They’re really drinking that Micah Hyde Kool Aid over there at 1265. Yesterday, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy compared Hyde to Charles Woodson.
“Micah Hyde, from day one, I’ve said before in here, back to the rookie minicamp, I think he’s about as natural of a returner as far as handling the football that I’ve seen coming out of college,” McCarthy said. “Charles Woodson is probably one of the best players that I’ve been around as far as handling the football [on] punts. Just very natural to him, and Micah is similar in that way. So he just needs more opportunities.”
Alright, so he wasn’t comparing Hyde to Woodson as a defender, but Woodson was at one time one of the best punt returners in the game.
So far this season, Hyde is averaging just over 10 yards per punt return, which is pretty solid. He has a long of 23. So what does he think about being compared to Woodson?
Not much.
“I don’t see myself as that; I’m not even compared to anything like that,” Hyde said. “I’m just back there trying to catch the ball and make sure that A-Rod can go out there and throw touchdowns after that. That’s it.”
What we will give Hyde is that he’s an improvement over Jeremy Ross. If only he could return kicks.
dude’s a baller.
Due to Slocum, the guys blocking have no idea what they’re doing. House might be the worst special teams player I’ve ever seen. We don’t need our punt returner to run laterally for 5 seconds in an effort to make some spectacular return. The goal for Hyde should be 1) not turn the ball over 2) not make a dumb mistake where the offense is pinned deep 3) to run north and south and pick up easy yards.
…and he seems to be doing that very well.
Hyde does seem to be one of the best, most fundamentally sound tacklers in the secondary — and that warrants comparison to Woodson.
Let’s face it, there have been many times when CBs have butt-pinched and rib-tickled an opponent to the sidelines, after a long gain.
I don’t want a headhunter.
I don’t want a penalty.
I don’t want some highlight-reel, concussion-inducing hit.
I just want the guy wrapped up and put on the ground.
Currently, the only CB who could be considered a bad tackler is Williams. Hyde or Hayward is the the best, Shields is quite good although he has a couple whiffs this year, and House is solid as well.
A 10-yard average is more than pretty solid, that’s top 5, however, it is a tiny sample size.
I like the fact that his response was humble and team-oriented. This year’s draft class is definitely looking like a winner.
Well put, Russ. Kid’s just a football player.