FLFan
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Posts posted by FLFan
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Thanks for doing this Bill. One of the few posts worth reading on a weekly basis.
That said, I think you are off base on EJ vs. Thad. Lewis played descent enough yesterday, but clearly not good enough to win. As others have pointed out, I do not see his indecision in the pocket or occasional lapses in ball security getting much better. His arm is just OK. I think he has shown enough to be a decent backup option. To my eyes, he has done nothing Manuel has not been able to to do, and lacks Manuel's poise, arm strength, and presence. I am frankly not sure how anyone can watch Lewis's performance and think he is a better option, even now. The loss was clearly on the special teams and run defense, not the QB, but there were certainly a number of plays Lewis failed to make, especially in the first half.
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If you cannot see a vast difference in the Bills defense from the past several years you are simply either not paying attention or do not want to see the improvement. It has been a massive turnaround in one year. There have been significant improvements in the play of key players (Mario, Kyle, Dareus, McKelvin to name a few), outstanding secondary play when there key players have been he healthy, and some significant additions who have contributed greatly including Hughes and Lawson. By the way, all this with a rookie middle linebacker. Pettine and staff get credit for this. The run defense needs improvement clearly. Whether this is scheme, players, or a combination needs to be addressed but I am confident they will.
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You should make your avatar a homer simpson pic with a Bills jersey on.
Pointing out that players have something to do with it does not make one a homer any more than a knee jerk reaction makes you rational. I am sure the Bills will fully evaluate all aspects of the team, including special teams. What we see on the surface may not be the entire picture. Special Teams needs to get better without question. I would point out that multiple Bills had opportunities to tackle Blount on those big returns yesterday and failed to do so. This speaks to poor play not scheme. The reason for the poor play is the issue. Better players or better coaching?
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Yeah, realized this after I posted. Rotoworld had Dareus as a FA after the 2014 season. Maybe time to lock him up now? Especially with him being in contention for the pro bowl.
The Bills have an option to exercise for a fifth year which they need to decide on this spring. I would think it is highly unlikely they would not take the option.
I remember that he turned down the Bills first contract offer earlier in the year. It was right before he got hurt.
He did. Typical Parker BS. Carrington will likely regret that decision. I doubt the Bills will offer much, if anything, now that they have locked up that spot with Branch. Perhaps they make him an offer as depth but I suspect they will move on.
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Last night, during Sunday Night Football, I listened to Chris Collinsworth go on and on, ad nauseum, about what a genius Chip Kelly is and how prolific the Eagles offense is. Then, I thought about all of the posters on this board who are calling for Hackett's head. So, I thought I would take a general look at the two and their circumstances this year:
1) Kelly inherited an offensive team that finished 5th or better in 3 of the last four years. Hackett inherited a team that finished 15th or worse in 3 of the last four years.
2) Kelly's quarterbacks this year were Michael Vick (no matter what you think of him - he can still make plays) and Nick Foles - who is a third year player that started 7 games prior to this season. Hackett's quarterbacks were Manuel, Tuel, and Lewis - with a grand total of one start between them prior to this year.
3) In regard to defenses, Yards per Play (Yds/P) tends to be a pretty good guage of those defenses that are tough to move the ball against consistently. In regard to the Eagles, the Yds/P ranking of their opponents (from lowest to highest) were 4, 8, 8, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 28, 30, 31, 32. The defensive Yds/P ranking of the Bills opponents were 3, 5, 7, 9, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 14, 16, 16, 17, 20, 22, 29.
4) 6 of the Eagles 15 opponents were top 20 or better (with only 3 in the top 15) while 13 of the Bills 15 opponents were top 20 or better (with 10 in the top 15). Looking at just the top ten defenses, the Eagles faced 3 and the Bills faced 6. Against teams with a top 10 Yds/P ranking, the Eagles averaged 297 ypg and 25 ppg, while the Bills averaged 349 ypg and 25.3 ppg against defenses with a top 10 Yds/P ranking.
