dave mcbride

Have you ever heard of Walt Patulski?

Interesting stat for Josh Norman in the 2021 season, during which he started 14 games (but none in the playoffs; SF made it to the NFC championship game and should have beaten LA): he had seven forced fumbles that season. That's a ridiculously high number.

I'm not a fan of blitz-heavy defenses myself. But they were literally missing half the starting lineup (more than half after Epenesa went out due to exhaustion/cramping and Miller due to pitch count) and were practically fielding a game-two-of-preseason squad out there. It forces teams to gamble. I get it. It's certainly not McDermott's preferred approach, though. That whole locale situation -- 10 days in London for the Jags and the Bills' idiotic approach to the travel schedule -- pisses me off.

I dunno - they forced him to make a difficult throw, but Lawrence made the play. As McDermott said in the press conference, it was a 3rd and 4 passing play, and he implied that he had little faith in guys' ability to cover. They felt their only chance was getting to the QB. I agree with him. As he said, Lawrence just made a great -- and difficult -- throw.

Watching that game, I felt they HAD to blitz a lot given the loss of Jones, the loss of an elite cover LB in Milano and the fact that Elam couldn't hold coverage on anyone. With time and Elam out there, I felt Lawrence had an easy completion at hand on every passing play. They blitzed out of desperation, but they were right to be desperate.

Nothing I've seen, but in the press conference, McDermott said it didn't look good. I think most of us are making assumptions based on that comment from the head coach.

The Dolphins averaged 3.3 yards per play in that game and were gifted 16 points because of turnovers and a long punt return (2 FGs, a TD, and a TD that started in FG range because of an Allen INT). Also, on one of their FG drives, they started at their own 40 because Bass kicked it out of bounds. The Dolphins' offense had one good drive all game but otherwise was shut down.

Agreed. Also, the Bills D players were cramping up (Jonathan, Epenesa), which is a product of dehydration. Intercontinental flights dehydrate you because there is no virtually no humidity on high-altitude plane flights. All the more reason to question the sports science guys in the Bills employ. The Ravens are doing the smart thing, but they've learned from bitter experience, getting blown out by Jax the last time they played in London. I always thought leaving on Thursday night was a really stupid idea (I work for a UK company and have a pretty good idea of the effects of those flights), but no one is gonna listen to me!

He’s arguably been the Bills best defensive player through 4 games and certainly in the first series of the Jax game (where he stoned a third and short), yet literally no one talks about him. Rich Eisen is a Bills fan, but my god, he knows nothing. What a bad, bad announcer. Say what you will about Romo, but he knows how good Jones has been and highlighted it. Eiden literally never said a word about Jones all game long despite the fact that the Bills biggest problem all game long was the absence of Jones.

Wow, Payton is such a d**k. Risking injury with a second to go and literally zero chance to win. People say he’s persecuted by the league, but it’s deserved. 2009 shouldn’t be forgotten.

Wilson has his issues, but man, he is so much more physically talented than Mac Jones (who is terrible).

Ha! Ya know, I’ve been watching Zach Wilson the last couple-few weeks and I’m getting serious Geno Smith vibes. Geno ALWAYS looked like a great thrower with bounce in his step, but he just couldn’t handle NFL defensive schemes … until he could (albeit much later in his career). Zach Wilson clearly has a very good arm and good mobility, but he just can’t see the field. But he’s beginning to. Early days, I know, but he has genuine physical talent. Not saying he’s going to be good, but he could eventually be. Not this year, though.

Just askin’.

Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, and Harry Carson.

Doesn't look good for Jones. A torn pec will end his season.

I would argue that Daquon Jones was better than White so far, but I won’t be surprised if he has a torn pec and is out for the season too. Just trying to bring a little positivity!

I think a large part of it is that it’s very hard to be accurate on deep throws. It’s akin to kickers facing a 30 yard FG try and a 55 yard fg try — more room for error. All qbs are off on deep throws pretty regularly.

I thought Allen was very good today, but I also thought that the “drop” by Cook was a pretty poor throw — too hot and behind him. Other than that and underthrow to the wide open Diggs on the 48-yard bomb (a deeper throw would have been a TD), he was on fire. Too hot and behind him. Even Warner, who praised Allen all game, said it wasn’t a good throw.

Again, he’s bad.

He’s bad.

Yes, Doug Pederson implemented the Kaiir Elam plan. I also think his badness is why the Bills blitzed so much - whoever he was covering was going to get open.

Torn pec is pretty much always season ending.

Are you kidding??? This is ALL about the Tremaine Edmunds narrative! 😉

I remember every one of those games -- and listening to the playoff game on the freaking radio. Don't forget this one, where TO had the 98 yard TD reception: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911220jax.htm. Jax won in the last minute.

You're arguing stats in a game where they had only 3 points over halfway through the 4th quarter? If the Rams had any semblance of an offense in that game, they would have won easily. Gronk was still good, yeah, but he was nowhere near as productive -- and as importantly, as fast -- at that point as earlier in his career. I view him as the best TE ever, but he wasn't the same by that point. And Cole Beasley likely would have put up the same numbers as Edelman if he had the GOAT throwing to him. I am convinced of that. James White was their leader in receptions that year. People don't give Brady the credit he deserves. He's the best ever, and he made receivers rather than the reverse. He had only two studs over the course of his career - Moss for a short window and Gronk.