Kelly the Dog Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 There are certain RBs in this league that are better than others when there are no holes to be found, and they make the most out of them, like Freddy Jackson. If they did get holes, then guys with the burst and the homerun ability will look better. The same way there are QBs that if you give them time, will kill you and better than guys like, say, Fitz. But if you don't give them time, Fitz would play better in that same situation. There are WRs who are able to make catches against tight coverage, but it's usually for short gains. A different WR won't make nearly as many catches, but if you give his QB time will get separation and be able to hurt defenses more. There are LBs who aren't effective if their DTs in front of them don't take care of the linemen, but are killers if they get clean runs at ballcarriers. Spiller will be fine.
Kipers Hair Posted September 12, 2011 Author Posted September 12, 2011 He will never be more than a situational player as long as Freds in Buffalo. He will most likely never live up to expectations as the 9th pick, but I think he can become a very valuable part of our offense. If our offense ever makes a jump to one of the leagues better units, he will play a decent role in doing so. Not sure we will ever achieve that, but if we do, I think he'll be a major contributor. I think you are right and I am going to coin the problem now - the "Whitner Effect" or perhaps more clinical, "Dante Syndrome". Like the much maligned Dante Whitner, he might be a fine NFL player with a 10 year career, but as long as he is in the town that drafted him too high, he'll never meet the expectations of it's fans.
DrDawkinstein Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 Better question: How long before the fans stop with this constant need for a RB whipping boy? Spiller is fine. He will be fine. He got a TD yesterday when he was finally able to do what he does best.
bowery4 Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I think Chan just needs to realize the only way that Spiller can be productive is out in space where he can use his quickness and speed. I am getting so tired of seeing him put Spiller in on short yardage and watching him dancing around behind the line instead of shooting for a hole. Yesterday, Jackson wasn't going down until at least the 3rd defender made contact on him most of the game, but on 3rd and 3 he puts Spiller in again and he gets stuffed for a couple yard loss. Happens over and over. CJ got no 3rd and 3 carries yesterday, he was in on 2nd and short. Brad smith had the 3rd and shorts or we passed.
Bill from NYC Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I'm high on Spiller. I generally think that Bills fans who go after him with statements like 'he doesn't know how to hit holes and he can't block' have no idea what they are talking about. Spiller has talent and he's developing his vision. He gets like 5-6 carries a game and somehow people are making these huge judgments on his career. Though I don't love Jackson as much as most Bills fans do, I will openly admit that he runs a style that really works with this offense. Spiller is just not a back that is going to break tackles at the 1 yard line. The Bills O-line is improved, but its not going to open huge holes. Look at Chris Johnson's numbers from yesterday. Or even Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson. If you take away their huge runs (a 22 yarder and a 46 yarder respectfully), their YPC go way down. Peterson would be at a 3.5 average w/o his 46 yard run and Charles would have been around 3.7 w/o his big 22 yarder. And these guys are the featured backs. My point is, for a lot of these running backs, they will get stuffed behind the line or run for 3 yards a carry on a good amount of their runs. But they will also break off some huge gainers to offset the small gainers. Until Spiller gets his name called 10-15 times a game, I think its completely unfair to make a judgment. Anyone who doesn't think this guy can break off huge runs in the same way Charles/ C. Johnson do, just haven't watched him play/don't know football. I agree that Fred is the right choice now. But calling a RB a bust when he only gets 5 runs a game is crazy. It is probably early to call him a bust. But it isn't too early imo to call him a stupid, and even suspect draft choice. We just got Brad Smith, who I expect to be a better player than Spiller (this doesn't mean I will be correct mind you), and we didn't have to burn a number 9 on him.
JPS Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 With Whitner, Maybin and Evans gone, the idiots have to jabber about someone. And that's after a the guy actually contributes to a big win. Can everyone just drink the Kool Aid for 24 hours? Even the Pros get 24 hours.
nichebiche Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 he is simply a poor man's Reggie Bush Reggie Bush is a poor man's Darren Sproles
DrDawkinstein Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 It is probably early to call him a bust. But it isn't too early imo to call him a stupid, and even suspect draft choice. We just got Brad Smith, who I expect to be a better player than Spiller (this doesn't mean I will be correct mind you), and we didn't have to burn a number 9 on him. BUST?!? The kid is playing fine for just starting his 2nd year. He DID have a TD yesterday... And out of the 22 other players drafted in the rest of the first round, the ONLY player you can say they should've drafted instead is Bulaga. And none of those OTs were thought of as "great" players. Hindsight is 20/20. We have Spiller and he is coming along just fine. Get over it.
Kipers Hair Posted September 12, 2011 Author Posted September 12, 2011 With Whitner, Maybin and Evans gone, the idiots have to jabber about someone. And that's after a the guy actually contributes to a big win. Can everyone just drink the Kool Aid for 24 hours? Even the Pros get 24 hours. Disagreed - watched and enjoyed the game very much, but the "celebrate" Spiller because he was on the winning side is short sited and flys in the face of this teams need to continue to move forward. Spiller is (1) A wasted pick where he was taken (2) arguably a wasted roster spot. If he was so damn good, why would we have spent what we did to being in Brad Smith for 3rd down duty? Again, Spiller suffers from Donte Syndrome, so it's not really his fault...
eball Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I really don't understand the Spiller bashing either. He's just simply not a "yards after contact" type of back -- and the Bills don't need him to be. I'm NOT comparing him to Barry Sanders, but I see similarities in the number of negative plays he takes because he tries to make something happen rather than plunging forward. Despite understandably limited touches yesterday, I thought Spiller looked confident and made a couple of nice runs. The TD was, as someone else suggested, Spiller "doing what he does best." No hole where the play was designed, but he quickly bounced outside and was too fast for the corner to catch. We're going to see more and more of CJ catching passes as the season progresses, and I'd really like to see the toss sweep added to the offensive repertoire as well. And in the meantime, Freddy is playing simply amazing football.
