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Buffalo Bills most pleasant surprise in 08 will be


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If the D-staff uses him as more of a roamer and athletic playmaker like they are saying they are going to this year, Donte Whitner.

That's a good one. In a OBD Q&A with Whitner he mentioned switching between free and strong safety depending on the defensive call.

 

Is this simply to confuse the offense, or are there skills that Whitner brings to the table that Simpson doesn't possess? Or a bit of both?

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That's a good one. In a OBD Q&A with Whitner he mentioned switching between free and strong safety depending on the defensive call.

 

Is this simply to confuse the offense, or are there skills that Whitner brings to the table that Simpson doesn't possess? Or a bit of both?

 

My guess is that they view him as pretty athletic, and want him to be a playmaker: on some plays, play run D, on some plays, blitz, on some plays, cover the deep threat, etc.

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Is this simply to confuse the offense, or are there skills that Whitner brings to the table that Simpson doesn't possess? Or a bit of both?

These are pros, and seeing Ko play 2 years ago and in camp this year so far, I don't think there are many skills he is lacking.

 

And, we want be able to blitz from anywhere on the field, like Chicago/SD can. We don't want the QB to know who is going to do what based on reading a jersey #. We want to be able to disguise defenses, and having 2 interchangeable safeties goes a long way to helping that happen.

 

Ko Simpson is a ball hawk. Every college tape out there shows that. He showed it when he played as a rookie, he just showed it in the mini-camps, again. He just got hurt, that's all that happened. I look for him to have a breakout year as much, if not more, than Whitner. Of course I am an optimist, but the same benefits we get from the players we added/get back, if they are real, apply to Simpson as much as Whitner, if not more so.

 

The best news is: I don't think anybody can say that we have a bad secondary right now. There are players who would make and even start for other teams that have a pretty good chance of being cut from our secondary. That's important when you have to play the Pats* twice. It's even more interesting if the additions/returns to the front 7 mean a better pass rush. The Pats* absolutely killed us with crossing routes last year, and they got that because they had time for those routes to develop.

 

So, I look for Simpson/Whitner to surprise us, if the front seven performs as advertised. Specifically, if both safeties are less concerned about being "perfect" and can roam a little more, look for a lot more Whitner pounding Chad Johson-type hits in the middle of the field.

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JP Losman

You know what's funny? I mean really, really funny? Anyone who spends any time on this board knows you're just trying to be funny. But if by some odd twist of fate Losman has to come off the bench for an injured Edwards and somehow gets this team to the playoffs, you'll be the first one to link back to this post and say "See? I knew Losman would be the big surprise in '08!!!" :thumbdown:<_<

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