Success

Isn't he "the wrong Josh?"

TV's have gotten bigger.

They've been struggling w/ the Jones narrative for the past couple of months. For awhile, he hit "the rookie wall." Now, there is some rumor that he has been dealing with a throwing-arm injury. They have hyped him beyond reason. A very average QB - who may turn out to be good or great, but so may almost every QB in the league right now.

Anyone remember the classic Packers/Giants game before the Giants beat the Pats in the SB that 1st time? It was colder, and Eli was slinging it all over the place. The QB's combined for close to 500 yards. The Giants actually played one of their best games. It's the wind that I didn't want. I'd love a day game w/ more mild temps, since I think any weather is generally an advantage for the underdog, but the Bills are a tough team and I think they'll thrive if cold is the only factor.

I mean, the bottom 3 are basically when some (outside Buffalo) were still saying he'd be a bust. So, 2 games in 2 years. Good luck w/ that, New England.

Bills players live in this cold. If anything, practicing every day in 0 degrees will limit how they can prepare & make them tired of it. Players have spoken about that. If you're losing a game and it's that cold, at a certain point, you just want to go home.

Everyone is saying "rookie wall" about Jones now. He was never that good. He'd complete a few consecutive 7 yard passes and everyone would swoon over his accuracy, but he was never asked to do anything beyond basic game management, for a team focused on the D and run game. He's exactly what scouts said he'd be: the most pro-ready in the draft, but the lowest ceiling. I'd be stoked if the Pats stuck w/ him. Wilson will be better in the long run, imo. Possibly even Tua. If he wasn't a Patriot, he never would have gotten the hype that he was getting mid-season.

Man, I remember the exact moment I heard about that trade. I was flabbergasted. I had no idea at the time. The man knows what he's doing.

At the time, or after the fact? At the time, it would have to be "the wrong Josh."

The Pats seem a little more banged up. I'm sure they'll all play, including Barmore (which is kind of a miracle after he was carted off) - but maybe that tilts the "cold" advantage to the Bills. Those sore knees & shoulders will feel a bit worse at 0 degrees.

One thing I've noticed about Pats fans - their rooting interests these days lie much more in seeing the misery of other fanbases, as opposed to enjoying their own success. Maybe that happens after you win so much. But man, have I seen a lot of sentiments along the lines of just wanting to win to stick it to Bills fans, who they think have gotten "cocky." Self-awareness doesn't seem to really be a thing w/ that crew.

I loved Shaq when he was here - this is great news. I haven't followed him & don't know if his play has declined significantly, but McD can get the best out of him.

I hope Allen BECOMES a sleeve guy. I get that it's a big challenge thing for the O-line guys, but a QB's game is more finesse. Stay warm, Josh!

Do you all think this is just how the cards fell - or did the league think it would be more memorable to have a night game in wintery Buffalo? It's really hard to tell if it helps us. It definitely would have helped against the Chargers, but it's not like NE isn't used to weather. The only advantage is that Jones is from the SEC and I doubt he has played in this kind of cold yet.

No nostalgia for me. I like the Yankees, and they brought out Bucky Dent for the one-gamer in the playoffs against the Red Sox this year. It didn't work.

He kept me sane in my 1st years out of college when I had an early commute. I haven't listened in ages though.

I totally remember all of that. Good times. Was that the year that Kelly was hurt & then returned for the AFCCG? I'm also trying to remember what Berman called Thurman...was it the Thurminator? I remember thinking Miami was always our 1 real threat in the division - but it seemed like every time there was a crucial game, we bested them.

Aw, man - I didn't think it was THAT bad of a comparison. It's aspirational. It's the way I hope they go.

You know what I'd love to see? Mac throwing much more this time, like 25x. But only completing 3. That would be some fun irony.

Pretty simple: they're the Dolphins in the '90's. At that time, the Phins had gotten off a 20 year stretch of basically owning the division (a few more losing seasons mixed in there, but they were the nemesis for all AFCE teams, like the Pats were for years). Buffalo got their HOF QB and coach, and assumed control. Miami would always be in the mix, but would generally end up 9-7 or 10-6, and falter in the playoffs. The glory days were long over. Their fans still thought that the Bills were kind of a temporary condition, and that they would assume their "rightful place" before too long. But they never did. That's who the Pats are right now. More reputation than substance. And BB may be going the way of Shula, who looked much less formidable as he got older. The game had passed him by. Belichick's last coaching job against the Bills was a head-scratcher. The only caveat on this is that the Patriots don't have the HOF QB like Miami did. So, they might not fare quite as well. This is our division now.

I agree w/ a lot of this. But I'm seeing "off days" and Allen combined a lot lately, and it begs the question: what QB doesn't have 'em? Even on Josh's bad days, he's still pretty great, imo. That's why his running is so awesome. The last 2 weeks, he hasn't been throwing quite as well, but he has made up for it w/ his legs.

I don't not worry. It's hard for me to pinpoint the specifics.

Watching the VERY slow mental processing of the fact that they're not kings of the league anymore is much more entertaining than I thought it would be. So many of those fans STILL say, 'well, they just won their Super Bowl' about any team that beats them. Um, no guys - sorry. Beating a fringe WC team w/ a rookie QB isn't anyone's "Super Bowl."

I saw a Boston sportscast where they agreed that McDermott "hates" Belichick. I wasn't sure where they were getting that. McD had that one comment to the media after the wind game, but it wasn't anti-BB....it was just anti the media hyping BB. Have there been any other indications of a claim like that? I never saw it that way.

The Bills didn't punt the last time, and dominated the game - yet the Pats still had a chance at the end if Jackson had pulled in that INT. That's not acceptable for a game that one-sided. They left too many points on the board, as they did the 1st time against the Pats (which was more understandable due to the wind). The Chargers gave a clinic last night in how to keep an inferior team IN a game. It's a very easy thing to do: don't capitalize on opportunities, make a few big mistakes at key times, and get a bad call or 2 against you. You don't have to be perfect - but you have to be focused for the full 60 minutes, and just play smart football. This game shouldn't be all that close if the Bills just play their game.