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offde-fence

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Everything posted by offde-fence

  1. I think the answer is having the right people in the organization that will be consistent in making good football decisions, from coaching to players, so that every year the Bills can field a team that challenges. Philly, N.E., Indy, Pittsburgh, come to mind. Winning and showing that the organization knows how to do it regularly - that is the way to change that view.
  2. I've read this a few times over the last month or so - "To a lot of people this is not an ideal situation for me. But I’m here, and I’m making the most of it. I’m going to make the most of the situation." - T.O. referring to making it work here in Buffalo. He's making it sound as if the Bills are a team that players don't want to go to. Granted, that might be true for a lot of players, and that is what is so bothersome. Buffalo might not have the best night life, or the greatest city, or a lot of the off-field stuff, but it'd be nice if our F.O. could find a way to overcome that draw back with other incentives. Doesn't that bother other Bills fans, that our team should be viewed that way by pro players? It just feels like if we want to be competitve in the NFL, with that kind of reputation, then to counter that, or change it, the F.O. could put up the cash for the right free agents, and make the team a good one, one on the rise. May that be the case for us this year. (T.O. being an example?) Still, does it sound like he's here because he wants to be?
  3. I know this is speculation and I'm not saying there is certainty here, but, I read an article awhile ago that hasn't been mentioned lately, nor it's premise, and that is that Vick - with his erratic play his last season, and for a good part of his career, having a QB rating of very high one week, followed by low the next, and that pattern repeating - well, with his other gambling pursuits, I'm surprised that element hasn't been looked into further, especially with Deleware allowing gambling on NFL this year. Imagine how much money could fall into the hands of a guy for missing a tackle or for allowing a sack... and that is no good for this game.
  4. Much agreed - Wood and Levitre really need to be there as much as possible for the coaches to assess the O-line, although I have a feeling it isn't going to be the interior of the line that's going to be questionable, as much as the tackle positions. I've always liked Wilson at safety, and Scott; so, Byrd isn't as high a priority, IMO. Maybin, though, should be in ASAP. I think the coaches need to see what he can do in pads. As far as I can tell by reading the news on the OTA's, Maybin has a lot of people wondering what he'll be capable of in pads. Can't wait to see. But, in all, I think the Bills have done a good job of signing guys - I think we're quite far ahead of most other teams.
  5. There is so much negative speculation about our O-line this year, it got me thinking about comparable situations. The expansion teams in 95 are close - they put together new lines without having worked together - and Carolina had the 3rd rank running team, and had a total of like 4500 offensive yards that year. Ours is unique in some ways, for sure, but, still, some of our guys have worked together, and know the system already. I don't think their newness to the positions will be the determining factor, as much as just having decent guys in there. If they're any good, and if they're hungry, they'll do an alright job. There's been similar instances where the line played good. We can do it - it isn't automatically going to be a bad line. That being said, I'm leaning towards them putting it together and being pretty good. Walker can only do so much, but, they should get the job done.
  6. ha - in order to bet on football, it has to be a game of chance!
  7. No one seems to be in agreement about what will happen to the Bills when Wilson dies, so, I say, enjoy our team while it's here. Even if we won a Super Bowl one of those years, it wouldn't comfort us now. Football isn't about last years champions, it's about fielding a team that is good enough to beat anyone on any given Sunday. If our team was good enough to fight with any of them, and we lost a few here, there, maybe made the playoffs, win or loss there, at least we can say, Our Bills are a good team, a team that could do it. There'd be reason for optimism, and what more can a fan ask for? If the team is bad to the point where it can't compete - like the year the Bills needed the last game win over pittsburgh, and pittsburgh put in it's second stringers - and crushed us. Who can route for a team that bad? Give us a team that might win any game, and I'm going to watch each one, until they're out of it. So, lets hope that this year's team is good enough to fight up in N.E. on monday night, and show them and the rest of the NFL that the Bills are a team that can beat you. I'd be happy with that, to start.
  8. He certainly was a good personnel man, and we've missed that over the years, but, I've got to say, I like the Bills last two drafts, and as for making a team now and in the next few years, I don't think draft is the problem. I'd say it is F.A. aquisitions, and play calling. He was great, no doubt, but he only led Indy to one super bowl victory. We need a guy that can put together the right guys and the right coaching staff here, now. We'll see what this season brings. I think we're going to be a tought team. I think, too, that Buddy Nix had something to do with this last draft, which I loved. If we get those kinds of picks for another two years, our team should be young and strong moving forward.
  9. I believe it's best to forget about Peters altogether, and to move forward. Even if he does great in Philly, or opposite, it doesn't mean he would've had the same results here. More importantly, I think, is that he showed he was willing to put his ego and personal goals ahead of the teams, to the point where he acknowledged not showing up a hundred percent, and justified it by saying he wasn't getting paid enough to play at an elite level. Any guy talking that way would be booted off a lot of good teams, and rightfully so. If the Bills paid him, it would have sent the wrong message, and imagine the cancer a guy like that would be to a team. So, I think we're better off moving on without him, and, now is all we have. I'm glad the Bills picked up the makings of a really solid interior line for the next four years, and we might have on the roster, right now, guys good enough for the tackle positions. Let's hope put it together this year, and surprise some teams.
  10. I asked Florio over at Profootballtalk about the consequences of spending big on cantracts that might end up being too much in following capped years. He replied that the team would have to cut or restructure contracts to make their team fit under the cap. I don't think it will be as crazy as people assume, because there won't be a floor, either, and teams will be able to spend as little as they want. I thing most owners are already pissed at the percentage that goes to the players, so, other than a few hard core spenders - Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder come to mind, most teams will go about things in a pretty normal fashion, I'd think, because eventually there'll be back to normal contract in place. As for the Pat's...I admire their ability to put in anyone and win, more or less, but I'd rather think that the Bills can put together a roster, which is young now, and mostly under contract for a while, that will give other teams headaches. We could be a few pieces away from having a damn good roster, so I'm hoping we find the guys to make it up there and to stay there. I believe that every year Wilson survives, is a year he'll be willing to do more and more to see a great Bills team. He's gotta want to see a championship here before he dies.
  11. You've got to give it to T.O.; he's been consistent his entire career, regardless of the QB, or the situation. He played hurt - was it that championship game?, and still put up monster numbers. Moss had Brady and a pass machine offense in 2007, all the benefits of the N.E. team. I'd have to say, the statistics back up Owens.
  12. I thought for a time that Wilson was cheap... I still don't know what the "inside" scoop is on which owners are cheap and which aren't, but, I came across an article somewhere recently - think it was buffalorumblings - that said the Bills as a franchise lost a lot of players when the salary cap and free agency began, that they were in the top five or so teams in spending until then. That being said, I think Wilson knows acknowledges he's on his way out, and I think he really wants to see a winning team here before he goes. So, I'm thinking if Jauron's team looks inept five or six weeks in - considering they had five preseason games, giving them ten or eleven by then, I wouldn't be surprised to see Jauron gone. Who'd be replacing him, though, is a mystery. I think, though, that by saying Wilson wants to win before he's gone, is close to saying he's probably got a plan B in place, considering he might not have another two or three years to wait - which means he'd probably go ahead and hire a permanent replacement instead of a temp, for the sake of quickening the process.
  13. I came across an article, albeit brief, on how Dick Jauron and Jack Delrio spoke to their respective teams this off-season about mixing in a form of the 3-4 defense, on a limited basis. If my memory serves me, it was in order to improve their pass defense. Does anyone know why that might help us this year, in regards our personnel and what, specifically, would be benificial about our guys lining up that way? Would it be as a means to get Maybin out there, as OLB, I'd assume? Who would we have lining up, and do we have appropriate guys for that package? Maybe Harris as another LB in that group, or a few of our speedier, smaller LB's (safeties on other teams), for coverage purposes?
  14. That did seem to be the case, when it came to running the ball last year. They didn't do it enough. Their personnel seemed a lot better suited for running than for passing, too. Granted, it was T.S.'s first year as O.C., but it looked as though he was trying to make the guys he had fit into a system he wanted, regardless of their talents. Other than Owens, it doesn't look like we're going to be better passing this year, either. Sure, we've got talent at WR, but the O-line will probably be able to handle running more than defending Trent against the likes of the Patriots, Jets, Dolphins defenses. Ideally, you'd like to be able to do what you want, when you want, but as of now, I believe we'd be better off setting up the pass with the run game. We'll just have to wait and see what approach T.S. takes.
  15. There are quality players to be had in every round, as evidenced by the pro-bowlers who emerge from later rounds. Sure, they have missed on a few guys the last few years, but there have been good picks in all the rounds, and Lynch (on the field) and McKelvin, I'd say, are cerainly worthy of their spots. I don't know what the difference was, but this years draft seemed better, still, than recent ones, and, if Hardy and McCargo turn out to be good players, then our recent drafts will have been pretty good; Trent Edwards, Steve Johnson, Byrd, and Corner could all end up steals. I think we just haven't hit as much on free agent aquisitions - not the right guys, and not enough of them. I'm thinking our drafting has been pretty good. We do have a young roster, and compared to other NFL teams, a great deal of our roster was drafted by us. If things work out this year, (we say it every year), then next year there shouldn't be too many holes to fill, and we should have a good core of young guys to keep the team built around.
