Nihilarian

Well, it sure as heck wasn't the run game that carried the offense / team to a 9-7 record because that part of the offense was almost non existent. the moron twins Hackett / Maroon had Orton throwing at least 40+ passes every game while usually running it around 20 times. Most top RB's need at least 15-20 carries just to get into a solid rhythm in a game. I didn't call him a superstar or elite QB. But the guy got the job done given what he had to work with no run game, and worst offensive line in the league. The first QB to go 7-5 with a winning record since Drew Bledsoe. 18 TD's vs 10 INT's with 3000 yards passing It really wasn't Orton that stunk up the field in Oakland with the Bills fighting for a playoff berth. The Bills rushing stats for that game were 13 rushes for 13 yards, holy crap that's just unbelievably bad. The Bills coaches calling for 48 passes vs 13 rushes was just crazy stupid. Then the Bills defense had a bad day allowing 140 yards rushing from a crappy Oakland offense, and let rookie QB Derek Carr look like a top QB, two TD's, and no INT's. That vaunted Bills pass rush only got to Carr for two 1/2 sacks all game. Dunno why so many Bills fans crap on Orton so much. Although I am glad he retired or Maroon would still be the head coach.

Just the jump from 6-10 to 9-7 winning record was huge. The two biggest factors in last years winning record were the defense run by Jim Schwartz, and QB Kyle Orton. But both the DC & QB are now gone. I have friends that like other teams, and they are literally laughing at me for my talking about the Bills having a shot to make the playoffs this year. Mostly because they think its a joke the Bills are now starting a former 6th round pick backup QB from some other team. Suuuurrrreee he is another Russel Wilson. Man I'm so hoping the Bills make the playoffs this year so I can tell those friends to stick it in their...ear!

Well, look at the players the guy went and got! 2013 / 2014 off seasons! The GM makes the player decisions for the roster, and the coach uses the best players out of those on the roster. Clearly Whaley thought Colin Brown was an adequate replacement for Andy Levitre, and Doug Legursky was an adequate backup. Whaley was the one who brought in Chris Williams, and signed him for 5 mill. Those three complete bums weren't even worthy of a roster spot much less being thought of as a starter. It was Whaley who drafted Kujo with a #2 pick, and Cyril Richardson with #5 pick, and the 7th rounder turned out to be the best of that batch. Which is not saying much because Henderson was one of the worst RT's in the league last year. So far this year it looks like Whaley might have finally gotten it right with OG Miller in the 3rd, and Incognito looks to be one of Rex's ideas. Anyway, I still agree with a lot of what JahnyC had to say. Should Tyrod Taylor play well this season and help lead the team to the playoffs. Well then everything posted negative here will long be forgotten, along with the team dumping Freddy. Winning is everything, and finding that franchise QB is single the most important part of being an NFL GM.

Erik Pears at RT Thanks for posting the article YoloinOhio! While I love the Bills new heavy run based offensive attack so much! It really begged the question as to why Colin Kaepernick regressed so much as the starting QB last year? Only 8-8 in that run heavy offense? Now after reading that Harbaugh took over the offensive play calling in November, and started calling a pass heavy offense might just be the reason why. While the 49ers won 3 straight in Nov (Saints-NYG-Redskins)after losing a close game to the rams. They then went on a four game nosedive 2x to Seattle, and the Raiders-Chargers which cost them the season. I'll be honest. I was worried about Greg Romans run heavy offense in Buffalo because it looked so bad last season in San Fran, and now I know why! We needn't worry about Rex taking over the play calling duties from Roman

Holy crap, Erik Pears at RG! So far its downright amazing to see what two competent OG's can do for a team without any. The run game improves immensely and so does the pass blocking. This year the O line might go from a liability near worst in the league to top 15 simply because of the better OG play, and a years experience for the RT. Having a solid LG should also improve the LT & centers play around him, and they can now focus on their own jobs. This was a big reason why I loved Fred Jackson so much, as the man could still make yards behind literally the worst run blocking line in the league last year. The Bills think he lost a step because he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, and Spiller was down to 3.8 YPC.

This. Still lots of mistakes, and questions. No known franchise QB after three off seasons. Tyrod Taylor is unknown! The team gives up two first round picks, and a 4th pick to draft a WR when they didn't have a known franchise QB. OG Colin Brown as a starter after the Bills let Levitre leave, and then Doug Legursky as his backup with a first round pick at QB starting was nuts. Signing OG Chris Williams who signed for something like 5 million, geez what a bum. That offensive line was one of the worst blocking units in the league last year. Erik Pears at RG... holy crap! The 2nd round pick at RT in Kujo was so bad he couldn't get on the field for one of the worst offensive lines in the league. So the 7th rounder starts. We still don't know if that 3rd round pick at RG in Miller or LG Incognito will be good enough this year, and if either gets injured the team is screwed with no solid depth. They both looked brilliant in pre season, and hopefully they continue to as good once the season starts. Unknown tho. Will any of the three backup RB's be anywhere near as good as Freddy has been?

