McGahee beef

[smokinandjokin]

While his weight may not be drastically different from his Miami days, his body type definitely is. He is definitely carrying a lot more bulk than he was at the U. His brother owns a gym in Miami, and I heard Willis is a real weight freak. Especially during his injury, he wanted to come back stronger than ever, and really seemed to be pumping the iron.

 

Does it affect him negatively? I wouldn't say it does right now, no. With the line that we have, we need him to put his head down and move the pile. There really isn't much there for him to run at. I also heard this on WGR- so read on skeptically- that Mularkey and the offensive staff have told Willis to stop bouncing runs outside. They told him they need the yards up the middle, and he is missing gains when he's looking to hit the corner. If that is true, all I can say is

 

When he's going good, the bulk helps him. Last year he was stronger as the game went on, and a beast near the goalline. This year, for many reasons (Oline, no passing attack, defenses geared on him) Willis hasn't had the opportunities or the production.

[ATBNG]

Actually Travis put better numbers up in 2002 and 2003 in every statistical category then Willis has in 2004 and 2005. This holds true for both overall numbers and averages based on carries. Travis did have the fumbling problems and some of the field stuff and that’s why we let him go, but Willis in 2004 and 2005 is not exactly showing up Travis Henry.

 

The projected category shows MaGahee’s stats based on the same number of carries as Travis. For TD's and receptions I did it by averaging the amount of receptions per rush, and the amount of TD's per rush.

Willis McGahee (2004 and 2005)...Projected.............Travis Henry (2002 and 2003)

555 Rushes ............................. .656 Rushes.................656 Rushes

2160 Yards................................ 2552 Yards. ................2794 Yards

3.89 AVG................................... 3.89 AVG ...................4.25 AVG

17 TD. .......................................20TD......................... 23 TD

42 REC.......................................50 REC.......................71 REC

311 Yards....................................370 Yards.................. 467 Yards

0 TD........................................... 0 TD......................... 2 TD

5 FUM..........................................6 FUM.........................18 FUM

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I would guess that most folks would say that the 12 extra fumbles aren't worth the extra 250 yards, and I think McGahee is better in terms of blocking and blitz pickup. The 50 sacks per season pace that the Bills had while Henry played absolutely kills a team (Drew and the line were also complicit in those stats, but the RB switch showed a distinct change in that trend in 2004). Look at Domanick Davis. He makes his fantasy owners happy by bailing on his blocking assignment to run routes, but it's not what that very weak offense needs to give it a shot to be productive, and Carr has gotten pummeled this season.

 

The salary point though is a good one. It's doubtful that Willis will ever be a "value" running back in his career due to Rosenhaus.

 

I also think that he may have had too many carries last year - he had a lot of games with 30+ rushes, and as others noted it takes a couple years to come back from AllCL surgery. The heavy workload in 2004 may have extended that recovery time to 100% - he may be stuck in the 85-90% range.

[Mikie2times]

I would guess that most folks would say that the 12 extra fumbles aren't worth the extra 250 yards

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Would you be satisfied if MaGahee was Travis Henry without the fumbling?

 

I just think people tend to view these two so differently, and it goes past the fumbles. Until the Bills went down hill if you mentioned anything bad about Willis you got killed on the board. Now only a few get pissed, and the thought of him being on the slower side is becoming more accepted.

 

Travis Henry without the fumbles is a pretty good back, and if that’s what Willis really is right now things could be much worse then they are. I just think the national interest, and media coverage Willis initially received vaulted his status to an elite back in most people’s minds, and perhaps even his own. A back like Travis Henry without the fumbles is top 10 or so, which is wear Willis should probably rank. I just don't see this train of thought prevailing with McGahee’s contract demands.

[Dwight Drane]

Willis is actually playing almost 10 lbs lighter than last year...at least that is how he started the season. He almost never gets an open field chance, so it is hard to tell if it has helped or hurt.

 

I get concerned that he can't seem to stay on the field for more than 3 consecutive touches. Thurman would go 7 of 8 plays touching the ball, but Willis gets winded just after a few plays. Big guys like Jamal Lewis or Larry Johnson don't seem to be bothered with the workload.

