Which Personnel move most defines 2005?

[AKC]

What single management move since the end of the 2004 season has had the most dramatic impact on the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills in 2005?

[plenzmd1]

What single management move since the end of the 2004 season has had the most dramatic impact on the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills in 2005?

487317[/snapback]

Firing Polian in whatever year that was

[smuvtalker]

I think the Pat Williams departure hurt us alot more than we expected it would.

[Guest BackInDaDay]

See Bills fan's 2004/2005 analysis... It's gotta be Purple Pat.

 

I think this poll could use an 'all of the above' option. Gotta wonder what this crew was thinking from the Pittsburgh loss till opening day.

[Orton's Arm]

For a guy who talks tough about playing a physical style of football, TD has certainly neglected the line of scrimmage. This far into TD's rebuilding program, offensive linemen should be brought in a full year before they are expected to start. Duke Preston is a good example of the way things should be; free agents like Anderson and Gandy are not. Not that I have a problem with Gandy's play, I just don't like the lack of continuity this line has had.

[smokinandjokin]

The question is "defines 2005 season" so I went with the QB.

 

The JP experience has gone like this: Offseason hype, preseason and week 1 excitement and anticipation, underperformance, abandon plan.

 

That pretty much defines the entire team's season thus far. Offseason hype (D and ST will carry us to playoffs,) excitement and anticipation (D shut Houston down, JP managed the offense well,) underperformance (D makes every RB look like Walter Payton, JP implodes,) abandon plan (the Kelly Holcomb era, give McGahee the ball 15 times).

[Sound_n_Fury]

What single management move since the end of the 2004 season has had the most dramatic impact on the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills in 2005?

487317[/snapback]

 

My vote: Not offering Hot Pockets as a staple item on the RWS concession menu...

[Bill from NYC]

Losing PW could appear to be the biggest mistake, but the selection of Parrish seems to "define" the draft philosophy of TD for most of of his stay in Buffalo.

[AKC]

Losing PW could appear to be the biggest mistake, but the selection of Parrish seems to "define" the draft philosophy of TD for most of of his stay in Buffalo.

487399[/snapback]

 

It's surprising to me that many would identify the '05 season with the Parrish pick first and foremost. Many of the best managers in league history have regularly made surprising picks in the early rounds, maybe the big difference being that they still were able to draft for depth at the key line positions on their team. With our lack of any quality draft depth along both lines (or our inability to get a guy like Preston more reps), not to mention at other positions like LB, Donahoe has put together the antithical team to all the modern success stories- the bottom line is that our cupboard is bare while the most potent of our contemporaries have been able to draw up from their rosters to plug in when someone goes down or a change is necessary to firm up a weakness. It makes one questions whether Donahoe was awake all those years in Pittsburgh.

[Bill from NYC]

It's surprising to me that many would identify the '05 season with the Parrish pick first and foremost. Many of the best managers in league history have regularly made surprising picks in the early rounds, maybe the big difference being that they still were able to draft for depth at the key line positions on their team. With our lack of any quality draft depth along both lines (or our inability to get a guy like Preston more reps), not to mention at other positions like LB, Donahoe has put together the antithical team to all the  modern success stories- the bottom line is that our cupboard is bare while the most potent of our contemporaries have been able to draw up from their rosters to plug in when someone goes down or a change is necessary to firm up a weakness. It makes one questions whether Donahoe was awake all those years in Pittsburgh.

487763[/snapback]

 

Well, in your topic, you used the word "defines." I think that this selection did define much of the TD era wrt the draft, or at least day one of the draft.

 

His first 2 selections in the last 3 drafts have consisted of a Defensive End (Kelsay), a RB (Magahee), a TE (Everret), a QB (JP), and 2 wideouts (Evans and Parish). Four of these guys spent a significant time unable to play due to injuries.

 

Selecting Parrish (imo) was imo, a true example off ass-backwards thinking. The Bills were thin or even weak at other positions, but chose an undersized wideout, which seems to be painfully par for the Donahoe course as the Bills GM on draft day.

 

This year, the Bills suffered the loss of TKO, PW, and others. At the same time, little Roscoe was on the bench, on crutches or in a hospital. Soon he will be back. Maybe he will return a punt for a TD (we already had superb kick returners) and all will be well.

Moves like this make zero sense to me and lead us to what we have been seeing this season.

