bourbonboy

www.stubhub.com Season ticket holders sell their seats here, so you can get much better seats for a single game, though you will pay a premium for this (tickets sell above face value, sometimes well above face value). Go to the website, and you can see what's available.

Talk of the zone blitz reminded me of Dick LeBeau - Fewell's done a nice job, but I wish we could have convinced LeBeau to stick with us for a while longer! Bills did try, but Dick picked Pitt....

I agree - the FO won, and rightfully so. There's a lot of sour grapes posters here, but regardless of what you think of Peters abilities on the field (and I think he is a major talent), how can the FO reward JP's behavior when his hold-out hurts the team like it did, and JP takes so little pride in his conditioning and game play when he did show up? There may be some Bills that don't fit the "high-character" profile as well as Marv might have liked, but I'll take any of them over JP if they work their butts off and give it all they have on game days. The FO couldn't reward JP's attitude and work ethic and still hold the control, command and respect of the team. FO won this showdown.

Yeah, but they're rookies, and rookies always have to put in their dues before they're recognized....that's why JP got in before Long or Clady last year, even though JP didn't play well enough to hold Long's or Clady's jockstrap last year. And now JP's in the NFC....if 5 tackles go from the NFC, how is JP not going to be one of them? Last year they sent Jordan Gross, Carolina; Walter Jones, Seattle; Chris Samuels, Washington; Flozell Adams, Dallas; and Jammal Brown, New Orleans. JP will be voted into the probowl next year, count on it.

I fully agree. But let's face it, with all the publicity Peters has gotten, and moving to a successful big market, high-profile team, there's no way that JP does NOT get voted to more pro bowls. He has the name recognition now to get voted in for the next 3-4 years just by showing up and starting (regardless of how well he does it). JP's contract is now THE measuring bar for other LT/OL contracts, with articles referencing "Peters-type money". Everyone knows he got a fat contract, so unless he gets cut, that means he must be the best...for better or worse (mostly worse), that's the way the system works.

It just doesn't seem like a normal day without a JP thread, so: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_detai...ng-board-1.html sounds like even Philly coaches admit JP's pass-block skills need to be overhauled - JP's got 6 weeks of 1-on-1 with the OL coach scheduled... good thing he has a fresh fat contract to motivate him (for the moment!)

same here - he single-handedly won my semi-final playoff game, then single-handedly lost the championship game for me. The best thing they can do is to leave Westy out of the OTAs, camp and in-season practices to keep him fresh...the guy knows how to play with a little pain, and has the potential to put up some huge numbers again this year.

I'd take him if we could get him cheap, but I doubt OBD takes any interest - he's a pass-rushing DE in our scheme, which is basically what we got Maybin for. Our greater need is a pure LB to bump Ellison down...

slow day, so here's another post: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=4211874 Excerpt: Nobody adjusts like New England, and the Patriots have beaten the Bills 11 times by a combined score of 321-96 with a variety of schemes and players. In 2007, Tom Brady topped 300 yards in both games. Before last season's finale, the Pats designed a bevy of route combinations to expose backup CB Leodis McKelvin, subbing for injured Jabari Greer. But 30 mph winds and 65 mph gusts changed that plan, and the Pats won with 168 yards rushing, with quarterback Matt Cassel attempting only eight passes. "I played the Bills seven times," said former Patriots fullback Heath Evans, now a Saint, "and every single game plan was drastically different." Personally, I thought that McKelvin was progressing nicely, and looked pretty solid by the end of the year. I'm kinda wondering what the Pats* thought they saw, and whether they may game plan similarly for the opener?

Hadn't seen this posted yet - if it was, my apologies: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=554869 Interesting article, says that "With the elimination of wedge blockers, return men will be under greater pressure because cover teams will be able to get downfield more easily. Sure hands will be a key in the return game, as will the ability to make the first tackler miss and get upfield quickly." Bills excerpts as follows: 6. Leodis McKelvin, Bills: McKelvin found his niche in the return game as a rookie last season, averaging over 28 yards on kickoff returns. He's big and fast, making him tough to bring down. He'll be back in the return role in 2009. 14. Roscoe Parrish, Bills: Though the signing of Terrell Owens and the emergence of Leodis McKelvin as a dangerous kick returner will limit Parrish's role with the Bills this year, he remains a dynamic returner who has at least one punt-return touchdown in each of the last three seasons. Extremely quick and instinctive as a runner, he sees running lanes well and can make multiple defenders miss in the open field. Nice to see our guys getting a little special teams love!

That's pretty much where I was coming from on my initial post - you just described it better than I did.... The other extremely critical item for a successful Bills no huddle offense is the defense. The defense has to be solid, get a pass rush going, get plenty of three-and-outs, and get off the field. If we give up these agonizingly long drives like we did in the 2nd half of so many games last year, this will tie our hands and keep us from going no huddle - we couldn't risk a quick series that would put our tired D back on the field. But, there's nothing like June optimism to believe that this WILL all come together, and that this WILL be a real thing of beauty come September!

