THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Back to Back in Detroit

[Shaw66]

There certainly seems to be a pattern to seasons for teams led by Sean McDermott:  Start better prepared and ahead of most teams, slump in mid-season as other teams improve, raise team toughness to finish the season strong.  The Bills’ 2022 season seems to be following the pattern.

 

The Bills beat the Lions 28-25 in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.  The Bills survived another sloppy second half performance, the hallmark of their 2022 slump.  Trailing by three with less than ten minutes left in the game, Josh Allen engineered a 90-yard touchdown drive (an Allen specialty) to take a three-point lead, their first offensive score of the half.  Were the Bills moving into phase three of the season?  Would they show that end-of-season toughness that wins games in December?   Well, no, not yet.  Tyler Bass missed the extra point, and the Bills defense failed again to make the stop to win the game.  The Lions tied the game with a ten-play, 42-yard drive and a 51-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. 

 

Now, it was time for the tough-as-nails Bills to emerge.  Less than three weeks earlier, the Bills needed a late score to beat the Jets.  Allen started a drive with a big throw to Diggs, but a penalty brought the ball back and the Bills didn’t recover.  The following week, an Allen fumble and an Allen interception gave the Vikings a win.  This time, either literally or figuratively, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs said to the rest of the offense, “We are not going to lose another one of these game.”  This time, everyone performed. 

 

On first down, Allen found Diggs with a throw that only Allen can make, and Diggs made a tough catch in heavy traffic for 36 yards.  No penalty this time.  The Bills took the first of their timeouts, Allen ran twice for 12 yards, the second on the first quarterback power sweep the Bills have run in weeks.  Credit Ken Dorsey for saving it for a time when they really needed it.  Bass redeemed himself with a 45-yard field goal to win the game. 

 

A few miscellaneous comments about the game:

 

1.     Tre’Davious White returned to the lineup a year after his knee injury.  He played only a few series and returned to the bench for the rest of the game.  The Bills continue to take his recovery slowly.  We can expect to see him on the field more against the Patriots.

2.    Without White but with Jordan Poyer back in the lineup, the Bills pass defense continued the mediocre run they’ve been on for several weeks.  The Lions had a lot of success in their mid-range game, managing to get separation that Jared Goff attacked with accurate throws.  Bills defenders often were a step behind and worse, they sometimes missed the tackle.  It’s not a coincidence that the Bills’ pass defense is struggling more while Tremaine Edmunds has been out.  A. J. Klein, a clever acquisition by Brandon Beane, filled in nicely, but he simply does not cover the ground that Edmunds does

3.    The pass defense also suffered from a less than spectacular pass rush from the front four.  The Bills missed Rousseau and Epenesa, and then they lost Von Miller to injury late in the first half.  Ed Oliver rose to the occasion with a sack for a safety and several other disruptive plays, and DaQuan Jones was a factor again.  Because the defensive backfield was giving Goff throwing opportunities, the rest of the defensive line was unable to get the coverage sacks they collected earlier in the season.

4.    I’ve been on Isaiah McKenzie all season long, but I have to give him his due this week.  He was outstanding against the Lions – solid route running and sure hands led to six receptions and a touchdown.  Great game

5.    Meanwhile, I’m amazed that James Cook continues to get playing time over Nyheim Hines.  Cook shows no creativity as a runner, and he is a disappointment in the passing attack.  He had one clear drop, an unfortunate bobble, and his route running caused a near interception.  Tony Romo explained it well – when the receiver shows the quarterback something, the receiver must stay with it.  Having gotten to the check-down zone, Cook cut right and then cut back left.  Allen threw on the first cut, and Cook unwittingly ran away from the ball which sailed almost all the way to a waiting linebacker. 

6.    Spencer Brown is scary inconsistent in pass protection.  He’s mobile, and he’s a scrapper, but defenders beat him often. 

7.    David Quessenberry has filled in nicely, first for Brown earlier in the season and for Dion Dawkins in the Lions game.  He’s been solid.

8.    Devin Singletary is a stud.  He needs a crease, and this offensive line sometimes doesn’t give him one, but he gets every yard that’s there, every time.  He’s quick, shifty, and tough.  It’s a pleasure to see the guy at work.

