“Still Miles Away” -Colin Cowherd

[HOUSE]

This is a thread I hope will resurface in December.

[ROCBillsBeliever]

On 5/3/2019 at 8:05 AM, RiotAct said:

“Fish go from 7-9 pretenders to WC consideration w/Rosen”

 

?????

 

Blowhard Coward's take? How does he keep getting such cutting-edge intel? Was he in attendance at some high level business meetings, or does he have Russ Brandon on speed dial? Oh, wait, you say that Brandon DOESN'T work for the Bills anymore? Hate to break it to you, folks, Old Blowhard Coward is playing 4D chess; he's using deep intel from the Whaley regime to get these piping hot takes! ???

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I like the Wisconsin kid they took in the draft think he will be a plug and play guy and they have the most important piece - a left tackle. But yes, you are right, they haven't replaced James and center is still an issue too.

 

I like him too, but he's just one piece and some stopgaps to fill 2-3 holes. 

If they start Fitz, he has the decision making and quick release to get the most out of a line.

 

But Rosen struggled badly in AZ.  My point is, Miami's line was just as bad, lost key pieces, and didn't do enough to improve - our situation last year.

If Cowherd is expecting Rosen to, ahem, FLOWER in Miami and take them to the playoffs, his expectations need legs.

[PlayoffsPlease]

This pretty much comes down  to how the QBs perform. If Allen is the best QB in the AFCE this year, the Bills win the division. If he is the second best QB in the division, they will be a wild card team. If he is the third best QB in the division, they miss the playoffs.  

We don't have the best oline, the best WRs or the best RBs in the division.  We are competitive for best defense.

 

Aside from QB play the teams in the division match up decently with each other.  Other than BB,  the coaches have not distinguished themselves from one another. (People get confused that because McDermott is better than Rex, that he must be out coaching the competition too. We play games like setting the expected value at 0 wins, so we can be astonished by a 6-10 finish). 

I personally think that at theis point today, Allen is going to out perform 43 year old Tom Brady and be the best QB in the division. But 2020 might be too soon. 

[GunnerBill]

38 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I like him too, but he's just one piece and some stopgaps to fill 2-3 holes. 

If they start Fitz, he has the decision making and quick release to get the most out of a line.

 

But Rosen struggled badly in AZ.  My point is, Miami's line was just as bad, lost key pieces, and didn't do enough to improve - our situation last year.

If Cowherd is expecting Rosen to, ahem, FLOWER in Miami and take them to the playoffs, his expectations need legs.

 

If they can figure something out at center I think they will be okay. We saw here in Buffalo that if you are good LT through C then you can be passable even if the right side has issues. 

[BADOLBILZ]

20 hours ago, Nihilarian said:

I stand corrected.  

 

It was starting RT Ja'Wuan James who left in free agency to Denver. Along with starting LG Ted Larsen who signed with Chicago. They also have a band-aid at center but they could pencil in 3rd pick Michael Deiter for that position or perhaps LG. 

 

Still, I think the Dolphins roster stinks and their super bowl odds are at +27500. Which is last in the NFL. 

 

I also think that many around the league are underestimating how well Buffalo did in free agency and the draft. The Bills already had the #1 pass defense in 2018 and they signed EJ Gains. Now I have to wonder who the starting CB is opposite Tre White. Is it Levi Wallace? Is it EJ Gains? Is it Kevin Johnson? Decisions, decisions! 

 

 

Yeah the secondary should continue to be the strength of the team.   Wallace should have gotten bigger and stronger.   Gaines is pretty brittle but is very efficient in the McD system.   Hopefully Ryan Lewis steps up.    If the Kevin Johnson signing turns out that will be surprise.   He isn't just injury prone but after a solid rookie season he has graded out as one of the worst QB's in the league when he has played.   But the secondary positions with the Bills require more cerebral and instinctive/competitive players than they do dynamic matchup athletes so maybe Johnson looks like a different player here.    The secondary is probably the one area of the team where they should be able to continue to fill with useful talent if there are injuries.  

