Leon Wahington thinks he's a stud?

[GRS0002]

Did anyone else see this:

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla...rt=NFL&id=3739

Leon "you massive stud" Washington is expected to want a contract similar to MJD. I think he's been reading too many of DW's posts giving Leon praise. Leon needs a drug test if he expects MJD money. After a crazy comment that he wants to revolutionize the game, if he asks for MJD money... the NFL should send a white van to his house, drug test him, put him in a nice new white jacket with extra long sleeves that buckle in the rear, and wait for the drug test results.

[Duard Weese]

Inflammatory! "Details at 11"

[the1rat]

LOL, NYJ RB's dropping like flies. It's completely laughable that LW thinks he can command MJD money. Especially from a no-nonsence guy like Rex Ryan. Only thing I can think is NYC has warped these guy's minds. Besides, if you wanna live in Manhattan it will cost $3 mil to buy a 2 bdr apartment on the upper east side, so maybe LW is looking at the relative cost of living.

Dang, I have Leon Washington too, thinking he may break out this year. Instead it appears I have a dreamer who expects to get paid before he proves himself.

SHUT UP AND PLAY LEON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Duard Weese]

Finally, a chance to respond. IG's "He-Man" the other day got me looking at this even more. While it may be foolish for Leon to expect "MJD money", I will say he does deserve a much better contract and has earned it by being a dynamic playmaker whenever he is allowed to touch the ball. Key on the word "whenever". The fact that the Jets only gave him eight carries in weeks 13 through 16 last season and 15 total touches (rushes and receptions) during those same weeks tell me they didn't use him properly.

For his career, Leon has averaged 4.9 yards per rushing attempt with 13 TD's. By comparison, MJD has averaged 4.8 yards per rushing attempt with 34 TD's. Clearly, MJD is trusted more inside the 10 yard line as he has had a total of 60 career rushing attempts inside the 10 and has scored 23 TD's. Leon has had only 14 career rushing attempts inside the 10 and has scored 3 times. While that could be due to the Jets not wanting to trust Leon with those kinds of carries, could it also be that he just simply hasn't been given the chance to show what he can do, even up close?

Another way of looking at things is to say Leon is clearly a "big-play" kind of RB. He has 13 career rushing TD's with only three of those coming inside the 10-yard line. By contrast, MJD has 34 career rushing TD's with 23 of those coming inside the 10-yard line. MJD has only one more career rushing TD of greater than 10 yards than Leon does in 232 more rushing attempts. Now for leagues that score bonus points for length of TD's like mine does, that's is a very nice plus to have in a RB.

For their careers, Leon and MJD average about the same per "touch", 5.8 yards per touch for MJD and 5.6 yards per touch for Leon. MJD has 272 more career touches on offense than Leon does and scores at a rate of 1 TD per every 18 touches while Leon scores at a rate of 1 TD for every 27 touches. That advantage for MJD appears to be due to how much more work MJD gets inside the 10 compared to Leon.

Each player has contributed about the same on average on kickoff and punt returns, with Leon getting about 75 more total return opportunities. As explosive as Leon is with the ball in his hands, it could be argued that Leon might just be better off staying on returns than playing more on offense because with a career average of 25.8 yards per kick return and four career TD's, he allows the offense to start drives after the other team has scored at a very favorable field position. That, in itself, is a big weapon teams are starting to recognize.

My thinking is that if the Jets used Leon as much as the Jaguars have used MJD on offense, he would be recognized much more for those contributions (more publicity). If that would happen it might be possible that Leon would have comparable career numbers to MJD and maybe, just maybe, be worth "MJD money"?

Just food for thought...

[GRS0002]

It looks like you put a lot of work into that DW..... Sorry, but I don't see it. Leon Washington is way closer to J.Norwood then MJD. MJD could be a featured RB in a RBBC. Leon Washington is the kind of guy that would give MJD breathers, IMO.

When L.Washington comes in, teams don't say oh crap... somebody cover LEON!!!. The lack of use late in the season was because Leon isn't a primary ball carrier and the Jets are fully aware of that. They were blowing teams out there for a little bit, so Leon got his T.Jones breather carrries. Better to risk Leon getting injured then T.Jones. When the Jets weren't blowing the other team out, Leon had very limited use because it counted

[Duard Weese]

I didn't expect to convince you and knew going in I was fighting an uphill battle to try and get people to look at the numbers. But I think you're way off base...

