Kelvin Benjamin is not our 'Megatron'

[CharlottePanther]

So tell me something PantherTrain (ah, excuse me, I meant CharlottePanther), should we beat the Saints Thursday night, which team do you pull for then?

Just trying to keep track of the plan.

PantherTrain.. Wow, thats a blast from the past, I miss an inferior site from time to time. Good times.. Anyway, im over it. I cant stop supporting the Panthers, ive tried and tried and I just cant, its so awkward pulling for another team.

Im back to supporting this team, frankly I have no choice because it just comes too natural backing this team I literally cant back another team no matter how hard I try, oh and I do try, trust me. Its like being right handed and trying your best to learn to write with your left hand but its just near impossible. Thats how it is when I stop supporting the Panthers and try to back another team, its strange.

I will say this though, I do honestly hope Colston has a great game and the Saints D play well because im up $150 on fanduel and I just have the Saints D and Colston left to play to claim my winnings lol.

[CharlottePanther]

So tell me something PantherTrain (ah, excuse me, I meant CharlottePanther), should we beat the Saints Thursday night, which team do you pull for then?

Just trying to keep track of the plan.

PantherTrain.. Wow, thats a blast from the past, I miss an inferior site from time to time. Good times.. Anyway, im over it. I cant stop supporting the Panthers, ive tried and tried and I just cant, its so awkward pulling for another team.

Im back to supporting this team, frankly I have no choice because it just comes too natural backing this team I literally cant back another team no matter how hard I try, oh and I do try, trust me. Its like being right handed and trying your best to learn to write with your left hand but its just near impossible. Thats how it is when I stop supporting the Panthers and try to back another team, its strange.

I will say this though, I do honestly hope Colston has a great game and the Saints D play well because im up $150 on fanduel and I just have the Saints D and Colston left to play to claim my winnings lol.

[AKPantherFan]

He's our Jimmy Graham.

Benjamin isn't quite as fast as Calvin Johnson. But let's be clear on this: He doesn't need to be.

Generally speaking, the guys who are big enough to stand alongside Benjamin don't have the skills to cover a receiver. And likewise, the guys with the skill to cover a pass catcher aren't big enough to overpower someone Benjamin's size.

Basically, his size and catch radius make him a matchup nightmare for defenders even if they do keep up with him.

That's exactly what Jimmy Graham does for the Saints.

"But Graham is a tight end" you say?

Is he?

We know the NFL ruled that he is, but when you watch how the Saints use him, he's not limited to the traditional tight end role. they know they can line him up anywhere on the field and he'll cause matchup problems for whomever is stuck with the job of covering him.

Just like we can do with Benjamin.

So yes, they play different positions, but the same role. And as such, we can create the same kind of problems the Saints have created with Graham.

Megatron? He's a once in a decade kind of athletic freak that likely no one in the league can compare to now or for many years to come. I see a lot of people expecting Benjamin to be that too. And honestly, expecting him to be that sort of player isn't realistic.

But don't think for a minute that this is a slight to him. It's most definitely not.

Jimmy Graham is a pretty unique player too, and you could argue that a lot of what the Saints do revolves around him.

We now have a guy that we can use to do the same things. And I for one, speaking as a guy who was against his drafting, am extremely happy about that

I think the biggest thing is KB is just now learning how to be a pro.

He will come back next season bigger faster and stronger.

I think the kid has a lot of potential.

[Johnny Rockets]

Let me know when Jimmy Graham is getting double covered by the likes of Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas.  Graham is a TE and gets played by most defenses as what he is - a dangerous, elite TE.  Benjamin is a WR and gets played by most defenses as what he is - a dangerous #1 WR.

 

Ummm...how about the last time they played? Seattle doubled him all game and made it their priority to take him out of the game and they did. That's the game where Seattle called him overrated and soft. 

[Mr. Scot]

Pretty much.

 

If you don't think teams are putting a big defensive focus on stopping Jimmy Graham, you're not watching.

 

(granted, he's been hurt a lot this season)

[B.BERSIN]

Can he just be our Kelvin Benjamin?

 

Calvin Johnson and Jimmy sucker Graham could be their KB one day.

[JawnyBlaze]

Talib shut Jimmy down. But Talib is a special kind of corner. Anyone calling Jimmy soft cause of that one game is ridiculous.

Jimmy was shadowed by Joe Haden against the Browns earlier in the year, who many think is the best pure man coverage corner in the league. His stat line? 10-118-2. Go ahead and cherry pick that one game out of a great career if it makes you feel better.

Not only would I probably disagree what Haden is the best cover corner but Graham has a good foot on Haden. It's not that hard when Graham's standing reach is almost higher than Haden's vertical...

Not saying Graham isn't the best TE in the game, he is, but call a spade a spade. He's a TE. And he's a douche.

