Astro-Notes: Aug 20 Practice

[MOFO]

I am actually encouraged that we're seeing attitude from Buffalo Bills players, and I don't care that the O doesn't like the D and vice-versa. Just don't tint your windows.

 

Astro

 

My favorite part...thanks for the reports great job as always...

[Astrobot]

THANKS Astro, these really have been amazing. A few questions:

1. Jerry Hughes was playing on the second string D?
    
   
2. Gragg was second string O? Any insight on Chandler these days (is he on the sidelines)?
    
   
3. It seems the QB’s were “gunslinging” a bit more than we’ve seen in the two preseason games so far. Is this accurate, and is there anything to imply from this? (I don’t know enough about practice structure, myself).
   

BAM!

1. The twos were playing the ones both ways. IMO, Hughes is a two when Mario Williams isn't in; he's a one with Carrington,Dareus,Kyle when Lawson isn't in (Manny Lawson is tied for #1 among #NFL 3-4 OLBs in Pass Coverage http://bit.ly/16HLLWa'>http://bit.ly/16HLLWa ); and he's an OLB34 pass rusher (Hughes is tied 2nd among #NFL 3-4 OLBs in Pass Rushing (http://bit.ly/16HLLWa ). Kerrigan=#1.

 

2. Gragg is third team to Smith and Chandler; Chandler's been back for 3 practices, 2 without a compression sleeve on his leg.

 

3. If you mean gunslinging by taking a chance on the covered receiver to make the play downfield, then yes. Marrone has said he wants them to practice that, as it opens up the short middle for "Spiller and the Short Routes".

[BobChalmers]

Easley has the most yardage of all the WRs after game 1 and 2. He's made the club.

 

Yeah - I've been really confused by the final-53 lists on WGR and elsewhere all writing Easley off - makes no sense to me.

 

Easley has also looked good in kick coverage, right? How does B.Smith possibly beat him out?

[Astrobot]

B.Smith could be a veteran presence, but I hope they have FJ be the vet presence for the O and take the youngster. Easley's also been the gunner at times.

[mattsox]

Got there at Period 7 so as to miss the Positional Drills and stretching. There are 3 deep all along the fence will filled grandstand and a perfect night--70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

 

Period 7: FG practice. Dustin Hopkins didn't let his foot off the gas; he put 6 consecutive blasts through the uprights, later adding 6 more in a row. He missed one from 53 and one from 43.

Good news! He hit the videographer one more time and hit the platform 2 more times.

 

Period 8: KR practice. Goodwin was taking turns with BRad Smith. They alternated blocking teams, so Chris Gragg, Blatnick, Summers (team 1?) plus Corbin Bryant, Lee Smith, Jerry Hughes (team 2?) blocked twice each for Goodwin and Brad Smith. The best combo seemed to be the Gragg line with Marquise Goodwin. You have to wonder about Brad Smith. He might still make this team, but if McKelvin returns kicks, maybe they deep-6 him. This is still a slider puzzle until "The Turk" comes.

 

Period 9: Most of the night, when doing 11 on 11, the First String Offense would go up against the Second String Defense, and vice-versa. This is genius. Coaches get to see players going against first string, and the film doesn't lie. Both QBs had a rough time in general.

 

Kolb had his first pass broken up by Kip Edwards, held the ball to long on 2nd down before swinging it out to Spiller (a wonderful outlet to have). Kolb then passed to Stevie J for a short gain, likely a first down between Spiller and Stevie. Kolb's play-fakes are nearly impossible to read from the stands. I thought FJ had the next ball up the middle, but then Kolb's firing it to Stevie for 10 more. A nice 15 yarder to Easley made me relax about Kolb then BAM! Kolb's pass to Goodwin is intercepted, and one to Lee Smith is dropped. So then you get depressed and BAM! Kolb throws a bomb to Easley (our #1 receiver in the preseason tilts) for 60 yards and the TD.

 

Tuel comes in as they work on red zone stuff. Tuel has to throw away the first down; the first-string D has it all covered. Da'Rick Rogers catches Tuel's pass down to the 5 for a first down, but the ball keeps coming back to the 20. A throw to Provo over the middle is dropped (90% Provo's fault, but good coverage too). Summers the FB lines up as a wideout, and Tuel throws to Provo again for the TD. p.s.: Did you know that Gragg's the Bills' best blocking TE according to ProFootballFocus? Tuel overtelegraphs his pass to Rogers, and the defense closes, denying him the catch. Tuel throws a quick slant to Easley for the TD and you think yay, then BAM! Duke Williams tips the pass right to Jerry Hughes, who takes it the other way. Tuel, undaunted, comes right back and BAM! threads the needle (like 3 players) to Easley for the TD.

 

Kolb is in, and hands off to CJ, who shows shiftiness at almost-top end speed, maybe for 10. Kolb comes right back to Spiller for about 5. They go to a 2-back I, with CJ-FJ both picking up blocks as Kolb throws a not-far-enough pass to Goodwin for an incompletion. Then BAM! Kolb hits Stevie Johnson for a 40 yard TD. Kolb looks for about 2 reads in less than 2 seconds, then takes off with it. On the next play, Kolb throws what looked like a too-high pass to FJ on an out pattern, and Freddie leaps for it and pulls it down! That's may Astro Play of the Night. Kolb fakes me out again on a fake to Freddie and a pass for 10. Not a bad series for the 7-year vet.

