zonabb

Our CBs are currently getting smoked

Relying on super games by your D while employing a conservative O is not a strategy that wins in this league. To keep the D from feeling like it has to win every game, this weak OC has to get this ball moving and open up the offense. Losing is easier to swallow when it seems like they're developing an offense and identity.

Biggest disappointment this season is Hackett.

Get theball back with 2 minutes and take your time gaining 3 yards a play and not throwing downfield

All on Hackett. This offense is pop warner every week. Hurry up sucks when you can sustain drives

They're the bills

Cool. Positively or negatively correlated? What p value did you use? can you Show us your correlaton coefficient calcs? Or like most who talk stats and analytics are you using language and talking about something you don't actually understand?

How so? You can't make general statements without backing it up with examples.

BS... The game winning TD was under thrown and a semi pro CB turns his head and makes the play.

Again... Hackett's in over his head. His play calling is overly conservative and he can't adapt to in-game realities. Plus, two plus under center on your own 1 at the end of the game... That's rookie right there.

Still leading the Steve Johnson haters fan club.

Did we change OCs??! Seems like the same tired act.

Another no name RB owning this team

Hackett is in waaaay over his head.

Another worthless attempt to measure something that measures nothing. If you're not measuring the impact (that is the outcome) of the sack... does it result in a forced fumble, int, fourth down, or protect a one score lead late in the game protecting, etc. the stat is merely a descriptive analysis and worth less than a hill of beans. When someone can measure something and attach it to its statistically significant impact on the game, then you have something.

Was in Cleveland last year, didn't see any of that, actually saw decent families in the upper decks acting appropriately. Same with NE. I think there are some teams where the fans are morons and its for some reason accept and we're one, Philly seems to be another. Didn't renew this year, the stadium experience, lines getting in, and many fans make it tough to want to go for a full season. I like a beer now and then in the stands but $9 for a Blue Light is a joke. I was in Philly last week and caught a Phillies game and paid less for a Sam Adams. I went to the opener and didn't go yesterday and I have to say, enjoying the morning of a home game actually at home and enjoying the game from my couch drinking a few from a $9 six pack was very very enjoyable. The win helped too!

7-6 Panthers coming up.

+1

All the best, this board has turned into a snide-fest full of Immature, thin-skinned posters backed by moderators who think having local hacks posting here makes it legitimate and said hacks are provided with immunity from objection or criticism. Good for you... But never apologize for Doing what you believe in.

The end zone view showed him watching to his right as Hogan came across, waiting for him to get some space. No biggie, I saw him work through on other plays but he looks like he's willing to stand in rather than always looking to tuck and run.

Agreed... He was locked into 15 the whole play. But he doesn't look skittish or scared and stand in pretty well.

Well, I have way more background (professional and academically) studying the regional economy and development than I do in football and I'll give you some things I think are positive in favor of the team staying and some negatives that point toward an eventual departure. And I'll start with my stance... they're leaving, based on where we stand now and what the socio-economic indicators are pointing toward; the political history of this region; and the foolish need to geographically disperse and dominant by the NFL. The Positives Unlike other teams in smaller markets (by NFL standards), this team has a history and legacy and rabid fan base. Removing this team from Bflo would certainly result in some major embarrassment for the NFL from fans and the media. This team might be a punching bag after 13 years without a sniff of the playoffs but the average NFL fan and media member would certainly prefer the Bills stay where they are and a team like the Jags move. We can't be compared to Green Bay given their unique ownership situation, and frankly a fan base that roots with its wallet, in good times and bad. Here, we have a hardcore group of dedicated fans and season ticket holders who go win or lose (myself included). There appears to be a willingness to explore a new stadium with some political backing... largely democratic I will add. In this era of slash and burn everything, a turn at the county and state levels toward the GOP that wants to cut everything including education while only sparing the military and of course pork barrel spending that supports both parties (I'm not being political, these are facts) is highly likely to squash any new stadium and thereby give a new owner the ammo necessary to justify a move using another more willing region as a pawn in a billion dollar stadium game. And has been alluded to here, the region, if we include the so-called Tor-Buff-Chester megaregion is an economic powerhouse, however that hasn't translated to suite and box seat sales and season ticket holder waiting lists despite the regionalization efforts. So there are some potential positives. This drive to put teams in large markets is somewhat confusing to me because the NFL continue to be the #1 sport in America and grows yearly. That would seem to run counter to having to have teams in every top 20 market, and globally, which seems to be Goodell's plan. In the co-called flat world, the location of a team is important only for the owner (in our case a bad thing when it sells because an owner wants a strong regional economy) but in the grand scheme, is minimally important to NFL revenues. The issue is likely the revenue sharing aspect that greedy guys like Jones and Kraft don't like, despite the fact they need still make billions.. which I guess indicates billions aren't enough. Many billions are better. The Negatives You have to look at this situation rationally and without emotion. I'm a Bills fan but also recognize that business is business and billions are at stake. I think the world-domination drive of the league and the individual revenue sharing desires of the owners point toward the eventual departure of the Bills. The argument that the region is favorable is actually, from the league's perspective, points toward Toronto. Put yourself in a businessman's shoes; you can have a team in Bflo or on in Toronto. No brainer. So why have a team in Bflo with minimal interest from Toronto when you can put one in Toronto. The regional argument for the Bills actual works against them economically. Toronto and regionalize just as well while relying on millions being within 45 minutes of their stadium. Sorry but if I were a Bills fan in Ontario, I would have given up my seats post 9-11. Crossing the border for a game isn't worth the aggravation and as long as it remains a PITA, it'll keep fans away. But my biggest argument here is that despite what other stated above, this region is not growing, rebuilding, or improving. Don't get fooled by hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars being spent at canalside and growth on the medical campus. The majority of job growth has been in the low paying service and retail sectors, also known as not wealth creating. Don't confuse any other that with the political rhetoric that we're growing, we're not. Don't confuse the gentrification of two neighborhoods in Bflo as proof the city is good shape, it's not. The key indicator a potential owner looks at: population (duh that's the onlt reason they want to be in LA, sheer population size. It's not just seats, it's merch they can sell to millions of people). Within the population, age is important. And what we have in the two county region is a continual decline in population that began in 1970 and has continued unabated for 40 years. The two county population has declined by more than 200,000 people since 1970 and worse off, the percent decline went up to 3.0% from 1.6% the prior decade. So its getting worse, not better. Compounding the problem is that the population that has remained behind is aging. The young generation has left, unlikely to return due to the lack of jobs, unless they want to pour overpriced Belgian swill on Elmwood Avenue to hipsters. What a region wants is a healthy portion of its population to remain in the 25-34 range, which is those coming into the workforce, hopefully educated, who buy homes, put down roots, and get engaged in the community. They also have kids, who hopefully stay and repeat the process. Looking at median age and it's pretty scary. The median age (half the population is above, half below) in Buffalo-Niagara is 40.6. In Boston it's 38.2, LA 35.3 and Dallas 33.5. Going to games is a young person's event, I'm touching 40 and its wearing on me because the crowds are getting worse (or I'm getting old!). And other teams like Cleveland are facing similar challenges in the future, the median age there is 40.6. Now the income matters too, obviously, but the point is that the higher the median age, the less potential ticket buyers! And when you're population declines and ages, like in Buffalo, that's a huge problem no matter how much of taxpayer dollars go to building fake canals. Based on 2011 census data, Bflo-Niagara's per capita income is 26,444; Cleveland's is 20,147; Dallas'; is 27,680; LA is 27,680; and Boston is 36,872. Again, volume matters and by volume I mean population. Sure, 26,444 doesn't seem bad but with a smaller population and stadium sizes being generally equal, it's harder to fill it here, which matters to an owner. And it's hard to charge a good price too. The top three most impoverished metros in America; Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo. So even though PCI might seem high, we have a lot of poverty, meaning the income is more vested in a smaller segment of the population than equally distributed. I don't feel like doing the data collection on income ranges! And even if there was a minor rebound, you can't look at that in the context of Buffalo but in the context of other possible locations. Honestly, as someone who studied urbanization and growth, this region should thank it's lucky stars RW didn't move the team to places where there is growth in population, jobs, and wealth. Contextually, we don't matter in the hierarchy of American cities. The only possible way an owner buys this team and keeps it here is with a MAJOR, and I mean stunningly large, public commitment to offset the high acquisition costs and ensure profit. If you were a businessman (not a Terry Pegula who could buy his favorite the team as a hobby), there is little reason to keep it here given the region's continual decline and the NFL and its owner's push for more revenue.

Don't worry, the sophomoric local media will be on it, then Pat Kirwan can write another piece that hints how laughable the line of questioning is. Our media in bflo = garbage.

not sure why anyone reads opinion columns. Sullivan, like every other "journalist" who is given column inches has two things... the means and the no credibility. Why should anyone ever take this guys opinion seriously? He has a column so that's instant credibility? The irony that thios guy slams the Bills as a half rate organization yet he works in a third rate media market for the only paper in town, that has a declining readership and writes nothing of substance. He should look in the mirror when insinuating someone is mediocre. He's nothing but a mediocre crank whose dream of writing for a Boston paper failed miserable. Moral of the story is stop reading the guy and the other hacks in this town. Watch games, form your own opinions, read some non-biased (aka no axe to grind) national writers who are good, and enjoy football. Reading this joke and his cohorts in this town is bringing down your intellect.

"Punishment"? When someone refuses to watch something they don't like, how is that punishment. I don't like NCAA football either and think it sucks so am I punishing myself by not doing something I don't like? Get a grip.