Some thoughts at mid-season

[jahnyc]

1. Not sure I understand why Buddy Nix is talking about getting a franchise QB now. I think we all know that the Bills need one, so how does this help Fitz and the overall team morale to announce this during the season?

 

2. Why does Buddy deserve more time and a shot at drafting a franchise QB? His drafting has not been good. Troup, Carrington, Dareus, Williams, Sheppard are all, at a minimum, disappointing so far. He also has not hit on any mid or low round draft picks, other than maybe Hairston.

 

3. In terms of free agent acquisitions, the signing of Barnett has worked out well, but Anderson is not an every down DE and seems like a bad fit. I don't know what to think about Williams, and we all need more time to see his play over the longer term. One thing that concerns me is that he does not appear to be a leader. That is a lot of money to spend on a player that does not have leadership skills. Also concerned that the Bills were interested in Meachem, who has been a bust in San Diego.

 

4. One area that has improved is the play and overall talent of the o-line, although Fitz getting rid of the football makes them look better. Fitz receives a lot of criticism, much of it deserved, but he deserves credit for this aspect of his play. Levitre needs to be re-signed, and Urbik should be as well, or else we will regress in the one area that seems to have improved.

 

5. I thought the combination of Williams and Dareus would be very strong this year, but they have a similar style of play. Williams and Dareus use quickness to try to penetrate. Dareus is huge, but he is not a run stopping DT. What the Bills need is a run stopping DT to pair with either Williams or Dareus.

 

6. Our linebacking play has been poor this year. I hope that Bradham turns out to be a player, but Nix has drafted a lot of linebackers over the last three years, and none have been particularly effective. I do not think that Sheppard is a starting caliber NFL middle linebacker. He seems to get blocked and taken out of plays way too often.

 

7. It will be interesting to see if McKelvin is an improvement over Williams at CB. Unfortunately, the Bills will need more CBs next year since McKelvin is a free agent, McGee is likely done, Rogers should not be playing, and Williams does not seem be the answer as a starting CB.

 

8. If Gailey returns next year, he must get a new defensive coordinator and some new defensive assistants. I hope this is a condition to his return. I do not know if our assistant defensive coaches are good or bad, but we have developed very few good defensive players recently other than Byrd, who also needs to be re-signed.

 

9. Still worried about the future viability of the franchise. It will look bad when the remaining home games are not sold out and there will be a lot of empty seats for the December home games. The NFL schedule makers did the Bills no favors this year.

 

10. It has been a long time since we last made the playoffs. Why not bring in a consultant? The Panthers just retained Acorsi to review their football operations. Can't we do the same with Ron Wolff or Polian?

[DocLawless]

Good post. I agree with every point! I need a time machine to bring me back to my childhood days of watching kelly, reed, thurman, bruce, talley, biscuit, tasker, beebe, etc.... make every sunday so much fun! One thing I will add...I just watched americas team the missing rings on youtube about the bills and it almost brought me to tears to think of the great memories. Marv Levy will forever be an underrated coach IMO because of the superbowl losses but that man was a great coach and a great leader of men. Someone like him is who we are missing. He was like a war general who knew what to say to get his team ready for battle. If you havent seen it yet you should watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khla4FAh1nE

[8-8 Forever?]

1. Not sure I understand why Buddy Nix is talking about getting a franchise QB now. I think we all know that the Bills need one, so how does this help Fitz and the overall team morale to announce this during the season?

 

2. Why does Buddy deserve more time and a shot at drafting a franchise QB? His drafting has not been good. Troup, Carrington, Dareus, Williams, Sheppard are all, at a minimum, disappointing so far. He also has not hit on any mid or low round draft picks, other than maybe Hairston.

 

3. In terms of free agent acquisitions, the signing of Barnett has worked out well, but Anderson is not an every down DE and seems like a bad fit. I don't know what to think about Williams, and we all need more time to see his play over the longer term. One thing that concerns me is that he does not appear to be a leader. That is a lot of money to spend on a player that does not have leadership skills. Also concerned that the Bills were interested in Meachem, who has been a bust in San Diego.

 

4. One area that has improved is the play and overall talent of the o-line, although Fitz getting rid of the football makes them look better. Fitz receives a lot of criticism, much of it deserved, but he deserves credit for this aspect of his play. Levitre needs to be re-signed, and Urbik should be as well, or else we will regress in the one area that seems to have improved.

 

5. I thought the combination of Williams and Dareus would be very strong this year, but they have a similar style of play. Williams and Dareus use quickness to try to penetrate. Dareus is huge, but he is not a run stopping DT. What the Bills need is a run stopping DT to pair with either Williams or Dareus.

 

6. Our linebacking play has been poor this year. I hope that Bradham turns out to be a player, but Nix has drafted a lot of linebackers over the last three years, and none have been particularly effective. I do not think that Sheppard is a starting caliber NFL middle linebacker. He seems to get blocked and taken out of plays way too often.

 

7. It will be interesting to see if McKelvin is an improvement over Williams at CB. Unfortunately, the Bills will need more CBs next year since McKelvin is a free agent, McGee is likely done, Rogers should not be playing, and Williams does not seem be the answer as a starting CB.

 

8. If Gailey returns next year, he must get a new defensive coordinator and some new defensive assistants. I hope this is a condition to his return. I do not know if our assistant defensive coaches are good or bad, but we have developed very few good defensive players recently other than Byrd, who also needs to be re-signed.

 

9. Still worried about the future viability of the franchise. It will look bad when the remaining home games are not sold out and there will be a lot of empty seats for the December home games. The NFL schedule makers did the Bills no favors this year.

 

10. It has been a long time since we last made the playoffs. Why not bring in a consultant? The Panthers just retained Acorsi to review their football operations. Can't we do the same with Ron Wolff or Polian?

I would be very surprised if Levitre does not leave for a real team in FA. The guy is a great player and the giants or steelers or bears will grab him. He is gone IMO. Who wants to play for this crap franchise any longer than you absolutely have to.

[Gray Beard]

I would be very surprised if Levitre does not leave for a real team in FA. The guy is a great player and the giants or steelers or bears will grab him. He is gone IMO. Who wants to play for this crap franchise any longer than you absolutely have to.

and Byrd. Just think, we get to draft DBs again! Aren't we luckY?!!

[ALF]

If they let Levitre go its a massive set back for a offensive line that is finally looking good. A good qb can only get sacked so often before getting injured.

[mrags]

Good post. I agree with every point! I need a time machine to bring me back to my childhood days of watching kelly, reed, thurman, bruce, talley, biscuit, tasker, beebe, etc.... make every sunday so much fun! One thing I will add...I just watched americas team the missing rings on youtube about the bills and it almost brought me to tears to think of the great memories. Marv Levy will forever be an underrated coach IMO because of the superbowl losses but that man was a great coach and a great leader of men. Someone like him is who we are missing. He was like a war general who knew what to say to get his team ready for battle. If you havent seen it yet you should watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khla4FAh1nE

Please leave the past in the past. I don't have any clue how you can Sayers was underrated considering he's one of 2 or 3 coaches in the HOF that's NEVER won a SuperBowl. Just saying.

[RevWarRifleman]

Good post, especially point # 10. In the last 12+ years, there seems to be like a spectr of doom over the franchise. And no matter who the coaches have been, who the front office personnel have been, and of course, what players we get, the result is always the same!!

 

I'd love to see Polian back with us as a consultant, GM, whatever. Go Bills.

[BillsVet]

Good post OP. I wish the team had hired a consultant 3 years ago, but I get the impression RW's handlers won't let anyone in the inner-circle to recommend changes. There are several long term employees up there who probably push the owner away from outsiders to come in. And so you get people like Nix and Gailey who are in their final NFL job with the results to match.

[jahnyc]

I remember posting here back years ago that the Bills needed a consultant in the last year of the Donahoe tenure. That would have been the time to do it.

[Sisyphean Bills]

4. One area that has improved is the play and overall talent of the o-line, although Fitz getting rid of the football makes them look better. Fitz receives a lot of criticism, much of it deserved, but he deserves credit for this aspect of his play. Levitre needs to be re-signed, and Urbik should be as well, or else we will regress in the one area that seems to have improved.

 

Sacks are an almost useless statistic. Big Ben has how many sacks and how many Super Bowl rings?

