Just in Atlanta

Good point. Other than our top 3 pick this year, we have historically for the pass 10-plus years haven't been good enough for the playoffs or bad enough for a top pick. A 6-10 record, which this franchise looks to score this year, isn't good for either respect or a top pick. Other than Buffalo being a cold, small market, I worry that free agents and assistant coaches (DC) don't want to come to a mediocre team with a fanbase howling for the playoffs. At least with a bad team, there's only one way to go. And with a good team, well, you have good tools. On another note, it's drought, not draught.

And we lost 2 games by three points each, and could have beaten the Jets the second time around. You can cherry pick good and bad. As a fan, you should be happy that this team could have mounted those two improbable comebacks. The old Bills would have folded.

I look forward to when Marcell D. hits puberty.

They also play in the AFC South and have a killer DC. Not an excuse, just context. We clearly have zero depth and are lacking elite talent, but we would be much better had we not lost our only elite players. Besides, it's hard to win in the NFL, man.

I was wondering how we ranked. It makes sense. At the start of the season, we had average individuals, with a few exceptional ones like Wood, Jackson, Merriman and Williams, playing exceptionally well as a unit. When your best players, and several average ones, are put on IR, you're left with backups to...no-names. Our D was getting it done before the injuries but we were clearly not dominating. Losing Williams and Merriman was huge. Our O was clicking despite lack of a deep threat and pass protection. Losing Wood and Jackson killed us here. It's logical to think we can recreate similar success with the same healthy guys back. It's also clear this offseason needs to be balanced, with our first priority at OLB.

Not a rumor, but a few weeks ago I had a dream that we signed JP to replace Fitz and when I asked Gailey why, he took off his mask to reveal to me that he was really Dick Juaron. Freaking nightmare.

Maybe we can instead draft five WRs and replace our tackles and guards with them lined up a yard behind the line. Imagine the gameplanning for 9 receivers running around. We'd for sure be set at one position then. Come to think of it, that would be a wet dream for Gailey.

You sir are obviously a smart fan.

I don't think football, or life for that matter, moves that linearly. It's like having Popeye biceps (linebackers) and Olive Oyl legs (rest of team). A linebacker is a No. 1 priority for sure. But we have other holes, too. By 2016 playoffs, with the MaddenBoy Strategy in place, the slew of stud linebackers we drafted in 2012 will be approaching the downside of their short careers and the stud skill players we drafted in 2014 will not be fully developed. Then, it will be time...to rebuild again. Yah.

PTR, He was run like three times in the second half. He played pretty well against the Jets. He needs touches, in both halves, to see if he will develop.

How much would Drafttech cost?

Buffalo 3 Denver 16 For God so loved the world... Or Buffalo 6 Denver 66 The first one is more than possible.

Another pointless season in the record books. Have to say I have no emotion left over this team, having gone through the gamut of emotions this season: KC, Wash (thrilled), Oak, NE (excited and proud), Cinci, NY (optimistic), Jets 1 (deeply concerned), Jets 2 (excited again), Dallas (ticked), Miami (depressed), Titans (bored), Chargers (hopeless). How many of us expect JP Losman to come in and light us up? Doesn't get much lower than that. So, my somewhat meaningless opinion on priorities, in order, for this team to give us excitement once again and finally make the playoffs: DC. All I know is our D has gotten substantially worse after Fewell left. Get someone...STAT. Draft an OLB. No secret this is our biggest weakness. 1st round. Give Merriman one more shot. He has a huge impact on the way others play us...and losing him was the first death knell. I know many disagree. OT/OG. Second death knell--losing Wood. Draft someone in the 2nd. Depth is a serious issue. We also need a pass blocker to give Fitz more than 2 seconds. Sign Freddie. Final death knell--losing Jackson. He deserves a contract. Only elite player we have. I'd be ticked if we didn't. He's a monster, and has several years left in him. Sign Stevie. For all his faults, he's our only talent at WR and he's kind of fun having around. He'll get better. WR. Either through free agency, a trade or the draft, we need a deep threat. DE. Dareous and Williams need help. Not depth. But help. Other thoughts: Let CJ run wild for the rest of the year. See if he can hit the holes. He may surprise us, or at least showcase his talents for a potential trade. QB should not be a priority. Give Fitz the tools he needs. Secondary should also not be a priority. Their bad play is a direct result of our lack of a pass rush, period. Focus on pass rush, and an explosive offense, and the secondary will do its job well. Have at it.

