Why I am not optimistic about this team

[Sisyphean Bills]

For 50% of game fans, the tailgate IS the game. If suddenly, tailgating were prohibited, I wonder what would happen to attendance at Bills games. I really wonder. The parking lot drinkfest is the draw for most fans IMO.

 

On the team front, they are making the right moves; in fact a sign and trade for Byrd (who obviously wants out regardless of the money issue) for a high draft pick or picks would regrettably be a good next move. The fact that most fans don't recognize is when they canned Gailey, Nix, Fitz, Barnett, Jones, Nelson, etc and crew, THEY BLEW IT ALL UP and are for the most part starting over from scratch with new offenses, new QBs/WRs (who are the key to NFL offenses today) New Defenses (we have 4-3 personnel suddenly stuck back in a 3-4.. never woudl have gone after Mario under the new regime, for example as he is a 4-3 DE) . We have like one NFL experienced LB as we fired all the guys the prior management brought in. Yes they were not Pro Bowl players, but now we have rookies and inexperienced players being stuffed into a scheme some have never played in. Gonna be a long year people. For this year, Enjoy the tailgate and watch the replay on NFL Rewind. You'll have a better time and saving a couple hundred bucks a game.

 

On the other hand, some fans do realize this is another push of the reset button; and, yes that is "another" as in nothing new about that.

[BringBackFergy]

how many years was it from making whitner the highest paid d guy to them making the superbowl? If history bodes well, then the bills will be there in a few years too...but probably not... but just maybe... i'm gonna go out on a limb and say "why not"?...but i'm only gonna whisper it, when no one else is around (and the door is locked)...

 

 

 

you misspelled chester rhinegarden...again

It doesn't matter how you spell it, the fact is, Chas was a serviceable TE (although he could stand losing a few pounds) and now the Chargers are going to try him on the O Line. We should have done that.

[JohnC]

The Bills were pro-active in addressing their QB and head coaching positions this offseason, their two primary areas of failure over the past 13 years.

 

So why shouldn't we be optimistic? IMO an old joke about convenience stores sums it up:

 

Open 24 hours.....but not in a row.

 

Over the last 13 years the Bills have shown that sooner or later, they get around to addressing each of their problems........but there is such a decided lack of urgency. By the time they address one....another one or sometimes even MORE problems pop up.

 

Turning around an organization is no longer about 5 year plans. It's not even about 3 year plans. It's about getting competitive right away.

 

The ideal situation is bringing in a new coach and giving that coach the tools to be successful while the message is still new and before a lack of results compromises that message.

 

Teams like San Francisco and Seattle are the standard. While strong coaching has helped those two fast turnarounds, the personnel departments of those teams have been very aggressive.

 

IMO, the Bills personnel department was tentative this offseason. It seems like they are still working in the era of 3 year and 5 year plans.

 

They somehow came away with a net loss of personnel this offseason, which is just not what you want your rookie head coach coming into. Marrone is confident, but ALL new head coaches are confident.

 

I hope I am wrong and EJ Manuel is a revelation and Marrone and Hackett/Pettine take the league by storm but on paper this team looks a disfunctional mess waiting to happen. Maybe Marrone can pull it together.

 

What I AM excited about is the tailgating. Can't wait for that!

 

You are wrong when you make the point that there hasn't been much change over the past year. There has been dramatic change that has cleansed this contaminated franchise from the bizaare world of an inscrutable owner. Ralph Wilson is no longer involved in the operation. That in itself has allowed this suffocating franchise an opportunity to breathe.

 

The befuddled Nix was gracefully let go and his position was taken over by a younger and more open minded GM. Hopefully, the old school restrictive mentality has been replaced by a fresher and more modern approach to running a franchise. A Doug Marrone hiring would not have happened if the old guard was still in place. I'm not prematurely declaring him a success but hiring him was a clear signal that things are changing. When Whaley finally took over the reigns he brought in some new personnel people. Although there wasn't much publicity over the new hires it signals that Whaley is adding younger and brighter staff to this very crusty organization.

 

Without a doubt this year's draft had a different feel to it. The draft board was set up by Whaley. I can't say for sure but it seems to me that Whaley and Marrone were very influential in Buddy's last draft, moreso than Buddy himself.

 

A number of inconsequential players were let go this year from a roster of mostly inconsequential players. It's going to take another couple of drafts to redo what Nix bungled. There was no doubt in my mind that Brandon ordered the drafting of a qb with the first or second round draft pick. Whaley and the coaching staff made the Manuel selection.

