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SoggyHog

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Posts posted by SoggyHog

  1. Last year, when Nix and his regime took over, the Bills were essentially an expansion caliber team. In another year or two most of the Jauron/Levy/Modrak/Brandon era players will be moved out. The Bills are not going to be a competitive team for the next couple of years until a new nucleus of players is brought in.

     

    Could there be an accelerataton of the rebuilding process? It could if the Bills were a normal organization. This is a Ralph Wilson owned franchise. What incentive does he have to invest in the team when the 92 yr old owner has aleady made arrangements to auction off the franchise after his departure.

     

    The Bills are very much under their own imposed cash to cap payroll structure. They have been under the that miniscule line for the previous few years and they will follow that stringent policy next year because under the terms of the CBA they will be allowed to get away with that scam.

     

    If the owner was a serious owner (clearly he is not) the rebuilding process could be augmented with the addition of more mid-level free agents. That is not going to happen. If there are complaints about the caliber of our starting offensive linemen then what happens when injuries occur? That is a frightening thought. Wang at LT? Are you laughing or crying? Bringing in some serviceable OL backups would have been the right thing to do.

     

    It is easy to lament about a particular draft pick or the philosophy of drafting. It is a futile exercise. That isn't the main problem. The truth of the matter is that the real issue is the caliber of ownership and the peculiar way he has staffed and structured this organization. Until there is change at the ownership level then it is like dogs chansing after their own tails.

     

    The best way to judge this season is certainly not from a won/lost perspecitve. The most sane way to judge a successful season is to note whether Nix's drafted players (last year's) improve and make a contribution. This year's draft class can be more fairly evaluated next year.

     

    When you have a aged, out of town owner who states the obvious that the team lacks talent, then chuckles about it--why would anyone be surprised with the continuation of the status quo. This garbage has been going on for half a century. What do you really expect? Dramatic change? Urgency? Let's get real here.

     

     

     

    This may be the best post I have ever read!

  2. I agree with the OP, however, Gailey did say in his post game presser they ran just basic blocking packages last night. He wanted to evaluate everyone doing the same assignments. So, it's not a question of O-line calls, it's a question of who is good and who is bad. IMO, with the exception of Wood, the entire line is a combination of reserves and practice squad players. Wood, regardless of where he is, is the least of the worries on the line. That said, I believe moving Wood back to RG and Hang to center would help but not significantly.

  3. Or we just a have a terrible owner who is simply counting down the days to his own death (and that's !@#$ed up in itself), who would rather protect profit than pay to put a respectable product on the field. This team is a joke, and it's not because of some ridiculous curse.

     

    30 million dollars.

     

     

    I thank/love Ralph for giving us the Bills, but this statement is EXACTLY true! 30 million dollars!!!!! 30 million dollars!!!!! 30 million dollars!!!!! And we SUCK! Why? Cause Ralph is cheap! Plain and simple!

  4. no offense but number 1 ur a terrible comedic writer...i know ur tryin and you prolly think ur funny but ur not. 2ndly all those short passes are designed to relieve immediate pressure off the offensive line to avoid injury to our line as they are not ready to sustain pass blocking w a shortened camp and injuries. long drop backs and our first unit wudda been clobbered and fitz knocked out. all the coaches wanted to see is foot placement and positioning.were u impressed w cutler? gailey builds up confidence as we sort our line out.finally im happy u r confused w all the diff qbs and formations bc other great football minds like all the other the afc east coaches maybe wondering as well.nice shocking title however :)

     

     

    Number 1, I am a terrible comedic writer. You're right! Number 2, I "prolly" do think I'm funny. You're right again! Number 3, I'm not. Right once more! Number 4, Cutler makes me want to vomit a little in my mouth and try and sing the theme song to Family Guy. Number 5, I'm not confused. Ohhh, you got one wrong! Number 6, thanks for the props on the title! So, to recap..... you win 3 to 1. Well done from someone who can text and drive at the same time!

  5. I mean, do we need this BUM? Gailey is clearly building a wildcat/option/pistol offense that doesn't fit his skill set. He's not mobile like the Brad Smiths' or the Josh Nesbitts' of the world, so why is he still on the roster? Seriously, Fitz had 44 yards on 9 passing attempts last night and the other QBs had 45 yards on 9 rushing attempts! That's a positive gain of +1 yard on the EXACT SAME ATTEMPTS! +1!!!! Football is a game of inches and that equals 3,600 inches or something like that or so. Why else would Nix bring in Tyler Thigpen? Cause his name is cool? Probably.... but "irregardless" of his jersey sales, the dude can flat run, burn, fly! He had 22 more attempts and 3 more TDs under Gailey than Fitz did under Gailey in 2 (that's right....2) less games as a starter! Football is a game of points and more points wins and 3 touchdowns as apposed to 0 touchdowns is playoffs baby! PLAYOFFS! Just sayin, we don't have Lee Evans anymore (thank GOD!) so we don't have to worry about throwing it deep ever again! Smith, Nesbitt, Thigpen and Brown can't throw it deep anyway, so who cares! You don't need a strong arm if you're in the Wildpistol anyway! Trick plays, misdirection, screens and audibles are the new NFL! Plus, I can't even spell his real last name. What is he Comanche Indian or some exotic crap like that? I mean.....c'mon! Fitzpatricia is a joke!

     

    I say trade this bum or make him shave his beard. Either way, we need a change!

  6. I watched the game twice on NFL Preseason Live and noticed the same thing. This defense is certainly not a 3-4. Nor is it a 4-3. Most of the first team D had 3 down lineman (most of the time 4), with at least 1 backer on LOS (sometimes 2) giving the LOS 5-6 bodies. They are very worried about the run, that's for sure!

  7. Agreed. Complementary role players who add to the overall talent mix are a plus--and it will be exciting to see what Chan can devise to get this guy on the field.

     

    Too many people here are looking for the FA "splash" and thinking this precludes any other additions. I'm thinking they're targeting several more positions, as well as some of the recent cuts by other teams.

     

     

     

     

    +1

  8. ESPN is saying Free Agency will be very short according to the agreement on the table now...

     

    "The Transition Rules spell out an actual timeline for roster transactions under the July 21 deal scenario, including the start of the new league year during which free agents would become eligible for the open market on July 28.

     

    With the tight timeline, teams will be scrambling to fill rosters that must be set at 90 players on roughly Aug. 3 -- but all training camps would be able to open on time."

     

    We'll only have about a week to sign FAs? Wow. Nix and Co. will need to move fast. Players will need to make quick decisions.

     

     

     

    Yeah, somebody give Nix a Wake-up call this year! :doh:

  9. You guys are really cruel.

     

    This poor guy probably held back his rant for several months, but then something happened that put him over the top. It could have been a hangnail, constipation or any other straw that broke the camel's back. Now play nice, so we can continue discussing the same few subjects ad nauseum while we wait for something to happen.

     

    Wait...

     

    Now that I think about it, given a choice of rehashing the same subjects over and over, or blasting each other, maybe we need to do more of this.

     

    Okay...

     

    Your mother wears army boots. Go ahead and fire back at me. :rolleyes:

     

     

    Well, for your information, she doesn't wear ARMY BOOTS, she wears Danner Desert TFX Rough-Out GTX Combat Boots. geezzz! Why you gotta dis my Mother like that?

  10. OVERVIEW

    The Bills enter the 2011 season with expectations of turning around a lackluster 4-12 2010 season. The addition of Dave Wannstedt as Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach to help 2nd year Defensive Coordinator George Edwards manage the hybrid 3-4, 4-3 defense has Bills fans excited to end a 10 year playoff drought. With a solid 2011 draft focusing much on the defense, the Bills should have more success in stopping the run which ended the year ranked last in the NFL and forcing the offense to scrap it's gameplan for much of the season.

     

     

    QUARTERBACKS GRADE B-

    10 Levi Brown

    14 Ryan Fitzpatrick

    Positives: Ryan Fitzpatrick assumed the starting position after Week 3 of the regular season and never looked back. After posting career numbers in passing yards (3000), touchdowns (23) and a average 81.1 passer rating (ranking 22) in only 13 games, he enters the season as the undisputed starting QB. Fitz has the poise and intelligence to be an above average QB for years as he is only 28 years old and entering his prime. Levi Brown is still developing.

    Negatives: While it seems the Bills are content entering the 2011 season with Fitz at the wheel, many believe his short-comings will be uncovered. He has never been the most accurate passer and lacks a top-notch arm. Add to that, there is no proven QB behind Fitz in-case of an injury and the Bills are certainly gambling with the most important position on the team.

     

    RUNNING BACKS GRADE A-

    30 Jehuu Caulcrick FB

    22 Fred Jackson

    38 Corey McIntyre FB

    21 C. J. Spiller

    -- Johnny White

    Positives: Freddy Jackson and C.J. Spiller provide the Bills with a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield. While some fear Spiller may be a bust thus far in his career, his potential may speak differently. Entering only his second year in the League, the former 9th overall pick showed glimpses of why the Bills made the selection. Corey McIntyre provides veteran leadership and a desire to lay the wood to wood-be tacklers. Johnny White was drafted for his change of pace potential and short yardages abilities. Caulcrick is a fringe talent.

