Inigo Montoya

Pairing a legitimate running game with Josh Allen has been what I've hoped for and we haven't gotten there yet. The final half of last season with Brady calling the plays is the closest we've been. He became coordinator on November 14th after that horrific loss to the Broncos and the Bills proceeded to win seven of the next nine games. There only loses were the Philly game the week Bradly took over, and the 3 point loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs. We began to run the ball effectively and the offense really clicked. This preseason has seen a lot of questions about the Bills' receiving corps and the passing game. What I'm excited about is the running game with this O-Line and Cooks and Ray Davis. If they can run the ball as well or better than they did down the stretch last season, then I think this team will be very dangerous. I don't want the Bills to become a "running team" while they have Josh Allen under center. What I do want is for an effective running game to put opposing defenses in an unwinnable situation every snap where they can either stack the box and get beat by Allen's arm, or drop back into Nickle or Dime and have Cooks and Davis and our TE heavy sets run the ball down their throats.

I'm hijacking a thread from Brook! on the Jets message board. Below is an article from the Athletic that has the AFCE win totals a dead heat between the Bills, Jets, and Phins. I have three thoughts on the division this year, I don't have a prediction. 1. It's great to see the Patriots and their obnoxious, spoiled fans in the basement. 2. It's going to come down to injuries. The healthiest team of the 3 is going to win the AFCE. 3. The AFC is stacked again this year. I wouldn't count on a Wild Card for the division runner up. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5732411/2024/08/30/nfl-2024-win-totals-projections-analysis/ (Pay wall. I recommend The Athletic, best NFL coverage out there) Buffalo Bills Win total: 9.7 This seems just about right. A team led by Josh Allen in his prime should always be taken seriously. I’m sure, even with several questions about the Bills in 2024, Allen is why they have the AFC’s fourth-highest win total. But the questions are legitimate. The defense could take a real step back due to cap-cleaning offseason turnover and a long-term injury to linebacker Matt Milano. Plus, it’s a new offense without wideout Stefon Diggs or center Mitch Morse. The Bills could struggle with a tough early schedule, but don’t rule out a second-half surge once all the new pieces jell just in time for the playoffs. — Joe Buscaglia New York Jets Win total: 9.6 It’s hard to argue with this projection — and fascinating how tightly the AFC East teams are grouped. The Jets clearly have the most talented roster of the three from top to bottom, and if Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy, there’s no reason they should fall short of 10 wins. They had a top-five defense in each of the last two seasons, and the unit is still mostly intact (and could be even better if/when Haason Reddick finally reports). The offense should be vastly improved. Rodgers is obviously a major upgrade over Zach Wilson and last year’s rotation of backups, Breece Hall is fully healthy, Garrett Wilson is ready to break out and GM Joe Douglas did a good job rebuilding the offensive line this offseason. — Zack Rosenblatt Miami Dolphins Win total: 9.5 This matches the over/under from BetMGM, so the experts are aligned here. However, the Dolphins are coming off of an 11-win season, and with a light schedule to start the campaign, I lean toward the over here. I expect coach Mike McDaniel to field another offensive juggernaut while unleashing some new wrinkles that most defenses won’t be able to handle. I’m concerned about Miami’s defensive line without Christian Wilkins but also love the system new DC Anthony Weaver is implementing. I think Miami gets off to another hot start but will have to fight to get to 10 wins against what looks like a very tough closing slate (at Packers, vs. Jets, at Texans, vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets). — Jim Ayello

Cooks is a very talented RB and should be the RB1 on this team, but if he keeps dropping easy TD passes, he may find himself out of the 3rd down back role with Ray being a very good pass catcher. Hopefully it's not a problem this year.

With the exception of the Cincy / Hamlin playoff blowout, this team seems to take turns letting Josh Allen down. Bad defense, bad coaching, bad drops, bad penalties. Spin the wheel and pick one at random. Josh Allen is the factor that the statistics can not account for because Josh Allen is a generational unicorn and a walking, talking, throwing statistical outlier. We are entering year 7 for Josh Allen. Year 7... And we still haven't made a Super Bowl. If Josh retires from his Hall of Fame career without a Super Bowl ring, it will be an indictment of the entire Buffalo Bills organization.

