BillsVet

Preseason games are overrated.

This is perhaps the worst roster in the NFL.

From 85-00 Buffalo had guys in the front office who could make up for the RW and Littman meddling in football matters. That's not to say Butler left the team in great shape or that Wade was HOF caliber, but 10 years later, the organization is a mess, the drafting is "terrible" according to the owner, and the Bills are 11 seasons without a playoff berth. Owners are going to have a say in every franchise. It's just that the best ones don't throw tantrums and rely on the advice of money men solely focused on turning a bigger profit. The Bills decline began when RW allowed strong football people to be trumped by non-football people like Littman and Overdorf.

Both players must be analyzed based on their caliber of play and pay. Neither are elite at their positions first with one looking for a big pay day and the other probably not. Whitner's not getting 6M+, so unless he's Iwilling to take a pay cut, should be allowed to leave. I would be satisfied with a George Wilson until they can find a more suitable replacement. Posluszny needs to be covered up in whichever defense they decide on. Perhaps teaming him with a better ILB or 43 OLB's might be an option, but he's certainly not going to demand a Whitner sized contract. At this point he probably isn't getting replaced simply because they have so many needs and so few resources to address them.

It's a 4-11 team. How much worse can they get without a Whitner or Posluszny? The defense is already among the league's worst, ranking dead last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed with 160+ per and 29th in stopping teams on 3rd down. Both players do their best, but their best is not enough. They need better pieces and must commit the resources to get players who impact games. Whitner and Posluszny are not on the same level with guys like Winfield, P. Williams, Fletcher, and Clements. At least those guys were a part of a core group who played on good defenses. Whitner and Posluszny have never played on a good defense. Never.

Every off-season we hear the same message that the team could have easily won a few more games and their young players are going to develop. Well, how many years do we have to say it before this happens? Young players are not guaranteed of getting better and frequently get worse as teams get film on them. Furthermore, losing close games is not necessarily an indication the team is improving. Buffalo is 3-6 in games decided by 1 score in 2010. They were 2-5 in 09, 3-4 in 08, 4-4 in 07, and 3-6 in 06. Without better talent up and down the roster, the Bills are stuck between being bad and mediocre. So far, the front office hasn't really done much to demonstrate the team is on the up and up. There is no proof from 10 that they'll be much more than a mediocre team in 11.

Nix has been very public about being a GM who doesn't use UFA much. Last year's signings were to help transition to a 34 and replace a suddenly retired Brad Butler. These weren't huge contracts at all. When there's a CBA to provide a UFA period, I still see no reason this team spends a lot of money on guys like David Harris and LaMarr Woodley who will command huge salaries if they become available at all. It's been 4 year since the Dockery/Walker signings, so it seems like they've removed themselves, even before Nix' arrival, from the top UFA game. And after 11 seasons of non-playoff football, one has to wonder why.

WR's and CB's, as is obvious, require a support to be good. The former needs an OL and QB, while the latter needs a pass rush. These things have been on display for the Bills for a long time now and I don't understand why it's so hard to figure out. Better to get strong at OT and DL to help the team win sooner. From 06-09, Buffalo used 6 1st or 2nd round picks on non-lineman. And of the 4 lineman taken, 2 are McCargo and Maybin with the others being guards. And people wonder why the team doesn't run block or rush the passer real well. That's where I'd like to see them get better, not WR or CB necessarily right away.

Exhibit A on why teams without a pass rush and rebuilding do not begin said rebuild with a safety. The Whitner apologists quibble over this simple fact, but it remains a luxury to select a safety so high when more important positions like OT, 43RDE or 34OLB are essential. And now this very point is being used to excuse Whitner for his underwhelming play. Teams are not afraid to throw his way, as evidenced by the number of receptions and TD's where DW throws a shoulder after the receiver catches the ball. He is an average player demanding a salary commensurate with being a star, of which he is not and never will be.

I don't agree. It appears Nix and Gailey are on the same page wrt the draft, at least this past year. And while Gailey may be an offensive coach, he knows his defense is losing a lot of games for him, so taking the big name WR won't cure that problem. Offensively the Bills are mediocre, but on defense it's a complete cluster. They don't know if they're a 43 or 34, can't stop the run, and have surrendered 30+ 8 times this season. The real battle will be between Nix/Gailey and the suits. The latter know the team has no drawing card in 2011 and it'll be a challenge to sell 40k season tickets. Needless to say, that's where the real battle will be waged.

