Swift Sylvan

They have to make up for all the talent they traded away by filling a lot of voids.

You know some of us earlier were saying how if teams knew who they wanted they might as well make their pick instead of wasting our time....I guess we just wish it didn't apply to us in this case.

Yeah so far it looks like they are doing a good job to be a lot better next year. Then again so did the Chiefs a couple years ago.

I'd say it is interesting how much we complain about taking CB's in the first round compared to RB's, but then again what don't we complain about? If the kid is going to be a good player then we're going to build an offense that plays to his strengths. Let's give the organization the benefit of the doubt....I mean what choice do we have?

The Raiders drafted a solid player who everyone thinks will succeed in the NFL? Good for them, maybe one of these years they'll be competitive.

Yeah and if they are able to get Spiller, Clausen, whoever, they'll have a chance to really build a solid offense.

I wonder how many teams are calling to trade with the Chiefs.

Yes, but any team that spends a tremendous amount of money on the best free agents possible are going to do something well sooner or later. Also, having the #4 pick helps.

Agreed, Stafford looks like he could be a great qb someday, but as it has been pointed out it's hard to do that lying on your back.

I wonder how much pressure is on the nfl teams to take as much time as possible so that the nfl network, along with various other sport media can make more money through more commercials and viewer time.

Now we have to bring back JP Losman, I mean yeah we might lose football games, but those two guys working together could do A LOT of good in the city of Buffalo. Clean cities, homeless getting fed meals, etc.....

Anti-decade team: (They have to have started at some point) Qb-Travis Brown Rb-Shaud Williams Fb-Joe Burns Wr-James Hardy Wr-Bobby Shaw Te-Robert Royal Lt-Mike Gandy Lg-Bennie Anderson C-Duke Preston Rg-Brad Butler Rt-Mike Williams De-Erik Flowers Dt-Larry Tripplet Dt-Tim Anderson De-Ryan Denney Lb-Ketih Ellison Lb-Jsh stamer Lb-Mario Haggan Cb-Eric King Cb-Kevin Thomas S-Ko Simpson S-Coy Wire K-Void P-Void

No you aren't wrong. We're better than it looks and with the right talent and scheme we can succeed in this league. We are closer to that than it looks, the front office just needs to bring in the right players to make it happen.

Now I understand that this is pure speculation and that we need to see free agency, our draft, who we re-sign, etc...to have a good idea of where we stand. However, I know some people are expecting us to go 3-13, 7-9 (safe pick), or even 11-5. I am writing to suggest that we really take a look at our roster and likely players to get an idea of just how far away from competitive teams we really are. Defensively I believe we are better than it looks. I know this year we were about average, but considering how long the defense was on the field I believe that we actually are pretty solid as a defensive unit. If we use Scott as a LB, with Donte and Byrd as the Safeties we might have a full squad of solid-play making unit. If Schobel stays we have a pro-bowl DE, pro-bowl alternative DT, Poz really stepped up this year, solid CB's and a pro-bowl FS. The other guys can succeed with talent around them. Offensively is where we have problems. It seems like with the exception of running back we don't really know who or what we have and clearly this is the area that we could probably use the most help. That being said, if we get a good offensive line we might be able to use our running game as well as have a decent enough passing game to punish 8-9 in the box. Lee Evans did do pretty well when it was him and Gearless in 06 and he probably can again with a good scheme and a good enough QB to look for him and throw it accurately to him. Special Teams is set if we have the same guys coming back. Maybe we won't be #1 with April gone, but I don't see any reason why they can't still be competitive. So I am suggesting that maybe we won't sign the right people, have only an okay draft, etc....but I believe that with good strength and conditioning that playoffs could even be something that we are vying for next year. I think we are better defensively than we get credit for and if Jauron did one thing right he certainly built us a very strong secondary. Maybe we do need some more talent, but I think we can be much better than how we played this past year with the talent we have. What do you all think?

