Bills rookie DB Byrd justifying his April selection
by Brian Galliford on Oct 19, 2009 9:01 AM EDT
in News
114 comments
Back in the early evening of Saturday, April 25, 2009, the Buffalo Bills raised some eyebrows when, with their first of what had not yet become two second-round draft picks, the Bills selected Oregon DB Jairus Byrd. In just three selections, the Bills had drafted the second player they planned to make a position switch with - Byrd would be moving from corner to safety in Buffalo - and they'd also taken a defensive back when popular (amongst the fan base) players such as Connecticut OT William Beatty and, more prominently, Florida State DE Everette Brown were still on the board.
The knee-jerk reaction of the fan base to the pick? 76% of Buffalo Rumblings voters on draft day voted that they were not satisfied with the selection of Byrd. Read draft day reactions to the Byrd pick. Seriously, some of the immediate reactions were hilarious in retrospect. (Kurupt, in particular, was guilty of a not-so-minor freak-out.)
Jairus Byrd made his third career start at free safety yesterday against the New York Jets. By the time the Bills' 16-13 overtime victory had concluded, Byrd had more than made his presence felt - and he'd also done something no Bills rookie had accomplished since 2001. He's got some weak areas in his game that he needs to clean up, but Byrd deserves a ton of credit for the way he's played.
Let's be clear - Byrd isn't perfect.
Byrd is the word in Buffalo right now, and for good reason - it's been quite a while since the Bills had a presence in their secondary capable of making plays every game. In his three starts, Byrd has recorded three interceptions (the most by a Bills rookie since Nate Clements picked off three passes in 2001), broken up five passes, and made 25 tackles. He's been in position to make even more plays, including getting his hands on a throw in the endzone during their Week 4 loss to Miami.
Yes - it's helped tremendously that Byrd has made his starts against less-than-stellar quarterbacks such as Chad Henne (who was making his first career start), Derek Anderson and Mark Sanchez. But big plays are big plays, and Byrd is making them with crowd-pleasing regularity.
Byrd has struggled tremendously against the run as well. He's seen tons of playing time in each of the Bills' last four games, and in those four contests, the Bills have given up a humiliating 961 rushing yards. That stat is beyond abysmal, and while clearly one man isn't responsible for the entirety of that total, Byrd's poor angles as the last line of defense have been directly responsible for the team's giving up large, gashing runs on the ground.
It's not overly surprising that Byrd has struggled in run support. It's certainly not an unwillingness to play tough in the box; Byrd has made some big hits over the past month. It's that he's playing safety, and thus playing safety run fits in the Bills' gap-oriented run defensive scheme, that he hasn't played consistently since he was in high school. That's an area that Byrd needs to make tremendous strides in if the Bills are going to play competent run defense. Byrd isn't perfect. But if he's making plays, he's worth being on the field, liabilities and all.
The NFL Draft is about finding playmakers.
I mentioned some of the immediate reactions to picking Byrd at the top of the post. That's meant more as a joke than a rub-your-noses-in-it gesture, and I'm certainly not looking to make any claims on the career prospects of Byrd, Beatty or Brown this early in their careers. To do so would be ludicrous. But the Byrd selection does highlight one fundamental truth about the NFL Draft: you need to find playmakers when you make non-offensive line draft picks.
That's why Byrd was so appealing to Buffalo in the second round. His NFL bloodlines and his top-notch college production made him a worthwhile investment, no matter how unpopular the pick was immediately after it was made. He was a playmaker. That was obvious when he was at Oregon, and Buffalo's much-maligned decision makers deserve some credit for understanding that those skills translated to the NFL level.
As mentioned, Byrd has a lot of weak areas in his game to clean up. But the 23-year-old rookie clearly has loads of potential. Paired with 24-year-old Donte Whitner, the Bills appear to have a blindingly bright future at the safety position - provided these two young guys can avoid the bumps and bruises that have hurt them early in their careers.
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Byrd
Has more interceptions (3) this year, then Donte Whitner (2) has his WHOLE CAREER.
by Michael_Necci on Oct 19, 2009 9:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And more missed tackles on RB's!
However, he’s a rookie, and hopefully will get better.
They are hard to play but not hard to beat.
