Per Nix: Sheppard gone because Pettine's D doesn't need a true Mike LB

[Thundering Buffalo]

You think Marrone is innovative on Offense, can't wait to see what Pettine is cooking up on Defense. Nix just said on Murphy's show they need backers with versatility to shift to different fronts without changing personel on the field. I've got a feeling now that it's his show he's going to unleach hell on opposing offenses. My only concern is that it puts a lot of pressure on Williams and Dareus to stop the run and keep OLinemen off these undersized backers... now we have a reason to be excited about changes on both sides of the ball!

[Skooby]

Nice.

[MTBillsFan]

So, Urlacher wouldn't fit at all?

[cookie G]

that's good, because our last defense didn't have a true Mike.

Butkus
Lambert
Lewis
Urlacher
Bryan Scott.

Which of these doesn't belong?

[clumping platelets]

:anvil:

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Don't need a middle linebacker? That's cute. Let's just put the entire run defense on a grossly underachieving D-line and a safety corps that has at least one disgruntled franchise taggee. Brilliant!

[psubills62]

Don't need a middle linebacker? That's cute. Let's just put the entire run defense on a grossly underachieving D-line and a safety corps that has at least one disgruntled franchise taggee. Brilliant!
I don't know how that got translated in your head, but you seem to think the LB's aren't going to participate in defending the run? Uhh...OK.

Maybe I'm interpreting it incorrectly, but right now what that statement ("doesn't need a true Mike LB") means to me is that they want 3-down LB's, not just 2-down guys who always come off when they need a nickel or dime DB. Makes a little more sense when you use the word "traditional" for "true."

[BertSquirtgum]

Let the over thinking begin.

[tampabay25690]

Let the over thinking begin.

U are right,,,HA HA

[ublinkwescore]

that's good, because our last defense didn't have a true Mike.

Butkus
Lambert
Lewis
Urlacher
Bryan Scott.

Which of these doesn't belong?

The only one that does belong is Scott

[IlluminatusUIUC]

that's good, because our last defense didn't have a true Mike.

Butkus
Lambert
Lewis
Urlacher
Bryan Scott.

Which of these doesn't belong?

Pfft. Ray Lewis? Dick Butkus? They don't fit the system, we woulda flipped them for picks.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

I don't know how that got translated in your head, but you seem to think the LB's aren't going to participate in defending the run? Uhh...OK.

Maybe I'm interpreting it incorrectly, but right now what that statement ("doesn't need a true Mike LB") means to me is that they want 3-down LB's, not just 2-down guys who always come off when they need a nickel or dime DB. Makes a little more sense when you use the word "traditional" for "true."


ie, we want ilbs who can run and cover not just take on blocks, you need both...

[JoeMama]

Nix could've come out and said Sheppard was released because we'd be better off with 10 men on defense and he'd be right.

[ServoBillieves]

that's good, because our last defense didn't have a true Mike.

Butkus
Lambert
Lewis
Urlacher
Bryan Scott.

Which of these doesn't belong?

Dick Butkus.

Seriously? Grow up

[THRILLHO]

We're getting cute already? Lets build a defense we know can play first.

[BertSquirtgum]

Nix could've come out and said Sheppard was released because we'd be better off with 10 men on defense and he'd be right.

Very true Sheppard was just awful. Watching him get eaten up every play made me sick to my stomach.

[Skooby]

Addition by subtraction.

[cookie G]

Dick Butkus.

Seriously? Grow up

Yep. Maybe I can make some junior highish, lame video from my mother's basement.

[ServoBillieves]

Yep. Maybe I can make some junior highish, lame video from my mother's basement.

Aww were you butthurt by my video? Sorry buddy :(

[NOT THE DUDE...]

so moats/scott/dowtin are the backup ilbs?

[JoeMama]

Very true Sheppard was just awful. Watching him get eaten up every play made me sick to my stomach.

The weirdest part was how militantly the previous staff favored Sheppard. Wanny flat out said he wouldn't even consider competition for the position. As if we had Ray Lewis manning the middle.

Definitely the worst defensive "starter" of the last 13 years. Even over guys like Chris Watson, Eddie Robinson, Tim Anderson, etc etc.

[jimbohastle51]

The one thing that is for sure is that the bills defense will be as aggressive as we have ever seen it be in the last 6 years.

