Pyrite Gal

I would like to go back to see the NFL and the networks experiment with a coverage idea used once in the late 70s of doing an announcerless game. I doubt this would happen because at least part of it then was the NFL and the networks seeing the growing star power of announcers like the Cosell and Dandy Don on MNF and the increasing amount of $ they began to command in contracts, the league did the experiment as a negotiating tool and option to keep these annoincers in a subordinate position. However, the NFL was going slowly through the process of learning that the team owners could make a lot more $ through cooperation with their workers than through competition (a lesson which they finally learned after they kicked the NFLPAs but in the replacement player dispute of the mid-80s and the union under the leadership of Gene Upsahw threatening to withdraw for activity forcing the owners into the free market negotiating for individual employee services rather than parnering with the NFLPA to restrain trade with the draft and other activities. The approach taken is fundamentally un-American as the individual is restrained from selling their services at whatever rate the market sllows, but there was so much money to be made from the networks that it has even reached a point where the NFL has agreed in the CBA to be the minoirity partner because there is so much money to be made if that is the cost of cooperation. At any rate, the advent of modern communications technology and graphic techniques would allow for games to be broadcast using ambient sound and a steady supply on on-screen infiormation to keep viewers informed while basic info is kept on the screen as it is now. This info would replace the occaisional useful nuggets of info provided by the play-by-play talent. I an mot against the "color-man" completely as this person at their best can provide useful game analysis. However, it is the rare color man who provides consistent entertainment (Dennia Miller was an acquired taste who was interesting for a couple of games but got pretty old IMHO with his stichk and continual and then more frantic attempts to use nickel words to show how smart he was. Dierforf is simply incorrect too often and just bad. Madden has more to add off the field with the video game than in the booth where his guttaral oomphs also got old fairly quick. The only color guy I miss really is Alex Karras' whose University of Mars line when a steaming Otis Sistrunk came on the screen was such a great deapan line aping an NFL coverage cliche that it simply reduced the broadcast team to tears and chuckles minutes after the line. At any rate if a game analyst came in once a quarter or so and said something really relevant to the game which helped us understand whats going on behind the scenes or provided some context, that would be more than enough. Right now color guys seem to talk to hear themeselves talk. Many fans simply turn off the TV sound and listen to the radio broadcast since the TV guys shift their allegiances noticeably during the game as they try to adopt a script for how the game is going. If one had more of an ability which is being developed and perfected by the networks as the offer a choice of audio feeds in English or Spanish to satisfy various consumers, it would be great to be able to choose coverage which gave one more of a feel for being at the game by giving you ambient sound (in fact with modern microphone technology it could bring you closet to the action in a way which exceeds the stadium experience for game action (though nothing will replace the experience of sharing the game with 75,000 of your closest friends and it being in the teens in terms of termperature)). If I could choose a sound feed which dispenses with the commentators and allowed me to add augmented graphics to explain injuries or other game occurences such as odd rule applications or get off the field info, this would reallly give me a superior viewing experience.

I used to put the theory that various outcomes showed the game was fixed, the nshe asked me what I consider to be a brilliant question which put an end to my rants. She asked, "If the games are fixed, why isn't it more interesting?" I had to admit she had a point. If the games (or even the big game) was fixed, then even a juvenile could come up with a more interesting script than the one they had for the post-season and the SB. Perhaps you want to subscribe to some conspiracy thepry where they wanted to produce a script around Jerome Bettis winning the big one before he retired in his hometow, nut there would be such greater economic profit: 1. If Seattle won giving the NFL more excitement in West Coast Microsoft land. If the Chinese and Tony Blair are sending their heads of states to do real work on the west coast with virtually cursory stops in DC to dicuss King Heorge's latest foreign policy fiasco, it simplu is a better economic deal to curry popularity on the west coast than in a rust belt town like Pittsburgh. 2. In addition to the domestic economic benefits, it is clearly the economic strategy of the MFL to spread their product to foreign countries to get some of their bucks and have an SB win for a Pacific Rim team would be a much better script. 3. Finally, I can;t even remember which clown won the SB MVP and I think they had to throw darts and pick a Steeler by default. If they are going to go through the trouble of fixing the game (including all the payoffs they would need to make to shut folks up and still somebody is going to get drunk or try to impress some skirt into bed and spill the beans) they would have to produce a better product than this feeble storytale if they were truly fixed/ I watch the game and love it because the regular season is fascinating, but the playoffs are a joke and the 2 week SB is the height of silliness. I don't know about you but a few years back I muted the game and turned on the sound for the commericals.

I thought CV was a good signing by TD at the time and that he was productive for us in several regards in the inital season after his signing: 1. The Bills pretty desperately needed more veteran prescence after the cut Ruben after 2003. Ruben was the only OL player to have started at his position that year and merely having started at the position for one year still left this team with the need for a vet, even one well into the backside of his career like CV. 2. CV actually played some good ball for us in 2004 as the OL improved over the 2003 debacle and actually was quite productive during the win streak, blocking for WM going over a 1000 yards in only 9 starts and doing the blocking for Bledsoe who saw a huge reductions in his sack total as TD called a good game to make him productive. 3. CB deserves special kudos for his work in 04 because he was mot only playing next to MW who was no help to an RG, but actually his stabilizing influence seemed to help MW alot coming back from his near meltdown in voluntary camp. However, I think he really began to show things which used to be nicks he would play through become injuries which cost him starts. I think borrowed time is a good way to describe CV this year at best and I expect to see Preston as our RG relatively soon this season.

But but but didn't Nick Saban just say that a player can't simpl decide to go play elsewhere. I guess Seau must have been an FA when he left Miami and went back to SD since it looks like he might end up in NE. Go figure. If the Pats need to sign Seau to improve their LB performance then a Bills upset in game 1 is looking more likely.

I think the grave concern being expressed by some fans about the speed (or lack thereof allegedly) of McCargo's development is really a sign of one of the side effects and unintended consequences of ESPN doing wall to wall coverage of the draft, the advent and spread of fantasy football as an entertainment form. the stat psychosis caused by Madden 200x, and the greaty marketing job done by the partnership of thr NFL and NFLPA (or perhaps they should be listed as the NFLPA/NFL since the players are now the majority partner of this collaboration as the most recent CBA gives them a significant majority of all revenues(. It certainly is the hope that a 1st round choice is going to start his first season if not immediately. However, even the folks who know the draft best are disappointed with the production of half the first round picks (with significant choices like Mike Williams and Harrington turning out to be total bust for the team which drafted them). The hope that a 1st rounder will start has suddenly become an expectation. Its actually even a silly expectation given that just because a player does not start immediately, at all in his first year or even contribute, does not mean he is a bust (see Moulds or Denney as examples). It would be downright odd for folks to be worried about this given: 1. it ain't their money do why really worry. 2. It is legitimate however to worry if the team you love now has a whole at a position like DT or on the DL, but given the much better than expected performance of Williams and Denney, the Bills appear better off on the DL than they would have been if the draft had met folks silly expectations of player performance. Perhaps, folks choose to woory because they judge the first round pick as not meeting their expectatios, but again since the 5th round pick has greatly exceeded expectations at the same position. As far as it goes for a Bills fans it really comes out as a wash and the only real reason be concerned is if it were your money which it isn't.

I think the reaction shown by many Bills fans in this thread isgreat! If one is most concerned about the performance of McCargo as an individual or one is hunting for anything to indict Marv as an old fool then you are concerned. If one however is focused most of how the Bills team is doing or have much of s sense about how football really works then the lead elements are that 2 other DL players, Williams and Denney are impressing folks and the Bills should be able to field 4 guys and some subs who have impressed folks with their pre-season performance or their career work to date (Denney, Williams, Schobel, Triplett) and subs Anderson, Kelsay and McCargo Ithey are not starter impressive but there are hopes based on factors like their careers in the NFL and the draft regard McCargo recieved. Overall, i think Bills fans are disappointed that McCargo has no proved to be a stud yet, but they no that sometimes good players can take more than a year to turn it around (Eric Moulds did not impress for a couple of years but deserved hi Pro Bowl nods when he got them). As fans of the team, they are not overly bothered that McCargo has not met our unrealistic hopes that he would become an immediate starter, as later pick Williams has impressed in that regard and Denney is showing more than expected (Denney is an on point example of a Bills DL player who we traded up to get (to the 2nd rather than the 1st) who was so bad he could not even play most of his rookie year. Yet, the braintrust felt he merited an extension (though you only get one chance to make a first impression and it will take Bruce Smith production to turn the opions of many Bills fans though I sense he is not spectacular but a solid NFL player) and now there are some signs he may deliver quite belatedly on his early expectations.

First, do you consider two teams that he played himself off of a bunch of teams (though it is arguable he did not so much play himself off a Dallas team he joined well after the season had begun but that he did not play himself onto the team by beating out Terrell Owens) unless you want to claim all three teams he played with in his entire NFL teams constitute a bunch and that even then you want to claim that with 94 catches and gaining a huge silly contract from AT was playing himself off the Bills. Second, the question of whether PP is smart is really secondary, the main question for team leadership questions is whether he is a smarter NFL vet than Parrish and Nance which I think he is. Third, the reason why PP can make plays is simply because he is fast (reports from both insiders and outsiders say he has retained his speed) and has a rep which is gonna force teams to make some very difficult choices when facing the speedy Evans and Price in 3 WR sets and simply forces the opponents into a zone in 4 WR sets where Tyke Tolbert is already singing the praises of 4th WR Josh Reeds smarts and if he gets to pick on LBs and Ss in our St. L style O the same way he did when he picked on these guys as our #3 in 2002, it will likely be a boon for him. PP need not replicate the 94 reception totals he ;ast achieved for the Bills. If he produces even 60-70 catches this season he will equal or exceed the total of Rams #2 WR made last year in their high flying O. All signs point to him being a playmaker in the scheme we plan to use. The rate limiting factors here have little to do with PP's smarts and if he does not prove to be a playmaker it likely will be because the Bills offensive scheme failed as a whole because WM did not prove to be a receiving threat or JP could not get them the ball. Do you have any objective reasons or factual statements for feeling he is will not be productive in the O scheme we apparently are developing?

Why no chance? 1. The Bills almost beat NE last year in a night game in NE and even were led by current most hated Bill Kelly Holcomb after his failings this pre-seaspn are not new but represent some the same failings which almost brought a defeat of NE at home. 2. NE was bouyed by the return of Bruechi after he beat a serious ailment. It is doubtful he may even play in this game or at best this will be his first game back not after a stunning tri,ph over illness but after missing practices with a nagging injury. 3. NE has huge issue at WR quality which equal or exceed past weaknesses they overcame by shifting players around. All world kicker Vinateri and also McGinest are gone. 4. Boy genius coach contributes a lot by coming up with schemes to beat opponents weaknesses. However, what are the weaknesses of an offensive and defensive schemes which have never played a real game and have exhibited no tendencies whatsoever to combat. They well might lose but saying they have no chance seems to be little more than wishful thinking and it is beyond me what you are wising for if you are a Bills fan.

While I think some of these games are almost certainly losses (Indy at home or away, Balt away) the rest are winnable because of the opponent or home cooking. Green Bay- Please they sucked worse than the Bills last year and playing them at home on the backside of Favre's career gives the Bills real shot and makes them the facorite if ol man favre gets nicked even if we are struggling. Houston- easily the worse team in the league last year and maybe they improved but may be not. Jax- A likely loss for us, but a lot depends on the injury picture the week before the game such that writing this one off as a loss seems foolish for this team which failed to make the playoffs last year. SD- Likewise a team which failed to make the playoffs last year and after their cross country trip and given they have a first year QB (his first pre-season start was good but the Raiders are 2-0 so I would cast few bets on playoff results lone which is pretty much all you have for a 1st year QB. Jets-- Please. They just traded for Suggs to replace Martin and whoops. Miami- The Fish are eminently beatable seeming anyplace and anytime and particularly at the end of the season. TN- Again a team that was worse than we were last year that has not seemed to revoluntionize itself (yet). I would not predict wins exceot for the Jets at home, but likewise I do not think one can rationally chalk up most of these games as losses unless you know something about the wonderful improvement of many of these teams we do not know. Most of them proved they can lose to bad teams last year and even if we are a bad team no one has pointed to specific improvements these opponents have made that they cannot be beaten even by a bad team in 06.

