Bleacher Report - Articles by GB Bongiovanni

Byrd Is the Word: Jairus Byrd Making a Name for Himself on Bills Defense

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:36:10 -0500

If they could hand out the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award now, free safety Jairus Byrd would be the recipient.

The Buffalo Bills defender has now had three consecutive games with two interceptions and has upped his total to seven for the season.

While Byrd has been one of the bright spots on the Buffalo Bills this year, it is no surprise to anyone in the Pac-10.

The Buffalo Bills struggled in the second half against the Houston Texans on Sunday, but maybe that’s because Byrd didn’t get interceptions.

The Bills have won two out of their last three games, and a huge reason for that is the play of Byrd. If the Bills offense could actually capitalize on the turnovers that Byrd has created, then they might actually be contenders. Instead, the rookie gives us hope and something to look forward to in the future.

Byrd’s seven interceptions are the most by a rookie since 2001, and he is possibly on his way to the record of 14 held by Dick “Night Train” Lane of the St. Louis Rams.

Byrd is one shy of the Buffalo rookie record of eight held by Archie Matsos in 1960.

Byrd left the Oregon Ducks early for the NFL, and obviously it wasn't a mistake. He finished his college career with a total of 17 interceptions and in 2008 was named to the All-Pac-10 conference first team and led the team with 19 pass breakups.

Byrd played corner for the Oregon Ducks but has really turned heads this year as a safety. While the Bills say he is still learning his position, he sure doesn't show it.

The Bills don’t want to put too much on him at this time because of his strong play, but just imagine how effective this ball hawk could be down the road.

This rookie of the year candidate also has some strong roots to the NFL. Byrd is the son of former NFL player Gill Byrd, who played for the San Diego Chargers and was named to the Pro Bowl twice during his 10-year career.

More important than records, Jairus Byrd is making a name for himself in the NFL.

With a number of years left in his career, opposing QBs are going to think differently about just flinging that ball to avoid a sack or taking that chance down the middle. Instead they are going to know that the Byrd is the word and is awaiting yet another interception.

J.E.T.S...Suck...Suck...Suck

GB Bongiovanni — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:40:21 -0400

So much for Mark Sanchez and his stellar rookie season. The youngster threw for five interceptions against Buffalo on Sunday, afterwards admitting he gave the game to the bumbling and stumbling Bills.

It’s important to remember that as well as Sanchez played in the first few weeks, he is still an NFL rookie quarterback. He is going to have his bumps in the road and this was one.

Regardless, the once loud-mouthed Jets are now losers of three straight and questions are starting to rise about the legitimacy of Sanchez.

One of the major reasons he is catching all the criticism is because running back Thomas Jones had over 200 yards rushing against the Bills. It should have opened up the passing game for Sanchez and kept the Bills reserves guessing.

The major factor is that Sanchez is not used to this cold 25 mph wind in New York City. Just like Edwards still isn’t—he is from Stanford and Sanchez from USC. What do you expect taking these West Coast QBs and placing them in the AFC East?

As for the positive Buffalo spin on this, Sanchez will always remember this five-interception game as his worst, and hopefully it plays on his mind later in the season in Toronto. As well, the loss of QB Trent Edwards should have hurt the team, but back-up Ryan Fitzpatrick managed to win.

As I have said since last year, Edwards has not been the same since suffering his first concussion in 2008 against Arizona. Maybe, this time around, it will knock the sense back into him.

I realize that the Bills' offensive line is horrible, but maybe it’s time to find a quarterback who can avoid a pass-rush and take some chances. Often Edwards is too careful and scared of throwing interceptions. It would be best for Buffalo to take its time and let Edwards recuperate if they plan on giving Edwards that franchise QB title.

Also, the hit on Edwards that caused the injury should have been a personal foul.

For the second season in a row, injuries just keep mounting for the Bills. Along with Edwards, add Whitner, Williams, Nelson, and McGee to that injury list.

As if the Bills aren’t bad enough, they have to play without several starters? The real question, though, is it just bad luck or a lack of conditioning? Or something else altogether?

Even with six interceptions, the Buffalo Bills were lucky to win the game. The defense cannot allow another rushing attack to rout them the way Thomas Jones did, gaining over 200 yards.

Fitzpatrick was anything but good, but I have no problem giving him the benefit of the doubt as I’m sure he didn’t have any snaps as a starter in the week of practice. It will be interesting to see what he can do with the talent the Bills have on offense.

Playmakers Evans, Owens, Parrish, Reed, Lynch, and Jackson just need the ball thrown to them. If they're given a little bit of space to work with the Bills can play a totally different ball game.

While, sure, they are still in it…we all know they really aren’t. I’m not asking for the end of Trent Edwards, I’m just asking that they try some different things. Really, what do the Bills have to lose?

Fan's billboard starting to work, Bills to drop no-huddle offense

GB Bongiovanni — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:00:17 -0400

Maybe Ryan Abshagen had the right idea putting up the billboard and advertising the message “It’s time to clean house RALPH!” and maybe the Buffalo Bills are starting to listen. In an on-line report the Buffalo Bills have decided to go against the no-huddle offense which has been highly unsuccessful in the first five weeks of football.

The Bills no-huddle attack was not very successful in preseason and that trend is continuing into the regular season. The Bills first string offense failed to score a touchdown in all four preseason games and now QB Trent Edwards has thrown five interceptions in the last three games. The Bills have only scored 77 points which is only better than the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns, who Buffalo lost to last week 6-3.

Fans are starting to become impatient with the “team of the 90’s” and are desperately searching for that winning season. The organization as a whole is starting to fall fast and fans are antsy to improve quickly. Recent trade talk of T.O. has started to surface because Buffalo is realizing the season is lost and they might as well get something for him instead of him just leaving next year. Trade talks place T.O. to the Chicago Bears but there are quite a few places that he could be helpful if he continues to keep his image up the way he has in Buffalo.

Hats off to Ryan Abshagen who at the age of 18 has more balls than quite a few Bills fans. It’s the type of fan dedication that has kept Buffalo afloat and alive in the NFL. As a fellow Buffalo Bills fan I support you, but I can’t finance your operation, I continue to lose money betting on Buffalo.

UFL Owners Are the Loco Ones

GB Bongiovanni — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:18:49 -0400

“It’s all about u!” is the theme statement for the new United Football League that has graced Vegas with its presence. The UFL is in the second week of play and has accumulated the same crowd as last week at Sam Boyd Stadium.

On a good note, they have added the new locomotive sound for the Loco’s this week which is pretty cool. While there are not many that will object to the UFL, or the idea of it, many sit here and question the timing and presentation. It seems that the UFL is setting them up for failure.

Many teams have come to and gone from Las Vegas, NV. We have had our stint of XFL, Arena Football, ABA Basketball, Triple A Baseball, Minor League Hockey, and the list goes on. When looking at the UFL, I don’t see the problem being the location of these franchises. California, Florida, Las Vegas, and New York are pretty good places to start.

One problem with the UFL is there are only four teams. How can you start a league with only four teams? I understand the idea and thought process of starting slow and not getting over your head, but after the area league folded there were a number of places on the map that could have benefited from a UFL team. Chicago, Arizona, Boston, and Buffalo wouldn’t have been horrible ideas. Having a total of eight teams at least makes the inaugural season interesting.

Getting past the “four” team disaster, let’s move on to the more important factor of why the UFL is on the wrong railroad track. “It’s all about U?” Why is it about me? What did I do? If it’s all about me, make good tickets reasonable. Why in the hell am I going to pay $40 per ticket to sit in the good seats? To see J.P. Losman? I saw enough of him when he was on the Buffalo Bills and I really don’t need to see much more.

While I’m on the topic, why am I reduced to watching it on my computer screen? It’s great that you have a deal with “VS,” but thanks to Direct TV and their cat fight, I can’t even enjoy the game on my own television. I told numerous people that I was going to be attending the first UFL game here in Vegas and 100 percent did not know what the UFL was.

That tells me that they have not done their job. There was no hype, no major advertising push, just come see our four-team football game. If you plan on being successful it’s all about getting the people interested and creating the hype that we can’t miss this game. Station Casinos gave away tickets for the first home game and they still had a meager few.

They couldn’t even give away tickets to the UFL. Why? One reason is the timing of this league. Right in the middle of baseball postseason, beginning of hockey, start of basketball preseason, and oh, there is this league called the NFL as well. What horrible timing.

What moron decided these things? Take a few notes from the XFL and try to build upon them to create something that may stick. Strong advertising, local NBC TV, fans that were interested, and after the NFL season when people miss football the most. Fine…the cheerleaders helped too.

There are a few good points to the UFL and I don’t want to leave them out. This article isn’t to bash the UFL; it’s just to say, “Hey look, if you want this to work do it the right way.”

There are some good and interesting players. Yes, J.P. Losman sucks and still gets sacked 60 percent of the time and fumbles, but he was a high draft pick in the NFL. Actually, at least Losman throws the ball down the field, which is more than Trent Edwards can do in Buffalo. Speaking of Buffalo, another great feature of the UFL is broadcaster Doug Flutie. Boy could Buffalo use him right now.

I like that the UFL gives players a chance to succeed and another chance in some instances. This league is a great place for talent and for NFL scouts to watch and see what could be. No one in their right mind is going to argue more football.

In Las Vegas, if you want to be successful and last for more than three years this is not the way to start. It just seems like whoever is making these decisions is missing a few screws. They did a great job hiring the coaching talent and recognizable names, but the timing, marketing, and general structure are horrible.

Hey Buffalo, You Suck

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:14:09 -0400

Yes, I said you suck and honestly I’m being nice for purposes that this article may not get posted if I write my true feelings.

I’m not sure exactly what is making me sick. Is it this flu bug I have had for a few days or is it this anemic offense that is making me sick to my stomach?

The last two weeks, the Buffalo Bills are starting to make me believe that they may give Oakland, St. Louis, and Detroit a run for their money as the worst team in the NFL.

The separation between the good teams in the NFL like the Eagles, Giants, Steelers, Colts and then the horrible Browns, Bills, Raiders, Redskins, Buccaneers, and Lions is astonishing.

I realized I missed the boat this year. If I would have consistently bet against these teams each week, I would be filthy rich by now.

Instead, I sit here and actually thought that Buffalo may turn things around against the worst defense in the NFL. What a dumb ass I am.

Last week, it was previously winless Miami who destroyed the Bills by sacking Trent Edwards six times and picking him off three times. The Bills converted 1-of-11 third downs and only rushed for 46 yards.

Anyone with common sense would think the Bills would make some adjustments to make sure an anemic performance like this doesn’t happen again. The Cleveland Browns traveled to windy Buffalo this Sunday and what do you know? It happened again.

The winless Cleveland Browns beat the Buffalo Bills 6-3. We might as well have been watching a Buffalo Sabres game; they would have scored more points.

The Bills have now dropped the last 12 out of 15 and the wheels are falling off the wagon. Actually, the wheels fell off a long time ago; we have been running on nothing for a few games.

Just how bad are the Browns? How about they have scored only three touchdowns in their last 10 games? Or what about the Browns haven’t won a game in those 10 either?

Go figure their last win was against Buffalo on Monday night, 29-27. Derrick Anderson was only 2-for-17 for 23 yards with 1 interception this Sunday and still beat the Bills.

You suck, Buffalo. Let me say it again; you suck. I have never seen so many penalties in one game. It seemed like every play was almost a false start. It was even humorous when they called time out and Buffalo just figured it was another false start.

This team has turned into a complete joke. I feel bad for T.O. for coming to Buffalo. I’m sorry that our crappy offense can’t even get you the ball. We can’t get Lee Evans the ball, either.

What made anyone think that we would find a way to get more people involved when we can’t even get our own superstar the damn ball?

At this point as a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan I’m ready to rip off my logo off my damn truck. I’m embarrassed to wear my jersey because I know if someone says something to me, I’m going to want to rip their head off.

I have had enough of this crap. I’m not sure what exactly needs to be done to turn this team around. I think I’m so frustrated at this point, I can’t think straight as to what the logical answer would be.

