Wayne Cubed

This is kind of where I fall. Were thoses special teams units exciting? Sure. In 2008, according to football outsiders the Bills ST unit ranked 1st. Would I trade that exciting special teams to be in the place where the 23rd and 28th ranked special teams were(if you couldn't figure out those are Pit/Arz rankings, bother where in the SB in 2008)? In a heart beat. It bothers me a little, but if the team gets better, I won't care. And if they don't, Marrone will be gone anyways.

I would agree with this line of reasoning if 50% of a teams games were played within a division. Six games should not be deciding whether a team makes the playoffs, which are called the AFC/NFC playoffs. They finished 6-6 within the NFC, which was better than GB did. Also, winning the division, isn't really winning the division. Cincy finished 3-3 in the division, while Pittsburgh finished 4-2. KC finished 2-4 within the division while the chargers finished 4-2 but KC had the higher Wild Card spot.

It is in the aspect of a 8-7-1 Packers team made it into the playoffs, while the 10-6 Cardinals are sitting at home. Hell, a couple years ago a 7-9 Seahawks team made the playoffs.

Apparently you missed the point, so you wanted to sign Levitre. Great. IMO, Levitre was not the best OL of the team. Whats your plan for the future to retain Wood and Glenn and not have $50 million plus invested in your OL in the future? What about the rest of the team? Tying up a load of money into the Bills OL. The Bills thought it wise to use that money else where, they had a plan, it didn't work. They'll try to fix it this year.

Excuse me while I be frank right back. There is absolutely no way for you to know that or prove that and using hindsight doesn't support your claim. And yes I do realize what I'm defending. I'm defending a specific decision to not grossly overpay for a LG. Have the Bills done everything right? No, and I'm not saying that. But there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that they did something right, IMO. People love to point out all the wrongs with the franchise and can't wait to jump on them. This is a decision, where IMO, they were right. I mean this seriously: If you think you could run a NFL franchise better, why aren't you out there trying to? EDIT: Did they get the replacement of that LG correct? No, I'm not saying that either. They have a chance to correct that this year. You can't just fix everything in one year. Last year people wanted a LB. Check. They wanted an improved defense. Check. They wanted another receiving threat. Check and Check.

But thats why we are fans and not running teams. Most fans don't have the foresight to realize you can't keep a team or an OL together forever. It's just not possible no matter how much better you think the OL would have been this year. By paying Levitre you risk not being able to pay Wood or Glenn in the future. GM's and teams don't just look at rosters and their team on a yearly bases. They have to look at the contracts and where they overlap and what kind of money there are going to have and forecast into the future. Yes, there was money to pay Levitre this year and keep Wood and Glenn, but thats not the point.

Points per drive and % of drives ending in score are a bit better. I posted these in another thread: Not bad for the Bills who improved from 28th and 21st respectively from 2012. Historically speaking, teams that finish top 5 for both make the playoffs as well.

I'm sure you could say for a fact that if this was the Bills, fans still wouldn't be happy. 20 years and they haven't made it past the first rd. I'm sure they are pleased as punch at just making the playoffs cause that's all that really matters. Fans would never be upset with that?

Maybe we should start a 32-page Joique Bell thread? What were the Bills thinking??

Yea, he gets loads of stats in games Indy's getting blown out in. Talent.

Apologies if it seemed like I was aiming at you, just was adding more to the point with regards to your 22 players comment.

So the Head Coach of the team had no say.... that's an interesting thought.

Number of yards per drive and average plays per drive IMO, aren't the most telling of defensive stats. In the end points win games so I'd say points scored per drive and percentage of drives ending in offensive score tell the most: 2013 Season Percentage of drives ending in offensive score: 32.5% (13th in the NFL) Average points scored per drive: 1.68 (12th in the NFL) And they also confirm the eye test of the top 5 defenses (these are top 5 for both): Seattle Carolina Cincinnati San Francisco Kansas City and Arizona is 6th for both New England is top 10 for both Massive improvement from 2012 when the Bills were 21st in scoring % per drive and 28th in average points per drive. http://www.pro-footb...rs/2013/opp.htm EDIT: Looking historically, top 5 in both seems to guarantee a playoff spot.

