Cole Bishop should start the final two games of the Regular Season....

[JohnNord]

17 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said:

You and @JohnNord didn’t mention the true Waldo of the defense last game, Spector. They targeted those guys but the one that was truly getting picked on was Spector before he went out. Unsurprisingly the defense played a lot better when he went out. 

Worked out great for US. Pretty sure he helped us in the comp pick formula (didn’t net us a pick but negated a UFA signing). I would happily take that from Hamlin and consider the pick a big success (7th round iirc). If you’re saying Hamlin should stay in buffalo on a modest contract I think that’s still a W for us cause he’ll be proven backup on a modest contract. 

Pretty sure I mentioned Spector.  Maybe it was in a different thread.  NE definitely went after Spector, but they also targeted Bishop and Elam as well.

 

I don’t think either of these instances had anything to do with Spector’s struggles 

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, JohnNord said:

Pretty sure I mentioned Spector.  Maybe it was in a different thread.  NE definitely went after Spector, but they also targeted Bishop and Elam as well.

 

I don’t think either of these instances had anything to do with Spector’s struggles 

 

They targeted Williams too. Elam and Williams were the two they burned for big yardage. 

[DCofNC]

2 hours ago, YattaOkasan said:

You and @JohnNord didn’t mention the true Waldo of the defense last game, Spector. They targeted those guys but the one that was truly getting picked on was Spector before he went out. Unsurprisingly the defense played a lot better when he went out. 

Worked out great for US. Pretty sure he helped us in the comp pick formula (didn’t net us a pick but negated a UFA signing). I would happily take that from Hamlin and consider the pick a big success (7th round iirc). If you’re saying Hamlin should stay in buffalo on a modest contract I think that’s still a W for us cause he’ll be proven backup on a modest contract. 

I hope Hamlin gets paid big.. by Pitt

[Mr. WEO]

Might as well.  All the safeties on the roster are pretty much backup level players so give the kid his whack at it

[Big Turk]

19 hours ago, Special K said:

Worst case scenario, he gets starter reps in these two games to prepare him for a starting job next season while resting either Rapp or Hamlin for the playoff push.

 

Best case scenario, he improves and shows out in these next two games, and can replace Hamlin going forward.

 

He has had his ups and downs, and his pass coverage needs a little more refinement, but he will be the future of the Safety position moving forward.

 

I'm not sure if he is ready for the future to start right now, but I think it would be smart to give him these next two games to find out.....he is definitely the most athletic Safety on the roster.

 

Thoughts??

 

I want the players who give the Bills the best chance to win in this playoffs THIS year playing.

 

I don't care about the future, I care about NOW.

 

I agree Bishop is the future, but we can ill afford a mistake by him in a close playoff game giving up a free TD because he bites on a play fake and allows a WR to get deep behind him like he did against Houston.

 

He will have plenty of time in the future to take over starting in training camp next year.

 

Everything done from this point forward needs to be for the benefit of winning the Super Bowl THIS year and nothing else.

 

If him getting some reps makes the Bills more comfortable with playing him in the playoffs and believe he will give them a better chance than Hamlin then I am all for it.

 

But not at the expense of winning this year. 

 

There is no way you can expect a player coming back for the playoffs that will not have played in a month in Hamlin to be at the top of his game and think that's the best scenario for him to be ready to to go if Bishop doesn't work out or they aren't confident in him.

 

Edited 12 hours ago by Big Turk

[Doc]

I want Hyde (back) in there ASAP.  And Rapp is a good starting SS (did you know that Belicheat tried to sign him last year?) but hopefully Bishop will show enough improvement in these last 2 games to merit replacing him.

[DCofNC]

2 minutes ago, Doc said:

I want Hyde (back) in there ASAP.  And Rapp is a good starting SS (did you know that Belicheat tried to sign him last year?) but hopefully Bishop will show enough improvement in these last 2 games to merit replacing him.

I’d like to see Hyde play this week and look good if he’s going to be on the playoff roster.  I’m cautiously optimistic he can be an upgrade to FS, but we’ll see if he can actually come off the couch and perform.

[JP51]

18 hours ago, Breakout Squad said:

They need to get Hyde back in there.

This is not the craziest thing I have heard... even to settle things down. 

