A Baltimore Perspective On Lee Evans !!

[thewildrabbit]

Funny how all the guys who crowed about the Lee Evans trade in August suddenly woke up yesterday. Wonder why you were all quiet through half of October, all November and most of December?

Because Lee Evans was injured most of the year? Plus the fact that the Baltimore media is crying about Evans 4 targets last week ad he didn't catch a ball. So Bills fans need to bleat about it also

 

Like someone else pointed out his injury was severe enough to put him on IR, but the thinking was if they let him recover he could be back in time for the playoffs. Ozzie Newsome doesn't make many mistakes on player personnel, unlike the Buffalo Bills have for over the last decade. Probably the reason the Ravens have already won one super bowl. Plus 7 playoff appearances in the last 11 years.

 

Someone called ME a hater, that's funny Why? because all I'm asking is to wait and see what the last few games hold for the man, and the real haters can't do it.

 

 

Yippie, it's time to come out of the woodwork and crow about the Bills' offense after it put up a 40 spot on a good defense ....

 

BTW, The Bills offense only scored 6 points, and that was a TD run by Spiller. The defense had 2 pick 6's, 4 INT's on Tebow. An 80 yards punt return by Leo M, plus 4 FG's

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Yippie, it's time to come out of the woodwork and crow about the Bills' offense after it put up a 40 spot on a good defense ....

 

I wonder if the talk would have been the same before last week's game, or during a certain 3-week stretch when the offense couldn't score one touchdown. Yes, I remember all the optimism of how the youngsters could just walk right into that No. 2 WR job because Evans was readily expendable and defenses had the same respect for Donald Jones as they did for Lee Evans. Never mind the psyche that the trade had on the team before the season started nor sealing the rep in the league about the Bills' front office priorities.

First of all, you're assuming that Lee Evans would have cured what ailed the Bills offense during their drought.

 

Considering Evans' lack of productivity over the last numerous years including this year in Baltimore, that is a dubious assumption to say the least.

 

I remember people saying that now that Terrell Owens was a Bill, that things would open up for Lee Evans and that he would finally post numbers approaching his career year of 2006. Owens was productive but Evans was again, invisible.

 

And if you actually want to be objective about the Bills offense, you would first acknowledge that after trading Evans, the Bills suddenly had to put Marcus Easley on injured reserve due to an undisclosed and unanticipated injury, and then suffered injuries to Roscoe Parrish, and Donald Jones.

 

Your convenient exclusion of these facts relegates your post to mere biased spin.

[Ronin]

Regarding the Cleveland game, this is about the most accurate statement I've read on Evans in Baltimore to date, it comes from this source;

 

http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2011/12/26/2661363/ravens-need-more-production-from-wide-receivers

 

Lee Evans was targeted four times but was held with no catches. Evans was wide open on a number of plays in which Flacco did not see him or chose to go to another player. Every time a play was designed to go to him he was either covered or the ball was badly overthrown. It is no secret that Evans and Flacco are not on the same page. It may be time to stop trying to force the ball to Lee and just hope that he can make plays as the second or third option. Maybe these two can develop some chemistry by accident because forcing the issue does not seem to be working.

 

From what I've seen all season, Flacco has badly over or under thrown Evans all year and missed seeing him on numerous routes where, as these guys say, he's been wide open.

 

He took heat for not breaking up that INT v. Cleveland, which wisely wasn't mentioned here as a bad thing, because that pass too was 3-5 yards underthrown and had Flacco put it in the middle of the end zone it would have been a TD since Evans had his WR beat.

 

I've never watched Flacco that closely, but both he and Cameron have some serious issues to correct.

[GG]

 

 

BTW, The Bills offense only scored 6 points, and that was a TD run by Spiller. The defense had 2 pick 6's, 4 INT's on Tebow. An 80 yards punt return by Leo M, plus 4 FG's

 

I see the sarcasm detector is broken.

[GG]

First of all, you're assuming that Lee Evans would have cured what ailed the Bills offense during their drought.

 

Considering Evans' lack of productivity over the last numerous years including this year in Baltimore, that is a dubious assumption to say the least.

 

I remember people saying that now that Terrell Owens was a Bill, that things would open up for Lee Evans and that he would finally post numbers approaching his career year of 2006. Owens was productive but Evans was again, invisible.

 

And if you actually want to be objective about the Bills offense, you would first acknowledge that after trading Evans, the Bills suddenly had to put Marcus Easley on injured reserve due to an undisclosed and unanticipated injury, and then suffered injuries to Roscoe Parrish, and Donald Jones.

 

Your convenient exclusion of these facts relegates your post to mere biased spin.

 

I found it ironic that one of the first things the owner said in defending the pathetic offensive display was that they need to get Fitz some WR help next year. Really?

