217014170

You are right on the money (pun intended). Think Jets and Patriots in the division. Build through the draft and plug in FA at key positions. Especially positions like WR (see Matt Millen). The Jets added Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards but built almost everything else through the draft. They were able to get Bart Scott because he was and is a Rex Ryan guy. Buffalo is always going to find it hard to compete for FA players in their prime. Most impact FA in their prime are still looking to "get paid"...most are coming off their rookie contracts. Ralph and Bill Polian built the Super Bowl Bills prior to the salary cap and did it mostly through the draft and some luck anyway. Again...plugged in players like James Lofton and Billy Brooks at WR along the way. It would be great to think that players are making that decision based solely on football but just like you and I they have families. One of the big detractors is always going to be state taxes. I am sure that came in to play in the Lebron James to Miami "DECISION" as well...he saved millions of dollars in state tax alone by going to a Florida based team as opposed to New York. The Bills almost always have to OVERPAY to account for the tax hit. It has very little to do with Ralph Wilson's willingness to pay. Daniel Snyder has taught everyone that you cannot buy a team...not in football. The best thing about this team is there are no veteran prima donnas...there is no panic to "win now" before the (few key) core players get too old. Easily within 3-5 years this team will surpass the Patriots in the division and will be battling the Jets year in/year out. The foundation is getting built...the danger is there is going to be alot of other changes in the next 3-5 years away from the football operation.

Regardless of whether or not you THINK the hit was cheap why isn't anyone talking about the fact that he got a free release to the QB? The OLine and 14 needs to be pointing out where Harrison is on every play.

I was waiting for Frank Wychek to emerge from the pile with the ball...in a Steelers uni of course...Bruce Dehaven has had a front row seat to many of the Bills "best" special teams moments...

Again...according to the lovely Mrs. 217014170..."updates on tmz.com on Sunday are rare so this must have been viewed as particularly "news"worthy"...

Amen. (Forgive the pun...could not resist)

It was my wife..."Hey that guy that needs to change his number cuz 13 is not working for him is on TMZ blaming GOD"...

http://www.tmz.com/

"Did you really touch that 19 year old girl here?"

We can have a "Cliche Off" if you want... "Defense wins championships!"

Ryan Mallett, Andrew Luck, Chris Ponder, etc. do NOT play defense. Every NFL team's first priority is to match up against teams in their division. That means the Bills need to be able to stop New England (Tom Brady) and New York (Mark Sanchez, et. al.). IMO, the Jets are the bigger threat long term with youth all over the offense. So, acquiring an elite pass rusher (or two) and a LB corp that can defend the run must be the primary concern followed closely by the O-Line. For example, Chris Spielman was brought in by AJ Smith (Dir. of Pro Personnel) to stop Curtis Martin. Anything else he did was a bonus. Also, has anyone else noticed that the AFC East is evolving in to an elite tight end division? So getting an athletic strong safety and/or OLB is an absolute must. Nix took a flier on Merriman and must have thought that winding him up on 3rd and 7+ with one purpose in mind, kill the QB, was a good idea. I cannot fault him for trying. Scoring 30+ points in a loss is getting old. There are aspects of this team that remind me of the 1989 team that found its offensive identity in a playoff loss...34-30 (Ronnie Harmon drop game). http://www.billszone.com/mtlog/archives/2004/01/01/1989_buffalo_bills_bickering_bills.php The difference in that team was they already had Bruce, Biscuit, Conlan, and Kelso established and some emerging CBs on defense. The offense, for most of the year, was similar to what we see in this version of the Bills. Kelly finished the year with 25 TDs and 18 INTs...nothing spectacular. The message is be patient and let Buddy Nix fill in the gaps. It may take 3-4 years but the focus needs to be on competing inside the AFC East first. Side Note: Ryan Leaf's first game was against the Buffalo Bills...he won...and then he won the next game. Anyone can be the "Next Ryan Leaf" if they are drafted in to the wrong situation and asked to do too much.

Scroll down to page 10 in this link...coincindence? I think NOT! :-) http://www.google.com/images?q=andrew+luck&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ADRA_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=3HrxTPiWPIK8lQf42c3_DA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=6&ved=0CFYQsAQwBQ&biw=1419&bih=664

I am not comparing Vick of 2001 and Luck of 2011 on character. Simply comparing them as the consensus "Top QB" in their respective drafts. That being said, I would take Vick of 2010 over anyone available in the upcoming draft class. He definitely thrives in the Eagles offense but it is not much different than what Gailey runs or would run. If Jeffrey Dahmer ran a 4.2 40-yard he would have been on a roster somewhere and not in prison...well maybe on work release.

I don't need to argue. I leave it to the rest of the geniuses on this board. Dwight, Cody, and Caldwell were not perennial All-Pro type players but they were better than what they had, all made the team, and were solid contributors. The point I was making had nothing to do with getting those role players instead of Brees...the primary point was getting the guy you want LT and targeting a position of need, QB, later in the draft and the only way to do that, lacking any roster assets, is trading picks. But what do I know, right?

Thanks for the correction...point is still valid and even further supported by the additional players that ended up contributing.

IF the Bills are in a position to take Luck in the first round IF he comes out then I say they should channel John Butler and trade down and draft for need(s) later in the draft. In 2001 (the Mike Vick draft), Butler and the Chargers brain trust traded down and acquired Drew Brees and Ladanian Tomlinson. The player they were after was LT (#5 overall pick) and they addressed QB with Brees later in the first round with an acquired pick, a free pick...arguably the best QB of the past 5 years. Don't overlook the Nix/SEC/Southeast connection. It would not be a stretch for Nix to trade out of the Luck-y spot (sorry...could not resist) to target another position and pick up Mallett. Also, the Bills don't need the #1 pick to get Luck (if that is who they want). Most of the teams that are in contention for a top 5 pick (besides the Cowboys at this point) either don't need or don't want to spend the money it would take to sign a QB drafted #1 (Assuming no rookie cap in the new CBA). Jerry Richardson's Panthers? No. They have two young QBs and they blatantly went out of their way to protect Tony Pike by not starting him against Baltimore with no running game to protect him. Brian St. Pierre was a sacrifice, plain and simple. Mike Brown's Bengals? Really? The best, most threatening fit would be San Francisco...fire Singletary, hire Harbaugh, draft Luck...all stay in Northern California, too perfect. Except the ownership is more interested in profit than wins. The Bills need to keep trying to WIN!! Winning is a culture and makes everyone better. The draft will take care of itself and as the ghost of John Butler has taught us...it's OK to get creative on draft day. (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/pat_kirwan/news/2001/04/23/kirwan_q_a_apr23/) The Chargers were 1-15 the previous year and had earned the top pick. Everyone was convinced Vick was the answer but the Chargers had too many questions. Sound familiar? Butler and AJ Smith brought in Doug Flutie (just as AJ did as Dir. of Pro Personnel in Buffalo) to LEAD at QB and knew he could avoid getting killed on a bad team while they rebuilt. Do you think Nix still has the draft plan from 2001? I do... He believes in building through the draft and that the free agency period is for catching up on sleep. No team has ever brought in a PLAYER to fix a broken team. It ALWAYS starts with a change in management and/or coaching and ensuing success in the draft. Especially for a team like Buffalo, on a budget and in a less than desirable destination by comparison. It's reality and once you can grasp that you are in a dominant position to make good decisions.

Go back and research Brees' injury and the fact that New Orleans was the only team that would touch him. Miami (Nick Saban) wanted him and he could not pass the physical. Brees is a Dr. James Andrews poster child...literally a miracle he is even playing let alone at an elite level. It did create a convenient opportunity to promote Rivers and allow Brees to go. Where did Rivers play college? NC State...ACC but in Nix's favorite territory the Southeast. If I was a betting man I would say Nix goes Mallett over Luck if given the chance and they go QB. Big difference between PAC-10 and SEC defenses... Also, Drew Brees and LT were borne out of a great trade with Atlanta who then drafted Mike Vick. Who engineered that? John Butler! (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/pat_kirwan/news/2001/04/23/kirwan_q_a_apr23/) Think Vick as Luck...Nix has Butler DNA so trading away from the consensus "top QB" would not be unprecedented. Go back and read the pre-draft grades on Brees...undersized, etc. Butler and AJ Smith were also the guys that brought another undersized QB back to the NFL...Doug Flutie. My two cents...

