DC Greg
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Posts posted by DC Greg
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PFF is obsessed with KW
Yes, they do a pretty great job at it IMO. Obviously only the coaches can get the grades 100% correct, because they're the only ones who ultimately know what each very specific responsibility was in that defense. By watching film, you can be about 95% sure what every player was supposed to do on any given play, however. You can do this because you know everyone is responsible for a gap, and if there is a gap left unfilled, you can almost always determine which bonehead missed their assignment. Even with complicated blitz packages and line stunts the gaps are covered, and you can break down who should have been where. ALMOST always.
Description of their grading system, which is pretty much in line with most coaches I've seen on the college level, so assuming it's very close to most pro coaches systems as well. https://www.profootb.../about/grading/
**Sidenote... Monday morning was always dreadful waiting for those grades to be posted in the locker room. You never knew when a coach was going to think you stepped six inches to wide to the left, didn't get your pads low enough, shoelace was undone (OK, maybe not the last one). You'd be like "Coach, I shed two blockers, made a TFL, forced a fumble, which I recovered, scored a TD, and won the game... and I went to every class this week" He'd be like... you forgot to shave before the game... -1!
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I don't know how you could say Kyle Williams is the only "elite" player on the team when you have Mario Williams on that line also, but Kyle is a hell of a football player. Great pass rush, and it's not because he has incredible speed or agility. He has incredible tenacity, a high motor, and great football instinct. He has solid footwork, and always maintains his gap in a gap control defense.
I find it comical when fans with little to no knowledge of defensive schemes and philosophy attempt to point to overall stats against the run for the entire Bills defense and say, "Derrrrr, see look, he's right in the middle so it must be his fault". You know nothing, John Snow. Every player on the defense is responsible for exactly one gap. Kyle almost always controls his, does not get pushed off the ball, has a great pop and excellent leverage at all times, usually takes on 2 blockers if he doesn't make the play, which for a defensive grade is equivalent to making the tackle (because it frees another defender to make the play). Really excited to see a hoss like Brandon Spikes back there who should be very comfortable making the stops in the middle with a guy like Kyle eating up those blockers who are trying to climb to the next level. Haven't had true beefcake runstopping linebackers since Fletch and T. Spikes were back there, and that's been the real problem with our run D.
Please refer to what are known in world of football (actual football, players/coaches, not fans) as grades. You will see that Kyle Williams is not just the highest graded player on the entire Bills team most games, but one of the highest graded d linemen in the entire league. Players are graded every single play for whether they controlled their gap and completed their responsibility in the 11 man defensive scheme. Do your job, and you get neither a + or a -. Do something that contributes to making the play directly and you get a +, screw up and you get a -. That's a simplified version, but basically that's how it works, and Kyle is one of the most technically sound players we have and also is a playmaker. A rare thing indeed to be both. And he wears my number from college, so obviously I'm a bit of a fan!
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I think a big reason you find it so boring is that you grew up in a society where American football is king. You understand and can appreciate the fine points of that game and perhaps even played it at some level. Whereas soccer is the new kid on the block to you and therefore you don't have the same background or history with it. I was the same way until right after college I lived for a year in the UK where i was not only exposed to it, but also got to see it played at a high level consistently. I still enjoy watching quality soccer now, and I do not watch American football at all really except for the Bills. Like you I can and do appreciate the skill it takes to play both games at the professional level.
But you do not find the overly anal retentive American football rules ridiculous?
I do not think American football is at risk of morphing into football (soccer), the games are simply too different. But I think if American football relaxed it's rules a bit, for example for false starts (which drives me mad particularly early in the season when those flags fly constantly) I think the game would end up flowing better and would be more enjoyable for everyone.The time stoppage rule is a joke as PTR pointed out. Just arbitrarily deciding to extend the game at their discretion? Why not just set the time and that's always how it is. There is no reasonable explanation for that other than it's always been done that way. You're probably right about me liking football better because I've been exposed to it, but I just think I've been exposed to a better sport. Not being able to use your hands in the game seems limited. I think football combines all elements of physical competition, speed, strength, agility, endurance, pain, etc in the most complete (albeit violent) way.
To your other point about rules in football... there are a few that bother me. Offensive false starts do not bother me. Don't move until the snap count. You know what it is, the defense does it. Giving them the ability to false start is a horrible disadvantage when they already know the count. If they screw up they deserve the penalty. If they could false start it makes it even more unfairly hard to play defense, which is reacting to a play the offense is in control of.
The way the NFL has now made defensive false starts a rule, however, is horrible. If a defender jumps, the onus should be on the O to quickly snap the ball while he's in the neutral zone to get the penalty. That's skill between the center, QB, and a well polished offense. That shouldn't just be a gimme rule for the offense. I hate that change. If o lineman can't stay still until he hears the snapcount, too bad. The O already has all the advantages, they don't need another one.
Some of the "hits to the head" in the NFL are a joke. I understand the premise, but it's getting called way too much when QBs get sacked. It's such a game changing call, especially when it happens on like 3rd and long. I understand what the NFL is trying to do, but the real solution for those injuries should be beginning on the lower levels. More flags should be thrown in college, high school, pee wee and coaches should be teaching proper tackling technique AKA never leading with your head but your shoulder. Enforce better safety rules at those levels and you'll be preventing more injuries there and training the future NFL athletes of tomorrow. Believe it or not, you can hit just as hard in high school as you can in the NFL. There are guys that are big and fast and when they hit another guy big and fast running at a high speed the same injuries happen and actually many more. Partly because they also never call the head to head stuff in high school. More calls on the lower level, less calls on the pro level IMO.
Those are the rules about today's game that bug me the most!
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Agreed...but it seems like it's begging for some kind of decor...I'd like to see some large action shot decals of the players, similar to those outside the Sabres arena.
I'm sure they're still working on the aesthetics. Once the major construction is complete we'll probably get more of a look at what the plan is for that.
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I respect that soccer is the most popular sport worldwide. I respect the guys that play it for the endurance it takes to run constantly the entire game. I respect the skill the game requires. I root for the US in the World Cup because I love my country.
I hate soccer. I think it's the most boring thing I've ever watched. All the rules you mentioned are ridiculous. I want football to be nothing like soccer.
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Houston... LOL
Ryan Pickspatrick. Another year older, another year slower. God please let him start for the comedy. I know, I know... real nice guy. Wears his wedding ring in games and millenium falcon t shirts in interviews... gnarly. Sorry to say I'm rooting for some hilarity coming out of Houston at that position this year.
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That scoreboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so awesome. Finally.
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I'm skeptical
I think I really saw him once. A ball was thrown, and I swear I saw him there waiting to catch it. When I looked again, the ball was there, on the ground, but he was no longer there. It happened fast, so I could have been mistaken.
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I met Takeo Spikes there.
The next day he tore his achillies....
CBF
Causation, Correlation, or Coincidence?
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Be prepared for a thread full of inappropriate (albeit fantastic) options.
Oooh, me first... Sundowners for sure.
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I have seen a couple articles that have hyped up the bills. I really hope they get Hard Knocks this year, It would be awesome to see what they are saying behind the scenes.
That would be amazing. And I just got free HBO for a year!
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Quite the feel-good offseason piece. No real news or groundbreaking information here. But hey, someone wrote it, so I posted!
Go Bills
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Definitely our game to win now.
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Rabble! Rabble rabble rabble
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I hope everyone (including Big Baby) learned the real lesson out of all of this: big fat guys do not make very good race car drivers.
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Evans has had trouble in press coverage which scares me a little. With that being said he could be a beast in the redzone and has great hands. I too think that Evans will be on the Bills roster at the end of the night (if I had to pick a player). That would be a really good selection IMO, not a home run but a really good selection.
Of course, coverage is often press in red zone defense. Need to create that separation before you are free to get a jump ball.
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I think Martin is likely at 9.
If they pull an amazing first round trade move like they did last year to move up for Watkins and don't have to give up next year's first, or if they move back a few spots and pickup another second and still get martin or ebron, my hat will be off to DW.
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In related news, after perusing mike Evans twitter, he is looking for suggestions on a novel to read. He says he has never read a full book before. LOL.
Kollege Edukated.
