Kelvin Sheppard: "You watch us, we play lights out on defense play in and play out...

[kingJofNYC]

"It's the people that look at numbers that really don't know football to be honest," the second-year player said. "People that really know football, then you turn the film on. Just go turn it on. You watch us, we play lights out on defense play in and play out and then we give up an 80-yard run. It's very rare that a team can line up and move the ball on us 80 yards in a drive. I mean it happened, it's happened. It happened against San Francisco. It's happened. We're not just this immovable object. We're playing defense, it's just the consistency and on the consistent basis that we do [need to] play."

Sheppard continued:

"You can play good on ten plays and then on the eleventh play you let [Chris Johnson] break an 80-yard run. The previous ten, no one sees that. The outside, no one sees that. They just see, you give up an 80-yarder. Then you go back, you play good six plays and on the seventh play, you give up a 50-yarder. Then you go back, you play good on eight plays and on the ninth play, you give up a 60-yarder. I mean those are just X-plays -- what we call them, what everyone else knows as big plays -- that we have to try to avoid."

Lights out? Consistently bad.

Some teams don't give up 50 yard runs for weeks, we give up multiple in the same game, but somehow they're playing lights out.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

You just don't know football.

[kingJofNYC]

I particularly enjoyed the part where he dismisses numbers, but then begins listing huge run numbers. Pft numbers, we only give up 50 yards runs every 9 plays or so!

[Joe Fo Sho]

Arian Foster is going to set records this weekend...but that's only because we'll give up 6 runs of 50 yards or more. The other 20 runs, he'll only average 5 ypc.

[OpIv37]

"The D is playing well except for giving up big plays...."

Um, first, the D isn't playing well. And 2nd, a D can't be playing well and giving up big plays because giving up big plays is the definition of a defense NOT playing well.

If this idiot actually believes this, he should be cut for his own stupidity and loser mentality.

[coastal]

:rofl:

comedy gold.

[trapezeus]

shep just bought him self a ticket out of town.

though i respect that this is coming from wounded pride. it's completely rational-less. Ok, so maybe i don't know football, but i watch football. and my eyes say the bills give up yards through the air and on the ground routinely. to be honest, i don't even care that the bills give up the points and long plays at this point. i don't like that they let other teams hold the ball forever and work the clock and work us over.


and the other part that's nonsensical is that it would be better to hear that they aren't playing with fire, because it means there is something to tap into to get better performance. if these 7 weeks have been their best effort, that's frankly quite scary.

I tweeted Coachsal and asked if any teams gave up multi- 50 point games. he said the 2007 lions did and they gave up 3 40 point games. Its going to be half a season on sunday and we might be have pretty much acheived that indignity in half a season. This is truly a pathetic unit. and if they don't like it, they can stop making excuses and they can start showing up.

[jdaltroy5]

I may not know football, but I do know English.

"Play in and play out" or "consistently" doesn't generally include one out of every 8 plays or so Kelvin.

If you give up a huge run every 10 plays, then you're not a good defense.

[ParanoidAndroid]

This guy, like some of the others on this team, is struggling with doubt in his own abilities. There has been plenty of attention to what he needs to not do and he's being told how not to do it by the coaching staff, a few veterans and fans who are not on the inside of this. He knows they are not getting their job done. Is he a weak link? Maybe, yes. Is he supposed to admit he can't do the job and walk off the team? No. He has to have a scaffold to build on. He has to find something to hang his hat on or all is lost. Let him have it. Or do you want to kick a man when he's down?

[stuckincincy]

This guy, like some of the others on this team, is struggling with doubt in his own abilities. There has been plenty of attention to what he needs to not do and he's being told how not to do it by the coaching staff, a few veterans and fans who are not on the inside of this. He knows they are not getting their job done. Is he a weak link? Maybe, yes. Is he supposed to admit he can't do the job and walk off the team? No. He has to have a scaffold to build on. He has to find something to hang his hat on or all is lost. Let him have it.


He needs pocket fluff. And a zormnid.

[BertSquirtgum]

Lights out? Consistently bad.

Some teams don't give up 50 yard runs for weeks, we give up multiple in the same game, but somehow they're playing lights out.

