Think all these "experts" will jump on the wagon

[PJBrown]

I personally could give a crap what they say but I also think there is going to be some crow eaten:

 

Last year we were predicted to make a playoff run based on a dominating D, a ground oriented attack riding the back of McGahee and a conservative apporoach to allow a young qb to cut his teeth.

 

Well, D had some key injuries and underachieved. Mcgahee sat on 3rd downs and whatever that offense we had was called, it was not conservative. We left Losman hung out to dry imho.

 

My point is this: we were competetive last year in most games and now we seem to have direction. There is still talent here and, although anything is possible, in my opinion we will be anything but horrid.

 

When we aren't getting kicked around like predicted those m'fers can kiss our collective asses.

[PromoTheRobot]

I personally could give a crap what they say but I also think there is going to be some crow eaten:

 

Last year we were predicted to make a playoff run based on a dominating D, a ground oriented attack riding the back of McGahee and a conservative apporoach to allow a young qb to cut his teeth.

 

Well, D had some key injuries and underachieved. Mcgahee sat on 3rd downs and whatever that offense we had was called, it was not conservative. We left Losman hung out to dry imho.

 

My point is this: we were competetive last year in most games and now we seem to have direction. There is still talent here and, although anything is possible, in my opinion we will be anything but horrid.

 

When we aren't getting kicked around like predicted those m'fers can kiss our collective asses.

704709[/snapback]

The bar for hiring sports writers is getting lower all the time. Right now all you need is a pulse and a Wonderlic score above 6. I would not take anything any of them say seriously.

 

PTR

[PJBrown]

It's slow time of the year (football wise) so I know this has been brought up, but it seems like it's "in vogue" to bash the Bills, Ralph, Marv, etc....While I do not expect a superbowl this year, I also think that our boys are going to surprise a lot of people...none of us of course!

[krazykat]

Well, D had some key injuries and underachieved. Mcgahee sat on 3rd downs and whatever that offense we had was called, it was not conservative. We left Losman hung out to dry imho.

704709[/snapback]

 

We had one key injury, no more. That was team wide and it was Spikes. We didn't lose a single other "key" player to injury. Not one starter elsewhere.

[todd]

Here's the thing. Most reporters listen to what others have to say and then repeat it. It doesn't matter if it is right or wrong, but they feel if they group their opinions, they won't be going out on a limb. None of these guys want to go out on a limb.

 

The wagon will fill up when the Bills put up some big numbers. Not before.

[Albany,n.y.]

It all comes down to the QB position. If JP or Nall plays lights out, we can make the playoffs. If Holcomb is the starter, you can count on no more than 6 wins...unless he gets benched & JP or Nall plays lights out.

[TDRupp]

I personally could give a crap what they say but I also think there is going to be some crow eaten:

 

Last year we were predicted to make a playoff run based on a dominating D, a ground oriented attack riding the back of McGahee and a conservative apporoach to allow a young qb to cut his teeth.

 

Well, D had some key injuries and underachieved. Mcgahee sat on 3rd downs and whatever that offense we had was called, it was not conservative. We left Losman hung out to dry imho.

 

My point is this: we were competetive last year in most games and now we seem to have direction. There is still talent here and, although anything is possible, in my opinion we will be anything but horrid.

 

When we aren't getting kicked around like predicted those m'fers can kiss our collective asses.

704709[/snapback]

 

Dude. Chill. Objectively, I like our draft that focused on rebuilding a dominating D and the many middle to lower tier free agents we picked up. Solid work no doubt. But, look at the whole picture objectively:

 

We have cut (for whatever reasons) our best proven offensive player in Moulds, our most highly touted Offensive lineman in Williams, the only defensive tackle to make multiple pro bowls, a strong safety that has made multiple pro bowls, and we have pretty big questions at the most important (I know we have great hope) position on the team, QB, at #2 WR, at how our aging and recovering stud LB's will fit and buy into a new defensive system. Those are just the facts.

 

I love Marv's positive attitude, philosphy, and the fact the Dick Jauron has been a HC before and think we are in good hands for the future. Also, I believe we could surprise some people this year but you can also see why some people pick us to win 3-6 games can't you? On paper, it looks more probable than 7-9 wins does it?

 

give me our 3 best players for this upcoming season and you know you can come up with pretty huge questions on all of them, sans maybe Schoebel if you put him in. sorry to be a downer but while it will probably be more fun and more interesting to watch them this year they will have a very hard time competing in our division.

