Alphadawg7 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 We were a complete team (minus Crowell) with no serious injuries when we started 4-0. Since then, we lost Trent for a game and lost... We have lost Schobel with an already struggling pass rush. Make no mistake, you can say what you want about Schobel, but opposing GM's game plan for him. When they chose him for the Pro Bowl they said he is someone they always have to game plan for. So with him not in there it opens a lot of stuff up for the opposing offense. We lost Whitner, our locker room leader and one of the biggest hearts of this team. We lost Reed, who has been very valuable to our offense his year. We have had Rosocoe out, another play maker for our offense. And we lost Youboty who was playing great ball before he got hurt. Not to mention our O-line injuries. Out O-line isnt that good to begin with, then when our best of the worst start getting hurt, we have even bigger problems. Make no mistake, Trent is young and needs time to throw until he can make his reads faster (just comes with more experience), so the struggles of the O-line and constant pounding he has been taking is causing him to rush and screw up his mechanics. Those are all key players at key positions we have been without in all our losses. We lack depth and have struggled with these players out. That being said, we were only dominated in one game, the AZ game in these losses with the rest being very winnable for most of the game despite all these injuries. When our D was healthy, we were #1 in the league in preventing 3rd down conversion. When our offense was healthy we averaging 28 points a game. If we can get healthy, which sounds like we are close on Reed and Whitner, then we can still right this ship. And for all those claiming Lynch is the problem...our line is so bad that he is starting to dance more looking for a hole causing him to not hit the hole as quick as he should...I will give you that. But, he has also scored several of his TD's on runs that just about every other RB in the league would not have scored on. He has obtained big first downs on moves and hustle most other RB's would not have been able to do. The kid can play, but most of the struggles are on the O-line. Some of it is Lynch not hitting the hole with speed and authority mainly because so often there is back field penetration so he is starting to dance a little too much as opposed to hitting the hole. Again though, thats mostly because of the poor line play. He also would have had his breakout game earlier this season where he had 70 yards and a TD but also had 2 big runs called back because of holding away from the play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 We were a complete team (minus Crowell) with no serious injuries when we started 4-0. Since then, we lost Trent for a game and lost... We have lost Schobel with an already struggling pass rush. Make no mistake, you can say what you want about Schobel, but opposing GM's game plan for him. When they chose him for the Pro Bowl they said he is someone they always have to game plan for. So with him not in there it opens a lot of stuff up for the opposing offense. We lost Whitner, our locker room leader and one of the biggest hearts of this team. We lost Reed, who has been very valuable to our offense his year. We have had Rosocoe out, another play maker for our offense. And we lost Youboty who was playing great ball before he got hurt. Not to mention our O-line injuries. Out O-line isnt that good to begin with, then when our best of the worst start getting hurt, we have even bigger problems. Make no mistake, Trent is young and needs time to throw until he can make his reads faster (just comes with more experience), so the struggles of the O-line and constant pounding he has been taking is causing him to rush and screw up his mechanics. Those are all key players at key positions we have been without in all our losses. We lack depth and have struggled with these players out. That being said, we were only dominated in one game, the AZ game in these losses with the rest being very winnable for most of the game despite all these injuries. When our D was healthy, we were #1 in the league in preventing 3rd down conversion. When our offense was healthy we averaging 28 points a game. If we can get healthy, which sounds like we are close on Reed and Whitner, then we can still right this ship. And for all those claiming Lynch is the problem...our line is so bad that he is starting to dance more looking for a hole causing him to not hit the hole as quick as he should...I will give you that. But, he has also scored several of his TD's on runs that just about every other RB in the league would not have scored on. He has obtained big first downs on moves and hustle most other RB's would not have been able to do. The kid can play, but most of the struggles are on the O-line. Some of it is Lynch not hitting the hole with speed and authority mainly because so often there is back field penetration so he is starting to dance a little too much as opposed to hitting the hole. Again though, thats mostly because of the poor line play. He also would have had his breakout game earlier this season where he had 70 yards and a TD but also had 2 big runs called back because of holding away from the play. I've got to say, Josh Reed has taken a lot of flack since he's been here. Some of it, particularly the part where he failed miserably at adjusting to the starting role after Peerless left, but man has that guy become a clutch player. Sometimes you just need the right QB and Edwards is that guy I think. But has anyone made more catches on third down than that guy has the past few years? We need him back ASAP. re. Whitner, he seems to be another big whipping boy around here but with all this talk about heart or a lack thereof, I think it's plain to see that it's one thing that Whitner brings to the table that not many other people on the roster do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbillsfan12 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 and here we sit 0 for 3 against the division. every team has to deal with injuries, it just seems that this year as opposed to last our back ups and a lot of starters just don't have any fire, no sense of urgency. they seem to be content to throw their hands up in the air and live with mediocrity. in all fairness this team could easily have lost against the raiders, jags and had to somehow pull it together in the fourth quarter and did. personally i think the players we have on our o-line with better line coaches could become a very powerful unit and a strength for this team as opposed to a liability. look around the league at some of the most consistent o-lines and compare player for player and over all i don't think anyone would sit head and shoulders talent wise ahead of us. our line problems can be easily attributed to the coaches and i believe strength and conditioning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChasBB Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Injuries cannot be an excuse. Guys need to step up. If injuries are going to be an excuse, then we'll NEVER have another playoff team again. Injuries are just part of the deal. 2007 New York Giants players on IR: 1/3/2008 Craig Dahl CB IR 12/22/2007 Jeremy Shockey TE IR 12/6/2007 Derrick Ward RB IR 11/23/2007 Mathias Kiwanuka OLB IR 10/5/2007 Robert Douglas RB IR 9/20/2007 Adrian Awasom DE IR 9/13/2007 William Joseph DT IR 9/5/2007 Todd Londot C IR 8/31/2007 Ryan Kuehl LS IR 8/22/2007 Mike Jennings WR IR 8/18/2007 Dek Bake DT IR 8/18/2007 Darcy Johnson TE IR 8/14/2007 Jim Finn FB IR Having 13 guys on IR didn't stop them from knocking off the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Players have got to step up -- that's all there is to it. It's why we have a 53-man roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACTOBILLSFAN Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 is there any timetable on reed's return? I haven't heard anything about him being placed on IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grog Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 is there any timetable on reed's return? I haven't heard anything about him being placed on IR Good question, I think not having Reed in the lineup is the main reason our QB and Offense is struggling, he was Trent's go to guy. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 is there any timetable on reed's return? I haven't heard anything about him being placed on IR It sounds like he's getting close. http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=76663 Butler and Reed closer By Chris Brown - Posted November 12th, 2008 ... Josh Reed is not practicing with his teammates, but was doing work on the side with the trainers and looked pretty limber driving off his ankle. If he can practice by Friday he should have an outside chance of playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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