NoSaint Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I believe this team has played below it's potential. There is enough talent on this roster to be a playoff team. What they seem to lack is discipline. Too many mistakes that have cost them winnable games. When you have an opportunity to win a game in the NFL, you have to take advantage of that opportunity. That is the difference between this team and some that will make the wild card. It's not talent, it's mental toughness and discipline. Yea, but toughness and experience are part of evaluating this roster - and we were young across the board on offense, and lacking talent at a few spots. Sure we haven't played as well as we can at all times but it probably shouldn't have been expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybee Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Heck I predicted 9-7 this year. I'll NEVER put down the Kool-Aid. I dont know how ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 It seems to me that a lot of people on this board had unrealistic expectations about this team. Good for you cause you can except mediocrity, actually less than that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 Good for you cause you can except mediocrity, actually less than that Is that a combo word for accept/expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig van Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 What are your thoughts on Ej in particular? Do you think Hackett should be more creative especially on first down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelee Phoenix Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I expected 6-10 because of a poor passing offense, but I'm disappointed because there is talent on this team. Enough to be a playoff contender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 - Why don't we ever bring in a top tier coach. We hire "yes men" on the cheap who are just happy to be an NFL head coach. Why isn't our offensive line better. Doug Marrone is a former O-lineman and that's how he worked his way up in the NFL. Shouldn't his area of expertise be a strong point of the team? We did have a lot of close calls, wasted opportunities as I see them. You know how to turn around a culture of losing? BY WINNING! Anything else just reinforces the losing culture! Time will tell if Marrone can improve. I say I've seen enough! Man, my thoughts exactly, and well stated in the entire post. The bolded part just reinforces the questions that remain unanswered, as Marrone was also the OC in New Orleans, and was an O line coach with the Jets. So how he could have made such horrendous errors with that line this year is very perplexing to me. Some fans would have you think that the O line is just fine, and as good as last years line. Which is lame because I didn't think the line was all that great last year either. I mean what good is being #6 overall in rushing if you can't make a first down on 3rd and short by running or controlling the LoS or clock? In that sense the line is as good as it was last year, and like last year it doesn't win many games if you can't make the 3rd and short by running it or control the LoS or clock. The team exceeded my expectations in several games (Chiefs & Bengals) and could have had a much better record if not for some really stupid mistakes made by this coaching staff. which is very unfortunate because the team could have easily had the talent to make the playoffs if not for the O line and back up QB situations. Does this coaching staff get a pass this year like all the previous staff that have been continuously rebuilding the team for 14 years? You would think that the ex NFL O lineman, ex NFL O line coach, ex NFL OC in Marrone would build that line asap instead of letting its best player walk away. This years off season will be very telling for the future of this franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 Man, my thoughts exactly, and well stated in the entire post. The bolded part just reinforces the questions that remain unanswered, as Marrone was also the OC in New Orleans, and was an O line coach with the Jets. So how he could have made such horrendous errors with that line this year is very perplexing to me. Some fans would have you think that the O line is just fine, and as good as last years line. Which is lame because I didn't think the line was all that great last year either. I mean what good is being #6 overall in rushing if you can't make a first down on 3rd and short by running or controlling the LoS or clock? In that sense the line is as good as it was last year, and like last year it doesn't win many games if you can't make the 3rd and short by running it or control the LoS or clock. The team exceeded my expectations in several games (Chiefs & Bengals) and could have had a much better record if not for some really stupid mistakes made by this coaching staff. which is very unfortunate because the team could have easily had the talent to make the playoffs if not for the O line and back up QB situations. Does this coaching staff get a pass this year like all the previous staff that have been continuously rebuilding the team for 14 years? You would think that the ex NFL O lineman, ex NFL O line coach, ex NFL OC in Marrone would build that line asap instead of letting its best player walk away. This years off season will be very telling for the future of this franchise. Again, what does Marrone really have to work with? We have Glenn and Wood on the OL that are quality NFL starters. Urbik is servicable. The RT position and LG position are weak at best. Get solid players and the OL WILL look better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Daddy Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 It's not demanding to expect to make the playoffs at least once in 14 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) Again, what does Marrone really have to work with? We have Glenn and Wood on the OL that are quality NFL starters. Urbik is servicable. The RT position and LG position are weak at best. Get solid players and the OL WILL look better. Isn't it up to the HC to realize what he has to work with before he enters a season? This entire situation with the line should have been corrected in the off season. If Marrone was worth his salt he should have seen what he had on the the line by watching tape on those players. The mere fact that the Bills started the season with Colin Brown at LG, and Sam Young as the backup guard and both were benched and then cut shortly after week five tells me he didn't. Or if he did, then he certainly doesn't know how to evaluate the O line players. The HC has the ability to go to the GM and state this situation with the players on the line isn't good enough. Current LG Doug Legursky was brought in to be the backup center*, and not the position that he is now playing. This was one of the points made in my previous post about the stupid mistakes made by this coaching staff that cost the team wins this season. Edited December 15, 2013 by FeartheLosing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KollegeStudnet Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I wouldn't say "unrealistic expectations" just hope...that things would change and this team would be in contention in the AFC East Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 Isn't it up to the HC to realize what he has to work with before he enters a season? This entire situation with the line should have been corrected in the off season. If Marrone was worth his salt he should have seen what he had on the the line by watching tape on those players. The mere fact that the Bills started the season with Colin Brown at LG, and Sam Young as the backup guard and both were benched and then cut shortly after week five tells me he didn't. Or if he did, then he certainly doesn't know how to evaluate the O line players. The HC has the ability to go to the GM and state this situation with the players on the line isn't good enough. Current LG Doug Legursky was brought in to be the backup center*, and not the position that he is now playing. This was one of the points made