So I was just checking the Bills forums

[Deus Irae]

Ok really yeah talking trash when you guys have the easiest in the league haha

How is pointing out an easy schedule as a sign of optimism trash talking? As a Bills fan, you should be very happy with that schedule. Since you're probably looking at the Bills making a wild card run as opposed to winning the division, having an easy overall schedule is important.

Hell, as Patriots fans, we're loving the easy schedule this year. It gives the team an advantage when it comes to securing home field in the playoffs.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Eh, they don't realize it, but there's a few fan-bases singing this tune every offseason. Then, once the regular season rolls around, the results are the same. They kinda deserve a free pass though, because for a whole generation of Bills fans, they've never rooted for anything even resembling a competitive team, so they don't realize that they're just playing a role. Jets fans are way worse because they seem to have some form of collective amnesia that puts them back in this position every single year. No matter how many times they've seen the same story play out, they always think it will end differently this time.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Second, Mario Williams is hardly "injury prone" as you claim. He didn't miss a single game his 1st four seasons. The 5 games in 2010 and the 11 games in 2011 were due to catastrophic injury.

He's missed 50% of possible games over the past two seasons, how is that not injury-prone?

Third, the Bills have a healthy Kyle Williams returning. When healthy, Williams is one of the top 5 DTs in the NFL.

Wilfork is a top-5 DT. He's nowhere near Wilfork-good.

As for your evaluation of Mark Anderson, it leaves a lot to be desired.. You overlook that Anderson stepped up his game and was actually decent against the run when put in as a full time player. You also over-look that not all of his sacks came when he was a part-time player. So, the idea that he was only successful in sub-packages doesn't hold water.

As an every-down player, he was a one-dimensional liability against the run. To be fair, there aren't a whole lot of guys who can rush the passer effectively and hold up at the point of attack. That kind of versatility is rare, which is part of why we just (hopefully) picked one of those guys in the first round. To say that Anderson was a liability against the run isn't an insult to him as a player; it's an acknowledgement that he is, and always will be, a specialist. Doesn't mean that he can't be a starter, as there are plenty of starters with areas of weakness in their game. But in much the same way that Spikes is a liability in coverage, Anderson too has a weakness in his game that's pretty much undeniable.

 

[patchick]

How is pointing out an easy schedule as a sign of optimism trash talking? As a Bills fan, you should be very happy with that schedule.

Yeah, that's a head-scratcher. I was pointing out that the Bills have a good chance to win a lot of games. That's what counts as "trash talk" now?

In general, though, it cracks me up when division opponents attack the Patriots for having "the weakest schedule in the league." Don't they get that they're actually dissing their OWN teams? Take the Bills and Patriots off of each others' schedules and compare again.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yeah, that's a head-scratcher. I was pointing out that the Bills have a good chance to win a lot of games. That's what counts as "trash talk" now?

In general, though, it cracks me up when division opponents attack the Patriots for having "the weakest schedule in the league." Don't they get that they're actually dissing their OWN teams? Take the Bills and Patriots off of each others' schedules and compare again.

"Yeah, but you guys have it easy! You get to play us twice!"

 

[Ron Sellers]

Back to the original post, about the optimism from Bills fans.

While it has been correctly pointed out that there is reason for optimism from almost all NFL fan bases at this time of year, from what I have seen it seems to be abnormally high this off season, relative to that of other teams. I'm not talking about team fan forums such as this one (where most fall into one of two categories: overly optimistic homers, or overly pessimistic doom and gloomers), but on national sites.

On one hand the optimism is admirable, but to me it seems to be way over the top in regards to the Bills. Their general consensus seems to be that the true picture is that of the team that started off 5-1 and everything after that can be written off by injuries. Fitzpatrick's problems were strictly due to rib injuries and injured receivers, for example. Brady and the Patriots will be trembling in fear from their awesome defense; last year's performance is irrelevant. The 31-year old RB coming off an injury is not a concern, nor is depth. The only reason they didn't win the Super Bowl last year was because they led the league in injuries. Their team improved while everyone else regressed.


With all the talk from the fans of a team that has not made the playoffs since last millennium when Doug Flutie was the QB, what will happen if they actually do make the playoffs? If the chatter I have seen this off-season is any indication, the level of obnoxiousness could easily outdistance that from New Jersey very quickly.

 

[Joey007]

Heres why I'm liking the fins fans right now- they actually admit their team sucks.

 

[PatsBoy12]

So now we're making fun of others for being excited about their team's moves? Aren't we? Seriously, what they're doing is no different from what we're doing. We've been spoiled by the continued excellence of the Pats. Nobody stays a bottom feeder forever.

 

[DaBruinz]

Right, since you disagree I couldn't have looked
Dude, I pretty much disagree with you on everything, so its almost a confirmation to me when you disagree.

If you had looked, you'd know you were talking out your arse on everything you said. Pretty much like your rebuttal. Which I am going to proceed to tear apart now.

