R. Rich

Enough. Both of you.

That would be some trick.

That's why I always loved how Michigan handled their coaching situation back in 1989. When basketball coach Bill Frieder decided to leave and take over the Arizona State job @ season's end, the school's athletic director, the late Bo Schembechler, fired 'em and said he wanted, "a Michigan man" coaching the team in the NCAA tournament that year. Michigan promoted Steve Fisher to the head job, and all the Wolverines did that year was win the national title (damn you, Glen Rice for what you did to my Tar Heels that year!!). Classic.

A win is a win is a win, huh? Hey, we Bills fans will take it. It certainly feels better than watching yet another heartbreaking loss. Ryan Fitzpatrick may feel differently, as he was horrendous in this one. Woefully inaccurate yet again (throws are still going to the inside on out routes, giving CBs a shot @ a pick) and locked onto one target (the reason for the red zone INT; scan the field, man!!) for most of the game, he struggled mightily. I love the effort (especially on his diving block to clear the way for a nice gain), but he is simply not a very good NFL QB. The Bills need to do better if they are going to ever be a viable contender. Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson were very good in getting to the 2nd level and making some things happen. Two things I particularly liked in this game were: (1) Jackson's toughness in breaking a would be tackle for a loss and turning it into a big gain and (2) Lynch just getting the ball and, get this, attacking the line of scrimmage and making people miss on the fly on a huge gain! I know; I couldn't believe it, either. Corey McIntire still doesn't impress me as a lead blocker (whiffed big time on an outside run and failed to pick up a LB shooting the gap), but he's not atrocious either. I really like the way Jackson and Lynch were able to compliment each other in this one. Hopefully, we'll see more of the same in these last few games and the Bills will continue to build on it. Oops, forgot to mention the receivers. Then again, what did they do? Terrell Owens had a TD reception, Lee Evans had one catch all day and was the intended target on Fitzpatrick's red zone INT (but did have a really nice downfield block on one play that went for a big gain), Josh Reed did even less (missed a 3rd down play in the red zone that was tough, but could've been caught), and TEs Johnathan Stupar and Shawn Nelson were barely there. Nelson did make a nice catch on a poorly overthrown ball by Fitzpatrick, but then got injured and was done for the day. What a run blocking performance by the offensive line! Andy Levitre had a really good block on an inside run by Lynch that made me take notice. He also had a good lead block on an outside run later in the game. Overall, this had to be one of his best performances of the season, if not his best. The holding call puts a bit of a damper on it, but he was still very good. Geoff Hangartner still is not as stout as we'd like to see in pass protection. In this regard, he's not much of an upgrade from Melvin Fowler. But, he did do a solid job of run blocking, as there were holes UP THE MIDDLE in this game. Props also to Kendall Simmons, who has improved by leaps and bounds from what was a disastrous debut. Another guy who looked pretty good in run blocking was Jonathan Scott. But, boy does he struggle in pass protection! Tamba Hali looked like Dwight Freeney out there, getting pressure from the edge, regardless of whether he brought the QB down or not. Kirk Chambers also struggled maintaining the edge, and his leverage looked pretty bad. No knee bend, and guys were able to get into his chest 'cause of it. Considering how well Lynch and Jackson performed in that scheme, and how these guys were able to give the backs a crease, maybe they should try to run like this more often. Props also to the defensive line, as they got consistent pressure off the edge all game. Chris Kelsay had a terrific sack, where he rushed wide, then got inside the right tackle to shed 'em and get a sack. Where has that been all year? I thought all he could do was run outside and overrun QBs. Aaron Schobel's sack was even more impressive, as he shut down a drive in the red zone (yeah, I know...they really did!) by....you'll never believe this, folks......staying home on a misdirection play!!!!!! Outstanding. I actually thought Spencer Johnson was pretty good against the run in this one, and he was very good in providing interior pressure. Marcus Stroud also did a good job of getting into the backfield to disrupt plays, but he did have his share of plays where he was single blocked out of the play. Considering the Chiefs weren't able to just run wild on the Bills w/ the exception of the long Jamal Charles TD run, I'd say he did okay. Kyle Williams also had a nice play where he shot the gap and slowed up the RB, but the pursuit didn't get