Rivermont Mike

This is a Pop Warner instructional league, not the NFL. He is telling the N.E.* player that he's lined up over center, which is illegal (I think). Makes you wonder how much that shift distracted snapper, holder, and kicker. Maybe the TSW Football Expert Gods can shed some light on whether there should have been a flag thrown for illegal formation.

Can he stop Gronk?

I was just saying to someone the other day, "you know, you just don't see the term 'sh*tstain' nearly enough in quality journalism." Then...BOOM...this lock for a Pulitzer throws it down. The new Golden Age of Writers is upon us. : )

Bills fans are Bills fans. American, Canadian, whatever. They know what the franchise is about and they honor that. Hope you all have an epic Sunday--the Bills Backers of Lynchburg, Virginia will be yelling and singing Shout! right along with you.

I think that Russ Brandon is history. I like the guy, feel loyal to him for taking care of Mr. Wilson's team, and I appreciate what he's done to keep crowds in The Ralph. However, I suspect that one of the conversations the Pegulas have had over coffee while waiting to hear about their bid is who to bring in to oversee the operation. You don't keep a warmed-over CEO or president if you are trying to change the culture. He might be around for a year or two while the Pegulas get settled, but then he's gone. Brandon could land with another NFL team in a bigger market as an EVP, or head to the NFL offices. Doug Whaley is a tricky one. I like him, too, and I think that he has made some pretty ballsy decisions. However, I think the other conversation the Pegulas were having over coffee while deciding what to wear for their official coming out at the Ralph on Sunday is what kind of high-powered, proven NFL GM they can bring in. It's great that their goal is a Super Bowl. Good for us fans, and good for the day when they start shopping around their downtown stadium for naming rights. Corporations are going to put their name on a winning product. The Pegulas have a handful of years to make that happen--but not that many. Big name GM = big name coach (see below) = experience/wins/ability to attract high-profile FAs = winning product. Saint Doug's tenure is entirely dependent on his W-L performance. If he gets the Bills to the post-season, he probably gets another season. If he doesn't come in with a winning record, he's toast. If he comes in under .500, he may not be here when we're eating turkey and stuffing. Summary: If the Pegulas make changes, they are going to be dramatic and not just moving the same pieces around yet again. They are going to bring in big names and make a splash, which will get the ball rolling toward a string of playoff-bound seasons and ultimately (hopefully!), a Super Bowl victory.

The tide will turn if we're better than 4-4 at the midpoint. We're still an unfashionable pick for stodgy old CBS and a lot of other people. Each W will win the Bills a little more respect.

No.

I like when fish fry smells of the disappointment of Miami fans.

What I like most was the fact that after he threw behind Chandler on the first series, he didn't hang his head (like a lot of Bills fans did at that moment) and the Bills came out swinging on their next series. Come to think of it, he didn't fall apart after the INT, either. There are already commentators (embittered "experts" who were relishing the thought of an EJ-falls-apart opener) qualifying the W because of his <200 yard day. Who cares?! He threw one, ran for one, and had a +70% completion rate. That'll be good enough to be competitive and win most weeks.

Love it love it love it.

It's Gameday, and I am fired up. Got the uni on and heading to the first gathering of a brand-new Backers chapter I founded last week. There are a surprising number of Bills fans coming considering that we're in the heart of Redskins territory (Lynchburg, VA). My three kids are in their unis: Gilmore, M. Williams, and K. Williams. I've been a fan for a long time, and Opening Day is like Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas rolled into one. That said, if I offend anyone's delicate sensibilities with the following, I apologize. F the News. F Sullivan. F all the Rochester and Syracuse writers who piled on the doom and gloom. F all the Negative Nancies who've followed this team for ten minutes and are calling for...well, anyone's head. Yeah, fourteen years is a long time and it makes me mad, too. But the people who jump off the bandwagon and act as though they're entitled...well, F them, too. I am a fan, and I am entitled to my opinion, but at the end of the day, I'm giving the football experts a chance to prove if they know what they're doing. If they do, we go to the playoffs. If they don't, we go 15 seasons and they get fired. Time for EJ, CJ, FredEx, the Williams boyz, and Marrone to make a statement. GO BILLS!!!

It was difficult to watch two high-powered teams and not think about Sunday's opener. Some thoughts, for what they're worth: We are so close but so far but so close. There were many moments that illustrated how a 6-10 season becomes a 10-6, e.g., SEA TE Zach Miller making an impressive one-handed grab down the sideline. That catch also illustrated the value of a TE that can block and catch passes on patterns other than over the middle. There was one play where Aaron Rodgers hit his fourth option--but not the one I was staring at. The other one near the sideline. This made me appreciate the simplicity and complexity of what EJ has to do. (Also, the level of talent that Rodgers and Wilson possess.) Beast Mode was apparent last night, but the other SEA running back had an O-line in front of him that was opening holes. I can't even remember his name, but I remember the chunks of yardage he picked up. Percy Harvin is a WR, but his plays made me think about what everyone here has been saying about getting Spiller into space and using him more in the passing game. Watching Peppers and Matthews crush Wilson on a sack reminded me of what a difference our D could make. Edit: And, oh sh*t, these two LBs are part of our December schedule. I hope the O-line gels, or EJ/Kyle are going to have a long day. Watching the skill of Seattle DBs reminded me of how far we have to go, and how quickly a game against a potent passing attack can go south. I thought a lot about the Bills of the early 90s. Seatte's defense is a thing to behold, as was ours. Better days are coming. Unlike the early 90s, however, the Bills don't have the luxury of letting players develop. Whether Orton was a good move is debatable, but I am damned glad he is here. On Sunday, the boys and I will put on Bills jerseys (23, 94, 95, 14) and head to the first-ever gathering of the new Bills Backers of Lynchburg, Virginia (I started it last week) at the Stoney Badger Tavern. We'll sit with other Bills fans for three three hours hoping we'll see the return of a winning team. I've been elated and depressed by this team for almost 48 years. It's all I know, and I could never imagine being a fan of any other team. Go Bills!

Bolded are Ws that I'll feel really good about. NE win is our home game Best case: Wins--CHI, MIA(2), SD, HOU, DET, NE, JETS (2), KC, CLE, OAK 12-4 Likely: Wins--MIA, HOU, DET, NE, JETS, KC, CLE, OAK 8-8 (could go to 10-6 if we sweep MIA and JETS) Worst case: Wins--MIA, HOU, DET, JETS, CLE, OAK 6-10 (again)

They will. They're just ridding themselves of the weight of all this cynicism before the regular season. The jump back onto the bandwagon is soooo much easier that way.

Boom.

My top source for Bills news and insightful commentary.

Hey, if Kap keeps playing the way he and the 1s have been playing this preseason, we may get a real steal by Week 3!

I can accept "winning" as a way to turn the team around--that's the obvious 30,000-foot answer. There are plenty of posters who provide thoughtful analysis about the various aspects of the operation that have to improve. What amazes me are the number of TBD posters who identify a single aspect of the team, e.g. EJ, Hackett, Marrone, O Line, receivers, as the impediment to what they--all of us--want to see. I'm far from an expert, but even I know that there are myriad issues that, when addressed, will result in a winning season.

Shaub from Oakland. Link

There's only one thing that will save this season. More cowbell. Link

Does this mean that you expect to see more variety during the regular season, or are you concerned that what we saw is what we're going to see? I believe that it is the former, but there's quite a wide range of opinions on TBD about this.

Accuracy issues aside, what is it that we're not doing to get our guys into space? Is it play design? Is it O line? Why can't talented guys like Spiller and Jackson get into open space?

I'm hoping the knowledgable TBD analysts can shed some light on this. Seems to me that the Brady and the Patriots* have made a decent living with an extremely short passing game. Some of the early criticism of EJ is that he won't go down the field (he has the ability, clearly). Is it possible for the offense to progress with a shorter game? Where's the line between dink and dunk and checking down? Thanks in advance for your insight.