SCBills

Beane has some blind spots, but I’d agree that it should be noted that Buffalo (even without Von) likely has the advantage in the trenches against Cinci. I’d take Rousseau, Oliver, Jones, Shaq and our rotational guys against their OL over Hendrickson, Hubbard, Reader and co. against our OL. Some people here think our OL is terrible .. and it’s really not. When healthy, and we’re healthy this week, Morse & Dawkins are above average, Bates is probably playing at an above average level since mid-season as well. Saffold and Brown are the weak spots, but we can run the ball and provide adequate protection for Allen. Not great.. but it’s adequate. Cinci invested in their OL, and they’ve gotten better as the season has gone on, but is still somewhat suspect and while Collins isn’t great.. this is the first week they won’t have their starting five together. These are the games we expect our investment and depth on the DL to show up. Hopefully Frazier doesn’t play soft, because we’ll never know if we can rattle Burrow if we allow him quick, easy throws all game.

Yea, Davis I’m more torn on. Oliver actually has to start doing something in big games before I want him back.. even on a 5th year option. Davis, while he’s been pretty frustrating, always has the potential to go off, and while he could probably get us back some nice draft capital (2 and change?), that’s putting a lot on what may end up being Diggs, who knows at slot and some rookies.

Theres something to this, but we’ve been taking over stadiums going back to before we became good. Miami is a given, but we took over Atlanta years ago, had a ton of fans in Rock Hill a few summers back and typically show well in NYC/NJ. Those places are usually due more to local presence over fans traveling from Buffalo. Bills Mafia has to be the most iconic fanbase in the NFL at this point though. It’s synonymous with the team.

I have, and he’s not playing like a guy we should invest a ton of money into long term. Especially given the position he plays. Go terrorize Burrow and we can start having that conversation. Im not terribly impressed when he bullies backup interior linemen. Not my money, but it’s the team I root for.. and they have to operate under a somewhat malleable salary cap.

Great … take the highest 2nd Rounder and/or see if we can get more. Im not paying an above average / hasn’t shown to be elite DT when we have a 45M QB on the books. That’s absurd asset allocation. I also don’t want to see a trend where guys start walking for nothing. Would LOVE for Ed to start showing me why we need to pay him.

I can’t wear a Bills shirt anywhere in Greenville, South Carolina or the Atlanta metro area without getting multiple “Go Bills”. Same goes for people I know in Raleigh/Charlotte.. and down into South Florida. I still remember how many Bills fans showed up to the joint practice with the Panthers a few years ago. It literally made the local news.

Oliver has been good, but when I’m thinking last top 10 pick we’ll have for a long time.. he should be giving us Quinnen Williams type play at DT. Let’s see…. Interior pressure will be important against Burrow. Wish I could say I’m confident we get a big game from Ed. I’m not. I’m worried he’ll be eh, ok. Maybe he starts proving why we should honor the 5th year option and extend him long term starting Monday Night. Because as of now … I’d trade him for a 2nd Rounder before the draft.

Its all about QB. Jets GM is on thin ice after drafting a bunch of impact guys because he blew the QB pick. Re: Beane… You can’t judge a draft based on one year, but when you have a 45M QB, you start needing rookies to contribute. No idea what the problem is with Elam. Just f***** play him. My goodness. James Cook looks like he has top end RB1 potential. Seems like it could be a home run pick.. but at a position where you can find guys anywhere. Bernard is maddening. We’re told the pick wasn’t for this year. Ok, cool.. when is it for? We’re 99% re-signing Edmunds. Y’all really spent a 3rd Rounder on a backup LB for his rookie contract? His Draft/FA record looks like a lot of other teams. He hit on the QB, is average on the higher end picks and is very good on late round scouting. That’s a high end GM in todays NFL. For all the credit people want to give KC for taking Creed Humphrey, we have Morse and don’t know if he can play OG. KC has their own issues… For all the talk of Tyreek Hill, they let Sneed walk, have no pass rush and struggle to stop anyone on defense. Their offense is Mahomes/Kelce dependent. If Kelce goes down, as good as Mahomes is, so does their offense. Could say the same about Diggs, but their entire offense orbits around Kelce like planets around a sun.

