Strengths?

[patmoran2006]

Through seven games, I've yet to see anything or any part of this team that can be considered a strength other than Lindell/Moorman.

Does anyone else see areas of strength? I think in TIME our safeties will be an area, but their still raw and learning (and getting beat).

Our LB's have been largely ineffective, our CB's have been terrible, our DL is decent in pass rush and deplorable against the run.. Our OL is the same as always, our QB looks lost, WIllis doesnt make any long runs on his own, and our WR's dont get open often enough to take coverage away from Evans.. Our TE's have been underutilized, our game planning seems shoddy, and even our once awesome special teams has been anything but special this year.

It's really hard to find a strength of this team right now.. Anybody see things differently?

[Lee-83]

The only thing i've seen is the rookies.....
Donte and Ko can grow into one of the greatest combo's in the league.
McCargo showed his flashes, Williams is a great suprise.
Ellison is a great fit in the Cover 2 scheme, he also produced.
Youboty has a ton of potential.
Pennington will be starting, Merz already steped in.
what a draft!

[patmoran2006]

The only thing i've seen is the rookies.....
Donte and Ko can grow into one of the greatest combo's in the league.
McCargo showed his flashes, Williams is a great suprise.
Ellison is a great fit in the Cover 2 scheme, he also produced.
Youboty has a ton of potential.
Pennington will be starting, Merz already steped in.
what a draft!

Real good point.
I guess you can the rookies as a unit.. Definitely a strength.. Its looking like a very productive draft, with a few potential stars and lots of contributors.

[kernowboy]

Don't forget Brad Butler who could still come good

[PECKERWOOD]

The rookies have looked nice.
Crowell has been looking really good at times.
Fowler, Peters and Merz have looked nice.
Lee Evans is growing into the #1 role well.
Schobel is still a very good DE.
Tripplett looks good, if we can get a good 1 technique guy, he will blossom.
Willis has been a force at RB, even behind a weak OL.
Our defense is very young, and we should have alot of these people for years to come.

[bflojohn]

Lee Evans is a strength, however, he needs a bonified #2 reciever to complement him, IMO. The secondary isn't the strength I thought it could have been, but some of that is attributed to the youth back there. The jury is out on the Terrence McGee regression and losing Nate will need some form of answer to it. Can Ashton Youboty assume the starting role next year or do the Bills have to come up with an answer not yet on the roster?? One day, I'd LOVE to say that the entire O-line was and is a strength. Maybe Pennington and Peters are going to be a very special suprise. I do hope so!!

[ddaryl]

patmoran2006,

I agree with many of your points here, but with all the anti-JP rhetoric going on, and we know you are also on the anti-JP crusade. How can you, or anyone for that matter, point out all of these problems on our team and not realize how that effects a young QB in need of experience.

Here's is a list of things that directly affect the the play of our offense that you listed.

1.) I've yet to see anything or any part of this team that can be considered a strength other than Lindell/Moorman.
2.) Our OL is the same as always
3.) Willis doesnt make any long runs on his own
4.) our WR's dont get open often enough to take coverage away from Evans
5.) Our TE's have been underutilized
6.) our game planning seems shoddy

You say in your rant, and I quote "Our QB looks lost"

How could any QB in the entire league look good, or play well when they have to deal with the list of problems you pointed out? How does a young QB who has yet to play and entire season overcome this list of team problems. How does JP, who was supposed to be able to depend upon a solid D, a punishing consistent running game, and great special teams play become the scapegoat of the Bills problem by you and other Anti-JP fans when you clearly see so many other problems in areas that directly effect the QB position and the offense in general.

Until we fix/rebuild this team it won't matter who's playing behind center, and looking at your list kind of proves what many of us believe. The team in general is in bad shape, and giving up on JP won't change that. The next QB still has to play with the same problems you've listed.

[YardRat]

Youth and "potential".

[kernowboy]

patmoran2006,

I agree with many of your points here, but with all the anti-JP rhetoric going on, and we know you are also on the anti-JP crusade. How can you, or anyone for that matter, point out all of these problems on our team and not realize how that effects a young QB in need of experience.

Here's is a list of things that directly affect the the play of our offense that you listed.

1.) I've yet to see anything or any part of this team that can be considered a strength other than Lindell/Moorman.
2.) Our OL is the same as always
3.) Willis doesnt make any long runs on his own
4.) our WR's dont get open often enough to take coverage away from Evans
5.) Our TE's have been underutilized
6.) our game planning seems shoddy

You sayin your rant, and I quote "Our QB looks lost"

How could any QB in the entire league look good, or play well when they have to deal with the list of problems you pointed out? How does a young QB who has yet to play and entire season overcome this list of team problems. How does JP, who was supposed to be able to depend upon a solid D, a punishing consistent running game, and great special teams play become the scapegoat of the Bills problem by you and other Anti-JP fans when you clearly see so many other problems in areas that directly effect the QB position and the offense in general.

