finn

Was it the Ravens playing soft or adjustments by the Bills? Could it be as simple as Brady not calling run plays and short passes, or the receivers deciding to get open, or Allen hitting the small windows he wasn't trying earlier? Looking forward to the analysis.

Yes, Rapp looked as slow as Hamlin looked last year, like he was running in mud. Bishop has the speed, just not anything else. That lame tackle attempt against Henry, who didn't stiff-arm him as much as lazily wave in his direction, was embarrassing. Will he grow into the job? I want to optimistic, since he's young and athletic, but he had a private tutor all last year as well as the offseason to learn, and he still did worse than Dorian Strong performed as a rookie sixth-round pick. Still early, but he's got to turn it around soon.

Not according to Beane. He's so great, he can make do with journeymen at wide receiver. (I'm excepting Shakir, who's terrific at what he does.)

I really do think it's McDermott. I really, truly believe that you could give him this exact Ravens defense and, in a year, it would be as bad as his Bills teams, playing soft, out of position, missing tackles, and generally sucking. Fine, keep him as head coach, but take ALL defensive duties away from him. He's fatal to this team's chances.

Posters who made this point in the offseason got trashed for not acknowledging that Palmer was a legitimate deep threat, Moore just needed a decent QB to be terrific, Coleman would have a breakout year, and Kincaid would come roaring back.

The refs are really letting them play. I prefer that to a flag-fest myself.

My point is that Bishop is not making plays, even when he is in position, such as that lame tackle attempt on Henry. Compare to the textbook open-field tackle by Cooper DeJean.

But he probably assumed Bishop would do his job, which he evidently didn't. Can we all at least agree that Bishop is not a budding superstar making brilliant play after brilliant play?

Run it up the middle three times, Brady! That'll fool 'em!

And this with a defensive head coach. Let that sink in. How many years has it been--and how many more years will we be making the same observation?

Hey, look at the bright side: It might be 38-16 in the fourth quarter, but at least the Baltimore defense will be tired in the fourth quarter from all those runs! That'll show 'em!

Brady has brought mud boots to a track meet.

Truthfully, I was ok with the Bills losing, I just didn't want another embarrassment on national TV. Oh, well.

Maybe 17-7 will snap Brady out of his myopia.

Exactly my thought.

Three and out not much help to the defense, either.

Exactly. It was a different era.

We didn't have enough time to savor that win. Every SB since then (I think) has been two weeks after the conference championships. That one was just one week. Remember Marv Levy blew off the mandatory press conference because he was too busy preparing the team?

I'm fine with him having some lapses as long as he makes some plays, too, or at least isn't a major liability like Elam in the KC playoff game. Not just for the sake of this game, but for his confidence going forward. The Bills are doing to need either Strong or Hairston this year, maybe both.

The Bills protect their fragile secondary by hitting Henry in the backfield and flustering Lamar with the blitz. Meanwhile, a balanced, efficient Bills offense marches down the field again and again. A comfortable win for the Bills, 30-20. (Post-game commentary: endless excuses for Lamar's struggles--Ricard! Likely! Jaire!--shrugs for Allen's impressive 3-TD game.)

What a yapper. All that air time and says nothing that couldn't be said in three sentences. So many of these commentators talk while they're still figuring out what to say. Why not pause, gather your thoughts, and speak concisely and clearly? It's like they're being paid by the word.

The play reminds of J.D. Williams, for any old timers out there. Great speed and athleticism, first-round pick, but for some reason couldn't track the ball. Got beat again and again, just like this, watching the receiver catch the ball.

I missed that (and the game) and really, really would have enjoyed seeing it. Who was bickering? Then he calls for the flag!

The new system of having just one team per conference having a bye is absurdly unfair. Witness last year, when the Bills were in a dogfight, injuries accumulating, while KC watched the game on TV, resting up a full two weeks before hosting the winner in their own stadium. Give the team with the best record the homefield advantage, sure, but an additional week off in addition--and only for them? That's tipping the scales way too much at the end of the season, when players are hurt and exhausted.

If Collinsworth were one of the announcers, he'd make it sound like Patrick Mahomes was outplaying Herbert.