I've read reports that TJ Graham's 4.41 time reported at the combine is inaccurate. It was Graham's slower time. He ran a 4.41 and a 4.29, which gives him a 4.35 (fastest combine WR time this year was 4.36). These reports jive with Graham's training and prep -- he expected to run a sub 4.3 time. It also makes picking him in the 3rd round much more sensible. The Bills just did their homework on his speed.

What's interesting there is not the 0.06 second correction so much as the 4.29 low. That's elite NFL speed, the sort that you need to burn NFL corners. Only a handful of NFL receivers have that sort of speed. Graham's got it, and now the Bills do too.

I believe we'll also be one of two teams with multiple players on offense with sub 4.3 speed, the Raiders being the other.

How many sacks will the Buffalo Bills defense produce in 2012?

Recent articles have studied the evolution of the Bills D from 1994 to 1995. In 94', the Bills were 3rd last in the league with a meager 25 sacks. After signing Bryce Paup and Ted Washington, the Bills nearly doubled their total to 49 sacks in 1995. Most Bills fans expect a similar improvement over last year's total of 29 (with 10 in one game).

I did a quick search for the most terrifying pass rush of the last 10 years. Who was it? San Diego, 2006. 61 sacks, just under 4 per game. And what familiar character drafted the demonic bookends of that hellstorm, Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips? Why, Buddy Nix of course.

The pass rushing defense we have assembled may be better than that of San Diego in 2006. Mario Williams and Mark Anderson may be a notch below where Merriman and Phillips were in 2006, but Meatball and Dareus are better than any other DT tandem since the dawn of time (Note: Opinion). Oh! And we just happen to have Shawne Merriman as well.

Enough talk. How many sacks do you think the Bills D will rack up in 2012?

(Note: NFL record is 73 by 1967 Oakland Raiders in a 14 game season.)

On September the 25th, year of our Lord 2011, one of the happiest days of Munchausen's life, the Buffalo Bills defeated the New England Patriots by a final score of 34-31. They went down 21-0 in the 2nd quarter, at which point Munchausen confidently assured his compatriots, "It ain't over. Have faith in the Fitz." Hours later, Munchausen would shout joyous curses against Tom Brady amidst the fountains of spraying beer. Unbeknownst to Muchausen, it weren't over.

Erstwhile, as the pipe organ raged deep in the dank dark bowels of Foxboro, a creature of pure evil plotted from deep within its hoodie. After many hours of gnashing teeth and anguished wailing, a scabrous laughter could be heard. "Yesss. YesSSS... YESSSS!!!!!!!"

The plot commenceth on November the 6th, 2011. "Oh no, we Patriots are to meek and meager to resist the efforts of Manning the Lesser! We are overcome on the last drive, thus ensuring the middling Giants entrance to the playoffs! Oh the pain of reliving our Super Bowl loss in the ever so meaningful regular season!"

The plot continueth.

On New Year's Day, 2012, at the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar as predicted, Belichick inflicted his vengeance upon our beloved Bills. The Patriots laid down in the 1st quarter as the Bills rushed out to an all-too-familiar 21-0 lead. Then the Hoodie's plan came clear to our sad eyes, already teary from an all-too-long regular season. The Patriots gaily pranced all over Gailey's plans, coming back to rout our beloved Bills 49-21.

Ahh, but this was just prelude. Sauce for the goose, as it were. An ethereal sauce to many. After all, who could have predicted that the Giants would make the playoffs by a single win. Who could have predicted that they would then run the table, beating the Falcons, Packers, and 49ers en route to a Super Bowl berth?? WhO could have preDIcted THis!??? INDEED, WHO!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!???????

THE PLOT FINISHETH.

On February the 5th, the New York Giants will meet the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. At this early date, surely the winner is uncertain. But I guarantee you -- everything is proceeding as a certain someone has foreseen.

