BuffOrange

That's true, but I don't think we would've beaten Denver in '89 anyway. In '99, we certainly had a chance against Indy and Jax.

Big game this week against the 1st place team, I'm in 2nd. We play 3 WR's in our league. I definitely have to play Joe Horn vs. Minnesota. But between Tory Holt, Derrick Mason, and Javon Walker, which 2 do you start? I like Mason vs. Houston's defense. Walker is leading the conference in yards&TD's, and he had a huge game in a dome earlier this year; they're playing @ Detroit. Plus, they might have to throw it a lot the way the Packers defense has been playing. I never thought I'd consider benching Torry Holt, but Tampa's D has been tough. Would I be crazy if I did this? And in case you're wondering, my opponents aren't complete morons - it's only an 8 team league.

I haven't found an official line either, but in my office pool parlay, it's Buffalo -7. Even though the lines in this pool are typically inflated a point or two for the favorite, 5 still seems too high. I would guess Sheridan's line will be 3 or 4 at the most. Guess one of the games I'm taking this week? Laying a TD for this team against anybody right now is absurd.

Good luck man - the upstate economy really does reek. I had to move after finding nothing a year after school. I was really depressed. Just try to remember that you're not alone. Cornell fiance? At least you have a potential sugar-momma.

The Sports Guy sums up Favre perfectly. He's like Marino in the mid '90's. He's still better than most QB's, but not nearly as good as he thinks he is anymore. He's good enough to win a few games by himself, and bad enough to cost his team just as many games. I also like Berman's description of Plummer: He keeps both teams in the game. Though Favre is still much better than Plummer.

I get what you're saying.... But exposing some of the fans as hypocrites doesn't make the GM a good GM, ya know? Fair point on landing some of the FA's....but if he's such a good salesman, maybe he'd be better suited getting on I-90 East and recruit some players for Syracuse; because he sure as heck cannot draft.

Thanks for the lead-in. Assuming our young trio pans out, that leaves OL and DE as the biggest glaring weaknesses. Since OLmen are easier to find in the later rounds and we don't have a 1st rounder, I'd say a pass-rusher should be the #1 priority in FA. To say that Kelsay is slowly developing is an understatement. We could then focus exclusively on OL in the draft. If Pat Williams leaves, I'll really miss reading his quotes. He should be a boxer. Classic stuff.

Never take a Vikings RB in your fantasy draft. There's too many of them

Great post - I've been saying since after Week 1, we would pull the old "we're close" after every loss and then some OLmen would stick the predictable "we told you so" line after a rare win against a crappy team. Then they'd get their butts kicked the following week when they played a good team. It's becoming an old routine. My only disagreement is on the Jets game. If we couldn't beat them with a +2 turnover advantage, I don't see how we beat them in the rematch, homefield or not.

Is the Cardinals pitching that good?

My personal favorite Madden quote of the evening: "You know the Titans and Jaguars have kind of switched positions in that division. The Jaguars are where the Titans used to be, and the Titans are where the Jaguars used to be". Tenn. got hosed on quite a few calls, no question. But: #1) It's hard to feel sorry for that team not getting calls #2) I'm not going to blame it on a rookie officiating crew, because the "veterans" are just as bad. IMO they need more new blood, not less.

Deep down all of us believe it will be worth it some day, or we wouldn't waste our time. It HAS TO. I'll admit I was skeptical a few years ago, but the 'Cuse national championship in hoops a couple years ago really restored my faith in sports and made me not believe in curses. You talk about heartbreak - they must've lost 6 overtime games in the Big Dance throughout the 80's-90's.

Yeh, other than the last 3 scrubs, all of those players have helped us lose games Don't forget we gave up a pick to trade up & take Denney. Would anybody object if I put this symbol after every sentence? Sorry, it's hard not to when discussing this team

You know how we laugh at ourselves for actually debating Shawn Bryson vs. Sammy Morris, or Van Pelt vs. Billy Joe a few years ago? Read that post again: Denney vs. Kelsay Euhus vs. ?

Actually, I must admit I didn't know that. That's strange - former offensive assistants almost always call their own plays when they become HC. Regardless, I've said before that play-calling is not the problem. It's overrated to begin with compared to preparation. We've tried running inside, running outside, throwing short, throwing deep.....this offense just can't do anything. I'm sure if Mularkey really wanted to throw in a few wrinkles, or get McGahee/Evans more involved in the offense, he's not getting overruled by Tom Clemens.

Ha - the only difference this week was that we exceeded our 1 offensive TD quota. That could come back to haunt us next week.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't/isn't Mularkey calling all of the shots offensively anyway, regardless of who has the official title of "OC"?

Haha - wasn't the OL supposed to improve when we got rid of Carl Mauck? I wonder why they've failed to improve under McNally, and the other two OL coaches they had in between.

Here's another thought to ponder: If you replace the Ravens defense with the Bills' last night - do they win that game? Sadly, they probably don't, even as poorly as the Redskins played. They probably give up more than 10 points after Boeller's 3 int's, and they certainly don't make the Ed Reed play that turned the game around. The great defenses can win games singlehandily. The 2nd tier good defenses can at least close out a game when it's on the line. Our defense does neither. It's 3rd tier - I wouldn't say it sucks - but not much better than average.

I was on the fence, but yep, you convinced me, they suck. Congratulations....I'm usually a stubborn guy. (no i'm not being sarcastic)

Todd Collins might be able to win in Buffalo right now.

Yeh, I know some that to this day - still complain about the umpring in a Yankees series that they lost in FIVE GAMES a few years ago. You've got to be joking - that's like blaming the refs for a 35-10 loss in football....and then they have the nerve to call other fans whiners when the refs have clearly given their team a SB.

Am I the only non-Yankee fan rooting for them anyway because I despise the Sox? I'm surprised more people don't feel this way. For everything people hate about the Yankees (big payroll, arrogant fans) the Red Sox are no different. But at least I don't hear Yankee fans being hypocrites and complaining about how Boston "bought" their way to the playoffs. Maybe my hatred of football cities carries over into other sports - I just really hope the Red Sox never, ever win. A bunch of whining brats those Boston fans are.

For those of you who think the raw talent on this team is overrated, I think you were proven correct today. How can you finish +2 in turnovers and still lose? That doesn't happen to ANYBODY in this league.

At this point, you can tell that a lot of the doom&gloomers are just a bunch of talk. They all say they've given up on the season long ago; but they really didn't - otherwise they wouldn't be so p!ssed off right now. As for me? I really meant it when I said I was giving up last week. I can tell because for the 1st time this season after a game, I'm not full of anger&frustration. It's just over and I know it. Hence, I'm also taking some positives out of a game for the 1st thim this year: It looks like we may have some players in Evans & McGahee. IF Losman turns into a player, we have a pretty good nucleus for '05. That leaves OL and DE as the only glaring weaknesses. The good news is that bargain OLmen can often be found in the 2nd & 3rd rounds (I'm hoping TD isn't stupid enough to ignore this position again next year). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of DE's, where most of the good one's are taken in the 1st round. My strategy would be to focus exclusively on the OL in the draft, and try to take care of the DE problem in either Free Agency, or a trade involving Henry. P.S. - It's too bad Rothlisberger didn't drop to us in the draft. If you're sick of the hype he's getting after 3 games, I can understand where you're coming from if you've just watched the hilights. However, I watched most of that game today, and the kid can flat out play.