Look at the Jets first round draft picks in between Chad Pennington and Mark Sanchez. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_Jets_first-round_draft_picks) By the time the Jets picked Sanchez all the pieces were in place. They struggled with Pennington and never got over the hump. I would bet they realized that Pennington was not the answer and continued to draft for need primarily on both lines. I am fine with keeping Fitzpatrick and Gailey together as long as the team accurately identifies needs and drafts accordingly. Nothing sets a team back like missing on a quarterback in the first round. Especially a team on a budget. I think Ryan Fitzpatrick would win with the Jets but I am not sure Sanchez would win with this version of the Bills. The Jets initially plugged Sanchez in and asked him to grow and not screw anything up. Given time (in the right situation) to grow in to a leader and build confidence he is now winning games. Luck is the best looking QB prospect that MIGHT come out this year but even if he is sitting there for the Bills to take I would say trade down and collect more picks. The Bills current situation is just not ideal for a rookie QB. You don't draft a QB with the first pick and not make him the starter from Day One or at least by mid season. If you do that in Buffalo right now you would destroy the guys confidence. The most popular guy in town is the backup QB on a bad team. The last thing a young QB needs is to have people in the grocery store telling him how great he is and how they cannot believe he is not starting. I am not saying ignore the QB position altogether but target someone later in the draft that can come in and compete. Jake Locker and Ryan Mallet will continue to slip. If you can get Locker in the 4th round you take him based on potential alone. Hopefully you take him with someone elses pick acquired via trade. By the time Jim Kelly's nephew enters the NFL draft the Bills will be in a position, like the Jets were with Sanchez, to draft him in to what should be an ideal situation. How 'bout that?

Please go back and re-read my entire post. Admittedly it was quite long. ;-) I was trying to stay away from mentioning everyone's obvious choice (Luck). But, if you are drafting that high in the draft (and your name is not Al Davis) then it is hard to screw it up. I know there is a long list of screw ups. I am not talking about a one year wonder and bowl game hero (Leaf and Russell). My point was "He does not have to be the #1 overall pick but that position needs to be a priority for this team early in the draft." Luck, the player, may not be the best fit for this team (the whole West Coast/Stanford thing...which is legitimate, by the way...we don't play in a dome) even if everyone is in love with him. Heck...he may pull an Eli or a John Elway and tell us he won't sign anyway. Just for clarification, that sometimes does happen without "Joe Fan" finding out about it. When Buddy Nix and Jim Overdorf go over potential high draft picks, signability is in the discussion...both short and long term. I will take "Luck", the non-plyare, intangible, invaluable ingredient to success any time. However, if the powers that be decide to use a Top 5 pick on an APPROPRIATE Quarterback then why does it matter if it aligns with any or all talking heads? If that quarterback is not available then draft the next highest rated guy on your board that is still available at a position of need (or trade the pick...they will have trade partners lined up well in advance) and move on to the next highest QB on your board at the appropriate time. If the Bills end up with a top 5 pick and there is not a QB there that they place that value on then they need to trade out of the spot and collect draft picks. One of the many advantages of drafting that high is that the picks are very predictable. Lord knows this team has many areas of need so the more draft picks the better. The more you have, the more chances you have to be right. I thought I subtly made both points but thanks... ;-) I do take exception to Delhomme being a good starting quarterback. Consistency is a huge ingredient to being good...he was never consistently good. Just my opinion along with the fact that I see a lot of similarities between he and Fitzpatrick. The good thing for Delhomme is he got his shot at the right time and rode the team's wave. Fitzpatrick may be just a few years too early to see the same TEAM success..

