The O-Line

[Britbillsfan]

Since we all are now trying to see how the Bills will change their roster for next season I thought I would give my opinions and on the O-line.

 

There is little doubt that Jason Peters is the real deal and it looks as if he will anchor the Bills left side for many years. He has all the tools and next year should see him improve still further as he gets more comfortable in his new position.

 

Melvin Fowler has been a solid center, not spectacular by any means but an upgrade over last year and the one constant on the line. He should continue to build on this seasons solid start to his Bills career.

 

Terrance Pennington at Right Tackle looks as if he is going to stay there and may provide the other bookend the Bills need for their line. Very raw he did well for a rookie, let alone a late round pick. Looking forward to how he develops.

 

Apart from these three players the rest of the line looks far from settled.

 

LG Mike Gandy should be back. He played solidly in his more natural position between Peters and Fowler. He also has some (limited) versaitlity as a back-up tackle (although I sincerely hope never to see him playing there ever again). He will not be expensive to re-sign.

 

The run offense certainly suffered in the last few weeks of the season, but I do not see the left side as the cause of this. The main reason was that after the bye the left side was the only place the Bills seemed able to get any yards on the ground and opposing defensive game plans subsequently keyed in on this. With little threat of run plays to the right the Bills became predictable, meaning the left side was more or less shut down as well.

 

RG - The key position for getting improved play from our line next year. Whilst Duke Preston will likely be back he does not seem to have the natural ability to overcome his lack of experience. An upgrade here will be nice, and I do not see it coming from our current roster.

 

Besides Preston one or both of Brad Butler and Aaron Merz are likely to come back. Neither showed much during the year but both had more potential than the more experienced players they replaced on this year's roster. If the coaches believe that they can get more from them they will return.

 

Chris Villarial looks like he is on his last legs. Whilst a good player when first arriving at the Bills his play and durability has diminished rapidly. He is likely gone.

 

Tutan Reyes appears to have been a bust as a FA signing. Unlikely to cost the Bills much if they let him go he will not be missed based on last year's production.

 

It looks likely that the Bills will want to bring in a couple of new faces for the line next year, and one thing we should all be hoping for is far improved play at the RG position. I do not see this as likely from the current line up unless another of this year's rookies makes a big step up. Look for an early-mid draft pick and/or FA pick up. How this pans out depends on how the Bills address their other needs, especially the run-D

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

I don't know what to do with Gandy brcause he hasn't looked great since he came to Buffalo and WE MUST GET RID OF VILLARIAL or at least make him a back up. He's lost it.

[ganesh]

I don't know what to do with Gandy brcause he hasn't looked great since he came to Buffalo and WE MUST GET RID OF VILLARIAL or at least make him a back up. He's lost it.

 

We dump Villarial and Reyes and replace them one in FA and another in the draft. This allows us to keep our last year picks as backups continuing their growth.

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

We dump Villarial and Reyes and replace them one in FA and another in the draft. This allows us to keep our last year picks as backups continuing their growth.

 

yeah that's what I was thinking too.

[San-O]

I agree in general with your comments, however taking a step back and looking at the

stats from this year, I would say:

 

1. If your team finishes 27'th in the league running the ball, which the Bills did.

2. If your team finishes 28'th in the league passing the ball, which the Bills did.

 

Almost everyone is expendable.

 

Jason Peters by all accounts is for real, a definite keeper.

 

Even if every other starter on the O-line was a "5" on a scale 1 - 10, upgrade any

and all other positions.

 

If the only upgrade to Fowler was marginal, then keep him. He is listed as 6'3" 295, and after

five years in the league, he isn't getting any stronger, any better of any faster. He would not be

starting for most NFL teams I would guess.

[Koufax]

Almost everyone is expendable.

 

Right. I don't think there is anybody other than Peters who we need to keep, but at the same time replacing four people on the O-Line with upgrades (not just warm bodies) is too much. So we have to decide who the tribe votes out.

 

Any of those four could be replaced, so nobody is safe, but I see Pennington and Fowler a notch above Gandy, and two notches above Preston, so we have to pick our options based on what is available, and which of those four pieces are most likely to perform league average or better.

[Britbillsfan]

I agree in general with your comments, however taking a step back and looking at the

stats from this year, I would say:

 

1. If your team finishes 27'th in the league running the ball, which the Bills did.

2. If your team finishes 28'th in the league passing the ball, which the Bills did.

 

Stats can be extremely misleading. For example - the most important OL position for passing is LT. From the stats the Bills would be expected to have a lousy LT, but this is the strength of the Bills line.

