SouthernMan

QB: Kelly (gee, I wonder if he'll make the team - duh!) RBs: Thurman, Cookie (obvious snub of you know who) TE: Metzellars (kinda stupid the way the voting lumped all the lineman together) Tackles: Ken Jones, Wolford (maybe House would be better choice, but he jumped to Seattle for the money. Hey wait a minute, didn't Wolford do the same when the Colts exposed a flaw in the way free agency worked?) Turncoats! Sorry, but Peters lack of experience, compounded by his greedy holdout last season made him ineligible in my book. Guards: Shaw, Joe D. (another no-brainer) Center: Hull (ditto) WRs: Chandler, Butler, Reed (Lofton, not enough tenure. Can be on one of GreenBays anniv. teams) STs: Tasker, Pike, Christie, Moorman (sorry Paul, maybe Empire Sports will have a Budweiser anniverary team)

Just to put this in perspective..... He would have been drafted by the Bills if the Colts hadn't gotten him first. Our selection? Eric Moulds. Same draft class as long since departed WRs Meshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, and Eddie Kennison - all drafted ahead of Harrison. How pathetic are the Bills that they would need to reach for an over the hill player like Harrison? Not that desparate.

Agreed. I've seen "incomplete pass" called numerous times on less obvious "passes" than the one (not) thrown by Warner. What the NFL calls a "pass" is ridiculous anyway, but at least be consistent. Warner's arm WAS going forward. It reminded of "no goal". As if the officials were thinking, "c'mon, it's almost over. Close enough." Or the famous, "just give it to 'em" , from the Bills/Patriots conspiracy. It was a long shot even if it was called as an incomplete pass, but at least it would have been a shot. We never got the chance to see Fitzgerald going up for the jump ball in the end zone. It would have been great to see an overtime Superbowl.

Longwinded answer. Sorry - touching a nerve. 50 years old. Initiated around '67-'68 at the old Rockpile. 4th row, 50 yard line, visitor's side. Namath, Unitas, Lamonica, etc. within spitting distance. Still didn't have full grasp of the game. TV games would get boring, and usually by halftime, I was outside playing front yard football with brothers and neighborhood kids. Developed better attention span a couple of years later and became a fan(atic), digesting Courier Express articles in the morning paper before school, and Buffalo Evening News columns in the p.m., after school - around the time OJ started his breakout season and was in a race with the Redskins Larry Brown for the 1972 season rushing title. This was when Saban started his 2nd tour with the team and there was hope of a good team for the first time since 1966. They made one playoff appearance (1974) before Wilson tightened the purse strings and managed to run Saban out of town - again. Then came the "exciting" Jim Ringo, Harvey Johnson years before proven winner Chuck Knox arrived as our next great hope in 1978. Once again, conflicts with GM Stew Barber and Wilson, and the refusal to pay for good players prompted Knox to leave after building a playoff team. A few more years of despair with Stephenson and Bullough, before Bill Polian's decision to bring in Marv Levy, and once again brought hope. Only this time, not false hope. Real hope for a great team. The first time in almost 30 years. We all know what happened then. Starting with the dismissal of Polian, a gradual decline and then back to the same old pattern. I've been to at least one game a year for several years before moving to Atlanta in '86. Had season tickets a few times since then. Been to at least 30 of the last 35 season openers. Been to many of the great games, including first Monday night game in '73, Raiders spectacular opener in '74, Miami opener in '80, Rams defeated in '79, ganes in Tampa, Cinci, Atlanta, Miami, and many many others. Lots of great memories in spite of the bungling from the front office. This season, with all it's anticipation and promise of a return to playoff caliber football, was a kick in the teeth. Stood up at the alter. That empty feeling when you walk into your home and find it's been ransacked. Violated. I've had it. Right now, I'm ready to cancel my 11 year NFL Sunday Ticket subscription and give up altogether on this team. I feel like we're being played by Wilson & Co. I think the Kelly glory years was a fluke. There's no sign in sight of the team reaching those lofty levels again any time soon. The retention of Jauron and staff make the clear statement that mediocrity is an acceptable achievement by the Buffalo Bills. Sorry, Ralph, but not so for the fans. Our expectations are higher than your measure of success. Right now, not looking forward to another season of getting let down. Usually when the last game is played, I'm left wanting more. This year it couldn't end soon enough for me. I feel like the 2008 team robbed me of my innocence and I don't know if I'll ever be duped into that sense of off-season optimism again. Who knows? I may pull a Brett Favre and get all optimistic and rejuvinated when the days get longer and smell of fresh cut lawn is back in the air. There was something about the futility of this past year that I sense for a lot of us, was the straw that broke the camel's back. It's compromised our allegiance to our beloved team. Next year? I just don't know.

