vincec

He could burn the place down.

That's what I saw too. Maybe he can develop into a nickel LB and eventually replace Bryan Scott. I was not really impressed by any of the LBs to tell you the truth.

Lee Evans is over the football hill now so I'm probably beating a dead horse, but for the sake of argument I ask if Lee Evans isn't good blocking or going over the middle, then why does the coach insist that he do those things? Why not put him in a position to be successful?

The Pats OL has been good for a long time now. I'll believe that they are waning when I see it with my own eyes. Until then, it's all hype.

I doubt it.

Always liked him. He will do fine in Seattle.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the backup QB job as important as I once did. The Bills are pretty much like everyone else, including the defending SB champions- if they lose their starting QB for more than a game or two, things are probably sunk for the season. There's no way to keep a player who could start and win games as a backup these days. You're really just trying to get a decent game or two from your backup. In the Bills case you just hope that your defense and running game can deliver a win in those one or two games.

"We were confronted by a dilemma: to take the right decision from a human point of view or the right decision from the point of view of fencing rules, which aren`t perfect. The technical committee decided to take the second route." In other words, they could do the right thing or follow some rule even though it is wrong. They chose to do the wrong thing. Yup, that's what athletic competition is all about.

Unfortunately, boxing is littered with questionable decisions- both in the amateur and professional ranks. It almost makes you wonder if they weren't better off when the event went until somebody quit or was knocked out, even if it lasted 100 rounds. Going to the judges is a recipe for disaster.

Exactly right.

If Carrington makes it then Edwards or Johnson will be cut, IMO. It should have no impact on the LBs. I've been reading good things about Carrington but he's still practicing with the 3rd team, correct?

Don't be too sure. Aren't they also giving Bradham reps at middle? And I think that Barnett or Morrison could be moved there in a pinch. I think White and McKilop BOTH are on the bubble right now. I've always had a good feeling about Moats at SOLB. I think he will make it. He is a playmaker and you don't cut those.

Based on Chris Brown's practice notes, I'm more worried about LT. He wrote that Gailey "didn't sound all that pleased" with how things were going and from the other camp reports is appears that both Hairston and Glenn have been getting worked by the DL.

The lack of commentary about him from the coaches or media is deafening.

+1 If I remember correctly, the Bills DL was dominating at the start of last year's camp as well. Everyone was wondering if it was because they were good or because the OL was bad.

Kelsay has been a decent defensive lineman over the last few years, but I think that the belief that Kelsay is somehow a run stopping specialist is not founded on reality. The Bills had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL throughout his career and I regularly saw teams run against him. He's really just average against the run. There's no question in my mind that you will see teams start the season by testing the Bills run defense to see if they really are better and to slow down the pass rush. The majority of those runs will be towards the right side of the defense where Kelsay, Merriman and Anderson are all average run defenders. I hope that this group can come through. It's hard to unleash the pass rush on 2nd and 5 or 3rd and 1.

Wood sitting out of the first day of camp??? Did he play at all?

Dick Jauron told him that small DEs was the wave of the future.

I hope that the Bills can pull it off. I have always been of the belief that complex systems tend to collapse under pressure and/or when things aren't going right. Can the Bills execute something this complex in the 4th Q of the Superbowl, down by 4 with 2 minutes left, and the Giants DL bearing down on Fitz? We shall see (I hope).

"You can't turn the page until you're successful," Gailey said. "There's a lot of excitement. There's good reason for it. But we have not turned the page. We have to go prove it on Sundays before that changes." This is my take on all of this. "Show me the baby."

That is the main challenge with this system, IMO. It all looks good on the blackboard, but figuring it out on the field is another matter.

Kelsay was rotating with the first team during mini-camp. Since he's seen as the best run defender of the three, I suspect that Kelsay will get a strong look as the "starter" with Anderson coming in on passing downs. My theory on Merriman is that if he looks good the Bills will take out Dareus on some passing downs and slide M Williams to DT so that you have Merriman, M Williams, K Williams and Anderson. I would be very surprised if there is a clear starter at RDE this season.

I think the confidence that they built up going 5-2 got beat out of them during the 1-8 finish. Gailey said as much after the season. I'm all for "the future is now", "if not now then when", etc. but the realist in me says it is a process that takes time.

I don't see how the team can "expect to win" when they haven't made the playoffs in 12 years, have only had one winning season in that time (9-7) and lost 8 of their last 9 games. The Bills still need a season where they learn that they can compete with the top teams on an even footing over the course of an entire season before they take the next step to believing that they should beat them every week. I hope that this is the season that the Bills can finally turn the corner and go 9-7, or at least a very competitive 8-8. Then next season take the jump to a championship contender.

This issue must have been dealt with long ago in the NHL. There are tons of cross border games and lots of pro hockey players have baggage.