I'm going to tweet at him. Heard of a good one. Something about a cat who wears a hat and gets into all sorts of wacky, mischievous adventures.
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We shall see. Something tells me Doug Whaley isn't the type who worries too much about playing it safe. If a guy is there who he thinks is the truth, at any position, I bet he pulls the trigger.
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One thing I loved from last season was no matter what players were on the field the team was aggressive. For years we saw timid play when a starter was out and that used to make me so angry
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Totally agree. I saw that mainly on the defensive side of the ball. I hope that attitude continues without Mike Pettine at the helm. Still bitter about losing that guy. Schwartz will have almost all the same guys back (except Byrd) plus some healthy additions. This will be a telling season for me of how much coaching and coordinators particularly mean to our team. We already saw how much they improved from Wanny to Pettine. Hope Schwartz is a guy they rally behind also. And I hope EJ and the entire offense are less timid and play like Mario, Kyle, Kiko and Co. But agreed, saw a lot of improvement in attitude and getting after it this past year. That's gotta continue to grow.
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2024: Don Trumps' toupee learns at a geometric rate. In 2025, it becomes self-aware.
Then it could create 22 Terminators to sign as free agents and we'd win the Superbowl? Ok, changed my mind. Trump's hair can be the owner.
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Glad to see this. It's encouraging, and I hope his teammates are buying in. IMO the biggest thing the Bills have been missing over the years is that killer instinct that comes when you have absolute confidence in yourself and in your teammates. Seems like so many times we would be up by a score and we just needed to put that one more on the board to put it away, but we couldn't go for the throat and we'd let the other guys back in the game. Or we'd be rallying, within striking distance, and we'd almost realize that we were about to go for the win and we'd blow it. Great teams know how to capitalize on those moments when they're in front of them and go for the win, not just being happy that it's close.
Really hope EJ is that guy who will lead that attitude, and we see more games like the Jets at home last year. We got up, and we stayed up. The Jets made a play, and we responded and shoved it down their throats on the next play. The defense would make a big play in a sack or turnover, and the offense would immediately respond and score. When the team knows how to take advantage like that with offense and defense complimenting each other and building off each other, going for the throat when the other guys are on their heels, that's how you dominate football games. Again, here's to hoping EJ can help rebuild that winning attitude!
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Which is exactly why I don't want Donald Trump to be the owner of the Buffalo Bills. I think everybody knows that a perspective owner could probably find a more lucrative deal than they would have in Buffalo. We need somebody who realizes this, and doesn't have a history of cashing in his chips. Sorry, I just can't believe anything Trump says with is mouth.
I am relieved that Jim Kelly is being courted by numerous possible owners for the team. I would really hate my feelings about Kelly to be tied with my feelings about Trump. Of course, if it comes to that, I will live with it... but I am certainly not rooting for it.
Hear, hear.
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I think a patch will probably do the trick. The blacked out jersey does look hard though, but I agree that Ralph's passing isn't the reason to wear one. The players are there to play the game, not attending the funeral. It would seem a little off color if you ask me. No pun intended.
They probably wouldn't wear two patches in the same season, but I think it would be cool if something is done to show support for JK. I guess it doesn't have to be on the uni's, but I hope the stadium has some "KellyStrong" signs or something along those lines. I think the "(insert city/individual/cause here)Strong" mantras are a little cliched at this point, but some type of sign of support would be cool.
Kyle Williams to be featured on NFLN Top 100 (top 40) tonight
in The Stadium Wall Archives
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It would be cool if certain positions could only vote for the players that they played directly against. ie Only O-lineman can vote for the best D-lineman and vice versa. I think your right that the wideouts don't know jack about what's going on in the trenches for the most part. Likewise, the fatties (term of endearment for ourselves) don't know the first thing about what makes someone good in press coverage.
Everyone on D would still vote on overall positions like QB, because everyone plays against some aspect of the QB (defensive backfield has to defend the pass, pass rushers have to try and bring the guy down). Even just limiting Offensive players to voting for only what they perceived to be the best defensive players and vice versa would probably be more representative.
But agree with other posters that it's cool that our players get respect from their peers, the ones who really know how good they are.