Peter King thinks we might make the Playoffs

by WABillsfan on May 5, 2008 3:59 AM EDT

While bored and wandering the net to check on the basketball scores, I found the newest edition of MMQB from Peter King at SI.com had already been posted. He has handed out his first power ranking of the year this one being his off-season ranking to be followed up by another at the start of Preseason.

He placed Buffalo at #13, lucky us, and says that if we get B level playing from all of our new guys and those on the roster we should be playoff bound, or maybe just short. If we make it as a wildcard, I personally will be going on a one week bender. Even if we miss, but get to 10-6, I will be happy. Anyhow, the article is here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/05/02/rankings/index.html

For those of you who don't want to read the whole thing, here is what he had to say about our Bills-

13. Buffalo. I like Trent Edwards having a full season to play quarterback; I like Paul Posluszny returning to anchor a young defense; I like Marshawn Lynch older and stronger and wiser. I even like the ability and cockiness of first-round pick Leodis McKelvin to win a starting job by October ... and I'm tempted to like a 6-foot-7 receiver who caught 16 touchdown passes in that non-passing-hotbed of Indiana University last fall, second-round pick James Hardy. This is an interesting team. If the youth plays at a B level, the Bills could win 10 games.

This FanPost written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings.

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I like King a little more then most seem too.

I have to say that I think he has picked the Bills to be a surprise team and push for the playoffs for the last three years.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on May 5, 2008 6:50 AM EDT 0 recs

Also,

16. New Orleans. Now we’re getting to the “if only’’ area. If only the Saints had gotten Jeremy Shockey, if only Reggie Bush were a more complete NFL back, if only they had Leodis McKelvin on an island this fall instead of Jason David, Randall Gay or Aaron Glenn ... you get the picture.

He really like Leodis apparently.

I just hope we stay healthy, get solid contributions from the rookies and see our young players play at a much higher level than last year. We’ll be in good shape if that happens and the coaching staff doesn’t hold us back…

by Kurupt on May 5, 2008 11:36 AM EDT 0 recs

nice to see...

i’m getting excited about the possibilities of this season! so many unknowns however: Will the newly form defense mesh? the sky is the limit for this unit. What will Trent do in his second season? Improve? Decline? What if he gets injured? (i still believe in JP but playing musical QBs is the quickest way to ruin a young prospect – that was my argument for JP and that will be my argument for Trent), maybe most importantly, What changes will Turk make?

As you can see, lots of question. But definitley a good off-season, and definitley a lot of look forward to….

John I.

by jri111 on May 5, 2008 10:46 PM EDT 0 recs

Exactly, but there is ONE thing I know is a constant

Marshawn Lynch will make at least 3-5 WTF!!!! plays this season which will get me off my couch and screaming at the TV like a crazy homeless man screaming that the government is out to get me, and will make my neighbors think they live above said crazy homeless guy.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on May 5, 2008 11:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

You think so?

I really wasn’t upset with Marshawn at all last year. Other than the occasional “BOUNCE IT OUTSIDE!!!”, I never really thought he had any of the WTF plays that we grew accustom to from McGahee. If you are including pass blocking, then yeah, I agree…

by Kurupt on May 5, 2008 11:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sorry, I think I was misread there

When I mean WTF moment, I mean in the sense that it was more like HOLY SH*T theres no way he should have been able to do that! You know, like when Barry Sanders would have one of those games where no one seemed to be able to lay a hand on him, that sort of thing.

Marshawn was the only guy on our team last year who could make we doubt what I just had watched with my own two eyes, he would just pull things out of the air I couldn’t believe he had done. There were at least 3 times last year where I just KNEW he was going to be stopped dead in the backfield, and yet he somehow escaped and then ripped off a good run from it, thats what I meant by WTF!!! moments. It was more over how amazing he did on the field, and not he screwed up.

