Rocky Landing

I wouldn’t know where to find that stat, and it would likely be a bit misleading. Opposing defenses don’t know when the other team is going to run the ball. Certainly, something like 3rd and one vs. Dallas, you know it’s a likely running play. Other situations are far less obvious. Again, I’m just going off my perception, and that may well be deeply flawed. But, convince me otherwise. I think that McD used Shaq primarily to stop the run, and Murphy to pressure the QB. They got rotated a lot. Do you disagree?

Welcome to the club, 4merper4mer.

I couldn't tell you, but I'd be interested to know. My perception was that neither Murphy, nor Lawson were really complete DEs last season, anywhere near the way Hughs has been. When Murphy was active last season, I believe the two were swapped frequently, with Murphy being the better pass rusher, and Lawson used against the run. But, I have no stats, or evidence to back that up. I can't tell you that as I watched the games, I was able to account for all 11 players on the field. and I have no desire (or time) to analyze, play by play, which situations these two were placed in. It was just my perception that last season I watched Lawson work (effectively) in stopping the run, and I watched Murphy pressure the QB a lot more than Shaq. Was this by design? I suspect so.

It's a fair point, but put it all into context: how many regimes for the Bills have lasted more than two years? Doug Marone: '13-14 Rex Ryan: '15-16 McD: '17- ?? A new coaching staff come in, and immediately cleans house. But, in the context of this thread, and with the history of the Bills hiring a new coaching staff every two-three years, it's not really accurate to slam the picks themselves simply because they are no longer with the Bills. If, after being let go by yet another new regime, they went on to have successful careers, you can't really say they were terrible players, or picks. Many just didn't fit the next regime to come in.

Well, if Lawson is generally put in a position to stop the run, and that's what he does, he's not likely to get a lot of sacks. Why would he? And, regarding Murphy, yes. In 2016, Murphy had 9 sacks, 46 tackles, and 25 QB hits in 16 games that he did not start. That is above average, no? So, in the context of Ronin's post, where he claimed that Murphy is "average at best," that would be an incorrect statement. Murphy was, clearly, better than average at his best. And, this year, if reports are correct, he will start the season healthy, for the first time in two years. He is 28 years old. At best, he should be above average. Possibly well above average. Let's hope we get him at his best.

It's a really interesting take on the predictable nature of the Cowboys offense, and how it may have hampered Beasley's production. I don't know enough about the Cowboys system to have much of an opinion on it, but if there is a shred of truth to it, it would seem that Beasley could really thrive in a Daboll offense. So many cool things to watch for this season!

Say Jones agrees.

Lawson was primarily used on likely running downs. Not really fair to fault him for too few sacks. And, to call Murphy "average at best" is to ignore the entire rest of his career.

Dawkins, too.

I understood that. My point is that we shouldn't make assumptions on his upcoming season. He might just break out. Or, he might show just enough improvement that we decide that he is worth an amount that he is willing to accept, we are willing to pay, and other teams don't want to match. After all, he lost his entire rookie season, was piss poor his second season, and improved (I would say dramatically) his third season. It's not unlikely that his trajectory will continue to trend up, and we may very well regret not picking up his 5th year option. At the very least, is it not unreasonable to think that he may not have reached his potential?

Well, of course. But, my point really is that even Proehl made his mark for the five minutes he was here. McCloud continues to be a fan favorite over a year after he was drafted (and, he is not yet gone, btw), Siran Neal, and Wyatt Teller are both considered reasonable depth, and may very well make the 53 this season, Taron Johnson is competing for nickel, and is likely to make the 53, Phillips is quality depth who is expected to make the 53, and could be assumed to have not reached his ceiling, and our first two picks, Allen and Edmunds are locks to start. None of that is homerism. That is a reasonable assessment of the 2018 draft, and it doesn't even include two UDFAs who are close to locks on the 53. Add a bunch of cynicism to that assessment, and it still adds up to a pretty damn good draft-- all in hindsight.

I think he was fairly average. He started all last season, and they ran what, on paper at least, looks like a more effective version of Rex's hybrid defensive scheme. He didn't get a lot of sacks, but a lot of press coverage, and a fair amount of tackles.

Except that it's not time to move on. We are too thin at DE for that. That time will be at the end of the season, when his contract is up, and we can address the position. And, that's assuming that his season goes about the same as it did last season. Or, maybe it doesn't? Is it conceivable that Lawson has not reached his ceiling, that he has a great season, and we decide to keep him? It could happen.

My greatest hope is that by the fourth quarter, we will be far enough ahead that we won't mind that one of our receivers gets an 'unsportsmanlike conduct' penalty for a really, really inappropriate end zone dance.

Because he was undrafted?

Still, Clemson did play a base 4-3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Clemson_Tigers_football_team Snarkiness not really necessary, although I do realize it is your schtick.

This would be epically stupid, but hilarious if enough people were doing it so that it would be undeniable what it was, and what it meant.

I don't believe this is true. I believe Clemson played a base 4-3 defense while Shaq was there. I remember this being a knock on Rex that he overreached for a 4-3 DE to play in his 3-4 defense.

I'm hoping that in the not-too-distant future, the Bills playing the Raiders in Vegas. It will be epic, even if I won't be able to remember it.

Can Brady* handoff to Kraft*?

Some of the comments on that Schefter tweet, while perhaps a little tone-deaf, are pretty funny, albeit obvious puns.

Wait a minute, now... 2018: Round #1 Josh Allen Tremaine Edmunds Round #3 Harrison Phillips Round #4 Aaron Johnson Round #5 Siran Neal Wyatt Teller Round #6 Ray Ray McCloud Round #7 Austin Proehl Even as recent as it is, you'd have to be pretty cynical to call that a terrible draft.

It's rare to see someone devote so much space, time, and effort into straw-man arguments.

There's a lot of low-hanging fruit to be had here... (I just threw up in my mouth a little bit...)

To be fair, though, all of those guys, with the exception of Listenbee, are currently on an NFL team.