[GunnerBill]

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Yeah the secondary should continue to be the strength of the team.   Wallace should have gotten bigger and stronger.   Gaines is pretty brittle but is very efficient in the McD system.   Hopefully Ryan Lewis steps up.    If the Kevin Johnson signing turns out that will be surprise.   He isn't just injury prone but after a solid rookie season he has graded out as one of the worst QB's in the league when he has played.   But the secondary positions with the Bills require more cerebral and instinctive/competitive players than they do dynamic matchup athletes so maybe Johnson looks like a different player here.    The secondary is probably the one area of the team where they should be able to continue to fill with useful talent if there are injuries.  

 

Johnson is the classic low cost high reward guy. 

[KD in CA]

Unless you have no QB or a roster completely devoid of talent, there's no such thing as 'miles away' in the NFL.

 

 

[PlayoffsPlease]

4 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

Unless you have no QB or a roster completely devoid of talent, there's no such thing as 'miles away' in the NFL.

 

 

I think the context has something do with being in the same division with the defending super bowl champion who has also won the division something  like 15 years in a row. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...not much to see here....Cowherd=Florio= two bloviating,. pompous " know it alls"......meh......

Edited May 5, 2019 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[KD in CA]

14 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

I think the context has something do with being in the same division with the defending super bowl champion who has also won the division something  like 15 years in a row. 

 

Could be.....but then that's saying we're 'miles away' from Brady's decline which means the Bills, Jets and Fish are all still miles away (true in Miami's case), which means it's just about Brady and makes the whole exercise of analyzing the Bills pointless.

[Mat68]

42 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...not much to see here....Cowherd=Florio= two bloviating,. pompous " know it alls"......meh......

Florio is actually high on the Bill's and Allen.  It's very simple, the media heads who pushed back against Allen are low in the Bill's.  Those that like Alen think Buffalo is on the rise.

[John from Riverside]

Cowherd was initially VERY anti josh Allen then changed his tune 

[LSHMEAB]

4 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Cowherd was initially VERY anti josh Allen then changed his tune 

Once Baker punked him, Cowherd had to move the other QB's up a notch. He's a relatively interesting big picture guy, but short on details. These talking heads are fans who happen to have a decent look/voice. Definitely want to take everything "they" say with a grain of salt.

 

If you want detailed Bills discussion or take, you're not gonna get it from a national pundit.

[Golden Goat]

On 5/3/2019 at 7:28 AM, HOUSE said:

he and his sister were raised mainly by their mother.^[4]Cowherd described himself as a loner during his childhood, spending much time sitting on his roof, listening to baseball games on the radio.

 

This earlier childhood photo might shed some light on the "miles away" comment.
 

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by Golden Goat

[Steptide]

Well I'll say this, if he is right, lots of people are gonna be calling for McDermott to be fired 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

miles away...?

 

I say year 3 and we should have a real good idea, with this season showing promise.

 

to hell with cowturd.

 

 

Blitz newsletter: For Josh Allen, 'It will not be good enough to simply be a flame-throwing quarterback'

 

Touch and trajectory play a significant role in quarterback development at the NFL level because of man-to-man coverage. Great cover guys play close and on the hip of wide receivers, with the intent of undercutting throws that are too low, and this is where most underdeveloped quarterbacks make their mistakes.

 

They stubbornly believe the strength of their arm and their velocity will be able to get the football to the receiver before the defender can make the play. This incorrect assumption leads to interceptions.

...

(Bills QB coach Ken) Dorsey will be in charge of regulating Allen and preaching and developing his anticipatory skills. It will not be good enough to simply be a flame-throwing quarterback.

 

There were times last season, particularly against good man-to-man cover teams, that defenders were getting under wide receiver routes. This is an area of growth for Allen that might make the most difference and guide the Bills to more points.

[Kirby Jackson]

Colin Cowherd is a cat guy. 

[Nihilarian]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

Well I'll say this, if he is right, lots of people are gonna be calling for McDermott to be fired 

He isn't and they won't!

 

 

Look back to 2017 to a somewhat inferior roster with a running QB... who was afraid to throw over the middle. (That won't happen this year!) That years offense was 31st in passing attempts, 31st in yards passing even with a journeyman QB. 

 

Aside from last seasons rookie QB who will now get all the starting reps this off season. The Bills added some really good receivers, and O linemen to protect him and run block. The offense should be much improved as well as the defense, special teams...speaking of special teams the 2018 Buffalo Bills were 32nd in the NFL. This season they have no where to go but get better after signing the pro bowl KR/PR from the Jets in Andre Roberts. 

 

in 2018 the bills fielded the #2 defense in yards and the #1 pass defense. If the run defense improves the Bills should field a very dominant unit, and perhaps even number one overall. This season could be very special for the Bills. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

Yeah the secondary should continue to be the strength of the team.   Wallace should have gotten bigger and stronger.   Gaines is pretty brittle but is very efficient in the McD system.   Hopefully Ryan Lewis steps up.    If the Kevin Johnson signing turns out that will be surprise.   He isn't just injury prone but after a solid rookie season he has graded out as one of the worst QB's in the league when he has played.   But the secondary positions with the Bills require more cerebral and instinctive/competitive players than they do dynamic matchup athletes so maybe Johnson looks like a different player here.    The secondary is probably the one area of the team where they should be able to continue to fill with useful talent if there are injuries.  

 

Think you mean CB? 

 

The season-ending IR in week one from concussion does not looke good, but it's low-risk "prove it" signing for the Bills. 

 

$400k signing and significant salary in the form of a per-game roster bonus. 

I don't know if that's a new league trend, but the Beaner has structured a couple contracts that way, and for a player who has had several season-ending injuries, it's probably fair to both sides.  He gets a decent guaranteed salary if he's on the team week 1, so he gets some protection for injury or from being cut, but the team can part ways if he doesn't look good in camp.  He has a shot to earn a lot more money if he plays every game.

 

Beane did something similar with John Brown who as we know has sickle cell trait and has had a couple of injury plagued seasons.

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Cowherd was initially VERY anti josh Allen then changed his tune 

 

That's because some of the Fantasy Football type draft pundits made it fashionable to rag on Allen as a QB with a 0% probability of success in the NFL.
 

Once he won games and showed some progress, that looked foolish against the background of all the 1st round QB they said nicer things about, who totally looked lost in the league - Paxton Lynch, Johnny Manziel, Brandon Weedon, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder -  so it fell out of fashion.

[Scott7975]

I'm pretty optimistic about this season.  I don't think we are quite there yet, but I certainly wouldn't say we are miles away.  On paper the Bills made some solid improvements over last year.  The important part is still going to be if the QB can get the job done.

[Ol Dirty B]

On 5/3/2019 at 8:13 AM, wagon127 said:

They keep saying the Jets did so much to improve, we didn't??? I think we will finish better then the jets. If I was forced to put money on it, I would say at best the Jets have no more then 1 win better than us. The dolphins are definitely finishing last in the division......

 

Jets are looking like the Redskins to me. Heavy spending and trades on big names. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

4 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Colin Cowherd is a cat guy. 

 

You're using the term "guy" loosely.

 

[njbuff]

Ok, I will play along..............

 

Cowerd is miles away from getting laid.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 5/3/2019 at 7:03 AM, Chandler#81 said:

Sees us as last in the Division. Obviously, he has many critics, but I’ve always liked him and he makes points.

 

*Alarming 7 Blowout loses

*Young QBs do better with Offensive HC

*Fish go from 7-9 pretenders to WC consideration w/Rosen

*Pats* great Draft

*Jets did much to improve 

 

I’m good with this analysis as we all (AFCE) play a comparatively favorable schedule and no Bills fans really know what we have or who we are yet. We’re putting a lot of stock and hope that all the pieces will fit nicely very quickly. If not, and it’s unreasonable to expect it, we’re going to lose games we likely should and could have won, while learning ‘who we are’.

 

I still think 10 wins is possible, but it’ll take at least 3 Division wins to accomplish.

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2019/05/buffalo-bills-still-miles-away-from-competing-in-afc-says-colin-cowherd.html

 

I think this piece does a good job illustrating Cowherd's stock in trade.

______________________________

"It was in Vegas where Cowherd first learned that you can draw attention to yourself by being a contrarian. The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels were one of the best basketball programs in the country in the late 80s, and they would win a title in 1990 and nearly go undefeated in 1991. The brash, cocky team attracted national attention, and everyone (well, except the NCAA) loved its colorful coach, the seemingly shady Jerry Tarkianan. In February, 1990, after center Moses Scurry punched Utah State’s head coach during a brawl, Cowherd used his perch as a sports anchor to slam Tarkianan and the team for classless behavior.

“I went to the grocery store that night and people came up to me and said, ‘**** you, who are you, **** you!”’ Cowherd said, jabbing his finger in the air. “Ripping Tark was like ripping the Pope at the Vatican. Tark was it. Tark was bigger than Steve Wynn!”

 

Cowherd’s button-pushing style can be traced to his favorite radio personality, Howard Cosell. “I liked people who got attention. I kind of respect guys willing to be hated "
(.....)
“I’m paid to be a mile wide and an inch deep,” he said. "
-----------------------------------------------
Keep that in mind when evaluating anything Cowherd says.

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

Cow Terd is way off.

 

Dolphins are bums ,pats are fading and jets are improving but so are we and we certainly wont be last.

 

 

[#34fan]

I'd say we're miles away in the sense that it's MAY for crying out loud... We don't even know what this team is going to look like come September.

 

Might a s well sit tight... It's Gonna be a looooooong summer.

[Ramza86]

Minus the Fins comment....I agree. The jets have a nice looking roster and Darnold wasnt too bad for a rookie either. 

 

The jets and the bills have very similar looking rosters. I just think theirs is a tad more talented. Not by much. I believe we have the coaching edge.

 

Cowherd is like anyone else...says some good stuff and says some stupid stuff...but at the end of the day hell say what he needs to for the ratings. 

Edited May 6, 2019 by Ramza86

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

6 minutes ago, Ramza86 said:

Minus the Fins comment....I agree. The jets have a nice looking roster and Darnold wasnt too bad for a rookie either. 

 

The jets and the bills have very similar looking rosters. I just think theirs is a tad more talented. Not by much. I believe we have the coaching edge.

 

Cowherd is like anyone else...says some good stuff and says some stupid stuff...but at the end of the day hell say what he needs to for the ratings. 

 

how's that Jets OL looking?

 

 

[Ramza86]

31 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

how's that Jets OL looking?

 

 

 

Hah not too hot...but I cant say im very confident about ours either. Glad we were able to gain some additions. 

[PrimeTime101]

23 minutes ago, Ramza86 said:

 

Hah not too hot...but I cant say im very confident about ours either. Glad we were able to gain some additions. 

really? IF you don't think our Offensive line is miles ahead of where it was last year then your lost.

[Ramza86]

1 minute ago, PrimeTime101 said:

really? IF you don't think our Offensive line is miles ahead of where it was last year then your lost.

 

Miles ahead of the worst Bills offensive line ive ever seen isnt saying much to me yet. Lol. 

 

While im hopeful...I cant be confident on a brand new line that hasnt played a down together yet. 

[PrimeTime101]

1 minute ago, Ramza86 said:

 

Miles ahead of the worst Bills offensive line ive ever seen isnt saying much to me yet. Lol. 

 

While im hopeful...I cant be confident on a brand new line that hasnt played a down together yet. 

I get that.. But the Quality is there unlike last year. We can only go on what is in front of us

[ddaryl]

35 minutes ago, Ramza86 said:

 

Miles ahead of the worst Bills offensive line ive ever seen isnt saying much to me yet. Lol. 

 

While im hopeful...I cant be confident on a brand new line that hasnt played a down together yet. 

 

 

1 decent player addition improves our OL considerably from last year. Add 2 high quality OL and a few more solid upgrades.. I fail to see how we are not considerably better just by default.

 

Like you said worst OL you can remember last year and this year only 1 of those OL will be starting. 4 new upgraded starters with 2 of those position getting MAJOR upgrades... I think weez good.

