A Few Thoughts About The Game

[Sisyphean Bills]

JP Losman still.....sucks. Nothing has changed.

I think the question was whether he sucks less.

[R. Rich]

10) Thanks to all of you who, like me, will stay with this team until we die. Games like this actually strengthen my resolve as a fan. R.Rich....will you get to work on the draft boards when you get a chance please? There seems to be a ton of really good players at positions of need for this team. I want to start taking a closer look, and apply my new alcohol theory on draft day. I don't know what I will do, but it will be all or nothing.

 

Sad to say, William, but I've been working on it for most of the season. Yeah, I'm that much of a college football junkie, but I'm also that long tenured a Bills fan.

[BillsVet]

There is a lot of merit in the above. The thing is, the situation is truly mind boggling wrt Ralph.

 

I can understand bringing in Bledsoe, and drafting players such a Losman in terms of trying to boost ticket sales alone. Fans are excited by quarterbacks and other offensive skill players. That being a given, where is the draw from Whitner, Youboty, Simpson, McKelvin and Corner? Yes, McKelvin sure can return kicks, but that only lasts for a few seconds per game.

My point is that a stud DL or OL wouldn't create less excitement than DBs from a business/ticket sales perspective, or so I see it.

 

If you can figure out this mess, please let me know because I just don't get it.

 

Thank goodness Ralph had Polian here as GM through 92. To think RW wanted to take Flutie is unbelievable and I thank my lucky stars Polian knew to take Bruce Smith.

 

You have to wonder what's going through Ralph's mind. He's 90, and I understand he wants to keep small markets alive with revenue sharing and other items which the big boys like to exploit. OTOH, I can't understand why he wouldn't want to have a winner before he passes.

 

Bill, you and I know Levy gave DJ the freedom to handle personnel, with research from Guy and Modrak. Levy must have convinced RW that DJ was the real deal, and could be trusted. We know that to be wrong, but if DJ stays (and he shouldn't) perhaps they bring in a GM a la 2001 in Chicago when the McCaskey's realized they needed someone overseeing the front office.

 

RW has gone with the quick fix far too many times in attracting a fan base. Nothing, however, trumps having a winning team. You can have 53 nobodies that can't make pro bowls and go 11-5 and people will come.

[dave mcbride]

I think the question was whether he sucks less.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+W...udibles2319.htm

Note that none of us ever see even the slightest word of praise for Losman from other teams or people in the league. He may turn it around elsewhere (and I hope he does), but Bills fans seem to be the only ones who think he's capable of it. I've got to think that there are problems with his game that simply aren't visible to ordinary fans that other coaches see clearly as day. I've never read a positive word about him elsewhere, and believe me, I've looked.

[John Adams]

O.o Not the past couple of weeks he hasn't.

 

Teams haven't been blitzing the last few weeks. Even the announcers commented on how Clevelnd is usually blitz-happy but was not sending anyone extra.

[Beerball]

Teams haven't been blitzing the last few weeks. Even the announcers commented on how Clevelnd is usually blitz-happy but was not sending anyone extra.

Why the hell would a team blitz him? You would have to be crazy to. Drop 7-8 guys, don't get in Trent's face and cover Lynch.

 

He is a broken QB. He may be fixable, but right now he's broken. Until he finds his balls we're in for some rocky times.

[The Dean]

Thank goodness Ralph had Polian here as GM through 92. To think RW wanted to take Flutie is unbelievable and I thank my lucky stars Polian knew to take Bruce Smith.

 

You have to wonder what's going through Ralph's mind. He's 90, and I understand he wants to keep small markets alive with revenue sharing and other items which the big boys like to exploit. OTOH, I can't understand why he wouldn't want to have a winner before he passes.

 

Bill, you and I know Levy gave DJ the freedom to handle personnel, with research from Guy and Modrak. Levy must have convinced RW that DJ was the real deal, and could be trusted. We know that to be wrong, but if DJ stays (and he shouldn't) perhaps they bring in a GM a la 2001 in Chicago when the McCaskey's realized they needed someone overseeing the front office.

 

RW has gone with the quick fix far too many times in attracting a fan base. Nothing, however, trumps having a winning team. You can have 53 nobodies that can't make pro bowls and go 11-5 and people will come.

 

 

Just to be clear, Levy was very involved with player selection from the draft when he was a HC with the team and when he was GM with the team. Polian didn't do it all by himself without input from the HC, and Marv didn't turn it all over to Jauron.

[Bill from NYC]

Just to be clear, Levy was very involved with player selection from the draft when he was a HC with the team and when he was GM with the team. Polian didn't do it all by himself without input from the HC, and Marv didn't turn it all over to Jauron.

 

That would appear to be a substantial part of the problem.

 

As for now, do you think that Jauron has final say?

[BillsVet]

Just to be clear, Levy was very involved with player selection from the draft when he was a HC with the team and when he was GM with the team. Polian didn't do it all by himself without input from the HC, and Marv didn't turn it all over to Jauron.

 

I'm not arguing for a GM with absolute personnel control. And I know Levy was part of the draft process during the Polian era. But in 2006, Levy had been out of the league for more than 9 years when he was hired for a job he'd never held in the rough and tumble NFL. That's not a criticism of Marv, but how many 80+ year old GM's are working in the NFL?

 

I believe Levy is a good enough man to know he was behind the curve personnel-wise, and had all of a few months to get up to speed on the draft. Levy is a good enough delegator of tasks to have handed DJ control. Would Levy have advocated drafting all defense, most of whom were DB's and only 3 late OL? I know Levy wouldn't allow that if there wasn't some good reason. If he learned anything from Polian, he knew how important the OL was.

