Who helped and hurt their case tonight?

[GunnerBill]

Good thread. I find this the best way to look at pre-season. I've tried to order them in terms of who helped his case most not who played the best so for me:

 

Helped:

 

#1 - Duke Williams - there is a 4th safety spot there for the winning and Duke Williams had an excellent game. I thought there were signs of him coming on at the end of the Marrone / Schwartz year but then last year he looked lost in the defense. He has always been a decent hitter, but last year he blew so many coverages he was a liability on the field. I wonder if he was one of those who struggled to understand the defense? Because last night he seemed to know his coverage responsibilities and was really effective breaking up passes. He has jumped back above Jonathan Meeks' supposed strong camp and Colt Anderson's special teams play.

 

#2 - Walt Powell - had a really good night with his judgment on returns and made some good plays on offense with a couple of very nice grabs from EJ. For me he is in that mix for the 6th receiver / special teams ace role that has been played by Marcus Easley the past couple of seasons (even if Easley's contributions were as a gunner not a returner).

 

#3 - Chris Gragg - He was probably already the #2 in my mind at tight end. I will want to go back and re-watch but my first take was that there seemed to be an improvement in his blocking on the occasions he was asked to stay in and block. If that is the case he is almost a lock for the roster because he has always been capable as a receiver. Not sure how much teams he has played before but his contribution there is another help for him in case of ties.

 

#4 - Cardale Jones - Yes, Cardale is only #4. Why? Because for me he was a lock for the roster before this game in any event. But did he help us fans feel good about having a genuine developmental QB with some major upside on the roster? He sure did. His fundamentals are still sketchy and inconsistent but the arm talent is obvious and for someone who throws from such an inconsistent base he was surprisingly accurate. He also made reasonably good decisions and the throw to Boykin at the end for the TD was a tight window and he slotted it in.

 

#5 - Cyrus Kouandjio - Like many others I was pleasantly surprised with Kouandjio (one blown assignment on a run play aside). The left v right thing has already been done to death in this thread but it is an interesting point to consider. I'd like to see more of him as the pre-season goes on but I am hopeful of him being able to fulfil the swing role.

 

#6 - Blake Annen - Annen helped himself with some nice catches but if my first instinct on Gragg was right (that he seems improved as a blocker) that increase the chances of Annen making the team over a specialist blocker like Jim Dray.

 

Hurt:

 

#1 - Leonard Hankerson - he is in last chance saloon now. His chance of making the team is hanging by a thread. You cannot drop that many balls and on the back of a less than inspiring camp he is in major trouble.

 

#2 - Fernando Velasco - He was horrid as a backup centre. Botched snaps, slow feet, blown assignments..... he was really troubling. I'd like to see him given a chance to play at guard before taking a final decision on him, but last night was a rough outing and I think a lot of people will think Ryan Groy was worse than he actually was because he was exposed by Velasco.

 

#3 - Sterling Moore - He had a chance to solidify himself as the backup nickel and he blew it. He is not a good football player and has flamed out elsewhere in the league too. I think he will end up on the outside looking in at the 53.

 

#4 - Brandon Spikes - Maybe he wasn't fully dialled in on the scheme but he also looked slow, a liability in coverage and just a bad fit for a Rex Ryan defense. I think they will only end up keeping one of Spikes and Hawthorne and the latter is the clubhouse leader after last night.

 

#5 - James Wilder Jnr - Faced an uphill battle to make the roster as things stood. He could find himself out of a job within the week. There are now 5 backs very definitely entrenched ahead of him.

 

#6 - Rex Ryan - Push ups, laps, bracelets - we have tried every gimmick in the book now. Can the Head Coach stop with the gimmicks and sort out the penalties issue please? If guys don't learn then take them off the damn field.

 

 

Honourable mention for a good performance to Kevon Seymour - but he doesn't make the "helped" list because he is a lock regardless for me and might even be the first backup outside corner on this team. He was outstanding but for a slightly harsh PI call and I look forward to watching his development. I think Rex is going to find ways in certain packages to get this kid on the field.

 

Honourable mentions for bad performances - Boom Herron was bad but he never had a shot of making the team for me. He is hear as a pair of camp legs who knows the offense having been here a bit last year. Also Greg Little who wasn't bad as such (certainly not in a Hankerson way) but didn't push his case and that great 1st week of camp feels a long time ago now for him.

 

Roll on game 2 and Go Bills.

Edited August 14, 2016 by GunnerBill

[26CornerBlitz]

@JaySkurski

BN Blitz: With strong game against Colts, #Bills rookie CB Kevon Seymour continues to impress

https://t.co/ehUCcw9zEC

[Bill from NYC]

 

 

The Kujo thing is another example.......imagine Doug Whaley saying THAT to the media and what the reaction would be.

 

But perhaps in part because Tasker makes a ton of on-the-fly mistakes.......he can slip in an organizational truth/excuse in.

What comment did I miss about Kujo?

[3rdand12]

it was the first pre season game. perspective please. Its a fun exercise to call out the highs and lows.
but lets not put too much into it.

What comment did I miss about Kujo?

Him playing left tackle. You really don't read through or watch the games anymore do you?

I don't blame you.

I tried to tune Tasker and Stone out after the first ten muffs.

they sucked.
Now Cyrus, was a bit better. But no great shakes

[That's No Moon]

it was the first pre season game. perspective please. Its a fun exercise to call out the highs and lows.

but lets not put too much into it.

Him playing left tackle. You really don't read through or watch the games anymore do you?

I don't blame you.

I tried to tune Tasker and Stone out after the first ten muffs.

they sucked.

Now Cyrus, was a bit better. But no great shakes

Marquis Lucas did a nice job at LT late in the game. Certainly better than Martin.

