Richard Noggin

Has it been said in this thread? Ben Johnson. That should be the plan. Ben Johnson.

Should have maybe been more obvious to any seasoned Bills fan: this was the McDermott Special 2-Game Swoon. There is a 2-game crisis nearly every season under McD, usually followed by a much-improved on-field product. It's later in the season most years, but it's a thing. Recipe: significant defensive injuries, plus Josh Allen secret concussions/injuries (2 weeks in a row he got his bell rung imho), then add in poor gameplans. Teams that look physically overmatched. They get bullied a bit. Let sit. Get angry/dejected. Toss it all in the trash. Then start over. (We hope.)

Raging narcissist. Actually SUPER charismatic and genuinely likeable when he's happy. And of course elite at his craft. Just goes bad quickly once he's bored or some time passes or whatever. As for facing him, yeah I do worry about him as a motivated opponent. Would love to see the D hit him all game long, but that's not exactly how the Bills roll.

I'm sure someone has pointed out that this story is coming from The NY Post, right? Edit: okay, not a super sensationalist piece upon actual review. Fairly even-handed once you get past the headline and lede.

The annual McDermott 2-game swoon might very well be upon us. Relax. Give into it. Steer into the skid. Then absolutely decimate the Jets on MNF in front of their moronic fans.

This is logically incorrect imho. Divisional games are always the most important, especially against the only other team that might threaten for the AFCE title in 2024. The Diggs thing I guess has some people afraid of embarrassment, but the Jets game in Jersey on MNF is objectively much more important to the Bills season. And for those fans who feel the weight of national noise/scrutiny, isn't a MNF rematch against Rodgers and the Jets so much more impactful? I can't see an angle where the Texans game matters more except for short-sightedness and frivolous fear of Diggs flexing on us. Isn't it the opposite with him? He's a relatively tenacious hitter imho. I recall the game a few years back when he injured himself against Tennessee, he was starting maybe in place of Taron Johnson (when he got a wakeup/reset benching)? But he aggressively stuck his nose into a play or two. Before then leaving with an injury sustained on a collision he initiated iirc. I recall him lining up outside even, in that game. Made maybe the first run stick on an outside run? I don't know. I should check.

Funny to read posts relying on outdated Justin Tucker and Ravens defense results. 2 out of 3 units for Baltimore this season are MUCH worse than people remember.

Solomon Wilcots ftw

Hey, we're in this together.

Seeing a lot of posters who consider Cook a priority re-sign candidate. That's kind of bonkers, innit. Unless he's willing to take a bridge deal or team friendly number (which is not super likely to be sure). I guess his mileage is fairly low, and his skillset is perfect for the modern game, but it just doesn't seem like a smart move if the RB wants top-end RB money. Actually really hope Kelce surprisingly hangs on for another couple seasons, forcing the Chiefs to pay him above average TE money while producing diminishing returns. Douglas is AWESOME in this scheme. Could definitely play another year or two at a high level. Plus would make an intriguing safety conversion. AND YET...he will almost certainly price himself out of Buffalo (and good for him, I guess). Don't the Steelers, Ravens, Chiefs, and 49ers for sure have similar orgs? Plus Rams and Packers joining ranks? You're not wrong that Bills are near the top for org stability, but there are more orgs striving for the same level of continuity than you're acknowledging. Detroit seems poised to be in this group of orgs soon as well. REALLY hate this idea, unless the season gets turned upside-down ASAP. If Josh Allen gets hurt, for example, then sure, yes, definitely recoup some value on a guy like Douglas. Otherwise, how is that move helping the Bills win a championship in 2024?

This is what the darkness within tells me as well. Except that McD's defenses have done well against Lamar, historically/anecdotally, and I think Baltimore's defense is trash this year. Strongly agree with the Hou + Jets sentiment, however. If the Bills are gonna win 2 of next 3, I DEFINITELY want those 2 to be Hou and NYJ.

Care to share a little more for anyone who can't/won't check out the podcast?

I don't appreciate your tone

Is this an effort to deflect from his welfare fraud?

Mahomes is dropping his elbow on a bunch of throws, causing the ball to sail or otherwise hang up off-target. He might also be flying open (lead shoulder/hip) and throwing flat-footed and/or off balance. His elusiveness has been bailing him out. And for sure he's still hitting the occasional dime. But he isn't consistently very good so far in 2024. Which opens the door for one Josh Allen, who is operating at peak efficiency, to be the best QB in the NFL through the first three weeks. No more. No less. Just where it's at RIGHT NOW. TONIGHT.

Absolutely wild to say this about the LB position when the injured tandem (Milano and Bernard) might both be all-pro candidates if they could ever be consistently available together. And the 3rd member of their 2nd level all-pro starting defense is also out. And still, the current Bills defensive performances lend circumstantial credence to your claims that the 2nd and 3rd level guys up the middle don't matter as much as the EDGE and boundary guys outside.

Got to ECC parking lot at 2 PM before it even technically opened for Bills fans. Tailgated with 72 yr old mother for 4 hours and then took part in vigorous lower bowl (137 row 28, so up kinda high in lower bowl at roughly minus-2 yard line, to the left (scoreboard side) of Bills sideline) fanaticism throughout game. Bills fans brought their B+/A- game tonight. Not a bad showing at all. So I'd say we helped, not that the team quite needed it.

We have a few of him already on the roster, though, don't we? I honestly couldn't quickly find out if he's an MLB or WLB, officially. His tackle numbers suggest MLB. His alignment on the first video above says WLB (I think). Seems like the Bills cup already overfloweth with small school, mid-to-late round/undrafted LBs. We've already drafted this guy plus guys like him but with much more impressive measurables. Bernard, Williams, Spector, Olofoshia (sp?) and Andreesen come to mind. Not to mention Milano (although he's likely not long for this org). But then again, bring him in!

They seem damned determined to be a nickel defense. Not that injuries are allowing any flexibility, given the current decimation of our 2nd level starters.

The early season trend seems to be that defenses are generally being more stubborn in sticking with the split safety/nickel coverages and alignments, preferring death by a thousand cuts, rather than going out in a blaze of glory. Keeps the game within striking distance, goes the thinking?

It's intriguing to consider, briefly, that the Bills are possibly at the forefront of where the league is finding itself this season, offensively. Feels unlikely, and yet... We don't have much of a sample size to go on, yet, but it sure does seem like NFL DCs have been stubbornly insistent on aligning in 2-deep safety looks pre-snap, even when getting hurt by the run. Tons of post-snap coverage wrinkles and rotations and disguise, but when defenses consistently keep their safeties aligned deep and keep an extra DB on the field most of the time and the LBs are a little lighter...there is room to lean on them with the run game. Brady seems devoted to McD's vision of at least being able to succeed against that style of defense (while the Bills are also dedicated to sticking with that same D design themselves). Were 2020 and 2021 the last years when defenses really relied heavily on 2-deep safety alignments? Back then it was to combat the proliferation of explosive, spread and downfield passing attacks. Now, the pendulum might be swinging back again...

You know what? You're right. Our offense is NOT as innovative as the Dolphins', who we just held to 10 points on the road. Their offense has SO MANY MORE MOVING PARTS and MOTIONS and WAYS TO COVER UP FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS than ours does. They rack up yards (and often points) by putting 2nd level defenders in conflict against supremely fast weapons. Between the 20s the Dolphins are SCARY. And yet, here we are.

Haven't the Bills had relative success against Hill and Waddle, compared to the rest of the league, for several years now?