Cadillac Williams - overrated?

[Challie]

I too thought he was overrated and sold him high after Week 1. But after I actually watched him play, he really impressed me. Let's not make him Barry Sanders, but he's a guy that can still get yards when his linemen don't do the job.

You might feel like he's a season-ending injury waiting to happen, but I don't think that's as predictable as people say.

[BrutallyHuge]

Looking at defensive stats, Buffalo and Minnesota have the worst run defenses in the league (total yards allowed and YPC). Against GB (not a great run defense either), Caddy got 37 carries to achieve his numbers.

Did you notice something similar about the Buffalo and Minnesota schedule?

1. They both played ATL (#1 rushing team in '04)
2. They both played NO (Deuce McAllister and a mobile QB)
3. Both played Cadillac Williams who Gruden pounds 30+ times

I would also like to point out that the Buffalo and Minny offenses have been HORRENDOUS so far. Look at the time of possession stats. Ugly. Of course they are gonna get run on if they can't move the ball.

With both teams only playing 4 games, Caddy's huge performances heavily skew the numbers. If Caddy went for 500 yard on Pittsburgh, they'll be the worst run defense in the league. Are they? Probably not.

Cadillac has put up impressive numbers behind a garbage Offensive Line. In fact, the draft guide I use (PA) has them ranked last in the NFL.

You are really grasping at straws to discredit this guy.

[Kensat30]

Looking at defensive stats, Buffalo and Minnesota have the worst run defenses in the league (total yards allowed and YPC). Against GB (not a great run defense either), Caddy got 37 carries to achieve his numbers.

Did you notice something similar about the Buffalo and Minnesota schedule?

1. They both played ATL (#1 rushing team in '04)
2. They both played NO (Deuce McAllister and a mobile QB)
3. Both played Cadillac Williams who Gruden pounds 30+ times

I would also like to point out that the Buffalo and Minny offenses have been HORRENDOUS so far. Look at the time of possession stats. Ugly. Of course they are gonna get run on if they can't move the ball.

With both teams only playing 4 games, Caddy's huge performances heavily skew the numbers. If Caddy went for 500 yard on Pittsburgh, they'll be the worst run defense in the league. Are they? Probably not.

Cadillac has put up impressive numbers behind a garbage Offensive Line. In fact, the draft guide I use (PA) has them ranked last in the NFL.

You are really grasping at straws to discredit this guy.

To the Buc's O-line's credit, all the draft guides who ranked them in the #30s were dead wrong. Everyone jumped on that bandwagon before the season started, and even now some pundit says that Caddy has one of the worst lines in the NFL. That is just not that case. People should have been adjusting their thinking on the Buc's O-line during the preseason when they were running down people's throats. Now the season has started and they continue to run down people's throats.

The Buc's o-line is an average to above-average unit IMO, even though they are a bunch of young players and no-names for the most part. Look at how Pittman produced last year as well, this guy is a below average RB except for his receiving ability and he was droppin 100s and scoring TDs regularily (not to mention fumbling games away, but that is another story, another thread).

[Paladyr]

I'm hearing good things about the bucs o-line. Every analyst I've heard has said they are playing well.

[BrutallyHuge]

I'm hearing good things about the bucs o-line. Every analyst I've heard has said they are playing well.

When your rookie RB runs for this many yards, I think it's quite easy to say that.

I'd even go out of my way to say that JP Losman isn't playing well at QB and the 49ers need some help on defense.

[Wesley Walker]

He's not the next Freeman McNeil or anything, but he looks like he'll develop into a solid NFL back, at least.

[bagobonez]

The good thing about Cadillac is that Gruden is in love with him. Unlike the situations in Denver or Minnesota for example, where the coaches like to play musical running backs, you know that Caddy's going to get the ball and get it alot.

The only question is... if he's touching the ball 30 times a game, how's he going to hold up? Evidently not all that well, at least for now.

[Azrael]

Overrated yes. Overused even more so. At first I was impressed with his romp on Buffalo but now it looks like it was Buffalo who was actually not that good against the run. He broke down against Detroit after being pounded the first 3 weeks. Not expected considering his use and injury history.

[Kensat30]

Who has Buffalo played so far? Top notch rushing attacks. That's why you can't project and average out based on a few games performances. Anytime you get a rushing attack that is able to run the ball 30 times in a game, that is gonna be a long day no matter who is running the football.

The only average RB/poor team Buffalo has faced thus far is Domanic Davis and the Houston Texans... who they completely shut down. Keep in mind that Takeo Spikes was healthy for the first couple of games during the season as well.




Domanic Davis - 14/48/0 (ouch)
Cadillac - 24/148/1 (stud?)
Warrick Dunn/TJ Duckett - 27/172/1 (#1 rushing offense in '04)
Deuce McAllister - 27/130/0 (stud?)

*edit* just noticed this was already mentioned in this thread.

[Count_Rugen]

He's not all that overrrated. He's developing into a top-notch NFL rb, no question about it. I have no doubt he'll be one of the best.

At this point, the only question is whether he'll be one of the Best of the best (injuries not withstanding).