Mikie2times

From what I've watched the last 2 years he seems more like a wall off type run blocker then a guy that's going to drive his man out of the screen. That's fine with me, we need nimble feet and agility in our pass blocking from the left side. As he fine tunes his run blocking that will just serve as the icing on the cake IMO.

Also are you aware that McNeil is being projected as a RT over LT? After going threw the Mike Williams situation and with Peter’s emergence why on earth would we get within 20 feet of a tackle that is not a true LT prospect? Especially with a top 10 pick.

You brought up the main concern with D'Brick as he advances to the pro game, but at the same you’re also trashing the skills that have made him so heralded. He's known for being undersized, thus making his run blocking a question mark, but he's still has a solid frame at 6'5, and has been steadily gaining weight ever since his freshman year at Virginia. He's already around 300, and at his current pace of about 25 pounds a year and his height he could easily take on another 25-30 pounds. What leaves me most puzzled about your comments is the knock on his athleticism. I've read just about every draft bio on the web concerning old D'Brick and they almost universally have this guys pegged as the most athletically gifted LT in a long time. D'Brick 1 D'Brick 2 D'Brick 3 (Mock, Read the Bio)

Are you talking about Henson or Losman?

Hmmmm Sherman Sleeping...Mularkey awake The high motor DL must be going

Good Post, I agree with many of your points. MM was put in an impossible situation, and I think he made a rational and correct decision. Frankly this team is a mess and his head was square on the block already, can you imagine what a slow start in 06 would bring? Marv and crew would get the first year pass to some extent while MM would get destroyed. What's most damning to me is the way Marv and Ralph handled the coordinator situation. Surely they have enough intelligence to realize how difficult it would be for Mularkey to fill the coordinator positions. After all why would a coordinator want to sign on with likelihood of a staff overhaul just one year later? I think MM felt set up as the fall guy, and from the looks of it I would have to agree.

Some might remember back when we drafted JP Green Bay was rumored to be interested in him being Farves replacement. I still think Sherman is a long shot for us but perhaps JP would influence him positively. Edit: Also this notion of Farve following Sherman is ridiculous. Farve's ties are to Green Bay, not one coach, otherwise we would see him in Seattle with Holmgren. He's idolized in GB and I doubt our situation would be enticing to him as he enters the final stages of his career.

I posted this in another thread. I don't see a problem with Fairchild. The ram’s offense was balanced and played well when he took over the play calling duties for Martz. In the 11 games he called plays in the Rams averaged 21 Points, 245 Yards passing, and 101 yards rushing per game. He also showed good balance with his play calling averaging 35 passes per game, and 25 rushes per game. What’s even more impressive is he did all that with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jamie Martin as his starting QB's. He also has experience as a QB coach, and coached in Buffalo in the past. I know a lot of people are holding out for a Norv Turner, or X head coach but it's unlikely we spend that type of cash. Fairchild learned a very productive system in St Louis that always seemed to produce great results at the QB position, and in his 11 game stretch this year he really proved that Martz was the problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I would also like to add something because I got a response in that thread suggesting his pass/run ratio favored the pass to much. I know people would like to see Willis get 30 carries everyweek, but let's face it, this Bills team got behind a lot and that makes it difficult to run. Despite that they still averaged 9th in the league in run/pass ratio, having a rushing attempt for every 1.57 passes. Fairchild averaged a 1.4 in that category which would have ranked him 7th had he called all the games. He is also a former RB's coach with the Bills when Williams was here, so theirs no doubt that the run oriented stradegy would still be in effect with Fairchild. So don't worry, the guy brings balence, and a system that has made some average QB's put up great numbers.

I don't see a problem with it. The ram’s offense was balanced and played well when he took over the play calling duties for Martz. In the 11 games he called plays in the Rams averaged 21 Points, 245 Yards passing, and 101 yards rushing per game. He also showed good balance with his play calling averaging 35 passes per game, and 25 rushes per game. What’s even more impressive is he did all that with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jamie Martin as his starting QB's. He also has experience as a QB coach, and coached in Buffalo in the past. I know a lot of people are holding out for a Norv Turner, or X head coach but it's unlikely we spend that type of cash. Fairchild learned a very productive system in St Louis that always seemed to produce great results at the QB position, and in his 11 game stretch this year he really proved that Martz was the problem.

