GunnerBill

It is this for me. I like Rudolph coming out, I confess, but I'd totally given up on him and said there was no way the Steelers got to 10 wins when he took over and he was bound to collapse into a mess sooner or later. But he didn't. I think the thing that always surprised me watching him in the league was he seemed gun shy. Whereas in college he was a dealer who took chances with the ball. I wonder if the prospect of selling insurance rather than playing football which he really considered last spring triggered something in him and he just said "if I get another shot I am going to let it rip." He has outplayed Pickett in his brief run this year. 5 TDs in 4 games. Pickett had 6 in 13. agree with this. And it will allow him to kick around as a backup a few years

That is how they got here. But "here" is a position where at the end of year 2 the organisation went with a guy who started the year as 3rd string in a playoff game despite Pickett being healthy and refused publicly to commit to Pickett for next season as of last week. What they say in the end of year presser will be very interesting but I think they are going to have a competition for that job in camp. I do not think it is a given that Kenny Pickett ever plays another down for Pittsburgh in a competitive game.

I blame McDermott for that decision too. I often defend him when fans shout about being aggressive. This isn't Madden, sometimes the right decision is the conservative one. The right decision yesterday was to punt. Kickers were struggling going that way, Bass hasn't made one from 49 or longer in literally months, and you are 21-0 up with 2 minutes of the half to play against Mason Rudolph. Pooch punt, try and pin them. Do not give them a chance at a momentum changing play. I wouldn't have hated going on 4th down.... but if that was in their minds they had to run on 2nd or 3rd down and try and make it 4th and 4 or 5. The FG was the worst of the three options. Overall though, Bass is a concern. I don't think he has been fully healthy all year, I think it is now in his head and his confidence is low. Wouldn't want to rely on him.

And they are not committing to him as the starter for 2024. Or at least they weren't as of last week. We will see what they say in the end of year presser. But I expect them to try and re-sign Rudolph and have some form of competition. If Rudolph breaks free I would be interested in bringing him in to Buffalo and letting him compete for a backup job. I have been impressed with him the last month. Equally if they release Trubisky I'd be interested in kicking the tires on bringing him back too.

Had nothing to do with coaching decisions, but when McDermott arrived they straight away uncommitted to Tyrod Taylor and forced him into a paycut and ripping up guarantees. Then McDermott ran the draft where they traded back. Then his buddy arrived as GM and started stockpiling picks.... This was the first time in forever a regime landed in Buffalo and said "guys you gotta get a Quarterback" and then began doing things aimed at getting one. Buffalo for years under a series of regimes had found reasons not draft Quarterbacks until they were backed into a corner. McDermott and Beane said "that is the most important move and we need to set ourselves up to make it." In doing so McDermott traded out of the pick that became Mahomes. And you have to be balanced and say that was, and is, a questionable decision. But they definitely had a plan that involved getting a proper Quarterback in the building. Not coaching as such but it was a decision that the regime made.

Been a great one. Hope he has a long and happy retirement.

I also think there should be some props for Joe Brady. The playcalling wasn't perfect I felt like up 21 he got away from the run a bit and our offense looks better at the moment when we are balanced. But he is designing plays that give Josh single defender reads and put those defenders in a bind. Both of the two touchdowns to tight ends fitted that description. On the first one, if the defender comes up to play Cook throw Knox in the endzone, if he sits on Knox throw Cook who has one man to beat to probably score himself. On the second one if the safety bites down you have a one on one with your receiver having leverage outside if he stays wide you have Kincaid with the seam. This sort of really simple, clever design was missing earlier in the year when it almost felt like "we will run our plays and the defense will do what it does, but we will out execute" that is a hard place to live in the NFL.

Ed Oliver had 10 pressures last night. TEN. Next Gen Stats on X: "Ed Oliver generated a season-high 10 pressures on 28 pass rushes, the most pressures by a DT in a playoff game over the last six seasons. Oliver had 6 of his 10 pressures come against center Mason Cole across 13 matchups (4 quick pressures). #PITvsBUF | #BillsMafia https://t.co/yZhaCrnfXZ" / X (twitter.com)

I think it was Josh's best game of the year. I know the passing yardage doesn't jump off the page, and he missed a couple of throws (by inches) here and there but he was dialled in the whole game, made really smart decisions and when the moments were there where we needed a play he made one. If Josh played like that every week the Bills would be 17-0. I don't think that is an understatement. And take out the Knox drop his guys made plays for him. The only "oooo don't do that" moment I had in the entire game was the jump pass to Ty Johnson over the middle where I don't think the reward (a 3 or 4 yard gain) was worth the risk. But maybe it is a turning point because I feel so many times this season that would have popped up right into a defender's hands. Whereas there Josh got that bit of luck he definitely deserved for his overall display.

Micah on one leg at the end.

So I think he has speed that Williams doesn't have which allows him to win downfield but he doesn't play about the rim or win contested catches the way Williams can. Almost what you really want is them to mate and have a baby wide receiver with the best bits of both and that guy would be a top 10 receiver..... I failed biology class btw.

Some of us said at the time... don't worry.... Houston will be pretty good.

I thought it was the usual rambling and over excited nonsense "That's an interception Jiiiiiiiiiiimmmm!!!!! No it hit the ground."

I didn't think Josh was sliding. Slowing down to speed up is just an effective trick of using athletic advantage against guys you are more explosive than. That is all it was.

No he isn't.

He was exceptional tonight.

What fake slide?

I hope so.

The O needs 35 minimum. And KC's D is not the D Josh shredded two years ago. We need the Bills crowd to be loud as hell too.

If they are all out.... we play KC without: Our top 3 outside corners Our top 4 linebackers Our starting nickel Our main dime That is a LOT of back 7 guys to miss.

Oh and Sam Martin. If he screwed that punt at the start of the second half we were in trouble. With a bad hammy he gutted it out.

Josh was incredible but his is an automatic Cook Morse Shakir Oliver AJ Klein for competing his ass off a week after he was on the couch. Only for the last week. They only brought him back when Dodson went down.

Yes

I don't control the roster. I think he was so bad today they will have to have the conversation this week.

I mean my trust in Bass right now is next to none. But I was fine with trying that.... at this point not sure it mattered.