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The Buffalo Bills 1st visiting team for Family Night
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<blockquote data-quote="CaliforniaCheez" data-source="post: 11693" data-attributes="member: 167"><p>For those of you looking forward to the scrimmage of Family Night and a real game a couple of weeks later. Here is an attitudinal piece from the Buffalo News. </p><p>****************</p><p>Message machines across the NFL are giving the same sort of information this week: "I will be away from my office until Tuesday, July 5. You can reach me at that time." </p><p>Vacation period in the NFL will end soon, so it's time to think about the Buffalo Bills and discuss if they have a chance to open the 2005 season as well as they ended 2004. </p><p></p><p>You remember how the Bills closed last year, don't you? If you're a sourpuss, you'll bring up the final game, when they frittered away a playoff chance and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were on cruise control. </p><p></p><p>But if you look back at the big picture, you'll remember the Bills were hell after Halloween, winning eight of their last 10 games after opening the season with four straight losses. </p><p></p><p>They learned how to succeed on the road, winning their last four games on foreign fields. They swept their four National Conference foes. They scored 30 or more points seven times down the stretch. Why not get excited? </p><p></p><p>OK, the experienced quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, is gone and the inexperienced J.P. Losman will be the starter. Bledsoe had some fine moments here, but you close one door and open another. This offense was built on speed and athleticism, and Bledsoe - now agonizingly slow and mechanical - was not a good fit. </p><p></p><p>Some fans have qualms about what did and didn't happen during the offseason. What happened was that defensive tackle Pat Williams and offensive tackle Jonas Jennings have new employers. What didn't happen was that there were no bombshell free agents brought to Buffalo. </p><p></p><p>Not every season is a bombshell signing year, but the Bills are still enjoying the fruits of past bombshell signings. Half their sterling defense signed as expensive free agents. That included the two safeties, Lawyer Milloy and Troy Vincent, plus the entire linebacker corps of Takeo Spikes, London Fletcher and Jeff Posey. Don't forget the giant defensive tackle Sam Adams. </p><p></p><p>One of the biggest improvements for the Bills this season may come with some of their young players having breakthrough years. My hunch for one of the major breakthroughs is Chris Kelsay, who finally won the starting job at left defensive end over the last nine games after sharing with Ryan Denney. Kelsay figured out what he was doing during the Bills' winning streak. He should be better this year. </p><p></p><p>Then there is a combination breakthrough, the full-time teaming of veteran safeties Vincent and Milloy. Vincent missed eight games with an injury last year and wasn't switched from cornerback to free safety until the last four games of the season. Between them they have 22 years of NFL experience, and in the final game against the Steelers they combined for 25 tackles. Wait until they get to know one another. </p><p></p><p>On offense the breakthrough prediction is Mike Williams, who finally converted his potential into high-level performances in the second half of last season. </p><p></p><p>A football eon ago, Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram used to say of his rival, Oakland, "If the Raiders were playing the Russian army, they'd still run to the right side behind Shell and Upshaw." </p><p></p><p>Tackle Art Shell and guard Gene Upshaw both bull-blocked their way into the Hall of Fame. This is no Hall of Fame prediction, but Williams and the mauling right guard, Chris Villarrial, have the potential to keep running drives going consistently to smooth Losman's way in the first five games, the QB's first big test. </p><p></p><p>There are just 10 Sundays until opening day. </p><p>**********************</p><p></p><p>Not a lot of detail but an overview of the Bills.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CaliforniaCheez, post: 11693, member: 167"] For those of you looking forward to the scrimmage of Family Night and a real game a couple of weeks later. Here is an attitudinal piece from the Buffalo News. **************** Message machines across the NFL are giving the same sort of information this week: "I will be away from my office until Tuesday, July 5. You can reach me at that time." Vacation period in the NFL will end soon, so it's time to think about the Buffalo Bills and discuss if they have a chance to open the 2005 season as well as they ended 2004. You remember how the Bills closed last year, don't you? If you're a sourpuss, you'll bring up the final game, when they frittered away a playoff chance and lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were on cruise control. But if you look back at the big picture, you'll remember the Bills were hell after Halloween, winning eight of their last 10 games after opening the season with four straight losses. They learned how to succeed on the road, winning their last four games on foreign fields. They swept their four National Conference foes. They scored 30 or more points seven times down the stretch. Why not get excited? OK, the experienced quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, is gone and the inexperienced J.P. Losman will be the starter. Bledsoe had some fine moments here, but you close one door and open another. This offense was built on speed and athleticism, and Bledsoe - now agonizingly slow and mechanical - was not a good fit. Some fans have qualms about what did and didn't happen during the offseason. What happened was that defensive tackle Pat Williams and offensive tackle Jonas Jennings have new employers. What didn't happen was that there were no bombshell free agents brought to Buffalo. Not every season is a bombshell signing year, but the Bills are still enjoying the fruits of past bombshell signings. Half their sterling defense signed as expensive free agents. That included the two safeties, Lawyer Milloy and Troy Vincent, plus the entire linebacker corps of Takeo Spikes, London Fletcher and Jeff Posey. Don't forget the giant defensive tackle Sam Adams. One of the biggest improvements for the Bills this season may come with some of their young players having breakthrough years. My hunch for one of the major breakthroughs is Chris Kelsay, who finally won the starting job at left defensive end over the last nine games after sharing with Ryan Denney. Kelsay figured out what he was doing during the Bills' winning streak. He should be better this year. Then there is a combination breakthrough, the full-time teaming of veteran safeties Vincent and Milloy. Vincent missed eight games with an injury last year and wasn't switched from cornerback to free safety until the last four games of the season. Between them they have 22 years of NFL experience, and in the final game against the Steelers they combined for 25 tackles. Wait until they get to know one another. On offense the breakthrough prediction is Mike Williams, who finally converted his potential into high-level performances in the second half of last season. A football eon ago, Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram used to say of his rival, Oakland, "If the Raiders were playing the Russian army, they'd still run to the right side behind Shell and Upshaw." Tackle Art Shell and guard Gene Upshaw both bull-blocked their way into the Hall of Fame. This is no Hall of Fame prediction, but Williams and the mauling right guard, Chris Villarrial, have the potential to keep running drives going consistently to smooth Losman's way in the first five games, the QB's first big test. There are just 10 Sundays until opening day. ********************** Not a lot of detail but an overview of the Bills. [/QUOTE]
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