It's way too early to be pessimistic

[richNjoisy]

for some of you, I think it's a religion

 

Both JJ and PW went for more than the Bills could afford.

JJ was WAY overpaid for. Do any of you think JJ will play in 16 games this year? Howsabout 12? 10?

PW will be 33 by the start of the seaosn. $4 mil per year? are you kidding me? Some of us would like to have a little $ around to sign Clements.

 

Does the loss of JJ and PW mean the Bills might as well check off the 2005 season?

 

Ridiculous.

 

Losing PW hurts but the Bills DID draft a new DT last season. When did you all expect him to start contributing? Do you all expect PW to play better next year? What about the year after that? Why draft Anderson at all if we have PW? Plus the Bills have Ron Edwards. Both young and cheap. The Bills were #2 last year defensively. If they drop to #5 or #10 does that mean they stink? How many games did the Bils lose due to the defense last year? How many more would they have won if the offense had put ONE (1!) TD on the board. Can JP do worse? You HAVE to be kidding.

 

The Bills still have the #1 ST. Do you think that will change much with the exact same group of guys on the field?

 

On offense, losing JJ hurts but we no longer have a statue in the backfield and Willis will be BETTER in 2005. It takes two years to recover from an ACL tear. This is COMMON knowledge. Do the Bills need a new LT? Of course. But they also could use a new TE, a new guard, and/or a new center. They still have $7 mil to spend. Oh, a new kicker wouldn't make me cry crocodile tears.

 

Don't forget, folks, JP played behind a terrible line in college. His numbers were -shall we say - impressive under difficult circumstances? He certainly did not have WIllis McGahee to use as a decoy. BTW, how many points MORE do you think the Bills need to score per game to get that 10th win? Could 5 more starts from Willis and a QB that can actually MOVE add up to a few more points? You DON't think so??

 

Last year, we saw the departure of Winfield. How many of you were angry at TD for letting him go? In retrospect, was he worth the price paid? Did not the defense do "o.k" without him? Did not the Bills defense get a few more INTs than a Winfield-led defense? In 2006, we can look back again on the loss of PW and JJ and make a retospective judgement. (we will also have compensatory picks - maybe - to paly with).

 

In closing, do any of think the Bills will start off 0-4 this season?

 

Then, cheer up! We are already ahead of the game.

 

RichNJoisy

CNJBBB

[Like A Mofo]

Excellent post as always Rich, thanks for bringing sanity back to the board!!!

[Mark VI]

You mean this isn't the wailing wall ?

 

Good job, Rich. I always think "awesome chicken wings" every time I see you post. I wonder why ?

[UConn James]

Right on! I wouldn't be overly surprised for this to be a quiet FA period at OBD, relatively speaking, and then addressing some of needs w/ current backups and in the draft.

 

Some of us would like to have a little $ around to sign Clements.

 

Yaknow, I don't know if an extension gets done for him in this offseason. It seems like a lot of teams (Deadskins, Rayhhdahs) just sign guys and don't worry about it b/c they bank that the cap will go up by $7-8M each year. So far it generally has. Maybe this is what TD has in mind. Or he logically doesn't want to pony up that much green (did I just mix a metaphor? ) for one player and will let him walk or do another PP-type deal.

[R. Rich]

for some of you, I think it's a religion

 

Both JJ and PW went for more than the Bills could afford.

JJ was WAY overpaid for. Do any of you think JJ will play in 16 games this year? Howsabout 12? 10?

PW will be 33 by the start of the seaosn. $4 mil per year? are you kidding me? Some of us would like to have a little $ around to sign Clements.

 

Does the loss of JJ and PW mean the Bills might as well check off the 2005 season?

 

Ridiculous.

 

Losing PW hurts but the Bills DID draft a new DT last season. When did you all expect him to start contributing?  Do you all expect PW to play better next year? What about the year after that? Why draft Anderson at all if we have PW? Plus the Bills have Ron Edwards. Both young and cheap. The Bills were #2 last year defensively. If they drop to #5 or #10 does that mean they stink? How many games did the Bils lose due to the defense last year? How many more would they have won if the offense had put ONE (1!) TD on the board. Can JP do worse? You HAVE to be kidding.

 

The Bills still have the #1 ST. Do you think that will change much with the exact same group of guys on the field?

