So who can we least afford to loose??

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

McGahee by a longshot because not only is there such a big drop-off to plan N Shaud beyond a 1 or 2 game stint due to ability (once opponents get a lot of tape on him and time to prepare I think the talent difference will really balloon) and also have doubts about someone of Shaud's size taking the pounding our run first O is gonna give to the RB.

 

Our RB #3 is a position one must draw into the calculation if you start with the premise you lost WM. I have seem no where near the RB production from Lee (though I loved his KR against GB and ST potential if April likes it) and Burns to feel they merit a starting role.

 

Adams is number 2 and likely at some point as a player on the downhill side of his career to miss at least a game or so. We might be OK here though given our having Edwards who at least was good enough to be an indequate starter a couple of years ago and since then has both bulked up and improved. The jury is still out on his adequacy in a Bills D which has also picked it up several notches but I am not as worried as some seem to be who I think overanalyze his play in a scheme that differes from the usual and I think many good heads here are actually analyzing the detail of his performance based on the old scheme activities.

 

The lateral versus penetrating movement that some see as a failing in his technique I think is exactly how he should be performing in our run blitz which can depend onthe phenomenal first step speed of Adams to penetrate and Edwards is called upon more to cover space that the first step speed may leave open and actually may create a gap for the zone blitzing backer if the guy across from Rdwards follows him laterally and our DE drops back into coverage in the space an LB normally covers.

 

If Adams goes down, then Edwards actually steps into his role and he actually has shown more skill as a pass rusher than run stuffer and Anderson or Bannan will need to show the lateral movement skill and run stuffing ability.

 

If Adams goes down either all this personnel will have to step up or its off to the waiver wire or Gray/Krumrie will really have to do some magic with the scheme so this is my #2 uncertainty if Adams goes down.

 

3. Evans being gone is a problem but it strikes me as no greater problem than if Moulds goes down. If either falls the other gets doubled and neither will likely be very effective. Between the Parrish injury, Reed failure last time he was number 2 meakes it doubtful he can step up, Aiken showing no signs whatsoever he is starter quality in a 2 WR set, and Haddad maybe making the team or maybe not unless Parrish makes it back to the field we are in the same deep doo-doo we were in in 2003 when Moulds got hurt, and Reed got the droppsies and there was only one WR Shaw we could really put on the field. True Moulds alone or Evans alone are much better than Shaw but if we lose either one AND our #3 we are hurting big time.

 

4. We do have huge questions on the OL with Gandy and Anderson as newbies and MW playing well in the later parts of 2004 after his meltdown in "voluntary" minicamp. However, I worry less about losing them because unknown talents like Peters or ubkniw journeymen like Jerman are simply replacing a regular season unknow quantity like Gandy. Perhaps the more interesting question regarding LT is that as the Buff News said today Peters can actually be used in a pinch as a TE (it is just the BN when as I have said I do not even believe what coaches say since I think it is more important for them to not tell the truth to give no benefit to the opponents than to tell the truth to me as fan. Please lie to me if it helps the team).

 

If the unknowns created by an injury to Euhus which will cost him a game, if he is damaged goods (the Bills have cleverly demonstrated they do not tell the all regarding pre-season injuries so who knows include the Texans), then a TE lineup of Campbell, Neufeld and Travis strikes me as a pinch. This move will have no LT effect if Gandy continues his pre-season form into the regular season and IF Jerman were there to give him a blow when necessary (hopefully never) but this pinch could cause LT issues.

 

I see no real plan B problem if Clements goes down for a game or so. We have PT options that may take this job from him anyway. I think Vincent is on the downhill side of his career, but if we need him in a game. I think adrenalin will allow him to cover top receivers for a game and we might get another full game out of him before oppossomg receivers got enough tape on him to exploit him. We then mix it up and go to the zone and see how we do. I have few worries about Baker resuming his starting role at FS (Vincent has been a playmaker that Baker could not pull off though he a good coverage to breal-up passes and provide run support when needed, certainly better than the Wire FS experiment and way cheaper than Prioleaux [i do give props to Prioleaux though because there is a marked ST achievement difference between PP who was the first Bill in while to block a punt against KC and he was enough of a vet to stay in his lane against the Jets while Wire and Stevenson closed to tackled Santana Moss he then had the spped to sprint all the way across the field and back toward his own endzone to tackle Moss and save a TD after he deked out Wire and Stevenson). PP was a player he was just too expensive]. In addition to the turnovers he quickly caused at FS. he put a nice hit on a GB receiver to break up a pass so i think he has the chops to play safety and still has something left if called upon for a game or so if Clements goes down).

