Watt the Bills need is............

[Adam]

[/b]

 

What rule change did I miss that will turn the NFL into the Arena League?

You can't hit QB's in the act of throwing and WRs in the act of catching. It will inflate scores

[stony]

You can't hit QB's in the act of throwing and WRs in the act of catching. It will inflate scores

 

I haven't seen anything regarding these changes. Just the debate concerning kickoff changes. NFL Network's Jason La Confora writes the league will try to "eradicate the most egregious types of hits to the head, putting in specific language with regards to a player "launching" himself into the head and neck area of another player." This is still subjective on the part of the officiating crew though.

[Adam]

I haven't seen anything regarding these changes. Just the debate concerning kickoff changes. NFL Network's Jason La Confora writes the league will try to "eradicate the most egregious types of hits to the head, putting in specific language with regards to a player "launching" himself into the head and neck area of another player." This is still subjective on the part of the officiating crew though.

Here is the link- just scroll down and look at the text box http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6223700

[stony]

Here is the link- just scroll down and look at the text box http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6223700

 

Cool, thanks.

[Haplo848]

J.J. Watt (6'5"-290)is a prime candidate to play the five-technique position in the 3-4 base defense. Relentless rushing the passer yet active against the run, he flashes quickness off the snap and willingness to pop and knock back blockers. He has the strength to shed blocks and bull through double teams. A high-effort tackler with long arms combined with excellent character and work ethic, he's a perfect fit for a team that loves "Lunch-pail" blue-collar types. After a STRONG combine, he has secured himself in the middle of the first round, however not worthy of a number 3 pick, there is a way to draft him in the first round and secure more picks in this years draft. Here is a scenario:

 

Bills/Vikings trade:

Vikings receive #3(Cam Newton?)

Bills receive #12-#43-#105 and a 2nd/3rd in 2012

 

#12 - J.J Watt, DE34, Wisconsin (start from day 1, play for 10 years)

#34 - Brooks Reed, OLB34, Arizona (powerful bull rush and a quality speed rush, nice one-two punch in rounds 1 and 2!)

#43 - Marcus Cannon, ROT, TCU (ready to step-in to the weakest position on the team)

#68 - Ben Ijalana, OG, Villanova (Wood slides to Center, nice interior line-up)

#99 - Mark Herzlich, SILB, Boston College (Cancer survivor falls to this pick. See character/work ethic for Watt 2.0)

#105 - Orlando Franklin, LOT, Miami(FL) (Competition for undersized Bell)

#121 - DeJon Gomes, SS, Nebraska (bye bye Whitner, hello Gomes)

#130 - Julius Thomas, TE, Portland St. (nice hands, big target, needs work on blocking)

#164 - Chris Rucker, CB, Michigan St. (bpa, need)

#195 - Anthony Gray, DT34, Southern Miss (bpa, need depth)

 

Does not address the QB situation (franchise/depth), however other than Ponder or Mallet, I don't see a QB worthy of a pick, IMO.

 

Thoughts.......

 

Never EVER going to happen. No way the Vikes give up that many picks in this years draft, nor will the Bills ever trade down.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

With the news that 2012 picks may not be honored in the event of the draft being canceled, I think trading for future year picks is out.

[metzelaars_lives]

Here ya go Bill:

 

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

 

11th in the NFL in "Power Success", which FO defines as "Percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer."

 

So I guess, in regard to your question, yes. I personally think that with Wood moving to center, and the contingent of Urbik, Hangartner, Pears, and Rinehart fighting it out for the RG spot, the team is probably set with the exception of RT. That is, of course, assuming that a full, healthy offseason will benefit Bell and help him develop into an average LT, of which I will admit I am hopeful.

 

Where's Bill from NYC? Crickets... Crickets... Crickets...

[John from Riverside]

Without looking at the #'s, I can tell you that a) their YPC was at least middle of the pack last year, b) their third down conversion rate was extremely good w/ Fitzpatrick and c) Fitzpatrick was definitely sacked a below average # of times after taking over last year relative to the rest of the league. No one is saying that their offensive line is elite, but if you don't think that it's a young, up-and-coming offensive line, then I don't know what to tell ya. They have a C/LG combo that will be here for the next ten years, a LT that, whether Bill from NYC likes it or not, the staff believes in and is gonna be there and yes, they could use a RT. But it's certainly not a top area of concern. Which isn't to say they won't take a RT in the 2nd or 3rd round, but don't mock the OL as if it's a complete joke (which it was in '09- although Edwards undoubtedly made it look worse). I think you need to watch more football besides the Bills to gain some perspective. Not every QB can just drop back and chill out for five seconds and then make a throw unscathed. Even the Colts had OL problems last year.

