Why isn't anyone concerned over the loss of Pat Williams?

[OpIv37]

I know Edwards played a lot last year, but he primarily played passing downs. The truth is that he's probably a slight upgrade as a pass rusher- the only QB in the league slow enough to get sacked by Williams is Drew Bledsoe. But he's so much smaller than Williams. No one was able to run against our D because Pat and Sam took up so much space. There is NO WAY that Edwards or Anderson will be able to hold their ground the way Williams did. We already know that Schobel is weak against the run to the outside. We can't expect the LB's and DB's to cover the run for the entire defensive line- Sam is the only true run-stuffer we have.


If Milloy and Vincent can both stay healthy, our pass D will be as good or better than it was last year, but teams will be able to run against the Bills this year. Everyone says "well our D only lost one player", but the loss of that player basically opens up a whole line of attack that wasn't available to opposing offenses last year. It won't be like the first half of '02 when we gave up 300 yards/game, but don't expect a top 5 defense again.

[Marvelous]

I expect 2-3 neggs as usual whenever i shed my oppinion on Pat.
-First off it's not Edwards & Anderson, it's Ron Edwards & Sam Adams. If you happen to have any games on tape theres a good chance of seeing Edwards in action. He is a playmaker. Pat Williams is a great clogger but that's all he is. IMO we will be fine. Schobel & Kelsay are also an above average DE run stoppers. I expect only a minimal dropoff and if that's the case then the team is better off with the saved $........

[ryven]

Ron Edwards
Height: 6-3
Weight: 320


Pat Williams
Height: 6-3
Weight: 317


they look to be about the same size to me

[ryven]

The biggest thing Pat had going for him is experience and no one can doubt that pat is a underrated DT in this league.

[Bill Brasky]

haven't you noticed. once a guy leaves, everybody becomes a player hater. happens everytime.

[Decadeofthe90's]

Actually, I think our D-Line has improved.....Don't get me wrong, Big Pat is one of the best DTs in the NFL, but the way I look at it is Big SAM is still one of the best at his position, I think Schobel improved in his running game from past years and Kelsay got better each week, so he has a full season under his belt....so just with those 3 playing this year will be an improvement from last year........Not to mention one of the sickest linebacker core and backfields in the league. Who was I talking about again.....

[Jan Reimers]

I would ask, Why don't people think that Edwards and Anderson can take Big Pat's place? Edwards is a big, developing player with quite a bit of experience who played very well last year. Anderson is a tough, blue collar guy who was a 3rd round pick and who Krumrie really likes.

At some point, a team has to replace its older guys with some young blood.

Why do we become so negative everytime a young player moves up to replace an aging, overpaid one?

[ryven]

haven't you noticed. once a guy leaves, everybody becomes a player hater. happens everytime.

I dont hate Pat but he is gone why worrie will that bring him back. I believe Edwards or Anderson will be fine at DT.

[ryven]

I would ask, Why don't people think that Edwards and Anderson can take Big Pat's place? Edwards is a big, developing player with quite a bit of experience who played very well last year. Anderson is a tough, blue collar guy who was a 3rd round pick and who Krumrie really likes.

At some point, a team has to replace its older guys with some young blood.

Why do we become so negative everytime a young player moves up to replace an aging, overpaid one?

[mysticsoto]

Why is it that people never want to give anyone else a chance. Ron Edwards has played very well and was actually in alot last year! PW was only going to get older and tired quicker. In truth, what we lose in run stuffing, we gain in pass rushing. So maybe rushing the opposing QBs more will gain our secondary more interceptions! Not that I think Ron Edwards will have trouble handling/stuffing the run. 320 lbs is nothing to sneeze at.

[colin]

pat was my favorite bill, i will miss him much more than most fans.

that said tho, i think with adams still there (a true specialist and massive force in the middle), we lose a very good all rounder, but still have good all rounders to rotate into our D line. Our LE position was the big concern on D last year, and besides the fact that we can't really blow up 3rd and long, we have had really solid play from our D line (we were still top 10 and sacks, and overall the best i'd say).

so we lose a great player in pat, but we have other young guys who are improving who can do what he does, perhaps not as well yet, but they can do the job.

it's different than us losing milloy and vincent last year, becase we have no one else who can do what they do, not even close (assuming mcgee is a corner and vincent is a FS).

our d will be dominant again

[Bill Brasky]

I would ask, Why don't people think that Edwards and Anderson can take Big Pat's place?

Edwards is a big, developing player with quite a bit of experience who played very well last year.

Anderson is a tough, blue collar guy who was a 3rd round pick and who Krumrie really likes.

Somebody on the other side of the fence might argue that neither of those points prove anything, though.

Name one great thing Edwards did last season that made him stand out in anybody's head as a sufficient replacement for a proven guy?

I think that is why some may not have confidence in him.

Your point on Anderson -- big deal if he is blue collar? There are tons of guys in the league described as "blue collar" riding the bench or out of the game all together. And it doesn't matter who the coaches like in every situation... if it was like that 100% the league would be full of Drew Bledsoes.

However, I could really care less. I think/hope Edwards can fill PW's shoes... I just wanted to play devil's advocate

[Jan Reimers]

You 're right. Edwards and Anderson are going to suck, we cannot possibly win without Big Pat, and we should bring back Smith, Wright and Hansen to man our defensive line because none of these young guys are ever any good.

Why the HELL do people think we drafted Edwards and Anderson as high as we did if we planned to let them rot on the bench until Williams was playing with a walker?

[Historian]

At some point, a team has to replace its older guys with some young blood.

Exactly. Pat was getting a little long in the tooth. As good as he was, I think the defense can take a hit there. It's only one guy, with some pretty capable ones in reserve.

Our D will be fine.

[Tatonka]

i have no worries that edwards and anderson will do fine replacing pat.