I am not saying Hackett is better, the same, or worse than Kelly. Kelly may be the second coming of Don Coryell and Hackett may be out of the NFL in two years - or vice versa. My point? Actually, I have several:
1) Determining the success or failure of a coach requires more than a superficial look at their product.
2) There isn't anyone on this board that can say either coach would have been better or worse than the other if they switched circumstances
3) 15 games as a coach in the NFL is merely a snapshot. I need a greater body of work before I am willing to label someone a genius...or a failure
Thank you for the excellent rational analyis. Often lacking around here. In all of that, the biggest difference is the QB. Despite having a seasoned veteran in Vick to start the season, the offense did not really start to click until Foles came in and began to light it up. People need to remember that as you point out Foles is a veteran, with some starting experience. His starts prior to this year have been mediocre to promising, but his experience is the big difference to Buffalo's situation. We have not seen near what this offense is capable of. Had Manuel been able to stay on the field I firmly believe the Bills offense would be much better than what we are seeing so far, and it has been very decent at times. Patience is what is required here, not a new OC or QB.
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"People are dumb, panicky animals and you know it."
K to J, Men in Black
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I'd trade down to draft Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, if you stay or go up Mike Evans is what this team has needed for the longest time. Understand the people who wanna go OL in the draft but we just need a LG and some better depth. Looking at the FA list of offensive linemen there is a lot of quality ones available De La Puente, Albert, Boothe (depth) etc.
The Bills need a LG, but also need a quality right tackle. I would not be hurt by taking a RT number 1. Would love to have a big WR threat as well, but if Evans is gone, trade down may be best bet.
I can't for the life of me understand the obsession by some with a TE when it's pretty much obvious that the O line needs at least two new starters. Chandler is a perfectly fine, middle of the pack TE and Gragg I believe is going to be a good one. Sure, if the next Gronk or Gonzalez would be available, then okay. But the problem with the TE position AND with WR has more to do with the QB. Even on that slant reception by Gragg last Sunday -- about as easy a pass as Manuel could have hoped for -- he threw behind him. And ILB is now a top priority? More important than RT, RG, LG? Seriously?
Chandler will likely be gone after this year so the Bills will need to find a top quality tight end. Probably not number 1 though.
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Are you 10?
Probably not, but he was doing a fairly accurate representation of your lament. About the same level of reasoning anyway.
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For The Record:
The Jacksonville Jaguars threw the game because they knew they were already out of the playoffs and a Win today would have jeopardized their draft spot.
I hope you are kidding. I would hate to think the alternative.
Yeah, but it was Jacksonville.
If this offense couldn't beat Dwayne Gratz and bunch of guys cut from other teams, then it's panic time.
At least it's something, though.
It was a no win situation with people of your mindset obviously.
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I believe this happened earlier t his week. They rested him yesterday but Marrone said he expects him to play.
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if Peyton Manning was the QB of the Bills, we would be in the playoffs.
you are spinning your wheels (COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME) until you get a legit Franchise QB.......
Too bad Peyton Manning is not in the draft next year, nor anyone else even remotely his caliber. Who is the mythical "franchise QB" in next year's draft? All look like big questions to me.
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The Buffalo Bills got blown out today by a very, very good playoff team with a top QB!
I'm sure that by next week the eternal optimism will be flowing around this forum like Niagara falls. The Bills are the #4 team in the NFL in rushing, so the run game must be great! The QB is a rookie, as is the OC and HC. Its only one game.
I can only wonder if Russ Brandon ever thinks he made the wrong choice and should have hired the Bears ex HC who went 10-6 in his last year, Lovie Smith. Naa, would have cost to much, and you know who needed a few extra million.
Lovie Smith would cost too much? Really - is that why no team hired him? The old faithful "ralph is cheap" argument. Way to go.
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I saw that play. I am not sure if it was the same CB, but it was the same kind of hit that put EJ out. He dove right at his knee. I am not feeling sorry for the Pats, but while the NFL is supposedly worrying over player safety, they should address these kinds of cheap shots.
