CircleTheWagons

Anyone know what the rule is for the extra minicamp in the offseason? Is it only awarded if you change head coaches? I'm thinking this team will have enough coaching changes to justify the additional minicamp.

It seems to me from reading the posts that fans are justifying Marv's hiring to themselves by redefining the role of the GM so that Marv can succeed - saying it's simply an executive position providing direction and oversight. I don't believe it - it seems to me that great GMs can really turn teams around. Personally, I would be very excited if we quietly brought in Marv's (and Modrak's)future replacement now. I would love to read about somebody in their 30s or 40s being hired away from one of the successful franchises to fulfill the role as Marv's right hand man for the next few years. Frankly, I think it's a terrible waste if Marv / Ralph miss the opportunity. I have no doubt that Marv has a tremendous amount of football knowledge and management/coaching skills that need to be kept in the organization when he's gone.

I have to say that TD had the ability to make me look forward to the start of the season. Although most of the moves didn't work out, I always felt that we had the talent to compete at the start of the year. I feel like I've been the victim of a bait-and-switch salesman for five years. Of course, it's going to take a miracle to convince me this off-season - old defense, bad lines, and a battle of not ready for primetime QBs - it sure feels like Year 0 in a new 5 year plan.

A decade on underperforming and underwhelming teams I'm not blaming Moulds, but there haven't been too many years where he has made his QBs or coaches look great. If Moulds is a leader on the team, maybe we need a new set of leaders. This team is too far away to try and placate guys who have 1-2 years left in their career. Off the top of my head, that would be Moulds, Milloy, Vincent, Fletcher, and Adams. I like all five of those guys, but they won't make an impact on the Bills in 2007. I thought they were all good signings when I was convinced that we were "almost there." Now they look like wasted cap space to me.

I read your link, but I don't get it Are you saying the play isn't over when the ref blows his whistle? How do the players know when to stop playing? If the play is over at the whistle, how can you then call a fumble and determine who would have come up with the ball if there wasn't a whistle? Won't it reward players who ignore the whistle?

Fair enough, but how do you measure success and how long do you give TD to attain success? Ralph may measure success by "butts in seats," but as a fan, I measure it by wins and post-season appearances. In my book, TD has failed in Buffalo. It's not like we are even close enough to justify giving TD another year - that was the excuse for this year. Most of TD's choices seemed good to me at the time he made them - that just means that I would have also failed. Fortunately I'm not the GM.

Ouch. When one of the most respected posters starts taking cheap shots, you know we're in trouble. Any fan who complains about face painting and costumes, no matter how eloquently he makes his point, needs a "Lighten up, Francis." Give me the guy screaming at every hit before I have to sit beside someone trying to be some sort of football genius (what an oxymoron) and explaining how the cornerback was beaten deep because he has "stiff hips."

I've stopped defending TD with the "at the time" logic - it seemed like a good move or pick "at the time." I'm not the GM and I don't have access to all of the scouting reports and player profiles that TD and his team have. As a fan, I can only judge his decisions with hindsight. After five years of apparently good choices "at the time" the team is still below average. All I've learned from TD is that I would suck as a GM too.

Yep, it's just you. All the rest of the Bills faithful enjoy watching the team struggle. It's our inferiority complex. We should make a big deal about a player drafted 4th overall moving from tackle to guard. We should demand that they cut him NOW. That will make us better. Or we could fire the whole coaching staff and bring in a real Offensive Line coach. Sorry, I'm just not sure what you want the fans to do

Umm, what's the Jonas item?

Fair enough. I'm confident that the Bills understand what Holcomb brings to the team and his 4 starts have reinforced their opinion. Losman is still too much of an unknown to decide if he can start next year or if we need to bring in another QB in the offseason to compete with Holcomb.

In fairness, neither could billy joe

Why? Do you really think if Holcomb continues to play as well as he has we will go to the playoffs this year? If yes, then I understand your position - if no, then why not let Losman get some experience in the second half of the year and open up the QB competition in training camp. I don't want Losman getting a free ride again next summer. Let him get the experience over the next 8 games, and if he doesn't improve, we need to open up all our options for training camp.

I almost agreed with you, but then I said screw it. I don't care what he looks like, how he talks, if he has some sort of emo B.S. whatever. I want him to consistently complete a 15 yard out to Moulds, maybe complete a deep throw to Evans once a game. Start doing that consistently and the Bills faithful will walk through walls for the guy. We need a QB more than we need a leader.

So, did she show up? We need details... (some of us still have some faith, even a little in the Bills )

Maybe we could start Losman and bring in Holcomb on 3rd downs so JP doesn't get tired

Can we please fire someone? I agree we need to fix the lines but that won't happen until AT LEAST next year, probably two years to find and groom 3-5 different starters on the lines. By that time, Fletcher, Malloy and Vincent are done and need to be replaced. I agree that firing a coordinator is not going to get the job done, but somebody needs to "take one for team."

Personally, I'm finally off the TD kool-aid. 5 years without playoffs is one thing, but it now feels like there has been 0 progress in those 5 years. Could the 2005 Bills beat the 2000 Bills? I'm not sure we could beat the 2001 Bills right now. We're a step above the worst teams in the league but below average - we've lost to average teams. TD is great at building excitement with his fan-pleasing decisions but I'm not sure he can build a winner in Buffalo.

Holcomb should be in his lineman's face all day and then smile afterwards and say "we need to work on all phases of the game." Pointing fingers after the game is chicken sh--. Sounds like Holcomb's trying to defend a subpar performance afterwards rather than leading the team.

Nope, but it might explain all the interceptions

Well, who would sit the Superbowl MVP

Good for them, but I wish they could hand the settlement over to a charity that could use the money AND would be willing to force the issue. I don't blame the family for not pursuing it, they need to get on with their lives. He should never be allowed to forget it and move on.

Anyone else (besides me) willing to give Lindell some credit for today's win? Another mistake free game AND a 47 yarder that doesn't go wide right. I'm not sure that he's the best kicker in the NFL but I'm glad he's kicking for the Bills. Without his field goal we might have been looking at OT today. Thanks RL, we live to fight another day...

Well, it seems to me that you contradict yourself - if the Rams and Ravens were built through many high draft picks, then it seems to me they must have been very bad. Isn't that the definition of coming out of nowhere? The 3 years before the Rams won their Championship they had 6 wins, 5 wins, then 4 wins. The odds were 200-1 against them winning (my brother had a $10 ticket). How is that not coming out of nowhere?

If Holcomb has a week pf practise to prepare and the offense looks as bad as it has to this point against the Fish and Jests, then we can write off the season and put JP back in. I'll go watch hockey. If we're 3-3 in two weeks and the offense is moving the ball, JP can sit until he earns the starting spot back, or until we are out of the playoff hunt this year. If Holcomb fails, two weeks off are not going to ruin JP's development for next year - I think it will help him to take a step back. I think it's unacceptable for a team to sacrifice a year of 40+ players' short careers for the development of a single player. If JP wants to lead the Bills, he needs to get better.