Buffalo Bills 2014

[SwampD]

 

Also glad to see the OL guru is coaching these guys up. Your starting line is a guy with a potential terminal illness who has practiced at full speed for a week....the worst rated guard in football last year who you signed in desperation....a quality center who probably wants to put a gun in his mouth by this point.....a 6'8", 30 something year old tackle who hasn't played guard since junior high....and a 7th round druggie who quit on his team multiple times and walked out of the combine.

 

Doesn't that describe every NFL team's starting line?

[dEnnis the Menace]

I gave up all hope after last week.

 

With a young QB you can forgive certain things, and I thought after the draft EJ seemed like a smart, in-control kid, who was polite and could be a leader. He is clueless......

 

In a span of about 12-15 snaps last week against Tampa (haven't seen the Detroit game).... EJ:

 

1) With 12 seconds left in the 1st quarter, seemingly wanted to get off another play and then sat waiting for a snap with no urgency and no alternative motive. He wasn't trying to draw an offsides, he was just duuuh.

 

2) Next play, the LOS is the freaking 20 yard line....which the markings stretch across the entire field in bold paint and double sized hash......he scrambles and has no pressure, then proceeds to throw the ball after running to the 22.

 

3) He fumbles on a sack that is returned for a touchdown. This one is the best.......he immediately starts whining to the sideline that he was down and didn't fumble. He goes on and on for at least 15 seconds and 4 different pleas for them to challenge...cringing and jumping up and down. Here's the deal supposed leader of the team....it's a scoring play....it's going to be reviewed no matter what, and if you throw the flag...your team gets a 15 yard penalty. To top it off, it wasn't even close. The ball was long gone out of his hands before he hit the ground.

 

That ALL happened in about 3 minutes of possession time.

 

 

Also glad to see the OL guru is coaching these guys up. Your starting line is a guy with a potential terminal illness who has practiced at full speed for a week....the worst rated guard in football last year who you signed in desperation....a quality center who probably wants to put a gun in his mouth by this point.....a 6'8", 30 something year old tackle who hasn't played guard since junior high....and a 7th round druggie who quit on his team multiple times and walked out of the combine.

 

Oh...and Sammy Watkins has left 3 preseason games with injuries while pretty much not being touched.

 

Go Bandits!!!

 

The only quip I have is I thought he was whining that the Tampa player was down, not that he was down. It was beyond obvious that he wasn't down. I too thought the Tampa player HAD to be touched by somebody in the pile.

[wjag]

I think the Bills are going to win week one in Chicago....everyone goes off suicide watch to Super Bowl talk.....and they finish 6-10. This is what the Bills do.

 

Nah.

 

They go 1-3 and then start to win a few. Then the road games begin to eat at their W-L record. They get a late surge when they are not mathematically eliminated. And then the unthinkable, but wholly believable happens: they play a turd game to turn out the lights. They finish with 6 wins.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Welcome back GoDD!!

 

Don't you mean Go Sabres!!??

 

:beer:

 

I really don't have the patience anymore....thanks though.

 

It's going to be a reak horserace between the Sabres and Bills to see who can get to 3 wins first. I'm guessing somewhere in mid-November for both of them.......

[Drunkard]

this is a common misconception. He scans the field when Hackett's play call for him to. Most of the plays are designed for him to go to his first or second read though (based on what I've seen from games I've been to (preseason this year and regular season last year)). Hackett plays for possession and YAC. That's why it seems like checkdowns are all we do. He wants to get skill players in open space (again based on what I've seen). It seems like half the receivers (on a lot of plays) are running routes to just open up space for the guy who is supposed to get the ball, rather than them all running routes to be available if you know what I mean.

 

Think about it this way: Does Brady or Manning win every game with 20 yard+bombs every play? No, they win the game with possession type plays (dink and dunk...see: Welker, Amendola, Edelman, etc) that open up the game for one or two bombs to be thrown.

 

lastly, it's been explained on like 3 different sites, but when it looks like a QB is staring down a receiver, typically he's actually staring down the safety or DB in a zone to read where he's going before he looks at the receiver. WGR had a really good write up about it, and a few other sites had articles too explaining a QBs process post snap pre pass. made a lot of sense.

 

Maybe I'm trying too hard here, but I'm not ready to just cast him off, especially since the stats say he's better than our previous qbs.

