing 10 TDs and over 200 touches. It all bodes well for Mathews.

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I would draft him and then trade him when his value is high....I like his ability a lot but do not believe he can hold up for more than 8 or 9 weeks....or I see him getting hurt week 5 and then coming back week 11 or so which is about 10 or 11 games, but he holds too much of a risk after the 1st month of the season...imo anyways..

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IMO his toughness and mental attitude is not the issue. The issue is injuries and fumbling. IF he can avoid injury and hold on to the rock, he will have a very good year. We'll just have to see. :fingerscrossed:

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I understand the concerns about Mathews and share some of them myself, but is there anybody who would actually pass on him late in the first round or early the second? He just has so much upside if healthy that I could never pass on him even if might want to. Especially in light of the concerns almost every RB seems to have this season.

Edited by Papajohn
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I understand the concerns about Mathews and share some of them myself, but is there anybody who would actually pass on him late in the first round or early the second? He just has so much upside if healthy that I could never pass on him even if might want to. Especially in light of the concerns almost every RB seems to have this season.

 

 

Maybe not but i know like him less than most so he'll be gone b/f i have a chance to pick him.

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IMO his toughness and mental attitude is not the issue. The issue is injuries and fumbling. IF he can avoid injury and hold on to the rock, he will have a very good year. We'll just have to see. :fingerscrossed:

 

 

+1

Without VJax and Tolbert, Mathews could put up LT numbers...IF!

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I think people aren't looking at factors that helped lead Mathews to being injured.

His rookie year he had fluke injuries from people falling on him at weird angles. They could/would have taken anyone out.

 

Last year during the lockout he was unable to work with the coaching staff/strength and conditioning staff. He worked out on his own, but didn't work out correctly. He spent a lot of time trying to get in shape, and trying to play catch up can lead the the nagging injuries that he had last year.

 

Mathews has since stated that he understands what is expected of him, and he's taken every opportunity to be exactly what the Chargers want to be.

 

I view Mathews as the no.2 RB to own in fantasy leagues.

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I think people aren't looking at factors that helped lead Mathews to being injured.

His rookie year he had fluke injuries from people falling on him at weird angles. They could/would have taken anyone out.

 

Last year during the lockout he was unable to work with the coaching staff/strength and conditioning staff. He worked out on his own, but didn't work out correctly. He spent a lot of time trying to get in shape, and trying to play catch up can lead the the nagging injuries that he had last year.

 

Mathews has since stated that he understands what is expected of him, and he's taken every opportunity to be exactly what the Chargers want to be.

 

I view Mathews as the no.2 RB to own in fantasy leagues.

 

 

:tup: I was amazed he got back on the field his rookie year after that ugly ankle injury. The way it looked on replay brought back images of Thiesman's "SNAP". :sick:

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Last year during the lockout he was unable to work with the coaching staff/strength and conditioning staff. He worked out on his own, but didn't work out correctly. He spent a lot of time trying to get in shape, and trying to play catch up can lead the the nagging injuries that he had last year.

 

 

 

 

Apparently all of the other feature backs had access to coaching staff and conditioning coaches during the lockout, as none of them failed the conditioning test? Mathews knew what was expected of him and was not prepared. So far he has not shown the commitment it takes to take on a feature role. He was annointed the starter his rookie year and lost snaps to an undrafted free agent. Last year he lost snaps to that same undrafted free agent. Why is it so easy to believe he will be ready this year? Running the football in the NFL is an attitude and so far Mathews has come up short, maybe this is the year he grows a pair, I'm just not willing to drop a top ten pick to find out :thinking:

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Apparently all of the other feature backs had access to coaching staff and conditioning coaches during the lockout, as none of them failed the conditioning test? Mathews knew what was expected of him and was not prepared. So far he has not shown the commitment it takes to take on a feature role. He was annointed the starter his rookie year and lost snaps to an undrafted free agent. Last year he lost snaps to that same undrafted free agent. Why is it so easy to believe he will be ready this year? Running the football in the NFL is an attitude and so far Mathews has come up short, maybe this is the year he grows a pair, I'm just not willing to drop a top ten pick to find out :thinking:

 

 

When you look at what's out there, Mathews is worth the top ten pick based on the fact that nobody else appears to be in line to take away much of his work and Norv's history as a coach with every down RBs. The best we can do is go with our gut after seeing what we see on the field. And there was some evidence at the tail end of last season that Mathews can be the guy. Could he get injured? Sure. But so can anyone? The idea of being injury prone is a bit blown out of proportion in most cases. These guys are in the NFL taking a lot of abuse regularly. They are all in the line of fire. Or is it a question of heart / mental toughness? Have we seen enough to feel confident that we can label him as soft?

