Mango

When we are 9 games into the season and realize that the offense has cost us 2.5 games, Houston, KC, and SD (this was a loss anyways I think but the D was good enough so .5) it is a problem. It isn't a system failure by the team, just one aspect. On the flip side the defense won us 3 (Chicago, Miami, NYJ). The team is being carried by basically 11 players on an entire roster. Without this defense, even an average one, we are a 4 win team tops. The other 2 wins I will say we were serviceable on both sides of the ball, while the D still outplayed the O. So no expectations aren't too high when all we are asking for is an average offensive production.

Front load every bodies deal. We have 25 mil in cap space next year. It's the only way it works imo. This is a 12 win team with an average offense. If we invest right now in the defense, we MUST draft really well at OL and QB the next few years.

This game scares me mostly because we are the road team on a Thursday

I would generally agree. I will say it is the timing of the poor decisions though. I agree for most of the game play calling was better, but it was a crucial moments it failed us. I don't think that's debatable.

Thought the same thing at the pats game. It was a struggle in my section to get people going. My uncle and I looked at eachother at the start of the Pegula speech that started with "please sit down and be quiet down". Just a warning, the FNC is notoriously one of the quietest rinks in the league.

A second of devils advocate, then to my actual opinion. Special teams is an important part of the game, and should not be over looked. That said, what I extrapolate from Marrone's comments are, my buddy Danny Crossman was on the chopping block last year. I am going to give him the tools necessary to succeed. Marrone may actually weigh those equally with the team and come away with this decision. I don't. Field position doesn't matter if you aren't scoring points and sustaining drives. If we get the ball at the 40 or the 50 doesn't matter if the offense only goes 25 yards regardless. There is one spot in particular that is irking me in all of this, kick off specialist. I believe I read somewhere we are the only team in the league with one this year. There is MW's roster spot. It is doubly frustrating because the defense is lights out generally. Same concept as the offense. Starting position is irrelevant if your defense can consistently hold up. I realize special teams are a very important part of the game and shouldn't be over looked. Christ that was the only way we seemed to score points or win games when Bobby April was here. I just think our Defense can make up for any loss in field position lost(gained?)on the kickoff, and 7 points instead of 3 is always better. We have the only special teamer worth having anyways. Garrison Sanborn can do it all.

Scenario 3 in which you don't convert 4th down and instead of marching down the field in field goal range you have to march to the end zone. Something our offense has proven to my be capable of on a regular basis

Also TH lifting up Chandlers leg and going after him well after the whistle. I thought there were a few PF calls missed today. Refs didn't cost the game. We did that all on our own

I rarely do this. Name calling is bad. But you're an asshat

Maybe your kickoff specialist...even Fred had only 3 carries today with his injury. Boobie did great. With Sammy playing hurt, like somebody else mentioned, I thought he'd see the field today. At least dress. There were a couple high passes in the end zone today (one to hogan, one to woods), that I thought, wow those are TDs, or at least have a better chance to be a TD with MW out there.

I don't know what's going on. I haven't been a Hackett fan, but somewhere inside I was hoping fixing the OL would help down the road and he would be good enough. The OL was good today. Between the 20's the offense is solid. Some head scratching calls, but all in all an ok game called. I guess I am wondering, where is the problem. The biggest flaw on this team is the O in general not just the OL. Run game worked today. Should have helped the passing game. WR corps is pretty good. Orton is making plays. I am just at a loss as to what the upgrade is to fix the problem. I was thinking after the game today, throwing out stats and stuff like yards per game or points. This D has to be the best in the NFL when you consider that total lack of output/help they get on the other side of the ball. A top 15 offense makes this defense look out of this world. That's not asking much, just be average or slightly better than average on offense.

I agree it isn't that simple. The swing pass to Boobie had been working all day. There is an option. Chandler on crossing routes is pretty successful. 4 fade passes/jump balls to the endzone was bad decision making. Not hating the passing, hating the specific play calls. If those are the plays we are looking for, why no Mike Williams. That is literally what he is here for.

I don't get the mike Williams thing. He could have been used on a bunch of occasions today.

My thoughts exactly

Am I the only one who would use the TOs here try and hold them to 3 and out. A good return and its 3 free points

I hate that call. Afraid to put points up before the half. Jeez.

Wood is getting the blame for the stunt when we were pinned at the 15. Looked like Pears didn't slide off the double team with the RT not Woods. Could be wrong. I think Wood is good, he isn't getting help in the interior at all. I am betting we fix the OG situation, and we all become fans of our center again.

