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WR Sammy Watkins, BAL (1 Viewer)

King of the Jungle said:
Raider Nation said:
I have a bunch of games on at once at 1:00 on Sundays, so it's hard to focus too much on any one game. So I went back and watched every snap of the Minnesota/Buffalo game on Rewind. Allowed me to kill three birds with one stone, since I have Orton, Sammy and McKinnon. Long story short.... MUCH respect for Revis shutting down Sammy a couple of weeks ago. It's scary the ease with which this kid gets open. The defender is with him -- and then he's not. I'm honestly not sure how Revis did it. The way the Bills line him up, he can get open pretty much anytime he feels like it. I'm anxious to go back and watch the All-22 footage of the New England game so I can see exactly what they did to him. And I'm also wondering if there are any matchups to worry about going forward.
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Please post back after watching the NE game. I have a feeling Sammy was open more than what everyone is assuming. We are not dealing with Peyton Manning at QB here.
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Several Bills fans were saying that he was open quite a bit, but that the Bills had clearly just gameplanned him out because of Revis. Said that Orton wasn't even looking in his direction at all.

I didn't see it myself so I don't know if it's true or not, but it would be interesting to know if Revised really shut him down, or if he got open a fair bit but was just a decoy.

If I remember specifically, one of the Buffalo beat writers said Revis had him covered well early, but that Watkins started to figure things out by the second half and was getting open.

 
I was at the Patriots game and watched the matchup intently. It was a good matchup, even, from my POV. It looked like how you would expect when a very good WR goes up against a very good CB 1-on-1 all day. Revis won some and Watkins won some. The one thing I did note is that Watkins frequently just ran an outside vertical route. Outside release and straight down the sideline with Revis in tow, step-by-step, as Orton looked to the other side of the field. It looked to me, genuinely, that the Bills gameplanned to use Watkins as a decoy to get Revis out of the game. Either that or I just happened to be eyeing the matchup on the wrong plays.

Revis played tight coverage but not bump coverage for most of the game. There was one play in particular, second half, I believe I talked about it in the Bills thread, where Watkins totally torched Revis and had him beat by 2-3 steps, but Orton didn't look his way. It was a pretty full-speed little juke to get some separation, and then he turned on the jets. There was safety help, but it was a 30+ yard gain if Orton gets him the ball.

I'm a pessimistic fan by nature, and I am not one to gush over a player, but I've said it in here before and I'll say it again...Watkins is the real deal. He makes getting open look unbelievably easy. As Bills fans know, Stevie always had a knack of getting open, but Watkins gets open to the same degree and then has all the physical tools that Stevie never had. Better hands, faster, better body control, stronger. That's not a knock on Stevie, it's just high praise for Watkins.

I can't recall the last time I saw a WR this dominant this early. I won't compare him to Randy Moss's rookie season, because Moss was for my money the greatest WR of "my generation" and physically a different player than Watkins...but it's hard to remember a rookie looking this good out of the gate. I know in terms of stats he's behind Kelvin Benjamin at the moment, but the eye test tells me all I need to know. The Bills just need some other players to step up around him.

 
Review of Vikings game: http://www.wgr550.com/All-22-Review-Bills-Vikings-Watching-Watkins/20155713

In the span of one week, Bills WR Sammy Watkins went from forgotten man, to focal point. Unleashed upon the Vikings secondary, Watkins set highs in targets, receptions, touchdowns, and yards. Watching Watkins proves to be a lot of fun in this week's All-22 Review.

***
Last week's All-22 Review was dedicated to the Bills lack of dedication to Sammy Watkins. Watkins was targeted three times in the Bills loss to New England, with talk of "Revis Island" dominating the hours after the game. Darrelle Revis remains a very good defensive back in the NFL, but the reason Watkins was kept quiet is that the Bills just didn't call his name.

Fast forward to this past Sunday, and you get a significantly different game plan, and a much different result.

In the New England game, Watkins was primarily lined up outside the numbers, and stayed away from the middle of the field so that Kyle Orton could find Scott Chandler, and other WRs. To a degree, the game plan worked. However, after the game that Watkins just put up Sunday, it'd be a crime for the Bills to ever give him another three-target game.
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Do they have the All-22 review of the Buffalo game to save me an hour or so? Through the first two series I've watched, Revis is in his jersey in press coverage and Sammy gets no separation.

ETA: Never mind. If the last paragraph was correct, then the game plan vs. NE was indeed to use him as a decoy. I think those days are over.

 
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here was last week's All-22 review from the Patriots game: http://www.wgr550.com/pages/20110759.php?contentType=4&contentId=16096839

The Watkins-Revis matchup is a great thing to watch on the All-22. I wanted to focus on that matchup for a few reasons: 1. I wanted to see just how often the Patriots put Sammy on "Revis Island", 2. I wanted to see how often Watkins was able to beat Revis, and 3. I wanted to see just how often the Bills looked Watkins' way.