 

Hopefully we can will become a "team" that will surprise most everyone...

[Dr. K]

Dude.  Chill.  Objectively, I like our draft that focused on rebuilding a dominating D and the many middle to lower tier free agents we picked up.  Solid work no doubt.  But, look at the whole picture objectively:

 

We have cut (for whatever reasons) our best proven offensive player in Moulds, our most highly touted Offensive lineman in Williams, the only defensive tackle to make multiple pro bowls, a strong safety that has made multiple pro bowls, and we have pretty big questions at the most important (I know we have great hope) position on the team, QB, at #2 WR, at how our aging and recovering stud LB's will fit and buy into a new defensive system.  Those are just the facts.

 

I love Marv's positive attitude, philosphy, and the fact the Dick Jauron has been a HC before and think we are in good hands for the future.  Also, I believe we could surprise some people this year but you can also see why some people pick us to win 3-6 games can't you?  On paper, it looks more probable than 7-9 wins does it?

 

give me our 3 best players for this upcoming season and you know you can come up with pretty huge questions on all of them, sans maybe Schoebel if you put him in.  sorry to be a downer but while it will probably be more fun and more interesting to watch them this year they will have a very hard time competing in our division. 

 

Hopefully we can will become a "team" that will surprise most everyone...

704856[/snapback]

 

I think they will do better than 3-6 wins, though I very much understand those who pick them for last in the division. But I think that is based too much on the underachievements of last year than the potential for this one.

[ricojes]

We have cut (for whatever reasons) our best proven offensive player in Moulds, our most highly touted Offensive lineman in Williams, the only defensive tackle to make multiple pro bowls, a strong safety that has made multiple pro bowls, and we have pretty big questions at the most important (I know we have great hope) position on the team, QB, at #2 WR, at how our aging and recovering stud LB's will fit and buy into a new defensive system.  Those are just the facts.

 

Hopefully we can will become a "team" that will surprise most everyone...

704856[/snapback]

While I do unfortunately agree that with your 7-9 prediction, although a couple bounces could lead to 9-7 (we can hope, or billieve). I do have some comments on your other statements:

 

We have cut (for whatever reasons) our best proven offensive player in Moulds

 

I can give you 10 million reasons we cut Moulds, there was unfortunately no way they could have re-structured that deal that would have made both sides happy. His cap hit was just too much.

 

our most highly touted Offensive lineman in Williams

 

I have to agree with you here, I would have liked to keep him. But MW has already said he plans on losing 30lbs and dropping to 340 for training camp. He did not have that motivation with the Bills, heck he was pushing 400 lbs. It's sad but sometimes players need a change of scenery in order to get motivated, I believe the Bills brass realized this and let him go.

 

the only defensive tackle to make multiple pro bowls

 

Big Sam was a force when he wanted to be and a non factor when he took a down off. I liked having SA in the middle, but again he just took too many downs off. His attitude was piss poor as well, at least according to our lovely hometown fish rag (I have no inside sources). This was a toss up for me, still don't know if I agree with the move. But team ran down our throats last year with him in the line up, don't think it can get much worse without him. Our biggest loss was obviously PW!!!

 

a strong safety that has made multiple pro bowls

 

LM has slowed down big time in the past few years. the new defense calls for fast safeties, hence the reason for the secondary heavy draft. LM just didn't fit the scheme. He's too slow and is more of center field type safety.

 

As for the QB, who knows. I am hoping JP comes through and i believe he can. Although a lot of other players need to step up on our line and receiving corps. I am hoping we can surprise a few teams. Starting 2 on the road against AFC East rivals is going to be tough, but could boost the team confidence if we steal one or (gulp) two. I will be there all season, even stinking Christmas Eve and hope we are competitive. That's all we have right now is hope.

[30dive]

With more and more electronic media (web and cable) outlets poping up every day these guys have to say something. Writing about the NFL in June is like me placing a bet a The World Cup. I've seen the game, know a little about it, but I have no idea what the outcome will be. Neither do these NFL writers. So in the World Cup I'll take the home team Germany and I'll take Italy because I've heard there good. That said it is meaningless, just like some guy sitting at his computer looking at last years playoff teams, pro-bowl players, etc. and then looking at the rosters for each team and then placing a value on each team based on past performance, additions and deletions and the draft. Now the Bills have an even more intersting catagory for these "experts" to add into the mix. They see the words of the Bills owner Ralph Wilson as some kind of white flag, an admission of sorts that the Bills cannot compete in the NFL. So let them have fun bashing the Bills, writing about pro- football is a band wagon sport, and the wagons are jumped on and off of based only on one thing...WINS.

