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Nephilim17

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Posts posted by Nephilim17

  1. The only unit I can see being worse are the LBs.

     

    Better secondary (rookies now in 2nd year, Tre getting healthier, Hyde coming back), better D-line by virtue of Von returning. Better WR corp, I believe. Definitely better running backs room. And far better O-line (I hope; it would be very deflating to see the same protection issues).

     

    You don't win in today's league because of a top MLB. So even if there's a significant dip there, I think we're a better team now.

     

    Tougher schedule and better teams around us are the murder hornets in the ointment.

  2. 2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

    I watched the Celtics lose last night, and kept thinking that they are a team that just doesn't have the toughness, including the winner's attitude, to win the championship.  As I watched, I worried that that could describe the Bills, too.    It would break McDermott's heart to admit that his team isn't tough enough to win, and it's up to him to prove that they are. 

     

    Though I'm more optimistic about the Bills this year than last — Kincaid, upgraded O-line, McD calling what should be a more aggressive D — this has been my fear about the Bills for a while.

    I hope I'm either wrong or the team and Josh have evolved into a tougher team. The harder schedule this year will reveal a lot about the character and mental toughness of the team and Josh.

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  3. I think if we sign Hopkins this will help Kincaid — who is already going to do very well, I predict — thrive.

    Imagine the 3rd best cornerback on an opposing D covering Kincaid. If not, a linebacker will have to try to do that. Most linebackers just can't do that.

     

    Yes, Diggs will benefit but I think the impact of a Hopkins addition goes much deeper than that.

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  4. 8 minutes ago, Dr.Mantis_Toboggan said:

    Again, just me personally, but if I’m in that position where I’m one of the best to ever do it like D Hop, I want to walk away with as much $$$ as possible, so I can keep building a financial empire of my own, and then maybe one day my kids or grandkids are owning a team while somebody else is putting there body and well being on the line for my entertainment and financial gain.

     

    I’m not saying $40 million isn’t enough, it obviously should be for any sane person, but it depends on what that person wants to accomplish in their post football career.

     

    Plus with what we know about CTE, I don’t think there is ever “enough” in football, hard to put a price on your greatly increased odds for early onset dementia. I’d gladly take as much as somebody is willing to pay when the collateral damage might be my head and time with family down the road.

     

    Either way, I think D Hop puts the bag before a Lombardi and cashes in while he still can.

    You may be right in that DHop thinks this way. But I would chase Lombardi trophies once I reached that financial level. As a Bills fan I hope you're wrong about DHop's motivations... Not putting down your perspective at all, btw, just a difference of opinion.

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  5. 1 minute ago, Dr.Mantis_Toboggan said:

    I don’t think he’ll be a Bill or a Chief for that matter. Article on PFT says he’s looking to get a big pay day still, so I expect him to go to somebody like the Cowboys or Lions who feel they are on the cusp themselves, or a team with a young QB who needs reliable weapons, like Chicago or Carolina.

     

    I’m not faulting the guy for it, this is likely his last opportunity to get that kind of money in his lifetime. I actually think the guys who take “team friendly deals” are the crazy ones, especially when the teams generally show no loyalty to the players the moment their performance slips in any way.

    Despire the fact that I love your name, I don't agree with this.


    Once a person has made 20 or 30 million they and their family for a long time to come should be set.

     

    If anyone hear won $20 million in the lottery we wouldn't even dream that we — and our family — needed more money. That's the biggest lie in pro sports, that you need more money than that to be very, very, very comfortable.

     

    In the old days when Guy LaFleur and Gilbert Perrault made $100,000 a year, yeah, I can see that, but not when someone's made $40 million over a few years. A smart financial advisor should turn that into a passive income generator for generations. 

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  6. I don't think it's right to criticize specific player picks as every GM, even the best ones make mistakes. If you do that, you have to look strongly at the AJ and Boogie picks.

     

    But if you wanna look at philosophical blunders, it's valuing running backs and other positions (save, maybe, from D-line; right thought, wrong picks) over O-line.

    O-line picks should've happened at least once every year in the top 3 rounds since we got Josh, and more overall.

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  7. On 5/25/2023 at 12:45 PM, GustheDog33 said:

    According to PFT, they put an optional meeting (15 minute Special Teams) on the formal schedule, which in turn made the meeting mandatory?  I am thinking the NFLPA observer was a player in the Union with a dinner date.

    Yes, I was listening to the Brown and Tasker radio show and they said this: That by putting an "optional" 15-minute special teams meeting in the team calendar that's a no-no according to the CBA and that's the offense. Doing so implies it's mandatory and not optional.