 

On offense, losing JJ hurts but we no longer have a statue in the backfield and Willis will be BETTER in 2005. It takes two years to recover from an ACL tear. This is COMMON knowledge. Do the Bills need a new LT? Of course. But they also could use a new TE, a new guard, and/or a new center. They still have $7 mil to spend. Oh, a new kicker wouldn't make me cry crocodile tears.

 

Don't forget, folks, JP played behind a terrible line in college. His numbers were -shall we say - impressive under difficult circumstances? He certainly did not have WIllis McGahee to use as a decoy. BTW, how many points MORE do you think the Bills need to score per game to get that 10th win? Could 5 more starts from Willis and a QB that can actually MOVE add up to a few more points? You DON't think so??

 

Last year, we saw the departure of Winfield. How many of you were angry at TD for letting him go? In retrospect, was he worth the price paid? Did not the defense do "o.k" without him? Did not the Bills defense get a few more INTs than a Winfield-led defense? In 2006, we can look back again on the loss of PW and JJ and make a retospective judgement. (we will also have compensatory picks - maybe - to paly with).

 

In closing, do any of think the Bills will start off 0-4 this season?

 

Then, cheer up! We are already ahead of the game.

 

RichNJoisy

CNJBBB

260151[/snapback]

 

 

Now this RICH really sounds like a voice of reason! Good post.

[rastabillz]

Rich, quit making so much dam sense! I've always felt the best way to build a contender is primarily through the draft. In the long run it is cheaper and more sustainable than simply throwing big $ at free agents every year, most who are close to or past their prime.

 

Look at the Washington Redskins for example. Year after year they throw dop dollars at free agents like a drunken sailor at a whore house, but where has that got them? On the other hand you have the NE Patriots who sign "lesser" talents and draft wisely and have won 3 of the past 4 Super Bowls.

 

I too have more hope going into the 2005 season did I did in '04. I will miss JJ/PW but we can recover from their departures.

[Typical TBD Guy]

Can JP do worse? You HAVE to be kidding.

 

260151[/snapback]

 

This is the where the circle-jerking should have ended for your post.

 

Yes, JP CAN do worse than Drew. I'm not saying Drew was good - I was one of his biggest bashers last fall - but think Eli Manning in his first season...

 

Is it possible to some of you that TD is fallible? I mean, Christ, a lot of people here just blindly support all of his moves. Among the TBD patrons, questioning Hollywood Don's decisions on a football message board is akin to heresy these days.

 

***Newsflash****

 

The Bills are one of only 6 NFL teams to have not made the playoffs this century. Other teams have historically recovered better from salary cap jail than the TD-led Bills.

 

Let the debate continue...

 

Peace.

[Guffalo]

Yes, I agree on all counts, but you fail to address what will happen with the departure of Pucillo.....

[richNjoisy]

Yes, I agree on all counts, but you fail to address what will happen with the departure of Pucillo.....

260245[/snapback]

 

 

I DID forget! Oh woe is me!

 

As to your comment, kelso, - I admit it, I think TD is infallible - I am "coming out" - the fact that I am not ripping him a new A-hole due to the loss of PW and JJ has brought me out of the closet.

 

 

O.K. Kels - You are determined to make the point that JP can do worse than Drew. Fine, can you back up your statement? How many games did Drew win last year due to his play? let me help you out. The Bills won 9 games: Miami (twice), Jets, Seattle, St. Louis, Cinncinnati, San Franciso, Cleveland, Arizona. Now, how many would you say the Bills lost DIRECTLY due to Drew's play? The 7 losses were New England (twice), Jacksonville, Oakland, Jets, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.

 

Think about how the presence/absence of Willis played a role in the win or loss. Now replace JP in the games and think about where a win could have become a loss and vice versa.

 

I would Drew's skills at the long ball and experience. JP would be escapability, arm strength, and the run threat.

 

O.K. Fire away! I am truly interested in understanding your apparent certainty that the release of Drew and the replacement with JP was a bad decision.

 

-RnJ

[Typical TBD Guy]

As to your comment, kelso,  - I admit it, I think TD is infallible - I am "coming out" - the fact that I am not ripping him a new A-hole due to the loss of PW and JJ has brought me out of the closet.

