Around the AFC East: Ranking the division's linebackers

by Brian Galliford on Jul 10, 2009 8:00 AM EDT in AFC East Comment 49 comments

It's Friday. If you're a veteran in this little corner of the Internet, you know that today is traditionally the day where we interview SB Nation's AFC East bloggers about their respective teams in an effort to better know the Buffalo Bills' biggest rivals. You only have to be a veteran of a couple of weeks, however, to know that once those posts got a bit dry, we ramped things up with a healthy discussion on AFC East running back rankings.

To say those discussions brought out the best in rivalry-speak is an understatement. Y'all represented yourselves and Buffalo Rumblings well in your travels to The Phinsider, Pats Pulpit and Gang Green Nation. You'll get another opportunity to do a little talking on this lovely Friday morning.

Unfortunately, today's positional ranking may force you to consider discussing the weather. Today's charge is to rank the four linebacker corps of the AFC East. It should be noted before we get too into this that it's difficult to even make a comparison like this, considering the Bills run a completely different defensive scheme than their three divisional counterparts. Even based on sheer talent, however, y'all probably realize that if we're doing this thing fairly, the Bills aren't going to fare that well. Grit your teeth and head on in for our full rankings, and make sure to visit the three blogs linked above to view three more sets of rankings.

1. New York Jets
Honestly, I'm not a Jets fan, even though I ranked their running backs as the best in the division as well. I feel gross doing it, but I'm giving the nod to the Jets in this linebacker ranking as well.

It's pretty easy to do, though - veteran Bart Scott and third-year man David Harris make up arguably the hardest-hitting and most intimidating set of inside linebackers in the NFL. Seriously - those two playing behind Kris Jenkins is pretty formidable. Even though he's suspended for the first four games of next season, Calvin Pace was a force for the Jets last season and should get even better under Rex Ryan. Bryan Thomas is a solid rusher, and even if he falters, Vernon Gholston is waiting in the wings. These guys are good, and the proposition of them receiving tutelage from Ryan isn't exactly encouraging.

2. Miami Dolphins
Miami and New England were essentially neck and neck for me, but I'm putting Miami second because of Joey Porter. As much as I'd like to see him absolutely bulldozed by Eric Wood on a nice toss sweep next season, Porter can flat out play. He's the playmaking presence in an otherwise solid but unspectacular trio of linebackers.

Channing Crowder can play, but he's hampered a bit by the fact that he's not a playmaker. Akin Ayodele is solid, but again, unspectacular. Matt Roth, who plays rush linebacker opposite Porter, could be due for a break-out season. Don't forget about CFL pass-rushing import Cameron Wake, either. Miami's linebackers are the lifeblood of a somewhat underrated defensive unit. When there's that much young talent, adding Jason Taylor - even though he's closer to washed up than Dolphins legend - is just icing on the cake.

3. New England Patriots
It's tough ranking the Pats this low, simply because 2008 first-round pick Jerod Mayo has the potential to become one of the most feared linebackers in the league. That young man is going to be good for a long, long time.

Adalius Thomas can play too, though he's coming off of a somewhat disappointing 2008 season in which he picked up 33 tackles and five sacks in just nine games. Tully Banta-Cain returns after a one-year stint in San Francisco to line up opposite Thomas, and veteran Paris Lenon will push for playing time as well. Though he's injured, third-round pick Tyrone McKenzie has a ton of promise under Bill Belichick as well. And, of course, I would be a blasphemer if I were to avoid mentioning the greatest linebacker, professional football player, humanitarian and overall man in the history of mankind - Tedy Bruschi.

4. Buffalo Bills
As mentioned - it's tough to rank the Bills in this situation simply because in their zone-based 4-3 alignment, their responsibilities are vastly different than what the linebackers play in Miami, New England and New York. It's therefore difficult to equate the players based on statistics alone since the opportunity to make plays is far less in Buffalo, particularly when considering the team's woeful pass rush.