Which playoff game has Burrow looked elite in? Im not saying he isn’t a Top 5 QB. He is. Allen, Mahomes, Burrow, Herbert … and then I may go Lawrence at 5. But I do think there’s a big game drop off from Allen & Mahomes to Burrow. Burrow’s Bengals rode last season’s playoff run on some luck, what seemed like 50 field goals, and a defense that hit stride at the right time and has figured out a way to confuse Mahomes. It wasn’t a run due to Burrow. Most playoff games I watch of Buffalo and KC… the QB is very much on display.

Which is why the Bills should be proactive and test the trade waters for guys like Oliver and Gabe this off-season. In my humble opinion… I think you could get back a RD2 pick for each of them. As of right now, I don’t think either makes a ton of sense to bring back after ‘23. A strong sprint to the finish line could change my mind on them, but that’s where I’m at right now. Bills will need to reload with cheap talent. That comes via draft picks. Why not get some more with players who aren’t essential to the team. If they want to stay … become essential.

A game like Monday Night is when he needs to step up and bring interior pressure against good teams. I loved the Oliver pick when we took him, but I’ve been meh on him ever since. If you draft a guy in the Top 10 on the DL, he should be someone you can depend on rushing the passer in big games. Anyone here have faith Ed shows up Monday Night? As for Basham … the pick looks awful at the moment. He screamed rotational DE coming out of college and I’m not sure why you draft that in RD2.

I think the Defense is about the same as last year. Hughes & Addison might as well been invisible in the KC playoff game. I feel better about what we have now, even without Von… at least there’s potential in Rousseau and AJE. The DT room is much better than last year. The key is for Jordan Phillips to stop getting hurt. Probably too much to ask. Oliver/Jones is a really strong tandem. Settle is fine, whatever. Phillips can be a weapon if he stops falling apart. The interior pash rush is probably more important than off the edge in this game. Edmunds & Milano are better this year than last. Secondary about a wash given the +70% Tre, -Hyde and more talent at CB2 if they ever figure it out. I still think our coaches/scheme can slow down anyone not named KC. As good as anyone else is, KC with Reid and Mahomes when he’s on, is just a different animal.

Well this stat is …. surprising

It’s all narrative driven. If Allen plays well Monday Night and we win, Allen will be viewed as the best QB in the NFL, leading the team that beat KC and Cinci into the playoffs as the Super Bowl favorite. Heading into the game, Mahomes leads the MVP race, with Burrow seemingly in 2nd place. That’s why they lead the segments right now. Hurts fell off due to the injury as Minshew, as many suspected would happen, lit it up on that offense. Allen has fallen behind because his numbers have been meh over the last two months with us running the ball more and playing in garbage weather. My personal opinion.. Allen will get an MVP at some point, but he doesn’t really have a regular season MVP playing style. He does what he needs to do, has lots of ups and downs throughout the season, but has a level nobody can match in big games. Regular season game vs random meh team who’s playing a two-deep shell giving Allen check downs all game to inflate his completion percentage and methodically work down the field... Allen isn’t that guy. Burrow is. Mahomes will reluctantly do it. Allen, not so much. Leads to some rocky games where he forces it. He’s clearly more willing, and more locked in, in big games and the playoffs. It’s very evident.

Refs blatantly favoring Dallas

This is a big deal. Reader is a beast on the interior, but the pass rushers they rely on (Hendrickson/Hubbard) are both banged up. Hendrickson playing with a broken wrist and Hubbard with a calf injury. If our interior doesn’t cave in, we can be optimistic the tackles will give Allen time to throw. The Bengals pass rush formula, from what I’ve heard, is to have Reader and co. collapse the interior and allow their high motor pass rushers to clean up off the edge.

Team shouldn't lack for bulletin board material. We apparently... -Can't guard their WR's, even with Tre -Can't run on them -Can't throw on them because Josh Allen is struggling Anybody else want to chime in before Monday?

What does this even mean? His actions don't align with these statements. Dane Jackson has struggled all year. I get that they trust him and he's usually in good position to make the play... but just hasn't. Kaiir Elam has made some noticeable plays in limited snaps and from all the "watch the tape" guys, his play on the field is pretty solid. Far be it for me to question this staff on the secondary, but the Elam/Benford/Jackson stuff has been annoying, to say the least.

If we draft a WR in RD1, and I'm all on board if that falls our way, he should be a guy with a WR1 profile/skill set. Not necessarily a guy who will be a WR1 out the gate, but someone with a body type, speed, skill set that translates to a WR1 at some point. If that guy isn't there, I'd be ok going OL or BPA. There were guys where we drafted last year that fit the profile.... Watson/Pickens. I'm not interested, at all, in drafting a small burner or big jump ball guy in RD1.

Another thing I keep hearing is how the Bengals are the most well-rounded team of the contenders.... Except, of all the contenders, Buffalo has the best defense and best running game. What it comes down to, and we all have to admit, is that pundits/analysts aren't sold on our passing offense. Mahomes will forever get a pass as long they have Reid/Kelce and can ride off waves of their Super Bowl trophy. Burrow has the most elite WR room in the NFL, with Miami as a close second. The Bills have Allen and Diggs... then what? Knox who (hopefully) is finding his groove in this offense. Davis who is a big play WR3 that we are trying to turn into a WR2. McKenzie/Beasley/Shakir in the slot. There is talent. Allen can take over games. This could start to look like the Bills Offense of Playoffs last year if things click... but I don't necessarily blame people for taking shots at us based on how Allen has played since our bye week. Also, maybe Allen is just an up and down regular season QB that can take it to a level nobody else has in big games/playoffs. Revisionist history aside, that's what he was last year. His highs and lows are higher and lower, with more chaos, than Mahomes or Burrow...but Allen, when he's on, and he's usually on in big games, has a level no one can match. (not even Mahomes... watch our most recent three games against them... Mahomes has not been on Allen's level.)

Sounds like Lamar is angling for the Watson deal. If someone does or does not give him that will say a lot moving forward about QB contracts. I don't necessarily think Wilson/Watson changes much. Teams are still desperate for QB's. I wouldn't be shocked if there isn't a bidding war over Derek Carr. Not anything like Wilson, but Carr is going to have quite a few suitors this off-season.

Bijan Robinson/James Cook might literally be the most talented RB duo in the NFL... on a team that doesn't run the ball. Normally I'd be ok taking someone as talented as Robinson, because if a game breaker is there at RD1... shouldn't you take the elite talent?... but we need OL/WR.. and James Cook, IMO, is going to be a great RB1 next year.

Feel the same way. I'm not exactly in love with how we've been playing lately, but the Bengals and Chiefs are struggle-bussing their way to W's as well. Am I supposed to be blown away that Cinci got down big to a team that can barely score TD's in Tampa until Tampa literally just kept giving them the ball on the plus side of the field? Or am I supposed to be amazing that they were a 1st and Goal fumble away from potentially losing to the Pats? What am I missing? Chiefs... same thing. Went to OT against Houston and then Mahomes struggled all day against a bad Seattle Defense.

Fwiw… I’d take Mixon over Singletary too, but the sample size is pretty large. Bengals haven’t ran the ball very well all year. The Bills, in Aaron Kromer OL fashion, have gotten better and better at it. James Cook is the most talented back in this game, but we refuse to let him take the role fully from Singletary so it is what it is. Agree to disagree. Until Allen gets a Super Bowl, you have a point based on history. As far as Burrow goes.. he may light us up.. it still won’t change my mind. He has the best weapons in the game, doesn’t have the mobility of Allen or Mahomes and he hasn’t performed at an elite level in the Playoffs yet.