Never NEVER Give-up

I just casually glanced at the Bills' 2013 Schedule and after looking at each game and capsulizing what happened each week, I think I now see exactly what Coach Marrone has been saying - that the Bills need to become more consistent. Play-in, play-out, win some games in a row. I heard him on the radio this morning, he's not interested in revenge against Miami or winning to keep them out of the playoffs, he's interested in winning a second game in a row. Take a look at the following, after I did this I concluded Coach Marrone is spot-on in his assessment of this team and what it needs to do to get better and over a 14-year hump. New England Patriots Lost Carolina Panthers Won @ New York Jets Lost Baltimore Ravens Won @ Cleveland Browns Lost Cincinnati Bengals Lost – should have Won @ Miami Dolphins Won @ New Orleans Saints Lost Kansas City Chiefs Lost – should have Won @ Pittsburgh Steelers Lost New York Jets Won Atlanta Falcons (Tor) Lost – should have Won @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Lost @ Jacksonville Jaguars Won Miami Dolphins Win, and we may be getting over the hump! @ New England Patriots TBD The Bills aren't bad, but horribly inconsistent! But for 3 games they should have won, they'd be 8-6 at this point - in the wild card driver's seat ahead of the Ravens & Dolphins. I'm not trying to say the if for a few plays we'd be better because we are what we are. I am saying that when reflecting on the majority of the season, the Bills have yet to find their way. Here's hoping the Coach gets them to get out of their own way and start playing with some consistency - and start winning regularly. There's 2 more weeks, no need to wait 'til next year to start winning! Go Bills!

OK Russ, we get it.

Bills were depressed about the "home" loss to Atlanta. Then the very popular Tashard Choice was let go and the team had a crappy week of practice. Next week will be a better indicator. Remember even the Pats were horrible after they released Lawyer Milloy in 2003, but they bounced back in week 2 and went on to 14-2 and beat Carolina in the SB. I'm certainly not predicting that - not even for next year, but I think it takes them a week to adjust to the loss of a popular player.

Bills were bad from 1960 - 1961. OK from 1962 - 1963*. Champs in 1964* - 1965*. Good in 1966*. Bad from 1967 - 1972. (one win seasons in '68 & '71.) Pretty good in 1973 - 1974*. Ok in 1975. Bottomed out in 1976. Bad from 1977 - 1979. Good in 1980* - 1981*. Bad in 1982. Strike year. Ok in 1983. Bad from 1984 - 1986. Improving in 1987. Good in 1988* - 1989*. AFC Champs 1990* - 1993*. (* inclusive) OK in 1994. Good in 1995* - 1996*. Declining in 1997. Improving in 1998* - 1999*. OK in 2000. Bad in 2001. OK in 2002. Slipped in 2003. OK in 2004. Bad ever since - 2005 - 2013!! This is the worst stretch EVER! (* - Playoffs)

Cutting Stevie will make another team stronger - can't you just see him on the Pats!! A trade makes more sense, but it'll have to wait till the offseason if it is to come to pass.

Oh great! Now you said it!! The Bills will start winning NOW that it's meaningless and they have no pressure (to win) on them!! Seriously, this team is still too good at shrinking at the moment of truth. Whenever they're called on to deliver in the clutch - they don't. Then when the pressure is off, they play well again making us think there's a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I know the regime is new and so is the QB, so I am willing to be patient, but this team needs to know that this is a continual pattern of behavior and that each of them need to decide if they want to belong to the Pretenders (like the last 13 versions of the Bills) or do they want to stand-up and smash Fate in the mouth and make their own destinys!!

Another log for the fire - Byrd's roughing the passer on his 3rd down sack - ruled that he hit the QB too low. The reply showed he hit him above the knees!!

We're talking HOF'ers, not hall of the good/very good.

No. They would always be a curiosity - but not my team. What would I do? Probably watch a lot less football. I need skin in the game to follow it. The Bills & Sabres (and even the Bandits) are my teams and I follow THEM. If they were no longer, I would not follow the NFL or NHL. I don't really follow Baseball, though the Pirates have always been my favorite because of Willie Stargell and team of his era which was boosted when the Bisons became their farm club years ago. I no longer follow the Bisons - they are a curiosity, but I haven't been to a game in years.

Agreed. However, Marshall Faulk seems to get the most credit for that. You hear it all the time because he's on one of the NFLNetwork shows and this gets played-up quite often - I'm always yelling back at the TV saying, "What about Thurman!?!?!?"

From the Bills remaining schedule, the teams are no longer losing consistently : Atlanta (@TO) @ Tampa @ Jacksonville Miami @ New England The Falcons played New Orleans tough on 11/21 and are always dangerous with Matty Ice and Tony Gonzales. The Bucs crushed the Falcons 2 weeks ago and beat Detroit 24-21 on 11/24. 2-game win 'streak'! The Jags beat the Texans 13-10. Who knows what wrong with the Texans, but the Jags also beat the Titans 29-27 on 11/10. Those wins sandwiched a loss to Ariz on 11/17. Miami pulled a loss out of the fire yesterday against the Panthers who got hot after playing the Bills. Always tough, but this is the last home game! New England has been up-&-down. The were blown out in the 1st half last night, and handled the Broncos in the 2nd half & won in OT. Kinda the way it was against us in the opener. We looked good against them early and then let Brady steal the win late. Up & down. These game will test the Bills' mettle. They need to win them all. 8-8 will not earn a playoff berth. I could see them losing all of these. However, if the offense can eliminate turnovers and the defense remains tough, we have an excellent chance to get to 9-7 and maybe end the playoff futility!