there quck enough and the back avoided a loss. Paul Posluszny had a very good game this week. The INT was nice, but he does need to know when to go down. You're not going to shake your way out of traffic and take that one in, so just go down and secure the possession for your squad. Now, if you see nothing but green, by all mean, take that ball to the house! Bryan Scott made some nice plays, but I did see one play where he inexplicably pulled up on an outside blitz. He made up for it by coming up w/ the sack to take KC out of FG range later. Nic Harris was okay in getting the start, but aside from one tackle for a loss, wasn't much of a factor. He also looked a bit out of place in his dropbacks, but hey, that's to be expected in a guy who hasn't had much run. I think these guys did a pretty good job of holding the outside down, so that powers, counters, and screens didn't kill the Bills as in many other games this year. If Terrence McGee isn't really healthy enough to go (more on this later), then don't go. Going out there not fully ready to play isnt' going to help much, as was obvious on a play where Chris Chambers beat him for a nice gain. I just didn't see the typical McGee fiestyness, nor did I see him in position to make a play on many passes in this one. Lucky for him, and the Bills in general, that Drayton Florence was very reliable in coverage. He had one pass breakup in particular that was really sweet. I liked the way Donte Whitner was able to snuff out the one screen pass early in the game. Obviously, it was something the Bills saw in film study and was ready to counter. The guy who continues to impress in limited action, though, is George Wilson. He broke up some passes, had a nice pick to seal the deal, and was able to bust through and make a stop for a loss. Good job. I must also apologize for dissing special teams lately. I've just taken for granted the Bills' stable kicking game. Well, this week, you have to single out Brian Moorman for a wonderful job of providing poor field position to the Chiefs. Considering how much the team struggled throwing the football and in how poor they were in coverting third downs (3 of 12) despite a very strong running game, Moorman's punts were essential to this victory. Props also to Ashlee Palmer for making some tremendous plays. The one where he just shot through to make the stop on a kick return was a thing of beauty. Rian Lindell was reliable as ever, knocking in 3 FGs and just barely missing one from 51 yards. Great job. For the most part, the coaching was sound in this game. Perry Fewell did blow it by sending the house, only to see Charles take it to the house. Also, Alex Van Pelt could've just ran the ball in on the drive where Fitzpatrick threw the pick in the red zone. But, as I mentioned earlier, they did make sure the KC running game didn't control this game (especially the outside and misdirection plays) and also made sure they got their own running game going. This is how you win games, especially ones where your passing game falters and you can't convert on 3rd down. Controlling the clock is exactly how the Saints were able to beat the Bills earlier this year, as you'll remember that Drew Brees was neutralized and the Bills were surprisingly good @ getting the Saints offense off the field. But, they were able to run the ball down the Bills' throats in the second half and got the win. So maybe you're onto something here, guys. But you still have a ways to go. Now, one thing I must address before I'm done is how in the world is the Bills' strength and conditioning program not being held accountable for the laundry list of injured players? There are some that you just can't pin blame on (like Eric Wood's injury), but there are many others where guys just don't appear to be in good enough condition to endure an entire season. When your team endures a riduculous amount of injuries over the course of a few seasons, it's time to question how well conditioned they are. I say it's time for a change in this department. Now. Well, as I said initially, a win is a win is a win. Enjoy it, as you know who (hint: a dozen in a row) comes to town this weekend. The postseason is still just a fantasy for us Bills fans, so we can only hope to be the kinda spoiler to them that Cleveland was last Thursday to the Steelers. Belichick has a few weeks of film on a Fewell-coached Bills team, so that could mean trouble. But, you never know. They've got a shot, and I will be rooting as hard as ever for a Bills win. I saw a team not only play hard, but find a way to win a game this week. When's the last time we were able to say that 'bout our Bills?

Results of Week 6 are posted in the league forum. Also, make sure you vote for the top offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week.

Agreed, and I told this to Badolbilz and Lori @ the Miami game. Lewis been very impressive as a true freshman. Over 1600 yards and 16 TDs...wow!

