The OL and DL: poor management at it's finest

[OpIv37]

Since Marv took over, these are the moves that he and/or the current regime made on the OL:

Drafted: Aaron Merz (cut), Brad Butler, Demetrious Bell
Signed: Derrick Dockery, Jason Whittle, Langston Walker, Melvin Fowler, Tutan Reyes (cut)
Re-signed: Jason Peters

And the DL:
Drafted: Kyle Williams, John McCargo, Chris Ellis
Signed: Larry Tripplett (cut), Anthony Hargrove (suspended), Spencer Johnson, Copeland Bryan
Re-signed: Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Tim Anderson (tendered then cut mid-season)
Obtained via Trade: Darwin Walker (never played a down for the Bills), Marcus Stroud

Tom Donahoe lost largely because he ignored the lines early in the draft and tried to fill them with 3rd rate FA's. Certainly, Marv and the current FO have put more effort into the lines than Donahoe ever did, but their efforts have been largely unsuccessful.

The run-blocking by the OL has been absolutely pathetic, and the DL gets no pass rush and is mediocre at best against the run. The only thing that makes it worse is that the current FO (unlike Donahoe) actually TRIED to do something with the lines, yet completely failed. The amount of FO effort and the amount of money tied up in the trenches on both sides of the ball is absolutely ridiculous.

[justasportsfan]

I don't think it's the talent. It's the coaches.

[FlyingDutchman]

I will say this, the interior of our line is a joke. Yesterday the Jets managed to take down Trent while rushing 3. Duke did a great job in turning his back to block air, while Whittle got blown by.

[billsburgh]

With Dockery, wasnt one of his main strengths when he was with Washington and made him such a coveted free agent was his run blocking ability? I find it hard to believe that he's totally forgotten how to run block. That leads me to believe that it's the blocking schemes being used and the coaches not using these players to the best of their abilities.

[raphael120]

It could be the playcalling also...like...getting stuffed 10 times running to the left of the line.

How bout we get creative with running the ball? If you can't run THROUGH the line, run AROUND it. Pitch the ball out. Remember those big gains Lynch usually gets when Trent pitches the ball and he runs along the sidelines? I saw NONE of that. And where are the screens to Parrish?? We have one of the fastest guys on the field who is lethal in space and we're doing jack squat.

[Lone Stranger]

I think Opie's on the right track. The Bills have done an abominable job of drafting linemen. One need only to look at the Giants to see what I mean.

[hydro]

With Dockery, wasnt one of his main strengths when he was with Washington and made him such a coveted free agent was his run blocking ability? I find it hard to believe that he's totally forgotten how to run block. That leads me to believe that it's the blocking schemes being used and the coaches not using these players to the best of their abilities.

:bf1: I totally agree.

[patmoran2006]

With Dockery, wasnt one of his main strengths when he was with Washington and made him such a coveted free agent was his run blocking ability? I find it hard to believe that he's totally forgotten how to run block. That leads me to believe that it's the blocking schemes being used and the coaches not using these players to the best of their abilities.
From what we've seen in Buffalo, his biggest strength seems to be that he played next to Chris Samuels

[billsburgh]

From what we've seen in Buffalo, his biggest strength seems to be that he played next to Chris Samuels
Maybe, but up until this season, Jason Peters was considered by many the best young LT in the league. So, in theory, the left side of the line should be destroying people.

[EDS]

From what we've seen in Buffalo, his biggest strength seems to be that he played next to Chris Samuels

Plus, it doesn't seem like Washington is missing him.

[madness]

Attention all Buffalo Bills coaches. If you're name starts with a "K", please exit the building immediately!

[raphael120]

Attention all Buffalo Bills coaches. If you're name starts with a "K", please exit the building immediately!

More like if your title starts with "Coach", get the **** outta here.

[Nighthawk]

I don't think it's the talent. It's the coaches.

It gets to a point when you have to start asking how many players can we possibly bring in here and yet they still suck? The one constant has been coaching and bad coaching at that.

[madness]

More like if your title starts with "Coach", get the **** outta here.

Maybe you like rebuilding and setting the franchise back another 5 years but I don't.

Our woes boil down to horrendous play of both lines. Our O-Line can't protect Trent from a 3-4 man pass rush and can't run block worth a lick.

Our D-line can't generate a pass rush consistantly and gets fooled by every counter and misdirection play thrown at them.

Any team would have to play mistake-free football to overcome limitations like that just to be "in" the game.

Everybody knows the saying by now but I'll repeat it just in case people are still too busy following their knee-jerk reactions by blaming our OC, DC, HC and QB.

"Football games are won and lost in the trenches."

Yes, it's just that simple.

[PECKERWOOD]

Our OL looked GREAT besides Fowler and Whittle, that is the problem summed up in one sentence.

[OpIv37]

Our OL looked GREAT besides Fowler and Whittle, that is the problem summed up in one sentence.

Sorry but I have to disagree. 30 rushing yards on 17 carries and 5 sacks? That can't be blamed entirely on those two guys. And Fowler didn't even play until Whittle got hurt at the end. Preston was at center most of the game.

[PECKERWOOD]

Sorry but I have to disagree. 30 rushing yards on 17 carries and 5 sacks? That can't be blamed entirely on those two guys. And Fowler didn't even play until Whittle got hurt at the end. Preston was at center most of the game.

No reason to apologize, I know for a fact Langston got beat on one play as well but you can credit atleast 2 sacks to Whittle himself and atleast one more to Fowler, not sure who gave up the remaining sack but Whittle had ZERO business being out there. It was embarassing watching him going up against Jenkins, it was just awful. Let me also say this about the run game, Lynch picked up 1st downs when he needed to and he had very good success on screens and short passes as an extension of the run game.

[justasportsfan]

It gets to a point when you have to start asking how many players can we possibly bring in here and yet they still suck? The one constant has been coaching and bad coaching at that.
teams with less talent are able to do better.

The next few games will determine our fate.