BobChalmers

Remember the bomb from Edwards to Evans against the Colts? Remember when they drafted Spiller, and Gailey was talking about getting 3 RB's in the backfield - most were assuming "Wildcat" which I'm not a big fan of. Both the Bills and the Ravens abused the heck out of that formation. The TD to Evans was beautiful stuff - not just the pass/run/catch, but the formation and deception that set it up: Any defense seeing this would naturally think some sort of run thing was coming. That Spiller had already been successful only added to that. When all three RB's (one was Stupar but could have been Lynch or Jackson when healthy) stayed back to block, we had 8 blockers - all day for Edwards to relax and Evans to get open. The beauty of a RB-based max-protect scheme though is that it looks like run, so the DB was ready to close in instead of stay and help with Evans. The only defense that abuses this is if they are sitting back in coverage... BUT what if Edwards had/has the authority in this play to choose run/pass from the LOS before the snap? Then if they are dropping back in coverage, getting 6+ yards running with three is trivial. I LOVE this play design, even more than the intelligence with when it was used. Chan the MAN!

Actually, that reporter is VERY tall - she was towering OVER Frank Beamer when she interviewed him. On the other hand, I have to disagree with those praising Moore's accuracy though - I thought his accuracy was pretty bad. He had really good receivers. I do not see him as NFL material at all, frankly - he looks like a system-guy to me.

I think you're still undervaluing CJ a bit - on that 31-yarder against the Colts, he had to start making people (pro-bowler Robert Mathis) miss behind the line. I do agree the line looks better though. Wood's actually been beaten a few times this pre-season, but I'm not jumping off his bandwagon anytime soon. No question Green is horrible - boy do I miss Butler or Walker for that matter. Agree that Bell has looked excellent. Funny thing is, when I went to two training camp days, I saw Bell looking horrible in practice, and thought Green was doing pretty well. Some of Bell's problems could well have been that he was still recovering, or maybe that just proves practice is deceptive, OR that I don't know what I'm looking at! Watching the Cincy broadcast of that game, you get to hear HoF OL-god Anthony Munoz start the broadcast talking about how he's looking for the Bengals "D" to abuse our suspect O-Line, only to steadily change his tune to "this Bills O-Line is doing a very good job" as the first half went on. Some of the upgrade is just Gailey being a better coach, btw. Edwards had plenty of time on the 70-yard bomb to Evans against the Colts because they were in a really clever max-protect scheme that looked like a power-run formation at the snap. 3 RB that were threatening some sort of option run, but at the snap went to surrounding Edwards in the backfield for a total of 8 blockers. A really really good design for a combination of a weak OL, strong RB corps, and a fast WR. It may be "hard to win in the NFL" but a coach who knows what the hell he is doing is a pretty good head start!!!!

Yeah - you beat me to that one. I don't think he lacks anything physically. He's just not a "football player" - not yet, anyway. The saving grace is that he's really young (22) and he does look better this year than last, so there's still some home he can get his act together. He's still clearly an awful pick as early as they took him. Excellent - they should do one of those Bud Light(?) tribute songs about that position... "Mr.Hold the ball on the tee so it doesn't blow over when it's windy guy"....

No question. Our 1's beat their 1's the last three games (maybe Cincy was a tie since they pulled their #1 offense early, but kept their #1 defense in against our #1 offense) Arguably, the only problem against Washington was the Bills were down to only two starters at O-line - pretty much like much of last season, actually. Dunno precisely what you mean by your "+" numbers, but run game wasn't that bad last year - it's the pass game that has shown the big improvement. Crossing patterns. A more confident Trent. TIMING PATTERNS!! And Roscoe actually looking like a good receiver. Wide receivers being open varied. McKelvin's pass defense against Manning to Wayne was a masterpiece. The LB's weren't looking good in any phase - that's what has me worried. DeHaven wasn't on the field for that play - he was on the sideline. He was also Steve Tasker's coach. It's a bit harsh to blame him for that one play - which is what Wade Phillips did, then followed that up with hiring his incompetent buddy who was possibly the worst S/T coach of all time - forcing Ralph to fire Wade a year later. This was accurate until the Detroit game - they looked fine to me then. I think DeHaven finally settled on who was going to be on the coverage teams and stopped playing the guys who couldn't get it done. They'll be fine. I'm going with 8-8 unless the LB's were hiding what they are really going to do, because they looked BAD. Bills will win 30-10 this weekend, btw.

