Richard Noggin

You know the game's in Foxboro, right? You're hoping for pork belly in Palestine, I'm afraid.

We certainly hope that's the case, don't we? I vaguely recall an article earlier this season making the case for Star doing yeoman's work, but haven't seen any evidence-based analysis of his impact lately. Anyone got evidence he's filling his role well? Traditional stats (tackles, pressures, sacks, etc.) don't tell the story, is what we're hoping...

It seems as though Frazier got too hung up on 4-man rushes early this year, and McDermott stepped in to infuse the play-calling with more creative/aggressive pressure packages. That appears to have mostly helped (except against the Colts and Packers, especially). But yeah, against the Colts, in particular, it looks like (and sounds like in post-game interviews) they'd gone back to the more passive Tampa-based, 4-man-only pass-rush games (twists and stunts and zone drops), which can be gashed and slashed on the ground, and exploited in play-action. Lately it feels like the D has gone back to those less aggressive pressure concepts that spell doom against teams who can also run the ball. If we don't affect the QB, we don't play good D.

That's reasonable. I haven't always found your analysis to be reasonable. But here you're being fair. "Those inconsistencies" were mostly fixed in every other game, oddly enough. But you're right: we've watched several BAD games of defense this season. Very bad games. Which has simply revealed that the 2018 Bills don't have an offense capable of 'picking up' the defense in a given week. No NFL defense is consistently shut-down anymore. Flashes, sure. But offense is the only somewhat-reliable phase of the game now.

Lorenzo Alexander for MLB!!! He did it in the playoff game last year. He is a beast.

The Jets writer on WGR tonight, Dan Leberfeld, agrees. He thinks Lee is wrong for that D (too small to play ILB in a 3-4), and his backups are better suited.

Can we take a moment to reread the bolded? Just read it slowly. Savor it.

Heard. Let's hope we see more of this. Watching last week's game again, especially the second half (which is both a compliment and a criticism), was surprising. Some of those plays were even more impressive when slowed down and deconstructed. His talent is tantalizing. I really want Beane to be right about this one thing.

Any reasonably objective analysis of the play should also include the language, "stood tall in a collapsing pocket to deliver the 30-yard, tight-window touchdown throw." Read that five times fast. Not because it's difficult, but because it's awesome.

You don't think the games last year showed some ON-FIELD hostility? Articles have been shared in this thread about the season finale and the bad blood. I think right now the PLAYERS hate the Dolphins more than I do, for example. I don't hate them the way I did in the 80s and 90s. And you're right, that's partially because neither team is currently relevant enough for an intense buildup. But I think the players have some recent ammunition for a legitimate rivalry.

You really don't think you were being hyperbolic or sanctimonious or preachy or some such (very) minor sin? At all?

You really took this roster move and ran with it, huh?

Hurt badly? Really? While it wasn't a classy move at all, and I definitely have never considered involving myself in on-field happenings... This kind of admonition feels a little too sanctimonious to me. The fan was wrong, but Fournette had left his bench to assault a Bills player, was presently trolling fans, and even his handlers were being a bit d@#chey while walking him toward the tunnel. A beer CAN thrown is no great sin.

Right. That's how amazing world-class milers are. They're SUStaining speeds I cannot even ATtain...

Having played a little rugby in college, where this kind of "scrumming" is fundamental to the sport, I can say it's not as rough as it might appear to be. Rugby is largely about wrapping up and driving. Less about violent collisions. Collisions involving dynamic contrasts in direction and velocity are damaging. Like when guys wear helmets and pads and launch themselves at one another at high speeds. ***Plenty of other nifty on-pitch behaviors make rugby a painful sport, of course***

Agreed. But are you giving him a backhanded compliment here? Matt Milano IS athletic for an NFL linebacker. What he's NOT is long or heavy or freakishly fast. If I said I was completely missing your clear transition from Milano to Hyde, do you forgive me? (I looked back at your post mea culpa Matt Milano is athletic etc.)

Strongly, but respectfully, disagree. Milano's game is quickness, fluidity in the hips, range...being a kind of tweener in college. Athleticism is his thing. While he might not have run a freakish 40 or benched like a beast, Milano's combine numbers, for an NFL linebacker, are quite explosive in a couple categories (his vert and broad jump, specifically, rival Jabril Peppers (who was 10+ lbs lighter at the time): 40 Yard Dash: 4.67 seconds 40 Yard (MPH): 17.52 (MPH) 20 Yard Dash: 2.72 seconds 10 Yard Dash: 1.65 seconds Bench Press: 24 reps (225 lb) Vertical Leap: 35.0 inches Broad Jump: 126 inches 20 Yd Shuttle: 4.38 seconds

https://torontosun.com/sports/football/nfl/bills-jaguars-was-chiefs-rams-inverted This author helps us check our QB enthusiasm from an outsider's (also known as a d@#che's) perspective. I mean, Canadians, amiright?! Just joking about the Northern Neighbors dig. I was married to a Canadian once. Kryk, in the article, being kind: "The most impressive positive: Allen had a scintillating first-half pass completion, the best of his young career. He hung in there in a fast-collapsing pocket and, just before getting clobbered, launched a rocket to undrafted rookie Robert Foster, streaking deep behind Jags safety Barry Church. Foster caught it in stride and scored on a 75-yard play. Allen’s cannon arm is for real. Those were the exceptions." You can see the segue here to being...less...kind.

I love this observation. Sure, I can buy this. But without the edge, and the injuries.

I was at the Sabres game last night in Detroit. While the energy level in the arena was meh most of the first two periods, the second half of the 3rd and the entire overtime + shootout was electric. Detroit fans walked away fairly impressed by the Sabres.

As a prelude to a strong post, this point shouldn't be overlooked. Forget the tribalism that infects our culture. Be a fan of the BILLS as a team. Don't waste energy in futile binary debates. It's not a one-or-the-other, zero sum game. The freshly-rehabbed first-round QB took a step forward today. The newly-signed street FA looked really solid two weeks ago. Both assessments are positive.

In false humility, turns out. He SEEMED like such a gracious guy, back then.

He bought me a beer at the Blarney Stone in Syracuse's Tipp Hill neighborhood in 2011. For real. Against character for him (I've interacted with him since), he very humbly endured some off-hand, dismissive comments I made about 'Cuse football at the bar, unaware he was only a few stools away. He got up and paid without much fanfare, and then the bartender told me my beer was covered. I vaguely remember his Syracuse hat and his thinner (at the time) face. He might have smugly or humbly toasted me. (It was a long time ago, and at that time, I had no effing idea who Doug Marrone was.) So yeah, when he was still building his college resume, I witnessed Saint Doug at his most humble, most gracious best. In a Tipp Hill watering hole. Since then I've waited on him as the Bills head coach, during his first free agent recruiting dinners...the Brandon Spikes, Corey Graham off-season stands out. What a different dude he was by then...

Said no Bills fan ever. But have you watched him throw off-platform? Obviously it's easy and probably smart to dismiss this kind of criticism. It could also (eventually will) be lazy, however. What other elite NFL quarterback is forgiven for being hot trash when forced off-platform?

I was always disappointed by his lack of explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He had a catch-and-run or two, but never really displayed the game-breaking RAC he showed in college. Conversely, his hands, route-running, and smoothness as a more traditional boundary WR were better-than-advertised. And he had a knack for those go routes, which was fun. Like Lee Evans, but with a more complete route tree.