    Negatives: The Bills running game proved to be a heart-breaker last year. Chan Gaileys' attempt to pound the rock backfired as Spiller was unable to make the difference they anticipated. With one year under his belt, I expect this to be a strength of the offense this year, especially in the later weeks as bad weather may force the Bills to run more. However, how this position produces as a unit relies directly on the development of Spiller.

     

    WIDE RECEIVERS GRADE A

    81 Marcus Easley

    83 Lee Evans

    17 Paul Hubbard

    13 Steve Johnson

    19 Donald Jones

    86 David Nelson

    11 Roscoe Parrish

    18 Naaman Roosevelt

    Positives: This is the most complete position on the offensive side of the ball. With Stevie Johnson setting career bests in catches (82) and yards (1073) he also tied a franchise record with 10 TD grabs. He became a fan favorite last year and his ability to find the seam in the defense makes him a reliable number 1 go-to receiver. Lee Evans can still stretch the field allowing Johnson and Parish to work underneath. Jones, Nelson and Roosevelt stepped-up when injuries sidelined Parrish and Evans and played admirably. Easleys' potential has fans watering at the mouth after an early injury ended his season.

    Negatives: While Johnson and Parrish increased their production last year, Evans involvement decreased for the second year in a row providing just 578 yards and 4 TD's. The Bills will keep a close eye on him this year. Parrish, although started the year strong, has yet to make an impact since joining the Bills in 2005. If Jones and Nelson cannot continue to develop and the injury-bug rears it's ugly head again, this unit could be an area of concern.

     

    TIGHT ENDS GRADE D-

    82 Mike Caussin

    80 David Martin

    89 Shawn Nelson

    Positives: Ummmm, they have a few on the roster?

    Negatives: The ones they have on the roster. The Bills have yet to address one of the key positions on the offense. Having a big-man with the ability to run, block and catch is priceless and the Bills are missing the boat on this one. Aside from QB and LT, I believe having a versatile TE that can read man or zone coverages and pick-up the blitz is the most important positions on the offense. Until the Bills grab a "Franchise-TE" they will continue to live in the bottom of the offensive rankings.

     

    OFFENSIVE LINEMEN GRADE C-

    77 Demetrius Bell T

    74 Colin Brown T

    -- Chris Hairston T

    63 Geoff Hangartner C

    68 Cordaro Howard T

    67 Andy Levitre G

    79 Erik Pears T

    76 Chad Rinehart G

    60 Kraig Urbik G

    71 Ed Wang T

    66 Jason Watkins T

    70 Eric Wood C

    61 Mansfield Wrotto T

    Positives: Two positions on the OL should be set-in-stone with Eric Wood manning the Center position and Andy Levitre as Left Guard. Wood (28th overall pick in the 2009 draft) was moved to the center (his natural position in college) position after Hangartner went down in week 13 and shined. Levitre was bounced around early in his career, but has become a mainstay at LG. Bell, although undersized and inexperienced, continues to get it done at the Left Tackle position not allowing a sack in his first 8 games in 2010. Both Bell and Wood battled back from season ending injuries in 2009 and played all year.

    Negatives: With Wood moving to Center, the right side of the line is a large liability. Urbik assumes the starting position after being brought in mid-year last year and struggled to learn the offense. Once highly touted, he must continue to develop to hang on to the RG spot. Right tackle was a lost cause last year while Gailey failed to find anyone to stick. Pears, Wrotto and Howard split starts while Wang only found the field in 6 games and didn't start. The Bills drafted Chris Hairston in the 4th round of the 2011 draft with the hopes of him finding a home at RT. Brown, Watkins and Rinehart provide little depth in terms of experience.

     

    DEFENSIVE LINEMEN GRADE B+

    92 Alex Carrington DE

    99 Marcell Dareus DE

    98 Dwan Edwards DE

    72 Kellen Heard NT

    -- Michael Jasper NT

    91 Spencer Johnson DE

    96 Torell Troup NT

    95 Kyle Williams NT

    Positives: The Bills run defense ranked dead last in 2010 leaving most fans chomping-at-the-bit for a "Big Man" in the middle. Well, they got it. Marcell Dareus was drafted 3rd overall this year (1st DL off the board) with the expectations of him "clogging" the middle and allowing the LB's to make the play. Dareus joins Kyle Williams, a two time Pro Bowler, and Dwan Edwards as one of the most complete D-lines in the league. Torell Troup (2nd 2010) and Alex Carrington (3rd 2010), received valuable playing time last year and will continue to develop. Spencer Johnson is a nice insurance police in case of injury. Enter JASPER. A 7th round pick that played well over 400lbs. in college last year has a chance to make the squad if his ability to digest the transition to DL equals his size. This group will be expected to play both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses and Edwards has the luxury to switch it up.