This is no different than 1996, when they gave the Hypeman to Danny Awful rather than giving it to the best player in college football that season, Orlando Pace. Stats is all they look for when it comes to stuff like this, and even though they popularized a stat for Pace due to his dominance (pancake blocks; though the Pittsburgh folks coined the term for Bill Fralic a dozen years earlier), he still had no chance. So much for the Hypeman going to the, "best college football player."

That "flaw" is older than the BCS itself. Teams have been playing weak out of conference schedules for a very long time. The BCS is just protecting its own. Oh, they'll say that isn't the case, but most people realize they are. How else do you explain the numerous blown calls in games this year from both Alabama and Florida? Maybe it had something to do w/ both teams being in the top 2 and if they won out, one was guaranteed a spot in the BCS title game, making it even less likely a team like TCU or Boise State would get in? Whatever the case, the BCS is lying to itself by not just admitting that the decision to not have a playoff system in 1A is money related.

What an ugly game! It took me this long to recover from it. Nah, not really. Fitzpatrick showed yet again that while he's a guy who shows the willingness to throw the ball down the field, he's not necessarily a very accurate thrower. On top of showing how inaccurate he is, he also did not take care of the football, fumbling twice (one overturned w/ replay) and throwing a wounded duck of a pass late that was picked off. Yeah, the Bills still need help @ the QB position. Sad part is, I could see 'em look to address that issue w/ their first round pick instead of using that pick to address other glaring needs......like a LB w/ enough size to stop the run, or O linemen who can blow people off the ball and also give the QB a pocket to throw from. Marshawn Lynch was solid in the first half, then went MIA for some reason. I know Fred Jackson does a better job in terms of blitz recognition, but Lynch was actually getting it done on the ground for a change. Jackson had trouble getting it going all day. Maybe the Bills should've rode the hot hand and let Lynch carry the ball more. Corey McIntire led the way on Lynch's 15 yard TD run w/ a nice block, but wasn't much of a factor in terms of blocking or receiving after that. Very disappointing game from these guys. The receivers? Well, Terrell Owens wanted center stage vs Jets corner Darrelle Revis, and he got it. Boy, did he get it! Let's see: in 9 opportunities, Owens had 3 catches for 31 yards. Lee Evans had more than that on his first (and only) reception (38 yards)! For the game, Revis had 3 tackles, broke up 5 passes, and had an INT. I think he got the better of this pivotal matchup. Just barely. Jackson had 3 catches for 21 yards and Johnathan Stupar and Lynch joined Evans w/ one catch while Josh Reed and Shawn Nelson did even less. Yuck. Pass protection? Fitzpatrick ran for his life often and got taken down 3 times in this game. Another putrid performance from the offensieve line. The Ironic Moment of the Night was when the NFL Network's Matt Millen made reference to the good job that C Geoff Hangartner was doing this year. And after making that statement, Hangartner seemed determined to show Millen just how wrong he is. On one screen play, it was Hangartner who went out to lead block, yet ended up being the one driven back by the defender. On another play, he was beaten for a sack. Basically, he was awful. Jermon Meredith also got abused on a sack. This unit is woefully inadequate. The one shining moment the line had was Andy Levitre's pull on Lynch's TD run to seal it off and allow Lynch to go in. Nice play, but that was 'bout it for these guys. Speaking of Millen, he also made reference to Aaron Schobel's pre-game comments on "staying home" (keeping contain on the outside instead of blindly going down the line to make the play). Schobel said that, "he was more