Rookie Watch: Aldon Smith is Heating Up, Is Cam Newton Cooling Down?

Let’s get into this week’s rookie watch. Which rookies around the league are really stepping it up. This week is the first week that 49ers OLB Aldon Smith will appear on the list. Smith had a big game Sunday with two sacks (one for a safety) against the Lions, but that was hardly the first week he has been productive. Over here on the East Coast I’m always a tick behind the going-ons of the West Coast. At least I’m in the know now. How high did Smith make his first appearance? Let’s find out.

What is interesting is wide receiver has been a position that has long been considered a position that is difficult to transition into the N.F.L., but this year players are coming out of nowhere to make an impact.

10. Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens/Doug Baldwin WR, Seahawsks

Would be higher if he was more consistent. In his last three games: 5 catches for 152 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard, 3 catches for 84 yards. The Ravens wanted a deep threat and that is clearly what Torrey Smith is.

Baldwin was on a bye, but I just wanted to point out that he’s been very good this year. 20 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns.

9. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

25 catches for 358 yards. The only problem here is that Julio Jones can’t find the end-zone. He has 1 catch for 16 yards in his last game and missed Sunday’s game.

8. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos (Down)

Von Miller has really got after the quarterback with 5 sacks, but has struggled at times as well. In the Broncos last game he was benched for his run defense. Miller will never be a dominating run defender because he can be moved fairly easily once an offensive linemen gets his hands into him, but he will also be an excellent pass rusher and will knife through linemens to make some stops in the backfield. Good season so far for Miller though he has room for improvement for sure.

7. Phil Taylor, DT, Browns (same)

Taylor might never be a feared pass rusher in the middle of the defensive line, but he’s been very hard to move and played well. He has 23 tackles (which is fourth among all rookies) and two sacks from the interior of the defensive line. The Browns have a good foundation for their defensive line with Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor, but they still need more talent along the defensive line to truly compete.

6. Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns

Little’s season hasn’t been overall impressive as Julio Jones, but he’s heating up. He has 20 catches for 203 yards on the season, but more importantly in his last two games he has 12 catches for 12 catches for 129 yards. He looks like he’s going to be Colt McCoy’s number one target for the rest of the season.

5. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Washington (down)

Kerrigan has been much, much better covering the pass than I thought he could be in the N.F.L. He’s also contributing in the run game and as a pass rusher. He has 2 sacks, 4 passes defensed, 2 Forced fumbles, an interception, and a touchdown. Solid all around state line for the young playmaker of the Washington Redskins.

4. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals (down, by no fault of his own)

A big reason for Andy Dalton’s success, in my opinion is the play of rookie WR A.J. Green. Green has 29 receptions for 453 yards and four touchdowns. 453 yards by the way, is 11th most in the league just three yards behind DeSean Jackson and just ahead of Larry Fitzgerald. He’s going to be a good one

3. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (down)

Here’s the problem I have with Newton, and it’s not even with Newton, it’s with the Panthers. Why is he throwing the ball so much. DeAngelo Williams just got a nice contract and is averaging nearly 6 yards per game, but has less than 10 carries a game. The Panthers should run more to take the pressure off of Newton, I guess they figure they are not quite ready to win now so might as well give Newton as many attempts and looks as possible? Not sure. I think running the ball a little more would allow Newton to win a few more games.

2. Aldon Smith, OLB, 49ers (way up)

Is this reactionary? You could make that argument, but I really don’t believe so. Smith has been good this year, just those outisde of San Francisco haven’t noticed. He hasn’t been on my rookie watch once this year, and that’s really shame on me. Though he started slow he has 5.5 sacks in his last three games. The 49ers defense is for real.

1. Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (down)

Has he been more impressive than Cam Newton? That’s a toss up. What has been impressive is that he is quarterbacking the league’s most under-rated team and has them on a roll with the team earning three straight victories. The Bengals, unlike the Panthers, are winning football games. Andy Dalton has completed nearly 63 percent of his passes and has thrown 7 touchdowns to five interceptions. The N.F.L. is all about winning and Dalton is doing that as many times this year already as I thought the team might do all season.

Thoughts?
Who’d I miss on.

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