for those who continue to insist that we are ...

[dave mcbride]

how many elite players are currently on the bills?

 

qb - none

ot - none

og - none

c - none

 

rb - none (mcgahee is definitely not an elite back)

 

wr - none. evans may be, but he's not yet. once he gets a 50 catch season talk to me.

 

te - are you kidding me?

 

dt - none

de - one borderline player: shoebel. if pressed, though, i couldn't argue that he's elite

lb - without spikes, none (fletcher is pretty good at best)

safety - none

cb - clements has the potential for elite status, but not this year (he was elite last year). otherwise, none

 

 

let's now look at the elite players on some good afc teams.

 

ne: brady, dillon (now that he's healthy), branch (one of the most underrated players in the league), ben watson, seymour, vrabel, mcginest, and bruschi. samuel is borderline.

 

pitt: ward, faneca, hartings, farrior, polamalu, hampton, roethlisberger.

 

indy: manning, james, harrison, wayne, clark, corey simon, saturday, tarik glenn, freeney.

 

jax: rashean mathis, mike peterson, henderson, stroud, jimmy smith (still, believe it or not)

 

sd: LT, gates, jamal williams, merriman, their RT (forgot his name), mccardell, brees

 

the bills are so far away it's a joke.

[Kipers Hair]

Beautiful post.

[Fezmid]

Sorry, I stopped listening to you when you tried saying that Branch was an "elite" player, but Fletcher was only "pretty good at best.".

[dave mcbride]

Sorry, I stopped listening to you when you tried saying that Branch was an "elite" player, but Fletcher was only "pretty good at best.". 

536872[/snapback]

come on, fezmid. when's the last time you saw branch either drop a pass or run a bad route? i'm sure you haven't, because he never does. and he's always open. watch ne next time closely and you'll see what i mean.

[Fezmid]

come on, fezmid. when's the last time you saw branch either drop a pass or run a bad route? i'm sure you haven't, because he never does. and he's always open. watch ne next time closely and you'll see what i mean.

536880[/snapback]

If he's "always" open, he'd have more than 72 catches and 4 TDs.

 

Last year he had 35 catches, the year before only 57. Any way you slice it, he's not elite.

 

If you gave me a choice between Fletcher and Branch, I'd take Fletcher in a heartbeat. Anyone else?

 

CW

[Kelly the Dog]

come on, fezmid. when's the last time you saw branch either drop a pass or run a bad route? i'm sure you haven't, because he never does. and he's always open. watch ne next time closely and you'll see what i mean.

536880[/snapback]

This year. Drops: 6

 

Is it fun for you to not like anything about the Bills? Under your definition, when the Pats first won the Super Bowl, they had no elite players, unless you count the future Brady.

 

http://snap.stats.com/stats/nflinfo/player...=5951&Submit=Go

[dave mcbride]

If he's "always" open, he'd have more than 72 catches and 4 TDs.

 

Last year he had 35 catches, the year before only 57.  Any way you slice it, he's not elite.

 

If you gave me a choice between Fletcher and Branch, I'd take Fletcher in a heartbeat.  Anyone else?

 

CW

536882[/snapback]

the reason he doesn't rack up huge numbers is because he plays on a team with a qb that can spread the wealth like no other. you seem to be forgetting 3 stellar playoff appearances last year, by the way ....

[SDS]

come on, fezmid. when's the last time you saw branch either drop a pass or run a bad route? i'm sure you haven't, because he never does. and he's always open. watch ne next time closely and you'll see what i mean.

536880[/snapback]

 

One of my many pet peeves in life are fans who comment on the precision of WR routes.

 

1. How in the name of God do you know what the WR was supposed to do on any given play?

 

2. Even if you DID know the answer to #1 - could you tell me where you bought your special TV that displays the whole field on every play? Mine tends to follow the ball and thus I miss 95% of what every WR does during the game.

[Nervous Guy]

Sorry, I stopped listening to you when you tried saying that Branch was an "elite" player, but Fletcher was only "pretty good at best.". 

536872[/snapback]

indeed...an elite yet underrated player.

 

....and Bruschi....roethlisberger....jimmy smith all not elite.

[nick in* england]

You have gotta be kidding me... Have you just down graded what 'elite' means??

 

Elite players from your list:

 

Brady, Seymour, LT2, Bruschi, Faneca, Manning, James, Harrison, Freeney, Gates.

