It's remarkable how winning a troika of Super Bowls can change perceptions. For example, if, say, the New England Patriots made the sort of personnel moves the Bills had this past offseason, analysts would be standing up and cheering as they praised the thrice-champs over the sound of their own applause for the franchise's willingness to discard renowned veterans in the name of pursuing team goals.
On the other hand, the hard-luck Bills were valiant enough to realize that there was no need to retain the services of someone like the bold, and boldly inconsistent, Nate Clements at the price he requested and received, and yet the team is condemned for letting a premier defender walk. The same could be said regarding discussion about Buffalo allowing an aging, slowing London Fletcher to leave or trading away a hobbled Takeo Spikes and an underachieving ingrate like Willis McGahee.
The best way for the Bills to be compared favorably with their division foes would of course be to, um, win more games and visit the playoffs, but the point is that Buffalo is finally realizing that NFL rosters are almost entirely stocked with interchangeable cogs. If the Bills' oft-victorious AFC East neighbor has made this philosophy work, it's worth a go.
Buffalo Bills New England Patriots Tom Brady Bill Belichick - Realfootball365.com
07-12-2007, 06:01 AM
Bills emulating the Patriots 
Linear Mode
