**Official 2008 Buffalo Bills thread**

In case any of the bandwagon folks didnt watch yesterdays game-

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—Brian Moorman couldn’t wait until the final stats sheet was delivered to the Buffalo Bills’ locker room. The punter wanted to see, firsthand, what it looked like to have a perfect passer rating.

“I want to frame it,” said Moorman, who threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to defensive end Ryan Denney on a fake field goal to register the NFL-best 158.3 rating.

Perfect, might also come close to describing how everyone else—offense, defense and special teams—played in helping Buffalo open the regular season with a dominating 34-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

“How about that?” Moorman said. “It’s nice to come out of the gate with a decisive win. Hopefully, we made a statement today.”

It’s early, no doubt. But if the Bills’ objective is to end an eight-year playoff drought this season, they got off to a very promising start in blowing out the four-time defending NFC West champions.

It was a victory that began and ended with Buffalo’s special teams. Roscoe Parrish returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown to put the Bills up 14-0 in the second quarter. Then there was kicker Rian Lindell, who recovered a fumble on a kickoff that set up Trent Edwards’ 30-yard touchdown pass to Robert Royal—20 seconds after Denney scored.

Moorman became the first Bills punter to throw a touchdown pass, and first NFL punter to do so since Pittsburgh’s Josh Miller on Dec. 28, 2003. He caught the Seahawks completely flat-footed in finding the 6-foot-7 Denney wide open in the left flats.

“That’s a good question,” Denney said, of how he eluded the Seahawks after making sure to check in with the official. “I was thinking the whole time they were going to see me over there. … Just a great play and it worked like we wanted it to.”

The Seahawks, by comparison, looked completely unprepared.

“We got kicked around pretty good today,” said Mike Holmgren, who opened his final season as the Seahawks’ head coach. “It’s one of those games we’re going to learn a painful lesson. But we’ll be better next week.”

They couldn’t have played much worse.

Matt Hasselbeck was rusty after missing most of the preseason with a back injury. He completed only one of his first eight attempts, and finished 17-of-41 for 190 yards, with a touchdown to Nate Burleson and an interception.

Then again, Hasselbeck didn’t get much help from a banged-up receiving corps that was minus two starters—Deion Branch (knee) and Bobby Engram (shoulder)— and then lost Burleson, who left in the third quarter with a left knee injury.

“It was just one of those things you deal with, but that’s not why we lost today,” Hasselbeck said, referring to his receivers.

Holmgren had no explanation as to how the Seahawks missed covering Denney.

“It’s embarrassing for us when a play like that works, but give them credit,” he said.

There was plenty of credit to go around to a Bills special teams unit that has statistically been among the best in the NFL for the past four seasons. That was evident on Parrish’s return, as he zigged and zagged through nearly the entire Seahawks coverage unit, finally breaking John Carlson’s tackle at the Seattle 25 before outracing three defenders into the end zone.

It was Parrish’s third career touchdown return and first since he ran one back 74 yards in last year’s opener against Denver.

The special teams took the pressure off Edwards, opening his first season as the Bills starter; and an offense that had difficulty scoring last year. The 34 points came from a team that failed to score 20 a dozen times last season. They were also four more than Buffalo combined to score in its final three games of 2007.

Edwards finished 19-of-30 for 215 yards and a touchdown, while Marshawn Lynch had 76 yards rushing, including a 21-yard touchdown.

The Bills defense did its part, finishing with five sacks and forcing 11 punts.

“There were a lot of questions about us as a team and as a defense,” defensive tackle Marcus Stroud said. “And we were able to go out there and put on a good showing.”

Notes

Parrish set a single-game team record with 120 yards in punt returns. It was his third career return touchdown and first since he ran one back 74 yards in last year’s opener against Denver. … Burleson told reporters he expects to play next week, but Holmgren would only say that the player will be evaluated after having tests on Monday. … Seahawks RB Maurice Morris left with a knee injury and will also be evaluated Monday.

Shut Up! :frowning: I know its the bills I think they can win the superbowl every year… and every year I get ass fucked by shit like Music City Miracle, Drew Bledsoes awesome first year 32nd defense :(, #2 defense drew bledsoe sucking, Tom Collins, Travis Henry fumbleitis.

