thewildrabbit

51-3 is all I should need to say! so darn cold that day, for some reason it didn't seem to matter much tho That game set 18 Championship game records,Buffalo had 502 yards of offense, 30 first downs, Kelly had a 73.9 completion rate. This game was the reason the Bills were almost 20 point favorites against the Giants in their first SB 2nd best game was Nov 21st 1988 ...9-6 OT against the Jets (in a hard driving rain) to win the AFC East. I watched as the goal posts were torn down and passed around the upper stadium to RW's booth. The Bill set a record for fastest division win, they were 11-1 at the time. The next day the Buffalo news front page declared Fan-demonium had broken out! 3rd best game was the comeback game. where most of the fans had left the stadium at half time, I stuck around to boo the the players off the field at the end of the game. Suddenly by the end of the game nearly all the fans that had left the stadium had returned and were going nuts, final score 41-38 OT 4th was Sept 7th 1980 against Miami, it was the first time in a decade that the Bills had beaten the Dolphins, TEN YEARS MAN! The goal posts came down that day! awesome day 5th was a rather obscure and ordinary game, forgotten by most...but not me. This game helped motivate me buy season tickets and keep them for the next 7 years. Nov 29th 1987 and the Bills beat the Dolphins 27-0. Whats was so special was that the Bills defense didn't allow Dan Marino to cross the 50 yard line the entire day, it was only after Don Strock came in late in the 4th QTR did the Dolphins drive down near the goal line where Strock was promptly intercepted. great frickin game!

In case you missed it, this thread is about the O line If anyone is spewing excrement its you, where did I state that the current GM & and HC should be condemned for the past regimes? Where did state that the 4-12 record was solely a product of the O line play? Man, you can make up crap as you go along can't ya. Try and comprehend that Spiller was BENCHED because he didn't know his job, and Gailey didn't know that Spiller didn't know how to do his job. You can misconstrue that fact and twist it around any way you want, it tells me the HC didn't know the player he named the starter WASN'T READY! Both Jackson and Lynch could have started that opening game because they both played in that Miami game. The fact that Gailey named Spiller the starter and then is forced to bench him shows me that he is a fool, but keep defending him. Last time I checked this is an open forum, I'll post what I want

No peeing in the Cheerios till the season starts.... I'll await the free agency signings, if the Bills are really forced to spend with the new CBA, and can actually obtain some players to help this season....then perhaps 8-8 isn't that far fetched. OTOH, if the Nix declares he is going to get some sleep again this year, and then signs another Cornell Green

Yea, I'm almost sorry I can't blow sunshine out my keester like you guys over this team. Bills fans used to be so intelligent about the team and would stop attending games when the team was bad, the last ten years has shown otherwise. I suppose it might have something to do with RW's age, and should he pass the team might be moved so everyone needs to show undying support. Was anything I posted in my last post not the truth? Some of you have difficulty dealing with the truth, and cold hard facts. Revel in your denial for all I care. I'll tell you what, no matter what happens this season I'm not the one who will be disappointed. I'll give you guys another year or so, your views will change.

In actuality, Gailey stated that Spiller would make the O line block better. I'd laugh, but its just sad how poorly the rookie performed in his first year. I gotta think that when a player doesn't know his assignments its the coaches, particularly when he was named the starting RB for opening day, and then benched because the he couldn't perform his job in any aspect, and the fact that the HC didn't even know the limited ability of the player he named starter.Then the team was forced to play a guy with his hand in a cast and the other RB still hampered by a leg injury. A comedy of errors for the first 8 games, but its ok...the Bills will make the playoffs this year ...right?

I'm not miserable at all, just annoyed by couch coaches that believe they think they know what they are talking about when discussing player performance. posters here are kidding themselves if they don't think that competing with the Patriots- Jets- Dolphins isn't the highest priority, and most of the O linemen currently on the roster might be good enough for a minor league team, just not nearly good enough to compete against some of the best teams in the NFL ...that reside in the AFC East. Perhaps many posters here enjoyed last years 4-12 season, and can only see this team getting better. I hate losing and I can only see this team repeating last seasons ugly performance with the very same players One would have to be delusional to think that this college coaching staff is going to suddenly be good enough to develop top players out of trash found on the waiver wire.... or that players plagued with constant injuries year after year and play lousy with those injuries will suddenly play better. Here is something to consider, every NFL player suffers thru injuries every year, its how they cope and play with those injuries that defines them. An example was Thurman Thomas who was always in pain with two bad ankles, from college to the pro's, it didn't stop him from having a HoF career. What transpires in free agency when it opens will show if this team is determined to win in this division this season. RT-G or C for the line should be the priorities, if they ignore the line or bring in more Cornell Greens, then don't expect much improvement from last seasons 4-12 record.

