jester43 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 wasn't this really the issue last year? from 5-2 to 1-9 and the most players on IR...it amazes me how many fans treat that like a coincidence. Fact: we are one of the most injured teams every year. my opinion is that we have too many low-round pick and UDFAs playing too-prominent roles on our team too stay in the race past Thankgiving. I know our "depth" is supposed to be inproved but I am not sure I buy it. The real issue will be what it has been for a long time: when your 1st-3rd round picks fail as routinely as the Bills' do, you wind up with inferior players palying too much. And thse guys get hurt. Hope I am wrong. I could use a good season for once. And they are the most likeable Bills team I can ever remember. So go Bills. ps: Chan...please don't have fitz drop back 30 times a week. he's not that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockinon Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Game day jitters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARCELL DAREUS POWER Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 well, it cant happen every year. part of that was we were never physical/big enough... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I have a negative opinion of field turf. Look at how many of our guys specifically fall to lower body injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biglukes Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Freddy's leg broke because he was undrafted, Fitz's ribs got busted because he was a 7th rounder, and Kyle had the Achilles problem because he was taken in the 5th? Actually though, what your saying might have merit for past years when around November we would have guys nobody has ever heard of playing prominent roles. I don't think that was the case at all though last year, when you look at who was hurt and how they got hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkington Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 The thing I like this year is more depth. We have a good rotation on the line, and even at CB. We have Dickinson which will fill a void if either FB or TE go down this year. A better backup QB. And since we are playing 4-3, I think we're automatically better at LB as far as depth. We still have issues, but I think we're better prepared for injuries this year than last. With the new IR rule, that'll help even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 This year the team has better depth. That is what lets you be competitive in spite of injuries. There are two receivers and some linemen tucked away on the practice squad. There are some rookies with potential. There are former starters like McElvin who are now backups. The injuries last year piled up in a way that (hopefully) was an aberration, and it won't be so bad this year. Key injuries to Fitz, Wood, Fred, Stevie, Mario, and maybe a few others would create problems that would be hard to overcome, but that is true with most teams. I worry about injuries every play, but that is part of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Freddy's leg broke because he was undrafted, Fitz's ribs got busted because he was a 7th rounder, and Kyle had the Achilles problem because he was taken in the 5th? Actually though, what your saying might have merit for past years when around November we would have guys nobody has ever heard of playing prominent roles. I don't think that was the case at all though last year, when you look at who was hurt and how they got hurt. you're picking out 2 isolated incidents, i am talking about a trend that has been in place since the Marv-drafts. I do not believe it is a coincidence we lose so many man-games every year. nor do i think it is because Rusty Jones isn't on the payroll. i think it is because we are missing so much in the first 3, or even 4 rounds...you know, where other teams' starting line-ups come from. But since Buddy has already been given a pass for the 2010 draft and everyone is already convinced the '11 and '12 drafts are awesome beyond question...I guess i am just worring about nothing. Or i am too "negative." Game day jitters? i am hoping for a win of course.my guess: we'll be in it all day, only to give up a late long drive (aided by a dubious call from a replacement ref) to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory...and by tomorrow morning there will be half-a-dozen threads started complaining about wanny. go ahead and slam me...but i am into my 5th decade of this futility! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hplarrm Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think the Gailey answer to this key question is not simply depth but also depth through versatility. ailey has done a good job (at least on paper so far but it becomes clearer the game is not played on paper) of getting players with deverse enough pay styles and abiities they can field multiple roles. Brad Smith it the primary example of this who is not great at playing any position but has put up unusual real world results which show him to be unusual versatile in that he is a not totally unreasonable disaster QB (a rule change helps them here) but also a sometimes useful Wildcat QB (again hate the Wildcat if you want but its third and short utility is statistically not reasonable to deny and by trying to work on BS disaster QB ability there is the potential (which means you have not done anything measurable yet) of possibility here. In addition, he is a demonstrated adquate #4 WR, and can actually be used a lot on ST as a pretty good KR guy (a role since diminished by a rule change) and even a demonstrated tackler on returns. Again, there is a clear demonstration from Gailey that he has a substantial role in mind for a player who some whine a lot from their couches should actually be cut. Gailey values verstility. Other folks on the roster in assigned roles like Dickerson who on paper shows flat-out great speed in the 40 for a FB no less. Again Gailey values verstility. Add to this other players whom he acquired like Spiller who though he has not yet demonstrated in a pure way his versatility part of the resume which brought him here as a not unreasonable top 10 choice was his demonstrated in college ability on returns as an open field runner and also achievements with RAC as a pass catcher. How does this versatility add up to depth in the real world? Well, much to the surprise of all, Gailey went through the last cutdowns with only 4 WRs (including the recently injured Smith)! He showed little fear of a lack of depth here which was just odd given the use of empty backfields and 4 or even 5 spread receivers. Gailey did pick-up a couple of WRs (Easley and Martin for the PS) but oddly to many watchers did not get the best receiver of this lot of cuttees in terms of Roosevelt and then when push came to shove augmented the WR crew with ST contributor Martin rather than WR specialist Roosevelt. The bottomline seems to be that what Gailey really values is the depth given by Spiller and others for WR and he is using this to feel comforable holding onto kickoff specialist Potter. The answers to questions about what is Gailey's plan Bs. the answers are more depth through versatility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Who knows you can be on to something, but whatever the problem is (I just think mainly bad luck, with no depth players) it has to stop sometime, at least let up a little, FOOTBALL GODS GIVE US A CHANCE TO SEE A HEALTHY TEAM THIS YEAR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Jone's Toupee Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 These things are cyclical and hopefully someone else catches this bug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Angel Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 part of being a fan is that....we dont know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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