 

And as soon as we had to play anyone but Fitz.....the OL fell apart.....

 

 

While I think we only need to fix one position (ROT) this line did not play great last year.......Bell should be improved now that he can actually train in the offseason instead of rehabbing an injury....ditto Wood....Levitre is solid....I like Urbik at RG....but we NEED a ROLT

[metzelaars_lives]

And as soon as we had to play anyone but Fitz.....the OL fell apart.....

 

 

While I think we only need to fix one position (ROT) this line did not play great last year.......Bell should be improved now that he can actually train in the offseason instead of rehabbing an injury....ditto Wood....Levitre is solid....I like Urbik at RG....but we NEED a ROLT

 

Did it? Or does a quarterback who shouldn't even be on an NFL roster as a 3rd stringer tend to make a line look worse?

[BADOLBILZ]

Without looking at the #'s, I can tell you that a) their YPC was at least middle of the pack last year, b) their third down conversion rate was extremely good w/ Fitzpatrick and c) Fitzpatrick was definitely sacked a below average # of times after taking over last year relative to the rest of the league. No one is saying that their offensive line is elite, but if you don't think that it's a young, up-and-coming offensive line, then I don't know what to tell ya. They have a C/LG combo that will be here for the next ten years, a LT that, whether Bill from NYC likes it or not, the staff believes in and is gonna be there and yes, they could use a RT. But it's certainly not a top area of concern. Which isn't to say they won't take a RT in the 2nd or 3rd round, but don't mock the OL as if it's a complete joke (which it was in '09- although Edwards undoubtedly made it look worse). I think you need to watch more football besides the Bills to gain some perspective. Not every QB can just drop back and chill out for five seconds and then make a throw unscathed. Even the Colts had OL problems last year.

 

If you think the Bills OL is fine as it is, or "up-and-coming" with a couple journeymen manning the right side(Urbik and Wrotto?) then you are right in line with the Bills organizational thinking for the past 15 years.

 

There is also a misconception that Wood, Levitre and Bell are star blockers or on their way to it. They aren't that prized. Wood has had a very serious injury already and Levitre and Bell are both lacking push in the run game and strength versus powerful bull rushing DL we tend to see in our division. Bell has talent to get better but doesn't figure to ever challenge Jake Long or Joe Thomas for pro-bowl invites, if just for his lack of aggressiveness. Levitre probably has a ceiling of "good". Then, if one of these guys misses time next year.....how does THAT OL look? God forbid two. Then this OL looks like something out of the UFL.

 

It's perplexing why some Bills fans just never come around to the fact that quality on the OL is as important as it is on any other unit. If the Bills were playing a 4-3 and had 4 good DL, fans would still be clamoring for a bigger impact player to supplant one of the "good" DL. But on the O-Line.....hell, let's pencil in a couple guys who were cut by other teams last year. They'll be fine.

 

As the draft approaches, fans get greedy and rationalize why it is best to draft skill players or potential pass rushers with high draft picks. OL are boring. Their stats are subjective, as much the opinion of an official scorer as a completed action. They don't "make" plays.

 

Unfortunately for Bills fans like yourself, even in a good year, that instant gratification rarely materializes. Nearly every player is a struggling work in progress as a rookie and most provide little if any impact as a rookie.

 

I think fans envision that Marcel Dareus or Nick Fairley are going to come in and rack up 6-10 sacks and be a force against the run. Chances are, if they are motivated, those kind of numbers are probably 2-3 years down the road.

 

And that's fine, but if you can accept that one draft isn't likley to get you to the playoffs next season or a Super Bowl the next, then why not build areas of strength instead of trying to spread talent thinly around each position in hopes of reaching some mythical balance. And where better to have strength long term than QB and OL? If there is one thing that free agency is good for, it's bolstering defenses. The draft....get your long term, high yield offensive talent there.

