Bills TC Report: 8/11/05

[mysticsoto]

The Bills practice was kind of vanilla yesterday. The offense worked mostly on passing. They started with some short passing. Then, they seem to switch to audibles and JP audibled while they tested everyone being on the same page and understanding his audible. They did fairly well. Afterward, most of the WRs did drills on their own and believe it or not, the worst WR in these drills was Josh Reed. Even the undrafted guys were making the catches, but Josh Reed consistently dropped the pass thrown at him 3 consecutive times in 3 different drills. Each time he dropped it, he had to go back to end of the line and wait til the rest finished the drill and then he would have to repeat it. The 2nd time, he tended to catch it...but still, in all 3 drills he dropped the ball??? Aiken looked really good. He only missed one pass that lead him a little too much.

I couldn't see much of the Defenses drills as they went to the farther field away from me.

On the O-line front…I've been questioned about Preston, as my last report on him was less than favorable and against what the media seem to be reporting of him. But once again, I saw him getting pushed around by everyone. Sam Adams once again put on a clinic - and for those that have mentioned that we should get Corey Simon and dump Adams next year, Adams is FAR from done! He consistently got through the defenders and reached the QB just about *EVERY* time!!! In fact, there was once when he was by Preston and tapping the backup QB (Woodbury) before he had finished his 3 step drop. Someone next to me asked what happened, b'cse Woodbury had stopped and didn't throw his pass. And someone answered him - Sam already tapped him. And sure enough, Sam was in the backfield just standing there. In fact, there were several times Sam reached the backfield and just stood there (tired of tapping the QB and letting them get some passes done) until the QB made his pass. Let me reiterate...Sam Adams is FAR FROM DONE!!! Later, on more individual O-line/Dline drills, Preston was pushed back several times by others as well. Peters occasionally did well and occasionally faltered. Virtually none of the Oline did well except one that seem to improve consistently over the drills. I did not recognize the number (#74) so I had to look it up…David Pruce??? As time passed, he seem to do better - let's hope the backups step it up a bit soon.

Toward the end of training camp, the entire defense and offense got together and played. JP took the team about halfway down and then Holcomb was put in. They seem to allow a certain amount of plays for each QB and see how far they could take it. JP and his team were quick and fast paced, but as they went to backups you could see the play and even the decision making slowing down.

Coy Wire had a nice interception play on a tipped ball that was thrown over the middle a little too high for Moulds. Mould tried to tip it and then come down with it, but it tipped slightly behind him and Coy dove quickly and got it. Good heads up play for Coy.

The RBs were not featured as much today as they focused on passing. My friend had intended to see Gates but he was one of the least featured backs. For the few things they did do with RBs, Shaud was the main guy today. And he looked as fast and speedy/elusive as ever. Lee had a few catches and runs here and there but clearly, Shaud was the main guy they were looking at yesterday. And he did well. On one run play, Shaud got behind a lineman, and you couldn't even see him. He ran for a good 15 yards before they whistled the play down with a touch tackle.

Lindell did practice some kicks and made 3 out of 4 kicks staring from 40 yds away and moving up to 50. He did okay, but I still don’t get a feeling of confidence with him.

That's about all there was to report. As I said, a pretty uneventful practice day and some people even commented about being bored.

Perhaps the Bills feel that are ready for their up and coming Colts test this Saturday and are just taking it easy until then...

[Bulldog]

The Bills practice was kind of vanilla yesterday. The offense worked mostly on passing. They started with some short passing. Then, they seem to switch to audibles and JP audibled while they tested everyone being on the same page and understanding his audible. They did fairly well. Afterward, most of the WRs did drills on their own and believe it or not, the worst WR in these drills was Josh Reed. Even the undrafted guys were making the catches, but Josh Reed consistently dropped the pass thrown at him 3 consecutive times in 3 different drills. Each time he dropped it, he had to go back to end of the line and wait til the rest finished the drill and then he would have to repeat it. The 2nd time, he tended to catch it...but still, in all 3 drills he dropped the ball??? Aiken looked really good. He only missed one pass that lead him a little too much.

