Is Star Lotulelei A Liability on the DL?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

Star Lotuleilei is doing a good job.  I heard it right here, about 5:19 in.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/sean-mcdermott-get-the-ball-in-the-hands-of-our-playmakers

 

12 minutes ago, GG said:

I have no idea why you think Star's role in this defense is essentially to stand up, engage the blockers and do nothing else.  Because that's his highlight reel this year.

 

Well, whatever it is Star is supposed to be doing, McDermott thinks he's doing a good job of it.

 

Edit: 5:44 "Yesterday Star played a solid game for us"  For McDermott, that's about as high praise as it gets.  

 

Don't shoot the messenger, just quoting McD

[GG]

7 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I think the biggest problem with the run D is linebacker gap assignment. The biggest difference between weeks 1 to 5 and weeks 6 and 7 has been the performance of Edmunds. He had show some really promising signs of progress early this year.... but the last 2 weeks has been major regression to 2018 form. He is misdiagnosing plays and constantly attacking the wrong gap. The long touchdown run it was Milano that got the wrong gap. That is the biggest issue on the run D and I have said that both weeks. But I don't think Star is playing as solid as you suggest. I think at some point he has to have more of an impact. 

 

I would add that the main reason you saw the results in games 6-7, is that teams saw game tape after Harry was out of the line up and started exploiting Star's ineffectiveness

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 

Well, whatever it is Star is supposed to be doing, McDermott thinks he's doing a good job of it.

 

He better let Frazier know, because Peko's play count has been increasing.

[MAJBobby]

7 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Star Lotuleilei is doing a good job.  I heard it right here, about 5:19 in.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/sean-mcdermott-get-the-ball-in-the-hands-of-our-playmakers

 

 

Well, whatever it is Star is supposed to be doing, McDermott thinks he's doing a good job of it.

skates is collecting his check and says Thank You for it every week

Edited October 28, 2019 by MAJBobby

[GoBills808]

8 minutes ago, GG said:

 

There's a 6+ minute tape that shows Star getting manhandled by a JV Dolphins line a few pages back.  He was single blocked by Seumalo for most pf the game and essentially neutralized. 

 

I have no idea why you think Star's role in this defense is essentially to stand up, engage the blockers and do nothing else.  Because that's his highlight reel this year.

That is the pretty much the definition of his job. Always has been. 
 

I’d encourage you to watch the Eagles footage. It’s pretty revealing imo.

[GoBills808]

14 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Star Lotuleilei is doing a good job.  I heard it right here, about 5:19 in.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/sean-mcdermott-get-the-ball-in-the-hands-of-our-playmakers

 

 

Well, whatever it is Star is supposed to be doing, McDermott thinks he's doing a good job of it.

 

Edit: 5:44 "Yesterday Star played a solid game for us"  For McDermott, that's about as high praise as it gets.  

 

Don't shoot the messenger, just quoting McD

This is what I saw as well. 

[GG]

6 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

That is the pretty much the definition of his job. Always has been. 
 

I’d encourage you to watch the Eagles footage. It’s pretty revealing imo.

 

I did.  He's the same blob that he's been all season.

 

Speaking of Eagles, they knew exactly how to game plan against him. (In case you missed it the first time)

[GG]

2 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

This is what I saw as well. 

 

McD also praised Kyle Peko's play in the question immediately before.

 

Watch McD's body language as soon as he's done answering the question about Star.  He's waiting for the tougher follow up, which never came.

[GoBills808]

8 minutes ago, GG said:

 

I did.  He's the same blob that he's been all season.

 

Speaking of Eagles, they knew exactly how to game plan against him. (In case you missed it the first time)

So in your opinion he played poorly against the Eagles? Just to clarify.

[GG]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

So in your opinion he played poorly against the Eagles? Just to clarify.

Yes, he's been a consistent underperformer. 

 

If the coaches truly believe that he played well, why did Peko get so many snaps and why was Peko in on a critical goal line stand.

 

The logic doesnt mesh.  

[GoBills808]

Just now, GG said:

Yes, he's been a consistent underperformer. 

