Shaw66

I have one ticket for sale for Sunday's game at New Era - Bills-Dolphins. Section 331, row 2. I've sat there for several years. Good view of the whole field. $75. PM me if you're interested.

Well, I'd want to look at it a little more, but I think it's a stretch, just because I wouldn't be quick to say the Bills are better than the Chiefs.

Funny. I said something similar in the thread about the Jets game. I think "depositing wins" is what I was talking about. The Bills just know how to win. They have a knack for it. They need to stick to business. It feels way too early to me to be thinking all the Bills could end up a wild card team with a better record than the division winner they play. Could it happen? Yes, and describe how it might. But it's much likely that some part of your scenario won't play out as you say. More likely that the Bills are genuinely only the 5th or 6th best team in the playoffs, or even not in the playoffs at all. As for the rest of the AFC, I wouldn't be so sure. We're seeing some real shifts going on, teams winning that didn't look like winners a couple weeks ago. A lot of new QBs making plays, and a lot of "established" strugglin. Things are changing in the league. So I don't think there's any predicting of how strong or weak teams are. I mean, you watch Darnold today, and if someone told you the Jets could be good enough to finish 9-7, I'm not at all sure that's preposterous.

I bought, to some extent the narrative that the Bills have opened with a really easy schedule. At some point you have to recognize that the Bills just don't let teams beat them. The Jets with Darnold didn't - couldn't - do anything against the Bills like they could today. And the Bills did enough to win. They always do enough to win. The Patriots couldn't do anything against the Bills defense, and the Bills generally did enough to win. They made-let-the-Patriots-make four or five big plays; otherwise, it was the Bills game. The Giants have started showing a lot more than people gave them credit earlier. The Bengals stood up to the Ravens today. I think the Bills are a good team that has a lot of room to grow on offense. Duke could change the passing game for the Bills, by running the possession routes that Brown has been running so far this season. Then Brown is a threat all over the field. Singletary could add another dimension. As we've always said, it comes down to Allen. He has to execute the offense, he has to make some plays, and he has to maintain ball security.

The change this year is, apparently, that after the second overtime period, all succeeding overtimes are only one play for each team, a two-point conversion. So it's like a shootout. No more starting at the 25 after the second overtime. That's a good idea.

Interesting comments about a couple of different things. First, although it feels natural to us to underestimate the Dolphins, all of the preparation this guys do each week, every week makes it almost impossible for the players to underestimate them. They see film, they're drilled to perform certain ways, and they ALWAYS are ready on game day. It's not like the NBA, where it's pretty clear some guys are unprepared for some games. The Bills will be ready;. Of course, the Dolphins will be ready. If they're in the NFL, they have talent. The coaching may or may not be getting everything out of the players. Every season some of the teams who look horrible early on in the season turn it around and play .500 ball or better. It wouldn't seem that's something the Dolphins will do, but I wouldn't be so sure. The NFL is strange. It's another good test for the Bills. If they are who we want them to be, the Bills will take control of the game early, build a lead and win comfortably. Doesn't mean there won't be rough spots in the game, but if the Bills are good, they will control the game. "Good" means Allen has another 95+ passer rating, playing under control, the running game flashes (ideally with Singletary), and the defense is solid. Less than that, there will be questions. As for Rosen, you can say all you want about how tough it is to play on bad teams, he didn't make enough of an impression to stick in Arizona. Coaching change, of course, doomed him. He's not making people rave about him now. He doesn't have a great body. I don't see a bright future for him, despite the fact that he will make some big plays and some beautiful plays. Frankly, I have the same feeling about Mayfield. I think you have to wait and see about them, and I think Allen is much more likely to be elite than either of them. Still, that doesn't mean anyone should take him lightly. The guy made plays all through college, and he's continued to make plays in the pros. He's no bust. And, if you believe Belichick, he'll be up against a defense he can't read pre-snap. It's a difficult game for him to succeed in.

Yup, pretty much unwatchable. I've felt that way for five years or more. I never watch it. Those idiots on Fox on Thursday night, broadcasting outside from NYC, high-fiving excited fans as though we were watching the today show are the worst. They're all bad.

I don't know. The run pass ratio is tilted to passing, but the B I ll are 7th in the league in rushing attempt.

Interesting points. Bills are 12th in yard per carry, too. Nice. But I think the concern of the op is durability. Those are tough yards Gore is getting, and it is not reasonable to expect it for a full season. Yes, he may do it, but it's not reasonable to assume he will. Unless Singletary gets back, it's a worry.

I think you make a good point. However some of what you're saying is just "injuries suck,." Singletary is the lead back and he gotnhurt. If THE Bills had kept McCoy andcut Singletary and Shady gotnhurt erdnbe in the same position. So some of it is just luck. The problem is that one backup is toon O kd and one is too limited. It isn't ideal. Hope for Singletary to come back soon and stay healthy. He is the key, and he's the reason I don't think Bills are actively looking for a Gordon. They aren't replacing him as thw numerous 1, and there's not much reason to replace the other two. Just not an ideal situation.

Hap If be more inclined to agree with you if I hadn't heard Lee Smith, Josh Allen and Matt Barkley all say jea a special guy.

Nice. Thanks.

Thanks. That was fun to watch. Guy is intense. Like someone else said, I've been a Duke fan since I saw the video of him catching the ball in Canada. He just looked special. The very best thing I've seen about is Lee Smith being interviewed by John Murphy and Tasker on Monday, I think. Now, Smith has been around the league a lot, and the Bills brought him back because he's a leader. Smith couldn't find the words talking about Duke. He said something like this: "Every once in a while you run into a guy who is just different. You get to know him and you know that you just want to be around him. You want him on your team. Duke is one of those." I mean, Smith could have just said "yeah, we all were really happy for him because he worked so hard to get here," sort of like what a guy would say about a kid brother. But, no, he essentially said he looks UP to Duke, because he has a special kind of intensity that is rare. Quite cool.

It's odd to me that there are Bill's fa s who have never seen a game in Buffalo. How doesNJ one become a Bills fan without being from Buffalo? I mean, I know how, but it seems odd. So good for you! If you've enjoyed being a Bills fan without going to a game, you're REALLY going to enjoy this. Jave a great time. And if you want the real experience, you have to get your beef on wreck at Schwabl's.

I agree. And articles that do that often have crap writing and analysis, like this one. Shallow.

No.

Thanks for this. It's always good to hear the personal side of these stories. Congrats to Appha. His was a creative thought, and when I saw it I knew he was right. My take always was Zay had to make the top 3 or he was in trouble. He DID make the top 3 but played himself out of the position. Once he failed to make plays against the Pats, he was done. Thanks Alpha.

I've always liked him. Hardworking, good route runner, good hands, good after the catch. Dont really know, but he seems to have the work ethic McD wants. I like Brown and Beasley, but Green is a full notch above either. Pats would love him. I suppose we can wish.

That may be true, too. Now that I've seen the replay, I have to say I think it's essentially all on Josh. One, perhaps for GG's reason. But more importantly, the unwritten rule is that the QB has to be very careful throwing late over the middle. This play is just another example of why that's the rule. There's a lot of stuff going in the middle, and Josh threw it into a spot that obviously could be reached by a defender as easily as by one of his teammates. That's a no-no throwing over the middle late. If he wants to throw it in there, he has to throw so that only one person, his teammate, can reach the ball. He didn't do that. Yes, it's a head scratcher that Yeldon stopped. But maybe not. Beasley's man drops off Beasley and starts to play Josh as a runner, leaving a big hole in the middle. Beasley has his back turned but sees the hole eventually. Yeldon probably saw it too, and he could have decided to stop so that he did lead his man into a position where his man could defend the throw to Beasley. Yes, maybe Beasley could have or should have done something different, too. All that needs work. But the Bills had the ball and only one player was responsible for where the ball went. Josh had it in his hands. It was a bad play by Josh. Not as bad as I first thought, but it was a bad play.

That's why I wrote about the "New Bills." This is different from anything we've seen in Buffalo.

Really? I don't know the trade deadline rules. When do you think this might happen. Do you have any educated guesses about whom the Bills might acquire?

I wasn't dumping on Knox so much as commenting on McD's system. We all know how Belichick sits people when they fumble. McD is doing it too. Produce or move on.

Right. Somebody has to ask Knox if he remembers a guy named Zay who used to play for the Bills. This is where McD tests Knox. You want to be a Bill? You make the plays. It's that simple. McD doesn't ask them to do anything they can't do; he asks them to be excellent at what they can do. If he can't catch balls consistently, he won't be a Bill.

There will be more offense next year.

I guess we should get used to it. Good players who aren't needed get converted into draft picks. Beane wants those picks.