A Few Thoughts About the Game, in no particular order.....

[billsfan714]

The run D concerns me still. We can get gashed straigt up the gut or around the corner. As run stuffers, Dareus and Williams sure arent Sam Adams and Saragusa. Brad Smith brings nothing to this team anymore, he's not needed as a returner and his couple of hundred yards a year receiving just takes away development from somebody like Easley, Rogers or Hogan. Cut Smith and use the savings to lock up Byrd. We better be searching the waiver wire for backup guards. Tuel, wow what can you say for an undrafted FA, might have our new Frank Reich on the roster.

[CSBill]

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

19 and 0 baby!!!!!

 

[vincec]

How about on offense?

Maybe Easley moves up to second team but honestly I didn't really see much with the offense that warranted changes in the depth chart.

[DefenseWins]

I hate to break anyone's bubble. BUT... It's only a "Preseason Game"....

[SPILLERmadeUmiss]

I hate to break anyone's bubble. BUT... It's only a "Preseason Game"....

I'll take runnin' smooth over the alternative any day of the week. Now they have to keep the momentum going and add to it.

[ReturnoftheBuffaloBeast23]

I'm with you. I don't care If Goodwin catches a single ball (which I think he might have the most TDs of all the rookies). If he has success on STs he can be the next Devin Hester of the NFL. He has Olympic speed and from what I saw today, really good vision. Hopefully he can catch too.

 

I said the same thing I think Goodwin could be the next Devin Hester or at the minimum the next Daunte Hall... X-Factor anyone????

[Nirvjam]

Great post as usual, Bill! Here are a few comments:

 

1) Tuel to Easley reminds me of Fitz to SJ. This is a GOOD thing. They played together as scrubs and developed a chemistry. This is a great thing to see.

After the overall pleasing first half with EJ Manuel, the 2nd half with Tuel was an extremely pleasant surprise as well!

 

 

4) I sent a letter to am man I know,

It said, "One for the money, two for the show."

I waited all summer for his reply,

He said, "3 to get ready and 4 TO FLY."

Brilliant Robert Hunter lyrics of course, but did you know that Keith Godchaux wrote the music!

 

 

5) Manuel? He was every bit as I could have hoped for and more.

Every bit. He showed poise, remained calm under pressure, made some nice throws, looked comfortable running the 2-minute drill, *and* has legs that can move! Yes it's only pre-season, but this made for a good start.

 

 

8) Goodwin? OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! He looked like McKelvin with a brain and football instincts!!!!! If his returns can stay anywhere close to what he did today, I don't really care if he ever catches a pass. The 106 yard TD was just that sick!

This guy can turn on the afterburners! Only recently learned he was an Olympic long jumper!

 

 

13) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe 1 or 2 more exclamation marks are called for.

 

Ok so this was only a pre-season game. Still, they came into Indy and basically destroyed them.

It was interesting to listen to the hometown Indy broadcasters. First the pre-game never mentioned the name of a single Bills player (and the team itself was barely mentioned.) I think the first time any individual Bills were mentioned by name was when the game was underway.

It's possible that my favorite moments from the game were when the announcers said: "Coach Pagano can't like that!" Did they say it about 10 times? (Often the camera would cut to Pagano at that point, his expression making their point.)

Edited August 12, 2013 by Nirvjam

[offyourocker]

14) Being proactive instead of reactive is a new way of playing football in Buffalo.

 

Agree 100%

 

I am very pleased also. The only thing where I could see an easy improvement is a third string running back. I would be fine never seeing choice run for 3 yards ever again. I know there are a couple big name free agents that would come in for cheap now.

[Clippers of Nfl]

I hate to break anyone's bubble. BUT... It's only a "Preseason Game"....

Preseason carries over to the regular season. Please don't cite the chiefs.... Steelers beat us bad last year. 7-38. Rg3 beat us, Christian ponder beat us. They all did way better than us. I hate to burst your bubble. You don't know jack! Edited August 12, 2013 by Clippers of Nfl

[bowery4]

Thanks Bill,was as entertaining as preseason gets, wasn't it?