Are you watching as much film as these guys? He's not saying they consistently playing lights out. He's admitting to failing to stop big runs but playing well on the other plays. Stop making idiotic threads.

[BertSquirtgum]

It all comes back to the scheme these guys are put in at the wrong times. The players are rarely in a position to succeed. Wannstedt would make Patrick Willis look like Brian Bosworth.

[OpIv37]

This guy, like some of the others on this team, is struggling with doubt in his own abilities. There has been plenty of attention to what he needs to not do and he's being told how not to do it by the coaching staff, a few veterans and fans who are not on the inside of this. He knows they are not getting their job done. Is he a weak link? Maybe, yes. Is he supposed to admit he can't do the job and walk off the team? No. He has to have a scaffold to build on. He has to find something to hang his hat on or all is lost. Let him have it. Or do you want to kick a man when he's down?

Kick him while he's down, preferably in the jaw so he can't say stupid **** like this for a while so it can heal.

[OpIv37]

It all comes back to the scheme these guys are put in at the wrong times. The players are rarely in a position to succeed. Wannstedt would make Patrick Willis look like Brian Bosworth.

I agree with that to a point, but when a WR runs right by Aaron Williams, it's not the scheme.
When Sheppard can't shed a block, it's not the scheme.
When Mario Williams gets stoned right at the LOS, it's not the scheme.

[justasportsfan]

Meh, another player who I had high expectations for ,looks lost out there.

[kingJofNYC]

Are you watching as much film as these guys? He's not saying they consistently playing lights out. He's admitting to failing to stop big runs but playing well on the other plays. Stop making idiotic threads.

Keep crying.

If this fool has this kind of attitude, than what else is there to say. They're not playing well at all if they're giving up huge plays, there's no buts. Keep making excuses, all they have left at this point.

You irritate the **** out of most of us, glad I'm doing the same to you.


I agree with that to a point, but when a WR runs right by Aaron Williams, it's not the scheme.
When Sheppard can't shed a block, it's not the scheme.
When Mario Williams gets stoned right at the LOS, it's not the scheme.

Nailed it. At some point you have to make a play, and they're not making enough of them.

Hurkey just likes laying everything on the coaches, easier cop out than coming to the conclusion that this team is composed of **** players with terrible attitudes. Kyle Williams said as much, we have to get off blocks and makes plays.

[BertSquirtgum]

Keep crying.

If this fool has this kind of attitude, than what else is there to say. They're not playing well at all if they're giving up huge plays, there's no buts. Keep making excuses, all they have left at this point.

You irritate the **** out of most of us, glad I'm doing the same to you.

I'm not crying at all, nor am I irritated by you. I'm irritated by how this team is being run. I hate this team right now but I believe it's 80% coaching and 20% players.

[BertSquirtgum]

If Sheppard is a bad as you guys say, then why is he still starting? Right, because the coaches want him in there. Whose choice is it to start players? Wannstedt has Kirk Morrison deactivated each week when knowing full well that he is more capable than Sheppard.

[kingJofNYC]

Why did Kyle Williams call out his own teammates then?

Listen, we play soft because we have soft coaches, they're terrible. But some of these guys are going to be looking for work once Chan & Co get their pink slips. Spencer Johnson, Bryan Scott, these guys wouldn't be on most NFL rosters. Scott is basically our coverage LB, he can't a cover a thing.

There's a crazy number that I saw a few weeks ago during a Rams game, 27 players from their 2011 team are no longer in the NFL. When this group gets thrown out the door I expect a similar crazy stat for the Bills.

I mean, Lee Evans is out of the NFL a year after we traded him, everyone was freaking out at the time. We value our players too much. Morrison would be out of the NFL if he wasn't on this roster, same with Merriman. That's why they play Sheppard, he may have some upside, you need to figure out what he has. Morrison isn't a solution going forward at all.

[BertSquirtgum]

Sure some of the players are terrible but who chooses to keep the players? George Wilson - terrible, Aaron Williams - Terrible, Bryan Scott - terrible, Kelvin Sheppard - Terrible. There's four starters that wouldn't be on starting an any other nfl team. Who decides to keep them here? The coaching staff.

