Tanoros

True, I missed the most important word of your previous post. Your point about team 1 not being able to win with their first possession is true, and I do think the trend will be for teams to defer (at-least at the start). However, there is certainly merit to taking the ball first and having the option for a 3rd possession. For instance, with Allen I’d feel comfortable with him driving down and scoring a td on the first possession. Namely, because Allen can convert even 3rd and longs with relative ease (at least compared to just about everyone else besides Mahomes), and I’d feel really good about Allen getting us into fg distance on a 3rd drive. Also, I trust our defense to hold in a 2pt attempt, at least, enough to take the chance. Question for you. If we got the ball first, do you automatically go for 2 every time (playoff OT)? Situation dependent? I do trust Allen going for 2, but I’d still go for the xp, unless our defense couldn’t stop anything (like our last game).

I agree with all you said about Allen. I also strongly believe he will be considered the best to ever play when it’s all said and done. I hope this upcoming season we get to see both Knox and Davis break out (among others, namely some defensive guys).

Why are so many saying going first only offers benefit if scoring 8 points? Last I checked scoring wasn’t automatic. There are several ways to bring about a 3rd possession, and not all OT’s come about because two offenses are unstoppable. -turnovers, punting, trading fg’s. There are several ways in which the third possession can come about. While I agree with the sentiment of taking the ball second, I don’t think it’s such an obvious choice.

I love your optimism, and this is also the best I’ve felt about an upcoming season in along time. However, adversity is a common theme in the NFL, and the 2022 Bills will face it as well. Most likely that adversity leads to losing a game or two. However, Allen is the key. Depending on his play, your guess could be spot on. If Allen plays anything close to playoff Allen most/all of next season. Man, we will be very hard to beat, much less force a punt 😉

While I agree with much of what your saying about the reasons for the getting the ball second (especially because we have Allen), I want to make one important correction. You said the only way for a 3rd possession is if team 1 scores a td and 2pt on the first drive. This is wrong. The 3rd possession can happen multiple ways. -both team fail to score and punt. -both teams have turnovers/turnover on downs. -both teams score field goals -both teams score td and xp -both teams score td and 2pt Many of us Bills fans are viewing this OT rule through the lens of the Bills/Chiefs playoff game, and acting as if it’s a given both teams score td’s, but that’s not the case. Many are not considering this part in having the ball first. This is the reason I keep saying the right answer is highly dependent on the game/game flow.

The team that gets the ball first can go for 4th downs sure, but they also run the risk of giving the second team great field position only needing a fg to win. The second team doesn’t have this worry, because they lose unless they score anyway. With that being said, the first team would only very strategically go for 4th downs, but I doubt they go into a new set of downs with a 4 a down mentality, where as the second team is thinking this way about every set of downs. They are all 4 down territory. That’s the advantage others are speaking of. As an example, first team has the ball on their own 30 and it’s 4th and 10. I highly doubt they go for it, where as the second team has no choice. They ARE going for it. But let’s roll this scenario back to 3rd down. Let’s say the first team is at their own 30 and it’s 3rd and 10. That team is looking to gain 10+ yards on the play, where as the second team in the same down, distance, and yardage situation, is at a minimum looking to make the yardage for a first shorter for the 4th down play, not necessarily going for the first on one play. I agree, if does open up a lot of options and I’m happy the NFL made this decision. Honestly, it took too long, but this is what OT should have been from the beginning. Honestly, I like this version better than the version the Bills proposed, which was just to play OT out (whatever the time limit is for OT). This way, there is different strategies that can be valid either way, and over time, it will be cool to see which trends develop. The only sad part is, we have to wait until the playoffs and then an OT in the playoffs.

It is too bad we won’t get to see this in action very often. But, I do like the aspect of having draws in the regular season. Honestly, part of me wishes the NFL would get rid of OT for the regular season. If a draw is a possibility, why have OT and risk injury? I feel like if there is going to be an OT, then there also needs to be a winner.

See, I disagree here. When considering this question in the general aspect, it can’t be properly answered without one knowing how the game is going. Consider a defense struggle of a game, a field position, old school kind of game. In this type of game, having a 3rd possession and sudden death is an advantage. Especially if the first possession is used to pin the second team deep in their own territory. The point is, the correct decision will vary from team to team and more importantly, from game to game. I’m some ways, saying that, “we should always take the ball second or defer” is like saying, “we should always go for it on 4th and 1 or less”. Tough decisions/strategies in football are generally situation/game dependent, and I feel that the decision to either receive or defer in OT is the same.

Your point is in regard to a very specific situation. What I’m saying is, a 3rd possession in sudden death is an advantage. There is no way to argue that it isn’t. A 3rd possession can come about in a few different ways, the how isn’t important, the fact that’s it’s possible is the important part. I also think your wrong about the first team going for two when scoring a td. I certainly can see it happening, but it would be the exception and not the rule. Only elite offenses or teams with elite qb’s would be so brazen as to go for two on the first possession td. I’d feel pretty good about the Bills having to stop a td/2pt for the win in just about every situation. Even that ***** Kansas playoff game, I’d be ok with a one play 2pt stop for our defense. I feel like, this is the way the vast majority of NFL coaches would view it as well. But only time will tell.

I could be wrong, but I believe your answering this question as a Bills fan, knowing we have Allen. Because we have Allen I agree with what your saying. My overall point was in regards to playoff OT in general and not necessarily our team and Allen. It really comes down to the type of game/game flow and team composition. Meaning, there isn’t one right answer for all situations/playoff OT’s.

