Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

A week or so back someone else posted the thought that maybe being tall is bad as they can't get low enough to get under the defenders.

Or it could be that is the problem with this concept of small fast players. OK I took physics F= ma. Well when the guy on the other team is much bigger and almost as fast, guess who loses? The other argument is you can't hit what you can't catch, but apparently they are catching them.

Well first off, I think the running game last year was still much better than this year. The reason I'm willing to give TE more of a pass that I would have given JP last year was cause JP was in his 4th year and still making the same errors. If you say the errors yesterday were horrendous by TE and it cost them the game, well kept them in the game then? Even with these errors, they had a chance until the last TD by the Jets. They couldn’t run the ball so how were they staying close? Because TE kept getting first downs. It probably is hard for anyone to appreciate that as it’s been so long since we’ve seen that around here. So there were some good things in spite of the errors. Now look at JP. Last year he came in when TE got hurt, played lights out against Cinncy. People were hoping that making from watching Trent, he finally got the idea. Then the next week, can’t recall whom they played, but he did absolutely nothing all game. The only thing maybe you could count on JP doing was completing one bomb per game. I don’t even think that helped keep the D honest though as they knew, OK just rush the hell out of him and watch out for the long ball. Anything thrown short, he’ll screw up. TE had some accuracy problems last year, that seems to be cleaned up, that was JP’s other issue. So in spite of all the bad negative plays, there was still positives. Last year many games there was no positives, so that’s why I’m willing to more give him a pass on the errors. With no running game and his inexperience, and the fact that the entire offence is on his shoulders, I can’t fault him too much.

While I agree with the mistakes that TE made, the problem I have with stating that he cost us the game, besides him, who else made any plays? There was a no running attack, little stops defensively in the game, yes, they didn't give up TD's, but allowed the Jets to move down the field. One thing TE does appear to be very good at is moving the chains and he did do that yesterday throughout the game. Last year, he'd dink it for 3 yards and after three of them we'd have to punt. This year he is getting first downs from it. So without TE out there yesterday, who would have done anything? With no running game when you get down closer to the goal line, it makes it tougher to get it in when everyone is dropping back in coverage. It also helps when you don't need to blitz as our O-line allows you to pressure with three guys. I don't have any stats to back this up, but I'd be surprised to see that any QB who throws more than 40 times a game doesn't have similar number of bad plays, fumbles, ints, sacks, etc. When you throw that much, bad things are going to happen.

Everyone is talking about the problems with the line. While I don't disagree with any of the comments, why are we getting worse by the week and from last year?? The one big change is the coach. Is that what's killing us??

Well we certainly ra nthe ball better last year, and also had less sacks. Not sure what point you're trying to prove. I will say one difference beteen JP and TE. TE keeps the chains moving. JP had one play, throw it long and once in awhile it would work. Yeah there were some bad turnovers, but considering he's as second year QB and essentially is being asked to take over the game on his arm. We're not even trying to run, so all things considered, he played well. The problem is when a defense knows the other team can't run and is just going to keep passing, it makes their life much easier. Eventually it will catch up with you.

I certainly don't blame Hardy, the ball was underthrown, however he did look like a rookie, (which he is)in not doing much to fight the DB off to at least knock it down. An experienced vet likely would have tried more to knock it down, or as was suggested take the offensive interference call. Not that it would have mattered much, but that's why Hardy isn't playing too much as he needs to learn those things yet.

Well you're going to be awful disapointed as I doubt they are going to use another high draft pick on a reciever when they have other needs. Did you read Matt Millon's book on how to build a football team? That's Detroits recipe for years, give up immediately on whomever you picked and pick his replacement by the following year, and get rid of the first guy by the year after. Hey it worked for Millon for what 8 years before they figured it out.

That's true, but the defense can never get off the field. They stop them on 1st, and 2nd, then give up the first down. There's no pass rush. In the first half the defense hardly played, so they can't use an excuse of being worn out. The last NY drive was over 8 minutes.

If I were to rate the problems in todays game I'd say: 1: No run game 2: Terrible tackling 3: TE's play 3a: No pass rush 5: Special teams no longer special 6: No #2 receiver TEW certainly mad some bad plays and had turnovers that lead to points. In spite of that, he still kept the chains moving, with NO running game. That is one thing he is far superior to JP in the ability to keep the chains moving. Everyone keeps stating, you can't keep giving TE a free pass when you wouldn't give one to JP. Well the difference was last year TE was a rookie and doing things that JP still hadn't figured out in his fourth year. Now TE is in his second year, still doing many good things, but making some big mistakes. Considering the entire offenseis on his shoulders, he's not doing all that bad. Three turnovers for a second year QB isn't all that bad. Maybe with a decent running game the turnovers don't happen as he wouldn't have been throwing in those situations. The problem is with the way the offense is going TE needs to play a perfect game. Last year, at least they had a running game and better blocking. The Def sucked, but there was promise on the offense. This year, they are going backwards, every game run offense is getting worse. Would JP have done worse, good chance not, but from what we've seen of him, would be surprised if he have done better? And fourth a fifth year player, there's no reason to hope he'll improve much. To me it is pretty amazing to see a team put their entire offense on the shoulders of a second year player!

