mrags Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I think the plan this year is to run a similar looking offense to what the Raiders had with Rich Gannon. A screen and short passing game to replace what would be most of the run game with the occasional deep strikes. ^--- what he said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikef272002 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 They need to get him into space. Translation: If he has a 10-yard crease around him when he first gets the ball he'll get some yards. If I had a 10 yard crease around me everytime I would get some yards too.. Why should he need a line? Wasn't the biggest asset he had open-field speed and moves? Since when does that require a line? OLs don't shift outside as a collective when the ball is thrown out that way. Otherwise, shouldn't he be capable of doing at least what Lynch did behind the same line UTM? He had 74 carries and did less with them than Lynch did w/ his 37 or however many he had. He ran like Shaud Williams used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills1960 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 But here's the ironic thing about Spiller. When we drafted him in favor of an offensive lineman the explanation was that "he'll make the offensive line better because he's such a threat". But here we are a year later defending him saying we can't judge him until he has a good offensive line in front of him. Classic Bills. going in circles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 In 4 years, Spiller may be on the other end of a phone where callers frequently ask "do you deliver"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkington Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I know this isn't *that* impressive, but he averaged almost 5 yards per touch last year on offense, those aren't SUPER AMAZING numbers, but c'mon, that's not nearly "bust" worthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I'm glad someone mentioned that Fred Jackson can run behind this line. What's the difference between Jackson and Spiller running the ball? In a word, patience. When Spiller slows down and lets the play develop he's going to be hitting the same areas as Jackson. Only he'll hit them with a lot more speed and breakaway ability. GO BILLS!!! Think Reggie bush and Pierre Thomas- that is a pretty close approximation to what we have talent wise in our backfield. But here's the ironic thing about Spiller. When we drafted him in favor of an offensive lineman the explanation was that "he'll make the offensive line better because he's such a threat". But here we are a year later defending him saying we can't judge him until he has a good offensive line in front of him. Classic Bills. going in circles. The draft is all about maybes. Maybe bulaga would've been awful in our system not making our line better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Guys......what they need to do is run him 25 times in a game and see what his yardage output is going to be..... He is one of those... "stop at the line" "gain of three yards" "gain of 8 yards" "40 YARDS and SCORE" Kind of guys......he needs to touch the ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 that is something we just dont do anymore it seems. Give a guy enough touches to get a rythym wth the o-line, same with Jackson and Lynch. i guess football has changed and 25-30 carries by same back just doesnt happen much in this QB's NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimer1960 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I think it is WAY too soon to call Spiller a bust. A RB with his speed relies on some space to operate in and the Bills' offense provides anything but that. 1. The OL is weak. They do not open "average" size holes. Jackson is a veteran who excels at picking his way to a few yards when nothing is there. That wasn't what Spiller was used for in college and that doesn't play to his strength which is speed and open field moves. Jackson and Spiller are different kinds of RBs. 2. Spiller needs to be involved in the passing game. I applaud Gailey for stubbornly refusing to play Spiller in passing situations in an attempt to force him to learn how to pass block. However, Spiller should be out in pass patterns, not blocking in the backfield. How about taking one of the slow, no-name WR off the field and leaving Jackson in the backfield to block and sending Spiller deep? 3. With little to know deep passing game because of injuries to Evans and Parrish and the generally poor OL play, that allows the defense to cheat up against the run. See #1. Now, I don't KNOW that Spiller will be a break out player, but I do think that the talent is there to be a big-play maker if there are some weapons around him and solid OL play. That may not happen this year, but I don't see this as the same kind of situation as Maybin where he was undersized-underpowered for his position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 # 2 is correct Ye Olde timer. But please do not give it away already. We are about to have a Smith Spiller Parrish season. keep it on the down low, we are being very sneaky about this during the preseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sllib olaffub Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Barry Sanders never had a very good O-line. I think Spiller will end up being very good. The reasons for my thinking are: he's not a dumb player. He knows he wasn't playing great last year and he spent the offseason trying to get better and figuring out why he didn't succeed. He is also very determined. Some players just want money, and once they get it their motivation is gone until their money is gone, too. Spiller, however, seems very much internally motivated. He's also stronger than a lot of people think. Add speed, strength, motivation, determination - he'll figure it out. It's not like he hasn't ever done it, or as if he's coming from a small school; he has dominated before. He knows what it feels like to be good, and he'll get there again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just in Atlanta Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Hey, that kinda rhymes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimer1960 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Barry Sanders never had a very good O-line. I think Spiller will end up being very good. The reasons for my thinking are: he's not a dumb player. He knows he wasn't playing great last year and he spent the offseason trying to get better and figuring out why he didn't succeed. He is also very determined. Some players just want money, and once they get it their motivation is gone until their money is gone, too. Spiller, however, seems very much internally motivated. He's also stronger than a lot of people think. Add speed, strength, motivation, determination - he'll figure it out. It's not like he hasn't ever done it, or as if he's coming from a small school; he has dominated before. He knows what it feels like to be good, and he'll get there again. I agree with most of your post, but in my opinion, Barry Sanders may have been THE BEST RB of all time. It is an EXTREMELY rare RB who can make yardage on his own. Even the great (but evil) OJ Simpson struggled until the BIlls built a good OL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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