A Few Thoughts About The Game

[Spiderweb]

If he doesn't get a new contract, he almost certainly will hold out, IMO.

 

If he gets a new, respectable (but not top LT money) contract, I guarantee he won't hold out.

 

He is worth more than he currently makes, and less than he thinks he deserves. There is a deal to be struck, I think.

 

That may be more wishful thinking than reality though. I believe Peters and his agent will be after top $$$ period.

[The Dean]

You can't generalize offensive lines and LOT's into one group.

 

There are some LOT's who were drafted in the 2nd round and below. Elite LOT's generally go in the first round, given the skill set and physical requirements to play the position.

 

It's why Andre Smith, Eugene Monroe, Michael Oher, and Jason Smith will all go in the first round this year. LOT's go in the top 5 yearly.

 

 

I understand that many LTs are drafted in the first round. But, as I pointed out, great offensive lines often have LTs that were NOT drafted in the first round.

[The Dean]

That may be more wishful thinking than reality though. I believe Peters and his agent will be after top $$$ period.

 

 

Well, as Peters is under contract for another year, he and his agent may have to make a decision between holding out, again...or taking a reasonable offer from Buffalo. A contract that delivers a realistic LT salary now and offers the possibility for Peters to earn top LT money, in future years might be just the thing. I know Jason isn't too bright, but do you think he (and his family) will let his agent screw him up for another year?

 

I'm not saying that won't happen, but for many to simply assume that it will is off base, I think. The Bills would be stupid to not attempt to work something livable out with him, quickly in the offseason. The only other option is to trade him...and that is a poor option, IMO. But it is better than not re-doing his contract and hoping he shows up.

 

Unlike the typical moron poster (not talking about you, Spidey) I prefer to think and discuss realistic options, and not just blast players and assume the worst.

[Dan]

Well, as Peters is under contract for another year, he and his agent may have to make a decision between holding out, again...or taking a reasonable offer from Buffalo. A contract that delivers a realistic LT salary now and offers the possibility for Peters to earn top LT money, in future years might be just the thing. I know Jason isn't too bright, but do you think he (and his family) will let his agent screw him up for another year?

 

I'm not saying that won't happen, but for many to simply assume that it will is off base, I think. The Bills would be stupid to not attempt to work something livable out with him, quickly in the offseason. The only other option is to trade him...and that is a poor option, IMO. But it is better than not re-doing his contract and hoping he shows up.

 

Unlike the typical moron poster (not talking about you, Spidey) I prefer to think and discuss realistic options, and not just blast players and assume the worst.

2 more years, I believe.

 

Brings up an interesting point. I say sign the guy and be done with it. But, is there a price that would be too high? Should Peters get top 5 money? top 10? More importantly, perhaps, what does he think he deserves?

[The Dean]

2 more years, I believe.

 

Brings up an interesting point. I say sign the guy and be done with it. But, is there a price that would be too high? Should Peters get top 5 money? top 10? More importantly, perhaps, what does he think he deserves?

 

 

I would give him slightly more than the average starting NFL LT. Maybe top 15 or top 12 or something. But, honestly I don't care how much they decide to pay him...it ain't my money and the Bills are well under the cap. I don't think top LT money is in order, at this time. A raise certainly is, though.

 

EDIT: And, yes, I think it is two more years. My bad.

[Dan]

I would give him slightly more than the average starting NFL LT. Maybe top 15 or top 12 or something. But, honestly I don't care how much they decide to pay him...it ain't my money and the Bills are well under the cap. I don't think top LT money is in order, at this time. A raise certainly is, though.

 

EDIT: And, yes, I think it is two more years. My bad.

I'd suspect that if they offer him top 15 money, he sits out again. Maybe they can settle on top 10.

[The Dean]

I'd suspect that if they offer him top 15 money, he sits out again. Maybe they can settle on top 10.

 

 

Works for me. Then you have an incentive package (linked to making weight, workouts, OTAs-if that's legal, performance, sacks, penalties...etc) that would lead to escalations up top 5 money, in future years. If he works hard, and earns it, great. If not, then you aren't overpaying and he still might be tradeable.

