Bills Zone Round Table

by Frank Stephen

This week at the Roundtable we have BillsZone Training Camp reporter Michael J. Thomas and longtime Zone poster Roger Eimers. As the Bills enter into the NFL's 4th week the Bills go up against, what appears to be their newest archrival, the New England Patriots.

Frank:
Mike, is this the most pivotal game of the remainder of Drew Bledsoe's career?

Mike:
Yes, I think it is. The game is a must win for Bledsoe and basically for Mularkey. Bledsoe has been struggling in the first two games and has looked the same in week 2 as he did all of last season. He knows that if he doesn't want to lose his job to Losman, he needs to show something.

Roger:
IMO, no. I think Bledsoe is washed up

Frank:
Roger, we have seen over the last 16 regular season games nothing but sub-par performances from Drew Bledsoe. Is the well dry? Is there a system that the coaches can put him in so that he can succeed?

Roger:
IMO, no. I think Bledsoe is washed up

Frank:
In your opinion, can the Bills even go 8-8 if they ask him to just hand the ball off 40 times a game and only pass it 20?

Roger:
If we were a great running team I would say yeah. Unfortunately, we have not even been able to run this year. I think Bledsoe needs 5 pro-bowlers on the line just to be average

Frank:
Mike, during the off-season the front office restructured Drew Bledsoe’s contract, do you think the front office brought him back simply to hold the spot for a younger QB?

Mike:
I think that the Bills wanted to find a younger, cheaper quarterback, but they were all signed to contracts. There are actually two reasons why they kept Drew Bledsoe. The first one is because Ralph Wilson and Tom Donahoe still believed that Drew Bledsoe had something left in his tank. They thought that it was just the offensive system and that he could be fixed. They also kept him because of the fact that they needed an older veteran to help tutor and develop the future Quarterback of the Buffalo Bills. Donahoe figured he could get at least one more year out of Bledsoe and then would have JP Losman learn from watching Bledsoe and working with him in practice.

Frank:
Roger, instead of restructuring Bledsoe’s deal to put $4 million off until next year, should they just have hired a veteran QB for much less and just let him hold the fort for a year? Wouldn't that have been admitting the team was going nowhere and hurting business, i.e., ticket sales?

Roger:
I think they should have just kept Drew's deal the way it was if they were not going to cut him. I would have liked them to try for Mark Brunell or Jeff Garcia but they would have cost as much as Drew got. As far as the ticket sales thing, I would have been more likely to buy tickets if they had released Drew

Mike:
You are one of the few. If they cut Drew Bledsoe, and signed a 2nd tier quarterback, they would have admitted that they are back in a rebuilding mode and there would have been a decrease in tickets, specifically season tickets.

Frank:
Roger, do you agree that ticket sales would have gone down? It is an attractive home schedule except for Arizona.

Roger:
No I don't agree ticket sales would have gone down. If they had brought in someone else a lot of fans would have had more hope for this season. I think more than 50% of Bills fans wanted Drew gone last off-season.

Frank:
But season ticket sales are up from last year and the first three or four games are sold out.

Roger:
I think it would have been about the same if they had made a change.

Mike:
More than 50%? I totally disagree! They have not jumped off the Drew Bledsoe bandwagon until after the 2nd game. Have you been to a game lately? The Drew Bledsoe jerseys are still all over the place. Drew still had tons of people wanting his autograph at training camp. There's no way that more than 50% of Bills fans wanted Bledsoe gone.

Frank:
He didn't do much to lose the first game. He put them in a position to win.

Roger:
The defense put us in a position to win, not Bledsoe

Frank:
He did as asked by the fans; don't lose the game!

Roger:
IF the D does not cause those 2 turnovers we get shut out

Mike:
Exactly. He did exactly what the game plan was, and had a pretty good game. This is also why I feel he is not done yet. He had one good game, and 1 bad game.

Roger:
NO Mike! I ok game and 1 bad game

Frank:
You don't know if the Bills would have stumbled all game Roger. Maybe the team puts together a long drive if Clements doesn't intercept that pass.

Roger:
They could not drive all game

Mike:
The defense that everybody praises is also the reason why the Bills lost the game. If Clements did not go for the interception in week 1, the game would have been over. If one of the safeties prevented Ernest Wilford from catching the pass, game over.

Frank:
Would the fans be wringing their hands as hard as they are if this team was 2-0? Clements knocks down the ball and the refs get some calls correct?

Roger:
Probably not.

Mike:
I don't think so. I think that the fans would still be talking playoffs if the Bills won the first 2 games. I mean, come on. All it was, was a few bad plays here and there and both games could have been W's.

Frank:
So, because of last season, is everybody just judging on one terrible game in Oakland?

Mike:
Yeah, that's exactly what it is, but they are also looking at how the offense is struggling with putting up points and it reminds them of last year too much.

Roger:
No, I am going by game 1 too. By the game plan from week 1 it appears to me they don't trust Bledsoe

Mike:
Roger, that's the way our offense is set up. It was made to be a short passing game, and control the clock. That's what we got in week 1 and some of week 2.

Frank:
In your opinion, how long until Bledsoe is put on the bench and what kind of play prevents it?

Roger:
Maybe when Losman is healthy. Winning will save his job for now. Mike, they set the offense up that way because they don't trust Drew IMO

Mike:
I don't see it as that. I see it as the fact that they are trying to build an offense where Bledsoe won't be holding onto the ball for 5 or 6 seconds. The offense that they are doing is setup for Bledsoe to make quick decisions and get rid of the ball much faster. IMO, it worked just the way they wanted it to, in week 1.

Frank:
If they don't trust Drew then why resign him?

Roger:
Good question. I think TD still thought Drew had it. I think Mularkey had to like Bledsoe if he wanted this job.

Frank:
Can he get by as the starter if they win and play like they did against Jacksonville?

Roger:
If we win he will keep his job, no matter how bad he plays.

Mike:
As long as the rest of the team stops making the mental mistakes, yes.

Frank:
Ok, my personal feeling on this whole thing? I think they thought he was nearly empty. But, they figured it was easier and better to go with the devil they knew rather than trying to get somebody new until they could get a rookie to come in a learn the system. Thus, restructure the deal to soften the cap blow and Losman, or whoever was drafted, would be the man in 2005. Your thoughts on that.

Roger:
I agree with that. I think they were hoping a new system would help him but not sold on it happening

Mike:
That makes a lot of sense. But I really think that Ralph Wilson and Tom Donahoe thought Bledsoe still had some of the 2002 season in him.

Frank:
For better or worse, will Drew even be on this team in 2005?

Roger:
The only way he will be on this team is if we make the playoffs. I don't see that happening. He did have some of the 2002 season left in him Mike. Unfortunately it is the second half of that season. lol

Mike:
I'm not sure about that. I think it depends on how he does with this season. If he picks it up and ends the season with 8-8 or better, Donahoe will ask him to take a pay cut or be cut. If he is still here in 2005, he will probably be the backup or will be competing with JP Losman for the starting job in training camp.

Frank:
OK guys, let's shift gears. Winners of 17 in a row, the New England Patriots come to town this week. Over the course of the past three years it almost appears that the Pats have become as much as if not more than a rival to the Bills as are the Dolphins. Are they the biggest rival the Bills have?

Roger:
No. It is still the ‘Phins for me.

Mike:
Not yet. The Dolphins are always going to be the most hated team to Bills fans, but the Patriots are starting to come pretty close to them lately.

Roger:
I agree. It's much more rivalry than before but I still hate the ‘Phins much more for some reason

Mike:
Because they are the ‘Phins, we are Bills fans, it is in our blood to HATE the Miami Dolphins.

Frank:
I'm not sure that is coded for in the genes Mike, but I do agree. We are programmed to hate Miami.

Frank says
Is Bill Belichick the best coach in football right now?

Roger:
Begrudgingly I have to say yes.

Mike:
I like Bill Belichick a lot and have a lot of respect for him, but I think Bill Parcells is the best coach in football right now. Belichick has a lot more to work with in New England and also has Tom Brady, one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. Parcells is working with Vinny Testeverde and Eddie George. Plus, you got to give credit to Belichick's staff. He has been able to keep both his OC and DC on the team for a while and that has definitely helped.

Frank says
As fans, what do you think it will take to beat the Pats on Sunday?

Roger:
No turnovers by us and at least 2 by NE.

Mike:
Travis Henry up the middle, Willis McGahee around the tackle, and for the defense to force New England to turnover the ball.

Frank:
We mentioned Miami, in our closing moments, just how bad are the Dolphins? Are they really looking at their first last place finish since....since...since...my memory doesn't even go back that far, like 1969?

Roger:
I thought they would beat the Steelers. After seeing a rookie QB beat them I think they may be the worst team in the league this year. Their OL is worse than ours. They suck and I love it!!!!!!!!

Frank:
I'm not crying any tears for them. If the Bills were to go 2-14 this year there would be joy in my heart knowing there is still a chance that the 'Fins go 0-16.

Mike:
The problem with the Dolphins is that they are not really a bad overall team. Just their offense is bad. Their defense is still in the top 10, but that's about it. Their offense is terrible. Their offensive line makes ours look like pro-bowlers and their running back and quarterback situation are laughable. I think the Dolphins could be the one team to go 0-16 and that makes me feel so good.

Roger:
Feely looks like a bust.

Mike:
Feeley is a bust, so is Lamar Gordon and so is David Boston. Each one was traded for and look where it got them. Feeley is back to being a backup again, because he is terrible and Gordon and Boston are injured.

Frank:
Is Dave Wanstedt on more of a hot seat down there than TD is here?

Roger:
Absolutely. I don't even think TD is on a hot seat. At least not with Ralph and thats all that matters

Frank:
The bottom line is the bottom line and TD has down well for Ralph.

Mike:
Wanny might get a pass, because of how bad things have been for the Dolphins in general and that seems to be the kind of guy that Wayne is.

Roger:
Wanny will want to be fired after this year

Frank:
Wanny is fried faster than Mahi-Mahi.

Mike:
I honestly hope he does get a pass, which would make it even better. He's a terrible coach and he's a big part of why they are so bad this year. Wanny won't be the only one. I could see Rick Spielman and other management get fired too.

Frank:
Guys, I want to thank you for joining me tonight. Any predictions for Sunday?

Roger:
Despite everything I said about Drew I have a positive feeling about this game for some reason. 16-9 Bills

Mike:
My prediction and this is also what I'm hoping happens...Drew Bledsoe gets some of that spark and throws deep to Evans and Moulds. Bills win 24-10

Frank:
I just can't see NE allowing their drive to a record 18 in a row being stopped. They want retribution for the 31-0 pounding the Bills pasted on them here last year and the Bills offensive still has a lot to prove to me. 31 seems to be a popular number in this series. The Pats beat the Bills 31-0 to close the 2003 season. I see a 31-13 Pats victory.

Mike:
Ouch! If that happens, this place will be a nightmare next week.

Roger:
They already got their retribution by pounding us in the rematch

Mike:
EXACTLY!

Frank:
Every game is a rematch for Belichick. He has a lot to prove. Many still think he is in Parcells shadow. They win 19 in a row to set the record and own it on their own and that will say volumes.

Roger:
IF they get blown out the Bledsoe bashing of the last 2 weeks will be nothing compared to what will be to come

Frank:
That's not fair. What if it is not Drew's fault?

Roger:
They won't get blown out unless they turn the ball over multiple times. That will be Drew's doing.

Mike:
31-13 is not just Drew's fault. It's also the defense's fault and the rest of the team. But you know Bledsoe will get most of the blame.

Roger:
IF he does not turn the ball over we will win

Mike:
He has not turned the ball over yet, except for that one play that was tipped by Henry.

Roger:
That’s what scares me. He's overdue for one of his 5 turnover games. I think it comes against the Jets next week

Mike:
Either way, Mistake-free football is what will win the Bills this game and add some much-needed confidence to this team.

Frank:
Ok, guys. This has been great. Thanks again for joining me. I'd like to have you back on in the future.

Roger:
Ok. Thanks for inviting us

Mike:
No problem, Frank. Thanks for having us.