We are now 11 weeks into the 2011 NFL season, and most of the top rookies in the 2011 draft have had a tremendous impact. Cam Newton has been setting rookie passing records in Carolina. Von Miller has 10.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Patrick Peterson has an NFL record 4 punt return TD's and 2 INT's. AJ Green has 745 yards receiving and 6TD's from a rookie QB.

And then there is Marcell Dareus. He has 3.5 sacks so far this year, but 2.5 of them came against excremental Washington QB John Beck. He also has 29 tackles. These are not bad stats, but they do not compare well with the other players taken so high in the draft. Which begs the question...

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with Marcell Dareus?

Personally I think stats do not tell the whole story with Marcell. With Kyle Williams gone, Dareus gets double teamed an awful lot. That suppresses his personal stats, but makes the defense around him that much better. He also seems to be a real leader in the locker room, to the point where he is giving motivational speeches to more veteran players. I give him a 9, simply because he has yet to really take over in a meaningful game for us. What mark do you give?

Well that game stank worse than Rex Ryan doing cardio. But when you look at the numbers, it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. It was also wayyy better than our previous outings against the Jets. If some key plays/flags had gone our way, it would have been much closer. Here, look:

1. The Bills fought the battle of the trenches to a draw. I know it didn't look that way, but consider the numbers. We averaged 4.4 yards per rush, running 22 times for 96 yards. The Jets tallied 126 yards on the ground, but averaged only a meager 3.2 per rush. No Jets run went for more than 10 yards. That is a huge improvement for us. I credit a decent game from Dareus against Mangold, and the usual good safety play in run support.

2. We did start to move the ball in the second half. Fitz was 4-12 for 24 yards and 2 INT's in the 1st half. He then went 11-19 for 167, 1 TD and 0 INT's in the second half. I don't think that was the Jets sitting on a lead. I think Fitz was starting to figure things out and find his rhythm. This is at least one bright sign heading into 2 more Ryan defenses in the next 3 weeks.

So yeah, we got beat. But we did not get dominated. And we showed signs of life towards the end. I wouldn't count us out for the rematch on Nov 27 just yet.

I have to do this.

The Bills DOMINATED the Chiefs last Sunday, and now everybody is like, "Oh, it's just one game, the Chiefs aren't that good, we all remember 2008...."  yadayadayada....

We are good folks.  Accept it.  We are a good football team.  This is not 2008.  Dickie Jauron has bent and broken, and the age of winning has begun.  The players all know it already, and the fans need to get on board.

We have an elite pass rushing LB who likes to conserve electricity.  Our DL is an indomitable wall of menace.  Nick Barnett is everywhere.  He is behind you right now.  Jairus Byrd is emerging as a elite NFL safety.  George Wilson has the highest approval rating of any Senator, and Bryan Scott is a transformer.

We have the smartest QB in the NFL who can pick apart defenses like leftover Thanksgiving turkey.   We have an elite #1 playmaking WR hungry for his first real NFL payday.  Fred Jackson has the power to run over linebackers and the agility to dance on their pancaked corpses.  Our genius coach turned a character from "Friends" into the NFL-leading TD-catching tight end.

So here is my prediction for Sunday's game.  Oakland plays well, makes few mistakes, and LOSES 45-14.

Fitz bags 3TD's in the first half.  FJack goes 100+ again and gets his first rushing TD of the year.  Brad Smith busts a couple of jaw-dropping big yardage plays.  McFadden averages 5 yards a carry and picks up 70 yards rushing, leading the naysayers to worry that our rush defense is still a problem.  Of course, after Oakland goes down 21-0 in the 1st quarter, "the score dictated they pass".  Oh, and I almost forgot -- after the game ESPN moves us up to #26 in the power rankings.  And the Bills get 2 seconds of highlights on Sportscenter.

You don't have to get on the bus now.  There's always room for true Bills fans.  But the good seats are filling up fast, folks....  NOW IS THE TIME TO BILLIEVE.

He went to Harvard for college and they studied him.