worried 'bout the dive plays," and that the outside run should be, "somebody else's responsibility". In theory, you may be right. Of course, when a defensive coordinator decides to put his LBs inside to shoot the gaps instead of keeping 'em outside to contain and/or rush the passer, then that unfortunately leaves YOU to be the containment person, Schobel. Once again, you proved to be a sucker for counter plays and got sucked in, allowing the Jets to get to the outside on a big running play by Brad Smith. Schobel did have a sack later in the game and, for the most part, did a good job after getting beat on the counter. As for Chris Kelsay, he did come up w/ a sack, but also showed that he's not much of a factor in the running game. Same for Ryan Denney, who whiffed on a potential sack. Aaron Maybin had another nice play, a tackle for no gain. The kid has athleticism and should be used a lot more. The interior guys had their share of moments. Kyle Williams had a pair of sacks and was able to disrupt things in the backfield. Spencer Johnson also did a decent job of pressuring the QB and nearly came up w/ a sack (Schobel got their a bit quicker). But, the run defense was once again atrocious. Now, who wants to extoll the virtues of Marcus Stroud for the Pro Bowl? Again, I saw him get single blocked often and he was no factor in stopping the run. None. Williams and Johnson were no more stout than Stroud, which is probably why the Jets had their way w/ the Bills in terms of rushing yards. Did any LB distinguish himself? Paul Posluszny had a sack and caused the fumble, sure. But, where was he when Thomas Jones, Shonn Greene, or Tony Freaking RICHardson (!!!) were running wild? These guys show no toughness @ the point of attack. I'll give 'em credit for having the ability to fly to the ball, but what good is it when as soon as you get there, you get blocked and allow a runner to get to the next level, where it's them vs a safety or corner? Bryan Scott (unit high 6 tackles), a converted safety, definitely has the heart of a lion (and not just a Nittany Lion, either). I just wish he had the strength and power of one. There seem to be some serious issues in regard to the Bills' secondary and playing zone coverage. Too many times this year, I've seen Reggie Corner pass a receiver to the deep guy in a zone, only to have said deep guy either ridiculously far out of position or not even there @ all. Donte Whitner made some nice plays, like the pass breakup he had on a 3rd down the Jets had in the red zone. But, he also got beat a few times, mostly on out routes, including a 3rd and long play. Once the receiver made the cut and headed toward the sideline, Whitner was done. Drayton Florence continues to be reliable in terms of man coverage. He just doesn't come up w/ the big turnovers. The guy I like is George Wilson. It seems like he's good for a solid play, either a tackle for a loss or a pass breakup or something else, more often than not. I'd like to see more development from Wilson, maybe to the point where he's a major contributor to the defense and they're coming up w/ turnovers and big plays. It was good to see Terrence McGee get some work, but he is still quite rusty, obviously. Let's hope he rounds into form quickly. The Bills' secondary badly needs it. The coaching staff was in need of a tune-up. Why not let Lynch do more, especially when he showed some life out there? Why continue to try to force the ball to Owens when Revis had him locked up like Bernie Madoff? This appeared to be another game that got away from the Bills. Unfortunately, there's a bunch of those kind. After the high that was the impressive win over Miami, the team again sunk to the depths. Time for Perry Fewell to rally his troops for a tough stretch run, starting w/ a trip to Arrowhead next week. Yeah, KC has all sorts of issues, but this team showed they still have heart when they beat Pittsburgh @ home and should not be overlooked. Anyway, how the heck does a 4-8 team overlook anyone?

