SB Nation - Richie Incognito

Patriots 17, Bills 10: Week 15 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:32:47 -0000

Listen. It's a holiday week. I'm on vacation for most of it. There was absolutely no way that I was going to waste my time re-watching the Buffalo Bills' 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots. It's enough that I'm a Bills fan, and therefore subjected myself to that type of performance once. It wasn't going to happen again. I'd like to spend my holidays sane.

Rather than talk about what I saw on the re-watch, therefore, I'm just going to dump the notes I took during the game as it happened live, krytime mind dump style. These notes won't appear in our usual verbose manner; rather, they're copied verbatim, in bullet point form. If you're confused by any of the references or the meaning behind some of the statements, feel free to ask.

Good game planning from Perry Fewell/Alex Van Pelt. Hit 'em where they're missing players. (Guess that only applies to the first drives.)
Richie Incognito is one of the strangest-shaped dudes I've ever seen.
Like what I'm seeing from Geoff Hangartner and Andy Levitre. Both solid players.
Terrible idea to sub in an extra OT on that goal line play. Just asking for a penalty. Bye, TD.

Pretty sad that BUF is so bad on misdirection that Welker can pick up a first down on an end around, 3rd & 2. They've got to know it's coming sometime. Nice play call.
Terrific read by Paul Posluszny on the interception.
Pats are going to have a field day rushing the passer. Belichick always knows how to get pressure.
Holy Lord, Donte Whitner looked awful in deep coverage. Ugly, ugly PI penalty on Moss.
Brady knows how to attack Jairus Byrd - go high. Byrd might never be a good red zone defender.
Man, I like watching Mike Wright play football. Tough dude.
Absolutely no way the Bills will be able to attack NE deep.
Why can't Terrell Owens be used the same way NE uses Moss? That middle route was too easy, and too quick.
Yet another penalty on the DBs. Getting abused.
Aaron Schobel isn't great, but he makes at least one heady play every game.
A quarter and a half in, we have a Lee Evans sighting.
Two holding penalties now on Incognito. Not surprising, but killer nonetheless.
Have to figure out a new way to praise Fred Jackson.
Drive killed by a terrible Ryan Fitzpatrick throw. Good idea, horrid execution - Josh Reed wasn't even open. Throw it away!
Another end around, this time to Matt Slater. So annoying to watch them repeatedly abused by this play.
Laurence Maroney looks fantastic. (Easy to do against BUF.)
PI on Reggie Corner. DBs are complaining, but the calls are legit. TD coming...
... and there it is. Maroney from a yard out.
Didn't like Fewell's decision to kick the long FG. Rather have seen a hail mary; down 14-3 at the half.
Screen pass execution not working - gee, I wonder why? Do you think Belichick might have expected it?
Terrence McGee's shoulder injury looks pretty serious. Might see Ashton Youboty next week, with Corner starting.
Six straight NE run plays. Should have been running more all day.
Shawn Nelson seems to be a focal point of the game plan. Nothing wrong with that.
Come on, T.O. He's losing focus. False start, probably a drive-killer.
Nice heads up play by Jackson, catching the tipped pass from Jonathan Stupar.
Nelson wide open - Fitzpatrick misses him by a good yard and a half. I want a QB. :(
NE three and out. Defense is doing its job; NE looks pretty out of sync, though.
Trent Edwards?!
Hate this move by Fewell. 5 is not your QB. Don't ask him to save the game.
Trent's down. Hobbles off the field. Horrible, horrible decision, Perry.
Surprised there aren't more boo birds - Fitzpatrick back in, Brian Brohm on the sidelines.
Another sack. Absolutely brutal pass blocking.
Josh Reed drops a touchdown. Holy crap. Zero focus from the receivers today.
Another NE three-and-out. Can't blame the D for this loss.
Roscoe Parrish with a 20-yard punt return. Bills ball, deep in NE territory. Might we be on to something?
Beautiful catch by Lee for the TD. First career TD against the Pats. It's about time.
Of course it's Aaron Maybin on the false start. Of course it is. Who else would it be? The blogging gods hate me.
Pats' first third-down conversion of the quarter is a stupid little throw to Welker. Ballgame.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/21

MattRichWarren — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:23:19 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

2 days ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) gets past Buffalo Bills cornerback Drayton Florence (29) during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Patriots won 17-10. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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Penalties, lack of offense lead to latest loss - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills defense played valiantly holding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to just 115 yards passing and giving up just 109 yards on the ground was an effective day for Buffalo. In the end there was just not enough support from the other side of the ball to stage an upset."

Bills' popgun offense produces dud : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"We were not converting on third downs," Fewell said in explaining the QB switch. "We needed something to give us some momentum so I made the decision. I thought Trent could come in and maybe give us a little spark, give us some momentum."

Bills' secondary contains Patriots' passing attack : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Maybe the Buffalo Bills' pass defense is for real after all. Led by tight coverage in the secondary, the Bills justified their No. 5 NFL ranking against the pass by slowing down the New England Patriots' vaunted attack. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has been a Bills killer, was far from lethal Sunday. He completed only 11 of 23 passes for 115 yards — all season lows — with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 59.1, which is far below the 102.6 rating he had in the previous 15 meetings with Buffalo."

Bills' aura of futility catches up with Fewell : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"Fewell has to know he's cooked. He was a long shot for the permanent job even if his team had won Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But it's looking grim now, after the Bills lost to the Patriots, 17-10, in a game that was all too reminiscent of the losses that came before it in this dying, dysfunctional decade. "

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk15
Nick Mendola has cracked, guys. He gives his immediate reactions to the Bills game before predicting "Atlanta 735, Buffalo -4" for next week.

Patriots Extend Streak to 13 Over Bills - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
"No matter how inconsistently the Patriots have played -- particularly on the road -- or what distractions they've faced, one thing remains constant: They can always count on beating their perennial patsy, the Buffalo Bills."

