Billistic

Hey, it could happen. Be an optimist. It's free.

I'm calling it now. Nelson breaks out this season and makes everyone forget about Kellen Winslow (the original). At the same time, Shawn drags Edwards (kicking and screaming) into becoming Dan Fouts and DICK to becoming Don Coryell.

I also have Amelia Earhart tied up in my basement.

That's great to hear. If he's any good, he'd be great out of the slot in the red one, together with Owens and Evans. Let's give Lindell's poor, sore leg a rest for a change.

Actually, I am the shadowy, grainy figure hiding behind the picket fence on the grassy knoll in the Zapruder film of Dealey Plaza.

Wow, you really went for the long stretch on that one. If Schonert can't figure out how to use Nelson, he'll be given to April and disappear. My hope is that Schonert puts Shawn's talents to good use ON OFFENSE.The OBD spin on Everett was near identical to their current spin on Nelson. I would gladly trade April's top STs for a top OFFENSE. There, DICK...I said the dirty word: OFFENSE!

Didn't know that there was a quota.

The Erie Canal and DeWitt Clinton put Buffalo on the map. It was one of the top cities in the country in the 19th-early 20th Centuries. Now it's importance has shrunken down in line with its declining relevance. The citizens have reacted by putting a giant Buffalo chip on their shoulders. The Bills have become the Rocky Balboa of Buffalo. They keep getting bloodied, time-after-time, but everyone knows that, in the end, they'll punch their way out of the corner, and hammer the rest of the world with fanfares blaring in the background.

Hardy: Missed only 2 games. Started 3 games. Caught 9 balls. They have to tie his shoes for him, and point to the direction he should run. Everett: They couldn't figure out how to use him on offense, so he was relegated to special teams. The rest is history.

After the James Hardy fiasco, you have to wonder about Shawn Nelson. Will they try to turn him into a classical blocking tight end? Unlikely, to me. So then is he split end, slot receiver, flanker, idiotic H-back...what? Or will they sit him next to Chris Ellis until he bulks up? Let's hope they don't Kevin Everett him.

Jay Ratliff (Cowboys) is an unusual example of a 3-4 NT. The guy is only barely 300 pounds, unlike the massive hulk of Vince Wilfork, Ferguson and Jenkins, but he is lightning quick and sheds blocks. It's amazing that Haloti Ngata at 345 pounds is quick enough to play DE with the Ravens. Whenever I think of Whitner I start to cry, and it's not even his fault.

Exactly: Jones, Winfield, Clements, Greer....One step forward, one step back. It's like the Bills are a farm team. But they do give sizable contract extensions to ne'er do wells like Kelsay. It's not that they're cheap on salaries (middle of the pack; close to the cap), but they use the $ stupidly.

You need a talented front seven to play the 3-4. The powerful NT takes on a center and guard, while the two DEs occupy the tackles and, hopefully another G. The outside linebackers are usually big and fast, and bring pressure from the edge. The DEs and OLBs also can run all kinds of stunts, driving the OTs crazy. Seymour and Adalius Thomas with the Pats are a good example. DeMarcus Ware of the cowboys is probably the best OLB today. No O-linemen get to the second level, so the two ILBs make tons of tackles (see Mayo). The Bills are lacking the talent in every position, except for maybe Stroud as NT, which he never played, and Posluszny at ILB. Mitchell might suffice at OLB, and as you say, Maybin might qualify there also. Forget the Bills DEs.

Very apt. Having Corey Mc in for a play is like providing the defense with another linebacker. He just gets stuffed in the non-existent hole.

By that paradigm, you are the sphincter at the very posterior end of the alimentary canal, and therefore smooth muscle, Mr. Smoothie.

Lovely, now it's a sin to argue "caustically". Please allow me to thank you, if you don't mind terribly, Madam. Also, how charming of you to script my subsequent posts for me. I must say that I am truly flattered that you have followed the trajectory of my posts here, and have been psychoanalyzing me based upon persiflage on a football chat room site. You are a wonder...

The $ the Bills spent on players' salaries was about middle of the pack last year, and essentially at the cap limit. Wilson has not been skimping on players' salaries. That doesn't mean he's not semi-competent. In fact, it proves he's semi-competent.

You may be confusing simple grumpiness with the alternative life style his posts suggest. Just saying...

Goes without saying. I should have clarified that I was referring to likely starters on the turf.

No argument from me, there.

There are many to choose from, and numerous severely unknowns unaccounted for. If I had to pick one weak link, I guess I would pick Trent Edwards. He has been spectacularly inconsistent, and will be playing behind a problematic O-line. He gets to have his nose rubbed into it on opening day. Add Turkey Schonert and Alex van Punt to the equation, and...

I'll try to sort through your refuse (numbering based upon your 1479139 post): 1. Dick knew from preseason that McKelvin didn't have game-time football sense. In second echelon college games, Leodis could prevail using his athleticism against ne'er-do-wells. Let's hope Leodis isn't as hapless as Jimmy Hardly. 2. ALL stats can be made to appear ludicrous, except stats based upon tens of millions of samples, like insurance company actuarial tables or the Las Vegas gambling casinos. 3. Care to explain how a "Robert" James reference weighs in on any point? 4. "Guys like Bailey and Samuel SHOULD put up big numbers. They are thrown at A LOT and both have the great athletic ability to make plays on the ball when the opportunity arises. " Try to get help prying your head out of your orifice on this one, Bucko.

Nice work with proportioning! The question remains, why did DICK coddle his #11 superman, even though the starting CBs were down? Can one draw any inferences from DICK's decision? Who did DICK play instead of Leodis? Why? Are you sure that you want to make the case that opposing QBs feared throwing against Leodis? Think about that. does anyone in the League fear throwing against any Bills defensive backs. I think not. And about "William James", guys like camp Bailey and Asante Samuel ALWAYS put up big numbers.

Darrelle's rookie season: (drafted 14th) -16 starts (thrown to the wolves) - 3 INTs - 17 pass deflections - 74 tackles McKelvin: (drafted #11) - 6 starts (despite injuries to both McGee and Greer; coddled) - 2 INTs (both against the horrid Chiefs offense during a 54-31 blowout) - 5 pass deflections - 25 tackles The thread isn't about "down on". It's about "lock down". I'm not down on McKelvin. I just pass on the Kool Aid. Also, where did I say Greer was an iron man? I'll follow Jabari, because he "turned the corner" in 2008. He started to "see" the plays develop, and anticipate his opportunities. Leodis is the opposite so far, not meant to imply that his brain won't kick in at some point.

I'm pretty much right with you on this one. That's why I hated the Bills losing Jabari, and why I cringed when they picked up Florence after Del Rio dumped him. McGee is no iron man (double ditto Youboty), and if the Bills ever have to send Leodis, Drayton and Reggie onto the field at the same time against Brady, Moss and Welker (and no pass rush), the record books could get a lot of new entries.