Rico Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Chris (Canada): Hey Mort, How about some props to Donahoe for that McGahee pick? and, do you think the Bills are finally starting to gel enough to beat the Pats? Chris Mortensen: (11:03 AM ET ) Yeah, it's amazing how Bills GM Tom Donohoe caught so much flak for using an extra first round pick he got from the Falcons (for Peerless Price) and converted into Willis McGahee. Yes, there was some risk. But the reward was great. McGahee is still only at 90 percent but he is a load - 6-foot, 238 pounds (actual weight). The Bills are almost there - I don't think enough to beat the Patriots on the road, though.
Rico Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 Dan (Minneapolis): Mort, Everybody is all up in arms over McGahee and I just don't get it. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a heck of a back. But both he and Travis Henry can't even average 4 ypc. You are looking at a difference of 3.4 ypc to 3.7 ypc. Being Henry was playing hurt, the only real difference I see between the two is the spark McGahee gives them. Chris Mortensen: (11:08 AM ET ) You have to watch McGahee to understand why he's a difference maker. He is making three yards when there is nothing there. When he gets his explosiveness back, that average will go up. Henry is a really good back, too, yes, but McGahee might be special.
Rico Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 Troy (Buffalo): Can Drew Bledsoe be a backup? Losman is the future of the Bills and I am wondering what happens to Drew after this season...Could Drew be possible trade bait? Or do you think he accepts a backup role? Chris Mortensen: (11:34 AM ET ) I think Bledsoe might surprise people - if the bills get this running game going, then Bledsoe is still a pretty good QB, especially as young Lee Evans learns how to play in this league. But I do think Drew will accept a backup role when the time is right. That may be in 2005 - or perhaps in 2006.
Rico Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 AJ (Denver): Mort, could there be any truth to the NFL Network's rumor that Shanahan might go to Miami? Chris Mortensen: (11:28 AM ET ) I have not heard that rumor. I can't fathom that happening. Now if it was Adam Schefter who reported it, I would have to give it some credence because he is a former longtime Broncos' beat man and he has great contacts there, especially with Shanahan. But it makes no sense, nor would I think that Pat Bowlen allow it. Plus, the Dolphins job is going to be a lot of work for someone - the offense has to be rebuilt and they have some real salary cap problems. AJ (Denver): No, it was Schefter last night on the NFL Network and it was Miami. They are all over it locally today. Like Mort the only reason I even thought twice about it is Schefter -- he predicted the Portis and Bailey deal. Chris Mortensen: (11:35 AM ET ) There you go. I still doubt it will happen, but Schefter's reporting it makes it credible.
Buftex Posted November 11, 2004 Posted November 11, 2004 Troy (Buffalo): Can Drew Bledsoe be a backup? Losman is the future of the Bills and I am wondering what happens to Drew after this season...Could Drew be possible trade bait? Or do you think he accepts a backup role? Chris Mortensen: (11:34 AM ET ) I think Bledsoe might surprise people - if the bills get this running game going, then Bledsoe is still a pretty good QB, especially as young Lee Evans learns how to play in this league. But I do think Drew will accept a backup role when the time is right. That may be in 2005 - or perhaps in 2006. 111319[/snapback] I stick with my prediction. Drew will be a Bill next year, or out of the NFL. Look at all the QB scenarios out there, and there is really no team, right now anyway, that would offer Drew a guaranteed starting spot. Some have suggested he might re-unite with Parcells in Dallas, but I would seriously doubt it. Assuming Vinny retires (not a sure bet) the Cowboys will have to give Drew Henson a shot, sooner than later. Would he move again, to Dallas, to be a back-up somewhere else? I doubt it. Remember, TD said this past off-season that he had feared that Bledsoe might decide to retire this past off-season. I know that there are a number of scenarios that could open up more jobs (injuries, etc.), but virtually every team in the NFL has an established vetran, or a higly touted prospect. Wherever else he might go, he would likely be backing someone up. I think he takes a reduced salary, stays as an incumbent starter, in an open competition (we all know that is code for "Losman will start"), or retire. I really think Drew likes Buffalo, and assuming the hounds at the Ralph will make it possible, he would stay as a back-up. Then, halfway into the season, if JP is struggling, the same people who were trying to run Drew out of town will be asking "at what point do you take Losman out, and let Bledsoe play?" I can hear it now.....
