I've been thinking about this throughout the offseason. It was a big concern last year with Marshawn not getting enough touches out of the backfield, and wanting to get him more involved in the passing game.

It was also not popular when we had a 3rd down back instead of McGahee getting the touches. It seems as though the idea of a 3rd down back isn't very popular in Bills land.

However, no matter how much we try to force the ball to Lynch out of the backfield, and no matter how much practice or opportunities we give him to catch the ball... Fred Jackson is just better at it. All kidding aside, Jackson is one of the better RBs on screen passes that I've seen around the league. He still doesn't hold a candle to Westbrook, but he is better than Lynch and better than most backs. His receiving skills are very, very good.

Lynch has looked spectacular at picking up the blitz this preseason, something I didn't think would be as quick of a turn-a-round from last year.

IMO, even though we want to get Lynch more involved, Fred Jackson should be the primary target in situations and some 3rd downs. I'm not saying that Lynch can't do it, he most certainly can, he's better than most backs, but Fred is just... better. I think the Bills have tried to move Marshawn into that category of receiving threat, and he looks pretty good so far, but I can't deny that Fred just seems more natural with it.

it's a good problem to have.

if we want to smash mouth and run the eff out of the ball, we need fresh legs all the time. that means we need to have lots of backs who can do lots of things.

it will change week to week with health and so on.

I would think that Jackson will periodically spell Lynch for a play or two, perhaps a series. What you don't want is Jackson always replacing Lynch on 'obvious' passing downs. Keep 'em guessing I'm guessing.

Lynch has the quickest first step after the catch that i have ever seen....and very good hands to go with it...and if given the chance on 3rd downs...he will show that he should be out there every 3rd down....

He doesn't even have the quickest first step in his own unit on his own team.
You're still cracking me up.

Do you think he's serious or just plain STOOOOOOPID?

Exactly. You're telegraphing the play based on which player is in there

I think it depends on the yardage as well. I had a bunch of people over watching the game last night and didn't see the number, but who scored that short TD. It reminded me of Kenny Davis, who always got that one yard(or less) to get the first by jumping over the pile, replacing Thurman.

Omon.

I say keep him.

BUF: Fred Jackson > Marshawn Lynch. CIN: Kenny Watson > Rudi Johnson. Hands, picking holes, following blockers.


And the money forked over, for both teams, keeps the better player as #2. Front offices seldom eat humble pie...

3rd and less then 5 yards to go = Lynch

5 or more = Jackson

Simon just watch the film, its there, no denying it.....


He lead all RB's in YPC....and average YAC.... with more chances this year, barring injury he is going to be top 3 in total yards....

BOOK IT



Schonert believes with virtually the same receiving corps from last year, if he increases the touches per game for Lynch and Jackson the team's yards after catch could be appreciably higher.

"He thinks there's not a linebacker that can cover either one of us in the open field," said Jackson of Schonert. "So he thinks it's a way to get us out there and use our explosiveness and our elusiveness and our ability to break tackles and just get us out and get the ball and let us be creative. It's just one of the things he wants to do this year."

Jackson had all of 22 receptions last season and Lynch had just 18. But Lynch averaged better than 10 yards per catch (10.2). That not only ranked third on the team, but would've tied Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew for highest receiving average in the league among running backs had Lynch had enough receptions to qualify.

"Marshawn is a guy that has tremendous upside and we want to use that ability as much as we can," said running backs coach Eric Studesville. "I think he's really going to be a fantastic player in this league. I just think he's going to get better and better."

I like that

You're beyond hysterical.
I don't need to watch any film; I've already been watching the kid play for years. And the fact of the matter, regardless of how many times you try to deny it, is that he lacks explosiveness and has minimal burst. Anybody that watches him without their head firmly planted up his keister can see that.
I like the kid, respect the way he plays the game and enjoy watching him do his thing. But the one thing he will never ever have in his toolbox is great acceleration. You might as well just accept it for what it is and focus on the other things he brings to the table. You can prop him for his strength, his balance, his toughness, his attitude, etc. but continuing to rave about an ability he doesn't even remotely posses just makes you look ridiculous.
Good luck on your emergence into reality!

