TJ Graham: Have the Grahams Gone Stale?
Aug 29, 2013; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver T.J. Graham (11) during the second half against the Detroit Lions at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Lions won 35-13. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
When I was a kid, I won a free candy bar in first grade during a Bingo game in my after school program. When my teacher called my name, I ecstatically ran up to greet her like a son seeing his lost mother for the first time in a half hour at Wegmans. I gratefully took my candy bar and remember thinking positive things about her as a person and how she made my day. I get back to my seat, open up the candy bar in front of all my friends pridefully, reading their facial expressions to capture the image of envy, curiosity, and jealousy in their eyes. When I bit into the candy bar, the bizarre, unpleasant taste of coconut and chocolate rushed to my taste buds as I chewed my first ever Mondo bar. I felt frustrated. I felt betrayed. I thought to myself,”Why would someone combine these flavors so harshly?” I thought I would never find such a combo again…
Until TJ Graham started the 2013 season.
Maybe it’s me. Perhaps I set expectations too high for the second year receiver out of North Carolina. But in all honesty we know this is not the case. With someone of TJ Graham’s skill set he should be an impact on this high-octane offense, yet he is about as useful as the broken cigarette car lighter that came with my 1993 Toyota Camry. He talks about his speed but his hands are mediocre at best, his route running is dull, and he lacks consistent play making ability. The only reason TJ Graham gets “by” corners is his speed because they know he can’t catch or make a big play. He is about as useful to this offense as Chris Collinsworth’s Tom Brady rants every Sunday. I mean TJ Graham doesn’t do anything nor is he a threat to anyone but our own offense.
In all seriousness though, he is expendable. Marquise Goodwin is our speed guy which means that TJ Graham better learn how to run really fast and catch a football in bounds or else he will be without a job next year. Second year players and the veterans need to step up their game, that is all this team needs but yet again it seems that no one can produce. It’s only week three and we literally look like a chicken with its head cut off, at least that how Justin Rogers coverage looked on Santonio Holmes. But TJ Graham especially hurts me because he has shown absolutely no progress, which I planned on seeing this year as I felt he was misused by Chan Gailey last season. If there was ever a time to step up and play some football, it’d be now. Graham better get his act together and make some plays because at this rate, he’ll be taken out with the trash next season.