All I know is that I saw JP Losman this Thursday night as the Vegas Locos QB here in town, and at least he can throw the ball down the field.

Although he still sucks, he fumbled twice… It is a strong possibility that the Locos could beat the Bills. Maybe Buffalo should move to the UFL.

Redemption for the Buffalo Bills

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:11:25 -0400

Just like that, Monday night means nothing anymore. The Buffalo Bills stepped on the pedal and put away the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday, 33-20. Buffalo came out motivated and pumped in their home opener. It seemed like these two teams played each other often or as if they were in the same division but amazingly enough this was Tampa Bay’s first trip ever to Buffalo during the regular season. After this Sunday beatdown Tampa Bay is not going to want to come back anytime soon.

While Tampa somewhat reminds me of Buffalo a few years ago they might not be the cream of the crop, but still give them credit. They have young talent but have basically taken over and erased what was the Tampa 2 defense. Tampa allowed 438 yards and Buffalo loved every single yard of it.

Buffalo started things off right by involving T.O. right from the get go on a reverse that only amounted for 13 yards but was much more exciting than a 13 yard run sounds. After a steady dose of Fred Jackson Buffalo went to the air and found Lee Evans for a TD which electrified the sold out crowd. Tampa responded by moving quickly down the field but only to be stopped by Donte Whitner who took a pick six back 76 yards. While Buffalo still squandered some opportunities and in no way, shape, or form played a perfect game a win is a win.

What was more important was redemption from last Monday. Moving forward and moving on with the season. While Buffalo’s defense had some key plays and applied constant pressure I worry about the amount of passing yards being put up by these QB’s. I realize the circumstances of both teams playing from behind but Buffalo’s pass defense is by far one of the worst when it comes to yardage so far this season. On the bright side the run defense held Tampa in check and they were only able to amount for 57 yards.

I believe that Buffalo has a fear of Terrell Owens and that we possibly saved ourselves for another week. After a bomb by Trent Edwards to Owens that was dropped Owens was not able to get into the scheme of things. He showed his frustration on the sidelines and even his emotion when Buffalo went for it on fourth down early in the contest. While I believe those things are great and fun to watch and see I’m just waiting for a blow up. Terrell Owens had redemption himself as he made up for his drop with a 43 yard touchdown pass. Bills fans celebrated by throwing popcorn in the stands. Entertaining? Yes. Maybe that’s all it needs to be?

More importantly, the emergence of “Fast” Freddy Jackson has been amazing. We all knew that Jackson was a special talent but until he was given the chance to shine I don’t think we realized just how much. What an amazing story Jackson is. Jackson ran for a career high 163 yards and also had 6 catches for 25 yards.

While Buffalo will quickly move ahead and start planning for the league’s most dangerous offense I think it is important to sit back and enjoy this for at least today, well, and possibly tomorrow. This is a young Buffalo team under the leadership of someone who has been quite impressive so far this season, Trent Edwards. The Bills looked and found redemption and now continue down the road.

Heartbreak for Buffalo Bills Against New England Patriots

GB Bongiovanni — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:40:51 -0400

Ah the familiar feeling of heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills and their fans on Monday night. There must be something about that Monday night air that allows Buffalo to collapse at the end of games.

While no one gave the Buffalo Bills any chance in this Monday Night battle against New England, Buffalo proved one thing. While it may be heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills, this year the heart is on the sleeve.

When all is said and done and anyone breaks down this Bills game it’s obvious that inexperience killed the Buffalo Bills Monday night, not the Patriots. Costly offensive line penalties and a huge mistake by Leodis McKelvin by not taking a knee in the end zone hurt the Bills.

Instead of focusing on the negative for a change let’s focus on positive things we can take from this game. Do not fault McKelvin for fighting for every yard. This is something that Lynch, Reed, Evans, and Jackson do every play. It’s that extra bit of effort that shows and sometimes makes the believable happen. Well this time it happened the wrong way.

We were able to see a solid outing by Alex Van Pelt, our new offensive coordinator, who did a nice job using Freddy Jackson and keeping the New England defense on their toes. Trent Edwards looks to have finally shaken off the cobwebs from his concussion last year and handled the offense the way it should be. Edwards looked confident and knows that he has a number of weapons around him.

Fred Jackson was magnificent replacing Marshawn Lynch during his suspension and even more exciting to see those two in the back field coming soon to a TV near you. Other than the breakdown at the end the Bills defense was surprisingly great.

Some unfortunate reports have recently come out that middle linebacker Paul Posluszny has a broken bone in his arm which is not great news for the Bills. The Bills look thin at the LB position and this would be a huge loss for a defense that really surprised everyone tonight.

Terrell Owens only caught two balls for 45 yards and also had one drop. I want to believe that Owens is going to behave but it’s only a matter of time till he speaks his mind. There are so many weapons on this team that Edwards can use that there will be games like this for Owens.

While Edwards was impressive, as well as the rookie offensive line, he can turn to so many different people that bring something to the table. Lee Evans was unheard of this game but Edwards was going with what New England was giving him short little passes to his TE and RB.

Sometimes it’s difficult to be a die-hard fan of the Buffalo Bills. There is so much heartbreak, heartache, and heart attacks that you just can’t take it, but then are reminded of why you love this damn team so much. Complete underdogs, losers of 11 straight, in New England, welcoming back Tom Shady, and this team puts forth a monumental effort.

That, my friend, is the difference we needed to see from last year. As things went down the stretch and the Bills started to fade last year after that amazing start it looked as if they gave up. There was no give up tonight. There was no let’s get down on ourselves.

Trent Edwards was just as impressive in his post game interview as he was in the game. He’s been in this situation before, thank you Dallas, and we know it hurts. All that matters is there is a game next week and the season isn’t won in just one game.

Buffalo Bills 09-10 Preview: A**-Backwards

GB Bongiovanni — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:48:49 -0400

As children, we watch the Disney channel and believe in fairy tales, princesses, and make believe. Then our parents try to teach us the importance of staying positive, fighting for what you believe in, and knowing that anything can happen.

Then there are the 2009-2010 Buffalo Bills, who—even though these important values were planted into my mind—I cannot stay positive, believe, or even hope for the best.

Last season, I ended my Buffalo articles with my big “Screw You” to Buffalo and how crappy they turned out to be. Such a strong start all faded away so quickly. So much for 85% of the teams that start 4-0 making the playoffs.

A strong belief tells me that Edwards was never right after that hit he took in Arizona, and it was more mental than physical.

The Bills have a strong, young core of football players that need to come together and end this playoff drought. As Bills fans, it’s painful to see a franchise so dominant in the '90s go so unnoticed for 10 years and not even get into the playoffs.

If you are a die-hard fan and you take a look back at what has happened this offseason, you will find some interesting things along the way.

Long-time owner Ralph Wilson met with his offensive coordinator and head coach, Dick Jauron, in a closed meeting. We can only guess what was said during this meeting. My best guess would be "if you don’t make it in the playoffs this year, we are going to go a different direction."

I love the fact that our owner gets involved and is basically telling everyone "OK, get off your ass and figure this out. If moves need to be made, let’s make them, and let’s go forward and end this playoff drought."

The Bills acquired Langston Walker after trading Jason Peters, our star left tackle, because they were sure that Walker could move to the left side of the line with no problem. Well, they obviously figured out they were wrong and cut their losses by releasing Walker.

They decided to go young and build the offensive line together, an interesting move considering the Bills offensive line has been the biggest concern this offseason. Seems to be a returning idea: Let’s fix the offensive line. Maybe we can go spend tons of money in the offseason and fix it. Wait, no, let’s sign a bunch of rookies and let’s throw them in. This should work well.

The Bills released Dominic Rhodes, who was slated to back up Fred Jackson while Marshawn Lynch served his suspension, but now it seems Buffalo will go with Xavior Omon—who was almost cut last year. I give props to Omon, who really has turned his game around, but is also averaging less than 3 yards per carry and come NFL game day, that is not going to work.

Buffalo promoted quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt, a former Bills QB who studied under Jim Kelly. Van Pelt wasn’t very successful as a quarterback, or even as our QB coach, considering they haven’t amounted to a damn thing. He does come with experience, though it's in NFL Europe.

The good news is that, as awful as the Bills offense has been, it really can’t get any worse.

The Bills continued to shake up the offense by firing the offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, who tried his hardest to install a “no-huddle” offense to shake things up and give Edwards a better chance to succeed. The Bills were unsuccessful this preseason in instituting the “no-huddle, K-Gun” and did not score a single touchdown the last two preseason games.

The entire fan base was excited and could not wait to get back to the success of the '90s, but it all came crashing down when we realized Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed weren’t there.

As the NFL draft came and went, the Bills did a solid job picking up some talent that can be used right away. They drafted a very strong DE in Aaron Maybin, and also picked up some offensive line help.

The real news came before the NFL draft, when Buffalo shocked the world and signed Terrell Owens. The once 49er/Eagle/Cowboy can now call Buffalo (and, well, Toronto) as his home. By making what is basically being considered a PR move, the Bills ensured that they will be covered this offseason and that all tickets will be sold.

Now I understand I am not a GM, coach, or anything having to do with any level of professional football, but I really believe that Buffalo has done this entire offseason ass-backwards. Maybe it’s a sign of old age?

Besides signing T.O. and using the NFL Draft, the Bills could have solved a few problems by meeting with the coaches, firing the offensive coordinator, and fixing the offensive line before the start of the preseason.

Regardless of it being ass-backwards or not, I still give Buffalo a “thumbs up” for not going into the season and then going, what the hell did we just do? While some look at me and ask how one can be so upset and not “Bill-eve,” my response is simply that I do want to take mediocrity anymore.

There is a group of young talent on this team, but it needs to be put together. If Jauron isn’t the guy, well then maybe Brian Billick, John Gruden, or Bill Cowher is.

I’m just not looking forward to another season where I sit there and go, “why did I spend all this money for this damn football package just to see Buffalo suck over and over again?”

Breaking News: Bills Release Dominic Rhodes

GB Bongiovanni — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:19:29 -0400

Just a day after the Bills released offensive coordinator Turk Schonert they have released free agent signing Dominic Rhodes. The Bills are now officially at a 53-man roster.

Rhodes spent seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and was signed by Buffalo this off-season as a replacement while Marshawn Lynch served his suspension. Rhodes did not see much action in the pre-season as he only carried 19 times for a total of 63 yards. Rhodes was listed as third on the depth chart.

The Bills owner Ralph Wilson has demanded that the team end its playoff drought this year. This was the main reason for the termination of Turk Schonert yesterday and also one of the reasons for the shake up today. It's about time that someone steps in and does something about this awful performance we have seen over the last two weeks.

In a previous article I stated that the Bills signed T.O. and that was about it. Well now that Rhodes is gone that statement becomes more and more true. I understand that the Bills needed to sell out games and by signing T.O. we accomplished that and are not sitting like Jacksonville worrying about black out's but when is someone going to actually do something to make the Bills win for a change.

Breaking News: Buffalo Bills Fire Offensive Coordinator

GB Bongiovanni — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:55:52 -0400

The Buffalo Bills have fired offensive coordinator Turk Schonert after the team’s final preseason game against the Detroit Lions. Quarterback coach and one time Bills player, Alex Van Pelt will be taking over the offense.

Turk Schonert has been trying to implement a no huddle “K-Gun” offense for the Bills but has been nothing but a disaster. The Bills have been outscored 31-0 in the first quarter and have looked pathetic the entire preseason. It is unknown if the Bills will be changing things up after the firing but something sure needs to change. Buffalo’s offense has looked anemic and has not been able to score a single touchdown in the last two games.

After reading tons of articles about how the no huddle philosophy is going to jump start this Bills offense it was odd watching the games and going when is this going to happen? The idea was a good one. The Bills needed something to help an offense that was ranked near the bottom over the last few years.

It seemed that either the players didn’t react well to the “no huddle” or the defensive units were able to key into this philosophy and take advantage of it. Either way it is important that the Bills realized that this was not working. I would much rather see the Bills make a change now than half way through the season when they are 0-8.

The Return Of Michael Vick

GB Bongiovanni — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:25:55 -0400

One of the most intriguing quarterbacks in the NFL will make his anticipated pre-season debut for the Philadelphia Eagles after serving an eighteen month prison sentence for his role in leading a dog fighting ring. While there are many mixed emotions that surround the athlete the media attention has been tremendous. Go ahead and search for Michael Vick on Google and you’ll find over 1,000 articles with different journalists stating their options. While sure, I may be just another one who is about to state an opinion everyone is entitled to speak their mind. While I do not condone the previous actions of Vick I believe that everyone is entitled to a second chance. In fact I think it is absurd that he is not playing in game number one and is still suspended.

There are numerous animals that are euthanized on a yearly basis that there isn’t a correct count. An estimated 9.6 million animals are euthanized on a yearly basis according to the humane society. Does that give anyone the right to go kill and fight dogs against each other, no, but does that give the justice system a reason to put a man behind bars for eighteen months? That’s the question I believe you have to ask yourself. I myself am a dog lover, but I am not the type of person who feels that an animal is like a child. There is a big difference between a human and an animal and some people take that for granted or substitute an animal for compassion and being lonely.

As I stated I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion. There is not a right or a wrong but simply a belief. As someone who cannot see the importance of eighteen months being served for killing animals what about people who commit worse crimes and get less time? For instance, what about Donte Stallworth…now there is a damn joke. On March 14^th, 2009 Stallworth’s Bentley struck a man and killed him. Stallworth was charged with DUI and second degree manslaughter. Here is the real story…sentenced to 30 days in jail. He killed a man? Maybe he ran a red light because this is nothing but a slap on the wrist. Explain to me how someone can kill a human being and not get more than 30 days in jail? Mr. Vick over here can get eighteen months for hurting dogs? Come on…get real…What a joke. On a different note how many animals do hunters kill on a yearly basis? Just because Bambi isn’t in my home and drinking out of a bowl on the floor doesn’t mean that Bambi is any different than that dog that was killed.

Regardless of what anyone says Michael Vick has served his time and his debt to society. The problem is that a man or woman who has done something wrong in the eyes of the public is never actually free or has never paid his debt. He or she will always be looked upon as someone who did that “something.” So enter #7 in Philly and get ready for the crap that is about to surround it. How sick am I of it, let me count the ways. How about how the local media was telling people to get rid of their season tickets? No way in hell was any Philly fan going to give up tickets because they signed Vick. To listen to the Philly fans applaud Vick was simply music to my ears. Imagine what this man has been through in the last few years. Well don’t imagine too much, it is prison. He has made a mistake, paid his debt, and should be welcomed back to his profession. Just as if someone who worked a regular 9-5 job as a plumber went to jail for the same thing he would eventually get out and become a plumber again. Michael Vick is a football player once again and this writer supports his comeback and believes in giving people second chances.

You Must Be Favre'n Kidding Me

GB Bongiovanni — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:30:26 -0400

A strange sense of déjà vu surrounds my television set when I turn on ESPN. The last time this happened I found it somewhat interesting and intriguing. Favre couldn’t make up his mind, the Packers wanted to move on, and Favre signed with the Jets.

This time I am upset. Not just upset, but enraged by this signing of Favre to the Vikings.

No, not just because he has completely ruined my new Madden season but because this has become a joke. Instead of being remembered as the hall of fame quarterback he is, Favre will be remembered as a punch line.

If I were a close friend of Brett Favre’s I would have one piece of advice for the 40-year-old man: Make up your mind and stick with what you say.

If Favre wins the Vikings a Super Bowl he might as well run for mayor or governor of Minnesota because he has the bull shit down to a tee. Forget running in Green Bay as he may have a little problem there.

In a press conference Favre stated that, “A true Packers fan would understand.”

I think one fan said it best: “A true Packers player would understand.”

Taking a look at the football sense of things here, the Vikings made a great move. They were a team who was on the edge looking inside the playoff race. They had no faith in either quarterback on the roster and needed something to spark the offense.

Enter Brett Favre into the purple and gold and instantly you are now a team on the inside. How much on the inside is a good question, but they are much better with Favre than with what they had.

From an operational standpoint it was brilliant as the signing sparked ticket sales within a 24 hour period and jersey sales will be exceptional. Favre will well be worth the $25M contract with the popularity and exposure that the Vikings have.

Some may say Favre is done and if he plays like he did to end the season with the Jets, the Vikings are in trouble, but there was no Adrian Peterson on the Jets. By handing the ball off and having a solid ground game the Vikings should be able to preserve Favre’s arm for the duration of the season.

The problem isn’t that Brett Favre is wearing No. 4 in Minnesota. Nor is the problem that Favre, maybe just maybe, might be trying to get back at the Packers.

The real problem lies in the way that this whole situation has been handled. It’s a damn media circus the same way it was last year.

Sure, blame the media, blame ESPN, and blame me for writing this damn article…that’s fine. I’m placing the blame where it is deserved: on Brett Favre.

A once dominant quarterback on the Green Bay Packers, I remember Brett Favre as someone I feared to play against (obviously not a Packers, Vikings, or Jets fan here).

No. 4 was willing to take a chance and sometimes made the impossible happen. Watching him throw passes, it was amazing how the wide receivers held on to the ball as it looked like it was traveling over 100 miles an hour.

Fast forward to 2009 and now I remember Favre as the one who lied over and over to the public, media, and to numerous teams.

I really could care less what Favre does this season, but I know that if I have to listen to this crap again next year, we need to ban him from the league or force him to silence for the offseason.

Two years is plenty enough of listening to the indecisiveness and lies of playing or not playing. In this writer's opinion, Favre has done nothing up to this point other than ruin his “Hall Of Fame” image, and the only thing that would reverse that is another Super Bowl win.

The Bills Added Terrell Owens And…That's About It

GB Bongiovanni — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:55:34 -0400

Mr. Hall Of Fame Ralph Wilson, I congratulate you on a brilliant business decision to bring Terrell Owens to the Buffalo Bills. In the 48 hour amazement of signing the problematic wideout, the Bills re-signed 10,000 season ticket holders in an economy where 12 percent of us are out of work. As a die hard Buffalo Bills fan, I look at this and am happy of the exposure it has gained us, but... what else have the Bills done to improve this team?

Not only is T.O. tenth in jersey sales, he has brought attention to Buffalo like they just lost their fourth Super Bowl. The excitement of signing such a marquee player has turned Buffalo inside out. Some believe this stunt to be insane and believe he will break the team apart. Others see it as the “P.R.” stunt it really is. Ralph Wilson isn’t going into the Hall Of Fame for just any reason. He is a brilliant man (except wanting to start the team in Miami, other than that he’s A-OK in my book).

This season Buffalo celebrates its 50^th anniversary and nothing can promote it like a celebrity wide out. Unknown are the numbers of jersey and memorabilia sales simply due to the $6 million it cost to sign T.O., I guarantee they have brought in more than that. Most of us see it as a good business decision to spark the economy, gain popularity of one of the smallest marketed teams, and not to mention give us a solid number two opposite of Lee Evans.

The Bills kick the season off at the Hall Of Fame game against the Titans and try to bring a new style of Buffalo football to the mix. Hurry up, run and gun, pass to Owens “make happy,” and pound Lynch after three games. It sounds like an interesting plan. The Bills had the right idea before about week five when they were one of the only teams left undefeated. Then the unthinkable happened and J.P. Losman came in. Shuffle him off to Vegas for some UFL thing and sign Ryan Fitzpatrick who has more of an upside, at least in Buffalo.

The Bills had a solid NFL draft bringing in more young talent to go along with the tons of young talent they have. While quite a few are sold on the future of Trent Edwards, I’m just not ready to make that opinion. I flash back to the Monday night game where he couldn’t throw more than two yards in front of him. I have never seen anything like that in the NFL.

Obviously Edwards was never the same after the hit he took in Arizona, but he has no excuses this year. He is surrounded by talent in Evans, Owens, Lynch, Jackson, Rhodes, and Parrish. The only offensive question for the Bills lies in the offensive line which how many years can you actually screw this up. This year we go to a “value meal” instead of the “king sized whopper deal.” Saving tons of money but an inexperienced line that needs to gel quickly in order to give Edwards the time to throw and utilize these weapons.

The Bills schedule is not an easy one especially opening weekend, Monday night, in New England. Chances are New England will beat us for the 20^th consecutive time. I don’t even know what it is, I’m sick of looking… it then ends with the Colts who hopefully are resting everyone after winning the division in week 8. In all honestly, I have no idea what Bills team is showing up this year.

Will we see the dominant error free team that showed up at the beginning of last season or will we see the poor playing let’s pass for one-yard team that couldn’t move out of a shoebox? Looking back on the Bills off-season, I see a few great pickups but nothing that really stands out other than T.O. It was almost is if we are using T.O. as a smoke screen to say, “Hey look what we did, but that’s about it!!!”

Will the Real Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers Please Stand Up?

GB Bongiovanni — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:50:05 -0400

The desire for a championship is the reason true athletes play the game they love as kids. It has nothing to do with the fame or money; it’s standing upon that stage and making it apparent that there is none better. There are at least two men in L.A. who know this, as Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant both have their share of championships.

Now, according to the Lakers' website and team information, Jackson is the supposed coach of the Lakers and Kobe is one of the squad's guards. But I'm here to contend that, from what has been seen on the court this Finals, it appears Kobe Bryant might as well be the head coach.

The Lakers are on the verge of another championship, and Kobe is looking for that ultimate prize. That one elusive ring without Shaq may have to wait a few more games, but there is not much doubt that the Lakers will finish the job. When Shaq was manning the paint, there was not much chatter from a younger Kobe Bryant, but nowadays there is not a time-out or quarter in which Kobe is not running his mouth. It doesn’t matter who he is speaking to, they are getting a dose of how to be a superstar in the NBA.

One of the knocks against Kobe when he was younger was that he didn’t have that same “team” attitude that Michael Jordan had. Well, fast-forward to 2009, and Bryant is all about his teammates.

So does this new-found maturity mean that his leadership will transpire into more and more championships? That's yet to be seen.

And while Kobe is talking, talking, and talking, are his teammates listening? That's another thing up in the air.

We do not know if the leadership and the barking that Kobe does on a nightly basis are adding up to "W"s in that column. Are veteran players like Gasol and Fisher nodding their heads in agreement just to shut Kobe up or are they actually understanding and following?

Players like Adam Morrison, Shannon Brown, and Trevor Ariza are players who should listen to the knowledge that Kobe provides. Imagine being able to pick the brain of some of the greatest players to ever live, it’s a truly amazing opportunity for these younger players.

Now, as Kobe teaches and players listen, where is Phil Jackson in all this? It’s amazing that Phil doesn’t have a problem or any concern at all with Kobe addressing every aspect of the game. Maybe it’s the fact that Kobe understands his game plan so much that Kobe is on the exact same page and is just like an assistant coach to the "Zen Master."

It seems as if Kobe is the coach on the floor during game time. Phil must do some of the talking in practice just to get his two cents in.

Bryant looks for championship No. 4, and Jackson looks for the record with No. 10. While both say the importance has nothing to do with Kobe showing up Shaq or Jackson winning more than Red, we all know better. This is Los Angeles, home of the drama and Screen Actor's Guild awards. Phil and Kobe might as well be in the starring roles for "Days Of Our Lives L.A."

They say time has healed all wounds for Kobe and Phil, but the level of confidence that Kobe plays basketball with must have taken its toll by now, as Kobe does quite a bit of the coaching, not Phil.

Sports and the Economy

GB Bongiovanni — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:50:31 -0500

Millions of people have lost their jobs, been placed out of work, or now working significantly fewer hours than they were due to a suffering economy. Times like this are where we all need to come together and find a solution or at least a way to get by until things become better.