 

Tuel now has the second string and next week's waivers out there against mainly first string D. He hands off to Zach Brown going to the LG-LT spot and is tackled for a loss. On the next play, KWilliams has Tuel dead to rights in the backfield. then BAM! Tuel fires a pretty one to Gragg for a first down. Kiko Alonso almost intercepts the next pass, ZBrown tries around the left end (not much there), and Da'Rick Rogers almost has a catch but Rolle knocks it out of there and a fight ensues. Later on, FJ is talking to Aaron Williams and Brad Smith is talking to Rolle. You know who the veterans are. This is Rolle's 3rd time when he's lost his composure. Summers has a run up the middle and it's getting pretty testy. Aaron Williams is in the backfield of the offensive players, trying to mix it up with Freddy. Freddy is applauding Aaron in a mocking way. I am actually encouraged that we're seeing attitude from Buffalo Bills players, and I don't care that the O doesn't like the D and vice-versa. Just don't tint your windows.

 

More kicking stuff. Gaskins has a drop, Zach Brown is the other returner. This could be significant. Say McKelvin is the starting CB, then he might not be on the KR team. Maybe all wet on this one.

 

On the other 11 on 11, the highlights were Spiller slicing and dicing for a first down twice, an end-around by TJ, a couple bad throws in a row by Kolb to Stevie, Freddy for 2 nice catches, and Easley going down low to catch one. Tuel made completions to Sampson, Kaufman, and Da'Rick. The defense looked stout with Mario and Dareus teaming up for a sack, Branch and Troup pushing the pocket back twice, and a pass breakup by TintJob. A tip of the hat to Colin Brown and Eric Wood who opened a 20' wide hole for Choice, and to TJ Heath for covering Goodwin ALMOST well enough to not draw a flag. Duke Williams had his trap shut by Chandler's great catch, and Kolb had another 40-yarder to Stevie. Cordy and EWood opened up a huge hole, then Kolb shovel-passed to Spiller, who went a mile.

 

Tuel passed too far on his first pass, then nails Sampson for 25 yards. Then BAM! Crezdon Butler (#1 in thrown at-incompletions% among the CBs) INT Tuel's next pass for a pick 6. Tuel then has a completion to Kaufman, then Gaskins (likely 25 yds with a Kiko Alonso defensive interference call). Da'Rick is again victimized by a double-team with Aaron Williams underneath and Duke Williams over the top. The night ends with a Troup sack (assisted by Lawson-Bryant) and a Hogan reception for 5.

 

Astro

 

Great Work! Thank you!!

[Rubes]

B.Smith could be a veteran presence, but I hope they have FJ be the vet presence for the O and take the youngster. Easley's also been the gunner at times.

 

I'm starting to think this, too. I think the jist is that Easley needs to show enough to make Smith expendable, similar to the Hopkins/Lindell battle. Sounds like he has.

 

I'd like to see us keep 7 WRs, the three extras being Hogan, Rogers, and Easley. We all want so much to like Rogers...

[Astrobot]

Rubes, are you saying Johnson, Woods, TJ, Goodwin, Hogan, Rogers, Easley? With Sampson-Kaufman on the Practice Squad?

 

We could do it, could we not, if we opted for 25 offense, 25 defense, 3 kicking (K,P,LS)?

8OL, 3QB, 7WR, 3TE, 3RB, and 1FB=25.

[Dorkington]

Rubes, are you saying Johnson, Woods, TJ, Goodwin, Hogan, Rogers, Easley? With Sampson-Kaufman on the Practice Squad?

 

We could do it, could we not, if we opted for 25 offense, 25 defense, 3 kicking (K,P,LS)?

8OL, 3QB, 7WR, 3TE, 3RB, and 1FB=25.

 

Didn't Marrone mention 7 Offensive Linemen at one point? Or did I mishear?

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

 

3. If you mean gunslinging by taking a chance on the covered receiver to make the play downfield, then yes. Marrone has said he wants them to practice that, as it opens up the short middle for "Spiller and the Short Routes".

 

Sounds like a great name for a band.

[Astrobot]

Sounds like a great name for a band.

Or a molester:

"I'd grab her by the short routes and spill'er."

 

---

 

And with that...I'm...

Off to Camp!

--Astro

Edited August 21, 2013 by Astrobot

[Matt in KC]

Didn't Marrone mention 7 Offensive Linemen at one point? Or did I mishear?

That was how many were dressing on game day.

[Kelly the Dog]

Thanks so much, Rastro. You definitely provided consistent, detailed, extremely enjoyable reports the entire camp. Great stuff.

[eball]

Rastro earns poster of the month, hands down. The gap between his contributions and those of everyone else since training camp started is the freaking Grand Canyon.

[Rubes]

Rubes, are you saying Johnson, Woods, TJ, Goodwin, Hogan, Rogers, Easley? With Sampson-Kaufman on the Practice Squad?

 

We could do it, could we not, if we opted for 25 offense, 25 defense, 3 kicking (K,P,LS)?

8OL, 3QB, 7WR, 3TE, 3RB, and 1FB=25.

 

Yup, that's exactly what I was thinking...

[l< j]

Rastro earns poster of the month, hands down. The gap between his contributions and those of everyone else since training camp started is the freaking Grand Canyon.

 

I think Astro gets the Sam Gash Award. (Anyone remember that from training camps a decade ago, or is my brain playing tricks?)

 

kj

[Clippers of Nfl]

Rastro earns poster of the month, hands down. The gap between his contributions and those of everyone else since training camp started is the freaking Grand Canyon.

You may want to rethink your position.

I'm the one who said Kolb uses voodoo dolls.

 

And why is everybody thanking Astro so much? He's probably a bigger fan of the Jetsons. Mods please ban him until next year where he can provide the most insightful info on training camp. Gosh