BigAl2526

Let's hope Josh knows how to pick'em better than Tyrod does. Otherwise, it could become a distraction.

In 2020, Buffalo went 11-1 following two consecutive losses after starting out the season with 4 straight wins. That includes two playoff wins before they lost to KC. The OP could not have counted Buffalo's first regular season game in 2021 as a second consecutive loss after the playoff loss to KC at the start of the calendar year because Buffalo went 7-3 after that until they had consecutive losses in early December. After those consecutive losses, Buffalo ran off five straight wins until their almost annual playoff loss to the Chiefs. The precedent established that we don't carry over from the previous season, nothing gets counted in 2023 until Buffalo suffers consecutive losses in early November to the Jets and Vikings. Then begins a stretch of 8 straight wins before Buffalo lost to Cincinnati in the playoffs. One game was canceled due to weather. We start counting in mid-November of the 2024 season where Buffalo begins a run of eight straight games before losing against, you guessed it, Kansas City. By my count, Buffalo's record after consecutive losses is 32-4. That counts playoff games but not preseason games. It does not carry over from season to season. It does not count the consecutive losses.

I think there is very little to be learned from a game played in the conditions that San Francisco experienced in Buffalo, unless you're expecting to play in similar weather. When Buffalo is on offense against the Rams, the play calling will be different, but the biggest difference will be the way the skill players run routes and make cuts with the ball in hand. Likewise, the Rams will be able to do things very differently with perfect field conditions. I agree that Milano is going to be on an upwards performance curve over the next couple weeks and the presence of both Carter and Milano will be good for run defense.

They've been friends at least since college. They've shared the same off-season quarterbacking guru since then.

Nope, no change. I've never thought McDermott was perfect, but he's better than most coaches in the NFL. If Buffalo changed head coaches, the odds of the Bills being able to hire a new head coach who is superior to McDermott are less that 50%. How much less? I don't really know, but I have not wanted to take that chance and I would still rather the Bills stay the course. I don't think it is a given that McDermott can't guide the Bills to an AFC championship and even a Super Bowl win.

Absolutely agree. I think McDermott is a top three coach in the NFL, and this year he might be the best, but I don't expect him to win the award. In addition to your criteria for receiving the award (exceeding preseason expectations) it also helps to have an impressive year over year improvement. That is probably the factor that hurts McDermott. The Bills have won the division five years in a row now. Buffalo actually has exceeded preseason expectations this year as many observers nationwide expected Buffalo to slip significantly this season, some even expecting Buffalo to end up third in the division. Still, there are several teams that have greatly exceeded preseason expectations and have significant year over year improvement.

The Bills might crush the Rams next week and Bills Mafia feels a let down because Josh Allen doesn't have another "play of the year."

As a first time head coach, Sean McDermott hired coordinators with loads of experience. McDermott, I think, accepted the fact that Frazier was going to be far more vanilla in his approach to the defense. They did at least share a preference for four down linemen and a zone heavy secondary. However, and McDermott gained more experience and comfort in his position, I think he grew dissatisfied with vanilla on defense. It was out of respect for Frazier that McDermott and company engineered an amicable departure for Frazier. Babich, while he coached DBs under Frazier I think has been influenced by McDermott right along and got a full dose of his influence after Frazier left. I think Babich is fully McDermott's man in his defensive philosophy. Likewise, on offense, I think Brady reflect what McDermott wants to see on offense, balance and creativity.

My understanding is that the Bills actually changed their cleats during the course of the game. They weren't expecting the kind of snow they ended up having during the game, so they initially had footwear suited for less snow. I don't know if the 49ers made any kind of equipment adjustment. If they didn't they probably should have.

And yet, Josh Allen is Chris Collinsworth's fantasy QB.

The thing is, there are jerks everywhere. I mean, every time Antonio Brown looks in a mirror, he sees one. It would be an easy bet to make to put money on jerky things being done at Arrowhead Stadium. Still, if any Bills fans mistreated that little girl, shame on them.

