YardRat
06-20-2007, 05:25 AM
http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html
The only team to make the playoffs that finished below the Bills in terms of red-zone touchdown percentage was Baltimore, a franchise that has based its existence out of figuring a way to be successful despite offensive fecklessness. As for the others with lower efficiency, we have Atlanta, San Francisco, Detroit, Green Bay (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#) and Oakland, a group dotted with teams renowned for either recent or perennial misery.
It's not lock-safe, but red-zone percentage is usually a telling statistic, as members of the Colts (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#) (second overall in 2006 at .661) would confirm were they not so busy admiring their million-diamond rings.
The best way to turn around the feeble attempts to score is obviously with better players. The good news for the Bills is that they've made strides toward adding sturdier blocking and a surer rusher, the two most important positions for red-zone success. It can be argued about whether Derrick Dockery is overpaid, but it can be agreed on that he's an improvement over Mike Gandy, who, it seems, won both his guard and left tackle starting roles in a contest of some kind.
Putting $25 million right tackle Langston Walker in the mix also means the offense should be better at pushing forward when the defense is trying to hold the last of its territory.
Also notable is the fact the Bills' starting running back doesn't think he's so great that there's no need to go out and prove it. Physically, rookie first-round pick Marshawn Lynch brings elusiveness and pass-catching ability as weapons in the arsenal, but more importantly he's shown no signs of carrying the baggage of arrogance that his predecessor, Willis McGahee (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#), did. You remember: In fourth-and-1 situations, the former starter was the guy good for getting back to the line of scrimmage or at least close to it, almost every time, guaranteed.
Better guys bring better chances, and having added some promising starters at key spots is the best hope Buffalo has at vanquishing the miserable shortcoming of not being able to finish. The Bills still must go out and actually prove it, but both a better line and featured back could help turn deep invasions within enemy ground into an occasion for joy rather than frustration.
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The only team to make the playoffs that finished below the Bills in terms of red-zone touchdown percentage was Baltimore, a franchise that has based its existence out of figuring a way to be successful despite offensive fecklessness. As for the others with lower efficiency, we have Atlanta, San Francisco, Detroit, Green Bay (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#) and Oakland, a group dotted with teams renowned for either recent or perennial misery.
It's not lock-safe, but red-zone percentage is usually a telling statistic, as members of the Colts (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#) (second overall in 2006 at .661) would confirm were they not so busy admiring their million-diamond rings.
The best way to turn around the feeble attempts to score is obviously with better players. The good news for the Bills is that they've made strides toward adding sturdier blocking and a surer rusher, the two most important positions for red-zone success. It can be argued about whether Derrick Dockery is overpaid, but it can be agreed on that he's an improvement over Mike Gandy, who, it seems, won both his guard and left tackle starting roles in a contest of some kind.
Putting $25 million right tackle Langston Walker in the mix also means the offense should be better at pushing forward when the defense is trying to hold the last of its territory.
Also notable is the fact the Bills' starting running back doesn't think he's so great that there's no need to go out and prove it. Physically, rookie first-round pick Marshawn Lynch brings elusiveness and pass-catching ability as weapons in the arsenal, but more importantly he's shown no signs of carrying the baggage of arrogance that his predecessor, Willis McGahee (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/06/bills_hope_red_doesnt_mean_sto.html#), did. You remember: In fourth-and-1 situations, the former starter was the guy good for getting back to the line of scrimmage or at least close to it, almost every time, guaranteed.
Better guys bring better chances, and having added some promising starters at key spots is the best hope Buffalo has at vanquishing the miserable shortcoming of not being able to finish. The Bills still must go out and actually prove it, but both a better line and featured back could help turn deep invasions within enemy ground into an occasion for joy rather than frustration.
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