Is that Chris Kelsey the LINBACKER, and Alex Carrington the guy who has done nothing in the NFL?

Kelsay is a DE in the Bills 4-3. Not an OLB. Nice try though. Carrington was playing out of position as a 3-4 DE. It's not something he's suited for. He's a better 4-3 DE or DT.

Catastrophic? Come on, even you know you are full of crap with that. The guy has missed a lot of time.

I told you exactly the time he's missed.
Mario Williams, DE for the Buffalo Bills at NFL.com

Yes. Catastrophic injuries. Injuries that aren't related to things like pulled muscles or strained ligaments.. He tore his Pectoral muscle during the 5th game of the season last year. The year prior, he had a hernia that forced him to miss 3 games. Beyond that, he's played in every game. But, yes, according to YOU, he's injury prone..

No he is not. He is OK, he was better on the nose in the 34.

That's funny because Williams only spent 2 years in the 3-4. And it was one of Buffalo's worst years defensively.

I'm not overlooking anything. He was terrible vs the run. Guys like you see him make 2 plays in run defense and ignore him getting swallowed alive by blockers on most of the running plays he was in on, and act as if its good that he ever made a play. He was, and always has been awful vs the run. He didn't even play base D until Carter was injured, and he had 1 sack in the 2 games left in the season. Only you can say that since 1 sack wasn't in a sub package that he was effective in other packages.

You always claim you never overlook anything and its a lie you have deluded yourself with on a continual basis. And no, Andy, I base my comments about him on what he showed throughout the season. You are the one who makes the BS claims based on one or two plays.

BTW, Anderson had 4.5 sacks in the 5 games where he was on the base defense. Instead of making stuff up or ignoring games like the play-offs just because it suits you, Why don't you look at the whole picture? Oh. I know why. Because if you did, you might actually learn something and admit you were wrong. BTW, that is something you've never done on this board despite numerous different people accomplishing that task.

As I said, they were a bad D that added 1 significant player who was on a more talented defense in Houston that was typically a bottom 10 defense, and was never better than average.
Incredibly that you can lambast my post as uninformed, then come to almost the same conclusion. Cut down on the caffeine.

Your post was very uninformed and no, we didn't come to the same conclusion. But that is typical. You claim you said things that you actually didn't. There is NO CONCLUSION in the post that I quoted. Your claim that you came to one is an outright LIE.

Andy, it is you who has a problem with any level of disagreement with your posts, not other people.

 

[DaBruinz]

He's missed 50% of possible games over the past two seasons, how is that not injury-prone?

Because being injury prone has nothing to do with the NUMBER of games missed so much as the TYPES of injuries suffered that caused the missed games. If he'd missed 8 last season and 8 this season for multiple different injuries, then I'd agree with you.

Wilfork is a top-5 DT. He's nowhere near Wilfork-good.

Yes, Kyle Williams is. Just because you don't want to admit it doesn't mean it's not true. BTW, I put Wilfork and Ngata as #1 and #2 at DT. Williams is 4/5.

As an every-down player, he was a one-dimensional liability against the run. To be fair, there aren't a whole lot of guys who can rush the passer effectively and hold up at the point of attack. That kind of versatility is rare, which is part of why we just (hopefully) picked one of those guys in the first round. To say that Anderson was a liability against the run isn't an insult to him as a player; it's an acknowledgement that he is, and always will be, a specialist. Doesn't mean that he can't be a starter, as there are plenty of starters with areas of weakness in their game. But in much the same way that Spikes is a liability in coverage, Anderson too has a weakness in his game that's pretty much undeniable.

I said Anderson was decent against the run. Not spectacular. Not Top Notch. Decent. And he was. Bedard, Reiss and Howe all made comments about how Anderson performed better than expected against the run. Is he a better Pass-Rusher? Sure. But, lets not try and say I said something more than I did. Andy does that enough for everyone..

 

[DaBruinz]

Ok really yeah talking trash when you guys have the easiest in the league haha

Your idea of what trash talking is must be from an alternate universe because what Patchick said wasn't trash talking in the least..

 

[Ring 6]

Ok really yeah talking trash when you guys have the easiest in the league haha

Actually our schedule is harder than yours, except you must play a 13-3 team twice and we get to play a 6-10 team twice.

 

[pork3]

To the original poster, thank you for inviting a poop throwing fest between Bills and Patriots fans.
This was inevitable, and it's comic gold. Gold I tell you!
The usual suspects, of course, are of the I have to have the last word variety, which only adds to the hilarity.

-Jamman

 

[Ring 6]

If you had looked, you'd know you were talking out your arse on everything you said. Pretty much like your rebuttal. Which I am going to proceed to tear apart now.

Are you capable of typing a post without insulting the person you are responding to?

Kelsay is a DE in the Bills 4-3. Not an OLB. Nice try though. Carrington was playing out of position as a 3-4 DE. It's not something he's suited for. He's a better 4-3 DE or DT.