He has the heart of a lion.  In a jar on his mantle.

His beard caused global warming.

He invented the chicken wing.

His medals win trophies.

He steals picnic baskets from grizzly bears.

When he breathes over a cold beer, it makes lake effect beer snow.

Fear itself fears him.

He has no luck with women.  It's all skill.

He is....

Ryan Fitzpatrick, the most interesting QB in the world!!!

Note:  I began this post soon after last season ended, confident that it was only a matter of time until Fitz would once again awe and amaze.  After posting a perfect QB rating against JAX, I figure we now all remember exactly what our fearless general can do.  So I thought this would be nice to get us fired up for the season.  And minimum word count is hit.... now.

Ok, so any rational person's top 5 list begins as follows:

1. Peyton Manning

2. Tom Brady

Who gets the remaining 3 slots?  To me, #3 is obvious as well (though some may disagree):

3. Drew Brees

After this we get into debatable territory.  What makes a QB elite?  It can't be just stats.  It has to be things like performance under pressure, value added to the team, et cetera.  MNF right now has a discussion of whether Eli Manning belongs in the top 5.  I think he's close, but not quite there.  To me, the next slot is:

4. Philip Rivers (yes, there's only one L there)

This guy has been a gamer with awesome stats for many years.  He plays with torn knee ligaments.  He does well in big games, but has just never made it over the hump.  And after this, the 5th slot has to go to:

5.  Aaron Rodgers

He could be as high as 3, I wouldn't have a problem with that.  Like I said, the last 3 slots are open to debate.

To me, there are three other people who might also belong on this list: Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, and Eli Manning.  That's the only remaining debate.  Guys like Sam Bradford, Matt Stafford, or Matt Ryan might make this list in the near future.  But for now this is where we are.

I think it's also worth noting here that the top 5 are all really pocket passers.  Rodgers is the only one who is remotely mobile, and his rushing is a pure accessory.  Whatever Chan may think is the future of QBing, we're still solidly in the age of the pocket passer.  Oh, and BTW -- the top 3 QB's in the next draft -- Luck, Jones, and Barkley -- are all pocket passers.

Who are your picks for top 5?  Who's on the bubble? (Note: You may not pick Tim Tebow.)

If we do have a preseason this year, Bills fans will pay close attention to the competition over the 7th roster spot on the defensive line.  In all likelihood, Kellen Heard and Michael Jasper will be competing for the role of heavy DT/NT.

I'm not a fan of Kellen Heard.  He has a long reputation for having no work ethic.  He signed to play football with Miami out of high school, but never enrolled in school!  He wound up playing for Texas A&M, where his claim to fame was a vulgar cheap shot on Colt McCoy.  He has never registered an NFL tackle, though he was good enough to make the Oakland Raiders practice squad!

The saga of Jasper should be familiar to all Bills fans at this point.  He caught a few bad breaks in the recruitment process, and wound up at a lower tier college program (Bethel) than he should have.  He hasn't played against NFL caliber talent, which makes his football skills hard to judge at this point.  But if he even shows himself to be competitive with Heard during the preseason, I think he is the obvious pick due to his demonstrated superior character and work ethic.

Now for the poll:

After the Lions drafted Nick Fairley, the interwebs exploded with sentiments of "OMG Suh+Fairley=doom".  But the folks over at Pro Football Focus were not entirely persuaded.  In their analysis, they note that Fairley and Suh don't complement each other very well.  Both prefer an opportunistic, penetrating style of play, rather than staying at home to hold the line (more on Suh from PFF here).  If both play in this style, it might not even make sense to put them on the field at the same time.

This immediately got me thinking -- how well would Dareus and Meatball work together?  PFF depicts Williams as a complete defender.  That is, he does occasionally get into the backfield to snag a sack or TFL, but also grades out much better than Suh against the run.  Everything I've read about Dareus suggests that he plays a similar style, and if anything is biased towards being a stay at home run defender.

