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That would have been a screaming deal.... Charles

I'm trying to think how we can rebuild both our lines...I'm not sure what the cap impact would be but maybe someone better informed can fill in... Offensive line: Heard that Brad Hopkins of the Titans may be let go for cap reasons. I'd like to see how he'd do on the Bills' left side. He's sort of Ruben Brown at left tackle in terms of false starts and penalties but he has protected the blind side of a very good mobile QB. His experience could be invaluable. I think we let Gandy move in to left guard. That's more his position anyway. Teague needs to be let go or moved to left tackle (if we don't make a play for Hopkins). Preston is our future at Center. For now, Villarial needs to be right guard, with Geisinger being groomed for the future. JG is a fine player and I think will prove to be a real good find in last year's draft. His only concern is durability. I'm in two minds about right tackle. As good as Jason Peters is, I don't think RT is his natural and best position. The kid should be a freak TE. Big, strong and fast with soft hands. Any DB, LB or Safety should be terrified to tackle or defend him. Plus he would make an enormous, safety outlet target for JP. I don't get why we're not using him that way. The guy could be our Matt Jones with snot and 'tude. I realize we drafted Kevin Everett for the TE position. But, I know what we have with Peters as opposed to waiting to find out about KE. So, as unpopular as this decision would be, I say get Williams to take a hefty pay cut and keep him at RT. He's been adequate when healthy. Or move Gandy to RT, get Steve Hutchinson in here at LG and try one of the following combos at LT and C. Teague, Preston Hopkins, Preston Hopkins, Teague (with Preston at LG). I think Ross Verba is available but he may ask too much money. And for God's sake - pay the talented guys to come to Buffalo. Defensive Line: 1) No doubt about it - draft an impact DT in the first round. It's easier for a DT to contribute as a rookie than OTs. 2) Find a stop gap second tier veteran DE (like Brock or Mathis from Indy) for DL to be part of the rotation on the left side. I think the braintrust at OBD must be kicking themselves for letting someone like Kyle Vanden Bosch slipping thru our fingers. I think that makes sense. I'd love to see more ideas... Charles

Given our pathetic recent history with players we've rejected, I fully expect SA to go elsewhere *AND* have a Pro Bowl year. In consecutive years we would have lost Pat Williams and Sam Adams. Seeing the world beaters in there now stopping the run, I guess we don't need him. (Sarcasm off) Sam Adams is a fat, lazy ass DT. But Sam Adams on one leg is far better than what we've got right now. Unless something dramatic happens between now and the beginning of next season. Right now, we just don't have the horses... Charles

ESPN reporting suspension upheld... http://football.espn.go.com/nfl/index

Right now - this team is just slightly gutless (with the exception of a *few* individuals) than the last of the GW teams... I really think JP is going to give the Jim Kelly legend here a run for the money. These last two weeks - his attitude and spirit has been great. I think Evans is gonna be good to great. McGahee needs to get his head out of a** but he'll be a horse we can run with it for a while...We could use a money TE but most of all We just need (O and D) lines worth a damn... But, if I were Mularkey I'd start keep a sharp eye on the deadwood at OBD. Sad thing is it seems like most of them are vets.

I went to bed after my post last night...I'm lucky I didn't start drinking...heavily... There were hits and misses on JB/AJ's draft watch...but we always had serviceable players. Also let's not forget that we were always picking later than sooner because we always *made* the playoffs. I think SDS makes a good point about us whiffing on OL picks even in the Butler days. But at least I liked my odds. The thing that always impressed me about the pre-TD era picks was that even our first rounders esp. on defense were not necessarily household names but they always seemed to play well here. I credit Marv and Wade for that. They also did not necessarily make Pro Bowls by the load - but again they seemed to have a lot of heart and played their collective a**es off. And they were mentally strong. I just can't say the same for our present batch except for maybe Takeo and Schobel and now I'm thinking Losman after yesterday's play. Guy's a gamer...He had no support yesterday... Fletcher annoys the c*** out of me. He just runs blindly around the field. One of my fave players, Milloy, seems to be doing the same now. They're all playing stupid...which just baffles me. So, eventhough you're right SDS about the lack of maybe Pro Bowl talent, I think we still had some "football players" here. I still maintain that my theory that TD doesn't like players who question authority is correct. But, more often than not they're the "never say die" guys on the field. Bummer Charles

The thing that strikes me about our present front office team is that TD seems to not know a football player. At least John Butler and AJ Smith seem to have had a clue. Enough of JB leaving us in cap hell. In today's NFL, with the exception of New England and Pittsburgh, every team faces it, just a question of when. JB had one lousy draft and an umanageable cap but it may also have been a f*** you to Ralphie, or there might have been meddling by the venerable owner. But on balance, I rather have JB/AJ/Dwight Adams running my player acquisition than the stooges we've got now. Although, I'd like to see what Modrak would do without TD around... Charles

Look, I love Sam Wyche...But, if we hire him as OC, we might as well buy the plot of land to bury him. They guy has cardiac myopathy. He's gonna require surgery 2-3 years from now. It's better for him if he doesn't take on more responsibilities. Charles

365football.com doesn't have anything intelligent to say and this writer hasn't been impressing me. Connor Byrne really can't write. I am no pollyanna - but at least Sullivan from the Buffalo News can make valid arguments. Charles

My guess is that Clements is the designated scapegoat for this season. The buzz must be in the air at OBD. TC is just instigating a preemptive strike... Charles

First of all let me say I think this is a great thing. McGee is locked up for 4 years. But, does anyone remember Donahoe saying negotiations in the middle of the season are distractions for the team per Williams, Jennings, Winfield etc. Not that I think those guys with the exception of Williams should have been signed. But notice how Donahoe uses the distraction excuse whenever he's not hot on re-signing the player?

