transient

Therein lies the part that all of Ryan's horn-blowing can't fix: - Sanchez looked awful last season - that running game you reference left town - that defense relies on Revis on an island This is the captain speaking, please stay in your seats as we attempt an emergency water landing... SPLOOSH!!!

Regardless of the accuracy of the rest, love the characterization of Maybin as a Wii character. 28 inch waist... nancy boy!!

I'm cool with the Spiller pick for several reasons: - This is not the same old FO. If it was, they would have done what so many are clamoring for and picked a need position at 9, inevitably passing over clearly better players who would turn out to be difference makers. All of the players that are being used to make the point of the FO's previous mistakes (Maybin, Whitner, etc.) clearly fit that description, and were widely regarded as reaches when the pick was made by most media, reputable or not. Spiller is being criticized because he doesn't fill a percieved need, not because he doesn't have exceptional talent. If we'd have taken exceptional talent in the first round when it was available the last ten years, regardless of need, we'd be a much better team today. - Our offense has been atrocious, and Chan, who has a way with offense, publicly stated he wanted a scat back. I'll trust his instincts on this. - Our O-line is young, and was in no way put in a position to succeed last year. The likelihood of finding a LT who was NFL ready after the first two were off the board was low, so why not see what you have when a legitimate NFL offense is installed on this team. Besides, trading down to select a tackle that you're not certain will be your cornerstone and passing on what you believe to be elite talent in the process makes no sense. It would show a lack of conviction/direction, which is what plagued the FO for years. I like the fact that Nix and Gailey are already showing they are willing to do what they think is right, not what they think is popular. Does that mean they're right... of course not, but it's a different vibe in my opinion. - Finally, opponents of the Bills last year stated on several occasions that they were running a pitiful, predictable offense. I don't imagine it's too hard as an NFL defense to make offensive lineman look bad when you know what's coming. A legitimate offensive mind will fix that aspect. Spiller, by his versatility, is a big part of that, methinks. You can overcome a lineman's limitations to some degree by getting a defense on their heels, something we've been utterly incapable of for years. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Really, what's the point in not? I can't see enjoying the season more by declaring it a failure from the start. I don't expect them to make the playoffs, but I do expect them to be better by the end of the season. I expect them to start heading in the right direction, and if they do this has the makings of a fun season. I certainly don't think that the players on this team are as bad as the coaching staff has made them look that last four years. Hell, Fewell, despite being completely overmatched, was an improvement over Jauron, so it's not unreasonable to think a beefed up staff might be able to squeeze even more out of them. Ultimately, I think part of the draft strategy this year was aimed at filling known holes (aside from Spiller) and using the season to determine whether or not certain players already on the roster are/can be the answer or if it is time to turn the page once and for all.

There is something unavoidable about following a team through thick and thin when you are a fan that is inexplicable. I've seen friends who grew up in Buffalo who were 'phins fans from childhood in order to root against their fathers in the spirit of competition who stuck with them thus far lifelong. I have friends from Cleveland whom I empathise with who share my passion for futility. The fact is if you are a true fan you make a commitment the likes of which you don't comprehend until wallowing through a decade or more of futility. To all the Bills, Lions, Browns, Pirates, Sabres, etc fans out there who understand true fandom, kudos to your noble futility. As a fan of the Yankees from the early '90s (pre dynasty) I can say it isn't the same to celebrate a championship for a team that is not truly yours.

"Draftniks" are painfully short sighted, and cannot/will not take the long term plan of a franchise into consideration. Even if our stable of QBs fail and Clausen succeeds, in the long term all will be well if Troup and Spiller pan out, and we select a QB early next year with more potential than Clausen. If the FO didn't like him they had their reasons, and it would have been a mistake to take him to appease the masses.

IIRC (which has already been called in to question this evening, so take it for what it's worth) that book was authored by Belichick* as DC of the Jets on a Monday night. As soon as defenses stopped chasing him and started sitting on short and intermediate routes the so-called magic died.

Reread my post. I said he was fired for not firing Ronnie Jones the season after the music city miracle, not following the music city miracle itself, essentially the same as what you said when you were incorrect to correct me. As far as bashing, it was in agreement with the post I referenced that the article was pretty poor. Despite your historical accuracy, your comments about getting facts straight are somewhat ironic.

That would explain the inaccuracies, such as Wade Philips being fired for the QB decision, when any Bills fan who was past the point of sentient development could have told you it was for not firing that dolt Ronnie Jones the season after the music city miracle. Doh!!

Logic?!?! Logic?!?! We're lucky if we can string a few words together to form a sentence, and you're talking about LOGIC?!?! If you're going to enter a QB discussion, please follow convention and use the word suck... often. Trent Edwards sucked, Doug Flutie sucked, JP Losman sucked, Drew Bledsoe couldn't do diddly pooh!!! Also, insulting the OP goes a long way toward validating your point. Just trying to help out with a few tips I've learned in my short time here.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/422205-...ack-doug-flutie For those who desire to waste the minute or so it takes to read this less than objective opinion piece. I wonder how long it took the author to get the scent of Flutie's bung out of his nostrils.

