Christian Wade [Mod edited] has a groupie

[Milanos Milano]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Bill's fans really do love underdogs too much

 

It's a great story but he has about a 1% chance to make the team

 

He had a few good runs against guys who are bagging groceries.. he had a few carries against 2nd 3rd stringers where he did nothing

 

Eight carries for 84 yards including a 65 yarder.. that means he had 7 carries for 19 yd outside of that .. against backups

 

And he still probably can't block which dabolls not putting you on the field if you can't

 

 

Maybe he doesn’t make the team. But I have a really good feeling about this off-season and preseason. I think this is the year he starts flashing enough to warrant consideration. 

[Milanos Milano]

So since people here don’t have any faith in Wade, I will ask this question then. What does he have to do this preseason to earn a roster spot? 

[Buffalo716]

Just now, IronMaidenBills said:

So since people here don’t have any faith in Wade, I will ask this question then. What does he have to do this preseason to earn a roster spot? 

He would have to be a better complete running back then singletary moss and Breida 

 

Breida has the same speed if not faster, and has actual football experience in the NFL

Edited May 16, 2021 by Buffalo716

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

He would have to be a better complete running back then singletary moss and Breida 

 

Breida has the same speed if not faster, and has actual football experience in the NFL

Well Breida is good. I think he’s better than Singletary and Moss. If Wade does earn a roster spot, it will either be Singletary, Moss, or Taiwan’s. If Wade has learned blocking sufficiently, then I hope we try and trade Singletary. 

[Buffalo716]

6 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Well Breida is good. I think he’s better than Singletary and Moss. If Wade does earn a roster spot, it will either be Singletary, Moss, or Taiwan’s. If Wade has learned blocking sufficiently, then I hope we try and trade Singletary. 

I can tell you it's almost impossible to sufficiently learn an NFL blocking scheme as a running back in two-three seasons .. these guys are prepped from high school and still usually struggle for 2 or 3 years in the pros

 

Running is the easy part for most backs. Blocking is hard work, tedious, bone jarring 

 

There's a lot of running backs even at the division 1 level who can't block for crap

 

 

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

I can tell you it's almost impossible to sufficiently learn an NFL blocking scheme as a running back in two-three seasons .. these guys are prepped from high school and still usually struggle for 2 or 3 years in the pros

 

Running is the easy part for most backs. Blocking is hard work, tedious, bone jarring 

 

There's a lot of running backs even at the division 1 level who can't block for crap

 

 

Which is fine though. We can still utilize Wades open field abilities without having to block most of the time. We managed with Spiller, and Wade doesn’t have to be a featured back for him to contribute a decent amount to this offense. 

[Buffalo716]

Just now, IronMaidenBills said:

Which is fine though. We can still utilize Wades open field abilities without having to block most of the time. We managed with Spiller, and Wade doesn’t have to be a featured back for him to contribute a decent amount to this offense. 

Yeah because the Spiller selection was technically such a great pic for us 

 

It was not

 

And listen to any of Brian dabolls interviews about his offense, or Zach Moss when he talks about what daboll wants 

 

You don't get on the field in most NFL offenses unless you can block.. protecting the quarterback is the name of the game now in pass protection... 80%-90% of 3rd down backs are in blocking.. it's only a select few like McCaffrey who get to run wild

[Augie]

26 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

So since people here don’t have any faith in Wade, I will ask this question then. What does he have to do this preseason to earn a roster spot? 

 

It’s not that I don’t have faith in him. We just haven’t seen enough to know much more than “he’s fast”.  That one long run was very impressive, but he was basically untouched and had the benefit of a hole that was extremely rare all last season. 

 

What we don’t know is what concerns me. Does he have the recognition and willingness to pick up a 250 lbs blitzing LB? How solid are his hands? Does he fumble? Does he run good routes? How good is he at fielding kicks? Can he help on ST? I don’t think we’ve seen enough to be able to answer “what can’t he do?” The coaches see him all the time, and I think we need to trust their judgement at this point.

 

I would LOVE to have him be the steal of the century, but I can’t have a man-crush on him without seeing a lot more. 

