Richard Noggin

I just hope you enjoyed the self-own I've further emphasized above.

I think that's exactly it: risk tolerance and a certain degree of uncertainty regarding "randomized" testing schedules and results. Probably super common: limited offseason "training" regimens with targeted, incremental goals and conservative allowances. Seems like the infraction announcements happen largely during the offseason, but is there an NFL policy that defers such judgements once a season is officially underway? There must be in-season positives, given injury management and whatnot, so is there an NFL process for keeping a lid on those under a certain recurrence threshold? Or is my perception of this as a largely offseason phenomena inaccurate?

Literally buying into the wedding industrial complex is insane and old fashioned and decadent behavior; while a night before dinner and drinks meetup is super helpful overall, and just plain awesome when the goal is to share things with people you love, but having some kind of intricate/pedantic ceremony that requires actual rehearsal is so oddly obedient to a consumerist and ridiculous event economy that I will never (again LOL) align with.

Seems like an athletic dude still with a big season in him, almost like Engram was, but unlikely to sustain elite production YoY. Isn't a Y at all to my knowledge, especially in an offense that seeks to be physical at the LOS and run the ball with a higher than avg frequency and effectiveness. So he'd basically replace Kincaid, which is fine I guess. But not a lot of "value" there. Kincaid's potential for improvement might be a better, cost-controlled asset, at least for one more year.

That sounds like Beane tbh

Do you hear yourself?

What would they be "juicing" in the locker room immediately before a contest? I'm assuming "juicing" means "injecting"? Are/were injectable anabolic steroids "fast-acting"? Sounds a little cliched. More about extreme diet and water restrictions in the immediate leadup to a show, to my understanding. The "juicing" is more of a training thing than a gameday thing, innit? (Sure there's something to contradict my take, so let's have it.) I don't think creatine has documented long term side effects, when used reasonably? Also, you don't share a single actual downside to its use, so is your argument that: just because some square Doc way back when said NO, and listening to that Doc resulted in minimal growth for you, we should abstain? (My 5'11" azz, who was maybe 5'8" as a high school junior, gained like 30 lbs throughout that spring and following summer, fall, and winter, while participating selectively in an alleged Soviet olympic weight training pyramid routine for just the bench press LOL. I played soccer and ran track but my bench press buddy was a big friendly giant of a sophomore offensive lineman who I drove to school sometimes. Neither of us supplemented beyond protein, but wow was it easy to get stronger and bigger with puberty's tailwind. I know other somatypes, like you, need "additional assistance" to add considerable mass. I need extreme discipline and/or "assistance" to get very lean, on the contrary.) They don't claim ignorance/betrayal because they mean it. What is the professional/monetary advantage to publicly "accepting responsibility"? They all say the same thing because that's the broadly accepted, legally/commercially advisable messaging. To be honest, there should probably be guidelines/allowances for responsible and monitored HGH use in a gladiator sport like football. Not much downside in legalizing something with multiple, valuable benefits and minimal side effects.

Makes one wonder about Epenesa's prescribed, dramatic and counter-intuitive transformation from a big, long, physically strong and stout DE to a long but lean DE with questionable explosion and bend for his avg weight. Coming out of college, he seemed like the perfect fit for an odd-front defensive scheme that would value his natural strength, length, and leverage. Like a Pitt or GB or Bal type of landing spot. A 5T DE in a 3-4 alignment. Someone they'd want to see ADDING weight and strength, leaning into his traits. He'll never be twitchy and bendy, so why not maximize what he CAN be? A big, tall bully on the edge. That was my take on AJ Epenesa's best NFL projection. Still is, to be honest. The fact that he obviously overshot his weight loss targets in year one, thereby neutralizing his previously natural strength and leverage, was a multi-layered failure. The 2020 pandemic offseason was no time to ask that rookie to radically redefine his body composition and effectively weaken his strengths. Coleman and Rousseau, conversely and correctly, should both be steering INTO their strengths and lengths and getting bigger and stronger. Hell yeah.