Chris Simms says it all the time on his podcast, no team in the NFL asks a player to do more that the Bills ask of Allen.

At least he's a native KC fan. I live in Kentucky and work with some Chiefs' fans. They are the worst, the bandwagon fans who cheer for whoever is winning. I've worked with my fair share of Patriot fans over the years here in Kentucky too. Those kind of "fans" make me sick.

I found a couple of good videos on YouTube that discuss Joe Brady's time at LSU and the Panthers and one line stuck out to me, "Joe Brady said his philosophy on offense is to force the defense to defend every blade of grass." It's interesting to look at the Bills roster moves through that prism. The video said some of Brady's concepts in Carolina were a bit inhibited because he had a QB in Bridgewater who was not adept at stretching the field vertically so he tried to make up for it by stretching the field horizontally with his play designs. With Josh under center that shouldn't be a concern and hopefully Brady can fully unleash his concepts. Interesting videos that are worth the watch. 11 minute run time. 13 minute run time.

Marshawn Lynch was one of the smart ones. I read a report that he only spent his endorsement money and saved every dime of his salary while he was in the league. Sportrac says he made $56m. "I'm just here so I won't get fined."

My favorite Bills' podcasts in order; 1. Buffalo Plus; Mike, Jenna, and Dan are informative and entertaining 2. Shout; Matt Parrino and Ryan Talbott have good stuff 3. Locked on Bills; Joe Marino is solid and I listen to him almost everyday during the regular season 4. Cover One; Greg Thompsett is great. Erik Turner's film breakdowns are really informative 5. Always Gameday; Sal Capaccio is in the loop and has great sources in OBD I watch all of them throughout the season and at high points in the off season. I canceled my Athletic subscription, which absolutely is the best print coverage of the Bills out there, because I could watch these podcasts on YouTube for free instead. Sorry Athletic....

Having a Thursday Night game in Week 2 is a good thing as well, they will only be recovering on a short week from a single game, not the accumulated effects of a half a season of games. Hopefully this is their only Thursday Night game.

A pirate ship

Good teams build through the draft. Great teams maintain through it. Hopefully Beane will continue to draft well.

Good signing for the Jets. I would have been happy to have him on the Bills with a reasonable contract.

Jerry Jeudy Amari Cooper Elijiah Moore David Bell David Njoku Nyheim Hines Jerome Ford Not a bad stable of pass catchers. Behind what should be a solid o-line, and having had a year to knock the rust off, this is a put up or shut up season for Deshaun Watson.

I'm really dreading those photos of Rachel Bush on the beach in Miami.

The Bills are going to be great next year! (This is a recording...)

There was a wonderful book published in 1923 called "The Prophet" . It was written by a Lebanese gentleman named Khalil Gibran. At one point he talks about Joy and Sorrow, and there's a passage I think about often being a long suffering Bills' fan; "Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain." I believe these tough times will make that eventual Lombardi trophy all the sweeter.

So true. Allen played like garbage in the 13 Seconds game and the Bills would have won handily if it wasn't for Allen stinking up the place. Great point as usual Airseven!

I'll stand for Zerovoltz here. He has been a good undocumented alien at TBD for years and he often has the inside scoop on the Chiefs. I don't think Allen faked a slide, and I honestly don't know how he came to that conclusion looking at the replay, but otherwise, I have enjoyed his reasoned opinion as a Chiefs fan.

Zerovoltz disappeared like DB Cooper. Wait a minute! Maybe Zerovolt is DB Cooper..... 😁

If Josh gets on a burner the offense can score more points than anyone mitigating our MASH unit defensive woes. Playing Mahomes seems to bring out the best in Josh. I'm hopeful.

I don't understand what makes a person go to another team's message board just to be a jerk. It's really kinda sad when you think about it. Go hug your kids, go for a walk, or read a good book. Life is too short.

Shakir keeps making plays. Making a case for the #2.

I'm not a fan of playing Taylor Swift's boyfriend, which would be a boon to the NFL, were Taylor Swift's boyfriend to make it to the Super Bowl.

I hope they sit Von again and activate Linval Joseph. I don't see Von getting much push or speed on a slick field. Better another wide body to clog the line of scrimmage and stuff the run.