Who is the weakest link in the Bills chain?

[Astrobot]

Ellison was #3 in total tackles last season (Poz was 1st, Mitchell 2nd)

He was 2nd in assists.

Source

I don't think he's the weak link on the team.

 

I think the weak link was lack of offensive talent, and TO, Schouman, Fine, Jackson-Rhodes, and Stevie Johnson are giong to take us to the playoffs.

[jethro_tull]

Neither Chris brother (Kelsay or Ellis) were able to stop the run last year.

 

As for backup weak links, if Mr. Hamdan ever gets into a game there will be one huge smile on the face of the opposing head coach.

[zazie]

Chris Kelsay sucks. Chris Kelsay sucks.

 

Worst not just on the bills. Worst in the league.

[Blaise321]

There are many to choose from, and numerous severely unknowns unaccounted for.

 

If I had to pick one weak link, I guess I would pick Trent Edwards. He has been spectacularly inconsistent, and will be playing behind a problematic O-line. He gets to have his nose rubbed into it on opening day. Add Turkey Schonert and Alex van Punt to the equation, and...

 

I too think Trent Edwards. If he steps it up this year and can play consistant week in and week out , then the sky is the limit. If not ....well 7-9 would be a generous guess for the outcome.

[evilbuffalobob]

The fact that we're (presumably) using a Fullback instead of having two (of our three talanted) half-backs lining-up in the backfield simultaneously/in tandem/at the same time/whatever.

 

Game Day coaching (under this regime) has a way of sucking.

 

Game Day enthusiasm takes the personality of the Head Coach. Reminds me of a used rubber.

[Dan]

Neither Chris brother (Kelsay or Ellis) were able to stop the run last year.

 

As for backup weak links, if Mr. Hamdan ever gets into a game there will be one huge smile on the face of the opposing head coach.

Yes, I agree. All that gaze upon the Chroise in action will smile in amazement at the wonder of records falling with each pass.

[Billistic]

The fact that we're (presumably) using a Fullback instead of having two (of our three talanted) half-backs lining-up in the backfield simultaneously/in tandem/at the same time/whatever.

 

Game Day coaching (under this regime) has a way of sucking.

 

Game Day enthusiasm takes the personality of the Head Coach. Reminds me of a used rubber.

 

Very apt. Having Corey Mc in for a play is like providing the defense with another linebacker. He just gets stuffed in the non-existent hole.

[thewildrabbit]

Tight End or Fullback position,both stink

[Stussy109]

Dicky J

 

But it's hard to win in the nfl.

[Wilson from Gamehendge]

First, ML isn't "relatively new to the league"--he's entering his 3rd season. He's at least halfway towards the end of his productive years--especially as a RB.

 

LOL!

 

so, sticking to your philosophy that running backs start to decline after their 2nd year, the vikings should trade adrian peterson as soon as possible, right? afterall, he is entering his 3rd season...and that can only mean one thing, right?

 

a running back doesn't even hit his prime until his 3rd season, or after. lynch will be better 2-3 years from now, than he is today. put him behind a top-notch offensive line as the featured offensive player, he would rack up 1,600 yards. easy.

 

 

besides the offensive line...i am going to go out on a limb here and say our secondary is our weakest link. we do not have a single STUD, All-Pro player back there roaming the defense, that can make game-changing plays. most playoff teams last year had not just one, but 2 studs in the defensive backfield...if not more.

