Christian Wade scores touchdown on debut

[Mellsblue]

In NFL terms it was a seriously easy run in for any even vaguely adequate running back. It’s a good start and an easy finish against weak opposition. This is a distance from elite level. Like a All Star yank coming into rugby and scoring a decent try in ND2!

I might just take the analysis from his coach and team mate instead:

"Wade was awarded the game ball by the Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

"Huge congratulations to Christian Wade," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

"Watching him score that touchdown was one of the coolest experiences of my football career and I wasn't even on the field."

Yeah cause that says loads about the standard doesn’t it. A filler QB who has been at the Bills for a year. He did well. Took his chance. Which you’d expect most prospects to take. But hands off cocks chaps. This really isn’t a jizzorama moment!

Top ten first round filler?!?!?

[WaspInWales]

Well I'm chuffed for him and hope he scores many more US tries even if the grounding was a bit dodgy

[Mellsblue]

First game in the NFL, first touch in the NFL (possibly any American Football game), within 12 months of starting to learn the game, in slippery conditions and with the ability to pick out the, admittedly huge, hole in the defensive line and then make some elite athletes look slow. I’m not saying he’s Saquon Barkley but it’s one hell of a start to his career.
Come one EP, don’t forget the mental side of the game. New to the game, playing for a contract. You need to take that all in to account.

In NFL terms it was a seriously easy run in for any even vaguely adequate running back. It’s a good start and an easy finish against weak opposition. This is a distance from elite level. Like a All Star yank coming into rugby and scoring a decent try in ND2!

I’m aware it’s 3rd/4th choice by that point in the first preseason game, I said as much on the transfer thread when discussing it. However, he still had to go out there and execute. As I said, I’m not saying he’s Barkley but there was a lot riding on that play and he executed it perfectly. Slip on his arse or fumble and it might be the only game time he sees before being released next year having given up his very lucrative rugby contract. Something he’s no doubt well aware of. By contrast mid-first round pick Dwayne Haskins threw two picks on his debut against second/third choice oppo and a third year RB in the running to be Barkley’s back up fumbled twice against similar standard players to Wade’s.

[Mellsblue]

Well I'm chuffed for him and hope he scores many more US tries even if the grounding was a bit dodgy

Take your hand off your cock.

[Peej]

I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was a wide open gap that anyone with half an ability and turn of speed should score. And against mediocre (by NFL standards) players.

That's pretty much what I thought.

His footwork to change direction as he goes through that big gap and take him away from semblance of cover, and then the fact he absolutely smokes the Safety rushing up to smash him in about 2 metres of space, makes me think it was slightly more impressive than that. Any Premiership winger rounding a fullback like that would attract all sorts of plaudits

But haters gonna hate, regardless of sport.

[Stom]

I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was a wide open gap that anyone with half an ability and turn of speed should score. And against mediocre (by NFL standards) players.

That's pretty much what I thought.

His footwork to change direction as he goes through that big gap and take him away from semblance of cover, and then the fact he absolutely smokes the Safety rushing up to smash him in about 2 metres of space, makes me think it was slightly more impressive than that. Any Premiership winger rounding a fullback like that would attract all sorts of plaudits

But haters gonna hate, regardless of sport.

Harder to change direction when you're wearing a suit of armour..

[Peej]

Yet Wade managed it

[Freddo]

Eddie loves his 'finishers'. Wade against a tired defence fits the bill perfectly imo.

[richy678]

Anybody heard anything of, or remembers that Lawrence Okeyo Lad. Was a talented discus athlete and excelled at one the London Clubs academies (Irish)? TV did a piece on him and he went off to gridiron. Can't research myself, in Turkey and Wikipedia won't open.

[Banquo]

Anybody heard anything of, or remembers that Lawrence Okeyo Lad. Was a talented discus athlete and excelled at one the London Clubs academies (Irish)? TV did a piece on him and he went off to gridiron. Can't research myself, in Turkey and Wikipedia won't open.

Okoye. Tried out at loads of NFL teams but never made a roster, though made practice squads. Stepped down to junior leagues, but got injured and is currently facing charges having been busted in a prostitution sting, according to wiki

[Peej]

He competed at the London Anniversary Games a few weeks back. Seems he's back at discus

[Banquo]

He competed at the London Anniversary Games a few weeks back. Seems he's back at discus

or discos?

[richy678]

Oh dear. Wasn't he an Anglo Nigerian or Ghanaian lad who had been at a posh school as well?

