Stl Bills Posted November 25, 2005 Posted November 25, 2005 Those of you who claim Fletch is just as much to blaim for our run defense as our are DTs are crazy. Its not his fault that oposing offensive lines have such an easy time getting to the second level to block. I started at MLB for 3 years in high school. My junior year I made all confrence and led our confrence in tackles. My two DT's were giants for high school ball and were both seniors. One went on to play for Baylor and the other played for Georgia Southern. They kept blockers of me so well I was pretty much able to roam free and make tackles. The following year both of them had gratuated and were replaced by two tackles who were even bigger and supposely had more potential (both were about 300 lbs). They sucked so bad I was getting blown up by lineman who were 70-100lbs heavier then I was on EVERY down (the most I had to worry about before was the fullback or the ocasional lineman getting through which didn't happen that often). I considered myself a pretty decent player but I ended up having a terrible year and tore my ACL in the fourth game when some fat ass guard took out my legs. I know this is the NFL and not High School but I think the same thing is going on with this team. Just look where Tim Anderson ends up at the end of every run play, he's ten yards off the line of scrimage. Fletch is still 7th in the NFL in tackles and I'm willng to bet by the end of the year he is in the top five. He's not getting any younger but IMHO he is still a playmaker at the position. I wouldn't mind spending a first day draft pick on a MLB to groom for his replacement in a few years but those who want to replace him next year are down right dumb. As pathetic as this D-line has been all year I have been more than happy with the way London has played this year.
Buftex Posted November 25, 2005 Posted November 25, 2005 It seems to me, Fletcher has played very well at times, and very bad at other times.
Dawgg Posted November 25, 2005 Posted November 25, 2005 Fletcher is the heart and soul of the defense. He always has been. On rare occassion, he makes a boneheaded play like a late hit... but far and away, he is a consistent force that we need out there on every single play. Those of you who claim Fletch is just as much to blaim for our run defense as our are DTs are crazy. Its not his fault that oposing offensive lines have such an easy time getting to the second level to block. I started at MLB for 3 years in high school. My junior year I made all confrence and led our confrence in tackles. My two DT's were giants for high school ball and were both seniors. One went on to play for Baylor and the other played for Georgia Southern. They kept blockers of me so well I was pretty much able to roam free and make tackles. The following year both of them had gratuated and were replaced by two tackles who were even bigger and supposely had more potential (both were about 300 lbs). They sucked so bad I was getting blown up by lineman who were 70-100lbs heavier then I was on EVERY down (the most I had to worry about before was the fullback or the ocasional lineman getting through which didn't happen that often). I considered myself a pretty decent player but I ended up having a terrible year and tore my ACL in the fourth game when some fat ass guard took out my legs. I know this is the NFL and not High School but I think the same thing is going on with this team. Just look where Tim Anderson ends up at the end of every run play, he's ten yards off the line of scrimage. Fletch is still 7th in the NFL in tackles and I'm willng to bet by the end of the year he is in the top five. He's not getting any younger but IMHO he is still a playmaker at the position. I wouldn't mind spending a first day draft pick on a MLB to groom for his replacement in a few years but those who want to replace him next year are down right dumb. As pathetic as this D-line has been all year I have been more than happy with the way London has played this year. 512599[/snapback]
Mark VI Posted November 25, 2005 Posted November 25, 2005 Fletcher has quickness but lacks strength at the point of attack. He's extremely easy to block and gets tied up when runs come up the middle. I don't get caught up in his numbers, since most tackles come downfield after the opponent makes a positive gain. I realize the shortcomings of our DT's but I felt the same way the last couple of years when our DT's were playing better. We need a much bigger, more physical MLB.
jester43 Posted November 25, 2005 Posted November 25, 2005 Fletcher is the heart and soul of the defense. He always has been. On rare occassion, he makes a boneheaded play like a late hit... but far and away, he is a consistent force that we need out there on every single play. 512637[/snapback] i can hear sam cowart laughing all the way from minneapolis.
