THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - The Brandon Beane Era Begins

[Beast]

Why not keep what works????!

Because what we saw last year wasn't nearly as good as it appeared, to be quite honest.

 

The Bills were fortunate in lot of cases and put up some gaudy stats in certain games that inflated their overall rankings.

 

There were way too many times where the offense stumbled around in a funk that ultimately lost games, as well as Tyrod is not the type of QB that can consistently put a team on his shoulders and beat the other team.

 

If he was that type of QB the Bills would not have voided his deal, because Tyrod would have been a hot commodity on the open market and made himself a whole lot of money.

Edited August 13, 2017 by Binghamton Beast

[Fan in Chicago]

The Rockpile Review by Shaw66

 

The Brandon Beane Era Begins

 

 

But I like the moves. I like them because the team may be better this season (and in any case not terribly worse) than 2016, and I like them because the moves should make the team stronger going forward.

 

Most of all I like them because they say that the Bills, for the first time in a long time, have men in charge who have a plan, who are pursuing that plan every day, and who wont be distracted froam the goal. They have men in charge who have the full support, emotional and financial, of the owners. I like that.

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full days hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

Very well written. My points:

- I am NOT on board with the recent trades, especially for Watkins. I can understand scheme fit, but you do need play makers on both sides of the ball. It was the correct decision to not pick up his option but this was his 'show me' year. If he was healthy and produced on the field, he is a game changer. If he didn't in 2017, you do not renew his contract. Getting a pick is hardly compensation for a confirmed elite talented player

- Despite the proclamations of Beane and McD, this is a throw away year. It is the wrong time to do for a franchise bereft of playoff appearances. I can understand the thought of a long term build, but giving away your talent in the hopes of acquiring more future talent is unnecessary. We already had 2 first rounders next year. The plan should have been to win this year and replace the missing/wrong pieces next draft. There are many a team which has turned it around without shipping away their premier talent

- In addition to 'giving away' this season, the next season cant be that bright either if there are rookies all over the place. A team needs leadership, mentors and that seems sorely lacking in the locker room (save for K Williams, Boldin)

- The immediate goal should have been to change the loser culture around the team. These moves go against that goal and can further frustrate players and fans alike

[Beast]

Very well written. My points:

- I am NOT on board with the recent trades, especially for Watkins. I can understand scheme fit, but you do need play makers on both sides of the ball. It was the correct decision to not pick up his option but this was his 'show me' year. If he was healthy and produced on the field, he is a game changer. If he didn't in 2017, you do not renew his contract. Getting a pick is hardly compensation for a confirmed elite talented player

- Despite the proclamations of Beane and McD, this is a throw away year. It is the wrong time to do for a franchise bereft of playoff appearances. I can understand the thought of a long term build, but giving away your talent in the hopes of acquiring more future talent is unnecessary. We already had 2 first rounders next year. The plan should have been to win this year and replace the missing/wrong pieces next draft. There are many a team which has turned it around without shipping away their premier talent

- In addition to 'giving away' this season, the next season cant be that bright either if there are rookies all over the place. A team needs leadership, mentors and that seems sorely lacking in the locker room (save for K Williams, Boldin)

- The immediate goal should have been to change the loser culture around the team. These moves go against that goal and can further frustrate players and fans alike

You can win with rookies in the lineup.

 

Look at what Dallas did last season.

[Fan in Chicago]

You can win with rookies in the lineup.

 

Look at what Dallas did last season.

They already has superior lines built up, good receiving core and stumbled on to Prescott.

