The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:56 am**

Poll from www.hogshaven.com

At the Break: Does Brandon Banks Deserve a Roster Spot?

We are now in the bye week doldrums, a terrible time when only Caps hockey can save us. I thought with the current bye week that it would present us with an opportunity to look at some of the biggest training camp debates we had here at Hogs Haven (sorry you won't find a Rex vs. Beck recap). Today I'll begin the series with my continued infatuation of Brandon Banks and if his performance warrants a roster spot.

I continue to think, as I did in training camp, that Brandon Banks does not deserve a spot on this team or maybe the NFL in general. What I mean by that, is if Banks was cut would another NFL team really jump on him? I don't think so. Banks is certainly exciting to watch, but I think he is a bit of an optical illusion and I also think he has harmed us more than he's produced this season. Banks has certainly had two productive returns that we benefited from, one versus the Giants and one against the Cardinals, but he continues to plague us with bad starting position and terrible decisions. Ten times this year Banks has failed to get the ball back to the 20 yard line, and would of benefited from taking a knee. He has also barely avoided two HUGE mistakes with a couple of fumbles, something that plagued him in the 2010 preseason. Against Dallas he fumbled a ball in the endzone that nearly escaped to the 1 yard line and would of put our offense with their back against the wall. Then last week in St. Louis, Banks took his eyes off a punt and fumbled in Redskins territory, he recovered but was lucky to do so.

The case to keep Banks usually resides in his big play capability. I keep hearing about how he is going to rattle off a touchdown just about every time someone is going to punt or kick to him, but he has lacked that big play ability in four games this year. Last year Banks was a unknown around the NFL and special teams coaches didn't have much tape on him, well this year is a different story. Banks one punt return move seems to be: he runs to the near side of the field, does a spin move, runs backwards trying to reverse the field. That strategy worked last year, but it seems as if opposing teams are keeping a couple of guys in contain on the far side of the field, so Banks cannot "reverse" the field any longer.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:07 pm**

When he gets his first return for a TD, this guy will change his tune. And if that TD is the difference between winning and losing the game, his value will become obvious.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:08 pm**

Must be really bored.
Of COURSE he deserves a roster spot, that's why Mike allocated him one. Starting at the 16 instead of the 20 hardly hurts the team at all. Busting 2-3 big returns in a season could win a game or two. Not too many roster spots score as well in cost/benefit analysis.

Plus, he's fun to watch

He should 'just' take a couple to the house against philthy so silence such nonsense.

HTTR

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:18 pm**

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:00 pm**

The author of the article is Parks Smith. His name translates in english, Banks Hater. He has written many anti-Banks articles on Hogs Haven. The guy just won't quit. Instead of analyzing why Banks' production is down, the guy wants to bash Banks.

On another thread("Returning Kicks"), I showed the stats of Leon Washington who hads 3 KO TD returns last year. He is tied with Banks for KO average and close to being tied on punt return average. Neither Banks nor Washington are worse returners this year, than they were last year. Teams are game planning for them better and their blocking is not what it was last year. The new rules did not slow Banks down in the preseason and it is not slowing down other returners, so his reduced production can't be blamed primarily on the rule changes.

I have noticed that kickers are not booming line drives six yards deep into the end zone for Banks like in preseason. For Kickers who don't have the stroingest legs, they are kicking for height and direction that are dropping either just into the corner of the end zone or just shy of it. The shorter running distance of the coverage guys are making it harder for our blockers to hold their blocks. Look at the tape of the Cowboy game, and on KO's you will see several Cowboys converging on Banks before he can make one move.

On Punts, look at the film, you will see Banks almost always makes the first guy miss (that is supposed to be what springs a returner), but Banks has had to deal with a second and a third guy right after the first guy missed.

I am sure that Shanny and Co. are looking at ways over the bye to get Banks back into the game breaking return business. This is a team problem not a solely a Banks' problem.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:37 pm**

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:57 pm**

I voted yes. However, don't be surprised to see him get sent to the PS if an injury occurs and we need the extra spot on the starting roster. The next few weeks will tell.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 4:06 pm**

ATX_Skins wrote:I voted yes. However, don't be surprised to see him get sent to the PS if an injury occurs and we need the extra spot on the starting roster. The next few weeks will tell.

Banks is not eligible for the practice squad so an injury sends him to injured reserve or an injury settlement.

Player Eligibility
Players who have never been on any team's 53-man roster are eligible to serve on a practice squad, as are players who have been on a 53-man roster in only one season and for fewer than nine games. Any player with more service than that is ineligible. Further, players are limited to three total years on practice squads.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6640825_nfl-pr ... ivers.html

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:58 pm**

ATX_Skins wrote:I voted yes. However, don't be surprised to see him get sent to the PS if an injury occurs and we need the extra spot on the starting roster. The next few weeks will tell.

You can't send someone to the practice squad. You have cut a player, hope he clears waivers and wants to return.

Of he is inured you can't cut him. You could release him with an injury settlement.

If Banks was cut and was healthy there isa a 0% chance he clears waivers.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 7:02 pm**

Did we really need another thread for this? Couldn't this hate article gone under ATX's Banks hate thread?

