SoMAn

I didn’t mean six or seven plays for a single game. I was referring to 5 playoff games (all losses) that were collectively decided by 6 or 7 plays. 300 minutes (+ OT) of football decided by that handful of plays. A dropped pass in the end zone, wide right, special teams screwup with seconds remaining, amazing escape from a certain sack by Deshaun Watson, and 13 seconds of either poor coaching or missed assignments. 6 or 7 plays that may well have changed the outcome of all 5 postseason games.

5 Bills playoff games with defeat snatched from the jaws of what could have been victories. About 6 or 7 plays total decided the outcomes of these 5 playoff games: Browns ‘89 Titans ‘92 Giants ‘90 Texans ‘19 Chiefs ‘21 observations watching vintage game film… the officials appear much older and less fit than today’s crews. QB hits were brutal. The rule changes protecting quarterbacks are some of the best changes in recent times. Originally the rule was scoffed at, and jokes were made about quarterbacks in skirts, but so much of the team’s cap is dedicated to that position and those are the marquee names that increase viewership = $$$. Good rule. Personal note- That Browns Game was memorable for me as I watched the first half at a local sports bar with my fellow Bills fans, then had to see the ending in hospital after breaking my ankle in three places at halftime playing parking lot football. 32 years later I can still feel it.

Thanks. Follow up- with game pass, can you watch on your smart tv using the Amazon app (or other) or are you limited to using phone or computer?

Question about Amazon broadcasts… can they be watched at your convenience on your watch as are most streaming offerings, or can you only watch live? I have DIRECTV and DVR and always record games. I usually watch in real time, but it’s a nice feature being able to pause, rewind, forward, or go back at a later time to review. We can’t record from streaming services with the DVR, but the benefit is the content is usually available as long as you’re a subscriber. So, with live sports like NFL football, are games available after original airing?

An MD carnival

No doubt there were rookie mistakes, but coming from Wyoming he had little exposure to the level of speed and talent of the NFL. Naturally, there was going to be a learning curve. But as others have pointed out, the Minnesota game showed glimpses of the smart, athletic leader and gave hope to the long-suffering Bills Mafia. His first 2 years were not awful, as seems to be a common perception. He was simply a rookie who had a huge adjustment from college - and BTW, had a less than average surrounding cast on the O-line and receiving group. He was behind the eight ball from the start. How well could any QB have done with that supporting offense? With off-season Jordan Palmer sessions to correct mechanical flaws, and his improving ability to read defenses, his natural physical gifts are more evident now. The signs were there in the first 2 years. It blossomed in year 3 after getting a couple years of experience. But, he didn't suck in years 1 and 2. In year two they won 10 games. How bad could he have been?

I never wanted Darnold-mostly because it’s a stupid name. Its not Donald. It’s not Arnold. It’s an awkward mashup of two names that doomed him from the start.

It's hard to say, but I suspect they would have found a way to have some measure of success. Maybe just not to the point where they're superbowl favorites as they are today. Beane would have found players like Trubisky. Maybe drafted a Hebert or Burrow if they were in that position. Remember, McDermott got them 9 wins and into the playoffs (with a little luck) in his first season and with a vastly inferior squad compared to what they're no fielding. 'Probably' is my answer.

After decades of futility with average to sub-par QBs, fate did indeed come our way after 20+ years. The domino effect is astounding. Because of the early success with Diggs and the culture cultivated by McD and Beane, the word is out around the NFL player community that Buffalo is a desirable destination. Next thing, it's top talent like Von Miller. And there will be more. Success breeds success.

Is it general knowledge whether or not Josh was the 2018 QB prospect Beane and McD wanted from the get-go? I can't remember if it's actually been revealed by anyone from inside the Bills organization. It would be interesting to know how they had each of the 5 QBs rated. Obviously, they had Josh ahead of Rosen and Jackson. Now Darnold and Rosen are both busts, and the overall # 1 Mayfield is about to get traded for nothing or get cut. It's clear now that even throwing Jackson into the mix, Allen was the best choice.

WR Chris Olave or Trent McDuffie, CB Although I believe either of those players are real possibilities to be picked by Buffalo, I predict the Bills trade out of the first round. With all the money they've already allocated to FAs, I wouldn't be surprised for the Bills to find a trade partner who will take # 25 in exchange for their 2nd round and additional picks - maybe a 3rd or 4th, and/or picks in 2023. Wouldn't mind seeing them have 2 picks in both second and third rounds. Apart from the QB position, there's a lot of depth at other need positions. Depending on the slot of the trade partner, and without hesitation, I'd trade # 25 for an additional 2nd and 3rd .

Dependable. Rarely dropped passes thrown to him. He was the go-to guy over the middle for first downs. I'll take that skill over that of the speedster with poor concentration who frequently drops passes in clutch situations. Still good, but not quite the same after the haircut. 😏

...which was facilitated by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam who opted for Baker when he went against the wishes of all his personnel people who wanted Josh as the #1 pick. Thank you Jimmy!

No.

Wish him well. Turnover is just part of every NFL team history. Someone posted highlights from the Viking game in Josh's rookie year, and it's amazing to see what looked like a completely different team. It kind of is! It hardly seems like it was not long ago when Allen was drafted, yet the team roster barely resembles what it was then. By my count, there are only about 14 players from that team on the current roster. Taiwan and left and come back. Wallace may well be gone before the 2022 kickoff.

