A Few Thoughts About The Game (and the season)

[Shanahan's Horseshoe]

I know this is not a pile on Donte post but it is official...HE IS A BUST! Wasn't this supposed to be his year? Hopefully he will keep his mouth shut now! He is a mediocre saftey and that is it!

 

Trent is an enigma. I'd like the Bills to get him some VETERAN help at WR and TE and hire an OC who knows what the F*CK they are doing!

 

Well said about Dockery, he plays like he is going out after the game and doesn't want to take a shower!

 

The last thing I will say is that MARV LEVY ruined the most recent version of this team! Terrible drafts, Free agents and coaches! Thanks Marv, you proved you suck with and without talent!

[Dan]

We can blame Peters today, too...right?

We can always blame Peters!

 

Seriously, though, it would be nice to see the guy finish a season. For as much grief as some of the other guys on the line get, at least they're on the field earning their paycheck for a full season. Pay him or not, I hardly care at this point. But, he's definitely got a screwed up attitude that makes me question his desire.

 

Bill calls Dockery out in the OP. But, does anyone stop to consider that maybe Dockery's play is affected because our Pro Bowl LT is on the side line again.

[toddgurley]

Trent Edwards is an average QB at best. And will never being anything better than average. I thought he played horribly today and has NO leadership skills/abilities.

 

 

Are you serious? I thought trent played well considering the wind and our terrible "Vanilla" playcalling!! I am not saying trent is the answer to our QB problem, but consider this: Trent was 11-5 is his first 16 starts (between last year and this beginning of this year) and that is with the terrible Dick Jauron-

[No QB - No Bueno]

I got a hoot when Dierdorf said that Shon-te was 'one of the hardest hitters in the league'. Do any of the announcers actually watch tape before uttering cliches about players they know nothing about?

[Huuuge Bills]

We can always blame Peters!

 

Seriously, though, it would be nice to see the guy finish a season. For as much grief as some of the other guys on the line get, at least they're on the field earning their paycheck for a full season. Pay him or not, I hardly care at this point. But, he's definitely got a screwed up attitude that makes me question his desire.

 

Bill calls Dockery out in the OP. But, does anyone stop to consider that maybe Dockery's play is affected because our Pro Bowl LT is on the side line again.

 

Did you see the replays of the sacks? Dockery was flat out beat on both of them. Chambers had his man locked up while dokery let Green fly by him. Not to mention later in the game when some backup did the same and hit Trent when he released the ball.

[john]

Obviously you are not getting MY point. Do you think that all the losses over the years were mostly the fault of JP? That everyone, the coaches included, played beyond reproach, only to by brought-down by JP? Yet "given the circumstances" today, Trent's performance can be excused?

 

And my initial response wasn't directed at you: it was directed at the thread starter, Bill, who's been railing on JP for the past year and giving Trent a free pass. But the sad truth is that Trent is NOT a better QB, and has injury problems. I am not comfortable with the Bills going into next season with him as the undisputed starter. Are you? Is anyone else? Because that's what we may be seeing, since drafting someone high or signing a proven vet might "hurt his feelings."

 

I am more comfortable with Trent as the starter then with JP. Trent still deserves more time to show what he can do. JP has had more then enough time and has not gotten better, but has stayed the same or perhaps regressed as he has gotten more playing time. Your issue with durability is warrented I think but if we address the O.line (center, gaurd) I do believe you will see Trent taking a lot fewer hits.

[The Senator]

2) Given the circumstances.....

 

The 'circumstances' being that, basically, he sucks?

 

...I thought that Trent played pretty well today.

 

Really???? And do his farts smell like roses, too?

[Dan]

Did you see the replays of the sacks? Dockery was flat out beat on both of them. Chambers had his man locked up while dokery let Green fly by him. Not to mention later in the game when some backup did the same and hit Trent when he released the ball.

All I'm saying is Dockery played better than Peters did today. I'm not suggesting Dockery is great or anything, just noting that for as bad as he may have looked at times, at least he was out there. Peters, once again, ends the season on the bench asking for more money.

[BuffaloBill]

Trent Edwards is an average QB at best. And will never being anything better than average. I thought he played horribly today and has NO leadership skills/abilities.

 

 

He showed no leadership today. I hate to admit it but I believe you are correct. He may be a winner on a team with a vastly superior defense and a west coast offense. He does not have the smarts and the arm to play in Buffalo conditions. He looked bewildered today .... again.

[Bluto55]

Trent Edwards is an average QB at best. And will never being anything better than average. I thought he played horribly today and has NO leadership skills/abilities.

 

Average at best is correct. He just looked so much more under control than JP that we saw more than was really there.

[toddgurley]

You nailed it!

 

 

you cant just compare edwards numbers vs cassels. We ran the ball very well, and the playcalling was the main difference. Bellicheat knows how to call a game, and once again out coached Dick Mauron (jauron)

[No QB - No Bueno]

Also, the Bills have to have the worst set of starting linebackers in the league. Ellison is routinely mauled. Mitchell takes plays off or suspends pursuit without being blocked. and though I'm willing to give Poz a pass for another year, he looks unexplosive if not downright unathletic.

[Huuuge Bills]

All I'm saying is Dockery played better than Peters did today. I'm not suggesting Dockery is great or anything, just noting that for as bad as he may have looked at times, at least he was out there. Peters, once again, ends the season on the bench asking for more money.

 

Well we can agree on that.

[Sisyphean Bills]

We can blame Peters today, too...right?

Don't forget Sully!

[John Adams]

At some point in the season, I decided to make my comments in your "Thoughts" thread so thanks for it. I count on this thread to have most of the important topics covered.

 

RE Peters. I continue to find Peters overrated. Chambers played well in EVERY game he played for Peters, which I think was 4. That isn't me running Peters out of Buffalo, but I saw enough of his awful play--especially stupid plays--to remain unconvinced that he's worth top dollar. Is he good? Yes. Great? No. The biggest reason I want him to get a contract extension is continuity.

 

RE Dockery. He's junk. If he wasn't under such an onerous contract, I'd say cut him now.

 

RE Jackson. At some point in the season, I said he was a better RB than Lynch. By that I don't mean that he's as strong, just that he's smarter hitting the holes and makes himself small and hard to hit. If I was running the Bills, I'd try to do everything I could to make room for him.

 

RE Edwards. It was an up and down year. I don't blame him for all the bad plays; clearly Schonert blows. That said, he had some poor moments too. In all, I think he earned the right to be the unequivocal 2009 starter. For those who think he stinks because he never attempts a downfield pass, remember that even when JP played, there were no downfield plays, and we all know JP loves to throw deep. Blame the play-calling.

 

RE off-season. Priorities, in this order:

 

COACH

Center,

at least one pass-rushing DE,

Guard (to replace or at least drive--haha--Dockery)

a bigger WR

...

Those are the biggies, after that, I'd say

 

re-sign Jackson

a good MLB

DT (though Kyle Williams can stay as backup...he has his moments),

a TE (they are hard to come by so who knows if there will be any),

a veteran backup QB,

a FB.

[DCBongo]

You are new here (and by the way, welcome!).

 

A huge amount of his posts are JP excuse filled tales of Losman woe. It is as if he loves JP, amd hates anybody else. I assure you that he is sure that JP wll turn into a good, if not great qb. some day.

 

That was me with Rob Johnson.

 

Don't beat youeself anymore for RJ, many of us drank that kool-aid

[PearlHowardman]

So, one guy has shown he's not a fit for this team, while the other has shown glimpses @ the outset of the season (when we played some of the worst teams in the league) before tanking once we began division play. Sorry, William, but I'm not excited 'bout either QB @ the moment. I'm just hoping they get things turned 'round so that we don't go an entire decade w/out a playoff spot.

 

Hey! You nailed it, too!

