Reading Between the Lines of Sean McDermott’s Press Conference

[ghostwriter]

6 hours ago, BillsEnthusiast said:

Anyone calling Edmunds (a 20 year old) a bust needs to get their head checked 

I don't think he's a bust, not in the slightest, I just think he's out of position. Play him at OLB and in certain scenarios use him as an EDGE. If he can thrive in that role I have no qualms about where we drafted him. He has tremendous value in that role, maybe even more value actually.

[Steve O]

11 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't know about dreadful, but I've watched him all year and he hasn't shown me that he's tough enough to play the middle.  He's always standing around the pile, helping up the guy who made the tackle.   That's not the attitude you want with your middle linebacker.  

Hey, Chris Kelsay was able to parlay that skill set into a 10 year career!

[4BillsintheBurgh]

For what it's worth it looked like on the last series he was a little more aggressive. Hopefully that will continue, but it looks like he has a way to go.

[ghostwriter]

18 minutes ago, 4BillsintheBurgh said:

For what it's worth it looked like on the last series he was a little more aggressive. Hopefully that will continue, but it looks like he has a way to go.

Problem is he is only 20 and he is playing the most intellectually demanding position on defense. He's going up against players that are more developed than him both physically and mentally. Maybe in the future he can be a MLB but honestly from a sheer physicality standpoint I don't think his skill set is suited for that spot, he's not instinctive enough. He is not a stuffer, he is better suited in coverage and maybe using his length to come off that edge, he would be a perfect replacement for LORAX.

[greeneblitz]

It's such a shame to keep watching Josh Allen put all but 3 or 4 balls all game right on target yet have a 50% completion % and further the fake narrative that he's inaccurate, he needs more talent and it better get done in this offseason.

[RyanC883]

15 hours ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

 

Based on Sean McDermott’s press conference, there’s a few things that I was able to take away.  Of course this is my speculation because McDermott doesn’t say too much so this is my interpretation.

 

- He’s not happy with any of players who had those timely drops - specifically Foster, McKenzie and Logan Thomas.  Also Jason Croom.  When talking about settling for FG’s in the red zone he said “When you get a chance to make plays, you have to make plays,” seemed to speak specifically to Foster and Thomas who had a chance to score a big TD and keep the game close.  He was asked about Croom and he said that a TD there would have changed the game.   

  

- Things may not be so simpatico with old pal Juan Castillo.  He said he expected to run the ball better and was disappointed with the results.  This could be take as a knock to Castilllo, Shady, or maybe even Brian Daboll.  Still I think Daboll has done enough with the offense and has gotten good progression from Allen.  He’s going nowhere, but Castillo could be a goner if McDermott brings in a new OL/Run Game Coordinator.  I think we’ve seen the end of Shady too.   

 

- McDermott was not happy with the play of Edmunds or Corey Thompson in run support.  He specially mentioned how they didn’t read or get off their blocks.  That spoke to Thompson on the edge and Edmunds in the middle.  I think Edmunds has been dreadful all season long.  It would not surprised me to see him moved to the outside if they can find a suitable MLB.  He is terrible. 

 

-  While there was no mention of Special Teams, you have to think Crossman is out of a job next week.  

 

some good takeaways.  I think Castillo and Shady are gone.  And I think most of our OL will be backups or practice squad next season.  I'd also be cool with drafting Devin White for ILB, and putting Edmunds outside.  That would be quite the trio: Milano, Edmunds, and White.   

12 hours ago, WideNine said:

 

He is rangy and fast enough to play OLB, worth a shot...with his length and obvious speed he could perhaps be a decent edge rusher 

 

My issues with him this year playing the middle has been his inability to attack the right gaps in run support and the poor arm tackles. Seems much more comfortable playing in space defending the check-down passes (which he does well) than shedding blockers and getting a bit dirty at the LOS. Tends to play a bit too much on his heels, waiting for runs to come to him. Other times he just seems lost when it come to recognizing his "fits" against the run, so when he does attack the LOS, it is like he randomly picks a gap and it isn't anywhere near where he needs to be to make the play. Some of his struggles are due to a hesitation or lack of aggressiveness needed at the Mike position.

 

A lot of teams were high on this kid so it is too early to be saying bust, but teams are going to continue to attack him and this line with runs till he can step up that area of his game that requires him to attack the LOS -  it isn't even close to where it needs to be.

 

and it's not hard to attack Edmunds with runs given the disaster that our DT's have been this season.  No push at all, except them getting pushed backwards. 

Edited December 24, 2018 by RyanC883

[LSHMEAB]

13 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Is that what he's doing when he just stands there as the play goes by him? 

But he looks like a physical freak hovering over Rex Burkhead after a 9 yard gain. Very intimidating.

 

Just move him outside already. Middle linebackers are easy to find.

[BillyWhiteShows]

3 hours ago, NewDayBills said:

Problem is he is only 20 and he is playing the most intellectually demanding position on defense. He's going up against players that are more developed than him both physically and mentally. Maybe in the future he can be a MLB but honestly from a sheer physicality standpoint I don't think his skill set is suited for that spot, he's not instinctive enough. He is not a stuffer, he is better suited in coverage and maybe using his length to come off that edge, he would be a perfect replacement for LORAX.

 

I hear you man.  But the problem is, even though he’s 20, I’m not seeing much incremental improvement week-to-week like I have been seeing with guys like Allen or even a Tauren Johnson before he was hurt.  

