Joe Miner Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Given that we (as a lot of teams) play multiple fronts, you draft him with the idea of playing him at both 3-4 OLB and DE in a 4-man front on passing downs. No need to stick him in only one spot or the other. I think he'd be great as a 3-4 OLB. I just wonder if in 4 man fronts when he plays more of a DE, if he wouldn't be and LDE instead of a RDE. At that point, I think you need another pure pass rusher to be the RDE. If anyone listened to his brief interview after the game, he pretty much said they didn't really run any blitzes last night. Their first priority was stopping the option. I'd really like to see how well he rushes the passer from an all out blitz and even with his hand on the ground. Because even though he played with a hand down quite a bit last night, he was still definitely playing run first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbosrrgood Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the coaching of Les Miles in this game... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1017793-alabama-beats-lsu-les-miles-made-too-many-coaching-blunders "But the bottom line is that Miles didn't pull the trigger" Edited January 10, 2012 by Turbosrrgood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 What does that mean? Glad you asked. It means take the best players and BUILD YOUR SCHEME around those players and put them into the best situations to win football games. Yep. I can agree that they must do better at acquiring good players. As far as scheme vs talent, I've been saying the same thing. http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/140930-buddy-nix-press-conference-today-11am/page__st__100__p__2359091#entry2359091 http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/140965-lost-in-the-hubbub-of-todays-presser/page__p__2359155#entry2359155 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) I think Upshaw can best be described as a hybrid between John Abraham and Merriman. Both are listed at 6'4" 265lbs. Upshaw comes in at 6'2" 265lbs. He can play stout vs the run, he can set an edge, he can pursue down the line, and he can rush the passer well. "Well" being an understatement. He's a complete player on the end of the line whether he is playing 43DE or 34OLB. He has 3 years of high productivity on the nation's best defense. I just hope he is still there when we pick... Edited January 10, 2012 by DrDareustein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 if the Bills have no brain, they'll draft Upshaw at 10. Actually, I was more impressed with Hightower, who seemed more disruptive somehow (not that they didn't both have teriffic games). Anyone know where Hightower would be rated if (when) he decides to come out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section122 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Actually, I was more impressed with Hightower, who seemed more disruptive somehow (not that they didn't both have teriffic games). Anyone know where Hightower would be rated if (when) he decides to come out? He has moved up to 22 on drafttek. Also in their mock he is slotted to go higher than upshaw. He's a player for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geno Smith's Arm Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I think Upshaw can best be described as a hybrid between John Abraham and Merriman. Both are listed at 6'4" 265lbs. Upshaw comes in at 6'2" 265lbs. He can play stout vs the run, he can set an edge, he can pursue down the line, and he can rush the passer well. "Well" being an understatement. He's a complete player on the end of the line whether he is playing 43DE or 34OLB. He has 3 years of high productivity on the nation's best defense. I just hope he is still there when we pick... I like him, and think he will be a very good player, but I'm not sure that he is gonna be a top shelf pass rusher. He isn't that fast. (No, I don't need to be told about Maybin, or look where that got us, or speed isn't everything). I mentioned Ronnell Lewis in the 2nd, because with both those guys they would cover the bases, and the defense would have a nice variety of weapons. Both guys could easily be available when the Bills pick. Upshaw can play DE and OLB in either 4/3 or 3/4, and Lewis would play rush LB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I'd be happy to land Upshaw and Lewis. Than we can cut Batten and have Moats as a situational pass rusher. It looks as if we might be thinking 4-3 DE with one of our 1st coulplempicks though. Not sure if either of those guys would as effective in that role though. Than we have to think about a WR or 2 if we can't resign Stevie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I'm not quite sure upshaw will be the pass rusher that we need, but his instincts and intensity will be a much needed addition. Everytime I see him get a sack, he runs unblocked to the qb. Not saying he's not good, just saying I don't know ifmhe has an arsenal of pass rush moves that will allow him to get past nfl OL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I think Upshaw can best be described as a hybrid between John Abraham and Merriman. Both are listed at 6'4" 265lbs. Upshaw comes in at 6'2" 265lbs. He can play stout vs the run, he can set an edge, he can pursue down the line, and he can rush the passer well. "Well" being an understatement. He's a complete player on the end of the line whether he is playing 43DE or 34OLB. I agree that Upshaw could play in either scheme. His build is very similar to two present day 4-3 ends… Dwight Freeney (6'1" 268) and Brandon Graham (6'2" 268). I don't think he's as explosive as Freeney and might not be the dynamic pass rusher but with Kyle Williams, Dareus, Kelsay and Upshaw, we would get a pretty decent pass rush… particularly if they added one more pass rusher… and Upshaw is also a very excellent run defender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) If upshaw is there at 10, i think we have to take him. I too question his ability to consistently bring pressure at the NFL level. I don't think he possesses the strength AND speed attributes of an abraham or freeney but he sure as heck possesses the strength. Though our pass rush is horrid, our run defense is poor as well and is also a need. At 10, I feel Upshaw would both fill a need and is also arguably the best player to fill that need at that spot. Can't wait to see him at the combine. Other players to keep an eye on are Melvin Ingram from S. Carolina and Nick Perry from USC. Edited January 10, 2012 by bobobonators Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Yep. I can agree that they must do better at acquiring good players. As far as scheme vs talent, I've been saying the same thing. http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/140930-buddy-nix-press-conference-today-11am/page__st__100__p__2359091#entry2359091 http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/140965-lost-in-the-hubbub-of-todays-presser/page__p__2359155#entry2359155 Just to follow-up a bit more: when a franchise is bad, and the Bills are, they need to make decisions that increase the overall talent and take some calculated chances. To the first part, the Bills have made some decisions to get rid of veterans rather than to pay them as insurance and depth. There are many factors involved there, but the bottom line is that it hasn't improved the team as the W-L record shows. In some sense, it's like watching someone try to patch a flat tire by cutting a little rubber out of the inner tube in spot A and gluing that piece to spot B, then pumping like mad for 16 minutes only to discover the tube won't inflate because there is a "new" hole. To the second part, the Bills have taken chances such as Merriman and drafting Spiller. In the first case, there was an obvious risk and they decided to go without a backup plan (Spencer Johnson is not an NFL OLB). In the second case, they wanted their cake and to eat it too. Spiller was the BPA (by their own admission), but they weren't willing to go all-in with him and wanted to keep the two other backs on the roster rather than make a trade during the draft for more picks. They finally put him on the field and say "I told you so! He just needed an opportunity." Hunh? Then, there is the argument that there are specific risks that are worth taking because they are multipliers rather than small epsilon fluctuations. The reward of taking a risk on a QB far exceeds the reward on taking a risk on a CB or WR. It's not just the Bills. As everyone knows, Matt Millen kept drafting WRs until he drove his team to 0-16 and never connected those dots, yet he was the second highest paid GM in the NFL (though to be fair, he did at least try with Harrington). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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