Wow. Sounds like sour grapes. I like Rex Ryan and his statements in the post game presser were accurate. They didn't execute and we did. Last time we didn't execute and they did.

Conventional Wisdom On the surface, this should be a Bills win. But the talking heads and fans look at it this way: The Bills are the Bills and will find a way to lose and the Steelers are the STEELERS and will win because of that alone. Over the last few years the Bills have only disappointed and no one will pick them to win (except we die hards) until they start to do just that. As far as the Steelers go, no one can believe their eyes - the mighty Steelers with a losing record!! Well that can happen when you get old and sustain critical injuries and you don't man your OL with better players. So Sunday comes down to who will show up: The old or new Bills and the old or new Steelers. If the old versions play - bad news for us, but if we play to our talent level (we actualy have more than the Steelers), we should win this one! I get a little irked because we get no props - but at 3-6 you don't DESERVE any. Most of us believe we're better than we've shown, but 3-6 is all that counts! We need to start winning. I think an 8-8 record will be very likely. Someone posted that all the espn experts pick the Steelers this weekend. Why? - See Conventional Wisdom above. Don Banks at cnnsi picks the Steelers 24-13. Next to that prediction he writes only about how bad the Steelers have been. Not one word about the Bills, yet he says Steelers 24-13! We gotta start winning - that's the only road to respect in the NFL.

First - Spiller is only being held back by his ankle. Otherwise he's fine regardless of the "scheme". Seems conspiracy theorists are always looking for another reason/answer. It's not Hackett. Let's give him a fair shot (Healthy starting QB + 2 Healthy RB's + 2 Healthy Receivers), then if we fall all over ourselves we can start to look at scheme. Marrone reported Lawson and Spiller should be "good to go" on Hose's morning show. What I'm more interested in is how the TEAM will do. We played KC the last two years - there - and killed them both times. It'll be interesting to see if we can do it again, at home. I like our chances and like how Marrone is playing the starting QB close to the vest. If we can score 3 TD's, I like our chances. KC has only played teams with losing records and no one as physical as Buffalo. I was nervous about facing the Saints last week. I can't wait to play the Chiefs Sunday - snow showers & 38 degrees are forecasted! Go Bills!!!

Not 1 QB Sneak? On one of the four plays, the D-Line had a gap between our C & LG. Lewis should have taken it himself on that play.

. . . you'd have one ugly family, Dude!

not watching . . . score?

My bad - I didn't see the whole game - was traveling. Glad to hear this about the D. Dareus, Kiko & all the Williamses have looked good. The offense will take a little longer to gel. Hopefully Manuel is OK and ready to go by next weekend. The injuries need to stop - 4 of our top 5 DB's, 2 of our top 3 receivers, a starting DL and now QB. It's a wonder we're not 0-5!

That was a dirty hit on Hoyer. I wonder if the hit on EJ was payback???

. . . and they gave up 30 points!!!

I may be showing my age, but he reminds me of Billy Shaw. Tenacious & tough on the inside of line play. A seemingly regular & easy going guy off the field. I always thought HE was our best OLineman when the 'experts' were saying it was Levitre. Levitre looked so much better because he had Wood to his right, Wood's problem was staying on the field for more than half a season. I agree with Riddick, he will be a pro bowler - but only if he stays healthy. Winning doesn't hurt either!

Hmmm. You sure it's not Daunted Whimper? He's an A-clown!

I know, I know - the Bleacher Report! Plus there's still one game to go tonite - Saints vs fish. That said, I think #17-20 is about right for the Bills. It shouldn't matter as other posters are right about the utility of Power rankings, but they are a gage that shows how the talking heads feel about each team in the league. So tired about being 28-32, 17 is nice to see as we climb towrd respectability.

Did you ever hear of the Miracle of the Meadowlands. Giants were killing the clock against the Eagles and had the game sewn up. Giants QB Joe Pisarcek (sp) and RB Larry Czonka muff the hand-off exchange, the ball is loose, Herman Edwards scoops it up and takes it in for a TD - Eagles win! That play was the genesis of the "Victory" formation where you will see someone in the backfield approximately 10 yds behind the QB - in case there's a fumble. Although it seemed like we knelt down 10x, the Bills were doing it right. A punt snap could go bad, Powell wans't having his best game, a block? Too many things could go wrong. Minimize the chance of errors, 1 exchange per play - Wood - EJ, kill a few extra seconds, take a knee. Heck, if it got to 4th down - a safety may have been the best call - killing the remaining time and ensuring no FG or TD. No problem here withthe coach's call.

IF HE COULD STAY ON THE FIELD WE COULD FIND OUT!!!!! I say cut him. He can't be relied on to stay healthy. I was the 1st guy who was happy when we signed him, but he's useless if he gets hurt whenever he's touched.