We do not have a strong enough core nor the leadership. Depending on rookies is hope, not a strategy

[Coach Tuesday]

 

 

Very well written. My points:

- I am NOT on board with the recent trades, especially for Watkins. I can understand scheme fit, but you do need play makers on both sides of the ball. It was the correct decision to not pick up his option but this was his 'show me' year. If he was healthy and produced on the field, he is a game changer. If he didn't in 2017, you do not renew his contract. Getting a pick is hardly compensation for a confirmed elite talented player

- Despite the proclamations of Beane and McD, this is a throw away year. It is the wrong time to do for a franchise bereft of playoff appearances. I can understand the thought of a long term build, but giving away your talent in the hopes of acquiring more future talent is unnecessary. We already had 2 first rounders next year. The plan should have been to win this year and replace the missing/wrong pieces next draft. There are many a team which has turned it around without shipping away their premier talent

- In addition to 'giving away' this season, the next season cant be that bright either if there are rookies all over the place. A team needs leadership, mentors and that seems sorely lacking in the locker room (save for K Williams, Boldin)

- The immediate goal should have been to change the loser culture around the team. These moves go against that goal and can further frustrate players and fans alike

Yes.

[Reed83HOF]

Greg Gabriel‏ @greggabe 10m10 minutes ago

Granted it's only been a few months of Beane-McDermott but I feel this is the best group of decision makers in Buffalo in almost 20 years

1 reply 1 retweet 4 likes

[Beast]

They already has superior lines built up, good receiving core and stumbled on to Prescott.

We do not have a strong enough core nor the leadership. Depending on rookies is hope, not a strategy

You build a strong core through the draft.

[Charlottebillsfan2]

Perhaps here is another way to consider these moves and why the Bills hit a home run with the trades.

 

Lets assume both Watkins and Darby are healthy on week one. You remove them from the lineup and you insert Matthews and Gaines. These changes to the Bills lineup will result in a zero impact on the point spread according to vegas (good article on how players impact the line below). Now if Watkins is hurt and not playing and you have Matthews in the line up it might give you .5 point movement. So the Bills generated draft currency while basically keeping the same value according to Vegas.

 

https://www.sportsinsights.com/blog/nfl-player-point-spread-values/

 

Lets also consider this team is finally focused on getting their franchise QB. We are now in a position to do that next season with the stock pile of draft picks. I could be off here but I think this is the best move this team made in a long time.

[reddogblitz]

You mentioned them wanting a star QB and replacing what they currently have. Fans that are still blindly supporting this team and it's personnel decisions are missing one major point. IF they don't not move Shady or Tyrod this team can fall into 6-7 wins. Those 4-5 extra wins will waste so much if not all of the draft stock they have built up just to move up for the star QB.

If they do have a plan and they are confident about executing their vision then they MUST trade more players away to better position themselves for the QB and the future.

As it sits it's a half ass rebuild that will only prolong the losing. If it takes one terrible season and then we have a franshise altering draft I could get behind that, as would many others.

Or we could go all in on tear down and rebuild including drafting a qB at 3 like Jacksonville and not win more than 4 games a year for 4 years and end up with a reject like Coach Moron for HC. We'd be longingly looking back on a 6 or 7 win season.

 

Just because you "tank" doesn't mean you'll ever get out of the hole. How many times have the Clowns rebuilt?

 

You have to believe our guys are smarter than theirs. I don't.

 

Yeah, point to Indy. The QB they HAD to dump went to another team that won 2 conference championships and 1 SB. Meanwhile, Suck for Luck is no longer looking like a 15 year stud.

 

Y'all tankers talk like this is a tried and true proven strategy. IT'S NOT.

 

You play to win the game.

 

Tanking is for losers.

Edited August 13, 2017 by reddogblitz

[Shaw66]

I think we are on the same page about which way the team is headed but we have different expectations for year one.

I agree. If I had to predict today I'd say 7-9, but I think there's more potential Give that run below. Absent big injuries I don't think the Bills will fall below 6-10.

[Putin]

I don't care about wishing and praying that Brady retires. Bills need to man up and build a real team. The refusal of the Jets/fish/Bills to do anything for the Brady Era has been disgusting. Not one of them.

I'm with you here 100%

I do not wish to see Brady retire on top or worse after winning a SB , I would much rather see Brady pick up his $hit and retire ( because the pats* fell to 2nd or 3rd place in the division )

So until one of the AFC east teams comes and punches the patriots* in the mouth and takes the division from them we should all ecxpect to see Brady on Sunday's , no matter how old Brady is

[oldmanfan]

Well said.

 

Don't forget the Peters trade.

 

This is an AWFUL trade. There is no argument as far as I'm concerned.

Several GMs ago. Who cares? Plus Peters decided not to communicate with the front office but no need to rehash all that. Because, again, it was several GMs ago.

 

And I didn't favor Sammy being traded.

[Crusher]

Perhaps here is another way to consider these moves and why the Bills hit a home run with the trades.

 

Lets assume both Watkins and Darby are healthy on week one. You remove them from the lineup and you insert Matthews and Gaines. These changes to the Bills lineup will result in a zero impact on the point spread according to vegas (good article on how players impact the line below). Now if Watkins is hurt and not playing and you have Matthews in the line up it might give you .5 point movement. So the Bills generated draft currency while basically keeping the same value according to Vegas.

 

https://www.sportsinsights.com/blog/nfl-player-point-spread-values/

 

Lets also consider this team is finally focused on getting their franchise QB. We are now in a position to do that next season with the stock pile of draft picks. I could be off here but I think this is the best move this team made in a long time.

I think this is one of the worst moves this team has made in a long time...we will see.

[Luka]

The trades will prove to be genius this offseason. Everyone is entirely too emotional. I've literally listened to nearly everyone on this board piss and moan about Whaley paying way too much to get Watkins, he isn't that good, just look at OBJ etc. etc. and suddenly he is the difference between us winning and losing? GTFO here with that garbage. Watkins is a one trick pony. He may have the athletic ability to do so much more but he isn't physical enough to get open on short and intermediate routes. Ideally, if your going to pay a guy the big money, you want him to do everything. Watkins isn't that guy. Maybe it will change on the Rams, but in the end, if they're losing, does he even stay with the Rams? They better get him in a contract now or they just made one of the worst trades in history.

And Darby, well, I personally loved Darby. I thought he was much better than Gilmore and I was happy to see Gilmore go because of Darby. Now? I'm just hoping that White is as good as everyone on the staff makes him out to be and Seymour can continue to build on last year.

 

In the NFL, you have to play the odds. Odds are much better at finding a franchise QB in the top 5 of the draft, which they have successfully put themselves in the position to move into if they have to. Odds are, you're going to find much better players in the top 100 of the draft than elsewhere and they are also in a serious position to get as many as they can should Tyrod have an above average year and take this team to the playoffs.

 

And on a side note, which I think you should've included Shaw, the wide receiver corps. as a WHOLE is much, much better than last year. Veteran leadership, a star in the making and everyone projected to start is capable of getting open in the short and intermediate passing game.

Edited August 14, 2017 by Luka

[Luka]

Yikess.

 

I stopped reading after you said Sammy is a one trick pony.

He caught long passes... he rarely made contested catches, ran routes over the middle etc.

 

Like I said, maybe that will be different in LA, could've been our awful coaches, mediocre QB etc. but he certainly isn't a dynamic guy like Dez or OBJ.

[Luka]

Well he wasn't in Buffalo, no arguing that. We'll see though.

[Augie]

Nice thoughtful write up, Shaw. I skipped ahead, so no telling how much crap you've taken for it.

[Beast]

I think this is one of the worst moves this team has made in a long time...we will see.

Since trading up to take him in the first place?

[Luka]

Since trading up to take him in the first place?

[Shaw66]

If their plan is a possession passing scheme than they're DOA. Tyrod is at his best playing a sandlot style with deep quick-strike options, which Sammy was perfect for. Trying to stuff this offense into a short-passing, tempo-based possession system is going to be a disaster. It'll be like what Rex did to the defense - negating strengths and requiring a full personnel rebuild.

 

This is so depressing.

We'll see, but I think he'll surprise you.

 

Tyrod is a superior athlete, one of the best athletes in the league. And he's coachable. This is an offense, I believe, that limits post-snap decision making, Make a presnap read, take the snap, one look at the defense and throw. That's basically athletics.

 

As I said, we'll see.