Question" How does Bills play calling work if F-B goes down?

[Pyrite Gal]

All the speculation where most folks have Fletcher already out the door (which may be true since he calls the shots as an FA, though folks seeming to feel good about this is really left without explanation by posters who feel this way outside of their rants that F-B sucks) led to me to ask a question I do not know what the answer is.

 

In the real world today, Fletcher calls the D signals for the Bills. As the MLB he is in the center of the field with the advanrages of having his voice carry mosty easily to both sides. In addition, he has visibility of the whole field from his middle position. Most important, he brings multiple years of having viewed plays and a demonstrated quick mind to the job.

 

However, if he were to go down, his bsck-up on the depth chart remains the oft injured John DiGregorio.

 

My assumption for most of the season was that in fact if anything from an injury, to food poisoning, to a death in the family, to the Rapture suddenly spiriting Fletcher and all believers away to paradise leaving the rest of us here (he is in training at seminary to be a minister) that Crowell who spent his initial years as F-Bs back-up before an injury to Spikes created a gap where as a better player than Haggan he took the field would have jumped to MLB to fill that spot.

 

However, with Crowell on IR and the two safties both being rookies, I'm not even sure how we would have done (or do today if the worse were to occur) if F-B goes down.

 

This I think is a useful consideration as it describes the quandary we face in FA this off-season regarding Fletch.

 

Some folks may be happy to see him walk because they blame him for our weakness against the run (mostly without any substantiation actually and just their own fact-free opinion that he sucks and his tackles are racked up downfield). However, one gets pretty quickly to it does not matter as much if one feels he sucks, the real question is what is folks thought of replacing him with someone better even if he does suck.

 

My sense is that on this roster:

 

1. Current back-up DiGregorio seems a too inexperienced and has really shown nothing in games to judge him as the heir apparent.

 

2. TKO and Crowell are easily the two best LBs on the roster with F-B, but some are calling for TKO's head (prematurely IMHO) and Crowell are both dealing with recovery and are wildcards for Fletch's field general role.

 

3. Ellison has stepped in to start as a rookie and has been a very pleasant surprise as a late round rookie choice. however, it seems doubtful to me he is ready for field general.

 

4. The remaining LBs have done well at ST, but remind me of Gilligan's Island for singing purposes, if one made up an introductory song about the LBs, most of these players would simply get the Prof. and Mary Anne treatment of being referred to "and the rest".

 

5. Some teams rely upon a vet safety to make the play calls if necessary, but we had to leave the TV era and start two rookies who also have stepped up admirably but it remains unproven whether either is ready to call plays if need be.

 

Overall, if Fletch is allowed to walk, then I would suspect an FA LB cashes in big time for us, but what are folks thinking (or for those who so blithely seem to say don't let the door hit you on the way out to Fletch, are these folks thinking at all)?

[LynchMob23]

If memory serves, in addition to F-B making play calls, Whitner has been making adjustments to coverages and the fronts as well. He also has playcalling "ability" so to speak, so while he may not be physically there yet in run coverage for example, he at least knows where he and the other 10 have to be on the play.

 

As far as London walking, it's easy to say don't let the door hit you on the way out, when you're just looking at his age and playing with Ralph's money. Why? Personally, at 32 if he can play til he's 35 why not keep him? It's one thing if he's supbar in performing, but it's another if he's playing at the same level he is now. In fact, put escalators in his contract so that if he continues to perform at this level he'll be paid accordingly; if not, his base will have to do. That would make it easier to cut him in time if he didn't perform, yet we can retain him...of course this assumes he wants to be here and doesn't want a megabucks payday.

 

Now, if F-B leaves, Crowell has played all 3 positions and was F-B's backup a year and a half ago, before TKO went down. If F-B leaves, we can put Crow in at Mike, let DiGiorgio back him up, and get a rookie to back up Ellison and TKO. That way we keep a good rotation at LB and hopefully D-Line. IF we want to go with a first round LB, that'd help with the sideline to sideline stuff and give us an out if TKO can't go. But we can also find a later round pick like Ellison (or an UDFA like F-B) and go with them too. As long as they're smart and rangy, this defense is simple to learn...but it ain't easy!

[Pyrite Gal]

If memory serves, in addition to F-B making play calls, Whitner has been making adjustments to coverages and the fronts as well. He also has playcalling "ability" so to speak, so while he may not be physically there yet in run coverage for example, he at least knows where he and the other 10 have to be on the play.

