Conversation: 'Beast Mode' is back, but what role awaits?
by jri111 on Oct 1, 2009 10:30 AM EDT
in Buffalo Bills Opinion
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Printjri111: Marshawn Lynch has missed the first three games of the 2009 season thanks to a suspension handed down by Commissioner Roger Goodell this past off-season. The suspension is now over, and Lynch returns just in time to help the struggling Buffalo Bills (1-2) this Sunday against their hated division rivals, the Miami Dolphins. Although Lynch may now be eligible, his old position hasn't just been sitting around waiting for his return. In 2008, Lynch led the team in carries (250), yards (1,036) and touchdowns (8), serving as the team's primary back. In contrast, Lynch's backup, Fred Jackson, had all of 130 carries in 2008. But this is 2009, and Freddie Jackson has been one of Buffalo's top playmakers in the first three games of this young season. Jackson is fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (291), is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, and leads the team in receptions (15). As Buffalo's primary back, Jackson has forced defenses to account for him. It is clear that Buffalo's success this season will have a lot to do with Jackson's ability to play at a consistently high level. With Jackson's success, what does that mean for Lynch when he returns to the playing field on Sunday? Will he now play second fiddle to his former backup?
poz: It is necessary to start by acknowledging how difficult it is to send a player who has played as well as Fred Jackson to the bench after such a stellar three weeks of action. Nonetheless, for all the stats you pointed out on Jackson's behalf, its just as difficult to keep a guy like Marshawn Lynch off the field after his two-year performance. Never playing a full 16-game slate, Lynch has still produced at least 1,036 yards in each of the two seasons of his young career, given the team 16 scores, and has only fumbled the rock twice and lost one in each of his two first years. By contrast, Jackson has already fumbled twice and lost a fumble in just three games! Let's also remember that Jackson, for all his numbers, has yet to score a ground touchdown in three games. This is not to put down Jackson; I have a signed picture of him in my house. Rather it's a reminder of how important Marshawn is to this team - he can also break out the big one on a far more frequent basis than Fred, and given our Jekyll and Hyde passing attack, that is crucial. In my opinion, Marshawn should get fewer carries this week, but by the Browns game, it's time for an even 50/50 split. From there, you have to remember one more essential stat to this discussion: Marshawn is only 23 and while Fred's lack of wear and tear makes him a young and fresh 28, he will nonetheless be 30 in two years. Do you risk isolating Lynch by not giving him more carries than Fred?
jri111: All points well taken, but I believe there is another element that you may not have considered: Buffalo has a new offense this year. Yes, the terminology may be the same and the plays are similar, but the tempo has changed drastically. Lynch is a between-the-tackles runner, and although he was touted as a great pass-catcher out of college, he has only displayed marginal receiving skills over the past two seasons. Not really the ideal back for a fast-paced, no-huddle offense. Jackson, on the other hand, is a runner with a slicing style and soft hands, arguably a much better fit for Buffalo's offense. All said though, you are right. Lynch and Jackson should split the carries about 50-50, which in my mind, is a win-win. Less carries means more rested ball carriers. If Alex Van Pelt plays his cards right, he will have two fresh backs to pound a tired defense late in fourth quarters. Now if only he can get his two prized receivers involved...
poz: Interesting concept that Jackson is a better fit for AVP's scheme, and while what you say has some truth to it, I think your last comment may be the most telling of why we need Marshawn to get more carries. As you pointed out, AVP needs to find a way to get our two receivers the ball, and the fact that he hasn't may indicate it's because teams are still all over them and willing to give Jackson the quick passes he has proven to be so good at working with rather than let Terrell Owens and Lee Evans run wild. Marshawn can change that precisely because he is a between-the-tackles runner who can break a big one at any time. Let's not ignore the fact that at the end of the day, Fred averaged 5.8 ypc on the ground against the Bucs, while against New England and New Orleans, he put up 3.8 and 3.9-yard averages. Against the Bucs is when he broke out for a 43-yarder, too, while his longest against NE and NO were 16 and 12, respectively. Fred is an amazing playmaker, but he seems to do his best damage through the air and fighting for tough small gainers - and teams appear willing to concede that. Until teams start fearing our ability to smash them up the gut and punish them for long runs repeatedly if they don't play more disciplined football, they will continue to shut down T.O. and Lee. Remember, Lynch can rattle off 28, 18, and 24 yarders in the same game if teams don't respect him; we have seen him do it in the past. At the end of the day, we are going to need them both. Like you said, two fresh runners will destroy defenses late, and I'm betting two of the toughest, never-say-die runners in the league will both churn out big gainers if they are both rested.
