BillsVet

Badol, as much as I saw a huge need at WR for a sizable target, I thought a tight end who can run the seam would be more beneficial to a QB like Edwards. Trent isn't being asked to throw 50 yard bombs, but rather to find targets in that quasi-WCO and allow the receiver to run. A tight end seemed like a bigger need given the QB. Granted, when the Bills took Hardy, Carlson and Keller were off the board, but it stands to reason they'd head into the season with more than 2 healthy TE's. I suppose Schouman qualifies, but he's listed at 225. Royal, well, you said it already. Fine is still a rookie, and didn't stretch defenses at Kansas. While I know you can't address every problem in one year, a pass catching TE is sorely needed on that offense. Unfortunately, I don't see the Bills giving up a draft pick(s) for Gonzalez. They'll stick with RR and allow him to bungle more catches. He's a blocking TE, that's all.

Anyone who knows a thing about the C2 realizes the front four must generate a pass rush. We all know that didn't happen, and Buffalo's DL wasn't lining up against Conrad Dobler and Dan Dierdorf. I can't recall a time when Warner was anything more than a little hurried. When a QB completes better than 75% of their passes, something is catastrophically wrong. Today, the weakness of the C2 was demonstrated. Warner didn't complete big passes, but nickel and dimed the defense to death. His average completion was a mere 6 yards per, but was there any doubt he would complete a pass when he dropped back? I though the Bills had better personnel on the DL and in the LB corps. And how many times was it said the secondary was supremely upgraded. McGee's absence hurt, but I'm not sure he's have made much difference. DJ has never selected quality coordinators. Never, not on offense, not on defense. Unless PF comes up with something for SD, and he's got 2 weeks, he's probably living up to Jauron's track record.

Maybe Perry Fewell just isn't up to the task of being an NFL DC. Very little imagination, unable to create pressure against a Cards OL that isn't stellar by any means. Unable to stop the run...and yet we upgraded the defense this season on the interior DL. Have to believe this loss is as much on the coaches as it was on players. Failure to prepare from top to bottom, a hallmark of DJ teams.

So now we're making excuses for playing crappy uninspired football? At the first hint of failure, the excuse-birds are front and center. Why not admit they weren't ready for this game, particularly on defense.

Bingo. Having lived in WNY most of my life, it always seems like people who've always lived in WNY can't understand that life is cheap here as compared with most places in the US. I see it all over the place, especially when an athlete in Buffalo gets a big contract. Vanek, Dockery, Schobel, and now Evans all are getting paid big dollars to play a game. Except it's not a game anymore, it's a business resembling a game. (I think someone once said that on this board) A lot of WNY's complain about players, especially when that highly paid athlete is anything less than stellar. I would hope fans don't come here and complain if Evans isn't dominating every game, but it'll happen. Besides, it's a WNY thing anyway. Evans' contract was based on other WR deals across the league, and whether people like it or not, the money in the NFL is still far below that of MLB and especially the NBA. Had Evans walked out the door, the writing on the wall about being a farm team would have been in black paint on a huge white canvas in front of RWS. And then the big b**ching would have started. As much as I've ripped the front office for their ways in the past, they knew it was absolutely necessary to re-sign Evans without paying through the nose. I think they did fine on this one. The Bills personnel folks will have several tough decisions in the next 2-3 years as they hopefully become a better team. Having Evans for four more seasons gives them some stability at WR, which is still the position that busts more than just about any other in the NFL. 9M per ain't bad.

A C2 defense relies so heavily on the front four generating a pass rush. Sure they blitz and do other things, but I'm . I too am not seeing a pass rush that was predicted in the off-season after Stroud's acquisition. I've also been amazed that Ellis hasn't dressed. Unless he's an absolute liability, sitting a third round pick for the first quarter of the season is strange. Especially considering they haven't been able to pressure the QB with just their front four.

