shoretalk

It's funny ... this post is very similar to the one quoting coaches, general managers, front office personnel, etc. who critiqued the Bills. Who are these "analysts?" Where is the link that says that Urbik is "one of the worst starting linemen in the league?" If you watched the Jacksonville game you may have noticed that Urbik played well. If you have watched the entire preseason you might have noticed that Pears has played decently too. Neither of these guys are Pro-Bowl calibar (Yet) but they have to start somewhere and frankly they are better than the broken down bodies of old cast-offs from other teams who might have had glory days back before the turn of the century. In fact Urbik came out of college as one of the highest rated lineman after receiving these honors in college: 2005 second team All-American (Sporting News[1] and Rivals.com[2]) 2007 consensus second team All-Big Ten selection[3][4][5] 2008 second team All-Big Ten selection (Coaches)[6] 2008 first team All-Big Ten selection (Rivals.com)[7] 2008 ESPN.com first team All-American[8] So, to rip on a guy based on preseason play or to quote mysterious experts really isn't allowing for a fair evaluation. Hangartner is a smart player but he gets bowled over by any bull rush or large nose tackle, which is one of the reasons Wood is now playing center. Center is Hang's natural position not guard. Yes, I would think they might keep him as a back up guard and center but Levitre can also play center. Not sure about Rinehart's history. So, we have one more preseason game before the cuts come and the waiver wire gets busy. It will be interesting to see who the OL back-ups are but it is very clear that Gailey has his starting offensive line of BELL, LEVITRE, WOOD, URBIK, and PEARS.

A long time ago I learned that the anonymous ones who choose to rip and tear rather than offering a constructive evaluation are not what they claim to be. As I read this attack on Buddy's building of the 'new Bills' I couldn't help but be astonished by the choice of words of these "general managers, scouts, and other front office personnel' because they read like the words of a distraught teenage boy who was guzzling down some beer to get bold enough to post this insight. The author uses the plural in his attempt to establish credibility... just think more than one general manager and more than one scout and more than one coach and more than one member of personnel offices all quietly whispered to our one poster here. Did each person contribute just one or two words or perhaps a phrase? The conclusion about Barnett runs counter to what all the other voices from the football world are reporting especially since most see the Bills getting a financial bargain in him rather than paying a “ton of money (Now, why does that sound like a youthful expression?).” Spiller has only played one year not the two years of struggling that these secret voices whispered about. While our offensive line is far from anything to ‘write home about’ the specific criticism in this post again has more the appearance of a ‘sour grapes’ young person who follows the Bills rather than that of one of the 31 other general managers in the league sharing his opinions anonymously. And, the attacks on the old and broken down Kelsay and Merriman are absurd because neither is old for a defensive player in the NFL but they might be old if the author is 16. I know most of us are hoping that Merriman is not broken down but the one criticism that has never been leveled at Kelsay is ‘broken down’ because he is still healthy and his problem is not being talented enough to go out into pass coverage. Finally, the comment about Jammie Kirlew is certainly an odd one since that name doesn’t jump off the Bills roster. To be “shocked” that a young man who was drafted in the 2010 draft by Denver is still on a preseason roster is the final proof that this posting was a fabrication. Here’s a profile of Kirlew from NFL.com: Kirlew was a productive, three-year starter for the Indiana's defense. He is somewhat of a 'tweener prospect with average size for a defensive end but lacking great athleticism to project to outside linebacker. He is a tough, hardnosed player with great work ethic and intelligence. He plays with a high motor and wins with effort and technique more than athleticism. Kirlew has been a playmaker off the edge but doesn't have great initial quickness and burst to close to the ball. He is an instinctive player who understands angles and locates the ball quickly. He is inconsistent to shed larger blockers, which likely will hinder his ability to play with his hand in the dirt at the next level. Kirlew is a good college football player but is a classic overachiever, and his talent may not project in the same way at the next level. Now, I really am not sitting here thinking this guy is going to make the Bills’ starting line-up but to have him in camp as a possibility after being on the PS at the end of last season is what all teams do. No general manager, coach, scout, nor front office personnel expert would rip another general manager even anonymously for keeping a kid in camp who might have potential. Now, if he was signed to a multi-million dollar contract then you might wonder about Buddy. We are seeing Buddy build a team and after a decade of failure it appears that Buddy and Chan are giving us a chance to finally end up with a winner. It may take another year but the pieces are falling into place in a good way!

