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So, how a about a stat comparison to see whether or not Cosell's argument bears any weight? I went to NC State and watched Glennon play quite a bit (almost every week). I saw Manuel play a lot too. They both played very well in college, and Glennon played in the same system that Matt Ryan did when he was at BC (same coach and OC at NC State as Ryan had at BC). One thing that people forget is the complexity that was involved in the Florida State and NC State offenses. Their playbooks are much more complicated than even most in the NFL. Both played at a high level against very solid competition in college in the ACC, and each played in multiple bowl games. So far, here's the side by side NFL Comparison: Glennon 7 Games Played: 154-248 (62.1%) 6.19 YPA for 1535 yds. 11 TD 4 INT 1 FMBL QBR-45.5 Rating 87.7 Manuel 7 Games Played: 127-217 (58.5%) 6.38 YPA for 1385 yds. 8 TD 4 INT 2 FMBL QBR-44.8 Rating 82.1 Statistically, there is not a whole lot of distinction between Manuel and Glennon. Also, keep in mind that Buffalo has a stronger running game (2nd in the AFC and 7th Overall in the NFL) and that they run the ball far more than the Buccaneers who consistently find themselves playing from behind. Watching both Quarterbacks, there is a lot of positive in both of their games. Manuel has shown in more games than not (Carolina, Cleveland, New England and Jets #2) that he has the ability to be a very good pocket passer. He does not make a lot of "killer" mistakes (i.e. blatantly throwing interceptions). Mistakes happen, and he has made many. However, I do not think that Glennon has SO outplayed all of the other starting rookie Quarterbacks that were drafted with him to say that he is by far the best. We'll see how these two old foes look against one another in four weeks. That should give us a good comparative.

You're kidding right? The only delusional thing is to 1.) suggest that you can determine who is better after five games, and 2.) suggest that Geno's rating has nothing to do with the terrible pass defenses that he has played in the last four weeks. He has three (or four) times the number of interceptions and turnovers that EJ does. Why? Because he might have a good arm (which EJ has shown he also has in several of the games we've played) but he is a very poor decision maker with the football. Long term, that is not going to change, because Geno is not particularly football smart. When the OC calls for a double fly route, throw it as far as you can, anyone can do that. What happens to Geno when he plays a better defense? He implodes, and has 4 turnovers. EJ has not played a game nearly that bad. Consistency is the key to determining which QB is going to be better, or is playing better right now. EJ has been more consistent. And, as I mentioned in another post today, people have quickly forgotten how well he was playing on Thursday night before he got hurt. Before he left the game, the Browns defense couldn't stop us, either in the run game or passing the ball. People need to take a step back and evaluate both QBs play as a whole, rather than making irrational statements after reviewing just one week.

People are also quickly forgetting how well EJ was playing on Thursday night against a much better defense than what Geno faced this week. Rookie QBs are going to have good games and bad games. Most people seem to be coming around to the fact that EJ has the potential to be a very good quarterback, who has some rookie corrections to make. He has been pretty consistent in his play, minus the game against the Jets. He doesn't throw too many interceptions, and has started to become better at making the long, downfield throws than he was in camp. Geno played well last night, but if our receivers were that open against a defensive secondary, I think EJ would have put up those kinds of numbers. Smith has been VERY inconsistent, and has not been able to string two good games together so far this season. And, I would argue, had EJ been in the game in the second half on Thursday, there's no way we lose that game. Period. Let's see where they are after the end of the season and how they played overall, rather than anointing Geno Smith as the best thing since sliced bread, and deeming EJ to be only average at best.

NT is a position we could try to upgrade, but it isn't our weakest area on the DL. Stroud was outclassed at DE. We had NO contain from the line all years and thus we got beat up badly on off tackle plays. We need a 3-4 DE. Marcel Dareus is the best option in RD1 for that position. Troup has the size and speed to play NT. He deserves a chance to do the job for a whole season before we give up on him. We NEED two LBs in this draft who can come in and start. Period. Until we upgrade the LB position, you can forget the D being much better. 3-4 D is very LB oriented, and that was our biggest weakness last year.

If you bring in Mankins, he plays right tackle. Your line would be: Bell-Levitre-Wood-Urbik-Mankins Buffalo would then be set at OL. Draft focus will be on DL and LB if we go with areas of need. We can address the TE situation in FA. Mankins, though is going to cost a lot of money at an area where we are pretty solid. I'd rather see us get some LB or DL help. Assuming of course, we HAVE FA issues. You know, that whole no CBA thing might make for some serious issues.

No, I think most people will blame the front office in three years if the team hasn't gotten any better. Spiller had limited playing time, and coaches said he was having trouble adjusting to some differences in the game's speed. Troup was behind our only pro bowl player, but did well when filling in. Carrington didn't play until Edwards got hurt near the end of the season and was respectable. People here need to stop thinking that one draft in a new regime tells you anything in one year. Does Shanahan suck the after the year he and his draft class had? Let's give this FO a chance to actually rebuild this team before we close down the project.

Hopefully, they're in front of their televisions watching the game. Gailey's crew has outclassed Lewis's boys for three quarters.

The last sentence of this post was the only one that made sense, and unfortunately, was wholly oxymoronic. When you cheat and win, not once, not twice, but documented cheating before SB games? Where should that person's self-respect be found? In the trash. No one here is "crying to mommy" about the Pats beating the Bills because they were cheating. I'm certainly not. However, there was discussion at the time of the scandal that the Pats were doing this to teams like the Lions. Really? You needed video to beat the Lions in 2004-5? The discussion about the Patriots cheating to win games has nothing to do with the fact that they beat Buffalo all those years. We were so bad, they wouldn't have needed to do that to win. Sorry but that's true and any fan who watched the games here can and should admit that. What the argument is about,is that the NFL and the sports news commentators continue their love affair with the Patriots for being such a great team and how they won all those Super Bowls and all those games etc. etc. The problem is, with all cheaters, their legacy should be tarnished. If a college team had done something like this, their title would have been taken away. That would have been the appropriate message to send to the Pats, taking their titles away for the years there was evidence they cheated. But, instead, they got a slap on the wrist, because the NFL couldn't afford to lose any of their fan base in the Northeast. That's the point of this As for the parenting comments, yes parents are primarily responsible for teaching their children values and morals, and should hope that their children listen. But children have role models in society and people that they look up to. Those persons can influence what children do regardless of what a parent may tell them. And if everyone else tells them its okay to do X (i.e. cheat)but you tell them to do Y (i.e. not cheat) they would, perhaps be conflicted yes? Perhaps not in the perfect polly world where kids do everything their parents do, but in real life, yes. And if everyone is endorsing the idea that cheating is okay, and all you'll get is a slap on the wrist, but nothing else bad will happen to you, what do you think they're going to do? So to suggest that other people besides parents don't have ANY influence in how children make decisions, is perhaps misjudged.

Thank you. Well stated.

Okay, this is starting to get completely ridiculous. Every year the team starts off poorly, people start up with the "The Team's leaving" and "Get a new coach" talk. First off, the team is not leaving. People are still buying tickets and the stadium is selling out. The league has already discussed moving Jacksonville, and they are a much more likely franchise to move than Buffalo. And, just to be clear, just because there has not been a public announcement by Ralph Wilson concerning the future of the team should he pass away, doesn't mean there isn't one. Do you publicly tell everyone what you're planning to do with all of your money when you die? Probably not. As for the calls for a coaching change, seriously, can we quit it? This is beyond stupid. The guy has coached two games here, with a majority of players from the lazy Jauron Era, and all of a sudden, he's supposed to be 2-0 and predicted to crush the Patriots this week? If you really thought that this team was going to be turned around in one offseason and by a change of scheme, without much a of a change in certain positions, you were living in an unsustainable fantasy land. Welcome back to reality. The team is rebuilding with a new FO and new staff. Trent was NOT going to be the savior in this offense or any other offense. Buffalo chose to start the rebuilding effort on the defensive side of the ball, which by the way, was probably the right move. The defense is actually not bad. Most of Green Bay's points last week came off of short field drives because of the offenses' inability to move on a top five defense in the league. Chan and Nix should get more than one offseason and two games to try and make this team better. Trading Lynch to Green Bay for AJ Hawk, per the rumors that have been circulating, would be a good move. Spiller is the RB of the future and I think he should be getting more carries now, but that's not my call. I know it is difficult to be patient after the last decade, but seriously, Rome was not built in a day, as the old saying goes. This is going to take at least another two years before all the pieces are in place to win. What we need to look for is whether the players we know we are going to have over that time are improving. Jesus, give the coach a chance to get his players in place and get the system worked out before we start with the torches and pitchforks.