 

Timing is everything, and there is such a thing as rushing the play. If the ball is getting out in less than 2 seconds, that means there is no time for the play to develop at all. There may not be a sack, but there is no chance of pushing the ball down the field in that short of time. Is a quick dump-off for 1 or 2 yards better than taking a chance?

 

PS: Not saying that trying to extend every play like Big Ben was doing is the greatest thing either. It sure does seem like forever ago when the Bills had Jim Kelly leading a truly good offense though.

[DocLawless]

Please leave the past in the past. I don't have any clue how you can Sayers was underrated considering he's one of 2 or 3 coaches in the HOF that's NEVER won a SuperBowl. Just saying.

Didn't mean to offend anyone but I personally like to recall the great memories I had watching that team play. I guess I meant underrated compared to what his legacy would of been if they had one even one or two of those superbowls let alone all 4.

[Solomon Grundy]

I remember posting here back years ago that the Bills needed a consultant in the last year of the Donahoe tenure. That would have been the time to do it.

 

They needed a consultant when Donahoe was here! Donahoe is the reason the Bills horrible now. He let go of some vets prematurely. He traded away our first rd. picks to acquire Bledsoe who was replaced prematurely by Losman which cost more picks. Wasted another top ten pick Mike Williams and never addressed the O and D lines afterwards. To use a political analogy, Donahoe is to Bush II as Nix is to Obama.

[KollegeStudnet]

Predating the Bills, Fitz was called "Noodle Arm" in Cincy...

 

I now refer to him as The Amish Noodle.

 

This is my mid-season report.

[Gray Beard]

Gailey and Nix have both said that the defense is underperforming. Ralph is mad that the team is losing. Nix says a new QB is part of the plan. Wannstedt does not inspire confidence at pressers. My guess is that next year Nix and Gailey will still be here, but there will be a new QB and a new DC. I actually think this team is close to having enough talent that those two changes will get us all thinking good thoughts in the off-season.

Of course upgrades at LB and WR would also help.

[Corp000085]

Please leave the past in the past. I don't have any clue how you can Sayers was underrated considering he's one of 2 or 3 coaches in the HOF that's NEVER won a SuperBowl. Just saying.

 

By all accounts, Gale Sayers was never underrated. Don't know much about his coaching though.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Corp000085

[jcbillsfan]

The tennessee loss changed the outlook for the season. After nine games the best case scenario was 5-4. In that scenario a win over the pats or the jets was needed. Which brings us to today. Almost assured a 3-6 record.

From Monday forward we find out what this team is. The last seven games are all played against teams that talent wise the Bills should be better then or at least equal too. If the bills finish 5-2 or better I think this is still a viable rebuild. After all 9-7 should get you a playoff spot. So that damn tennessee game will be the difference. On the other hand if this team can't win 4 games against this

Competition then there must be change. Two wins should be hand delivered, home games against Jacksonville and the rams. How the team and Chan perform in the additional 5 will let us know

 

The tennessee loss changed the outlook for the season. After nine games the best case scenario was 5-4. In that scenario a win over the pats or the jets was needed. Which brings us to today. Almost assured a 3-6 record.

From Monday forward we find out what this team is. The last seven games are all played against teams that talent wise the Bills should be better then or at least equal too. If the bills finish 5-2 or better I think this is still a viable rebuild. After all 9-7 should get you a playoff spot. So that damn tennessee game will be the difference. On the other hand if this team can't win 4 games against this

Competition then there must be change. Two wins should be hand delivered, home games against Jacksonville and the rams. How the team and Chan perform in the additional 5 will let us know

[machine gun kelly]

Thanks for the you tube link. It brought a tear to the eyes thinking how much I took them for granted when we were winning all of those years.

 

Talley is by far my favorite Bill of all time.

 

As far as these buffoons go, we're not even close without a QB, WR, TE, LB, and most of all coaching. Your right on the TN game. We had to win that one. The colts are better than people thought and the Seahawks are going tom punish us. I love my Bills, but we just are still in a rebuild after a decade of horrible FO decisions in player and coaching selections.

 

Nix will need to two more solid drafts, and at least a couple FA acquisitions, and keep the guys you've mentioned like Byrd, and Levitre.

 

As far as today, can Brooks be an upgrade over Williams and crew. I want us to win and continue to pray each week, but I just don't see it.

 

My vote is hire Mike Nolan as head coach and keep Nix and Whaley.