While there is a new change on top of everything that promises hope everything is being affected by the economy including sports. As the sporting world is being affected we are supposed to care that players are not going to make that extra $5 million, that a pro athlete is having trouble paying his bills, and the sickness of someone turning down twenty-five million dollars.

I’m not trying to make this a personal story by any means but just as an example I was out of work for three months due to a layoff and struggling economy. There are a number of American’s that are in the same situation. As I sit back with the passion and love that I have for sports sometimes it sickens me.

Take, for instance, Manny Ramirez, the former Boston and L.A. slugger who is holding out for more money and more years in his contract. The L.A. Dodgers offered Ramirez $25 million for one year and an option to play and earn $20 million the following year.

Ramirez turned the offer down, asking for four years and over $100 million. While some of us will not be attending the games due to financial situations here is good old Manny who rejects $25 million for one year. One year? Really?

Oh the things I would do for twenty-five million dollars. I throw a mean fastball and am left handed, but I would sign with anyone for any amount just to get the opportunity to play. Athletes forget all this and what it’s like to sit on the sidelines and greed begins to take over. What in the hell are you going to do with all that damn money in the first place?

Let’s switch to another story that broke today that make me even sicker. It has been reported that Phillies relief pitcher Scott Eyre has had his assets frozen by federal regulators as the government investigates the Stanford Financial Group.

According to Eyre, who makes $2 million this year: “I’m trying to figure out how to pay my bills...I have $13 in my wallet.” Hey Scott...welcome to the real world dumb ass. Not only do I not feel bad for you I was in the same situation a few weeks ago but sure am not making two million this year in my salary.

Finally, I turn to the “Great” buyout of the troubled NBA franchises that need help to get above water this year. Twelve teams and $200 million dollars are being set aside to help. Here is an idea from someone who does not own a franchise but should...

You know those empty seats you guys have every home game? Yes...they are usually red in color and stand out on television when no one is sitting in them. Instead of asking for insane dollar amounts, why not just fill the seat?

If, before game time, the seats have not been sold, start lowering the price until someone comes and watches the game. There are a plethora of fans that would love to come to games and support their team or simply watch a good game. Wouldn’t $5 be better than nothing? What if that fan bought a beer, which I’m sure you collect another $5 on, you just gained $10 instead of an empty seat. It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out.

As America struggles, somehow we are supposed to feel bad for those people and teams. It doesn’t stop at sports, the last thing I care about is car dealerships or banks; I have my own problems. When you hear that players are turning down $25 million, some player only has $12 when he is due to make $2 million, and NBA franchises going under because they can’t figure out how to work a P&L, it just makes it even more pathetic right now.

The Cure to Football's Season End

GB Bongiovanni — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:18:05 -0500

It is very sad but true, the football season has come to an end. Sunday is missing that special something and the talk around the water cooler has been reduced to what the hot girl in accounting is wearing. While many football fanatics are reduced to the NFL network this writer is offering a different sense of football at its purest form.

Imagine starting your very own NFL player on-line, signing contracts, training, and watching the statistics he puts up from game to game. The browser-based multi-player on-line game based on American football, Goal Line Blitz, brings just that and much, much more to cure the end of the season.

Unlike many on-line simulators GLB allows one to get involved as much as they possibly want. Spend five minutes or spend five hours it’s up to you.

It starts by designing the next GLB stud player and the all important player roll. Pick from every position, every attribute, and any crazy name you can come up with. Once you have designed your player and added the extra attributes to go along with him you will receive three contract offers from the D-league. The D-league is short for the developmental league, a computer owned equal playing time league where your player is able to build his stats and get ready to move on.

One of the biggest problems found in on-line simulators is the fact that there are already so many people playing that you can never catch up and be competitive. The best fact about GLB is there are players and teams at every level. Even the player just designed could be the D-league star who gets five sacks a game or rushes for three touchdowns.

As your player receives playing time he gains experience which then turns into leveling up. Leveling up gives you five points to spend on key skills such as, speed, strength, jumping, stamina, vision, confidence, blocking, throwing, and many more. How your player is built is your decision. If wanted design the next speed rushing DE or the next Devin Hester, by far the most popular name on this game, it’s your call.

Once your player has been released from the D-league or a team has scouted him and offered him a contract, you move on to teams that are owned by actual people.

Forums are active, players are talking strategies, and football is in full form at GLB. Create as many players as one would like in GLB, but extra flex points are needed. Flex points are designed to create players, level players up, or even own your team. At first log on your given 400 flex points to create a player, or two, and start enjoying GLB.

The best feature of Goal Line Blitz is that an on-line player can dedicate as much time as they want to the on-line sim. Some will create a player, check in on him every three days, change some tactics, participate in the forum, and go on their way. Other players, like me, will find themselves compelled to this sim where there are never enough players and can’t wait to get a team. Once a team is created is when everything begins to get more complex in GLB land.

As an owner of a GLB team you design the name, stadium, concession prices, ticket prices, and sign all the players to the team. To own a team in GLB flex points are needed but also needed is the time and effort to be successful. There is a waiting list for teams but it only took me one season to gain my team, the Las Vegas Aces.

As an owner the time one can spend on GLB is endless. Not only is the owner signing players to play on the team but also setting up offensive and defensive game plans. It can be as simple or complex as the owner makes it. For example, the newest feature that could be rolled out at the start of next season is a defensive play creator.

Currently there are offensive plays where the owner sets the playbook and designs when to run each play in each given situation. Same goes for the defense or you can use advanced tactics and design your own defensive plays calling for the MLB to blitz.

Most owners on GLB will assign others to be a GM, scout, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator of the team. By doing this it takes away from some of the time-consuming scouting of teams and changing the offense or defense.

For the last two seasons I have decided to take everything on for myself to get the whole GLB experience. I can spend hours at a time scouting and designing different defensive plays while keeping my team informed of what I am doing. While yes, it is time consuming, I enjoy doing these things and will continue to be one of the few teams that do it individually.

The creators of Goal Line Blitz are Peter (Bort) and Jesse (DigitalDaggers). The two met at their job years ago and like many of us talked sports and football. While they were not satisfied with the games on-line they took matters into their own hands creating GLB.

"I've always thought football would lend itself to a big multi-player video game where everybody plays the different positions, and it just seemed like a good time to dive in," he said. "So, I talked to Jesse about it and he agreed to help me out with testing, planning, strategy, and the business aspects of running the game."

As many will explain they don’t get as excited about something they can’t see. Peter and Jesse took that into consideration and in GLB you can watch every play, down, and game in a replay format, except for FG’s.

It is truly amazing that Peter and Jesse were able to create something for American football fans everywhere to get involved as much as one would like. Goal Line Blitz gives many the opportunities to create and manage a player down to every aspect and even what equipment he is wearing. Keep it as simple or complex as one would like but beware…Goal Line Blitz is addicting and serves as the perfect cure to football’s season end.

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=15808472

Hey Buffalo Bills: Screw You!

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:50:15 -0500

Do I st…st…st…stutter? Damn right I said it, screw you Buffalo.

I bet I can say screw you more times in this damn article than offensive plays you have run in the last eight quarters of professional football played. Screw you for making us Bills fans “Bill-eve,” and letting us even think we may have some kind of chance this year.

Screw you for that crap about how 85 percent of teams who start 4-0 make the playoffs. Way to fall into the 15 percent there.

Mostly, screw you for giving us hope and then taking it away and not showing an ounce of heart. Heart is what has made the Buffalo Bills for so many years, not money, not the big tada, just plain good old football that left us Buffalo fans feeling good and knowing that at least we gave it the old Buffalo try.

These 2008 Buffalo Bills will be remembered as the team without heart, and for that, I say screw you Buffalo.

Remember back to one of the many famous lines in the movie Jerry McGuire where the cocky WR states, “I’m all heart...” I’ll leave the rest out for the moment. Buffalo showed not one ounce of even caring the season was on the line. As Bills fans we needed to face the facts anyways, this was long over with.

Any sensible Bills fan knew after that Cleveland debacle where Edwards couldn’t even throw the ball downfield that our days were numbered.

So here we are again, another wonderful year of watching others get into the playoffs and wondering what it would be like to get back there once again. Where did it all go wrong, Buffalo? Oh, I’m sorry, Coach Jaron didn’t want to take questions after the game? I’ll answer them for you there buddy.

Where did it all go wrong for this Buffalo Bills 2008 team?

Well, things happen in the NFL, anything at any given moment or more cliché any given Sunday. If I could put my finger on one defining moment of the 2008 season, I would have to say when Trent Edwards was knocked out in Week Five against Arizona that was really the turning point. J.P. came in and gave it the old college try…

Oh you mean where he still belongs?

Well, J.P. does a good job for us but he doesn’t see all of his options and that leads to him getting sacked or throwing into coverage which then leads to harder plays for our guys.

Was Edwards still feeling the hit those many weeks after?

Edwards was fine, it was more mental than anything. Looking back especially at the Cleveland game it was impossible for him to find any open receivers and it was obvious to our staff that he was scared to throw the ball deep. So we changed it up and added multiple screens to Lynch.

But, I’m confused? This happened in Week Five? Cleveland was four weeks after?

Well Trent was struggling and lost any bit of confidence that he had in himself. Not only did he loose confidence but the others around him started to loose confidence and everything went downhill.

One more question Coach, even though you signed a three-year extension during the 5-1 start do you still “Bill-eve” you are the man for the job?

I’m sure when the games are done we will sit down and talk about the future of the Buffalo Bills.

So what is the future of the Buffalo Bills? Where do we go from here? I’m confused...Ralph Wilson stated that this team does not have the talent to compete...That's quite a strong statement by our 90-year-old owner who sold the Bills out to Oh Canada.

Even a better question is how in the hell is this man still alive? Don’t get me wrong, I love Ralph Wilson and everything he has done for the AFL and the Buffalo Bills, but how can you watch this team at 90 and live to see another day?

I’m 29 and I can’t even take it anymore. The stress and aggravation this damn team causes me is going to seriously put me on medication. As soon as Losman threw the pick in the end zone, I had to turn it off. Who in the hell could bare to see this team who put up 54 points two weeks ago not score a touchdown in EIGHT quarters.

This season left us with more questions than damn Jeopardy. I’ll take who will be coaching the Bills in 2009 for $500. Or who will be the starting quarterback for $1000.

So now is the time in the article where usually the positive starts to come in. Well, we could be the Cincinnati Bengals, or perhaps the winless Detroit Lions. Well at least one of them is going to find a QUARTERBACK in the draft!

You know what, screw you Buffalo is really all that comes to mind right now. You want some talent? Maybe take a look at your team. How are you going to avoid Lee Evans time after time this season when he is one of the best out there?

How are you not going to utilize Lynch and Jackson correctly when they are the perfect one-two punch? How are you going to say Trent Edwards was injured when we all know that he really was taken out for J.P.?

I’m done asking questions...these are questions we are going to be asking ourselves all offseason long and I’m going to save us the trouble. There are no answers and no one has them. If Buffalo had answers then maybe they would have fixed this playoff drought a long time ago.

Does anyone remember that song by James Ingram in the early '90s, I don’t have the heart. Maybe the Bills players and coaches aren’t the only people who don’t have the heart anymore. I don’t have the heart to love you...it’s the last thing I wanna do.

Screw you, Buffalo, for another year of this pathetic crap. Get your act together...

NFL Playoff Rankings: Week 11

GB Bongiovanni — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:50:25 -0500

NFL Playoff Rankings is a power ranking system where the top team in each conference and two wild cards are chosen that will represent the six teams in the AFC and NFC come playoff time.

AFC

(D – Marks Division Winner, W – Marks Wild card)

1. D – Tennessee Titans (Last Week 1/D)

Well they are still unbeaten and still number one in this poll. Some writers have mentioned Kerry Collins as a possible MVP candidate. First time I have ever heard a team with the 27th best passing attack in the NFL have a QB talked about for MVP. Seems a little out there to me, looks as if they are looking for someone to reward on this team. If anyone should have MVP talk it should be the defense still only averaging 13 points per game which is best in the NFL.