You just made a point why there is an advantage to take the ball first. Having the ball first in a sudden death situation (regardless of how it got there) IS an advantage. There isn’t a right answer to this question. It depends entirely on the team composition, and the flow of the game. Consider a defensive struggle, with both teams having a hard time moving the ball. In that situation, having the bs first in a sudden death situation can make sense. Another factor in this specific scenario (defensive type game), is the first team with the ball could pin the second team near their own end zone. Setting the first team up with a short field in a sudden death situation. The point is, every game is it’s own game, and the right answer depends game to game, team to team. With our current team and Allen, I think I’d prefer having the ball second, only because I’d trust Allen to get the td and the 2 pt, especially being able to use 4 downs to move down the field/get the td.

Your question at the end is a good one, but I’m sure 90%+ go for xp when scoring a td as the first team. Because at that point, your defending the field from a td, and then a 2pt play should they get the td. Lots of opportunities for the defense there, the team would have to have zero confidence in their D, or the other teams qb just playing at an unstoppable level (which is why I said 90%, it could happen, we saw Allen and Mahomes do just that). As far as the second team, I agree 100%. Going for two would make sense in many cases, especially considering both teams just scored td’s on their first OT possession. When having a qb like Allen, it makes even more sense to go for 2 as the second team. Allen is so deadly in the redzone.

Exactly. It depends on the team composition, but with Allen, going for two makes sense.

By taking the ball, your setting the team up to have the ball first should OT move to sudden death. To be honest, there isn’t a one size fits all answer to this question, and both sides have merit. Having the ball second, and being able to use 4 downs is a nice advantage. However, getting the ball first in sudden death is also a nice advantage. The nice thing about going second is having the ability to go for two and avoid sudden death. I don’t think it would be common for the first team with the ball to go for two, so the second team has a shot to either win it or lose it on a 2pt play. I’d take that with Allen all day any day.

I’m warming up to Hall in the first for the reasons you said. It makes sense with the idea of making a super bowl push this year. It’s not common to see 6’+ rbs with 4.3 speed anymore, and Hall is a good wr weapon too. If Hall is anything close to a Taylor or Henry (who isn’t much of a wr) at rb, our offense would be nearly unstoppable, I’m sure we’d see another no punt game or two. I really like Pickens and hope that somehow/someway we land him.

McDermott and Beane embrace a growth mindset, and so far both have shown that growth. I don’t see any reason to believe McDermott won’t learn and grow from what happened in the playoffs. For instance, consider Andy Reid (one of McDermotts mentors), he struggled in the post season/Super Bowl early on with the Eagles. There was narratives that he couldn’t win it all. How many coaches do you think could have turned us into a playoff team in the 2017 season? Especially when everyone thought we were talking. McDermott might not be the best coach in the game yet, but he is certainly better than most, and it’s no given that a new coach would be better. Is the 13 seconds your only reason for not having faith in McDermott? Or do you have other reasons? Who would you want as the coach, a realistic option?

Dane and Levi held the fort well the last half of last season, now add Von and either a vet/rookie cb. I think they can hold the fort until Tre is back. Plus, Allen is going to be even better this year, no reason to think he won’t be. He has shown growth from the start of each season to the end, and more growth in between seasons. I’m not saying we will have playoff Allen every game, but I believe we are in for a real treat with Allen this year.

Could be a bit nickel. But Taron Johnson has done so well with tackling he’s kinda reduced the need for a big nickel. McDermott takes it slow with rookies, and a later rounder safery isn’t likely to have a big role early. More like a situational use that could potential grow as the season progresses. I don’t think Beane is done. I’m sure he has floated offers to multiple vet cb’s and the cb’s are looking to see if they can find a better offer elsewhere, with us being a fall back. Either way, I imagine before the draft Beane brings in a cb who could realistically starts across from Dane to open the season.

Would probably have to move up for Pickens, but I’d love him with a first round cb

I mean to say wr, but totally mistyped that.

Maybe someone will want to trade up with us to jump Chiefs and Packers to select a qb? I also really like Gordon, and would love to see him with us.

I’n this day and age, cost overruns are almost a guarantee too. I work in large construction infrastructure business (west coast), but we can’t seem to get a project to cost it’s original projection. Hopefully it’s easier for a large stadium, with less extra costs.

I’ll note a few ideas that come to mind. But first (even though I’m about to answer). What’s the setting? Will fans be walking around and hop in line to do said event and the players are stationed (rotating?) at different events? I’m kinda curious what the intended format is, or if it’s completely open to ideas? Ideas below: -One of the Bills embeds showed a tug o war contest. Perhaps you could have players vs fans. Or have fans and players mixed for each of the sides. Maybe even with a Bills themed rope or something like that. -(really random): have like a foam table (made of foam but looks like the classic fold up style) that can stand on its own, but also be used to jump on the table. Put the foam table on top of a gymnastics mat so the fall is soft. To more directly involve the players, perhaps have the players throw people (not crazy throw) onto the table ala the Josh Allen fan table throw. - a pretty simple idea that I’m sure others will mention is a throwing type of competition. Perhaps involving either fans throwing to players, or players to fans. - Or even just fans attempting to throw into a net with certain spots being worth points and the goal is to get a “first down” or 10 points on 3 attempts. Could have some 4th down option where you step back a certain distance based on how many points you have left. So like 4 points to go you step back 4 of whatever distance is chosen (like 4 feet, inches, etc). Overall there could be some digital app (or just a card with stamps, or tickets) that tracks completion of the events, with some sort of “prize” for those who complete all of the events (maybe the prize is to be entered into a raffle). I’d be happy to elaborate and I’ll attempt to brainstorm some more ideas. Thanks for engaging the community, such a cool idea to crowd source something like this. Good luck with it all!

It creates a hole and there are not many good vet options out there. Additionally, there is no guarantees with a rookie.

I can’t imagine we don’t bring a vet in before the draft though. That wouldn’t be like Beane to leave such a gaping hole.