Rochesterfan

Thought it before the details and think it now - good deal. Gets him cheap the rest of this year and next. Price goes up as the salary cap expands. Good work for both sides.

Correct and the quote was basically they looked good in practice - so from my take - he didn’t really provide additional info and I believe we got to watch the practice to be able to make that call. You don’t say they looked good in practice if you only see them warm up. What I don’t know is do they watch the practice live or do they get to watch practice with the staff to get filler material during the broadcast. I think the NFL broadcast crew gets more live access to practice and a walkthrough for visitors than regular media, but that is only based upon what they say during the broadcasts - don’t really get to see them.

I am not sure about that. When some commentators like Romo call the Thursday night games - casually they will mention these “trick” plays or “new installs” that I am guessing normal media do not get access to see. I believe they are contractually bound not to discuss that prior to the game, but t provides insight during the game. It is also based on formation why Romo has ideas of what plays are coming. They are allowed to discuss certain things - I believe talking about “injured players” is acceptable as long as they mirror the injury report info. For example - if a player was listed as limited and questionable, but they saw him basically going all out most of the practice and they basically say he is playing during interviews - I don’t think they can announce that, but if someone was injured, but was listed as practicing fully - they could say that he looked fine in what they saw.

Seems a bit different than the Rats family. Down to earth and actually nice versus the argumentative and combative mother, wife, and brother. What a time.

I agree 100% - the one nice thing in the article is that Hess does not take undeserved credit: I think Josh is just a special outlier in that way. He seems to take and absorb teaching at a phenomenal level compared to others. It is not with attitude - like I know what it best - it is with humility- I am trying to learn - that he goes into these sessions. He (and many other QBs) work with Jordan Palmer, but Josh gets more out of it than let’s say - Darnold - Why? Jordan Palmer sets up a biomechanics meeting with Hess and Josh gets feedback and asks questions and improves from that, but others don’t - Why? Brian Daboll can be a get in your face, timebomb of a coach and that could totally eat away at a players confidence and make them shut down, but Josh and Brian worked through things and listen to each other and learn together - Why? I think Josh is just something special when it comes to his temperament- he is smart, but inquisitive; he is a passionate leader that listens and learns; He is ultra-competitive, but willing to accept he is not the best and defers to others that know more. Overall - he is a bit of a unicorn in the modern NFL.

We want Miami losing every game they can this year - to the point of replacing Jacksonville and going 1-16 after winning week 1. That Miami pick goes to Philly and with their other potential pick makes them more likely to get Watson - potentially 3 first round picks in the top 10. We also want teams like Seattle (NYJ have their #1) and SF (Miami has their #1) to get better and get more wins. My biggest takeaway is the bungle of a job Miami did this off season after making a big trade with SF and making a huge profit with Houston’s pick - to give most of that profit up for a WR was just dumb. That trade could end up being the biggest reason they can’t get Watson and can’t get a new QB next year. Maybe it all works out, but currently they screwed them selves and I love it.

Peoples-Jones was making plays while Beckham was on the sideline “injured” again. The last couple of throws to Beckham he was 1:1 and didn’t make a play. I think if they got rid of Beckham - other guys might step up that actually help the team win games.

I have said that since he was traded to Cleveland - there is something about Mayfield trying to get him the ball that messes with their offense. Peoples-Jones makes play after play and Beckham talks a good game, but falls short time and again.

It was in the original thread - I believe Hap was looking at it.

Tasker said that and then subsequent research showed that is the depth most kickers give when they are kicking inside the 20 for the last several years. They narrow the split even more when they hit the end zone. It was not a Haack or Buffalo thing, but a new special teams trend. It makes it even more important that the inside guys block inside out and don’t let someone go unblocked.

That is because when he left no one would sign BoJo. BoJo wasn’t signing in Buffalo for 1.02 million - that is what he was forced to take when after ever punting position was filled he was still without a partner. Then he signed as a #3 punter in LA where his Girlfriend wanted to be on the west coast. If GB had not lost their punter - he would have been completely out of a job.

The one block was a failure by the line - not Haack. They practiced the formation and the front still got lost and let a guy through unblocked. That would have been a block against almost every punter - not just Haack. Overall - Punting there is almost no difference between BoJo and Haack and Haack is a significantly better holder and was cheaper.

All is certainly true - the difference is expected positional spend. Most teams don’t want to spend more than 1 million to 1.15 million on a punter. If you cut him - and sign even a draft pick - you are over budget. Most people didn’t think they would cut Star this year because his cost combined with a replacement cost would’ve exceeded typical position spend. Most people assumed this would be his last year as his dead hit is small enough when combined with a replacement to fit typical budget for that position. They might sign a punter - you are correct, but I just think they are fine with his play and they are much less concerned than some fans. I think they also really like the way the 3 specialists (punter, kicker, and LS) get along and work together. I don’t think they will mess with that as it is important to this staff.