[Banquo]

PS charges were dropped I've just read

[Peej]

Whitgift, and in the same school team as Daly

[Banquo]

Oh dear. Wasn't he an Anglo Nigerian or Ghanaian lad who had been at a posh school as well?

he went to Whitgift, not sure what his schooling has to do with anything. Apparently he'd won a place at Oxford to study law. Charges were dropped, as above.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletics/2 ... se-return/

[Digby]

I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was a wide open gap that anyone with half an ability and turn of speed should score. And against mediocre (by NFL standards) players.

That's pretty much what I thought.

His footwork to change direction as he goes through that big gap and take him away from semblance of cover, and then the fact he absolutely smokes the Safety rushing up to smash him in about 2 metres of space, makes me think it was slightly more impressive than that. Any Premiership winger rounding a fullback like that would attract all sorts of plaudits

But haters gonna hate, regardless of sport.

I hate Wade so much I'm willing to say he's not just one of the most talented wingers available to England but also one of the hardest working on the pitch, and without doubt I'd have been picking him for England. I don't watch NFL so perhaps those he was up against are top standard, but my brief and perhaps ill considered opinion is he ran into a big hole and made ground against some lesser talents, which isn't that impressive for someone as talented as Wade

Sadly Wade joins a too long list of talented players England have ignored whilst not just losing lots of games but often being less exciting than ditch water to watch

[Banquo]

That's pretty much what I thought.

His footwork to change direction as he goes through that big gap and take him away from semblance of cover, and then the fact he absolutely smokes the Safety rushing up to smash him in about 2 metres of space, makes me think it was slightly more impressive than that. Any Premiership winger rounding a fullback like that would attract all sorts of plaudits

But haters gonna hate, regardless of sport.

I hate Wade so much I'm willing to say he's not just one of the most talented wingers available to England but also one of the hardest working on the pitch, and without doubt I'd have been picking him for England. I don't watch NFL so perhaps those he was up against are top standard, but my brief and perhaps ill considered opinion is he ran into a big hole and made ground against some lesser talents, which isn't that impressive for someone as talented as Wade

Sadly Wade joins a too long list of talented players England have ignored whilst not just losing lots of games but often being less exciting than ditch water to watch

agreed. He should have at least had a decent run in the team, to see if his strengths outweighed perceived weaknesses- and at least he visibly tried to work on eradicating them as well.

[WaspInWales]

One of England's biggest losses imo. We do seem to have quite a habit of not making the most of some of our extremely talented players.

[Raggs]

His game in Argentina alone should have got him more games. He created 3 excellent tries there, each of them from him doing a wade special followed by a pass to someone in space to finish.

[richy678]

His game in Argentina alone should have got him more games. He created 3 excellent tries there, each of them from him doing a wade special followed by a pass to someone in space to finish.

That's exactly as I see it. I think he also got a boot in the face early, off the ball, in that game, and carried on to play like a boss, as they say in America.

[Peej]

His footwork to change direction as he goes through that big gap and take him away from semblance of cover, and then the fact he absolutely smokes the Safety rushing up to smash him in about 2 metres of space, makes me think it was slightly more impressive than that. Any Premiership winger rounding a fullback like that would attract all sorts of plaudits

But haters gonna hate, regardless of sport.

I hate Wade so much I'm willing to say he's not just one of the most talented wingers available to England but also one of the hardest working on the pitch, and without doubt I'd have been picking him for England. I don't watch NFL so perhaps those he was up against are top standard, but my brief and perhaps ill considered opinion is he ran into a big hole and made ground against some lesser talents, which isn't that impressive for someone as talented as Wade

Sadly Wade joins a too long list of talented players England have ignored whilst not just losing lots of games but often being less exciting than ditch water to watch

agreed. He should have at least had a decent run in the team, to see if his strengths outweighed perceived weaknesses- and at least he visibly tried to work on eradicating them as well.

This we can certainly agree on

[Raggs]

His game in Argentina alone should have got him more games. He created 3 excellent tries there, each of them from him doing a wade special followed by a pass to someone in space to finish.

That's exactly as I see it. I think he also got a boot in the face early, off the ball, in that game, and carried on to play like a boss, as they say in America.

Funnily enough, I'd also trust his high ball work more than Daly's too. He damn near leapt over Foden in one game, and even against the likes of North, was rarely beaten cleanly enough for them to just sprint on by (if beaten at all). His defence isn't exactly worse than Daly's either, though it's more obvious when he is beaten.

[switchskier]

Another big play last night, arguably more impressive than his first one. Took a broken play 48 yards, braking three (admittedly hopeless) tackles on the way. 2 other carries for 4 yards.

I think he might make the bills squad as their receiver group is so poor and he projects as a shifty type gadget player that I think they'll keep an extra running back on the squad.

[Adam_P]