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You kidding me? Everything is going just as planned for Mr. Russ Brandon. Another losing, non-playoff year in Buffalo, and another offseason promotion and title change for Russ Brandon. Can you think of any other person in the corporate world who has climbed the career ladder higher for an organization that has consistently under-performed than Mr. Russ Brandon? Based on the way the Bills do things, he'll get a pay raise and another title promotion because we sucked for a 14th straight season.

If you were to just listen to the local media and the Bills coaches you would think Gilmore was a great to amazing CB. Turn on the t.v. and watch his games and you see a below average CB. A CB who has bad hands, is a penalty machine, and can't break down in space. Super unimpressed by Gilmore. I forgot to add injury prone as he just gets injured in this game.

Our own Ross Tucker wrote a great article detailing why these new OT rules suck. I whole heartedly agree: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-11-26/packers-vikings-tie-overtime-rules-ross-tucker Another point not made in the article: NFL declares that it's not fair if the first team gets the ball and kicks a FG to win the game. But if the first team scores a FG, the opposing team matches with a FG of their own, now the first team gets the ball for a second time and kicks a FG again to win. Couldn't the second team still argue that the other team had 2 opportunities and they only had one? That was always my main complaint about the new rule. If you're so concerned about equal chances, go win the damn game in regulation or play some damn defense in OT and get the ball back. After all defense is just as much a part of the game as offense right.

Pats didn't get lucky. Moreso the Broncos did absolutely nothing offensively the entire game. They tucked away up 24-0 and tried to squat on a lead. When pressed back into action they couldn't make a play in the pass game. This game was a perfecgt example of why the Broncos won't win the SB this year despite being favorites to do so. Manning can not play in adverse conditions, and its obvious his arm talent is no where near where it used to be. Tack on the fact they have a very leaky defense, especially in the secondary....and I just don't see a team that can reach the SB.

Assuming each team has an equal chance of making the playoffs each and every year, your chance is 12/32 or 37.5%. Therefore your chance of not making the playoffs is 62.5%. If you multiply .625 by .625 and do that 14 times in a row you arrive at the statistic of 0.22%. Because the NFL has a salary cap and all teams have equal access to resources, players and coaches, there are no excuses for NFL teams that they are not on a level playing field. The NFL salary cap has defined "level playing field". To put 0.22% into perspective......it means that a team should experience a playoff drought like the one we're experiencing (14 straight years with not 1 appearance) once every 455 years. Considering the Bills have been around for only 54 years we're about 401 years ahead of schedule on this pitiful drought!

I first want to preface my question by stating that I understand he's injured, and he's still working his way back to 100%. I also understand that he has a club on his hand and probably isn't playing with 100% confidence right now. With all that said, I haven't been overly impressed with his full body of work. Now I'm not saying I see Justin Rogers out there when I'm watching Gilmore, but what I've seen this season and last season is mostly an average CB. I'm hoping the hype that surrounded him this offseason starts to rear its head, but to this point I'm just not seeing it. I wanted to get the thoughts of others on this board who really know this team in and out, like most of us do. I think he gets caught staring into the backfield too often and gives up too many plays behind him. The bomb he gave up to Mike Wallace down the sideline to setup the Phins TD just before the half was unacceptable. A terrible play that a CB can NOT give up in that situation, club or no club on your hand.

If the queen had balls she'd be king.

+12.5 dogs next week @ New Orleans. Next weeks game is the type of game I'd give the Bills of the last 14 years absolutely no chance to win. I still don't expect to win, but we'll see if Marrone and co. can at least make it competitive. This games got 34-17 written all over it though.

Agreed it was bad. Chris Hogan sucks, and can't catch. Shouldn't have been in there at that point. As soon as they punted, the game was over. Giving up 30 yards on the punt return was just a Buffalo Bill exclamation point. Good point. Serious question: How many play fakes have we run this year? I don't remember many.

The transition tag no longer exists (under the new CBA). Franchise tag is your only option, but the team can consider less compensation than the mandatory picks.

Wouldn't the Bills pick up a 3rd round compensatory pick next year if they were to lose Byrd via FA. If they trade him for anything less than a 3rd it'd make no sense at all. Honestly your team isn't going to get better in the long run if you're in the business of trading Pro Bowlers away for mid round draft picks. Byrd is a very very good player and I'd rather have him on the team this year and next year (for $8.2 million), than take a mid round draft pick. Also shipping him out basically concedes the fact that once again Eugene Parker has outplayed the Bills. Need to put an end to these negotiation tactics so that it doesn't happen with other players down the road

I'm just not all in as a believer in EJ Manuel. As a Bills fan, I want him to be amazing, of course. This season will tell us a lot. I'm just not 100% sold he'll be the man. I am 100% sold that Tahj Boyd will be "the man" in the pros. I'm looking forward to watching him in the Carrier Dome vs. Syracuse this season, if my schedule allows me to attend. I do agree with your assessment of the Dolphins. I don't see them finishing any better than .500. Weak running game, weak o-line, unproven QB, weak head coach, that's why I predicted the Jets finish 2nd. I just don't think the Bills are ready to make that step, with all the ??????/ at the QB position.