Answers:
1. Not often
2. Sometimes
3. Rarely.
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Watkins ran vertical routes all day long. If you watch the tape of every play, it almost seems like the Bills are using Watkins in the role that Marquise Goodwin usually pulls. What's that? It's "run far down the field...take your man and the safety...and we'll pass it underneath you."

Watkins did that a lot.
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In watching the All-22....it appears that Orton rarely looked at Watkins. I know that I can't see the QB's eyes, but there are several plays where Watkins is on the left, and the throw is quick to the right (or vice versa). The design of Watkins' routes are very much the type that Marquise Goodwin runs each week. Watkins ran more vertical routes this week than any other that I can remember. He was used to pull the defense deep. Revis followed him whereever he went, and a safety was quite frequently along for the ride.

The safety is important to note here. The New England Patriots did not treat Darrelle Revis like he's in "Revis Island" form. "Revis Island" was made famous by the New York Jets, in large part because Revis was able to take away a great receiver by himself. The Patriots frequently had safety help over the top.
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Revis is good. Revis is very good. There were several plays in the game where Watkins was unable to gain separation. However...as the game progressed, Watkins got better and better. He was able to shake loose a few times....
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He looked like...A decoy. I don't know the gameplan. I don't sit in on coach meetings. I do see a WR that ran consistently down the field and often pulled two defenders. The Bills were able to use the middle of the field with great success. The plays that I highlight, where Watkins shook Revis, were completions. They were often big gains. These aren't MISSED plays. They're just plays with an alternate outcome.

Frequently the Buffalo Bills will run Marquise Goodwin on a series of vertical routes to stretch the defense. Sunday against New England, that appeared to be the role that Watkins played. In seven first quarter passes, Kyle Orton looked at Watkins' side of the field twice. He wasn't a focal point in the passing game.
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Aaron Rudnicki said:
Review of Vikings game: http://www.wgr550.com/All-22-Review-Bills-Vikings-Watching-Watkins/20155713
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Eerie....channeling my inner Jeremy White....from that article Aaron just posted....

Steve Tasker said:
I'm a pessimistic fan by nature, and I am not one to gush over a player, but I've said it in here before and I'll say it again...Watkins is the real deal. He makes getting open look unbelievably easy. As Bills fans know, Stevie always had a knack of getting open, but Watkins gets open to the same degree and then has all the physical tools that Stevie never had. Better hands, faster, better body control, stronger. That's not a knock on Stevie, it's just high praise for Watkins.
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Watkins himself though, is a stud. He has the elite speed, the vertical leap, the hands, and the moves to be a true #1 receiver. His acceleration out of breaks is something you can see on film, even if you're not an NFL scout. I became a huge fan of Stevie Johnson because of the release of the All-22 video a few years back. Watkins showcases that same kind of ability to release at the line of scrimmage. He' s faster, stronger, and (ducks) has better hands. Here's to hoping that the win over Minnesota guarantees Sammy Watkins 10 targets a week. We've seen an awful lot from him, but there's much more to come.
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:oldunsure: :bowtie:

 
Steve Tasker said:
Revis played tight coverage but not bump coverage for most of the game. There was one play in particular, second half, I believe I talked about it in the Bills thread, where Watkins totally torched Revis and had him beat by 2-3 steps, but Orton didn't look his way. It was a pretty full-speed little juke to get some separation, and then he turned on the jets. There was safety help, but it was a 30+ yard gain if Orton gets him the ball.
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FWIW, this is the play I am referring to in my quote above (from the NE game all-22 review on WGR website that Aaron posted above).

Link

 
Steve Tasker said:
Steve Tasker said:
Revis played tight coverage but not bump coverage for most of the game. There was one play in particular, second half, I believe I talked about it in the Bills thread, where Watkins totally torched Revis and had him beat by 2-3 steps, but Orton didn't look his way. It was a pretty full-speed little juke to get some separation, and then he turned on the jets. There was safety help, but it was a 30+ yard gain if Orton gets him the ball.
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FWIW, this is the play I am referring to in my quote above (from the NE game all-22 review on WGR website that Aaron posted above).

Link
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Wow, roast job.

 
I've been re-watching some Bills games, myself. I'm going to sleep on it, but I'm pretty sure I'm moving Watkins up to WR6 in my next set of dynasty rankings, behind Julio/Calvin/Dez/Demaryius/Green. I had him at the bottom of a tier with Nelson, Brown, and Jeffery, but I think I'm going to move him to the top. He's just ridiculously good for a guy who hasn't even played half a season yet. Absurdly good.

