NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The Bills showed off their new threads on Friday night, showing off a new look that they hope will come off with a new trend – winning.

The uniform comes complete with familiar royal blue return as well as the white helmet. The trademark charging buffalo also is present in the uniform as well.

The charging blue buffalo with the red speed stripe, which has been the club's most identifiable mark since its inception in 1973, appears on every article of the Bills new uniforms except the socks.

It will also continue to appear on each side of Buffalo's helmet, but it will also make its first ever appearance on the back of the jersey above the player's name and on each hip of the pants.

"We listened to our fans," Bills CEO Russ Brandon stated. "We have done a lot of research on this is a long process to go through. We just wanted to get back to our storied tradition while we still highlight our brand."

"One of the things we heard consistently was there was really no identifying mark on our jersey," said Bills Senior Vice President of Marketing and Broadcasting Marc Honan. "We feel that the charging buffalo is perhaps one of the strongest marks in the league and why not incorporate it into the look and we think it looks great on the jersey."

The Bills are only one of three teams in the league to incorporate their team logo above the nameplate on the back of the jersey joining the Cardinals and Vikings.

A second element in the uniform that is new is the presence on the jersey of the team name just below the V-neck of the jersey on the front where 'BILLS' is stitched.

"In the last five years we've seen a real trend in the league with teams moving towards including whether it's a logo or a word mark as part of their jersey makeup," said Honan.

The white numbers on the blue jersey and the blue numbers on the white jersey have always been outlined in red and that continues with the current edition, but there is also a thin navy blue outline outside the red outline. The purpose is to make the jersey numbers stand out more prominently on television.

With Reebok as a design partner in the process, there were also some high tech components to the 2011 jerseys. The player jerseys are made of stretch mesh, a Reebok fabric that provides players with superior breathability and better range of motion.

"Those jerseys actually cool players down a lot more," said Bills equipment manager Dave Hojnowski. "That's the evolution. The material stretches a little more. It's a little more breathable and they're trying to pull more of that moisture away from the body."

"The players have been excited about the new uniforms," said Brandon. "We've had to go through some TV testing at the league level and the players that have seen them from a look and performance standpoint and have been very excited about it. I think the players are going to be fired up and we now know that our fans are very fired up."

The outcasts. The longshots. That’s actually not what the UFL has been completely about. One thing they strive for is to be a tackling, catching and running audition for players hoping to get back into the NFL.

UFL owners have been losing money and know they will again this year but are angling to get enough fan interest and revenue to land big-time licensing and TV deals, in addition to a new “player buyout” situation with the NFL.

The season is 50 days away and – with recent news of his signing to be the quarterback of the Colonials – the league has found its first star in Colt Brennan. His story has been one of incredible obstacles and setbacks, the latest being a car accident that left him in serious condition. For his fans, it’s been this long wait to see him play in a meaningful game. Brennan’s been waiting 3 long years to get the taste of the Sugar Bowl against Georgia out of his mouth. He dazzled college football fans for those three wizardly seasons (140 total TDs, 20 400-yard games), then has been mired on the bench in the three years since.

In the 2 seasons the UFL has been in existence, the closest they’ve had to a player of his name recognition is Jeff Garcia. Whether it was Garcia or Jagodzinski’s scheme, his numbers were forgettable last year and the Nighthawks finished 3-5.

Brennan’s strength is allowing his fleet-footedness and his ability to rifle on the run. Jerry Glanville is going to try to replicate that (he was the DC at Hawai’i during some of Brennan’s WAC conquest) and has even brought in one of his old receivers in Ryan Grice-Mullen. I expect them to play guns blazing and shred the UFL record books the same way they did the NCAA ones. This increases the chances of Brennan and Grice-Mullen getting to the NFL.

LOOKING AHEAD
Note: a lot of these rosters are not set in stone, so there’s no guarantee these players will be on the .

The season kicks off with Hartford Colonials @ Virginia Destroyers, August 13th. Ex- NFL players could include Kevin Jones, Andre Dixon, Ahmad Carrol, and Adam Terry for Hartford; Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, Adrian Peterson, Willie Parker, Aaron Rouse, Odell Thurman, Jermaine Wiggins and Pat White for Virginia.

