WickedGame

It is, in fact, Aaron Schobel. I don't think we should bring him back, but it's an interesting thought (and that's about it). Sure, he's 34, but he's spent two of those years not getting pounded. Fred Jackson is past the premium age for running backs, but that's offset by the fact he wasn't pounding out 1,000-1,500 yards when he was 23 or 24 years old. Intriguing, though...even at his age, I bet Schobel could unretire and at least earn a roster spot in rotation somewhere. A proven pass rusher is still a proven pass rusher, after all.

Would you sign the following player? 4-3 defensive end Pass rush specialist Two-time Pro Bowler 78 sacks over 8 years Career high of 14 sacks in a single season Former 2nd round pick 34 years old

The Chiefs used the franchise tag on Bowe. Not an option.

I've felt for several months that pass rush is our biggest need and that Melvin Ingram, while maybe a reach at #10, was the best choice for pass rush. But then I watched 2010 tape. Check out this footage from the 2010 game against Alabama. Is it just me, or is Ingram a half-second slow getting out of his stance on a lot of plays? I'd rather have a guy who looks like he's jumping the snap on pass plays. A half-second late in college may as well be two seconds late in the pros. Anyone else concerned about this?

What exactly IS between the ears and the lower extremities? I've got a beer belly between my ears and my nuts...all gut, no glory.

Not to be a Negative Nancy, but a "once-in-a-generation player" comes along...well, once in a generation. Not every year. By listing the best player from each of the last few years, you're listing that year's best player, not a once-in-a-generation player. Every year has a "best player." And about RGIII...he's got great skills, but that doesn't make him once-in-a-generation. It makes him talented. The man crushes about RGIII on this board are over the top. Let's not anoint him an Epic Athlete until he proves himself exceedingly superior to anyone who plays his position. So far, he's just a talented Heisman winner.

Call me crazy, but maybe we should wait 'til after free agency before we get too hung up on the draft. Pick up one key player at the right position and our draft strategy -- and the domino effect on other teams -- looks way different. Say, for example, we DID pick up Mario Williams (play along for a bit...). Suddenly the "there's no standout pass rusher" problem is a moot point...and we shift our focus to WR, LT, CB, or OLB. Or if we grabbed a free agent #2 (or #1) receiver, all this talk about Michael Floyd, Alshon Jeffery and other WRs disappears. I'm just sayin'...

Don't get your hopes up about Dwayne Bowe. The Chiefs will be well under the salary cap and GM Scott Pioli seemed to (accidentally) suggest they'd either sign Bowe to a long-term deal or use the franchise tag on him. Article here.

I was at the Carolina-Washington game. I expect Hightower to be out vs. the Bills. The knee injury didn't look good. He tried to hobble off and pulled up immediately. He tried to hop on one leg, that didn't work. Teammates came and lent him a shoulder. He tried to put pressure on it while they carried him off and couldn't. I think it'll be serious. Santana Moss broke his hand and should be out, too. The Redskins ran the ball on at least 80% of their plays in the first half, by the looks of it. Hightower was running good, but I'm not sure they wanted to trust the game in Beck's hands. After Hightower went down, the Skins' run game lost steam...fast. When Beck threw, it was mostly on play action rollouts. Before Hightower went down, my impression was that the Bills should stack the box against the run and let our DBs cover wideouts, as Beck wasn't throwing much. When he started throwing more, he seemed to find the tight end more than anyone. On several plays facing pressure, he looked awful. I agree with whoever said Washington looked vulnerable against the run. They play fast defense and definitely get after the QB, but the biggest runs were up the middle. Runs to the outside went know where, but screen passes worked. Cam also connected on several deep balls (20-30 yards).

Created this one myself, FWIW.

Which also means two of those wins are head to head...

Sigh... No, we don't need a "Both" option. If we had that option, everybody would choose "Both" and we'd have a meaningless survey.

Truth time: Would you rather beat the Patriots today or make it to the playoffs this year?

Is this meant to be ironic?

Reverse fisting.

I'm not suggesting the Bills are flawless, or that every player warrants a contract, or that we won't lose some once in a while, or that a 4th round pick for a good player is an awesome coup. Don't get lost in nitpicking. I'm simply arguing that we've shifted strategy and tactics to address serious weaknesses in our personnel gameplan of recent years. The result will be a significant reduction in meaningful free agent losses. Is Lee Evans worth more than a 4th? Sure, maybe. Reasonable folks can debate that. Was Marshawn on track to stay a Bill for life? Maybe. I doubt it, but again, reasonable minds can disagree. But a few anecdote miss the big picture. We're doing a better job of identifying talent on our roster, signing long-term extensions, and positioning the team for net improvement in 2012, 2013 and beyond. I'll put it simply: Would you rather go into the 2012 draft and free agency with Lee Evans, Kyle Williams, Steve Johnson, and others having contracts due to expire, or would you rather lock up a few, trade a few, and enter the offseason with a clear idea of what you have locked up and what you need? I'd rather have the latter.

One thing that can kill a team trying to rebuild is defections. "Two steps forward, one step back" makes for slow progress. It's worse for the Bills, who for the last decade seemed to have it backwards: "One step forward, two steps back." Say what you want about Buddy and Chan letting players go, at least they're getting value. Marshawn Lynch already had his eye on the exit. Lee Evans was loyal, but he'd already given us his best years. In both cases, we got draft picks. Now, combine that with extending good players -- Kyle Williams, Stevie in the works, Roscoe in the works -- and you reduce the amount of involuntary turnover each year. I like their approach. It won't deliver immediate results, but it's the right approach. Our problem for 10 years has been that we never stopped the bleeding (or plugged the hole in the boat, if you prefer). We're doing that now. What remains is a young, stable, and increasingly talented team. Adding veterans via free agency makes more sense now that we've stopped the bleeding. Lock up young talent, extend the few vets we DO have, and if guys like Merriman (re)emerge as legit top-tier players, extend them quickly, too. Address your biggest needs via the draft with the best players, and we might just build something. I anticipate we'll have much less of a revolving door over the next 2-3 years than in years past.

Who pissed in your coffee? Lighten up, dude.

How short our memories are... In 2010, the Bills lost a close game AT New England, 38-30. Fitz was leading a drive in the final minutes before a pick sealed the Pats win. Yes, the Pats crushed us later that year. In the 2009 season opener, Buffalo led late in the game, again AT New England. New England scored 12 points in the final 2:10, thanks in part to a boneheaded play and fumble by McKelvin. The Pats "crushed us" 25-24. Later that year, with Fitzpatrick at the helm, the Bills played another close game, losing 17-10. So, yes, the Pats have beaten us in recent years, but they have far from crushed us. I'd like the Patriots win streak to end as much as the rest of us, but let's keep things in perspective.

Watching Merriman's press conference after the Bears game, I was impressed by his demeanor. He's got a good sense of where he fits in this defense, sounds like he as a good rapport with Dareus already, gives credit where it's due, and has the right balance between serious and playful. He looks mature and focused. If he combines that with high-level play, it'll be a good presence on this D.

Picke 'em...

Verizon customers can listen with the free NFL Mobile app, right?

I'd take a half-eaten cheerleader and an average-looking box of chocolates...

I love that this team is starting to get a personality...an identity. I can't come up with a single word for it, but it's there. You see it Fitz's "Amish Rifle" beard, his joking in the huddle, his clearly-just-for-fun "I went to Harvard" comments. You see it in Kyle's down-to-earth, "Whatever, I'm a real-world guy" mindset. It's in Stevie's "Why So Serious?" swagger, and in Marcel's hungry will to dominate. This group WANTS to win, wants to WORK for the wins, isn't crying over the disrespect. They're out to EARN respect. I'm not sure if we get to a winning season this season, necessarily, but I get a sense this club will earn respect for its refusal to roll over.

The most interesting part of that clip: Bill Belichick was 25-23 at the start of his 4th year as head coach. Guess it shows ya gotta start somewhere, right?