Mr. T Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 With the probable departure of Fletcher, the development of both Crowell and Ellison at OLB, and the fact that Spikes has lost a step due to the injury, why not try moving Spikes to the inside. He's much bigger than Fletcher and with his intensity and leadership he might be just what we need at MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffBills#1 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Spikes has never played MLB always OLB. That is like saying the Chargers should put Merriman at MLB. This is not a video game!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marauderswr80 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 With the probable departure of Fletcher, the development of both Crowell and Ellison at OLB, and the fact that Spikes has lost a step due to the injury, why not try moving Spikes to the inside. He's much bigger than Fletcher and with his intensity and leadership he might be just what we need at MLB. See, I think Spikes was a step slower this year, but toward the end of the year he looked to be a bit faster..... I think with this offseason, and more time to rehab. I think next season we see the Spikes of old....I really do. I think he will get more strength and mentally he will be stronger. Cause I think him being a step slower was more mental then anything. Having the trust he wont get hurt again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 TKO was flipped to SLB from OLB theoretically due to this position requiring less running for him with last years focus on injury recovery. Not only is it pretty clear that TKO has some additional injury recovery to do, the MLB position would actually require even more running and movement from him as not only does the MLB position require covering much more field with its sideline to sideline resonsibility, but in the Cover 2 the way we implement it, the MLB divides the deep coverage duty into thirds with the two safeties and it is not unusual for our MLB to have to cover some speedy WRs coming up the seam, TKO certainly seems to have the knowledge of being a seasoned NFL vet to handle the MLB duties (something a rookie like even the talented Willis does not have so I see us really taking a step back in D performance if he were to be handed the starting MLB role in our Cover 2. However, this knowledge may not come with the wheels to take on this duty. In addition. while TKO is a former Pro Bowler with the respect to be a team leader. I am not sure at all he has the temperament to do this, as the press has gotten him to fire off some knee jerk reponses the questions (such as his initial questioning of the decision to IR Vincent) and then he had to back off his initial reaction and upon thinking it through the IR'ing of TV was not only a move the team preferred by actually TV endorsed it as well. I do not think Spikes is a real possibility at MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 Spikes has never played MLB always OLB. That is like saying the Chargers should put Merriman at MLB. This is not a video game!! Who is talking video games smart guy? If there is any position on a football team where a switch can be made without too much difficulty it's from the OLB to the MLB. These kinds of changes happen. It's not like moving a safety to CB. It's more like moving a CB who has lost a step to safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Right now, I see the Bills trading back in the first round (mid-twenties) and selecting Patrick Willis LB (picking up a third in the process). Then in the second, I see them taking the best offensive lineman availible that can start at RG. Then they nab a WR and CB in the third. DT will try to be addressed in FA or the later picks in the draft (I'm sure they're still banking on McCargo like they will be with Youboty at CB position). To me this looks like the best way to approach it. I'm also sure that all bets are off if certain unexpected players fall to us in the first round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Who is talking video games smart guy? If there is any position on a football team where a switch can be made without too much difficulty it's from the OLB to the MLB. These kinds of changes happen. It's not like moving a safety to CB. It's more like moving a CB who has lost a step to safety. TKO, while an emotional leader, might not have the smarts or pass coverage ability that is required in this defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 See, I think Spikes was a step slower this year, but toward the end of the year he looked to be a bit faster..... I think with this offseason, and more time to rehab. I think next season we see the Spikes of old....I really do. I think he will get more strength and mentally he will be stronger. Cause I think him being a step slower was more mental then anything. Having the trust he wont get hurt again. kind of like how cowart was such a huge stud his 2nd year back from a torn achilles? man, i wish i agreed with you on this one....and i hope i'm wrong. but i think we've seen tko's best already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Did you watch Julian Peterson yesterday against Chicago? He was a beast. kind of like how cowart was such a huge stud his 2nd year back from a torn achilles? man, i wish i agreed with you on this one....and i hope i'm wrong. but i think we've seen tko's best already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 he sure as hell was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sen. John Blutarsky Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Spikes has never played MLB always OLB. That is like saying the Chargers should put Merriman at MLB. This is not a video game!! It is true that Spikes hasn't played MLB, but he WAS an ILB in a 3-4 scheme while with Cincinnati. I think it's pretty likely that either Spikes or Crowell move inside this season. Crowell has played inside in the past as well. That would let them keep Spike Crowell and Ellison on the field together. I'm not discounting the possibility that we draft a LB either, that definetly possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 tko played inside in school and for the bengals. he would absolutely be great for us in the middle and as he gets healthier (we really saw that he was still hurt this year) a slight decrease in speed won't be as critical in the middle. with crow at wlb and adding a stud like A thomas from balty our lb core would destroy, f@@k and kill all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 I think that's a better comparison for TKO (rather than Cowart). TKO's work ethic is unparalleled. So is his intensity. Cowart couldn't come close to matching that... Peterson is very similar in that regard. Hopefully that comparison will prove valid. he sure as hell was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanM.D. Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Spikes has never played MLB always OLB. That is like saying the Chargers should put Merriman at MLB. This is not a video game!! Shane Conlan was "always" an outside backer as well. At Penn St and when we drafted him. When we acquired Bennett, Conlan reluctantly moved inside and had a run as one of the best run stuffing mlb's in the league for a few years. It can be done. There certainly are athletes better suited to weak, strong and middle but they are all linebackers. It's not like we're asking him to play quarterback. I personally think he could succeed. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zac Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Crowell is much more capable of playing MLB. He has before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downsoufbfan Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 I think takeo has a nice lookin' girlfriend girlfriend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Shane Conlan was "always" an outside backer as well. At Penn St and when we drafted him. When we acquired Bennett, Conlan reluctantly moved inside and had a run as one of the best run stuffing mlb's in the league for a few years. It can be done. There certainly are athletes better suited to weak, strong and middle but they are all linebackers. It's not like we're asking him to play quarterback. I personally think he could succeed. We'll see. And Bennett moved inside late in his Bills career too, and that's when he played his best football for the Bills other than his rookie half season. I think Takeo might turn out to be a really good MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanM.D. Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 And Bennett moved inside late in his Bills career too, and that's when he played his best football for the Bills other than his rookie half season. I think Takeo might turn out to be a really good MLB. good point....somehow I forgot the more recent "reverse." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 And Bennett moved inside late in his Bills career too, and that's when he played his best football for the Bills other than his rookie half season. I think Takeo might turn out to be a really good MLB. If he can turn and run as fast as he used to. He needs to get deep drops on passing plays or we would get murdered down the middle of the field. Fletcher had a lot of trouble this year in the running game but I think he was very good if not excellent in the passing elements of the cover 2 this season. I, for one, think TKO is going to come back like a monster this next year, and that is was a combination of his achillees, his other muscles in his legs that never regained full strength because of the series of injuries, the hamstring, and the ankle, that ALL led to his looking terribly sluggish. It's possible that his body is breaking down, but I think it was more flukish than anything else why he never made it back by the end of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 It is true that Spikes hasn't played MLB, but he WAS an ILB in a 3-4 scheme while with Cincinnati. I think it's pretty likely that either Spikes or Crowell move inside this season. Crowell has played inside in the past as well. That would let them keep Spike Crowell and Ellison on the field together. I'm not discounting the possibility that we draft a LB either, that definetly possible. I was going to say the same thing (spikes ILB), a playmaker is a playmaker, if we don't get Willis round 1, I think we could do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts