bills_fan Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I do hope that maybe we have found a few long term pieces (Peters and Fowler) to build the OL. Perhaps Gandy works at LG, maybe Pennington can be the answer at RT (he sure has the size, the guyt is bigger than MW, hopefully he plays with a nasty streak). Our problem on the OL would then be reduced to Gs, much easier to acquire than Ts. Perhaps, a draft pick and Steinbach? That would sure solidfy the OL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStranger76 Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Yes Rocky Bernard is listed as RDT, but he lined up over Reyes quite often, and I remember watching him get past Reyes for at least 2 sacks. I'm not gonna totally s**t on him because of one bad game though, cause I think he's played well for us. I think Gandy may actually be an upgrade though, let's wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 And how happy are they with Evan Mathis? 818430[/snapback] Very. He had a rough opening game and got benched, but since then he and Bridges (who was signed off the street to start because of injuries) have nailed down the right side of the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Very. He had a rough opening game and got benched, but since then he and Bridges (who was signed off the street to start because of injuries) have nailed down the right side of the line. Of course they're happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scraps Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I was under the impression that McNally does his best work with low round rookies or UDFAs since these players have smaller egos(compared to high round picks) & therefore more willing to learn & change.....and they are not veteran FAs who have already developed.The only players to fit that description since McNally got here(not including this year) are.... 4th Preston 6th Geisinger 7th McFarland UDFA Peters Obviously they have to have the potential in the first place & maybe Geinsinger & McFarland just didn't have it. Perhaps the new regime has been better at evaluating the raw talent....Pennington starting is certainly a cause of optimism. Perhaps also, Marv & Co. listened to what McNally wanted & thought to try & get him some 'raw materials' to work with by drafting 3 suitable players in the 5th+ rounds. 818326[/snapback] Sounds like you are laying the groundwork to justify inattention to the most glaring defficiency on this team year after year after year. I don't buy that McNally does not work well with free agents. His reputation is based on an offensive line that had free agents like Dusty Ziegler and Glenn Parker. I fail to see how Marv and company are doing anything different or are any better at evaluating talent than the previous regime was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleTheWagons Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I fail to see how Marv and company are doing anything different or are any better at evaluating talent than the previous regime was. 818514[/snapback] It's still staff from the previous regime evaluating the talent. I think it's going to be an interesting year for the scouting department... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typical TBD Guy Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I had figured the switches were made because: 1. Someone needed to replace Reyes at LG due mainly to injury 2. Gandy just flat out sucks at LT, but might be better suited to G where he doesn't have to do as much lateral movement 3. Peters is not only the best T on the team, but oddly enough a more natural pass blocker than run blocker...hence making him more of a LT than RT 4. Pennington was looking good enough in practice to make the moves For the life of me, though, I do not see why we're still bothering to start Villarial. That guy is beyond done. It's time to see what Preston and Merz can do. BTW, where's Butler? I'd like to see him get some snaps in, too. Might as well find out how stinky this OL poop really is. Regardless of how Preston, Pennington, Merz, and Butler turn out, I also think we need to completely overhaul the OL scouts. Maybe bring in Joe D or Hull as consultants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluv Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Reyes played well for them but had a horrible game against Rocky Bernard in the playoffs. Gave up like 3 sacks. Fans tend to remember that kind of thing. 