- Mike Lombardi on the Buffalo Bills
by Sluss88 on Oct 19, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cheap gimmick endorsement
whenever byrd gets a pick, have peter griffin on the score board doing “bird surfing”
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like it!
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
cause everybody knows
THAT THE BYRD IS THE WORD!!!
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he has range
something Ko Simpson never had. And Byrd has balls skills. I mean his 2nd pick was a thing of beauty. Timing his jump perfectly. If we could just have a more formidable front 7, our DB’s overall, and Byrd in particular will be able to make more plays. Our pass rush yesterday was OK, but mostly it was from Stroud and Johnson up the middle getting in throwing lanes. Schobel and Kelsay. and the other DE’s failed to get to the QB. Byrd has range, speed and ball skills. Our secondary is just flat out good. If we had a front 7 that could pressure more, I’d love to see what these guys could really do…Florence and McGee can flat out cover guys
MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens
by MARVelous on Oct 19, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe ..... maybe not
Edwards mistimed his jump or Byrd wouldn’t have had a shot at it.
One good game justifies a pick….NICE!!!!!!!
Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes
by Joe P. on Oct 19, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's not just that dude
they picked him in the second round for a reason, this kid was a hawk as a cb at oregon. he missed the rookie camp cause of the exam schedule, then was hurt for training camp and he’s still got 3 picks a 6 games in, and 3 picks is usually good for the team lead after 16 games. i’ve been yapping about getting a play making safety in the draft this year, but maybe with some more games under his belt, we’ve found him in byrd
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You could be right....and I hope you are
I just think Brian has pulled the trigger on the Byrd pick being justified faster than a virgin on prom night. Isn’t stopping the run part of his responsibilities?
Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes
by Joe P. on Oct 19, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that’s what we have whitner for….gotta justify his large contract for something
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s what we’re supposed to have the front 7 for as well…
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guys pulled the trigger on him being a terrible pick almost immediately. I don’t think Brian is saying "OMG GUYS! BYRD WAS THE BEST PICK THE BILLS COULD HAVE MADE!!!!!’ He’s saying Byrd has proven serviceable so far and made some plays when given the chance. That’s something that can’t be said for Maybin.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
mayin =
Gholston…..i know it’s too early to tell, but i didnt like the pick the second it was announced…..especially with Raji and Crabtree going the 2 picks prior. fells like we won the miss congeniality prize
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You really wanted us to draft Crabtree?
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
if we had someone who could throw him the ball, hell yeah.
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m not saying anything other than maybe the instant freak-out wasn’t justified.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 19, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We should've been more outraged with the maybin pick then the byrd pick
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
… why?!
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 19, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
because maybin was a reach.
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he was a virtual consensus as the best pass rusher in the NFL
we’d identified that as our biggest need.
that’s not unreasonable.
Jonathan Stupar won the Heisman…while playing in the NFL!
by JPH on Oct 19, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
NFL DRAFT NOT NFL
im a numbskull.
Jonathan Stupar won the Heisman…while playing in the NFL!
by JPH on Oct 19, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
so our pass rush and run stopping has improved then?
No need for another DE or DT? It was a bad move at the time, and only questionable now. McBusto is just that and we have Schobel as our best pass rusher at DE. Maybin is the project we thought he was. Do we even want to talk about our LBs? Given our needs at the time, it was a bad pick.
Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes
by Joe P. on Oct 19, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that’s the thing, if we could’ve gotten Raji that would been a huge addition for us, and raji could’ve been a top 5 so it would’ve been value with the pick. maybin shouldn’t have gone 11th under any circumstance, it was a reach, which we’ve been known to do on occaiton. byrd wasn’t a reach, the kid could’ve gone early in the 1st and was still there in the 2nd. we neglected our LB’s and DT’s with the byrd pick, but we would’ve been better off to address that with the 1st round pick as byrd seems to be the better football player over maybin
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
add on
remember, our safety situation wasn’t the best either, and byrd looks like he can be a playmaker in the secondary, which we’ve been lacking
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
correction
meant byrd could’ve gone late in the 1st
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am not saying Byrd is the worst pick the Bills could have made, just that we had some many other needs
that I would have tried to address with that pick at that time. Now that he is a Bills, I hope he does well. I am not ready to declare Byrd is the word yet.
Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes
by Joe P. on Oct 19, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Given our needs at the time, it was a bad pick.
