Chances we see Peppers on Offense this week?

Submitted by AZBlue on

While basking in the afterglow of the Defensive UFR, I started thinking this might be the week we see a little JP on offense.  I am thinking this would be done primarily to put stuff on tape that D'Antoni and staff would have to prepare for next week.  My guess would be in a slot/jet-sweep look and/or as a 2nd (or 3rd) RB in the backfield.

Not being an football guru, I am not sure if this is best done by running plays using him so counters to a MSU overreaction could be deployed the next week or using him as a decoy to save his actual usage in those plays for the MSU game itself.  Maybe putting out for the first time vs. MSU would achieve the same results?

Of course they could just wait to add some packages for him during the bye week, but I get the feeling the Jim may take the opportunity to deploy the Peppers - or the threat of Peppers - to mess with our siblings up the road.

DISCUSS  (sorry to take your line Discuss man)

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Jabrill Peppers is good at football

Tater

October 7th, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^

When ESPN was pretty much the "only game in town" for sports news all day, I used to watch it a lot.   But the internet age and the more focused channels such as BTN or the Golf Network have made me pretty much lose interest in ESPN.  Worse yet, turning First Take into a Stephen A Smith/Skip Bayless circle jerk has made them lose all credibility as a "news" source.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

Nitro

October 7th, 2015 at 7:46 PM ^

I haven't seen it much as a runnnig joke, but I think it's a pretty funny one.  Dantonio and Sparti fans in general are both well-known for being angry and taking things too personally (particularly with respect to their big brother), and that was just another example: http://isportsweb.com/2015/08/06/michigan-state-football-mark-dantonio-….  Plus it's a semi-regular occurrence for media outlets to get Dantonio's name wrong.

For comparison, how often have we already seen media outlets reference "Michigan coach John Harbaugh?"  It probably happens more often than it does for Dantonio.  But we don't run around making a big fuss about being disrespected and having a chip on our shoulder over it.  It's just funny.

Joined: 04/27/2013

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Nitro

October 8th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^

Oh man, now you've gone and disrespected me!!  I know what its I'm talking about!!  Look at all the mgoblog points I've racked up over the past three years!!!  But all anyone ever wants to talk about is WD this, WD that!!  Whatever, that just means I'm gonna keep commenting with an even bigger chip on my shoulder!!  I'm not worried about the attention, at all, I swear -- I comment up over here, so I don't need the attention!!

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 17041

East German Judge

October 7th, 2015 at 8:56 PM ^

So obviously you gave up your Lame Card a long time ago, good for you!  It is unfortuante that some of us, including myself, don't have max blog game like you do and thus need to "occasionally" resort back to trite cliches, re-used arrow gifs, pictures of hot females, and silly name calling of our rivals when we post - aka lame shit.  If you wish to ever rejoin the lame club and get your Lame Card back, you need to apply 4 weeks ahead of time and we will notify you whether your application has been accepted.  During the interim, violators will be subject to deportation to Bolivia and subjected to 4 weeks of watching monkey rodeo gifs like this one....

Joined: 10/05/2014

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evenyoubrutus

October 7th, 2015 at 7:25 PM ^

Harbaugh seems to have proven that if there's one thing he is great at from a game planning perspective, it is his ability to put something on tape just to screw with his opponents' heads in their own game planning. If that makes any sense.

Joined: 11/04/2008

MGoPoints: 178179

A Fan In Fargo

October 8th, 2015 at 12:39 AM ^

I'll never be a coach but I'd decoy Pep, Hill, and Wilson in trips left formation. I'd kill to see any one of them three laying out other secondary players. Darboh and Chesson would suffice along with Pep though. Offset strong formation right with all the big boys. Siona and Deveon jacking mother truckers up left and right. Deveon runs good to the right. I'm guessing teams would swing 4 over towards the receivers. What does that leave you? Some good chunk yardage maybe. I try ok.

Joined: 02/16/2014

MGoPoints: -9997722

MGoRedemption

October 7th, 2015 at 6:20 PM ^

i think the chances are decent, just to give sparty something to think about. 

i predict Peppers gets it on an end-around then gives it to Chesson on a reverse. 

Joined: 08/11/2014

MGoPoints: 13285

AZBlue

October 7th, 2015 at 7:41 PM ^

but I have a hard time seeing a loss on Saturday barring a turnover-fest on our end.  (Finds wood.....knocks on wood)

I see this as either a close (10 point) win with our O vs. D matchup being slightly better than theirs, or potentially a blowout if we get up early and they are forced to abandon their run-heavy gameplan.  Thorson just seems ripe for the Rowe/Mangum treatment if he is forced into obvious passing situations.

Joined: 09/14/2008

MGoPoints: 16788

kevin holt

October 8th, 2015 at 8:19 AM ^

This is why Harbaugh is a genius. He can play the whole season as a chess match rather than just game-by-game, but it still doesn't interfere with focusing on that opponent. If he has to run his counter in the 4th quarter to win, he will. But if he doesn't, he'll save it for the future. Not a new concept but he's so good at it.

Joined: 03/16/2010

MGoPoints: 17447

StephenRKass

October 7th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^

I don't know. In some ways, I'd prefer that they literally wait til MSU to pull that out. Let them wonder. Surprise is a good thing. Putting Peppers in would definitely be "shock and awe."

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23004

fergusg

October 7th, 2015 at 6:24 PM ^

This year is learn the defense and excel. Next year we may see him on the offense. Harbaugh will carefully manage his development and not put too much on him too soon...especially given we have a solid (maybe not exceptional) set of backs this year.

Joined: 09/25/2011

MGoPoints: 960

StephenRKass

October 7th, 2015 at 6:30 PM ^

Good point. I'm reminded of the comments made by Harbaugh regarding burning Kinnel's redshirt. The thought was not only that Kinnel had earned the time on the field, but also that some of the guys who were currently playing both on defense and special teams had their plate pretty full. Why not share the load? With Peppers currently seeing more snaps than anyone else on the team, it makes sense to me that he not be expected to do a lot more by adding offense to the mix.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23004