That special talent that O.J. has ....

[RamsInfiniti]

All his deficiancies aside (average tackler, overcompensates, etc.), lets take a look at something his is doing - forcing turnovers. And he is doing this at a frequency that few have ever done in this league.

2008 - 6 FF, 5 INT, 11 total turnovers forced
2007 - 0 FF, 8 INT, 8 total turnovers forced
2006 - 5 FF, 3 INT, 8 total turnovers forced

That is now 27 turnovers forced in 48 games, unreal. He leads the NFL in turnovers forced in the past three years ...

So what is the real signifiance. Well, he can be a gamebreaker. But how does he stack up against the league ...

O.J. has forced 11 in 2008. No other player has forced more than 8! Yes, 8 ...

Only Ed Reed and Walt Harris (12) have forced more turnovers in one season than O.J. has in the past ten years in the league ...

An absolute must resign ...

[DistantRam]

If we an get OJ to improve his tackling and then find him a good partner in the 2009 draft (and it's a deep one for safeties), our secondary could soon be back up there.

[IzzyHigh1212]

We just need to build up the defense around him...his weakness' wont be as glaring.

[C-Mob 71]

If we bring in a true strong safety and a bruiser MLB, then OJ will be much more protected and be allowed to make game changing plays. Its kind of like having big DTs to protect your linebackers, we need good linebackers to protect our safeties.

Even though we have been struggling, we still have key players that we must resign.

[HornIt]

Agree that he has a knack for forcing turnovers but also is a lousy tackler. The other problem is that he's not very good in coverage. Most of his turnovers come on the punch outs and his INT's for passes that look more like punts. Of course, as evidenced from the ***** game last week, some of those passes that look like punts he plays so poorly that they end up as TD's for the other team too.

He's a mixed bag. Not a must sign IMO, but would be nice to have but should not overspend for him.

[RamsInfiniti]

Agree that he has a knack for forcing turnovers but also is a lousy tackler. The other problem is that he's not very good in coverage. Most of his turnovers come on the punch outs and his INT's for passes that look more like punts. Of course, as evidenced from the ***** game last week, some of those passes that look like punts he plays so poorly that they end up as TD's for the other team too.

He's a mixed bag. Not a must sign IMO, but would be nice to have but should not overspend for him.

How does a "lousy" tackler have 80 tackles through 15 games?

Average tackler, yes. The INT's he gets are the kinds safeties typically get. Rarely you see a safety get an INT being manned up on someone. If he had that capability, he'd be a corner ...

Again, how many times does a guy need to be in the right place at the right time before he is no longer considered lucky? Come on. I understand maybe being lucky one year, but producing turnover after turnover, game after game, year after year. Wake up, he is a playmaker. Show me another player, EVER, that produces turnovers at the right Atogwe does. You won't, because there isn't one. If he continues at the rate he is going, and plays six or seven more years, he will finish his career with as many turnovers forced as many of the greatest to ever play the game ...

If he is not an absolute must resign, then there never was such a thing. He is producing turnovers at a historic rate, yet it seems to go over everyone's head. Like mentioned before, get him some coaching, and a few stronger players around him, and he could be one of the best FS in the league ...

[HornIt]

How does a "lousy" tackler have 80 tackles through 15 games?

I'm sure you've seen the Rams defense. I'd call it lots of chances. That's not a good thing either.

He's also not even in the top 5 of tackles for FS's.

A better stat would be missed tackles though. I bet he's pretty high up on that list comparatively.

[IzzyHigh1212]

The pick he made against the Giants was crazy good...something cornerbacks don't even make.

[HornIt]

The pick he made against the Giants was crazy good...something cornerbacks don't even make.

When it comes to Rams DB's anyway, he does appear to be the only one, with the possible exception of Bartell, that is capable of catching the ball when it hits them in the hands.

[ramsanddodgers]

Semantics, but I hope all y'all meant re-sign!

>8)

[AvengerRam]

He's a must sign, period.

He is not a perfect player, but he's one of the better FS in the league right now, and he's young enough that he should only get better. You don't let players like that go.

[HornIt]

He's a must sign, period.

He is not a perfect player, but he's one of the better FS in the league right now, and he's young enough that he should only get better. You don't let players like that go.

But do you pay him like Ed Reed when he's nowhere close to as good in order to keep him? That's the question in my mind.

I don't. I wouldn't overpay for him. I think the Rams probably will though.

[RamsInfiniti]

But do you pay him like Ed Reed when he's nowhere close to as good in order to keep him? That's the question in my mind.

I don't. I wouldn't overpay for him. I think the Rams probably will though.

Put Atogwe in that Raven's defense, and he is probably every bit as good as Reed is in it ...

[RamsInfiniti]

I'm sure you've seen the Rams defense. I'd call it lots of chances. That's not a good thing either.

He's also not even in the top 5 of tackles for FS's.

A better stat would be missed tackles though. I bet he's pretty high up on that list comparatively.

Do you watch every FS in the league each week? They all miss tackles. The worse the DL and LB's are, the worse the FS is going to look, especially when he is always in open space having to make one on one tackles ...

[Mooselini]

I say with some strict coaching that Atogwe can learn how to tackle better. Of course, we need two immediate starters on this defense. We should seriously fix the positions.

Atogwe is a special talent. He needs to be resigned.