QB Bills Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 That's the year Milloy brought over the playbook 5 days before the opener. That 1 extra win...Oh man. Excellent observation. Never even thought of that. Belichick screwed us over even in a losing effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 As I remember the Bills tried with the Jags. The Jags wouldn't budge for fear of missing out on Reggie Williams. The Bills wanted Ben bad. I think that was where the "it takes two to tango" quote came from Donahoe when he was questioned about moving up. It's fitting that a terrible team insisted on taking a terrible player blocking that move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I can't even remember how many times this has happened. That was a bad one, we all knew we would take him if Pittsburgh didn't. Damn. And we tried to trade up to the JAX spot and they rejected our trade and instead took Reggie Williams, WR.....who was out of the league in a few years..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihilarian Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Don't discount the possible animosity between Capers & Donahoe. If Donahoe knew both Steelers & Bills were interested in Big Ben, I'm guessing he favored helping Cowher. I don't know about this... From what I recall, it was Donahoe who lost a power struggle with Bill Cowher and is a big reason he was fired by Pittsburgh. I'm also thinking that Donahoe knew the Steelers were interested in Big Ben and also wanted him. Considering the team the Bills had for many of those early years not being very good, I'm not all that certain that Big Ben would not have looked like a bust and would have been long cut or let go by now. Pitt placed a strong team around him the early years, so wasn't asked to do much. In 2002 Tom Donahoe drafted OT Mike D Williams with the #4 overall pick to play LT and he wasn't really good enough to play RT. Unfortunately, for Buffalo, the Vikings took OT Bryant McKinny with the #7 pick and he turned out to be the best OT in the draft and a pro bowl player. I feel it was the Bills scouting dept and Donahoe missing one this one player that started the nails in the coffin. That and the fact that once the team had Drew Bledsoe at QB they refused to further upgrade the offensive line and instead tried to force Bledsoe to get rid of the ball faster. In 2002, under Gregg Williams, the Bills had the #11 offense in points scored and yards in the league but 27th defense in giving up points. The next year the defense went to 5th in points allowed and #2 in yards allowed while the offense tanked back to 30th in both yards and points. Donahoe realized he needed a better line by drafting Williams and then gave up on the idea once Williams didn't pan out. A darn shame too, because if you gave Bledsoe the time in the pocket he would rip any team a new one. Consider the Bills were 9-7 in 2004 under Mularkey and one game away from a playoff berth. The Bills had won six straight games going into that Steeler game and were blowing out teams they looked so good, Pittsburg announced they would sit their starters and play the backups for that game. So most Bills fans thought it was playoff time for Buffalo. However, the Bills ran into a little buzz saw by the name of Willie Parker who rushed 19 times for 102 yards and with 5 FG's by Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed the Bills lost 29-24. Tommy Maddox was the Steelers QB and he stunk by going only 12 of 25 for 120 yards one TD, two INT's and yet was good enough to get their kicker close enough for 5 FG's. In the start of the fourth quarter, Bledsoe was sacked and he fumbled allowing a TD return by James Harrison. The Bills gave up on Bledsoe after this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 We tried didn't we? I don't remember the detail but wasn't it we were talking to Houston who then got spooked when Atlanta took a corner and fearing a run on them decided to make their pick? It was something like that..... have no idea, didn't do much time on the computer back then and didn't hear anything about it. I have some info on this...... The Bills tried to move up ahead of Pitts, they tried to work with the Jags and the Jags would not budge, instead they felt the need to draft WR Reggie Williams (BUST) The Bills also had discussion with Houston and they were willing to trade back thinking their "guy" Duanta Robinson would have been taken by Jags. Once Jags took Williams then Houston simply wanted to stay put and take the CB Robinson. So we can Blame the Jags for not letting us have Big Ben. and those A-holes took my Bortles too. As I remember the Bills tried with the Jags. The Jags wouldn't budge for fear of missing out on Reggie Williams. The Bills wanted Ben bad. I think that was where the "it takes two to tango" quote came from Donahoe when he was questioned about moving up. should have tried harder, in the end giving more picks for a guy who think will be THE GUY is always worth it than settling for some bum latter (Losman) I remember really hoping to get Rivers or Big Ben badly that year. I knew we reached and settled for Losman. It's astounding that we have failed to get anything right at the QB position for so long. indeed my friend indeed That's the year Milloy brought over the playbook 5 days before the opener. That 1 extra win... I don't know about this... From what I recall, it was Donahoe who lost a power struggle with Bill Cowher and is a big reason he was fired by Pittsburgh. I'm also thinking that Donahoe knew the Steelers were interested in Big Ben and also wanted him. In 2002 Tom Donahoe drafted OT Mike D Williams with the #4 overall pick to play LT and he wasn't really good