SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

[Jeff1220]

Statistical Storylines Will Loom over Every Team in 2012

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/kerry_byrne/08/21/season-storylines/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t12_a0

Buffalo: How badly will Bills fans regret the decision to break the bank for defensive end Mario Williams?

Buffalo was clearly desperate for defensive help. The team could do nothing right on that side of the ball in 2011, surrendering 27.1 PPG. So it went out and signed former Texan Mario Williams to a six-year deal worth a reported $100 million, including $50 million in guaranteed money. It's the richest deal for a defender in NFL history.

But Bills management clearly overvalued his potential impact. In fact, Buffalo should have looked more closely at the Texans last year. They actually improved when Williams was on the sidelines.

Mario Williams' impact on the Texans

Record PPG YPG
With Williams 3-2 19.0 314.0
Without Williams 7-4 16.6 272.8

Williams has played just 18 of 32 games over the last two years, and has averaged fewer than 9.0 sacks per season in his career. But even if he were the second coming of Reggie White, it'd be hard for Buffalo to justify the shockingly large contract.

Bad organizations make desperate decisions in the misguided hope of finding a quick fix. The Williams signing looks like just such a decision.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz24NCibXEF

[IAG]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

He might not make the plays that equal his money, but I am glad he is on my team. Give me pass rush!!!

[OpIv37]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Those stats mean nothing without analyzing the overall records and PPG of the teams played with Williams vs the teams played without him. Not all NFL teams are equal.

[better days]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Those stats mean nothing without analyzing the overall records and PPG of the teams played with Williams vs the teams played without him. Not all NFL teams are equal.

Aside from that, the Texans ran the 3-4 last year. Buffalo will run the 4-3 which suits Mario better & Marrio will be playing with the two best DTs he has ever played with in his NFL career. The Bills WASTED a huge amount of money making Dockery the highest paid guard in the NFL, but I think the mony for Mario is well spent.

[The King]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

How can this article be written with out one actual down played.

[OpIv37]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Yeah I was just going to say pretty much the same thing: the Bills have three other very good defensive linemen who will benefit from Mario being double teamed. Barring another injury, there is just no way that he doesn't make this team instantly better.

- - - Updated - - -

How can this article be written with out one actual down played.

24 hour news cycle trying to cover a sport that's still in preseason.

"Hmmm.... what can we say that will start some controversy and get us some attention?"

[Meathead]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

sometimes those 'biggest fa on the market' moves work out and sometimes they dont. plus as time goes on the money often looks less and less outrageous. chicago paid a ransom for peppers and that has worked out well for them

theres also the issue of marketability. the bills making that move has the real potential to shift their reputation in the league as a team serious about winning, helping them draw better free agents

it seemed like a good time to go all in for the bills and he was the perfect guy to do it with. the team was just becoming mature enough to make a move toward the playoffs and the mario and anderson signings could be what puts them over the top

of course we all hope it works out well here, too. should be the most fun season in quite a while. and remember, ralph is cheap

[stuckincincy]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Buyers' remorse a common thing. I was surprised at the $50M guaranteed part of the contract.

I think that Ralph wanted to give the club, the fans something to look forward to. I recall then-Reds' owner, the late Marge Schott re-signing a declining Barry Larkin. The late owner Carl Lindner bringing in Ken Griffey Jr.

[Joe Fo Sho]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

There should be no one upset that the Bills took a chance on this guy. We've been *****ing about not spending money on FAs for what seems like forever. If he works out, great. If he doesn't, at least we took a chance. Before free agency started, someone please tell me they didn't want Mario Williams on this team. Besides, my understanding is that we gave him tons of money, but didn't really handcuff ourselves salary cap wise. Let's wait til the season starts before we let the sky fall on ourselves.

[Jeff1220]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

I just hope someone posted this article in Mario's locker. :)

[Mahdi]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Honestly, I know its just preseason, but we really haven't seen Mario anywhere near the QB yet. RGIII stood comfortably in the pocket as did Ponder.

Hopefully once the reg season starts and the DL has a chance to get into a groove while playing series after series it won't be an issue, but if Mario struggles fans will not be so patient. He's no rookie and he's raking in more guaranteed cash than the entire D combined possibly.

[Skooby]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

No chance the Texans had a weaker schedule either, why figure that into the equation?

[stuckincincy]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Honestly, I know its just preseason, but we really haven't seen Mario anywhere near the QB yet. RGIII stood comfortably in the pocket as did Ponder.

Hopefully once the reg season starts and the DL has a chance to get into a groove while playing series after series it won't be an issue, but if Mario struggles fans will not be so patient. He's no rookie and he's raking in more guaranteed cash than the entire D combined possibly.

What's curious to me, is that I don't see a single stat listed for him on NFL.coms' gamebook pdf.. No tackles, assists - nothing. I've no idea about how many minutes he's been on the field so far. Sooner or later, you gotta bump into somebody.

I understand the arguments about avoiding injury, but OTOH, you do have to mix it up a bit against the opposition, who aren't going to patty-cake like in practice.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

Those stats mean nothing without analyzing the overall records and PPG of the teams played with Williams vs the teams played without him. Not all NFL teams are equal.

My thoughts exactly. It would be interesting to see that breakdown. If I get bored later I'll post haha

[Albany,n.y.]

Re: SI Article: Bills will regret spending on MW.

sometimes those 'biggest fa on the market' moves work out and sometimes they dont. plus as time goes on the money often looks less and less outrageous. chicago paid a ransom for peppers and that has worked out well for them

theres also the issue of marketability. the bills making that move has the real potential to shift their reputation in the league as a team serious about winning, helping them draw better free agents

it seemed like a good time to go all in for the bills and he was the perfect guy to do it with. the team was just becoming mature enough to make a move toward the playoffs and the mario and anderson signings could be what puts them over the top

of course we all hope it works out well here, too. should be the most fun season in quite a while. and remember, ralph is cheap

You've noted what I think is the best part of the signing-it gives the Bills credibility with other free agents. The SI writer has no comprehension of free agency if he doesn't understand this. Good players help a team to bring other good players in. This writer should look at what happened the last time the Bills got some good players-guys like Spikes & Adams came here because they believed they could win, same thing with Early & Paup in the 1990s. While those teams had a name QB to help the drawing power, you can't always start at QB. However, when the team had no talent & QBs like Losman & Johnson nobody wanted to come here because they knew the team's shot at the playoffs & beyond was limited at best. I just wish we had a better free agent drawing card at QB, but Williams on D is a good start for future years.