 

Seriously, beyond Rice, Foster, McCoy at RB, things get muddy pretty quick at RB. MJD? Chris Johnson? Forte? McFadden? AP? Who's in your top ten ahead of Mathews? I can see Rodgers and Calvin Johnson possibly as non-RB picks in the top 10. And maybe you like one more non-RB somewhere (Brees maybe) in the top ten. That still makes 7 RBs you'd take over Mathews...

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Apparently all of the other feature backs had access to coaching staff and conditioning coaches during the lockout, as none of them failed the conditioning test? Mathews knew what was expected of him and was not prepared. So far he has not shown the commitment it takes to take on a feature role. He was annointed the starter his rookie year and lost snaps to an undrafted free agent. Last year he lost snaps to that same undrafted free agent. Why is it so easy to believe he will be ready this year? Running the football in the NFL is an attitude and so far Mathews has come up short, maybe this is the year he grows a pair, I'm just not willing to drop a top ten pick to find out :thinking:

 

No, none of them had access to the coaching staff. There was a lockout in place. Mathews himself said he didn't know how to prepare in the off season. He did workout, but did so on his own, and worked out incorrectly for his job. If you go back in read the reports, Mathews wasn't out of shape, he wasn't in the right shape for his position. The reports talked about how he failed his fitness test, but how his calfs looked mutant size big. Tolbert is a very skilled guy and isn't just some UDFA guy. Norv saw it work with the duo in 2010, and used it in 2011... Because it worked.

To answer the question as to why is he now ready to be the workhorse, just look at his off season and everything he's said.

He's been in the weight room and at the facility all the time, he's following the teams plan for him and is doing everything physically and mentally to be that guy.

I think that a lot of of just assume that every NFL player has the professionalism and work ethic Manning or Larry Fitzgerald. Ryan Mathews was a 21, 22 year old kid. Say what you will, but it does take time for some of these guys to mature.

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How come these guys hire trainers for the draft, but not the offseason?

 

Because the 22 year old kid thought his workout was good enough? And the players coming out of college and into the NFL don't hire trainers, the agency that reps them does all of that. From hiring to paying those guys.

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No, none of them had access to the coaching staff. There was a lockout in place. Mathews himself said he didn't know how to prepare in the off season. He did workout, but did so on his own, and worked out incorrectly for his job. If you go back in read the reports, Mathews wasn't out of shape, he wasn't in the right shape for his position. The reports talked about how he failed his fitness test, but how his calfs looked mutant size big.

 

I'm assuming you don't know what a conditioning test is so I'll explain. It's a 300 hundred yard shuttle, run from the goal line out to the 25 yard line and back, six times. The players are expected to run it within a certain time based on position with heavier players given increased time limit. Mathews is a RUNNING BACK, running is part of his job title and he showed up unprepared to do it. Elite NFL running backs are hungry and prepared, showing up to activities ill prepared to run a shuttle drill speaks volumes to where his mind was last season and unless he's matured a lot he will be a frustrating player for Turner, Smith, and any fantasy football owner who risk atop ten pick on him. If I'm wrong I'll readily admit it, unlike most of he big mouths on these boards.

Edited by Big Ernie McCracken
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Elite NFL running backs are hungry and prepared, showing up to ctivities I'll prepared to run a shuttle drill speaks volumes

 

As a Hawk fan I sure hope that Marshawn Lynch is serious after signing a contract, and ready I'll prepared to speak volumes. Unfortunately, I was at ctivities a few days ago and didn't see him at the shuttle drill.