That sort of screaming was reserved for the gutless play calling and leadership shown by DJ and Steve Fairchild.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on May 6, 2008 12:00 AM EDT up 0 recs

Works for me

I can’t wait for those moments. The Cincy nail in the coffin repeated a few times this year will be sweet.

by Kurupt on May 6, 2008 12:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Lynch/Pass Blocking

I think he really got a lot better toward the end of the year at this. He was a turnstile the first half of the year.

Fred Jackson really pass protected well too, if you ask me…

by krytime on May 6, 2008 7:13 AM EDT up 0 recs

Since 1960

I’ve been through this every year and I’ll tell you from that experience EVERY year I have the same feelings that this is the year—- good draft, good URFA signed, good core group coming back, and some years it works out and some years it doesn’t (more of the latter), but it is very exciting and you can’t wait for training camp to start and again everyone looks good then the season starts and we;re in the same boat again 7-9 8-8 9-7 almost close enoght to make the playoffs but come up 1-2 games short and the cycle starts all over again starting with the draft and the eternal hope that this is the year. Now we have had some good years in there the early 60’s championship years and how close we came to going to the first Super Bowl but a loss to KC ended that. The nintys that we all know about (4 super bowls in a row) I really think that if we had won that first one we could have been on a run but WIDE RIGHT ended that. Hope springs eternal if your a bills fan and you can count on having your heart broken every year and I do mean every year. Rant over. Really looking forward to this year, again!

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 6, 2008 8:53 AM EDT 0 recs

moral of the story

I’m killing myself and loving it!

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on May 6, 2008 9:08 AM EDT up 0 recs

How many people on this website saw "Wide Right" live?

by krytime on May 6, 2008 3:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not me.

The first live NFL game that I ever sat down to watch was The Comeback. I have been a Bills fan ever since (with increasing intensity every year since then).

by Fort Worth on May 6, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

This might make you feel old but...

I did, my mom let me stay up late and watch. I was in 6th grade.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on May 6, 2008 8:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, but that's what I was expecting..

I always figured I was the old man around these parts. I just wanted to know if there were any other old farts around here too.

How the Giants got away with mugging Andre all day I’ll never know. I still hear the voice of Bill Parcells in my head, postgame, regarding Bruce – “Is he still talking?”

by krytime on May 6, 2008 8:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

I've

been following the bills since I was in High School in 1960 so I think I may be the old fart around here.

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 7, 2008 9:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Old farts who can use computers!

My grandmother can’t even turn hers on.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on May 7, 2008 9:34 AM EDT up 0 recs

Can

use it but not well

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 7, 2008 10:40 AM EDT up 0 recs

I’m not that computer savvy myself. I can get by, but just barely. When I have big questions I ask my 15 year old nephew.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on May 7, 2008 10:53 AM EDT up 0 recs

XXV was teh 3rd Super Bowl I watched as a kid

What gets forgotten over time is that Norwood never made a field goal that long on grass before. When he lined up for that kick both my Dad and I were more worried he’d miss it short than wide and neither us thought he’d make it. Funny how history turned that game into a tall tale about missing an easy field goal…They’d have blown New York out that day anyway if Reed didn’t drop a gimmie first down on the drive after the safety. I’m certain they would have taken it in for 19-3 at the half- against a backup QB and with the best player in football on our side to run out the clock. Instead, Reed drops the pass, the Giants get the ball back and score before halftime, and my outlook is forever jaded. Thanks for opening up old scars.

Never forget 56-10. Revenge.

by SuperFan82 on May 6, 2008 8:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

If only

Hostetler had fumbled when Bruce grabbed his arm for the safety. For the life of me, I still have no clue how he hung on to that ball…

by Kurupt on May 6, 2008 8:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agh! I know! I thought for sure that was a safety!

I’ve never been able to watch that game in it’s enitirety again; have any of you?

by krytime on May 6, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Meant TD..

by krytime on May 6, 2008 9:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

I saw it live

watched it w/my dad. He was crushed. I was 8 so I was old enough to be crushed too. I remember that night pretty vividly actually.

by Kurupt on May 6, 2008 9:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

I was a student

at the University of Buffalo at the time and watched it with 20+ die-hard Buffalo fans (who wasn’t at the time in Buffalo). I sorta remember forming something like a prayer circle around the TV waiting for Norwood’s kick; one of the worst moments of my life. I quite literally had dreams (nightmares?) about that game for weeks.

by Zumone on May 7, 2008 10:03 AM EDT up 0 recs

I did

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 6, 2008 5:18 PM EDT 0 recs

I did too.