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Even if glennon is the better qb absolutely nothing about that looks smart
Agree. He is still a jerk.
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Choice was cut to make room for Moeaki. Nothing more to it.
No. There must be a conspiracy. It must be Ralph twirrling his mustach again.
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for the get another CB crowd here i have one question… where are we going to play this player? do you want to bench mclovin or gilmore? I'm all for investing a later round draft pick on one but investing free agent money or a high draft pick just doesn't make sense to me. there was some early injuries. mclovin is playing well and I highly doubt the bills are ready to give up on gilmore 1.5 seasons into his career that has been cut short due to injury.
i think guard -TE-ILB and even another RB are higher than another corner and yeah i said RB fred is gonna be 32 going on 33 next year.
Exactly. If the Bills bring in any CBs it will be to upgrade depth, which can always be better. Perhaps they draft a CB in RDs 3 - 5 as well. I would not expect a big FA signing at CB. OL/TE/LB are the primary needs.
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I live in La. The raiders basically never left. Raider nation is strong in La. Your assumption is dead wrong. Just so you know.
If you're a talker like me, then you will know this. Oh and the hats and stuff give it away too.
I do not know about LA, but I live in Maryland and he is dead right about Baltimore. The day the Colts left is the day people in Baltimore stopped being fans of the team going forward. It was actually worse that they kept the name and pretended they could carry the Colts legacy to Indianapolis. It would be the same in Buffalo I believe.
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If (hopefully not when) the Bills leave Buffalo, for Toronto or any other city, whether they keep the name or not I am done. The Buffalo Bills are part and parcel of the culture of the area, and those who grew up there and grew up with the Bills being part of that fabric will probably feel as I do. Moving the team would rip the heart out of Buffalo. I am not an NFL fan - I am a Buffalo Bills fan, so I doubt I would spend much time, if any, watching the NFL. I simply would not care, and more than that, would be too pissed to do so.
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It always bewilders me that the "New" Soldier Field seats 61,500 at capacity while Buffalo has to sell 73K tickets. I realize the avg. ticket price in Chicago is more but it's a metro area of over 9 million people! Where's the fairness in blackout rules concerning this. I guess that's why the owners agreed to the 85% rule that Buffalo decided not to use. That's the only reason Tampa is getting all their games on local TV and probably a few others.
Perhaps not fair, but look at it this way. If you lived in Chicago, you would likely not be able to afford to see many or perhaps any games live, as there is high demand for very expensive seats. At least in Buffalo you can buy a ticket and go to the game. In Chicago (as in Washington, Baltimore, NE, Dallas, etc) the average fan is priced out of the stadium. Even with the smaller capacity, I would venture to guess that Chicago's average revenue per home game is significantly more than Buffalo's, even double or triple. Buffalo needs the ticket revenue associated with the larger capacity to survive.
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Teasers from Joe B:
The two key blocks on C.J. Spiller's 77-yd run? RG Kraig Urbik and WR Stevie Johnson. The latter sealed Samuel and it unleashed 28.
We should cut Stevie. He ate a taco.
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Implying that Poland could have avoided a war with Germany if they had allied with them is simply wrong. I suggest reading Ernest May's STRANGE VICTORY, Mark Mazower's HITLER'S EMPIRE, and Adam Tooze's WAGES OF DESTRUCTION. All along, Hitler firmly intended to swallow up Poland, and he was also intent on war. Poland and the east were the basis of lebensraum. Poland had no way out. The decision had been made years before.
You are correct. See also The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William Shirer. I am still not sure what this has to do with a debate about EJ Manuel.
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It seems like that puts you in another good position to trade down and collect more picks while getting the guy you want at either of those positions, no? Vernon Davis was a top-10 pick, though, just to cite an outlier.
You don't know that you've chosen the right QB until he's been given time to learn the position in the NFL. A precious few guys are NFL ready off the bat. Some have great success to start based on certain natural gifts and a good surrounding cast -- then have a tougher time when they are game-planned for. Others sit for a year or two. By the way, Colin K seems to fall into both of the last two categories -- he has been up and down this season.
