The Commencement of the Trent Edwards Era

By Chris

What a difference a win makes. Yesterday we were debating an 0-16 season helmed by a rookie quarterback and a defense that can't stop anybody. Leave it to the New York Jets to restore the hopes of Western New York.

No matter who you talk to, there is one word guaranteed to be associated with Trent Edwards: poise.

It's that simple. Edwards was poised, kept calm, made his throws and got the W.

For the most part, Edwards looked like a veteran quarterback out there this afternoon. He made quick decisive reads and almost all of those reads were the right ones. He put the ball where only his receivers could catch them and gave them an opportunity to make a play after the catch. Very rarely did a receiver have to pull out of his route to make the catch. Nearly every ball was a bull's eye. You don't go 22/28 for 234 yards by mistake, even if you are the first rookie quarterback to start for Buffalo since the immortal Todd Collins.

It might have been a simplified playbook but Edwards still needed to make those throws. Losman wasn't and that's why, if Edwards can repeat this type of performance on Monday night against the Cowboys, we might be staring into the eyes of a Quarterback Controversy.

Bills fans are all too familiar with that beast in the Post-K-Gun Era, from Flutie-Johnson to Losman-Holcomb. All we want is a capable, competent quarterback and, fingers crossed, maybe Edwards is that guy.

And although it might have been a simplified playbook, the offense somehow opened up a lot more. Coach Dick Jauron and offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild put the game in Edwards' hands early, calling pass plays on nine of the first 12 offensive plays of the game. They got Lee Evans involved early as well. Evans had six catches for 72 yards, both of which were more than his season totals going into Week 4. Whether or not Evans should have made more of an effort on the Edwards duck that was intercepted in the end zone is a debate for another day. I'm just happy to see Evans catching balls for positive gains again.

Edwards also had good chemistry with Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish, proving once again that Peerless Price is pretty much useless no matter who is under center.

Granted it was against the Jets defense and not the Steel Curtain or the 'Roid Rage Radio Helmet Patriots, but we actually saw the tight ends involved in the offense. Michael Gaines, who I had never heard of until today, caught a touchdown pass, marking the first time a tight end has scored for the Bills since Jay Riemersma. The offense opened up because Edwards understood his reads, checked his receivers and did it quickly and efficiently.



Edwards never looked flustered on the field. Even on fourth and one in the fourth quarter he rolled out to find Gaines, eyes always focused on the end zone. He avoided the pass rush, kept his legs moving and hit his open man cutting into the middle of the field. He made it look easy. He stayed calm in the huddle and never panicked when the ball was in his hands. There were a few times when he waited to long to throw and took the sack, but that's to be expected with an quarterback once in awhile.

It's funny how good the offensive line looked today too. By making quick reads and getting the ball to his receivers mid-route, Edwards stayed out of trouble against the pass rush. Making throws also allowed the run game to thrive. Marshawn Lynch still had to fight for a majority of his 79 yards, sometimes carrying three guys with him to get a first down, but making the defense actually worry about the pass opened up the ground attack.

With Losman on the sidelines, look for Edwards to get nearly all of the snaps with the first team offense this week in practice. With the 4-0 Cowboys coming to town on Monday Night Football, it marks Big Wade Phillips' return to Buffalo as a head coach. With the national spotlight shining on Orchard Park next week, it's Edwards' chance to shine and prove that he's the answer Bills fans have been looking for since 1996.

And hey, the defense didn't play half bad either.

Nihil

by Ryan


In all the time we've had this blog, I've never run out of things to write.

Really, I've written about Halloween decorations, chicken wings, and quite frankly, nothing; yet somehow "Jets at Bills" is drawing a blank.

It's not that I'm uninterested, but honestly, what else is there to say? We all know what the Bills are about, and it is anything but exciting as of yet. Injuries have been ridiculous, both sides of the ball are anemic, and the record reflects that.

Does this mean I won't watch tomorrow? Of course I will, I'm self deprecating like that. But I guess because I have nothing to say it will be a quiet three hours. Call it a vigil or sorts. After tomorrow's game we are at the quarter pole, and although that means there is a long way to go, four games tell you a lot about how your season is going to wind up. So far... not so good.

Something that does have me excited is this Friday, which is Opening Night for the Sabres. I'm personally declaring the upcoming week "Islanders Week." This means that my mind will be completely flooded with hockey and I will be posting about nothing but. I promise it will be somewhat coherent, enjoyable, and will include plenty of Miroslav Satan.

A preview below:


Obviously he is just as excited about this as I am.

Perry Fewell: High as a Kite

by Ryan


The Bills, um, "situation" is not a good one. In fact, I've been avoiding any Bills post like the plague because it is downright depressing. Well, until I read what Perry Fewell has to say about the D.

"Oh, this is one of the highest challenges I've been faced with," said Fewell, in his 10th NFL season and second with Buffalo. "But I can't dwell on numbers. I'm focused on winning games. And I've got to go out and do a better job of teaching. ... And if I can do that, I don't have to worry about the numbers."

Yeah, it's really cute when coaches try to spin things to the good, but Fewell's gotta be smoking something if he thinks "teaching" is going to fix this mess.

He almost had me, too. Hargrove is coming back next week, Denney will be usable in the near future. The rallying cry had been sounded, and even with Poz and Co. out of the picture, who knows what can happen when a few healthy players get dropped into the scheme. I may have even whistled "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" once or twice.

Then a number stuck out: 458. That's how many yards our D gives up on average. Mean. Boilerplate. The norm.

Good Lord that's a ton of yards. Our opponents score on over half of their possessions, too. If I were Anthony Hargrove, I'd be looking for another cop to punch. Who really wants to be a part of this defense anymore?

Oh yeah, Leon Joe does. Do you know how irrelevant our starting linebacker is? I can't even find anything worth linking after an extensive Google search. However, safety Bryan Scott takes lovely wedding pictures.

"We've stripped it back a lot. It does concern me," Fewell said. "When you practice them, if they don't come off smooth the first or even the second day, you have to kind of take those things out and stick with something that's very base."

If the defensive playbook consists of one page that reads: "Tackle the guy with the ball", I wouldn't be surprised at all.

I would further analyze the D we may see on Sunday, but I can't find a properly updated depth chart anywhere. The Four Letter's still has Coy Wire active, and the NFL.com version still has Poz starting in the middle. Needless to say any roster that has more depth than a kiddie pool has yet to be updated.

I will say one thing, though: if we give up less than 400 yards this week, high fives all around. Perry should take the squad out for ice cream, just like the good old Pop Warner days...

***UPDATE: This depth chart from Sportsline.com looks pretty good. Well at least until one of our defensive tackles loses a limb...

Ramblings...

by Ryan

A few thoughts on today's events:


--Ron Mexico. When I get text messages from people telling me news, I usually ask where they heard it. When I got "Mike Vick tested positive for pot" today, I didn't think twice. These are the things that happen when you are convicted of dogfighting. (Is anyone else waiting for the next Mike Vick episode at KSK?


--I drafted for my fantasy hockey league tonight. I'm okay with my picks, especially that I drafted Chris Drury pretty late. I figure now when he scores I won't openly weep.


--The Sabres killed the Leafs tonight, keeping that preseason tradition alive. I know it means nothing, but it's good to hear Roy and Vanek still know how to light the lamp after their off season windfall. Has anyone noticed the tan on Roy? He looks like he spent a month in Cabo or something...


--Matthew Barnaby did color with RJ tonight. He started slow and stumbled a bit, but he was much more comfortable than I expected. His catch phrase seems to be "he made no mistake" when speaking of a goal scorer. I'm not sure how I feel about that, although it still beats Darren Pang's "HOLY JUMPIN!" Actually, just about anything beats that.


--Why do I even bother going to espn.com anymore? Seriously. I haven't stopped dry heaving. Does anyone know when that will fade?

Out of Sight...

by Ryan


Say what you will about the lack of talent on the team, but you know injuries have hit hard when you can't even keep memorials intact.

My initial reaction to this was outrage, but I guess once you look at it in context it's not so bad. Yes, Dick Jauron broke a promise, but he's no Nick Saban. He didn't even know it had happened until we signed another scrub and made some other roster moves.

I guess if you are juggling that many players and injuries, moving a locker isn't that big of a deal. Still, it wasn't just a locker to many. Kevin Everett is in Houston starting rehab, and moving his locker takes any shred of his presence on the Bills.

Will it make a difference? Probably not. This team needs more than good karma to win games, and while keeping a reminder of Everett around is noble, seven Bills on IR does push the capacity at One Bills Drive. It also makes us a 3-13 team.

So it goes...

Baseball! Long overdue!

By Jon



I started this post by handicapping the final few days of the MLB regular season and discussion possible division series matchups, appeasing one of our loyal readers in the process.



Then this little diddy came along...



The ball that Barry launched into right-center for number 756 is going to be forever branded with an asterisk, and that's not even the best part. The big-wigs at Cooperstown have decided to accept and display the ball


For those keeping score at home, yes, I did vote in this sham of a poll. And, yes, I did vote for branding this tainted piece of memorbilia with the dreaded asterisk.

This past week, Barry has been kicked around quite a bit. Let's review...

First, the Giants announce that they won't resign him next year. Ouch. Basically, they kept him around for the home run chase, sold a few tickets, made a bunch of money, then told him to take a hike. It sounds awful, but I can't agree with what the Giants organization did at all. We must remember that this is a business. There is no way to justify Mr. Bonds at the pricetag that he commanded this past season if it wasn't for the hoopla concerning the home run chase, and now that the storm has calmed, so to speak, it is time for him to hit the road. The man plays when he wants to, is a walking medical report, and a media nightmare. I'm sure the San Fran brass are wishing him good riddance.

Next, the story about this ball. This one doesn't require much explanation. The ball he hit to break an incredibly hallowed record will forever be marked with an asterisk. I get giddy at the thought of this.

The biggest slap in the face to Bonds was the Hall of Fame accepting the ball. Sure, they can say that it's a "piece of history" all they want, but this is the first piece of memorbilia in the Hall that blantantly makes reference to the steroids era. Anyone who passes through the doors in Cooperstown will see the ball that broke Aaron's record, and it will be emblanized with an asterisk.

Congrats on breaking the record, Barry, but even the Hall of Fame knows you cheated.

Look out Miller, here comes Goehring

By Chris

The Sabres sent six players back to Rochester today. Forwards Pat "The Hammer" Kaleta, Dylan Hunter, defensemen Mike Card, Marc-Andre Gragnani, Mike Weber and Adam Dennis all joined the Amerks ranks, waiting for their next chance to make it with the big club. Philip Gogulla and Feliz Schultz also returned to their clubs in January.

That leaves the Sabres with 28 players still in camp:

Thomas Vanek
Derek Roy
Maxim Afinogenov
Ales Kotalik
Tim Connolly
Jason Pominville
Jochen Hecht
Paul Gaustad
Drew Stafford
Andrew Peters
Adam Mair
Mike Ryan
Dan Paille
Clarke MacArthur
Marek Zagrapan
Mark Mancari

Henrik Tallinder
Brian Campbell
Jaroslav Spacek
Toni Lydman
Dmitri Kalinin
Nathan Paestch
Teppo Numminen
Andrej Sekera
Mike Funk

Ryan Miller
Jocelyn Thibault
Karl Goehring

No real surprises, per say. With Numminen out, Sekera and Funk should continue to battle it out that 7th defensive spot as expected. The Sabres seem to want longer looks at forwards Mancari and Zagrapan, which is fine. While I want to like Mancari, he still seems to be a vey raw player who is still a ways away from making an impact. Zags is a great talent and a guy who may be ready by midseason to step in for the big club. So I don't have any problem keeping them around.

What does confuse me a little bit is the decision to keep Goehring up over Dennis. Goehring, who played for the Syracuse Crunch last season, didn't expect a call from Sabres and now appears to be taking full advantage of his situation.

With Dennis and the Panthers' David Shantz already in Rochester, there might not be room for him on the farm. So right now it looks like he's just around for the ride, stuck between a rock and a hard place, and essentially just auditioning for other teams. So good luck to Goehring, maybe we'll get a chance to see what he can do on Wednesday.

Enjoy the view

By Chris

From the Sabres Insider E-Mail Bag comes this gem:



That's it, ladies and gentlemen. The new jumbotron.

So even if the team looks like crap on the ice, they'll look great in beautiful high definition.

Gong Show

by Ryan


Tom Renney is slowly becoming my other favorite NHL coach. Yes, Lindy holds the #1 slot, but the Rangers coach has impressed me since he took over the job, especially in last year's playoffs. Plus, he used my favorite term to describe a preseason hockey game.

"Gong show."

Hey, you know it was a great game when just reading the summary gets you pumped up.

Games like this characterize something that hockey holds over the other sports: fighting. Sure, fighting is juvenile, disgraceful, and all and all a detriment to society; but it gives the sport an advantage when talk of rivalry and intensity come about.

For example, I just watched a Monday Night Football game in which "rivals" Vince Young and Reggie Bush faced off. Their rivalry stems from their playing on opposing teams in the Rose Bowl a few years back, even though neither player has ever been on the field at the same time. Ever.

Compare that to a hockey game that has Ryan Hollweg and Chris Simon sharing a sheet of ice at least a half dozen times a game. There may not be a fight every shift, but the intensity of the game heats up when there is a chance two players will scrap at any given moment.

One of the most exciting games I've ever been to was the February 22nd Brawl Game against Ottawa. There was something about the melee that made that game mean much more than than it should have. In reality it was just two points, but a shootout win that night made it the kind of game that keeps you from sleep that night because you are still full of adrenaline.

"Somehow I don't think when two points are on the line you're going to see a whole lot of that."

Renney is right about that, too. Games like this are very rare, and when they do count players are less likely to act in ways that warrant ejections. Even so, games like this make the wait for real hockey almost unbearable. Sure, it may not happen again, but don't we all watch in hopes of seeing the unlikely?

Untitled Week Three Bills Post

by Ryan

To he quite honest, I’m terrified of this Bills team. It has the potential to be exciting, but excruciatingly mistake-filled. This defense could kill any chance for a winning team at the exact same time J.P. Losman could make "the leap" and play like he should.

Is this unfair? Well, no, it’s football. And if there is anything we have learned from sports it is that it emulates life perfectly in regards to fairness.