I like Paul Posluszny - a lot. I think he's going to play Mike linebacker in this league for quite a while, and he's a perfect fit in a city like Buffalo. I like Kawika Mitchell, too - he's streaky, but he has the potential to make big plays, and he's probably the best blitzer on the team. But the liking stops there, as the Bills have a hodgepodge class of players fighting for the strong-side role, led by the underappreciated yet underwhelming Keith Ellison. Buffalo's linebacker set is the only one in the division that isn't yet complete - even while the Bills are the only team employing three starters at the position. That ranks them last, unfortunately, even as much as I like Poz and Mitchell.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know - and if you've got a gripe about anyone else's AFC East linebacker rankings, we'd love to hear about it here, too.

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Some notes from my peers’ rankings:

Matty I, The Phinsider: Link. Bills ranked third. Quotes.

I’ll admit that I’m a big fan of Paul Posluszny and how he plays the game. He had a very good season last year after missing basically all of his rookie season in 2007. I think he’s going to be a star in this league.

MaPatsFan, Pats Pulpit: Link. Bills ranked fourth. Quotes.

MLB Paul Posluszny could be a major contributor, but it’s unclear right now. I believe he struggles from the same issues as our Jerod Mayo – he simply needs NFL reps to get better.

John B, Gang Green Nation: Link. Bills ranked fourth. Quotes.

I like Paul Posluszny, but how many middle linebackers in the division would you take him over? Maybe Aylodele. Keith Ellison and Kawika Mitchell aren’t anything special.

Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more

by Brian Galliford on Jul 10, 2009 8:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It bothers me that the Jets can be that good up the middle….and while I think the PAts could have better LBs than the Dolphins, although it is obviously debatable…I can’t argue with where we stand. Last is not a good feeling, and the only hope is that Poz progresses into a better player because Kawika is at his personal peak performance, although could be better after a year in the system, and Ellison….he might just need to go but it doesn’t look like this year

The Bills CAN win any game

by killascript on Jul 10, 2009 8:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Repalcement?

Why can’t we come up w/ a good replacement for Ellison? He’s a GOOD “back-up”, but IMO, NOT a starter in this league. And his competition that he’ll get in camp dosn’t really excite me to this point in time anyways.

Why don’t the Bills take a look under the hood of Derrick Brooks? Can it really hurt to look?

Season Ticket Holder Sec: 312, Row: 15
"There's NO place like home when it's the Big Tree Inn"

by Pocono Bob on Jul 10, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think so too

But all signs so far, point to no….perhaps we’re just biding are time…but why??

The Bills CAN win any game

by killascript on Jul 10, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m hoping for some big improvements in Poz’s play this year, and for someone other than Ellison to emerge as our Strong side LB. Mitchell as you stated is what he is. He has made some great plays, and some that had you scratching your head. All in all your assesment was pretty much right on. Maybe more points on the board by the O will help improve our D as well. That being said the O has a substantial task ahead of them with the other D’s in our division.

by Tarkus II on Jul 10, 2009 8:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I vote next week

we rank punters

by shouldbeworking on Jul 10, 2009 8:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

2nd that...

I love me some DB's...I might just be Dick Jauron's long lost twin!

by DBLuv on Jul 10, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

then punt returners

on another note, im pretty excited about mobile commenting now, another excuse to do even less at work.

by dragonwag0n on Jul 10, 2009 9:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

and we dont bother to rank the DEs

Football. Bloody Hell!!

by gregeng on Jul 10, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bug bubble of trouble my friends...

Our bloved team is treading in deep water with mr.ellison. I mean come on guys are you serious? You sign ownes and nelect this lb upgrade? It seems like a contrdiction. Why no word on looking into 11 time pro bowler derrick brooks??? Sure he’s on the older side but strong as an ox and leadership/superbowl experience. Inking terrel and atleast not looking into brooks is a bit of a contradiction. Gear up for a good to great offense with another d giving up 120 plus rushing yards a game unless we fix that spot.

by Jay Mayne on Jul 10, 2009 10:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We’ve discussed ad nauseam the relative unimportance of the LB position in this defense. When you have to fix a pass rush and find a playmaker in the back seven, LB is going to take a back seat. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fix everything in one off-season.

Don’t worry about rushing yards per game. That stat dwindles if we play with leads, too.

Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more

by Brian Galliford on Jul 10, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand the relative unimportance of the SLB in our scheme and I understand that Ellison is capable at the position but I don’t understand why the Bills haven’t looked into Brooks. Maybe he wouldn’t want to come to a team where he’d be a marginal starter at best but I’d feel better if the Bills tried and failed to bring him in – I mean it seems to be that he would be an upgrade and could really help all our young guys at the position. It just seems like it couldn’t hurt. So, any ideas why the Bills don’t seem to be pursuing Brooks? Is it monetary concerns or something else – or are they really just not interested?

- TEMS

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Jul 10, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Idk

I think it flusters all of us bills fans that they dont atleast attempt for ths guy. Hell, even if he doesnt play, he brings leadership and experience and depth, and even if he doesnt bring those things he will bring tickets. And to say that one of the greatest linebackers in the history of the NFL played for the Bills, hell I would go to a game jsut to see Brooks and Owens, along with our nasty Offense (hopefully).

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

by NCbillsfan12 on Jul 10, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It could be that at this point Brooks is hardly an upgrade over Ellison. Check out their numbers and you don’t really see Brooks as someone who we HAVE to have. His experience and leadership would benefit the D, but I really am not convinced his play would add that much.

~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 Jul 10, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is probably not monetary concerns...

It’s not like teams are knocking down Brooks’ door. The Bills along with many other teams think he has nothing left in the tank or not enough to matter. The reality of the salary cap era is that young players are the way to go and finding a cheap diamond in the rough is better than paying the vet minimum for a known quantity.

As for Brooks he has been begging teams to call him. If Russ Brandon called, he would be here for a visit. Look for him to get a call when someone gets injured in training camp somewhere in the league.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 11, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The crucial thing to remember is that under the Bills’ defensive scheme the SLB is on the field for less than one-third of the defensive snaps. That’s an exceedingly part-time position. Indeed, the guy playing it hardly deserves to be called a starter, no matter who he is, since he doesn’t play very much. For that assignment Keith Ellison is not a bad choice. He’s ok for what is really a back-up role, although if Bowen or Harris move past him during Training Camp that will be fine, too. Also, look for Aaron Maybin to line up at SLB on occasional plays as the season progresses, which will mean that Ellison (or Harris or Bowen) will be even more part-time.

by Macktruck on Jul 10, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s a number that has been thrown around some, but I just can’t believe it’s true. If it is then Ellison’s 73 tackles make him the most productive player in the league. Imagine if he were on the field the whole time, he would have like 200 tackles per season!

Anyone know where that one third number comes from?

by kaisertown on Jul 10, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brian

how do you rank the Pats higher than us? They lost Vrabel, Bruschi is essentially on his last legs, Adalius Thomas appears done. And then this it gets utterly absurd. Tully Bunta-Cain? Paris Lenon An injured rookie McKenzie?? Shawn Crable?? Excuse me for not being impressed ESPECIALLY considering they run a 3-4 and are deep with mediocre talent. You can go right ahead and throw Ellison in with Bunta-Cain, Lenon, McKenzie and Crable for a starting job and I’ll put my money on Ellison beating all of them out.

But oh wait, they have Jerrod Mayo and because hes on the Pats he must be a better prospect than Poz. Everyone has already anointed Mayo the next great MLB. I’ll take Poz thanks.

So where exactly are the Pats better than us? Kawika Mitchell is a playmaker and for a 4-3 OLB gets a ton of pressure on the QB.

While most posters here will focus on Ellison and how hes our obvious weak spot, which he is, I want to know how the Pats are in any way in better shape then us. Maybe Pierre Woods can man that OLB spot for them if Crable doesn’t pan out, give me a break.

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 10, 2009 10:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Vrabel loss hurts them. I don’t know how you can say “Adalius Thomas appears done” – he hasn’t been as productive as he was in Baltimore, but 11.5 sacks in 23 games is pretty good pace. Banta-Cain had 5.5 himself the last time he played in NE. They’re not dominant, obviously, but they’ll get pressure on quarterbacks.

But oh wait, they have Jerrod Mayo and because hes on the Pats he must be a better prospect than Poz. Everyone has already anointed Mayo the next great MLB. I’ll take Poz thanks.

