BillsVet

Not to hijack the thread, but I think the main reason top execs and coaches avoid Buffalo isn't the weather but a lack of direction. It's hard for RW and the inner-circle to make any long term plans with ownership being what it is. I'm convinced Nix has a long term plan but whether he has time to implement it is another thing. SD's rebuild took 3 regular seasons and 4 off-seasons. RW turns 92, which puts the owner at 94-95 by the time Buffalo is competitive again. But I'd agree that the decisions are short sighted and not made by qualified football people, and that includes previous "football" people like Guy and Jauron. I'm just not convinced that people like Overdorf and Littman aren't still making decisions that are short sighted. And those latter two aren't going anywhere but on RW's gravy train.

You're the GM, and as such will report to the owner. Every single NFL team needs to be profitable first and foremost so dealing Evans and Lynch for picks might sound nice, but it signals they're quitting this season by the trade deadline. No one in upper management wants empty seats, especially since this will be a long season with a few blackouts. Secondly, Mankins wants Jahri Evans money, not the figures you mentioned. And why in heck would Bill Belichick deal Mankins at all when the team is trying to prove a point, especially to a division opponent that plays NE twice a year? Furthermore, Levitre is not a NFL RT or LT. He's principally a guard that worked at LT in an emergency last season. The team didn't keep him there amid all the problems at OT in 2009-10.

Ralph didn't know any contractors to fix his house. So he visited the nursing home for some advice from retired carpenters. The Bills don't have time to be making excuses. ST's went down 11k this year, and a rebuilding year will drive that further down. The long term fans who've endured 10 straight and likely another playoff less season can't take much more. They don't have all the time people think they have. If anything, the state of the team should be more proof that Marv Levy, Russ Brandon, and Dick Jauron maintained a 5-6 win team and rebuilt nothing. And amazingly despite this, Tom Modrak and Jim Overdorf remain on the payroll. Each year the draft was a means to replace departed free agents, and that'll keep you on the treadmill of mediocrity. Deep down, Buddy and Chan knew this team was probably not good. They've been around the game too long to not know the talent level was minimal.

The rebuild doesn't really begin until they get the QB of the future. And that's going to happen in April when they select within the top 5, perhaps top 3. After that, they've got to find two new OT's and pass rushers who weren't former DE's in the NFL. The interior LB's aren't stellar and it wouldn't hurt to have some more depth at WR.

His name is Kraig Urbik and he's a 2009 3rd round pick by Pittsburgh that didn't see the field in his rookie season for a team with severe OL issues. It's like Jamon Meredith all over again, thinking we can shop at the dollar store and come away with diamond rings. It's absurd to think these guys who are castoffs from other teams will help this team, especially from teams that are successful franchises in Pittsburgh and Green Bay. As if the Buffalo front office sees something that Kevin Colbert or Ted Thompson and their staffs didn't. The offensive line, specifically the tackles will plague this team all season. It's bad enough having a QB who's afraid of his own shadow, but the OT's are a sieve.

Not much on research? Mankins wants a Jahri Evans sized deal, and..he's a GUARD. They've got two of those already and neither are moving anywhere. Besides, Buffalo isn't giving out 50M dollar deals anymore. Hartwig is a cast-off and not playing anywhere for a reason. Runyan is retired and running for Congress in Michigan. End of story. The solution is to have better play at LT and RT. Unfortunately, teams don't allow good OT's to hit the open market. They must be drafted and the Bills haven't drafted an OT in the first four rounds since Fat Mike Williams in 2002.

I would love to see the bottom 4 teams be relegated to the second tier league if that were a possibility. Wouldn't it be something if the UFL and NFL reached an agreement to do this? In all seriousness, the Bills have avoided bottoming out for a long time. But that run has ended, and fans responded by purchasing 11k fewer season tickets. Admittedly it's one game of 16, but continued efforts at home like this will prompt more fans to just say the heck with it. I have a feeling the worst is yet to come.

Right on. It is inconceivable that a team can be mediocre to bad for 11 consecutive seasons and thus not bottom out or advance to the playoffs. Fans forget that SD took a full 3 seasons (and 4 off-seasons) to become the talent laden team the are. This rebuilding will be no different. Buffalo wasted 4 entire seasons under wimpy DJ and predictably bad management from Marv Levy and Russ Brandon in the GM role. 2010 is those bad decisions coming to the surface. What we as Bills fans watch on game days is not close to being even average NFL football. It's actually to the point of becoming sad, especially when you factor in the very uncertain future of the team with a soon to be 92 year old owner. The rebuild has begun, and they don't yet have a NFL QB, LT, RT, or enough pass rush.

I don't think either those two or Jamon Meredith would be much more than swing tackles for any team. Miami's front 7 got significant push all day long, and they have no one who's a marquee player. Koa Misi shoved Meredith around and Green is a warm body. A lot of fans don't care about OT because they don't show up on fantasy rosters, but it's clear they're holding back the entire offense. That, and Trent's just not good.

The more things CHANge the more they remain the same.

It's amazing that there's been so little turnover in the front office since the TD hiring. Modrak was hired by TD, then retained by Levy, Brandon and now Nix. Guy made it through one less GM until being fired over a night in January. I think all firings, front office or HC, must go through RW. How else can anyone explain why Levy, Brandon, and Nix have not restructured the front office upon assuming the GM title. I maintain Guy was a bone thrown to the fans who placed him in their collective crosshairs. Still, at the end of the day they've not drafted well in the middle rounds. From the 3rd to the 5th in 2006 to 2008, they've gained few long term decent starters. Aside from Trent, who's not a certainty in 2011, only Kyle Williams is a long term starter taken in those rounds. Yeah, the draft must improve if the team is to take a leap forward. Otherwise, it's same old same old.

Not surprising to see that people already have a prepared response if Buffalo isn't as good as Washington is in their first season of rebuilding: Snyder has more resources to call on. Yet, Danny gets ripped for spending in previous seasons without Shanahan/Allen. How many people around here say spending in UFA can hurt in the long term? I guess this applies only when it can be used to support a given argument. Good teams on the field begin with good management, i.e. an excellent GM and top HC. Spending guarantees nothing, but there is a time to sign free agents and a time not to. Shanahan has had his share of bad moves, but he's a proven HC and Gailey hasn't been one in the NFL in 11 years. I'd like to know why teams didn't bite on him after (at least on TBD) his celebrated 2 seasons as OC in MIA.

The dearth of posts from some of the original and older (not agewise) posters is indicative of this. Everyone has a right to be a fan, but you can't make an objective point about the team without a subjective homer fan railing on them for not being a true fan. I think this is going to be a long season.

Blitzing to manufacture a pass rush is not a long term solution. Torbor was cut from Miami, where he played ILB. Maybin is unproven and is a second stringer, Kelsay is a converted DE as is Ellis who has little experience regardless of defense. IMO, the coaching staff knows they don't have the horses to play strictly 3-4 and will attempt to mitigate this by frequently moving from a 43 to a 34. Over time, the lack of a good pass rush exposes a defense. For all the talk about the secondary, they'll be left out to dry without someone stepping up who can get to the QB. Good coaching cannot replace bad players ill-suited to scheme.

The Bills sold ST's last year to the tune of 56k+ as the economy was rapidly faltering. I wouldn't singularly place the loss in sales on the TO signing, but of course he was a factor. Now, in the second year of the recession, their base drops 11k tickets. While this isn't a black and white issue, there's something to be said for the marketing/communications department continually amping up expectations and then seeing the team strike out during the season. For this reason, a wait and see attitude is more prevalent than homer fans realize or want to admit. After awhile, the citizens stop paying attention to the boy who cried wolf. Being good in the NFL long term takes a LOT of good decisions from management to go along with significant resources. The Bills haven't made solid decisions in UFA and draft day, compounded by bad management from the field to on-high. The fans are reacting and playing the doubting Thomas role. Nothing wrong with that.

He's not in charge of recruiting. And for the record I'm not advocating the Bills take him or even them dumping the season to get a high pick. That's just too far off. The guy is a solid college player who isn't surrounded with much. Why doesn't he get the season to prove himself when everyone on TBD says we have to do the same thing to judge the 2010 version Bills?

