[Post Bye-Week Predictions]

Looking at the schedule now, while we know more about how many teams are panning out this year, I see opportunity for some win streaks, and definitely a playoff run.

 

Was-we come back from the bye week and a loss determined, its another close one (surprise) but we pull this one out. W

NYJ-Back at home, the weathers starting to get bad, they're excited to play. The Jets keep it close for a while but we pull away in the later half of the game. W

@Dal-Haven't played well on the road and Dallas's offense man-handles our D. Our offense scores but its not good enough. L

@Mia-Divisional opponent, coming off a loss, we kick the crap out of em. W

@NYJ-I figured we'd split games with the Jets this year and I'm sticking with it. L

Ten-Three game road streak comes to an end and we win another one at home. W

@SD-Could go either way but I'll play it conservatively and say Rivers cuts us up. L

Mia-We sweep the horrible Dolphins this year. W

Den-Early to say, who knows if Tebow will turn this team around, I say he doesn't yet, and the Broncos can't stop Freddy. W

@NE-We play our hearts out, but the Pats don't lose at home and they take this one from us. L

 

I tried to be as realistic as possible while still being a Bills fan. To be honest I see all these games as going either way with the style we've been playing. But 6-4 is definitely not impossible and 10-6 could be enough for the playoffs this year.

 

 

I agree with this. Throw in a loss where you should win and perhaps a win where you should lose. (Maybe NE has division and seeding wrapped up by week 17?)

[Tom Brady Goes Berserk]

In decline? Benefit from an easy schedule?

 

Last year they went 14-2 w wins over Baltimore, Indy, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Green Bay, Jets, and of course the Bills

[New draft strategy]

Howabout drafting the best football players? The best leaders?

[Tuck rule]

I think it was used earlier that year. I want to say the jets were the beneficiaries iirc.p

[Tuck rule]

It was almost 10 years ago. Let go of your bitterness

[Sunday @ Gillette]

I dont see a blowout happening. 2 wins by New England last year by a combined total of 8 pts. I'm pretty confident that the Pats win but it'll be closer than ppl think.

 

If I were in Vegas I'd put some serious coin on Buffalo +13 or whatever the spread is up to.

[Denver aquires RB Lawrence Maroney from NE]

Its not necessarily noteworthy but in light of what Maroney brought or didnt bring to the table and his impending free agency and place on the depth chart, it is miraculous that they got anything for him. Turn a 6th rd pick into a 4th while also having 2 1sts and 2 2nds. If they draft in '11 like they have the last 2 years then look out!

 

I'm sure they'll be watching Mark Ingram's progress very carefully.

[Welker HURT!!!!!]

I'd say beware of Karma but you guys are already paying that debt.

[The decade's 25 most overrated players]

Substitute Adam Vinatieri for Scott Norwood and the Bills have at LEAST one super bowl victory. Probably more as the culture of the organization changes much like it did for New England post 2001.

[The decade's 25 most overrated players]

Adam Vinatieri is on that list? Are you kidding me?

[Pro Football Weekly Mock Draft]

If Curry slips past Green Bay then look for someone to trade up to get him. I also dont see Matthews sliding to 28. All the USC LBs will be gone by 26.

 

Your best bet at 28 is to take the best OL. Go defense or TE with 11.

[Positional needs in draft]

You should always draft the best player available regardless of need.

[#11 draft pick in demand?]

Detroit will take Stafford and Sanchez will fall to no later than 10.

 

No one will trade up for Josh Freeman.

 

If Detroit were smart, they'd do the following;

 

Sign QB Jeff Garcia

 

#1 Aaron Curry OLB

#20 James Lauranaitis ILB

#33 Louis Delmas S

#65 Duke Robinson OG

 

 

Buffalo should go with

 

#11 Brian Cushing OLB

#42 Jared Cook TE

#75 Herman Johnson OG

 

I wouldnt mind seeing this for the Pats;

 

#23 Clay Matthews OLB

#34 Alphonso Smith CB

#47 Sean Smith S

#58 Phil Loadholt or Duke Robinson whichever is on the board.

[Cutler trade and how it changes the dynamics of the draft]

With the 11th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Andre Smith, Offensive Tackle, Alabama.

[Potential Trade Down Scenario]

3 picks in the first 33 rounds?? Is this the MLB draft??

 

Tyson Jackson is a 3-4 DE who can't get to the QB. Pass.

 

 

Whoops!

 

My point being, if I'm the Lions I want those 3 picks to get 3 impact players. My guess is QB, OL and LB.

[Potential Trade Down Scenario]

By all accounts this is a pretty deep draft so if I'm Detroit, I want 3 picks in the first 33 rounds. Go with Stafford, an OLB like Cushing or Matthews at #20 and then take an OL like Duke Robinson, William Beatty or Herman Johnson. If a DE falls then maybe they go there. Tyson Jackson perhaps?

[Potential Trade Down Scenario]

Why would Detroit do this?

 

 

They already have the #1 pick in the draft. Trading up for the #11 just hurts them from a salary cap move. If they draft right, they can get some starting impact players with picks #20 and #33. Of course, if history is an indicator but thats another story.

[Latest McShay Mock Draft]

As a Pats fan, I'd be fine with Matthews, Laurinaitis, Alphonso Smith but I'm thinking OG Duke Robinson with the last pick in the 2nd. They can grab a safety in the 3rd or 4th round.

 

 

 

 

First Round

1. Detroit Lions Jason Smith OT Baylor

2. St. Louis Rams Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

3. Kansas City Chiefs Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

4. Seattle Seahawks Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

5. Cleveland Browns Brian Orakpo DE Texas

6. Cincinnati Bengals Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

7. Oakland Raiders B.J. Raji DT Boston College

8. Jacksonville Jaguars Mark Sanchez QB USC

9. Green Bay Packers Aaron Maybin DE Penn State

10. San Francisco 49ers Andre Smith OT Alabama

11. Buffalo Bills Everette Brown DE Florida State

12. Denver Broncos Tyson Jackson DE LSU

13. Washington Redskins Robert Ayers DE Tennessee

14. New Orleans Saints Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio State

15. Houston Texans Chris Wells RB Ohio State

16. San Diego Chargers Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri

17. New York Jets Percy Harvin WR Florida

18. Chicago Bears Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Josh Freeman QB Penn State

20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas) Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State