1. The Jets finish the year in 2nd place in the AFC EAST. Most are writing the Jets off as being one of the bottom teams in the league, and I understand that sentiment. For some reason I see Sanchez having an above average season and their defense playing well enough to get them to 8 or 9 wins, god enough for second in the AFC East, and possibly only one game behind the Patriots. 2. I think RG3 has somewhat of a "sophomore" slump and the Redskins finish below .500 and fail to make the playoffs. 3. I think this is the year for the Falcons. 12 to 1 odds to win the Super Bowl. I like that bet A LOT. 4. Tahj Boyd won't be the first QB selected in the 2014 NFL Draft, but he will go on to have the best professional career of any QB taken in the 2014 draft. The Bills likely will not select a QB, because of the investment in EJ, and fans will be wondering how we ever passed on a QB like Tahj Boyd, after he repeatedly leads his team to the playoffs.

When it comes to Tim Graham, I'll start off by saying I've never met the man. I do have to say though, I follow him on twitter, and watching his back a forths with fellow tweeters can get quite annoying. Definitely seems like the type of dude that is sensitive and thin skinned.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNZZ__BLJDI/TH2EGKoYQVI/AAAAAAAABSo/ipK1QeV2kvQ/s1600/Jason+Peters+loves+cake.PNG

13th, Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo.

Monos had a hand in the Saints drafting Jahri Evans in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. I read an article that Monos "urged" the Saints to take Evans. Score one in the win column for that pick.

Replace Easley with Brad Smith and I like your list. The only thing Easley's proven thus far is that he can't stay healthy. I'd take my chances with a vet who's been around the block and is versatile over the guy who's shown nothing. But if you're looking to save a few million, it's another story.

Trade a young and very talented safety? I don't agree with that logic. While not as important of a position than say CB, I think safeties play an important role in Pettine's defense. Couple that with the fact that we aren't already spending major resources, in terms of dollars, on our secondary and I think the Bills have plenty of room to workout a deal that won't harm them in the future. Keep in mind we have Stephon Gilmore locked up for at least another 3 years at a very, very reasonable rookie-deal price.

The Bills do have some leverage when it comes to negotiations, that hasn't been talked about too much. If Byrd and the Bills do not come to an agreement he will play the season out at a salary of $6.916 million, none of which is paid up front. Meaning Byrd will have to wait until the completion of week 17 to see that full $6.916 million. The Bills then could, and very likely would, tag Byrd again for the 2014 season at a 20% raise, which would earn Byrd $8.3 million. Once again, that $8.3 million would not be fully earned until the completion of week 17 of the 2014 season. So the Bills could essentially have Byrd for the next 2 seasons on a 2 year - $15.215 million deal, a relative bargain compared to the other top end safety contracts. Obviously there is quite a bit of incentive for Byrd not to go down that road because an injury could cost him his first shot at a "big money" deal. Likewise the Bills would rather do a long term deal to have cap friendlier numbers in the first few years of a new deal. Although, if the Bills still strictly follow a cash to cap model, they wouldn't really care about Byrd carrying high cap numbers under the franchise tag contract, because they are securing his services for a relatively low price when compared to what it'll cost to sing him long-term. What's better for the Bills: 2 years - $15.215 million (all guaranteed) or 5 years - $42 million ($20 million guaranteed)? Obviously, the first choice wins hands down, but you risk alienating a young talented player. Which would you choose if you were running the Bills front office? It's a tough call. I only bring it up to point out the fact the Bills are the ones truly holding all the leverage in these negotiations.

A very fair and analytical breakdown of what Byrd's next contract might look like. I happen to believe the projection is a little in Byrd's favor, as it pays him nearly 800k more per season when compared to the contract just signed by Dashon Goldson, which seems to be a market setter. I do think Byrd is better than Goldson, but I expect his contract to just barely beat out Goldson's. Byrd's representatives surely know their man is worth being the highest paid safety (not counting Eric Berry's contract, because it was under the old rookie wage scale), and no discounts will be given. Where I think the major negotiations will need to be hashed out is the guaranteed money. Byrd's agent will be looking for the $20+ million as projected in the article, IMO, but I think the Bills will hold firm on a figure closer to the guarantees that Goldson and Weddle received ($18 & $19 million, respectively). My assessment of a fair deal for both sides: 5 years - $42 million, with $19.5 million guaranteed My bad.

http://www.spotrac.c...airus-byrd-313/

I think Vegas will set the Bills over/under on total wins in the regular season at 5 or 5 and a half. If its set at 5 the over bet will be -125. If its set at 5.5 the under will be set at -130. Personally I think its a good year to bet with the Bills. Expectations are down. National media hype is down. I think the coaching changes and culture change at 1 Bills Drive will account for at least 1-2 additional wins this season. I expect this to be a team that looks better in quarters 3 and 4 than they did in the 1st half, which is the exact opposite of what they were under Gailey. Still not a playoff team, but a 6-8 win team depending on how the ball bounces. Either way they will be a very solid bet for the over on season wins this year. Take that one to the bank.

Shamarko Thomas has a history with concussions and I think NFL teams take that very seriously when deciding whether or not to draft a player. I don't think he goes as high as some people think he's worth on this board.

I've had a bit of a gut feeling that this might be his last. We'll see. I have no ill will toward Buddy, either. In fact, quite the opposite. I know he never delivered on getting the Bills a "real-deal" QB, but time will tell with Manuel. I think Buddy helped get us better scouts and evaluators, Whaley included.