BuffaloWings

First round of the playoffs...I have the Bears and Cowboys defenses on my roster, but I'm not sure which one to start. I'm in a 12-team league with deep rosters, so there isn't much of anything on the waiver wire to pick up - all that's left are Bucs, Chargers, Lions, Giants, Redskins, Falcons, Eagles, & Vikings. Any thoughts? I also plan on starting Jason Witten, so I'm not sure it would be a great idea to start Chicago. OTOH, I'm not exactly sold on Dallas, either. Thanks!

I was just thinking this the other day...not as many positions are needs as there were before this year. We could even throw WR into that mix - put pressure on Stevie, Woods, Graham, & Goodwin to perform. That is, catch the ball and not fumble it. If anything, we could have used a veteran backup this year. I loathed the Kevin Kolb signing, but he might have come in handy instead of Lewis & Tuel. Who knows if a few of those games are different if Kolb (presumed healthy) was in there.

I hope you're dead wrong, too. Besides, I don't think we've seen enough of EJ to garner an opinion yet. He's missed enough time that we need more of a sample to really say for sure. If he keeps making the same mistakes, then it's likely he may not be cut out for this league. That said, I think he's got the gumption to figure it out and learn as he goes. Let's see over the next four games. Remember, all of the self-proclaimed experts were looking at Geno Smith as being the next star back in October.

And I think most of those losses could have easily been wins, which tells me that they've been in almost every game (New Orleans & Pittsburgh are the only two I can think of where they were outplayed all game long). This also tells me they have a chance at winning all of the games they have left. I know we've all seen this before, but it ain't over 'til it's over. Yes, beating Atlanta would have helped a ton, but it didn't happen. Even before that game, the playoffs were a long shot, anyway. Let's just see what happens. I'll still be paying attention and rooting for them to win. I know it's unlikely they'll get in, but I'm staying on the bus. For those of you who want to get off, feel free.

Disagree...bad football teams get blown out frequently and look lethargic, pathetic, out-played, and out-coached almost every week. That's not the Bills. The Bills are a decent team that doesn't have the experience or the know-how to close out games of which they are in control. If you flip just 4 games in the opposite direction (NE, Cin, KC, & Atl), they're 8-4. You could even trade the NE game for the Cleveland game, which they were also in control of. I see a different team on the field this year than last year. When they have the pieces in place, there's some energy, they're taking the ball away, they're scoring, and there's little reason to believe they're going to lose. Last year, they got run over big time, were rarely "in the game", and you just felt every week like there was no energy and no reason to play. This team is different and I credit the coaching staff. All of that said, good teams find ways to win games like the ones this team has lost. I certainly won't say the Bills are a good team, but they're far from a bad team.

Correct - the penalty happened after the play was over, so it was enforced from the 1 yard line. That call was correct. I actually thought that run by Jackson was on 2nd down...I could be wrong. Either way, I'm still wondering why that was called a PI on Robey. I thought the ball wasn't catchable AND notice that the ref who threw the flag was behind Douglas. That is, Douglas' back was to him and if anything, Robey tugged on his shirt in the front. How he was able to see any penalty on that is beyond me. If there's a conspiracy theory on this game, why put it in for a game with a 4-7 team and a 2-9 team? It's not like Atlanta is going to the playoffs or even has a chance. For what it's worth, when the Bills were winning in the 90s (I know many of you aren't old enough to remember those times), they were getting their fair share of questionable calls. I think this was all just horrible officiating.

Rodgers is just about ready now. He probably even would have played this week if their game was on Sunday. I think he'll be playing against Pittsburgh, considering that division is up for grabs at the moment.

More like..."Hey, hold my beer and watch this!"

Part of me wanted to see the Bills get right back at it after the complete performance against the Jets, but a week off doesn't hurt them. Stevie and Woods need the rest so they can be ready next week. That said, it will be nice to watch the RedZone channel and not worry about what the Bills are doing.

This. It's widely done by analysts - they hype up almost every player in the game they are covering. It just got irritating when Dierdorf did this to every player playing against Buffalo, especially when their first name is Tom, Vince, or Rob and last name is Brady, Wilfork, or Gronkowski. He isn't a bad analyst, but I won't miss him.