This was discussed in a different thread a while back. More a case of semantics. Bell was inactive his entire rookie season (If I'm not mistaken was on practice squad for the majority of the year, and was elevated to roster but not active for last game, or something like that). Last year was not his rookie season, but he was technically a first year player having never been on the active roster before, making him a second year player this year. Regardless, prior to the cap we would routinely "season" OL players for 3-5 years before starting them, so suggesting a player can't develop further because he is now three years out from being drafted is kinda silly.

Are we sure he was peeing? Maybe Big Ben's drive didn't clear the lady's tee. In which case he's required to play that hole with little Ben swinging in the breeze. Rules are rules.

It better not pre-empt dodgeball. Mooseknuckles are facing the She-Mullets for the right to play the MILFS in the championship. They're also having an amateur wrench throwing contest in honor of Patches O'Hoolihan. Better get Cotton a clean pair of shorts.

You make a compelling point... and the fact that I missed that insight the first go round may indicate that there is still a lot of room for growth. I wish I knew what Chan Gailey's thoughts were on this whole conundrum. Of course, if I ask him he might use the word "hop" or "skip," thereby adding a whole new level of complexity to over-interpret.

We could always trade for him, rename him LenDale White, then cut him.

I could make a jump to that thread, but I don't know if it would mean I've shown growth, so I'm gonna stick around here for a while and see if I can't figure it out.

Anybody but Fitz. IMO he is CLEARLY not the QB of the future for this team, and if he is starting then it means the other three aren't even worth evaluating, which is what this season is ultimately about.

I can't figure out whether to laugh and hate myself or call the authorities. IMO, it seems more like Bill O'Reilly.

While he never would have gotten it done without the cast around him, that was the K-gun in a nutshell. Marchibroda's "genius" was in seeing that he had one of the few true field generals in the game and some of the best talent in the game surrounding him. Give Kelly a handful of basic plays that he could run out of any formation and let him call them at the line based on the defensive alignment and his absolutely unparalleled feel for the game. Kelly's go for the throat style was perfect for keeping defenses on their heels. Put Marino in that offense and he'd have wasted it by throwing 60 times per game with his ego, but Kelly kept things balanced cuz all he wanted to do was win, and if you didn't want it as badly as he did, you'd better get used to his teeth in your ass. Give Marchibroda credit for recognizing what he had. Personally, I have always felt that beloved Marv is largely to blame for those SB losses. While the Bills were clearly the class of the AFC those years, the NFC was churning out some monsters. Levy always stuck by the mantra that the teams that execute best win games, which really missed the point that they were up against comparable if not better teams; meanwhile Parcells, Gibbs, and Johnson were putting together something new cuz they realized they were up against a comparable team talent and execution-wise. Not the best idea to go up against big game coaches without anything new up your sleeve. Sorry... I'm not much on letting old wounds heal.

Depends on what he thought of his coverage skills.

Kilpatrick was ousted from office two years ago (at least) in a sex/misappropriation of funds scandal. IIRC he did prison time for it. Just Wiki'd him, and he's back in prison for violating his parole, and has federal charges against him stemming from his time in office. The truth is, he ran the city like a mob boss, and his whole administration reeked of corruption.

I'll admit I don't know much about Allen, so I'll take your word for it. This situation or a combined GM/HC roll is the only way coaches like Shanahan or Cowher would agree to coach an organization at this point in their careers IMO. Personally, I have no ill will against Shanahan, and actually don't think he would have been a good fit. From a personnel perspective he seemed to bring in players by the truckload in FA, and if they didn't pan out he'd take the cap hit and find another, something I don't see playing well with Ralph (however, fits right in with Washington's MO under Snyder).

I agree. The Bills may have stumbled on the right person in spite of themselves, similar to promoting Polian to GM from the scouting ranks. The thing that could be really beneficial is if Whaley turns out to be legit, cuz he's essentailly a GM in training, which smacks of Nix wanting to stick with this as long as it takes to turn it around and achieve his goals (SB hopefully) and turn the reigns over to a handpicked successor. Tell me that wouldn't be a legacy. And while it may not have been the sexiest pick, the early signs philosophically are that Gailey may have been the right person to coach this team (though the season will obviously be much more telling.) IMO as soon as a GM was hired it was an indication that we would not get one of the big names, especially if the GM had a pair of stones and a vision for the team. We'll see how the power struggle develops in DC between Allen and Shanahan.

Did you then feel bad about yourself... like after watching Bad Santa? Or did you laugh some more, and then work on your kid's reaction time? I'm actually surprised that no one has pointed out that Trent's actually very adept at keying in on a single target with heightened anticipation, and therefore it's not surprising that he was good at this gimmick.

Didn't you get the point? No shouting... especially that. I mean, there was a thread aimed at banning "Shout" the song the other day. Take the hint. If you want to be demonstrative about something insult another poster's intelligence, or manhood, or mother, or something... add fifty or sixty swearing icons or head bashes, cuz they're not nearly the punch in the eye that capital letters are. Anyway, welcome aboard and go bills!