I’m still seething at both the NFL Network & Time Warner Cable for not being able to see the NFL Network on my cable system. This is after we did have it in my area for a while from the former cable provider Comcast.
That is another story for another day.
I’ve been reduced to watching the NFL network online. After former St. Louis Ram and now NFL Network analyst Marshall Faulk fumbled the football in his assessment of the Buffalo Bills as a former football player, I had no choice but to recover the fumble.
The Bills 2007 season ended with a 7-9 won/loss record which is respectable for a re-building team. The Bills need to be commended for reaching a 7-9 mark.The Bills like every other team in the league that failed to win their last game and raise the Lombardi trophy, had its share of mishaps & what if’s to fill a few pages.
However, the 2007 season provided the Bills and their fans more positives than negatives and a lot of reason for optimism in 2008.Offensively the Bills ranked near the bottom of the league passing and 15th in the NFL rushing. Defensively the Bills ranked 18th and near the bottom of the league against the pass and 25th against the run.
The Bills were bad defensively but as a positive that means that there were 7 teams in the league that were worst at stopping the run.
The Bills had three games that they lost by a total of 10 points that they should’ve won had that happened the outcome of their season would be different. Their losses to Denver, Dallas and Cleveland were the difference between a 10-6 season and a run at a Wild Card playoff appearance.
Rookie third-round pick QB Trent Edwards benefited from the injury to incumbent QB J.P. Losman and played well in relief. Edwards ended the season with more passing attempts, completions & TD Passes but it was Losman who had the higher completion percentage. These two will battle for the starting job in 2008 with the loser providing quality depth at the position.
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The running back position is solid, with first0round pick Marshawn Lynch having a solid rookie year gaining 1,115 yards & 7 TD’s while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. His backups are Fred Jackson, a former practice squad player, who gained 197 yards in two games against the Redskins & Dolphins.
Fourth-round pick Dwayne Wright, who is a tough, north-south runner, was buried on the depth chart. The Bills have a solid receiver in Lee Evans but have a huge need for a top-shelf No. 2 wide out to avoid defenses from double teaming Evans with little recourse.
I have no idea what Marshall Faulk was talking about the offensive line is solid! LT Jason Peters went to the Pro Bowl; LG Derrick Dockery has terrific size and athleticism at the position. The Bills had 8 opposing runners run for 100+ yards against them and that is what needs to be corrected.
Going into Free Agency & the Draft the team needs are: WR, CB, DE, TE, and DT. The trade for DT Marcus Stroud & picking up DT Spencer Johnson this off-season has solidified the interior of the Bills defense adding to the Kyle Williams, John McCargo rotation. The Bills signed LB Kawika Mitchell, re-signed TE Matt Murphy. TE Courtney Anderson was acquired in Free Agency.
This leaves the Bills with a few more holes to fill namely CB where the team is woefully thin after releasing Kiwaukee Thomas and not re-signing Jason Webster. This need will be filled within the first three rounds.
The first three rounds could look like:
1st Round CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie – He might come from a small-time program, but his strength is his ability to read plays. He doesn’t need much time to digest what he sees, and he’s quick to react when playing off the line & he would be a good fit. Or DE Phillip Merling Clemson.
2nd Round WR James Hardy – the Big , Physical Wide Receiver that the Bills need to make defenses stop double teaming Lee Evans. Or CB Terrell Thomas USC.
3rd Round FS Quintin Demps- Demps makes plays on the ball because he’s a safety with the closing and recovery skills of a corner, at least when the action is in front of him. That’s why he’s a safety, and not out on the island. Or FS Thomas DeCoud Cal.
Plenty of optimism for 2008 although the biggest issue is improved play on the defensive side of the ball, stopping the run and getting after the passer. The Bills need to take a page out of the NY Giants playbook and go after every opponents QB with the same vigor and shoring up the defense and filling holes on the offense will help accomplish that task. The Bills are in position to challenge in the AFC.
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5 months ago
GREAT fumble recovery!!!!
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments, I had to do it.
5 months ago
HA!!!!!! Me TOO! (RE: Marshall Faulk) - We seem to be on the same page.
5 months ago
I like it.
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments.
5 months ago
Definetly better than Faulks analysis.
side note-Edwards is already the starter though and Losman will not be competing for #1 even if he stays on the roster. It is Edwards job for the forseeable future
I do like your mock draft. I definetly like Hardy, he's a redzone monster.
