Draconator Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 O Line Defense stopping 3rd and long If those two things improve, everything else will fall into place. Willis, JP and company will go as far as the O Line can take them. Unfortunately, I don't think they can take them very far. Maybe to East Aurora, but definately not to Wales! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 I have not been keeping any real tabs this last week as of what was occuring in training camp and i don't know what problems have been solved or what you guys think could be the real problems on this team. Enlighten. 752187[/snapback] My sense is that there are a ton of question marks as to whether certain approaches which appear to have been chosen will work. The tons of questions are subsidiaries which fall under 3 broader categories: Category 1: Offense A. Will the team develop an offense which is successful enough to be called St. Louis Rams East? Likely answer- Probably not. It appears Fairchild will lead the way by implementing an O patterned after the quite successful pass-happy Mike Martz designed O in St. L. Some conclude that this style will not work or even if it works will not reasonably be described as St. L East because of the winter weather and unpredictable Ralph winds. I think this view fails to understand that though the O will be pass-happy, it will not rely on a ton of vertical long passes all the time which would be tough to do consistently in the Ralph, but instead will rely on a lof of short passes and run after the catch. The keys to this are: 1. Fairchild designing plays which rely on the speed of the WRs to get separation quick anb. design of plays which use intricate crosses and could be illegal picks to get separation. 2. WM showing enough production as a receiver to play the Marshall Faulf role. 3. Fairchild developing something different that makes this O his own and this likely will be fargreater use of the TE than the Rams do. B. In addition, there are some particular unit and player performances which will be key: 1. The OL- The starters are much improved over last year's starters, but it is unclear whether there will be adequate back-ups beyond Preston when/if we get hit with the usual injuries. 2. RB- As mentioned WM verstile performance will be key but finding a back-up who is also versatile is another question, 3. TE- Using Royal as a 6th OL player makes sense but also how will he build upon his career year (which is not saying tons) in receptions last year and can Everett not only develop into the receiving threat he should be but can he learn the blocking well enough to be a good Royal sub. Also TE use in the redzone might be a notable difference with Biutch Rolle/Metzalars as the models C. QB issue I actually hold this to the last O consideration NOT because of it importance. Any player who touches the ball on virtually every offensive play is crtically important. However, the key to the Bills O performing is not whether our QB is a transcendant god of a football player, but merely whether he proves to be adequate. JP will not perform like Elway or Favre individually because he is too young and not good enough. However, the plan seems to be that if all the above items work, the QB merely (a big merely) has to be adequate in doing proper reads, transfering in the plays and formations he gets over his helmet mike, and in distributing the ball. JP will have opportunities to improvise and run for his life as he did behind the turnstile OL at Tulane, but only as a change-up and when things occaisionally break down as they do in the NFL. JP will be hailed as a productive QB and th next big thing IF he actually gets to spend more time merely being adequate and just doing stuff. Ironically if this happens he will hailed as a great QB and collect major bucks. If instead we end up relying too much on his athleticism and escapability this means the scheme has broken down and likely other O players have not performed and I suspect we will get killed. I think the answer is probably not in terms of our O being productive because though it makes sense how it can work, too many things have to happen for it to work well. Category 2. Defense- Later on this this one as I have to run off with my lovely spouse to do a wedding in Ithaca. Category 3: ST- Ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike formerly from Florida Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 I have not been keeping any real tabs this last week as of what was occuring in training camp and i don't know what problems have been solved or what you guys think could be the real problems on this team. Enlighten. 752187[/snapback] Excluding Fletcher, Schoebel, the big RT, and possibly Evans, I would say the rest of the starters are a big ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreadlox Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 our punter will again be amoung the league's best. beyond that i'd say there are 52 enormous question marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanInSouthBuffalo Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 1) Is the O-line any better than say the past four or five seasons? I'm not yet convinced. 2) Behind Evans what is the WR pecking order? Does it matter? 3) Do we have good RB and QB depth should the starter go down? Sometimes I wonder. I'd be watching the waver wire for a 3rd QB if Holcomb is traded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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