I wrote that exactly thirty days ago, and never before has it been more true. Tomorrow the 0-2 Bills take on their polar opposites, the 2-0 Patriots.

To say we are underdogs tomorrow is an understatement, but I will say it because there really is nothing else worth mentioning. We will lose tomorrow, and if we don't we all shall praise Zeus above and sacrifice properly.

Sports are not fair, and when your team has been wallowing in mediocrity the last decade or so, you're going to get smacked around by a team like the Pats. It happens, it's just that in Buffalo it happens a lot.

Also ranking as unfair this week is the fact that this has gone unnoticed. The Bills first head coach ever passed away, and I didn't even realize this until just now. The only reason I even came across it was because I was looking for this .

Sure it was the AFL days, and yes, he finished with a record below .500; but whether you like it or not, Garrard Ramsey is a part of Bills history. I was not alive to see Ramsey coach, but I try my best to appreciate the history our sports teams have. No matter what the record behind it is, our foundations were laid by men like Garrard Ramsey.

So for what it's worth, I'll be thinking about him tomorrow when Tedy Bruschi simultaneously saves a herd of baby zebras from mountain lions while sacking J.P. Losman. It's not going to be a happy thought, but I'd rather remember where we came from then forget it all together.

We've been in the game far too long to forget.

Dan Boyle: Out (ADD)

by Ryan


Injuries in preseason are a fan's worst nightmare.

For example, today I watched a Sabres practice in which Brian Campbell immediately left the ice after getting a puck to the face. Now while I joked he will be out 6-8 weeks with a broken face, inside I am panicking that we are down to five defenseman. Sure, I may be joking at the present, but I am also mentally preparing for a giant dose of emo-bangs from Mike Card.

Soupy's grill aside, we haven't seen many injuries as of yet. Sure, Teppo is already rehabbing, but at this point it's Teppo being Teppo.

Tampa Bay hasn't been so lucky, as a major star left a preseason game with an undisclosed upper body injury. (Thank God we've started the secrecy crap this early...) Hey, anyone who can't tell me what ails them is going to get a red flag on my draft board.

Also getting a red flag is Dan Boyle. His red flag, however, will be accompanied with three exclamation points and signal flare.

Lightning defensemen Dan Boyle was injured in the locker room after the game. Distracted while he was hanging up his skate, it slipped off of the hook and hit him in his left wrist, cutting a tendon. Boyle was to have surgery on Sunday and will be out several weeks.

Wow. I can't even begin to imagine what distracted him that much. I hope he doesn't get bored with all that downtime. Hopefully there are some pretty colored shiny things in his house...

Gilbert Magic

by Ryan


It's over. I'm calling it. Gibert Brule has taken over the NHL, and I'm not going to get in his way.

The Sabres dropped their first preseason game to the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda. Backups, call ups, meaningless game. I gotcha. But did you see number 17 in blue?

Brule notched two goals in the preseason opener on three shots. You gotta like that shooting percentage. Plus, did you see his ice time? Just unbelievable production out of the kid.

It's a good thing I snagged that kid's rookie card a few years back. I mean, if he's logging 71,000+ minutes in preseason, imagine what he can do when everything counts?

Oh, I see Kaleta and Hunter had similar minutes, as well as some guy named "Tollefsen." The game must have been pretty intense if they were matching lines like that.

I hope they get the day off tomorrow, that's a lot of skating in 60 minutes...


(Okay, okay, so Yahoo screwed up. Big deal. It's practice man... practice...)

No Scores, But Medical Updates All Around

by Ryan


In two days the Bills will be slaughtered in Foxborough. Tomorrow the Sabres will play a meaningless game against the Blue Jackets. Of course we will be talking about this at some other time, and hopefully in the case of the Pats game, we won't be crying about it. However, today some important developments happened with both hometown teams.

First of all, Kevin Everett has been improving over the past few days. Tomorrow morning he will be transported to a Houston hospital, and doctors are optimistic he will walk very soon.

Obviously this is great news, and his progress has been nothing short of amazing. To think less than two weeks ago it was very realistic that he could die, and now within that same time frame he will start rehabilitation to walk. Arguably, that's the best Bills news all season.

Last week training camp opened for the Buffalo Sabres, and the shocking news was that Teppo Numminen had been suspended for not being physically prepared to play. His long history of heart problems is well known around the league, but it was announced that he would need open heart surgery to ever play again.

Today he had that surgery, and according to reports all went well. Teppo is expected to come back around December, which leaves us with six seasoned defensemen on the opening day roster.

Learning the things we have about our defense over the summer, I feel better about our situation in front of Miller. Kalinin wasn't 100 percent with his sports hernia, and Teppo was obviously not right all season. Adding in the growth of Nathan Paetsch as a top six D and I suddenly have an optimistic view on the point. Besides, if things go bad we always have Drew Schiestel in reserve...

Train Wreck

by Ryan


The last 36 hours have just been a mess. It is almost laughable how long it took to announce this thing, and downright tragic how fast it went by.

Here's a brief timeline for those of you interested:

7/10: Rumors of the event first start swirling.

7/11: NHL 07/08 scheduele is announced, with Pittsburgh coming to Buffalo on January 1st.

8/11: One month later, mini pack orders arrive with the New Year's Day game not listed.

9/13: Sabres Media Relations plan an announcement at The Ralph for September 17th.

9/15: Sabres single game tickets go on sale, excluding the 1/1/08 game.

9/17:

-Morning: Mini Pack and Season Ticket Holders recieve
letter offering tickets to Winter Classic
-2PM: Sabres and NHL officially announce Winter Classic.
Tickets set for sale at 10AM Tuesday(9/18)
-5PM: Sabres Account Services closes for the day.

9/18-

-10AM: Winter Classic Tickets go on sale to general
public.
>30 minutes later: 41,000+ available tickets sold
out.

Now, that's a solid 10 weeks from first word to tickets sold. Ten weeks. And the NHL announces this game 20 hours before tickets go on sale? Really? I understand that the logistics of organizing an event like this are very complicated, but that timeline really doesn't make sense.

Let's assume that in 10 weeks they settled the TicketMaster/Tickets.com dispute, signed agreements with sponsors, did a TV deal, negotiated with the Bills and Ralph Wilson Stadium brass, aligned concessions, and finalized a rink/seating design. Fair enough. But why wait so long to announce the event itself, then rush the sale of tickets?

Twenty hours is an extremely short span of time to get the public educated on the ticket procedure for any event, let alone a monster event like this. Not to mention Account Services were open less than three hours after this announcement to answer questions.

Yesterday's announcement was so unclear, Sabres spokesman Michael Gilbert calls in to WGR550 that night to clarify questions the show's hosts had. Just imagine how many other questions were left unanswered. Season ticket and mini pack holders were given no specific limit on tickets that were "reserved" for them. They will have to send their orders in and hope they have enough seats to go around.

According to this story, no ticket limit was put in place because the NHL could not gauge demand for an event like this and wanted to encourage youth hockey and other large groups to have a crack at tickets.

My reaction to that is this: Youth Hockey can go [verb] themselves in the [noun]. Send the little booger eaters to an AHL game. The same goes for the Penguins organization requesting more seats for Pens season ticket holders. Pens fans had just as much an opportunity to get tickets as everyone else in Buffalo. There are plenty of people in this area hoping for more tickets, and most will have to settle for the 7,000 or so obstructed view seats down low.

