Wayne Cubed

Just finished rewatching the game... The d-line was not as terrible as posters here would make you believe. It was all on the secondary and add to that quick drops. Even with the quick drops, I counted a few hits on Sanchez that were half second late. Including hits by M. Williams and K. Williams, problem was the wide receivers were wide open and Sanchez was still able to complete the pass. Byrd and Wilson also had the worst game I'd ever seen them play together.

Definitely be here. They were awful, no denying it or defending it. But I'll be back next week and the week after and so on.

I agree, 1 game does not a season make. I think most Bills fans were just riding high on the off season and wanted to come out with a bang. But, someone has to lose the first games, they'll be 16 other teams that lost that will be thinking they didn't do something right.

Blue jersey's for the Bills today, just saw it on NFLN

Just saw it on NFL network... Definitely Blue jersey's

Square peg in a round hole. Also never really lived up to his salary.

He can play QB better than Roosevelt could and he can also play WR better than Thigpen can. So instead of keeping 2 players, both Thigpen and Roosevelt, to cover two positions, the Bills can keep 1, Brad Smith.

That can't be right, Kelvin Sheppard, according to 75% of the people on this board, sucks/stinks.

This is just not accurate. Lets say for arguments sake you keep Roosevelt and not Smith. Are you going with no 3rd QB? Cause now you've just lost a guy who could, in a crunch, play 3rd QB. Lets reverse that situation, the Bills keep Smith and get rid of Roosevelt, they now have a player that can cover both the 3rd QB spot AND the positions Roosevelt played, letting the Bills fill a spot on the team they may not be very deep at. Keeping Roosevelt requires the Bills to either keep an extra QB or attempt to hide one on the practice squad, both occupying a spot that could go to someone else.

Thats your opinion. My opinion is he does a couple of things above average on the field. He's proven in short yardage situations to be above average at getting first downs, when given the opportunity. He has proven in the past to be an above average KR. I'd even say overall on ST, he's above average.

Right, so you cut Smith and keep another, probably a developmental guy at WR or maybe CB. Would you want to count on him as your QB? No. Would you want to count on him as a receiver? No. Would you want to count on him as a RB? No. Would you want to count on him as a returner? No. Point is who is soooooo important, that Smith is occupying their spot on the roster. Smith can at least play all the positions you mentioned, if only mediocre. A WR or CB may only fill one position and play special teams.

The book on him? He's played exactly 3/4 of a regular season, didn't realize a book could be written on a player so soon. Bottomline is it's the preseason.

This. It's been explained at great lengths how keeping Smith allows us to keep more people. Unless fans would rather keep a 3rd QB who can ONLY play QB or run with just 2 QBs and give that extra spot to still a person who can only play 1 position on special teams. He may be a mediocre QB/WR/KR/Whatever... but his position on the team would only be replaced by a person who is sigularly mediocre, if that makes sense. Its not like him being on the team keeps the Bills from keeping a pro bowler or a star player.

The fact that Pittsburgh went from no blitzing, to after we scored, full out max blitzes, says they were more than worried about the offense. I'm not sure why people discount that like we were playing against a base defense the entire first half.

Personally, from what I saw, the Bills offense and defense looked great in the 1st quarter. Then, good ole Dick LeBeau didn't like how we were putting on a clinic on his starting D, so decided it was time to "practice" their blitzes. Add to that Wood, was pulled out after the 1st quarter and I saw a severe breakdown in the line, especially up the middle. Both of these put together and Fitz had no time to sit back and throw. The defense kept looking good through the 2nd quarter, and if not very that amazing throw by Roethlisberger into perfect coverage, they would have come out of the first half looking really good. Oh well, only practice.

I was going to say something along the same line. Maybe DeCastro should learn not to get blown off the line and shoved 15 feet back into Roethlesberger... Maybe Ben should start there with his criticism, then move to the field conditions.

Didn't help that Wood only played the first quarter.

3 good plays by Shepp.

Dropping like flies Freddie!!!

I haven't watched the Pats*/ Bucs game, but did watch the Pats*/Eagles. Their line was ok, but not great by any stretch. I saw Nat Solder get beat a couple times. On one play he literally got shoved on his ass. There was also a ton of push up the middle of the Pats line, which I thought was odd, considering that's we're all the veterans are. I think it's going to be a long year for Brady behind that line.

As already said, on the screen play Garcon was covered by McKelvin, not Gilmore. And I'm almost positive on that deep in route Garcon got open on, he was being covered by McKelvin again, not Gilmore. So far the slant to Simpson, is the only play I remember being to Gilmore. EDIT: So I went back and watched and in the Redskins game there was technically 3 balls that went Gilmores way. But it looks like the Bills were in a soft zone coverage on 2 of the throws to Garcon. So Gilmore was playing really far off and Garcon cut his route off and went across the middle where Wilson picked him up, except he was open when he came into Wilsons zone. On the screen that went for a TD, again Gilmore was playing back in a zone and McKelvin was up at the line, covering the slot receiver. Technically Garcon was Gilmores man to cover but McKelvin should have recognised the screen and made a better play.

Finally got to watch it, here are my thoughts: -Mallet looked ok, definitely not great. Lots of short passes and screens -the Pats OL certainly doesn't look as good as it used too. I saw Solder get beat a few times. One time he got straight up knocked on his ass. He does look good in run blocking though. The middle of the line doesnt seem to be strong at all, there's a lot of push their

More non Merriman related news: Cordy Glenn named starting LT

They also just released their back up RT Stephon Hoyer as well. Clearing room for someone else. Also in unrelated Merriman news Ryan Tannehill has been named the Dolphins starter.

If he is starting still.... Which is doubtful considering his 2 game performance.