Logic

Tell us how you REALLY feel though.

Mac Jones' ceiling, in my opinion, is Andy Dalton, Kirk Cousins, Chad Pennington...that type of guy. Which is to say: surround him with a good running game and defense, and he can bring his team to the playoffs most of the time. As far as consistently threatening the Bills for the AFC East or threatening for a Lombardi? I don't see it. The modern NFL is dominated by quarterbacks who can improvise, play out of structure, make off-platform throws, and are generally next level athletic phenoms who can carry their teams on their backs. Sure, every few years you'll get an outlier, but most years, the Allens, Mahomes, and Rodgers of the world will continue to dominate. Defenses are simply too good nowadays, especially once you get to the playoffs. If you don't have a guy who can create his own offense against those elite defenses....good luck. Another way of saying this is that I don't view Mac Jones (or Tua Tagovailoa, for that matter) being a threat to regularly outduel Josh Allen in big games or to regularly foster more team success than the elite quarterbacks.

Oh dear.

Thanks for this. It's similar to when I hear about a player making plays in practice against the second or third team opposition, and people are quick to point out "psshh, it came against backups, it means nothing". Well, no. A good prospect for whom we have high expectations -- AJ Epenesa, say -- is SUPPOSED TO be making plays against "inferior" competition! It's not necessarily news that he's making those plays, but it WOULD be news if he WASN'T making them!

I will not get too worked up about training camp reps, I will not get too worked up about training camp reps, I will not get too worked up about training camp reps...

Oh don't get me wrong, BADOL, I don't really care about Wawrow one way or the other. My post was solely to point out the huge ego and inflated sense of self worth it takes for someone with absolutely zero experience in sports journalism to be trying to give advice to a long time professional sports journalist, and then acting like he's big timing you when he ignores your nonsense. It's not the least bit surprising, mind you, because "guy with huge ego and inflated sense of self worth presuming to know better than everyone else" is kind of your whole schtick. Tell me: do you give advice to Bills players, too? I bet THEY'D listen!

Not sure. I don't subscribe.

Using a reputable VPN and subscribing to the European version of NFL Gamepass for $250 per year still looks to be the best option for those who don't have or want DirecTV. From there, all you have to do is hook your streaming device up to your TV either with an HDMI cable or via Aircasting, and boom, high definition NFL football on demand, on your television, plus NFL Network, Red Zone, and the full archive of NFL Network programming and past games and Super Bowls to boot. Hopefully, this is the last year that this is necessary. Sounds like from 2023 onward, we'll be able to just get Sunday Ticket (or whatever they're going to call it) from Google or Amazon or whoever wins the bid.

340 lbs. My goodness, that's a big boy, even for a guard. For comparison: Cody Ford, who is no one's idea of a small man, weighs 329.

I’m not sure where to find splits. I’ll poke around and see if I can find some and report back. If anyone reading this knows where to find some, please point me that way. But yes, they were using Gilliam more, and they were also using Tommy Doyle as an extra blocker and eligible receiver quite a bit. He basically took on the “Lee Smith role” and became essentially a blocking specialist TE2.

1) It was the implementation of more 12 and 21 personnel last year that finally got the Bills out of their offensive rut. They stagnated in a major way trying to operate only out of 10 and 11 all the time. 2) Heavier personnel does not necessarily mean running the ball more. The main objective is to put the defense in a bind as to what personnel to use themselves. If they come out in base, you can spread the field and get matchups like Cook or Knox vs a linebacker. If they come out in nickel, you have an advantage in the run game. 10 and 11 personnel do not necessarily present the same “pick your poison” dilemma. 3) Practicing and implementing heavier personnel groupings does not mean they’re not still going to spend a lot of time in 10 and 11 looks. It just means they’re diversifying.

If there’s one thing that long time Associated Press journalist John Wawrow needs, it’s advice from internet message board user BADOLBILZ. 🤣

Man, looks like Josh had a ROUGH offseason.

