BarleyNY

The Vegas lines are showing the Bills as a 6-6.5 point dog, so it isn't just Chicago. Even with the home field advantage that shows that the public thinks the Bears are about a field goal better than the Bills. That isn't huge and it is certainly defensible. That doesn't mean the Bills can't win. They can. The public just thinks the Bears just have a better chance. That's all. I find it difficult to complain about people expecting an average team to beat the Bills when the Bills have been below average. The only thing that will change that perception is winning. http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/line-movement/bills-@-bears.cfm/date/9-07-14/time/1300

I'm pretty sure that is exactly what every fan of every team without a proven franchise QB wishes for. In Buffalo we have to hope EJ develops as we are stuck together for a couple seasons. He looked better in this last preseason game. He's still got a long way to go, but all we can do is watch and hope.

Extremely poor judgement by a guy who's NFL job is all about judgement.

Fred Jackson has been great and I really like him as our #2 RB. I think he is one of the best in that role, but does anyone really think that we should pin our hopes on a 33 year old starter at RB? I don't see anyone I'm excited about behind him either. I would not be surprised if this was CJ's agent's way of drumming up an offer to get CJ out of town and on a team willing to give him a long term deal now.

And, oddly, they only test sample B for the existence of the banned substance. The amount of the banned substance in that sample isn't suppossed to be considered - just whether or not that substance exists in it. Very odd. Had the samples been labeled the other way around the test would've been considered negative.

Your reading comprehension needs a lot of work. That, or when you don't like someone else's opinion you overstate it in an attempt to make them seem unreasonable. Neither reflects well.

It did look like a clear overthrow, but perhaps Watkins made a mistake earlier in his route (i.e. getting pinned on the sidelines) that made him late to his spot. Dunno.

Please stop. Catchable, yes. Perfect, no. Not exactly a drive in any event. Overall three batted passes in single digit attempts. F me. He had two or three good throws, but none were difficult. Every NFL QB should be completing quick WR screens and short, middle of the field throws. I hope he impresses, but thus far he has not. It is early, but there are no rose colored glasses thick enough for me to think I saw something encouraging.

All I can think of for the narrative of this season: A Good Defense Wasted Yes, it is way too early to write off EJ, but it would have been really nice to have seen something positive. And please, please, please no more Tuel/Lewis can be the answer crap. That's just desperation.

Agreed

From an odds perspective it makes a lot of sense as new ownership usually brings in their own guys. The exceptions are usually successful coaches and GMs. If the Bills don't start winning very soon I'd expect a total housecleaning when new ownership gets control.

That's actually a pretty damning list. In the last 20 years the Bills have 12 road wins against playoff bound teams, 8 of which were wildcard teams and just one in the last 6 years. That's rough.

It's not an overlooked aspect because it isn't really an aspect. You don't save money by not having a first round pick because the value of that pick is very high. Production versus pay expectations very much favor production. That's why draft picks are valuable. Just look at what 1st round picks make on their SECOND contracts. Or just look at the link to what they make now. Then compare that to what gets paid to some very run-of-the-mill FAs. Draft picks add talent cheaply if used correctly. Every last front office person knows all of this.

I can't believe that you really believe that. Draft picks - even high first rounders - are generally the cheapest way to add talent to a roster. High draft picks are also (with rare exceptions) the only way to add highly talented players at certain positions, QB included. If the a Bills happen to be in the market for one of those next offseason and that player goes to the Browns with the Bills' pick how is that going to sit? Here is the rookie salary info: http://overthecap.com/nfl-rookie-salary-cap-2014.php Bear in mind that each rookie who makes a team eliminates a current player and their salary so there is an offset of at least $420k in salary, but possibly much more. So even the 10th overall pick at $2.3M would add less than $1.9M to the cap. Less than $2M for the player chosen with the 10th pick. And you're happy about not having that. Maybe you should reconsider.

Well said. Affable and charismatic. Definitely the kind of guy you'd love to have as the face of your franchise. Let's just hope he can turn the corner.

So the Bills are going to part ways with their starting, nearly 27 year old RB and move forward with their 33 year old RB? Honestly, Fred Jackson is great and I love having him on the team, but when does he go over that cliff that most RBs fall off by 30? Who wants to see him thrust into the starting role at this stage of his career? I sure don't. The Bills would be foolish to move Spiller unless some team goes Full Retard like Indy did for Richardson. I don't see that happening.

Can't see how I could vote for anything other than the comeback against Houston. That was amazing.

That's a very misleading statement because it ignores the fact that EVERY LAST QB coming out of college has a different set of skills to develop and different degrees to which each of those skills must be developed. Wouldn't we all be breathing easier if, in college, EJ had done a great job running a complicated offense that required a lot of reads and anticipation throws? I know I would. If a comparison is to be made it should be with players that were much more similar from a skill/deficiency standpoint. Pulling out the Bills best QB ever who bore almost no resemblance whatsoever to EJ just damages your credibility.

Yup. A sadly accurate appraisal.

Agreed. And I'll say it again: Buffalo needs to put its best deal on the table now because owners will be exploring these options and, if a good enough one is presented, might just take one. Baltimore didn't let a bidding war happen when they got the Browns to move. They gave Modell a great deal and told him they would pull it if they were used as leverage. I'd rather that not happen here.

If not EJ, then I think were would have been looking at either Ebron or Beckham at 9, then would have been trading up for either Manziel or Bridgewater. Last year would have been tough unless a trade would have netted someone to hold the QB fort down. I agreed with taking Manuel, but it was more a case of him having potential and not being Geno Smith than loving him as a prospect. I hope he blossoms, but if he doesn't then we move on.

lmao

I like Watkins a lot and I think he's going to be a very good NFL WR, but can we all maybe hold off on the Canton bust and gold jacket measurements until he plays a down in the NFL?

F no. The instant it is apparent the Bills will be moving it is over. One caveat: Browns fans packed their stadium after the announcement that the Browns were moving for one reason only - to show the league they deserved another team. I'd encourage everyone to go for that reason alone. Even if it is just to rally outside the stadium on game days.

Agree totally on the QBs. I'm not sure how much another few roster spots would help the QB pool, but it sure wouldn't hurt.