 
Steve Tasker said:
Steve Tasker said:
Revis played tight coverage but not bump coverage for most of the game. There was one play in particular, second half, I believe I talked about it in the Bills thread, where Watkins totally torched Revis and had him beat by 2-3 steps, but Orton didn't look his way. It was a pretty full-speed little juke to get some separation, and then he turned on the jets. There was safety help, but it was a 30+ yard gain if Orton gets him the ball.
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FWIW, this is the play I am referring to in my quote above (from the NE game all-22 review on WGR website that Aaron posted above).Link
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Oh man. Of Orton lofts that ball, I don't think the safety could get there in time. That's a TD if Orton throws it to Watkins.

 
Adam Harstad said:
I've been re-watching some Bills games, myself. I'm going to sleep on it, but I'm pretty sure I'm moving Watkins up to WR6 in my next set of dynasty rankings, behind Julio/Calvin/Dez/Demaryius/Green. I had him at the bottom of a tier with Nelson, Brown, and Jeffery, but I think I'm going to move him to the top. He's just ridiculously good for a guy who hasn't even played half a season yet. Absurdly good.
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I agree. I have him #8 right now behind those 5, Brown and Jeffery. He, Brown and Jeffrey are all the same tier though.

 
Raider Nation said:
I have a bunch of games on at once at 1:00 on Sundays, so it's hard to focus too much on any one game. So I went back and watched every snap of the Minnesota/Buffalo game on Rewind. Allowed me to kill three birds with one stone, since I have Orton, Sammy and McKinnon. Long story short.... MUCH respect for Revis shutting down Sammy a couple of weeks ago. It's scary the ease with which this kid gets open. The defender is with him -- and then he's not. I'm honestly not sure how Revis did it. The way the Bills line him up, he can get open pretty much anytime he feels like it. I'm anxious to go back and watch the All-22 footage of the New England game so I can see exactly what they did to him. And I'm also wondering if there are any matchups to worry about going forward.
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I think that was more of Buffalo just not targeting him not Revis. I think he could beat Revis if that was only question.

 
fruity pebbles said:
Adam Harstad said:
I've been re-watching some Bills games, myself. I'm going to sleep on it, but I'm pretty sure I'm moving Watkins up to WR6 in my next set of dynasty rankings, behind Julio/Calvin/Dez/Demaryius/Green. I had him at the bottom of a tier with Nelson, Brown, and Jeffery, but I think I'm going to move him to the top. He's just ridiculously good for a guy who hasn't even played half a season yet. Absurdly good.
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I agree. I have him #8 right now behind those 5, Brown and Jeffery. He, Brown and Jeffrey are all the same tier though.
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lol Hes better then Jeffrey don't kid yourself.

 
Sammy has been the best player on his team everytime he steps on the field ever since High school.. He wasn't an All American as a TRUE FRESHMAN at Clemson for no reason. Only 4 players have ever done that Herschel Walker, Adrian Peterson, Marshall Faulk and Sammy Watkins. Food for thought. Not bad Company. Clemson coach said he was best player on team as a freshman as soon as he stepped on the field and Ellington was on that team. He is light years ahead of any rookie wr imo and is just getting his feet wet. If he had a qb like Pmanning, brees, rodgers or rivers he would be putting up Other worldly numbers.

 
Easy guys. These posts are too aggressive. Excellent information here!

Cool story: NFL.com

Jeff Scott, the Tigers' wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, relayed the tale to Around The NFL in a recent phone conversation:

"It was his true freshman year and we're playing Florida State at home in a big-time battle. He came to the sideline after the third offensive series and told myself and offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, he said, 'We're finally getting man coverage every time it's third-and-medium, we need to run the slant-and-go.'

"Because they'd already seen enough video on Sammy over his first two games, they didn't really want to run man coverage against him, but Sammy noticed on his third series when he was getting man coverage and why. So sure enough, the next series, we get down to a third-and-4, we call a slant-and-go and hit Sammy for the touchdown. As a coach, I'm like, 'Wow, that's a true freshman.' That's kind of when we knew."

 
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Raider Nation said:
Too bad Jordy will be 30 in May (dynasty rankings-wise), because he looks unstoppable right now.
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He looked unstoppable last year, too. And pretty much continuously since 2011. He's the same age as Calvin. I took a lot of flak for calling him a top-10 dynasty WR last year. He's just a guy who is always underrated. I understand if his age (and the fact that he's not CALVIN JOHNSON) keeps him out of the top tier, but I think he's a slam-dunk second-tier dynasty WR, especially signed long-term in Green Bay.