 

He seems to be the same LB he was at the start of the season.  

[C.Biscuit97]

I’m adding SM’s press conferences to my sounds of nature to fall asleep too.

[ghostwriter]

1 minute ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

 

I hear you man.  But the problem is, even though he’s 20, I’m not seeing much incremental improvement week-to-week like I have been seeing with guys like Allen or even a Tauren Johnson before he was hurt.  

 

He seems to be the same LB he was at the start of the season.  

Agree. He's too young to be at MLB, intellectually he cannot handle it and I question his build for that position. He's built like a 3-4 OLB, not a MLB. He is way out of position. They need to let him stick his hand in the ground attack, blitz, shoot gaps and cover these big ass TEs you see in the NFL today.

[Bruce_Stools]

16 hours ago, Cripple Creek said:

They are his opinions. This board is full of opinions.  

Well, if he's not lost then his map doesn't incorporate the most direct route to the ball carrier. Would you at least agree that he appears overwhelmed?

 

He must’ve had the “avoid tolls” box clicked

[LABILLBACKER]

17 hours ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

 

Based on Sean McDermott’s press conference, there’s a few things that I was able to take away.  Of course this is my speculation because McDermott doesn’t say too much so this is my interpretation.

 

- He’s not happy with any of players who had those timely drops - specifically Foster, McKenzie and Logan Thomas.  Also Jason Croom.  When talking about settling for FG’s in the red zone he said “When you get a chance to make plays, you have to make plays,” seemed to speak specifically to Foster and Thomas who had a chance to score a big TD and keep the game close.  He was asked about Croom and he said that a TD there would have changed the game.  

 

- Things may not be so simpatico with old pal Juan Castillo.  He said he expected to run the ball better and was disappointed with the results.  This could be take as a knock to Castilllo, Shady, or maybe even Brian Daboll.  Still I think Daboll has done enough with the offense and has gotten good progression from Allen.  He’s going nowhere, but Castillo could be a goner if McDermott brings in a new OL/Run Game Coordinator.  I think we’ve seen the end of Shady too.  

 

- McDermott was not happy with the play of Edmunds or Corey Thompson in run support.  He specially mentioned how they didn’t read or get off their blocks.  That spoke to Thompson on the edge and Edmunds in the middle.  I think Edmunds has been dreadful all season long.  It would not surprised me to see him moved to the outside if they can find a suitable MLB.  He is terrible.

 

-  While there was no mention of Special Teams, you have to think Crossman is out of a job next week.  

There's no way Crossman and Castillo both don't get fired. Run blocking has been embarrassing all year as has ST play. Guys like Culley & Robiskie are on the bubble. 

[BillyWhiteShows]

13 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

There's no way Crossman and Castillo both don't get fired. Run blocking has been embarrassing all year as has ST play. Guys like Culley & Robiskie are on the bubble. 

 

 

Why Culley and Robiske?  If anything Allen seemed to make progress throughout the year and Robiske seemed to do the best he could with limited talent. 

 

I would be fine if they did get rid of them but I’m not seeing as much of a compelling case.

[WideNine]

3 hours ago, RyanC883 said:

 

some good takeaways.  I think Castillo and Shady are gone.  And I think most of our OL will be backups or practice squad next season.  I'd also be cool with drafting Devin White for ILB, and putting Edmunds outside.  That would be quite the trio: Milano, Edmunds, and White.   

 

and it's not hard to attack Edmunds with runs given the disaster that our DT's have been this season.  No push at all, except them getting pushed backwards. 

 

Granted I would like to see more push, but when the opposing team is doubling Star and Phillips or whoever we have as our interior DT's on a run, then the Mike is supposed to fill that gap while they occupy the blockers. That is where some of us old-timers would like to see a linebacker with instincts to shed blocks, and fill the gap, or at least hit the right gap with enough leverage and strength to drive back a lead blocker.

 

If he fills that gap rather than missing it, waiting, or getting blown up by lead blocking because of poor technique and leverage, then the runner often has to try to bounce it outside, runs more East-West, loses momentum, and can be more easily taken down by your safeties and corners. Although I have to say that Wallace has not impressed me coming up in run support - kid needs to be shown some tackling 101 film staring a Bills tackling legend at corner Antoine Winfield.

 

Unlike their spotty and downright awful scouting of WR's, the Bills have usually been a solid organization finding good-to-excellent linebackers. The sky is not falling, but that history of having really solid active linebackers who could play the run only makes this kid's lack of ability in that area stand out more to us.

 

I have seen the cracks in this team's run "D" all year and felt our defensive ranking was more than a bit misleading. I was wondering when a coach would just decide to run the ball down our throats - that is just what Belichick did. Once we were ridiculously over-committed to trying to stop the run, that allowed the outlet passes to Edelman to get behind the defense with no one near to prevent the long gainers or TD's.

 

We sucked pretty bad yesterday - McDermott has a lot of soul-searching to do this off season - they need to jettison some good team players that lack the talent to execute at this level and I think perhaps a few position coaches. Unfortunately when your job is to produce wins, sentimentality has to take a back seat. This team (with the exception of Colton Schmidt) seems ridiculously attached to some players where the team just needs to be smart and move on.

 

 

Edited December 24, 2018 by WideNine