 

If we lose Clements it is a loss of a Pro Bowl player, but i think plan B of Vincent in the short terms and some scheme adjustments in the long term make more worry little about this possibility. I will be bummed if the new cap $ does not result in TD showing him the money (I doubt it makes sense for Clements to even sign a deal the Bills are capable of offering under the current cap. In order to meet a Clements call saying he is the best the Bills would have to fashion a tiered cap payment which would give some risk to Clements. If Clements is so unworried about risk that he would accept a tiered deal then he would probably risk waitingfor the free market of FA). At any ratte, though I will be bummed to lose Clements and his Pro Bowl playmaker talent next year, particularly if Thomas comes back so we face the season with McGee (who will need to keep improving his CB play at the same rate he is doing since he is not yet a number 1 level talent), with Vincent a talented guy well into the backside of his career, with Thomas whom if he recovers showed some talent and was a good #3 and would need to step up to be a #2, Greer who I am very comfortable with at nickel, and King who definitiely makes myactive roster and with a year's work should be pressing for the nickel job, While these 5 are not as good as Clements as one of 5 (Vincent would be full time FS where he belongs at this stage in his career) but while I would be bummed if we lost Clements next year I think we have the personnel to make the resulting drop in performance tolerable.

 

Actually, i think the best bet with Clements next year is probably to tag him. As many of the top CBs are already signed to huge long term deals, and Clements is probably the best on the market, even thought the new cap will expand salaries a lot, i think there will be at least a year gap before we see huge escalation of the top 10 salaries so that the one year average Clements would get would be so huge that the Bills actually would not be paying an even larger amount for Clemets bonus payment. The combined two year outlay of the average next year and the bonus in 2007 would e huge but again may be managed or simply avoided as the Bills would now have two full seasons to find and train replacements, and make use of Clements playing his heart out twice for a contract.

 

One should never root for injuries and I don't. but one would be foolish not to realize that were Clements to suffer an Andre Reed type injury in his contract year (bad enough to make folks reluctant to risk big bucks on this FA, but not so bad he wasn't rehabbed and contributed to the Bills for a very good price). If the Bills tag Clements we not only get two years of motivated play but the risk he would go through of injury (the main reason he would want to sign a deal favorable to the Bills now which would be great) which either would be minor and we are in the same shape, moderate and the Ree-type injury allows us to sign him cheap and rehab him to glory, or he is badly damaged and we simply do not resign him.

 

I think the Clements situation has been set up extraordinarily well for us and part of getting replacements for losing him so we are not negotiating from weakness also means that if he gets hurt we can deal with.

[Fan in San Diego]

Can you ever say anything succinctly ? sh-- I had a brain hemmorage reading your post. My English teacher always stressed saying things in the most concise manner possible. Obviously you and I did not have the same English teacher !

[San-O]

Can you ever say anything succinctly ? sh-- I had a brain hemmorage reading your post. My English teacher always stressed saying things in the most concise manner possible. Obviously you and I did not have the same English teacher !

417445[/snapback]

 

Don't read those posts, they will cause damage! If you have to, try and scan

the post, this will minimize the pain.

 

There is a difference between quality and quantity.

[BuffBills#1]

3rd preseason game is always the worst because the players play even more. I'm just hoping no one gets hurt, but if someone does hopefully it's Shane Mathews.lol

[Buffal0 Bill5]

Don't read those posts, they will cause damage!  If you have to, try and scan

the post, this will minimize the pain.

 

There is a difference between quality and quantity.

417451[/snapback]

 

Dr. McGolrick would write on a report "Avoid excess verbage" and return it ungraded if it was too long. AEV is a good motto for message boards. It is also why I prefer comic books to novels

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

Can you ever say anything succinctly ? sh-- I had a brain hemmorage reading your post. My English teacher always stressed saying things in the most concise manner possible. Obviously you and I did not have the same English teacher !

417445[/snapback]

 

 

Look, I'll say this again to try to save you from the risk of braim damage. I do these long posts for my reasons and to serve my goals which they do.

