shoretalk

It was his best run since his junior year at Cal. Watching the run it was almost as if a light went on inside his head that said 'Marshawn ... you have this talent ... you can use it if you try ...' and wow what a run! Had nothing to do with his line but more with his second and third effort ... he just wasn't going down. The hole he ran through was nothing better than he had in front of him in Buffalo many times ... this time he was a driven player 'in the zone' and he wanted it ... and no one was going to bring him down. Obviously, he hasn't had any similar runs at any time in his pro career ... but in the end ... good for Marshawn! Maybe this will turn him around as a person and as a player.

Ok, I too was a believer. I remember watching him at Louisville and talking with friends who went there. He was a can't miss type of guy who just needed to be worked into the pro game. I didn't think the Atlanta game in '09 was a fair shot and really wanted to see more of him in the preseason that was handed over to Trent. Frankly, as I watched him in the preseason games even with limited play I started to doubt. The Jet game left no doubts .... he had a great collegiate career but it's now time for him to go coach some high school team and enter the real working world. Levi deserves a shot but every year there are experienced cast off's who can sit nicely as a #2 behind Fitz until we find our QB for the extended future. I feel comfortable with our offense behind Fitz getting to the playoff's if we address our defensive gaps and that started this week with the canning of the ILB coach! Time to wave bye bye to Maybin, McCargo and a few others ... GO BILLS

Well, POZ ... there's your coach going bye bye next it will be the players who couldn't shed a block or who were carried 5-10 yards on runners' backs before they brought them down ... Although we have some holes at the DE slots ... it was embarrassing seeing major gains right up the gut of our defense after Williams was doubled off. Poz and crew were constantly blown backwards. I give Buddy and Chan credit .... get out the broom and sweep.

Long long over due .... it will be the end of non-players like Maybin holding out and creating angst for their future team's coaching staff and fans. Of course once Maybin arrived we realized that in his case it would be better if he was still holding out. Since only very few players in the league were first round wonder-kids I can't see them objecting to the philosophy of you got to earn what you get paid. This will also end all the whining about whether certain owners are too cheap to pay their first round picks. You get drafted ... here's what we pay in the NFL ... take it or get a job with your degree. Sounds reasonable to me and more like the working world we all live in.

Double teamed throughout the season ... proved that he can play NT in the 3-4 even though the board's experts had him as a DE and some even hinted that he had no value before this past season. Kyle plays the way the entire D should play ... too bad his attack methodology is not rubbing off on his peers.

Since the end of last season when all the LUCK fans kept dreaming about him coming to the NFL I kept wondering ... is this kid going to finish his four years and graduate or leave early? I am happy to see him pick college because I never felt he was ready to go pro, still young, and he is not the pick we need this year. Now, we can just focus on our defense ... and let Fitz lead us for another year, which will also be the telling year for his capabilities to be a true leader since I am assuming (some may say dreaming) that the Bills will have a better defense in 2011 (if there is a season) and with a better defense comes a better offense.

After listening to the interview what impressed me was the coat drive that he has been leading since college to help the homeless in the Washington DC area. His concern for people who were hurting truly came through. And, when asked about Maybe he rather quickly talked about "Moats and the other guys" so not sure that was a big plus for Aaron.

To all the critics of this signing ... if Merriman cannot play he will be cut, terminated, off the payroll. The cost of this signing in the scheme of things is minimal unless it's all that Ralph/Buddy/Chan are willing to payout towards free agents this winter. If he is a non-factor it's no biggie because his presence in training camp can only be helpful to the young players and he is not going to displace anyone either as a body on the summer time roster or on the payroll. However, if he can play and even minimally resemble the player he once was he will be better than any of the veterans we currently have on the team. So, then we are getting a bargain. The board naysayers would have screamed if he had signed with another team and put Buffalo down as a place no one wanted to play for. I still believe that there is a limited sense of loyalty amongst some players and this might be the case that he'd sign with Buddy before anyone else could even attempt to sign him. There are greater concerns with this team than Merriman and if we cut Maybin then we will already have some of Merriman's potential salary recouped.

Nope ... no crazy pills; the board as usual wants the Bills to dump whoever has been on the 'let's hate him today' list because someone else's cast off must be better than who we have playing for the Bills right now. And, the quarterback hoopla for a player who might not even finish a full college career amazes me when for the last several years it is clear our defense's inability to stuff another team has been our number one offensive problem. Under Coach Perry it was bend and bend and bend but not break and play to not lose the game (funny how that philosophy came back to haunt him in the Eagles game)but it has been forever since we had the defensive talent that stuck it to the other team. Keeping Poz and Whitner on the team but making them earn starting positions is ok with me but Donte wants top five dollars apparently. I really think we can do better than these two but Poz can be a decent #3 or #4 LB but sadly he has shown he doesn't have the fire nor the ability to be 'the guy' in the middle. Donte always just seems to be a step behind too. It never hurts to set an example that you want to get better by casting off players who don't work hard but we on the bulletin board do not know how hard these guys are working but Maybin's commnents today sure do imply that he hasn't even been doing his film work this year ... he's one to set free today. We need to draft the hungry defensive end or linebacker in the draft (Just look at what Clay Matthews does for the entire Green Bay team). If our defense stopped the run and/or threatened passing quarterbacks then our entire team gets better. So, keep your sanity ... this is only the first year of the turn around with Gailey. I am happy with the trip so far but this offseason, which might last until 2012, is when we see how he and Nix mold the team since now the players are truly theirs not Dick's.

NO It is that simple ...