That says a mouthful, Joe. I’m of the “pick players, not positions” school, which likely leads to the difference in opinion – as well as my willingness to wait it out and not freak out immediately. To each their own, but either way, you can’t deny that, at a minimum, Byrd was a solid pick for the Bills.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 19, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I tend to balance "need" with BPA more than you do
Which is why, IMO, Byrd may turn out to be a sold player, but was a bad pick.
Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes
by Joe P. on Oct 19, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not so much at free safety
FS is the last level of defense, SS is the one to come up and make the tackle.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Oct 19, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
All I can say is that this kid is for real. He’s smart and seems to put himself in position to make plays. Its nice to have someone in the secondary that can actually make plays on the ball when the opportunity is there.
"If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?"
~Vince Lombardi~
by Hambone on Oct 19, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
In Byrd's Defense
He plays defense like a top tier WR. I don’t mean a top five, ten or even fifteen but when he covers his area, he positions himself to make a play. He doesn’t have the speed of a McGee or a McKelvin, and he doesn’t turn his back to the ball. He reads, reacts then plays on the ball. IN his head that ball is his and it is his job to get it. I bet he has played that way since he tied his shoe laces. He will only get better and some of it will rub off. Remember we don’t want our safeties or CB’s to lead the team in tackles. That job is for the front seven. When he attacks the ball he turns into a WR.
Excuses are a sign of weakness!!!!!!
by VanScottM on Oct 19, 2009 9:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You don’t want them to lead the team in tackles, but his job is to keep a 15-20 yard run from becoming a career long 70+ yarder. He needs to be better against the run. Stopping the run, and the pass, is a team effort.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would instantly play a FS who played the run poorly
and who had a penchant for making plays in the passing game. You can’t always have your cake and eat it too.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Oct 19, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m just saying that his run defense needs to get better as well. He made 2 big plays yesterday, but he also helped the Jets make 2 big plays on the ground. That’s even in my mind. Some safeties don’t make any big plays, but they don’t allow big plays. You might want a playmaker, and I do as well, but sometimes having a reliable guy is just as good. His job, as safety, is to make sure nothing ever gets behind him. Pass or run. He has done a great job at one part, so-so at the other. It’s not about having your cake and eating it too. He can easily work to fix the angles he takes to eliminate giving up huge ground gains. I’m not asking for miracles, and I didn’t say he needs to be Troy Polamalu and make plays behind the line. But you can’t ignore his run defense either.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
pretty sure the whole defense helped the jets make plays on the ground yesterday
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is true.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You may be premature, by the way, in assuming that Jimmy Clausen will even be in this year’s draft in April
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
had that debate with a couple of people, but if tebow doesn’t sharpen up and bradford doesn’t stay healthy then i can see him declaring
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I catch your drift
It’s really important not to give up big plays as a safety, being that you’re the last hope for mankind back there.
Without having watched those two plays in detail, I’m just not sure that the play can be blamed on Byrd. And even if the big gain can be traced to his error, I’ll overlook a rookie free safety when it comes to run defense problems. It starts with the front seven.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Oct 19, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was initially very upset at his selection because I didn’t see the need for another CB. However, as soon as I learned he was being moved to safety, I was completely on board with the pick. I still can’t say that I wouldn’t have preferred Brown or Beatty or some others at that spot, but he’s definitely making a believer out of me.
by CBATL32 on Oct 19, 2009 9:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The pass D has been great the last two weeks, and he is a large reason why. Very promising. Now if we can only get an outside LB so Byrd won’t have to make so many tackles.
by Berg79 on Oct 19, 2009 9:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I stand corrected...
Byrd actually could have had three yesterday but Corner took one from him. I say he gets AFC Rookie of the Week, maybe even AFC Defensive Player…
by telka on Oct 19, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Byrd actually could have had three yesterday but Corner took one from him
It would have been better if Corner recognized that knocking the ball to the ground was a better result on 4th down. That was essentially a 10-15 yard penalty.
by Pistol on Oct 19, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but it’s more fun to talk about more interceptions than 4th down stops :)
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There was also another play on Braylon Edwards where he almost made a pick as well.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was happy then and still am today
I wanted an upgrade at FS and once I read up on this kid, I was happy with the selection
Considering the fact that he missed a great deal in camp due to his school, I don’t think it’s fair to blame is poor run stopping skills, which I am sure he will fix in the upcoming weeks. His ball hawking skills are really top notch and I am really happy we have him. I also love the kid’s demeanor when he is interviewed, you can tell that this kid is from NFL bloodline. In just three games he has 3 INTs, the same as Whitner has after 3.5 years of playing.