Opening day, September 2009... Introducing your 2009 Buffalo Bills - Countdown 2010 - Only 237 days 'til the draft!

Is it too early to start talking draft - 2010 draft that is. With the easiest schedule in years, how in hell did the Bills manage another 7-9 season? Sure there were injuries, still less than last year. No more than what the Patriots suffered. Every team has some injuries. The 2009 season? I don't think 5 wins is a reach. The good news? If we don't blow our high draft picks, maybe we'll end up with a decent DE and O-center by the start of the 2010 season. Nahhhh. In almost 50 seasons, only period of continuity and regular success was from the Kelly era Bills, and I think that was just a case of blind luck for Ralph Wilson that football personnel genius Bill Polian landed in Buffalo. Of course he was the architect of a great team, crafting a solid foundation that lasted beyond his tenure in the era before rampant free agency. Wilson has on his payroll one of the best GMs in football in the midst of a run of superbowl appearances, and what does Ralph do.....? Smart. Staying a Bills fan is like self-torture.

Of course they do. It was a humorous observation. I'm sure he's a fine special teams coach. Watch the replays - specifically April. Do you ever see any other coach walking aimlessly, talking to anyone within earshot the way he does? I crack up watching April trying to appear involved and important when there's nothing going on that concerns special teams. I'm sure he's just trying to bond with the "real coaches". You should be banging your head against the wall at the suggestion of hiring a one-dimensional coach like April to takeover the team. He does what he does well. He may turn out to be a great head coach at some point, but after 9 years without sniffing the playoffs, I think Bills fans deserve more than experimenting with the special teams whiz as the head guy. Why change the only successful element of the team by removing the coach of the special teams? BTW - In case you couldn't figure it out, most of these comments are extreme exaggerations stated for comedic effect. I respect the guy and all he's done. BUT, he is funny to watch.

He's the one who could lead us to the superbowl? Based on what? I'm sure he's a great guy and all, but when you see him on the sidelines, he always appears to be walking in circles, talking to no one in particular. Players are ignoring and walking away from him. It's like the jabbering homeless downtown retard pedetrians don't bother listening to as they walk past. Does April talk to himself? In the sideline shots shown on tv, his eyes are darting in all directions. He looks like a 5-year-old lost in the middle of a department store during the Christmas rush, looking for his mommy. It must be a special teams coach thing. Danny Smith of the Redskins and former Bills special teams coach had that same, "I'm talking to empty air and nobody's listening" look also. Smith looks like he has 8 sticks of Bazooka Joe in his cheek. Nobody could understand Smith even if he was saying anything. Maybe that's his ploy. The Bills desperately need to hire a proven winner and bring in some coordinators that know something about gameday strategy and positioning their players. The special teams units are about the only thing working for this team. Leave 'em alone. Let April stay on the sidelines talking to his imaginery friends and get a decent coach for crying out loud.

So my questions are: If she's so into the nuts and bolts of the Buffalo Bills, why doesn't she want ownership of the team when Ralph's "contract expires"? You'd think that would be a dream come true. I'm curious - does she have any talent as a scout? Who has she "discovered"? Who are her duds? Is she worthy of the position or is she just a nepotistic meddler who gives a thorn in the side of those trying to run the team? How big is her role sustaining years of mediocrity? Enquiring minds want to know.

LC - Looking for sarcasm thingy... At least that's my assumption. My theory: I think it's a flawed scheme for the DBs, considering that it depends on other units to fulfill their duties. We just don't have the horses up front to execute it the way it's conceived. My other take on it is that the DBs may by playing the scheme too rigid; too "by the book" as it's drawn up. In other words, to be effective, maybe they should have more approximate zones to cover, but adjust accordingly as dictated by the opposing offense. It appears that our intelligent, high character players are doing exactly as they're told - studying the play books and positioning themselves exactly as it's designed, with little latitude to make necessary adjustments. Coaching or personnel? If the receiver is heading straight for the seam, the DBs need to adjust their positions to tighten up the opening a little and give themselves a chance to defend the pass, or possibly jump the route and make the INT. I'm just frustrated watching opposing receivers WIDE open on slant and crossing patterns, with all kinds of space to catch the ball before contact from our defenders. Improving the D-line has got to be priority in the offseason. It's our achilles heal. Well, our most obvious one anyway.

