1billsfan

Blaming the offensive line or his talent level are just as simplistic of reasons as blaming his effort level. You may not like it but that doesn't mean it may not be a factor. Or have you quickly forgotten the questions that surrounded Sam Adams or Mike Williams. Seems to me and everyone that reads this board that they were let go because of lack of internal motivation. It's a valid reason for a player's poor performance. There was a big difference in McGahee's running production from his first year here and this season's output. To me that puts the "talent" reason on real shaky ground. So that leaves the line or his effort. Newsflash, both issues are now on the table. So please get off the soapbox.

I'm pretty sure he didn't read it a first time. Either that or he thinks Taylor's stats on nfl.com are all a bunch of damn lies.

He's crunching the numbers with little regard for comparing the teams that actually define how good a conference is, the winning teams.

Maybe it's because the Steelers, Bengals and Broncos (all teams that just missed the playoffs in the AFC) would all have a good shot at going to the Superbowl if they were entered as NFC wildcards. There's not one NFC team that's better than the Chargers, Ravens or Pats. I watch a lot of football and the NFC sucks.

Overpay? Who said they were going to overpay for him? I certainly didn't. Did you mean his contract or using a second or third rounder to get him? If so, check out Taylor's stats before you start mocking. So to support your argument about how RBs grow on trees you point out the 1 in 20 shot that the Jaguars hit on. Yeah ok, that sounds reasonable! At least I can point to the Patriots who traded for Dillon and acquired A. Smith for their road to the Superbowl. Good "old" Jerome Bettis sure didn't hurt the Steelers last year. Taylor's got at least three good years left. What's your plan? Who in the draft would you want the Bills to pin their hopes on? What FA would you be on board for having as our top back? Please be specific, enough of the broad strokes and generalities.

Thurman had a 4.2 career ypc average. He averaged over 4.8 from 1990-1992 http://www.profootballreference.com/players/ThomTh00.htm

Too bad his stats the last 5 years don't support your argument. Who's the "new" RB you're looking for the Bills to get? It's too important of a position to roll the dice on a young/rookie RB when your team is looking for a playoff run the next few seasons.

Great response! There's much to ponder about our runningback. I wonder if the front office is having the same debate.

Oh really???? 2002 = 16 starts/1314 yards rushing/408 receiving 2003 = 16 starts/1572 yards rushing/370 receiving 2004 = 14 starts/1224 yards rushing/345 receiving 2006 = 15 starts/1146 yards rushing/242 receiving Your best case was 2005 where he still had 11 starts. Kind of shoots down your "the only reason he had the year he did..." theory. This guy is well known throughout the league for being professional and playing hard all the time.

I know I'm going to get blasted for this one but hear me out at least. First off, the reason I'm bringing this subject up is that I think the Bills might need to go in a different direction in regards to the runningback position. Willis McGahee just doesn't seem reliable enough for the 2007 season. There are too many questions regarding him. Why wasn't he able to break 1000 yards? Why does he go down so easily yet when he plays the Jets he's a one man terror? Does he even like it in Buffalo? Does he always give his best effort? Why was he looking for a contract extension before he had even reached 1000 yards for the season? Did he think his production was worthy of being rewarded with an extension? Is it the offensive line? Does he care more about winning a Superbowl or does he care more about wanting outside media attention? I think Willis is immature. I think it will take a few more seasons before he starts reaching his true potential of which I think there's still a lot of. But I don't think Willis is a good fit for this team right here right now. I think the Bills should trade him for what that can get (2nd? 3rd?) and trade that pick to Jacksonville for Taylor. Jacksonville already has Fred Taylor's replacement in that Drew kid who ran over our's and many other defenses in the NFL this season. Yet Taylor is still only a year younger than Tiki Barber who people are saying is leaving in the prime of his career. Taylor is big (230), tough and runs hard every snap. He's always been professional and a team leader for that Jaguars team. He has had a history of injuries, but that was earlier in his career. Taylor has averaged over 1000 yards and 4.5 per carry the last five seasons. Looking at Fred's and Tiki's career stats, they measure up very favorably... Fred Taylor http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12753 Tiki Barber http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1782 As for history of older runningbacks on Superbowl champs (which is what we what for our team), ther are many Superbowl winners that had a veteran runningback that was a key member of the team getting there and winning it all... Jerome Bettis Cory Dillion Antoine Smith Otis Anderson John Riggins I think if the Bills were to bring in Fred Taylor they'd do well to go hard after Eric Steinbach, then draft MLB Patrick Willis and a run stuffing DT with their first two picks.

They are obvious. Willis had a hard time with any teams that didn't have a football on their helmets. He seems to go down as soon as someone breathes on him. NFL runningbacks his size shouldn't be falling down that easy.

McGahee's "too cool for school, it is what it is, mr. nonchalant" attitude is the reason why he couldn't crack 1000 yards. There are two Willis', the one where he runs like a bat out of hell vs. the Jets, and the one against the rest of the league where the first guy that touches McGahee makes him fall down like a sack of wet potatoes. He needs to get a more workmen-like professional attitude or he's history in this town. He seems immature to me in that he picks and chooses when to give a damn. We all witnessed Thurman's work ethic and demeanor, and we all can see when someone isn't trying all the time.

JP and Evans are free agents after next season. If these guys stay on their current upward path then the Bills will need to be as much under the cap as possible. The Bills may also have to pay through the nose to get a runningback too. This is where guys like Youboty have to plug the hole Clements will be leaving. You have to pick and choose the players you show the money to and the choices the Bills make here in the next couple of offseasons are crucial to this team being a Superbowl contender for years to come.

