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AstroNotes5: : Bills Camp Monday August 8

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Not a cloud in the sky, 83 degrees, and low humidity. You'd think we'd be more than 1/2 full, but the Ragland news took some of the wind out of the sails. But Kyle Williams and Sammy Watkins were both back, and their addition is greater than Ragland's subttraction. I am wearing my old Takeo-Brandon Spikes jersey. Numbers 14 and 95 weren't full-go in 11 on 11's for example, but Sammy caught 3 passes and Kyle was in on a few stops.

 

I met a few people today. I said I'd give a shout-out to Phil Dorr, a Baylor alumnus living in Austin visitng Bills, Rams and Cowboys camps this week. He's a former roommate of Mike Singletary's, and Phil was out at the trendy steakhouse, Black and Blue, with Cyril Richardson last night. Phil reminds me that Cyril is a triple all-American who blocked for such greats as Lache Seastrunk. Dorr hailed Cyril as he trotted out for practice. We got a wave back and Cyril promised to remember Phil to his Baylor friends.

 

On the other side of me was Howard Simon, to whom I give major props just for coming, taking some notes, and paying pretty close attention. Jeremy White, who I had a minor skirmish with on Twitter this morning, was nowhere. I tweeted to White that I hope he enjoys the aid conditioning back in Buffalo and that I had to get over to Bills practice. Twitter-Battle won.

 

The kicking unit is already out on the field at 9:45, and Gay is doing an exercise where he tees the ball up, and without taking any approach steps, kicks it as far as he can. One went nearly 60 yards, which blows my theory that the approach steps are what add momentum and distance. The first non-kicking players into the grass field were O'Leary (who now must be really nervous since they brought in Jimmay Mundine), Walter Powell, and Reggie Bush.

 

No autographs were signed by any player this morning (Gugny?)

 

Danny Crossman is talking in his usual "precise command" voice during kickoff practice. Powell, Felton, Boom Herron, and NOT Reggie Bush took the kickoffs, with Corey White and Greg Little the gunners. Not really sure we saw the first string today. I think more players are being mothballed. Inside the two gunners were Meeks and Salas. Reddick and David Hawthorne, the new ILB who's not Spikes in number but IS Spikes' skill-set in his run defense. Basically, we have Zach Brown, a very good coverage linebacker who Rex says could throw himself in there a bit more, and three thumper-type run defenders in the middle: Preston Brown, David Hawthorne,and Brandon Spikes. What this signals to me is that (1) the Bills will be a "run and stop the run" team, and (2) the Bills will be in the market for an elite "do it all" ILB in the draft. Powell is definitely the understudy for returning kicks; he'll see lots of action in preseason and Bush will be mothballed for Week 1 kickoffs.

 

It was such a thrill to see Watkins trot out with his uniform on. He was in some early work with Woods and Goodwin and Clay, catching simple throws and a screen. At this point in the practice I'm thinking he looks 90% back.

 

Cyrus "Kujo" Kouandjio is running with the 1's at Left Tackle. Cordy is doing the ropes, working his arms over with a trainer (All trainers think like this. If you hurt your ankle, we'll work your arms).

 

In posiitonals, the OL does blocking drills. Incognito pushes Marquis Lucas back a yard, then takes Lucas's place, allowing Kujo to block him, then, in turn, Renfrow blocks Kujo, etc. I watch Cyril more carefully, as Phil Dorr encourages me to. He does push then turn Fernando Velasco, creating a gap to Velasco's right. Tyrod is practicing hand-offs to the RB's at the other end of the field. Along the near sideline, the TE's are getting good instruction on blocking left, then turning right for a pass (They do this, then switch sides, turning left for a pass). IMHO, Blake Annen is the biggest and most athletic-looking of the bunch, with Clay a close second. I notice that Clay is doing the plantar fascitis-prevent exercise, pulling his foot back behind him. O'Leary was used as the demonstration victim (Now he must really be freaking out, as he's now been reduced to a mannequin role). Gragg stays impressively square to his block, and showed very good hands, away from his body. He made some good catches during the 11:11 today, too. Jimmay has okay skills, but still is a deer in the headlights, not knowing where to go, or when.