[Billsguy]

I was pleasantly surprised. (Too bad it means absolutely nothing.) Very impressive performance against the Indy's camp fodder. The real test begins in September. Until then, any conclusions made after one practice game are conversational, but irrelevant,

 

Let the overreactions begin! (I mean let the overreactions continue!)

[reddogblitz]

But that difference is mostly offset by field position when the opponent takes over on their 5 after a 4th down fail (as opposed to their 20-25 after a FG).

I'm not sure I agree with this one. Nothing fires up a team like a goal line stand followed only closely by a safety. Stopping the other team on 4th down after they've disrespected you is a huge morale booster for any team. It's gutsy and great if it works, but it depends on the situation.

[Clippers of Nfl]

I was pleasantly surprised. (Too bad it means absolutely nothing.) Very impressive performance against the Indy's camp fodder. The real test begins in September. Until then, any conclusions made after one practice game are conversational, but irrelevant,

 

Let the overreactions begin! (I mean let the overreactions continue!)

We play well FOR A FREAKING CHANGE, and I read this kind of crap. Wow..... Did you even watch the game? Do you know how much of a morale booster was this win. In an away game. Did you see the kick return for a td? Was that irrelevant too? I can understand negative threads and bitchy comments. But even after a good performance??? Very disappointing. Your comment means absolutely nothing.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

14) Being proactive instead of reactive is a new way of playing football in Buffalo.

 

this is the first time in a long time that we weren't making excuses about our teams poor play because it's just preseason, Nice to actually look good for once.

[peterlaw]

Last year the Bills were poor in the pre season. And carried that form into the first regular season game.

 

It's really good news to see a better performance in the pre season.

 

But lets not forget Luck & Hasslebeck only played Q1. Their 3rd string QB was hopeless. Unfortunately we play Tom Brady in week 1.

[DCBongo]

Thanks Dave, I always look forward to your Bills musings

[Whites Bay]

 

Ok so this was only a pre-season game. Still, they came into Indy and basically destroyed them.

It was interesting to listen to the hometown Indy broadcasters. First the pre-game never mentioned the name of a single Bills player (and the team itself was barely mentioned.) I think the first time any individual Bills were mentioned by name was when the game was underway.

It's possible that my favorite moments from the game were when the announcers said: "Coach Pagano can't like that!" Did they say it about 10 times? (Often the camera would cut to Pagano at that point, his expression making their point.)

 

I was getting a kick out of the homer announcers as well. I could have sworn that they started talking about the weather, and the corn forecast, by the fourth quarter.

 

For all those who say "It's the pre-season, it means nothing" - okay, while true to an extent, would you rather be waking up this morning as a Colts fan?

[eball]

And did you hear Warren Sapp gushing about Mario? And he was right. Mario is far and away the best player on this team!!!

 

Most telling play of the game was on the Colts' first series -- Mario showed how well he knows this defense; he was furious with his teammates for not recognizing the TE shift and shifting their line. Those complaining about Mario will need to find something else to do this season.

 

Great post, Bill. Some of my quick thoughts:

 

-- LG is admittedly a concern (yes, I said it).

 

-- Alonso breaking up the pass to Fleener in the back of the end zone was something to be genuinely excited about. Luck was certain it was a TD.

 

-- Hughes/Sheppard trade: Bills 1, Colts 0

 

-- Easley! Man, I wish I had some confidence he could sustain that. He looked fantastic.

 

-- Da'Rick Rogers is no lock to make this roster.

 

-- Aaron Williams is going to be just fine at SS. Great lick down near the goal line to break up a 3rd down pass.

 

-- I liked Nickell Robey returning punts; looked like he could break one. It's hard to imagine taking McKelvin off those duties, but the guy needs to get healthy.

 

-- I saw TJ Graham doing a nice job blocking on the outside.

 

-- We're going to see a bunch of those 20-yard-ish scrambles from EJ this year; glad he knew how to duck down before taking a hit.

 

-- Is it just me, or do the Bills have the feel of a professionally-coached team for the first time in a while?

 

Overall, it's hard not to be just a little giddy over the performance, but there are certainly a lot more positives than negatives to take away from the game. Even the Colts announcers were talking about how the Bills' offense dictated the pace of play for the entire game.

 

Should be an enthusiastic crowd Thursday night at the Ralph!

[FLFan]

Thanks for posting Bill. It is definitely a different experience watching a team that is seemingly very well coached. I love the aggressiveness of of the secondary. They were coming up and laying some really good hits, forced a fumble (Ron Brooks) and caused some balls to be dropped. Very aggressive coverage as well. The Bills have a plethora of receivers that can play. The cuts are going to be hard there. I thought the left side of the starting line was awful. Glen does not look anywhere near as good as he did last year. This is beginning to be a big concern to me as depth is poor on the left as well.

 

All in all, a fun game to watch and a great start. I loved that whether the starters or the back ups were in there, they looked confident, aggressive, excited to be playing. Different team.

Edited August 12, 2013 by MDFan

[Matt in KC]

Did anyone else feel like the camera work was way off? (And I don't just mean the in-game

interviews that drive me nuts.) I kept wanting them to zoom out so I could see more of the

field and players.

 

Ron Brooks - He strikes me as a high risk/high reward player that will make a big play or

two a game, but also get burned periodically. BUT, he is essentially a rookie, and I

expect him to keep getting better and better for awhile, which is exciting.

 

The game was closer than the score - Both teams were missing starters, and they played

each other pretty evenly. Second half scores in PS have little bearing on the likely

success of the team. (That said, they still looked well-coached.)

 

The game was more lopsided than the score - WTF was up with the officiating?

* Fred Jackson had Sheppard all over him during the incompletion that would have been a TD

(or a 1st). How was that not PI or defensive holding?

* The Tuel "fumble"/TD was a joke. You could see him arm moving forward and the defender

actually hit the front of his arm.

*The Colts first down at the 50 wasn't even close and defintely would have been overturned

by a real review during the season (though I think they decided not to overturn anything

in preseason). This lead to a Colt FG 5 plays later.

These 3 plays made a 14 point difference for the Colts

 

Counter-balance: The Rolle INT/TD was a similar odd call the other direction. He looked

to be clearly down by contact.

But, after more thought... The refs have been really watching the receivers fall and

maintain control through the whole catch. If he dropped the ball after sliding on the ground

they would have called it incomplete instead of an INT, so I guess it's fair that he can't

be touched until then if he doesn't officially have possession yet.

 

EJ Manuel - I'm thrilled with the results, obviously. Most of my criticisms were of

things that I expect will come together as he gets comfortable and settles in.

 

Running Backs

CJ - Looks ready to go!

Fred Jackson - looked sluggish to me. I hope he "wakes up" as we hit the season. I like

his versatility and leadership, but his play didn't have any spark.

Tashard Choice - meh...

Gaskins - I know he had a great scrimmage, but he did not impress me at all. That said, I

like him as much as Choice, and would rather keep him.

 

I have rookie fever. I'd be okay with trading Kolb for draft pick, even a low one. That said, I do think it's crazy going into the season without a veteran on call. This is kind of like burning the lifeboats to tell the crew you're confident you can plug the leaks. That said, if Tuel ever starts, I will slam the front office if there is no one else behind him. The FO is supposed to have gotten their rookie fever shots before the season!

[JPS]

We play well FOR A FREAKING CHANGE, and I read this kind of crap. Wow..... Did you even watch the game? Do you know how much of a morale booster was this win. In an away game. Did you see the kick return for a td? Was that irrelevant too? I can understand negative threads and bitchy comments. But even after a good performance??? Very disappointing. Your comment means absolutely nothing.

The Bills were down after the 1st quarter and then our bartenders beat their bartenders. Am I happy that the Bills showed something? Yes. Am I convinced this team is ready to compete against better teams? Not by a long shot.

 

But from what I saw, Butler makes this team and I'd REALLY like to see what Tuel and Easley can do against better competition.

