BillsFan4

Yes you did. I've been impressed by both of them thus far. They are making plays all over the field.

Poyer and Hyde both looking good so far.

I thought Peterson looked impressive for his 1st ever drive with and against starters.

Come on Clay, you gotta get that 1st down!

Our run game isn't looking too great so far.

Wow, what a nice few throws by Peterman. Especially that first one! He's looking pretty good.

This was my first thought as well. He can't be worse than Ducasse...

I'll be very interested to see if anything comes out about the team rule he broke. I'm guessing that there's good reason behind it. Maybe it wasn't a serious violation, it could be that he just felt Dareus needed to have a message sent to him. I like that McDermott is trying to instill some discipline in this team though. He doesn't seem like a total hard ass dick head who's just going to scream and yell at the players for no real reason either. Or a control freak (Marrone type) who's going to set rules that really make no sense (like what color/type of socks to wear). From what I can tell he seems understanding and caring, while at the same time not willing to tolerate nonsense. He seems to be waking that fine line between players coach and disciplinarian pretty well, from what I've seen/heard anyway.

Kind of, but not really. They gave the panthers a 2nd (pick #64) and got a 3rd (pick #72) and Ealy. So really, they just traded back 8 spots in the draft for Ealy.

Looks like the rumor may have come from this article - https://sportstalk360.com/buffalo-bills-and-green-bay-in-trade-talks-for-star/ No way I make that trade if I'm Buffalo. Killing our offense this season is just not worth it for Adams and a 4th. I'd want a 1st round pick, which I know isn't going to happen. I guess if the plan is to tank 2017, then maybe I'd take Adams and a 2nd. But I just have no desire to trade McCoy and try to suck this year. McCoy is wayyy too much fun to watch run, and we don't even know which QBs are going to enter the draft (the rumors are 2 of the top guys may stay in school). Keep McCoy and try to win as many games as possible.

I just don't see tanking as necessary in football, like it is in Hockey. In this day and age in the NHL, you almost need a top 3 pick to get that truly elite franchise changing center/player. Guys like McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, Kane, Toews, Doughty don't fall in the draft. They go top 3. If you look at the teams that have won Cups recently, basically every single one of them has had at least 1 top 3 pick. Where as football just seems different to me. Yes, you need a top 3 pick to get those truly elite QBs (like Luck, Eli/Payton Manning etc) when there is even 1 in the draft to get. But so many good franchise QBs have been fond outside the top 5 (and even the top 10) as well. Some of the best QBs in the NFL were found outside the top 5-10. There is also plenty of game changing talent (outside the QB position) all through the first 2 (and even 3) rounds of the draft, and there have been quite a few SB winning teams built without a top 3 pick. Just looking at the list of teams who have won the Super Bowl recently - only a couple of them had top picked QBs. Just going back 10 years, 3 of those 10 winners had top picked QBs, and 1 of those 3 was an old, decrepit Peyton Manning playing as a shell of himself. The other 7 had QBs that were picked outside of the top 5 (and really, the top 10). And actually, if you go back further than 10 years there are a lot more SB winning QBs taken outside the top of the draft - just going back to 2000, 13 of the 17 SB winning QBs were not top 5 draft picks (if I counted correctly...) http://www.topendspo...inners-list.htm IMO, all you really need to rebuild in the NFL is good drafting and some extra draft picks and a coaching staff that gives you the ability to develop those drafted players. I'm very hopeful that Beanehas assembled the scouting and personnel staff to draft well, an that McDermott and his staff will be able to develop these players (McD did a pretty good job of it in Carolina IMO). Obviously you need to hit on a QB eventually too. But I'm more of the opinion that you need to just keep taking shots in the draft to get one. Even the top QB picks are not always sure things. The changes to college football have made it harder and harder to project what these QBs will be in the NFL. I'm not all about trading away the entire 2018 draft for a QB either. Trade ups to the top of the draft rarely ever work out for the team trading up. The Bills are lacking starters and depth at too many positions to be trading away so many draft assets anyway. The 2018 draft is supposed to be strong at many positions. It's looking like it might be a great year to hold so many extra picks. Take a shot on a QB at our draft spot, or trade away minimal assets to move up a bit. If that QB don't work, take another shot at a QB again...

Did all those teams truly tank a season? What I consider tanking is what Cleveland did, and what the Jets are doing this season. They were clearly not trying to compete before the season even started (IMO anyway). Can you say the same about all the teams you listed? Were they truly not trying to compete, or did they just have a bad year? I honestly don't know the answer to this without doing some research on it. To me, it seems like there have been plenty of very good, successful teams built without "tanking", and plenty of good QBs found outside the top 2-3 picks. I just don't see tanking as necessary in football, like it is in Hockey. In this day and age in the NHL, you almost need a top 3 pick to get that truly elite franchise changing center/player. Guys like McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, Kane, Toews, Doughty don't fall in the draft. They go top 3. If you look at the teams that have won Cups recently, basically every single one of them has had at least 1 top 3 pick. Where as football just seems different to me. Yes, you need a top 3 pick to get those truly elite QBs when there is even 1 in the draft to get. But so many good franchise QBs have been fond outside the top 5 as well. Some of the best QBs in the NFL were found outside the top 5. There is also plenty of game changing talent all through the first 2 (and even 3) rounds of the draft, and there have been quite a few SB winning teams built without a top 3 pick. Just look at the list of teams who have won the Super Bowl recently - only a couple of them had top picked QBs. Just going back 10 years, 3 of those 10 winners had top picked QBs, and 1 of those 3 was an old, decrepit Peyton Manning playing as a shell of himself. The other 7 had QBs that were picked outside of the top 5 (and really, the top 9/10). And actually, if you go back further than 10 years there are a lot more SB winning QBs taken outside the top of the draft - just going back to 2000, 13 of the 17 SB winning QBs were not top 5 draft picks (if I counted correctly...) http://www.topendsports.com/events/super-bowl/winners-list.htm

This was a big reason why I always rooted for him. I was really happy for him when SF gave him the contract they did.

I thought what he said was very blunt, but mostly true. If Kaepernick was a better QB, he'd undoubtably be on a roster because teams would be more willing to put up with the distraction and the heat they'd take. There's obviously more to it than just that, but I do think what Shady said was true. As soon as I heard him say it I figured he'd take some heat for it though. Sometimes he's too honest about his thoughts for his own good.

I am pretty sure that McDermott and Beane pulled Sammy into their office and told him he was traded (at least that's what I read anyway). IIRC, From what I read they also told the team leaders and then the rest of the team before the news was announced publicly. Maybe you're thinking of Boldin retiring? I know most of the team found out about him retiring thru the media.

I know it's the NFL and anything can happen, and I know GMs and coaches have said stuff like this before and then done the opposite of what they said. But both McDermott and Beane have said that they pride themselves in being honest with their p,where and shooting them straight. Both have said that they feel it's a main reason why players like and respect them. They have also both said how they are trying to get a new team to respect and trust them. Telling their best player one thing and turning around and doing the opposite days/weeks later wouldn't be a very good way to get players to trust you and buy in to what you're trying to accomplish. I felt like McDermott kind of closed the door on the Shady rumors today when he said that the team wasn't in a position to even look at trading him. Now could that position change by the trade deadline (if the Bills are terrible) or by next season? Sure. But I would be pretty shocked if they traded McCoy any time soon. For now I am going to choose to believe McDermott, Beane and Shady over some dude speculating in Twitter who started all these rumors... the only way I see McCoy getting traded anytime soon is if he requests/demands a trade himself, and by his comments today I don't think that's something he's considering.

That was a good read. Givrd some perspective on where his mind is at. I respect that once he felt that football was not 100% his main passion and primary focus anymore, he chose to walk away from it and pursue what he sees as his new calling in life. I can respect that. I wish him all the best and hope he is able to make a difference. I also respect that he chose to retire instead of just taking the Bills money for a season while not being fully committed.

Damn you're quick man! I was just going to post this myself. lol Both Beane and McDermott have said that they pride themselves on being honest with the players and shooting them straight. If they both said directly to Shady that trading him is not something they are considering, I believe them.

Nice. I already bookmarked the page. They seem to have a pretty decent lineup of writers. I'm definitely interested to see what type of content they put out.

I just posted about this in another McCoy speculation thread. McDermott couldn't have been any clearer on this IMO. Hopefully that'll put all this unfounded speculation to rest. There's no way they can trade Shady and still try to say they are competing this season.

The press asked McDermott today if there was any chance Lesean McCoy could be traded. He said point blank, NO. Twice. So hopefully that puts it to rest...

Thanks man. I know tend to post some long winded stuff, so I wasn't sure anyone actually took the time to read it. lol There's definitely been a paradigm shift, as you so elegantly put it. It's clear to see. And yeah they've definitely been unhealthy for a long time now (I loved that quote of McDermott's btw). Changes were definitely necessary. So far from what I can tell, everyone in the organization seems to be on the same page and that's a great step in the right direction. I really want to see what it looks like to see a coach/GM get the time to actually execute their plan/vision. That's something we haven't seen in a long time either. I want to see some continuity for a change. Bad teams stay bad by constantly changing coaches and visions. Things don't happen overnight. It took McDermott until year 3 in Carolina to get that defense really playing at an elite level.

I hadn't seen this posted (sorry if it was, I searched and didn't see it). Just more evidence (IMO) of the Pegula's commitment to Buffalo. What they have done for Buffalo in their short time owning the Sabres and Bills has been amazing. Sometimes to this day I still feel like it's some dream I had that the Sabres and Bills had some billionaire Buffalo sports fan buy them both, open up the check book and just continue to pour money into the teams and western NY in general. Who ever thought that Buffalo would be competing with some of the big boy's in team spending? Stuff like paying top dollar for coaches, GM's, scouting & personnel staffs, sending private jets to help recruit players, pouring money into resources for the players & development (etc)). I never thought that would happen... I used to be jealous of the teams that could do stuff like that, and now we're one of them. Thanks again Terry and Kim! Anyway... Here's the story - http://wivb.com/2017/08/21/pegula-sports-and-entertainment-acquires-adpro-sports/ BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Pegula Sports and Entertainment has acquired a majority interest in Buffalo-based ADPRO Sports, one of the largest Nike Team dealers in the U.S. Terry and Kim Pegula announced the addition to PSE Monday. Kim Pegula said in a statement Monday that the goal of the acquisition is to expand ADPROs national presence and notably increase its Western New York workforce. Terry and I have identified potential for significant national growth with ADPRO and see it as a tremendous asset for Buffalo, which makes it a perfect fit as our next investment in the area, Kim Pegula said.

Great news. They need him in the lineup badly. I hope to see him getting the ball a lot this season. I think he could be a good fit for Dennison's offense. How great would it be if he had a better season than Sammy? It'd be like a cherry on the top of that 2nd round pick! lol (I don't see it happening if Sammy's healthy and gets the ball, but it would be sweet if it did!)

That's fair. I can see why people like Kizer for sure, and in the 2nd he would have been a decent gamble to take. I'm pretty high on Zay Jones myself, so I am happy with that pick. Definitely interested to see what Kizer turns into though.