Matt Milano is not washed up

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

3 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

Nobody listens to me. It takes time to come back from 3 significant injuries. Matt works harder than any other player. He never went away. He’s always been there, but now he’s completely healthy 

His injury recovery is always wild haha feels like when he returns he’s horrendous for a month then out of nowhere is just great.  Doesn’t seem like a ramp up type thing like it is for most people 

Edited 3 hours ago by Generic_Bills_Fan

[NoSaint]

11 minutes ago, NewEra said:

He’s at a strange crossroads for sure but we restructured his contract to ensure he wouldn’t be overpaid next year.  I just don’t see where us overpaying him comes into the conversation. 
 

jmo 

I guess fair. 
 

ultimately, he played well today. His contract did not work out unfortunately, and to your point that’s largely sunk cost at this point so I guess may as well just enjoy the highs when they are here. 
 

 

[TFBillsfan]

Great to see him have an impact today, especially blitzing the QB. He’s typically been very strong at blitzing and I hope he can stay healthy and make an impact down the stretch! 

[Orlando Buffalo]

Milano when healthy is an impact player, the issue the past few years is he is not healthy enough. 

[Flip Johnson]

His contract, what he used to be, and his future with the Bills are discussions for another day. None of that matters right now. It's December and he just made 10 tackles and had 2 second half sacks.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[ShakAttack]

Not washed up. As Joe Marino has often said, many LBs actually age well.

 

Milano just needed to get punched in the face is all.

 

That was symbolic of the weekly wakeup call the whole team needed.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

4 hours ago, davefan66 said:

Shaq have been really good!!

Shaq had a very rough go in the first half. The Pats exploited his speed and he was unable to overcome some of the positions he was put in today. 
 

I think he still has a role here but they’ll be going back to TB when he’s healthy no doubt 

[NickelCity]

5 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

 

Whoa whoa whoa. Let's not use the word "juice" to describe a player near the end of their career suddenly turning it on.

 

I kid. Love Matt.

1 minute ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I think he still has a role here but they’ll be going back to TB when he’s healthy no doubt 

 

Is it no doubt? I'm genuinely curious. Shaq at MLB, TB outside?

Edited 1 hour ago by NickelCity

[davefan66]

Just now, EmotionallyUnstable said:

Shaq had a very rough go in the first half. The Pats exploited his speed and he was unable to overcome some of the positions he was put in today. 
 

I think he still has a role here but they’ll be going back to TB when he’s healthy no doubt 

Shaq has played great this year. Feel he may be better than Bernard at the moment. Yes, understanding Bernard is hurt.

 

Gets to the ball carrier in space well. Heavy hitter. 
 

Honestly, Milano is playing better with Shaq in the lineup.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[That's No Moon]

10 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

Whoa whoa whoa. Let's not use the word "juice" to describe a player near the end of their career suddenly turning it on.

He's been a beefed up safety his entire career. Tell him when the piss man is coming.

[Sierra Foothills]

5 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

Nobody listens to me. It takes time to come back from 3 significant injuries. Matt works harder than any other player. He never went away. He’s always been there, but now he’s completely healthy 

 

 

5 hours ago, Court Jester said:

Bicep tear, 2 knee injuries?....dudes a tank and we need him healthy for playoffs.....and TB too

 

10 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

Shaq had a very rough go in the first half. The Pats exploited his speed and he was unable to overcome some of the positions he was put in today. 
 

I think he still has a role here but they’ll be going back to TB when he’s healthy no doubt 

 

McDermott has a ton invested in Bernard so I don't doubt he'll be back starting when he's deemed healthy enough.

 

That said, Bernard and Rapp's suckitude this year were the biggest problems the defense had. When you can't do your 1/11th and your teammates are trying to makeup for your deficiencies, that's when a defense looks like crap and that's what happened with the Bills D earlier this season.

 

I'm hoping (in vain) that Bernard never starts another game for this team.

 

And Shaq has been obviously played better LB for this team than Bernard has and Milano has been the chief beneficiary of that.

 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

5 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

Gets to the ball carrier in space well. Heavy hitter. 

This has been true but not today. Players have ups and downs, and today was a tough one for him in the first half (as it was for most). 
 

10 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

Is it no doubt? I'm genuinely curious. Shaq at MLB, TB outside

No it’s not a certainty. Bernard wears the C and just got a sizable extension and raise. Both the front office and the coaching staff obviously believe in him. I would be very surprised if they chose to not play him. Their run defense was still awful today, and Bernard is a more athletic and capable in coverage, which it is not secret they value. 
 

As far as moving Bernard to Will, I think this is an offseason move you could potentially see if they found the right guy. 
 