Your warning helped me survive that part - not easy!

He's obviously just being silly/stupid - never mind yet another illogical dis' of the Bills: "Same old story" - he says it himself, yet somehow they are dramatically worse?? The Colts are not remotely the #1, and if he thinks Dallas is #2 he's not thinking too clearly. Their OL is making the Bills starters look good. Proof he's lost his mind is at #17 with Oakland.

Do you understand how frikkin' old Taylor is?? He's already been let go by his original team TWO DIFFERENT TIMES (with an unimpressive stint in DC in between)! Me too. So when you dismiss Chan Gailey's record in Dallas, I'm calling you on it. Dallas before Gailey was HC: 6-10 Dallas when Gailey was HC: 10-6; 8-8 Dallas for the three years after he was fired: 5-11, 5-11, 5-11 So much for the "team with talent" that he didn't have a big part of leading to victory. This was not the SB-winning Cowboys - they were old and or retired. He was winning with the remnants. As for the Bills having the same personnel - if they avoid a league-high 20 players on IR - including 3 of 5 O-linemen, your first statement will also be false. I'm pretty sure we have a new starting RB this year too. They have the worst starting and returning QB in the NFL based on rating. They were 7-7 before their final two opponents mailed it in to rest for the playoffs. Noone will be surprised by their defense this year, they lost their starting RB, and they are overconfidant as heck. 6-10, 7-9 tops. If they dump Sanchez for Brunell early, I might give them 9-7 and a playoff shot, but I suspect they won't until it's too late.

How about this is the first "national" article I've seen that actually has stats from the preseason, not to mention had the 2009 records right on display. This preseason Bills 1's beat the 1's of the Colts, Bengals, and Lions, and Trent put up a 97.1 QB rating. (They were missing 3 of 5 OLinemen for the Skin's). This guy actually knew some of that before he started typing. Preseason final scores mean little - but the play of the 1's vs. the 1's IS VERY INDICATIVE of the season to come. The fact that the great mass of national media nitwits hasn't watched any of it just reinforces the my notion that sports writers get paid for damned little real work.

Agreed - particulary because I think the rest of the division is very overrated. I'm betting the Pat's win at 10-6. Bills 8-8, Jets and Dolphins at 6 wins or less and people screaming for the coaches' heads.

OK. I'm completely serious when I tell you that you've chosen your screen name well. An ape who carries on an act of being well-educated while aggressively and intentionally pursuing ignorance for both himself and his tribe. Perfect ***** <- there, I have an asterisk key too, see?!

It wasn't a fumble - he was down about a foot short. Amazing game - note to NFL - football doesn't have to be about trading forward passes to be awesome.

+1

Foschi has an adequate NFL resume - don't get too focused on his game from hell against Detroit - he was probably rusty as heck - he did get batter later on in the game, and besides, he was an emergency add with all the injuries at TE. C'mon, make more sense than that if you want to complain about something.

Ellison is there for the S/T I am assuming. I have to believe they are looking hard for OL depth. That's actually believable - Ochocinco is a goofball, but not in a way that looks like it would upset his teammates. He's always seemed dedicated.

If you'd ever seen him play - and I mean in the NFL - you would know how much sense it would make. I'm not one for bringing in random QBs - the Leinart calls were comical - but Smith is plenty decent, I'd definitely take him over Fitz.

