The Big Cat
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What's more laughable are the people that continually put Willis on a pedastal when anyone with a good set of football eyes can see that his effort is inconsistent, his decision making is often tentative and his quickness for a starting NFL back is only average. Also he doesn't excel in short yardage situations. Yes, he looks good running through a big hole, just like any other back. He's an average starting NFL back at best and he deserves to be paid like an average back if the Bills want to keep him. Yawn.
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Losing LF is a step back when you have so many other holes to fill, unless you believe every year is a re-building year, It never ends!
the same was said about Moulds, Milloy, Adams, and Campbell...replaceable is replaceable
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Or a Wonderlic test....
ba dum ching
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Take out that unfortunate incident with his wife and OJ is a sterling citizen.
Take out that one time that Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic and he's a nobody.
etc.
I think you're being overly cynical here about a point which implies more than coincidence or happenstance.
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The Miami game, the Minnesota game, the Jacksonville game....All games where Willis' numbers were far from fantastic, and yet the Bills continued to pound him in the 4th quarter and he was instrumental in the victories.
He has improved in pass protection. He doesn't turn the ball over. He just turned 25 years old. Overall, he has been incredibly durable, but he has proven he is willing to play at less than 100%. He puked and was knocked out in two consecutive games, and came back both times with a vengeance.
Shipping this guy out of town because you don't like his baby's momma, or the Miami Hurricanes, or his agent, is just plain rediculous. Thinking you will get equal production by throwing a dart at a 3rd or 4th round running back is rediculous. He is not in the top-8 backs in the NFL, but he's certainly in the top-15. If they can work out a deal that pays him accordingly, why would that be a problem?
Additionally, Rosenhaus is doing himself, Willis, and all NFL players a disservice if he doesn't seek the most lucrative deal for his client. Don't blame him...
this is all well in good, but little has been mentioned regarding Willis' trade value which is where I intended this thread to go...
seems though that folks have treated the prospect of dealing Willis as a non-issue
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I agree, Willis has not been the standout homerun hitter that he was in college. And I also agree, he doesn't deserve top-5 money, as he's not a top-5 running back. However, everyone here seems to discount what he does bring to the table. Everyone seems to think that a 4th round pick can bring what McGahee brings, and maybe more. I concede that it's possible, if you get VERY lucky with your pick, but it's certainly not probable. And the "Look at what A-Train was able to do" crowd? Come on people, get serious.
The fact is, Willis will rush for ~1200 yards every year if he plays 16 games. That's not 'elite-back' territory, but it's also not something that any Joe Athlete can come in and do. People seem to forget that in Willis' 14 games this year (13 if you don't count the Packers game where he played one series) he played 9 games against the top-8 rushing defenses in the NFL- (ranking in parenthesis): Minnesota (1), Baltimore (2), Jacksonville (4), New England (5) twice, Chicago (6), San Diego (7), and Miami (8) twice. You'd hope that Willis would be able to raise his game a level when going against the best, but at the same time, nobody in the league was able to run on those teams consistently.
I agree, sometimes he appears disinterested, and sometimes he doesn't run the way we 'experts' think he should. No question I'd love to see that ypc jump into the 4.2-4.4 range. But he has been effective in an offense that has only recently discovered a minimal level of comfortability with their QB and offensive line. Not to make excuses for Willis, but I think he will do more next year, because Losman will be able to do more. If he can be extended at a price that is consistent with the #10-#15 RB's in the league, I would be very happy.
This is a very interesting post and since it's a slow day at the office I decided to compile some info regarding so-called elite backs and how they fared against these same defenses...
(FOR THOSE PLAYERS WHO FACED THESE TEAMS TWICE THE NUMBERS ARE AVERAGED)
Minnesota:
WM: 28 rushes 78 yards and 1 TD
Frank Gore: 19 rushes 41 yards 0 TD
Stephen Jackson: 25 rushes 142 yards 3 TDs
Clinton Portis: 10 rushes 39 yards 1 TD
Baltimore:
WM: 11 rushes 23 yards 0 TD
LT: 27 rushes 98 yards 0 TD
Rudi Johnson: 18 rushes 77 yards 1 TD
Travis Henry: 27 rushes 107 yards 1 TD
Larry Johnson: 23 rushes 120 yards 0 TD
Jacksonville:
WM: 12 rushes 63 yards 2 TD
Julius Jones: 17 rushes 72 yards 1 TD
Clinton Portis: 27 rushes 112 yards 1 TD
Brian Westbrook: 13 rushes 38 yards 0 TD
Larry Johnosn: 33 rushes 138 yards 3 TD
New England: (played against no good runners)
WM: 20 rushes 64.5 yards 0 TD
Rudi Johnson: 14 rushes 65 yards 0 TD
M. Jones-Drew: 19 rushes 131 yards 2 TD
Chicago:
WM: 14 rushes 50 yards 0 TD
Frank Gore: 12 rushes 111 yards 0 TD
Stephen Jackson: 18 rushes 81 yards 1 TD
Tiki Barber: 19 rushes 141 yards 0 TD
San Diego:
WM: 16 rushes 26 yards 1 TD
Frank Gore: 10 rushes 55 yards 0 TD
Larry Johnson: 23.5 rushes 108 yards 2 TD
Stephen Jackson: 18 rushes 84 yards 1 TD
Rudi Johnson: 18 rushes 85 yards 1 TD
Miami: (did not face any elite runners and held just about every opponent to similar numbers as WM)
WM: 26.5 rushes 85 yards 0 TD
Larry Johnson: 18 rushes 75 yards 1 TD
These comparisons are made against the players we all hope Willis to be and in some circumstances he's right on par, but on the whole, he's just slightly below average.