I hardly ever see him scan the field and it concerns me and I keep hearing (particularly on the official Bills board but here and other places as well) that it's preseason, vanilla playbook, and other excuses that I shouldn't be concerned. It reminds me of the way Republicans describe the economy when they talk about regulation. The economy and the Buffalo Bills offense are like these my mythical caged beasts that are ready to roar except they are chained down by regulation or vanilla play calling. Then the chains come off (deregulation and the regular season) and it's disaster both ways (corruption and screwing over the poor and an anemic offense that can't score points or stay on the field). When I watch other decent/good quarterbacks I see them scanning BOTH sides of the field quite a lot looking for the open man. I don't see that with Manuel. If he does look to more than one guy, it's a guy on the same side of the field and I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt on that because I can't see his eyes watching games on tv, just the helmet turning to another direction. Manning, Brees, Brady, Rivers, Roethlisberger, etc. also have the threat of hitting the deep pass if defenses try to sit on the short routes and given Manuel's inability of beat teams deep it eliminates that threat and keeps the opposing defense from having to keep it honest. I'm a Bills fan so I want Manuel to play well and prove me wrong, I just don't have any confidence in him at this point.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

The only quip I have is I thought he was whining that the Tampa player was down, not that he was down. It was beyond obvious that he wasn't down. I too thought the Tampa player HAD to be touched by somebody in the pile.

 

Maybe. Either way it would have been 15 yards on a penalty and he was whining as the sideline told him to hold his horses.

 

I think it's over. You can maybe have a guy mature out of indecisiveness......and that rarely is the case, but you certainly can't excuse cluelessness like he showed in a short span. It was really the Wizzard of Oz moment for me with EJ. I understand that many people warned of his locking on receivers and progressions....yadda yadda....and they were right.....but the one thing I clinged to was that maybe he did have a little "it" factor. Nope.

 

I'm late to the party on this one......

[dEnnis the Menace]

Maybe. Either way it would have been 15 yards on a penalty and he was whining as the sideline told him to hold his horses.

 

I think it's over. You can maybe have a guy mature out of indecisiveness......and that rarely is the case, but you certainly can't excuse cluelessness like he showed in a short span. It was really the Wizzard of Oz moment for me with EJ. I understand that many people warned of his locking on receivers and progressions....yadda yadda....and they were right.....but the one thing I clinged to was that maybe he did have a little "it" factor. Nope.

 

I'm late to the party on this one......

 

The thing that really bugs me (and I've been sticking up for him) is the endless optimism. I'd love for him to just stop and take responsibility for his actions in a game (ala Jordan Palmer last night, or Jeff Tuel etc). It's the one thing that bugs me the most.

[That Aud Smell]

With respect to Watkins, I'm not down on the kid for being nicked up -- I'm asking why Marrone is playing him in a meaningless game and thereby exposing him to, causing him to sustain, further injury. I know the proffered reasons. I think they're bad ones. Bad risk, bad decision. Dumb dumb dumb.

 

And with the team looking less and less like a playoff caliber squad, Whaley's decision to sacrifice the 2015 1st rounder so that he can get a game-breaker with bruisy ribs (ha - so I did just slag on Sammy for being injury prone) is already looking like a bad gamble, and we haven't even had a regular season game yet. Cleveland may end up with a top-5 pick from us.

 

The D is a really good unit (a potentially great one with Alonso in the mix). But if the Offense can't keep the D off the field and the O tends to tilt the field against them, then the D won't get us to 7 or more wins.

 

I also think the following are likely to occur: (1) EJ gets injured again, exposing our utter lack of a competent backup. (2) F-Jax and Kyle Williams will miss significant time -- both of those guys have put on a lot of miles (and have done so in noble fashion for terrible teams).

 

If the over-under for the team were set at 7 wins, I would take the under all day long. I'm calling for a somewhere between 4 and 6 wins.

 

All that said, if I had to wager on who wins a title first, the Bills or the Sabres -- I would take the Bills. That is only because the Super Bowl is far easier to win than the Cup. Shoot. The frickin' Giants won the SB twice by having a really stout D, a solid run game, and a streaky QB who got hot at the right time.

Edited August 29, 2014 by That Aud Smell

[LastPommerFan]

Maybe. Either way it would have been 15 yards on a penalty and he was whining as the sideline told him to hold his horses.

 

I think it's over. You can maybe have a guy mature out of indecisiveness......and that rarely is the case, but you certainly can't excuse cluelessness like he showed in a short span. It was really the Wizzard of Oz moment for me with EJ. I understand that many people warned of his locking on receivers and progressions....yadda yadda....and they were right.....but the one thing I clinged to was that maybe he did have a little "it" factor. Nope.

 

I'm late to the party on this one......

 

Did you at least bring a dish to pass?

