Bulldog

Yeah, I can't believe I didn't think of this guy first. Probably #1 on the list for a guy who basically stole money from the Bills - whatever he was paid, he earned very little of it.

We haven't had a "Punt Catcher" as good as Chris Watson since he left the team! I may not miss Chris Watson, who certainly belongs on any list of least favorite Bills - but I do miss Old Wade Phillips - he was a good head coach and a great defensive coordinator. Not to mention, he also had a few funny lines for us to cherish.

Aaron Maybin -- I guess it wasn't his fault that our organization was stupid enough to spend a first round draft pick on him -- but I still can't believe that we actually wasted such a premium pick on that guy! It made my blood pressure rise every time I saw him in a Bills uniform. He is at the very least in contention for the honor of being our worst draft pick ever & is my least favorite player of all time on the Bills.

Two items matter most to attract Free Agents: 1. Money ($$$$ -- lots of it). 2. in some cases, a chance to win a championship is what ultimately matters to top flight professional athletes. Any other perceived "problem" in attracting top talent can be overcome by increasing the amount of $ involved in item #1 or the perceived chance to achieve item #2. Other considerations are secondary in most cases.

It was, at the time of the beginning of the demise of printed news, an adjustment for many of us old timers who missed the printed news rag. However, even an old cranky guy like me ("get off my lawn") now does not even miss a printed Buffalo News or Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (or even the old "Times Union" for us Senior Citizens). The time for those old rags came & went. I might look at a Buffalo News article again - if there was no pay wall. Otherwise information that is just as good (or usually better) is readily available elsewhere. Many people are now all fired up about the impending NYS Ban on plastic bags at stores - "what will we line our trash cans with at home?". To this we will also adjust - used to wonder what my wife would line the bird cage with without the "paper". Guess what - the bird cage is still lined. Eventually we won't even miss the grocery store bags - just like we don't miss the Buffalo News.

No doubt you are correct - there was a huge concentration on the offense last year - especially in the Free Agent market. I see the draft & the free agent market as separate animals -- the free agent market needs to be used for filling specific positional needs - as it was properly used to flesh out our offensive line last year (in addition to signing a couple wide receivers). However, the draft must use the concept of taking the "best player available" at whatever multiple positions of need that the team has at the time. Excessive reaching for guys lower on your draft board leads to a higher risk of drafting "busts". For example - the Bills may head into the draft with priority needs at WR & Outside pass rush (pending FA signings) - in this case, if the best player on our board is a pass rushing DE - we must take him over a lower rated WR prospect (despite the huge outcry of those who might demand a WR, "no matter what"). Please Bills - do not reach for players in the draft - take the best football players available when we are at the podium.

Yes - that is funny. The time for experimentation with players trying positions that they have never played in the NFL before is called the "Off-Season". If the possibility of success with the experiment looks promising, then the experiment can extend into the "Pre-Season". If it then looks viable it can be implemented in the "Regular Season". The idea of skipping all the appropriate steps & implementing such a course of action in the "Playoffs" is charitably described as "funny" (crazy might be a better word). .

Expectation -- win the wild card game on Saturday in Houston - then lose in the divisional round. This team has at least a "chance" against any team - if the defense comes to play & Josh plays well. Hope -- go all the way & win the Super Bowl!

Yes stopping the Texan's running game will be vital. I would say that the key to the Bills winning this game is to win the battle on the line of scrimmage - on both sides of the ball. I know that this is nothing earth shattering, but with teams that are relatively evenly matched, unless there are an inordinate amount of turnovers for one side or devastating special teams mistakes , the game is usually won on the line of scrimmage.

My favorite play of the decade came on September 25, 2011 -- Bills & Patriots tied at 31-31 in the waning minutes - Bills had the ball at the Patriots 39 yard line - Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Fred Jackson with a pass over the middle & Fred burst down the field to the goal line. At first it was called a touchdown - then was reversed to a spot at the one yard line. We wound up kicking the game winning field goal as time expired. That catch & run by Jackson still brings a smile to my face - what a finish that was! All the better that it was a play that beat the Patriots* ....