21. Philadelphia Eagles Michael Oher OT Mississippi

22. Minnesota Vikings Eben Britton OT Arizona

23. New England Patriots Clay Matthews OLB USC

24. Atlanta Falcons Brian Cushing OLB USC

25. Miami Dolphins Vontae Davis CB Illinois

26. Baltimore Ravens Rey Maualuga ILB USC

27. Indianapolis Colts Peria Jerry DT Mississippi

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia

29. New York Giants Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina

30. Tennessee Titans Kenny Britt WR Rutgers

31. Arizona Cardinals Donald Brown RB Connecticut

32. Pittsburgh Steelers Darius Butler CB Connecticut

2nd Round

1. (33) Detroit Lions Larry English DE Northern Illinois

2. (34) New England Patriots (from Kansas City) James Laurinaitis ILB Ohio State

3. (35) St. Louis Rams Steven Beatty OT Connecticut

4. (36) Cleveland Browns LeSean McCoy RB Pittsburgh

5. (37) Seattle Seahawks Louis Delmas S Western Michigan

6. (38) Cincinnati Bengals Alex Mack C Cal

7. (39) Jacksonville Jaguars Derrick Williams WR Penn State

8. (40) Oakland Raiders Jamon Meredith OT South Carolina

9. (41) Green Bay Packers Ron Brace DT Boston College

10. (42) Buffalo Bills Max Unger C Oregon

11. (43) San Francisco 49ers Clint Sintim OLB Virginia

12. (44) Miami Dolphins (from Washington) Brandon Tate WR North Carolina

13. (45) New York Giants (from New Orleans) Sean Smith CB Utah

14. (46) Houston Texans Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech

15. (47) New England Patriots (from San Diego) Alphonso Smith CB Wake Forest

16. (48) Denver Broncos D.J. Moore CB Vanderbilt

17. (49) Chicago Bears William Moore S Missouri

18. (50) Cleveland Browns (from Tampa Bay) Cornelius Ingram TE Florida

19. (51) Dallas Cowboys Patrick Chung S Oregon

20. (52) New York Jets Jarron Gilbert DT San Jose State

21. (53) Philadelphia Eagles Brian Robiskie WR Ohio State

22. (54) Minnesota Vikings Pat White WR West Virginia

23. (55) Atlanta Falcons Rashad Johnson S Alabama

24. (56) Miami Dolphins Lawrence Sidbury DE Richmond

25. (57) Baltimore Ravens Connor Barwin DE Cincinnati

26. (58) New England Patriots Chip Vaughn S Wake Forest

27. (59) Carolina Panthers Evander Hood DT Missouri

28. (60) New York Giants Paul Kruger DE Utah

29. (61) Indianapolis Colts Louis Murphy WR Florida

30. (62) Tennessee Titans Ricky Jean-Francois DT LSU

31. (63) Arizona Cardinals Shawn Nelson TE Southern Miss

32. (64) Pittsburgh Steelers Andy Levitre OG Oregon State

McShay's Top 15 remaining

1. Jairus Byrd CB Oregon

2. Jared Cook TE South Carolina

3. Sen'Derrick Marks DT Auburn

4. Duke Robinson G Oklahoma

5. Asher Allen CB Georgia

6. Eric Wood C Louisville

7. Cody Brown OLB Connecticut

8. Shonn Greene RB Iowa

9. Fili Moala DT USC

10. James Casey TE Rice

11. David Veikune DE Hawaii

12. Travis Beckum TE Wisconsin

13. Coye Francies CB San Jose State

14. Alex Magee DT Purdue

15. Juaquin Iglesias WR Oklahoma

 

Have at it boys and girls.

[Each AFC East Team has a distinct weakness]

You guys do realize how badly this is going to end right?

[At least the Pats stay home too...]

I'd be lying if I said I wasnt upset but since the Pats werent in a postion to handle their own business then they have no right to be upset.

 

At least with my team, I can be optimistic about the future of the organization with the front office, the coaching staff and hopefully the return of Tom Brady next year.

 

I'm just glad I'm not a Lions fan or a Jets fan or a Bengals fan etc...

 

Even the Bills fans can be optimistic about their future. I'm loving the 2 headed monster of Lynch and Jackson.

[Re-Align the Divisions]

Tired of getting your clocks cleaned by the Pats huh?

 

Thats actually not that bad an idea in all seriousness but I doubt the NFL would ever realign that dramatically.

[We will make the playoffs]

NE will be 11-5 or 12-4

Jets will be 10-6 or 11-5

Phins will be a 9 win team

Bills will be 9-7

 

Outside of that though you still have the Steelers and Ravens in the North, the Colts fighting for a wild card in the South.

 

Here's how I see the top 6 seeds shaking out;

 

1. Titans

2. Patriots

3. Steelers

4. Chargers/Broncos

5. Ravens

6. Colts

[This team won't make the playoffs.]

Who wins the AFCE?

[So I was working in the Boston area this week...]

Be fair dude, it is only September and there is a certain baseball team fighting for playoff positioning. Gillette Stadium is still sold out for every game and talk radio devotes every Monday and Friday to the Pats.

[AFC East is OURS!]

Curb your enthusiasm a bit there folks. Yes, Buffalo is indeed showing me something and now they are firmly in my mind in the AFC playoff picture. There's still a lot of football to be played and Brady or no Brady, the Patriots are still the Patriots.

 

Either way, its gonna be fun to have a 2 or even 3 team race in the AFC East now.