Mickey

Really, I can't imagine any team not wanting a guy with Spiller's talent and character on the roster. Sure, you can argue that we needed other guys more than CJ. But how can you be disappointed in having Spiller? Joe Cribbs only faster, stronger and with a better attitude. Nothing is a gurantee but chances are as good as were are going to get that this guy will warm up that cold scoreboard at the Ralph. Then again, I even like the Levi Brown pick so I guess no one should listen to me. I think its always a good idea to have a developmental type QB on the roster.

I wouldn't count Indy as a win. I have no idea if we are a little better or a little worse but for me, that doesn't really matter. Regardless of our record this year, I think the team is on the road to recovery. We will be a better team but that might not show up in the won-loss record just yet.

"April 14, 1912, 2:00 pm: ...ordered crew to rearrange deck chairs fore, aft and amidships resulting in a more efficient arrangement....the passengers were well pleased..." From "Titanic: the recoverd diaries" (Penguin 1999)

Edwards didn't mind Jim being critical of him, it was the gratuitous slap at California that bothered him. Yes, Jim can say whatever he wants, but so can Trent. Trent isn't one onehundreth the QB Jim was but even so, Edwards is right on this one.

We have the guy, his name is Levi. Trent, Fitz and Brohm have all had opportunities to show that they have what it takes to be a starting QB in the NFL and they haven't done it. So what we do know of those guys is not good. Levi is an unknown, he has at least the possibility of succeeding whereas the other guys...well...I just don't have much confidence in them at all. All I am saying is that I hope Levi gets a chance to get some reps and show what he has, even if it is in limited duty.

If you have a sure fire plan they could have executed that would have allowed them to rework the entire OL, get all the 3-4 personnel they need and a franchise QB all in one offseason, I'd love to hear it. Every guy they picked is a guy they needed and a guy who, given when he was taken, was a pretty good pick. I wish we could have got all those guys plus a couple tackles and a QB (we did get Brown and, who knows?), but we had a lot of holes to fill, a lot.

I don't think that they really had a grand pan for giving those guys a chance. I think they basically can only do so much in one year which meant that some people they would like to replace are going to have to stay around. Given how the draft fell and where they were rating people, this is what we ended up with. As far as having a year to shape up or ship out, that is pretty much the story in the league every year for every player that isn't an established performer. Even for those guys, they aren't going to be able to afford much more than one bad year. Sometimes circumstances dictates your strategy.

I agree that the expectations for this year should simply be to ge this thing moving in the right direction but, respectfully I have to disagree with that first point about having won 6 games and that we would have been playoff bound with a different QB. Every team in the league that didn't make the post season can point to a few games here and there that were close and conclude, if only this or that or the other thing, we would have won those and made the show. Fact is we didn't win them. Besides, with that kind of thinking applied the other way, you'd have to chalk up some of the close wins we had as losses. I wouldn't count the Indy game as a win given that they benched their best guys early on. The same can be said for stats, hunt long enough and you can find a stat that you can argue means the team was better than they seemed. Look hard enough the other way and you can prove that they were even worse than they looked. Bottom line is that they won a lousy 6 games, did not make the show, finished last in the division and along the way, they were about as exciting to watch as a root canal. Something I don't really get though is why there is even this debate-turned-rant-fight back and forth where one side expresses their pessimism about the upcoming season and then the other side goes after them for their negative views who the pessimists then come back at in kind. So what if someone thinks the team is going to have a crappy year? So what if someone thinks the team is on the verge of a championship? Arguing is one thing I guess but, not saying your post is in that terrriotory, I don't get all this attacking fellow fans stuff. I especially don't get the, "go root for some other team" guys. We are all fans, of the same freaking team, why all the acrimony? Its like everyone is turning in to ICE.