In the NFL the good head coaches seem to do one of two things. The Belicheck types strategize and make excellent adjustments, and that's how putting your players in the right positioning counts. The other type is more like a Lombardi or Parcells, that type just gets every last ounce of effort from their player. Not all teams have great coaches, and some teams can still become contenders with bad/average coaching, that's were talent comes in. I would argue Saban fits the motivator mold, thus paving the way for Miami's quick turnaround.

It would be easier for me to live with Mularkey right now if he didn’t have so many disputes with the vets this year. This franchise really needs Moulds to be in a renegotiating mood for next year, and Adams must stick around with our current tandem of Bannon and Anderson at DT. I'm not saying these guy's are angels by any means but as some of the leaders of this team I worry if they aren't buying it the younger guys won't either.

Click on the link again, and then click on the coaching profiles link near the top of the article. Now scroll to the very bottom and it lists other candidates. I got a little chuckle out of him being the last candidate mentioned, it seemed only fitting.

I feel sick

He will pepper you with his......

Why would we do that, JP Losman is the next Ken Stabler

Are you basing that off anything in particular or is it that just you just think he's to talented to last? The reason I ask is because this appears to be a very unique draft class, one in which many of the best players on the board also fill huge needs for the teams ahead of us. When you look at it now we know Houston will be in for a PR nightmare if they pass on Bush, and the Saints have already showed interest in Leinhart. D'Brick would be a good option for the Titans, but the best player available is probably Vince Young, and it also serves a need for them (They also have expressed interest already).Outside of that the rest of the teams are in pretty solid shape at LT, and other elite prospects will still be on the board. I really do believe it will come down to whether or not the Jets take him, and as of now I would say that's about 50-50. Still that's a lot better odds then I thought it would be a month ago.

While things can change Houston has all but selected Reggie Bush, and it appears like New Orleans and Tennessee will go with Leinhart and Young. After that the only other team standing in our way is the New York Jets. After the Jets pick the rest of the teams don't have enough need at LT to draft the dancing bear. GB has Clifton entrenched, Oakland has Barry Simms with Robert Gallery as his likely successor, and the 49ers just signed JJ. As for the Jets I do think they will give D'Brick a look, it's hard not to, but when you look at the needs on that team their stands a good chance they could look at RB or trading up. Mario Williams might also get a look by them as Abraham is a free agent. What a steal it would be if we could land D'Brick. If we did I would even see if Mike will restructure, he isn't 4th pick good but he is our best run blocker. If he won't Peters showed he could play, and would also make a great future tandem with Ferguson.

Looking at some of these responses I think I could have been a little more clear in my original post. While I do suggest we look to Jon Kitna, that doesn't mean I want to give up on Losman, in fact I feel the complete opposite. If JP stood a great chance at not only starting next year, but staying in even if things aren't going well then that's what I would like to do. That said it's my contention that a series of decisions by management and coaching this year made that happening unlikely, and if it did happen I'm convinced JP won't have the support of the team in the process. When Buffalo released Drew Bledsoe some of the veteran players might have disagreed with the move. I never disagreed with JP being the starter this season, but I feel like the first mistake Buffalo made was immediately naming him the starter following Drew's release. Some of the players might not have been complelty on board at that point, and it was critical for JP to WIN the job and win them over. Instead he got handed the job without the roster even being set, and when Holcomb was added some players probably wondered why JP was more qualified then Kelly was. Still the Bills named JP their guy, and appeared set on doing the right thing. We started off rocky, and Mularkey only complicated things more by giving Holcomb more action. In the meantime in big D, the guy that was supposed to be worse then JP was lighting it up. Soon players began to openly call for Holcomb, and coaches and management decided to take on the logic that a playoff contender should start the player that gives them the best chance to win. They called it a spark but essentially that’s what they sold. The problem I have with this is the Bills took the position that they were a playoff contender in August, when Kelly was clearly outplaying JP. At that point had the coaches felt we were contenders, which they obviously did, and that Kelly was outplaying JP, why would JP start? Why would the players feel like that is in their best interests? When it became clear this team had glaring holes it was time for the Bills to be strong and stick with JP, not panic a bench him. We were getting killed in the run game, and the offensive line was getting blown up. I'm all for winning, but even with Kelly's improved play this was clearly a 6-10 type season, and a perfect year to get your young QB some experience. Now every last shred of confidence this team had in Losman is gone, and Mularkey has also given them the impression that they can influence who is the starting QB.