At minimum 4 of his 6 missed kicks last year the laces were not spun properly that we saw. It was even talked about by I believe Jay Feely on a broadcast - where he said how unsettling it was when your foot hits the laces and creates a knuckle ball effect. The 2nd and 3rd missed kick by Crosby - the laces were not spun fully out - both were on the left side and the ball stayed left. After the one miss - Crosby was glaring at BoJo. I think BoJo struggles holding and it will cost you kicker multiple missed kicks on the year. He is a bit slow and he is inconsistent with the placement and angle and worst of all - he struggles spinning the laces consistently.

I think the change from BoJo was needed. The new punter has a 3 year contract - I don’t think they will move on after this year. I would suspect they are happy with holds - it was stated before he is a significant upgrade at holder. His punting has been inconsistent, but other than the missed blocked by the frontlines that caused a block - he has been fine. I suspect we have our punter in place for the next couple of years and that will allow the punter, kicker, and LS to all be together for a minimum of 3 years.

You counter what they did with having your top 2 CBs on the field. I think that mixed with our DL more than counters what they did last year.

I believe they just lost their TE for the year. Injury replacement- need not want. I think they overpaid 5th and a player. To much to go with that contract.

@Hapless Bills Fan - I think if you are looking for pick plays - look at the 2 OPI calls. In those cases - 1 against KC and 1 against Buffalo - the WR makes contact with the defender and does not appear to be running routes. They do not “block” exactly, but they make physical contact preventing the DB from getting outside/inside. Kelce is in the way - but makes no contact with Tre and Tre works his way around. If Tre goes straight and goes right through Kelce - then the refs have to decide did Kelce block him or was it incidental. The problem is if you hit him and get stopped and they call it incidental- you might be way out of position - allowing a bigger play. It happens all the time by many teams - rarely is it called. Hill and Kelce - have a nice feel for it because Hill needs so little space to get open - that a half step to get around frees Hill up. The Bills did a great job of mixing covers and slowing that play down. The other option was if Tre and Johnson switched coverage on those - with Tre picking up Kelce and Johnson using his leverage on Hill. My bigger issue was on the first defensive holding call where Kelce ran right over the DB and did not get called for a penalty, but they. Allen the DB that got knocked down for holding.

As far as I can tell - unless someone has it queued up - it was: 1st and 10 at the Bills 28. Hill ran the Ball and was pushed out of bounds at the Bills 13. The holding was occurring between the 12 and 10 yard lines as the WR was holding the DB right in front of Hill. They moved the Ball back 10 yards from the point where Hill went out in this case because it was not as far as the hold. The 10 yard penalty put the ball on the 23 and you replay the down. 1st and 5 from the 23. I think that is the sequence and I think it was done exactly correct. The only 2 questions with it is where exactly does the WR holding start - you could argue maybe at the 15 or 14, but they ruled it was starting past the 13 - no a huge deal. There was also a potential hold I believe near the LOS preventing a DL player from getting out wide that was not called. The placement and the down and distance seemed fine as far as my understanding goes based upon what was called.

It is just the way it works. It gets treated exactly the same way as every holding call. If it occurred at the LOS - it is 10 yards from the spot - so 1st and 20. If the hold occurs 5 yards down field - it goes back 10 yards to 1st and 15. So in this case it was 5 yards past the first down marker. You go back 10 yards and now it is short of the first down by 5 yards. So it is 1st and 5. It may seem like an advantage because it was first down, but imagine if it had 3rd down or 4th down. In that case rather than a first down - it would return to 3rd (or 4th) and 5 because with the penalty it is short of the first down. The Bills could of declined the penalty and given them the 1st down and made it 1st and 10, but 10 yards farther forward.

