msw2112

I lived in Chicago for many of the Cutler years. Although he has improved slightly, the guy is a turnover machine. He also has a bad attitude and is not a team guy. Aside from all of that, he is a very talented passer who would present a threat to Taylor and I think that his presence would be bad for team chemistry. He'd take camp and practice snaps away from Cardale, slowing his development, and have (as another poster mentioned earlier) Taylor looking over his shoulder. Every time Taylor makes a mistake, fans would be clamoring for Cutler. On top of all of this, I don't believe he'd work on the cheap. He has made enough money in his career to retire, so I believe (also stated by another poster) that he would rather retire than settle for a backup role and/or backup money. All signs point to NO with this guy. A more appropriate type of backup would be the role that a Shaun Hill or Matt Hasselbeck have played for their teams in recent years. Team-first guys with good attitudes who are fine being the backup and will help both the starter in front of them on the depth chart as well as the young developmental guy beneath them.

I'm not on these boards enough to know who is who and when someone is being sarcastic, but there was a post earlier asking when tanks have worked in professional sports. Here are some examples: Current Pittsburgh Penguins (see Crosby and Malkin) Current Chicago Blackhawks (see Toews and Kane) Current Indianapolis Colts (see Luck) (no Super Bowls, but multiple playoff appearances) Current Philadelphia 76ers (I don't follow NBA that closely, but they are MUCH better this year than they have been in the last few seasons and have some great young talent with a bright future) In my opinion, the Bills are not tanking this season. With a salary cap and free agency, you simply cannot keep everyone. Some guys can make more than your budget if they leave and others simply prefer to play elsewhere. I think the Bills are hoping to retain some key parts (Taylor, McCoy, most of the OL, Kyle Williams, etc.), add a few new parts (FB, K so far and more surely to follow), hope for improvement from injured players (Ragland, full training camp and season prep for Lawson) and a few draft picks. These things, combined with (presumed) improved coaching and discipline, could result in a playoff birth. They also could just as easily result in 6-10 or 8-8. The truth of the matter is that none of us, including Pegula, Whaley and McDermott, have any idea how it is going to turn out. That's what keeps it interesting year after year, even with the long playoff drought. And I don't think the Pegulas are driven by ticket sales per se. Of course, they want to be profitable, but Pegula bought both of his franchises because he is a fan himself, loves the community and wants to win. That doesn't mean that every decision made is going to work out, but I believe they are doing whatever they can to attempt to succeed.

Ralph is cheap?

It seems like people on this board forget that you need depth behind your starters. Just because you might sign Klein and Z. Brown and have Ragland on the roster doesn't mean you have to dump P. Brown. You always have injuries and can't field an NFL team with 3 LBs. It's true that P. Brown hasn't played as well as in the past, but he is an experienced player who isn't expensive and might perform better under a new DC/in a new scheme. Plus, Ragland is an unknown. That said, signing Z. Brown may be an issue due to salary cap concerns. But my overall point is that you don't have to dump "D" just because you signed "A, B and C."

And he has not regressed since then.

I like Fitz a lot. Great guy, team player, has some talent, but no. "He is who we thought he was" (to paraphrase the old Dennis Green rant). Who we thought he was is the guy that played the final game of the 2015 season for the Jests against the Bills with the playoffs on the line and blew the game with interceptions at critical times of the game. Those picks ruined what was otherwise a fantastic season by Fitz. Unfortunately, that's who he is and that's what you get.

Mario I could do without. Low-effort guy who only plays hard when he feels like it. The other guys could actually be valuable contributors if they could be signed to team-friendly deals. Teams need veteran depth.

Czar? Just kidding. Enjoy retirement, Chan.

You can find a statistical model to support whatever theory you want. Rather than discuss numbers, the eyeball test showed that our defense was poor last year. It also showed that we had a decent offense built on a very strong running game and a fairly poor passing game. Overall, we scored enough points to be competitive and I believe that with better coaching, this roster can be playoff caliber. A little bit of discipline and accountability may have gotten the 2016 team over the hump. Let's hope the new coaching staff can get us there in 2017.

