Got_Wood
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Take a look at this article by a site called Second Round Stats:
http://secondroundst...ss-rushers-pt1/
It compares detailed stats about each top level pass rushing talent in the draft. This includes Ziggy Ansah, Jarvis Jones, Tank Carradine, Dion Jordan, Barkevious Mingo, Bjoern Werner, Alex Okafor, and Damontre Moore. Stats never give you the full picture, but this breakdown is really valuable. Here are the top 5 in each category in order:
Speed:
Okafor, Mingo, Jordan, Werner, Carradine
Pass rush versatility (Moves outside, inside, and bull rush):
Moore, Mingo, Ansah, Okafor, Jones
Strength of Opponents:
Ansah, Okafor, Moore, Mingo, Jones
Combined Sacks and Tackles for Loss last season:
Jones (39), Moore (33.5), Werner (31), Okafor (29), Carradine (24)
Take what you want from this, but the guys I like most are Demontre Moore, Jarvis Jones, and Alex Okafor/Bjoern Werner tied for 3rd. Dion Jordan looks like a one trick pony speed rusher off the edge to me. And Ansah and Mingo have too many question marks to draft high.
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Don't see anyone wanting to get to 8 in this draft
Again, this draft's biggest strength is the O-Line. Joeckel, Fisher, Warmack, and Cooper have O-line hungry teams chomping at the bit to grab one of these guys. Especially when guards like Levitre and Vasquez available on the market will be very expensive. Those guys are worth trading up for. Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers however are not worth the 8th pick. It all comes down to team needs.
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I like it. The Bills still have a lot of holes and getting three Top 50 players would help tremendously. QB, LB, and WR could all be addressed.
I agree, I like it as well.
In the second scenario we would actually only have 2 top 50 picks, being the 16th and 22nd from the Rams. The Rams would then get our 8th and 41st, while keeping their 46th pick as well. The advantage to us is that we get 2 first rounders. And 8 may be too high for the QB's we want. But 8th is the perfect spot for the Rams to steal a top quality O-lineman from several other teams ahead of them. And they would keep 3 picks in the top 46.
I could see is landing something like Patterson & Manuel, or Nassib & Hopkins. Something like that would would be really nice. It all depends on who we land in free agency in early March that will determine where our draft priorities lay.
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I still think these guys are an ideal trade partner. They need Warmack, Cooper, or Fisher to fix their awful O-line, and there are several teams that would draft these guys including the Jets, Titans, Chargers, Panthers, Bucs, and Dolphins.
Two scenarios actually work for both teams:
1. We trade the 8th for their 16th and 46th picks
2. We trade our 8th and 41st for the Rams 16th and 22nd
I like the 2 scenario even better. Looking at the value chart we lose some value there, but I think it's a win-win deal. We could grab a QB and WR/LB in the first round, and the Rams get the high-end O-lineman they need in the 1st and then have two 2nd rounders for other players.
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risky move hoping the guy you want at 8 falls to 16...
upside - you get your guy + a free second round pick
downside - you miss out on the player you had locked in at 8
risk vs reward - I don't like it...
stick to the original plan - draft Barkley with our first pick, Nassib with our second...
Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to get the reward.
However if we stick to our original plan, I'd be OK with Barkley, Smith, or Wilson with the first pick. And I would take a guy like Colin Klein later in the draft. Bring on a QB competition.
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and what happens if the guy the Bills want gets picked somewhere between pick 8 and 16 and the Bills are left sitting there with a bag full of crap?
#1 priority this offseason is to find a QB. If their is a QB they like in the first round, they will (and should) take him at 8 rather than playing games trying to get an extra 2nd round pick and losing the guy they want. These types of trades are fun and interesting to discuss on a message board, but they just don't happen in real life.
I agree that if there is a guy they absolutely think they need for this team, then grab him. The theory here is that outside of a few stand out guys, this draft is full of 2nd tier talent that can be found as far down as the top of the 2nd round. And if there are several guys the Bills think would fit their team and no one specific they define as "got to have", then the trade down is fine.
