vincec

There are just way to many variables at this point to definitively evaluate who the best linemen are and what position they should be playing. - Can Butler stay healthy? Can he play RT? For that matter, can he develop into a dominating RG? He was just average at RG last season. - Can Bell play LT? - Can Walker play LT? People have written him off, but the season hasn't even started yet. I think that he needs to be given a few games at LT to see how he does. Can Walker be a dominating RT? He was just sightly above average last season, IMO. - Will Woods become a good interior lineman? Can he play center in this league? - Will Levitre become a good interior lineman? - Is Hangartner a good center? People seem to want to move him immediately to the bench, but he hasn't even played a regular season game for the team yet. Why not see how he does first? Until some of these questions get answered, it's going to be a rotating mess on the line. I think that it'll be at least through this season before some of these things are worked out.

I call B.S. on this. Wearing the wrong shoe for one game causes a sprain that keeps you out 4 weeks??? I doubt it...

The pass blocking set ups depend on the play called. In general, linemen back up more to form a pocket on deeper QB drops for slower developing passes and stay closer to the line for quick plays and play action passes, often firing out and cutting ends to prevent them from batting the quick passes. Linemen should never "catch" defensive players, however. Once they get back to their position they should be physical with the pass rushers.

So, change every position except center midseason? Something tells me that won't work out very well... If Bell looks like the best LT, I would just play him at LT and move Walker to the bench. If Butler is injured or not playing well, I can see moving Walker to RT and Butler to the bench but I would not mess with the interior line positions.

No, you watched the right game all right. The Bills offense stunk, line and all. In fact, I think that the line was the worst part of it. No running lanes and poor pass protection. It's tough to excel under those conditions. It's ok though, come September 14 the Bills will kick it into high gear like a formula one race car. They're just saving themselves...

The Bills will gets their hats handed to them by the Pats in the opener, struggle early but rally late in the season to finish with 6 or 7 wins. Jauron will be fired along with most of his staff. Ralph will bring in a new GM to run the football side of things. The new coach will not be Cowher, Shottenheimer or Haslett.

Stoud and Williams have quietly had a very good preseason. With Poz playing much better, I think that the middle of the Bills run defense is a strong as it's been since big Pat left many moons ago.

Be careful about throwing stones (people in glass houses and all that...) The Chiefs have a better record and more playoff appearances that the Bills over the last 10 years. They also have won a Super Bowl.

This is the post that I agree with. Good coaches find ways to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers. We aren't doing a very good job with Evans. Maybe they'll try harder when the regular season starts. Everything else will be magically solved then.

Jauron was pretty negative at the press conference. He didn't take his pants off or anything, but he definitely criticized the team's and his own performance.

When he's gone, so are the Bills.

Haslett?! Do you realize that he has coached part or all of 7 seasons in the NFL with only 2 winning seasons and his coaching record is 47-61? He has had 2 winning seasons and one playoff appearance. He had some pretty talented teams too while he was in NO. He looks like Dick Jauron part 2. What about his record would lead anyone to think that he could be successful here?

These arguments that the preseason doesn't mean anything are getting weaker every week. It's plain to see that the starters are not ready to start the season, let alone on the road on a Monday night in NE. There are no signs that the offense is getting anywhere. It may be a sign of defeat or "talking a step back", but the first thing I would do is scrap the no huddle for now. I don't see any benefit from it at all.

The steeler announcers have actually stopped piling on the Bills and now feel sorry for them. After the last 4th down stop: "Good for the Bills. At least they made one stop."

Nice to see that the team responded well after the debacle last week. Just shows that they play hard for their coach.

Because most people don't average 7 yards per play... well, usually.

I know. My favorite is that half of the Bills "unconditionally surrendered" at the end of the half.

If we take a beating in the opener, which is likely, I can see 2-14.

Why bother. It's pretty clear what they can do. Let's see the other guys...

It's going to be a very long season... The no-huddle looks like a piece of crap.

That was not open.

I get the sense that the Bill's confidence is very shaky going into this season, with they way last season ended, the new players starting on the OL and Trent still not showing great form in the pre-season. I doubt that they really believe that they can go into NE on a Monday night opener and win, but EVERYTHING depends on that game. If they find a way to win, confidence will be restored and I think they will win at least 10 games and go to the playoffs. If they lose, then it could get very bad, very quickly.

The Bills aren't going to win the SB with Walker at LT, so you might as well try Bell to see what he's got. To paraphrase Buddy Ryan: We don't know if the young guy can do it, but we know that the old guy can't. RT is a little trickier. Walker is an average starting RT. Maybe that's the best we've got and maybe that would be good enough to win a championship if the other line positions are strong, but we're paying him a lot of money to be average and I think that Butler should be given a shot to see if he can develop into a stronger player. So, if it's close between Walker and Bell in terms of performance, I would simply bench Walker for now and see how it goes. If it looks promising, then Walker is probably gone by next year.