RevWarRifleman

youngmack, I'd like to make a correction about the Redskins. You're right about the Skins being the last NFL team to have a black player. But it was Bobby Mitchell, in a trade w/ Cleveland, that came to the Skins in 1962. I followed the Bills and Cleveland at the time. The Redskins were, at the time the only NFL team in the south, and they were still holding onto those old southern attitudes. But yes, we'll miss Cookie, RIP.

RIP Cookie. I remember him w/ the Bills and watching him on TV running over people. Great teams. Great memories of those days. Thanks Cookie. And I wish his family well. RWR

It does make a difference what team you get on and what division that team is in. I wish them (Losman & Lynch) well in their careers, though. Next season it'll be the Bills turn to get in the playoffs. With a better record than 7-9 though. PTR, he was probably drawing sketches of different ways he'd look in different beard & mustach combinations. Hey, gotta put that clipboard to some good use, man!

Losman and Lynch on a playoff-winning team. A short time ago they were on the Bills rosters. Now they're part of a playoff team. How fates can change so quickly.

It was a great run. But there really was some poor tackling by the Saints too.

Sorry McD. My bad. I really didn't interpret that in your comment. But thanks for clarifying it for me, and not doing it in a sarcastic, demeaning/anger-laden way like I've seen so many other people responding to other's comments. RWR

Once again, I agree. The McD post (the one right after my first post) still holds to "it's a quarterback driven league." Well yeh, to a point. But if you have a defense that can put heat on the Q-back, that can nuter even the best qb's, you can drastically diminish his effectiveness. Witness the Giant defense the last time the Pats were in the Super Bowl. They came after Brady like he was a piece of raw meat. And it worked! Over the decades, I've seen the best quarterbacks in NFL history, Manning, Montana, Marino, our own Jim Kelly, Brady and many more throw INT's, hurried errant throws, balls over into the sideline, tipped balls and fumbles because they were about to/and/ or did get pasted by defensemen pouring in on them. And its not just about getting sacks either. They're nice, but if you can get into his face, lay some hits on him right after he get rid of the ball, that wears on him physically and psychologically. Case in point. I saw a game in the 90's, a big game on the line between the Bills at Miami. Marino was having his way w/ us in the passing game until sometime in the 2nd quarter. He dropped back to pass and Bruce got him from his blind side and really laid the wood to him. Clean hit, drove him to the ground. For the rest of the game Marino was never the same throwing the ball. Passes were hurried, thrown too high or too low, even to guys who were open. This was Dan Marino, not a Rob Johnson, or Heath Schuler or Cleo Lemon, but one of the best of the best.

LGBills, good post. I agree w/ your it totally. You gave real good arguements. Yes, defense first. Besides, one of the best ways to help an offense is to have a defense that can put the offense in good field postion, by forcing turnovers, sacks, 3-and-outs, what have you. Sure, our offense has some holes, but not as desperate as our D. Once agian LGB, good arguements. Just my opinion.

I agree w/ you, John, particularly the "I don't care about sending messages" line. Good point.

BillsVet, good points, and a great post. Thanks for posting.

Agree on that.

But "Brewski" is too much of a homer for the Pats. Judman has a point. He always turns something around to bring up his great Pats. He did it last year too when the Pats didn't have the season they are now. Too much of a Homer for the Pats.

Great post Texas. And thanks for doing it. Happy New Year to you & all other Bills fans this year. (We've got a lot of great things to look forward to in '11 and beyond.) RWR

Copy that, JR.

Selecting real high in the draft does not necessarily equate to big impact on the field nor great attitude. Ryan Leaf was considered to be both going into his draft. On the other hand, Darryl Talley was selected now where near the position Leaf was in the draft year Talley was selected. The point of my post was not going into our final game this Sunday trying to lose so we could secure a little higher position in the draft. That's a loser attitude. Work hard to win the ball game and don't worry about draft position. There will be good players avialable for us whether we select at #4, or #14. There's plenty of holes for us to fill. That's for sure.

We try our best to win this Sunday. The winning attitude starts now, this year. And we start Fitz to give us the best chance to win. The culture of winning starts now. Not mamby pambying around worrying about draft position in the first round.

On the Bills website, some of the Bills put together their redition of 12 Days of Christmas that my wife and I are laughing our butts off over. Its funny and the "singing" is bad. My question, is there a way we can legally copy this for future Christmases? Remember, I said legally. Thanks

Last winter after Shanahan interviewed for the Bills coaching job & went to D.C. to interview for the job there, some posters were saying that he rejected the Bills job for this reason or for that and that we "blew it" again. Well, maybe the Bills braintrust detected something in him that others missed. Who confirmed the he rejected the Bills anyway? Or was that a media creation? Look at the mess he's created in Washington. The total mishandling of McNabb, twice, as well as all that Haynesworth headache. And with those situations as a backdrop, how much trust, really, do the players have in Shanahan now? I don't think he's looking so smart now. So we have Chan here & look at the progression the team has made since midseason. The players are playing hard & enthusiastic in Dec. Chan has a whole lot less talent overall to work with, and we're winning ball games (save the Minnesota game.) The Bills have set up a nice foundation to build on for next season and beyond. What's "genious" Shanahan got going? A mess and lots of uncertainty the he has created. I don't know what happened to his thinking there in D.C., but he's lost a lot of class & credibility w/ me. Feel free to give opinions.

Remember last winter when Shanahan came to Buffalo to interview for the coaching job? Then he went on to D.C. to interview there. I remember several posters whining about our "losing" Shanahan and oh, the Bills are so pathetic that and that's why he "rejected" Buffalo. Well, maybe the Bills braintrust rejected him. Who confirmed the "He rejected Buffalo" side of it. Or was that media perception? My main point is, though, look at the mess he's made in D.C. and the direction the two teams are going in. Can Shanahan have very much support of the players after these two McNabb incidents? And all along the way has been the Haynesworth headache. But Chan has the Bills moving in the right direction. Players are still out there playeing hard and competitive (the Minnesota game not withstanding.) And Chan has had much less talent overall to work with. We can look forward to the offseason acquisitions and next season. I have no idea what Redskins fans can look forward to.

Dean, good perspective. I think you're dead on.

I agree. Ok, that's your opinion.

Why not? The Stratten hit was significant in its own way. Moats' hit has helped shape NFL hitory. The consecutive game streak is at 297. A record that will likely never be broken. Its not at 280, or 310 or whatever. Its at 297 because a Bill made the hit that put him out for the following game. How many thousands of times did he drop back to pass or scramble and that streak could have ended? Furthermore, and this remains to be seen yet, but the injury from Moats' hit may be the final straw that influences Favre to retire. One play can change a game, lone play can shape NFL history. Thanks Promo for providing that link.

In the 1963? or 64? AFL Championship game, Bills Linebacker Mike Stratten hit Chargers running back Keith Lincoln as he was trying to catch a flare pass. Stratten broke a few of Lincoln's ribs as he was knocked out of the game. Turned the whole momentum of the game in favour of the Bills. Bills win the championship. The question: In your opinion, how significant was Moats' hit on Favre last week, now that he won't start tonight?

Copy that.

On this morning's Mike & Mike show on ESPN2, they had Mike Ditka on for several minutes. He commented, and I paraphrase here, "There are teams that are still playing hard out there. Like the Buffalo Bills. It ain't pretty,and their record may not show it, but they're still playing hard and with enthusiasm. That's good coaching." Thanks Mike. The game was good to watch yesterday, and that was good to hear today.