jri111: I think you overestimate Marshawn's big play ability. Lynch's career long is only 56 yards, and I don't think I have ever heard anybody use the phrase "home run threat" to describe him. Also, Lynch added over ten pounds to his frame this past off-season. I did not see all of his pre-season snaps, but from what I saw, he looked noticeably slower. I have mentioned this before in passing, but I fear the extra weight will ultimately be a bad thing for Marshawn. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Beast Mode and there is no denying that Buffalo's offense is better with Lynch in the fold, but it will be a much more reduced role than it was in 2008 (where he had nearly twice as many carries as Jackson). Lynch and Jackson are both playmakers and the Bills needs to find ways to get them both the ball. That's on the offensive coordinator and the quarterback. It sounds relatively simple and a "good" problem to have, but I'm betting T.O. would disagree right about now.
poz: Extra weight on a successful running back is always scary. Am I correct in that Adrian Peterson was going to do a similar thing but was talked out of it? My final plug for Marshawn will be to say that when he was in the game, we never had the problem of lacking an offensive identity. He was going to get the rock, he was going to jam it down your throat, and you had to bring two or three guys to bring him down. I think our offense has been without an identity this year, and his return could do wonders for the play action and T.O. Here is my vision for what the offense should look like with Marshawn back: I can see us frequently running a pro set, substituting out the fullback split behind the QB with a second RB (essentially placing Marshawn and Fred split out behind Trent while using Lee and T.O. on opposite sides of the field) and allowing us to put in Derek Fine or Shawn Nelson depending on whether we wanted to help the tackle with blocking or put out the threat of a third pass-catcher. This can be used in the no-huddle while continuing to run our normal plays and having Marshawn and Fred running in and out of the game and using them interchangeably on the rest. They are both good pass catchers and tough runners so they won't require us using them for specific purposes; I just hope we can use them simultaneously on at least a third of the offensive plays called. Is that asking too much? What's your vision for this offense with Marshawn back?
jri111: Ultimately, I'm up for any offense that puts points on the board. I would love to see them in the game at the same time, but I don't think it's necessary to have a potent offense. Whether it's Jackson, Lynch, or both in the game, the Bills need to put the ball in the hands of their playmakers. In the end, this rests on the shoulders of another Bills offensive player that has barely been mentioned in our conversation: Trent Edwards. Of course, that's another conversation for another time!
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My two cents: Jackson is great. He’s my favorite Bill. But he’s not in the same class athletically as Lynch is, and it’s not really close. Jackson is versatile to the extreme and can do pretty much anything, but he is what he is – a great player. We haven’t yet seen just how good Lynch can get. I’m for 50/50 for the time being, but long-term as well as right now, Lynch is still the better, more talented back.
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions
i concur, i love lynch and his toughness. Remember, lynch was said to have very good hands coming out of the draft. We haven’t yet been able to see his ability in the passing game as well. Sure i know he had dropped some balls, but as the scouts said, this guy has good hands.
We haven’t yet been able to see his ability in the passing game as well.
He had 47 receptions last year… we can’t get him more receptions and get T.O. and Lee more receptions, too.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Both on the field
I want to see them both on the field a lot. I definately agree with Brian that Lynch is the guy, undoubtedly.
Personally – i’d love to see a few plays where Lynch is the lead blocker for Fred – that’d be some sweetness.
But at the end of the day Lynch should be in there -especially will this patchwork offensive line infront of us now…
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?
I think we’ll see this, particularly if Nelson can’t play on Sunday. Buffalo hasn’t had the personnel to run a 2 RB set but with Lynch back that changes dramatically. Come to think of it, even if Nelson plays I can see AVP putting Owens, Evans, Nelson, Jackson and Lynch on the field at the same time for at least 10% of the offensive snaps. Both Jackson and Lynch can pick up blitzers (Omon can’t), both can run the ball and both can be outlet receivers. In fact the more I think about it, the more I like the 2 RB set idea—particularly given the fact that Scott will apparently be manning the LT spot if Bell can’t play.
Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner
Scott will apparently be manning the LT spot if Bell can’t play.
