BillsVet

The Bills have been keeping it close the past 4+ seasons, and during this time they've gone (EDIT: 27-40). I can only recall two out and out blowouts: at Chicago in 06 and home versus NE in 2007. Other than that, they have a lot of close games (it is the NFL) and don't win enough of them.

We should be thankful that RW has kept the team in Buffalo for 50 years, right?

IIRC, he got more money from Miami. Wasn't a substantial deal by any means.

Ellison should be up for an extension any day now too I'm thinking. He's a high motor undersized guy playing out of position. Those seem like the pre-requisites. Even if Troup doesn't get in, teams are forcing Buffalo to go 4-2-5 and beat them up on the interior. The DL is pretty darn bad.

Best thing about the chiefs is that Pioli is the man in the front office. Their COO, Denny Thum, stepped down about 2 weeks ago and he was the money guy in the front office. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt received the team from his father, and has entrusted the football operations to one man. Contrast this with Buffalo where no one is sure who runs the team, even if there is a bonafide GM. There was also no doubt in KC when Lamar Hunt passed away that the team would remain. We don't have that luxury.

Belichick by himself without a true OC or DC is better than Gailey and his staff of George Edwards and Curtis Modkins.

I guess Donte's streak of not twittering will continue. He's part of the reason Buffalo remained mediocre for so long: good enough not to be a complete liability but not a difference maker. I think his coverage skills have regressed since being drafted.

If a new CBA comes into effect and establishes a new method of calculating the salary cap, that's not as far-fetched as some may think. Kelsay's a nice quote after the game, but he's not going to get any better. He's totally out of position on a 3-4 team, and his pass rushing from a four man front is underwhelming. I don't see why they need to re-sign him now. Let him hit the open market and see what he gets. Should he leave, not a big loss.

It's George Edwards going up against Tom Brady and those WR's OR the likes of Green-Ellis, Sammy Morris, and Fred Taylor. Who'd you rather have beat you? Good coaches know when to make adjustments. I'm not so sure that someone like G. Edwards is capable of doing what's necessary against better talent.

hey there

The DJ theory of taking more DB's and undersized pass-rushers is the gift that keeps on giving.

wow

How out of touch is this entire organization? Trading Trent? Re-signing Kelsay? If these reports are true, the Bills are not operating in reality anymore.

"Kelsay, 30, is in his eighth season with the Bills and has pleased the Bills’ new regime with his transition from defensive end to outside linebacker. Is RW negotiating contract extensions too now?

There is no NFL HC/executive, or GM who is perfect with their talent projections. Not Polian, Finks, or Belichick. None. Trent did not live up to expectations, but Walsh's legacy will endure forever in the annals of the NFL. I know many on this board operate only in absolutes, but Walsh's credibility doesn't take a big hit because Edwards didn't succeed. The man won 3 SB's and set up two others while designing the WCO that many teams use today.

Every team in the NFL receives 1/32nd of the TV contract revenue. It amounts to I believe about 90M per season, perhaps more. Revenue sharing is a small piece when compared to TV money. No one ever said player salaries were covered by ticket revenue. After all, home teams fork over 40% of ticket revenue to the opposing team.

One of the reasons this team isn't all that good is they've been getting too many situational or developmental players. Maybin is one of them and I'd love to know who was for and against him in the front office last season. I wish Gailey would really do what needs to be done in Year 0 of a rebuild: play the young guys so that he can determine who needs to remain and who needs to go in 2011. If he can't do that, it's shades of Week's 10-17 last season with Fewell.

You're not allowed to complain about the team and you should be thankful the team is here. At least that's what homer fans say when things are bad like the way this season is going.

Spiller is like a battery operated toy without the batteries. And throughout the off-season the Bills did nothing to make the OL better, i.e. buy the batteries.

I think Guy was in over his head, but there's interference all over this organization. Few even know who Jim Overdorf, with fewer knowing what he does. He happens to be Senior VP of Football Administration. I'm not clear how that role fits in with the GM (of Football I might add), Pro Personnel Director (Whaley) and College Scouting Director (Modrak). I have read that Overdorf has made personnel moves without even notifying the HC. Nix was a national scout and I'm not about to take away from his experience. He wouldn't have lasted in the NFL from 1993-2008 with two organizations if he wasn't good. But to say that Nix and Gailey who both were retired are going to right the ship is a lot to ask. And part of that is the interference they receive from RW, Littman, and Overdorf.

There are several factors involved here. First, there isn't 1 redshirt sophomore QB who went pro and succeeded. All of quality QB's with the exception of Aaron Rodgers played 4 years in college. Second, the money may change this year if there's a provision in the new CBA to cap rookie pay. Third, Luck is indeed a smart guy who's being advised by a former NFL QB himself in Jim Harbaugh. Fourth, underclassmen have to declare by mid January and by that time he'll have a better idea of his destination should he enter the draft. As for Mallett, I don't know a lot about him. But the notion that "dumb jock good ol' boy southerner" doesn't work is preposterous. Brett Favre and Peyton Manning both have an accent but no one doubts/doubted them in their primes.

The attendance at RWS in November-December will tell the story whether the people think this team is committed. They've already lost 11k season tickets.

You are indeed comparing the RB position to QB. GB's situation was unique in the annals of NFL football and absolutely nothing like this thing with Spiller. The comparison is completely unreal. You do not take RB's in the top 10 and not start them. They said they needed a difference maker, and now are giving him a few touches and having the guy as a KR. The single most wrong thing with this franchise is their absolute refusal to invest high draft picks in DL and OL. It's the same from TD to Levy to Brandon to Nix (so far): they use lots of resources on positions that rely on those lineman they never draft. People on this very board in 2007 said the same darn thing you're saying now: That this team will be better in a few years. We'll, we're waiting (in Judge Smails voice).

Detroit has bottomed out for years, and as a result received numerous high picks. But, they're most recent rebuild (after a number that didn't work) began in 2009 after they jettisoned Millen, fired Rod Marinelli, and hired new people to man those roles. The new GM was around when Millen was, but they hired a new HC, Schwartz, drafted their QB, switched defensive schemes. They're in year 2 not 3 of a rebuild. Buffalo is in year 0.

The troubling part about this is they've invested a high pick for a guy who's become a situational player, and one that plays the position which most seamlessly transitions from college to the pros. Gailey was supposed to have found a place for him in this offense, and 2 games in the 9th overall pick has all of 16 touches through 2 games. That's not good enough. Gailey needs to find a way to get this guy involved, or this becomes a HC problem and not a RB one.