I couldn't see much of the Defenses drills as they went to the farther field away from me.

On the O-line front…I've been questioned about Preston, as my last report on him was less than favorable and against what the media seem to be reporting of him. But once again, I saw him getting pushed around by everyone. Sam Adams once again put on a clinic - and for those that have mentioned that we should get Corey Simon and dump Adams next year, Adams is FAR from done! He consistently got through the defenders and reached the QB just about *EVERY* time!!! In fact, there was once when he was by Preston and tapping the backup QB (Woodbury) before he had finished his 3 step drop. Someone next to me asked what happened, b'cse Woodbury had stopped and didn't throw his pass. And someone answered him - Sam already tapped him. And sure enough, Sam was in the backfield just standing there. In fact, there were several times Sam reached the backfield and just stood there (tired of tapping the QB and letting them get some passes done) until the QB made his pass. Let me reiterate...Sam Adams is FAR FROM DONE!!! Later, on more individual O-line/Dline drills, Preston was pushed back several times by others as well. Peters occasionally did well and occasionally faltered. Virtually none of the Oline did well except one that seem to improve consistently over the drills. I did not recognize the number (#74) so I had to look it up…David Pruce??? As time passed, he seem to do better - let's hope the backups step it up a bit soon.

Toward the end of training camp, the entire defense and offense got together and played. JP took the team about halfway down and then Holcomb was put in. They seem to allow a certain amount of plays for each QB and see how far they could take it. JP and his team were quick and fast paced, but as they went to backups you could see the play and even the decision making slowing down.

Coy Wire had a nice interception play on a tipped ball that was thrown over the middle a little too high for Moulds. Mould tried to tip it and then come down with it, but it tipped slightly behind him and Coy dove quickly and got it. Good heads up play for Coy.

The RBs were not featured as much today as they focused on passing. My friend had intended to see Gates but he was one of the least featured backs. For the few things they did do with RBs, Shaud was the main guy today. And he looked as fast and speedy/elusive as ever. Lee had a few catches and runs here and there but clearly, Shaud was the main guy they were looking at yesterday. And he did well. On one run play, Shaud got behind a lineman, and you couldn't even see him. He ran for a good 15 yards before they whistled the play down with a touch tackle.

Lindell did practice some kicks and made 3 out of 4 kicks staring from 40 yds away and moving up to 50. He did okay, but I still don’t get a feeling of confidence with him.

That's about all there was to report. As I said, a pretty uneventful practice day and some people even commented about being bored.

Perhaps the Bills feel that are ready for their up and coming Colts test this Saturday and are just taking it easy until then...

Was there any "buzz" about the Parrish injury? Good report!

[Michael82]

Good report. :bf1:

[mysticsoto]

Was there any "buzz" about the Parrish injury? Good report!
Not really. Nobody knew anything...a few people here and there mentioned Parrish, hoping that he is okay - but overall there was no news so not much really to talk about.

Alot of people seemed to be impressed with Shaud. I kept hearing alot of people ask, "Who's #20?" and I had to keep telling them...

[JD]

Good report man, Mikey's fired! :brush:

[Marvelous]

Can you be more specific on your breakdown about Duke Preston? Here's some examples.
-any NT/DT stunts that confused him
- how was his leverage
-his quickness off the snap
-SNAPS
No pun but if your gonna watch these pratices and report on them try to go into more detail please.

[Marvelous]

Oh btw good report :bf1: :lmao:

[mysticsoto]

Can you be more specific on your breakdown about Duke Preston? Here's some examples.
-any NT/DT stunts that confused him
- how was his leverage
-his quickness off the snap
-SNAPS
No pun but if your gonna watch these pratices and report on them try to go into more detail please.
Oh, thanks for reminding me about something. With the Oline drills, one of them was a stunt. I'm not sure which D-lineman did it, but all I know is, Jason Peters took a pop. The D-lineman (maybe Edwards or Anderson) came around the LDE and just popped Peters (6'4, 330 lbs) back. It was a well executed stunt and I don't think they told anything to the Olinemen - to see how they would react and take it. Jason Peters took a good hit and was sent back a few feet.