2. D – Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week 2/D)

Tough game last week for the Steelers as the Colts badly needed a win. The Steelers still have the best defense in the NFL as they are No. 1 against the pass and No. 2 against the run. While there is no one in the AFC that may take over this spot anytime soon Big Ben needs to step it up or the Steelers could be one and done come playoff time.

3. W – Baltimore Ravens (Last Week 3/W)

Defense, defense, defense, what do the three teams in the AFC have? Defense… The Ravens have two tough match ups with the Giants and Eagles in the next two games. It will be interesting to see what happens if this team is down by more than 14 and see if Flacco can lead them to the end zone. The running attack has been great and is third in the league, but the problem with all three of the AFC teams is that they are very unbalanced. Tremendous defenses, good running attacks, horrible passing statistics. In order for these teams to win the Super Bowl one of them needs to improve on this.

4. W – Indianapolis Colts (Last Week 5/W)

Indy starting to move up the ranks here and while two impressive wins over New England and Pittsburgh will do that for you Indy still has some work to do. Over the last few weeks I have keyed in on WR, Marvin Harrison. What I have noticed is that Peyton is still throwing him the same passes that two years ago were touchdowns or at least receptions. As great as this future hall of famer is it may be time to start to look elsewhere Peyton.

5. D – New England Patriots (Last Week NR)

Go Jets...anyone else please take this division. If Buffalo can’t do it maybe the Jets can. Don’t count out the Dolphins either…but until someone gets them the hell out of here they are the leader.

6. D - Denver Broncos (Last Week 6/D)

I’m still getting crap about putting Denver on here but who is going to win the AFC West? Is there something I am missing? The only argument to be made is against San Diego and I’m not going to break down their problems that could be a three-page article. I know how bad Denver’s defense is, they are giving up 390 yards per game! As long as Cutler continues his excellent play Denver will win this division.

Teams Dropped Out – Buffalo (I’m too upset to still talk about this)

NFC

(D – Marks Division Winner, W – Marks Wild card)

1. D – New York Giants (Last Week 1/D)

Impressive…that is what I think of the Giants. If you read up top about my lack of balance up top of the AFC this is what I am talking about. The perfect balance of an excellent defense, a strong running attack, and a QB who throw if needed. At this moment I do not see anyone beating these Giants come January.

2. D – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week 3/D)

I understand quite a few people do not agree with my picks here in the NFC but I try to back them up every week. I don’t expect everyone to agree… Tampa is moving to number two and more explanation for that comes in the Redskins but I keep going back to this defense. Tampa is only allowing 16.3 points per game which is fourth best in the NFL. There are a few facts that can be argued here but statistically Tampa’s offense is better than Carolina’s. Sure, I know I get the well Carolina is going to win this division and they are leading but like I say every week Tampa beat Carolina 27-3 earlier in the season as we wait for Week 14.

3. W – Carolina Panthers (Last Week – NR)

It is apparent now what is going to happen in the NFC East these teams are going to beat up on each other and Carolina is going to end up with a wild-card spot. The defense on this team is the strong point and is now second in the league only allowing 14.8 points per game. What concerns me about Carolina is the passing attack and only putting up 21 points per game which is 23rd in the NFL. The Panthers have two interesting games coming up with the Falcons and Packers and then are home to the Bucs which could decide this division.

4. W - Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week 3/W)

The NFC East is as confusing as the AFC East and that being said the Eagles have the balance that I am looking for in a team. The Redskins have relied on Clinton Portis and with the news of him possibly being out four or five weeks that drops them off my rankings. While some reports list it as a sprained knee others say it is a tear and could put him out. I believe the Eagles will take advantage of this and rise to the wild card spot. Philly is a team I don’t think anyone would look forward to playing.

5. D – Green Bay Packers (Last Week 5/D)

I know this is another controversial pick and in no way, shape, or form do I even care about the Packers. Here is how I am looking at this… If Green Bay beats the Bears the Packers will end the season at 9-7. The Bears will also end the season at 9-7 record as well and due to tie breakers the Packers win the division. Now, everything depends on the Packers beating the Bears. If the Bears beat the Packers then they hold the edge at the end of the season and then would win the division. As for the Vikings ending with the Giants will hurt their chances.

6. D – Arizona Cardinals (Last Week 6/D)

Seriously, what was that play at the end of the game Monday? Much love to the Arizona offense first in the league averaging 29.2 points per game. I listened to an interview the other day of Anquan Boldin and what a stand up guy he is. Not to mention the way he has come back after getting the crap knocked out of him. This is your Cinderella team, with your Cinderella quarterback, who may actually do some damage come January? I’m actually leaning towards moving the Cardinals up? What is going on…

Pick Three - Last Week (4-0)

Overall (5-2)

Eagles -9

Cardinals -3

Denver +6

(If I had to bet Thurs, my head tells me Patriots -3)

NFL Playoff Rankings, Week 10

GB Bongiovanni — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:29:18 -0500

AFC

(D - Marks Division Winners, W – Marks Wildcard Teams)

1. D–Tennessee Titans (Last Week 1/D)

Yes, the Titans are 8-0…Everyone is well aware of that. I’m not sold on them and believe the only reason to put them number one is because they have not lost. I love the defense of the Titans, but still struggle when it comes to the talent at wide out and Kerry Collins. The Titans still lead the league in points allowed with only 12.9 a game.

2. D–Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week 2/D)

There is no doubt that this is by far the number two team in the AFC. Some would argue that this should be the number one team, but for now second is correct. The status of Big Ben is still up in the air but hats off the Steelers for having a reliable back up QB in the waiting. Crazy what that can do for you Dallas isn’t it? The Steelers have a tough schedule and upcoming are two teams that could make it difficult for them to continue down the winning path. The Colts and Chargers are both playing for their playoff lives and will not be the easiest matchup especially if Big Ben is out.

3. W – Baltimore Ravens (Last Week 4/W)

Miami, Oakland, Cleveland, and now Houston are teams that the Ravens have faced the last four weeks and because of that Baltimore is looking to be the leader of the wildcard race. The Ravens are still number one when it comes to defending the run as opponents are only averaging 64 yards. I by far don’t discredit anything QB Joe Flacco has done and feel he is rookie of the year, with that being said, if the Ravens had someone who was battle tested this team would be higher ranked. Comparing the Ravens and Steelers they all have a tremendous defense but it is Baltimore who owns the 4th best rushing attack which allows them to control the game and keep the defense rested. It may not be long until Baltimore possibly takes over the number two spot.

4. D – Buffalo Bills (Last Week 3/D)

I’m not ready to count out the Bills just yet. Yes, you could put any team from the AFC East in this position but right now Buffalo is still the better team. All four teams from the AFC East have somewhat similar stats but with a win over New England the Buffalo Bills could be on pace for another four game winning streak. A loss to New England and the Buffalo Bills could be headed either out of this poll or a wild card contender.

5. W - Indianapolis Colts (Last Week NR)

Oh that Peyton Manning is a tricky fellow and with a win over New England the Colts re-appear in this poll. Would you believe it if I told you the Colts defense was number three against the pass? Believe it…it’s true. The Colts have three tough games against the Steelers, Texans, and Chargers and these three games may very well determine if the Colts can hang on to the wild card spot.

6. D – Denver Broncos (Last Week 6/D)

Finally…the AFC West has to make an appearance due to the “playoff” poll. Denver is third averaging 374 yards per game on offense and while that stat is impressive the defensive numbers are not. Let’s put it this way, the Broncos better average 374 yards a game because they are giving up 388.

Teams Dropped Out – New England

NFC

(D - Marks Division Winners, W – Marks Wildcard Teams)

1. D – New York Giants (Last Week 1/D)

I can sum up the top team in the NFL with one telling stat. The Giants are averaging 28.2 points per game; they are only allowing 16.1 which are second best in both categories in the NFL. This week against Philadelphia will be another hard challenge for the Super Bowl Champs.

2. W – Washington Redskins (Last Week 2/W)

We have obviously established that the number two in the AFC is better than the number two in the NFC. Some may question the Redskins staying still at number two but this is a team that has been playing great all year. The Redskins are still a very dominant team defensively allowing only 80 yards rushing and 7th in defending the pass. The next test for these Redskins is the Cowboys and the return of Tony Romo in week 11. A win in week 11 secures a playoff spot.

3. W – Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week NR)

I realize those who do read this article at this point are saying what are thinking? How does Philly even get to the number three spot, right? Let me explain…I want you to remember that Westbrook was out for a significant amount of time and the only thing holding the Eagles back is that they are 23rd in rushing for the season. Other than that…the Eagles are 5th in points per game, 6th in yards per game, 3rd in passing yards per game, only allow 18 points a game, are 5th in total yards given up per game, and have the 8th best passing and rushing defense in the NFL. How can a team with those statistics not be ranked? I expect the Eagles to move to number two next week with a defeat of the New York Giants.

4. D - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week 3/D)

Yes, I would be holding my breath and thanking whoever you believe in for escaping Kansas City with a win. Tampa still belongs here and Carolina still has something to prove until they beat Tampa. Week 14 Tampa travels to Carolina as the Panthers will try to avenge an earlier embarrassment of 27-3.

5. D – Green Bay Packers (Last Week 5/D)

So here I am ready to anoint the division to the Bears and then I hear the news. Bring on Rexy!!! Ahhh yes the turnover king, Rob Johnson II, because of that the Pack although currently down in the NFC North are the better team. Week 11 these two teams meet up which could be a start of figuring out this division.

6. D – Arizona Cardinals (Last Week 6/D)

Halloween is over…its ok you can take off your costumes. Wait, it’s the Arizona Cardinals the top scoring offense in the National Football League. I thought it was just a disguise? Who are these masked men…and who is this Hightower fellow. Personally, I’m rooting for the 49ers because I would love to see Mikey drop is pants during the playoffs.

Teams Dropped Out – Carolina Panthers (I know…Oakland and Detroit upcoming possibly 8-2. If the Eagles lose then I could see Carolina as the wildcard. That’s what I find fun about this playoff ranking sometimes good teams aren’t on it because a good team that is better than the Packers and Cardinals may miss the playoffs.

My Pick 3 against the Spread (1-2)

Bad week last week, let’s see if I can make up for it.

Ravens -1

Titans -3

Jacksonville -6.5

Thursday Special – Why are the Broncos underdogs? Is Brady Quinn That Good?

Denver +3 , How can you not take the points?

Shame On You Buffalo

GB Bongiovanni — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:43:35 -0500

Teams that start 5-1 have an 85-percent chance to make the playoffs.

The Buffalo Bills are starting to make people believe they may fall into that 15-percent chance that they won’t. The Bills have lost the last two key matchups against the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Those were pivotal AFC East games and also their first of the season. Though it is odd for a team to wait till week eight to play a division foe, the Bills have made the best of it.

Shame on you Buffalo for making fans “Bill-eve” and realistically think that we may have a shot at the playoffs this year.

In the NFL, anything can happen. Just look at this season.

But where do the Buffalo Bills fall into the mix? Can you remember the good ole’ days where Buffalo was playing good football and we “Bill-ieved” in their chances of making the playoffs? Due to obvious reasons it’s possible to start to doubt these Buffalo Bills are the same team they were made out to be.

So let’s try to answer the question where do the Buffalo Bills fit in? Buffalo has a decent record at 5-3 with wins over Jacksonville and San Diego.

It was aggravating to listen to analysts, naysayers, and fans who didn’t believe that the Buffalo Bills were 5-1 for a reason. Many did not believe and felt it was due to the lack of quality teams played.

The NFL is a league of parity this season. It’s impossible to judge any team by the teams that they have played. So leaving that notion behind us that leaves what really matters, the play of the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo’s losses lie in the numbers “4, 4, 3.” What is 4-4-3? Sure isn’t a 1-4-3 for the love I have for Buffalo at the moment, but it’s the number of turnovers in the three losses.

Shame on you Buffalo for committing these careless errors. We could sit here and place the blame on numerous areas, but for the sake of page space let’s blame everyone.