If you go by the draft pick value chart the Bills pick is worth 1400 and the Rams 16th and 46th picks are worth 1440 so this is feasible.
I saw that as well. Thanks for validating that this isn't just some Maddenesque teenager concoction. (Although some believe that the draft value chart is worthless as well.)
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The question is -- who would the Rams want at #8 that the Bills would not want. There has to be a reason for the Rams to trade up. If one of the top Tackles was available they might.
Rumor is they really like Chance Warmack and may be worried that he's gone by pick 16. Anything is possible. And no this isn't a "Madden Fantasy Trade" scenario.
I could see it if the Rams wanted Keenan Allen or if one of the OT's fell to #8
I also agree with this. Their O-line was hurting this year, and there are a couple OT's worth grabbing in the top of the draft.
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The Rams made big news last year trading down with the Redskins in a trade that landed Washington RG3. Now after the Rams had a disappointing season, they now find themselves with 2 first round picks at 16 and 22, but may be envious of that top 10 pick they had last season. And good news for them... they can trade up and still keep their 2nd first rounder at pick 22.
The trade would likely be Buffalo's 8th pick overall for the Rams 16th and 46th picks. This would leave Buffalo with picks at 16, 41, and 46. Two high 2nd round picks would allow the Bills to stockpile players they need at multiple positions.
The way I see it, the draft should go down in one of two ways:
1. The Bills take the highest rated player at #8. I think there are some guys worth drafting there: Bjoern Werner, Damontre Moore, Dee Milliner, Star Lotulelei, and Jarvis Jones. You could argue that Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, Tyler Wilson, and Keenan Allen would also be worth it here as well.
2. If all of the players the Bills rated high enough for this position are gone, trade down with the Rams. And we pick up that extra 2nd rounder. My opinion is that we need to draft a QB, LB, and TE (a backup Center is also a need). We have too many average players without experience at WR, and I think we need to sign a guy in free agency. There is some serious talent out there to sign as well. You look at Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Danny Amendola, Wes Welker, and Brian Hartline, and you see some strong possibilities.
At the very least, we've got an intriguing offseason to look forward to.
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I've heard opinions from the radio, ESPN, NFL Network, Yahoo Sports, etc. about where this team might be headed next season, and these scenarios seem like the most likely based on all of the rumors and potential staff/players available:
Option 1: Aggressive Offseason
1. Buffalo Fires Chan Gailey and Hire Chip Kelly
- Chip sounds like he'll be available this offseason, and Buffalo has some attractive players to build around. I would rule this out as a possibility.
2. Sign Michael Vick (or Tebow as a second option)
- Vick could run a similar offense to Chip's Oregon up-tempo, spread style. And he would be a nice veteran player to plug in and play now. Secondary option to Vick could be Tim Tebow.
3. Draft the QB of the future.
- With Chip on board, this would likely be Geno Smith from West Virginia. Other potential guys Chip may like would be Tajh Boyd from Clemson, EJ Manuel from Florida State, or Colin Klein from Kansas State.
4. Trade Fitzpatrick to Arizona for a 3rd Round Pick
- Arizona has struggled mightily to field a decent starting QB. Fitz could be a nice option for them to get Fitzgerald the ball, and a decent stop-gap while they groom a future QB. The Fitz to Fitz combo could be lethal!!
5. Sign veterans Ray Maualuga at linebacker and William Moore at Safety
- Bring in some guys with experience and proven ability to shore up this defense.
Option 2: Realistic Offseason (More Likely)
1. Hire a Legitimate Offensive Coordinator
- There should be some great options out there that Chan can trust to run this offense, and he can focus more on being a head coach and game day manager. To name a few: Ken Whisenhunt, Cam Cameron, and Norv Turner would all fit the bill.
