Kudos to Whaley and his staff.

[HAMMER]

Many of the armchair GM's here were calling for Whaley and Marrones heads last week because of a poor showing in preseason and a sideline argument, in addition to criticizing their personnel moves. I for one believe they have this team pointed in the right direction at this point.

We have a VERY deep group of CB's (Gilmore, Graham, McKelvin, Robey), our LB corps looks legit and deep due to excellent draft choices (Alonzo, Brown) the last two years as well as fantastic FA moves (Spikes, Hughes). The OLine will take some time to gel but we have bookend tackles that were both steals and a young Guard that will be starting soon. The DLine is very talented and deep. Our WR group is going to be one of the better groups in the league if Manuel lets it rip and trusts them to go get the ball. To this point the risks he was willing to take on Henderson, M. Williams, Hughes, look like genius moves.

Manuel is obviously the lynch pin in the whole equation but they are bringing him along in the right manner. I realize it is one win, I realize it was not resounding, I realize we have a ways to go. But Whaley has been excellent IMO.

Flame away you miserable POS Op, Felch, et al.

[Turf]

My biggest concern with yesterday was Schwartz inability to stop Forte time after time. Granted we won, so maybe that strategy worked. But I'm worried about that underneath stuff against Miami.

[justasportsfan]

My biggest concern with yesterday was Schwartz inability to stop Forte time after time. Granted we won, so maybe that strategy worked. But I'm worried about that underneath stuff against Miami.

I thought the D was playing to stop the deep balls which allowed Cutler to dink to Forte.

[BuffaloRedleg]

I thought the D was playing to stop the deep balls which allowed Cutler to dink to Forte.

Yeah I agree with this. With a team that has that many weapons, you need to pick your poison. Especially with Gilmore out, they had really focus on preventing deep passing plays.

Sure some people will say we only won because they Bears didn't play hard enough of have the right gameplan, but that says more about them than about the team.

Great win. My faith isn't restored yet, but at least we have some real good news and something to be happy about and something for them to build on. Confidence breeds success, so I hope this carries forward.

[Fletch]

Many of the armchair GM's here were calling for Whaley and Marrones heads last week because of a poor showing in preseason and a sideline argument, in addition to criticizing their personnel moves. I for one believe they have this team pointed in the right direction at this point.

We have a VERY deep group of CB's (Gilmore, Graham, McKelvin, Robey), our LB corps looks legit and deep due to excellent draft choices (Alonzo, Brown) the last two years as well as fantastic FA moves (Spikes, Hughes). The OLine will take some time to gel but we have bookend tackles that were both steals and a young Guard that will be starting soon. The DLine is very talented and deep. Our WR group is going to be one of the better groups in the league if Manuel lets it rip and trusts them to go get the ball. To this point the risks he was willing to take on Henderson, M. Williams, Hughes, look like genius moves.

Manuel is obviously the lynch pin in the whole equation but they are bringing him along in the right manner. I realize it is one win, I realize it was not resounding, I realize we have a ways to go. But Whaley has been excellent IMO.

Flame away you miserable POS Op, Felch, et al.

LMAO

I thought that it was only one game.

Guess not. Good to see that Whaley's plan is coming around.

[Albany,n.y.]

I haven't seen a deeper WR unit than this group since the days of Reed, Lofton, Beebe, & Tasker. Now considering that among the top 5 only Williams is not a 1st or 2nd year player, this group should be around for a long time & only get better.
Now if we could just get a #1 TE.

[gebobs]

Now if we could just get a #1 TE.Granted, EJ's pass was behind him, but what a half-assed effort by Chandler to stop the first drive cold.

[Forward_Lateral]

Defensively, vs a team like the Bears, you pick your poison. You can't defend against the two monsters on the outside and cover Forte underneath at the same time. Forte is going to get open, it's what he does. He's probably a top 5 all around back in the NFL, and nobody talks about him.

I thought Schwartz and company were very good yesterday. Cutler was under pressure many times, and looked rattled at points. Yes the Bears made plays, but that's what good offenses do. You aren't going to shut an offense like the Bears down completely.

[YardRat]

It's nice to finally have some depth.

[Fletch]

Defensively, vs a team like the Bears, you pick your poison. You can't defend against the two monsters on the outside and cover Forte underneath at the same time. Forte is going to get open, it's what he does. He's probably a top 5 all around back in the NFL, and nobody talks about him.

