Someone Answer Me One Question

[IDBillzFan]

The FA OL carousel at OBD this spring hopes to address the holes at the interior line.  While there's not a definite starter at LT, each guy is more than competent at every line position, and will give McNally an opportunity to put the right spots in place by June.

 

We may see Big Mike get moved to LG, DeMulling at C and Teague back at LT, and Womack at RT.  Perhaps other combination of the above.  I think Villareal has the only lock on the spot.  If anything, I'd feel more comfortable about Gandy coming in as 2nd string than Lawrence Smith or Pucillo.

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Great post. Particularly this part. What's happening at OBD may not make a whole lot of sense to many of us, but what I do see is options. Lots of options. Options make you successful.

 

Unfortunately you can always tell the people who just hate TD. Troy Brown goes from receiver to corner, gets three picks, and it's a team effort and just another day in the genius of Bellichick. But TD and company put try to put together versatile offensive linemen so we possibly we options come injury time...or we can flip people around based on who we're playing or who's opposite them...and he's a moron.

 

Successful people always have options.

[Spiderweb]

How can we be in the fifth year of the TD regime and still not have an

offensive line in place.  This team was torn apart, and rebuilt with all

TD guys, and now we have a rookie QB going behind center and

the only position we know for certain is RG.

 

Is this the way to build a team. 

 

This really shows how bad the Bills have been at drafting O-linemen

and how poorly they have done on the 2nd day of the draft.

 

Oh yeah,  TD does NOT get a pass this year because of a rookie QB.

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Welcome to CBA & Free Agency. Building a line, even a good one is always a couple years away from rebuilding. The days of what the cowboys had in the early to Mid 90's are over.

 

How would you like to Favre this year? God only knows what kind of line he's going to have....

[Greybeard]

Any arguement using yards per carry to defend the OL is bogus. You either believe WM gained the yards he did because of or despite the OL. In my case I think it is in spite of. If you watched the games, he is usually good for 2 to 3 yards just on brute strength. He certainly earns most of what he gets.

 

The real proof of a good line to run behind is a line that opens a hole on 3rd and 2 or 4th and one when you absolutely have to make it. And in this case, this line falls short.

 

Although I will stick with my prediction, if WM ever gets a line that opens holes on a consistant basis, he going to rush for 2500 yards.

[todd]

Maybe some people in then scouting department need to be fired.

 

Four years of drafting and we have MW, Marcus Price and Ross Tucker?

 

Please!

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I don't know what games people were watching around here, but MW played pretty well last year. Sheesh.

[Simon]

So, Bledsoe can't scramble like Mike Vick and if he could, the yards/rush

numbers would be better.  OK.  If he didn't have to scramble ever, because

the O-line protected so good, they would be worse.

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Now where did I put that babel fish? Oh, here it is........

Nope, still don't know what the hell you're trying to say.

 

I guess the O-line is the strongest unit on the team and not an issue.

Ummmm yeah, that's exactly what I said.

Nice straw man.

 

 

Any arguement using yards per carry to defend the OL is bogus

Howdy Grey. Not sure if you're referring to me, but if you are just wanted to clarify something. I'm not defending the OLine or even commenting on it in any way. Just pointing out to our SoCal Crusader the same thing you were pointing out to me:

Any argument using yards/carry to defend or implicate the OL is bogus.

Cya

[Nanker]

Here's an old sig of mine from December 2003. It was taken from a quote in an article about the Indy Colts' OLine - just after they played us.

 

"The offensive linemen call it 'scoring with your man.' That makes it sound like some refined technique. What it means, essentially, is pounding the clown across the line of scrimmage."

 

Our clowns have been pounded ever since the DieAmi game and have never gotten up off the carpet since. Don't be fooled by the win against the Jints - their OL are the biggest clowns in the league.

 

I'm a McNally fan. He'll get the job done - if TD just doesn't give him any more Pucillos.

