Chiefs Chiefs’ Eric Fisher determined to bounce back after miserable half at Philadelphia - Page 4

**Tribal Warfare** · 09-24-2013, 01:16 PM

Chiefs’ Eric Fisher determined to bounce back after miserable half at Philadelphia
By TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star
By the time the first half of the Chiefs’ 26-16 win over Philadelphia was over Thursday, you could understand if Eric Fisher was a little discouraged.

Sure, the Chiefs led by 10 points. But but Fisher, the rookie right tackle who was taken No. 1 overall in April’s NFL Draft, committed one holding penalty and was beaten for a sack and two hurries by Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin and defensive end Fletcher Cox in 22 first-half passing attempts by quarterback Alex Smith.

It was, perhaps, the worst half of Fisher’s three-game professional career. Pro Football Focus, which grades every NFL player in every game, assigned Fisher a three-game grade of minus-6.7, which ranks worst on the Chiefs and and 52nd out of 55 NFL tackles who have played 75 percent of their team’s snaps.

Fisher, however, is hardly the only highly touted rookie tackle dealing with a learning curve. Pro Football Focus has also assigned negative grades to the four other right tackles drafted in the first round: Jacksonville’s Luke Joeckel ranks 36th at minus-1.9 and Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson and the New York Giants’ Justin Pugh are tied for 48th at minus-5.2. San Diego’s D.J. Fluker has only played two games due to a concussion, but checks in at minus-1.4.

“It’s been tough mentally, physically, emotionally,” Fisher said of his adjustment to the NFL. “You’ve just got to keep your composure. There’s a lot that comes with this game and you roll with the punches.”

Fortunately for the Chiefs, Fisher seemed to do just that in the second half against the Eagles. He was called for one more penalty — a hold on Cox during a running play — but didn’t allow another sack, hit or hurry in 13 pass attempts. He was also a part of an offensive line that helped the Chiefs rush for 98 yards in 21 carries during the second half, effectively putting the Eagles away.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid lauded Fisher, 22, for hanging tough and showing flashes, despite his somewhat uneven transition from left to right tackle.

“I appreciate his effort out here,” Reid said. “He’s just trying to do everything the right way and he battles. Sometimes he gets in awkward positions, and he has the athletic ability and fights his way out of it. It’s not the prettiest picture, but it ends up being a productive play and I appreciate that from him. That you can work with as a coach.”

Reid said the Chiefs will also be able to bulk up Fisher’s 6-foot-7, 306-pound frame.

“Normally they put on about 10 pounds by the time you get to the next season, and he’ll do that,” Reid said, “He has a big frame that he can add some weight to. He’ll get in the weight room with Barry (Rubin) and he’ll have a whole year to do that part.”

Reid, however, stopped short of saying the extra strength alone would rectify some of the negative plays Fisher has made.

“I don’t think it’s all that,” Reid said. “Some of it is just he wants to go attack, which is a good thing — you’d rather have it that way than the other way — he wants to go attack and he’ll over settle, but he’ll learn just to kind of calm himself down a little bit.”

Guard Geoff Schwartz also noted that Fisher has been targeted because of his draft status and the presence of established veteran Branden Albert on the opposite side.

“You’ve got to think, the Eagles and any other team, really, they’re gonna come after that guy,” said Schwartz, a six-year veteran. “Are they gonna come after B.A., or are they come after Fish? They’re gonna come after the young cat. So, that’s the way it is. He knows that, we know that.”

Fisher still managed to make a few impressive plays Thursday. He had a textbook reach block that sprung running back Jamaal Charles for a 3-yard score in the second half, and also drove a linebacker 12 yards downfield on another second-half run.

“There’s definitely different things you see in there that give you hope,” Schwartz said. “Really, some of his issues have been pass blocking and that just comes with time, knowing space, knowing angles, stuff like that. There’s no worry … we’re 3-0.”

Second-year tackle Donald Stephenson hopes the Chiefs’ overall record helps Fisher shrug off his individual defeats, which he found to be the key for surviving as a rookie.

