Rocky Landing

We get back in the evening, and I'm on the West Coast.

Football games, especially those with playoff implications, represent interstate commerce, and any attempt to illicitly affect a games outcome would go beyond a civil case (which would, in its own right, be substantial), and fall into RICO felony status. The idea of the referees, or the NFL, getting on board with such a scheme would, IMO, be a non-starter. Too risky for the refs. Too risky for the NFL. It was the RICO implications that made the Spygate controversy, and the weird scene of NFL executives, in their suits, and dress shoes, destroying evidence in a concrete hallway in Foxboro, a much bigger deal than Patriots* fans will ever admit.

I'm going to be on a Boy Scout campout with my son over the weekend, and will miss watching this game live. I'm debating whether I will look at the score before I watch this on Game Pass. Honestly, this game has me more on edge than any game I can remember. More than the AFCCG last season.

Well, I'm certainly never one to shy away from a poetry challenge. Chicken wings, hotdogs, oysters on the shell Thermoses filled with hot tomato bisque The tailgates will display an epic story to tell Highmark stadium is the Bills citadel The weather in Buffalo will be quite brisk But the mood in the stands will gather and swell The Bills’ season has been a high-speed carousel The rewards will come with serious risk May this game be the Patriots*’ season death knell They lie, and cheat, and shuck so well With pitifully little more than a tsk tsk tsk From the league, the media, and Roger Goodell May the Patriots* offense flounder, pell mell From the moment they call heads or tails on that disk And may Groot cleanly ring Mac & Cheese’s bell Belichick* is the evil genius of the NFL That bastard’s earned his asterisk May he, Handyman Kraft, and the Pats* go to Hell Dang, it’s hard writing a football villanelle…

IMO, Beasley will be a Bill until he significantly loses a step. It’s pretty common, and popular to compare Beasley, and Lil Dirty, and yes, to an extent Lil Dirty can fill the role that Beasley occupies. He can also fill the role of P/KR, gadget routes, running back, he throws an extraordinary block for a WR his size, and a couple seasons ago, in a pinch, they put him in at cornerback. And apparently, he makes a mean brisket. McKenzie really is the most versatile player on the team, but the thing is, he’s really not great at any of those things. (Actually, I’ve heard the brisket is great.) Beasley is great at what he does. The point is: they’re not the same player. McKenzie can no more replace Beasley’s role on this team than Beasley could replace McKenzie.

Whatever happens in this game, I'm sure it will make me sad.

You’re allowed. This one hurt. Bad.

It sickens me to think that right now, the Patriots* are the better team.

Do these refs think they're officiating a flag football game?

It's going to be interesting to see how much AP has left in the tank. When he was in his prime, he sure was something special.

It's a bit amusing that much of the debate in this thread is centered on the assumption that we will be picking 32nd. That is... hubris.

Maybe Joe Rogan can play quarterback?

Official statement from Brandon Beane in 2019: "We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers. We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn't make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency." And this from Barstool Sports in April, 2020: https://billswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/17/brandon-beane-on-antonio-brown-best-moves-can-be-ones-you-dont-make/ It's an overstatement to say that Beane "went after AB..." And if you think that Beane, and McDermott don't take character seriously in building a team, you haven't been paying attention. You can call it a "stupid idea" if you want, but I don't believe for a minute that anyone in the Bills organization wants a WR of OBJ's caliber barking in Josh Allen's ear that he isn't getting enough targets, and pitching a tantrum when Allen doesn't capitulate. And considering the talent we already have at wide receiver, and OBJ's history, there is every reason to believe that is precisely what would happen. He did it in NY, and he did it in Cleveland. That kind of behavior is bad in the locker room, and it's bad on game day. So, yeah I'll say it: Not Beane material.

In morals and ethics he doesn’t lack For spiritual guidance, he’s got your back He’ll give you a clean slate He’s an upstanding team mate If only he could righteously play quarterback Peterman

The "same concerns" there would be for OBJ? There really weren't. The only concerns came from Vikes, and Bills fans who were buying into the media trying to make a story out of it. But all of the behavior that makes OBJ a legitimate concern-- the tantrums, the calling out of team, and teammates, the poor relationships with QBs, all things that go back to his time with the Giants-- are things that Diggs did not display, and Beane, and McDermott were confident in his character.

No

Apples and bananas. Diggs wanted out of MN, sure. But no one (other than salty Vikes fans) ever accused him of being “me first.” He never threw a tantrum. He never badmouthed his team, coach, or anyone he played with. He never beat up on equipment on the sideline, or embarrassed himself in any way. and what ppl say about OBJ doesn’t matter. The only opinions that count are from McDermott, and Beane, and I don’t believe either are going to give OBJ a second thought.

Character issues are a deal breaker for McD/Beane. That is how they went about building the current winning culture in Buffalo. Intrinsic to the type of character that they require is a team-first mentality. It's crystal clear that OBJ is the antithesis of that. OBJ coming to Buffalo is a non-starter, IMO.

This one gets my vote, so far. Along with being current, and relevant, it contains the right amount of humor, insult, and vulgarity that, while not a strict requirement, is the benchmark of a classic limerick. Well done!

Josh Allen and Josh Allen will meet When Josh Allen and Josh Allen compete Josh Allen smells blood But Josh Allen’s a stud And Josh Allen, Josh Allen will beat

If EJ Manuel were still here throwing balls at courtesy tents, there would still be posters opining that "we need to wait and see what we have in this guy..." Maybe we were "just a franchise QB away" from something (although, I recall the right side of that O-line being a square dance). But, I don't think it can be overstated that perhaps the most significant change in the McD/Beane era has been the culture. That's probably more on McD than Beane, but a big part of building a winning culture has been a function of the GM, and HC being on the same page. If you look at a team like the Dolphins, who at the beginning of the season were considered contenders-- there has been a constant friction between the FO, and coaching staff that has worked against Flores since he signed on. Flores seems to have crapped the bed this season, and fans are clamoring for his release, but I thought it was pretty impressive last season how he pulled the season together despite a FO that was actively working against him. And regarding the importance of culture, look at the Browns. QB notwithstanding, they arguable have a better roster than the Bills, but seem to be constantly tripping over their own *****. GO BILLS!

It's a nice article, and Beane deserves it. I don't generally spend a lot on paywalls, but if you want actual journalism, it's not dead, it's just usually behind a paywall. IMO, The Athletic is really one of the best quality sports news sources on the interwebs. I was glad to see that article mention Rousseau's interception in the Chiefs game. JJ Watt made a similar play a few years ago, and it was all over the news for days. Groot intercepts Patrick Mahomes from about five yards away, and the media barely mentions it.

I looked at the comment as a comparison to the Browns situation. Say they just release him, and he gets picked up by a division rival-- especially in such a competitive division? Browns are still a playoff contender, and OBJ is still a talented receiver. Having failed to make a trade, it's safer just benching him.

Allen’s there cheering them on. Love it!

I'd rather see Josh Allen hurdle Josh Allen.