The Poojer Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? 180638[/snapback] Yes between the line playing better, the running backs actually picking up the blitz, plus being able to bounce stuff outside, plus being able to expand the playbook has made that much of a difference . So while Mcgahee cannot take all of the credit, his play and that of the Oline account for a large part of the upturn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? 180638[/snapback] Everything you've seen this year is very misleading and basically "smoke and mirrors." I actually subscribe to the theory that simply having better people in the backfield picking up the blitz has made all the difference in our game, in addition to having a running back who can take a nothing play (and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile). Add to that a level of discipline, and you are suddenly a better team when you are more often 2nd and 5 instead of 1st and 15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? 180638[/snapback] I think the Bills are a good football team, not one of the elite teams yet, but boy are they much closer then before. Remember you can only play the teams on your schedule, and not only is Buffalo winning, but they are burying the teams they play. Thats a sign of a good football team, regardless of schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gantrules Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 You get to this point and you want a test though. It's really hard to gauge how good we are. Everyone here can speculate all they want. But, against teams with a winning record this year we are 2-5. Losing records??? 7-1. Yes, we've absolutely dominated our last 6 games. But our opponents have a combined record of 31-58 or a .350 winning percentage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Yes, we've absolutely dominated our last 6 games. But our opponents have a combined record of 31-58 or a .350 winning percentage. 180656[/snapback] Would you prefer we beat the last six teams by an average of 3 points per game? If we make the playoffs, we'll have our test. If not, anyone would be crazy to get on a team that is on the kind of run we've been on after not only starting 0-4, but for getting humiliated by the Pats in primetime. (Note: we WERE humiliated by the Pats, however it was in no way even close to the way the Pats lost to the Fish, which was, by the the way, the single most embarrassing upset in the last five years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 in addition to having a running back who can take a nothing play (and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile)180642[/snapback] So, that was McGahee standing outside the Ralph, tossing his helmet into the air? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 So, that was McGahee standing outside the Ralph, tossing his helmet into the air? 180677[/snapback] He's gonna make it.... ...after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Amen, brudda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? 180638[/snapback] Viagra. Bledsoe found his mojo and the big V is the only possible answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad1 Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 or if we are just playing weak teams. I think based on the takeawys we have been taking away and the points we are putting up, we might be that good. what baffles me is the turnaround by bledsoes play. does the running game make THAT big of a difference? I mean the O-Line AND Bledsoe are playing exponentially better than they were in the beginning of the year. it is awesome. any thoughts? 180638[/snapback] Don't forget the emergence of Evans. With Moulds healthy all season, the receiving corps is a hell of a lot better than it was last year. Combine that with McGahee and the improving Oline, and the idea that the players surrounding Bledsoe can improve his play gains merit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gantrules Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Would you prefer we beat the last six teams by an average of 3 points per game? If we make the playoffs, we'll have our test. If not, anyone would be crazy to get on a team that is on the kind of run we've been on after not only starting 0-4, but for getting humiliated by the Pats in primetime. 180665[/snapback] No, but how can you gauge this team right now? Seriously. Good god man, I love the Bills as much as you but it's a simple question of "How do we stand up" to get a real gauge of who we are. We are a very good team. But, how can I say we are "great" when I haven't seen us against another great opponent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 He's gonna make it.......after all. 180681[/snapback] Nice reference, although I don't think many here are old enough to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 No, but how can you gauge this team right now? Seriously. Good god man, I love the Bills as much as you but it's a simple question of "How do we stand up" to get a real gauge of who we are. We are a very good team. But, how can I say we are "great" when I haven't seen us against another great opponent. 180720[/snapback] Well, we obviously agree because his question was whether "we were that good." And the answer is yes. Are we great? That's another question for another thread, but no...we're not great, unless you compare us to the beginning of the season, then yes...we are great, or at least greater than we used to be, which was definitely not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 No, but how can you gauge this team right now? Seriously. Good god man, I love the Bills as much as you but it's a simple question of "How do we stand up" to get a real gauge of who we are. We are a very good team. But, how can I say we are "great" when I haven't seen us against another great opponent. 180720[/snapback] We're alot closer to the top than the bottom but I agree it's hard to give the elite status without a tested victory. For my money, there is ONE elite team: New England. The next level in order is: Pittsburgh, Indy, Philly, & San Diego. We're probably just outside that and would likely go at least .500 against that group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I think it just produces an incorrect answer to look for one thing (better blitz pick-up, better running by WM, better play by Bledsoe, facing lousy teams, etc.) that explains all of our turnaround or even is the one key factor. Like it or not for us simple minds, the turnaround is happening because of a number of factors being improved (some large some fairly small) which have coincided to create what none can deny is outstanding performance which has us winning big week after week. We see this in that essentially any element which people point to as a key has been missing at some point and has no effect beyond us startng a bit slowly, but rather quickly in the games we have put the pedal to the metal and won going away. For example: 1. The idea that WM is simply much better at blitz pick-up is shown to be untrue as WM really sucked at blitz pick-up as most rookies do at the beginning of the season. His blitz pick-ups have improved as most rookies do, but as he began to see significant time in the first Jets game Abraham beat Jennings like a drum and the RB position did not pick up the slack. Likewise WM saw significant time against the Ravens but Bledsoe had to run for his life and was sacked numerous times and the blitz pick-up was lackluster. Certainly fewer sacks and better blitz pick-ups coincided with our more productive performance as we moved into the streak, but these event coinciding rather than there being some cause and effect relationship seems to me to be a better description of what happened. 2. Again there is certainly clearly production of WM getting yards and us winning, but it is a jump to say that one causes the other rather than both coinciding with a lot of things happening. WMs habit is not to run all over the opposition from the start, but actually to pick up few yards initially, but as we have success with the passing game and flea flickers and the opponents get worn down he then springs free for big yardage in the end. making a claim of causation is like choosing between the chicken and the egg at best. However, the great performance by Shaud Williams yesterday does point to better blocking and play calling being central to our production rather than giving sole credit to WM. 3. Bledsoe has certainly performed well and has shown a lot of new stuff in his game like our growing usage of him as a runner and him doing some great fakes which have made the flea-flickers work. However, there have been numerous games where rather than being great he performed simply by making few errors and in fact he has had a couple of error prone games (his 3 INT effort stands out) and we won going away anyway. 4. Sure we have wracked up our streak against some bad teams, but A. we don't make up the schedule and have to play our opponents and B. we have beat these bad opponents like a drum rather than edging them. The Miami/NE game shows that even the best can be be beaten by the worst and we have won consecutively and by huge margins. I think the same is true for any factor that anyone wants to claim is the sole factor or even the lead factor in a TEAM whose true strength has become that they can beat an opponent, offensively, defensively, with special teams, at home. on the road or whatever it takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohninMinn. Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Football is all confidence and momentum. We'll kill anybody right now including the defenseless Colts rookie QB Steelers and the Losers to the fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffalOhio Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 1. The idea that WM is simply much better at blitz pick-up is shown to be untrue as WM really sucked at blitz pick-up as most rookies do at the beginning of the season. His blitz pick-ups have improved as most rookies do, but as he began to see significant time in the first Jets game Abraham beat Jennings like a drum and the RB position did not pick up the slack. Likewise WM saw significant time against the Ravens but Bledsoe had to run for his life and was sacked numerous times and the blitz pick-up was lackluster. Certainly fewer sacks and better blitz pick-ups coincided with our more productive performance as we moved into the streak, but these event coinciding rather than there being some cause and effect relationship seems to me to be a better description of what happened. 180783[/snapback] Henry started the Ravens game, remember? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Everything you've seen this year is very misleading and basically "smoke and mirrors." I actually subscribe to the theory that simply having better people in the backfield picking up the blitz has made all the difference in our game, in addition to having a running back who can take a nothing play (and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile). Add to that a level of discipline, and you are suddenly a better team when you are more often 2nd and 5 instead of 1st and 15. 180642[/snapback] It's an unfortunate truth that Travis on the bench has made the Bills better on the field. Willis is at least a willing, and sometimes very effective, backfield blocker who is always moving to find the unblocked rusher. Travis on the other hand has trouble stopping guys he knows he'll be responsible to block from before the start of the play. You hate to pick on a guy who ran hard for us through minor nicks and major dings but the simple change in running styles between he and Willis has made all of our OLine talent look better. Travis gets the ball runs into whatever is in front of him, Willis gets ball/reads field/makes decisions. Both ran hard, but only one runs with excellent instincts and dare I say smarts. None of this though should diminish the fact that Chris Villarial is the real deal in run blocking, a tenacious player who never clocks out before the whistle. I'd go so far as to credit his aquisition as a more important personnel move than the selection of Lee Evans in giving us an offense that shares the credit with our other units in improving to become a good football team today. Of course in the long run Evans will be horse that sells the jerseys- and no doubt rightfully so in the future, but for my money, this season, Villarial has been the big impact guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 It's an unfortunate truth that Travis on the bench has made the Bills better on the field. Willis is at least a willing, and sometimes very effective, backfield blocker who is always moving to find the unblocked rusher, Travis had trouble stopping guys he knew he'd be blocking from before the start of the play. You hate to pick on a guy who ran hard for us through minor nicks and major dings but the simple change in running styles between he and Willis has made all of our OLine talent look better. Travis gets the ball runs into whatever is in front of him, Willis gets ball/reads field/makes decisions. Both ran hard, but only one runs with excellent instincts and dare I say smarts. None of this though should diminish the fact that Chris Villarial is the real deal in run blocking, a tenacious player who never clocks out before the whistle. I'd go so far as to credit his aquisition as a more important personnel move than the selection of Lee Evans in giving us an offense that shares the credit with our other units in improving to become a good football team today. Of course in the long run Evans will be horse that sells the jerseys- and no doubt rightfully so in the future, but for my money, this season, Villarial has been the big impact guy. 180811[/snapback] I go back to one run yesterday that showed the difference between Willis and TH. An up the gut run that left WM exposed to 2 unblocked Niners at the LOS. WM gave one little shuffle step and blew past them for 7 yards (I think). I have a feeling that TH would have lowered his head and picked up 2 or so on the same play. For whatever reason, WM has an ability that few backs possess and alot of other little intangibles that TH (and many others) seems to lack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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