Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

[Ed]

According to Danny Kelly of SB Nation the 49ers and Bills have the best LB corps in the league and both are elite. I'm a little surprised by this, but it's always exciting to see the team get some positive praise.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/5/30/5742946/best-nfl-linebacker-corps-bills-49ers-kiko-alonso-novorro-bowman

Buffalo Bills

MLB/WLB Kiko Alonso, MLB Brandon Spikes, SLB Manny Lawson, WLB/ILB Nigel Bradham, OLB Ty Powell, MLB/OLB Keith Rivers, MLB Preston Brown

The Bills already had a very nice group of linebackers in 2013 featuring Nigel Bradham, Manny Lawson, and highlighted by Kiko Alonso's Defensive Rookie of the Year performance. Alonso racked up an impressive 159 tackles while adding 11 passes defensed and four picks in his premiere season out of Oregon. Alonso is an instinctive, fast-flowing and aggressive linebacker built in the "new-school" mode which asks for more speed and coverage ability.

Because of this, he will now play on the weakside in base downs his sophomore season with the addition of Brandon Spikes in free agency. Spikes, a fearsome old-school run stopper that has yet to prove he's a three-down player, will likely rotate a little bit with Bradham and Alonso in nickel or third down looks, as both are strong in pass coverage. Alonso in particular

With the selection of Preston Brown in the Draft, Buffalo's linebackers group gets another talent infusion, and with Ty Powell and Keith Rivers for depth, I like the group they've built there.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

[better days]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

Some people on this board poo poo Spikes as a two down LB.

But he is the BEST run stopping LB in the NFL.

I read the Pats* boards & I can say, Pats* fans did not want to see him land in the AFC East.

[Skooby]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

Run stopping ?? We haven't stopped the run since I don't know when.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

Some people on this board poo poo Spikes as a two down LB.

But he is the BEST run stopping LB in the NFL.

I read the Pats* boards & I can say, Pats* fans did not want to see him land in the AFC East.

He's but a lightweight DL that Grandma Moses could deke on a flare pass. You want this guy in on 1st and 2nd? NE washed their hands of him...ask yourself why.

[better days]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

He's but a lightweight DL that Grandma Moses could deke on a flare pass. You want this guy in on 1st and 2nd? NE washed their hands of him...ask yourself why.

We know why. BELICHECK.

Look what happened to the Pats* in the Championship game.

Belichick cut off his nose to spite his face in that game & it cost him.

Now he is even more ugly than before.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

He's but a lightweight DL that Grandma Moses could deke on a flare pass. You want this guy in on 1st and 2nd? NE washed their hands of him...ask yourself why.

I don't want to.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

We know why. BELICHECK.

Look what happened to the Pats* in the Championship game.

Belichick cut off his nose to spite his face in that game & it cost him.

Now he is even more ugly than before.

Look what happened to the Pats - nose or not, since he showed up:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/

Feel free to post a cheating riposte.

[Meathead]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

spikes was easily the bills top fa target by a longshot bc he was the best available lb by a longshot. so to get him was huge for their chances this season. hes not a megastud, but hes exactly what this defense was desperate for: the guy who will stop some scrub named lagarret blount from gaining eight yards a pop right up the freakin gut

i pretty much hated him as a cheater but he has the potential to be the lynchpin that helps pull it all together for this new Use The Schwartz defense. im not sure i would put them into elite status due mainly to some questionable backups but theres no doubt they have the potential to be quite good

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

What were we terrible at 2 years ago? Rushing the passer. WHat did we do? Sign the top pass rusher available. Were Bills "realists" happy? no.

What were we terrible at for the last few years? Run defense. What did we do? Sign the best Run stuffing MLB available. Were Bills "realists" happy? No.

And you wonder why people call you negative nancies. While it hasnt translated into winning (yet) and we still have lots we're bad at, but that doesnt mean you can simply dismiss the Spikes signing as a bad one because that supports your anti-Bills mindset.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

What were we terrible at 2 years ago? Rushing the passer. WHat did we do? Sign the top pass rusher available. Were Bills "realists" happy? no.

What were we terrible at for the last few years? Run defense. What did we do? Sign the best Run stuffing MLB available. Were Bills "realists" happy? No.

And you wonder why people call you negative nancies. While it hasnt translated into winning (yet) and we still have lots we're bad at, but that doesnt mean you can simply dismiss the Spikes signing as a bad one because that supports your anti-Bills mindset.

His Highness was cast off by a dynasty. I've not heard much - if anything - saying he has even adequate pass coverage skills. So when I oppose BUF and I see him in, you have invited me to toss the ball in his general area of responsibility knowing odds are he can't cover.

Sweet.

[better days]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

His Highness was cast off by a dynasty. I've not heard much - if anything - saying he has even adequate pass coverage skills. So when I oppose BUF and I see him in, you have invited me to toss the ball in his general area of responsibility knowing odds are he can't cover.

Sweet.

Well, the Pats gave up 400 YDS passing in the Championship game!

And you can't blame Spikes for that because he didn't play thanks to Belicheck.

And the Pats* gave up over 100 yds rushing to top it off without Spikes on the field.

[jimmifli]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

His Highness was cast off by a dynasty. I've not heard much - if anything - saying he has even adequate pass coverage skills. So when I oppose BUF and I see him in, you have invited me to toss the ball in his general area of responsibility knowing odds are he can't cover.

Sweet.

It's irrelevant. He's a run down LB. If teams want to target him that's fine, we win the matchup over the longterm. 65% completion % means that our defence is going to see a lot of 2nd 10s. Even if it's completed it's only 6-8 yards. If offences aren't running and extending drives, our D stays fresh. Our D dictates the matchup. Sweet.

[swiper]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

Some people on this board poo poo Spikes as a two down LB.

But he is the BEST run stopping LB in the NFL.

I read the Pats* boards & I can say, Pats* fans did not want to see him land in the AFC East.

LOL. You read on the Pats board so you are an expert on this and Spikes is the best run-stopping LB in the league. Yet the Patriots, who are exponential levels better than the Bills let him walk. Ok. Makes sense.

[swiper]

Re: Bills Have an Elite LB Corps

What were we terrible at 2 years ago? Rushing the passer. WHat did we do? Sign the top pass rusher available. Were Bills "realists" happy? no.

What were we terrible at for the last few years? Run defense. What did we do? Sign the best Run stuffing MLB available. Were Bills "realists" happy? No.

And you wonder why people call you negative nancies. While it hasnt translated into winning (yet) and we still have lots we're bad at, but that doesnt mean you can simply dismiss the Spikes signing as a bad one because that supports your anti-Bills mindset.

The realists are glad the Bills signed Spikes. And they realize he is a 2 down, run-stopping LB. What they laugh at is the suggestion that he is a 3-down LB. Simple enough?