 

The rest are definately a step behind those guys... And I'd definately rate some Bills in a similar category to some of those other guys.... Moorman is an elite punter for example...

 

Yeah the Bills aint loaded with Talent - but our guys at least have some potential... Willis, JP (errr), Evans (?), Peters (?)

[Lofton80]

Aside from the Fletcher/Branch debate, that is an excellant post. You could easily plug Vince Wilfork, Rodney Harrison or Adam Vinitieri or Eugene Wilson the other safety instead of Branch.

[dave mcbride]

This year. Drops: 6

 

Is it fun for you to not like anything about the Bills? Under your definition, when the Pats  first won the Super Bowl, they had no elite players, unless you count the future Brady.

 

http://snap.stats.com/stats/nflinfo/player...=5951&Submit=Go

536886[/snapback]

i haven't seen the drops, but in any case, i think he's a great player.

 

and no, frankly, there is really not much to like about this team, from management on down. they absolutely stink. they're poorly run and have bad talent. and believe me, it's no fun. i will admit, though, whereas i used to be genuinely disgusted, i've passed that point and am now just amused.

[VABills]

Oh come on we have a lot of elite quitters. Hell they are so good they have even taught our 1st year QB to quit with a little bump on his little shoulder.

[dave mcbride]

You have gotta be kidding me...  Have you just down graded what 'elite' means??

 

Elite players from your list:

 

Brady, Seymour, LT2, Bruschi, Faneca, Manning, James, Harrison, Freeney, Gates.

 

The rest are definately a step behind those guys...  And I'd definately rate some Bills in a similar category to some of those other guys.... Moorman is an elite punter for example...

 

Yeah the Bills aint loaded with Talent - but our guys at least have some potential... Willis, JP (errr), Evans (?), Peters (?)

536895[/snapback]

i'll trust my own eyes. hampton and farrior are elite guys. jeff saturday is too.

 

i didn't include punters or kickers. finding good ones seems to be more of a stroke of luck than anything else.

[Kelly the Dog]

i haven't seen the drops, but in any case, i think he's a great player.

 

and no, frankly, there is really not much to like about this team, from management on down. they absolutely stink.  they're poorly run and have bad talent.  and believe me, it's no fun. i will admit, though, whereas i used to be genuinely disgusted, i've passed that point and am now just amused.

536899[/snapback]

Perhaps, then, you should also post amusing criticism instead of a constant barrage of bitter sounding diatribes, hyperbole and worst-case scenarios. It would be a lot more fun for you and us. Although you're certainly not alone here.

[Nervous Guy]

i'll trust my own eyes. hampton and farrior are elite guys.  jeff saturday is too. 

 

i didn't include punters or kickers. finding good ones seems to be more of a stroke of luck than anything else.

536903[/snapback]

I think we have an elite kick returner...

[dave mcbride]

One of my many pet peeves in life are fans who comment on the precision of WR routes.

 

1.  How in the name of God do you know what the WR was supposed to do on any given play?

 

2. Even if you DID know the answer to #1 - could you tell me where you bought your special TV that displays the whole field on every play?  Mine tends to follow the ball and thus I miss 95% of what every WR does during the game.

536892[/snapback]

i'll take your point, but i have watched numerous pats games the last few years and he always seems to be where the ball ends up. there are never those "miscommunication" arguments between qb and receiver that one sees at the end of plays. guys like weis and belichick have said this about branch too, so it's not as if i'm making it up out of whole cloth. granted, that's hardly scientific, but what i have seen plus what i've read leads me to believe that yes, he's an elite player.

[tennesseeboy]

With such a terrible offensive line, I'm not ready to critique the quarterback, running backs or receivers. I'm pretty happy with our linebackers and think our defefensive backs, particulary McGee and Clements are good. We shore up the lines and we can have a 9 win season next year. The question mark for me is Losman, and I'm going to have faith in him improving next year. Getting a competent head coach is a must...without that we'll be fighting it out with houston next year for another high draft pick.

[stuckincincy]

I think we have an elite kick returner...

536909[/snapback]

 

Not to mention a punt returner/wr that can fly through the air with the greatest of ease.

[MarkyMannn]

Extend the elite part to coaching.............Mularkey?

 

Ironic, Wade looked pretty good shutting down the Colts. Greg Williams is again a top coach candidate, stuffed the Cowboys yesterday. I guess Joe Gibbs knows how to pick them