Tasker

Yeah, I don't see any of these cuts happening, and don't think any would necessarily be improvements. I wouldn't mind seeing Villarial or Vincent lose their starting spots through strong play by their challengers, and I'm already happy to see Holcomb having lost his starting spot. But we are not a better football team without these guys, especially from a depth perspective. I'm all for Ko taking over at some point, and I see Villarial's flaws, but I don't think personnel or contract reasons have any of these cuts make sense (possible exception of Holcomb if he drops behind Nall).

Of course. I don't think we should be favored and I don't think you should put money you can't afford to lose on the game (but this last part is true for most games), but I expect the Bills to go in and pull of a surprise by playing a quality game against a team that isn't perfect. Holcomb was one play away from beating them last year, and I think this team is better and theirs is worse. For the original post, yes, ESPN will talk about us if we beat the Patriots, but I would prefer they didn't, and who cares really. I don't mind being under the radar with the national media until we prove something consistently over a number of weeks. It's not like they are going to change the MNF schedule and put us in, so I'm not really after hearing Michael Irvin say "Lee Evans is the man!" right before week 2 kicks off.

Also regardless of how you get there, if after 29 carries your team is in a position to run the ball, and your coaching staff has enough confidence that you are the right choice to give you the ball a 30th time, chances are you are doing something right. Guys, get on the Willis bandwagon now while there is lots of room. The guy can play and is going to have a monster year. I just hope we give him lots of 30 carry games.

Reed is bad. I don't know any other way to put it. He drops balls that should be caught. That is why I think Price can be so important to our team, and I hope he surprises lots of people and has a big year. That's also why if anything comes of this absense as a negative, it is a bad thing for the Buffalo Bills. I hope Aiken can become a great receiver, but Price/Reed/Davis are not interchangable, and Price is our best chance to get production out of the #2 receiver (with Roscoe in the slot).

Yeah, I'm with the group that thinks that any disappointing end for Price is a bad thing. While he might not have been a great signing, out of Aiken (who I really like for the future), Davis, Reed, and the others we have, he has the best proven success and the best upside. He is far from a sure thing, but I hope this turns into nothing and everything goes right for him, because I'd love to have the Price of old opposite Evans with Roscoe in the slot.

Leinart: "Hey, what's the deal? Why isn't everyone on my team better than everyone on the opposing team like in college? This is way harder! I guess I should have gone to 1 NFL game in my life to realize the difference. I'm glad I got the guaranteed money, because I'm not going to get any of my incentives and escalators. Maybe I'll just coast and retire off of this contract so I can make more party appearances." Who knows how he will really be, but I am very glad we didn't take him. There have been much more talented busts, but also less talented successes. I think Cutler will be good, but I think JP will be good too. What I'm really hoping is that Whitner and JP are both really good, and all this second guessing goes away.

Yeah. I picked my name out of great respect for him as a player before every hearing him announce. Definitely not good at his second career. But boy did he make some plays when he had a helmet instead of a headset. Slightly off topic, I've been very impressed with Marshall Faulk as an analyst so far.

The Bills D is better than people give it credit for, much like expectations were too high for it last year. Climb aboard the roller coaster of expectations. And other than Fletcher at 31 (two years younger than Bruschi and a thousand years younger than Seau), and Vincent (until Ko takes his spot) this is a very young defense. So this unit is likely to continue to get better. I don't like the term "rebuilding", since we haven't had success to copy in the last couple years, but I think this year's team is a definite "building" team which can be better than expected this year, and lay the foundation for some big winning in the next couple years. The big question is JP getting consistent, so we can put our QB worries aside and focus on improving other pieces of our team (O-Line) next offseasons. I like this offseason, and I like what Marv is doing.

JP is our starter, and any decisions on playing time in the next two preseason games need to be based 100% on what will be best for JP. No question in my mind, playing is best for JP, so Nall can move ahead of Holcomb on the mopup chart, but starting him would be rediculous. Sorry about the injury, but it cost him a shot at winning the job outright, and we can't afford to have a QB shuffle anymore. JP gets 16 starts and we take it from there next winter. Nall can and should move ahead of Holcomb as the #2.

