Tyler Dunne Article on Sammy Watkins' Maturation

[hondo in seattle]

Just now, Mat68 said:

The exact reason why Mcermott didn't pick up his option and oked the the trade.  Buffalo needs a tremendous amount of character and leadership to turn around the 17 year old fiasco.  Stat me guys do nothing to change the culture and expectations of the team moving forward.  On a winning team Watkins would be little to no problem.  for a franchise trying to climb out of the gutter Watkins is a monkey on your back.  

 

Yep.  I've always suspected that Sammy was let go more for character issues than injury and productions concerns.  

 

Maybe Sammy's different now, but in Buffalo he was not a McD, team-first kind of guy.

[Teddy KGB]

14 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Sammy had more yards per game and more receptions per game in 2015 and 2016 than he does this seasom. He had more total targets in 2015 and only 6 less total targets in 2016 despite playing in 5 fewer games.

 

So if Tyrod was ignoring him, what is Goff doing? If he complained to the LA Times about his targets would that be acceptable to you?

 

Sammy > all our wideouts by far 

 

 

[Royale with Cheese]

53 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

29 first downs and 7 TDs on 34 catches is pretty impactful I'd say. 

 

That’s good production for a #2 WR.

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

 

That’s good production for a #2 WR.

 

He's their #1 WR who draws coverage from the oppositions top CB on a weekly basis.  You'd know that if you were paying attention.

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

He's their #1 WR who draws coverage from the oppositions top CB on a weekly basis.  You'd know that if you were paying attention.

 

Im assuming that Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, OBJ and AJ Green are doing just the same thing in regards of production?  Unless you think those guys don’t draw the top CB?

[26CornerBlitz]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Im assuming that Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, OBJ and AJ Green are doing just the same thing in regards of production?  Unless you think those guys don’t draw the top CB?

 

Sean McVay's system doesn't focus on feeding one target.  

[BillsVet]

2 hours ago, Wayne Arnold said:

Ah yes, the upcoming free agent's "maturation"

 

 

Sounds like Sammy's agent been working the phones for some good PR. A savvy thing to do in light of this down year he's having.

[CommonCents]

1 hour ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

29 first downs and 7 TDs on 34 catches is pretty impactful I'd say. 

Mercedes Lewis has 5 touchdowns on 19 catches. Is he good? 

 

8 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Im assuming that Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, OBJ and AJ Green are doing just the same thing in regards of production?  Unless you think those guys don’t draw the top CB?

If you want a laugh look at Watkins ghosting against top 10 cornerbacks. Usually totally invisible, ocassional a catch or two and 30 yards.

[26CornerBlitz]

5 minutes ago, Commonsense said:

Mercedes Lewis has 5 touchdowns on 19 catches. Is he good? 

 

If you want a laugh look at Watkins ghosting against top 10 cornerbacks. Usually totally invisible, ocassional a catch or two and 30 yards.

 

Is Mercedes Lewis drawing the weekly assignment from #CBs as a TE no less? No. Silly comparison.

Edited December 15, 2017 by 26CornerBlitz

[BuffaloBill]

2 hours ago, GG said:

This is why he was traded, and a lot of times troubled players need a change of scenery.

 

 

 

It may also simply be an age or stage of life issue.  It has to be difficult being that young and coming into that much money suddenly.  No doubt there are many people trying to get their fingers into the wallet.

[DrDawkinstein]

Ugh, it's all so Billsy

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Sean McVay's system doesn't focus on feeding one target.  

 

Thats great.

Except for Pierre Garçon who averaged over 100 targets a season with McVay.

 

Except for who had 100 and 95 targets in two seasons with McVay.  The 3rd year 48 but only played 8 games.

 

Except for Jordan Reedwho averaged 90 targets a season with McVay.

 

Watkins....58 in 13 games.

[The Frankish Reich]

2 hours ago, jmc12290 said:

Sammy is trying to get ahead of his rep before he hits FA.

 

Hope he's truly matured.

Yep. Alternate headlines:

1. Facing Free Agency, Sammy Watkins Takes Pains to Reflect on his Maturation into a Team Player.  

2. With a Mediocre Stat Line in a High-Powered Offense, Sammy Watkins Points out to Potential Suitors that He Isn't Motivated by Personal Numbers 

[BADOLBILZ]

32 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Yep.  I've always suspected that Sammy was let go more for character issues than injury and productions concerns.  

