Robert Ayers

[BillsFan Trapped in Pats Land]

I heard the replay of Late Hits on Sirius this AM. Someone called in asking about the Bills at 11 and basically Pettigrew v Ayers. Gil Brandt wasn't necessarily down on Ayers, but he didn't get the rise of his draft stock. Again, a guy who has 1 year of productivity.

[tennesseeboy]

I see him as a later first round pick, and definitely a stretch pick for us. I really feel that he was underrated given that he has only had the two good years on a less than great team. Moving up to 11? I'm a little surprised.

[Leonidas]

Posted from before...relevant because it's a hot topic again.

 

I didn't watch the game. I saw the YouTube "Ayers vs. Alabama" video. It's 3 minutes and 36 seconds and it shows a total of 15 plays.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccuoGx3A6t4

 

I audited the plays:

 

1) Pass play, lightning-quick inside pass rush past statuesque guard. Ayers whacks the quarterback (you can hear the hit) who dumps off for a short completion.

2) Slomo replay of above.

3) Same, different angle.

4) Run play, unblocked, crashed down the line, buries ball carrier unassisted for one yard loss.

5) Run play, Ayers beats Andre Smith (345 lbs) off the snap pushes him back one yard to set the edge, ball carrier runs inside and is tripped up by pursuit.

6) Run play, Ayers lines up wide, surges inside, meets and plays off the tight end, stops ball carrier for no gain.

7) Pass play, Ayers lines up uncovered blows through the running back block (like a fly on the windshield, you can hear this too), pressures an incompletion.

8) Pass play, lines up at tackle, blows past guard, QB throws ball away to avoid sack.

9) Run play, takes inside angle, spins off guard block and gang tackles ball carrier (5 yard gain).

10) Run play, lines up wide, delayed rush, blows up tight end to set the edge, ball carrier cuts inside and is stopped by pursuit (2 yard gain).

11) Pass play on 1st down, lines up against Andre Smith, blows past him, QB checks down and completes pass under pressure.

12) Run play, destroys tight end and piles on ball carrier, 1 yard loss.

13) Run play, dances around Andre Smith (no contact) and takes inside angle, ball carrier bounces outside for 10 yard gain.

14) Run play to opposite side, no involvement.

15) Run play at Ayers, drives Andre Smith backwards to set the edge, redirects towards sideline in attempt to catch ball carrier who has a full head of steam, ball carrier turns corner on Ayers pursuit for 1st down.

16) Run play, lines up wide, destroys tight end and blows up ball carrier for 2 yard loss.

17) Run play, drives Andre Smith backwards 3 yards to set edge, ball carrier cuts inside, no inside-out pursuit by defense, ball carrier lunges into end zone.

 

Fifteen plays. At times it looks like he has little help. On 11 run plays he could possibly be faulted on two plays (13 and 15) for being overly-aggressive in his assignments. That would be quibbling. One play was away from him. On the other 8 run plays he was excellent.

 

On four pass plays he had 4 pressures.

 

It's a small sample size but he was generally dominating in those 15 plays. Here's 6 minutes and 18 seconds more of Ayers:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAR9Qb3liRs

 

Thanks for the analysis, SJ. When I get home I'll watch it and see what I think too (I know you're all waiting with baited breath). Everything hinges on the Peters' situation, of course, but if we haven't traded him by then we should move forward as is we will have him, even if he can't agree to a new deal. There's no way he sits out the season.

 

But I don't want to hijack this to make it yet another Peters thread. I like the analysis. True, you don't have a life...but how does that make you any different than the rest of us??

[oddoublee]

If a player gets double digit sacks in college, he has potential to do it in the pros. If he never gets double digit sacks in college, he will probably never do it in the pros.

 

4.5 is his career best. Not the pass rush threat I think we are looking for.