“Because you know it’s going to happen,” said Stephenson, who played in 16 games and started seven last season. “The first thing the vets told me was it’s not college — you’re going to get your butt whupped, sometimes. It’s how you handle it and how you respond. That’s what I tried to do, I just kept my head up and brought it the next game, next play.”

Stephenson and Schwartz said that’s exactly what Fisher has done, as well.

“Everybody struggles that rookie year, and he’s handling it pretty good,” Stephenson said. “He’s always in here working on days off, watching extra film … he’s already acting like a vet. That’s going to pay off for him. The effort is there.”

Fisher seems to understand that for most, the journey toward becoming a good NFL player is not an easy process.

“Everyone makes mistakes in this game,” Fisher said. “I look at the film, I look at my assignments and I learn from those mistakes and do my best to not make them again.

“Everyday, I’m going to be a stronger player.”

DaWolf · 09-24-2013, 04:36 PM

I'm still in shock that a draft was deemed so weak that 3 of the top 4 picks were right tackles...

ReynardMuldrake · 09-24-2013, 04:36 PM

Also, people love small sample sizes around here. Nobody has the patience for the big picture.

Mr. Laz · 09-24-2013, 04:39 PM

new coaching
new system
new group of Oline
young Oline
inexperience Oline

Stalker · 09-24-2013, 04:46 PM

3-0....how bad can our rookie RT be ?????

Brock · 09-24-2013, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stalker

3-0....how bad can our rookie RT be ?????

Is this a joke? Have you seen the qb running for his life lately?

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-24-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReynardMuldrake

It's mostly bad conditioning.

This is absolutely false.

It's the inexperience of Allen, Hudson and Fisher along with technique and chemistry issues.

This line will get better over the course of the season but it has absolutely nothing to do with conditioning.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-24-2013, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaWolf

I'm still in shock that a draft was deemed so weak that 3 of the top 4 picks were right tackles...

Well, look at the Top Ten or Twelve guys drafted this year. No one is impressing.

Mingo and Jordan have like 4 tackles and one sack each. The tackles are struggling. Tavon Austin is struggling. Cooper is out for the year. DJ Haden is crap.

The only guys, IMO, out of the top 15 or so guys that I would swap for Fisher, at this point, are Sheldon Richardson, Lotuleili and possibly Vacarro.

O.city · 09-24-2013, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Well, look at the Top Ten or Twelve guys drafted this year. No one is impressing.

Mingo and Jordan have like 4 tackles and one sack each. The tackles are struggling. Tavon Austin is struggling. Cooper is out for the year. DJ Haden is crap.

The only guys, IMO, out of the top 15 or so guys that I would swap for Fisher, at this point, are Sheldon Richardson, Lotuleili and possibly Vacarro.

KHAN!!!!!

Pablo · 09-24-2013, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stalker

3-0....how bad can our rookie RT be ?????

You've probably watched him play, huh?

lcarus · 09-24-2013, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I think he deserves a job in front office for being the smartest guy in the room

That dude was a Chiefs fan like most of us here. Just stand there and roll with the punches. All you can do really.

That said, Fisher will get better with time. I hope...

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-24-2013, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarus

That said, Fisher will get better with time. I hope...

Well, he can't exactly regress, so there's that.

**RealSNR** · 09-24-2013, 05:23 PM

I would have much rather had Sheldon Richardson over Eric Fisher. But again, the problem there would have been getting him on the field. I have no idea if he's doing well for the Jets this year or not, but you have a KC team that restructured Jackson to basically pay him peanuts for the final year of his contract and who had just signed Mike DeVito to a starter's deal.

For his rookie season anyway, Sheldon at best would be seeing the field through the line rotation, and would have only started in the case of injury. It also makes the defensive line a strong permanent fixture for the next 3-4 seasons, or until DeVito's wheels fall off. We would be getting better RT play for this season, but it would also force our hand in terms of Albert's contract.

But hey, that's pretty much going to happen anyway. I think Dorsey surely must already see that the Chiefs are a way better football team with Branden Albert than without. Albert's probably going to gain some more ground on a longterm deal negotiation with Dorsey than he got last offseason.

