Flip Johnson

Best player on the defense. This likely speaks well of KW's belief in McDermott and the team's intention to put a quality team on the field in 2017.

I think this is all too true.

Gragg had potential but it's hard to see the Bills giving him a second contract given the lack of production and the knee injury. Esp. with Clay and O'Leary under contract and Logan Thomas in the house.

Love all the thoughtful opinions A couple opinions after reading this thread. 1. Fans are obviously beat up by the playoff drought and many are unable to separate this year from the last seventeen years. However, having lived through the '90s, the truth is that the inferiority complex was real back then. The "blow it all up," "the world is against us," "the media hates us," "we'll never beat a real team" idiots were there for Kelly and Marv 2. The core media people are basically all the same - Sullivan, Carucci, Gaughan, Graham, the GR guys, etc. I would venture to suggest that many of these guys are on the backside of their careers and are personally resentful about how their careers have turned out and that they've spent their prime years covering a losing team. That has nothing to do with the team at current, but it does come out in the way the team is covered. Augie, if you're in Boston, hit up Santarpio's in East Boston for a true Boston pizza experience. Good to be back in town!

Context: I grew up in Buffalo, diehard Bills fan, lived as a kid through the '90's Super Bowl. I've lived in the Boston-area for the last ten years because of school/work. This past month I was incredibly blessed to move back to Buffalo for work. As a football fan, living in exile for the past decade, I couldn't be happier to be back in Buffalo. WTF is with the negativity in this town?? We are alive for the playoffs on Christmas Eve. With a win, there is a good chance we will go into week 17 still alive. We have a historically good rushing offense and have a chance to knock Miami out of the playoffs, leaving the Fish with cleat marks on their back. We are scoring 26 points a game. Do I wish we were 9-5 instead of 7-7? Yes. But this team needs a SAFETY to make the playoffs next year. A freaking play-making SAFETY. Maybe a linebacker. Not a new GM, new HC, new QB. And I'm listening to Schopp and the Bulldog drone on about the drought and reading idiot columnists talk about how Buffalo should want to trade places with the Browns. I don't understand the Buffalo mentality where we have to ask permission from the outside to be relevant. The team is talented and the team is CLOSE. I am ready as the next person to see the drought end. But guess what - the drought might end on New Year's. And if it doesn't, I believe it will end in 2018. I for one, will be happy to gather with my family on Christmas Eve and watch a big game this Saturday and then do a little scoreboard watching after we run over the Dolphins on Sunday.

This "real organization" played 2016 with a much worse QB situation than Buffalo. They have the same opportunity for Romo, etc. going forward as the Bills do. They have a project QB in Lynch sitting on their bench - same as Bills - only difference is that they spent a 1st and Whaley spent a 4th. And anyone that thinks Elway would not have been thrilled to have Tyrod Taylor as his QB this year is nuts.

Not implausible.

It was already a McCoy game, and with two DTs out, even more so.

Let's say for argument's sake that the Bills replaced Tyrod Taylor in 2017. - Do any of Taylor's critics think that the Bills will score significantly MORE than 25.5 points per game in 2017? - Does anyone think that the new offense will continue to have a historically low number of turnovers? - Does anyone think we can subtract the NFL's best rushing QB and continue to lead the league in rushing? - Does anyone think the Bills will continue to have a top-5 red zone offense? I understand that people get tired of the 32nd ranked passing attack. What I haven't heard much about is what the Bills would lose if they gave up the unique asset that Taylor is. He is NOT a top notch pocket QB, probably never will be. But he is the point guard for a strange, versatile and PRODUCTIVE offense that takes such meticulous care of the football and is so hard to defend in the red zone that they can continue to punt 5-6 times a game and still put up 25+ points. Taylor's strengths (ball security, speed, deep passing, escapability) are essential to the offense being what it is. I remember when Kyle Orton replaced Manuel and in his first start he threw for 308 yards against Detroit. Everyone loved it. The Bills scored 17 points that day. You can throw for a lot of yards in today's NFL and not be productive. Cousins threw for 449 on Thanksgiving and everyone is singing his praises. His team scored 26. Taylor got booed on Sunday and the Bills put up 28. I am not against the development of a classic pocket passer. However, I think the Bills fan base seems unaware that most of what is strong about this Bills offense disappears if Taylor disappears.

Bills matchup GREAT against Oakland. Oakland is not set up to stop a team than runs the ball and does not make turnovers. The Bills will have 35+ minutes of possession in this game.

Another reminder that training camp talk cannot be trusted. All summer we heard about how Duke had turned a corner. Season starts and he is getting toasted on the game-winning touchdown.

I was given tix to the game. $350 face value for a pair of tickets that would have gone for $600 - $800 does ensure that only a certain type of fan can afford to come. It is not Ralph-level loud - or close.

That makes me feel so much better

Kelso noted on the broadcast yesterday that last year's team would win a game and think they had everything figured out. Too high after wins, too low after losses. The attitude of this year's team (and Rex obviously influences that) is much more even-keeled, business-like. They understand that they need to play well to win and we are seeing consistent efforts.

Four home games after Thanksgiving, three of them against weak offenses is going to help the defensive stats

If the Bills continue to win and if Sammy is going to get the 2nd surgery, then I would expect Whaley to explore this. Jeffrey is not an illogical candidate (although the price tag may be too high). But it is going to be a high level WR on a team that is out of contention, likely in the NFC.

We deserve what? No doubt that this team had some brutal drafts in the waning days of Ralph's reign. No excuse for a guy like Hardy who had no NFL qualities other than height. It does seem like in today's NFL you need to draft for your 4th and 5th corners, but you can find your 4th and 5th WRs on the street. I give Whaley credit for finding guys like Salas and Powell. I don't have a problem with the Woods pick. He is a team player, a great blocker, he has battled through injuries and if you actually target him he makes things happen - see last week. A team that didn't run the ball so much would utilize Woods more and you would see more production. Watkins is a beast. Whaley took a big swing and we'll have to see if he stays healthy over his career. Goodwin has already played more games than I would have expected. He is not going to stack a lot of catches but he is valuable to this offense. We are thin at WR because our best WR is hurt. The Bills are a run heavy team with decent complementary WRs, a strong tight end, and RBs who can catch the ball.

The DL rotation is playing well enough that Dareus will be able to ease his way back into form. Same with Shaq, presuming he returns mid-year. With Alexander playing so well, Lawson can work his way in with limited snaps. One huge difference between this year and last that seems to be overlooked is that Aaron & Kyle Williams are both back, healthy, and in top form. That was an open question coming into this season.

Seriously. I don't know if the Hughes-Shepherd trade says more about Grigson's incompetence or Whaley's shrewdness. But Whaley deserves a lot of credit.

A healthy Goodwin + Tyrod's deep ball prowess is a serious threat. Whether he lasts 3 plays, 3 quarters, 3 games, or surprises us, let's ride this kid. I think the Bills will hit Baltimore with a lot of 3-wide and A LOT of speed.

This is interesting now that Gragg and Felton are both gone. Will the Bills attack Baltimore with a lot of 3-wide and 4-wide sets, meaning Goodwin and Salas get a lot of snaps? Will the Bills go with a lot of 2 TEs meaning Dray and O'Leary get a lot of snaps? Or will the Bills go with the tradition FB/RB combo, meaning Baby Gronk has not only made the team but is going to get significant time? I guess 2RB McCoy/Bush backfield is also a possibility at times. Ultimately it will be a combination of offensive sets, but whatever the scenario is, it will be interesting to see who gets the majority of reps. I consider Gronk/Dray/O'Leary to be fringe NFL players and we all know Goodwin's fragility, which is why I'm surprised at Felton's parting.

He was good enough last year. It was the other side of the ball that let the team down. That, and the two games TT missed. I believe he will be significantly better this year and it will be more than enough for the Bills to make the playoffs.

Where is Jerry Hughes?

Hard to know. But it looks to me like the Pats knowingly traded damaged goods. Or he has no desire to play anymore (related to health or otherwise) and he and Washington "failed' the physical.

Just to verify - New England knowingly traded a damaged player to Washington for a draft pick in hopes that they could sneak him past their medical staff? Now that the plan didn't work they instantly cut him.