msw2112

A few quick hitters: 1) I do think there are 3, including Detroit; 2) Chicago is amazing in the summer - go if you can; I lived there for a long time; Solider Field is right on the lakefront 3) I, too, enjoy preseason. I like seeing the rookies and UDFAs play and weighing in on who might make the team. It's a different kind of interest than a regular season game, but enjoyable nonetheless. How else would this board have material for discussions about 5th string running backs in the International Program?

These comparisons are tough to make. They played under different coaches with different casts of characters. To draw parallels, Marino is more like Peyton Manning and Kelly is more like Brett Favre. Both all-time greats, but different personalities and different kinds of players. While I'd say that Marino was the better pure passer, Kelly was a better football player overall, and perhaps a better leader.

I think it's great that he's in fantastic shape and I expect that he'll have a very good season. Reasons why? 1) As mentioned, he's in fantastic shape and reports are that he's worked on his explosiveness; 2) he knows that Moss and Brieda present competition for his job and he'll step up; 3) the team will be dedicated to improving the run blocking schemes and play calling, plus they have added some pieces to the OL in addition to the returning vets

Camp body

Camp body

Looks like a camp body. I'm not sure why he'd be needed if they keep Fromm and Webb. But, there's no harm in taking a look. I also think that Allen is the exception to the rule as to completion percentage. In most cases, it is a pretty good predictor. Allen is a unique individual who was able to overcome the odds with his supreme athletic talent, work ethic, etc., but guys like him don't come along very often. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Zach Smith is not going to replicate what Josh Allen did.

Top to bottom, the Browns have potentially the best roster. That said Mahomes>Mayfield and Allen>Mayfield. Also, the Browns have a lot more "me first" guys and the Bills have a superior team culture. The Ravens also have an excellent roster and a great culture, but Lamar holds them back a bit. He's a great player, but more limited in the passing game than Mahomes and Allen. I believe the Bills will make adjustments to improve their run game and pass rush an Allen will continue to improve (and benefit from the better run game). Thus, I will go with: 1. Chiefs (until proven otherwise by the Bills) 2. Bills 3. Browns 4. Ravens 5. Bucs 6. Rams I didn't talk much about the Bucs, but I think they caught the Chiefs in the SB with a banged up OL and QB and were peaking at the right time. I don't think they're the better team going into next season. I'm not that impressed with the rest of the NFC. The Packers look like they're ready to implode, the Seahawks "run" is over, and the 49ers will suffer from the loss of Saleh and uncertainty at QB (Jimmy G is underwhelming and Lance too raw/not ready). The Rams, with Stafford, could be in the mix if they stay healthy. Their defense is great and Stafford may be able to get their offense over the hump.

I was at the game in Arizona. Also a brutal affair - and the Bills won! It was a battle of attrition of two bad teams trying to give the game away to the each other. The Bills sucked just a little bit less than the Cardinals did that day. The tailgate, however, was fantastic. Tons of Bills fans, both ex-pats living in AZ and many who came down to AZ for game.

Here's my hot take - Greg will end up somewhere in between. (Considering that one is one of the biggest busts in Bills history - albeit a good person - and the other is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who is the all-time NFL sack leader).

It's a bold move by two successful franchises. KCs window is now. Mahomes is in his prime and the rest of the team is strong enough to 1) win the SB in 19-20, and 2) win the AFC and get to the SB in 20-21, so why not trade futures for present? It makes all the sense in the world. I'm guessing Baltimore is looking more long-term and seeing that they won't be able to fit Brown under the cap after the season, so they picked up some reasonable draft capital. I didn't know that Brown was disgruntled, but I'll go with the post above that says so, and this makes the deal even more sensible for Baltimore. The Bills are also a successful franchise (these days) and need to keep making moves to keep up with the competition.

If a team was set on drafting Fields, this is a non-issue. If they were having a difficult time deciding between Fields and Lance, Jones, etc., this could slightly tip the scale away from Fields.

I'd prefer to NOT play Tampa in week 1. As noted above, the weather won't do the Bills any favors. Also, while the Bills have a good chance to win this game, Tampa is the SB Champ for a reason and they are obviously among the best teams in the league. The Bills could lose the game. I'd hate to start off the season in the hole. I'd rather pay a weaker team like the Jests, get to 1-0 and get into a groove before playing Tampa later in the season. It's a long season, so there's plenty of time for prime time....

As stated above, Fromm didn't get a real shot to play/develop last year. Absent COVID, last year Fromm would have likely been a clear #3 behind Barkley while he developed, and then this year, he would have moved up to #2 with the release of Barkley. The plan has been pushed back a year. He develops as a #3 behind Trubisky and if he shows, he's the #2 next season and if he doesn't, they will move on and sign another veteran FA and/or draft another developmental prospect. Webb is on his 3rd team and if he hasn't stuck on a roster by now, he just doesn't have the talent. He appears to have the work ethic and personality, but that's not enough to play in the NFL. Seems like a great candidate to become a coach.

I recall seeing a recent Josh interview where he said he was going to look further into the vaccine. He wasn't committing to getting it one way or the other. I suspect that after looking into it, getting information from medical personnel, etc. that he'll get vaccinated and it will be a non-issue. Just my opinion.

I prefer the Bills and the way they do things. I'm fine that the Bills passed on Clowney while the Browns gave him a sizeable deal. The Bills had a better record than the Browns last year, were a higher seed, and advanced further in the playoffs than the Browns did. That said, the Browns were much improved last year and played well in the playoffs. Although aided by the Mahomes injury, they gave KC a better game than the Bills did, and had a chance to win it in the 4th quarter. I was hoping they would, so that they could come lose to Buffalo and see the Bills off to the Super Bowl. It didn't happen. Base on Allen v. Mayfield alone, I expect the Bills to remain ahead of the Browns next season and in the years to come, but the Browns should not be taken lightly. They are not the same old Browns.

Rumor has it that Kraft has extra cash now that he has stopped visiting the "health" spa.

This thread is making me think back to the heyday of Ted Washington and "Fat" Pat Williams. They were good ones. Hopefully, we can find a similar type of player in the draft. That, and/or a good year from Star, should really allow Edmunds and Oliver to do what they do best.

I didn't see that article that showed the statistics when I previously commented. The fact that the NFL average is well below the national average for the same age group is very telling and says that it isn't the problem that many believe it is.

I'd be curious to know what the percentage of NFL players who get into trouble with the law compares to the general population of the same age group. While a number of NFL guys definitely appear on the police blotter, the vast majority do not. I think it's unfair and inappropriate to the players and the league to simply be dismissive and call it a league of criminals or thugs. On the other hand, while I believe in second chances, some of these guys are given 3, 4, 5 and more chances to be a part of the league simply because they are talented guys who can help a team on the field. I believe the teams and the league deserve the criticism they receive in those situations. It's also often hypocritical. Fringe players who get in trouble with the law are easily dismissed whereas star players get multiple opportunities and the league looks the other way. I'm not sure why Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis are significant members of the NFL media. I think the league would be better served to have those guys enjoy their wealth and fame outside of the spotlight, given their histories.

This is a smart signing, along with the other veteran OL signings. A few thoughts: 1. If you sign 3 or 4 veteran OL with starting experience, chances are that at least one of them will do well in the Bills program and be a significant contributor. Sign 1, maybe not, sign 3 or 4, your odds go up. 2. Even if these guys don't become significant contributors, they provide solid injury depth. Given their starting experience, they won't be "deer in the headlights" if thrust into action. 3. Going this route allows you to draft OL in the late rounds or go the UDFA route. Based on how many linemen take time to develop, and the unpredictability of drafting linemen (as was mentioned earlier in the thread), this is a smart route. A guy like Boetteger is a great example of a UDFA OL who developed over few years into a solid player. Bates could turn out to be another. You can save your higher draft picks for other positions, and develop an OL or 2 at the back of the roster or on the practice squad while you have veteran depth in front of them.

It's the guys who have all the physical skills AND work hard at their craft that become great. Great to see guys like that on our roster. Hopefully, younger guys like Gabe Davis can watch, learn and emulate. Being a "process guy" isn't always being a choir boy, but one who is dedicated to the team and to their craft. Imagine what a great defensive lineman a guy like Marcel Dareus could have been if he had Diggs' work ethic and dedication. It's a part of the draft and pro player analysis to find these types of guys and I think that our current FO does a pretty good job at it.

Some people forget that the Bills were not terrible for most of the drought. Rather, they were endlessly mediocre. 6-10, 7-9 types of teams. Not 2-14 teams. That means they won a fair number of games, which makes this an interesting thread. Here are a few games that come to mind for me. These are just from memory, so I don't have dates/years: J.P. Losman led a game winning drive against Jacksonville, in Buffalo, ending up with a last-second FG. E.J. Manuel led a game winning drive against Carolina, resulting in a last-second winning TD reception in the corner of the end zone. Kyle Orton led a game winning drive against Detroit that ended with a Dan Carpenter 58 yard FG to win it. The Fitzpatrick-led win against New England that is mentioned several times above. What I remember most and liked best about this game was Freddy Jackson running in for the go-ahead TD, but instead deciding to very wisely go down at the 1. That allowed the Bills to run out the clock and kick a game-winning FG. Had Freddy scored, NE would have had the ball with time on the clock and Brady probably would have led them back down to beat us. NFL teams make that mistake so often....

I wonder if this is just a camp body. Didn't they more or less bring everyone back, plus sign some other OL too? Whose spot is he going to take? Perhaps Winters'. Ty is gone too, but he's a tackle and this guy is interior. How many backup spots are available and who's in the mix? I have no issue with this signing or others like it, I'm just wondering what he fits in.

This is good for the Bills. It shows that guys can play in Buffalo and still get major endorsement deals. I suspect that Allen will have tons of endorsement opportunities if he's interested. He has MVP-level talent and a ton of charisma and personality. He seems to have the ability to connect with all types of people.

I have family in SD and have been to several games there. Yes, they do have a solid fanbase. My family there is all Bills fans, however. The reason nobody went to the games in the soccer stadium is primarily that this was a transition stadium on their way from SD to LA. The team had already left SD, so why would SD fans go there to support a team that just abandoned their city? Also, the soccer stadium is in Long Beach and that's a fairly long drive from SD with tons of traffic. If the Bills left Buffalo for Toronto and played one or two seasons in a soccer stadium an hour north of Toronto while the new stadium was being built, would you go? If this whole Spanos trust lawsuit ends up in the team being sold, I would love to see the new owner bring it back to SD where it belongs.