Jan Reimers
10-09-2006, 09:23 AM
The Bills proved once again yesterday that they are a young, inconsistent, mistake-prone team. We've already had a couple of relatively good games, a couple of stinkers, and one kind of in the middle somewhere.
I was very upset with our complete ineptitude against the Bears, but in retrospect, I realize that we had the misfortune of playing our worst against one of the league's best, and at their house. Who knows what next week will bring? I certainly don't, but I would hope for a better effort, if only because Detroit is struggling more than we are.
For me, the pressure is off. We showed yesterday that we are not yet capable of playing with the league's elite teams, and that the playoffs are a very remote possibility. I'm just going to enjoy the last remaining 11 games, without hoping for much except improvement toward being a much better team next year. And for me, that's tough, because I hate losing as much as anyone on this board.
I'm no longer dead on certain of anyone on this team for the long term, except perhaps for Evans, Whitner, Simpson, Crowell and Moorman. It will be fun to watch some of the other young guys, including JP, try to find their game during the rest of the season. I think they will.
But I also think it's going to take these last 11 games, a good 2007 draft, the signing of some quality free agents, and a very productive offseason of OTAs, minicamps and training camps to get this organization ready to compete for the postseason. I really think the coaching and a nucleus of good players are in place, but we're far from where we need to be.
I'm willing to spend this year cheering for nothing but improvement, but I would like to get the rebuilding behind us this season. I want to spend next season rooting for a playoff caliber team.
I was very upset with our complete ineptitude against the Bears, but in retrospect, I realize that we had the misfortune of playing our worst against one of the league's best, and at their house. Who knows what next week will bring? I certainly don't, but I would hope for a better effort, if only because Detroit is struggling more than we are.
For me, the pressure is off. We showed yesterday that we are not yet capable of playing with the league's elite teams, and that the playoffs are a very remote possibility. I'm just going to enjoy the last remaining 11 games, without hoping for much except improvement toward being a much better team next year. And for me, that's tough, because I hate losing as much as anyone on this board.
I'm no longer dead on certain of anyone on this team for the long term, except perhaps for Evans, Whitner, Simpson, Crowell and Moorman. It will be fun to watch some of the other young guys, including JP, try to find their game during the rest of the season. I think they will.
But I also think it's going to take these last 11 games, a good 2007 draft, the signing of some quality free agents, and a very productive offseason of OTAs, minicamps and training camps to get this organization ready to compete for the postseason. I really think the coaching and a nucleus of good players are in place, but we're far from where we need to be.
I'm willing to spend this year cheering for nothing but improvement, but I would like to get the rebuilding behind us this season. I want to spend next season rooting for a playoff caliber team.