GunnerBill

Let's gooooo Buffaloooo! I confess I am nervous about this game. I think Ed is a bigger loss than most realise.

Think reporters are describing as multiple weeks.

He didn't. He got hurt Wednesday.

I honestly think it is one of the areas of NFL game management that is still under appreciated by teams. There are well established principles most employ inside 4 minutes and inside 2 minutes. But basically in a game that isn't a blow out the whole 4th Quarter should be about playing the clock as much as the opponent and you just rarely see teams really start to think that way until much later. Being up two scores and snapping the ball with 20 seconds left. Or being down two scores and still regularly having the clock get inside 5 seconds. I am surprised analytics hasn't yet made teams smarter in those situations

By the top teams, yea. But they used to lose 2 or 3 games every year to the league's middle class in stupid ways. In a number of seasons win those games the drought ends sooner.

You gotta be careful not to get an intentional grounding penalty. It is doable but that would be the risk you run and I think that comes with a 10 second run off. (Well that and if a defender breaks free right away and gets to him a sack ends the game).

Al sounds so damn bored on TNF If it's Millen I'm here for it...... his "you can't even fart on a Quarterback these days" from Bills - Dolphins a few years ago is a thing of legend.

Friday morning thoughts: - for two of the better teams in the NFC that was an ugly game. Some of that may have been the usual TNF roughness but I think the offensive lines on both sides being down to backups in key spot was part of it too. Neither side protected well. - I know the Commanders want to feature McLaurin and Deebo but it was only when they started to get Zach Ertz involved second half that the offense got off the canvas. He remains a critical piece to them. - if Jayden Daniels is gonna avoid a CJ Stroud esque sophomore slump he just needs to focus back in on his fundamentals. I am sure the protection issues play a part but both his footwork and his throwing motion looked a little loose to me in that game. - Green Bay last season were a team that can throw waves of pass rushers and pass catchers at you but didn't have a lead dog in either yard. They unquestionably do now in the pass rushing area with Micah Parsons and they drafted Matthew Golden to be that in the pass catching coprs, but he seems to be being used for gimmick plays and deep shots right now and it might be more of a work in progress for him to emerge as a true #1 receiver. - the stat at the end of that game on Jordan Love tells you how important getting the offensive line healthy is for Green Bay. Through two games he only has four incompletions when not pressured. With time he can be devestating. His decision making under pressure is the thing that is holding him back from really breaking into the upper echelon of NFL passers.

I agree.

That is seriously bad news.

I don't think they can win a Superbowl, but on their day Burrow and his receivers and tight ends get hot? Yea they could knock off a top team IMO.

Yea agree with both of those. It could be recency bias holding the Lions down. And Love at his best the Packers can win the Lombardi. Agree he isn't quite as consistent as the top guys tho.

For sure. But every season is a referendum on the approach every team has taken. That's the sport. You build your roster in March and April. You find out whether it worked between September and February.

I don't think the Steelers are a top 10 team personally. They are not an easy out for anyone, sure. But I don't think they are a top 10 team. Top ten: Tier 1 1. Eagles; 2. Bills (with the tiebreaker) 3. Ravens 4. Chiefs (here until they are not) - - - - Tier 2 (these are the teams I think are a longer shot for a Lombardi but I could imagine beating one of the Tier 1 teams in a playoff game) 5. Chargers 6. Packers 7. Commanders 8. Bengals - - - - Tier 3 9. Buccaneers 10. Lions (I think they have too much talent to flatline all season though they have clearly taken a step back) 11. Vikings (if McCarthy is it this is arguably too low) 12. Broncos In fairness two of those four didn't play.... though Jackson was a healthy scratch so you can certainly consider that a fail. Most of Hawes impressiveness was in blocking though. Which is not Josh centric. He is just a v good blocker.

Yea I think the Bills will have a couple of picks Sunday. I can see it as one of those games where they give up more yards than any of us want but manage to force some turnover and keep the Jets to 20 or under and win by two scores.

Oh I'm not saying they don't need a better 1 tech. I didn't like the Daquan contract when they did that before 2024 and it has played out exactly as I'd have predicted, overpaying for a declining talent. But whatever the reasons there is no excusing performances as bad as the linebackers and safeties put out there on Sunday and they are accountable for that. They were terrible.

I think it was a pass because he called the alert and THEN signalled behind his back to Cook the direction of the run. If it was just a run switched to the other side why would he need the second signal? Cook's not an idiot he heard the alert! I mean we don't know for certain my strong suspicion on that one was that it was a pass. The screen on 3rd and 6 in the next series was obviously a pass but we don't know what kind of pass but he killed that and went to the screen (he also didn't throw that screen great Kincaid kinda had to come back to it). I think the playcalling on those two series can take some heat, but not all the plays we ran were the plays we called.

I mean, sure. Every season is in a way. There is more pressure on McDermott and Beane every year they don't win a Superbowl. Ultimately only one philosophy a year succeeds.

Yea - it's also worth saying that all three years he has been the starter Bernard has had a rough week 1. He struggled at the Jets his first start as the MLB in 2023 - missed some assignments that allowed Breece Hall to break off long ones, had a couple of big missed tackles vs the Cardinals in week one last year..... given the lack of pre-season snaps he feels like a guy who needs a game to get himself going. It is also true what @HappyDays said that even when they are at their best not sure the Ravens is a game that necessarily plays to Milano and Bernard's strengths. But man they just gotta play better than they did on Sunday. They have to read it better, react better, make better decisions and execute their assignments.

Last year was the year of the wrist. This is the year of the groin!

On both of the next two possessions Josh checked out of plays into a run up the middle and a screen. Now who knows what those calls were originally (pretty sure the first on 2nd and 1 was a pass) but wjen people are criticising conservative play calling they need to take that into account.

Not a defense of the Bills but the success rate on 2 pointers across the NFL has plummeted. It was the lowest for 15 years last year. I always said as more teams go for them the math would change on how likely you are to get them. On the Bills they need to freshen up their list of 2 plays. I feel like we have seen that little flare motion they tried on the second one with Cook multiple times and teams are alive to it now.

I disagree that the Bills were not ready to play. Indeed on the Ravens first drive I think they fitted things up pretty nicely. It was after that the wheels came off. Sure, Baltimore's cadance and quick snaps caught us in a bind in some spots - that is true. Could there have been adjustments there? Sure. But the disastrous play of the 2nd and 3rd level is on the players. They have to be accountable. I am not a big Bobby Babich fan but I cannot really put this on him. As I said before, especially first half, I think he was guilty of trying to do a bit too nuch with some of the calls and personnel packages and that is on him. But the stuff the Bills were getting wrong routinely on Sunday night is not stuff experienced players like Milano, Bernard and Rapp especially should be getting wrong. Coaches coach, but players have to play. And those three played dreadfully.

When it is already obvious at the snap that their assignment is blown? Yes. It's the equivalent of a Quarterback throwing the ball into the dirt when the screen he was hoping to throw is blown up immediately. I guarantee when they reviewed the film on Monday his coaches weren't saying "atta boy Cole you played your assignment" they were saying "you are in the pros now you have to be mentally capable of using judgment and adjusting on the fly."

I can't absolve a player for such a just basic common sense error. I'm sorry. Coaches coach. But players have to play. That are not inanimate chess pieces.... though come to think of it a pawn and a rook would be an upgrade on the Bills current safeties.