Of 32 RBs in the combine, and he didn't really have a good combine, he was 5th in the 40, 5th in the 60 yard shuttle and 9th in the three cone. That's pretty decent speed and acceleration. And to me, from watching him a good deal in college as a Pac 10 fan, and last year, he looks better and faster in pads and during games. He ran 4.46 and Adrian Peterson ran 4.40, which tied for first.

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/resources/combine/RB.html

Lynch hasn't been used enough as a receiver to pass judgment. The thing is it's great we have Jackson to take the load off Marshawn not just on 3rd downs but whenever he needs a breather. Thurman didn't need to be taken out because he didn't take the big hits most RB's do; but I'm glad we had Davis who was a beast in his own right. This just means we can hang onto Lynch for a tad bit longer during his Bills career.

I like to watch Jeff Tedford operate an offense so I also got to see Lynch quite a bit at Cal. And between his time there and his brief time in Buffalo I have yet to see a single instance where Marshawn has displayed any kind of great burst or explosive speed. After 3 years you'd think if he had it we'd have seen it by now. And until we do I've got to assume he doesn't.
As for that link I'm not a big fan of combine numbers, but the one drill out of those that is most likely to show excellent acceleration would be that shorter 20yrd shuttle. The top 5 finishers ran that in 4.08 - 4.16. Marshawn ran it in 4.58.
Take it fwiw

After the catch he has a very quick first step....just look at any of his catches last year....

its the confidence he has in his hands, the ball gets to him and boom he is upfield....just watch....



You yapped all last season on how Fairchild should not try running him outside the box...yet he ran for 4.4 ypc off tackle...and we barely ran out of the spread formation.....If we run more out of the spread formation this season, which it looks like we will, expect that number to rise....

Marshawn has burst/accleration...The one thing he may lack is the ability to maintain his speed on long runs....and thats not a big deal....

you've had this opinion of him since before we drafted him....and you wont let it go....watch the tape...you cant say he lacks burst...Look at his first TD vs Denver(one of many examples) and tell me he lacks burst...cmon now...


Its hard to show burst and acceleration consistently, when your getting most your yards after contact....if we run out of the spread formation, that will def change, he will hit the 2nd level untouched, and his burst will be there....

you just need to open your eyes.....

To be able to power through some one, don't you have to have a burst? If he is strong, most likely he has some burst and acceration since those atributes are based more on your strength as opposed to conditioning. I think Marshawn has a burst and acceration, but you usually see himi go right into a defensive player instead of around them.

I think the Bills this year will use Lynch and Jackson interchangably. The coaches probably feel that either on eof them can get the job done in either department, with the greater abilities one or the other has in certain areas being negligible when taking into account the need for a balanced and unpredictable attack. Maybe Jackson is better at catching out of the backfield, but I think the coaches realize that if they put him in there everytime they are going to throw a swing pass, the defense will catch on and stop it. It seems like the coaches want to keep their options open this year in regards to tendencies, since this was such an issue last year. I could watch the games with certian people who paid attention and they could call out the play before the snap (to qualify this, I don't know any one who makes any money or decisions in the football industry).

This is the thing.....if we want to be flexible and not predictable on offense....then both guys are going to have to be able to do both.

I actually like Lynch as a pass catcher.....just stop floating balls to him and give him a chance to make someting happen after the catch.

If lynch can do it, I would like to see him on the field for all 3 downs. I have no problem giving him a breather from time to time, especially if he gets as many carries as he did last season. I just dont like the idea of "3rd down backs" comming in on every obvious passing down. I think lynch can catch just fine.

more then fine....i think alot of yall arent giving him much credit...he has very good hands

How does the 20yard shuttle show accerlation?? you run in 5 yard increments back and forth 5 to left 10 to the right then back for 5.......... its a test of coordination and change of direction speed.....not acceleration