Bills 34 Seahawks 10

-Coast

The last time I felt like this after an opener was this day 5 years ago. The Bills beat 31-0 and all of a sudden were playoff and super bowl contenders. SI had Sam Adams, a new comer, on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the title "Off and Running" as he tumbled into the end zone. Am I going to go this far this year and say that this Bills team has finally arrived? Yes. This team is for real. I made the prediction yesterday that this game would be a blowout and it was. I know the Seahawks were without 2 receivers and were missing some starters on defense...but let's not so soon forget that we were missing our best offensive lineman and arguably our best linebacker.

So what is different about today and 9-7-2003? We have young players that are going to only get better, not get worse throughout the season. We have a 2nd year QB and a 2nd year RB who will do nothing but improve. We have a 26 year old stud at wide receiver. In 2003, we had an old QB (Bledsoe), our number one receiver was old (Moulds), and we had a running back that spent more time knocking up chicks than watching film (Henry). Also, the additions of Stroud and Mitchell seem to outweigh the additions of Spikes and Adams in the 2003 offseason...undoubtedly Stroud.

The first quarter started off a little shaky...which could be expected. There had to be some rust from Trent...who only played something like four series' in the pre season. The weather was also not very favorable the entire first half. After that though, Trent played well. 21-30 for 215 yards and a touchdown with zero turnovers...I will take that from him any day. Lynch was his usual self. He had 18 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown and didn't play in the fourth quarter because the game was out of reach. Evans added 4 catches for 102 yards, proving that him and Trent can hook up on the long ball at least as good or if not better than Lee and his boyfriend JP.

The Bills special teams has to be the best in the league. Roscoe looks like he is going to score every single time he touches the ball on a punt return. Moorman had some sick punts and oh yeah a touchdown pass to Ryan Denney on a fake field goal call that no one saw coming. Rian Lindell all of a sudden is just money.

What stood out the most today obviously was the defense. We all watched the game, so I don't need to get into stats...Marcus Stroud looked like an animal out there. What a difference maker he is at the D tackle position. The guy just moves people out of the way and cannot be blocked with one person. He looks to me like he is back in his pro bowl form. Kawika Mitchell was all over the field and Paul Posluszny was too coming off his injury. The Bills had 5 sacks...did they have that many sacks in any game last season? I really don't think so.

This was a good win and a great way to start the season. The real test will be next week. The Bills will go on the road to Jacksonville...who lost today at Tennessee. Jason Peters will hopefully be back. Oddly enough, the Bills week 2 opponent in 2003 was Jacksonville in Jacksonville and the Bills won that game 38-17. If Tom Brady is in fact out for the year, and the Bills go into Jacksonville and beat the Jaguars...is it too crazy to say that we are the favorites in the AFC East? I don't see why it would be.

NFL Predictions

Steve tells you the future NOW

The Bills aren't going to miss Crowell as much as people anticipate. Anyone else remember Rich Gannon ripping this dude a new one against Jacksonville last year?! He is good not great, and won't be missed immensely. True, Ellison or Digiorgio or Costanzo suck, are undersized, and are far from great, but they have all played in the NFL before they can't be that big of chumps, hopefully.

Bills go 8-8 with some luck and/or Tricky Dicky J doesn't cost them 2-3 games as per 2007 the Bills could go 10-6. I'll stick to 8-8 until I see heady coaching.

Wins in parenthesis.

• Patriots, down year. Duh they won 16 and can't replicate that, but 11-12 wins is a big step down kinda. (12)
  
• Dolphins will suck BIG TIME. The Jets looked awful with Pennington why would things change for him in teal? Ronnie Brown, once a future star in this league is sharing and or sitting behind a known drug addict. Yikes, tuna you're too old let go nobody listens to techno. (4)
  
• J-E-T-S True they have an easy schedule but so do the Bills. Brad Flaver is 39 HOLY SHIT. Things could go south quick with that schedule. I see many ups and downs in a lackluster 7-9 at best season for the green men (6)
  
• Cleveland has a tough schedule and their QB is Derek Anderson, not a good combination. Why did they keep both quarterbacks? 3 year deal?! Keeeep trading draft picks too Savage. SEE YOU MONDAY NIGHT (8)
  
