The Bills Blog

NFL Power Ranking Roundup

2011-10-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

David Duprey, AP

After knocking off the Patriots and now sending the "Dream Team" back to Philadelphia with another loss over the last 3 weeks, the Bills are moving up across the board in this week's power rankings.

Fox Sports - 8th (up 4 spots) The Bills are for real on both sides of the ball, as they showed in Sunday's 31-24 win over Philly. Defensively, they give up a lot of yards, but are opportunisitc in creating turnovers. Offensively, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the perfect QB to orchestrate Chan Gailey's offense, and RB Fred Jackson and WR Stevie Johnson are augmented by a couple of pretty good TEs.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

CBS Sports - 9th (Same) At 4-1, with victories over the Patriots and the Eagles, they are for real. That offense is tough to stop.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/powerrankings

ESPN - 6th (up 3 spots) The upstart Bills hold victories over the Patriots and "Dream Team" Eagles. Who would have thought? (Walker)
http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2011/week/6

Pro Football Talk - 4th (up 6 spots) Leave it to a guy from Harvard to perfectly execute a dummy play.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/11/week-five-power-rankings-2/

New York Jets: Spygate Part 2?

2011-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

An interesting still frame from Sunday's contest between the NY Jets and the New England Patriots is floating around the internet:

You can see a member of the Jets staff clearing pointing a television camera across the field. They don't appear to be hiding this act, but it would seem to be in violation of NFL policy. Are the Patriots getting a taste of their own medicine here? As of yet, neither the NFL or the Jets have responded to questions regarding this image.

Update: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com now reports the Jets have responded: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/11/photo-of-jets-employee-with-sideline-camera-creates-stir/

As Florio has learned, the Jets claim this practice is allowed in limited situations. It would be interesting to know what these limited situations are, given the NFL operations manual states, "...no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game."

Buffalo Bills @ Philadelphia Eagles by the Numbers

2011-10-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Tom Szczerbowski, Getty Images

The Bills will look to right the ship this Sunday at the Ralph, after a sub par outing last week at Cincinnati. Meanwhile the Eagles, dubbed in the preseason as "The Dream Team" look to salvage their season after what has been a disasterous 1-3 start to open the 2011 campaign.

12: Sunday will mark only the 12th meeting all time between these interconference rivals. The Eagles hold a slight edge over the Bills having won 6 of the previous 11 meetings. The first ever meeting between the two franchises took place on Oct. 7th, 1973, when the Bills edged out the Eagles 27-26.

Rob Carr, Getty Images

100 Million: Eagles QB, Michael Vick, may be the only athlete in professional sports to sign two separate 100 million dollar contracts. Vick only played two seasons on his 2004 deal with the Falcons that was valued at 10 years/100 million dollars. Will the Eagles end up with similar buyer's remorse after signing Vick to a 6 year/100 million dollar deal this past offseason?

3: The Eagles enter this contest as a road favorite. This is, perhaps, one of the only times you will ever see a 3-1 team host a 1-3 team and be a 3 point underdog. Clearly, the money still believes in the Eagles' star power.

5.5: LeSean McCoy is averaging 5.5 yards per carry this season. After being gashed by the Bengals' rush attack last week, the Bills defense will have their work cut out for them facing McCoy.

5.8: On the flip side Fred Jackson is averaging 5.8 yards per carry this season. The Bills will have a golden opportunity to utilize Jackson against the Eagles' 30th ranked rush defense. The question is, will Chan Gailey have the patience to pound the ball?

106.7: Opposing QB's have collectively posted a rating of 106.7 against the Eagles pass defense. Despite a secondary laden with talent, Philadelphia has given up 10 TD's through the air and come away with a mere 2 interceptions. This should be a welcome change and a chance for Fitzpatrick and the receivers to get back on track.

2: This will mark only the second time the Bills have faced Michael Vick under center. Vick got the better end of things in a 2005 meeting where he led the Falcons to a 24-16 victory at Ralph Wilson Stadium. On that day Vick threw for 167 yds. and a pair of TD's to go along with 64 rushing yards.