[That Aud Smell]

The thing that really bugs me (and I've been sticking up for him) is the endless optimism. I'd love for him to just stop and take responsibility for his actions in a game (ala Jordan Palmer last night, or Jeff Tuel etc). It's the one thing that bugs me the most.

 

It is maddening. I also think that it's the product of some sports psychologist consultant's advice. I really do. He seems like a level-headed and smart guy with some decent natural leadership abilities. How does he not put stuff on himself, and instead constantly seek to deflect blame or just act as though he didn't stink up the joint? How about something like "I did some things well, but I know I missed a few throws that I should be able to hit in my sleep. There's no excuse for that. I led Sammy on that one slant, and he got hit hard. We can't have that. I need to be better. And I know I can be better. I will be better. I owe it to my teammates and coaches, and to the fans."

 

That sort of talk isn't defeatist -- it acknowledges objective reality, and pledges the ability and willingness to change it.

 

If EJ is going to stink, and not acknowledge that he stinks, this is going to be a long, long season.

[SwampD]

It is maddening. I also think that it's the product of some sports psychologist consultant's advice. I really do. He seems like a level-headed and smart guy with some decent natural leadership abilities. How does he not put stuff on himself, and instead constantly seek to deflect blame or just act as though he didn't stink up the joint? How about something like "I did some things well, but I know I missed a few throws that I should be able to hit in my sleep. There's no excuse for that. I led Sammy on that one slant, and he got hit hard. We can't have that. I need to be better. And I know I can be better. I will be better. I owe it to my teammates and coaches, and to the fans."

 

That sort of talk isn't defeatist -- it acknowledges objective reality, and pledges the ability and willingness to change it.

 

If EJ is going to stink, and not acknowledge that he stinks, this is going to be a long, long season.

Well, he did play his rookie year with Stevie "It Wasn't Me" Johnson.

[SabresBillsFan]

 

 

Sabres yes. Bills...not so much. The amount of change that will be taking place cannot happen over night. The Bills have a long way to go, and what really bites is no first round pick in 2015. Cleveland fans are as excited as a Sabres fan. Both having a shot at a possible high 1st round draft pick.

 

I agree I think Cleveland is going to have a top 5-10 pick maybe better if they look like the do in preseason. Here I'm just gonna say it I think EJ's a bust and instead of addressing a solid backup in the draft they failed to do so. Until new ownership comes in it's just another year the Bills don't make the playoffs. I'm hoping for Pegula to buy the team to start cleaning house and to hire way more scouts because they seem to miss more than they hit on these picks. To me the Bills are the farm team for the rest of the league. Their a joke!

[Iron Crotch]

Help us Obi-wan Pegula. You're our only hope.

 

I missed last night's Bills debacle in favor of sitting through Vanderbilt's worst opening day home loss in the program's not-so-illustrious history. It was a bad sports day all-around.

[That Aud Smell]

Well, he did play his rookie year with Stevie "It Wasn't Me" Johnson.

Seeing that sort of behavior, you'd think he'd have learned how not to conduct himself.

 

I'll also add this tidbit: I have the proverbial friend who works on the inside with the Bills. My man's not some upper-management white collar type. He does a good amount of heavy lifting for the team (I mean that literally). In the course of his work, he's in the locker room quite a bit. He's as nice a guy as you'd ever want to meet, and so he's become friendly with a number of players (F-Jax included). His report: The players are quietly (some not so quietly (but their lockers are fairly distant from EJ's and the offense's generally)) concerned about EJ's performances this spring and summer -- both on and off the field (but mostly on).

[Iron Crotch]

Last year's draft was one of the deepest wide receiver drafts in history. So.... we trade our first round pick next year to move up a few slots to pick a receiver? If EJ shows that he isn't the answer this season then we'd almost certainly end up with a top-10 pick in next year's draft which should have several franchise-type QB's available (Mariota, Winston, Hundley)... But, we traded the ###### pick for a receiver who doesn't have a quality QB to get him the ball. And plenty of other very good WR options were available this past draft (e.g., Jordan Matthews, Kelvin Benjamin, etc.). Not smart. Total lack of foresight IMHO. Welcome to year #15 of missing the playoffs and counting...

[That Aud Smell]

Last year's draft was one of the deepest wide receiver drafts in history. So.... we trade our first round pick next year to move up a few slots to pick a receiver? If EJ shows that he isn't the answer this season then we'd almost certainly end up with a top-10 pick in next year's draft which should have several franchise-type QB's available (Mariota, Winston, Hundley)... But, we traded the ###### pick for a receiver who doesn't have a quality QB to get him the ball. And plenty of other very good WR options were available this past draft (e.g., Jordan Matthews, Kelvin Benjamin, etc.). Not smart. Total lack of foresight IMHO. Welcome to year #15 of missing the playoffs and counting...