Trade down for proven vets or multiple picks so you can build a winning team. As far as QB, I certainly would not take one in the first because even if you do well in this crapshoot and do not get Ryan Leaf (or Akili, or Harrington, etc.) it simply usually takes multiple years before your QB can lead your team to a win and the Golden Boys are not on a timeline for production in 2008 if a Quinn or Leak does well and get very lucky or more likely not until 2010 when you have enough of a team to actually make the playoffs, Some folks will point to the helmetless Ben RoboQB as an example of why a 1st round choice can win it all immediately. However, one has to go back to Dallas selecting Aikman in 89 to find a 1st round QB choice who led the team which drafted him to a QB win or even back to 1999 to find one who even led his team to a SB berth with Mcnair and TN. RoboQB right now is the exception that proves the rule you do not go after a QB in the 1st round if your goal is to win or even make it to the SB. Its much easier and cheaper to pick up a 1st rounder drafted by another team like a Dilfer and then who is run out of town to QB your team to an SB berth, or to try to find a udfa like Warner or even a low round draft choice to develop. While it is unlikely to find this person, the facts show that this type of stud is more often found with UDFAs like Delhomme or past rejects like the twice cut Brad Johnson who recently got to or won SBs like folks such as Dilfer (was cut), Warner (UDFA). Brady (2nd day draft pick. Hasselbeck (2nd day draft pick). Its amusing that folks often dismiss when these examples are brought with saying they are rarities, when actually drafting a player in the 1st round and having him take you to the SB or win it is even more rare. The main difference is that Ryan Leaf costs you huge bucks and an acceletated cap hit when he fails. but drafting a crappy late rounder who fails costs you little and a UDFA costs you the vet minimum if you keep him around to carry the clipboard or to cut him. Drafting Quinn or Leak is almost cetainly a losing strategy. Even if they are as good as Manning, they may never make it to the SB except with a ticket so far or never even take you deep into the playoffs except once so far.

The prime example of this fan impatience phenomena is Brett Favre sincr Tampa gave up on this eventual HOF QB and shipped him off to Green Bay. They also did the same with Steve Young as many or most fans declared them losers as well. Lest we be too hard on TBm they learned their lesson that fans and teams often give up on QBs capable of leading a team to an SB win by acquiring two time loser Brad Johnson to QB them to the promised land. I think the general object lesson from this is that it is generally not a smart move to take a QB in the 1st round unless you also plan to do a fan transplant which ain't gonna happen. In fact, fans so overvalue the draft that the best advice seems to be to trade down any first round choice you get to get players who are proven to produce or to get more picks lower down so you can have a better chance at building a winning team.

Actually, I also do not think we will make the playoffs but this will not be because of any one unit or one player failure (we love to have one hero or one guy to blame since our brains are to small to focus on two or more people (unless they are fighting then we can focus on two sides, but if there are more than two sets of interests we still boil it down to one side is good and the other is evil in orderto avoid the complexities of understanding multiple interests). I think the problem that the Bills will have to overcome in order to be productive is having multiple items function together rather than have one unit be stars or one unit drag it all down. The whole can actually be much greater than the sum of the parts. If the Bills get good (but not great or even very good) play from the receivers, AND good play (but again not great or even bery good)from the OL, and good play (and again not great and not even very good) from McGahee as a receiver, AND get good play design and play calling (again the same) from Fairchild, I think good performance in all of these areas will produce a very good result and very good performance in all of these areas will produce a great result. The QB is obviously important in this because he is the conduit for all of this action and he touches the ball on most offensive plays. However, I think the QB can be simply adequate as a player on the field (not great, not very good, or not even good) if he does a good enough job at being a conduit for the team to do their stuff. I think the Bills are trying tio set-up to win even if the QB proves to be not very good on the field this year but does not make mistakes and is simply adequate. This seems like a reasonable strategy to me in that I think JP will have growing pains even if he is one day a good or very good player, I think it is doubtful that our QB will be anything more than adequate this year as he develops.

I think you are missing a few things here. One of the things I think is neat about many Bills fans are the high expectations a lot of folks have. However, it is clear from several posts that these expectations often drift off into unreasonable and uirrational as folks seem to demand that every player is a Pro Bowler (a nice thought but it does not happen that way even for NE and Pitts). What really seems to be nuts is that folks then seem to feel that if a player is not a Pro Bowler then he sucks completely. The first thing you seem to forget is that Greer has played all of two seasons as a pro. he signed with the bills prior to the 2004 season and became its nickel in his second year. Given that the modern nickel against offenses which often boast 3 WR sets is really like a 12th starter who plays as much as 50% of plays, the fact that a sophomore in the NFL can take this job coming out of camp rather than inheriting it due to injury is simply an unusual accomplishment in and of itself. second, do not forget that not only is he a very young player who has assumed an important role, but he was actually a UDFA and did not attract draft attention. Results are results and simply getting PT though an accomplishment does not mean a player is good or even adequate. However, Greer made the roster and in fact took PT from drafted players because he has produced some results. I think he turned some heads when he actually earned a start at CB as a rookie due to injuries to our CBs (Vincent was out and Thomas was on his way out of football due to injury) and he actually was credited with 18 tacjkles in one game as a rookie. This actually is such an accomplishment that even if one is displeased with his play in a number of situations, this is not a player you simply throw under the bus. Do no forget that he was able to log a sack (not the norm for many CBs not to mention UDFAs) in both of his years. He has produced more than most his age and draft status and he has not finished learning how to be a pro yet since he is so young. He is a training camp warrior, having took in at least 2 INTs last pre-season including one where he broke on the ball wonderfully and went horiszontal to snatch the ball. Pre-season does not count in the officals records but these accomplishments simply mean you would be dumb to give up on this player. Finally, lest you judge this individual harshly for results last season, do not forget that the team around him sucked also. it is not surprising to me at all that a youngster would get embarassed more than the norm (not that I felt he was a huge problem amongst our many problems last year) when your fellow teammates are injured (like TKO. Milloy, and TV), having trouble playing well (like Clements), or just simply refusing to do what you are supposed to do in the scheme (Sam Adams and the lack of pass rush that hurt all the DBs). If the Bills were to cut Greer, he would be snapped up and well paid by other teams in the NFL in a hot second. With good training and development it is not an impossibility that he might end up starting as the #2 CB for another team. The good news for the Bills is that even if they do not resign Clements, former Pro Bowler McGee and the well-regadrd Youbouty are likely to start and actually if they resign Clements, given that young Eruic King is also well-regarded, I think that Greer might be offered up for significant trde value if we extend NC.

Actually, if Royal in fact proves to be proficient at "merely" getting dump-off passes, that shoukd prove quite helpful in making our O productive and prove to be a substantial new wrinkle which can make our O style even more productive than the St. L O, If our O operates as I understand it is supposed to, receovers are going to be sent on pass patterns every play which are designed to get them quick separation and RAC opportunities. The QB's job is to make pre-play reads and identify single coverages and look to these players initial separation. If the QB sees isolation and that receiver gets a good initial push, then he hits that receiver. If on the other hand, the QB sees no isolation or the receiver does not get initial separation he quickly dumps it off to get what likely will be a small gain but a gain nonetheless. A big part of the Martz St. L plan being so potent was that Marshall Faulk proved to be an extraordinary dump-off talent. He not only could quickly find the seams and concentrate and bring in the pass, but his running ability allowed him to make the first guy miss and the small gains became substantial. If Royal and/or Everett prove to be effective dump off tools, this marks a huge tool not really utilized in the current St. L scheme which boasts no TEs with more than a couple of years experience and actually rookies as almost place warmers. If Royal proves to set a career record for receptions again this year (he might even break into the 20s) this will be a sign that our O plan is working well.

I will be interesting to watch the O develop if it is able to operate at a level where the quandaries to be decided are how to employ the TEs rather than a more immediate issue of how to get sufficient separation quickly for the WRs, how to get the OL to block well for the run, how to get receing production out of WM at the same level of the 1200+ yards he got rushing last year and how to get the WBs to do good reads. I think an added wrinkle or challenge if the Bills do in fact employ the TEs as you suggest will be how they do not tip off the type of plays they are going to call in a radical way based on which TE is in the package. If Royal being present always mean load up the box because he is the blocking TE and Everett being in means go to the cover 2 because he is the pass catching TE then the Bills will simply tip off the D pretty clearly by which TE is in the game. Evereyy must be a good blocker and Royal must threaten or exceed his career best pass catching total of roughly 18 receptions last year,

I think at least part of this is that the closer the Bills O turns out to be something like the high-flying Rams O the less the TE will be used. A look at the Rams depth chart shows how much they value the TE as #1 on their depth chart at TE is a rookie. Its clear that Fairchild is going to bring something like the Rams style O here and likely we will use the TE more, but the Bills model is likely given our patheric OL last year and the bucks spent on FA Royal to emphasize the TE as a 6th OL player rather than as a receiver which theoretically is Everett's specialty and why former TE MM selected hin on the first day. I actually think that the Fairchild version of the Rams O will differ significantly from the Rams model as Fairchild put his own stamp on it. However, rather than the conventional wisdom many ascribe to that in snowy Buffalo we cannot run anything that remotely should be called Rams East, I think this misunderstands the Rams O which is not so much based on being pass happy because the QB is throwing the bomb all day, bu his pass happy because the QB throws relatively short passes to speedy WRs who get quick separation and run after the catch for big yards. My guess is that it will not be surprising if the Fairchild O is different because it makes signifucant use of the TE. This may be not simply as a pass blocker, but also as a check down receiver who makes RAC yardage, as a key in the redzone ala Butch Rolle in the old Bills red zone attack and even possibly as a downfield receiver ala Pete Metzalaars. Everett may be sending up few red flags of achievement because the thing that is different that he needs to learn to do better to contribute to this O is block well and possibly there is a method to him laying low as they hope that the Pats and initial opponents will not design coverages to cut off the TE and then in the actual games the QB goes to him a lot.

Mike once again thanks for a great report. For those of us who do not make the trek to St. John's regularly or at all your updates and photos provide great info and give a feel of being there. The only rule I have for reports (media or the more believable reports not driven by the profit motive) is do not single-source for news. One of the unfortunate things about our society is that folks seem to gravitate toward sources in information exclusively which confirm their previous beliefs. I like hearing conflicting versions and beliefs in reports and then deciding for myself what makes more sense usally based on what folks leave out or choose to emphasize to confirm their pre-existing beleifs. I find this works well on the Bills front where between your great reports, other contributions on TSW, Two Bills Drive, the occaisional scuttlebutt from the traditional media, and what the Bills actually do (rather than what they say since their reports clearly are mediated by their effort to make a buck), i feel like I have more of a sense of figuring out reality. I think your reports are great because even though you obviously have your favorite players, you do seem to make a pretty good effort to be unbiased in your reports. However, I am interested and would love to get your comments on your report and how Bill's Daily reported on the very same practice. Both of you reported that JP struggled a bit today. However, Bill's Baily led with this point and emphasized it while you mentioned late in your report where you usually give your opinions and reactions rather than typifying his performance. Which emphasis do you think is more legit. I get the impression that you are a JP fan (one of the reasons I have appreciated your reports is that generally you do not seem to alter or choose the facts based on your hopes and wishes). The Bills Daily more negative take is supported with a numeric count of passes completed which does seem to support their contention that it was a pretty bad day for JP. Do you have additional thoughts on JPs performance?

