Practice Notes 8/5

[FlyingDutchman]

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Practice-Notes---Day-6/ce9ff2f3-2a46-4a2b-8365-5064d438ffe3

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

Starting to get excited to see what Chandler can do in a game

[Night Train]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

And McGee had the interception return for a score

I thought it was the " beginning of the end " for him a couple days earlier.

Always liked Chandler at Iowa. He would line up wide in the slot from a standing position and understood how to get his body between the ball and the defenser, making him hard to cover. Did that more than lineing up tight and sticking his hand in the ground but reportedly has become a solid blocker. Sure has the size. Glad the Bills see him as starting material.

Thanks for the update. We now return to overreacting to each camp report.

[Luisito23]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

I thought it was the " beginning of the end " for him a couple days earlier.

It still is...At this point the guy is nothing but a backup, I really hope he doesn't start.

[mysticsoto]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

I went to camp on Friday and had these notes I scribbled down also:

_______________________________________________________________

Bills Training Camp 2011

Friday, August 5th, 2011.

Unlike Mikey, I didn't keep detailed tracking of every exercise and play the Bills did during my visit to their training camp. Instead, I tried to catch highlights and give an overall picture. I paid special attention to the linebackers and the Dline vs Oline individual matchups were something I watched closely also.

Here are some of my notes from Friday afternoon:

- It was especially nice to see Jasper as the 1st one out there stretching before anyone else showed up. He really seems motivated to try and succeed, and I really hope this translates to games.
- Some special team work began early - working assignments, while WRs practiced sudden turning and catching followed by stretching exercises for everyone.
- The linebackers worked on technique to shed blocks using each other as blockers. Kelsay had a fantastic shed that I was ready to give him high props on...until I realized it was against maybin.
- Antonio Coleman looked pretty good.
- Something I noticed of interest: Maybin has a higher difficulty getting around an opponent on their left side vs their right.
- Though Spencer Johnson sheds his blocks well, in the next exercise where he had to use a spin move to get around his opponent, he fell after the spin each time. Clearly he has some footwork issues to correct and work on.
- In some initial 11 on 11 drills, Reggie Torbor was directing White what to do on the fly. I think he recognized what Fitz was trying to do and was trying to adjust White at ILB who seemed confused and oblivious.
- More special Team work, this time with actual kicking and still working on assignments.
- On the wide receiver catching drills Evans and Stevie had some nice bomb catches. Parrish was probably the star however. On one occasion he made an all of a sudden stop as if he here about to cut and turn and Florence came rushing in hoping for an interception. As he did so, Parrish took off along the sidelines and caught a 40+ yd bomb creating some oohs and aaahs from the crowd.
- Naaman Roosevelt caught a nice 40 yard bomb also.
- Donald Jones had a fantastic athletic end zone catch going to the ground and tumbling over with a cornerback all over him - and still held onto the ball.
- Later, the WRs practiced catching in front with their hands only. All WRs looked good, but Easley looked especially good as though it was second nature to him. In fact, in every catch I saw, Easly looked as smooth catching it as receivers like Evans, Stevie and Parrish. The bad news is that before the 11 on 11 drills at the end, he was hobbling a bit and then went back into the locker rooms. Clearly it's going to take alot more than 1 week to recover from his injury and if it continues, could cost him (and us) alot more. It's too bad, he seems injury prone. He has the possibility of being an outstanding receiver for us if healthy.

Next, I turned my attention to the Oline vs Dline drills. The drills were designed for 1 on 1 evaluations and toward the end started varying and including some stunts.

- First up, Demetrious Bell vs Spencer Johnson. Spencer got the best of him the 1st time getting to the QB, but Bell did better the 2nd time and blocked him out. Later Bell and Maybin each took turns at getting the best of the other. Batten also got the best of Bell later.

- Levitre was able to block out Kyle twice and later blocked Kellen Heard twice. Levitre was easily the best lineman out there today handling everybody - atleast in the 1 on 1 drills.

- Dareus blew by Wood the 1st time like he wasn't even there. Wood was then given a pat on the back by one of the trainers (who, though I couldn't see his face, was probably laughing). Wood redeemed himself the 2nd time and contained him. Troup followed later and got the best of Wood.

- Urbik blocked Dwan Edwards once, but Edwards then got the best of him. Later Kelsay got the best of Urbik also. Urbik seemed to struggle a bit.

- Kelsay blew by Pears initially but then Pears redeemed himself the next time.

The backups got their turns afterward.

- Hairston lined up initially at the RT but then was tried at LT also. At RT, he went up against Antonio Coleman initially and Coleman got the best of him 3 times in a row. The coaches then spoke with Hairston - apparently trying to correct something he was doing wrong. They then let him go against Coleman again and this time Hairston was able to contain him. He also went against Alex Carrington who also got the best of him. At LT, he went up against Kirlew and was able to contain him.

- Hangartner played Center as backup and went up against Jasper. Overall, I'd have to say Hangartner sort of won the battle 2 out of 3 times to keep Jasper away from the QB. I say sort of b'cse Jasper pushed him back each time several feet - which at the very least would have collapsed the pocket or forced the QB out for a possible sack by another. Even in the exercises, it was pretty clear that Jasper could drive anybody back and when doing 11 on 11 drills (more on this below) he ALWAYS had to be double teamed to be contained.

- Wrotto and Carrington each alternated in getting the best of the other.

- More special teams work - they are really working on their special teams...I guess they want to improve it this year.

The Bills ended their day with more than 30 minutes of 11 on 11 work. And they went at each other hard with full blocking in pads, though the tackling was soft if at all. Here are some highlights from that. The secondary coverage was very tight each time!

- Kelsay immediately started with an offsides
- Spencer got by Bell for a nice would-be sack
- Stevie had a nice 12 yd catch
- Fred Jackson had a good 6 yd run up the middle
- Drayton attempted and batted a pass away but Evans caught it as it came down and turned quickly to what would have been a nice yards-after-carry reception.
- A few short runs up the middle by both Spiller and White
- Hairston had a false start
- Donald Jones then catches a nice bomb, but he did push off the CB and would have been called for that in a real game as it was really obvious.
- Hubbard had a nice catch. Williams could have intercepted it easily if he had only turned around.
- Batten batted away a nice pass
- Evans caught a nice bomb despite tight coverage from McKelvin. Despite what has been said about using Evans differently across the middle, Evans seemed to be used mostly for catching bombs the same as what he has been doing previously.
- McGee has a great batted pass that he was able to then intercept himself with some quick reactions and take into the end zone.
- CB Williams was beaten badly by Hubbard. In fact, though there had been great news from Williams in the past few days, today I found him getting beat alot by an assortment of WRs.
- Special note to mention that Jasper HAS to be double teamed when blocked no matter who it is, or he will drive that person back into the QB. I did not see ANY Olineman able to stop him from pushing them back 1 on 1. He still has things to learn technique wise to be able to shed blocks better, etc. But in overall bull rush strength, it's going to take a hell of a Center to be able to stop him without any help!


That was it pretty much for the day. Overall, there were glimpses of some of the players stepping it up, but there's clearly work to be done.

[ServoBillieves]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

And Maybin rides the pine, then goes home and rolls in his money...

[Luisito23]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

I really love what I've been hearing about Jasper...He seems really motivated to have a great career, and with our luck with late rounders, I think (hope) he will turn out to be a special player.

[Thurmal]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

I really hope the Bills sign a lineman or two that's still out there. You telling me Leonard Davis or Kaczur wouldn't be better than Urbik?

[Don't Panic]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

I really hope the Bills sign a lineman or two that's still out there. You telling me Leonard Davis or Kaczur wouldn't be better than Urbik?

Yeah... that right side could desperately use one more guy.

[YardRat]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

Yeah... that right side could desperately use one more guy.

lol...the right side?

- First up, Demetrious Bell vs Spencer Johnson. Spencer got the best of him the 1st time getting to the QB, but Bell did better the 2nd time and blocked him out. Later Bell and Maybin each took turns at getting the best of the other. Batten also got the best of Bell later.

That's not a good sign, at all. Any of it.

For the love of the football gods we need a real LT and move Bell to the right.

[psubills62]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

For the love of the football gods we need a real LT and RT and move Bell to swing tackle.

Fixed it for you, Yardie.

[Crisis]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

Williams had a bad day?

Can't be, don't you know he's from a big time college program?

Sarcasm aside...Thanks for the report!

[Beebe]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

Nice report.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

And Maybin rides the pine, then goes home and rolls in his money...

maybin is gone in the second round of cuts. good riddance. i feel bad for the kid though. it's not his fault jauron was a moron and drafted a one year wonder. there's always very high expectations when someone is drafted so high.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: Practice Notes 8/5

lol...the right side?

- First up, Demetrious Bell vs Spencer Johnson. Spencer got the best of him the 1st time getting to the QB, but Bell did better the 2nd time and blocked him out. Later Bell and Maybin each took turns at getting the best of the other. Batten also got the best of Bell later.

That's not a good sign, at all. Any of it.

For the love of the football gods we need a real LT and move Bell to the right.

i agree. the bills should not be expecting to get lucky enough to find another LT with a late draft pick like peters. i hate that ****.