2. Draft Manti T'eo or Jarvis Jones
- This team needs a new leader and big time hitter on defense. Either of these guys would be great options.
3. Trade Back into Late Round 1 of the Draft and grab a Pocket Passer QB of the Future
- Several good options here that Chanand Nix may like in Mike Glennon, Tyler Wilson, Landry Jones, Ryan Nassib, and Aaron Murray. (Sounds like Nix has hinted at a move like this).
4. Sign Veteran Receiver Greg Jennings
- This guy would be a perfect fit for this team. He would be a great leader, with proven big results, and has played in cold weather up in Green Bay. Looks like they may let him walk with young guys James Jones and Randall Cobb emerging next to Jordy Nelson.
5. Draft a Tight End and Center
- Wood and Chandler are good players for this team. But we need an insurance policy for Wood, and we need an athletic tight end in this offense to compliment Chandler as well.
The more I think about it, the more I wouldn't mind either option. What do you guys think?
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I'm with you on everything but point number 3. Chad is finished not I'm not sure how much Shockey has left. In the context of the this season though the rest of your points are dead nuts.
I know, I know. My argument is that an NFL team should be a combination of a long term plan for your offensive and defensive strategy and personnel, and then an ongoing assessment of how your team is doing right now and adjusting the roster when necessary to add/remove players based on need. It seems that they have the offensive and defensive system and coaches they want (whether fans agree with it or not), but we are lacking in a couple different personnel areas.
Chad Johnson and Jeremy Shockey have at least one year left in them. That's all we need. We can fill in the gaps with younger guys next season in the draft and free agency. But we have a need at these positions now, and there are guys available to fill them.
One thing the Bills front office doesn't seem to understand is marketing. They just assume fans should be loyal and come to games just because they exist. Unfortunately that's not how it works. You have to do something to put fans' butts in seats. Losing for over a decade doesn't accomplish that. Act like you care Buddy and Russ. There is no time for arrogance, and there is no time to "wait and see" how late draft picks and undrafted players turn out. This team doesn't have that luxury. The Packers, Patriots, Saints, and Giants have that luxury because they consistantly win.
I think the front office needs to wake up and realize that without the fans, without a winning team, this team may not even be in Buffalo by 2014.
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Every team has strengths and weaknesses. Each team needs to learn how to use their strengths to take advantage of their opponent, and limit their weaknesses so they are not exposed. Here are the keys to the Bills winning games this season:
1. A healthy offensive line. This is something we can't control, but when Glenn and Urbik are healthy this is one of the better O-line groups in the league. Looking forward to seeing them play together again soon.
2. Feed the ball to Spiller and Freddy. Spiller was one of the most electric college football players to ever take the field. He was a top 10 draft pick, and likely the fastest AND quickest guy on the field. Freddy can shed tackles, he can block, and he was leading the league in rushing last season until he got hurt. Ideally CJ touches the ball around 20 times a game, and Freddy touches the ball at least 10 times a game.
3. This might sound crazy, but... sign Chad Johnson and Jeremy Shockey. Buddy looked at signing free agent talent at WR this past offseason, and we ended up missing out on Robert Meachem. We then decided to draft a young guy in TJ Graham, who clearly has some talent but is still raw. We lost a reliable David Nelson to a torn ACL, and we haven't done anything to improve our receiving talent. Scott Chandler has been very reliable for us, but there is no depth behind him. Lee Smith is a special teamer at best. What's one thing this team is sorely lacking? Attitude. Bring on Shockey and Ocho, and light a fire under these timid little pushovers. These guys will bring swagger and talent to a team that desperately needs it. And why not? does this team have anything to lose? No, they don't.
4. Limit Fitzpatrick to under 25 throws per game. It's no secret that Fitz is no Drew Brees. He doesn't need to be throwing 30 plus times per game. He doesn't have the arm, and we don't have the explosive receiving core that merits a high octane passing attack. Let's get realistic and limit Fitz's mistakes, and just let him manage the game.
5. Move Aaron Williams to Safety next to Byrd. Williams is an athlete, he's a good open field tackler, and he's got great size. He has trouble playing man defense at corner, but his skills are well suited for safety. Wilson is a great leader, but his skills are lacking and it's been pretty obvious this season. He can go back to being our special teams captain, and lead that group. And we've got Justin Rogers, Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, and a returning young Ron Brooks to man the corner position. If I see one more TE seam route up the middle between our safeties, I'm going to throwup. We've got some talented DB's out there, and it's time they were put in a position to succeed.
6. Starting linebacker group: Nick Barnett, Nigel Bradham, and Kelvin Sheppard. Barnett is just a great player and he continues to stand out despite this defense being a dissappointment this season. Bradham has shown that he can play with the big boys, and I'm excited to see more. And we have to see what we have in Sheppard, or else we may be looking at ringing in new talent here next season.
7. Defensive End group: Starters - Mario Williams & Kyle Moore, Rotational guys - Merriman, Kelsay, and Moats. This group is solid, even without Mark Anderson out there. Kyle Moore has a ton of potential if we give him more time out there, Merriman is tenacious and a good leader, Moats has proven he can rush the passer, and Kelsay is a solid run defender.
Some obvious points, and some not so obvious. But I would be more excited to watch the Bills if they made moves like this.
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Thanks..Great find..I know, Im a saleman and I know how to set up a defense against The Pats better than Wandstadt did yesterday...No surprise that Belicheck and Brady figured out how to counter it.
Here is the long and short:
We have some talent-BUT they are not being put in a position to succeed.
* Gailey is an offensive coordinator-Not a HC
* Fitzpatrick is a loser with no arm-You dont somehow turn it on after 8 years in the NFL as a 28 year old-It aint gonna happen. It is a QB driven league-we dont have a qb so we dont have anything right now.
* Wandstadt has been living off his reputation with Dallas for 20 years now-The game has passed him by. He clearly sucks.
I think our biggest issue over the last decade and a half has been at the QB position. The organization doesn't seem to understand the type of guy this team needs at the helm. We need a tough guy. We need a leader of men. Someone these guys want to go to war with. Instead we've brought in guys like Rob Johnson, JP Losman, Trent Edwards, and now Ryan Fitzpatrick. Each of them had some talent, but they shared one thing in common... they are all timid and shy guys. When these guys got knocked in the mouth, they had a hard time getting up again and bouncing back. Even their voices are all timid.
We need a tough guy and a competitor. A guy that wants so badly to beat division rivals that he doesn't sleep at night. That's why I would've even taken guys like Jay Cutler and Tim Tebow when we had the opportunity (I know I know these guys aren't great QB's). Even though these guys aren't prototype QB's, they are tough as nails. And their teams have always rallied behind them when the game is on the line. These guys don't back down.
Now there have been much better options out there. We could have had guys like Russell Wilson, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallett, Josh Freeman, and Joe Flacco, just to name a few. Some of these guys haven't proven anything yet, but these are guys I would want to give a shot on this team.
I seriously hope that this is the year the front office decides to do what it takes to get the QB of the future. No 2nd round "maybe he will turn out" guys. We have to bet the farm on this guy. Trade away future picks if necessary. Who knows what will happen. But we'll never know if we don't try.
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Take a look at this highlight video starting at 1:06 (link below). The Bills have one linebacker in the game (Barnett), 3 corners (Rogers, Gilmore, Williams), and 3 safeties (Byrd, Searcy, and Scott). And not only that, they have Mark Anderson (one of our prized pass rushers) drop into COVERAGE.
At the snap, our entire defensive backfield sprints backwards away from the ball leaving about 20-25 yards of open field for Welker to run an easy underneath route. Is this some kind of pop warner joke they're playing on us here? Not only is this passive and scared football, but it's unintelligent football. Why do we need 8 guys in coverage 30 yards down the field to defend 3 wide receivers and 1 tight end???
