Success

This is the quality that Allen has that could lead him to greatness. Not the crazy good arm or superior athleticism. He's just relentless about improving his game. The QB who he most reminds me of in that respect is Peyton Manning.

By the way, I'd HIGHLY recommend going to any of the Pats boards, and looking at their threads regarding the QB position. It's pretty joyful. They sound like we did all through the drought - though w/ a much more irrational optimism. There are sentiments like, "All we have to do is draft a great QB this year, and we're right back in the mix."

I'm trying to appreciate the little things. I just watched Brady give his completely insincere "he's a great young player and has a great future in this league" spiel about Mahomes, and I'm glad we don't have to listen to 2 weeks of that, with the added "the Bills were always so tough, and their fans are so amazing." Like I said - I'm trying.

I'd be okay w/ that. I just don't see it as a big position of need - but I get that the jury is still out on Knox.

This was the ONE team, apparently. People can say it's Patricia, and that might be right - but this isn't a good look for those lovable Patriots. The "no fun" thing was okay when they were winning, and you could count on at least a chance for a ring every other year when you went there. That's out. And you've got guys like Brady & Gronk putting out subtle messaging about how liberated they feel & how they're having more fun. Why would any good QB want to go to a no-fun place, that has one of the worst WR corps in the league, and in a division with 2 teams that are likely to be much more competitive for years into the future? Gotta love it. If we weren't sure the dynasty was over - now we are.

Biggest losers: the New England Patriots. Not only do they NOT get Stafford - they're unlikely to get Watson or anyone else. The price for QB's just went through the roof.

Strongly disagree w/ that. Our DB's played it perfectly - but there is no defense for a perfect throw & catch. Think Daniel's kick at the end of "Karate Kid." Hopkins looks bad saying this, imo. It's the classic "he won his Super Bowl." The Bills are concerned about winning championships.

I went into that game w/ a very healthy respect for the Chiefs, and even liked them to an extent, especially Reid & Mahomes. I was pulling for them the past couple of years. That's out. They're right up there w/ the Patriots for me now.

I always find those kinds of games to be pretty sad. So, no.

Ultimately, you can't do a Diggs type of deal every offseason. This offseason just feels like it needs to be methodical & focused. Have a solid draft, and work FA to fill holes and continue to build depth instead of getting a big splash at just one position. Frankly, I feel like we can stand pat at a variety of positions: WR, TE, CB and even LB. The MAIN focus should be building the D line, followed by getting one good RB - either in FA or the draft. But whatever Beane decides, I'm all in. He has earned a great deal of trust.

If he catches that pass and rips off 20 yards, leading to a Bills TD, we're probably talking about how much it would be to re-sign him.

I remember after the offseason trades were done - I was happy we got Diggs, but kind of lamented that we didn't go for & get Hopkins. I felt he was a better player and teammate. So happy to be as wrong as I could be, on both counts.

I think Oliver gets unwarranted criticism. The common complaints are that he's an average player who doesn't play anywhere near the expectation that should come with his draft position. That's not what I've seen, at all. When I watch him play, he's aggressive and disruptive. He finds his way into the backfield more often than not. And opposing DC's recognize how good he is, because he gets more double teams than anyone else on the Bills line. Put better players around him, and he'll really start to shine. He was a great pick, imo.

Mahomes should really have 2 rings at this point, and Brady should have 5. That Offside in the AFCCG will always bug me. Didn't effect the play, was in the last couple of minutes - that doesn't get called 95% of the time in that situation. Total bail-out for Brady and the Pats, and we all had to suffer for it.

I have a hunch we'll be playing him twice a year now.

Similar to the Gregg Williams situation. It's a tough business. That one play probably DID decide that game, but still seems extreme.

It's funny - we'll definitely be a frequent prime time team next year, as we were at the end of this past season. During the drought, I always looked at the schedule and lamented that we didn't get any of those - all 1:00 except for the Thursday Night slot, most seasons. Now, I already miss the 1:00 Sunday games when we don't have them. I guess it's fun playing at night, but I feel like it motivates worse teams more, and messes up the week (as well as my Sunday routine).

Great thread! I was searching around for this info, and it's good to have it all in one place like this. Like others, I agree w/ the recommendations. I'm a little stronger on keeping Feliciano - love his spirit and versatility, and we have to hang onto those good linemen as best we can. Unfortunately, I think Milano might be gone. Someone will offer him a big contract that will be tough to match. With his injury history, it's a little too risky to lock him up at that kind of $ level. And I don't know why, but I'd love to see them re-sign Norman. He didn't do too much, but he brought emotion and leadership to the team at times, and just seems like a Bill.

Shaq Lawson was criticized by fans right up until his last season with the Bills. Then, fans lamented that we let him go. Young players sometimes need a little time.

Could be back to the '90's w/ the Bills and Phins competing annually for the division title. Hope the outcome is the same there. The silver lining is that the Patriots will have a hard time getting past 3rd place for quite a few years, especially if BB ends up retiring.

That Tampa line is formidable - and as you get deeper in the playoffs, defense and the ability to pressure the QB always seem to be bigger & bigger factors. I think I also saw that KC now won't have either starting tackle for the game. Tampa could definitely pull it off. It's also hard to match a QB who has such a ridiculous amount of SB experience. Ugh. I really don't want either team. I don't even care about Brady that much - but I can't stand that most Patriots fans will see it as a "win" for them if the Bucs are champs.

It's probably my rationalizing mechanism, but I have come to see the loss as almost necessary for building a long-term contender. All of the underlying concerns I had about the team were exposed on Sunday. Mainly, how one-dimensional we are. While you can still win a championship like that, you generally need more luck to do so. I'd rather go into the Super Bowl with more balance and just with a better overall team. I think KC showed very starkly what the Bills need to work on. I also think the way we lost will lead to more aggressive offseason moves and even more of a sense of purpose heading into next season, which could result in a more sustained and dominant run.

It seems almost likely at this point that he ends up in the division. The difference between the AFC and NFC at the QB position is becoming lopsided. I wish he'd end up in the NFC, if only for a little bit of balance. The AFC is looking brutal in the years ahead w/ the # of good & great young QB's.

True - though I always saw the Pats as our biggest rival prior to this year, and they owned the Bills for 2 decades. I guess I'm thinking more from a one-sided perspective, and who our biggest obstacle is. I almost forgot the recent Chiefs games during the drought - the Tuel pick 6, and then the fumble at the endzone a year later, both of which likely turned wins into losses. Gotta beat that team. I'll be very interested in the game next season. They're definitely a measuring stick for us at this point.

I feel like people are giving up on Knox a little too quickly. I still see all kinds of potential there.