A semi- "eat crow" thread

[OpIv37]

I've been harsh on a lot of players over the last few years, most of whom deserve it. But after this season, I think there are 3 that don't fully deserve the bashing I gave them:

Josh Reed
Robert Royal
Coy Wire

No doubt these guys have underperformed in the past, but they've also shown flashes where they've been really effective. The problem isn't the players- it's the coaches. These guys are all role players who can be effective in the right role, but our idiot coaches don't realize that.

Reed is a solid #3 possession receiver, but several Bills coaching staffs have tried to use him as a #2.

Wire is a solid ST'er and backup linebacker, but our coaches were trying to use him at safety.

Royal is a good situational receiving threat and a decent downfield blocker, but Fairchild can't seem to figure out how to use TE's in the passing game (today being the exception, of course).

So, I mistakenly blamed the players when I should have been blaming the coaches. The players are responsible for their own performance, but the coaches are responsible for putting them in the right position to perform.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Well it's big of you to post that, though it's not much of an eat crow thread. It's more like "My *****ing was justified but I should've been *****ing about the coaches instead of the players."

If that's as much of crow eating as we can get out of you, we'll take it.

[OpIv37]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Well it's big of you to post that, though it's not much of an eat crow thread. It's more like "My *****ing was justified but I should've been *****ing about the coaches instead of the players."

If that's as much of crow eating as we can get out of you, we'll take it.

Cliff's Notes version:

I thought those guys sucked. It turns out they don't suck- they were misused and they're effective when used properly.

Is that more to your liking?

[Wys Guy]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Well it's big of you to post that, though it's not much of an eat crow thread. It's more like "My *****ing was justified but I should've been *****ing about the coaches instead of the players."

If that's as much of crow eating as we can get out of you, we'll take it.

You'll take it eh?

As if Op's been more wrong than you Miyagi.

Where's your admission, along with some others' here, that fart and think a bouquet of roses pops out of their arse like some magician's trick?

That's mighty white of you to accept Op's admission.

[Wys Guy]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Cliff's Notes version:

I thought those guys sucked. It turns out they don't suck- they were misused and they're effective when used properly.

Is that more to your liking?

Frankly, I still think Royal sucks.

Wire's OK as a defender but has no real role due to his tweener size/talents. I.e., too big/slow to play DB but not big enough or strong enough to play LB effectively.

It's funny how everyone gauges one win vs. one of the worst teams in the league as anything other than that, what it is.

Reed is hit and miss. This is his fifth season in the league and one game vs. the Bengals shouldn't alter anyone's opinion that he's a 2/3 WR tops. He's done absolutely nothing else this season to suggest otherwise. And this comes from someone that used to think that he had #1 talent like Troy Brown used to.

Losman had no pressure today, suffered no sacks, and threw for a well beyond average (both for the league and for the team/him) 295 yards. That's not going to happen often, certainly not every week, and frankly, the lack of pressure was probably more due to a defense bereft of talent with just a couple of recognizeable names on their starting lineup than it was due to our line which probably "played well" as a result, not as the cause in a causal relationship.

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Is Royal better than Mark Cambell?

[Wys Guy]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Is Royal better than Mark Cambell?

Campbell was much better rounded and had much better hands. He was a better blocker too. Royal's faster, but that doesn't seem to translate to anything useful for us on a regular basis. Royal has had far too many dropsies percentage wise. Royal had at least one drop today. He only caught two passes. It's not as if the Cincy D should have put any fear into him.

I mean honestly, what has Royal done for this team that's worth $10M in the 1 1/2 seasons that he's been here?

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Campbell was much better rounded and had much better hands. He was a better blocker too. Royal's faster, but that doesn't seem to translate to anything useful for us on a regular basis. Royal has had far too many dropsies percentage wise. Royal had at least one drop today. He only caught two passes. It's not as if the Cincy D should have put any fear into him.

I mean honestly, what has Royal done for this team that's worth $10M in the 1 1/2 seasons that he's been here?

[Oaf]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

I will never forgive him for that gaffe in the Tenn game last year. He plays with a lot of energy and can occasionally make a play, but I still get nervous when he gets the ball.

[Wys Guy]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

I will never forgive him for that gaffe in the Tenn game last year. He plays with a lot of energy and can occasionally make a play, but I still get nervous when he gets the ball.

He has more drops, penalties, and bad plays than he has big plays on the good side. His net value is negative.

The fact that we signed him to five-year $10M deal is another matter altogether different. Clearly he's a vet-min type of signee, perhaps marginally more. When you pick up a guy like Gaines off a waiver wire who performs better at lesser cost, it's not a ringing endorsement. Billsfanone will argue that no doubt.

[John Doe]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

I've been harsh on a lot of players over the last few years, most of whom deserve it. But after this season, I think there are 3 that don't fully deserve the bashing I gave them:

Josh Reed
Robert Royal
Coy Wire

No doubt these guys have underperformed in the past, but they've also shown flashes where they've been really effective. The problem isn't the players- it's the coaches. These guys are all role players who can be effective in the right role, but our idiot coaches don't realize that.

Reed is a solid #3 possession receiver, but several Bills coaching staffs have tried to use him as a #2.

Wire is a solid ST'er and backup linebacker, but our coaches were trying to use him at safety.

Royal is a good situational receiving threat and a decent downfield blocker, but Fairchild can't seem to figure out how to use TE's in the passing game (today being the exception, of course).

So, I mistakenly blamed the players when I should have been blaming the coaches. The players are responsible for their own performance, but the coaches are responsible for putting them in the right position to perform.

I don't think that McCargo and Ellison deserved the scorn that you heaped on them either.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

Campbell was much better rounded and had much better hands. He was a better blocker too. Royal's faster, but that doesn't seem to translate to anything useful for us on a regular basis. Royal has had far too many dropsies percentage wise. Royal had at least one drop today. He only caught two passes. It's not as if the Cincy D should have put any fear into him.

I mean honestly, what has Royal done for this team that's worth $10M in the 1 1/2 seasons that he's been here?

If he continues to play like he did yesterday, I would say he is doing enough. Being under / improperly used is the biggest mistake in the NFL, I applaud OP for calling himself out.

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

I still cant get myself to like Reed. Sure he makes some catches, and is a decent posession receiver, but he never makes a clutch catch or a big play. He fills the spot, and does an ok job, but thats about it. JP threaded the needle to him on a big 3rd down play yesterday and it hit im right in the hands and he couldnt come down with it. Those are the type of plays we need him to make.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

People don't get the fact that we still don't have alot of talent on this roster. Op's point is excellent because the players he's talking about are effective just not as primary players.

Good post.

Hopefully one FA market and draft class and we might have what we need to really compete.

[OpIv37]

Re: A semi- "eat crow" thread

I don't think that McCargo and Ellison deserved the scorn that you heaped on them either.

Ellison's had one good game all season- yesterday against the Bengals. My problem with Ellison isn't really Ellison- it's everyone here thinking that he's something special and a legit replacement for Spikes (or Crowell's replacement so Crowell can replace Spikes- it's splitting hairs) when he's never been anything more than mediocre.

McCargo has improved every game. We needed immediate DL help last year and McCargo wasn't giving it to us. If he can continue to improve and stay healthy, I'll have to do an "eat crow" thread for him too. He's made it 8 games without an injury, which is good, but hardly proof that he's past his injury problems.