What an awesome post. The bit about our smaller (often banged-up WRs) getting bodied in the playoffs is accurate. So then it was best when Allen had a diverse/transitional WR crew in Davis, Diggs, and Beasley (and Sanders, sort of), and the bigger outside deep threat was able to beat the Chiefs man and maybe sometimes quarters/cover-3 (?) pressure looks all game long. Also, the slot WR reeled in some vital 1st downs. WR1 disappeared utterly and completely (3 for 7yds WTF). But still they did enough. Possible they've got similar depth and diversity of skills in 2025. No one as good as Diggs, but maybe a grittier, deeper, more physical WR room (especially in weeks 19+).

(I actually get what you're saying here and agree, but) what an insane thing to read lol "cerebral" is just a wild term to apply to a guy like him, in any capacity. For example: those early tweets, which were harmless, were clearly the musings of a very special buddy. Josh Reed had exactly ONE pro season where he absolutely displayed the hands and tenacity that had previously won him the Biletnikoff in college. (But outside that year, those hands were SUSPECT.) This highlight reel is a solid retort to the more comprehensive negativity about Kincaid in this thread. I share many concerns about him, and more after last season, but it's not impossible that he'd improve in year 3. Sure hope he's putting in the work.

'Shakes, or milkshakes, specifically require ice cream and liquid dairy (or something(s) similar). Smoothies don't have such a requirement that I'm aware of. Unless you see "smoothie" as always short for "fruit smoothie," in which case, you got me. I'll bet Shedeur Sanders could help us understand how football families define these terms. And finally, I guess we both chose screen names that reveal something identifying about us.

Difficult to argue with this (plus I mostly agree). But to be fair to me, I was specific about it being a "volume/production" thing with Roman's passing offenses. Efficiency wasn't at all my focus.

Guess the initial thrust of this thread is that fans aren't literally seeing the "growth" there's so much room for (in that one image, mind you)

Isn't Prather a couple inches taller and much longer legged/longer strider? (I should click on @The Jokeman's link, prolly, huh)

What are you wearing while you do this? That, sir, is a smoothie. I drink them daily. (The Ninja Bullet is an ideal tool for this.)

1st round pick Q Johnston? (I know he looked lost as a rookie, and carries that dreaded "contested catch" college reputation...)

NHL playoffs annually is a great example of this relentless, selfless approach to team sports that works especially well when even the most talented guys buy in. It's a winning approach. Talent can still tip the balance, of course. Those Cowboys teams in the 90s, for example. The Eagles right now. Etc.

Totally fair. Just saying that his '24 production should be asterisked. Ladd definitely showed he's got legit chops. But Roman has a slanted track record with respect to passing volume/production.

This hurts so good.

I don't think Goff's documented production or his tape supports such a dismissive assessment of his ability. "A less talented Kirk Cousins" is a crazy claim. #1 overall pick with a better athletic profile and college pedigree who's had SO MUCH more NFL success...it's just not close. I get that they're both pocket guys who throw a nice intermediate in-breaker, but come on!

One cannot summarily dismiss the impact of Greg Roman's arrival on Palmer's 2024 production.

I suspect I'll never be able to quit watching, unless the Bills leave WNY. But I'll be fine watching from the comfort of my couch or my buddy's garage rather than at the stadium, if/when that time comes.

Despite the "30 year" PSLs we've almost paid off already for our 2 seats in the new stadium, I can't envision us keeping up with these recurring obligations more than a few years from now. My ticket partner is my 73 year-old mother (I'm almost 47), who first attended home games at The Rockpile in the mid-'60s with her Italian father despite my Sicilian grandmother's fatalistic/racist objections. So...when Allen eventually retires, hopefully not for 8-10 years, but possibly sooner...will I still be accompanying my mom to the games? Could depend on their championship outcomes between now and...then. A Superbowl victory at any point would essentially release me from our expensive and laborious season ticket ritual, whereby my decade-long duty as her gameday chaperone would be allowed to end. I'm counting on the Bills finally winning it all in this final season at the current stadium, thereby making all the inaugural 2026 home games in the new stadium even more impactful for both orgs/fanbases involved. Until they win a Superbowl, though, we're locked into expensively suffering alongside them. Can't quit it before they finally hit it. Family season ticket rules. Reeaally hope they find a way to finish the job.