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Your argument does not address the OL.....This offense will continue to stink if the OL is ignored in both FA and the draft.
Does the offense stink though? Post bye-week they were pretty darn good considering the opposition (NE, SD, IND, BAL, MIA). All winning teams with the exception of Miami, but all teams (IND run D excluded) with exceptional defenses.
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Unless some team is crazy enough to give us a 1st round pick, or a player we really need, Willis is here for his last season in 2007. His possible replacement will be drafted in the 2 to 4 round area. If replacement succeeds, Willis is gone via FA. If replacement doesn't work, our 1st round pick or 1st FA signee is a RB-Willis is still gone after 2007.
There's no way Ralph pays Willis "Disappointment" McGahee before next year.
Keep in mind that extentions for Lee Evans & JP Losman will be priorities next year, not Willis.
2007 is Willis McGahee's last year in Buffalo.
Not to be the guy fluffing his own thread but...
While I am not in the blame-the-OLine-boat, couldn't a team with an already established running game (Denver perhaps) benefit from a player with McGahee's size and potential skill.
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I don;t know, but I love the work you did with Paul Simon
but have you ever heard my cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman"? It chits all over "Bridge Over Troubled Water" -
I love Willis McGahee. Always have. But lately I've been less than impressed. When questioned about improving the run game yesterday, Jauron, as he usually does, responded appropriately saying it's an area that the TEAM will address. But let's face the music folks, Buffalo WILL DRAFT A RB ON DAY ONE IN 2007-I'll wager my unborn child.
It's clear that Willis needs competition, and it's clear the Bills need a backup plan for post-2007. My question is: if our soon-to-be-drafted RB proves a worthy replacement, what sort of trade fodder does Willis make and does it make financial/strategic sense to offer him up for a.) a few more players or b.) a few draft picks or c.) a combination of the two?
Is it also completlely out of the question that he won't become trade bait even before the 2007 draft?
I haven't been following the financial innerworkings of the Bills/NFL for very long so I'm looking for some venerated wisdom here. What is the consensus of this board?
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I really doubt they abandon thew Cover 2 so quickly, especially after they have said it usually takes a couple years to get it working, and they drafted and signed players that would succeed in a Cover 2 scheme. Maybe in a couple years they would change unless this is Ralph or Marvs idea and are forcing them to change, but I think it would require too much of a change in personnel to make the move, unless Fewell is trying to invent a new type of Cover 2 hybrid that will be effective against the run too as that seems to be the schemes biggest weakness
I also highly doubt that they will abandon a scheme that the current regime has literally spent all of its time fostering.
But to go along with this thread, I agree with noting this team's discipline and I guess the numbers you present are the only way of truly quantifying an otherwise esoteric (though vastly crucial) aspect of the game. I have a lot of confidence in the offense whenever it takes the field-more so than the past three years (not saying much).
I think two of the key components to said discipline are brains and heart and I'm glad that Marv has made them a priority. On the field they translate into a winning, never-say-die attitude bolstered by preparation and ever-improving skill.
MAN AM I EXCITED ITS ALREADY 2007!
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Will we repeat next year as the team with the toughest strength of schedule?
The one good thing about that is that if the Bills do manage to make the playoffs next season, they'll be prepared to do well in the post-season.
Precisely. I like our matchups though.
The Bills have owned Cincy the past few years, Dallas can be tamed provided the run defense continues to improv, the Giants suck, The Broncos are very beatable (see Dallas strategy), Baltimore might be Super Bowl champions and Buff will want revenge and might be at a point where they are looking to make a statement, and the division oppoents are the division opponents...and those are just the home games.
I think though that our opponents might encourage a second prime time game next year. They will have to have at least one after none this year. Monday night may be?
