Analysis of the Team as of 04/04

[Dr. Fong]

Here's my analysis. We have had a terrible offense for a while now, but the saving grace was we had a good defense. Now our defense sucks too. You thought last year was bad? Wait till this year. I think anyone that knows me knows I'm not an incurable pessimist, but these !@#$ers are grinding me down.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

4-12 baby! But the tailgating will once again kick ass.

 

 

[stuckincincy]

Knew I was spelling that wrong...

 

Debacle...

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Thanks for the posts. And there is nothing wrong with expression your opinion, and being optimistic. And overall, your spelling is better than a bunch of others here.

[BuffaloBilliever]

I agree with the tailgating.

 

It shall be amazing.

[Billsjunkie]

Tim Anderson. Cut him some slack.

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I actually loved how Tim came on last year. He was one of the few that played hard every down. I think he is going to be a decent player for us.

[nonprophet]

SCHOBEL??pro bowl caliber?? ..--its over with--the world has gone mad.

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He didn't say "Pro Bowl caliber" he said "PB caliber". "PB" could mean "Peanut Butter", for example.

[ch19079]

crowell should take Posey's spot at OLB. he played great last year filling in for spikes. so with fletcher, spikes, and crowell on the field, i think we have a serious LB core.

 

we only have one starting DT. tripplet. after him noone has shown me much.

 

i see kelsey as the starter over denney. i just hope he can get 8 sacks this year. schobel is solid.

 

when we resign clements we will have 2 starting CBs. but i do think mcgee will still get burned a few times. our #3 CB is what has me worried.

 

vinent is ok. who is our SS? whats his name. o god. maybe we can sign a vet after teh june 1st cuts.

 

SS, DT, #3 CB. those our our major problems on D. and no, i dont want to start a rookie draft pick.

[BoondckCL]

I like Shaud Williams as well, i think he is an asset that Mike Mularkey and friends didn't know how to use. A player like Williams is a commodity and is more along the lines of a scat back than a solid back up.

 

What i mean is, MM and friends didn't realize that a guy who is smaller than even Antoine Winfield is not going to be able to run the ball between the tackles. It's just absolutely ridiculous to even try it.

 

A player like Shaud is better to be set in the shotgun, and he becomes your outlet in the flats on nothing more than 3rd and 8. Anything more than that, they are asking too much out of the guy beyond that, and then they scratch their heads when people in Buffalo think he is worthless.

[RuntheDamnBall]

(Intermission)

 

And now, for the Offense.

 

Running Back - Willis McGahee, Shaud Williams, Lionel Gates.

 

Fullback - Daimon Shelton, Joe Burns (sort of)

 

Wide Reciever - Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, Josh Reed, Andre Davis, Sam Aiken, Jon Smith, George Wilson

---A speed group, our recieving corp seems to be built completely on speed.  With our tallest reciever being at 6'2", we lack the height of a TO type player, but with our top 3 all being under 6', I think we're ok. (Note: I don't count Davis at 6'1" as on of the top 3 yet) No high jumps in the endzone, but very quick and agile players that can be playmakers if they put their minds and quickness to it.  Lee Evans was great last year, but is faulty as the "go to" guy.  Josh Reed gets criticism, expecially from me, since it was almost a given that JP looked for him every time he threw.  Roscoe, and I will stick by this til proven wrong, will do great things.  I think he'll do good on ST, I think he can make big plays if given the right QB.  Andre Davis is a good add on, although he had a slumping year in a Pats uni and missed the first few games.  Aiken is a great ST player, and Smith and Wilson are decent backups.

 

Tight End - Tim Euhus, Robert Royal, Kevin Everett, Ryan Neufeld (Still with the team? I need clarity on this)

---There's much speculation as to the strength of our Tight Ends.  Some say we have a solid group together, while others say that we're lacking something.  I am with the solids.  Tim Euhus is a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. At 6-5 I think he's great height for a recieving TE, and he also has pretty good hands for a big guy.  The one thing he needs to work on is blocking, but with the addition of Robert Royal, he has that taken care of.  Royal is a great blocker, and if we go back to the old 2 tights scheme then this should be an alright duo.  Kevin Everett has yet to prove he's ready for the big leagues, but I anticipate his play on the field.