 

The Bills need to start treating the draft like a process instead of an event. How does an organization go 50 years without drafting a QB with their first draft pick in any draft when it has an overall losing record and has never won a SB? Short term thinking. How does a team with such chronic problems blocking not try to build a GREAT OL at some point? It makes no sense, but that's the Buffalo Bills for ya'.

[stony]

If you think the Bills OL is fine as it is, or "up-and-coming" with a couple journeymen manning the right side(Urbik and Wrotto?) then you are right in line with the Bills organizational thinking for the past 15 years.

 

There is also a misconception that Wood, Levitre and Bell are star blockers or on their way to it. They aren't that prized. Wood has had a very serious injury already and Levitre and Bell are both lacking push in the run game and strength versus powerful bull rushing DL we tend to see in our division. Bell has talent to get better but doesn't figure to ever challenge Jake Long or Joe Thomas for pro-bowl invites, if just for his lack of aggressiveness. Levitre probably has a ceiling of "good". Then, if one of these guys misses time next year.....how does THAT OL look? God forbid two. Then this OL looks like something out of the UFL.

 

It's perplexing why some Bills fans just never come around to the fact that quality on the OL is as important as it is on any other unit. If the Bills were playing a 4-3 and had 4 good DL, fans would still be clamoring for a bigger impact player to supplant one of the "good" DL. But on the O-Line.....hell, let's pencil in a couple guys who were cut by other teams last year. They'll be fine.

 

As the draft approaches, fans get greedy and rationalize why it is best to draft skill players or potential pass rushers with high draft picks. OL are boring. Their stats are subjective, as much the opinion of an official scorer as a completed action. They don't "make" plays.

 

Unfortunately for Bills fans like yourself, even in a good year, that instant gratification rarely materializes. Nearly every player is a struggling work in progress as a rookie and most provide little if any impact as a rookie.

 

I think fans envision that Marcel Dareus or Nick Fairley are going to come in and rack up 6-10 sacks and be a force against the run. Chances are, if they are motivated, those kind of numbers are probably 2-3 years down the road.

 

And that's fine, but if you can accept that one draft isn't likley to get you to the playoffs next season or a Super Bowl the next, then why not build areas of strength instead of trying to spread talent thinly around each position in hopes of reaching some mythical balance. And where better to have strength long term than QB and OL? If there is one thing that free agency is good for, it's bolstering defenses. The draft....get your long term, high yield offensive talent there.

 

The Bills need to start treating the draft like a process instead of an event. How does an organization go 50 years without drafting a QB with their first draft pick in any draft when it has an overall losing record and has never won a SB? Short term thinking. How does a team with such chronic problems blocking not try to build a GREAT OL at some point? It makes no sense, but that's the Buffalo Bills for ya'.

 

I tend to agree with most of what you have wrote. However, the Bill's have made two concerned attempts to improve their oline, so heralding the "stop-gap/another team's castoff" line is a bit misguided. The first of these of course were the big FA signings of Dockery and Walker, the second came with the drafting of Wood and Levitre. The 1st was an epic fail, the jury on the second is still out.

 

I would think we'll have a much better idea of how Bell and Wood are after a year of strength training coming off the injury. Levitre is solid, and actually was our best lineman last year.

 

Right tackle is very weak. You're right, and now with Wood probably being shifted to center, it leaves the right side of our line in a state of flux. I agree Urbik, Wrotto, Pears, Hangartner, and Wang are not the solution. Solid depth perhaps, but not the type of starters that can allow an offense to excel.

[BADOLBILZ]

I tend to agree with most of what you have wrote. However, the Bill's have made two concerned attempts to improve their oline, so heralding the "stop-gap/another team's castoff" line is a bit misguided. The first of these of course were the big FA signings of Dockery and Walker, the second came with the drafting of Wood and Levitre. The 1st was an epic fail, the jury on the second is still out.

 

I would think we'll have a much better idea of how Bell and Wood are after a year of strength training coming off the injury. Levitre is solid, and actually was our best lineman last year.

 

Right tackle is very weak. You're right, and now with Wood probably being shifted to center, it leaves the right side of our line in a state of flux. I agree Urbik, Wrotto, Pears, Hangartner, and Wang are not the solution. Solid depth perhaps, but not the type of starters that can allow an offense to excel.

 

Crediting the Bills for signing Dockery and Walker, as if it were an attempt to build a dominant OL, is ridiculous. Dockery was a "good" blocker at the time and Walker was a less than average RT. The league laughed at the ridiculous salaries and despite those big dollars they were stop-gap moves, made so the team could focus on the playmakers they wanted for their new systems: Whitner, McCargo, Lynch, Poz.

 

Wood and Levitre were selected out of utter desperation. After having a very poor run blocking OL the season before and losing their two best blockers in the offseason(Dockery and Peters), they HAD to make an effort or be saddled with an unspeakable mess and no light at the end of the tunnel. It turned into a predictable nightmare but they'd thrown an obligatory bone at the problem and much was forgiven of Wood and Levitre in their first two seasons. They are still operating on a bit of a pass. (Edit: the Bills took Maybin instead of an OT, which, considering the lack of a LT on the roster was utter disregard for the most important position on the OL)

 

If the key three(Wood,Levitre,Bell) continue to struggle controlling the LOS this year as they did last year, then the perceptions are going to change.

 

It's been said before, if the Bills used every one of their first draft picks on a QB in each of the past 6-7 seasons, they would be no worse off than they are now. The same goes for OL. These are fundamental, long term building blocks. Safeties? Cornerbacks? Running backs? Short term, should-be instant contributors who have had little immediate impact and almost zero sustained.

 

Much has been made of the fact that the Steelers made it to the SB with a weak OL. It's true, but it's also true that teams like the Colts a few seasons ago and the Broncos 10 years earlier won SB's with the leagues worst run defenses. Why aren't Bills fans on the "you don't need a good run defense to win a SB" bandwagon? Because those were anomalies. Over the long haul, championship teams typically have 2 things in common with regard to their personnel, good QBs and strength at the LOS. I think Bills fans can buy the defensive side of the LOS, but the offensive side seems to be regarded as just a unit where "getting in the way" of the opposing defense would be fine. It's not.

Edited March 22, 2011 by Dick Drawn

[Bill from NYC]

Where's Bill from NYC? Crickets... Crickets... Crickets...

 

Pretend as youi will that the Bills are a strong team, or that they have a strong OL. It happens every season before the draft.

 

Those stats included qb runs. I am sure that Fitz was responsible for much of this. Do you think that the Bills are strong up front? Wood is gimpy, effort notwithstanding. Bell is a weak shrimp for a LT, although we will certainly play him for another season, hoping that he will develop. We have no proven RG or RT. If it makes you feel better, I do like Levitre, and was calling for the Bills to draft him.

 

The Bills are a small, weak football team. If the OL is so great, please tell us what happened to Spiller last season. Why does Fitz take brutal hits and run for his life? Because of our strong OL? Please.

 

I suggest that you watch Buffalo Bills football games and look at this team. Our best player really might be an undersized NT who was a 5th round pick. The OL doesn't have one player who even approaches dominance. Sorry to burst your statistical bubble, but there isn't a football team in the history of the NFL that would be intimidated by the Bills OL because again.....they are small, weak, and continue to suck.

But, dream on as you choose.

 

If you think the Bills OL is fine as it is, or "up-and-coming" with a couple journeymen manning the right side(Urbik and Wrotto?) then you are right in line with the Bills organizational thinking for the past 15 years.

 

There is also a misconception that Wood, Levitre and Bell are star blockers or on their way to it. They aren't that prized. Wood has had a very serious injury already and Levitre and Bell are both lacking push in the run game and strength versus powerful bull rushing DL we tend to see in our division. Bell has talent to get better but doesn't figure to ever challenge Jake Long or Joe Thomas for pro-bowl invites, if just for his lack of aggressiveness. Levitre probably has a ceiling of "good". Then, if one of these guys misses time next year.....how does THAT OL look? God forbid two. Then this OL looks like something out of the UFL.

 

It's perplexing why some Bills fans just never come around to the fact that quality on the OL is as important as it is on any other unit. If the Bills were playing a 4-3 and had 4 good DL, fans would still be clamoring for a bigger impact player to supplant one of the "good" DL. But on the O-Line.....hell, let's pencil in a couple guys who were cut by other teams last year. They'll be fine.

 

As the draft approaches, fans get greedy and rationalize why it is best to draft skill players or potential pass rushers with high draft picks. OL are boring. Their stats are subjective, as much the opinion of an official scorer as a completed action. They don't "make" plays.