Haha, come on, man, you’ve got to give me a little more credit than that. Did you see Mayo play at all last year? He’s an excellent athlete. BIG hitter. Perfect fit for that defense. Potential is through the roof. My ranking him ahead of Poz isn’t anywhere close to a slight – I love Poz. I just think Mayo will have a better career.

Kawika Mitchell is a playmaker and for a 4-3 OLB gets a ton of pressure on the QB.

He can be a playmaker, yes, but he can also leave you throwing crap at the TV because he’s missed a tackle or an assignment. And the only reason he gets a “ton of pressure” is because we’ve seen him for one year, and our defensive ends were so putrid that the Bills blitzed more than most NFL teams to try to get any semblance of pressure. Don’t expect him to be used as much in that capacity if things go well with Schobel/Maybin; Fewell prefers a four-man rush.

I want to know how the Pats are in any way in better shape then us.

Honestly, it’s the scheme. Those guys will be able to freelance a touch more, and they’ll certainly be more active. Their best player is better than our best player. Their depth is probably equal to our depth – because let’s face it, most of our reserves (Bowen, Harris, heck even DiGiorgio) are highly unproven.

I ranked the Pats third for a reason – they’re clearly not near the class of the Jets here, and the Dolphins are real solid at LB too. But I think they clearly beat out Buffalo for all of the reasons mentioned above.

Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more

by Brian Galliford on Jul 10, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

11.5 sacks in 23 games

*25 games

Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more

by Brian Galliford on Jul 10, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he hasn’t been as productive as he was in Baltimore, but 11.5 sacks in 23 games is pretty good pace.

In my opinion, in a 3-4 scheme the guy in Adalius’ position is expected to act as the pass rusher, hes supposed to make plays on the quarterback. If you look at the Patriots defensive line there are a lot of opportunities for OLBs as those guys on the line are monsters who just eat up blockers: Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, in my opinion by far the strength of that team. I would imagine that plenty of average 3-4 OLB could rack up 11.5 sacks in 25 games playing behind that line. Thomas will be 32 before Week 1 and if you look at his stats, his decline looks more serious than you might think. Over the last three seasons he has dropped from 11 sacks, to 6.5, to 5.5. Is 6.5 really that impressive? Considering how much teams had to throw to keep up with the record breaking offense? I’m not convinced hes that great.

And the only reason he gets a "ton of pressure" is because we’ve seen him for one year, and our defensive ends were so putrid that the Bills blitzed more than most NFL teams to try to get any semblance of pressure.

Well, I don’t think thats the only reason he gets pressure, he had 4 sacks for us and 3.5 for the Giants the year before. Mitchell also had 2 picks and 2 forced fumbles, so his playmaking abilities shouldn’t just be attributed to scheme or how hes used, remember that touchdown he had with the Giants?

Haha, come on, man, you’ve got to give me a little more credit than that

ugh, fine…I know, I know and I do give you more credit than that but come on man! its Poz!

I guess my final point is, how do you justify putting us so low for Ellison but then you seem to conveniently ignore the fact that Tully Bunta Cain, Pierre Woods or Shawn Crable will be starting outside for the Pats. Not exactly a devastating trio. Bunta Cain??

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 10, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

OLB and Adalius Thomas

Believe it or not, I agree – sort of. I’ve never considered Thomas a pass rushing OLB and I’ve been a bit mystified why Belichick and the FO didn’t go after one this year (other than the failed attempt at DE Jason Taylor). In Thomas’ defense, he was pushed to ILB in 2007 and broke his forearm in 2008 – limiting him to 9 games. Both of those could account for a lower than normal sack count.

Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Jul 10, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those are good points in his defense and I have no doubt that Adalius can still be an effective player but I by no means think that hes heads and shoulders above other linebackers anymore. As you pointed out, I was praying you didn’t get Jason Taylor, because an upgrade over Thomas or the other OLB would have made your defense much better.

If your being honest, are there age concerns that Bruschi is not the linebacker he used to be?

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 10, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely on the age question

At 36, Tedy Bruschi is becoming more of a locker room/veteran presence than a strong contributor on the field. Last year, he ratcheted down to roughly 2 plays per series while backup Gary Guyton took the rest. His contract’s up this year and he’s started talking about “future plans”, ie: coaching. Tedy is probably one of the most popular Patriots with us fans, having played all of his 14 years with NE. I would prefer to see him call it quits and transition to a role in the organization.

Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Jul 10, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s Banta-Cain! Get it right or he’ll haunt your dreams.

~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 Jul 10, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s very discrete. But he’ll haunt your dreams.

If the glove don’t fit, it couldn’t be Whit...

by thatguy34 on Jul 10, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HAHAHA

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 11, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can be a playmaker, yes, but he can also leave you throwing crap at the TV because he’s missed a tackle or an assignment.

Do you think having a year under his belt will make a big difference in terms of knowing his role? Our defensive scheme is probably quite different from what they were running in NY? Heck, our defensive scheme at the end of the year was quite different from what we started the year with. Hopefully Fewell has put everything he’s learned over the past few years together, and the defenders can be relatively healthy for once.

by syrbillsfan on Jul 10, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t another year is going to help Mitchell in terms of misses tackles and assignments. That’s not a failure to adjust to a scheme, that’s just not making plays when they are there to be made….

~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 Jul 10, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Mitchell is just really big and not particularly agile. He can be a beast around the LOS, but when it’s him vs. an athlete in space, another year in the scheme isn’t going to make those missed tackles any less ugly. Mitchell is what he is and that’s far from a bad thing.

by kaisertown on Jul 10, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Brian

those are pretty much my thoughts on the comparison between the two teams’ LB’s…..

We’ve got two average, slightly above average starters and one below average starter. The Pats have a very good player in Mayo, who I also think is better and has much more potential than Poz, and some pass rushers. I think Thomas will be just fine for them this year, unfortunately….

~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 Jul 10, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As much as I hate to give Brian right, he’s right. The Jets have a heck of a LB-corps, though they have next to zero depth. Bart Scott and David Harris should incontrovertibly form a very good ILB-corps, though they’re both a bit limited in coverage (particularly Harris). Calvin Pace is the best LB for the Jets, as he always seems to contribute, either by making sacks, forcing fumbles, batting balls down, making physical tackles etc.
Bryan Thomas is adequate, but nothing special.

The Dolphins have a solid LB-unit with two solid ILB’s and a fantastic pass-rushing OLB in Joey Porter. Opposite Porter, they seem to be lacking quite a bit, although the acquisition of JT will certainly help them.

The Patriots’ LB-corps would be last on my list, if it wasn’t for Jerod Mayo, who will – as has been pointed out thousands of times – be a great LB.
Adalius Thomas has evolved into a shade of his old self, in spite of this he’s still a good OLB.

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Jul 10, 2009 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Adalius Thomas on the down side of his career is still a pretty good player. I would be appy to have him on the bills any day!!

and i cannot complain about our ranking of 4/4 either, not because we are terrible we have an averaage lb corps with alot of potential, but because the others are better than us.

Football. Bloody Hell!!

by gregeng on Jul 10, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i just had a look at the other articles

we have had 4 times as many comments as the other sites combined!!!!!!!!

Also on a poll on the jets site, 4 people reckon the bills have the best linebacker in the division! how can anyone claim with a straight face the poz or mitchell are better than joey porter or bart scott!

Football. Bloody Hell!!

by gregeng on Jul 10, 2009 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

one guy on the phins blog

had us ranked 2nd after the phins saying Poz and Mitchell are elite linebackers. I love it!!

You know what I hope Poz, Mitchell and Ellison read this blog and see that everyone thinks their the worst in the division….and bring the hammer next year!

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 10, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The "Underrated" card

Always works for the Pats! Even when they were ranked #1 Belichick & Co. found ways to play that card.

by syrbillsfan on Jul 10, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I seem to notice that type of commenting on all the articles here. There is a lot of passion and opinions from Bills fan, unmatched by other teams…

~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 Jul 10, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps the other teams have better alternatives to their SBNation blogs...

….but it does seem that there is….well… a higher percentage of better informed writers here. Not unbiased, but as objective as is reasonable, under the circumstances (this is a football blog, after all, not Foreigh Affairs or the Journal of the American Medical Association!) There seems to be a relatively smaller percentage of “We’re the best, they’re the worst!” comments. I’m quite thankful, though, that there’s no minimum football knowledgeability test score required to participate here. I’m amazed at how much people know about the rest of league.

by Gino Parilli on Jul 10, 2009 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m amazed at how much people know about the rest of league.

