Dan

This is great. So typical of the lunacy here. If a player isn't the best player to ever play at his position (and all the national media annoint him as such), then he must go because the grass is always greener elsewhere. Is WM the best running back in the league - NO. Is he currently one of the top backs, cetainly top 10, - YES. There's no way you cut him. You can't build a Superbowl team if you're always cutting your better players. We had "average" or "serviceable" running backs - Travis and Smith come to mind. But we cut them too. All NE did was take Smith and win a Superbowl. We definitely need to upgrade the Oline for WM to achieve all he's capable of. But if you cut WM and then build the line, what do you have? A great line and no running back. So then everyone is posting about how great we'd be if we could finally get a decent back. Stop the insanity. Keep the good players - at all costs. Replace the crappy ones and watch us win. It always amazes me how everyone blames Ralph and TD for not spending enough money on this position or that one or on a coach, but then when we have a player, playing in his prime, with top 5 stats - noone wants to pay him enough money to keep him. And all this talk about top backs, please. WM is in his second year and is already producing top 5 numbers. He could easily have another 5 or 6 years with this production. That's one heck of a good investment. I'd take that over a 1 year flash in the pan like Lewis any day of the week. Bottom line WM is currently, and for the fore seeable future a ttop 5 running back. Keep him and move on to another position to upgrade. Simple as that.

Watching the game on TV with the rest of my family. By then we had started all moving away (I was in college) and it was one of the few times we had all gotten together in the last few years. There's me, my parents, my 5 brother and 4 sisters, and various spouses/boyfriends crouded into my parents living room watching the Bills get blown away. Half time was a miserable state with my mom, the eternal optimistm, saying we could still come back. I secretly thought we could too, but never said so out loud for fear of jinxing anything. I spent the half time pacing in the kitchen, praying for a miracle. After the early interception and score by Houston. It became a joke. Well they only need 5 touchdowns. Hey, it could happen. That was probably about as low as I had felt watching a Bills game since they won the Superbowl against the Giants, but somehow everyone thought Norwood's kick missed. Then as the game turned and with every play it seemed as though we were literally watching a mircale happen. The Reed touchdown was probably my most memorable moment and then I remember dancing around the house with my family, with the TV going and "It Pandemonium! Its Fandemonium!" IT was great. We were singing the Shout song and partying - it was great. At one point we were screaming and dancing so loud our neighbors came out from across the street looking around to see what all the commotion was about. After we finally won, we literally ran around screaming and danced out in the front yard - now all our neighbors knew we were nuts. Not only was it one of the best games I ever watched, but it was one of the best family memories I have. It truly was a miracle. And to this day gives me hope that when everything seems miserable and unwinnable, that maybe things will just turn around. Because you just never know....

Exactly, its the timing of the play calls that upsets me the most. I agree you have to mix the pass in with the run. But when the run is working and its late in the game and you need to run the clock to keep their offense off the field - you run. At worse, you don't pick up the first down, have to punt and make them drive further to win. Also, the long pass to Evans that missed horribly was horribly timed as well in my opinion. 2 and 2 is when you try that not 2 and 10. On 2 and 10 you do something like a short pass, a screen, a run, etc. - something you know will pick up positive yards and make 3rd and shorter a possiblity.

Or have a sack and a fumble on a 2 and 7 play mid way through the 4th quarter when all we had to do was run time off the clock and move the ball forward. A run there almost guarantees us a 3 and 4 situation much more favorable than a 3 and 7 - the most likely outcome barring a sack, fumble, or interception.

JP = 1-4 KH = 2-2 What's the difference? Not much. Why would JP competing for a job be so more beneficial? There's no logic there. Start the kid and let him develop or die. We have nothing to lose but a season that is all but lost already. We have nothing to gain but a quarterback fo the future. Which is the better upside. If the veteran players don't like it, tell them to stop dropping passes, whiffing on blocks, and tackling like girls; then they can comment on someone elses position.

After that call... a good friend of mine who is very much a Broncos fan and has no respect for the Bills and thinks I'm insane for some of my ideas regarding them.. called me a said: "I'm starting to think you're right, there is a conspiracy against the Bills, because that was defintiely not a catch." Then I explained how the ref was taking so long after looking at the monitor because he probably got a call on his headset from Tag telling him how to call it for NE and preserve the win for Bruchi. My friend is beginning to see that the Bills really are the bastard tema of the NFL and the man will do all he can to ensure we never make the Superbowl again.

Its simple... JP. The biggest problem here is one of statistics. KH has all the stats that say he should be the starter. But stats don't win games, winners win games. That intangible quality that allows players to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. Look no further than Brady last night. He sucked it up all night with bad passes and mediocre play. But put the game on the line in the 4th quarter and he finds a way to win. Thats what we need... someone that finds a way to way. I'm nto saying JP is that guy, certainly the first 4 games didn't show that; however, all I'm saying is that he needs more playing time to determine if he has that quality. It the same problem with Josh Reed and why I'd be in favor of cutting him. He makes plenty of catches and looks good. Except for that one play that we absolutely need. Then he drops the ball. Overall his stats are great, but in my opinion you can't count n him when the game is on the line. Thats been the Bills biggest problem for years. We keep going going with guys that have great stats, but don't have the character of a winner. It goes all the way back to Flutie/Johnson. RJ had all the talent and stats, so he had everyone behind him. Flutie looked like sh-- on a stick playing, but we won 10 games and made the playoffs. So who did we chose to go with.. the winner or the guy that looks good with stats. and the examples could gon on for days. Bottom line. Get some players on the field that know how to win and we'll win. Keep mediocre players that always play it safe and we'll manage to always lose. JP seems like teh type to eventually be a winner, but we'll never know with him on the bench. Last night, KH showed me exactly why he's never been a full time starter. When the game is on the line who do you want back there?

I agree. Screw the veterans and people that thing there is a point to winning 2 or 3 more games this season. They need to put JP in and let him develop. Start all your other young guys and see what they can do. If a veteran like EM doesn't like it ... cut his ass and move on.

I agree. I think the sooner we dispell the illusion that we're a playoff team the better. Lets just face it. We don't have the primary tools here to compete with the average teams in the league let alone the top teams. Put JP in, tell all the whining vets that want to win now, they can be traded, and finally bring in some quality personel for the offensive and defensive lines. Just write this year (what's left of it) and next year off as rebuilding and get the right people in here to have a solid young team with a future. I'm sick of not rebuilding, but not getting better, but not preparing for the future. Taking it one game at a time and going in circles is all we've been doing for years. And I'm tired of my football season being over in November.

I think what we're seeing here is definitely the right and wrong way to bring up a future QB. After seeing bunches of "top" QBs come into the league over the years, I'm more and more certain that the real difference is the coaching and the way they're handled in their first year or 2 as a starter. Of course, there are exceptions. But in general, QBs that come in and are supported and coached properly and are left in through the ups and downs - turn out to be goo, solid Qbs. The ones that are continually pulled and moved around tend to bust. This may have as much to do with the perception other players have in their ability as they have in themselves. That I don't know. But, you can definitely see that trend when you look at QBs and their careers. How good can any player be when he is judged on an almost play to play basis. The pressure is enough, but then when you add they pressure of having to be perfect on every play - it seems to ruin players. Now I'm not saying JP or any QB should not be benched. All I'm saying is that you're walking down a very risky and slippery road when you do it too much. JP may not be the answer, but you'll never know with him on the side line. Furthermore, if JP is not the answer who is? How often does a team get a free agent seasoned QB that immediately wins with a new team. It happens, but not often. My point is that sooner or later you have to invest some time in the QB and let him develop or not. To expect immediate results (aka Big Ben or Tom Brady) is to expect something that is rare and not likely to happen. So, in my opinion, get JP in there after the bye. Simplify the offense for him. (simplify the defense too for that matter). And just let him develop for a season. It may mean we lose 1 season, but I'm thinking about not losing the next 10 seasons - which is pretty much what we've lost now. We've had about 10 years of losing when you think about it. Why? Because we continually bring players, coaches and staff in looking for that quick fix. Think long term and win long term.

I could almost buy into this arguement except for one thing... when has our O-line ever displayed the ability to be good for an antire game, let alone 2 or more games in a row? So saying they're all injured doesn't buy them more time, if anything it points to one of the problems. MW may be the greatest lineman ever, but we'll never know because he can't seem to stay healthy. Good players not only play good, but they also have to play. That;s how I see it, it's been years since we had a good line, because they're always injured and then the few games they're actually all playing they're pretty lousy to watch.

About the last time we had an O-line. Too long. Although Campbell seems like he wants to be average. So, I'm still hoping he can do something, anything.

I already would have benched the entire O-line and started the 2nd stringers. Just to make the point. Sometimes, you have to take one step back to take 2 steps forward.