 

1. I find I do my best organizing of my thoughts by writing stuff down. I really am thinking out loud in these posts. I rarely even proof read (hece the many typos and the major changes are when I get myself to change my mind as I think these issues through and either redo the first part or even just throw out a large chunk of writing. I really leab things not only as I read some great posters but also while I write. Its fun for me and part of how I enjoy the game and doubt I will change.

 

2. I like the fact I am repetitive as it means there is some gemerally some consistency in my thinking (something that is missing in many posters like the late lameted ICE whose posts I loved if only for their amusement. Some folks change their positions not because they got information which changed their minds or that they were wrong (a fact I have no trouble admiting on issues like me casting Dusty Ziergler off but he fooled me and demonstrated the game is more than a resume).

 

3. Arguing about the sport is good practice for figuring out what folks are saying (really reading -or listening in real life- is key and the constructing a response which agrees or disagrees and tries to evoke a response that builds on the discussion is important in my work. Doing this on something trivial is good practice to do the same thing in my real life activities on environmental issues. I look a lot for win/win situations in real life and practicing that in thei fantasy world is good practice. In real life I do run into legends in their own minds a lot and this board is rife with them it is also good practice to try to actually produces an argument they cannot beat. It happens sometimes which is fun, but the good thing is when they beat your argument and I learn something about construting arguments.

 

4. TSW really fits my lifestyle. I started with it near its beginning when the Rochester D&C Board imploded because of a combination of their over-commitent to the first admenment and the free market (an interesting learning experience in itself). I was actually in St. Louis for 7 months where my wife was undergoing a major organ transplant to deal with a childhood illness. TSW provided a link to home, practice typing about something important to me which I translated into some massive missives about this life changing experience and it provided a sense of community when I was away from mine.

 

I was able to transplant and take time off because of my consulting work and actually it has lent itself to TSW. I am able to work on conference calls which nuy my time and pay the Bills but I have to sit quietly while they roll through an agenda to listen and speak when spoken to in my area of expertise. They often move the agenda so I sit half listening to stuff of no import to me and mute the phone and read and type til my turn on these calls which often are at odd times due to overseas lead participants. This fits nicely but I can't be that careful about my wrting so my apologies but that is the way things are.

 

5.Though I type for my own purposes, I do really like the responses to some of my posts though they are not required at all. Due to this, particularly once the season starts and I am quite interested in responses about real football stuff, i do try to be a bit more pithy and short (not this post obviously) and try to add Cliff Notes summarizing my ranblings. Replies are great but if these message are too long please skip them.

 

6/ I do these to prepare for family dinners. Grandad and the three families (I am married to the youngest) get together for family gatherings where I describe the conversations as a brawl. Believe it or not I am shorter and more to the point in these conversations because if you aren't you get cut-off, run over or the topic swiftly changes. Each member of the family has various areas of expertise or work and questions get asked of them. Sports in general and the Bills are one of my fields. Having thought through these issues I have short answers that touch upon key points in discussion and folks seem to be satisfied as they keep asking and sometimes they even mention one of my references as being borne (or occaisonally dead wrong as members of the family are fond to point out.

 

So for these and other reasons I probably will keep up the long slogs for as long as I can. Remember the only thing which wastes more time than reading my stupid posts is to spend time replying to them. So feel free to save the time and feel free to not reply.

[Mile High]

Every year it seems like we get an injury before the season starts.  Last year it was Milloy breaking his arm in the 2nd preseason game.  The starters are going to play more than a half on Friday, so I was wondering, who do you guys think we can least afford.  I'de say McGahee.

417282[/snapback]

You just jinxed the team.... Great.

[Bill from NYC]

It is hard to believe that nobody mentioned Villarial. As I recall, Big Mike played poorly each and every game in which CV was hurt.

RG would seem to be one of the easiest positions to fill, but before CV, the Bills were unable to man the spot with a good football player for more than a decade. Instead, they filled the position with stiffs and stumblebums from Ostroski to Pucillo, and every lousy player in between.

Preston is said to look good, but he is a rookie.

Call me a skeptic, but from where I sit, the Bills are still dangerously thin at OL. People are high on Gandy, but until he proves otherwise, I view him as a castoff from a team that actually has Ruben Brown on the roster. MW has been up and down. Teague is good, but not a world beater, and I frankly don't know what to make of Anderson.

CV is a badass and a talented blocker.

I sure hope that he stays healthy!