 

( * means the player is no longer on that team)

 

Titans: Chris Hope, Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin

Steelers: Troy Polamalu (Bryant McFadden*/Ike Taylor)

Dolphins: Yeremiah Bell and Will Allen (Jason Allen)

Chargers: Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer (Eric Weddle/Antoine Cason)

Colts: Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea (Marlin Jackson)

Ravens: Ed Reed and Samari Rolle (Chris McCallister*/Jim Leonhard*/Dawan Landry)

 

Giants: Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross (Michael Johnson/Kevin Dockery/Corey Webster)

Panthers: Chris Gamble and Chris Harris (Ken Lucas*/Charles Godfrey)

Vikings: Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin (Tyrell Johnson/Madieu Williams)

Cardinals: Adrian Wilson and Antrell Rolle (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie)

Falcons: Chevis Jackson and Erik Coleman (Lawyer Milloy*/Chris Houston)

Eagles: Brian Dawkins*, Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard* and Sheldon Brown (Joselio Hanson/Quinton Mikell)

 

*I REALLY like our secondary lineup of: McGee, McKelvin, Corner, Youboty, Lankster, Florence, Whitner, Scott, Simpson and Byrd...I just do not see it adding up to some of these mentioned above. I pray to stand corrected this season...as we see what top-notch secondaries get ya in this league.

[billybob]

the most concerning area for me is OT , I really don't like what they are doing there but on the flip side if they are adequate then I feel that the Bills will be competitive for a playoff spot.

 

the front 7 as a whole, while I could point at Kelsay or Ellison the whole unit lacks a desirable size/athleticism ratio. Of course if say Maybin is a superstar and Bowen or Harris prove to be a substantial upgrade over Ellison then we are having a different conversation.

[Bill from NYC]

Weakest link? There are many weak links, but you want the weakest one... clearly, overwhelmingly, and undisputable it is Dick Jauron. He is a big LOSER. Bills have no chance with him as HC. This guy does not deserve to be even a defensive or special teams coordinator... he is an average position coach at the NFL level.

 

Truer words were never spoken. As for players:

 

1) Every DT other than Stroud:

Kyle Williams is an average situational player.

 

2) Langston Walker:

Chambers might actually be a better LT. We shall see.

 

3) Tight End:

Not sure if any of them even belong in the NFL; I hope the rookie can play.

 

4) Keith Elison:

Too small and gets run over on a regular basis.

[Mr. WEO]

LOL!

 

so, sticking to your philosophy that running backs start to decline after their 2nd year, the vikings should trade adrian peterson as soon as possible, right? afterall, he is entering his 3rd season...and that can only mean one thing, right?

 

a running back doesn't even hit his prime until his 3rd season, or after. lynch will be better 2-3 years from now, than he is today. put him behind a top-notch offensive line as the featured offensive player, he would rack up 1,600 yards. easy.

 

 

besides the offensive line...i am going to go out on a limb here and say our secondary is our weakest link. we do not have a single STUD, All-Pro player back there roaming the defense, that can make game-changing plays. most playoff teams last year had not just one, but 2 studs in the defensive backfield...if not more.

 

( * means the player is no longer on that team)

 

Titans: Chris Hope, Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin

Steelers: Troy Polamalu (Bryant McFadden*/Ike Taylor)

Dolphins: Yeremiah Bell and Will Allen (Jason Allen)

Chargers: Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer (Eric Weddle/Antoine Cason)

Colts: Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea (Marlin Jackson)

Ravens: Ed Reed and Samari Rolle (Chris McCallister*/Jim Leonhard*/Dawan Landry)

 

Giants: Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross (Michael Johnson/Kevin Dockery/Corey Webster)

Panthers: Chris Gamble and Chris Harris (Ken Lucas*/Charles Godfrey)

Vikings: Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin (Tyrell Johnson/Madieu Williams)

Cardinals: Adrian Wilson and Antrell Rolle (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie)

Falcons: Chevis Jackson and Erik Coleman (Lawyer Milloy*/Chris Houston)

Eagles: Brian Dawkins*, Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard* and Sheldon Brown (Joselio Hanson/Quinton Mikell)

 

*I REALLY like our secondary lineup of: McGee, McKelvin, Corner, Youboty, Lankster, Florence, Whitner, Scott, Simpson and Byrd...I just do not see it adding up to some of these mentioned above. I pray to stand corrected this season...as we see what top-notch secondaries get ya in this league.

Actually, that's not my "philosophy". WTF??

 

Anyway, if you look closer, you will see that I didn't say that the RBs decline after their second year. I simply said he, as an RB, is at least halfway through his productive years. The RB average career is less than 5 years. Most are not productive at a high level throughout their careers. This shouldn't be news to anyone.

 

There are a relatively very few RBs over the last 4 decades who have extended their productive lives in the NFL. But less than 30 of them have run for over 1600 yards in a season---in over 40 years. Maybe ML will be one of them before he turns into Macgahee---or Travis Henry.

[Ramius]

Easy. dick jauron.

[DazedandConfused]

I think most responses seem to try to answer the question who is the Bills weakest starter. While this is a worthwhile consideration for any fan, I think a real answer to the question of what position is a weak link which makes a somewhat likely difference in whether we post a lot of Ws this season, the question is more one of whether we have a credible plan B for a particular position.

 

We either are gonna count on the starter not getting injured (a possibility but no gaurantee in this league, or we hve a credible plan B if the starter goes down, gets nicked, or simply is not diverse enough in what we can do that his being on the field basically telegraphs what play is going to be called.

 

My sense unit by unit is:

 

DL- Good potential to be a relatively strong link now with the addition of passrushing mutant Maybin. For the first time in quite a while we can credibly run our DL as a rotation with two or more candidates able to play competently at each position. Even though a player like Kelsay is overpaid for his level of production as an individual player, folks overstate the fact that because he definitely sucks for what we pay him this does not mean he can play a a valuable role in a rotation having only to play a couple of downs per series rather than pace himself to last a full game and play at least 3 downs in a series. A lot of responsibility goes to the coaches here as they will need to do good assessment to decide whether we should just cut bait on McCargo and utilize Denney more as a DT or we can somehow revive (or is it simply vive McCargo's play to make him a credible reserve for Stroud/Johnson/Williams. At any rate, I think we likely will have to cut a least one former NFL player/starter in this unit (likely McCargo IMHO, Copeland Bryan and maybe even recent draftee Ellis to get down to 8 players. This unit should be good enough and if mutant Maybin proves to be a monster this unit could quite easily become an extremely good link.

 

LB- I unfortunately see weakness here. If everyone is healthy and everyone plays up to their demonstrated capabilities this unit will be adequate. However, particularly in the NFL real life is what happens while you are making plans and I doubt everything will go as planned with the LBs.

 

I like Ellison. He has done a lot to become an adequate NFL starter when players of far better resumes and better athletic talent do well to merely be camp fodder and punch their ticket to get big bucks and all the girls they can eat in Europe. That being said this team needs better than adequate from their OLBs. Mitchell does add a lot more to this still way young team since at least he has been there before, but this team not only suffers from a lack of depth at what use to be a solid position but could pretty desperately use another solid starter. This is one fan who hopes that Maybin actually finds his muse at OLB as I think we are gonna have to cut a former starter in our DL rotation so there is room for Maybin to make OLB his own.

 

DB- I know folks kvetch a bit about the Bills drafting so many CBs, but I see the logic of this: 1. Few are complaining about the McKelvin pick as he is now #2 on the depth charts but his big contribution to the team is as a return guy, the picking this year was of clear BPA at the time Byrd and late picks who are essentially depth picks anybody we take. 3. These depth picks are most likely to contribute this year (if at all) on ST and April has earned our respect for ST picks. 4. As far as position play goes, the rotation we are going to employ on DL actually raises the import of having cover guys so adding to DB depth after devoting our first pick to the DL make sense.

 

Overall, the players simply need to step up. Pure and simple. Perform and get more INTs (quite possible as some of our DVs were proven heist masters at other levels and they have demonstrated broken field running ability if our darn pass rush would force opposing QBs into more mistakes) and force more fumbles and we win. Simply defense passes without getting turnovers and like last year this team merely improves from horrible to mediocre.

 

Just make some plays.

 

Offense and ST to follow later.