BigBuff423

Moreover, Alualu fractured his ankle during the game as well. The Steelers defense was not the same on Sunday and as others have said, the O-line made some big improvements from Week 1 to Week 2. I'm sure that also had to do with not facing Cam Heyward, Melvin Ingram and TJ Watt, but also I don't think Dawkins was in game shape and as I've mentioned in other places on this board, I think the lack of Pre-Season in game play for the O-line and Josh have had their effect. Before we mention last year as means of pointing to the lack of need for a Pre-Season for the line and Allen, keep in mind Defenses were epically bad in the first 4-6 games last season in large part due to the lack of Pre-Season. So, the Offense had a jump and it showed. As the season went on, the defensive numbers and performances across the league started to settle back to "normal". As for Josh Allen, I don't anyone would argue that we'd all like to see him return to 2020 form, but Ken Dorsey being the Passing Game Coordinator, Offensive Line struggles in the first game, and the aforementioned lack of Pre-Season practice, might mean it takes a couple games to get back to that level. All of that said, barring an terrible failure, I can't see why anyone would think he isn't still and will be the franchise QB Buffalo has dreamed about for twenty years. Before we go back in time, let's recall Josh's very raw mechanics coming out of high school, was still new to football in general, and progressed incrementally from 2018-2019-2020 - it wasn't a terrible two years and a leap the third year. It was progressive, showing growth - not an aberration of success.

To answer your question, it gets uglier for Miami.

I don't know why Williams is struggling yet, but I wonder if it has more to do with lining up with Ford next to him as opposed to last year? We hear, and observe, how crucial it is for line mates to play together to develop the chemistry needed to pass of stunts and blitzes, maybe this is one area that is a secret contributor to the challenges we've seen. Also, TJ Watt was DPOY for a reason, so those struggles made sense especially with it being the first game. But I expect to see marked improvement from game 2 to game 3, like we did from game 1 to game 2....they (Williams & Dawkins in particular) need to keep getting better.

Also keeping this in mind: it was Africa hot out there today, and except for some minor issues, conditioning was terrific. Also, in the first half the Defense was on the field a lot and yet they kept bringing the "heat" (see what I did there?...ok, I'll show myself out) and the Offense taking the ball to start the 2nd half helped them get more rest and finish the game pretty strong. It took me some snaps before I realized in the final 4 minutes they didn't even play their starters at some positions on Defense. Well done overall.

I'll admit I forgot this change occurred and now, much of the Offensive struggles do make sense. I'm not blaming Dorsey individually or saying there is causality between Dorsey's "Passing Game Coordinator" title and the lack of production we've seen in the Offense, but I do think there is some sort of correlation. I don't know what role Dorsey plays in all of this, but IMHO it would be short-sighted to fail to address it *must* play some type of role, whether that's just in communication or comfort between Josh and Dorsey, or whatever - but this is the only measurable difference between last year and this year. In other places, i.e. Twitter, that I think this is all mental for Josh. He seems reluctant when he needs to fire off a laser, he lofts or soft tosses a ball when it just needs a bit of touch, and hesitant when he needs to be decisive. If that's a confidence in Dorsey's play calling or the relationship between the two or whatever it is, somehow all of this coalesces into a dysfunctional Offense that at times finds a way to get it done, but overall it just isn't clicking like we saw the last two years and 2020 especially. McD needs to get to the bottom of this and fix it....not on Friday, not tomorrow....today. Figure it out and adjust, because this roster is certainly good enough to compete for a Super Bowl. Defense has been fantastic, Offense needs to be all that it can be....and immediately.

It's interesting how many on this message board believe themselves to be football geniuses and yet know so little about how McD runs his Defense and how the value personnel.

Buffalo 38 Miami 17

I mentioned this in another thread, but the lack of Pre-Season for Levi Wallace, IMHO, is a missing factor in evaluating his game against the Steelers. Conditioning and game shape, as well as getting back into game speed - processing the Defensive calls and anticipating Offensive plays - takes a little to adjust to as well. I think Levi struggled, in part, due to the fact he had virtually no "game speed" practice in the Pre-Season. That's not absolving him of his responsibility to make smarter plays, for example he's been in the NFL for a few years and he knows when defending against a guy like Claypool you HAVE to get your head around to avoid the DPI, but I also think there's an element of lack of game shape and speed processing.

