My thoughts on the game

[Bob in STL]

1. The Bills were outclassed in every phase of the game. Chan said they weren’t ready and I believe him. Our young troop did not do well with the dome noise either.

 

2. I was bummed to see Farve get hurt. His erratic and selfish play was our best chance at an upset.

 

3. Our O-line really went down the tubes with Hangartner out. I truly believe that Hangartner gets a bum rap on TSW. Urbik © - Cordero Brown (RG) and Wrotto (RT) -- than was painful to watch. Then Urbik gets hurt. Maybe this will stop the talk about our line being set. We really need to draft tackles.

 

4. I am relieved that Fitz did not get killed. He was not very good today but considering the o-line injuries he was ok.

 

5. McCargo and Maybin played but I cannot see any positives to that. Carrington struggled but at least he is a rookie. Spencer Johnson did ok. How about the “holding penalty” called on Kyle Williams during one of the Viking TDs?

 

6. We really need linebackers. Moats made a few plays, Poz made lots of tackles but this looks like the weakest unit on the team.

 

7. How often do you gets 4 pics and lose? Florence was good but McKelvin was very bad today. I’ll bet he cheated just to get a 13 wonderlic score. Another fumble on a kick-off return, he has to be the dumbest player on the team. Great athletic ability and zero football sense.

 

8. We need to run more. I liked the Jackson-Spiller backfield, now let’s do a something with it. If we can improve the O-line next year we could make this a strength.

 

9. Stevie was held in check. Evans made a few catches in mop up. Good to see David Nelson back. I wish we had a TE on this team.

 

10. For all the fans here that want to lose just to “bottom out” and get the best pick possible you may get your wish now that the OL is decimated.

[BillsVet]

3. Our O-line really went down the tubes with Hangartner out. I truly believe that Hangartner gets a bum rap on TSW. Urbik © - Cordero Brown (RG) and Wrotto (RT) -- than was painful to watch. Then Urbik gets hurt. Maybe this will stop the talk about our line being set. We really need to draft tackles.

 

Draft tackles in the top 2 rounds, not projects in the 5th-7th. And that's why Cordaro Howard and Mansfield Wrotto end up being your starting OTs.

 

4. I am relieved that Fitz did not get killed. He was not very good today but considering the o-line injuries he was ok.

 

The starting OT's were not hurt, and both were turnstiles.

 

10. For all the fans here that want to lose just to “bottom out” and get the best pick possible you may get your wish now that the OL is decimated.

 

The OL was decimated to begin the season. They had 2 NFL ready guards and a center. The OT's were a mix and match of bargain bin pickups and unproven guys from practice squads and their interior OL depth was, well, completely inexperienced.

[JohnC]

Bob in St. Louis, I agree with much of what you said (not everything) but overall it was a very good report on the game.

 

Buffalo New's Paul Hamilton's view on the game. I thought it was a fair review of the game.

 

http://www.wgr550.com/HAMILTON--Bills-day-was-one-big-headache/8711946

[Bob in STL]

Draft tackles in the top 2 rounds, not projects in the 5th-7th. And that's why Cordaro Howard and Mansfield Wrotto end up being your starting OTs.

 

 

 

The starting OT's were not hurt, and both were turnstiles.

 

 

 

The OL was decimated to begin the season. They had 2 NFL ready guards and a center. The OT's were a mix and match of bargain bin pickups and unproven guys from practice squads and their interior OL depth was, well, completely inexperienced.

 

Wrotto can be looked at as a starter if you like but i consider him a 3rd stringer. We started with Cornell Green, then Howard (not even a tackle), then Wrotto. Wang was drafted as a tackle but has been moved to gaurd.

 

We need better tackles than this collection to beat good teams.

[BillsVet]

Wrotto can be looked at as a starter if you like but i consider him a 3rd stringer. We started with Cornell Green, then Howard (not even a tackle), then Wrotto. Wang was drafted as a tackle but has been moved to gaurd.

 

We need better tackles than this collection to beat good teams.

 

I don't nor did I ever see Bell, Wrotto, Meredith, Green, Cordaro Howard, Ed Wang, et al as starters. You don't find OT's all that often in the late rounds, UDFA's, from practice squads, or in the street free agent market. Buffalo disagrees and predictably loses by hoping these guys can play.