Postgame injury update – Inside The Bills
Trent Edwards (ankle), Terrence McGee (Shoulder/arm), and Bryan Scott (head) all sustained injuries sever enough to keep them from returning.

It's tough to pay attention to the Bills these days : Bucky Gleason : The Buffalo News
Bucky Gleason was so bored and distracted during the game Sunday his mind kept wandering to Brittany Murphy's death.

BillBoard: Woe for the '00s
Comparing the Bills losing decades of the Dolphins in the 70s to the Patriots in the 00s. It's surprisingly close.

Bills-Patriots report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills get better grades than you might expect from the Buffalo News.

Quarterly report: Bills-Patriots : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 17-10 loss to the Patriots quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more."

Miscues add up to 124 yards in penalties : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills had 11 penalties for 124 yards. They had more than 100 penalty yards in the first half alone."

Buffalo Bills: Two-Minute Read | Democrat and Chronicle
Breaking down the Buffalo Bills' Sunday loss to the New England Patriots.

Buffalo Bills' newest lineman states his case | Democrat and Chronicle
"Anytime you lose, you obviously didn't play well enough," said Richie Incognito when asked to analyze his game. "We'll watch the film and correct what went wrong and keep battling. But this group has a lot of fight in them and I like it. I'll fight with these guys any day of the week. We were close at the end, we just came up short."

Buffalo Bills' opening drive set bad tone | Democrat and Chronicle
"Nine minutes into the game, the Bills were ahead 3-0 and New England hadn't even touched the ball yet, and I knew Buffalo wasn't going to win. OK, I knew that all week, but this is what solidified my thought: Awesome opening drive, ruined by a false start penalty at the 2, and they settled for a Rian Lindell field goal. They needed a touchdown to start the game, and didn't get it. That set the tone for the rest of the day."

Buffalo Bills Report Card | Democrat and Chronicle
See what grades our experts give out and rate the Bills yourself. These grades make a lot more sense.

Buffalo Bills fall to New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"But when you factor in the litany of lousy plays the Bills offered up on a cold but mostly wind-free afternoon, the Bills have no chance against Bill Belichick's troops, not even when Tom Brady is looking merely mortal and the Patriots gain only 224 yards and score 17 points."

Quick Recap: Patriots defeat Bills, 17-10 - Pats Pulpit
Quick recap by the guys at Pats Pulpit.

Recap: Buffalo vs. New England
The Sports Network recap of the game.

Trent Edwards goes in, down and out - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham gives a good summary of Trent Edwards' day.

$50k to bolt St. Louis? Fine with Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"With the fine of 50 grand, I would have gladly paid more to get out of that situation in St. Louis," Incognito said Sunday after the New England Patriots beat the Bills 17-10 in Ralph Wilson Stadium. "So I chalk it up to that."

Rapid Reaction: Patriots 17, Bills 10 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham, who was in the press box at the Ralph, gives his game summary.

Fewell Deserves a Chance -- Somewhere Else | WGRZ.com
Ed Kilgore meanders around the roster, the front office, and Perry Fewell in his most recent post.

Take 13 | wgrz.com
"So that's it... 13-straight and little signs of progress. Owner Ralph Wilson wasn't talking when he left the locker room today. After he fired Dick Jauron he talked about the need for an overhaul. 13-straight losses to the team that's set the standard in the division should underscore that point."

Y’all’s forgiven in Patriot land - The Globe and Mail
"When they assemble next season, trying to avoid their 14th consecutive loss to New England, Buffalo will surely bear little resemblance to the team that walked off the field yesterday. "

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Bills wear stare of humility
"A blank look of humility, one that so many Bills players and coaches have brought to the Ralph Wilson Stadium podium over the past decade, was the common thread after yet another lackluster loss to the mighty New England Patriots on Sunday."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Edwards makes a cameo
"The sequence symbolized the demise of Edwards, who was still considered the future of the franchise the last time Buffalo met New England, in the season opener. Too many checkdowns, too many injuries, too many punts. "

Failure to lead - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
"The first drive was the game plan, and then the next few series that we had, we got ourselves into some trouble," Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "When you’re going to play a game like that where you want to wear your opponent out, you have to play mistake free football."

Best and worst of yesterday’s game - BostonHerald.com
Ron Borges gives his thoughts on the game. Interesting bits I think.

Analysis/reaction: Pats 'good enough' in Buffalo - Patriots.com
Escaping Buffalo with a 17-10 victory, New England did what it needed to do, right when it needed to most.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Game grades from the Bills blog from the Pats game.

Bills Daily Gameday Review
The Bills blog recaps the game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills Fall to Pats 17-10; Eliminated from Playoffs
"The Buffalo Bills were their own worst enemy in their 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills gave the Patriots over 119 yards through penalties, which ended up being the difference in the game. "

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- Paul Posluszny is the first Bills LB to have an INT in back-to-back weeks since Bryce Paup, who accomplished the feat back in December 1995.
- Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, Bills WR Josh Reed drops a wide-open pass on a 4th-and-9 near the goal line on one of the few well-thrown passes by Buffalo today. Reed has had an awful day, with two muffed punts as well (which were recovered by Buffalo).

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Donte Whitner
In my post game interviews I was not saying I want to leave buffalo....I wanna stay here forever!

Twitter / Thurman Thomas
I have never met Randy Moss, he came up to me during warm-ups and said" what's up old school, you are the man" ... WOW, made me feel good..

Twitter / Donte Whitner
Hope I didn't see moss jump in the stands and bills fans enbrace him!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope not!

Terrell Owens
Sometimes things must come 2 an end, u hv 2 move on & accept wht life has 2 offer. So looking 4wd to 2010.

Rams 13, Texans 16: Rams lose a close one

VanRam — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:10:04 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

The little things dragged the Rams down today.

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Credit the St. Louis Rams for playing a good game, despite losing their 13th contest of the season. The results were especially encouraging given the team's extensive list of players on injured reserve or the sidelines.

The offense did a much better job moving the ball than they did against the Titans last week. Nevertheless, they just don't have the talent to overcome the slightest mistake, say a rookie QB under pressure and throwing the ball blindly down the field for an easy INT. The worst part of it was that the Texans scored on the ensuing drive, giving them a lead the Rams could not overcome. You can go line by line through the play-by-play and find those difference makers that better teams can play through and keep driving the ball for results.

On the other side of the ball, the Rams defense had a good day, except for getting burned again and again by the deep ball. Oshiomogho Atogwe and Bradley Fletcher are greatly missed by this Rams secondary, which is not to say that Craig Dahl, filling in for Atogwe, didn't play well; I just the chances for the Rams to play the ball more with Togs in the lineup. Still, despite Andre Johnson's 200-yard day (196 actually) the Rams kept him out of the end zone and limited Houston to just one touchdown. They really did a good a job as a unit missing so many starters.

I know we have the "Draft Suh" contingent here, but I would still have liked to see the Rams get the win. The close ones are the toughest to take, no matter how much you expect it. It would have been a huge stride forward for the organization. Nevertheless, Spagnuolo's group showed lots of promise and made it easier to see what GM Billy Devaney was talking about in his Friday chat with fans when he said the team has fewer holes to fill.

Keith Null

Once again the rookie from West Texas A&M showed real moxie. He was poised and bounced back from mistakes. Null even showed showed some emotion, something fans were pleasantly surprised to see from their QBs. Two fumbles resulting from bad snaps reminded us that the spread offense and DII football remained a part of Null, and the INT was the definition of a rookie move. Experience should cure that. Maybe I was a bit premature in dubbing it the best performance from a Rams QB this season, very premature, but it is clear who should start the next two games, the last two games of the season.

The Offensive Line

This group had become such a team strength until injuries started to take their toll. Jacob Bell went to IR and Richie Incognito got himself released, leaving the Rams without both starting guards this week. Mark Setterstrom, on the left, and John Greco, on the right, did well for themselves today. It was a little rough in the running game in the early going and at times throughout the game. It's important to remember, however, that the Texans have a strong front seven on defense. It's clear this unit is better with Jason Smith, but this group had a decent outing today, certainly better than they did last week. I still like out depth at guard.

Once again Alex Barron weakened the unit as a whole. He let Mario Williams get around him to recover a fumble. The troubled tackle's most egregious offense came on the last drive of the fourth quarter when he got beat and Null got sacked for a loss of 8 yards. That made it 3rd-and-19. Game over. I don't see how the Rams can bring back Barron in 2010.

Special Teams

Hats off the special teams once again. Not only have the Rams found a solid return man with good vision to match his speed in Danny Amendola, who averaged 31 yards on kickoff returns, they've got a good group of blockers and coverage guys assembled. Josh Brown was nails on the distance shots today, hitting a 52-yarder to make him 5 for 6 on FG attempts of 50 or more yards. Donnie Jones is really getting jobbed by the fact that he's not even in contention for a Pro Bowl nod.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/18

MattRichWarren — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:45:36 -0000

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

3 months ago: Buffalo Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel (94) carries New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris (34) on the way to the goal line as he scores a touchdown after an interception in the second quarter during an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

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Incognito could start Sunday – Inside The Bills
"With Kendall Simmons nursing a shoulder injury and not practicing again on Thursday, Richie Incognito said he stepped right in with the first unit in Simmons’ place at right guard."

Owens is sick – Inside The Bills
Terrell Owens missed Thursday’s practice due to illness.

Phil Sheridan: One ex-player presses on for safer NFL helmets | Philadelphia Inquirer
"Mark Kelso, who now does radio commentary on Bills games, isn't remembered as well for his 30 career interceptions as he is for wearing the ProCap helmet pad - an extra layer of protection that made him look, in his own words, like the Great Gazoo from the old Flintstones show."

Dierdorf expecting competitive game – Inside The Bills
"There are some teams in this league that just aren’t competitive," said Dan Dierdorf, the CBS color analyst for this weekend's game. "Maybe once or twice a year they can muster it up, but the Bills certainly don’t fall into that category. The Bills are 5-8. This is a much better Buffalo team than some of the bottom dwellers. They only lost to Jacksonville, 18-15. They lost to the Jets, 19-13. This is not a bad football team. It’s a team with a losing record, but this team is far from being an embarrassment."

Question Mark: To get competitive, Bills need more elite players : The Buffalo News
The News' Mark Gaughan answers your questions about the Bills missing a home run in the draft, getting an eye on young players now that we're out of the playoffs, and line of scrimmage.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - The 2000s so far: Moment No. 9
Nick Mendola says the angriest he's ever been doing his job was covering the Bills announcement of the Toronto series. It's moment 9 on WGR's list of the top 10 Buffalo sports moments of the decade.

Bills eager to end Pats streak - BuffaloBills.com
"It’s the Patriots. They’ve beaten us 12 straight times now. We’re trying to get rid of that. We want to. I haven’t beaten them since I’ve been here," Fred Jackson said. "I want to get that first win and know what it feels like to beat the Patriots."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Whitey's Bills-Pats preview: What they have, that we don't
Jeremy White visited Boston and took in a day at Patriots Place, the stadium for the hated rival. Well as White explains, you can do virtually anything and buy anything right at the stadium. Take a look.

Video: Bills given little chance versus Pats - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN's Jenny Dell previews the New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills game with the AccuScore report. In one of the more lopsided forecasts of the season, the Patriots won 71 percent of the time in AccuScore's 10,000 simulations

Shawn Springs keeps eye on Terrell Owens - BostonHerald.com
If they both play this will be the 11th meeting between Shawn Springs and Terrell Owens this weekend.