I have nothing left to say, these Bills have sucked me dry of any hope. Loosing to a team that completes 2-17 for 23y with 1 INT, that is beyond pitiful!
by keysh67 on Oct 19, 2009 10:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I blame the LB corps for making the safeties have such trouble by letting the runners through every damn time more than I blame Byrd.
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
At this point the biggest mistake in the draft is passing on Oher at 11. The only time I knew Maybin was out there was when he lined up offsides (and then got an awful jump on the snap).
An early 2nd rounder on a safety, in general, seems premature, but Byrd has played better than I expected and there’s nothing to really complain about with the selection today. If the front 7 was stronger we wouldn’t be talking about his bad run reads (and on the long TD runs it seemed that Whitner and Palmer were also at fault).
by Pistol on Oct 19, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was hoping for Sebastian Vollmer in the 2nd and still think he would have been a bigger help to our team. I mean, we did trade/cut our two starting tackles and didn’t do anything more than sign some undrafted rookies. Nice vision OBD….
That said, no arguing Byrd’s play, keep it up kid.
by Harris on Oct 19, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
cant complain about the Byrd pick
but Im not yet ready to say Everette Brown wasnt the right pick.
It doesnt matter. I voted yes because the question is am I satisified with the pick. Unquestionably I am, which I wasn’t before, he looks like he has the tools to be nasty and lock up our safety position. I’m not ready to say Brown wasnt the right pick. That will take a few years to decide.
The no huddle is gone, please sign tackles Runyan, Jones or Walker
by poz on Oct 19, 2009 10:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good start, but still needs to improve.
The kid definitely has excellent ball skills and I’m very encouraged by his potential, but he understandability has some growing to do. I saw a number of plays where he seemed to take himself out of position to make a play, particularly on the long TD run. I fear that he’s going to the Donte Witner School of Bad Angles.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 10:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Better pick than
Maybin, of course Byrd comes from a good blood-line. His Dad, Gil Byrd, was a great DB for the Chargers.
YEs, but out of the whole draft, how many players are truly contributing? This team still has a terrible offense, if you cannot score more with 5 picks, as well as losing to a Browns QB that through only 2 completions, suppose you have to find something to write about that is positive!
by BuffaloWhiner on Oct 19, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
but out of the whole draft, how many players are truly contributing?
Maybin plays but hasn’t done anything yet, I’ll give that one.
Wood – Starter
Levitre – Starter
Byrd – Starting and has 3 picks the last two games
Nelson – Seems to make at least one play every game. That TD vs the Pats in the opener was sweet, and he has shown a propensity to make some incredible plays. He will lead the TEs in catches/yards/TDs by the end of the year.
Harris and Lankster are 5th and 7th rounders respectively. They will get on the field more as they improve.
Overall I think this is actually a pretty good draft so far.
No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.
by sireric on Oct 19, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. It appears to have been excellent draft given the extensive opportunities these guys have had to show their potential. It’s obvious, but worth restating: on better teams, these rookies wouldn’t bee seeing the field as much.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wood and Levitre, especially Levitre, have impressed the hell out of me. This line is set and golden in the future if they draft a good solid tackle next year in the 2nd or 3rd round.
The Wood – Hangman – Levitre – Butler line will be young but solid next year. This draft has turned out in spades.
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It would be nice to include Butler, but he’ll probably get injured next year as well. Seems like is MO.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let me hope for once D:
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
to be fair.....
the two 60+ yard runs were largely byrd’s fault. got caught flat-footed on both of them / took the wrong angle….
but it’s nice to have a ball hawk on the team.
by eskimonate27 on Oct 19, 2009 10:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Exactly!
As I wrote earlier, he must be studying geometry with Whitner using a broken protractor. It was no coincidence that you saw #20 and #31 in a futile attempt to catch Thomas Jones from behind on his 71 yard TD scamper. I thought Safeties were supposed to keep things in front of them.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Poz was out of position on one when the RB made a sweet cut behind his blocker. Poz filled the hole but the cutback cost him dearly.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lets be honest here...