Since there is little value cap wise to a decision to cut Holcomb (we will have even more cap room we will not spend) the only reason to cut him would be that the players are so juvenile that they want a clearly inadeqyate QB to run our system because JP proves to be inaduate. We did do this last year because the theoretical adults (TD and MM) were increasingly clearly fighting. Unless Marv and Jauron are also going to be juveniles I see no reason not to have KH be our disaster QB IF Nall proves to be worthy of the #2 slot. If Marv and Jauron prove to be as juvenile as those who would want to cut a player who though not consistent enough to be a very good back-up is actually a better quality QB than many disaster QBs we are cooked anyway.

As usual many thanks for a detailed look and some provactive comments. My take on what you said is:006, 03:20 AM] Melvin Fowler: I watched the game with a bud I have not seen for a while and I must admit we spent more time catching up with each other than watching the game, and I have no reviewed the tape lately so my reactions are mostly based on what I expected from folks given their recent history and glances at the game. In that light it is good to get your report on Fowler because this is what I hoped for an expected from him after he shows so good stuff but was a second tier priority in CLE and given some good work by him MN (particularly during their 6 game win streak). MN was not gonna pay him starter money to come back with Matt Birk back in the house for them. It is a legit question as to why Fowler did not spark a bidding war if he as that good. However, I think the answer is that though he has performed well, he never has started 16 at C and in fact had a few injury issues in his brief carreer. its too early to decalre him injury prone, but it was too early for folks to spend a bunch of bucks on him either. This is why the Bills got him and I suspect he will play well. The questions are will he make it through the season doing well and if not what is out plan B at C. Tuten Reyes: This was particularly good news. The one play with Reyes prominent I happened to watch during the game saw him get beat on first glance. Virtually all OL play needs a second glance and the detailed look you provided to have a legitimate take though and we fans are more than happy to insist on illegitimate takes though so he was definitely someone I wanted to review and here what folks were saying. Its great to here that a detailed review reflects some positive comments. Though I think that all Bills fans as concerned as they are about our hprrendous OL and recognizing that the best way to build an OL is through an approach that makes solid use of drafting and developing talent, folks need to recognize that TD tired and failed to do this spending first day choices on MW and Jennings and failing to produce good play out of lower choices like Sullivan, Pacillos and others. The Bills tried this smart route and failed miserably with their assessment and player deverlopment under GW, Vinky, Ruel, Sheppard and Killdrive. Now the Golden Boys are simply not on a timeline that allows for a draft focus on rebuilding the OL (beyond catching lightening in a bottle from second day picks like Butler) and FAs of the second tier like Reyes and Fowler and potentially proven talent next year in FA are going to be the way we get this done. Reyes has some real challenges as though he was productive last year it was at RG rather than LG. He is likely a far better player than Anderson proved to be but it is doubtful he is great. Your being impressed by him is a good sign that his arrival will result in real improvement for our OL once a clear chemistry is developed between him, Fowler and Gandy. CV- I am not surprised you found his play unimpressive because his increased injury occurence and the clear decision by the Bills for him to sit in OTAs seems to be a decision to not put mileage on this old body. He was a good get by us as we needed even a guy heading into the backside of his career to replace Ruben, but I think it is a matter of time before he is done and likely it will happen this season if not even before this season if we have a better answer on the team. I suspect Preston will be a better answer, but the problem is that he is also the answer if injury issues knock Fowler out. This cakculus is part of why I found one post which declared Preston as an idiot because Geisinger got a bunch of back-up C reps on Saturday. i think it was a fairly desperate attempt to try to develop Geigsinger or simply see if he is good enough to allow us to go to preston at RG and sit or cut CV. If you want to take some time to look at the second half, i would suggest a good focus would be to see if Geisinger looks like a good enough back-up who made need to step up for Fokler when/if he gets nicked as our starting C, My sense is that Peters was the usual mized bag of production as he continues to quickly learn to be a starting OL player, however, I think his bad moments may have looked a little worse than usual because Peppers is such a talent. I'm glad he continues to hold his own. John McCargo/Kyle Williams- The production by these two on Saturday is actually humourous since we have both players. If McCargo had put on the same show that Williams apparently put on the Bills would be hailed as making a steal with the McCargo choice. However, even if he was simply OK, McCargo's performance did not impress the way one would hope a 1st round pick you traded up for would impress. This is more amusing rather than tragedy for Bills fans as Williams did put on a show which continues him turning heads in practice with is play. If Williams becomes a contributor in the DL rotation, though I may well feel the mcCargo move was a waste if resources I will not feel bad about it as Williams is doing the job we expected McCargo to do. The person who should feel bad is Tim Anderson though because ultimately for the Bills the measure is going to be whether we have better talent to replace him. I do not care whther this is Williams or McCargo (though probably both which is really good news for ua) as long as we have better talent at DT. Comments on Odds and Ends - I thought the offenses early struggles to move the ball belonged more at the feet of the skill players than the OLine. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well they worked as a unit, more so once Preston ahd played a series. Carolina was rushing 6 at times and used a limited package of twists and stunts and the Bills OLine handled it very well. Blitzing lanes were closed off, guys passed rushers off to each other smoothly, there were limited penalties against a great DLine and they even showed some easurable surge in the run game a few times. An unexpectedly good showing, imo. 1. I actually expected the OL to play well at the start, it really is whether the back-u[s are sufficient which is where I think the real issue will be unless we get incredibly lucky with injuries. 2. it is not surprising the skill players or the O as a whole was not productive since we are running a vanilla version of the Rams East scheme which will perform best with good reads and nice plays that get receiver separation quickly. However, i wish we had seen simple natural talent from folks like Evans show up even if the scheme did not do a lot to help them. - I enjoy watching Gates dip the shoulder and agree with most that he’s a solid back, but I’m nowhere near ready for him to supplant Shaud who I consider very underappreciated. 