 

Yes, we know that Evans doesn't put up the stats for a legit No. 1 receiver. But let's not forget the first comment from Florence when the trade occurred, that getting rid of Evans would make defending Bills much easier because Evans still garners respect in the league. So even if he's a decoy, he's an effective one. Gailey effectively masked the offensve shortcoming in the first four weeks - until the defensive coordinators broke down the game tapes. You can cite injuries, but during the horrid 3 game stretch, most of the skill players were still healthy. Mind you that Wood got hurt on an INT return.

 

And please stop it with the Easley & Jones mentions, those guys should rightfully be buried in the depth chart when they come back. Every once in a while, you can find a gem in late rounds or UDFA, and when the guy takes the field, it opens your eyes and you say to yourself, "Wow this guy could be special." Kind of like seeing Victor Cruz. I never had that feeling about either Easley or Jones. So you have to wonder about the front office's thought process in thinking they're better off with those guys than with Evans.

[3rdand12]

Regarding the Cleveland game, this is about the most accurate statement I've read on Evans in Baltimore to date, it comes from this source;

 

http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2011/12/26/2661363/ravens-need-more-production-from-wide-receivers

 

Lee Evans was targeted four times but was held with no catches. Evans was wide open on a number of plays in which Flacco did not see him or chose to go to another player. Every time a play was designed to go to him he was either covered or the ball was badly overthrown. It is no secret that Evans and Flacco are not on the same page. It may be time to stop trying to force the ball to Lee and just hope that he can make plays as the second or third option. Maybe these two can develop some chemistry by accident because forcing the issue does not seem to be working.

 

From what I've seen all season, Flacco has badly over or under thrown Evans all year and missed seeing him on numerous routes where, as these guys say, he's been wide open.

 

He took heat for not breaking up that INT v. Cleveland, which wisely wasn't mentioned here as a bad thing, because that pass too was 3-5 yards underthrown and had Flacco put it in the middle of the end zone it would have been a TD since Evans had his WR beat.

 

I've never watched Flacco that closely, but both he and Cameron have some serious issues to correct.

Thanks for that link. Very interesting hearing that from someone who is watching Flacco closely. When i first saw the blurb about "targeted 4 times no catches" i was assuming it was all Lee's fault. shame on me and thanks for setting me straight.

[The Big Cat]

Funny how all the guys who crowed about the Lee Evans trade in August suddenly woke up yesterday. Wonder why you were all quiet through half of October, all November and most of December?

 

1.) I haven't been "quiet" about it--you're welcome to search my post history and see.

 

2.) What would have appeased you? A weekly "Evans Watch," an obnoxious chorus of I told ya so? Yeah. That would have gone over well, especially during the seven game skid. I'm sure guys like you would have loved it, though--a chance to crap all over anyone looking for some daylight when times got tough.

 

Your spin is bitter, tired, and predictable as Hell. It is funny to watch you spin the abstract created by you and you alone. Well, funny in a very dark, dark way.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Thanks for that link. Very interesting hearing that from someone who is watching Flacco closely. When i first saw the blurb about "targeted 4 times no catches" i was assuming it was all Lee's fault. shame on me and thanks for setting me straight.

 

The Ravens are an interesting case. They won the SB with a career mediocre QB who was having a mediocre year (59.3% completions, QB rating 76.6)

Since then, they've been to the playoffs consistently 8 of the last 12 years with mediocre QBs - Boller - seriously? and now Flacco, Mr. 60.6% completion percentage.

 

They consistently have a top-5 D.

 

If offense is what matters in today's NFL, the Ravens must be the league's anti-matter.

 

The other interesting thing to me is the comments about "no chemistry" with Flacco. Lee clearly never did "develop chemistry" with Fitz, yet Chan is all over Fitz about how he learns to work with different WR unusually quickly.

So what's up with Evans and chemistry, if he somehow just can't develop it with two different mid-third of the league QB?

Does someone need to get him a chemistry tutor? Send him and the QB to Shaun White's secret halfpipe to chant "those gnars don't shred themselves" in unison while practicing smeagles?

Is it sheer lack of practice time since Evans has been hurt, and Flacco is overthrowing him (maybe expecting more speed)? Does Evans consistently turn more speed in practice (when all he has to do is run) than in games (where he knows he's gonna get slammed)?

What?

[3rdand12]

valid points. as Chemistry is a broad term. the way i see it if a WR is Wide open you better get the ball to him.

Listening Ryan?

[The Big Cat]

The Ravens are an interesting case. They won the SB with a career mediocre QB who was having a mediocre year (59.3% completions, QB rating 76.6)

Since then, they've been to the playoffs consistently 8 of the last 12 years with mediocre QBs - Boller - seriously? and now Flacco, Mr. 60.6% completion percentage.

