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Vincent's move to safety makes a strong Bills defense even better: depth is your friend, Troy—even if you are used to sticking to receivers like rind on oranges

Sporting News, The, Dec 27, 2004 by Dan Pompei

With their season at stake, the Bills have entrusted their last line of defense to a novice. This greenhorn won't be buying Saturday morning donuts, however, because first-time safety Troy Vincent is a five-time Pro Bowl pick at cornerback and one of the most respected players in the NFL.

Not once, not twice, but three times early this season, the 33-year-old Vincent resisted the request to change positions. He feared the perception would be he wasn't good enough at cornerback anymore.

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After sitting out nine games with a knee injury, Vincent, who was mentally preparing himself to move to safety after next season, realized he needed to put his team first. He came to understand he could have a greater impact on his team as a ballhawking free safety than he ever could at corner, where only four balls were thrown his way in three starts at the position this year. With Vincent at safety, the Bills are free to move strong safety Lawyer Milloy into the box to do what he does best.

Buffalo's defense has become as dynamic as any in football as the 8-6 Bills, winners of seven of their past eight games, scrap for a wildcard playoff berth. In Vincent's two games as a safety, the Bills have had 11 sacks and nine takeaways. "They've obviously done well as a defense with him in there," Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh says.

As a safety, Vincent has an interception, a sack and a fumble recovery, and his pass rush also forced another interception that was returned for a touchdown by Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes in a 33-17 win over Cincinnati last Sunday. "It has almost rejuvenated me," Vincent says. "It's a brand new challenge, trying to find my way at a position I think I can excel at."

After practice, Vincent grabs a bag of ice, a bottle of water, a few Advils and a notebook and heads to the defensive backs meeting room. He has been watching about four extra hours of tape a day, studying how safeties have played against upcoming opponents.

In the NFL, players are moved about as frequently and easily as fully grown trees. The corner-to-safety switch might be the most logical, however, as players such as Ronnie Lott and Rod Woodson have made the transition with grace near the sunsets of their careers.

Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, who played cornerback and safety for the Rams, and Aeneas Williams, who was switched to safety from cornerback by the Rams, gave Vincent this advice: Depth is your friend. Quite a concept for a cornerback who had been used to sticking to receivers like rind on oranges. With depth, Williams told him, a safety will be able to take better angles. Gray told him depth will enable him to open up his vision to play the whole field, instead of playing just a small portion of it.

Against the Browns, Vincent was mostly a center fielder. Against the Bengals, he played a lot of cover 2 and bracket coverage. Some of his reads still appear half a beat slow, but it hasn't hindered him. "The ball doesn't come out with the velocity you see on the edge," Vincent says. "You have time to make a mistake and adjust."

For his new heavy-duty assignments, Vincent could use eight to 10 pounds on his 195-pound frame. He marveled at how he hit Bengals back Rudi Johnson with all he had on one play and "just bounced off him." Part of being a safety is learning how to play with the big kids.

The beauty of Vincent at safety is he gives the Bills coverage options that most teams can only fantasize about. If the Bills want to blitz a corner and have Vincent man up on a receiver, they can do so without a drop-off.

Even though Vincent is a safety, he still participates with cornerbacks in one-on-one drills during practice. "There is not a safety in the league who can run like I can run," Vincent says.

The imagination dances with possibilities.

Says Vincent, "Ed Reed, there's a new sheriff in town."

speed reads

If the Dolphins are sure they want to hire Nick Saban as their new coach, they should be allowed to do so without going through a charade of interviewing minorities who are not yet available to interview. Waiting to hire Saban is unfair to LSU and its recruits.

Can someone explain to me why Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson gets hardly any play as a head coaching candidate? There isn't a more qualified man to lead an NFL franchise. Just because Johnson is 63 doesn't mean he can't be a head coach.

If the Ravens had allowed general manager Ozzie Newsome to go to the rival Browns, it would have been a move they regretted for eternity. Newsome is one of the finest executives in recent league history, and his value to the Baltimore franchise is immense

How can the 49ers bring back Dennis Erickson next year after allowing him to talk with Mississippi about its head coaching vacancy? If Erickson is back, money is the motivation.

INSIDE DISH

Vincent's move to safety makes a strong Bills defense even better: depth is your friend, Troy—even if you are used to sticking to receivers like rind on oranges

Sporting News, The, Dec 27, 2004 by Dan Pompei

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