 

How does one measure the success and failure of this year's season? For me there is only one way to do it: Determining whether Manuel can be a legitimate franchise qb. Don't get bogged down with the sideshow issue of this year's record. In this year success is measured by how the young qb performs. If he demonstrates that he is up to the task then the season is a success. If he demonstrates that he is not up to the taks then it is back to the drawing board. In the NFL of today the foundation for any franchise is the qb. Until that issue is addressed nothing else matters.

 

For me the real issue is not about the team, it never has been. It is about the quality of the organization. If the organization is healthy then the roster will eventually be competitive. So far I am more than encouraged that things are moving in the right direction.

[Chandler#81]

Not in my view, just achieving a winning record is a successful season to me. That is, if you are in rebuilding mode for 13 years.

 

This.

 

A 9-7 record would be cause for great celebration around WNY, as the turn in fortune will create REALISTIC hope.

[Snorom]

the Cinderella story starts now !

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I may never watch another NFL game, so pizzed am I that "they" let Chris Reinheitsgebot get away.

 

You seem to be having a problem with the spelling of his name.

 

Perhaps this would help. His German relatives are in the wine business.

 

[AKA Bigdog]

3 wins will be a success for this ****ty franchise

[Max997]

After more then a decade of crap I finally like the direction of this team but I am not expecting much this year. They could surprise but realistically speaking we are probably in for another long year

[tennesseeboy]

I'll be optimistic when the Bills show something to be optimistic about. Like WINNING a few games and showing some talent. I have seen the Bills make every mistake in the book...from poor drafts to not keeping the actually good players they do end up getting to overpaying players who haven't panned out to lackluster coaching to poor trading. That stuff has to change.

[bigK14094]

The loss of C. Reinhart (?) was puzzling, he was a starting guard for two years. (13 starts I think) with Levertre's departure, should have kept him. I think there is something we don't know about that situation......the deep thinkers (yeh, if we have any?) maybe tought he was not complete enough...he was a bull on the run , but struggled with the agility moves a little. anyhow, deeper into the bench we go, and who knows how it will turn out. Not sure our running game will produce what we had last year in the Spiller breakaway threat.

[Malazan]

The loss of C. Reinhart (?) was puzzling, he was a starting guard for two years. (13 starts I think) with Levertre's departure, should have kept him. I think there is something we don't know about that situation......the deep thinkers (yeh, if we have any?) maybe tought he was not complete enough...he was a bull on the run , but struggled with the agility moves a little. anyhow, deeper into the bench we go, and who knows how it will turn out. Not sure our running game will produce what we had last year in the Spiller breakaway threat.

 

He was so good, you don't even know his name. It was Cheshire Reinhartshausener.

[BringBackFergy]

He was so good, you don't even know his name. It was Cheshire Reinhartshausener.

Nice try Jeremy

[chris heff]

 

For 50% of game fans, the tailgate IS the game. If suddenly, tailgating were prohibited, I wonder what would happen to attendance at Bills games. I really wonder. The parking lot drinkfest is the draw for most fans IMO.

 

On the team front, they are making the right moves; in fact a sign and trade for Byrd (who obviously wants out regardless of the money issue) for a high draft pick or picks would regrettably be a good next move. The fact that most fans don't recognize is when they canned Gailey, Nix, Fitz, Barnett, Jones, Nelson, etc and crew, THEY BLEW IT ALL UP and are for the most part starting over from scratch with new offenses, new QBs/WRs (who are the key to NFL offenses today) New Defenses (we have 4-3 personnel suddenly stuck back in a 3-4.. never woudl have gone after Mario under the new regime, for example as he is a 4-3 DE) . We have like one NFL experienced LB as we fired all the guys the prior management brought in. Yes they were not Pro Bowl players, but now we have rookies and inexperienced players being stuffed into a scheme some have never played in. Gonna be a long year people. For this year, Enjoy the tailgate and watch the replay on NFL Rewind. You'll have a better time and saving a couple hundred bucks a game.

I guess they did blow it up. Ralph removing himself from the decision making process was the most significant. The rest reminds me of a building I once saw demolished. it was in such bad shape that there was no fixing it. Two taps with a back hoe and it collapsed. Foundation stayed however.

 

Is anyone going to miss any of those people whose names you mentioned? Coaching would have to be better, it couldn't be worse. Same for LBs and WRs. I think this team has a good foundation. Lines, RBs are good, secondary is a wait and see.

 

I am more optimistic than I have been in a long time, mostly because Ralph is not involved. This off season was not the same old same old.

[CSBill]

19-0 baby!

[Dorkington]

I'm a bit split. There's been pros and cons at almost every position of need... I'm cautious, as usual.

 

HC... overall .500 in college. BUT, he's new and exciting and different, so maybe it's what the team needs.