How often should we be depending on a “free safety” to plug a hole? I would NEVER put the fault on a free safety for missing a tackle on any team in the NFL. What happened to the front 7 before it led to one of the safeties being forced to make a play? The fault is right up front with the big men and on the defense as a whole. NO WAY is anything largely Byrds fault.
That would be like asking Mark Kelso to fill the hole when he played. NO WAY, wasnt happening. Oh and Kelso was one of my favorites when he played.
"If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?"
~Vince Lombardi~
by Hambone on Oct 19, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point, but It depends upon the scheme and perhaps which safety we’re talking about. Byrd is listed as the starting Strong Safety so he needs to provide run support in certain situations. I agree, that the linebackers/linemen should be the first line of defense, but it’s important for a strong safety to stay in front of a running play, in most situations.
In the case of the long run I referred to, Byrd was in a position to get in front of Jones. It was clearly a running play, and Jones had already crossed the line of scrimmage. Byrd, was in his—I presume—designated zone while this was happening. As Eskimonate pointed out, Byrd was caught flat-footed and leaning to the wrong side. Had he recognized and reacted faster he could have been in a position to stop or at least slow down Jones so that Whitner or someone else could clean up on the tackle.
Now the guy is a rookie and should only get better. I put the emphasis on should, because nothing is guaranteed. Despite his better play this year, Whitner is still caught taking bad angles, even though he should know better at this point in his career. One thing that is more difficult to teach is ball skills. Clearly, Byrd has it, as does McKelvin. This was an area that was sorely lacking. If both of these young guys learn to do their 9-5 job, then the Bills secondary is in good shape for years to come. McGee is solid in both departments, although he doesn’t get many pick opportunities as the #1 corner. He does hustle and make the tackle, even if it’s from across the field. I hope Byrd takes notes.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Byrd is listed as the starting Strong Safety
Then he is mis-listed. Whitner was playing strong safety until he got hurt. Then George Wilson played SS. There were a few times when Wilson was up in the box proving it.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually
at the start of the year FS was whitner and SS was Scott, after injuries it was FS byrd and SS wilson….not sure where byrd was lined up sunday but i figure they would’ve put him at fs and whitner at ss
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s exactly correct.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for the clarification!
Perhaps he is mis-listed, but you are right, he was supposed to play FS. Regardless, my point is that over time his reaction time and hopefully tackling will improve; he already has the ball skills.
I certainly agree with Hambone above, that if we’re relying on the FS to routinely make tackles in run support, then there are serious problems with the stoutness of front 7 in run support…which there are of course.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah and look I got accused of being a Pac-10 Homer..............
haha……….eff you guys LOL!
"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." (Robert Collier)
by norcaliangelsfan on Oct 19, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You are a homer
No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.
by sireric on Oct 19, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
but I knew he would be fine………..
Just wait……Stanford has Andrew Luck a RS Frosh QB who is gonna be amazing……2012 1st round QB……….we should be ready for him by then!
"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." (Robert Collier)
by norcaliangelsfan on Oct 19, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, Stanford QB’s have turned out GREAAAAAAT for us.
by nickfeely8 on Oct 19, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know it wan't for us
ever heard of a guy named Elway???
by Cinga on Oct 19, 2009 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah but we need a tackle pretty bad
Rrrawrrrr, rrrawrrr like a dungeon dragon-Busta Ryhmes
by Moe_frm_B_ on Oct 19, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I cried, when we passed on Oher. This guy is going to be a great tackle for years to come.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i feel the same after most our picks, more rage though
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
what's
amazing to me is we scored only 16 pts off of 6 TO’s. Our offense is Oakland Raiders bad. At least our OL played better yesterday. Byrd is just a playmaker. I wish McKelvin was still back there though.
MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens
by MARVelous on Oct 19, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Give credit to the NYJ defense, too. They locked it down well. Not that our beloved Bills turned in a great performance, but the Jets D is not a weak one.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
by WhyBillsWhy on Oct 19, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can’t give credit to any defense that faces the Bills offense…they made the Cleveland D look like world beaters.
