Buffalo Bills News, 1/26: Mike Pettine Meets the Media

Stevie Johnson, Bills Receiver - SO CRAZY, IT JUST MIGHT WORK - ESPN

"As a kid, I'd practice by lining up against my older cousin, and he used to tell me, 'Be elusive. Do something to make me miss you.' I was a basketball player, so all I could think was, okay, let me try my crossover move. So I used it, and from then on he couldn't stop me."

ESPN the Magazine did a really cool series of photographs in the issue this week showing time lapse of some great plays in sports, and one of those featured is Stevie Johnson's crossover move. Stevie talks about how he uses the defender's leverage against him and then talks about how his physicality works to his advantage. A must-click, in my opinion.

NFL fantasy football: DeSean Jackson excited about new offense - NFL.com

"Buffalo might find competition for Fitzpatrick, but it seems unlikely that the team will find its new QB of the future [in the draft]."

Marcas Grant writes this blog post for NFL.com, and while I agree with him that the Bills have certainly been lukewarm on Fitzpatrick recently, it's going to be hard for them to emerge from the NFL draft in April without a guy they are calling their "quarterback of the future," regardless if that guy is picked in the first or second round. Grant may be talking chiefly about the free agent quarterback market - the wording of his post makes it a little nebulous - but that is almost always a less than intriguing group.

Defensive coaches introduced

Inside The Bills | Bills DC “thrilled” with way staff was built
Pettine: “He certainly wasn’t interested in building the type of staff that was going to make a splash with big names. To me I’m thrilled with the way we put the staff together because it’s based on love of the game, the ability to teach and guys that are willing to put the work in for you.”

Doug Marrone on Defensive Coaches - VIDEOS - BuffaloBills.com
"Head Coach Doug Marrone talks about the defensive coaching staff including why he wanted Mike Pettine as the coordinator." There are also videos now posted from Tyrone Wheatley (RB coach), Pat Morris (O-line), and Danny Crossman (ST).

Pettine brings an aggressive attitude to Bills’ defense - The Buffalo News
“We jumped on a plane and went right down to see Mike,” Marrone said. “I couldn’t be happier with that choice. I couldn’t be more excited with the staff we put together on that side of the ball.”

Mike Pettine on Bills' D approach: 'It's going to be an attack style' - Press Coverage | The Buffalo News
Pettine: "We're not going to be a read-and-react defense. That is not in our vocablulary. I think in this league to be successful you have to be aggressive. I don't think you can be reckless, your aggresion has to be calculated, but if you want to sum up what we'll be, it's going to be an attack style."

Buffalo Bills look to restore passion in defense | Democrat and Chronicle
Pettine: “The cornerstone of our system is its flexibility and its multiplicity,” he said. “We’ll be in 3-4, we’ll be in 4-3, we’ll be in 46. If you can draw up a front, we’ll probably be in it.”

Does Darrelle Revis fit in AFC East? - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Revis would appear to be nothing more than a one-year rental if he landed in Buffalo."

More clicks

Stevie Johnson to maintain freedoms in new offense - BuffaloBills.com
"Hilliard has been around this offensive system almost his entire career both as a player and coach. He knows the freedoms it affords. For now however, the focus will be on building the offense as a unit. Maximizing the talents of playmakers like Johnson will come later."

Inside The Bills | Fan Friday 1-25
Chris Brown answers questions on drafting a first round quarterback (and specifically Ryan Nassib), picking Tyrann Mathieu, and the teams picking ahead of Buffalo in the second round.

Inside The Bills | QB thoughts from Mike Mayock
"NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has watched the QBs all week long in workouts. And he says his impressions coming into the week remain the same four days later."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Report: Bills Not As High On Nassib 'as Most Presume'
DraftInsider.net via Joe Buscaglia: "We’ve been told the Buffalo Bills are not as high on Ryan Nassib as most presume. In fact we’ve heard their scouts don’t even rank him as the best quarterback in Mobile."

Matt Barkley to New York Jets? Let's play QB matchmaker - NFL.com
Bucky Brooks put Arkansas' Tyler Wilson with Buffalo. "While the obvious prospect to the direct the offense would appear to be Marrone's quarterback at Syracuse, Ryan Nassib, the ultra-talented Wilson possesses the arm strength, anticipation and football IQ to thrive in an up-tempo attack."