Good stuff Astro!

why would Gilmore worry when he has Robey on the other side who will get all the attention. the Bills secondary worries me this year, and not sure why

Rotoworld has the Bills trying to trade Bryce Brown "They'd likely be willing to take a conditional sixth- or seventh-rounder, just one year after GM Doug Whaley coughed up a fourth-round pick to acquire Brown from the Eagles. Never a coaching-staff favorite, Brown's penchant for fumbling and bouncing runs outside has his NFL career in serious question." http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/316725/report-bills-trying-to-trade-rb-bryce-brown

yea, and those jackasses need to find jobs where they actually need to know what they are talking about.

and Metz, who loved Matt Cassel more then an average fan should. EJ led the NFL in passing for the pre season, and really was the only Bills QB to find the end zone with his arm game after game.

and in a real game! Pre season doesn't mean much to me. We will find out once the season starts as to how good those starters are going to be. Not like they need to be great holding their blocks for very long with a scrambler for a QB. They will need to improve in the run game if they want to have success this year. That first game against Carolina I saw Shady trying to bounce it outside like Spiller used to do, and not much will work on the offense if that run game doesn't get going.

I'll second that. I live for the regular season, and I'm hoping that the Bills make the playoffs very soon so they can throw this curse monkey off their back. Coaches graveyard, QB graveyard. Stating that, I'm terrified that Andrew Luck will pick on Darby all day long in the opener. Anyway, I do hope you eventually get over the loathing for Marv Levy / Jauron picking Donte Whitner someday.

There was talk on ESPN of the Bills trading EJ for RG3, strange stuff. Funny tho that Tebow might be a solid fit in Romans power run offense

Good for him, and hope he gets a SB ring

As much as i dislike his "Trent Edwards" style of safe pass play he is still a veteran QB for the young guys to lean on, and over 50% of the teams lost their starters last season at some point. so, its good to have that veteran presence, experience available should they need it. I just wonder if its Cassel or EJ that is second on the depth chart. I'm thinking EJ.

Here is the list of player releases. OL William Campbell FB John Conner WR Andre Davis DE IK Enemkpali DT Andre Fluellen LB Quentin Groves RB Bronson Hill OL Darryl Johnson OL Alex Kupper DE B.J. Larsen WR Dezmin Lewis CB Merrill Noel WR Tobais Palmer G Cyril Richardson QB Matt Simms RB Cierre Wood

After watching last nights pre season game I doubt its Cassel that gets the ax. If the Bills defense doesn't score on a freak tip up then the final score is 17-3 22 of 38 for 223, and three fumbles. Kraig Urbik didn't help with his crappy snaps. I would think that the backwards pass, and turnover by Simms will do him in as the 3rd string QB. The one thing that Rex shouldn't tolerate from his QB is turnovers, and it looks like the Mr BuffFumble / the Geno INT machine curse followed Simms from the Jets.

Dunno what game you watched? But IMO Matt Simms is the one that should be worried. That backwards throw was classic and reminded me of Mr Buttfumble. What a way to turn the ball over The game really has no relevance because mostly backups were playing as teams don't want any starters getting hurt. Nobody was injured by the coaches must have been pulling out their hair with all the penalties. The one vet that stood out to me was Kraig Urbik playing center, and his fumbled snap & bad hand off. I gotta wonder if they keep him and his 2mill a year.

Me too, and give him a 2.5 mill signing bonus.

Well, the Bills knew what they had in Jackson by missing only two games the last two seasons, and it sure didn't look like he had lost a step after that 41 yard run & score against the Steelers. My point, and apprehensiveness comes from the fact that Rex Ryan has stated that the Greg Roman run playbook is the biggest run playbook in the history of playbooks, and the Bills plan to run the ball more then any team in the history of the NFL. Now, given those two statements, and the fact that all five of the RB's have been out with injuries this pre season. Then the player with the best yard per carry in the pre season so far is QB Tyrod Taylor with a 9.8 avg, and Jackson right behind him with a 9.6 avg. If a player hasn't hit the wall yet, then why release him? I suppose we will see how everything plays out this year. I can only hope for the teams sake they made the right move with this.

I don't think it was just Marrone either with Hackett running Fred and Spiller right up the middle all the time in that JV offense of his. I think he knew the coaching staff stunk, and was defending his QB. Jackson was also impressed with Kyle Orton and thought it was a good thing for EJ to learn from a QB who spent so much time preparing for a game. Lord knows he probably wasn't learning much from Hackett / Marrone.

I dunno maybe its just me. Because I never saw this great 5th round pick at RB play good enough to unseat Jackson as the #2. I understand he move up the depth chart in camp, and looked good before his injury. Still, lots of RB's look great in camp / pre season to make the team, and then fall on their face once the season starts. Aside from that it looks like Whaley has been trying to replace Jackson for awhile now. Didn't he try and trade up for Carlos Hyde two years ago, and then go after Bilal Powell this off season?

Really good article here; http://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-opinion/2015/9/2/9244003/bills-gm-doug-whaley-taking-heat-from-fred-jackson-release Bottom line its all on Whaley if this move doesn't work out. Frankly, I don't see anyone on the roster even close to the skills of Jackson as a backup RB. I still question this decision as Dixon, Brown, Williams all have a lot to prove once the regular season starts. IMO Jackson actually outperformed both Lynch and Spiller at times, and I gotta wonder what the fans would think if that started to happen again this year.