Worst offensieve line performance

[clayboy54]

Is there anyone here that remembers the likes of 1967 4th round pick OL Gary Bugenhagen from SU? That Bills line was so awful that I remember fans throwing their garbage on those players lawns after games.

 

I know Badol knows about those lines from the dark days of the late 60s and early 70s. (pre-Electric Company) It was comprised of poor draft choices and former greats at the end of their careers. Heck, Billy Shaw was on the 1967 line and they were the epitome of sieve-like lines. Perhaps it was coaching and schemes. Perhaps it was talent. Maybe it was a combination of both, as it likely is today.

 

So, this 2006 OL is clearly not the worst OL performance in Bills history, nor is it comprised of the worst choices (draft and aquisition) in Bills history.

 

I am not defending the poor play of our line, but I have to give credit where credit is due. The performance of the lines of the late 60s and very early 70s was clearly the worst in Bills history.

[bills_fan]

Hahaha!!!

 

I don't know if McNally should be fired just yet, but isn't it time we hold him accoutable for the state of our line instead of making excuses for him?

 

We have 2 capable starters? Peters is decent, though if I'm to believe what's said of him, he's a Pro Bowl tackle. Uh, not yet. Anyway, after him, I'd be hard pressed to find a decent starter from our current group.

 

The question is how to fix it.

 

LT - 1st Round pick

LG - Steinbach

C - Fowler

RG - Free Agent? Pennington?

RT - Peters

 

 

Although you are pretty down on Fowler. What would you do to fix the line?

[BADOLBILZ]

This is a red herring, as I don't think the McGahee pick was part of this discussion so afr.

I think that I've presented some preliminary evidence that some very successful teams don't necessarily pump a lot of high draft picks into the Offensinve Line.

 

My point is that just as you claim there were no quality lineman alternatives to Whitner, so claimed the Donahoe apologists with regard to other Bills needs when McGahee was drafted.  Then when things don't work out as planned, it's revisionist history.  Even though heads were splitting at the selection of a safety and the pick was roundly blasted.  But you're right, you can't change the past by revising history, but you can learn from it.  The Bills have not. 

 

Meanwhile, I absolutely do agree that you should spend high draft picks on the most important position, the QB position.    The problem isn't spending those picks on that position, its on the quality of the product we got for our expenditures (two straight busts, soon to be three by all indications...)

 

Has it occurred to you that the same men making those bad QB choices are also drafting the DB's in round 1?  Perhaps if they were good talent evaluators they could get away with drafting OL later, but they haven't been.  Drafting them earlier certainly increases the chance for success, if you don't think so, check out the Pro Bowl rosters.  Even a blind GM can find a nut in the first and second round once in awhile.  That's a fact.

 

 

JDG

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[Bill from NYC]

Has it occurred to you that the same men making those bad QB choices are also drafting the DB's in round 1?  Perhaps if they were good talent evaluators they could get away with drafting OL later, but they haven't been.  Drafting them earlier certainly increases the chance for success, if you don't think so, check out the Pro Bowl rosters.  Even a blind GM can find a nut in the first and second round once in awhile.  That's a fact.

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Amen.

[34-78-83]

I can't say I'm sold on Fowler, who I thought was a good acquisition when we got him.  I pointed to how well he played in relief of All Pro C Matt Birk in Minnesota @ the time.  But this year, I've seen him botch shotgun snaps, blow line calls, show poor footwork, and no strength @ the point of attack.  Maybe he's just having a bad year, or maybe he just isn't what I though he'd be for the Bills.  I just don't know.

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I guess I'm saying that what Iv'e seen from Fowler is far more encouraging than what I saw from Teague, especially when facing some of the bigger DT's. You're right though, he hasn't shown much on short yardage plays as far as strength goes. He does look good out in space on pulls and gets to the second level pretty well at times.