 

The Patriots game on Thursday has huge implications.  The Bills need it to keep pace with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans in the chase for the bye and home field.  And they need it to hold on to a share of the division lead.  The Pats are for real, with a really tough defense and an opportunistic offense.  Now’s the time for the Bills to raise the level of their play.  Now’s when they need people returning to the lineup. 

 

Welcome to December football.

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by Shaw66

[Nephilim17]

Agree with much of this but think you're a little harsh on Cook who seems, in general, to be showing good signs as the season continues. Not saying don't play Hines, but I don't think Cook should be benched either. Singletary has out-performed my average expectations for him, so that's good.

[RoyBatty is alive]

Great job as always by the quasi-semi-retired Rockpile Review.

 

Agree with most everything you wrote.

 

I am especially disappointed in Spence Brown thought he would rise to the occasion and hasn't.  Have love his infectious enthusiasm, he should only get better.   On the long pass to near the end of the game we were fortunate refs didn't call Brown for a face mask, if so, good % we dont make the field goal and the loss is laid on him.

 

Hines is still relatively young as a Bills, no need to rush him imo.  Cook is getting better with experience, good practice for him.  None of us know, including Romo, what Cook was supposed to do on the pass play you reference.  Don't know if Hines is a one-year rental with that huge contract, but he does bring life to the return game.

Edited November 25, 2022 by RoyBatty is alive

[Shaw66]

10 minutes ago, Nephilim17 said:

Agree with much of this but think you're a little harsh on Cook who seems, in general, to be showing good signs as the season continues. Not saying don't play Hines, but I don't think Cook should be benched either. Singletary has out-performed my average expectations for him, so that's good.

Well, if you want to play, you have to perform.  His nice runs this season have been runs that anyone could make, and his pass receiving has been practically non-existent.  He plays one of the few positions where it's possible for rookies to step in and have impact.    He hasn't.  I may have said it before, but he reminds of CJ Spiller - he runs in more or less a straight line, and when he's hit he goes down.  

 

He hasn't shown any special skill with the ball, either between the tackles, running outside, or in the open field.  I don't see what good another year's experience will do, but we will get a chance to see.   

[Turbo44]

26 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

There certainly seems to be a pattern to seasons for teams led by Sean McDermott:  Start better prepared and ahead of most teams, slump in mid-season as other teams improve, raise team toughness to finish the season strong.  The Bills’ 2022 season seems to be following the pattern.

 

The Bills beat the Lions 28-25 in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.  The Bills survived another sloppy second half performance, the hallmark of their 2022 slump.  Trailing by three with less than ten minutes left in the game, Josh Allen engineered a 90-yard touchdown drive (an Allen specialty) to take a three-point lead, their first offensive score of the half.  Were the Bills moving into phase three of the season?  Would they show that end-of-season toughness that wins games in December?   Well, no, not yet.  Tyler Bass missed the extra point, and the Bills defense failed again to make the stop to win the game.  The Lions tied the game with a ten-play, 42-yard drive and a 51-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. 

 

Now, it was time for the tough-as-nails Bills to emerge.  Less than three weeks earlier, the Bills needed a late score to beat the Jets.  Allen started a drive with a big throw to Diggs, but a penalty brought the ball back and the Bills didn’t recover.  The following week, an Allen fumble and an Allen interception gave the Vikings a win.  This time, either literally or figuratively, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs said to the rest of the offense, “We are not going to lose another one of these game.”  This time, everyone performed. 

 

On first down, Allen found Diggs with a throw that only Allen can make, and Diggs made a tough catch in heavy traffic for 36 yards.  No penalty this time.  The Bills took the first of their timeouts, Allen ran twice for 12 yards, the second on the first quarterback power sweep the Bills have run in weeks.  Credit Ken Dorsey for saving it for a time when they really needed it.  Bass redeemed himself with a 45-yard field goal to win the game. 

 

A few miscellaneous comments about the game:

 

1.     Tre’Davious White returned to the lineup a year after his knee injury.  He played only a few series and returned to the bench for the rest of the game.  The Bills continue to take his recovery slowly.  We can expect to see him on the field more against the Patriots.

