cwater10

This sentence is the clubhouse leader for winning 2021… Even if it is two sentences…

Agree with every syllable…

Perhaps we were more successful in those games because our OL was not yet further stressed by losing a starting guard (as we have now) during those games. Brown's loss simply represents another domino. It is NOT a singular issue. And it need not be the end of the world, nor equal catastrophe to be a concern. Yes, they can win without Spencer Brown. They have done it multiple times this year, of course. We all get that. But let's not pretend that winning did not just get more difficult as a result of him being out. It did. That's football. Should we still beat The Colts? Of course we should, but the margin for error is now less. I'm not sure how there is any argument counter to that.

Impressively reasonable compromise. This board is a model for society!

I think every team is different with respect to what is critical. On this team, Josh likes to, and seems do do better when he is able to roll to his right. Does that make it more critical than other teams? I think its part of a complex set of issues for this offense. I believe Spencer Brown is a critical player for this offense, in this season. To me, context is king. And in the the context of The 2021 Buffalo Bills, RT has appeared to be critical to their results. I hope they move past this and adjust well. Still, it makes me flinch a little bit. I would much rather have him on the field this weekend than not. That is not panic... Also, with respect to the other positions listed above, they have respectable depth to overcome a missing starter. I think we can reasonably question whether that is true for RT (or T in general).

Depth is not what it was in the 80's and 90's. In the salary cap world, any team misses a quality starter. When you are missing one at a critical position that you are thin at, you miss him that much more. Does that equal collapse? I doubt it, but his absence will be felt. First year player or not, he has become a player that this team counts on. I am looking forward to seeing how Dabol adjusts.

Ridiculous maybe, but he's moved on from the third round project status that he arrived with. He's differentiated himself quite a bit from that half way through the season. If we have any doubt about that, where do you think he would be drafted in a redraft now? I believe that, after mid season review, he is a 1st rounder for sure. Props to Beane for getting him where he did and providing support to develop quickly.

Agreed. I look though at the fact that Beane gets paid to know not just what he has, but more importantly, what he will have looking forward. We will see where he comes down on that soon enough. Unfortunately for Cole, numbers are chasing him right now. Be it cap space, age, or even allocated future roster spots or roles (Davis), his future may already be dictated.

Exactly this! I expect that all things considered, it will be “thank you for all of your contributions and we’ve decided to go in a new direction.”

Pretty sure I saw these two perform at a dimly lit bar near LAX in the mid 80's...

Through 9 games, they have done exactly that. And I put a lot of faith in that. Still, if I am going to be realistic, I also take a look at the team that ranks right behind them in defensive points allowed, points differential and division standings, with a 2 game edge in conference record, and feel confident in saying that neither team has proven a thing at this point in the season. They don't hand out playoff berths, division titles, #1seeds or Lombardi's after 9 games. Do we remember Pittsburgh last year? Once Buffalo shows itself the better team head to head vs Pats this year, I'll put more stock in it. For the record, I think that they will do that. I just don't think anybody has proven anything at all quite yet.

Just so I understand the ground rules, are we to assume that The Bills have proven a great deal already?

They appear to be real again. And man... the break from them just should have been longer. It feels like... as a wise man once said; "This one thing is always supposed to stay". Still, I think that Buffalo is a better team. And I would like to beat them twice and deny them the opportunity to show up like a poltergeist in the first round of the playoffs.

Definitely hope that's the deal... Here are quotes from NFL Press release: "Unvaccinated individuals will continue to be subject to a five-day quarantine period if they have close contact with an infected individual." "If an unvaccinated person tests positive, the protocols from 2020 will remain in effect. The person will be isolated for a period of 10 days and will then be permitted to return to duty if asymptomatic." https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/2021-covid-related-operating-principles/

I believe it does make a difference. I recall this summer when there was a rash of close contacts with Beasley, AJ Klein etc... There were all cleared to play after 5 days from the close contact event and available for the Green Bay preseason game, when we initially assumed that they would not be.

Have they disclosed if it is a positive test or close contact designation?

There must be 50 ways to hate Mike Vrabel...

That was Terrance McGee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlKJc_CLRpc

I'm Mark Zuckerberg and I endorse this message... Get well soon anyway Bob!

I once had the ... "experience" of attending one of those "self help, self improvement" series of leadership training things that were popular in the 80's. Yeah... the 80's were tough on a lot of us ... 😬. Anyway, there was a prevailing question that served as the foundation of the entire deal... "What are you pretending not to know?" The theory goes that true breakthrough only occurs when we fully acknowledge and own that which we are pretending not to know. Breakthrough follows once that reality is confronted and addressed with action. I appreciate that this is not exactly behavioral rocket science, but the resistance to it amongst a group of 100 individuals was something to behold. The 2021 Buffalo Bills have me flashing back to those days. It appears that there is are a handful of issues that they and perhaps we (definitely ME) have been pretending not to know. The paper thin OL depth, the mediocre RB room and maybe, just maybe a lack of some non-Diggs explosiveness would all appear to be on that list. I was encouraged to hear McDermott's presser this week. If words matter, if only as a road map to intended action, then I believe that at least McD has stopped "pretending not to know" that a superstar QB alone can not quite take you where we all want this to go. So if coach has, as it appears, stopped pretending and confronted that which is staring him in the face, the reasonable question is what tangible, difference making action will follow? I am no X's and O's resource, so I am not going to pretend to offer a fix. Because hey... no more pretending... I can only hope that scheme, physical healing and resources on hand can be shuffled to an extent to make a difference. I think our best cause for optimism can probably be found somewhere between the above and the raised awareness of our limitations. I Urban Myer can jot down a defense to our offense on a cocktail napkin, let's hope McBean can decode the napkin with a sober assessment of where we are. If not, maybe we can send Belichick a table dance and a shot...

Nice! So you're saying it also caused the misery of 4 Super Bowl losses and years of sports therapy? Worse that I thought... lol. I love this team. Thanks!

Impossible debate? Possibly so, but definitely fertile ground for some nostalgic palms to the forehead. We have a few beauties to choose from. How do we dismiss Maybin, Patulski, Flowers, M. Williams, and even Willis McGahee for a curious move? But for pure boneheadedness, given the big picture, yeah... the Watkins trade/pick looks sufficiently horrible in the rear view mirror to merit the top of the hit list. Still, my personal favorite and close runner up blew up in their face immediately... To have the #1 overall, pick a linebacker (Tom Cousineau), refuse to pay him, and then run him out of town, (even out of the country) before he ever plays a down... that will live in infamy in my Bills psyche as the worst of all Bills draft moments or memories... At least they somehow came out of that same draft with Jerry Butler, Fred Smerlas, Jim Haslett, Jeff Nixon and Rod Kush. So typically Billsy Charles Dickens of them!

I so loved the Watkins pick and the trade that set the table for it. I was so wrong. Wow... It"s comical (sort of?) to look back back now at how heavily invested they were in this pick. One would assume that they scouted and vetted Sammy at length, and either didn't pick up on or maybe just didn't care about the reality that Sammy was a young man so deeply and so clearly troubled, that he was only a couple of years away from conversations with lizard people and spending time outside of his body... Geez... Nothing personal lizard people, but I will never publicly acknowledge you... OK?

Happy Veterans Day to all who served and sacrificed. RIP Dad. RIP Chuck. Miss you both so much it aches a little bit every day. Your lives meant the world to me. Your service meant everything to a grateful nation. Love and gratitude always!