Mr. Laz · 09-24-2013, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Well, he can't exactly regress, so there's that.

that's it, tempt fate by saying shit like 'it can't get worse'

Fisher isn't that bad ... he's just not good enough right now

Deberg_1990 · 09-24-2013, 05:24 PM

Tony Mandarich part II

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-24-2013, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

I would have much rather had Sheldon Richardson over Eric Fisher. But again, the problem there would have been getting him on the field. I have no idea if he's doing well for the Jets this year or not, but you have a KC team that restructured Jackson to basically pay him peanuts for the final year of his contract and who had just signed Mike DeVito to a starter's deal.

For his rookie season anyway, Sheldon at best would be seeing the field through the line rotation, and would have only started in the case of injury. It also makes the defensive line a strong permanent fixture for the next 3-4 seasons, or until DeVito's wheels fall off. We would be getting better RT play for this season, but it would also force our hand in terms of Albert's contract.

But hey, that's pretty much going to happen anyway. I think Dorsey surely must already see that the Chiefs are a way better football team with Branden Albert than without.

Lotuleili is playing well, as is Vacarro.

Vacarro and Berry would have been sick.

And Poe-Richardson and/or Poe-Lotuleili wouldn't be too far behind.

09-24-2013, 01:16 PM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $432813	Chiefs’ Eric Fisher determined to bounce back after miserable half at Philadelphia Chiefs’ Eric Fisher determined to bounce back after miserable half at Philadelphia By TEREZ A. PAYLOR The Kansas City Star By the time the first half of the Chiefs’ 26-16 win over Philadelphia was over Thursday, you could understand if Eric Fisher was a little discouraged. Sure, the Chiefs led by 10 points. But but Fisher, the rookie right tackle who was taken No. 1 overall in April’s NFL Draft, committed one holding penalty and was beaten for a sack and two hurries by Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin and defensive end Fletcher Cox in 22 first-half passing attempts by quarterback Alex Smith. It was, perhaps, the worst half of Fisher’s three-game professional career. Pro Football Focus, which grades every NFL player in every game, assigned Fisher a three-game grade of minus-6.7, which ranks worst on the Chiefs and and 52nd out of 55 NFL tackles who have played 75 percent of their team’s snaps. Fisher, however, is hardly the only highly touted rookie tackle dealing with a learning curve. Pro Football Focus has also assigned negative grades to the four other right tackles drafted in the first round: Jacksonville’s Luke Joeckel ranks 36th at minus-1.9 and Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson and the New York Giants’ Justin Pugh are tied for 48th at minus-5.2. San Diego’s D.J. Fluker has only played two games due to a concussion, but checks in at minus-1.4. “It’s been tough mentally, physically, emotionally,” Fisher said of his adjustment to the NFL. “You’ve just got to keep your composure. There’s a lot that comes with this game and you roll with the punches.” Fortunately for the Chiefs, Fisher seemed to do just that in the second half against the Eagles. He was called for one more penalty — a hold on Cox during a running play — but didn’t allow another sack, hit or hurry in 13 pass attempts. He was also a part of an offensive line that helped the Chiefs rush for 98 yards in 21 carries during the second half, effectively putting the Eagles away. Chiefs coach Andy Reid lauded Fisher, 22, for hanging tough and showing flashes, despite his somewhat uneven transition from left to right tackle. “I appreciate his effort out here,” Reid said. “He’s just trying to do everything the right way and he battles. Sometimes he gets in awkward positions, and he has the athletic ability and fights his way out of it. It’s not the prettiest picture, but it ends up being a productive play and I appreciate that from him. That you can work with as a coach.” Reid said the Chiefs will also be able to bulk up Fisher’s 6-foot-7, 306-pound frame. “Normally they put on about 10 pounds by the time you get to the next season, and he’ll do that,” Reid said, “He has a big frame that he can add some weight to. He’ll get in the weight room with Barry (Rubin) and he’ll have a whole year to do that part.” Reid, however, stopped short of saying the extra strength alone would rectify some of the negative plays Fisher has made. “I don’t think it’s all that,” Reid said. “Some of it is just he wants to go attack, which is a good thing — you’d rather have it that way than the other way — he wants to go attack and he’ll over settle, but he’ll learn just to kind of calm himself down a little bit.” Guard Geoff Schwartz also noted that Fisher has been targeted because of his draft status and the presence of established veteran Branden Albert on the opposite side. “You’ve got to think, the Eagles and any other team, really, they’re gonna come after that guy,” said Schwartz, a six-year veteran. “Are they gonna come after B.A., or are they come after Fish? They’re gonna come after the young cat. So, that’s the way it is. He knows that, we know that.” Fisher still managed to make a few impressive plays Thursday. He had a textbook reach block that sprung running back Jamaal Charles for a 3-yard score in the second half, and also drove a linebacker 12 yards downfield on another second-half run. “There’s definitely different things you see in there that give you hope,” Schwartz said. “Really, some of his issues have been pass blocking and that just comes with time, knowing space, knowing angles, stuff like that. There’s no worry … we’re 3-0.” Second-year tackle Donald Stephenson hopes the Chiefs’ overall record helps Fisher shrug off his individual defeats, which he found to be the key for surviving as a rookie. “Because you know it’s going to happen,” said Stephenson, who played in 16 games and started seven last season. “The first thing the vets told me was it’s not college — you’re going to get your butt whupped, sometimes. It’s how you handle it and how you respond. That’s what I tried to do, I just kept my head up and brought it the next game, next play.” Stephenson and Schwartz said that’s exactly what Fisher has done, as well. “Everybody struggles that rookie year, and he’s handling it pretty good,” Stephenson said. “He’s always in here working on days off, watching extra film … he’s already acting like a vet. That’s going to pay off for him. The effort is there.” Fisher seems to understand that for most, the journey toward becoming a good NFL player is not an easy process. “Everyone makes mistakes in this game,” Fisher said. “I look at the film, I look at my assignments and I learn from those mistakes and do my best to not make them again. “Everyday, I’m going to be a stronger player.”
Posts: 42,190

