Pyrite Gal Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Willis definetly has attitute problems. I think his problem is, unless he's playing for a winner, he is disinterested. I would call for his head, but welcome to the NFL in 2007 boys. When Losman and the defense started to make their late season push, you definetly saw a different Willis, he was running stronger, stopped dancing as much. He was a pressure to watch. No matter where he goes, if the team is bad, he'll be bored and unhappy, but if the team is playing, i can see this dude going for like 120 yards a game. These theories simply do not seem to correspond with the facts where WM has played this past season (and previously for the Bills) where he took a hard hit that knocked him out a game and was on the injury reports the next week and practiced little or not at all, but he strapped it on and played the next weekend. These types of efforts do not seem to be ones which indicate disinterest (and few would mistakes the Bills for being much of a winner the last couple of years. In addition to these performances, in a game this season WM managed to put out enough juice to finish a long run with a TD and then puked his guts out soon afterwards. A player would have been justified calling it a day at that point sd he was clearly sick and had shone quite well even if he played no more. A disinterested player likely would have sat it out, but he strapped it on and came back in. He struggled almost completely with pass blocking last year (as most young RBs do) but though he still can improved, he pulled off one play this year amidst the early Bills losing streak where he blocked not one but actually two players effectively on the same play. Overall, WM has carried the load in a number of games in terms of making a lot of rushes. Further his mo has been in several games to get stopped and stopped again in his first rushes, but finally as the D wears down from getting pounded he has gotten his yards late in the game and did not lose interest due to a lack of success. Folks seem to attrbute motives to WM based on how they perceive his body language and based on their own sense of how hard he is hitting the hole when they really have no way of knowing for sure what his mindset is. The events do not seem to be consistent with those of a disinterested player. He may be but likely this view says more about the attitude of the observer than it does about WMs attitude.
1billsfan Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 This play was discussed a bit on TSW yesterday with several praising WM for choosing to go OB and stop the clock as that was a smarter thing to do at the time rather than delivering a blow to an opponent (which can be fun to do) and not stopping the clock. My since is that whether he is interested in playing or not is likely a judgment in the viewers mind rather than being an accurate read on where he is unless one is a mindreader. The game plan seemed to go away from the run and emphasize passing the ball and this seemed to me to be the prime reason WM was not heavily involved in the game. I for one was glad to see Jauron more interested in winning the game rather than in making sure WM got more carries to break 1000 yards. It wasn't based on the the play in the Ravens game, the post was about a play at the end of the Titans game and I was attacked for daring to criticize Wilis "The Great" McGahee. I guess I'm not looking so stupid as one poster talking smack mentions. Bills fans know the difference when a player is laying it on the line consistently and McGahee simply doesn't lay it on the line consistently. We've seen him use his power and stiff arm before so when he skips out of bounds with regularity without a fight we KNOW he's not giving full effort. This guy is an enigma, he plays with pain yet he doesn't seem to give an all out effort every game. Unless he changes his nonchalant attitude I want him replaced with someone who gives a damn every game. http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=57729
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Too bad we don't play the Jets 16 weeks a season.
Bill from NYC Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 This guy is an enigma, he plays with pain yet he doesn't seem to give an all out effort every game. Unless he changes his nonchalant attitude I want him replaced with someone who gives a damn every game. Yeah, Willis is tough to figure out. Looking at his build, and taking into account how he came back from such bad injuries, one would have to think that he works hard. At the same time, he was seen vomiting and sucking wind a couple of time this year, which might indicate poor conditioning. People say that he can't block, yet he has pancaked a few guys this season. Who knows how well players and the coaches respond to him, and how he interacts with them? I have not arrived at a firm conclusion wrt Willis, especially with the new contract demands.
marauderswr80 Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 McGahee can leave Buffalo for all I care! I watch other RB's play football then I think of McGahee, you really dont know how bad McGahee is until you see other decent RB's run with the ball...
BUFFALOTONE Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 That's not a bad idea. I'd like to see Willis back though, because he plays well when motivated and I'm guessing his contract year will motivate him, but if they could hit the free agent market early and get his replacement, then trade McGahee for a high pick prior to the draft that might work out too. It's unlikely to happen, but I'd love to see Marshall Faulk end up here as the third down back. Having one of the best receiving backs and smartest players in the league in the backfield with Losman on third downs would be great. If McGahee were still here Faulk would be the best possible influence on Willis. Like I said, it's unlikely, but Fairchilld was Faulk's "offensive coordinator" at St. Louis, so there is some connection. Faulk is not coming bcak, if he does it will be with the Rams.
Gordio Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Nope. You're forgetting about Frank Gore. TWO blown knees and an offensive line that is no better than the Bills' line, and quite possibly worse. Anyone who has watched him play will tell you that he's a man on an island on that offense, and that every yard he gets he gets himself. But you know what? He gets his hards, because he hits the hole like a man possessed. Same with Stephen Jackson, who plays behind an awful o-line - he single-handedly gashed the best rushing defense in the NFL on Sunday. There are RBs in this League playing behind horrible o-lines who perform better than Willis, and the only reason I can think of is that they want it more. I go to the bills games but I also got the NFL ticket. When I get home @ 4:30 often times I have found myself watching the 49ers games because of gore. The guy is a beast. He reminds me of a bigger faster version of travis henry.
tennesseeboy Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 I don't know if wm "wants" to be here or not. I could care less whether he does. What concerns me is that he isn't a very good running back. I'd have expected him to be well over 1000 yards this year and a real leader on and off the field. Maybe he'll show something next year...maybe not. There would be contract renegotiation with him if I were in charge, but it wouldn't be a renegotiation upward.
