Dontcha love this headline

[Tcali]

• Building through the draft? Nope, we suck at that.
  
• Athletic ability? Under Donahoe, we looked for overachievers and "high-motors".
  
• Football temperament, aggressiveness, and love of the game? Exhibit A: Trent "I'm not a fan" Edwards.
  
• Durability? Exhibit B: legions of walking wounded and the never-ending IR bonanza.
  
• Players with firing neurons? Exhibit C: Losman, McKelvin, Roscoe, Bongs Away Lynch.
  

Meanwhile Polian keeps racking up wins in a small market, which used to be known more for auto racing.

and we still sell out......bit sad you ask me(said in my best cockney accent)

[todzilla]

I'm still shocked that there are only 4 Colts that have played on another team. Amazing job building a winner. Picking Manning was his decision so how is that lucky. Lots of people thought Leaf was better. Sure it's nice to have the number 1 pick, but you have to do it right. Look how many times it gets screwed up: Russell, Couch, Alex Smith, David Carr, Jeff George, and thats just the QB's.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Whewww!! I was concerned that there was actually going to be a conversation concerning throw $10 mil per at a head coach, and how that is not the answer to rebuilding our franchise. I really enjoyed the article, and thought that it is kind of telling of the direction we should take... but why think about the future when you can ALWAYS be right by trashing the past?

And, your point is? Throwing $10M at someone that has the know-how, connections, and ability to turn a sinking ship around 180 degrees isn't really all that bad of an investment for a billion dollar business. They pay T.O. $6.5M for one season and he doesn't fight for the ball. They paid Derrick Dockery $8M+ a year and he was a bad player; and, that move was cheered raucously by many fans. Dick Jauron was making around $3M, I think, with his new contract; and, despite hoping he'd figure it out someday, he never had a clue how to build a team. So, it's not the price tag that Bills fans should be wringing their hands in worry about. It is what the Bills get for their investment.

 

I also enjoyed the article. That one paragraph quote from Polian just underscored a number of issues and highlighted why the Bills and the Colts are on separate ends of the NFL spectrum. Polian has built and continues to maintain one of the best football teams, not just now, but of all time in a small market that has been more associated with auto racing. The Bills continue to flounder as they have throughout most of their 50 years and with the one notable exception of the team Polian himself put together in Buffalo. That is about the future. The Bills need to learn from their stupidity to get over the hump and do a U-turn. Even Ralph knows this is almost certainly his last chance to get it right. No need for Bills fans to play ostrich and perpetuate the self-delusion that every subtraction is really an addition.

[C.Biscuit97]

That one paragraph quote from Polian just underscored a number of issues and highlighted why the Bills and the Colts are on separate ends of the NFL spectrum.

 

 

Peyton Manning. Switch Qbs, what's each team's record? Again, Polian is one of the best but this Indy team is a team that is carried by one of the great QBs ever. They have no running game and a suspect defense. Minus one player, they are very similar to the Bills.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Peyton Manning. Switch Qbs, what's each team's record? Again, Polian is one of the best but this Indy team is a team that is carried by one of the great QBs ever. They have no running game and a suspect defense. Minus one player, they are very similar to the Bills.

I get it that your oversimplification of the game is that it is nothing but the QB. Basically, football is no different than two QBs facing off at the bowling alley.

 

Manning would be negatively effected by bad, unsophisticated, revolving door coaching, schemes that don't suit him (really anyone), and having his team draft busts and special teams players while taking the low road on depth. He'd struggle more than he does with the Colts with terrible pass protection, a line that can't get a push to save its life and gives the team no chance of an effective running game, never having a TE on the roster in his entire career, and WRs that don't fight for the ball or make plays. Manning is obviously very important to the Colts, but it is still a team game.

 

It's a rather moot argument really. The Bills haven't been able to develop or build a team around any QB in well over a decade. So what if they had drafted Manning? Why assume it would be different? Because he's a Manning? Because he did it all on his own? There was no support at all from the rest of the organization? Polian, Mora, and Moore were just riding Manning's coattails until the Fates propelled him to his pre-ordained pedestal? No, I don't think so. It's likely that the Bills would've pulled the plug on a QB as immobile as Manning (read Bledsoe) rather than invest any money in the "overrated fat guys" and fix their OL and sent him to another team like the Bucs did Young. He might have been bounced like Drew Brees for a shiny new kid. Or, he might have gotten injured or just never developed at all like so many others.

 

Yours is an interesting take in that the Colts and Polian just got lucky when they chose Manning over Leaf, when the proverbial 'everyone' had rated the Washington State QB the better prospect. Yet, "the Bills did nothing wrong" when they drafted Mike Williams at #4 despite questions about his work ethic and love of the game when 'everyone' was hyping the big fat kid out of Texas as a great player who could switch positions to LT easily enough.

[C.Biscuit97]

I get it that your oversimplification of the game is that it is nothing but the QB. Basically, football is no different than two QBs facing off at the bowling alley.

 

Manning would be negatively effected by bad, unsophisticated, revolving door coaching, schemes that don't suit him (really anyone), and having his team draft busts and special teams players while taking the low road on depth. He'd struggle more than he does with the Colts with terrible pass protection, a line that can't get a push to save its life and gives the team no chance of an effective running game, never having a TE on the roster in his entire career, and WRs that don't fight for the ball or make plays. Manning is obviously very important to the Colts, but it is still a team game.

 

It's a rather moot argument really. The Bills haven't been able to develop or build a team around any QB in well over a decade. So what if they had drafted Manning? Why assume it would be different? Because he's a Manning? Because he did it all on his own? There was no support at all from the rest of the organization? Polian, Mora, and Moore were just riding Manning's coattails until the Fates propelled him to his pre-ordained pedestal? No, I don't think so. It's likely that the Bills would've pulled the plug on a QB as immobile as Manning (read Bledsoe) rather than invest any money in the "overrated fat guys" and fix their OL and sent him to another team like the Bucs did Young. He might have been bounced like Drew Brees for a shiny new kid. Or, he might have gotten injured or just never developed at all like so many others.

 

Yours is an interesting take in that the Colts and Polian just got lucky when they chose Manning over Leaf, when the proverbial 'everyone' had rated the Washington State QB the better prospect. Yet, "the Bills did nothing wrong" when they drafted Mike Williams at #4 despite questions about his work ethic and love of the game when 'everyone' was hyping the big fat kid out of Texas as a great player who could switch positions to LT easily enough.

 

 

People love to whine about how many defensive backs we have taken. The Colts have taken just as many. People love to whine about the lack of olinemen we take high. The Colts rarely take olinemen high (I belive the highest OL they have on their team is a 2nd round). Our draft history are very similar except they have an all time great at the QB position. It really is that simple.

 

We went 7-9 for three straight years starting JP Losman and Trent Edwards. Is it really a stretch to think if we switched QBs, we are contending for a title and the Colts are going 7-9 or worse? Bottomline is the Bills have tried to get by with Qbs that were far from proven commodities. And Manning over Leaf is the biggest no brainer ever. Manning had the pedigree, maturity and 4 years of starting, and played in a much better conference. That doesn't make Polian a genius.

[BillsVet]

People love to whine about how many defensive backs we have taken. The Colts have taken just as many. People love to whine about the lack of olinemen we take high. The Colts rarely take olinemen high (I belive the highest OL they have on their team is a 2nd round). Our draft history are very similar except they have an all time great at the QB position. It really is that simple.

 

We went 7-9 for three straight years starting JP Losman and Trent Edwards. Is it really a stretch to think if we switched QBs, we are contending for a title and the Colts are going 7-9 or worse? Bottomline is the Bills have tried to get by with Qbs that were far from proven commodities. And Manning over Leaf is the biggest no brainer ever. Manning had the pedigree, maturity and 4 years of starting, and played in a much better conference. That doesn't make Polian a genius.

 

Do you work for the Bills? Seriously, your defense of nearly every move and accusations of whining about people who dare complain make me wonder. Furthermore, what motivates you to act as apologist general for a team minus a playoff appearance this entire decade.