3. The Gates/Shaud/Thomas note worth paying attention to is that the item which will determine most who gets kept of these three are going to be A. ST play and B. Blitz pick-up rather than how well they run. Just like the Bills cutting their best RB rusher in pre-season several years ago (I cannot even remember his name) and no other team in the NFL even giving him a bite as a potential reserve speaks volumes about how the back-up RB is judged. Any comments which build a case for a back-up because he is such a stud rusher may be true but really misses the points he will be judged upon. - It didn’t take Gearless long to show why I wish he’d just go away. JP makes a miraculous escape (it was on Preston’t first series when he stepped on Fowler and interior protection broke down, really the only time the entire first half aside from a couple Villarrial near misses) to buy himself extra time and finds Veerless with a step on the nickleback. He leads him enough and all Hairless has to do is establish position (on an already beaten guy who’s been covering for 6.8 seconds) and come back to his QB (like he’s supposed to) and the Bills convert 3rd down on a stellar play by a young QB. Is that what Rearless does? No, he shies away from the minimal contact and allows the DB to take away position instead of coming back to Losman. Then he continues heading toward the sideline and away from Losman and doesn’t even make a legitimate effort to prevent the pick. Careless has created more turnovers than touchdowns in his career and I wish the Bills would just eat that stupid bonus and get a dedicated young player on the field. 4. i think your Peerless comments really miss the point of how the Bills plan to use him. It matters little how we outsiders read his personality or even his play, what he is about is adding the threat of speed and past production to the scheme. I could not care less about how folks read his personality or even the judgments which outsiders make on his technique. The key is whether PP still has enough raw speed and merits the rep of his last great production year. it is not the primary concern whther he turns the wrong way or runs the wrong route or does not show the crispness in route running you (or even I) would like 75% of the time. If he presents opposing DBs and DCs with the fear that the QB might go to him the one or few times in a game where he runs the route the way you want, then the DBs and DC will give him the cushion he needs to get receptions even with lousy routes and forces opponents into zones to deal with the speed threat offered by Evans, Parrish and PP. Opinions about individual players from us fans really do not matter a lot here even if they are correct. What matters is whether our version of the Rams O is effective when we unleash the full package. - If teh Bills' Oline has the same run of bad luck as last year, the season is over. The only depth at Tackle is McFarland who was just awful until I saw some improvement during an NFLEurope game over the summer(did I mention it was Europe?). Geisinger is backing up Fowler and a cursory viewing of the 2ndhalf left me with the impression that he looked like complete shlt at the pivot. If Vilarrial is done, we suddenly have 0 depth at Guard as well. At some point some guys will miss a game or two, and when they do it's likely going ot hurt. Badly. 5. This is why I have been saying that the OL issue this year which likely will determine productivity is not the quality of play of the starters but more likely the depth and quality of the back-ups. - Imo (which will most certainly be ridiculed), Carolina’s opening drive meant absolutely nothing. The Bills ran a base defense with no shifting, blitzing, pressing or anything until the next to last play of that drive. Carolina knew both corners were just going to hang back and not give up anything up top, so instead of working on their offense they apparently just decided to play pitch and catch in the space that everybody knew would be there on the first series of the first preseason game. Frankly, Carolina really didn’t do itself any favors and it really didn’t help or hurt the Bills at all since it bore no resemblence to what they’re going to be running in the regular season. It was a meaningless giveaway drive that the Panthers accepted so everybody would have something to feel good about. Big whoop. 6. This fact about what is important and about how the pre-season works is actually relevant to the Bills because a lot of our production is going to be about confidence. Particularly at QB, the irony may be that things are setting up nicely for the Bills. The Bills also will be doing themself no favor in terms of developing scheme performance if we start off the next pre-season game with a TD by simply running a semi-complex approach which over-matches a vanilla Bengals D. However, if we were to do this, while this would do little to improve JP in terms of running our O the way we want to run it, it will allow us to sit him down having had success which allows him to credibly claim the QB job. KH and Nall can then slug it out for the #2 job with KH needing to show that his inconsistent camp performance and horrid Sat. were the exception to the rule of him doing good reads and throwing the short passes leading to RAC and checking down when the D covers deep and leaves the area underneath open OR Nall will have to command the back-up role after his injury. The worse case for would be if neither of these career back-ups are good enough to back-up here (I am almost certain one and probably both will be though neither is likely a starter quality player at all), or JP is not worthy of at leasr a learning opportunity here by being able to play an adequate game even though I doubt he will be a very good NFL QB this year. The key for Fairchild and the Bills O is whether we can put up some Ws with a merely adequate QB (rather than a very good one) which we are likely to have this year. In order to do this, we will need: A. Speedy WRs (or with good RAC ability from his days as a former RB from Josh Reed). B. An OL which better than last year's starters and has good enough back-ups to deal with the nicks which usually come in an NFL season. C. Development of receiver productivity from WM which matches his rusher productivity overall last year. D. Good play design and development by Fairchild. -You thought I wasn’t going to mention QB’s, eh? It’s all over but the change in reps, Losman is the Bills starter and it’s not even close. In fact, I hope the Bills cut ties with Holcomb tomorrow and get another young guy in here while it’s still relatively early in August. I’m not going to rag on Holcombe cuz he seems like a nice guy and he’s entertained me with some aggressive play in the past. But he’s done and right now he’s just playing out the string. He never had a great toolbox to begin with and his body has just reached the point where it can’t play QB in the NFL any more. I think he knows it and at this point he’s just trying to pad the bank account while staying healthy and employed for as long as he can. More power to him as I’d be doing the same, but he’s not an asset to this organization at this point in time. Considering that he’s taking up a valuable toster spot and that he might even be a hindrance to Losman’s development, I’d say not only is he not an asset, but he may well be a liabilityif he's costing Losman reps and timing with his WR's.. If the Bills can’t find a young guy whose upside they like to take his roster spot, the leat they could do is placate the fans by bringing in somebody who’s fun to watch. Joe Hamilton would be fun in a Bills uni for a year or two and he’d come a lot cheaper. C’mon Marv and Modrak, just cut the string and give Holcombe a chance to move on and the Bills a chance to pay for potential instead of memories. 7. I really think JP will win the starting job and I hope it is through producing some positive kudos for him in the next pre-season game even if the success really stems from overmatching a vanilla D and actually it will be the third game where we judiciously unleash some our O scheme wear we will see how bad or good it is going o be. In the 4th game he will need to get off the field as soon as possible and I hope that luck effort delivers an early score for him to do that. i would not be surprised if Nall is our #2, but he good news for us is if he takes it because he is good not him winning it because KH is bad. As far as KH, I think it;s great to have a former NFL starter and player who has had some success in a playoff game be your disaster QB. i see little need capwise or time wise if he is 3rd string to see us cut JP. I hope that Nall earns the back-up job and I will be quite happy to have KH getting as much PT as Shane Matthews for this squad. i do not see why a Bills fan would want to cut him instead of having him be out disaster QB. We will not use the cap room even if we have it and if he is #3 he takes zero time from the starter. Many thanks for your analysis and taking the time to share it with all!