We should have won that game long before that fateful kick. I grew up in the late 50’s and 60’s. We had friends who were fanatical Cleveland fans. I would go to their house and watch Jim Brown pound away against Sam Huff and co. Have seen most Super Bowls, the ice bowl, Jackie Smith and Ken Stabler (who reminds me a bit of Trent). Saw YA Tittle play at Cornell. I think these Bills have the making of a good nucleus. I am also forever hopeful. I like DJ’s ability to put a team together, his commanding respect, his loyalty and teaching ability. I am not sure about his overall offensive philosophy (what will they give us vs how can we attack them) and his ability to adjust at half time. Barring injury, we can win enough to go post season with our schedule. Go Blue!

by keuka121 on May 7, 2008 12:19 AM EDT 0 recs

Couldn't agree more about the kick.

Everyone always blames Norwood for losing the game. Sure, he didn’t win it, but the Bills were completely outcoached.

Would have loved to have seen live some of the guys you did. Must be some great stories.

I do disagree with the Ken Stabler comparison to Edwards though. You’re not talking about playing styles, are you?

by krytime on May 7, 2008 3:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I

also followed the Giants until we got a team here in Buffalo and remember the Browns-Giants games well in that time period the Frank Gifford vs. Jim Brown who would do better of course it was Brown who always got the upper hand . Aha Football memories, love the fall and start of football season.

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 7, 2008 9:28 AM EDT 0 recs

Wow, I feel really really young, but not as young as Brian though....

I was 11 in 1991 and don’t remember much of the game, I was a little tyke and my parents let me stay up to watch the game since we are all Bills fans. I think I was asleep at the point of Norwood’s kick though since I can’t remember anything about that specifically, though I do remember the dozen or so people who had crowded into my parent’s house to watch it being really upset when I was sent to bed.

But that alright, I got to stay awake and remember the humiliation of the next 3 loses just fine…. Being a Bills fan is sometimes like being an early era Christian, you just know things are going to suck and your going to be persecuted.

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on May 7, 2008 3:15 PM EDT 0 recs

You may not be as young as me (I was 5 at that point), but I remember that game. No, I don’t remember the actual events of the game. But I can re-live it through my memories of my father’s emotions, from elation (Thurman’s performance, Bruce’s sack) to depression (the kick) to him missing work the next day (he says he was sick… I’m not so sure).

by Brian Galliford on May 7, 2008 5:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I was 45

at the time so I had a fully developed memory which I wish I had now, but I remember it all to well. Was so proud that we made it to the super bowl, It is so hard to describe the pain of that memory to you young kids, but it really did hurt because you didn’t know when you would ever get back to the super bowl again, but we did three more times you would think that the law of averages would allow us to win at least one, but NO!!!!

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 7, 2008 5:16 PM EDT 0 recs

Seriously?

Why are we talking about this? Come on now people… Read the first couple blogs. National media is actually giving us a shot. Besides Chris Berman, Buffalo does not get a lot of love from the guys out there. With everyone returning healthy I see a 10 win season. IF, if they don’t loose focus.

by SBbe4idie on May 8, 2008 8:43 AM EDT 0 recs

Because its fun

That is also part of the reason for this site, Bills info, debate, and have some fun while your at it! I think we’re all used to the lack of national media coverage (especially if you’ve been around here as long as some of us). It’s always nice to see the coverage when it’s positive (which is rare) and Peter King take on all this doesn’t mean crap to us, he’s only one more talking head. Relax and enjoy, have some fun this is not life and death.

Bills Fan in PA

by BILLS on May 8, 2008 10:46 AM EDT 0 recs