2008: The elephant in the room. Stringing together a second straight loss this Sunday after a disappointing outing at Cincinnati will increase comparisons to the Bills' disappointing collapse during the 2008 season. If Chan Gailey and his 2011 Bills want to prove they are legit, today is a golden opportunity. Good teams lose, but find ways not to drop 2 in a row. Are the 2011 Bills there yet?

35-31: Expect a shootout between two talented offensive units facing defensive units that have questions. This game could define the season for the Bills and Eagles who both desperately need a win. Expect the Bills offense to get back on track and ride the home field advantage to a close win.

Raiders' Al Davis Dead at 82

2011-10-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

US Presswire

The NFL lost a legend today with the passing of Al Davis. Davis, known as an innovator, led his Raiders to 3 Super Bowl titles. However, his greatest contribution to shaping the game as we know it, may have been in his stint as AFL commissioner. Through Davis' guidance, the NFL would eventually merge with the up and coming AFL and change the face of football forever.

Ralph Wilson released the following statement in the wake of Davis' passing:

"I am deeply saddened with the news of the passing of Al Davis. Al and I were very good friends for many years and I admired his innovative approach to the game of football. Al had a great impact on the American Football League that carried over to the National Football League after the merger and his competitive spirit embodied our sport. Al’s Raiders may not have won every game, but you knew that you were in for a tough, hard-fought contest every time you played them, regardless of the score. I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Al’s family, friends, the Raiders organization and Raiders fans everywhere.”

Chan Gailey Monday Press Conference

2011-10-04T09:08:00.001-07:00

David Duprey, AP

Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey was clearly dejected, but showed a sense of resolve at his Monday press conference, following his squad's first loss of the 2011 campaign. Here is a recap of the main points:

* The team feels like they lost respect around the league following their first loss of the season. Chan went on to say that you either gain or lose respect each week, but rarely stay at the same level. The team as a whole feels they need to go back out and earn respect.

* The final judgement on the team doesn't come until the end of the season

* Demetrius Bell will be out this week. His injury will require rehab, but no surgery.

* Chris Hairston will start in Bell's place at left tackle. Chan believes Hairston has improved since training camp, but will face a big challenge this week.

* Terrence McGee will return to the practice field this week, but may not be ready for the game.

* Kraig Urbik will return to practice and has a good shot to go against Philadelphia. If Urbik is healthy and ready to go, he will go back in at right guard. It will not be a competition with Rhinehart.

* Aaron Williams will sit out practice again this week.

* Nick Barnett was "banged up" in Sunday's loss and may take a couple of days off practice, but should be good to go next week.

* Chan is concerned with the amount of yards the defense is giving up, saying "You can't give up those kind of yards on a consistent basis and expect to win games." He also noted that the defense has to get off the field on 3rd down, which they did not do on Sunday against the Bengals.

* On the 1-3 Eagles coming in desperate for a win: "Everybody needs a win, there isn't anybody that doesn't need a win. You walk into any press conference anywhere, and everybody will say the same thing. Everybody's desperate, so they're no different than anybody else we play."

* On Andy Dalton hurting them with his feet: "We lost contain on him a couple of times. You can't lose contain this week, or you'll get burned badly." Chan stressed the team's focus on keeping Vick contained in the pocket this week.

* Gailey said he hopes the increased media exposure the team has received did not lead to a lack of focus against the Bengals, as the media attention will be a norm if the Bills win on a consistent basis, which is where they intend to be.

The full press conference can be seen here: Chan Gailey Press Conference

Why we Still BILL-ieve

2011-10-04T00:51:00.000-07:00

As predictable as January snow storms along the shores of Lake Erie, we knew the first loss of the 2011 campaign would stir up a hornet's nest of naysayers. After toppling the big, bad Patriots and pushing their record to 3-0, the national media couldn't help but notice our beloved Buffalo Bills. What was not to love? A young, upstart team with a roster chock full of long shot stories. A team of misfits and cast offs that had banded together and proved that they could go toe to toe with the NFL's elite. Not surprising after one, albeit disappointing, loss many are returning to their all too familiar position as evidenced by this Colin Cowherd gem via Twitter:

@ESPN_ColinColin Cowherd

Where did all the buffalo Bills fans go? Goggle the next eight games for Buffalo. 5-7 is just around the corner.