in my previous post about the stupid mistakes made by this coaching staff that cost the team wins this season. I'd say the oversight of the need on the OL goes across the board. I also believe that D'Alessandris got more out of this line than anyone else in the NFL could have last year. They clearly also underestimated Levitre's worth. It doesn't mean you clean house after one season. I also believe that by the time they realized this it was too late in TC to add someone that would have been better than what they already had and they did not want to trade a player or picks to fill the need. If they don't get it right this offseason I will be holding a pickett sign outside of One Bills Drive with you, but for now I say give it time and see what they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibs Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Wow, we expected a record at least the same or better than last year? If that's unrealistic, that's the staff's fault. Really? Carrying over last years D & a rookie QB and you expected minimum 6 wins? Wow right back at ya. Does any team that starts a rookie QB expect 6 wins minimum? Maybe if you have a #1 overall pick.....maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 I'd say the oversight of the need on the OL goes across the board. I also believe that D'Alessandris got more out of this line than anyone else in the NFL could have last year. They clearly also underestimated Levitre's worth. It doesn't mean you clean house after one season. I also believe that by the time they realized this it was too late in TC to add someone that would have been better than what they already had and they did not want to trade a player or picks to fill the need. If they don't get it right this offseason I will be holding a pickett sign outside of One Bills Drive with you, but for now I say give it time and see what they do. No offense but this is the same type of excuse that fans gave for Jauron, for Gailey, and neither ever fully built that line properly. My fav is the one I read so often in this forum back in 2010, that Nix / Gailey get a pass the first year because they need to evaluate the talent on the roster. What complete and utter BS that was. Any coach worth anything does his evaluating of talent of the roster when he takes over. They study the tape on each and every player and make the proper evaluation on them and then give them a grade. When a coaching staff fails in this regard it shows that they are simply not very good at their jobs. How does a professional football team choose let their best graded player leave and then replace him with the very worst graded player, and not know the difference? This screams ineptitude at me! This wasn't just with the starting LG, it was also with the backup guard. The backup CB in Justin Rodgers. Currently the Bills really have no decent, reliable, viable depth for the line as most have recently been plucked from the waiver wire. That is the wrong way to do things in my view. Here we are at the end of 2013 and left guard still needs to be addressed in the upcoming draft and free agency period, as does RG & RT, and depth. Do you now have any trust at all in this teams evaluation process other then then a high profile draft pick or free agent? I know I don't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 I went into this season thinking that 8-8 (slow start and picking up momentum the last half of the season) and Manuel steadily showing improvement defined a good season to me. But the team has been erratic, as has Manuel. And the coaching, particularly Marrone and Hackett, has been below my expectations. I would say my expectations were fairly reasonable, and I am mildly disappointed. Next season should hopefully show dramatic improvement across the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 barring setbacks (and there were a few) I figured 8-8. we'll see how far off I was in 2 more weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Now imagine if this thread was started in August? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max997 Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 (edited) I had realistic expectations as far as their record was concerned which by the look of things will end up right around where i thoguht they would be. A lot of ppl on this board went a little crazy with their expectations after that first preseason game I wanted to see steady improvement from the team especially the offense and EJ which I just havent seen they left a couple wins on the field that i think they could and prob would have won if they were actually improving as a team but they are basically the same today as they were week 1 if not a little worse Edited December 16, 2013 by Max997 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 All I was looking for this season was steady progress but it looks like this team has regressed the last few weeks that is what disappoints me but maybe some of the young player hit that "wall" so to speak. If you look at the league objectively, teams, both the "good" and "bad" teams have erratic performances all year. How many times do we see an "elite" team like, say, the Broncos or Saints, win a huge, prime-time "gut check" game and everybody declares them the best team in their conference...then, quietly, they struggle, sometimes even lose, guietly, to an inferior opponant the next week? Maybe I am kidding myself, but as disappointing as this season may have turned out the way we wanted (I was not one of those thinking this would be a playoff team..they will finish in the 5-6 win total, which is about what I expected), but I am still fairly encouraged by the play of our young guys. Whether EJ Manuel turns out to be the fracnchise QB the Bills were expecting, or not (I am not giving up on him yet...only 9.5 games under his belt, some bad play and some good play), I still think this will go down as one of the better rookie classes in Bills modern history....certainly in this century. There is still a newness to things, and I am hopeful that Whaley is going to be a great GM...it remains to be seen, but I like what I have seen so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 No offense but this is the same type of excuse that fans gave for Jauron, for Gailey, and neither ever fully built that line properly. My fav is the one I read so often in this forum back in 2010, that Nix / Gailey get a pass the first year because they need to evaluate the talent on the roster. What complete and utter BS that was. Any coach worth anything does his evaluating of talent of the roster when he takes over. They study the tape on each and every player and make the proper evaluation on them and then give them a grade. When a coaching staff fails in this regard it shows that they are simply not very good at their jobs. How does a professional football team choose let their best graded player leave and then replace him with the very worst graded player, and not know the difference? This screams ineptitude at me! This wasn't just with the starting LG, it was also with the backup guard. The backup CB in Justin Rodgers. Currently the Bills really have no decent, reliable, viable depth for the line as most have recently been plucked from the waiver wire. That is the wrong way to do things in my view. Here we are at the end of 2013 and left guard still needs to be addressed in the upcoming draft and free agency period, as does RG & RT, and depth. Do you now have any trust at all in this teams evaluation process other then then a high profile draft pick or free agent? I know I don't! And you can surely do a better job than any of the ones that have been hired to run this team, past or present, I'm sure which is why you are in the front office for which team? I like and trust Whaley. The jury is still out on Marrone and Hackett. Pettine is proven and just needs a couple more pieces. The ST coach needs to be fired. If you really hate the team and the way it is run THAT much then pick another team to piss and moan about on some other board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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