• Shitsburgh Steelers. Little Ben is underrated at least by me. Their d and o line are awful, Willy Parker isn't that good and I hate Tomlin, not cause he is a good coach cause he is a bad coach and people love him. Keep losing home playoff games. (8)
  
• Baltimore Ravens uh rookie QB, shitty running back, aging defense kinda and rookie coach? Tough year on the harbor. (6)
  
• Bengals could be a surprise. Everyone loved Marvin Lewis 2 years ago, I guess thats what happens when you have 15ish arrests suspensions fines, embarrassment after embarrassment. Ocho you stinko and Palmer is being wasted. If their defense has a pulse they could steal this tough but winnably <-- new word, mediocre division. (9)
• JAX, I thought Del Rio was on the hot seat? Cause their QB has a few good games and doesn't turn the ball over they're world beaters? They have no fans their rb was arrested and the defense won't be as good. (9)
  
• Colts should be worried. True they have the best QB since Marino but their Center is hurt, their defense is weak and Manning lost his bursa sack. Still a year or two away from a HUGGGGE collapse. (11)
• Anyone care about the Texans besides big corporations in Houston? (8 AGAIN)
• Titans ummmm VY vick younger? (9)
• SD super chargerssss. Their roided up LB is an idiot, their fans are an embarrassment, Rivers gave me a boner but is he healthy, and LDT is due for a down/hurt year. Who is the RB back up? (11)
• Denver sucks, you can have the DNC. I know type 1 people and they aint no pro QB good luck. Shanny you're losin it (7)
  
• Raiders are run by the most insane billionaire of all time. Oh by the way, Ralph says you're welcome for the loan ass hole. (5)
  
• KC hahahahahha wait did you really trade away your d-end? (4)
• Dallas easy schedule easy conference decent division. Fuck off and win a playoff game (11)
• Philly is getting hyped, when was the last time DF Mcnab was healthy?(8)
• G-men based on Thursday don't have much rust, is Eli a bonafide qb? Fffffauck(10)
• Washington is run by an idiot, Zorny? Campbell? You all know he was out played by Collins last year right? YES that Todd Collins. C'monnnnnn (6)
• Chicago, Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, Kyle, Rex, Orton, Grossman, who cares Benson was a bustttttt I got love for Lovie tho (7)
• GB nice showing in the NFC championship game, thank god that curmudgeon is gone, not as good this year, wait till next year (8)
• Detroit ugh (7)
• This is an awful awful terrible brutal putrid division I guess Minny by default (9)
• ATL rookie QB still reeling from dog fighters (5)
• NO, still sinking at least you have Wezzy (8)
• TB repeat, anyone notice? (9)
• Carolina, Delhomme might have another season in him, maybe, perhaps, and perhaps their coach is a bust like Marvin (9)
  
• SF o'sullivannnnnnnnnnnnn (5)
• Seattle, has a team been as lucky as this franchise in regards to division competition the last decade? The bills won @ SEA in 04 by like 31 points holy shittttt (9)
• St Louis, the boys are back in town and Bulger has one last run in him, book it (9 and win the division)
• AZ, I was suppose to be there this year but my cock sucker friends are retards, we'll see. Leinart can eat it and so can anyone that wanted that douche. (7)

AP's picks

AFC East - NE, Mia, NYJ, Buf
AFC North - Pit, Cin, Cle, Bal
AFC South - Indy, Ten, Jax, Hou
AFC West - SD, Den, Oak, KC

NFC East - Dal, Wash, Phi, NYG
NFC South - NO, TB, Car, Atl
NFC North - Min, GB, Det, Chi
NFC West - Sea, AZ, St L, SF

AFC WC - Ten, Den
NFC WC - Wash, Phi

AFC Championship - NE v. Indy
NFC Championship - Dal v. NO

Super Bowl - NE v. Dal
New England

Coasts Predictions

AP are you kidding me? You honestly think the Bills are going to finish last in the division...gimmie a break...get my number, call me so we can make some type of wager on that please.

