hondo in seattle

Turnovers do seem to be - to some extent - a random event. So do injuries which would also be very tough to predict. An injury to a QB could be devastating. Other injuries can also effect W/L records and it's hard for any model to account for injuries in a short season. I think we're a long way off from a statistical model predicting W-L significantly more accurately than an informed fan. Too many hard-to-account-for variables and random events.

I think CJ and Chandler will be nice role players for the new teams. Kiko, assuming his knee completely heals, will be a good starter. If we have any trouble stopping the run, we'll obviously miss Spikes. But I voted Freddy.

While it's true Rex 'threw Darby to the wolves,' as we've been reminded a few times now, it's still worrisome how poorly Darby played during preseason. Yep, he's a rookie. Yep, he's going to get better. But the Indy game is just a few days away. The question is what Rex will do about it. The obvious answer is that there will be a safety over the top. But what else? Rex and Dennis Thurman have good defensive minds. They're going to try to avoid giving Darby more than he's capable of doing.

To all those who bleed red, white, and royal blue, may our touchdowns be many and our injuries few. Here's to the Bills Super Bowl season!

I remember buying some football rag one preseason long ago and thought the articles and predictions were too optimistic - apparently a ploy to get hopeful fans who long for positive news to buy their magazine. I added up all the wins and losses predicted and somehow NFL franchises were going to win about 57% of their collective games. Maybe some contests against the CFL had been scheduled that year. That's when I realized the national media is more interested in making money than saying anything particularly insightful or accurate. I've taken predictions with a huge grain of salt ever since.

Roman's play-design and play-calling should make the line look good kind of like Gailey's offense made the OL back then look good when it wasn't really. The Indy game will be interesting for a lot of reasons. Many new players. Many new coaches. New offensive and defensive schemes. At this point, we're all full of hope but nothing is a given.

Overall, this squad is far better than the squad he took over. Thinking back a few years to the team Dick Jauron had... As much crap as fans like to give him about "It's hard to win in the NFL" - it was very hard with that roster. Thinking back to Chan Gailey... I remember being amazed for a while how he was able to generate some offense with very little talent. The team we're fielding now - Whaley's team - is far better. I don't blame Whaley for EJ because you have to gamble on QBs now and then, and EJ did look like a NFL QB this preseason. Like many, I was/am upset with Whaley for the way he mishandled Fred. But, like many, I see the logic. We had a lot of money tied in backups (MC, Fred) when we're being challenged to resign starters (Marcel, for instance).

I'm pretty much aligned with 26CB and mastershake... 200 yards passing 50 yards rushing 1 TD passing no picks or fumbles

Four consecutive conference championship is an unprecedented achievement. One SB win, in a way, is not a big deal. Every year some team wins the SB. But no team outside Buffalo has ever earned a spot in the SB four years running. That's historic. Having said all that, I'd take the one win.

Forget depth, I'm still worried about the starters. Henderson wasn't very good last year. Wood and Glenn both seemed to have off years. Richie didn't even play ball. Miller is a rookie. Yep, we have a new OL coach, new OC, etc. And certainly these 5 linemen seem to have potential. But I've been guilty of wishful thinking too often in my years of Bills fandom. Until these guys show it on the field, I'm worried.

The NFL is big tobacco? That's a stretch. Tobacco hid the dangers of their product for decades, bribed governments, and killed millions in the process. But CTEs are scary and I worry about the future of football.

Yet the net result is cheaters prosper. I don't hate Brady like many Bills fans do. I would have loved him in a Bills uni. But he willfully cheated and got away with it. It sends the wrong message to the rest of the league as well as to fans everywhere.

Curiously, Bills history has far more good RBs than QBs. My top 5: 1. OJ 2. Thurman 3. Freddy 4. Cookie 5 Cribbs I think Fred belongs on the stadium's Wall of Fame. In fact, I really think Freddy had a shot at being a HOFer if he had (1) played behind better lines, and (2) stayed healthy. If I'm not mistaken, Fred lead the league in yards after contact one year. I know he was among the leaders for a couple of years. No back in the NFL during Fred's prime did more-with-less the way Fred did. But he was more than just a good runner, he was a complete back - he could block, catch, and would inspire his teammates even when the Bills had no shot at the playoffs. Neither stats nor playoff accomplishments will back me up but I think if circumstances were different, we'd be arguing who's better Thurman or Freddy. A lot of talent and power accompanied Fred's big heart. He's a solid #3 for me and I'm tempted to call him 2b. I was at the Stick in 2004 when Shaud ran 17 times for 93 yards. The Bills won 41-7 and Williams looked great that day. 9er fans were asking me, "Who's that running back?" McGahee ran for 102 before leaving the game.

Larry Felser Tyler Dunne (auspicious beginning but no contacts at OBD yet) John Wawrow Chuck Pollock Tim Graham

The whole Fred thing, whatever the truth of the details, has dampened my enthusiasm for opening day. Until now, Whaley was my favorite GM since the SB years. Cutting Fred the way he did will be a permanent blight on his record.

I defended Whaley at first. But this - and Fred's comments about Doug being dishonest - are making me rethink my position.

I started worrying about Darby the day Leodis got hurt. We all realize Rex hung Darby out to dry in preseason and that Darby got a lot of valuable experience going up against NFL wideouts. This experience will help him during the regular season. Still, Darby clearly lacks some of the skills - and the consistency - you'd want from your starting CB. Not everyone is enamored with McKelvin but the secondary is significantly worse without him. Let's hope he recovers quickly.

Greetings neighbor! I've always been more of a Buffalo Bills fan than a NFL fan. I don't watch a lot of games that aren't Bills games. Just don't have the time. But my friends & coworkers have jokingly equipped me with a fair amount of Seahawk gear the past few years - shirts, hats, etc. - which has sit unused in drawers. Maybe I'll claim the Hawks as my #2 team now and wear some of this stuff. I'm tempted to go to a game in Seattle wearing my #22 Bills jersey.

Yep The Bills are a better team with both Freddy and MC on the squad. But penny-pinching is the name of the game if we're going to retain Marcel and others. With EJ and TT so uncertain, we had to get a reliable vet. But TT and EJ both surprised so the costly reliable vet is now an expense we don't need.

EJ is 2nd string. MC gets cut as Whaley does some penny-pinching to resign Dareus and others. We lost Freddy because we had other backs who were both younger and cheaper. Depth at QB - and any other position - is awesome. But we're in a situation now where we're going to have trouble resigning starters. Either MC or EJ is gone for cap reasons and my guess it's MC.

I've lived here for 6 years and have only watched 2 Seahawk games on TV (you can guess which two) and none in person. Fred coming to Seattle - if true - changes everything.

I've lived in Seattle for 6 years and have never become the slightest Seahawk fan despite the SB runs. But if Fred Jackson comes to Seattle, I'll start chanting "Go Hawks!" - at least when Freddy has the ball.

I'll cheer for TT all day long, every Sunday. And I'm cautiously optimistic about him. But if he plays poorly, I'll be wondering what the team would have been like with EJ under center.

I signed it. Fred is one of my favorite Bills ever. He was also one of the best. The stats might not say it as he dealt with injuries and shared carries with high draft picks. But in his prime, he was a beast.

I concur 100%.