As I sit here and think about it, it makes sense. The players have to leave their homes and wives and routines to come sleep in a college dorm and eat cafeteria food for several weeks. I’m sure there are some fun team building aspects to it, but I get why the players wouldn’t love it. Besides, I think NFL players have mostly hated and dreaded training camp in general for the entire history of the league. Maybe less so now that it’s less physical and the league got rid of two-a-days, but still.

Which part isn’t true: that Josh likes to go away for camp or that Fisher makes great Turkey burgers?

Strange, I’ve never had that issue. I list “Bills” and “NFL” as my interests, and those are the articles I get. One can also just click on the Bills logo to access all the Bills material. To each their own, but I’ve found The Athletic to be highly worth the money.

He's been regularly posting training camp previews, position group by position group, for The Athletic. That's his dayjob. You can subscribe for less than the cost of two beers at the bar. I highly recommend doing so, especially during this time of year.

I hope you’re right. The adjustment period that I envision is mostly Ken Dorsey settling in, and the offense finding the right balance between the new stuff they’re trying to incorporate — more 12 and 13 personnel, getting the run game going consistently — and what has worked in the past. In addition to Dorsey being a first time play caller, Aaron Kromer being the new o-line coach might mean the run game takes a few weeks to find what works best and most consistently. As Brandon Beane has said in the past, you don’t really start to know what you are as a football team until week 5 or so. If the Bills are changing and evolving, it may take some time to get firing on all cylinders. We used to see this all the time with the Patriots. They’d be mediocre to slightly above average in September, but by mid October they were unstoppable juggernauts. Anyway, I’d love it if it turns out I’m being overly pessimistic and they end up going 14-3 instead.

I realize I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't ever need to see Josh Allen take a preseason snap again. No preseason reps sure didn't seem to hurt him in 2020.

(Don't forget the Sharon Tate house!)

He leaves behind a complex legacy. On the one hand, he broke the agreement that all of the territories had, put a lot of people out of business, and singlehandedly killed the territory system. His system of paying the wrestlers as personal contractors -- thus denying health care and other workers' rights -- and having them out on the road for 300 dates a year (and yes, I realize no one forced the wrestlers to do this) have contributed to the untimely deaths of many men. On the other hand, he brought unprecedented fame and mainstream attention to professional wrestling, made a lot of people a lot of money, and created a billion dollar empire. As a businessman, visionary, and promotor, he is/was a genius. As a person, things are a lot more complicated. In any case, most of us who love professional wrestling (or ever loved it in the past) would likely not have had that opportunity had it not been for Vince. So thanks, Mr McMahon, and happy trails. I'll be interested to see what Stephanie and Paul do with the company now.

No argument here. I think the Bills will be fine in the long term with regard to the offensive coordinator change, but I expect there to be an adjustment period coming out of the gates. That period will happen to coincide with the toughest part of the schedule. I could see either the Ravens or Chiefs games being a win instead of a loss, in which case the Bills wind up 13-4, and that may be good enough for a first round bye, particularly considering what dogfights the three other AFC divisions appear to be.

The first six weeks of the Bills schedule are tough. The team will also be adapting to a new offensive playcaller, adding to the challenge. I see it like this: @ Rams L Titans W @ Dolphins W @ Ravens L Steelers W @ Chiefs L 3-3 to start the season. After the Bye week, however, I see them going 9-2 to finish 12-5 and win the East.

That doesn't say anything about the LOCAL support, though. LA is a popular destination for opposing fans to go to see games. Obviously, the league doesn't care WHO is in the seats, so long as the tickets are being bought. Just pointing out that sold out games don't necessarily equal hardy local fan support.

Allen is certainly the exception rather than the rule. And it certainly wasn't a crazy idea to pick Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield -- two guys with quality production in tough conferences -- ahead of Allen. That said, picking Allen first also wasn't a completely crazy notion with no chance of happening. There were rumors leading all the way up to the morning of the draft that the Browns were down to either Mayfield or Allen, and there were even reports that they were leaning Allen. Mel Kiper had Allen ranked as his number one quarterback. Drafting a quarterback is such a career shaping thing for a GM. John Dorsey drafted the wrong one.