MaGahee Currently 4th Best RB On Roster

[Like A Mofo]

Are you kidding?!  McGahee was a great pick!  Taking Willis thrust Donahoe firmly into the limelight, and THAT is what this great game is all about.

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Go ahead and believe that Willis is a bust already. This fan is willing to give him more time, and the reason is there is a history of other backs taking longer to recover from injuries like Willis had.

[Zamboni Man]

I'm still rooting for Willis. I have little choice. You don't gamble on a damaged RB with a #1 pick... does nothing year one and still looks slow year 2.

 

I'm pretty sure it was Edgerrin James after his knee injury that says it takes 2 FULL YEARS before you get all your speed, agility and dexterity back to 100. I'm not a doctor and never had a knee injury, so I don't know what it's like, but I'll let WM get some reps in the regular season before I label him a bust. 11 carries for 24 yards isn't very impressive though.

[seq004]

Great post, agree 100%, Willis will get better each week.

 

As for Simonton, I'm still shaking my head as to why he got brought back again this year. Shaud's easily got him beat.

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I agree, Williams has outplayed Willis thus far but Willis should get better

[IndyJay1234]

I'm pretty sure it was Edgerrin James after his knee injury that says it takes 2 FULL YEARS before you get all your speed, agility and dexterity back to 100. I'm not a doctor and never had a knee injury, so I don't know what it's like, but I'll let WM get some reps in the regular season before I label him a bust.  11 carries for 24 yards isn't very impressive though.

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It did and for awhile those were the type of numbers Edge put up in Indy.

[RunTheBall]

I think how you felt about the pick in the first place will color how you think of McGahee's progress so far. Those who didn't like the pick are looking for a full speed running back right now. Those who liked the pick are willing to give McGahee the next 3 seasons to get into game shape. Then there are those like me who are still wondering if TD has balls of lead, steel, or brass for some of the picks and decisions he's made.

 

I actually thought that was the best game McGahee has played so far. I saw a running back who followed his blockers and made decisive cuts on a surgically repaired knee. I saw a back who was able to make a little something happen when the play wasn't there by cutting back behind the play. I saw a back who handled a high handoff by Drew and still powered into the end zone.

 

He definitely needs to improve his speed. That will come. But I'm not ready to give up on him just yet. No one at OBD ever considered trading TH or WM before the end of the season. It has always been, and continues to be the plan to let them play this season so we can see what we have in WM. If he's solid, then TH is gone and WM will start. If he sucks, then WM is gone and TH will start after we all massage his ego and tell him we always though he was the man.

 

RunTheBall

[Rico]

Maybe Willis does end up playing a lot of FB with TH at HB this year.

I didn't get to see the game yesterday, but so far Shelton has not impressed me at all.

Possible he may get cut???

[Mark VI]

I'm pretty sure it was Edgerrin James after his knee injury that says it takes 2 FULL YEARS before you get all your speed, agility and dexterity back to 100.

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James wasn't drafted out of college already with this knee condition. Indy received major production from him, right out of the gate. That's my whole point.

[jad1]

The Panthers didn't give up on a recovering Foster last season, and he delivered as the season wore on.

 

The Henry/McGahee combination will wear teams out this season, and give the Bills the advantage when the playoffs are on the line late in the season.

 

Even if he's only a 7-10 carry a game back, McGahee will add value. The fact that Williams looks strong will also benefits the team.

[jahnyc]

I don't think E. James is the same player that he was before the injury and I believe his knee injury was not nearly as severe as McGahee's.

 

I agree that we have to give McGahee more time, and frankly, we don't have a choice. If he is really lacking speed now, will another six months make a significant difference?

[soljc]

One more year to see if he gets his knee stronger and finds some speed. Meanwhile, year 2 of looking at a shadow of his former self. I like TD but he got too cute with that #1 pick. This was FAR WORSE than Mike Williams, who played pretty good again last night  .

