This homer/realist thing has gotten out of control, so I'm just going to state this as clearly as I possibly can.
The Buffalo Bills are coming off a 5-11 season and clearly had a plethora of issues that needed to be addressed in the off-season. Instead of going after/re-signing big-names, they are apparently trying to build for the future with youth, depth, and by taking some chances on cheap players trying to resurrect their careers (Gibson and Price).
The 2006 season depends on the following things happening:
-Jauron and the new coordinators being the right people for the job
-The players on both sides of the ball learning the new systems and executing well within them
-JP finally getting it and improving over the course of the season
-McGahee staying healthy and having the right attitude to play at the level we all know he's capable of
-the changes on the OL being not better than last year but actually good enough to give JP and Willis a chance
-Lee Evans stepping up as a true #1 and guys like Parrish, Davis, Price and/or Reed finding ways to contribute at WR
-The TE position being part of the offense, which has been lacking basically since McKellar left
-The DL being improved over last year with Tripplett and McCargo
-TKO rebounding from his injury
-Nate Clements rebounding from a bad season
-Whitner contributing as a rookie
-the new system developing a pash rush with the front 4
-ST maintaining the high level of play they've had over the last 2 years.
Some of these things will happen, and some of them won't. Some of them are a hell of a lot more likely than others.
The only real difference between the homers and the realists is that the homers believe enough of these things will happen in 2006 for the Bills to make a run at the playoffs, and the realists don't.
Personally, I'm sure some of these things will happen, but I don't think it will be enough to salvage the season. I just think there are too many question marks going in. I want to see the Bills win the Super Bowl, but since I don't think that's realistic, my more realistic expectation is this: I want to see the the Bills look a hell of a lot better by the end of the season, meaning I want JP to be putting up slightly above average QB numbers, Whitner and McCargo to be starting, and some of these lesser names/lower draft picks contributing. And I want to see the team play their hearts out for the entire season rather than quitting like they did last year.
The Buffalo Bills are coming off a 5-11 season and clearly had a plethora of issues that needed to be addressed in the off-season. Instead of going after/re-signing big-names, they are apparently trying to build for the future with youth, depth, and by taking some chances on cheap players trying to resurrect their careers (Gibson and Price).
The 2006 season depends on the following things happening:
-Jauron and the new coordinators being the right people for the job
-The players on both sides of the ball learning the new systems and executing well within them
-JP finally getting it and improving over the course of the season
-McGahee staying healthy and having the right attitude to play at the level we all know he's capable of
-the changes on the OL being not better than last year but actually good enough to give JP and Willis a chance
-Lee Evans stepping up as a true #1 and guys like Parrish, Davis, Price and/or Reed finding ways to contribute at WR
-The TE position being part of the offense, which has been lacking basically since McKellar left
-The DL being improved over last year with Tripplett and McCargo
-TKO rebounding from his injury
-Nate Clements rebounding from a bad season
-Whitner contributing as a rookie
-the new system developing a pash rush with the front 4
-ST maintaining the high level of play they've had over the last 2 years.
Some of these things will happen, and some of them won't. Some of them are a hell of a lot more likely than others.
The only real difference between the homers and the realists is that the homers believe enough of these things will happen in 2006 for the Bills to make a run at the playoffs, and the realists don't.
Personally, I'm sure some of these things will happen, but I don't think it will be enough to salvage the season. I just think there are too many question marks going in. I want to see the Bills win the Super Bowl, but since I don't think that's realistic, my more realistic expectation is this: I want to see the the Bills look a hell of a lot better by the end of the season, meaning I want JP to be putting up slightly above average QB numbers, Whitner and McCargo to be starting, and some of these lesser names/lower draft picks contributing. And I want to see the team play their hearts out for the entire season rather than quitting like they did last year.
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