    If this happened to the Bills, many would cry foul. But as Tasker said, "it couldn't happen to a better team."

     

    Not deflating balls and not video-recording practices but it is against the rules. Suggests to me that once the Golden Goose is off the team, the Pats no longer get league special preference. 

    The fact that this relatively new status for the Pats coincides with Josh's tenure is a good thing. Perhaps Josh will be a Golden Goose for the league and start getting some of the calls that Brady got for years. Maybe not to the same extent, but every pro sports league wants its stars to shine and Josh is a star. Maybe not quite Alpha Centauri at this point but a top-5 star, I think. And the jersey sales are proof of this.

  8. Simms didn't quite agree with Florio that Manning wouldn't have been fine with Wayne or Harrison doing this — he said Manning would have dealt with it privately, not to the press. And that may be happening already. Though, I think there's is the potential for the theory (and that's all there is) that Diggs has the upper hand in the is relationship. But who knows.


    What may be more interesting is that Simms, as a former player and someone with player friends, says that he agrees with Florio's take to just make OTAs mandatory in the CBA. Simms thinks it's not good for player's injury-wise to just to weights and sprints and then get thrust into a game. He thinks (and this may sound counter intuitive) that practicing without the big hits in OTAs can actually reduce injuries as player's bodies need that as preparation for games. 

    Interesting take, that last one about OTAs helping reduce injuries. 

    • Like (+1) 1
  9. Normally, I don't really get too wrapped up in articles about a player's struggle and determination, yada yada yada. Everyone's got struggles and has faced adversity. But this one resonated with me. Shane's relationship with his mom, falling to dark depths (the article doesn't say how dark but suggests, at least to me, it was really bad), and despite the stats saying it won't work he keeps trying...

     

    I'll be rooting for this guy. I don't expect him to be starter but I'd love to see him play a couple years in the NFL as a quality backup.

     

    And I love his prediction about winning the SB with Buffalo.

     

    A long read but a good one, I think.

     

    https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/shane-ray-finds-a-new-chance-with-buffalo-bills-i-couldnt-quit-no-matter-what/article_8ab8c378-f839-11ed-af94-43edbd0bab33.html

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  10. Good article on Shorter, published May 21:

    https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/why-bills-believe-former-no-1-high-school-recruit-justin-shorter-has-our-kind-of/article_49f13298-f64b-11ed-a958-3f346d7015e5.html

     

    Highlights:
     

    High school coach: "We would have early-morning workouts, 7 a.m. or whatever it was, and they would come an hour early, just to be on the JUGS machine. He was constantly working his craft. It just blossomed. He gained that confidence.”

     

    Played special teams since high school. McDermott drools; some of you roll your eyes. I think that's pretty cool for a beastly player who would go on to be ranked by ESPN and others as the number 1 WR high school recruit in the country. A lot of top WRs are divas but he doesn't seem to have that attitude.

     

    Shorter now on playing with the Bills: “I'm so big, if we go one-on-one, it's going to be hard for you to guard me when I'm all up in your space, being physical, being fast, being strong. It gets scary. I'm trusting that," he said. "Every day I go out there, I'm going to catch the ball, I'm going to finish in the end zone every time I touch the ball. I'm just going to give it 100% and just take strides and get better and better every day, because at the end, that's the ultimate goal – to help this team win.”

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  11. Amazing that being one of the very best football players ever he accomplished so much off the field including his vitally important activism. 

     

    You don't see that combination of super athlete and great human being very often.

  12. 18 minutes ago, AuntieEm said:

    You obviously have some intelligence because you can read and write.  However I'm 100% certain there are areas that you are severely lacking in expertise. 

    Well, I 100% agree I am lacking in football "expertise" as I'm a fan, not a professional team employee. That said, I never touted myself to be an expert.

     

    In fact, a careful look at my original post will show that I'm asking questions, not telling people here what Terry is or should be doing. I think when someone asks questions they're looking to become informed, not trying to convince others that they are an expert and know what's best.

     

    Also, I'm not suggesting that Terry fires Beane and/or McDermott, I'm merely asking when it's time to make decisions on those men (for an extension, after a championship win, after missing the playoffs — there are many positive and negative and neutral reasons when a decision may be needed), does Terry make this decision by himself.

     

    I've seen a lot of differing answers:
    1) No, Terry pays professional consulting firms to help him.

    2) Yes, it's all him as he owns the team.

    3) No, he has relationships with many other owners and league execs and relies on them for advice (this doesn't mean, however, that he doesn't make the final decision).

