Mikie2times

Nice, I'll keep you updated. It would be cool if we could overtake a Lions bar with Bills fans! I went to Western so I'm familiar with your area. I also thought of trying to do the Chicago game, but I could make a car payment with the cost of a couple tickets. It has to be even more tempting for you being only 2 hours from Soldier Field.

I'm from the area, and will be going to the game. My plan is to go to a bar with shuttle service to Ford Field around 11am. I wouldn't mind tailgating but in all honesty tailgating at Ford Field sucks. For the cost of parking, and booze your better off just going to a bar. I'll be with my girlfriend (converted Bills fan), and her brother and wife (Lions fans). I would love to meet up at the bar with some of you that are going. Please let me know if your interested so we can pick a place that can accommodate us.

On Offense we need to attack the end zone outside the 20. I see no chance of us winning a goaline battle with the Bears defense. We also should be looking to get JP outside the pocket as much as possible. Tommie Harris is the real deal, and he will eat our interior alive. I hope Fairchild also implements some no huddle to keep Chicago on its heels. Maybe mix it in on a few drives and see how it’s working. I noticed when Seattle did this they rushed a little slower then when they huddled. Defensively I make Chicago beat us on the ground. We can't let them get cheap points in the passing game. We can't let them complete a deep pass, they have to earn points. They look a bit pass happy, probably because they're so enamored with what they can do with Grossman compared Orton, Krenzil etc. We should play off that, and look to create turnovers when they get over aggressive.The Bears run game by itself is not scary, but if Grossman gets going we will have problems stopping both.

I like to try and be a rational thinker, money savvy etc. I'm 24, I smoke, and I deeply regret ever starting in the first place. My brother smoked, I think I tried my first to feel older. I was educated about the dangers but sometimes you can't educate somebody of anything at that age. In all honesty the Nicotine’s not it at all. I've tried quitting with varying levels of success. By success I mean number of day without a cigarette. The most difficult part is the behaviors you associate with a cigarette. Put me in a car forget about it, few beers and I'm screwed. It's a mental addiction more so then anything else. The physical part is gone in a couple days. It's strong enough for even rational people to keep doing it despite complete understanding of the consequences. I know I'll quit eventually, just got to keep trying.

Be VERY careful of chalking up Detroit as a win. I'll be at that game, I lived in the area forever. If the Lions are still winless you can expect them to fight for a W against us to there last dieing breath. They also tend to be at least average at home, almost beating Seattle in week 1. We are a better team, but just like this week anything can happen in the NFL.

Looking at the schedule the chances of Buffalo getting a Sunday Night game are slim to none. Even if we do keep winning, nearly every week we have a solid opponent an NFL darling is also playing a good opponent. Here is a list of the weeks we have a chance, and the competition for that week. I would say our best chance from the card is week 13 Chargers at Bills. Bold games are the ones I feel will knock of us out of contention. Week 10 Bills at Colts ------------------------------ Competition ----------------------------- Bears at Giants Saints at Steelers Chargers at Bengals Redskins at Eagles ------------------------------ Week 12 Jaguars at Bills ------------------------------ Competition ------------------------------ Bears at Patriots Guaranteed Saints at Falcons Eagles at Colts Steelers at Ravens ------------------------------- Week 13 Chargers at Bills ------------------------------ Competition Falcons at Redskins Cowboys at Giants Vikings at Chicago Seahawks at Denver ------------------------------ Week 17 Buffalo at Baltimore ------------------------------ Competition Falcons at Eagles Panthers at Saints Jaguars at Chiefs Steelers at Bengals

I used to just set up the DVR and sync up the delay with the Buffalo radio broadcast of the game. Can't beat pro Buffalo announcers, and I really like the Bills radio team. For TV guys I liked the 2nd Monday Night football crew. Vermeil was outstanding. Theisman IMO is the worst announcer in the business. He's so slow to pick up sarcasm, and has that I'm always right complex that I just loath in the real world.

Good post, I was going to post the same thing yesterday. For starters odds are he wasn't near 100% for the opener with the Achilles. That injury takes forever to heal. He won't be 100% until around 2 years after the injury, and maybe never. Throw in the hammy and it just doesn't make sense to rush him back right now. Takeo had a chance to be very special in Buffalo before the injury. With the way the rest of the talent is coming on I want to see a healthy TKO added to the mix. The LB's aren't losing games, and the expereince players like Ellison are getting is a huge advantage down the road. If it takes Takeo 2 more weeks so be it, if it means one more year then that’s fine to.

If/When we lose Nate don’t expect Buffalo to bring in another high profile guy. In fact I wouldn’t expect the Bills to bring in any replacement. Cover 2 corners are about the least critical position in this scheme. Sure we can do something’s now with great corner talent that other cover 2 teams might not be able to, but our corners are still mainly responsible for short zone coverage. If it's not Youbouty, it might be Thomas, or it could even be another draft pick next year. It won't be a high profile FA.

True, us fans should be focusing on Chicago. If we look ahead we might not be able to cheer or criticize as effectively come Sunday. Lighten up Francis.

Thats what the fin guy wrote not me

If you haven't visited Fin Heaven yet do it. It's a real thing of beauty. While I was enjoying the doom I came across this list of 2007 FA's. How about moving Peters to LT and signing Davis at RT? I think we miss a true power RT. Peters is getting very good but he still plays high in the run game and would be a decent fit at LT. Another thing I noticed was the plethora of cover 2 talent available. Freeney, Briggs, and June all play in the cover 2. How those guys fit in with our needs remains to be seen, but it wouldn't shock me to see Buffalo go after one of these three. Partial 2007 FA list --------------------------------- QB Matt Schaub, RFA, ATL RB Michael Turner, RFA, SD OT Max Starks, RFA, Pit OT Leonard Davis, UFA, Arz OT Mike Gandy, UFA, Buf OL Nat Dorsey, RFA, Clev OG Chris Gray, UFA, Sea DE Dwight Freeney, UFA, Indy DE Jared Allen, RFA, KC DT Darnell Dockett, RFA, Ariz DT Vonnie Holliday, UFA, Miami OLB Lance Briggs, UFA, Chi OLB Na'il Diggs, UFA, Car LB Cato June, UFA, Indy OLB Adalius Thomas, UFA, Bal CB Nate Clements, UFA, Buf CB Asante Samuel, UFA, NE (young and cheap) S Tyrone Carter, UFA, Pit S John Lynch, UFA, Den S Lance Schulters, UFA

LOL- Been to Michigan or Ohio recently? It's booming baby!!

Let me add to that. When we drafted Ellison I remarked that it was to eventually become our coverage LB. In our scheme we need an LB that can retreat 20 yards down the middle and cover TE's, posts, and the rest of the middle 1/3. The word out of Oregon State was his 40 was not an indication of how fast he actually plays, and his coverage skills were well above that of a normal LB. Not only does that seem to be the case but Ellison seems to be even more then just a coverage LB. Now he's getting the kind of experience that will allow him to play some run downs, give us depth, and possibly become a starter down the road. Great find.

With all that extra talent Chicago still hasn't accomplished anymore then Jauron did. They still have one playoff appearance and one playoff defeat. Perhaps they could be on there way to doing more this year, but it's clear Jauron got a raw deal in terms of talent, and I don't see how you can pin that all on him. It's up to the GM to evaluate rosters not a head coach, so what influence Jauron had on the Bears roster is minimal, and even less when you consider Angelos feelings toward Jauron at the end. It's simple to make it as cut and dry as Lovies great, and Jauron sucks. We do it all the time with our ex head coaches. It's just not true.

In 2001 you guys go 13-3 in one of the flukiest seasons in recent NFL history. I'm sure Jauron was the toast of the town after being named NFL coach of the year. Big surprise when the Bears fall off the following season playing home games in Champagne. This was probably about the time you guys started to turn on Jauron. When Kordell Stewert couldn't lead you to the playoffs the following year Jauron was fired. This was a coach that had Jim Miller and Kordell Stewert as his starting QB"s.... Enter Lovie Smith who also doesn't show emotion, the difference being the Bears are winning. It might be easy to give Lovie all the credit for that, but they're clearly winning with far more talent then Jauron ever had to work with. Grossman, Mushin, Jones, Berrian and then that defense, it's no comparison. The Bills are in better shape now then Chicago was in 2002 or 2003. The Bills are also playing much more competitively then anybody considered they would. This is a team that could easily be 4-0, that has started over a half dozen rookies. We might not win Sunday, but you will see how much a difference the second go around can be for a head coach.

It might have looked like an easy win but blowing out the defending NFC champion on Sunday Night is not easy. The Bears went threw a ton of energy in that game. Perfect let down set up. By the way the line is now +11.5

The playoffs would be miraculous. The Super Bowl would be miraculous. The Bills beating Chicago would be something that happens each Sunday in the NFL.

I said it was ignorant how everybody used the word ignorant, and then I myself became ignorant. I'm calling for crow Sunday at 4pm if our boys play with Chicago. Winning is a tall task, but we will take it to the 4th quarter within 7

I went into this season with the goal of Buffalo showing me they can be a playoff contender in 2007. What this team has shown me is that on any given Sunday they can play with anybody in 2006. Are we a legit playoff contender yet? NO. But with this many rookies and young player we will get better as the season goes on. For the time being I bet our Bills watched tonight's game and didn’t say oh crap. I bet they said this is a chance to earn respect. Here are a couple reasons why I think Buffalo has more then a chance at hanging with Chicago. 1. Dick Jauron- We know Chicago much better then Chicago knows us. Jauron coached for the Bears, and faced the Bears as the Lions defensive coordinator. So not only does he know the Bears inside and out, but he most likely circled this date in his head as his return to Chicago. He will do everything to get the Bills ready to play, and he has the knowledge to do so. 2. Seattle- You don't completely route the defending NFC champion without really getting up for the game. No team in football can match that type of intensity week in and week out during the regular season. Undefeated Seattle on Sunday night football or Buffalo at 1pm on Sunday? Big chance at Chicago having an emotional let down. 3. JP Losman- This Bears team can really bring interior pressure. Losman has the leg speed few QB's do to roll outside that pressure. We can create time in the passing game that other teams can't. The extra time could lead to more down field plays. 4. Rex Grossman- Great start by a QB who looks to be coming into his own. He still doesn't have more then a year worth of starts. Peyton Manning throws interceptions, so will Rex Grossman. I hope our DB's noted how many floaters he threw tonight. 5. Special Teams- Wash at FG kicking, but Hester dropped 2 punts today. He's dangerous, but if he drops one against us we will be all over it. I'll also take BM over any punter in football.

I haven't been very positive, more nuetral, and hoping to see players develop. Like I said I don't give Buffalo a stroing chance against a team like Chicago under normal circumstances. But in the NFL you look for situational events to influence motivation. Here Chicago is going from a playoff atmospshere verse the Seahawks to Playing a Bills team that is still under the radar. On the flip side Buffalo has a head coach who was treated unfairly by Chicago management. I just think Buffalo has very little chance of coming out flat for this game, while Chicago could be playing with a hangover off such a big game Sunday Night.

In different circumstances against a team the caliber of Chicago, on the road, things could get ugly. That said I love the way this game shapes up. Jaurons ugly departure from Chicago makes me believe he will have our guys fired up for this game. I also like that Chicago is playing this week on Sunday night against a big time team. They should expend a lot of energy tonight verse the Seahawks. I love the line, and the chance of an upset.

Isn't it starting to seem old Whitey did have an eye for talent? Unfortunately he could never assemble a staff competent enough to mold it.

Say they convert that half back option, what happens next time? And the time after that? All those trick play worked for us in 2005, but failed miserably in 2006. Just like with us he's trying to trick teams, but like 06 teams expect him to try and trick them. You plug away with the fundamentals of the game, and you keep to the philosophy you preached. How can't that be more beneficial to the long term then trying to find a short term solution EVERY time? Even if it doesn't work that's your only chance of ever amounting to anything in this league.

The Dolphins line sucks, much like the Bills did last year. Still as a coach you must get your players to buy into a concept. If you preach a power run game yet rely on deception in power situations it sends mixed signals. He's basically saying were not good enough at what's supposed to define us, so we must trick you. I don't think Mularkey is as bad as people make him out to be, but this identity crisis is why he had to go. Perfect example was the Dolphins 2 point conversion attempt. If you don't think your line will get enough push to convert on the ground then you turn to your passing game. You make the decision between the two even if they haven't shown they can do it yet. The reason is they need to believe they can do it, and plays like this is what builds that belief. Instead Mularkey try’s to fix the situations short term by trying to deceive the opponent with a half back option pass. They don't convert, Miami gains no long term confidence, and now Mularkey has basically told his offense they have a better chance with deception then execution.