Bill from NYC Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 BUST?!? The kid is playing fine for just starting his 2nd year. He DID have a TD yesterday... And out of the 22 other players drafted in the rest of the first round, the ONLY player you can say they should've drafted instead is Bulaga. And none of those OTs were thought of as "great" players. Hindsight is 20/20. We have Spiller and he is coming along just fine. Get over it. Did you read my post? And, if you think that the Bills were in a position to draft a situational running back at #9 despite other glaring needs, we simply disagree on how to build a football team. And I see nothing wrong with 2 posters having 2 differing opinions. What's the problem?
bbb Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 BUST?!? The kid is playing fine for just starting his 2nd year. He DID have a TD yesterday... And out of the 22 other players drafted in the rest of the first round, the ONLY player you can say they should've drafted instead is Bulaga. And none of those OTs were thought of as "great" players. Hindsight is 20/20. We have Spiller and he is coming along just fine. Get over it. And, Bulaga is the guy that many of us wanted. He might be coming along fine, but he's not coming along #9 pick fine. He should pretty much be here already, as a running back.
truth on hold Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Forget his blocking, he can't hit the hole and goes down like a fly. Exactly. Forget the "he's a situational player because he's playing behind Freddy" talk If Freddy werent there his extreme inadequacy as the featured back would lose him a job in the NFL. IMO Edited September 12, 2011 by Joe_the_6_pack
BiggieScooby Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 CJ is improving, I'll take a slot receiver and perimeter rushing/receiving threat. If he scores 1 td per game I am not going to complain.
JPS Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 All I ask is pick a week when Spiller gets forklifted, Fitz sacked with the game on the line......and they lose. The team clicked for 41 points yesterday. 41 POINTS!!!! ON THE ROAD!!! To say Spiller was not part of that is ignorant because a)he was actually on the score sheet, and b) Spiller may actually contribute by just being on the field forcing deeper safeties, etc. And you know what...it's just annoying. The crazy thing is: If Spiller was cut tomorrow and the Bills signed Joique Bell to replace him, there are some on this board who would be ecstatic. Don't squeak just to squeak.
truth on hold Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 No defenses are changing their schemes to stop spiller. Why would they ? Hasn't shown he can do anything special.
NoSaint Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 Say what you will...CJ can be explosive and has been on occasion. He looked great on his one TD run. He still needs to get a hang for finding yards that aren't there but the bottom line is Freddy has turned himself into an amazing RB. With Fred in front of him he isn't going to get the mojo/confidence/experience he needs to develop as soon as possible...and we're all ok w/ that b/c Fred is the man. a guy like ingram is used to coming from a system where he grinds out yards, doesnt outrun people etc -- similar to the nfl. a guy like spiller is used to stretching until the sea parts and outrunning everyone to the endzone -- not at all similar to the nfl. big tough between the tackle runners transition quickly, while guys like spiller often have a hard time. he had games in college where he would go quarters without a single hand touching him (perhaps exaggerated, but you get the point). Now he has to deal with tight spaces, making sure he reads the blocks better, blocking, and breaking tackles. It takes time. Im sure the game always seemed very slow to him, and it just got way faster. hes never played on a field where most guys are as quick as he is.
billsfreak Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I really don't understand the Spiller bashing either. He's just simply not a "yards after contact" type of back -- and the Bills don't need him to be. I'm NOT comparing him to Barry Sanders, but I see similarities in the number of negative plays he takes because he tries to make something happen rather than plunging forward. Despite understandably limited touches yesterday, I thought Spiller looked confident and made a couple of nice runs. The TD was, as someone else suggested, Spiller "doing what he does best." No hole where the play was designed, but he quickly bounced outside and was too fast for the corner to catch. We're going to see more and more of CJ catching passes as the season progresses, and I'd really like to see the toss sweep added to the offensive repertoire as well. And in the meantime, Freddy is playing simply amazing football. I agree, so why does Chan keeping putting him in on short yardage and sending him up the middle, only to lose yards the majority of the time?
opfball91 Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I'm not currently satisfied with how he's progressing however I'm not throwing the towel in on him yet. Freddy Jackson is thirty and the guy improves year by year.
MattyT Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I think Chan just needs to realize the only way that Spiller can be productive is out in space where he can use his quickness and speed. I am getting so tired of seeing him put Spiller in on short yardage and watching him dancing around behind the line instead of shooting for a hole. Yesterday, Jackson wasn't going down until at least the 3rd defender made contact on him most of the game, but on 3rd and 3 he puts Spiller in again and he gets stuffed for a couple yard loss. Happens over and over. I agree. If Jackson needs a blow, then I would prefer to see White in those short yardage situations.
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