The Big Cat

Signed in May cut in June. Was on the roster for three weeks.

Given your ongoing and fervent critique of the 2015 defense, I'm shocked to hear you say it has irreplaceable parts.

More than meets the eye with the Brandon Spikes situation. SPECULATION: He's up to some weird stuff off the field that the organization (and 31 others) believe was more costly than the value of his on-field contributions.

That's because you insist on the notion that roster movement is more detrimental than organizational movement. In the era of free agency, roster movement is inevitable, it can be accounted for and it can be forecasted. Organizational movement is voluntary and has a lush history of breeding instability.

He asked you about the roster. Not the results.

Not odd. Gives the HC locker-room buy-in heading into a meaningless season finale. Eagles announcement yesterday kickstarted the 2016 coaching parade early, best to let everyone know where WE stand lest anyone lose their focus.

the not knowing anyting about Rex...how? this is the part that confuses me know anything about what should be expected from the defense? know what kinds of problems he's causing?

It might make sense to you. It might just simply make sense. But it probably won't happen.

The Patriots did all their winning while they were healthy. Since Edleman and co. have missed time, they've suffered. Ditto Dalton/Bengals. You're making his argument for him.

Russ Brandon is the president of a multi-billion dollar entertainment conglomerate. You're goddamn right he has a seat at the table. What he chooses to do with it is up to him.

So Thurman indicates there's more to the Mario v Rex situation? Or more to the situation on the whole? And what did Wawrow add to further this?

Even if you think there's nothing else Mario could have done on this play because of "scheme," you said so yourself, it's on the OLB who can't escape a block...from WR. Is that scheme? Or is it, as many of us have been harping on for months, ****ty linebackers?

https://t.co/Ihayhtqp28

Meanwhile on twitter: https://twitter.com/SalSports/status/682222826275737601

I want to talk about Rex's effusive praise for Tarpley twice today. Rex either: Loves him and his sincere (unlikely). Loves what he could be but was sincere when he said Tarpley needed to work on his bod (likely) Is totally full of horse **** and is just trying to boost the young guy's confidence. (most likely)

I never profess to have THE answer. Injuries aren't THE reason for the setback. But injuries really really really hurt this defense. Come one. To say otherwise is absurd. But the biggest injury--by far--was Aaron Williams. I've been saying this since September: losing Aaron Williams was the death knell for any prayer this defense might have had in this new scheme. Would love to see Jeremy Cash come in and fill his role next year if he's going to hang it up for good.

Who are you talking to?

Mario isn't nor ever was a leader on this team.

The only time I'll actually get upset is when I'm accused of being inconsistent. I know what I know. And I know what I don't know. Makes it easy to stay on message.

It's wow because it's happening...on a Tuesday...with one game to play.

Schwartz runs a scheme that relies entirely on the guys up front. Without elite talent there, the scheme gets exposed. In 2014 his defense had a freakishly good bill of health. This is not an opinion, this is relative to all other teams, spanning many many years. I'm tired of "all teams deal with injuries." That's a non-response. The Bills did NOT deal with injuries last year on defense and some get hit harder than others, like the Bills have this year. We'll see.

Any updates on the fan-led coup?

I'll happily re-list last year's offseason acquisitions that contributed in a big way in 2015: QB1 RB1 RB2 RB3 WR2 TE1 RG1 LG1 CB2 That's seven starters that weren't on the roster last year. I don't know that we need a NT, but needs for defenses starters, assuming no Aaron Williams include: S1 S2 ILB OLB (pass rushing) DE NT I think that's worst-case scenario. And it assumes players on the roster like Jairus Wyn, Corbin Bryant, AJ Tarpley, Ty Powell and Tony Steward aren't up for doing what needs to be done to plug some of those holes. I don't put any of the offensive "needs" out there, because I don't believe they're as dire as what needs to happen on defense. But I've seen a couple of times now that 2016 needs are being overstated to make the point that Whaley and Co couldn't possibly be up to the task. Everything we've seen thus far indicates otherwise, IMO.