When our worst division rival comes into town, you smash them in the mouth and make them regret walking into the stadium. Keep our 3 starting linebackers in there, and when Welker runs underneath routes make him pay for it. Make sure one safety has an eye on Gronkowski up the seam all day. And USE our multimillion dollar pass rushers to limit Brady's time in the pocket.
I'm once again embarassed to be a Bills fan today.
http://www.nfl.com/v...ills-highlights
Here is what a team should do against the Patriots. See this video at 0:40 (link below), when the Cardinals played the Patriots two weeks ago. They have 4 down lineman and 2 linebackers in a standard nickel formation with an extra corner in there. Before Welkers underneath route develops, there's a linebacker in the flats blocking the short route over the middle, and the pressure from the defensive ends closes the pocket around Brady and he gets sacked.
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I agree 100% that health is one of the keys to our success. "Kelly the Dog", "John Cocktosten", and "Over 20 Years of Fanhood"... you hit on point #6 if I had one. Health is key. And Merriman would be a bonus. I don't think anyone is counting on a big year from this guy, but if he comes through... we could be REALLY dangerous.
And I also agree that it's huge to have Wanny in there instead of Edwards. That was a mess. Guys playing out of position, a confused scheme, inability to make adjustments, and zero pressure on opposing QB's (regardless of our personnel). Wanny should improve all of these areas. and now Gailey can focus on offense during game days.
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Honestly if he threw for 3000yds and 24 td's but limited his int. to 12, this team is on its way to the playoffs.
I agree with that. Easier said than done, but I think he can do it.
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1. Improve the Run Defense: The Bills were 28th against the run in 2011. We couldn’t tackle, our ends couldn’t keep outside contain, and we were getting pushed all over the field. I think the 4-3 look with our revamped D-Line and solid LB combo of Barnett, Sheppard, and Morrison is going to be a brick wall. And don’t sleep on Kirk Morrison! This guy will be a stud in the 4-3 lineup. He averaged over 120 tackles for several years with the Raiders in a good scheme, and he will be all over the field this season under Wannstedt. I like our chances in this area.
2. Improve the Pass Rush (Thank you Buddy!): It was getting old last year pretending that Spencer Johnson was a defensive end, and watching a rookie DT Dareus be our top pass rusher with 5.5 sacks. Welcome to the team Mario Williams and Mark Anderson! More pressure on the QB, less time to throw the ball, and more mistakes and interceptions. This is going to be fun to watch.
3. Leodis Mckelvin needs to be our Devin Hester: This guy is a freak on special teams, and we need to use him that way. He held the NCAA record for kickoff return yardage with 3,817, and returned 7 punts for TD’s (one shy of the NCAA all time record). Why haven’t we been using him there every game?? Oh, and he also runs a 4.38 40 yard dash by the way. I know he made a huge boneheaded mistake against New England on a kickoff return that was one of the factors that cost us the game. But electrifying players like him are game changers, and we need to recognize that. I hope the coaches keep him around, and I hope he dominates on special teams both returning punts and kickoffs, and as a tackler on kickoffs and punt team. And not to mention, he’s not a terrible cover guy as a CB and we can use him in nickel and dime coverage situations this season.
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to limit his mistakes: Fitz passed for a lot of yards last year, and 24 TD’s is a pretty good number. But 23 Interceptions is a very bad number. This will cost the team some football games. Fortunately Buddy and Chan brought in some help on the offensive line with Glenn, Sanders, and Asper. And hopefully Wood, Urbik, and Hairston can stay healthy this year. With a healthy O-line, we could be dangerous. And Fitzy will have no excuses. Just win baby!