[saints4life25]

Not only would I probably disagree what Haden is the best cover corner but Graham has a good foot on Haden. It's not that hard when Graham's standing reach is almost higher than Haden's vertical...

Not saying Graham isn't the best TE in the game, he is, but call a spade a spade. He's a TE. And he's a douche.

Many people would disagree, until they look at the stats. The guy shadows the oppositions beat receiver more than any other corner in football. He allows the lowest completion percentage and one of the lowest yards per coverage snap in the league. Haden is a beast.

Jimmy having a foot on him also just further proves my point. Guys like Talib don't grow on trees. His size and speed combo is ridiculous. He's the only single players I've ever seen cover Jimmy Graham effectively.

I actually really like the KB and Graham comparison. I've talked about it before. Their physical measurables are almost identical.

[XClown1986]

I've said it before. More than any player, he reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald

[JawnyBlaze]

Many people would disagree, until they look at the stats. The guy shadows the oppositions beat receiver more than any other corner in football. He allows the lowest completion percentage and one of the lowest yards per coverage snap in the league. Haden is a beast.

Jimmy having a foot on him also just further proves my point. Guys like Talib don't grow on trees. His size and speed combo is ridiculous. He's the only single players I've ever seen cover Jimmy Graham effectively.

I actually really like the KB and Graham comparison. I've talked about it before. Their physical measurables are almost identical.

Haden is really good, and one of the top CBs in the league. I don't doubt he usually covers the best WR because 6'5 receivers aren't that common. I can't see him having much success against Megatron or VJax if he has a real QB throwing at him. We'll see how he does against KB , but I doubt he does any better than Sherman+Thomas. My point about Haden wasn't that he's not a good CB, it's that he's not physically able to match up well with TEs and big WRs. I'd be curious how they use him against NE. Gronk is far and away their best pass catcher but the thought of Haden trying to cover him is laughable.

Physically, Graham and KB are similar. But KB is a WR, Graham is a TE. They play different roles. If Graham actually played WR he'd be middle of the pack of what's considered good. He sure as hell wouldn't be in any pro bowls or getting top 5 contracts.

[saints4life25]

Haden is really good, and one of the top CBs in the league. I don't doubt he usually covers the best WR because 6'5 receivers aren't that common. I can't see him having much success against Megatron or VJax if he has a real QB throwing at him. We'll see how he does against KB , but I doubt he does any better than Sherman+Thomas. My point about Haden wasn't that he's not a good CB, it's that he's not physically able to match up well with TEs and big WRs. I'd be curious how they use him against NE. Gronk is far and away their best pass catcher but the thought of Haden trying to cover him is laughable.

Physically, Graham and KB are similar. But KB is a WR, Graham is a TE. They play different roles. If Graham actually played WR he'd be middle of the pack of what's considered good. He sure as hell wouldn't be in any pro bowls or getting top 5 contracts.

I understand what you're saying about Hayden. And that's what makes guys like Graham and KB such match up nightmares.

Everything you said in the last paragraph is opinion. Not facts. Graham is split out wide on plenty of snaps and has dominated against top teir cornerbacks other than Haden. He abused Patrick Peterson last year. If it was as simple as just stick a conerback on him, why don't teams actually do it with success? One would think that defensive coordinators would have figured that out by now. Jimmy is a beast. I don't care who is lined up across from him.

[JawnyBlaze]

I understand what you're saying about Hayden. And that's what makes guys like Graham and KB such match up nightmares.

Everything you said in the last paragraph is opinion. Not facts. Graham is split out wide on plenty of snaps and has dominated against top teir cornerbacks other than Haden. He abused Patrick Peterson last year. If it was as simple as just stick a conerback on him, why don't teams actually do it with success? One would think that defensive coordinators would have figured that out by now. Jimmy is a beast. I don't care who is lined up across from him.

I'm not saying his production would diminish if he was always covered by a WR, I'm saying his numbers are not that of an elite WR. Just a good one. He typically gets what, 1000-1100 yards and 10ish TDs a year? That's elite for a TE. Not a WR. That's why he wouldn't be pro bowl/top 5 as a WR.

[davos]

I've said it before. More than any player, he reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald

 

This.  He has a lot of similar traits with Fitz and Brandon Marshall.  

 

He's of course on the greener side right now but I see him blooming into someone with similar production...pending getting a competent offense rolling here.  

[saints4life25]

I'm not saying his production would diminish if he was always covered by a WR, I'm saying his numbers are not that of an elite WR. Just a good one. He typically gets what, 1000-1100 yards and 10ish TDs a year? That's elite for a TE. Not a WR. That's why he wouldn't be pro bowl/top 5 as a WR.

From 2011 to 2013 he averaged 90 catches for about 1100 yards and 12 TDs. Damn good for a receiver or tight end. He's fought through injuries in 2012 and 2013 as well.