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Levy, Bills still have work to doposted: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry

filed under: Buffalo Bills

 

Although the Bills finished the 2006 season with a 7-9 record, there were high expectations for 2007 heading into the offseason. However, in looking at what the Bills have accomplished so far there should be concerns about second-year general manager Marv Levy as the organization's main decision maker.

Levy has a strong relationship with head coach Dick Jauron, who has a strong say when determining the Bills' 53-man roster. Levy will take certain input from his personnel people but will usually follow the recommendations that come from Jauron and his coaching staff.

 

Since determining quarterback J.P. Losman is the future of this organization and a solid fit in offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild's system, the Bills were very aggressive in their spending that revolved around the offensive line that protects Losman. The Bills have struggled over the last few seasons in both the run and pass game as the line has failed to consistently protect the quarterback or create effective inside running lanes.

 

With the development of LT Jason Peters, who is the team's best offensive lineman, the Bills targeted both inside guard positions and right tackle as positions that needed to be upgraded. They were very active in the early stages with the additions of RT Langston Walker, guard Derrick Dockery and versatile backup Jason Whittle.

 

Although the Bills overpaid dearly for Dockery, he still made sense based on the going market and need for the position. The Bills will field a solid tandem on the left side of their offensive line to hopefully run behind effectively. However, Walker played on one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the NFL last season in Oakland. He is a massive offensive tackle with above-average athletic skills who has struggled in his development and with consistent performance throughout his career. Offensive line coach Jim McNally will have his work cut out for him with a high-dollar player that may be best suited in a backup role.

 

On top of that, the Bills traded away RB Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens for multiple draft picks due to a lack of consistency since 2004 season and his future salary demands. The Bills did re-sign Anthony Thomas this week, but he is a substantial drop-off in talent from McGahee. One of the main areas the Bills will need to address in the draft is the running back position.

 

Defensively, the Bills still have a lot of work to do in replacing RC Nate Clements and MLB London Fletcher-Baker. Baker was a highly productive inside player, while Clements was the Bills' No. 1 shut-down corner. Also, the Bills are quietly shopping starting LB Takeo Spikes, who struggled to play at a Pro Bowl level last season after overcoming a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2005. However, the Bills will need to continue to beef up the interior to try and improve a run defense that finished 28th in the league in 2006, allowing 140.9 yards a game.

 

The Bills have been very aggressive in their spending when acquiring and re-signing players. But has Levy made the right moves when investing money in future players who can get this franchise back on track and contending for the AFC East title? Only time will tell if the Bills made the right decisions, and next month's NFL draft will be critical to the Bills success in 2007.

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it's a worthless article. Only mentions that we've lost these guys in FA and only time will tell if we should have let them go. Offers absolutely no insight at all while saying that maybe Marv isn't up to the job. It's a little surprising that this guy gets paid to write such nothingness.

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This article would have been fine if not for one ignorant statement:

 

"However, in looking at what the Bills have accomplished so far there should be concerns about second-year general manager Marv Levy as the organization's main decision maker."

 

That's just sloppy writing; the author otherwise gives a pretty solid (if obvious) analysis of positions of need.

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This article would have been fine if not for one ignorant statement:

 

"However, in looking at what the Bills have accomplished so far there should be concerns about second-year general manager Marv Levy as the organization's main decision maker."

 

That's just sloppy writing; the author otherwise gives a pretty solid (if obvious) analysis of positions of need.

 

 

And I believe the comment about Langston Walker lacks a thought process too.

 

How many OL in today's NFL do you know that will succeed using the Raiders offensive playbook last year?

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How to host a radio talk show or write an article for ESPN.

1. Find a team that is winning - i.e. Dallas Mavericks.

2. Talk about them as if they were the greatest team ever.

3. If you did not talk about them first, listen to what the person on the show ahead of you said and talk about them using the same cliches and comparisons.

