Bill from NYC

1) What a game by Byrd today!!! I noted last week how hard he is playing. It really would be cool to keep him next season. He will not be easy to replace. 2) One cannot say enough about how well the DT combo of Kyle Williams and Marcel Dareus played. Kyle just made play after play and I have never seen Dareus look as good as he did in this game in terms of being in shape since college. He never looked winded from beginning to end and physically dominated the Jets, especially Geno Smith. Geno is going to be in a whole lot of pain tomorrow. 3) More on the secondary.....yes, Gilmore did scare me when he gave up the 33 yard reception in the first quarter. Actually, he looked like he was holding on the play as well. After that, he was just fine. Most of the little yardage gained against him was in garbage time. This was his best game of the season by far imo, and we need him to continue to progress. 4)Goodwin got great separation on that bomb on the 44 yard TD. That kid can truly fly, and he even was something of a possession receiver as well today. This with Woods and SJ on the bench. 5)Again, no complaints about the running backs today. It was obvious that Ryan was going to make EJ beat him today and his defense concentrated heavily on the run. Sorry Rex LOL!!! 6) Do you realize that no less than 9 Buffalo Bills caught a pass in this game?! 7) WAY too many penalties on special teams. Obviously it didn't matter today, but this can do a lot of damage. 8) I just wonder if you shouldn't feel, less concern about the deep unreal. The very first word is: "How do you do?" The last: "Go home, your mama's callin' you." 9) Robey and Searcy were both excellent today. It is just so cool to see a UDFA play as well as Robey, and watch the 100% effort given by Searcy result in a pick six. 10) In the second quarter we appeared to get a bad spot. The team and/or the coaches appeared to freeze and instead of a challenge, they had to call a timeout. I don't know what Marrone was thinking. And look, I'm not trying to drag down the mood here. I am freaking pumped about this romp, but romps are few and far between and we just don't need mistakes like this. Am I off base here? 11) EJ, without his top receivers, stepped up to the challenge. The mere premise that we MIGHT have a good quarterback is thrilling! This and another good draft, and the Bills can go very far. VERY far. 12) Don't worry about Mario not registering a sack. He applied pressure and forced plays. And trust me, if our play up the middle stays even almost as good as today, Mario will have less people on him. 13) Kiko is not only highly skilled, he too gives 100% on every play. Twice he made great tackles after being on the ground. He instinctive, smart, and he hits. Wow, this kid is excellent!!! 14) Congrats people. We fans deserved a day like today. 15) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to my world. I will take it a step further and partially credit Levitre for helping Glenn develop. Remember, AL played LT in college and was the perfect partner/mentor for Glenn, who obviously possesses brute strength (and other skills). People do tend to downplay AL in terms of run blocking because he was not seen pancaking defenders on highlight films, but he has very good feet and is great at blocking from angles. I'm not so worried about Wood if he stays healthy, but he too must truly miss playing next to Levitre.

This makes sense but do remember that Jauron was a Levy clone in terms of how to build a football team. I'm sure this is why Marv hired him. They both used up their best resources almost entirely on defensive backs starting in 2006, after which both of them should have been fired. That said, neither of them ever should have been hired.

You are 100% right!!! In the Levy/Jauron years they would have probably spent a second round pick on this kid, if they even recognized that he was good. Getting a player such as Robey as a UDFA makes the Bills less prone to waste early picks on defensive backs with top picks and focus on QB, OL, and of course pass rushing DE. We also need linebackers. I for one was quite impressed with the 2013 Bills draft. Toss Robey into the picture and I like it that much more.

How true indeed!!! What I don't fully agree with are your comments in your prior post wrt Whitner. Generally speaking, fans give first round picks more room imo. So do GMs who fear looking stupid. Whitner played out his entire obscene contract for the Bills. As I recall, the Bills paid him approx. 30 million dollars. 30 MILLION DOLLARS!!!! To make things worse, he actually held out, AND had of field issues. He was defended by fans much of the time and to this day, some will point to his pro bowl appearance with the 49ers as proof that he is a good player. When the Bills drafted Spiller, Mr. Wilson commented that the Bills needed "more excitement." While true, this indicated to me (JMO) that this was more of a business decision than a football decision. Again, jmo. In 2013, the Bills drafted a qb (raw but at least he is a qb), a promising receiver, a LB who looks like a star, and a receiver with speed in the first 3 rounds. They also managed to get Robey as a UDFA, and this is to be highly praised. That said, you are 100% on target that this front office owes it to the fans to run away from the idiotic drafts of the past. Like I said, great post!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