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I agree TD fumbled the McGahee pick (sure would have preferred Steinbach), but we've got so much invested in WM, TD will do everything he can to save face.

[jad1]

I don't think E. James is the same player that he was before the injury and I believe his knee injury was not nearly as severe as McGahee's.

 

I agree that we have to give McGahee more time, and frankly, we don't have a choice.  If he is really lacking speed now, will another six months make a significant difference?

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Yes, six months will make a difference. We're not talking about a 40 yard dash here. McGahee is still a rookie, and as he gets more comfortable with the pro game, he'll improve.

 

In the preseason, the goal has been to get McGahee carries to test his durability. In the regular season, the goal will be to use him to exploit weaknesses in the defense. So instead of crashing him into the line, they'll find ways to isolate him more effectively.

 

The offensive line will improve as their playing time together increases, and they get the opportunity to play an entire game and wear out the defense.

 

In the regular season, it might take a couple quarters of 2 and 3 yard runs to wear out the defense for the 3rd and 4th quarters. And that's when you can pop the big run.

 

Judging by Mularkey's comments during the Broncos game, that seems to be the Bills philosophy this season. Henry and McGahee will be used to batter defenses.

[zow2]

One thing can't be denied about WM. inside the 5, he really has a knack for getting in the end zone. He might get stuffed once, but he will get in there on the 2nd try. He will defintely steal some of Travis' carries this year on goaline plays.

[34-78-83]

Mark, I understand your concern here but IMO after carefully observing, what you stated originally is not entirely accurate to me. I too have noticed a little hesitation in Willis as he approaches the line of scrimmage. But in addition what I have noticed is that once he actually sees the hole, or a cutback lane (this to me is what he is a work in progress on), he bursts through it quite well. That was the case on a couple runs last night, and moreso in the colts game. He showed his speed to the outside earlier in the preseason on a touchdown run. His running style really is quite different than what we have been seeing with Travis and I think looks are a little deceiving. Travis hits the hole like a bat out of hell and Willis, even in college, is more of a patient runner. I'm not saying he's at 100% of his potential right now but what I am saying is that part of what you're seeing IMO is running style, and "rookie" hesitance where his vision and block reads might still need some perfecting.

[Mike in Syracuse]

I'm still rooting for Willis. I have little choice. You don't gamble on a damaged RB with a #1 pick... does nothing year one and still looks slow year 2. Shaud Williams and Simonton should never look better than this guy. They are both longshot undrafted FA's and make pennies. Yet both DO look better.

 

What's ironic is that MaGahee may score 10 TD's if used in short yardage situations. He's so much bigger than the other backs. Is a short yardage specialist worth several million dollars ?

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Mark,

 

I think you ask an intriquing question here. If McGahee presence means we score TD's as opposed to FG's then he is absolutely worth the money. Especially when you consider that he will be taking the goal line pounding and helping to keep Henry fresher. I don't think McGahee's value will truly be known until we trade him. I'm bettting TD parlays Willis into a very low first round draft choice. Of course, that's contingent on Willis's return to form.

[Mark VI]

One thing can't be denied about WM.  inside the 5, he really has a knack for getting in the end zone.  He might get stuffed once, but he will get in there on the 2nd try.  He will defintely steal some of Travis' carries this year on goaline plays.

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Completely agree with that .

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

James wasn't drafted out of college already with this knee condition. Indy received major production from him, right out of the gate. That's my whole point.

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There seem to be three points of view here: 1. TD is a god and the 2 TDs and heavy work in place of a nicked TH shows this choice to be a good one. 2. Wait and see because there is a history shown by James of a stud needing 2 years after the injury to reach 1000 yard/annually form, and 3. WM is a bust TD should have picked someone else (Steinbach seems to be the only relevant alternative as the consensus other choice kelsay was actually obtained by the Bills).

 

As usual, the middle ground seems to be the far more reasonable way to go.