They aren't?

Stoops is probably in play, even though he consistently deflects all talk 'bout the job. He hasn't come out and flatly denied that he'll take the position, so we'll see. Kelly? Maybe. He's the name that keeps being tossed 'round and has become the flavor of the month. He has done a terrific job of getting the UC program to compete on a national level. I love how he said getting his players tickets for the Pittsburgh game was more of a distraction than his name being mentioned as a possible replacement for Weis @ that school. Davis can recruit w/ the best of 'em, that's for sure. Built the dynasty @ the U??? He certainly had a large role in it, but it was Jimmy Johnson who got the U (and the rest of college football) to add athleticism to the lines (guys like Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy, and the late Jerome Brown) which gave 'em the jump on everyone else and really helped launch the U. That said, Davis has done a good job of stockpiling UNC w/ talent in recent years, and that school could certainly do worse. There is the challenge of finding the caliber of student athlete that can excel @ that school, but I'm sure Davis could handle it. Harbaugh has done wonders w/ Stanford. He would, if interested, be a nice fit in terms of how he gets the most out of his players and how he relates to players and the media. Would he rather be up for a job @ his alma mater, Michigan? I dunno, but I don't think RICH Rod is on his way out any time soon, anyway. Johnson did a great job @ Navy (especially in '07...hahaha!!!) and is doing more of the same @ Georgia Tech. They could do a whole lot worse, I guess. Has he gotten over his hissy fit from not being selected @ UNC? Also, will that school tolerate his antics in terms of getting in players' faces and will the triple option flexbone work w/ that school's current personnel? Patterson signed an extension through 2016. He ain't goin' nowhere. I really don't see Meyer leaving UF for that school. He's got it good there: 2 (maybe 3) national titles, excellent weather, and top notch recruiting. There's nothing that school can offer that he cannot get in Gainesville, other than history and tradition. If those were big selling points for Meyer, wouldn't he have taken the job the first time out?