I should have responded sooner to this moronic post. First of all, read the title. These are "thoughts," not proclamations of all knowing truth with which I demand full accord. You are not "giving" me anything if you suddenly agree that Gilmore isn't playing well. Please, take me to task if you disagree. As for me not being crazy about the play of Dareus in a game, you make it sound like a mortal sin. Should I be worried? Look, I am a fan of the National Champion currently undefeated Crimson Tide and have watched Dareus for years. Marcel is playing well much of the time this season, but having seen him in college I expected more. I also expect more from a #3 selection of an NFL draft. The sloppy mess that Bills Fans recognize as the QB position is not helping a big man such as Dareus and I do recognize that being on the field all day can hinder his game. Who knows, maybe Gilmore (a 10th selection) would even play a little better too by being on the field a shorter amount of time but of this I am less sure. In any event, if my opinions and simple observations morally wound you in some way, I guess I am sorry. I'm not sure, but I will know by Sunday.

I do understand what you are saying, but imo the Bills have 2 major problems (and some smaller ones of course). First and foremost is the quarterback issue. Everybody in the football world can see this a mile away. The second is lack of production from prime draft picks (including CJ), many of whom were selected in the top 10. Before he was carted of the field last night with an ankle injury, the short Tampa Bay running back (Mike James?) looked pretty good. Stats tell us that he too was being used as a situational player, and his numbers for the season are decent. Btw, he is a rookie 6th round pick, not a #9. The Bills have 3 wins this season. How many position players (non-qbs) have taken over games? I count Mario Williams and Kiko. Perhaps I missed one. We need to draft game changing players. Hopefully 2013 was a start Dan. The production from our top choices has been unacceptable imo. And btw so far, I am not a great fan of Hackett or Marrone, but this could change.

I fully agree that Manuel should run and have said this time and again. As a runner, he is instinctive like Fitz but much more talented. Why not use a great asset such as this? The good news is that he slid a couple of times.

1) The drop by Gragg with 6 min. to go in the half really hurt. He did wind up being our leading receiver for the day, but this play killed a drive and he had lots of room to run. Sadly, it might have been Manuel's best pass of the game, however short. 2) Moorman.....what can I say? We all love he guy but he was horrible today and it cost us. 3) I am getting the feeling that if Kiko wasn't on this football team we might be winless. 4) By the way, Byrd impressed me today, and not just with the pick. He was encouraging other defenders, and he smacked Kyle Williams on the head after a good play. In short, he played like he really cared. 5) OK.....EJ was flat out awful today. His stats don't show just how terrible he played. Rookie? Yes. Rusty? Sure. Coming off an injury? True enough, but I admit it, he was bad enough to be concerned. But I DO like it when he runs. He is good at this. 6)Carve your name, carve your name in ice and wind. Search for where, search for where the rivers end, And where the rivers start. Do everything that's in you, that you feel to be your part. But never give your love my friend, unto a foolish heart. Unto a foolish heart. 7) No bad words for Spiller or Fred. In fact I praise them for hanging tough. The Steelers ganged up on the running game, played to make EJ beat them, and it worked. 8) I am not going to bash Gilmore today. We all saw what we saw. But I would like to hear from those who bash me, sing his almighty praise, and load up the excuse wagon week after week. Hey, what's up? 9) Big time kudos once again to Kyle Williams. The middle held up pretty well under the circumstances. Dareus and Branch both looked very good too. 10) The QB play hurt us just so much that the rest of the team was put at a disadvantage. I know that it's too early to jump to conclusions about EJ, and I am rooting hard for the kid. 11) Hughes can play. I heard the announcer say that he has 6 QB sacks. What a freaking trade!!! 12) OK, so the season is over in early November. There is still time to improve but we will not unless EJ does a complete turnaround. I really hope that he does get better. 13) The OL, imo, played well enough to win. They are not to blame for this mess. 14) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to TBD!

I don't care about his comments. He is an elderly man and I wish him well. But as to the players you list above, the only one he drafted was Lynch.

