Heitz Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 You mean having one of the top 5 special teams in the league over the past handful of years hasn't been good enough for you? Definitely not complaining about that! I just rather see us drafting / picking up LBs rather than DBs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatdrinks Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 But how long does that take? I love the 3-4, but I'm not a proponent of forcing a system on a team that doesn't have players for it. We have maybe 2-3 guys in our front seven who might work out. Just about everybody else is a round hole in a square peg. Well, if you don't really have the players to run EITHER system effectively (which we don't) you have to make the switch. Most of the players we have that "fit" a 4-3 are older, ineffective or both. Might as well do it now. Why keep a "system" to fit the glowing talents of Denny, McCargo, and Kelsey? Schobel is nearing the end, though still effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthICE Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Different types of players. Both Ware and McClain are/were lightning fast. McClain is fast, but hasn't showed all that much ability to rush the passer as those guys. McClain is more physical than either guy. It's just not a good comparison. Paup and Ware are 247. McClain is 258, which is huge for an LB. He also has 8 sacks total as a collegian. Terrible comparison. Ware had 27.5 sacks in college. 8 sacks total and Bills fans are clammoring for this guy? Wow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Bob, I gotta fully agree with you here, despite my years of complaining about the OL. McClain might turn into a DeMarcus Ware/Bryce Paup talent, and I could not see letting someone this good slip away. Unless the OL is addressed you will continue with more years of complaining. Don't you want to stop complaining about the same issue and be able to move on and complain about other issues such as DL, qb and LBs? I also believe that it is impossible to get a fair assessment of any qb until there is a respectable line in place. Drafting isn't the only way to fill critical needs. Free agency and trades are another way of addressing our numerous needs. The problem is that our front office has been so inept that they also failed miserably at that task. Hopefully under Nix there might be more intelligence used in making personnel decisions, whether in the draft, trades and free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Bob, I gotta fully agree with you here, despite my years of complaining about the OL. McClain might turn into a DeMarcus Ware/Bryce Paup talent, and I could not see letting someone this good slip away. I'm a little confused, Bill. Are you saying that McClain will become a player as valuable as those two guys, or are you comparing their style of play? If it's the former, then I suppose we'll see. If it's the latter, you're misfiring. McClain is an ILB, he could play either MLB in a 4-3 or ILB in a 3-4, but a rush LB he's not. Different types of players. Both Ware and McClain are/were lightning fast. McClain is fast, but hasn't showed all that much ability to rush the passer as those guys. McClain is more physical than either guy. It's just not a good comparison. Paup and Ware are 247. McClain is 258, which is huge for an LB. He also has 8 sacks total as a collegian. Terrible comparison. Ware had 27.5 sacks in college. Agreed, not a good comparison. McClain compares more favorably to a Jerod Mayo type of player. Tough run plugger, good tackler, makes plays behind the LOS, can blitz on occasion (hence the 8 sacks). He's not a 3-4 OLB. The 1st round 3-4 OLBs in this draft could be any of the following: Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech) Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida) Everson Griffen (USC) Ricky Sapp (Clemson) Jerry Hughes (TCU) But of those guys, I'd really only be interested in Morgan in round 1...the others all have flaws that lessen their value. Just my 1 cent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in Syracuse Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 We could have the Dome Patrol at LB and it won't matter if our DL can't keep the OL from teeing off on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm not a Chicken Little type, but the fact that Gailey's most consistent rationale for the 3-4 switch is that he has been unable to figure out the defense himself is not very reassuring. Especially considering that the rest of the AFC East plays the 3-4 defense, teams that Edwards had difficulty in figuring out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Fully concur. The Bills are still paying for the Donohoe era that operated on the philosophy that we could win with a high dollar quarterback and a journeymen (or less) line. In reality, the reverse is true. TD's been gone for four years, and while his final two drafts were bad, the Bills should be a playoff team if their initial rebuild worked. Unfortunately it didn't (sorry Dick Levy fans) and we're back to rebuilding all over again. And, of the solid players on this team, most are TD holdovers: Schobel, Evans, McGee, Moorman, Lindell. But how long does that take? I love the 3-4, but I'm not a proponent of forcing a system on a team that doesn't have