2.    Without White but with Jordan Poyer back in the lineup, the Bills pass defense continued the mediocre run they’ve been on for several weeks.  The Lions had a lot of success in their mid-range game, managing to get separation that Jared Goff attacked with accurate throws.  Bills defenders often were a step behind and worse, they sometimes missed the tackle.  It’s not a coincidence that the Bills’ pass defense is struggling more while Tremaine Edmunds has been out.  A. J. Klein, a clever acquisition by Brandon Beane, filled in nicely, but he simply does not cover the ground that Edmunds does

3.    The pass defense also suffered from a less than spectacular pass rush from the front four.  The Bills missed Rousseau and Epenesa, and then they lost Von Miller to injury late in the first half.  Ed Oliver rose to the occasion with a sack for a safety and several other disruptive plays, and DaQuan Jones was a factor again.  Because the defensive backfield was giving Goff throwing opportunities, the rest of the defensive line was unable to get the coverage sacks they collected earlier in the season.

4.    I’ve been on Isaiah McKenzie all season long, but I have to give him his due this week.  He was outstanding against the Lions – solid route running and sure hands led to six receptions and a touchdown.  Great game

5.    Meanwhile, I’m amazed that James Cook continues to get playing time over Nyheim Hines.  Cook shows no creativity as a runner, and he is a disappointment in the passing attack.  He had one clear drop, an unfortunate bobble, and his route running caused a near interception.  Tony Romo explained it well – when the receiver shows the quarterback something, the receiver must stay with it.  Having gotten to the check-down zone, Cook cut right and then cut back left.  Allen threw on the first cut, and Cook unwittingly ran away from the ball which sailed almost all the way to a waiting linebacker. 

6.    Spencer Brown is scary inconsistent in pass protection.  He’s mobile, and he’s a scrapper, but defenders beat him often. 

7.    David Quessenberry has filled in nicely, first for Brown earlier in the season and for Dion Dawkins in the Lions game.  He’s been solid.

8.    Devin Singletary is a stud.  He needs a crease, and this offensive line sometimes doesn’t give him one, but he gets every yard that’s there, every time.  He’s quick, shifty, and tough.  It’s a pleasure to see the guy at work.

 

The Patriots game on Thursday has huge implications.  The Bills need it to keep pace with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans in the chase for the bye and home field.  And they need it to hold on to a share of the division lead.  The Pats are for real, with a really tough defense and an opportunistic offense.  Now’s the time for the Bills to raise the level of their play.  Now’s when they need people returning to the lineup. 

 

Welcome to December football.

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

This is great writing as always, please let it continue

[Nephilim17]

25 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Well, if you want to play, you have to perform.  His nice runs this season have been runs that anyone could make, and his pass receiving has been practically non-existent.  He plays one of the few positions where it's possible for rookies to step in and have impact.    He hasn't.  I may have said it before, but he reminds of CJ Spiller - he runs in more or less a straight line, and when he's hit he goes down.  

 

He hasn't shown any special skill with the ball, either between the tackles, running outside, or in the open field.  I don't see what good another year's experience will do, but we will get a chance to see.   

I hear you about his pass-catching; it was a special trait of his in college and it's not happening right now. But I bet it will come. I disagree, however, on his runs; not everyone could make the same run and his longer ones — Singletary just doesn't have the wheels. But we shall see how it goes the rest of the way. I'm sure everyone would like to see more RB involvement as both runs and in the passing game. I really feel like Cook or Hines could just sit in the flats a lot of plays and catch a ball and get a big chunk of yardage in open space; linebackers just can't keep up. I don't believe Singletary has the same potential there.

[4th&long]

Nice write up and I agree on cook he should not be getting playing time over Hines or singeltary even. He can spell singeltary for a breather at most but now they have Hines for that. I think Bean traded for Hines and the coaches really didn’t want him or the coaches don’t have a clue how to use him. But cook just don’t impress me.

[SBbeliever]

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Well, if you want to play, you have to perform.  His nice runs this season have been runs that anyone could make, and his pass receiving has been practically non-existent.  He plays one of the few positions where it's possible for rookies to step in and have impact.    He hasn't.  I may have said it before, but he reminds of CJ Spiller - he runs in more or less a straight line, and when he's hit he goes down.  

 

He hasn't shown any special skill with the ball, either between the tackles, running outside, or in the open field.  I don't see what good another year's experience will do, but we will get a chance to see.   

great observations.  I would only hope Cook becomes a Spiller in terms of production.

[Chaos]

17 minutes ago, SBbeliever said:

great observations.  I would only hope Cook becomes a Spiller in terms of production.

