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How good is Moats really?

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  • How good is Moats really?

    We saw some interesting stuff last year from him once we went into "rebuilding" mode halfway through. I'm assuming it's safe to say we'll be dressing him every game assuming he has a good camp, and that he will be the changeup RB.

    With all the flak about Westbrook supposedly being an injury waiting to happen, can this guy come in and be a productive runner for us, at least on the par of what we got out of Duce or Bucky at their respective career heights -- it's not like either of those were 1500 yd MVPs at any point.

    I'm pretty confident Moats can step in and replace Westbrook's carries and be at least as productive on the ground if our OL has truly taken that "next step" with the new faces.

    I'm not so sure Moats can be the X-threat out of the backfield and lining up wide that Westbrook gave us. In which case we'd need our TE/WR corp to step up even more than we already do.

  • #2
    I think Moats ends up being a "fastball" that Reid is so fond of. A guy who DCs must account for because he brings speed and quickness to the equation. If Spadaro is right about his receiving skills improving, I imagine we will see situations with Westy and Moats in the backfield at the same time with one or both splitting out. Could be interesting.

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    • #3
      The reports I've read really really are emphasizing that Moats has worked extremely hard to become a huge receiving threat. The word out there is he and Westbrook are lining up in the same backfield a ton and both are flanking out.

      That's freaking exciting.
      Carson Wentz ERA


      NFC East Titles:
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      • #4
        I think the big thing with Moats is blocking...if he can learn/handle the blocking assignments, then we could split Westy out and really attack the defense through the air...

        As a runner, I think he is very solid and can be a threat...size means zero to me, everyone said Emmitt was too small and Darrell Green could not play CB etc. If he stays healthy, Moats can be a weapon IMO.
        Eliminate distractions, create energy, fear nothing, and attack everything.

        -Andy Reid

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        • #5
          Moats has nice instincts and can find the crease and get upfield. If he can control the fumbling and learn his assignments, he'll be a valuable piece of the offense.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Vote for Kalas
            I think the big thing with Moats is blocking...if he can learn/handle the blocking assignments, then we could split Westy out and really attack the defense through the air...

            As a runner, I think he is very solid and can be a threat...size means zero to me, everyone said Emmitt was too small and Darrell Green could not play CB etc. If he stays healthy, Moats can be a weapon IMO.
            Iagree but
            I think Moats is too small to be a good blocker without getting blown out all the time. He'll probably surprise some with his effort to block because of his tenaciousness but I think blocking will always be his achilles heel.
            Emmit ran with a conventional fullback and an incredible line blocking for him. Our line may turn out to be pretty good but we still lack the fullback or another big back. By the end of the year defenses will have to account for Moats but they won't be worried about his blocking.

            Moats has so much of that shifty,electric, elusive stuff you just want to see them find a scheme that works good for him and I'm sure they will but I don't think it will be on an everydown kind of basis. I think the biggest thing that Moats has going for him is his hard work and his attitude, he sees himself being a bigtime back and he'll keep working at it until he is.

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            • #7
              I am standing by my position that Westbrook * Moats * Perry/Buckhalter (hopefully there's enough bandaids, toothpicks, and ductape to hold them together) will give us a return of the three headed monster approach that worked so well for us in 03.

              Moats flashed plenty as a rookie, but it was obvious that his overall game needed work. He's done that, and should be light years ahead of where he was last year when camp opens.

              As far as blocking is concerned, he doesn't have to be a devastating blocker. Most RBs aren't. But, he does have to know his assignments, and get enough of a chip on whoever he's supposed to block to save Donovan's a$$.

              The Eagles will mix up the carries, they will spread it around, they will run the ball more this season, and Moats will make an impact. Book it.

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              • #8
                Just a reminder of Brian Westbrook's first year:


                46 carries for 196 yds, 9 catches for 86 yards.

                Moats:

                55 carries for 208 yds, 4 catches for 7 yards.


                He is where BWest was after year one for all intents and purposes. Another year in the system that he had difficulty picking up is going to work wonders for Moats. He will be a terrific #2 IMO.

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                • #9
                  If Moats can pick up all the blitzes, and not get Donovan killed back there, they can def. put him and Westy in the game together. And BP's right, that is nasty.

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                  • #10
                    Moats is like Westbrook in two other ways as well, for one they are both (now) 5'8" @ 210 lbs and both had a lot to improve on in their rookie blocking ability. The Eagles staff brought Westy up to speed quickly and he is now a very good blocker (and may be better with his added muscle this year). I expect nothing less from Moats this year.