I think this game goes down in sports history as the best college football game ever. The ones you mentioned will be afterthoughts as time passes. The problem is that few people saw it, I'm so glad I stayed up to witness the most unbelievable finish ever to any football game ever played.

It wasn't based on the the play in the Ravens game, the post was about a play at the end of the Titans game and I was attacked for daring to criticize Wilis "The Great" McGahee. I guess I'm not looking so stupid as one poster talking smack mentions. Bills fans know the difference when a player is laying it on the line consistently and McGahee simply doesn't lay it on the line consistently. We've seen him use his power and stiff arm before so when he skips out of bounds with regularity without a fight we KNOW he's not giving full effort. This guy is an enigma, he plays with pain yet he doesn't seem to give an all out effort every game. Unless he changes his nonchalant attitude I want him replaced with someone who gives a damn every game. http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=57729

Irons is way too small to be an effective runningback in the AFC East. You need to have a workhorse in this division and Irons' frail-like build would be a major negative. Now how about trading Willis for a 2nd and using it on Penn State's Tony Hunt? Big dude who had a great bowl game today.

Aren't you the McGahee cheerleader that compared him to Thurman and OJ? That was stupid.

That's blasphemy, how dare you suggest he's not running hard! It just doesn't look like it. Lest anyone think Willis is not running hard all of the time, he is. What ever you do don't trust your eyes because it is an illusion.

Wow. Didn't know it was so taboo to actually criticize Willis "The Great" McGahee. It's laughable that you guys are throwing around terms like "smart thing to do" and "know the situation", when the Bills had an eternity of time left with 2 minutes to go. Even without having any timeouts left. THEY ONLY NEEDED TO GET TO THE DAMN 20 YARD LINE! So some of you rather have 1st and 10 at the 40, with an extra play before the 2 minute warning, that having the ball 1st and 10 at the 30 after the two minute warning? Use your heads guys. Willis should have run right over that flea of a defensive back and gain as much yardage he can with the game on the line and the two minute warning to stop the clock. I sure hope that Jaroun is not on the same page as you guys and actually pointed out to Willis his mistake in running out of bounds there.

I listened to this game's first and last quarters live on Sirius radio, but I just found the time and the stomach to watch the video tape this morning. Here's my thoughts.. Not once did I see Fletcher shed a block, not once. Royals failure to tap his feet down cost us the game, but ya'll knew that already. He needs to correct that because he's a pretty good tight end. The last one I was shocked that no on had brought it up this past week, sorry if it's been brought up before this post. McGahee wimped out on his last big running play. With about 2:09 seconds left in the game, Willis had a 19 yard gain that should have been a 30 yard gain. After taking the handoff, McGahee should have switched the ball to his opposite hand and stiff armed the 188 pound weakling Cortland Finnegan which would have no doubt produced an extra 10 yards easy. Instead, he ran out of bounds with no effort to gain extra yards. If Willis did this the Bills would have had the ball 1st and 10 on the Titans 30 yard line. This really ticked me off after watching it, and even more so now that him and his agent are bitching about getting a contract extension. Willis has some great talents but I'm just not seeing 100% effort from this guy game in and game out. I'm not saying he needs to go because of this play, just that he needs to toe the line of what's expected of him. What's expected is balls to the wall running like the guy he replaced and was outclassed by last week. Willis did learn to pick up the blitz, now he needs to learn to run over 188 yard defensive backs when the game is on the line. Not take it meakly out of bounds without a fight.

They drafted 3 DBs in the first four picks last season and Nate's replacement was one of them. No way do they focus on drafting a CB, they instead will focus on drafting players that will help stop opposing RBs from running the ball down their throats.

The only team on that list I'd fear not having a "lockdown" corner would be Cincy (maybe NYJ with Coles also, I think Owens is gone in Dallas). Our schedule next year is chock full of running teams, so why way overpay for Nate in the first place? The answer is you don't, you concentrate on the defensive line and linebacker positions. People just need to get over the fact that Nate's leaving and realize that the Bills are still heading in the right direction, with or without Mr. "Contract Year" Playmaker.

After reading Fletcher's recent comments to the media, I won't be shedding any tears when he goes. As with Eric Moulds, it seems like Fletcher isn't on board with the Bills rebuilding plan. Someone should tell him that Bills fans are tired of watching other team's runningbacks skip through the middle of the defense on Sundays. It makes us feel bad. If your hearts not with the program then see ya, wouldn't want to be ya Fletch.

I'm sorry, I must have missed this love affair you speak so passionately about. I personally haven't seen much discussed about the guy but I also haven't been around here much all week either. The second part of your statement makes no sense to me. You do realize that Nate Clements and Terence McGee were still on this team in 2006, right? You also realize that Youboty lost his Mother at the begining of the season which greatly reduced his participation with the team. So a rookie cornerback has two solid starters and weeks lost to a family tragedy and since he isn't a rookie of the year candidate he's being equated with being a possible bust? Get real or go home, Youboty's as much an unknown as Ko Simpson and Donte Whitner were the day after they were drafted. As for your buddy Nate, he looks as if he's playing for a paycheck. Where was this guy the last year and a half?

Buffalo had the toughest schedule in the league this year. Check out the opponets W-L% (which they use to determine draft order), we have the highest at .571 and we have the Ravens next so it's sure to up even more... http://www.gbnreport.com/weeklydraftorder.htm