:frowning:

i just want a comfortable division win (shitty the Pats have been insane) and 1st round Bye in the playoffs. Pitt will probably be #1 this year (The team to beat in the AFC, Cowboys (fuck the cowboys) in the NFC. Bills/Chargers/Indy/Pitt should be the top 4 teams…

Again, Edwards will make or break the team this year.

the last game i did see some tendencies that We MUST KICK this bullshit 25% 3rd down efficiency

No matter what their record is, they will lose the first playoff game.

I think people need to get past the idea that its other teams and face reality that the team is poorly managed and players really lose motivation to play here as much as the city supports them.

I watched the jets game yesterday and both the jets and maimi didn’t look very good. I didn’t really see any Farve magic going on besides on lucky TD pass.

Thats what I was told too. I just assumed Farve made the Jets a contender, and Pennington made the Fins something decent.

I didn’t get to watch the game since I was at the Bills game.

:tup: to AFC east having two shitty teams, well 3 if you count the butt fucking Pats

11-5/12-4 looks much more obtainable :slight_smile:

100% disagree, the players are more excited, and The drafting/FA is very well done.

Jason Peters is a cock sucker. Winfield wanted too much money, and so did clements, If they were Like Champ bailey, where you DO NOT throw to that side of the field sure they deserve it.

Clements was a sure tackler and good in coverage, not amazing, and not worth 5-6 Mill which he was asking.

Winfield lol.

:hahano: Look at what SD in the last 2-3 yrs vs. what Indy has done in the last 2-3 yrs.

Sorry buddy. :redface:

Ehh good point. I wouldn’t go so far as saying that they are predictable though.

You gotta remember that NE has a fairly easy schedule this year…

San Diego, Denver, StL, and Pitt are the hardest teams that they play outside of the AFC E. :shrug:

So… you didn’t watch the game?

The J E T S were sloppy, but overall they play at a competent level. Elite? No. Contender level? No. But, as I say, if Favre gets more comfy and they start opening the playbook watch out. The big thing for favre is the same as it was last year in GB: The coaching staff NEEDS TO MANAGE HIM. Corral him a bit. Not just let him go out and wing stuff 90% of the time. If Mangini can do that, he can be as efficient as he was last year. Will this get them to the SB? I really doubt it. However it will make them competitive.

Basically the J E T S are alot of “ifs”… I’m talking about worst case from the Bills POV is if all those “ifs” pan out.

Agreed.

Absolutely agreed. Look at what I said from Friday.

It is still early to tell about the J E T S. I’m just speculating based on favres history, the team he inherited, the staff, and yesterdays meh/decent performance.

That’s what they said about brady in '01 … and the rest is history.

Not that I expect cassel to be any where near that. :lol: I’m just saying it’s possible… again from the Bills POV.

See, I’m not a pessimist. I believe that you should plan & prepare for the hardest battle possible, and hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you step on the field.

Yea, beacause historical statistics lie :roll:

Oh, and starting a field full of veterans from winnig seasons is overrated too.

Get over the blind hate. :stuck_out_tongue:

ehhhh, that has a high probability and it’s really to early on to argue it.

True.

and

ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

They got new blood which is good but do you really see anyone dedicated to playing for the Bills like you do for other big championship teams? The mediocre guys that play here and ask for the high single digit salaries are usually dealing with other offers from teams who have no problem paying it. If the team does well, makes the playoffs, and players grow, another team will step in and offer them a chance to play for larger teams.

Still, its nice having a pro team here and is fun to watch this year, I just think everyone is jumping on the wagon a little too fast since the Bills dont have a tough schedule this year and haven’t faced reality that its only the first week.

Favre magic was completely to blame for that one “jump ball” touchdown where he just threw it up.

However, there were quite a few plays where he made a couple pressure escapes / throws and he got out of it.

Compared to what the J E T S were - that is a LARGE improvement.

I’m not sayng Favre played god-like, I’m just saying he didn’t look as old & rusty as I expected. Sorry, didn’t mean to imply otherwise.

i’m sure samuel being a shutdown corner had nothing to do with those stats eh? :wink: last i checked he was playing in philly

who won that playoff game last year? :stuck_out_tongue:

Virtually the same schedule as this last year :slight_smile: (i know how schedules are made)

I don’t know what your Shrug is for if this was intended to be sarcasm or not. STL has steven Jackson, a true impact player, receives and rushes very very well, this alone should make them a team to beat. But they were terrible last year and played the Eagles in week 1 and were simply anhilated. Yes the Eagles are VERY good. but not good enough to hold a hard team as you put it to 0-11 3rd down, 36 yards rushing, 166 total yards. :barf: That just doesn’t happen with a very good team playing a good team. STL Is shit, literally and figuratively shit.

Denver went 7-9 last year :shrug: Who knows what they will do this year. Historically Denver has been an awesome Rushing Team, Denver is barely slated to win this one over Oakland, who has Jamarcus Russell who is a Culpepper player, This is his year to shine whether he does or not who knows. I don’t feel as i Denver is that good either.

SD and PITT are going to be hard teams to play. Thankfully we’lll only see Pitt in the playoffs.

I did not I went on the same hunch you did with brett farve being the Dude. We’ll see how well they do. Farve has always been a sling it out there QB… I think its an NFC thing lol. corralling Farve is kind of blasphemy, Change the offense to his style, He is Brett farve.

Oh I don’t know if I said this enough, or haven’t said this enough.

MARCUS FUCKING STROUD!

Hasselbeck is a good QB, he didn’t go 17/41 (comp/att) for no reason. Stroud Hit him, rushed him, scared him, fucked him. I don’t know why they even lined someone up against him, even the double team he was getting through.

As a DT you don’t just get 6 tackles (which was as many as the Poz). He was just all over sideline to sideline in pursuit.

When you need to double team a guy then sent your RB into him to crash him to keep him from your QB, that makes baby jesus cry.

I love what he is doing

It wasn’t sarcasm. I was saying that those are the only “challenges” NE will have outside of the AFC E. SD, Pitt, & StL will be solid problems for NE. I think Denver will also be a cereal problem for NE because of Jackson.

Yea but if you let favre be favre then you have the hit or miss seasons that you got from ~99 - ~05. If you sit on him and reign him in just a bit, you get last years NFC juggernaut. IF the J E T S are going to be a contender, Mangini needs to replicate Favre circa 07-08, not favre 05-06. $0.02

You’re absolutely rght. Even the hack 3rd string commentators were mentioning how much Matt was on his back.

… but ALOT of that pressure was because of the coverage. Mcgee & Co were damned near running the routes FOR the recievers, and DON’T expect that to be the story all year long.

but yes, I LOVE THE D LINE. Stroud is going to elevate Kelsay to what he should’ve / could’ve been for years now. You stil have Aaron being a huge threat… but TWO (Stroud) huge threats is far better and will allow Kelsay & Williams to show through hopefully.

Now throw in Mitchell & Poz (looking like a 3rd or 4th yr player in what is his “rookie” year) flying to the ball carrier AND smart enough to handle shallow zone…

My D fear is the same as it was on Friday… I wish the secondary was a bit better. THEY’RE NOT BAD, I just wish it were a bit better in man.

I had listed 11-5 sometime on friday… just sayin lol

Im really sick of he “Farve Magic” talk. The guys is a good player and that lob up to the endzone was a lucky play that he has the intuition to make but at the end of the day that was one lucky play. The Jets will not be a contender this year imho.

Problem is I think the Jets and the Fins will both be huge spoilers.

And I would NOT count the Pats out by any means. Cassel is very unproven but with a weapons and intangibles around him like he has, there is no reason he cant prove to be an effctive weapon himself. For every team that plays the Pats, they will still have to worry about covering the entire field, because we can face it that, Moss can still cheap out and go up and grab the jump ball and Maroney can still pound it and pick up substantial gains.

With that said, I still feel we are good enough to take the East and it just falls on two major factors: Edwards play, and the team staying healthy!

I thought the same thing too… i think that might be a coaching thing telling them to not give up the big gains IE 60yard TD. Whitner was playing up ALOT, so it makes me think that the CB’s weren’t jumping the routes to be conservative. Might just be this game when we were getting a ton of pressure on hasselbeck, and he is going to make mistakes there fore not needing that jumped route to kill a 3rd and 6 the pressure alone was killing the 3rd and 6 with hasselbeck making a poor decision

Berman (i think) had a great quote last night, something to the effect of:

In 94 we called it luck
By 98 we were calling it chance
Sometime in the new millenium we realized no one gets that lucky every other week for years & years.

:word:

Miami will be a spoiler.
Jets MAY be a contender.
Pats will def be a contender.
Bills should be a contender.

Honestly, I’m just happy that for the first time in the last 8 years there is (apparently) an ACTUAL RACE in the AFC East… word?

:tup: The east looks like a fun time…

truth… if it was luck it wouldn’t happen so often!

Just read on ESPN.com that the Pats have officially announced Brady is out for the season because he requires knee surgery.

good

Can you hear all the fantasy football fanbois hanging themselves?