SouthernMan

Remember when Ted Marchibroda discovered that the Bills' offense operated better at a faster pace? This happened when he witnessed how efficient Kelly & Co. were in the 2 minute offense. I think this fit well with Kelly's instinctive, not-so-patient temperment. After seeing Edwards & Co. do the same playing catchup these last couple of weeks, I wonder if the coaching staff will consider utililizing this tactic as a change of pace tool. Edwards, like Kelly, seems to run better at a faster pace. Edwards numbers for the 4th qtr were through the roof. I'd love to see them come out with the no huddle in St Louis and see if they can can grab a quick lead, then, slow it down and eat clock with the run game. If it suceeded, it could also take the crowd out it and force Green to throw. What better place to try it than in a dome where Edward's pinpoint passes could cripple the opposition. Thoughts?

This game concerns me for some reason. Question to TSW readers: Didn't Trent Green come in as a replacement for someone previously and beat up on the Bills in a prior season? Possibly with KC? I can't remember exactly, but it seems to me he kicked our ass sometime in the last couple of years.

Not to be a wet blanket, but when did "ranking" become all the rage of NFL pundits and fans? We have (relative) parity within the league and playoffs to decide who's champ. I'm sure it's entertaining for some, but it seems everyone and their uncle now has their list. Some even have "power rankings". Oooh! They must be the REALLY good ones. Ranking? Save it for college ball where it's anyone's guess who's really the best.

Interesting, I had the same thought watching the games. Remember when Kelly, Reich, and Gilbert (or Van Pelt) would huddle up on the sidelines. I have yet to see Losman and Edwards even get near each other on the sidelines. Hamden and Edwards, but not JP. Is JP snubbing Edwards because he's still pouting about the 2nd string status? Did he forget the secret handshake? Does Edwards see JP as not worthy, or worse, a poison - someone who could sabotage his success to further his own career? Or are we just reading too much into it? Maybe Losman has B.O.

Gotta disagree. Unless my memory has totally failed me, it was a nice night. Of course, we were under cover in the club seats, but I think I would have remembered if the weather sucked. Unfortunately, I can no longer ask my brother. Anyone else remember the 1st Monday nighter in 1973 - when OJ broke 1000 yds in the 7th game? OJ also rushed 47 times - a new record at that time. If the weather really was bad, I gotta issue with the folks. What the hell were they thinking, sending a couple of adolescent boys out in the rain, by themselves, to a stadium 25 miles away, on a school night when they wouldn't be home (if they got home) until 1am? That was the era before soccer moms and organized activities. They went to their Satuday night cocktail parties and us kids were pretty much left to our own devices. If one of us went missing, no problem. Back then, parents had spare kids - usually 4 or 5 to a family.

I was there too. Great game. I was already a Bills fan, having been a kid going to the Rockpile. This game was the first after OJs record setting 2003 yard season. Like a lot of youngsters, I followed OJs progress the previous year, and then this great opening day experience against the Raiders sealed the deal - I was a Bills fan forever. I was also at their first Monday night game against the Chiefs the previous year. My first game at Rich. For the 1973 Cheifs game, me and my brother took a shuttle bus (we didn't drive yet) from Main and Transit. Bad forecast? My memory is that it was an absolutley beautiful October night. Maybe your pop had already scalped the tickets for $10 each.

Or maybe as part of the "flex scheduling", change it to a Monday Nighter at the Ralph, then send a message to the Canadian contingent saying, "so sore-ee, that's the way the bicuit crumbles, eh? That should make up for Tim Horton, you hosers you.

Or they could easliy be 3-0. Oh yeah, right...they are. Doesn't matter how poorly they played at times, they did enough to win. That's all that matters! The object is to outplay the weekly opponent. I didn't hear any talk of giving the Bills a free pass to join the playoffs last year because they "could have been" 10-6 with a couple of key plays. The defense - though not always great, did enough to hold them to less points than their teammates on the other side of the ball were able to generate. It's 47 guys for 60 minutes. They won. There is no "almost". Wins and losses are all that really count.

After further review - no. What's the point of having a forum like this if topics are limited to those heady discussions about uniforms and favorite all-time Bills player.