 

The Line - Oi... Look, I'm not going to delve in to this one.  I don't feel like getting torn apart, but we all know that we need a line.  I like Villarial, why? He's a vet and he went to the college I'm going to. That's about it.  Fowler is a good addition, and I think Peters is one of the few (if any) good lineman we have. Pray folks, pray.

 

Quarterback Debochle - Kelly Holcomb, Craig Nall, JP Losman, Tory Woodbury (if you count Tory)

---I could argue this 'til I'm dead, but I think our best bet is Holcomb. *avoids thrown objects* I agree, he is NOT starter material, but I've said it before and I'll say it again. HE PRODUCES. When you even up JP and his stats from last year, with nearly the same amount of attempts, Holcomb had better numbers.  Sure, you'll throw at me that the D was weaker or something along those lines, but I just don't have faith in JP.  I may just be sick of being an obsessed fan of a losing team, but I need results, a freaking playoff run is all some of us ask. 

Ahem... sorry, got carried away, but as I was saying, if we don't have a set starter coming out of camp, I'd go with KH.  I want Craig Nall to prove he's worth something, and I think he has this set up by having JP as the example of what NOT to happen when you start, and Holcomb as the vet advisor (think Shane Matthews with the clipboard, but actually doing something).  He's big, he's got an arm, and his numbers are pretty good for a backup.  I do not believe we will have a good quarterback this year, but miracles happen.

 

I'm doing this to look at our team in a good light, rather than the way we usually do by tossing dirt and rubbing our vintage memorobilia to pray that Thurman comes back at full health.  I have done as much as I could to try to get a good analysis of our team, but I want to see your opinions too.

 

PS: if I made a mistake, one post clarifying it would suffice, thanks.

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My first thoughts: I don't think Holcomb would take us on much of a playoff 'run.' It would be one and done and it would be no more satisfying than the loss in Tennessee or any of our other first round exits. I don't know why people think otherwise. The goal is to build a team that can win the Super Bowl, and no matter how long that takes, that ultimate goal is worth it.

 

I would be somewhat more pleased before committing hari-kari if the Bills made another 4-time SB run and lost 'em all, but it would be as bitter as it is now. I want to see them build and win it all. Nothing less. Holcomb will not take us higher, maybe JP can, maybe Nall can. That Holcomb did just a bit better than Losman last year is not a shining achievement. On the contrary, that Losman improved to be just a step below Holcomb in an embattled year one says to me he is the guy this year, esp with less vets like Moulds tearing the team apart.

 

On the others: Mularkey so horribly mis-used his weapons and this offense in general that it's tough to judge who truly sucked and where the play-calling just sucked. I think we could have a good NE style receiver corps if the QB can build a rapport with them. OG and C concern me, and I hope Fowler, Preston and/or a potential draft pick can shore things up. I can deal with Gandy and I'm excited to see where Peters goes this year.

 

For some reason I expect McGahee to light a fire this year. Jauron likes the running game and as a defensive mind would like to control things using it and keep his D fresh. It would be really, really nice to see Gates used as a change-up. We heard a lot about this guy's talent and he needs to step up, IMO. Shaud Williams was just one of those dudes Mularkey liked to go to in really weird situations last year. He has some skills, but he's also really slight. Roscoe is also slight, but hell, so is Steve Smith. I'm not comparing the two, but there is reason to think we could make him a threat.

 

FB is a hidden need for us. Shelton was not the Shelton of '04, and that hurt esp on anything where he was needed as lead blocker. His receiving sucks, and I wouldn't be angry to see them develop Goldsberry into the role or draft a guy in the 4th/5th.

 

TE I'm anxious to see about. Everett is a major question mark and they brought in Royal for a reason. I'm hoping Neufeld's out the door, and Euhus hangs on as third TE in the Neufeld role. Perhaps one of these guys can get their heads and/or health together and be a needed safety valve.

 

JMO.

[krazykat]

I think the only offense Benny Anderson stopped from scoring this year was ours...

 

he's an OG not a DT right?

 

UNless you're suggesting we move him?

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He's an OG for us which translates into his value as a DT for the opponents.

 

So it's a trick question.