AW was a "whipping boy" because until now he was often injured, and when he was healthy he was an awful corner. And I do mean flat out awful. I am the very first to admit that I blasted that pick and for good reason. Hew was a terrible corner, and this was a continuation of the Bills propensity toward using their best resources on DBs and RBs and all but forsaking the QB position. Now, I praise AW week after week. This entire board seems happy with the 2013 draft. I know that I am. The difference is that they traded down, went after a qb, and it appears that they clicked big time on their next 3 selections, none of which were dbs or rbs. Badol credits Pettine, and why shouldn't he? Do you think that players such as Robey, Searcy, and perhaps even Hughes would be making great plays with Wanny? I am pretty sure that they would not. Pettine has the defense making big time plays and I credit him with keeping us in games despite our qb problems. Pettine is the best thing that has happened to the Bills defense since Wade Phillips.

OK..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Smart

I am guessing that you are pulling my leg.

He also realized that instead of the Dolphins signing Drew Brees as he requested, they stuck him with Dante Culpepper. Imo, Saban could come into the NFL today and win. He would bring Kirby Smart with him once again, and build yet another winner.

There are SO many different types of arm strength. I think that almost every qb can throw a ball 60 yards. But what matters most is the actual zip on the last 5 or 10 yards. Does it flutter in ala Fitz/Tuel, or does it fly in ala Bledsoe/Marino. How much air does a qb need to throw a long pass? Losman, as bad as he was, needed little. I saw Ryan Mallett toss a FLAT FOOTED 50 yard post pattern and the football was never higher than 20 feet. As for Tuel specifically, I think that Trent Edwards had a better arm. Tuel already has better pocket presence than Trent, but his long ball flutters big time. That's a big problem at this level, or so I see it my friend.

Oddly enough, it seems as if you and I have reversed positions on qb play. Imo it is now SUCH a qb driven league, there appears to be little place for a qb with such limited arm strength. We shall see.

I admitted a mistake about A. Williams in the OP. If you recall, when we drafted him the team that went after us traded their pick in round 2 and got a first in the following season. Now, he looks VERY good and I sing his praises. I also do admit that I care a lot where players are drafted. I think that most of us do. For instance, who do you focus on more, Gilmore or Moats? We have pros making draft decisions and some are mind boggling, but I still hang onto the right to expect a great deal from a top 10 pick. People like you and I are fanatics. We love this team and have too much invested in it. Want proof? It's 5 AM. I work at 7:30 and am drinking coffee and talking to you about the Bills lol. Maybe we can agree to disagree about not what Gilmore CAN be, but where he is now. And, maybe my expectations from a #10 ARE too high. You be the judge. What I do promise is that when he makes a play and ices a game for us, my praise for him will be as loud as any poster here. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This post is nonsense. I heaped praise on Spiller for his game on Sunday. As for Gilmore, a recent post shows PFF agreeing with me. You, by jumping all over me for having opinions, are doing pretty much what you accuse me of. You seem to have preconceived notions on what I say. It would be like me blasting you week after week and reminding every poster of your current, and long time praise of Dick Jauron. Who knows? Perhaps one day you will change your mind about your jobless football hero. I think he was a disaster, but you are certainly entitled to your opinion. As for Gilmore, I would like more from a #10 selection in an NFL draft. As a Bills Fan yes, I AM a tad gun shy of wasted resources. You know what I mean.....picks like Maybin, Whitner, and other selections by your football icon Dick Jauron. If and when Gilmore comes around I will be as happy as you, and will talk all day about how he wins us a game, or better yet games.

How about kill the clock, go up by 10, and receive the football to start the 3rd quarter with an undrafted rookie qb. Does this sound stupid to you? Seriously, your blind allegiance is hard to comprehend, and even a bit boring in terms of discussion.

So true! Now who, in any stretch of the imagination, would consider Tuel a "legit QB?" Seriously, would you? I am happy to agree to disagree and always welcome the dialogue. This board is great. So please make your case to me how Marrone has not been killing this team before the half in many of our games. And yes, I said Marrone, not Hackett. A strong head football coach in the NFL makes the crucial decisions. He doesn't stand there clueless. He makes the calls and the big bucks. Am I wrong?

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/163321-a-few-thoughts-about-the-game-in-no-particular-order/#entry2965076 KD answers your question.

Great post, thank you!!!

I hope that you don't mean me with the comment about "pointless hate." I am 100% willing to admit mistaken opinions. I did so in the OP wrt A. Williams. I credit Marrone with bringing in Pettine (if this was his call). I also like that the team is always fighting back. If you think that Marrone is doing a good job of clock management (ESPECIALLY around the deuce at halftime) and play calling, please illustrate your point. And btw thanks for the dialogue.