AJ Smith

[Dan Gross]

Yes it is significantly better.  And please....Seattle and SL only made the playoffs because of the division and the NFC.  And please don't talk about schedule......because our schedule was a joke.  Not that anyone can control that since it's pre-set, but still. 

 

Still, as I said, discounting those they beat as many "true" playoff teams last year as we did (and if you say the Jets don't qualify as a "playoff team" then you're damning the Chargers as they lost to the Jets in their first playoff game)...their record last year was based on a bigger joke of a schedule than ours.

 

San Diego had the worst O-line in pro football when JB and AJ got there.  That is now fixed.  They have some great trade bait in Phillip Rivers or Drew Brees.  They have awesome skill people and an improving defense.

 

Yeah, you see it as trade bait, I see it as a wasted top 5 pick (would have probably been a wasted #1 if Manning wasn't such a baby about it...so they will trade two QB's out of the same draft...brilliant!). You really think the team is so solid that they can afford to have a top 5 pick warming the "pine?" And people whine about the performance we get out of our only top ten pick of the Donahoe era...

 

They play a BRUTAL schedule this year.  If they can get through it, they are probably the 2nd best team in the AFC behind Indy this season and still rising.  SD's roster is pretty damn exciting if you ask me, and should stay that way for a few years. 

 

I wouldn't exactly call it brutal, their AFC division after all is the East. And they play the division winners from last year because they were the division winner last year. Reaping the benefits of being a "champion." And it's a big "if," and if so, it will start next week...

 

 

Significantly better?  By a mile.  I miss the ole Buffalo Bills braintrust.  Oh, but wait, can everyone tell me again how we not only have the best GM in TD, but also the 2nd best in Modrak.  Hmmmmmmmm.

464292[/snapback]

 

Never said that. I said that the Chargers have not done significantly better in the last four years + 4 games. In fact it is in part because they have done worse (and picked up several top 5 draft picks in the process) that they have been able to build this team. If they do succeed this year, it will be because they stuck with a coach after going from 8-8 to 4-12, and stuck with a young QB despite a shaky first two years starting (and despite drafting his apparent successor...or trade bait, if that's how you want to look at it ).

[Bill from NYC]

I would give Losman a full year.  However.....the way this team was built, with an aging, contracts about to expire defense, I don't think this was the right time to hand over a veteran laden team to a rookie QB.

 

We have good WR's.  A good RB.  And a defense, while over-rated by most Bills fans, is still a good one.

 

So, my question is.....why would turn over this type of team to a rookie (essentially) QB without a competition for his job?

464385[/snapback]

 

Probably because the whole bunch of them were embarrassed by the loss to Steeler scrubs. This game nullified the great run which preceeded it, at least to the people who made this decision.

Now, we are going to sit through a losing season, while our vets age. Additionally, the progress of our quarterback, who cost us some spots in round 1, and 2nd and a 5th is spotty, and I am being kind.

 

Hey, I'm not off the bandwagon, and never will be. The draft board, courtesy of R.Rich, will be great in the offseason. This team is not as bad as the 3-13 team that TD inherited. The Bills can be a strong squad with a few good moves, if of course JP can play at some point.

[BuffaloRebound]

3 moves have changed the SD franchise around and you could reasonably argue luck had more to do with them than anything else. SD passed up on Vick and Tomlinson dropped into their hands because they were fresh off the Ryan Leaf debacle (some luck, some good decision-making). Brees ends up the starter last year because Rivers drags his feet on negotiations (Entirely luck). SD signs a former mid-major college basketball player as training camp fodder and he becomes an All-Pro tight end. (mostly luck, but have to give the organization some credit). You could do a similar exercise with Bellichick, New England, Mo Lewis/Drew Bledsoe, and Tom Brady. Buffalo is still waiting for its lucky breaks.

[Hirly5]

Also, it doesn't hurt having the best back in football, LT and one of the real upcoming QB's, in Drew Brees.

464139[/snapback]

 

San Diego wanted to get rid of Drew Brees 2 years ago. They drafted Philip Rivers to replace Brees last year but Rivers held out and Brees got the starting job and won games. Now everyone wants Brees and are calling San Diego's front office brilliant when 2 years ago they were calling Brees a bust. Young QBs struggle in the NFL. Maybe the Bills should give JP a chance instead of keep benching him. I realize alot of his throws are usually overthrown or off the mark but these are the growing pains of a young QB.

