NaPolian8693 Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 (edited) CJ Spiller is not a running back. CJ Spiller is a wide receiver hybrid. Think about Percy Harvin. He was a hybrid in college, and was run oriented as he had more rushing yards and touchdowns than receiving in each of his college seasons. In the NFL he is used almost exclusively as a receiver. In college he was listed as 5'11" and 195 pounds (sound familiar?). Now that he is accepted as a receiver he is listed as 185 pounds. Spiller is explosive in space, but is just not a bruising between the tackles sort of guy. He needs to be used as more of a slot receiver hybrid. He will never be a normal #1 type receiver, and that's not the goal. He can catch short screens, run checkdown routes and short to intermediate crossing routes. He can carry the ball on reverses and end arounds. In shotgun sets he can motion from the slot to the backfield and run a sweep. CJ Spiller has potential as the next Percy Harvin. As a traditional running back, it's not really there. Edited November 8, 2010 by NaPolian8693
CarolinaBill Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 or he's adjusting to the pro game and will be a good RB eventually. Needs to learn patience, one cut n go, the dancing aound and bouncing it outside that worked in college isnt happening in the NFL. Of course it would help if we could run block better, or had a more balanced attack.
cantankerous Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Hell that's not a bad idea at all, seeing as how we can't run the ball for sh--. He was wide open deep last week if Fitz would've gave him a chance to catch it...woulda been a game winner.
Buffalo Barbarian Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Which is why we should have never drafted him. We had a much better running game last year with Lynch and Fred with the same O-line as last year except RT. We should have traded back to get Bulaga and more picks.
thewildrabbit Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 CJ Spiller is not a running back. CJ Spiller is a wide receiver hybrid. Think about Percy Harvin. He was a hybrid in college, and was run oriented as he had more rushing yards and touchdowns than receiving in each of his college seasons. In the NFL he is used almost exclusively as a receiver. In college he was listed as 5'11" and 195 pounds (sound familiar?). Now that he is accepted as a receiver he is listed as 185 pounds. Spiller is explosive in space, but is just not a bruising between the tackles sort of guy. He needs to be used as more of a slot receiver hybrid. He will never be a normal #1 type receiver, and that's not the goal. He can catch short screens, run checkdown routes and short to intermediate crossing routes. He can carry the ball on reverses and end arounds. In shotgun sets he can motion from the slot to the backfield and run a sweep. CJ Spiller has potential as the next Percy Harvin. As a traditional running back, it's not really there. I disagree, think Reggie Bush Yea well, the Bills currently have a small speedy guy in the slot, Roscoe Parrish, who is currently more experienced running NFL routes and better at blocking then Spiller.The Bills need to use Spiller more in the Reggie Bush mold then in the Percy Harvin mold, IMO. The entire problem with Spiller and his play is his inexperience in running NFL passing routes, his pass blocking and run blocking. Not to mention how bad the O line still is, if the line play was better he would have more holes to run thru and wouldn't be needed as much in protection schemes Spiller will suddenly become a much much better back by next year just by gaining playing experience AND if the Bills finally upgrade the O line like they said they would last off season, you know the O line was a priority....but Nix must have been napping during the draft.
akm0404 Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Cue the laughable C.J. Spiller is the next Chris Johnson homer in 3...2...1... "Just give him time" is the mantra that desperate Bills fans have chanted year after year as they watch their failed draft choices die on the vine. Our guys have to develop and learn how to be good players while we watch the ones we pass on set foot on the field from day 1 and make an immediate impact. But hey, if Spiller averages like 150 yards and a touchdown every single game for the rest of the year, he can have a similar rookie season to Johnson. Except he is only a 10-touch at most situational back, so that'll be tough. But hey, he tore it up in college so that is cool. Slot is most likely his only role in the NFL. I'm sure Gailey is aware, which is why he doesn't really see the field with Roscoe performing.
Nanker Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 I wonder what Chan's said to Nix about the pick. Has he given up on him? They got rid of Marshawn because the vaunted "three-headed-monster" looked like it was a six-footed-monster - with all left feet that ran nowhere. If Chan doesn't know what to do with the guy, what does that say about Chan and CJ and Nix? OJ Simpson spent his rookie year returning kicks. I've got to think that Spiller has the talent to make it big in this league. This is a puzzle. If Nix drafted him to be a 10 touch situational back - then Nix IS a tool.