DIdn't see anyone discussing Jake Locker's 2010 opener at BYU on Saturday night. Thought I'd interject a few observations: -UW HC Steve Sarkisian still designs plays to feature Locker's great mobility. Evidently, Locker runs a 4.4 40 and he's more than just an outstanding athlete. Still not keen on seeing him running the ball. He had 11 carries for 29 yards, including a 9 yard TD run. -UW does not have much elite CFB talent. Locker probably had 2-3 catchable balls that were dropped during the game. He ended up 20-37 for 266 yards 1 pass TD and the 1 (debatable) rushing TD. -Locker made a throw from the far hashmark on an out-route that is a difficult throw in football, college or pro. He put the ball right on the money to his WR. -his decision making is a little suspect, and Locker failed to connect on 2 4th quarter throws on 4th down. -he's not a finished product, but it's apparent he's improved with tutelage from Sarkisian, himself a pretty good former college QB. Still wish he wasn't involved in too many designed QB runs, but it's college and UW has to win games. All in all, he's a little rough around the edges IMO, but it seems the tools are there, especially the arm strength. UW is home versus SU next week. Hard to say on how he reads defenses, but the physical tools are definitely there.

They're going to flash a lot of 4-3 looks, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens 40% of the time if not more. And still the question remains: Who are the pass-rushers? And when teams are forced to blitz (a la Perry Fewell last year) to manufacture a pass rush, bad things happen. They simply don't have the 3-4 OLB's nor 4-3 DE's to get to the QB. End of story.

Thanks much LS and it's good to hear that Nix is given some leeway on moves. He's got his work cut out for him to undo what has gone on the past decade and I hope he gets the time to do it, because there's a lot to do improving the roster.

All of this civility around here really brings a tear to my eye. Fine, but answer me this question: Which WR should Buffalo target next April: Julio Jones, A.J. Green or perhaps Jonathan Baldwin? I prefer Green, but as always I'm interested in your opinion. Call it the Devin Thomas syndrome.

So who's going to be the pass rusher extraordinaire up front? They're flashing a lot of 4-3 looks which is nice, but there's not one DLineman or LB that has proven they can get to the QB routinely. Call it Doom and Gloom, call it whatever you want, but facts are facts: This is a rebuilding season.

The OL in its current form is a disaster waiting to happen. Bell is coming back from a torn ACL and hasn't played a full game yet. Levitre will improve, but is strictly a guard/center because he lacks the arm length to handle edge rushers at either tackle position. Hangartner is average and nothing more. Wood has played, but I would bet isn't 100%. Cornell Green is a liability in pass protection and not anyone top notch in run blocking. Meanwhile, it's a former GB PS guy as the swing OT, UDFA and rookie Howard backing up the 3 interior OL positions, and Ed Wang who is returning from thumb surgery last month. Yeah, I'd say they're going to make some moves. If they don't add a veteran G and OT, it's negligence on their part. That is, if there's anything worthwhile available. Out of 8 OL on the roster as of today, 3 have had a major surgery in the past 9 months. Maybe once and for all people will realize building a backfield without an OL in front of it is recipe for disaster. But hey, it sells tickets!

One thing DW apologists continue to maintain is the guy isn't used correctly in their defensive scheme. Well, he frequently gets washed out near the LOS, and the past few seasons he's been nicked up as a result. Second, a guy taken top 10 should be making plays at the LOS like he did on Benson, which was very nice. You can blame DJ for his underwhelming amount of impact plays, but if he doesn't force some fumbles or make a few picks in 2010, what can be said then? As for Jeff Fisher, interesting you note him. As if HC's are the ones solely making picks on draft day. I think Bud Adams and whomever the GM at the time (Floyd Reese perhaps) had a hand in many of those picks. Moreover, Tennessee has been pretty darn good in finding lineman, which is something of a necessity in the NFL. You can't run and defend the pass when all you've got it RB's and DB's, right?

A time honored tradition at TBD is for someone to point out that we're not in the NFL and the front office knows best. But goodness gracious Meredith, C. Howard (not Curly), and Wang aren't much for OL depth. Better hope all 5 play all 16 games if they don't add anyone.

This is another clue that the drafting of Levy, Jauron, Modrak, and Brandon was not very good. Depth on any NFL team can't extend to all positions, but the Bills are still only strong at off the LOS areas. Perhaps one of those 5 UDFA's becomes a player down the line, but for this season it's unlikely.