Last Guy on the Bench

Crazy. An LB with good size and safety speed who hits like a billy goat. Maybe he is Byrd's replacement (just kidding).

Thanks, Astro.

Try not to feed DC Tom's megalomania.

That is a righteous board, in my opinion.

Wouldn't be surprised. Looks like Donald is going to be one of those guys who people talk themselves out of drafting too high because of his size, but then he turns into an all-pro Geno Atkins type. Even though we have no immediate need for a DT, I would be quite content to draft him, even at 9. His on-field work speaks for itself. And his combine results showed that he is not just an effort guy.

This is a great point. I don't know where drafting Barr would leave Jerry Hughes. And I loved Hughes last year. I agree that Barr is not a great fit. But I just have this nagging suspicion that he is going to be a havoc-wreaker in the NFL. I would be tempted just to grab him and figure out a way to use him. Maybe in a straight 4-3, with Jerry subbing in on passing downs for whoever is playing DE opposite Mario, and leaving Barr in at strongside LB. I don't know.

Again, the thing that differentiates him, to me, from a Maybin, or a pure speed rusher, is the wicked violence with which he closes and hits people. I think that's rare. I agree that he is a gamble. He makes me way nervous. And I could see all sorts of ways in which he wouldn't really develop into a solid NFL player. But that viciousness is really intriguing to me. I'm torn. KD, I would without hesitation take Mack over him. Mack is my favorite player in the draft. If I had the #1 pick, I would take him over Clowney (just call me Mike Mayock, Jr.). And I would be totally happy with one of the big Tackles, although Lewan also makes me nervous.

I've been watching whatever I could get my hands on of this dude, not just highlights, but the Youtube clips of all the defensive snaps of a handful of games. Early on I wasn't paying attention to him, because he was mocked top five, but with the rise (in mocks - I know they don't reflect NFL reality necessarily) of Mack, Robinson, and Watkins, there are lots of scenarios in which Barr is available at 9. I'd love to hear from some of you that actually watch college ball, unlike me. From what I've seen, he's a freakishly quick athlete, and I love his violence. Unlike, say, Aaron Maybin, he tackles through people and causes pain and occasional ball dislocation (both types of balls). To my untrained eye, he also looks lost on many plays, and doesn't seem to have a variety of technique. But on the other hand, he is good for several wow plays a game. Since he has only played LB for two years, I imagine there is a lot of growth in front of him. What if he replaced Lawson? He'd probably eff up more frequently than Manny, who was pretty solid last year. But I bet he would make some sick, game-changing plays with regularity. Right now, I have him on my wish list at number 5, behind (in order) Mack, Clowney, Watkins, and Robinson. I would take him over Ebron, Matthews, Donald, and Mosley (in that order - and I like all of those guys - sorry Evans supporters, I'm not a fan), but then again, I'm an idiot. Thoughts?

Much to my own surprise, I picked Leodis. Definitely not the best player, but he's my favorite at the moment. I just love the energy he plays with. Love his athletic ability. Love how he's kept plugging away through some very difficult times. He's very endearing. I don't see him as a team leader exactly, but I do think his attitude is infectious. And he sure played well last year. Fred deserves all the votes he is getting. He is high on my list. And I agree with those who see some favorite potential emerging in Aaron Williams, Kiko, and even Nickell Roby. I'd add Godwin to that mix, depending on how he develops, and Woods as well. Thinking about this makes me realize that I really like this version of the team. They are easy to root for. (Of course, I said the same thing about Ryan Fitz and the no-names, so that doesn't necessarily translate into success on the field.)

Yep. All later round picks must turn into above-average starters (even though that would defy math) or the people drafting them (i.e., all GMs in the NFL) are idiots. Just as the players themselves (you know the ones who have worked hard enough and are gifted enough to at least survive for a while in one of the toughest, most selective professions in the world) are "clowns" unless they are pro bowlers.

1) Dion Jordan 2) Mike Evans

Love Sims. He's got that great gliding running style. Plus speed. Plus hands. I would be stoked if they could draft him in the 3rd or 4th. I would think he'd go mid-second through mid-third.

For me, it's Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State. He's got decent measureables, but they won't blow anyone away. But I love the way he tracks and snags the ball and his general feel for space and body positioning. He was super productive in college, and I think he will be super productive as a pro. I predict he will consistently catch a lot of passes for a lot of years. To my eye, he just looks like one of those guys who has a natural feel for the game. I would love to grab him in the second or third round.

This post was a great Christmas present. Very encouraging.