Jmo.

[JDG]

To put it another way, in 5 Donahoe drafts we have spent *EIGHT* 1st and 2nd round picks on QB, RB, and WR. That's an astonishing number....

 

Nevertheless, I don't know how drafting Parrish defines our season - he's been hurt, so we haven't seen what he can do just yet. I'm looking forward to seeing him put some moves on after catching a short pass and making some big plays for us.

 

The correct answer is either Pat Williams - though I don't see how it made cap sense to resign him, or else starting Losman - which probably cost us at least one win.

 

JDG

[justnzane]

phat pat wanted a ton of money that we couldn't afford. The Bills are hurting on the run game largely due to ron edwards getting injured as well as TKO. Gandy and Anderson both aren't too good but Anderson has been awful at times. His signing probably defines the offensive season as well as TD's failure to draft a lineman earlier in the draft. that being said TD should make MM start Preston at LG.

[finknottle]

I disagree with all of the choices. I said this all through summer - the thing that made me most nervous going into the season was the teams decision to essentially stand pat on defense, under the assumption that it would be better than last year with experience and carry the offense. In this NFL people drop off suddenly and unexpectedly, and you have to be aggressive about upgrading at all positions, weak and strong.

 

Well, the defense is dissolving and that has thrown the offensive plan in disarray. Under TD, this franchise seems to swing back and forth. One year its revamp the offense. Then its revamp the defense. Then its revamp the offense again. Now it looks like time to clean house defensively...

[mead107]

JP should not be on the poll . stupid play calling .#1

[puente]

What single management move since the end of the 2004 season has had the most dramatic impact on the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills in 2005?

487317[/snapback]

 

You bunch of pansies, the SEASON IS NOT OVER YET!!! I've had to sit here and watch u all complain.....if we win on sunday u all are gonna be talking about what offseason move bumped us into first place. damn it, what do u all want? for the league to just hand us the damn trophy. every single team has a couple of positions in which they have starters by commitee we are no different...everyone needs to put their video game controllers down NOW, cuz were not gonna go 16-0 with a 5k passer and a 2k rusher, along with a corner with 10 int's, and a DE with 20 sacks.........wake up and smell reality

[Bill from NYC]

You bunch of pansies, the SEASON IS NOT OVER YET!!! I've had to sit here and watch u all complain.....if we win on sunday u all are gonna be talking about what offseason move bumped us into first place. damn it, what do u all want? for the league to just hand us the damn trophy. every single team has a couple of positions in which they have starters by commitee we are no different...everyone needs to put their video game controllers down NOW, cuz were not gonna go 16-0 with a 5k passer and a 2k rusher, along with a corner with 10 int's, and a DE with 20 sacks.........wake up and smell reality

487830[/snapback]

 

Welcome to the board.

[AKC]

I've had to sit here and watch u all complain.....

487830[/snapback]

 

I've been wondering what they were doing these days at Abu Ghraib since they removed "climate therapy" from our bag of tricks.

 

Falafel?

[Orton's Arm]

What we're seeing this season is that problems that went unsolved in the past are now haunting us. Under Wade Phillips, our defensive coaching effort was outstanding; our offensive and special teams coaching efforts were atrocious. So what is the first thing TD does? His final four candidates were all defensive coordinators. Guys who were perfect solutions in search of a problem. However, there was no defensive coaching problem in Buffalo under Wade Phillips.

 

Granted, one of those candidates was Marvin Lewis; who has since had success with the Bengals. But Lewis was able to head over to the Bengals, and in essence say, "I see your offensive system and coaching efforts are all fine. If any of you offense guys needs me, I'll be over here working on defense." Jon Gruden did the same thing in Tampa; fixing the team's offensive coaching problems while leaving everything on defense to the incumbent Monty Kiffin.

 

Clearly, TD should have begun his tenure here in Buffalo by bringing in an offensive-oriented head coach. This guy could have fixed the offense's coaching problems while leaving Ted Cottrell and the defense alone. By hiring Gregg Williams, TD caused a downgrade in the quality of the defensive coaching while doing nothing to solve Buffalo's offensive coaching woes.

 

Mike Mularkey inherited not only Jerry Gray, but a defense consisting of players who were familiar with the scheme, and who had been selected based on how well they fit that particular scheme. Given the pressure put on head coaches to produce quickly, Mularkey decided to stick with Gray instead of suffering the short-term disruption that a switch to a guy like Dave McGinnis would have entailed. The results of not having a Ted Cottrell or a McGinnis over on the sidelines were evident this past week against the Raiders.