I don't buy the "limited use because it counted" argument at all. The guy is a dynamic playmaker and any time he touches the ball, he is a threat to take it all the way. So in week 15, he has one carry and takes that to the house for a 47-yard TD which is a game the Jets won (however lucky they did it but still Leon helped them win) and then the next week, in Seattle when they needed to win, they only gave him three carries and he got 14 yards, and the three carries is justified because Leon is not dependable in a critical game the Jets needed to win to make the playoffs?? Sorry, I think that is way off base. That argument does not make any sense at all to me.

I looked into your contention that Leon got more carries only when the Jets "were blowing teams out". That really doesn't hold true. Week 17, when the Jets needed to win, Washington got 16 touches in that game, tied for the most he had in any one game all season long. And the Jets lost that game by 7 points, with neither team up by more than 7 points at any one time. To be fair, the other time Leon got 16 touches, against the Rams in week 10, the Jets blew the Rams out by 44 points. But Thomas Jones scored a TD early in the 4th quarter when the game was already decided. So why wasn't Leon in for all the carries at that point? And then in week 12, when the Jets blew out the Titans by 21, Leon had 9 total touches. Thing is, on two of those nine touches, he scored TD's, helping to keep the game out of the Titans reach and in the win column for the Jets.

I understand what you are saying about how the Jets used Leon but I don't buy it. Just like nothing I can say or show will make you buy what I'm trying to sell. However, I still contend the Jets lost those late-season games because they didn't use Leon enough, not because they didn't trust him to handle the load when it counted.

[the1rat]

I'm still holding on to Washington, but I don't see Rex Ryan putting up with "diva" RB's in either Jones or him. Basically I am waiting until after the 26th to see what develops.

[LordOpie]

Originally Posted by the1rat

I'm still holding on to Washington, but I don't see Rex Ryan putting up with "diva" RB's in either Jones or him. Basically I am waiting until after the 26th to see what develops.

Here's a crazy idea... NYJ trade both of them to AZ. AZ needs both of them as they lost their Leon version in JJ Arrington and Hightower doesn't seem to be the guy. They can both contribute to a successful SB run for AZ, even if for a one year contract.

NYJ can probably send a 4th round pick to BAL for McGahee since they seem willing to dump him and take a Jeremiah Johnson for Leon's role in the 3rd.

yup, still drinking Chianti.

[GRS0002]

DW, you don't see this:

1. 20-14 win - 6 attempts decent win so got some time
2. 19-10 loss - 2 attempts limited carries because loss
3. 48-29 win - 7 attempts game in hand - ok to put Leon in
4. 56-35 win - 7 attempts game in hand - ok to put Leon in
5. bye
6. 26-14 win - 5 attempts decent win - Leon gets a few
7. 16-13 loss (ot) 3 attempts I don't think so - it's close
8. 28-24 win - 3 attempts can't put Leon into a competative game
9. 26-17 win - 7 attempts It's more then a TD - Let LEon in
10. 47-3 win - 12 attempts Blow out - let Leon off the bench
11. 34-31 win (ot) - 5 attempts Ot so Leon got an xtra 2 then his normal 3
12. 34-13 win - 8 attempts Blow out - get T.Jones out.
13. 34-17 loss - 2 attempts Was Leon hurt? - no losing so no LEon
14. 24-14 loss - 1 attempt Losing - no Leon
15. 31-27 win - 1 attempt Only 4 pt win - too close to put Leon in
16. 13-3 loss - 3 attempts Losing - can't put Leon in a competative game
17. 24-17 win - 10 attempts more then 4 pt win so we're ok to put Leon in

If the Jets believed that Leon was such a great playmaker, he would be getting attempts to try and catch up when they are losing.

Leon dosen't break great TD runs on 1st down when the D is expecting it. His TD's are on second down because the D doubt's the Jets are passing with Leon in. 4.2 YPC/1 TD on 1st when the D is in more of a run D and 8.8 YPC/4 TD on 2nd down when the D sets back into more neutral run/pass D.

Both through three years
J.Norwood career has:
297 attempts, 1735 yards, 5.8 YPC, 7 TD, 76 Recpt for 717 yards and 2 TD's
L.Washington career has:
298 attempts, 1451 yards, 4.9 YPC, 13 TD, 108 recpt for 838 yards and 2 TD's
Looks pretty even to me. Actually, Norwood looks better. Are we saying that Norwood's next contract needs to have a basis of MJD money.

[GRS0002]

Double posted that one.