WhitewalkerInPhilly

Well, I think no one is able to run it in its pure form 100% of the time anymore. The second the offense hits the 46 with a 5 receiver formation... But as OC pointed out, we might have the personnel to use it effectively in a lot of situations (2 TE 2 WR 1 RB, 2 WR 1 TE 2 RB, maybe 3 WR and the Balco formations like Roman uses)

Re:OC IN BUFFALO Do you think that Rex would use a modified version? As much as I love Dareus and Mario, Dareus really isn't a zero technique player and Mario isn't a 3 technique player. Would they maybe shade Dareus at the 1 and Mario at the five?

Maybe both? Because of its weakness against speak attacks and no huddle, the 46 would almost certainly be a subpackage, or at least build in adaptations for 5 and 6 DBs right? It would be interesting to see how it fits with our base personnel and then ask who might get rolled in. I could see maybe rolling Carrington to the 3 or 5 technique while having Hughes act as SLB.

To be fair, Chip is good at scheming the offense and drawing up plays. And they have a strong front 7. But their DB group as a whole is a weak link. Agholor has drawn comparisons to Woods: a very polished route runner with decent size and speed. But you don't build an offense around him, like we did with Sammy. They'll probably pile points on teams with bad defenses (especially bad secondaries) but you cab only go so far doing that. Their brutal losses were against Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco because those defenses shut down the offense. And when you go 3 and out doing the no huddle... I'm actually a fan of Gargano on the mornings.

To be honest, I think Innes might be worse. I don't like Cataldi, but his crew usually makes up for him. Innes tends to scream a lot and shuts down anyone he disagrees with. He's so bad that he drove legitimate broadcaster Tony Bruno into retirement from radio.

I'm just thinking, if this is something Rex would be trying to do frequently that would explain some of the comments we heard from Mario and Hughes in the offseason that seemed contradictory. Mario said things were rather similar while Hughes said that things were different. In the 46 Mario's role would be identical while Hughes would be moving from the 7 or 9 technique to the 5.

There is a very good article to read if you have time: http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/guide-to-n-f-l-defenses-part-6-the-46-defense/?_r=0 To sum up, it's what Rex based a lot of his scheme on, as in a 4-3 hybrid. You have the personnel of a 3-4 line, where you have a nose tackle and 2 three technique players. Then, you have a DE on the weakside 5 tech and have the strong side and weakside linebackers lining up on the strong side while the Strong Safety comes into the box to act in place of the WLB. I believe Rex was doing a modified version with Dareus shading at the 1 and Hughes playing 5 tech. The end result is that you have incredible pressure to bring on the QB and very strong run D. The reason you don't see it as much is that you need a pair of shutdown corners since you have only one safety back to help. West Coast offenses shred it, and you need to sub players for 3 and 4 wr packages.

Did I miscommunicate? I meant that, other than QB, Whaley has had a rather good track record

Not to mention that it looks like he's hit on every draft pick except the 7th rounder this year.

Obviously we should be a little worried. He had a very good year last year and I would want him back. That said, as others have mentioned, our injuries at CB are why we drafted Darby. While optimally I would want him to get his feet wet at nickel so far Darby has looked amazing in camp. I am happy to give McKelvin time to recover so he's full speed when he gets back.

I'm not going to lie, I'd be hyped. RGIII is never going to be a precision passer but I'd take him over anyone we currently have. Gruden is trying to make him a pocket passer which he'll never be. He'd absolutely work with what Roman did with the wishbone in SF.

I'm conflicted because I also like the Eagles. There's a blue collar feel of the fans like we hace, and any team which creams the Cowboys, Giants and Skins is alright in my book. That said they've been pretty annoying fan boys over Chip the past 7 months. Every roster move is genius, and every player who didn't sign or was cut or traded sucks because they "didn't fit the culture". I'd like to see them knocked down a few pegs.

Have we seen any sign that Washington would let RGIII go? Granted, I'm all for it and even with his injury history I think he would work well with this offense, but I haven't heard any trade rumors. In fact, didn't they just pick up his option? Purely hypothetical, but what would you offer for him?

Yeah, WIP is really buying in, aND so are most of their callers. But they're crazy if they think they're winning 14 games.

I could see that. They play in a weaker division, but the play the Pats on the road (with Brady). Also, their high speed offense has a weakness we know all too well: when it goes against a really good defensive team and stalls, it really stalls and you gas your defense. And they play the Cardinals, Jets and Bills. I've been saying it all offseason, but I like how we match up with them. Unless their rookie WR makes a huge leap, they don't have any receiver I'd be afraid to leave in single coverage. Chip has gotten rid of both his starting guards without an heir apparent, so I fully expect Dareus and Kyle to have their way with the interior.