I generally agree. Folks who have insisted that Posey stunk in 03 and 04 have simply not been able to offer more than their fact-opinions that this was true. Given that the facts were that he logged a chunk of time in two very productive Bills Ds, those two years, it is likely that opinions that Posey sucked these two years were simply incorrect. 05 is a different story however, in that Posey still logged a bunch of time but in a D which was not productive. The anecdotal stuff I noted is that Posey seemed to get to the QB a little too late to make a difference for us and get a sack. Both the objective facts and the anecdotal take indicate a problem for Posey. This is further reinforced by the Bills braintrust deciding to let him go. There are explanations for these three problems which can explain them with Posey still being productive: 1. The D did suck overall so perhaps it was not all or mostly his fault. 2. He never was utilized by the Bills as you point out in the manner he was used in a 3-4 his most productive year. 3. We let him go more because we had better players at LB (an up and coming Crowell, a recovered TKO, Watson who recovered a fumble this weekend) rather than Posey hitting the wall. However, Posey is on the backside of his career pretty clearly and he has logged a lot of minutes for us starting 16 games all three years he was here. My sense is that a judgment that Posey has always sucked is simply a non-nuanced view which is not supported by the fact in 03, 04 and 05. However, the facts do show a downturn in team productivity and it is more likely than not that GW/Gray are acting the same way in DC which saw them foolishly rely on eddie Robinson as a Bill.

I thinl this post points out a lot in that these moves may well be"telling" but what it tells a poster involves not simply what the move if but what it "tells" the observer who then posts the "obvious" conclusions to be drawn from this move. Unfortunately, the poster perspectives often seem to be drawn from information the rest of the world does not have. Are there any articles posted anywhere which you would be nice enough to share with us that sites Preston as being dumb as a rock . his level of center ability in any way impacting on decisions where he will play back-up or alternately is this simply just another fact-free opinion. The Bills may well be playing Preston a ton or even exclusively at RG because: 1. They are comfortable with the abilities of this man who played C in college to operate as a back-up C here with only a small amount of reps taken by him at C in games. If they feel he needs more reps at RG as a first priority then the move to give him more or even all of his time in this first quarter of camp may have nothing to do with his proficiency at C and in fact may be driven by the Bills already being comfortable with his ability to back-up there if need be. 2. They really want Geisinger to take this job as they need someone to fill this role anyway in addition to Preston if he is there first choice as he more likely is going to have to spell CV and he cannot play two positions at once no matter how smart or dumb he is. It makes all the sense in the world if you are trying to assess or develop Geisinger as being a quality C to give him every rep you can early to maximize his training or simply to choose a Plan B at C sooner. What you say may be right, but there is zero outside info to substantiate your conclusions as best as I can tell. In addition, just as there is a remote chance your take is correct, not onloy could the exact opposite take also be true and be a conclusion consistent with these actions, but in fact the take that they are comfortabl with Preston's C skill that they feel no need to give him reps at the position may also be unlikely but makes more sense that your take on the meaning of these moves.

After seeing the results on this team being cohesive after TD handed the job to JP last year, AND seeing the dissension raised between MM whi wanted to win now and TD over handing JP the job, AND having JP himself say before the season even began last year that he had inherited the job in the wrong way but he would do the best he could, what is surprising is that any fans are in such an all-fired hurray to have the braintrust anoint him as the starting QB to JP. At best, he has won the job by default because Holcomb is performing so badly and Nall is not even in competition due to injury. The answer to your question about why they have not given the job to JP yet, is that to do this would be stupid.

The Bills franchised Clements for several reasons: 1, It keeps the most positive possible framework for negotiations which may result in him signing before the beginning of the season. They are treating Clements in a manner consistent with growing partnership being developed by the players and the team owners as reflected in the CBA. The replacement player lockout of the mid-80s demonstrated to the owners that there was more profit to be made from cooperation rather than warfare between the players and team owners. Once the two sides reached agreement after difficult negotiations, they could really pursue their shared mutual goal of getting as many nickels as possible from tthe networks and fans. Fighting with each other may have been fun in a juvenile way as they got to beat each other up, but it was a distraction from what both sides wanted to really do. So to it is the nature of the relationship between Ralph and NC. They are not warring parties with different goals. They are negotiating partners who share the common goal of getting a championship so they can get as many nickels as possible from the fans. By giving NC an out after a year, they are keeping the relationship in the best situation for both sides to finish off difficult negotiations and then pursue a shared goal. This is a case where the sweetrness and light story of cooperation is also the best way if they can reach agreement on the contract to actually go after the rea; goal. For those who mistake getting a contract as the goal, they need to understand that under the CBA the Bills are guarantted a total worker cost which allows them to make a huge profit in any case so this deal is merely about efficiency in allocating their cap amount it is not life and death for the team. Also, as long as NC makes a deal he is guarantted also to get the largest check he has ever received. The deal simply takes a situation which gives the Bills a big hammer that makes their partner squirm and instead leaves the Bills with a smaller hammer (but a hammer nonetheless to forge a deal. 2. The Bills have further increased their leverage with the acquisition of Youbouty which puts them in a position where though they are better with MC, they can let him walk and still be in good shape. The Bills would probably prefer to have the cap room rather than franchise NC again anyway. So if they judge they are not goona tag him anyway next year then there is no problem giving this away to maximize the chances of signing him now by keeping a good relationship. 3. TD spoiled everybody in that folks now seem to think the deal he got for PP is the norm, Simply cause the Bills can tag NC does not mean they will be able to trade NC as a tagged player. The PP situation was a big exception to the rule that players who generally reach their FA year walk if they do not resign or if they are tagged stay. Banking on the idea that we will get value for a player if we tag him is not a good bet. 4. NC really takes some big risks not to make a deal before this season begins. If he gets hurt, his biggest check ever is gone. If he has another season like last season his biggest check ever is gone. Worse case for the Bills is that he plays like a demon this year for us and he leaves but we have 4 CBs on the roster beside NC we are comfortable with them seeing significan time. 5. The Bills do want to compete this year and having HC if only for this year is a benefit rather than a problem. for the Golden Boys and their business the future is now so worry about what will happen to Nate next year is simply pre-mature. If anything making this deal with him is closer to no brainer in terms of why not give him something that keeps the relationship good that you almost certainly are not gonna use anyway.

