Bill from NYC

OK, here goes (since you asked lol). Pears held off his man. Levitre played as if he was on fire. He was actually great at both phases of blocking. I never saw him play a game at that level. Wood was fine except for the penalties. The RG lost a few battles that I could see but I can't say that he was awful. Now, it was a stange game. Let's talk about Bell for a moment. I have blasted Bell in the past and I didn't do it for no reason. I stand by every statement. Even then I never once questioned his agility. Never. Yesterday was different. He stood up defenders on passing downs and knocked them back on running plays. That isn't even the good news. One of my complaints about him was his size (the other being strength). Yesterday, he looked as if he gained a few pounds. Did anyone else notice, or am I the only nut who looks for these things? As much as I talk about the OL and the LT position specifically, I never said that a team must have an Orlando Pace (my personal favorite, R.Rich thinks Ogden was better). But, I would want a player to be on the level of Brad Hopkins. IF, IF IF IF IF IF Bell can put on weight and get stronger without losing his agility, MAYBE he can play at this level. If so, this would mean wins for the Buffalo Bills. And btw, Hopkins blocked for a back (Eddie George) who I liken FJ to in terms of style. Oh, and he will be paid 9 or 10 million per season. Sorry to ramble, but you asked.

Wow, I hope that this isn't the way I came across to most people. We know all about Fitz, or we thought we did. The man doesn't look or throw like John Elway. It's his first complete year as a starter. He didn't play at Alabama, USC, etc. But, he is playing like a superstar, and he is doing it behind not the greatest OL. I am thrilled by Fitz. Is this better?

:D :D

Btw, Cowher was all over the hiring of Gailey. He couldn't praise him enough. I didn't know much about him and was admittedly not especially impressed. What I know now is exactly what you said. Gailey, imo, is as perfect for this team as Fitz is for this OL. The game ending field goal was gripping, wasn't it? It cut the uprights in half. Tell the truth.....were you (and others) nervous? I sure was. I try to keep my weekly post about 50/50 in terms of being analytical and emotional. It's a lot of fun writing this stuff and I am flattered by the fact that anyone gives a f&^k what I think. This week however, emotion abounds. I think the best part of this whole scenario is that if we can beat the Bengals next week, I will be just as happy as I am right now. That, imo, is a feeling that only Bills fans can understand. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are on the same page Bro. I know exactly what you mean. I predicted that the Bills would finish 5-11 this season, this after serious thought. And btw I am not ashamed of this prediction. But now, as we speak, it feels like anything can happen. Jack asks jokingly in another thread what we did to win this game. He is the answer to his own question. Just before every season he posts the video that sums it up for many of us. Times like this validate the suffering, wouldn't you say? I have absolutely no idea what the Bills are going to do this season. What I AM sure of is that the unfolding story is just as much about us as loyal fans as it is about the team itself. It's all cool. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks and yes, it really does. You see, I don't know exactly what is happening. Let me ask you this, are you SURE that we are going to beat the Bengals? You see what I'm trying to say? We are Buffalo Bills, and we are in first place. Undefeated. This is just SO great!!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

1) One thing I gotta say about Stevie Johnson. The kid is almost always open. I'm serious. We have all seen better receivers, but SJ is getting better week to week and it's impossible not to like this kid. 2) My prayers go out to A. Williams. Get well young man. 3) Chandler didn't put up big numbers. It looked to me as if he wasn't on the field so much. But, that kid gives it his all on every play, and he sure seems to be a clutch player. 4) Kudos to McKelvin. Yeah, I said that. 5) Fred Jackson is sick. Seriously, he gets better week to week and it's not like he is young. He was switching gears on a couple of those runs and is faster that I thought. I do hope that they give him a new contract. It's a safe bet that he won't take the money and quit ala Dockery. The man is a gentleman. 6) Did you people see Bellichick? He isn't ageing well at all. It's as if all the cheating is catching up with him. I know I'm wrong to take it this seriously, but he makes me sick. I can't even look at that scumbag. 7) On the beautiful run by Jackson with approx. 10:28 left in the 3rd quarter, Andy Levitre took out 2 defenders, and he did so in about 2 seconds or less. He can play on my team any day of the week. 8) Spiller hesitated on a punt return where it looked to me that he could have gained yards. He also made a fair catch on the 5. He needs to step up and contribute. 9) How often do I complain about the refs? Well, on the first 2 NE drives, the Bills defenders were held on every play. Especially Kelsay, who was actually tackled. I was sure that they were handing NE the game; it was that bad. 10) See what I mean wrt Fitz? He gets his body into position to make throws. He has to because he doesn't have a cannon, but it doesn't matter. He gets the ball in there and he's actually a thrilling player to watch. 11) Gailey is an offensive genius. It baffles me that he wasn't a long time NFL head coach. It's even a little freaky, but so is this entire team. It's as if I still, at 3-0, don't know exactly how to rate them. The pass rush is a big concern, but there is something really good about this football team that it's hard to put into words. At the risk of sounding cliche, this team plays with heart. Heart and determination that I'm not sure if I've ever seen before from any Buffalo Bills football team, and that's quite the compliment. 12) I left out a bunch of things. I know this but its as if I'm spellbound, still. 13) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I strongly disagree. Average mobility? Haven't you seen him run, both upfield and out of trouble? Fitz's mobility masks line play which is often less than stellar. Seriously, he is far more mobile and even athletic than the average qb.

It is, but not necessarily every week. Fitz, as smart as he is, is getting smarter, AND he is being coached by an intellectual type. I am not saying it will happen, but we can win this game.

Exactly. Some people are simply criminals. Genetics? Environment? Combination of both? Hard to say, but certain individuals are, and always will be criminals imo.

I am not saying that dealing with weed makes one a bad person. But in this case, a stupid one no doubt. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7003943/marijuana-seized-cincinnati-bengals-receiver-jerome-simpson-home

Thank you.

Mike, this kid is VERY good.

1) Gailey: I have SO much respect for Gailey in terms of him being an offensive mind, I am thinking that he can score us 14 points or so. He is able to implement his ideas/visions, and it shows. And, Fitz looks to be very capable of doing just this. 2) Fitz: See #1 3) Dareus: NE has a very good OL. Dareus is a kid, but he is a very good kid. He will need to keep pushing the line of scrimage back. This, as we have seen, frees up others to make plays. 4) Brad Smith: This kid is going to win us a game. I can feel it. Be it a pass, reception, or yet another key first down, we really need this kid to keep up his fine level of play. And, when I praise a situational player, there is something to it I dare say. 5) Merriman: I KNOW what I saw in preseason. He was a flat out monster. We need pass rush from the edge. If he fails, let us see more of Batten. I for one think/hope that Merriman will have a bust out game. 6) I propose a toast to this team being in contention, and to us fans for our loyalty in the face of SO many bad decisions and poor play. A win would set this community on fire. 7) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know you didn't ask me, but imo it is Levitre, and it isn't close.

That is correct Promo. And he gets his body in the position he needs to be in to make throws. Fitz is super coordinated, and actually a very good runner as well imo.

It was a matter of time. And, this points to the utter absurdity of using a football team's first pick of a draft on a small gadget player. This won't change. If a team is stupid enough to waste picks in this manner, consequences will be paid. And btw, this doesn't apply to Brad Smith. He isn't a runt, and I don't care about his stats as long as he keeps getting us key first downs. We got him at a bargain price and imo, if he stays healthy he will win us at least 1 football game this season. The kid can play!

Fitz deserves a ton of credit as well. I remember being at a home opener against Denver, absolutely knowing that Losman couldn't complete a winning td pass at the end of the game. On Sunday, I actually had faith in Fitz that he could do something to win. I liken him to a modern day Flutie, except that he is bigger, better, and much easier to like. But yes, Chan's calls did turn out right and the beauty is that (imo), Chan's best atribute as a coach is the fact that he is a teacher. He may not sound like one, but my hunch is that he is an intellectual type, and is able to get players to buy into his system. Cowher did say this about him after we signed him. Can you only imagine the momentum if we could somehow win this football game on Sunday?

In these 2 games there were at least 3 crucial plays on which Chan went the opposite direction from what I wanted to do. Results? We won 2 games. When Jauron was coach, I was almost always right when I disagreed with him on crucial plays and for that matter, the idiotic draft picks of the Levy/Jauron era. Only a Bills fan can even begin to understand this unlikely scenario. It really is great to have competent people in charge for a change.

I reserve the right to respectfully disagree.

Again, different people react in different ways to the lack of success of our team. and we all probably have too much invested in this. Once, after a horrible loss, I was reading an exchange by "Pass the Pipe" and "Tortured Soul." The names alone brought a smile to my face! Sadly, I felt their pain. That said, one has to be happy right now. I don't know if the Chiefs and the Raiders both suck. I don't care if catching breaks helped us win on Sunday. It doesn't matter. I didn't expect an awful lot from the defense until 4-6 weeks into the season. We are relying on rookies to contribute, a tough task. Well, Dareus looks great, and lots of players are making plays. The defense is bigger, stronger and will get better. If the offense can do the same next year, we can be a playoff team. Expectations such as this are more reasonable than 12-4. In the meantime, we CAN beat NE. They are better than us but perhaps we can catch a few lucky breaks. Or, maybe they will take us lightly. Or maybe we will just kick their ass. It sure would be great and make us all happy but again, we all probably have way too much invested in this, and we all have employed different methods of coping. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Davin Joseph and Mathias Kiwanuka as well, not to mention an extra second rounder, and the second round was loaded with players we needed. Yes, we drafted worse players in round (Maybin), but I have long made the contention that Whitner was the dumbest pick I ever saw. http://www.drafthistory.com/years/2006.html PS: It was #8

I am probably regarded by many as something of a 'complainer," but these first 2 games were a lot of fun, to say the least. The rest of the season? I understand why the OP is pessimistic. There has been plenty of pain for Bills fans for a long time. That said, Gailey makes a very big difference imo. I view him as a teacher, an intellectual type of coach. And, the team is bigger and stronger, and Fitz is a perfect fit. They just aren't getting pushed around like the Levy/Jauron Bills. If they are good enough to finish at 8-8, they really might be a playoff team next year. They should probably go right back to Leigon Field and grab another solid, well coached player from Alabama.

This was a perfect post. Nobody at all is being critical of their play yesterday. Not even me. You are right. Fitz is just so smart, and I don't want to downplay his superb athleticism. He gets himself in position to make a play in the bat of an eyelash. But imo, many miss the point of the bold above. Assuming the Bills OL is now average, improvement would only mean a second or 2 of comfort for Fitz on passing attempts, but that is a tremendous amount of time. Fitz always reminded me a bit of Matt Hasselback. There are differences (Hasselback had a bit more arm strength, and Fitz is more coordinated and athletic imo), but I view their skill sets as about equal. Whern Hasselback made the superbowl, he had 2 future hall of fame blockers in front of him as I recal (Jones and Hutchinson). My point is that Fitz can do this too imo. I like him better than Romo and yes.....Sanchez. If they continue to build in front of him, Fitz will be that much better and I hope they waste no time extending his contract.

LOL No! Not until they are rock solid up front. And, I remind you that Leodis was a #11.