Ugh Chandler was wide open

I was thinking the same thing. These drives look somehow familiar.

I have rewind. I think from the eye test Orton takes a few bad sacks per game. Which I guess agrees with your point. However, I've been super busy the last few weeks and havent had the time to look. 3 seconds in the NFL is superb, and that isn't the line. The pocket is never clean as soon as the ball is snapped. I've said it forever, through scheming and Fitz, our terrible line has been masked with Gailey. We don't/can't/won't do it that now. What is the over under on 3 seconds? I'll take the bet depending on the line. Percentages maybe? 6 pack of your choice. I'll review. Hell I'll give you my password and we can both do it

Am I the only one who doesn't get the lead the charge stuff out of the tunnel? Why can't our own team lead themselves out on the field. We seem to do a lot of living in the past

So the 2nd year is his option. The way I see it is he basically retires or stays. If we make the playoffs or win a playoff game then things change as far as paying him. If that happens though I am sure the Bills oblige on a 3 year 23 mil-ish deal. He hasn't had thus opportunity or situation in his career to date. Buffalo is a good fit and I am sure he realizes that. Remember a few months ago this guy talked about retiring. I think we are jumping the gun here a bit. Let's get through the back half of the season before we go all Fitz. If we are 8-8/9-7 he retires or stays a Bill. That simple. Anywhere else he goes he'll be the same guy he's been, a "could be starter, but thanks for being a good back up" guy.

I don't see these things as mutually exclusive. See Urbik. We are all happy to see him back out there and as an upgrade, also all angry it took about half the season to figure it out.

Thought, since the Bills are in the thick of it currently, a weekly who to root for thread was necessary. I know it is talked about in a few other threads. Just trying to get it all in one place. Compounding weeks like the Power Rankings This week is pretty easy. Right now the AFC North I think might be the biggest worry, the west isn't fun either. I would like to see the entire AFC North beat up on each other, which is entirely likely. They are all about the same mix of flawed and strong. Sadly I am a SD and Rivers fan, so I hate to do it, but have to root against them the rest of the year. They have a bye this week. Also, eff KC. Browns @ Cincy- Obviously like to see Cincy lose equally to Cleveland, but it would have been nice to knock a similar team as ours further away from us. Browns winning is fine if we are sticking a fork in Cincy for the year. Either way the closer the division winner is to the wild card record the better. That will most likely be 9-10 games in the AFC North. I see them all beating up on each other, and no team getting super hot and running a ton of games in a row. The Cleveland game scares me in a few weeks, especially if we win the next 2. Seems like it could be a trap game for us. Browns have looked not good at points, but also played some good football others. Chiefs @ Bills- Obviously. We know what's at stake here for us. More or less a must win. Bills are in the drivers seat the next 8 weeks. Right now we don't need any help from any teams other than our own. Must beat KC, Cle, Miami, NYJ (they're dunzo, just within the division). The rest we "could lose" and with help from the league and be ok. Those games are non-negotiable as far as I am concerned. Dolphins @ Lions- Not sure if Miami can keep it going. Hope they can't. Would be big if the Bills won too. Especially since visiting teams have been traditionally terrible on Thursday nights. A reality check for them would be nice in a short week. Next week scares the crap out of me. Titans @ Ravens- It could happen right? Pitt @ NYJ-This always makes me cringe. Again the North needs to keep losing Denver @ Oakland- Don't think this one matters too much. The Broncos are making the Playoffs, so seeing them pull away and the rest of the division crumble might be nice, but at this point I am also happy with anybody else in the AFC losing, especially to a terrible team with no chance.

Yes I am an EJ fan. I hope he turns into our guy. Whether or not he does is irrelevant. Not only did we get our guy, we got what looks like maybe the best QB in the class at 16 plus an additional pick. As for Whaley still liking EJ's chances, the FO has shown that even though they like him they are not afraid to move on, by playing Orton. Whether this turns out to be the case in the future has yet to be seen, but so far they have shown they will play the better guy not just the one they like. You can't run your GM out of town for one pick, sorry. The rest of that draft has been solid, FA's good. If we ride with a failing EJ for 3 more years it's a reasonable debate. As of now I think we are jumping at conclusions. Also say EJ wasn't there in the second, there have been a lot of broad strokes painted by saying "there will be a journeyman they could have gotten" or "get somebody else like team x did a year later. Hence the only way I see the Bills not getting a QB in 2013 capable of starting is by keeping Fitz. The stage was set for the pick prior to it. Bills did what they had to do, and of the QB's got the best value.