Perhaps had Mr. Cowherd searched "#BillsMafia" before tweeting he would've seen that Bills fans haven't gone anywhere. Would it really be wise to give up on the franchise that coined the phrase "Nobody circles the wagons... like the Buffalo Bills?" Perhaps the late Tim Russert summed it up best when he said, "Being a Buffalo Bills fan isn't being a fan, it's a way of life."

John Biever, SI

As fans experiencing that way of life, we've felt the highest of highs and lowest of lows. We've seen unbelievable comebacks and heart wrenching defeats. As fans, this season, we've already seen a lot. We've seen 8 years of misery at the hands of the Patriots come to a halt. We've seen an offense that can go toe to toe and win shootouts with the best the league has to offer. We've seen a team that can comeback from the most unlikely of deficits. Unfortunately, on Sunday we also saw a team that still has its flaws. We saw an offense that can have an off day. We saw a defense that struggled to get off the field on 3rd down. What we didn't see, however, was a reason to give up on our team.

Surely, one lack luster afternoon in Cincinnati can't erase the accomplishments of this team. Regardless of the flaws the 2011 Bills may have, they have brought back a certain feeling of better days gone by. They've shown flashes of brilliance that make it seem possible that this team can be great once again. They've reminded us of why football in Buffalo is different. When the Bills are good, nothing else seems to matter. Most importantly they've reminded us why we still BILL-ieve.

Stevie Johnson Catch vs. Bengals

2011-10-03T17:51:00.001-07:00

Was it a catch? You be the judge... these still frames come to us courtesy of "Figurita20" at BuffaloRange.com

Here we can see Stevie has the ball cradled in his left hand with his right knee and right hand on the ground.

Frame 2 shows us the ball is still secure.

Frame 3 shows Stevie is on the ground at this point, no sign of the ball.

In Frame 4 Stevie is clearly down at this point, but still no sign of a loose ball?

Remember, this was ruled a catch, until the back judge ran in and called this incomplete on the field. What did he see? Upon review, the call on the field was upheld, but with no explanation. What is your take? This looks like a catch to us.

Are the 2011 Buffalo Bills who we Thought they Were?

2011-10-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Joe Kay, AP

A feeling of deja vu set over the Bills and their fans at Paul Brown Stadium this afternoon as Mike Nugent's 43 yard field goal sailed through the up rights. Unlike last Sunday, however, it was the Bengals who were snapping decades long losing streaks. Cincinnati's first win over the Bills since the 1988 AFC Championship Game came at the expense of Buffalo's first loss of the season.

Buffalo could not shake the malaise that permeated the shores of the Ohio River this afternoon. Boasting the league's most potent scoring offense heading into the afternoon, the Bills found little of the rhythm and continuity they had displayed in the first three weeks of the season. "Fitzmagic" was in short supply as Buffalo's signal caller went for 199 yards and for the first time this season failed to register a TD pass. The Bengals defense also proved stout in the run game as Fred Jackson only managed 66 yards on his 17 carries. When the Buffalo attack wasn't stymied by the Cincinnati defense, questionable calls were at work stalling the attack. In particular, a 3rd down pass to Stevie Johnson ruled incomplete on the field. Despite, no visual evidence showing anything but a catch, the call was upheld on review.

Despite, questionable officiating, there was plenty of blame to go around in this loss. While the Bills defense scored for the second straight week on a Bryan Scott pick six, they failed to slow down the Bengals ground attack or register critical 4th quarter stops. Perhaps more troubling, the Bills showed little pass rush once again, as they allowed rookie QB Andy Dalton to march his team down the field on back to back 4th quarter scoring drives that culminated in Buffalo's first loss of the year, and launched Bills fans into a tirade of Dennis Green like proportions.

