why is CJ any better than reggie bush?

[thewildrabbit]

You're right, it's probably better to allow that one position to hold the entire team back...

 

You can't have it both ways, but you always try to. You agree with me that the LT position is not fine and yet you say the Bills shouldn't let that hold them back... How can it not hold them back?

 

And no, the OL hasn't been that good since Polian left. Why you've decided to turn the entire debate as to whether or not the 2009 team's run blocking was good into a debate as to whether the team's OL has been good since he left is well beyond me, but I nevertheless hope that hearing my opinion makes you feel better.

 

Even if I agreed with you that the Bills run blocking was good and should be good enough again this year, how does that translate into a winning season for Buffalo? That 8th ranked run blocking didn't get them more then 5/6 wins (6 if you wanna count that Colt game)last season. The Bills running game and O line isn't nearly as good as you make it out to be simply because they had a good YPC average.

Lastly, I'd think that since the team has a new GM and a new assistant GM, they'd probably be the guys that would try to find the OL talent. And to answer your question, yes, I thought the 2006 selection of Brad Butler with the last pick of the 5th round was pretty good. If a guy like Nix, who appears to have an eye for OL talent (I cite the selection of guys like Wood and Levitre), can continue to identify that kind of ability, then I think the team isn't far from sporting a quality OL. I'm not saying it will happen, but suppose a guy like Ed Wang does turn out to be a good player a year down the road.

 

Yea well, this is the same scouting crew that selected Aaron Maybin and ignored Michael Oher. The book is still out on Levtire and Wood, they may or may not rise up and become better then average.

 

Oh yeah, also, for you to say that the team can't identify OL talent like Polian can (your reasoning being that they picked guards in rounds 1 and 2) makes, literally, zero sense on more than one level:

When exactly did I say that?

I said: Has the scouting dept found or drafted anyone even remotely close to anything worth keeping on the O line prior to last year (in Wood and Levitre in which the Bills used a #1 & #2 on guards) in the last 8 years?

 

How many O line players have the Bills drafted in the last 8 years that are still on the team or have become even decent players? Brad Butler...ohh one player in 7 years!

 

1) If the Colts' OL is so good, why did they rank dead last in the NFL in yards per carry and Buffalo ranked 8th? Don't tell me that it's because Fred Jackson is so far superior to Joseph Addai. I'll give you a hint on this one: Indy's line isn't great, it's servicable because they have loads of talent at the skill positions that compensates for it.

I'll tell you why since it escapes you, the Colts are a "passing team" and threw 601 times vs 366 rushing attempts. That stat is the second lowest rushing team, Arizona was the first lowest at 365.

 

The Colts have one dominate skill player in that if they lost him they would instantly become an ordinary team and wouldn't even have a winning record, that is QB Payton Manning.

 

2) Just because the only 2 OL the team picked in 2009 were drafted out of the 1st and 2nd rounds doesn't mean that they can't identify talent. If Wood and Levitre turn out to be great guards, I'd say that's doing a good job of identifying talent, not illustrating a lack of ability.

 

Guards drafted in the first and second round had better become top players at their positions or the picks were wasted. Most teams usually draft guards in the later rounds and save those early picks for tackles, unless they think the talent level is exceptional and will be pro bowlers. IMO

The NFL has become a passing league and the teams with the best passing games are usually among the teams with the best records.

 

At this point I could care less who this Bills coaching staff selects to lead this years team as QB because all I can foresee is another year of failure to adequately protect him and give him time to throw.

 

But! It is great to know they should have a good YPC avg again this season

[Geno Smith's Arm]

You're completely wasting your time. Let him/her believe what they read in their celebrity magazines.

 

This is a place to discuss Football related topics, not to fling pooh on guys because you heard from TMZ that Reggie is mean and arrogant.

 

A simple, STFU reply would suffice instead.

 

I don't recognize you "billscursed" but I smell a Tebow fan.