    Negatives: Opponents will be looking to capitalize on running the ball against the Bills again. With only 1 proven play-maker on the line (Williams) it has yet to be determined if the Bills can hold-up. With the "Lockout" still underway, it is hurting the young players from getting an early jump on learning the playbook. This will only hurt them.

     

    LINEBACKERS GRADE C+

    57 Danny Batten OLB

    59 Antonio Coleman OLB

    54 Andra Davis ILB

    90 Chris Kelsay OLB/DE

    45 Jammie Kirlew OLB/DE

    58 Aaron Maybin OLB/DE

    55 Shawne Merriman OLB/DE

    52 Arthur Moats OLB/DE

    -- Kelvin Sheppard ILB

    53 Reggie Torbor OLB

    -- Chris White ILB

    Positives: Running a 3-4 defense relies on heady play from your Linebacking Core. The Bills are using "strength-in-numbers" to achieve that goal. Shawne Merriman was signed in 2010 after San Diego waived him. His production for the Bolts was impressive, however, after using illegal substances and injuries, Merriman has an uphill battle. Moats was a nice pick-up and will be forever known for ending Brett Favres' consecutive game streak. Kelsay and Davis bring leadership and experience. Batten and Coleman will both have a chance to shine as injuries sidelined both all last year. Sheppard (3rd) and White (6th) were both drafted this year and will compete for playing time. Kirlew is on the bubble.

    Negatives: This unit relies on re-signing Paul Posluszny. Although not spectacular, he is the best they have. Without Poz, this unit grades at a D- IMO. Maybin is taking-up a valuable roster spot and the former 1st round pick as yet to live up to his draft status. The current "Lockout" is the worst thing to happen to Maybin in his young career as he is not able to take advantage of the Bills training staff and is certainly on the bubble. This unit has the potential to be much improved from last year, but I wouldn't put any money on it as too much relies on Merriman and Poz.

     

    DEFENSIVE BACKS GRADE C+

    31 Jairus Byrd FS

    27 Reggie Corner CB

    33 Jon Corto SS

    24 Terrence McGee CB

    28 Leodis McKelvin CB

    -- Justin Rogers CB

    43 Bryan Scott SS

    -- Da'Norris Searcy SS

    -- Aaron Williams CB

    37 George Wilson FS

    Positives: For the first time in years, it's hard to find positives in this unit. 11 INT's is hardly anything to get excited about, however it's better than 10. With an improved pass rush, the numbers should rise back to respectability. Byrd started 14 games last year and got valuable experience. Mckelvin is developing slower than expected, but developing none-the-less. If McGee can stay healthy he can be the shutdown of old. Wilson is the emotional leader and may be thrust into a starting spot if Whitner is not brought back. Williams should start sooner rather than later and Searcy will make the squad.

    Negatives: 11 Int's down from 28 the year before. Putrid! Corner, Corto (a converted LB),Scott and Rogers are all depth at best. Re-signing Whitner is a priority, however unlikely. If Williams fails to deliver, this will be the "Achilles Heal" of the defense. Byrd MUST return to the "Ball-Hawker" that we know he is!

     

    SPECIAL TEAMS GRADE B+

    9 Rian Lindell K

    8 Brian Moorman P

    Positives: 2010 was a tough year for both Lindell and Moorman. Lindell missed his first extra-point attempt in his career and Moormans Net Avg dropped almost 4 yards, however both should be back on track in 2011. Spiller scored his first TD and showed signs of magical returns yet to come. McKelvin and Parrish both can return which gives Bruce DeHaven, Special Teams Coordinator options in the return game.

    Negatives: Both Lindell and Moorman are aging and the Bills have nothing behind them. DeHaven makes us miss April. Spiller must hold on to the ball and coverage units are lacking.

     

    COACHING STAFF GRADE B-

    Chan Gailey

    George Edwards

    Curtis Modkins

    Dave Wannstedt

    Bruce DeHaven

    Positives: Gailey did a nice job of play-calling as you rarely saw head-scratching calls. The addition of Wannstedt is HUGE and should help Edwards progress in his second year as Defense Coordinator. If the defense struggles, expect Wannstedt to assume play-calling duties.

    Negatives: Edwards was certainly over his head as a first year DC. DeHaven disappointed in his first year back and Modkins is invisible. The Bills need strong coordinators if they are ever going to make the next step.

     

    FRONT OFFICE: GRADE B+

    Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. President

    Jeffrey C. Littmann Treasurer

    Russ Brandon Chief Executive Officer

    Buddy Nix General Manager

    Doug Whaley Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Personnel

    Positives: Wilson clearly gave Nix the reigns and he is putting his plan in motion. Promoting Whaley to Asst. GM is a positive step in the right direction. Brandon is a master at filling the stands and continues to promote the Bills with pride.

    Negatives: Until the first snap, the Bills are still 4-12. Not good.

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