His beard, and all his money, are weighing him down.

I agree. Amazed that with his smarts, he doesn't audible more. Saw several plays in the Titans and Jets games that he should have audibled. His deep accuracy is obviously an issue, but fixable. Happy to have him as our guy.

This is why we fail. See CJ Spiller. Will develop into a fine RB, but a waste of a 1st pick for a team with desperate needs. Teams don't get built on WRs and RBs, even Megatron-type WRs. They get built on Front 7s and O lines. Our problem is not having a deep WR. Our problem is we don't have a line that can enable a WR getting deep, and that our D makes Sanchez look like Brady. Fix these problems first. We can find a No. 2, or even No. 1, receiver deep in the draft or in free agency. See Pit, NE, GB. Further, I hope we won't even be drafting in the Top 10. No one will want to come to this team if we have yet another losing record.

Ugh. Unlike MSNBC. And every poll outfit around. :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Maybe Fitzy doesn't have competitive greatness (I think he does) but I do know he knows how to break up paragraphs.

This thread is not elite. Do elite QBs make the bad throws he does? Let's have the mentality that there is good common ground between elite and suck. Elite is rare. Like 5 percent rare. Like two, or maybe three QBs (Brees), rare. Average, which Fitz is, is not bad. It's average. Fitz will likely be above average, which is uncommon, IMO. When he has a better supporting cast, things will get better. Also not "elite:" Jim Kelly (4 SB appearances), B. Favre (1 SB win), B. Roethlisberger (2 SB wins), E. Manning (1 SB win), K. Warner (2 appearances), and that's fine, I'll take an above average QB like these and be happy. In Buffalo, above average is pretty much elite after this drought.

8-4 without all the injuries. And 12-0 if we hadn't traded Maybin.

Why does it have to be one or the other? I'd settle for an average run and pass D with an above-average pass rush and explosive offense. We already have an average pass D (especially when you consider that lack of pass rush dictates everything) and an explosive offense when healthy. Focus on pass rush, then, and only when a premiere OLB or DE isn't available, focus on O line, IMO. Unless someone really special is available at a "skill" position or secondary, I wouldn't spend any time in April on those positions. Pass rush affects everything, even more than O line.

Didn't vote. We need to get it out of our heads that only an "elite" QB is what we need. There are 32 starting QBs. Only two, maybe three, elite QBs. He's a good QB who is doing his best with what he has and WILL get better with a better supporting cast. He's our guy for the time-being, and I'm happy with him.

Thanks for not starting a I Told You So thread. The POW analysis seems accurate. I would add that the prisoners who also became completely pessimistic about their chances of release were also probably one of the quickest to break down. Speaking of POWs, us Bills fans seem to be collective victims of Chinese water torture. I'd rather get it all over with in one violent water-boarding swoop--an 0-16 season followed by a playoff--than endure 12 years of maddening 7-9 drips.

Judging by what? Sacks? Then, no, he doesn't have it. But I don't think we have the film to truly see how the guy is playing. He seems to be getting penetration on the occasions the camera is focused on the line, but I also don't see him involved with a lot of tackles. He also seems to be getting double-teamed a lot. The point is, I think we fans sometimes rush to judgment based on spotty evidence or sometimes-superficial stats. I also think that if this team actually drafts/signs an impact player or two for the Front 7 to ease his load, we won't be asking this question. Us 20 and 30 somethings should listen to the old dogs on this board who remember Bruce Smith's rookie year. Seems his situation was similar.

Agree. Dude, get over it. So you don't like that he celebrates. You don't like that he hands the ball to the ref. Just be happy he scored a TD. Dr. Dareustein, will you be watching our now pointless games at Hudson Grill? Sadly, I can't stop. We'll have to say hi. Man, the mood in that bar Sunday was morose.