2020 Our Year For Sure

Nor did he have trouble hitting his nostril with powder Anyone with half a brain would've realized instantly he meant yards from scrimmage, provided they're not playing dumb in an effort to highlight someone's mistake...

How? Multiple picks for Losman, multiple picks for McCargo, multiple picks for Poz, drafting Spiller 9th overall, trading a 1st round pick for a past-his-prime Bledsoe, drafting McGahee when he's already hurt, releasing our starting LT Walker 2 weeks before the season starts...risk-adverse isn't the conclusion I draw, "stupid" seems a more fitting term. On the field is a different case, it doesn't get much more conservative than Jauron (though Gailey is a different animal). But they've taken plenty of foolish risks in the personnel department.

I know its nitpicking but I'm a sucker for saying what you mean. Again, your original post: "I see other teams change staffs and start winning right away, Atlanta-Miami-Baltimore-St. Louis." Still waiting to hear which St. Louis staff we're talking about because I'm positive you don't mean the one led by Steve Spagnuolo that went 1-15 their first season. If Gailey doesn't progress to something in the neighborhood of 7-9 in his second season just like Spaggs, then you've got the formations of a legit beef. And my point re: Miami is that they had one random good season at 11-5, pissed out of the playoffs and now went 7-9 twice in a row. That isn't the kind of "re-building" we're after in Orchard Park-- surely we'd like to see one that results in a bit more sustained success. Your examples of immediate turnarounds in Baltimore and Atlanta are legit! Baltimore, though, started from 5-11 but with a roster far more ready to win than the one Nix & Gailey inherited. Time will tell

poor English language

Which St. Louis staff are we talking, surely not Spags? (RIP Leslie Nielsen) That hasn't worked out very well for Sparano either.

Poz has only gotten better with each passing season, and makes plenty of tackles around the line of scrimmage. Improve on last year's porous defensive scheming and defensive line personnel (which we've hopefully done on both counts), and he'll make even more plays around the line of scrimmage. Early in his career Poz had a habit of getting overexcited and overrunning plays and things of this nature...thats been all but eradicated and he seems to be in the right gap more often than not. Good at shedding blocks and a reliable tackler. This "only makes tackles 8 yards from the L.O.S." is the same bogus criticism I'd read about London Fletcher, who was an outstanding player and only made better whatever defenses he played for. If Poz is retained you won't see him sitting on the bench while Danny Batten and Kelvin Sheppard man the middle anytime soon.

"Oh no I've gone cross-eyed."

To me a real fan never wants to watch his team lose. No contest

Yeah the Raiders are no "mess," that's a solid football team that went 6-4 over their last ten and swept all three division opponents in 2010. Would be a nice win for the boys in blue...

So they're giving him authority over the college scouts as well, interesting. Those who said this is our GM-in-waiting might be onto something.

I'm no agent but I wouldn't think it'd take more than 2-3 million per season to retain Florence. Gotta get this done or you're leaving a ton of question marks at the CB position I wish I shared your confidence here, but after seeing them draft two corners (plus a safety that played corner) this year, and seeing Buddy talk about getting younger in the secondary, I'm not so sure.

This! Florence was our best defensive back all season long in 2010, period. No other corner or safety even came close! Considering how cheap he'll be and how inexperienced our 2011 secondary projects to be, it would be a real bonehead move to let him walk.

Clearly one of them.

Drayton Florence was our best defensive back the entire season in 2010. Even if you ASSUME Aaron Williams can ball from day 1, McGee has looked old for a long time and McKelvin just hasn't been that good yet. Florence should be re-signed; he likely won't be expensive.

+1

Whatever progress it looked like, they have been really terrible the last two weeks. Really, they were no better than last year. Bad players, bad coaches, bad management. The gap between us and the Jets and Pats has never been wider.

I feel CB and FS are on lockdown as well. If they go to either of those positions in the frst 3 rounds, I'll vomit Agree with this. I still think this kid stinks and always will. Seems overmatched as a starting LT in the NFL. It was nice to see Howard step in and perform well with no experience...between he and Wanger maybe we find a player, so there's hope that we have 4 legit starters on the roster right now. That aint too bad. But I'd really like to add a Tackle in the first 2 rounds of the draft.

Of course we all want to see the team win. But anybody who's given evaluating quarterbacks a good deal of thought ought to realize you've got to dig a bit deeper than whether the team wins or loses. Fitzpatrick has no control over the lack of a pass rush, the complete inability to stop the run, the mediocre special teams. But (fingers crossed) he has helped fix what was the worst offense in the league. That is definitely "making a difference." HA, bravo on the kicker analogy. That makes it plain to see.

I have always been a Whitner supporter but as far as I'm, concerned, he played his way off the team today. He bit on the flea flicker and in general can't cover anyone. Where is Byrd? has he made any plays this year? Edwards does not ever have this guy in position to make a play.

Good point and I thought the same thing. The 18 game season has to be scrapped, in light of the injury epidemic.

both are very intelligent guys. the writers out there with a brain will look at the team's recent history and understand WHY this game wasn't sold out.

Absolutely. name Sanders interim for rest of year.

This team MUST give John Fox 2 million a year when Carolina fires him after the season. He was an excellent def. coordinator.

Once in awhile he'll come up and make a nice stop against the run, diving at the ballcarrier's ankle. Still as others have said, he's a big liability out there. He's never where he needs to be in downfield coverage, always a few steps away from doing anything. And he certainly does miss his share of tackles besides. He's got to go.