So... are the 2011 Buffalo Bills who we thought they were? Today marked a rare instance in recent memory where the Bills were, almost unanimously, considered the superior team. In a game where both conventional wisdom, and public opinion said Buffalo should win, they came up short. While this game will undoubtedly bring with it a slew of criticism drawing parallels to the 2008 squad that collapsed down the stretch en route to another losing season, it's too early to form any conclusions. How they respond to this loss will tell us if the 2011 Bills are who we thought they were.

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals By the Numbers

2011-09-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Andy Lyons, Getty Images

As the Bills gear up for Week 4, looking to push their record to 4-0, the Bengals look to salvage their season and get back to the .500 mark. Here's what to look for in this week's matchup of AFC foes:

27: This will mark the 27th meeting between the teams. Buffalo holds a 15-9 edge in the series. However, Cincinnati holds a 2-0 mark over the Bills in the playoffs; most recently in the 1988 AFC Championship game.

10: A new week, and a new streak. After bringing the Patriots dominance to a close in week 3, the Bills hope to extend their 10 game winning streak over the Bengals. The last time the Bengals bested Buffalo: the aforementioned AFC Championship on January 8, 1989.

2: The combined number of playoff appearances the Bills and Bengals boast this millennium.

6: Despite the struggles of the new millennium, Cincinnati and Buffalo combined for 6 Super Bowl appearances between the 1981 and 1993 seasons.

113: The number of points the Bills have scored this season. Buffalo's offense may face the stiffest contest this season against a Bengals D that is only surrendering 18 points per game, which ranks 6th in the NFL.

8: The number of points the Bengals scored in last weeks lost against San Francisco. Despite, having a formidable defense, Cincinnati will need to muster a great deal more offensive output this week to be competitive.

42-7: Bengal's QB Andy Dalton's record as a four year starter at TCU. One of the winningest QB's in college football history has played surprisingly efficient for a rookie, completing 61.4% of his passes and posting a QB rating of 82.1. However, if the Bills defense is going to generate some heat up front, this is the week to do it against the rookie signal caller.

41.6: The top ranked Bills offense is converting 41.6% of its 3rd downs. Cincinnati, meanwhile, has converted only 9/38 3rd down attempts on the season. If this stat holds true on Sunday, it will be a long day for the Bengals.

3: In an unfamiliar situation, the Bills will be a 3 point road favorite in this game. After toppling the Patriots, the world has taken notice that Buffalo means business. The question is, will a young Bills team just turning the corner, avoid being distracted by the hoopla that has begun to surround them?

5: Including Perry Fewell's interim stint, the Bills have had 5 different head coaches roam their side line since passing over Marvin Lewis in favor of Gregg "High School" Williams prior to the 2001 season. One can only ask what might have been, had Williams not blown away, then GM, Tom Donahoe with meticulous notes on every position coach and coordinator to ever grace the gridiron. While the Buffalo coaching carousel over the last decade has been nothing to write home about, Lewis may also be wearing out his welcome in Cincinnati. Now in his 9th season with the club, he has posted only 2 winning records.

35-17: While Cincinnati's defense may present some problems early, the Bills have found a knack for hitting a rhythm and not looking back. The Bengals will need to score points, and a lot of them, to hang around in this game. In time, Andy Dalton, and the Bengals offense may go toe to toe and win a shootout like this, but not this week. The young Bills keep their focus and move to 4-0.

Buffalo Bills' Ryan Fitzpatrick: AFC Offensive Player of the Month

2011-09-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

By Kirby Lee, US Presswire

February 27, 2009 was a rather uneventful day in Buffalo Bills history. There were certainly no coronations the likes of which greeted Jim Kelly on his way to town. Nor were there fans lining the streets like those celebrating the arrival of Drew Bledsoe to Buffalo. In fact, if you blinked, you may have missed the headline "QB Fitzpatrick signs with Bills."

