Losman-McGahee-Evans Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 I still don't know why we weren't playing rookies in those final four games knowing how badly we needed help on the DL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 I still don't know why we weren't playing rookies in those final four games knowing how badly we needed help on the DL. 165899[/snapback] What is your thought here? I assume you are impressed with the great play shown by Peppers, but we had no chance at him as he was taken second overall in the draft that year and Carolina clearly had their eye on Peppers and were not going to trade that pick no way no how. In retrospect which is always 20/20 the mistake the Bills made on the DL was switching away from a 3-4 scheme which had been employed successfully by the Bills for years under Cottrell to a 4-3. Sure the bulwarts of the 3-4 Hansen to retirement, Wiley to FA and big Ted (and even BS a year earlier) were gone as cap casualties so a renewed 3-4 would have been spotty, but this situation was made even worse by GW insisting on his scheme rather than building a D to fit the player talents we had, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jokeman Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 What is your thought here? I assume you are impressed with the great play shown by Peppers, but we had no chance at him as he was taken second overall in the draft that year and Carolina clearly had their eye on Peppers and were not going to trade that pick no way no how. In retrospect which is always 20/20 the mistake the Bills made on the DL was switching away from a 3-4 scheme which had been employed successfully by the Bills for years under Cottrell to a 4-3. Sure the bulwarts of the 3-4 Hansen to retirement, Wiley to FA and big Ted (and even BS a year earlier) were gone as cap casualties so a renewed 3-4 would have been spotty, but this situation was made even worse by GW insisting on his scheme rather than building a D to fit the player talents we had, 165924[/snapback] Back then my first choice for HC was Dom Capers and OC Chris Palmer (or the current regime in Houston). As I felt Capers would have kept the 3-4 in tact granted you do make some good points about losing talent on the D-line and while it's hard to know the ramifications of a different coaching staff we could look back even if still had GW and co. As the Bills might have had a shot at Peppers, as let's not forget that 1 of our 3 wins that season did come against Carolina. As if Carolina wins that game and assuming everything else being equal they would have been 2-24 and we would have fallen to 2-14, I believe by tie breakers(head to head) we would have then earned the right to draft ahead of Carolina since the would have beaten us. I don't know the about holding the tiebreaker over Detroit (since they also finished 2-14) but let's assumed we held the 2nd pick to keep things simple. The question though is did the Bills grade Peppers out better then Mike Williams and/or Joey Harrington. The question also would be how different would the draft be if Peppers were off the board and what the Panthers would have done and how it would have impacted the entire draft. If things stayed relative similiar the Bills realisitcally could of selected Peppers in the 1st, OT Mike Pearson in the 2nd and if still traded up taken a WR like Antwaan Randle El or Antonio Bryant (as we wouldn't need Denney since Peppers would be our LDE). Of course there's a chance we would have stood pat as well and possibly drafted QB Josh McCown in the 3rd or QB David Garrard in the 4th or possibly TE Randy McMichael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losman-McGahee-Evans Posted December 19, 2004 Author Share Posted December 19, 2004 What is your thought here? I assume you are impressed with the great play shown by Peppers, but we had no chance at him as he was taken second overall in the draft that year and Carolina clearly had their eye on Peppers and were not going to trade that pick no way no how. In retrospect which is always 20/20 the mistake the Bills made on the DL was switching away from a 3-4 scheme which had been employed successfully by the Bills for years under Cottrell to a 4-3. Sure the bulwarts of the 3-4 Hansen to retirement, Wiley to FA and big Ted (and even BS a year earlier) were gone as cap casualties so a renewed 3-4 would have been spotty, but this situation was made even worse by GW insisting on his scheme rather than building a D to fit the player talents we had, 165924[/snapback] My thought here is pretty simple. We should've been playing for the no.1 or no.2 pick rather than playing for pride. It was a rebuilding year and we should've been trying to do everything we could to lose games rather than win a token game or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 When teams start doing that, the game sucks! Teams should play to win every week. Retrospect is always an advantage. Peppers is a great player, but just think of all the high draft pick (say top 5) busts there have been over the years. There is no guarantee that a guys picked #2 overall is going to be better than a guy picked #14. For teams to start losing games on purpose, to get a higher draft pick is stevesojohn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 My thought here is pretty simple. We should've been playing for the no.1 or no.2 pick rather than playing for pride. It was a rebuilding year and we should've been trying to do everything we could to lose games rather than win a token game or two. 165947[/snapback] That lahjik works great on video games but it has hugely detrimental effects on your entire organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losman-McGahee-Evans Posted December 19, 2004 Author Share Posted December 19, 2004 That lahjik works great on video games but it has hugely detrimental effects on your entire organization. 165952[/snapback] My guess is that whatever that theoretical effect would be would be more than surpassed by having Julius Peppers as your starting DE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsSouth Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Back then my first choice for HC was Dom Capers and OC Chris Palmer (or the current regime in Houston). As I felt Capers would have kept the 3-4 in tact granted you do make some good points about losing talent on the D-line and while it's hard to know the ramifications of a different coaching staff we could look back even if still had GW and co. As the Bills might have had a shot at Peppers, as let's not forget that 1 of our 3 wins that season did come against Carolina. As if Carolina wins that game and assuming everything else being equal they would have been 2-24 and we would have fallen to 2-14, I believe by tie breakers(head to head) we would have then earned the right to draft ahead of Carolina since the would have beaten us. I don't know the about holding the tiebreaker over Detroit (since they also finished 2-14) but let's assumed we held the 2nd pick to keep things simple. The question though is did the Bills grade Peppers out better then Mike Williams and/or Joey Harrington. The question also would be how different would the draft be if Peppers were off the board and what the Panthers would have done and how it would have impacted the entire draft. If things stayed relative similiar the Bills realisitcally could of selected Peppers in the 1st, OT Mike Pearson in the 2nd and if still traded up taken a WR like Antwaan Randle El or Antonio Bryant (as we wouldn't need Denney since Peppers would be our LDE). Of course there's a chance we would have stood pat as well and possibly drafted QB Josh McCown in the 3rd or QB David Garrard in the 4th or possibly TE Randy McMichael. 165942[/snapback] AHHHHHHH..... hindsight is such a wonderful thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailog80 Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Julius Peppers is an animal....what talent. Size, quickness and speed. His fumble recovery was a thing of beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsSouth Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Don´t forget he was considered to be an underachiever until this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailog80 Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 Don´t forget he was considered to be an underachiever until this season. 166030[/snapback] So was Mike Williams.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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