From: rsmith@seq.uncwil.edu (Ross Smith)
Subject: Re: Don't give up on the Bills.
Organization: Univ. of North Carolina @ Wilmington
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 03:44:02 GMT

iqrh_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Imran Qureshi) writes:

>I feel really sorry for the Raiders secondary after the whupping they shall
>occur on Sunday.  The Bills have a history of having a bad defeat followed by
>a severe thumping of the following opponent (does anyone remember the merciful
>42-6 win over Indianapolis last year?).  

   Keep in mind that the Raiders have the 2nd best pass defense in the NFL
so far this year (yards per game wise). The Raiders have the 5th best
overall defense in the NFL right now... I dont think you could say that
about the Colts defense last year.

>Even the quiet James Lofton hinted on a local news interview that the Bills
>were looking to light up the scoreboard (and they haven't in the past?).

   I would hope that this is every teams strategy every game.

>Carwell "superstar waiting to happen" Gardner gets the ball.  This guy is the
>next Okoye/Word at 235 lbs and reasonable speed.  He would be a 1000 yard
>rusher on any other team (after all, the Bills are the #1 rushing team in the
>NFL again).

Ummm... Gardners LIFETIME stats (3 years worth, this includes this year):
rushing: 75 attemps, 264 yards 5 TDs (3.5 yds/carry)
receiving: 5 receptions, 33 yards 0 TDs (6.6 yds/catch)

   Yep... thats REAL superstar potential by me. Besides, I thought that
one of your Bills buddies had already decided that Kenneth Davis could
start for anyone else?

>For all you Bills Naysayers, you should know that half of Kelly's regular 
>receivers are on IR or aren't playing (i.e. Al Edwards and Don Beebe).  Once
>Edwards gets ready to play (maybe this week) and Beebe comes off IR Kelly can

   FYI Edwards and Beebe accounted for less that 1/6 of the Bills receving
last year, less than 1/30th the year before that... on what are you basing
your opinion that they are 1/2?

>exploit his new toys.  In the meantime, I guess we'll just have to watch the
>BEST receiver in the game (Andre Reed) do what he has had the potential to do
>all of his career--run away with the reception and yardage numbers in the NFL--
>take that Jerry Rice (not to discredit him or anything).

   Oh boy... lets take a look at some numbers here. First, keep in mind
that Rice and Reed entered the league in the same year (1985).

Year               Reed                                Rice
         Rushing          Receving            Rushing          Receving
    att yrds  avg TD  rec yrds avg. TD   att yrds  avg TD  rec yards avg. TD
85    3   -1 -0.3  1   48  637 13.3  4     6   26  4.3  1   49   927 18.9  3
86    3   -8 -2.7  0   53  739 13.9  7    10   72  7.2  1   86 *1570 18.3*15
87    1    1  1.0  0   57  752 13.2  5     8   51  6.4  1   65  1078 16.6*22
88    6   64 10.7  0   71  968 13.6  6    13  107  8.2  1   64  1306 20.4  9
89    2   31 15.5  0   88 1312 14.9  9     5   33  6.6  0   82 *1483 18.1*17
90    3   23  7.7  0   71  945 13.3  8     2    0  0.0  0 *100 *1502 15.0*13
91   12  136 11.3  0   81 1113 13.7 10     1    2  2.0  0   80  1206 15.1*14
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
life 30  246  8.2  1  469 6466 13.8 49    45  291  6.5  4  526  9072 17.3 93

   Okay now, those * by Rices numbers mean he led the league in that
category that year. Notice that Reed has never led the league in ANYTHING.
I dont see how you can POSSIBLY say Reed is a better receiver than Rice.
Rice has outperformed him every single year they have been in the league.
On top of that, Rice has less fumbles than Reed (9 vs 10) despite handling
the ball 70+ more times.

>The Bills defense is probably the most underrated in the NFL (excluding the
>SF "fiasco").  With 3 pro-bowl line backers and one soon to be pro-bowler
>(Carlton Bailey) + Bruce, Wright + a secondary with superstar in the making
>Henry Jones and already superstar Nate Odomes playing together for the first
>time ever, the defense is beginning to gel (they only gave up 320-ish yards
>against Miami).  Before the Miami game, they were number two in points allowed
>after New Orleans (1 point behind them).

   Bullshit. Philly was #1, NO #2. Get your shit straight.

   I've seen a lot of 'soon-to-be' pro bowlers come and go in this league
without EVER making the pro-bowl. I dont think you should use the term
'pro-bowler', or even worse 'all-pro' unless that have actually achieved
that distinction. (Unless of course you are saying that they are NOT a pro
bowl player :) )

>So look for a 15-1/14-2 season and I can't wait until Monday night in Miami.
>I think it will be very difficult for the Bills not to get psyched up after
>Luis -cocky- Oliver said "We don't need to take the [plane] back to Miami, we
>can just ride these Buffaloes all the way down."

   Again... your Bills still have to play Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston,
Denver (laugh if you will, but they still give you fits) Miami again and
will probably get upset somewhere by one of Indy, NE or the Jets.

>The in-fighting has started in Miami with Jacksons arrival.  Clayton wants mo'
>money, Edmunds wants to play, the whole team is jealous of KJ.  Look for the
>over-rated bunch of boys in ferry-colored uniforms to drop a game here and
>there and end up with a 10 win season at best (i.e. 6-6 from now on).
>BTW, Marino didn't look too happy when NBC commentators asked Jackson about
>the differences in Randall's and Marino's style. 

   Players fighting with management has no effect on play on the field.
Notice the Eagles for the past several years for example. Notice KJ all
fours years in the league. they are not jealous of KJ, but of his contract.

>Said the blunt Jackson, "...Oh there's definitel a difference, Randall doesn't
>make the receiver do all the work, he can make things happen with his legs and
>win games by himself (something to that effect).  But Marino makes the receiver
>do all the work, he doesn't move as much."
>OUCH, Marino--you'll have to teach your TE some PR.  Marino's facial expressionswhen Jackson was talking were a sight by themselves!

>Andre Reed is quietly closing in on Largent's record himself.  He should have
>700+ receptions by the 94-95 season (he has 500+ now).  Look for him to finish
>second all-time (after J.R.) unless Monk plays more than 2 more years.

  Ummm I guess technically 501 counts as 500+, but it doesnt sound quite as
impressive when trying to shape stats, does it?

>Meanwhile, Lofton is padding his yardage record.
>Thomas wants a double 1000 yard season. He may have to settle for a 1400 yard
>rushing, 800 yard passing season (you know you're good if you get these kinds
>of numbers and still don't acheive your goals).

   I dont have anything to dispute about TT or JL. They are two of the
best.

>I've noticed that there isn't that much Bills conversation in this newsgroup
>as I thought there would be (I'm new to the newsgroup).
>Maybe I should check rec.sport.football.super bowl winners 1993 ?

   Its probably because they are fearing a collapse. IF the Bills somehow
lose to the Riaders, they could slide quickly into the same infighting
Bills that went 9-7 just a few years back...

>IMRAN QURESHI
-- 
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|rsmith@seq.uncwil.edu           Ross Smith              smith@oscar.udel.edu|
|    "I really hate that dog...." - Dr. Chase Matthews, Pet Semetary 2       |
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