 

Maybe Sammy's different now, but in Buffalo he was not a McD, team-first kind of guy.

 

There aren't enough talented, naturally "team-first at the expense of paycheck" kinda' guys in the NFL to stock even one good team...........you need to take young stars like Watkins with modest maturity issues and legit gripes with the organization and prove to them you are worthy of their unquestioned faith.

 

McVay got buy-in with Sammy and the rest of the Rams because he immediately showed he was an aggressive, difference maker as a coach.

 

For Sean McDermott's first trick he brought in play-scared Jauron-ball. 

 

The net result?

 

Same as the past........OK maybe worse......team always turtles at mid-season but this year there was some epic quitting/biz decisions going on...............followed by the obligatory late heroic push for the last seed in the playoffs.

 

 This is the time of year when players are most selfishly motivated.........they want good film at the end of the season to make a good last impression as they seek to get more money or retain jobs for next year.   Many also want the staff retained so they don't have to learn new systems and show up for extra-offseason OTA's.    

 

Anyone who thinks this team has looked bought-in throughout games in the past month needs glasses.   They should have lost to the Colts for chrissake.

 

 

[CommonCents]

16 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Is Mercedes Lewis drawing the weekly assignment from #CBs? No. Silly comparison.

Uhhh go look at his stats when they play against teams with good corners. He got a touchdown against AZ but it was a little stacked play to keep him away from Pat Pete. 

 

Rashaan Melvin 5 for 58

Sherman 0-0

Ramsey 1-11

Pat Pete 3-42

Pat Pete 3-38

Rhodes 3-36

 

one touchdown against AZ it wasn't on Peterson.

 

The Giants Touchdown was a busted coverage against DRC and collins who let him run free. If he sees so much number 1, where was Janoris!?

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by Commonsense

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, dave mcbride said:

 

Wow. 

 

So sayeth the Skurski, so sayeth the flock.

[CommonCents]

6 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Thats great.

Except for Pierre Garçon who averaged over 100 targets a season with McVay.

 

Except for who had 100 and 95 targets in two seasons with McVay.  The 3rd year 48 but only played 8 games.

 

Except for Jordan Reedwho averaged 90 targets a season with McVay.

 

Watkins....58 in 13 games.

In another thread I listed Garcon's catch totals he had something like 3 games in 3 years with 3 catches or less. Watkins catches 3 or less more often than not.

[26CornerBlitz]

10 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Thats great.

Except for Pierre Garçon who averaged over 100 targets a season with McVay.

 

Except for who had 100 and 95 targets in two seasons with McVay.  The 3rd year 48 but only played 8 games.

 

Except for Jordan Reedwho averaged 90 targets a season with McVay.

 

Watkins....58 in 13 games.

 

W/O the benefit of a full offseason of OTAs, minicamps, and TC to fully immerse himself in the system.  The Rams are happy with his production as well as the opportunities he opens up for Woods, Kupp and others by design and matchup concepts. 

[HappyDays]

16 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Thats great.

Except for Pierre Garçon who averaged over 100 targets a season with McVay.

 

Except for who had 100 and 95 targets in two seasons with McVay.  The 3rd year 48 but only played 8 games.

 

Except for Jordan Reedwho averaged 90 targets a season with McVay.

 

Watkins....58 in 13 games.

 

Sammy isn't the #1 receiver in LA, it is painfully obvious to anyone without an agenda.

[BADOLBILZ]

11 minutes ago, The Frankish Reich said:

Yep. Alternate headlines:

1. Facing Free Agency, Sammy Watkins Takes Pains to Reflect on his Maturation into a Team Player.  

2. With a Mediocre Stat Line in a High-Powered Offense, Sammy Watkins Points out to Potential Suitors that He Isn't Motivated by Personal Numbers 

 

Meh that means little really.   Easy to be a team guy in his situation now.......this isn't his originally scheduled walk year.

 

Watkins is most likely looking at a one-year prove it deal for $7M-$9M.......which was his range if the Bills had 5th year optioned him.    

 

In the meantime he gets to compete for a championship.

 

   

[26CornerBlitz]

1 minute ago, HappyDays said:

 

Sammy isn't the #1 receiver in LA, it is painfully obvious to anyone without an agenda.