The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Month arrived in Buffalo with little fanfare. Fitz was to be a veteran backup to Trent Edwards. He was merely another journeyman to add to the QB carousel that has spun round and round since the team's leading passer, and cornerstone of the franchise, Jim Kelly retired 15 years ago.

Much has changed in the past 31 months since Fitz signed with the Bills. Fans have written songs about him and teammates have dubbed him "The Amish Rifle." Indeed, Fitz and his magical beard have quickly become the stuff of Buffalo legend. On the field, he has guided a Buffalo offense that has scored more points than any other in the league, while statistically placing amongst the leagues "elite" quarterbacks. From journeyman backup, to entrenched starter, the debate has now shifted as to whether or not Fitzpatrick can continue this magical ride and be defined as a "franchise" QB; a term fans and media love to throw around as much as coach Chan Gailey discredits it. Gailey prefers to avoid all such labels and simply call Fitz "a winner." Perhaps that's the only label that matters.

Buffalo Wing Soup Recipe

2011-09-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

Nothing beat tailgating in Buffalo, and as Fall sets in, there's nothing better on game day than a hot bowl of Buffalo Wing Soup. We've sampled many recipes, but this is by far our favorite. Try it at your next tailgate:

Ingredients:
Celery stalks
1 1/2 c. Diced Onion
12 oz. Frank's Red Hot (Feel free to adjust to taste)
1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
14 oz. Velveeta cheese cubed
16 oz. Heavy cream
64 oz. Chicken Stock
1/2 c. Butter
24 oz. Bleu cheese crumbles for garnish
1 rotisserie chicken

Directions:
1. In a stockpot melt the butter and add onions. Cook until slightly tender.
2. Add the flour and coat the onions and continue to cook for approximately 2 minutes. Then add the
chicken stock and continue cooking. Stir until the liquid begins to thicken.
3. Add the chicken and heavy cream and stir to combine the cream. Increase heat to bring soup almost to a
boil. Add the hot sauce and cubed Velveeta and continue stirring until well incorporated.
4. Serve in heated bowls and garnish with bleu cheese crumbles.

Enjoy!

Bills Finding all the "Right" Players

2011-09-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

Rick Stewart, Getty Images

We've all heard the old adage "Truth is stranger than fiction." Never is this more evident than in the world of sports. Some stories are just too good to be fiction. You know the ones. Secretariat winning by 31 lengths at the Belmont, NC State defeating Houston at the buzzer, and of course as a sports fan, it's difficult not to get choked up when reminiscing about the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."

One can argue that Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey took a page from Herb Brooks' playbook this past offseason. They let the 2011 draft come and go without selecting a so called "Franchise" QB. While teams were scrambling in the midst of a shot gun free agency period over the summer, Nix and company sat quietly and passed over high priced veterans. In fact, when Paul Posluszny was lured to Jacksonville by a $45 million contract, the Bills brass moved forward and plucked up veteran LB Nick Barnett at a fraction of the cost. This theme continued when the Bills traded away Lee Evans to Baltimore. Amidst the collective gnashing of teeth and cries of "But Lee Evans is one of your best players!" you can now picture Buddy Nix channeling Herb Brooks, "I'm not looking for the best players, I'm looking for the right ones."

Through the first three weeks of the season, the Bills appear poised to stage a miracle of their own by ending a decade long playoff drought. On Sunday, when a scrappy 7th rd. QB surrounded by an array of late rd. picks, undrafted free agents, and waiver wire acquisitions took the field against future hall of famer Tom Brady and his all pro wide receivers, it didn't matter that the world didn't perceive them to be the best players on the field; only that at the end of the day they were the right ones.

Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage.com
"Show me the Baby!"

While outgunning the mighty Patriots in a shootout was a great start, one question still remains. If these Bills complete their miracle, who will be cast as Buddy and Chan? Kurt Russell did such a fantastic job playing Herb Brooks, that he certainly deserves consideration for Chan. Buddy's role is a tougher quandary, with the recent passing of the great Leslie Neilsen. Or perhaps we are better off letting these questions answer themselves. After all, who knows how the rest of the season will play out? As for now lets just enjoy the ride. With the right players in place, anything is possible.