5. The ball needs to be in Freddy AND Spiller’s hands A LOT this season: We need to find a way to get BOTH of these guys the ball. Freddy proved that he can be a monster as a starter last season, and I can’t wait to see him continue his outstanding play. But Spiller is way too talented to be touching the ball only a few times a game. I would like to see us get a little more run heavy this year, and grind it out with our two star RB’s. We simply don’t have the receiving personnel outside of Stevie and Nelson to be such a pass happy team. We’ll see how it plays out.
The Bills have a shot to be a contender this year. It’s time to knock the Pats down from their reigning spot on top of the division, and let’s bring some intimidation into the Dolphins and Jets games this year. I haven’t been this pumped up for our team in years. GO BILLS!!!
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I would love the idea of trading with the Browns. But this is what I would ask for.
A swap in the first 10-22 and the Browns first round pick in 2013... that pick will be a top 5 pick next season. The Browns would either get Tannehill or Richardson or even Floyd with that pick depending on what they do with there 4th overall pick.
Us on tthe other hand will have to wait 12 slots to get a tackle or Bpa on the board. This trade would give us great flexibility in next yrs draft to trade up for Barkley or take whatever blue chip prospect on the board.
Personally, I would want to cash in more THIS year. By getting the #22 and #37 picks, we get an instant return. 3 picks in the top 41 would be very big for us. Then if you add in the 2nd round pick next year, we have the ability to use both 2nd round picks to trade up for another 1st rounder as well.
Plus, the Browns then get 2 top 10 picks this year, which would be very valuable to them. Especially considering they could grab Tannehill and Richardson potentially. There are also valuable guys up top at positions we don't need like DeCastro, Coples, Poe, and Cox. There is an incentive there for teams to trade up.
I like guys like Floyd, Blackmon, Kalil, and Kuechly. If they are on the board, I would like it if we took them at 10.
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Its a good thought.
But if that happened, I personally would rather draft:
#22- Cordy Gleen- OG/OT- Georgia
#37- Kirk Cousins - QB - Michigan State
#41- Alshon Jeffery - WR - South Carolina or Brian Quick - WR - Appalachian State (Im stuck on which one I like better. I also like Mohamed Sanu)
#72- Bruce Irvin - OLB - West Virgina
then use both 4th rounders on CB's. 5th rounders on OT and OLB. 6th round ILB. 7th round WR/DT and OLB.
I'd personally love this draft as well. Great picks.
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Browns get #10 pick and #147 (2nd 5th round pick)
Bills get #22, #37 (Browns 2nd round pick), and Browns 2013 2nd round pick
This gives the Bills 3 picks in the top 41. This would allow us to address one more position of need, AND load up for next years draft. My draft with this new scenario would go something like this:
#22 - LB, Dont'a Hightower (and piss off every Steelers fan in the nation)
#37 - OT, Mike Adams (fill our need for a quality tackle)
#41 - WR, Reuben Randle (line up a fast, athletic receiver next to Stevie and Nelson)
What do you guys think? We may be able to get more from the Browns on this, but I wouldn't mind if this is the way it ended up.
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I have been thinking alot about why the Bills are always getting hurt....it occurred to me that a lack of quality backups is contributing to this. If you have poor depth you ride your starters hard. If you backups are option 1A material, your probably don't lose any players. You would think it would all level out in that with the injuries the Bills have you develop the depth. But anytime somebody gets good they let em go during free agency because they can't pay them. My two cents anyway.
Thanks for being one of the only people to get it. You hit the nail on the head.
I think people have lost their minds around here. I can only read so many posts about how devastating the losses of Donald Jones and Marcus Easley were before I start losing my sanity. You don't get 4 years to rebuild in this league guys, I'm sorry. People are trying to argue how long it took the Packers to build the team they have. Well, let's take a look, shall we...
2007: 13-3 record, made the playoffs with Favre still at QB and Driver was still his go-to guy.
2008: 6-10 record, missed the playoffs with Rodgers 1st year as starter and Jennings was the new WR leader.
2009: 11-5 record, made the playoffs. Rodgers and Jennings become potent combo, and Raji and Matthews shored up the strong defense.
