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HankBulloughMellencamp

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Posts posted by HankBulloughMellencamp

  1. Manuel is afraid to throw the ball downfield unless the target is wide open, especially if that receiver is what I'd call a "point" target. That's to say, someone standing ready to receive the ball and not running. EJ may not throw many picks, and some may chalk this up to Hackett, but I don't see someone confident to throw more than 10 yards downfield.

     

    EJ knows he's not accurate and presses when the heat is on. And his mechanics have not improved either. If there's one thing important in any sport, it's refining mechanics down until the motion of doing something becomes muscle memory. I don't see that from EJ, who never seems to place the right touch on his throws. His feel for the game still seems entirely methodical and robotic.

     

    And it's downright scary that he leaves so many WR's exposed to getting drilled. He might have only started 13 NFL games, but he still exhibits tremendous inconsistency and is a liability for the team. It may not be his entire fault, but no position determines the outcome more than your QB. And the Bills have to game plan around theirs.

     

    I couldn't agree more with this post.

     

    EJ is a liability in so many ways; the times he throws with any degree of anticipation are very rare. Jimbo even said it from the booth ... when is #3 ever going to fire the ball in there? Everything is a lob pass, and most are floated without ever stepping into the throw. For gosh darn darn, that is the only way a weak, indecisive ball like the one that almost killed Goodwin gets thrown.

     

    Those who want answers on the offensive line play or the play-calling just do not get it, and are chasing a red herring. EJ would make Anthony Munoz look substandard. He takes bad sacks, does an awful job of protecting the football, and does not seem to understand that you can't just chuck it into the stands when the pocket finally gives. When the pressure is near, he goes down like he's in an old Madden video game... as soon as a pixel from a defender touches him, he is on his way to the carpet.

     

    Put it this way, once Orton finally gets a chance out there, I can guarantee that a) he will get the ball to Watkins, and b) he will play the position with some balls. That's really all this team needs.

  2. Hey! That's his move!

     

    090319_VanPeltAlex_300.jpg

     

    Is there some story I never heard about AVP and the bottle? Because otherwise, I'd figure he'd have a huge dip in his mouth on the sideline, possibly while serving as our backup QB... and definitely while coaching. "The Pill" was a gamer, and he even played in that Three Rivers playoff game we won in Pittsburgh without Kelly, which I was at.

     

    And he was a neighbor of a cousin of mine as he coached, and all I ever heard about was what a good, down to earth dude he was... liked to hunt and fish, etc.

     

    If liking booze is wrong, 90-95% of this board is not wanting to be right.

  3. How about: for a capricious disciplinary policy that left him the sole arbiter of all league discipline, which he then handled in such a ham-handed way as to damage the league's image all by his lonesome. Because he clearly had and still has no coherent policy for disciplinary action, merely his whims and impulses.

     

    Really, the proper way to handle this would have been to let the justice system work this out BEFORE doing anything, specifically so that after this went through the courts you could make a sound judgement, that was in no way impulsive, based on the evidence that would then be freely available from state. Put Rice "on leave," with pay, while the case is active, if you have to. Just don't go off half-assed and end up looking like a complete fool, and then compounding your foolishness by trying to hide it, thus looking more foolish.

     

    Goodell is managing to look weaker and more incompetent than the district attorney and judge that let Rice GET OFF SCOTT-FREE TO BEGIN WITH. And that's tough to do. And that's why he needs to be fired - gross incompetence. What he's done wrong is provide absolutely no direction at all for the league in this situation, which is his number one responsibility as NFL Commissioner.

     

    Excellent points, sir.

     

    In perhaps a month’s time, we might very well see:

     

    1. Roger steps down to shield the shield from this PR cluster you-know-what for the owners he represents.

    2. Archaic NFL blackout policy lifted (if that has not already happened).

    3. NFL player drug testing relaxed.

    4. Josh Gordon, among others, reinstated.

    5. Agreement on more equitable/expeditious distribution of concussion settlement funds to ex-players.

    6. NFL agrees to amend tax-free non-profit status.

    7. Redskins name change mandated.

    8. Female NFL executive hired to top position of power.

    9. Hell freezes over.

     

     

    Ok, probably only the first 4 or 5.

