HalftimeAdjustment

Is it any consolation that FJ will be the league leader in rushing after today, unless AP goes over 122 (50/50)?

Could he drop more than Jones?

After reviewing the game film, the coaches should cut someone from the team in order to send a message. I'm not sure who, let the coaches decide based on who is not performing their assignments (going out of gaps, wrong place in zone, etc.) At least, send someone to the bench. The team needs to be shaken up.

I am rooting AGAINST the Jets, rather than FOR the Patriots.

If someone were (unwisely) there with children, I guess that would be a teachable moment?? Speaking of bad behavior, does anyone remember the game where the Jets fans set fires in the stands on Monday Night football? There were also fights bordering on riots, and an inflatable pumpkin. I just looked it up and it was in 1988. I am not sure that it can be said that Bills fans are the worst, or that it has gotten much worse, when considering this kind of situation. http://people.wku.edu/douglas.smith/Sports%20Crowd%20Behavior.pdf

Structure a contract where the guarantees kick in at the beginning of 2012. Like this (for example): 2011: $1.5M signing bonus plus current salary. 2012: Roster bonus of $5M. If the roster bonus is paid, the 2013-2014 guarantees also kick in. 2012 salary of $3.5M, total $8.5M. 2013: Guaranteed $3.5M, total salary $7.5M 2014: Guaranteed $1.5M, total salary $6.5M 2015: $5M option year. 4 yr extension, ~$27M in new money ... but guarantees kick in only in 2012 with a total guarantee of $11.5M - and realistically he will probably not be picked up for the last $5M so it is $24M in new money. I think Fred cannot do much better than this with his contract situation and age and I am not sure the Bills will go this far. However, it will give him $1.5M in money this year, in case of devastating 2011 injury, while protecting the Bills for this year only. Given his performance it is very likely the Bills elect to keep him in 2012. This triggers a total of $10M in additional guaranteed money, plus if he plays 1 game $3.5M salary becomes guaranteed (by CBA) so $13.5M for playing game 1 of 2012 (payable over time). Everything beyond that is gravy. If he hits the age wall or is injured prematurely, here are the scenarios (based on approx $2M salary in 2012 current contract): Last year w/ Bills 2011: $1.5M in new money Last year w/ Bills 2012: $13M in new money Last year w/ Bills 2013: $17M in new money Last year w/ Bills 2014: $22M in new money Last year w/ Bills 2015: $27M in new money Of course these figures could be adjusted either way depending on your preference, but I think this is the kind of structure that would give the Bills some benefit while also substantially raising Fred's salary when he is most valuable (now and 2012). He cannot get a contract that is equal to his free market value if he were an URFA this year, this is close and will send a positive message to the team.

It's actually kind of a wishy-washy comment. The person says they don't think he will take them where they want to go, but then states that the price was only going to go up so they understand the deal. So, in other words, this person is not really criticizing the contract, just betting that Fitz will not win the Super Bowl. Real strong stand there.

Also re-sign Rian Lindell.

Unfortunately unless Rodgers falls off a cliff he has MVP locked up. But, Fred has a good shot at All-Pro.

The guaranteed money places this between Kevin Kolb ($21.5M) and Matt Cassel ($28.5M). Anyone complaining that we overpaid, is essentially saying that we should have let him hit free agency and tried again with a draft pick; or waited until the end of the season and taken the chance that he actually diminishes his value by poor play (otherwise in a bidding war we would have to pay more). There are no superior QBs expected to be available in free agency or by trade so what was the other option? Someone mentioned a 3yr, $30M deal... do you think he would have taken that with less than $24M guaranteed?

The assistant reported that he took 4 pain pills and concluded it was a suicide attempt? 4 pills? He needs a smarter assistant.

Too bad he hasn't been practicing at DT. However, Pat Williams is available.

Based on his season so far there is no evidence he is using HGH, and if he was, he was not getting much out of it.

I have been thinking for a while that he has been "nursing" this injury for 2+ years and avoiding surgery. By this point with "flare ups" it is apparent that the problem is not going to heal itself with rest. Unfortunately the prognosis after Achilles surgery is probably not that great either.