Not much, except "wow, you sure like to blather in ignorance!" QB situations I wouldn't trade with just based on what Edwards has already done in the past: Arizona - Warner's gone - Cleveland castoff Derek Anderson is it Jets - Sanchez and his 63.0 rating is on his way to being known as Leinart East, although Brunell might come in and save this mess for a year Carolina - Matt Moore or Clausen - wooh boy Tampa Bay - Josh Freeman - QB rating 59.8 last year - but you say would trade with them - wow. Cleveland - Jake DelHomme - incredible that Freeman's rating was not the lowest - how does a veteran with a rating of 59.4 get a new job? Oakland - Campbell is going to implode - not all his fault though - he's the only one I'm being a little unfair to KC - Cassell's claim to fame - he played well in NE throwing to Moss and Welker. He had a 69.9 rating w/o them last year. Chicago - Cutler does a lot out there - mostly for the other team - he'll be gone next year Rams - they have their top rookie, so who knows - if he's not the real deal they'll get to try again next year I happen to think Gailey's worth a lot and Edwards will continue to shine as he has in the preseason - easily middle of the pack by season's end, but I don't need that to prove your statement's silly - what Edwards did using Jauron's crappy offensive schemes was still enough to be far from the worst. Our backups aren't the worst - or would you rather trade with Pittsburgh for the first four weeks? You're skeptical abotu Byrd because...? Uhm... You've never watched him play? OR MAYBE: You don't know that he put up the same kinds of INT numbers all through college, so last season really wasn't a fluke? You're only real arguments here are that you want to say they suck - even in positions where clearly they don't - silly me responding to a troll. Williams is a hell of a lot better than serviceable. Stroud is clearly reenergized. Dwan Edwards started for the Ravens last year, and has looked very good this preseason. Troup and Carrington have both looked good as rookie depth. Again - have you watched any games, or are you just getting your ideas from Marshall Faulk and company?

I think he found a new home on ST. In fact, most of the moves look like special teams decisions. Chad Jackson for sure - apparently he couldn't beat out David Nelson, Steve Johnson, or Roscoe for the top 4 WR spots - WR's 5 and maybe 6 have to be ST guys to stick. Too bad because he looked like he was right up there with the 2-4. Roscoe looks like he's finally a full-time offense player - he certainly earned it. Odd not to have him return punts - maybe they're just messing with the Fish?

Than get ready to buy a ticket, bub. Bills are finishing 2nd this year, as they did 2 seasons ago - how many national-nitwits remember that, I wonder?

Fixed. The Sun Sentinel Dolphins writer who just wrote this week that the Bills went 3-13 last season and will probably do so again is indicative, and that's not opinion he's stating, it's ignorant falsehood. Ask any of the national nitwits and they will say - their OL was terrible last year, and they didn't improve it. None of them realize we only had 2/5 of our starters for most of the season. Most have no clue what a terrible job Jauron's staff did gameplanning the offense.

Well, with no disrepect to JP Faschi, who had the game from hell last night, but seemingly has an adequate NFL resume, wouldn't a decent blocking TE be an upgrade at this point.

Even money on both sides - correct - and they win the middle either way. Keep in mind, therefore, that the line reflects the overall opinion of the two teams in the betting public, not some "expert" opinion. People have all been reading/hearing all the national nonsense that completely ignores the facts about the Bills every year. "They're going 2-14 because they have a tough division." (as if they were in a different division last year), and this Miami Sun Sentinel guy today - great stuff - "The Bills were 3-13 last year and will probably be the same this year". Uhm - OK - good research there, dude - and he actually has won national sportswriter awards - yikes! The line is based on what people reading this stuff are likely to think.

Not sure I understand why anyone would be down on the D-Line right now. The LB's - yes - they look lost out there, but the front three DL starters have been excellent all preseason. Honestly, this commentary looks like you wrote it mid-summer or something and haven't actually watched them. Everyone was worried Kyle Williams was too small or whatever to play NT - he's been a beast. Stroud looks strong, trim, happy, and aggressive in his new role as a DE - he's making plays all over. Dwan Edwards looks like a guy who started for the Ravens. The linebacking has been suspect. Poz looks like he needs another month to get healthy and/or in tune with the new scheme. Ellis looks decent. They need to get Torbor back. Davis and Mitchell have just been adequate. Kelsay just looks like a DE playing back a yard - I haven't noticed him making any "LB" plays - I'll look some more. Maybin is still not useful. By the way - they've been playing a lot of 4-2 nickle because of the matchups against Indy and Cincy - both pass-heavy 3WR-standard teams.

OK - you got me there - it's a tie between Theisman and Bill Walsh. Joe's so bad I probably blocked him out of my mind. He's definitely the stupidist announcer I've heard on an NFL broadcast.

Sorry - I admit Cross is probably the worst now, but if you missed the late HoF coach Bill Walsh as a color guy, you missed truly the worst ever. Every word out of his mouth was clouded by a clear message in tone that said "I hate this job, I hate being here, I want to go back to coaching." He was boring in his content, monotone in his delivery, and sometimes would just clam up completely because, seemingly, he just didn't give damn.