vincec

The only problem with eliminating the kickoff altogether is that you would then also eliminate onside kicks. Maybe they could give the kicking team the option to kickoff or have the opposition just start at the 20 yard line.

Probably about as well as he can play offensive left tackle.

The Bills OL is a mess. They didn't properly assess their talent in the off season, failed to acquire enough (any?) help and now they're scrambling and grasping at straws trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The obvious bottom line: the Bills OL will stink this year.

So Maybin is going to be a star I guess.

I have really not been impressed with Gailey's player management in this preseason or last. He just seems determined to play guys based on their size or perceived athleticism rather than their playmaking ability. Trent Edwards as the starting QB. Moats to ILB. Spiller over Jackson. Lynch over Jackson. Urbik over Hangartner. Rinehart over Levitre.

Yeah, they got worked. I don't see why they just don't play man on the outside with their CBs and stuff 8 and 9 people in the box to stop the run and blitz, a la Rex Ryan.

This "stupid" rule change was made because modern kickers are way better than kickers from 30+ years ago. The percentage of kickoffs that were returned before the rule change had dropped to the point where the return game was not really a factor in the outcome of games anymore. It will be the same now that we're back to the 35. Every kickoff in the NFL next season will be a touchback unless it's an onside kick or the kicking team has to kick from further back due to a penalty. That's not how football used to be played. What's the point of watching a touchback anyway? I guess you can add that to the extra point as the time when you can go to the bathroom or the refrigerator without missing anything. As some other posters have said, if the NFL wants to get rid of kickoff returns then they should just do it.

Of all the interesting twists that the english language has taken recently, it intrigues me the most how the word "literally" has actually come to mean the exact opposite (figuratively) of its definition. I had a product rep tell me once that his company "literally slaughtered their competition". I told him that he might me taking this work thing a little to seriously. He didn't get it.

I think he's done, but he may get a shot as a 4-3 OLB in a Jauron-esque scheme. Remember that when DJ was here Bryan Scott was a LB so Maybin is definitely big enough for that. I don't think he has the football instincts to do it, but I think he could pull it off athletically.

Based on Gailey's comments after practice, as reported by Brown, it just looks like he is happy with Rinehart. The fact that it's Levitre coming out and not Urbik is what looks bad.

I really have the new rule allowing kickoffs from the 35. You will see VERY few kickoff returns in the league this year. I guess that part of the game wasn't exciting enough to keep...

Very unpopular pick, even when it was made...

How can he possibly be better than what we already have???

I'm not sure why everyone is so eager to demote McGee. He is better in coverage and run support than McKelvin.

In college this guy couldn't throw the ball AT ALL. It may have had something to do with Johnson's offense but he's really not a better option than playing a running back like Jackson at QB. JMO

On a more optimistic note, players that stood out to me in a good way: Merriman, Batten, Carrington, Dareus, Heard, A Williams and Smith. I know that Williams had the long completion and the PI penalty against him, but his coverage on the completion was very good and his interception was spectacular. He just has the look of a player that is physical and dangerous to throw at.

Roosevelt. I think that he will eventually take over the #2 WR spot. That will get him the yards.

I guess your right. Me along with Chan Gailey, Buddy Nix, Dave Wannstedt and George Edwards obviously "are clueless when it comes to knowing anything about the game". You obviously know more. Another internet "expert"...

When a pro receiver gets 2 hands on the ball it should be a catch, so it's definitely a drop. Fitz could've made it easier, however. Overall, he was thrown to 4 times out of 9 attemps (10 if you count the D Jones interference play which doesn't count in the stats) and had 2 completions for short gains. Not exactly earth shattering but it's a start.

I see the play, I guess. Kelsay barely hits Dareus who doesn't even go down. The play results in a 3 yard loss for the Bears. Yes, a tragedy.

I don't know what you're talking about. 1:50 left in the first quarter was a kickoff return by the Bears followed by a Bears pass play. 1:50 into the first quarter, the Bills had the ball.

The guys that looked the worst to me: Wang, Wrotto, Howard, Maybin, Thigpen, Brown, Moorman, Jones and Easley, (Besides for the obvious camp fodder)

I'm not an Urbik fan, but he wasn't a disaster yesterday. He had a play where he got blown up but was replaced by Wrotto after the second series.

Strange that Kelsay has basically become a whipping boy for this team. He only played 7 plays yesterday and was fine. He wasn't outstanding but he wasn't tragic either. Chicago got 1 first down. He's not going to be cut since he's currently a starter. At worst, he might be replaced by someone like Batten by season's end and move to a backup role. Forget about Kelsay. If Merriman can play like he did yesterday then the Bills D will be much improved.

Because I've seen Evans make many plays over the course of his career, including last year (refer to the Ravens game). I've yet to see Nelson or Jones or Roosevelt do anything even remotely comparable to what I would expect form a #2 receiver on a championship team. Parrish has been useful in the past for the 50% of the season that he is healthy, but he is not really built like an outside receiver. Say what you will about Evans, but I don't see a replacement on the roster for him right now.