Until we fix/rebuild this team it won't matter who's playing behind center, and looking at your list kind of proves what many of us believe. The team in general is in bad shape, and giving up on JP won't change that. The next QB still has to play with the same problems you've listed.

The QB of the future is still wearing nappies?

I do think the crucial issues are better OL protection. Enough has been said about that already. Hopefully the changes will work.

We need to get bigger at WR and also use the TE more. This may only come in the offseason. I see that Tyrone Calico, Kelley Washington and Ernest Wilford are available. All 6ft3, 210lbs plus. Whilst they have not been outstanding successes, neither really was Jimmy Smith until he joined the Jaguars. We should hit with 1 in 3.

I am getting tired of McGahee. We over paid for him, he hasn't really got it done, he wants out and has one year left. We should look to trade him. Hell I'd even be happy drafting Brian Leonard with the pick and maybe Garrett Wolfe and looking at a little and large combo. It would sure as hell confuse the opposition as to who was running, and who was open to receiving if we lined them up in the backfield.

As for Losman, we should dump Holcomb and Nall and bring in Patrick Ramsey. Before you start screaming, I think you should consider the following:

1) he has a passer rating of 75%
2) he as a TD-int ratio of 34-29
3) he's used to being messed about by coaches so he should feel at home here :)
4) he's been a starter not racked up stats in garbage time.
5) he played behind a crap OL with poor receivers and no running game for his first two seasons. Again should feel like home
6) He initially beat out Brunell under Gibbs and only lost his place due to a neck injury. Despite wanting to play when injured
7) He won't cost draft picks
8) He's only 27, has a rocket of an arm and his best years could still be ahead of him.
9) He was only signed by the Jets in case Pennington couldn't play so the moment Chad was fit, he was not going to be used.
10) He's outpaid other QBs drafted ahead of him in 2002.
11) He will give JP a far greater run for his money.

12) Ok he does fumble a bit but that seems to be a habit of all QBs this season

I rest my case

[scott51]

The only strength I can see is McGahee! You can't blame a guy who has to run for an offense that opposing defenses know have trouble passing. I hope that makes sense, I know what I want to say but had trouble typing this morning! Sorry!

[kernowboy]

The only strength I can see is McGahee! You can't blame a guy who has to run for an offense that opposing defenses know have trouble passing. I hope that makes sense, I know what I want to say but had trouble typing this morning! Sorry!

I think the problem is he has never really completely played up to his reputation, his career yds per carry avg is only 3.8 though that can be blamed on those in skills positions and the OL around him, partially.

However we have to consider this without emotion. The bottom line is at the end of next year is he will only be in a Bills uniform if he has been tagged and then after a disruptive hold out.

Bottom line. We can risk getting nothing for him then similar to what will happen with Clements or we can shop him now.

if we shop him now, it is possible we can use our pick on Adrian Peterson and still have a high draft pick for a LB or a OL. Round 2 can go on a QB if that is deemed necessary and all of a sudden we have drafted maybe our LT/Brees combo with either a bodyguard to protect them if our line shuffling hasn't worked or a LB to replace either TKO or Fletcher.

[Elminster]

Ramsey? I suppose he'd be ok if he would be willing to be a back-up. I really doubt he's all his stats and you crack him up to be though, but at least we wouldn't have to adjust for inferior arm strength. I don't think it'll happen though, we already gave Nall a decent contract to come and be a back-up effectively...

[HHURRICANE]

The only thing i've seen is the rookies.....
Donte and Ko can grow into one of the greatest combo's in the league.
McCargo showed his flashes, Williams is a great suprise.
Ellison is a great fit in the Cover 2 scheme, he also produced.
Youboty has a ton of potential.
Pennington will be starting, Merz already steped in.
what a draft!

I'm a little tired of potential. I'd like to see someone who can play now. That's a strength.

[kernowboy]

Ramsey? I suppose he'd be ok if he would be willing to be a back-up. I really doubt he's all his stats and you crack him up to be though, but at least we wouldn't have to adjust for inferior arm strength. I don't think it'll happen though, we already gave Nall a decent contract to come and be a back-up effectively...

I think we will get rid of Holcomb. If Nall can't beat out Holcomb then he can't remotely challenge Losman.

I can see Ramsey coming in and giving JP a continued push as JP will continually see Ramsey in the rear view mirror. At the moment, I don't think he sees Holcomb as a threat and Nall neither. At worse it gives us an adequate starter off the bench. Nall has thrown 33 passes total.

I can see Ramsey coming as he can see Losman is not the business yet. Only Oakland could offer the same possibility are present and I see them drafting. At 27, time is still on his side and if he does beat out JP in a fair fight, the team is better off for it

[jamze132]

The only thing i've seen is the rookies.....
Donte and Ko can grow into one of the greatest combo's in the league.
McCargo showed his flashes, Williams is a great suprise.
Ellison is a great fit in the Cover 2 scheme, he also produced.
Youboty has a ton of potential.
Pennington will be starting, Merz already steped in.
what a draft!
How much did Youboty play?