Part of gameplanning is anticipating what an opponent will do before they do it. The Rams were 0-3 entering that game, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Linehan made a change at QB, and it wasn't out of the question to guess the defense would make some changes after surrendering 116 points in three games. I admit the Rams played better on defense than I expected. And even though Buffalo adjusted at the half to some degree, what does it take to mix in some calls like a screen pass to keep the defense on its toes? Running between the tackles is difficult, how about a draw play? Perhaps some play action? It's the regular season already. Holding back in Week 4 is non-sensical and we'll see how creative Turk can be as the season unfolds further.

The draft isn't a crap shoot-not to the people who know it best. Take a look at the picks Polian and Newsome have made since 2000. Generally, their first rounders are spot on. As for McCargo, he reported overweight this year. For a guy in his third year of NFL football, that's not cutting it. I get the impression he's just not mentally into the game like a pro needs to be. Clearly, the Bills sent a message by signing Spencer Johnson and re-upping Kyle Williams. That didn't work, and it'll be time to move on possibly as early as next year.

Buffalo has some interesting decisions to make at CB in the next year. Greer is up at the end of 08, McGee and Youboty after 09. That leaves McKelvin, who will most likely continue to improve. I wasn't worried much when McGee went down. I noticed that Royal did not start yesterday. Not clear on why, but Schouman got the starting nod. Still, I've always viewed RR as more of a blocking TE and Washington knew this when they let him go. Schouman is clearly too small to block as well, which makes him, IMO, strictly a pass catcher. I agree the TE position needs to be addressed, unless Derek Fine can show something when he returns later this season. He has better size than Schouman, but it's very raw as well. He played well at Kansas, but isn't someone who'll stretch the field in the seam. At least not yet. Still, it's scary to think how much better Edwards could be with a solid TE who can block and catch. I still believe that center must be the position addressed first because Fowler is not a long term solution beyond this season.

Mocking posters is a natural reaction whenever someone cannot articulate a point. I guess we're all supposed to jump on board whatever bandwagon is the popular one. In this instance, it's that Jauron is great because Buffalo is 3-0. I can't do that just yet. What matters is winning. And so far, the Bills have done that. Perhaps not in convincing fashion these past two weeks, but I'll take it. Jauron's ability as a HC hasn't been really tested much this season. The difference this season versus the previous is players are making plays at crucial times. Jacksonville? Hardy's grab in the EZ. Oakland? Edwards throwing for 177 in the final stanza. DJ didn't have that all the time in past years, and it's clouding many fans' vision of what a HC does before, during, and after games. It's a long season, and for myself, it's still going to take a long time for DJ to help me completely forget the Dallas and Denver debacles last year, let alone being thrashed by 7 TD's at home on SNF. I need more than 3 weeks too.

Reading Burwell's article, it's obvious that unlike the salary cap, the NFL cannot create parity among front offices. Teams like the Rams, Cardinals, Lions, Chiefs, and Bengals have been led by inept management, and in some cases, facilitated by owners who don't care. How else can anyone explain the Rams and Lions being led by the same pitiful execs for so long? I've had issues with the Bills front office, but their shortcomings pale in comparison to other franchises. There seems to be a plan in Buffalo, which is far more than teams like the Rams can offer.

Jauron's ability to process what happens on the field is my biggest issue with his style. There are times that it seems he's attempting to overanalyze what transpires on the field that he neglects the "big picture." Almost to the point of perfectionism. The first occurrence that something was wrong was in 2006 in the home game against SD. He used a TO with about 12 min remaining in the fourth to review a Peerless Price catch which was ruled out of bounds. He challenged, and the ruling was upheld. On one play, he used the equivalent of two timeouts and in a low scoring game, couldn't prioritize his TO's above a single pass play. The second time was home versus the Jets last season. He wanted so badly to attempt a FG on 4th down from about the 2, but could not make up his mind, and the game clock got down. This forced a TO, wherein the team decided to go for it. People can criticize that some bring up his career record. They can argue it was a lack of talent, or the front office, or whatever. It's not always going to be so easy, and coaches have to make decisions without the benefit of ample time. I've got to see DJ make better in-game adjustments than they have, particularly against Oakland. It seems he's painfully slow to change tactics, and it wasn't until the fourth quarter when the offense finally did something. He is the HC, and abdicating responsibility for the offense is unacceptable.

I attended a couple of practices during the summer. Crowell missed one at the end of July, but was participating later on at full speed. It's noteworthy that Crowell had what Graham termed "the works" version of surgery when he went to see Dr. Andrews. Sounded as though he elected this because he had the time to heal. Had he not been on IR, he could have elected to have a scaled down version of surgery. I'm not a MD, so I can't elaborate further. It's also important to view this event during the time it did. Peters still hadn't reported, and I'm sure the mood wasn't good in the front office. The personnel folks probably viewed surgery as a move to undermine them, and responded by sending a message that this behavior would not be tolerated. I also have to wonder if this was done by the player's agent to test a new GM/COO in Brandon. It's all speculation, but something's amiss with this situation. Crowell also was entering the final year of his contract, and apparently Buffalo hadn't contacted him about an extension. Either way, he misses the season, had the surgery, and will hit UFA without a 2008 body of work.

I understand where you are coming from. The team GM approach has advantages. I do believe there are capable individuals who can handle the GM role, but the team felt keeping the same people in the front office was more conducive to their success. I can't judge this yet, because the season and the Brandon era has only begun. While we don't know all the inner-workings of the front office, Buffalo's model is unique. Not saying it can't work, but it's not conventional. The NE model is certainly different, though I'm more apt to trust a Belichick/Pioli combo given their successes. Additionally, Pioli's been in pro personnel for 15 years whereas Brandon's only now beginning. Ultimately, the results will tell the story. Buffalo is in year 3 (and what I feel is the final year) of rebuilding. They've started well, and the FA acquisitions from 07 and 08 are contributing. I believe as the team improves, tougher decisions will need to be made. Which players should they prevent from hitting UFA, how much to dip into UFA, which areas to draft, whom to draft, et al. Now that the roster has been overhauled, the true test begins. Rebuilding is the easy part. Staying successful long term is much harder, and that's why few teams have been able to win for more than 3 years. I cite Polian a lot, but he's the man who's headed that organization to a SB and 6 straight 10+ win seasons. We'll see if Buffalo's version of GM can work.

I think Modrak's very adept at handling the amateur scouting side of personnel. Guy, I'm not so high on with pro scouting. Jauron may have a bias toward defense, but has been around the NFL and its players for awhile. IMO, a GM ought to come from the personnel arena, not the business side of the house. In that way, when a tough decision needs to be made, they can take their own experience and combine that with their lieutenants. My greatest fear is decisions are made totally by committee at OBD. While this can be advantageous, sometimes a leader has a particular feeling toward something which may not be popular. I recall reading in The GM by Tom Callahan that Ernie Accorsi was convinced that Eli Manning would be a special player. Not everyone was on board, and Accorsi took a lot of heat. Needless to say, he's been vindicated. That decision may not have been made without a guy like Ernie. In no way am I saying Brandon is a dunce or incapable of being GM. I just think teams are defined more often than not by the quality of their personnel people, GM included. It's best to have as many proven talent evaluators as possible.

Brandon's personnel experience falls far short of many successful GM's in the league. Most GM's begin their career on the personnel side of the team, either as an amateur scout or in pro personel. Guys like Polian, AJ Smith, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, and Scott Pioli all worked in personnel before graduating to GM or VP of Personel roles. Brandon is at a distinct disadvantage here, and he relies heavily on Modrak, Guy, and Jauron for personel guidance. As for Burress, he's 31 and took a deal significantly less than Fitzgerald and Berrian. Fitzgerald got a whopping 30M guaranteed and Berrian's new deal includes 16M of the same. I have a feeling Evans' people are pushing the point that Evans is younger and on the upswing, while Burress is not getting younger. JMO.

Bill, I'm all for drafting DL and OL and I believe those areas will be addressed. I just believe the team looked at potential free agents and starting drafting their replacements in 08. McKelvin and Corner will need to become starters/contributors, which enables the team to replace from within at CB. Buffalo might retain some of their own, but not all three CB's. The 09 draft is a ways off, but right now, I'd say priorities on this team are interior OL, TE, and LB. I think Brandon knows basic team building, and if Jauron wanted a DB, someone would raise their hand and politely advise Brandon otherwise. That is, if anyone can over-rule Jauron on draft day.

Buffalo's top 3 CB's all have contracts up before 2009. McGee and Youboty after next season, with Greer up after this year. That may have factored into the decision to draft McKelvin, but it's probably minor as compared with the value he had at 11th. Any decent front office understands that they can't retain every player on their team, especially when the team works with a salary cap, or in the Bills case, C2C. McKelvin will be looked to replace a CB at some point, either next season or 2010. My guess is he'll rotate in eventually, and Buffalo will choose among McGee, Youboty, or Greer. Perhaps two, but not all of them will be re-signed.

I don't believe you "get it." Every year, FA determines the price of players, whether the fans like it or not. I would argue that Evans' presence on the field is more game-changing than many of us realize. Opponents have to respect his speed, and he's demonstrated against decent defenses that he's capable of beating them regularly. He's a fifth year player who is in the prime of his career, despite having multiple QB's in his NFL time. The Bills can pay the going rate or a similar amount for Evans. If not, Lee takes his services elsewhere, a.k.a. free agency. Bernard Berrian's contract, and probably Larry Fitzgerald's are figuring heavily into the negotiations, as they're some of the more recent and comparabale WR's signed. You may not think Evans is not worthy of a deal above 7M per, but it's a narrow view to simply say he's not worth it and let him depart in FA. For example, Evans' replacement value is high, given that Buffalo has no other WR near him in terms of what he can do. Second, WR, as many have pointed out, is historically a position that takes a great deal of time to transition from college to the pros. Third, the Bills won't find a player for less than 7M per season who can grasp their offense and personnel as quickly as Lee. The Bills core group is beginning to establish rapport, and I can't imagine one more close than QB to WR. You can disagree with the cost because of numbers alone, but that ignores far too many other issues at hand.

It says a great deal about where the franchise is going. Teams that want to stay successful eventually have to ante up, and Buffalo is no different. We know the Bills are capable of getting smaller contracts done, but larger ones seem to be a slow process. Schobel's contract negotiations went on for months, and now so is Evans'. It's understandable that both sides want something fair, but this has dragged on for too long. The going rate for WR's is high, but the Bills have no viable replacement for Evans, and have more than 20M in cap room. You have to wonder with Ralph having final say on contracts if this isn't something he could be holding up. I think Marv was someone Ralph trusted a great deal, and Brandon isn't at that level from a personnel standpoint.

I remember some fans worrying that Evans wasn't a fan of Edwards because the two didn't work together as well as Evans did with Losman. Not to comment on Losman, but it's fair to say Evans and Edwards have developed something in a short time. Granted, it's after two whole games, but apparently Evans wants to remain in Buffalo and knows Edwards is dedicated to improving. At the end of the day, WR's like whatever QB gets them the ball. Edwards is doing that, and the Bills are winning. I'm sure that positively affected negotiations.

Evans article per John Wawrow Nice to see that things have "suddenly heated up" regarding a new contract. I've wondered what has taken so long (6+ months now) for the Bills to re-sign their best receiver. Through two games, Evans' lack of a new deal hasn't affected his play. He's caught eight passes for 179 yards in two games.

The future is now for the Minnesota Vikings. Jackson may turn into a fine NFL QB, but he's not right now. Meanwhile, the Vikes have made some "now" moves by signing Berrian, AP, and Jared Allen. They can't afford to wait for a young developmental QB to mature.

He's defintely playing physical and not avoiding contact. I sit in the front row behind the tunnel side EZ, and last season it seemed like he more than any other Bill would leave games. I have to believe the light went on with him sometime after 2007 and before camp. We'll need that nickel CB when we shut down opposing rushers.

Al Al Davis, it's time to retire. Or try out for the next cryptkeeper television show.