And as far as Leafs and Blue Jays(!?!) season ticket holders getting a special crack at tickets, well, I can't even begin to describe how asinine that is. Forget the fact that only a few hundred or so tickets were sold through that method. Who the hell decided that Leafs fans should get preferred treatment? And what about Blue Jays fans? What, is Russ Adams a big Paul Gaustad fan?

Also, why was this information not revealed to the public as part of the big shindig at the Ralph yesterday? Did Bettman not want to disclose he was giving a completely uninvolved fan base a special shot at tickets?

When it comes down to it, today's events were a train wreck. Very little information was given, zero preparation time was allowed, and very few people are walking away from this happy. So now comes the fun part: who's to blame?

Gary. Freaking. Bettman. Remember, this event is completely coordinated by the NHL. In 2003 the Oilers orchestrated the Heritage Classic, not the league. Bettman and Company let Edmonton plan the event and coasted along as it happened.

This time is different. The league approached the Sabres to host the event, but did the planning with the teams following their lead. Regardless of how much the Sabres screwed up this off season, the ball is not in their hands with the Winter Classic.

So when thousands of fans are left watching on TV this winter, remember all those seats taken up by NHL execs and the event's sponsors. If you are a mini pack holder and don't get your tickets, keep in mind the week of uncertainty you were left with, and the chances for seats you passed on. And if you are a Regular Joe who hoped to score a ticket today based on God's Dice, be thankful for that whopping 20 hours notice you were given. You can't even order a freaking party sub with that notice.

Today was just another example of how bad things can go when you put something new and shiny in a toddler's hands. Gary Bettman is the toddler in this case, and I for one curse the day David Stern and the NBA left him in a box on our doorstep.

Around the NFL...

By Jon

Lots of NFL news today.....

First off, the Falcons finally signed Byron Leftwich. Memo to Arthur Blank and Co.: What the hell took you so long? Your quarterback is Joey $*@#&% Harrington, who couldn't stick with the Lions or the Dolphins, two teams that certainly have not been stellar the past few years (or decades in the case of the Lions). Leftwich to Atlanta makes far too much sense for it not to have happened, and the Falcons improve on offense, albeit slightly. Look for the Falcons to look a bit more competitive in a few weeks, once Leftwich gets the offense underneath him a bit.

Also on the free agent front, the Cowboys have signed Tank "The Criminal" Johnson. Johnson is an improvement over Jay Ratliff (who?) at defensive tackle in their 3-4 system, but he won't be able to play until he completes his 8 week suspension. A good signing for the Cowboys, as there is no reason to think that they won't be in the playoff picture come week 9, and Tank will surely shore up the middle. Now let's see if he can stay out of trouble off of the field. I have my doubts.

Speaking of off-the-field trouble, OJ Simpson is in much more trouble than anyone (or maybe just I) realized. Seven felonies and one misdemeanor charge were filed against Buffalo's old friend today, and he is still being held without bail. I, for one, hope that justice is finally served.

The Frozen Limelight

by Ryan

For any of you that still don't think something special is going to happen on new years day, check the Sabres Website. I'm not a biggest fan of their web design, but that intro sure does get my blood pumping. Who knew a snow globe could get me excited for hockey?

That's right, folks. The Winter Classic is happening. Today the Sabres announced the biggest game in Buffalo sports history, and everyone is invited. Well, as many people that can fill the Ralph.

The official press release is here, and while I am a bit disappointed they already sold advertising rights to the whole shebang, my honest reaction was: Holy God it's actually happening.

Regardless of the price, I'm going to be there. This is the perfect storm for the NHL: a city that has become hockey crazy hosting a team with the best player in hockey. Outside. On a national scale. Sid the Kid against the Sabres is one of the most intriguing match ups in the game, and we just ripped the roof off of it.

The Heritage Classic was an amazing experience, one that I will never forget watching on TV. But that took place in Canada, and I watched on Canadian television. Say what you will about Bowl games on New Year's Day, but I'd venture a guess that a lot of people will at least glance at NBC on January 1st to see how that outdoor hockey game turns out. That's more than you can say for most NHL games.

Get ready, Buffalo, for the first time since the Pan-Am Expo, Buffalo is the place to be on New Year's Day.

Madden Got It Wrong: Week 2

By Chris

We all know Madden has his Horse Trailer, where he honors the player who he thinks had the best game by slapping their silly grin on the side of it. Here at the Roost, we present to you, the Real Horse Trailer Player of the Game for Week Two of the NFL Season. And this week, the award goes to....


That's right, Week One starter turned Seneca "Niagara Casino" Wallace's backup, Charlie Frye.

Not only did Frye lose his job in Cleveland and find himself exiled halfway across the country to be the backup to Matt Hasselbeck's backup, but the guy who replaced him? You know, Derek Anderson? Judging from those photos of Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow below, I'd say Anderson had himself a pretty nice debut. How nice? Try 328 yards and 5 touchdowns nice in a 51-45 shootout to upset the rival Bengals.
















Yes, it's good to be Derek Anderson today. Being Charlie Frye? Not so much...

Land of the Lost

By Chris

It's only Week Two but you can already feel it. The season is over.

"How this Bills team reacts will be key." That's what the Roost's own Ryan wrote this morning in our Pregame Post. We found out how they reacted this afternoon and the Buffalo Bills have given us reason to believe that football is on the back burner.

The offense was struggling, the defense couldn't stop anyone--especially on third down plays--and the thought of Kevin Everett lying in a hospital bed couldn't have been in the back of the team's mind. It was right there in front of everything.

Lee Evans' tirade in the fourth quarter was the tip of the iceberg. Maybe there was pass interference on that play, but that's irrelevant. To overreact over that play, and to do it after already taking an unsportsmanlike penalty for spiking the ball is just uncalled for. Evans is supposed to be a team captain and lead by example. His meltdown was symbolic of the entire team. All of this regardless of the fact that "Getting into the face of the official" is a real penalty.

J.P. Losman threw offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild under the bus in his postgame press conference. He said play calling was the reason for the poor performances. He has a point. His longest throw of the year came today on a 22 yard toss to Peerless Price. But watching Losman's game, it's not Fairchild's fault that he waits to long to make a read and decide what he's going to do. It's not Fairchild's fault that Losman is overthrowing his receivers. It would be nice to see Losman take at least some of the blame for his poor performance. Unfortunately he just wants to pass the buck.

This team was unfocused and undisciplined, especially late in the game. They played awful and imploded. Too many distractions have hurt this team and the sting of this loss isn't going to go away anytime soon.

Sometimes it seemed that the only players who cared were Marshawn Lynch, who runs hard on every play (something we haven't seen a Bills running back do in a long while) and Jabari Greer, who's out to show Dick Jauron and company why he deserves to start (even though he probably should have been starting all along).

A team with lost focus. A team with players lost to injuries. A team that will lose to everyone but themselves. In Buffalo, we're living in the land of the lost...for another 15 weeks, at least.

So THAT'S how they did it!

By Chris

National Lampoon reveals how the Patriots really stole the Jets' plays:

Not Again...

by Ryan

Our old friend OJ seems to be, um, incarcerated again.

Just a reminder to everyone out there, Cochran is dead.

Hey, at least he didn't steal cable this time. Or have road rage. Or kill his wife.

That's a good day in my book.

Cherry Pickin' Week 2

All correct picks against spread worth 1 point. Each sure bet is worth 2 points. (Rich's picks will be added in when received.)


Current Standings

Chris- 12 points
Ryan- 10 points
Rich- 9 points
Jon- 8 points

Four Quarters and a Prayer

by Ryan


How do you begin to write about a football team whose backup TE is lying in a hospital bed?

Really, is it even right to think about Pittsburgh when the biggest news all week is that Kevin Everett moved three fingers? I want to think about Pittsburgh, but my thoughts really can't escape the reality that was thrown at us last Sunday.

It really hit me hard on Monday that someone could die from a football game. In all my years I had honestly never considered that. How many times have you played football, or any dangerous sport, really? Have you ever considered the threat of death ever? All those tackle games with no pads. Pickup hockey with nothing but balance keeping your vital parts from an inch of ice.

It's a scary thing to put into hindsight, even with the very low odds. Taking into consideration how many plays like that occur a game, Kevin Everett's injury was an aberration. Hopefully it's something we will never have to see again. Still, many of us will never be able to forget the horrible replay of a motionless Everett dropping to the FieldTurf.

With all that on the minds of many, it really is hard to think about a game tomorrow. We are 9.5 point underdogs, and the Steelers beat the Browns so badly last week they traded their starting QB away. To say we have a fighting chance in this game isn't a stretch, but to say we come away with a win takes some faith.

Will they win? Probably not. Personally, I don't look at Big Ben and the Steelers to determine who wins tomorrow. How this Bills team reacts will be key. The thought of Kevin Everett could weigh heavy on their minds, or galvanize their effort and bring this team together.

Death will not be on the minds of anyone tomorrow, but a friend and teammate will.

Training Camp: The Photoblog

by Ryan

Why thank you.

Hrm... for some reason I feel like something is missing...

This afternoons' officials. I'm sure that AHL ref is thrilled.

But not as thrilled as Drew Stafford is.

Thibault, Connolly, and Roy

Soupy skates into frame looking for our boy...

Drew Schiestel, who never seems to show his face

If RBK had their way, this would be a Mini Cooper.

Oh boy! I hope it's a "VEINSVEINSVEINS" ad...

Going to become a bit more crowded up there in a few weeks...

Gazing off into the distance, Ryan Miller ponders a life in the modern nuclear era. Or maybe what's on Oprah today...

I swear he looked at me, and it made my heart sing. Er... I gave him a nod.

5-2 losers, the blue team prepares to...

Skate lazy suicides with the rookies.

Now that's poetry.

My God I cannot wait for October 5th.

God Bless the Sabres Store

by Ryan

Today I ventured down to HSBC Arena to watch the Sabres first on ice practice. Before I get to that, I thought I'd take a stroll into the Sabres Store to see what was on clearance. When I got there, however, what was brand new was much more interesting.

Ignore the pajama pants on him, it's the jersey that matters. Like the display says, that's the brand new RBK Edge Sabres jersey. The official release wasn't supposed to be for another day, but after the Buffalo News leak, why not put them on sale today?

For anyone who is curious, the uniform is pretty much the same as last years. There was some question about the numbers on the right shoulder, but they are coming back this year as well.(see below)

A bit close to the NHL Logo in front, but it could just be a bad angle. Besides, they still have time to get it right.

Looking around a bit, I noticed this rack. As it turns out, all of those are the other EDGE designs around the league, including some jerseys that haven't been officially released yet. You can see both the home and away San Jose jerseys next to the Sabres ones on the far right.

The Edmonton jersey, seen above. Didn't stray too far from the point, and managed to keep the Canadian and Alberta flags off. These pictures were taken by a camera phone, so the color quality is a bit off.

Yeah, looks like that is the Stars' away jersey after all. They really, really want everyone to know where their home barn is. You would think they've done enough distancing from their North Stars days...

Some pictures of the actual practice to come, as well as some cool pictures of a jumbotron-less HSBC Arena.

A 39-year-old Defenseman with heart problems is always a smart signing

By Jon

The Bills aren't the only WNY team dealing with injuries. Training camp officially opens tomorrow, and Teppo Numminen is already reeling.

That's right folks, Teppo's pesky little ticker just won't work quite right. Numminen has a history of heart problems, requiring surgery once as a Sabre and once as a Dallas Star. It's not known when Teppo will go back under the knife, but Darcy made it quite clear that it is a different type of surgery from his previous two.

I may be the only Teppo supporter left in all of Buffalo, and I was convinced that he could muster out at least one more productive year at the blue line. You have to wonder if he might just decide to hang up the skates rather than but his health at risk, especially with the Sabres not being the highly-regarded contenders they were a year ago.

Here's to a speedy recovery Teppo, I would love to see you have one more chance at that elusive chalice.

Burger King Is Speaking. Listen Up, Tubby.

by Ryan


I really wanted to talk about some actual football news today, and even mention some stats. Then I saw the picture below.

That fine screenshot was from the Burger King website. Apparently BK is giving away mini football jerseys with their kids meals. The first thing I though of was how embarrassing it will be to order a kids meal to get one of those bad boys. The second thing I thought of is how delicious that double cheeseburger will be as I make fingers stiff arm and hurtle as a mini Lee Evans. Sweet victory will be mine.

I love how BK put a giant disclaimer at the top right of the page. "HEY KIDS! THIS IS ADVERTISING!" Like they don't recognize the brainwashing that comes with commercialized toy deals. Psh.

I wish they would put that blunt honesty to use more often. "HEY KIDS! THIS IS FATTENING!" would work just fine, I think.

Burger King has always embraced its image as the place for fat people who are unashamed of their gluttony, something I give them great credit for. You wouldn't see any other fast food place patting themselves on the back for the Tripple Whopper or Quad Stacker. Only BK has the guts to pair giant portions of food and midgets together to celebrate what makes America great.

It only makes sense that Burger King is the company to scream it's Ludovico Treatment right at the faces of our youth. Not to mention the mental trauma all those impressionable girls will go through when they learn they can't fit into those mini jerseys...

The Latest on Kevin Everett

By Chris

Dr. Andrew Cappuccino, the surgeon who performed on Bills tight end Kevin Everett and Dr. Kevin Gibbons, the consulting neurosurgeon met with the media at Ralph Wilson Stadium this afternoon to discuss the status of the injured player.

From WGR550:

After coming out of surgery, Everett could barely push his knees together. However, the doctors voluntarily put him in a drug protected state Monday due to a high temperature, and cooled him down with extra equipment. Tuesday, the doctors briefly brought him back to consciousness to perform some brief tests and found marked improvement. Wednesday morning, Everett was able to bring his knees up slightly, wiggle his toes, and slightly use his quadriceps. He flexed his triceps in his arms, but was not able to neither flex his biceps consistently nor use his hands at all.

Everett has been removed from the ventilator and is breathing on his own, which is a major step according to his doctors. Everett is attached to a feeding tube but is awake and starting to ask questions. He understands what is happening, and the road ahead to recovery.

And from BuffaloBills.com:

"He had clear improvement in the motor function of his legs," said Dr. Gibbons the director of the neurological ICU at Millard Fillmore Gates hospital. "He was able to move his legs together and apart, wiggles his toes and had slight movement from his ankle. He was able to kick out his lower leg against gravity with his knee raised. He was able to slightly extend his elbow with his triceps muscle."

With those signs of muscle movement the doctors decided to being warming Everett's body to do further testing. It had been cooled during and following surgery to reduce swelling.

"The decision was made to begin warming him," said Gibbons. "We did that over the next 12 hours. During the course of this time with the sedation lifted we were able to repetitively examine Kevin with continued anti-gravity power and continued movement in one muscle in his arms. This morning he continues to demonstrate improvement in his legs to the point where he can bend his hip and has the ability to straighten out his knee. He demonstrates continued power in his ankles. He has somewhat improved triceps function in that he can just overcome gravity with his left triceps. His biceps function seem to fluctuate. He has no movement in his hands."

Everett's condition was grouped into the second worst class of spinal cord injuries when he was initially assessed. Following the latest developments he's almost met all the requirements to be upgraded to the next best class.

When asked if he will walk again Dr. Gibbons made it clear that it's against the odds, but wouldn't rule it out.

"I wouldn't bet against it," said Gibbons.

The Roost will continue to provide more updates on Everett's condition as they become available. And for more coverage, be sure to check Bfloblog.com as well.

The Only Difference is that Nothing Has Changed

by Ryan


Well I doubt anyone saw this coming.

For the second straight year the Buffalo Sabres will open the season sporting new uniforms. Thankfully a complete overhaul isn't in order this time, as the team is simply making the switch to the RBK Edge design.

The official release date was supposed to be this Saturday, which coincides with the start of single game ticket sales. However, Brian Campbell was nice enough to stand awkwardly in front of a wall long enough for that picture to be taken.

Now before you get all up in arms about that jersey you bought last season, take another look at the thing. It is almost exactly the same, save for the NHL patch on the chest, and the overall design is a big more snug than before. The materials are also more water resistant, but that will do nothing to prevent you from getting nacho cheese all over it.

To be honest the change is more about player comfort than anything. Wind tunnel tests, moisture resistance, and ventilation are the most used buzzwords, and RBK has put a lot of effort into ensuring players will be happy wearing them.

And while some teams are using this as an opportunity to make some cash with logo changes and uniform overhauls, the Sabres have spared us the grief this year. Hey, wasn't that what last year was about?

There will be no third jerseys for any team this year, which means the greatest Sabres logo of all time will be shelved for the time being. However, judging by its popularity last year, I'd look for it to make another comeback within the next few seasons.

Also, some rumors have been swirling that if/when the Sabres play in the Ice Bowl on January 1st they will break out the throwbacks as an exception to that rule. Now if only they'd get around to announcing that...

A Necessary Replay

by Ryan


Depending on what "school" you belong to, this is the best or worst thing to happen to HSBC Arena in a long time.

For those of you not aware of what all the cool kids have been buying recently, come October 5th you will be staring at something similar to this. Hopefully they won't have to clean it that often once it's up there.

While the old school fans among us (myself included) may see this is a step backwards, you really cannot argue against the beauty that is the HD revolution. Sure, those noise meters are pointless, and no one should have to be told when to make noise, but have you seen a replay at the Ralph recently? Seeing JP's preseason bomb to Evans again on the big board got almost as big a roar as the actual play.

Heck, take a look at this picture from the tunnel end zone. That's from a cell phone on the other side of the stadium. Imagine if there was actually something of worth on that screen? Crisp is an understatment.

Still, an even bigger jumbotron hanging from the rafters of HSBC may make us even more mush-brained as fans. Even with the sweet, sweet HD screen at Ralph Wilson Stadium, there are no commands to cheer. For the most part, football stadiums leave it up to fans to sense when it is important to make noise.

The same cannot be said for arena sports, which seem to assume it's patrons have no sense of "the moment." (Some exceptions are the Bell Centre in Montreal(Habs) and Oracle Arena in Oakland(Warriors), who are blessed with very devout and smart fans)

My first game in the Sabres new digs happened to be during that awkward phase it experienced during it's inaugural season. The jumbotron consisted of one usable video screen propped at the top of the 100 level; the only thing hanging above the ice were suddenly useless speakers.

It was an interesting time to say the least. While the building certainly looked strange and somewhat lacking, there was something very wholesome and vintage about the experience. No trace of computer generated confetti to celebrate a score, just a spotlight and horn. Gone were the images of uncomfortable people waiving or pointing at themselves on screen, and no sign of an in game host anywhere. Even though you knew something else was supposed to be there, it felt just right.

On Friday the Sabres will hold their first practice of training camp. Once again there will be an empty space above the ice, and the Arena will no doubt flash back to thoughts of middle school dances and clothes that never quite seem to fit right.

Soon enough it will look normal again. Big, flashy boards with picturesque replays and block letters screaming for noise. Speakers blaring AC/DC with perfect pitch and tone. Call it a summer makeover, necessary to stay in with the cool arenas around the league.

Still, those who visit HSBC on Friday will get a chance to see an alternate take on the world of NHL hockey. No replays, no video monsters, and maybe even no advertisements on the boards. It will be a rare chance to see the very origins of hockey in the modern era. No commercials, no contract talks; just a group of men skating around the barn.

Hockey the way it was meant to be.

Doing whatever it takes....

By Jon

What's worse, using illegal performance-enhancing drugs, or taking illegal videos of the opposing team to gain an edge? Apparently, the New England Patriots don't give a crap about either.

The chic Super Bowl pick from the AFC has now been involved in two instances of blatant cheating (if the most recent reports pan out) in the past few weeks. Nothing like the franchise that has become the face of the NFL over the past 5-10 years finding themselves marred in controversy.

The Harrison story is weeks old, so I'll let that be. But the new allegations bring up so many other questions. How long have the Pats been taping the other bench? Have they been caught before? How many other teams practice this? How much information can be taken from tapes of opposing coaches?

The story that intrigues me most is how they were caught. This will probably be further developed over the next few days, but I am praying that Mangini blew them in. As we all know, the Mangenius, or "Tits McGee," as Ryan prefers, was part of Belichick's staff in New England, and have been involved in a petty high school-esque fight ever since. You have to assume that they were taping coaches when Mangini was there, so did he alert the NFL brass? If he did, it would be a collective middle finger to the entire Pats organization, or so we can only hope.

The NFL is the only major sports league in the U.S. that can handle such constant controversy. HGH, taping coaches, raging criminals...yet they remain on top. This speaks volumes for the work of the Tagliabue regime and the popularity that they helped create. Granted, football was immensely popular before, but the NFL really distanced itself from the competition of other sports under his watch, and continues to reap the benefits with each negative story that comes out.

Your move, Goodell....

And finally some good news

By Chris

If you were looking for some optimistic news in the Kevin Everett saga, then today is the day you've been waiting for.

Kevin Everett might walk again after all.

The doctor who performed the spinal surgery on Everett told Buffalo TV station WIVB on Tuesday that Everett has voluntary movement of his arms and legs and as a result he is optimistic that Everett will walk again.

The road to recovery begins.

More Bad News

By Chris

While nothing is certain, things don't look good for Bills tight end Kevin Everett who was seriously injured in yesterday's game against Denver. Everett was sedated earlier today and is still undergoing evaluations in intensive care. And now that they're calling it a "'catastrophic' and life-threatening" injury, we're beginning to hear the things none of us want to hear:

"A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. "I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. ... A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal."

And from WGR550:

During the surgical procedure on Sunday night, doctors realigned and decompressed Everett's spine, and fused the third and fourth cervical vertebrae with screws.

Monday morning, doctors performed a neurological exam and determined that he could breath on his own, and had similiar sensations as the night before, but stressed they still do not have a prognosis. Doctors are concerned about blood clotting and pneumonia to start, and will keep him in a protected state with drugs for the next two to three days. Everett is also on a respirator.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Everett family.

UPDATE: 9/11

Dear Tiki Barber,

by Ryan

Hey, buddy! Long time no see. Actually, I see you everywhere these days, and it makes me want to blind myself with an awl.

Here's the deal, Tiki: you were slightly amusing on Fox News. Yeah, I think my Mom tuned in a few times, whatever.

Then you got a bit shady and announced you were retiring in the middle of a playoff race. While the Niedermayer method is not recommended, you didn't play it much better.

And now that you are actually retired you just can't seem to keep your mouth shut about anything. This new found release from allegiances has you telling anyone that will listen what you think about the Giants and their general suckitute.

Guess what Tiki? If you are going to collectively throw the organization, players, and staff under the bus, we'd appreciate it if you stopped using the possessive when you talk about them. You were just so giddy when you cut ties with the G-men, why linger around with all this "we" and "us" and "our" garbage.

Sure, it doesn't help when Madden refers to the Giants as "yours," but we all know he's losing it. The keys have been taken away from him in his video game, and he did the freaking Heisman Pose a few weeks back and no one batted an eye. Don't even get me started on his "colorful" artwork.

No one wants to hear you talk like this, friend. Even Steve Tasker thinks you are being a homer. So cut the crap and do what you do best: say nothing meaningful in a suit. You are not special. You just happen to have a nice wardrobe and adorable smile. Heck, Keyshawn Johnson looked like Neapolitan ice cream this morning and still got a paycheck for it.

So shut up, publish your stupid book no one will read, and get out of my face. Unless you are suiting up next week behind that fat kid who backs up Eli, move on. You are retired. Get over yourself.

Oh, and tell Keith Olbermann that he sucks at life, and if he continues to make bland jokes all season I'm flying to New York City to beat him with his red phone. He's killing me, and making Collinsworth and Costas turn themselves into low rent stand-up artists.

I can't believe I watched your lame schtick while Kevin Everett is lying in a hospital bed clinging to what's left of his career. It only goes to show how pathetic and vapid "Football Night in America" is in light of real life. Disgusting.

To think you retired to save your best years for later in life, Tiki. Good for you. While you sit there and create a storm of meaningless bullshit, guys like Kevin Everett risk everything just to play the game they love. Thank God you had the decency to give your self promotion a backseat in light of today's events.

What an assclown.

Pray for Kevin Everett

By Chris

On a day of renewed excitement throughout the country with the return of football, there is a somber cloud hanging over Buffalo.

Third-year tight end Kevin Everett was taken off the field on a stretcher and then driven off in an ambulance at the start of the second half. After colliding helmet-to-helmet with Domenik Hixon of the Denver Broncos, Everett fell limply onto the field. He wasn't moving and play was delayed for 15 minutes. As he was being loaded onto the ambulance, you could see that he was blinking, but there's no way to know his state of mind. He wasn't even able to give the obligatory thumbs up.

Everett has a cervical spine injury and had surgery for that injury Sunday evening. He's currently in intensive care for further evaluation. Even the casual football fan knew, from watching that hit, that nothing good could come from it.

Here's some pretty good coverage on Everett's condition from WIVB Channel 4 here in Buffalo (video of the hit is included, it's just not for the faint of heart). Link to Video.

This was supposed to be a big year for Everett, his breakout season. Coming from a long line of stand out tight ends from Miami, he was expected to do great things in Buffalo. He missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury and totaled just one catch for one yard in four starts last season. This was supposed to be a put-up-or-shut-up year and now he may not get his chance to show us what he's capable of.


So being a Buffalo sports blog, we here at the Roost want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Kevin Everett and his family, and encourage all of our readers and sports fans alike to do the same.

Sadly, my first thought after watching the hit was of Jason Street breaking his spine after trying to tackle an opposing player in the pilot of the Friday Night Lights TV show. I pray that Everett's injury isn't that serious.

The Bills lost a lot of players to injury in the season opener (including three starters on defense), but it's obvious that Everett's is the most serious.

We all remember David Pollack, the Bengals linebacker who broke his sixth cervical vertebrae last September. Pollack is on the fast track to recovery and may even be able to play next season. So there's hope that these things can work out for the best.

Get well soon, Kevin. We're all pulling for you.

UPDATE.

UPDATE: 9/11

Here we go again......

By Jon

If you've been a regular reader of the Roost since our inception (a whopping four months ago), I'm sure that you've realized that I am the pessimistic one, Ryan is the eternal optomist, and Chris represents the middle ground (I don't really know where Rich falls in there).

Today is no different.

I am not high on this Bills team. Today solidfied that. I'm fully convinced that it will be a football-less January down on One Bills Drive yet again. You can try all you want, but you won't be able to sway me otherwise. I don't think our quarterback is ready, I don't think our defense is good enough, and I certainly don't think the Bills will be able to overcome the plethora of injuries suffered earlier. Say what you will, but this Bills team is (still) in rebuilding mode, at least one year away from contending for even a wild-card spot.

Perhaps the least encouraging thing I took from the game is how awful the Broncos looked. Their offense in particular looked rather lost, with Jay Cutler showing his youth (i.e. passing backwards while under pressure.) The Broncos run defense certainly didn't look stellar. If we can't win a game in which the opposing team looked so sloppy and relinquished so many oppurtunities to take control of the game, how are we going to compete with contenders?

So, without further ado, I present your Week 1 positives and negatives.

Positives



- The beginning of the Bills opening drive. There was a great rhythm, with each play going for positive yardage (at least at first). Unfortunately, Marshawn Lynch missed a blitz pickup (rookie mistake, for sure), and the drive stalled. (Upon further review, maybe this should be under the negatives.)

-Marshawn Lynch had a very good first game, overall. After a rather quiet first quarter, Lynch picked up a huge first down at the end of the first half on a second-effort play after having his helmet dislodged at the line of scrimmage. To someone who was a bit skeptical of having a rookie as a starting RB, Lynch really proved himself to me. I can't wait to see him play next week, and there may be one of those obnoxious "Money" shirts in my future. Lynch later scored on an impressive 23 yard run, where he showcased his blazing speed and his ability to run through people. Lynch may single-handedly make the Bills season watchable.

-Josh Reed. His numbers were pedestrian (a measly four catches for 37 yards.) What the numbers don't show are the difficulty of said catches. Reed further proved that he isn't afraid to go over the middle, and held onto the ball despite heavy traffic and big hits. Also added a halfway decent end around to boot.