I wouldn't have said yesterday that he "carried" the offense, but considering the running game was less than solid, I'd say EJ was clearly the key to the offense. He threw downfield *enough*, but not so much that it looked like he was trying to carry the offense. The play-calling was good and he didn't try to do too much. The Jets' front 7 is very good against the run, but Hackett kept grinding away at it. Most of Spiller's running issues were because of Spiller himself, but some of it had to do with the Jets' D. It was all about balance yesterday - good mix of short-medium passes with an occasional downfield toss, but he kept at the running game. They didn't have a lot of success, but had enough of it to keep the Jets on their toes.

This x 1,000,000. I really wish everyone here would give the guy a chance. It's not like he's been checking down on every pass all year and we need to give EJ time to catch up to the speed of the NFL. Six games is not enough of a sample - and I don't want to hear about Wilson, Griffin, or Luck anymore. I think we all knew EJ wasn't going to have the success they did right away. Geno Smith isn't lighting up the NFL - he's just being put in position to win games. He's made his mistakes, too, so let's not anoint Geno as the next Joe Montana and EJ as the next Ryan Leaf just yet.

Loose what? He's a loose cannon? Picking the Bills to lose isn't so far-fetched.

As a fan, I don't mind it too much. I like watching the NFL, so it gives me a little something to look forward to during the week. It also keeps me on top of my fantasy teams, since I'll typically have someone going on Thursdays. That said, the NFL is all about the almighty dollar. Having Thursday night games gives them more exposure and potentially additional revenue. If they really cared about player safety and the quality of the game, they'd do away with the Thursday games.

So, he lost it because of one play? Because the OL couldn't hold a block for an extra half second?They probably wouldn't have even had a chance to tie that game if it wasn't for him. The phantom penalties called on the Bills in the 4th quarter didn't help, either.

I really want to know why some around here are calling for a new QB...ALREADY. I'm as frustrated as anyone that the season is on the verge of being over in November (again), but EJ has played 5+ games in the NFL. He's looked good and he's looked bad. It's all part of the learning process. Troy Aikman went 1-15 in his first year. Peyton Manning went 3-13 in his first year. Just because three rookie QBs excelled in their first season last year doesn't mean every rookie QB will do the same. Have patience, people.

I'd like to hear the reasons, too. He did mask the problems they had with the OL and occasionally threw a bad pass that put the receiver in a compromising spot (who doesn't), but he lit a fire under the team that nobody else could. They were much better off with Flutie as the QB. Also,those teams he played on had excellent defenses, which helped carry them. Based on all of the stories I heard, it was Ralph that insisted Johnson play that playoff game. He had a great game in a meaningless Week 17 win against Indy (who already wrapped up a bye), so rumor has it that RW wanted to get something out of all that money he was paying RJ. Despite the numbers, I thought RJ played pretty well in that game, all things considered. That was a difficult environment to play in, going up against a tough defense. He showed a lot of toughness on that drive to the go-ahead FG after getting beaten up all game.

Perfect...we got the Jets right where we want them!

For the first time in a while, I feel they can beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh. I probably just jinxed it, too. I just want Manuel out there if he's as healthy as he can be. We don't need to rush him back, even though he needs the NFL experience. This guy is the latest franchise - let's not irreparably damage him.

The thing with Newton is his size - he's bigger than Michael Vick and many of the veer/read option type QBs you see in the NCAA. I remember thinking he was a mobile Ben Roethlisberger when I first saw him...basically, he's BR who can run and make guys miss. I think he might last longer than Culpepper if he's smart while he's running, but I just don't know how long a QB's body can take that pounding.

I remember that like it was yesterday...it was a tie game and the Bills were just starting to take it over by running the ball down their throats. The fumble return put them behind by 7 and it turned the game to San Fran. FYI, it was Lee Woodall that returned the ball 99 yards.

Do you mean the one at the fieldhouse or inside the stadium?

I'll be at both games, too. The Sabres store inside the FNC pretty much has anything & everything you'd want. A bit pricey, but a solid collection of gear. I'd like to know the best place for Bills stuff would be, so I'm interested in hearing from some of the locals. I'll be in the Lockport area Saturday afternoon. Can't wait!!!

Hasn't Shaw had some off-the-field issues or am I thinking of someone else?