[NFL TV map, week 6]

I find it interesting that Tampa doesn't get the Saints at Bucs game. Did they not sell out a divisional game?

I guess I shouldn't expect it, being in Steelers country, but I'm still disappointed the Bills game isn't on CBS this week. Guess it's back to the sports bar here at Penn State this week...

[One of my biggest concerns about Fitzpatrick]

You guys are talking like he should have been in the film room studying for the Broncos all week so he'd know all their blitzes inside and out. You forget, this is pre-season. No one cares or gameplans, so the fact that he wasn't fully prepared for the blitz this past week doesn't bother me too much. If it continues in the regular season, that's when you need to start worrying

[An "X's and O's" question]

You won't want to hear this but the rule of thumb is there is no rule of thumb. All depends on what your philosophy is.

 

Ideally you would want to be able to bring pressure from both sides. Being able to pressure both edges forces the offense to stay honest in their blocking schemes and that allows you much more flexibility from a schematics standpoint. The less resources you have to commit to a particular task (in this case rushing the passer) the more you can dedicate to other areas of the field.

 

I haven't seen enough of Dareus to know if he is that kind of DE. If he is, great, line him and Merriman up on opposite sides and let the O pick their poison. If he isn't then the next best thing would be for him and Merriman to line up next to each other and let either one exploit the mismatch at the POA that they create.

 

If anyone has been to most of the practices I'd be interested in knowing how they are currently being lined up most of the time and in what personnel packages.

 

As to what the Bills did with Smith/Bennett they were used on opposite ends the vast majority of their time together.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I haven't been to practices, but on BB.com, the highlights show Dareus as the LE, while Merriman was the ROLB, so opposite sides.

[Bills bars across the nation]

I'm at Penn State and haven't found many Bills fans around. Anyone know any good places to go for games in State College, PA?

 

I've been having to go to a Steelers bar that was near my old house, but the people are cool there and the owner started getting into the habit a reserving a TV for the Bills for me

[Do You Take a Chance x 2 ??]

If anyone tries to sign him to their roster, we have the option of doing the same thing. If he shows the skills to make the team immediately, by all means give him a spot. If not, then send him to the practice squad. If someone does try to scoop him up, and we think he's worth keeping, then we can just sign him instead.

[Players in the running for the Bills]

Luke Stocker, TE

[Why do the top college prospects have to go through the draft to make]

Can't Andrew Luck decide he wants to be a multi-millionaire now & join any NFL team he wants?? Is this illegal like the draft is now?? The players crossed the lIne, why can't the college boys ?

 

If I was a top prospect & decided that playing for the Panthers didn't fit my needs, why couldn't I find the team that was best for my situation all the while getting rich doing so ? I'm one to wonder why the established systems are in place & how to challenge them, live strong.

 

Because that's idiotic, and football would become baseball, with the Yankees of the NFL buying championships. The major drawing point in football is parity. Any team can be bad one year and good the next. The draft was put in place to ensure that, so the worst teams get a chance at the best players, keeping the sport interesting.

[If we go QB at #3]

I think what most people are forgetting is that a lot of the busts at QB out there happened because a QB that was not ready for the NFL was thrown into a starting role regardless, developed bad habits from being under pressure behind a poor OL, and was never able to recover. If we do draft a QB at #3 (which I am wholeheartedly against), the absolute worst thing to do would be to throw him to the wolves immediately. Fitz was able to play well this past year because he has snap-decision making and a gunslinger mentality, and knows how to play in the NFL. If you draft and immediately start Gabbert or Newton, who looks at one person, and if that read isn't open, they tuck and run it, then you're just asking for them to bust. All these problems are magnified if the lockout continues and they have no practice time in the NFL before they start playing meaningful games, they would be absolutely lost, possibly irredeemably so.

[Watt the Bills need is............]

J.J. Watt (6'5"-290)is a prime candidate to play the five-technique position in the 3-4 base defense. Relentless rushing the passer yet active against the run, he flashes quickness off the snap and willingness to pop and knock back blockers. He has the strength to shed blocks and bull through double teams. A high-effort tackler with long arms combined with excellent character and work ethic, he's a perfect fit for a team that loves "Lunch-pail" blue-collar types. After a STRONG combine, he has secured himself in the middle of the first round, however not worthy of a number 3 pick, there is a way to draft him in the first round and secure more picks in this years draft. Here is a scenario:

 

Bills/Vikings trade:

Vikings receive #3(Cam Newton?)

