starrymessenger

No I don't think the Bills are pretenders. You've got to have a claim to being a contender before you can be a pretender. They are a young team that is rebuilding and is probably two years or so away from being contenders for anything, assuming EJ develops as as a pro QB.

I think Bree's is 4-0 at home against AFCE. They are coming off a bye week (when they usually score + 40 points) before which they found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on the last play of the game. If the Bills win this game it will say more about the Saints being pretenders than the Bills being contenders.

Despite his impressive measurables the book on him is that he goes down immediately following the first contact.

That's going too far IMO. It has been a real pleasure getting to see Fred play over the years because he does just about everything his position requires very well. He is a high end tailback. For those who say he is to explosive I would disagree. Although arguably Chan's system was conducive to it, before he got hurt a couple of years ago he was proving to be a gamechanger and plenty explosive. Although as someone has said he is perhaps getting the most out of his abilities now he is the poster child for a player that has not gotten the most out of his talent over his career, through no fault of his own. No question that if he had gotten his opportunity sooner and especially had he developed with the right team, o-line and scheme he would be a household name in every NFL city, not just Blo. Having said all that, it's not as though he has failed to earn cudos. He is generally regarded in the business as a very good football player and a consummate professional.

Hard to know what really went down, but there was some scuttlebutt at the time that Buddy had passed on players because he wanted picks and that the Pack had dangled James Jones who was in the doghouse for some drops. That would have been a better trade.

Any player with his head screwed on properly knows and understands that his loyalty is to himself and to his family. He "owes" the fans and the owners exactly nothing. He should always look out for himself because nobody else will. Everybody involved in this business is completely self interested and that is what it should and needs to be. Byrd is in an awkward position. If he has a chronic foot problem that legitimately keeps him off the field for at least part of a season, then probably he and his agent have overvalued his services. That would also be the case if he is basically good to go but playing would credibly risk aggravating the injury to where he would legitimately be unable to play. If he can play with the condition, as he did last year, then he is in bad faith in refusing to honour his contract. The mere risk of sustaining any injury is of course no reason not to play. Otherwise there would be no football. Idk but I wonder what Eugene will be telling the Bills or perhaps other teams after the season is over. I suspect he will be saying that his client doesn't really have a chronic debilitating condition that will keep him off the field for four or five games a year. In other words with a wink and a nod it will be understood that this really relates entirely to his contractual situation. I guess Eugene assumes, quite possibly with justification, that he and his client can get away with this. Just show us the money and he will be on the field. Now however it becomes important for Byrd to see the field to maintain his value in a contract year. So now it's up to coach. If this is what's going on Byrd and Parker are in bad faith. If it's not, he's not worth what he wants.

All true IMO. Idk that Andy was worth what he got. Very good player but not without flaws. The Rinehart decision I just don't get however, unless, as some have suggested, he didn't want to play here. There is a myth that good or at least serviceable guards are a dime a dozen. Not true. Just look at Pitt with DeCastro who was supposed to be the next coming of John Hannah. He has looked awful before and since coming back after injury. The best interior O line player in football is prolly Carl Nicks, a guard.

TJ is a good football player. Good flag football player that is.

Whoa! Credit Canadian ignorance of American lingo. Thought Manchild was a good thing, like, you know, Macho or something like that. I remember Cookie's days in Canada and followed him in Buffalo afterwards. Admired him for what he was able to do on the field but also off of it viz the AFL all star game That was to be played in NO. He was a man. Forget the child part.

Cookie Gilchrist and Jim Brown were the two greatest mofo man children to ever walk on a football field. JMO.

Great move by Banner and Lombardi. Trade also works for Indy to the extent TR can be to Luck what Terrell was to Elway. Personally I don't think he's Terrell Davis. JMO.

Good point. Was my thought as well.

Cookie.

Haha lol good one. Maybe a picture of either one would be just as good and close enuf to reality. Seriously, hope RW is doing ok given hes standing on the rooftop ledge of a very tall building. Wish I could have so long and productive a life.

Doug Whaley.

Never lose hope. I'm told Jeremy Bentham still occasionally chairs meetings of some utilitarian society.

Hard to believe but true nonetheless.

I wouldn't put it past them. No guarantee that the 15-20 first rounder will amount to anything. Oh wait, of course they are loading to move up in the draft. They love to waste picks they have stockpiled after all. Didn't they burn three picks to move ahead of a team with AP to draft a RB #3 overall? I thought being a Bills fan was tough.

Luck and Russel Wilson also are megastars. They just don't act like that.

You're right. He's a colossal talent when healthy but no doubt disgustingly full of himself. His fashion photoshoot was more hilarious than Sachez's. Ever see that thing he does with his arm and wrist in his practice throws? What flare! You would never see Luck act like that. Maybe what we find out in due course is that he doesn't have the ideal personality to lead a team of adult professional players in the long run.

Not a big TJ fan and I would like to see more of Easley for now. But, in fairness the guy is almost always under thrown and never hit in stride. If his hands are good (and I know he has something to prove there) he could take the top off any defence IMO. I just don't see him ever going over the middle much so at best he is somewhat one dimensional.

Without DA the Pats are very likely losers Thursday night. That's good IMO. The reason is that the Pats are vulnerable this year. They are vulnerable because Brady's supporting cast is much diminished and very possibly also because Brady's looks less consistent in his execution. Everyone has showered him with praise for his clutch performance last Sunday, but he also made his share of mistakes and poor throws. He responded poorly to moderate pressure. Sure they will get better but what I saw Sunday was an 8/8 team that would get its butt kicked by any number of genuine contenders. Jets will not sustain a winning record throughout the season and will implode later. I'd rather see the Pats not separate from the rest of the Division and I think that's the way it plays out. It's also our best chance to be playing meaningful football in November-December for a change.

And it should be mentioned that Tavon Wilson also sucks. They did a lot better with that 7th round pick, although he is a criminal. Wish they would cut him.

...and they were right to do it.

True. Specifically in referencing Kolb, Warner has said that no QB could succeed behind that line. Kolb will face his share of challenges in Buffalo, Mostly an inexperienced receiving corps. He may well show as a good game manager. Fitz's skill set was more limited IMO. I'm glad he's gone. I think Kolb starts ahead of EJ. EJ is not Luck, RG3 or Russell Wilson. He needs grooming. The big unanswered question is how he will respond to it.