My Friends Call Me Tebucky

I think two things separate Smith from Evans: 1- His ability to get off the line of scrimmage. Some of it is quickness, some of it is physicality, but it's easier to play bump and run on Evans because he's easier to knock off his route. 2- Run after the catch. You don't see much of any of it from Evans. I would guess the bulk of his RAC yards in his career come from catching a 50 yard bomb and running 30 yards to the endzone without being touched. Smith is one of only a few receivers in the league that can take a 5 yard slant the distance. Evans is a good receiver, Smith a great one. Of course, the Bills don't seem to put Evans in motion very often...something I really don't understand.

How can you like a defense that doesn't make plays? I'd rather let another team drive 60 yards and then force a turnover then have them drive 25 to kick a field goal. They aren't the "problem" per se, but they don't make many momentum changing plays, and have a very hard time getting off the field late in games when you know the other team is going to try to run on them.

Yeah, because our corners would consistently give him a 10 yard cushion and he'd be catching hitches in the open field all day. That's what's so frustrating about their defensive scheme...they seem to line up against every player like they're all equal. Moss gets a 10 yard cushion, I understand. Doing the same for Jerricho Cotchery or that Bess guy that shredded them yesterday is just moronic.

No need to overanalyze. When you can't run OR pass, your play calling won't look good. As for Losman audibling there....whatever. There have been very few occasions this year when the Bills had a first and goal from the 3 and had two wide receivers in the game.

Ehhh..at least we get the 4th place schedule next year, right?

"We, we, we, we" Whitner want to take any PERSONAL responsibility for getting roasted by Fasano on the game's only TD?

Their talent isn't bad. They just don't have difference makers. We have a 30 million dollar safety whose best attribute is his "leadership." A 40 million dollar receiver that runs 2 patterns: fly and dig. A first round running back that runs hard and tough, breaks tackles, but doesn't make many people miss and isn't much of a threat to go the distance. A second round middle linebacker that is as average as they come (as of now). If the guy ever wanted to force a turnover, I wouldn't complain. Ugh.

How can you do better than selling out every game? Just wondering.

Can't really have a home field advantage when you pretty much suck at winning football games in general. The Bills choke and lose at home, they choke and lose on the road, today it was just at a neutral site. Oh well. They don't have a home-field advantage. When was the last time they won a night game in the Ralph? When Wade Phillips was coach? I could be wrong but I remember getting beaten down by New England and Denver, and losing heartbreakers to Cleveland and Dallas. They've blown so many big games at home over the years that I've lost count. Just going back by memory to crucial games in the Ralph that they've managed to blow: 2008- Jets, Niners, Browns 2007- Patriots 2006- Titans, Chargers 2005- They were pretty much so bad that there weren't any big games at home 2004- Steelers 2003- Texans 2002- Patriots They suck. Home or away. 30-32 at home since Phillips left. 3-5 in home openers. Homefield advantage my ass....the Dolphins game this weekend could have been played in Africa and it wouldnt have mattered.

Good point about Parrish. We know what he can do as a receiver...it's work the slot and occasionally catch an 8 yard pass in the middle of a zone. Woohoo. Play Hardy, play Johnson, and see if you might have something there. Something tells me that we won't miss out on Parrish developing into Steve Smith overnight.

The original point is very good... but they did beat a 10-6 playoff team in the Jets in '06...just for accuracy sake.

How long was the field goal against Pittsburgh in 2004? That might have been the biggest miss of his career, it's not one that I'll ever forget. I don't even think it was 30 yards long. The miss that cost them a game in Indy a couple of years ago was in a dome, on an artificial surface, and not much longer than 39 yards. Maybe 41 or 42.

If given the option, I'd refuse a trade to the Bills too...stop thinking about it as a Western New Yorker, start thinking about it as an iconic future Hall of Famer. It makes sense that he'd rather stay there. For further proof, note how the Bills are still in last place in their division.

Yep. And cover two strong safeties are supposed to the be the playmakers for their teams...Brown in Chicago a few years back, Sanders in Indy...Whitner struggles in that department. Nothing wrong with being an adequate safety...but when you're taken 8th overall and make 6 million a year on average, a few plays once in a while would be nice.

Maybe it's been talked about, I don't know. We may have the worst trio of LBs in the league right now. We all know how bad Ellison is, so it's not worth talking about. It's been about a full year worth of games now, I'm still waiting for Poz to make a meaningful play. Mitchell is without a doubt the worst linebacker I've ever seen when it comes to tackling a player in space. About 5 or 6 times he whiffed on tackles today where he could have really made a difference. One would have saved a TD, one would have caused a safety, 2 or 3 others would have at least prevented first downs. It's a problem. Get a stud linebacker in the '09 draft...and please, don't wait 3 rounds to try to find him.

All 3 will be here next year- they'll keep Greer around. Depending on his performance, McGee is the one that could get the axe.

Good post- and it really makes you question the McKelvin pick. Maybe he'll end up being a pro bowler, who knows...but to take a cover 2 cornerback that high in the draft? It seems retarded to me. Corners are basically interchangeable in the defense...it's about safeties. They missed (relatively) on Whitner. He's an NFL caliber player, but not a good cover 2 safety. Draft a dominant lineman, or linebacker that can rush the passer...

Well, since the choices boil down to coaching, both lines, and the quarterback (all are the usual suspects on bad teams), I blame the whole blaming for the losing skid on the schedule for increasing expectations too early.

Gotta go OLB or DE if you ask me. I know they're not enamored with him....and I know he's not a superstar player, but I'd really consider franchising Crowell. Maybe you franchise him and trade him, maybe he plays the one year deal- but they can't go into next season with Ellison starting, and I don't know if I'd be able to accept a crappy free agent or 3rd round draft pick coming in to replace him. He's an asset...get something out of him, whether it's a draft pick or one more year of play.

No doubt. That's why I'm saying if you transplanted Mark Kelso from 1990 into a training camp today, he wouldn't even make a roster.

It's all about the culture of the team...coaches can be great (Jauron isn't, don't get me wrong), but at the end of the day it's the players on the field that instill a winning attitude and confidence. Make a play, and don't necessarily leave it up to your coaching staff. It's not impossible to block a 56 yard field goal, for example. Stroud had it blocked, but played the angle wrong. That type of stuff is the difference between a winner and loser. I know they blocked a kick earlier this season against Miami I think, but before that, when was the last time they did?

Of course it's not all about speed- if speed were all that mattered, guys like Bobby Taylor never would have had NFL careers. Speed is one thing, CLOSING speed is another.

I disagree...the difference is that back then they were allowed to maul receivers. Now they aren't. In terms of athleticism and speed, they are far better now. The receivers are too, don't get me wrong. But if you're asserting that we don't see more "lob" passers now as a coincidence, I think you're wrong. It can't be done as easily because corners and safeties close on it quicker than they would have in the mid 80's.

As for the original point, there's no question Reed is the 2nd best receiver they have right now. He's better from the slot, but I'd still rather have him lining up wide than Hardy, Parrish OR Johnson. Maybe Hardy would look better if he didn't have a safety up in his face every play. Once in a while, why not let him run a go route and see what happens one on one? Instead, it's Evans, every damned time. Lee goes deep, or runs a dig. He doesn't often do slants or crosses. It makes it that much easier for defenses to figure out what Hardy is doing.

Sanders, Woodson, and what "other guys?" You refer to them as though they were run of the mill players instead of being Hall of Famers. I'm talking about your average, run of the mill starter...who covers more ground out there faster, Terrence McGee and Ko Simpson, or Kirby Jackson and Mark Kelso?