 

It's painfully obvious that you don't watch the Rams play. 

[CommonCents]

1 minute ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

It's painfully obvious that you don't watch the Rams play. 

I watch the Rams every week. He hasn't caught a touchdown all season against a legit number one corner. Explain.

[BillsFan2313]

2 hours ago, joesixpack said:

haha I love shady. so NOT a punk like watkins.

 

 

Na, he doesn't complain about touches, just smashes champagne bottles over peoples heads at nightclubs. Definitely not a punk.

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, Commonsense said:

I watch the Rams every week. He hasn't caught a touchdown all season against a legit number one corner. Explain.

 

If you have then you have certainly seen him beat #1 CBs to be only to be missed by Goff or have the ball thrown elsewhere.  

[Royale with Cheese]

7 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

W/O the benefit of a full offseason of OTAs, minicamps, and TC to fully immerse himself in the system.  The Rams are happy with his production as well as the opportunities he opens up for Woods, Kupp and others by design and matchup concepts. 

 

Yep.  All #1 WR on teams are just decoys.  When the Rams traded for him, they expected him to be 94th in the NFl in catches....that’s what they wanted LOL.  

 

So the excuse was before McVay doesn’t focus on targeting just 1 guy but then you saw that while with the Skins, 3 guys were consistently targeted a lot.  

 

Now it’s he didn’t have camp with them the Rams.  Well neither did OBJ as a rookie.  He didn’t average only 5 targets a game.

 

Uh oh....someone disagrees with you.  Same something snarky again like you always do when someone has a conflicting point to yours.

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Yep.  All #1 WR on teams are just decoys.  When the Rams traded for him, they expected him to be 94th in the NFl in catches....that’s what they wanted LOL.  

 

So the excuse was before McVay doesn’t focus on targeting just 1 guy but then you saw that while with the Skins, 3 guys were consistently targeted a lot.  

 

Now it’s he didn’t have camp with them the Rams.  Well neither did OBJ as a rookie.  He didn’t average only 5 targets a game.

 

Uh oh....someone disagrees with you.  Same something snarky again like you always do when someone has a conflicting point to yours.

 

7 TDs to lead the team. Decoy?  Sure. 

[BADOLBILZ]

7 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Sammy isn't the #1 receiver in LA, it is painfully obvious to anyone without an agenda.

 

Tell that to the defenses covering him.

 

The Rams have played some of the league's best CB's and they all seem to wind up lined across from Watkins.  

 

Meanwhile McVay is circumventing the nature of the rule regarding QB communication by calling the play at the LOS thru the QB's headset........picking out the guy with the best matchup and directing Goff to throw it to him.    Watkins is excellent but usually there are better matchups than any guy lining up across from Richard Sherman or Jalen Ramsey.

 

  

 

 

[Royale with Cheese]

9 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

7 TDs to lead the team. Decoy?  Sure. 

 

You’re the one making the point he’s the one drawing the attention away from Woods and Kupp!!  That’s your argument!  That’s why you’re saying he he’s not targeted much!

Edited December 15, 2017 by Royale with Cheese

[26CornerBlitz]

2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

You’re the one making the point he’s the one drawing the attention away from Woods and Kupp!!  That’s you’re argument!  That’s why you’re saying he he’s not targeted much!

 

On certain routes of course.   That's what you do as a playcaller to take advantage of matchups when you have the edge.  It's smart of McVay to do that. 

[CommonCents]

How do you suppose his agent views this season? Short of being injured again this is about as bad as it could go. He either does a prove deal or finds Allen Hurns type of money in an undesirable place like say...Chicago.

 

Lack of production, early season admission of half assing it, past history with Bills, injuries. He won't be signing a top dollar deal like he thought.

[BADOLBILZ]

6 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Yep.  All #1 WR on teams are just decoys.  When the Rams traded for him, they expected him to be 94th in the NFl in catches....that’s what they wanted LOL.  

 

So the excuse was before McVay doesn’t focus on targeting just 1 guy but then you saw that while with the Skins, 3 guys were consistently targeted a lot.  

 

Now it’s he didn’t have camp with them the Rams.  Well neither did OBJ as a rookie.  He didn’t average only 5 targets a game.

