Dan

best day ever

Maybe you got slow eyes?

I'm not sure I can help, technically. But, if you find the problem can be resolved with some sort of upgrade in hardware and need monetary assistance, don't hesitate to ask. You've given me more than you'll ever know with this place and I'm in a position, finally, to help if needed. Dan

Agreed. We need a solid running game (with more than just that read option/draw/run up the middle play). EJ might become a good QB, but he has a long way to go and is firmly in the "game manager" stage of development. And I don't say that to be derogatory to EJ in any way; he's just a young QB learning how to paly in the NFL.

I don't think NFL DBs are allowed to knock recievers out any more.

I have to agree. Whaley is doing an excellent job at building a team. I commented on it during the preseason, one thing I noticed in spite of all the horrendous first team offense plays, was our depth looks to be excellent. It wasn't too long ago when most of our starters couldn't be backups on most other teams. Now... it seems quite a few of our backups could start on other teams. That's pretty impressive and he's done it with good drafting and great free agent pick ups.

That play is EXACTLY why all these top draft picks with all the talent in the world can't put Freddie on the bench. The guy is a complete stud!

All I needed! http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/170524-2014-pump-up-video-old-school-style/#entry3240171 Awesomeness

I kinda did the same thing. Been sleepin off and on all night, excited for the game to start! I try to tell myself its just a game, go back to sleep.. but all I can do is picture EJ touchdown passes in my head. So, I finally just got up and started doing stuff. Kickoff Sunday really is like Christmas. Let's kick some a#%!

Hampton Inn in Greenville, MS. Earing blah pizza, chips and dip.

Week 1: Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears Sunday, September 7, 2014 at 1:00pm TV Network: FOX (TV Map) Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa DirecTV: 708 Bills Radio: On the call: John Murphy (play by play), Mark Kelso (analyst), Joe Buscaglia (sideline) Flagship: Buffalo – WGR550 (550AM); Toronto - Sportsnet 590 The Fan; Rochester - WCMF (96.5) and WROC (950AM); Syracuse - WTKW (99.5/WTKV 105.5) Sirius/XM: 113 (Internet 803) ================================================================= Game Preview: Although the Chicago Bears possess all the makings of an elite offense, turning around their defensive incompetence appears to be a necessity if they're going to make a run at the playoffs. After making several moves to fix those holes, the Bears hope to see major improvement on that side of the ball as they look to win their sixth straight home opener Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, who haven't been to the playoffs in 15 years. The Bears could have an opportunity to gain some confidence versus Buffalo, which had difficulty moving the ball throughout the preseason. The starters went 18 straight possessions without a touchdown until EJ Manuel's TD pass in the second half against Tampa Bay on Aug. 23. Read more at ESPN game preview... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bills vs. Bears 2014: NFL Week 1 Game Preview, Prediction NFL.com Video Preview 'Playbook': Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears NFL.com Game Center Team Stats: Bills Bears Total Yds/Game.... 338.1 381.8 Total Rush............. 144.2 114.2 Total Pass............. 193.9 267.6 Points/Game.......... 21.2 27.8 Time of Poss.......... 28.7 31.0 ---------------------------------------------- Yds/Gm Allowed... 333.4 394.6 Rush Yards........... 128.9 161.4 Pass Yards........... 204.4 233.1 Points Allowed........ 24.2 29.9 Source: NFL.com Injury Report: Buffalo Bills NAME POSITION INJURY WED. THU. FRI. GAME STATUS Dixon, Boobie RB Hamstring - LP DNP questionable Gilmore, Stephon CB Groin LP FP FP questionable Johnson, Randell LB Ankle LP FP FP probable Meeks, Jonathan S Neck LP LP LP doubtful Smith, Lee TE Toe DNP DNP DNP doubtful Spikes, Brandon LB Knee - LP FP probable Watkins, Sammy WR Ribs FP FP FP probable Source: BuffaloBills.com Chicago Bears NAME POSITION INJURY WED. THU. FRI. GAME STATUS Conte, Chris S concussion LP FP FP probable Fales, David QB shoulder Out Out Out Out Fiammetta, Tony FB hamstring LP LP LP questionable de la Puente, Brian C knee LP FP FP probable Source: http://=“http://www.chicagobears.com/team/injury-report.html”]chicagobears.com Practice Status Game Status DNP = Did Not Participate in Practice Out = Player will not play LP = Limited Participation - Less than 100% of normal reps Doubtful = 25% chance a player will play FP = Full Participation - 100% of a player's normal repetitions Questionable = 50% chance a player will play Out = Player will not play Probable = 75% chance a player will play (-) = Not Listed = No practice status available (-) = Not Listed - No game status available The Odds: Line: Chicago -7 Over/Under: 47.0 Source: The Linemakers Up to date lines... if you're in Vegas. My Thoughts on the Game: Here we go… are you ready for some football! I certainly am! After perhaps the most emotional and trying off season (for our team at least) that I can remember, it’s time to finally put it all aside and just watch my Bills play. I have no idea what to expect. I want to believe. I want to think Marrone and Hackett have a clue. I want to think Whaley made the right choice with Watkins. I want to believe that this is not the last season I’ll ever get to watch the BUFFALO Bills play. I want to believe. But, at the start of this season, like pretty much every season in recent memory I have no idea what to expect from this team. I know everyone talks about playoffs; but, I’ll settle for just a winning season at this point. Maybe even actual NFL level competence on the field? It’s hard to be optimistic for this season. So, please, post and tell me why I should be optimistic for this team, this game, this season. Here’s what I’ll be watching for: 1. Marrone. Has he lost this team before it even started? Is he going to finally look like an NFL HC with his in game adjustments and decisions? 2. Hackett. Does he have a clue whatsoever what an NFL offense is supposed to look like? Hopefully our play calling and design show marked improvement from last year! 3. EJ. Yeah, we can add this every week. But, our season and future really does rest on the shoulders of EJ. I expect some mistakes, some ups and down. I can live with that; but is he showing us progress? Hopefully we see more good than bad. However, maybe the O line is what we should really be watching? 4. Secondary. Can Gilmore and company keep up with Cutler and his passing attack? It seems like 3rd and long are always a gimmie 15 yd pass completion. 5. Our run D. I expect to see much improvement here!! 6. This will be the first game in the history of our beloved Bills without Ralph Wilson as the owner. That sobering fact is enough to give me pause. I hope the entire team can play with the passion that Ralph had for the game. Go Bills!!

Fixed. Excellent post!

Exactly. I think many people forget this and immediately expect everything to work like Madden. We have a shaken up OLine, they're gonna take time to gel. Watkins is a rookie. Rookies rarely set the league on fire for any reason (especially one that relies on someone else to get him the ball). We have new linebackers... a new DC. It could easily take half a seaosn or more for this team to play like a team. That was my first thought... we've completely breached etiquette and skipped right over the "this game is a must win" and gone straight to "the most important game in 10yrs!". It's week 1! This place is gonna be in complete meltdown mode before the end of September.

This is my take of our offense, going back to last season. It's a badly conceptualised mess. The coaching staff keeps trying to run plays that just don't work, that don't fit the players we have, that are poorly designed... and we're left to blame the players for executing. Then this preseason, we get all the OLine shuffling while our coach tells us that having the same 5 guys play together isn't a big deal for line play... and now our line looks to be the worst unit on the team. The offense has steadily gone downhill since Chan left, yet by all accounts we have more talented players. How does that figure? It's much more than just one player, that how.

Buy stock in Labatt — it’s going to be a long year. Good stuff. I'm practically in mid-season form with my thought process! Disclaimer: I hadn't seen this before, so be kind if it's old.

Are we just hoping for players to get suspended so we have more to gripe about now?

I agree, they needed to fix the line and find the best 5 guys there. But, at this point, they've had all off season, voluntary and mandatory OTAs, camp, preseason games, and last year's footage to use for evaluation. I'm glad they moved guys around, allowed them to get experience at other positions, build some depth and all that good stuff. But they now have less than 3 weeks before the season opener. I would suggest that the time for evaluations is over. It's time to make a decision and stick with.

After 3 preseason games and a month of camp, I would really hope they know who the starting line should be. It's time to stop tinkering and start learning to play as a unit.

I don't understand why we have this QB mess either, when Peyton was available! We totally should have traded Spiller to the Colts for Luck too. Then, we'd be set at QB for the next 15yrs!! I just don't get this FO.

My brother in law is currently undergoing chemo for esophogeal cancer, my sister is a breast cancer survivor, I have a very good friend who has survived brain tumor surgery... all have said the same thing which is have a sense of humor and try to enjoy life. I think everyone here knows that some of the posts here were having fun and meant in a good spirit. Nothing wrong with that, because I'm equally sure everyone here thinks this is truly a good thing that EJ is doing.

I look at plays like this and shake my head at Hackett more than any player. We're inside the 10, there are 5 receivers running patterns, and only one is in the end zone - the slowest one at that? Why? This type of play design and call is exactly why I wonder about our coaching. Why not use every bit of field possible? Why not have all the receivers, except Freddie run to the back of the and create as much space as possible? Why not give your QB some real options? I don't know... maybe all the players ran the wrong routes.

Valid point, the team as a whole may be getting gassed. It's been a long, active camp and presason for this team. Add to that considerable tinkering with the lineup (no way Hogan starts over Woods, for ex) and maybe the players just need a mental and physical break? It'll be interesting to see how they start the season. Like I said, my biggest concern at this point is the coaching. And I'm not sure that gets fixed with rest or finally getting all the starters in the lineup. A stretch read option on 3rd and short is just a bad play any way you call it.

To my untrained eye: EJ wasn't nearly as bad as many posters here made him out to be. He looks young and needs to work on his accuracy, both of which I think will improve with more playing time. Hackett is stilll my biggest conern! I'm not at all able to say he's putting together a professional NFL level offense. The play calls and play designs are our biggest limiting factor on offense, by far. I don't get all the Tuel hate. He looks like a young, inexperienced.. back up. But, he's easily out-playing Thad. If Thad starts the season as #2, I'll have lost all confidnce in Marrone to evaluate his players. We have a lot of depth. For the 3rd preseason game in a row, our reserves are out-playing the other team's reserves. Finally, was it just me, or did the Steelers come out hitting harder and playing a little faster than the Bills? I think they took a little offense to all the talk of Watkins owning them in the practices and came out determined to show up and win. Maybe not, but the #1s just seemed to be playing with more intensity than our guys.

Well, Beliache knows that the fans on this board seem to know more about what's going on with this team than most anyone else. This should be a site disclaimer! Everyone should read it. I couldn't agree more. Yes, you do contribute to it. But, from this one person's perspective, your thread and concept here... rocks! Honestly, its the first and last thread I read every day. For those of us nontwitin facebookin antisocialites, I would never see all these comments ... good and bad. And greatly appreciate the efforts by you and other posters to keep us lazy posters better informed. So, thank you.

You really do seem like quite The whiney spoiled blight That sprinkles our interwebs Much to some poster's delight But you fail to see That no owner is guaranteed To be as steadfast and true As good ole Ralphie Even someone named Pegula Could decide after eating arugula That its time to look elsewhere And make himself alot of moola hashtagrelaxandhaveadrink