[CNYfan]

43 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

Might as well.  All the safeties on the roster are pretty much backup level players so give the kid his whack at it

I felt this way at the beginning of the year, and it is imo a shabby group, but Rapp has grown on me, and I think can start here.  

[Doc]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

I’d like to see Hyde play this week and look good if he’s going to be on the playoff roster.  I’m cautiously optimistic he can be an upgrade to FS, but we’ll see if he can actually come off the couch and perform.

 

Ideally he plays this weekend.  I'd be fine if he plays in the last game.  He knows the system and players.

Edited 11 hours ago by Doc

[Paul Costa]

Tomorrow’s KC/Pitt game is huge. If Pitt wins Bills have to play their best for the next two weeks to try and get the #1 seed. Once that’s flushed out go ahead and let some rookies get reps. 

[3rdand12]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

I want the players who give the Bills the best chance to win in this playoffs THIS year playing.

 

I don't care about the future, I care about NOW.

 

I agree Bishop is the future, but we can ill afford a mistake by him in a close playoff game giving up a free TD because he bites on a play fake and allows a WR to get deep behind him like he did against Houston.

 

He will have plenty of time in the future to take over starting in training camp next year.

 

Everything done from this point forward needs to be for the benefit of winning the Super Bowl THIS year and nothing else.

 

If him getting some reps makes the Bills more comfortable with playing him in the playoffs and believe he will give them a better chance than Hamlin then I am all for it.

 

But not at the expense of winning this year. 

 

There is no way you can expect a player coming back for the playoffs that will not have played in a month in Hamlin to be at the top of his game and think that's the best scenario for him to be ready to to go if Bishop doesn't work out or they aren't confident in him.

 

My suggestion was play Bishop and Elam even during the lul  LOL

Let our starting safeties get healthier for the playoffs. Then , of course Bills have to bring the A game and best players to win the day !

 But getting the Seed can't be understated. Chiefs have two real games ahead of them.

So Bills still should be focused on winning out.

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, CNYfan said:

I felt this way at the beginning of the year, and it is imo a shabby group, but Rapp has grown on me, and I think can start here.  

he has to at this point 

[3rdand12]

Just now, Mr. WEO said:

he has to at this point 

I like Rapp in this cerebral defense. Continues to improve. Injuries are slowing him down.

[machine gun kelly]

21 hours ago, VaMilBill said:

If your plan is to start him in the playoffs I say yes start him. But you need to get Hamlin and Rapp back in there when they are ready to get back into game shape before playoffs. Don’t want them not having played for 5 weeks entering the post-season

Id agree as I made the compromise in other threads.  Plays the starters if healthy for the first half so they are in a rhythm, but rest them for the emerging players ir backup ps in the 2nd half so they are starters remain relatively healthy, but still in game time firm.

[Flip Johnson]

Rapp is clearly the best safety on the team when healthy. We can get by with Hamlin.

Bishop and perhaps Hyde have a couple weeks to show that they are a better option than Hamlin. 

 

It's a similar situation at LB.

Bernard is obviously the best LB. 

Williams has flaws but there is proof of concept that we can get by with him.  Milano has two weeks to show that he's a better option.

[Augie]

36 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

I like Rapp in this cerebral defense. Continues to improve. Injuries are slowing him down.

 

I’m pleasantly surprised. Was that the role Bishop was drafted for? I trust them to figure it out down the road. 

[Aussie Joe]

I see very little chance Rapp and Hamlin are not the starting safeties in the playoffs … they don’t need to be going into those games stone cold , so they are going to need some time out there beforehand in at least one of the games …

 

 

[NickelCity]

4 hours ago, Doc said:

I want Hyde (back) in there ASAP.  And Rapp is a good starting SS (did you know that Belicheat tried to sign him last year?) but hopefully Bishop will show enough improvement in these last 2 games to merit replacing him.

 

Fully agree. Rapp and Hyde has surely got to be our best pair.

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, 3rdand12 said:

My suggestion was play Bishop and Elam even during the lul  LOL

Let our starting safeties get healthier for the playoffs. Then , of course Bills have to bring the A game and best players to win the day !

 But getting the Seed can't be understated. Chiefs have two real games ahead of them.

So Bills still should be focused on winning out.

 

So you expect both starting safeties to just walk back on the field after not playing for a whole month and pick right back up where they left off?

 

Have you ever played sports at any significant level? That's just not how it works.