Sisyphean Bills Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 Any scrub LB looks real good if nobody blocks him. I mean look at all the Hall-of-Famers playing for the Chargers last week. Those LBs were dominating the Bills offense. Greatest isn't what someone does when everything is going his way. It's what someone does when there is adversity. London Fletcher is a small, speed LB who can't play through blockers. He has hustle and gets back into plays, albeit after the damage is done. I don't really see why people think this guy is so great. Maybe they've just never seen Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher.
jester43 Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 ..or they have forgotten sam cowart before the torn achilles! not to mention chris spielman! god bless him because lord knows this team could use more guys with his kind of heart, but as a MLB, fletcher is a joke!
Toledo Bill Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 Fletcher not only has problems shedding blocks but is also lacking in pass covering skills. Similar to Milloy, whenever the opposition needs to find an open receiver, they can look at the "coverage" either of these players provide. I like Fletchers hustle and enthusiasm but feel he is lacking in those areas.
Sisyphean Bills Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 Fletcher not only has problems shedding blocks but is also lacking in pass covering skills. Similar to Milloy, whenever the opposition needs to find an open receiver, they can look at the "coverage" either of these players provide. I like Fletchers hustle and enthusiasm but feel he is lacking in those areas. 512734[/snapback] Agreed.
Stl Bills Posted November 26, 2005 Author Posted November 26, 2005 He's short but not that undersized. He's 5'10 but still weighs 245 lbs. Agreed that he's not Ray Lewis (who is the same weight) or Brian Urlacher but you just named the two best middle linebackers in the league. He is WAY above average and is more than strong enough and sheds blocks quite well. He's not supposed to have to shed lineman on every play, he's supposed to shed TE's and fullbacks at the point of attack which he does. If you keep comparing middle linebackers to Urlacher and Lewis more than likely you are going to be disapointed.
jester43 Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 He is WAY above average and is more than strong enough and sheds blocks quite well. 512759[/snapback] oh cmon!
Sisyphean Bills Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 If people insist on calling Fletcher a great MLB, then he has to be compared to truly great MLBs like Urlacher and Lewis. Fletcher isn't good enough to carry either of those guys' jock.
colin Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 i tivo all the games and take particular care to look over what happens when we blow what looks like easy downs to cover. there have been several 2nd or 3rd and longs (10+) where a dump off pass hits an RB and fletcher just takes a bad bad angle and has no effect on the play. it is one thing if he can't cover, but if he can't catch the guy after the catch and wrap him up then he is a problem in passing plays. i think with our new DT(s) and with spikes and crowell beside him london might have a bounce back season, but he can be upgraded on. IMO with vincent being a non-hitter, posey being blah as hell, and milloy seeming to have lost it, london ends up being the guy who has to make things happen in the middle and he just isn't good enough.
firedawg Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 Fletcher not only has problems shedding blocks but is also lacking in pass covering skills. Similar to Milloy, whenever the opposition needs to find an open receiver, they can look at the "coverage" either of these players provide. I like Fletchers hustle and enthusiasm but feel he is lacking in those areas. 512734[/snapback] Well stats don't lie and Fletch and Milloy are the Bill's 2 leading tacklers. So obviously they are doing something right. I agree their pass coverage lacks a bit but the Bills have one of the better passing defenses in the league. I would focus my energy on the lines on both sides of the ball because we are not lacking too much in the back fields. The O line is pretty much a revolving door as is evident when Losman gets 3 steps into a 5 step drop and he has defenders in his face. The D line is pretty much the same. We should have at least a defensive tackle as one of our leading tacklers. Our secondary is too busy trying to make up for the sloppy play of the line that they can't really play good pass coverage.
BillnutinHouston Posted November 26, 2005 Posted November 26, 2005 I wouldn't mind spending a first day draft pick on a MLB to groom for his replacement in a few years but those who want to replace him next year are down right dumb. 512599[/snapback] If we spend our 1st rounder on a MLB, I'll slit my throat.
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