Zulu Cthulhu Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Again, i never compared spiller's performance to chris johnson's, but hey akm you keep believing whatever your feeble mind will conjure up. Actually i agree with much of what the OP suggests, since Spiller's versatility was one of his biggest selling points coming out of college. No doubt spiller currently stuggles in the "conventional" running back role. I personally think he'll get better in that role, but maybe he won't. I guess we will wait and see. If some of you guys want to throw the guy on the scrap heap after one half of his rookie season go ahead and keep on thinking that; there's no cure for that type of stupid.
The Wang From Sang Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Oh my god, I saw the same observation in 1969 when Larry Felser said O.J. should be switched to WR. Well, OJ went on to become the leagues best RB.
pkwwjd Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Or maybe they're saving touches for later in his career when he might have a line to run behind. No sense putting on mileage at this point ... Give him touches and get him acclimated tothe NFL.
NaPolian8693 Posted November 8, 2010 Author Posted November 8, 2010 Oh my god, I saw the same observation in 1969 when Larry Felser said O.J. should be switched to WR. Well, OJ went on to become the leagues best RB. I don't think you should try to compare Spiller to Simpson - that's really a little bit silly. It's already clear he will never live up to his high draft status, I'm just hopeful they can do something with him that actually allows him to contribute to the team. Right now as a running back, he seems like he is more of a liability than an asset. He can't run inside and can't pass block, so it's hard to even put him on the field.
tennesseeboy Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 I have a solution....DRAFT OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO WILL OPEN UP A FEW HOLES!!!! Maybe we might have thought of that when we had a number nine pick last year...maybe we should have thought of that when passed on OT Oher to draft Maybin....
Zulu Cthulhu Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 I don't think you should try to compare Spiller to Simpson - that's really a little bit silly. It's already clear he will never live up to his high draft status. Actually your statement above is far sillier. Fred Jackson - 3.8 ypc CJ Spiller - 3.8 ypc No one on the team is running the ball this year.
akm0404 Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Actually your statement above is far sillier. Fred Jackson - 3.8 ypc CJ Spiller - 3.8 ypc No one on the team is running the ball this year. Measuring Spiller against one of the least productive starting NFL running backs isn't a great way to make your argument, sir.
Zulu Cthulhu Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Measuring Spiller against one of the least productive starting NFL running backs isn't a great way to make your argument, sir. 1400 total yards last year was pretty productive. You see, sir, that's why I said "this year" no one is running the ball well. As opposed to last year, when Jackson did run for over 1,000 and average 4.5 ypc.
akm0404 Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Jackson's performance last year put him squarely in the middle of the NFL in terms of yards gained, and near the bottom of the NFL in rushing touchdowns (fun fact: Mark Sanchez and Quinton Ganther had more). He was merely average to slightly below average last year, and as expected, his productivity continues to decline as he approaches 30. Not a big surprise - pretty much everyone saw it coming.
Zulu Cthulhu Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Jackson's performance last year put him squarely in the middle of the NFL in terms of yards gained, and near the bottom of the NFL in rushing touchdowns (fun fact: Mark Sanchez and Quinton Ganther had more). He was merely average to slightly below average last year, and as expected, his productivity continues to decline as he approaches 30. Not a big surprise - pretty much everyone saw it coming. He was 10th in yards from scrimmage last year: not "middle of the pack" unless only 20 running backs played in the NFL last year. Oh sorry, you said "yards gained." Well, in total yardage, Fred Jackson was 1st overall. Pull out all the random statistics you like, and bury yourself even more. All I said was he was more productive last year than this year. So Spiller is averaging less than 4 yards a carry because he sucks, is a bust, is too small, and never should have been picked... And Jackson is averaging less than 4 yards a carry because he sucks, is over the hill, and was never any good to begin with?
NaPolian8693 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Posted November 9, 2010 Jackson is some aging cast off - he doesn't have anything to do with this. Refocus on why Spiller can make more plays out of the slot than from the backfield.
Buffalonian-at-Heart Posted November 9, 2010 Posted November 9, 2010 Which is why we should have never drafted him. We had a much better running game last year with Lynch and Fred with the same O-line as last year except RT. We should have traded back to get Bulaga and more picks. Same O-line as last year? Uh no, nice try but not even close. Trade back to get Bulaga huh? Yeah, lets draft a right tackle who isn't good in the first round. Some people just have a need to live in the past and comfort themselves with regret.
prissythecat Posted November 9, 2010 Posted November 9, 2010 Which banned users did napolian8963 and akm0404 replace lol?
Recommended Posts