Dr. K

The Jags have a history of beating the Bills in all sorts of odd situations. I really dislike them. We’ll see how it goes but it could be tougher than it ought to be.

Absolutely great write up. That’s the team I saw, too. Whatever happens in the rest of the season, they are that team. They could still be brought low by injuries or bad luck, but this is the most mature team I have seen from the Bills in three decades.

It's still early. Some teams that are playing badly now will get hot and be imposing in November and December.

Moderators: Thanks for merging my silly thread into this one. I should not have let my annoyance at people's sloppiness cause me to start a new thread about it.

You'll have to judge for yourself.

I know you hate him. But when you spell his name wrong EVERY TIME, you look like a fool.

I like Brown as a reporter, but I can’t stand his screeching whenever a Bill makes a good play. Fingernails on a blackboard would be a relief after him.

My wife and I were at the game. My god, the Bills mafia took over the stadium. At times it sounded like a home game.

We’re in section 401.

My wife and I will be there. Right now it’s a freakin’ monsoon. The stadium may wash away before kickoff.

Look at Tommy Tuberville if you want to see one single US senator blocking action by the entire government and the military.

Yes. Next up, Shakespeare's "As You Like It."

That's because he fell into the treacle well.

Who cares? Just win.

You're too dang smart for me.

Got any?

The Chargers are a stupid team.

I'm with you on this, Shaw66. Of course none of us know really what's going on in the locker room or in the minds and hearts of the players and coaches. Injuries or terrible luck can change the outcome of games and seasons. But I think there are enough committed and experienced men on this team for them to play with the kind of no-talk-just-play "assassin's mindset" you describe. My feeling about this is based on small evidence and nuances. I think they've heard enough talk over the last three years about them as a team and as individuals, and about other teams and players. In the course of those seasons at various times they've been overpraised or underrated. I think--I hope--that in their minds they are done with talking or listening to the talk. They know what it's going to take no matter what anybody says or thinks. We will of course see if we are deluded about this. It should be an interesting season.

My wife and I will be driving up from Raleigh to see the game.

I really like your board moniker. Clever.

Barring another series of injuries and major disruptions like last season, this team will be better than last year. But the schedule is considerably tougher. I figure it comes out to 11 wins in the regular season, and a stronger performance in the playoffs.

I agree that I'd like to see the picks in the first three rounds succeed more consistently. But the flip side of this is that it demonstrates that McDermott is not just blowing smoke when he says that who starts for the Bills depends on who plays the best, not on their draft position. Seems to me that this is the right policy, and that it has to have a good effect on the players' motivation, both the high picks (who can't just assume they will start) and the low ones (who know they have a chance if they outplay the high picks). We see that with that relative positions of Benford vs. Elam on the team. Sure, I'd like to see Elam play and play well, prove his value as a first round pick, but clearly on game day McDermott wants the best players on the field.

Maybe, while acknowledging that it was a poor draft pick, we might give them credit for cutting Basham loose if they have other players who can do what he does. A better move than to fall prey to the Sunk Cost fallacy.

Let’s all just kill ourselves and save ourselves the grief, right?

The Cooler