 

Unfortunately for Bills fans like yourself, even in a good year, that instant gratification rarely materializes. Nearly every player is a struggling work in progress as a rookie and most provide little if any impact as a rookie.

 

I think fans envision that Marcel Dareus or Nick Fairley are going to come in and rack up 6-10 sacks and be a force against the run. Chances are, if they are motivated, those kind of numbers are probably 2-3 years down the road.

 

And that's fine, but if you can accept that one draft isn't likley to get you to the playoffs next season or a Super Bowl the next, then why not build areas of strength instead of trying to spread talent thinly around each position in hopes of reaching some mythical balance. And where better to have strength long term than QB and OL? If there is one thing that free agency is good for, it's bolstering defenses. The draft....get your long term, high yield offensive talent there.

 

The Bills need to start treating the draft like a process instead of an event. How does an organization go 50 years without drafting a QB with their first draft pick in any draft when it has an overall losing record and has never won a SB? Short term thinking. How does a team with such chronic problems blocking not try to build a GREAT OL at some point? It makes no sense, but that's the Buffalo Bills for ya'.

 

Thanks for one of the best posts in the history of this board.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

J.J. Watt (6'5"-290)is a prime candidate to play the five-technique position in the 3-4 base defense. Relentless rushing the passer yet active against the run, he flashes quickness off the snap and willingness to pop and knock back blockers. He has the strength to shed blocks and bull through double teams. A high-effort tackler with long arms combined with excellent character and work ethic, he's a perfect fit for a team that loves "Lunch-pail" blue-collar types. After a STRONG combine, he has secured himself in the middle of the first round, however not worthy of a number 3 pick, there is a way to draft him in the first round and secure more picks in this years draft. Here is a scenario:

 

Bills/Vikings trade:

Vikings receive #3(Cam Newton?)

Bills receive #12-#43-#105 and a 2nd/3rd in 2012

 

#12 - J.J Watt, DE34, Wisconsin (start from day 1, play for 10 years)

#34 - Brooks Reed, OLB34, Arizona (powerful bull rush and a quality speed rush, nice one-two punch in rounds 1 and 2!)

#43 - Marcus Cannon, ROT, TCU (ready to step-in to the weakest position on the team)

#68 - Ben Ijalana, OG, Villanova (Wood slides to Center, nice interior line-up)

#99 - Mark Herzlich, SILB, Boston College (Cancer survivor falls to this pick. See character/work ethic for Watt 2.0)

#105 - Orlando Franklin, LOT, Miami(FL) (Competition for undersized Bell)

#121 - DeJon Gomes, SS, Nebraska (bye bye Whitner, hello Gomes)

#130 - Julius Thomas, TE, Portland St. (nice hands, big target, needs work on blocking)

#164 - Chris Rucker, CB, Michigan St. (bpa, need)

#195 - Anthony Gray, DT34, Southern Miss (bpa, need depth)

 

Does not address the QB situation (franchise/depth), however other than Ponder or Mallet, I don't see a QB worthy of a pick, IMO.

 

Thoughts.......

Very nice except the ponder+ Mallett comments, Gabbert is the choice and Kapernick is next.

[metzelaars_lives]

Pretend as youi will that the Bills are a strong team, or that they have a strong OL. It happens every season before the draft.

 

Those stats included qb runs. I am sure that Fitz was responsible for much of this. Do you think that the Bills are strong up front? Wood is gimpy, effort notwithstanding. Bell is a weak shrimp for a LT, although we will certainly play him for another season, hoping that he will develop. We have no proven RG or RT. If it makes you feel better, I do like Levitre, and was calling for the Bills to draft him.

 

The Bills are a small, weak football team. If the OL is so great, please tell us what happened to Spiller last season. Why does Fitz take brutal hits and run for his life? Because of our strong OL? Please.

 

I suggest that you watch Buffalo Bills football games and look at this team. Our best player really might be an undersized NT who was a 5th round pick. The OL doesn't have one player who even approaches dominance. Sorry to burst your statistical bubble, but there isn't a football team in the history of the NFL that would be intimidated by the Bills OL because again.....they are small, weak, and continue to suck.

But, dream on as you choose.