Per Rotoworld: The Bills have sought Hall of Famer Jim Kelly's input on their new no huddle offense. It's not clear how much the Bills plan to run the offense, but the fact that former "KGun" operator Kelly has been advising is a sign that they're serious about implementing the scheme. Source: buffalobills.com I think this could help a smart but inexperienced OL, as the defense will be limited in their calls, substitutions, and plays....

She's his motivation - if you had to go home to that, wouldn't you play like a nasty SOB? Maybe that's what the Bills need - let's marry them all off to fugly beyotches, then watch this team go 16-0!

Still can't figure out why we haven't been able to work this guy into the offense more....with TO and Evans commanding attention outside (including times when both will be doubled), we should be able to hit Parrish on a slant inside, and nobody is more dangerous in the open field. I would love to see him getting some regular playing time in the slot. Reed's a more reliable possession receiver and blocker, but that doesn't mean they can't share playing time.

That was my post....thanks for all the love and credit! Here's the latest from Rotoworld: The Philadelphia Daily News disputes an ESPN report that free agent LB Pisa Tinoisamoa is scheduled to visit the Eagles next week. The fit seemed odd because Steve Spagnuolo deemed Tinoisamoa a poor fit for the Rams and Philadelphia runs the same scheme. Pisa remains an option for Buffalo and Chicago. He was at the Bears' facility on Wednesday. If Philly is indeed out of the picture, and NE has been all rumor to date, I gotta think we may be in the drivers seat for Pisa - CHI can't guarantee him a starting position, and is unlikely to pay starter $ for someone who's not starting, so we may get him by default.

Thank you - had forgotten about that!

Hmmm....reading between the lines here, I thought Byrd is ideally supposed to be plugged in at free safety, but he's not even ahead of Dustin Fox yet for 2nd team spot? I woulda thought they'd push him and put him on the 2nd team just to get reps if they were at all serious about him maybe starting this year....

OK - I just read on Rotoworld that team evil is considering making an offer for the Raiders Derrick Burgess: The Boston Herald reports that the Patriots are "considering" offering the Raiders a future second- or third-round pick for DE Derrick Burgess. New England and Oakland have done business before, but Al Davis may hesitate this time after getting swindled in the Randy Moss deal two years ago. Still, the offer is more than fair and the Pats definitely can use the pass rush help. Burgess would play weak outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme. Source: Boston Herald The guy can bring it - he's one of those DE/OLB hybrids, 6'2", 260, and had 35 sacks over the previous 3 seasons before being injured last year.....he's due $3.5 million in 2009, the last year of his contract (free agent in 2010), and the Raiders had been actively shopping him earlier in the year. Thoughts on this guy? I'm not sure I'd part with a 2nd or 3rd rounder (and we'd probably need to lock the guy up for more than a year), but maybe Davis would let him go cheap to us to get back at Bellicheck?

Isn't he the one who still has an outstanding warrant against him in Monroe County (Rochester)? I wonder if that has to get resolved before he can play in New York State.....

Per Rotoworld, Pisa wants to be paid big bucks: Free agent LB Pisa Tinoisamoa is searching for "starter's money" as he makes the rounds on the market, according to Saints beat writer Jeff Duncan. Duncan says the Saints would be interested, but Tinoisamoa's asking price is too high. They'll likely enter camp with Dan Morgan pushing Scott Shanle on the weak side. Tinoisamoa would fit better in a Tampa 2-style scheme. Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune I'm guessing this is why he's not a Bill (yet).....

Per Rotoworld: The Colts have formally promoted Clyde Christensen to offensive coordinator and Pete Metzelaars to offensive line coach. Christensen, formerly the wide receivers coach, had been promoted to assistant head coach in February after receiving interest for the 49ers coordinator opening. He's been with Indy for eight years, so the continuity is good news for the Colts skill position players. Best wishes, Petey!

If he saves $13K/day by changing his residency, it's a wonder he stayed in NY as long as he did! That's almost 5 million $ a year!

Per Rotoworld: The Saints worked out free agent DE Anthony Hargrove recently, according to the National Football Post. Hargrove, 26, was reinstated from a one-year suspension over the winter after sitting out 2008 for violating the league's substance abuse policy three times. He could compete with nickel end Bobby McCray in New Orleans. Source: National Football Post I always thought he was decent on the field - it was off the field he had problems. I'd love to have another competent DE in the mix here, but it looks like the Bills have given up on him.

Which is basically what Dallas said when they released him - it was not because he had lost any speed....the guy is a workout freak, and knows how to keep himself in shape. T.O. and Evans are both deep threats - IF we are given the time to throw. Looking at a few of those clips, the Dallas OL was so far superior to what we had on the field last year, it's not even funny.

Well put - my thoughts exactly. I like the guy, just not as our starter....