Gentlemen, (and ladies for all three of you who post on this board) I know this has been a decade mired in mediocrity, but I have good news. I am almost positive that next year will be better than this year. In the year 2002 we exceeded our performance for 2001. The same in 2004, 2006, and I would argue that our team was better in 2008 than it was in 2007. (Mind you it was the same record, but our 2008 team was clearly better. After all for the first half of the season we thought we were going to make the playoffs.) So since history is the best indicator of the future (if you ignore everything history was wrong about) then my friends we should expect to finish at least 7-9 next year regardless of coaching regime, which means we either will start beating our division opponents or go 7-3 against all non-divisional opponents. So do not fret my fellow bills fans for even if we regress in 2011, in 2010 our team will be moving up!

I will be more than happy to make a bet with any of you: My bet is that At Least two teams this year to make the playoffs will not have a top-10 defense (this doesn't include ties) Any takers?

If this has already been posted.....you get to look at it again http://www.oddee.com/item_96610.aspx

TO has to be a temporary player. His signing made the Bills one of the most (if not the most) looked at team during the off-season getting the team a lot of attention and will be a force to reckon with as a player. However, TO is TO and it's not a question of IF he becomes a problem, but when. This draft really seems to be a draft that should build the Bills into a strong team, but in a year or two. I see our draft similar to the Jet's 2006 one where they got Manigold and Ferguson. It didn't pay off right away, but now those players are considered solid. I think TO will help the team, while our younger players learn to play in the NFL.

It could be similar to how offensive lineman make it to the pro-bowl. Even if they have a bad season they still are hailed as a pro-bowl player. Sounds like a player from last year, but I forget his name... If we make that analogy to coaches and team personal decisions. The Patsy's just get the benefit of the doubt. We just have to prove people wrong.

Because they have finished their last 8 seasons with a record higher than 7-9.

I don't think Trent Edwards needs to be a 300 yard a game QB to be successful in my book. As a matter of fact, I'd be more than happy if he breaks 3000 yards. (187.5 yards a game) It's true that we have TO, Lee, and Josh as a very formidable receiving trio, but we need to remember that we play in Buffalo which isn't exactly kind to quarterbacks during the winter. We have to worry about our run game. If we want to succeed we HAVE, HAVE to be able to run 100+ yards a game against any d-line. If we can do that, Edwards will succeed as a QB. He might not be a pro-bowl player, but as some of the other posters stated. Let's win first and worry about who looks pretty doing it second.

Also if a coach does well they'll continue to have a coaching job until they either become a tenured coach or stop experiencing success.

Here's the chicken and egg question: With more talent could Jauron get us to the playoffs and be a succesful team? With a better coach would we already be at the playoffs and be a succesful team. Where does Jauron fit with all the other coaches, is he just new and as a result as time goes on he will become better, is our talent below average and he is doing a good job, or do we have the talent and it comes down to coaching. Obviously with better talent it would be easier for Jauron to win, and with a better coach we would win more games. At this point I trust more coaches than I trust Jauron, but on the other hand there is no objective means to compare what any other coach could do with this team at this point because we have Jauron. I think we need a coach who is a better strategist and motivator, I also think we need improvement in blocking schemes, receiving ability (TE especially), pass rush, and awareness on the field. Honestly I don't know how much of this is Jauron's fault, but seeing teams able to go 4-12 one year and become a playoff contender the next I have to assume that if Jauron was a better coach we could easily be in the playoffs this year and think that we should try to get a more established coach.

According to George Carlin they finish 3rd out of a sample size of 6. Now short guys on the other hand.....

I don't believe anyone wants to rebuild, but I also think that the thing that really bothers people about Jauron is the fact that he doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes. It seems like most weeks he runs when he should pass and passes when he should run. He won't challenge a play and then next week do the same mistake. If we had a new coach who appeared to be learning, like Turk, it would be easier to be lenient, but Jauron doesn't seem to have any potential. The fact that we are, and yes we are, going to go 7-9 three seasons in a row despite the upgrade of talent from last year to now is pretty disturbing. I don't want to keep rebuilding, but Jauron has to prove that he can make this team improve beyond the occasional feel good game.