Is the MLB Competition Over Before It Started?

[Thrivefourfive]

On 8/11/2023 at 6:17 AM, KDIGGZ said:

This "competition" was never much of a competition to begin with. They had Dodson, who is a career backup but knows the defense, and they had Bernard, who is the size of a safety. They never even made an attempt to replace Edmunds and I think it will come back to bite them in the you know what. The MLB is a very important piece in this defense. It's the Luke Kuechly position. You can't just stick a backup in there and call it a day

I think it’s the Luke Kuechly position if you’re Luke Kuechly — a complete freak. Not every Ravens MLB was going to be #51 reincarnated. It’s not hard for a good coach to make the adjustment.. Oh, we don’t have Luke Kuechly so I guess I won’t expect Luke Kuechly madness on the field. I think McD can figure that out. 
 

Man,, can you imagine if an idiot coach fielded a defense with Luke Kuechly in mind, but didn’t have Luke Kuechly. What level would that coach be at.. Frosh? Lower? Luke Kuechly. 

[Sierra Foothills]

I'm just going to go on the record to say that:

• I don't think Edmunds will be missed much.
• The Bills LB situation is not going to be a major factor in the outcome of this season.
• The biggest factor in the performance of the Bills D will be the switch in DCs which will have a large positive effect.

[BullBuchanan]

On 8/11/2023 at 8:56 AM, Beast said:

Edmunds underperformed and underwhelmed himself into a 20 million per year contract.

 

Yea, but he had to go to the Bears, one of the worst teams in the league, to get that bag. He wasn't getting paid that much by any team with more than 2 winning seasons in the last decade.

[PrimeTime101]

Tasker made a very good point on radio last night (i know, it does not happen) That ILB position is interchangeable that 2 olb can be on the field at once with no true MLB. typical 4-2-5 is about stopping the pass not the run. We started that game with the Tampa 1 Defense with the 1 safety down low. Then a couple plays we went to a 4-3 to stop the run and then on obvious passing downs... here is where it got interesting... They played Hyde/Poyer/Hamlin with Williams and Milano(Hamlin made a play here) and then they flipped to typical cover 2 with one of the MLB and Milano on a 3rd and long. 

 

Someone said that the Bills were going to play a vanilla defense? well that was anything but. McD needs to try many different formations out to see how we handle things. I mean hell. I saw 8 in the box and they brought 6 and then I saw 8 in the box and they just brought the front 4. 

 

 

There was a play that was horribly missed by many. Dorian went back to coverage, Covered the slot guy, then when the slot guy went to the next tier, Dorian released and covered the flat perfectly. 

 

I am telling you... There are sneaky ways to go about this... do NOT sleep on Dorian Williams.. Just because the dude is not a true MLB that everyone hoped at draft and just because he is marked an OLB does NOT mean he wont see ample time on the field this year.

[GunnerBill]

9 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said:

Tasker made a very good point on radio last night (i know, it does not happen) That ILB position is interchangeable that 2 olb can be on the field at once with no true MLB.

 

The two positions are not "interchangeable". They have different responsibilities. Someone has to have the responsibilities of the MLB. I do think, and have said since draft day, there is a route getting Williams and Milano on the field together in their nickel base but that route involves Milano playing the MLB responsibility IMO. And letting Williams play the WILL.

[PrimeTime101]

18 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

The two positions are not "interchangeable". They have different responsibilities. Someone has to have the responsibilities of the MLB. I do think, and have said since draft day, there is a route getting Williams and Milano on the field together in their nickel base but that route involves Milano playing the MLB responsibility IMO. And letting Williams play the WILL.

So if 2 olb on the field at same time with no ILB then what else would you call it? maybe interchangeable was the wrong word for tasker to do but it seems we are doing it. 

 

2 the second bolded. We both suggested this at one point or another... i got trashed for suggesting it.. yet here we are and in preseason there has been 3 plays already early when the starters on defense was playing and they did exactly that. Tampa 1 pinching a S. down low also helps cover the middle of the field, but this is going to be interesting in how we do this against good passing teams. The good thing is? I think this defense is finally figuring out how to shut down the running game and at good timing too because we just had 2 star rb join the division.

 

But Buffalo with 8 in the box early this game shocked the hell out of me... idk about you lol

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said:

So if 2 olb on the field at same time with no ILB then what else would you call it? maybe interchangeable was the wrong word for tasker to do but it seems we are doing it. 