 

Uh oh....someone disagrees with you.  Same something snarky again like you always do when someone has a conflicting point to yours.

 

I tend to doubt that he was calling the plays at the LOS thru the headset with Kirk Cousins in Washington.

 

I think this is something he kept in his pocket for his first HC job and if you watched the Rams play this year it's pretty stark how Goff always seems to find the wide open man in an instant.  

 

Being able to do this might not yield similar results from a pedestrian game planner/play caller but for McVay it's been incredibly effective.

[plenzmd1]

25 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Watkins is most likely looking at a one-year prove it deal for $7M-$9M.......which was his range if the Bills had 5th year optioned him.    

 

 

   

 

Huh????

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

On certain routes of course.   That's what you do as a playcaller to take advantage of matchups when you have the edge.  It's smart of McVay to do that. 

 

Certain routes?  Seems like the majority of the routes since he’s 4th on the team in targets.

 

I guess McVay wasn’t smart enough to do it priors years because he was targeted other receivers more with the Skins.

[HappyDays]

12 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Tell that to the defenses covering him.

 

The Rams have played some of the league's best CB's and they all seem to wind up lined across from Watkins.  

 

Meanwhile McVay is circumventing the nature of the rule regarding QB communication by calling the play at the LOS thru the QB's headset........picking out the guy with the best matchup and directing Goff to throw it to him.    Watkins is excellent but usually there are better matchups than any guy lining up across from Richard Sherman or Jalen Ramsey.

 

  

 

 

 

Weird how Sammy is the only #1 WR that McVay has specifically avoided targeting in his offenses. So what you're saying is he trusted Pierre Garcon against #1 receivers more than he trusts Sammy? Sounds about right actually.

[YoloinOhio]

3 hours ago, Cynical said:

 

Could be? I think the training staff issue has been a problem in Buffalo for years now. Ever since the Bills lost that trainer from the 90's (I cannot remember his name at the moment), the players on this team have been constantly nicked up, injured, weight issues, etc.

McD changed over the training staff 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/articles.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2017/03/sean_mcdermott_fires_4_members_of_buffalo_bills_football_operations_staff_report.amp

Edited December 15, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[CommonCents]

3 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

I tend to doubt that he was calling the plays at the LOS thru the headset with Kirk Cousins in Washington.

 

I think this is something he kept in his pocket for his first HC job and if you watched the Rams play this year it's pretty stark how Goff always seems to find the wide open man in an instant.  

 

Being able to do this might not yield similar results from a pedestrian game planner/play caller but for McVay it's been incredibly effective.

Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady?

[Royale with Cheese]

2 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Huh????

 

It was $13.26 million.

[26CornerBlitz]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Certain routes?  Seems like the majority of the routes since he’s 4th on the team in targets.

 

I guess McVay wasn’t smart enough to do it priors years because he was targeted other receivers more with the Skins.

 

McVay has said he uses Watkins in the same way he did DeSean Jackson.  He creates opportunities for others on the team. Is this really that difficult to understand? 

[Doc]

2 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 Quite a revisionist take......McCoy was a punk for sure and took much longer to mature than Watkins.  His stubborn, self-serving manner cost him his job on his beloved hometown team.   Gotta' be devastating for McCoy to see the Eagles coasting into the playoffs with a potential #1 seed/homefield advantage while he wallows in exile.   Sammy got the reverse........exiled to sunny SoCal and a trip to the playoffs.  

 

Talk about revisionist history!  What "cost him his job on his beloved hometown team" was a joke of a HC who is now out of the NFL and will never coach in the NFL again.  Since joining the Bills, he's only rushed for more yards than any other RB in the NFL.  Oh and don't worry about Shady.  He's made the playoffs before and probably wishes they had a decent QB more than anything else.   

 

And great, another player who "matures" after leaving Buffalo.  Like I said before...

Edited December 15, 2017 by Doc

[Coach Tuesday]

I'll say it again: some day, some how, the Bills need a player development program.  The good franchises have them.  McD's program seems to be, "Let's bring in players who don't need any development."  That ain't sustainable.

 

Put it another way: the coaches who are going to have long careers are the ones who can get production and buy-in out of the Watkins and Dareus types.  It's EASY to get production out of Tre' White, any coach could do it.  Rex could do it.  That doesn't distinguish a good coach.