This is about where EJ fans start feeling like you're insulting Manuel. You can't possibly evaluate his ceiling at this point, can you? If so, how?
Or you could think of it as a waste of a draft pick unless a generational talent is there at your pick.
This team's needs are many, and while Manuel put his team in a position to win yesterday, the knives come out after every loss.
In reference to your other stat, that 30% chance has led to some of the best QBs we've ever seen, so I just am not sure of the meaning of the statistic. How good are the chances for top 5?
This is all true. It astounds that what we have seen from Manuel thus far would cause anyone to conclude that he is a failed pick, or said another way, will not be an outstanding QB in this league. There is simply no evidence to suggest either after 8 NFL starts. In fact, I have seen nothing so far that would suggest he is anything other than promised - a prospect with great physical tools who will need time to develop his skills at the NFL level. I think his leadership skills and his intelligence for the game are far better than the so called pundits predicted, though exactly what the Bills stated they liked about him.
As for drafting another QB, this is beyond silly. Without a total tank by Manuel the balance of the year, there is nothing to suggest they should not continue his development. Selecting yet another rookie, and pitting him against Manuel in training camp, will do nothing but hamper his development, and little to suggest the next guy will be better. Am I missing something or did Andrew Luck just become draft eligible again next year? I see no "generational talents" there. On the contrary, Manuel has given ample reason thus far to suggest his chances are considerable better than "30%".
You cannot develop two QB's simultaneously. So, unless they decide he cannot get better, the thing to do is stay the course. This is exactly what is going to happen, so people should get used to the idea.
By the way, if I were the Jets, I would be drafting again. There is a case where a QB is living up to exactly his billing, and there is little reason to suspect he is getting or will get better. Big difference. The next coaching staff and GM in NY will make that call, and that would be the time.
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Gilmore has been largely mediocre since coming back this season. People seem to forget how well he played last year. I am not sure what his problem is but it is a bit early to write him off.
The fumbles are inexcusable. Nothing else to say about that. I cannot even begin to understand how that can happen - twice.
Glen was good - Pears was awful. Serious upgrade at RT is needed. Upgrade at LG is obviously needed as well.
The penalties on Atlanta's last drive were simply extensions of a very poorly called game. How does the official standing right there looking at it miss the call on EJ's touchdown? Too many other examples to enumerate. Those last two calls though were killers.
The criticism of Manuel here this morning is curious. He had them in position to win. I think coaching is holding him back at this point. The play calling was ridiculous at times. He seems overly cautious, but when the game was on the line he made plays. Is that him or play calling/coaching? In any case, I guess I am not sure what people expected out of a raw rookie this year. He is doing fine and was not the problem yesterday - not even close.
TJ Graham is useless.
Kiko had a bad game - gonna happen sometimes. The inability stop the run was the downfall of the defense today. He has a big part in that, but was not alone obviously. I am concerned that Pettine cannot fix this with the group of players he has to work with.
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That's opinion based, just as me saying that if he was not impeded, forced to go the 2 feet to the right, he could have shaken off any attempted tackle with speed due to straight lining. He would have scored.
The TD award is a moot point. A coach of a team, any team, has the responsibility to be a role model for the young fans watching. Cheating, then lying about it is not a positive environment for teaching character building to the young, and regardless as to what many say, athletic programs such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL have a responsibility to that end given their position to influence the youth.
Fine him $100,000 and remove him from the sideline for the remainder of the season. A strong message is what is needed, it will show the young watching that behavior such as this is not tolerated.
I agree. Totally unacceptable behavior by Tomlin. I do not think there is any way it can be argued as unintentional. What a classless tool. They should make an example of him, but my guess nothing much, if anything, will be done.
What batch of kool-aid will Russ whip up next?
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
Yes, tis the season for the "rose colored glasses" vs. "hard bitten realist" nonsense to begin.