Seems everyone attributes it to the pass rush. Definitely a contributing factor. So, how stupid is the coaching staff if they continue with the same scheme that relies on an adequate pass rush, which the evidently don't have, and have not had since Schoelbel was injured? Appears kind of stupid to me to devise a one-dimentional scheme that sabotages the whole defense if one key player is neutralized or out for whatever reason. Send in a couple of LBs a little more often and let our secondary handle their guys for a few seconds. It can't be any worse, at may even result in a few more turnovers. Sounds like a DE needs to be the player targeted with FA and/or a high draft pick.

Sorry to rain on the parade. Good win - enjoyable game. But even early in this game, I continue to see the Bills' secondary get picked apart as they have all season. My question to some of you with better understanding of the X's and O's: Is it me, or does it look like the there's always a big gap/seam in the middle of the defensive backfield that opposing receivers find easily each and every week? So what I'd like to know is are the defensive coverage schemes poorly designed or are they not being executed properly? To me it looks like the DBs and LBs have been drilled to play their positions and designated chunk of real estate, but obviously opposing O-coordinators haven't had any trouble mapping exactly where they'll be standing. Is there no flexability in the scheme or are they told to just play their designated space? Time and again it looks just like 3 or 4 defensive players standing in a wide triangle, the receiver makes a b-line to the center of the triangle (usually in first down territory), and only after snaring the pass do the defensive players converge from every angle. Is the poor pass rush the reason for this setup? Would the Bills be better sending in a few LBs more often (more pressure on the QB)and playing more man-to-man with their DBs? I believe we have a good core of defensive backs. Maybe not a group of all-pros*, but I wouldn't consider any of them major liabilities either. *I thought McGee played like an all-pro. Maybe his best game of the season. My sense is it's just a bad scheme that every team in the league can pick apart, particularly if they have a halfway experienced QB. Your thoughts.

My question regarding JP is, where will he sign - who wants him? If he's pissed about being 2nd fiddle in Bflo, what other NFL team will resolve that issue for him? I know it seems to be a given, but he's not likely to be a starter anywhere else, so why will he be so quick to leave? He may as well sign an extension with Buffalo (if they still want him). Buffalo, having enough voids to fill, probably doesn't want to waste draft pick on an inexperienced QB, and any FA QB on the cheap is just another Losman, journeyman kind of QB. Knowing that Edwards misses games with injuries and still has little experience, Losman may see a benefit in sticking around. When he sees that other teams aren't knocking each other over to sign him to a big $$ contract, he may get a grip on reality and end up signing a low dollar extension with Buffalo.

Likewise. Sat in the last row of the upper deck, 40 yd line, sunny side, with 4 of my friends. In those days, there were few restrictions against beverages. We brought one of those big plastic beer balls (with the pump and tap) into the game. Hot sunny beautiful day. Joined the masses on the field when the gun sounded. This year I went to the season opener against Seattle with 2 of the 4 guys I was with in 1980 for the Miami game. One of the others couldn't go because he's since had a debilitating stroke. 13 weeks after the 2008 opener and of the 2 that went this year, one is recovering from a heart attack and the other was lost the week of Thanksgiving. We're not getting any younger. Are we ever going to see the Bills sniff the playoffs again? After 40 years of being a loyal fan, I'm about ready to give up on them.

I was wondering the same thing at some point in the 4th qtr. When Lynch came out for a breather, I saw old # 22 in the backfield. He was on the field, but the geniuses running the Bills' show decided they were better off without him touching the rock. That's about par for the course. And that fade pass in the endzone that got intercepted? Absolutely Brilliant. That play alone should get Jauron and staff a one way ticket out of Buffalo. Sure it was a lousy throw, but the play should never have been called. Considering the high expectation going into this season, this has got to be about the worst year I can remember as a Bills fan. What a letdown.