"They're Killin' Me Whitey. They're Killin' Me" -- Lou Saban
by NJBill on Oct 19, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Jets D also shut down Drew Brees and the Saints. Something that the vaunted Giants D failed miserably in their attempt to do yesterday.
No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.
by sireric on Oct 19, 2009 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I posted this somewhere else, but it’s ridiculous enough to post again. Byrd’s three INTs are the most a Bills safety has had since Keion Carpenter had five in 2000.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
by kaisertown on Oct 19, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Another fun stat.
I mentioned in the article that Byrd’s three picks puts him as Nate Clements’ equal in terms of rookie Bills DBs making picks.
If he gets one more, it’ll be the most by a Bills rookie since 1979, when Jeff Nixon picked off 6 passes as a rookie.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Oct 19, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
good stuff.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
by kaisertown on Oct 19, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
if he gets one more
it’ll be the most by a bills db in recent memory
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He already tied Terrence McGee’s team-leading 3 from last year.
Mcgee has 4 in 2007, London Fletcher 4 in 2006 (Clements had 3), Troy Vincent and McGee had 4 each in 2005. He could certainly eclipse there numbers.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
by mid season no less
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
pretty much agree
with your assessment of Byrd to date. Biggest issue for me is his lack of speed. He can chose better angles as a result of experience but he is never going to get any faster. Too bad McGee doesn’t have Byrd’s ball hawking ability.
by jpheff on Oct 19, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
After reading those reactions on draft day...
I realized our friend CanadianBillsFan has been AWOL lately. He was on a roll for a while, commenting on everything here.
And I was sad about the pick, but today it looks pretty good.
Sweet home Orchard Park.
jb
by thurman on Oct 19, 2009 11:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
is that me? i’m canadain and a bills fan
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As one of those who was simply aghast when Buffalo took yet another early round DB on draft day I will say that I was wr….wr….wr….not quite right to doubt the selection. While Byrd does seem to have some issues diagnosing run plays he’s killed 3 offensive drives with his INTs. Production talks.
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
by Ron From NM on Oct 19, 2009 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
At the time I LOVED the Byrd pick, it was the other 50 DBs they selected that concerned me.
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Oct 19, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you and everyone else............
"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." (Robert Collier)
by norcaliangelsfan on Oct 19, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
at least last time i remember it does
not sure, it’s been so long since we’ve gotten production on this team i’m thinking of getting a whisper 2000 to see if i can hear a whisper, let alone talk
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do really like Byrd being on the team, but at pick #42?
Not so sure we couldn’t have gotten Ev Brown AND Byrd later on. That was my big problem with the pick…the “value” of the draft pick didn’t seem to match where they could have realistically picked him.
by StroudFanClub on Oct 19, 2009 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Agree
Personally I think our team needed a LINEBACKER more than anything in this draft. Paul Kruger was still on the board at this time. Might have been a nice pickup.
But overall, Byrd is a ballhawk. I was skeptical about his closing burst and tackling as a safety, which I guess is justified by his mistakes in defending the run. Regardless though, he has impressed the hell out of me with his plays. Whitner, Scott, and Byrd are going to be a formidable rotation at the safety position for years to come
by flutieflakes007 on Oct 19, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I though Freddy Kruger was a DE?
No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.
by sireric on Oct 19, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Personally I think our team needed a LINEBACKER more than anything in this draft
could be argued – however – 3 linemen with first 4 picks is exactly the type of drafting this team needs to do for the next 2/3 years – especially with a playmaker in the mix.
not too bad
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 19, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, as far as the 09 draft is looking so far, I’d have to say it was a success.
My only concern has been the lack of production out of Maybin (the player who was suppose to have the biggest impact on our team…). To me personally, Maybin looks small for his position, I hope he has the frame to bulk up.
But besides him, I think this draft went well. I was elated that we got Shawn Nelson in the FOURTH round!!! I thought he’d be gone by the second.
And Jamon Meredith looked very good at the tackle position for his first NFL start in the Jets game. Maybe he can turn into the second coming of Jason Peters (without the attitude problems)…. at least one can dream
by flutieflakes007 on Oct 19, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
thinking with our issues stopping the run, DT and LB should be addressed in the 2nd and 3rd rounds this year
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They believed at the time that there were other teams interested in taking him before their next pick. You can’t look at the draft in hind-sight like that and say they could have had Byrd later. You have no idea what other teams were thinking. We haven’t played Maybin so far this year, what would Everette Brown have done for this team? Our pass rush has been pretty solid so far as well so I’m not sure why we’re beating that into the ground again.