 

As far as London walking, it's easy to say don't let the door hit you on the way out, when you're just looking at his age and playing with Ralph's money. Why? Personally, at 32 if he can play til he's 35 why not keep him? It's one thing if he's supbar in performing, but it's another if he's playing at the same level he is now. In fact, put escalators in his contract so that if he continues to perform at this level he'll be paid accordingly; if not, his base will have to do. That would make it easier to cut him in time if he didn't perform, yet we can retain him...of course this assumes he wants to be here and doesn't want a megabucks payday.

 

Now, if F-B leaves, Crowell has played all 3 positions and was F-B's backup a year and a half ago, before TKO went down. If F-B leaves, we can put Crow in at Mike, let DiGiorgio back him up, and get a rookie to back up Ellison and TKO. That way we keep a good rotation at LB and hopefully D-Line. IF we want to go with a first round LB, that'd help with the sideline to sideline stuff and give us an out if TKO can't go. But we can also find a later round pick like Ellison (or an UDFA like F-B) and go with them too. As long as they're smart and rangy, this defense is simple to learn...but it ain't easy!

 

Thanks for the observations, as I made a similar read on the situation (though the Whitner info is new to me).

 

I think obviously the Bills can deal with a post F-B reality, but I think your thoughts are an indicator that this action is not a simple one to understand or prescribe what will happen.

 

I like the idea of giving Fletch a big contract which is incentive laden. If he does cave in as folks seem to expect his post 3oish body to do then fine you do not pay him, but if he plays at the current level which no one claims is perfect, but is central to the Bills in terms of real world diverse stats he produces (he not only is a tackle credited machine, but he also has also has figures leading or in the high reaches for the team in terms of D TDs produced, sacks, INTs, etc).

 

We will simply deal with it if Fletch and his hired gun Rosenhaus leave, but folks should not be under the illusion that this is going to be easy for us if he does. Ironically, even if he is as weak as some exremist seem to want to claim, the situation is that his replacements on board right now are almost certainly weaker than a player they judge to be substandard because of their youth and inexperience or are simply wildcards at this point due to issues of injury recovery.

 

I am not saying he cannot be replaced because like it or not he will be. However. it is simply difficult to take any suggestion that he should not be resigned if we can swing it very seriously and more than fact-free fan ranting (to which we are all entitled to) unless they also want to suggest their credible plan for replacing him.

 

Suggestions such as we draft a rookie MLB who would do this playcalling strike me as condemning the Bills to yet another playoffless year. Suggesting we sign a vet FA is certainly possible, but unless the poster has some specific suggestion of who this might be (and with it some suggestion of why this player should be reasonably expected to grasp and do proper playcalling for the Jauron/Fewell scheme) then the suggestions that our best alternative is to let him walk are simply meaningless.

[LynchMob23]

Agreed. I think if we're going to go the FA route to pick up a LB, I think there are a few choices, but we're most likely priced out:

 

1. Adalius Thomas - The guy in a word is a freak. Think Takeo at his best, on crack. He'll play corner, safety, LB, or any technique needed on the line. He's the type of guy like Peters who was thought of as not having the capacity to play "big time football" or play multiple positions. He proved them wrong and them some. To acquire this guy we would take care of three things: big time playmaker on 3rd down assuming Takeo cannot recover to that level; a fast (runs a 4.5/4.6 at 270) heady LB that can destroy someone on the rush; and the ability to flip flop as necessary two of our LBs (Him and Crowell) based on offensive personnel, matchups....etc.

He's very very expensive, or he will be. Not only will the Ravens want to keep him, but his old DC (Nolan) will want him, the Bengals may want him AND I'm not sure if we will pony the cashola necessary to play with those big boys.

 

2. Lance Briggs - Plays in the T-2 Defense already and was drafted by Jauron before he was fired. Smart player, fast and tough. I think he'll be either franchised by the Bears or up to the highest bidder. Again, I'm not sure we enter the bid war, though with his connection to Jauron maybe we do!

 

Also, about the Whitner thing - the reason I even knew he helped out with the play calls was because of an article in week one about the Pats game, and how they stopped a TD because he realized that someone wasn't covering a man and changed the play to cover the FB. The play went for short yardage as opposed to a wide open TD.

 

Draft wise, I'd be lying if I said I had a dossier of people ready, but I know a few guys on Florida's D (Everett and Siler) are playing pro style zone defenses and doing it quite well, assuming we don't spend a first round pick on a Willis or Posluszny. I don't think the offense is difficult for a rookie to learn, but I would rather have someone who has been in our version (like Crowell) or a Vet that we could trust (like Thomas or Briggs) calling the plays.