[BertSquirtgum]

Buddy Nix has brought in talent. If these coaches said, hey, these guys aren't starting caliber. We need to find replacements. Do you not think Buddy would do all he could to find better talent? Buddy's trust in these coaches just shows Buddy is outdated and needs to resign after the year. Promote Doug Whaley.

[Turf]

We play lights out - LOL. How can he possibly defend their play. Is he that dumb.
Given that they literally hand the other the team the defensive play call every down, they may play hard. The Bills are the only team where everyone wears wristband with 3 plays on it. Reminds me of General Custard in Night at the Museum II, Attack! Blitz!

[kingJofNYC]

Buddy Nix is responsible for roster composition, he put this **** heap together.

Who drafted Troup/A.Williams in the second round? Two wasted second round picks. Then he took Carrington/Sheppard. Two wasted third round picks. Granted the old regime's scouts were still in place at the time, Buddy didn't kick them to the curb until a few weeks after the '11 draft, but the man needs to step aside because he put his name on these drafts.

Even if the coaches told Buddy that our current players aren't any good, where's Buddy going to find replacements? They don't grow on trees, I'm not sure Buddy's capable of evaluating talent at this point anyway. He resigned Kelsay to an extension, another player who wouldn't be in the NFL. Erik Pears also got an extension for being a mediocre player on his best day.s

[BertSquirtgum]

Can we just agree this whole team is one big cluster-****?

[trapezeus]

exactly drafts have gotten worse under buddy.

[SABURZFAN]

let's see....

giving up 32.4 points a game- ranked LAST

giving up 424.1 yards a game- ranked 31st or 2nd from LAST

giving up 6.4 yards per play- ranked 31st or 2nd from LAST

opponents 3rd down conversions- 47.3%- ranked LAST


somebody better turn the lights on first so they can see what's happening.

[YardRat]

Sounds like he's being fed a line of ****, and just passing it along.

[kingJofNYC]

let's see....

giving up 32.4 points a game- ranked LAST

giving up 424.1 yards a game- ranked 31st or 2nd from LAST

giving up 6.4 yards per play- ranked 31st or 2nd from LAST

opponents 3rd down conversions- 47.3%- ranked LAST


somebody better turn the lights on first so they can see what's happening.

Pft, you know nothing about football, these are just numbers! Numbers mean nothing!

[Oaf]

You just don't know how to play middle linebacker yet.

fixed

[EDS]

Buddy Nix has brought in talent. If these coaches said, hey, these guys aren't starting caliber. We need to find replacements. Do you not think Buddy would do all he could to find better talent? Buddy's trust in these coaches just shows Buddy is outdated and needs to resign after the year. Promote Doug Whaley.

Buddy has brought in crap talent. He has yet to bring in a real gamechanger.

[Skooby]

http://www.imcdb.org/i082757.jpg

[TigerJ]

Sheppard's point is that the defense has a lot of good plays during the course of a game, but every once in a while gives up a huge play. If I remember, the context of that interview is run defense, so it doesn't even apply to pass defenses. In that sense, it's true, there are many plays where buffalo gives up no yards or very few yards or even gets a loss on the play, then the other team scores a touchdown. I'm not defending the defense, which when you total everything together has been awful, but let's show some ability to discern what the guy is saying.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Sheppard's point is that the defense has a lot of good plays during the course of a game, but every once in a while gives up a huge play. If I remember, the context of that interview is run defense, so it doesn't even apply to pass defenses. In that sense, it's true, there are many plays where buffalo gives up no yards or very few yards or even gets a loss on the play, then the other team scores a touchdown. I'm not defending the defense, which when you total everything together has been awful, but let's show some ability to discern what the guy is saying.

But those plays are rendered irrelevant if you can't do it consistently. If you knock them backwards twice but then give up a 3rd and 15, are we supposed to consider that a win for the defense because they were better on 2/3 plays? That's why he's getting slammed.

[BertSquirtgum]

Buddy has brought in crap talent. He has yet to bring in a real gamechanger.

Yeeeeeah, most us didn't believe Mario was going to be the Bills' game changer. :sarcasm:

[mjt328]

Sheppard's point is that the defense has a lot of good plays during the course of a game, but every once in a while gives up a huge play. If I remember, the context of that interview is run defense, so it doesn't even apply to pass defenses. In that sense, it's true, there are many plays where buffalo gives up no yards or very few yards or even gets a loss on the play, then the other team scores a touchdown. I'm not defending the defense, which when you total everything together has been awful, but let's show some ability to discern what the guy is saying.

