Bills are bad.... again. :(

[Ray Marsh]

Once the cream of the AFC and even the NFL the hapless Bills are wallowing at the bottom along with the Dolphins, who only exceed the Bills in badness by having the distinction of losing one more game.

Its not easy being a Bills fan.

Time to change my paperbag again, its starting to smell.
[ October 11, 2004: Message edited by: Ray Marsh ]

[Nick George]

ehem...

E. A. G. L. E. S. EAGLES!!!

I'd insult your team, but you seem to have done so for me.

[Michael Ernest]

The Niners win a game! The Niners win a game! The Niners win a game! The Niners win a game! The Niners win a game!

(Enjoying the moment, rare it may well be this season...)

[Thomas Paul]

Two good NY football teams in the same year. Surely the end of the Earth is coming.

[Ray Marsh]

[Damien Howard]

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Two good NY football teams in the same year. Surely the end of the Earth is coming.

The Giants are not that good. They will unfortunately falter. Some penalties by the hapless cowboys is what saved us.

Hopefully we will improve enough by season's end to be a real contender.

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Damien Howard:
The Giants are not that good.

We won 26-10. On the road. We are 4-1. We won 4 games all of last year. We are good. And so are the Jets.

[Nick George]

The Giants are garbage. From watching the cowboys-giants game, I want nothing more than to play both of them. They both looked awful on both sides of the ball.

[Michael Ernest]

Originally posted by Nick George:
ehem...
E. A. G. L. E. S. EAGLES!!!

I'm excited for them too this year. If I could figure out who was hosting the NFC wild card game they make it to, I'd buy my ticket now.
[ October 11, 2004: Message edited by: Michael Ernest ]

[Nick George]

If that was a joke, it wasn't very funny. If it wasn't a joke, someone ought to stick to computers, because they don't know their football.

[John Dunn]

J. E. T. S. JETS JETS JETS

You heard it here first. We beat the Niners and go to 6-0 by beating the Pats, after the Yanks beat on Beantown one more time!!! Then hopefully we'll witness a victory in D.C. Whoo hooooooooo

[Nick George]

Originally posted by Michael Ernest:

If I could figure out who was hosting the NFC wild card game they make it to, I'd buy my ticket now.

If you insist on issuing baseless offensive statements against my team, at least use proper grammer.

[Jim Yingst]

Grammer? Wasn't he the guy who played Frazier?

[Michael Ernest]

Kelsey Grammer, spot on.

[Ray Marsh]

NFC Championship game? bah! I say again... bah!

Playoffs!? Phooey!

The most important game of the year so far is next week when the Dolphins play the Bills for the coveted cellar position of the AFC East, actually the whole league.

This must be what Cincinnati fans feel like.

If I could lobotomize myself, perhaps I could believe the malarkey that coach Mularkey spews out on a weekly basis.

Small adjustments? Do the little things right? Like what! Blocking?! perhaps he does consider blocking a little thing. That would explain their performance on the field.

[Thomas Paul]

And Bills fans don't even have hockey season to fall back on!

[Ray Marsh]

Now that was below the athletic supporter!

[Jason Menard]

As a Pats fan...

Let me thank the Bills for giving us a first round selection and taking Drew Bledsoe (was it pro-bowler Richard Seymour we took with the Bledsoe pick? I can't remember.). Bledsoe's an outstanding citizen and a great guy to have on one's team, but he's not what he used to be. Also, thanks for taking Lawyer Milloy as well, his contract was a killer and freed up much needed cap room better spent on someone who wasn't past his prime.

As far as the J-E-T-S go... LOL! They have what is likely the easiest schedule in the NFL this year. Their first game against a team that's actually winning more than they lose doesn't come until their sixth game of the season. After that, with the possible exception of Baltimore, they have it easy the rest of the way until their final few games, and then only if Pittsburgh manages to keep it going, Seattle doesn't self-destruct, and St Louis plays up to the hype. The J-E-T-S also benefit from playing the Bills and Fins twice. Claiming second best in the AFC East isn't much to brag about given Buffalo and Miami. If the J-E-T-S only beat the bad teams that they should win against if they;re at least mediocre, they're looking at ten wins and a cake walk to the playoffs. But until they beat somebody with a winning record at least, I don't think there's too much to feel good about as a Jets fan. And btw, when's the last time Pennington has played an entire season?

[Nick George]

Jim, all you ever do is lurk around until someone makes some tiny mistake so you can pounce on them for all you're worth. Gettin' on 12,000 times you've either nailled someone or berated them.

[Nick George]

and yes, I DO know the word is 'nailed.'

[Ray Marsh]

Originally posted by Jason Menard:
...Let me thank the Bills for giving us a first round selection and taking Drew Bledsoe...

The AFC east used to be the most competitive division in the league. Now it has polarized totally.

Drew is in the wrong environment. He is not mobile which is bad in the NFL these days. The days of the pocket passer are almost gone. There are still a few teams that can get away with it, some of the time. Not with an O line like the Bills have. They can't pass-block, can't run-block, can't block-block.

Their problems run deeper than that. They have never been the same since Levy left, then turned even worse when John Butler left (he could find talent and Levy could use it) Now they look like the Jets of the past decade... a lot of talent with little to show for it. This year bupkis to show for it.

They've been in a re-building mode for the last 5 years! Every year they get worse. Ralph Wilson needs to loosen up the purse strings and hire a GM and coach that know how to win.

In the mean time I can just cheer every time Dallas loses!

[Jason Menard]

The days of the pocket passer are almost gone.

I don't know about that one. Brady and Manning certainly might disagree. It seems to me that most of the more productive QBs in the league are still generally pocket passers.

Their problems run deeper than that. ...

If nothing else, you know that when any of the AFC East teams get together to play each other, no matter how they've been doing in the season, it's usually going to be a pretty good game. Umm... You probably wouldn't want to use last year's two Patriots-Bills games as evidence of that though.

To give the Bills their due, they are the only team aside from the Pats in the AFC East that I don't totally despise. I like nothing better than watching the J-E-T-S and the Flipper's go down in flames. I'm still a bit of a Bledsoe fan though, so I still hope he has some success... just not against New England.

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Jason Menard:
As far as the J-E-T-S go... LOL!

Two things... First, you can only beat the teams you are playing. The Jets didn't make the schedule so whining because they haven't beaten any 16-0 teams yet is just... whining. Second, in the last two years (the only years he has been a starter) Pennington has missed only the first 6 games of last season. So why are you whining about him starting?

There is nothing more obnoxious then a fan who whines when his team his winning. :roll:

[Jason Menard]

Not whining, simply observing that is is far too premature to make any claims of the Jets greatness. Not that that has ever stopped any New York fans of course. Besides... I thought you were a Giants fan? Are you hopping on the Jets bandwagon now or something?

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Jason Menard:
Not whining, simply observing that is is far too premature to make any claims of the Jets greatness. Not that that has ever stopped any New York fans of course. Besides... I thought you were a Giants fan? Are you hopping on the Jets bandwagon now or something?

"Greatness"? I said the Jets were good this year. I doubt very much that the Jets will do more than make a quick appearance in the playoffs. In a league of mediocrity, the Jets are a cut above which places them in the "good" list.

I am a Giants fan but I despise the Pats almost as much as I despise the Red Sox. Anything I can do to tweak a Pats fan is well worth the effort.

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Jason Menard:
The days of the pocket passer are almost gone.

I don't know about that one. Brady and Manning certainly might disagree. It seems to me that most of the more productive QBs in the league are still generally pocket passers.

I might add that the Giants seem to be doing fairly well with a quarterback whose feet seem to be chained to the turf.

[Jason Menard]

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
I might add that the Giants seem to be doing fairly well with a quarterback whose feet seem to be chained to the turf.

Agreed. Warner has certainly been good for the Giants. His wife hasn't started calling in any of the sports shows yet, has she? Word on the street is that was a problem in St. Louis.

My favorite Giants-Patriots moment... It was back in 1996. Herschel Walker was still returning kicks for the Giants. It looked like Herschel Walker had broken a return for a TD. There was nobody ahead of him and nobody who could take an angle on him from the side. Unfortunately for Walker, once regarded as the fastest man in the NFL, he was run down from behind and tackled by one of the Pats new rookies that year. The guy who ran him down was a guy named Adam Vinatieri, the kicker. The once fastest man in the NFL had been run down from behind by a kicker! I bet Walker had a hard time living that one down. I wonder if it's coincidence, but I think that was his last year in the league. To Vinatieri's credit though, his rookie year he had a nasty habit of getting in on the action and making tackles on the returns. He was pretty damn good at it in fact, but I think the coaches made him cool it the next year so as to try and avoid injury. But running down Herschel Walker... that was sweet.
[ October 12, 2004: Message edited by: Jason Menard ]

[Ray Marsh]

I'm not saying that pocket passers are gone or even will be someday. In our blitz heavy NFL, today, they are in the minority. It takes a special QB to be able to fill that role. Also, you need a first rate front line, which the Bills do not have. You also need a good running game (which the Bills do not have) to keep the D honest.

I think Drew still has the ability to do well, even excel. He's just on the wrong team. And I was excited to when he came to Buffalo after the Johnson/Flutie era. :roll: But he's not working out and its not all his fault or even mostly his fault. His inability to adapt his game is my biggest complaint against him.