This is late due to a nice long weekend I had that extended through yesterday (my wife's birthday). Gotta love the attitude this team seems to have now! Things may be looking up, we'll see. Things certainly look different, though, and that is probably a very good thing for the Bills. Ryan Fitzpatrick had to have his best day as a pro, all things considered. W/ out the benefit of a ton of time to throw, he still found guys down the field and even did the unthinkable: kept plays alive and/or made plays by running the ball! Imagine that. There were still the typical misfires and another poorly thrown ball that was picked, but overall, he did a solid job. Marshawn Lynch didn't do much w/ the limited opportunities he had. He still isn't as decisive a runner as he should be, and I think that's the only thing preventing him from being an elite back in this league. Meanwhile, Fred Jackson shows Lynch how it's done, making guys miss on the fly and finding open areas to work from. He also has been a better option in terms of receiving, though both guys still could use work in terms of blitz recognition. To make a long story (and a broken record of sorts) short, Jackson should remain the Bills' top option while Lynch should be the complimentary back. Well, it appears that Fitzpatrick has established the connection w/ Terrell Owens that Trent Edwards just simply could not (or would not). Owens continues to blossom w/ Fitzpatrick under center and demonstrates that he still can get open and can still be a factor not only in terms of moving the chains, but in putting points on the board. His 51 yard TD reception was a thing of beauty for so many reasons, many of 'em badly needed for a Bills team starving for offensive productivity. Lee Evans had a couple nice grabs for big gains also. I still would like to see him work to get open underneath, 'cause I think he could be lethal as a catch and run type guy. Throw the guy a few quick slants and let's see if he can do some damage. Josh Reed did little (missed one on third down that may have been a big gainer) and Roscoe Parrish has all but evaporated. It was nice to see both Johnathan Stupar and Shawn Nelson make some catches down the field. Nelson, in particular, is developing nicely as a guy who can make things happen down the seam. The offensive line was MUCH better in terms of run blocking in this one! It was nice to see a Bills RB not get clobbered just after receiving the handoff, wasn't it? The musical chairs @ the tackle spots continued as Kirk Chambers manned the right side while Jonathan Scott had the left side. They actually did okay in terms of allowing the backs to get to the edge. Now, in terms of pass protection........well, that still needs work. Recent signee Kendall Simmons looked horrible, giving up a sack on a play where he was clearly beaten off the snap and also having a false start (the ONLY false start on a line that leads the league in the stat) and a holding call early on. In addition to the improved run blocking, I must give some props to a guy who really could use 'em this year: rookie Andy Levitre. I thought he was pretty good @ the left guard spot, being a major factor in the Bills' solid running day (averged just a hair under 5 yards rushing per attempt!!) and not being the turnstile of a pass protector that he has been for most of this year. Keep it up, rook! We're all rooting for you. This wasn't a banner game for the Bills' D line. When your top pass rusher is DT Spencer Johnson, I think that sums it up. Where was Aaron Schobel? Aside from hitting Chad Henne and forcing a fourth down, he really wasn't effective. Chris Kelsay was.....well........Chris Kelsay, an adequate pass rusher (did help force the INT late in the game by pressuring Henne) who is lacking as a run defender. The big guys in the middle could've really used more support from the edge, as Marcus Stroud looked like a guy battling a nagging injury. He did have his moments (nice pass knockdown), but was taken out of the action far too often, allowing Ricky Williams to run wild. Kyle Williams, who has been playing well lately, had 8 tackles, but didn't really make an impact as there weren't many plays on the Miami side of the line from him or from the line as a whole. Johnson had the sack, but also continues to show that he struggles holding up @ the point of attack and probably should only be used as a third down rush specialist. And there was an Aaron Maybin sighting! He had a nice shoestring tackle for loss. Maybe the Bills could use his speed more instead of having him sit and do nothing? Try the kid @ LB and see if he can help stop teams from getting to the edge and making big plays in the running game. On a few occasions, I saw Miami run to the outside and saw nothing but Dolphins jerseys in front of Williams. I found it quite puzzling as to why Sparano decided not to just pound the ball down Buffalo's throats in the second half. Ricky Williams was killing the Bills both inside and outside as the LBs again struggled to scrape off blocks. We're glad you lost your mind like that, coach, but seriously....what gives?? Anyhoo, props to Chris Draft for getting the INT early and stopping a ton of Miami momentum. Again, what's w/ the call, coach? Pound the ball to the 3, and then lose your mind w/ that call? It reminded me of Marv Levy's dumb reverse pass call for Andre Reed in the Bills' 1997 overtime loss to Denver, a game I vividly remember for many reasons (Todd Collins' INT ran back by Keith Traylor for a score, Antowain Smith getting the ball only 16 times despite averaging over 6 yards per rush, Steve Christie's 55 yard FG that just went over the crossbar as time expired to force OT), but I digress. Draft showed good instincts on the pick, something he lacked on other throws that went past him. Paul Posluszny had a bunch of tackles again, but didn't really stand out. I thought Bryan Scott played well though. He does a good job of chasing plays down from the back side. Like the others, he struggles coming off blocks, but I believe that's due to his (lack of) size. Props also to the secondary. This had to be one of their best games as a unit, if not their best. Donte Whitner was a difference maker in this one, knocking down a couple passes and picking another off while also helping out in run support. Drayton Florence did a very good job in coverage against Ted Ginn and came up w/ the pick that set up Fitzpatrick's bomb to Owens. Reggie Corner couldn't outjump Brian Hartline (nice catch, by the way) on Miami's first score, but held his own for the most part. Jairus Byrd had an "almost INT" (ah, the days of Thomas Smith) and also failed to tag Hartline down on a catch and (get up and) run that nearly went for a score. George Wilson made some plays for a loss and continues to be a guy who comes in and makes plays. Not perfect, but still a very good effort by this unit. As for the coaching job, thank you Perry Fewell and staff for calling a gutsy game. Giving Lindell the shot @ a 56 yarder? Going for the TD bomb instead of just running the clock down? Going for fourth and short and not thinking twice 'bout it? These are all things we Bills fans have been hoping for and are glad to see. Thank you for giving the team a fighting chance, as opposed to ho-humming your way to another loss. It's nice to think your team actually has a chance to do something in critical situations other than punt the ball away. Okay, so we're 4-7 now. Any chance of getting to 7-9 or better? Sure there is, but it will take more of the same type of gutsy play calling and certainly more of the same in terms of smart (way to keep the penalties down), physical (keep opening those holes for Jackson and Lynch) play. I don't know 'bout you all, but I'm interested to see how this coaching staff will approach games like the New England and Indianapolis games. Will they coach 'em all out, or will they go into a shell? I think it will be the former, which means I'll actually be hyped to watch 'em. Now that is more like it.

