BillsVet

Thanks KRC. Excellent. I enjoyed reading the article on Tingelhoff, a player I had not known of previously who played for several years and didn't miss any games at center.

That's ironic, considering that many in this thread ignore W-L record. Predictably, they defend the lack of on-field success by citing a concept not quantifiable (more team talent) while scapegoating the previous staff. To quote Bill Parcells, "you are what your record says you are."

They traded a guy who was about to get cut (Chris White) for a guy Detroit was going to cut (Thad Lewis). They decided that Tuel was better than Lewis, only to reverse course when Tuel was getting ear-holed in the Cleveland game. That's outstanding personnel evaluation there. Not to mention they've made 10 separate moves at the QB position this year, between cutting Fitz, signing a chronically injured Kolb, signing then cutting T-Jack and subsequently Leinart, drafting Manuel, signing Tuel, trading for Lewis, and now signing Flynn. Doesn't sound to me like a team that knows what they're doing at the game's most important position. But that's just me. I guess when a draft class looks good from the outset you can declare it "the best draft class for the Bills EVER." Never mind that the '85 group included Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. Of course, if those drafted rookies don't look good like in 2010, well, you've got to wait 3 years before declaring them "the best draft class for the Bills EVER."

How's Russ Brandon supposed to market this team then? His campaigns have been all about it for years now. Welcome aboard BTW.

I give Buddy a lot of credit. In the 3 seasons before becoming GM, Buffalo was 20-28 under HC Dick Jauron and GM's Levy and Brandon. After Buddy's ascendance to GM, the Bills managed to get worse, going 16-32. You really can't make up this level of ineptitude. Not to mention they had to fire the HC he hired.

Ironic he passed away so close to Bum Phillips.

"Pettine does not have an elite pass rusher to scheme around, but he has a decent enough bull-rusher in Mario Williams." Just curious, but has Williams bull-rushed his way to all 8 of his sacks in 6 games? Seems to me he's more than just a bull-rusher. Jonathan Martin and Tyson Clabo won't be getting a lot of sleep on Saturday night unless the scheme gives them significant help.

Russ Brandon believes everything he says. Jeff Littmann is the power behind the Bills, won't let them spend enough to ever get good again, and knows Bill Polian was right 20+ years ago. Buddy Nix is actually Slim Pickens and wrote all the lines his character spoke in Blazing Saddles.

Jay Glazer reported at the time that the team was not actively shopping Lynch, despite having a healthy FJ and newly drafted CJ. Why would a team go 3 deep at RB at the expense of other positions? This move illustrates the reactionary moves the team makes, most recently in the form of how they addressed the QB position. Decisions at OBD over multiple GM's have been isolated and unable to anticipate the cause and effect those decisions will have.

I will never understand the lack of synergy on offense with this franchise. Whether it was Schonert running a no-huddle with Trentative or now with a Nix built OL featuring a lot of big guys blocking for a water-bug back in a hurry up offense ostensibly run by a rookie QB. None of it makes sense or is remotely coordinated for optimal success on game day. It's not hard to predict that sort of change is far too much and will require them to add more suitable pieces, particularly to the OL, in order for the offensive plan to work. This is part of the reason why rebuilds in Buffalo take years and other teams are doing it in about 2 years if that.

Gotta give the Bills credit here. They could never have known that letting Levitre go would mean Brown would stink so bad. But, in their infinite wisdom, they signed someone the Steelers didn't want to make sure they were set at LG. Well, if you can't anticipate problems, work like heck after they're obvious to show you're trying. They're rebuilding anyway.

Guards are a dime a dozen anyway.

How many QB's can they get on the active roster in 1 season anyway?

Well, given that Seattle started a rebuild in 2010 and by 2012 was considered a top NFC team, I don't think we can conclude there is much similarity between the two franchise

I'm not sure how a team remains in the 4-7 win category for 8 going on 9 seasons without a dysfunctional upper management group. And if one subscribes to the notion it's all the GM/coach/players fault, who precisely hires the GM? Something is not right at OBD and the record spells that out. It's not normal for a team to ride the mediocrity roller coaster for so long without completely bottoming out or becoming a playoff caliber club.

Buddy said it would take 3-4 years to rebuild. So we're in year 1 of the second rebuild in 4 seasons. We just have to be patient. This times 1,000.

They're starting a guy at QB who was parked on the PS 2 weeks ago and for whom no other team would add to their active roster. If they don't sell out this week's game, it should be enough evidence that weather isn't the only reason why fans aren't going.

95M in local and state money isn't enough from taxpayers? The Bills can do what they want at the end of the day. But the hope and hype campaign is dying about where it always does (early to mid October) and fans aren't going. Why is it always the fans fault when games aren't sold out anyway? Don't the team executives who've presided over this ineptitude bear any responsibility, especially when they're reaping huge dollars to upgrade a place most people never go?

I think Russ Brandon, as he does with the fans typically the first week of January, should give the pre-motivational speech before Marrone on Sunday. He can start by telling them how on any given Sunday, they will be the most efficiently run team with more cap room than almost any other team and how they continue to sell product to more people per capita than any other franchise in the NFL.

So much for the cold-weather argument.

Zero NFL completions. One decent pre-season:

Brandon noted that the team's brand had been tarnished back in January, but I wonder if he realizes one of the reasons is because they play these games with their top talent. One hallmark of this organization has been an inability to anticipate how their decisions will impact other areas, which is what will happen if they trade Byrd. Then again, I doubt Brandon cares if he hurts the team's reputation so long as he can save the owner cash. Which means the brand remains tarnished in the league circles where credibility isn't based on your marketing plan.

Either Whaley was gambling or he doesn't have the say in personnel he should. Either way, it's not what NFL teams do.

"Meet the new boss...same as the old boss."

Guess Russ is going to have to spend some of that 20M in cap room after tonight's game.