FLFan

This is really the key to focus on for me. This team is clearly better coached - prepared, fired up, wanting to win. Been a while since we have seen that.

I think it is highly unlikely Kolb gets cut and it would be a big mistake. I am not even sure Marone has written him off for the starting role. Tuel looked great against the junior varsity, and although promising, it does not make him a potential starter. Best case for him is they keep him a the third QB rather than risk losing him before they can sign him to the PS. Kolb would be a great backup and insurance policy for a couple of years.

Thanks for posting Bill. It is definitely a different experience watching a team that is seemingly very well coached. I love the aggressiveness of of the secondary. They were coming up and laying some really good hits, forced a fumble (Ron Brooks) and caused some balls to be dropped. Very aggressive coverage as well. The Bills have a plethora of receivers that can play. The cuts are going to be hard there. I thought the left side of the starting line was awful. Glen does not look anywhere near as good as he did last year. This is beginning to be a big concern to me as depth is poor on the left as well. All in all, a fun game to watch and a great start. I loved that whether the starters or the back ups were in there, they looked confident, aggressive, excited to be playing. Different team.

The Buffalo News is truly a useless publication when it comes to sports. Their reporters do not do heir job simply trying to manufacture controversy when they can. The whole lot of them suck, including Timmy. The Buffalo News is truly a useless publication when it comes to sports. Their reporters do not do heir job simply trying to manufacture controversy when they can. The whole lot of them suck, including Timmy.

Exactly. I read the transcripts from the press conference today and was truly embarassed for the local media. They should publish the names of the people asking the questions so that I might avoid them and their stupidity if at all possible. How many times can you ask the same question? Do you really expect the answer to change? Simply horrible.

Or maybe it had to do with him really not wanting to be here and being intent on free agency.

In the case of both Byrd and Levitre the Bills through Nix did say publicly they had initiated a conversation. Also in both cases the players stated publicly they would like to test the free agent market. You make broad assumptions that if only the Bills had been more agressive they could have locked these players up and that is simply not true. You can not negotiate with yourself and it makes no sense to simply set the negotiating floor for the open market when it comes. That is business negotiation 101. As for your last point, what makes you think they did not have a plan? You may not like their plan but they clearly had one. Perhaps they just do not see the same value you do in Levitre - neither do I - and they franchised Byrd to make sure they keep him and drafted two safeties and covereted a CB in case he decides to sit out.

Neither player was interested in negotiating a long term extension last year. Per their own public comments, they intended to test free agency and let the market set their value. Throwing numbers at players if they are intent on testing free agency is simply negotiating against yourself. We do not know what Spiller and Wood are thinking or their agents are saying. As for Spiller, I am sure the Bills are interested. As for Wood, they probably want him to prove he can stay healthy for an entire season before bestowing big bucks on him. Still do not think Levitre was worth keeping at that price and the Byrd situation has not yet run its course. I hope the Bills hold the line and force his hand.

Actually, I believe your comment on Mario and the 3-4 is off base. He was actually off to a fabulous start in the first year under Wade, 5 sacks in 5 games, but was hurt and then became a free agent.

I do not know why but read the posts in this thread. At least one person thinks he would still be our number two. Many people still think he is a legitimate NFL receiver. I liked his competitivness, but he was never more than a " last man on the depth chart" player elevated to the number two position by our woeful lack of WR talent under Gailey. I wish him the best, but he is a borderline NFL receiver at best.

Maybe you are right, but it is my understanding he did not have the minimum years in college or age. Not eligible to be drafted.

He is a kid who clearly has some growing up to do. He better do it in a hurry if he wants to play in the NFL after this year when he will be eligible I believe. Personally, if this is the level of maturity he is displaying (and this is not the first incident) then an NFL team would be stupid to spend a high draft choice for someone who is supposed to be a leader. He either needs to turn it around fast, or be advised to play another year in college. He was not eligible for the draft.

Agreed. The K-Gun offense of the glory years had only about 10 basic plays, with variation of personnel and alignment. The key was the QB (and also the center) making the correct reads and executing. It comes down to the players on the field. Chan's offense was overly complicated, especially for the talent he had available. He constantly out-thought himself.

I do not believe the NFL will do anything unless and until there are criminal charges filed. The civil suit is a distraction. In the murder, AH is guilty of something - he either did it or knows who did. Ray Lewis all over again. The NFL will have to react once criminal charges are filed. Waiting game until then.

Hysterical.

That was not his point or mine either. In fact I believe both of us said that the number of reps Manuel is getting is no indication of his status at the beginning of the year, more an indication of Marone needing to figure out which of the stop gap QBs on the roster he will keep. I speculated, as I believe did Dorkington, that Manuel may not be ready to start Day 1, but not because of the reps he is getting now. I respect you eball but I think your LOL comment was off the mark.

I think you are right about EJ starting as the backup. As far as the reps now, not a concern. It makes sense for Marone to get long looks at TJ and Kolb vs. EJ, who is definitely going to make the team, and needs to work on fundamentals more than the other two. Either TJ or Kolb likely will not make the team, so the more they can compete now the better. I do not find this ridiculous at all. Dareus showed promise as a rookie, was clearly much heavier and very ineffective last year, and looks even heavier now. This is a make or break season for him IMO. Either he starts to dominate, or the bust label will be more and more appropriate. It seems to me this kid has motivational issues. Perhaps he can be turned around, but I totally agree he is closer to being out of the league than being an all-pro right now.

Here's the story - he's an idiot.

Perhaps he should get serious about off season conditioning.

Obviously you need talent but anybody who has watched the Bills has surely noticed something missing I think Marone's approach as pointed out by the OP is dead on. There is a reason the supposed "leaders" of the team are no longer there

That was great. I wonder how he manages to strap those babies in on game day? My other thought is, it must really hurt together hit in the t....s.

This is exactly right. Many people are pouring on their hindsight brilliance now saying we have could have traded down again, but the was no reason to. The right thing always was to make sure they got the guy they wanted. Done. As for the second round I doubt he would have got by Philadelphia for one.

Happy Birthday, JW. Have a great time, but make sure you get your rest.

I like the Bills situation much better. Smith MAY be better than Kolb, but is a stop gap answer at best. In Manuel, the Bills got a player who is much more ready to play, smarter, more mature, and more coachable by all accounts. Time will tell, but my belief is that Manuel will prove to be a better NFL QB than Bray, and much sooner despite the "brilliance" of Andy Reid's coaching. I suspect KC will be QB shopping for real next year.

Million dollar arm. Ten cent head