My Bills 1st quarter Report Card

[Coach Sal]

Agree? Disagree with these grades?

Please be sure to read the explanations of the grades for each.

http://wgr550.com/SAL-s-First-Quarter-Bills-Report-Card/11124884

[Skooby]

Agree? Disagree with these grades?

Please be sure to read the explanations of the grades for each.

http://wgr550.com/SAL-s-First-Quarter-Bills-Report-Card/11124884

Looks great coach, I know that C- for the cornerbacks was a close D but their picks help save them. Nice job!!

[mayotm]

Nice job coach. I agree with most of it although feel the WR's have been better than a 'C'.

[Jan Reimers]

Great job, Coach. I think Fitzpatrick's excellent decision-making and ability to get the ball out of his hand quickly has made the O-line look better than it really is, at least in terms of sacks.

[northernbillfan]

I was about to say the same thing Jan.

The O-line is not an A but a B maybe even B-. Cincy was able to do what other teams hadn't been able to accomplish and that's put pressure on Fitzy.

Also the penalty yards against the O-Line is far above league average.

[Extremebillsfan247]

Agree? Disagree with these grades?

Please be sure to read the explanations of the grades for each.

http://wgr550.com/SAL-s-First-Quarter-Bills-Report-Card/11124884 Personally, I think you were extremely generous with your grading of the defense. For the second year in a row the Bills defense sits near the bottom of the league in overall production. What is killing them is inconsistency. They have yet to put a full game together of solid performance. So far, how good we think this defense can be only seems to appear in flashes during games, and lasts for a series, or 2. But then it reverts to the same old defense from last year for some unknown reason. That needs to be fixed and soon as the Bills schedule gets tougher. I agree with the rest though.

[TigerJ]

They look like fair grades to me, that is "fair" as opposed to "unfair," not fair as opposed to "excellent," "good" or "poor."

[YardRat]

O-line is too high. I wouldn't give them any better than a 'C'.

Fitz gets rid of the ball quickly, and when he can't he doesn't have the proper time to make a good throw. Freddie has to fight for every half-yard until he gets to the second level, mostly on his own.

This unit's continued deficiencies have been hidden by the smoke and mirrors of a 3-1 record.

Bell is not a left tackle, period.
Levitre has been pretty good.
Wood isn't consistent.
Urbik/Rhinehart and Pears are average on their best days.

[Coach Sal]

O-line is too high. I wouldn't give them any better than a 'C'.

Fitz gets rid of the ball quickly, and when he can't he doesn't have the proper time to make a good throw. Freddie has to fight for every half-yard until he gets to the second level, mostly on his own.

This unit's continued deficiencies have been hidden by the smoke and mirrors of a 3-1 record.

Bell is not a left tackle, period.
Levitre has been pretty good.
Wood isn't consistent.
Urbik/Rhinehart and Pears are average on their best days.

As Bill Parcells says, "you are what your record says you are."

The OLine is blocking for the 5th ranked rushing offense in the NFL and Fitz has been sacked only twice.

You can call it smoke and mirrors all you want, but they are near the top of the league in their main two objectives as a unit - run blocking and pass protection.

Not sure how anyone could possibly give this unit a C so far?! They've been much better than "average."

[Dr. Lecter]

While I would not give them an A, a 'C' is crazy. They have pass blocked well enough and the run blocking has been decent. Bell has been very good at LT this year. But I see them as more of a B - they have not dominated like a A would. And expectations do not impact my grades.

Chandler has been very good. But if RB gets knocked down for only one guy producing, then TE does too. A 'B' for them.

Safeties might be a little lower for me too. Wilson has been burned often. I think he gets a pass from some fans because he is not Whitner and because of his story.

I would give coaching an 'A'. The talent level on this team is pretty low and they are 3-1. They beat the Patriots with a fraction of their talent.

And I give Sal a 'B+' for his grades. :D

[JoeMama]

I can't complain about the offense as a whole. Yeah, the woeful performance in Cincinnati sucked, but we're still highly ranked despite being comprised of journeyman, castoffs, and undrafted free agents that hung around long enough to make an impact.