I can't believe how retarded some of you are with your replies. It's not about race - it's about a culture in which they feel in their element. It's like the difference between being at you folks house for Thankgiving or going to your new girlfirends parents and meeting her dysfunctional family for the first time. There's a certain comfort zone. Buffalo probably feels foreign as hell for someone like California kid Trent Edwards. It's not exactly a normal place believe it or not. There is more of a social scene geared towards affluent African-Americans in other cities. It doesn't exist anywhere in Buffalo!

You're kidding, right? That would be like Trump hanging out at the Polish Falcons club in Chickatowaga.

Absolutly true. There's nothing in Atlanta that compares to the atmospehere at South Beach. In reality, Atlanta doesn't have much of a large walk-friendly central district catering to nightlife. There are clubs here and there spread out around different areas, but you're right, it's not in the same league as Miami. I've been in the house Allen Iverson built here, and like Jim Kelly, his house is geared towards the home party. with an expansive open marble-floored finish basement, custom made for dancing and mingling. Keepin it real.

Word. You hit the nail squarely the on the head with those statements. Atlanta is far more the kind of place that most black athletes want to be. A lot of these guys are young, single, and have plenty of spending money for dining, dancing, and dames. I don't think it's reasonable to expect them to sit home and study game film every night. Buffalonians are so damn sensitive about any statement they perceive as a disparaging remark about their beloved hometown. Buffalo suits me fine. I grew up there. But how do you expect some kid raised in an urban environment on the Florida panhandle or in Georgia to take to the charms of Buffalo as easily? Thurman just happened to have his wife's family living there, which I'm sure was a huge factor in his decision. Otherwise I doubt he'd be there. What other black athletes have made it their home in recent times? Buffalo is still a highly segregated area compared to many major metropolises. There are no neighborhoods in Buffalo I know of that I'd say are populated by and marketed to affulent blacks. Here in Atlanta, there are many. If Dingus Day, Beaver Island, Kissing Bridge, and Rush are what you're into, I highly recommend Buffalo. For young African-Americans...not so much.

Let's stop with the "it must be the after-effects from the concussion" crap. What evidence is there? Did he recover just long enough to have a brilliant game against San Diego and then went back into a fog? The concussion isn't the the problem. Maybe, just maybe...... it's the play calling. Where's the flare pattern to loosen up the defenses? How often do we see a quick out or slant pattern - you know, the ones opposing offenses continue to kill us on with our DBs playing their non-flexible zones (which every team in the league can now plan against and find those predictable open seams). And then, on the off chance that Duke or Melvin might overpower the opposing D tackle, they send Marshawn-dancing bear-Lynch into the middle of the pile in hopes that he'll break one. You never know. Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Empty backfield on 3rd and 1? - gee, I wonder what they might do here? You tricky Bills you. Play-action, draw play, pump fake, bootleg/roll outs, pitch out - weapons other teams use on a regular basis to keep defenses honest and off balance are nearly absent in the Bills' arsenal. In the final seconds of the Cleveland game when the Bills were setting up the final field goal attempt, who among you didn't know the ball was going to be handed off to Marshawn Lynch on those final plays? Show of hands. Exactly. Why not just invite the Browns into the huddle? At least then then might have over-thought it and said to themselves, "no way are they going to run Marshawn right at us after they told us they would". And then, what do you think the Bills would have done? That's right. Run Marshawn into the waiting arms of their nose tackle.

Not to be an apologist for DJ, because quite frankly, I think there's plenty of blame to go around. But I still say that we just don't have the players needed to be considered a top tier team. The Bills could sure use a complimentary receiver to take pressure off of Evans. Pass rushing specialist/DE to compliment or replace Schobel. Another DT? How about another LB? When's the last time we saw a dominating Center in a Bills uniform? Guard? Tight End? Plenty of holes to fill. The Bills have decent-serviceable players in some of these positions, but few stars who command double teaming or whom opponents have to game plan against. The roster is filled with good, but not great players. Which Bill is a shoe-in for the pro bowl? Possibly a few alternates - that's it. Maybe the Bills need a new head man to get the most out of these players, but I seriously doubt a different coach will have much more success with the players on the roster. They're getting outmanned in the trenches by their divisional foes (and others). Time to put their personnel department on notice and start using their low round picks on lineman who can make it at the NFL level. If I was GM of the Bills, I wouldn't invest another roster slot on anything but filling the holes on the 2 lines. If that means dumping one of the overpaid O-lineman, so be it. The Bills need to produce a consistent run game and on the other side of teh ball, put pressure on opposing QBs. A few short weeks ago, at the 4-0 mark, we were told it's too early to start talking playoffs. Well, is it too early to start talking draft? This season is all but over for the Bills. it would take a miracle turn-around to make the playoffs. With their injury riddled roster, it seems unlikely. Sad when the most exciting part of the Bills year is the offseason.

