Flip Johnson

Like penalty calls and complaints about officiating, injuries are not an interesting topic. They do happen to everyone. But NOT IN THE SAME WAY. The idea that these don't affect good teams is ludicrous. Do they even out? Maybe, in a theoretical world, over a time span of fifty years they do. In any given season, they absolutely do not. I live in Boston. Why do you think the Pats fans think they lost to Denver? Because of the officials and the injuries! Again, I'm not letting Rex off the hook. But I want to see how "the scheme" looks when he has the players to run it.

Incorrect. The Bills were 3-2 after five games and played decently on defense in four of those five games.

Agreed - I don't think we've heard the "Well, Preston Brown's a coach's kid" line since August.

Ultimately, I say that this is a two year project. Greg Roman came in with the reputation that his offenses could run the ball. He wanted a big-time RB, a mobile QB, a versatile TE, and a nasty guard. He got it - and guess what - the Bills lead the NFL in rushing. Rex's ego told him he could scheme his way to success with whoever. The truth is he needs the players to make it work. That's what 2016 should be about.

This is a nonsensical argument. Did you watch the Steelers play without Roethlisberger? Have you seen the Pats without Gronk? The '08 Pats lost Brady and their record dropped by 5 games.

I think it is the biggest. Rex took over and thought that he could work magic with this defense given its obvious talent. Whaley went after only offensive players. If the team had been as healthy as they were in 2014 they would have been excellent on defense. Look at the Colts game. However, 2014 was freakishly lucky from an injury standpoint. Once their depth was tested, Rex/Thurman were not able to get average to below average players up to speed in time.

Isn't very exciting. It is the injuries. And this is not an excuse. In 2014 the base defense was: Mario, Kyle, Dareus, and Hughes up front. Together they missed a grand total of two games, one was for suspension. The starting linebacking corps was Preston Brown, Brandon Spikes, and Nigel Bradham. They missed two games, one was for suspension. The starting secondary was Gilmore, McKelvin, Searcy, and Aaron Williams, with Robey & Graham playing extensively. McKelvin suffered the only serious injury of the year in November. Gilmore missed two games, and Aaron Williams missed one. The key subs on that team (Corbin Bryant, Stefan Charles, Duke Williams, Baccari Rambo, Manny Lawson) were all healthy. 2015: Kyle Williams played six games and is IR'd Aaron Williams has basically missed the entire year. McKelvin missed more than half the season. Mario has obviously been playing through injury and is in physical decline. Ty Powell out all season. Gilmore missed four. Bradham has missed three games and counting. This combined with our strict attention to offense in the offseason means that our effective part-time players (Bryant, Lawson, Rambo) are playing all the time and getting exposed, and our depth guys are the likes of Randall Johnson, Ron Brooks, AJ Tarpley, IK Enemkpali, Kevin Reddick, TJ Barnes, etc. The defense on the field against the Eagles and Redskins is not a talented defense. We can talk about scheme or Mario's discontent, but it isn't the point. This is not an excuse - it means Whaley needs to find better depth and Rex needs to get more out of marginal players. There seems to be a narrative that this is a highly talented defense that has underperformed. It is in reality, a defense with 3-5 excellent players, some of whom have been hurt, and a lot of backups.

I'm not debating that the defense asks different things of its personnel, or that Brown is a thumper. I'm saying that Brown had several factors making him look good last year - a suitable scheme, a healthy, dominant front four, and strong, rangy safeties that could help in run support. Now the front four is banged up, he's being asked to be more athletic (not his forte), and the safeties are much less equipped to stop the run.

There are so many variables that it is simplistic to just talk Schwartz's scheme vs. Ryan's scheme. For example, in 2014, the front four was healthy the entire year. Dareus and Hughes were playing to get paid. We had two safeties that played the entire year healthy that were both physical in run support. In 2015, Mario and KW have been hampered or missed significant time due to injury. Searcy is gone and Aaron Williams barely played. All that has to have affected PB52's production.

1. You don't have to love Rex/Whaley but we can't stick a 15 year playoff drought on them. 2. They are 14-13 in their last 27 games and are one game out of a wildcard spot. It isn't time to blow up anything.

I like where we are. Like everyone else, I hate the Pats, I am not over the Jags game, I hate the refs, and think we were snakebite with the spate of early season injuries. All that said: We are tied for a wildcard spot with six beatable teams in front of us. The team is relatively healthy. The defense is set for a strong stretch run. The team has an offensive identity that will work in cold weather football. The 2009 Jets were 4-6 after ten games.

Rex owned Fitz/Chan when they were here. If you look at the 2009-12 era, Fitz's performances against the Jets almost all brutally bad. We have forgotten how much they dominated the Bills during that stretch.

Preach this. The Bills put up 52 points in two games with EJ at the helm. I defy anyone to tell me that Cassel would have led the Bills to those point totals.

