tennesseeboy Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 McKelvin has played well, and of that there's no doubt. However, I think that there's a fundamental problem with reasoning as to why he's playing well. Very simply, when your defensive line gets pressure and gets it quickly, it makes QB's rush their throws. Any QB in the NFL that's given time is going to be able to pick you apart. Geno passed for 331 yards in week 3 and looked all world. The Bills really didn't get to him much that day. Not the case yesterday. McKelvin has always been aggressive. It suits him well when the front four are doing their job, but will be a liability when they don't. what he said. The name of the game is that serious teams build playoff teams from the trenches back. A great pass rushing defensive line makes a huge difference.
mjt328 Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 chicken or the egg??? Is the DL better because the coverage of the DBs or are the DBs better because we're getting better DL play? They really go hand in hand. Let's just be happy that we're firing in all cylinders at this point of the season. It also helps that Alonso, Lawson, Searcy and Aaron Williams are doing a good job of covering underneath routes (TE and RB). Those two positions absolutely killed us last year with mostly Sheppard, Barnett and Wilson. This team got a massive upgrade on coaching/scheme (Pettine), personnel (Alonso, Lawson, Hughes, Robey, Branch) - and some guys are playing better in new positions (Aaron Williams).
Big Turk Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 According to football outsiders, against the #2 WRs Bills are #1 in the NFL in DVOA... They also rank highly against TE's(3rd) and RBs(6th)
eball Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 It also helps that Alonso, Lawson, Searcy and Aaron Williams are doing a good job of covering underneath routes (TE and RB). Those two positions absolutely killed us last year with mostly Sheppard, Barnett and Wilson. This team got a massive upgrade on coaching/scheme (Pettine), personnel (Alonso, Lawson, Hughes, Robey, Branch) - and some guys are playing better in new positions (Aaron Williams). Talk about an upgrade. Wow.
bigK14094 Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 McKelvin is now playing at a top level.....he is an "old pro", and we can look forward to some big plays from him going forward. (like the punt return for a TD a couple of weeks ago that was called back for holding.) Unfortunately, Gilmore is now the underperforming talent. He has not looked good since coming back...and ok , he has a bad wrist. But, he has been burned plenty, and was yesterday , again, against the Jets. Lots of hype from the Bills PR crew about him being a shutdown cb, but I have not seen that from him this year (or last, actually) So, the jury is still out on Gilmore, he seems to be on McKelvin's learning curve...that is it takes a few years for a cb to mature.
Dan Posted November 18, 2013 Posted November 18, 2013 The results suggest Gilmore has been greatly impacted by his injury. Loedis is also looking like the talent he was drafted to be Things could become very beautiful if both of these guys play at the level we now know they can. I think its also important for people to realize that these guys aren't machines or computer programs summed up into a Madden score that produce at the same level consistently. Some players take longer for the lights to go on. Some players experience the "Sophomore Slump". Some rookies hit "the wall". Sometimes guys just have a bad day. In this "now" generation, too many times people expect results immediately and every time. But, the real world just doesn't work that way. My guess with McLovin, it's taken a couple of years for him to adjust, combined with a new coach(es) that's doing a better job putting him in a place to win, combined with better overall talent around him. It's not a good answer because you can't quantify it and it flies in the face of cutting a high draft pick after his 3rd preseason game because he's not getting HOF consideration yet, but it's all I got.
LB3 Posted November 18, 2013 Author Posted November 18, 2013 McKelvin is now playing at a top level.....he is an "old pro", and we can look forward to some big plays from him going forward. (like the punt return for a TD a couple of weeks ago that was called back for holding.) Unfortunately, Gilmore is now the underperforming talent. He has not looked good since coming back...and ok , he has a bad wrist. But, he has been burned plenty, and was yesterday , again, against the Jets. Lots of hype from the Bills PR crew about him being a shutdown cb, but I have not seen that from him this year (or last, actually) So, the jury is still out on Gilmore, he seems to be on McKelvin's learning curve...that is it takes a few years for a cb to mature. Gilmore has had 2 games where he allowed 0 yards. Against Bowe he had a bad first half but adjusted and shut him down in the second half. Against the Jets I only remember 1 catch given up. Were there more?
LB3 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Posted December 21, 2013 Great article about Leo's improvement on the team site. To me, the most interesting statistic given was this: "Opposing quarterbacks have targeted McKelvin 89 times, according to ProFootballFocus, and McKelvin allowed just 42 completions, or 47.2 percent completion. That's the second lowest completion achieved by any of ProFootballFocus' top 20 cornerbacks, despite being targeted more frequently than anyone else in that group." The deal we signed him to last offseason which at first seemed a little crazy looks like a big bargain now. This is a what have you done for me lately league. If he happened to have been a free agent after this year, I bet the market for him would have been much larger and we would have had to spend a good deal more to keep him.
dave mcbride Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 Great article about Leo's improvement on the team site. To me, the most interesting statistic given was this: "Opposing quarterbacks have targeted McKelvin 89 times, according to ProFootballFocus, and McKelvin allowed just 42 completions, or 47.2 percent completion. That's the second lowest completion achieved by any of ProFootballFocus' top 20 cornerbacks, despite being targeted more frequently than anyone else in that group." The deal we signed him to last offseason which at first seemed a little crazy looks like a big bargain now. This is a what have you done for me lately league. If he happened to have been a free agent after this year, I bet the market for him would have been much larger and we would have had to spend a good deal more to keep him. There's a nice buffalo news article on mckelvin up today too.