The optimism around here gets me, I'll believe it when I see it also. I duuno about the "experts" but Hangartner has persistent back problems, and seems to get pushed around a lot. Wood is an upgrade at center and the Bills played better ball with him there, the problem is who replaces him at G?

it is just sad they way this team seems to gloss over so many linemen in hopes of finding a good one, then once they do find one they don't want to pay them appropriately. Judging by the way this franchise puts a priority on the O line I highly doubt they will ever build a winner as long as RW owns the team. I just can't see regime after regime ignoring the line without some directive from above, especially considering the reputation of micromanaging this owner has gotten. So fans here will always be dreaming about signing top free agents, even then I have to wonder if anyone in the org even has the ability to judge proper talent given the fact they brought in Green last year with no back up behind him. Anyway, unlike everyone else I'm in no hurry to watch my favorite team get beaten down every week, the NFL stands for No Fun League when you know your team is going to suck again this year.

Perhaps I should have worded it differently, those players wouldn't even make the roster on a GOOD TEAM. More importantly they wouldn't make the roster of the division rival Jets-Dolphins-Patriots. Still, it is my opinion. Its not laughable, Hangartner has constant back problems, Bell is always injured and the rest are scrubs. Go back and look at the history of the O line of this franchise, when they have a good line the team wins, when they field a bad line they lose. Pretty simple to deduce that below average players simply won't get it done, and never will. Look at the history of the last ten years 30+ linemen and 10+ QB's, they go hand in hand. What is laughable, is the fans here who think the Bills can pick players off the waiver wire and then will develop them into decent players with the very same coaches who thought Cornell Green was a decent starting RT That mindset is deeply ingrained since the failure of LT Mike Williams in 02, I think they are afraid to select a tackle early because they were burned by Williams. Yet, they think nothing of all the other positions they have been burned on, like DE-DB et al

That will only happen once the staff changes and they hire people that know how to do their jobs or ownership changes, or both. What is amazing is this stuff has been going on for more then a decade with no end in sight, because the stadium is filled every year. First, it was more then just the Patriots and Jets, take a look at the beatdown the Vikings gave the Bills, the line is not good enough. second, Bills play the Jets-Pats 2x every year in the division, and not the steelers-ravens.... so the only way to compete in the division is to beat the Jets-Pats at least once each Third, I don't know about "WE" having good depth at RB, but currently the Bills only have Fred Jackson, Spiller hasn't proven he knows how to do his job yet. I don't see anyone behind those two. Fourth, Chandler was cut by both the Chargers-Cowboy's so he wasn't good enough to make those teams as a backup, and yet you see him as the answer at TE. another cast off scrub that is going to suddenly become a pro bowl player because the Bills picked him off the waiver wire Fifth, Wood and Levitre are about the only two decent players on that line, the rest wouldn't even be backups on other teams. This team is going forward with about the same players they had last year on offense, except for Lynch. If they are lucky they will match the wins they had last season.

No not really, I was just making a general statement about the current players. Once posted i noticed i quoted your post but didn't mean to.... to lazy to re post

Looking over many of the posts in this thread most of you guys are expecting this O line to be good enough to compete in the AFC East this year, let me tell you it isn't even close. Go back and watch the last two games of last season against the Patriots 34-3, and Jets 38-7, that O line wasn't anywhere near good enough, and it won't be with the players currently on the roster. The Bills have a tougher schedule this year, opponents have tape on what Fitz can do, they know what plays Gailey will call. This team has no power on that O line save for one or two guys, they can't run block very well, they have no viable TE, no back up QB and RB.