 

I don't recall Sisyphean talking about DB's, but rather the many individuals that make the Colts work. You focused on that.

 

The draft history is similar? Where's our Edgerrin James, Rob Morris, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, Robert Mathis, Antoine Bethea, et al? Surely you jest.

[VABills]

• Building through the draft? Nope, we suck at that.
  
• Athletic ability? Under Donahoe, we looked for overachievers and "high-motors".
  
  
• Football temperament, aggressiveness, and love of the game? Exhibit A: Trent "I'm not a fan" Edwards.
  
• Durability? Exhibit B: legions of walking wounded and the never-ending IR bonanza.
  
• Players with firing neurons? Exhibit C: Losman, McKelvin, Roscoe, Bongs Away Lynch.
  

Meanwhile Polian keeps racking up wins in a small market, which used to be known more for auto racing.

 

No offense but the Travis "I am a fan" Henry never worked out well either.

[C.Biscuit97]

Do you work for the Bills? Seriously, your defense of nearly every move and accusations of whining about people who dare complain make me wonder. Furthermore, what motivates you to act as apologist general for a team minus a playoff appearance this entire decade.

 

I don't recall Sisyphean talking about DB's, but rather the many individuals that make the Colts work. You focused on that.

 

The draft history is similar? Where's our Edgerrin James, Rob Morris, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, Robert Mathis, Antoine Bethea, et al? Surely you jest.

 

 

Ah, yes, the whole I work for the Bills because I don't spend my time whinig about every move the team makes. Great stuff as always.

 

Explain how the Colts won a Super Bowl with one of the run defenses ever? Or how they are undefeated with the 17th ranked defense?

 

I really don't understand why it is so outlandish to think that if the teams switched QBs, they would almost switch records? The NO, HOU, and CLE games were all very winnable with a competent offense. I think that Peyton might have help out the offense in those games a tad bit.

 

Sorry for not being negative. Please continue your bitchfest.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I really don't understand why it is so outlandish to think that if the teams switched QBs, they would almost switch records?

It doesn't add up. The Titans had the best record in the NFL last year. This year they started off 0-6 with the same QB. They then went on a winning streak with a QB that many in the media had written off as a bust. The Steelers won the Super Bowl last year. This year they have an ongoing 0-5 run, with loses to some truly bad teams, with the same QB. Derek Anderson was a Pro Bowl QB one year and then the wheels came off. Same QB and same team and it all went in the ditch. All of these are the same QB and the same franchise, but year to year the teams around the QB change, although admittedly not all 52 other members of the team, the coaching staff, and front office -- which in your thesis don't matter.

 

The Patriots went 11-5 last year after their Hall-of-Fame QB went down in the 1st game and with a QB that hadn't played in a game since high school. This year they get their Hall-of-Fame QB back and are struggling, unable to win on the road. Meanwhile, the guy that took them to 11-5 last year was sent to Kansas City and the Chiefs are 3-9. So far taking Cassel off an 11-5 team and putting him on 2-14 team is worth 1 more win (ignoring numerous other changes of course).

 

Hall-of-Fame QBs aren't traded all that often, and if they are it is usually at the end of their careers. One notable exception is Steve Young. He's said it publicly and often: the difference between playing for Tampa Bay and San Francisco was night and day. The 49ers put him in a position to succeed. The Bucs roster was full of players that just wanted the money and couldn't care less. People that say Steve Young sucked in Tampa simply don't know what they are talking about.

 

Some would say Jay Cutler is a stud QB. But he left a team that just missed the playoffs, joined a team that just missed the playoffs, and his new team has struggled and is worse than last year.

 

Of course, QB is a very important position. Bringing in someone competent, such as an aging Brett Favre or Joe Montana, can really help stabilize that position on your team. The Vikings have made more hay by having Favre than the Jets did last year, but that's because they started out being a much better team. The Vikings won their division last year in spite of some highly suspect QB play between Frerotte and Jackson. The Jets had more problems than just Pennington and Clemens sucking.