John from Cape May Court House
In reference to our defensive tackle need, take a look at the draft history of first-round defensive tackles taken after Pick No. 20. It s a pretty uninspiring group to say the least. It would appear that the odds of picking even a decent defensive tackle are against us. I will pound this drum into oblivion: draft offense, buy defense.
Well said – and you re correct about how defensive tackles selected late in the first round of the NFL Draft often fare. Many talent evaluators resist taking certain positions – including defensive tackle and left tackle – late in the first round because the theory is the positions are so valuable that good players at the spots are often over-drafted. If that s the case, then it follows that elite defensive tackles usually will get selected in the Top 10 and good defensive tackles usually will get selected soon after that. The theory follows that if a defensive tackle is worth a first-round selection he will be go
Donny from Lake Mary, FL, Day 2, Section 35
An elite quarterback is critical to any new head coach s success. Jimmy Johnson drafted Hall of Famer Troy Aikman for the Dallas Cowboys in the first round. Unfortunately, Steve Spurrier with Washington had no say in his quarterback options as his owner, Dan Snyder, made those decisions. Nick Saban wanted Drew Brees, but the Miami Dolphins medical staff failed Brees physical and Saban got stuck with Daunte Culpepper. Saban and Spurrier left the NFL after two years because they knew they couldn t win with the quarterbacks they had. The No. 1 reason Urban Meyer took the Jags job is Trevor Lawrence. And the ability to acquire Lawrence is significantly more important to our franchise in the long run than who the new head coach is. Your thoughts?
What 20,000 COVID deaths look like
Since early last year we hear numbers. Frequent coronavirus press briefings and statistics thrown at us since the beginning of the pandemic can become a sort of white noise after awhile.
This week, the number of New Jersey people who died because of COVID-19 hit a dark milestone. The number jumped over 20,000. To be exact, that is 17,980 confirmed deaths and 2,059 deaths medical experts consider probable.
20,039 people.
That’s hard to get your mind around. Harder still is that nationally, as I write this, we have lost 381,000 Americans. And it’s not over.
As it goes on, we all know someone who’s had it. Several co-workers of mine did. One of my son’s best friend’s and their mother both had it. Neighbors of my mother and my mother-in-law. The brother of another good friend.
Wednesday, Dec. 30
ADA TRILLO: IF WALLS COULD SPEAK : Mondays through Fridays through Jan. 8; exhibit of photographs of refugees at the Mexican border by Ada Trillo; Kramer Hall, 30 Front St., Hammonton. 609-626-3805 or NoyesMuseum.org.
DANIEL D AURIA EXHIBIT: daily through Jan. 3; features works by photographer Daniel D Auria; in 2018, D Auria was awarded high honors in Nature s Best Photo competition, where his photograph spent the year in the Smithsonian; Seaview A Dolce Hotel, 401 S. New York Road, Galloway Township. 609-626-3805 or NoyesMuseum.org.
DENNISVILLE CHRISTMAS HOUSE TOUR: virtual event available Dec. 19 through 31; 2020 30th Historic Dennisville Christmas House Tour; virtual event; free. 609-602-0346 or DHHOA.org.