For all of this, I'd also add I think the Pre-Season, or lack thereof for certain players, is being underrepresented. Allen had a single half of Pre-Season football with fans in the stands against Packers' second unit. Levi didn't play much in Pre-Season, nor did Jackson, and it showed. Last year Offenses were at a historic clip mainly because Defenses weren't in game shape and it took some time to adjust to the heavy Offensive onslaught that ensued. Even Aaron Rodgers struggled in his first real game of the season after sitting out all of the Pre-Season and that's the Offense that led the entire league last year in Offense. Pre-Season is a time when we hold our breaths and curse the gods when players get hurt, but it has a true purpose beyond just evaluating your team's 5th Linebacker. It has to do with game shape, being able to respond with quickness, having the muscle memory of your key responses, etc. IMHO, Josh needed more playing time in Pre-Season, the Offensive Line did as well because they didn't play much together as a whole unit and the Taron Johnson and Levi Wallace didn't play much either and it showed. Moreover, Dawkins' time on COVID list showed why it's such a difficult thing to manage in pro sports. You can take all of the medical precautions and treatments, but due to the ardent demand on the body, the physical effects are severe and IMO, it showed yesterday on the field as well. Other players have openly discussed the longer term effects (i.e. Myles Garrett for several months) of COVID and how it impacted their ability to play the game. I don't think this should be overlooked either. On the whole the Offensive Line needs to improve, the secondary needs to quickly get all of their rust off their game and get healthy (Wallace and T. Johnson), Allen has to find a way to keep the ice in his veins and receivers need to catch the balls thrown to them. I'll take the blocked punt as an anomaly because even in poor STs, it doesn't happen often. I think there was a confluence of events for the team today and they still nearly won the game. Meaning, most of what we're discussing are fixable issues in the immediate and isn't a season-long concern. IF, and that's a pretty big IF, the coaching staff and players can adjust and re-set, the season will be a tremendously successful one. On to Miami....Go Bills!

It was evident that Josh's emotions were driving the ball too hard, gripping the ball too tightly and generally pressing to make the game bigger than it actually was in his mind. As soon as I saw him overthrow Sanders when Sanders was NFL gaping wide open, I knew Josh's arm had too much of the jitters in him. He was so amped and pumped, he needed to get his adrenaline back to baseline. I think Allen needs to find the mental trigger to get to cold as ice before and during games. He had much of that last year and honestly, at this point it's his final flaw. That's not to say that he's perfect, but no QB is "perfect", it's just that when his emotions are in check and he's able to focus them and harness them, there isn't a throw he can't make - be it for power or precision.

The thing is, New England's Defense is quietly a pretty good one. That's not to say I don't think the Bills are the better team or that they shouldn't win, but let's not discount the win for Miami going into New England for their Home Opener and beating the Pats in a close game. In years past, this would have gone New England's way in some fashion and Miami would be taking the 'L'. Buffalo better take Miami seriously or we'll be staring at 0-2 and a long haul back into contention. I think you saw Washington play a strong game as well and their Defense is for real. Buffalo has a championship caliber roster, and I've loved McD and Daboll together since it happened, but some of the decisions need to be better and Dawkins might need to sit for two weeks or at least rotate in more frequently while COVID effects are diminished for the Offense to achieve their lofty goals.

You're not wrong about my point, and my experience would refute that in terms of the value of confronting a person's abuser / offender in a criminal, or in this case a civil, proceeding. I'm sure she was advised he will have his day to offer his own side / evidence and there will be countless questions and challenges to her version of truth, as well as media scrutiny for some of the same reasons offered by people on this board already. That said, it is often therapeutic to simply believe the truth is brought into the open. It is very much NOT the same but in the recovery rooms for substance abuse there is a saying, "Secrets keep you sick". There is a powerful revelation of soul when a person can be transparent about their trauma, victimization or internal struggles. So, the legal process is certainly not intended to be a medium for healing, but ultimately there is a great deal of healing that occurs in the process and it often happens organically. The process is long, carries over from week to week and month to month, and there are challenges every turn to determine a person's state of mind and what truly happened. Moreover, often a legal proceeding is the only place where a person can truly believe their voice is given validation. To your second point about legal proceedings not being the "best means to that end", I agree. It isn't about being "the best means", it's just too often it's either the only means or the only one that matters to a world which keeps grinding regardless of a person's pain and so it creates a sort of pause for the victim to be able to take the time and bring their tragic experience to life and cope or heal in the process. It is JMO, but I've had many professional experiences with these types of situations and only offer my own perspective and what I've done in my life, that is not to say it's true for every person or survivor. Edit: after re-reading my post, I don't want there to be any confusion in my last statement, I'm not saying I was or am a victim in a similar sense, at all. It was meant to reflect my professional experiences and not any personal experiences.