I don’t want to talk about this :)
but they have to do something to help scott as he’s going to be overwhelmed. i’m guessing a TE and keeping a RB in – know what that means? anticipate Trent and hit your Lee Evans and your Terrell Owens and your Josh Reeds
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?
by J2 on Oct 1, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Lynch and Jackson in the backfield together.
Considering the loss of Brad Butler and Derrick Schouman, this could be huge. My point exactly when everyone was firing Jaroun and AVP and benching Edwards. Jackson and Lynch should upgrade our pass protection with the loss of Butler and Schouman. It still won’t be the same but should be better. We need to give Trent Time on passing downs so he can get the ball to Evans and Owens, or his confidence will spiral downwards. Also with both in the back field we have a double screen and draw threat on 2nd and 15.
Excuses are a sign of weakness!!!!!!
I'm not sure I agree....
The OL is young, and with the injuries to Butler and Bell the OL needs more help than any other time. However, wouldn’t having a TE at the LOS be better than using a RB for blocking assignment? I always thought the reason AVP went to 2 TE sets so often this young season is precisely due to this point (not to mention we do not have a legit FB).
If the Bills go for 1 TE, I actually tend to think AVP will choose to use Fine instead of Nelson simply because AVP needs the best blocking TE on the field. The receiving duties can then go to the 2 RBs (Lynch and Jackson) if indeed they go for 2 RB sets; with Jackson flanked to the WR position on some plays.
Bills fan half way around the world
I don’t think you’ll see any Lynch leadblocking. Jackson is much more likely to assume that role again, if both are in the game together….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
i doubt it too – but it’d be freaking sweeeeeeet. that’s all i was getting at
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?
by J2 on Oct 1, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't think he'd be very good at it
Jackson has done it before, and done well. I’d love to see him do it again.
I am just looking forward to having both in the backfield at the same time, and not in the Wildcat formation by the way. There will be a lot of different wrinkles AVP can put in there with both in….one lead blocks, both run screen patterns on the same play to spread the D while Trent hits one of them, fakes to one/hand it to the other on a misdirection, two solid checkdown options for CC that are better than Fine, RB fly patterns, etc, etc, etc. I just hope AVP gets creative and utilizes them to their fullest potential together.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Don’t forget all the time Freddy has lined up as a receiver as well. With Lynch in the backfield, that’s a significant threat too.
I remain convinced that somehow Drew Rosenhaus negotiated a playing time deal for Roscoe into the contract for TO.
they did in practice this year a few times
this would be a good game to try it
"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone" -Marshawn Lynch-
I expect to see wildcat this week. :-) Parrish in the middle with Lynch and Jackson flanking him once at least.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions
What about a Marion Barber approach?
Or a Bettis and Parker thing? I can’t think of a better threat to punch it in from a few yards away than Mr. Lynch-and so far both backs have seem okay with sharing the ball. Obviously you can’t telegraph what is coming next, but having the approach that you want Lynch to get the tough yards and you want Jackson to get the yards in space seems like a good approach to me.
Funny thing is
in three games we’ve run a whopping TWO plays inside the opponents 10 yard line (not including two FG attempts), and those two came at the end of the Bucs game. I’d like to actually see this offense move it inside the 10 yard line before we worry about who gets goal line carries!!!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I see 10 – 15 touches for the big man, as we might try to gash and smash the dolphins either to set up the pass or vise versa….
Best Mode stat prediction:
minimum > 10 carries 39 yards, 2 catches 15 yards
maximum > 15 carries 67 yards 1 TD, 4 catches 36 yards
Who knows…anything can happen, but I think the beast will be back in full force as far as his tough rushing style. He may not be a home run hitter, but I think it will quickly be evident why he is our 1A and not 1B running back
Jauron’s nuts must have dropped this year….Go Bills!
I’m interested in jri111 opinion that Jackson is better suited to the no-huddle offense. This may be true in some situations, but I’m hoping that “between-the-tackles” running brings a different rhythm to the no-huddle. In previous games, even before the no-huddle, Lynch would sometimes single-handedly wear down opposing defenses.
To piggyback on this a bit…
- Right now, by far the weakest areas of our running game are when we attack the A gap and the Right B gap, where we average 3.9 yards per rush (not bad). 17 of our carries are right up the middle; 28 are left-side (whether C or B gap), and 25 are right-side (whether C or B gap). We have struggled most to run on the interior of the line, which isn’t surprising, but perhaps Marshawn can give us a boost there. If we succeed in that area, it helps open up the rest of the run game, which obviously in turn opens up the passing attack.