Not sure how you meant this. Did you mean "coaching ?" - with a question mark? I think the point is made that you have to have the players who can execute and have the talent to out-man their opponents. Not trying to be an apologist for Jauron & staff, because in all honesty, I don't know to what extent they're at fault. I mean - just how do you come up with viable game plans knowing full well your squad is inferior? Trick plays? What!? The question we have to ask is why have the Bills wasted so much money and time on the likes of Rob Johnson, Drew Bledsoe, and many others who were mostly pedestrian, only to let playmakers like DTs Ted Washington and Pat Williams, DBs Clements, Winfield, LB Fletcher, etc etc etc - all get away for financial reasons. Instead of drafting a potential impact OL in 2003 like Eric Steinbach, we take a rehab project like Willis McGahee. Simply brilliant. The most easily replaceable position on offense (RB) and we waste a first round pick on an injured prospect that is at least 2 seasons away from contributing. It's not as if there weren't plenty of other areas that needed atetntion. 2 steps forward, 3 steps back. I won't even get into other wasted picks like Mike Williams, Losman, et al. Williams isn't far behind Ryan Leaf as the all-time biggest draft bust. Way to do your homework scouting staff. While some other teams have been contenders, gone downhill after their success, and rebuilt to be contenders again (Dallas, Pitt, Indy for example), the Bills still haven't figured out how to assemble an offensive line in 13 seasons. What's the point of picking players to develop like this year's first rounder McKelvin when they're just going to jump to another team by the time they're hitting their stride and up to NFL speed. The Bills may as well try to trade their picks for proven players. The decisions from the front office have been simply awful this decade. Is Jauron at fault. Somewhat I suppose. There've been some bone-headed gameday decisions. This whole mess started the day Ralph let Bill Polian get away. It's been downhill since then. Ralph may have a good 10 years left in him - who knows? Somehow I doubt his decision making is suddenly going to get better.

Part of the reason the challenge didn't happen is because NE knew damn well they got away with one and quickly lined up to snap the ball. RIGHT THERE the Bills should have had a clue. So, when the officials didn't see Jauron quietly holding the red hanky, contemplating a challenge, why doesn't one of the Bills defensive players, recognizing the situation, jump offsides unabated to the QB or do something else to delay the play from happening? And don't they now have electronic communication with the defensive players? If the coaches upstairs had acted quickly enough, maybe they could have had some on-field assistance from the player with the communication device to help the officials look to Jauron or find a way to delay the snap.

Marvin Lewis should be available soon. If I remember correctly, a lot of you wished we'd gotten him a couple of coaches ago. The question I've always pondered is how much can be attributed to the A) Coach B) Players C) Adminstration....Owner, GM. Scouting, etc We've seen highly regarded coaches have years with bad records. Superbowl winners like Shula, Gruden, Cowhart, Parcells, Coughlin, Belichick, Ditka, Dungy and others have all had bad years. Usually the failure is attributed to the quality and talent of the players. Then there've been coaches like Seifert, Switzer, Bill Callahan who have inherited decent teams, and been briefly successful. I think it all starts with the front office and getting players that fit a particular system, are talented, have a winning mentality, and have good chemistry with each other. No matter how good the coach is, the team will fail if his players can't execute as it's drawn up on the chalkboard. I'm not making excuses for Jauron, but I question whether any of the current coaches who are having success could do any better with the talent on this team. Maybe they could. Why does the defensive scheme continue allowing a huge cushion between the receivers and DBs? Is it because they know our DL can't pressure a QB and they are afaid of giving up the big play if they play more man coverage? I don't have the answer. My feeling is that the coaching may be somewhat suspect, but in reality we simply don't have the talent. When the punter is arguably the biggest star on the team, that should tell the story. Name a team that has any level of continuing success with a roster full of middle of the road players. The drafting and draft trades have been horrible thoughout the decade (and even before if you include the RJ trade). What do we have to show for all our first round draft picks? We just don't have the personnel to compete at the top level, no matter who the coach is.