  4. I believe our league office had some turnover in the mail room around that time.

     

    I won't miss the audacity of King Roger, but I will definitely miss the outstanding posts offered by you sir, whoever it is that runs this account!

     

    I giggle as I imagine Roger Dodger deadpanning nearly every post - well done!

  5. If I were Goodell I'd deny it up to the point where they produce a video of me watching the video.

     

    lol, I give Goodell 48 hours max before he is ultimately forced to resign. His face was so red in that CBS interview, I thought they were talking to Coughlin on the sideline in December.

     

    So, guys, you might want to pick up Josh Gordon in your fantasy leagues!

  6. They anounce "Ladies and Gentelman, the new new owner of your Buffalo Bills." The opening riff for Livin' on Prayer starts playing, as a limo drives out onto the field. Boos everywhere. Then Pegula steps out, music stops, crowd goes wild.

     

    Then they could launch into Machinehead by Bush ... that song will forvever be etched into my brain as the Sabres skated out in their new Black/Red goat head uniforms ... LaFontaine, Hasek, Satan, Grosek, etc

  7. he is a good an incredible fit for Schwartz D (fixed)

     

    The thing that has me excited is that he has been the leader of a defense at a high level before, making calls, leading the team in tackles, etc.

     

    It's one thing to hope to develop into someone who can do that, but it's quite another to have experience and a knack for being able to do it. The classic "I think I can, I think I can" choo-choo candidate versus the guy with the solid credentials.

     

    So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

  8. That was the same phemonenon--and I said so back then. This is just more "moral outrage".

     

    Where was this reaction when other players who committed the same crime (or worse)?

     

    The outrage didn’t go away; I don’t think many were too impressed that the NFL decided to toughen its domestic violence stance after said outrage. But this video has now drawn quite a focused lens on the topic. Plus, there are a few other fresh cases (Greg Hardy, Ray McDonald) that are warming up on the sidelines.

    The first video gave us an idea of what likely went down, but maybe it was not THAT bad, or so the NFL hoped we’d think. It really is a powerful video, to take nothing away from Rice’s left hand.

    And quite similar to the leaked Donald Sterling tape, in that it just can’t be unseen/unheard. And it’s really not too far off from the sordid Penn State/Sandusky scandal. So ultimately, the cash cow has to protect it’s herd, and finally turns on the calf in question.

    I just can’t fathom the reason why NFL brass felt the need to protect and/or sweep Rice’s actions under the rug in this incident, other than the obvious PR implications.

  9. Everybody's in spin mode right now. Some have to cover for their lies, others have to cover for their lack of due diligence in reporting the story initially.

     

    Rice is now getting all that he deserves, except for probably jail time. Lots of people culpable in this mess, but none more than him.

     

    If King Roger can not withstand this firestorm, I will not be the least bit forlorn. The audacity of this commissionership has been appalling to say the least, with James Harrison as exhibit A. Roger's judge/jury fines and suspensions for subjective interpretations of the rule book on Monday mornings were only the beginning, we can now see.

     

    I wonder if they will announce who is going to pony up to entertain us at halftime of the Super Bowl anytime soon. You might see some of the 'finalists' say thanks but no thanks.

  10. King is calling out the league as lying, in so many words.

     

    Exactly. King was in damage-control mode as an early guest on the Jim Rome show today... almost right off the bat & with a fill-in-host nonetheless.

     

    The clips of Schefter on deadspin really show how upset he is that, as one of the most plugged-in NFL reporters, his reputation is perhaps quite besmirched in some viewers eyes because he was led to believe that all factors were considered in the initial ruling and reported as such.

     

    You can almost see the smoke coming out of his ears as he is talking and realizing the size of the firestorm that is brewing with the release of this video on the heels of the McDonald situation & fresh in the wake of their newly "toughened" stance against domestic violence.

     

    They are basically forced to call the NFL out on their BS in the way it has all been handled.