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I think a hard runner makes the no huddle more effective – the defensive line has to work much harder, plus you’re putting a pounding on defenders that are already not used to the pace of the no huddle as it is. Imagine it west coast offense style. Hit three quick passes, everyone is huffing, and then toss it to the beast on a quick snap for ground and pound. thats a formula for success.
by quantumuprising on Oct 1, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
It's the 'hit three quick passes' part that has to happen first
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
Don't all teams struggle more running inside???
I’d say 4 yards a pop there is hardly a bad thing….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Dude, I said it was good. I was merely implying that we can still be better, as much of that average comes from Fred’s monster game against TB.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Yah, I know you said it isn't bad
You also said we’ve struggled there…well I guess you said struggled most.
And yes, we can improve everywhere on O, and hopefully will.
Jeez, I say something positive and you bite my head off!!!! Haha
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I guess by struggled, I just meant that we were least consistent there.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Which is true....
Any idea how the 3.9 ypc compares to the rest of the league?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Absolutely no idea, because I stole the figure from Ron’s O-Line posts. :)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I'll take that as a challenge
and see what I can dig up….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
OK
According to Football Outsiders, the Bills are one of the better interior run blocking teams in the league….
It’s not broken down by A, B or C gap, but they have it listed as Middle/Guard and say their “research so far shows no statistically significant difference between how well a team performs on runs listed middle, left guard, and right guard.” The numbers are much more positive than Ron’s too:
The Bills average 5.01 adjusted yards per attempt on Middle/Guard runs. You can read about adjusted yards on the link I included. That number is good for 4th in the NFL behind Baltimore, New Orleans and Dallas, three of the best running teams in the league so far.
The team has also run a lot up the middle too. According to FO, the Bills have run there 61% of their 66 RB carries. Only TB (79%!!), Cleveland (70%), the Jets (67%), SF (65%) and Jax (65%) have a higher percentage of runs up the middle. The NFL average is 49%. So it looks like the Bills have run there a lot and have done a good job….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I like our boys inside.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 1, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah,
it’s the tackles that have some work to do…
"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone" -Marshawn Lynch-
It’s also the guys in the middle that have been mostly healthy.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Marshawn Pass Catching
I think it might be good to have Marshawn start in place of Fred. Sure, there are doubts about his pass catching abilities. I think that could be used for the good of the Bills offense. If Edwards has those same doubts in Lynch, he may be forced, subconsciously, to look down the field more. That’s what we want and the Bills need to do, right? So I think it really isn’t even a close decision. Marshawn is the more gifted and punishing back of the two and doubts in his pass-catching abilities may cause Trent to look downfield a little bit more. What more would you want?
Big plays
Marshawn is not going to break a bunch of 40-50-60+ yard runs, but what he does bring is the 10-20 yard runs often. That’s the kind of threat he is. He is just a better runner between the tackles than Jackson. His presence will hopefully create some more play-action opportunities, which in my opinion are the best chances to throw the ball downfield to Lee and TO
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
Marshawn is not going to break a bunch of 40-50-60+ yard runs, but what he does bring is the 10-20 yard runs often.
Right, this is why I think he will open things up for TO and Lee. The fact is, Lee Evans was supposed to see single coverage with TO but he hasn’t. Teams are willing to commit safeties over the top of both our receivers because they don’t fear Fred to gash them for 8-15 yards. With Marshawn they will be forced to bring safeties into the box or pay the price repeatedly.
We got your back Leodis!
Marshawn is not going to break a bunch of 40-50-60+ yard runs
I disagree with this sentiment. Marshawn to this point was running behind O-Lines that were just plain awful at run blocking. This year’s line appears, even with injuries, to be much more proficient than in the past in the run blocking area. We will see Marshawn getting past the line of scrimmage much more often without being hit. The biggest area of improvement with the o-line this year is how often they can get into the second-level of the defense on run plays. Marshawn + Downfield Blocking + Arm-tackles by defensive backs = Good Things for the Bills. The only problem in the equation will be playcalling from the booth and from Trent at the line of scrimmage. Will they give the ground game the number of chances it needs to really reap the benefits? I think depending how the game is going, with the talent we have at runnning back, there needs to be at least 30 rushes between Lynch and Jackson, if we’re winning, more than that. I have no doubt that we’ll finally rack up some pretty good YPC this year for once, after the crappiness that’s been the time since Travis Henry left.
(aside)
It seems a lot of teams around the league are in some kind of pass-wacky hysteria. The poster child of the phenomena seems to be the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re passing when ahead, passing when the games close. As good as Big Ben is, that is just not Steeler football. Even in their win over the Titans, a 10-7 contest, they abandoned the run early and Big Ben ended with like 35 attempts? That’s no way to win a game. They’re pass-wackyness cost them the Cincinatti game. They need to run the ball.
I just think that Marshawn is not the kind of guy that hits home-runs. He runs into too much contact and does not have break-away speed. He’s just not a slasher who’s gonna hit a wide open hole and be gone through it like dust in the wind. Not his style. It’s not a knock on him, what makes him bad at breaking long runs, makes him awesome at grinding out -1yd carries into 3yds, 3yds into 5yds and 5yds into more, etc.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
Marshawn did catch 40-50 passes last year. He had almost as many as Jackson. To say he’s only displayed marginal receiving skills isn’t that accurate.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
Yeah, but I believe he dropped more then Freddy – or at least didn’t catch as many that were thrown his way. Also Freddy takes passes for more yards then Marshawn – maybe Freddy is better or maybe it was play calling?
I was born in Buffalo, and NO, it's not a suburb of New York City
Also Freddy takes passes for more yards then Marshawn – maybe Freddy is better or maybe it was play calling?
I don’t know if I agree with that fully.
Last season, Lynch averaged 8.4 YAC, while Jackson average 8.2 YAC. Jackson’s total also included that deeper pass over the top against Denver where he picked up 37 YAC. Take that out, since it isn’t normally a play the Bills run, and his YAC was 7.4 YAC.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Lynch had 47 receptions last year, Jackson had 37….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
For some reason I was going off of something I heard about Lynch and Jackson being the best receiving tandem in the league — with 90 receptions. I also thought Jackson had four more receptions than Lynch, and it turns out he did — in 2007 (22 to 18). I’m afraid I’ve gotten about three stats mixed up here. Oh well. It happens. Thanks, K.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Oct 1, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I still think they were the best receiving tandem in the league last year from what I recall.
I remember predicting them to catch a total of 100 passes last year, and everyone thought I was nuts. Haha.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
And you were. LOL
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions
you're right here
One of Lynch’s biggest assets out of Cal was his pass catching ability, and I think we will see alot of success with Lynch starting. He is an awesome back, but as he NFL goes, short memories are the way of the walk for fans…so I hope we get a good joggin’ of that memory when Marshawn rips up that god-awful dirt from the Miami infield on Sunday
Jauron’s nuts must have dropped this year….Go Bills!
the difference
fred jackson is great but can he turn into “beast mode?” Marshawn has his own ESPN piece. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUAe9ZZ7AuU
irregardless of who plays, i love watching our RBs run the ball. jackson and lynch are both so good at getting hit and getting the extra yards…they’re fantastic players. i’m excited to see what they do.
EDWARDS THE NEW PISTOL , OWENS THE BAD SLAYER , EVANS THE FLYING METEOR AND COMING SOON THE BEAST MODE THIS IS SPARBUFONIA - abayarde
Regardless is a word. Irrespective is a word. Irregardless is not a word.
Sorry. My mother was an English teacher.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Yes, I'd say so!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
i hate to be the allied liberators to your grammar nazi, but irregardless is a word.
by quantumuprising on Oct 2, 2009 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/irregardless
Irregardless is a word that many mistakenly believe to be correct usage in formal style
,
Irregardless is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements ir- and -less.
It is not a legit word but people use it as such. Eventually it will be added to the dictionary and legitimized.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Eventually it will be added to the dictionary and legitimized.
a word doesn’t have to be in the dictionary to be a legit word. my phonetics class taught me that – anyone can make up any word at any point.
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?
by J2 on Oct 2, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
exactamondo
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?
by J2 on Oct 2, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I envision Lynch in a Lendale White role, at least for now...
Especially since he’s gained some weight, I think he will be more of a 3rd down and short yardage back. I am excited to see if there is some 2RB plays!
So scared Scott is going to have manslaughter charges against him for killing Edwards this Sunday…
They are hard to play but not hard to beat.
