dpberr

The Eagles made the Packers look better than they are, yesterday. Not predicting a Bills win or anything, but the Packers are not this juggernaut that some (national media) assume them to be. Their playcalling was very Jauronitastic and that offense line can't handle pressure. Of course, that's mitigated by the fact that the only thing that stops Clay Matthews is a taser.

The trade isn't the most difficult part. It's working out a contract that would satisfy Mankins. He wants to be the highest paid guard in the NFL.

Bill Noethlich You want your undrafted talent...here's a guy to try.

I agree that the sack was not Bell's fault. It's up to the QB to change the protection. There's a lot not to like about Trent Edwards as a football player. For me, that video shows my #1 complaint. Inability to read defense and adjust accordingly. He can read and master a playbook, but not play football. I'm not saying you have to be Peyton Manning out there and go through a ridiculous three hour pre-snap routine, but come on, you really did not see those two linebackers?

Holy crap.

If he's out for the season, who's the next Akin Ayodele to be brought in?

Paul is getting dangerously close to the Hardy-Mitchel Zone, where you are injured so much that you become a liability for rarely being on the field but taking up a valuable roster spot that could be used for somebody that stays on the field. Poz's career reminds me of Roosevelt Colvin's career.

I think fans are putting way too much evaluation and drawing conclusions based on first game performance. Peruse the message boards. In some, it's the apocalypse unfolding. (Eagles, Broncos) and others...it's Super Bowl time. (Texans, Seahawks) I'd think Bills fans are more acutely aware that first week performance is not an indicator of win/loss record by the end of the season.

I'm not panicking. Like others on this board that point to the adjustments made after the preseason opener, I think Gailey & Co. will make the necessary adjustments, especially on offense. Hopefully they will discover that the TE can catch passes under NFL rules. I don't read much into the first game of the season not only based on previous Bills experiences (31-0) but that it's the first roll out for offense and defense scheme league wide. Now there will be tape to watch of all the schemes, just not the vanilla in the preseason. If you are a Seahawks fan, don't get those Super Bowl tickets yet. I think the Seahawks were greatly helped by the lousy play of SF's offense, but also, there isn't much film on Carroll's schemes. Now that there is, expect week 2 to look a lot different for Seattle. If you are a fan of the Colts, I'd be worried somewhat. Manning can't save the entire team, every week if there's no defense. Anybody want to pick up Alex Barron? I'm sure he'll be a free agent by 4pm today. ;-)

AA is alright, but he's not the value some are suggesting on this board. Can't cover worth a damn.

9-7. Whether that's good enough for playoffs, who knows. I look at 2009, with the Patriots (Week 1) and Browns losses, and chalk that up to Jauron. Team had 8-8 talent last year.

There is always a team that exceeds low expectations every year. Nothing prevents the Bills from being that team. See: Rams, St. Louis, 1999. Team was getting laughed out of the building with a former Cadillac-selling coach and and a quarterback from the Arena League. Projected at 6-10 or 5-11, last in the NFC West. That's what makes the NFL the most exciting of the professional franchise sports in America. It's a crapshoot every weekend.

I'm glad to see the Dolphins cutting players right before the first game of the season, especially on the lines, especially at Center.

Oh zing! That seriously made me LOL. (LOL?)

If we must... The Jets. And not just by 1 or 2 points. I'd want humiliating defeats like Bills 51, Jets 3 followed up by Bills 35, Jets 0. I'd want the Bills secondary running up and down the field returning interceptions for touchdowns, like gazelles in the Serengeti. I want Rex Ryan to experience what Buddy Ryan experienced when he promised Cardinals fans a win...and then got shut out by Cleveland in 1994, 32-0.

I'd offer rock bottom happened last year, before the season started, with the lousy pre-season and firing of the offensive coordinator. I remain surprised at the lack of respect for talent on this football team. The players won 6 games despite the very best Dick Jauron could throw at them in lousy coaching, game planning and coaching chaos and the epidemic of injuries. And somehow, this year, with a competent coaching staff and a smooth 2-2 preseason (that easily could have been 3-1), there's lesser expectation. I don't get it.

1. The NY Jets in the basement of the AFC East. 2. A rematch of the Titans/Bills down in Tennessee during the wild card playoff.

Buffalo media seems to be the only non-homer media in the league. Even Philly media can be supportive once in a while and craft credible arguments for the Sixers to be in the NBA playoffs and Kolb performing better than McNabb is his first year.

The Eagles at 13? Bit too high in my opinion. That rating is based on the accomplishments of previous years which is irrelevant in the face of the wholesale changes to the roster and their underwhelming performance in the preseason. Their QB, OL and defense situation is no better or worse than Buffalo. The Eagles have a truly untested quarterback, starting at least three rookies on defense, and has a very patchwork OL of no-names outside of Jason Peters.

...and renaming Buffalo to simply "Chan".

I don't think it's all those extra Jaguars fans they captured. It's probably the team, Chamber of Commerce and other civic-minded folks strong-arming local business to buy up the tickets for the sake of the local economy. You'll still have empty seats come game time.

That is fascinating when you look at their attendance figures in previous years. The Chamber of Commerce had to have worked overtime to make that happen.

I think the Bills are an enigma this season. So many new variables. If fans, who follow this team down to the most finite of details have predictions all over the board and such a wide variety of opinion on how good the team is, national sports media are truly out in the dark and simply guessing.

Not necessarily. Suppose it matters on how you define "making money". Teams may have plenty of sales revenue, but little profit after paying down their massive debt service. In the Bills case, they have a better shot at turning a buck at the end of the season since they have very little to no debt to pay off. In the case of the Jets, Giants, Patriots, etc. that revenue just gets recycled into paying down massive debt. You add in lackluster ticket sales due to a lousy economy, teams will tap into reserves to pay down their debt. The NFL has a huge debt crisis that will impact the upcoming CBA and plenty of teams. The Bills are in good shape to weather the storm that other franchises will not.

Every team is going to lose money this year. No NFL team is going to make money in this nightmare of an economy. Not this year. Not with the middle class essentially tapped out financially or unemployed. Be happy that the Bills will weather the storm better than some of their counterparts, regardless of on the field performance.