Sisyphean Bills

Well, if the Bucs throw 6+ interceptions ...

Right back at ya. Like I said, having a great QB helps. It is not the only thing. The great Eli Manning was struggling all year long. But, he had a good team around him. If it had been entirely on him, the Giants don't even make the playoffs, and Eli never becomes the "great" QB in those playoffs, and who knows. The same story can be said of Big Ben. He did some things on his first trip to the Super Bowl, but he was mostly just a passenger taking a ride while the other veterans led the way and did all the pedaling. One could even make the argument about Brady in his first Super Bowl season. Bledsoe started the season and Brady did a good job coming off the bench that year. They had an excellent defense and won the Super Bowl with special teams and defense. Brady has become a great QB over time, but he didn't start out throwing the ball 55 times a game and setting offensive scoring and passing records. Not even close. Find a Broncos fan that thinks the Broncos didn't ride Terrell Davis to those Super Bowl victories and get back to me.

Nearly halfway through the season, and the Bills have 1 rushing TD. Overflowing with potential, though.

It's a cascade effect. Without Haynesworth, they have no middle push and the center of their defense is much weaker. Without the center push, the DEs have been getting whipped. No pressure on the QB and the secondary is riddled with injuries. Teams are lighting them up in the passing game. Throw in the loss of Schwartz and a newbie DC and you have a mess. Because they fall behind so quickly, their preferred mode of attack with the running game is tossed out the window and they are forced to air it out. [Edit: In airing it out, their receivers have been putrid. Like someone once said, they'd complete more passes throwing it into a tree.] This team wasn't built to try and put up 50 or 60 points a game in a shootout. Because of their 13-3 finish last year, they also get to play a tough schedule. Now, Bud Adams has apparently decided that he wants Vince Young in there. Haynesworth was and is a totally dominating player and was the key to their defensive success.

To poke a bit of a hole in this, two of the teams mentioned were the Steelers and Broncos. The Broncos have not had a single great QB since Elway. They haven't won any Super Bowls since then, but they have only had 1 losing season this millenium and been a playoff fixture. Likewise the Steelers have been a power over the last decade had multiple QBs, had a 13 win season with Kordell Stewart at QB of all things and a playoff team with Tommy Maddox. The Giants have been a power in the NFL since 1984, with only 2 seasons in that entire span with less than 6 wins. That despite 5 head coaches and 7 different QBs. Obviously, having a superstar at QB is a very good thing. It isn't the only thing though. Indeed, it is far more important to have superior management that acts proactively and makes good decisions about the talent at all levels of the team to maintain their success. After all, it is a process that requires great decision making. No team is immune to change.

Potential is for losers. Runyan is an experienced and accomplished pro who could, if he can still play, help out the green as grass kids the Bills have on their line. Having someone show you the ropes is not a bad thing. Most people understand this simple fact. Only a total nitwit would dismiss the obvious and claim that the Bills don't factor in the financial aspects of their decisions very heavily. It is written all over move after move. Since you were in the room, you obviously know Overdorf was one of the principle people involved in deciding to go after Meredith.

OK, I see the sarcasm bit but being serious on this point for a moment. It's important to realize that there is a difference between guys that are just plain injured and cannot play and a player that wants too much money to be on a team. Jones is on IR because he's injured. Runyan may be done because of his knee injury or because he won't take a bargain basement deal at his age, etc. He has been cleared by the doctors to play and he says he is good to go and I've heard some teams say he "looked good" when they brought him in for a try out. Of course, they may be talking through their hats and he looked like crap after the injury layoff. Things for sure on Runyan include that the people in the know and who make these decisions aren't saying and have no motivation to speak with total candor, and that Jamon Meredith's contract is far less than the bare minimum any team would have to pay Runyan. At least the Bills brought Runyan in for a try out. As another example of money being a deterrent, Derrick Brooks is semi-retired right now because of money. I've heard it from his own lips that he believes he can still play at a high level and would be willing to come back, but he is not willing to take a "backup's contract". As a result, extremely interested teams like the Bears have gone with other cheaper players and are just hopeful they can step up and do well enough.

Last time I looked, teams were averaging well over 5 yards on the ground against the Bills. That sucks and gives you a real good idea how far down the field tackles are taking place. Conversely, the pass defense has been statistically the opposite. While ranking near the bottom as far the number of passes faced, the secondary has limited the damage on average, and played well. We've seen a stretch with some of the worst opposing QB play I have ever seen, but some of the credit goes to our backup secondary guys who have stepped in. Dick Jauron may be a tool as a head coach, but he's got a good eye for DBs...

They paid Willis McGahee to use their training facilities to rehab and go on somewhere else when he got back to full strength. Why not throw some charity at Bradford as well?

It's tough to line up in the NFL.

You should probably watch Over-and-done-o's "play" before making such statement. Pace is cooked.

If Jairus Byrd can keep waving his hand and yelling, "Hey, over here! I'm open!" and the opposing QBs keep going to him, then we're sitting dumb and happy!

Actually, this is disturbing, but not for any of the reasons cited (unless I missed it). Ellison is our sam backer and in this system, he is not supposed to be "the playmaker". His is the Ryan Nece of this defensive system. That he is leading the team in tackles only serves to underscore just how bad the playmakers at mike and will actually are. Of course, there have been injuries, which account for some of the numbers, but Kawika Mitchell, while maybe our best known LB, sure doesn't play like Derrick Brooks. http://profootballfocus.com/by_position.ph...&numgames=1

Maybe we can trade our 1st rounder for him.

Only 'cause they keep Maybin glued to the bench.

It wouldn't be surprising. Especially if the Bills can get back to nearly .500 this year.

Some people think Roscoe can still fill the role of being a Roscoe.

Yes, Hardy had the spotless character record and Jackson has a list of arrests too long for google to find.

And, when you throw in all the penalties, he is making a lot of mistakes and is a big factor in why the offense stinks.

Crayonz?

Hardy can dust the top shelves. Jackson can't. Nuff said.

Wh_? Seri_usly, wh_ are y_u talking ab_ut?

"This here is an official NFL protocol pen. I kid you not!"

But, our team is very well prepared to play lousy football. That is our secret sauce advantage.