Frez Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Time will tell and we can all agree we want Willis to explode this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Thurman squirted through holes...747278[/snapback] Hopefully, Willis will wrap it up and not squirt into any holes ths season. Baby mama drama can really distract a brotha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 ...we want Willis to explode this year. 747289[/snapback] on the field, that is. See post above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLuca1967 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 No, Walter with the career .400 "winning" percentage That reminds me... I always have wished that the bears that year would have given Walter a chance to shine in that Superbowl. Instead of the "fridge" play, don't you think they would have tried to get the ball to the best running back of all time (IMO ) after a faithful career on a losing team? 747275[/snapback] I thought you were talking about the Walter that came from a small school (not a RB factory like Oklahoma State) to become the second greatest runningback alltime. And he has a ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I thought you were talking about the Walter that came from a small school (not a RB factory like Oklahoma State) to become the second greatest runningback alltime. And he has a ring. 747327[/snapback] Umm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I have a feeling that whatever Willis does, there will be people on this board who will criticize him for whatever contrived reason they can come up with. The fact of the matter is, there is no running back that is going to be successful in this league if first contact is consistently behind the line of scrimmage. If the o-line can block the way that they did on the long run, we will have more success in our running game. It all starts up front. If they give him half a chance, he is going to be successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I have a feeling that whatever Willis does, there will be people on this board who will criticize him for whatever contrived reason they can come up with. The fact of the matter is, there is no running back that is going to be successful in this league is first contact is consistently behind the line of scrimmage. If the o-line can block the way that they did on the long run, we will have more success in our running game. It all starts up front. If they give him half a chance, he is going to be successful. 747333[/snapback] The scheme and players seem to fit one another this year. They have, mostly, young quick, agile linemen who can get out and block. I'm looking forward to seeing them more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Hopefully, Willis will wrap it up and not squirt into any holes ths season. Baby mama drama can really distract a brotha. 747305[/snapback] Very well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLuca1967 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I have a feeling that whatever Willis does, there will be people on this board who will criticize him for whatever contrived reason they can come up with. The fact of the matter is, there is no running back that is going to be successful in this league if first contact is consistently behind the line of scrimmage. If the o-line can block the way that they did on the long run, we will have more success in our running game. It all starts up front. If they give him half a chance, he is going to be successful. 747333[/snapback] Maybe loveable Marv can talk all the other teams into running that exact same defense All I really have to say is "F*** Successful". A first round runningback needs to be a force. The Bills need Willis to carry this offense on his back for them to just be average. He needs to be a threat from his own three yard line as he is from the opponents three yard line. All the "Big Time" backs can pop a TD from anywhere on the field. One time in a preseason game is a long way from doing it in a game that means something. Hopefully the Bills will be playing in some games that mean something this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Maybe loveable Marv can talk all the other teams into running that exact same defense All I really have to say is "F*** Successful". A first round runningback needs to be a force. The Bills need Willis to carry this offense on his back for them to just be average. He needs to be a threat from his own three yard line as he is from the opponents three yard line. All the "Big Time" backs can pop a TD from anywhere on the field. One time in a preseason game is a long way from doing it in a game that means something. Hopefully the Bills will be playing in some games that mean something this season. 747557[/snapback] You were one of the guys I was thinking of when I wrote the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Just keep in mind that Ladanian Tomlinson spent his first few years in the league running behind a line that was even more putrid than the Bills' lines of the past few years -- but he racked up yardage hand over fist, and that's the bottom line. Willis has a lot to prove this year in terms of consistency and unlike previoius years, I don't think the O-Line is an adequate excuse. You were one of the guys I was thinking of when I wrote the post. 747569[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLuca1967 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 You were one of the guys I was thinking of when I wrote the post. 747569[/snapback] First off. I don't want anyone named "Peter" having me in their thoughts. It's creepy. Like it or not. Being a #1 pick sets the standard. If Willis was a 5th rounder we would all love him and he would be great with the numbers he has so far. That #1 lays a ton of bagagge on the kid. #1 players can't be average or just pretty good. When your a #1 pick you are either great or a bust. They get no margin for error. Take Mike Williams for example. If everything was the same as far as his skills and he was picked a later round he would still be a Bill today. So, being good isn't enough for Willis. He has to be great. If not? He's a bust. Even with the injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_blue_bill Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Ok so you gonna go on record saying that Barry would have seen all those gaping holes you could drive a golf cart through created by the Dallas O-line and chose instead to run latterally into traffic and do his thing? I'm not gonna buy that and I don't think very many others would either. 747238[/snapback] Emmit Smith was a better back than Sanders, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Emmit Smith was a better back than Sanders, period. 747625[/snapback] Emmitt Smith never gets enough credit for being the player he was. Emmitt was the dallas offense. The whole thing revolved around him. If emmitt didnt go the cowboys didnt go it was as simple as that, and I think people forget that emmitt wasn't too shabby a receiver out of the backfield particularly in the early part of his career. 7 straight seasons with over 40 receptions From the 91-97 seasons. He was also a td machine scoring 108 regular season tds rush/rec and in the playoffs he was just nasty having the most rushing tds in the post season 19 and being 2nd all time tied with our very own TT with 21 total. Jerry Rice is 1st with 22 post season scores. Barry Sanders may have been far more exciting then Emmitt but Emmitt was a better pure rb then Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Just keep in mind that Ladanian Tomlinson spent his first few years in the league running behind a line that was even more putrid than the Bills' lines of the past few years -- but he racked up yardage hand over fist, and that's the bottom line. Willis has a lot to prove this year in terms of consistency and unlike previoius years, I don't think the O-Line is an adequate excuse. 747613[/snapback] I wont argue the case that willis is better. That would be dumb, but sds line was not worse then ours. in 2002 yes our line ranked statistically better then sd's but since then they have better upfront then us. With that said. The oline is as much of an adequate excuse as the mularkey package and lack of a passing game. The reason tomlinsons stats are so "exciting" is because schotenheimmer has this novel concept of getting the ball into his hands. I know its crazy but when you give your playmakers a chance to make plays it usually works out well. Im yet to be convinced by the oline, but other then that. Whoever the qb is will have to make plays, cause most rb's will be pedestrian when they're faced with 8-9 man fronts. LT can atest to that he has 2 seasons of sub 4 ypc. The difference like I said is finding more ways to get the ball into Willis's hands. The one spot though where Willis can say hes better then LT,is LT's problem with fumbles 11 in his first 2 years 22 total. Willis 5 in his first 2 years. 4 in 04 only 1 last season. I stress once again. You find ways to get willis out in space and dont hinder his game to try to make him jerome bettis and he'll make things happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 First off. I don't want anyone named "Peter" having me in their thoughts. It's creepy. Like it or not. Being a #1 pick sets the standard. If Willis was a 5th rounder we would all love him and he would be great with the numbers he has so far. That #1 lays a ton of bagagge on the kid. #1 players can't be average or just pretty good. When your a #1 pick you are either great or a bust. They get no margin for error. Take Mike Williams for example. If everything was the same as far as his skills and he was picked a later round he would still be a Bill today. So, being good isn't enough for Willis. He has to be great. If not? He's a bust. Even with the injury. 747624[/snapback] You seem to be the one that is fixated -- with Willis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generaLee83 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 The old "Well if you take away the long run" excuse. Willis= RJ let the flogging continue 747058[/snapback] Well, if you take away the long run............ Well if you take away the long reception............ Well if you take away the long pass............... Well if you take away the long kick return............. What people don't seem to get is that this "cute" little formula applies to every position on the field and to every player in the NFL. Take away all plays of 20+ yards for last season and everyone on every team is near mediocrity. Big plays are part of football and they help pad all averages. Apparently the people on this board think that it took no skills for "the Willtard " (yes new nickname indicative of his intelligence not athletic ability) to break a nice long run. Look at Barry Sanders, the dude was always getting nailed in the backfield but then he'd break one for 40 yards, yeah he really sucked huh? C'mon folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibs Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Well, if you take away the long run............ Well if you take away the long reception............ Well if you take away the long pass............... Well if you take away the long kick return............. What people don't seem to get is that this "cute" little formula applies to every position on the field and to every player in the NFL. Take away all plays of 20+ yards for last season and everyone on every team is near mediocrity. Big plays are part of football and they help pad all averages. Apparently the people on this board think that it took no skills for "the Willtard " (yes new nickname indicative of his intelligence not athletic ability) to break a nice long run. Look at Barry Sanders, the dude was always getting nailed in the backfield but then he'd break one for 40 yards, yeah he really sucked huh? C'mon folks. 747689[/snapback] The take away the long run/pass/etc has it's merits.....but not in this instance. WM only played for 1.5 quarters & only rushed 9 times. That is not a large enough number to really judge anything(on top of it only being preseason) Since nobody is saying "Oooh 9.8yards a carry! He's fantastic." The 'taking off the longest' theory really does not apply in this instance.....but it is valid at other times IMO. For instance....if a RB runs for 155 yards in a game on 31 carries he averages 5 which is really good but....if his longest run was 90yards, the other 30 carries average 2.17 which is pretty bad. In that case, taking off the longest run shows that the RB might have gotten a lucky break but overall was not productive for the offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLuca1967 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Well, if you take away the long run............ Well if you take away the long reception............ Well if you take away the long pass............... Well if you take away the long kick return............. What people don't seem to get is that this "cute" little formula applies to every position on the field and to every player in the NFL. Take away all plays of 20+ yards for last season and everyone on every team is near mediocrity. Big plays are part of football and they help pad all averages. Apparently the people on this board think that it took no skills for "the Willtard " (yes new nickname indicative of his intelligence not athletic ability) to break a nice long run. Look at Barry Sanders, the dude was always getting nailed in the backfield but then he'd break one for 40 yards, yeah he really sucked huh? C'mon folks. 747689[/snapback] Willis only had FOUR plays of 20+ yards last season . I'll take a back that can consistantly get me first downs and keep drives alive while still keeping defenses honest with his break away ability like a Kenny Davis. A back like Sanders put a lot of pressure on his defenses as they waited through all of the 3 and outs for him to break one. The bad thing was that the game would be over by the time he hit one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLuca1967 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 The take away the long run/pass/etc has it's merits.....but not in this instance.WM only played for 1.5 quarters & only rushed 9 times. That is not a large enough number to really judge anything(on top of it only being preseason) Since nobody is saying "Oooh 9.8yards a carry! He's fantastic." The 'taking off the longest' theory really does not apply in this instance.....but it is valid at other times IMO. For instance....if a RB runs for 155 yards in a game on 31 carries he averages 5 which is really good but....if his longest run was 90yards, the other 30 carries average 2.17 which is pretty bad. In that case, taking off the longest run shows that the RB might have gotten a lucky break but overall was not productive for the offense. 747691[/snapback] Hey buddy There will be no well thought out logic here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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