He made an error in judgement on Colin Brown. What about all the correct personnel decisions he's made? Like Manny Lawson or Jerry Hughes or Alan Branch. Is that because it's not his "area of expertise" he doesn't get credit for those decisions? I'd even add Frank Summers to the list of positive additions to the team. The Bills made some decisions regarding players this season for the team. A bunch of them worked, I'd say like 95%, and 1 of them didn't. If the Bills can do that same thing this offseason the team will be in a better place.

Just to play the stats game... FACT: Andrew Luck was ranked 26th in total passer rating last year, behind Blaine Gabbert....

It was the same movie, plot wise in my mind, with new jokes. Afterword I could tell I wouldn't here the end of people quoting it for at least another year. I found the movie long or at least it felt really long. I laughed for like the first 30 mins then it just kept going on and on and on trying to be over the top. That got old. Don't think I'd watch it again.

As a point of fact, in Pettine's scheme the "Will" or Weakside Linebacker is an Inside Linebacker not Outside. The only real OLB is Manny Lawson and he plays the more traditional 4-3 "Sam" OLB lined up over the TE. Mario plays the hybrid "Leo" OLB/DE as the Bills best pass rusher. While I'm sure Kiko would preform well as the WLB, I wonder how well the Bills could find someone as intelligent and instinctive as Kiko to run the defense as that is big part of the Mike LB. Just getting a "big thumper" to fill the MLB, IMO, doesn't quite meet all the requirements.

I agree with everything you have put in regards to LB's. As with QB's, people get caught up in the size of the player as to their ability. Give me the guy who can actually play the position over the guy who fits into a weight/height mold of the position. This whole Kiko is too small for the middle linebacker position makes no sense. His size or lack their of (he's a whole 8 lbs lighter than Keuchly, whoa!!!) IMO have little to do with some of the mistakes that were made by him this year. First, he's a rookie taken in the 2nd round who is playing up to the level of some of Keuchly's ability who was drafted in the 1st but that doesn't mean he'll come out mistake free. He over ran plays, which has nothing to do with his size. He diagnoses plays incredibly fast and hits holes to make tackles, no size issue. He's taken on OL shed the block and made the tackle, again no size issue. He's intelligent and a leader which are huge for a MLB. The problem for the Bills IMO has been at the "will" or weakside LB. The combination of Moats/Bradham has been horrible. That position is suppose to be a tackling machine in Pettine's scheme, especially in the run defense. I do like Mosley but as you have said I worry about Alabama players and if they just happen to look really good in a good system.

I don't see a whole lot of change of people's opinions. People are still saying he was a rookie and should give him time. Sure it's been mentioned if there is a can't miss QB prospect you take them. That has more to do with a philosophy about drafting not changing their mind on EJ I would think. I don't think there is a can't miss prospect in this draft at QB and even if there was the Bills have no shot at one. Therefore I don't think the Bills will be drafting a QB in the 1st and look for the Bills to build around EJ. That's being said are you saying it's not ok for one to change ones mind?

Doesn't mean the Bills can't look at QBs either. Hence why Doug Whaley said as much. If they think there is someone instantly better than EJ, it only makes sense.

And the Bills said basically the same thing. Doug Whaley when asked about the QB position in the season ending press conference: "But again, we will not hold ourselves back from picking a person that will help us take a winning step." So if they see a guy at 9 that they think can help them, they would draft him. If the Bills are looking to mimic the Jest, who traded up to draft Mark Sanchez and haven't drafted an impact offensive player since drafting Ferguson in 2006, I would be disappointed.

Doesn't mean much, but he will forever be in the Bills historical statistics.

Here's a funny stat from the end of the season: Bills Punter with highest average yards - Shawn Powell. He took over the spot from Brian Moorman.

Why start watching now? I've obviously based this opinion of him off of never seeing him play and no need to change that.

You're right I've never watched him play, thats why I said how the offense is set up for him and how he reads defenses. I also said how he likes to throw the "50/50" ball. Nope never seen him play. So lets play the stat game. Yea a guy who has 133 rushing attempts in a season obviously doesn't run. I won't resort to insults and just leave it at a difference of opinion.