On to Preston...against Sam Adams, clearly Sam jumps on the snap instantly before Preston even thinks about moving. But against the other backup players and Edwards also, they just overpower him. They can push him back. In the Oline/Dline drills, there were no snaps. Though when he was with the entire line/group on plays, he seem to snap just fine. All I'm getting at is that he is a work on progress. I keep reading media articles about him coming along great and maybe he is for a rookie. But in my opinion, he still has alot of work to do. I am sure he is making great strides and maybe getting used to the playbook and the calls and all - but physically, he needs to get stronger in his upper body and react faster. I'm sure all this will come with time. I just want to be honest in my reporting of what I see. I see no reason to lie and make it seem like he's ready to start and of some reports I've read on him, you would think he is ready...he's definitely not!

PS I don't get into all kinds of details sometimes b'cse I'm typing quickly - I'm at work and can't take 2 hours to type up everything I saw. So I try and give a quick summary. And as people ask, I try and give more details...

[Michael82]

Oh, thanks for reminding me about something. With the Oline drills, one of them was a stunt. I'm not sure which D-lineman did it, but all I know is, Jason Peters took a pop. The D-lineman (maybe Edwards or Anderson) came around the LDE and just popped Peters (6'4, 330 lbs) back. It was a well executed stunt and I don't think they told anything to the Olinemen - to see how they would react and take it. Jason Peters took a good hit and was sent back a few feet.

On to Preston...against Sam Adams, clearly Sam jumps on the snap instantly before Preston even thinks about moving. But against the other backup players and Edwards also, they just overpower him. They can push him back. In the Oline/Dline drills, there were no snaps. Though when he was with the entire line/group on plays, he seem to snap just fine. All I'm getting at is that he is a work on progress. I keep reading media articles about him coming along great and maybe he is for a rookie. But in my opinion, he still has alot of work to do. I am sure he is making great strides and maybe getting used to the playbook and the calls and all - but physically, he needs to get stronger in his upper body and react faster. I'm sure all this will come with time. I just want to be honest in my reporting of what I see. I see no reason to lie and make it seem like he's ready to start and of some reports I've read on him, you would think he is ready...he's definitely not!

PS I don't get into all kinds of details sometimes b'cse I'm typing quickly - I'm at work and can't take 2 hours to type up everything I saw. So I try and give a quick summary. And as people ask, I try and give more details...
Great job. and I do agree with you. Right now Preston is not ready. But he hasn't done a bad job when he's lined up in the 11-on-11 drills. I did see him get beat badly in the individual drills though.

BTW, when are you going again? I will probably be there Monday night and definitely Tuesday afternoon. I just hope that they practice in an area where we can actually see them next week. :mad:

[mysticsoto]

Great job. and I do agree with you. Right now Preston is not ready. But he hasn't done a bad job when he's lined up in the 11-on-11 drills. I did see him get beat badly in the individual drills though.

BTW, when are you going again? I will probably be there Monday night and definitely Tuesday afternoon. I just hope that they practice in an area where we can actually see them next week. :mad:
I don't know if I'll be going back. Once Preseason starts I usually prefer to see them against other teams than against themselves. You get a more telling story of what they are capable of and where they are lacking...I am disappointed that the D-line of the Colts is decimated. JP and the O-line may not get a realistic view of what will be coming at him. At the same time, maybe it'll help his confidence.

On the Defensive side however...we will see how much they've improved. If they can stop Manning and his elite offense, I will be ready to declare this defense as elite. Easier said than done! But I doubt Gray would show his hand of any new tricks he might develop and have under his sleeve. Better to play just a straight up vanilla defense and if he picks us apart, so be it...I don't want NE looking at this game and Bellicheck reading into any changes we make and countering them...