Nice to see the front office actually looking at Centers and Guards. The last three years they haven't brought in anybody but OTs. A fat friggin OT does not a Center or pulling Guard make.

 

Go Bills!

[Nanker]

Here's an old sig of mine from December 2003. It was taken from a quote in an article about the Indy Colts' OLine - just after they played us.

 

"The offensive linemen call it 'scoring with your man.' That makes it sound like some refined technique. What it means, essentially, is pounding the clown across the line of scrimmage."

 

Our clowns have been pounded ever since the DieAmi game and have never gotten up off the carpet since. Don't be fooled by the win against the Jints - their OL are the biggest clowns in the league.

 

I'm a McNally fan. He'll get the job done - if TD just doesn't give him any more Pucillos.

Nice to see the front office actually looking at Centers and Guards. The last three years they haven't brought in anybody but OTs. A fat friggin OT does not a Center or pulling Guard make.

 

Go Bills!

[seq004]

Very few have even admitted that our line sucked.  We've been trying to rebuild it since the K-gun days. 

 

Why do people all of a sudden realize this line isn't something that can take us deep into the playoffs right now?  And don't say it was because of the QB that the line sucked.

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The fact that other than taking Mike Williams in 2002 this front office has continued to over look the engine that makes the car run is a definite failure. While TD has taken care of the skill positions on offense he choses to put bandaids on the O-line. This goes as far back as Butler. (RIP) I really thought this was finally the year we get a quality line but thus far their is little reason to believe that will change. IMO

[Bill from NYC]

Those numbers are probably for all rushes, not just RB's. If you factor out Bledsoe (along with Vick, McNabb, etc.) and just look at the carries for RB's around the league, I'll bet the Bills check in at a lot better than #23.

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Good point Simon. It also included Travis Henry. During his stint as the starter, how many games did we go without a rushing touchdown, this as a "smashmouth" running team?

[Bill from NYC]

The fact that other than taking Mike Williams in 2002 this front office has continued to over look the engine that makes the car run is a definite failure. While TD has taken care of the skill positions on offense he choses to put bandaids on the O-line. This goes as far back as Butler. (RIP) I really thought this was finally the year we get a quality line but thus far their is little reason to believe that will change. IMO

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Here is a little OL draft history.....

 

When TD came to town, the Bills had perhaps the worst OL in league history....certainly up there. Remember names such as Spriggs, Ostroski, a washed up Fina, Farris, Hulsey, Nails, etc? It cost nearly 11 million in dead cap space just to get rid of Fina and Ostroski, two stumblebums.

 

TD grabbed Jennings in round 3 as I recall. This was a steal. He passed up on OG Steve Hutchinson with the 14th , and traded down for #21, with which he got Clements and a #2. I was screaming, but it was a good move.

 

Next, he took a chance and drafted an injured MaGahee. To do this, he passed right over OG Steinbach. I was screaming, but it was a good move.

 

The thing is, at some point TD is going to have to go after a stud OG early in the draft. This year? I dont know. What we do know is that our #1 is gone, and the team desperately needs cornerbacks.

 

Because he was selected at #4, MW is "eating" the teams' salary cap to the tune of 9.15 million dollars. If he does not produce in a huge way, it is unreasonable to expect the Bills to be successful. This number constitutes more than 10% of the entire cap. Imo, in order to earn this type of money, he will have to play like an all time great RT, or at least the best RT in the current NFL. Will he do so? I doubt it, but let's hope.

 

Imo, 05 will be the deciding factor for Big Mike in terms of him remaining on the Bills. If he is average, a cut after 6/1/06 would not hurt so much. If he is great, TD can worry about other OL positions.

In any event, the Bills need big young studs on the OL. It worked for the steelers, whereas their scrubs were pushing our guys around....and yes, the OL has been holding back the Buffalo Bills football team for 10 years.

The good news is that McNally DID improve it, and can continue to do so.