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 7:58 pm**

Wake me up when Banks is keeping the other potential number six receiver from getting targeted in a game. Against the Rams, we threw to Santana 10 times and Gaffney 4 times. Stallworth got 1 target (which he didn't catch). How can you justify dropping our kick returner to field a 6th receiver when we don't even use our 4th or 5th receivers as it is?

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:28 pm**

skinsfan#33 wrote:Did we really need another thread for this? Couldn't this hate article gone under ATX's Banks hate thread?

You are just jealous I didn't make a hate thread on you.

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:30 pm**

skinsfan#33 wrote:
ATX_Skins wrote:I voted yes. However, don't be surprised to see him get sent to the PS if an injury occurs and we need the extra spot on the starting roster. The next few weeks will tell.
You can't send someone to the practice squad. You have cut a player, hope he clears waivers and wants to return.

Of he is inured you can't cut him. You could release him with an injury settlement.

If Banks was cut and was healthy there isa a 0% chance he clears waivers.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. I still voted yes. Who voted no?

Posted: **Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:56 pm**

Lmao who ya think said no?

Posted: **Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:45 am**

cowboykillerzRED wrote:Lmao who ya think said no?

Haha, no no no. I can see how y'all would think it was me, but it wasn't. The mods can tell who voted in the poll.

In which case, Mods please confirm it wasn't me...

Posted: **Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:18 pm**

ATX_Skins wrote:
cowboykillerzRED wrote:Lmao who ya think said no?
Haha, no no no. I can see how y'all would think it was me, but it wasn't. The mods can tell who voted in the poll.

In which case, Mods please confirm it wasn't me...

I haven't seen even a possibility of a runback in two games now--that is, for Banks or anyone else. Poor blocking, poor block schemes, or new rule. I don't know, not being at the games to see the whole field. Two things I do know: there's nothing wrong with Banks, either vision-wise, physically, or decision making. He'd have to slip in one way or the other before I'd replace him. The wacho Banks hater on this site has some sort of personality disorder that is beyond my pay grade to correct. A kick returner is lucky to make a couple of runbacks a year and to once in a while dramatically improve field position. Banks has already done the latter a couple of times and has plenty of time to add feathers to his cap.

Posted: **Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:29 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 11:53 am**

Based on what he has done this year: no.

Taking into account what he did last year and the fact that he hasn't lost his speed, etc.: Absolutely yes.

We are only 4 games into the year. Good to great returners average 1 or maybe 2 returns for TDs a year. Take Hester, argueably the best return man in history -- he has only returned 4 punts for TDs over the past 4 years. Now if Banks continues at his current return pace, I am not sure what will happen to him next season...

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:13 pm**

I get really tired of the "[redskins player] isn't as good as [best player in the league at that position] so, therefore he's trash" arguments. During the season, it's the job of this team to find a way to string together some wins over a long season (and hopefully into the postseason). In the offseason, the coaches and front office will evaluate the teams performance and weaknesses and upgrade where they can through free agency and the draft. So the answer to this poll question is undoubtedly "yes," as already answered by the people making the decisions for this team.

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:11 pm**

cvillehog wrote:I get really tired of the "[redskins player] isn't as good as [best player in the league at that position] so, therefore he's trash" arguments. During the season, it's the job of this team to find a way to string together some wins over a long season (and hopefully into the postseason). In the offseason, the coaches and front office will evaluate the teams performance and weaknesses and upgrade where they can through free agency and the draft.

Now see you were on an excellent rant, and then you had to blow it all with this.

cvillehog wrote:So the answer to this poll question is undoubtedly "yes," as already answered by the people making the decisions for this team.

Sure, Redskins fans shouldn't post their opinions on message boards, our job is to just shut up and support what the people "making the decisions for this team" decide. I'll do as you instruct and just shut up and intone that Shannanhan made the right decision and I fully support it. Then when you get everyone to do that, we can shut down the site and all go home.

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:20 pm**

KazooSkinsFan wrote:Sure, Redskins fans shouldn't post their opinions on message boards, our job is to just shut up and support what the people "making the decisions for this team" decide. I'll do as you instruct and just shut up and intone that Shannanhan made the right decision and I fully support it. Then when you get everyone to do that, we can shut down the site and all go home.

Seems that a lot of people on this board fully support this. Sheep.

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:48 pm**

KazooSkinsFan wrote:Sure, Redskins fans shouldn't post their opinions on message boards, our job is to just shut up and support what the people "making the decisions for this team" decide. I'll do as you instruct and just shut up and intone that Shannanhan made the right decision and I fully support it. Then when you get everyone to do that, we can shut down the site and all go home.

Get back to me when you can post something that has anything at all to do with what I said. Thanks!

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:54 pm**

markshark84 wrote:Based on what he has done this year: no.

What? You would cut a guy who can return kicks and punts who had two solid games and two games where he didn't do anything big but also didn't make mistakes?

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:58 pm**

Really really confused on why someone would say "No" to him having a roster spot. If he's able to break one, he could take it all the way to the endzone. Most NFL teams don't even have a guy that has a chance.. are we that spoiled already????????

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:06 pm**

He deserves a roster spot because we don't go deep enough into our receiving core to justify cutting him. He has a lot of potential but the special teams overall need to improve, Banks included.