Success

I check their boards - and some of their national pundits like Bill Simmons are way over the top about him. They had Brady SO long. They forgot what it's like to look at QB's in the preseason, and don't seem to understand that even Nate Peterman looked like an all pro against basic defenses and 2nd teams.

Patriots fan narrative is already that they have the best QB in the division. Didn't we already go through this w/ Jimmy G and Stidham? Every fanbase has homers (and I am proudly one), but I think New England delusion goes up that extra notch. I hope Jones has the most middlin' career of all time. Does enough good so they don't move on, but is so average that they never win anything meaningful.

Makes sense. Thank you. I truly hope we are not at 68% or close to that.

I'm curious where we are %-wise. We were supposedly around 80%, and some were saying that would drop further w/ the cuts (not sure why).

That's true. I'm all hot-takey today. I'll settle in.

I think the protocols are much more strict this year - especially w/ basically 2 classes of NFL player now, based on vaccination. I hope I'm very wrong on this. Losing 5 days for "close contact" just isn't good for our team or any team. I'm not saying Beasley is the only one who runs that risk, but it doesn't look like the Bills took that into consideration at all.

I was kind of hoping they'd go w/ Hodgins. I love Beasley - but really hope they don't regret this. With the NFL protocols, he could miss all kinds of time, just for walking by people.

I'm not sure if a Bills board is a good spot for a Pats fan to get into "BB is the best EVAH" and "Mac Jones is the next Brady!" kinds of debates. Don't they talk about that stuff on Pats boards?

I guess I'm more concerned that most about that. BB is still BB. He is a great coach. He'll have a great running game, an excellent defense, and probably the best O-line in the league to protect the rookie. Granted, a lot will come down to just that - a rookie QB. Which doesn't usually pan out. But BB will put him in a position to succeed, and won't ask too much of him. They'll be competitive. I don't know about playoffs, but if a few bounces go there way....

BB had a team that went 18-1 the previous year. It was a huge dropoff from that year.

I'm probably not the 1st to say this, but I really can't wait until Belichick retires. Not saying Jones or the offseason moves will work out for them - but every move was as smart as it could be. He's just a coach who doesn't stand for losing & will not tolerate it.

Being a sports fan is a funny business. None of my teams have won a championship in my lifetime (over 50 years). I'm a Knicks and Bills fan. I don't care about hockey. I do like the Yankees, but only became a baseball fan in the past few years, so they've been plucky underdogs in my time & not the evil empire. It's a world of pain, if you really care. I'm embarrassed sometimes by how much I care, but I do. I lose sleep after big losses. I get down. As a Bills fan, I'm not sure if I would have signed up for all of what we've gone through. 4 brutal losses in a row in the biggest game. An endless quest for a franchise QB, and more "pull defeat from the jaws of victory" losses than I'd ever care to count. From Pittsburgh's 2nd stringers w/ Bledsoe to Dallas MNF to McKelvin's drop and all the rest. Just gut-wrenching, with not many good moments to offset anything. And man, 20 years of having one team just own us as New England has. I genuinely need therapy about that. It's more than a fan should have to go through. Anyway, that's where I'm at. Just one before I die. One Lombardi can definitely make it all seem worthwhile, and will be a joyous occasion for all of us, I'm sure.

No one in this division has proven anything yet. BB's credentials are unimpeachable - but he also hasn't won anything without Brady yet. I don't see it as different from too many other divisions.

That's an extremely small sample size. And even if it was 1st string, they're still playing vanilla D. Not that Mac might not turn out to be good - but man, did we ever hear the same about Stidham. And even Cam when the Pats got him. Let's see how it goes when they crank up the lights and he faces a real pass rush, and has Agholor as his #1 target.

I mean, he was mostly playing against 2nd & 3rd string, no?

I'm freaked about about Mac. Anything less than the Patriots going through a 2-decade search for a Brady replacement is unacceptable to me. My worst fear is a Montana/Young situation. But, I was also freaked out about Garropolo and Stidham. So, there's that. There are definitely a ton of guys who looked amazing in the preseason against vanilla, 2nd string D's, then folded when it was a real game. Here's hoping Jones is one of those.

Gotta say - after the Losman/Edwards debates, Tuel, Orton, Holcomb, Collins, Manuel & the rest....it is AWESOME to have a legit franchise QB.

I feel like whether a GM says it or not, it has to be part of the consideration. Just like if someone is injury prone. Availability is an important factor.

We don't know on Allen. And of course, we would never cut Josh Allen. I love Beasley. He was my favorite player last year. I also respect his right to his own opinion, and even to not be vaccinated. But he's been too much of a distraction, and if we're into the season and he's missing more than a game or 2 because of these new protocols, it's not worth it to have him on the roster.

This is AMAZING news. We need some on the team to lead by example, and be vocal about it. No way any of these guys are really worried about the "risk." They have dangerous careers and put their health on the line every single Sunday. Honestly, I hope they cut or trade Beasley. Then it's a clear message to players - be like McKenzie and get rewarded, be like Beasley and risk you place on the team.

This post gave me some hope. Of course I'd hate to lose Cole & Star. But we'd be fine w/out them - this team is stacked. I'd rather they not be on the team, then be on the team and have to make week to week adjustments based on availabilty.

I agree w/ that to an extent, but if there was a week that Beasley & Davis are out (which could be every other week for all we know), and then someone like Sanders got hurt....we'd be pretty thin.

If all we lost was Beasley, I'd be for it. I really wouldn't mind seeing him move on at this point. I absolutely love him on the field, but he has become way too much of a distraction. I can also see him missing more than a few games. I'd wonder how many would go that route, though. Would some of the younger guys like Davis really opt out of their career if it was mandated? It could be devastating for the Bills if none of our unvaxxed guys are willing to budge.

(shakes fists at sky) Why couldn't this have happened during one of the Patriots runs?

It seems crazy to me. I don't want to get too much into the vaccine, but if they consider it to be any kind of risk, why make a fuss now? NFL players risk their long-term health every single week of the season. Hundreds of millions have been vaxxed. We at least know it doesn't instantly turn you into a pumpkin. Just get the stupid jab and play ball.