 

If the coaches truly believe that he played well, why did Peko get so many snaps and why was Peko in on a critical goal line stand.

 

The logic doesnt mesh.  

They have a rotation at DT. If you don’t understand this nothing about snap counts or different looks is going to make any sense.

 

Show me an example of a play vs the Eagles where  you think he didn’t do his job. I did a few where he performed well already, it should be easy to point out the bad ones if he was so terrible.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 10/24/2019 at 12:12 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

From Joe B's All-22 breakdown on The Athletic:

We are really missing Horrible Harry

See above

 

Good post. 

 

So while careful not to name names and throw people under the bus, Eric Wood had this to say:

" The Eagles did have a successful day running the football accumulating 218 rush yards. A lot of these runs were up the middle. Last week linebacker Matt Milano was out, but you are still missing Harrison Phillips who is a great at stopping the run. Without Phillips, there is a different rotation of tackles playing those snaps and they are still finding their footing when it comes to stuffing the run up the middle. "

 

I think a reasonable translation is: yeah, our 1-technique DTs struggled

[DJB]

On 10/24/2019 at 12:59 PM, BuffaninSarasota said:

 

care to elaborate ?

 

Im gonna guess the poster said "See Eagles game"

[GoBills808]

5 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Good post. 

 

So while careful not to name names and throw people under the bus, Eric Wood had this to say:

" The Eagles did have a successful day running the football accumulating 218 rush yards. A lot of these runs were up the middle. Last week linebacker Matt Milano was out, but you are still missing Harrison Phillips who is a great at stopping the run. Without Phillips, there is a different rotation of tackles playing those snaps and they are still finding their footing when it comes to stuffing the run up the middle. "

 

I think a reasonable translation is: yeah, our 1-technique DTs struggled

Other translation: we actually only have one guy capable of playing 1tech and teams are now abusing that.

[GG]

4 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

They have a rotation at DT. If you don’t understand this nothing about snap counts or different looks is going to make any sense.

 

Show me an example of a play vs the Eagles where  you think he didn’t do his job. I did a few where he performed well already, it should be easy to point out the bad ones if he was so terrible.

 

If there's little drop off in the quality of the 1 Tech DTs between the 2nd highest defensive player and the practice squad guy, the logic doesn't mesh that one guy is playing well and the other guy flat out sucks.   Can be both.

 

First quarter, Eagles 2-15, Howard runs straight past Star who's cleanly stood up by Brooks and can't even move one inch to his left.  That's been emblematic of his whole year and more plays like that all game long.  If you believe that is all part of the defensive design, then there are bigger issues than as lazy overpaid DL on this team.

[Reed83HOF]

 

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Reed83HOF

[Dablitzkrieg]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Star Lotuleilei is doing a good job.  I heard it right here, about 5:19 in.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/sean-mcdermott-get-the-ball-in-the-hands-of-our-playmakers

 

 

Well, whatever it is Star is supposed to be doing, McDermott thinks he's doing a good job of it.

 

Edit: 5:44 "Yesterday Star played a solid game for us"  For McDermott, that's about as high praise as it gets.  

 

Don't shoot the messenger, just quoting McD

McClap is not going to publicly roast his players.

[GoBills808]

49 minutes ago, GG said:

 

If there's little drop off in the quality of the 1 Tech DTs between the 2nd highest defensive player and the practice squad guy, the logic doesn't mesh that one guy is playing well and the other guy flat out sucks.   Can be both.

 

First quarter, Eagles 2-15, Howard runs straight past Star who's cleanly stood up by Brooks and can't even move one inch to his left.  That's been emblematic of his whole year and more plays like that all game long.  If you believe that is all part of the defensive design, then there are bigger issues than as lazy overpaid DL on this team.

***If anyone is reading this and wants to follow along, you can get full TV rebroadcasts @ https://www.nflfullhd.com/ Coach's film you have to pay for

 

Re: the 2nd and 15- that's not Lotulelei being lazy, or being stood up, or not moving his guy. That is the playcall on down/distance in a McDermott defense, pure and simple. Single TE set in motion to Milano's side, since they don't shift on D his responsibility is cover on Goedert and NOT let his eyes get caught in the backfield on RB which is what happens. The RB route if it's playaction is Edmunds' cover, but he already knows it's not playaction (I hope at least) because the center is downfield on him immediately after snap. Milano needs to be square up and leveraged closer to the LOS against the TE ready to stack/shed, instead he's unbalanced because his eyes were in backfield. This play has little to do with Lotulelei at all in that it's not his man. DTs are supposed to maintain gap in this call which they do. 

