thewildrabbit

As do I, as do I. Steve Tasker wasn't just a special teams player that got noticed. Just like all the kick returners over the years, or all the kickers. Lil Stevie was a "gunner", meaning he lined up outside the formation to be the first one down to try and tackle the KR, PR. What made Tasker so special is that at 5'9'' 183 lbs he was a tackling terror that needed to be accounted for on every opponents kick off, punt return. Then you need to realize the guy was usually double teamed at the line, and he still beat those blocks to run down the field and be the first to tackle the ball carrier. He was also a feared hitter as his hits would cause a fumble. Tasker was the very first player to be recognized as a star at his position while not being a kick returner = punt returner. Which at that time was unheard of! Seven pro bowls, and the only special teamer to be named the MVP of the pro bowl. Whats really sad about this is that Tasker was listed on the depth chart as a wire receiver and was so good as a receiver that in his later years when the Bills needed an extra WR on the field. That Steve reminded me so much like Wes Welker as he caught everything thrown to him, and made plays. Tasker was just so valuable to the team as a "gunner" that he didn't play WR very often. He caught 5 passes for 108 yards in a playoff game against the Dolphins. What makes me as a Bills fan love this guy is the fact that a lot of NFL receivers are big mouth jerks who always want the ball thrown to them, and openly say as much. Tasker unselfishly stayed as a "gunner", and didn't demand more playing time as a receiver. Kelly wanted Tasker as a receiver and Levy wouldn't let him. In 2011 Tasker was a semifinalist in balloting for the Pro Football HoF. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkb13w4fpuE If ya still don't "billeve", the kid could change the fortune of the game in an instant. A blocked punt in the SB, and he often ran reverses, caught passes. Just go to youtube, and type in "Steve Tasker highlights" or Steve Tasker pt 4 The Receiver/Reverse Runner and watch!

I'd even add Bama OT Cyrus Kouandjio into the mix. At 6'6'' 310 I think he compares to Fluker taken at #11 by the Chargers last year, and look what that upgrade did for the San Diego O line last year compared to the 2012 season. I consider the guy as the best run blocker in this years draft. Plus, Cyrus only allowed 1.5 sacks in 335 pass attempts and played especially well against Arkansas DE Chris Smith in October. At this time he isn't that highly regarded in most mock drafts. My take is that he will move up on many boards after the combine

Well, first of all the Bills had penciled Chris Hairston in at RT in training camp before he suffered a injury. Then he suffered another undisclosed injury that put him on IR for the year. If you can't fathom the difference between a top tackle and Eric Pears, and don't think that Manning could have utilized a top player at RT or why the Bills RT position needs a top upgrade, then any further comments I make will probably be wasted. However, I honestly can't fault you tho because the entire Bills org seems to have those same thoughts for years. Like I already said, Me personally, I love watching an O line dominate in a game. The meaner and the nastier the better, and I don't mean Richie Incognito "stupid nasty". I mean a Kent Hull mauler type nasty. You may have loved watching Kelly throwing to Reed, and or Thurman breaking it for a big run. I loved watching Hull, Wolford, and Ritcher open holes for Thurman so big that you could drive a car thru them, and those holes were in playoff games against top teams. I'll be completely honest here, in my opinion even that great O line of the 90's could have been more dominate on that right side. It may not have been that big a factor in the first SB against the Giants. It certainly did come into play for the next three. In summation, the biggest reason I've been touting about building the O line with first and second round picks is mostly because it appears that nobody this entire org...."obviously" cannot discern the difference between a Colin Brown- Sam Young, and a decent player.

The Bills website stated that Marrone likes the 3 new waiver wire scrubs that Whaley picked up this season after they cut Brown & Young, and he thinks they will be good players. So I'm not holding my breath waiting for this regime to grow a brain anytime soon. Sure they are, its just they don't get the notoriety because they don't touch the ball very often. I would think Peyton Manning would have loved to have had a "difference maker" RT. The Seahawks only blitzed 6 out of 51 of Manning's drop backs. This tells me his line didn't hold up very well at all.

Perhaps that "smart" remark was a tad miss-directed to only the coaching staff. It seems like an edict has been set by the Bills FO to shy away from more then one or two top O linemen since the Jim Kelly days. But then, don't forget that Marrone went into this season after having been on the field personally coaching - tutoring those O linemen only to find they all regressed, save Glenn. Plus the LG situation totally blew up in their face. How does an ex NFL O lineman- ex NFL O line coach, ex NFL OC miss how bad Colin Brown and Sam Young were going to be last season? I mean doesn't that great Bills D line with 3 pro bowlers on it ever practice against their own O line, or do they prance around in Ballerina dresses in practice? How much confidence do you now have in Marrone in evaluating O line talent in something other then a 1st or 2nd round draft choice? I say scrubs because they are scrubs! Picked up directly off the waiver wire! Players who weren't good enough to even be backups on other teams. Legurski-Pears-Urbik. They worked well somewhat under Gailey because of the scheme he ran. All three of those players graded in the red against the Patriots in that last game. I mean if they can't play well against the teams biggest rival then WTF good are they? The Bills were the #2 rushing team in the NFL last season, 16th in run blocking, and yet #28 in pass blocking. This year 30th in the NFL in QB hits allowed with 108. 29th in sacks allowed with 48. READ THIS! ... https://www.profootb...elusive-rating/ Both Spiller & Jackson make that run game work so well, and it would have been even better had Spiller not had a killer high ankle sprain early in the season. Just think, what would that current Bills O line would look like going up against that Seahawks defense...exactly!

Lets not forget that the Giants D line gave ole Tommy a hard time in both games, as they held the Patriots to 14 pts in 2007 & 17 pts in 2011. As good as that Patriot O line usually is it wasn't good enough in either game, as Brady was under constant pressure. I'm happy that Bill Bilcheat isn't smart enough to figure that out, and sad at the same time because the Bills have been clueless about the O line for 17 years.

The Bills had Dan Marino's number, and after talking with the players it was because they studied his every move. So they knew what he was going to do before he did it. This is great coaching and film study IMO. Anyway .... http://www.cbssports...egraphing-plays Seahawks defense claim Peyton Manning was telegraphing plays

We fans that want to finally build a top O line will probably need to wait for a new coaching staff, as I don't see this regime drafting for the O line. They tried to get by with scrubs last year, and will probably try again this year, as I don't see anyone in this regime smart enough to build a top offense.

You got it right PTR! The Bills didn't really start using Thurman until the second half. Kelly called his own plays and he wanted MVP

You honestly can't fathom what setting up a power run game would do for a team that is having difficulty in passing the ball? Apparently, some fans don't get that. and yea it reminded me of 52-17. Man, I still hate the Cowboys. I want to shave JJ's head

What they did made perfect sense to me. I admire what they tried to do on offense, and just not the way they went about it. First, what they tried to do! What the Bills offense tried to do was run the old "K-gun hurry up offense" along with a "read option" for several reasons. That same K-gun with a 2-3 WR slightly spread offense is what worked so well for Kelly, Thurman Thomas back in 1990. Now, the read option part went right down the ceramic convenience when the rookie QB hurt his wheels, (knee) as the "read option" with the QB running was no longer viable. The hurry up, up tempo offense was brought in mostly because the Bills rookie QB's were so raw that the coaches didn't want them to have to read constantly changing complex 3rd down defenses. So by instilling the hurry up it kept the opposing defenses from bring in complex blitz packages in passing situations, AND it also allowed the offense to wear out the starting defense by limiting defensive substitutions. Which is exactly what worked for that 1990 Buffalo Bills highest scoring offensive team in the league that year. The Bills were so good at running that offense it took years for the NFL defenses to learn how to overcome it. Now, the way the Bills went about setting up that offense is the HUGE difference between the Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills this year. Lets not forget that the Bills had the #2 rushing offense right behind the Eagles #1 rushing offense, and Seattle was #4 in the NFL. The disparity between the teams starts and ends with the quality of the offensive lines ability to control the line of scrimmage by either passing or running. To begin with, both the Bills starting RT & RG were pulled off the waiver wire, as cast offs from other teams. So both players weren't even viewed as adequate backups for other teams. Yet they both found a home in Buffalo. While not as bad as Colin Brown bad, you wouldn't want them on a playoff team. Then with the poor play at LG all season it was very difficult for the Bills to protect the young QB's on the road, and were #25 in run blocking. What does it mean to you that while the Bills lead the NFL in rushing attempts, and were the #2 team in rushing. Yet graded as the #25 team in run blocking! Think back to the Bills 2013 off season, and letting LG Andy Levitre got to Tennessee, and then replacing him with two of the very worst players in the NFL last year in LG Colin Brown & backup David Snow. Both players were cut and gone from the team by week six. Then the guy who was brought in to be the back up center ultimately became the starting LG after week six. Now, because of the Colin Brown / Sam Young situation it tells me here is where the great disparity is on this team compared to other teams. It appears that there is nobody on the Bills coaching staff or FO who can discern the difference between a top O line player and a bad player. The Bills were exceedingly lucky to have not suffered injuries to that O line after week six. So the Bills did do exactly what the Seahawks did last season with a top 10 defense, and #4 team against the pass. They also were better in terms of rushing yardage with the Bills @ #2, and the Seahawks @# 4. The biggest difference between the teams came with that Bills offense, passing-rushing attack not being able to control the clock or line of scrimmage. The Bills were one of the worst teams in the NFL in three downs and out. The Bills defense spent way to much time on the field, and were wore down by the fourth quarter. JMO

Marv didn't screw the team in that SB. Don't forget that Ted Marchibroda taught Kelly to call his own plays, and Kelly did just that. Another Bills fan sitting in the seat next to me made an observation in the first quarter of that game. He stated Kelly passing so much, is he trying to get the MVP?

You are welcome After watching that Seahawks D against a very good Denver offense its just another big reason to build the very best O line you can. The Bills had a top 10 defense and the #2 rushing offense right behind Seattle. The difference between the teams is enormous tho. The O line was #25 in run blocking last season, and couldn't control the LoS or clock, and until they do they will never be a top team.

Well clearly that didn't work either, as manning had not much time to throw anything. Short passing attack, like the WCO? Oh, the Seahawks have never seen that offense.

The Broncos lost their starting LT in Ryan Clady who was a first round draft pick, and in most of the games this year it didn't make a big difference. Although, In this game it made a huge difference!

My point being that Denver put the entire game on Manning's shoulders and this just goes to show that no matter how great the QB is... he can't do it all by himself! The Broncos didn't even try and establish the run to take pressure off Manning 14 rushes the entire game is a joke. Denver rushed 39 times in the SB with Terrell Davis, and he carried the team, not Elway! No game is over after the first series. If you don't have a plan B then you have no chance to win. The Broncos lost their starting LT who was a 1st round draft pick and in most of the game this season it didn't matter. This game it did matter big time.

I suppose that Elway had completely forgotten what won him his two super bowl rings! 1997 stats 513 passing attempts vs 520 rushing attempts, and Terrell Davis rushing for 1750 yards. The #1 offense in both points and yards. 1998 stats 491 passing attempts vs 525 rushing attempts and Terrell Davis rushing for 2008 yards. The #2 offense in points & #3 offense in yards Denver had 4 TD's rushing in the SB for 97 Denver had 3 TD's rushing in the SB for 98 Denver had 14 rushes in this last game, and Seattle used the Broncos very own tactics against them. Get a lead, and then pin their ears back and rush the passer.

The Bills had the #2 rushing team and a top 10 defense and yet the difference between the Seahawks and Bills is the difference between a sand castle and the great wall of China. The Seahawks have better coaching, a better front office, and an offense that can control the line of scrimmage and clock by both running and passing. If this game isn't the argument to build the very best O line you can...then I don't know what is! This is almost the exact same reason Brady has failed in his last two SB's, as his line couldn't handle the pressure from that Giants D line in either game. The Colts were a one trick pony with Manning at QB, as they get a lead and then pin their ears back and rush the passer. So if they don't get the lead and Manning is under pressure ...its game over. Just like with the Broncos this year! The Bills screwed themselves against the Giants in that game. That year Thurman Thomas was 70% of the offense all season, and once in the SB all Kelly did was try and throw all game. Plus that Bills defense was built on stopping the pass, and was gashed by the run game...sound familiar?

World Champion Seattle Seahawks! This man wouldn't know good talent if it came up and kicked him. Good thing he is still a paid consultant for the team

and he never did get it right was the problem! The guy must still have nightmares about Tom Brady to Randy Moss Food for thought, In 2010 the Seattle Seahawks fired HC Jim Mora and hired Pete Carroll. The Seahawks then signed the Green Bay Packers director of football operations as their new GM. You see the result of what 3 years under good coaching and good FO acquisitions can do for a team.

Special teams don't matter...just ask Danny!

The Bills had Matt Flynn on the team and he never saw a down, and the same with Tarvaris Jackson. At this point I highly doubt that they will trade for another maybe player. Besides this coaching staff is very enamored with Tuel and Lewis, and perhaps even Kolb.

Hmm-hmm, and weren't you the one who thought Pettine wouldn't even get an interview, much less be hired as a HC? While I don't abide by the thought that Rang has in thinking that Mack could be a dark horse #1 overall pick. I do think he will be long gone before the Bills pick at #9. "Some even view him as a dark horse candidate for the Texans at No. 1 overall." http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/24424927/big-board-rise-of-linebacker-mack-reaches-no-5----or-no-1

I think that basehead bought his way into the HoF, or his team owner did for him.

Almost any great player can be neutralized if the opposing team is willing to expend extra resources to prioritize taking him out of the game. Who else on that UB team is even considered draft worthy....exactly! Mack is projected to be a top 10 pick, and rightfully so. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft