Strength and conditioning

by Run Thurmal Run! on Oct 22, 2009 11:45 PM EDT

Not to beat a dead horse, but I missed out on the discussion that was most recently started by kev83. I think we can all agree that the Bills aren't a strong team. We are among the worst in the league in both offense and defense. But the issue of the Bills conditioning program has a lot of merit in my opinion. In the past couple of years, we have lost more players to injury than any other team. I'm almost positive about that. Especially in the past 2-3 years.

Poz's injury to the same arm might fall into the fluke or freak accident category. How often does someone break their forearm? Jason Peters' comparison between the Bills camp and Eagles camp doesn't exactly outline how that plays out during a game and over the course of the season. It's not all about running sprints.

The point that should make sense for everyone is this: If you're not in game shape, you're not gonna last for 60 minutes or 16 games. The best analogy I can think of is when you're working while having been awake for over 24 hours. You're not sharp and you'll be prone to making mental mistakes in addition to being physically slower than usual. So, if you're not in great shape you might put yourself in compromising positions during contact. If you're one step ahead of your opponent, your feet should be moving your body out of harm's way. But if you're wearing down, physically or mentally, you might not be able to avoid falling awkwardly or shed the full force of opposing contact.

I think this is the issue when it comes to conditioning. Freak injuries will happen. But if your entire body is strong on a professional athlete level... you shouldn't be getting nicked up and/or seriously hurt from a normal play . The strongest survives in the wild. But the Bills aren't surviving despite the young talent we have on offense and defense. And I think there's a logical explanation for it. It's not just the play calls or Jauron. There's no doubt in my mind.

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Well, as far as the defense losing players to injury it mostly due to accumulated time over the past couple of seasons

With so many games having lopsided TOP in favor of our opponents, our D is taking alot more abuse over a season than the O, and when it happens 2-3 seasons in a row, guys just wear down, and the off season is truly not long enough to allow anyone to get healthy in any real sense.

Some of it is probably Strength and Conditioning, but I think it may just be wear and tear.

As my mother once said, common sense isn't as common as it should be, I'm looking at you Fewell, common sense says to play UP on the line against the slant.

by WABillsfan on Oct 23, 2009 12:41 AM EDT reply actions

I think it may just be wear and tear.

I think this is more correct….knees and legs and broken arms….thats more from a constant pounding….these guys are probably in great shape, and all that….bu when every game is 35 > 25 TOP in favor of the opposing team for 3+ years….guys are going to break

Good Luck With Your Firings Mr. Wilson….Go Bills!

by killascript on Oct 23, 2009 1:02 AM EDT reply actions

Your argument has a bit of merit

But you really can’t strengthen and condition bones. :/

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Oct 23, 2009 1:08 AM EDT reply actions

Strength and Conditioning is likely not the cause of broken bones...

The cause of broken bones can be attributed more to improper tackling techniques, and putting yourself in disadvantageous positions.

That being said, I believe no team needs a lifetime supply of Boniva more than the Buffalo Bills. Sheesh, can we please get milk added to the cafeteria menu?

by mckelvin on Oct 23, 2009 7:29 AM EDT reply actions

WABillsFan makes a great point. Is there a place where we could get stats from the past two years that shows the average playing time per game per team both Offense and Defense? I agree with WABF that our guys are probably playing the equivalent of 20-23 game seasons, which would wear out even the best of athletes.

I do believe that we go too easy on our guys. Probably from a conditionning point as well but even more so in the camps and practices. I think we need to practice harder.

I’d also blame our style of defense (bend but don’t break) for a good deal of the injuries. Like McKelvin points out, it puts our guys sometimes in disadvantageous positions. I we played with more aggression, we’d be dolling out the blows instead of absorbing them all the time.

I have nothing left to say, these Bills have sucked me dry of any hope. Loosing to a team that completes 2-17 for 23y with 1 INT, that is beyond pitiful!

by keysh67 on Oct 23, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

Strength and Conditioning

I don’t think it has to do with time of possession and the defense being on the field to much. This year yes they are 27th but last year they finished 17th almost in the middle of the pack. http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/average-time-of-possession-net-of-ot

by jcfairport on Oct 23, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, Trent should work out more so he gets fewer concussions.

by Mark Parisi on Oct 23, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

throwing downfield more often would help

instead of holding on for the checkdown pass

I have nothing left to say, these Bills have sucked me dry of any hope. Loosing to a team that completes 2-17 for 23y with 1 INT, that is beyond pitiful!

by keysh67 on Oct 23, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I just read my initial post again. I really didn’t think I was linking conditioning level to broken bones and concussions.

Oh well… I tried. I failed.

Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!

by Run Thurmal Run! on Oct 23, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

All sarcasm aside, I would agree that based on the number of injuries Buffalo has suffered over the past few years — after the freak injuries are accounted for — one could be suspcious that the team’s conditioning is not up to par. I just don’t know how you’d even begin to prove that hypothesis.

Outside of running and catching, I don’t think there are many natural movements in the game of football. Add in that you’re doing them while huge guys are flying all around and injuries are going to happen. I mean, what exercise would you want Kris Jenkins to do to avoid his injury? Or Mitchell? Or Buggs? Or even Digi? We lost Leodis to a broken bone… I don’t know that the style of defense the team plays matters when it comes to that injury.

Strength and conditioning may be an easy thing to single out, but I think it’s one of the hardest to prove.

by Mark Parisi on Oct 24, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

You mention Jason Peters but then he goes to Philly and gets hurt. That doesn’t add up. Guys get hurt all over the NFL. It has little to do with the strength and conditioning coach. Especially knees and broken bones.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.

by MattRichWarren on Oct 25, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions