oldmanfan

In our conference the Patriots and the Raiders. Belichick will do his Belichickian stuff and get them in as a wildcard, and from there who knows. The Raiders are playing solid football and as emotionally invested to support their new HC. Tennessee without Henry is toast. The Chargers have little D. The Steelers and Browns are not going to be there in the end. The Ravens, Jackson will do his Jacksonian fade in the playoffs. If we get by them, then the Bucs and the Rams in the NFC. The Rams have basically thrown all the cards and chips in the middle of the table on this year being their year; the lack of draft picks and cap issues will doom them in upcoming years. And Brady is Brady. I'd rather play the Rams than the Bucs in the Super Bowl as I don't think the Rams have the coaching to get them over the top. The Bills are still the most balanced team in our conference, but when we run into teams that are strong in the middle of the D line we're going to have issues.

Watching the game yesterday confirmed for me our issue in the interior O line: they guy we have laying are not strong enough. Now, any one of them could pick me up and throw me over a building, but they have to compete against guys in the D line that are just as big. And unfortunately stronger. You saw it both in the run game and in pass protection yesterday. Guys in the interior simply could not get a consistent push against Davis (got the name right?) and Wilkins in the run game, and were getting pushed back on pass rushes more than they should. Josh being more mobile helped in the pass game, and they did seem to play somewhat better in the second half. But D lines with strong DT types (like Hayward and the Steelers) are going to be a consistent problem. Not because of scheme or coaching or whatever. Because our guys simply aren't strong enough physically, and I don't know how you address that halfway though the season.

Helluva game yesterday. They gave us the middle of the field and he took it.

If the O line gets blown up by a team with big DTs and that in turn does not allow our offense to operate in a playoff game they will be the reason why we lost. We have lost two games thus far this year, and struggled yesterday. In each of those the interior line struggled aganist bigger DTs. The guys in the middle are simply not strong enough to consistently withstand big interior D linemen.

Ok, I normally try to be polite. But just shut up.

Getting the TD was the right call. That put us up 26-11 so 15 points. Then going for 2 was smart because if by some miracle the Fish had scored two TDs (let's say a kickoff runback, then recover an onside with a Hail Mary) , the 2 point conversion would not have allowed them to tie.

They will be a tough out because Belicheat is the best at what he does.

I keep saying football comes down to physically beating the guy in front of you. Our O line cannot do that against the better DTs. They just are not strong enough.

Norelli?

They let Josh be Josh in the second half and the O line played better. We still need stronger guys in the O line. Thank God for the D.

Hughes with his weekly Offside

We can’t handle big DTs.

We may have to trade for an interior lineman or two.

Can’t get any worse, right?

Let Josh be Josh now. We can’t run so quit trying.

Oliver is huge today

I would not mind our changing our entire O line. They get whipped physically in the run game time and time again.

We need to bump Parker coming off the line

Ok boys, let’s matriculate the ball down the field!

I just don’t think he’s good. Frazier and McD know how to make him look bad.

My one daughter is a musical theater performer based in Orlando and my other is a music therapy major that does shows as well. I’ll ask them about shows, but for sure Wicked is great! Also Tina if you like Tina Turner; one of my older daughter’s classmates is in the cast.

Taking the family to NYC over Thanksgiving to do a couple bucket list items for my wife: Macy’s Parade and Rockettes Christmas show. But I need recommendations for a good Bills Backer’s bar for the Thanksgiving night game. What are my choices and where do you recommend?

I just don't see this as anywhere close. Bills 38-10.

I suspect they know pretty quickly if a guy has to work habits necessary to succeed.

Historically we have two guards in the HOF, Joe D and Billy Shaw. Not too bad a history. But I digress; let me address today’s question: 1. In the bye week it is common for teams to scout themselves. I suspect we’ve noticed our interior can get pushed around a bit. So either some scheme changes or perhaps moving Ike in may be in the offing. 2. There is not a crystal ball bright enough or clear enough to have foreseen what Teller would become. We missed that one. It won’t be the last time because all teams do. Like Ford, I think they’re trying to light a fire under him by sitting him but his time may be limited. 3. Bates is the backup because he can legitimately fill in at C, G, or T if need be. Better to keep him in reserve for now. His time might come if or when Morse leaves (perhaps as a cap casualty). 4. Spain was a part of culture establishment. McD and Beane want their culture, Spain I suspect did not buy in the way they wanted. So bye-bye. And it’s not like we haven’t done well without him (see also Eichel, Jack). 5. Our run blocking could stand improvement. The usual excuse, an excuse with merit, is that guys don’t learn to run block anymore in college. But given most of our guys are vets, and that Brown might be our best run blocker, that excuse holds little if any water. Our guys up front simply have to be more physical. 6. Dawkins is to me showing effects of his Covid infection. He may not get back to his preCovid level this season, if ever.