I especially can't complain about the offense since it's the best we've seen out of them since perhaps the hot start in 2002 or the latter half of 2004 where Bledsoe looked like a decent QB.

The defense is a confusing mess. I feel like there's more talent on that side of the ball player for player, but we're not getting the most out of them. Chalk it up to a bad job by George Edwards. There are too many good individual players for us to be getting rolled the way we are. No excuse for Andy freaking Dalton doing his best Steve Young impression last week either.

[bigbub2352]

I agree on mostly everything...marcel is getting his fair share of double teams but is consistently pushing his foes backwards..kyle williams has severly under performed at nt and is pushed around alot in the run game
and has provided no pass rush at all and is seeing alot of double teams as well...cause edwards is easily blocked
the picks of carrington and troupe look bad...dwan edwards is awful...carrington's devlopment was stunted by them converting him to lber as well as moats being moved around all the time...moats should be developed like an elvis dumerville type player...he has a natural ability to rus the passer..moving him inside and moving carrington outside when he also posses many of the same traits as moats in the pass rushing department hurt them and makes no sense considering our horrible pass rush

Continuing to play kelsay at olb hurts us in three categories pass rush..coverying a te or back out of the back field.. and he regularaly gives up the edge on run plays..this is were moats or batten should be

troupe should be at nt awhen healthy or keelen heard and kwilliams should be at de with marcel..carrington and edwards off the bench and dependng who doesnt start at nt off the bench

mckelvin is a first class bust another in a long line of them in the last 10 years..mcgee cant stay on the field...wilson unfortunatly is to slow in pass coverage..would be amazing depth but a starting ss he is not...he makes plays and has a ton of heart and leadership..but he is just a tad to slow in coverage..

merriman is being keyed on on most plays if you watch he is double teamed alot and there is no blitzing which effects the rush from the outside he does have to push the pocket more for sure and hopefully that comes soon

DC george edwards was out coached the last 3 weeks...we drafted players to specifly play in the 3-4 but we are dont play them...batten also showed me more in the preseason then kelsay has in three years

cant expect the o to bale you out every time

[BertSquirtgum]

Coaching should be a C because George Edwards still doesn't know what he is doing.

[B-DON]

Coaching should be a C because George Edwards still doesn't know what he is doing.
We get it

[Coach Sal]

And I give Sal a 'B+' for his grades. :D

That's the highest GPA I've ever had through HS or college. So, I'll take it!

[YardRat]

While I would not give them an A, a 'C' is crazy. They have pass blocked well enough and the run blocking has been decent. Bell has been very good at LT this year. But I see them as more of a B - they have not dominated like a A would. And expectations do not impact my grades.

Chandler has been very good. But if RB gets knocked down for only one guy producing, then TE does too. A 'B' for them.

Safeties might be a little lower for me too. Wilson has been burned often. I think he gets a pass from some fans because he is not Whitner and because of his story.

I would give coaching an 'A'. The talent level on this team is pretty low and they are 3-1. They beat the Patriots with a fraction of their talent.

And I give Sal a 'B+' for his grades. :D

Really? A 'C' is "crazy" but you tag them with a 'B-' ??

This line is average, at their best. That's why they are a C.

[YardRat]

As Bill Parcells says, "you are what your record says you are."

The OLine is blocking for the 5th ranked rushing offense in the NFL and Fitz has been sacked only twice.

You can call it smoke and mirrors all you want, but they are near the top of the league in their main two objectives as a unit - run blocking and pass protection.

Not sure how anyone could possibly give this unit a C so far?! They've been much better than "average."

We'll just have to disagree.

I'll re-iterate--they look good in pass blocking because Fitz gets rid of the ball so quickly, and they look good run blocking because Freddie is a beast.

[ddaryl]

sounds about right... We are about to find out what this team is really made out of today..


As for our OL.. they are not great run blockers... Yes they have had success with the run, but only when the pass sets up the run.... We need to be capable of using the run to set up the pass especially later in the year.

I agree on the Defense assessment.. .Mostly C's....