 

Looking at the last 7 games of the year when 2 things occurred - the OLine was reshuffled and the coaches opened up the gameplan more from being totally conservative - the story is VERY different in regards to the passing offense.

 

The NET passing yardage in those games was 1504. Over a full 16 game season that would equate to 3437 yards. Which would rank the Bills 10th in passing, which is not too shabby especially considering the effect the weather has later in the season. Those seven games are the standard the Bills should be measured against for the reasons noted.

 

The rushing offense was still dreadful (30th overall) in that span and the Bills do need to resolve this. Three things are key here. A run blocking Right Guard. A good performance from the tailback. A defence that can get off the field.

 

Another factor to consider when quoting where the offense ranks is how efficient the defence is in stopping opponents eating up the clock. Give the run defence shown this year it is pretty evident the Bills lousy at that. A ToP of around 27:16 for those games shows the Bills inability to stop opponents eating up the clock as well as there own weakness in running the ball. If the O can not get on the field it can not get the yards it needs to.

 

Overall (and realistically) I would like the Bills to retain 4 of their starters on the O-Line, the difference being getting a powerful right guard who can run block. I would like to see the back of Villarial (injuries) and Reyes (inability) and bring in a couple of replacements for these, one of whom to push Preston out of the line up. Peters/Gandy on the left can make holes for a RB as long as the opposing D plays honest - the lack of any ability to run the ball to the right pretty much negates any good play form those two.

[San-O]

Stats can be extremely misleading. For example - the most important OL position for passing is LT. From the stats the Bills would be expected to have a lousy LT, but this is the strength of the Bills line.

 

Stats can be extremely misleading, however they can also tell a story.

 

You are sounding like TD.

 

If you only replace or upgrade one position on the O-line, for example RG,

say hello to another non-playoff season.

 

[Britbillsfan]

Stats can be extremely misleading, however they can also tell a story.

 

You are sounding like TD.

 

If you only replace or upgrade one position on the O-line, for example RG,

say hello to another non-playoff season.

 

In an ideal world 2 new all-pro guards guards would be great to replace Villarial and Reyes, with Gandy becoming a back up. Getting them is something else altogether.

 

But seeing how the D-Line needs help desperately as well, replacing Clements/Fletcher and other changes that will undoubtedly be in the works a more realistic hope would be a new face in one of the line position and progress being made as the other players gel as a unit and get more experience in their positions (esp Pennington, but also Peters on that score).

 

Upgrading a position does not always mean plugging in a new player.

 

As for sounding like TD - Did I advocate a new star WR/RB/QB as a preference to sorting out the D-line and O-line? If so I think I missed it.......

[Fixxxer]

Resigning Gandy for depth would be a smart move.

We need a starting LG and depending on how healthy Villarrial is perhaps a starting RG.

 

Keep Fowler, Peters, and Pennington as the starters.

 

I also agree that keeping Gandy would be the smart thing to do due to his versatility.

 

Peters, Fowler and Pennington should remain starters for the start of next season, we need to improve both guards position badly. I'd be thrilled if we could somehow sign Steinbach in the offseason to play LG and upgrade the RG with a young stud from the draft. We must be able to run inside the tackles, something we couldn't this past season.

[4BillsintheBurgh]

Stats can be extremely misleading, however they can also tell a story.

 

You are sounding like TD.

 

If you only replace or upgrade one position on the O-line, for example RG,

say hello to another non-playoff season.

 

Ummm...I think a good right guard would have gotten us into the playoffs this year.

 

A problem with this defense (tampa 2) is they wear down toward the end of the game if they've been pounded on. That means you have to be ahead in the fourth quarter and you do that by passing and defending the pass. You get some yards with the running game, but you can't get into a 13-10 game and expect to win most of the time. So whatever it takes for Losman to get out of the three step offense will be good.

 

How many of those rushing yards against occurred in the 4th quarter with the Bills down? Put some more points on the board and the rush defense will magically get better. A guard will help you get first downs and that will help. But we need help at the skill positions as well. Upgrading more than one position on the lines with a 1st round draft pick/expensive free agent has a better chance of keeping us out of the playoffs. See Min this year, nice lines, great run defense - done for the season.