Bills Win Shootout 34-31

2011-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Kevin Hoffman/US Presswire

A collective cheer and utter jubilation could be felt throughout Western New York, as the Bills snapped the infamous losing streak to the New England Patriots. A streak that had ballooned to 15 games, spanning 8 seasons. A streak that had haunted the organization through four coaching regimes. A streak that had toyed with the collective psyche of the proud fan base to a point where it was no longer possible to entertain any notion of competing for an AFC East crown. Despite showing tremendous improvement over the first two weeks of the season, knocking off the Patriots was simply pie in the sky.

When the final gun sounded on Sunday afternoon, as Rian Lindell's 28 yard field goal attempt split the uprights, the glass ceiling that had tempered expectations of these new look Bills, was shattered. In that moment the Patriots went from being invincible to simply being latest victim of the explosive Buffalo offense.

The significance of this win cannot be overstated. The Patriots had become this generation's 70's Dolphins. September 7th, 1980 and September 25th, 2011 will undeniably be intertwined in Buffalo Bills lore. The parallels are undeniable, right down to the white helmets and fallen goal posts. Most significant, however, is the belief that anything is once again possible. And this week while you're celebrating this victory, don't forget to tip your hat to Ferguson, Cribbs, and Coach Knox. After all, we're once again TALKIN' PROUD:

By The Numbers: New England @ Buffalo

2011-09-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Steven Senne, AP

Hey boys and girls, get ready to shock and amaze your friends at the tailgate on Sunday with obscure trivia! It's always interesting and sometimes pointless... it's time for Sunday's Matchup by the Numbers:

103: Sunday will mark the 103rd meeting between these AFC East rivals. The Bills won the first game in the series on Sept. 23, 1960 by a count of 13-0. Overall the Pats hold the edge with a 60-40-1 record all time.

15: The Bills have lost the last 15 games in the series.

5: Despite losing 15 in a row, the Bills have had their chances. Five of the 15 losses have been by 8 or fewer points.

54: The over/under on Sunday's game. The Bills come into the game with the league's highest ranked scoring offense, while New England ranks 1st in total offense at 563 yards per game. Defense could go out the window early on in this one... take the over.

19: The number of touchdowns the Bills and Patriots have combined to score in the first two weeks of the season... (see #54... take the over)

1: The number of times the Bills and Patriots have met in the playoffs. Despite having met 103 times in the regular season, they've amazingly only met once in the postseason. New England, led by Babe Perilli's 300 yards passing, won the contest 26-8. Jack Kemp and "The Mad Bomber" combined to throw 4 INT's in front of the home crowd at War Memorial Stadium. The year was 1963. Now there's some tailgate trivia for you!

8: The number of times the Bills have opened a season 3-0. A win Sunday would put the 2011 Bills in rare company as only the 9th team in franchise history to accomplish this feat. Despite the Dick Jauron/Trent Edwards collapse in 2008, the other 3-0 starts have yielded good results:

1964: 12-2 AFL Champions

1965: 10-3-1 AFL Champions

1975: 8-6

1980: 11-5 AFC East Champions

1988: 12-4 AFC East Champions

1991: 13-3 AFC Champions

1992: 11-5 AFC Champions

2008: No need to rehash that debacle

3946: The total number of points scored in this series dating back to 1960. The Patriots hold the edge here as well by a count of 2126-1820. Averaged out over the 102 games already in the books, that works out to roughly New England 21 Buffalo 18. But look at the bright side... the Bills are within shouting distance here. A few good seasons could wipe out that 306 point deficit in no time!

479: The number of yards New England is giving up per game. Did I mention that I really like the OVER in this game?! The once sturdy Patriot defense has shown to be vulnerable in recent years. This year does not look like an exception. This, in conjunction with the high octane offense the Bills have displayed in the first two weeks is, perhaps, the biggest reason to believe the Patriots winning streak will end on Sunday.