 

2 the second bolded. We both suggested this at one point or another... i got trashed for suggesting it.. yet here we are and in preseason there has been 3 plays already early when the starters on defense was playing and they did exactly that. Tampa 1 pinching a S. down low also helps cover the middle of the field, but this is going to be interesting in how we do this against good passing teams. The good thing is? I think this defense is finally figuring out how to shut down the running game and at good timing too because we just had 2 star rb join the division.

 

But Buffalo with 8 in the box early this game shocked the hell out of me... idk about you lol

 

Did they have 3 plays of Milano and Williams together with no Dodson? Haven't managed to watch back yet due to the joys of DAZN will try to this eve. If you have those plays you can point me to wouls really appreciate it. I know they had one where Milano and Williams were on the field either side of Dodson but if they played them together in a 4-2-5 be interesting to see. 

 

But yea interchangeable is the wrong word. They are not interchangeable. Is there a way to modify the defense to allow Milano and Williams to be your two linebackers in nickel? Yea. But someone is still playing the MLB responsibilities in that setup. 

[PrimeTime101]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

Did they have 3 plays of Milano and Williams together with no Dodson? Haven't managed to watch back yet due to the joys of DAZN will try to this eve. If you have those plays you can point me to wouls really appreciate it. I know they had one where Milano and Williams were on the field either side of Dodson but if they played them together in a 4-2-5 be interesting to see. 

 

But yea interchangeable is the wrong word. They are not interchangeable. Is there a way to modify the defense to allow Milano and Williams to be your two linebackers in nickel? Yea. But someone is still playing the MLB responsibilities in that setup. 

second and 5 early and a third and long i think it was 3rd and 13?  I would have to go back to the all 22 to look at the exact plays. And yes. They showed more 4-3 looks then ever before to so yea.. McD has stuff up his sleeve and he needs to explore what will and wont work. 

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Did they have 3 plays of Milano and Williams together with no Dodson? Haven't managed to watch back yet due to the joys of DAZN will try to this eve. If you have those plays you can point me to wouls really appreciate it. I know they had one where Milano and Williams were on the field either side of Dodson but if they played them together in a 4-2-5 be interesting to see. 

 

But yea interchangeable is the wrong word. They are not interchangeable. Is there a way to modify the defense to allow Milano and Williams to be your two linebackers in nickel? Yea. But someone is still playing the MLB responsibilities in that setup. 

didnt they throw the tampa 1 out there for a while as well? I just saw a lot of different defenses on the field and nothing plain about it. 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, PrimeTime101 said:

second and 5 early and a third and long i think it was 3rd and 13?  I would have to go back to the all 22 to look at the exact plays. And yes. They showed more 4-3 looks then ever before to so yea.. McD has stuff up his sleeve and he needs to explore what will and wont work. 

didnt they throw the tampa 1 out there for a while as well? I just saw a lot of different defenses on the field and nothing plain about it. 

 

I've been through the entire first two defensive drives and the only linebackers on the field were Milano and Dodson. Third drive Milano comes out Williams comes in. Even the play I thought I had seen all 3 out there together it wasn't I'd seen Boogie rush from a standing position on the far side and thought it was Williams. As far as I can tell Milano and Williams were never on the field together on Saturday. Milano played 2 drives, then Williams subbed in. 

[Eastport bills]

On 8/11/2023 at 10:33 AM, LABILLBACKER said:

We'll be fine. We're not falling off the cliff without Edmunds. A rotation of Dodson & Klein can still give us a top 10 defense.  And we should be better at run support with those two.  

I hope you’re right, but when you factor in an average of 110 tackles a year and a steady defensive signal caller, presiding over a top 5 defense, how can you not expect a fall off with cast of underachievers(Dodson) and unknowns(Spector,Bernard). That’s not to say the addition of Rapp, a healthy Hyde and a stout group of tackles can’t cover up deficiencies. Look for how we defend the run in these next 2 games.

[uticaclub]

On 8/11/2023 at 8:22 AM, KDIGGZ said:

 

The counterpoint to my argument seems to be "we had a top 5 defense with Edmunds, but let's spend the money elsewhere and worst case still have a top 10 defense with a backup. It's not that much of a difference." I think it will be a very noticeable difference. We saw it last year when Edmunds was out.

Didnt AJ Klein win Defensive Player of the Week when Edmunds was out?

[Warriorspikes51]

Rooting for a solid starter to become available via cuts or trade 

 

[The_Ripster]

missed out on kwon alexander among other FA LB's, in hindsight it's a miracle we got Diggs, Von Miller and Floyd.

[PBF81]

40 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

Didnt AJ Klein win Defensive Player of the Week when Edmunds was out?

 

Once in 2020.  

 

Edmunds & Klein both started that game as the only 2 LBs to start.  