That is what Philly sports radio is saying. I'd take that wager as well. My personal guess is that after all of Chip's moves, and those bridges burnt they'll settle right back to 10-6. Again.

Don't get me wrong, I think that the Eagles won't have a losing season. But local media is predicting 12 wins and a playoff win. If they have another 10-6 year, if Bradford isn't everything they've hoped for I have to think there will be backlash.

Wow, KDS you've got quite a Kelly boner going. Look, I'll be the first to say that Chip Kelly is an incredible offensive coordinator, and I would say a very good head coach. Some of what I've seen is really impressive. But you're crazy if you don't have some reservations about Chip Kelly the GM. First he let's the Riley Cooper incident become a locker room cancer (aggravated by signing him to a longer term deal and then sucking), then Chip cuts a Pro Bowl WR who then goes to a division rival for nothing but dead cap. Then, this year, his Pro Bowl guard is holding out of VOLUNTARY practices but has his ticket booked for the mandatory ones...so Chip cuts. In what is one of the thinnest group of CBs in the league, he trades away a decently reliable slot CB for a 5th round pick...next year. The Eagles DB group looks to he a mess. Chip signed Byron maxwell to a $10M a year contract (good but not worth that money) and is throwing a rookie 2nd rounder at the #2 spot. After that...it's pretty much a wasteland. And they really don't have a solid 2nd safety after Malcolm Jenkins. When you're up against Eli and Romo, that's going to be a weakness. Like I said, great coach, but an effective manager has to deal with the fact that nother evert effective employee is going to be "Rah Rah" and it is their job to get the best out of those people. Otherwise you get a Harbaugh situation. I think Chip is hurting himself.

Like others have said, Astro tends to go into much more detail. He talks about the practice as a whole, and usually helps talk about what happens in a session by session basis. Sometimes no one is in rthymn for a session (sending completion rates spiraling) and sometimes someone stands out from the others by a lot. In contrast, Rodak tends to do clickbait headlines and is less internally consistent. By all reports, EJ had a decent day in the first TC practice and then Rodak goes and says that EJ's made only one good pass in three days. Joe B is a bit better since he also sums up his opinion fairly concisely at the end of each day.

Amen brother! Seriously. As much as I enjoy play by play, I want to see a comprehensive review before I wade into the waters of "EJ is going to be traded! Of course! BILLS SUCK! WHY OH WHY DIDN'T WHALEY LISTEN TO MY MOCK DRAFT WHERE I TOTALLY CALLED EVERY SLEEPER WHICH I SHALL RETROACTIVELY CALL THE SAVIOR OF THIS FRANCHISE! RALPH IS CHEAP, REGARDLESS OF BEING DEAD AND NO LONGER IN ANY WAY MAKING DECISIONS

Oh thank God. I was worried that Cassel might be a starter. Fortunately, whenever I look for an insightful opinion on the Bills, looking at someone who hasn't made a snap judgement on the barest of facts and of someone who isn't a complete hack looking for clickbait...I look for the exact opposite of what Mike Rodak says. Seriously have we not gotten this (*^*&%^$^#fired yet? Even Philly fans want him canned after his piss poor Shady interview.

I think the operative word here is "traded" which is the only reason I give this any credence. And believe me, I'm an EJ supporter. EJ has some upside and there is a market in the irrational trader market to whom the Bills have ties (I'm looking at you Chip. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea that you GM) and if Rex and Whaley don't see a difference and want to move on and get something, ok. But if anyone thinks Cassel is going to come down from heaven and be decent, from what we've seen I want what you're smoking.

OK, let's take a big step back off the ledge people. Day 3 of camp. Really? Really? Regardless of how good people's hot tips are, call me when a serious journalist posts something that I will halfway believe. Because most of what I'm seeing is reactionary BS.

Fair enough. That is a fair distinction. It's scary to think that 7 years of casual posting, and I'm still a newbie and I can't pick out the hot scoop.

I do take it seriously. I said it seems plausible. Rex owes nothing to EJ, and neither does Roman and if EJ isn't showing the jump in pads and Tyrod is Tyrod is cheaper and doesn't have the stigma of an ex-HC's project. I like EJ's upside better, but if the point is to win now within the next year or two (while a potentially all time great D is at Rex's fingertips) I can see the possibility of them moving on. My problem is with the idea that Tyrod being clearly better. Again, we'll see. Perhaps, while not great, he's consistent enough and is enough of a running threat to limp through this year. Perhaps EJ puts it together. We'll see.