If Kelsay plays DE, which is NOT for sure, then Anderson is sitting.
Carringotn is going to play 43 DT at 284? Yeah right. As I said he has done nothing at this level.

I told you exactly the time he's missed.
Mario Williams, DE for the Buffalo Bills at NFL.com

Yes. Catastrophic injuries. Injuries that aren't related to things like pulled muscles or strained ligaments.. He tore his Pectoral muscle during the 5th game of the season last year.

Hmmm, a torn muscle is nothing like a pulled muscle is it.
Perhaps you should google the definition of catastrophic.

The year prior, he had a hernia that forced him to miss 3 games. Beyond that, he's played in every game. But, yes, according to YOU, he's injury prone..

According to everyone who understands the term, he is injury prone.

That's funny because Williams only spent 2 years in the 3-4. And it was one of Buffalo's worst years defensively.

So, you are saying that if a team does poorly every player is out of position?

You always claim you never overlook anything and its a lie you have deluded yourself with on a continual basis.

I have never, once, not a single time, made that claim.

And no, Andy, I base my comments about him on what he showed throughout the season. You are the one who makes the BS claims based on one or two plays.

Then you do not know what you are seeing. Anderson is an awful run defender. Was last year, and was before last year. Did you ever wonder why he is never on the field in running situations except when there is no one else?

BTW, Anderson had 4.5 sacks in the 5 games where he was on the base defense.

Oh, he was in the base defense in the SB huh? I guess you didn't watch it.

Instead of making stuff up or ignoring games like the play-offs just because it suits you, Why don't you look at the whole picture? Oh. I know why. Because if you did, you might actually learn something and admit you were wrong. BTW, that is something you've never done on this board despite numerous different people accomplishing that task.

Again, your opinion about me is completely insignificant to me. Whatever demons of self loathing you are dealing with that causes you to lash out at people, call them names and insult them on a message board, there is very likely professional help in your area that you would do well to seek.

Your post was very uninformed and no, we didn't come to the same conclusion. But that is typical. You claim you said things that you actually didn't. There is NO CONCLUSION in the post that I quoted. Your claim that you came to one is an outright LIE.

See above. I'd appreciate if you just don't respond to my posts going forward, but thats up to you. I know your inferiority complex causes you to pick fights, but I have no interest in communicating at your immature level.

Andy, it is you who has a problem with any level of disagreement with your posts, not other people.

You have yourself a wonderful night.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

Still not sure who's e-peen is bigger. Perhaps another 10 pages of this will shed some more light on the subject.

 

[ausbacker]

It's not an uncommon theme amongst a fan base; extreme optimism opposed to reality. At this point in the NFL calendar, 32 teams have the opportunity to be Superbowl champions.

Let Buffalo fans have their small victory. It's never a bad thing for a fan base to be optimistic unless it's the Jets. They deserve to be miserable.

 

[Joker]

Still not sure who's e-peen is bigger. Perhaps another 10 pages of this will shed some more light on the subject.

I think you're right...let's start by finding some common ground concerning your use of "e-peen" as a descriptive noun...now at first glance, one could take that to mean "peen" as in ball peen hammer...

that being said, I'm quite sure you meant an "e penis", in which case I would suggest using the term "e peeny"...that would certainly go a long way in clearing up any misconception and also cut down on the number of pages required to argue this issue out to a solution..

 

[Triumph]

If last year has nothing to do with next year, why are you making excuses?

We are talking about last season and Im educating you with facts.

Look them up and enlighten yourself.

Last year is indicative of the quality of talent the team had, and since I was commenting on what they added, it would seem pertinent to point out where they were before.

Talent that was not on the playing field for 6 games. 7 if you include the game Jackson was hurt in. If you want to be oblivious to the fact that Jackson being lost for the season hurt the Bills offense resulting in losses go ahead.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Against Carolina it did. They broke Super Bowl passing records in that game. No great passing game, no Super Bowl ring.

While they didn't run well that game (3.6 yds a carry), they ran it 35 times that game. That season their season yards per carry was poor but they stuck to the run all year...

 

[Deus Irae]

While they didn't run well that game (3.6 yds a carry), they ran it 35 times that game. That season their season yards per carry was poor but they stuck to the run all year...

For all the gnashing of teeth about the passing game as the issue for the Patriots not winning a SB lately, it was the passing game that beat the Rams in the two minute drill, and it was the passing game that tore up the Panthers in the second half of that Super Bowl. In the 2007 game, the passing game was slowed by an O-line/TE/QB group all beset by injuries, yet the offense put the defense in position where a stop would have won the game. In 2011, the difference between a win and a loss is Welker holding onto the ball or dropping it, despite the fact that the Patriots defense was getting marched against all game long. It's been a fine line in 4 of the 5 BB-era Super Bowls, and it's fallen 50/50.

And, for that matter, while we're at it, if the Patriots special teams unit had bothered to show up in Green Bay, that might have been another (pre-BB) SB win, damn it!