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                    • #11
                      Yes, I agree Moats looks like a dynamic runner in open space, very exciting. In that regard I think he could replace Westbrook. But - and this is a HUGE little talked about "but" - The thing that scares me is his propensity to fumble - especially when you compare him to Westbrook who is about as much of a lock NOT to fumble as you're going to find in the NFL. That aspect of Westbrook's game is possibly one of the most underappreciated talents on the entire Eagles roster.

                      Look at Moats fumbles in college, and look at how many fumbles he had in just a few carries so far in the NFL. That has got to stop for Moats to ever become a viable option.

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                      • #12
                        IMHO, to expect that Moats will develop into another Westbrook is both unrealistic and somewhat undesirable. While their physical similarities are apparent, Westbrook's receiving ability is highly unusual for a back and, although Moats may become a reliable receivier, it's unlikely that he'll ever pose the threat that Westy does.

                        OTOH, let's hope that Moats DOES NOT have the same difficulty running inside that Westbrook does, largely as a result of his frequent indecisiveness/hesitation in hitting the hole.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by SwingOnThis
                          Moats has nice instincts and can find the crease and get upfield. If he can control the fumbling and learn his assignments, he'll be a valuable piece of the offense.
                          I agree here. Ever since I saw him at camp last year the guy has impressed me. Honestly though, I was not aware of his touch of fumblitis, till after he started to play some, and that is a concern. But I think he can learn that(see Tiki) and he can become a very valuable RB.

                          And just watching him hit the holes, he does it a lot more instinctively than Westy does, from my vantage point anyhow.

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                          • #14
                            I want Moats to be well rounded, something that Westy is not. We need defenses to have no idea wha the play is going to be. When Westy is in, they know the play is going to be an outside run...if he stays in the backfield, or he is goingto swing out for passes. They can spy him when sending in personnel and be sure to send in an extra DB isstead of LB for Westy.

                            If Moats can pound inside and catch the ball well, the DC will not know what type of personnel to send in. The safeties wont know if they are covering him or Westy or if there is going to be an isnde or outside run. The entire D will be waiting to watch the play to commit, which gives a good line and fast backs the upper hand.

                            On two TE sets with Moats in the backfield, the DC has to decide how to commit his safeties. Do they worry about the run and stack the box....which will hurt if either TE gets loose. Do they play a sweep and get burned with Moats up the middle after he side steps the only LB in the middle? Do they cover the TE's at the line and watch one of them seal the line and break a blazing Moats ouside like he did twice against the Skins?

                            Moats does not have to be the great receiver that Westy is to be more valuable than Westy. If he can be a good receiver AND pound the ball up the middle, he will be able to keep defenses guessing, which will be very dangerous.
                            Pedro

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Pedro
                              I want Moats to be well rounded, something that Westy is not. We need defenses to have no idea wha the play is going to be. When Westy is in, they know the play is going to be an outside run...if he stays in the backfield, or he is goingto swing out for passes. They can spy him when sending in personnel and be sure to send in an extra DB isstead of LB for Westy.

                              If Moats can pound inside and catch the ball well, the DC will not know what type of personnel to send in. The safeties wont know if they are covering him or Westy or if there is going to be an isnde or outside run. The entire D will be waiting to watch the play to commit, which gives a good line and fast backs the upper hand.

                              On two TE sets with Moats in the backfield, the DC has to decide how to commit his safeties. Do they worry about the run and stack the box....which will hurt if either TE gets loose. Do they play a sweep and get burned with Moats up the middle after he side steps the only LB in the middle? Do they cover the TE's at the line and watch one of them seal the line and break a blazing Moats ouside like he did twice against the Skins?

                              Moats does not have to be the great receiver that Westy is to be more valuable than Westy. If he can be a good receiver AND pound the ball up the middle, he will be able to keep defenses guessing, which will be very dangerous.
                              But couldn't you say that about any running back? Sure, if Running Back X could do everything really well, that RB would be more valuable than Westbrook. The problem is, we don't know for sure that Moats can run up the middle, and we surely don't know that he can be the receiving threat that Westbrook already is.

                              To me, yes, it always seems obvious that if Westbrook gets the ball he's going outside OR usually out for a swing pass.....but.....knowing what was going to happen and stopping it are two different things. Moats is going to have to be awfully good at a lot of different things to be as valuable as Westbrook has been, even with Westbrooks flaws. I know you can't always just look at stats, but the stats speak for themselves. When Westbrook and the rest of the team are healthy - Westbrook was a freaking dynamo even when you know that he has 2 basic tricks in his bag.

                              And as I noted a few posts earlier, even if Moats is able to master everything - if he doesn't learn how to not fumble, he's not going to be useful. Westbrook just never fumbles and it continues to amaze me just how underappreicated that fact is.

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