billsfan89

I still think if this team is going to rely on Shavers and Gabe to really make this WR core work then this is going to be an issue. But the Bills honestly have no choice but to try to make Gabe Davis work in the Mack Hollins role (minus the ST ace upside) which I think he can do that. I also think the Bills can get some production out of Shavers and even Samuel down the field. The Bills just have to try to be willing to throw downfield even if it isn't optimal and lean into what the team has vs. what it should have.

So banged up at LB unfortunately. And the Bills got very fortunate with finding Shaq Thompson. I think the Bills ideal LB situation is to have Bernard and Shaq healthy while using Dorian as the third LB in running and QB spy/blitz situations and mixing in Milano to try to absorb some snaps for Shaq and Bernard early in the game. I think Milano for 15-20 snaps a game can still make plays he is just no longer an every down LB. I also think the team should consider rotating in Buffalo Joe 10ish snaps a game esp when Shaq is out. This team just simply is so short on bodies and banged up at LB.

Just win on Thursday and see how things shake out. The Bills were 6-6 and 3 games behind Miami for the division with 5 games left in 2023. The NFL is a week to week insane variability. The Pats just lost Milton Williams for 4 weeks on IR (high ankle sprain he will be back) who knows how things will shake out.

Thursday games are always so funky we could see a 28-31 shootout as much as we could see a 14-17 defensive matchup. One thing I liked was that without a ground game to work off of Josh was able to just throw the ball down the field and be successful. He’s never done that this season. It was so successful a passing offense that for the first time this season I wanted them to throw

I think you are overrating other teams talent. I think if you add up the sum of the Bills parts you have a defense that’s at least more talented than 18 teams in the league. Its not performing that way for various reasons but I think the talent is there to be a better than average defense

I wouldn’t say it was eked out but only reason I might say the TB WR’s may not have made much of a difference is largely because they got so much offense running the ball it wouldn’t have led to much action on WR’s. But what was the biggest positive to me was that without a ground game to work off of Josh was able to just drop back and throw and be successful

I wonder what the Bills average field position on was possessions off a kickoff seemed like it would be well past the 40.

The talent level on the defense is better than you give it credit for it’s a defense that on paper should be better than average but is performing decidedly below average. I don’t think the defense is elite talent wise but they have a better than average talent level and are underperforming that

The whole is less than the sum of its parts which is insanely frustrating. McD is supposed to be a defensive coach but this team is under performing its talent level at times.

I was genuinely worried about the offense but I liked that early they were taking shots down the field to the WR’s even if they didn’t work. Just the willingness to spread things out and throw the ball is what they needed to do against one of the best rushing defenses in the league. By the second quarter I wanted them to just put Josh in the gun every down and throw which is not something I have thought at any point this season.

If he shows up hard in practice I don’t see why they shouldn’t give him a shot but it’s a long road to go for him to be active on gameday

Probably going to have to if he doesn’t show more effort and professionalism. It’s one thing if you just aren’t getting it done but you are putting in the effort. But if your production is lackluster and you are dogging it and missing meetings then you need to be off the team. Cut your losses trade him for a pick or a pick swap whatever you can get

If this isn’t a wake up call for him it’s not gonna happen in a Bills uniform. Dude got way too high on the relatively limited amount of success and goodwill he’s had at the NFL level. The fact that the offense passing wise was a lot better today without him only serves as a reminder you gotta put in the effort to make it on the NFL level.

It was super confusing I thought are they just giving Tampa Bay a shot at two plays before the two minute warning?

Actually wanting the Bills to pass the ball and not run is a positive. WR’s were getting open down the field at least decently

I don't doubt it is possible that Gabe can make an impact, but I also think the only way he is going to make an impact is if he is as healthy as possible. There's no need to rush him back in November if you can wait a month and get him back healthier. I do think it is unlikely Gabe will change the complexion of the offense but he could be a positive contributor.

I think resigning both is unlikely. Just cap wise and how well both guys are playing I don't see them being able to keep both. But I would strongly hope they could at least keep one. Keeping one means you keep 80% of a very strong O-line in place and you could probably replace one with SVPG or Andersen and draft some depth and competition.

I don't really see any reason to rush Gabe. It's not like Gabe is going to be any sort of revelation at WR and if he could be a positive contributor it is only going to be if he is 100% healthy. Probably best to try to get him going in December so that he can slowly ramp up and if he has anything maybe he can be "Big Game Gabe" just once more?

PFF has been in love with what the Bills have been doing since the off-season. They really loved all the defensive acquisitions and draft picks and then they thought that running it back on offense was smart but adding in Hawes to take Anderson's place added a nice wrinkle to the offense and Palmer over Cooper was a smart value add. I don't particularly care for PFF but it is interesting to see how they like the Bills roster.

Only thing I can say about Dorian is that he's been in the system for 3 years. He's also played a good chunk of snaps given Milano's health. So he's at the very least got experience within the system and at the NFL level. The thing with Dorian is that he's not going to be able to line up in all of the same places as Hoecht. What made Hoecht such a good Lorax type was that he could line up anywhere along the D-line or as a blitzing OLB. Dorian can only really line up at LB or as a stand up DE. So McD is going to have to make other adjustments and utilize other players like Williams and Solomon to get some of that flexibility. I also wonder if they have been trying to get Landon Jackson into some sort of a role as he's bigger like Hoecht but maybe just too raw to contribute this year?

I am feeling pretty confident in this game. But away game against a divisional opponent is not always easy. I am hoping that this team can open up a 2 (hopefully 3) score lead at the half and then jam it into a commanding 3-4 possession lead into Q4 and take the game into garbage time early.

Bills really need to pile up wins. The Pats aren't a juggernaut but their schedule is very very soft. I think in order to win the division the Bills will have to get at a minimum 12 wins. And with 2 losses already the Bills can't afford to lose softer in division games. Get an away division win and keep it moving. The Bills simply can't afford a let down. The gotta win the games they are "supposed to win" because they simply don't have much margin for error.

Buffalo is a special place for football. I have been to games for 6 teams in about 4 different arenas outside of Buffalo (NJ/LA/Arizona/Philly) and while I can say that every teams fans have passion and every teams fans having finally gone to Buffalo this season to see a game I can say that the energy in Buffalo is unmatched. I am not even just saying that about the energy in the stadium either. The energy in the town about the Bills is so amazing. Go anywhere the night before game day and its Bills gear everywhere. I live in NJ about 4 miles away or less from where the Giants/Jets play. Even 15 years ago when the Jets were making the AFCCG back to back and the Giants had those two Super Bowl runs the energy was not the same as it is for a Bills regular season. Of course gameday the energy for the team at and around the stadium is electric and during the game the non-stop energy and yelling is unrivaled. I just haven't seen anything like it.

I think they needed a more consistent boundary WR. But if they can get Palmer going more when he’s matched up 1 v 1 on the outside it would help.

Probably could combo that role with Dorian and Solomon won’t be the same but maybe they could offer some of that flexibility