What has Buddy really done now that he's been on the job a full year? Their UFA's haven't made much impact, aside from perhaps Dwan Edwards before he was injured. Andra Davis was IR'd, will be 32 next season and Cornell Green was as bad as we thought he was. The top pick RB who was supposed to be instant impact hasn't done that, although he's by no means a bust. The 2nd and 3rd rounders are on the field, but both seem to be 34 projects right now. No one's judging the draft after one year, but the UFA class has yielded little. They will need a better starting QB, more talent at both OT's, and lots of help in the front 7, particularly pass rushers. Maybe RW is right that it'll take 3 more years, but a solid GM could do it sooner.

The true measure of a team after drafting top 10 is if they return there. Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Oakland never seem to rise out of the doldrums and graduate to being playoff teams. And then you look at a team like STL who've drafted high a few years and now are no less that an average team. Their high picks are contributing and have the team winning at least 7 games after 3 years of 3 or less. And yet, DET, CLE, CIN, and BUF are again drafting top 10. So what's the difference? It's that STL made real changes at GM and HC, and got their picks right enough to be what they are. One would hope Buffalo doesn't draft high year after year, certainly for the financial implications, but if they do for 2-3 years, get those picks right far more often. Right now, the question is whether the team will begin hitting on top picks wherever they draft and supplementing that with quality starters in UFA. Recent history suggests they can't do the former and refuse to do the latter.

It's funny to see people argue against taking a QB because at one time, there was a huge bust and that precludes a team from going QB in Round 1. When you have superior scouting, teams tend to not make those mistakes like Buffalo has with their first round picks. If people avoided making decisions because there was some risk, nothing would be accomplished. Same principle applies here in that a good staff and GM know who to avoid and who to select. That said, taking Andrew Luck is a calculated risk that appears to be as sure a thing at QB in a long time. Either way, Ryan Fitzpatrick is a stop-gap type who remains best served as a backup.

So how's Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly doing these days?

Their last move to bolster the team occurred 4 years ago in March. Since then, the big moves were signing TO on a 1 year deal, trading for Stroud, and signing some guys who are either A) Not with the team (K. Mitchell) or B) there and not more than average players (Hangartner, Fitzpatrick). We Bills fans have the worst of both worlds: a bad college scouting staff and a pro personnel department with a small budget. No wonder the franchise has been wandering in the wilderness for 11 long seasons. If there's no commitment to change, then there's no commitment. Of course, they could be saving up to pay that hopefully top 3 pick who'll get big dollars. And I can't wait to see Overdorf negotiate that contract.

I find it interesting that you can't simply put me on ignore and move on. You keep coming back for more, because apparently you've got a huge ax to grind with me. As though complaining isn't permitted for a team now 11 straight seasons without a playoff appearance. Far be it from someone to see the negatives before the impossibly small positives.

Be patient? Really? You mean 11 seasons isn't enough to wait for the team to finally figure it out? Ah well, they'll throw another deck chair off the titanic, shuffle some other furniture around and voila everything will be great again. Does changes take 11 seasons? Because after today's game, I don't see this team winning 8 games in 2011 provided there's a season. And BTW, dissent on a message board is actually allowed from time to time. Especially when the football team you root for averages 6 wins per season for a decade. Forgive me for not being more patient, but with a stadium lease expiring after the 2012 season, I'd like to see them win sooner rather than later. Guess I've just got to learn to be more patient.

Chan shouldn't be concerned in the least for his job. And while they won't be anywhere near the hot seat, Jim Overdorf, Tom Modrak, and Buddy Nix have done jack squat to support the HC this year with players.

Agree on all counts Bill, specifically 9. You can't man the OT position with late round picks, UDFA's, street free agents and former practice squad scrubs the HC coached in college. A lot of fans want a DE next year in the draft. I'm not sure that's their big issue, with D. Edwards, Carrington, and Spencer Johnson being there. One has to hope Carrington develops so the front office can use resources at OT, LB, or perhaps TE. But then again, Chan and Buddy thought Spiller would make the OL better.

There are bigger problems than the slumping punter. Perhaps scoring 3 points, or surrendering 34, or turning it over 7 times. Discuss.

I thought it couldn't get much worse. And it continues to.

Bob Kraft: 12 playoff appearances in 17 NFL seasons Ralphie W: 13 in 41 NFL seasons.

Chan has Belichick right where he wants him: does he pull Brady now or later?

***Circus Music***

Chan must have enlisted Kevin Gilbride to develop the offensive game plan today.