BS78

I agree with this - that drafting a QB rd 1 is a gamble and round 1 picks are often more trouble than they are worth - and I prefer to build the team from the inside/out, focusing on OL and D front 7, but an LT is no sure thing either, so I think it comes down, as you suggest, to the question of whether either of these QBs (or any other in the draft) is worth the rd 1 gamble, keeping in mind other strengths and weaknesses of our roster. In my (non-expert) view, both Claussen and Bradford are worth it, and you can probably find a solid OT in round 2, but let's hope the Bills are at least thinking along these lines when they put together the draft board.

If Clausen or Bradford is there at 9, you take him. Based on this collection of mocks, only the Skins and Seahawks are looking QB (though two mocks have the rams taking clausen #1 overall), so hopefully one of them goes another way. If both guys are gone, you take a LT unless you see under-rated LTs we can get in round 2 and are in love with a front seven defender at 9, e.g., McClain.

I agree with this line-up, though depending on who is available I would be willing to go QB round 1 and get a tackle in round 2. In any event, assuming a Rookie LT, I think the other 4 positions make up an average NFL line right now, with the talent to become an elite line in a couple of years (left to right, 1/2 rd ('10), 2 rd ('09), 1 rd ('09), 3 rd ('05), ?). We have some depth as well, as the original poster pointed out. Assuming we do draft a LT high, and we stay healthy, I don't think our o-line will be a problem next year -- it wont be a strength (yet) but it won't make the season DOA like it did last year.

Looks good, but tough to judge playing behind those massive DTs. They keep the o-line off him and he runs free.

I am ND fan, as well as a Bills fan. Follow both religiously. I would be okay with Weis as the hire. Immediately better than Jauron, although that's not saying much. I believe our offense would improve almost immediately. I also believe that Weis learned a lot about being a HC while failing at ND. Lastly, Weis' two biggest failings at ND were probably player development and leadership, two things which are vastly more important at the college level. Would I prefer Weis as the OC, with someone else at HC? Yes, but I would still take Weis as HC. Do I think it's odd to hire a coach before a GM? Yes.

If Wood can return next season and beyond, without lasting impact from his injury, I am actually pretty optimistic about the interior of our O-line. I think you'll see a significant improvement from the rookies, and if can get decent play at the tackle spots, that will help the interior as well. I agree with the poster who suggested moving Wood to center and Butler back to RG, and I think the Bills view Wood as their Center of the future, but his injury might delay that move another year. I even like Bell and Meredith as back-up Tackles, bc they both have the potential to be quality players. But that obviously leaves us two tackles short. So for next year, I think we should expect the same line that started the season, but with a new LT (coming from where (FA or draft), I don't know). In other words, Levitre at LG, Hangartner at C, Wood at RG, and Butler at RT. Hopefully the move of Wood to C happens the following year. And hopefully we spend our #1 pick on a LT if the QB we want is not there. If not, take the LT second, assuming somebody is close to value at that spot.

Any updates on the injuries to Butler, McKelvin, Nelson, and Schouman (who I expect is lost for the year)?

The difference is that v. the Pats, Poz was hitting guys in the hole at the line of scrimmage and bringing them down. One play in particular he took on a guard one-on-one, shed him, and made the tackle at the LOS. Buggs came in, hit a guy a half-step late, with a lot less force, and got pulled for 4 yards before the guy went down. Buggs may be fast, but if you lose a second trying to identify the play, it doesn't matter how fast you are, you are not going to get there in time. That said, I hope you're right.

Spot on.

Update on bills official site. Jauron says he's hoping to have Poz back before the mid-way point, and Kelsay may play this weekend.

Or, for more selfish reasons, you should be cheering him on Sunday because we want him to do well, so the Bills do well. Same reason you make noise when the other team is trying to call out a snap count. Imagine the boost it would give you if you f'd up, you know it and you know everybody else knows it, and you come out expecting boos, and get huge cheers instead. Cheer Leodis on Sunday = helps Leodis = helps Bills = makes Bills fans happy.

Looks like 5-3, if all the teams play like they did in week one. Big problem for us is can we play at the same level on defense with Buggs manning the mlb spot. I don't think so.

Poz had a wrap on his arm BEFORE the play on which he got injured. Go back and take a look yourself or look for the replays. Anybody know what that's about?

Very quick grades: Edwards - B+ Jackson - A WRs - B (no stats to show for it, but the bills moved the ball all night bc the Pats were paying them so much attn) TEs - B Oline - A- (would have been an A but for Bell's mistakes and the final drive) Dline - B+ v. the Pass, A- v the Run LBs - B (Poz had an A- before going out with injury) Mitchell and Ellison looked fine. Buggs not so much. Secondary - B- (cushion too big, but that's the D we were playing) Special Teams: B- (awful return game, punt coverage was fine including a couple excellent punts from Moorman, 1/1 for Lindell) Coaching: A- (I think Jauron's too soft and should have been let go, but if you're blaming this one on him it's only because you either need somebody to lash out at (understandably) or you're obsessed)

Normally I would be on board with this view of "we looked good, take solace." But we just lost our best linebacker - and if you think he was going to be average again this year, take a look back at the first quarter and think again. Now what are we going to do? Get toasted in the middle of our D all year, that's what.

In case you those saying Poz is over-rated weren't watching, he was playing at a whole other level from last year before he got hurt. An actual difference maker instead of just making the tackle. Last year = overrated, tonight = looked like the real deal. Too bad. But then, we're the bills.

I thought Ellison played well. Forced into calling the defense too, it looked like. Back MLB was awful though.

Edwards played a very good game. Didn't force anything to Owens and Evans because pats were taking that away, and led the Bills on a 4th quarter TD drive in a hostile environment. Should have been enough, but these are the Bills. O line looked very good apart from Bell. They really did. Poz looked great - an actual difference maker, which is what he never was last year. Of course it'll probably turn out he's out for 6 weeks or something. Honestly it came down to one play - rarely can you say that, but this one did.

I'm cautiously optimistic that Russ knows what he's going. Cleaning out the dead weight and building the team the right way - the o-line and d-line. Picking Wood, Levitre, & Maybin to start the draft. We're developing Bell too. He also went out and got Stroud, which immediately took our D to another level (though obviously not the highest level). I think we all know by now that the game is won and lost in the trenches, and we are starting to build our team that way. It's enough that I'm willing to accept a bad record this year, if we continue to build this way.

I have not given up, but I'm not optimistic about the 09-10 Bills. Let's say we are a complete mess this year and end up with the #1, 2, or 3 pick. Let's also assume that Maybin looks like the real deal and so does Trent (big assumption), because, if either busts, we would take a DE or QB. What position do we take? I would say best front 7 defender available. Agreed?