[RShirley]

6) Oh.....My.....God.....You guys might think that you saw Donte Whitner getting knocked on his ass, but you are wrong. That was me, and symbolically, all of you getting your ba!!s kicked in by Dick Levy. That play represented exactly what posters have been screaming about for 2 years. This is the player that Dick Levy spurned extra picks for, and passed on very good players that they needed far more. What a freaking nightmare! I mean, this was Sammy Morris, not Earl Campbell. When message board posters know far more about building a team than the coach and GM, things are pretty f ing bleak. I guess we will simply suck as long as Ralph owns the team.

 

His shoulder must have been bothering him on that particular play.........the Whitner apologists are don't have much of leg to stand on anymore.

[UConn James]

Chris Kelsay.

 

When the man got into the backfield this year, he almost made plays. Always a finger's grasp away from getting a hold of a QB's foot (before he throws for a gainer) or latching onto a RBs arm (before he hits the hole created by the DE being on the ground).

 

The only success he's seen in this league hasn't been by anything he actively did, rather than what fell in his lap.

 

If he is not an early June salary-cap cut, be prepared for another year of no pressure on opposing QBs.

[john]

He showed no leadership today. I hate to admit it but I believe you are correct. He may be a winner on a team with a vastly superior defense and a west coast offense. He does not have the smarts and the arm to play in Buffalo conditions. He looked bewildered today .... again.

 

 

not saying that the media and 'experts' know more about football then we do (not like they have insider information or playing experience or anything) but did you catch Cower and Boomer talking about Edwards before the start of the Jets/Dolphins game? Cower says Trent threw the ball with zip into the wind and looked more comfortable out there in those conditions then he did late last season and Boomer said that Edwards has shown more then enough in only his 2nd season and that adding maybe one more playmaker along with better coaching/game plan and he wouldn't be surprised if he is one of the best young qb's in a season or two. just for what it's worth...

[VOR]

RE Edwards. It was an up and down year. I don't blame him for all the bad plays; clearly Schonert blows. That said, he had some poor moments too. In all, I think he earned the right to be the unequivocal 2009 starter. For those who think he stinks because he never attempts a downfield pass, remember that even when JP played, there were no downfield plays, and we all know JP loves to throw deep. Blame the play-calling.

 

"Unequivocal starter?" NFW man.

[Dan]

Well we can agree on that.

[Huuuge Bills]

At some point in the season, I decided to make my comments in your "Thoughts" thread so thanks for it. I count on this thread to have most of the important topics covered.

 

RE Peters. I continue to find Peters overrated. Chambers played well in EVERY game he played for Peters, which I think was 4. That isn't me running Peters out of Buffalo, but I saw enough of his awful play--especially stupid plays--to remain unconvinced that he's worth top dollar. Is he good? Yes. Great? No. The biggest reason I want him to get a contract extension is continuity.

 

RE Dockery. He's junk. If he wasn't under such an onerous contract, I'd say cut him now.

 

RE Jackson. At some point in the season, I said he was a better RB than Lynch. By that I don't mean that he's as strong, just that he's smarter hitting the holes and makes himself small and hard to hit. If I was running the Bills, I'd try to do everything I could to make room for him.

 

RE Edwards. It was an up and down year. I don't blame him for all the bad plays; clearly Schonert blows. That said, he had some poor moments too. In all, I think he earned the right to be the unequivocal 2009 starter. For those who think he stinks because he never attempts a downfield pass, remember that even when JP played, there were no downfield plays, and we all know JP loves to throw deep. Blame the play-calling.

 

RE off-season. Priorities, in this order:

 

COACH

Center,

at least one pass-rushing DE,

Guard (to replace or at least drive--haha--Dockery)

...

Those are the biggies, after that, I'd say

 

re-sign Jackson

a good MLB

DT (though Kyle Williams can stay as backup...he has his moments),

a TE (they are hard to come by so who knows if there will be any),

a veteran backup QB,

a FB.

 

Perfect post, the only problem I see is re-signing Jackson. He's probably going to get some good offers, and since we don't seem to use him as much as we should, I doubt he wants to be back. (even if we payed him what he's worth.)