So how will Meatball and Dareus play together?  Will we see a more aggressive, penetrating Meatball, confident that Dareus has his back?  Or will we have two stay at home defenders, presenting a solid front against the run, but relying on a pass rush from the LB corps?  Or will they play as a duo of balanced, complete defenders?

Or is this there a better way of thinking about how Meatball and Dareus will work together?

The NHL needs to step up and suspend Mike Richards for his disgusting hit from behind against Tim Connolly, where he viciously forced Connolly's head into the boards face first:

With his history of concussions, there is a significant chance that this hit will end Tim Connolly's career.  How long will the NHL let this go on?  How many more players need to have their careers ended by concussion before the league takes an appropriately punitive stance on shots to the head?

Some people think this sort of thing is part of the game.  It isn't.  Look at the picture.  This is not hockey; it is assault.  Just because it happened during a sporting event does not make it okay.  I personally think Connolly should have civil recourse for a hit like this (he should be able to sue Richards in court for lost income, pain and suffering).

The league needs to settle this issue, and not only because it's the right thing to do in terms of player safety.  If Richards is not suspended, Sabres players may take justice into their own hands.  And that would be uglier still.

To help support the Buffalo Bills in this time of difficulty, I suggest they begin marketing the following products:

1.  "Aaron Maybin's Secrets to Success" -- A blank notepad.

2.  "Kyle Williams' Classic Meatballs" -- Delicious bowling ball sized meatballs in zesty marinara.

3.  "Best pick available T-shirt" -- Has caption, list of Bills picks for 10 years, and picture of man picking nose.

4.  "The CHIX smokescreen" -- An ultra-smoky cigarette.  Puff at your enemies and make your escape.

5.  "Courage cologne, by Ryan Fitzpatrick" -- Made from great white shark tears, angry tiger spit, and ground up dragon teeth.

6.  "The Chris Kelsay guide to negotiation" -- Double your salary without having to perform at all!

7.  "The Travis Henry guide to fatherhood" -- Learn from the master.  Co-authored with Antonio Cromartie.

8.  "The Leodis McKelvin football holder" -- A greased orb which cannot hold a football from any angle.

Other suggestions are welcome.  Help support our Bills through the lockout!

Regardless of what happens with the NFL labor situation, the Bills will have the 3rd pick in the 2011 NFL draft.  But suppose that the entire 2011-2012 NFL season is locked out and there are no new season W-L records to reset the draft order.  Who picks when in the 2012 NFL Draft?

According to the internets, there is not yet an official answer to this question (I'm sure NFL officials are much more concerned with avoiding the scenario altogether).  But the obvious answer would seem to be that teams pick in the same order as 2011.  If that happens, the Bills would get another #3 pick without having to go through the ignominy of another cellar dwelling season.

Don't get me wrong -- I would much rather see NFL football next year (doubtless resulting in a #32 pick for the Bills) than get a guaranteed #3 pick in 2012.  But if the NFL lockout does take the next season, this is at least a potential bright spot for Bills fans.

"The incomparable Ryan Fitzpatrick"

Did anyone else hear that phrase in the first half of the Bills-Ravens game?  What Bills QB could anyone say that about since Jim Kelly?

You know what, I'm not even going to argue this verbally.  Look at the numbers.  Just look at them!!!!!!!!!!

NFL QB RATINGS

1. Peyton Manning 103.4

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick 102.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 7.6 yards per attempt (better than Peyton).  And he can run, not like that stolid clod Peyton.  THIS IS A BILLS QUARTERBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We just put up 500+ yards on the Ravens.  The Ravens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DId you see that TD pass that Fitzpatrick threaded through 3 Ravens defenders?  Are you confused?  That's because you're thinking, "Which Fitzpatrick-Evans TD pass?  There were THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, maybe you think I'm being silly here.  But I'm not.  These are facts.

