Emmanuel Sanders knee injury - (update: day-to-day, practicing 12/22)

[Alphadawg7]

As I said in another chain...we are a better offense without Sanders.  And its not because of Sanders, hes a good player.  But we need to layer our passing game better and making Cole a bigger focal point and mixing in more Davis who can do a lot of what sanders does but brings more size is a good thing for this offense.  

 

This was more than evident in the Bucs game after Sanders left the game and we started getting Cole involved.  

 

Our OL isn't consistent enough for the down field passing game to work if we dont make them fear the run and short strike passing game.  I wish Sanders all the best health, but I do feel like our offense will look better this week with Cole a bigger part of the offense.  

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

This team is probably better off with the 3 main WRs left from last year and then McKenzie mixed in as the 4th guy. Maybe even throw in some actual offensive snaps for Stevenson. We want speed, there it is. Find ways to get him the ball like KC does with Hill.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Hebert19]

Would be good if he can play with Beas out. 

[CSBill]

I'm really not a Sanders hater, but I think the evidence suggest that Gabe Davis is the more productive reciever for the Bills.

 

And, I think McKenzie is a far better option in the slot than Sanders. McKenzie is a reliable pass-cather, and he is a much bigger threat for YAC.

 

Sanders can be a good situational #4 guy, but I think his days as a productive starter are behind him.

Edited December 23, 2021 by CSBill

[Success]

McD is from the Crash Davis school of media communication...

 

[WotAGuy]

On 12/13/2021 at 7:53 PM, Alphadawg7 said:

As I said in another chain...we are a better offense without Sanders.  And its not because of Sanders, hes a good player.  But we need to layer our passing game better and making Cole a bigger focal point and mixing in more Davis who can do a lot of what sanders does but brings more size is a good thing for this offense.  

 

This was more than evident in the Bucs game after Sanders left the game and we started getting Cole involved.  

 

Our OL isn't consistent enough for the down field passing game to work if we dont make them fear the run and short strike passing game.  I wish Sanders all the best health, but I do feel like our offense will look better this week with Cole a bigger part of the offense.  

Sanders was really good early in the year but he’s fallen off a cliff since about mid-season. He’s 34 and it’s to be expected. Gabe is ready, willing and able to switch roles with E. 

[FLFan]

Despite all the Sanders hate around here, they absolutely need him this week to play the slot with Beasley out.  I do not trust McKenzie to play that position full time in a critical game.  Sanders can get open.  

[LABILLBACKER]

On 12/13/2021 at 4:58 PM, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

This team is probably better off with the 3 main WRs left from last year and then McKenzie mixed in as the 4th guy. Maybe even throw in some actual offensive snaps for Stevenson. We want speed, there it is. Find ways to get him the ball like KC does with Hill.

Would it kill Daboll to call an occassional fly route for Stevenson?  Keep Cole on the short slot routes. Gabe & Stefon fill the mid range. Knox your safety valve and McKenzie gadgets. That leaves Stevenson as your deep threat.

[Locomark]

7 minutes ago, FLFan said:

Despite all the Sanders hate around here, they absolutely need him this week to play the slot with Beasley out.  I do not trust McKenzie to play that position full time in a critical game.  Sanders can get open.  

Honestly Cole has not been as open this year. He looks a lot slower and less agile out of breaks. Either it is lingering from last years injury or he is on the downside of his agility which happens to many players his age. McKenzie and Sanders and Davis open up those 15-25 yard throws that unlock with play action passing. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Locomark

[FLFan]

1 minute ago, Locomark said:

Honestly Cole has not been as open this year. He looks a lot slower and less agile out of breaks. Either it is lingering from last years injury or he is on the downside of his agility which happens to many players his age. 

I agree with your observations.  I have seen the same things.  He has only 1 TD, and so far has the lowest YPC of his career. He will certainly not reach last year’s catch numbers or yardage.  There could be many reasons for the fall of in production, but continuing nagging injuries and the culmination of years of abuse on his body cannot be discounted as root causes.  

5 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Would it kill Daboll to call an occassional fly route for Stevenson?  Keep Cole on the short slot routes. Gabe & Stefon fill the mid range. Knox your safety valve and McKenzie gadgets. That leaves Stevenson as your deep threat.

I would like to see Stevenson get some reps.  NE certainly has no one who can keep up with him.

[Joe Ferguson]

When Sanders returns, make him take turns with Beasley as the slot guy and Diggs and Davis as #1 & #2 receivers

[Ethan in Cleveland]

19 minutes ago, FLFan said:

Despite all the Sanders hate around here, they absolutely need him this week to play the slot with Beasley out.  I do not trust McKenzie to play that position full time in a critical game.  Sanders can get open.  

Agree. Kumerow has done nothing. With Cole out Sanders is critical. Not sure why Daboll does not trust McKenzie. Has has produced as a WR. Much more than Andre Roberts ever did. 

[34-78-83]

Why is it always black or white? Sanders or Gabe? Sanders has not “ fallen off a Cliff” but has been less targeted for a whole variety of reasons. Yes I think Gabe should play outside as the 2 and Sanders as one of the slots more often. 80 percent of our snaps seem to be 3 wr or 4 wr on the field.

[Shaw66]

Yup, apparently Sanders was limited in practice today.  

 

Diggs, Sanders, and Davis, works fine without Beasley.   Not ideal, if Sanders can be back on Sunday, losing Beas doesn't hurt so much.  

[Hermes]

1 hour ago, FLFan said:

Despite all the Sanders hate around here, they absolutely need him this week to play the slot with Beasley out.  I do not trust McKenzie to play that position full time in a critical game.  Sanders can get open.  

Honestly I hope they put McKenzie in that spot and see how he does there. He might surprise. From what we've seen last year he won't disappoint and has the speed the Beasley lacks. Not that Beasley doesn't get open. I'd just like to see McKenzie more involved offensively and this is a prime opportunity for him

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 12/13/2021 at 5:41 PM, YoloinOhio said:

I really like sanders but can’t deny that the offense seemed to flow better without him. 

 

That's unfortunately been my conclusion. 

 

In theory, he should be an upgrade to Davis and to Brown.  

 

But in practice, there have been too many times where he's only caught half the balls thrown his way, or less - 5 games out of 13, to be specific, where he got 4 or more targets and caught 0 to half of the balls thrown his way.

 

Some were overthrows or throw aways, but some were drops of balls he should have caught, or situations where he just didn't seem to be where Josh expected him to be, when Josh expected him to be there.  And then there are other situations where he could have laid out or gone up for a ball, and didn't.

 

Then don't get me started on his blocking.  It started out pretty good, but it's gone downhill as the season has worn on.

[Scott7975]

Sanders is better than McKenzie.  I like McKenzie but people here are crazy.  This team is better with Sanders back while Beasley is out.

 

40 catches 606 yards 15.2 avg 41 long 4 tds 30 first downs 75 1st% 10 20+ 1 40+

Edited December 22, 2021 by Scott7975

[WotAGuy]

1 hour ago, 34-78-83 said:

Why is it always black or white? Sanders or Gabe? Sanders has not “ fallen off a Cliff” but has been less targeted for a whole variety of reasons. Yes I think Gabe should play outside as the 2 and Sanders as one of the slots more often. 80 percent of our snaps seem to be 3 wr or 4 wr on the field.

In the first 6 games he had 413 yards and 17 YPC. In the last 7 games he’s played he has 193 and 12 YPC. Maybe not a cliff, but a steep hill. 🤣

[34-78-83]

32 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

In the first 6 games he had 413 yards and 17 YPC. In the last 7 games he’s played he has 193 and 12 YPC. Maybe not a cliff, but a steep hill. 🤣

Fair point but as I said there are many factors there, some of which are not directly related to Sanders like weather ( NE game), better pass defenses faced, forcing the offense into shorter throws, Josh finding other targets on a game by game basis. It doesn’t mean he t be productive still with less snaps than Gabe as I propose.