 

I can apply the same logic to our WR core...  I'm flying full staff with preseason excitement

Edited May 6, 2019 by ddaryl

[Ramza86]

Just now, ddaryl said:

 

 

are you kidding 1 decent player addition improves our OL considerably from last year. Add 2 high quality OL and a few more solid upgrades.. I fail to see how we are not considerably better just by default.

 

Like you said worst OL you can remember last year and this year only 1 of those OL will be starting. 4 new starters with 2 of those position getting MAJOR upgrades... I think weez good.

 

I can apply the same logic to our WR core...  I'm flying full staff with preseason excitement

 

Im glad to hear it. I do think this team is better....how much better? how much better or worse than the rest of the league? Boy...for me....hard to say until we see these guys play together.

[ddaryl]

3 minutes ago, Ramza86 said:

 

Im glad to hear it. I do think this team is better....how much better? how much better or worse than the rest of the league? Boy...for me....hard to say until we see these guys play together.

 

 

yeah that is always the way this time of year. I always come in optomisitic.. I believe this team is poised to make a very large jump. I'm thinking a playoff win but it all rest on 1 thing.. Does Josh Allen take the big step

[CommonCents]

Cowherd is a pro, if he said something nice people wouldn’t have talked about it but for a minute. Thread has been at or near the top for how long now?

[ddaryl]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

 they've upgraded but it's still bad.

 

Allen will continue to struggle in large part because that they didn't do enough at the position(and TE position). IMO. 

 

 

Quite the opposite in my opinion. Our WR's are fine, and I do not believe you have to have a prima donna 1st rd WR to have a good WR corp.  We are significantly upgraded over last year. It is purely up to Allen and Daboll to take advantage of an improved OL and WR corps and NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND THIS YEAR.

 

Allen simply must elevate the offense around him.. NO EXCUSES the team has been improved enough around him to EXPECT a serious improvement

 

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by ddaryl

[SoTier]

21 hours ago, Nihilarian said:

 

in 2018 the bills fielded the #2 defense in yards and the #1 pass defense. If the run defense improves the Bills should field a very dominant unit, and perhaps even number one overall. This season could be very special for the Bills. 

 

The Bills defensive rankings were very deceptive.  The team was not nearly as dominant as some of its rankings suggest as evidenced by the fact that they were middle of the pack in other defensive measures.  They  weren't very good in stopping teams from scoring last season, especially in the Red Zone, and they frequently gave opponents short fields because of offensive turn overs.   That so many opponents got up early on the Bills meant that teams could afford to be conservative late in the game.  Those factors contributed significantly to that #2 ranking in yards.   A major contribution to the #1 pass defense was the fact that the Bills defense too often couldn't stop the run as well as opponents' big early leads in several games enabled teams to run more.

 

2 hours ago, PrimeTime101 said:

really? IF you don't think our Offensive line is miles ahead of where it was last year then your lost.

 

The Bills OL could improve 100% and still  be too poor to give Allen enough pass pro or the RBs holes  ... that's how bad it was last season.

 

2 hours ago, ddaryl said:

 

 

1 decent player addition improves our OL considerably from last year. Add 2 high quality OL and a few more solid upgrades.. I fail to see how we are not considerably better just by default.

 

Like you said worst OL you can remember last year and this year only 1 of those OL will be starting. 4 new upgraded starters with 2 of those position getting MAJOR upgrades... I think weez good.

 

I can apply the same logic to our WR core...  I'm flying full staff with preseason excitement

 

The Bills added 1 decent player, Morse, to their OL.   The other FAs are either older or weren't good enough to start on their previous teams except for injury.  Hopefully one or more proves to be a quality starter, but there's no guarantee of anything.  Ford may be a starter from Day 1 but probably he'll take at least a few games to be good enough to be a starter.  Dawkins looks to be the best of the returning OLers from last season, but do we get Dawkins from 2017 or from 2018?   The OL has the potential to be average but as somebody said once said, "potential only means you ain't done **** yet".  They gotta prove it.

Edited May 6, 2019 by SoTier