 

WR's are working on separation, whether it's with quicker stops, tighter turns, or legal push-offs. Tyrod is 6/7 on this round through, with Powell having the rare drop. It was now that I saw Sammy do a quick out pattern that made me wonder if he isn't more than 90%. Tyrod joined the WR's and threw 40+ yard bombs. Little had a nice one, Sammy's got applause because he showed some speed, Goodwin's was faster than Sammy's, Jarrett Boykin showed his jets with a nice catch, and then Hankerson caught one. Tyrod was 5/5 on the 40+ yard passes; the WR's caught against air.

 

One more time through, with Tyrod with throws coming OVER THE MIDDLE. Tyrod was 8/8 here. Dezmin Lewis made his catch first for EJ, but didn't see Tyrod sneak up behind him and poke the ball free on his way off the field for EJ to take his turn. I love Tyrod's sense of humor, likely more than Dez did.

 

I wouldn't want to have to cover Goodwin on a slant route. Nobody could cover 88's speed. Nobody. Goodwin also showed how to run the perfect WR screen: keep your feet moving. Most of the WR's are not convincing when they bluff the pass route and return behind the line of scrimmage for the screen. The other fault I find in these plays is that EJ throws late and the WR just stands there. I'd like to see more timing between EJ and his receivers on timing routes, and screens are a timing route that is vulnerable to the Pick Six.

 

Tyrod and EJ are now at the 20-yard line, with Woods in the slot, Goodwin the X receiver, two TEs and 1 RB. Tyrod occasionally lobs the ball downfield; you don't see that on the other end of the field with Cardale. They work on comebacks, corner routes, back-shoulder fades, and some double moves. The TE's are mixed in with the WR's, and at times you can't tell if it's the first team or second team, as they are mixed. Shady, in fact, is over working with the 3's end with Cardale and Company.

 

Not for long, though. Everyone comes back to the grass field. The offense will be sending 3 receivers (WR-TE) out against 7 defenders. Ed Reed's eschewed his normal camouflage outfit today, wearing a red bucket hat and red shorts with a white shirt. He still has that olive drab towel, though. He's barking to Blanton (who often acknowledges the signals from Rob Ryan and Dennis Thurman), Meeks, Duke Williams, and others who rotate in. Tyrod throws incomplete on his first throw, not Gragg's fault. We can discuss Tyrod's slow starts anytime now. He then fires complete to Baby Gronk, then the Doe-Eyed Jimmay who seems surprised but catches it in self-defense. The next throw is a Play of the Day even though it's 3 against 7, a beautiful throw and catch by Wilder. Tyrod then throws OVER THE MIDDLE to Gragg, and that's a Wow play; the ball was in the air before Gragg made his cut. He looks up right as the ball is coming and snares it. The next incompletion was because there was no separation created. Baby Gronk and Hankerson (I think) did not get free enough, and Tyrod had to throw it into the turf. O'Leary showed Gronk how it's done with a slick double move on Bryson Albright, who clapped, disgusted with himself for falling for it. Gragg caught another one OVER THE MIDDLE, then O'Leary gets another OVER THE MIDDLE reception that is my Catch of the Day especially because Bush had a crossing route that cleared it out first. Then.... It's OVER THE MIDDLE we go to Shady, who runs 25 yards just for fun. All the while, Ed Reed continues to talk with his peeps. I love this. He's talking to Anderson. He chats with Meeks. I wish I was the fly on that red bucket hat.

 

Cardale throws one in the flat to Bush. His next pass was for Blake Annen OVER THE MIDDLE, but Zach Brown made his first "Ragland Who?" play, tipping the ball, which was almost caught by one of the Safeties. I must say the Defense was stingy today, but the Offense had some impressive plays as well. You could feel the presence of one Kyle Williams, in on a stop here, mixing it up with Kujo and Incognito there. Zach Brown makes another great play, getting a tag on Tyrod and causing the refs' whistles to blow. Just when you think the D will carry the day, Shady takes an OVER THE MIDDLE screen for 30 yards --albeit against mainly the second-stringers.

 

EJ comes in and I see Worthy and Adolphus Washington jump offsides, but Ryan Groy begins his Trot of Shame around the field. He was flagged for a false start (won't end well, either). It's good to see old #51 in there, as he matches my shirt/can stop the run. Reggie Bush has a nifty run with moves and everything. I think they are going to use Bush for more than punt returns.

 

Cardale returns, and his throw to Walter Powell was almost complete. Powell had fallen (for the 2nd time in 2 practices I've seen), but almost made a Sammy-type grab. Almost. Justin Zimmer helps hold the middle and blow up a run play; you see his functional strength that he showed on the bench at the Combine (he won).

