Do We Have a Better Team Now than at the End of 2008 ?

[Adam]

Hangartner may turn out to be a find- at the least, he will be better than Preston or Fowler, that is guaranteed- and that should help the interior of our OL. Wood and Levitre don't have the strength or power to fuel a running game, nor the mobility to consistently zone block. For all the support that Walker received here, he couldn't retain the starting LT spot over a Jason Peters that came back after missing camp and several games. Peters was thrust into the lime up, simply because he is a better player than Walker. Now, last year's third string OT is forced to play- weakening both the starting lineup and the bench. I don't want to hear about Demetrius Bell either......talk to me when he has done something.

 

Defensively, Stroud is still our only DT......you need 4. Williams is a scrappy player, but not impressive at all. McCargo needs to show the promise that we thought he has a year ago. I was very displeased with the Maybin pick- I feel his is another overated Big-10 player, like Gholston was last year. Schobel at his best isn't a franchise-type DE, but isn't the reason we aren't good. Aside from Stroud, our DL is very blah.

 

I think Owens adds quite a bit to our skill position area- he could open up the middle, which would allow the smaller Evans to go inside on routes more often without taking a pounding for it. Reed could benefit as well, with things being loosened up in the short, over-the-middle game. It falls on Edwards to get them the ball, and I don't have a ton of confidence in him- particularly since I think he will be hammered a lot.

 

Overall, I think we have taken a step back on both sides of the ball and have a tougher schedule.

[VOR]

Hangartner may turn out to be a find- at the least, he will be better than Preston or Fowler, that is guaranteed- and that should help the interior of our OL. Wood and Levitre don't have the strength or power to fuel a running game, nor the mobility to consistently zone block. For all the support that Walker received here, he couldn't retain the starting LT spot over a Jason Peters that came back after missing camp and several games. Peters was thrust into the lime up, simply because he is a better player than Walker. Now, last year's third string OT is forced to play- weakening both the starting lineup and the bench. I don't want to hear about Demetrius Bell either......talk to me when he has done something.

 

Defensively, Stroud is still our only DT......you need 4. Williams is a scrappy player, but not impressive at all. McCargo needs to show the promise that we thought he has a year ago. I was very displeased with the Maybin pick- I feel his is another overated Big-10 player, like Gholston was last year. Schobel at his best isn't a franchise-type DE, but isn't the reason we aren't good. Aside from Stroud, our DL is very blah.

 

I think Owens adds quite a bit to our skill position area- he could open up the middle, which would allow the smaller Evans to go inside on routes more often without taking a pounding for it. Reed could benefit as well, with things being loosened up in the short, over-the-middle game. It falls on Edwards to get them the ball, and I don't have a ton of confidence in him- particularly since I think he will be hammered a lot.

 

Overall, I think we have taken a step back on both sides of the ball and have a tougher schedule.

How do you figure the Bills have taken a step back on the defensive side of the ball? Who did they lose, outside of Greer, who missed 6 games last year and with the Bills adding more DB's, and Crowell, who didn't play at all? They'll get Schobel back, Ellison will get a full off-season and training camp as the starter (instead of being thrust into the role just days before the season starts), they have great depth now in the secondary, added a 1st round pass-rusher, and have a new DL coach.

 

Even on offense, again using my worst-case scenario, the Bills have Butler and Walker at their old positions, have Hangman at center, a promising rookie starting at LG, and Chambers or Bell at LT, with some help. They lost Peters at LT, and he surrendered 12 sacks while not giving a damn for most of the season. The addition of TO and Rhodes are huge and help the O-line out a lot.

[Adam]

How do you figure the Bills have taken a step back on the defensive side of the ball? Who did they lose, outside of Greer, who missed 6 games last year and with the Bills adding more DB's, and Crowell, who didn't play at all? They'll get Schobel back, Ellison will get a full off-season and training camp as the starter (instead of being thrust into the role just days before the season starts), they have great depth now in the secondary, added a 1st round pass-rusher, and have a new DL coach.

 

Even on offense, again using my worst-case scenario, the Bills have Butler and Walker at their old positions, have Hangman at center, a promising rookie starting at LG, and Chambers or Bell at LT, with some help. They lost Peters at LT, and he surrendered 12 sacks while not giving a damn for most of the season. The addition of TO and Rhodes are huge and help the O-line out a lot.

Losing Greer is bigger than people want to believe......we don't know what the rookies are yet, and it elevates people into roles they otherwise wouldn't have held. We did not move forward on defense- therefore, I feel we have taken a step back- DT was a strong position in the draft and we should have taken somebody to place next to Stroud. You can only scheme around a bad DL so much......

 

Walker and Chambers aren't good enough at OT. With a full training camp, Peters will look much better this season.

[VOR]

Losing Greer is bigger than people want to believe......we don't know what the rookies are yet, and it elevates people into roles they otherwise wouldn't have held. We did not move forward on defense- therefore, I feel we have taken a step back- DT was a strong position in the draft and we should have taken somebody to place next to Stroud. You can only scheme around a bad DL so much......

 

Walker and Chambers aren't good enough at OT. With a full training camp, Peters will look much better this season.

So losing Greer, a guy who missed over a third of the season last year and who was going to be replaced in the starting lineup anyway, will lead to the defense being no better, yet it will take a step backwards ( ), and Schobel coming back, Ellison getting starting reps throughout, and the addition of Sanders mean nothing?

 

As for Peters looking better, Mike Gandy was the starting LT for the Cards, and the Bills dumped him in favor of Peters. Obviously he was adequate enough at LT for them, and the Bills have talent on the order of the Cardinals now.

[mrags]

So losing Greer, a guy who missed over a third of the season last year and who was going to be replaced in the starting lineup anyway, will lead to the defense being no better, yet it will take a step backwards ( ), and Schobel coming back, Ellison getting starting reps throughout, and the addition of Sanders mean nothing?

 

As for Peters looking better, Mike Gandy was the starting LT for the Cards, and the Bills dumped him in favor of Peters. Obviously he was adequate enough at LT for them, and the Bills have talent on the order of the Cardinals now.

 

I agree, Greer wouldnt have been a starter over McKelvin this year anyway.

 

As much as I think Schobel is over rated he will be here and healthy (unless he has another injury) and that is a bonus over last year. Maybin may not be what everyone is hoping for, but hes a young guy that has a ton of speed and could assist in the sack dept. If not, that means that Schobel and Kelsey are back to the form they were in 2 years ago when Schobel went to the pro-bowl.

 

I might dislike Ellison even more than Schobel, but with a full offseason, mini camp, otas, training camp and pre-season under his belt he might show us fans that he belongs on the field. At the least he shouldnt get worse.

 

Williams, McCargo, and Johnson will all have another year together, and hopefully under Sanders they will be better. If anything else I dont see them getting any worse.

 

Back to the OL issue. Worst case scenario Handgartner is equal to Fowler and Preston. Butler sucks at RT and they move Walker back and plug in anyone else at LT (cant be worse than giving up 12 sacks which happened to be the most by any starting LT in the league in 08). Wood and Levitre should both be upgrades to guys like Dockery and Chambers. If they arent then we are in serious trouble.

 

T.O. absolutely opens things up for the entire offense which has had another year together, and Trent is in his make or break year.

 

We might have the best RB group in the league this season, and we might have a top 5 WR group.

 

I can understand someone not being overly excited at a newly assembled offensive line but they cant be much worse than they were last year. It must be all the twinkie cream that is going to everyones head now that they are able to buy them again since Peters left town.

 

In all Id say our defense stayed the same or got better, our offense (with the exception of the line) got better, and our OL is a big maybe but shouldnt be as bad as they were last year. Id also like to point out that the line changes so close to the beginning of the season most likely hurt their chemistry. With everyone working together from the beginning of camp, things should be much smother.