The more likely shift is having Shaq play the strong side LB in place of Williams when they’re fully healthy at the position. 

11 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

 

Honestly, Milano is playing better with Shaq in the lineup.

This is correlation, not causation. 

[Chuck Schick]

16 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

Shaq has played great this year. Feel he may be better than Bernard at the moment. Yes, understanding Bernard is hurt.

 

Gets to the ball carrier in space well. Heavy hitter. 
 

Honestly, Milano is playing better with Shaq in the lineup.

Shaq was horrendous today.  As bad as any bad showings by Bernard this year. 

[davefan66]

7 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

This has been true but not today. Players have ups and downs, and today was a tough one for him in the first half (as it was for most). 
 

No it’s not a certainty. Bernard wears the C and just got a sizable extension and raise. Both the front office and the coaching staff obviously believe in him. I would be very surprised if they chose to not play him. Their run defense was still awful today, and Bernard is a more athletic and capable in coverage, which it is not secret they value. 
 

As far as moving Bernard to Will, I think this is an offseason move you could potentially see if they found the right guy. 
 

The more likely shift is having Shaq play the strong side LB in place of Williams when they’re fully healthy at the position. 

This is correlation, not causation. 

Shaq has definitely helped Milano play better.  Bernard wasn’t playing as well due to injuries. Shaq has stepped up and Milano has benefited.

 

I’ll watch Shaq better when I rewatch the game. Don’t recall an impact play from him, doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing well.  I’ll have to rewatch.

Edited 1 hour ago by davefan66

[EmotionallyUnstable]

1 minute ago, davefan66 said:

Don’t recall an impact play from him,

I will be curious what your take aways from him will be. Off the top of my head, I can think of one missed tackle (whiffed on the back on a swing pass) and two instances where he was a step late to a gap to fill or for a tackle (one on a Maye scramble). 
 

The Bills issues in run defense was and continues to be not a single particular issue. It’s been a mix of so many things. Even today, both of those long TD runs should not have been anywhere near what they were (Bishop terrible angle, Hairston/Epinessa lose contain). They’re working through a ton of stuff up front, dealing with the likes of Jordan Phillips and Larry O too often getting handled. I think Bernard caught a lot of that heat becauze as the C and leader of the team who plays a position historically thought of as “thumping”…ppl are clinging to him being smaller and less explosive  and pinning a lot of the defensive struggles on him. Some definitely are. He hasn’t been great. He’s also made his fair share of plays too. 
 

When Shaq came in and was laying the wood and made some solid plays, people love it because it gives you the sense that they’re more stout. Yet today they surrendered 177 yards on the ground in the first half and no one seems to be pissed about Shaq in the first half. It wasn’t all on him, but some of it was. 
 

They should be held to the same standard. 

[Kyle and freddy]

2 sacks 

9 tackles

Best he’s looked in a long time…

 

it’s Matt Milano’s turn 

[TFBillsfan]

3 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I will be curious what your take aways from him will be. Off the top of my head, I can think of one missed tackle (whiffed on the back on a swing pass) and two instances where he was a step late to a gap to fill or for a tackle (one on a Maye scramble). 
 

The Bills issues in run defense was and continues to be not a single particular issue. It’s been a mix of so many things. Even today, both of those long TD runs should not have been anywhere near what they were (Bishop terrible angle, Hairston/Epinessa lose contain). They’re working through a ton of stuff up front, dealing with the likes of Jordan Phillips and Larry O too often getting handled. I think Bernard caught a lot of that heat becauze as the C and leader of the team who plays a position historically thought of as “thumping”…ppl are clinging to him being smaller and less explosive  and pinning a lot of the defensive struggles on him. Some definitely are. He hasn’t been great. He’s also made his fair share of plays too. 
 

When Shaq came in and was laying the wood and made some solid plays, people love it because it gives you the sense that they’re more stout. Yet today they surrendered 177 yards on the ground in the first half and no one seems to be pissed about Shaq in the first half. It wasn’t all on him, but some of it was. 
 

They should be held to the same standard. 

Both of those TD runs were inexcusable by the D at this stage in the season. I have no clue why AJE and Hairston decided to crash down on the 4th qtr run. He was literally going no where and yet they totally lost contain. AJE at this point in his career has to recognize that! 

 

The first run for a TD is the exact replay that has occurred multiple times this year (Henry, Robinson, Achane) I know I’m missing more examples. I have no clue why McDermott and his staff continue to get embarrassed by this play. Frankly, it’s been an issue for multiple years. 

[PoundingDog]

Shaq didn't play a good game today. Was hesitant and then blocked out too often. Tackling is not good either. The question is: would Bernard do better, right now?