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Mathews himself said he didn't know how to prepare in the off season. He did workout, but did so on his own, and worked out incorrectly for his job. If you go back in read the reports, Mathews wasn't out of shape, he wasn't in the right shape for his position. The reports talked about how he failed his fitness test

 

 

I agree that Mathews is a top 7-8 pick. But I think you're cutting him WAY to much slack for coming into 2011 training camp out of shape. Mathew's claim that he "worked out incorrectly" for his position is ridiculous considering he spent the past four years (3 in college and one in the pros) under the tutelage of Div. I/NFL running back and strength coaches. If he didn’t know how to train as a RB after playing football since he was 5, then he’s a moron. Even more telling was him failing the conditioning test. That is simply inexcusable for an “elite” NFL running back.

Edited by White lightning
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I agree that Mathews is a top 7-8 pick. But I think you're cutting him WAY to much slack for coming into 2011 training camp out of shape. Mathew's claim that he "worked out incorrectly" for his position is ridiculous considering he spent the past four years (3 in college and one in the pros) under the tutelage of Div. I/NFL running back and strength coaches. If he didn’t know how to train as a RB after playing football since he was 5, then he’s a moron. Even more telling was him failing the conditioning test. That is simply inexcusable for an “elite” NFL running back.

 

That's the important part. He was always under the tutelage of a coaching staff and a training staff... Then the lockout hits and his access is limited.

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I'm assuming you don't know what a conditioning test is so I'll explain. It's a 300 hundred yard shuttle, run from the goal line out to the 25 yard line and back, six times. The players are expected to run it within a certain time based on position with heavier players given increased time limit. Mathews is a RUNNING BACK, running is part of his job title and he showed up unprepared to do it. Elite NFL running backs are hungry and prepared, showing up to activities ill prepared to run a shuttle drill speaks volumes to where his mind was last season and unless he's matured a lot he will be a frustrating player for Turner, Smith, and any fantasy football owner who risk atop ten pick on him. If I'm wrong I'll readily admit it, unlike most of he big mouths on these boards.

 

Just curious, does every conditioning test work exactly the same way as everyone elses? Were you at the facilities to observe? I'm fairly certain that every training staff has their own tests, and don't use a broad across the league test.

Regardless, last year is last year. Even coming in out of shape he was the no.7 fantasy RB. He's in shape now. The sky is the limit.

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That's the important part. He was always under the tutelage of a coaching staff and a training staff... Then the lockout hits and his access is limited.

 

 

So what you're saying is that he doesn't know how to act like a professional unless someone is baby sitting him, sounds very mature :thinking: As an NFL player being physically and mentally prepared is your job and Mathews showed unprepared to run a shuttle drill. And by the way I would say all NFL conditioning tests are similar if not the same and they all involve running, after all the point of it is simply to see what type of "condition" the players are in. If you can find information to the contrary, please share it.

Edited by Big Ernie McCracken
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I agree 100%....and it wouldn't shock me one bit to see him eclipse Rice.

 

 

At the risk of being called a clown or a clone (again), I do tend to believe that Matthews lacks mental toughness. I could envision an uptick statistically due to an increase in touches....but, that being said, not where you guys are projecting him. Norv may find mixing in Brinkley, Brown or Mcclain also "works".

I can't see how you can say you would'nt be shocked if Matthews "eclipses" Rice when Matthews has missed 6 games in two years and Rice has'nt missed a single game in three years.

Edited by hooknladder
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At the risk of being called a clown or a clone (again), I do tend to believe that Matthews lacks mental toughness. I could envision an uptick statistically due to an increase in touches....but, that being said, not where you guys are projecting him. Norv may find mixing in Brinkley or Mcclain also "works".

I can't see how you can say you would'nt be shocked if Matthews "eclipses" Rice when Matthews has missed 6 games in two years and Rice has'nt missed a single game in three years.

 

As always hook, that's a brilliant and cogent point. Ray Rice is the toughest guy on the field, mentally and physically in every game he plays in. He runs with attitude and you'd better believe he was ready for his conditioning test :thinking:

Edited by Big Ernie McCracken
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