vincec

Actually, I agree with this. All of the realistic FA options have their own set of fleas, so you might as well take someone who is young and economical.

Kyle Boller.

Interesting interview. Right on with your analysis. Nothing that a great season can't fix, however.

No. This game needs to be cancelled. It's absolutely the worst of the all start games. Practically no strategy, everyone who doesn't cop out with some excuse is scared to get hurt, practically no real hitting, it's played after the season is over... It's basically a pickup game in the park, which may be ok for baseball or basketball but is not really what football is about. Once you take the physicality out of football, it's not the same game. BTW- I love that Lou Holtz quote about your problems. I really looked forward to his "Dr. Lou" segments this year. That dude is surprisingly funny. The one about how he used to get his QB to throw fewer interceptions is the best...

I live in Charlotte and witnessed the David Carr debacle last year. I was pretty excited when they brought him in, but Carr was so bad that most people were happy to see Matt Moore (the third string quarterback) go in after Carr got injured. In fact, many people credibly believed that the coaching staff exaggerated his injury so that they could bench him for the remainder of the season without publicly destroying his reputation.

Weeb Ewbank.

Why would you cut Kelsay before you have a replacement? Especially if it saves no money? The best approach is to bring in new players and let them compete for playing time. If someone beats out Kelsay, then Kelsay is the backup. If he's unhappy with that, trade him or cut him next year.

I'm not sure where this "bust" thing is coming from. I hear people saying that they were disappointed with his season, but I didn't hear anyone call him a "bust". He will be given more time to develop, but remember that this is the NFL (Not For Long) and he needs to show something soon. I was concerned on draft day when I kept hearing the Bills describe him as a "red zone specialist" and "big bodied possession receiver". I think that if you are looking for such specific player types when you draft in the NFL you take the risk of "reaching" for a player. Just draft the best receiver/player available and adjust your offense to suit his particular skill set. I'm not sure that Hardy was the best receiver available when we took him. Hopefully he will develop into exactly what the Bills were looking for...

So where were all of the Kurt Warner lovers last year or the year before? Arizona was trying to turn their offense over to Matt Leinart. This just goes to show the "what have you done for me lately" spirit of the NFL and its fans. As Al Davis once said, great players don't just forget how to play in the offseason.

The visual of this is really funny... but who would play Gene Rayburn?

LOL. That's how the best ideas are born!

If Kurt Warner retires, Arizona will win 5 games next year...

Throw it up... maybe twice

Time for the homerun throwback...

Not a lot of Steeler fans I see.

Wow. So I guess Kurt Warner didn't forget how to play after all...

Peyton Manning. If you only get one guy, it has to be a QB. They have the most individual impact on the game. He will still play at a high level for 3 or 4 more years too. Matt Ryan looked good this year, but lots of players have had 1 good year in a row. I think we need to see 2 or 3 more before we can say he's anywhere near Peyton's class. PS- If I got another player it would be Haynesworth... and if I got two or three more I might actually get us into the playoffs.

As far as I know there is 1 kicker in the hall of fame, Jan Stenerud, and no punters. There are 247 members...

I think you mean 90 catches in a season. 90 catches in a game probably would get you into the hall!

Congrats to both Ralph and Bruce. I was especially happy to see Ralph's induction. He was one of the original pioneers that built the modern NFL and I think that he still brings those old school values to the owner's meetings. Unfortunately, I don't think any other Bills from the Super Bowl teams will make it, but I'm hoping for them...

Tasker was a great special teams player, but special teams only players just don't get into the hall. They don't play enough downs and there hasn't been one yet who has made anywhere near the impact that a regular offensive or defense player has over the course of his career. Consider the impact that Jim Kelly or Bruce Smith had on games versus what Tasker could do with only maybe 10 plays total. I'd like to see Reed get in as the last member of the Buffalo Super Bowl teams but I think it's unlikely. There are just so many great WR who are not yet in the hall. I think that successful WRs are viewed more a products of passing systems, great quarterbacks and rules changes in coverage so you really have to stand out to make it. Jimmy Johnson once said that Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith are a great players, Michael Irvin is a great player when he has Troy Aikman. I think that sums up many voters thinking.

Arizona is much better than the Bills. I was at that game and it was no mirage. Obviously with no pass rush, no one who can cover Larry Fitzgerald and Loss-man at QB, your going to have trouble, but consider that since Arizona beat Buffalo 41-17 they have improved (especially on defense) and Buffalo went into the tank. Better coaching, better utilization of player's skills and better player development. If you go down the line player for player it may be close, but if you look at how the teams are playing and what kind of production their getting from their players and their system, it's no contest.

It's interesting to see Derrick Dockery's name come up on some of these lists. Based on his performance, he is lucky to be starting for OUR team. I think that most of the trouble that the left site of the OL has had in short yardage running and blitz/stunt pickup is because of him. He hasn't gotten much push in the running game and seems to lose his man on blitzes and stunts. Frankly, I don't think that he's played much better that Brad Butler despite the huge difference in salary.

Maybe I don't get it, but if I wanted to win football games I would keep players that are performing well and release players that are not. London Fletcher was one of our best defensive players when we released him. He went on to produce for Washington and we went back to the draft board trying to replace him (which we still haven't done). It's like the people that suggest we trade Peters. We need to keep our good players and try to build around them, not constantly start over for one reason or another... He's too old, he want's too much money, he's got a bad attitude, he doesn't fit our new system, etc. These are just bad excuses for getting rid of good players.

If you can stop the run with your front 7 and consistently put pressure on the QB with a 4 man rush, you will be successful no mater what your base defense is. The DL is the key component in both of these things. Linebackers and safeties look a lot better when they're playing behind a good defensive line. Just compare at Jim Leonhard's play in Baltimore to his play in Buffalo. And even if you have a great athlete in the secondary who plays behind a sketchy defensive line and still looks good (like Bob Sanders), your defense will still probably be weak (like the Colt's). The strong cover 2 defenses that I can remember all had pretty tough DLs. Think of Warren Sapp, Anthony McFarland & Simeon Rice anchoring Tampa's Super Bowl championship defense.