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Astro-Notes: 8-3-17 Sixth Practice

Astrobot

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Astrobot

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I had to walk 1.5 miles to camp today (wife had plans), so I was disappointed that the Bills were practicing on the third field, adding another 1/3 mile as you have to go around the second field. You have to have a VIP pass to take the shortcut. This was decided overnight. Will mention this to Bills Public Relations.

 

The Taiwan Jones signing doesn't mean anything just yet. Jones is insurance because he's the top AFC returner in 2016. He's not a consideration for RB, in my opinion, but he strengthens the ST group. Yesterday, we had this job done by Powell (suspended 4 games) and Rashad Ross (camp body) who was tried returning kicks in lieu of Tate (injured). Tate returned to action today. No Ross at KR duty. By the way, Taiwan Jones is wearing number 7, which I'm sure is just a slightly-used Cadale jersey. It's a wee big on Taiwan.

 

It's Tyrod's birthday, so I sang to him as he came through the stadium entrance. No one joined in.

 

Clay had no helmet today so another day off for him. The latecomers were Hughes, Seau, (injured), Dareus (evidently giving his all), and Deandre Coleman.

 

POSITIONALS:

The OL and QBs stayed on the second field, so we watched them first (Mike McD is again with me, his son Connor, plus Connor Christiansen and his friend Joel). Wood is hiking to Tyrod, Groy is hiking to Yates, and Mudge is hiking to Peterman.

 

The Offensive line is working on run blocking so, I kept track of who came out of stance the lowest. Some of these were close, but kudos to John Miller, Richie, Cam Jefferson, and Michael Ola, who is back in action after yesterday's injury. Greg Pyke and Jordan Mudge should aim lower with their initial hand use; they need to keep their arms at shoulder level with palms aiming for under the DL's shoulder pads.

 

RBs are practicing bouncing it outside. Shady looks like he's a 24-25-year-old out there. There's a spring in his step and a smile on his face. He's going to be used a lot on receptions out of the backfield judging from the plays I've seen in camp. The RBs form two lines facing each other. One by one, the RBs go down between the two lines, with the other RBs trying to take the ball away. No one can. Later the RBs run through slalom gates and must dodge a coach with a blocking pad. Best at this was Shady, Jordan Johnson and J-Williams tied for 2nd. Banyard looks the most awkward, but he catches the ball well and is still in the running, so to speak. Later they do blocking for the passer, and J-Williams ets his hands up quickest, Banyard's blocks are the most forceful, O'Neal's blocks are a little to high, and Jordan Johnson should use his hands more, and sooner.

 

The WRs are again doing routes around the tackling dummy, then dodging under the pad of an assistant coach. Brandon Reilly is particularly notable at dodging. He looks athletic with good bend. Dez Lewis shows off his improved form and great hands in catching a ball up high where, given his height advantage, nobody else can get it.

 

The TEs were receivers today. O'Leary is so smooth. This smoothness carries over later on where he makes several convincing catches. Logan Thomas isn't as smooth as O'Leary, but he's taller and wider, and should be great at boxing out the defender. He'll need to catch the ball away from his body better, but he's new to the position. Croom shows that he's a receiver in a TE body who'll need to continue work at blocking with leverage, as he's already the equal of O'Leary at receiving downfield. Towbridge is bigger than Croom, made a great end zone catch today in 11 on 11, and is certainly in the running for a PS spot. It'll depend on his uptake of plays and his downfield blocking/ST contributions.

 

RED ZONE 11 on 11:

The Bills did tons of work in the red zone today from the 5- and the 10-yard lines. Tyrod was calm and cool, has his ball cocked and loaded, firing in one quick motion for the score. The quick release is better than last year. So is Tyrod's decisiveness. He's running through progressions well, manipulating the defense better with his eyes, which I'll get to later. Yates stared down his target too long, and as a result, he went too high to the TE as the DBs swarmed where he was looking. Peterman had almost as quick a release as Tyrod, and threaded the needle well, but Dez Lewis dropped it.

 

BACK TO POSITIONALS:

I watched the DL work with Mike Waufle and his minions. Lawson's arm use is quick and fierce. He'll be a handful, as will Dareus, who showed his fast double-arm movement to dispose of the blocker quickly. If you double-team those two, you'll leave Kyle Williams, who looks all in, and perhaps the quickest pass rusher of them all, Jerry Hughes. This will be a nightmare for Offensive Coordinators. A shout-out to Nigel Williams, who seems to be picking up on the coaching coaches and players are giving him, as he's developed a fast motion with his arms to dispose of the blocker. He may be Practice Squad, or an alternative to Jerel Worthy. Worthy still bends the corner well, and I'd love to see him remain as a rotational rusher, moving Adolphus to interior rush only.

 

QBs are working at hitting the deep corner of the end zone, and once each on the near pylon. My old math says Tyrod was 6 for 6 at placing the ball. Yates was 3 for 5, and was more likely too high (2 went out of bounds). Peterman was 4 for 5.