Jake Delhomme (when Carolina was competitive) - Offensive Line - Pass Rush - Running Game - Steve Smith = Ryan Fitzpatrick Carolina had premier personnel on both lines...always had at least one premier running back (now they have two with no line...how are they doing? <sarcasm>), although anyone could run behind that O-Line at the time...Steve Smith's athleticism made a lot of near lateral swing passes 50+ yard touchdowns and covered up a lot of bad throws. Note that when Steve Smith was suspended or injured how poorly Delhomme played. Jake Delhomme was viewed as a smart, "solid backup" prior to becoming the starter and benefited from the pieces around him. They built the supporting cast, plugged the quarterback in later, and almost won a Super Bowl. The problem was they hung on to Delhomme a little too long and as both lines aged (right along with Delhomme) or got rich through free agency, Delhomme was exposed for what he is/was - a backup. Carolina's current running backs, Williams and Stewart, once the envy of the league cannot even get 100 yards rushing behind that line when , in the past, they were both getting 100 yards/game each. There are a million examples just like this...Trent Dilfer, Mark Rypien, Tom Brady (first Super Bowl), Bob Griese (HOF, really?), Eli Manning (borderline...pretend his last name is Jones)...where quaterback was just another position on a Super Bowl winning TEAM. Based on the Cowboys' game yesterday I would say Tony Romo is in the same mold...Jon Kitna came in and outplayed Romo with largely the same cast. My point? Even if the Bills had all the same pieces in place when Fitzapatrick took over...studs on both lines, premier skill players...I would say he will be fine (and even encourage him starting over a rookie stud at QB) for the next 2 years BUT you still have to draft the QUARTERBACK if he is available. He does not have to be the #1 overall pick but that position needs to be a priority for this team early in the draft. Who knows, Ryan Mallett could be the next Dan Marino. Someone like Stephen Garcia taken later in the draft (if he comes out) is worth a look...(brothers played at Harvard for you "Fitzy" fans). Look what Peyton Manning keeps doing as the Colts literally erode around him. He is literally forcing guys to win...they KNOW losing is not an option. Sam Bradford may not be racking up the stats but there is NO DOUBT who the leader on the field of that team will be for the next decade at least (may be optimistic about his durability). Heck, look what Mark Sanchez, Colt McCoy, and Troy Smith (tear in my eye) are doing. These guys are true leaders and the rest of the players believe. Coaches can do alot and great coaches can do even more but it's still the players who have to execute. Do you think Ray Lewis would accept a play call from Edwards (Bills DC) if he knew it was not going to work at a critical point in the game? Who calls the Colts offensive plays (rhetorical for dramatic purposes...we all know it's Frank Reich :-)) Bottom line...You NEVER pass on the franchise, can't miss quarterback for so many reasons both football and non-football related...marketing, identity, attracting free agents. I don't care if you are currently an established, mature team in all other aspects of the game. In today's NFL that only lasts 2-3 years at most. The quarterback is the most valuable asset in the team's portfolio and having the right one (whether by design or luck) makes GM's and coaches geniuses (Polian, Levy, Belichick, etc.), supporting players Hall of Famers (you think Jerry Rice is JERRY RICE without Montana and Young and the NEW West Coast Offense?), and fans ecstatic (although sometimes I wonder on this board).

Amen...who knows, there may be some copyright stuff preventing bringing them back for a period of time. The NFL did change the apparel contract at about the same time. Some teams decided to make drastic changes, like the Bills, Bucs, and Broncos and others were very subtle. Thanks again, Dwight...I have seen the abuse by some while lurking in the weeds. I have seen belittling of some former players...active, positive, helpful posters voluntarily leaving...snarky comments. It boils down to basic respect that some people should have learned a long time ago and most do. I have also heard/seen a lot of people saying "you never know who is on these boards", they are right. ;-) Thank you for showing me the respect I know I deserve and I will be sure to return it.

As the "OP", I think it was pretty clear what I meant about defining the Kelly era uni's as "throwback". I even went so far as to place a surprisingly helpful link to wikipedia. But, no matter...simple misunderstanding...forgive/forget/move on.

I don't disagree. The 64-65 throwbacks are mint. But, for guys my age (41), those 87-01 uni's bring back a lot of great memories. And, let's face it, we are the demographic that the Bills should be marketing to. I am sure it was done by Russ Brandon and Tom Donahoe to turn the page and I am not saying that was a bad thing but enough time has passed to bring them back at least once a year. Anyway, it really would be cool to keep it quiet an then see the guys running out of the tunnel against Miami in the Kelly-era stuff. It would definitely get the crowd stirred up. Not sure if there are any guys from that era not on the wall of fame at this point but that would also be a good game to throw them on. And, sorry if this topic is talked about a lot but my single digit posts and "Probation" (whatever that means) status shows I am new here...at least posting. ;-)

Thank you.

Bills uniforms I am referring to were in place from 1987-2001. Changed by Tom Donahoe, <insert comment here>, in 2002. Last playoff appearance 1999. NOT 5 years... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bills And the question was , do they ever wear those uniforms as throwbacks?

It's warm everywhere when your team is winning... There was a time when opponents feared coming here because the Bills did not notice the cold. Guys like Kent Hull set the tone playing bare armed in December and January (remember January games?) When guys came here from other teams they would say..."it's funny how it's not as cold here as the home team but I dreaded coming in here as an opponent". There may have been bickering but whining was not allowed...it's a tone and a state of mind that comes from the top...this team lacks leaders in the locker room... We'll know we have turned the corner when the cold is referred to as an advantage again and not a detriment.