The Big Cat

I'm sorry, but you're being needlessly fatalistic about "this year" based only on Sunday's performance.

OK! Seriously, though, we really need to steal one in two weeks.

You said: definitely a huge gulf between the QB and his receivers at this point. Definitely. Certainly. Certainty is to certainly as...well...I couldn't think of the noun equivalent to definitely. But you definitely stated that the "huge gulf" was a matter of fact. More importantly: Sorry, but I'm not going to assume locker room tumult because one or two receivers gets pouty from time to time. If that were all we needed to assume internal unrest, then probably 25 NFL locker rooms would remain in an ongoing state of upheaval.

Firstly, we're fans. I'm guessing that between the two of us, we've entered the Bills locker room a combined zero times. Nothing is 'definite.' And no, I did not read the speculative report from which you've pulled this certainty.

If Houston wins, does that mean "Fitz beat us?" What if we fumble two punts inside the 10 yard line? What if Arian Foster has two 50+ TD runs?

He failed in his first test this year. I said last week that a win against SD would bump two national narratives our way: 1.) the Bills are for real and 2.) EJ responded when finally 'asked' to do something. Well, the first one remains in limbo and EJ played right into the laps of all his doubters Sunday. He failed in his first test. But I doubt his failures will accumulate, not with the money Orton is making. Also, this is the first I'm hearing of the Woods "berating." I remain unmoved. Don't mind, and in fact welcome a bit of chippiness from the receivers, but seriously question the severity of the 'berating' if the only ones talking about it are those looking for evidence in their case against Manuel.

Don't confuse effort with results, and let's not pretend like the other 52 have been flawless. The interior of the line (and yes, this includes Wood), the young receivers and the running backs can all improve too. That said, EJ has to get better too. Beware the fan who argues on his behalf by blaming everyone else.

If a meteor destroys RWS, will they play in Toronto?

Who's 'you?'

I've never understood it either. But at this point, "average" is putting it nicely.

Dating back to last year, his last five starts have netted 910 yds 5 TDs 5INT and a completion pct. of 52. That's 1821/1/gm He's had zero rushing TD's over that span, getting only 37 yards on the ground since week 16 of last year. Barbarian, care to way in?

And had SF beat Zona the circle would be complete: SD beat BUF who beat CHI who beat SF who beat AZ who beat SD

I have not seen the highlights, nor read the recaps nor listened to the analyses, but I'm shocked that Miami got beat up so bad by KC. Does that compromise the hope we had coming away from the win? Likewise, and we'll see what happens tonight, but the Bears win over SF made us look legit. Then SF goes and ***** the bed against (an admittedly staunch division opponent, who nonetheless started Drew !@#$ing Stanton) Arizona. This happens every year at the beginning of the NFL season, I guess now I'm discouraged by yesterday's loss COMBINED with other losses around the league which leave us right back to "we still don't know where we are." And I don't believe a win Sunday will change that.

"Better option" is based purely on (hopeful) speculation (I'm assuming the 'hopeful' part). EJ is afraid of getting hurt again. That's blatantly clear when he scrambles. The FO is afraid of EJ getting hurt again. That was blatantly clear when they scrambled to sign Orton (who was the best possible option, IMO).

To wit, he's teaching Henderson how to play T.

I had a horrific, bone chilling flashback to Edwards running out of bounds, behind the LOS inside the red zone as time was expiring on a fourth down play to end a losing effort against the Dolphins. Pretty sure that move got him straight cut.

A flying knee kick three to four seconds after the whistle was blown in a preseason game against a non-division, non-2014 opponent. And yes I am concerned.

Here are the top three things that killed the defense yesterday, in order: EJ Manuel--The Chargers dared him to beat them, he wasn't up to the task. His execution was just awful. Penalties--3 DB penalties on TD drive to open the second half sustained the Charger effort more so than Chargers themselves. Rivers--He's a top 5 QB, folks and he did what he does: played efficient, mistake-free football, connecting on the big strikes when he had to. You can't evaluate the defense, really, since they did what they had to do in the fourth quarter, but SD wasn't really challenging them. I'm not totally confident they could have kept locking down the Chargers attack IF the offense was putting points on the board to cut into the SD lead. I'm also not saying they couldn't have. But, this game was thrown way out of wack by an offense that simply wasn't up to the task. In the two victories prior, they were TEAM wins. This was a TEAM loss because one third of it just couldn't get it done.

Well if he can shred Fitz next week then hope is lost. Fitz like rivers is more than happy to small ball you to death.

Well, he had a bad game. I challenge anyone to comb through this board's archives to find me the fans who expected him to be perfect.

EJ's top wide out targets: a rookie, a second year player and a FA acquisition. I'll live with these growing pains when it's a top 5 QB getting the win.

If he comes with Rivers, sure.

Yeah, I can't BELIEVE Hackett let three d-lineman into the backfield. WHAT A !@#$ING IDIOT HE IS

Looks like the board moron count is trending toward 22%.