09-24-2013, 04:36 PM	#46
DaWolf Cry havoc... Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10007725	I'm still in shock that a draft was deemed so weak that 3 of the top 4 picks were right tackles...
Posts: 6,798

09-24-2013, 04:36 PM	#47
ReynardMuldrake 2 Legit 2 Colquitt Join Date: Sep 2010 Casino cash: $4125754	Also, people love small sample sizes around here. Nobody has the patience for the big picture.
Posts: 4,725

09-24-2013, 04:39 PM	#48
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	new coaching new system new group of Oline young Oline inexperience Oline __________________
Posts: 95,626

09-24-2013, 04:46 PM	#49
Stalker Starter Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $10004900	3-0....how bad can our rookie RT be ?????
Posts: 170

09-24-2013, 05:23 PM	#57
RealSNR Special Teams ACE!!! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Where the hell is SNR Casino cash: $1880208	I would have much rather had Sheldon Richardson over Eric Fisher. But again, the problem there would have been getting him on the field. I have no idea if he's doing well for the Jets this year or not, but you have a KC team that restructured Jackson to basically pay him peanuts for the final year of his contract and who had just signed Mike DeVito to a starter's deal. For his rookie season anyway, Sheldon at best would be seeing the field through the line rotation, and would have only started in the case of injury. It also makes the defensive line a strong permanent fixture for the next 3-4 seasons, or until DeVito's wheels fall off. We would be getting better RT play for this season, but it would also force our hand in terms of Albert's contract. But hey, that's pretty much going to happen anyway. I think Dorsey surely must already see that the Chiefs are a way better football team with Branden Albert than without. Albert's probably going to gain some more ground on a longterm deal negotiation with Dorsey than he got last offseason.
Posts: 90,822

09-24-2013, 05:24 PM	#59
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3534454	Tony Mandarich part II __________________ Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning: Matt once made a very nice play in Seattle where he spun away from a pass rusher and hit Bowe off his back foot for a first down. One of the best plays Matt has ever made.
Posts: 66,914