Mikie2times

I don’t know. I think the league/owners want protection in some way in case refs make a horrific mistake, such as the non call that generated the rule change. That said, the league has been pretty clear on how they intend on enforcing it. Unless it is a serious error nothing will change. I’m good with that. I was worried we would see tic tac stuff and that would have been painful to watch. By next year I doubt we get many challenges on account of the way it’s being enforced, but we still get to keep the protection. Best of both worlds.

I’ll bite. Kaep is likely at back up replacement level. That is to say, I imagine he would be able to compete for a #2 or #3 spot. But let’s be real here. Why would any employer hire this guy? Is any #2 or #3 spot worth the distraction he comes with? What about in the private sector? Would you hire a low to mid level staff that has the ability to potentially distract all of your staff?

One play I would love to see resurface more which was a Bills staple in the early 90’s was the direct snap to the RB. No reason that play can’t be just as effective in today’s game.

My takeaway from all this is play-action. I have said repeatedly that Allen is one of the better under center play-action QB’s in the league. It’s about the only time you always see him in perfect rhythm, planting, fluid arm motion, flawless delivery. Watch film even back to Wyoming and he was a monster in play-action under center.

I'm not willing to say that being one sided in this stat is 100% doom. As an example, the Rams only run the ball 3% of the time in Shotgun and they seem to have a pretty damn good offense. That said I'm wondering what some of you think that have seen all the games. I don't watch as many games on TV or in person as many on the site. Under Daboll this year with our QB under center we run the ball 76% of the time good for the 4th highest run ratio under center. Then in Shotgun we run only 12% of the time, good for 29th lowest run ratio in Shotgun. On the surface it appears like a predictable thing to avoid, but I don't know if it's that black and white. Buffalo does fall pretty hard to the extreme. Interesting and again curious on if we look predictable based on what your seeing (for those who have watched all the games). https://www.sharpfootballstats.com/snap-rates--shotgun-v-under-center--off-.html

Sentimental couple drinks in. Geez, 28 years. Gross.

My fellow Bills brothers, I'm born and raised outside Detroit. No ties to WNY. I have been a Bills fan since 1991, I'm 37. So 18 years of dedicated service. Understandably well short of many of you on these forums. I fell in love with you and this team because they stood for what I felt I stood for, even as a kid. Resilience, excitement, loyalty, incredible devotion from the fans and then the glory of football played in that region with weather. You would be surprised how many of us are out there. As an outsider I can tell you I can't imagine what it is like playing for the Bills. On a national level, very little recognition (of course that comes with success) but on a local level, 1,000,000 Watt Light Bulb in a smaller market. Prior to this season I made a post about expecting this team to make the playoffs. It was widely dismissed. Now as it has been with each year I have followed the team when we performed early, expectations are shifting. It's good keeping in line, our bar was set at 6 wins by the best sports brains in the world (Las Vegas). I thought it was a laughable number. That said I'm starting to see the complaints of our beloved team get more granular. Concerns that you would make if you had Super Bowl aspirations. This team is not at that point yet. If they win Sunday they are not at that point. They aren't at that point until they get to that point. We have reason right now for incredible optimism and excitement and I stand behind my playoff prediction. Lets stay balanced. Let's not freak the hell out this year. Allen WILL do enough to let the defense do enough to get us to the next level. Then it's possible he can do much more than enough. Let's win a game in the playoffs then lets see what happens. I don't think any of us thought the end of our playoff drought was earned. We had better teams that didn't make the playoffs prior. This team is different. They're ascending, the rest of them were all teams that were flat lined. I have a feeling this is going to be a bit of a roller coaster the next year or two but the start of some great memories. For the younger fans, something they never experienced.

I don't disagree with pressure reps this season, but I dismiss the angle on the Bills being more prepared for a pressure situation. If Brady has the ball and a TD wins I don't see Buffalo stopping it. That's even with a very good defense. Perhaps the positives I do see in this that coincide with your thoughts is unlike previous years if afforded enough time I do think Allen can counter. It's a matter of keeping it a one possession game and winning the last 2 drives. That's what I hate about the Patriots. You can play even or within one score or even with a nice lead and they still, at the very worst, always seem to be in position for one last drive. In that scenario about the only time that drive gets stopped is with a lot of pressure on Brady.

Interesting. Fair enough. I just used Sportsurge after the shutdown and didn't look back. Looks like the historical CFB thread is still shut down. That's what I really love it for. CFB games are always no lag, HD. NFL games seem to be a little more hit and miss, but not exactly something you can complain about. I like my sub $50 a month all in cable/internet Bill with a $20 in Roku subscriptions. Sports was the only frustrating part in that set up until I found the holy grail.

Provide me a link to an active reddit streaming forum for NFL or College Football please. Shutdown happened about 3 weeks ago.

Reddit streaming is dead. It's now through Sportsurge as Gonzo pointed out. I watch all my sports on that. Most CFB streams are HD quality. Most marquee NFL games are HD quality. Sometimes the Bills games or NFL games in general will get a lag here or there. All in all, it's easy as hell to use.

All those hits. Surgeries. Has lived off his raw ability which declines at a faster rate based on how often you take a beating. Just watch his body language whenever things aren’t going well. Defeated. Lately that’s most the time. He still has some years left of above replacement level, but not a franchise QB anymore. I would be moving on if I was Carolina.

This stuff goes sideways with Kids. It all stops if the youth leagues and high schools start to get involved and realistically, hard to imagine that doesn’t happen eventually. Anybody who played at any level wanted that knock out shot highlight. It’s cemented into the game at every level. If you don’t believe me watch Ronnie Lott’s kid just drop another pee wee player with a home run shot. What did you think Lott’s coach said? His teammates? His father? Maybe you should have held up a bit? Hell no. It was all go team butt slaps.

I mean, if we can get a great return sure. But you have to figure the injury bug bites at some time. So whatever his role is he will have to contribute and we will need him.

If you played football, don’t tell me you didn’t like a shot at a crack back where they didn’t see you coming. It’s part of the game. It is pointless and higher risk to injury and so was Williams at that time. But the level of hate on this. Sure it’s because we loved Williams but most fans act like it was premeditated. Simple truth to it is he got a dream crack back and acted like most football players would. I wish he wouldn’t have went so high but again, the knock out shot is still very much in most players minds. That’s the mindset very early with the sport.

Sam Cowart

From some of these responses it sounds like the OP has a history here of some fun stuff. What I think he means is why can't a player with the stats you mentioned elevate his team to the next level (Super Bowl). Reality is, most people don't put Luck in elite status anymore and those are really the only ones that could do it eventually by themselves. For the 99% of the rest of the situations you need a complete team. Luck is getting closer and it still might not be enough. It wasn't for the Bills at a much higher level. I will agree, I do think Luck does have some choke in his game. I would think with a more complete team they should have a group that could go to the Super Bowl. I just don't think he will ever get there, more of a feeling than stats with that.

For Tre to go, we need to have a lot of success as a team. As one poster said about DE’s and sacks, the masses respect INT’s for DB’s. Tre is more of a blanket than a ball hawk. He’s well on the radar of people who really watch football. But if you ask most general fans who Tre White is they would have no idea. With success it will force people to look at the why and clearly the more you look at what he does all around, he’s an exceptional player. I would give Edmunds, Oliver, and Hughes the best chance if we aren’t as successful as a team just based on all 3 being able to get peoples attention with stats. If Oliver ends up being the player we think he is he could even help Hughes go before he does. I really think Oliver will be special but it’s not as if we are coming off some scrub at that position.

Drink a few beers and retake the test

I don't think I'm alone in feeling the way I do. I think many of you feel the same way. It's hard to trust this team. It's hard to trust the QB position. 20 years of psychological warfare, unmet expectations, disappointment. This is one of the most emotionally invested fan bases in the NFL. We have been burned so repetitively we have become split between two groups of people. Ones that can let go of the past be optimistic and move forward, then another group that is just as passionate and loyal but defends themselves emotionally by lowering expectations. I'm part of the latter but always fighting myself to push closer towards the former. I saw things in Allen's statistical profile last year that concerned me a great deal. How often he was running. Accuracy issues. Topics discussed many times on this forum as indicators to be cautious. I spent a lot time watching film on Josh this weekend. From the eyes of an emotionally defeated, lowered expectation, pessimist, this is what I saw. A kid in the shape of a giant outrunning defenders not because he couldn't read progressions or step up in the pocket, but because he was either forced to roll out or more often because the defensive line completely over pursued. He took advantage of mistakes defenses made and put DC's on notice this year. If you want to play pin the ears back and undisciplined in your pass rush he will make you pay. I saw this man child hit the deep middle 20 yard throw like no QB we have had since Bledsoe (who for all his shortcomings delivered that as well as anybody). I saw him often not stepping up in the pocket and delivering the ball awkwardly, but it was not because he was afraid it was because the DL was under his chin. Shockingly, he still delivered ropes all over the field from this position. I saw a player that can make every conceivable throw a QB can make in this league and many the majority of QB's could not. A player that when in cadence and rhythm was decisive and accurate. Somebody fully capable of turning absolutely nothing into not only positive yardage but sometimes a lot more. Oh by the way, a natural leader that inspired his teammates. You would have to have beaten Bills syndrome to the fullest level to not see the same things. Allen is a special player. He carried this offense as rookie void of any talent around him on his back last year. This year he has some weapons. So why not Buffalo, lets do this one more time. I'm on board and will put the past behind me. I think we make the playoffs this season. Then I think we challenge for what we really want in the years to come.

My, my, aren't we a sensitive group. Don't know anything about this guy but it's not exactly contrarian to think a rookie won't start with the type of depth we have on the OL this year. Doesn't mean his fate is doomed if that's the case. Everybody hated the Allen pick. Everybody loved the Ford pick. Show me a TV or Radio personality that gets it right more often than the general public and it might start to matter a bit. If one exists I don't think it's Mr. Brown.

Been on these forums a long time and never made any claims remotely close to this on a draft pick. He will be in the Pro Bowl by year two if he stays healthy.

This collusion between Beane and ESPN must stop. I request an independent panel be formed to determine Beanes involvement in the hiring of one Marcell Louis-Jacques for this position. I would like Mr. Rodak subpoenaed immediately and questioned for his involvement. Living closer to family? Is that really the truth Mr. Rodak? Bills nation must protect the integrity of Bills reporting. Attica! Attica!

Good or bad what do people expect Kyle to say? He’s retired and an avid supporter of the organization. Still very close to many of the players. Whenever the man talks I listen and I listened to this, but going in I knew no way possible it would be negative. Not like Kyle. Too much class. Good luck to him and Allen.

If you played at any level you know it boils down to deception. Void of deception it boils down to timing. I doubt anything less is being taught at the highest level. Obviously past the training god given ability, fast twitch muscles, etc.