[Bill from NYC]

3 moves have changed the SD franchise around and you could reasonably argue luck had more to do with them than anything else.  SD passed up on Vick and Tomlinson dropped into their hands because they were fresh off the Ryan Leaf debacle (some luck, some good decision-making).  Brees ends up the starter last year because Rivers drags his feet on negotiations (Entirely luck).  SD signs a former mid-major college basketball player as training camp fodder and he becomes an All-Pro tight end.  (mostly luck, but have to give the organization some credit).  You could do a similar exercise with Bellichick, New England, Mo Lewis/Drew Bledsoe, and Tom Brady.  Buffalo is still waiting for its lucky breaks.

464401[/snapback]

 

You know, you raise a good point.

Peters at LT could be our "lucky break." I wish they would give him lots of reps.

[Kelly the Dog]

I would give Losman a full year.  However.....the way this team was built, with an aging, contracts about to expire defense, I don't think this was the right time to hand over a veteran laden team to a rookie QB.

 

We have good WR's.  A good RB.  And a defense, while over-rated by most Bills fans, is still a good one.

 

So, my question is.....why would turn over this type of team to a rookie (essentially) QB without a competition for his job?

464385[/snapback]

Not all decisions are crystal clear. Some decisions are made knowing they are 55-45 or 60-40 propositions. The Bills, I think rightfully, gave the keys to Losman knowing there would be growing pains. Did they or do I think Kelly Holcomb had a better chance of winning the first four games than Losman? I know I did, and I assume they did. But that doesn't mean they didn't and don't think that in the short term Holcomb is the better bet, in the relative long term (like over the coure of the season or by the end of the season) Losman may be the better bet, and in the long run, Losman is the guy that we can win a Super Bowl with. Kelly Holcomb is probably not. Kelly is a great back-up and #2 if the #1 goes down. I think they expected JP to be better and come out at least 2-2. I know I did. But I havent lost faith in him from what I have seen.

 

That is not to say Losman is a sure thing, or that Holcomb couldn't win it, look at Trent Dilfer. But they made the decision that it's going to take JP a few games to get used to the speed of the game and the game planning against you, and that he is going to grow, and by 5 games or 8 games or 11 games, he is going to be a pretty damn good quarterback. It will be 2-3 years before you'll know for sure. No one knows if that is going to happen or when that is going to happen. No one knows if Kelly Holcomb would have won more games leading this team over the course of 16 games. He very well may have, but then JP hasnt played yet and needs another year. You cannot learn everything on the bench.

[stuckincincy]

Just to add 2 cents, SD signed away two very good B'gals players - Blocking FB Lorenzo O'Neal and Guard Mike Goff. Aand they picked up the then-injured and cut by CIN, Steve Foley, who regained health and is a fine LB.

[Dan Gross]

Just to add 2 cents, SD signed away two very good B'gals players - Blocking FB Lorenzo O'Neal and Guard Mike Goff.  Aand they picked up the then-injured and cut by CIN, Steve Foley, who regained health and is a fine LB.

464460[/snapback]

 

So you're saying we're picking the wrong AFC North team to pluck cast-offs from? Makes sense, Cincy's had plenty of top ten draft picks too...

[dave mcbride]

So you're saying we're picking the wrong AFC North team to pluck cast-offs from?  Makes sense, Cincy's had plenty of top ten draft picks too... 

464463[/snapback]

what's your point? are you honestly arguing that sd and buffalo are basically equivalent, even factoring in that butler smith took over a horrible franchise and donhoe took over an 8-8 one? they went 12-4 last year. they'll probably win 10 this year.

[stuckincincy]

So you're saying we're picking the wrong AFC North team to pluck cast-offs from?  Makes sense, Cincy's had plenty of top ten draft picks too... 

464463[/snapback]

 

 

Yes, some real gems like David Klingler, Akili Smith, and Reinhart Wilson.