A team is not going to win a game with four turnovers. There was a statistic on T.V. that displayed the chances of winning decreasing with each turnover. It is obvious as the Bills continue to struggle with turnovers it makes it nearly impossible to win.

What about these numbers “6, 7, and 7?” Those are the number of penalties on the Bills in their three losses. Don’t believe in the numbers? In the last five games, only once did they commit three turnovers and less than five penalties.

Maybe we are asking too much of this young Buffalo Bills team? We do have a quarterback who is in his first complete year as a starter, an offensive line (that we spent a ton of money on) that can’t open holes for Lynch or successfully protect Edwards, and a special team’s excellence that well hasn’t been so excellent.

There are two ways that we can go with this right now. We can bow our heads and say, “Yes this is a young team with experience and a few more key players could be a serious contender every year.”

Or we could say, “This is a Buffalo Bills team that has made some mistakes and still has the chance to win their division.”

Personally, I’m going with option number two. The Buffalo Bills control their own destiny. Games against New England, Cleveland, Kansas City, and San Francisco could easily leave the Bills at 9-3 and in first place in the AFC East.

It all starts this week against New England, a team that Buffalo has struggled with for what seems to be an eternity. To be able to go into Gillette (I won’t even use their razors, those jerks) and beat down the New England Patriots would be all the healing Buffalo and its fans would need.

For now, shame on you Buffalo for putting yourselves and us as fans into this predicament, but the time is now. There is no time to wait…A win against New England would be the perfect start to another 4-0 start. Do I need to take my pants down to tell you this?

NFL Playoff Rankings, Week Nine

GB Bongiovanni — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:23:14 -0400

AFC (D marks division winner, W marks wild cards)

1. D– Tennessee Titans (Last Week No. 2/D)

Anytime a team starts the season 7-0, they deserve to be the top-rated team in at least their conference. While I am very interested to see what happens this week against the Packers, the Titans have the league’s fourth-best rushing attack and it can be quite dominating. What is more impressive is the 12.4 points they are allowing per game, which leads the NFL.

2. D - Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week No. 1/D)

This should be a great matchup against the Redskins this Monday night and the Steelers' defense is leading the way. They are first against the pass and third against the run; this is one tough team to deal with. A huge weakness is the pass offense, which still hasn’t gotten on track.

3. D – Buffalo Bills (Last Week No. 3/D)

The Bills had a horrible loss last week against a weak team in the AFC East. When two rivals like the Bills and Dolphins play anything can happen, but expect the Bills to jump back into sole possession of the AFC East this week with a New England loss and a win against the Jets.

4. W – Baltimore Ravens (Last Week – NR)

One, two, and three are the easy parts; things get a tad bit more confusing after that. The Ravens are winners of their last two and are only allowing 64 yards per game on the ground. The Ravens' defense has proven time after time that it can win games for this team. Joe Flacco can be indecisive at times but he is a rookie and playing at a strong level for this Ravens team.

5. W – New England Patriots (Last Week – NR)

We will find out soon about the New England Patriots...very soon. The Pats will take on Indianapolis this week and then Buffalo the following week. With two strong wins here, the Patriots could be 6-4 and leading the AFC East all alone. Quite an accomplishment considering there is no Tom Brady. New England has also played some of the worst teams in the NFL, which could make some overestimate them. A loss to Indy and their time in the playoff rankings could be short lived.

6. D – Denver Broncos (Last Week – NR)

Well, after San Diego’s loss to the Saints, the Chargers are just not what they were. Two games ahead are the Denver Broncos, and while I don’t find them or their defense too impressive, I do believe they will win their next two games against Miami and Cleveland, further extending that lead in the West.

Teams Dropped Out - Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Diego

NFC (D marks division winner, W marks wild cards)

1. D – New York Giants (Last Week No. 1/D)

There is no doubt that the Giants are the best team in the NFL right now. They are battle-tested, unlike the Titans, and are coming off a huge win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which could have been a possible Super Bowl matchup. The reason the Giants are the best team in football, you ask? Look at the record: 4-0 against the NFC; nothing is more important than that.

2. W – Washington Redskins (Last Week No. 2/W)

I would have never believed that the Redskins would be 6-2 and or that Jason Campbell would be this confident and precise. The Steelers will be a good challenge for this offense, but it should be a defensive game in which they will force Pittsburgh to throw against them to win.

3. D – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week No. 3/D)

I still believe Tampa is a better team than Carolina and belong in this No. 3 ranking. I will support that by naming a few facts here; only 15 points allowed per game, fifth in total yards against them per game, seventh in passing yards against, and eighth in rushing yards against. Right now the trend is obvious; defensive teams are winning the games that really count and Tampa should still win the division.

4. W – Carolina Panthers (Last Week No. 4/W)

Yes, the Panthers are 6-2 and should be a Wild Card team come playoff time. They also have two very favorable games against Oakland and Detroit coming up, which could extend their lead over Tampa.

5. D – Green Bay Packers (Last Week No. 5/D)

Remember, the Packers are here because they are the best team in the NFC North, although I am starting to believe it is a toss-up between them and the Bears.

6. D – Arizona Cardinals (Last Week No. 6/D)

The only reason the Cardinals are here is because, due to this poll, they have to be. They are the best team in their division, but that isn’t saying much. Teams like the Bears, Saints, Eagles, and Cowboys should be placed above.

Teams Dropped Out - None

My Pick 3 against the spread

Ravens +1.5

Jaguars -7.5

Tampa -9

Buffalo Bills Flashback: Doug Flutie

GB Bongiovanni — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:43:11 -0400

Doug Flutie had a bumpy road in his sports career, but there is no one that
jump started the Bills like Doug Flutie. Flutie sparked the Bills' 1998 season and earned himself a spot in the Pro Bowl. Not only did Flutie start "Flutiemania" in Buffalo—and around the world—he was also named the AP Comeback Player Of The Year in 1998.

Doug Flutie was the man Buffalo needed but never got his chance. Throughout his pro career, Doug was never given the chance to shine. This continued in Buffalo, as Flutie and (QB) Rob Johnson would constantly fight for the starting spot. Doug Flutie was a magician out on the field and no one knew it like the Buffalo Bills' fans, who enjoyed every single minute of it.

In the 1999 playoff game against the Titans, Flutie was benched for the younger Rob Johnson. This would eventually lead to the Music City Miracle and the dismissal of Coach Wade Phillips. Not only was this one of the worst decisions in Bills history, it was simply a joke, as Flutie had lead the team all year, earning his spot in the playoffs.

Doug Flutie has always been determined to prove everyone wrong and show them what he can do in the NFL. At the time, Buffalo needed someone who was determined and destined to win, and Doug Flutie was our man. For some fans of the Buffalo Bills, Doug Flutie will always be remembered as we hold up our No. 7 jersey in remembrance.

Doug Flutie was eventually released by the Buffalo Bills, and Rob Johnson was penciled in as the starter. Buffalo would end up 3-13 and one of the worst seasons Buffalo has seen in over a decade. Flutie signed with the San Diego Chargers, who played the Bills in 2001. Doug Flutie would get his revenge on all the crap he put up with and score the winning touchdown.

Fans from everywhere came to San Diego to cheer Flutie on. It was amazing because, for that moment, for some Bills fans, Doug Flutie was more important than the Buffalo Bills winning.

Doug Flutie will never be forgotten by his Buffalo Bills fan club and most fans will never forgive Phillips for his horrible decisions. Flutie brought something to the Bills that they needed, and in the end we found out that it was pure magic.

Doug Flutie would have taken us on his shoulders and led us right to the Super Bowl if Coach Phillips didn't bench him for Johnson in the Wild-Card Game. Since that dreadful day, the Buffalo Bills have yet to enter the playoffs again.

Doug Flutie is the ideal role model. Flutie never gave up, no matter the situation. Everyone should desire his determination and heart.

NFL Playoff Rankings

GB Bongiovanni — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:59:55 -0400

If you follow the NFL, by now you have heard of the famous “Power Rankings” or some say “Power Poll.” The poll has gained quite a bit of popularity over the last few years, and this writer believes it is time to try something different.

I am an avid follower of the NFL and will always take a look at any ranking of the teams, but is it just me, or do I really care that the Kansas City Chiefs are in last place? No offense meant to the Chiefs, but: been there, done that. When I’m reading and get to No. 16, I move forward and continue onto what I was doing. For an experiment, I would like to introduce the “Playoff Rankings.” Yes, basically the same thing but a tad different.

A total of 12 teams will be ranked by conference and division. For example, take the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills would have the highest “Playoff Ranking” because they are leading the division and right now. If the New England Patriots were to be listed in this ranking, the only way would be if they were to be considered, at this point, as a potential wild-card team.

The rankings would simply be the best team in each division, with two potential wild card teams ranked 1-6, which gives us the “Playoff Rankings” the six teams in each conference that have the most potential to continue on to the playoffs.

On to the rankings!

AFC (D marks division winner, W marks wild cards)

1. D - Pittsburgh Steelers

Despite being down two starting running backs, the Steelers have started the season 5-1 and continue to be dominant defensively. Defense wins championships, and the Steelers are first against the pass and second against the run; need I say more?

2. D– Tennessee Titans

Look, I’ll give credit where credit is due. The Titans are 6-0 and have one of the league’s top defenses, but I am still a doubter of the Titans. They are 26th in passing and what happens when Vince Young causes chaos on the sidelines? Quite a few people will say who have they played, but they are 2-0 in the division and that is what matters right now.

3. D – Buffalo Bills

Yes, I’m biased and at least I’ll admit it, but this is a 5-1 team under tremendous leadership by Coach Dick Jauron. The Bills have a balanced offensive and defensive attack and a young core that could be good for some time. Buffalo has some key divisional games that could hand them the division early.

4. W – Jacksonville Jaguars

With two games against the Browns and Bengals coming up, I thought I would be proactive, so I didn’t have to move them. The Jags are 3-3 and have yet to reach their full potential.

5. W – Indianapolis Colts

If a team has a quarterback like Peyton Manning, anything is possible. Seventh in the league in passing and three tough games against Tennessee, New England, and Pittsburgh will tell the story in Indianapolis.

6. D – San Diego Chargers

Why are the Chargers here? Well, I don’t believe enough in Denver to put them at No. 6. Both of them have a horrible defense and a respectable passing game, and I believe in San Diego’s chances of getting the running game going before Denver.

NFC (D marks division winner, W marks wild cards)

1. D – New York Giants

Subtract the game against Cleveland, and this Giants team looks like the top of the class in the NFL. The Giants are 5-1 and are looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions and could do so with a balanced offense and defense.

2. W – Washington Redskins

Despite some recent struggles, the Redskins and Clinton Portis are third in the league in rushing. While the Redskins are 5-2 and face the Lions this week, the matchup against the Steelers will be an interesting one.

3. D – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If Tampa can get by Dallas and just show up against Kansas City, this team will be 7-2 heading into the bye week. Knocking off Carolina will go a long way for this team to win the division.

4. W – Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are only allowing 15 points a game but are only averaging 21 points on offense. Games against Arizona and Oakland should raise that total and could bring the Panthers right behind Tampa at 7-2.

5. D – Green Bay Packers

I don’t care what anyone says: The Packers still miss No. 4. What worries me the most is the absence of the running game until last week? Can Ryan Grant get it on track?

6. D – Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills Will Attempt to Squish the Fish in Miami

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:26:42 -0400

The Buffalo Bills (5-1) will travel to Miami (2-4) to face the Wildcats, or Dolphins, in Week Eight. The Miami Dolphins have set the league on fire with this collegiate Wildcat formation, which has caught many teams off guard.

Hats off to Parcells and the coaching staff on shocking the NFL nation with this formation that allows the running back to take a direct snap and throw the ball or run. While it has caught many teams off guard, the Buffalo Bills will be well prepared to defend against it.

The Dolphins are one of the Bills' biggest rivalries. The teams play each other twice a year, and while the last few years it has been all Buffalo, the Dolphins have looked to improve the series.

