(WGR 550) -- Class, before we grade out the first eight weeks of the season, let's do a small mental exercise to warm-up those noggins. Let's check the Buffalo Bills record after the first eight weeks of this wonderful decade we can call the "Zeroes" or the "Oughts."
Let's see, let me do some math.. 35 wins... 45 losses... 80 games... carry the niner... that's a winning percentage of .437, which is... Wait, could it be? Yes, yes it is.
The same as a 7-9 season.
Let's go Bills. Let's go Bills. Let's go Bills. B-b-b-b-b-b-Bills.
Actually, the "Oughts" is the perfect name for the decade, isn't it? The Bills "Ought" to have beaten Pittsburgh and made the playoffs. The Bills "Ought" to have retained Pat Williams. Alas, I digress.
First-half report card
Secondary- The Bills' top ten pass defense is a misleading stat due to their inability to stop the run, but the secondary has been the least of the Bills worries. I can't recall too many, if any, pass interference calls, and -- thanks to injuries -- Jairus Byrd has been a revelation. The second-round pick's seven interceptions are rewriting the Bills rookie record book.
The Bills' 15 interceptions are one short of No. 1 in the league, and they've done it with Terrence McGee banged up all year. Drayton Florence has been a good veteran pick-up at corner, which up to this year I thought was against Bills policy (See: James, Will and Webster, Jason). Will be happy to see how this unit functions with Donte Whitner or Bryan Scott back, although it remains to be seen if Scott's work with the linebackers last week is a harbinger of a position change or just a lack of bodies. GRADE: B
Linebackers- No apologies for this moribund unit. Even when healthy, they've been absolutely miserable. Keith Ellison has become a whipping boy for Bills fans, but in a true sign of what ails this team, may be the most consistent player in the corps. To quote Melody Hansen's character in "Dodgeball," "I just threw up in my mouth a little."
Now I'm not saying anyone should've listened to my advice of drafting any of the USC linebackers (Brian Cushing has 78 tackles, Clay Matthews Jr. has three sacks and Rey Maualuga has been a big part of the Bengals resurgence), but I'm saying that the Bills should've listened to my advice of drafting any of the USC linebackers in last April's draft.
Speaking of draft, Chris Draft has been a nice surprise as a stop-gap backer. GRADE: F
Defensive line- I put very little of the unit's struggles on the line, and here's why: The Bills' Top-4 linemen are absolutely dominating the tackle charts in the NFL. While I'll allow that they've faced more opportunities to make tackles than many in the league due to their offense having the drive-sustaining power of a car without wheels, one of the knocks on Buffalo has been their absolute lack of finish from the men up-front.
Marcus Stroud's 28 solo tackles are No. 1 among defensive tackles in the league, while Chris Kelsay's 24 solo stops places him No. 5 among ends. If you use total tackles, both players remain in the Top 5 at their position, while Kyle Williams and Aaron Schobel slide into the discussion. Williams' 30 tackles put him at No. 5 for defensive tackles, while Schobel's 30 stops put him at eighth. Must be the killer beards.
The Bills have 17 sacks on the season, tied for 18th in the league with decent units like Baltimore and Oakland. It's not a great number, but it's just seven behind the garbage pile that was the 2008 squad's entire year. I'm guessing a healthy Schobel matters here. Also resembling a real football team, 13 of those 17 sacks come from the line. They're also the only unit that has stayed healthy. GRADE: B+
OVERALL DEFENSIVE GRADE- C+
Tight ends- This was certainly not how they drew it up. Maybe this team just needs better trainers, or tackles, because Derek Schouman, Derek Fine and Shawn Nelson have all battled the injury or illlness bug... and Schouman lost. Honestly, if Nelson delivers on some truly athletic promise, I hesitate to say the unit would actually be a solid one. GRADE: Incomplete
Running backs- It doesn't appear last, but I skipped typing this grade seven times. Both Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch can be No. 1 backs in this league, but neither is utilized enough, and the running plays called are often horrendous. I feel like half are coming off a fake reverse or an ill-advised counter. Why run any delayed-rushing play when your line can't get to the "second level"... more than twice a game? GRADE: C+
Offensive line- So bad that they're replacing guys cut from the Lions with guys off the Packers practice squad. Both of those lines are among the worst in the league, so.... right. I will say this: forget Langston Walker, the loss of Brad Butler is hurting this unit the most. I think Eric Wood will be a solid Bill for a long time. GRADE: F
Wide receivers- If Terrell Owens didn't have several drops, this grade would be much higher, but I think the Bills have a solid receiving corps. I'm not saying they could be "The Greatest Show on Turf" with a good quarterback, but don't tell me Ricky Proehl and Az Hakim would be blips with Trent or Fitz. GRADE: C
Quarterback- The Bills have a second-string, third-string and practice squad quarterback on the team. All they need is a No. 1. While I'm not averse to the idea of Trent Edwards exploding offensively over the next eight games, I find it more likely he actually explodes. I can't get over the fact that the Bills brought in Patrick Ramsey for a work-out, and I found it absurd until I realized that in five more career games than Edwards, Ramsey has 12 more touchdowns and just six more interceptions.
That said, the Bills have won three times, and their quarterbacks weren't absolutely miserable in those games. Can I fail a group that had made a handful of good throws and won three games? Probably.
Again, I hope it works out, but I have a list of 11 draft-eligible quarterbacks I'd be legimately excited about should they end up in red, white and blue. Joe Buscaglia would disagree with me, but I want two: first-round and sixth-round. Sign me a stand-in for second-string and call it a day. GRADE: F
OVERALL OFFENSIVE GRADE- I feel for Alex Van Pelt. This could be his one chance to be an offensive coordinator, and these are the quarterbacks and linemen he gets. GRADE: D
SPECIAL TEAMS- Illegal block in the back, No. __, receiving team. I bump the grade up to a D because Brian Moorman is the best punter and quarterback on the team. Ryan Denney now has two career touchdowns. GRADE: D
COACHING: Not nearly as bad as everyone says... but not good, either. GRADE: D
OVERALL: Somehow, they've won three games. Before the year, I think every one of us would've told you the Buccaneers, and Jets would be awful. The Bills beat them, as well as a Carolina team as mercurial as any in the league. Any other team two games out of their division lead would feel good moving forward. Here? Not-so-much. GRADE: D
Nick, you're "right on." I disagree, however, with the coaching staff getting a "D." As far as I'm concerned, this is the most incompetent staff I've seen in Buffalo since the Hank Bullough era. For them to get paychecks is downright unfair.
11/10/2009 10:28AM
agreed
I think an overall grade of D is right. I agree with almost everything except a B for the D Line. I know the linebackers are bad but a B for a team that is dead last in rushing D? I understand some of the points you made on the D-line but I would say more like C. Everything else though-nailed it. I love how the winning percentage adds up to 7-9!
11/10/2009 10:41AM
What about the Fans?
What grade do we get?
11/10/2009 10:48AM
re: East Amherst Fan
You took the sails right out of my wind. Jauron is right up there (or is it down there?) with Hank Bullough. And to think we once complained about Wade Phillips and he was 29-19 and fired after an 8-8 season. What were we thinking?!?
11/10/2009 10:54AM
re: East Amherst Fan
... and don't forget that Jauron got his coaching start by being hired by ... Hank Bullough who was the Defensive Coordinator of the Bills at the time.
11/10/2009 11:22AM
Trainer
I think the most important statement you've made is the one everyone seems to always miss - this team for the last 5-6 years has always been injured, which is always the excuse. If that's the case, why DON'T we have a different trainingstaff? I can't seem to ever remember the Super Bowl Bills being this injured. Was that when Rusty Jones was here?
11/10/2009 11:49AM
Bills' Overall Grade: G
"G": as in the letter after "F"
11/10/2009 11:58AM
Solution:
Two Words:
Drew
Willy
11/10/2009 1:45PM
Did anyone notice...
...that the Strength & Conditioning Coash is in a local commercial sponsoring one of the gyms? ENDORSEMENT FAIL.
11/10/2009 1:58PM
Coaching Grade
"not nearly as bad as everyone says" Nick, I think the bye-week is clouding your judgment. Jauron, while a decent human, is a terrible headcoach. Clock management is atrocious, play selection late in the game is even worse (read: 3rd and 15 with a screen), and the overall passion he shows is lackluster. I vote for a re-grade after an actual game has been played.
11/10/2009 2:29PM
The CUSH
cushing would have over 100 tackles by now if he was in buffalo. maybin who? awful awful draft picks every year.
11/10/2009 3:22PM
i would
say the D is maybe better than a C however the o-line getting F is completely wrong, should be F-
11/10/2009 3:37PM
trent edwards
sucks
11/10/2009 5:56PM
trent Edwords/Ryan Fitzpatrick/ Even Michael Vick
Any Quarterback Would Suck If You Don't Have An offenseive line To Protect Him .The O line and Coaching Sucks Dump juron And move On From There
11/10/2009 8:45PM
re: edwards fitz and vick
Ben Roethlisberger doesnt have a good offensive line at all. He is one of the best in the league
11/10/2009 9:54PM
Kudos
Accurate grades, solid analysis. I was just thinking how the D-line hasn't been called out this year unlike in recent years, and I think there's good reason for that. I'll buy a B . Other grades make solid sense (but I still might like to see an F for coaching). Nice job, Nick.
11/11/2009 3:45AM
Maybin held out...
that's awesome.
hahahahahahahahahah
uh Bills fans grade? Well I give youcredit for still following this team and extra credit for rooting, but I'll have to take off a few points for an overall lack of judgement for the 2 mentioned above.
you get a Q
11/11/2009 12:44PM
Fact Check
Aren't we three games out of the division lead?
11/12/2009 11:58AM
coaching
nick you got to be kidding,not as bad as we are saying i can;t believe it,thisis the worst coaching staff i have ever seen in any sport in my forty years of watching sports,you must of had a brain fart on that one
11/13/2009 3:18PM
C'Mon! They're not that bad.
The Bills are only a dozen or so players away. I'll give you the Coach point.
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