London Fletcher is a washed up bum.

[mchurchfie]

Discuss?

[OpIv37]

he makes a lot of tackles but doesn't make big plays. He looks great when he's next to Spikes and the O is too busy to bother with him. He doesn't look great when he's the No. 1 LB on the field and it's easy to block or avoid him.

[mchurchfie]

he makes a lot of tackles but doesn't make big plays. He looks great when he's next to Spikes and the O is too busy to bother with him. He doesn't look great when he's the No. 1 LB on the field and it's easy to block or avoid him.
Good points, everyone seems to defend him alot because they are enamoured with his tackle stats but I've seen him blow a lot of big plays. The middle linebacker is "Da Man" in this kind of defense, he has the best opportunity to make the most impact plays on the field. He barely ever does that and is usually tackling 8 yards downfield. Of course it is all of our small DE's faults, nothing to do with him.:rolleyes: He couldn't hold a candle to Sam Cowart or Shane Conlan's butts.

[JefftheBillsfan]

ill say this, he is not ever going to be a good at shedding blockers, so as long as we have trouble at DT, we will have a problem at MLB.

[mchurchfie]

At some point whether the DEs are playing good or not a middle LB is going to make a good play. I can't even remember the last time I saw him making a tackle in the opponent's backfield. Great players make great plays no matter what the circumstances.

[vicmantak]

London is still good enough to be missed in St. Louis but he cannot be compared with Jim Hasslett, Shane Conlan, Sam Cowart (before his achilles tendon injury...) and someone who can still help the Buffalo Bills: CHRIS SPIELMAN.

In summary, London Fletcher is an above average leader (top 15) who can still do big plays... but for sure, Spike's injury not only hurt himself...

[ParanoidAndroid]

ill say this, he is not ever going to be a good at shedding blockers, so as long as we have trouble at DT, we will have a problem at MLB.

Exactly! He has been playing behind very good D-lines and running free to RB's in past years.
This year he's getting pushed around by FB's and O-linemen.
He's also clearly slowing down.
He's done very well here and I hate to see him struggling, but that just happens to MLB's as well as RB's. One year they are great and the next, their bodies are beaten. I guess cortisone shots only work for so long.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Apparently you missed the thread where most everyone here is worshiping likenesses of London.

Many are building the London Fletcher room in the HOF. Right next to the Tedi Bruschi wing.

[Stewie]

ill say this, he is not ever going to be a good at shedding blockers, so as long as we have trouble at DT, we will have a problem at MLB.

Exactly. I'm pretty sure everyone in the NFL knows this about him. To be fair, the guy is 5'9". How are you supposed to get a 6'5" guy off you when you're 5'9"? Their arms are as long as your legs, for christ sakes!

You want to see fletch make more plays next to the line of scrimmage, draft a 350lb d- tackle in the first and fourth rounds in next year's draft.

(And IMO, draft offensive linemen with all the picks in between.. but thats neither here nor there...)

[HHURRICANE]

At some point whether the DEs are playing good or not a middle LB is going to make a good play. I can't even remember the last time I saw him making a tackle in the opponent's backfield. Great players make great plays no matter what the circumstances.

I'll tell you this, if a running back gets anywhere near his hands when he is lying flat on his stomach, than look out. Shoe string tackles galore!! They are going to put his name on the wall of fame next to Leon Seals!!

[colin]

what has killed me about london this year has been his horrible angles in pursuit.

short passes to RBs make him useless, he never gets there to smack them on the catch, and consistantly runs right after them instead of taking an angle and just gets beat.

when he is back, spikes should be our MLB, where he has been great before.

posey spikes and crowell would be a freakish LB core.

all can cover, all can run, and all are BIG.

those guys would shut down runs big time

[OpIv37]

posey spikes and crowell would be a freakish LB core.


I'm not sold on Posey either. it seems that he NEVER gets his name called in games. He maybe has 3 sacks in 3 seasons, no INT's that I can recall, no tipped passes/knockdowns that I can recall.

[Mr. Cynical]

IMO, Fletch is too slow to make up for any mistakes he makes when guessing direction or reacting. I've seen it a dozen times where he is grabbing air while the RB zips by.

[gr8slayer]

I'm not sold on Posey either. it seems that he NEVER gets his name called in games. He maybe has 3 sacks in 3 seasons, no INT's that I can recall, no tipped passes/knockdowns that I can recall.
Posey had two that I can think of last year. (INT's)

[ParanoidAndroid]

Posey had two that I can think of last year. (INT's)

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg0 vAlign=top><TD>DEFENSIVE STATS</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg1 vAlign=top><TH>Year</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>G</TH><TH>Total</TH><TH>Tckl</TH><TH>Ast</TH><TH>Sacks</TH><TH>Int</TH><TH>Yds</TH><TH>Avg</TH><TH>Lg</TH><TH>TD</TH><TH>Pass Def</TH></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>1998</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>18.0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>1999</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>16.0</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2000</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>27.0</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>0.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2001</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>16.0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2002</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>65</TD><TD>49.0</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2003</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>63</TD><TD>37.0</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>5.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2004</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>65</TD><TD>39.0</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3.0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2005</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>18.0</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR class=bg4><TD>TOTAL</TD><TD></TD><TD>115</TD><TD>325</TD><TD>220.0</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>17.5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1.5</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>10</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

He hasn't been rushing the passer much, but he's been solid. These numbers are good for a Will linebacker in a 4-3. Not spectacular, but solid.

[OpIv37]

so in 40 games in Buffalo, he's had 6.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 Pass defensed and 94 tackles? Angelo Crowell could do that.

[bigbub2352]

London Fletcher is/was a quality lb but he is too small to play the position when u dont have to outstanding dt in front of him, he also had tko next to him no he doesn't so he is an average player getting paid to be and outstanding player, draft someone, or via free agency he needs to be replaced

[Mr. Miyagi]

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg0 vAlign=top><TD>DEFENSIVE STATS</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg1 vAlign=top><TH>Year</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>G</TH><TH>Total</TH><TH>Tckl</TH><TH>Ast</TH><TH>Sacks</TH><TH>Int</TH><TH>Yds</TH><TH>Avg</TH><TH>Lg</TH><TH>TD</TH><TH>Pass Def</TH></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>1998</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>18.0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>1999</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>16.0</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2000</TD><TD>San Francisco 49ers</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>27.0</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>0.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2001</TD><TD>Jacksonville Jaguars</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>16.0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2002</TD><TD>Houston Texans</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>65</TD><TD>49.0</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2003</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>63</TD><TD>37.0</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>5.5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg2><TD>2004</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>65</TD><TD>39.0</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3.0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=bg3><TD>2005</TD><TD>Buffalo Bills</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>30</TD><TD>18.0</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR class=bg4><TD>TOTAL</TD><TD></TD><TD>115</TD><TD>325</TD><TD>220.0</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>17.5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1.5</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>10</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

He hasn't been rushing the passer much, but he's been solid. These numbers are good for a Will linebacker in a 4-3. Not spectacular, but solid.
Take out that freakishly lucky year in Houston, those stats SUCK. :down:

[mchurchfie]

What really sucks is our quality depth at LB, we have none.:down: Yet another tribute to TD's drafting prowness.:loser:

[colin]

posey can play 3 downs, can soak up a blocker, and covers well on RBs and tight ends.

he is a competent Sam linebacker, our big runs don't go to the strong side, they all go up the gut with guys out of position.

corwell is very capable, he will be a solid WILL. TKO is outstanding, and will be about the best MLB in the game. posey is fine and an upgrade is nice but not a sore spot.

our d was great before, and with just a couple guys gone it is what it is today.

a couple positions being upgraded will make us great again.

[mchurchfie]

our d was great before
That's a HUGE misconception IMO.

[DaBills]

When we had Pat and Sam both up front and TKO free to roam, London didn't have to carry the load. With TKO and Pat gone, it exposed his limitations, and he obviously isn't as effective. Two words: over pursuit.

[Mr. Cynical]

BTW - TD inherited a #3 defense. And I know the next post is going to be "salary cap casualties", but if you take a look at what happened to those players you'll see it wasn't the main cause.

[mchurchfie]

BTW - TD inherited a #3 defense. And I know the next post is going to be "salary cap casualties", but if you take a look at what happened to those players you'll see it wasn't the main cause.:bf1::bf1:"Mr Egotistic" Gregg Williams came in and immediately decimated a very effective 3-4 defense and put his label on it. It has been a piece of **** since then.:puke:

[Tinboy]

Posey is the most underrated player on D# today. I would like to Crowell, Spikes and Posey as our LB next year.

Fletcher is starting to get old and should be replaced.