 

 

Listen William, I never said that the Bills offensive line was strong to quite strong, I merely said that it's very young and already average and there's no reason to think it won't improve. I agree that Fitzpatrick's tendency to take off accounted for a higher YPC. However, what about 3rd and 4th and 1 or 2, where they ranked 11th? Is it because of Fitzpatrick's superior QB sneak ability? What about his well below average # of sacks after he took over last year? Is that because of his amazing agility and elusiveness in the pocket? Wow, I'll have to go back and look at your previous posts on Fitzpatrick, because apparently you think he's Superman. I feel that they have two very solid starters- not sure what team you were watching last year, diagnosing Wood as "brittle," the guy is a complete beast- one adequate starter who Gailey, Nix and myself believe will only improve in Bell, a project w/ upside in Urbik and a big, fat question mark at RT. But how many teams in the NFL have five slam dunk above average starters on their OL? And then the brilliant poster whose post was so critically acclaimed says, "what if they get hurt, then what? What if two or three of them get hurt?" What team has five starters and the luxury that if two or three of them get hurt that they're gonna be fine? Come on, all I'm saying is that RELATIVE to the linebacking unit, for instance, the offensive line appears adequate. Draft a RT in the 2nd Round, that's fine with me. But I'll tell you one thing- Gailey 1) loves Bell whether you like it or not and 2) loves his first draft class, so Wang will get a real shot at playing this year. Did you watch the Bears game last year when Cutler got sacked like nine times in the first half by the Giants? Now that's an OL w/ some SERIOUS issues. What did the Bears do last year? Oh yeah, they were still in the game against the eventual Super Bowl Champions in the 4th quarter of the NFC championship game. Metz

Edited March 22, 2011 by metzelaars_lives

[Bill from NYC]

 

Listen William, I never said that the Bills offensive line was strong to quite strong, I merely said that it's very young and already average and there's no reason to think it won't improve. I agree that Fitzpatrick's tendency to take off accounted for a higher YPC. However, what about 3rd and 4th and 1 or 2, where they ranked 11th? Is it because of Fitzpatrick's superior QB sneak ability? What about his well below average # of sacks after he took over last year? Is that because of his amazing agility and elusiveness in the pocket? Wow, I'll have to go back and look at your previous posts on Fitzpatrick, because apparently you think he's Superman. I feel that they have two very solid starters- not sure what team you were watching last year, diagnosing Wood as "brittle," the guy is a complete beast- one adequate starter who Gailey, Nix and myself believe will only improve in Bell, a project w/ upside in Urbik and a big, fat question mark at RT. But how many teams in the NFL have five slam dunk above average starters on their OL? And then the brilliant poster whose post was so critically acclaimed says, "what if they get hurt, then what? What if two or three of them get hurt?" What team has five starters and the luxury that if two or three of them get hurt that they're gonna be fine? Come on, all I'm saying is that RELATIVE to the linebacking unit, for instance, the offensive line appears adequate. Draft a RT in the 2nd Round, that's fine with me. But I'll tell you one thing- Gailey 1) loves Bell whether you like it or not and 2) loves his first draft class, so Wang will get a real shot at playing this year. Did you watch the Bears game last year when Cutler got sacked like nine times in the first half by the Giants? Now that's an OL w/ some SERIOUS issues. What did the Bears do last year? Oh yeah, they were still in the game against the eventual Super Bowl Champions in the 4th quarter of the NFC championship game. Metz

 

Lots of ground to cover so I must itemize.

 

1) Wood is less productive than many would care to believe. I saw little push at RG, but he did look better at Center. I am hoping that he heals from his very serious injury.

 

2) IF, and this is a huge if, Bell can add weight and strength and not lose agility, the Bills could fix their OL in this offseason. But to do so, they will have to WANT to. There are a lot of Brian Bulagas in this draft, and a player such as Carpenter from Alabama might be a great OG in the NFL (he played LT in college).

 

3) You ask how I feel about Fitz? I would be OK with Newton or even the dreaded Mallett, but I also think that Fitz is good. He practiced with S. Johnson on secod teams and showed what they could do. More importantly, his athleticism and elusiveness mask the lack of talent on the OL. In that sense, he is a modern day Flutie. Can he take a team to the playoffs? I think he can. Superbowl? I am less sure of this.

 

4) People don't want to talk about it, but it does matter what kind of climate a team (and their divisional opponents) play in. The Bills are built for a dome and play in the elements, and I'm NOT just talking about snow. The winds make it harder to pass and this too creates a need for a solid, strong ground game. The jets are built for their climate and it shows. Even with the great crowds, our home field advantage is slight imo. This enhances the need for strength on both lines.

 

5) The Bills need a draft similar to the one in 1995. In it, they addressed the issue of LB that you raised. They got Covington and Holocek in rounds 3 and 5. They also took Ruben Brown. You see, it can be done. What thy must do is stop squandering picks on so-so rbs and defensive backs. Picking good players would help too, no?

[metzelaars_lives]

Lots of ground to cover so I must itemize.

 

1) Wood is less productive than many would care to believe. I saw little push at RG, but he did look better at Center. I am hoping that he heals from his very serious injury.

 

2) IF, and this is a huge if, Bell can add weight and strength and not lose agility, the Bills could fix their OL in this offseason. But to do so, they will have to WANT to. There are a lot of Brian Bulagas in this draft, and a player such as Carpenter from Alabama might be a great OG in the NFL (he played LT in college).

 

3) You ask how I feel about Fitz? I would be OK with Newton or even the dreaded Mallett, but I also think that Fitz is good. He practiced with S. Johnson on secod teams and showed what they could do. More importantly, his athleticism and elusiveness mask the lack of talent on the OL. In that sense, he is a modern day Flutie. Can he take a team to the playoffs? I think he can. Superbowl? I am less sure of this.

 

4) People don't want to talk about it, but it does matter what kind of climate a team (and their divisional opponents) play in. The Bills are built for a dome and play in the elements, and I'm NOT just talking about snow. The winds make it harder to pass and this too creates a need for a solid, strong ground game. The jets are built for their climate and it shows. Even with the great crowds, our home field advantage is slight imo. This enhances the need for strength on both lines.

 

5) The Bills need a draft similar to the one in 1995. In it, they addressed the issue of LB that you raised. They got Covington and Holocek in rounds 3 and 5. They also took Ruben Brown. You see, it can be done. What thy must do is stop squandering picks on so-so rbs and defensive backs. Picking good players would help too, no?

 

I have one question then. If Wood is no good, Bell is too skinny and weak and the right tackle position was occupied by guys off of other teams' scrap heaps all season and Hangartner got hurt and we were forced to play with more guys from other teams' scrap heaps AND our offensive line ranked AT LEAST average in every conceivable statistic which measures offensive line effectiveness, then either a) our offensive line coach is a genius or b) one of those guys that played last year has to have been decent, no?

[Bill from NYC]

I have one question then. If Wood is no good, Bell is too skinny and weak and the right tackle position was occupied by guys off of other teams' scrap heaps all season and Hangartner got hurt and we were forced to play with more guys from other teams' scrap heaps AND our offensive line ranked AT LEAST average in every conceivable statistic which measures offensive line effectiveness, then either a) our offensive line coach is a genius or b) one of those guys that played last year has to have been decent, no?

 

There is no simple answer but again, Fitz was great at avoiding trouble, and he throws well on the run. Your screen name indicates that you would remember Flutie. He did the same thing, and actually won a game (Jax, I was there) on a last second run.

Back then the OL sucked too, but Flutie went a long way to hide the weakness. OBs such as Edwards, Losman and RJ couldn't do this.

 

A more sensible approach would be to make the Bills bigger, better and stronger up front. And, they should add a TE like your namesake. I am hoping for Kevin Boss because hope springs eternal this time of year.

[1B4IDie]

[/b]

 

What rule change did I miss that will turn the NFL into the Arena League?

The Proposed rule change is that "the QBs head can not be moved when contact is made." It seems to be universally hated by the coaches. I think the vote happens this week.

 

If Minnesota is offering #12, #43, #105 and additional 2/3rd in 2012 it would be a no brainer for the Bills to take that.

 

One thing to remember is Minnesota already traded their 3rd for Moss (worst trade in NFL history.) So the Vikes would take their QB then not pick again until the 5th. On a team that has a huge number of free agents leaving. The Vikes went all in 2010 and now they are pretty much rebuilding. I don't think they're likely to trade their 2011 draft picks when they have huge needs and a new coaching staff needs "their guys."