MRM33064

Perry seems like a guy in way over his head, and has a (largely) dreadful roster to work with. Not exactly a recipe for success. He did manage to beat one of our rivals, and that's worth something, but meh .... same old, same old. This season can't end quickly enough.

Millions of eyeballs were horribly abused. The Spirit of Football was spotted leaving the stadium, weeping, when Trent went back in.

Hmmm ..... they're all roughly the same size? Or is that too much of a REACH on my part ...

At the risk of infringing upon the work of "Captain Obvious"- I offer a list in response to the "QUARTERBACKS DO NOT WIN FOOTBALL GAMES" position. Yes, football is a team game, and yes it is possible to win championships on the backs of legendary NFL defenses (e.g. Dilfer, McMahon), but history shows you've got a wee bit of a better chance with a solid QB. I wouldn't be so quick to assume the noted example that the Lions would still be the Lions if Joe Montana (in his prime) was starting. Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers - SB I Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers - SB II Joe Namath, New York Jets - SBIII Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs - SB IV Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts - SB V Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys - SB VI Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins - SB VII Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins - SB VIII Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB IX Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB X Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders - SB XI Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys - SB XII Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XIII Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XIV Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders - SB XV Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers - SB XVI Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins - SB XVII Jim Plunkett, Los Angeles Raiders - SB XVIII Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers - SB XIX Jim McMahon, Chicago Bears - SB XX Phil Simms, New York Giants - SB XXI Doug Williams, Washington Redskins - SB XXII Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers - SB XXIII Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers - SB XXIV Jeff Hostetler, New York Giants - SB XXV Mark Rypien, Washington Redskins - SB XXVI Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXVII Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXVIII Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers - SB XXIX Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXX Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers - SB XXXI John Elway, Denver Broncos - SB XXXII John Elway, Denver Broncos - SB XXXIII Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams - SB XXXIV Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens - SB XXXV Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXVI Brad Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - SB XXXVII Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXVIII Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXIX Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XL Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts - SB XLI Eli Manning, New York Giants - SB XLII Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XLIII

Given the current status of our roster, I'm not sure there is any player that isn't potentially trade bait. However, we're also not in a position to just throw relatively young players to the curb for fire sale prices, depending up our new (?) front-office's tolerance for off-field nonsense. I suspect that very few players on our team would draw any type of enticing trade value. I don't believe Lynch is one of them ... notwithstanding the former expectations of the "trade Roscoe!" crowd. :-)

Thank you for this thread. Crush the Pats*. Bury them. Make the announcers lament the end of mighty Pats* season at the hands of the lowly Bills. Give us plenty of shots of Kraft hanging his head in the press box in disbelief ... while Ralph naps in his, I don't care. Steamroll these chumps. Maybe we can get folks on TSW to put all the well-intentioned, yet completely pitiful "better to lose" jive aside for one week, and re-awaken the 12th man to help break this godforsaken streak. I've got to Bill-lieve that Perry has had this one circled since the day he stepped into Caspar Milquetoast's shoes. He takes down the Pats* and he'll have beaten both of our bitter rivals with a very questionable roster. Perry isn't the guy for HC next year, but that in-and-of itself is a respectable showing.

With all the needs on this team, I think it's fair to question whether we can afford that kind of contract for a player that (for whatever reason) isn't really consistently producing. Evans may be one of the few pieces of realistic trade bait on the team, insofar as our new (<crossing fingers>) personnel department wants to blow things up and stockpile prospects. I don't usually think it's good strategy to consider dealing away solid players; however, in our case I doubt that a turnaround of our team will start from the WR position.

Their weather reports weren't correct, but they did not misread the scoreboard. They are crushed down here in South Florida over that defeat, and it's a wonderful thing. Listening to the local radio coverage team (Jimmy Cefalo, Jim Mandich, and Joe Rose) at the end of yesterday's game - the disbelief, the disappointment, the sheer despair - was brilliant. He may not be a serious coaching candidate (and probably shouldn't be, for several reasons) but if Perry can conjure up enough mojo to knock off the Patriots, he ought at least get a parade.

Just FWIW - I think the point was exactly that. Kneel on it to end the game, eliminating ANY possibility of a comeback It's really the correct move to run out the clock (as opposed to scoring again), but it's nitpicking under the circumstances. However, the homerun ball to Owens - up by 3 after the pick - was a perfectly timed thing of beauty. Anyone hear if that call was Doughboy or Fitz?

Off-topic, but I had to chuckle when I saw that ... with memories of Pillsbury doughboy calling a sideline run/sweep when we're trying to run clock, and Marshawn then trumping the stupidity by dutifully running right out of bounds.

I'd like to think that this was at least considered by the coaches, but in this case I'm not sure it's such a slam-dunk as is being suggested. Conceding anything to the Jags offense is dicey, and on balance I'm not sure I trust our offense to drive the field for a FG more than I trust our D to come up with a goal line stand. However, you'll likely draw out several posts arguing to NEVER let a team score, and those posts are incorrect.

That was, perhaps, one of the worst displays of game-day tactics in recent NFL history. I didn't have quite the same reaction Vegas55 did, but meh .... he's not exactly calling the engraver to etch his name on the Head Coach door either.

