CJ moving up to first team

[sharper802]

I really disagree with you here. Punt returns especially are very dangerous compared to running the ball from the backfield. In some cases, you have a guy with 40 yards of steam charging at you as you look up for the ball. If you fail to move or make the fair catch signal, you are in a world of hurt like many of Steve Tasker's victims.

 

Blocking on returns, while is dangerous isn't the the reason Kevin Everett was paralyzed. He made a tackle on Domenik Hixon and hit him in the wrong way. In this case, the return tackle was harder than the hit the RB's generally take.

 

Mike I respect you as a poster, but please get the facts straight.

I can't recall a single time Tasker ever left a guy hurt on the turf. If you know of any that can support your claim would love to see it. I will just guess here but I have to believe there are more RB's hurt with defenders falling all over their legs or while trying to cut back than there are PR's hurt. Maybe it is a matter of frequncy as well - PR's might only actually return 2 or 3 kicks a game where as the RB might get 15-25 touches. Even if a PR get's his bell rung that is not as career threatening or have the potential to miss games as say a high ankle sprain or ACL.

I say get him the ball as much as possible. Let McKelvin and McGee stay fresh for defense. Roscoe hopefully wil be getting more reps at WR so he won't be so eager to turn every PR into a highlight reel like last year. He and Spiller can split time on PR's.

[Wing Man]

Have you seen Spiller return kicks? He was an all-American kick returner at Clemson. He is THE playmaker for the Bills, if not this year, then in his sophomore campaign. He will likely split time with Fred Jackson in the backfield, Lynch be damned. Hopefully, Gailey will utilize the spread offense to provide additional space for Spiller to do his magic. We need something to cheer for while we throw bricks at Captain Checkdown on the TV. With Edwards on the field, I just hope Spiller's up to converting on 3rd and 25 a lot.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFcecMcS6bA

 

Sorry, background lyrics less than optimal. It's the best highlight package I've seen online.

[Hplarrm]

Very good post. I totally agree. He will be on the field in many different spots. I would suspect he may be in motion and do a fair amount of fake reverses as well. I would be quite happy if we ****-canned the FB position and went with a 3 or 4 wide set with Nelson and/or Spiller moving all over the place to create match-up problems. Alternate Evans and Roscoe in the slot position and they should be able to keep the defense off-guard. Whether that will make a difference with our O-line situation I don't know. But I think there will be more of a wide open offense than a true off tackle rushing offense.

I also suspect this variation will be the case.

 

I suspect Gailey to some degree will defy naming the offensive style so as not to typecast the Bills into one set style of operating and also so as not to tip off the opposing DC,

 

I also hope that Spiller can quickly master his use essentially as wide out in our O as I think we simply do not have a proven #2 WR (the best we have I think is Steve Johnson who unfortunately is not only unproven in his brief career as a #2 but actually regressed statistically across the board last year.

 

If Spiller proves able to fill this gap it will help us immeasurably as it has already been shown that even if you believe in him as #1 WR (which many do not as he was not even statistically the #1 WR last year) it has been demonstrated that a dt can make him ineffective. Our #2 must attract attention away from Evans.

 

If Spiller goes wide (either in motion from RB or simply lined up there, his speed instantly creates some severe match-up problems for the dc who now likely has to play a zone or dt both WRs.

 

Throw Parrish into the line-up as a slot receiver and it forces the DC to assign his third fastest DB to a WR who deserves their fastest guy.

 

It also allows Beast Lynch or the reliable Jackson to run against a dime coverage in spread mode and the running game is helped by our showing the pass.

[richNjoisy]

I am not a fan of Spiller returning kicks or punts...just use him as a RB and leave it at that.

 

 

Wow - do we disagree. One reason to have him on the team is to let him score 3-6 times per year as a KO returner or P returner

You have something against the Bills scoring TD's?

[marsadale]

We actually had that Boots Randolph record in our house, when I was young.

so did we bro.......and look how gooder we turned out

[Fezmid]

I really disagree with you here. Punt returns especially are very dangerous compared to running the ball from the backfield. In some cases, you have a guy with 40 yards of steam charging at you as you look up for the ball. If you fail to move or make the fair catch signal, you are in a world of hurt like many of Steve Tasker's victims.

How many of Steve Tasker's victims were injured? I know people say "returning kicks/punts is dangerous," but I still don't remember seeing a high number of returners injured on return plays... Yes, it happens from time to time, but I don't get the impression from watching football that it happens that much. Heck, Deon Sanders was a star CB and he returned punts all the time.

[The Dean]

Roscoe is pretty small and fragile. Has he been injured (badly? often?) on punt returns?

 

I do think punt returning is a tad more dangerous than kickoff returning, though. You can get blasted while fielding the kick on punt returns. That rarely happens on KO returns.

[Nuncha]

I am not a fan of Spiller returning kicks or punts...just use him as a RB and leave it at that.

 

Agree....espically since this team has several options for kick and punt returners. Let spiller play RB and thats it.

[garbag3man]

The more touches CJ gets, the higher probability of us scoring.

 

John Madden everyone, here in the flesh!