Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

I'm not sure I'd agree it's to save face as much as drafting another will stunt either or both of their growths. There aren't enough snaps in training camp and OTA's particularly in today's new off season schedule to develop. I recall one Sunday night game Chris C commenting how backup QB's get less than five snaps a week with the #1 offense. That's OK with a vet backup but not a rookie. So unless the Bill's feel there's someone they could draft that is clearly better than EJ, I doubt it would help either having a QB competition. You'll just slow down both. And before someone points out Cousins in Washington, lets see what happens if he gets traded to another team and does become the starter. Every team in the league could have a Hall of Fame QB if guys who looked great as backups then get traded/sign with another team play even half as well as they did as a backup! We could headline that list with Rob Johnson. A couple of more recent names that come to mind, Matt Flynn, Matt Schaub, Matt Casell (I think there's a pattern forming here) Kevin Kolb and likely am forgetting some others.

Kind of strange in that neither conference has the #1 seed locked up going into the final week, but on the other end usually there are more teams left in play for wild cards. In many other years a game like Philly vs Dallas might be for the division, but the loser still would have a shot at the wild card unless say a Detroit, Az,and Tampa all win, then base on tie breakers they are out. In this case two NFC games are win or go home, and other four NFC playoff teams are set, just jockeying for position. Kind of the same in AFC, three division winners are set, have one division where winners today determine division vs wild card and one wild card spot still up for grabs. So part of me would argue there's less intrigue this year as less teams still in play for a playoff spot, but the other side of it is within the teams left, nothing with the exception I believe Indy is the #4 seed regardless of what happens, all other positions and some teams are up for grabs. So would agree it is a rather strange last day different than most seasons.

I think Jeff Irland may be gone, then if a new GM comes in often he wants his own HC. It may be whomever takes GM job in Miami agrees to keep Philbin at least one more year as I think he's done a good enough job to not be fired. The problem is the talent brought in by the GM. If he does get fired, I'll predict one of the other teams looking for a new coach will sign him

For the first time in a long time I watched the game on an SD TV, whenever there was a punt, the punter would be off the screen, and couldn't see half the graphics in the bottom corners.

So when can the Bill's begin to negotiate with Byrd?? After Sunday? Begin of NFL year, around early March?? Other??

$300 for the Max is right at full price, but as has been mentioned, DTV is alot easier to negotiate with than cable. Not sure though with a gift subscription, may not be as easy. While I say they are easier, it also took me more than one call and probably over 1/2 hour on the phone. So can she get it cheaper, yes likely by threatening not to re-up, but probably will cost her over an hour of her time. Since she's not really the viewer, probably less likely she'd want to put in the effort to get the lower price. I will keep fighting with them because I read how others are getting better deals so I want it too. But if she's not seeing or hearing about the deals, then no reason for her to bother complaining.

I did do a double take thinking two players had on different colored helmets, but I thought they looked kind of cool.

Joe Buck made the comment at the end of the game, "This has got to be one of the worst all time losses ever by the Cowboys". My thought was it even the worst of this month??

So if it's not based on statistics then what does it have to do with? Do tell??

I recall years ago listening one time to a Bob Matthews show and he was ripping some team, think it was the Bill's for not going for the TD on 4th down from the 3 yard line instead they kicked a field goal. His argument was from the 3 yard line a team easily would have a half dozen or so plays they could call that have better than a 50/50 shot at scoring the TD. Well if from the 3 yard line a team had better than 50/50 of scoring a TD, no team out there would ever kick a PAT, they'd go for two every time and be well ahead.

LOL, Explain how exactly he's a baseball guy. Yes I'm aware he worked for the Red Wings and was it also the Florida Marlins. But I'd imagine by now he's spent more years in football than baseball. It's not like he played in the majors or minors, or even college baseball. Love him or hate him calling him a baseball guy is laughable but don't let facts get in the way of a good argument. And BTW I must be much more qualified to answer this question as you are as by your criteria you're talking to a newspaper guy here as my first job ever was delivering the newspaper.