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) There's a nice buffalo news article on mckelvin up today too. Just goes to show you what good coaching will do. http://www.buffalone...two-bills-drive “I think the major thing that really concerned him last year was him not being able to play the ball,” Henderson said. “We call it taking peanuts off your head.” ` “The only thing he wanted to fix on me was really truly getting my head back around for the ball and play for the ball,” McKelvin said. “As we all know in previous years of me being here, I had a problem as far as going up and getting the ball; losing those downfield battles. … He worked on things like getting my head around once I know he’s going for a deep route and looking for the ball. He put a lot of emphasis on it.” Henderson said he put McKelvin through “a lot of drills” in the offseason and preseason. McKelvin also is playing with more confidence. Edited December 21, 2013 by JR in Pittsburgh
HurlyBurly51 Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 Leo is much closer to being a shutdown corner than Gilmore is all I'll say.
littlelouie Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 McLovin is having his best season ever. He's the number 1 corner on the roster and I think everyone would agree. He really picked up his play from seasons past and has become a really good corner. I had my doubts in the past but he has proven me wrong and I am impressed by his play.
Boatdrinks Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 This kid deserves a ton of credit for how he's played. He's been incredible. He looks more confident than he ever has. He's always been able to stay step for step with anyone but couldn't locate the ball well enough to defense the pass. He is now locating the ball really well. He hits like a truck too. When we signed him to his new contract it seemed like a lot for a guy who was a great returner and an average corner. Well I am now ecstatic that they did make that deal because this scheme fit's his press man ability perfectly. He's even played better than Gilmore. Pairing him with Gilmore (once fully healthy and acclimated) and Robey at corner and Williams and Byrd (please sign him long term next year FO) at safety I think we could challenge Seattle for the best defensive backfield in the league. The Bills starting secondary may not be as good as Seattle's backups. That is a bit closer to reality.
littlelouie Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 Well that may be a bit of exaggeration. I'm not saying the Bills secondary is good but saying they are worse than back ups is a tad bit harsh.
Boatdrinks Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 Well that may be a bit of exaggeration. I'm not saying the Bills secondary is good but saying they are worse than back ups is a tad bit harsh. I said SEATTLE'S backups, though. SEA backups could start for a lot of teams in this league. That D is ridiculously stacked, and some of the starters were not 1st round picks either. The most physically imposing secondary in the NFL.
Maury Ballstein Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 Mckelvins deficiencies have been overblown by a lot of you IMO. Much like Spiller now. McKelvin has had elite athletic ability out of the gate, but the mistakes have been pointed out more than the plays he did make IMO. While bums like Drayton Florence missed most of the wrath. #21 #28 and #13 are my guys all day. Here's to the future.
Mr. WEO Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 What kills me about Gilmore is that he holds on every play. He just mugs the receiver all the way down the field, and then, a lot of times, still is giving up the catch. There were several plays yesterday where he very clearly should have been called for interference or illegal contact, but really lucked out. I agree with this. That's his whole game. As for Leodis, I think he's gone from a clear liability in coverage to a decent back. Maybe it's that relative improvement that makes him seem aas good as some above are describing him.
3rdand12 Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 can you actually have two shutdown corners ? Donnie Henderson is a godsend for Bills. both articles put our corners in a good light. Leo my Man !
LB3 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) The Bills starting secondary may not be as good as Seattle's backups. That is a bit closer to reality. Although my opinion could end up being wrong (even though I feel better about it now than when i originally posted it), what I said is much closer to reality. Things I know: Thomas and Byrd are 1a and 1b as far as free safeties go. Pretty much a wash. Aaron Williams has looked like a stud at SS and has put up pro bowl numbers this year. He's had a better year than Chancellor. Hopefully he keeps it up. Seattle is constantly under suspicion of PED use. Both starting CB's were given suspensions last year. Sherman got off on a technicality. Browner just got another suspension. This time it's a one year suspension. Are they good or just a product of PED's? I wonder how Browner all of a sudden became a shutdown corner after not even being in the league from '07-'10. Hmmm... Edited December 21, 2013 by KikoSeeBallKikoGetBall
3rdand12 Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 I agree with this. That's his whole game. As for Leodis, I think he's gone from a clear liability in coverage to a decent back. Maybe it's that relative improvement that makes him seem aas good as some above are describing him. Watch him play . The kid is good, darned good . a different man on the field . i too was loathe to see leodis in coverage o'er these last years. Now i am cheering him !
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