 

McD defenses in Carolina were predicated on Davis and Kuechly making a ton of tackles and the DTs keeping them clean. Those two were the heart of a bunch of very good defenses and the similarities with what Edmunds/Milano are being asked to do look very familiar. Here on this play if they bring the extra olineman through to the second level on Edmunds he needs to read that earlier and not get caught leaning in toward the wash, because downfield blocker guarantees the plan is halfback run. I am 100% what McD wants here is for Edmunds to recognize the C getting through to second level, shoot his gap past the block playing run and for Milano to not get caught looking at the RB when his key is the TE. If Milano is keyed on Goedert he's able to deal with that block and fill much earlier, and if Edmunds recognizes C and avoids getting caught leaning in they have this play managed. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

He needs to change his first name to "Passive."

[Dopey]

17 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No I just expect my guys to be professional when dealing with the media. When I coached it was regional press with a readership of thousands not millions and I would still be pissed if one of my guys gave that answer. 

I hear ya, but I'm sure there are plenty of coaches who wouldn't be pissed. Different coaching styles. Not every coach got mad if a player showed up for a meeting 10 minutes early and deemed him to be late like Tom Coughlin did in his days. Star has always been the quite type, never says too much. To me this was more of a reporter getting pissed that he didn't get the reaction he was trying to get from Star. Star wasn't biting. We can agree to disagree, I just didn't see this as he doesn't care. Some here took it as that and seemed pissed about it. Based on a reporter's point of view. Kinda ridiculous. IMO.

[Dopey]

11 hours ago, GoBills808 said:

***If anyone is reading this and wants to follow along, you can get full TV rebroadcasts @ https://www.nflfullhd.com/ Coach's film you have to pay for

 

Re: the 2nd and 15- that's not Lotulelei being lazy, or being stood up, or not moving his guy. That is the playcall on down/distance in a McDermott defense, pure and simple. Single TE set in motion to Milano's side, since they don't shift on D his responsibility is cover on Goedert and NOT let his eyes get caught in the backfield on RB which is what happens. The RB route if it's playaction is Edmunds' cover, but he already knows it's not playaction (I hope at least) because the center is downfield on him immediately after snap. Milano needs to be square up and leveraged closer to the LOS against the TE ready to stack/shed, instead he's unbalanced because his eyes were in backfield. This play has little to do with Lotulelei at all in that it's not his man. DTs are supposed to maintain gap in this call which they do. 

 

McD defenses in Carolina were predicated on Davis and Kuechly making a ton of tackles and the DTs keeping them clean. Those two were the heart of a bunch of very good defenses and the similarities with what Edmunds/Milano are being asked to do look very familiar. Here on this play if they bring the extra olineman through to the second level on Edmunds he needs to read that earlier and not get caught leaning in toward the wash, because downfield blocker guarantees the plan is halfback run. I am 100% what McD wants here is for Edmunds to recognize the C getting through to second level, shoot his gap past the block playing run and for Milano to not get caught looking at the RB when his key is the TE. If Milano is keyed on Goedert he's able to deal with that block and fill much earlier, and if Edmunds recognizes C and avoids getting caught leaning in they have this play managed. 

Edmunds has been caught either late to the gaps or falling for a juke by the rb and not keeping his gap. On the juke by the rb, someone else has the responsibility for the direction that "juke" would take the rb. He needs to be better. It's set up pretty good for him most of the times. Milano has been better at gap responsibilities. Safeties have had the same issues. Not as much, but it's an issue sometimes. If you play your responsibility, the rb will come to your gap and you're there to make the play. If you try to do too much...

One more thing, our LBs need to take on blocks and quit trying to run around them. Plug the holes, not create a bigger hole by going around the block.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Dopey