The first game for the Las Vegas Locos: at Sacramento Mountain Lions on August 20th. Ex-NFL players could include J.J. Arrington, Dede Dorsey, Ross Kolodziej, Kevin Payne, Samie Parker, and George Wrighster for Las Vegas; Daunte Culpepper, Keary Colbert, Marcus McCauley and Matt Lentz for Sacramento.

The 2011 start for the Omaha Nighthawks is at Sacramento, August 14th. Ex-NFL players could include Dusty Dvoracek, Demarcus Faggins, D.J. Shockley and Nick Hannah for Omaha.

Just as the Kansas City Chiefs emerged as AFC West Champions for the first time since 2003, the Oakland Raiders became the first team in NFL history to sweep their division and miss the playoffs. Both clubs are equipped with young talent, veteran leadership and drive from the coaching staff, but will also have to keep a close eye on the high-powered San Diego Chargers.

Phillip Rivers and company were left on the sidelines from postseason play due to a special teams unit that forced blood to shoot out of the eyes of Bolts' fan base and several injuries.

The Denver Broncos are lurking in the shadows right now, without a definitive answer at quarterback and in a new regime being built in the midst of the lockout. Hope is on the horizon, but it's safe to say high expectations probably aren't with the Mile High for 2011.

Oakland Raiders: State of The Franchise

The Silver and Black have been the laughing stock of the NFL the past eight seasons. Time and time again the team failed to make smart, level-headed decisions—whether it was the draft, free agency, trades, contract offers or coaching shifts. But there's light under the tunnel. Something sparked last season. It wasn't enough to make fans want to toss confetti into the air, but it might have been just what the Raiders needed to get back into the thick of things.

Hiring then-offensive coordinator and now-head coach Hue Jackson led to a jaw-dropping successful performance in the 2010 NFL Draft, where the likes of middle linebacker Rolando McClain, defensive lineman LaMarr Houston and Jared Veldheer were snagged up, before quarterback Jason Campbell was shipped over via trade for a Black Friday type of deal with Washington. Campbell didn't put up staggering numbers in his first season with Oakland, but he did deliver stability, versatility and leadership to the offense.

Defensively, things are in tip-top shape with veteran leadership from Kamerion Wimbley and Richard Seymour.

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It’s a historic day for the Bills, who tonight will roll out new uniforms. The team has worn their current uniforms since 2002. The team introduced a 1960s-style throwback home uniform in 2005. Those throwbacks, however, have been worn only twice a season.

“One of the things we heard loud and clear over the last few years is that fans did not really care for our previous uniforms. We felt the uniform served us well over the past decade. But we felt it was time to make a change.”

The Bills unveil that change this evening in an event at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Gates open at 5:45, the program starts at 6:30 and the uniforms will be trotted out about 7:15 p.m.

It’s expected the new uniforms will include a change from a red helmet to a white helmet and a shift from dark, navy blue to more of a royal blue home jersey. The road uniforms are expected to ditch the blue shoulders and bring back royal blue pants, reminiscent of those worn by the team from 1973 through ’85. The Bills will keep their charging buffalo logo.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Brandon said. “Any time you change any element of the uniform, it’s an 18-month lead time with the NFL. This has been in the works actually beyond 18 months, but we made the decision to put in a request with the league and worked in conjunction with the league and Reebok [the NFL's uniform supplier].”

Complimentary tickets for the unveiling event are available in person at select Verizon Wireless locations in Buffalo, all Erie County M&T Bank branches, and at the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office.

Authorities say Jets receiver and former Michigan standout Braylon Edwards was involved in a minor car crash on the Detroit River island park of Belle Isle.

Officer Phillip Cook said Edwards was driving a two-seat sports car with an unidentified passenger about 3:40 a.m. Friday when he lost control, drove off the road and into a pylon. Neither he nor his passenger was injured.

Cook said there were no tickets issued and alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor. Edwards tweeted: Got into a fender bender last night, turns out Audi’s & rain don’t mix to well. I’m good.”

Edwards faces trial in a New York DWI case stemming from a September 21st police stop. He has denied the charges.

NFL scouts will be watching Andrew Luck really closely on September 3rd, when his much-heralded senior season begins at home against San Jose State. Who will land this prized, brilliant prospect?

The teams that will be in the best position to land the top spot or trade up for it would be towards the top. Here’s my projected top 10 draft order for next year:
1. Oakland, projected record: 4-12
2. Cincinnati, projected record: 4-12
3. Buffalo, projected record: 6-10
4. Cleveland, projected record: 6-10
5. Denver, projected record: 6-10
6. Arizona, projected record: 6-10
7. Carolina, projected record: 6-10
8. Seattle, projected record: 6-10
9. Tennessee, projected record: 7-9
10. Kansas City, projected record: 7-9
Just missed: Chicago who always wins a few divisional games, San Francisco who has – in my opinion – the most pieces and the best talent in the division but will have some adjusting to do with Harbaugh being a first-time head coach.

So, who is going to make a move for him?

THE CONTENDERS
49ers
I expect the Harbaugh offense to work on this level. However, if Andrew Luck executes it ridiculously well again during his senior campaign, his old coach – who maybe owes a little bit of his salary to Luck – could aggressively try to make bring him to the Red and Gold.

Raiders
Oakland will have a shot at him, and will probably take him. It’s kinda unusual with today’s rules to start two QB’s and have them both finish with under 60% completion percentage. Oakland did that last year.

IN THE MIX
Bengals
Cincinnati will likely start ex-Raider and would-be 2x Bengal Bruce Gradkowski for the start of the season but will want to take a look at Dalton before the season is over. If he turns out to be a project – and I think he’ll be strongly between project and franchise his rookie season -, they will consider taking Luck if the Raiders pass. You might ask “why would the Raiders pass?”. My response would be “stranger things have happened”, especially with Al Davis running the show. You might also ask “why would they take Luck if they just spent a 2nd rounder on Dalton?”. There is a precedent for this with the Panthers taking Clausen in the 2nd in 2010 and Cam Newton in the 1st in 2011. Also, there will likely be a new coach and GM who might want to get “their guy”.

Broncos
John Elway, Stanford alumni, is a Andrew Luck fan. This goes back to the Cincinnati regime-change angle. Tebow is a McDaniels guy. If he’s slow in developing, don’t be surprised to see him moved and Luck drafted. I think Tebow will be good but there wasn’t enough last season to be sure.

Cardinals
I am expecting Arizona to upgrade at QB this season by bringing in Bulger but that was the worst offensive line in football last year, so – if he makes it through the year alive – he probably won’t be able to put up great stats and will inspire them to look for someone in the draft, maybe not early. Bulger had flirted with retirement in the past, so he doesn’t appear to have a lot of longevity.

Seahawks
Pete Carroll was on the receiving end of one humiliating defeat to Stanford and he and John Schneider reportedly are not sold on Charlie Whitehurst as the franchise quarterback.

LONGSHOTS
Bills
The Bills are a little bit of a penny-pinching organization these days. If there’s a serious wage scale, I could see them trading up but I could also see Andrew Luck telling them he wouldn’t sign with them. Overall, I think Ryan Fitzpatrick will have an even better season this year as his rapport with his young weapons – Easley, Spiller, Nelson, Stevie Johnson – grows. He’ll be 30 during the 2012 season.

Patriots
Belichick has the ammunition, including a quarterback -Ryan Mallet – whose surreal arm strength might woo Al Davis.

Former Giants running back Tiki Barber and WFAN’s Mike Francesa butted heads in a lively Wednesday radio interview, causing Barber to bristle and one of his former Giants teammates to sound off against the WFAN host on Twitter.

Barber, who intends to return to NFL next season, sparred with Francesa, the highlights coming when Barber’s failed broadcasting career at NBC was broached.

“The guys at NBC, and I know all of them, they felt that you did a bad job, and they said you thought you were entitled,” Francesa said, also calling Barber’s time at NBC a “failure.”

“I think it’s unfair for you to label it that way,” said Barber. “I don’t know what I could have done better at NBC.”

But Francesa would not let Barber end the conversation there.

“Tiki, you got fired,” Francesa said.

“Oh, did I? Did I? Mike I don’t think you know the story,” Barber retaliated.

Later Wednesday, former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan – now an NFL studio analyst for Fox – was asked by one Twitter user: “Have you heard the Tiki interview on Francesca’s (sic) show? It is cringe inducing!”

“Francesca is an idiot,” Strahan tweeted in response.