Let's start with tomorrow. The Seahawks defense ranked 15th in the NFL last season. That is while playing against Alex Smith...whoever the Rams ran out at QB last year and that QB Carousel in Arizona 6 times per year. I am not scared of Seattle's defense. Lofa is small...he is a Hawaiin version of London Fletcher. He will rack up tackles 10-12 yards down field after Lynch busts through their banged up line. Yeah, Julian Peterson is sick...but he is far removed from his pre achilles or acl injury or whatever. Patrick Kerney is just a D Bag what else can I say? On offense...uhhh Logan Payne will be playing a lot at wide receiver. Nate Burleson is their number one. Julius Jones is Julius Jones. Holy shit I almost feel bad for Matt Hasselback.

The Bills should dominate in all three phases. Honestly, this game shouldn't be close. If the Bills are anywhere near a decent football team with playoff aspirations they should win this game by 20 plus points. I am going out on a limb and saying 38-6 in a freaking laugher because that is how pathetic I think the Hawks will be.

We all know the Schedule is a joke and here is how the Bills will fare. They got 4 games against the NFC west...they will win 3 of them without a doubt (a road slip up vs. the Cards isn't impossible...I can safely guarantee 3...they should win 4). They got 4 against the AFC West...San Diego at home is tough...but let's remember three years ago when the Bills played the Chargers at home when they went 14-2...Jauron's 3 timeouts in 2 plays killed them and they lost by 3. They also play at Denver and at KC as well as Oakland. I will guarantee 2 wins against that division although it probably will be 3 and could be 4. Then we got 4 against MIami and the Jets. There is four wins right there. Don't give me this Brett Favre Jets will be good bullshit and Miami is just pathetic. That gives us 9 wins guaranteed. Obvisouly two losses vs. the Pats (although one NE game is week 17 so that could be meaningless for someone who knows). Then of course the two games against the 2nd place finishers in the AFC NOrth and South. The Bills play the Browns at home on MOnday night. There is no way in hell we lose this game. At Jacksonville will be tough...and without Lynch we were right in that game in the fourth quarter. I give the Bills one out of two. Therefore, I am guaranteeing a minimum of 10 wins.

Here are my predictions for the playoffs and everything else.

AFC East: Pats Bills Jets Phins
AFC South: Jags Colts Texans Titans
AFC North: Steelers Browns Bengals Ravens
AFC West: Chargers Broncos Raiders Chiefs

NFC East: Cowboys Eagles Giants Redskins
NFC South: New Orleans Carolina Tampa Atlanta
NFC North: Vikings Packers Lions Bears
NFC West: Seahawks Cardinals Rams 49ers

AFC WC: Bills Colts
NFC WC: Eagles Giants

AFC WC Playoff: Pats over Colts, Steelers over Bills
AFC Divisional Playoff: Chargers over Steelers, Pats over Jags
AFC Championship: Chargers over Pats

NFC WC Playoff: Giants over Vikings, Eagles over Seahawks
NFC Divisional Playoff: Saints over Giants, Cowboys over Eagles
NFC Championship: Cowboys over Saints

Super Bowl: Chargers over Cowboys

Wreck's week 1 locks

This will be a weekly segment where our own semi-pro handicapper "Wreck" Will make his weekly locks of the week. Of course they are against the spread and largely NFL based gambling selections. We will keep a running record and see how great a moneymaker he truly is. Mind you these are LOCKS not just picks on every game, these are bets he is actually making. You wanna get rich or die tryin? Dooo it son

Week 1 (0-0)

Dallas @ CLEVELAND (+6)

Houstan @ PITTSBURGH (-6.5)

Denver @ OAKLAND (+3)

-ya boy t-wreck

GO U-B!

by Steve

Game starts in three hours son, get ready UB @ Pitt. I can't believe it has taken me this long to write about 'em. They are 1-0, have a sick head coach, solid wiley vet QB in Drew Willy, sick running back in local product James Starks, and DB Devonte Shannon was friends with OSU future star QB Terrelle Pryor thats good enough in my book.

Sure they are 14 point dogs, but stachsted and co are overrated. If the Bulls go into a BSC barn and somehow beat 'em it could turn into a 06/07 Sabres esque bandwagon jumpage. And I am some what pumped up. Are we on the brink of having two hometown football teams in Buffalo?

The game is on SNY, channel 25 so turn it on at 6.

