BigAl2526

One game is too small a sample size to draw that conclusion. In the heat of the moment, Josh is going to do what he thinks he needs to do to help the team be successful. He has the physical talent to make it happen. Fortunately, he's also been pretty durable.

Seeing the coach's explanation for Harrison's lack of targets, it basically means the Bills were making a deliberate effort to take Harrison out of the game. Kyler doesn't say it in the best way possible, but to force the ball to Harrison under the circumstances could have raised the chances for a turnover.

Epenesa will block some passes.

I had another commitment and missed the first quarter and half of the second. I think that was the stomach turning part of the game. My operating theory is that the Bills played sloppy because of insufficient time on the field for starters during preseason. That they sharpened up (mostly) later in the game is good news and bodes well for the team going forward. The still need to clean up the kickoff coverage and the offensive line needs to cut down on penalties, especially pre-snap penalties. I feel pretty good overall though.

I agree, Epenesa is not a productive defensive end. Hopefully, Solomon can start to develop into something once his oblique heals up. I think Buffalo will be looking for someone who can bookend with Rousseau next offseason. They can't count on Miller to be anything more than a short term contributor going forward. As far as Elam is concerned, his long term value to the team is conditional on whether or not he can be productive on defense if he gets a chance. I don't think the Bills believe he can't play. At this point Benford and Douglas are established starters, and McDermott, like many head coaches is not going to switch out a solid starter for another player no matter how talented that other player might be. That means, Elam is insurance in case of injury. If Benford or Douglas gets hurt and Elam plays terrific, maybe at that point McDermott considers making him the starter. In any case, quality depth is a good thing.

And no drops.

Marvin Harrison Jr. was the first receiver taken in the draft. He played for Arizona and was a total non-factor in the game. It makes as much sense to claim Coleman should have been drafted ahead of Harrison as to say the Bills should not have passed on Worthy based on his first game with KC.

Yeah, it was a terrible call, but the bad calls kind of balanced out today.

I understand it was a forearm. Unless it was a fracture, I don't see how it could be too severe. If it's forearm then it can't be a joint. That limits what it could be. Contusion? (bad bruise)

It would be nice, but the league won't do it until there's a trial and he's convicted (or pleads guilty), since it does not involve sexual assault/domestic violence etc. Even then, the wheels of NFL action will probably grind too slowly to affect the game on Thursday.

Concerns? Sure, I have concerns about almost every game. I still think the Bills win, but that doesn't make the concerns go away. It's an early season game in the sauna that is called Miami. Fortunately, it is an evening game, so the Bills won't have to bake in the sun on the visitors' sideline. They still need to contain Miami's speed on offense, particularly Tyreek Hill.

Leftovers.

My philosophy is to try and learn from the past but never to sulk over it. If Worthy turns out to be a star, so be it. What's really important is what Coleman and the rest of Buffalo's draft picks do and now they contribute to team success.

I don't think the Bills are willing to add even one year to the length of Von Miller's contract, which limits what they could do, especially given that he's already take a cut in pay to stay a Bill.

Lamar Jackson is a unicorn. It is true he's not a very cerebral QB. On the other hand, he is probably the most effective runner of any QB in the league. That has allowed him to be successful. I'd rather have Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes or one or two other QBs than Jackson, but I wouldn't mind having Jackson.

I understand Kromer loves him

Bills - 27 Bloodied Birds - 23

I could throw a beautiful football if you could find me one. Unfortunately, most footballs look the same. Also, the throw would look ugly

There was some thought that a cut off low pressure system would send a cold wind across Lake Erie creating lake enhanced showers in Orchard Park on Sunday afternoon. Weather.com at least has discounted that possibility, calling for partly cloudy skies and only a slight chance for showers. It will be cool and breezy though.

I suppose it would be something of a give away if the Bills had Joah Allen line up as the punter.

"I can throw that puppy 75 yards. What about you?"

Absolutely, the Bills need to be able to run a nickel and dime/ball control offense. I'm just saying it's better for the Bills if they can run a ball control offense and, if circumstances allow it, a big play offense. After all, it is the threat of a big play offense that forces the other team's defense into more of a two high shell defense that makes a ball control offense more effective. Strategizing in football is a proverbial chess match, and the more things you are capable of doing on offense, the harder it is for the defense focus on taking away some aspect of the offense. We just didn't see any big plays to speak of from Joe Brady after he took over. I want to see that the offense is capable of it, not that it needs to happen all game, or even every game. Once in a while would be nice.

I think Brady is good at running a ball control offense. What we didn't see a lot of after Brady took over last season were big pass plays. Part of that may have been due to Stefon Diggs' late season funk. In any case, I think big plays are part of what makes Josh Allen a potential MVP type QB. I'm hoping to see some big plays early on in the season. I want other teams to fear the Bills. They don't fear teams that try to nickel and dime you to death. What will make me happy is Buffalo having an offense that makes big plays, but can also run ball control if the circumstances indicate that's what's needed.

I agree that safety is a major question mark for the Bills. The good news is that both Rapp and Hamlin appear to have made significant strides in their mental grasp of the defense. In the Bills's defense, I think mental sharpness is much more important than athleticism. I'm still wary to their ability to matchup with speedy receivers and athletic tight ends, but I think they might be better than they've been in the past.

I suspect that the offense might sputter a bit coming out of the gate. I'm hopeful that the defense comes out tough. I think as the season progresses, the offense will start to gel.