I figure it's just one game. If Buffalo meets and beats a Mahomesless Chiefs team in the playoffs, they would have to play at least one real good, real tough opponent in their next game.

Yes. The Bills did not sign or activate any player after they put Baylon Specter on IR.

I know the gets brought up from time to time, but I'll ask it any way. Should this be a game where Buffalo plays more 4-3 defense as opposed to their usual nickel alignment? The weather may not be great for passing offenses. There is speculation that the 49ers might utilize Deebo Samuel quite a bit as a RB. On Buffalo's side of the ball. Matt Milano is a great coverage linebacker and Dorian Williams has improved in that area over the course of the season. At the same time, they both have the speed to disrupt the running game and chase down McCaffery if he plays.

The difference between the Chiefs and last year's Eagles is Mahomes. Mahomes is as tough mentally as any QB in the league and has a range of unorthodox ways to make plays when the called play breaks down. Jalen Hurts is a good athletic QB, but I don't think he improvises the way Mahomes can. Mahomes has pulled off a number of wins this season that most QBs could not have. That said, the Chiefs are vulnerable this year in a way they have not been some years and are nowhere close to a sure thing in the playoffs. Even if Buffalo doesn't gain a playoffs bye and home field throughout, I think their odds are decent against the Chiefs playing in Kansas City.

Considering they limited Detroit to one TD in the first half (so far) in four possessions, that's not too bad. Yeah, they're giving up yards in chunks between the 20s, but at least in the second quarter, Chicago's defense has to be getting tired because of their offense's inability to sustain a drive. Looking ahead to the Detroit-Bills matchup, Buffalo should be able to do more on offense. That game looks like it will be a high scoring affair for both teams. If Buffalo can force more field goals like Chicago is doing, they could be in good shape.

Yeah, I don't see how they can be controlled on the ground when a defense overweights the deep passing game. Notice, I didn't mention the name of a future Detroit opponent that might tend to overweight the deep passing game defense at the expense of controlling their opponent's running game.

We were planning to visit my mother-in-law either the day after Thanksgiving or on Saturday. That's not happening. She lives in the heart of the area expected to get three to four feet. Still looking manageable for Orchard Park in that map. Road crews in southern Erie County surely are accustomed to moving a couple feet of snow over 3 days.

My guess is they are not considering that possibility at the moment. The talk is that more snow is expected south of Orchard Park than at the stadium up to and including the game. Of course, that is subject to change. The other bit of conversation is that this is expected to be a multi-day lake effect event. Total snowfall could be a few feet, but that could be over a span of five or six days. Those who plow snow will be busy, but it is easier to manage that kind of snow total over five or six days than over three days. I'm sure that travel will a messy proposition, but I don't think it will shut things down to the extent that it has for some past snow events.

It's not going to be picnic weather then the Bills host San Francisco.

I'm hoping the town picks up leaves one last time. Our trees drop their leaves very late (four silver maples and one Norway maple. We just picked them up again yesterday for what will be the last time. We put them on top of the piles next to the street that we made last week. There are still a few leaves on the Norway maple. We'll have to mow those in the spring. When developers built the homes in our neighborhood back in the 1960s, they planted silver maples because they grow fast. I can give you a whole list of reasons why they make terrible trees for street planting. The late leaf drop is just one of them. On to a football response: In September, I would have rated San Francisco as one of the three toughest opponents Buffalo would face all season. Now, it is in the category of a "should win" game for the Bills. That, of course, depends on the Bills playing a tough clean game, keeping penalties and turnovers (on offense) down. It does look like weather is going to play a significant role on Sunday.

Kyle Shanahan does seem to have a very QB friendly system in San Francisco.

Me too, and I actually watched it back when players tried to compete in the pro bowl.

Well, he's been in Cleveland, which isn't all that different.

Before KC lost some key receivers to injury, they didn't need Worthy to be a "regular" receiver. If Reid drafted Worthy in the late first round because he thought Worthy could be a great gadget player, that's not necessarily a bad approach to the draft for a relatively complete team like the Chiefs.