Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan -- Mike -- And the bull dog. Okay Jerry this feel good music for you with one -- goes I like to. The golf. Ball coming right out the golf trip and second night I had everybody singing karaoke. Some reticence involved you know guys I mean I'm like man -- man decent voice and then suddenly it's just erupted. Perhaps the alcohol consumption at something to do it and there was nobody else but. In this. Mark but the I did -- come on my first. You'd call 22 -- -- In -- Carolina and and well that the problems strokes. Now you'd mix red red wine in there. You know probably should've let -- went to the old standbys and mix it up I did and then from there went to my home town. Well my sister and mine nephews corporate who has been professionals. Houston songs and dances though she's and I pulled out. I am. Well received. -- now remember that part or cause no one -- at all not even -- -- -- chaired stool and you knew that was -- He didn't need the monitor I hand it up -- -- -- that a jury how do you everybody's wondering missiles and -- find time. For this kind of excitement with these pre season games to analyze. I was back fortunately in time for percent. I'm -- fortunately it's somewhat sardonic way while. But I mean and it's my job I've Ruth and I take issue with. I know -- -- -- -- you don't care if they -- notes that the guy don't ingesting when the game -- somehow help them. But. Appreciate it does matter it didn't matter when you had super ball players and an in care and marches. But this team goes out and plays. And it's apparent. How deficient they are a lot of positions that they don't have depth than. And -- and certainly matters -- mattered when it got third coordinator fired two years ago and it couldn't score a touchdown. And last year their defense is bad -- linebackers are battening continued bad throughout the season it's hard to hop. It's hard hide things in the pre season. And this team is in deep. They have some promise defensively. But one thing -- -- -- that this secondary is not nearly as good as people make about that. In a bunch interceptions two years ago and -- quarterbacks to throw on the football to them. Including six and one game. Right and when teams a run in the boulevard in a row. You're defense -- secondary hasn't tested that much but you know what happened last year in the midst of giving up on and sixty some yards rushing game. Every -- and -- played was also. Get killed by tight ends. And that game the other night it looked like a replay of what I've seen in previous pre season and regular season them down the middle of the field. She took a field day against them the linebackers look slow things exploited and the edge even Willis McGahee is is being made to look like what spill is supposed to. James brought screen this Hillary just runs around again. Average per catch last year four point 14 point one per catch. Not rush. -- military I and I understand that the need to feel good about this team and yes Darius is the player. And Merriman might hold up physically but still. This is still a lot of shortcomings. Spiller for meat is the the key man for how good job -- is doing. No one's blaming Gailey it's the appellate last year all this team tries you know the play close games that. Destroyed five times but you know whatever rays got just like that was -- other coaches before him. Fans are gonna give the coach time to. Sort of lose their support and fans are still. Backing Gailey I I would say. For me. What he's got to do for me is make CJ Spiller. Into something useful if he's not going to be. Adrian Peterson and can never be an every down running back. -- can't take a pounding. What whatever it is fine American it may -- you will -- gonna sit around all time dwelling on where He was picked in the draft. He he's got to mean something -- he's he's got to be something for me other than the next -- made it. And whatever that is I don't know and I don't blame the bills for an. Supporting him in that specific role in the in the pre season now I don't know that there isn't a role like that for -- he's carrying the ball. So he's probably their tailback. I don't know I don't I don't have high hopes. Alaska become an initiative if he's the first and then back which He does not deserve to cities not -- that and I don't think he's a I don't think he's a regular running back in the league yet overly ever via conventional running backs I don't know I don't know what their plans are than to justify the pick. And Fred Jackson's -- would guy. Who has earned the right to be the featured back in this offense and they need to find ways. Exotic ways to get the most out of Spiller find it didn't work last year at 68 touches and sixteen were negative yards. It just didn't happen partly because of the black of a blocking. But a lot of other offensive weapons emerged last year. Stevie Johnson -- and Roscoe Parrish so I mean there were there were plays I give daily a lot of credit as a coach of quarterbacks in the passing game. Innovator and I don't and we've heard about. And taking marginal quarterbacks and making them into something in his previous I never much about the running backs the running game. You know at the -- a passing game got and a I don't know though. What you could expect him to do with Spiller did they should figure out