Lies, damn lies and statistics. From what I can tell, we had an awesome running game, one of the best in the league, or so say the stats. Poz was the second best Mike in the league, or say the stats. Williams and Stroud were awesome, among the best of the best, or so say the stats. And yet, we lost to Cleveland. I am going to have to go with our W-L record as the proverbial only stat that matters. I don't care what the other stats say, I watched this team and they were not a good running team and the defense, including the middle of it, struggled against the run. Their pass rush was pathetic beyond the ancient Schobel. If you look long enough, you can find a stat that will show a team to be worse than it probably was or better than it probably was. Some guys rub people the wrong way so people look hard for proof that he sux and other guys are fan favorites and in that case people look hard for proof that guy is a gem.

He was listed in that draft at his college position but everyone and their brother had him projected as a developmental tackle. Initially he played special teams and the third TE in 3 TE formations, essentially playing as an extra tackle. His blocking at those positions was excellent so they made him an official T so he could start taking reps there. He left special teams which almost immediately caused the special teams to lose a step on returns. Everyone knows the rest for what earthly relevance any of this has to our future LT plans. I don't see any mysteries or grand strategies in place here. If they could fill all the holes in one year and make the playoffs immediately, they would. Its just not possible so they did what they could with what they have. There really isn't a single pick they made that you credibly argue they didn't need to make. Certainly, you could argue that some other hole should have been filled with that pick but its not as if they just wasted a pick. We needed a playmaker, we got one, a guy who quite possibly might be the best player in that draft. We needed a NT, we needed 3-4 DE's and LB's, etc. They took their shot at some late round diamonds in the rough, or so they hope, with Wang, Calloway and Brown to try an address those spots. Its a good start.

...and he played in a spread at Troy.

How has Brohm shown "as much as Trent or Fitzpatrick"?? They have both started and won actual, real live NFL games. All Brohm has done is managed to get demoted to GB's practice squad. I am hoping we get lucky with Levi but even if that happens, it won't be until next year.

They can only do so much in one off-season. This team had a lot of holes to patch and on top of that, is changing its defense so that the defensive roster needed to be radically changed. They did what they could, they drafted two guys and signed a third and added a playmaker that should make everyone's life easier. This is going to take time. I know there are those that disagree with my prediction on this but I think they are addressing the OL problem primarily by going to a spread offense. The zone blocking that comes with a spread might be a bit more friendly to the OL on our roster. Spiller is an ideal back for a spread. Beasley thrived in a spread at UConn. Levi Brown played a spread at Troy. Chan has used the spread successfully before. I think that is where they are going, it is the scenario that, to me anyway, best explains the draft strategy they ended up pursuing. As I understand it, the spread doesn't rely on behemoth lineman plowing the field but instead uses agile lineman who are able to make the quick decisions needed for zone blocking. They rely more on getting the right angle and out numbering the DL at a critical point. That is all just my best guess and I won't argue with anyone who anticipates something entirely different. In the end, you have to block someone and certainly, that will be the biggest worry for even the most optimisitic of fans going in to this season. But I can't fault them for not being able to fix every thing all at once and so I will be patient.

This is a useless debate. Only time will tell if Wilson hired the right people to build a winner. There were certainly candidates out there with more credibility than Nix and Gailey but there are plenty of reasons to think that these guys will get it done. Yeah, Marv was a washed up nobody from the CFL but that doesn't mean that lightning will strike twice in the same place. His success didn't exactly start a stampede of coaches being hired from the CFL for a reason. I am not sure what is sillier, the rants of those convinced that these guys will fail or those who mock them because their superior sage like wisdom is just as certain that we have a bright future. Guys, we just don't know.

