26CornerBlitz Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 @theMMQB Sammy Watkins must have a big season or the Bills will be a bust https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/07/31/buffalo-bills-training-camp-season-preview-tyrod-taylor-lesean-mccoy-sammy-watkins-lorenzo-alexander The MMQB’s Andy Benoit ranks every NFL team based on roster talent and gives 10 thoughts on each club throughout training camp. The No. 29 Buffalo Bills must see a breakout season from Sammy Watkins. If the fourth-year wideout doesn't step up, the ground game—LeSean McCoy’s shiftiness behind an athletic offensive line and Tyrod Taylor’s mobility—will be wasted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I agree with a lot of what Benoit has to say, but not everything. I certainly don't think it's a given that we don't have any edge rushers. I guess we can't just assume that Shaq is going to be a good edge rusher, but if TC (so far) is any indication, he could be a beast. And, I don't think too many Bills fans have any problem remembering how good of an edge rusher Hughs was before Ryan showed up. Personally, I can't wait to see the tandem of Shaq/Jerry attack the edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r00tabaga Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) Every year, experts predict the Bills to finish 4-12 or 5-11 and every year we are in the 7, 8 or 9 win range. This year is no different. It's like they don't even "really" look at them. #29th -smh- Edited July 31, 2017 by r00tabaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 The key with our defense is returning to the 43 where we flourished in 2014. The key to our offense is Sammy playing 16 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringMetheHeadofLeonLett Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 29. Way too many decent pieces on this team to be put in with the Jamarcus Russel Raiders. Tyrod alone is worth 5+ wins. Not saying he's a godsend, just that alone he'll have a few games good enough for the rest of the team to coast, and he'll put a couple on his own back. 29 is bizzaroland... but somebody needs to pay somebody to have things to get looked at in this day and age. Business Journalism in 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloHokie13 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I didn't really need to know any of those things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagon Circler Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Getting tired of seeing us ranked in the bottom five all the time. Just a few years ago, we had the number 4 defense in the league. Last year we were 10th in points without a lot of help from defense or special teams. We had a sucky coach for 2 years that we got rid of. How does that equate with being everybody's bottom five team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringMetheHeadofLeonLett Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) No clue. All I can think of is Bills fans are hardcore enough to generate clicks, so writers write articles to piss us off enough to generate clicks. I think we all know this team is middle-of-the-pack until they somehow prove otherwise. Mediocre writers sucking the teat until they find some other outlet for their teat sucking mediocrity Edited July 31, 2017 by BringMetheHeadofLeonLett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 @Andy_Benoit Will be interesting to see how Tyrod Taylor does in #Bills new offense. He’ll be put on the move and have reads defined. Tyrod Taylor the NFL’s best pure deep ball thrower because of air he gets under the ball. Issue with Tyrod Taylor are the throws he doesn’t attempt. Leaves too many open receivers on the field. No stat can show this. Tyrod Taylor’s other issue: he’s not comfortable in the pocket later in the down. His lack of height and subtle movement skills limit vision #Bills Notes: @CutonDime25 best in a gap-scheme run game, where he can dance to set up blocks. Now in an outside zone run game for BUF. #Bills Notes: outside zone run game will often feature RB and FB. (Many outside zone games feature only a RB.) #Bills Notes: @CutonDime25, if he plays with discipline, will prosper with FB DiMarco leading way in outside zone game. #Bills signed the NFC’s best FB, @PatDiMarco42, AND 2nd best FB, @miketolbert35. They’ll be a condensed, ball-control offense. #Bills Notes: @C42Clay sneakily a mismatch-maker for BUF passing game. Expect him to align in various spots. #Bills Notes: Charles Clay not big enough to hold the point in run-blocking along the line. The play design must get him up to LB level. #Bills can scheme ways so that FB and run design help TE Clay as a run-blocker against bigger D-linemen. #Bills Notes: Critical that @sammywatkins recapture his ability for #Bills. WR corps really thin if you remove him. At times watching film last yr, I questioned the quickness of #Bills OL. But have heard coaches felt differently. I’d trust coaches. #Bills Notes: Collective movement big for an OL in outside zone game. Can #Bills O-linemen move well enough to answer this call? #Bills Notes: Cordy Glenn NFL’s most purely solid LT. Does nothing great but nothing poorly. Blends in. That’ll work. #Bills Notes: Previous staff loved RG John Miller (@jmill_70). Good hands, strength in pass pro. #Bills Notes: @Ewood70 good bendability for a center. Hopefully he’s solid coming off last year’s injury. #Bills Notes: Replacing RT Jordan Mills (likely with 2nd round rookie Dion Dawkins) corrects the biggest weakness along Bills’ OL. #Bills have 4 excellent run defenders along DL: Dareus and Kyle Williams (interchangeable DTs) and Lawson+Hughes at DE. #Bills Notes: Question is can BUF LBs capitalize on strong run-stopping DL? Ragland no NFL snaps yet, Preston Brown too quiet last yr. #Bills many needs entering draft, still took CB @TreWhite16. Does McDermott plan to play more man coverage as a HC than he did as a DC? #Bills Notes: Historically, McDermott’s zone scheme does not prioritize CBs as much as front 7. Selection of CB @TreWhite16 interesting. #Bills lack pass rushers. Hughes has speed+bendability to turn the edge. But Lawson will have to rely on technique. Can he? #Bills Notes: Expect @marcelldareus to do well. A myth that he’s not suited for this system. He did great in Jim Schwartz’s scheme in’14. @marcelldareus outstanding short-area movement skills. He’d be great as a nose-shade DT in new scheme, could also be 3-tech. Clay is a much better blocker than Benoit indicates here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 That was actually pretty well written. At least he actually knows who is on the team, unlike some of the national writers I've seen in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringMetheHeadofLeonLett Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 That was actually pretty well written. At least he actually knows who is on the team, unlike some of the national writers I've seen in the past. So... knowing the roster is a new benchmark for sports writers. No matter what the hell happens, this is not a bottom 4 team. Ugggh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big C Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I like reading his analysis, but I agree that his overall conclusion undersells our talent. But we are all buying into the hype from camp that Lawson is emerging, Zay and Tre look good, etc. Regardless, we are far from a bottom 5 team in terms of talent. But between some unknowns with depth and new coaches I get the lowballing. Don't care what they say now as long as they put it together in September and beyond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 So... knowing the roster is a new benchmark for sports writers. No matter what the hell happens, this is not a bottom 4 team. Uggghi was more being sarcastic about the usual drivel we get by guys who know nothing about the team and mention players who aren't even on the team anymore or get the names wrong. I could not care less where people rank us prior to even playing a pre-season game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Getting tired of seeing us ranked in the bottom five all the time. Just a few years ago, we had the number 4 defense in the league. Last year we were 10th in points without a lot of help from defense or special teams. We had a sucky coach for 2 years that we got rid of. How does that equate with being everybody's bottom five team? I kinda don't mind being the underdog. At least, I aways feel a little more comfortable going into a Sunday as the underdog, and less so when we're favored. Just part of being a Bills fan, I suppose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baskingridgebillsfan Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 29th is crazy talk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted August 1, 2017 Author Share Posted August 1, 2017 @Andy_Benoit .@marcelldareus outstanding short-area movement skills. He’d be great as a nose-shade DT in new scheme, could also be 3-tech. #Bills Notes: Will we see the @realronalddarby of ’15 or the Darby of ’16? #Bills need the ’15 Darby, otherwise secondary extremely thin. #Bills Notes: Wonder how versatile @micah_hyde will be in McDermott’s system. McDermott likes to wrinkle some of his designs. #Bills Notes: McDermott believes in true 4-3 zone but with small, timely doses of designer blitzes. Usually through A-gaps or off the slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianFan Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I didn't even notice this thread and posted a new one under a better title: Scheme fits for our core players. That's what his preview was about. Whether the new coaches and our core players fit or not. I think he made a good point that OC Rick will demand less from Tyrod and thus he can thrive here. He also suggests McD might play more man coverage since he drafted a corner with 1st, and he already got a good corner. Key thing is he believes McCoy may have a problem being disciplined for Rick's zone schemes. If he does he'll do well. Otherwise we could see a frustrating season from McCoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted August 1, 2017 Author Share Posted August 1, 2017 I didn't even notice this thread and posted a new one under a better title: Scheme fits for our core players. That's what his preview was about. Whether the new coaches and our core players fit or not. I think he made a good point that OC Rick will demand less from Tyrod and thus he can thrive here. He also suggests McD might play more man coverage since he drafted a corner with 1st, and he already got a good corner. Key thing is he believes McCoy may have a problem being disciplined for Rick's zone schemes. If he does he'll do well. Otherwise we could see a frustrating season from McCoy. McCoy would be excellent in any system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonbrigade Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Bills finish 6 and 10 and get a franchise QB in 2018. Gotta stink to get a good QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Good write-up by Benoit. Thanks for posting!! Who knows re the talent on this team. Objectively, they didn't add much this offseason on the talent front, although Hyde is a good football player. They lost more than they gained with regard to talent. I think that's inarguable. They didn't draft any studs, after all. The guys they took may turn out to be good players, but no one thinks they're blue chippers. Edited August 2, 2017 by dave mcbride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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