something that's what I'm kind of burden that's been placed on him by a general manager I think -- -- manager buddy next. Such a star -- that they could not afford. You know and when the -- and then another for another first round pick goes out the door. For fourth round choice. That's that's of the effort lynch. I get the numbers run together after -- thirteenth overall it yes -- Damon's eleventh overall I think his Mckelvin may -- in the overall. And I remind you how they were just good enough -- hot pick I would these thirty years for you wanna rip your hair out right but that's two guys that go for. A fourth round pick. Under under the general manager not to mention Whitner. Whitner leaving at the freeagent pods leaving -- -- cutting maiden wow. We'll run out of guys guess what's happening now in the patriots losing his job -- Is being threatened. He was says that such great guys on the scrap -- but -- -- the second round pick were saying He was a tackle today at practice. And -- is crazy about -- -- other people that part of it last abuses needing to look at something. I think even would gets overestimated times he's that good NFL player but people want to put him in the mobile so Gerri look good. Based on what's around them five and half wins the Vegas line. Are you under under are under him. Oh I said five I was inside the successive three to four lives here. Losing Evans makes them worse I want some of the call and make the argument that that makes them matter I I understand. I don't think it makes them better I wanna know how much worse not even three catches a game. I don't know how much worse it -- makes them at a position where I think there's a lot of to make up a word replace ability. I don't home. I -- -- and obviously guys come out of nowhere. But I still think it come at a guy whoop. Twelfth. Yards per catch an illegal or seven years I mean you know the numbers He was a very productive player He slipped off but He still was a a presence out there that I think help the other guys and until I see the likes of Jones and easily. Prove that they can just that they can be a top three receiver in the league how does that make them better. -- -- Roscoe -- is the number two although we look came at target last year with that that there's a little hole there -- -- -- -- seat I don't think they traded Evans to get worse. But to your point from before about where they drafted. I think you feel the way I do. That if you're likely to top out best case scenario for a team is seven or eight wins. What's the good in that. Mean he'd rather be two or three wins -- him. Yeah I I I'm with the and that that's at a thinking fine for another year to bottom out that the probably better up. Really bottoming out made it may have been looking a lot just don't tell us that. Every move you make is to make the team better album maybe they just say that they don't mean this year but the selling right it's the this year. At some point. If you're sending a quarterback out there. Who's looking to prove himself in the league for the first time and you take away on his top receivers and and you don't ad was offensive line what. Would you sell one hair. Maybe they'll feel they have to sell and. Do you think -- I I came in here today feeling may be better about them than a lot of people the game was terrible again and there's there's that seems as much. Criticism or just. Pessimism about the season as as ever going into a season may may be now. I wonder if you set a lot we've talked a lot about how old. No matter how bad the bills of -- at different times the last several years you've said it's going to get worse first. Do you still think that -- how much worse. Do you think they're on the way up. I think Darius if He is this good is a tick upward although it's. This season is kind of a flattening out if you call that bottoming out it's I don't expect it to be much better than last year. I mean we knocked around Whitner and -- a lot of not it was a big fans it is that they were believing the leading tackler in the -- played more players and it. They were they were significant average guys and bad defense. And Barnett an upgrade if if healthy Barnett thirty -- He's done. And prior to last three years in -- to we don't know about them so. You assume the best about both of them and areas and yes the defense is better but what does that tell you about what. What they've done in recent years we mean we know about the drafts have been -- can't turn that around overnight. Roll the dice on older injured guys. And expect the mean. We are -- 34 years from now. Mean maybe they think Merriman is going to be on this team in three years in -- at -- level I don't. When I'm thinking I think now about that so where they they still need to be batted in and mail more draft picks enough respect for -- I guess at home and amateur right I think He knows that. And He can't come out and say we're going to be bad again folk who don't wanna win seven games don't want objected picture on when you -- another high pick and who knows that might be day. A big time quarterback but it and I'm thinking for them but I think Cheney wants to lose. I've made this point twice today already I I don't know that their worst than last year I doubt their record will be worse than last year. But what they still don't have in my mind is a group of young players