All we have done with these uniforms is lose, lose, lose ... time to bring a total change to this team. Our old uniforms were part of the Bills' tradition with only slight variations these are an abomination. Does the NFL have a 2 year rule to making changes to uniforms?

Well, average might be a compliment ... he is always pushed back by anyone who blocks him and can't throw the block. He never ever is able to keep pace in pass coverage with running backs and/or tight ends. Now, he is average when he is not blocked in making tackles although frequently the player he is trying to tackle pushes the Poz back a few more yards before he is pulled down. So, if we resign him then he needs to be told he is going to be a back-up in 2011 and let him decide whether it is worth developing some strength to make tackles and some nastyness to be a force in the middle. I am already thinking that with his history of injuries and below average play that there are plenty of other below average linebackes who would show more enthusiasm about making a base player's salary than Poz shows making his. And, I really truly was a Poz backer before this season ... the last few games I have focused on him and I was so wrong before! Why do the Bills always do so poorly when we draft from Penn State?

The more I have watched POZ these last few weeks get blown back by blocks and then make tackles downfield the more I have realized that he just doesn't have it. His coverage ... haha ... cannot even call what he does pass coverage ... is a gift to opposing players who discover that they have entered the POZ zone. The POZ Dispenser gives out receptions as candy. Of the two, both of whom I think we should say goodbye to, and I hate to say this ... but I think Donte is the one we resign. Let Poz go off to get a lot of worthless tackles with some other team ... his statistics and Penn State history will sucker a team in. Who knows if we let Aaron go maybe that team can get a two-fer. Why not, it's the New Year and time to share glad tidings!

Promo once again you are so right ... our offensive woes have been partially related to watching other teams march down our throats, control the ball and then have their quarterbacks sit back to find the open tight end who should have been covered by a competent linebacker or safety. The draft is where we build our defense for the future ... none of this year's quarterback class has paid enough dues to be ready to magically make a pro team better. I prefer college players who have shown for 3 years that they can play in a program and are old enough to graduate with their class because at the very least they are listed as seniors. Drafting undergraduates as dream projects makes no sense at all!

No .... he will be forced to pick one of the defensive studs who are going to be ours for the taking at #3. We need an impact player not a maybe developmental if ... all too many are still dreaming of Claussen but Carolina is going to pick a QB with their #1 choice. If this team can get a defense that stops the run and pressures the quarterback then we will be decent (not great but decent) with Fitz at QB and another QB to develop. We need DEFENSE ... DEFENSE ... someone who is hungry and wants to be an impact player every single down and doesn't lie down and take a break or use tackling statistics that fail to show that runners run over him and that he is always a step behind (take your pick ... Poz or Donte). GO BILLS .... another hurting year but we don't need castoff's nor a QB with #1 ... pay for one or two strong FA's and draft DEFENSE! I'd welcome all the picks being defense to show the group we have now how worthless they are and go after a tight end in FA.

You are so wrong. This sends a message that the team wants players with fire in their guts! If Merriman can't play then he gets cut in training camp and the financial loss is minimal but if he can play anywhere close to the player that he once was then it is a plus because his motor keeps on keeping on ... and to me that is the right message to the locker room. Now, if Buddy signs a few more FA's with the same attitude then the locker room would be inspired at the same time we wave bye bye to Mr. McCargo and Mr. Maybin ... perhaps we should not make first round selections of defensive players with a last name beginning in M (Let me see ... did we make another pick ...).

Frankly, Maybin has had all of this year to try to become someone other than a lazy publicity seeking failure. If he doesn't have the motivation to use his God-given talents for special teams' work then there is a real problem underneath it all. His assets would appear well suited for special teams especially the kick-off squad but he couldn't even make it there under either April or DeHaven. It is my hope that his money was smartly invested for him so that he can live off this windfall forever. But, keeping a worthless player on the squad does nothing to motivate other players who give it all like Moats to work harder. When players don't try ... cut them!

We are rebuilding ... youth ... players who can play ... I always loved Pat Williams; he was and is a Buffalo type of guy but we have our nose tackle and are building around another Williams on the DL. If we can get ourselves an attack dog at LB or DE through the draft or free agency we will be making the right moves. But it isn't worth the cost to sign Pat Williams or Winfield. They have played their best football and I think with Gailey our young players have a coach who is all about winning ... don't need the old timers.

Boozecruise had way too much rum in your fermented egg nog ... why bring in someone that not even Detroit wants when we have a strong young group at wide-out. David Nelson definitely fits that void as a big target but going into next season the problem will be which of these talented receivers do we have to cut. I like what I have seen from Roosevelt, Jones, Nelson, Parrish, Johnson, and Evans. Add it Easley who many thought would be the surprise rookie of the season then it makes one wonder why we are talking about spending a single penny of FA money on a wide out. Must be the booze!

Ok, the fermenting egg nog is still being consumed I see. NO NO a thousand times NO!

And, Poz will be running to catch up to the play or watching another opposing TE or RB catch a pass a few yards ahead of his tight coverage skills. Frankly, I'd give Donte the money before I'd give it to Poz ... we so desperately need LB's with fire in their eyes who can tackle and cover. At least Moats shows signs ...

AMEN ... we need some real terrors on defense who just eat and spit out offensive players. Getting a top DE or LB will only improve the play of players like Moats, Poz, Carrington ... add in big Kyle and suddenly we are looking really good!

A little weird??? A lot of weird ... there seems to be a lot of fermented egg nog being passed around this board lately. Somehow .... I don't want to think about our receivers dropping the 'f-bomb' every week. I would think we are more civil than that ....