[VJ91]

4) Allow me to extend an olive branch to those who blindly worshipped Losman. The fact is that he is finally gone, and it wouldn't be a bad thing to support the guy who is, and will continue to be the starting quarterback of your favorite football team. Besides, the kid is good.

 

Someone blindly worshipped J.P. Losman?? Who? And Why?? I do agree Edwards is a good young quarterback though. And I agree that Freddy Jackson is a warrior with tens times the heart of Dockery, Walker and Royal. Duke Preston is just a stupid talentless football player who tries hard. (How about that temper tantrum that allowed the clock to run down on the Pats 10 yard line at the end of the half?) What's up with Poz? This being his real rookie season, I hope the kid stops over-pursuing every single running play next year with a season under his belt.

 

Of course I could go on and on, but what's the use? Three years after the great Donahoe purge, I honestly believe the Bills are in worse shape today. They need a back up QB, up to 3 starting O-Lineman with strength and ambition, the pass rushing DE that all of Bills nation is screaming for, a free safety and better depth at just about every freakin' postion.

 

Finally, I don't care that Ralph is 90, and that Donahoe burned him, and that his trusted friend Levy "helped" him take back control for a couple years, or that he hand-picked young Russ Brandon to over-see his management committee. The man should suck it up and hire a good experienced football man again and step back and just watch from his luxury box, during his twilight years.

[Golden Wheels]

6) Oh.....My.....God.....You guys might think that you saw Donte Whitner getting knocked on his ass, but you are wrong. That was me, and symbolically, all of you getting your ba!!s kicked in by Dick Levy. That play represented exactly what posters have been screaming about for 2 years. This is the player that Dick Levy spurned extra picks for, and passed on very good players that they needed far more. What a freaking nightmare! I mean, this was Sammy Morris, not Earl Campbell. When message board posters know far more about building a team than the coach and GM, things are pretty f ing bleak. I guess we will simply suck as long as Ralph owns the team.

 

But we are supposed to feel sorry for Donte because he was playing with a sore shoulder. Please disregard the fact that it was Sammy bleeping Morris and that every player is banged up by the end of the season.

[The Dean]

Average at best is correct. He just looked so much more under control than JP that we saw more than was really there.

 

 

Trent is not, yet, an average STARTING NFL QB...but he is young and poorly coached. He has a real chance to improve. But, let's not pretend is playing at the level of an average starting NFL QB, yet.

[UConn James]

Trent had a bit of a sophomore slump in the mid-season. He needs to play his way out of it, just like Brady did, just like both Mannings did, etc. He's kept in there, got us a W last week, played about as well as you can (with what he had to work with. See: Turk? ) today....

 

By far, TE is not the biggest problem on this team / in this organization. Next year is pretty critical for him, tho.

[Sisyphean Bills]

not saying that the media and 'experts' know more about football then we do (not like they have insider information or playing experience or anything) but did you catch Cower and Boomer talking about Edwards before the start of the Jets/Dolphins game? Cower says Trent threw the ball with zip into the wind and looked more comfortable out there in those conditions then he did late last season and Boomer said that Edwards has shown more then enough in only his 2nd season and that adding maybe one more playmaker along with better coaching/game plan and he wouldn't be surprised if he is one of the best young qb's in a season or two. just for what it's worth...

Still, that's not a reason to have no competition at the position.

[WellDressed]

27 carries by a Buffalo Bills RB. This should happen when it's sunny, 65 degrees and zero wind.

 

To those running this institution, its medication time!!!!!

[dave mcbride]

Thanks, Bill. I was so furious at Dockery on that first sack. The effort was terrible, and he gave the QB simply no chance. No chance. A QB has to have faith that his 50 million dollar guard can at least act as a speedbump against a backup (which is what Jarvis Green is). Dockery did it again too!

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Trent had a bit of a sophomore slump in the mid-season. He needs to play his way out of it, just like Brady did, just like both Mannings did, etc. He's kept in there, got us a W last week, played about as well as you can (with what he had to work with. See: Turk? ) today....

 

By far, TE is not the biggest problem on this team / in this organization. Next year is pretty critical for him, tho.