[Adam]

I agree, Greer wouldnt have been a starter over McKelvin this year anyway.

 

As much as I think Schobel is over rated he will be here and healthy (unless he has another injury) and that is a bonus over last year. Maybin may not be what everyone is hoping for, but hes a young guy that has a ton of speed and could assist in the sack dept. If not, that means that Schobel and Kelsey are back to the form they were in 2 years ago when Schobel went to the pro-bowl.

 

I might dislike Ellison even more than Schobel, but with a full offseason, mini camp, otas, training camp and pre-season under his belt he might show us fans that he belongs on the field. At the least he shouldnt get worse.

 

Williams, McCargo, and Johnson will all have another year together, and hopefully under Sanders they will be better. If anything else I dont see them getting any worse.

 

Back to the OL issue. Worst case scenario Handgartner is equal to Fowler and Preston. Butler sucks at RT and they move Walker back and plug in anyone else at LT (cant be worse than giving up 12 sacks which happened to be the most by any starting LT in the league in 08). Wood and Levitre should both be upgrades to guys like Dockery and Chambers. If they arent then we are in serious trouble.

 

T.O. absolutely opens things up for the entire offense which has had another year together, and Trent is in his make or break year.

 

We might have the best RB group in the league this season, and we might have a top 5 WR group.

 

I can understand someone not being overly excited at a newly assembled offensive line but they cant be much worse than they were last year. It must be all the twinkie cream that is going to everyones head now that they are able to buy them again since Peters left town.

 

In all Id say our defense stayed the same or got better, our offense (with the exception of the line) got better, and our OL is a big maybe but shouldnt be as bad as they were last year. Id also like to point out that the line changes so close to the beginning of the season most likely hurt their chemistry. With everyone working together from the beginning of camp, things should be much smother.

Looking at the offensive line- without comparing it to last years, it doesn't look capable of producing much at this level. I expect running backs and quarterbacks to get hit in the backfield and struggle to make plays. Defensively, I don't like our line much either. I expect a turnover ratio to be in the -5 to -10 range.

 

Our skill players will be ok, but they need blocking to produce- we play in a very tough division. Miami and New England are the top two teams. New York doesn't have the flash we do at the RB and WR spots, but they are a lot grittier than we are along the line. Toughness wins games.

[VOR]

Looking at the offensive line- without comparing it to last years, it doesn't look capable of producing much at this level. I expect running backs and quarterbacks to get hit in the backfield and struggle to make plays. Defensively, I don't like our line much either. I expect a turnover ratio to be in the -5 to -10 range.

 

Our skill players will be ok, but they need blocking to produce- we play in a very tough division. Miami and New England are the top two teams. New York doesn't have the flash we do at the RB and WR spots, but they are a lot grittier than we are along the line. Toughness wins games.

They haven't required good blocking in the past, why should this year be any different?

[Billistic]

They haven't required good blocking in the past, why should this year be any different?

 

Agree. 7-9, 6-10, 5-11, team - why waste any good blocking?

[VOR]

Agree. 7-9, 6-10, 5-11, team - why waste any good blocking?

Yep. Forget the blocking and load-up on the "skill position" players.

[Amid Turmoyle]

Yep. Forget the blocking and load-up on the "skill position" players.

 

YES !

 

Hamgartner is the experienced vet and is an upgrade over last year.

Lavitra should be a plus at best and even at worser.

Wood is the same as anyone last yr. He's also being groomed for the center job and throwing him at a position(G) that doesn't yell line calls is perfect for a hungry rook.

If this team can run more than last year's then, yes, it's better than last yrs.

Walker and Butler could be the type of tackles that make the running better. And, I can't see them equaling last yrs. 'Sacks Allowed' catagory.

 

We all will know in the 1st series of downs in the 'HALL' game.