MDH

A return to form is getting beaten in a close game. The way the coaching staff calls the games makes it tough to get blown out. If the O doesn't turn the ball over lots of times (as it did in the two big losses this year) the game will be close.

Unfortunately I think the statement will be, "yes, Grossman throws lots of INTs vs. quality Ds." I have the feeling that D is going to eat Grossman alive.

Jags win in a close one - 20-17.

I had thought that Rivers would be the bust of that draft class. After watching him this year it appears I'll have to chalk that opinion up in the "wrong" column. Rivers has looked very good for a first year starter. Of course, things are made much easier by having the best player in the NFL lined up in the backfield and the best TE in football and a solid OL. LT and Gates create huge match up problems for Ds. Rivers has done a solid job of making sure those match up problems result in lots of TDs though. From what I've seen I'd say that Rivers will be the best QB of the three you mention (as well as the best from that draft class with Eli and Big Ben.) As for Romo, we'll see. Thus far he looks very good but he can't keep this pace up forever and I want to see how he handles adversity. If he can handle the bad stretches well it looks like he has the tools to succeed though I’m not ready to label him a super-star.

We called her cable provider and spoke to someone there. Apparently the game was supposed to be on but for some reason they were having trouble with the feed from NFL network. She said their engineers were "working on it" but we didn't get to see a single down of the game. I ended up watching the BC/Miami game insead.

You've obviously never heard him do color commentating before. Surprisingly, he's one of the best guys out there at it. He actually breaks down what happens on the field instead of simply stating the obvious. He's not smooth, but he's quite good.

At this time last year nobody thought the Steelers would even be in the playoffs. Hot teams in November aren't the teams that get it done, there are simply too many games left to really know who will be hot going into the playoffs. All this SB talk is pre-mature for any team.

So much for watching the game. I'm at my mother's house for the holliday and she has the NFL network (via a cable provider, not dish). However, when the game was getting ready to start a screen came up saying, "if you are watching the NFL network in the US your cable provider has chosen to show any NFL primetime games to its subscribers. You will not be able to see any of the 8 primetime games..." I wasn't aware that there were people who had the NFL network that wouldn't be able to see the games. Does anybody else have this issue? Thankfully this is the only week I'll have to deal with this (well, other than Christmas) but it's annoying none-the-less.

If I was still a betting man I'd be all over Tampa +11 against Dallas. I'm not sure how you'd want to give up tha many points with a QB who has started 4 games no matter how good he's looked thus far. Dallas just isn't that good to be giving away that many points even to a bad Tampa team.

I think you'll see a more balanced approach this week. The Jags can shut down the run so simply trying to run the ball all day long (as the Bills did against the Colts) doesn't have a prayer of success. Dropping JP back nearly 40 times also doesn't have much chance of success given the Jags stout DL. The Bills need to mix it up this week and try to keep the Jags off balance. I think you'll see close to a 1:1 pass/run ratio. I'd also like to see some rollouts, some RB screens and some slants. I'd also love to see some freaking PLAY ACTION on 2nd and 3rd downs.

And on the verge of being benched. Yeah, it’s Plummer that has them sitting pretty at 7-3. I swear to god most of the people on this board don't watch any football. They read some web pages with records and stats and then form opinions on players.

Usually I roll my eyes when these guys visit the booth. Ronde Barber was the exception. He was so much better than anybody else in the booth I began hoping he'd stay the entire game and Joe T. would be told to go on home.

I'd stay away from that game with Kevin Jones nursing an ankle sprain.

I'm not sure that JP was actually talking to the guys in the huddle. There was likely an angel on one of his left shoulder telling him to “throw the ball in the end zone” and Kelly Holcomb (in a devil costume) on his right shoulder whispering seductively to “dump it off.” Brushing Holcomb off his right shoulder JP said forcefully, "I'm not going to dump it off!" and then turned to his WRs and said, "get open." Price thought the entire thought was meant for the team.

Its worth noting how well prepared the team has been the past three weeks. Each week the coaching staff has put the Bills in a position to win the game at the end. You can't really ask for much more from a coaching staff. It hasn't always been pretty but it doesn't have to be. You want a staff to play to the limitations and strengths of his team and his opponents. The staff has done that very well the past three weeks overall (though I could quibble with a few decisions here and there.) It's also worth mentioning that JP has made plays in the fourth quarter of 2 of the last 3 games to help the team win.

Houston had 5 possessions in the second half and 5 punts. They totalled just over 100 yards in the half. Pretty consecutive pass records don't mean much when the passes are going for 2-3 yards a pop. I'm not saying I agree with the decision to punt (obviously I don't as I said above) but the Houston O was not running roughshod over the Bills D in the second half.

As much as I want OL help, WR help isn't far behind in the Bills' list of needs. The entire WR corps is average to below average (at best) with the exception of Evans. You can put TE on that list as well. Royal would be a great #2 TE as his run blocking is stout and he's serviceable as an occasional target in the passing game. This offense needs at least 2 more big targets in the passing game. Hopefully the Bills will draft mainly on the offensive side of the ball next year.

And in that one game the Bills blew a 21 point lead with some of the worst playcalling I've seen in the past 5 years. Not exactly the type of close game a team is looking for.

When was the last time you saw Bledsoe throw accurate balls in the short passing game? Answer: never

King needs to go back to school. +3 isn't a ratio...

The only reason it was a bad decision is because the Bills needed a TD, not a FG, to win. Assuming the Texans actually ran the ball 3 straight times (which they should have done) the Bills would have had no timeouts left. Without any TOs it's unlikely the Bills could move the ball all the way downfield and put the ball in the endzone. The punting strategy only worked because the Texans decided to throw the ball on 3rd down, thereby saving the Bills a timeout. If they had only needed a FG it would have been the correct call as 1:30+ is plenty of time to move the ball into FG range.

I agree with your basic premise but the line about the Pats is incorrect. They are currently $13.8 millon under the cap. I'm sure Tom Brady is really happy that he took a lot less money to stay in New England so they could use that cap space to sign other players....

During the Colts/Cowboy game yesterday I saw Peyton Manning sitting on the sideline alone not talking to anybody. I guess that's why they lost.

Thurman might just be my favorite Bill of all time but he wasn't as good as either Faulk or LT.