JDG

On the other hand, will the Jets, or any NFL team out of the playoff hunt for that matter, be starting all of the young players who have ridden the "inactive list" all season? JDG

This is where your narrative breaks down. 1) At no point has JP Losman ever played "really well" for a complete 60 minute football game. 2) JP Losman hasn't ever really shown signs of progress, in that his worst game as a pro was his last one (home vs. New England) and one of his two best games as a pro was his first one (home vs. Houston). JDG

Uh.... did you say Detroit? Best to strike that..... As for what's gone wrong - I think that completing less than 50% of his passes might have something to do with it..... JDG

I think that Parrish has shown some flashes. He looks very fast to me, and he definitely has some moves. I think that everone's disappointment with this year has created irrational expectations for what Parrish should have contributed this year coming off an injury, but I think that the signs of potential are all there.... Well, just for yucks, I decided to take a look at the 2nd-round draft performance of this year's class. David Baas - 12 games, 4 starts, Brodney Pool, DB - 12 games, 0 starts, 30 tackles Reggie Brown, WR - 15 games, 10 starts, 36 catches Barrett Ruud, LB - 15 games, 0 starts, 13 tackles Shaun Cody, DE - 15 games, 2 starts, 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks Stanford Routt, DB - 13 games, 2 starts, 22 tackles Mark Bradley, WR - 7 games, 4 starts, 18 catches Josh Bullocks, S - 15 games, 12 starts, 61 tackles Michael Roos, OT - 15 games, 15 starts Kevin Burnett, LB - 15 games, 0 starts, 17 tackles Corey Webster, DB - 14 games, 1 start, 32 tackles (10 in 1 start) JJ Arrington, RB Lofa Tatupu, LB - 15 games, 15 starts, 102 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 Int Matt Roth, DE - 15 games, 0 starts, 18 tackles Mike Nugent, PK Odell Thurman - 15 games, 14 starts, 92 tackles, 5 Int Marcus Johnson - 14 games, 8 starts Ronald Bartell, DB - 9 games, 6 starts, 21 tackles Nick Collins, S - 15 games, 15 starts, 81 tackles Khalif Barnes, OT - 15 games, 11 starts Dan Cody (IR) Eric Shelton, RB (Louisville!) - IR Roscoe Parrish - 9 games, 1 start, 11 catches, 13.3 yards per punt return leads NFL by a half yard per return among those with at least 10 returns Darrent Williams, DB - 12 games, 9 starts, 49 tackles Justin Miller, DB - 15 games, 7 starts, 32 tackles Terrence Murphy, WR (Packers) - IR Jonathan Babineaux, DE - 15 games, 6 starts, 30 tackles, 0.5 sacks Kelvin Hayden, DB (Colts) - 15 games, 0 starts, 19 tackles Vincent Jackson, WR (Chargers) - 7 games, 0 starts, 3 catches Bryant McFadden, WR (Steelers) - 11 games, 1 start, 17 tackles Matt McCoy, LB (Eagles) - 3 games, 0 starts, 1 tackle Adam Terry, OT - 6 games, 0 starts I think that Parrish seems to have fallen right on the cusp of the drop-off from teams generally finding immediate contributors, to teams finding development prospects. The two DB's taken after Parrish have some decent numbers - but naturally would have a lot fewer being behind Clements and McGee in Buffalo. And Parrish's numbers certainly compare favorably to those others taken after him, especially considering that he was hurt for the first half of the year, especially considering the special teams contribution. JDG