[Dan]

Works for me. Then you have an incentive package (linked to making weight, workouts, OTAs-if that's legal, performance, sacks, penalties...etc) that would lead to escalations up top 5 money, in future years. If he works hard, and earns it, great. If not, then you aren't overpaying and he still might be tradeable.

I can totally live with that. I definitely like the incentive package. One of my concerns with a me first player (and he seems to have those tendencies) is that once they get their bug contracts, they suddenly become quite average. Of course, another route is the overall big contract that's heavily back loaded. Players don't seem to like that, and neither do I. But, it seems like an option a lot of teams use.

[Bufcomments]

Whitner is NOT GOOD..His instincts are very poor, and he is certainly not a game changer. He plays like a sixth or seventh round pick. Can he cover anyone big or small? The Bills would do well to find some new safeties because none on their roster can cover anyone. Scott is good in run support and that is where it ends. The team played with tremendous heart today. When TE is on, we will always have a chance. But we are still lacking at several key positions for us to be a contender. But a win on the road against a good team is tremendous. When was the last one we had? Does anyone even remember?

 

agreed......

 

Whitner does not have ball skills to be a free saftey. He does not cover TEs well. So what the hell did we pick him that high for???

 

Leadership off the field?????

 

I want to see more production on it...glad he made the forced fumble today and hes playing hurt but when he was 100 percent all he was was a good tackler.

[YOOOOOO]

If you want to know why no one was around it's part of the FS's job to pick the side of the field you think the ball is going to. I watch him closely every game and he isn't a FS or a SS that changes games.

 

 

You really have no clue....

[Kelso_Helmet]

I always enjoy your comments Bill, but i gotta say that WORRYING ABOUT DRAFT ORDER IS FOR LOSERS!

 

if you have good people scouting and picking you will have good drafts. period. you don't need to demoralize the players or fans any further to draft well.

 

Amen, man. Draft picks are a crap shoot. You build a team by winning games - a solid game next week to beat the Pats would go further towards improving this team than sliding up a few draft spots. And even if they suck ass, there's no guarantee that it will result in skeletor getting the pink slip.

 

There'll still be players available who can contribute wherever we draft. Next week is the Bills' Superbowl and will allow them to exit the season feeling as if they're the young team that the started 5-1 and showed promise, or the team that went 0 for the AFC East - essentially like the joke team that that everyone's alma mater wants to schedule for homecoming weekend....

 

hopefully the game is approached with real intensity and focus.

[The Dean]

Amen, man. Draft picks are a crap shoot. You build a team by winning games - a solid game next week to beat the Pats would go further towards improving this team than sliding up a few draft spots. And even if they suck ass, there's no guarantee that it will result in skeletor getting the pink slip.

 

There'll still be players available who can contribute wherever we draft. Next week is the Bills' Superbowl and will allow them to exit the season feeling as if they're the young team that the started 5-1 and showed promise, or the team that went 0 for the AFC East - essentially like the joke team that that everyone's alma mater wants to schedule for homecoming weekend....

 

hopefully the game is approached with real intensity and focus.

 

Beating the Pats* when it is a MUST win for them, it will do wonders for Bills when they meet the Pats* again, next year, IMO.

[BillsVet]

Amen, man. Draft picks are a crap shoot. You build a team by winning games - a solid game next week to beat the Pats would go further towards improving this team than sliding up a few draft spots.

 

This is patently false. Is it any wonder the Colts haven't whiffed on a first round pick since Polian has been there? How about San Diego, the Patsies, or the Giants. Those teams draft well and not surprisingly are in playoff contention every year.

 

The draft may not be an exact science, but resigning oneself to it being totally random is a cop out to explain the failures of this franchise.

 

I agree winning is the great morale boost, but doing it when the team isn't mathmatically eliminated from the post-season is something this team didn't do, going 2-7 down the stretch.

 

If this team ever aspires to be a SB contender, they could emulate those aforementioned franchises and find people who know how to find talent. Becuase their current setup is woefully short on accountability.