If this link is correct, the last time it was successfully used in the NFL was against... the Buffalo Bills. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_catch_kick

Quite simply, I am hoping the Dolphins take one from the Jets as the Jets are capable of playing well or terrible on any given Sunday. Also, the Dolphins organization could easily screw up and fail to build a good team around Luck even if they get him. Finally, I think the Colts appear to be worse.

I cannot believe anyone here would have been rooting against Tebow when his team was playing the DOLPHINS. Who cares whether Tebow is great or sucks... I'm glad he was good enough to win today!

People saying player X is not worth $10M/year, or using contracts from a few years back to compare values, are not looking at the new market for players under the new CBA. Rookie pay was reduced but veteran pay increased, effectively, once the salary minimums kick in. Now it is not about saving money, but allocating the money you are spending efficiently. So if Fitz is not worth $10M/year, can you find someone for $10M/year who is worth it in your opinion, and will not be paid $12-14M by another team? If Steve Johnson is not worth $7-8M/year, can you find a receiver who is worth it for $7-8M/year that will not be offered $9M/year by another team? Or would you prefer to have a quarterback for $7M/year who is only worth $7M/year, and do you think they will be better than Fitz? Maybe you would prefer to see the larger amounts paid to another position, or would you like to have a team of only mediocre players so no one gets over $4-5M/yr regardless of position? As for rookies being cheaper - this will be true regardless of position. So one strategy, I guess, would be to use rookies at the most overpaid positions (QB, OT?, CB?, DE?) and pay for veterans at other positions; this would allow you to really get stacked at other positions in theory, since you still have to spend the minimum. I hope some team does try this so we can see how it works. I also hope that it is not the Bills who try this. In my opinion, none of the players are "worth" the amounts being described, but the market will determine their value if we do not reach an agreement. Some of us may be surprised by how the market values these players. Exhibit A: Paul Posluszny. 6yr, $42M. Does that mean he is "worth" $7M/year? Not likely, in production terms; but it's what the market will bear. For reference, recent (2010+) non-rookie QB deals per Rotoworld. Anything earlier, I am disregarding as out-of-date. These are total values and many deals may be voidable or never intended to reach their full value. Based on the below information, Fitz is in good shape asking for closer to $10M/year than $7M/year. There will definitely be a team willing to pay him more than $7M/year and we will be unlikely to get a replacement QB of similar stats for under $10M/year, unless it is a rookie. Anyone want McNabb or Kerry Collins for $7M/year, that is what $7M buys you... John Beck, 3yr, $3.3M, 2010 ($1.1M/yr) Rex Grossman, 1yr, $1.15M, 2011 ($1.15M/yr) Alex Smith, 1yr, $4M, 2011 ($4M/yr) Tarvaris Jackson, 2yr, $8M, 2011 ($4M/yr) Kyle Orton, 2yr, $11.6M, 2011 ($5.8M/yr) Matt Hasselbeck, 3yr, $20M, 2011 ($6.7M/yr) Kerry Collins, 2yr, $14M, 2010 ($7M/yr) Donovan McNabb, 1yr, $7.25M, 2011 ($7M/yr) Kevin Kolb, 6yr, $65M, 2011 ($10.8M/yr) Tom Brady, 5yr, $78.5M, 2010 ($15.7M/yr) Michael Vick, 6yr, $100M, 2011 ($16.6M/yr)

Ralph is cheap.

It is a good thing that the league forgot to prohibit tipping Pats* passes and catching them.

Once we started running out the clock, I became worried that the FG try would be BLOCKED!

Cowher had picked the Bills as his upset special, so he can (and should) gloat.

Sorry - unintentional mis-attribution. I don't have the strength to go search for first RFA reference but I'm sure you are right.

It is probably scenario 2 right now, but at the end of the year they might entertain a new, 2-3 year deal. Unfortunately if he gets injured before that he will be out of luck. At that point he should request to be cut or traded. It makes me sad, because he basically got burned by the RFA rules. I am glad you pointed out in this thread that Jackson was a restricted free agent when he signed the current deal. His choices were to play for 1 year at $460K, take this deal (presumably the best offer he received from the Bills), or retire from the NFL. Since then he has exceeded his contract. But, it is rare (not unprecedented) for the team to extend with 2 years left. Especially a 30yr old RB. It's just a bad situation all around. I definitely think they need to handle any players who are expiring at end of 2011 first, regardless.

And because he is Tom Brady, the ball was placed at the 1 following his punt.