dolphan117
08-06-2007, 06:21 PM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- On the artificial-turf football field at St. John Fisher College (as picturesque a campus as you'll see on the training-camp circuit), the Bills precocious young left tackle, Jason Peters, is working on defending pass-rush moves with assistant line coach Pete Kugler. I'd describe Peters as a bulked-up power forward with the feet of a small forward. He's a former tight end from Arkansas who made the switch to tackle with the Bills, and he's on the verge on being one of the best offensive linemen in football. Kugler is rolling off Peters, getting punched and pushed away by the tackle, and trying to be a nuisance, all in the name of teaching Peters moves in defending his quarterback from pass-rushers.
"It's harder than it looks,'' Peters says later. "You've got to have at least three good pass sets, and you've got to mix it up so the defensive end can't get a book on you. All these little things, they're what you have to do well if you want to be a great player.''
5. I think the three most impressive backs I saw in the last week, in order, have been Jamal Lewis, Cleveland; Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo; and Kolby Smith, Kansas City. That's right, Kolby Smith. You wonder why you don't hear the panicked bleatings of Chiefs worried about Larry Johnson's holdout? Here's why: running backs are among the most replaceable quantities on the NFL landscape. The 5-foot-11, 219-pound fifth-round back from Louisville played in Michael Bush's shadow for much of his college career, and the Chiefs saw enough last year (5.6 yards per carry, quickness around the corner) to think he'd be a good backup for Johnson and Michael Bennett. I do think Johnson will play, and I think he'll report by Labor Day, but if he doesn't, I don't think the Chiefs will have a rushing famine.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/08/05/camp.impressions/index.html
"It's harder than it looks,'' Peters says later. "You've got to have at least three good pass sets, and you've got to mix it up so the defensive end can't get a book on you. All these little things, they're what you have to do well if you want to be a great player.''
5. I think the three most impressive backs I saw in the last week, in order, have been Jamal Lewis, Cleveland; Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo; and Kolby Smith, Kansas City. That's right, Kolby Smith. You wonder why you don't hear the panicked bleatings of Chiefs worried about Larry Johnson's holdout? Here's why: running backs are among the most replaceable quantities on the NFL landscape. The 5-foot-11, 219-pound fifth-round back from Louisville played in Michael Bush's shadow for much of his college career, and the Chiefs saw enough last year (5.6 yards per carry, quickness around the corner) to think he'd be a good backup for Johnson and Michael Bennett. I do think Johnson will play, and I think he'll report by Labor Day, but if he doesn't, I don't think the Chiefs will have a rushing famine.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/08/05/camp.impressions/index.html