2010: Super Bowl champions.
Well, it looks like the rebuild took 1 year. And this is why...
- Ted Thompson did an EXTENSIVE head coach search. They looked at every possibility out there. Thompson knew that he had to get it right the first time, or he would lose his job and waste several valuable years of this franchise and fan base. Read about how he hired McCarthy here.
- The Packers have front office positions dedicated to player development (what a novel concept) and statistical research (see the movie Moneyball). Check out their positions in the "football operations" section here.
- The team's best players were retained and extended. See Greg Jennings, Ryan Grant, Donald Driver, Scott Wells, Chad Clifton, AJ Hawk, Tramon Williams, etc.
- Signed quality free agent starters to fill crucial positions. Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett.
- AND drafted high priority positions high in the draft: QB, OT, OLB, DL
Any questions?
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You obviously didn't see the game. As has been explained already - being down by 10 instead of 7 forced decisions at the end that probably cost the game.
Hairston was the backup plan - he played well enough before being injured himself.
You know any teams that do well after losing both their starting and backup OLT?
NAME ONE. You can't.
Btw - did you know the Packers just lost to the Chiefs? Do you know what one of the biggest factors in the loss was???
THEY LOST BOTH THEIR STARTER AND BACKUP AT RIGHT TACKLE.
Their ORT - not even their OLT - and it made their offense suddenly mortal against the lowly Chiefs.
Yes I saw the game. We would have lost anyways.
And your reference to the Packers only reinforces my point. The Packers had Brian Bulaga (1st round pick), Chad Clifton (2nd round pick), and Derek Sherrod (1st round pick) as offensive tackles. Even with those guys injured, they now have their own 5th round pick in Marshall Newhouse and their own 4th round pick in TJ Lang as swing tackles to fill in the positions. THAT IS HOW YOU PLAN YOUR TEAM'S DEPTH. They didn't have to use guys they just drafted in late rounds as starters because they knew how important offensive tackles were. Chris Hairston shouldn't have had to step in as starting left tackle this season PERIOD. And even Bell was a risk given his history. This front office needs to get a heck of a lot smarter, and MUCH LESS arrogant in planning this team's depth.
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I like how you say "only 4 of them were starters last season" and ignore what players were contributing this year when we started so hot. Very cute.
Fred Jackson
Eric Wood
Kyle Williams
Shawne Merriman
Ryan Lindell
Terrance McGee
Roscoe Parrish
Marcus Easley
Donald Jones
Chris White (was looking great on ST coverage)
That's 10 out of 15 that were contributing at the start of the season.
Missed my point again. Let me re-quote myself to drive the point home.
Why did we depend on Merriman at a crucial OLB position? Why didn't we have a backup plan at Left Tackle? Demetrius Bell has an injury history and has been inconsistent in the past. And our backup was a 4th round rookie?? And who is "Donald Easley"? Well if you combine Donald Jones and Marcus Easley, you have two guys that won't ever be starters in this league. Let alone the fact that Easley has never played an NFL game in his short career. Pretty big risk taking by the front office I would say. And that's the problem. A lack of planning at some of the most important positions has once again killed this team's chances of winning.And let me go through your list, just for fun:
Fred Jackson - Big loss, yes.
Eric Wood - Another big loss, and a team leader.
Kyle Williams - Probably the biggest loss this season.
Shawne Merriman - Why did we rely on a guy who hasn't played a full season in years to be our starting OLB?
Rian Lindell - Rayner only missed one meaningful kick in the game against Miami. And no we still wouldn't have won that game.
Terrence McGee - overly injury prone over the past few years. Shouldn't have relied on him to be a starter this year.
Roscoe Parrish - 2nd straight year on IR. Hasn't played a full season since 2007.
Marcus Easley - Never played an NFL game, shouldn't rely on him to be a starter.
Donald Jones - Had no business starting for this team, should be a 4th receiver on the roster.