- Mike Lombardi on the Buffalo Bills
I;d like to remind you
and while I don’t have a link, Adrian Peterson talked, as did Coach Childress, that AP put on some ten pounds or more this offseason, and has still looked very quick and fast….Marshawn is going to be fresh and I think it will show, more pounds or not, and he will, you’re right, be banging out the short yardage….but the more carriers will go to whichever back is more on fire at any given moment…in my opinion
Jauron’s nuts must have dropped this year….Go Bills!
He talked about it
but I don’t believe he did it.
I think it was an SI magazine article…
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I heard it on Sirius NFL radio
and they talked to Childress at Camp or before, and although the coach didn;t want him to, AP said he was going to anyway…but you know, even if he did come into camp heavier, it could have easily been shed, and for that matter, these young guys will surely add an extra 5 – 10 with age most likely
Jauron’s nuts must have dropped this year….Go Bills!
Lynch and Freddie
John, I think you underestimate Lynch’s ability, especially his receiving skills. By no means is he Kevin Faulk or Reggie Bush as a receiving RB, but he’s better than marginal, a lot better. I don’t think Jackson’s receiving skills are that much better, if at all. Remember, he’s dropped some passes too.
I think Lynch is a very good fit for this O. He can hammer inside, then use his speed and quickness on a pitch, and catch passes in the passing game. Jackson’s definitely a good fit in the O because of his all-around game, but so is Lynch.
I think the biggest question mark about Lynch’s role this week is what kind of shape he’s in. He didn’t look very good in the preseason, although Jackson didn’t either. He did look bigger, and maybe just a wee bit slower, but that’s tough to determine because the OL couldn’t block a lick in August. I question what kind of shape he’s in because he’s been away from the facility for 3 weeks. I know he’s been working out hard on his own, and I don’t worry about that. I’m more worried about his football shape. After having the preseason, and the hits there, he’s had 3 weeks of no contact and no full-speed running/cutting. He may need to be eased back in a bit more than we’d like. I think we should keep an eye out for that.
Nice job with the article John, and you too poz. It was quite long, but that’s to be expected out of you guys!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on Oct 1, 2009 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
BUT
Lynch will also have some fresh legs…and isn’t coming off an injury just the suspension, so I think he could really tear it up. I will keep an eye on the ease factor, but something tells me, the Bills number one star (forget TO for a minute) will be lined up in the backfield play 1…I think he is a big boost to team moral, and hopefully will be all week as he gets back with his teammates. That is something else to look forward too.
Jauron’s nuts must have dropped this year….Go Bills!
That is definitely true
but I don’t know how easy it’ll be for him to go from sitting for over a month, to taking lots of hits….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I just cant believe that Marshawn would not be ready for this moment K. I think he was quoted saying “I’ve been hungry for three weeks and now its time to eat” or something like that. Imagine if you watched someone else being an allstar at your job, you’d come in more than ready to go.
We got your back Leodis!
by poz on Oct 1, 2009 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not saying Lynch won't be ready or hungry
Just he hasn’t taken any hits or played football in a month. I’m guessing he didn’t exactly take many during this week, so maybe it’s not the wisest thing to give him 20 carries or expect him to light it up this weekend. I hope none of that matters and he comes out and rips the fish to shreds.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Lynch
I don’t deny Lynch’s ability, not one bit (in my mind he’s a Pro Bowl runner), but I do think his style of running does not fit into this current system as well as Jackson’s. Let me explain… I guess to say the “style” is a bit misleading. It’s not the between the tackle running style that is a problem (that’s a good thing, as you pointed out), but it’s the effects of that style on the runner. Lynch is a runner that craves contact. He never goes down on the first hit and is not afraid to lower a shoulder into anybody. I love that! But that style of running uses a lot more energy then say a slasher who hits a hole quick and goes down on the first or second hit after a five or six yard gain. With the Bills no-huddle offense, Lynch is going to be asked to run just as hard, but with less down time between plays. He’s going to wear down. Of course, having him split carries with Jackson solves the problem.
I guess the point of this is that I believe Jackson could be the primary back in this offense by himself, wheras Lynch, becuase of how hard he runs, couldn’t do that. That’s not a knock against him, it’s just a result of the style of runner he is. Hopefully, neither has to be the lone feature back this season and we won’t have to worry about it!
As for Lynch’s receiving ability, I have to disagree with you. I know it doesn’t show up in Lynch’s receiving numbers, but he just doesn’t seem as natural of a receiver as Jackson. I’m not necessarily talking about drops or yards per reception, but more about how each runner cathes the ball and run routes. I believe Jackson is a better route runner. I also believe that he is more of a natural receiver. That said, I think Lynch is pretty darn effective out of the backfield as a receiver.
