Richard Noggin

@Matt_In_NH nicely done. Sneaky-good one. @buffaloboyinATL not bad, either.

I like the analogy of bringing Diggs into the Bills WR room, which coincided with an unmistakable elevation in the play of the rest of the room. They really did seem to dial it up a notch, as a group. More competitive and focused at the catch point, for example. While we didn't see that same coinciding uptick in pass rush effectiveness sustained following Von's injury last season, there's no doubt we saw it while he WAS on the field (and Rousseau et al were still fully healthy). We're definitely seeing the starting four performing at a HIGH level without Von out there so far in 2023, so can't wait to see the product once he's back in the rotation.

My 9th grade self just got the 6-pack spins from merely viewing this image. Can taste it.

Obviously it seems so...obvious. Nevertheless, I had a bunch of friends and people near my seat gripe to me in-game, and also since the game, about all the running plays Dorsey calls on 1st down. So predictable and conservative. And predictably ineffective. And so on. Except of course over the past two games I think at least 3 PASSING touchdowns were the result of play-action from under center. So...I don't know. Seems like compelling enough efficacy to maybe...NOT...whine about lazy cliches and otherwise be so rash to complain before we have proper context.

Love the topic here. I have faith in NFL defensive coordinators to catch up to just about every offense, eventually, given proper resources. It's been my opinion that we should identify our most pressing societal and planetary problems, maybe top three at the time, then conscript the top ten NFL defensive coordinators, each offseason, to take three weeks to diagnose, deconstruct, and devise a gameplan to defeat those problems. Boom. Problems solved.

For sure injuries are an inevitability for every team, to varying degrees. My suggestion was simply that Armstead going out roughly coincides in the game with when the Bills defense starts to really clamp down (2nd half of 2nd quarter). It sorta tracks, circumstantially.

Bummer disclaimer. Anybody wanna talk about how impactful Miami's offensive line injuries were today? From being down their starting OC at kickoff, to losing their LT in-game... That progression of o-line unavailability no doubt helped the Bills tremendously. Armstead left the game late in the 2nd quarter, right around the time the Bills defense was absolutely locking down the Dolphins offense.

In a way I kind of agree, or maybe I just WANT to agree, that Elam is a weapon in waiting who just hasn't suited up on gamedays because he doesn't offer much on Special Teams. Now that there's a major CB injury, however, Elam is next man up due to positional need. And of course his skillset is so different from Benford's, so one could imagine them complimenting each other. Or...not, given the throbbing glare of four consecutive healthy scratches to open his second season.

He thinks it's Bills red color rush jerseys across the LOS

Zach Wilson thinks he's playing against the Bills.

Agreed but 14 points through the air is a nice payoff for that incredibly frustrating tendency.

Saleh should be on the hot seat, but I'd guess nothing changes while Rodgers is pretending he can play again this season (and NOT be a fricking liability) and/or for sure wants to play for New Jersey NEXT season.

100% was my immediate observation as well. Like when fighters reflexively smile after getting hit hard, sorta.

And Gabe last week, too.

You talking about the push-up play? Or just before that

Pretty sure we eventually got two nice tuddies on 1st down play-action, though, didn't we? Or at least one TD and another explosive play. I don't know. I was there. I got a lot of sun today (and I'm a ginger). I get the frustration with such patterned play calling. But if it pays off over the course of a game, then that's kinda brilliant innit

Google: Beach chairs

One new wrinkle in this matchup tomorrow is that Allen's ownership of the Dolphins defense predates the hiring of Fangio. So it might be tempting for Phins fans or our more delicate fellow Bills fans to wipe that RATHER CONVINCING slate clean and act like Fangio is a new, unknown quantity. Good thing Josh Allen is 2-0 against Fangio-led Broncos teams/defenses. One could convincingly argue that those Broncos defenses had more talent than this current Dolphins D, especially without Jaelen Phillips. "Allen has also had success against new Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in two wins over Fangio when he was head coach of Denver: Four touchdowns, one interception, 544 passing yards on 66 percent passing." https://cbs12.com/sports/content/tua-has-a-chance-to-lead-dolphins-over-divisional-hump-of-josh-allen-and-the-bills

Everyone obviously remembers when Miami won the superbowl at home in week 3 against the Bills last year? Just 12 hours until we get a chance to avenge that early-season superbowl loss. I'm ready.

He didn't work hard enough on his positive manifestations in the offseason. This might all be his fault.

I was ambivalent on Ed and a hard no on (re-signing) Tremaine. Happy to see Ed showing out so far (shoutout to DaQuan Jones for the assist). Not surprised that Tremaine isn't making plays in Chicago.

I do not MISS it, no. Was it incredibly entertaining at the time? Like watching the '90s Knicks against anyone else in the East? Yes, of course. Like watching the '80s Sabres brawl with the Bruins? Penalty boxes absolutely bulging with humanity? Hell yeah. I wasn't cognizant enough to remember the amazing violence and gladiatorial brutality of defense (and the heightened, epic beauty of downfield offensive breakthroughs) 70s bloodsport football. Was it irresponsible and salaciously exploitative? Obviously. Probably why it was so narcotically appealing. The era of head-hunting and otherwise overtly violent collisions visited upon offensive skill players who dared go downfield or over the middle was potentially a reflection of the times.

You might mean he's PRODUCING well? Projecting season totals has nothing much to do with efficacy, and almost everything to do with opportunity. Performing well, in my mind, would include a couple more catches already, given the targets he's already seen.

Agree with your first line. Starting CBs are playing well, at least to my untrained eye. But one reason to maybe elevate Elam over Jackson, perhaps, is the same reason why your second line is irrelevant: Elam has the plus speed and length and press-man traits of a 1st rounder (which ultimately matters more than the perceived value and expectations of his draft position), and those traits might be useful against the fastest offense (ever?) who relies on free releases and timing. I know New England followed Hill around a bunch with their 1st round rookie, Gonzalez (sucks he fell to them). Not saying Elam should mark Hill, exactly, but it's also not a wild idea. Let's forget about draft position for the sake of outside expectations, shall we? As if that's even remotely possible.