dave mcbride Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Yeah, Willis is tough to figure out. Looking at his build, and taking into account how he came back from such bad injuries, one would have to think that he works hard. At the same time, he was seen vomiting and sucking wind a couple of time this year, which might indicate poor conditioning. People say that he can't block, yet he has pancaked a few guys this season. Who knows how well players and the coaches respond to him, and how he interacts with them? I have not arrived at a firm conclusion wrt Willis, especially with the new contract demands. My conclusion is this - he's basically eddie george: a tall, upright bruiser who is never going to average 4.5 yards per carry because he's not that fast and he's not that elusive. He will get tough yards, however. The problem is, guys like that wear out, and unfortunately at this point, mcgahee is only going to get slower, not faster (note the bumps and bruises he's accumulated). i'll bet the farm that he's going to lose a step in the next year or two, and before you know it he'll be another anthony thomas. I think the bills thought they were eventually going to end up with a deuce mcallister sort of player -- big, fast, and pretty quick -- but that speed simply never returned. having said all of this, he's capable of being pretty productive for the bills next year -- certainly not great, but also not a weak link. I also suspect that after 07 it's all downhill for him.
ganesh Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Let's pick up this kid from San Diego, the backup to LT. I not giving up a top-10 1st round pick to get a RB from San Diego. We will be drafting for a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round this year.
Dawgg Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Bill, how much more data do you need? I have not arrived at a firm conclusion wrt Willis, especially with the new contract demands.
Alaska Darin Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Too bad we don't play the Jets 16 weeks a season. We could probably just tell Willis we are. He's shown that he's likely not smart enough to know we're lying.
Alaska Darin Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 My conclusion is this - he's basically eddie george: a tall, upright bruiser who is never going to average 4.5 yards per carry because he's not that fast and he's not that elusive. He will get tough yards, however. Eddie George was a warrior who could be counted on when the going got tough. Willis McGahee has perhaps the quickest folding tent of any player with his skillset that I've ever seen.
dave mcbride Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Eddie George was a warrior who could be counted on when the going got tough. Willis McGahee has perhaps the quickest folding tent of any player with his skillset that I've ever seen. i wasn't really talking about heart -- more about running style/physical skills/potential for decline.
Bill from NYC Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 My conclusion is this - he's basically eddie george: a tall, upright bruiser who is never going to average 4.5 yards per carry because he's not that fast and he's not that elusive. He will get tough yards, however. The problem is, guys like that wear out, and unfortunately at this point, mcgahee is only going to get slower, not faster (note the bumps and bruises he's accumulated). i'll bet the farm that he's going to lose a step in the next year or two, and before you know it he'll be another anthony thomas. I think the bills thought they were eventually going to end up with a deuce mcallister sort of player -- big, fast, and pretty quick -- but that speed simply never returned. having said all of this, he's capable of being pretty productive for the bills next year -- certainly not great, but also not a weak link. I also suspect that after 07 it's all downhill for him. I must say that imo this is a very good comparison. They seem to have about the same frame, although Willis does appear to be a little stronger. This will be a wild off season. Do you think that Willis could bring us a first day pick in a trade?
fbzh2 Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 It wasn't based on the the play in the Ravens game, the post was about a play at the end of the Titans game and I was attacked for daring to criticize Wilis "The Great" McGahee. I guess I'm not looking so stupid as one poster talking smack mentions. Bills fans know the difference when a player is laying it on the line consistently and McGahee simply doesn't lay it on the line consistently. We've seen him use his power and stiff arm before so when he skips out of bounds with regularity without a fight we KNOW he's not giving full effort. This guy is an enigma, he plays with pain yet he doesn't seem to give an all out effort every game. Unless he changes his nonchalant attitude I want him replaced with someone who gives a damn every game. http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=57729
sweetbaboo Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 I must say that imo this is a very good comparison. They seem to have about the same frame, although Willis does appear to be a little stronger. This will be a wild off season. Do you think that Willis could bring us a first day pick in a trade? not sure where you get that from as much as i disliked the titans back in the day, eddie george's running was still far scarier than anything we've seen willis do
dave mcbride Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 I must say that imo this is a very good comparison. They seem to have about the same frame, although Willis does appear to be a little stronger. This will be a wild off season. Do you think that Willis could bring us a first day pick in a trade? I doubt more than a third rounder (why would anyone want to pay much for a guy who is in the final year of a contract?), but in any event I think it's wise for the Bills to play out the string with him next year. He's a decent player, not a bad player, and I suspect he'll do more good than harm. The Bills are gearing up for a playoff run next season, and starting all over at running back will probably cost them a game or two. I say this because it's not as if they're going to go and get a stud to replace McGahee -- we're really talking about a second/third rounder at best because there's no way they're going to spend the #12 pick on a running back given the DT and MLB situation. If he stays healthy, he's capable of putting up 1250-1350 yards on 300-350 carries (for a 3.9-4.0 average), 7-8 TDs, and 25 receptions. I doubt he'll be worth a ton after 07, though, and he's going to be waking up to some pretty strong coffee smells come March 08 on the salary front.
dave mcbride Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 not sure where you get that fromas much as i disliked the titans back in the day, eddie george's running was still far scarier than anything we've seen willis do same running styles with similar stats, in my opinion -- 3.8 ypc, a ton of carries, and a slashing, non-elusive, between-the-tackles style that leads to a lot of hits.
sweetbaboo Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 good point...though i don't remember george doing much dancing behind the line that infuriated me...then again, i probably didn't give a rats ass and probably cheered whenever he lost yards
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