 

I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. The year to move up would have been next year, if we needed one of those QBs. And, yeah, Kelvin Benjamin is looking the part of a stud WR in Carolina.

[Iron Crotch]

I think most on this board will agree that the Sabres made the correct moves by loading up on first and second round picks when it was clear the team needed a change of direction. It hurts in the short run, but should pay off in the long run. That's what infuriates me about the Bills trading away high picks when they're still far away from being a contender. They should be stockpiling young players, not gambling the franchise's future on one or two (EJ and Watkins).

[TrueBlueGED]

Last year's draft was one of the deepest wide receiver drafts in history. So.... we trade our first round pick next year to move up a few slots to pick a receiver? If EJ shows that he isn't the answer this season then we'd almost certainly end up with a top-10 pick in next year's draft which should have several franchise-type QB's available (Mariota, Winston, Hundley)... But, we traded the ###### pick for a receiver who doesn't have a quality QB to get him the ball. And plenty of other very good WR options were available this past draft (e.g., Jordan Matthews, Kelvin Benjamin, etc.). Not smart. Total lack of foresight IMHO. Welcome to year #15 of missing the playoffs and counting...

 

In fairness, it's not like keeping our 1st round picks has gotten us in the playoffs either. It may blow up in spectacular fashion if we miss out on Mariota or Winston, but the track record suggests the pick isn't going to be high enough for them anyway.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. The year to move up would have been next year, if we needed one of those QBs. And, yeah, Kelvin Benjamin is looking the part of a stud WR in Carolina.

 

Kelvin Benjamin also has a stud QB throwing him the ball. Zero chance he'd look even half as good in Buffalo.

 

Maybe. Either way it would have been 15 yards on a penalty and he was whining as the sideline told him to hold his horses.

 

I think it's over. You can maybe have a guy mature out of indecisiveness......and that rarely is the case, but you certainly can't excuse cluelessness like he showed in a short span. It was really the Wizzard of Oz moment for me with EJ. I understand that many people warned of his locking on receivers and progressions....yadda yadda....and they were right.....but the one thing I clinged to was that maybe he did have a little "it" factor. Nope.

 

I'm late to the party on this one......

 

http://grantland.com/features/it-factor-nfl-quarterback-intangibles/

 

Everybody has "it" :)

[SwampD]

The best part about us trading away our 1st round pick next year is that I don't have to feel guilty about wanting them to win a meaningless game in December.

 

This year's Sabres games are going to be brutal

[That Aud Smell]

In fairness, it's not like keeping our 1st round picks has gotten us in the playoffs either. It may blow up in spectacular fashion if we miss out on Mariota or Winston, but the track record suggests the pick isn't going to be high enough for them anyway.

 

Fair enough. Which is why I made the point about next year being the year they should've been prepared to mortgage future picks for the right move up. I don't think it's worth it to move up to take a WR. Reserve that move for the QB.

 

Kelvin Benjamin also has a stud QB throwing him the ball. Zero chance he'd look even half as good in Buffalo.

 

Derek Anderson is no stud.

 

[Hoss]

I like that the conversation finally shifted once a respected poster pointed out his issues on Manuel. GoDD was right on.

[TrueBlueGED]

Fair enough. Which is why I made the point about next year being the year they should've been prepared to mortgage future picks for the right move up. I don't think it's worth it to move up to take a WR. Reserve that move for the QB.

 

 

 

Derek Anderson is no stud.

 

 

I agree with your first point conceptually. I just think any team bad enough to be in position to draft either of them will need a QB, and I have a really hard time believing any team in that situation trades away from either of those players.

 

To your second point...I know, I know! But the Bills fan in me has to try to find straws to grasp at and cling to. It's all I have!

 

 

[SwampD]

I like that the conversation finally shifted once a respected poster pointed out his issues on Manuel. GoDD was right on.

GoDD is a respected poster?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:D

[That Aud Smell]

I agree with your first point conceptually. I just think any team bad enough to be in position to draft either of them will need a QB, and I have a really hard time believing any team in that situation trades away from either of those players.

 

Fair.

 

To your second point...I know, I know! But the Bills fan in me has to try to find straws to grasp at and cling to. It's all I have!

 

:bag:

[LGR4GM]

As for the 2015 draft, maybe Hogan out of Stanford will take another step in the right direction and we can somehow snag him in the 2nd.