818434[/snapback] Exactly; like Gandy's game against the Lions where he gave up 3.5 of his 5.5 sacks allowed this year. To me judging Gandy is like judging Nate Clemens or Mcgee: as they have had some good stretches where they might not be shutdown corners they have played pretty solid. Then they have bad stretches where they get beat and then everyone acts like they are the worse corners in the world. I have no confidence in them playing man-to-man the whole game and shutting WR's down but they can in stretches of games. The biggest difference is that Nate is getting paid big time money, the highest on the team and should be expected to not get beat and make big plays. Gandy is just a bargain player. I'm not his biggest supporter but Gandy has been a bargain so far, better than most expected. Some expected him to suck and that he would get manhandled on a weekly basis last year and it didn't happen. So far this year while he hasn't been stellar and I have no confidence manning him up the whole game against elite DE, he has played average football. And that is more than what we expected of him. He has played far better and cheaper than Shelton has been for the Dolphins, the man who everybody clamored for just because he was heard of! While I want an upgrade at the position, I can't honestly make it a feast or famine situation with him either. Remember a few years ago we almost ran Lindell out of town for a few key misses that he had; he was treated like the worse kicker in the league. Now he is probably the most dependable player on this squad! I'm not saying Gandy would have been an elite player at LT if given time but he should at least be given a chance to play at his more natural position of guard for which he was originally brought here to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 bluv: Peters was going to play LT for the Bills next year anyway. Since Gandy had that horrible game against the Lions, it gave them a convenient excuse to make the move earlier. Gandy is not a great LT and will be an UFA next year and will likely be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ1 Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 The problems with our OLine have come in the passing game, and those problems have been by far the worst for us at LT and RG, with Gandy being charged with 5.5 sacks allowed and the duo of Chris Villarrial and Duke Preston giving up a combined 5 at RG. I think it was Jauron who said Reyes would be back in the starting lineup as soon as he's healed up, and that just means Gandy will move to the bench. Gandy's pass blocking struggles- mostly getting beat off his left shoulder- will disappear inside while he's subbing for Reyes. The other major problem though, with VillPreston playing very poorly on the inside, is that we're actually removing a strength to their right and putting a rookie next to them. I don't see the help there, unless Pennington turns out to be some intellectual phenom won't need to rely on the RG like virtually all other starting rookies require at the Tackle spots. Pennington would have to play like a very good, mistake free player taken at least 5 rounds in front of where he was to make me believe the team has some credible answers to the weak inside pass blocking on the right side. Or possibly Gandy does stick the lineup at OG along with Reyes and Villarrial is set down. Then again, maybe Fairchild has simply been told to structure his passing offense for the balance of the season on weakside rollouts ;-) 818317[/snapback] Regardless, I see RT or RG being top choices by Bills in '07 draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I think you guys are missing the big picture..... Reyes was replaced but Villy was not.... Folks to me the reasoning for this is simple..... As good as Megehee is doing we need much much more.....this line is being put together to be more run dominant up front....to take the pressure off of our QB That is how I thought we were going to do it to begin with....run run run.....short 3rd down pass conversions....an occasional shot deep.....play field position and control the clock...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixxxer Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Can this move be motivated by a financial standpoint? I mean, Gandy, as bluv perfectly stated, is a dependable player but hardly elite. He'll look adequate most of the time with a stinker game now and then. If I'm not mistaken he's a FA next year. Peters has been paid early this year and would be vastly underpaid if he can translate all his talent and potential to the left side. This move makes sense on and off the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluv Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 bluv: Peters was going to play LT for the Bills next year anyway. Since Gandy had that horrible game against the Lions, it gave them a convenient excuse to make the move earlier. Gandy is not a great LT and will be an UFA next year and will likely be gone. 818618[/snapback] Let me make this clear: I have no objection with trying another LT. I do think some are a ittle hard on Gandy and won't even give him a chance to succeed at his normal position and feel he should be relegated to the bench just because they feel he sucked at LT. Who knows how he migh play at his natural position. I can see if he was drafted or brought in strictly to play LT; he wasn't. I remeber a few seasons back the Cowboys allowed their All World LG Larry Allen to slide down and play LT for the last half of a season. Like Gandy, he wasn't an All-Pro at LT but was average and filled in admirably until a better replacement was found. I'm not saying that Gandy is or will be an All-Pro guard but just because he isn't a franchise LT doesn't mean he can't be a quality starting LG either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 I think you guys are missing the big picture..... Reyes was replaced but Villy was not.... 818727[/snapback] Hope all is good on your end- maybe we'll get on onshore tonight to help out. I admit I haven't paid rapt attenion to it, but it is my understanding from what I have read that Reyes was no more "replaced" than Villarrial was replaced by Preston. In both cases injury was the reason the starter was sitting down. That might have ben fluff in an interview, but I'm pretty sure I read that Jauron said "Reyes will be back in the starting lineup when he's healed up..". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 JFH: Again, from all indications, it seems that Reyes was "benched" more for being injured than his play. If he hadn't been replaced by Aaron Merz last weekend because of injury, I'd think otherwise. And again I HOPE that the Bills replace Villarrial with Reyes when he gets healthy. It's too bad he was injured because if he wasn't, I'd be curious as to what they would have done differently with him. But I guess we'll find out, unless the new O-line starts playing well, then there's no impetus for a change. bluv: I appreciate what Gandy has done and don't think he "sucks" and needs to be gone, but he's not that LT the Bills want or need. Peters was always the LT of the future and I think moving Gandy inside is the best thing for the Bills, although it might not be for Gandy (who will be looking for a LT spot and money in FA next year), and that's all that matters. And if it gets the future at LT started early, i.e. before the 2007 draft, even better. en gone next year and the Bil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluv Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 JFH: Again, from all indications, it seems that Reyes was "benched" more for being injured than his play. If he hadn't been replaced by Aaron Merz last weekend because of injury, I'd think otherwise. And again I HOPE that the Bills replace Villarrial with Reyes when he gets healthy. It's too bad he was injured because if he wasn't, I'd be curious as to what they would have done differently with him. But I guess we'll find out, unless the new O-line starts playing well, then there's no impetus for a change. bluv: I appreciate what Gandy has done and don't think he "sucks" and needs to be gone, but he's not that LT the Bills want or need. Peters was always the LT of the future and I think moving Gandy inside is the best thing for the Bills, although it might not be for Gandy (who will be looking for a LT spot and money in FA next year), and that's all that matters. And if it gets the future at LT started early, i.e. before the 2007 draft, even better. en gone next year and the Bil 818910[/snapback] I agree about Gandy moving to guard as I was hoping in the offseason that we could find a better option at LT, slide Gandy to LG, start Reyes at RG and leave Peters at RT to keep some chemistry. Right now some consider Peters as an OK player. If he has ANY adjustment period and gives up ANY sacks the fans will tear him to pieces! I'm hoping these moves pan out for then we can look to fill other weaknesses or adda playmaker on offense for JP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 Exactly; like Gandy's game against the Lions where he gave up 3.5 of his 5.5 sacks allowed this year. To me judging Gandy is like judging Nate Clemens or Mcgee: as they have had some good stretches where they might not be shutdown corners they have played pretty solid. Then they have bad stretches where they get beat and then everyone acts like they are the worse corners in the world. I have no confidence in them playing man-to-man the whole game and shutting WR's down but they can in stretches of games. The biggest difference is that Nate is getting paid big time money, the highest on the team and should be expected to not get beat and make big plays. Gandy is just a bargain player. I'm not his biggest supporter but Gandy has been a bargain so far, better than most expected. Some expected him to suck and that he would get manhandled on a weekly basis last year and it didn't happen. So far this year while he hasn't been stellar and I have no confidence manning him up the whole game against elite DE, he has played average football. And that is more than what we expected of him. He has played far better and cheaper than Shelton has been for the Dolphins, the man who everybody clamored for just because he was heard of! While I want an upgrade at the position, I can't honestly make it a feast or famine situation with him either. Remember a few years ago we almost ran Lindell out of town for a few key misses that he had; he was treated like the worse kicker in the league. Now he is probably the most dependable player on this squad! I'm not saying Gandy would have been an elite player at LT if given time but he should at least be given a chance to play at his more natural position of guard for which he was originally brought here to play. 818588[/snapback] Sounds like a good backup player to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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