Well, Freddie Smith was what, a 7th-round guy? I think that Bills fans have a long history of getting waaaay too excited over late-round WR's (cf. Kwame Cavil, Kamil Loud, Henry Bailey, Drew Haddad), who show occasional flashes of potential. I think it is a safe assumption that Freddie Smith simply doesn't have the physical tools of Roscoe Parrish in a lot of ways. I would expect that Parrish probably is substantially better than Smith in areas like agility and acceleration, that are essential to making plays, but don't appear in draft snap-shots. After all, Freddie Smith is simply an athletic guy, who I think played QB in college, whereas Parrish was a top playmaker for the University of Miami. I think that Parrish has the potential to be a game-changer.... a guy who will make a couple plays a year that are the difference between winning and losing ball-games. (Sort of how McGee was a game-changer against Cincy this past week.) I think Smith probably would never have been much more than a contributor. In other words, I think that Smith is on the inactive list every week, simply because he just plain isn't very good. Moreover, at the time, I think that Donahoe was looking at developing a young QB in Losman with a receiving corps that included Evans, a Moulds with a potential contract headache at the end of the season, an incredibly disappointing Josh Reed at the end of his contract, and a bunch of nobodies in Aiken and Smith. Given that draft picks in the 2nd round and below really aren't expected to contribute until their second or third year in the League, Donahoe probably very rightly projected a hole that needed filling at the WR position, and saw an opportunity to grab a potential game-changing playmaker near the bottom of the 2nd round. I think that people get into the expectation that a team's first draftpick should always contribute immediately, but Donahoe was drafting with the #55 overall pick - that's pretty deep down the list! And has been repeated many times before, there weren't exactly a lot of linemen drafted between Parrish and Everett. Adam Terry is a backup on the "stellar" Baltimore offensive line, Evan Mathis is backing up in Carolina, while Richie Incognito is pulling a Victor Allotey for the Rams. After Everett is Chris Colmer, a backup in Tampa, while the Steelers (there's that team again) might have something in Trai Essex..... maybe. And that's you first-day draftpicks on the OLine that Donahoe had a shot at. The story on the defensive line isn't much better. It just was a bad year to be in the market for linemen, I think, rather than the Defensive Backs that every other team was drafting on the first day. JDG

While I agree that there is zero chance that Mularkey forced the QB decision on Donahoe - personnel decisions come from the other direction in this organization - I'm not sure about your comment on WR's. I think that Parrish is a unique player, and certainly unique to our roster. I think he was drafted to add a play-making dimension our roster currently lacked. I'm curious as to whom you think he was duplicating? Freddie Smith? JDG

Well, the Bills have no had the #1 Special Teams in the NFL for two years running.... so there is *something*. JDG

I think you're reading too much into it. Its just as likely that Donahoe is an honorable man who is doing his job to the best of his ability until he can't do it any more. JDG

Let's make some comparisons: McGahee this year has been held under 4 ypc nine times this year, including under 3ypc on a whopping FIVE occasions (including today, numbers for all other backs do not include today), and three games above 5 ypc. Rudi Johnson this year, has had three games with less than 4ypc, 0 with less than 3ypc, and 2 games with 5+ypc - including one game where he had a whopping 30 carries. He had another 4.8 ypc average this week. LaMont Jordan has been held under 4 ypc Nine times as well (albeit twice at 3.9ypc), but has only been held under 3 ypc on two occasions. Thomas Jones has been held under 4ypc on Eight occasions (in two fewer games than McGahee), but again, has only been held under 3 ypc twice. Reuben Droughns has been held under 4ypc on Eight occasions, and under 3ypc on only three times. So note, I haven't even looked up the comparisons with backs like Tomlinson, Alexander, Portis, Larry Johnson, and James - and yet, McGahee looks statistically worse this year than many of the second-tier backs in the NFL. Yes, the offensive line is bad - but for this abysmal performance to be entirely on the offensive line would require the offensive line to be well beyond the worst in NFL history, and I just don't buy that. Indeed, the offensive line looked pretty good in pass-blocking situations today JDG

Sorry, but >3 yards per carry on almost any day merits a D. It is especially true against a mediocre defense. Look, we're all happy about the win, but there's *no question* that Willis McGahee was a disappointment today. Fact is, Buffalo was kept in this game by its special teams and the Cincinnati pass rush deciding not to show up - producing our first 300 yard passing day since approximately the last ice age. Moreover, this "D" grade is certainly merited based upon cumulative performance. Maybe on an off day for a guy having a good year, you give a "C" for this kind of performance after a win. But the Bills have been an utter disappointment this year, and McGahee is definitely part of the problem. McGahee has just plain *stunk* in every game since Halloween. And today was no exception. If McGahee continues to regularly be good for 3 yards per carry, the Bills will be bad again next year. JDG

What more do you need to know - you can make a strong argument that he has been the best kick return man in the League for the last two years. JDG

I was watching the game without sound, and we had a bit of a debate about that in the bar - especially since we had no way of telling what penalty was called. I thought that since the ball had not hit the ground, that it was an illegal touch by Buffalo.... (the ball must touch the ground or an opposing player on an onsides kick before the kicking team can recover).... definitely interesting to hear that it was an illegal block.

So, Josh Reed is playing better than Tony Gonzalez and Jeremy Shockey (who are often lined up as WR in 4WR sets for their teams)? And does Josh Reed get credit for "best #4 WR" catches for all the catches he has made out of 2 and 3 WR sets this year? JDG

Question regarding the onside kick - did the Lindell kick it into the ground first, or did he pop it straight into the air? JDG

#4 - Kelly Holcomb having five-mississippi to make a key third down thrown.

What's a #4 WR and where can I find out who the other #4 WRs in football are?

I tried answering this question by taking the reverse, what has *not* been a disappointment about the season: Pleasantries: 1) Brian Moorman (MVP!) 2) Special Teams play (Simply the best!) 3) Jason Peters (A hugely pleasant surprise!) 4) London Fletcher (He hasn't even been good for his usual 4-5 unsportsmanlike conducts per year this year!) 5) Fan Attendance (8 sellouts is huge for this franchise, *especially* this franchise, no matter how you cut it.) On the cusp of being a pleasantry: Terrence McGee (when healthy) Shaud Williams (a decent change-of pace back) Schobel (I somehow still can't get excited about him, though there's no denying the stats), Justin Bannan and Tim Anderson (while awful early, I *may* be seeing signs of life, which is the only thing keeping them out of "disappointment") No strong feelings either way: Lindell, Shelton, Edwards, Crowell And everything else rates as a definite disappointment - Losman, McGahee, the TE's, every single other O-lineman, the WR's (Moulds, Evans, and Parrish - all have had their ups and their downs, but have ultimately disappointed, although Parrish could be a surprising play-maker for us), Every DE not named Schobel, Adams, Posey, Clements, the Safeties, the Nickel and Dime Backers, Donahoe, Mularkey, Clements, Gray, Won-Loss Record, results vs. Miami, competitiveness in December, and of course, the Takeo Spikes injury. JDG

Which ones were those? Chad Brown? Mike Vrabel? Orpheus Roye? Carlos Emmons? Brentson Buckner? JDG

Yes.

I don't think that this theory is supported by the data. In the four complete years since Donahoe left, they have won three division titles, won three playoff games, and played in two Conference Championship Games - being thwarted by the Patriots each time. This year they are 9-5, and will be favoreed to go 11-5. They have three "marquee wins" this year against Chicago, and on the road against San Diego and Cincinnati. Only 7-8 of the starters can really be called "Donahoe guys." Post-Donahoe drafts have produced Kendrell Bell, Kendall Simmons, Antwaan Randle-El, Troy Polamalu, and Ben Roethlisberger. In short, it was a nice speech Simon, but I don't think that it is at all connected to reality. JDG

A kid with a rough life gets a moment of glory: Antonio Brown Article

I'm sure that his friendship with former ESPN.com colleague Tom Donahoe didn't affect his answer at all.....

I agree.... that's why we either have to keep Donahoe and Mularkey or fire them both. No in-betweens! JDG

I have to say that I find that ancient debate of assigning blame for Super Bowl XXV is even more distasteful than the Flutie vs. Johnson debates. I'm going to remember Super Bowl XXV by the rally downtown after the game, not in searching for blame. JDG - Who really regrets losing Super Bowl XXVIII much more than XXV anyways.....

The guy took Quincy Carter to the playoffs, what more do you want?