Bob in STL

Thanks SJBF. Injuries happen to all teams. Overcomming injuries requires depth and leadership, and I will even throw in a bit of luck too. Nix said it himself back in the first month. He stated that we went into the season very thin (depthwise). Given that Nix knows that I already, we can assume that his management is making him operate far below the salary cap. I am not an advocate to spend foolishly on other teams retreads but I think most people would agree that there were players out there that could have helped us AND we could still be developing our young while. It will be interesting to see how Demetrius Bell is handled. Our last two starting LTs (Peters and Bell) were both low priced acquisitions that we developed ourselves, as is Hairston right now. Last year they were willing to offer big money for a right tackle. Will they look to free agency again or will they offer Bell a decent raise? Will they hand the job to Hairston or will they sign Bell and have a legitimate competion between them? Will they draft a LT in round 1 when the most pressing need appears to be a pass rusher?

My experience says you just never know which ones are amazing. Do not discount the quieter polite ones either.

It is not so much Hangartner the player that irks me. It is the approach. I know Hangartner is not very good and I am not asking for four deep. Our backup OL had almost no experience across the board. Rhinehart is a decent backup but cannot play center. There was no proven center on the roster aftger Wood (and he is a first year NFL center coming off of a major injury), not one guy that consistently snapped the ball in college or in practice. There was no NFL game experience for the backup OTs. Sounds like a bad recipe to me? Hairston is better than Wrotto and Howard. Good news for us. What would those games have been like if it did not work out that way? Hairston bailed Nix out. So far we squeaked through the year on OL. I suspect the Bills will let Bell walk in the off season. Lets see what moves Buddy will make. I will be watching.

Good point. My bad. I am irritated at Nix and the entire FO for this glacier-like approach to rebuilding. Yes, We would have won more with less injuries. No doubt.

No experienced veteran depth on the OL, at WR, or at OLB. Not to mention QB ans TE. Yes, I expect more. BTW -- At the start of the season Davis and Edwards were starters, not backups. That leaves three players on your list of experienced back ups. Pathetic, even for a perenially rebuilding team. Morrison is a vet backup, probabaly will not be around next season Scott has a roll on the team, no complaints. Spencer was a back up DE that is now starting at OLB .... that is a big problem. I do not expect ANY team to weather all the injuroies we had. I do expect better preparation by our front office to this team at a least a fighting chance. Explain not spending to cap to shore this up just a little bit?

I have been to about 12 pro football stadiums. If I had to generalize things I would say that Buffalo Bills fans would be the worst behaved of the bunch. I think your chances of running into a drunken person and having an issue is more likely at the Ralph than at most places. Not that I have been to every stadium, this is from my limited sample. I have been going to the Ralph since it opened. I went a lot with my friends back when I was in college (the Knox era) and I thought we were pretty wild back then. We were nothing like today. We did not subject our "good time" onto everyone around us. That said, I still go to the Ralph twice a year and have taken my sons with me many times while they were growing up. When my two sons were young (before high school) they would laugh at the profanity and crazy behavior. Now they are in college and they understand that Bills games at the Ralph are crazier than "normal". There is still a lot to love about going to a Bills game but when you go you need to be prepared. Buffalo fans have a reputation for being rowdy. My opinion is that Bills games are getting worse each year.

Her being a smoker is a turn off to me right there. With my asthma problems I cannot be around cigarettes for very long. Being outside I would not have said anytrhing about it though. Back to that girl. Her lack of sesitivity is a major problem, toss in the profanity, the hitting, her willingness to take advantage of the situation. Yes, what a lucky guy. NOT.

Great, anaother thread on hypotheticals that can never be proven. One clear fact is that Buddy Nix went into this season with no experienced, veteran depth. Curious decisions were made to not bring in more OLB help, to cut Jeff Hangartner, to trade Lee Evans. and to start the season with a rookie (Hairston) as the swing OT. Those decisions are on Buddy Nix. We are $20M under the salary cap - that decision is on Ralph, Overdorf, and Littman. Injuries are part of the game. Yes, we would be a better team if all of our starters were still in the he line up. Sorry, not gonna play "what if".

Completely imcompetent post is more like it. You actually think that Ralph was ever more knowledgeable and comptetent than Al Davis? Funny, I just don't recall Ralph coaching any football teams, or being a GM, or being the AFL league commisioner, or winning any superbowls for that matter. You respect Ralph for "being a well-deserved Hall of Famer" ... and this is how you treat people you respect. We know that Ralph is old. We know that Ralph relies heavily on his "inner circle" and that most of the time these men are not football men. Must we continue to post this hateful stuff about the old man?

Has to lived up to expectations? YES. He is a rookie playing with a bunch of bums on the front 7. Without Kyle and Merriman, Barnett is the only good player in the front 7 besides Dareus. How do you not like a rookie that can play ANY position on the line? A rookie that stood up in the locker room and tried to fire up the deadbeats on this team. I think Dareus will be a great player and a leader on this team.

Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Buress .... really? Quit whinning and check out the Jets lifetime record.

So how about those Chargers? Bills will win this week, 24 - 17, as CJ Spiller continues his breakout. Flame me if I am wrong but please remember that the statute of limitations on pro football game predictions is one week (unless followed by a bye week, then two weeks is allowed).

I quit reading him a long time ago. Not a real sports guy.

When did they move the red zone?

Please call "Ralp" and explain this to him.

1) Not geting calls --- no comment 2) Erik Pears is a backup - We need a real LT, then move Hairston to RT. Old news Bill. 3) Spiller - well, this was his best game so far. 4) Who are #83 and #85? - we don't need Lee Evans, remember? 5) The Bills should sign Urbik to a long term deal - The should and I suspect they will. 6) Davis Nelson - good number 3 slot man. Not a deep threat. 7) Sheppard - celebrated a tackle on the last defensive series like it was his first ever. I can't stand to watch some of this "fun". 8) "Now what's to be found, by racing around? You carry your pain wherever you go. Full of blues, and tryin' to lose. You ain't gonna learn what you don't wanna know." "So I give you my eyes, and all of their lies Please help them to learn as well as to see Capture a glance and make it a dance Of looking at you looking at me." 9) Did you see Fitz console the receiver who dropped his perfect pass - great if your a boy scout, would prefer he completed a few more long passes myself. 10) Great advice Bill 11) I have been just a bit loathe to jump on George Edwards. Those days are gone - Not sure of your use of the word "loathe" but I get it. 12) COURTNEY UPSHAW - him and a lot more. 13) Bills Fans are the best fans of any team in any sport. I am proud to be in this community. - me too 14) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - and Sabres too.

As long as your tossing out excuses for Fitz you might as well add that our WRs talent is mediocre and they lack speed. As BILLriant said, Fitz's arm strength and accuracy are not great. Average at best. He needs to make up for it with his smarts.

Sure fire Edwards. Who cares but I want to know what Wannstedt is doing to help this team? Wannstedt is an ASSISTANT HEAD COACH. That position is higher in the organization than a DC. What is going on at OBD?

The pitfalls of falling behind I guess? As bad as our defense is we need to run more. Too many passes being called in my opinion.

Agreed. While I am not happy with the teamn, or the season, blowing it up now solves nothing. Ever wonder why good GMs won't (or haven't) come here? How many changes have we made since John Butler left. We are on the fourth. That is a sad statistic in itself. So far not one change has been better than the previous.

While it is easier to be sarcastic, especially after a loss, it sure looked like his forward progress was stopped. A play here and a play there every week, in in every game, in the NFL. If you do not think that the referees "judgement" does not decide the outcome of several games each week then you are not watching.

Alex Spanos has been a horrible owner. Proactive yes. Good decision maker --- most of the time NO. As for AJ Smith, he would not return and we do not need him. I think we stay with Nix and giev him four years, then pass the reigns to Whaley. Too many changes already.

Yes... more big mean blockers and tacklers. Same story for over ten years. Change the culture on this team.

Keys? Yes I will find my key chain on my dresser, drive to my Sports Bar and watch the game with what is now a dwindling and frustrated collection of Bills Backers. I will probably see that we are undermanned in the trenches again. I think the Titans will run on our defense until we stack the run so heavily that it opens up the pass. With Freddy Jackson, Kyle Williams, Shawne Merriman, George Wilson and Eric Wood out of the line up I have my doubts about team leadership. Will this team start running for the bus or will they compete? This game will say a lot about the leadership and character on the team. It will say a lot about whether Chan has their attention as well. Will leaders emerge? That is the key to the game.

I would love 5-0 but I do not seee the spark in this team anymore. Injuries and lack of depth will be the story of the season. Last weeks game against the Jets looks to be the summary of the season. Not enough gas in the tank. No Freddie, no Kyle, no pass rush, limited blockers, few viable NFL targets. We need Buddy to be a proactive GM and fill some holes.