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merlin

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Posts posted by merlin

  1. Since it was much easier to retain players back then, the rosters for '64 and '65 were pretty similar. Statistically the '64 team was better and they lost only two games all season, while the '65 team lost 3 and tied one. Both teams featured a dominant defense and that was what distinguished these teams from the rest of the pack. I was only 10 in '64, but I still remember watching those games. Back then there was no cable and we got the Bills games from the AFL and mostly the Browns games from the NFL. Both great teams and lots of fun to watch.

     

    Agreed ... except for Cookie Gilchrist, who was on the '64 squad, but I think was traded to Denver by the start of the '65 season ("Ralph was cheap!" ;-) ). For that reason, I'd have to give the edge to the '64 team. But the defense was pretty much the same both years, and that was the Bills' identity for 2 championship teams.

  2. Didn't see this posted/linked anywhere on this site yet. Very detailed and interesting matchup analysis for the game on Sunday .... author feels that the Vikes D-line should be able to take advantage of what is thought to be a very weak Bills O-line. Of course, he also points out how dominating the Bills D-line looks compared to the Vikes O-line. The only other big "mis-match" looks to be Cordarrelle Patterson against McKelvin ... but I doubt the Bills leave Leodis out there by himself.

     

    Daily Norseman Matchup Index - Bills vs Vikes

  3. Moved to Indianapolis in 1977, so was here when the Colts moved out from Baltimore. Pretty much ignored them in the early years, and continued to focus on the Bills. Of course, that was a no-brainer during the "glory years" in the early 90's. It was hard not to start paying more attention to the Colts after they drafted Manning, and became "relevant". In fact, now that Manning is in Denver, I find myself paying more attention to the Broncos (although Luck is easy to root for, too). But I still am a "Bills' fan first-and-foremost" ... until they are "mathematically eliminated" from play-off contention ..... ;-(

     

    GO BILLS!

  4. Maybe he should adopt a pre-game warm-up ritual like Peyton Manning, who is on the field 2-3 hours before even any fans are allowed in the stadium, and runs the complete "route tree" with each of his receivers. So by the time the game actually starts, he's already thrown more passes than he typically would in an entire quarter. Sure seems to work for him! ;-)

     

    GO BILLS!

  5. Assuming this is a "first offense", I don't think it changes anything. If this is a second offense, meaning an automatic 4-game suspension, that might make a difference in who they look at in rounds 2 and 3, but even that probably doesn't affect what they do in the round 1.

  6. By some accounts, part of his refusal to "fire" the previous coordinators (Callahan in particular) is simply to prevent other teams from hiring them. Cleveland has been refused permission to speak with Callahan about their OC opening. Speculation is that sometime after the current "coaching carousel" comes to a stop (all openings are filled), JJ will let the "extras" go.

  7. Today's TMQ columnhas this to say about the Bills:

     

     

    Sour Play of the Week: A week ago, Bills coaches staged the Single Worst Play of the Season So Far: Facing third-and-goal on the Kansas City 1, with a fourth-stringer at quarterback but a top-rated running attack, Buffalo coaches called a pass that was intercepted and returned the length of the field for a touchdown.

     

    Now it's Buffalo at Pittsburgh, Bills again facing third-and-goal on the 1. This time the quarterback is oft-injured E.J. Manuel, who hadn't played in a month. Rather than run and run again if unsuccessful, Bills coaches called a pass, incomplete, then sent in the field goal unit. The coaches' saying is: Sometimes it's OK to make a mistake; it's never OK to repeat a mistake.

     

    Just to prove it was no fluke, trailing 17-3 in the fourth quarter, fourth-and-5 on the Pittsburgh 36, Bills coach Doug Marrone sent in the punt unit. Punting in opposition territory down two touchdowns in the fourth quarter! Perhaps there is a reason the Bills have eight consecutive losing seasons and are working on the ninth. It took Pittsburgh just four snaps to pass the spot where the ball would have been had Buffalo gone and failed. Bills coaches followed the Single Worst Play of the Season So Far with the worst Preposterous Punt of 2013.

  8. Jim Kelly was interviewed on Mike & Mike this morning.

     

    Highlights:

     

    1. His health (jaw cancer) is good.

    2. He talks/texts to EJ Manuel fairly often.

    3. Compared the players surrounding EJ (Spiller, Eric Wood, Stevie J) with what he had (Thurman, Hull, Andre), and also the fact that the Bills are running a similar up-temp offense to what he did.

    4. Thinks EJ has both the physical and mental abilities to be a great NFL QB. Main focus has to be on keeping him healthy by limiting the times he has to run out of the pocket, teaching him to slide or get out of bounds.

    5. Had a meeting with Congressional leaders in Washington yesterday to promote newborn screening testing.

  9. In fairness, Searcy has sucked all preseason so I think reasonable people never doubted that Byrd's addition would help.

     

    However I'm a bit concerned by the cornerback play. Quite a bit of it can be attributed to the return of rusty vets, McKelvin and Rogers.

     

    Both of those guys have been exploited quite a bit.

     

    And wasn't Gilmore the one covering Garcon on their 1st TD?

  10. http://espn.go.com/n...-tougher-safety

     

    ...The Bills have suffered under a succession of bland head coaches and time-server front-office types such as Bumbling Buddy Nix, who seemed perfectly content to lose. Bumbling Buddy squandered the third overall choice of the 2011 draft on Marcell Dareus, a journeyman; the next four gentlemen selected were A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones and Aldon Smith, all Pro Bowlers. Nix wasted the second choice of the 2011 second round on Aaron Williams, a journeyman; the next two players selected were Pro Bowler Andy Dalton and Super Bowl star Colin Kaepernick. Just to prove it was no fluke, Nix used Buffalo's third-round pick of 2011 for linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, passing on the better-regarded linebacker Martez Wilson. Sheppard is
    , as The Eagles would say. In another draft, Nix threw a second-round choice out the window on Torell Troup, who has two career starts; the next person selected was Pro Bowler Rob Gronkowski, who's even from Buffalo. Every NFL general manager makes a dumb pick now and then. Bumbling Buddy seemed actively to avoid the blue-chip prospects.....
  11. The old AFC Houston Oilers had a QB who also served as their punter (Dan Pastorini). Also, QB George Blanda of the Oakland Raiders used to kick FG's as well.

     

    There are a number of punters who have served as "kick-off specialists" as well - currently, Pat Macafee of the Colts handles both those duties - but they still employ a FG specialist as well.

  12. When I was a kid, I think it was 4th grade or so, Monte Ledbetter of the Bills came to our school to do a talk/program on the importance of physical fitness. He signed autographs for all of us, and hung out with us for most of the day. I was pretty impressed, even though I didn't know much about football, or the Bills players at the time. Even years later when I found out he never really was a "star" with the Bills, his willingness to spend time with a bunch of elementary school kids impressed me.

  13. Cliff Avril - DE/OLB - Detroit lions

     

    Brandon Albert - OT - Kansas City

    (UPDATE: KC put the franchise tag on Brandon Albert - he's off the market)

     

    Cary Williams - CB - Baltimore

    Louis Vasquez - G - San Diego

    Paul Kruger - OLB - Baltimore

     

    I know they can't go after all these guys, but I'd be happy if one or two of them had a buffalo on their helmets next season.

     

    Then they can use the draft for QB, WR, TE, and probably S .

     

    GO BILLS!

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