Duke Preston

[ghz in pittsburgh]

TEAM:	Buffalo Bills
HEIGHT/WEIGHT:	6'5' / 326
DOB:	6/12/1982
AGE:	26
COLLEGE:	Illinois
CONTRACT INFO:	2008: $520,000, 2009: Free Agent

Give him credit. I didn't think he'll match up well against Williams but he held up reasonably well, though I think he got a lot of help, particularly from Dockery. So this maybe the way they go after 3-4 defense, Dockery and center go after the NT. At least Duke was not on his back before Dockery got his hand on the NT.

The most impressive thing about him IN THIS GAME is that he seemed to make far less mental mistakes than Fowler in the past. I don't think he missed a stunt and always picked up the right blitzers. Now we do had two weeks to prepare so he may have got a lot of time to study. Let's see what he does in Miami on the road.

My old memory of Preston is always he has cement lateral movement and gets beat by guys juking him around left and right with stiff arms. I didn't see much of that yesterday. Maybe it's because of the 3-4 defense (so he faced a guy directly in front of him) or maybe he improved, but we shall see his experiment soon enough.

[Michael82]

Re: Duke Preston

I liked him so much more than I liked Melvin Fowler this year. I always said, he can't do worse than Fowler at C, looks like I was right....

[madness]

Re: Duke Preston

TEAM:	Buffalo Bills
HEIGHT/WEIGHT:	6'5' / 326
DOB:	6/12/1982
AGE:	26
COLLEGE:	Illinois
CONTRACT INFO:	2008: $520,000, 2009: Free Agent

Give him credit. I didn't think he'll match up well against Williams but he held up reasonably well, though I think he got a lot of help, particularly from Dockery. So this maybe the way they go after 3-4 defense, Dockery and center go after the NT. At least Duke was not on his back before Dockery got his hand on the NT.

The most impressive thing about him IN THIS GAME is that he seemed to make far less mental mistakes than Fowler in the past. I don't think he missed a stunt and always picked up the right blitzers. Now we do had two weeks to prepare so he may have got a lot of time to study. Let's see what he does in Miami on the road.

My old memory of Preston is always he has cement lateral movement and gets beat by guys juking him around left and right with stiff arms. I didn't see much of that yesterday. Maybe it's because of the 3-4 defense (so he faced a guy directly in front of him) or maybe he improved, but we shall see his experiment soon enough.

I think it may be the fact that everybody based his play while at the G. position. He's never had great lateral movement but he's a very smart player which can make up for that.

I just hope he's starting next week.

[Lexwhat]

Re: Duke Preston

I liked him so much more than I liked Melvin Fowler this year. I always said, he can't do worse than Fowler at C, looks like I was right....

I remember we were both making this argument over a year ago too. Maybe longer, but I don't remember that far back ...

[Lexwhat]

Re: Duke Preston

I just hope he's starting next week.

Any word from the Bills?

[madness]

Re: Duke Preston

Any word from the Bills?

I haven't seen or heard anything yet and we probably won't until at least Wed.

[raphael120]

Re: Duke Preston

Did anyone go back and watch how well he played? from what i saw he looked a hell of a lot better than fowler...but thats not saying much

[Confused]

Re: Duke Preston

Its not hard to be a better center than Smelvin. I think we need to draft a stud at this position.

[bigbub2352]

Re: Duke Preston

Couldnt agree more, his size alone will help him with the Bull rush, and he looks to have a nasty streak on run plays, he needs to stay in there Fowler is obviously the weakest link

make the move DJ

[The last buffalo fan]

Re: Duke Preston

is the fish dline, any good?

[LABillsFan]

Re: Duke Preston

I only saw the highlights but on just about every play, he was exploding through his blocks, he looked nasty, but then again it was only the highlights.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: Duke Preston

I didn't know Miami plays 3-4 defense as well (man that makes all 3 of our division foes are 3-4 defenses plus the Browns).

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/732931.html

In 3-4, Nose Tackle is the most important guy. No wonder the Dolphins' D tanked a bit the last two games because their NT is out. I don't know the status for the Bills game. Maybe Preston would fare better than Fowler against all of these NTs in the coming weeks.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Duke Preston

Pat Kirwan on Sirius said he knows Melvin well and that Fowler is still the better player. FYI.

He says having the biggest line doesn't mean anything and just becuase Duke is bigger it doesn't amke a good argument.

[mysticsoto]

Re: Duke Preston

I didn't know Miami plays 3-4 defense as well (man that makes all 3 of our division foes are 3-4 defenses plus the Browns).

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/732931.html

In 3-4, Nose Tackle is the most important guy. No wonder the Dolphins' D tanked a bit the last two games because their NT is out. I don't know the status for the Bills game. Maybe Preston would fare better than Fowler against all of these NTs in the coming weeks.

I think he's still day to day so we likely won't know until Thursday or so...if even then...

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: Duke Preston

I'm just afraid that miami may change up to 4-3 if, as widely expected, Ferguson is out this Sunday.

Miami does play a two gap 3-4, which is closer to 4-3 than the one gap 3-4.

The Bills pulled such a trick on Jimmy Johnson's Dolphins one year and threw off their protection scheme.

On the other hand, it is not an easy thing to do within one week. Maybe our "weak" running game and "weak" center make them feel that they can get by with a not so true NT.