 

They consistently have a top-5 D.

 

If offense is what matters in today's NFL, the Ravens must be the league's anti-matter.

 

The other interesting thing to me is the comments about "no chemistry" with Flacco. Lee clearly never did "develop chemistry" with Fitz, yet Chan is all over Fitz about how he learns to work with different WR unusually quickly.

So what's up with Evans and chemistry, if he somehow just can't develop it with two different mid-third of the league QB?

Does someone need to get him a chemistry tutor? Send him and the QB to Shaun White's secret halfpipe to chant "those gnars don't shred themselves" in unison while practicing smeagles?

Is it sheer lack of practice time since Evans has been hurt, and Flacco is overthrowing him (maybe expecting more speed)? Does Evans consistently turn more speed in practice (when all he has to do is run) than in games (where he knows he's gonna get slammed)?

What?

 

Lest we forget the "chemistry" issues Lee had with Trent, too.

 

I guess the real question is: what can be said about a WR who only had chemistry with JP mother !@#$ing Losman?

[QCity]

So even if he's a decoy, he's an effective one.

Would you say his decoy skills are worthy of Canton? Can you find any other skills worth mentioning?

[Jerry Jabber]

Lest we forget the "chemistry" issues Lee had with Trent, too.

 

I guess the real question is: what can be said about a WR who only had chemistry with JP mother !@#$ing Losman?

 

Evans is 1 for 4 in regards to chemistry with QB's. But, according to some on here, it's all the QB's fault, not Evans.

[bizell]

Lest we forget the "chemistry" issues Lee had with Trent, too.

 

I guess the real question is: what can be said about a WR who only had chemistry with JP mother !@#$ing Losman?

Trent Edwards !@#$ing sucked. The only chemistry Edwards ever had was checking down to the short receiver whenever the play called for more yards.

[BuffaloBillsForever]

The Evans is an amazing decoy is the lamest argument ever. Who did Evans cause to have a pro bowl type year in buffalo either at WR or TE?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

valid points. as Chemistry is a broad term. the way i see it if a WR is Wide open you better get the ball to him.

Listening Ryan?

 

How about "Listening Flacco?" "Listening Freeman?" "Listening Sanchez?" "Listening Smith?" "Listening Eli?" (Listening...fill in blank for 20-22 NFL QB ranked lower than Fitz for passing yards or completion %)

 

Point is, it's not so simple as the WR appearing "wide open" to the spectator. We all agree on the desired outcome - the ball and the WR's hands need to arrive in the same point in space at the same time.

Yet it's relatively rare that the WR has time to run to a point in space and have the QB see that he's open and throw him the ball.

 

So there's more to it, right? Are the QB and WR are both "on the same page" about which route option the WR will run, how he will run it, and how fast he will run it?

Is a ball overthrown, or did the WR break off the route earlier than the QB expected? Or get bumped/jammed on the LOS or not run as fast as the QB expected?

 

Sometimes I can tell, often on TV I don't see enough to be able to figure it out.

 

I do know that for a WR/QB combo to really gel, some kind of connection needs to be forged that doesn't necessarily transfer well to the next QB. Ocho hasn't exactly lit up NE, despite having a top-flight QB at the helm, right?

Maybe teams will be lining up around the block to be bidding on SJ, I personally don't think he's quite built the reputation or put up the numbers to draw in the top-five $$$. But I could be wrong and often am.

[The Big Cat]

Trent Edwards !@#$ing sucked. The only chemistry Edwards ever had was checking down to the short receiver whenever the play called for more yards.

 

Doesn't change the fact that there were murmurs coming from the locker room (possibly from Lee himself, don't recall--this was like four years ago) that Evans had a distinct preference for Losman over Edwards.

[1B4IDie]

FYI Lynch didn't do jack for the SeaGulls until the BeastMode Earthquake.

 

Evans still has maybe 4 more games to play this season.

 

I wouldn't say that the story is over on Evans production with the Ravens.

 

HOWEVER Lee Evans has no place on the Bills. The Bills "won" the trade even if Evans had 2,000 yards and 30TDs in 2011.

 

He is a career 850 yard, 6 TD a year receiver that can really only run 1 route, the deep go. The Bills' offense is not built for the Home Run pass, you can blame this on Fitz or Chan, who cares. It is a fact.

 

We got 900+ yards and 4 TDs out of Brad Smith\Donald Jones\Roosevelt\CJ Spiller\Ruvell Martin. They all played the "#2" role for a few games

 

Plus Stevie Is still on track for 1,000 yards 6 TDs, plus David Nelson has 600+ yards and 5 TDs.

 

So the main arguments for the (silly) people that wanted to keep Evans, was that

 

1.) He was double teamed on every play (not very likely) which opened up the field for Stevie

and

2.) Lee Evans' loss would mean the death of production for the Buffalo Bills passing game

 

The main point that everyone should be concerned with is that IT IS AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE THAT THE LOSS OF LEE EVANS HAD NO ILL EFFECT TO THE BILLS' PASSING GAME.

Who cares about the Ravens?

 

I actually believe that Evans hurt the Bills more than he helped in the Chan\Fitz offense, and still believe this to be true.

 

No one can really argue that Evans loss was felt on this offense. Feel free to make that argument but it is a pretty flimsy argument that's shows more about the poster than Lee Evan's usefulness in Buffalo.

 

Let's try some obnoxious Bold, Italics, and Underlines.

 

Does anyone think Lee Evans would have really helped the Bills in 2011? Does anyone really think that having Lee Evans would have helped us win a couple of games during that losing streak?

 

Even the people that are strangely arguing. I think their argument is that "Lee Evans is not a bad WR;" but I'm not really sure as they're all over the place. They don't appear to be saying the Bills' offense would have been better with Lee Evans on the field.

 

Therefore anyway you look at it, the Bills improved by losing the dead weight and gaining a draft pick some where in the 120s most likely, Which looks like this from the 2011 draft:

 

4 120 Philadelphia Eagles Alex Henery K Nebraska

4 121 Jacksonville Jaguars Chris Prosinski S Wyoming

4 122 Buffalo Bills Chris Hairston OT Clemson

4 123 Baltimore Ravens Tandon Doss WR Indiana

4 124 Cleveland Browns Owen Marecic FB Stanford

4 125 Oakland Raiders Taiwan Jones RB Eastern Washington

4 126 New York Jets Bilal Powell RB Louisville

4 127 Houston Texans Rashad Carmichael CB Virginia Tech

4 128 Pittsburgh Steelers Cortez Allen CB The Citadel

4 129 Denver Broncos Julius Thomas TE Portland State

 

I'd take almost any of those players on the Bills Roster, especially Henery, Harriston, Jones, Carmichael or Thomas. All of them would contribute more than Lee Evan's special decoy skills.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Why So Serious?

[3rdand12]

How about "Listening Flacco?" "Listening Freeman?" "Listening Sanchez?" "Listening Smith?" "Listening Eli?" (Listening...fill in blank for 20-22 NFL QB ranked lower than Fitz for passing yards or completion %)

 

Point is, it's not so simple as the WR appearing "wide open" to the spectator. We all agree on the desired outcome - the ball and the WR's hands need to arrive in the same point in space at the same time.

Yet it's relatively rare that the WR has time to run to a point in space and have the QB see that he's open and throw him the ball.

 

So there's more to it, right? Are the QB and WR are both "on the same page" about which route option the WR will run, how he will run it, and how fast he will run it?

Is a ball overthrown, or did the WR break off the route earlier than the QB expected? Or get bumped/jammed on the LOS or not run as fast as the QB expected?

 

Sometimes I can tell, often on TV I don't see enough to be able to figure it out.

 

I do know that for a WR/QB combo to really gel, some kind of connection needs to be forged that doesn't necessarily transfer well to the next QB. Ocho hasn't exactly lit up NE, despite having a top-flight QB at the helm, right?

Maybe teams will be lining up around the block to be bidding on SJ, I personally don't think he's quite built the reputation or put up the numbers to draw in the top-five $$$. But I could be wrong and often am.

yes of course you are correct. There is Much more to it! I was being a little sarcastic in regard to Ryans field vision.

I am not a defender of Lee Evans but i do not hate on him as some seem to.

But when i am able to see a player get open repeatedly and our guy throw to a Receiver with someone on his shirt sleeve and another above and another under i get peeved.

Trust is probably the biggest issue for a qb with his route runners. Maybe thats what gel means.

I mean stevie does go get balls for us and lee did not in a comparison.

Which is a whole 'nother thread isn't it!

Edited December 29, 2011 by 3rdand12

[dave mcbride]

Evans is 1 for 4 in regards to chemistry with QB's. But, according to some on here, it's all the QB's fault, not Evans.

?

 

He had a strong rookie season with Bledsoe at the helm.

 

I mean stevie does go get balls for us and lee did not in a comparison.

Which is a whole 'nother thread isn't it!

Evans does go for balls. It's a myth that he doesn't.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sxkXH6gZ08

[The Big Cat]

The Evans is an amazing decoy is the lamest argument ever. Who did Evans cause to have a pro bowl type year in buffalo either at WR or TE?

 

Supposedly Stevie Johnson.

 

2010 (with Lee):

 

REC/YDS/TD

 

82/1073/10

 

2011 (without Lee (and with a game to go (against a historically bad pass defense)))

 

72/964/6