finn

Worth a second-round pick? (Provided we could sign him to a long-term deal.)

I'm thinking that the Bills need to surprise the Bengals on both sides of the ball to avoid a blowout. The hurry-up pace Dorsey tried last week is encouraging. I hope they add more wrinkles. It's time to play loose, take some risks. Fake punts, QB runs, going on fourth down, power running, end arounds... This offense is thinking too much. They need to have fun--and stay one step ahead of the Bengals' excellent DC. On defense, maybe replace Dodson with Rapp or Hamlin. Put Rousseau at tackle. Activate the physically talented Elam to erase Chase. Something to flumox an increasingly confident team with momentum. But it's more likely that McDermott will want to stay conservative, kick field goals, play bend-don't-break ball, and hope for a close win. If he does, I predict a Bengals blowout.

They are hard to gauge. But, objectively speaking, it's hard to be optimistic. Cincinnati is picking up momentum, fast, and the Bills look bewildered, still traumatized by the loss of Milano, Jones, and White, and unsure how to get its mojo back on offense. Best-case scenario (realistically): Allen is on fire, and the defense, while being shredded, gets one or two turnovers. Bills win by a hair. Worst case: a blowout on national TV.

The Ravens are to the Bengals as the Jets are to us. Kryptonite. Ironically, we do better against the Ravens than the Bengals.

Agreed, but the Bengals are charged with energy while the Bills are like a fighter who has gotten off the mat, shook his head a few times, and signaled to the ref that he's ok to go, sort of.

Thank god it's rare. Thank god it's rare. Thank god it's rare.

That "even the Pats" part stings.

K-Gun! Let Allen call the plays!

Purdy doesn't have the zip on his passes that Allen does, does he?

He could turn it over 10 times and still be the MVP favorite and darling of the media. The narrative is set in stone: Mahomes can do no wrong.

Kincaid looks like he might be an increasingly important weapon for the Bills. But next year, watch out. That's when he really might break out.

Don't let facts get in the way of conviction!

Third game in a row the defense allowed the other team a chance to score at the very end of the game. Jordan Phillips, wow. He hustles, but last week he missed a key tackle, this time he commits a facemask on a fourth down sack. He's like the Knox of the defense.

Probability still says the Bills will win.

The injury risk isn't from him running, it's from being frozen in the pocket because he's been forbidden to run.

He's seeing Spencer Brown.

Remind me: Have the Bills ever stopped a team on third down?

My only hope (if they trade him) is they sell him as someone with a skill set that doesn't work for the Bills but would for another team.

Especially turf toe, which can end a player's season. It's no joke.

Causing his players to lose confidence seems to be a McDermott specialty. Cook, Elam, Allen, maybe Dorian Williams... Rather than work with what they're good at, he wants them to fit his conception of a good player, and that damages their development. Or is that unfair?

Not McDermott. He would be satisfied with anyone who can hand the ball off, not take sacks, and get close enough to the end zone so they can kick a field goal. He has one of the most effective running quarterbacks in NFL history, and he wants him to be a pocket passer.

Agree. McDermott doesn't care about an explosive offense. He wants to win with defense, a strong run game, and a reliable kicker. He's been gifted Secretariat and wants to use him as a plough horse.

I think this is an accurate take. McDermott appears to have laid down the law: No more Allen runs. From his perspective, the restriction makes sense: run the ball, throw short passes, let the defense do its thing. His fervent dream: Allen as game manager. But look at it from Allen's perspective: His opponents are taking away the deep ball, his own coach is taking away his running, he has just one quality receiver, his line sucks, and the play calling is predictable and dull, no fun at all. No wonder he's rather be playing golf. The guy has been bequeathed one of the most gifted QBs of all time, and he's shuIt's like making Secretariat pull wagons.

Thought experiment: How would Mike McDaniels, Andy Reid, or Kyle Shanahan do with Josh Allen as their quarterback? Now you see the problem. And he's not going away soon.

1 catch for six yards. For the WR 2.