[thewildrabbit]

Or, it was a pick to sell tickets orchestrated by RW? Do I KNOW this? No, nor do I claim to but these running backs are getting to be a constant, much like defensive backs.

 

And to answer your question, because of the way the picks before us went I was wanting Brandon Graham. When we were up, did you want Spiller?

Good ole Bill, still stinging from that Spiller pick...

 

 

I like the pick personally and think that "if" the guy is indeed a special talent then he was worth that pick. I remain skeptical that this RB is going to make the offense any better then Fred Jackson did last year and still think the Bills scrood themselves by not going for a LT before round five.

[PushthePile]

Or, it was a pick to sell tickets orchestrated by RW? Do I KNOW this? No, nor do I claim to but these running backs are getting to be a constant, much like defensive backs.

 

And to answer your question, because of the way the picks before us went I was wanting Brandon Graham. When we were up, did you want Spiller?

I really don't think it was a move to sell tickets. A big name QB would have sold alot more tickets than Spiller and they had two chances at that. IMO, other than Spiller they went with players the casual college fan might not even recognize.

 

I actually like Graham alot as well. In my mind I had a list of 3 or 4 players I would have been okay with. CJ Spiller was one of the players I felt was close to a sure thing and from what I read he seemed to be a undisputed top ten pick. I liked Spiller, Graham, McClain, and Okung. I felt we had a good chance of landing one of those players. IMO, we knew how the top 5 to 6 picks were going to go.

 

I really didn't want any of the QBs, Anthony Davis, Bryan Bulaga, Derrick Morgan, or Jason Pierre Paul.

 

I honestly believe we got the best player available.

[billsrcursed]

I don't recognize you "billscursed" but I smell a Tebow fan.

 

You obviously like me (added to friends ) or like what I say.

 

I just don't agree with crapping on someone personally. You want to bash someone's on-field abilities, go ahead.

 

But talking like you know him personally is annoying and childish.

 

And say what you want about Tebow, but he's a breath of fresh air when the majority of threads lately have been discussing domestic abuse, rape, weed, guns, HGH, and jacking fools for $20. His on-field play shouldn't even be brought up until the kid plays a down in the NFL. Aside from that, his Football Resume has been ridiculously fantastic, so talking badly about his on-field play would be ignorant at this point.

 

 

*Isn't afraid to admit he hopes Tebow succeeds*

[Geno Smith's Arm]

You obviously like me (added to friends ) or like what I say.

 

I just don't agree with crapping on someone personally. You want to bash someone's on-field abilities, go ahead.

 

But talking like you know him personally is annoying and childish.

 

And say what you want about Tebow, but he's a breath of fresh air when the majority of threads lately have been discussing domestic abuse, rape, weed, guns, HGH, and jacking fools for $20. His on-field play shouldn't even be brought up until the kid plays a down in the NFL. Aside from that, his Football Resume has been ridiculously fantastic, so talking badly about his on-field play would be ignorant at this point.

 

 

*Isn't afraid to admit he hopes Tebow succeeds*

 

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" Haha, I don't take any of this seriously.

 

The problem is that a player's personality and attitude towards life affects his play. The players cash in on their carefully crafted image as well, so I think it is fair to connect the players on field play to their off field activities. You are obviously fond of Tebow for more than his on-field play. That's fine.

 

I'm not throwing things at Reggie Bush, or attacking him in a parking lot, or calling his mother names or really having any effect whatsoever on his life. I wouldn't mind him on the Bills (I'm sure there are way worse guys throughout the league, many of which are better players). Jeez, I don't think he is a murderer, just a guy that hasn't realized his potential for reasons that I believe are more in his head than his body, which is what posters are comparing to Spiller's.

 

I know that Bush has helped put USC into a bad spot (I'm aware there are loads of players getting payed in college), and he tried to screw over the agent that paid him and his family money. Not exactly "saintish".