 
Aaron Rudnicki said:
Raider Nation said:
I have a bunch of games on at once at 1:00 on Sundays, so it's hard to focus too much on any one game. So I went back and watched every snap of the Minnesota/Buffalo game on Rewind. Allowed me to kill three birds with one stone, since I have Orton, Sammy and McKinnon. Long story short.... MUCH respect for Revis shutting down Sammy a couple of weeks ago. It's scary the ease with which this kid gets open. The defender is with him -- and then he's not. I'm honestly not sure how Revis did it. The way the Bills line him up, he can get open pretty much anytime he feels like it. I'm anxious to go back and watch the All-22 footage of the New England game so I can see exactly what they did to him. And I'm also wondering if there are any matchups to worry about going forward.
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Revis didn't totally shut him down. The Bills had him running a lot of go routes that basically reduced him to a decoy role and I'm not sure Orton looked in his direction all that much. Seemed like the coaches were not really willing to turn him loose and probably played it too safe.
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There were a lot of plays where I noticed Watkins wasn't even in the progression list.

 
T with T said:
Sammy has been the best player on his team everytime he steps on the field ever since High school.. He wasn't an All American as a TRUE FRESHMAN at Clemson for no reason. Only 4 players have ever done that Herschel Walker, Adrian Peterson, Marshall Faulk and Sammy Watkins. Food for thought. Not bad Company. Clemson coach said he was best player on team as a freshman as soon as he stepped on the field and Ellington was on that team. He is light years ahead of any rookie wr imo and is just getting his feet wet. If he had a qb like Pmanning, brees, rodgers or rivers he would be putting up Other worldly numbers.
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More than just Ellington. That team had Ellington, Deandre Hopkins, Dwayne Allen, and Martavis Bryant at the skill positions.

Here's the FSU play referenced:

 
I'm toying with the notion of trading Green for Watkins in my auction league. We can keep two players per year for 10% (rounded up) of what they sold for the previous year. Green would be $51, Watkins would be $15.

 
Some guys you just love having on your team. Watkins is one of those guys. So freaking glad I got him on my keeper auction team this year. The guy is on the verge of already being a stud. :yes:

 
Milkman said:
OMG Watkins hysteria has hit an all time high.

Watkins is no where near a taller Percy Harvin. He showed that at the combine. He is not even close to the same kind of athlete. Percy Harvin is an elite athlete. Sammy Watkins is a 6'0 4.4 guy. They're all over the NFL.

This comparison is what's driving Watkins value right now imo and it's a bad comparison. It's why anybody with the 1st pick in the draft should be looking to sell.
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I am wondering with what is transpiring this year and how adamant you were with Watkins never being elite, if you would admit you may have whiffed on Watkins. It is ok to admit we make mistakes as we all make them, but you have not reported back to this thread in a while.

 
Carter_Can_Fly said:
Milkman said:
OMG Watkins hysteria has hit an all time high.

Watkins is no where near a taller Percy Harvin. He showed that at the combine. He is not even close to the same kind of athlete. Percy Harvin is an elite athlete. Sammy Watkins is a 6'0 4.4 guy. They're all over the NFL.

This comparison is what's driving Watkins value right now imo and it's a bad comparison. It's why anybody with the 1st pick in the draft should be looking to sell.
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I am wondering with what is transpiring this year and how adamant you were with Watkins never being elite, if you would admit you may have whiffed on Watkins. It is ok to admit we make mistakes as we all make them, but you have not reported back to this thread in a while.
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:popcorn:

 
Carter_Can_Fly said:
Milkman said:
OMG Watkins hysteria has hit an all time high.

Watkins is no where near a taller Percy Harvin. He showed that at the combine. He is not even close to the same kind of athlete. Percy Harvin is an elite athlete. Sammy Watkins is a 6'0 4.4 guy. They're all over the NFL.

This comparison is what's driving Watkins value right now imo and it's a bad comparison. It's why anybody with the 1st pick in the draft should be looking to sell.
Click to expand...
I am wondering with what is transpiring this year and how adamant you were with Watkins never being elite, if you would admit you may have whiffed on Watkins. It is ok to admit we make mistakes as we all make them, but you have not reported back to this thread in a while.
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Watkins would clearly be near the top of the WR charts if Orton had been in all year. EJ Manuel was just awful the first 4 games & couldnt hit the broad side of a barn

How someone can say Watkins isn't an elite athlete is mind boggling. He has some of the best short area burst I've ever seen from a WR: he is literally uncoverable on crossing routes. His 0.5 second burst off the line is elite and the reason he's so dangerous (see GW catch against MIN)

He's 6'1" / 212lb as well & nearly as fast as Percy Harvin. I will take Watkins all day over Harvin. Watkins is a true WR1; Harvin is just too small.

 
Watkins is not going to want to see that replay again this year, even though it will be seen countless times. That was not a good highlight for him.

 
It'll be forgotten soon enough... Desean Jackson did the cartwheel in HS and then again in the NFL and hardly anyone remembers that.

 
Suggested topic edit:

Sammy Watkins the next Leon Lett...

Lett has a phone call to make. Sammy will be hearing from him.

 
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