Dan

Perhaps not properly though. Dependind on the model, I believe most Honda cars are mostly made in OH. In the entirely screwed up world we live in, buying "American" car brands means American corporate owners benefit, but American workers lose out. Buying "foreign" means American wrokers have jobs, but the corporate profits go overseas. Nissan trucks, I know are made in MS. So if you really wanna be a good redneck, you need to drive a Nissan not a Chevy.

Here's what I don't think you're getting... I'm not arguing "worth". I'm saying that Stevie is our best WR. You don't improve the team by letting your best WR walk only to try and replace him with an unproven guy or some second chance FA. What difference does it make how much they pay Stevie? The team has the cap space nor is it my money. I want the team to actually improve. And to do that, you keep your better players and replace the non productive ones - regardless of whether our best players are the best players in the league or not. What half the people here seem to wish for is a continued spinning of the wheels. Similar to what we've done with the RB position. How many draft picks have we wasted because they simply refused to make McGehee happy here? Like him or not, he's still a fine back in Denver. But, everyone would rather rail on a guy, see him walk, then draft his replacement. All the while, the team keeps running in place. Letting Stevie walk, regardless of the pricetag, is completely unacceptable if you actually care about fielding a better team next season. I can see no scenario where this team is improved by letting Stevie walk.

I completely agree with that. We need another big time receiver bad. In particular, someone who can adjust on the fly and make circus-type catches on all Fitz's inaccurate passes. Not only does that make the team better, but it also means the burden isn't entirely on the shoulders of a young guy like Stevie to always produce the game winning play.

Bottomline is you do not build a winning team, with depth, by continually cutting your best players and keeping the backups. We did it with Poz.. let him walk and kept his back ups. How much better would we have been if they had paid Poz and signed Barnett, and let Davis or dang near any of the others walk. Same with Evans. Evans, Johnson, Nelson is a much better WR core than Johnson, Nelson, take your pick. And we could go to several other positions. Just face it, sooner or later we have to start keeping our better players, and yes.... gasp... paying them more money. Not ever player has to be the best player on then team. But I'd rather have an immature Stevie J. than a nice mature great guy like Donald Jones any day of the week.

I could not agree with you more. All analysis and talk about the offensive side of the ball is mute, until the defensive issues are addressed. Once again, the defense allowed the other team to march down the field at will throughout the game. Yes, they look better in the second half, but that's only because the other team has a nice lead and begins playing more conservative. Once you're behind by 2 or 3 scores right outta the gate, the entire offensive gameplay is thrown out the door. We've seen this week in and week out. You don't let Spiller run the ball when you're down by 3 scores in the second half. Edwards is horrendous as a defensive coordinator. We're missing 1 (KW) maybe 2 (Merriman) impact players from the defense. Yet everyone is out of position, late to the ball, undisciplined, and just generally apathetic. It's a horrendous defense playing far below their talent levels. If Chan doesn't correct this miserable mistake, then he needs to go as well. It's bad enough he hired him in the first place. Now, just man up, admit you made a mistake, and bring in a proven DC.

Maybin is the poster child for the Bills defensive coaching staff's ineptitude. He's the exact same player, same weight, same moves, same experience level on the Jets as he was the Bills. We cut him him because he's a complete bust and useless; a few weeks later he's getting it done as a Jet.The mantra here has always been we need players with more talent. Well, I offer Maybin as a prime example of the talent level being adequate. It's just our coaches are clueless in how to develop and properly use the talent. Face it... The Bills won't have a winning season until the defense improves. The defense won't improve until we get new coaches that can ....coach.

I like and respect you as a poster; however, this is a big FU post. Hence, so is my reply. I'm used to posters coming here the very morning after the Bills are officially eliminated from the playoffs... yet again, and posting how right they were to say the team sucked all along. I just never figured you for one of those classless jag offs.

You'd think after, what is now, 12 years with only 1 winning season, I'd be more accustomed to this team losing. But, I just feel more frustrated than ever with this team. And for the first time I my life... I guess I just don't care. Win... So what, they're scraping out a few more wins in another meaningless season. Lose ... So what, they're getting a higher draft pick that will do little to impress. It's just so damn frustrating week after week to see average to below average teams play us and look like they're going to Superbowl. We cut bad players just to have them go on and be good players on other teams. Other teams make coaching changes and turn around in a year... 2 at most. We can't even get to .500. I guess I should be happy our season lasted into November this year, as opposed to being done by mid October. But, I just can't. So someone, anyone, give me some reason to care about this team again. Why watch any of the remaining games. Just to see this pathetic excuse for a team take the field?

/thread

There's no way we're this lucky.

Maybin can't even see the field in Buffalo. With the Jets, he has 5 sacks already. If there's any clearer indication that our defensive coaching staff doesn't have a clue, I'm not sure what it would be. Add to it all the draft picks and FAs signed, and it's clear Edwards has no clue as to how to operate an NFL defense. It's a shame, we finally have an NFL caliber offense, but thy can't be expected to score 30+ points each week.

Last week I didn't watch the Bills game for th first Sunday since forever. Yes, I've seen every play of every bad snap for the decade of fail... One way or another I would find a way to watch. This past Sunday, however, I had to paint my house and being one of the few remaining warm days I had little choice. I checked in about mid-second quarter to get the score; turned the tv off, went back outside, and had a better day painting than watching this team. That's how bad they are. This Sunday I have to travel and will likely miss the game again. But ya know... It doesn't bother me at all. If the team is going to lay down like they have, why should I bust my rear to watch them. It's taken a a decade or so, but it's finally setting in; why watch a bad team.

This is yet another thread to prove that Ralph is not nearly as cheap as the fans that follow this team. Does it really friggin matter how much they pay Stevie? Is it your money? The Bills are well under the cap. They have the money to spend. The team is better with Stevie than without him. I don't care how much they pay him; just pay him and keep one of the few decent players on the team... on the team.

While I can agree with the idea of your post; I just dislike using the regular season as practice time for players. I'd keep Pears where he's at and see what Hairston can do in his limited playing time and during the off season, ala Reinhart.

Perhaps we're wrong; I certainly hope so. But, I have to agree. From where I sit, our season is done. IMO, Wood was the last straw. You just can't keep losing your best starters and continue winning.Add to that list of leaders lost, several starters (Bell, most notably) have or are missing significant playing time. That's just a lot for any team to over come; especially a young team in the 2nd year of a rebuild. There are still holes on this team; we all see them. I have to have faith that Gailey sees them as well. Hopefully, they get addressed this off season. Because as of today, I'd say the off season is directly where were heading.

What has Pears done to find a seat on the bench? Why would you sit the only guy that's played well the entire season at his position?

A dose of sensibility.. Very well stated.

It's not so much placing blame or making excuses as it is a fact. We have been on our 3rd LOT for several weeks, that 3rd LOT... our starting LG. So, we're on the 3rd string LOT, 2nd string LG, and now who knows what at C. There are few, if any, lines in the league that have the depth to handle that and still be good. That's just fact. Now, do we need more O line players for depth. Absolutely. But, the line started the season pretty good. So, I'd still say its by no means our top priority. Yes, pass rusher is easily our biggest need. And has been for years. I'll add Defensive Coordinator to the mix. Despite all the "focus" on the defensive side of the ball; they're really no better than they've been. And, yeah they've had some injuries as well - Kyle, most notably. But, the defensive problems run far deeper than losing just one player. They haven't looked good all year. I also would throw in that Donald Jones is easily the worst WR on the team. We need a big, physical WR that can handle the jams and adjust to the bad throws that Fitz tends to make down field. IMO, its much easier to get a new WR than it is a new QB. So, the FO just needs to realize Fitz is inaccurate downfield and bring in a good WR that can adjust to the ball and out jump DBs.

Fitz's problem is, and has been, accuracy when throwing down the field. We desperately need a WR that can stretch the field, make adjustments to bad/under thrown passes, and out muscle DBs for the ball. Donald Jones is not that guy. Result? Defenses key in on the short game and dare Fitz to beat them long; then Ftiz either misses open receivers downfield or they drop the ball. Oh yeah, our offensive line is in shambles. That doesn't help much either.

Please, end the Donald Jones experiment. He has hands of stone.

Coming off? ..the wheels are off and laying in the ditch. The defense has been exposed and are completely incapable of doing anything with any consistency. And the offense has zero deep threat. Teams are letting our WRs run deep and be open, because Fitz is horribly inaccurate on long throws.

I would agree. It's entirely possible that both wild card teams come from the AFC North. The best way to make the playoffs seems to me to be a collapse by Cincinnati (only because thats more likely than a collapse by Pitt or Balt). Then we beat out either the Jets or Pats*. It's a long shot, IMO, but a very real possibility... If we get 11 wins. But I doubt 10 wins gets a wild card this year.

I do recall pretty much every paid pundit having the Bills as one of the 3 worst teams in the league. I never thought we'd be that bad, but I really didn't see us doing this well either. Now, after saying that, I'll refer to my preseason thought... I'll reserve judgement and complete optimism until this team wins 8 games. Despite the recent flop, I do feel the Bills are a solidly improving team in most all aspects. Yes, they need depth. And, yes, they need a few more key players. But, in year 2 of the complete rebuild, I'd say that's to be more than expected. I really disliked and was completely underwhelmed by the Gailey hire. But in year 2, the team appears to be very well coached, disciplined, and well on the way to expecting to win. Fitz has also impressed. After a full year as the starter, then a full off season of preparing, I really think his upside is tremendous next year. Bottom line... Are there still holes on the team? Are we still learning how to win week in and week out? Are injuries and depth still a concern? Absolutely. But, in the second year of the rebuild, we really do seem to be going in the right direction.

Seriously... People need to just get over these players that we coulda shoulda woulda drafted years ago. We didn't draft them. All the people involved in those decisions are gone. The players we drafted in their stead are gone. Just get over it already.

It's funny how memories can tint reality. I went to nfl.com and looked at their first half drives. You're absolutely correct. They converted zero 3rd and longs. I stand corrected. However, if you take my original statement and and change... " the Jets convert 3rd and long after 3rd and long and stayed on the field" to " the Jets convert 2nd and long after 2nd and long and stayed on the field" it would be accurate. So, I stand corrected. We need to improve our 1st and 2nd down defense. If we can ever get them to 3rd down; we're pretty good. Our defense is soft and weak. ========================================================== Drive 1 - 17 play drive! Only 2 3rd downs (3-3, 3-4). However, they converted a 2-18, 2-14, and a 2-7. So, they didn't have to get to 3rd down to have big conversions. Drive 2 - 9 plays. Only one 3rd down, which brought up a punt. Again, they didn't get to 3rd down, but did convert 1-15, 2-11, 1-14. Drive 3 - Another 9 play drive, with only one 3rd down which wasn't converted. Once again, not needing 3rd downs as they converted 2-8, 2-7, 2-6. Drive 4 - Their last drive before the half; a couple of passes then FG try.