Bills receive #12-#43-#105 and a 2nd/3rd in 2012

 

#12 - J.J Watt, DE34, Wisconsin (start from day 1, play for 10 years)

#34 - Brooks Reed, OLB34, Arizona (powerful bull rush and a quality speed rush, nice one-two punch in rounds 1 and 2!)

#43 - Marcus Cannon, ROT, TCU (ready to step-in to the weakest position on the team)

#68 - Ben Ijalana, OG, Villanova (Wood slides to Center, nice interior line-up)

#99 - Mark Herzlich, SILB, Boston College (Cancer survivor falls to this pick. See character/work ethic for Watt 2.0)

#105 - Orlando Franklin, LOT, Miami(FL) (Competition for undersized Bell)

#121 - DeJon Gomes, SS, Nebraska (bye bye Whitner, hello Gomes)

#130 - Julius Thomas, TE, Portland St. (nice hands, big target, needs work on blocking)

#164 - Chris Rucker, CB, Michigan St. (bpa, need)

#195 - Anthony Gray, DT34, Southern Miss (bpa, need depth)

 

Does not address the QB situation (franchise/depth), however other than Ponder or Mallet, I don't see a QB worthy of a pick, IMO.

 

Thoughts.......

 

Never EVER going to happen. No way the Vikes give up that many picks in this years draft, nor will the Bills ever trade down.

[If the Bills Go with Newton...]

I would have to say not a chance in hell does SF give up that much to move up 4 spots. Especially for the quality of QBs available. I know there is a numerical points system associated with draft picks, and I would love to see how lopsided that trade would be. If they would be stupid enough to do it, you take that trade any day of the week.

 

http://www.mynfldraft.com/points.php

 

Here's a point system I found, not sure if it's accurate or not.

 

According to this, our #3 is worth 2200 points

 

SFs #7 is 1500, #76 is 210, and let's say we get next year's #16 (putting it right in the middle of the first round) it's 1000...that's a value of 2710.

 

That's a 510 point difference in the trade...which is the value of a 39th overall selection. Sounds like wishful thinking to me.

 

Your forgetting, though, that a pick in the future is worth less than one in the present. Who knows what it will be, it could be #32, it could be #1. Based on the last couple years, a second round pick this year is worth a first next year, a third this year is worth a second next year, etc.

 

That means that #3 for #7, #76, and a first round next year is actually pretty accurate.

[2011 Playoffs]

AFC-1.Baltimore

2.NY Jets

3.Oakland

4.Houston

5.Jacksonville

6.Buffalo

 

Buffalo upsets Oakland in WC round....Texans get past Jags

Divisional round Buffalo's Fitzpatrick again torches Ravens D and they don't get screwed in OT again...The Jets make their 3rd straight AFC title game over Houston.

AFC Championship The Jets stake their claim as the Eagles of the 2010's by succombing to the surprising upstart Buffalo Bills, who look to become the 2nd straight 6 seed to win the SB.

 

NFC-1.St. Louis

2.Dallas

3.Green Bay

4.Tampa Bay

5.New Orleans

6.Detroit

 

Detroit shocks the Pack behind the healed shoulder of Stafford and the dominance of Suh...The Saints again lay a 1st round egg vs TB.

Divisionals...The Stafford vs Bradford battle is won by the Lions....Josh Freeman leads the Bucs over the Boys.

 

NFC Championship-Detroit beats TB in OT to get to their first ever SB.

 

And...drum roll please...the BUFFALO BILLS celebrate the city's first SB title in grand fashion by humiliating the Lions 41-13 and the Amish Rifle is going to Disney World.

 

And yes I am a homer. I also thought this would be much more fun than the usual NE/Ind/SD/Bal/Pit crap that I'm sure will flood the gates here.

 

GO BILLS!!!!

 

I love it! I also think it will never happen, but that would be a MUCH more interesting playoffs then the Cheatriots choking in the playoffs, the Steelers winning any AFC playoff game that's not against the Patriots, and everyone going on about the same QBs year after year.

[What is your Dream for the top 2 overall picks?]

Personally, my dream picks for the Panthers and Broncos are they both take a kicker, thus we have our pick of all the good players. If only...

[Reload with Free Agents BEFORE draft]

Hawk was cut for a reason. He was never as good as he was hyped up to be before his draft. I don't see teams, especially the Pats, falling over themselves to sign him quickly

[Carson Palmer & the effect on the draft..]