He's there. Check out the usual TSW bashing of our young players on the wall with the Maybin thread title. I think Brohm was a bit disheartened when he was selected by Green Bay. The guy was a four year starter, and wanted to go somewhere he knew he had a chance to start. In Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers was the anointed replacement for Favre and was never going to be ousted. Brohm had to know he was being selected to be a career backup, and maybe get four or five years to start if and when Rodgers eventually retired, assuming he didn't pull another Favre and play til forty. Now, Brohm sees an opportunity to become a starter in the NFL and really seems to be motivated. I think all of those good characteristics are starting to come out. I get this sense that Gailey must have really liked what he saw of the kid on film and wants him to get his shot. I would not be at all surprised if Brohm is our starting QB by the end of training camp, with the job being his to lose in the pre-season. That would not surprise me at all, and frankly, would probably be the best situation for this team in the long run, particularly if he can develop even into a slightly above average QB.

What it tells me is that he sees the huge money train sending all of his cash to pay two top five caliber starting LTs the money necessary to keep them and he better move one while he can. Gaither has no value to the Ravens after next season and OZ knows it. He'll be a URFA next year and Baltimore gets nothing. As for Friedgen, I don't know that I'd call him the greatest judge of motivational talent. Either way, the fact remains, Buffalo needs an upgrade at LT. Gaither is in an embarassing situation and will likely have something to prove wherever he goes. Gaither at 50% effort is better than what we have now. And if he wasn't giving his full effort for the 11 starts he played in last year, accumulating the stats that he did, I'd hate to see what the guy could do when he gave his full effort, because he was scary good when he was healthy. Flacco almost never had rushers from that side and was comfortable in the pocket because Gaither, then Oher, made him feel that way. Don't see your logic there. People say things about players that they want gone, or that want out of a situation. Its human nature. Take what you "hear" with a grain of salt. I know what I've seen out of Gaither on the television in the games I've seen the Ravens play. To quote Rick Jeanerette, he's "scary good."

That pretty much sums it up.

Point understood. Completely agree. 100%. Essentially trading Peters for Wood was a huge upgrade, and IMO getting Gaither for a 2nd round pick, regardless of where in the second round it is, would be a steal in terms of value. Should the FO pull this off (knock on wood) I don't think there can be much of an argument that this offseason seems to have set us on the right track.

Sometimes I agree with you Rico. Not this time. I never said that Donte was a top nine safety, for the record. I may have said that he is a good player and that calling him a bust is not accurate, but I've never said that. Not accusing, just stating for the record. As for Gaither being a top-five tackle, to answer your question no, and I disagree with your conclusion. First, it is possible for a team to have two top five tackles on their roster. It happens. When Oher was drafted, he was drafted to play right tackle because Gaither was their starter at LT. Gaither was very very good, then he got hurt. Oher was moved to LT. Oher was very very good. Gaither realized that he was very unlikely to earn his starting spot at LT back and that his short rookie contract would be up after this season. Now he is at RT, a position that will pay him less money and devestate his stock next offseason if he goes into free agency because he would be in the RT pool in terms of contract negotiations. He wants out. We want him. Statistically there is little to suggest that Gaither is not a top five tackle. Almost everyone who knows football universally says that he is a top five tackle and that Baltimore is the enviable, or unenviable, position of having two top five tackles on their roster. Don't see how you can come to that conclusion.