[The Bunk]

Where did I say cut him?

You didn't. Which is the issue. Brooks got beat deep for a TD and you want him in the unemployment line, yet the 10th overall pick, a guy who is making far more money and carrying bigger expectations was beat like a drum by a rookie WR and the worst QB in football and you want to make sure he keeps his roster spot? CB's get beat all the time, I've seen Revis get torched once or twice. You take everything as a whole. Brooks had a bad moment in his first preseason game, he also had some good moments as well. Let's let the entire preseason play out before we start throwing guys off the team.

[YoloinOhio]

One negative I saw. After CJ left, no running game at all. Line wasn't opening many holes, it seems.

Agreed.... not sure how much to worry but Indy is not known to be strong against the run either.

 

Great post as usual, Bill! Here are a few comments:

 

1) Tuel to Easley reminds me of Fitz to SJ. This is a GOOD thing. They played together as scrubs and developed a chemistry. This is a great thing to see.

After the overall pleasing first half with EJ Manuel, the 2nd half with Tuel was an extremely pleasant surprise as well!

 

 

4) I sent a letter to am man I know,

It said, "One for the money, two for the show."

I waited all summer for his reply,

He said, "3 to get ready and 4 TO FLY."

Brilliant Robert Hunter lyrics of course, but did you know that Keith Godchaux wrote the music!

 

 

5) Manuel? He was every bit as I could have hoped for and more.

Every bit. He showed poise, remained calm under pressure, made some nice throws, looked comfortable running the 2-minute drill, *and* has legs that can move! Yes it's only pre-season, but this made for a good start.

 

 

8) Goodwin? OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! He looked like McKelvin with a brain and football instincts!!!!! If his returns can stay anywhere close to what he did today, I don't really care if he ever catches a pass. The 106 yard TD was just that sick!

This guy can turn on the afterburners! Only recently learned he was an Olympic long jumper!

 

 

13) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe 1 or 2 more exclamation marks are called for.

 

Ok so this was only a pre-season game. Still, they came into Indy and basically destroyed them.

It was interesting to listen to the hometown Indy broadcasters. First the pre-game never mentioned the name of a single Bills player (and the team itself was barely mentioned.) I think the first time any individual Bills were mentioned by name was when the game was underway.

It's possible that my favorite moments from the game were when the announcers said: "Coach Pagano can't like that!" Did they say it about 10 times? (Often the camera would cut to Pagano at that point, his expression making their point.)

The broadcast was absolutely ridiculous. From the beginning they barely even mentioned who the Colts were playing or showed the Bills until play started. Then, no shots of Marrone or any of the Bills coaches. Constantly didnt know who was making plays, "Andrew is sacked by a Bills Player. Oh, it was Mario Williams." Pronounced names wrong. Just horrible. If anyone DVR'd the game off of NFL Network, mute the sound and you won't be sorry.

[Coach Tuesday]

I agree with the comments about the camera work. The NFL Network's production quality is often so much lower than the broadcast networks, which I find amazing, although for all I know they use the local feeds.

 

Plus - and this is something to watch for during the season - I don't think the game producers are ready for how quickly the Bills' offense plans to line up and snap the ball. There isn't enough time for the usual jibber-jabber that goes on between plays (slowed-down replays, shots of the coaches and cheerleaders, cartoon robots shooting each other). The league is going to have to adjust to the speed of the Bills' offense.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Coach Tuesday

[SPILLERmadeUmiss]

I have seen some of the worst camera work EVER this preseason. I mean ... horrible.

[YoloinOhio]

I agree with the comments about the camera work. The NFL Network's production quality is often so much lower than the broadcast networks, which I find amazing, although for all I know they use the local feeds.

 

Plus - and this is something to watch for during the season - I don't think the game producers are ready for how quickly the Bills' offense plans to line up and snap the ball. There isn't enough time for the usual jibber-jabber that goes on between plays (slowed-down replays, shots of the coaches and cheerleaders, cartoon robots shooting each other). The league is going to have to adjust to the speed of the Bills' offense.

Plus, not sure if you watched the Patsies-Iggles on Fri. night, but Phil is very fast as well. Run a no-huddle and it is crazy fast.

[BADOLBILZ]

1) Tuel to Easley reminds me of Fitz to SJ. This is a GOOD thing. They played together as scrubs and developed a chemistry. This is a great thing to see.

 

2) Am I the only one who thought that Crezdon Butler had a very interesting game?

 

3) Ron Brooks was awful. If he doesn't play twice as good as he did today, he will not make this roster.

 

4) I sent a letter to am man I know,

It said, "One for the money, two for the show."

I waited all summer for his reply,

He said, "3 to get ready and 4 TO FLY."

 

5) Manuel? He was every bit as I could have hoped for and more.

 

6) Welch at LT? Sorry but no. His play resembled that of Raquel.

 

7) This team has some receivers, no? There are too many to keep. Seriously, they were doing this without Stevie Johnson taking away coverage. They can't keep them all, and I hope that they are able to get draft picks for a couple of them. As a Bills Fan, this was actually strange to watch.

 

8) Goodwin? OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! He looked like McKelvin with a brain and football instincts!!!!! If his returns can stay anywhere close to what he did today, I don't really care if he ever catches a pass. The 106 yard TD was just that sick!

 

9) Glenn and Dareus looked out of shape. I guess this is normal for huge players, but it concerns me.

 

10) Hairston and Pears are not as bad as most of you think that they are.

 

11) Aaron Williams was surprisingly not bad at safety. Bear in mind that I never saw him play a good game at corner, and have always viewed him as an unthinkably dumb draft choice.

 

12) Who is this guy Kaufman?

 

13) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I was most impressed by how Manuel and Tuel ran a no-huddle offense all day. Some of their early throws looked a little shaky but when they got warmed up they looked like pro QB's making those throws.

 

This was a wake-up slap in the face to all the apologists who have been excusing bad preseason and early season play on new coaches, new schemes or new players for the past 13 years.

 

This team has ALL of those and they came out and executed a very difficult gameplan with two rookie QB's.

 

Watch and learn, apologists.

 

Brooks looks very stiff for a corner. His track speed is equal to any of the CB's they have on the roster but he can't transition. Looks like he might be better suited to wear less pads too, they are so tight to his helmet he can barely turn his head. Maybe he has a shoulder issue and needs the extra bulk but it looks clumsy. He might make a better safety as well.

 

Butler had a good game and Rolle looks like an interesting prospect as well. Rolle is built sturdy and has that length with the long arms to help defend bigger receivers. Overall though, we have one good CB(Gilmore) and a bunch of size or speed prospects. That includes McKelvin. McKelvin actually still has the best cover skills of all the corners on the team but his awareness was terrible until late last season. I am hoping he doesn't regress, because we have seen him do this before. As a rookie, he looked good in the second half of the season. Two years ago, they were thinking he was going to be great covering slot receivers after a strong preseason and then he quickly got demoted.

 

Dareus was laboring out there. They didn't draft this guy that high to simply tie up blockers but that's all he did yesterday. He was drawing the double team and not really moving his legs to work thru it. Nose tackles are important but they are not valued. There are almost always a few quality run pluggers on the market cheap all winter so it is a waste for Dareus to be playing at 340 and slow dancing with a guard and center all day. You can get that kind of work cheap. It may come down to them separating Williams and Dareus and giving each a space eating companion if they want to get the most out of these guys, but the problem is that Dareus is still going to draw doubles and he needs to be in better shape to beat them.

 

Loving the receiver play. Especially the lack of drops. I think the pace of the offense meshes well with a young receiving corps. The constant motion keeps your players feeling athletic.

 

Goodwin got the ball out to the 20 yard line from the endzone as fast as any Bills kick returner I have ever seen. Fast and direct. That being said, we have seen others go balls-out from the endzone and then after they take a few punishing hits they slow down. Even the greatest kick returners generally only have 2-3 years of high quaility in them so I hope to see Goodwin making those plays on offense as well.

[Pitta]

Lawson was not seen nor heard and for a strong side linebacker that is pretty good. They did not run at him, though, as much as they ran to the weak side.

 

Lawson tipped the pass that was picked off by Butler.

[BuffOrange]

I'm not sure I agree with this one. Nothing fires up a team like a goal line stand followed only closely by a safety. Stopping the other team on 4th down after they've disrespected you is a huge morale booster for any team. It's gutsy and great if it works, but it depends on the situation.

 

Of course it depends on the situation. And I would bet dollars to donuts that Luck or Brady would want us to kick a FG in that exact situation in a reg. season game every time. They would be "fired up" that a 13pt game is still within reach (not that firing up a QB makes him throw more accurately or make better decisions).

Edited August 12, 2013 by BuffOrange

[YoloinOhio]

I was getting a kick out of the homer announcers as well. I could have sworn that they started talking about the weather, and the corn forecast, by the fourth quarter.

 

For all those who say "It's the pre-season, it means nothing" - okay, while true to an extent, would you rather be waking up this morning as a Colts fan?

My thoughts exactly - FWIW, I'd rather this outcome than the reverse score. Bottom line.

[boyst]

 

 

Lawson tipped the pass that was picked off by Butler.

was talking in the stats line. Didn't have to come off with big numbers to contribute big yesterday. That's big

[Realist]

I see a lot of complaints about the NFL Network coverage, this technically was NOT NFL Network coverage, this was the Colts broadcast team. It said right in the beginning Colts Football, so naturally that's all they care about is what Indy does. I'm sure the Bills broadcast was the same the other way around. What I liked most about the coverage was how they started talking positive things about the Bills, that normally doesn't happen in preseason games.

[Beerball]

I'd not say reserved. I would say EJ's timing is still off. The speed of the NFL game is drastically different and he played at FSU. FSU in 2013, not in the 90's where the speed was killing it. EJ today saw quality he had not seen, speed every where on the field, speed and designed defense that is faster then ours. EJ Manuel today looked good but what he had a problem with was reading that speed and compensating for that.

 

Tuel looked better, by comparision, because the speed of the 2nd and 3rd teamers was much slower and less of a leap. The Colts defense beyond the starting unit was rather soft, also.

He was guiding the ball early on. Maybe it was trying to take a little something off the short throws to make them more catchable but on one 3rd down pass he had an open receiver, sorry, can't remember who open and you could almost see him pull the string as he tried to guide the ball. He was much better as the game went on.

 

 

Just for a moment everyone needs to close their eyes and conjure up visions of last preseason. This team was so much better prepared to compete in all phases of the game.

[FLFan]

 

Just for a moment everyone needs to close their eyes and conjure up visions of last preseason. This team was so much better prepared to compete in all phases of the game.

This is really the key to focus on for me. This team is clearly better coached - prepared, fired up, wanting to win. Been a while since we have seen that.

[HankBulloughMellencamp]

I'd be okay with trading Kolb for draft pick, even a low one.

 

OK, OK ... I know it's only pennies a serving, but put down the pitcher of Kool-Aid immediately.

 

I am quite glad Tuel looked very good, in that it does at least help explain why they jettisoned Tarvaris so quickly after resigning him. But as the season approaches, I really think we'd be best served keeping Kolb around these parts (and away from slippery floor mats). I think he should be our Hasselbeck-like #2, who can help our greenhorn QB out on the sidelines when the games really count and the defensive looks are confusing him. This will surely be the case at some point, and Kolb's contract will be money well spent to help shorten EJs learning curve in these situations.

 

I saw lots of good things yesterday, far more than I expected or could even mention, so I'll offer this simple haiku ...

 

 

splendid game with new regime

 

in Marrone I trust

 

watch those fast boys run and hit

 

 

 

... 'tsgoBUFFALO!!!