 

RED ZONE 11 on 11:

  • Back to the 5 or the 10 yard line for more red zone work.
  • Jordan Mills is having his best day ever in a Bills uniform. He displays excellent get-off, and positions well at the second level.
  • Holmes is split out wide with Zay in the slot, it's a passing TD to O'Leary.
  • Yates again overthrows O'Leary in that deep corner of the end zone.
  • Streater is still running with the twos, but Yates passes to Towbridge for the TD.
  • The handoff goes to Tolbert, who essentially dares Worthy to take it away from him. He can't.
  • Yates throws into the dirt in front of Brandon Tate, too low for a catch. Nice to see Tate back.
  • Taiwan Jones is consulting with an asst coach about what each play is.
  • Bacarri Rambo makes his presence felt for the first time since being signed with a near takeaway of a Peterman pass.
  • DE Eddie Yarbrough is called offsides, later he'll get hit again with the same call.
  • Jonathan Williams gets 2 upfield blocks for the TD.
  • Tyrod dodges Yarbrough on a bootleg and scampers in for the second TD in a row.
  • A chance for a camp-first 3 TDs in a row, but Peterman's pass to Zay Jones is incomplete. No telling if Boldin would've caught it.

AGAINST AIR:

  • Logan Thomas is taking Clay's place.
  • Tyrod completes it to Shady.
  • Yates completes it to J-Williams on the same play. Peterman passes to Banyard coming out of the backfield.
  • Tyrod aain completes it to Shady, with Wood and Miller lead blockers.
  • Mills again attracts attention with very quick feet in pass blocking, setting himself up perfectly to block for Tyrod. Screens galore in this session
  • Yates forward itch screen to O'Neal results in almost a turnover as O'Neal botches the catch. Catch it first, then run, Cedric.
  • They did a re-do of the last play, and everybody gets it right.
  • Tyrod rips it to Shady who's done a lag route over the middle.
  • Yates hits Tate on an out route.
  • Peterman uses 2 convincing eye manipulations to complete a pass to Walter Powell.
  • Tyrod uses 3 convincing eye manipulations to complete it to O'Leary.
  • Yates completion to Streater
  • Peterman completion to Rashad Ross.

RED ZONE 11 on 11

  • Tyrod uses that eye manipulation and completes it out wide left to Shady for the TD.
  • Tyrod hands it off to Shady, and he scores up the middle for a TD.
  • Again a shot at a first-time trio of touchdowns, but Shadyy is stopped short of the goal line.
  • Yates hits Streater who's run a drag route over the middle for a second TD.
  • Yates fakes the handoff, then throws complete to Streater for the camp-first three TDs.
  • Ragland and Yarbrough stop Tolbert short of the end zone.
  • Peterman shows that eye manipulation but no catch.
  • Peterman rolls out after handing off to the running back, but he is swarmed by that Top 3 run defense.
  • Peterman hands off to Taiwan Jones, who gets 2 good downfield blocks for the TD.
  • The Defense is called for offsides on 3 of the next 5 plays.
  • Tyrod throws behind Watkins for an incompletion. It was the birthday boy's fault.
  • Tyrod hands off to J-Williams for some success.
  • Tyrod looks left at his options, sees nothing, and sprints right for a big gain.
  • O"LEary has one red sneaker and one blue sneaker on. I'm betting he has another pair at home.
  • Yarbrough ets his second offsides penalty (Peteran's snap count?). Ryan Davis is also out there.
  • Peterman hands off to Banyard who runs low for a TD.
  • Peterman tires to hit the far corner on a fade to Powell but Sylve and Elston break it up.
  • Yates uses three eye moves and hits O'LEary over the middle.
  • Watkins is in the slot, Tate out wide to his right, Watkins runs an out and in route and was wide open. Tyrod throws left, incomplete. They'll talk about that one.
  • Yates throws a completion to Tate, but he's stopped short of the end zone.
  • BT Sanders, who's been making plays, almost picks off Streater, but the ball falls incomplete.
  • Croom may or may not have gotten his second foot down in the back corner of the end zone from Yates. We'll call it a TD.
  • Peterman throws it up high where only Towbridge can catch it for the TD over the middle.
  • Peterman to Jeremy Butler was dropped.
  • Peterman throws high up for Dez Lewis, but it's incomplete. Two nice eye manipulations, though. Not staring WRs down like Cardale used to.
  • Once again it's time for a shot at the elusive three TDs in a row. Tyrod's chance is a crosser to Dez Lewis on a crosser. TD!
  • Now it's Yates's turn. Yates throws it to J-Williams at the one, and he rolls in for the 2nd TD.
  • Peterman looks right, left, then throws to Croom for the TD3!
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BillsFan4 All Pro

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Once again, thank you Astro!

 

I actually really look forward to reading these every day now. Much more so than any of the stuff the local media is putting out. You should be getting paid for this! lol

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It sounds like Peterman is having a really good camp and is likely edging Yates out for #2. Do you have the same assessment?

 

I guess we'll find out in a game....

Sure seems that way from all the reports I've read. Still learning from rookie mistakes but he does a lot of things right. The first few practices Yates was performing better but Peterman has progressed quickly and now it seems he's surpassed Yates. I love his potential but he needs to build up arm strength.

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