  16. There have been two Trent Edwards - the sure, confident, rhythmic QB, and the hasty, panicked QB. When he's playing good, he hits the WR's in stride and finds the open guy, and by the end of a drive, defenses are in a bind as to cover the run or the pass, and which guy to cover. Edwards can really spread it around, too. I have no doubt in his capability, and that he's capable of being a franchise, pro-bowl caliber QB. His problem, or flaw, so far, is mental. Sure, those hits and the poor play probably had many contributing factors - line play, play calling, Evans being double covered, etc. But, it was apparent to me last year that Edwards became scared, and was terribly ineffective and panicked, for about a five or six game stretch. If he can get over that mental hurdle - whether it be fear, or actual physical pain, whatever it was, and play consistently as he did the first four or five games, as we've seen him play - when the t.v. announcers are saying what poise he has, how mature a QB he is, how accurate, etc. - then we should have a really fun year ahead for us. Matt Ryan comes to mind, and how he had such a good year last year. It's funny how Mularky was the coordinator. I bring that up because a rookie QB had that exciting type performance the poster here was asking for, and the coordinator he had was one we ran out of town as being lame and predictable. No doubt the RB play had a lot to do with his success - which leads me to add that if our RB's are used to their full, maximized - because we've got three good ones, and a line that looks more ready to run than to sustain pass protection, then play action passes and the passing game in general could be easier. And then there's the no huddle... Looks like there are a multitude of ways to utilize these players this year to make our offense a success, and fun for all of us to watch.
  17. As much as I liked the T.O. signing, one of the reasons I liked it was that it was a one year deal at a reasonable salary for a player of his productive caliber. That makes it important for him to behave, to produce, and to be a team oriented player as much as possible. He might have been represented poorly by the media, or they might have made more of his words than he might have meant in the past, and this might be the best place for him - nevertheless (I think it will be good for us this year), he should be a mentoring influence on our younger WR's and, by next year, we should be deep enough at the position where we'll be o.k. without him, if the asking price is too much. It's funny how last year our WR core was a weakness, and with one addition, now it is so very deep and such a strength - because, if that is true, we should have some capable guys besides T.O. and Evans. Next year it should be a case where if the money is right, and both sides want it, then do it. I just don't think, at his age, one last mega contract should be the goal. Keep it team oriented.
  18. It seems like it's more important to have a coach that can construct a system and game plan around the talent he has than it is to have a level of talent measurably above the other teams in the league. Anyone agree? Disagree? Care? Not care? Discuss at will... I very much agree with you on that. I think it is no where more evident than the teams that get new head coaches, like Miami and Atlanta, most recently, and field a team not too much better, talent wise, as the previous season, yet have tremendously better results. Certainly, players, schedules, and luck have roles to play, but those teams go to show how coaching makes a big difference. Also, when teams suffer serious injury - Brady, for example - and continue to win, because of coaching and "system", and, then there are the perennial winners - like Pittsburg, N.E., Indy, Philly... all greatly attributed to coaching. So, with that much to gain by having the better coach, I've wondered for years why owners don't go out and pay much, much more to secure a quality coach? Why wouldn't they fork over a few more millions for a coach - as opposed a single player - who could easily get hurt, or fail to live up to expectations?
  19. As a Bills fan, I have some optimism about our O-line, even if it will take a chunk of the season to be functioning at a peak level. My biggest concern is Langston Walker, and that, in itself, is a good sign. I say that because he's played the position before, and shown he can do it. We aren't asking nor expecting him to be a pro-bowl caliber LT. The staff knows from real game experience what he can do, and what his limitations are. That being said, they should know pretty well by the end of training camp what he and the rest of the line are good at, and where their weaknesses are. He's one big dude, and pretty good on his feet for his size, so, I can imagine a solid running game behind him. If he's completely inept at pass protection, I'm thinking that will be obvious sooner than later, so, the team will have time to replace him if he can't do it. My prediction, though, is that he'll be consistent. He and the rest of the line will have plays where they look inexperienced and perhaps porous, but they'll have series and drives where they run smoothly and effectively. Considering he's in it for the long haul, and that he's a consistent player, by mid season we should know what to expect from the line, and I think it'll be much better than all the doubters here complain about. He doesn't need to be a pro-bowler; good would be good enough.
  20. Maybin probably wont be big enough this year for full time status. He'd have to terrorize the opposing teams during the preseason for him to get a shot at RE. Otherwise, he'll be obvious passing downs, and maybe also at linebacker in those typse of situations. Byrd will get a shot only if he can catch up with the other guys enough that his talent - if it is that much greater than the rest of the group - can cover the rest of the ground. If he shows consistently that he'll be a threat to intercept, I think they'll throw him out there, because they need more turnovers. Otherwise, Nelson wont be an every down factor. He'll see some time in passing downs, maybe out wide, too, but he wont be out there too much. Harris might not see the field at all except as a reserve. Our two guards will probably be the only season starters out of the bunch. Next year, though, or even late this year, we could see four or five, max, starting from this years crop.
  21. I've loved the pickup of Sanders since it was made. His experience is a bonus. The more different kinds of teaching these guys of ours get, the better they'll be. I also like his martial arts slant - other teams have done it; it certainly couldn't hurt. That mentality that you do anything creative you can come up with to improve the players chances is a fresh attitude to see. I also like what he did with Kampman. Kampman is a like A.S. for us, in body type and skill set, and he already has had probowl years. If he can get better, that would be one helluva an end. And then there is Maybin, who is much like Kearse in body type and athletic ability. Sanders coached him into a monster end. All these things bode well for the Bills D-line.
  22. I think you've got to look at it this way: the Bills had to get rid of him, and to get something in return for him, as opposed to just releasing him, was good for us. Whether the line is better or worse without him is not the point. The point is that to have caved in to his contract demands, especially considering how he handled himself, would have sent a devastating message to present and future Bills players, and would have went further in ruining the nature of the game we love so much. Sure these guys deserve money; but, they sign contracts worth a great deal of money - these players make so much compared to most people (I know they're elite) - but, they have an agreement, and need to be held to their end. How else are teams supposed to build? If every guy that turns out to be a surprise demands mucho money, or else he won't play, then teams would be punished for drafting good, because they'd lose the men they put time into training. The salary cap and the structure of the league only work if both sides stick to their agreements. So, the Bills couldn't fold on this one, because a bunch of other guys would, deservedly or not, follow suit and say and do the same kinds of things. At least we got something for him.
  23. I would have been o.k. with them taking E. Brown with their first pick. I'm only a guy at home, but what I viewed of him on the internet and television, he seemed the best all around defensive end in the draft. Obviously the NFL teams and coaches saw a lot that I didn't, or vice versa, but after watching him drop to us in the second, I couldn't believe we didn't grab him, especially after seeing what the Giants did to New England with a great pass rush. I have to think that the Bills were thinking they needed a Sanders type safety to create turnovers, and if he ends up that good - Byrd - or even one of the better safeties, I think he makes the rest of the secondary better, too. But, then again, a great pass rush usually makes the secondary better as well. E. Brown was the one guy I wanted us to get more than any other, but that aside, I still loved this draft.
  24. I, too, believe this was the best draft we've seen in my time following drafts (8-10 years). Granted, Poz, Lynch, and Edwards were potentially a great bunch - and certainly great positions to start buiding around. We could see the foundations for a great O-line, good secondary depth which could fill in in a few years for losses to F.A., and potentially a playmaker at D.E. It looks like we could have real explosive, pro bowl level talent at D.E., safety, and Guard. If they pan out, the first four picks could be that good, and maybe another three eventually starting. I read an article that the Bills team has one of the highest number of players on their starting roster developed through the draft, and considering we're a young team, that is all the better for us. Congratulations to Brandon and Company - and, this draft has a feel to it that is a bit more old school than some of our more recent drafts, which I'm thinking might be attributed to Buddy Nix. If he had a good deal of say in it, then I hope he sticks around for a few more years, because with another draft like this, we could have a contending team with a core of players under contract for three to four more years.
  25. Amen! I agree with your perspective and am delighted to read someone else saying what I've been thinking for a few years now. Jauron has some positives, IMO, but his glaring weakness has been that absence of fire - that dominating attitude - that will intend on enforcing one's will on the other, on dictating the game. Your mention of the Pat's not worrying says it right. Let's give it to them the way we want to, for a change, and not just N.E., but as a way of playing henceforth. With our offensive weapons, we should be able to dictate the game when we have the ball, and make the other team figure out how to keep up, or control the situation.
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