[bflobarry]

On Cutler's second TD, Pozlousny wasn't in position to prevent the TD but he was in good position to put a hurt on him. He only put his hands on his back on route to the TD. I'm not saying hurt the guy intentionally but at least do something so the next time, he thinks twice on scoring on a QB sweep.

On defense you have to put fear on the opposing players, specially QBs.

I saw the same thing: Poz had the chance to hammer Cutler at the goal line, and didn't even hit him! He went over the top of him on purpose! Now, he would NOT have prevented the TD. BUT, he would have given their QB a real, legal shot. He passed it up. I was shocked, and bummed.

[Kelso_Helmet]

This is patently false. Is it any wonder the Colts haven't whiffed on a first round pick since Polian has been there? How about San Diego, the Patsies, or the Giants. Those teams draft well and not surprisingly are in playoff contention every year.

 

The draft may not be an exact science, but resigning oneself to it being totally random is a cop out to explain the failures of this franchise.

 

I agree winning is the great morale boost, but doing it when the team isn't mathmatically eliminated from the post-season is something this team didn't do, going 2-7 down the stretch.

 

If this team ever aspires to be a SB contender, they could emulate those aforementioned franchises and find people who know how to find talent. Becuase their current setup is woefully short on accountability.

 

i basically agree and perhaps did not put enough emphasis on your point. When I said "There'll still be players available who can contribute wherever we draft" I should have clarified that if we have an organization that knows how to evaluate talent, then yes...it minimizes the unpredictability of the draft.

 

I dunno if every single one of the 1st rounders for those teams you mentioned has panned out, but i don't think being in a position to get a "can't miss" 1st rounder is a greater imperative for the Bills right now than finding ways for the players they have and will likely be here next year to beat the Patriots. I don't see it as morale boost exclusively- the muscle memory associated with winning is a key part of player development...even winning games post-mathematical elimination. But yes, knowing how to evaluate all the talent on the board on draft day is important as well.

[Adam]

With our pourous defensive line, do you really want the safeties up? On a better team, I think Whitner looks a lot better

 

You are misquoting Cutler- he said he has a better arm than Elway, not that he is a better QB

[The Dean]

With our pourous defensive line, do you really want the safeties up? On a better team, I think Whitner looks a lot better

 

You are misquoting Cutler- he said he has a better arm than Elway, not that he is a better QB

 

 

Correct on both points.

 

I'm never been a big Cutler guy...although I think he has a chance to be really good, right now his hype far outweighs his production. But, his statement has been mis-quoted/mis-interpreted by almost every reporter and NFL analyst.

 

As you note, he never said he was better than Elway.

 

IMO, what he said was stupid, for sure. But what he said isn't as stupid, or offensive, as what they SAY he said. He's getting a little bit of a bad (but not wholly undeserved) rap, for that one.

[bananathumb]

My only issue is with #1. Whitner was a goat out there for most of the game. The play where he caused the fumble was not because of his efforts, but because Scott held the player he drilled. It is his fault for the way he plays. He never plays the ball but the player.

 

He took some bad angles again and I hope we find his replacement in the off-season.

 

 

Gotta agree.

[JDG]

The Bills run a pretty simple defensive system

 

First Down: Give up a couple yards

Second Down: Give up a couple more

Third Down: Give up the first

Rinse and repeat

 

Its not the defensive system - its the utter lack of a pass rush outside of sending a monster blitz. The Bills' defense is quite sound, and there is a lot to be said about designing a defensive system around trying to prevent big plays that break your back - and instead bide your time and try and get the opposing offense into situations that favor your defense.

 

JDG

[JDG]

I agree the Bills should attempt to keep Peters, and LT is a fine place for him. If they decided to move him to RT, though, why would they need a 1 st round LT to replace him? A look at a few of the league's better offensive lines, shows that isn't the way it has to work.

 

For example, I'm getting the sense that the Bills think that Demetrius Bell might be ready to play as soon as next season - the went through the extraordinary step of saving a 53-man roster spot for him all season because they were so afraid of losing him if he hit the practice squad...

 

JDG