BillsVet

It's noteworthy that there are only 8 franchises that by 2010 will have stadiums 25 years or older. Those eight teams, Buffalo, Minnesota, Oakland, San Fran, San Diego, New Orleans, Kansas City, and Green Bay have an average team value of 914M. The league average is 1.04B, or about 125M above those eight teams. Teams by 2010 which will have parks younger than 25 have an average value of 1.082B, or approximately 170M more than teams with old fields in 2008 dollars. As good as it is to have a low debt to value ratio as Buffalo has, it's apparent the NFL is pushing teams to build new stadiums to increase revenue. Many of those teams with higher debt to value ratio also have new stadiums, which helps reduce debt faster. Owners themselves realize this, and the disparity between rich and poor teams continues to grow. It's no wonder Ralph had no issues from owners about playing games in Toronto because the other 31 know that when teams at the bottom succeed, they all win. Revenue sharing alone does not solve the problem, and neither does a salary cap. There's obviously a huge gap between franchises like Dallas and Washington versus Buffalo, and San Diego. Stadiums go a long way toward reducing that, but I can't see a new stadium built nearby anytime soon, especially with the owner's age and situation.

Teams are already reduced to carrying 80 players on their rosters in the preseason. That may sound like a lot, but with all four, sometimes five preseason games, teams quickly run short at certain positions. Polian admitted he made a bad call volunteering for the HOF game, because it's just an opportunity for further injury. On paper, that's still a reach. Already, the SB is the first week in February, and as other have noted, makes the season longer than it already is. I don't think the playoffs need tweaking, and six teams is enough. That's especially the case in the NFC, in which 8-8 teams seem to flirt with the playoffs each year. That may not be the case in the AFC, but no .500 team should ever make the postseason. BTW, there's already a wild card weekend, followed by the divisional round, the conference championship, a bye week, and finally the SB.

Chris Spencer of Seattle, Jeff Faine originally from New Orleans, and Damien Woody first of New England* all have gone in the first in recent years. It's a small sample size, but those three are pretty good, though Woody is the RT with NYJ now. I'd like to see a center with mobility and the ability to handle bigger DT's. Running up the middle has been an issue, and even though Fowler isn't the only reason, he's a liability in run blocking. Mack is most likely the top talent at the position next April. It's a long way off, but C may be the team's weakness, and that's not a bad thing.

Yes, the owners and players are raking in the dollars, especially with the recent CBA pushed through by Tagliabue. The point is, the next CBA will be even more difficult to negotiate with players getting something around 59% of league revenue. As much as players liked that deal, it was obvious the owners weren't happy. So much so, that it was overwhelmingly rejected earlier this year. Goodell understands there's a looming situation with the next CBA. He's looking for a compromise, and having 1-2 additional games may (or may not) alleviate what is probably going to be tough talks when owners demand more for themselves. I have a feeling the players won't be eager to give any percentage of revenue back to the owners. The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business that seemingly has no limit to its growth. IMO, the players association will point to injuries as a means of shooting down Goodell's move to expand the regular season. A 16 game grind is already a long season.

True. My point is that more games equal more injuries, and with marquee names hitting the IR and injury report, I can't see the players association wanting more. Every year the pre-season claims a few name guys, but 16 games seems to be enough.

I'd go 1. TE 2. C 3. OLB It'll be interesting to see how the class of 2009 pans out, but at this point, if C Alex Mack of Cal is half as good some are saying, he's worthy of a first round selection. I know center's aren't normally first rounders, but he'll be a starter from Day 1. TE Brandon Pettigrew has some character concerns, but is a physical player with very good hands. Buffalo needs size at the TE position and Pettigrew provides that. I think we're overestimating the LB position, especially given how LB's can be replaced in the C2 defense. I think the Bills rely less on FA as the team is built. That's not to say I think Ellison is the answer, but plenty of players have stepped into the position and performed well. IMO, LB's out of college are more apt to be available than TE or C.

There's been a lot of talk about expanding the NFL season, in essence to increase revenue for owners as a compromise when the CBA comes up later this year. At this point (and Roger Goodell has said it won't happen before 2010) I can't see the NFLPA ever agreeing to a 17 or 18 game season and shortening the preseason. There's too much risk for injuries. It's alarming again how many players are hurt already this year, and this morning the list grew even larger. Seattle lost starting guard Rob Sims, to go along with their three receivers of Branch, Burleson, and Engram. Miami and Jacksonville lost starting guards. Marques Colston is out 4-6 weeks, (edit: Rams) WR Drew Bennett the same time as Colston, and of course everyone's favorite man to hate, Tom Brady, is done for the season. Throw in the Vince Young's injury (he could be mentally and physically hurt), and in one week, the NFL has lost a host of name players. Of course, this happens every year, but with teams spending more money and expectations high, losing key players seems to be at an all-time high.

Everytime I see Royal try to run after the catch, I'm just hoping he doesn't put it on the ground. Last year versus the Jets and then against Washington he had crucial fumbles. His career high in receptions is 25, but I think he'll eclipse that this season.

Welcome back Dean

As a fan, it has to make you appreciate Moorman and Lindell even more. They've obviously got the advantage having RWS as their home field, but it wasn't real windy on Sunday. You'd think Plackemeier could handle the rain because he kicks in Seattle though.

The one thing most fans want from these players is maturity beyond their years. It's not always going to happen, especially when guys like Lynch and Peters are millionaires with immense talent not long out of college. If fans want to get mad at them because they might disrupt our favorite professional team, well fine. But the truth is, our favorite pro athletes are usually not much older than college kids. They're great athletes who rely on agents for advice, and given that they've been concentrating on a pro career for years, it's not surprising to let them allow an agent to represent them. I'm glad Peters reported and will be lining up this week or soon thereafter because Parker told him to be there. But you're right PG, it is a business with huge dollars being thrown around. It's one thing for someone in their 40s and 50s to make big money, but imagine 20 somethings taking home millions and having agents tell them what's best. Peters isn't stupid, but he's 26 freaking years old. The holdout is over, and the sky's the limit for him.

