Justin Smith

[GoBruins17]

I know I'm in the minority. I guess for me it feels like a... when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, when to go all in with reckless abandon kind of deal. I just don't want to play my ace and lose it too soon.

[Leandres_sf]

It's the Playoffs, you need your best guys out there.

[1hardcore]

All he needs to do is get 3 more games in...

I hope the offense can run up the score so that they can rest him afterwards

[lolPhillies]

It's the Playoffs, you need your best guys out there.

Agreed.

[Lakers211221]

Ricky Jean-Francois isn't as bad as many are making him out to be. He's played pretty well with Justin out, especially in the New England and Arizona games.

[rapjuicer06]

Ricky Jean-Francois isn't as bad as many are making him out to be. He's played pretty well with Justin out, especially in the New England and Arizona games.

He played hard against the pass. He sucked against the run. Couldn't hold his ground, and teams were attacking his side and getting solid yards against it. That was very hard to watch. He was being moved out of the way. He would have been better to just fall down in the hole and cause a pile up

[NinerHomer49]

He played hard against the pass. He sucked against the run. Couldn't hold his ground, and teams were attacking his side and getting solid yards against it. That was very hard to watch. He was being moved out of the way. He would have been better to just fall down in the hole and cause a pile up

It kind of surprised me. I thought he did fairly well when he replaced Sopoaga at NT, but he seemed to just get pushed around from the DE spot. I expected Aldon's numbers to dip, but I didn't think the run D would get pushed around like that. Then again...Seattle's run game has pushed a decent number of teams around this year so...

[rapjuicer06]

It kind of surprised me. I thought he did fairly well when he replaced Sopoaga at NT, but he seemed to just get pushed around from the DE spot. I expected Aldon's numbers to dip, but I didn't think the run D would get pushed around like that. Then again...Seattle's run game has pushed a decent number of teams around this year so...

Arizona whooped his *** too. I think its because its the LT and not the C. Center's aren't really known for being a stellar blocker. They make the adjustments and help the guards. I think that's why RJF held his own in the middle for the most part. But when he's going against a TE and LT, he gets abused

[tapajafri]

It's the Playoffs, you need your best guys out there.

At risk of serious/severe injury? Permanent damage? Of course the player is going to want to play. It's up to the medical staff/coaches to make the right assessment and decision.

We saw what happened with RG3 and Shanahan. Sometimes, there are things bigger than football. I say sit Smith this week and then assess the situation next week if SF advances. It's a very difficult decision, but we have to think about the person, not the player. It's too easy for fans to get caught up with their fanhood and say play him without really caring what happens to him long term or the potential damage he could do to his body. Yes, it's the playoffs and u need the best guys out there.... but RG3 was the best guy and look what happened. Potential serious knee injury, who knows what the MRI's will say. Smith is in his 30's, career will be over in a few years... don't want to do anything that could jeopardize him long term, or hell, even hamper him into next season and beyond.

[tapajafri]

Ricky Jean-Francois isn't as bad as many are making him out to be. He's played pretty well with Justin out, especially in the New England and Arizona games.

And yes, I agree completely with this. I have no idea why so many people were bashing RJF so hard after the seattle game. Finally someone else said it. He's really not as bad as people are saying he is.

[rapjuicer06]

And yes, I agree completely with this. I have no idea why so many people were bashing RJF so hard after the seattle game. Finally someone else said it. He's really not as bad as people are saying he is.

He is terrible against the run

[tapajafri]

He is terrible against the run

He just looks terrible because he's filling in Justin Smith's shoes. RJF sure isnt fantastic or anything, but he's serviceable. He's definitely not terrible. And that terrible performance he had came in Seattle, where the entire team was terrible. It would be interesting to see how RJF would do at his natural NT position that he played at LSU. RJF was a projected first round pick at one point when he was at LSU. Maybe an improvement...maybe he's worse. I would like to see him at NT at some point next year to see how he does, especially if SF doesn't bring back Sopoaga.

[GoBruins17]

He just looks terrible because he's filling in Justin Smith's shoes. RJF sure isnt fantastic or anything, but he's serviceable. He's definitely not terrible. And that terrible performance he had came in Seattle, where the entire team was terrible. It would be interesting to see how RJF would do at his natural NT position that he played at LSU. RJF was a projected first round pick at one point when he was at LSU. Maybe an improvement...maybe he's worse. I would like to see him at NT at some point next year to see how he does, especially if SF doesn't bring back Sopoaga.

That's the direction I would go in, period. No disrespect and many thanks to the very nice years Ike's given us...But he'll be in year 10 next year and appears to be losing a step. Give RJF a chance, and draft a mentee for Justin to be a potential heir apparent

[NinerHomer49]

He just looks terrible because he's filling in Justin Smith's shoes. RJF sure isnt fantastic or anything, but he's serviceable. He's definitely not terrible. And that terrible performance he had came in Seattle, where the entire team was terrible. It would be interesting to see how RJF would do at his natural NT position that he played at LSU. RJF was a projected first round pick at one point when he was at LSU. Maybe an improvement...maybe he's worse. I would like to see him at NT at some point next year to see how he does, especially if SF doesn't bring back Sopoaga.

Usually he does play NT. He spells Soapoaga. I'm pretty sure he played DT at LSU though.

[Leandres_sf]

At risk of serious/severe injury? Permanent damage? Of course the player is going to want to play. It's up to the medical staff/coaches to make the right assessment and decision.

We saw what happened with RG3 and Shanahan. Sometimes, there are things bigger than football. I say sit Smith this week and then assess the situation next week if SF advances. It's a very difficult decision, but we have to think about the person, not the player. It's too easy for fans to get caught up with their fanhood and say play him without really caring what happens to him long term or the potential damage he could do to his body. Yes, it's the playoffs and u need the best guys out there.... but RG3 was the best guy and look what happened. Potential serious knee injury, who knows what the MRI's will say. Smith is in his 30's, career will be over in a few years... don't want to do anything that could jeopardize him long term, or hell, even hamper him into next season and beyond.

Nothing in the playoffs is guaranteed. This team needs Justin Smith, just like the Redskins needed RG3. They could have pulled him out of that game because he became completely ineffective. I'd like to see Smith out there on Saturday, if the situation progresses in a negative matter, you can always do what Shanahan should have done, and pull him out.