My creamy cole slaw has mayo, celery seeds, dry mustard, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Mom made it when I was a kid. It's also great on hamburgers. Jordan Hicks? Never heard of him.

I was finally able to re-watch the final couple of minutes of the KC/Buff divisional game. I admit I don't know what the defensive schemes were during those final plays against KC, but one thing was obvious - the TD pass to Hill was right down the middle. Isn't that the general area that the talented long-armed pass-defending named Edmunds should be covering? Then, in overtime, the killer. Another KC pass over the middle for enough yards to get into field goal range and win the game. Again, without direct knowledge of who should be doing what, one thing is clear - the Bills were exploited on both critical plays in the middle of the field. Why wasn't the pro-bowl middle linebacker somewhere in the area, either to defend the pass or make the tackle? On both plays he was nowhere to be seen. I don't know if it actually was Edmunds, but it's clear somebody blew an assignment.

I’d like to see the combined stats of all playoff and prime time games he’s played in. He’s at his best under the spotlight on a big stage.

I already gave the thumbs up to another responder who pointed out his role as captain. That's all I asked for was evidence. That may be it. On the other hand, he may have been thrust into that role by the hierarchy. One thing for sure is that he's a polarizing figure for fans of the team. These debates are proof. I've watched a lot of NFL football and seen a lot of defenders through past decades, and compared to ones I've viewed in that period, watching Edmund's play, I see a guy who appears tentative and is easily pushed around. Just my opinion.

His role has been explained as not being the seek and destroy middle linebacker as much as it is as a pass defender who can mess up passing lanes with his long wingspan. I want to believe that Edmunds is as valuable as some seem to think. I've re-watched entire games focusing on his play when the Bills' defense is on the field. I don't see any great pass defender, but I do see a liability against the run. I see a guy running around aimlessly, misjudging where the ball is going, getting pushed around, and frequently standing around the ball carrier when someone else made the tackle. Tell me all day about his pro bowls and what a great defender he is. For me, he doesn't pass the eye test. His real NFL worth can be measured by what his trade value is. He was pick # 17 in the first round in 2018. At 23 years old and with 4 years experience, has his value gone up or down? There's your answer.

What evidence is there that he's a team leader? He's been tasked with relaying the defensive signals, which is more a product of his position in the middle of the defense than it is about his actual leadership. I don't personally know Edmunds, but I've never gotten the sense that he's a leader. When you watch Josh and see the interaction with his teammates, his body language and the reaction he gets screams 'leader'. When Kyle Williams was on the team, you had no doubt he was a leader on defense. Some people are born leaders. Edmunds ain't one of them IMO.

Humor. Nothing more.

BTW - great avatar Eball! At the risk of sounding overly negative, my comment about red helmets and the never-ending fawning by over 90s Bills and 70s Sabres by AARP-member Buffalonians wasn't meant to disparage. It was an observation. Clinging to the past is just such a Buffalo thing. It's quaint, though a little weird. It's nice to reflect occasionally, but I prefer to leave the past in the past. In a scene from The Sopranos, the old gang was in Florida reminiscing about past exploits. Bored with it all, Tony Soprano said, " 'remember when' is the lowest form of conversation". Agree. Whenever I'd go back for a visit Buffalo, years after I moved south, I could walk into the same gin mill or pizzeria and see the same people with the same winter jackets sitting on the same bar stool having the same conversations. It was like groundhog day. A WNY time warp. Half of the girls I'd see in public would still have their 70's-style wing-front bangs, 80's mullets, or combination of the two. Their mothers kept local 'beauty parlors' busy maintaining their Alice-from-the-Brady Bunch hairstyle they'd sported since 1959. Dad still wore his 3 piece suit from Riverside Men's Shop for his sales associate position. Their never married brother still has his Buffalo Evening News cartoon poster of Bob McAdoo hanging in the basement, stapled to a faux-wood paneled wall, just behind the washer and dryer. Change isn't easily embraced. Just say the word 'dome' if you need proof. ps - don't take this seriously

I'm with you on both. I don't know how the economic impact of the Bills in an area like WNY can be calculated. Few NFL cities have a culture that is as symbiotic as the Bills and Buffalo. So much of Buffalo's identity is tied to the Buffalo Bills. The impact is certainly greater than the immediate jobs connected directly to the team and local OP businesses. I'm guessing the domino effect could be a perception in the business world that Buffalo is a second-rate city and isn't a desirable locale for some Fortune 500-level company considering WNY as a home base. Just as the Buffalo area is experiencing renewed growth, it could come to a screeching halt if the Bills left. Could that be a precursor to the Sabres exodus and the end of big league sports in the area? How do you measure the unique nature of the Bills' and WNY and the impact economically? I'm in Atlanta. If the Falcons were moved, there would be many disappointed loyalists, but compared to the heartache hundreds of thousands of Buffalo residents would experience, a Falcon team relocation would be a collective shoulder shrug in Georgia. They'd get over it just as quickly as they did when the NHL's Flames and Thrashers left town. Whatever happens, a new stadium has to happen for the Bills to remain in Buffalo. How about selling shares for ownership of a facility?