I'm not one to normally torture myself over the Bills after the loss - but this last loss has driven me over the edge. I'm trying to analyze why since the TD era we've had no success...I think the reason is (master of the obvious), the coaching has never been able to instill discipline on the field (per assignments and overpursuing etc.) and our players don't seem to have the smarts to play intelligently. Say what you want about the Levy/Phillips/Polian/Butler era - some of those players might not have been the most talented or athletic - but they were football smart... And I also think smarts and independent thinking go hand in hand - this regime doesn't seem to want the latter with a few exceptions...Moulds, Holcomb, Spikes, Schoebel etc. This I think translates to some of the indiscipline we see on the field. Is there any way we can lure Jeff Fisher to Buffalo with the promise of total control? Charles

Well., I'm fairly new to the Bills - became a fan during the 90s - I count the counting at the end of the Wade/Butler area...not that we didn't suffer before that - but it's been pretty acute the last 7. Charles

That was really brilliant - great post & observation...Kyle Vanden Bosch - where are ye? Didn't he come to Orchard Park. Our talent evaluators thought he was done... We just don't have anyone in our D-Line that strikes fear into the opposing "O." Sorry, Sam Adams ain't it...

Dear God in Valhalla... You must be kidding, right? To quote one of the posters here - We're just pissed...Don't you think we're entitled...? I think it's amusing - everytime a fan or poster here says, "Train wreck coming..." The train wreck happens, the coaching staff (surprisingly) admits the train wreck happened...then the poster(s) get called on the carpet for being a disloyal fan. Where's the logic? Shouldn't your ire be directed at the staff who: a) either can't see a train wreck before a poster on this board sees it coming or b) knows a train wreck is about to happen and yet drives the train into the abyss anyway... Who are you pissed at again? Tell you what pass the Kool-Aid, I might as well totally kid myself and just hallucinate we have a playoff calibre team with these dummies... Charles

Heh,,,,me too... Here's the thing - if we beat the Pats (and it's a pretty big IF), great...But, frankly I don't give a rat's ass if we do or not - I'm more concerned with making it to the playoffs. I feel as a patient fan waiting for 7 years now and counting - I am entitled. There's nothing in the play of the team right now that makes me feel like it's gonna happen... Charles

Someone mentioned scouting being a problem...I'd seem to remember one of TD's first changes was DwighT Adams being shown the door... The guy knew talent - does he work for SD now?

To me that Pat Williams loss is looming large again...This is squarely on TD's shoulders...Maybe the Minn. D isn't playing great, but PW isn't being blamed for it...He was perfect for Gray's scheme... We have no pressure up front and our Pro Bowl corner and strong safety are playing awful right now. If someone makes half a play, they start showboating...What is up with that? Charles

And STFU Willis..., Best back in the NFL my a&% Sure, the O-line played like poop. But Willis was doing his lateral dance again this week...

Oy, kid can't keep his mouth shut - between our inconsistent line and BiG Ted - our running game will be in for an inconsistent day... What you wanna bet Willis sits our training camp on the advice of Drew R for a bigger contract...? Charles

I think leaders (see Moulds) recognize other leaders (see Holcomb). Hence the lobbying by Moulds et. al. I saw a segment in today's game where they showed Holcomb rallying the offense at the very beginning. It was inspiring. Who knew...?

Agreed - but I think it's easy to be seduced by a young, new gunslinger in town. Plus there was all that preseason positive hype on the kid. How hard he worked, how sincere he was etc. etc. But when the bullets fly...To be fair to JP this administration has not made it on easy on him with the pathetic O-line. The guy that I thought was gonna be awful has been decent (Gandy), but the guys in the interior have been woeful. He can't even take a 3 step drop!! C

I totally disagree - we've waited - what? 5 years for a decent playoff calibre team. All the while presuming that if we take our medicine (medicine being - salary cap hell, new system, new HC, new GM etc. etc.) then in just 2-3 years we'll be in great shape. Well, in the new NFL - given the salary cap constraints - there is a small window maybe 2, maybe 3 years where any single given team has a chance to make the playoffs. The anomaly is the New England Patriots and they're just that - an anomaly. So, though we may have a rookie QB turning into a great QB in 3 years, the rest of the team may be in shambles or maybe not. But, right now the one thing we know is that our rookie QB isn't ready - but given the right circumstances and conditions, the rest of the team may play to their potential. I rather take the known than the unknown...tomorrow isn't promised to us. The O-line may suck, the D-line may suck - in fact I agree with you. The difference is those two units aren't in rebuilding mode. They are what they are and it is what we have. I rather take my chances with a veteran QB and see how this season goes. If at some point the season is beyond our reach, then I say put our rookie QB in there and let him get his OJT. There's too much at stake this early in the season to roll the dice with an inexperienced QB. Now if we decide to go with JP later or soon, then this off season, the front office needs to go heavy into FA and get the best OLs they can find. Especially in the interior positions. Though I think Duke Preston will be fine as our new center. If we go into next season with essentially the same O-line then I hope the old man knows enough to can our GM... Charles

What a bunch of BS...if you don't get help on both lines - what do you expect?

I thought he was one of Vandy's best players, if not the best, when he was here in college...I know that doesn't like an endorsement. But, if there's one thing (and just one thing) the previous coach knew was how to coach LBs. Charles