Why was it all Brandon? Explain to me what evidence there is of that? Was Brandon a good GM, no but as president he's done fine. I've read comments on here that RB just hired his college buddy. Brandon went to Fisher, Marrone went to SU, but hey no reason to let facts get in the way of a good argument. Wasn't Whaley rumored to be in the running for one of the GM positions last Jan, (prior to when Buffalo named him GM) If what you're stating is true, wouldn't he at the least interviewed for some of these openings? The fact that he didn't tells me he's happy being the Buffalo GM and doubt he'd be happy if Brandon was over ruling him and really calling the shots. The comments here about how we missed on hiring Gus Bradley, he may turn out to be the better choice but looking at their bio's they both have very similar years in college, Bradley a few more, but at a smaller profile school, both were NFL position coaches and coordinators on opposite sides of the ball. Biggest difference between the two was Marrone was a college head coach for 4 years, took a morbid program and made it better than respectful. Hindsight is great, but even there, no way can argue that Bradley is a better choice based on body of work to date.

LOL. If you think that's the high road, you better find a better map.

Buddy has aged quite a bit, Not looking/sounding too well for 83 YO

The biggest problem was how much he alienated fan's, the press and others. As was mentioned no signs, his rants. Seems I recall initally he was fine but some incident happened that he took alot of heat for in the press and after that things went downhill. I seem to recall early on he even went out of his way to be well liked, had these off the record lunches with the press, he'd give his famious "stay tuned" quote and was very accessable the first couple of years. He was often seen around town, NCAA 1st round basketball at HSBC, Sabres games, etc. Around year 3 or 4 was went things went south in the area of "getting along" and communications.

CBS has the 4:25 game that week so none of the Dallas/Philly/NFC team games matter.

I'll be surprised if Hackett is let go and at least he has more of an excuse a first year guy. Wouldn't be shocked tosee ST go, though need to find someone better too.

I give up, who's the legend? The only legend I know of is Tebow

They were just mentioning in the Monday Night game officials earn between $150 to $200k per year. They could spend time training, however doing nothing for five months and getting paid $150k doesn't sound that bad for most people. They could sell lemonade and be fine. And for those would wouldn't be fine maybe they need a better occupation.

The NFL needs to go to full time officials. You're not going to get there in one year, I'd propose each year one position on the crew is converted to full time, starting with the referee position. It likely would take 7 or 8 years, but eventually they'd all be full time. I'd offer any existing officials first shot at going full time and give the msome type of incentive maybe five years of a promise not to dismiss. There's plenty of training film study etc they could do during the week. The NFL is becoming a year round sport anyway.

It's back on Direct TV

So did the entire country lose the feed? Suprosed they aren't runnign a crawler across the bottom explaining?

yes, right prior to commercial there were some issues with video so am guessing it went out??

I think this thread should be retitled to "The Bill's made a choice!"

If Mary Wilson inherits the team she certainly will pay every penny of all the taxes due. Let me get the calculator out, lets see OK, total taxes due; ZERO $$. I'm certain she does plan to pay that. Not gaming the system in any way, laws allow assets to be transferred upon death to spouse and all taxes are deferred. Granted the average person doesn't have a billion dollar asset laying around but the law's the law. Eventually the government will get their share and if the value keeps going up as I'm sure it will, the bill due will be even bigger. But nothing wrong with her saying hey I'm going to avoid this big tax bill now and keep the team in my name, let someone else run it and I'll just take a small amount out each year for my expenses. She could sell a small share off each year and just pay the taxes on the parts that's sold. She could even donate a small share of the team to a charity, who then could sell it and keep all the proceeds from the sale and MW avoids the taxes due on the portion she sold. Again imagine the NFL trying to stop that one. I don't pay taxes on the amount of money taken from my check each week that goes to United Way either and at the end of the year I do deduct the legit charitable contributions I make.