Roy Miller’s Lack Of Stats “Irrelevant”
February 26th, 2013
Greg Cosell
One great thing from a writer’s perspective about the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis was the virtually unfettered access to movers and shakers in the NFL. Over the weekend, Joe got a chance to talk Bucs football with Greg Cosell. A senior producer of NFL Films, Cosell is one of the most respected X’s and O’s guys out there. All he does for a living is break down film, aside from authoring a football book here and there. Cosell, nephew of famed broadcaster Howard Cosell, specifically detailed why defensive tackle Roy Miller is valuable for the Bucs.
JoeBucsFan: Your impressions on Bucs defensive tackle Roy Miller?
Greg Cosell: I always thought he was a good player for what he is.
Joe: Fans don’t seem to like him because he doesn’t show up in the box score much. He doesn’t get a lot of sacks; he doesn’t get a lot of tackles.
Cosell: Well, that’s irrelevant. It’s irrelevant!
Joe: Gerald McCoy always says he wouldn’t be the player he is without Miller.
Cosell: Well, essentially [the Bucs] play an underfront and McCoy is the three-technique and Miller is the nose-shade. And in that kind of defense, the nose-shade will not put up stats. The nose-shade often gets double-teamed; the nose-shade allows a guy like Lavonte David to run free. That is his job. His job is to stalemate and defeat double-teams, eat up blocks. Roy Miller will not appear on the stat sheet. That is not a reflection of anything that he is about as a player.
Joe: So again, when people whine that he doesn’t get sacks, it is irrelevant?
Cosell: It’s irrelevant.
Joe: You brought up Lavonte David. Better rookie season: Lavonte David or Doug Martin?
Cosell: Well, it is hard to compare rookies at totally different positions. I think Lavonte David is a really good player. He will probably get better; he sort of fits the new mold of linebacker in the NFL. He is a run-and-chase player. Not a big player but he does have some physicality. He is willing to be physical; he’s just not a big, big man. You know, Doug Martin, I loved him when he came out of Boise [State]. He ran well this year. Obviously, it is an offense that would like to go through Doug Martin as a focus. And I think he can do that. He is a volume runner to me.
Joe: Have you studied much of Ronde Barber at safety?
Cosell: I have seen him. You know, there is so much subpackage that he essentially played the slot in their nickel and played sort of the dime linebacker position. I see him more that way than a regular safety.
February 26th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
I love when that guy is on NFL Radio. How did Miller do during his non-contract years??? I wanna keep him though
February 26th, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Great take,
but SACKS are RELEVANT. Maybe not from Roy’s position within this scheme, but we were TERRIBLE at getting to the QB.
The past two seasons we have had 27 and 25 or so sacks. Last season, JJ Watt had 20.5 on his own, and the year before that Jared Allen had a 1/2 sack more than the entire Bucs roster.
Sacks may not be important at Roy’s postion, but they are a necessity, and we are longing to replace Warrenn Sapp or Simeon Rice with premier sack specialist.
Michael Bennett was the only Buc in the NFL TOP 50 in sacks.. They may not be “relevant” to Roy Millier’s assignment, but SACKS NEED TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE!
Getting to the Quarter Back, and Having a Quarter Back are the two most important things in football.
February 26th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Millers a keeper!!
February 26th, 2013 at 3:48 pm
@SirustheVirus
Top 5 easy. Bucs has no chance.
February 26th, 2013 at 3:48 pm
@SirustheVirus
Top 5 easy. Bucs has no chance.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:04 pm
finally someone acknowledges that ronde plays the nickel still, and often. so many people on this site suggest he move there well he lines up in his comfort zone all the time.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:50 pm
Imagine if we drafted keakley instead Of mark baron.
February 26th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Miller is an immobile tree stump- just perfect for our nose tackle! He has improved every year, and has become a very good player!
That’s what you get, and want to see, from a quality young man.
You could have Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Keith Millard, and Reggie white on our D- line, and they couldn’t get sacks with our pathetic secondary.
Raheem tried to cover up for the secondary, by playing a 4-2-5 defense. We have had a terrible secondary for 4 years, and it’s just embarrassing that we haven’t addressed it.
But- good news! I feel this year, we finally will! It was obvious that our d- line, and new LBers, can stop the run very nicely.
Now, if we can find a few guys that can stop the pass!
Hope Barron’s cover skills improve. Baaad last year.but he’s young, and should improve
February 26th, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Miller sucks on madden. What does that mean?
February 27th, 2013 at 12:30 am
David is better than Kuekly.Kuekly is better in coverage but David play’s at or behind the line of scrimage.Kuekly makes contact then get’s steamroled for a couple yard’s.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:57 am
No one denying Miller taking on double in run and do well. Passing is a different story. When one guy det doubled, that leave 3 guys with one on one block. Maybe two if the TE or RB is blocking. No one focusing on Miller during the pass. If McCoy can occasionally get pressure from double team, then why can’t Miller consistently get pressure with just one guy? That’s a problem on passing plays.