 

QB... replaced a mediocre guy with another... BUT we drafted a guy who could very well be a stud (accurate, strong armed, intelligent, big, fast, etc)

 

WR... got rid of experienced players... BUT drafted a NFL ready guy, picked up a speedster and also took a chance on someone who could turn out to be a game changer.

 

OL... let our best player go... BUT we had/have some solid depth there, so maybe it'll be ok?

 

DL... underachieved last year... is really good on paper, so hopefully with a new DC, they'll live up to it.

 

LB... picked up a couple mediocre players, drafted a guy that might be decent... new DC could also help, so maybe we'll get better here.

 

CB... need more talent at this position... hopefully with more pressure on the QB, our weaknesses here will be mitigated.

 

S... refusing to extend our most talented player behind the DL... BUT... reports say we have a former CB that might fill in nicely.

[Enemarty]

I'm a bit more optimistic but yes. Can not wait for tailgating

 

If I still lived in B-town, I would agree that at least there is the tailgating. But being limited to DTV (where I can pause the game and mow the lawn if need be), I'm looking forward to the season for the first time in years (ok, I was a little excited after signing Mario, but that was tempered by my concern for the offense).

 

Win, lose or draw, this year appears to offer something different (yeah, I know, familiar refrain). The defense has a few blue chip players and perhaps an aggressive play-caller will get us out of our seats more than in the recent past.

 

On offense, we have a coach who wants to use our best weapon, an improved (at least on paper) cast of characters surrounding Stevie, and a potential franchise QB who will play based upon ability and not because we have no one else on the roster. Sure there will be stumbles and fumbles, and Andy was a real loss, but the hope and possibility are there.

 

In fact, had we retained Andy and signed Jarius, I would be pumped for the season. As it stands, as least thus far we have avoided the double loss of O-lineman - defensive stud that occurred with the departure of Jennings and big Pat. Maybe we are turning a corner.

 

... or maybe I was born in Buffalo, doomed to a lifetime of anticipation followed by disappointment. Hey, at least there is always next "off-season."

[Dorkington]

If I still lived in B-town, I would agree that at least there is the tailgating. But being limited to DTV (where I can pause the game and mow the lawn if need be), I'm looking forward to the season for the first time in years (ok, I was a little excited after signing Mario, but that was tempered by my concern for the offense).

 

Win, lose or draw, this year appears to offer something different (yeah, I know, familiar refrain). The defense has a few blue chip players and perhaps an aggressive play-caller will get us out of our seats more than in the recent past.

 

On offense, we have a coach who wants to use our best weapon, an improved (at least on paper) cast of characters surrounding Stevie, and a potential franchise QB who will play based upon ability and not because we have no one else on the roster. Sure there will be stumbles and fumbles, and Andy was a real loss, but the hope and possibility are there.

 

In fact, had we retained Andy and signed Jarius, I would be pumped for the season. As it stands, as least thus far we have avoided the double loss of O-lineman - defensive stud that occurred with the departure of Jennings and big Pat. Maybe we are turning a corner.

 

... or maybe I was born in Buffalo, doomed to a lifetime of anticipation followed by disappointment. Hey, at least there is always next "off-season."

 

Exactly. At the very least, with things being "new" (again), it'll be exciting for a year... maybe two.

[hondo in seattle]

Any predictions or worries based on the track record of the "past 13 years" are spurious.

 

We have a new GM, HC, OC, and DC. And as San Jose points out, there's been huge changes to the roster. I'm not sure yet what this is, but it isn't the Bills of old.

 

And I don't get how on paper the Bills look like a "disfunctional [sic] mess." Other than the big question mark at QB, they look a lot like most other NFL teams: some good players, some not-so-good.

[DDD]

It's easier to expect failure. 31 teams fail every year.

 

PTR

 

All I want at this point is a home playoff victory. After a decade is that asking for too much?

[CodeMonkey]

Any predictions or worries based on the track record of the "past 13 years" are spurious.

Hmmmm are you sure. Do you think the pats* will make it to the playoffs this season? Is that based on past history?

True enough that there were big changes to the Bills. But the same big changes happened 3 years ago as well.

The past 13 years don't guarantee failure this coming season. But they are cause for concern.

 

We have a new GM, HC, OC, and DC. And as San Jose points out, there's been huge changes to the roster. I'm not sure yet what this is, but it isn't the Bills of old.

You could have, and probably did, have the same feeling when Gailey et. al. came to town.

The faces may have changed from the Bills of Old, but the rebuilding dance still continues.

 

All I want at this point is a home playoff victory. After a decade is that asking for too much?

it might be. You are not only asking for them to make the playoffs, which they haven't done for 13 years, but you want them to qualify high enough to get a home game, AND win that game.