  11. When I watch Bradham he always seems to show up near the action at the end of the play but never seems to be the guy actually making the play. The first guy to give a high five.

     

    If you should still have any preseason footage on DVR, I encourage you to review the first quarter of it. Bradham was borderline dominant this preseason, and was in on many more plays than I had ever seen from him in years past.

     

    I think the bell has finally gone off for him at this level, and I predict he will be the guy who leads us in tackles most games.

  12. The sully article was just plain stupid.

     

    Just plain garbage from Sully. Don't usually bother, but I had to see what he'd come up with all this optimism thanks to LaCanfora.

     

    So he basically espouses the brilliance of offensive mastermind Marc Trestman. If Brandon and company had hired a CFL guy after Chan, he'd have lambasted them.

     

    And I'd hope that having Cutler at the controls is part of the reason Trestman's O lit up the stat sheet compared with the greenhorn a rookie like Marrone had.

     

    Columnist-wise, it's just a fishwrap and little else.

  13. "I will call you out." Spoken like an overly confrontational narcissistic megalomaniac. I gave reasons for my opinions, whether you choose to accept whether I did or didn't is out of my control and not something I care about. Enjoy your night, it's game day tomorrow.

     

    The Dude abides.

     

    Pegula wont care about that, he came here to win superbowls.

     

    Yes, the plural form of superbowl.

     

    Forgive me, Team Pegula, I am up like a kid on Christmas morning!

  14. Mostly dink and dunk, I sort of agree. But he was pretty "off" on a lot of those passes, really. His receivers deserve credit for making tough catches and making plays after the catch. I would have to say, I was unimpressed by that game (I saw it when it was on) and it was one of the ones that made me doubt his ability.

     

    I agree, FSU was so much more talented than NIU... nothing too impressive from the QB on that tape.

  15. It's easy to see that the anti-Marrone crowd is running with the "he's really lost the team" narrative because they just don't like the guy's personality. Perhaps they have issues with authority themselves, or perhaps he reminds them of some brusque ex-boss or whatever. And that's fine.

     

    By 4:00 pm tomorrow, the story will either fade to the back burner, or it will be proof for the anti-Marroners that he is in over his head. My thoughts are that Marrone was force fed EJ, and is doing everything in his power to help try to make it work. His coaching ego is probably getting the best of him. But we all agree that if the Orton trump card didn't pan out, and it was not a sure thing just 2 weeks ago, he and the Bills would have been heading towards the horseshoe falls in a barrel.

     

    I don't think Marrone will be so devoted to EJ when the real games start happening. The world knows that the head coach will be the first to get guillotined if they don't show, at minimum, a 2 game improvement in the win column this year. And if they end the drought, well hey guys, we may finally have a coach worth his salt.

  16. Both recent GMen Super Bowl seasons had a point in time where there was a borderline locker room mutiny and/or Coughlin being on the hot seat.

     

    This is an interesting point, and certainly true. Maybe you don't truly get the best out of some people unless you can challenge them in a way that makes them either a) fearful or B) pissed off enough to prove to you what they can really do. Coughlin has proven to be a master at this kind of tough love.

  17. it's funny-- I am more scared of the season than looking forward to it. I am just scared we will fall flat, the whole thing blows up again, and the Watkins trade gives the browns a top-5 pick.

     

    I am usually really upbeat too!!

     

    I am typically buzzing on Russ Brandon hand-stirred Kool-aid at this point, and I feel the exact same way. But I keep telling myself Schwartzie will have that defense ready to roll, and we just have to get the ball into the hands of our Clemson alumni and we should be dangerous!

    Win or lose, Marrone’s post-game press conferences are going to be ‘can’t miss’ viewing, obviously!

  18. The sky has not fallen (quite yet) … but this latest furor over who said what to whom about what is going to make my head explode. I personally like that there is some tension and passion in the leadership ranks. Conflict can be a good thing, and is probably more normal than not in NFL circles.

     

    The last time I recall something like this is when WR coach Nick Nicolau went after Tom Breshnahan back in the day when we were good. I’m not sure who, but someone ended up holding a steak to their eye socket.

