cale Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Special teams was our Achilles Heel last season and I haven't seen any significant steps to correct our problems. Just the addition of Dixon and Graham and our ST coach "breaking it down" for players, ain't gonna fix it. http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/OTA-5---Red-zone-a-focus/04f62564-dc97-4d22-8b35-4cdba15d4be0 Also why the heck is CJ Spiller back there returning kicks? Seems that puts him at unnecessary risk. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Sure why not? I was just saying we don't have enough to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) I am less concerned than last seasons end. Bills definitely upgraded ST talent and probably have those "core " players now. Proof is in the pudding. Worried . Nope. not yet anyways Edited June 8, 2014 by 3rdand12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowery4 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Yes and no. He should have fired his friend. But he is loyal and losing is okay if you care about your friends and players (where is the damn sarcasm font, can we just make it courier?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K D Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) Pays to be friends with Marrone apparently. Crossman took one of the better special teams units in the league to one of the worst and gets to keep his job. Basically the same thing he did in Detroit before he got run out of town. For many years special teams was one of the only things we were good at. Now it's our weakness and costs us games (Cinci). Hopefully they have this guy on a short leash. They got him players so let's see what he can do with them Edited June 8, 2014 by kdiggz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Special teams was our Achilles Heel last season and I haven't seen any significant steps to correct our problems. Just the addition of Dixon and Graham and our ST coach "breaking it down" for players, ain't gonna fix it. http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/OTA-5---Red-zone-a-focus/04f62564-dc97-4d22-8b35-4cdba15d4be0 Also why the heck is CJ Spiller back there returning kicks? Seems that puts him at unnecessary risk. C Yes and no. I think that the coverage units will improve and hopefully they found a punter in Dombrowski. Crossman does not have a very good track record though so that scares me. I may be in the minority here but I like Spiller as a return option. I always thought that he should be used as a Swiss Army Knife type of player. I want him used like Reggie was in New Orleans. Get him the ball some on the ground, more in the air and also on returns. He is a home run threat so anytime he gets touches in space he can make a big play. I do not think that it is ideal to hand him the ball 20+ times a game. He takes too much of a pounding that way and his effectiveness is limited. If he had something like 8-10 carries, 4-5 catches and all returns that would be the best case scenario IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSBill Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Special teams was our Achilles Heel last season and I haven't seen any significant steps to correct our problems. Just the addition of Dixon and Graham and our ST coach "breaking it down" for players, ain't gonna fix it. http://www.buffalobi...35-4cdba15d4be0 Also why the heck is CJ Spiller back there returning kicks? Seems that puts him at unnecessary risk. C as long as what's-his-name is still coaching them, YES, good reason to be concerned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Spiller should totally be returning kicks. That's not an unnecessary risk. That's like half of his talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) Spiller should totally be returning kicks. That's not an unnecessary risk. That's like half of his talent. Yes and no. I think that the coverage units will improve and hopefully they found a punter in Dombrowski. Crossman does not have a very good track record though so that scares me. I may be in the minority here but I like Spiller as a return option. I always thought that he should be used as a Swiss Army Knife type of player. I want him used like Reggie was in New Orleans. Get him the ball some on the ground, more in the air and also on returns. He is a home run threat so anytime he gets touches in space he can make a big play. I do not think that it is ideal to hand him the ball 20+ times a game. He takes too much of a pounding that way and his effectiveness is limited. If he had something like 8-10 carries, 4-5 catches and all returns that would be the best case scenario IMO. I'm not questioning his talent. It's just that if his upfront blocking sucks, he's gonna get killed... Edited June 8, 2014 by cale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) as long as what's-his-name is still coaching them, YES, good reason to be concerned You might be suprised what a second year and some continuity with both players and coaches will do for a team . i fully expect much better play from ST. But then again , I might be surprised if they dont look average or above average or better than that ! Edited June 8, 2014 by 3rdand12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I'm not questioning his talent. It's just that if his upfront blocking sucks, he's gonna get killed... So what? Leo, our starting CB, was returning last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Marrone didnt want to fire his friend so what they did was work hard on upgrading the ST talent....... A LOT of very good special teams brought in....including draft picks..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I think much of the issue last year was personnel related. The punting was horrendous and the coverage units were made up of guys that shouldn't have been out there in some cases (i.e. Robert Woods). Am I concerned? Sure. Do I think it's the team's biggest on-field worry? Not a chance...in fact, I'm hoping that, by the end of the year, we can look at this team and say that ST is the area where they need the most improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 You might be suprised what a second year and some continuity with both players and coaches will do for a team . i fully expect much better play from ST. But then again , I might be surprised if they dont look average or above average or better than that ! Problem is crossmans units have traditionally gotten worse, not better. We added special teams talent to the roster - and seemingly without hurting the players primary positions - so that's good - but I put zero confidence in Crossman as a coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Problem is crossmans units have traditionally gotten worse, not better. We added special teams talent to the roster - and seemingly without hurting the players primary positions - so that's good - but I put zero confidence in Crossman as a coach. I fully understand your position . i think Whaley is already developing dialogue if Danny does not step up . I suspect it was a favor of sorts and how the buddy game is played in world of football. Hey we got Schwartz , right ! and the QB coach who was totally frustrated with that Stafford right ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max997 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Run defense was and has been the Achilles Heel of his team. Special Teams was a clear issue as well last year but they added players to help so IMO it's all on Crossman this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I am always concerned about everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurmal34 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Special teams was our Achilles Heel last season and I haven't seen any significant steps to correct our problems. Just the addition of Dixon and Graham and our ST coach "breaking it down" for players, ain't gonna fix it. In your opinion, what significant steps will correct the Bills' special teams' problems? Be specific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockinon Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) I wanted Crossman fired last year. I think though that the NFL's stupid rules changes from a couple of years ago was the biggest thing to kill Buffalo's special teams prowess. Wedge blocking is now illegal and nearly all kickoffs are now touchbacks because of moving the ball up further. The Bills have some of the best return men in the league, yet they rarely get the chance to even bring it out. Now special teams is anything but special. A kicker should have to work to get the ball deep into the endzone, now everyone can do it. Stupid. Wedge blocking is a game plan that Buffalo mastered, but now it's not allowed. Stupid. Stupid, stupid stupid....... On a more positive note though, we now have some guys that can get down field and make a play in coverage. Can't see us getting worse there, even with Crossman as the ST coach. Edited June 8, 2014 by Rockinon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 In your opinion, what significant steps will correct the Bills' special teams' problems? Be specific. I think that the two most would agree on is an upgrade at punter and coach. Hopefully Dixon and graham help solidify coverage and we have a solid kicker and good return men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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