TE's had his chance. Being in a veteran.

[34-78-83]

not saying that the media and 'experts' know more about football then we do (not like they have insider information or playing experience or anything) but did you catch Cower and Boomer talking about Edwards before the start of the Jets/Dolphins game? Cower says Trent threw the ball with zip into the wind and looked more comfortable out there in those conditions then he did late last season and Boomer said that Edwards has shown more then enough in only his 2nd season and that adding maybe one more playmaker along with better coaching/game plan and he wouldn't be surprised if he is one of the best young qb's in a season or two. just for what it's worth...

 

They do know more... A ton more

Well atleast those two guys do.

[spartacus]

Seriously? Considering the circumstances, Cassel played well today. If JP played the same game as Trent today, you would be ripping him a new one.

 

For what it's worth (quite a bit, to me), Trent didn't play scared today, as he did last year in terrible weather. He did not play well, though. Zero points doesn't = "pretty well" any way you slice it.

 

 

While Levy is far too old to coach in the NFL, IMO, he would be a significant upgrade over Jauron. Levy never SUCKED has a HC.

 

maybe he will bring Walt Corey as his DC.

 

Walt did suck as DC and it was Marv who did not fire him

[StupidNation]

Seriously? Considering the circumstances, Cassel played well today. If JP played the same game as Trent today, you would be ripping him a new one.

 

For what it's worth (quite a bit, to me), Trent didn't play scared today, as he did last year in terrible weather. He did not play well, though. Zero points doesn't = "pretty well" any way you slice it.

 

 

While Levy is far too old to coach in the NFL, IMO, he would be a significant upgrade over Jauron. Levy never SUCKED has a HC.

 

I think you are upset because he pis*ed in your Dante Whitner flakes. Edwards played good and if Whitner played half as good who knows he would average 2 INTs and 5 PDs a year.

[Stenbar]

again all I can do is scratch my head and wonder where the logic is in your reasoning. Trent didn't keep the Bills from winning today. The coaching staff dialing up the conservative game in the 3rd quarter while the Bills had the damn wind is the biggest reason the bills failed to score points today. Do you honestly think any other quarterback running the same damn play calls today from our little league coaches could have won this game? WOW

Their logic is skewerd by their man love of JP..He must have a big one....I for one would love to have seen more from Edwards this yr..Regardless he was a hell of a lot better than Losman, as much as I think Edwards will be a pretty good qb if they fired Jauron and the New headcoach brought his man into qb I wouldnt mind as long as he produced wins..I dont want to hear its gonna screw up the conitnuity of the team either..Just look at the fins continuity..Screw continuity give me wins..

[The Dean]

I think you are upset because he pis*ed in your Dante Whitner flakes. Edwards played good and if Whitner played half as good who knows he would average 2 INTs and 5 PDs a year.

 

 

 

Another idiot who thinks ZERO points is a good outing for a QB. Well done.

[VOR]

Another idiot who thinks ZERO points is a good outing for a QB. Well done.

 

He's not called "StupidNation" for no reason.

[The Dean]

He's not called "StupidNation" for no reason.

 

 

One of the worst posters EVER. Not a clue about anything, it seems.

[billybob]

1. Dockery is a dog - Preston, Fowler, and Butler are just not good enough to be starters

 

2. DEs Denny is ok as a backup - so is Kelsay if he took a huge pay cut - I'd be nice if we could trick someone and get a player or 3rd round pick for Schobel

 

3. DTs I like Stroud, Williams would be ok as a backup and I have no Idea whats up with McCargo- Spencer Johnson gets blown up

 

4. The draft - the Bills would of done better these last 6 years with their first and second round picks - if they just followed Draft guides or Fan Mock drafts.

[Adam]

The jury is out on Whitner and Pozluzny- I cut them slack. After all, I could beat out Kevin Williams, Ryan Denney and Chris Kelsay. You have to have guys in front of you to make plays. Stroud must get lonely being the only guy up front.

 

We could cut every offensive lineman other than Peters for all I care,