Edited August 12, 2013 by HankBulloughMellencamp

[Meatloaf Sandwich]

 

You didn't. Which is the issue. Brooks got beat deep for a TD and you want him in the unemployment line, yet the 10th overall pick, a guy who is making far more money and carrying bigger expectations was beat like a drum by a rookie WR and the worst QB in football and you want to make sure he keeps his roster spot? CB's get beat all the time, I've seen Revis get torched once or twice. You take everything as a whole. Brooks had a bad moment in his first preseason game, he also had some good moments as well. Let's let the entire preseason play out before we start throwing guys off the team.

 

Where did I say "I wanted Brooks on the unemployment line?"

I said he gave up a TD the biggest mistake you can make as a DB. Nowhere did I say anything about cutting him.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Meatloaf Sandwich

[Joe Miner]

He was guiding the ball early on. Maybe it was trying to take a little something off the short throws to make them more catchable but on one 3rd down pass he had an open receiver, sorry, can't remember who open and you could almost see him pull the string as he tried to guide the ball. He was much better as the game went on.

 

 

Just for a moment everyone needs to close their eyes and conjure up visions of last preseason. This team was so much better prepared to compete in all phases of the game.

 

Missed Woods and Hogan on two third down throws. Should have made both.

 

And either EJ, the OL, or Fred screwed up that 3rd down screen play. Outside of those 3 plays, EJ looked pretty good to me, and had a much better presence than I've seen from a Bills QB in a long time.

[eball]

I see a lot of complaints about the NFL Network coverage, this technically was NOT NFL Network coverage, this was the Colts broadcast team. It said right in the beginning Colts Football, so naturally that's all they care about is what Indy does. I'm sure the Bills broadcast was the same the other way around. What I liked most about the coverage was how they started talking positive things about the Bills, that normally doesn't happen in preseason games.

 

Unless it's a true "national" game -- like the HoF Game -- preseason games are being produced by local affiliates and team-hired broadcasters. Which means, I presume, you're getting cameramen who normally shoot local "on the street" interviews providing your footage.

 

Preseason coverage has always been laughable -- don't know why folks are acting as if this is a new thing.

[Matt in KC]

OK, OK ... I know it's only pennies a serving, but put down the pitcher of Kool-Aid immediately.

 

I am quite glad Tuel looked very good, in that it does at least help explain why they jettisoned Tarvaris so quickly after resigning him. But as the season approaches, I really think we'd be best served keeping Kolb around these parts (and away from slippery floor mats). I think he should be our Hasselbeck-like #2, who can help our greenhorn QB out on the sidelines when the games really count and the defensive looks are confusing him. This will surely be the case at some point, and Kolb's contract will be money well spent to help shorten EJs learning curve in these situations.

Oh, I agree. We need a vet on the roster, but I'd be thrilled if EJ and Tuel got us through the season and earned valuable experience. They are our future, not Kolb. Here's my whole thought on the subject, meant to be tongue-in-cheek. The "trade Kolb" sentiment is just an expression of my rookie fever, and not a good idea.

I have rookie fever. I'd be okay with trading Kolb for draft pick, even a low one. That said, I do think it's crazy going into the season without a veteran on call. This is kind of like burning the lifeboats to tell the crew you're confident you can plug the leaks. That said, if Tuel ever starts, I will slam the front office if there is no one else behind him. The FO is supposed to have gotten their rookie fever shots before the season!

[reddogblitz]

Of course it depends on the situation. And I would bet dollars to donuts that Luck or Brady would want us to kick a FG in that exact situation in a reg. season game every time. They would be "fired up" that a 13pt game is still within reach (not that firing up a QB makes him throw more accurately or make better decisions).

You can easily be burned by this as well. Just look at the Seahawks playoff loss to Altanta last year. They were in a similar situation at the end of the first half and went for it and didn't get it. They ended up losing by 2. Altanta got the ball very late down by 1. All they needed was a FG. If Seattle takes that FG, Falcons now need a TD. That 3 would have been nice to have at that point.

 

I admit it, I'm old school. I studied under the Tom Landry school of coaching. When it's 4th down, you kick 98% of the time. Take the points especially in the first half.