I used to be a big Jerry Sullivan fan. I have to admit that his act has worn thin over the years. I laugh every time I read one of his columns and see the word "dubious." I have grown tired of his incessant bashing of anyone and everyone associated with Buffalo sports, particularly the Pegulas. Yes, they have made some mistakes, such as the Rex Ryan hire, but they are truly great owners with deep pockets who want to win a championship as badly as we all do and they will keep working at it and throwing resources at it until it happens. All that aside, I agree with Jerry on this one. I don't see it as a huge mistake, but the bottom line is that we should have kept Chris Hogan. He's a good wide receiver and a good football player. He's not great, but he was our 3rd WR and a good one in that role and playing with a great QB like Brady is allowing him to show his talents on a big stage. Had we given him the "mid-range" tender offer, any team that signed him as a Free Agent would have had to give the Bills a 2nd round draft pick. It would only have cost the Bills an extra $600-$700K to do that, which is a small amount of money in NFL terms. How much did we shell out to worthless Percy Harvin? I'm sure more than $700K, and for nothing. Good teams find a way to keep good players. Again, I am not taking about GREAT players, which is a different conversation altogether, but good, solid players who can contribute to the team. Hogan is one of those types of players. Had we made the mid-tier tender offer, we either would have kept a solid contributor on the roster, or we would have received a 2nd round pick from the Pats. Either way, we would have been better off than the way it turned out, and at a relatively minimal cost.

I read the article and it is largely true and on point. Atlanta, outside of SEC football, is not a good sports town and Boston/New England has had a great run of professional sports success in the 10-15 years. That said, Shaughnessy is certainly an arrogant douche and I have no argument with that!

I agree with the initial poster. I am extremely grateful to the Pegulas and I have no doubts that they could make more money if they moved the Bills to a larger market. They love the city and the region and are not in this to maximize their returns. I was extremely upset with the Rex Ryan hire and the way it turned out was exactly the way I figured it would, but they made the hire feeling that he was the right man for the job. He was considered a top coaching candidate around the league and had experience in the role. Rumor had it that Atlanta was going to hire him if we didn't (I think we all wish that they did). I believe they see the error of their ways and are doing everything they can this time around to hire a better coaching prospect. They are willing to invest the resources to make the team a winner and I believe that they will eventually get it right. Nobody knows if the new head coach will be successful. Not me, not you, not Bill Polian, not Doug Whaley, not anyone who works for ESPN or Pro Football Focus, and not the Pegulas. That said, this coach appears to have the background and demeanor to be successful and I support the move. If anyone on this board or elsewhere feels differently, they are entitled to their opinion and can elect to not support the team. It's their prerogative. They are not going to change my opinion or lessen my support of the franchise.

For me, personally, this is fantastic. I live in the West, so a later start works much better for me than an 11 AM kickoff. Monday is MLK Day, so my office (like many businesses) is closed, so I will be able to throw a few back and watch what should be a great football game. (Insert icon of smiley face guy drinking a beer here). I should also add that the NFL probably realized that Monday is MLK Day and understands that moving the game to the Sunday night slot will improve ratings substantially. And oh yeah, they care about the welfare and safety of the fans....

Food for thought: Hoyer = Fitzpatrick (= McCown, etc.) A solid veteran QB who had been around the league. Quality guy, good teammate and citizen. He's good enough to flash for a few games and put up some great numbers. Wins a few games. Smart, can grasp an offense and read a defense. Decent mobility and some arm strength. You think you have your guy. Then, the inevitable happens. They regress to the mean, and that's it. The interceptions start, the losses start, they guy gets benched for a younger, cheaper option. The team moves on, they go to a new team, get an opportunity, get hot, flash again, and then the inevitable happens again. Lather, rinse, repeat. I don't love Tyrod, but if they can renegotiate his deal, I would keep him around while they develop Jones and draft another young QB. I think he's a better option than Hoyer.

I agree - one of the better posts I have seen. Actual facts that provide an interesting perspective.

I'm not a Rex fan. I hated the hire and was ready for him to be gone after least season and after the first 2 games this year. Of course, I'm not the one paying him to coach or not coach. My personal feelings aside, I actually am in favor of keeping him for another season. The offense has made some great improvements and there are some bright spots on the defense, notably the linebacker play and the pass rush. While I don't think Rex will ever win a Super Bowl, I don't think the team has Super Bowl talent anyway, and I agree with the other posters who make the continuity argument. I also applaud Rex's improvement. Last year, he was awful with challenges (the KC game comes to mind) and this year, he addressed the issue and there is great improvement. And, as mentioned above, the offense and defense have both shown some improvement, and that is without many key players such as Watkins, Dareus, etc. One other item to note is last night's game. This was a big game on a big stage in a very tough environment against a strong opponent. While they ultimately fell short, they played hard and were very effective, particularly on offense. After the Seattle took the big lead late in the first half, and the debacle with the FG attempt at the end of the first half, the team could have folded its tent. Many previous Bills teams have done just that in similar situations. This group fought hard and got themselves back into a position to potentially win the game.

First line of my earlier post: "I have not read the entire thread, and I apologize if this has already been said, but my understanding is that Stephen Jones, Jerry's kid, is the real mastermind...." Comment on the post: To further my point (perhaps from a different angle) - Stephen Jones is the mastermind who convinced Jerry to step back and let the football people operate. The Bills could use this kind of mastermind and have needed it for years.

I have not read the entire thread, and I apologize if this has already been said, but my understanding is that Stephen Jones, Jerry's kid, is the real mastermind. Apparently, a couple of years ago, Jerry wanted to draft Johnny Manziel and his son Stephen literally pulled the draft card from his hands and substituted it with one for the OT from Notre Dame, who I believe became an instant starter and Pro Bowl caliber player and has been a huge part of them having the best OL in the NFL. In my opinion, the heart of a great football team comes from one of two places: 1) a great QB who can get the ball out quickly and make adjustments at the line, who can cover up for deficiencies in the line and elsewhere (see Brady, Tom) OR 2) a great OL. With a great OL, you can open holes to run the ball and you can pass protect, giving the QB time to find an open receiver and also time to for the receivers to get open. These things allow you to keep getting first downs, keep moving the chains and keep possession of the ball, which in turn allows your defense to be well-rested and fresh when they come on the field. It also prevents the other team's offense from having the opportunity to get into a rhythm. So, back to the original point of the thread, the success in Dallas goes to Jerry's kid and not Jerry. While I have been very impressed with the play of Dak Prescott, there is no doubt that he would not be so impressive if he didn't have the running game and pass protection that his great OL affords him. And I like Whaley, but it looks like Dallas is further along than Buffalo right now, so credit should go to the Dallas front office for putting them in the position they are in. And, I should add, I despise Dallas and have since the arrival of Jerry Jones and the departure of Tom Landry.

I completely agree with this post. There was a long thread a couple of weeks ago about why NFL viewership is on the decline. Presidential debates is not a reason. The injuries and dangerous nature of the game are. I love watching football and am a huge Bills fan. I am an Aaron Williams fan. That said, I did not enjoy watching him play this year. Every time he made a tackle, I cringed, wondering if it would be his last. Watching the aftermath of Landry's hit on Williams last week made me feel extremely uncomfortable and a little sick to my stomach. Feeling like that takes a lot of fun out of watching the game. If the league took these situations more seriously, it would reduce this kind of play and perhaps bring some of the fun back. A $24K fine for a guy making more than $700K this season just isn't enough deterrent.

I'm not firmly in the Whaley camp (and I'm not firmly against him either). I do think that the Blanton signing was an attempt to mitigate the AW situation. He is a veteran safety with starting experience who was able to fit in under the cap. A solid signing. We also signed the other backup safety from Indy (although I think he was more for special teams and he is now out injured). Blanton has not worked out so far, but let's hope that with full starter's reps that he will improve. Duke and Meeks have been around for several years now and just don't seem to be taking that next step. That said, D'Norris Searcy wasn't very good in his early years and developed into a solid player. We'll see. Other posts have said that you can't sign an All-Pro to start at every position and you can't sign a quality starter to back up every position. I agree. There's a salary cap, injuries happen and teams get thin at certain positions. Look at the Vikings - they lost their starting QB, their starting (All-Pro) RB and both starting tackles, yet they are still at the top of the league. Our defense was down Dareus, Ragland and Lawson and has performed well in 5 out of 7 games. Injuries and lack of depth are a part of the game. Teams have to adjust and some do better than others. I'm not sure I am making a single point here other than to say that there's a lot of different things to consider when assessing a situation.

I'll be there with a crew of 4 - 6 guys. All 6 of us will be sitting together at the game, but 4 of us are staying together and the other 2 are on a separate itinerary. We'll be in the lower bowl on the 10 yard line about 50 rows up. Ironically, a friend of mine who is a Rams fan bought the 6 tickets and the other 5 guys will all be Buffalo guys. 3 of us are driving in from Arizona and meeting a 4th driving up from San Diego. The other two are flying in and staying separately. The 4 of us are staying at (I kid you not) The Hotel California in Santa Monica and will likely head over to Busby's West on Saturday. We are considering the Shrine tailgate on Sunday, but I suspect it will be voted down in favor of a more "Buffalo style" tailgate in the parking lot. If you multiply $45 by 4 or 6, you can buy a whole lot of food and beer. I suspect that the lines at the Shrine for beer will be long and the food will be limited. The beer lines to our coolers in the parking lot will be much shorter. I'm open to any ideas and suggestions of where Buffalo fans will be beyond the Busby's thing on Saturday and the Shrine on Sunday. My last Bills road game was Denver in 2014 and it was a blast. I can't wait!

Just a thought I had earlier today - any chance they bring Manny Lawson back at a lower cost? Has his 2-game suspension been served? Can you serve a suspension when you are not on an NFL roster? The open roster spot made me think of this again.

I agree with a lot of what is said above. I have been an enormous fan of NFL football for many years, but this season, I see my interest waning a bit. Reasons for me: 1. The Bills are a dumpster fire. It's hard to be too interested when my own team is so bad. 2. My fantasy team this year is also a dumpster fire. 3. Officiating. It seems like every game involves phantom pass interference or personal foul penalties on third and fourth downs that keep drives alive and hand games over to teams that don't deserve it. It is beyond frustrating and takes a lot of the enjoyment and satisfaction out of the game for me. For example, the phantom Pass Interference call against the Bills in London against JAX last year that extended the JAX drive and cost the Bills the game. A post above made me think of this one. 4. Concussions and injuries. I used to cheer the big hits, but now I think about the impact it has on these guys brains. Same for knees, ankles, ribs, etc. Guys are too big, strong and fast. I find myself cringing at times watching these guys go down every game or playing with obvious injuries. I want Sammy Watkins on the field, but I cringe when I see him limping around the field. I played football back in the day and loved every minute of it, but would not let my kids play. 5. Suspensions and criminal activity. I hate suspensions, because talented players I want to see are not on the field. On the flip side, I find it difficult to watch guys who have committed domestic violence play. How can you cheer for Adrian Peterson, who beat a young child? or Greg Hardy? The drug infractions don't bother me that much, other than the fact that these guys are stupid enough to be repeat offenders when they know they are being tested. 6. Greed. I am getting sick and tired of the league holding cities hostage for taxpayers to fund new stadiums while revenues soar for the owners. Plus, these new stadiums are over the top with amenities that are totally unnecessary and only increase the cost of the game for the fans. 7. Saturation. Sunday afternoon, Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night, etc. It's getting to be too much. 8. Statistics. Every year there are new stats tracked for everything. We used to track sacks. Now we track QB hits. Do those include sacks or are those simply hits that did not result in a sack? This is much worse in baseball, but the concept is the same. At some point, I simply want to watch and enjoy the game and not see and hear about every statistic that could possibly be considered. 9. Announcers. There are no more than 16 games in a week. You would think that they would be able to find 32 competent individuals to call a game (one announcer and one color guy per game). Beyond the top couple of pairs at each network, these guys are horrible. When I turn on a Bills game and here Spero Dedes' voice, I want to throw up. They overstate the obvious but also make several ridiculous comments every telecast. The miss things that most casual fans catch. Just awful. 10. Commercials. There is no continuity to a game with constant commercial breaks. I really hate it when they cut to commercial after a score, then show the kickoff, then take another commercial break immediately after. It is ridiculous. I could go on, but 10 is more than enough to make the point!

One of the earlier posts hit the nail on the head - we don't run enough plays for our guys to get touches. When you go three and out on 80% of your drives and your scoring drives consist of long bombs to the WR (not a bad thing, mind you), there are not enough opportunities to get the ball into anyone's hands, let alone your 2nd string RB. I like Gillislee and think he has talent and potential, but we need some sustained drives in order to get him some touches. And yes, while I love the phrase "We've got Bush!" Reggie seems like a complete waste of money. Gillislee is the superior RB and Tate is returning kicks (and Powell can too). Why do we need to take up $3M of cap space for a player who has no value?

I watched parts of the broadcast and I heard Tasker's comment. My first reaction to it was "is he out of his mind?" but after further thought and after reading this thread, it is clear to me that he was just making an offhand hypothetical comment to bolster his point that the Bills are not likely to trade their backup QB, but that any player can be had for a price if the buyer is willing to overpay. Taking Tasker's comments to mean that he (or anyone) believes that EJ Manuel is worth 2 first round picks is a huge overreaction. EJ is clearly not worth 2 first round picks, 1 first round pick, 1 second round pick, etc. For a team desperate for veteran QB help with some starting experience and some ability, EJ might be worth a middle-round pick. I had a funny feeling at the time that someone on this board would start a thread about the comment. With the roster cuts happening and Week 1 looming, isn't there something better to discuss today?