I think the difference with KC is multi fold. 1) Many teams - Buffalo, Baltimore, and LA Chargers in specific have gotten young and talented QBs of their own - and that mixed with those teams improving - have reduced/eliminated any significant advantage KC had for a couple of years. 2.) KC has done a very poor job at acquiring talent on the offensive side of the ball. Hill and Kelce are both elite, but they are desperate for a couple more play makers in the passing game and that is evident by the signing of Gordon. Hardman - although not a bust - has not become anything on the offensive side and without additional targets - Teams are doubling Hill deep and trying to manhandle Kelce. 3.) KC’s defense has to many weak spots. They have a boatload of talent and showed they can still make coverages work, but in trying to flood the middle depth zones 10-25 yards downfield - they allowed themselves to get beat deep and also get beat short. The Bills lost their Bread and Butter plays, but still had more than enough other places to make plays. All of these things have become evident, but they are still a really good team - they are just in a bad place with a very tough division and then tough out of division games. I still think they have maybe a few more loses on this schedule - so it is really going to be an uphill battle from here. I don’t think they can afford many (or any) let down games and make the playoffs. They have lost to 3 teams above them and that puts them in a very tough spot for tie breakers. It might come down to does Baltimore or Cleveland win the North as a determining factor in seeding and making the playoffs.

I know most people don’t want to hear that, but I think he plays the run with an eye on leverage and trying to stop a small to medium run from becoming a long run. He doesn’t really get blocked downfield like some players - many times he engages with a blocker and uses his hands to keep them off his body and then uses his eyes to retreat and try to maintain leverage and allow pursuit to get there. He will fall back 5-6+ yards while maintaining leverage to come off and either make a tackle as they go buy or allow the pursuit to get there. Some LBs attack the OL blocker and play off and sometimes they get nice stops, but sometimes the OL blocker wins and then that LB has lost leverage and you get the big play- we see those go for 40 yards and a TD - like Singletary or even 20+ yards like Allen. Edmunds almost always slow plays it - backing off and trying to maintain his position as he retreats. It looks bad, but I think from the team perspective of making plays - they accept that retreat to keep the bigger play from happening. Those are the plays typically identified as Haters plays, but I think that is just how he is playing those plays. Force the other team to keep having to make plays. There are also other plays that you see if you watch the Cover 1 film room - where Edmunds is covering in the flat, but his presence caused Hill to alligator arms a pass with Poyer in coverage on Hill. Poyer gets credit, but it was Edmunds recognizing and squaring up on Hill that caused him to take his eyes off and let the pass fall incomplete. Cover 1 also showed examples of just how good his spacing was and how even on a pass designed to beat the exact coverage the Bills were running - his ability to get deep and push Hill a step or two deeper disrupted the timing just enough to force an incompletion. I understand there are aspects to his game that are downright frustrating, but the entire gameplan against the Chiefs falls apart without a MLB like Edmunds that can cover all over the field.

Why - we have played Tennessee the last 2 years and we’ve stopped the run. We also have stopped other run heavy teams like Baltimore at a good clip. The issue is when we gameplan to stop the pass and a team runs against the weak front. Then we struggle - see KC last year. If we gameplan to stop Henry like previous years - I would expect they will slow him down again.

I actually think both @GunnerBill and @GoBills808 are correct even though they see things differently. The author seems like he is saying it was not a greatly officiated game - there were a couple of blatant bad call against the Bills (Tre’ and Morse) and a couple of non calls. He also makes the point that it was not nearly as poorly officiated as people think. The majority of calls that were made were legitimate- even if some were ticky-tacky. He did seem to agree the “harm” of the fouls greatly favored helping KC, but it had little bearing on the outcome. I tend to agree with that assessment- with that particular crew that calls a lot of ticky-tack - the Bills were the far more aggressive team - both on offense and especially on defense and therefore were going to get more calls against them. The Chiefs found that out in the Super Bowl - where this crew did not let them get away with anything. Where I disagree with the author was when and where some of the calls were made and ignored. There were several throws to Diggs that he got hit, bumped, grabbed - just before the ball got there. They seemed to call those very close against Buffalo - especially early, but let those go against KC’s DBs. Those non-calls created additional uncounted “Harm” against the Bills and if he is really doing a dive into the officiating - they are critical to the outcome. The Bills defense was flagged many times more than KC’s defense with the Bills defense playing as aggressive all over the field - it should have equated to more offensive holding calls. There were a few I saw that were more egregious than the one on Dawkins and way more legitimate than the one on Morse. Overall - I think the officials were pretty bad, but I don’t think it is a conspiracy- I think they called a lot early to try and establish their parameters and those went against Buffalo. They are an over flag happy group and tend to flag the bigger aggressors.

This was previously explained - the holding was by the WR downfield - at 15 yards. It was a spot foul - so it goes back 10 yards from the spot and replay the down. That put it 5 yards short of the line to gain. It happens several times a year - it is just uncommon because they rarely get a holding block more than 10 yards downfield which is what you need to get a <10 yards for first down. It is no different than if it had happens by a WR holding at 3 yards downfield and it becomes 1st and 17. It actually shows a great effort by the KC WR to keep blocking even way downfield.