All these vocal Duke Williams groupies are something else - I have no idea if Duke would light it up if the coaches give him the opportunity against the Texans - however, I do know that if I ever had half of the vocal supporters that Williams has, I might feel like I was member of the Beatles. Even so -- I would be thrilled if Duke had the winning touchdown catch in the game Saturday -- because all I care about is winning! Duke - if you get the chance, take advantage of it & deliver for us!

Although I do not agree that Yeldon is some kind of fumbling machine on the field - check out his stats, he is not a high frequency fumbler - I petty much agree with the rest of this post. We have had our best season in 20 years by playing great defense & playing conservatively on offense. I cannot imagine a good reason to break with what has worked for us so far this year. The team is not an explosive offense for a reason - this team is still being built, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully we can grow into a more explosive offense with another off season of building the roster. Moving a couple of practice squad guys to the active roster will not transform this offense in the 1991 Buffalo Bills offense. Concentrate on what we do well & execute it well -- that is the way to approach a playoff game. Reinventing the offense is an exercise for the off season, but is a potential recipe for disaster entering a playoff game .

I too am hesitant to write off the Pats* - I have bought into the "Pats* are done now" narrative before & been disappointed. Once again, however, the elements seem to be in place for an end to the Pats* dynasty. Lets hope it is for real this time. Now that would be an enjoyable start to the New Year!

Sorry - - typo - meant use an extra offensive lineman - instead of Lee Smith.

I have wondered all year why we didn't use an extra tight end in our "Big" package instead of Lee Smith - whose primary contribution has usually been untimely penalties.

Bring on the Texan's - given the other choices, I say this is a good matchup for us - there are no easy outs in the NFL Playoffs. Now about that divisional round match up - on the road, against a rested Ravens team -- well, we can hope for a surprising upset & at least be happy that we won a playoff game, for the first time in decades, to get there. It's going to be fun - can't wait to enjoy it!

No worries - if it is necessary we can always line up Patrick DiMarco out wide & send him deep - that is always an effective strategy for us. The Jets would never expect that ...

Just because he is "active" does not necessarily mean he will play -- I think now, given the inactives, Allen may not play at all. It's time for Barkley to shine - let him beat up the Jets again today.

So sad -- regardless of the circumstances, whether illness was involved or not, the most devastating thing that a parent could face in life. Prayers to the Family.

They are just resting their key guys in this meaningless game - it is a legitimate strategy. Also - it increases the probability of some additional camera views of Mrs. McCarron during the game -- that can't be a bad thing, can it?

Ideal situation, of course, is no injuries what so ever in this relatively meaningless game - even an injury to a depth player can be harmful with the limit on the number of players that can be active on game day. However - I can see some benefit for players such as Matt Barkley, Tommy Sweeney, or some of our younger defensive depth players to have a big role in a regular season win - a great confidence booster. You can never have enough competent depth in the NFL. Let's hope that the Barkley that blew out the Jets in the Meadowlands shows up again today - that would be fun. However. I will be holding my breath on any hit on one of our key starters.

Is that really Da'Mari Scott (#15) back there -- wow! I think I'll head right over there to get an autograph!

Let's be careful here - I like the way Shaq & Phillips are playing as much as everyone else -- however, let's not return to the days of salary cap jail. We cannot have a maximum salary player at every position. We just spent a #1 pick on a guy (Oliver) who plays essentially the same position as Phillips. Shaq has only shown this kind of production this year & we have contracts for Tre White, Josh Allen & other key players (Edmunds & Milano, etc.) looming in the near future. Tough decisions -- the attitude of "just sign everyone" will not cut it. I guess this is why GM's make the big bucks -- but I guess it is nice to have this issue, instead of the issue we have had for so many years where most of our players were clearly not worth re-signing.

I think that the WSJ considers this article to be funny. I can't imagine why - to me and almost everyone I know, the prospect of the Bills "Blowing up the Death Star" is vastly more compelling than anything emanating from the Swamp in Washington. This article is more accurate than funny, lol.

I'd like another shot at them too - would be awesome if it was in the AFC Championship Game - but more likely in the Divisional round. This year is the first year, sine the glory days of the early 1990's, that I feel that we could beat anyone if we play well - no matter what the other side brings to the field on a given day.