Spiller wasn't OJ or Thurman, so we all were required to hate him.  But he had a 4.8 yard per carry rate of production for his career, which is exactly the same as Singletary (and better than Fred Jackson's 4.4) .  And Spiller did not have the advantage of teams needing to focus on their defensive efforts on the one of the top 2 QBs in the league to help him. 

[HappyDays]

I thought James Cook showed something in the previous several weeks, but unfortunately he regressed badly in this one. The dumb mistakes weren't even the biggest disappointment, it was the play where he caught a check down and immediately got taken down on a soft tackle attempt. The LB didn't truck him, he just got one hand on him and that was enough to take him down. If Cook had gotten away from it he had a lot of green grass in front of him. If you're going to be a productive RB in this league you have to make some tough plays once in a while. So far Cook hasn't shown any toughness, just burst. No amazing catches, no broken tackles, no ankle-breaking cuts to juke out defenders. All that plus he's inconsistent catching the ball and running routes. IMO his head isn't all the way in the game.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by HappyDays

[Comebackkid]

26 minutes ago, Chaos said:

Spiller wasn't OJ or Thurman, so we all were required to hate him.  But he had a 4.8 yard per carry rate of production for his career, which is exactly the same as Singletary (and better than Fred Jackson's 4.4) .  And Spiller did not have the advantage of teams needing to focus on their defensive efforts on the one of the top 2 QBs in the league to help him. 

if singletary had spillers speed he would be a machine

[Shaw66]

My memories of Spiller and his stats obviously are not consistent.   He had 1000 yards one season (and Stevie had 1000 receiving, too), and his average per carry is impressive.  That same season he also had average yards per reception, too.  

 

What I recall is that he never came close to carrying the team like I'd hoped.  And then Freddie took his job.  

 

What I'd hoped for Cook was that he'd get 5-6 touches a game and make some explosive plays.   Like Spiller, his stats look nice (5.6 yards per attempt and 12.2 yards per reception), but he's not doing anything that looks is either explosive or carrying the team.  If he has a long run, it's because he's had a big hole and he used his speed to take advantage.   Blackshear could have made those runs.  And I think that's really my point - not so much that Cook is horrible (although sometimes he is VERY disappointing), but that a second-round running back should be someone who's making a splash, and he isn't.  

[Toledo Bill]

Great write up but what is there to miss with Espenesa? He really looks like a bust.

[Beck Water]

19 hours ago, Nephilim17 said:

I hear you about his pass-catching; it was a special trait of his in college and it's not happening right now. But I bet it will come. I disagree, however, on his runs; not everyone could make the same run and his longer ones — Singletary just doesn't have the wheels. But we shall see how it goes the rest of the way. I'm sure everyone would like to see more RB involvement as both runs and in the passing game. I really feel like Cook or Hines could just sit in the flats a lot of plays and catch a ball and get a big chunk of yardage in open space; linebackers just can't keep up. I don't believe Singletary has the same potential there.

 

FWIW I agree with you about Cook's runs.  I see runs where I say "Motor doesn't have the speed to hit that" and I do see some elusiveness.

[Bob in STL]

20 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

There certainly seems to be a pattern to seasons for teams led by Sean McDermott:  Start better prepared and ahead of most teams, slump in mid-season as other teams improve, raise team toughness to finish the season strong.  The Bills’ 2022 season seems to be following the pattern.

 

The Bills beat the Lions 28-25 in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.  The Bills survived another sloppy second half performance, the hallmark of their 2022 slump.  Trailing by three with less than ten minutes left in the game, Josh Allen engineered a 90-yard touchdown drive (an Allen specialty) to take a three-point lead, their first offensive score of the half.  Were the Bills moving into phase three of the season?  Would they show that end-of-season toughness that wins games in December?   Well, no, not yet.  Tyler Bass missed the extra point, and the Bills defense failed again to make the stop to win the game.  The Lions tied the game with a ten-play, 42-yard drive and a 51-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. 

 

Now, it was time for the tough-as-nails Bills to emerge.  Less than three weeks earlier, the Bills needed a late score to beat the Jets.  Allen started a drive with a big throw to Diggs, but a penalty brought the ball back and the Bills didn’t recover.  The following week, an Allen fumble and an Allen interception gave the Vikings a win.  This time, either literally or figuratively, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs said to the rest of the offense, “We are not going to lose another one of these game.”  This time, everyone performed. 

 

On first down, Allen found Diggs with a throw that only Allen can make, and Diggs made a tough catch in heavy traffic for 36 yards.  No penalty this time.  The Bills took the first of their timeouts, Allen ran twice for 12 yards, the second on the first quarterback power sweep the Bills have run in weeks.  Credit Ken Dorsey for saving it for a time when they really needed it.  Bass redeemed himself with a 45-yard field goal to win the game. 

 

A few miscellaneous comments about the game:

 

1.     Tre’Davious White returned to the lineup a year after his knee injury.  He played only a few series and returned to the bench for the rest of the game.  The Bills continue to take his recovery slowly.  We can expect to see him on the field more against the Patriots.

2.    Without White but with Jordan Poyer back in the lineup, the Bills pass defense continued the mediocre run they’ve been on for several weeks.  The Lions had a lot of success in their mid-range game, managing to get separation that Jared Goff attacked with accurate throws.  Bills defenders often were a step behind and worse, they sometimes missed the tackle.  It’s not a coincidence that the Bills’ pass defense is struggling more while Tremaine Edmunds has been out.  A. J. Klein, a clever acquisition by Brandon Beane, filled in nicely, but he simply does not cover the ground that Edmunds does

3.    The pass defense also suffered from a less than spectacular pass rush from the front four.  The Bills missed Rousseau and Epenesa, and then they lost Von Miller to injury late in the first half.  Ed Oliver rose to the occasion with a sack for a safety and several other disruptive plays, and DaQuan Jones was a factor again.  Because the defensive backfield was giving Goff throwing opportunities, the rest of the defensive line was unable to get the coverage sacks they collected earlier in the season.

4.    I’ve been on Isaiah McKenzie all season long, but I have to give him his due this week.  He was outstanding against the Lions – solid route running and sure hands led to six receptions and a touchdown.  Great game

5.    Meanwhile, I’m amazed that James Cook continues to get playing time over Nyheim Hines.  Cook shows no creativity as a runner, and he is a disappointment in the passing attack.  He had one clear drop, an unfortunate bobble, and his route running caused a near interception.  Tony Romo explained it well – when the receiver shows the quarterback something, the receiver must stay with it.  Having gotten to the check-down zone, Cook cut right and then cut back left.  Allen threw on the first cut, and Cook unwittingly ran away from the ball which sailed almost all the way to a waiting linebacker. 

6.    Spencer Brown is scary inconsistent in pass protection.  He’s mobile, and he’s a scrapper, but defenders beat him often. 

7.    David Quessenberry has filled in nicely, first for Brown earlier in the season and for Dion Dawkins in the Lions game.  He’s been solid.

8.    Devin Singletary is a stud.  He needs a crease, and this offensive line sometimes doesn’t give him one, but he gets every yard that’s there, every time.  He’s quick, shifty, and tough.  It’s a pleasure to see the guy at work.

 

The Patriots game on Thursday has huge implications.  The Bills need it to keep pace with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans in the chase for the bye and home field.  And they need it to hold on to a share of the division lead.  The Pats are for real, with a really tough defense and an opportunistic offense.  Now’s the time for the Bills to raise the level of their play.  Now’s when they need people returning to the lineup. 

 

Welcome to December football.

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

 

One of your best reviews yet Shaw.   

 

 

[Beck Water]

29 minutes ago, Toledo Bill said:

Great write up but what is there to miss with Espenesa? He really looks like a bust.

 

?

 

Epenesa has been playing ahead of Basham, Shaq Lawson, and Mike Love because he's earned playing time ahead of them.

 

He has been playing 30-40% of the snaps and I thought he'd come on pretty well this season - getting sacks, getting TFL, getting QB hits.  He's been making some plays

 

His run D has improved but is still not great

 

I think people call him a "bust" because they were expecting instant impact, but that's sort of been the problem with Beane's draft strategy - he drafts guys in the 2nd and 3rd round who they feel have high ceilings, but who require development.  Then we get maybe a good year, year and a half out of them before FA.

[Toledo Bill]

6 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

?

 

Epenesa has been playing ahead of Basham, Shaq Lawson, and Mike Love because he's earned playing time ahead of them.

 

He has been playing 30-40% of the snaps and I thought he'd come on pretty well this season - getting sacks, getting TFL, getting QB hits.  He's been making some plays

 

His run D has improved but is still not great

 

I think people call him a "bust" because they were expecting instant impact, but that's sort of been the problem with Beane's draft strategy - he drafts guys in the 2nd and 3rd round who they feel have high ceilings, but who require development.  Then we get maybe a good year, year and a half out of them before FA.

