Rocky Landing

Sitting at SoFi with my son. This game started out about 15% Bills fan who were almost as loud as the Rams fans in opposing third downs. Now, of course, it’s about 90% Bills fans. Gonna be a fun walk back to the car!

Bills fans are about 15% of this crowd, but more than half the noise. Rams fans have the intensity of being at a movie theater.

It’s about 15% Bills fans here at SoFi. Maybe more.

At SoFi now. It’s 47 minutes to kickoff, and it’s as hot and muggy as Dion Dawkins’ balls.

Interesting analysis on Taron.

Things I Am Confident In, Things I Am Concerned With, Things I am Hopeful/Looking Forward To Offense: Things I am confident in: Josh Allen to Diggs, Davis, Lil Dirty, Knox, Motor-- I am confident in ALL these guys. It's going to be a show! Things I am concerned with: I feel like the only concern on offense if Ken Dorsey. I have a lot of faith in him, but this will be his first real game as a play caller. If he starts to spin out, and we see Allen with his hands over his ears, with a confused look on his face, wondering what Dorsey is trying to do-- chaos could ensue. Allen certainly has a handle o this offense, but if Dorsey isn't doing his job well, it will have an impact. (It's not a huge concern to me-- but it is a concern.) Things I am hopeful/looking forward to: An improved run game, especially with regards to the O-line. I felt all last season that the problems we had running the ball had little to do with Singletary, and far more to do with the O-line. And from that perspective, it really looked like the Bills were committed to improving the run during the offseason. I would love to see this come to fruition. Defense: Things I am confident in: The defensive line. No explanation necessary. Things I am concerned with: The secondary, and it isn't close. And not just the CB situation. We really don't know for sure how healed Poyer's elbow is. He does still have a brace on it. And, ya know... his elbows are a pretty big part of his game... But, the CB sitch is especially concerning to me. I hate to say it, but I really wish Levi Wallace had been wearing blue boxer shorts during that phone call with his agent. If he were still on the team, there is a fair chance that Dane Jackson wouldn't even be starting. And a rookie opposite him? With Stafford throwing to Cooper Krupp, and Robinson, and Higbee? Yes, I am concerned. Things I am hopeful/looking forward to: Really looking forward to seeing this defensive line perform. Many have said it (including Von Miller), but I'm looking forward to Groot having a breakout season. I hope it starts tonight! (I'll be at SoFi to see it happen!) GO BILLS!

You mean, "Allen's accuracy is spotty" is something you agree with? I thought this narrative had been put to rest.

I have an odd take on this... I think there is a perception among some that Allen doesn't throw deep very often, and I think this is a result of the NFL's camera coverage. They tend to get the closest shots they can accurately get, and that will sometimes obscure distance. And, Allen has so much velocity on his throws-- especially the deep throws-- that there is far less arc compared to many other QBs. There's a perfect example of this in the WC game vs. the Pats*. Allen, and Jones each had a throw to the exact same corner of the EZ, from the exact same hashmark on the field. Jones' throw has so much more arc on it, that it looks like a longer throw (and, indeed, hangs in the air almost an entire second longer). Allen's throw was a 40-yard rope. If you put the camera angle closer to the play, and track the ball through the air, the throw with the higher arc will seem like a longer throw. And that is my tinfoil hat analysis of the day...

I think part of that is that he will sometimes throw the ball away, but keep it low enough that maybe a receiver will be able to get a high-point on it. I believe that's what happened in the first TD in the WC game to Knox. The play had broken down, Allen was throwing it away, but knew Knox was right at the back of the EZ, and gave him the opportunity to make a play on it.

Jesus, what an arrogant post.

The annoying thing about "13 seconds" is that it has become a rallying point for Patriots* fans who don't want to admit their loss of dominance in the division. They think those two words win arguments.

As I mentioned upthread, Inglewood is not so far from the coast. It should be around 80˚ max by kickoff, and it is a dry heat. I haven't been to SoFi yet, but I assume there will be some temperature mitigation on the field, as well. I don't think the temperature is going to be a factor at all.

My boy will be wearing 17. I'll be wearing my old Kyle Williams #95, 'cuz my Fred Jackson #22 doesn't fit anymore.

Well, I'll be there with my son. So, at least two.

I've been to both of the Bills games played in Los Angeles since the return of football to LA, and the Bills players themselves have said it felt like a home game. There's a ton of Bills fans here, many of them transplanted WNYers like myself. I'll say also, LA fans are some of the most ambivalent in the league, IMO. Von will be cheered, and so will the rest of the Bills.

I'll be there with my 12yo son, and he's actually pretty psyched about it.

Forlorn's posts, and the frequency thereof, have the strong odor of a political agenda...

It was their son, and if they don't want to release the information leading to his death, that is their choice. I'm also a little perplexed by the assumption that staying private would negatively affect the general public, and that it would not even be their decision. And the fact that you "don’t understand how releasing that information would make the impossible task of processing this tragedy more difficult for the family," only highlights the notion that it's really none of your business. How can we assume how this is affecting their family? Not trying to be combative here. Just my opinion. Well, I posted that statement exactly once, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Also, I was responding to someone who apparently disagrees, so there's that...

The Knox family is entitled to their privacy.

I think you're looking at the weather forecast for Los Angeles. SoFi Stadium is in Inglewood (still technically LA) which is closer to the coast, which is always cooler. The forecast high for Thursday that I read for that area is 86˚. That means by kickoff, it should drop to around 80˚.

It was 109˚ at my house in the Hills of the Angeles Forest, just outside of Los Angeles today.

The Patriots* will be very upset when the Dolphins bury them.

From what I saw in preseason, I think the Dolphins are going to bury the Pats*.

Marquez Stevenson. Although I doubt he will be on the 53 for long.

Saw that Chicago cut Late Nate Peterman. Could our long, national nightmare finally be over?