 

As far as Tebow, I had mentioned once that I thought he was a grandstander that plays up to his audience. I also said I think that his presence could cause some problems in the locker room if he isn't successful in the NFL. I think that will come to fruition. There has been some of that bubbling under already. Time will tell my "friend".

[Orton's Arm]

Using primary resources on anything but the best player available is what should scare you. Large bodied players can turn into busts too.

 

I'll never understand why some fans think there is only one way to build a team. It's not like the o-line was the only missing link over the last 10 years. The Bills have been weak at various different positions for quite some time now and that is attributed to many reasons.

 

Getting the best players available will turn this around, not getting the biggest players. If they happen to be big, great. In the case of this year's draft, the Bills thought the best football player was a RB. I don't see much in the way of a decent argument contesting that. Who did you want Bill?

I strongly agree with the meta-message of your post. One's draft strategy should have a strong element of best player available; especially if it comes down to a chance to get a difference maker at one position versus a merely solid player at some other position.

 

As an aside, I'd define a difference-maker as a player who fits into one of the following categories:

1) He can be productive even with two normal guys on him. Jerry Rice would get a lot of receptions even while being double covered. Bruce Smith could pile up a lot of sacks even with two guys blocking him.

2) He can cancel out a type-1 difference maker. You could put Deion Sanders on Jerry Rice and be okay. You could put Tony Boselli on Bruce Smith and shut him down.

3) A guy who plays at the same level as a category 1 or category 2 difference maker, but who doesn't play a position that lends itself to one-on-one matchups. Having Joe Montana or Barry Sanders on the field would change the whole complexion of a game.

 

If there's an opportunity to draft a player you think will be a difference maker, you take it. But I also admit I' approach the draft with a bias towards the more important positions. On offense, the most important and hardest-to-fill positions are quarterback and left tackle. Both of which the Bills currently lack. On defense, and in a 3-4, the four most important positions are NT, RDE, rushing OLB, and shutdown CB.

 

From the standpoint of addressing a specific position, the Spiller pick was a disappointment to me. I felt RB was one of the very last positions this team should be addressing with its early picks. But I can accept it on the basis of finding the best available player. If Spiller turns out to be a LaDanian Tomlinson or a Thurman Thomas--a guy who's a threat in the passing game as well as the running game--then it will have been a solid acquisition. But in the absence of a strategy to fill the holes at QB, LT, RT, C, and #1 WR, Spiller will provide only limited value to our offense.

[billsrcursed]

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" Haha, I don't take any of this seriously.

 

The problem is that a player's personality and attitude towards life affects his play. The players cash in on their carefully crafted image as well, so I think it is fair to connect the players on field play to their off field activities. You are obviously fond of Tebow for more than his on-field play. That's fine.

 

I'm not throwing things at Reggie Bush, or attacking him in a parking lot, or calling his mother names or really having any effect whatsoever on his life. I wouldn't mind him on the Bills (I'm sure there are way worse guys throughout the league, many of which are better players). Jeez, I don't think he is a murderer, just a guy that hasn't realized his potential for reasons that I believe are more in his head than his body, which is what posters are comparing to Spiller's.

 

I know that Bush has helped put USC into a bad spot (I'm aware there are loads of players getting payed in college), and he tried to screw over the agent that paid him and his family money. Not exactly "saintish".

 

As far as Tebow, I had mentioned once that I thought he was a grandstander that plays up to his audience. I also said I think that his presence could cause some problems in the locker room if he isn't successful in the NFL. I think that will come to fruition. There has been some of that bubbling under already. Time will tell my "friend".

 

This post, while I disagree with a lot of it, was very well written and effective. We're probably going to get along now.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

This post, while I disagree with a lot of it, was very well written and effective. We're probably going to get along now.

 

I'm not an idiot (haha). I just try to add a little drama to a post by using "bold" language. We are all Bills fans! We all want to see them do well, and we come here to voice our opinions on how they can improve, and to kinda vent the frustrations that can accumulate when following such a bad team. No big whup, very few people see these posts.