Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

[Don't Panic]

http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/03/bills-backing-currentlinebackers260307.html

Highlights:

I can't be the only one who thinks the Buffalo Bills ' Keith Ellison played really well last year. And it wasn't like the 2006 sixth-round pick from Oregon State blossomed after Thanksgiving, either: He looked comfortable after being thrown into the lineup in Week 1 against the Patriots, not exactly a JV opponent. Ellison was solid, particularly considering his first NFL action came after he was given approximately 12 seconds of notice that he was playing, and I thought he showed enough that the Bills had one fewer position to worry about staffing.

and

And it's easy to say without having to balance salaries or take a chance personally on a player, but the cost and risk of keeping Takeo Spikes is outweighed only by the cost and risk of not having him. He'll be close to two years past his rupture, which is the time frame always given for full Achilles recovery. One can look at 2006 as evidence he's an aging player who may never regain explosiveness, but those less likely to wallow in misery in the name of being realistic can see last year as part of his comeback.

I don't know... this may be all in vain, but I wish we would give him the chance.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

I have no problem with Ellison.
I Have a problem with the Bills doing NOTHING to replace Fletcher (or Crowell if you count him moving to MLB)...

Right now you have Crowell, Ellison and an obvious first day draft pick at LB.

That's scary to begin with.. Not combine that with the fact we have ZERO DEPTH at LB. This team has for years had good starters and depth at LB, and now they have garbage behind the starters.. garbage.

[jamesiscool]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

I have no problem with Ellison.
I Have a problem with the Bills doing NOTHING to replace Fletcher (or Crowell if you count him moving to MLB)...

Right now you have Crowell, Ellison and an obvious first day draft pick at LB.

That's scary to begin with.. Not combine that with the fact we have ZERO DEPTH at LB. This team has for years had good starters and depth at LB, and now they have garbage behind the starters.. garbage.

yes spikes-fletcher-posey was a good LB combo for like... a year. posey never lived up to the hype that followed him to buffalo and before that was wha? the keith newman era?

James

[patmoran2006]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Do you even watch football?

Posey didnt work out.. But Fletcher and Spikes were two of the best LB's in football for more than one year. If you want to be a homer and hate on them because they're gone; fine. But dont be ignorant to facts

[jamesiscool]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Do you even watch football?

Posey didnt work out.. But Fletcher and Spikes were two of the best LB's in football for more than one year. If you want to be a homer and hate on them because they're gone; fine. But dont be ignorant to facts

i was talking about BEFORE the fletcher spikes era. do u know how to read?

no offense but i think the guys in the front office at OBD know a little bit more about football than you. so ill trust their decisions over your fanatic rnting and raving and calls for marv's head. stop over reacting and chill out.

[The last buffalo fan]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Do you even watch football?

Posey didnt work out.. But Fletcher and Spikes were two of the best LB's in football for more than one year. If you want to be a homer and hate on them because they're gone; fine. But dont be ignorant to facts

Oh Moran, good morning my friend!

[patmoran2006]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

i was talking about BEFORE the fletcher spikes era. do u know how to read?

no offense but i think the guys in the front office at OBD know a little bit more about football than you. so ill trust their decisions over your fanatic rnting and raving and calls for marv's head. stop over reacting and chill out.

Dont compare the guys in the front office at OBD to me or any fan.

Compare them to their peers, the guys in the front office at 31 other NFL franchises. and except for 2-3 of those 31, they continuously fail miserably.

[jamesiscool]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Dont compare the guys in the front office at OBD to me or any fan.

Compare them to their peers, the guys in the front office at 31 other NFL franchises. and except for 2-3 of those 31, they continuously fail miserably.

ok.. its marv's second season... he's rid the team of a prennial cancer and uncer achiever... willis... he's done more tan the previous regime did in its entire existence toward making the O-line respectable...... he's stock piling draft picks to build the team thru the draft....... ok..... sooooo how is that failing? we lose TKO, WHICH WE MAY NOT and we still have four first day draft picks and marv has already proven that he can draft. soooooo again. the reasoning isn't there.

[RockStar36]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Dont compare the guys in the front office at OBD to me or any fan.

Compare them to their peers, the guys in the front office at 31 other NFL franchises. and except for 2-3 of those 31, they continuously fail miserably.

They have only had one season and 1 1/2 off-seasons to prove themselves.

Is it really fair to call them failures already?

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

I have no problem with Ellison.
I Have a problem with the Bills doing NOTHING to replace Fletcher (or Crowell if you count him moving to MLB)...

Right now you have Crowell, Ellison and an obvious first day draft pick at LB.

That's scary to begin with.. Not combine that with the fact we have ZERO DEPTH at LB. This team has for years had good starters and depth at LB, and now they have garbage behind the starters.. garbage.

Pat is right about how little depth we have right now. This looks alot like our O-line did last year.

I also agree with "jamesiscool" that our "good starters" never lived up to any of the hype. In there own minds they were all world but on the field they were mediocre.

Quite frankly I am glad to see Spikes gone. Him and Fletcher *****ed about Losman, over celebrated when they made a play, and never played up to the competition. Celebrating against the Texans and not showing up against the Pats got really old.

[Meathead]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

i dont blame people for being frustrated at all the good veteran talent leaving. and when you consider hes cleaning house of both high priced thirtysomethings and non-character players its sorta double hits so its quite unsettling

however when you adopt the philosophy that marv has installed it just goes with the territory, especially the first couple of years. the expectation is that you will make that up in chemistry and young talent but it takes a bit of time for that to gel

i have to admit i am disappointed that it looks most likely another incremental improvement season rather than a big leap. theres still time to make moves but its hard to imagine the bills getting enough good veteran talent to make a serious run at anything other than a wc spot this season

however when you look at the prospects beyond that its very bright. the front office appears rock solid in college talent evaluation and even 75% of the succes theyve had so far in the draft will convert all those picks into a boatload of starters and key role players over the next couple years. combine that with the maturation of the character philosophy and familiarity with systems and we should end up with a highly efficient organization set up to put strong results on the field for as long as marv keeps chugging

i hate having to wait another year to get where i want but thats just the way its going to be. so i will be looking for a 9-7 record with playoff chances late in the season

sigh i guess ill take it

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

i dont blame people for being frustrated at all the good veteran talent leaving. and when you consider hes cleaning house of both high priced thirtysomethings and non-character players its sorta double hits so its quite unsettling

however when you adopt the philosophy that marv has installed it just goes with the territory, especially the first couple of years. the expectation is that you will make that up in chemistry and young talent but it takes a bit of time for that to gel

i have to admit i am disappointed that it looks most likely another incremental improvement season rather than a big leap. theres still time to make moves but its hard to imagine the bills getting enough good veteran talent to make a serious run at anything other than a wc spot this season

however when you look at the prospects beyond that its very bright. the front office appears rock solid in college talent evaluation and even 75% of the succes theyve had so far in the draft will convert all those picks into a boatload of starters and key role players over the next couple years. combine that with the maturation of the character philosophy and familiarity with systems and we should end up with a highly efficient organization set up to put strong results on the field for as long as marv keeps chugging

i hate having to wait another year to get where i want but thats just the way its going to be. so i will be looking for a 9-7 record with playoff chances late in the season

sigh i guess ill take it

Great post. The only thing that sucks is that we have been so bad, for so long, that our off-season posts have changed from "Superbowl Baby!!" to "9-7!!"

[PcA125]

Re: Backing Buffalo's current linebackers

Do we really need a team full of well known names to win? I HATE saying this, but look at the Pats in the past...

I think we will do fine in the draft and during the season next year. I have faith in Marv. (Yeah, im a homer... so what?)