I would say I'm in the 55-60% range. EJ is a really weird combination for me. The things I like about him, I REALLY like - emotional maturity, size, arm, leadership qualities, the way he seems to get better in tough situations. Then there are the things that make me REALLY squirm - how panicky he looks in the pocket sometimes, the crazy ducks he can throw, the generally conservative nature of his football temperament, the extra second it seems to take him to find open receivers. I don't know. I am guardedly optimistic that he will continue to develop into a starter we can all be proud of, and I like him a lot as a person and for his potential, but I wouldn't bet a lot of money on the ultimate outcome with him either way. At least he is keeping things interesting for now. And I wish him all the best.

Unlike most people, I think I would still follow them passionately if they were in Toronto. It still feels like the same region to me, and I love Canada. (Would be even happier if they were in Montreal. Not likely.) I'd rather they stay in Buffalo than move to Toronto, but I would be intrigued by a Toronto team. My ideal would be Niagara Falls. I think I'd actually prefer that to the status quo, unlike a Toronto move. If they moved to LA or someplace far away to which I have no connection, I don't think I could support them. I'd keep a curious eye on them for the first few years. But I think I would try to find a Premier League team to root for and start following English Football more intensely than the NFL. I would have done that years ago, but the Bills are a drug that I cannot quit, and they keep me plugged into the NFL in general in a major way.

Great post. I really enjoy watching this team too. They are finding some ridiculous and painful ways to lose, but they fight like mfers and have some real talent at a bunch of positions. I find myself mostly feeling sorry for the players and the coaches when they lose (as opposed to feeling sorry for myself, which is my normal fan reaction) - when I watch the games I feel like they deserve to win, even though there is clearly no 'deserve' in the NFL. I really hope they turn the corner this year or next, because they have the makings of something special. (I think.) (I hope.) (What the hell do I know?)

I agree that you can't really know how deep this runs, but I do think it's different than what was said about Gailey. The Gailey stuff was just about a general "winning mentality" if I remember. This is much more specific. It's about a mental shift from focusing on minimizing mistakes to focusing on forgetting about mistakes and making plays. I think that's big, if it's true. I've never believed in a coaching philosophy that is essentially defensive or protective, i.e., "If we can only run our plays perfectly as they are designed without making any errors, we will succeed." or "If we can only march down the field without any negative plays or penalties, we will succeed." Never, ever gonna happen that way. Football is too fast and complex. Even the best teams make physical and mental errors all the time. Plus, it gets people away from thinking about what awesome, productive, game-changing play they can make on the current play. Instead their heads are filled with images of what they are trying to avoid. Great players and great teams don't think that way. So I am really glad to read the quotes in that article. Hope that attitude sticks.

For me, so far, it would go: 1) Reid (to me, he's been underrated for years because of no SBs and questionable in-game management, but overall he is a great coach) 2) Pagano (didn't know much about him until last year, but have really been impressed with him) 3) Ryan (I think very highly of him - people need to see past the bluster. I don't think the Jets have been as talented as people have made out over the last several years. He gets them to consistently play above their individual talent level.) 4) Payton (Last year was a great infomercial for his abilities.) 5) Marrone (We are fesity. We are interesting. Despite being young and wickedly injured, the Bills are fun to watch again. I give him a lot of credit and have hope for the future (even though he produces some of the most tortured sentences ever known to man.)) I'd also give Belichick, Lewis, Carroll, and Chud some props. But things change, so we'll see who can keep it going and who can't.

The only 3-4 team on his top 15 list: http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/21/peyton-manning-andrew-luck-monday-morning-quarterback/3/

Just some more positive feedback for you so you keep doing this. I loved it, and I learned a lot. I never played football at any level (other than 7th grade flag football, where, to give myself credit, I was a scoring machine at running back). So despite the fact that I have been watching football ardently for 35 years, I know very little about the technical scheme design side of the game beyond the basics. This is especially true for defensive backfield schemes, because you don't see the full picture as often, and because the announcers usually do a pretty superficial job of explaining things - maybe with good reason - perhaps the average fan doesn't want to know too much. Anyway, I love learning more about something I've been watching for decades. I read your stuff with great pleasure, and very slowly so I can take it in. Looking forward to more. Thanks!

I think Robey already took that spot. He played a lot more than Brooks in the opener, even before Brooks got hurt, IIRC.

Pretty entertaining. Especially this last bit: "After the game we all headed back to the tailgate to congratulate the Bills fans and commiserate amongst ourselves like I'm sure all of you have. After the crowds started thinning out we went to a bar down the street and watched Andre Reed, wearing his nice new Bills Hall of Fame jacket, go to work picking up women." http://www.carolinahuddle.com/boards/topic/90875-my-buffalo-trip-report/

Fantastic. Thanks. With all those WOFers, I guess there was too much mojo in the building to lose.

Yeah, the spectacular ending from a guy playing his second game does make the hatchet jobs tougher .