In addition the Bill's dumped WGR made 10 to 15 years ago. Also as was discussed in another thread just two days ago, The bills per Tom D stopped giving interviews to WGR, wouldn't eve ninvite them to press conferences, etc. Time s are bad, many companies may only have money to advertise on either the Bills or Sabres, not both. So if I'm WGR why would I do anything to help promote the Bills at the expense of the station that carries their games.

I read the article about Mangenious telling Brett he needs ot cut dow non the interceptions. That could go either way. It could make him think about something he normally just does by reaction and throw him slightly off his game. While maybe no Int's, just alot of terrible passes. Or could make him want to prove the coach wrong and have a really good game. Hopefully the first one will happen!

Agree, but I think alot of the "credit" goes to BB for developing the equation to beat Drew. He showed how easy it was. Knowing him for so many years made it easy.

Part of Hardy's problem has been Reed is just better than he is at this point and as a backup Hardy doesn't get a whole lot of reps. Everyone is knocking the Bills 2008 draft class, but part of the problem is the teams is better with more depth than past years, so we didn't need our picks playing as much right away. So they've sat, and when we did need them, unfortunately they hadn't played that much to be ready. Here's his chance to shine.

Yeah but the Bledsoe move made Buffalo appear to be a team to be reckoned with. Made us attractive to free agents, etc. Agree 100% regarding Spikes, until the injury looked like a great pick by TD. Here's a question I always wondered about Bledsoe. The first ten weeks he was here played like an All-Pro, then NE comes to town and BB exposes all his weaknesses for the world to see. The next few games he did OK, but not nearly as good as the first 10 as I think teams copied some of what NE had done. But they were a bit nervious in doing it all game as probably thought it can't be that easy to rattle this guy. He's an ex all pro! Then the last game of the season, we play NE again, BB does the same thing and destroys Bledsoe. Now teams saw NE do it twice and starting the following season everyone we would play would just blitz the hell out of Bledsoe and make him look like garbage. Prior to us playing NE, Drew had never looked so bad. The one other team at the time that was interested in signing Bledsoe was the Bungles. But Drew told them he wasn't at all interested in going there. Had he gone there, the way the schedule worked out, NE didn't play Cinnci for the next three seasons. There were some good receivers there. Would Bledsoe have looked great there as his weaknesses hadn't been exposed like they were by BB?

I don't know, did all these people prepare in games where they were the back up just in case they came in?? Do you personaly know they did prepare better than JP did in games that they never played in?? You mention Kelly getting hurt in 93. Well he got hurt in last regular season game and Reich came in and finished the game. 93 was along time ago, but from what I recall of that last regular season game, he did even less than JP did. There's a big difference between preparing each week on the small chance you may get to play as the backup, vs knowing, OK the starting QB got hurt in todays game. So now all week I need to get ready to start next game as I'm now #1. Do NFL teams help the backup stay motivated?? Well from everything you hear and read, the back up gets very little action all week with the first string, so it doesn't appear they help the situation much. Personally I think JP played very well as a backup. Name me 32 better back up QB's than JP? More importantly, name me a free agent QB that the Bills could pick up today that's definitely better than JP? The problem is, with a few exceptions, JP hasn't played much better as a starter when he had chances than he did in that game as a backup. The people who feel JP is going to a new team next year and become a starter and a star again, I think will be in for a sad and disapointing season. And BTW, I am in no way a JP supporter. I'm happy with TE being the starter, but also just try to be fair on negative side.

Kind of funny too as I recall in TD's first year there were a couple of articles mentioning how TD didn't want an article about himself in the media guide. Described him as very private, un-assuming, had no ego. In reality, those were the things that seemed to have done him in. It was no secret he left Pitt as a result of a power struggle, but I don't recall anyone ever reading about him having ego issues in Pitt. Just more lost a power struggle. So what happened to him?? What changed?? There's been alot of talk how his coaches were chosen specifically to make sure neither person could ever become a bigger personality than him and he be forced out again. Could the opposite have happened, that by choosing a low key, person with no rep, all the attention fell on him and every mistake was disected?? In Pitt he had Cowler to run interference for him, here he was on his own. Was he trying to keep everything secret to not be "outed" for mistakes? He even went out of his way to have these "off the record" sessions with the media intially. Entire thing is rather hard to figure out what changed??