1 - Moats was injured unfortunately because he needs to show last year was a hint of his potential. He could be a surprise cut. 2 - I too am sick and tired by the anti- Kelsay rants!! To say he is one of the worst players in the league just reflects the lack of football knowledge the poster(s) has. Kelsay is a solid defensive end who will never be a superstar but is an asset on the field and in the clubhouse (respected by teammates and coaches both). He is not an OLB because he can't cover passes adequately. That being said, I'd love to see Carrington start. He has a great upside and I loved the pick last year!! We are starting to see the majority of Nix' picks forming the nucleus of a Bills' team with potential. Not all will Pam out but I like what I see!

Namaan makes the team ... Hubbard is already gone and Buster is a bust ... However I think we keep Aiken and two TE's because it is highly likely someone steals him from PS or the waiver wire.

Makes you wonder who pushed for this one ... do the advertisers get another 30 seconds? The players seem upset by the rule change and so do the coaches. For the fan this has us losing something that is totally exciting ... why not cancel the extra point kick and only line up after a touchdown if you are willing to go for 2?

what he said ...

Just a note on offensive linemen ... there really were not a long list of job hunters of pro bowl quality out there looking for the big dollar contract. We tried to get Clabo and apparently it was between the Bills and his home town team where his family is settled and happy. Sully seems to jump on the 'rip and tear bandwagon rather than doing any real work.' The Philadelphia Eagles Offensive line is giving them problems but they didn't sign anyone nor have they signed the guys floating around out there who used to be good. I really am tired of Sully's invective negatisms ... I agree with some of his criticisms but Brad Smith didn't break the bank and prevent us from signing the non-existent OL stud player.Smith gives as a really strong offensive weapon who should be well worth the price we paid for him. I think we should have gotten better than a 4th round pick for Evans and I am an Evans' fan but he wouldn't go over the middle plus Fitz is not going to be throwing long balls all day. It certainly seems like Gailey wants his receivers to do more than streak down the field. This is a chance to see if the receivers we have are as good as many of us believe ... if they aren't there are always wide out's on the market over pricing themselves for the pickings. As for the "gadget" guys ... the only two I can think of that Nix has had the responsibility for drafting are Spiller and perhaps Jasper (if you want to call him a gadget; he is at least the largest unknown on the team). It has been rare to see rookie running backs become instantly amongst the best running backs in the league so I am willing to see what happens with the Spiller situation this season before casting judgment. Does Sully call Dareus a gadget pick? Williams? And, as for Bell, trying to disregard the Denver fiasco for a moment, yes he is the best we have but in 2010 his blocking statistics for the 16 game season and his effectiveness put him right in the middle of the 32 LT's in the league in only his first full season playing the position. Yes, I would rather have two pro-bowl players at the tackles but this kid seems to be developing and I just hope Denver was a bad game for him because he was very efficient in the Chicago game. The Eagles CB depth is so good that the players are already fighting amongst themselves for playing time and who is the number one guy on the team. This has all the potential of turning into a major team and locker room battle because you have three superstars trying to play two positions ... but with their poor linebacking corps and lack of safeties they can easliy cut a $2 million cb but still have defensive problems.

I think he has an ego but he is the one in charge ... he's not going to worry about player complaints, this board's "insight," or the media's reactions to his decisions. The man is a head coach who is in charge and willing to admit to mistakes and learn from mistakes! Buddy and Chan bring us something we haven't had since Marv and Polian.