[BADOLBILZ]

My point is this: we were competetive last year in most games and now we seem to have direction.

704709[/snapback]

 

When you finish near dead last in the NFL both offensively and defensively, you aren't just misfortunate, you SUCK. Talent is pretty evenly distributed around the league( although the Bills lost talent this offseason) and really it comes down to line play, QB play and especially coaching separating the bad from the good. You think the Bills are going to win some of those "close" games this year? Maybe, if the lines play FAR better than they project to, one of the QB's emerges as a top flight NFL QB and Jauron turns out to be a helluva lot better than his past suggests he is. Considering that we've been waiting more than a decade for a good offensive line, most of another decade for consistently good QB play and A LONG time for a head coach who actually makes a difference, forgive those of us who doubt that all three vacancies will be filled spontaneously from the pedestrian lineup Marv has presented us.

[ajzepp]

I think we're going to start off slow in terms of wins, but we're going to see evidence of something we've not seen much of for a while now - HEART. I'm still hopeful that JP will begin to take his place as our franchise QB and our offense will become much better. I don't think 8-8 is out of the question, although I think most of the wins will come in the second half of the season.

[TDRupp]

While I do unfortunately agree that with your 7-9 prediction, although a couple bounces could lead to 9-7 (we can hope, or billieve).  I do have some comments on your other statements:

 

We have cut (for whatever reasons) our best proven offensive player in Moulds

 

I can give you 10 million reasons we cut Moulds, there was unfortunately no way they could have re-structured that deal that would have made both sides happy.  His cap hit was just too much.

 

our most highly touted Offensive lineman in Williams

 

I have to agree with you here, I would have liked to keep him.  But MW has already said he plans on losing 30lbs and dropping to 340 for training camp.  He did not have that motivation with the Bills, heck he was pushing 400 lbs.  It's sad but sometimes players need a change of scenery in order to get motivated, I believe the Bills brass realized this and let him go.

 

the only defensive tackle to make multiple pro bowls

 

Big Sam was a force when he wanted to be and a non factor when he took a down off.  I liked having SA in the middle, but again he just took too many downs off.  His attitude was piss poor as well, at least according to our lovely hometown fish rag (I have no inside sources).  This was a toss up for me, still don't know if I agree with the move.  But team ran down our throats last year with him in the line up, don't think it can get much worse without him.  Our biggest loss was obviously PW!!!

 

a strong safety that has made multiple pro bowls

 

LM has slowed down big time in the past few years.  the new defense calls for fast safeties, hence the reason for the secondary heavy draft.  LM just didn't fit the scheme.  He's too slow and is more of center field type safety.

 

As for the QB, who knows.  I am hoping JP comes through and i believe he can.  Although a lot of other players need to step up on our line and receiving corps.  I am hoping we can surprise a few teams.  Starting 2 on the road against AFC East rivals is going to be tough, but could boost the team confidence if we steal one or (gulp) two.  I will be there all season, even stinking Christmas Eve and hope we are competitive.  That's all we have right now is hope.

705037[/snapback]

 

You missed my point on the record. I understand why many of the experts of for that matter any NFL fan would pick the Bills to finish with 4-6 toal wins in 2006 given the players we have period. projections be that as they may, most people just don't get scared about our O-line, QB, #2 WR, TE, DT's, all but one DE and S's. Yet. We will see I guess.

 

I was not agruing for or against the cuts of M Will, E Moulds, L Milloy, or big Sam. I think they were all good moves with the new D and the $ and fact that Moulds did not what to be here. No biggie. Move on.

 

I am just saying that we did not replace them with players that can viewed on as equals or better yet b/c they just have not proved it yet. Hopefully they will...

 

Peace and Go Bills!

[JCBoston]

We had one key injury, no more.  That was team wide and it was Spikes.  We didn't lose a single other "key" player to injury.  Not one starter elsewhere.

704791[/snapback]

 

Ron Edwards was a starter and was lost to injury early in the year.

 

If I'm not mistaken, MW was out for several games to injury until Peters took his spot (literally and figuratively). Not saying MW didn't suck, just that he was a starter that was lost to injury.