ICE Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 If Bledsoe is still our QB we will NEVER win a Superbowl. If he starts next season chalk up 2007 before we can start winning. 2005 bledsoe holding us back again. 2006. Losman trys to develop 2007 Losman ready to play. OR.... Losman starts the last 4 games of 2004. By the end of 2005 losman is up to speed and we can make a playoff run. 2006...Superbowl?
Paco Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 Chris Mortensen: (11:08 AM ET ) You have to watch McGahee to understand why he's a difference maker. He is making three yards when there is nothing there. 111297[/snapback] Thanks for posting those, Rico. More than anything else, I think Mort makes a good point about McGahee. At least as I've watched him, he always seems to make something out of nothing. More often than not, just when I think he's down, he's not. He may only average 3.something a carry, but he seems to get three on FIRST DOWN pretty consistently. Given what we've been through, I'm pretty pleased to be seeing a decrease in the numbers of 1st and 15s and increase in the number of 2nd and 6s. There's good stuff happening. Not just McGahee. The line is better. Bledsoe is better. Defense is better. Special Teams is better. We just seem to keep getting better, and as much as I hate to say it, I'm more interested this weekend in seeing us play a good, solid game...see us build on what improvements we've seen... than I am in seeing us win. Just show me that this 'getting better' thing falls easily under the belief that "once is an accident, twice is coincidence and three times is a trend." And let's face it, we were much, much worse when we first hooked up with them, and almost pulled it off, until we became much, much worse again. If we can keep mistakes to a bare minimum, and keep doing what we've been doing, we can win this game.
Buftex Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 If Bledsoe is still our QB we will NEVER win a Superbowl. If he starts next season chalk up 2007 before we can start winning. 2005 bledsoe holding us back again. 2006. Losman trys to develop 2007 Losman ready to play. OR.... Losman starts the last 4 games of 2004. By the end of 2005 losman is up to speed and we can make a playoff run. 2006...Superbowl? 113840[/snapback] Geez Ice, let your blind hatred for Bledsoe go! I, and Mort are both saying Bledsoe will likely stay in Buffalo, as a back-up to Losman...besides, what if Losman stinks?
Guest Guest Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 And let's face it, we were much, much worse when we first hooked up with them, and almost pulled it off, until we became much, much worse again. If we can keep mistakes to a bare minimum, and keep doing what we've been doing, we can win this game. 113861[/snapback] And if we can win this game Paco... we can win just about any game. In regard to McGahee... we scored an avg. of 11.4 PPG in the 5 games Henry has started. The 3 games McGahee has started we've scored an average of 26.7 PPG. If we continue to score 20+ points a game with our D and ST, we have a solid chance to run the table... but one game at a time, Sunday is a big test.
eball Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 with mcgahee, it's all about the potential for the "big run." when a defense knows you're running the ball, they can flood the lanes and you'll get your share of no gain or negative plays. but the difference w/ mcgahee is the number of 10+ yard plays. between he and henry in that category, there's no comparison.
jester43 Posted November 12, 2004 Posted November 12, 2004 but for every 10 yarder he breaks, he gets buried at the line, or in the backfield once or twice. that's why his average sucks. this, of course, is not an indictment of mcgahee, but of our pathetic o-line. will donohoe EVER wake up and improve the line??? i don't see that exchanging one mediocre guard for another (reuben for villarrial) really made much of an impact...the impact has been all mcgahee.
Fla Bills Fan Posted November 13, 2004 Posted November 13, 2004 but for every 10 yarder he breaks, he gets buried at the line, or in the backfield once or twice. that's why his average sucks. this, of course, is not an indictment of mcgahee, but of our pathetic o-line. will donohoe EVER wake up and improve the line??? i don't see that exchanging one mediocre guard for another (reuben for villarrial) really made much of an impact...the impact has been all mcgahee. 114019[/snapback] I think that will happen this off season
MadBuffaloDisease Posted November 13, 2004 Posted November 13, 2004 As I said in another thread, the reason McGahee's average is sub-4.0 is because the Bills have been pounding him late in games when they've had the lead and teams KNOW the Bills are going to just run the ball. Take a look at his average prior to having a 7+ point lead and it's well over 4.0 YPC. And yes a lot of zero or negative runs have come straight up the middle. That only points out that the biggest impact McGahee has made is that teams can't load up the middle anymore with the expectation of being able to shutdown the run (with Henry, who can't get to the outside) or to get to Bledsoe if it's a pass. What the Bills need to do is give the Pats a healthy dose of McGahee to the outside, to prevent them from loading the LOS and to tire them out from pursuing him.
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