Ryan Fitzpatrick looked like Clint Eastwood's tougher older brother on Sunday.  He is probably the smartest player in the NFL, and he was the BEST QB in the NFL on Sunday.

Sunday's game was the strongest offensive performance since the glory years.  Yes, there were games with more points and such in between.  But this was the RAVENS.  RAY MOTHERLUVIN LEWIS.  ED BALLHAWKIN REED. 500+ YARDS AGAINST THEM.

Remember this game, Bills fans.  Remember this Sunday.

Win or loss, this was the day glory returned to Buffalo.  And remember who brought it back.  The man who belongs in Buffalo.  The man who everyone forgot about.  The man who everybody gave up on.  The grizzled, genius gunslinger --

RYAN FITZPATRICK

When the old lady who directs cars at church asks you to park "wide and to the right", you run her over.

When you watch any non-Bills football game at any level, you think, "Wow, what a great offense."

When the Bills are up by 33 points in the 4th quarter with 23 seconds to go, you have your fingers crossed.

When you get married, win the lottery, and your wife gives birth to twins on the same day, and asks you, "Isn't this the happiest day of your life?", you say, "Naww, Comeback."

Whenever something is described as moving sideways, you quickly correct that, "No, it was moving slightly forward."

You love the smell of a below zero Sunday with blowing snow.  It smells like victory.

You refuse to learn from history.  Every new coach could be the coach, every new year could be the year, and every game could be the game.

You still love the Bills.

Imagine the following scenarios.

1. Instead of going 18/34 for 139 yards and 1TD, Trent goes only 10/21 for 74 yards and no TD's.  Instead of 9 first downs, the offense produces only five first downs.  On the bright side, we do manage 116 yards rushing.  Which almost makes up for our 125 yards in penalties.  And we have a turnover.  Our 9 points are not enough to win.

2. Trent has a great day and goes 31/47 for 282 yards and a TD!  AND we gain 103 yards rushing!  We produce 24 first downs on offense!  BUT, we only score 7 points, and lose dramatically on the last play of the game.

These are both performances by "Super Bowl Contender" teams (1 is Jets, 2 is Cowboys).  Both teams scored fewer points than we did.  And the Jets had an offensive showing that was worse than ours.

All I'm saying is have some perspective.  I'm sure that both the Cowboys and Jets still think they are destined for the playoffs, and perhaps deep in the playoffs. 

Our loss hurts us, sure.  But there's a long season still ahead of us.  And I think we came out of week 1 feeling better than the Cowboys, and looking better than the now Jenkins-less Jets.

There is nothing worse than watching the defense absolutely stuff a great offense like Miami, and then watch the offense LOSE YARDAGE before punting the ball back.  Or even worse, turn the ball over or surrender points.  This will surely happen all day when the Bills play better defenses like Green Bay or the Jets.

My solution?  Just punt baby!  We need to stop pretending that the Bills will ever have an offense again.  We have great special teams and defense.  Just trust them!  Punt on first down every possession (unless close enough to kick a field goal), and then let the D take over.  Then just sit back and let the pick sixes and sack fumble touchdowns pile up.

Before laughing too hard, consider how things work out long term.  Instead of trying to build the offense, we just draft defensive players each year.  We sign free agents on defense.  And for the offense, we just sign like 11 "Make a Wish" kids in wheelchairs and such, and pay them the league minimum.  The only thing they'll ever have to do is take knees to end games (not sure how a kid in a wheelchair takes a knee, but I'm sure offensive genius Gailey will figure that out).  Oh, and we keep the More Man as our punter, maybe pay him some extra due to all the work he's got to do.

Then just watch.  By 2012 we'll lead the league in wins, defensive points, AND punting yardage!  And we'll never again have to suffer through the spectacle of watching our pathetic offense waste the efforts of our heroic defense.

Think of it.  No more Captain Checkdown.  No more paying running backs millions of dollars to run around sideways in the backfield before falling down.  No more pain!  Just great punting and kickass defense all day.