TigerJ
12-05-2011, 10:43 PM
I realize that given the current mood this might be a risky proposition, since I don't particularly like getting flamed. Let me also say that being an optimist doesn't mean I'm not pretty disgusted at how the season has gone down the dumper. BUT, let me lay out why I feel like all is not lost regarding the future of the Bills.
First, looking at this season: Remember that the Bills are playing without arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL, Kyle Williams. They are also playing without one of the elite all around running backs in the NFL in Fred Jackson and without arguably their best offensive lineman in Eric Wood. Yeah that last part is not a slam dunk. Andy Levitre has played pretty well at times this season too, especially when the whole line was healthy. He's not on IR, but George Wilson hasn't played for a few games and he was being touted as one of the better strong safeties in the league a little earlier in the season. Other players the Bills have counted on have struggled with various issues too. Torrell Troup eventually went on IR after it became evident his back wasn't going to let him contribute effectively this season. Buffalo has had to resort to shifting players around on both the offensive and defensive lines just to have healthy people playing. I don't think these health issues cost the Bills all of the losses of their recent skid, but they certainly haven't helped.
So, why should I think things will get better next year? First, I don't think that the Bills are cursed, and therefore doomed to have injury issues as bad as this every year. I believe Kyle Williams will come back and be a productive player again, though as I understand it his surgery was significant enough to doubt that he'll be ready at the start of training camp and he might mot even be able to start the season. I do think he'll play part of the season, and I look for him to be more effective than this year when he does return.
I believe Fred Jackson has a couple more good seasons left in him, and that the experience CJ Spiller is getting right now is going to help him be a more effective compliment to Jackson next season.
I think Eric Wood will contribute next season, though like Kyle Williams he might not be ready to go by game one or the regular season. I think the Bills have all but decided not to resign Demetrius Bell because they like Chris Hairston as their starting left tackle going forward. While I wasn't quite ready to give up on Bell, I'm OK with Hairston. I believe that next year, while the Bills offensive line is still going to be one of the younger lines in the league, the experience they have gained this year will make them better next year, Just like they were better this season when everyone was healthy than they were last season.
I don't know if Shawn Merriman will come back and contribute next year or not. Frankly, I'm not really counting on him, but I do think the Bills will seek to upgrade their outside linebacking like they did their inside linebacking this season. Whether that is via the draft or free agency remains to be seen. I can only hope that they will succeed, and at least begin to show some ability to get to opposing passers next season.
In the secondary, I think the Bills are pretty well set at safety. Byrd has made a few mistakes this season, but most of the time has played well, as has George Wilson. I think the Bills will get another season or two out of Scot as a backup, and Searcy has the makings of a solid backup safety with starting potential down the road. At cornerback, we finally found out that McKelvin is never going to be a solid starter in this league. I don't know when his contract is up, but I doubt he's re-signed. He is a useful nickel or dime back until then though. I think Aaron Williams showed he might be able to start once he has a little more experience, and when Justin Rogers finally got on the field, I think he showed he can play. I think the cornerbacks are a position in transition for the Bills, and they might draft/sign a couple more this offseason. I think once the Bills find a pass rush, they'll find their secondary will perform a lot better.
Unlike some, I do think that Buddy Nix knows what he's doing, and while I expect him to retire in a year or two, I think he'll make the team better next year. I also think Chan Gailey is a good coach, though not perfect.
All that being said, I reiterate the prediction I made last spring, the Bills will make the playoffs in the 2012-2013 season. Until the Bills started out the 2011 season on fire, I thought making the playoffs in the 2011 was going to be iffy.
The one thing I fear, and I don't think it's likely to happen, is that Ralph Wilson will step in again and blow up the team. I think continuity is the best way to success at this point because we've already seen that there are certain coaches that Buffalo is simply not going to be able to sign. We never stood a chance to get Mike Shanahan (whom we all thought was God's gift to coaching) and Bill Cowher (whom many though was God) or Jim Harbaugh etc. We fire Gailey and we'll again be competing for coaches that are perceived around the league as "second tier." I'd rather stick with what we have and see what he can do with more time.
