San-O

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=3461989 I do expect the Bills to be improved, however do not anticipate them making the playoffs; again. Too many good teams in AFC, and they're only taking '6' when all is said and done. It's a lot to ask for this team to jump into the ranks of the Steelers, Browns, Titans and probably the Texans. It'll take 10 wins this season, IMO, and the offense is too new and too young, and still not much in the receiver department. Good D and special teams keep the Bills close in most games, until the D wears out and the O can't stay on the field. 1 *- New England Patriots ACE 16 0 0 1.000 589 274 315 75 8-0 8-0 6-0 1.000 12-0 1.000 4-0 16W 5-0 2 z- Indianapolis Colts ACS 13 3 0 .813 450 262 188 54 6-2 7-1 5-1 .833 9-3 .750 4-0 1L 4-1 3 z- San Diego Chargers ACW 11 5 0 .688 412 284 128 49 7-1 4-4 5-1 .833 9-3 .750 2-2 6W 5-0 4 y- Jacksonville Jaguars ACS 11 5 0 .688 411 304 107 50 6-2 5-3 2-4 .333 8-4 .667 3-1 1L 3-2 ============================================================ 5 z- Pittsburgh Steelers ACN 10 6 0 .625 393 269 124 46 7-1 3-5 5-1 .833 7-5 .583 3-1 1L 2-3 6 y- Tennessee Titans ACS 10 6 0 .625 301 297 4 28 5-3 5-3 4-2 .667 7-5 .583 3-1 3W 4-1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Cleveland Browns ACN 10 6 0 .625 402 382 20 46 7-1 3-5 3-3 .500 7-5 .583 3-1 1W 3-2 8 Houston Texans ACS 8 8 0 .500 379 384 -5 43 6-2 2-6 1-5 .167 5-7 .417 3-1 1W 3-2 9 Denver Broncos ACW 7 9 0 .438 320 409 -89 34 5-3 2-6 3-3 .500 6-6 .500 1-3 1W 2-3 10 Cincinnati Bengals ACN 7 9 0 .438 380 385 -5 41 5-3 2-6 3-3 .500 6-6 .500 1-3 2W 3-2 11 Buffalo Bills ACE 7 9 0 .438 252 354 -102 25 4-4 3-5 4-2 .667 6-6 .500 1-3 3L 2-3

Funny how two of those guys worked for the Bills.

See what I mean? He already disappeared! I have corrected, sorry. Do you think that he doesn't disappear?

Schobel doesn't get doubled that I recall, and basically disppears against better L tackles. He'll benfit from an improved D tackle situation, but what DE player woundn't? In addition, he'll be 31 I believe at the start of the season, and is vastly overpaid IMO.

Very interesting post. A good read. Sometimes people don't like the realist approach. Agree with most everything, except Hardy. I think we will cause problems for opposing D's, and if allowed to, stretch the field a bit. He does have some speed. They can send Evans and Parrish deep and let Hardy roam around under the main coverage?

I really don't expect the Bills to be much improved this coming season, maybe 9-7 at best, but 5-11 with the D beefed up and a lot of injured guys coming back seems a bit much. Sometimes I'll take a high level view, and try to look at the changes that I would expect to impact the team, positive or negative, and then assign a +- win/loss value based on that: o + 1/2 game improvement over last year, returning injured players. It can't get any worse than last year. o + 1 game improvement, S. Fairchild being gone. Addition by subtraction. o + 1 game improvement, better D-line, which will also help secondary. o - 1/2 game decline, Jets and Miami won't be that horrible again. o + 1/2 game improvment, 2nd year for T. Edwards. Will show marginal better play. All said, you would add up and get + 3 games over '07. Problem is, DJ and staff will also probably cost a few games, particularly when going so conservative. Still miss playoffs.

I think maybe not, not that I wouldn't want a change. The coaching staff will be able to get 1/2 a bye this year with a first time starting 2nd year QB, a first time OC, and a rookie WR.

Wilson isn't firing anyone. As long as tickets are selling, and the team is around .500, he'll be fine.

Don't you mean Losman was horrible last year? That's why Edwards got the start.

Exactly. I actually never understood why Marv picked him up, when he was a rotation guy for Indy before the beefed up the D. Made NO sense to me.

Oh yeah, the "PACKAGE" was dominant.

I always had a soft spot for Larry Tripplet.

Fantastic. I will no doubt take a while to shake the Fairchild remnants from this offense.

Well, I think 'he' is a she, but: WRONG: This is a three part question, please respond appropriately. (Think The McLaughlin Group)

Well, yes, it is rather ironic. The reason I lost confidence over the Dallas game was exactly as you point out: just run the ball a couple times. Simple. It's right there in front of them, and they still found a way to mess it up. It is also another example of the coaching staff just simply not getting it done. You're comments are hardly a glowing endorsement of D.J.. He can't win being conservative, and doesn't play it conservative when he should. Don't blame me. BTW, this is not a discussion of chance, or a probability experiment. If it were, chances are the Bills would have been back to the playoffs by now. They haven't been, and have one of longest current playoff droughts in the NFL.

WRONG: The answers are 1, 1, and 0. I'm trying to be funny obviously. There was no logic or anything else in the questions: they're questions. I basically lost all confidence in D.J. with that Dallas loss. My opinion. Based on D.J.'s track record, his ultra-conservative game management, and a rookie O.C. with a first time starting QB, Buffalo will miss the playoffs again. 10-6 may not get you in, and I think a three/four game improvement THIS year is asking a lot. I really think (the thread topic) that T.E will improve, and D.J. will continue his ways and hold the team back. We'll see.

WRONG: You answers are incorrect. Thank you for playing. Next contestant.

Was it a three year deal?

1. How many winning seasons has D.J. had. 2. How many playoff seasons has D.J. had. 3. How many playoff games has D.J. won.

Rank Player Team Pos Rec Yds Avg Yds/G Lng TD 20+ 40+ 1st 1st% FUM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ravens - Derrick Mason BAL WR 103 1,087 10.6 67.9 79T 5 7 1 60 58.3 1 Denver - Brandon Marshall DEN WR 102 1,325 13.0 82.8 68T 7 13 3 70 68.6 3 Seattle - Bobby Engram SEA WR 94 1,147 12.2 71.7 49 6 12 1 63 67.0 1 Again, players are paid based on production. Evans is going into a contract year (2008) after having a poor 2007 season. If he blows up, good for him and the Bills. A question for you: how much is Evans worth? How much are you willing to pay him before the season starts? I am wondering of he wants to be here, in Buffalo, given the teams record and Losman probably not starting again. He had seven games with 2 or < catches. He had 12 games with 4 or < catches.

OK. I'll bite. Lee Evans was in 2008: o 32'nd in NFL receiving yards with 849 o Tied at 45'th in NFL receptions with 55. o There were also 7 teams with 2 receivers ahead of Evans in yards. o Actually, 4 of the guys ahead of him we TEs. I think the Bills O was so bad, it is difficult to really place his stats, although undisputed # 1 on more the 50 % of the teams, I don't think so. The thing that bothers me the most is he had a good year when J.P. was locking onto him all season (2006), but when teams knew he could go deep, and took that away, he seemed to disappear many times during the season. Could it possibly be defenses adjusted to Evans, but Evans couldn't make the adjustment? Not having a true # 2 on the other side didn't help. He's averaging like 55 receptions a year. No way are those # 1 receiver numbers.

What is the true definition of a No.1 receiver? 1. Gets "doubled" a lot? 2. Has more attempts. 3. Lines up on the left? 4. Is paid better?

Evans has had ONE good year, any way you slice it. I'm may be in the minority here, but I'm not totally convinced his is a No. 1 receiver. I would suggest he show up this season and stop vanishing during games. He'll get paid.

Amazing. I am laughing so hard I can't believe it. Really. Good to see some humor here, I'm glad the board is getting healthy, I'm almost coughing up up lung!

How many of you guys have seen each others balls? And are these really OPINIONS?