I have no idea if her claims are true or not and I won't try to be a legal expert myself. However, the bolded portion has to do with the outcome or objective and as men, we tend to focus on those narrow parameters. But often traumatized victims find the goal to be processing their own grief and she might have had treatment or therapy encouraging her to have a voice. Giving herself a voice to name her abuser and pull herself out of the victimization by casting aside her shame and announcing her ability to survive after many years of broken and failed relationships, peripheral substance abuse or an inability to re-enter society as she did before she was allegedly victimized. Again, I'm in no way validating OR doubting her statements - I take a completely neutral take to these accusations, but I am also seeing it from more than just an objective based approach by indicating the process itself for the victim, has value (again without saying she is or isn't a victim). The worth is in the voice being heard, the guilt and shame of sexual trauma being removed from her own mind, and trying to find some way to heal and obtain a sense of closure.

To me, the rank is about engagement. I came to this board for years before I actually registered and began posting and while I truly enjoyed reading the posts and seeing the vibrant dialogue between passionate fans, I don't believe I added any value to the board because I didn't post a single contributing statement to the subjects discussed. So, if the "rank" is about board engagement with those willing to put their thoughts and opinions on the board for others to dispute, agree, debate or endorse, then to me the idea of a "rank" symbol should be something relative to both football and contribution to Two Bills Drive on the whole. To that end, I would suggest the following: Probation: Simply a Bills helmet UDFA: Van Miller Image Practice Squad: The 12th Man (Writing or Image) Rookie: Ralph Wilson (Old Black and White Photo) RFA: Steve Tasker Photo Veteran: Cookie Gilchrist Photo All-Pro: Marv Levy Photo HOF: Jim Kelly HOF Induction Photo The theme, with the exception of the Bills helmet is that each of these guys are on the Stadium Wall as Wall of Famers and each hold a special place for the fans, which is what this message board is about. Just a thought for consideration. Regardless, thanks to SDS for soliciting feedback and the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way. Go Bills!!

I don't believe a retractable dome is beneficial to anyone. But I DO believe a dome is the best fit for the city and team. I also think it provides for enhanced fan experience. That said, at the end of the day, the Bills building a new stadium is a life-long dream. To have a state-of-the-art facility which can be supported by a top NFL team, is something I don't know that I ever truly believed was possible - especially during those dreary years where there didn't seem to be any viable hope for a Super Bowl caliber team and franchise.

Surprised by the cut, Dee Virgin leaves a big hole to fill......

The Twitter tension is building between John Wawrow and Hannah Buehler regarding the stadium story....

I don’t remember seeing Taron Johnson before. Is that new or did I miss that?

You disagree with putting a dome on it, ok fair enough - everyone is entitle to their opinion. What I don't understand and you didn't answer is the tailgate experience should change, right? Also, why do you keep saying "two football games a year"? Did the Bills forfeit the other 6 or 7, not including playoffs? If you want to be honest about the weather, then let's discuss rain in October or really cold evening games in December like the Bills have played the last two years - because those factor in as well. Moreover, do you think it's more likely the Bills play another Thanksgiving game in a dome at home to host the Lions or Cowboys, or have a Divisional match-up? Do you honestly believe that IF the Bills keep playing well and winning games that the venue of that game, i.e. a new dome, doesn't help the NFL market those games better? Again, not snarky questions, I'm legitimately asking to see what your thoughts are....as it seems to me, from what I can tell, you just don't want a dome because you like the purity of having an open air stadium, because the nostalgia of years gone by is rich to you, and because you have concerns over the financial implications of the dome both in taxes and cost of tickets / concessions.

Maybe I missed something, but do you plan on having the other 6 or 7 games in a different stadium? I mean, the point of the dome would be to host at least 8 games, up to 9 in the regular season, and the playoffs during the coldest time of the year, correct? And, given the nature of contemporary NFL doesn't it make sense to maximize that leverage whenever possible? Tailgating tradition still happens in the parking lot, right? So, why would having a dome impact the tailgating experience? Also, if the plan is to use tax payer money, wouldn't it also make sense to be able to utilize that same venue for things during the non-football season? All just questions with no snark intended. I'm just trying to make sure I understand the logic in the argument and re-frame them to ensure accuracy.

I'm sure you're right, lol....nearly $170 million a year is good work if you can get it

I just so happen to come across this article: https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2021/08/04/report-messi-barcelona-agree-to-new-5-year-deal-with-massive-pay-cut/amp/ in this piece, it says Messi reduced is current contract which was a massive reduction, here’s an excerpt from the NBC Sports site: ”It was previously revealed that Messi’s last contract paid him $674 million over the four-year term ($168.5 million per year), thus the new deal is expected to pay him close to $85 million per year and just over $420 million should he remain at the club for the duration.” Just some more info for consideration.

Messi, Rinaldo, and Neymar are three that earn over $70 per year and I'm good with it, doesn't really matter to me...and as you said, there about another six or seven that make more than $20 million per year.

No, they pay their soccer players much, much more to the tune of $70 and $90 million per year....

Factually speaking, both of these statements are false. According to the end of the year metrics and win % analysis, the Bills had *THE* toughest schedule in the NFL last year.