[The Dean]

That would appear to be a substantial part of the problem.

 

As for now, do you think that Jauron has final say?

 

 

Yes, the talent on this team is SO inferior to what it was before Marv and Jauron began.

 

I have no idea who has the final say, at OBD right now. My guess is, it is probably Ralph if there is no consensus or if their are two camps who can't come to an agreement (actually it has ALWAYS been Ralph...the owner always has the final say, if he wants it).

 

The idea of a "final say" is interesting, as from my experience in management, there are many ways to make great (and bad) decisions. I believe TD took input from others, but made the decision on his own (with approval from Ralph, of course). I think that Marv, and I would guess the team he left behind. operate differently. The Bills have no GM. I suspect in areas of Free Agency., Guy has more input than the others, when it comes to NFL player evaluation and for the draft they look to Modrak when it comes to the evaluation of players. Then they, likely discuss their needs, the options available, the cap, etc and all weigh in. Then they discuss it some more. By the time it comes to make a decision, they have heard countless opinions and arguments, and probably have reached almost consensus through the process of evaluation and conversation.

 

What happens when there is no agreement, or visceral disagreement? That's the great unknown. But, again, I will venture a guess. If Jauron (with input from his coordinators, I would think) really doesn't want a player, particularly in the early rounds, I doubt there is anyone who is going to force the HC to accept a player he is adamantly against. But, it is likely that Jauron has a preference, but also likes player X and player Y. If Modrak is so passionate in his belief that player X is by far the better choice, and that Jauron's choice can be addressed in the next round, I'm guessing that Jauron may defer to Modrak in that kind of a situation...and that likelihood probably increases in the lower rounds (where I'd also guess there is less consensus, as there has been less discussion about the individual players in the later rounds).

 

I hate to do this to you, but it is quite possible (and likely, IMO) that these draft decisions are made after a lot of work, with a collegial approach, and that consensus is probably more likely outcome than one man making a decision despite the objection of those around him. I know this clashes with your firm belief that DJ only drafts DBs in the early round (despite the fact that he didn't in 2007).

[otisly00]

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds would be a great place for the Bills to draft corners.....AFTER they have a strong foundation, and the best way to get strong up front is via the draft. Hell, if the lines are solid, go grab a first rounder! Why not, but first things first.

 

Stroud is a very good player, but he will be 31 at the start of the 09 season. Who is our 2nd best DT? I think Kyle Williams, and I see him as a good rotational player more than a quality starter. Walker was a bargain for 25 mil., but the 49 million for Dockery isn't looking so good right now (although he played well vs. the Browns). There should be young, solid, blue chip linemen on the Bills. Other than Jason Peters (who they lucked into), can you name 1?

 

By the way, the players you list ARE eating us up. The best DBs on earth cannot cover forever. We are getting almost zero pass rush from 3 of our front 4. Phil Hansen, a good, steady DE not noted for speed, would be considered a sack specialist compared to Kelsay and Denney.

 

I dont have exact numbers, but I think we all know the % of 1st round busts. It is no guarantee that just b/c we draft a DL or OL in the first round (or 2nd), they are going to shore us up (see McCargo, Mike Williams, etc). What teams would you say have the best OL - Titans, Pats, Giants? How many of their lineman were drafted in the 1st round? One thing they all have in common is a stud C - which we obviously dont. I think that is our biggest fault this year as we have played 4 stud nose tackles in a row and Preston/Fowler obv cant handle them. Butler being out has also hurt us, as Whittle is awful. You are reaching for an argument calling us 'lucky' to have Peters - isnt that what our coaches & scouts are paid to do - find a young talent and coach him up to maximize his potential? I also think you underestimate Kyle Williams. In the scheme we run, he is solid. Our middle has not been the problem this year at all (look at our rush defense), you can put that squarly on our DE's.

 

We obviously cant rebuild all 22 of our starting positions in 1 or 2 years, but you have to admit that our front office has made strides the last 2 years to change our recent course of the TD era. Schobel being out hurts more than we think, and our FO probably overestimated the potential of Kelsay, S Johnson, and Denney. If Crowell was healthy, I think we would be in a much better position as well - Ellison is a ST or backup, period.

 

It just boggles my mind how you put 0 importance on over 1/3 of our defense. Too many expect every position to be chalk full of stars and first rounders - but that just cant happen. I think this off season we upgrade our C, DE and TE positions; which SHOULD put us in a much better position in 09 - barring any major injuries. And TE waking up from his coma.

[Dibs]

Bingo. That is what the Bills generally do, except Jauron took this loser mentality to an even higher level. He prefers guys like Whitner and McKelvin to big guys who can block or tackle.......

Continually trying to suggest that the only way to build a team is to draft big guys is futile. Did you see how many OLmen the Titans have drafted inside the first 3 rounds over the last 9 drafts? ONE. Only one 2nd rounder. They have spent a huge amount of draft equity on DBs.

 

I actually agree with you in that my person preferred method of draft strategy is to draft the big guys......but to imply that it is the only way to build a team.....or that the Bills are stupid for not following it when most NFL teams don't follow it is being rash.

[Dibs]

.....If you can figure out this mess, please let me know because I just don't get it.

I think that I have.

QB play & injuries.

[cåblelady]

He is a broken QB. He may be fixable, but right now he's broken. Until he finds his balls we're in for some rocky times.

I think it's his head.......seriously.

[The Dean]

I think it's his head.......seriously.

 

 

Man do I have a funny joke for this.

[cåblelady]

Man do I have a funny joke for this.

Nah......not YOU -b.