Food for thought... State of the Bills

[X-Era]

I hated most of this game...

It felt like a game where we were relying on a QB who ought to be on the practice squad for any decent team...

We have been destroyed by injuries again for like the 10th year. Starting QB, two RB's, starting CB, starting S, etc... have missed most of our games. And who were our backups? No name, never-has-been's, often un-drafteds. Lewis, Robey, and Rogers belong on the PS. Aaron Williams, Legursky, and Searcy should be backups. A Williams should be starting at S with a legit solid vet starting half time while Gilmore gets better. CJ and Freddy are beat up... No clue why so many of our players always get injured but it's killing us.

That said, I was most irritated at the lack of tackling... WRAP UP!!!! So annoying for 3 quarters.

And I'm always thinking about the o-line... So many complain about that. Yet again I watched the bulk of the sacks or issues come on plays where the rusher was unblocked, or the receivers were covered, or Lewis held on to it to long... It's a detail that many will miss and will inaccurately blame on the OL... Go back and watch.

But here's the thing. We won the game. And we didn't win it at home, it was on the road. And we didn't win against anyone, we won against the hated Dolphins... In their house...

And when the Pats lost I went and looked at the standings... and then at our results thus far...

Do you realize we were 2 points away from beating the Pats and lost in overtime to the Bengals by 3? Do you realize how close we are to being 5 and 2 and in fact atop the division?

This is with an all new everything, a 3rd string QB starting, banged up RB's, banged up secondary, a multitude of penalties, and the youngest team in the league...

I can get fired up by the woulda, coulda, shoulda, and the stupid penalties, stupid play, stupid play-calling at times, lack of quality depth, etc...

But this team is not the same ole Bills... They have to prove it and they have plenty to prove. But, I don't see the same ole team anymore.

Go Bills!

[Forward_Lateral]

I disagree with one thing. Lewis has shown, IMO, that he is good enough to at least be the backup QB going forward. I thought he's played pretty good the past two weeks for a guy off of the practice squad.

[TacklingDummy]

This team would be 7-0 if Thad was starter from day 1.

[Skooby]

I think Thad was brilliant at times, he's not that bad.

[Mr. Pink]

This team would be 7-0 if Thad was starter from day 1.

Except he's 1-1 as a starter :rofl:

I would say we'd be 5-2 if he started all year though.

Today's game was almost a mirror image of the loss in week 1 to the Pats. Except obviously we closed out.

The loss to the Browns doesn't happen either if Thad is behind center.

[YardRat]

Lewis has probably earned the back-up spot for now, but nothing more than that.

This was a HUGE win for a young team...hanging in there on the road, making a couple big plays when absolutely necessary, and coming away with the win against a division rival. HUGE.

I disagree about the o-line...they struggle more often than not, and need an infusion of talent at two positions, minimum.

[TacklingDummy]

Except he's 1-1 as a starter :rofl:

.
I think the Cincy game turns out different if Thad was starter from week 1.

[kingJofNYC]

ST and Run D, have to strengthen these two areas.

frustrating to watch this team give up yards. ST almost cost us this game.

[Mace]

ST and Run D, have to strengthen these two areas.

frustrating to watch this team give up yards. ST almost cost us this game.

When we have a contender, you can quibble. No way anyone can pretend to think we're just adding the cherry on top of the frosting to a contender.

Well, you can quibble now if you want but considering penalties from new schemes, 2 one legged rb's, enough injuries to be starting Thad Lewis, a one armed CB in the first year of total overhaul you're probably getting ahead of yourself. Better ST and better D is not hardly the crowning achievement yet unless you want to gripe for the sake of something to gripe about when they win a classic "run for the bus" game on the road against a divisional opponent.

Yeah, no point in getting overexcited but come on, no point in getting over bummed either where anyone needs to try and pick apart what is obviously not the best they'll do and you're trying to bring yourself back to earth because it's getting too heady to believe.

[trapezeus]

also, i think having a ST unit that has almost lost us 3 games in a week is a major problem.

[jamze132]

Thad needs to improve his accuracy and pocket presense immediately if we are to have any success in NOLA.

[OLDSRIP]

This team would be 7-0 if Thad was starter from day 1.

If Thad started since day 1 the NFL would have already cancelled the remainder of the season and award the Bills the Super Bowl.

[trapezeus]

i think Thad's window is starting to close. one more game of film, another game where he isn't particularly a difference maker, and he'll be the fitz type of qb who is good for a couple games a season when a starter goes down, but not someone who can go 4-8 weeks as a starter.

The Bills D scored 10 points yesterday. If Thad is going to be a longer term solution, he will need to improve in his accuracy on all his passes.

[X-Era]

i think Thad's window is starting to close. one more game of film, another game where he isn't particularly a difference maker, and he'll be the fitz type of qb who is good for a couple games a season when a starter goes down, but not someone who can go 4-8 weeks as a starter.

The Bills D scored 10 points yesterday. If Thad is going to be a longer term solution, he will need to improve in his accuracy on all his passes.EJ will be back after the bye week.

[BillsFever21]

The win yesterday and the close games are encouraging. With that said here we go with the "what if's" again. We could just as easily be 0-7 as we could 6-1. There has been 6 games that could've went either way. We've won 3 of them and we've lost 3 of them. You can say the same thing with about 20+ other teams in the league.

[X-Era]

The win yesterday and the close games are encouraging. With that said here we go with the "what if's" again. We could just as easily be 0-7 as we could 6-1. There has been 6 games that could've went either way. We've won 3 of them and we've lost 3 of them. You can say the same thing with about 20+ other teams in the league.Then I could say it for 20 other teams.

It is what it is. They lost. But, they're right there and if that's meaningless to you that's fine. It's not to me.

[justasportsfan]

This team would be 7-0 if Thad was starter from day 1.


Except he's 1-1 as a starter :rofl:


OOPS!

I think the Cincy game turns out different if Thad was starter from week 1.

Backpedal :roflmao:

[X-Era]

I disagree with one thing. Lewis has shown, IMO, that he is good enough to at least be the backup QB going forward. I thought he's played pretty good the past two weeks for a guy off of the practice squad.
So he has shown he is good enough to be a backup by playing real games? That's exactly what I'm asking for from our backups... Proven that they can play at least decent in real games. He's played two real ones so far and that's not enough for me to be satisfied he's our bonafide backup yet. And I'd rather his trial be on some other team before he comes here... Not on our field, when it's our games. Again, experienced and proven backups.

That said, we have no choice, and he looks like he could very well end up being exactly the sort of backup I'm clamoring for.

But he has not shown it enough yet for my taste.

[justasportsfan]

Thad= EJ.

EJ obviously has the bigger potential/Ceiling but question is, can he achieve them. SAme goes with THad, how much better can he be?

[X-Era]

Thad= EJ.

EJ obviously has the bigger potential/Ceiling but question is, can he achieve them. SAme goes with THad, how much better can he be?Who knows. I'm just irritated that we have to be trying to win with all these uproven guys playing big roles.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

I hated most of this game...

It felt like a game where we were relying on a QB who ought to be on the practice squad for any decent team...

We have been destroyed by injuries again for like the 10th year. Starting QB, two RB's, starting CB, starting S, etc... have missed most of our games. And who were our backups? No name, never-has-been's, often un-drafteds. Lewis, Robey, and Rogers belong on the PS. Aaron Williams, Legursky, and Searcy should be backups. A Williams should be starting at S with a legit solid vet starting half time while Gilmore gets better. CJ and Freddy are beat up... No clue why so many of our players always get injured but it's killing us.

That said, I was most irritated at the lack of tackling... WRAP UP!!!! So annoying for 3 quarters.

And I'm always thinking about the o-line... So many complain about that. Yet again I watched the bulk of the sacks or issues come on plays where the rusher was unblocked, or the receivers were covered, or Lewis held on to it to long... It's a detail that many will miss and will inaccurately blame on the OL... Go back and watch.

But here's the thing. We won the game. And we didn't win it at home, it was on the road. And we didn't win against anyone, we won against the hated Dolphins... In their house...

And when the Pats lost I went and looked at the standings... and then at our results thus far...

Do you realize we were 2 points away from beating the Pats and lost in overtime to the Bengals by 3? Do you realize how close we are to being 5 and 2 and in fact atop the division?

This is with an all new everything, a 3rd string QB starting, banged up RB's, banged up secondary, a multitude of penalties, and the youngest team in the league...

I can get fired up by the woulda, coulda, shoulda, and the stupid penalties, stupid play, stupid play-calling at times, lack of quality depth, etc...

But this team is not the same ole Bills... They have to prove it and they have plenty to prove. But, I don't see the same ole team anymore.

Go Bills!

Good post, but they still have to prove this. Yes, last years' team would have gotten murdered at New York and the Bengals game would have been an absolute fiasco. However, for me to believe that they are finally turning the quarter they need to hang with the Saints and beat the Chiefs. They don't have to beat the Saints, they just have to stay within 10 points and not suffer any more injuries. Then they have to beat Kansas City. If they stay close to the Saints and beat the Chiefs (who have played one hell of an easy schedule, seriously, two winless teams, one team that has lost five straight, two more from the NFC LEast, and the perennially embarrassing Raiders) who the media are falling head over heels in love with then I think we can say they have turned the corner.

That being said, I am pleased that for the first time in a while this team is not a doormat nor merely playing not to lose.

[Beebe's Kid]

Thad= EJ.

EJ obviously has the bigger potential/Ceiling but question is, can he achieve them. SAme goes with THad, how much better can he be?
Your SHift KEy is STicking.

Otherwise, I feel this observation is erroneous. Thad has done nothing more than a little game management. EJ, in my opinion, has shown the ability to be a relatively successful NFL QB. I am no cheerleader...that is for sure, but Thad looks like a good backup in my eyes.