ChevyVanMiller

My fellow Bills fans: It has been many a moon, far too many, since our team played courageously on the field to match the devotion with which we follow and defend them to all four corners of the Earth. For a decade and a half, we have been on the wrong side of the picture window as the great playoff shops have swung the doors wide for the teams pursuing the Holy Grail called Lombardi. There are hundreds of thousands among us that weren't even alive the last time our Bills went to a Super Bowl. The naysayers will always find reasons to doubt. To them I say: if not now, then when? if not us, then who? This year, dear believers, can be one of magic. It can be a season that reawakens the rest of America to a once glorious art form known as Buffalo Bills brand football. It can be the type of year that makes fans of the Red, White & Blue proud to wear their gear in whatever community on this great globe they call home. It can be the type of year that begins full of promise and ends steeped in greatness. When this comes to pass, when this current assemblage of players capture the minds and hearts of all Bills fans from the largest cities to the smallest of hamlets, there is one subset of fans for whom I will smile the happiest. Not those of us that look into the mirror each morning and see gray hairs looking back. No, we were blessed with the ride one time and will be doubly blessed to take it again. I speak of the youth of Bills Nation. The kids that are fans and have only rooted for teams that have failed in the quest to play meaningful games in January. To those young fans I say: Buckle up, you're about to embark on one hell of a ride. I raise a glass to you all, my fellow Bills brothers and sisters. There is a year when the final glory will be all ours - let this year be the one. Salute!

Yeah, we plan on being there.

I hope the *Pats get the best night's sleep of their lives and we trounce them anyway. There is nothing more gratifying than beating a cheater without resorting to their tactics.

I'll be there with my wife, my son and his girlfriend. Should be a great day!

Happy for Fred, sad for us.

It's not worth arguing over, but the rule states that no part of the player can be with a football's length of the blue line of scrimmage. He was within that football length, imo.

From the NFL rulebook: Neutral Zone: The space the length of a ball between the two scrimmage lines. The offensive team and defensive team must remain behind their end of the ball. Exception: The offensive player who snaps the ball. He was offsides.

Thanks, Brother.

The big softie: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/02/evander-kane-mara-teigen-billboard_n_8079194.html

I said that he looked good enough to be the 3rd string QB and I stand by that analysis. He showed a strong arm and good vision downfield. The play that I thought Bryce fumbled on was a first down play with about 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. In watching it back this morning I realized that he was grabbed around the ankles and dove to the ground as a result, the ball didn't come out. I amended the original post because Mr. Brown takes enough slack without me crediting him with fumbles that didn't happen. My bad.

