sanders2021
Footballguy
What do you guys think he'll do this year?
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Willis McGahee 2006 Season Outlook (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sanders2021
- Start date
Cappy_Digital
Footballguy
I usually don't do this but-->
sanders2021
Footballguy
Do you mean McGahee will be a train wreck or this thread will?I usually don't do this but-->
BigTex
Don't mess with Texas
http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...opic=237189&hl=http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...opic=238873&hl=Do you mean McGahee will be a train wreck or this thread will?I usually don't do this but-->
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sanders2021
Footballguy
:X
http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...opic=237189&hl=http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...opic=238873&hl=Do you mean McGahee will be a train wreck or this thread will?I usually don't do this but-->
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Pat Patriot
Footballguy
What improvements did they make on the line?
Musesboy
Footballguy
They have added possible contributors through free agency and the draft, and last year's line will have more experience playing together. They may not make many changes, but at least they have options.http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=3758
Periodically Buffalobills.com will sit down with one of the members of **** Jauron's staff to check in on developments concerning their position group or side of the ball. In this installment Lead Journalist Chris Brown got an update on the handle offensive line coach Jim McNally has on his men up front. With eight new linemen from last year and only a couple of offseason OTAs in the bag McNally is still getting a feel for his linemen, but had some candid responses as well.
Chris Brown: Is it possible in these OTA settings to really determine what linemen work well together, or do you need live football?
Jim McNally: I can probably only tell you that Chris Villarrial and Jason Peters will work well together because they've played next to each other. What linemen work well together will only come when you put two guys next to each other. You can't tell until you tell 'Jones' to go next to 'Smith' for two weeks. It's a time on the job issue and you have to make the decision that one guy is better than another and work him with another starter and you hope he gets to know them. First you have to find the best players and then you worry about whether they can work with the guy that will be lined up next to him.
CB: What might be different about the group you have this year as opposed to last season?
JM: Most of the guys we've got are either brand new like the rookies or new acquisitions that I've had for a couple of months like Melvin (Fowler). Tutan (Reyes) and Aaron Gibson I've only had for a short time. I would say that Reyes and Fowler look to be very athletic as far as in space and pulling is concerned. They have good quickness. Their athletic skills and movement in space are good. Gibson is a huge man and is trimming down a bit, but he really doesn't have a lot of excess weight on him, he's just a huge guy. He's working on the right. Matt Morgan can kind of play both tackles. Of the rookies, I didn't get to see Brad Butler because he had the shoulder and couldn't practice last weekend. Pennington and Merz seem to be very bright guys. Merz who comes from Cal was well coached and looks like he can play center or guard.
CB: You have eight new linemen this year would you consider that high turnover from one year to the next?
JM: It probably is high turnover, but most of that turnover has come from the backups and reserves. There hasn't been as much turnover among the starters from last year. The only starter that's changed right now is Trey Teague.
CB: Would you consider the two tackle positions and right guard as positions where you feel confident that you'll have continuity from last season?
JM: I would say that Villarrial is an obvious carry over provided we keep him healthy. We want to monitor his reps especially when we put the pads on. Peters and Gandy obviously, so I would say yes.
CB: Why do you think people don't give Mike Gandy any credit for his play?
JM: I have no idea. Maybe they can't accept that a guy we signed off the street can be a capable left tackle. Maybe they listen to the radio or listen to the newspaper or some of these NFL gurus and take those opinions as fact. Maybe they saw Mike Gandy give up a sack or two and are sour on him. I'm not saying he's going to make his block perfectly every snap, but I think some people are little bit off base on their opinion on that guy.
CB: Fans want to know if there is a possible scenario down the line where Gandy and Peters will flip tackle positions, be it this year or next year?
JM: I think there's a potential there, but the I'll say to the fans that Gandy has played left tackle with us already and he kinds of knows the opponents we're going to play against in the division. Peters being a young guy is just now feeling comfortable with Villarrial. If you move Peters to the left side, he'll have a new left guard to work with and Gandy would be working with Villarrial.
Most teams are right-handed in the power running game. Now that doesn't mean you're not going to run the same plays to the left. But I think the combination of Peters and Villarrial double teaming and zone blocking and power running will be effective. That's not to say that Gandy couldn't execute those blocks, but I think there's a good combination on that right side of the line right now.
CB: How much has assistant offensive line coach Larry Zierlein helped make your job easier?
JM: I've known him for over 20 years. He's a couple of years younger than me which means he has a lot of experience. We think almost exactly alike. He makes it easier.
CB: Has coach Zierlein helped you speed up your evaluation process of Melvin Fowler having coached him in Cleveland?
JM: He told us what he thought of Melvin and was an advocate for us to sign him. He thinks he's going to get even better. He was a big believer in Melvin's athleticism and quickness, and we signed him.
CB: At what point do you hope to have a starting five established and practicing every day?
JM: Soon. I would say hopefully after these OTAs. Maybe we go one or two days in pads at training camp to see if there was some question. I think what you want to do is give every guy on your team a chance. If some guy has been a starter you want to give him the opportunity in a full-blown pads situation before you move someone ahead of him necessarily. That might not always be the case. You're not worried about hurting people's feelings because you want to get the best players on the field, but in fairness to guys that have worked hard and have been starters you give them the first crack and then may the best man win.
CB: How difficult is it for linemen to play effectively with three quarterbacks rotating through with an equal amount of reps?
JM: I don't know that's it's difficult in terms of the play of the quarterback, but more in the way the quarterback calls the plays and the cadence and the snap count and the audibles. Getting used to one quarterback's vocal rhythm is a bigger issue than how a quarterback plays. The rhythmic cadence is different from one quarterback to another.
Tommy Collins
Footballguy
One thing that bugs me about this board is how quick guys are to jump on a bandwagon for guys who most likely won't have much production (see Zach Hilton), while they kick a good young RB under the bus after 1 season.
-OZ-
Footballguy
I may be wrong, but I'm not reading it quite that drastically. It seems to me most of the talk is about living up to the draft slot, or exceeding it. I doubt anyone is advocating drafting Hilton ahead of McGahee, but there's a strong possibility that Hilton presents more value, realtive to the pick.
Musesboy
Footballguy
At least McGahee gets carries. Through eight games last year he had 185/790/4.
That was with Losman struggling through the first four games and Holcomb playing for the next four. A repeat of that over the second half of the season would have placed McGahee around the same level as LaMont Jordan or Rudi Johnson. Not spectacular, but fair return for a mid-to-late first round pick.
Mularkey made some disasterous play calls; concentrating on trying to trick the opposition on first and goal rather than using McGahee to pound it in. Shaud Williams was in on the vast majority of third down plays. The line fell apart and Mike Williams was injured and then tried at guard before being cut this offseason. Jason Peters was thrown in.
I am not going to go through the whole argument as it has been discussed to death, but I feel that a new coaching staff and a more experienced line, together with Losman being in the system another year, means that McGahee has a good chance to return to the 7-10 range in 2006.
That was with Losman struggling through the first four games and Holcomb playing for the next four. A repeat of that over the second half of the season would have placed McGahee around the same level as LaMont Jordan or Rudi Johnson. Not spectacular, but fair return for a mid-to-late first round pick.
Mularkey made some disasterous play calls; concentrating on trying to trick the opposition on first and goal rather than using McGahee to pound it in. Shaud Williams was in on the vast majority of third down plays. The line fell apart and Mike Williams was injured and then tried at guard before being cut this offseason. Jason Peters was thrown in.
I am not going to go through the whole argument as it has been discussed to death, but I feel that a new coaching staff and a more experienced line, together with Losman being in the system another year, means that McGahee has a good chance to return to the 7-10 range in 2006.
Musesboy
Footballguy
Yes, I think his presence can really help the line. He will have the summer to develop some sort of chemisty with Villarrial. So even with only one change, the continuity at the other four spots should help the Bills improve. Add that to a more experienced QB under center, and it's not impossible to expect a significant improvement from the Bills in 2006. They weren't very far away from being a playoff team before Bledsoe left so I am hopeful.
If McGahee is used correctly, he has clear top ten potential.