The Bills problems are many and varied. They talk about going back to the basics, but they are not doing it. The foundation of any football team is the 5 big guys up front. You have to protect your QB and you have make holes for your backs. No amount of talent can overcome a weak foundation.

The second most important item is the D-line. You have to be able to stop the run and pressure the QB. (D- for the Bills on that too!)

I know these are two major "DUHs" for you guys, but the Bills don't seem to get it or if they do, they don't know how to accomplish it. Its just frustrating, that's all.

I do like the Pats, they are an exciting team to watch and they are really solid all around. But, I'm still keeping my Bills sweatshirt and paper bag!

[Thomas Paul]

The one thing that has made the Giants a winning team this year has been their offensive line. These guys were supposed to suck but they have put together great pass and run blocking.

[Ray Marsh]

Not to be a spoiler, but the Giants haven't beaten anybody yet. They've shown they can move the ball, to be sure, but the best team they've beaten is Dallas @ 2-2.

They should make the play-offs with the soft schedule they have. The Ravens and Eagles are a couple tough games, but there's not a lot of big hitters on the list. Its hard to tell how good they really are at this point.

The Bills, on the other hand, would not benefit from an easy schedule any more than a hard schedule. There are no soft spots for a team that is playing so poorly.

[Rafa Moreno]

RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS RAMS

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by Ray Marsh:
Not to be a spoiler, but the Giants haven't beaten anybody yet.

Looking at their record, they appear to have beaten 4 teams. You can only beat the teams you are playing.

[Ray Marsh]

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Looking at their record, they appear to have beaten 4 teams. You can only beat the teams you are playing.

Yes, when they beat someone with a winning record then they will have beaten someone. All their wins are against losing teams except Dallas which is mediocre 2-2.

They actually have a tougher schedule than I thought. Some of the teams on their schedule are normally are not good, but have a good record this year.

5 of their next 6 games are against winning teams (at this point) and on 11/28 they play Philly again. If they still have a winning record by then and beat Philly, then they'll have beaten someone.

Its a weird year anyway. Green Bay is bad, San Francisco is bad, Seattle is good and Detroit is good. Even St Louis has a winning record?!

[Ray Marsh]

Well. The Bills managed to beat the worst team in the league. I suppose I should be glad that they aren't it! They came back this week and showed that they are still the team not to lose to. Which is different than the team to beat.
[ October 25, 2004: Message edited by: Ray Marsh ]

[Jason Menard]

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
In a league of mediocrity, the Jets are a cut above which places them in the "good" list.

I am a Giants fan but I despise the Pats almost as much as I despise the Red Sox. Anything I can do to tweak a Pats fan is well worth the effort.

Well, after Sunday's game there's still no evidence that the J-E-T-S are anything other than mediocre. Sure New England played the game in a manner to let the J-E-T-S think they had a chance, but the same can be said of the teams who played New England in the 20 games prior to this one.

In the background as the 4th quarter was coming to an end as New England continued to grind out the clock, you could hear the satisfying sound of a jubilant home crowd chanting "Who's your daddy!" to the Jets. Beating the Jets never really gets old.

[Ray Marsh]

The Jets have only beaten one winning team, San Diego. They still have to prove something, before I'll call them good. The Giants are in the same boat... a good record, but they still haven't beaten anybody good.

Time will tell. There's a lot of season left.

How about early picks for the Superbowl? The schedules will not be even until week 10 and the cursed bye weeks are all gone.

I'll say Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Its too obvious to take the two undefeated teams left in the league. Philly is vulnerable, they showed that this weekend, against Cleveland of all teams. They also showed they can win close ones though.

[Jason Menard]

Originally posted by Ray Marsh:
I'll say Pittsburgh and Minnesota.

I won't argue the Minnesota pick. The Eagles have lost too many times in the NFC championship. As far as Pittsburgh goes, well, they play New England next week at Pittsburgh so that should be some sort of gauge for them. I personally don't see it though. Indy is strong but they have shown that they can't handle pressure, so they will inevitably choke.

[Michael Ernest]

The Niners might win another game this season.

[Ray Marsh]

Its going to be a horse race for the bottom of the league. There are several early favorites.

Here's the list of 1 game winners.
- Buffalo
- Miami
- Chicago
- San Francisco
- Carolina

There's another whole group with 2 wins that are in the hunt too. Of course there is always the possibility of someone else going belly up and riding a rocket sled to the bottom.

I've been trying to find the dark horse for the Superbowl pick. Its such a goofy year though. The Pats are no fluke and neither is Philly, but those are the easy picks. Who's lurking out there with a so-so record just waiting to hit their stride?

Man I love footbal season! Even if I do have to watch it with a bag over my head!

[Jason Menard]

I think Jacksonville has to be considered a possible dark horse.