hondo in seattle

Last year I groaned with heart-rending futility as opposing RBs ran through our defense like a machete through jello. Have we in just one year transformed our weak LB corps into a strength? While reading Mark Gaughan's article today, I was struck by the quality of LBs who might not even make the 53 man squad: Linebacker: Gailey kept nine last year. The starters are Shawne Merriman, Chris Kelsay, Andra Davis and Nick Barnett. Alex Carrington could count as a D-lineman or a linebacker, but he has worked at outside 'backer the past three weeks. Danny Batten is a lock outside. Inside men Kirk Morrison, Kelvin Sheppard and Chris White are locks. That's nine players, or eight if you count Carrington as a lineman. Will the Bills make room for either outside man Antonio Coleman or inside man Arthur Moats? Moats does more on special teams. Undrafted rookie Robert Eddins is a prime practice squad candidate. http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article541133.ece

Yeah... I never thought trading Lee was a "salary dump." And I never thought Roscoe would be a "surprise cut." Roscoe, in fact, was pretty productive in his 8 games last year. Interesting that the Bills want to extend his contract. Gailey clearly wants big guys on defense. On offense he wants quick guys at the skill positions who have big play potential. Freddie Jackson isn't really Chan's type. But he's too productive to neglect. Parrish is Chan's type. Although we haven't seen him do it enough times recently, Roscoe can turn nothing into something with his burst and athleticism. Would like to see him return punts again.

"@ Bengals We always beat them." By this logic, we'll lose to the Pats.

Maybe it's better to say your logic isn't persuasive. You haven't persuaded many people here and we're all Bills fans! Just because the Raiders are the Raiders doesn't mean we will beat them. We have an all-time losing record against the Raiders and dropped 4 of the last 5. Regardless of what you think of Campbell, the Raider offense was in the Top Ten last year in both yards and points - far better than ours. Just because you say we will sack Brady doesn't mean we will. Yep, our D looks to be much improved. But I wonder if our O Line will protect Fitz better than their O Line will protect Brady??? Just because we "always" beat the Bengals doesn't mean we will this year. Streaks come to conclusions. The 2011 Bills and 2011 Bengals are not the Bills and Bengals of the past. Man, I really hope you are right! I would love to see it! And I'll grant it's "possible" as you say in your headline - just not "very possible." Simple random luck says the chances of being 4-0 (assuming the outcome of any game is 50-50) is 1-in-16. I think 2-2 is a more likely record for the Bills after four games. But I hope I have to eat my words when your prediction comes true.

I understand your point of view. Establishing a consortium that will sign marketing agreements with players where the money paid out exceeds the expected ROI is unprecedented in American professional sports. However, rich businessmen in other countries will financially help attract athletes to their favorite teams. And the concept does exist - albeit in a more economical form - in American collegiate sports. College boosters often risk legal problems in pay-for-play schemes that don't generate tangible returns on the investment. Often, they are motivated more by team loyalty than money. Imagine Twenty Buffalo businesses and/or businessmen each putting up a million per year (or maybe even$500,000) - that would swing the financial calculations of many FAs. The "Twenty Friends of the Bills" could help turn the Bills into a favored FA destination and thus winners! I suppose it's just a dream. The electric light bulb was just a dream once too.

"I can see the Bills stealing a playoff birth." Wow, Florio is risking his rep. Who else of importance is saying anything like this???? (With apologies to the Senator who's predicting the Bills to go 19-0, baby!)

I think you meant to say Edwards WOULD HAVE BEEN a perfect QB for the Jets. TE used to be effective when he had time - accurate, safe with the ball... He might have done well in the NFL if he had played for a team like the Jets with a good O line and running game. But now he's been irrevocably ruined. Too many hits. Confidence shaken too many times. And his leadership skills were never great. He's not the perfect QB for anyone anymore if he ever was.

A leader who sticks up for his team. What a terrible idea!!!

Reading about Freddie's marketing deal with M&T Bank makes me wish that more Buffalo area businesses would step up and offer advertising contracts to players. If star players knew they would augment their Bills salary by, say, 20% when coming to Buffalo, we'd be a better FA destination - and lose fewer of our own players to the brighter lights of a bigger city. The big markets have this going for them. A star can make an Escalade full of cash - beyond their player salary - in places like New York and Dallas. Boosters providing pay and benefits to college players are breaking the law. Not so in the NFL, if done appropriately. Needless to say, celebrity pitchmen can be effective business drivers. Aside from that, it would be great if some of the bigger area companies supported the team and its players just out of civic pride. A consortium of WNY businesses could get together and agree to each 'draft' a star player so that our Top Twenty players all have lucrative marketing deals - thus giving the Bills a recruiting & retention advantage. http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/08/31/bills-jackson-in-mt-marketing-deal.html

Huh? You mean it's not 2012 yet? Thank God! It seems I have an extra year to live! The older I get, the more the years blur into each other.

I love the optimism but your argument is exactly well-reasoned... The Raiders are the Raiders? The Raiders won twice as many games as we did last year. We're going to put Brady on his ass? Exactly when did the Bills prove they could sack Brady? We always beat the Bengals? We didn't beat the 1988 Bengals when we met them in the playoffs. We've never yet played the 2011 Bengals. Despite the flawed logic, I hope you are right!

I remember when Brohm said he came to Buffalo to compete for the starting job. And (for reasons I never understood), there were Bills fans who passionately wanted him to start. Now this is what we read about him: "Brohm will look to be the Locos’ No. 2 quarterback behind starter Chase Clement, and will compete for that spot with ex-Nebraska rookie Zac Lee and journeyman Chad Friehauf."

I know some folks picked Parrish as their "surprise cut." JW's article gives a different impression of Parrish's role in 2012. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bills-parrish

C'mon. Not every pass from Brady, Manning, Brees is a perfectly placed tight spiral. And all QBs checkdown sometimes. Fitz went 11 of 12 with two TDs against the Jags first team defense. The results speak for themselves. He put the balls in catchable spots and got yards, first downs and touchdowns. You can't rationally criticize that.

I agree... I'm not usually a critic of sports media types. I'm content with most of 'em but thought Bentley was less than TV ready. Far less.

Last year the Jets ran the ball down our throats. Since NE is more of a passing team, I expect more sacks on Brady.

The 'article' begins, "I keep hearing what a great job (Bills GM) Buddy Nix is doing." So obviously there are dissenting opinions out there. Count me amongst them. Although I'm also dismayed at the OL, it seems so far this preseason that Nix has done a good job rebuilding what had been a pathetically undersized, undertalented defense.

Good point

We saw bad officiating in the Jags game but "indisputable proof"??? Refs will be against us in EVERY game??? I assume you like conspiracy theories like the mob killed JFK and we never landed a man on the moon and Bush was complicit in 9/11 and Obama was born in Indonesia where he attended a madrassa and Bin Laden is still alive and living at a beach resort with Elvis and Jim Morrison. I share your pain about yesterday's bad calls but let's not feel victimized yet for future officiating. Let's at least wait until it happens in actuality.

Larry's old and clearly confused so let's give the guy a break. To give you an idea of how old Larry is, he used to be a ball boy in the 1940s for the original Buffalo Bills of the All American Football Conference. Those Bills went extinct, of course, but when Ralph started up a new iteration of Bills in 1959, Larry was there to cover it. He's been covering the Bills ever since, though now he's in semi-retirement and only writes once a week. Unlike Sully, Larry usually writes fair and balanced articles. He used to have good connections within the organization, amongst the players, coaches, and administrators. A reader often learned something new or, at least, was exposed to a knowledgeable insight when reading his stuff. He was always respected by his peers and by sports people in general. Larry was asked to serve on the NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee back in the 80s (?). Jim Kelly gave special thanks in his enshrinement speech to Felser for his work in getting Kelly elected first ballot. It wouldn't be the last time Larry helped get a Bill into Canton. In '84 the Pro Football Writers of America voted Larry the Dick McCann Memorial Award, their highest honor. That plaque is now hanging at Canton not far from the busts of the Bills he helped send there. Felser's served the Bills with loyalty and talent for many, many years. Clearly not at his peak any more, I think we still should show the man a little Bills love.

The Bills are averaging a bit over 4 yards per carry, but the run blocking has been only so-so.

CJ's quick

wow!

Easley.. 4 catches, 42 yards so far... he looked good that drive