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I personally want SD to win. Does anyone want NE to win?
I certainly don't. But I think Baltimore is going to beat Chicago 17-16 with Steve McNair rushing for the game's only offensive touchdown.
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Marv will select a good solid all around player Joe. Don't get caught up in all the big time names in the draft. For some reason I have faith in Marv building this team going into next season. With the 12th pick we should be getting a 1st year impact player.
And for this reason I think it'll be linebacker or running back.
On a side note, I never played football, know nothing about technique or anything like that. Having said that, could Fowler play guard?
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I disagree, I can see some positive moves being made by Marv Levy.
And what if nothing does happen? Is it entirely certain that an offseason worth of devlopments for Fowler, Preston, and Pennington isn't enough?
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Losman made two horrendous decisions, but at least I saw some decent playcalling on their part offensively.
Usually people are waiting to pounce on a game like this, but did not happen. I take this as a really good sign.
Remember they were playing a team with everything to play for and the #1 or 2 defence in the league.
Losman has to do a better job reading the defenses and taking control in the huddle. Both ints were just pathetic. Hope no one had money on the Bills.
that was a pretty bada$$ hit not to mention he ran the guy down and hurt himself in the process. kid's got heart
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JP was bad today, I agree. Badol was absolutely right about 10 or so balls that were off target. The two picks were obviously bad passes but both WRs on those plays ran terrible patterns. I expect it out of Peerless on the first but Evans was terrible on the 2nd. He usually gives the good effort most every play. The line was worse than JP though, too. They were horrible the entire game, rushing or pass blocking.
I think there was little the Bills offense could do today period. Run, pass, Baltimore's line and defense was just better. on top of that, I think JP was trying too hard to make things happen rather than playing within himself like he had the prior 8 games or so.
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Speechless why?
Name one RB who didn't lose time to injury this year.
'Well, if that play didn't get called back Willis would have....' And if my uncle wore a wig, he'd be my aunt. It's all a bunch of excuses. He got what he got and did what he did, and he will be judged on that by the people whose opinions matter. Six TDs on the year may put stars in your eyes, but it doesn't impress me, and based on his comments, I doubt it impresses Marv.
He signed that first contract, did he not? TD didn't put a gun to his head, did he? If he wants more scratch, he needs to STFU and make more plays.
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Another brilliant response!!! LOL see ya later, i'm off to celebrate the new year!
You've absolved him of the blame. That's fine. So are you suggesting that none of the 20+ RB's who had a better year than Willis could have done better than he did in Buffalo?
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Did you notice he played through broken ribs and a bum ankle?
yes
Did you notice him puking on the sidelines twice this season?
yes
Did you NOT notice the lineman either on their faces or WATCHING the play?
I did.
Also Willis had 3 carries against GB, and missed 2 games. That's not 16 games now is it.
no, but he was a part of a team that a 16 game schedule which means he had 16 opportunties at 1000 yards. If he was injured, it was a missed opportnity now isn't't it?
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Yeah, no running game will kill you.
How many different teams have had their running games stomped on recently by the Ravens? Haven't seen the stats have you?
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Did you actually watch the game? Or did you just look at nfl.com and say "Willis sucks, he only had 23 yards"
If you actually watched the game you'd know how bad our offensive line is at run blocking. When Willis did have a few good runs today, they were called back for holding penalties. How do you not see what has happened this year?
I watched the game in its entirety. In fact, I watched the SEASON in its entirety (with one exception). And 1000 yds rushing is a SEASON benchmark that Willis, following today's game (today's game accounting for 1/16th of the time Willis had to acrue 1000 yards) failed at reaching. FACT.
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That's what happens when you play a great run defense. The offensive gameplan was excellent, Losman just wasn't efficient enough. His progress has been great, but he needs to take his game up a full notch yet to become a guy who can match up with the best and win.
For the past six weeks Baltimore has been my pick for the super bowl winner. I stand by that especially after today. That defense got to Losman in every way shape and form-he was rushed, he was flushed, and he was rattled. But to say that today's gameplan is to blame for his missing the 1000 yard mark is ludicrous. HE NEEDED 33 YARDS and he carried the ball 11 times. I no longer hold superstar expectations for Willis McGahee. I do for Lee Evans though and I'm excited for that. The defense did a very good job today. No touchdowns allowed and clamped on the run for the majority of the game, with an up and coming quarterback and an emerging superstar wide receiver, an elite running back is the missing link to the offensive personell. I include the line in this because improvments will obviously contribute to fostering a dominant run game, but I think another running back deserves a shot at Willis' job. Competition can only help.
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DISCUSS...
This McGahee crap is getting old...
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
with whom do you agree because there have been two polar opinions offered thus far