There is truth in this. A lot. I was listening to WGR the day Jauron was fired and heard several folks complaining how "it wasn't enough" or how the wrong person got fired first, and so forth. For over two years we've been clamoring to get rid of the guy - it finally happens - and instead of relief and hope (joy?), the sentiment IMMEDIATELY (within minutes!) returns to how everything is so hopeless it doesn't matter. Of course firing Jauron won't solve everything, but geez .... I was thrilled Jauron was finally out, but the Debbie Downers were out in force trying to convince everyone why we'll fail anyway, expecting it ... almost willing it to happen. When you've lived away from the area for at least a few years, it's a little easier to spot the collective attitude, which really shouldn't match the people. IMO, WNY people are among the nicest, good-hearted, hard-working, loyal people anywhere, but there is nonetheless a weird sort of espirit-de-corps around the notion that Buffalonians always get the bad calls, they never get any respect, that no matter how bright it looks at the moment they'll always get screwed in the end, etc. I don't really mind Sulllivan, but the reason why his popularity is what it is (and why he plays it up to the hilt) is because he is the literary embodiment of the "we're destined to be losers" mentality that plagues the entire area. I think Promo is on to something. Maybe we should forget Shanahan and go with Joel Osteen.

Agreed. I'm not sure it's the city per se, but the lack of media focus, the questionable level of owner involvement (with required bi-weekly football strategy calls with a 91-year-old owner), the pattern of "on-the-cheap" front office hires (from assistant coaches to pro personnel execs), and an apparent minimum 2-3 year gap until an opportunity for a serious playoff run, etc. There would have to be a heck of lot of $$ and a complete return to "hands-off" Donohoe-era approach - which Uncle Ralph doesn't look back on fondly. Possible, but not a slam-dunk. On the upside, ego stroking will be plentiful as the entire community will deify you - ensuring free chicken wings and beer at any local restaurant for a least your first 6 months in town - and the situation is so awful that the only way to go is up. Gun to my head, a leading candidate will be someone with pre-existing ties/connections to the area or the team ... for instance, Jim Haslett.

Whenever faced with a choice between: 1. Creating a situation that gives you a chance to control your own destiny by taking charge and performing well; and 2. Giving the other guy that same chance, and relying upon his failure Dick will always choose #2. He rarely ever gives his team the chance to step up and make a play in a meaningful situation. 4-and-short, down in the 4th? Dick punts. Down 7 points in the 4th - knowing that going down by 2 scores at that point basically ends it - he could push it to 3rd and 16 and ask his defense to make a play - but instead he declines the penatly, concedes the long FG try, and relies on the other guy to miss. He is not a leader. He is not a motivator. He is a poor decision maker. He loses. A lot ... which is part of the reason he not only chooses option #2, but his coaching consistently smells like #2.

Come on folks, "it's tough to win in the NFL" and "the [iNSERT TEAM NAME HERE] played well today, you've got to give them credit."

The subtitle to this thread might be: "... and so do we." How abyssmal are things at TSW if folks are taking time to follow the UFL career of an ex-Bill, presumably for the primary purpose of making fun of him if he flops there as well. If a thousand other things didn't already point to how desparately we need our own NFL team to be relevant, that sure would.

Actually, many folks in the numbers geek/game theory crowd are Zorn fans because he tends to make strategic gameday decisions ("go for it" vs. kick, etc.) that are simultaneously roundly criticized by the media yet entirely justifiable according to the applicable probabilities. Zorn is limited by a bad team ... as opposed to a coach like our beloved Dick Jauron, whose win total would likely be in the 6-9 win range no matter where he went.

We watch unwatchable games, we buy tickets, we buy jerseys, those of us who moved out of WNY buy NFL Sunday Ticket. Once each week we lose all touch with reality and act on our unmanageable impluse, rooting for this hopeless team. Not completely unlike Dexter, we Bills fans have our own "Dark Passenger."

True. I also don't know how much money one would need to have to feel good about voluntarily walking away from several million more. $3mm/year is a healthy pile of cashish, even for a guy who (presumably) already has a lot. He also doesn't outwardly seem like the kind of guy who needs to go home and take handfulls of sleeping pills to live with the stress of admitting failure each week. He spends a few minutes a week fielding fairly mild questions from Buffalo's version of hardhitting sports reporters (Sullivan, Maiorana, Hamilotn), he calls Detroit once a week to tell Uncle Ralph about all the injuries and how things will improve, watches a little film .... rinse and repeat. But .... we can dream .....

My recollection is that the Bills are usually successful at the fakes, but at that point in the game the element of surprise wasn't exactly at play (as we could see), and we needed all of 2 yards ... 6 feet. In that spot, losing the game in the 4th quarter - in front of a home crowd - you put your offense out on the field, line up, and get 2 yards. Even with the offense as ineffective as it is, the chances of gaining 2 yards with the starting offense on the field is far better than dialing up the double-reverse, flea-flicker, Statute of Liberty fake punt - especially when the Texans evidently had the entire defense on high alert for a fake. Jauron, however, would never do that. He is horrible, uninspiring, boring, uncreative and frequently wrong.

I've watched Ginn struggle down here in South Florida ever since the day he was drafted. It was, however, still one of the best recent Fin-hating moments this Bills fan has had in the last few years ... watching Cam Cameron (the "offensive-minded" twin of Dick Jauron) step to the post-draft press conference podium to a chorus of boos ... offering up this charm: "We drafted the Ginn family" .... "Ted Ginn Jr. and his family will give us everything they have." It justifiably became the punchline of every joke on South Florida sportstalk radio for 2 years. Even our perpetual mediocrity assurance team of Modrak/Guy must've busted a gut on that one.

... evidently capable of still winning games now and then, even with a bad front office, a poor head coach, a terrible quarterback situation, a piecemeal O-line, and a defense gutted by injuries

Completely agree, with one minor suggested caveat. I thought Fox's strategy was more "Mularkey" than "Jauron" ... as in, ignore the completely obvious thing to do - continue to successfully run it right at us (one of the worst run Ds in the league) - and try to be cutesy. "They think we'll keep running because it's working, so let's trick 'em and pass." Fox didn't have a great day, but at least he showed evidence of playing to win. When it's 4th down and your team is down 2 scores midway through the 4th quarter, you don't lay down and punt ... voluntarily conceding possession for field position with time running out.