Good points, maybe I was expecting a second rounder to be more of an impact player. Sometimes it takes more time.

[Saxum]

15 hours ago, 4th&long said:

Nice write up and I agree on cook he should not be getting playing time over Hines or singeltary even. He can spell singeltary for a breather at most but now they have Hines for that. I think Bean traded for Hines and the coaches really didn’t want him or the coaches don’t have a clue how to use him. But cook just don’t impress me.

 

That does not make much sense.  Beane and Coach McD are very tight with each other and I do not think Beane would trade a player Moss for another player without extensive consultation with Coach McD.  Hines was traded for special teams and being an extra element for offense.

[Shaw66]

20 hours ago, Nephilim17 said:

I hear you about his pass-catching; it was a special trait of his in college and it's not happening right now. But I bet it will come. I disagree, however, on his runs; not everyone could make the same run and his longer ones — Singletary just doesn't have the wheels. But we shall see how it goes the rest of the way. I'm sure everyone would like to see more RB involvement as both runs and in the passing game. I really feel like Cook or Hines could just sit in the flats a lot of plays and catch a ball and get a big chunk of yardage in open space; linebackers just can't keep up. I don't believe Singletary has the same potential there.

Well, as for receiving:   If all you're going to use him for is to stand in the flat and wait for a pass, you don't need to burn a second-round pick to have someone to do that.  You can turn Stevenson into a running back and tell HIM to go stand out there.   There are plenty of fast guys around.   More importantly in a quality offense, guys have to be able to do more than stand and wait.  He's supposed to catch the ball on the run - he dropped on of those on Thursday.   He's supposed to catch the ball without bobbling it, so he has time to take off, and he bobbled on easy one on Thursday.   Those aren't skills a second-round pick should be developing over time.   He should have those.   Will he improve?   Maybe.   I hope so.

 

As for running:  Pretty much all he's shown between the tackles is if he has a good hole, he has the speed and acceleration to get through it.  The problem is that in the modern NFL, no offensive line creates holes like that.  Modern running plays often are designed with the expectation that the running back will actually beat a defender in the hole - he'll find a way to get past the unblocked linebacker or safety who's trying to fill the gap.  SIngletary excels at that - that's where his yardage comes from, and Cook has shown no ability to do that.   If he can't outrun a guy, he's going down.   So, sure, on the one running play in ten where there's a big hole in front of him, Cook will get you more yards than Singletary, because Cook's speed will allow him to outrun a tackler that Singletary can't.   But on the other nine, Cook gets stopped and Singletary gets a yard or two or five or ten more.  

 

The point is, Cook has to do SOMETHING that makes him a threat, and being fast isn't enough.   And generally speaking, running backs tend to show that they can do SOMETHING pretty early in their careers.   Shiftiness in the hole is something they come to the league with.  Power in the hole is something they come to the league with.  Catching the ball on the run and making a play is something they come to the league with.  Willingness to take on tacklers is something they come to the league with.  Something.   It they're taken in the first couple of days of the draft, they come with something more than just speed and an expectation that they will learn something else.   Cook seems to have come with nothing but his speed.  

 

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, Limeaid said:

 

Beane and Coach McD are very tight with each other and I do not think Beane would trade a player Moss for another player without extensive consultation with Coach McD.  

I don't think that's exactly the case.   I used to think so, but I don't any more, based on what I've heard Beane say in interviews.   What he says is that he and McD talk every day about what McD thinks he needs, and Beane works hard to give McDermott what he needs.  But Beane is also clear that the final decisions about whom to acquire are his, not McDermott's.  In this case, whether or not McDermott said he's happy with Cook, Beane could very well have wanted Hines not only for his kick returning but also for his belief that Hines could challenge Cook for the job.   

 

You know McD loves competition at every position.   He'd never say to Beane, "Don't get Hines because I don't want Cook to have competition.  

 

Beane traded away the presumptive #2 back in Moss; it would only make sense that he'd expect Hines to challenge for the #2 role.  

 

I'm not in practice.   I don't know what they're seeing there.  I don't know what Dorsey is thinking.   Whatever they're seeing, they think Cook is the better option to spell Singletary.   I don't get it, but I always start with the assumption that they know more than I do.