OldTimer1960

I respectfully suggest that Tampa's team got a lot better after they released Josh Freeman. Check their record before and after that move.

Mario Williams is having an outstanding season and I have never seen him look like he wasn't trying. I know he is paid a lot of $, but everyone knew that the Bills would need to overpay to get a big name free agent. He is playing very well, from what I can see.

That would help a lot - still need at least 1 very good WR and a better TE to help manue or whomever plays QB. I know that Brady (maybe the best QB ever) can make do with nobodies, but you can't expect many other QBs, including very good veterans, to do the same. I think Woods can be a very good WR and I think Goodwin will be a nice 3rd WR, but I think SJ13 is working his way out of Buffalo - not that he doesn't try hard or isn't pretty good, but for his pay his production and "clutch ness" is too low. The cupboard is bare otherwise. How can TJ graham be starting with only 18 catches after 13 games? There are l4th and 5th string WRs who have more catches.

He also needs better protection than he got last game and some better/more experienced WRs and TEs. Ask Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick if success is harder to come by without Reggie Wayne and Michael Crabtree - note that Luck still has a pretty good pair of weapons in TY Hilton and Coby Fleener and Kaepernick still has Vernon Davis...

Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jefferies don't qualify as legit wideouts? They are making Josh Mcown look really good when his entire career says otherwise.

EJ does have to improve his accuracy, but when two of your receivers are SJ an TJ and the others are rookies, I think it is very hard. SJ is really crumbling. That INT earlier was completely on him - following on the woeful fumble from last week. How is it that TJ Graham has only 18 catches so far this season - yet he still is on the field most of the time? They have to have someone who can do better than that. The defense is a real shame. I am appalled that they are so bad.

There are teams lining up to hire Pettine as their HC! Funny that people were actually worried about that a little earlier in the season.

Now we have them where we want them! Why can't this team EVER stop the stinking run?

I am with you. I can't believe the argument is even being made that weapons don't matter. A very few truly Hall of Fame QBs can still excel with lesser weapons, but those QBs are RARE and they would be even better with very good receivers.

And even in 82, Schliester had gambling problems so he had to be replaced - and it was for HOFer Elway

I'll be watching and looking for continued signs of improvement. I hope to see the young players take a few more steps. I hope that they continue to play hard and be competitive in every game.

You are right, I just couldn't resist responding.

Didn't you just suggest that Locker might be great? Go check Locker's passing stats in college and pros and tell me he was/is more accurate than Manuel. QBs generally do raise their completion % after their rookie year. Also, remember that Manuel is also throwing (mostly) to rookie WRs who may not always be in the right spot. Give them some time to develop chemistry. We would all have liked EJ to have walked in and been a polished finished product, but that was an unrealistic wish. Sure, he needs to improve - what young QBs don't? In my view, he has played better than I expected and I am encouraged that he may be a long term good NFL starter.

I agree on the point that the Bills did the best that they could of a bad situation after both Kolb and Manuel were injured. Some argue that they should have had a "vet", but I haven't seen anyone identify a viable option that was available at the time. Regarding the point that good QBs don't make decisions that get them injured, I strongly disagree. I think fans in Green Bay would argue that Aaron Rodgers is pretty good, yet he is hurt.. Didn't RG3 get hurt running last year? Drew Bree's had a torn rotator cuff which hastened his exit from SD.

That is how I saw it, too

Nobody is happy that the team has been bad for a long time. But I don't see their failings as a lack of effort or a secret plan to suck in order to torture and rip off the fan base. The organization has tried to get credible football people to run the front office. I remember thinking that the hiring of Tom Donahoe was going to work very well. I still think that Buddy Nix significantly upgraded the talent level on the team over the past 3 years. Basically, the team went through an awful period prior to Nix' arrival and the cupboard was completely bare. Importantly, they have been unable to find a good QB since Jim Kelly left - that by itself was the single biggest problem. I hope that they have finally found a good long term answer at QB and I think that there is young talent to develop. I believe that they are finally headed in the right direction. My main point through all of this rambling is that placing all blame on Mr Wilson is way off base (IMHO).

+1 I don't understand why many are so harsh on Manuel. If that was "awful" then there are no words for some QB performances. Again, I don't know if Manuel will be the long- term answer, but I've been generally pleased with his play so far (Pittsburgh game was tough to watch, though)

Agreed, further would people really rather have him throwing picks left and right like Geno Smith has been doing? Manuel played well enough for them to have some that game. Turnovers and the inability of the defense to stop a Falcon offense without Julio Jones are what lost that game.

I don't think it really matters. Even if this team had 22 Pro-Bowlers starting, they would find a way to lose.

I am pretty sure that Marrone did not tell Johnson and Chandler to fumble. I still like Marrone, but fear that he will be chewed up by the horrible losing culture the same as previous coaches have.

Can there be any question? Bills must cut SJ and his big contract and spend that money to re-sign Byrd - not that Byrd was spectacular today, but he is FAR FAR more clutch than SJ. 1st or 2nd round pick should be spent on a TE who is better than the scrap-heap reclamation project that Chandler is.

45 years of hoping and trying to believe through bad decisions and bad luck. I don't have much left. The irony is being set up. A few more bad years in Buffalo and then they'll move to Toronto, LA or London and then they'll suddenly be SB contenders.

45 years of hoping and trying to believe through bad decisions and bad luck. I don't have much left. The irony is being set up. A few more bad years in Buffalo and then they'll move to Toronto, LA or London and then they'll suddenly be SB contenders.

Agreed, this team finds creative ways to lose. I can easily see them losing the rest of their games - unless of course it might be advantageous to lose one of them for a shot at a really great player - then, and only then, will they put together a good game and stumble to a victory when it would benefit them to lose.

BTW, I have watched/listened to EVERY game for the last 45 years and I cannot believe how bad (other than the 4 SB years) this team has been. There has been almost NO hope for most of those 45 years. I DO see some signs of progress - Manuel at least has a chance to be a good NFL QB, Woods looks decent, Alonzo looks like a keeper... BUT, what happens when the collective stink of this franchise saps the effort from those guys? Horrible, horrible loss and one that was particularly predictable late in the 3rd QTR. If you've watched for the last 30-40 years, you KNEW that they would find a way to lose this game against a team that just wanted to get on the bus and go home. Terrible....