With only 2 top tier QB's, Mallet and Gabbert you have to wonder how who is desperate enough to get them. With Locker's stock falling, Newton rising and falling like the tide, and Ponder and Kaepernick dark horses you have to add up how many teams want a QB and how bad they do. Kaepernick could jump to the first but is likely a second. Newton will have to go in the first, if Tebow did Newton will. Ponder could go late 2nd or maybe 3rd. I truly expect 5 of those 6 QB's being drafted before round 3.

 

I completely disagree with your assessment of all the QBs. Most people have Newton and Gabbert as the 2 top tier QBs, and Locker's stock has been RISING since the combine, when he was lit up Indianapolis. Also, you're forgetting that as the draft gets closer and closer, QBs will be rated higher and higher. I'd honestly be surprised if at least 3 QBs didn't go in the top 10.

[we are #4 for miserable sport cities]

If you read how they decide how they determined the most miserable teams, it makes sense. It's not going for sheer futility, it's how many times you get into the post-season and/or the championship game, then choke. It's the teams "where fans have been exposed to teams good enough to get their hopes up, only to let them down in the end."

[QBs drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round from 2000-2010]

2nd Rounders

Drew Brees, Purdue

Quincy Carter, Georgia

Marques Tuiasosopo, Washington

Kellen Clemens, Oregon

Travaris Jackson, Alabama St.

Kevin Kolb, Houston

John Beck, BYU

Drew Stanton, Michigan

Brian Brohm, Louisville

Chad Henne, Michigan

Pat White, West Virginia

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

 

3rd Rounders:

Giovanni Carmazzi, Hofstra

Chris Redman, Louisville

Josh McCown, Sam Houston St.

Dave Ragone, Louisville

Chris Simms, Texas

Matt Schaub, Virginia

Charlie Frye, Akron

Andrew Walter, Arizona St.

David Greene, Georgia

Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson

Brodie Croyle, Alabama

Trent Edwards, Stanford

Kevin O’Connell, San Diego St.

Colt McCoy, Texas

Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State

 

Since 2000, there have only been 2 clear cut starters that happen to be Pro Bowl players, and one potentially decent starter in Kolb. The jury is still out on McCoy and Clausen and whether or not they can become franchise guys. And if Brees were drafted in this years draft at his draft position in 2000, he would have been a 1st round pick because of expansion. The odds of finding your "franchise" QB in these 2 rounds is a paltry 8.3%.

 

In that same time period the QBs drafted in the 1st round are as such:

Chad Pennington

Mike Vick

David Carr

Joey Harrington

Patrick Ramsey

Carson Palmer

Byron Leftwich

Kyle Boller

Rex Grossman

Eli Manning

Philip Rivers

Ben Roethlisberger

J.P. Losman

Alex Smith

Aaron Rodgers

Jason Campbell

Vince Young

Matt Leinart

Jay Cutler

JaMarcus Russell

Brady Quinn

Matt Ryan

Joe Flacco

Matt Stafford

Mark Sanchez

Josh Freeman

Sam Bradford

Tim Tebow

 

Of the 28 QBs selected in the 1st round since 2000, 14 of them are franchise guys, with the jury still being out on Tebow. Obviously, most starters and "franchise" QBs are found in the 1st round, but as a trend, it appears that selecting a QB in the 2nd or 3rd round is a waste of a draft pick.

 

Which leads me to everyone talking about Fitzpatrick being a QB that could get better given how much he improved last year, but the stats don't lie:

 

2008-09: 21 starts. 20 TDs, 19 INTs, 58.1% completion rate, 5.8 YPC.

2010: 13 starts. 23 TDs, 15 INTs, 57.8 completion rate, 6.8 YPC

 

Other than a slight bump in TDs, due in large part to the Bills offense only producing six(6) f'cking RUSHING TDs, and a YPC stat that ebbs and flows (for comparisons sake Colt McCoy had a 7.1 YPC last year...do you think he will maintain that over his career?), why are we heralding Fitz, who still has a career 12-23 record, as a guy that can lead this franchise for years to come?

 

Don't get me wrong...I think Fitz is a good place holder while we groom the potential "franchise" guy that the Bills select with the 3rd overall pick in this year's draft, but if people think he is going to be anything beyond that, they need to get their heads checked.

 

Okay, my problem with this list is that if you look at that list of first round picks, how many of them are both successful franchise QBs AND scrambling QBs? You're left with one, Michael Vick. And how many super bowls has he won? None. I don't even think he's won a playoff game, though I could be wrong. You don't waste a high first round pick on a scrambling QB. You don't draft a QB just to draft a QB. You could have every team draft a QB in the first round, because then every single one would have a 50-50 chance at a franchise QB, right?

[Robert Quinn DE UNC, #1 overall pick]

Is it just me, or did he only seem to use speed going around the tackle to get his sacks in his highlight reel? I don't really want someone who will just try to run around the tackle all the time like Maybin and end up not doing anything ever.

 

Hes definitely a specimen. Anyone that is away from the game a year scares me a bit though. I prefer newton or fairley. Hoping either of them fall to us.

 

Also, does anyone here know why he missed last year?

[No QBs this draft!]

I firmly believe that the Bills SHOULDN'T draft a QB this year (of course, that doesn't mean they won't...). If you draft someone in the first round, especially with the third pick in the draft, they should be starting immediately. None of the QBs listed as first round potential (Newton, Gabbert, Locker, Mallet), with the possible exception of Mallet, could come in and immediately start, they'd need time to come in and learn the pro game, sitting behind someone for a year or two. I don't think Mallet should be the pick at number 3, so therefore I don't believe that any of these four should be the pick at number 3, and I'm hoping Buddy and Chan see it this way, too. We need immediate help at multiple positions, and drafting someone who can't start immediately, with such high bust potential, isn't who we should be looking for. What do you all think?

[After reading some comments and thinking about what the Bills might do]

I think the main thing everyone's forgetting is that if there's no CBA, then there's no free agency! There might not even be a free agency period, so going after all those TEs might not be possible

[1 Bills Drive: Let's Get Real]

Do any of you remember last year, when the QB prospects were horrible and people advised waiting until this year to pick a QB because this year was going to be the "year of the QB", with a bunch of REALLY good, can't-miss prospects? Now, people are saying to wait until next year, because the QBs this year suck, and we should wait until next year, because next years QBs will be REALLY good, can't-miss prospects...

[So much for the NEED to have a "franchise QB"...]

I'd just like to say that as important as a good QB is, it's not all-important. The NFL has been going in cycles. This year, the top 4 teams are all about defense. The year before, it was all offense, with Brees and the Saints winning it all, but Manning and Brady putting up good shows as well. The year before, it was the Steelers and their defense. They year before that, it was offense once again. It really depends on the year.

[2011 Bills Wideouts]

Wow, to be young again.

 

Our wr will look like this.

 

Johnson

Jones

Nelson

Parrish

And a rookie

I don't see Evans returning unless he gets a new contract to lower his over-inflated pay.

 

The rookie I like is Matt szczur from villanova, a 3rd or 4th rounder, 5'11" 205 can play rb, wr and qb. He is a physical wes welker.

 

I highly disagree with this. First off, you're forgetting Easley, who was supposed to be doing really well until he got injured in camp. He will be back next year, and most likely will be on the 53 man roster. My guess is that no WRs get drafted this year, as there's too much to work on on the O- and D-lines, as well as the LBs. Roosevelt will likely go back to the practice squad, if he's still around, and Jones, Nelson, and Easley will be battling it out for the last roster spot. All of the rookies that have played this year have played fairly well, but they aren't going to get playing time ahead of Evans. My guess is that Evans will have at least one more year here in Buffalo, possibly play out his contract, being the veteran presence for the WR core. However, he probably wont be resigned after his contract is up, and then you will have the competition between the younger guys ignited for sure.

[Los Angeles Chargers?]

If LA gets the Chargers, doesn't that just move San Diego to the top of the list for would-be moves for the next owner of the Bills?

 

Highly doubtful. If San Diego can't support a winning team (like the chargers have been this decade), there's no way they could support a mediocre to bad team (like the Bills have been this past decade). If the Chargers move to LA, all the people out there shut up and are happy, unless they try to draw a second team, as well. I think the Jags will move before the Bills do, and if they do, where would THEY go? Anyone know of any other place trying to draw a football team? And if they go before us, where would the Bills then go? Anyone know of a third place?

[Most Memorable in game Rant]

youtube.com/watch?v=90s94lE4-dg

 

My only question is why havent they made a Coors Light commercial out of this clip yet?

[How did Carrington do?]

Didn't get to watch the game today, pretty sure I heard Carrington was going to get his first extended time this season. From the highlights and hearing about it, the game went pretty awefully, but any thoughts on how he did?