BillsVet

Where and when did I write him off? I just wanted to know what I am.

Robert Woods made a phenomenal catch versus Chicago. It goes down as a completion, despite being thrown high. A screen pass that loses a yard is a completion as well, so think you've gotta look more deeply than the completion percentage statistic, say for example on throws from 11-20 yards or however ESPN breaks it down. That's a deeper analysis. Just so I'm aware, what is the official TBD definition of a "basher?" Because these debates leave people ready to bash their head in, oh, wait... We need definitions on the following terms: hater, realist, optimist, negative, etc. Until then it's hard to appropriately use recently invented terminology. For example, is one a "basher" if EJ throws for under 300 yards but has a completion percentage above 60%? Or is that a hater?

Stats lie.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RivePh00.htm Last 18 games: 5,000 yards passing, 36 TD passes vs. 11 INT's and 6 fumbles. I'll take that all day long.

My perspective and opinion was never grounded in simply being right. That kind of hubris and arrogance doesn't bring me to this board. Rather my opinion was made based on the trends, personnel, and decision making prowess exhibited at OBD over the years. Now, there is hope that things will get cleaned up and the decade plus of ineptitude will be over. And, we know the the team won't be moving either. These are things to celebrate. Not to mention Kelly is reportedly healthy, they're 2-0, Andre Reed is in the HoF, and they're improving on the field. But my happiness, contentment, or disappointment doesn't hinge on the team's fortunes as much as others. And that's okay. I would just hope a certain amount of meaningful debate could take place I took no pride in seeing things go wrong over the years. If I did, it'd be a pretty stupid investment of my time to spend 7+ years on a message board. At the same time, it's disheartening to see so much group-think, although it being a message board I expect a certain amount of it. At the end of the day obviously (to quote Marrone) we want the team to win and to win and to win. It just takes me a little more than 2 wins to get to the level some are approaching or have reached. I guess if that's negative so be it.

After the last 14 years, I temper my enthusiasm. Now, as a Yankees fan I expected them to win in the playoffs and WS in the late nineties. There was a feel to those teams, particularly from 1998-2000. Call me a doubting Didymus, but the NFL is extremely competitive and I've got to see more. And nowhere am I saying that it's delusional to think differently. But for me personally, I've been up the mountain and been dropped off enough to wait for more. Teams are smart and they adapt. It's a long season.

What if I don't live "in the moment." Is cautious optimism given the nature of the NFL and the opportunity for winds to change? I'll be excited if they are at the top of the AFCE standings in week 10 with say, a 7-3 record.

I'd agree with this assessment and need to see more from EJ before getting too excited. He's done some good things, but sometimes his passes are off the mark and the margin for error will narrow as teams get more tape on Buffalo's offense. How he improves will be very interesting. But right now, the OL is keeping him clean, the run game is making some plays, and the defense is doing excellent things. When those 3 things are working, the QB is in the fast lane.

A win is a win is a win. No doubt and I certainly didn't expect 350 yards and 4 TD's (the extreme some will reference). At the same time, the play-calling just seems like it's tailored to protect against his weaknesses at this point in his career. Buffalo did a great job protecting EJ and giving him time to throw. His pocket presence seems better, but some throws were head-scratchers. With two games of tape, I am interested to see how the offensive game plan adapts to what defenses throw at EJ. And how EJ performs against them. You got anything substantive to say about someone's point or are you going to reference who you referenced?

Sullivan isn't a fan. And even if he was, the normal response after 14 years of suckitutde is to be somewhat pessimistic. That said, optimism is probably the highest this millennium because something happened that was positive. And Jerry wrote with that firmly in mind.

And winning a SB in the 2006 season. That was before Chris was elevated into a more senior role IIRC. Only GM to be successful before and after the cap went into effect.

If decisions are based on the short term (as in 1 off-season) perhaps. But 1 victory isn't enough to save a job. It's my belief that a football consultant will be at OBD later this season to evaluate senior management. If the Bills are playoff bound with say a 10-6 record Whaley might stay. But if not, a fresh start with a new owner might be the on the table. I think Pegula has learned success in major professional sports means finding the right management and not trusting the previous regime to all of a sudden get it despite being supported with deep pockets.

We can only hope the OBD lifers are sent packing and no promises were made to retain their "services" once the sale is final and complete. That's fine as long as Russ is nowhere near football operations, has no decision making there and focuses on being the marketeer he is, so be it. Pegula can "'empower" him to run the business side of things only.

Rice's play tailed off last year. Still, surprising they bowed to public pressure. That said, it's never OK to strike someone in the way Rice did. Ever.

Any OLineman that you can't remember their name being called most likely had at least a decent game. Aside from Glenn getting beat early, I don't remember much of him. And the hole on Dixon's run was about as big as the Red Sea opening up

A fine and the rule book aren't going to compensate the Bills if the player gets hit hard extending for one of those errant throws. Just huge to have guys like Woods, Williams, and Watkins who can make plays.

Maybe not like Jack Tatum used to, but those receivers were unprotected skying for those passes. Liked the run game gashing Chicago multiple times. They're going to need that all season.

I got worried seeing some passes sailing and requiring those receivers to expose themselves. No doubt they can do it, but NFL DB's are going to knock someone out if that continues. I hope that those throws are more on target. Winning on the road in the NFL is difficult and Chicago isn't a pushover by any stretch. Good win. I think EJ was used appropriately...not having to chuck it 30 times and meshing that with a solid ground game to hit at Chicago's weakness. Defense was bend but don't break, and that's ok when you force 3 turnovers.

I suspect upper management is distancing themselves from Marrone. And by upper management, I look at everyone in the front office including Brandon and Whaley.

Connecting the dots with stories like this is impossible for those seeking to defend all things Bills. If people can't see that current management at OBD are posturing to get a favorable opinion from the new owner, they're ostriches.

I would love for Pegula (let's presume he's the next owner) to do this. I believe people within the league know how dysfunctional this franchise has become, and an experienced senior level football person like Wolf would know the root cause for continued failure is the team's organization. We can only hope Pegula cleans that front office entirely.

Jauron yes, Marrone no. If we can't judge a QB after 1 season, shouldn't that stand for a HC heading into his second season? Yep. Except Brandon (and perhaps Whaley) hired DM, expecting him to toe the company line. And DM isn't doing so at this point, because his career is at stake. Brandon will skate off to the NFL offices, wherever, and all will be well. But DM is in the prime of his coaching career and isn't about to let OBD lifers prevent him from doing what he needs to do to win. Dude may be arrogant, but most successful people have that trait.

I should have said the front office asked Parcells to say something about hiring DM. BP refused because he'd never had him on staff. It was clearly a PR maneuver to gin up support for the hiring. My point is, the Bills got a guy, who like Parcells, doesn't hold back. Bills coaches in recent years have toed the company line more often than not when the team struggled on the field. DM isn't.

Well, Brandon went to lengths to say they'd hired someone from the Parcells coaching line even though Marrone never worked for the Tuna. But maybe, in an indirect way, they did get a more short-tempered, less proven version. The report about the coaches wanting to to fire the training staff in February make more sense now. This has been boiling for months and isn't anything new.

CB97, we can always count on you to exemplify this song: