Richard Noggin

Well I mentioned it because he was playing effective, elusive, and composed QB prior to his injury. Obviously I missed the memo on his IR status so yeah, it's a complete non-issue this week. So there. My bad.

Thanks. I was admittedly too lazy or detached to look it up. Hence the crazy spread, I guess.

Looks like I'm in the minority thinking the Texans play above their talent level. If Tyrod plays, I'm legitimately nervous that our defense sees its first ugly game. If not, I still think they are stouter than anyone is admitting. But still, Bills by a million.

This is really the most objective, contextually-salient take I've read on Edmunds's value beyond his 5th year option, IMHO. The analogy with Taylor is sound with respect to cap allocations and relative value. (Side note: Taylor scares me if he's healthy next week. More than facing Edmunds ever would.)

It's not about credibility of the source you're sharing. I just think it's helpful and more interesting when the OP contains some thoughts from, in this case, you, that then compels me to click on a link contained therein. No big deal.

I'm sorry to cast aspersions on someone so...admired by you. Sincerely.

6, 1, and 5 as top three. I'm sure 2 ends up mattering more than it should. I sure hope 11 doesn't actually matter, although ***leaning in conspiratorially*** maybe it provides an excuse to early-season yips?

The McCaffrey/Smith interview, part one, was interesting on that angle. That Broncos team back in the 90s had some athletic overachievers who improved athletically late in their careers (Romanowski, of course, a documented pharma-cheater, but also McCaffrey, who was not nearly the same specimen early in his career as he was late....even the "supplement" regimens they both designed for their children are eerily similar and suspect). In the interview McCaffrey even alluded to his father's legacy of finding any advantage, which is thinly veiled code, oftentimes, used by athletes who expertly game their sport's testing protocols. Along with the spartan childhood nutrition reference, and what we've previously learned about their insane family "supplement" regimens, PLUS CMC's admission that he was never the biggest or fastest, and now his increasing injury history...it all screams banned substances to me. A young athlete who, despite genetic gifts and nurtured training habits, possessed less-than-elite NFL physical traits without a little "help." Who is now having difficulty holding up under the strain of a physically demanding game. At least that's the theory. I don't trust the legacy of those two championship Broncos teams (minus the Shanahan zone scheme...that schitt's legit).

Why, is he not okay? (better as an earlier reply, no doubt)

might explain the bloodshot eyes.

He didn't play well enough to win in week one. He played well enough to win in week two. And, of course, he can play much better than that, and will need to eventually for this team to reach its goal of a championship.

If you banned the word "what" from Aikman's vocabulary, he'd be lost. "The Texans are playing at a faster pace than WHAT the Panthers are." Not only was he actually wrong in this instance, but he uses this wordy comparison structure including the unnecessary and awkward WHAT several times a quarter, and has been for YEARS. Aikman seems like a stiff alien piloting a human body.

There has to be metrics to support this assertion, right? Not that I question your acumen (you're savvier than most). But I've yet to see concrete evidence.

I want to believe the bolded. It's the most logical explanation now in year four of the unquestioned (by the coaches) Edmunds MLB era. Problem is, it's REALLY difficult for me to definitively discern this as a fan. Analytics certainly don't capture his value as a passing game defender/deterrent. Not that stats can capture all the nuances of such a dynamic, interrelated sport. So how do we KNOW Edmunds IS actually effective in this role? Like Agent Mulder, I want to believe.

There is no title until one clicks on it. While I agree that this is not a sensationalized, superficial piece of sports reportage, the OP's approach of just dropping a link without comment except to invite the anticipated engagement, is, in fact, clickbaiting.

You don't want to offer an opening salvo? A brief summary or objective analysis? Not even a hot take? Nothing?

Sounds like the mantra of our polarized times.

Tonight, he's actually NOT seeing very real pass rushers closing in around him. SO loose with the ball in the pocket, holding it low in one hand as the pocket collapses. That's been a persistent flaw of his since college. He'd be good if he just took care of the damned ball better on a fundamental level in the pocket (keep two hands on the damned rock, hold it up higher, and abbreviate that motion a little to eliminate such a dramatically low dip in the windup--he's no Byron Leftwich, but I'll bet his motion is still "bigger" than most). It's especially weird that he's so loose and long with his ball handling in the pocket, because he seems to be so mechanically sound and accelerated when throwing on the run in either direction, especially to his left.

Also some additional risk involved in projecting, of course. Maybe a young, physically freakish MLB prospect doesn't develop the instincts you'd want. But then again, maybe a polarizing but driven QB prospect grows exponentially into his physical talent once exposed to professional coaching and year-round regimens (2 shaky performances this season notwithstanding).

The key to it all is, dare I say it, that growth mindset McD preaches. The humility and resiliency to invite discomfort and uncertainty in the pursuit of improvement. Credit AJE for possessing the DNA to re-create himself as a football player, and big credit to the Bills organization for identifying in him the potential to do so. I really thought his best fit in the NFL was as a 3-4 DE/5-technique guy, which might have meant even GAINING a few pounds. But that was the narrow view that strength and length were his only NFL traits. The Bills, on the other hand, seem to like to project how these specimens might grow into more dynamic roles.

And moreover, I don't love seeing him THINK he needs to slide left while throwing (and thus throwing inaccurately) even when he doesn't.

Are you concerned about it?

Yolo, I LOVE satire. This IS satire, right? Right? (cue up star wars meme)

Gigantic huevos

Going for it