Pats recall an eerie trip to the eastern end of (Lake) Erie - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
The Patriots recall the weather conditions last December in Buffalo when wind gusts made kicking and throwing virtually impossible and the goal posts had to be realigned before each kick.

Return to Buffalo is special for Aiken - Patriots.com
Patriots special teams captain Sam Aiken discusses playing against his former teammates.

Evans and Draft fuel up - BuffaloBills.com
Bills wide receiver Lee Evans and linebacker Chris Draft spoke to the kids about the importance of nutrition and being active for 60 minutes a day. Students also participated in various physical fitness activities like jump roping, relay races and three-legged races and received a healthy lunch.

Schobel vs. Brady - Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Aaron Schobel has sacked Tom Brady more times (12) than any other player. Obviously that's more an indictment of Matt Light than anything else.

Patriots Today - Brady, Buffalo, Wrap-A-Pat and more video
"The Patriots are naturally quite familiar with the Buffalo Bills, but it's been three months since the division rivals first faced off in 2009. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and others chime in on Wednesday with thoughts on what's in store this Sunday in Buffalo."

Lightening the load - Press-Banner
Andy Levitre donated $5000 to his old high school football team to kick off their campaign to install lights on their football field. The NFL matched the donation.

Perfect Game - 12.21.09 - SI Vault
Sports Illustrated did a feature on punters this week and as part of that article showed how, in their words, "Browns punter Dave Zastudil almost single-handedly beat the Bills."

Si's Punter Ratings - 12.21.09 - SI Vault
Sports Illustrated ranked Bills punter Brian Moorman 24th on their list of NFL punters using this bizzare adapted QB rating system for punters. Shane Lechler, who is having an amazing season in Oakland, isn't even in the top 10.

Fitz on former teammate Chris Henry – Inside The Bills
"It was very sad," said former Bengal Ryan Fitzpatrick. "Tragic news. I think for the guys that know him, it’s very different than the public perception of him. The trouble that he got in the past and all that, everybody knows that he’s a great guy."

Former teammate's death throws Bills' Fitzpatrick for a loss : The Buffalo News
Fitzpatrick said, "I'm still trying to grasp what really happened because it's such tough news and a shock to hear."

Not so Incognito
Wilfork might meet his match – Inside The Bills
"It’s no secret that Vince Wilfork has had his share of cheap shots against the Bills over the years. Only difference between Richie Incognito and Wilfork is the Patriots DT rarely gets caught. For those that don’t know here’s the quick laundry list."

Bills claim OL Incognito - BuffaloBills.com
"The last three years we won five games total," said Incognito. "That’s a lot to lose and it takes its toll on you as an athlete more than I really imagined. And now it’s good to take a step back, get out of the situation and come here with a clean slate and play ball. I’m going to be a lot less selfish with the penalties and just the acting out." Incognito will wear jersey number 62.

New Bills lineman Incognito defends his play : The Buffalo News
The News profiles newest Buffalo Bill Richie Incognito and his reputation.

Team in Transition
Redskins hire Allen as GM | WIVB.com
"Bills sources told us weeks ago they had approached Bruce Allen to see if he was interested in coming to Buffalo. He was not."

Warming up the NFL coaching carousel | National Football Post
"Buffalo is a job for a retread without other options, a Charlie Weis (Wilson tried to hire him six years ago), Brian Billick or first-timer willing to work cheap. The retread is the statistically better option. "

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Fake Perry Fewell
,500 record = Bills Coach of the Decade.

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
Bills sold out Sunday' Pats game on time, but there are still 5,000 tix left for Colts. That might be 1st blackout of the year

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
CBS' Dan Dierdorf on Bills: "It’s a team with a losing record, but this team is far from being an embarrassment." Still, no playoffs 10 yrs

Arizona Cardinals Fly Around the NFC West and NFC Playoff Preview

najmsh — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:35:03 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

7 days ago: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) reacts after making a catch in front of Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (90) in the second quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Dec. 14, 2009. The 49ers won 24-9. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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The Arizona Cardinals played one of their worst games of the year. In a game that featured 7 turnovers and 11 penalties, the Cardinals did just what every sports analyst in the country said they wouldn’t do: let up against the San Francisco 49ers. The most incredible stat of the game is the 5 fumbles lost by the Cardinals. To put that into perspective, the 49ers only have 4 fumbles all year. Losing five fumbles is inexcusable, but it takes an incredible amount of bad luck to do so. Let’s just scratch this game up to a combination of bad luck, the Cardinals taking their opponent too lightly, and a 49er team that matches up very well with the Cardinals and always plays them tough.

San Francisco 49ers: As schizophrenic as the Cardinals are, the 49ers are even more so. After losing in heart breaking fashion to Seattle, a team which lost by 27 points to the Houston Texans this past week, the 49ers physically dominated the Cardinals and outplayed them in all aspects of the game. The Niners were able to keep very slim playoff hopes alive (more on that later) while sweeping a division rival. Life is suddenly good at Niners Nation and Mike Singletary’s approval rating is through the roof. Although I’ve avoided every sports site but Revenge of the Birds since Monday night, I do know the Niners are playing the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. The Eagles are coming off a big win against the Giants and are essentially playing a trap game. Their offense is very dependent on the big play (WR DeSean Jackson has 8 TDs of over 50 yards this season, tied for the NFL record) and the Niners defense is very good at taking away the big play. The Eagles opened the game as 6 point favorites.