 

Or when they traded up to draft Ki-Jana Carter (who would have been a good player) and bypassed Tony Boselli even though a very effective Garrison Hearst was on the club.

 

Watching the Bengals since 1990 has taught me every lesson out there about how to field a crappy team.

[Sound_n_Fury]

Now, just like the 87 Bills, they will start to build their playoff record.

 

They also got an experienced head coach.

464383[/snapback]

 

You make a great frontrunner. Let's see how SD does this year before we anoint AJ the next "chosen one," huh.

 

And LOL on Marty (why do I always get a brain cramp in the playoffs?) Schottenheimer. The minute he lost a game as a Bills HC the same people bitching about the current state of affairs would be howling at the moon about his repeated "failures" as well.

 

Schottenheimer's career playoff record is 5-12. More telling, he's lost his last five playoff games dating to 1993 with KC. But, but but...he's experienced!

 

Following last year's wildcard loss to the Jets, Marty had this pearl to say:

 

"I've been through this before; that's been well-documented," Schottenheimer said. "My disappointment, quite frankly, is with the players in that locker room and the community." Nice.

 

The "anybody looks better than my guy" croud are out in full force, I see....

[Dan Gross]

what's your point? are you honestly arguing that sd and buffalo are basically equivalent, even factoring in that butler smith took over a horrible franchise and donhoe took over an 8-8 one? they went 12-4 last year. they'll probably win 10 this year.

464467[/snapback]

 

Yeah, Butler left the Bills in great shape. They were 8-8, but he tanked his last draft with the Bills and IIRC we had a roster that had numbers that were slightly over the salary cap number. You give the impression that Donahoe gutted a perfectly good team for no reason. He had to rebuild a team from scratch just like Butler did, regardless of the record.

 

When you look at the Chargers last year you can look at it one of two ways:

--They achieved their record by beating non-playoff teams while losing whenever they faced playoff-caliber teams, which is the same charge being labelled against last year's Bills.

--They did a great job in getting 12-4 and making the playoffs. How did they do that? Oh, they stuck with their coach even after going 8-8/4-12 and they stuck with their previous "QB of the future" (Brees) after two hum-drum seasons, even if it was by default (because Rivers didn't sign in time). So they won (and are winning) because they were patient and "let" their key talents develop, and stuck with their coach despite the unruly mob waiting outside to lynch him. So Smith is a genius for doing this and TD is stupid for not insisting JP be benched after 4 games and firing Mularkey for two poor starts...

 

It's pretty safe to figure on 10-6 based on their schedule and performance last year. Because not only do they have continuity, they only have 4 "playoff likely" teams left on their schedule (pending how the teams in their own division pan out...they've already lost to Denver once, tough to tell which KC is going to show up week-to-week). If they follow on from last year's performance, then yeah, I agree that 10-6 is likely. Then they'll lose in the first round of the playoffs....again. They've stumbled onto their "magic formula" (and there's no knowing how things would have turned out last year if Rivers hadn't held out...)...good for them, if that's what they want, but I personally do not consider their performance as stellar by any means...

[Fan in San Diego]

San Diego wanted to get rid of Drew Brees 2 years ago.  They drafted Philip Rivers to replace Brees last year but Rivers held out and Brees got the starting job and won games.  Now everyone wants Brees and are calling San Diego's front office brilliant when 2 years ago they were calling Brees a bust.  Young QBs struggle in the NFL.  Maybe the Bills should give JP a chance instead of keep benching him.  I realize alot of his throws are usually overthrown or off the mark but these are the growing pains of a young QB.

464404[/snapback]

 

You made the point I was going to add about Brees being called a bust then all of a sudden the light goes on !

[Dan Gross]

 

Yes, some real gems like David Klingler, Akili Smith, and Reinhart Wilson.

 

Or when they traded up to draft Ki-Jana Carter (who would have been a good player) and bypassed Tony Boselli even though a very effective Garrison Hearst was on the club.

 

Watching the Bengals since 1990 has taught me every lesson out there about how to field a crappy team.

464470[/snapback]

 

...and obviously the Bills are taking copious notes, right...?

[stuckincincy]

...and obviously the Bills are taking copious notes, right...? 

464507[/snapback]

 

Some of the moves do look a little familiar...