Here are some actual reasons why this is going to happen. 1) The Bengals are coming in giddy over their 2-game divisional lead and all the national attention they are getting after beating Seattle. 2) They just played five quarters of football. 3) They just gave up 169 yards rushing to an undrafted rookie. Whether it is KW, Dixon, Herron, or Taylor himself, the Bills will run the ball on this team. 4) Rex will embrace the underdog role for this game and have his team locked and cocked. 5) The Seattle win was at home and came gift-wrapped, complete with a bank shot game-winning FG. They aren't going to be emotionally prepared to win this type of road game.

I don't know if there is a running back in the league that is slower to the point of attack than Boobie Dixon is right now. I loved Boobie's performance in 2014 and think that his calf injury may still be lingering. But there is no O-Line that would have gotten him going today. Herron's ball security and lack of experience made him a bad option at the end of the day. The Bengals gave up 200 yards on the ground at home today with Marshawn Lynch out. I haven't been thrilled with our line play yet either, but let's see how they do against Cincinnati when Karlos Williams comes back.

This doesn't need to be about Gilmore. They were both good yesterday. The Giants WR success was not on the outside yesterday. Eli took advantage of poor safety play from Rambo. The corners have been rock solid all year.

I don't think this is how the coaching staff looks at it. It isn't as simple as Taylor needs to raise his game. He can't be throwing 30+ times or going 3 & out repeatedly, but that is exacerbated by the failure to play complementary football. In other words, he needs to be solid on his 20-25 throws, but the O-Line, the running game, the defense and the special teams need to be solid enough that we're not asking him to do any more than that. What NE did last week was take the Bills out of their gameplan and then capitalize on horrendous ST play and an avalanche of penalties. And obviously Brady was tremendous.

I believe the team is in a similar situation as Seattle in 2012. If you saw the early Russell Wilson games, especially the first 4-6 of his career, there would be times when he would flash, and times where you would say "no way will this kid ever be able to make throws from the pocket." Tyrod is more experienced (in terms of service time) and has much better skill players than RW in 2012. But it is going to be a learning process and we need to see he and Roman make the necessary adjustments.

Really happy for Stevie and hope that he stays healthy. If so he could put up a bunch of catches with Rivers.

I keep hearing that 4.5 million is too much to pay a 3rd string QB. Sure, that is conventional wisdom, but what if your starting QB is making 750K and you backup only makes 2.2M? 4.5 million is a crazy amount to pay the 3rd string QB if you have an established veteran QB. But this team is only two years removed from a season that featured two appearances from Jeff Tuel. We don't know - and we won't know for a little while whether Tyrod Taylor is the type of guy who is banged up after every game (Vick, Griffin) or the type of guy that is so nimble and aware that nobody ever hits him solidly (Flutie, Wilson). 4.5 million is expensive insurance but it is worth it in this case. If we are carrying extra cap weight it certainly isn't at this position as a whole.

They are not announcing a trade of EJ at 1:45pm. That makes zero football sense and zero practical sense. Rex wouldn't be the guy who announces that. This wouldn't have gone unleaked. Whaley isn't letting EJ go for a late pick - let's be real.

How about Darick Holmes for a size/speed/mediocrity comparison? Eddie George was a workhouse without much breakaway ability. He racked up the carries in college and that never slowed down in the NFL. I see KW as a guy that will have limited carries but has some explosion.

Agree. Not only is O'Leary going to get cut, I have seen zero signs that he could be a contributor. Mulligan is a lock as a blocking TE. But O'Leary does not have anything remotely close to the athletic ability of Gray or Gragg.

Speaking from 1980 on, I think you can make the argument that Fred was one of the top 5 beloved Bills outside of the golden era. Hard to compare anyone in the post-Kelly era to that group. Some other names that come to mind (some from the golden era, but not yet mentioned): Leonard Smith - had a great run as a hard hitting safety with attitude. Billy Brooks - beloved player from 93-95, made a ton of clutch plays over that stretch. Flutie - polarizing, but a lot of people LOVED him. Frank Reich In the last fifteen years, it is Fred Jackson, Kyle Williams, and Brian Moorman.

I don't think this is a smokescreen. What would be wrong with having an exciting starter with playmaking ability (Taylor), a veteran backup (Cassel), and a developmental QB (Manuel)? I understand EJ's pedigree as a 1st round pick, but the truth is that he is better right now than he was at this point in 2013 or 2014. He IS coming along, albeit slowly. In the meantime, Whaley has done his job and improved the position. I believe Taylor should start, but I don't understand the rush to judgment around this kid when it isn't necessary. Why do we have to "close the book" on EJ? He is 25, the money is controlled, he made the best throw of the night last week, he keeps his mouth shut, both the QBs in front of him are in danger of getting hurt, and I'm not ready to give up on him. I know that Rex isn't emotionally invested in him and Whaley might like to connect the pick to Buddy, but I don't think that means they need to show him the door. Ultimately, the Bills are in an interesting situation, where they might have three of the top 45 QBs in the league right now, but none of the top 20 or 25.