Usually we can count on the Bills playing the Dolphins in Miami and then in Buffalo, but this year will be a little different. The Bills travel to Toronto in Week 14 to take on the Dolphins instead of hosting them at home. While it will be considered a home game—as all games in Toronto are—it could have been scheduled that way to draw the Buffalo crowd across the border.

Nothing is better than watching Buffalo kick the crap out of Miami in the snow in Buffalo, but watching them do the same in Toronto or Miami will still work just fine for most fans.

The Dolphins are coming off a 27-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and sit in last place in the AFC East. While the Dolphins are rebuilding, this is not the time to take any team lightly this season. As fans have seen, the NFL has proved that on any given Sunday, anything can happen.

The Dolphins have beaten the Patriots and Chargers this year and have losses to the Ravens, Texans, and Jets. The Bills will prepare for QB Chad Pennington, who they have been successful against in the past when he was still with the Jets. The Dolphins will focus on running the ball, with Brown and Williams trying to take some pressure of Pennington and keeping the DBs guessing.

While the status of Aaron Schobel and Terrence McGee is still unknown, these two key Bills players could play big roles against the Dolphins. Over the last few years, the Bills' corners have been dominant against the Dolphins and usually come up with a score. If McGee is healthy, he should be able to provide that once again for Buffalo.

Players to watch are QB Trent Edwards and WR Lee Evans. Edwards's accuracy and the Dolphins' lack of pass defense should allow Edwards to have a huge day against a secondary that is allowing 240 yards per game. Marshawn Lynch should have his usual 80-plus yards and a touchdown, and the Bills should not have a problem beating the Dolphins.

In rivalry games, anything can happen. One moment may spark the momentum for either team, but what has been seen is that the Bills can overcome anything, except Edwards going out. As long as the offensive line plays as well as they did against the San Diego Chargers, the Buffalo Bills should be able to move to 6-1.

My prediction for the game is a Bills victory by the score of 31-17.

Bills-Chargers: Lights Out in Buffalo

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 09:36:10 -0400

Despite the fact that there was no power in Buffalo for most of the game, the Buffalo Bills put on a dominating performance against one of the league’s best teams in the San Diego Chargers. They are sick of hearing about whom they have played; the Bills are out to prove they are for real and anyone who doubts them or stands in their way may be steamrolled.

The Buffalo Bills moved to 5-1 for the first time since 1994 and continue in their winning ways.

The Buffalo Bills have started 5-1 eight times in their history, and each year they have made the playoffs. There will be no difference this year, as the Bills are in control of the AFC East and look to squish the fish next week in Miami.

Odd things are happening in Buffalo this year, including a hot-air balloon that struck a power line, knocking out power and delaying the game for 15 minutes. Broadcasts stopped, the announcer in Ralph Wilson Stadium was MIA, there was no play clock, and the teams were running back and forth from the sidelines calling in plays.

As the two teams brought back NFL football in the '60s, Trent Edwards was nearly perfect, completing 25 of 30 passes for 261 yards, including a spectacular catch by Lee Evans for a touchdown.

Marshawn Lynch was his usual stud self as “beast mode" kicked in, and he rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown. The offense looked efficient, and the offensive line played a perfect game, allowing Edwards time to throw, and they did not allow a sack. After Edward’s concussion against Arizona, it was key for the offensive line to protect him and keep him off the ground.

As impressive as the Bills' offense was, their defense was even more impressive. Each week, we continue to see the additions made by this Buffalo team start to step up. This week, it was former Giants linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who twice ended any threats of San Diego winning. Mitchell was brilliant, getting a key interception on Phillip Rivers in the end zone in the fourth quarter and then a sack and forced fumble to basically end the game.

With the Bills still a bit banged up on defense—they were without Aaron Schobel and Terrence McGee—it was crucial for Jabari Greer and Leodis McKelvin to step it up. While their coverage wasn’t excellent, they got the job done. Greer accounted for eight tackles, which was good for tops on the team.

Isn’t it time that people started taking the Buffalo Bills for real? The Bills are 5-1 and in the top class of the AFC headed toward the playoffs.

Some want to dismiss the achievements the Bills have accomplished this year, but true fans know better. While it is true that Marshawn Lynch hasn’t had that breakout performance statistically, anyone who has watched Lynch knows just how good and determined he is.

Like Lynch, the rest of this Buffalo team plays with heart and enthusiasm every game, every down. Edwards's progression has been phenomenal, and what are most impressive are his accuracy and his ability to throw the deep ball to Lee Evans.

The Bills are for real, and they stand alone in the AFC East; it’s only a matter of time until it’s really lights out in Buffalo.

For the Buffalo Bills, It Was Bound To Happen Sooner or Later

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:24:46 -0400

Let’s be honest, did anyone plan on the Buffalo Bills being 4-1 going into the bye week? Sure, as Buffalo Bills fans—quite honestly the most loyal fans in the world—we wear our hearts on our sleeves. We live and die with the Buffalo Bills.

If the Bills win, our week is complete. If the Bills loose, it puts us in an uncontrollable funk that takes a miracle to snap us out of. As we sit here and scratch our heads as to why our young star quarterback had to go out on the third play of the game, we also have to focus on the good.

The good news is the Buffalo Bills are 4-1 going into the bye week. Wins against Seattle, Jacksonville, Oakland, and St. Louis have left the Bills still in sole position of first place of the AFC East. I think we should take this chance and break down these four wins against our one loss.

Week One, Buffalo destroys the Seattle Seahawks, setting high expectations for the season, 34-10. Buffalo played a perfect game by not turning the ball over and only having one penalty. Parrish was electric with a 63-yard kickoff return. The Seattle Seahawks now own a 1-4 record, beating only the St. Louis Rams.

Week Two, Buffalo comes back with a huge pass to rookie WR James Hardy to beat Jacksonville, 20-16. Marshawn Lynch and “Fast” Freddy Jackson set up QB Trent Edwards and allowed him to complete 80 percent of his passes. Jacksonville is currently 2-2, facing the Steelers this week with wins over Indianapolis and Houston.

Week Three, the Buffalo Bills, trailing 16-7 entering the fourth quarter, come back to beat the Oakland Raiders 24-23 with a last second, 38-yard field goal by kicker Rian Lindell. The Oakland Raiders have fired their head coach and are 1-3 for the season with a win over Kansas City.

Week Four, Buffalo comes back for the third-straight time, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Rams 31-14. Buffalo looked awful in the first half but turned everything around in a big way to keep the Rams 0-4 and lead the firing of their head coach.

Week Five, Buffalo suffers their first defeat of the season to the Arizona Cardinals, 41-17. Sure, it didn’t help loosing Trent Edwards on the third play of the game. While J.P. Losman was well...J.P. Losman, the real cause of defeat was the lack of defense. The Arizona Cardinals are 3-2 and have also beaten the 49ers, and Dolphins.

So can anyone analyze this, or are you just as confused as I am. Is there any good team in the NFL this year? I highly doubt that the Titans are worth a 5-0 record, and the Giants are still reeling from beating those cheaters—or Patriots, as some call them.

One could argue that the Arizona Cardinals were the best team the Buffalo Bills have played. After all they, are in first place in their division, have an explosive offense, but only beat the 49ers and Dolphins.

If Trent Edwards was not hurt, the Buffalo Bills would have been better defensively, because Edwards would have given the defense a well-needed rest.

One of the main reasons the Bills have gone overlooked this year and simply dismissed already is the fact that the quality of teams played and whom they have beaten make the Bills look like they have the easiest schedule in the NFL.

What Bills fans need to focus on, and what everyone is missing are those teams—for example, the Rams and Raiders were not your typical Rams and Raiders teams.

Firstly, remember that on any given Sunday, any team can beat another. Those Rams and Raiders had coaches who were on the hot seat and were doing everything in their power to not lose those games. Players that felt responsible played at higher levels and elevated those teams to a competitive state.

The good news is that the Buffalo Bills have been resilient, showing that this young team has staying power. They have a very efficient quarterback in Trent Edwards, an explosive running attack with Lynch and Jackson, and speedy wide receivers who can break the coverage and slide into open positions.

On defense they have a young star linebacker in Posluszny, a veteran defensive end in Schobel, who plays his heart out ever game, and young corners who are putting it on the line—Greer and Youboty.

The bad news is this: The Buffalo Bills' revamped, expensive, and overweight (average 303 lbs, the largest in the NFL) offensive line isn’t holding the protection needed for Trent Edwards to be amazing or to open consistent holes for Lynch.

The DT position and addition of Marcus Stroud have been absent, along with the injured Terrance McGee, not only on defense, but on special teams as well. Speaking of special teams: How badly do we need Roscoe Parrish back?

Put this all together and what do you get? I have no idea, and neither does anyone else. This NFL season seems so up in the air that anything, and I mean anything, can happen. The stats do not lie though, and the Buffalo Bills, after going 4-0, have an 85 percent chance to get into the playoffs.

The Bills do have a chance to win the AFC East and could surprise some people come playoff time, “IF” the following happens.

1) Trent Edwards gets healthy over the bye week, and Losman does not come into any other games.

2) The offensive line starts to protect better and open holes for the explosive running attack.

3) The Bills get healthy and explosive again on special teams.

4) The Bills study the tape against Arizona and realize that the Cardinals were not the only team to pick them apart at times and possibly consider more man-to-man coverage.

5) The defensive tackle position starts getting to the QB collapsing that offensive line.

Are all of these things a possibility? Sure, I “Bill-eve” so...The Buffalo Bills are a young team and young teams play better under strong leadership, and that is something that Coach Jaron adds to this team.

Take a look at the improvement of the Buffalo Bills in the second half. If this is the second half of the season for the Buffalo Bills after the bye week, the Bills are still in good shape.

Bills Fans, It's Time to Bill-ieve

GB Bongiovanni — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:49:35 -0400

Are my eyes deceiving me or is this the Buffalo Bills team that we have all hoped and dreamed for since the '90s? After a dominating performance against the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills traveled to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.

Temperatures were in excess of 95 degrees in Jacksonville and figured to play into the Jags' hands as the Buffalo Bills looked to find out just how good they really are. Talks continued this week about the demise of the Patriots and the resurgence of the Jets, but now it’s time to “Bill-ieve” that the Buffalo Bills are for real.

The Bills started the game in Jacksonville as if they had not lost a step after week one. Trent Edwards came out throwing and Marshawn Lynch weaved and worked his way through the defense for an 11-yard touchdown run. Edwards was 6-for-6 passing on the initial drive and looked sharp while leading the Bills on a time consuming drive, something we saw so much of during the preseason.

Buffalo’s defense continued its strong play on third down, holding the Jags to a dismal 2-for-11 on the game. Maurice Jones–Drew and Fred Taylor could not get the wheels going against this Buffalo defense, and this proved to be one of the keys to victory. Terrence McGee ended threats of a possible tying score before halftime, picking off on an errant throw by Garrard. McGee cut the route and stepped in front of the receiver, completing the defensive half of football.

Jacksonville deferred on the coin toss, taking advantage of a new rule in the NFL this year that allows teams to kick instead of receive during the coin toss. It proved to be costly for Buffalo, as Jacksonville drove down the field and scored, and then followed up with a surprise onside kick. The Jaguars recovered, and the ensuing drive led to a field goal.

Jacksonville was well prepared for the Bills' special teams attack and decided to take matters into their own hands with the onside kick. With the momentum on Jacksonville’s side it was time to truly see what the Bills were made of.

As the second half continued, the mistakes started to pile on. A costly fumble by Edwards hurt Buffalo as former holdout Jason Peters allowed the defender to come and swipe the arm of the QB. The doom and gloom of the recent Buffalo Bills started to enter the minds of Bills fans, but once again the Buffalo Bills defense was there to save the day, and held Jacksonville to a field goal.

With the score 16-10 in Jacksonville's favor, Buffalo was ready to show what an efficient offense was all about. Trent Edwards continued his excellent passing, completing 20 out of 25 passes, and running back Freddy Jackson confused the defense all day. Jackson caught seven balls for 83 yards and made some nifty moves to evade the defenders.