I understand what he is trying to say... and it's the same crap we keep hearing from our coaching staff.

But it sounds absolutely ridiculous, because those "bad plays" are coming like 15-20 times per game.

Statistically, the Bills are playing like one of the worst defenses of all time. And to the fans watching from home, the "game film" matches the statistics. They look terrible.
I know what a LIGHTS OUT defense looks like. Go check out the 49ers or the Bears some time. The players there won't be picking and choosing the handful of times they actually stopped the offense, then pretending they were playing well.

[elltrain22]

Turn the lights out and take a nap b/c our defense friggen sucks!!

[TigerJ]

But those plays are rendered irrelevant if you can't do it consistently. If you knock them backwards twice but then give up a 3rd and 15, are we supposed to consider that a win for the defense because they were better on 2/3 plays? That's why he's getting slammed.That's why I said in total the defense has been awful. I think Kelvin Sheppard would agree with you. I think his thought process, whether he stated it or not is that if they can do it some of the time, they should be able to do it all of the time. While that may not be completely the case, you're not going to shut down great offensive teams for whole games, they need to be much more consistent. Sheppard might also say, and I would agree withhim, that if you can do it some of the time, you probably have a lot more potential than a team that can't stop the other teams offense on any play. Then it would simply be a lack of talent. The fact that they do it some of the time suggests there is at least some talent on this defense.

[BillsFever21]

This is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. The saddest part is that it's coming from one of our starting players.

This reminds me of the debates years ago but in reverse where many would highlight a player and say if you take away the good plays he had then he only averaged 2ypc, etc. What an idiot.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

That's why I said in total the defense has been awful. I think Kelvin Sheppard would agree with you. I think his thought process, whether he stated it or not is that if they can do it some of the time, they should be able to do it all of the time.

What he said is that people should watch the plays they do well, and that people who focus on the horrendous numbers (the defense "in total") don't know football. Which is ridiculous. It's like the engineers of a collapsed bridge saying "How come you never looked at all the days it didn't collapse!"


While that may not be completely the case, you're not going to shut down great offensive teams for whole games, they need to be much more consistent. Sheppard might also say, and I would agree withhim, that if you can do it some of the time, you probably have a lot more potential than a team that can't stop the other teams offense on any play. Then it would simply be a lack of talent. The fact that they do it some of the time suggests there is at least some talent on this defense.

There has never been a defense so broke-dick that the offense beat them on every single play. Any defense can occasionally get negative plays, but the breakdowns in this defense are utterly catastrophic. Any D will occasionally crack and give up a long play or a tough 3rd down. But we've done it at a rate among the worst in NFL history.

[Ingtar33]

This is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. The saddest part is that it's coming from one of our starting players.

This reminds me of the debates years ago but in reverse where many would highlight a player and say if you take away the good plays he had then he only averaged 2ypc, etc. What an idiot.


it's called a wysian argument around these parts.

[mjt328]

There has never been a defense so broke-dick that the offense beat them on every single play.

Ironically (in response to Sheppard's comments), this defense might be closest to that I've ever seen.

[Historian]

"The D is playing well except for giving up big plays...."

.

Wysian logic.

If they're playing "lights out" it's because the lamp needs rewiring.

[SABURZFAN]

Pft, you know nothing about football, these are just numbers! Numbers mean nothing!


you're right. it doesn't matter which number overall the Bills draft. they usually **** that up too.

[jamze132]

It all comes back to the scheme these guys are put in at the wrong times. The players are rarely in a position to succeed. Wannstedt would make Patrick Willis look like Brian Bosworth.

As bad as the defense looks, I think the biggest issue is that the players are not not disciplined enough to stay in their assignment or gap.

[The last buffalo fan]

I'm not crying at all, nor am I irritated by you. I'm irritated by how this team is being run. I hate this team right now but I believe it's 80% coaching and 20% players.


So, you mean they are not profesionals football players? Got it now.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

*shakes head*

Could've had Mallett instead...

[X-Era]

Sheppard needs to show he's even worthy to start before talking about being lights out... His light has never been on.