of our core -- we'd say. That I can imagine them winning -- in. Two or three years -- you know with with sports teams you have you have the run of success. And then there's a crash. Right -- one year were. All right it's not our time anymore. You'd -- trade off some guys may be and you start over and then there's like a little rebuilding that happens. And then you have a group of players that while you might not be ready to -- with them right then you can see it happening. And with this team I think we've been waiting for years just for that. Not for that. Moment of success. But for where it where it looked like they had the makings of that. And I'm I'm not sure they have that's they'll. There's been too many mistress you could say Kyle Williams and Darius could become. Like the two guys in New England Wilfork and whoever are the two Williams is in Minnesota. Which that with a nice corporate defense astronomy a lot of other good players eating a lot of good players in the NFL. And the bills. Don't have nearly enough guys who were above that -- line at their position very few -- -- him. Would. Derrius. Kyle Williams and I -- scratch my head Stevie Johnson. At his position not yet I don't think yet with them -- certainly don't think any of the guys in the second there the cal was in his fourth season. We're not sure we can even start He looked likens the himself the other ninety. It's too easy to get completions in front of that guy. And that he's a warrior but he's I think he's pretty pretty shot physically and will be will be here about it and injury before along as we do every year and then. I don't know. I just don't happen to think depth. That numbers and is the same is depth that a lot of numbers at receiver they -- lot of numbers and a defensive backfield the rookie. And Williams. Could could be something -- -- my answer them -- they're now I'm agree with Joba -- white. I'm just wondering about that this low point idea you've talked about before we're still not there were still not there. I -- think that with all this losing that now we're at a point where were past that. But it's hard strategists say that. Until and unless there were one or two more guys that I thought could help. Really become something with this team but it's just not enough yet. He if this year is going to be another losing year which I would say it probably is then. You know lose and form out a couple more those veterans those middling players and maybe come out of it with one or two more guys. I know we keep going back to a baseball comparison but. The way the blue jays have done it. You know they. They've they've had these milling players -- just gonna go along third or fourth place every year than they get a chance to move Vernon Wells -- -- get a chance to put the short stops. Then they get this draft pick and then the rest mystery come -- suddenly now the date we have to win but they have five or six guys Romero. Their own guys couple moves now -- a core group of players for their fans can go. Okay I can see it happening now. This -- to me not to. Area at Nick Barnett is Vernon Wells. I mean he's the good player. But the team decided that dated dated Needham and want to move on they won the Super Bowl last year and took the Green Bay Packers. I mean that -- has a nice addition I think he's an upgrade over pause but let's let's BI so what's going on a team when the civil decides they don't need Nick Barnett. San Diego wins every year they decide they don't need -- nick Cottam last year. So you can benefit from other teams mistakes mean teams do that all time. Well let's not over and over rate with collide it's not about Barnett Merriman ultimately it's about. Rating that what you're saying that the polluted -- bill and bring what I call value players which is very few right. Then in this league you immediately after that and then like. Kyle he's no longer be players they're gonna start paying him like he's a real all pro and it's like all right. He's beyond that appeared now -- the villain behind Kyle Williams with the other guys that are making. -- millionaire nine whatever the minimum. Early in her arms and and who are. -- -- That would be treat. CJ Spiller. I mean one of the great guys through from the team's Fred Jackson. Where does He fit their eyes I keep hearing how old is Agassi might actually be thirty now people -- thirty forever. He's he's tonight's football player. What are their plans for a Jackson yet again it feels like they're trying to put him on the bench they want TV it's the let it be what he's not. You get in these real games at first and ten. And you get minus 799 in trouble in the east. -- talks -- -- and you know -- again on the telecast in London negative place and get in trouble. Well when you is CJ Spiller first down to me is. A seven yard play or are enough. Mean it did Barry Sanders did summit meetings He was great. It's and it's a great running back this guy nice runs yes and He put in eighty now and arrows and it helps out we're talking about a guy who was supposed to be. Receiving option -- of the backfield and do a lot of that stuff yet eighty yards this season receiving. Two weeks ago Bulldog and I what's likelier to wins or nine most callers people that wrote in. Said nine to pre season games in the books offensively the bills look like they're nowhere. Do you still feel that way.