I know you had a wonderful day today, since you weren't @ work.

I think you both have a point here. Not only did Shanahan's team not get it done down the stretch like that, but Shanahan was stripped of his personnel title due to some poor decisions made in later years. He also ran out of buffers to fire (like former defensive coordinator Larry Coyer) to the point where there was nobody else left to blame their collapse on but him. That said, he did make Denver a league power and did bring the franchise a pair of Lombardi trophies. He also was key to bringing in a zone blocking scheme on the offensive line that while not popular among defensive players due to the low (and sometimes illegal) blocks made on D linemen, was extremely successful in paving the way for a bunch of running backs to be productive. Fisher will break records in terms of shortest term of unemployment if the Titans are stupid enough to fire him. After a horrible 6 game skid to begin the year, he has them on a 4 game winning streak and has Chris Johnson poised to not only lead the league in rushing, but to maybe surpass the 2,000 yard mark.

You're probably thinking of placekicker Jake Arians, Bruce's son, who was in and out of Buffalo in the days 'tween Steve Christie and Rian Lindell (so was Cincinnati's Shayne Graham, a former Pro Bowl kicker). Arians has given Roethlisberger a lot of the playcalling responsibilities in recent years, and the team has had a fundamental shift from a power run-based offense to one that's much more pass happy. That is the reason a lot of Stiller fans are up in arms, especially the old school ones who long for the days of Franco and Rocky Blier. As a head coaching candidate, I'm not so sure I'd want Arians here. Maybe, if the Bills hire a very good up and coming GM who firmly believes Arians can lead this team. But since I'm not so sure that will happen and the Bills seem to be favoring a move to hire a name coach and giving 'em total control, then I don't know if Arians is the answer.

Who's Michael Crabtree?

Maybe so. Uh huh. Don't know him personally, but that's the image he seems to project. Uh....um....err....well....

You call what's going on 'round here a leak? Boy, last time there was a leak like this, Noah built himself a boat.

Whoever they decide to hire, the most important thing is that the owner is in sync w/ management who is in sync w/ the coach. Hiring an experienced personnel guy who isn't on the same page as the owner and coach won't work (will it, Vinny Cerrato?) nor will hiring a coach who isn't on the same page w/ management and ownership (right, Marty Schottenheimer?). Having everyone on the same page, and having a semblance of a plan, is the only way things will improve in Buffalo.

I can't see the Bucs letting Trueblood hit the market, as he's one of the best RTs in the game. Alex Barron? Didn't he lead the league in penalties? TWICE??

They shouldn't draft in the top 5 'cause it means they weren't that good the year before. Unless they're smart enough to acquire picks from other teams that weren't good the year before, that is.

Link yet?

Oh no you di'nt!

Another tough loss, eh? Hey, the Bills showed some heart this week, only to lose down the stretch. Why does this sound familiar? Hmm... Ryan Fitzpatrick had a solid outing. He did have nearly 300 passing yards and showed the willingness to go down the field, which I presume is the reason he was named the starter over Trent Edwards. He still is not accurate (his first INT was a horribly overthrown ball), and was lucky to have just one pick in the game, but it's still nice to see someone taking shots down the field, especially when you have receivers who can pose some sort of threat in the vertical passing game. If you were grading the running backs from this game, you'd probably give 'em an incomplete. Marshawn Lynch had a costly fumble and left the game w/ a shoulder injury, but didn't do much before then. Might he have done better? I dunno. Fred Jackson did okay in limited usage (9 rushes, 35 yards, 4 catches, 20 yards), but neither guy was a factor. Considering how the team had the football for only 'bout 7 minutes of the second half, that may have been a slight error on the Bills' part. Terrell Owens had a huge game this week; props to him. That said, I don't want to see images of Owens whining and complaining when he doesn't get the ball. They made an incredible effort to get the ball in your hands, sometimes to a fault as Fitzpatrick had a few near misses in terms of INTs due to forcing the ball Owens' way. Be glad and just work to get more of those opportunities. Lee Evans didn't do much in terms of yardage (1 grab for 15 yards), but was robbed of a TD due to a penalty. He made a couple good blocks down the field too. Maybe Lee is finally putting in the work to become a more complete receiver instead of the guy who can only run straight down the field. Hope so. Shawn Nelson made a nice grab in the 2nd quarter, but his chop block penalty was not only unneccsary (Jackson was already past him and on his way to a TD), but very costly, as the point differential (7 points instead of the 3 they ended up w/) would've won the game in theory. The offensieve line continues to struggle in terms of run blocking, but also had some key gaffes in pass protection. Jonathan Scott's hands to the face penalty wiped out Lee Evans' TD bomb and he added another false start penalty to the Bills' stockpile for the season. Andy Levitre continues to look bad. He has trouble moving down the line to get blocks and also getting to the second level (one play in particular went for a big loss on a toss to the right side). In pass protection, he still lets guys get into his chest and gain leverage to get by him. Overall though, even w/ the injuries (get better soon, Eric Wood), the line wasn't horrible in pass protection. Jermon Meredith, Seth McKinney (before he went out w/ an injury), and Scott didn't dominate, but didn't get embarrASSed either. The defensive line did an okay job. Aaron Schobel was pretty good on the right side, but Chris Kelsay left a lot to be desired on the left. As for the interior guys, welcome back Kyle Williams. You may be a favorite whipping boy of TBD, but your absence was certainly felt. The guy who occupied your spot, Spencer Johnson, is too easily blocked out of plays and cannot stand up @ the point of attack. Williams had a beautiful hit on David Garrard, and did his best to clog up the rush lanes all day. Considering they were w/out Marcus Stroud, I thought they did a fine job against the run and limited Maurice Jones-Drew's effectiveness (66 rushing yards and only 2.6 yards per), though Jones-Drew (tough running and big 3rd down conversion) and Garrard (gutsy effort on 2 point conversion) did show their stuff on their game-winning drive. I thought the linebackers played well as a unit in this one. Paul Posluszny actually made some nice plays in this one, including forcing a fumble and creating pressure w/ his blitz up the middle. He finished w/ 11 tackles but also had a costly face mask penalty where he tried to make Jones-Drew look like Linda Blair in The Exorcist. Bryan Scott made a very timely play on the INT by knocking the pass up in the air and giving George Wilson the opportunity to bring it in. He had 9 tackles and did a nice job in coverage too (knocking down the 3rd quarter pass to force a punt). I was thrilled to see Perry Fewell give Ashlee Palmer a shot @ some playing time, and what a nice play Palmer had in stopping Jones-Drew behind the line of scrimmage. Young guys who display the kind of athleticism that can only help this defense, like Palmer and Nic Harris, need to get the reps and develop instead of sitting down and watching, as Dick Jauron seemed to like to do (much like Marv Levy's "last year's rookies" theory). Hopefully, we'll start to see the Bills' LBs do even more damage in the coming weeks. The secondary had their share of hits (Whitner nearly making the pick, Wilson actually making the pick) and misses (Reggie Corner being abused by Mike Sims-Walker on the TD, Jairus Byrd missing a tackle on Jones-Drew and looking every bit like a guy suffering a nagging injury). I thought Drayton Florence did a pretty decent job in coverage. Ellis Lankster got some good playing time (again going w/ the 'give the young guys more reps' theme) and wasn't too shabby. Considering the way the front seven was able to pressure Garrard, you'd have liked to see more in the way of turnovers from these guys. The coaching? Well, it was different. More emotion from the sidelines, which is something many a Bills fan (myself included) wanted to see. But, there were the same old issues: poor use of timeouts, head scratching decisions (what was w/ that waste of the final 26 seconds of the first half???), and lack of discipline in terms of penalties (only 6 this time, but two of 'em wiped out TDs in a 3 point loss). While I appreciate the effort the team put in this week in order to get a win for their new coach, I still believe this franchise is best served by an experienced, established coach coming in and doing what is necessary to get the team back on track. So, the Bills fall to 3-7 and now must face a couple division foes in Miami and the NY Jets. Then, they must go to Arrowhead to face a Kansas City team that has to be riding high after upsetting Pittsburgh before coming back home to deal w/ New England, hitting the road to square off w/ Atlanta, and ending up w/ a home game vs the still unbeaten Colts. It is going to take a lot of work to come out of this w/ some wins, but if they continue to build on the effort they displayed this week, maybe the Bills can shock a few of these teams. We'll see.

Gotta love the bipolar way that validation is sought: [During a typical Bills downward spiral] "The Bills are ranked 27th in ESPN's Man Crush Power Poll. ESPN sucks." [During those times when the Bills give their fans a glimmer of hope, like last season's 4-0 start] "Bills are now 7th in the ESPN poll!! Woo hoo!!"