Flash back to the NFL draft last year; the Buffalo Bills select James Hardy, a monster of a wide out, standing at 6’5" and weighing in at 212 pounds. One never knows what to expect come draft time as most players drafted in the first round are given high expectations. The thinking in Buffalo was that Edwards needed a tall wide receiver to be a red zone threat.

Needless to say, Buffalo’s draft has worked out perfectly so far. With the Bills trailing by six, Edwards lofted a ball that only someone who is 6’5" could catch deep in the corner of the end zone. Hardy was there for his first NFL touchdown and the winning grab of the game.

It's time to "Bill-ieve," Buffalo fans. It’s time to put away the doubts and the past experiences of the last 11 years. No, this is not one of your '89-'94 Super Bowl teams, but this is a very good football team.

The offense can be explosive at times, the defense can be dominating at times, and the special teams can spark anything at any given moment. This team is the ideal NFL team that everyone wants, a total balance of all three aspects of the game.

The Bills continue to host Oakland next week and know that this is not going to be an easy game against a bitter opponent. The Raiders were embarrassed and have something to prove, even though they beat the hapless Chiefs. Look for the Bills to continue the excellence and improve to 3-0.

“Bill-eve” that this team is going to the playoffs…finally.

Is Las Vegas Ready For A Professional Sports Team?

GB Bongiovanni — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:59:30 -0400

When it comes down to it, what exactly are the chances that Las Vegas will ever have a professional sports team? Let’s face the facts ladies and gentleman, we live in a city where gambling is our means of making money for our city and that hurts us on a professional level.

The chances of us getting a sports team are slim to none unless Las Vegas comes alive like it once was.

Once upon a time back in the early 1990’s Las Vegas was a city filled with enthusiastic UNLV Running Rebel basketball fans. The Thomas and Mack was filled to the brim every single game. Watching the shark circle the arena and Coach Jerry Tarkanian bite on his beloved towel.

As a participant in the madness there was nothing better than going to any establishment in the Las Vegas area and seeing signs of “Go Rebels” and drawings on windows of the enthusiasm that we once possessed. Since the disaster that was of UNLV basketball things have never been the same. Sure, there are times when we used to host the tournament where we would enter the final two games and the T&M would be packed, but that was about it.

Las Vegas has turned into the bandwagon team only jumping on when times are good.

Take a minute and think of all the failed sports teams that have come and gone out of Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Stars, Thunder, Sting, Outlaws, Slam, Silver Bandits, Gladiators, do I need to go on? Sure there are many factors that surround the failure of these teams including poor marketing and sales, but the fact is we never supported them like we should have.

Let’s take one of the most current teams the Las Vegas Gladiators. The first game was amazing.

The stadium was jam packed and the crowd could not have been more into the game. As network executives for NBC realized the potential in Las Vegas, the Gladiators started to gain exposure on NBC showing what Las Vegas was made of. Suddenly the attendance started to drop and next thing you know the Gladiators were second thinking Las Vegas.

It was like night and day at the end of the season when the Gladiators needed the fan support, where were we Las Vegas?

No matter what happens through the poor marketing or organization of a league in Las Vegas it’s time for us to come together and support our teams. Sure, the 51’s have a horrible name but if we plan on getting a professional team we need to show them our support by filling the stands. Let’s take our hats off to Mayor Oscar Goodman who has worked his ass off trying to get Las Vegas into the spot light, building dome stadiums, and lobbying to bring Las Vegas a team.

It’s people like this that we also need to support.

Mayor Goodman has my vote simply because I am a sports fan. Sure there are tons of avid sports fans here in Las Vegas but why are we not filling the stands and supporting our teams?

Gambling has always caused a problem in Las Vegas when it comes to professional sports teams, but look at the college level. Sure, there are plenty of organizations against college betting and we all know that is a total joke. For the last few years one has been able to place a bet on a UNLV football or basketball game. Nothing has changed during those games and there is nothing that can be proven that has gone wrong because of this.

There are objections when it comes to point shaving and other issues that may come up about gambling but many gamblers would be willing to not bet on a professional sports team here in Las Vegas.

I honestly think that the problem lies in our image. How many times have you heard people from out of town saying the stupidest things such as, wow there are actually schools out there? Plus our advertisement “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” doesn’t really help much. It’s our image that is holding us down.

The fact that superstar athletes would be able to come to Vegas and gamble away millions or find themselves in trouble could be what is holding us back. No one really knows why we do not have professional sports teams but these could be some of our drawbacks.

Las Vegas has what it takes to hold a professional sports team. After seeing what happened back in the early 90’s, watching the Rebels when they go into tournaments, and when the Gladiators first came about there was nothing that could hold us back from getting to these events.

That enthusiasm is something that we need once again, but it needs to stay constant.

Las Vegas needs the effort from everyone not only us as fans, but the organization it ‘self needs to stay constant in its effort to promote the team. Maybe one day there will be a professional sports team here in Las Vegas, Nevada but for now we are still watching our Direct TV wishing we were there.

A Different Outlook on Jay Cutler

GB Bongiovanni — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:28:01 -0400

Quite a bit is going to be said this year about Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. In April 2008, Cutler was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and it has changed his life forever. Like many others this disease has affected the way that he lives his life and may change daily routines and push the young quarterback to a different challenge. As a father of a diabetic who was diagnosed at the age of five, Jay Cutler is an inspiration not only to me, but should be to everyone.

The story has been told over and over and was talked about again on Monday night football where Jay Cutler completed 16/24 passes for 299 yards, and two touchdowns. Late last season Cutler did not feel like himself. He lost over thirty pounds and felt lethargic and did not know what was wrong with him. Cutler went through a period of time where his pancreas was turning off on him, what most people call the honeymoon period. It’s where your pancreas shuts down and will stop creating insulin for your body, which causes your blood sugar or glucose levels to rise. By having a high blood glucose one can feel sick and if high enough could eventually turn deadly. By administering insulin a diabetic is able to somewhat control their blood glucose level through careful monitoring and eating regimens. There are two types of diabetes and type one is less common than type two. Type two is usually brought on by being overweight and eating poorly. Type one, also called Juvenile Diabetes, is a genetic disease that a cause at the current time cannot be explained.

Approximately over three million Americans suffer from diabetes and Jay Cutler is no different than any other person with the disease. He carries a blood glucose monitor; he tests himself numerous times throughout the day, and administers insulin to control his levels. While I am unfamiliar with how Jay Cutler does these procedures he like every other type one diabetic struggle with the constant up and downs of their blood sugar levels. My daughter who is now nine has been struggling with the same disease for four years now; she just isn’t a pro athlete.

While I applaud Jay Cutler and believe that his status as a professional football player will help the disease it’s sometimes tough to watch. Unfortunately Jay Cutler is going to gain more attention than anyone else with the disease. For instance we haven’t heard too much about Adam Morrison anymore since he left Gonzaga, now a pro NBA Basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats who has struggled with the disease for numerous years. We live in a world where the athlete, star, or supermodel are put up on a pedestal and highly scrutinized for every little thing they may do, there is no difference with Jay Cutler. As a diehard Buffalo Bills fan I find myself rooting for Jay Cutler to compete not only on the NFL stage but also with his diabetes. I tip my hat to the inspiration that he has become to thousands of little boys and girls who one day want to be a professional athlete. One can hope that he is able to raise millions of dollars to find a cure and somehow I find it troubling that a disease that affects over one million Americans is still “searching for that cure.” With all the technology and improvements made over the years one can always ask the question of why? Why haven’t we found a cure for diabetes, cancer, or another deadly disease that takes too many lives away from their loved ones? There are many different test trials going on for diabetes and also having a mother who was diabetic I can see the difference in how diabetics monitor their blood sugars and the improvement of different insulin’s.

This weekend Jay Cutler and being diabetic is a big story, but let’s not let it end there. I applaud Cutler for the efforts that he has put forth on educating people on diabetes but what most people do not realize is that type one diabetics who do not control their blood sugar levels can have serious and deadly problems. It’s a horrible disease that has affected millions. It’s just a shame that it takes a professional athlete to gain this much attention.

Buffalo Bills: Let's Not Jump the Gun, Just Yet

GB Bongiovanni — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:24:31 -0400

Let’s face the facts here, the Buffalo Bills looked phenomenal on Sunday afternoon and demolished the NFC West Champion Seattle Seahawks 34-10 at Ralph Wilson. Trent Edwards made solid decisions, Lynch made bruising moves to destroy the linebackers, and Mr. Parrish excited us with his return excellence.

Before we jump the gun and start claiming the Buffalo Bills as the AFC East Champions let’s think about this logically.

It’s easy to get excited about Sunday and how great the Buffalo Bills looked. After the injury to Tom Brady most are ready to run the Patriots out of the playoffs. Not yet…people…not yet.

I’ll knock them out of the playoffs when they lose half their games this season. While ESPN and sports channels all around call Brady’s injury horrible and how the NFL will suffer we need to remember this is not Tiger Woods. There are plenty of QB’s who can step in that Patriots offense and produce, possibly a Daunte Culpepper?

Tom Brady’s injury was probably the most celebrated injury ever in football, because it gave every other team a chance. Very sad to say as a Bills fan but unfortunately true.

The New York Jets are excited with the arrival of Brett Favre, but how good are the Jets? I still believe that is yet to be seen.

This week will start to tell the fate of the AFC East as the Jets play the Patriots. While the Jets have done a great job in the off-season improving that horrible team from last year the defense is still a weakness. Favre is Favre and can win or lose games and is exciting to watch anytime you possibly can. They have a solid running back in Thomas Jones, but also lack the receivers to complement Favre.

So the real question is: What do we take out of week one’s dismantling of the Seahawks? The defense was simply brilliant against the offensive line of the Hawks and was able to pressure them into five sacks and numerous hits on Hasselbeck. What was even more impressive was the Bills were able to keep Seattle to only 3-16 on third down conversions.

The Bills defense looked excited and pumped up for the game and it showed. Rainy weather at the beginning of the game helped the defense of the Bills start to apply pressure and Hasselbeck never got into a rhythm.

Trent Edwards had a shaky start, but finished 19/30, for 215 yards, and a gutsy throw to Royal for a touchdown. Blame it on the rain, blame it on nerves, or blame it on lack of experience. If you can’t throw in the rain, snow, or sleet you are going to have potential problems in Buffalo. Reminded of the game against the Browns, Edward’s passes were not nearly where the needed to be. This is something that has to be worked on.

Lynch was phenomenal and shows no letting down here in his second season. Many people wanted to compare him to a Thurman Thomas but it seems Lynch has such a balance between power and speed he is the ideal total package. Lee Evans went over 100 yards, which is expected, but “MIA” was rookie WR James Hardy.

The Bills special teams…well…they are special aren’t they? Excitement surrounds this unit every time a kick or punt is in the air. Not only Parrish, McKelvin, and McGee but the surrounding cast and players that aren’t mentioned really do an amazing job setting blocks and tackling on kickoffs and punts.

Parrish’s return sparked the Bills into a dominating performance, but what were the keys to victory? Obviously Parrish’s return, our gutsy play calling including a trick FG which landed punter Brian Moorman with a perfect passer rating, the rain, the defensive pressure?

It could be a compliment of all of these things but what is most important was error free football. The Bills had no turnovers, no interceptions, and only one penalty for 14 yards. Talk about perfect football!

What we have to remember as loyal Bills fans who have been through quite a bit since the 90’s is that while it’s great to be excited after week one and such a dominating performance, unfortunately every game will not be perfect. There will be fumbles, interceptions, and penalties.

Will the Bills be able to turn around and come back from a deficit? Will the Bills be able to continue scoring within the last two minutes of the first half, or will the anemic offense come back to haunt us? These are questions that will be answered throughout the season.

Everyone should be excited after such a great performance and especially with the AFC East so wide open this year, but Buffalo controls their own fate in the end and let’s not jump the gun thinking this is our season.

While anything is possible on any given Sunday the diehard Bills fan inside me won’t even listen to my own advice….Let’s Go Buffalo!