Nick Bolton wins NFL defensive rookie of the month

[-King-]

Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Month! (October)@ohthatsNajee22 | @_nickbolton2 pic.twitter.com/GiVZaAXUK8

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2021

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by chiefforlife

I agree, I was just wondering if there was something you see in Hitch that makes him fit the Sam or if hes just better than the other options and goes in by default.

default.



Hitch has some physicality, but is terrible in coverage of course. SAM is probably what he's best suited to at the moment, although that's probably still average at best.

I wouldn't have him on the field in subs, but they seem to insist on playing Niemann in subs which is frustrating. I mean, if he's smarter than Gay but can't physically get where he needs to go is that really better? Or is he better in coverage than Bolton? Because I don't believe so. So I don't know why he's in there at all. I wouldn't have him take defensive snaps unless Bolton, Gay, or Hitchens is injured at all.

And I wouldn't have Sorensen in there either, ever. I'd play a mix of Watts and D'OD instead because depending on what you want to focus on either would be better.

But what do I know?

[Hammock Parties]

LB went from a weakness to a strength fast.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by MGRS13

Hitch could lose 6 steps and still be 25 steps better then Nieman

This!

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by chiefforlife

I agree, I was just wondering if there was something you see in Hitch that makes him fit the Sam or if hes just better than the other options and goes in by default.

I'd say simply by default.

[Rainbarrel]

AFC South rookie of the year if he broke Henry's foot.

[ChiefBlueCFC]

Very nice! He seems to be coming along nicely and getting better every week. Really hope Hitch can get healthy soon so we can have a LB core of Hitch Gay and Bolton. anything for the terrible two to get off the field...

[O.city]

Amazing what happens when you play young guys and ask them to do what they're good at.

Just put him in the middle and leave him with Gay on the weakside and let Willie run around and make plays. Put Hitch at the Sam and let him play the run and blitz a little.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

default.



Hitch has some physicality, but is terrible in coverage of course. SAM is probably what he's best suited to at the moment, although that's probably still average at best.

I wouldn't have him on the field in subs, but they seem to insist on playing Niemann in subs which is frustrating. I mean, if he's smarter than Gay but can't physically get where he needs to go is that really better? Or is he better in coverage than Bolton? Because I don't believe so. So I don't know why he's in there at all. I wouldn't have him take defensive snaps unless Bolton, Gay, or Hitchens is injured at all.

And I wouldn't have Sorensen in there either, ever. I'd play a mix of Watts and D'OD instead because depending on what you want to focus on either would be better.

But what do I know?

I think a lot of coaches feel that being a step slow but in the right spot will cost you 5-6 yards and leave you something for your teammates to clean up at worst. Whereas being in the wrong place altogether creates a coverage breakdown that costs you 6 points.

But I also think there's a thresshold level of athleticism required for playability. I don't think Hitchens has fallen below that level so I'd be happy to have him back and let him round out that LB corps.

But Sorensen has fallen below that level. When national broadcasts are pointing him out and talking about how teams are just locating and attacking him, it's pretty bad. You've got Riddick and Manning specifically noting that teams are finding him and going after him. Writers for national sites are tweeting out "The Packers have 5 days to teach Jordan Love who Daniel Sorensen is..."

It's just beyond satire at this point. He just can't do the job. He's not an NFL player anymore.

[Gravedigger]

We've ignored our LBs for far too long, good to see returns on those investments. Now to work on our secondary...

[FringeNC]

Impressive considering it is one of the worst Ds in NFL history.

[Chargem]

Just another example of how bad the Chiefs have been with personnel decisions. You lose one of the highest paid defenders and the defense looks the same if not even better without him.

They used to always say how much value Hitchens added in getting the defense lined up, but there's been no change there without him in either.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

Impressive considering it is one of the worst Ds in NFL history.

Not anymore. Chiefs have quietly improved to 25th. So eat shit.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think a lot of coaches feel that being a step slow but in the right spot will cost you 5-6 yards and leave you something for your teammates to clean up at worst. Whereas being in the wrong place altogether creates a coverage breakdown that costs you 6 points.

But I also think there's a thresshold level of athleticism required for playability. I don't think Hitchens has fallen below that level so I'd be happy to have him back and let him round out that LB corps.

But Sorensen has fallen below that level. When national broadcasts are pointing him out and talking about how teams are just locating and attacking him, it's pretty bad. You've got Riddick and Manning specifically noting that teams are finding him and going after him. Writers for national sites are tweeting out "The Packers have 5 days to teach Jordan Love who Daniel Sorensen is..."

It's just beyond satire at this point. He just can't do the job. He's not an NFL player anymore.

yeah, I mean, I understand that, but if you're just going to get killed I'd rather at least get killed with the young athletic players who potentially learn as opposed to the guys who just can't get it done no matter what.

a blown coverage pisses me off way less than the Sorensen **** ups.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think a lot of coaches feel that being a step slow but in the right spot will cost you 5-6 yards and leave you something for your teammates to clean up at worst. Whereas being in the wrong place altogether creates a coverage breakdown that costs you 6 points.

But I also think there's a thresshold level of athleticism required for playability. I don't think Hitchens has fallen below that level so I'd be happy to have him back and let him round out that LB corps.

But Sorensen has fallen below that level. When national broadcasts are pointing him out and talking about how teams are just locating and attacking him, it's pretty bad. You've got Riddick and Manning specifically noting that teams are finding him and going after him. Writers for national sites are tweeting out "The Packers have 5 days to teach Jordan Love who Daniel Sorensen is..."

It's just beyond satire at this point. He just can't do the job. He's not an NFL player anymore.

Hell someone on Twitter (I think it was) even pointed out other teams are scheming their offensive play calling specifically to get us into dime JUST to get Sorenson on the field to exploit him. Then they run hurry up so we can't sub him out.

You're right about the satire....if it were any team other than ours it would be freaking hilarious, but it's not so it isn't at all.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

yeah, I mean, I understand that, but if you're just going to get killed I'd rather at least get killed with the young athletic players who potentially learn as opposed to the guys who just can't get it done no matter what.

a blown coverage pisses me off way less than the Sorensen **** ups.

For me the answer's easy - Bolton isn't someone who's going to get orders of magnitude more athletic. This is who he is athletically. So if you plan on him being your Mike long-term, you need him to be at least credible in coverage.

Well that's not gonna happen through getting faster. It can EASILY happen by getting smarter, though. And Bolton's a damn intuitive player - always has been going back to his Mizzou days (full disclosure: I've been a stan since his sophomore year when he took over for Terez Hall without missing a beat).

And the way that's going to happen is with reps. With his football savvy, it's going to come faster than some people think. We'd see substantial development there in-season, IMO.

So Bolton's a 3-down guy for me unless you're in a Dime or a 3rd and long. Gay is my other Nickel backer because he's such a unicorn athletically. Sure, he'll make some mistakes. He may ALWAYS make some mistakes. But he's a freak so you let him play through those.

Hitch becomes the base Sam in the same way Damien Wilson was last season. And to be completely honest, this team misses Damien Wilson in a big way. He was a damn solid player for us. If Bolton can replace what Hitchens gave us last season (when he was a good player) and you can shell game Hitchens into what Wilson gave us with Gay replacing Niemann's contributions (when he was actually fairly decent in 2020) then you have a damn nice LB corps.

It doesn't seem terribly complicated to me.