Rubes Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 That'd be all well and good if it were true. However, once TH was removed from the lineup and WM was put in, DB was sacked on average LESS than Golden Boy Tom Brady. It seems to me the blitz was designed more to take advantage of Henry (who can't block), rather than DB. Look, I'm not saying DB was a great QB; however, you're delusional if you think that there's no way that JPL could be any worse. We could easily be worse. CW 283202[/snapback] I agree with you, Fez, that the blitzing tendencies of other teams was probably dictated more by our offense's inability to handle the blitz as a whole (offensive linemen, TEs, and RBs, in addition to Drew not recognizing and going to the hot receiver). I have always been a firm believer that a big reason this offense was not built for Drew is because our line and RBs were just not good enough to handle complex blitzes. TH, I believe, was a fairly big part of that. I also believe that our line did improve over the course of the year, after working with JMac. Plus, as you mentioned, WM proved to be much better at picking up blitzers than TH (which, incidentally, I think had at least as much -- if not more -- to do with WM taking over the starting spot than his running ability). However, I will point out one inconsistency in your argument...the original point is that there is no way JPL could be any worse than DB, but you say "we" could easily be worse. Yes, we, as a team, could easily be worse than 9-7. But the argument here is about JPL being worse than DB, not the Bills as a whole being worse. I think the whole offense improved toward the end of the year, but in my mind what this did is allow us to see that Drew could only do so much to help the offense. He didn't have a great year statistically, nor did he seem to be a difference-maker in most of those late-season games. Plus, perhaps more importantly, in the biggest games of the year against the top opponents, he didn't elevate his game. Could JPL be any worse than Drew? Perhaps, but in my opinion, not much. Could the Bills be any worse with JPL at the helm? Sure. But so many factors go into a team's final record on the season that it's impossible to compare this coming season with this past season and say that JPL is the sole causative difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 That's not accurate. Bledsoe was sacked 13 times on 3rd down. He was sacked 11 times on 1st down and 13 on 2nd down. If you're trying to relieve TH of responsibility, that's not gonna' get you there. 283239[/snapback] Wow, you know what a nearly even number of sacks on all three downs tells me? That the defenses had a consistent plan for our offense and went with it no matter what we were doing on offense. To me, that shows a lack of ability to adapt. My problem with Bledsoe is that the minute he was disrupted in the pocket, he went into the fetal position. I swear, some of his sacks actually took like 5 seconds from the first contact to the point where he was on the ground. What was Drew doing in those five seconds? Fetalizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 One thing we know is true, and yet it seems impossible for some people to grasp it. We have more video footage of Paris Hilton giving a blowjob than we have of JP being an NFL quarterback. To suggest that things could not be worse than Bledsoe is simply taking a position for the sake of taking a position. No one in the entire world can even remotely know for certain that we will be better with or without Bledsoe. Seriously, folks. I'm sure it's fun to hear yourself talk...but try to talk rationally, ok? And no, I'm not a Bledsoe lover...and yes, I hope Losman kicks ass and is everything everyone says he will or will not be. But damn, folks, please stop with the 'anything would be better than Bledsoe' stuff cuz it's just foolish. It's like saying "Anyone would be better than Bush." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 However, I will point out one inconsistency in your argument...the original point is that there is no way JPL could be any worse than DB, but you say "we" could easily be worse. Yes, we, as a team, could easily be worse than 9-7. But the argument here is about JPL being worse than DB, not the Bills as a whole being worse. Fair enough. However, if JPL plays the entire season like he did against the Patriots, that would be far and away worse than Bledsoe. DB played a few bad games, but he also played some great games and some average-to-good games. Let's see JPL throw a TD pass (even in preseason) before we annoint him better than our previous QB. Needless to say, the season will be exciting CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeantownRob Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Actually yes, yes he can. If you recall, we did win 9 games last year. CW 282949[/snapback] I think we won 9 games last year because we had a good defense and outstanding special teams. Drew was practically irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I think we won 9 games last year because we had a good defense and outstanding special teams. Drew was practically irrelevant. 283318[/snapback] Couldn't agree more......but don't forget about Willis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Fair enough. However, if JPL plays the entire season like he did against the Patriots, that would be far and away worse than Bledsoe. DB played a few bad games, but he also played some great games and some average-to-good games. Let's see JPL throw a TD pass (even in preseason) before we annoint him better than our previous QB. 283309[/snapback] I don't think it's entirely fair to base everything on his brief, unexpected playing time against the World Champs. I'll wait until he has an entire preseason of preparation as the #1 guy, as well as the intense preparation for an opponent in the week leading up to a game. Needless to say, the season will be exciting 283309[/snapback] It sure will...hopefully it will continue to be so after the first month or so.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I don't think it's entirely fair to base everything on his brief, unexpected playing time against the World Champs. I'll wait until he has an entire preseason of preparation as the #1 guy, as well as the intense preparation for an opponent in the week leading up to a game. I'm not -- he didn't lead the team to a single TD against the Broncos in preseason as well... And I don't think he did against the Titans either, but I don't have the stats to back that one up at the moment. I just used the Patriots game as an example of how he could, indeed, be far worse than what we had last year. We just won't know until the season starts. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 You're barely realizing this now? That started when Drew was cut. Sorry, I don't have any faith on a rookie QB to lead us to the playoffs. The fact that the line is a mess makes it even worse! Now, we have a locker room cancer to boot. 282929[/snapback] Please clarify locker room cancer.... Are you talking about Henry....he wont be here when the season starts..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booya2 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I would rather have a QB with spunk than a veteran who is bunk!!! 282930[/snapback] You might, but that doesn't mean potential free agents see it that way. I don't disagree with the move at this point to go to Losman, however, we've been fortunate in the last couple of free agency seasons to be viewed as a serious contender and because of this guys targeted Buffalo as a team they wanted to come to and were willing to take less money to come here in some cases. With a rookie QB, that just isn't the case anymore. Whether we feel Losman is the right guy or not, these free agents would rather go to a team with a veteran QB. In the mean time we just have to bite the bullet and accept that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsNYC Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Some posters on this thread need a tissue or a pillow to cry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Rich Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Some posters on this thread need a tissue or a pillow to cry on. 283485[/snapback] You're so mean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risin Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I'm not -- he didn't lead the team to a single TD against the Broncos in preseason as well... And I don't think he did against the Titans either, but I don't have the stats to back that one up at the moment. I just used the Patriots game as an example of how he could, indeed, be far worse than what we had last year. We just won't know until the season starts. CW 283364[/snapback] I agree, JP could do worse. Your example is a bad one though, considering in that game JP's QB rating was still higher then Drews if I'm not mistaken. Food for thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Just trying to create a football post! Jeff 282934[/snapback] Sorry dude. It's better than all the OT stuff. P.S., the "JP will make the line better" crap is getting to me now. Or "he will lead us to the playoffs" too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Please clarify locker room cancer.... Are you talking about Henry....he wont be here when the season starts..... 283453[/snapback] Yes, him, John. Let's hope we get a deal so he isn't here with his petty distractions! What posters fail to realize in this thread is that the line is even more unsettled than last year during Summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Thanks for pointing that out. I stand corrected. I was, however, speaking of overall sacks in the Bledsoe/Henry years, that Travis missing blocks was NOT the issue at all with Bledsoe getting sacked, regardless of the fact that TH is a below average blocker. TH may have been responsible for a couple sacks a season. In Bledsoe's good year, 2002, he got sacked more than he did in his totally crappy year, 2003. It wasnt until the middle of this year, and IMO because of all the aforementioned reasons in my previous post, that those numbers went down, and drastically down. It had little to do with Travis. And again, I am not sticking up for Travis's blocking, which is often atrocious. 283245[/snapback] I think one thing getting left out of this discussion is that Drew also had a lot of the playbook taken away from him....the offense was simplified....and he was told to use his underneath receivers a LOT more then in previous years.... Also...the amount of sacks also is corrallated with the amount of times or OC allowed him to be in that position....we ran.....A LOT.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoking Man Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 All I can say is, be prepared for rebuilding years for a long time, boys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 All I can say is, be prepared for rebuilding years for a long time, boys... 283850[/snapback] Ok mr. oral fixation boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 All I can say is, be prepared for rebuilding years for a long time, boys... 283850[/snapback] Didn't we kill you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoking Man Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Didn't we kill you? 283871[/snapback] Sure, sure. They killed Spock, too, if memory serves. Whole lot of good that did him. Keep the faith, though. It's better than knowing the truth. It's out there, and it hurts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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