Mistake

[Formerly Allan in MD]

I know it's been said before, but it needs to be mentioned again. The Bills are making a big mistake using Clemenets to return punts. If he goes down, we are in big trouble, I think you'll all agree.

 

A parallel situation here in DC a few years back was the incredibel urge the Redskins had to use Daryl Green to return punts. The few times he did it, everyone drooled and couldn't wait for the next time. But the Skins understood that it was too risky to give in to the temptation. Green basically stayed at corner and nowhere else. He remained generally healthy and clearly was a key cog on the Redskins Super Bowl teams.

 

Should Nate ever get injured on a punt return (bite my tongue), I'm sure all you'll hear is "he won't be used in that capacity again." Fix it before it breaks, you guys. The cost, obviously, could be really considerable.

 

So you do you use instead? Find someone.

[Campy]

I know it's been said before, but it needs to be mentioned again.  The Bills are making a big mistake using Clemenets to return punts. 

439793[/snapback]

I don't like him back there either but it has more to do with fumbles and muffs than it does the risk of injury.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Drew Haddad

[Pete]

Agreed! Stay healthy playmaker!

[eSJayDee]

The question boils down to what probability is it that these extra duties will cause him to lose playing time and what is the lost production if he does lose time relative to what is the expected gain if he performs these extra duties.

 

Ignoring many factors such as run support, int %age and most importantly from my perspective, probability that he muffs/fumbles let's guess at some #s.

 

Let's guess that on avg. a CB loses 3 games/yr. due to injury. In the remaining 13 games, he'll face roughly 750 plays, or 1 game lost per every 250 plays.

Let's further guess that he has the potential to be involved in 8 passing plays/game on avg. that his abilities will have an effect on the outcome. Each pass completion on avg

gains roughly 11 yds. On avg, passes are completed at say 62.5% (so that it = 5/game). Now how much better is he than his backup? 10%? 20%? Let's take a wild stab at 20% (which I personally think is excessive, but might prove to be beneficial to inflate this figure to take into consideration running plays, too)

This means that losing him equates to roughly 11 yds/game.

He'll get roughly 50 chances to return punts.

Now how much more dangerous is returning punts relative to playing CB? Again, let's take a wild guess at 3x. So that 50 return opportunities (he'll actually truly return less but to simplify our model we'll assume he still incurs an equal chance to get injured on all) equates to 150 'regular' plays which equals less than the expected # of plays that leads to a lost game (which we determined to be worth 11 yards.)

 

So it finally boils down to if he's roughly 0.2 yards better than his replacement punt returner.

Note, this was only an example, but it is a way of empirically determining your answer whether or not it's a mistake. Just plug in what you think are the appropriate

#s to come up w/ your answer.

Personally, if we really think he's our best returner (considering ball handling, personally I think this is open to debate, also I'm anxious to see what Parrish can do)

it looks like to me the risk is well worth it.

[Bill from NYC]

Last season, I didn't want Nate to be used on punt returns, despite the fact that I consider him to be a very good return man.

This year, I am glad that he returns kicks, ONLY because he is not re-signed.

If the Bills work out an extension, I will be screaming for them to sit him down completely on special teams.

As we speak, Nate has a ton more to lose than the Bills, because one injury on a punt return can cost him untold millions.

 

That said, I truly respect what Nate is doing. He is willing to go back there and take such a huge risk for the team. I truly hope that he takes the safe route and signs with us early rather than gamble for a few extra million. Schobel did, and he is doing quite well.

Nate is a tough competitor, and one fine football player.

[Albany,n.y.]

The plan was to replace him with Roscoe Parrish. So, in another month Clements won't be returning punts anymore.

[Sig1Hunter]

The plan was to replace him with Roscoe Parrish.  So, in another month Clements won't be returning punts anymore.

439846[/snapback]

 

Eh, stick Roscoe back there with a cast on his wrist. He should do alright

[elcrusho]

Throw Special Teams 'Guru' Josh Stamer back there

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guffalo]

Why not have Jason Peters get back there and get comfortable with it?

[pkwwjd]

Why not have  Jason Peters get back there and get comfortable with it?

440001[/snapback]

I'd almost suggest putting Peters back as the up man.

[ganesh]

Once Parrish gets back into the lineup, Clements puntings duties will

be history.

[BillsObserver]

Once Parrish gets back into the lineup, Clements puntings duties will

be history.

440046[/snapback]

 

I hope that's the case. Everytime he's back there to receive a punt I always fear him fumbling that ball (think vs. Pittsburgh of last year, and there are more examples). When he finds open area he's a good returner but I still think it makes no sense to have him back there when we have other guys who can do equally as good of a job.

[34-78-83]

I don't like him back there either but it has more to do with fumbles and muffs than it does the risk of injury.

439795[/snapback]

 

You said muffs

[cåblelady]

Jim Leonhard

[Dante]

What happened to Mcgee returning punts?

[jarthur31]

I know it's been said before, but it needs to be mentioned again.  The Bills are making a big mistake using Clemenets to return punts.  If he goes down, we are in big trouble, I think you'll all agree.

 

A parallel situation here in DC a few years back was the incredibel urge the Redskins had to use Daryl Green to return punts.  The few times he did it, everyone drooled and couldn't wait for the next time.  But the Skins understood that it was too risky to give in to the temptation.  Green basically stayed at corner and nowhere else.  He remained generally healthy and clearly was a key cog on the Redskins Super Bowl teams. 

 

Should Nate ever get injured on a punt return (bite my tongue), I'm sure all you'll hear is "he won't be used in that capacity again."  Fix it before it breaks, you guys.  The cost, obviously, could be really considerable.

 

So you do you use instead?  Find someone.

439793[/snapback]

 

Well I don't think the Bills were going to use him this year in that capacity. Think Roscoe Parrish. Don't worry, he won't play there much longer.

 

I don't see why we can't use Shaud or Lionel back there for punts.

[jarthur31]

What happened to Mcgee returning punts?

440783[/snapback]

 

He never returned punts that I can remember. You're thinking kickoffs.