[Horus]

are you sure its that hes winded or justMM takeing him out?...I would like to see him play like thurman in regaurds to 7 or 8 touches at a time tho.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

Not to beat a dead horse again but going from 4.6 ypc and in the top 3 in rushing yards to 3.9 ypc and 9th in the league is no mere coincidence. The reason this happened is sitting on the bench. Once again this "breakway speed" issue is irrelevant. Curtis Martin never had breakaway speed, Edge no longer has breakway speed his longest run of the year is 33 yards with only 5 runs of over 20 yards while mcgahee this season has 4, last year 10. Which is more then edge has ever had in one single season. I also dont think it's a stretch to assume our oline was better last year. It's hardly an issue of being slow and all an issue of the 5 guys that make up our offensive line.

[Dwight Drane]

I've seen him take himself out the few times he's touched it 3 in a row. It might be a coach policy, but he does it.

 

I'm not saying Willis needs to run a 4.2 40, but it is evident he doesn't fly in the open field anymore. He purposely got down in weight over the offseason to try and do more on runs. He hasn't really had many chances to break one since he's usually touched in the backfield by the first defender.

[Buckeye Eric]

I think WM would be better if he had a line on front of him that could block.

[Dante]

I think WM would be better if he had a line on front of him that could block.

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So could any back. Im a big believer that you dont even really need a "stud" running back. But only as long as you have a superior offensive line. Thats not to say you dont need a capable one though. You do need one that is half way intelligent and came make quick decisions and adjust. But willis doesnt seem to have this capability. He is anything but quick. He does seem very powerful though and I could see him being effective between the tackles with a good OLine. He would do the trick for us if this were the case. But personally I dont think the guy is a great back.jmho

[Bear]

The title of this thread is VERY misleading.

[inkman]

Sheesh.  From the thread title, I thought I'd wandered into a "boys only" forum.

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In that case the all important apostraphe would be necessary. McGahee's beef.

 

Also in response to a later post, six pounds would make a HUGE difference in that thread.

[Mile High]

This thread = RJ

[Pass the Pipe]

While Willis is certainly not the best back in the league, I believe he has top 3 or top 5 potential no doubt. One of my beefs though is his size. While it is impossible to accurately judge any offensive skill player as long as they are playing behind our excuse for an OL, I still feel that Willis is too big and his size may be hurting his production.

 

Now this is in no way an attempt at a Travis v. Willis debate; that horse is dead and bloodied. But I feel like some of the big reasons we got McGahee were that he had things that Travis lacked. One of these skills was the supposed "home run threat." People said Henry was a basic grind-it-out back that was never a threat to break the big one. I fully agree....but how is that different from Willis. The man is like 230 lbs. now. He has not even come close to breaking a big one yet. Plus, to me, he looks much slower coming around the corners than he did last year. He never seems to get the corner ever and since his stiff-arm is apparently in hiding, this results in a bunch of 1 yd. gains.

 

The second new addition he was going to add was his superior receiving skills. I always thought Henry was very unfairly villified with regards to his receiving prowess. Marshall Faulk he is not, but I never thought he was terrible or that Willis had shown anything at all that was better. Again, I think WMs size may be hurting him here too. The majority of successful pass-catching RBs are small, shifty types. Willis just doesn't seem to have this. I will heap plenty of blame on the OL and our coaching staff for somehow consistently running the absolute worst screen passes in the NFL, but he just doesn't wow me at all when he does have room.

 

Before he tore his knee up, WM was known as an explosive back. While he may not be 100% yet, explosive is the last word I would use to descibe him. I have never had to rehab like did, but is it possible he just lifted weights like a demon while he couldnt do speed or agility and his game has suffered for it? There are too many things wrong with this team, but I just wonder if Willis would be a much different player if he was around 215.

 

Thoughts?

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This is a very good observation. I think 215 is his right playing weight. I can understand why he hit the weights hard after his injury in order to protect himself, but it is costing him production today. I remember a game against a poor Syracuse team where he ran wild with great speed and agility, but I have not seen any of that since he came to Buffalo. If he has any reliable consultants they would tell him to drop twenty pounds this summer.