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments, I agree Trent did start last year when JP Losman was injured and due to Trent's solid play JP didn't return to the starting lineup. I feel that going into training camp it makes all the sense in the world to let both guys battle it out. I think it's difficult ot tell a former starter and 1st round pick that this guy is the starter and you're not. I say let the winner of the competition be the judge. That way who ever the loser is can say I battled, had a shot at the starting spot but the guy played better. Just a thought.
5 months ago
What is often left out is the bills getting to 7-9 during the last 2 years while having the hardest schedule in the league.
Games against
NE, NE, JAX, DALLAS, NYG, PITT, CLEVE, PHI
4 of the 6 best teams in the league made up 5 of our games.
Only GB and INDY not shown.
The year before that we had
NE, NE, INDY, Chicago, Baltimore, PITT, Cinci, Tenesee, SD...again all the best teams from that season. The only weak team we lost to that year was at Detroit and that was 16-13.
Also Add Washington at Wash, a playoff team and VS Denver when they still had HENRY and he was the league leader in rushing for the first part of the season.
This season we finally have a decent schedule and will be 10-6 as we would have last two years with a soft schedule.
from 5 months ago
I don't know if you're referring to the Bills having the hardest schedule just last year, or if you mean the past two years combined. I know the Eagles had the hardest schedule, with the Redskins having the second hardest.
5 months ago
Great Jeff. I also watched that on NFL.com recently. I was extremely suprised when Faulk mentioned one of Buffalo's weakenesses as the O-line. Hell they went 3 straight games without allowing a sack, Jason Peters is a probowler, and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,000+ yards after missing 3 games! Faulk was a great RB, but no so much as being an NFL broadcaster.
5 months ago
Great Jeff. I also watched that on NFL.com recently. I was extremely suprised when Faulk mentioned one of Buffalo's weakenesses as the O-line. Hell they went 3 straight games without allowing a sack, Jason Peters is a probowler, and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,000+ yards after missing 3 games! Faulk was a great RB, but no so much as being an NFL broadcaster.
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments, I like Marshall Faulk the football player but he sucks as an analyst. I felt that I had to recover the fumble and do the CORRECT state of the franchise.
5 months ago
Yeah I was scratching my head during Faulk's analysis, too. As for Losman I'll be very surprised if he isn't dealt by the end of draft weekend. He's a relic of the Donahoe/Mularkey era and I think the coaching staff pretty much has its heart set on Trent Edwards... I don't see the Bills addressing the DE position with a high draft pick because WR and CB are much more glaring needs and they have a lot of money invested in Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay.
from 5 months ago
Interesting thoughts anythings possible
5 months ago
Great artical, but as for J>P> vs. Trent, I truelly hope they do deal J.P. away. He is a good Qb. with a great arm, but I'm afraid not alot of situational awareness or pocket awareness. And if he is relagated to the backup role I'm afraid we could have another Flutie Johnson situation. That being said I can't wait for the new season THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!!!!
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments
5 months ago
Good article Jeff. Isn't Dick Jauran still the coach of the Bills? If he is, my condolences to you. Unless he's changed since he coached the Bears, that guy is a stone faced, no emotion, no innovation typer of coach who is so damn maddening....
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the comments
5 months ago
what about newly availables wr from the bucs Jackson
5 months ago
nothing is respectable about 7-9, re-building or not. Especially in the AFC East this year. I mean the Jets and the Dolphins? were they close to respectable?
Lynch will be over worked by the end of next year, and then what? more rebuilding? It is hard for RB's to come into the league and take the full load of a 16 game season.
We do need a possession receiver. Someone to compliment Evans.
5 months ago
Lynch will be spelled by Fred Jackson, and they will both be fine.
Jauron is a smart coach which the players respect and play very hard for. The fact that he shows no emotion on the football field is a good thing. One thing I hate is to have a coach acting like a cheerleader on the sidelines. Players get paid to make good plays. When they accomplish something, it should be expected that they would do it. Why should a coach be jumping up and down and laughing. Thats what I see whenever I look at Wade Phillips. Hes not a coach, hes a cheerleader.
from 5 months ago
Haha Wade Phillips. Even though Buffalo lost on that Monday nighter it was funny to watch him jump up and down. When Dallas made that onside kick I found it hard to be upset- I was to busy laughing at the cheerleader doing back flips.
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