The weakest link?

[LABillsFan]

Does anyone else notice that Watson is the weakest link in the secondary? He seems to either play too soft off the line or is a couple steps late and gets beat in critical times. Not just this week but going back to the last 2 years. As touted and Clements and Winfield are, I still see them getting burned often as well, they are still young though and I expect them to get beaten at least once a game.

The D line is getting pressure on the QB's, they are getting sacks and knock downs, even without the DT that is very much needed.

That leaves the LB's. They, most of all, are trailing the other 2 aspects of the D. They over pursue, bite hard on play action, and are not supporting the run or pass as much as they should. Not everyone can be a Pro Bowl LB, but there seems to be a lot of sloppy or inattentive play on their part. Yes it's a new system, but considering a month of training camp, 4 preseason games and 3 regular season games, I really expected more from that area of the D.

This team can still be 8-8 but the D has to stop the run and 3rd down pick ups. They did a great job as far as 3rd. down against Den. but the run and med. pass plays picked them apart.

[northernbillfan]

I was very upset with Watson's preformance today. Unessecary penalties, and soft tackles. He cost a few 3rd down conversions by the Broncos. One is too many, but 2 or 3, uncalled for.

[The_Philster]

I wonder if it was a psychological thing because the Broncos are his old team. I know it's a lame excuse but he's played well for us at CB other than this week's game.

[Ebenezer]

2nd bad game in a row...offenses are keying on him...I can't wait until we play a team that does not have 3 wide outs...if his play stays this bad GW will yank him in a heartbeat.

[casdhf]

That's also how teams keep running all over us. When our base D is in there, no one has really put up big numbers. When we take out a LB for Watson, they light us up

[Valerie]

Watson was the weakest link when he was on special teams a few years back too. I've never liked the guy and why he's still around is beyond me. He should've been cut years ago.

[Kelly The Dog]

Well, Watson is the number three CB, that's why he is not playing as well as Winfield and Clements. And not only did he play reasonably well against Minnesota but he was NOT horrible yesterday at all. One of the penalties was a putrid call and almost all of the passes against him he had fair to good coverage, against excellent receivers, with perfect passes with no pass rush, and then immediately made the tackle. He didnt give up one point, and in total, at home, with Clements hurt, the wide receivers of the Broncos had 12 total catches for 150 yards and one TD even when we couldnt stop the run. We should be happy that Watson is our 3rd DB.

[casdhf]

He played as bad as any 3rd CB would against Rod Smith

[THATHURMANATOR]

Keep in mind he is our 3rd cb. I didn't think he played all that badly.

[LABillsFan]

Sammy Morris is our 3rd. back, if he goes in and doesn't perform would you say the same thing? I don't think that is a valid reason. The 3rd cb is called upon alot, "reasonably well" and "not horribly" isn't exactly words of encouragement.

[Dozerdog]

And the alternative is?

For a guy who had pulled the assignment of covering Moss and Rod Smith #1 and 1-A recievers in the league (mabe !-B Owens, 1-C Harrison) in a pinch it could have been a lot worse. You want Kenny Irwin (and his cap eating contract) or even Better, that rookie from UNLV in there?

Holding the entire Denver O to 21 points at home was a good day for this D. This Broncos offense and the Pats will be competing for the AFC Championship game.

[Kelly The Dog]

Chris Watson played most of the game, on the road, on Rod Smith, and gave up a grand total of 6 catches for 65 yards. The Bills corners basically had two significant catches against them, the TD to Smith and the deep pass to McCaffrey to the 3, NEITHER of which were against Watson. Even on that crucial 4th down pass it needed to be a perfect pass, which it was, to beat him. He had a sub-par game but he is a very good #3 corner.

[eyedog]

why isn't clements matched up on rod smith in the 4th quarter ? your biggest ,best corner on their best receiver. put watson on mccaffery.

[Ebenezer]

I don't think the Bills go for the 1-on-1 matchup...they play sides and whoever comes out on that side is the assignment.

[WG]

I gotta totally disagree w/ ya Kelly. Watson stinks! He's good for a PI in just about every single game. He was originally brought in as a returner, remember. Yesterday was no exception.


"I wonder if it was a psychological thing because the Broncos are his old team. I know it's a lame excuse but he's played well for us at CB other than this week's game."

So what's his excuse for all the other games. I am very surprised that he wasn't cut during the preseason, first rounders possibly.

Very nice analysis LA! Yeah, Winfield gave up that big one to Smith for the TD. That was poor! Winfield is a good solid hitter and is good in run support, but he does show significant lapses a little to often in pass coverage IMO. He let his guy beat him 3 or 4 times yesterday even though the pass didn't come that way on all of them.

I just can't believe that there aren't 200 other CBs in the league who are as good as Watson. There must be one that is available that we could get. He looks lost out there half the time. WRs making him turn circles while he's trying to track them as they get 5 yards past him 10 yards beyond the LoS. It's ridiculous.

Yesterday was a good day in agreement w/ Dozer to hold Denver to 21 points in Denver.

[eyedog]

thats bad coaching then imo eb. it not difficult to find smith coming out of the huddle and have clements shadow him. especially when they are blitzing. and for once can our corners line up on the inside shoulder of the receiver and take away the quick slant on 3rd and 4th downs. even more so when they blitz, you know the qb has to get rid of the ball quickly.

[Kelly The Dog]

From un-wys: "I just can't believe that there aren't 200 other CBs in the league who are as good as Watson. There must be one that is available that we could get."

I can't believe there aren't 200 orangutans in zoos that would say something as dumb, ill-informed, and mathematically impossible as that.

[LABillsFan]

I agree Wys, 21 points is a good outing for the Bills D in Denver. But there has to be a point where the CB's have to step up and force them to kick a field goal and Watson is a part of that. I knew that when the Bills settled for that field goal, it was BIG. Bledsoe was forced to throw it long. That's what good coverage will do for a team and Watson needs to cover better. He's in his 4th year, and needs to show he belongs. Think about it. Winfield, 3rd. year, Clements 2nd year, Wire rookie, He's the OLD GUY in the secondary, Vet? Leadership? Setting an example? He's got to step up.

CB's are going to get beat bad at least once a game, granted. But until Watson shows he can cover, Offenses aren't going to respect him.

[kgun12]

On the subject of Flechter. He is a victum of our DL. In St. Louis he lead the team in tackles I think 3 years in a row, BUT that was because of a GOOD DL. There isn't a middle LB in the league that can make plays in a 4-3 unless the DL in strong. Ask Zack Thomas, Urlacher, Butkis any of them. Once our DL matures and takes on the OL better, Flecther will start to dominate the middle.

[Drewpac]

I thought Watson had decent coverage on Smith. Most of Smith's catches came on perfectly thrown slants where Smith had perfect positioning. On all of them, he was immediately tackled by Watson. I think he's at least an average nickel back.