On first down, I'd line up in the short yardage package, I-formation. Give it to Willis and see if he can get it in. If not, then on 2nd down, I'd line up te exact same way. Fake the hand off to Willis and look for the TE or receiver slanting to the pylon in the endzone. Possibly with the QB rolling out in the same direction (that of course depends on who the qb is). If the reciever is not open, throw it over his head and out of the endzone. Then on 3rd down, I'd line up in a 4 or 5 wide reciever spread set and do a QB draw up the middle. If you make it to 4th down FG, unless of course time is running out and you really need the touchdown. Then take it on 4th down and run Willis out off tackle. A little power mixed in with a little deception, but not that cute, gimicky deception that gets you in trouble.

First of all.. love the pop gun offense. I'm definitely going to start using that. But this game, as almost always, comes down to stopping the run and establishing the run. I see Martin having a big game against us. I know he hasn't done much all season, but he hasn't played us yet has he. If that happens, its likely to be a long day. I'm hopeful we can squeek out another win however. I say despite all the running Curtis does, we get a few key turnovers and somehow manage to win the game. I also predict our first second half touchdown.

Weren't our 2 sacks last week on the last 2 plays of the game? Probably the only 2 plays that everyone went into coverage and only the line rushed the QB. Interesting to say the least.

I have to admit... KH played well enough to let us win the game. However, he still showed me why he's a backup qb and not a starter somewhere. I do think the replacement had a trickle down effect on the rest of the team, because the D and the recievers definitely came out playing better. So if for nothing else, it was good for that. JP (or someone else) is definitely the future though. Give it 2 maybe 3 weeks tops and KH will look miserable in my opinion. Thanks mostly to an Oline that couldn't stop anyone for anything,

Cross is definitely up there with the worst annoucers in the league. It pains me to have to listen to him drone on continuously and continually being wrong about almost everything that comes out of his mouth. Although watching the Denver game, I heard an even worse guy. I didn't catch his name, but he was absolutely horrendous. I had to switch the channel a few times just to keep myself from throwing something.

Tell me about it. I really wonder sometimes why I pay so much to watch every pitiful snap of the game each week. Although my wife doesn't complain. She gave up on that years ago.

It does raise the point. What would anyone do that worked their tail off for their job, only to get screwed by managment? Its definitely hard to keep a positive attitude.

And therein lies the problem.... how can we possibly pass on such a great quarterback? All the while failing to see that no quarterback is great when he plays behind a facade of an offensive line. We've run every QB from Kelly.. to. well now to Kelly (not yet but it'll be coming) out of Buffalo because of piss poor offensive lines. I wonder if we'll ever wake up to that reality.

And I totally agree. Sometimes you get what you wished for. I was actually very much against the move to JP this season, for exactly this reason. But at some point this summer, I bought into it and decided that it may be for the best. If he has a decent year and we somehow manage to be 8-8. Then next year we're a playoff team. And that's what's sucking... is now we may never know if JP could have developed this year.

A false assumption. I was actually in favor of keeping Bledsoe here another year. But then again I thoguht Flutie was unfairly benched too. So I'm oblviously lower class citizenry.

I think (whether anyone ever admits it or not) the QB is the most finicky position in sports. What separates a good one from a bad one is very often an extremely fine line. And all too often, it just has to do with mental state and the intangible "leadership" quality. It seems that all too often, pulling a guy screws up both of those. So if KH fails and JP goes back in.. why does anyone have confidence in him to lead the team when the coaches already showed their lack of confidence? Ofcourse, that may not happen, but the odds are greater in my opinion that you screw with a young guys head. I could argue the biggest difference between Manning and Leaf was the situation they were put in and not their actual ability. Putting in KH upsets me so for several reasons. First, I don't see him as the answer to moving our team forward. Perhaps a game or 2 here and there, but certainly not in any great measure. Second, I think too much blame is being put on JP's shoulders when everyone said he shouldn't have to carry the team. So, now we're using him as an example to wake the other guys up? I absolutely hate that style of management. And finally, it shows a complete lack of understanding by our coaching staff as to what the real problems on this team are. And that, for me, is perhaps the most upsetting of all. I really hope we win with KH. But, I'm not at all convinced we will for more than a few weeks. Then what?

Precisely. And now the Coaching staff puts the team's poor performance squarely on the shoulders of the one guy they said wouldn't have to shoulder it!