-Return teams. Roscoe Parrish's TD return was great, he had tons of room to run and hit holes at an alarmind speed. Terrence McGee would have returned a kick (which in hindsight, may have won the Bills the game), but for whatever reason, all-pro Champ Bailey was on the field to stop him (Ask Romeo Crennel and Kellen Williams what they think of having stars on special teams.) Mario Haggan also laid a monster block in the second half on a punt return, but Parrish wasn't quite able to spring loose.

-Jim Leonhard. He filled in rather nicely for Ko Simpson, finishing with a part in 13 tackles and throwing in a pick.

-The refs. Very good job today, in my opinion. Got the right call on the Brandon Marshall TD grab as well as the Jay Cutler shovel pass late in the game.

Negatives

- Special teams coverage units. Josh Scobey pulled a boneheaded move in making contact with Domenik Hixon in the second half, ruining a great punt by Brian Moorman. Another penalty also wiped out another Moorman gem, this time late in the game, leading to what proved to be the winning drive. Something tells me that Elam doesn't drain that kick if he's another fifteen yards back.

-The injuries. Webster, Wire, Simpson, and Everett all out, along with Ellison from a prior injury. My heart goes out to Everett and his family, as this serves as a chilling reminder that there is so much more to life than a stupid game. Get well soon, Kevin.

-Rian Lindell's post-missed FG reaction. Never have I seen a professional athlete look so pathetic.

- Randy Cross's color commentary. I hate that man. Get off of TV, you fool.

- The "C" on captain's jerseys. They look ridiculous. Please, leave the "C" to hockey.

- Brad Butler's false start penalty and JP's ensuing interception. Butler's penalty at the end of the first half put us out of range for a FG try (one that may have won us the game), and JP's ill-advised throw almost resulted in a Bronco's TD that would have sucked the life out of the Bills going into the half.

- JP Losman, in general. Looked pretty awful, but that may be a testament to the stellar Broncos pass D. We shall see in future weeks. Sorry JP, but 93 yards just isn't going to cut it.

- The game. It was a pretty terrible game to watch. Very little flow, very little offense. Hope things improve, but I certainly wouldn't hold my breath.

I am begging for the Bills to prove me wrong, don't get me wrong. But as a proud fan of a team that hasn't made the playoffs since the new milleneum, I'm not going to hold my breath.

8 in 8: AFC East

By Chris

In today's final installment of the Roost's NFL Preview, Eight Divisions in Eight Days, the AFC East is featured.

1. New England Patriots
Jeez what hasn't been said about these guys already? They should finish 6-0 in the division.

Normally, completely overhauling your receiving corps and cutting your receptions leader from last year would get you double looks from even Detroit Lions president Matt Millen. But this is New England we’re talking about, with a Canton-bound quarterback under center and a workaholic genius on the sidelines. If there’s any tandem in the league that can make that work and get Randy Moss motivated on Sundays, the Brady-Belichick duo is it. Brady might just even be this year’s Offensive MVP.

Oh yeah, they also added Pro Bowler Adalius Thomas to a defense that gave up just 237 points last season, second only to Thomas’ former team, Baltimore.

2. Buffalo Bills
Call me a sucker, but I've been debating as to whether the Bills will finish 2nd or 3rd in this division for a long while now. We just don't know what to expect from this team this year. The Bills could either be pretty good or really bad. They just better finish with a better record than the Dolphins. Expectations are pretty high here in Western New York, considering the team has not been to the playoffs since the Music Ci—I’ll stop there and spare fellow Bills fans the heart ache of that memory.

Regardless, I’m very excited to see Marshawn “Money” Lynch finally take a snap in a regular season game, and not just because he’s on my fantasy team. As long as the new players on the offensive line live up to their big contracts, Lynch, a potential Offensive Rookie of the Year, should be an upgrade over that guy that got traded away. And if J.P. Losman continues to improve and Josh Reed hangs on to the ball, the Bills should be in good hands on the offensive side.

The big questions will be on defense. As Vince Young showed us during the preseason, they could use some of Bobby Boucher’s Tackling Fuel, because the Bills just can’t tackle. I love Paul Posluszny and what he might bring to the table, but it’s the other positions that concern this fan.

The lack of depth at defensive end is troublesome and they don’t have a legitimate #2 cornerback. Jason Webster will be the whipping boy on the team by Week Four. Then again, is Terrence McGee really a legitimate #1?


3. New York Jets
There's just no way the Jets are as good as they were last year, right? Mangenious got the most out of his guys last year and then some. Sure they've upgraded at running back by getting Thomas Jones, but as long as Chad Pennington is their quarterback, I'm not sure how anyone can really take these guys seriously. I'm sure they'll be in the hunt at the end of the season, but I don't see them making too much noise.

4. Miami Dolphins
The defense isn't getting any younger and neither is their quarterback. They passed on Brady Quinn for Ted Ginn and I see that mistake haunting them for many years to come. Their offensive line won't open too many holes for Ronnie Brown and this team is going to struggle big time.

Tomorrow Never Dies

by Ryan


James Bond should be dead. We all should be, actually.

Think about it: in almost every 007 movie he gets a nice whack on the head with a gun. Add that kind of pistol-whipping up over time and you are looking at some very serious brain damage. Factor in his age and various STDs and Mr. Bond isn't stirring very much of anything anymore.

Why is this relevant, you ask? Do you know what a slang term for pistol-whipping is? Buffalo.



In less than twelve hours the Buffalo Bills will be on the field.

I have no idea how that will go. That may be what is keeping me up tonight, but no matter how much game tape I watch there isn't much I can do to prevent Travis Henry from scoring a touchdown for every child he fathers. In fact, that mental image alone just may give me nightmares forever.

What really keeps me awake at night is the pistol-whipping that each new season brings. Buffalo is famous for it, and no matter how many times we get that tolchock to the head we pop back up for more in next year's feature. It's a sick, twisted metaphor for hope in our sports world, one that we all know far too well.

The difference between us and James Bond is that everything works out in the end for 007. We sports fans are left alone to find our bearings after each train wreck, while it is Bond that gets the gun and the girl by movie's close.

So what is it that keeps us going? If Bond gets a paycheck, gadgets, and Rolling Stones style "Satisfaction" for each whack, what is our reward?

Nothing of value, that's for freaking sure. We haven't won a single thing, in the monetary or Biblical sense. And while many grow tired of this drought and drop off the bandwagon, well, I've been doing this too long to quit.

What I keep with me is the hope that someday all those beatings will be worth wile. Eventually, something's gotta give, whether in my head or in the pistol. In the meantime, the little things become a bit more important.

Cheering hard for John DiGiorgio because his mother and girlfriend are sitting the row below you. Buying a "Money" shirt and wearing it around no matter how pale and Irish you are. Debating if firing off a cap gun is in support of the Bills or Broncos, as well as how dumb you will look doing so.

The point is this: no matter how cruel an ending this season may have, there is no reason it shouldn't be fun. The team is young, J.P. may be coming into his own, and at the very least the stadium should be full every game. Plus the Dolphins are garbage! That makes it a good year already!

So no matter what happens tomorrow, I'll be okay. We all will be. Our faces here in Buffalo may be bloody and broken, but our hearts are strong. Solid, even.

And it don't get no better than solid.