 

He posted 1.5 Sacks, 3 TFL, and 2 QB Hits against the Chargers which were 7-9 that season.  

 

What's most telling to me about Klein, today, is that in his last 543 defensive snaps since then, he has no significant stats.  0 Sacks, 6 TFL, and 2 QB Hits.  

 

 

5 minutes ago, The_Ripster said:

missed out on kwon alexander among other FA LB's, in hindsight it's a miracle we got Diggs, Von Miller and Floyd.

 

I'm tellin' ya, not taking Nakobe Dean instead of Cook last year is going to prove to have been a mistake.  Cook may even have been available in the 3rd round.  

 

Oh well. 

 

Water under the bridge.  

 

 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

6 hours ago, uticaclub said:

Didnt AJ Klein win Defensive Player of the Week when Edmunds was out?

 

Wasn't he playing for milano?  He was an absolute liability in coverage so they just used him more to rush the QB and play closer to the LOS as he was getting exposed in the run game against NE and KC.  For the year he led the team in missed tackles.  

5 hours ago, PBF81 said:

 

Once in 2020.  

 

Edmunds & Klein both started that game as the only 2 LBs to start.  

 

He posted 1.5 Sacks, 3 TFL, and 2 QB Hits against the Chargers which were 7-9 that season.  

 

What's most telling to me about Klein, today, is that in his last 543 defensive snaps since then, he has no significant stats.  0 Sacks, 6 TFL, and 2 QB Hits.  

 

 

 

I'm tellin' ya, not taking Nakobe Dean instead of Cook last year is going to prove to have been a mistake.  Cook may even have been available in the 3rd round.  

 

Oh well. 

 

Water under the bridge.  

 

 

 

Was it chargers?  I thought Seattle as he had a couple sacks and a FF to all but ice that one.  

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

5 hours ago, PBF81 said:

 

Once in 2020.  

 

Edmunds & Klein both started that game as the only 2 LBs to start.  

 

He posted 1.5 Sacks, 3 TFL, and 2 QB Hits against the Chargers which were 7-9 that season.  

 

What's most telling to me about Klein, today, is that in his last 543 defensive snaps since then, he has no significant stats.  0 Sacks, 6 TFL, and 2 QB Hits.  

 

 

 

I'm tellin' ya, not taking Nakobe Dean instead of Cook last year is going to prove to have been a mistake.  Cook may even have been available in the 3rd round.  

 

Oh well. 

 

Water under the bridge.  

 

 

 

Wasn't there a medical issue with dean? 

[PBF81]

13 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

Was it chargers?  I thought Seattle as he had a couple sacks and a FF to all but ice that one.  

 

Jeffery Simmons was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week that week.  Not sure what Simmons did. 

 

Oddly, Allen was the AFC OPW

 

But he and Edmunds both started that game as well, again, as the only two LBs starting.   Klein had a Sack/FF/FR on 3rd-and-2, with 6:35 left and us up by 14, resulting in us getting the ball at Seattle's 19.  We were unable to convert a TD but settled for a FG to put us up by 17.  Seattle scored on the following drive.  Klein also had a sack two drives earlier on 2nd-and-15 that set-up a 3rd-and-25 on which Tre made an INT.  

 

The Chargers game was a better game for Klein though.  

 

 

17 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

Wasn't there a medical issue with dean? 

 

Not that I'm aware of.  I know he was a terror at UGA.  

 

He's starting for the Eagles at MLB this season.  We'll see how he does.  I'm expecting great things from him.  

 

 

[BillsFanForever19]

19 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Rooting for a solid starter to become available via cuts or trade 

 

No one who would be at the caliber of play that McDermott would plug and play them as a Starter over what we've had working with us in the system all offseason is going to be cut.

Edited August 16, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[GunnerBill]

14 hours ago, PBF81 said:

Not that I'm aware of.  I know he was a terror at UGA.  

 

He's starting for the Eagles at MLB this season.  We'll see how he does.  I'm expecting great things from him.  

 

Yea there was a torn pectoral and a long standing shoulder concern.  Some teams, as I understand it, worried the two were linked - that the pec tear was a result of the of the strain he was putting on it trying to protect the shoulder. He was a medical red flag and off some boards. I had him as a 1st round talent. Will be very interesting to see how he does this year when he is the presumed starter. Barely got on the field as a rookie. 

[freddyjj]

20 hours ago, The_Ripster said:

missed out on kwon alexander among other FA LB's, in hindsight it's a miracle we got Diggs, Von Miller and Floyd.

Funny as Greg Cosell was on OBD Monday and said Kwon Alexander was his comparable for Dorian Williams coming out of Tulane.