Seattle Seahawks: News from the Seattle region this week had more to do with the offseason than this season. Former coach Mike Holmgren, credited for bringing the only success to the thirty-year-old franchise, is being touted by many for the vacant GM job. Holmgren spent much of the week in Cleveland meeting with owner Randy Lerner and other Cleveland Browns officials. Holmgren reportedly wants to be the "czar" of football wherever he goes (similar to Bill Parcells’ job in Miami) and says he wants to make a decision before Christmas, putting some pressure on the Seattle front office. Many Seahawk fans are clamoring for Holmgren to be hired, but others are not so sure. CEO Tod Leiweke has already stated that the Seahawks are "not going to join [the new GM], they’re going to join us" a message which would seem to rule out Holmgren’s idea of being a football czar. On the field, Seattle suffered a humiliating 34-7 loss to the Houston Texans this week. Saying this season has been a disappointment for the Seahawks would be an understatement. Matt Hasselbeck’s injury woes have continued, first round pick Aaron Curry is not playing like the elite linebacker he was supposed to be, and many analysts are wondering if Jim Mora Jr. might be out of a job after one year. The Seahawks face Tampa Bay at home this week.

Note: According to our friends at Field Gulls, the Cleveland Browns have reportedly offered Mike Holmgren the "Football Czar" job he wants. ESPN's John Clayton is reporting the Seahawks want to go in a different direction.

St. Louis Rams: The Rams injury woes are just getting worse and worse. Thursday’s practice has been reportedly canceled due to a swine flu outbreak among the Rams’ personnel. The Rams have kept quiet about who on the team has swine flu, but QB Kyle Boller (filling in for the injured Marc Bulger) and Center Jason Brown missed practice Wednesday because of illness. The Rams were forced to start 3^rd string QB Keith Null against the Titans this week in a replay of one of the most epic Superbowls ever played. Safe to say that this past week’s game was not as exciting. Although the Rams have had terrible injury problems this year, they waived guard Richie Incognito this week. Incognito has had many on the field problems and was named the NFL’s dirtiest player in a Sporting News poll. His problems stemmed all the way back to college where he left Nebraska for the University of Oregon after being suspended by the Nebraska coaching staff before the 2004 season. Incognito was quickly claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills, prompting current Bill’s LB Kawika Mitchell to tweet, "BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT THIS YR. THE GUYS A BUM." The Rams are coming off a 47-7 loss to the Titans and are taking on the Houston Texans this week.

The NFC Playoff Race:

Division Leaders:

New Orleans Saints (13-0) – (DAL, TB, @CAR)

Minnesota Vikings (11-2) – (@CAR, @CHI, NYG)

Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) – (SF, DEN, @DAL)

Arizona Cardinals (8-5) – (@DET, STL, GB)

Wild Card:

Green Bay Packers (9-4) – (@PIT, SEA, @ARI)

Dallas Cowboys (8-5) – (@NO, @WAS, PHI)

In the Hunt:

New York Giants (7-6) – (@WAS, CAR, @MIN)

San Francisco 49ers (6-7) – (@PHI, DET, @STL)

The #1 and #2 spot: New Orleans and Minnesota have clinched playoff spots. A New Orleans win against Dallas this week will clinch the number 1 seed for NO. Minnesota will most likely win the NFC North and have the number 2 spot.

The #3 and #4 spot: The Eagles and Cardinals are battling for the #3 spot. If the Eagles win out, they are guaranteed the 3 spot. If they lose to either SF or Dallas and Cardinals win out, the Cardinals and Eagles would have the same record, the same NFC record, and the Eagles would win the tiebreaker based on win-loss percentage against common opponents (4-1 vs. 2-3). In order for the Cardinals to get the #3 spot, the Eagles would have to lose 2 of their next 3 games and the Cardinals would have to win out. The Cowboys can also win the #3 spot, but I’m going to discount them based on their December history.

Wild Card: This is very tricky so stay with me. The Packers are in a very good position for the first wild card spot, with 2 wins guaranteeing them that spot (this is assuming the Cowboys do not go 3-0 to finish the season). In all likelihood, either the Giants or the Cowboys will occupy the final Wild Card spot. If the Cowboys and Giants finish 9-7, and the Niners finish 8-8 or worse, the Giants would go to the playoffs based on head to head wins (this is true if the Giants and Cowboys finish 10-6 or better also). If however, the Giants, Cowboys and Niners all finish 9-7, then the final spot is based on conference record. If the Packers lose their next 3 games and also finish 9-7, it could be possible that the 49ers and the Cardinals face each other in the Wild Card Round.

NFC West: The Cardinals can lose the NFC West title, but it would have to be a huge collapse. The magic number is 2: 2 wins, 2 losses by the Niners, or a combination of wins and Niners losses will seal the NFC West for the Cardinals. The Cardinals have to lose to either the Detroit Lions or the St. Louis Rams and also lose to the Green Bay Packers. Even in this case however, the Niners will have to win out, including a tough game at Philadelphia this week. The Niners also face Detroit and St. Louis to finish up the season.

In all likelihood, the Cardinals will face the Packers in the Wild Card Round while the Eagles will face the Giants or the Cowboys. However, we won’t really know until after week 17, so get ready for a crazy race in the NFC.

Bills swap roster spots with Rams castoffs

VanRam — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:00:59 -0000

After nabbing St. Louis Rams ill-tempered guard Richie Incognito off the waiver wire, the Buffalo Bills punctuated the whole thing with another move Rams fans will certainly appreciate.

To make room for Incognito on the roster, the Bills waived former Rams TE Joe Klopfenstein.

Presented without further comment.

The Richie Incognito File

Brian Galliford — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:46:13 -0000

As you're all probably aware, the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday evening claimed controversial guard Richie Incognito off of waivers from the Rams. A third-round pick of St. Louis in 2005, Incognito was waived earlier this week after drawing two blatant personal fouls in a loss at Tennessee that culminated in his getting into a verbal spat with Rams rookie head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Now, Incognito joins a battered Bills offensive line with a chance at playing right away. The Bills currently have one reserve interior linemen - Christian Gaddis - and to say that Incognito outstrips Gaddis in the talent department is an understatement.