That's the way I'm looking at it. Too early to start talking playoffs? No. Hell no! If there were 13 games left for a ML baseball team, no one would say it's too early. With 13 games left for the Sabres - would anyone think it too early to start looking at playoff possibilities? That's the (only) good thing about the NFL's short season - it's never too early to start analyzing the odds for playoff contenders. In fact, it's a hell of a lot of fun when you're at 3-0 with 13 games remaining, a cake schedule, and the very real chances of post season loom for the first time in 8 years. Right now, it would take a complete implosion and collapse to miss the dance. With a few key wins, we're talking home playoff game. We've already taken care of 2 AFC foes who could have challenged for playoff positioning. The divisional games will be the dertermining factor in taking the division. The San Diego (home) and Denver will be, I predict, the determining factors for getting at least one home game. Of course, injuries can always play part, but assuming all things are equal, it could just as easily effect opponents. Considering the experience our backups got last year and having a #2 QB with more NFL starts than the average # 2, we may have the edge in that department. Houston , SD, and Jets still have 14 games left, but SD or the Jets will have another loss after tonight. Looking at the standings, there are 10 AFC teams that need at least 3 wins (or 2 including a head to head victory) to our 0 wins to overtake us for a playoff position. There are only 16 teams in the AFC. 6 make the playoffs. I kind of like our odds. I agree it's too early to start talking playoffs if you're a player on the Bills - they have to take one game at a time. But not us. We're fans. This is what we do.

Maybe it's too early to seriously start talking playoffs, but as I look at the standings, I see the Broncos as one of the other undefeated AFC teams at 3-0. It dawned on me that the Ed Hoculi error from last week's Charger's game could have ramifications that effect the Bills should they meet in the playoffs. I'd rather see The Chargers at 1-1 (they play the Jets Monday night) and Broncos at 2-1 than have the Broncos keeping pace with the Bills. Wouldn't it just suck if that non-fumble call by Hoculi cost the Bills a home playoff game? In the long run, the Bills may have to prove they're deserving of a higher ranking by winning in Denver in December.

That's original, Georgie. How come they called you if they were running out? Must have you on speed dial.

So who's the old ugly guy she's got her arms around? Is that a picture taken at the circus or something?

Very familiar writing style there. Say, where were you when you heard about Princess Di's fateful end? I'll bet you weren't in Oakland.

My 2 off topic cents... Chris Rock has amazing timing and delivery. He's a standup preacher. One of the funniest guys today. Tells it like it is. Carlin was incredibly clever and very funny most of the time, but I came to dislike his constant whining, which increased with age. When I heard his angry bit on golfers, I knew he had some sort of class hangup (or guilt for having made a lot of money). In his socialistic view, the land could be better used for homeless or "needy" people instaed of "those rich fcks". Yeah, that's the American way George. Ever hear or capitalism? Somebody earned money, bought that land, developed it, and used it for additional economic and recreational benefit, at the same time providing many jobs, which I doubt those poor homeless bastards applied for. But no, it should be used as a playground for a bunch of bums, right? And who would pay for this land? The government? And where would they get the money? Oh yeah, from the taxes paid to them by those "rich fcks". Good riddence Carlin. Same goes for chronic complainer Lewis Black. He acts as if his opinion is the only one that should ever count and anyone who doesn't subscribe to his ideology and political standpoint is a fool. Way to be tolerent. Instead of just being funny, he spews venom at anyone who isn't as liberal and hip as he thinks he is. Too much anger. He even copied Carlin by doing his own lame bit on golfers. Why the pastime of golf bothered these guys so much is a mystery. Maybe they actually tried once or twice. That could explain it. Total jackass in my opinion. These guys were/are so uncomfortable in their own skin, that they had to heavily indulge in recreational drug use to escape their own stupidity. Some of the best standups have left way to early: Sam Kinnison, Mitch Hedberg, Richard Jeni, Bill Hicks - WTF