 

The ones return to the field, all except Sammy. The receiver replacing him ran a nice route, was open, but Tyrod under-threw it and the ball was tipped at the line. Some great battles today were Clay against Darby (I give it a draw), Woods against Gilmore (Gilmore got such good position on him that Woods had to knock it down to avoid the INT), and Salas vs Aaron Williams. Salas burned Williams on a botched call--I say that because Salas was 10 yards open. Dez Lewis caught a ball on Darby up the far side, making himself look like a True Number Three. The defense stopped Shady from running up the middle (yes, PBrown, Jerel Worthy and Kyle Williams helped), then we saw the best block of the day from O'Leary comes back from the Dead to spring Shady on a 25+ yard TD. Hughes takes issue on the play and is screaming; Aaron Williams attempts to calm Jerry down.

 

Sterling Moore gets an INT by being in perfect position on an EJ bomb to Woods. (PS to Jeremy White: Rob Ryan and Dennis Thurman are signaling with a horizontal fist pre-snap, the Safety barks something and 2 players change positions). Striker is in at the QB in a flash and gets the sack.

 

Cardale returns, and the draw play to JWilliams goes for about 12. Max Valles gets a sack on Cardale, then Jarrett Boykin makes another Catch of The Day on the far sideline. Not to count himself out, Kain Colter makes a sweet catch, another Catch of The Day, on the sideline nearest us; he has two defenders on him when he makes the catch on a perfectly-thrown ball over his right shoulder, likely the best throw Cardale has made yet. Cardale's next play has triple WR's to the left, and a handoff up the gut, but again my man Justin Zimmer muddies the waters in the middle so Striker and Randell Johnson can make the tackle. Striker comes out of nowhere to "sack" Cardale on the ensuing play. The OC and OG double Zimmer on the next play, and throw to Blake Annen who's near the sideline.

 

Field Goal practice was Carpenter vs Gay, with Carp's lone miss coming from the ball hiked at the 22. He was 7 for 8 on the day. Gay was 5 for 5. No there's not a controversy; Carp is on the 53.

 

In the next 11 on 11, they used plenty of 21 Personnel, and the extra blocker helped Shady spring for 17 yards. After IK Enemkpali tackles the ball-carrier on the next play, Sammy Watkins clears out the underneath coverage and Woods catches the ball OVER THE MIDDLE for a 15 yard gain. I could swear Jerel Worthy dropped into coverage on the next play to make the tackle on Bush; Gilmore was also in the area. There was also a good Shady Block in this drill.

 

With 22 Personnel, I saw it again: Dennis Thurman and Rob Ryan signaled to Robert Blanton. He made one call real loud and the backfield adjusted. Highlights in this drill were Sammy's very neat sidestep after catching the ball; Robert Kugler-Cyril Richardson-Marquis Lucas ability to keep the pocket clean for EJ; EJ's throw to Dez Lewis who was covered nicely by Randell Johnson; and Zimmer's excellent pursuit reminiscent of a younger Kyle Williams. Striker was drawn offsides by EJ, who is a master at baiting the defense with his voice. Just don't call him a master baiter.

 

Tyrod is back in and Kyle Williams shows JWilliams why you shouldn't run plays in his direction. He's baaaaack! You see Thurman and Rob Ryan's signals again with Duke Williams acknowledging. The defense, especially Bryson Albright, Lavar Edwards, and Brandon SPikes stop the next play for no gain. Catches by Dez Lewis, Salas, and Woods followed, as the see-saw battle continued.

 

Red Zone work was a big focus. Jerel Worthy was offsides, but they'll refuse that penalty as Clay catches a perfectly-thrown ball OVER THE MIDDLE for a Touchdown. Next, Tyrod throws and deals Shady a too-easy Touchdown, and Shady lays it up over the crossbar of the goal posts. In 5-wide, Tyrod keeps the ball and --oh, no! everybody in the stands watches Tyrod hit by two linebackers and go airborne. He gets up immediately and signals Touchdown. The crowd scratches "QB Keeper in 5-Wide" off their Armchair QB Playbooks.

 

I'll be going tomorrow with two DraftTek buddies, Joe and Vito; I'll give you everyone's synergistic perspective tomorrow!

Astro

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I saw a photo tweeted of Sammy signing autographs after practice. He was probably being paid for it, though, so he's still a dick. :P

 

p.s. Ranks, Rastro!

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