4. Repeat.

5. If you write for ESPN, find a team that is winning - i.e. Dallas Mavericks.

6. Write about them as if they were the greatest team ever.

7. If you did not write about them first, read what the person who wrote about them ahead of you wrote and write about them using the same cliches and comparisons.

8. Repeat.

9. If you are a radio talk show host, a writer or an analyst for ESPN and

want to criticize a team - i.e. the Buffalo Bills - do the above and just replace the positives with negatives.

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Levy, Bills still have work to doposted: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry

filed under: Buffalo Bills

 

Although the Bills finished the 2006 season with a 7-9 record, there were high expectations for 2007 heading into the offseason. However, in looking at what the Bills have accomplished so far there should be concerns about second-year general manager Marv Levy as the organization's main decision maker.

Levy has a strong relationship with head coach Dick Jauron, who has a strong say when determining the Bills' 53-man roster. Levy will take certain input from his personnel people but will usually follow the recommendations that come from Jauron and his coaching staff.

 

Since determining quarterback J.P. Losman is the future of this organization and a solid fit in offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild's system, the Bills were very aggressive in their spending that revolved around the offensive line that protects Losman. The Bills have struggled over the last few seasons in both the run and pass game as the line has failed to consistently protect the quarterback or create effective inside running lanes.

 

With the development of LT Jason Peters, who is the team's best offensive lineman, the Bills targeted both inside guard positions and right tackle as positions that needed to be upgraded. They were very active in the early stages with the additions of RT Langston Walker, guard Derrick Dockery and versatile backup Jason Whittle.

 

Although the Bills overpaid dearly for Dockery, he still made sense based on the going market and need for the position. The Bills will field a solid tandem on the left side of their offensive line to hopefully run behind effectively. However, Walker played on one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the NFL last season in Oakland. He is a massive offensive tackle with above-average athletic skills who has struggled in his development and with consistent performance throughout his career. Offensive line coach Jim McNally will have his work cut out for him with a high-dollar player that may be best suited in a backup role.

 

On top of that, the Bills traded away RB Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens for multiple draft picks due to a lack of consistency since 2004 season and his future salary demands. The Bills did re-sign Anthony Thomas this week, but he is a substantial drop-off in talent from McGahee. One of the main areas the Bills will need to address in the draft is the running back position.

 

Defensively, the Bills still have a lot of work to do in replacing RC Nate Clements and MLB London Fletcher-Baker. Baker was a highly productive inside player, while Clements was the Bills' No. 1 shut-down corner. Also, the Bills are quietly shopping starting LB Takeo Spikes, who struggled to play at a Pro Bowl level last season after overcoming a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2005. However, the Bills will need to continue to beef up the interior to try and improve a run defense that finished 28th in the league in 2006, allowing 140.9 yards a game.

 

The Bills have been very aggressive in their spending when acquiring and re-signing players. But has Levy made the right moves when investing money in future players who can get this franchise back on track and contending for the AFC East title? Only time will tell if the Bills made the right decisions, and next month's NFL draft will be critical to the Bills success in 2007.

 

Thanks for posting jri111 :devil: I do have to agree with the others, same blah blah blah

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I just pulled this from another thread, but I would like to send it as a response to the author of that article and to the brain trust at large at ESPN who has been hating on Buffalo's personell decisions this offseason:

 

"Everything I know about scouting, I learned from Marv Levy."

 

- Bill Polian

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"Anthony Thomas is a huge drop-off in talent from Willis McGahee" What is that comment based on? It can't be based on Willis' performance last season. Maybe it's because everyone at ESPN "says" Willis is real good.

 

PTR

Thomas will be a fine #1 RB. We could get Michael Bush as RB insurance. Good #2 RB.

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Me neither. Hopefully someone who's paid for it can get the entire article just like jri111.

 

haha, actually I love it! although ESPN doesn't give much love to the Bills and I find it as obnoxious and annoying as the next guy, Insider has its perks, ESPECIALLY leading up to the draft. I usually don't use it for the analysis/opinions, as much as the content/information aspect of it. It's also good for college sports and weekly scouting reports leading up to NFL sundays.

 

anyways, happy i can provide an article that doesn't say much!

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I'm telling you, these guys don't know as much about the Bills as a die hard local fan does. Obviously many locals have a hard time being objective, but we watch ALL the games (at least the ones we can get our hands on). These guys see a few games, but they rely on hearsay and other uninformed writers, thus you just kind of get retreaded opinions. After Marv was hired it was just the same. They don't really know what is happening here.

 

The market influences things too. Every year the Giants and the Cowboys are on the cusp of the Super Bowl. And then when they turn out to be average, it's said that they "underachieved". I know I didn't think either of those teams was gonna compete for the Super Bowl last season, did you?

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I'm telling you, these guys don't know as much about the Bills as a die hard local fan does. Obviously many locals have a hard time being objective, but we watch ALL the games (at least the ones we can get our hands on). These guys see a few games, but they rely on hearsay and other uninformed writers, thus you just kind of get retreaded opinions. After Marv was hired it was just the same. They don't really know what is happening here.

 

right, basically what happens is, this guy has a bunch of articles he needs to get done by deadline and one of them is about the Bills(?!?!). how accurate, or in touch with the pulse of the fans, would your article be if you had to get me a piece about the Carolina Panther's offseason by the end of tomorrow?

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Levy, Bills still have work to doposted: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry

filed under: Buffalo Bills

 

Although the Bills finished the 2006 season with a 7-9 record, there were high expectations for 2007 heading into the offseason. However, in looking at what the Bills have accomplished so far there should be concerns about second-year general manager Marv Levy as the organization's main decision maker.

Levy has a strong relationship with head coach Dick Jauron, who has a strong say when determining the Bills' 53-man roster. Levy will take certain input from his personnel people but will usually follow the recommendations that come from Jauron and his coaching staff.

 

Since determining quarterback J.P. Losman is the future of this organization and a solid fit in offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild's system, the Bills were very aggressive in their spending that revolved around the offensive line that protects Losman. The Bills have struggled over the last few seasons in both the run and pass game as the line has failed to consistently protect the quarterback or create effective inside running lanes.

 

With the development of LT Jason Peters, who is the team's best offensive lineman, the Bills targeted both inside guard positions and right tackle as positions that needed to be upgraded. They were very active in the early stages with the additions of RT Langston Walker, guard Derrick Dockery and versatile backup Jason Whittle.

 

Although the Bills overpaid dearly for Dockery, he still made sense based on the going market and need for the position. The Bills will field a solid tandem on the left side of their offensive line to hopefully run behind effectively. However, Walker played on one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the NFL last season in Oakland. He is a massive offensive tackle with above-average athletic skills who has struggled in his development and with consistent performance throughout his career. Offensive line coach Jim McNally will have his work cut out for him with a high-dollar player that may be best suited in a backup role.

 

On top of that, the Bills traded away RB Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens for multiple draft picks due to a lack of consistency since 2004 season and his future salary demands. The Bills did re-sign Anthony Thomas this week, but he is a substantial drop-off in talent from McGahee. One of the main areas the Bills will need to address in the draft is the running back position.

 

Defensively, the Bills still have a lot of work to do in replacing RC Nate Clements and MLB London Fletcher-Baker. Baker was a highly productive inside player, while Clements was the Bills' No. 1 shut-down corner. Also, the Bills are quietly shopping starting LB Takeo Spikes, who struggled to play at a Pro Bowl level last season after overcoming a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2005. However, the Bills will need to continue to beef up the interior to try and improve a run defense that finished 28th in the league in 2006, allowing 140.9 yards a game.

 

The Bills have been very aggressive in their spending when acquiring and re-signing players. But has Levy made the right moves when investing money in future players who can get this franchise back on track and contending for the AFC East title? Only time will tell if the Bills made the right decisions, and next month's NFL draft will be critical to the Bills success in 2007.

Hell i coulda wrote that crap.

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