Buftex

I happend to feel pretty certain the Bills were going to lose, and lose badly, before yesterdays game. All the signs were there...the Bills have done this on and off, for years...play noblely, stub their toes late in the season, and start to get trashed by other teams once the reality of the season kicks in..and then finish up a little stronger, just enough to make us think they might finally be turing it around. I am not really sure it has everything to do with coaching. We have seen "good teams" with "good coaches" suffer from these kind of losses before too...the hangover loss. The Bills are an improving team, with a long, long way to go still. For about 9 of the 13 games this season, each game could have gone their way with a break or two along the way...they beat some decent teams this year...they were "game" more weeks than not...but last week, they had a tough loss, and the realization that they, again, are not making the playoffs (most fans knew this weeks ago, but players have a different perspective) is bound to have a ripple effect. Here is where the "culture of losing" seeps in. I am ready to give up on some of the players, perhaps, because some have been through this before, many times, and the result is the same. Lets' see how Marrone reacts before saying this is "piss poor coaching"...I think there are a handful of the "franchise players" that will not be wearing Bills uniforms next year. Not necessarily that they are bad players, but all they know is losing...so that is what they do. I guranatee you, they will put up a great effort, maybe even win, the Dolphins game in Buffalo.

He might be (what did you see this year that leads you to believe that, just curious), but keep in mind, if he came to Buffalo, he would be dealing with a much different (less talented?) team than the one he tanked with this year in Houston. I think most teams, especially ones that find themselves with needing to draft a QB in the first round, have a lot of other issues as well...they likely have the realistic expectations (the team, not the fans) that he isn't going to play as well as an experienced bet, right out of the chute. I agree with you on one thing, if the Bills trade/sign Schaub, and he is the starter for "two or three years", than Manuel will not be playing, and not getting any better.

You could say the same thing about the Falcons game the week before...Falcons had two eerily similar long runs against Kiko and company which nailed down the game for them. Not blaming Kiko, completely, but on all three long runs in the two games combined, Kiko was out of position to make a play on the runner...and safety help was nowhere to be found.

Should have clarified the Fitzpatrick commnet...perhaps Bledsoe is a better comparison (though I think that underrates Bledsoe in his prime). I don't mean that they have the same skill set, necessarily, but that. as the cliche goes, they can do some things well, but they do just don't win games... Many Texans fans (I live amongst them), have viewed Schaub as being amongst the teams greatest weaknesses for a couple of years now...he finally starting imploding for all the world to see this season...I think fantasy football tends to skewer how we see a lot of these guys...fantasy and reality, in these cases, are not always the same. When Schaub was going well, he had a really good o-line, a great running game, and an elite wide receiver, not to mention an elite defense for a few years there...put him on the Bills and I don't think you see the same kind of numbers as you saw in Houston, before this season...

Did you happen to hear Chris Brown on the John Murphy show this morning? I know, he is, essentially, a Bills PR guy, but occaisioanlly he offers the "inside skinny" without calling it by name. Today, he was giving a strong indication that there will be a "major roster move" over the last 3 weeks of the season...he seems to think that somebody will be an "ex-Bill" very shortly. From the way he was saying it, it wasn't going to be a benching, but a cutting...don't remember his exact words, though the did say "Whaley and Marrone have indicated they will not settle for "staus quo"....winds of change are blowing at 1 Bills Drive". Most obvious thought is Stevie....

Schaub, in many ways, is like Ryan Fitzpatrick, but on a better team... IMO, Schaub has been the thing that has held the Texans back over the years, from making that next step... he can put up numbers (or he could, who knows what is up with him now?), and yeah, might be a decent back-up for somebody..but unless you are pretty much admitting that Manuel is not your guy (some fans may be at that point, but I don't think the Bills are), Schaub may not be the best guy for that job. And, honeslty, if Schaub is content with being a back-up, I think he would target a team in better shape than the Bills...

I like Kiko, and am not overly worried about him, but honeslty, he had some pretty rough games early in the season, even though he was racking up huge tackle stats. The defense, as a unit, still has issues... improved, but not there yet... Kiko is just one part of it.

Hard to argue that things are really, really awful...but keep in mind, there have been other awful times, and we didn't have 24/7 focus on it..