Rapid Reaction - 10 Observations About Tonight's Game 10) Is there a more inconsequential, boring annual tradition game than Bills/Lions preseason Week 4? Used to be just a few years ago that the starters would play at least a series or two before getting the hook. Now the first teamers get the night off while season ticket holders pay full price to watch a lineup that might not beat a top CFL squad. The best thing about this game is that it is over and we can finally play some football for keeps on September 13th. 9) Matt Simms played the whole game and the secord year pro didn't look too shabby (the 30-yard backward pass nonwithstanding). He finished 22-38 with 223 yards and proved that he can put some real zip on the ball. He showed flashes of his father's pocket presence and did far better than other QBs (Jordan Palmer, Matt Leinart ) the Bills have trotted out for this game. He certainly looked capable of being the thrid string QB. Matt Cassel should be worried. 8) Bryce Brown is a real burner and there is always an anticpation when he touches the ball that he could take it to the house. Unfortunately, there is also the anticpation that him carrying the football is like your tipsy Aunt Bernice wobbling around with a half-full glass of Chablis - it's going on the carpet. He fumbled early in the game, but was ruled down. Man, I wish Stickum was still legal because Brown scares me every time I see number 35 get the rock. 7) Slightly off-topic, but it was the big news of the week: I'm glad that we're going to see Brady in week 2. I watched most of Brady's preseason throws and he looked to be on the decline while Garoppolo looked much improved. I know, Brady has been given last rites before only to turn around and lead the *Pats to the Super Bowl. Still, he's no spring chicken and the wheels have to come off sometime, right? Anyway, if you want to build a bully it starts by facing the guy that's been bullying you for years and cracking him right in the piehole. 6) I think Chriss Gragg has nailed down the last TE spot and I'm really bummed that Nick O'Leary no-showed the entire summer. Not so much because I expected more from the Mackey Award winner, but because we won't have his grandfather, Jack Nicklas hanging around One Bills Drive on game days. How cool would it have been for the cameras to pick up a shot of the Golden Bear sitting in Terry & Kim's private box sharing a laugh as Mario Williams slammed Brady into the turf? Alas, maybe the kid will stick on the practice squad and rediscover his passion for making plays in the passing game. Does Gragg's grandad even own a set of golf clubs? 5) I think my favorite backup player on the Bills is Safety Bacarri Rambo. Aside from having a name that sounds like it was written for a Sly Stallone Bond villian, Bacarri makes plays all over the field and is a sure tackler. Now if Rogue could only find us a waiver wire player named Rocky Hennessy. 4) Dan Carpenter didn't do himself any favors by missing another field goal tonight. Rex called him out during the week and Dan the Man does not look like the automatic three-point machine Bills fans fell in love with last season. Possibly catching some collateral damage might be kickoff specialist Jordan Gay. If the Bills decide to cut Carpenter and they bring in a kicker with a stronger leg on kickoffs both of the current Buffalo kickers might get their pink slips on Saturday. Dustin Hopkins anybody? 3) The Bills defense was stout against the run all preseason. Not just the starters, but the reserves as well. It may mean nothing once they lace them up for real, but if the Bills keep stuffing the run like they have this is going to be one hard team to score against. 2) They say that guys were playing for jobs tonight, but I think most of the decisions on the final 53 have already been made. If it means anything come Saturday, 5 players that stood out for me tonight were: WR Dez Lewis, FB John Conner (he looks like one of the football playing robots from the Jetsons), CB Mario Butler, LB AJ Tarpley and newcomer Kevin Reddick. 1) Prediction time: I think the Bills are poised to have a strong season. The defense has the potential to be one of the best ever and I believe that the offense will shock some folks from coast to coast. It's been a long time since we've had a playoff game at the Ralph - that's about to change as the Bills go 11-5 and break the 15-year playoff drought. (It's been a blast posting here during preseason, but I will step aside in the regular season out of deference to Bill from NYC, as I feel it is his domain on TSW. Anybody interested in reading the column during the regular season can click the Facebook link below.)

Finally had a chance to sit down and watch the tape of the Bills/Steelers game. When did they start ringing a boxing/wrestling bell after every Bills conversion to a first down? I didn't hear it while at the stadium and I don't remember it from the Panthers game. It sort of grated on me and I found it quite annoying. Maybe I'll quickly develop a Pavlovian reaction to it, just wondering if you noticed and do you give it an "aye" or "nay."

I'm no Cassel fan and am glad that TT won the job, but if Cassel gets cut he got a raw deal not getting any reps in that second game. He had 4 series all preseason. Not quite Flutie sitting out that season finale then getting benched, but in the same category.

30 years ago yesterday the remains of the Titanic were found on the bottom of the ocean. (Meant to post yesterday, your post reminded me )

I'm guessing this thread will be merged to one of the many already discussing these two events, but I will respond and say that your thoughts on Fred mirror mine and I wish him a good year in Seattle and look forward to the day he retires as a Bill. As for TT, I'll take a Wilson, Vick, Flutie, George hybrid any day, so I hope you're right..

Btw, Mitch is the poodle, the guy in the Braves hat is his dummy.

Clears the space for FredEx.

Hitler learns of Fred being cut. (Captioning NSFW - language) http://captiongenerator.com/57177/Hitler-Finds-Out-The-Bills-Cut-Fred-Jackson

Sorry I linked the wrong thread, Mosher actually had a whole separate thread on TT started in January. http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/174990-how-about-tyrod-taylor/?do=findComment&comment=3406376

Just wanted to give Moshermw some props. I, along with most Bills fans, had never heard of Tyrod before this post back in February Since then I've felt ahead of the curve on TT. Great intel and one of the reasons this board rocks..

Far more concerned now that he stays healthy than I was with Fred behind him.

A Fedora is never out of style.

Slightly off-topic, but I met Joe B on the field before the game on Saturday and he posed for a pic with my son. I noticed he had some natty yellow socks and he was gracious enough to pose for a pic stylin' the hosiery. Nice guy!

Really happy about the choice of Tyrod, but having a hard time fully enjoying it right now because of the release of FredEx.