 

Going into the draft two years ago, Ralph Wilson summarized the main needs of the Buffalo Bills. (Not an exact quote.) "Our problem is on the offensive line--both lines, really." He was right. What, in the last two years, has TD done to address the lines? Other than the Chris Kelsay pick and signing a few second-tier free agents, Donahoe has invested very little in the lines these last two years. (The Aaron Schoebel extension doesn't count as adding something new to the defense, because he was already there.) In theory, Jim McNally is supposed to be able to turn lead into gold; but even McNally needs some player talent/heart in order to produce results. His last year with the Giants showed that.

 

TD's era has lacked focus and direction. I would respect his tenure more if I could see a clear plan; and then see where something unexpected caused it not to work out. But many of the problems he now faces should have been anticipated and avoided.

[Bill from NYC]

What we're seeing this season is that problems that went unsolved in the past are now haunting us. Under Wade Phillips, our defensive coaching effort was outstanding; our offensive and special teams coaching efforts were atrocious. So what is the first thing TD does? His final four candidates were all defensive coordinators. Guys who were perfect solutions in search of a problem. However, there was no defensive coaching problem in Buffalo under Wade Phillips.

 

Granted, one of those candidates was Marvin Lewis; who has since had success with the Bengals. But Lewis was able to head over to the Bengals, and in essence say, "I see your offensive system and coaching efforts are all fine. If any of you offense guys needs me, I'll be over here working on defense." Jon Gruden did the same thing in Tampa; fixing the team's offensive coaching problems while leaving everything on defense to the incumbent Monty Kiffin.

 

Clearly, TD should have begun his tenure here in Buffalo by bringing in an offensive-oriented head coach. This guy could have fixed the offense's coaching problems while leaving Ted Cottrell and the defense alone. By hiring Gregg Williams, TD caused a downgrade in the quality of the defensive coaching while doing nothing to solve Buffalo's offensive coaching woes.

 

Mike Mularkey inherited not only Jerry Gray, but a defense consisting of players who were familiar with the scheme, and who had been selected based on how well they fit that particular scheme. Given the pressure put on head coaches to produce quickly, Mularkey decided to stick with Gray instead of suffering the short-term disruption that a switch to a guy like Dave McGinnis would have entailed. The results of not having a Ted Cottrell or a McGinnis over on the sidelines were evident this past week against the Raiders. 

 

Going into the draft two years ago, Ralph Wilson summarized the main needs of the Buffalo Bills. (Not an exact quote.) "Our problem is on the offensive line--both lines, really." He was right. What, in the last two years, has TD done to address the lines? Other than the Chris Kelsay pick and signing a few second-tier free agents, Donahoe has invested very little in the lines these last two years. (The Aaron Schoebel extension doesn't count as adding something new to the defense, because he was already there.) In theory, Jim McNally is supposed to be able to turn lead into gold; but even McNally needs some player talent/heart in order to produce results. His last year with the Giants showed that.

 

TD's era has lacked focus and direction. I would respect his tenure more if I could see a clear plan; and then see where something unexpected caused it not to work out. But many of the problems he now faces should have been anticipated and avoided.

488194[/snapback]

 

Thanks for an absolutely great post. I agree 100% about McNally. He is a fine coach who is asked to do WAY too much with far too little.

AKC described the situation perfectly......TD has built a fantasy football team, but he has done so on a crumbling foundation with players who are often injured and don't even score a whole hell of a lot to boot.

[JDG]

Thanks for an absolutely great post. I agree 100% about McNally. He is a fine coach who is asked to do WAY too much with far too little.

AKC  described the situation perfectly......TD has built a fantasy football team, but he has done so on a crumbling foundation with players who are often injured and don't even score a whole hell of a lot to boot.

488198[/snapback]

 

I'm not quite so quick to absolve McNally. He had a reputation with the Giants of eschewing highly-rated linemen, and preferring instead to work with "his guys" - UDFA's and low draft picks. Of course, this is a great shtick if you can pull it off - if the offensive line is anywhere's decent you look like a genius, and if the offensive line stinks, you can wash your hands of it due to the lack of talent....

 

JDG