Five things to be excited about from a realist!!

[HHURRICANE]

Obvioulsy I consider myself a realist but I find myself to be a little more optimistic about this year than I thought I would be. I felt this way in 2008 but Jauron figured out a way to kill a playoff contender with crappy coaching. Anway I digress. Here are my five things to realistically be excited about:

1) Chan Gailey: Maybe not our first choice for head coach but the guy is an offensive expert. We haven't had this in a decade! The last time we had this kind of expertise was in 2003 with Greg Williams on the other side of the ball. The offense should be improved, or at least alot more tolerable.

2) Secondary: We potentially might have the best secondary in the league. Byrd, MecKelvin, McGee, Corner, Wilson....the list goes on and on.

3) RB: Jackson. Lynch, and Spiller is a pretty nice combination.

4) The 3-4: With our depth in the secondary and what should amount to a much better run D this side of the ball should be much improved. If we get any kind of pass rush this D could actually be good.

5) Special Teams: I know I'm alone here but I still believe Bobby April was ovverated. When you have Moorman, Lindell, Parrish, McKelvin, McGee, how good do you have to be? I think fundametally we will be better. No loses on onside kicks. Add Spiller to the mix and we might be better than ever!!

Enjoy!

[WeAreArthurMoates]

Great 5 points HH and these 5 will be the exact reason we get to the playoffs (obviously a long shot).

I dont consider Gailey an offensive genious but we finally have a coach who excells at adjustments and most importantly is consistant. I also agree with you about the special teams. Last year we were extremely penalized and April didn't adjust well to no wedge rule. We lacked those huge runs we were accustom to seeing. Aprils best attribute was gutys, gadget plays, I loved them and we wont see them under Bruce. However, we will see a much better coverage than we did with April

[TacklingDummy]

Things I'm looking forward to from this realist

1) The 1st pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

2) Spiller taking over from Jackson the starting RB spot.

3) Should be the last year in Buffalo for Whitner, Lynch, Stroud, Kelsay, and Schobel.

4) POZ, Hardy, and McFumbles staying healthy and proving they are not busts due to being able to not stay healthy.

5) Finally, I am looking forward to 3-4 threads every week from HH complaining about how bad the Bills suck.

[Pinkerton Security]

I agree with most points HH, except Im a little nervous about the loss of April....yes we have great individuals but we had good coverage for the most part and it can definitely get worse.

I am also excited to see what an offensive-minded coach can coax out of our playmakers...and yes, I truly think we have some big playmakers (Jackson, Spiller, Lynch, Evans, Nelson, Parrish i think are legit NFL playmakers who havent been utilized to their utmost potential).

[HHURRICANE]

I agree with most points HH, except Im a little nervous about the loss of April....yes we have great individuals but we had good coverage for the most part and it can definitely get worse.

I am also excited to see what an offensive-minded coach can coax out of our playmakers...and yes, I truly think we have some big playmakers (Jackson, Spiller, Lynch, Evans, Nelson, Parrish i think are legit NFL playmakers who havent been utilized to their utmost potential).

To further your point how easy must of it had been for teams to coach against our offense? Third grade playbook, brand new o-line, and an OC with one week of prep.

I think Lynch was used poorly, Nelson is a player, Evans still didn't get open. Yes, i think Gailey will get the absolute most out of these guys and we might see some new stars emerge in the process.

[casdhf]

I disagree on April. I think we'll see a drop in special teams.

[better days]

I disagree on April. I think we'll see a drop in special teams.

I think we saw a drop in special teams play last year. April could not adjust to the rules changes. I think we will see an improvement this year.

[HHURRICANE]

I disagree on April. I think we'll see a drop in special teams.

They weren't very good last year so it can only improve. Plus Parrish was benched and McKelvin was hurt.

[DesertFox24]

HH gotta agree with you on these 5 things, not much else at this point.

[trapezeus]

agree on 4 of 5. point 4 does not ring true to me at this point. i don't think we have the starter capabilities in the front 7, and the rotational guys are even worse. i think you need a bonafide playmaker in the front 7 whether he is a dominant middle lb or a stud NT, we don't have it. maybe maybin is going to step up and help us.

i think they are going in the right direction by going to 3-4, but i don't think they have enough pieces to stop the bleeding.

With more man coverage from the secondary, if the run defense continues to bleed, we are going to be exposed for some big plays because teams are going to stretch the field with WRs, while running effectively. And when the DB's and safeties pinch in, they're going to go long. We need to get to the QB this year, and i don't knkow how we're going to do that.

[ddaryl]

I'm excited about Chans O possibilities, as I expect him to be the Anti-jauron and get creative and use players talents and design plays to the strength of the team.

Sick and tired of the square peg round hole approach

[Dr. Lecter]

They weren't very good last year so it can only improve. Plus Parrish was benched and McKelvin was hurt.


Weren't very good?

They were ranked third overall in the NFL.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/021410dnspospecialteams.3df2052.html

You are wrong.

[bigbub2352]

HH we agree mostly on everything on here and the number 1 thing i am most excited about is a talent evaluator that will manage the roster, depth and practice squad..actually signing players that fit the scheme they are trying to run and adding people that mite actually be good enough to play in the NFL not the same useless players over and over again

oh yeah im excited for a new stregth and conditioning staff too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Throne Logic]

If it were not for who was hired to replace him, I would agree that Special Teams would take a hit with the loss of Bobby April. Last year's Special Teams were extremely hindered from the trickle-down effect of having so many starters go on IR.