We know how Bills linebacker Kawika Mitchell feels about the move. He had something of a stuff-foot-into-mouth moment on Wednesday night, saying he was disappointed by the move and referring to Incognito as a "bum," among other things. How did others react to the move? Find out after the jump.

Incognito the player
Keeping in mind that he missed the entirety of his rookie season due to injury, Incognito has started 44 games over the past four seasons, including nine this year with the Rams. Possessing the talent and disposition to play either guard spot or center, Incognito might have gone higher in the '05 draft - even with the knee injury he sustained at the NFL Combine - had he not been a complete head case.

In 2005, Daniel Jeremiah was a scout for the Baltimore Ravens. He was at the Combine when Incognito's knee injury happened, and recalled the story when last night's news broke on his Twitter page:

Incognito story: During OL drill at combine, he was so out of control, I said he was going to hurt himself, tore his acl 1 min later, no lie

Up to that point, Incognito had had an amazing Combine performance, running a 4.84-second 40-yard dash at 305 pounds. Scouts raved about his short-area burst, his outstanding athleticism and the nastiness with which he played the game of football. Incognito's problem was, and remains, that he couldn't turn that demeanor off when not on the field.

Incognito the offender
STLtoday.com put together a story earlier this week detailing all of Incognito's offenses in his short career. In short, since November of 2006, Incognito has had seven separate incidents arise, which led to $37,500 in fines and, this week, his release from the team that drafted him.

The fines and personal fouls are obvious issues, but it's his attitude toward Rams fans that raised eyebrows the highest. These two incidents happened in 2008:

Nov. 20, 2008: Criticizes St. Louis fans. "Our fans get in their seats, they don't know how to cheer, when to cheer."

Nov. 23, 2008: Leaving the field after a loss to Chicago, he cups his hands to his ears, encouraging more abuse from fans.

We've seen players get frustrated with fans in the past. Heck, Matt Cassel told fans to "shut the [fudge] up" during Kansas City's loss to Buffalo this past weekend. One little outburst is one thing; two outbursts in a four-day window is another animal entirely.

Then, roughly a year later, he head-butted opponents twice. In the same game. Raise your hand if you're surprised he was released.

Rams fans aren't fussed "Cogs" is gone
Let's make this perfectly clear: the Rams have had massive issues along their offensive line for the past several years. They, more than the vast majority of NFL teams, need talented players up front. It's telling in that light, as well, that Rams fans, in general, aren't fussed with Incognito's departure.

Major mixed feelings about this... You just know he’ll land on a great team and flourish. But I assume the Rams need to make this move.

Luv ya COGS!!! But you were just killing the other guys on the team-- So don’t get head-butted in the ass on your way out the door!

As a coach Spags made the best move he could. Remember Defiance spreads like a disease. Without cutting this short, it would make his communication and validity difficult to get to the guys. There is no doubt the guy has talent and can play the position, but you just can’t have that free range of stupidness on the field. Spags is trying to preach effort and discipline, and Cogs was only half there. Good call on the cut and I am impressed with the response by Cogs… well said guy.

this is the right move, but what a waste of real football talent right there. when he wasn’t being stupid he was easily one of the better guards in the league.

I'm not a fan of this move but I have to give credit to Spags and trust the decision. It definitely sends shock waves through the locker room. If somehow you didn’t think the players knew who was in charge, well the do now.
It’s about time that the Rams let him go. This hot-headed jerk will never learn how to control himself and play football. That is why it took 3 colleges for him to graduate! He must have majored in STUPIDITY!!!!! Hopefully Nebraska will forget that he once represented their team. We know that the Rams fans have had enough!!
Wherever he ends up trouble will follow. He’s a bad seed. Although quite talented, he really did need to go.

Those are just a few of the choice samplings from Turf Show Times.

Now, with veteran Kendall Simmons - already a Bills fill-in at right guard - missing practice on Wednesday, Incognito, in joining his new team in Buffalo, has a legitimate chance at suiting up and seeing field time for Buffalo this Sunday. In many ways, Buffalo looks like Incognito's last chance at resurrecting a once-promising pro football career. Forget what his teammates think of him. Incognito has tabula rasa - but he also needs to be placed on a zero-tolerance policy.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/17

MattRichWarren — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:42:37 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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Practice is inside and out – Inside The Bills
"In an effort to have the players ready for the elements interim head coach Perry Fewell has his players spending portions of practice inside the Fieldhouse with all the doors open to let in the freezing cold air, and outside on the team’s grass field."

Scott: safety by trade, LB by necessity - BuffaloBills.com
Lead editor Chris Brown talks with the Bills' defensive staff and LB Bryan Scott about his transition from safety to linebacker this year.

Buffalo Bills might face local TV blackout Sunday vs. New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"If the 2000 remaining tickets are not sold by 1 p.m. today, the home game will not be televised in the western New York market for the first time this season."

Buffalo Bills' defense to face test with Wes Welker | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"On that opening night in New England, Tom Brady threw for 378 yards in his first game back after sitting out almost all of 2008 with a knee injury. He found Welker 12 times for 93 yards, and Moss caught 12 for 141 yards. Oh, and tight end Ben Watson caught two touchdown passes in the final four minutes to deliver a pulsating 25-24 Patriots victory, New England's 12th in a row over the Bills."

Bills Notebook: Terrell Owens does like the cold: Buffalo News
"Asked what he thought of the weather, he said: 'I can't remember. I'm still frozen. I'm trying to thaw out right about now. Brutal.' Was it good to get outside a little and get acclimated? 'Absolutely not,' joked Owens.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Cold Snap
"Ryan Fitzpatrick is the exception. The Arizona native doesn't mind being outside, and noted that the Bengals didn't have an indoor practice facility. He said that helped the Bengals quarterbacks be better prepared for the cold, and thinks Fewell's decision to put the offense outside was a good one, though a stiff wind limited some of their drills."