Who said JP was the problem? I think he's playing like a normal QB that has had 8 starts. The point of this thread is how is how will Mularkey implement him after the nightmare he created this year? All year he's been stating with his actions that Kelly is the better QB to win, and it seems the players not only backed that move, but in some cases persuaded MM to do it. Now JP must win the job outright to win over the support of his teammates, and I'm not sure he has the experience do that yet. If he doesn't win it outright, or he wins a tilted competition then how will next year be any different they this year? Will Mularkey somehow be able to convince his players to back Losman when he couldn't this season? I just don't have the faith that he can do that, especially not when 70,000 plus are screaming for his head each Sunday.

The very first preseason game against Denver he played well, but outside of that he was bad. The 05 preseason left many people hitting the panic button with JP before the season even started. If it was an open QB competition with Kelly this year he would have lost, which is what I believe was part of the problem all together. JP was anointed starter after proving nothing, and it happened after the cutting of Drew Bledsoe, a player that might have still had the support of many teammates. Then Kelly is brought in, and isn't it likely a veteran with that many starts under his belt would outplay JP at least a little, if not a lot? That's what happened, and with Drew lighting it up in Dallas I suspect many of the Veterans began questioning the coaching and management. Then JP started really stinking it up, and players started to voice their opinions more frequently, and more publicly. With the added expectations management created Mularkey finally caved in and started Holcomb, and that's when I feel the mistake was made.

He's not Dan Marino, but don't assess his arm strength from this one game. Pittsburgh blitzes everybody like that, that's why they call it blitzburgh, and it’s not exactly like he was put into an easy situation today. He entered off the bench in the playoffs, which means he had very little (if any) work with the first string, against a very good aggressive defense. Kitna had a monster year when he started in 03, and unlike Holcomb it wasn't a statistical mirage. He nearly made the pro bowl that year, and went downfield often. Chad Johnson amassed nearly 1,400 yards in 03, and his average per catch was among the best in the AFC. Peter Warrick also experienced his finest year as a pro, averaging over 10 yards per catch, with 819 yards and 7 TD's. Kitna is a player and would be huge upgrade over what we have right now at QB.

What I'm pretty sure about right now is Kelly Holcomb is a good back up, and nothing more and JP Losman hasn't been on the field long enough for us to get an accurate long term read. The question becomes at what price should the Bills be willing to pay to get JP the experience he needs for us to make a long term decision? We were supposed to come out of this season with those answers, and if we couldn't do it this year what makes people believe we can do it next year? Buffalo made it clear Kelly Holcomb gave them the best chance to win this year; effectively sucking the team’s confidence in JP Losman right threw the drain. Are we supposed to expect Mularkey to handle the team much differently next season? What happens when Kelly outplays JP in camp, or the preseason, and many of the same players from this year wonder why Mularkey isn't starting the best QB? Even if Mularkey holds firm which is what he did not do in 2005, does he have enough respect from the players for them to back his decision? The problem is not in Kelly and JP's relationship, but in Kelly and JP's play together. Kelly is not a very good QB, but he still will be good enough to beat out JP Losman in camp next year. That would be typical of an average veteran as compared to an inexperienced but talented QB, and as we saw in 2005 was certainly the case with JP and Kelly. But much like 2005 if Kelly is outplaying JP in 2006 I just don't think Mularkey will be able to get the players to back the move to go with JP, not after what happened this year, and that will leave us with many of the same problems we had in 2005 in 2006. In order to fix the situation I would like to see the Bills release Kelly Holcomb, and focus on landing a better QB in Jon Kitna. We can then offer the job to JP Losman if and when he is able to beat out Kitna. Kitna brings many of the same veteran qualities Kelly has, but he protects the ball better, and can go down field. At least this way we won't have to settle for a mediocre QB play from Holcomb, or let a player with 8 career starts hijack the franchise. In hindsight I'm sure Mularkey and Co. wish they handled the situation differently, but they created the monster and must fix it for next season.

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Avant in the 3rd would be a great addition. He reminds me of a poor mans Anquan Bolden, all the tools to be a great WR but lacks the jets to be a picked in the 1st.

Marv has always been a team player, and even though he is old he is still a very intelligent man. He's also been around football longer then most of us have been alive, and has stayed in touch with today's game since his retirement. It's not like his responsibilities will be like TD's, Ralph just wanted an unbiased observer he could trust, that could also provide leadership to the rest of the assistants, and give Buffalo a PR upgrade. That's exactly what Marv Levy will bring. If you’re worried about his role in Free Agency or the draft, Marv said himself that his decisions will be heavily influenced by his assistants. This is not a man that will create a power struggle with Ralph, MM, or Modrak. Levy is a team guy that will trust Modrak and others to advise him on the roster, and take a logical direction with it.