Chris White - what? Not going to argue this one.
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I think you're way off base with your posting. If you look at the number of players placed on injured reserve and the status of those players and add to the list players that have lost games due to injury, you can come to understand the "reality" of what all of the injuries have meant to team chemistry and continuity. Jackson, the teams best offensive player, Wood, the teams best O-lineman, Williams, the team's best defensive player. Troup, Chris White, Donald Easley, Roscoe parrish, Lee Smith, Terrance McGee, #2 WR Donald Jones. Ryan Lyndell. Buffalo may have beated Miami last week if it had the services of Lindell.
Consider left tackle and the fact that both left tackles were out for multiple games forcing the shift of our LG to center, then to tackle. How many of the receivers that started last Sunday were on the active roster at the start of the season? Do you know? Can you imagine how badly putting less talented receivers that have minimal time practicing with Fitzpatrick can screw up the timing and production of your passing attack?
I know you're angry. But taking the position that Buffalo should keep on winning despite the changes the team has been forced to make is completely "unrealistic". Other teams such as Jacksonville and St. Louis have also been hit hard by injuries. It is no coincidence that those teams also have losing records. That it the Reality of pro football.
First of all, no we wouldn't have beaten Miami if we had Lindell. Rayner missed one field goal, and we lost by 7. Second of all, you missed my overall point. Why did we depend on Merriman at a crucial OLB position? Why didn't we have a backup plan at Left Tackle? Demetrius Bell has an injury history and has been inconsistent in the past. And our backup was a 4th round rookie?? And who is "Donald Easley"? Well if you combine Donald Jones and Marcus Easley, you have two guys that won't ever be starters in this league. Let alone the fact that Easley has never played an NFL game in his short career. Pretty big risk taking by the front office I would say. And that's the problem. A lack of planning at some of the most important positions has once again killed this team's chances of winning. Deal with it.
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This has become a popular scapegoat for the Bills poor performance over the past couple seasons. Too many Bills have hit the injured reserve list for them to win enough games and make the playoffs. But is this really the truth? Let's take a closer look at a couple facts that might change your mind:
1. Of the 15 players on the IR this season, only 4 of them were starters last season. And one of those starters was our kicker, Rian Lindell.
2. Included in the list of IR players this season, 5 of the players have been on IR previously in the past 2 seasons (Parrish, Merriman, Wood, Easley, and McGee).
3. Also included in the list of IR players, 4 players that have never played in the NFL before this season (Lee Smith, Bruce Hall, Marcus Easley, and Chris White).
If you look at these facts, it sure seems like that IR list doesn't mean much. In fact, what it does mean to me is that the Bills front office relied WAY too heavily on players that were an injury risk to begin with. Let alone guys you need starting at crucial positions.
This team flat out can't win because they aren't built to win. But it all starts by securing your best players. Stevie Johnson needs an extension. Freddy Jackson deserves to be treated with respect and given a raise. Andy Levitre needs to be locked up long term. Scott Chandler needs a new contract. All of this would be a start. The next step would be filling the biggest need positions with quality starters (DE/OLB, LT, and WR). I hope these guys prove they know what they're doing this offseason. I think a lot of fans are hanging in the balance of throwing in the towel with this franchise. I hope they change everyone's mind.
A Look at the 2013 NFL Draft Pass Rushers
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
Good feedback. I agree that the stats are limited, and the percentages aren't true reflections of their ability in some cases. But I like the percentages when it comes to versatility and how these guys get to the QB. You can see which players have a variety of moves and which players lack creativity/versatility. Moore attacks the QB from all angles, Jordan strictly rushes outside the tackles (this guy is as close to a Maybin type prospect as you can get, and I would be weary of that). Ansah and Okafor are strong and like the bull rush.
I added in Sacks + Tackles for Loss because it adds another dimension. It shows they can get to the QB and stuff the run. There is never a perfect measurement, but I like what they did here so far. Looking forward to part 2.