 

And that's why I advocated drafting tackle help earlier in the draft because UFA offered so little. But, it was more important to take a part time RB who has 260 yards from scrimmage this season.

[Bob in STL]

I don't nor did I ever see Bell, Wrotto, Meredith, Green, Cordaro Howard, Ed Wang, et al as starters. You don't find OT's all that often in the late rounds, UDFA's, from practice squads, or in the street free agent market. Buffalo disagrees and predictably loses by hoping these guys can play.

 

And that's why I advocated drafting tackle help earlier in the draft because UFA offered so little. But, it was more important to take a part time RB who has 260 yards from scrimmage this season.

 

Agree but at least Bell has played well at times. Jared Allen made him look bad today. Allen has done that to many LT's in this league.

[BillsVet]

Agree but at least Bell has played well at times. Jared Allen made him look bad today. Allen has done that to many LT's in this league.

 

This retort is what drives me nuts. We're not supposed to expect our starting LT to somewhat contain their best pass rusher? Well, every top team in the NFL has a very good to elite pass rusher, save perhaps the Pats and they've got Belichick. So it stands to reason your LT better be able to handle a top RDE or ROLB and many times without help.

 

If the goal is to have a team of mediocre to average talent, this mindset works perfectly. If by chance the objective is to have a playoff caliber team, Buffalo needs improvement from both OT's.

[Dan]

This retort is what drives me nuts. We're not supposed to expect our starting LT to somewhat contain their best pass rusher? Well, every top team in the NFL has a very good to elite pass rusher, save perhaps the Pats and they've got Belichick. So it stands to reason your LT better be able to handle a top RDE or ROLB and many times without help.

 

If the goal is to have a team of mediocre to average talent, this mindset works perfectly. If by chance the objective is to have a playoff caliber team, Buffalo needs improvement from both OT's.

Are you seriously contending that every team has a pass rusher as good as Jared Allen?

[BillsVet]

Are you seriously contending that every team has a pass rusher as good as Jared Allen?

 

I'm seriously saying playoff caliber teams have good pass rushers, DE or OLB. NYJ, PIT, IND, BAL, KC, SD, NYG, PHI, ATL, CHI, GB, MIN. NE and NO seem to be the exception right now.

[Dan]

I'm seriously saying playoff caliber teams have good pass rushers, DE or OLB. NYJ, PIT, IND, BAL, KC, SD, NYG, PHI, ATL, CHI, GB, MIN. NE and NO seem to be the exception right now.

And against 4 of those teams (PIT, BAL, KC, and CHI) Bell seemed to hold his own pretty well.

 

So I guess you're in the boat that one bad game cancels out all the progress that Bell and the Oline, in general, has made this year?

[Bob in STL]

This retort is what drives me nuts. We're not supposed to expect our starting LT to somewhat contain their best pass rusher? Well, every top team in the NFL has a very good to elite pass rusher, save perhaps the Pats and they've got Belichick. So it stands to reason your LT better be able to handle a top RDE or ROLB and many times without help.

 

If the goal is to have a team of mediocre to average talent, this mindset works perfectly. If by chance the objective is to have a playoff caliber team, Buffalo needs improvement from both OT's.

 

 

Allen is a rare player. You don't face a pass rusher like that every week.

 

If we are solid on the RT we can use a TE or an RB to help Bell. Since we are much weaker at RT it makes it hard to help Bell. Add in that we were down to a backup center playing with a backup RG and you saw what happened.

 

As I said in my original post. We need tackles --- as in plural.

[bowery4]

This retort is what drives me nuts. We're not supposed to expect our starting LT to somewhat contain their best pass rusher? Well, every top team in the NFL has a very good to elite pass rusher, save perhaps the Pats and they've got Belichick. So it stands to reason your LT better be able to handle a top RDE or ROLB and many times without help.

 

If the goal is to have a team of mediocre to average talent, this mindset works perfectly. If by chance the objective is to have a playoff caliber team, Buffalo needs improvement from both OT's.

 

He really has had one hell of a year as a D lineman, glad you see that too.