BLUE COLLAR FOOTBALL PLAYED RIGHT HERE IN BUFFFFFALO

#71

by Steve

Call me a hypocrite all you want. I donttttt ggggiiiivvvvvveeee a fuckkkkkkkkk. #71 is back son! Our best player has finally stopped being retarded and has decided ooohhhhhh its NFL season I better strap on my shoulder pads and actually get to Western New York.


True, he won't play Sunday but possibly, more than likely, he will play next Sunday vs the Jaguars. #71 better be in good shape and be ready next Sunday, I am still pissed he is missing this Sunday but #71 is #71 and apparently he does as he pleases.


Back attttttttt the Ralph for reallllllll in about 38 hours mother fuckersssssssssssss

HAHAHAHA SEATTLE?!?!?!?!?????

Crowell Done

by Steve

Just in case you still had any optimism for the upcoming season, the Bills starting strongside linebacker, Angelo Crowell, is out FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. Not just this week, not just 2-4 weeks the entire 17 week season. From the bills website

"Apparently the Bills coaching staff decided they would be too shorthanded in the 2-4 week window in which Crowell would need to recover and created a roster spot by putting the veteran linebacker on injured reserve."

So what does this even mean? Did they scope his knee and found more? Is this a part 2 Paul Poz situation of last year? If it really is just a scope and he would have only missed 2-4 weeks or even 6-8 weeks why put him in the IR now? So we can keep Hamdan?

Crowell isn't a great strong side LB by any stretch but he is certainly the Bills best option and in a contract year who knows how high he could have elevated his game.. If this was just a decision made in a vacuum and Crowell really isn't that badly hurt this is absolute bullshit.

We have rookie Alvin Bowen as the back up err starter right now. There are only 5 healthy linebackers on the entire roster. Holllyyy shit. Time will tell but like I said if this really was not a serious injury/surgery Crowell will be livid. I would be shocked if a grievance with the players union wasn't filed. One because his entire season is over and two because he is in the final year of a rookie contract. He needed to play this year to get a new deal and to prove his value to both the Bills and any other team interested in his services..

This Bills better be looking at the waiver wire, trade offers, recent cuts, everything ASAP. A rookie 5th round pick or worse, Ellison or Digiorgio starting at Strong side makes me sick. Even doubly worse would be playing Mitchel out of his normal position. holy shit great.

PS
FUCK OFF Peters

Time to move on

by Steve

Lets face it, Jason Peters is fucked up in the head. Rumors of more than 12 attempts to contact the mother fucker w/ zero response, missed every single practice, meeting, day of camp, preseason game and the season starts in 4 days! His fines are totaling at least $300,000 thus far and sky rocket with each game missed. What is this guy thinking?? We will be playing without our most important player to start the 2008 NFL season

Let
That
Sink
In

Alright I guess... it is time to move on.

One thing is certain, I'm not ready yet to move on. The dude was created by the Bills, molded from one of the most underrated most overlooked players in the league to one of the best, most important. He is errr was the rock, the foundation, of the Bills offensive line. Who would have thought his last game as a Bill would be against the Giants in a meaningless game 17 at the Ralph?

Then again who would have thought before any mini camp invitations were even sent out earlier this year that Kirk Chambers would be the starting right tackle? Langston Walker is the left tackle?! Holy shit. I can only hope Sean Kugler knows what he is doing. Shit I don't even know who Sean Kugler is and he is the guy that is in charge of revamping an offensive line in three weeks because his disgruntled all pro decided to stay on vacation?

This is a nightmare, I feel like I am dreaming. I am absolutely ZERO confidence for Sunday. The raw unadulterated enthusiasm and joy that once existed is being sucked out of me. OH WELL, fuck it. Lets trade this piece of shit cry baby and move on.

Lets set our sights on Michael Oher
LT from Ole Miss. We're probably going to now lose at least a game or two with the absence of Peters so we'll be drafting high. Plus we'll have hopefully two first round picks when we dump him before the week 6 trade deadline. Who knows maybe Trent won't be just average and we actually win 8 games and we are still fighting for something in December. At least it will then be worth making the trip to Toronto to watch us play the Dolphins. Awwwwwwwwww fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk