I don’t know if you guys remember this…Barton had a really big game for us vs Oregon his sophomore year. He had 20 tackles that game. He showed some flashes that game. BUT, Utah lost that game and he got a lot grief for making those tackles 7 yards deep and not being aggressive enough, he’s not fast enough, he isn’t athletic enoug, blah, blah, blah.
Barton isn’t a physical specimen. He isn’t going to walk on the field and be the biggest and fastest and strongest. He has to be the smartest.
Last night’s game was one of his first chances to be the man. He is figuring things out there. But, like the Oregon game, he showed flashes.
Don’t listen to the SEA fans bagging on him. They were just as silly as the Utah fans bagging on him after his 20 tackle game vs Oregon. He will be a good LB for a really, really long time.
And just like when he was at Utah, the tackles he made last night 5-7 yards beyond the LOS will get closer and closer to the LOS and he acclimates to the pro game. This is only his second year.
And that hit he had on Minn’s QB. I bet he is feeling that today.