     

    Let’s get after it, it’s about time! Other than at the QB spot, it seems to me that the Dougs have demonstrated that they are not ones to be content with mediocre play. And if we can beat the Bears, no one will care much about the implications of LaCanfora’s story. So … here are a few quick positive observations that will hopefully give a bit of perspective to those who may be ready to hit the reboot button two days before the opener …

    • I know he’s out for this game, but Nigel Bradham finally showed he can be a real force at LB in the NFL. He got up from the bottom of the pile an awful lot in his preseason work with the ones, and I think he will record a lot of tackles this year.

    • Our WRs are an extra-talented group, & our stable of RBs is as good as any. Our offensive line is freshly stirred, but our top 5 are good enough to win 10 games and then some. Our tackles are as good and athletic as any.

    It will be EJ’s pocket presence, or lack thereof, that will decide if we are going to go anywhere. I really don’t want to hear about how bad our line is. Imagine a guy like Matt Ryan coming in and taking over our team. We’d rewrite the books. So we should know quite soon if Marrone can really coach ‘em up, and if Whaley is the shrewd GM we have been praying for.

  19. Plenty of ex-Bills QBs are perfect examples. Rob Johnson had very good physical tools and was an accurate passer. But he couldn't process large volumes of information quickly. He focused his attention on downfield opportunities, while ignoring anything related to the pass rush. Trent Edwards made the opposite decision: he devoted his limited bandwidth to sack avoidance, not to looking for opportunities downfield. Which is why Edwards was much better than Johnson at avoiding sacks, but a lot worse at getting the ball to non-dump-off options. Losman is another example of a guy whose lack of mental tools led to a lack of success in the NFL.

     

    Great summary of our other anointed duds ... the thing is, they all showed flashes of good performance initially. But they all devolved into the same type of gun-shy disaster who took too many sacks on 3rd down.

     

    I also think they were all too laid back as far as real leadership ability goes. Rob was a surfer dude, JP was a punk-ass kid who never owned his bad performances (which eventually turned the room on him), and Trent was ultimately too timid and too nice a guy. He never again wanted to get hit like Adrian Wilson hit him.

  20. I am unsure of what you mean here. You seem to be implying that AS became somewhat better at KC....which isn't the case. He won 20.5 of his last 26 starts at SF. He had a 90.7 QBR in 2011 and 104.1 in 2012. At KC he had 89.1 QBR and won 11 of 15.

     

    It isn't like he was running in the mid 70's QBR(a la Orton's last 10 starts) and then took off with a new team.

     

    Not a big fan of using ESPN’s QBR, or even the old QB rating system, completion percentages, etc. as the gospel truth in talking QB play.

    I just meant that KC had little success with bums like Thigpen, Croyle, Palko, etc. before Alex Smith. Smith came in. And suddenly, they go to the playoffs with, as you somewhat implied by Smith’s KC QBR, only decent QB play.

    And I also know that Orton was one of those pre-Smith guys, too. But he only had a cup of coffee with them as the Crennel ship sank, and he actually led them to some wins to close out the year.

    So, anyway, we are chasing a silent fart in a windstorm at this point.

  21. My All-Caucasian fantasy team depends on them.

     

    Fantasy Football is hard enough without some good old-fashioned luck.

     

    You seem serious, so the route you took is both discriminatory, & as Jimmy the Greek would probably say... not very smart.

     

    I'd say you've got a 50/50 chance, but there's only a 10% chance of that.

  22. One thing that sticks out is this..."He must be willing and eager to run on designed plays and when the opportunity presents itself on called pass plays."

     

    With the solid backup Orton on board, I do hope that EJ is being told that it's ok to run when he sees an open field (which with the RBs and WRs we have should be almost all the time).

     

    This is something that would probably catch the Bears completely off guard and might be the Bills' x-factor to put a couple TDs on the board early in the game.

     

    Agreed, it is something that Aaron Rodgers kills defenses with. It is so deflating to a defense who defends the play so well that the QB has nowhere to go, but then he crushes their spirit by scrambling for a first down when everyone is guarding their men.

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