6: Over/Under on the number of times Teddy Bruschi will have to remind Ochocinco NOT to be in awe of Tom Terrific and EXPECT greatness.

42-35: My prediction... the Bills win a shoot out 42-35. GO BILLS!

Ryan Fitzpatrick Mic'd Up

2011-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

By David Duprey, AP

For those who missed NFL Network's Wednesday night presentation of Sound FX featuring Fitz mic'd up, it is now available online: NFL Videos: Sound FX: Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fitzy doesn't just display his talent on the gridiron in this clip either. Upon throwing the winning TD to David Nelson, "The Amish Rifle" hits octaves that would make Mariah Carey jealous. This is a true feat for a hard nosed football player with a lumberjack beard, and one that should be celebrated.

All kidding aside, it is once again evident that Fitzpatrick plays with a fire and passion that shouldn't be taken for granted. As Bills fans know all too well, it's entirely possible to have signal callers who don't consider themselves to be "fans" of the team as well as head coaches who can't seem to muster much more than a pulse on game day. It is a welcome site to see some fire coming from the leaders on this team, and the chemistry it appears to be building.

Where Were You When...

2011-09-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

September 7, 2003... a day that has lived in infamy for Bills fans for nearly a decade. We all remember that day. Takeo Spikes was running around the field like a man possessed, 2 steps ahead of every play. The newly acquired Lawyer Milloy was reeking havoc on his former teammates as far as the eye could see. Bledsoe launched an aerial assault, while Travis Henry and Sammy Morris pounded the Pats into submission on the ground. We knew we had to be living right when Sam Adams ran back a pick 6. With the Flutie/Johnson era squarely in our rear view mirror we were ready to reemerge as the Beasts of the East. Our time had come...

Little did we know that this day was a precursor to yet another cruel twist of fate that would test our steely resolve. Nearly a decade of bad football would follow riddled with loss after heart wrenching loss to the team we had just dominated... 15 in a row to be exact. Now fast forward eight seasons (that's 2941 days for those keeping track) to this Sunday. 2941 days seems like a lifetime ago. For those of us who celebrated our last victory over New England in a haze of, shall we say, "youthful exuberance" and now suddenly find ourselves married, with two mortgages, and staring down middle age right in the cross hairs while raising the next generation of Bills fans, it truly was a lifetime ago.

Chan Gailey and Ryan Fitzpatrick when asked about "the streak" this week have said all the right things. It's irrelevant to this ball game. And for this team, it's the right way to approach it. But, for 73,000 strong at the Ralph this Sunday, and untold thousands of Bills Backers huddled around televisions around the globe, this game means everything. We've seen the damage our offense can inflict with "The Amish Rifle" under center. It has brought back a certain hint of early 90's nostalgia when no game was out of reach, and opposing defenses could only shake their heads in frustration. We know this is the best chance we've had in 2941 days to get this monkey off of our back. We know if we can get this one, we may be on our way back to a place we haven't been in far too long. A place where, perhaps, when we tell the next generation of Bills fans about all of the division titles and Super Bowls it will be more than just stories of days gone by.

The Commish Sends Stern Warning to "Fakers"

2011-09-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Steve Wyche of NFL.com reported that the league sent a memo to all 32 teams warning against players faking injuries to gain a strategic advantage. Commissioner Goodell has garnered a reputation as an enforcer in his time as the league's head man. Some may say he's even crossed the line in doling out varying degrees of punishment to what he has deemed detrimental to the game. His memo surrounding so called "fake injuries" will only serve to bolster this legacy.

“Should the league office determine that there is reasonable cause, all those suspected in being involved in faking injuries will be summoned promptly to this office in New York to discuss the matter,” the memo states. “Those found to be violators will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action for conduct detrimental to the game. Discipline could include fines of coaches, players and clubs, suspensions or forfeiture of draft choices.”

This, of course, coming on the heels of the Giants getting bit by the injury bug in the face of the Rams no huddle on Monday night:

Perhaps nothing is more of a downer than when your team is roaring down the field in a no huddle and inevitably defenders start dropping like flies on their way back to the line. The action is stopped and the offensive momentum is halted. Frustrating as it may be, this has always been a part of the game. Goodell's threat of stripping draft picks may be a bit draconian, but certainly could make teams think twice before taking a dive and clutching a knee.

The problem of course lies in the implementation of said punishment. Is a league that just emerged from a nasty labor dispute, focused around player safety, among other things ready to chide players for not really being injured? When is the player injured enough not to garner such punishment from the league office? How would the league go about disproving a cramp?

After all, bizarre injuries do happen on the gridiron. During the 2002 season, QB Rob Johnson was once listed on Tampa Bay's injury report with a "strained buttocks." In 2004, then Dolphins QB AJ Feeley was listed on the injury report with "right middle finger/buttocks." Those would definitely make for interesting trips to the Commissioner's office.

Roscoe... We Hardly Knew You

2011-09-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

By: Gary Wiepert, AP

Reports are circulating this afternoon that Roscoe Parrish will once again be placed on IR. This ending his season after only 2 games. While Parrish has drawn criticism from his detractors for his diminutive stature, he seemed to begin to flourish in Chan Gailey's system. His inability to stay healthy once again, however, may ultimately be his ticket out of town.

On the bright side, University of Buffalo product, Naaman Roosevelt has been reactivated from the practice squad. Roosevelt, being a fan favorite for his local ties, was a somewhat surprising cut at the deadline. He had displayed extremely reliable hands and good chemistry with Ryan Fitzpatrick last season. Roosevelt signed with the team as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 draft, and as such will fit in splendidly with a WR corps. that inexplicably features only one player who was actually drafted (2008 7th rd. pick Stevie Johnson).

Thriller at the Ralph

2011-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

In a back and forth affair that has seen the Bills and their fans handed heart wrenching defeat time and again, the tide was turned Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. A home opener that saw the home team get off to a sluggish start, turned in to an all out slug fest in the second half. Trailing 21-3 going into the 3rd quarter, left many Bills fans with that all too familiar feeling of "here we go again."

But those were different times and different teams. This game may prove to be yet another landmark game in changing the culture that has surrounded this team and its proud fan base for over a decade. With Ryan "The Amish Rifle" Fitzpatrick under center and a host of receivers known as the "Goon Squad" anything seems possible. Not to mention Freddie Jackson who continues to shine out of the backfield. An offense that once struggled to register 5 first downs in a half, scored 5 TD's on 5 possessions in the second half to cap a hair raising home opener.

As it turned out, the offense needed every last one of those scoring drives masterfully orchestrated by Fitzpatrick. While McFadden was held in check (perhaps the new pat down procedures prevented him from bringing "Dat Wooooood" into the stadium?):

Despite McFadden's best efforts to bring that wood today, a mere 72 yards on 20 carries has to be seen as a win for the revamped Buffalo defense. Ironically, it was Jason Campbell and the Raider's banged up WR corps. that forced the issue, and left us hanging on to the edge of our seat expecting that harsh dose of reality we've come to know all too well over the past decade. But this time it was different. This time on 4th down with the game on the line, while we prepared ourselves for the inevitable and prepared ourselves for moral victories, a 7th round pick from Harvard connected with an undrafted receiver from Florida and grasped victory from the jaws of defeat.

The significance of Fitzpatrick's 3rd TD toss of the day, may transcend the importance of this lone win, however. It may even go beyond the fact that this group of cast offs became the first team in four years to convert TD's on each and every one of its second half possessions. Perhaps, more significant yet is the fact that it completed the largest 2nd half comeback our once proud franchise has seen in almost twenty years. Is it just possible that we witnessed the moment that we will look back on realize we have officially transitioned from an era embodied by the mantra of "It's tough to win games in the NFL" to a group that truly believes "When it's too tough for them, it's just right for us?" Perhaps we once again have a reason to "BILL-ieve"

Bring on New England...