Frankly ... give me a coach with an ego who is willing to put his neck on the line by calling the offensive plays in the game. I want a bold and brazen coach who is the one in control. What Gailey gives us is a coach whose offensive skills are highly respected in the league for his ability to hone players skills to their highest level while also being creative in his play calling. Gailey came to a team that was infamous for Dick's goal to try to play it close with nothing creative about the offense. Jauron's game plan was not about winning big and overwhelming his opponents. So, it took some time for Chan to make adjustments and yes he made some mistakes such as with Edwards (It will be interesting to see if Edwards is the Raiders starting QB when they come to Buffalo in Week 2). But, he is building an offensive team with attitude that has a leader on the field willing to go all out. Jets' fans are bemoaning the fact that we got Smith so his 'gadget and gimmick' plays are clearly appreciated by fans, coaches, and players in the league ... sorry that you don't seem to see a value to catching the other team off guard or making them game plan for the unexpected. So, in our first preseason game Gailey didn't publish our regular play book ... do you really think that matters? Do you really think that preseason games mean anything? Gailey showcased the possibilities of our team in Week One and we'll just have to see what he has in store for us tonight. But, in 2010 he gave us an offense that put up nearly 20 points a game even though our defense didn't give the offense time on the field to do very much. We had a quarterback throw for 3000 yards in 12 games. We had a running back gain nearly 1000 yards even though he didn't start for the first games of the season. Frankly, I am excited about this offense ... CHAN GAILEY's OFFENSE ... and if it fails his ego is strong enough to say he game-planned it and called the plays. That's the kind of offensive-minded head coach I want. No dumping off on the assistant coaches ... it's his team. And, now on defense we have Gaiiley's mirror image in our new Assistant Head Coach. Wannstedt has been gifted with a new line-up of players who want to win and make big plays. There is clearly a new attitude at ONE BILLS' DRIVE plus Dareus and Williams are going to wreak some serious havoc up front. Wannstedt is cocky too ... Wanstedt has an ego too ... Wanstedt wants to win and I think he will be kicking butt if his D looks anything like last year's. You can already see McKelvin's game being ratcheted up, Edwards is healthy, Carrington, and the rest of the starters are out to get the ball. So, those who want a demure quiet coach without an ego who doesn't try to put an imprint on the game might start to petition to bring us the Cleveland Brown's defensive guy ... his name is Dick something ... and he would never show any emotion nor ego nor claim to have a game plan ... but he might be the quiet type you are looking for who let's his players play ... maybe he might even hope that his team wins by 2 or 3 points ...

Not much of a team trimming ... That first cut should be an easy one but then the floodgates of available players opens right before the season starts ... Can't imagine any surprises or players of value on that first cut down day ... Maybe the Jets might have one ...

Frankly, I think a lot of us believe the Bell will be the answer at LT. He shows continuous progress and his development was stunted by his early injuries. But, if you look at his work last season when he started all 16 games (No, he is not injury prone.) and I do not believe he was called for a single major penalty. Fitz's backside was protected leading to 3000 yards passing in 12 games plus the team averaged almost 20 points per game. If Bell continues to progress, like most young offensive linemen who take 3-4 years before they totally get the game, we will be in good shape as long as he stays healthy. It's about time that the get rid of Bell bandwagon's wheels come off and we start looking at real needs the team has.

A true "journalist" even a web blogger would not beg and plead on Twitter for a player to answer him. A call to the Bills' office or to Merriman's agent (Wait, perhaps Mr. Moron is not able to figure out how to find agents' names and contact information ...). Seeing his posting of his own TWITTER shout out only verifies what most of us have concluded about Mr. Moron's ability to write factual and insightful reports about the Bills or anyone else. If I were him, I'd be doing a google search on slander right now ...

Frankly ... this is WEEK TWO of the preseason with coaches still attempting to install offensive schemes and defenses trying to learn to work together. Some coaches are out to blow out the opposition while others are trying to create situations so that they can effectively evaluate certain players. To use the second preseason game as a sounding board is just plain silly ... now the third game traditionally has been the one preseason game when the season starters get their longest look but who knows with this crazy preseason maybe Game Four will have some analytic value but in the end these are PRE-SEASON games ... That being said ... loved seeing the DREAM TEAM blown out last night; I am about to head out to work and can't wait to listen to Philly Sports radio to hear what the whiners are saying especially those on-air types predicting 12 and 13 win seasons. GO BILLS ... our D is going to be awesome if they stay healthy and that will make our offense better! Can't wait for the REAL SEASON to get started!

So ... let's see .... this web "journalist" has friends with the Border Patrol who say that they stopped Merriman dug through all of his belongings and found stuff but the stuff wasn't enough to warrent an arrest or convisgation but the stuff must have been banned illegal steriods that he was then allowed to put back in his suitcase as he drove off to training camp? Now was Mr. Tweeter the Journalist given top secret photo's or samples of the stuff that were then analyzed to verify that Merriman not only had in his possession illegal steriods but was using them? Does Mr. Moron have a witness who helped Merriman take or inject the substances in question? Or, is Mr. Moron, the web 'wanna-be journalist,' just another sign of the times that anyone in the internet era can turn themselves into something they are not by just publishing 'stuff?' It would be fitting that the next headline reads 'Merriman sues Moron' but that would give the guy too much exposure. Just a lesson to be learned that even though we don't always love them ... the reporters who work the beat for the Buffalo News, Rochester D&C, and other newspapers have the education, experience, and knowledge to get to real stories whereas most web stuff is for entertainment purposes only because they could never get hired by a real media outlet.