"Potential just means you haven’t done sh## yet"
by willgarr15 on Oct 19, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
hey
i like the byrd pick on draft day, maybin not so much. would’ve been on board for a LB at that point. raji if he was there but he wasn’t so you deal with it. lb would’ve been the smarter choice
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybin has played a lot so far
and done absolutely nothing
~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 19, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
see, i thought byrd was an excellent value at 42 and maybin was a long reach at 11
Starting a movement to draft Jimmy Clausen in april, he'll be the 2nd coming of Kelly, the saviour of the Bills
by J. Mackin on Oct 19, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I initially scowled
But when I heard that he was going to be moved to safety I was quite pleased. I also liked Nic Harris being moved to Linebacker because he looked too big for a safety but I have no idea of how/or if he’s even playing
This space held in honor of Robert Royal known to his friends as "Sweet Cream Style Corn" March 11 2006- February 26, 2009
by pasaluki on Oct 19, 2009 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He is backing up Ellison so he hasn’t played much.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Oct 19, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good write Brian...
Can I have some hot sauce with that “crow”…:-)
I was one of the guys back in April that screamed about the Byrd pick, probably even louder than the 4th the year before of Corner.. Course it tempered a bit when I learned of the switch to safety… But I will also reserve judgment for a couple more years, knowing how things can change (for better or worse)… As for taking the wrong angles to ball carriers, well, see my comments below regarding Maybin/Smith, and give him time to adjust to a new position…. It’s a virtually new position for him, and as others note, if a DB leads the team in tackles, you have other serious problems up front…
You mentioned Nixon above.. I remember his play in ‘79 and ’80 (had 5 more), and that it was as if we all expected him to pick another one each week!!! Heck, he almost single handedly broke the Phish streak against us in ’80!! If not for injuries, who knows what records he would own today…
As to posts I’ve read about Maybin.. I will also reserve judgment… As one of the resident old-timers, need I remind everyone here of Bruce Smith’s first year? Yeah, he had what 6 sacks? But knew nothing at all about tackling a running back, relying on speed to get into the backfield, but knew nothing of containment, and more often than not, literally took himself out of the play… And yeah, some were calling him a bust already….
by Cinga on Oct 19, 2009 2:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Liking what I see of him
in the passing game. He’s going to be tough over the middle there. And he’s a bigger hitter than expected.
But his play in run support has been awful. It’s due to poor angles and a lack of speed. One can be fixed, the other can’t. He’s going to be an above average player, but I can’t see him ever elevating to great player simply because of his speed issues. If he starts putting himself in better position and can mask his speed issues, he’ll be fine. Hopefully, if we ever get our LB unit up to above average, we won’t have to worry about him making many plays in the run game.
I don’t think he’s proven to be the right pick yet. Maybe in time. Hopefully in time.
~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 19, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bird would have had 4
if Corner didn’t nab the one.
Twitter: helping to make anti-social people anti-socially social.
by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 19, 2009 3:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Gladly to say: I was wrong about Byrd
Really like to see Byrd improving. I’m not saying he is a real deal. But he start great. Hope he could be one of the playmakers that this team needs.
by hightower_mc on Oct 19, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
just one note…
wasn’t everyone raving about donte whitner at SS and ko simpson at FS their rookie seasons, then donte was solid but made few plays and was deemed too small to play SS.
Ko is now on the lions.
So it’s still too early to say anything about either of them in my opinion. ESPECIALLY byrd.
Yes he has some “ball hawking” abilities which makes it seem like he’ll be atleast a solid NFL player, just we shall wait and see.
So it is too early to say anyone was wrong or right about Byrd.
by JMP on Oct 20, 2009 12:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
so far
i really ripped this pick when it was made. i’ll admit when i’m wrong and hopefully i will continue to be when it comes to byrd.
by LIBi on Oct 20, 2009 12:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
jeez
You write one Jairus Byrd article and we get bombarded with that ad for the Oregon clothes every time we visit Rumblings…
~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 20, 2009 10:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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