BuffaloWings

How much are you paying for your cable right now? It's probably close to $100/month, correct? If so, why are you screaming about $2? I understand your argument about Adelphia, but how can you gripe that losing the NFL Network is TW's fault when NFLN is trying to force TW to put their network on the basic package? TW would then have a lot of PO'd customers who don't want their fees increased for a channel they don't care about. You & I want this channel, but we're in the minority. The NFL Network isn't worth putting on a basic package for all-year viewing. The NFL is the one that is to blame right now - it's arguably the most popular sport in the country and they decided to put 8 exclusive games on their own network, which didn't happen to be carried on some of the largest cable providers in the country, forcing said providers to pay up for the rights to carry the network. You tell me where the greed is. What you're paying for is a package, not a channel. The package (if it's the same in WNY as it is in the Albany area) includes about 9 different channels. If you don't like those channels, then cancel your Sports Tier and get your $2 back. If you're that upset with TW and REALLY need to see every football game, then go out today and get a dish.

I understand the debate/controversy, but I was confused by the statement MDH made earlier regarding the message on the screen immediately before last night's game started: "if you are watching the NFL network in the US your cable provider has chosen to show any NFL primetime games to its subscribers. You will not be able to see any of the 8 primetime games..." This says to me that *ALL* of the US cable subscribers have decided NOT to show the game on NFL Network - which I know isn't true. But it sounded as if the cable providers decided not to broadcast their games....I'd like some clarification on what that statement means. Nevertheless, I'm with the cable companies on this one - I don't see why NFLN should "force" a provider to put their network on a basic cable package. If the NFL is worried about getting the games to the entire country, they wouldn't have put these games on their own (relatively inaccessible) network.

Are you saying that the game isn't being shown through the cable providers that actually carry the network?!?!??!? So....in order to watch the game, one MUST have a dish? I hope I'm interpreting that incorrectly.

I thought things were looking up when the Sunday Ticket deal was up and cable companies were trying to get in on it....then the NFL re-signed the deal with DirectTV. I agree with JimBob...I don't see why the cable companies *must* put it on their basic/standard package, especially for what - 6 regular season games out of the 512 that exist during the year? This clearly smacks of favoritism by the NFL. They're putting their own network in the mix to carry the games against the likes of NBC, CBS, Fox, and ESPN. Isn't there some anti-trust law against that?

It doesn't, but neither does half of the other "news" stories that are out there. The media is turning professional sports into a soap opera....

I don't see how the blue-on-blue is that bad. The "white" jersey is God-awful ugly. And some of those in that list aren't bad at all, either. Denver's jerseys are ugly?!??!?

The thing with the TEs is a catch-22....they stay in to block because the OL is so bad, which translates to fewer available receivers, which translates to a worse offense. This is also why the Bills red zone percentage is pathetic. Do the coaches need to trust the OL enough to put the TEs into the pattern? I think so...and it seems that someone like Royal should be an effective receiver. Maybe this is the next step of the offense's progression....

You hit the nail on the head....I liked Salisbury when he started at ESPN. It seemed like he just said what was on his mind and didn't give a crap about what anyone thought of it. Clearly, that was the goal and he's now conformed to drink the kool-aid.

Let's not all get to giddy over this win. The Texans aren't exactly lighting up the NFL these days and just because they swept Jacksonville (who has been extremely inconsistent all year) doesn't mean the Bills will take to the Jags easily. Jacksonville will just plain beat you up on defense....just watch tonight and see if you have the same opinion tomorrow. That said, the overall play yesterday seemed to be a decent sign that *maybe* good things are ahead for the Bills. How much do we attribute that to the OL playing better or to JP adjusting and moving around more? I can't say for sure, but it's good that the players have some confidence going into next week.

I wouldn't be totally opposed to seeing Willis go, as long as Marv gets something in return. Anthony Thomas (to me) is solid enough and probably a harder runner than Willis...i.e., he can take the hits and keep running, where Willis seems to get knocked down after the first hit more often than we'd expect. I never expected Willis to stay in Buffalo for more than his contract dictated. I say get something for Willis, give Thomas a shot next year, then draft a late-round RB.

I've been saying it for a while now...Jake Long would be the right guy. Unfortunately, he may be a top 10 pick if he comes out early and the Bills may very well not be in the top 10.

Yes, it's one win...but it was over a 3-6 Texans team that's about as good as the Bills are. Not trying to be sarcastic or anything, but the playoffs should not be on anyone's mind right now. That said, if the Bills hang on at Foxboro AND Lindell makes that FG last week, we're 6-4 and in the running....despite how bad the team has looked at times. And who knows - maybe the re-vamped OL starts clicking, maybe JP starts making some plays with his legs, and maybe the defense starts making more stops...all of which lead to winning a few more games and making things interesting. If nothing else, I'd like to see these guys get their confidence and start playing with some attitude. Maybe that leads to a few wins and carries over into next year. I just don't see much of that happening to lead them into the playoffs.

Very sad....Bo was the first image I had of Michigan football and is almost always the first thing that comes to mind when the Wolverines are mentioned. RIP, Bo.

There seems to be quite a difference between all of them....as high as 20, as low as 27, and a couple right in between. I guess the "experts" are as confused as we are, outside of the fact that there are at least 19 better teams in the NFL.

I voted for Joe Thomas, but the guy they should get is Jake Long.

Because we need something...anything. If we're getting spanked all over the field, at least we could look professional. Right now, the jerseys make the Bills look like a bad USFL team.

Chill out....Marv has only had one draft. TD's biggest problem wasn't that he ignored the OL - he just signed mediocre linemen and assumed McNally would work his magic and make the line great. Seems obvious now that he needed to get linemen with *some* talent.

I think Robinson is missing the boat here.... Evans and Price aren't tearing it up because the OL can't pass protect long enough for JP to get them the ball. I can see it if the WRs were dropping the balls or not running the right routes or something similar. The Bills passing game is anemic because of the OL....not because of the WRs and TEs. Jake Long - that's all we need to start with.

If you're referring to the 1993 Wild Card game against Houston (THE Comeback Game), then Kelly didn't play at all - he got hurt the week before (in Houston). Frank Reich started and played all 60 minutes.

I see your point, but it doesn't matter if it's in Week 1 or the AFC Championship. A missed FG by a Bills kicker (especially those sailing to the far right) will *always* get slammed.

I said this in another thread, but I think it's worth repeating here: Go back to the game plan from the beginning of the season and make the offense less predictable....take some chances by throwing the ball, use the TEs and RBs more as receivers (not a lot, but slowly work them in the patterns), and give the opposition something to think about. As long as JP knows he'll be taking some lumps, I see no problems with this. Yeah, his confidence may take a hit (or maybe not), but this is the only way to see if the rebuilt OL can get any better and if JP can really use his mobility to the team's advantage. Not to mention, we have nothing to lose at this point.

At my local bowling alley on Sunday, I watched the highlight of Lindell's miss and overheard some yutz behind me say "Well, Bills fans should be used to missing field goals." Wearing a Bills t-shirt, I turned around and gave him one of the more disgusted looks I ever gave to anyone. Let's face it....we're going to be living with this until the Bills win the big one.

I think this is the biggest issue right here - the OL needs some time to get in sync and see if they can work. The problem is a catch-22....if the coaches keep calling running plays 90% of the time, how is the line supposed to figure out the pass protection? I say go back to the game plan from the beginning of the season and make the offense less predictable....take some chances by throwing the ball, use the TEs and RBs more as receivers (not a lot, but slowly work them in the patterns), and give the opposition something to think about. As long as JP knows he'll be taking some lumps, I see no problems with this. Yeah, his confidence may take a hit (or maybe not), but this is the only way to see if the rebuilt OL can get any better.

And it's not like he created the success...he just happened to be DC under Marv when Marv retired as coach and seemed to be the logical successor. Wade was overlooked for the first year or so when Flutie was the talk of the town, but then became the focus during the QB controversy. If Wade stuck around as DC under someone else, he would have been better off.

I'm not afraid of that and I think they should play Nall.....soon. I gave up on JP after the Pats game. While the OL continues to struggle, JP is *still* making the same mistakes that rookie QBs make. I don't care how many games he has played, he's in his 3rd NFL season and he should know by now that the same rookie mistakes over & over are unacceptable. If the coaches are continually calling for running plays on 3rd & long, it's a sign they've given up on Losman (to me, at least). They had a chance to beat the undefeated Colts on the road and they can't trust their QB to make a 3rd down completion? Let's play Nall - we know what Holcomb has in him, so there's no point in starting him. As somone said, we have 7 games to audition people for 2007....let's do it now.