I saw specific improvement in JPs play over last year (not a big achievement since last year's play was so bad) and also specific improvement in his game over the course of the game last night which was reflected in better production from him and I think looked like an improvement larger than the benefit gained because Caeolina was going down in talent as the progressed to their 3rd string and beyond. The big improvement I saw over last year was that JP was reluctant to hang out in the pocket to the extent that some folks accused him of having a case of happy feet. While I do not think he had this problem the way that Todd Collins had this problem (TC seemed was so afraid of getting hit he bailed out to early and never got settled to throw). JP instead I think had a mixture of good escapbility. a desire to make big plays, a habit of running for his life behind a horrid Tulane line and actually a pretty good sense of the pocket. These factors combined last year to have him bail out not to defend himself but instead as he kept trying to make plays on his own. Yesterday, I think you saw a JP who hung in the pocket pretty well. Sometimes he took a sack he might not have taken last year because he would be long gone, but there also were positive cases which saw him hang in there and like on one of his long passes to Aiken give the WR an extra second to get open and he hit him long. Perhaps the play which impressed me the most was where JP combined his pocket awareness with hanging in there as a Carolina DE was bearing down on him for what I thought was gonna be a sack, he merely stepped up a little and still through the pass for a completion/ You could see how he was hanging in there as on several plays it looked like he was gonna be sacked but he unleashed his escapability and avoided a sack on several plays when opponents originally had their paws on him. I suspect this aspect of his play will get better unless he gets sacked in a way that puts the fear of getting tackled in him. However. i suspect that out OL will actually do better pass pro as the FA vets acquired develop some chemistry with the 3 folks who finished last season. I also saw a specific improvement in his play over the course of the game which coincided with far better performance of the O as the game went on. Again specifically, he threw a few wildly off passes early on, but his accuracy improved a great deal in the secoond half. I think this was simply due to him calming down a little bit. One hopes these were simply first game of the season jutters and this problem will not reappear, but overall though I think JP will still need some work and experience before he is adequate or good QB, I was impressed with the specific development I saw compared to last season and over the course of the game. I think there will also be further improvement as this team gets used to working the new playbook and JP develops more chemisty with the receivers. I think the key for the Bills getting Ws this year is actually not going to be whether JP becomes outstanding over even good (I simply doubt he will achieve these levels until he gets another season of experience at least). I think the Ws will come if the Bills O scheme is such that they can win games with merely adequate play from their QB (which I think is the max JP can produce this year). We have the right tools: 1. Speedy receivers who should exploit teams when the players get one-on-one and the QB reads this coverage. 2. A vet OL which is better than last year's starters and as they develop some chemistry should be much better, the problem is that after these starters the backups are unproven at best. 3. A productibe runner who also can be a receiving threat as checking down when the other team is covering deep should lead to some good RAC for a good runner. 4. Very good play design and play calling as Fairchild will need to design plays which allow the speed receivers to get quick seaparation by running slants and also nice creosses where we set picks we do not get called for. Its gonna be difficult to make all these pieces work but all the pieces are there.

Teams that get radical on the trade front at this time of year are usally the ones taken advantage of in the trade wars. I think that the Bills have made a decision to try to build the OL by signing FAs as it simply will take too long for OL players to develop on the timeline which the Golden Boys really had to choose because they want to build a better OL as quickly as possible. I think there attempt this year was to go after FAs who played well last year but were let go by the team which had them because they had s plsyrt they valued more at the position (multi-time Pro Bowler Birk nack after a year on IR in MN in terms of Fowler and Carolina let Reyes go because they had drafted Mathis. In both cases, these players were FAs and there was no way that their teams were gonna pay them the starter money their play last year probably would get them on the market. When you add in Peters, the Bills have 3 of their 5 OL players who are likely clear upgrades over Bennie A., the game buy overmatched Teague and MW. There are some legit questions as to whether these 2 FA additions are the real thing as neither drew a tremendous bidding war on the FA market. In Fowler's case I think he is a good performing C, but questions about a career which has been markd by injuries and the fct he has never started 16 is why the market did not give him a huge contract. Reyes is actually the more difficult case to understand as the contract the Bills paid him is significantly above the vet minimum, but not very high at all. In general, I think in the long run it is actually pretty reasonable to hope that the OL starters will actually be sigificantly better this year. They did allow too many sacks last night, but I think this problem may be better explained by this group not developing a chemistry yet with each other rather than attributing this to a lack of talent which can be fixed by trade. In addition, this is a new O system for the Bills as Fairchild installs a St. L type offense here. The blocking is significantly different that what we had before as the running game aparently is going to use a zone blocking rather than man-to-man model and on pass pro it is going to depend a lot on the QB getting rid of the ball quickly as its primary means of avoiding sacks. In other words it is a little complex and different an I would not panic at all after one pre-season game. This needs to work for us as I do not think there are many viable alternatives this year. As far as next year, we should have significant cap room and look for us to shop big time in FA this off-season.