I think Jim Kelly did a good job explaining the difference between the two:
What has me most encouraged about this offense moving forward is the return of Marshawn Lynch. I’m not sure he’s going to be carrying the majority of the run game load with the emergence of Fred Jackson, but even as a 50-50 split between them that’s a heck of a tandem.
The way Jackson has played he’s done an unbelievable job through the first three games. Marshawn is more of a north-south runner that will run right at you and run you over. With both of those guys in the mix it’s going to be interesting to see how Alex utilizes both talents. Marshawn is a solid back that a lot of teams would like to have.
Jackson reminds me more of Thurman Thomas because he can do everything. He can catch the ball and run great routes. He can do what every quarterback loves as far as running backs go because he’s an all-purpose guy. You don’t know whether you’re going to split him out wide and run him against a linebacker, which would be a mismatch. Running him against a safety would even be a mismatch. It’s almost like teams will have to bring a nickel back in there when Jackson and Lynch are in there at the same time to take away the pass threat.
p.s. thanks for the kind words, we’re working on the length thing! :)
John I.
p.s. thanks for the kind words, we’re working on the length thing! :)
TWSS
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
split carries
The great thing about splitting carries between fred and marshawn is keeping marshawn YOUNG. So many backs get abused and worn out by the time they’re 26 that they become useless. Just look at the string of backs Shanahan left in his wake in Denver. Fred is a young 28, and by complimenting Marshawn, he’ll keep the wear and tear to a minimum on Marshawn, effectively extending his career in Buffalo. And it works both ways. Fred should have several great years ahead of him side by side with marshawn (so long as Ralph is willing to pay him enough to stay in Buffalo).
Trample the weak, hurdle the dead!
i think you'll see us give them a taste of their own medicine
The wildcat. We did it some last year with Freddy taking the snaps. I expect to see that again this week now that we’ve got both guys in the line-up. Why not take advantage of two dominant players on the field at the same time?
Roscoe was taking the snaps this year in the wildcat. Freddy did a little in training camp with Rhodes and Lynch flanking him but I doubt we will see that with Omon or McIntyre.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 2, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Excuse me if this was already mentioned,
as I just skimmed the comments, but the thing in my opinion that no one is talking about is that we are comparing Lynch last year to Freddie this year. Now, I realize that their running styles will not change drastically, but we are talking about how Marshawn ran last year behind a different line with a different offensive coordinator. Freddie has indeed been amazing, but who’s to say that Lynch cannot be everything Freddie is right now with a peppering of more athleticism and ability? I don’t think you can rightly say that Freddie deserves to be the starter and Marshawn should get anything less than 50/50 split of the carries before we watch Marshawn run behind this new offensive line with the plays called by a new coordinator. Hell, who know, maybe Marshawn will turn into Beastmode 2.0 and become unBILLevable behind this new line and in this new system. I guess only time will tell.
I was thinking along the same lines. The two games I saw this year – NE & TB – I was thinking, “Man, what would Lynch be doing with this?” I love me some Freddy, but I just think about that big gain against the Jets last year along the sidelines when Beast Mode was flattening tacklers two at a time until he got pushed out of bounds.
Man am I excited for some
BEAST MODE!
good point ballin.
very good point.
We got your back Leodis!
by poz on Oct 1, 2009 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions
poz: ...This is not to put down Jackson; I have a signed picture of him in my house...
Did anyone else LOL @ this? All I could think was: “I’m not racist, I have a black friend!”
Great post and love all the conversation that follows!
actually, that’d be good for no huddle with 2WR and 1TE, have Jackson in motion and turn into the slot reciever, imagine some LB that’s winded from the no huddle trying to cover Jackson on a slot route? keep Lynch in as a blocker or check down…..preferable blocker, seen enough checkdown’s for 1 season…..and were only in week 4
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
New gimmick
Have the boys out there in a duel back formation with the no huddle, call it “jackson and the beast stalk”
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
actually, that’d be good for no huddle with 2WR and 1TE, have Jackson in motion and turn into the slot reciever, imagine some LB that’s winded from the no huddle trying to cover Jackson on a slot route? keep Lynch in as a blocker or check down…..preferable blocker, seen enough checkdown’s for 1 season…..and were only in week 4
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
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