[JuanGuzman]

My view point would be that that our interior lineman eg. Fowler, Gandy and Preston are all finesse blocking o-lineman while there is nothing inherantly wrong with a finesse blocker having all three at interior positions means the bills are often physically overmatched by their defensive counterparts. What we need is a big mauling gaurd who can just manhandle people on occaision. I don't care if he messes up once and a while in pass protection. SOmething in the mold of a Shawn Andrews Vince Manuwai, Logan Mankins ( I know thats high expectations - but if it means using a 1st or second rd pick to get a Franchise interior O-lineman i am on board. ) A RFA I like is Max Starks he is 6"8 337 he has played R. tackle the past couple years with the steelers - although he played a lot of Guard in college. He struggles a bit in pass protection but when he gets his hands on you he just a pure drive blocker who would open up a lot of holes in the running game.

[Fan in San Diego]

Whether we get a LB and RG in FA or the draft we nned to replace our current Guards. Keep Gandy or depth but release Villareal and Tutan Reyes.

 

If there is a stud can't miss center in FA or the draft I would take him. I like Fowler is is servicable. But he is a little light and can be bull rushed. So if there is a 330lb or heavier stud center out there we should look at him.

[Dibs]

.....Looking at the last 7 games of the year when 2 things occurred - the OLine was reshuffled and the coaches opened up the gameplan more from being totally conservative - the story is VERY different in regards to the passing offense.

 

The NET passing yardage in those games was 1504. Over a full 16 game season that would equate to 3437 yards. Which would rank the Bills 10th in passing, which is not too shabby especially considering the effect the weather has later in the season. Those seven games are the standard the Bills should be measured against for the reasons noted.

 

The rushing offense was still dreadful (30th overall) in that span and the Bills do need to resolve this. Three things are key here. A run blocking Right Guard. A good performance from the tailback. A defence that can get off the field.

 

Overall (and realistically) I would like the Bills to retain 4 of their starters on the O-Line......

Firstly I'd say that passing yardage is not that big of a determining factor on how good the OL of a team is. Teams that get behind often throw the ball more resulting in extra passing yards.

 

Looking at your numbers though.....apart from they are incorrect....last 7 games was 1464 net which expands to 3346yards in 16 games.....there is extremely good argument to say that the change in gameplan(free JPL to play more of 'his' game) was a major contributor to the statistical change. Also, if we give opposing defences 2 games to see the 'new' offence, we still find no running game & 3 sacks a game(averaging out to 48 in a full season....or more than what we actually had this season).

 

I did an analisis on the stats break here.

 

Personally I think with 1 new OG who can get the job done we can easily reach the playoffs.....but your comment that you'd like the Bills to retain 4 starters on the O-Line, I cannot fathom. We suck at rushing. We suck at short yardage. We suck at pass protection. Realistically.....if we want to win a superbowl......we need at least 2 new OGs & Pennington to keep improving. I'd be content with a nice FA OG & a draftee this off-season, but Gandy, Preston, Villarial, Reyes & Pennington(of the skill he is at the moment) are not good enough.

 

Simply, 1 guy will not improve us to SB level.

[apuszczalowski]

Stats can be extremely misleading, however they can also tell a story.

 

You are sounding like TD.

 

If you only replace or upgrade one position on the O-line, for example RG,

say hello to another non-playoff season.

 

Another important factor to be successful is consistency. The current o-line has only been playing together since the bye week this season and were playing well. Considering the RG and RT were both rookies needing experience, and the LT was new to his position, just some extra time playing and training together will improve them even more. Keeping Gandy at LG and bringing in a new RG can improve this line enough to get us in the playoffs, and bringing in a better LG to move Gandy to backup could make the succeed in the playoffs.

[Bill from NYC]

In an ideal world 2 new all-pro guards guards would be great to replace Villarial and Reyes, with Gandy becoming a back up. Getting them is something else altogether.

 

The above is indisputable truth.

It is also true that the place NOT to get these guys is from the trash bins of other teams. More than likely, the Bills will need an expensive free agent, AND an early draft pick to solidify the inside.

 

We have the qb and the LT, and that is the hard part. This offseason is the time to strengthen the middle. Preston is a versatile backup, Fowler is too small, and Gandy can be counted on to get blown up several times per game. If we are to be a playoff team, this has got to stop.

[JStranger76]

I know continuity and expirience are important, but if you can't open up a hole for your RB on a fairly regular basis, you ain't gonna cut it. Preston doesn't cut it, Gandy does alright once in a while, and I'm still not sure about Pennington. In the end, we will probably be fed the excuse that "you don't pay a guard that kind of money" or some s**t like that. Will Marv be the anti-TD? Let's take our vitamins and say our prayers..............