Buftex

I think Silverman is really funny, and really hot! She looked great in the clip I saw from the Emmy's the other night... I have seen her live a few times, and her shows are erratic, I will admit.

Perhaps Marrone wasn't happy with Lewis getting cut?

Maybe it is because I watched the game on tape delay, or maybe I am just a hopeless romantic... Going in, I didn't know what exactly happened in the game, but thanks to some Facebook spoilers, I was lead to believe the Bills starting offense was awful, in epic proportions...true it was no masterpiece, and they killed themselves with a few bad plays, and stupid (or questionable)penalties...but I thought they did some nice things too. Call the watered down playbook a lame excuse, but there is simply no way for me to believe play calling won't be a bit more imaginative come week 1. This may be the most hysterical overreaction to a preseason loss that I can remember...

There have been no reports, post-Cowboys of Troy Aikman reitring..maybe we can get him to show EJ a few tricks!

No, not at all. I am as frustrated as anyone, but I don't take glee in watching the players struggle, and it seems that there are those can only see the worst, and ignore the good in certain things, in this case, the play of the starting QB. We complain all the time about the national meida types who slight our team, or don't have any knowledge of the team...but many here are the same. I saw yesterdays game on the NFL Network. Afterwards, and at half-time, the NFL Network talking heads were bashing EJ, showing over and over again the pick he threw. Tasker pointed it out on the broadcast, but not a single one of the NFL Network guys mentioned that Chandler slipped on the play...they only saw the pic, and saw it as fodder for criticizing Manuel. He made a good read, and a good throw...he can't anticipate his guy wiping out on the turf... now, we have people ripping the QB for his press conferences, and his demeanor. It seems like many, maybe you too, are just entrenched in the position that Manuel sucks, and can never get better. I am under no illusion that he has been stellar, and he has flaws... but I am also aware that he was considered a raw prospect coming in, and, in my eyes, has shown improvement in some areas. I happen to think he makes pretty sound decisions,,, he is playing with an extremely thin playbook right now, the defenses know exactly what the Bills are going to do... but there are so many fans who overreact to pre-season games, and act as though they mean the world...just a bunch that, because of 14 years of losing it seems, seem to prefer the team to lose, because it is a lot easier to be negative than it is to see anything positive. I don't hold the 2014 Bills responsible for the losses of the 2005 Bills, but that is the mentality that seems to be eating away at the Bills fan base.

Bills fans, I hate to say it, are becoming an insufferable lot...this thread is just another perfect example.

This may sound crazy, but I really don't think Manuel played horribly yesterday, or the week before. Even before he was playing against the Bucs second string. Receivers were falling all over the place yesterday, one slip by Chandler led to one interception. The fumble returned for a TD was ugly... but those pissing and moaning that he had "plenty of time" to get rid of the ball on that play are simply digging into their "EJ sucks" pose. He saw Jackson open, true, but the position of his feet would have likely resulted in a pick-six had he just thrown it, the way so many suggested. True, little difference between a pick-six, and a fumble returned for a td, but I still would prefer him to just eat it there, than try a stupid pass. He has been making some nice throws, and his decision making has been pretty sound. Also, remember, no matter what you think of Hackett's play calling, there is absolutely no way we have seen anything close to the Bills playbook this season. I really have this feeling that Mike Williams is going to have a terrific season, and that can only help Manuel. I noticed, particularly yesterday, Manuel seems to be "trusting" his receivers a bit more, as many have been clamoring for. You have all come this far, why lose faith now?

As bowry4 pointed out, those old enough to watch Jim Kelly in his prime, will likely recall that he had a tendency to look rusty early in games....sometimes the players just have to "feel the game" to find their groove. Lost in all the "EJ sucks" hype, which gained so much momentum this off season, is that, in an albeit small sample size, he did play well in close finishing games.

Ditto for me too! Finally .. over my issue with calling Sammy Watkins as Sammy Watson...now gotta work out the kinks of Mike Williams and Mike Evans...I expect big things from Mike Williams this season...good, big things.

I am keeping a close eye on this, as I just drafted McCoy with the first pick in our draft. He missed an unexplained day of practice, and then returned,looking fine..but after that practice he explained that he had "turf toe lite", and mentioned that he might have to "shut it down"...kinda freaked me out, but it would be in keeping with my own personal trend of bad first round picks. However, he looked terrific against the Steelers last night.

Bills defense is going to carry this team most of the season, run game will be their bread and butter offensively, and the passing game will steadily improve over the season...the Bills will finish 9-7, maybe 10-6, and everyone will finally get used to feeling good about their team again, instead of waiting for the proverbial dangling piano to come crashing down...that is what I think...

Pegula please.... lets just get this done....please!

DId you draft Cam or Dez first? I think you might have some trouble with your running game..definitely keep an eye on the waiver wire early in the season, and pounce on the "surprise" RB out there..there are always one or two early on. I like your receivers, and Graham is obviously huge, but I am not sold on any of those running backs as a definitive #1 guy....

No...he doesn't. Knowing what your talking about is not a prerequisite to posting...thank god!

Tyler Palko?

I kinda like Pryor too, but I don't think his prescence would really help our QB situation all that much. He is a great athlete, but a project as a QB... he wouldn't make the Bills markedly better in 2014 if he was in our QB rotation.

Eh...I always think it is dumb that the NFL requires players and coaches to speak to the media. For an image so conscious of their image, you would think, by now, they would have figured out that it often does more damage than anything. Interviews are very rarely informative in any way. I suppose it has something to do with the tv contracts..you gotta give the networks a little more than just the game, for all that money.

Is he basing this on anything, or just his "feeling"?

I believe the Graham story. The disdain for this guy, here, is just absurd. I haven't read every post in this thread, but as somebody said (Kirby Jackson I think), JBJ's desire to own an NFL team likely far outweighs his desire to own a team in Toronto.

I would agree... I don't think it happens either. But, if you think about it, it would probably not be a horrible idea for them, if they got a decent return. I will be pretty surprised if Manziel is not the starter on opening day...shocked if he isn't the starter by the end of the year. Hoyer has really not played much, at all, but the perception is that he is pretty good. Think, Kirk Cousins. Once Cousins was forced into action a little more, his value diminished a bit...I could forsee the same thing for Hoyer. For a young team, like the Browns, that is building, getting a decent draft pick, or a good young player for Hoyer wouldn't be a terrible idea. If they beleive in Manziel (and it seems they do), Hoyer is more a commodity than a necessity at this point. That said, I think a trade would make more sense for a team like the Texans, with no clear starter, would make more sense than a team like Buffalo. The Bills are committed to EJ for the forseeable future, and given the small amount of playing time that Hoyer has had, I am not so sure he is any better, or at least vastly better, than either of the guys we already have backing up EJ.

Sorry no link, but just heard on the radio, discussion that the Browns may be willing to trade Brian Hoyer...pure speculation on their part, perhaps...but mentioned Buffalo and Houston as possible landing spots...interesting...just asking aloud, would Hoyer be a huge upgrade over Thad or Tuel?

quinearlyghost88 stole my avatar, and he didn't even check on any other options before doing it...

There simply are simply far more running backs that will "kill" your team than help them... Spiller has far more "upside" than all but about 10 backs. He may have been over drafted last season, but he wasn't a completely useless pick...and, people are ignoring that he was playing injured most of the 2013 season. If he had been completely useless last season, I could understand all the trepidation... I say this as somebody who had the 12th & 13th pick in a snake draft last season..RB pool was extremely thin at that point... I ended up with Ray Rice and Chris Johnson, in that order..talk about busts...even knowing how it turned out, I would take Spiller this year, in a heartbeat over those two guys...and most rankings I have seen don't rank Rice, C Johnson and Spiller all that far apart...rediculous!

Funny, Sal and Joe B are my favorite Bills guys on GR (I like Paul Hamilton for Sabres stuff), but man, when Sal hosted the Murphy show, for some reason, it was hard to listen to. His pho-enthusiasm is hard to listen to at times...and I just don't like that way they just throw out some random topic to frame all the phone call discussions...it just leads to bad radio. Everyone pretty much says the same thing... I know some hate Joe B, and while I don't always agree with him, I feel like he is not lazy (unlike the rest of the hosts), and his opinions are, at least, based in actual observation, and not just assumptions based on false kowledge. As for Murphy, I like the tone of his show, but I honestly wonder, sometimes, if he knows much more about the game than the average hardcore football fan. Obviously, he knows the Bills very well, but I don't get the impression that he has an exceptional knowledge of the X's and O's stuff, like Sal. I wish Murph would interview more players from other Bills eras. A lot of us old timers would love to hear an interview with Jerry Butler or, hell, even Lee Evans...Garay Marangi...any guys from the 60's...just somebody with different perspectives on the history of the team..particuarly in the deep off-season, would be cool. I would think a lot of these guys would love to talk.

Ok. So the original post is pretty absurd. But, keep in mind, much of the apparrell that players wear is required by the NFL, and their marketing department. QB's are the most visible players on the field, normally... you may not believe it, and I am not 100% certain in this case, but often, when you see a guy getting draped in a coat, or putting on a wool cap, even though he is clearly sweating his nads off, it is becasue they are required to do it. I think it was Tim Hasselback, or maybe it was Dilfer, a few years ago, talking about this...it was one of the bald, or balding QBs. He said "the last thing I want to do, when I am playing a game in Miami in September, is throw on a ball cap...but I am required to, you just get used to it" I am sure some guys do things as a matter of personal preference (Rob Johnson and those freaking bandanas!), but a lot of it is required. The visor thing is widespread in training camps this season. I would bet, players are getting a few bucks to sport them.