 

1. WM has shown durability and recovery from his horrendous injury, but has not run like a first round picj and the calls to trade TH this year were just stupid,

 

2. It really is pretty amazing to see the level of recovery WM has shown in terms of his use and production at this point. I think even without injury few saw him as a workhorse feature back, but he has been productive in this short-yardage role. The burst which brought him fame has not emerged so far and may never come back if we're unlucky, but it is way to early to expect this give the history of other recoveries.

 

3. Declaring him a bust seems pretty outlandish also. Comparing Williams performance against 2nd and 3rd stringers to WM's performance against starters is simply a ludicrous comparison. Some claim that the standard WM has to achieve is what do you expect from a 1st rounder. Reasonable, but my expectations from a #21 are not my expectations from a #5. WM needed a year before he contributed at all, but if he never recovers the burst and merely remains developing into a workhorse capable of starting at the 4 yards and a cloud of astroturf level this is what a #21 can produce.

 

TD gets big points actually because if he picked Kelsay as our #1 given our DL needs he probably would have been given credit for not trading up knowing that a reasonable pick would fall to #21 at a position of need. Instead he read the tea-leaves and saw that the run on DL would allow him to fall into the 2nd round.

 

The other factor to consider in evaluating TD's use of the 1st rounder that year was that he actually used it to get Bledsoe (great his first year, stinky his second year) and actually made another non-conventional move when he transition tagged PP and turned the nothing which we were owed by rule for an FA into the #21 (or was it #23 I can't remember exactly) pick.

 

TD has made a couple of very good non-conventional moves picking a #5 or better case in the 20s and using the #1 to get Bledsoe and then turning the nothing for losing PP into something.

 

The jury is still out on a lot of this this season. If Bledsoe career is revived the way Clements/MM revived Kordella and Maddox, AND WM recovers his burst on an Edggering like schedule his moves were genius. If Bledsoe is done and WM never recovers, he made a high stakes bet and lost.

 

However, I think a rational judgment of all of this is not yet, but so far so good. Trading the Bills first rounder in in 2003 for Bledsoe added an excitement to football in this area that even with Bledsoe's stinky play last year still appears like it will result in us selling out 7 or potentially 8 of the home games this year. WM is producing at a level after a year's recovery which is not there yet, but still on track with the history and even at this level without the burst is what a late first round pick at RB can do for a team.

 

I wouldn't panic about this one yet.

[MrJaimie]

Hey, here's an idea. Let's see how MaGahee does during the season before evaulating him. Are there concerns? Yes. But you guys are acting like he's already a bust. Give me a break. BTW, I tore my ACL and went through 9 months of rehab. I then returned to playing rugby. It takes a bit of time.

 

On a side note, you guys are sounding more and more like Boston fans. Do you honestly need something to B word about on a daily basis? Are you so miserable with your existance that you have to vent in such a manner? For chrissakes...

[Kelly the Dog]

Actually, the only thing he hasn't shown me is the burst of speed. That may never come but obviously the Bills doctors think it will. Willis has shown to be very good around the goal line. He has shown to be a very willing and very able pass blocker. He has shown his hands (albeit dropping a couple). He has shown a very nice vision, and ability to set up his blocks. He has shown a LOT more power than I expected out of him at this point. He seems to me to be running at about 80%, which isn't all that good, but he has shown a lot as far as being a very good running back in the NFL.

[Realist]

The Panthers didn't give up on a recovering Foster last season, and he delivered as the season wore on.

 

The Henry/McGahee combination will wear teams out this season, and give the Bills the advantage when the playoffs are on the line late in the season.

 

Even if he's only a 7-10 carry a game back, McGahee will add value.  The fact that Williams looks strong will also benefits the team.

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Actually, thats a good point. Foster was okay in spelling Davis during the season then he excelled in the Playoffs and was a major contributor to their Superbowl run.

[nobody]

I'm fine with the Bills letting Travis do most of the running and then bringing MaGahee in at the goalline. And come game 12 of the season when Travis has some cracked ribs or broken leg the Bills will be able to give him some rest and MaGahee should be in much better form by then.