Not Much Hope for the Future

[Jan Reimers]

As I watched another in a long line of Bills' debacles, I tried to look optimistically to the future. But here is what I came up with:

- Fred Jackson, one of our very best players, is the oldest running back in the league, and probably has only a year or two left.

- CJ Spiller is too injury prone, slightly built, and inconsistent to be an every down running back in this league.

- Stevie Johnson would be a number 2 receiver with some teams, and a number 3 with others. The rest of our receiving corps is unproven - or worse - proven to be career backups.

- EJ may or not be our OB of the future. Yesterday made me very concerned about his being the answer.

- Chandler is a nonentity at TE. Perhaps the rookie will step up.

- The O-line is adequate, but Pears and Legursky should be replaced. Levitre should still be here.

- The D-line is OK, but K.Williams is getting older, M. Williams is wildly inconsistent, and Dareus is well - getting better, I think.

- Kiko is great, but who knows if we will keep him beyond his rookie contract. We have a way of letting the really good ones walk, when they have the audacity to want to be paid. The rest of the LBs are situational guys.

- The D-backs are a mixed bag. Gilmore shows some good signs, Byrd - our best - will most likely leave, and the rest are adequate NFL players.

I simply don't see a lot of rising stars or young veterans that will make us a power in this league. And the coaching staff seems to have taken a step back from it's balls-to-the-wall hurry up offense and it'd aggressive, blitzing defense.

Yesterday's game put me to sleep, and I see many more Bills' naps in my future.

[EDS]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

This team could be very competitive, meaning a real playoff contender, if Manuel develops into a bona fide NFL borderline all-star (a Tony Romo, for example). He needs to be able to carry the team for a few games at a time, and if the team is going to win a Super Bowl, he will need to be able to string together 8-10 games of brilliance (see, e.g., Joe Facco and Eli Manning). Outside of that, there is little hope I agree.

No pressure EJ.

[Skooby]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

This team could be very competitive, meaning a real playoff contender, if Manuel develops into a bona fide NFL borderline all-star (a Tony Romo, for example). He needs to be able to carry the team for a few games at a time, and if the team is going to win a Super Bowl, he will need to be able to string together 8-10 games of brilliance (see, e.g., Joe Facco and Eli Manning). Outside of that, there is little hope I agree.

No pressure EJ.

The team has been inept for 14 years straight, expecting anything different is pure old fashion communism.

[better days]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

As I watched another in a long line of Bills' debacles, I tried to look optimistically to the future. But here is what I came up with:

- Fred Jackson, one of our very best players, is the oldest running back in the league, and probably has only a year or two left.

- CJ Spiller is too injury prone, slightly built, and inconsistent to be an every down running back in this league.

- Stevie Johnson would be a number 2 receiver with some teams, and a number 3 with others. The rest of our receiving corps is unproven - or worse - proven to be career backups.

- EJ may or not be our OB of the future. Yesterday made me very concerned about his being the answer.

- Chandler is a nonentity at TE. Perhaps the rookie will step up.

- The O-line is adequate, but Pears and Legursky should be replaced. Levitre should still be here.

- The D-line is OK, but K.Williams is getting older, M. Williams is wildly inconsistent, and Dareus is well - getting better, I think.

- Kiko is great, but who knows if we will keep him beyond his rookie contract. We have a way of letting the really good ones walk, when they have the audacity to want to be paid. The rest of the LBs are situational guys.

- The D-backs are a mixed bag. Gilmore shows some good signs, Byrd - our best - will most likely leave, and the rest are adequate NFL players.

I simply don't see a lot of rising stars or young veterans that will make us a power in this league. And the coaching staff seems to have taken a step back from it's balls-to-the-wall hurry up offense and it'd aggressive, blitzing defense.

Yesterday's game put me to sleep, and I see many more Bills' naps in my future.

- On WHAT TEAMS would Stevie be the # 3 receiver? NAME THEM.

- The Bills have some rising STARS at the WR position. Give them another year.

- Chandler is a weapon that for some reason Hackett did not use. He should have been the red zone target.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

Great thread!! Woohoo!

[OLDSRIP]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

Until we get good qb play consistently nothing else matters.
With the parity in the NFL right now the Bills would be very competitive with a decent qb.

[Uncle Jesse]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

Until we get good qb play consistently nothing else matters.
With the parity in the NFL right now the Bills would be very competitive with a decent qb.

Exactly, and people squawk at the idea of drafting another one this spring. Do it every year for all I care, the salary isn't an issue anymore, and we'll be nothing without one....

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

By the time the Bills are good I won't give a frack about football anymore.

[OpIv37]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

- On WHAT TEAMS would Stevie be the # 3 receiver? NAME THEM.

- The Bills have some rising STARS at the WR position. Give them another year.

- Chandler is a weapon that for some reason Hackett did not use. He should have been the red zone target.

Give them another year? Like we did for Graham, Easley, Jones, Nelson, Hardy.....

[OpIv37]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

I do have to say that yesterday was a huge disappointment. Before that game, I was seeing signs of life and was actuLly cautiously optimistic about the team's direction, but the Steelers game was a huge disappointment.

The D was passable but several stars had terrible efforts, particularly Mario and Gilmore.

The O was completely out of sync and the coaches seemed clueless as to what to do about it. And Manuel was ****ing horrific. He looked clueless out there.

The poor coaching and QB play and lopsided TOP were too reminiscint of the garbage teams of the pas few years.

[EDS]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

- On WHAT TEAMS would Stevie be the # 3 receiver? NAME THEM.

Giants (Cruz, Nicks)
Broncos (Thomas, Decker, Welker)
Packers (Nelson, Cobb)
Eagles (Jackson, Maclin)
Falcons (Jones, White)

That being said, I think Stevie is at worst a solid #2.

[chris66]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

This team is Jekyll and Hide depending if they are at home or on the road. With whoring out a game to Toronto. That doesnt bode well for the rest of the season

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

Give them another year? Like we did for Graham, Easley, Jones, Nelson, Hardy.....

Goodwin with a real QB or with a QB who's at the minimum willing to throw down field would be an asset. Look at what he did with Tuel against KC. He literally blew by both the safety and corner. They should throw the ball down field to him a couple times a game, every game. Of course, they need a QB who's actually willing to throw the ball deep.

Sadly, Goodwin would probably put up Lee Evans numbers if he had JP Losman as his QB.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

By the time the Bills are good I won't give a frack about football anymore.

Parity.

In the words of the old musical group, Rush:

"The Trees

There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the Forest,
And the Creatures all have fled,
As the Maples scream oppression,
And the Oaks just shake their heads.

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
"These oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light."
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw."


Parity. Let not your heart be troubled.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Not Much Hope for the Future

Sadly, Goodwin would probably put up Lee Evans numbers if he had JP Losman as his QB.

JP was entertainingly sucky, EJ just sucks.