Mister Defense

? So, Los Angeles, instead? Grew up in So Cal, and like most in the country, always referred to it as L A. ! Didn't mean to confuse you.

With their #2 CB in waiting not playing any time soon, and the (scary as it is) replacement, White, injured, it is clear how bad Jackson played in camp and pre-season. And that last year in Carolina was not an aberration. (I tried to convince myself he looked that bad, like almost everyone did, on what was the worst defense in the NFL. Jackson was an excellent player for the Bills to have for years, coming up big in relief, sometimes with little notice, time and time again. For me, it was usually a pleasant surprise whenever he did this, though he did it often. So hopefully he hooks up with another team, or makes a great move to the next step in life.

A pro bowler just three seasons ago--and in Cleveland! Probably a pretty good situation in LA with Pete, and a high level running back, a good QB, and maybe the best tight end in the league. Guy doesn't seem to have an arrogant, primadonna, it is all about me bone in his body. Would be great to see him have a couple high level years to finish his career.

Come on. Not a fan of these lackluster, likely to add little of nothing to our defense moves this off season--White, Jackson, and now Phillips. To me it is settling, going for the safe, familiar choices. But they are not safe moves as far as improving the team, they have seemed detrimental to its growth. Hopefully he has taken a shi# load of performance enhancing drugs since he last played. But hoping more that this is a very short term move. To me, a very good off season and draft to improve the defense, so would be very discouraging to see players like Jordan and White (as a starter) and Jackson on this roster come opening day.

Well, good to see that those stories of Shedur acting like an arrogant, entitled rich kid with a bad attitude in pre draft interviews are likely untrue--as his brother also seems to be of the same high character their father has touted. No spoiled, think they are owed something, I am in charge, with an unprofessional demeanor, rich kids from Prime Time! Clearly. In the last game of the pre season both brothers showed exactly what they are made of. Good thing daddy is rich...

Well, if you are on the bubble, as Shavers clearly seems to be, you want to catch everyone's attention one last time in the last pre-season game of the year--to make it as hard as possible for the Bills to not add him to the final roster. He made the catch of the game, of the preseason--and that is for all games this NFL pre season. (Someone said it was the best pre-season catch he ever saw.) Very difficult to not add him to the roster now. And watch him go to one of our competitors in the AFC and make an impact? And watch Samuels on the sidelines all year again? I think Shavers is on the final roster. If he does not come through, and he may not, they can always move him to the practice squad (true?), where he may then be safe.

I watched the Stephen A Smith interview, at least the parts related to Parsons, and was shocked to hear Jones actually admit that the things we have been hearing about why negotiations have stopped, or almost, is actually true, completely true! But he added more detail, all of it more damning than what we already knew. He thinks because he met with Parsons, his 26 year old player, and they seemed to agree on the fundamentals of a new contract, with no representation at all present for Parsons!!, that that is it, that should be done. And he really resents Parson's agent budding in and saying no deal, 'stick it up your a**, as Jones indicated. Jones may be suffering from an illness of some kind as he used an example from the Little Rascals, whereas a rascal goes to his mom to get something he wants, doesn't get it, so goes to his dad to try to get it! Huh??? He did not seem to indicate who was who in his bizarre, awful analogy. The only thing that would make any sense in that analogy, the only thing, is if JONES was the child, making an end around of the parent, the agent, to get what he wants. One of the worst GMs now in the league, the guy seems to have also lost his grip on reality. I cannot imagine anyone thinking he is in the right here, shutting out a player's agent, getting caught in his unscrupulous act, and then just digging in his heels again and again. Other owners and Goodell should grow a set and stand up to this tyrant. But they won't. What an idiot Jones is; same ol' same ol' from an awful GM, team leader. Yeah he is mega rich, but he is now officially a joke or worse. And likely almost none of his players respects him. Hard to have a successful team if that is the case. Not a huge Parsons' fan, seems to make as much positive impact in games against good teams as the team's offensive leader, Prescott, but the guy should bolt if he can. He deserves a legitimate negotiation. Now we know why Diggs wanted his own doctors to be in charge of his recovery rather than Jones' doctors. For which he received a $500, 000 fine! What player on that team would trust him? Let alone like him? Sad to see a man near the end act so foolishly.