I have to wonder if Young's mindset is there to play QB in the NFL. He's had success since HS, and now that there's some adversity, he wilts under the stress. He has to know after passing for 9 TD's and 17 INT's last season, that he's going to be under a lot of pressure to perform. Especially with the Titans getting to the playoffs last season.

Did you just cite a realfootball365 article? That's your reference? You've got to be kidding. So the guy didn't show up at 460 pounds like you figured and now it's resorting to blog-level articles to CYA? Give it a rest already.

An All-Pro and a Pro Bowler are not one in the same. He had a fantastic rookie season, but since then his career has fallen off the table. It's noteworthy that Tennessee has done nearly nothing at the WR spot, even cutting their leading receiver last season in Roydell Williams.

Chris Brown's blog points out that the Jags are missing two starting guards, Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams, along with center Brad Meester. Khalif Barnes and Tony Pashos both aren't all that special at LT and RT respectively. Brown's Blog re: Jags OL

You may not realize this, but the LT and RT positions are very specialized. A LT is expected to be a better pass protector who can handle any type of pass rusher whereas RT's are usually not as nimble but excel as run blockers. Even so, Peters' was judged in 2005 good enough to start 10 games at RT. He started another 8 games in 2006 for a new coaching staff at RT before moving to LT.

Thanks for your analysis KFBD. Sitting behind the tunnel end zone, it's hard to see OL play across the field, especially on the Lynch score. It seemed to me the Bills ran behind the left side, and with Dockery and Walker's size, I could certainly understand why. Was that something you saw?

Jacksonville's offense played poorly because their OL isn't what it's been. LT Khalif Barnes and RT Tony Pashos aren't great at their positions and it affected the entire offense. Haynesworth played with a concussion yesterday, and the Titans still defense held Jacksonville to 50 yards rushing, less than 2 ypc. With Taylor and Jones-Drew, it's obvious stopping the run is important. Forcing them into passing is their weakness because pass protection is obviously an issue for Jacksonville.

At the game today, I couldn't help but notice Stroud pushing the pocket on several downs. He batted a pass down, got inside his man, and generally made backs take holes they wouldn't normally have. Plain and simple, he makes the others around him better. They even had him line up on the outside and upright. Kudos to Fewell and the defensive coaches for using him in several ways. Here's to hoping he makes Jacksonville regret their decision. What a difference a DT makes in a defense.

By now, the team should know which players are those who cannot hit the market. Peters and Evans are clearly big parts of building a winner, but it's going to take some resolve to not only get those guy under contract. Recognizing what guys are replaceable is the next step. Looking at FA's to be, Crowell and Greer hit UFA after this season, with McGee in 09. I'd say they're now at the point in rebuilding where they must let mid-tier UFA's hit the market, and subsequently draft (or already have) their replacements in the fold. Moral victories are nice and get lots of attention. The real battle begins when negotiations begin, and as we've seen, it takes the Bills an awfully long time to sign even their own guys who they know better than anyone else. I'll applaud the front office when they can lock up Evans and Peters to take the next step toward respectability on the field. For the past few years, few NFL pundits have thought little about the Bills. Naming Brandon de-facto GM was a move that many questioned, especially in light of the owner who controls everything behind the scenes. He stil has a lot to prove. The front office will look much better when the players they've picked who play the games start winning some games. It's amazing how on-field success makes everyone look better.

Since when did TSW become a home for people's blogs? Your post featured several errors, especially the one about Crowell having surgery, which he hasn't. Initially, the team was convinced that he had, but first reports are usually incorrect. As someone previously noted, Buffalo carried only 6 LB's on the 53 man roster.

I liked when they said he was 30 pounds lighter, and that had him weigh in at 360 or so. If Cleveland doesn't play well this year, does Rogers start going to the buffet more often liked he did in the second half with Detroit last season? At this point, I'd rather have Stroud. He's more mobile, and I'd agree he fits this defense better. Besides, he knows he's playing for a better contract in the near future as well.

It's safe to believe Crowell wants a new contract, he is after all going into his final year of the deal signed in 2005. However, I don't think he cares much about who his next contract comes from, because chances are, he'd get more money in UFA. The Bills have decided he's not a player among their core group that warrants re-signing and not communicating before his final season confirms it. I don't believe he'd seek to prove a point for a new contract by doing what he's done. Regardless, it was dead wrong to make a decision on surgery just before the season, though it's possible his surgery revealed more damage than previsouly realized. Either way, the team punished him severely by placing him on season ending IR. That negates his ability to show he recovered from surgery and hurts his ability to command higher money on the UFA market. It's a trend here that the front office is working hard at putting out major fires by one-upping what players have done to the front office, namely Ralph. Both Peters and Crowell made poor decisions. The front office trumped them both, and the Bills are only making matters worse by treating these situations like it was 1968, not 2008. Ralph may be almost 90, but he's still running the show, with Brandon working the PR angle.

Certainly Ralph/Montgomery signs off on every contract, it's his money and I can understand. But when personnel people give him advice and tell him what they're doing, it's not his function to meddle and waffle. Why else would a salary negotiation for the team's best WR last 6 months? Agents have one goal in mind, and that is to get the best contract for their client. I'm absolutely positive that they'd try to exploit the inexperience of a Brandon, and let's be honest, even Overdorf. Then again, the front office could find common ground with a player, and Ralph/Montgomery says no. Speculation, yes. But's it's a distinct possibility with this franchise.