[Mark Vader]

Am I the only one who noticed Robert Blanton? He looked very good out there and I think he will be a good Safety for us.

[Fixxxer]

Am I the only one who noticed Robert Blanton? He looked very good out there and I think he will be a good Safety for us.

 

To tell you the thruth I noticed him in the first couple of plays when he tackled the kick returner and then had a nice hit on a running play, where he closed nicely on the RB for a short gain. After that, I might have miss him making other plays.

 

What I did notice was P. Brown barking the plays and everyone being on the same page quickly.

[3rdand12]

Am I the only one who noticed Robert Blanton? He looked very good out there and I think he will be a good Safety for us.

No . not the only one. I was looking for him actually

Marquis Lucas did a nice job at LT late in the game. Certainly better than Martin.

Did not catch that.

Thanks, now there is an Underdog to root for !!

 

To tell you the thruth I noticed him in the first couple of plays when he tackled the kick returner and then had a nice hit on a running play, where he closed nicely on the RB for a short gain. After that, I might have miss him making other plays.

 

What I did notice was P. Brown barking the plays and everyone being on the same page quickly.

Much more organized

[RyanC883]

Helped:

Adolphus Washington

Cardale Jones

Robert Blanton

Duke Williams

Cyrus Kouandjio

Blake Annen

Nick O'Leary

Kevon Seymour

Walter Powell

Robert Woods

Mike Gillislee

Jonathan Williams

 

Hurt:

Ryan Groy

Leonard Hankerson

James Wilder, Jr.

Bryson Albright

Mario Butler

 

like the list, but Gragg is missing from "helped." He played well last year toward the end of the season. Nice to see the backup TE's having a good game.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

like the list, but Gragg is missing from "helped." He played well last year toward the end of the season. Nice to see the backup TE's having a good game.

 

Agreed, it's a good list. Gragg made the team in the first quarter of the game with his play -- if he wasn't already a lock.

[Blokestradamus]

I wrote some words on a couple of the UDFA guys on the roster - OT Marquis Lucas and OLB Bryson Albright.

 

Would be much appreciated if you gave it a read and told me what an idiot I am.

 

http://buffalofambase.org/2016/08/15/preseason-week-1-udfa-spotlight/

[26CornerBlitz]

@ChrisTrapasso

My quick-hit observations of 14 #Bills players from the preseason opener. (Adolphus Washington was really good)

https://t.co/OQn2nPbiyq

[GunnerBill]

Good stuff Blokes. I don't know about you but by the 4th Quarter my eyes were heavy and my brain was fried and trying to concentrate on the Bills and Jess Ennis in the Heptathlon at the same time became a stretch so I did not get a good look at Lucas. I am intending to re-watch the game tonight so will keep an eye on him.

 

Albright.... meh. Not an NFL player for me.

[Blokestradamus]

Good stuff Blokes. I don't know about you but by the 4th Quarter my eyes were heavy and my brain was fried and trying to concentrate on the Bills and Jess Ennis in the Heptathlon at the same time became a stretch so I did not get a good look at Lucas. I am intending to re-watch the game tonight so will keep an eye on him.

 

Albright.... meh. Not an NFL player for me.

 

I had so much coffee in me that I couldn't even fall asleep for about half an hour. Re-watched that whole game again and Albright/Lucas in isolation. I know every snap.

 

I get why anyone would pass on Albright. He's way lighter than most of my positional thresholds but I'm a sucker for a pretty blonde. I see a route for his development and I think he can be turned into a decent situational rusher in the next couple of years. He obviously needs to bulk up to around 240 as a bare minimum and get himself a place with Chuck Smith next offseason to build on his pass rush arsenal.

 

He's all action and chaos, there's something endearing about that.

[Tenhigh]

 

Eeeee.... I gotta differ on this one... I mean, just from a 'body of work' standpoint, there just ain't no way... Goodwin thought he was a track-star too, and how'd that work out?... At best, he could be considered a mid-range potential... That's IF he stays healthy... If he doesn't, he's completely out of the sport in two years... Unless the Argos, or Alouettes need a guy.

 

Woods beats him hands down when it comes to production... In Goodwins case, that extends to talent by default.

Canadian Olympian!!!

[Punching Bag]

Duke surprised me. Looks like he has his head screwed on correctly now.

 

Duke is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde player. He makes occasionally fabulous play, plays for stretches well, plays for stretches poorly and lets it affect him and then does Aaron Williams' imitation doing a terrible bone headed hot headed play.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

Duke is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde player. He makes occasionally fabulous play, plays for stretches well, plays for stretches poorly and lets it affect him and then does Aaron Williams' imitation doing a terrible bone headed hot headed play.

 

I agree, it's always been the mental part of the game that's held Duke back. Hopefully having the same DC for the first time in back-to-back seasons will help him play more off instinct rather than having to think and play.

[3rdand12]

 

I agree, it's always been the mental part of the game that's held Duke back. Hopefully having the same DC for the first time in back-to-back seasons will help him play more off instinct rather than having to think and play.

Reed may have a positive effect on his focus.. Has the physical skills for sure, like A Williams

[Deranged Rhino]

Reed may have a positive effect on his focus.. Has the physical skills for sure, like A Williams

 

That's the hope.

[BADOLBILZ]

Reed may have a positive effect on his focus.. Has the physical skills for sure, like A Williams

 

He was then like the Cardale/Listenbee picks were this year.......modest gambles on physical measurables over college production.

 

Duke had the fastest 20 yard shuttle time and 4th best 40 time of the safeties at the combine in his draft year and like Listenbee he did that with an injury(turf toe).......so physically the guy was high pedigree athlete.