I have no idea what the Bills think of Gaither but my guess is that they won't trade for him solely because he might be better than what we currently have. Nix has said several times that you only compound the problem when you take on a guy who can't play. Obviously, the only time you would even consider a player who "can't play" is if what you have at that position is even worse. I don't think Buddy is willing to do that even when it might mean an upgrade if that upgrade is from appallingly bad to merely bad. Of couse, we don't know if the Bills think Gaither can or can't play. If they think he can, then it is just a matter of getting a reasonable price. In general, a team that is rebuilding, I think, makes a big mistake throwing picks around to get a trade done. That team's picks are likely to be pretty high during the rebuild. A second rounder that is in the top 5 of the round is extremely valuable and I think there is a pretty good chance, unfortunatley, that we might in that group. No one can see the future but I gotta think that the odds of us picking in the top 5 next year are better now than they have been for a long time. New coach, new offense, new defense, etc. I just think that even if all this works, its going to be ugly for awhile until things come together.

If only a good ypc stat was the goal. We didn't score points or gain enough yards, usually on the ground, on first down to keep the defense guessing. Its a fair point but I wouldn't count on our running game carrying us without some semblance of a passing game.

Why did you find it necessary to attack this poster personally with insults like "clueless" and "dumb"? I disagree with him too but I what do you think "we" prefer, a respectful fan we disagree with or one whothrows insults around at anyone who disagrees with him? Its this kind of thing that drives so many away from here.

Schouman is not going to play WR. He ran the 40 in 4.74 at the combine which was several severe injuries ago. That is a doable time for a TE, if just barely. I doubt there is a WR in the league who is that slow. Jason Witten runs the 40 in 4.75 but weighs 264 lbs. That is 41 freaking pounds heavier and just as fast. I think the money they threw at Derek is inexplicable.

We are not playing "smash mouth" football. That is why we drafted a RB with sub 4.3 speed. There is no reason to think that Schouman is going to last past week 3 before landing on IR. Neither Freddie nor CJ will ever be mistaken for Jamaal Lewis in his prime. Assuming Lynch is even still on the team come opening day, he will be lucky to get more than 7 carries a game. We are more likley to run a spread than we are a plodding, dive, dive, punt "smash mouth" game.

Beasley played in a spread, we don't need TO. I don't think they are planning to get the SB this year. They are building for the future and I think there is a good chance the future they plan on includes the spread. They are not going to change the offense every year as the personnel gradually turns over.

I think that zone blocking is the scheme that is used in a spread offense: A coach answers a question from a QB on the zone blocking schemes used in spread offenses

You could say that about every subject discussed on this board. Nothing any of us have ever posted here has changed a single thing about this team, including your 2,000+ posts. And yet you and the rest of us post on. Hmm....could it be that we find value in discussing and venting about the team here even though none of us expect to have an effect on what happens on the field? I suppose we could shut down the board until opening game so that then our criticism would satisfy your requirement that it be based on game time performance. Or...since it offends you so much, you could just not read the posts which so upset you. That way, your delicate sensibilities will be protected while the rest of us do what we do, talk about football. Everybody wins!

Actully, I think they need to improve some before they can rise to the level of "suck".

I have been trying to keep up with the team but work has been ridiculous. I am sure some of you guys have looked into this and can give me the facts. It seems to me like there is a good chance we are going to run one of the many variations there are of the spread offense. I appeal to the smart mob hereabouts, what if any credible sources have indicated that Chan is going with a spread here in Buffalo? CJ is an ideal back for a spread as he can motion up to the line in the slot or as a WR on the edge. We could probably catch the defense in a mismatch not unlike we used to do with Thurman back in the stone age. That WR from UConn played in a spread and so did Levi. Gailey has run it and I think he did it with Thigpen in KC. I don't know. Seems to me like there is at least a chance we are going to run a spread. I don't think our OL are all that massive that they wouldn't be able to handle it. Bell and Levitre especially are pretty agile. For my contribution, here are some links on the spread offense, use of RB in the spread, etc.: Use of RB as a threat in the Spread Off. Pass Protection in the Spread

There is nothing wrong with it, ask Dick Jauron, its what he spent the last 5 years trying to do. Sorry, but that kind of thinking is done, I hope, here in Buffalo.