And, Nelson has done nothing but impress so I guess he's talking about our other Nelson not the one who is going to be a great slot receiver.

Three interceptions by Vick plus really poor play by the Dream Team OL, which has some serious issues going on with it. The Eagles front seven has questions ... they are counting on 'our' Anthony Hargrove to play a major role.

THANKS ... we all appreciate your posts!!! Gives us insight that the media isn't providing!

He is going to be in for a few series ... this is not a regular season game ... he will work on getting better and yes, he will probably do something that makes Bronco fans regretting picking Miller. I am sooooo glad Miller was not an option for the Bills, all too many members of this board wanted him but we have the best of the first three picks in a Bills' uniform!

Just goes to prove that at least one NFL coach believes in helping the helpless ... good for Lovie!

Perhaps the most telling part of this SI story about his release is this -> "However, he played in pain for much of last season, after which he had surgery to repair a torn left quad muscle. Because of the lockout, he was unable to rehabilitate the injury at Saints headquarters, instead splitting time with the Georgia Bulldogs’ training staff and with a private trainer in suburban New Orleans." Sounds to me like his rehab did not go as planned and that he is still hurting to a level that he could not compete for a position with the Saints who apparently really love the guy. But then again ...

GOT TO HAVE HIM .... GOT TO HAVE HIM .... GOT TO HAVE HIM .... BUDDY GIT ER DONE!!! .... Any and every player who gets cut we GOT TO HAVE THEM ... He does have a funny name ... and if he was released and still healthy he's worth a look but I keep watching for those other Aaron Maybin types that teams somehow let go ... because if any team releases a high former draft pick or a former starter or someone who made it to the Pro Bowl or someone who sat on the bench then he is someone we GOT TO HAVE!!!

If we can sign a healthy pro bowl player like Clabo who is an obvious upgrade then we do it but my question is whether Stinchcomb has recovered from his injury. I do not put Pears in the category of a Clabo yet (probably never but one never knows) but I do think that Pears is better than a one legged right tackle waived early in the preseason unless Stinchcomb was released to give him a chance to start elsewhere! If he is pro bowl caliber then definitely sign him ... but let's not get all excited again about another team's reject until we know whether the car is still driveable!

How long does it take to effectively recover from a left quad tear? If a player with 2009 Pro Bowl skills is on your team in 2011, after an injury in 2010, how long do you keep them if they are effectively competing to return to their position? If they are effective at a key position such as offensive line do you keep your former pro-bowl player as a back-up? Do you only release them if their physical abilities have been so diminished by their injury that they can no longer play at an NFL level? If he has recovered from his injury, he is definitely worth a look even though I don't think we are hurting at RT as much as others think we are. The weak spot in the OL right now is the RG unless Urbik can show us that Chicago was an exception not the rule. But, we could use quality back-ups so Stinchcomb would be worth having even if he no longer has what it takes to start.

Frankly, Buddy's first priority with the draft was to start building a defense since DEFENSE is a key to winning football. I do not think he was reluctant to draft OL (Wang and Hairston) but getting the right D players with the right attitudes meant more in the long term for this team. Hairston (By the way, he was our FOURTH PICK not the 5th as you noted) received some great reviews from the draft guru's and could be a gem (Could be but let's remember it takes time for OL to develop into pro starters much less pro stars) but Wang does seem limp out there but let's give him this preseason to show something. As for the others you name, that's how teams find players with an understanding that most of these guys won't succeed. Pears has not looked bad at RT (again, average but he has not embarrassed himself although like most average players he makes some mistakes out there) and the coaching staff seems really high on Urbik (I didn't see any of that 'average' or better play on Saturday night but am willing to wait this one out.). Green we all know was a mistake but the Bills didn't hang on to him ... they let him go once they knew he wasn't going to be the guy. I am thinking that we may go into the season with Wood and Hang switching positions and that alone makes us stronger up the middle. Wood can take on the NT's more effectively than Hang. We shall see ... it's week one, Fitz and the starting RB's had time and holes to work so I want to see what Week Two brings us.