I haven't seen the play, because I have to wait for NFL network to fit us in sometime in May of 2009, but I agree with your sentiment here. I am one of the biggest JP boosters out there, but he doesn't need to be handled with kid gloves and put on a pedestal just because we don't want Holcomb to start and we have faith. The INT and two fumbles were three plays he accepts responsibility for, and should do his best to learn to avoid. We don't have to justify each one for him. We can just say "bad decision" or "bad throw" without adding "but the line broke down, the receiver ran the wrong route, and Holcomb wouldn't have made the play either". Mularkey is gone and JP will start 16 times, so we can call a lump a lump and stick with him as he takes his lumps, and hopefully develops this year into a solid NFL QB. But just think how nice it would be to have JP as a very good (if not great) QB for the next 10 years? Think of how nice that potential is, and understand through his mistakes this year that the QB position has varying learning phases, and we aren't a "win now at all costs" team. JP may or may not be that guy, but we don't have a more likely alternative this year, so taking that chance all season long with a lot of hope, but also realistic appraisals seems like the best thing.

I think that WR is the only position that we haven't necessarily improved on from last year. But that said, Roscoe and Aiken could join with Lee to prove a talented threesome. That's assuming we get nothing from Reed or Price, neither of which I'm excited about, but both of whom could contribute. Having Holcomb's arm holding a clipboard, and having Willis and our TEs catch some balls, and I think we can have a very successful passing game if JP continues to mature. JP has helped Lee look like a #1 receiver on many occasions (KC and MIA last year, plus Saturday's game), and I think that the rest of the guys have the potential. So while agreeing that WR is the one position that might not have improved, I don't think it will be our weak spot, and I still get more worried about our O-Line.

I'll take the over on that bet. This team was 5-11 last year, had everything go wrong that could and an inept coach, lost the key to our D early, and was still two plays away from 7-9. Miami game 4th and goal TD to end the game, Jet's game pick a play. If you want to add a little more, both the Carolina game and the first NE game were both one unspecified big play away from being wins, which would make us four plays away from 9-7. I don't want to get carried away because the same could be said about a couple of our wins, but the idea is that for as bad as things went, we were a couple of lucky bounces away from a more respectable record. With that said, I think that every aspect of this team has improved other than potentially WR where losing Sir Eric hasn't been proven to be compensated by Roscoe and Price. A lot can happen in football, and you could be right, but I don't think smart money has this team not improving on last seasons record. I don't mind playing with low national expectations, but I hate to see gunshy scared Bills fans not wanting their heart broken so acting like we are going to get the #1 pick next year. I say 8-8 with a decent shot at exceeding that if things bounce our way.

Yeah, I don't think that Leinart or Cutler should be ranked ahead of JP yet, or ahead of Tim Couch or Ryan Leaf or Akili Smith. Being a successful NFL quarterback is not cut and dry. I like JP's talent, and if I had to personally pick it I think it will be Cutler, than JP right behind him, then Leinart well behind. But an important difference is that we already have JP. So do you think that Cutler (or Leinart) is better for a team than JP + Whitner? I don't think either Cutler or Leinart is clearly enough better than JP to warrant giving up a Whitner like player. Things may be proven different in hindsight, but I think at the time of the pick, JP + Whitner is better for the future of the team than JP + Cutler or Leinart (with JP benched or cut). If JP does not progress into a solid young QB this season then we might need to consider other options next off season. But right now the jury is out (thanks to Mularkey), and I think JP could easily end up better than Cutler or Leinart.

That is a crucial error for some young quarterbacks, but it is the kind of thing he can learn. He has shown a great job of analyzing his games and acknowledging his mistakes. I don't think this is just the case of 5-second Bledsoe not finding a receiver and still looking, but instead something JP can get with more experience. Especially since he can run, he can find the balance of looking for a receiver, scrambling, or getting rid of it. I'm interested in seeing how the two fumble-sacks developed and whether it was poor decision making or just a poor grip and bad protection.

And a nine yard gain on 3rd and 13 rather than risk an INT 14 yards or more downfield.

Willis good. Preseason is not a time for incumbent backs to shine, although I wouldn't have minded seeing some better runs. 8 for 27 without the big run isn't what I'd like to see, but I'm not worried. From around the league this week: Jamal Lewis 9 for 27yds Tiki Barber 5 for 22yds Larry Johnson 4 for 8yds Tomlinson 0 for 0yds I was pleased with the long run from Willis, which is a good sign. Other than that preseason isn't about 100 yard games.

I have to wait until tomorrow to see the game, but I don't really see our D getting shredded from the play by play in the first half (second half is good to see individual performance, but no reflection of our team D). 1st series two Chad Johnson completions then a stand. 2nd series 3 and out with a sack 3rd series 3 and out 4th series allowed a sustained drive for a touchdown. 5th series 3 and out 6th series 2 penalties for a 1st and goal from the 1, then three stops for a FG 7th series from Bills 12, three and out FG One drive out of 7 for a TD, 5 out of 7 no first downs. Not bad for a unit still playing without TKO. I'll look for individual plays with Tivo tomorrow, but doesn't quite seem shredded. 4 key turnovers really hurt, but those were on our offense, not our defense.

Four really bad plays when you hear about them, the two JP fumbles, the Willis fumble, and the JP INT, but until I see them I won't know if they are alarming, or just bad plays. The rest of the first half was impressive. Pre season isn't about putting it all together and getting everything right, and playing mistake free. It is about coming together, showing progress, and getting ready for Sept 10th. We can't take away those four plays or the big impact they have on this game, but after you admit them and look beyond, there was some pretty impressive stuff between JP, Willis, and Lee. I look forward to seeing this team continue to progress, learn to cut out the mistakes, and hopefully have a surprising season.

If JP lights it up, I think we don't care very much about Nall and Holcomb, and would do exclusively what is better for JP. Since the starters are going to be playing most of the first half, and he didn't get any reps with the starters last week, I would think that 2nd quarter reps with the starters against another team's first unit is the best thing for JP. Much less important and better left to second half snaps and practice is finding out who get's the clipboard and who gets the water between Nall and KH.

Willis is a stud and will have a huge year. Our O-Line is not great, but it is better. Blocking tight ends are better. Our passing game will definitely be better. Our D is better and will keep us in more running situations. Play calling and coaching relationship/motiviation will be much better. Willis is in better shape, focused, and ready to roll.

Obviously way too soon to tell, but this draft has a very solid look to it, not so flashy, but likely to yield good football players who contribute to the team. Looking back at some of the other mentioned drafts is pretty sad. If we can get a couple very solid drafts in a row, hopefully with a lower draft position every year, we can lay the foundation for an eventual #32 overall pick, which is what we are all after in the end.

McCargo will be fine. Also, people have to pay attention to the details of the defensive scheme planned. The rotation of players at DL been mentioned over and over, so that every play can be at 100% effort. I think having Williams exceed expectations doesn't affect the value of McCargo at all. I'm excited to see these guys rotate through. I think our defense is going to surprise a lot of people. Add Spikes back in and get Whitner up to speed, the potentially Ko for Troy if he can earn it, and that's a very talented unit with very few weak spots.

Yeah, I'm not up on Villarial either. I haven't seen enough from Preston or Gibson to know if either of them would be better this year, but I can't see them being much worse. I would love to see one of them step up, because Villarial has been shaky at best, and isn't getting any better. The rest of the line has a lot more potential, and a surprise at RT could really help the unit perform better.

Obviously how good Dante and McCargo are will have a lot to do with this class, but I think it was a very good draft. Ko and Ashton are great picks, and everyone is on the Kyle bandwagon. Kind of interesting how it has taken the attention off of Dante and McCargo, both of whom I think will be excellent players.

You play the game on the field, so we have to see what 16 Sundays hold for us one at a time, but I think this team is stronger than last year in many ways. I don't mind the low expectations nationally, but I do hope that the team and fans believe in the Bills one game at a time. The goal is to win a Super Bowl, and that is not very likely this year (understatement), so this should be a building year (not "rebuilding) where we work on laying the foundation of a Super Bowl champ and try to get these guys a bigger taste of winning. Things can turn around fast in the NFL as we have seen so many times, so I look for this year to exceed many of the low expectations. We haven't fixed everything, but we have started moving in the right direction.