Yup and I think Sanders will be that too. And even more consistently early this season maybe. Just the kind of upgrades the Bills needed, hopefully. And a phew from Bishop, who looks like he is getting there, getting that confidence to just play now. Now, Hairston please! Then maybe all of the pieces are in place.

Thanks and I agree with most. Nice details, support. But really surprised that anyone can leave out Walker from the good things about the game. He was not only collapsing the pocket and getting pressure on the quarterback, but showed excellent ability to, and sometimes in the same play, get right back in the play and help make a stop. Very rare to see such a huge defensive tackle be able to do that, to have that overall and lateral quickness--in addition to the ability to collapse the pocket. I kept thinking: if he continues on this path he will make a big difference this year, a heretofore missing element on this defense, and especially so later in the season when all the cards are on the table. And also missing Cole Bishop, who looked very solid, much more assured and confident, so could just make plays. A grrreat sign from a player whose performance this year may be a seminal factor in the Bills' success. Not high on Bishop previously, I assume? And also missing Gore, a player who seems to make very positive plays almost every time he touches the ball. Looks a little like Singletary now, a constant motor, giving it his all on every play, and that motor paying off. Yeah, I know, too small too slow, but we have heard the same for many players who became very solid NFL contributors. Hope he makes the roster of a team that will run the stuffing out the ball this season.

Wow. Nice. Good for him, to have that kind of success, that most only dream about. So happy this man is the owner of our beloved team. I have only read the OP, not the thread, so has this turned into one of the many since the season ended- irrational-over the top-bash the living daylights out of the Bills'-leadership threads? With those same 'ol roughly two dozen haters having a field day? I would bet yes, but hopefully not!

It seems like he is about 40 years old for some reason. He's 29!

Great. Thank you! Excellent way to do this--with the facts, and then the additional details, analysis by those following the team. Helps to make the injury situation very clear. But now you are assigned to do these from here on out. i don't think there is anyone who does these regularly, or like this, but I may be mistaken. Thanks for doing this now and in advance, for the rest of the season!

Well, playing against one of the best teams in NFL history, with one of the best QBS, head coaches, and offensive coaches/play callers, has gotten almost all the other teams. Don't you think that not having key players the last few years was more of the problem than the scheme or anything else? For example, the last two years. Last year they had no starting safety, Rapp, and no starting CB, Benford, after only a few plays. The Chiefs passing game came alive, but of course they did, a 'duh' there. Wouldn't those significant player losses, in maybe the most important part of the team when playing against these chiefs--see bold above--likely have been the problem? When more healthy during the regular season, Buffalo has had their number, consistently--only team in the NFL to do so too.

But isn't that the problem with such a negative Bills' mindset? Good moves they make are simply luck? It is a really nonsensical point of view, makes zero sense. Just something to throw out into the ether to make them look bad. Completely unsupportable. And then, of course the bad things are almost always their fault. And the rest of the good things? Yup, just luck. Seems like an awful mindset. Lacks objectivity in an extreme manner, to the point of being humorous.

But last year they had a much diminished defense by almost anyone's standards, including McBeane's. They clearly knew their defense was undermanned on the line and in the secondary. Hence, a tremendous commitment to the defense in the off season and draft. Before that, they, with McDermott's scheme, were consistently good. Now we need Hairston to get back asap, as White is not the answer. And for Bishop, or someone else if not, to step it up. And someone like Sanders to get pressure up the middle. Looking forward to seeing what this looks like in week 1, but more importantly, by Halloween.

I don't know what Davis looks like now on the field, and would rather see one of the young guys get a shot. But Davis, well, on his good days, would add a nice element to this offense--if he still has those pretty rare days that is. I think safety is more of a concern.

Yes, they clearly need to rethink their entire defensive philosophy, though it was the foundation of the best defense in the league, as far as points allowed, for the five years before last. All based on a pre season game. Completely rational move, thought. Rex Ryan is available. Time to move on from the McBeane disaster.

Nice Post! Putting that (extremely predictable, shocked if they didn't do it) nonsense into perspective. Super obvious to all who are on this board that their reaction was inevitable, as many of the super irrational negative posters are like rabid dogs, foaming at the mouth, waiting for, anticipating, almost hoping it seems, for any excuse to rip the Bills to shreds. Sad folks. Does not matter to them that the game was almost meaningless, just like so many pre season games in general, and as fans of the 90's teams remember. Did they ever win one under Levy?

Would go down as one of the worst trades in NFL history, and top 3 worst in Bills history, right up there with the Lynch trade. Would get Beane fired. A supremely dumb move.

No thanks on Parson. Waayyy too expensive for the what he would bring to the Bills. I don't think the Bills would want a player like that who is so focused on his podcast and social media and such, who throws his QB under the bus, and who seems to like conflict. In addition, the Bills kind gave a blue print for how to make him irrelevant in games. He looked small and ineffective, a one trick pony who could be manhandled. Would not be surprised to find that Parsons in the coming years is not the same pressure guy he has been--when healthy, which is another problem with him. Then again, Dallas is one of the most dysfunctional teams, led by the head head case himself, so a change might be great for Parsons. But the Bills won't be interested, in my opinion. Thankfully. Fun to see Jones continue to make himself into the lead clown of the NFL owners. All about himself.

So glad to see this silly sort of bad take has not proliferated on this forum since Cook signed. I realize you are just trolling, a last gasp of stale hot air because it turned out differently than you wanted, but I want to respond anyway.. No evidence here to support this, none, just as in most of the similar takes like this over the last few months. And: not Cook's fault that Brady, a superb O coordinator in almost all respects the last 1.5 seasons, made such a bad mistake by not having Cook out there more in the championship game. It is like you did not watch the games last year, or since Brady took over, so did not see the dramatic change in the Bills, since he did so, #1 being the new reliance on the running game, on a much more balanced approach to the offense. First team ever with both 30 rushing and 30 passing TDS. How can that be irrelevant to you? A back like James Cook, who now runs with not only super speed and elite vision, but also power, and who can catch the ball extremely well, leads the way. Just like we have seen in so many of the other great teams in NFL history--great teams often have had great QBs and great running backs. It is the duo that often had created the greatness. That more than anything else made the Bills a much different team, almost unbeatable. So glad this extension will now stifle this crap--for most. As now they are just blowing hot air into the atmosphere. We got Cook, one of the most vital players on this great offense, locked up for years!

Yeah, but especially if Bishop and Rapp continue to show they are prone to injury. But for the Bills' sake, not a good scenario, of course.

And True story.. A few hours after posting this he first living thing I saw when I looked out my front window today was a large dog walking down the street by himself carrying a very large stuffed animal! I had never seen that before. Not as good as a Buffalo, but looked like a Christmas reindeer, with antlers and red decorations. Then he dropped it and moved on. I looked out later and the reindeer was gone, so maybe he returned to retrieve it. So I guess I was wrong. A stuffed animal may be just what a homeless pet needs most . Probably gives them a nice (false) sense of security. I was going to go outside and take a picture and post it here. I will be on the lookout for it later and tomorrow.

And 2-4 of them are likely pro bowl players this year. Beane sucks..

Great numbers and analysis on some of the important finance considerations coming up soon, things that will be vital in the coming years. And you aren't even including the possible beneift$, which may be huge, related to the young players replacing the older vets. The combo of both give me great hope for the Bills' future on a day now filled with that.