Doesn't anyone remember who the "mastermind" was behind the Bills' dominant special teams a couple coaches prior to Bobby April?

I think Special Teams will be fine, despite the loss of April.

[Pinkerton Security]

oh yeah im excited for a new stregth and conditioning staff too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oooh i forgot about that one... Im excited to see if we can keep the # of guys on IR under 25 this year!!

[X-Era]

Things I'm looking forward to from this realist

1) The 1st pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

2) Spiller taking over from Jackson the starting RB spot.

3) Should be the last year in Buffalo for Whitner, Lynch, Stroud, Kelsay, and Schobel.

4) POZ, Hardy, and McFumbles staying healthy and proving they are not busts due to being able to not stay healthy.

5) Finally, I am looking forward to 3-4 threads every week from HH complaining about how bad the Bills suck.

After being right several times, I almost hate your predictions... they seem to come true.

[shelby]

Good to read something positive.

However, i'm still seeing a 5-11 season.

:(

[Spiderweb]

I agree with most points HH, except Im a little nervous about the loss of April....yes we have great individuals but we had good coverage for the most part and it can definitely get worse.

I am also excited to see what an offensive-minded coach can coax out of our playmakers...and yes, I truly think we have some big playmakers (Jackson, Spiller, Lynch, Evans, Nelson, Parrish i think are legit NFL playmakers who havent been utilized to their utmost potential).

Look back into history and you'll see the Bills had some pretty darned good special teams under DeHaven and he's been a highly regarded ST coach for most of his coaching career. He also never had a team with as many capable return guys either.

[better days]

Good to read something positive.

However, i'm still seeing a 5-11 season.

:(

According to some of the National Media, 5-11 would be a great season for the Bills. I have heard a few that say they think the Bills are the worst team in the NFL, #32 in their rankings.

[acehole]

For me its Easley, spiller, Shawn Nelson, Levi Brown, Byrd.



Obvioulsy I consider myself a realist but I find myself to be a little more optimistic about this year than I thought I would be. I felt this way in 2008 but Jauron figured out a way to kill a playoff contender with crappy coaching. Anway I digress. Here are my five things to realistically be excited about:

1) Chan Gailey: Maybe not our first choice for head coach but the guy is an offensive expert. We haven't had this in a decade! The last time we had this kind of expertise was in 2003 with Greg Williams on the other side of the ball. The offense should be improved, or at least alot more tolerable.

2) Secondary: We potentially might have the best secondary in the league. Byrd, MecKelvin, McGee, Corner, Wilson....the list goes on and on.

3) RB: Jackson. Lynch, and Spiller is a pretty nice combination.

4) The 3-4: With our depth in the secondary and what should amount to a much better run D this side of the ball should be much improved. If we get any kind of pass rush this D could actually be good.

5) Special Teams: I know I'm alone here but I still believe Bobby April was ovverated. When you have Moorman, Lindell, Parrish, McKelvin, McGee, how good do you have to be? I think fundametally we will be better. No loses on onside kicks. Add Spiller to the mix and we might be better than ever!!

Enjoy!

[Johnny Bugmenot]

6. Jauron is gone!

[Johnny Bugmenot]

April could not adjust to the rules changes. Well, when the NFL specifically makes rule changes to target you, it's kind of hard to adjust to that when you have a big target on your back. They changed the onside kick rule twice because of his strategies.

[better days]

Well, when the NFL specifically makes rule changes to target you, it's kind of hard to adjust to that when you have a big target on your back. They changed the onside kick rule twice because of his strategies.

Yeah, no question April was an innovator, but the rules change & the poor play of Parish last year hurt the Bills return game.

It will be interesting to see how April does in Philly this year.

[feldspar]

1) Chan Gailey: Maybe not our first choice for head coach but the guy is an offensive expert.


What a lot of people don't understand is that Gailey has coached a lot of different things:

- defensive backfield
- tight ends
- receivers
- quarterbacks
- special teams
- offensive coordinator
- defensive coordinator
- head coach

He went into coaching basically right out of college. Now he's 58. With all of the variety of experience he has to dip into, he can see things from a lot of different angles. Of course, he's known for his work on the offensive side of the ball, but he's also worked defense. In college, his position was QB, which cant hurt.

I think it was a good hire by the Bills. Time will tell.

[TacklingDummy]

Things I'm looking forward to from this realist

1) The 1st pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

2) Spiller taking over from Jackson the starting RB spot.

3) Should be the last year in Buffalo for Whitner, Lynch, Stroud, Kelsay, and Schobel.

4) POZ, Hardy, and McFumbles staying healthy and proving they are not busts due to being able to not stay healthy.

5) Finally, I am looking forward to 3-4 threads every week from HH complaining about how bad the Bills suck.


1 down, 4 to go.

2 and 3 are coming true to.

[HHURRICANE]

1 down, 4 to go.

2 and 3 are coming true to.

Seriously, this is why I only post one optimistic thread a year. The Bills didn't even give me a full month before zapping the life out of me.

OP, I'm sorry!!

[GreedoII]

1. Spiller
2. 1...just 1 300 yd game would be nice
3. 3-4 D transition
4. 2nd yr for Byrd
5. Gailey's stamp on the O

[SABURZFAN]

3) RB: Jackson. Lynch, and Spiller is a pretty nice combination.


if Bell and Simpson look good in the rest of the preseason, i think Jackson or Lynch could become expendable.

[Hogwasher]

A 3-4 isnt necessarily better than a 4-3 at defending the run, particularly against a smashmouth team. Most coaches would rather line up two tight ends and run against a 3-4, everything else being equal.