enough to play RT. Unfortunately, for Buffalo, the Vikings took OT Bryant McKinny with the #7 pick and he turned out to be the best OT in the draft and a pro bowl player. I feel it was the Bills scouting dept and Donahoe missing one this one player that started the nails in the coffin. That and the fact that once the team had Drew Bledsoe at QB they refused to further upgrade the offensive line and instead tried to force Bledsoe to get rid of the ball faster. In 2002, under Gregg Williams, the Bills had the #11 offense in points scored and yards in the league but 27th defense in giving up points. The next year the defense went to 5th in points allowed and #2 in yards allowed while the offense tanked back to 30th in both yards and points. Donahoe realized he needed a better line by drafting Williams and then gave up on the idea once Williams didn't pan out. A darn shame too, because if you gave Bledsoe the time in the pocket he would rip any team a new one. Consider the Bills were 9-7 in 2004 under Mularkey and one game away from a playoff berth. The Bills had won six straight games going into that Steeler game and were blowing out teams they looked so good, Pittsburg announced they would sit their starters and play the backups for that game. So most Bills fans thought it was playoff time for Buffalo. However, the Bills ran into a little buzz saw by the name of Willie Parker who rushed 19 times for 102 yards and with 5 FG's by Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed the Bills lost 29-24. Tommy Maddox was the Steelers QB and he stunk by going only 12 of 25 for 120 yards one TD, two INT's and yet was good enough to get their kicker close enough for 5 FG's. In the start of the fourth quarter, Bledsoe was sacked and he fumbled allowing a TD return by James Harrison. The Bills gave up on Bledsoe after this game. one of the most frustrating yrs in the draught Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I have some info on this...... The Bills tried to move up ahead of Pitts, they tried to work with the Jags and the Jags would not budge, instead they felt the need to draft WR Reggie Williams (BUST) The Bills also had discussion with Houston and they were willing to trade back thinking their "guy" Duanta Robinson would have been taken by Jags. Once Jags took Williams then Houston simply wanted to stay put and take the CB Robinson. So we can Blame the Jags for not letting us have Big Ben. This. Jags were "terrified" they weren't going to get their receiver. I have always been comfortable with blaming the Jags. I respectfully disagree, to a degree, with those who say he wouldn't have been the Big Ben we know now. He may not have been as successful, but he would still be our same qb today after 12 years and we would have made the playoffs at least once or twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark80 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 (edited) This. Jags were "terrified" they weren't going to get their receiver. I have always been comfortable with blaming the Jags. I respectfully disagree, to a degree, with those who say he wouldn't have been the Big Ben we know now. He may not have been as successful, but he would still be our same qb today after 12 years and we would have made the playoffs at least once or twice. You will see comments like that, but no one ever mentions the possibility that maybe he would have been even better here. It's impossible to know either way, but it's just funny to me how almost everyone around here just always assumes the negative outcomes and never even considers the flip side of it making his stellar career even better. The chain of events that followed would have been completely different and anything could have happened. Edited April 22, 2016 by Mark80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I don't know about this... From what I recall, it was Donahoe who lost a power struggle with Bill Cowher and is a big reason he was fired by Pittsburgh. I'm also thinking that Donahoe knew the Steelers were interested in Big Ben and also wanted him. That's the point. After striking out with Jags, Bills tried to make a deal with Houston to leapfrog Steelers, as Donahoe knew they were hot on Ben. Capers was HC at Houston and probably blocked the trade with Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Czervik Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 and those A-holes took my Bortles too. I lost a Proline Pools ticket on Josh Scobee kicking that 59 yard field goal on the final play....I will forever the despise Jags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 You will see comments like that, but no one ever mentions the possibility that maybe he would have been even better here. It's impossible to know either way, but it's just funny to me how almost everyone around here just always assumes the negative outcomes and never even considers the flip side of it making his stellar career even better. The chain of events that followed would have been completely different and anything could have happened. Well said, Mark. We've been beaten down and disappointed, by the outside and ourselves, that it is difficult to remember being optimistic. Gone are the days (if you remember them at all) when we would say with confidence, "other teams rebuild, we reload". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFunPolice Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Since then the Patriots (who have had Brady) have drafted more QBs than the Bills. Just keep drafting them until you hit on one by pure dumb luck if that's what it takes (see NE* with Brady) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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