RevWarRifleman

I saw that segment and Dukes was way off the mark. He doesn't know about the Bills. He's ignorant about the Bills coaching staff and how they shift players to positions where they're talents will work the best. That's why Kyle Williams had such a great year. They even got decent production out of Kelsay by shifting him to a down lineman. For whatever reason, that worked for him. Examples can go on and on. Moose Johnson, to his credit, pointed this out by saying emphatically to Dukes (of Hazard) that (I'll paraphrase, here), "the Bills coaching staff is not going to have Dareus just in one spot. Their coaches will move him up & down the line so he can make plays from any of those positions." Dukes just repeated himself and once again, Johnson stuck to his guns. Oftentimes I think these guys on these networks (NFL & ESPN) have this suff scripted between them beforehand and they're just acting just to fill in time.

Rockinon, thanks for the knowledge and the time to post it. There is lots to be optomistic about. So what does optomistic smell like to you? ("Smells like victory", to me.)

Thanks Nevergiveup. A wide reciever at #3 though? We've got bigger needs than that. I hope they go Miller, Dareus, or other top defensive front 7 people. Sorry for my post last week, and thank you again. RWR

Well, its about 8 days away from the draft. Has NGU posted anything about how he thinks the Bills will draft? I've been away from the message board so I don't know,maybe he already has> Anybody know anthing about NGU lately?

As I recall, Jamie,usually the NFL comes out w/ it the week of the draft.

Cool! I can't believe you wrote that. A corny punch line from way back in the 80's (Airplane) But I still see Lesly Nielson's face saying that, and I still laugh.

This year's draft is much deeper in defensive talent than in quarterbacks. Defense (our front 7) is a huge weakness for the Bills, not quarterbacking. So I say go where the deep talent is, tap into it and upgrade immediately our big need area in the first 3 rounds. With a more stout D, it'll make our offense better. More 3-and-outs for our opponants, shorter field for our offense, and so on. A better defense will keep our offense in games longer, increasing our opportunities to win. A stouter defense against the run reduces the chances of other teams in controlling the clock agains us. That, with an addition of a pass rusher for us gives our D a more balanced attack, and probably interceptions will increase ( referring to Schoeble's last year w/ us, 09). Improving our D w/ intelligent drafting this year will make our team better, quicker. In the 2012 draft, go hard after our "franchise QB". I hear its shaping up to be a good year for future blue chip QB's. Luck being one of them. At any rate, that's my take on it.

With the question over the 18 game season, how about a different scenario with that? Could there be a do-able format that, say, the number of playoff teams in each conference be expanded to 2 more teams? Yeh I know that would expand the possibility of having more 7-9 teams making the playoffs, but the playoff season would be longer (fans would like that). More teams would be playing in the playoffs (those cities as well as their fans would like that). And therefore only a handful of teams would be playing longer, not the whole league. There could be a by week at the end of the regular 16 game season, then the playoffs starting w/ the lowest placed Wild card teams. I haven't really sat down and thought this out thoroughly from a technical standpoint. Its just an idea in priciple. I'm not for an 18 game season across the board. That's too brutal & will shorten a lot of careers. What do you think?

Good points and statements made by all on this post at this time. We could use some more Jack Kemp-types in the NFL, and in government. RWR

Noma, thanks a lot for sharing the knowledge/info. Great job. Now I have a better idea about the QB situation coming into next year's draft. Thanks again for taking the time. RWR

I'd like to see us emphasizing the defensive front 7 in the early rounds of this year's draft. I think it's not only our biggest need, but will enable us to get better, quicker. If this scenario plays out, what quality QB's might there be for us to get so as to groom our "QB of the future."? Fitz I think can hold down the fort for a few more years. I know there's Andrew Luck, but I don't follow college ball that close. With me its the Bills and the NFL. That's pretty much it. Luck, of course, would be a huge feather in our cap. Any college QB gurus out there that would care to enlighten me on the prospects? Preciate it.

The Combine, its not about what guys can do in shorts & tee shirts, its about what they can do with pads & helmits on during games.

What press conferences? Is there a link I can get to hear/read about them?

Agree on that.

Yes, thanks. RWR

I agree, Haplo. I think we should shore up our defensive front 7, then go hard after the Stanford QB (his name is on the tip of my tongue) next year, regardless of where we might be in the draft.

DrD, have you been sitting in on FO meetings at One Bills Dr.? I think you're spot on here. Yea we're all just playing hunches on this post, but from what I've gathered from reading about & listening to Nix the past year plus, this sounds precisely where his head is at (aka, "the plan") for the team. Yes, the CBA is going to influence a lot of things, but I think what you've posted is going to be REAL ClOSE to what follows suit. I guess we'll see. Nevertheless, good prediction Dr.

Its all about the Bills for me. After that, I like the Colts. They got Peyton, they got Polian. They kind of remind me of the Bills in the 90's.

Thanks, Billsguy.

Can anybody tell me the odds of the game last night? Thanks.

Ok, DFITZ1, this one's a little off subject but, bet you don't remember the Stith brothers, Tom & Sam from the early 60's St. Bonaventure basketball program.

Anybody remember seeing Calvin Murphy during halftime as part of the Niagara University's Purple Eagle Marching Band? He was their baton twirler I think?

Copy that, DFITZ1! So you saw Spurrier play at the Rockpile, huh? I bet when he came out of the tunnel and saw the Rockpile, he gave birth to that double lip-flappin in the breeze w/ his puffed up cheeks he's now famous for.

DFITZ1, thanks for making the effort of posting those photos. Great color. I attended a few games at the Rockpile in 1966 - 67. I was in my last 2 years in high school then. After that, 4 yrs in the Air force as I didn't want to be drafted. College as a deferment wasn't an option as I wasn't college material. I'd wear the same clothes to games as I'd wear to school. There were no Bills jerseys, hats, ect.,ect., back then. Today, kids dress for school in team jerseys, hats, ect., ect. The ying and yang of things. Just thought I'd bring in a little socialogy of the times then & now. I don't have any real wild beer stories per se to tell about the R-pile. Yeah it was a rickety old place. But I was thrilled to watch our Bills live. I was from a small town in the far eastern part of Niagara county. My older brother and I & a couple of his buds would go in on this package deal where we would drive to some bar outside of Lockport, get on this tour bus, and it would take us to the stadium, pick us up after the game & return to that bar. With those few games I attended then, I saw a home opener against the Jets w/ Joe Namath. And believe it or not, on one pass play, he did one of those jump-passes!! That must have been before his knees were REALLY bad. Saw a Bronco game when they had those orange & blue helmets w/ that corny looking white horse bucking up. In the middle of the field it would be so chewed up that dust would get kicked up & that dust cloud would be as high as the players. Geat times, great memories. I'm glad I grew up to see those & many other great sports events.

Good point, Dorkington. When I read the initial post, I was thinking the same thing. He & Merriman are buds. If I were Maybin, I would be all over Merriman to work w/ me on techniques,lots and lots of film study, workouts,playbook study, whatever Merriman can think of to make me better. And the area(s) I'm the weakest at I'd go at that/those aspects the fiarcest and the longest. Declare war on it. Be a warrior. He has a great resource in Merriman if Merriman is willing to do that. And if he is, Maybin should buy him dinners at his favorite restaurants for months. I think one of Maybin's problems was that he came out of college way to young and raw. This kid needs a lot of polishing. At any rate, good points Dorkington. just my opinion. Just a thought. Could he be converted to a tight end? Can he catch a pass? Maybe teach him a few blocking techniques and who knows what you might have?