 

 

.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Augie

[Milanos Milano]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Yeah because the Spiller selection was technically such a great pic for us 

 

It was not

 

And listen to any of Brian dabolls interviews about his offense, or Zach Moss when he talks about what daboll wants 

 

You don't get on the field in most NFL offenses unless you can block.. protecting the quarterback is the name of the game now in pass protection... 80%-90% of 3rd down backs are in blocking.. it's only a select few like McCaffrey who get to run wild

Spiller was good when utilized properly. It was not a good draft pick for where he was taken, but he had talent. That’s fine though, we can let Moss be the featured back that blocks, but Wade can still contribute without blocking. Let him get carries on some 1st downs where he doesn’t necessarily have to block on plays. 

5 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

It’s not that I don’t have faith in him. We just haven’t seen enough to know much more than “he’s fast”.  That one long run was very impressive, but he was basically untouched and had the benefit of a hole that was extremely rare all last season. 

 

What we don’t know is what concerns me. Does he have the recognition and willingness to pick up a 250 lbs blitzing LB? How solid are his hands? Does he fumble? Does he run good routes? How good is he at fieldi8ng kicks? Can he help on ST? I don’t think we’ve seen enough to be able to answer “what can’t he do?” The coaches see him all the time, and I think we need to trust their judgement at this point.

 

I would LOVE to have him be the steal of the century, but I can’t have a man-crush on him without seeing a lot more. 

It’s not just one long run though, he did it against Carolina to on a dump down pass. He ran through 3 defenders. He made a blunder by not using his blockers or otherwise he’d have another TD. He doesn’t have to pick up a blitz if you design a play for him on 1st downs. He probably isn’t going to be a 3 down back, which is fine. He could be a gadget runner that could get us 50 yards a game and it would help us. From all actions I’ve seen, he can catch the ball very well. I’m sure we will find out more this preseason. He’s already ripping up camp. 

Edited May 16, 2021 by IronMaidenBills

[Buffalo716]

Just now, IronMaidenBills said:

Spiller was good when utilized properly. It was not a good draft pick for were he was taken, but he had talent. That’s fine though, we can let Moss be the featured back that blocks, but Wade can still contribute without blocking. Let him get carries on some 1st downs where he doesn’t necessarily have to block on plays. 

Spiller was talented that doesn't mean it was a good pick

 

And you get pretty predictable when you start pigeonholing a running back... 

 

If Moss is in when he's blocking. And wades out there and he's running routes, or getting a first down carry... That's pretty predictable

 

And defensive coordinators would absolutely catch on. Wade should have been practicing returning punts or kicks to get a better shot and making a roster

 

 

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

Spiller was talented that doesn't mean it was a good pick

 

And you get pretty predictable when you start pigeonholing a running back... 

 

If Moss is in when he's blocking. And wades out there and he's running routes, or getting a first down carry... That's pretty predictable

 

And defensive coordinators would absolutely catch on. Wade should have been practicing returning punts or kicks to get a better shot and making a roster

 

 

We pigeonhole McKenzie all the time, it doesn’t matter that teams know it’s coming. Same with Wade. They will find ways because they are good in the open field. 

[Augie]

12 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Spiller was good when utilized properly. It was not a good draft pick for where he was taken, but he had talent. That’s fine though, we can let Moss be the featured back that blocks, but Wade can still contribute without blocking. Let him get carries on some 1st downs where he doesn’t necessarily have to block on plays. 

It’s not just one long run though, he did it against Carolina to on a dump down pass. He ran through 3 defenders. He made a blunder by not using his blockers or otherwise he’d have another TD. He doesn’t have to pick up a blitz if you design a play for him on 1st downs. He probably isn’t going to be a 3 down back, which is fine. He could be a gadget runner that could get us 50 yards a game and it would help us. From all actions I’ve seen, he can catch the ball very well. I’m sure we will find out more this preseason. He’s already ripping up camp. 

Roster limitations are very real. He has to be versatile to deserve a spot. We already have McKenzie for a lot of those jet sweeps and gadget runs, and he can also play WR. 

 

Feel free to carry on, but we won’t know anything until they start playing football again. I’m not saying he can’t play, just that we don’t know. 

[Buffalo716]

5 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

We pigeonhole McKenzie all the time, it doesn’t matter that teams know it’s coming. Same with Wade. They will find ways because they are good in the open field. 

McKenzie lined up at wide receiver and ran routes a lot more than he got end arounds 

 

He ran probably 10- 14 routes a game.. and maybe got 16 End around all year 

 

So teams had to game plan for Mckenzie but he was only getting one carry a game. And he plays special teams

[Shaw66]

17 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

He doesn’t have to pick up a blitz if you design a play for him on 1st downs. 

You keep saying this, and it's stupid, to be frank.  If he can't  pass block and you put him in on first down, the defense knows that you aren't going to run 1/3 to 1/4 of your playbook.  That's a big advantage for the defense.  

15 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

We pigeonhole McKenzie all the time, it doesn’t matter that teams know it’s coming. Same with Wade. They will find ways because they are good in the open field. 

McKenzie can run all the pass routes.  He doesn't have to block.  And he returns punts. 

[freddyjj]

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

You’re going over the edge dude. Check that: you’ve Gone over.

 

Simmer down. You are NOT the player evaluator you think you are.

Agree here wholeheartedly.  

 

Perhaps the mods can create a sandbox virtual environment for @IronMaidenBills and @tylerbillsfan33 as a public service to rest of board and so they can have their "special place" 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

13 minutes ago, IronMaidenBills said:

We pigeonhole McKenzie all the time, it doesn’t matter that teams know it’s coming. Same with Wade. They will find ways because they are good in the open field. 

 

Um.......how McKenzie was being used became predictable in 2018 and 2019 until they started asking him to run more routes (slants and crossers) but he was only OK at them.  In 2020, McKenzie's route running did improve - if you look at the route chart of the Miami game week 17 where he played a lot, some of them look like real routes although some are still rounded off.  

But that raised the question "who do you take off the field for McKenzie to go on?"  While Brown was out injured, McKenzie became part of the 4 WR rotation.  When Brown was active, not so much.  The fact that the Bills signed Sanders says that they aren't persuaded McKenzie is ready for more snaps.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

You keep saying this, and it's stupid, to be frank.  If he can't  pass block and you put him in on first down, the defense knows that you aren't going to run 1/3 to 1/4 of your playbook.  That's a big advantage for the defense.  

 

Yep.

 

6 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

McKenzie can run all the pass routes.  He doesn't have to block.  And he returns punts. 

 

In Daboll's scheme, WR are expected to block, period.    He doesn't have to level the guy, but he at least has to have timing and the ability to get in the way.

[Buffalo716]

3 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Um.......how McKenzie was being used became predictable in 2018 and 2019 until they started asking him to run more routes (slants and crossers) but he was only OK at them.  In 2020, McKenzie's route running did improve - if you look at the route chart of the Miami game week 17 where he played a lot, some of them look like real routes although some are still rounded off.  

But that raised the question "who do you take off the field for McKenzie to go on?"  While Brown was out injured, McKenzie became part of the 4 WR rotation.  When Brown was active, not so much.  The fact that the Bills signed Sanders says that they aren't persuaded McKenzie is ready for more snaps.

 

 

 

Yep.

 

 

In Daboll's scheme, WR are expected to block, period.    He doesn't have to level the guy, but he at least has to have timing and the ability to get in the way.

It's completely different blocking as a wide receiver then pass protection as a running back though 

 

They aren't even in the same class of toughness and technique you need

 

 

[Milanos Milano]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

It's completely different blocking as a wide receiver then pass protection as a running back though 

 

They aren't even in the same class of toughness and technique you need

 

 

I doubt Wade would be any worse than Spiller at blocking. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

It's completely different blocking as a wide receiver then pass protection as a running back though 

 

They aren't even in the same class of toughness and technique you need

 

No argument there at all, I was just responding to a guy who said "McKenzie can run all the pass routes, he doesn't have to block".

 

In Daboll's offense, the WRs gotta block.  And given a choice between a WR who can run routes and block, and a WR who can run routes but can't block, job security goes with the latter.

 

(Which has me wondering WTF the Giants think they're doing signing Kelvin Benjamin to play TE, because with the Bills, he laid down some of the laziest-ass megawhiff blocks I ever saw a WR put on the field, but I guess that's a different thread)

 

In interviews, C Wade has talked about his difficulties learning blocking.

[The Dean]

1 minute ago, IronMaidenBills said:

I doubt Wade would be any worse than Spiller at blocking. 

 

Based on what? Evidence?

 

I'm guessing Spiller was a better blocker, as he played RB for many years, at various levels.  But  even it you are correct, what does that have to do with this team?  Spiller isn't on it.