O.K. Kels - You are determined to make the point that JP can do worse than Drew. Fine, can you back up your statement? How many games did Drew win last year due to his play? let me help you out. The Bills won 9 games:  Miami (twice), Jets, Seattle, St. Louis, Cinncinnati, San Franciso, Cleveland, Arizona. Now, how many would you say the Bills lost DIRECTLY due to Drew's play? The 7  losses were New England (twice), Jacksonville, Oakland, Jets, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.

 

Think about how the presence/absence of Willis played a role in the win or loss. Now replace JP in the games and think about where a win could have become a loss and vice versa.

 

I would Drew's skills at the long ball and experience. JP would be escapability, arm strength, and the run threat.

 

O.K. Fire away! I am truly interested in understanding your apparent certainty that the release of Drew and the replacement with JP was a bad decision.

 

-RnJ

260288[/snapback]

 

You misinterpreted my post. My point wasn't to say that Drew is necessarily better than JP or that JJ and PW should have been signed.

 

My point was that those differing opinions have validity, and that you should respect those opinions as largely ones (with the exception of Rudy and a couple select others) that come from reasoned thought rather than blind negativity or panic.

 

As for my particular opinions, yes I think we are better off in 2005 with JP than Drew. And no, I would not have overpaid for JJ (maybe for PW, though...his new contract isn't so ridiculous that TD could have not struck a compromise).

 

And with respect to TD, yes I am disappointed with his 4 years of work to date. Not so much for the first 2 years but for the last 2. I'm not so sure we'll EVER make the playoffs with TD as our GM, especially while the Pats are still at the top of their game.

[IDBillzFan]

Good post, Rich. I appreciate everything you say, and try to keep the faith, but I tend also to lean with Kelso regarding JP, though maybe for a different reason. It's just simply impossible to predict if JP will be better or worse than Drew. Some think of Big Ben and some think of Eli. Personally, I'd take someone in the middle...but to predict any results based on what one thinks JP will do is nothing more than optimistic speculation.

 

Do I think we can open 0-4 next year? I can only tell you I was convinced we wouldn't open 0-4 last year, so this year I'll act wiser. Yes, I think we can and no, I hope we don't. There's no way to know for sure, but anything is possible.

[richNjoisy]

Good post, Rich. I appreciate everything you say, and try to keep the faith, but I tend also to lean with Kelso regarding JP, though maybe for a different reason. It's just simply impossible to predict if JP will be better or worse than  Drew. Some think of Big Ben and some think of Eli. Personally, I'd take someone in the middle...but to predict any results based on what one thinks JP will do is nothing more than optimistic speculation.

 

Do I think we can open 0-4 next year? I can only tell you I was convinced we wouldn't open 0-4 last year, so this year I'll act wiser. Yes, I think we can and no, I hope we don't. There's no way to know for sure, but anything is possible.

260420[/snapback]

 

 

Hey LA!

 

Although I amy sound like it in my posts in this thread, I am not an Optimistic Opie. I try to be realistic in my expectations. I do agree that it impossible to predict how good or bad JP is at this point (He could be the reincarnation of RJ or the next Brett Favre - more likely - he is somewhere in between).

 

What I AM tring to predict here is what he has to do to get the Bills to 10+ wins.

 

I asked myself (and everyone here) to consider this.

 

He is coming into a situation with a good to very good (perhaps excellent) defense. This means he should not be way behind that often.

 

He is coming into a situation with an excellent ST - which means good field position OR points on the board directly from a ST score.

 

he is coming into a situation with what looks like a very good to great running back.

 

Now, my first ASSUMPTION is that Clements/Mularkey/Donahoe will provide him with enough pieces to give him a decent to very good run game and short passing attack.

 

(Note: I already am convinced JP is a better screen pass thrower than Drew - of course, I think I am a better.....)

 

My point is that JP will be set up to succeed.

 

Obviously, defenses will be set up to take away the short game and to confuse JP with all sorts of shifting fronts etc etc. This can be JP's undoing but the obvious first step is to severely limit JP's options - few or no audibles. if that fails then the next step is to allow JP to audible more. This could be JP's downfall or his salvation. BUT, the defense first has to stop the short game. Can they?

 

The conclusion I come to is that the Bills have a team that can win with a QB asked to do very little. And I was ENCOURAGED by what I saw JP do in the preseason last year. Hardly a clearcut proof of anything but it does make one conservatively hopeful.

 

-RnJ