    4) Kim was a big part of this but now she's not able to fulfill this role.

    5) Certain posters here should be consulted when making executive decisions. :)

     

    I don't know the answer and I'm not giving any; I just thought it was an interesting question to consider.

  13. When the team is doing well and/or exceeding general expectations, as it has done the past few years, minus, probably, last season, this question is kind of moot.

     

    But if and when the team is not meeting expectations or things get complicated, is there anyone in Pegula's circle of friends or trusted business associates (at arm's length from Bills operations) who he can turn to for advice and counsel on questions related to extensions, evaluations, or possible firings?

     

    I'm not trying to be negative; I hope McBean lead us to multiple championships... but if things don't go as well as we hope — and with an elite QB things should mean serious contention for a Super Bowl — is Terry on his own or who advises him? 

    Pegula seems, obviously, like a sharp businessman, but he doesn't strike me as a football expert. Maybe I'm wrong but I expect him to turn to someone if and when he needs to make tough decisions.

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  14. This could be just lip service on Josh's part regarding Kincaid, but I don't think so.

     

    "I didn't think he'd be there by the time we were picking," Allen said. "We'll just say I was persistent in my talks with Beane and who I wanted. I was very, very happy with how it happened."

     

    Regarding the bolded, Josh could be either alluding to specifically wanting Kincaid (if he was there), or just generally speaking asking for a receiving threat. Not sure. But based on his language I'm taking his response as genuine that he's very happy to have Kincaid.

     

    I'm also glad to read that Josh has some influence with Beane. This might seem like a no-brainer but based on recent drafts I would say that Josh's influence has been less than significant.


    "Obviously super excited to get a weapon like him," Allen said. "He's very fluid in his route running. He's a very fluid ball catcher. He tracks the ball well, so any time you get to add a piece to your offense like that, I can't help but be excited. He seems like he's a smart kid. ... He's going to help us out a lot."

     

    https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/josh-allen-happy-to-have-dalton-kincaid-aboard-pulling-for-rory-mcilroy-at-this-weeks/article_9f96ef42-f44a-11ed-8907-8b016618481c.html

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  15. Good article on Williams. People who weren't enamored with Tremaine's instincts may be pleased to read this:
     

    “He has outstanding instincts and good football intelligence and a feel for the game,” Mutz said. “Some of those things you can’t coach. It shows up in some of the plays he made. Especially at the linebacker position, if you don’t have instincts, there is a ceiling on your development. You’re never going to push past a certain level of improvement.”

     

    Perhaps if this kid were 12 lb. heavier he'd be a 1st rounder: instincts, team captain, coachable, 4.49 40...


    https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/traits-aside-dorian-williams-leadership-looms-as-asset-for-bills/article_da7ae788-ee9d-11ed-98c1-bb44e2a608cb.html

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  16. 19 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

    Buffalo has a mafia presence 

     

    The five families of New York City are always the most popular… But there’s been a six family operating in Buffalo for the last hundred years also

     

    Just because they stay under wraps doesn’t mean they don’t exist… How often do you hear about New York City mafia killings? 

     

    Some people are uneasy about the name because Buffalo has a mafia history

     

     

    Thanks for sharing; I did not know that.

     

    I think — rightly or wrongly — most assume that the mafia hits and activity involve other criminals and thus the people who are good with using the name light-heartedly don't blink. They assume innocent people are not hurt and killed in this day and age. Again, I have no idea if this is true but I'm guessing that's the feeling of people who condone it.

    I'm not going to get into a heavy debate about it but to a 26-year-old player it adds a cool factor and gives our fanbase an aura. Lots of grey areas in pro sports when it comes to ethics and people all have different points of view and thresholds.

  17. I know some people, particularly older ones, don't like associating Bills fandom with a criminal organization that has done some heinous things...

     

    However, it's clear that as a marketing tool, it makes the team's fanbase very cool to players and I think it's a plus for recruitment. 

     

    So I get the opposition, but given Buffalo is a small market with higher taxes, cold weather, and minimal night life — important considerations for free agents — I'll take almost any advantage we can get and I'm ok with that moniker.


    Others will say, no way, and I respect their point of view, but agree to differ. But if Buffalo or the region had a recent mafia slaying of innocent people, I would be moved to take that position. You don't make light of recent tragedy.

    • Like (+1) 5
  18. The Bowser kid is intriguing as he's got size/strength, decent wheels, and a nose for the endzone.

     

    Forget wasting third-rounders on unimpressive athletes who weigh 205 lb. (Singletary and Moss). Not saying Bowser pans out but history shows he very well could.

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