I feel that playing fantasy football really keeps me in tune with the rest of the league. Having Directv and the Ticket also helps greatly. I love watching the NFL and watch every game that I can, and I’m sure many of my fellow Rumblers feel the same way.

~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 Jul 11, 2009 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

100% on board

i watch football non stop in the fall. My girlfriend has just gotten used to it at this point and my roommate has come to accept that come the fall he had to either become a die hard football fan or get another TV. Needless to say, he now knows everything about the Saints, Panthers, etc etc

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 11, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

These rankings are spot on

Though as BFFD noted, if any of the Jets starters go down, they are in deep trouble, there are already rumblings from out of the Jets camp that Ryan is having trouble getting through to Gholston and make something of him, thats looking like more and more a wasted pick, boo hoo…. ;-)

Anyhow, the Phins and the Pats for me are about the same as you noted Brian, but like you I would give them the nod over the Phins due to Mayo, he will be a great one for a long time if he can avoid the injury bug. Otherwise all the other players cancel each other out.

Our own LB corps, well, we’ve all discussed them ad nauseum, so I won’t waste my time beating that well and truly dead horse.

(443): My mom came into my room and told me to flip off the tv. I gave it the middle finger. Note to self: STOP SMOKING THIS S#!T

-textsfromlastnight.com

by WABillsfan on Jul 10, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

beating that well and truly dead horse.

I don’t think its quite the dead horse you make it out to be. We have two very good linebackers and a free agent signing could have a major impact on our outlook. If you think the Pats are sitting pretty with Tully Bunta Cain well then your putting down Ellison just because your familiar with him more. The Pats, as we do, have a glaring hole in their linebacking corp and a young up and coming middle linebacker. The differences are that their other two starters are solid but clearly aging players while our other player is a dynamic, on the field leader. Is that crystal clear to you that their corp is superior? Because I think its very much up for debate.

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 10, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Guyton will surprise a lot of people this year at the ILB spot, he got a number of reps there last year

And he will get even more as Tedy becomes less active on game day. Cain you may make fun of talent wise but I think he can be a more than serviceable starter. He was two years ago with NE and I think their system will allow him to be so again, don’t forget that SF’s D line while good is not anywhere near as good as NE’s and that can make a huge difference for your LBers.

(443): My mom came into my room and told me to flip off the tv. I gave it the middle finger. Note to self: STOP SMOKING THIS S#!T

-textsfromlastnight.com

by WABillsfan on Jul 10, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

true

but if its scheme then are their linebackers truly better than ours? I’m not making fun of Cain, just pointing out that Ellison may be better. Do you think Ellison would be good on their defense?

Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.

by poz on Jul 11, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think Ellison could make NE’s roster. But that’s entirely due to how bad of a fit he would be in a 3-4. Banta-Cain isn’t a bad pass rusher which makes him a solid role player, but as a starter the Pats might in more trouble there then Buffalo is in with Ellison. BC might be a better player and do more good things on the field, but Ellison is far more reliable and won’t hurt you nearly as much as BC could. I’d rather have Ellison starting in this defense then Banta-Cain in a 3-4, but It’s really tough to compare two players who are so different.

by kaisertown on Jul 11, 2009 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Other than Poz and Mitchell the Bills really dont have anyone that impresses me

I thought you guys still ran the cover 2.

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by Patssuck456 on Jul 11, 2009 9:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We do, generally. It’s getting closer and closer to a traditional 4-3 but we do still run a 4-3 cover 2. Was there someone who said something different.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 11, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it’s tough to rank the Bills in this situation simply because in their zone-based 4-3 alignment, their responsibilities are vastly different than what the linebackers play in Miami

Patssuck, the cover 2 is a zone based 4-3 defense. The Bills aren’t a pure Tampa 2 defense like the Colts have been. We play some cover 1 and 3, we use some man coverages and we blitz more often than a lot of other 4-3 defenses do. But the cover 2 is still the base defense and more importantly, this coaching staff sticks to the general philosophies of the defense.

by kaisertown on Jul 12, 2009 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs