Koufax

He was already playing the goon card a play before on his good tackle acting like he just won the Super Bowl. Execute one play at a time and don't try to be a thug.

There are a lot of positives and it is a great place to live if you: 1) Do not rely on the local economy and job market (all NFL players pass this one) 2) You can tolerate / enjoy the weather (many people really do after spending some time there) Respectfully submitted from Sunny San Diego, since I fail on #1 and #2.

Everyone else has said it, but I want to pile on. We were NOT trying to run out the clock, and weren't in a position to. We were trying to get first downs and points. Our best chance of getting first downs and points is the hurry up. Maybe if they had picked up a few first downs, neared field goal range, and were faced with a DIFFERENT CLOCK MANAGEMENT SITUATION it would have been good to burn the clock. But I am definitely in full understanding and agreement of our offense. We made some penalty mistakes, costly turnovers, and probably were one third down defensive stop or one third down conversion away from winning an important divisional game. Losing sucks, but I don't think it has anything to do with clock management, and New England had plenty of time to spare moving down field. Keeping the ball for more plays and yards, getting more points, or stopping them were our options to win at the end, not stalling for a few more seconds.

As a diehard lifelong Bills fan, I still get confused when people feel slighted by the national media. For a long long time we have done nothing to warrant any respect. We don't need any national respect to get where we need to be. Let's be the under the radar underdog between now and when we clinch our next playoff spot (we will clearly get attention for breaking the streak whenever that happens). The Patriots have done EVERYTHING to earn national respect and coverage. I look forward to focusing on Ws covered in the local media, and knowing the national attention will trail our achievement, not lead it. Edit: And please realize that most of us know more about the Bills and spend more time following them than the national media spends covering their 32nd most interesting assignment.

Statistically and logically deferring is the choice. Plus playing your home opener and having the start of the game excitement, one defensive stop with a loud crowd can really get things moving in the momentum category, and one three and out doesn't take the wind out of your sails. I'm hoping for a flashback to Takeo Spikes first game after his injury to start the 2006 season. If Brady scores a touchdown it is expected, and doesn't really ruin the day, but any sort of stop or turnover can really energize the whole start of the game.

Isn't Probable just about the highest he can be listed when on the injury report? He isn't Questionable, Doubtful, or Out. I'm pretty sure that it is a requirement and they don't have a "Hell Yes He's Playing" option to check.

I like having a great free safety, and hope he devotes himself to performing at his very best for his next 16-19 games as a Buffalo Bill, and worries about the rest after the season. That said, I think he is more likely to be a selfish franchise tag cry baby (come down where you might, it is part of the CBA and a lot of dollars to complain about), and as such I expect he will consider not playing or not perform and a very high level. He is under contract and in uniform, so whatever he does week to week reflects on him as a player and a teammate, and he is writing his own story by how he goes about it. In terms of the Polamalu comparisons, I think Byrd is an excellent center fielder but has much less of an impact around the line of scrimmage than TP, and that significantly undermines his overall value. He is a very very good player, should be paid as such, and I hope somehow the situation avoids blowing up.

I don't think Gilmore hurts us quite as much against the Patriots as it will other teams with stronger #1 target receivers. We don't have 5 Gilmores and Brady will consistently find one of his five receiving options if given time, and won't force to the top receiver if covered. While having your best corner in there clearly helps the overall defensive scheme, we will win or lose this game based on our ability to pressure Brady, and put up points to respond to his. Winning 24-21 instead of losing 34-17 is my hope. I don't think we have a huge blowout and I don't think we fail to find the end zone ourselves. As for SJ, I think he is fun, and won't affect the preparation of the Patriots at all. And they don't have anybody who can cover him...even Revis can't. So it will be more a question of if we can get him the ball when he gets open, or get the ball to a secondary option if they give him extra attention.

I don't think a QB even #1 can be the same level of bust as any other position, simply because (while unfortunate when it is you) there is an expected 50% bust factor in general, and that is understood and accepted because the payoff of a top QB is so high. But when you take a LT or a LB or DE, or a skill player in the top 10, you are really expecting that player to have a floor of "good useful player for 5+ seasons" and a reasonable expectation of "great player for 7+ seasons". I don't think Maybin can be considered, as big of a bust as he was, because he wasn't even a top 10 pick. I think Curry is the type that really fits, and there probably are a few other examples like that.

It will be EJ on Sunday 95% and we know that and the Pats know that. They won't prepare differently for the two very much, and aren't dynamic mastermind defense. Rather than trickery and tactics (although I am fine with them making it a gametime decision), they should just try to execute offensively one play at a time, and win the game.

My prediction: EJ plays. New England was 25th in total defense last year Brady never struggles because of DB play, but only when the line gets pressure on him. We will be rushing Carrington, Mario, Dareus, and Kyle. We can run the ball pretty well. We are playing at home. Bellichick picks apart against teams he knows and has a clear gameplan for. He doesn't do as well with surprises (beaten by the Wildcat, etc). In the last 12 years of games against the Pats (lots and lots of losses) we are 2-22 with a lot of blowouts of huge proportions, although we were outscored by 11.5 or more points exactly half of the time, and kept it closer than that the other 12 times. I don't think there is any smart money on this line, but my pretend money is on the Bills to cover.

Vince Young and Tim Tebow unable to hold clipboards in the NFL. I think that says enough about the differences between the college game and the NFL.

Definite joke. We all know after watching college and then the NFL, that Tebow does not do anything football related on Sundays, so flying in tonight wouldn't make any sense.

1-0 as we beat the Patriots! I will worry about the other sixteen weeks one at a time after that! I see us as a 9-7 team that might be pushed back to 7-9 because of the injuries. Going through game by game is fun but silly because we don't have a clear idea on opponents, and imagine what they were the last couple years, and not what they are going to be this year.

Do you want to sit him because of: 1) It would be a health risk to rush back? I don't think this is remotely the case, but we don't have enough info. If that is your reason, fine. 2) You think there is another QB who is more prepared to win that game? (clearly not because they are better, so the option would be Tuel because he has been practicing). I don't think this is the case if the knee is okay and he practices leading up to the game, and the last couple weeks are close to meaningless in giving Tuel an advantage in actual chance to beat the Patriots. 3) You think that rookie QBs need to be eased in and avoid becoming Tim Couch? I think the Luck/Newton/Wilson/million others logic disagrees with you and Kurt Warner pretty heavily here, and he is a big boy who won't fold if he can't beat New England. Also a New England team that has been very mediocre on defense and against the pass and in terms of sacking the QB in recent years. If his knee is at a point where he can outperform Tuel and not be an unusual risk in re-injuring it then he plays. This threshold is lower than "100%" and doesn't involve him practicing later this week or not.

Mix and match however you want, but Adrian Peterson (or Barry Sanders), Ray Lewis, Deion Sanders, and Jerry Rice beat anything you can get from any other grouping including QB, and I think by a large enough margin that it isn't really close.

I still think the draft is largely about adding total value, and not value over current depth chart, with a couple exceptions. We had two good running backs, and adding another meant getting rid of one, and that played out well, especially considering how dynamic CJ has become. Most positions don't share touches as specifically, and beyond QB I think best player available is the best scenario. RB is the only other position that sort of comes close, but even then only if you have 2 good ones. People often want to draft or not draft based on what has gone right or wrong with other picks. No Gilmore because of McKelvin. But if you find a way to get the best five year contributing football player you can at each and every pick, you don't usually regret it. Our regrets come from inferior football players, not position and scheme and the previous drafts. We all wanted Ngata over Whitner, because he was the superior football player then, and still clearly is. We wanted Orakpo (and others) over Maybin. Troup and Hardy were both second round picks wasted on inferior football players because of what the front office thought we needed. If you take the best expected five year contributor, (QB excepted which you don't take high if you have one, and reach if you don't), weighted towards the impact of the position (fungible guards, impact pass rushers and tackles and skill players), you won't look up five years later and be disappointed with your choices. A draft doesn't fix a football team, and everyone tries to rate them after year 1, but I want the draft to infuse the roster with as much talent as possible. For me this is measured against a zero baseline, not the guy you have on your 53 at that spot.

And the Arizona Cardinals manhandled the '85 Bears in preseason as well I believe.

Last year 25th in yards, 29th in passing yards, 15th in sacks. (2011: 31st/31st/14th, 2010: 25th/30th/14th). They are good at some stuff and play smart, but I don't think that our concern is the Pat's D stifling and confusing and overwhelming our rookie. I think we are more concerned about their dimple chined QB scoring too many points for us to match against our new system defense. I don't think Tuel is even close to Kolb in terms of playing real football in September against a real defense with all first stringers. Maybe he is the next Kurt Warner and his bright spots in his first camp are for real, but I haven't seen enough to really think that he is going to beat someone with some pretty decent NFL wins in his belt when healthy (in addition to the Pats, etc, he also six times has won a game with a 100+ QB rating). I don't think Kolb should live on his resume, but I think there is a reason that Marrone has him higher than Tuel on the depth chart, and even when asked if Tuel had a shot had to phrase it in "everybody need to dream and set their goals high" talk and not "Yes, he realistically is going to have a shot to win the job". Week 1 our best chance at winning is EJ, our second is Kolb, our third is Tuel. I hope whichever of them ends up out there wins, but know better than to consider second half preseason plays by a UDFA as an accurate indicator of expected regular season results.

I don't even know if it was really a good season. Turned a dozen college plays and a quick first step into millions.

I'm quite happy to have Byrd back. I hate hold outs in general, but being back before the third preseason game is plenty of time to be healthy, up on the playbook, and in game shape for week 1 which it is all about. I hope they get a long term deal next off season, but for now I'm glad he will be there 16 times ready to increase our chances of winning each time.

I don't really have much doubt he should be expected to practice the week leading up to the opener. My real question which we haven't gotten clear answers on yet is how much will he be able to practice next week? Getting non-contact reps the week of our preseason finale would really help get him back and on target to start the opener, even if he clearly won't play in the meaningless finale. I don't think anybody knows yet, and I haven't heard anything to indicate one way or another, but wearing a red jersey in 11 on 11s next Wednesday I don't think has been ruled out.

No. Go scan through "drafts" that year for teams, and show me how many have a star, a good starter, and a couple role players. http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft?teamId=0200&type=team You always want perfection with a draft, and want to know it is perfection a year or two in, but what you are looking at is how much five year contributions you get, and if some players become cornerstones who are around well past that five year window. I am fine with this draft, and it has the potential to brighten even further before the five year window is up.

Never a big leg, but always a big clutch kicker. Best of luck to you Rian, and thanks for your service. I think this makes us a better football team, but it is sad to see past solid performers go.

I'm still not clear why Tuel and Brad Smith are higher on people's "STARTING QB WHEN EJ ISN'T" list. Is that because you think they really give a better chance to win games? I definitely like Kolb as the veteran clipboard holder with EJ starting 19 times and winning a new Chevrolet in February, but in the event that there is a game he doesn't start, right now I would much rather have Kolb start it than either of the other guys, and I think his track record is getting thrown out based on some preseason play (insert Iverson quote now). Last year he beat the Patriots, Eagles, and Dolphins in consecutive weeks scoring 20+ each time. In previous years when not hurt he has another 6 wins with 100+ QB rating. I know he isn't what the Cardinals had hoped for, and I know he has a track record of being fragile, but I think he clearly gives us the best chance to win any individual game not started by EJ, and I want to try to win each game this year regardless of QB or our place in standings or draft. I'm not sure how Kolb got so deep in our doghouse...probably just the excitement over our franchise QB of the future and the Fitzpatrick like guy who stands in the way of that era starting, but he isn't standing in EJ's way, and is our best backup option. I'm pretty sure that at this point in his career he is aware he probably isn't one of the top 32 QBs in the league and being the best backup QB, clipboard holder, and mentor he can be is something he can handle without controversy, and if so, I think he is a better option to do so than our undrafted rookie, our WR, and than anybody currently on the waiver wire.