Belichick on Bills screen game – Inside The Bills
"The screen game was its most effective in Week 1. The Patriots will undoubtedly be better prepared for it this time. It’s probably safe to assume the Bills will use it sparingly this week knowing the Pats will be looking for it."

Beating Pats could boost Fewell's stock with Bills -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY
"If Fewell, who's 2-2 after Dick Jauron was dismissed, is to solidify himself as a serious contender for the job beyond this season, there's no better opportunity than this. A win over the Patriots (8-5) would snap the Bills' 12-game losing streak against their AFC East rivals, a drought which began after Buffalo's 31-0 season-opening victory in 2004."

Stevie Johnson chops the dreds! – Inside The Bills
"Steve Johnson said equipment manager Dave Hojnowski had to tighten his helmet one head size now that the hair is gone." I don't even recognize him in the picture that's in the post.

Brady, Moss don’t practice – Inside The Bills
Tom Brady (finger), Randy Moss (rest), Ty Warren (ankle) and Vince Wilfork (foot) didn't practice for the Patriots yesterday.

Bills and Jills spread holiday cheer - BuffaloBills.com
"Ninety children and their families had a great time celebrating the holidays with the Bills players, Jills cheerleaders, Billy Buffalo and Santa Claus at the Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club’s Annual Holiday Party held December 15th in the Jim Kelly Club at Ralph Wilson Stadium." Bryan Scott played Christmas carols and other Bills participating were Ryan Denney, Chris Draft, Jon Corto, Ellis Lankster, Jairus Byrd, Andy Levitre, Jamon Meredith, Andre Ramsey, Nick Hennessey, Jason Watkins, Garrison Sanborn, Cary Harris, Ashlee Palmer, Shawn Nelson, Rashaad Duncan and Lonnie Harvey.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- It looked like a few Bills skill players were surprised to do some work outside in the cold. The rest of the team worked indoors. WR Steve Johnson was in shorts, and someone eventually gave him a sweatshirt. Quipped one equipment man: "It's like the pop quiz at school you didn't study for."
- Bills WR Terrell Owens believes playing well outside in cold weather has more to do with the mental aspect of the game than the physical aspect. "It's all about just being mentally prepared to catch the ball," he said. "The ball's going to be hard."

Video: AFC East Blogger's Blitz - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tuesday night on ESPNEWS, anchor Ducis Rodgers and blogger Tim Graham discussed a variety of AFC East topics.

New-look Bills - BostonHerald.com
"I wouldn’t say it was our best night," Tom Brady said about opening night. "I don’t think any of us felt really great about the way we played and kind of escaped with a victory. I’m sure Buffalo was very disappointed with the outcome of the game just because they had us there for a long time."

Harvard kid answers NFL call - BostonHerald.com
Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald interviews former Hardvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick about his days playing for the Crimson and his new gig with the Bills.

Belichick recalls the night T.O. put on a show - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
"Hauling in nine passes for 122 yards came up second best to game MVP Deion Branch (11 receptions for 133 yards) as the Eagles came up second best to the Patriots, 24-21, on that February night at Alltel Stadium [in Super Bowl XXXIX]."

New coach Fewell has had positive impact on Bills | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal
"While head coach Bill Belichick acknowledged that under Jauron the Bills were always prepared for their meetings with the Patriots, he also gave a tip of the cap to Fewell, calling him an "excellent" defensive coach who has done a good job of getting Buffalo to play well in all three phases of the game."

Fitzpatrick takes NFL detour - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News
"At this point in his life, Ryan Fitzpatrick figured he'd be putting on a suit and tie every day in Manhattan rather than shoulder pads and cleats in an NFL locker room."

Patriots deal with banged-up defensive line - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
"It’s uncertain whether Wilfork will be ready for Sunday’s game at Buffalo. With three games left in the regular season, New England (8-5) leads the AFC East by one game over the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets and three over the Bills."

Wilson: Bills cut Klopfenstein | National Football Post
"In order to make room for newly-signed offensive guard Richie Incognito, the Buffalo Bills have released veteran tight end Joe Klopfenstein," reports Aaron Wilson.

AccuScore Report: Patriots-Bills - ESPN Video - ESPN
Jenny Dell tells you if the Patriots can get past the Randy Moss distractions and win against the Bills.

Oakland Raiders sign quarterback J.P. Losman | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
The Oakland Raiders signed J.P. Losman, a former starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, to be it's No. 3 quarterback. Charlie Frye gets the nod over Jamarcus Russell.

Incognito claimed off waivers
Incognito claimed off waivers; Mitchell is no fan : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Incognito was rated by NFL players as the dirtiest player in the league in a poll conducted by the Sporting News recently. "

BillBoard: Bills claim 'dirtiest player'
"The Bills have claimed the player who could be the second coming of Conrad Dobler. Actually, comparing Incognito to Dobler is giving Incognito too much credit at this point of his career. Incognito is a three-year starter and has 44 career starts. Dobler, who played for the Bills in 1980 and '81, had a 10-year career in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler."

Bills recognize Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Maybe Incognito and New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork will sit down for tea and crumpets Sunday. Incognito might just be passing through Buffalo. His contract expires after the season. "

Team in Transition
Candidates abound for Bills' personnel job : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan compiles a list of potential general manager candidates for the Bills.

Brian Brohm
Brohm: "I’ll be ready if called upon." – Inside The Bills
"The offensive system has steadily become more and more familiar to [new qyarterback Brian Brohm]. But getting an opportunity on the field before the 2009 season is over looks remote at best at this point in time. "

Fewell on Brohm prospects – Inside The Bills
"I don’t know how far he is along in the development of our offense because he doesn’t take the reps in our offense. He takes the reps with our scout team," said Fewell. "So to put him in that position might be a recipe for failure for him. But you never say never."

