finn

I'm with you. Norman is at the very end of his career and may be finished already. He certainly can't cover deep, as we saw. Jackson is young and not only shows potential, he's already performing at a high level.

The Chargers are due for a win, which makes me a bit uncomfortable. But they're facing a rested, pissed-off Bills team, so I'm not too worried. Herbert is really something. He looks like more mobile Marino.

Valuable depth in any event. We could have used him when Smoke was injured.

This. The media--and even many people here--have locked into an immovable narrative about Allen, that he's inconsistent, with a "good" side and "bad" side that appear randomly. But whenever Brady or Lamar or Murray has a bad game, all the excuses come out to defend the prevailing narrative about them. It's "Well, his line isn't helping him out" or whatever, until they make a play; then it's "See? See? He's God incarnate!" With Allen, it's the other way around. It's "Ok, fine, he's thrown three TDs and run for two more. But just you wait. See! He just overthrew his receiver! He has to overcome his inaccuracy to be a decent qb." Lamar and Kyler could not throw another TD the rest of the season and some people would still rank them among the best QBs, whereas Allen could end up setting Bills records across the board this season and the same people would yawn.

Thanks for asking. Ideally: run defense. Practically speaking: turnovers. The Super Bowl Bills also had a mediocre defense, even with Smith, Bennett and Talley. But they were opportunistic. Nate Odomes with the interception, Smith with the forced fumble, etc. I agree that their options for improving the run d are limited, but more turnovers would help compensate.

How far we've come from "Captain Checkdown" days! I'm absorbing how my kids talk...

Haven't seen a dedicated thread on this topic. A lot of things are working well for the Bills, but I propose they should be working on these areas during the bye week: --Run game, which is essential not just to control the ball and deal with bad weather but also to set up play action. Allen is the best in the league at it but won't be for long if they struggle running the ball like they did in AZ. They should get better here just by returning Morse and Ford and moving Feliciano back to guard. The starters will need to get on the same page as a unit, but at least they're starter-quality players. I'd also like to see more pulls, sweeps, even the old Washington counter-trey. The Super Bowl Bills ran that successfully. The Bills starters have the mobility to pull it off. They're not runs, but I would also welcome more screens. --Tight end play. It's an understatement to say Knox has been a disappointment. I would say he's hurt the team more than he's helped, with his idiot penalties, whiffed blocks (including one against Seattle that led to a sack), and a fumble to accompany his usual drops. But the guy has wheels, and he has shown he can block, especially downfield. I like his energy. Having him play to his potential would give Allen another option when opponents take away the deep ball. If the run game gets going AND Knox steps up, this offense will be as good as any other in the league. Kroft is fine as he his and what he does. --Run defense. Stating the obvious. Not sure what the staff can do without one-technique tackle. Harrison doesn't seem to be the guy, and Zimmer seems inconsistent. Neither can swallow a double team like Ted Washington could, or even Star on occasion. Not much to say. Whoever plays the position just has to be better. This is the area where I feel the least optimistic that the Bills will improve. I find myself hoping Beane will pluck someone off a practice squad somewhere. --Defensive turnovers. I think actually forcing turnovers are already becoming part of the identity of the Bills D, which is wicked exciting. But it couldn't hurt to hit the Juggs machine, practice popping the ball out, getting hands up, and so on. Make it a priority. Getting turnovers will become critical if they can't improve the run D. Otherwise, I'd say they're good to go. Things can be tweaked, but I think the passing game (minus the TEs), the pass rush, the secondary, the wr's, even the linebackers are all doing great. Tremaine is coming on, and we'll have Milano, Levy and Dane back. (Norman can stay out for all I care.) Thoughts?

Been a Bills fan longer than you, lad.

To be fair, he could have had at least two more also, just from the Cardinals game.

This is why I was hoping Beane would trade out 2021 first rounder for a solid one-technique tackle, pretty much the only major hole the Bills have this year. He might have tried, who knows.

Yeah, it's a great team to watch. Good players everywhere.

What's his percentage now? Anyone know?

Well, I wonder. Don't you think it was the Cardinals defense playing terrific football? I mean, they were covering downfield, applying pressure, shutting down the running game, tackling instantly... I mean, they really were playing well. But, yes, two picks that could have been four isn't good playing from Allen, for sure. Something must have been there, maybe him running it. But the Cards looked great on D.

Yeah, we really got to give both of them credit. It was an amazing thrown and catch on both ends of the field at the very end of the game. Really unusual pairing.

The posters here trashing the Bills as loser, etc., would be the first to celebrate them as amazing, etc., if that last pass had been knocked away.

I agree. It's a shame this amazing play--extraordinary thrown, extraordinary catch--will be lost in the Murray beatification.

The end zone play reminds me of the playoff game last year. All the safeties had to do was tackle Watson, and they couldn't do it. All they had to do today was knock the ball away, and again they couldn't do it.

Great game by both defenses--and great clutch plays at end by both offenses. That's the way it should be. I don't plan to go into the bye week brooding about coulda-beens and who sucks. I mean, it was a good game, what the hell.

Well, at least it's an entertaining game. And they might still win!

The Cards do tend to lose close games...

Ticky tacky call. What the hell.

I gotta say, this defense is better than anything we've seen this year. They're putting pressure on AND stopping the run AND covering downfield AND tackling perfectly. Something has to be open, but Allen and Daboll aren't seeing it. (Probably Knox, who sucks.)

Third quarter blues continue. What about the fourth quarter?

Looks like it was intended for Knox. 1) ball through his hands; 2) penalty nullifying a big game; 3) possibly a lousy route (he definitely had one before when he curled INTO coverage). A real asset to the team.

THAT is how you lose. Terrible return, three and out, tired defense.