First, looking at this season: Remember that the Bills are playing without arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL, Kyle Williams. They are also playing without one of the elite all around running backs in the NFL in Fred Jackson and without arguably their best offensive lineman in Eric Wood. Yeah that last part is not a slam dunk. Andy Levitre has played pretty well at times this season too, especially when the whole line was healthy. He's not on IR, but George Wilson hasn't played for a few games and he was being touted as one of the better strong safeties in the league a little earlier in the season. Other players the Bills have counted on have struggled with various issues too. Torrell Troup eventually went on IR after it became evident his back wasn't going to let him contribute effectively this season. Buffalo has had to resort to shifting players around on both the offensive and defensive lines just to have healthy people playing. I don't think these health issues cost the Bills all of the losses of their recent skid, but they certainly haven't helped.
So, why should I think things will get better next year? First, I don't think that the Bills are cursed, and therefore doomed to have injury issues as bad as this every year. I believe Kyle Williams will come back and be a productive player again, though as I understand it his surgery was significant enough to doubt that he'll be ready at the start of training camp and he might mot even be able to start the season. I do think he'll play part of the season, and I look for him to be more effective than this year when he does return.
I believe Fred Jackson has a couple more good seasons left in him, and that the experience CJ Spiller is getting right now is going to help him be a more effective compliment to Jackson next season.
I think Eric Wood will contribute next season, though like Kyle Williams he might not be ready to go by game one or the regular season. I think the Bills have all but decided not to resign Demetrius Bell because they like Chris Hairston as their starting left tackle going forward. While I wasn't quite ready to give up on Bell, I'm OK with Hairston. I believe that next year, while the Bills offensive line is still going to be one of the younger lines in the league, the experience they have gained this year will make them better next year, Just like they were better this season when everyone was healthy than they were last season.
I don't know if Shawn Merriman will come back and contribute next year or not. Frankly, I'm not really counting on him, but I do think the Bills will seek to upgrade their outside linebacking like they did their inside linebacking this season. Whether that is via the draft or free agency remains to be seen. I can only hope that they will succeed, and at least begin to show some ability to get to opposing passers next season.
In the secondary, I think the Bills are pretty well set at safety. Byrd has made a few mistakes this season, but most of the time has played well, as has George Wilson. I think the Bills will get another season or two out of Scot as a backup, and Searcy has the makings of a solid backup safety with starting potential down the road. At cornerback, we finally found out that McKelvin is never going to be a solid starter in this league. I don't know when his contract is up, but I doubt he's re-signed. He is a useful nickel or dime back until then though. I think Aaron Williams showed he might be able to start once he has a little more experience, and when Justin Rogers finally got on the field, I think he showed he can play. I think the cornerbacks are a position in transition for the Bills, and they might draft/sign a couple more this offseason. I think once the Bills find a pass rush, they'll find their secondary will perform a lot better.
Unlike some, I do think that Buddy Nix knows what he's doing, and while I expect him to retire in a year or two, I think he'll make the team better next year. I also think Chan Gailey is a good coach, though not perfect.
All that being said, I reiterate the prediction I made last spring, the Bills will make the playoffs in the 2012-2013 season. Until the Bills started out the 2011 season on fire, I thought making the playoffs in the 2011 was going to be iffy.
The one thing I fear, and I don't think it's likely to happen, is that Ralph Wilson will step in again and blow up the team. I think continuity is the best way to success at this point because we've already seen that there are certain coaches that Buffalo is simply not going to be able to sign. We never stood a chance to get Mike Shanahan (whom we all thought was God's gift to coaching) and Bill Cowher (whom many though was God) or Jim Harbaugh etc. We fire Gailey and we'll again be competing for coaches that are perceived around the league as "second tier." I'd rather stick with what we have and see what he can do with more time.