CJ Spiller "is running around and making guys look silly"

[Coach Sal]

From Tim Graham's blog this morning.


WR David Nelson: "(CJ Spiller) is running around and making guys look silly." More.....


http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2012/08/cj-spiller-has-bills-excitement-overflowing.html

[Night Train]

Love the idea of Fred and Spiller being on the field together as much as possible.

Your top 3 receivers are going to be SJ, Chandler and Nelson anyhow, so send Spiller in motion as a wingback/split end and feed him some short swing passes in space. This eliminates this waaaay overblown #2 WR saga. They (Jones,Hagan,Graham) will still get snaps.

He's the one guy on the roster who could turn 6 yards into 60 and he can't do that, standing on the sidelines.

[Ed]

I really don't mind if we don't run the ball at all this preseason. We know what we can do and there's no reason to show our hand or risk injury to CJ or Fred. Keep working on things they can improve at like the no huddle.

I think the most interesting quote from that article is the following from Nelson:

"The way's being patient now and hitting the holes. Last year, you saw him running up some of the linemen's backs, just rushing things. Now you see him being patient. He's hitting that cut, and he's gone."
That definitely seemed to be CJ's biggest problem early on last year and the year before, and why Fred just always looked better and managed to find holes. If CJ's awareness and vision are improving like Nelson is implying then I think the sky is the limit for him.

[Historian]

Good to hear.

[justasportsfan]

We need a dominant running game to keep us from having to force Fitz to make plays. The less risks Fitz takes, the better.

[dannyek71]

Training camp hero. See Parish, Roscoe.

[SabreEleven]

Training camp hero. See Parish, Roscoe.

I guee what he did the last half of the last season doesn't count for anything?

[Generalissimus Gibby]

We need a dominant running game to keep us from having to force Fitz to make plays. The less risks Fitz takes, the better.

I'd like a balanced attack that incorporates what is already a very effective rushing attack (well I mean other than Choice, but something tells me that he isn't going to make the 53 man roster). That's right a running game that gives us 25 to 30 rushes a game and a passing attack that features 30 to 35 passes a game. If our D is as good as they look on paper then we can control the clock, get off the field and win a lot of games that in recent years would have ended up in the loss column.

[BertSquirtgum]

We need a dominant running game to keep us from having to force Fitz to make plays. The less throws Fitz has to make, the better.

Fixed.

[justasportsfan]

I'd like a balanced attack that incorporates what is already a very effective rushing attack (well I mean other than Choice, but something tells me that he isn't going to make the 53 man roster). That's right a running game that gives us 25 to 30 rushes a game and a passing attack that features 30 to 35 passes a game. If our D is as good as they look on paper then we can control the clock, get off the field and win a lot of games that in recent years would have ended up in the loss column.

I agree. But hopefully we become balanced because the running game is opening things up and making it easier for Fitz.

[justasportsfan]

Fixed.

No. This has evolved into a pass league. We need to be able to throw the ball successfully. For that to happen, the run game has to open things up for Fitz.

[GingerP]

Yeah, this is Freddy's last season here.

Why? They gave him a $3M signing bonus on his extension and he has 3 years left on his contract. His cap number doesn't get about $3.65M for the remainder of his contract (unless he hits incentives).

Why not keep him? He isn't expensive and having 2 good RB seems better than just 1. Spiller is very talented, but he has never been a workhorse.

[OpIv37]

I always take things like this with a grain of salt. Even if Nelson thought Spiller was worse than most high school running backs, he wouldn't say that to the media.

[ddaryl]

Looking forward ot seeing if he has truly improved.. It sure appears he has.. Year 3

[Dujek]

I always take things like this with a grain of salt. Even if Nelson thought Spiller was worse than most high school running backs, he wouldn't say that to the media.

Except after Freddie was injured last year Spiller was running round NFL fields making people look silly.

Really excited to see how much he has come on after getting a real chance last year.

[Mr. Pink]

I'd just like our college spread head coach to call more running plays during the course of games. Regardless of which back takes the hand offs.

[Tatonka]

so who ends up with better production? fred or spiller? its really easy to forget how dominant fred was when he was leading the nfl for several weeks as the top RB last year.

[SABURZFAN]

let's not forget that other NFL RBs have been making our players look silly too. i'll believe it when i see it happening in games that matter.

[Meathead]

i thought last year was freds last season here since spiller was ready and fred was aging. but since they extended him to a very reasonable contract im now thinking he stays at least two more years

spiller is going to take the featured back role from him over the course of this season, and thats fine. freddie is going to migrate to being a third down back and fantastic insurance for spiller. he should be able to produce at a high level like that at least through '13

[YardRat]

He's the one guy on the roster who could turn 6 yards into 60 and he can't do that, standing on the sidelines.

Hopefully we actually get to see him do something like that this season, instead of continually hearing how he has that potential.

I hope the kid really breaks out, but I'm taking the Op approach on this one...I'll believe it when I see it.

[dannyek71]

Until Spiller proves otherwise ON THE FIELD, he has not shown much to demonstrate he was worth such a high draft pick.

[HAMMER]

5.2 yards per carry is pretty darn good DK.

[mikemac2001]

5.2 yards per carry is pretty darn good DK.

He played good last year, he played bad his rookie year but people won't let that go

[BertSquirtgum]

I'd just like our college spread head coach to call more running plays during the course of games. Regardless of which back takes the hand offs.

I'm with you on that notion.

[dannyek71]

5.2 yards per carry is pretty darn good DK.


800 yds in 2 seasons for a high 1st rounder is not good HM.

[GingerP]

800 yds in 2 seasons for a high 1st rounder is not good HM.

His production in the passing game doesn't count?

Spiller, to me, is a guy that they need to find a way to get the ball more in the open field. He should be a primary option for them in their spread sets, and he should get the ball in different ways (draws, screens, slot WR, reverses, etc.). If you look at their offense, he can provide a big-play dimension that is lacking.

[Ed]

I always take things like this with a grain of salt. Even if Nelson thought Spiller was worse than most high school running backs, he wouldn't say that to the media.
Yeah I don't think you can put much stock into things players say about their teammates, but I didn't think Nelson's comments came off as your typical generic praise. I like that he was able to be critical of Spiller's play last year by pointing out something specific that he didn't do well, but has improved on.

Maybe Nelson is just talking up his teammate as teammates do, but everything I've heard about Spiller so far this camp from Gailey and independent observers has been really positive. I just hope we see him get more opportunities.

[OpIv37]

so who ends up with better production? fred or spiller? its really easy to forget how dominant fred was when he was leading the nfl for several weeks as the top RB last year.


As long as the two of them combine for enough production for the Bills to win, I really don't care who is more productive.

The reality is that it will come down to whichever one earns himself more playing time. They are obviously going to share but it likely won't be a 50/50 split.

[madness]

It's not "just" Nelson. Everybody is commenting on how good he looks at camp. Murphy has been talking him up quite a bit. You can tell the light may finally have went on last season and if it did, we may be in store for a very nice highlight package from CJ.

[HAMMER]

800 yds in 2 seasons for a high 1st rounder is not good HM.

Don't factor in that extremely productive starting RB on the roster that starts in front of him?