I posted something similar yesterday, though it was eliminated for soime reason. Anyway - let's keep it simple. If the Bills can go just over .500 and win 8 of next 14 games - they're in the playoffs with a 10-6 record. They've already got the edge on a potential AFC playoff team (the Jags)for playoff position. The Jags now need 3 wins to our 0 wins to gain playoff position over us. If they're not a factor, that still leaves 6 playoff positions of a possible 14 other AFC teams. Then there are (6) other 0-2 teams in the AFC that would need at least 2 wins to our 0 (including a head to head win). For the Jets and Dolphins, they'd need a sweep to get that edge. A total of 7 AFC teams will have a hard time catching up to the Bills, assuming they don't implode (see 2003 season). If we discard the 7 AFC teams with 0-7 records, the Bills are in effect fighting with 8 other AFC teams for the 6 playoff spots. One of those 8 we can take care of this coming week. Indy is the other 1-1 team we may be fighting for playoff position. A win against Oakland would, short of a complete meltdown, let the Bills write their own ticket to the playoffs, especially considering the easy schedule. Hell, they were nearly a .500 team last year with all the injuries, a lot less experience for Whitner, Edwards, & company, and no Hardy or McKelvin on the team. I don't think 8 more wins in 14 games is asking too much. Too early to celebrate? Maybe, but not too early to start getting a little giddy about our chances. From a purely statistical standpoint, we stand a damn good chance of playing in January. Even better if we take care of business at home against the Faiders. Should we start thinking division? Maybe it'll more closely resemble the 1988 season than the 2003 season. I could live with that.

Sore subject with me. I have to comment. I think the NFL blew it when they realigned. If it were setup more geographically similar to college conferences, huge rivalries between divisional opponents would have emerged very quickly. I would have said forget the current NFC/AFC arrangement. The NFC, which was spawned from the original NFL league, has always had the bigger cities. For this reason, FOX has a bigger audience (TV revenue). I'd have it as East and West and with divisions that look like this: Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit NYJ, NYG, Philadelphia, New England Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Atlanta Washington, Baltimore, Carolina, Tennessee Chicago, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Cincinnatti New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Arizona Kansas City, St Louis, Minnesota, Denver San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle Did they listen to me? NOooooooo.

Assuming there's any validity to these ratings, it should make us feel good to know that 7 of our remaining 14 games (that's 50%, for you democrats), are against teams ranked from 20-32. If we can win the games we should (against the bottom-tier teams), and split the ones that are a toss-up, it's not out of the question to end up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 11-13 wins. Playoffs seem a likely destination if the guys can stay healthy and maintain their focus.

Agree. When the charging Bison first appeared in 1974 it looked just plain awful on TV. This was long before big screens and high def, and the logo decal was a slightly smaller than the ones seen today. On our old Admiral TV, it looked like a damn fish, until there was a close-up shot. Now, every time I see a vehicle in front of me with one of those "Support Our Troops" ribbon magnets, it looks like the "Bills fish", especially when it's placed more horizontal than vertical. And the red streak? Is that supposed to show motion eminating from the bison horn? Shouldn't it be white, like the horn? Poor artwork. The Bills logo is somewhat bland and void of character. Sure, we've come to love it through association, but in reality, it's outdated and boring. At least the standing bison is kind of stoic and a familiar iconic figure in the city of Buffalo. I like the white helmets. Very classic AFL/NFL look. Wish they'd bring them back as the Jets and Chargers have. At least we don't have a goat head logo.

So-so. I think he's in his last year as a Bill.

So what's up with that? Why on earth does the NFL limit the players that can be dressed on gameday to only 47? In other words, there are 6 players in street clothes picking up a full game check who are absolutely unable to contribute on the field. I got to thinking how valuable those extra players could be during the course of games such as the 100 degree scorcher in Jacksonville. Why does this rule exist - anyone know?

It wasn't you. It happened. There was one play in particular I notice Poz just about tackled from behind by # 69. I saw a whole lot of jersey grabbing and questionable blocking techniques by the Jags linemen. If the Bills were doing it, I didn't notice (naturally).

Accepted. Cool. Yeah, I get easily annoyed with the hand-wringing worry warts (it's a Buffalo thing - I know)forever concerned about injuries, contracts that aren't even up for 2 years, and so on. My God, can we just enjoy a little success without raining on the parade. These are big boys. Sometimes they're gonna have to learn the hard way. That's football. That's life. I don't think Edwards has to be treated like a baby. At least not until we learn that as he's getting his ankles taped for the game, he's at the same time peeing in the trainer's face. We might have to reconsider then.

What the hell are you talking about? Give TE a safe enviroment? Are you suggesting a car seat on the team bus? Stupid post.

I noticed that Evans made a lot of very good blocks throughout the game. He's really become a well-rounded receiver who gives good support in the run game. We need to keep him around a long time.