good enough to get the QB killed at some point... good enough to fail at making holes for the RB's... The offensive linemen this team currently has on the roster might be good enough for another 4-12 season, not good enough to make the playoffs with. The TE situation is another area that could suck start a leaf blower, then again Chan Gailey doesn't know how to utilize a TE properly. Not to mention RB position, will Spiller know his how to find holes, know protection schemes, know his routes this year? Or will Fred Jackson be the only decent option at RB? Will the entire offense be cast upon the QB's shoulders again this year? Or will the offensive scheme actually try and run the ball to set up the pass? ""Good enough for what?""....good enough to get the Bills QB Andrew Luck in the next draft, now that "ole ralphie" will be able to afford a 1st overall QB with the new CBA ....hopefully a new coaching staff also for 2012, because this one doesn't know how to build an offensive line.

before You open your mouth, why not take a min to think about what I posted Go back and watch some youtube plays of Fitz last year and see that he got the ball out to the open receiver in 3 seconds or under, usually. That dropped pass by Stevie Johnson against Pittsburgh was a deep, 10 yard drop back by Fitz, it still only took 3 1/2 seconds to get the ball out. Because Fitz was able to find that open WR and hit him so quickly it made the line look much better then it actually was, plus it was also the huge difference between Fitz, Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm In that first Jets game he didn't even have 3 seconds with Cornell Green at RT, but his es-capability allowed him to evade the Jets pass rush and he was the leader rusher for the Bills in that game. Fitz didn't have much time to throw in those first 8 games, 0-8 remember? That crappy O line the Bills fielded last year was a big reason as to why the team only won 4 games. Once the team was able to find a decent scrub RT off the waiver wire it gave Fitz more time to throw.

The man is a moron for even wasting time on Edwards, that's end of story. Gailey gets credit for nothing afaic, his team wasn't ready, he failed at QB, failed at RT, failed at RB....he sucks 4-12 tells me he sucks dude, get a freaking grip on reality, how many crucial mistakes does it take for one HC to make to open your eyes to what an idiot he is? Never mind the facts that in the past ten years he failed at coaching a college team and then failed as an OC of an NFL team. The Buffalo Bills hired the guy because he was about the only one who would take the job, that they were willing to hire, unlike like 7-8 other people that turned the job down. I can understand the getting behind the new Bills HC rah rah type thing last year, but now after his first season he already looks like a moron in several areas. You look just as bad as he does by endorsing him. Just remember "Fig Newton" that you backed this fool, I know I will.

The Bills were able to pull guys of the street last year and plug them into the RT position, after watching Fitz play all they really needed to do was hold their block for 3 seconds...those cast off scrubs managed to do just that in pass protecting, but that bad RT play is probably why the running game didn't do as well as it has in past years. Plus the team plans on going forward with those same scrubs at RT this year. The Bills should do ok as long as Fitz stays healthy, if he gets injured the team is screwed. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this team to sign any decent FA at any position as Buddy Nix has stated he doesn't like to build thru free agency.

With this post you just reinforced how bad Chan Gailey is at building a team and how good Fitz was working with a bunch of nobody's IT WAS ALL FITZ!!!!!!!!! Ryan Fitzpatrick saved Chan Gaileys ass last season, Gailey put it all on the QB's shoulders with virtually no upgrades for the offense in the draft or free agency, and although Fitz played well in some games, he also fell on his face in others.Try and understand it was all Fitz in his ability to get the ball out of his hands in 3 seconds or under, then he would locate the proper open receiver and hit him with the ball. GUESS WHAT, SSDY, same shiet...different year. The Bills didn't upgrade any part of the offense in the draft this year, and I doubt they will in free agency either. The team is going to start this season with the same scrubs at RT that they picked up off the street last year. Did Chan Gailey help Brian Brom or Trent Edwards at all? ...answer NO! .... COACHING FAILURE Did Chan Gailey start Ryan Fitzpatrick at the beginning of the season? NO! He clearly thought Edwards was better because he spent the off season grooming him to be the starter, even though Perry Fewell benched Edwards and made Fitz the starter last season.....COACHING FAILURE Did Chan Gailey name CJ Spiller the starting RB to open the season, then bench him after a few running plays because the rook couldn't block for protections, couldn't find the hole, didn't know his routes...COACHING FAILURE! Did Chan Gailey start Cornell Green at RT, only to see that he couldn't even block for a few milliseconds, something about any one of the drunken fans in the stands could do......COACHING FAILURE! Did Chan Gailey have an adequate backup at RT..NO! COACHING FAILURE! "youtube" that Stevie Johnson dropped pass and watch it closely, Fitz took a deep drop about 10 yards and had that ball out in 3 1/2 seconds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHhK2pWZ2dM&feature=related The simple reason the Buffalo Bills only won 4 games last season was because the team wasn't prepared properly to start the season, they showed that with the line problems, QB problems, RB problems, they went 0-8 remember. They lost 12 games because this new HC decided to switch to a 3-4 defense even though he didn't have the personnel for it. This same HC hired someone that doesn't know what he is doing to run his defense, the same can be said about many of Chan Gaileys assistant coaches.This HC doesn't know the difference between a good player and a bad one, he proved this with Green at RT and Edwards at QB. No backup QB, no backup RB, should Fitz or Jackson suffer a long term injury, this team is screwed. Last season the Buffalo Bills got worse on defense, special teams, and in the running game. The ONLY area that improved on the team was the passing game, and that was only because of Fitz. Both Edwards and Brohm stunk it up. Gailey and his staff might get another year after this one because of the excuse of the lockout effect. Although, I've already seen enough bad coaching decisions, this team will never compete for the playoffs in this division with Gailey as HC.

Because Jauron built a secondary that was in the top 5 in 09, still in the top 10 in 2010.....he is still having nightmares of Brady to Moss....its why he kept drafting DB's The Tampa two / cover 2 is designed to stop the big play, while sucking at stopping the run, aside from the fact the Bills have never had a decent WLB to defend against the run Single gap defense ...but not many stay in their gaps, while everyone complains about Donte Whitner, he was the one making all the tackles that everyone whiffed on in front of him. The Bills have been one dimensional in many areas over the last ten years, they fix one thing and neglect another.

Bills fans are a strange breed, If this team hired them then they must be good... .....at least until they get run them out of town after 3-5 losing seasons

You really don't understand the difference between starting a veteran QB in Bledsoe vs an almost rookie 2nd year QB in Losman? What are you smoking, or drinking....the "play calling" didn't improve exponentially... another Bills fans that missed the part about 4-12 season. Did you happen to actually watch the last two games of the season against the Jets 38-7 and Patriots 34-3, both those teams were preparing for a playoff run. While the Pats played their starters against Fitz, the Jets played their backups against Brohm. Where was this exponentially improved play calling in those two games? Understand, it wasn't the play calling that won those 4 games last year. It was because the Bills had a QB that could escape the pass rush to the tune of 6.7 yards per rush, about the same YPR as Michael Vick. Because of that es-capability, Fitz made the O line look better then it actually was.That same QB was able to get rid of the ball to the open receiver in 3 seconds or under on almost every pass play. People like you will always cry about the lack of talent on the field, just like Ralph Wilson has done for the last 10 years. But its not the lack of talent on the field ...its the lack of talent on the sidelines. It has been the lack of talent on the sidelines since the 90's, with Levy- Phillips. It still is the lack of talent on the sidelines! Chalk up another fan in the long list of fans who seem to think that it was all Chan Gailey and his play calling. Apparently you missed the first two games with Edwards at QB, and that game against the Jets with Brohm at QB. BTW, to use the term exponentially while referring to the Bills play calling is more then lame. "characterized by an extremely rapid increase (in size or extent)" Meaning you think it drastically improved in some fashion? Exactly how did this happen when the team only won 4 games all year? From my view the play calling was about the same as when Turk Schonert was calling plays, always a pass play, always in shotgun. Again, if the play calling rapidly improved during the coarse of the season, what happened in those last two games against the Patriots and Jets?

Really? better then Mularkey or Jauron, in what way? Both those coaches never went 4-12. what season of what team did you watch last year? The team I watched went 0-8 to start the season and the owner came out and stated PP ....remember? Then this same team ended the season playing very poorly against two division rivals, and went 4-12 overall. People like me complain because people like you can't even remember what actually happened last season Mularkey went 9-7 in 05 and 5-11 in 06, that 9-7 record was the only team with more wins then losses the entire decade of 2000's! Jauron went 7-9 in 06-07-08 and then 6-10 under Fewell and Jauron. BTW that -5-11 under Mularkey was because the team dumped Drew Bledsoe and started JP Losman at QB.

Don't make me laugh, if this guy were worth a crap he wouldn't have been demoted from OC, and then stripped of play calling, and then ultimately fired 3 weeks before the start of the 08 season while at KC. Then he was out of football for the 09 NFL & college season, if he were actually a decent play caller he would have been employed as such by an NFL team over the last 10 years. He tried to run the pistol offense during his one year at KC, and all it got him was 2 wins and out the door. Ya know what, when the team goes 0-8 to start the season and then only wins 4 games all season, and those 4 games they won were against cellar dwellers just like the Bills....that doesn't give anyone the right to gloat about how good the HC is at calling plays Gailey is no better the Turk Schonert as he had his QB's in shotgun most of the entire game, and then he calls a shotgun passing play again on 3rd and short and throws the ball, being unpredictable goes right out the window. Ryan Fitzpatrick was the only reason last years Buffalo Bills team won 4 games, and he is the only reason the team might win a few games this up coming season. Gailey failed with Trent Edwards after wasting the off season preparing him to start, he also failed with Brian Brohm. So should the Bills pick up a FA QB that can't get the ball out to the open receiver in under 3 seconds like Fitz can....then he will fail with that QB also.

Hello dreamers, wake up! This is the same GM that boldly stated he was going to get some sleep last year when free agency opened, and the result of that was FA-RT Cornell Green along with no adequate backup. Nix has stated he doesn't like to build thru free agency, so putting your hopes into a FA LT-RT-C-OLB-QB is pointless with this GM. This same GM knowing his team was switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 decided to bring in below avg talent at LB and the result was the worst defense ever fielded by a Buffalo Bills team against the run. Now Nix is putting all his eggs in an oft injured pro bowler OLB making a comeback to pro bowl form. there was a reason why SD let him walk. Why has this team retained guys like Aaron Maybin- John McCargo who have shown nothing and probably never will. Is this the way the team now functions, draft and obtain players and if they suck ....keep them and pay them anyway? Looking at this GM and his ability to judge talent after that Green acquisition.... I question his ability to properly evaluate any player at any position. Guys, don't hold your breath hoping for these two bumbling old fools to build a team properly. If anything, pray that Fitz can stay healthy or its Andrew luck time. Pain & Patience, right Ralph!... Whats sad is that so many here seem to think Nix & Gailey are the answer...when was the last time you scraped a garbage can and found anything of value? P.S. I would really like to post something positive about this current team and its staff, its just that it reminds me so much of the -1984-85 Bills teams with "Mr nice guy" Kay Stephenson as HC. To be honest that 84-85 staff was way better at evaluating talent. The only positive move I've seen in the last 2 years was drafting of MD, who could be another Suh. The current problem is... I can only hope this staff doesn't find a way to somehow ruin him, seriously injure him or make him unhappy to be a Buffalo Bill.

I don't see Gailey wanting Tebow, the Bills don't need a rookie backup, they need an experienced vet like Fitz I don't see Denver parting with the kid unless its a trade for Marcel Darius. From everything I've read Denver and Elway think the world of Tebow and his potential

To me the jury is in....0-8 to start the season....so many fans is disbelief that this guy could be so much worse then Jauron.... but he was. So many fans are still defending him and his multiple boneheaded moves he made in several areas of the team, both he and Nix made critical mistakes that smart football people would never do. Last season the Bills managed to beat Cincy-Cleveland-Miami-Detroit....all bottom of the division teams like the Bills Ya know what, when I see him call a passing play on 3rd and short it makes me think of Turk Schonert and his stupidity. I expected so much more from offensive minded Gailey over defensive minded Jauron, especially when he and Nix both stated that drafting for the O line would be a priority in their first draft, then he drafted a RB with the first pick and proclaims that this RB will make the O line block better. I would have never thought the team could possibly get worse against the run then Jauron's Tampon 2, but it did. I was thinking that he would be fired after this next season, but now he will have the lockout as an excuse, so pencil him in for at least 2 more PP years. Another 3 years wasted because this owner hires bad to mediocre coaches.