I thought Schwartz and company were very good yesterday. Cutler was under pressure many times, and looked rattled at points. Yes the Bears made plays, but that's what good offenses do. You aren't going to shut an offense like the Bears down completely.

The difference between us and the Bears, besides the fact that Marshall is far more proven that all of our WRs combined, and that Alshon Jeffrey is what we're hoping Watkins will become, two small and minor details, is Cutler over Manuel. Not suggesting that Cutler's the bee's knees or anything, but he's worlds better than Manuel who stunk the place up again yesterday in quarters 2 through 4.

I can't believe that anyone is even remotely reconsidering Manuel's issues after he went like 8 of 12 for 69 yards and no scores in three quarters after the 1st quarter and having 6 drives stall because of him in that same period. That's an insignificant 23 yards passing per quarter.

If he doesn't improve that then we will be 3-13. That's right where he left off last season. Plays OK for a quarter then like **** for three.

[Meathead]

the fans who werent flipping the **** out over meaningless preseason games pretty much all saw the same things:

1. this is the deepest team the bills have had in a long time

c. ej is on a normal development curve for a second year rookie starter, and despite some ugly moments in preseason did show evidence of proper growth as a qb at this stage

as long as ej keeps progressing the way youd expect any rookie not named luck or with a three after their name, this team should by all rights be a serious playoff contender right down to the end of the season

[jimmifli]

c. ej is on a normal development curve for a second year rookie starter, and despite some ugly moments in preseason did show evidence of proper growth as a qb at this stage
I was among the not freaking out, but because I thought our D and run game could carry us if the QB could play at an NFL level.

I just didn't see any evidence that EJ had progressed. It wasn't there.

I'm happy that he clearly has. I think this was one of the best games of his career even if the stats don't bare that out.

[elroy16]

The difference between us and the Bears, besides the fact that Marshall is far more proven that all of our WRs combined, and that Alshon Jeffrey is what we're hoping Watkins will become, two small and minor details, is Cutler over Manuel. Not suggesting that Cutler's the bee's knees or anything, but he's worlds better than Manuel who stunk the place up again yesterday in quarters 2 through 4.

I can't believe that anyone is even remotely reconsidering Manuel's issues after he went like 8 of 12 for 69 yards and no scores in three quarters after the 1st quarter and having 6 drives stall because of him in that same period. That's an insignificant 23 yards passing per quarter.

If he doesn't improve that then we will be 3-13. That's right where he left off last season. Plays OK for a quarter then like **** for three.


I like how it's a small detail, but that small detail is the skill level of the most important position in football and that difference is supposedly worlds apart. How is that a small detail?


Either way, I don't agree. Let's look at the drives.


3rd drive - Score is 7-7
They get a first and then on first down EJ is sacked for 6 yards. Sentrel got beat pretty well, EJ didn't really have time. The percentages of gaining a first down when facing a 2nd and 16 can't be very high. Without the all-22, you can't say his dump off and run were bad plays. I'm not putting that drive on EJ.


6th drive - Score is 17-7
Dixon has the long run to get to mid-field. 2nd down EJ throws a little high to Woods and then Chandler gets the unnecessary roughness call. It's 3rd and 21 and few teams pick up the first there very often. I guess you could argue if EJ's throw to Woods is on target, there's no penalty and they possibly get a first. In my mind, that drive is halted because of Chandler, Woods, and EJ.


7th drive - Score is 17-10
They get a first on a nice throw and then EJ throws the pick on 3rd and 2. Not a good decision, but not the worst INT ever thrown. Obviously that drive is on EJ.


8th drive - Score is 17-17
All runs setting up a 3rd and 8 after a Sammy false start. Incomplete pass to Woods, would have been negated by a Pears hold. Drive is halted by EJ and to an extend Pears.


9th drive - Score is 17-17
-2 yard run sets up a long 2nd down. Dump off then a scramble sets up a punt. Maybe EJ gets the first if he doesn't run out, maybe he doesn't and gets crushed. You can put this drive on EJ as well, but it's tough to say without the all-22.


So that's 5 drives, 2 of which you can blame EJ for, the rest had help. The last 2 drives he helped drive to the game leading and then game winning field goals. Yes, the run game had a big part of it, but that's why the run the ball.


The offense put themselves in some bad situations. EJ didn't do a ton to help the cause, but Hackett started running the ball more and didn't give EJ a ton of chances in the 2nd half. Without watching the all-22 and seeing if EJ was missing guys or what was happening, it doesn't make sense to predict they will go 2-13 the rest of the way.