players for it. We have maybe 2-3 guys in our front seven who might work out. Just about everybody else is a round hole in a square peg. I'm not sure why Bills fans are assuming Stroud, Sp. Johnson, Maybin, and even Schobel will seamlessly convert to a 3-4. That's a lot of positions to assume will be covered by the existing roster. We all know that changing a lot doesn't work from season to season. See OL, circa 2009 offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombstone56 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 IF TRUE ,ID SAY MCCLAIN IS THE 1ST PICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthICE Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 We could have the Dome Patrol at LB and it won't matter if our DL can't keep the OL from teeing off on them. BINGO! So enough of wanting McClain who is an ILB NOT and OLB nor an impact sack master. Even if he was, without a HUGE NT in the middle and some pressure from the ends, its all moot point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffaloed in Pa Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Just as long as they are in the 250-260 lb. range and can run. No more big safeties at Lb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFan Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm not a Chicken Little type, but the fact that Gailey's most consistent rationale for the 3-4 switch is that he has been unable to figure out the defense himself is not very reassuring. Did you read the article? He gave several reasons why he feels it is a better base defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 The current players on this team couldn't stop the run and play their assignments and stay in their gaps for the Tampa / cover 2. Now adding a LB position to the weakest area of the defense is supposed to make this defense better? This team is so far removed from a 3-4 its almost as asinine as Jauron stating he will run the no huddle with a batch of rookies on the O line. Not for nothing, but if the defense improves in any area with the current personnel I'll be greatly amazed. I suspect it will take 2 years or more to make the player changes needed to run a decent 3-4 in Buffalo. Although I hope this Bills coaching staff proves me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 2 ______________ The 3-4 is a better defense every day and twice on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Grundy Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I'd love to see a linebacking corps of Maybin/Mitchell, Poz, McClain and Schobel. There are two guys that can rush passer off the edge, Poz showed he has some coverage ability, and McClain is a beast period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 he NEVER said that he couldn't figure it out - and if that is what you got from his statement concerning the 3-4 switch - then your understanding of the english language is not very reassuring The bigger you type something, the more important your opinion is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthICE Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I'd love to see a linebacking corps of Maybin/Mitchell, Poz, McClain and Schobel. There are two guys that can rush passer off the edge, Poz showed he has some coverage ability, and McClain is a beast period. And we will get smoked with that lineup. We need at least one DE (Stroud is the other) a couple NT's (because we need more than one for rotation etc) before ever thinking linebacker. And how is McClain a beast? He hasn't played a down in the NFL yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 McClain won't amount to crap unless the DL is addressed. The whole D sucks unless we get a stud NT. NO LB's till the line is figured out. just like Patrick Willis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manbeast Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 The current players on this team couldn't stop the run and play their assignments and stay in their gaps for the Tampa / cover 2. Now adding a LB position to the weakest area of the defense is supposed to make this defense better? This team is so far removed from a 3-4 its almost as asinine as Jauron stating he will run the no huddle with a batch of rookies on the O line. Not for nothing, but if the defense improves in any area with the current personnel I'll be greatly amazed. I suspect it will take 2 years or more to make the player changes needed to run a decent 3-4 in Buffalo. Although I hope this Bills coaching staff proves me wrong. It wouldn't be hard you like many others just pretend to know what your talking about no one can be certain but all we need are two NT and 1 OLB for depth. Unless Schobel leaves then we will need 2. I could be wrong but at least my opinion is based on fact. Not just an unresearched baseless one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I also thought is was interesting that he mentioned it improving special teams too. Under the DB minded Jauron and DB minded D Coordinators over the years we've seen lots of DBs on ST. I'd rather see some LBs in there; guys that can take (and dish out) a pounding. I don't know about that, but if the Bills get better on special teams than they've been over the past few years then there ought to be a law against them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts