Did the Bills improve over this offseason?

[Gonk]

I don't think they did. Yes, they made some decent pick-ups on defense with Takeo Spikes and Sam Adams, but lost a bunch of key offensive guys.

On offense they lost Peerless Price, Larry Centers and Riesemara who were all a big part of the offense. The only one they brought in to replace those guys was FB Sam Gash to take Centers role. I don't think Gash is as good as he was, and think he won't be half as good as Centers was last year. They also lost K Mike Hollis.

Basically, they traded an awesome offense and a poor defense for a mediocre offense and mediocre defense... although they still have some major holes to fill all around (FS, SS, DE, CB, WR)

Did they improve?

 

[Tatonka]

is this poll for real??

 

[Tatonka]

i am at work. i gotta take a call then i will be back to rip this up :D

 

[Gonk]

Originally posted by Tatonka
i am at work. i gotta take a call then i will be back to rip this up :D

Bring it on

 

[dolphan39]

they made lots of improvements - http://football.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf - but it is still to be seen if they will be as good a passing team as they were w/o Price, Riemersa and Centers and whether Adams will help the DL enough to allow their much improved LBs form a solid D

 

[-81- McMichael]

Tatonka, dude, don't take the "bait"!

Originally posted by Tatonka
i am at work. i gotta take a call then i will be back to rip this up :D

"Don't do it man!" (voice of Ren from Ren & Stimpy)

For what it's worth I voted Yes.

The defense was absolutely pathetic for great part of the year. This year, it WILL be better.

The offense should still average 24 (give or take 2-3 pts/game) pts a game. Key, I think, is your running game. More running keeps the d off the field. THAT will go a long way towards making them better, too.

 

[Emskirch]

I think EVERY team in the AFC East improved.

 

[dolphan39]

Originally posted by Emskirch
I think EVERY team in the AFC East improved.

the Jets ???

 

[baalworship]

No way. The Bills are finished. To paraphrase Pete Prisco, the Bills lost the heart and soul of their offense when losing number 2 receiver Peerless Price. Larry Centers will be missed as well. Without him teams MIGHT get confused if the Bills are passing or running. And Riemersma was amazing. It's unfortunate that Gilbride doesn't use TE's that much because we COULDA HAD a Tony Gonzalez type differernce maker on our hands.

And the draft. Don't get me started. With so many talented blue chippers it's amazing that the Bills would get someone that might not play this year. It's not like the NFL is a keeper league...


So yeah, maybe they can win a game or two in the division. But I wouldn't worry too much about the Bills. They might be lucky to win 8 games. Their offense is ruined!

 

[Muck]

Absolutely they improved. Especially on defense.

 

[-81- McMichael]

Just ONE reason why they'll be better...

Originally posted by dolphan39
the Jets ???

The Jets will be better, if for no other reason, because they're going into this year KNOWING that Pennington is THEIR MAN!

Vinny sucks. Has and always will. NOT starting Pennington sooner almost cost them the season... one play here - one play there and Miami could've/should've won the East.

Pennington is probably the best QB in the East right now.

BTW, I absolutely HATE admitting this! :fire:

 

[ckparrothead]

From a personnel standpoint the Bills have improved thats pretty given because even if the Spikes and Price thing balances out you still can't ignore the addition of guys like Sam Adams, Dainon Sidney, Keith McKenzie, Chris Kelsay, etc.

I mean none of those moves are flashy but they are good mediocre moves to improve a defense that was woeful.

What I would be worried about if I was a Bills fan is the fact that the front office is changing the entire identity of the team in one offseason. In one offseason they've shown that they are no longer going to be a wide open passing team because they lost Peerless Price, Jay Riemersma, and Larry Centers. They are going to be a running team, with Travis Henry, Olandis Gary, and (if he plays this year which I doubt) Willis McGahee....and instead of Larry Centers catching passes they have Stonehands Gash lead blocking. Their tight ends are of the blocking variety and all the sudden the passing attack is merely relying on Drew Bledsoe to Eric Moulds, Josh Reed, and Bobby Shaw. Sorry but those aren't the ingredients to a top passing attack.

So they wanna be like Miami, run the ball a ton and play good defense. Can't blame them I guess its a good strategy, but they're converting the team overnight using guys I'm not sure can play in that type of offense. Namely, Travis Henry. I really don't think he has what it takes to rush for 1400 yards in a run-first offense. And where is Kevin Gilbride during all this? He must be a little disgruntled about the whole thing to say the least I mean he cut his teeth on the run and shoot offense and this year got to run the closest thing we've seen to the run and shoot in the NFL since Houston, and now its all about pounding the ball and playing defense. I don't think a team transforms its identity overnight and wins a ton of games doing it.

 

[baalworship]

ckparrot: What I would be worried about if I was a Bills fan is the fact that the front office is changing the entire identity of the team in one offseason

Um, the only place I've heard this "identity" thing was from PETE PRISCO! So, okay. Identity.


For those who haven't been following the Bills, this is incorrect. The Bills will have a BALANCED attack next year. We will run and we will pass. We will NOT drop back and chuck every play. We didn't want to do that last year but our defense was so bad. For anyone else that wants to quote from Pete Prisco, please SHOW ME where the Bills staff has said it's a RUN FIRST strategy. Some Bills fans say that. But there's been nothing from Gilbride but BALANCED statements...

BTW, we dropped Larry Centers because he was a LIABILITY. When he was in the game it SCREAMED pass. He couldn't block very well either. Travis Henry will be used more in the passing game.

 

[PhinPhreak]

I have to say at first glance you can not deny that they have improved, they have upgraded their defense without a doubt,

I do agree that they might have taken a step back with thier offense however as Josh Reed will have to prove he can be the #2 receiver that Price was.

As long as their defense has no problem jelling then they should be much improved over last year, we as Fin fans know that you can win with a good defense without having a high powered offense.

 

[MDFINFAN]

Re: Just ONE reason why they'll be better...

Originally posted by -81- McMichael


The Jets will be better, if for no other reason, because they're going into this year KNOWING that Pennington is THEIR MAN!

Vinny sucks. Has and always will. NOT starting Pennington sooner almost cost them the season... one play here - one play there and Miami could've/should've won the East.

Pennington is probably the best QB in the East right now.

BTW, I absolutely HATE admitting this! :fire:

No Way, Bledsoe is the class of AFCE QB's right now, and have earned it..year after year..team after team..Pennington has to be consistent before you can make that statement. 1 year won't do it...BTW, I too think the Bills have improve themselves, their moves does indicate they want to be a more balance team, and I think they have achieved that with their personnel moves..CK, I disagree with the change the team thing...the Rams basically did the same, with even more players on their D a couple of years ago and it took them to the SB..The Bills as about as dangerous as we are...as long as they stay healthy..I asked Ton and Clump who would come in if Drew went down and how they feel about their teams, having seen a response yet.