Pardon the dust around Buffalowins.com. Unfortunately, I have been working a ton and my time has been slashed to next to nothing. Anyways, here are some random thoughts for you.
1) There are no words to describe how badly the Bills’ defense have played this year. I’ve seen some Debbie Downers in my lifetime. The 2001 team, which had the likes of Brandon Spoon and Ron Edwards. The 2002 defense, which made Drew Bledsoe have to score 4 touchdowns in a game in order to keep the team from losing by 20 points. Even Dick Jauron’s cover 2 defense still makes my skin crawl. However, this defense maybe the worst I have ever seen. I know, I’ve come back from a long hiatus to tell you guys something that you all probably knew. The Bills have allowed 30 points in four straight games and have given up 200 yards on the ground in their last three games. I don’t want to say I told you so, but I knew the transformation to a 3-4 defense was going to take time and be a bumpy road. I knew that the secondary wasn’t going to be as good as last year because the cover 2 defense is mostly designed to help the passing defense out and switching to a 3-4 would only help the run defense out more, because we had more linebackers on the field. Well, like I’ve always said, you can’t make chicken s#$t into chicken salad. The Bills just don’t have the talent in their front 7 to compete.
2) I don’t buy the notion (yet) that this team is destined to go 0-16. I especially didn’t understand the logic of making the game against the Jags as being the end-all-be-all for the Bills to win one game this year. Look, I’ve been saying for months that this team was going to be bad, but its not like Jacksonville is this god awful team. They just beat the Colts and they have always been a team that have hung around the 7-9 win plateau under Jack Del Rio. Bottom line: I know we stink, but we still have the Browns and Lions on our schedule; all at home. Even if the team can’t sell out those games, they still have the home field advantage. Not to mention, those teams are pretty bad too. So, I’m not there yet as far as saying that this team is destined for 0-16. Now, as for 2-14? Yeah, place your bets on that-
3) Okay, maybe I’m a little bitter because I picked him in the 6th round of one of my fantasy drafts, but can we try and get the ball in CJ Spiller’s hands? I’m sorry, but 80 yards rushing…On the SEASON?! And please, don’t talk to me about getting excited about the guy because he can return kickoffs. How many guys have the Bills had over the years that have done this? From Parrish to McGee to McKelvin, it’s old news for me to get excited about kick returners. Hell, how long have we had to endure Roscoe being on the cusp as a vital part of the offense because he returns punts? Too long. I just need to see Spiller in “offensive” situations. I’m sick of fans who say that this or that guy is a player because he returns kicks. Do something at the line of scrimmage. Get some screen passes going. Get in the open field. Enough of this Bobby April or Bruce DeHaven crap! Bottom line: handoffs , passes, catches, end arounds or fumblerooskies should be ways to get the ball in Spillers’ hands…not by just doing kickoffs.
4)Not only are they not getting the ball to their first round pick, but the Bills still haven’t figured out what the must do better…and that’s run the football. Again, your starting running back only gets 12 touches and he averages over 6 yards a carry? It just doesn’t make sense to not run the football more. It’s not like the Bills had to play catch-up against the Jags the entire time, at least not until the 4th quarter anways. Look, I like Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s actually played some decent football this season and has taken advantage of his chances- throwing for seven touchdowns in just three games (Albeit, some of his best work has gone down in garbage time). However, wouldn’t you think he would perform better if he actually had a team that were committed to the run? Not only would the running game help Fitzpatrick, but it would also help the defense out by keeping them off the field more. The Bills have to stop doing the “lets shoot it out” approach. The defense can’t hold up and to put the omen of the offensive gameplan on Fitzpatrick is just too much to ask for.
5) Alright, you want a positive on the Bills? Stevie Johnson. After getting benched, Johnson didn’t soak in self pity and regret, but he actually continued to work hard and has showed up over the last few weeks. Johnson has four touchdowns in his last three games and has been Fitzpatrick’s major target in the red zone. The Bills need a guy like that who is going to be a sizeable target in a wide receiving core that is relatively small.
6) Again, how bad has the drafting for the Bills been over the last 10 years? Bye, Chris Ellis. Dude made one play in the NFL and that was his fumble on a kickoff return against the Jets two weeks ago. Something tells me that we are going to see a John McCargo cut soon.
7) Speaking of disappointing draft picks, I’m sure we all know that Aaron Maybin is in the doghouse. The dude has been involved in like 6 plays over the last two weeks. I know the majority of fans hate the guy, but how can he not get on the field with this defense? Again, why does this team continue to play guys who aren’t going to be cornerstones or role players for this team? Plus, its the team’s obligation to try and get something out of their younger talent and having Maybin sit on the sidelines doesn’t help.
8) OK, I’m going to sound like a Grinch, but I’m not entirely moved by Ralph Wilson’s first speech he’s made since the spring. Wow, so he told us that the Bills want a quarterback next season. Please, tell me something that I don’t know! I’m sorry, but for me to get all excited because the owner knows that this team sucks and is preaching patience just doesn’t effect my thought process. Again, we heard this crap from Wilson when Tom Donahoe took over. Then we heard it when Marv Levy took over. Then, and I’m assuming, we must have heard the same rhetoric when Russ Brandon took over the team. If anything, what really got me infuriated was how Wilson admitted to picking the players that have been selected since 2006. Seriously? And this, my friends, is why I get queasy about getting on board with the rebuilding process. We have way too many cooks in the kitchen and we have no clue who the hell are the main chefs picking the ingredients or entrees. Everytime I mention Tom Modrak being terrible, some dude tells me that it was Dick Jauron’s choice for that specific draft pick, or I get to hear that Marv Levy was the guy who made the final choices. Hell, I think before he died, Lou Saban might have had a say in personnel. Bottom line: No one knows who is really running the show at One Bills Drive, but what we can agree on is that the collective group of advisors have been complete garbage for the last 10 years.
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