One thing worth noting from tonight's scrimmage

[Ronin]

All I expect and want is this team to be ready week 1.

 

Not much argument to what you posted, but at the same time, your rationale hardly promises that Gailey and the team will be ready to face the Jets on the road in week one.

 

Not doing something is not a reason why something else will happen.

 

If this were the Saints floundering against the Jags then that would be one thing, but this is the Bills, the team with the greatest futility in recent history.

[Best Player Available]

Also, it was a scrimmage.

You don't know what a NFL "scrimmage" is then.

[yungmack]

I support women's equality. And I support women becoming football fans. However, there seem to be too many women on this thread, voicing opinions while suffering from PMS. How else to explain all the pointless bitching and the complete lack of understanding of what preseason games are meant to accomplish, which is mainly to see if your core players have progressed or regressed since last season, to see if any of the new guys have what it takes, and to try out things when the games don't matter to see how they are working and to give your regular season opponents something to think about. Oh yeah, and not to reveal too much of what you're going to do when the games do count.

 

I forget the exact quote, but Marv Levy once said that if his team wins a preseason game, he figures he screwed up. By which I took him to mean that you try things that don't make sense to the average fan, and which you probably wouldn't do in the regular season, just to see how your guys handle it.

[K-9]

You don't know what a NFL "scrimmage" is then.

 

Well, what was it then? Please enlighten the rest of us.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Jerry Jabber]

Last year the Bills looked bad against the Broncos in preseason, then went on to whip them in the regular season.

[NoSaint]

 

 

Whats the logic of not even trying? These guys have egos and want to make plays.

 

When it counts. They also have huge contracts and bodies to protect when nothing is on the line.

[stony]

Sigh...even though this is going to be repetitive I'll give in.

 

Starting LT Demetrius Bell, injured after week 4.

 

Thus the shuffling of our O-Line begins.

 

Starting Center Eric Wood, injured after week 9.

 

Thus the shuffling of our O-Line gets worse.

 

 

Starting RB and legit MVP candidate at the time Fred Jackson, injured after week 10

 

 

Starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, injured after week 8.

 

Starting WR Donald Jones, injured after week 8.

 

 

This team lost almost half of its starters on offense last year to injuries. Coincidentally, our offensive production started to decline when we had to shuffle the O-Line around. Lose arguably the heart and soul of our offense in Fred Jackson. Lose our only deep threat in Donald Jones. And our QB was playing without being able to call the play in the huddle under one breath.

 

You take all these injuries on offense and it's going to be tough to put up numbers when you have guys playing out of position and 3rd stringers getting significant playing time.

 

So forgive me if I'm not ready to be doom and gloom over this offense based on 2 pre season games when we saw what this team can do last year if they can stay healthy.

 

I'm w/ you. The only thing I care about is that we come out of these four meaningless games w/o any significant injuries to our team.

[BillsLux]

There were two entirely different approaches taken by the two teams tonight.

Offensively Minnesota was running a bunch of sprint options, play action, waggles and even a fleaflicker for gawd's sake. Meanwhile the Bills did nothing fancier than a 2ndhalf wildcat look and a couple read options.

Defensively the Vikings were trying to disguise coverages and confuse Fitzpatrick on nearly every play and even threw in some overload blitzes and zonedawgs in the early part of the game while the Bills just played it straight up with an occasional stunt and virtually no attempts at deception.

 

While I'll continue to maintain that we have issues with our LB corps, trying to make any negative judgements about this team from tonight's game is nothing more than foolish caterwauling.

 

I hear what you're saying with the whole,"it's too early to be negative, the scheme...", but didn't you once say to yourself over the last two games, wow, "Sheppard Looks Terrible".

 

The irony is were all scouring these pages to read opinions. It wouldn't be a very interesting read if we all played the Mr Rationale Man, trumpeting "it's too early to make judgements."

[DrDawkinstein]

Ok, I just caved and purchased the NFL Preseason Live (best $15 Ive spent in a long time, btw). First thing I did was re-watch the 1st half of last night's game. The "-10sec" and "+10sec" buttons are amazing, and allow you to re-re-re-rewatch plays.

 

My assessment:... It's not so bad.

 

The defense looked as expected. Dominating upfront against the pass and the run. The LBs and DBs looked solid. Couple slip ups here and there. Gerhart's big run came against our Nickel, with Scott in at LB. He played much better against the run on the next series.

 

The offense was pretty bland early, but looked decent on the TD drive which was against mostly starters.

 

If you went by "real game scenario", the score is about 7-10. Not bad going into halftime.

 

Anyone wanting to point out that some of their starters were out when we scored, should also note the Vikes TD was scored against Kelsay and some other backups as well.

 

Is Delano Howell the additional Safety Nix has been looking for? Kid was making plays.

[The Wiz]

One more thing worth noting. Winfield has been on the Vikings for 9 years?!?! I swear he signed less than that ago. It has been a long 9 years I guess.

[Best Player Available]

Well, what was it then? Please enlighten the rest of us.

 

GO BILLS!!!

A scrimmage is similar top a regular game except no score is kept. One team will get the ball and run a pre determined amount of plays, in the red zone, goal line, etc. Then the opposing team will do the same. The ball is never advanced downfield, it is brought back after the play, and another play is called at the same spot on the field. There are NO downs, no penalties, no scores.

 

In years past the Buffalo Bills would scrimmage with the Browns, Steelers, etc.In addition to what we call Pre-season games (that is what we have played the past 2 weeks). Obviously I have only brushed on what a NFL scrimmage is, and what the rules are.

 

I hope this helps Old Timer.

[K-9]

A scrimmage is similar top a regular game except no score is kept. One team will get the ball and run a pre determined amount of plays, in the red zone, goal line, etc. Then the opposing team will do the same. The ball is never advanced downfield, it is brought back after the play, and another play is called at the same spot on the field. There are NO downs, no penalties, no scores.

 

In years past the Buffalo Bills would scrimmage with the Browns, Steelers, etc.In addition to what we call Pre-season games (that is what we have played the past 2 weeks). Obviously I have only brushed on what a NFL scrimmage is, and what the rules are.

 

I hope this helps Old Timer.

 

You just described a different kind of scrimmage. That doesn't make a pre-season game any less of a scrimmage. One is a controlled scrimmage, the other is not.

 

Hope that helps, newbie.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Best Player Available]

You just described a different kind of scrimmage. That doesn't make a pre-season game any less of a scrimmage. One is a controlled scrimmage, the other is not.

 

Hope that helps, newbie.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

You's a funny guy. Uh, you really should stick with NFL definitions when on a NFL board. Buh, bye.

[DrDawkinstein]

You's a funny guy. Uh, you really should stick with NFL definitions when on a NFL board. Buh, bye.

 

A preseason game is a scrimmage, but a scrimmage is not a preseason game. They are not completely separate.

 

I know what you are referring to, and yes, they use the word to differentiate. But a preseason game technically is a scrimmage.

 

Some would say what you are referring to is actually a practice, and a preseason game is actually more of a scrimmage. By definition of the word. Anyone's definition.

Edited August 18, 2012 by DrDareustein

[K-9]

You's a funny guy. Uh, you really should stick with NFL definitions when on a NFL board. Buh, bye.

 

NFL definitions? And you call me funny? NFL players and coaches have been calling preseason games "scrimmages" since before you were born. Uh, you really should stick to knowing about the NFL when on an NFL board.

 

Now you can say good-bye now that you've been properly schooled.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

A preseason game is a scrimmage, but a scrimmage is not a preseason game. They are not completely separate.

 

I know what you are referring to, and yes, they use the word to differentiate. But a preseason game technically is a scrimmage.

 

Technically, every play in a game, regular season or otherwise is a scrimmage. But why go there?

 

Newbie was alluding to a controlled scrimmage between two teams while totally discounting that there are other forms of practice games known as scrimmages.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Kelly the Dog]

For the most part the Bills were terrible last preseason and most everyone (excluding, of course, the sane people) were saying the team was terrible and ill-prepared and were going to get killed, and then the season started and the Bills were on fire for the first month.

 

If the Bills were playing great right now it would have no bearing on the regular season. Sure, anyone and everyone would prefer them to play much more efficient. But it means absolutely nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada.

[FLFan]

 

 

Having said that, trying to make any positive judgments is baseless embellishment.

 

Defensively this wasn't the Pats, it was Ponder & Co. They were 3-13 last season.

 

People are going to keep pushing this off into the regular season, but if the first unit cannot show some competency next week in however many plays they log, sorry, they're not going to just pull it from their tailpipe on opening day.

 

I'm very concerned. So far this offense hasn't even proven that it can play against a first team D. So what if it's "vanilla," these games are a measure of talent v. talent. Both defenses faced were below average last season. Their offenses were about the same.

 

I simply don't share the optimism that so many are feeling. I see a gain of Mario, a reduction in play at the corner spots, weakness at the LB unit other than for Barnett, a marginal #1 WR and a bunch of 3/4/5 type WRs after him to fill in and start at #2, and a soon to be QB on the outs and contractual albatross. That's not a recipe for improvement and net gain in performance.

Ho- hum

 

 

 

Well then, since the offense is basically the same offense that couldn't do much of anything including get out of its own way for most of the season after the first few games, I think we already know what kind of talent we have there and there isn't much reason for it to have changed significantly from last season to this one.

