IgotBILLStopay

Look, we're gonna win this Sunday. Josh Allen's best game to date was last season's final game vs. the Fins. So he is going to do decently. But my interest in what this defense does rivals my interest in what Allen and company can do. The defense has me that excited. Miami has allowed 23 sacks through 5 games. They are particularly vulnerable from interior rushers - 6.5 out of the 23 are by DTs (which is a pretty high number). So while Murphy, Hughes, Johnson and Lawson will get theirs, I expect (and want to see) Ed Oliver (and Bigj9797 too) to show up with some sacks. Oh, if one can extrapolate from my limited film study, the fins also have shown a complete inability to pick up blitzers - so a few among Lorax, Milano, Edmunds and most importantly, Poyer shd also keep the official scorer busy with QB takedowns. We jump on em early, then Fitzy is gonna have to throw (not that he needs the extra incentive) - so sacks and interceptions expected (look for Poyer again)

Bills rank 2nd in the AFC in the Win-Loss Column - To me that is the most important category:)

I think we are just fine with Barkley as a backup. Now if, god forbid, there is an injury to the top 2, I'd be happy looking at Mariota. He is pretty good but his OL does him no favors.

A different perspective on Cody Ford: https://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/1837179 At least some outsider think Cody Ford is OK. Take that, Bembridge Scholars! That being said, as a rookie Olineman, there will be some technique issues for sure. There were also some lateral quickness issues in pass protection. That is why is good at run blocking / playing inside since lateral quickness is less important for a guard. But with my rose tinted glasses, I think he can be OK and I can live with him allowing a sack a game so long as Allen does not get hurt and we win.

We kinda diminished Sammy's trade value by not picking up the option. The option was 1 year for 11 million and he ended up signing a 3 yr 48 million deal. I am not unhappy with the Sammy trade - I think we got fair value given he was bound for a year less. That being said, a small part of me would have liked to have seen Sammy instead of a hobbled Matthews on that team. We made the playoffs with the latter 2 plus Kelvin Benjamin who was acquired for a 3rd rounder. McD and Beane always had a dismantle the previous team and stockpile picks to land a franchise QB plan. However, they themselves were surprised by how competitive the 2017 team turned out to be (hence the mid season trade for KB). I think Beane has been on record saying McD spoiled all his plans by making the playoffs - necessitating the use of all that draft capital to move up for Allen and Edmunds.

Oh, I am not a Whaley basher at all. Far from it. Just recently, on another thread, I was saying that maybe Whaley's Lawson pick wasnt too bad. Hyde, Poyer, Tre were all pre-Beane additions to our roster and mentally, I had been giving both Whaley and McD joint credit for those additions. From OP's article, the Hyde find appears to be solely a result of McD's "scouting" and the Poyer addition was due to Babich / McD. Thus, my own priors about who deserves credit for the roster additions were updated. Hence the post.

That article makes clear it was McD and not Whaley calling the shots. He gets credit for getting the most out of his defense but IMO doesn’t get enough credit for picking the defensive players to fit his system. Hyde, Porter, Tre, Wallace, Tremaine, Milano, Phillipses etc. have all worked out swimmingly. Yes the Zay pick and not picking up Sammy’s option were small misses - but overall the record of unearthing diamonds in the rough has been fantastic.

I agree about the endogeneity underlying luck and subsequent play calling while attributing a result to luck. It is only the last play where if a lucky thing happens that decides the game, one can solely attribute the result to luck. Hence the saying "we make our own luck".

Agree with everything except the Jets and the Dolphins. They are both outa playoff contention and a win hurts their draft position. So wouldn’t mind Jets and Dolphins wins this week.

You may run on the Bills but you can't Hyde!! But seriously Poyer is not too bad himself. Add TW and LW and you get the Best Secondary in da whole da*n league!!

If one just looks at the number of sacks - it appears the OL had a bad day. Actually, Allen had all day to throw except when he failed to pick up the blitzer. May have been the O-Line's best performance this season. D-Line was, of course, pretty good as usual.

I liked that interview. I still hate his stupid false start penalties - but can see why the coaches want him around. He has fully embraced the process and appears to be a glue guy. At least it explains why he is still around the team (and he is the team's 3rd string Tackle). And he appears to be the recipient of JA's first touch pass touchdown (maybe there was another last season - but cant think of one).

Biggest positive surprises - 1. 49ers, 2. Lions, 3. Colts, 4. Raiders, 5. Jaguars (with Minshew), 6. Panthers Biggest negative surprises - 1. Browns, 2. Jets, 3. Chargers, 4. Steelers (even without Big Ben), 5. Falcons Emerging QBs: Jones, Minshew, K. Allen, maybe Rudolph Emerging RBs: Austin Ekeler, Matt Breida, Rasheem Mostert, Devin Singletary Emerging WRs: Courtland Sutton, Terry McLaurin, hopefully Duke Williams

I don't know the stats but what you say is logical. That being said it appears the Titans want to keep Conklin and the Seahawks plan to keep Ifedi despite declining their options. These two are just from Shaq's own draft class.

I would like keep both Jordan Phillips and Lawson - they complement each other so well. I don't have the stats but it appears each does better when the other is beside him.