This is one of those time mark thing that always stops me in my tracks...he has been "only sleeping" for 33 years...he has been sleeping almost as long as he was awake. Not around for the Kennedy assasination...but the murder of Lennon is the closest thing I can relate to, in terms of "do you remember where you were when you heard the news?" I remember, like many, watching MNF...moments before Cosell broke the news to millions, my sister came barrelling out of her bedroom to tell me the news...I didn't believe her at all...I was numb after hearing it from Cosell... I remember delivering my newspapers the next morning, just trying to ignore the headline...like it never happened. News, and speculation were different back then...some seemed absolutely convniced that Lennon's murder was the result of some "drug deal gone bad" or something as ludicrous...I just remember thinking "why the hell would anyone want to murder John Lennon, of all people?" One of my favorite Lennon tracks ever:

Very much agree with this...remember how amazing it was too see Joe Ferguson and Dan Marino put up nearly 1000 yards between them, in Marino's first start, 30 years ago? That happend 3 or 4 times every weekend now...I grew up really loving, and appreciating great defensive football games...you know, those 14-10 games we used to see...now, if the score is that low, it almost certainly the byproduct of horrendous QB play...defensive backs are so severely limited in what they can do to defend a pass...it is just a drag when you see a guy make a great play, and you have to wait 5-7 seconds to make sure a flag isn't thrown...some of the key plays, the game changing plays, are merely poor pass interference calls...the end of that Patriots/Browns game was disgraceful...I still watch, won't miss a Bills game, probably watch a minimum of two full games a week, maybe 4 if the Bills get me jazzed up that week...but at this point, it is much a bad habit as anything... I am torn about the concussion/Goodell issue... I understand the need for changes, but they really have to figure out a way not to legislate defense out of the game, cuz honestly, lately it feels like we are just watching a glorified version of catch or pickle in the middle....

At 4-9, my worst season ever...that I recall...a terrible draft day decision (Brady over P Manning), and waiting too long for Gronk to see action just killed me...

Care? Of course I care. There are, sadly, only 4 games left...I look forward to the season so much, I don't squander any games, as meaningless as they may be... I have a bad feeling about tomorrow in Tampa Bay, but I won't miss a second... Exactly...if we didn't care once the games became "meaningless" I think most of us would have left here a long time ago!

Pucked his eyebrows on the way...

Yes u can James! You con do anything! Always a funny guy!

What about Roger Craig? Joe Cribbs?

It seems even Canadians think this thing is a bad idea...this is the first realistic, and reasonable article I have read on the subject, from Canadian media...didn't realize the Bills have the option to walk out on this deal.... http://www.torontosun.com/2013/12/04/buffalo-bills-toronto-series-simply-a-bad-idea

He was great about 3 years ago..but the injuries took their toll...would be a nice reclamation project, if it panned out. The potential, at this point of the season, is worth Tashard, in my book.

Oh, thanks for clarifying...I was confusing Emily (Hershcels' singing duaghter) with Lily.

I know Spiller still has some critics, but I really do hope they sign this kid to a new deal in the off-season...if they let him hit free-agency, I think the temptation to "see what's out there" would be too great for him. I wish he could stay healthy, but man, when he is, he is really the most electrifying player the Bills have had on offense in a little over a decade...

As in Riley Cooper, Chandler?

Funny...I remember not that long ago where Tashard Choice was one of the rotating board whipping boys... now everyone loves him! The Bills front office can never get it right, it seems!

I am in the minority on this, and this may sound a little sappy..but I love Christmas... I grew up in a large family that had little money...we really went without a lot of the things that our peers had...but somehow, my folks always managed to make Christmas great for us... we were kids, we all wanted stuff...to get a whole bunch of stuff on one glorious morning was just the greatest thing...I can't ever remember being disappointed...all of us (there were 8 kids) were off from school and played together...we got along famously, for the most part... so, when people get all pissed off because they start celebrating Christmas too early these days, I keep it to myself, but think, "jeez, the other 10 months of the year are so ugly, why not stretch it out?" Of course, now, I could care less about getting gifts, but I love to give what I can...and I love the extra consideration and kindness that people display (for the most part) through the holiday season...I wish it did last all year... What I hate: as an adult, the (justified) cynicism about the holiday makes me sad...and I whenever I hear a Christmas song, a day or two after Christmas it makes me a little melancholy.

I dunno...maybe to help insure the team staying in town...is it a lot different than somebody buying tickets for a pre-season game? As an ex-WNYer, I would purchase a stock or two if it contributed to the team staying in WNY.

I loathe this Seahawks team (even though I love watching Lynch), but I don't see any great finish in this one...

Yeah, the fact that the Gov convinced his people that he didin't want to kill anyone, but would if he had to, because they "needed the prison" and its' fences should have made some wonder why he would bring a tank...the strategy was clearly revenge on Gov's part...even if they eradicated everyone of the "good guys", the would have to do it by completely destroying the prison and its' fences. Kind of dumb... Also, I don't read the books, but I believe that Emily kills the Gov the comics...I think they wanted to show Rick and Michon as being turly "changed", so they have some pity on him...