I really don't think you understand what you see on the football field if you watched the Bills and missed two big obvious problems: the absolute lack of a pass rush on defense and the fact that the Bills ran a spread offense that utilized primarily three step drops to mask/minimize poor OT play. The Bills didn't just add Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. They fired DC George Wilson and hired Dave Wannstadt as their new DC. They will go back to the base 4-3 which probably suits their personnel better since they have two very good DTs: former Pro Bowler Kyle Williams and young gun Marcell Dareus. Contrary to your thought, Chris Kelsay is a good run-stuffing DE. I think that the Bills may platoon Kelsay and Anderson. Shawne Merriman had surgery on his bad Achilles last season, and if he can come back 70% of what he was in SD, that would improve the Bills OLBs significantly. We'll see. Kelvin Sheppard, a rookie last season, will probably be the MLBer in the 4-3 and Nick Barnett will be one of the OLBs. The Bills offense needs better OTs and better WRs no doubt. That they weren't that interested in keeping Demetress Bell says that they probably liked rookie OT Chris Hairston's potential. The Bills tried to get FA WR Meachem but when he signed elsewhere, they really didn't look at any other name WRs. They did re-sign ex-Miami WR Derek Hagan who signed with them last season. One of the lesser known facts about the Bills offense for 2012 is that they hired David Lee to be their QB coach. He's the guy who brought the WC to the NFL in 2008, and he's got the Jets' former WC QB, Brad Smith, on the Bills roster. Gailey likes to give opponents lots of wrinkles to worry about. :wink: The Bills will probably take at least one of each in the draft: CB, LB, OT, WR. If they take a developmental QB, I'd like Russell Wilson any time after Round 2. I'd also like them to add at least another OLer, too. If the Bills can stay healthy, I think that they can win more games than they lose in 2012, the first time they'd accomplish that since 2004. Whether that would be good enough to make the playoffs, we will have to wait and see. If everything went perfectly, they could be one of the surprises of 2012. I doubt that they go 1-5 in the AFCE this coming season.
Merriman is done, that ship sailed years ago. He's glass and no longer can use the 'Roids I will be very surprized if he plays 1 football game this fall. Kyle Williams has got to be one of the worst "Pro Bowlers" in the history of the NFL. Just because others more worthy were injured/decline the offer/play in the Super Bowl doesnt make Williams a legit pro bowler. Dareus is good though and Mario was a good signing. I find it ironic that Bills fans are praising Dave Wannstadt, as if he's going to fix everything. 10 years ago Buffaloians would laugh at Wanny and call him a joke, now he's just going to fix everything for you eh? You are too weak at LB and OL.. Fitzpatrick is not a winner but you have talent in Jackson/Spiller. The only "wrinkles" the rest of the AFC East is worried about from Gailey are on his old ass face, that's scary. But I do also doubt the bills go 1-5 in the AFC East this fall - You will go 2-6 beating Miami twice.
I think you mean 2-4 in the division. I am not taking them lightly, they have improved. We should win both but if we split I wouldn't be surprised.
I believe that Kyle Williams was voted on to the Pro Bowl by the players or selected by the coaches. He wasn't an alternate for somebody who was injured. I said the Bills were hoping that Merriman's "fixed". I didn't say he was or that the Bills thought he would be a key player. As for Wanny, he's always been a good defensive coach. His ability as a HC is questionable. What I find funny is your faith that Tony Sparano, also a failed HC, is going to "fix" your offense when he really hasn't ever been an OC. There's a big difference between designing an entire offense and calling the plays for a few games. Furthermore, a fan of a team contemplating platooning Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow at the QB spot really ought not to disparage any other team's QB.
And a fan of a team that annually quits after game 5,and has 1 historical focal point which is losing 4 sbs in a row,need not come to another teams board and disparage anything. Besides,Sanchez is 2 out of 3 getting deep into the playoffs.
Why are you bringing up Sparano/Sanchez/Tebow, I didn't say anything about them... Also you are dead wrong about Williams. Alternate both "pro bowl" years. "After the 2009 season, Williams was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster as an alternate. He played as a rotational player. After the 2010 season, Williams was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster, after Oakland's Richard Seymour suffered a hamstring injury" It hasn't mattered the last couple years and it still won't matter who is QBing the Jets when they play Buffalo because they will run all over the Bills again.
Man, that Stevie Johnson dropped pass is larger than I thought, because if he catches it, the Bills and Jets have the same record, same divisional record, same AFC conference record........
The Jets had a down year. They are better than an 8-8 club, you probably don't agree, so we'll have to agree to disagree.
You probably don't have to hunt too hard to find Bills fans in 2009 or 2010 mocking us as 'offseason champs'. Totally different when they are signing high profile free agents!
I wasn't comparing franchises, I was pointing out that the criticism of losing four Super Bowls is unwarranted when Sanchez hasn't even been able to get to one.
2 afccgs in 3 years. You would be thrilled to have that. 4 Superbowl losses in a row is guinessbook material
They get like this after a smidgeon of fortune comes their way. Remember earlier this year after they beat NE? Division, playoffs, deep tournament run talk. Then what happened? A month later they were nowhere to be found. :rofl: They definitely improved. Their D-line is awesome, decent secondary that will be aided by that DL. OL still average, Fitzpatrick is good not great and Gailey's gameplanning doesn't scare anyone. 9-7/8-8 club. We could split with them, and I'd be dissapointed. We have the better roster.