 

The only positive change on defense, or the only significant change, was Mario, and we know what kind of talent he is. Anderson is fine but hardly an enormous plus-up.

 

After that, we lost Drayton Florence and replaced him with a rookie. I'm not sure I see that working well this season.

 

So if all people are looking for is a talent assessment, then we already know what that is. Great DL, one good LB, one good S and then a bunch of players that pose as starters on D.

 

The worst part about it all, Gailey is still the coach. If you ask me, that's what's going to cause this season to stall.

 

Instead of breaking the bank for Mario, the organization should have spent some coin on a proven GM and Head Coach.

 

 

 

The LBs were terrible tonight on the 1st unit. The DL generated pass pressure, but the back 7 was horrid.

 

Not that the receivers were good, they stunk too. But hey, look at their pedigrees. This is just one more exercise in applying turd polish. They should have made a move for a WR in Free Agency, not having done so is going to cost us. Nelson's the most proven one there and he's a 3rd type WR, not a starting caliber WR. He's a slot guy too. It's also not like Johnson requires double coverage or anything.

 

Every year we look and hope that this is the year, but we really know what's going to happen, the same thing. There are way too many positions featuring no talent on this team to make the playoffs. I think we'll see Young (or Thigpen, Smith, or whomever) starting at some point midway through the season.

 

We've seen absolutely nothing to indicate that Ftizpatrick is in position to take this offense and step it up to even average, much less more than that. This season is going to be an extension of last season, nothing more. We might win another few games over the 1-8 finish, but it won't be many. Gailey obviously doesn't know what he's doing.

 

No matter how we look at it, the 1st team O still hasn't score a TD against a 1st-team D yet. It's only been five or six drives, but still, they haven't even come close.

 

Even more "ho-hum" than your previous post. If you are worried the sky is falling, I suggest you buy a helmet.

[Reed83HOF]

Not much argument to what you posted, but at the same time, your rationale hardly promises that Gailey and the team will be ready to face the Jets on the road in week one.

 

Not doing something is not a reason why something else will happen.

 

If this were the Saints floundering against the Jags then that would be one thing, but this is the Bills, the team with the greatest futility in recent history.

 

Kelly mentioned it above, but it was the same scenario as last year. Looked shakey in the PS and stormed into the RS with a huge dominating win in KC....

[Best Player Available]

A preseason game is a scrimmage, but a scrimmage is not a preseason game. They are not completely separate.

 

I know what you are referring to, and yes, they use the word to differentiate. But a preseason game technically is a scrimmage.

 

Some would say what you are referring to is actually a practice, and a preseason game is actually more of a scrimmage. By definition of the word. Anyone's definition.

 

Understood. Yes, actually every play is a scrimmage. For some tool (not you) to say I was schooled, is someone who likes to make a play with semantics. I will simplify my position for a word that has multiple definitions and interpatations.Example, I could place a bet on last nites GAME. I cannot place a bet on a league scrimmage. I see the standings listed as won/loss games. Call it what you want I guess. Today the word scrimmage maybe a good word to use since we lost 2 meaningless pre season games a row, and not a lot of thought was there in game planning, and apparently execution . SOP for the 4 pre seaon games that are scheduled.. So lets just call them scrimmages. I understand how some may feel better. Whatever works.

 

This board is already feeling like a mid season 2 game losing streak here, and I admit I got sucked in. Scrimmages are good either intra squad or 2 teams because no one loses, no pithy threads, etc. No one baiting with semantics, Coaches can get their loook see, and no one has to pop big bucks to sit in the Jim Kelly club (unlike for a pre season game) if that's their thing. Scrimmages used to be at camp. But,I heard the Bills and Browns might scrimmage next year in addition to playing a game and lining up at the line of scrimmage.

[Mike in Syracuse]

Ok, I just caved and purchased the NFL Preseason Live (best $15 Ive spent in a long time, btw). First thing I did was re-watch the 1st half of last night's game. The "-10sec" and "+10sec" buttons are amazing, and allow you to re-re-re-rewatch plays.

 

My assessment:... It's not so bad.

 

The defense looked as expected. Dominating upfront against the pass and the run. The LBs and DBs looked solid. Couple slip ups here and there. Gerhart's big run came against our Nickel, with Scott in at LB. He played much better against the run on the next series.

 

The offense was pretty bland early, but looked decent on the TD drive which was against mostly starters.

 

If you went by "real game scenario", the score is about 7-10. Not bad going into halftime.

 

Anyone wanting to point out that some of their starters were out when we scored, should also note the Vikes TD was scored against Kelsay and some other backups as well.

 

Is Delano Howell the additional Safety Nix has been looking for? Kid was making plays.

 

Dr.

 

You can also show the specific plays on the right side and the player will take you right to those plays!!