[HAMMER]

The weirdest part was how militantly the previous staff favored Sheppard. Wanny flat out said he wouldn't even consider competition for the position. As if we had Ray Lewis manning the middle.

Definitely the worst defensive "starter" of the last 13 years. Even over guys like Chris Watson, Eddie Robinson, Tim Anderson, etc etc.
Not even close, stop being so dramatic.

[stuckincincy]

Look! It's a bird! It's a plane!...It's Mike Pettine!!!! :superman:

[Night Train]

No way in hell did Nix pull this trade on his own. This has Marrone/Pettine/Whaley all over it. Nix never did anything like this before.

[EDS]

The weirdest part was how militantly the previous staff favored Sheppard. Wanny flat out said he wouldn't even consider competition for the position. As if we had Ray Lewis manning the middle.

Definitely the worst defensive "starter" of the last 13 years. Even over guys like Chris Watson, Eddie Robinson, Tim Anderson, etc etc.

I certaintly am not a fan of Sheppard, but that is not close to being a true statement. Sheppard was better than all those guys, plus recent lackluster LB talents like J. DiGiorgio, A. Ayodele, K. Ellison, K. Mitchell, etc.

[OpIv37]

I'm very confused by this. What does Kelvin Sheppard have to do with a true Mike?

[kingJofNYC]

Sheppard is a two down backer who can only do one thing, run straight/downhill, only good at run blitzing, nothing else.

But no one is going to come out and say that. Pettine's D definitely needs a MLB, but one with range. Didn't have MLB with range on the Jets, David and Bart Scott were limited in the coverage.

Kiko Alonso has a little Bart Scott in him, a young Bart Scott who can do alright in coverage.

[tatersalad]

sounds like you guys are describing Dansby as the will lb

[better days]

No way in hell did Nix pull this trade on his own. This has Marrone/Pettine/Whaley all over it. Nix never did anything like this before.

I believe Nix LISTENS to his HC about the players they want. He did that with Chan & now is doing it with Marrone.

[jimmifli]

The weirdest part was how militantly the previous staff favored Sheppard. Wanny flat out said he wouldn't even consider competition for the position. As if we had Ray Lewis manning the middle.

I liked this part.


Definitely the worst defensive "starter" of the last 13 years. Even over guys like Chris Watson, Eddie Robinson, Tim Anderson, etc etc.
http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/chad-juke.gif

[trapezeus]

So, Urlacher wouldn't fit at all?


if we needed a big name LB who was going to spend most of the season hurt, we would have just kept merriman.

[swiper]

You think Marrone is innovative on Offense, can't wait to see what Pettine is cooking up on Defense. Nix just said on Murphy's show they need backers with versatility to shift to different fronts without changing personel on the field. I've got a feeling now that it's his show he's going to unleach hell on opposing offenses. My only concern is that it puts a lot of pressure on Williams and Dareus to stop the run and keep OLinemen off these undersized backers... now we have a reason to be excited about changes on both sides of the ball!

Hope springs eternal every 3 years in Buffalo.

[Ed]

It sounds like Nix is basically saying that Sheppard doesn't have the versatility they're looking for in their LB's. They want guys that can fit in multiple schemes and down and distances. Sheppard's just not that guy.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

yeah, i dont think shepp is bad as a thumper, just want a more versatile player.

good trade.

promotes moats and scott to main backup ilb, with white, dowtin, lloyd,and brown, blatnick going for last 9th spot.

i like white

[JoeMama]

Not even close, stop being so dramatic.

I don't buy the excuses for Sheppard. Despite having Kyle Williams, Mario Williams, and Marcell Dareus in front of him, he couldn't make tackles on the line. He couldn't shed blocks. He was a complete disaster dropping back in coverage. He literally did nothing right.

When your rush defense is as historically bad as ours was, you have to put most of the blame on the middle linebacker. I have no problem saying he's the worst defensive starter of the last 13 years. He was a catastrophic liability and cutting him is the smartest thing we've done this year. I stand by that.

As a guy who's been making Chris Watson jokes for 13 years, you can tell what an impression Sheppard had on me.

[JoeMama]

I liked this part.


http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/chad-juke.gif

Good times. Eddie Robinson and the missed tackle that will live in infamy. One thing I'll give Sheppard is that Chad Pennington never pulled his pants down with the world's slowest juke. Even Chad Pennington was shocked he scored on that play.