Sullivan: Why keep Brohm in closet? : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"It seems the Bills lead the league in allowing people to figure things out on the fly. But suddenly, a month isn't enough time for Brohm to at least suit up as the No. 2 quarterback."

Bills fans shouldn't expect Brohm in '09 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Eight seconds doesn't sound like a lot. But when a coach stands silent for that long in front of dozens of waiting reporters, it can feel like an eternity. Count out eight seconds in your head. That's how long a bull rider has to stay on a Brahmin's back, and it's how long it took Bills interim coach Perry Fewell to formulate a diplomatic response when asked if he'd consider putting quarterback Brian Brohm in."

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Steve Bradley
Still 2,000 tickets remain for Bills-Pats on Sunday. Could this be the first local television blackout of the season?

Twitter / Daniel Jeremiah
Incognito story: During OL drill at combine, he was so out of control, I said he was going to hurt himself, tore his acl 1 min later, no lie

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
Perry Fewell was asked if he would play QB Brian Brohm. He thinks it would put Brohm in a bad situation, but he also said "never say never.:

Twitter / Nicholas Mendola
Alex Van Pelt says the #Bills still have no plans to use Brian Brohm this year.

Twitter / Eric Stangel
NFL - Richie Incognito, waived by Rams, is claimed by Buffalo. Perfect fit. The Bills have been incognito all season

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
So the Bills signed OG RIchie Incognito. Labeled a dirty player. What I've heard, probably true. But he could now be best O-lineman team has

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
T.O. didn't like practicing outside: "I’m still frozen," he said w/ a laugh. "This is by far the coldest practice I’ve ever been a part of."

Texans Five on Five: Week 15 Edition

Jake — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:04:52 -0000

The Houston Texans picked up some momentum last week by trouncing the Seahawks 34-7. They'll try to keep that drive going on Sunday when they travel to St. Louis to play the struggling Rams. Remember last year when the Texans were coming off an emotional victory and played the struggling Raiders? Let's avoid the quintessential letdown game. Here's the five matchups I feel are the most pivotal to make that happen.

1. Amobi Okoye vs. Jason Brown - Brown rode his success in Baltimore to a lucrative contract with the Rams in the offseason. Now Brown finds himself on an island with the recent release of talented but impetulant guard Richie Incognito. Okoye has gone a long way to undo the "bust" label this yearl, but now it's time to start proving that he is going to take the next step. Look for Okoye to penetrate through a reworked interior line for the Rams.

2. Mike Karney vs. DeMeco Ryans - As people focus on the stellar rookie season of Brian Cushing, Ryans is quietly having a Pro Bowl year. Meanwhile, Steven Jackson is having the best season since 2006, even with the revolving door at quarterback this season. The Rams released talented fullback Madison Hedgecock early in 2007, which coincided with 4.1 yards per carry and an average of 1,022 yards over 2007 and 2008 despite Jackson being the focal point of the offense. This year, Jackson is averaging 4.5 yards per attempt and already has more than 1,200 rushing yards, largely due to the lead blocking of Karney. Ryans needs to shed the blocks in order to meet Jackson in the backfield and add to the 3 tackles for loss he recorded last week.

3. Bernard Pollard vs. Steven Jackson - With both Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller out, 6th round draft pick ~~Kyle~~ Keith Null will start at quarterback on Sunday. Look for the Rams to screen and check down to Jackson, who is easily their most talented player, often. Pollard showed last week that not only can he tackle in space, but he can jump running back routes and make opposing offenses pay. He also like to knock the piss out of people.

4. Matt Schaub vs. Rams Secondary - Schaub has already shattered his career highs in passing yards, completions and touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, he is also averaging an interception per game. On Sunday he will throw against a secondary that is second to last in the league with only 8 interceptions. Schaub has only had two weeks this year where he didn't throw a pick. If Schaub wants to put this game out of reach and therefore avoid even the possibility of a fourth quarter collapse, he needs to take care of the ball.

5. Texans players vs. Possible Kubiak Firing - Last week the Texans showed that they don't want to see head coach Gary Kubiak get fired. Andre Johnson not only made a public plea for Kubiak, but he also showed on the field that he flourishes under the offensive minded coach. The quickest way to put Kubiak in jeopardy is to lay an egg against a one win team. Hopefully the players continue to give Kubiak a stay of execution.

Texans vs Rams coverage

Bills acquire Richie Incognito off waivers from Rams

Brian Galliford — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:57:56 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the Buffalo Bills have acquired veteran interior offensive lineman Richie Incognito off waivers from the St. Louis Rams. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Miami Dolphins also put in a waiver claim for Incognito, but Buffalo was awarded the player based on their inferior record.

Incognito was placed on waivers after receiving two personal foul penalties and getting heated toward Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo in this past Sunday's embarrassing road loss to Tennessee. He is widely regarded as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, and has had several run-ins with the Rams organization in recent seasons.

Here's what SB Nation's Rams blog, Turf Show Times, had to say upon Incognito's departure:

Some team will snap him up. He has the talent, and some coach will think for sure that he has what it takes to keep him on the straight and narrow... or tolerate his antics.

Bills linebacker Kawika Mitchell, currently on IR, took to Twitter to voice his displeasure over the move:

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT THIS YR. THE GUYS A BUM. DIRTY AND ALWAYS WILL BE. REALLY WISH I WAS PLAYIN RITE NOW. SERIOUSLY... I KNO WE'RE N NEED OF OLINE BUT THIS GUY SUKS BALLS.

That, my friends, is blunt. Mitchell has since suggested that he was wrong to make those comments, but also noted that his opinion on Incognito remains unchanged.