[frogger]

Ben Sobieski-everytime he has been injured we have not made the Playoffs.

 

 

why is he still on the team?

[inkman]

I'll rank my top 5:

 

1. Coy Wire (his lack of tackling and media savy are priceless)

2. Shane Matthews (where else are we going to get a 10 year vet to play 3rd string)

3. Jeff Posey (it's pretty hard to start every game and go completely unnoticed)

4. Joe Burns (his talent to shine at neither the RB or FB position is unreplaceable)

5. Drew Haddad (where else are we going to get a raging porn stash like his)

[VABills]

Ben Sobieski-everytime he has been injured we have not made the Playoffs.

why is he still on the team?

417491[/snapback]

Travis too, but he's gone, so maybe we finally get to the promised land.

[plenzmd1]

Can you ever say anything succinctly ? sh-- I had a brain hemmorage reading your post. My English teacher always stressed saying things in the most concise manner possible. Obviously you and I did not have the same English teacher !

417445[/snapback]

 

Clements

[stuckincincy]

Spikes - he covers lots of territory and makes others shine. Cincy's LB corps was a disaster the year after he left.

[Kaz]

Is there really any debate? If we lose Willis...well, I believe the buzzword around here is "doomed," is it not?

[KnightRider]

It is hard to believe that nobody mentioned Villarial. As I recall, Big Mike played poorly each and every game in which CV was hurt.

RG would seem to be one of the easiest positions to fill, but before CV, the Bills were unable to man the spot with a good football player for more than a decade. Instead, they filled the position with  stiffs and stumblebums from Ostroski to Pucillo, and every lousy player in between.

Preston is said to look good, but he is a rookie.

Call me a skeptic, but from where I sit, the Bills are still dangerously thin at OL. People are high on Gandy, but until he proves otherwise, I view him as a castoff from a team that actually has Ruben Brown on the roster. MW has been up and down. Teague is good, but not a world beater, and I frankly don't know what to make of Anderson.

CV is a badass and a talented blocker.

I sure hope that he stays healthy!

417487[/snapback]

 

 

I thought about saying him, but figured it was easier to point to Moulds...

[Mickey]

Not one mention of London Fletcher? Looking over the last three years, he would get my vote as the team MVP.

 

I'd also mention, gulp, Rian Lindell. Kickers are tough to replace and have you seen what is available out there? Yeeeech. Lindell will probably lead the team in scoring this year.

[AKC]

5.Though I type for my own purposes

417481[/snapback]

 

That's odd, I always assumed you were using Dragon Naturally Speaking ;-)

[drnykterstein]

So for these and other reasons I probably will keep up the long slogs for as long as I can. Remember the only thing which wastes more time than reading my stupid posts is to spend time replying to them. So feel free to save the time and feel free to not reply.

417481[/snapback]

Awesome!! The more FFS the merrier.

[AKC]

Adams is number 2 and likely at some point as a player on the downhill side of his career to miss at least a game or so. We might be OK here though given our having Edwards who at least was good enough to be an indequate starter a couple of years ago and since then has both bulked up and improved.

417434[/snapback]

 

I'd argue that you can scheme to protect lesser talent on a football team most easily at the running back positions, then after that safety, TEs, QB, LB, OL, DEs, CBs but lastly DTs. No matter how you run your defense, if the middle of your line has one dimensional players like Ron Edwards playing full time you will be abused by the better rushing offenses in the league. If you have one-dimensional run stoppers you'll be abused by the short passing offenses in the league.

 

The nature of the NFL has changed dramatically over the past 25 years and today the best teams have far more talent at their interiror DLine spots than we have, both in starting quality and in depth. NE currently has 5 interior players who are better than anyone on our roster after Sam Adams, and they play a 3-4! Philly-after a Super Bowl season- drafted interior DLine withtheir first pick and San Diego- suffering from a poor pass defense- used a 1st rounder on DLine interior.

 

If at any point this season we're forced to start Ron Edwards and Tim Anderson with Justin Bannon filling out the primary rotation, I believe you can look for teams to run up 200 and 250 yard rushing days against us over the second half of the season- once our Linebackers have been decimated by the injuries they'll suffer from the lack of control of the line by our Defensive interior.

[smokinandjokin]

I don't understand....If it was Milloy last year, why would it not be Milloy this year? Has Coy Wire made incredible strides?