Actually No I wouldn't have taken it better. With regards to the other three picks you mention; Parish, Losman, and McGahee, I wouldn't argue your point. But in Williams case, there was no clear concensious to take McKinnie. Maybe you felt they should have, but media, posters, etc were pretty split. McKinnie also had the history of the "U" behind him and certainly came off as having a bit of an attitude. Would he have been happy playing in Buffalo? I doubt it. Not that that's a reason not to draft him, but I'd be shocked if he were still playing here. Williams on the other hand came across as a good kid, bad player, but a good person which does matter. McKinnie certainly hasn't lived up to #4 draft status either in his career. Granted has been better than Williams, but not done enough to justify the #4 pick either. I don't recall, has he made any pro bowl yet? I believe two years ago he did for the first time?? The other names you mention, I'll give you the benefit on calling them arrogant picks, but picking Williams was a case of picking a player who's heart couldn't be measured. At the time very few people faulted the pick, in fact most called it a good choice and/or felt either pick would have been a smart pick. Though as was mentioned, maybe Losman was more a case of Sam W convincing TD that JP was the next great QB and he went with his recommendation. Will never know that one. If he had lived up to his build, the amount of picks they gave up for a good QB would have been worth it. In hindsight certainly was bad. But easy to say in hindsight as typically more bad picks than good ones.

Well yeah, but no player is ever going to come out and say I suck (well hadly any) Everyone is always great. But what does he and his agent privately discuss of his play. Does his agent tell him, unless he turns it around he'd be better off not signing an extension in the coming off season?? What's he really think? Something we will likely never know.

Cotrell has also bee nfired in his last three jobs, so you cna't blame it all on being a scapegoat for the Chargers. You mention it's not his fault they lost their best defensive player to injury. When he looked great for Bills they had Bruice Smith, Ted Washington, Paulp, etc. So maybe Ted is nothing more than an average coach who can look pretty good whe nhe has great players around him. Bringing him back would not likely be a positive step.

I noticed it was online from 97Rock and was surprised. I thought they weren't allowed to carry it online as Sirius has a national contract to carry all the games. I know WHAM doesn't carry it online.

Will be interesting to see how the Peters deal plays out. Will JP still try to claim he's worth top $$, will he take less, or will he be willing to go the final year of his contract, hopeing he does regain his form, if he does then ask for out of this world money and if the Bills don't agree, the nhe only would have ot wait out one year to become a free agent. I wonder if he realizes his valsue has decreased or is he blind to that??

Calling that an act of arrogance it totally absurd and a great way to look like a genius in hindsight. I'm certainly not going to go back and look up 5 year old posts and for all I know maybe you stated that prior to the pick. But there was clearly no consensus at the time to pick McKinnie over Williams. In fact from what I recall reading at time more people and media preferred Williams. McKinnie certainly hasn't done a whole lot to justify the #4 pick either as he would have been if picked by the Bill's. Certainly he's done much better than Williams, but he still would have been labeled a bust and I'd be shocked if he had been picked by the Bills, if he were still with the team. As has been pointed out, the draft is a crap shoot in many ways. Actually if you want to look real smart, just right a post that every pick taken in the draft was a mistake and you'll be right more than you'll be wrong. Not trying to defend TD as he certainly didn't do a great job, but calling the pick of Williams arrogant is totally off base and typical of the behavior that Mort is calling Bill's fan out for. Not that I'm defending Mort either, but by calling the pick of Williams arrogant, he is correct in stating that many Bill's fans comments about TD are totally vindictive. This comment just proves his point!

You're probably right as we haven't seen enough of him to say for certain. Likely the reasonn we haven't seen much of him is: a: he's not ready b: They have someone esle in Reed who is better Well b is eliminated for a few weeks, so lets see what he can do. You don't know for certain, forcing him to practice with the starters, etc, he may come on quickly. Regardless I certainly wouldn't draft another one to become the potential starter. Cetainly, they need a TE, personally rather than get a DE, I'd rather se them pick up on OLB who is a pass rushing star, like a Bryce Paup when he was here. In addition, an interior lineman, either a center or guard.

They have him, his name is James Hardy. Granted so far he's done very little, besides having the winning catch in the Jax game, but you can't panic and keep giving up on people after one or two years and use more draft picks. If the Bills need to use a high draft pick next year for that purpose, you just wated a pick the prior year. Hardy could turn out to be a bust, but no one knows for at least two year plus years. It's easy to say a certain player is a bust, in fact if you claim every player drafted is a bust, you'd look pretty smart as the success rate is probably less than 50/50. When teams keep drafting replacements for other recent picks, they never get ahead, look at Detroit, and to a lesser degree, the Bill's over the past number of years.