Thoughts on James Hardy's play today.

[Thurman#1]

Watching Hardy, I honestly feel that he is incredibly talented who just hasn't quite realized how to use his body to his benefit. True, some of those passes were off a bit, but a good WR can adjust and make the play.

 

Hardy is still very raw, but he is so talented and you can really see it. He just needs some polish. Once he learns to run crisp routes and proper body control/adjustment to passes he'll be a beast. It'll just take time. I have no doubt he'll get there.

 

 

 

While I do think that he is still extremely green and will improve, I'm not buying that he hasn't learned to use his body to his benefit. He's had his body all his life. He played basketball for most of his life, and blocking out translates directly to a tall reciever's NFL skill set.

 

There are many things he will improve at, running routes particularly. But also timing with the QB. And from all we've heard, he simply hasn't yet gotten all the routes and situational adjustments down yet. When that happens Trent will have more confidence in him and look at him more.

 

But you learn to box out with your body starting in Pop Warner. I just don't believe that he hasn't figured that out yet. And dropping passes isn't really a symptom of a rookie learning curve. It's just a problem.

 

I do think he'll improve with time, but the guy who said he'd be another Largent? Please. And Donte will be Ronnie Lott, Ellison will be another Lawrence Taylor... Come on, get real.

[Thurman#1]

Here's another miscommunication: your brain to your fingertips. Obviously your post encountered a fatal error. If the ball hits you in the hands, you should catch it.

 

 

A miscommunication on the route? Out of curiosity, whose fault do you think that miscommunication was?

[Mickey]

The throws were not the best but if he had been able to get position on the DB, he would have had a catch or two. The balls were not so high that the DB couldn't get to them so that nullified the height advantage and he didn't get between the DB and ball to seal him off which, given his size, he needs to be able to do, at least occasionally.

 

Those passes weren't thrown because he was open, they were thrown thinking he would out-jump or out-muscle the corner. The passes were not where they needed to be but he compounded the issue.

 

WR's notoriously take time to develop. Moulds was a mess for his first 2-3 years. Even so, Hardy already has one incredible, critical, we-don't-win-without-it catch to his credit.

[GG]

Desaun Jackson from Philly looks good in his rookie season in the nfl.I believe Hardy will be a good one but apperantlly hes a slow learner.

 

Deshaun Jackson is also the father of the Idiot Play of the Year.

 

There's obviously a reason that no WRs were picked in the first round this year for the first time that I remember. All of the rookies have issues, and 90% of Hardy's appear to be half mental. Turk wanted to feature him in the offense, and he let the team down. It's not a coincidence that there wasn't a single ball thrown his way in the second half. Edwards' poor showing in the second quarter was largely due to misstrust of Hardy.

 

If this was a Bills team of 5 yrs ago, there would probably be concern. But, this year's team has enough weapons to overcome one weak link, and there will be enough peer pressure on Hardy to improve.

[bizell]

i'm convinced that there was absolutely no way all the passes thrown to hardy were catchable.

 

the first one, on a slant, was thrown way high (for a 6'5 guy).

[offsides#76FredSmerlas]

that is what i thought. if you look at his waste, he was twisting his body/neck and there is no way you are going to catch a ball like that, even if it is thrown perfectly to you.

 

But yes, Mr. Wonderful is right. good players are good in the begining. so lets cut youboty. he is good now, but he wasn't in the begining. dump that late bloomer now!

Hardy looks extremely soft and he plays with very little confidence. I think he'll come around but at this time he is very green and needs a lot of maturing. By the way, where in the world is Schobel. I have an early prediction for next season. Ellis will be starting over Schobel. He sucks!!!

[clownments22]

Hardy looks extremely soft and he plays with very little confidence. I think he'll come around but at this time he is very green and needs a lot of maturing. By the way, where in the world is Schobel. I have an early prediction for next season. Ellis will be starting over Schobel. He sucks!!!

 

Get your head out of your a$$. Just because he isn't racking up sacks doesn't mean he isn't making meaningful tackles and putting pressure on the quarterback. He's doing fine; and there's no way Ellis will be starting over Aaron next year.

[murra]

Get your head out of your a$$. Just because he isn't racking up sacks doesn't mean he isn't making meaningful tackles and putting pressure on the quarterback. He's doing fine; and there's no way Ellis will be starting over Aaron next year.

 

I wish Ellis was good enough to start over Aaron though. It sucks that he's been inactive, I would really like to see some production out of him as a 3rd rounder who looked good out of VT. He was real physical, and I wonder why he hasn't really "made" the rotation?

[VOR]

I wish Ellis was good enough to start over Aaron though. It sucks that he's been inactive, I would really like to see some production out of him as a 3rd rounder who looked good out of VT. He was real physical, and I wonder why he hasn't really "made" the rotation?

Probably for the same reasons Greer and Jackson didn't play much, until injuries hit. And I didn't focus on Copeland Bryan (who I just saw is 6'4" and 240#), but if he was as bad as everyone says, there's no reason Ellis shouldn't replace him in the rotation.

[Bmwolf21]

Probably for the same reasons Greer and Jackson didn't play much, until injuries hit. And I didn't focus on Copeland Bryan (who I just saw is 6'4" and 240#), but if he was as bad as everyone says, there's no reason Ellis shouldn't replace him in the rotation.

Count me in the camp of those wholly unimpressed by Copeland Bryan thus far.

[Buffal0 Bill5]

There is a reason that Hardy had not cracked the starting line-up until this week, and we saw it Sunday. He is not ready, but given the circumstances was the best option we had. Cut the kid some slack and don't call for his ouster on the 4th game of his career. Being pushed into service will give the coaches alot more to work with in getting him headed the right direction.

[Trader]

I was predicting a big day for James today. I thought he'd have 4 to 6 catches for 40-60 yards with at least one touchdown. He obviously was in the game plan, as we attempted to throw to him 4 times on the first two drives with zero success.

 

While all the balls that were thrown to him were not perfect strikes, I feel like all 4 of them were catchable balls, but he didn't come down with a single one of them. The coverage was good also, but I feel like he's got to come down with one of those balls. He was then abandoned for the rest of the day.

 

If he makes one of those big catches at the beginning of the game I feel like today's game is completely different. The bills get out to an early lead, and carry it all day long for an easy victory; or at least easier than it turned out to be.

 

What do you think, were they bad throws, or does James need to do something different to make a play in one of those spots?

 

 

An aside: I missed the first 3 or 4 minutes of the game because the bar wasn't on top of things, and I was wondering what happened at the very beginning of the game. We started watching a couple plays before we kicked the first FG. The reason I ask is because I was not anticipating the Bills receiving the ball to start the second half.

 

Hardy's effectiveness this year may be limited to the end zone corner route and the sideline route. He seems to be leary of the hit from behind.

 

Hardy did not get much separation even in college. He is not fast and he is not quick. He is a tall guy who can get off the ground. The guys who can go over the middle are the smaller quicker guys like Reed and Parish and Evans for that matter who can get separation and than make a quick move as soon after they catch the ball to avoid the punishment form the DB's

 

In the NFL Safeties hit like college DE's and cornerbacks are as stong as college linebackers. These guys are bench pressing 400lbs and squatting 600 and the are like 5'9' tall and weigh 190-205 running 4.4 40 times.

 

Hardy quite frankly looks scared of these cannon balls waiting to lodge themselves into his spine. Football is not basketball it's not a contact sport it's a collision sport.

 

It might be a better idea to play Johnson more between the 20's and bring in Hardy for sideline patterns and the end zone corner routes. As of the last game he does not appear ready for NFL contact.