Lofton vs Cooks...Fingers Crossed!

[Sierra Foothills]

55 minutes ago, YodaMan79 said:

Could the addition of Cooks be too little, too late, maybe about four years too late? Yes. That was my immediate reaction, and I doubt I was alone during the past 12 hours. I woke up this morning actively hunting for reasons this could work, trying to drag myself out of the “our front office is operating with a Magic 8-Ball and this roster is a resource-allocation dumpster fire” mindset. Honestly, I’ve been in such an NFL funk I’m barely even pretending to be excited about the rest of the season.

 

So why not at least attempt to convince ourselves something good could come from this? At least until they inevitably prove they have absolutely no idea how to use him. I’m shoving every memory of Hines and Hardy into the mental junk drawer where I keep stuff I don’t want to talk about.

 

Here’s today’s episode of “Delusional Positivity I’m Forcing on Myself”:

maybe Brandin Cooks can be this team’s James Lofton.

 

Yes, I know, the ’80s NFL was a different sport entirely. Just roll with it. We’re in survival mode.

 

On the surface, by the numbers (before joining the Bills):

James Lofton arrived in Buffalo in 1989 at age 33.

11,085 yards

Five 1,000-yard seasons 

54 TDs

And averaging an absurd 18.3 yards per catch

Then in 1991, at 35 (and 36), he had a straight up resurgence: another 1,000-yard season, 8 TDs, a Pro Bowl (back when that actually meant something), and most importantly he helped ignite the Super Bowl run.

 

Brandin Cooks arrives here at 32.

9,687 yards

Six 1,000-yard seasons

60 TDs

A career 13.3 yards per catch (and yes, we’re all collectively pretending this year’s 8.7 doesn’t exist)

 

I’m digging deep here. I fully admit I have absolutely no clue who the Andre Reed equivalent is supposed to be, please don’t ask, it’ll collapse the whole house of optimism I’m building. But hey, could he also help propel this team into the big game? Stranger things have happened. Probably. Maybe. Don’t fact-check me.

 

If you squint hard enough, and I mean squint like you’re trying to read directions on something you're trying to air fry at 46 years of age, there are some parallels. And at this point, a little delusional hope is all we’ve got.

 

So with that, I give thanks to Brandon Beane for the next 96 hours of optimism. It may be borrowed, delusional, and doomed, but hey, why shouldn’t Bills fans get a little joy before reality smacks us again?  We're rooting for you Brandin! 

 

Let's go...never mind (I don't want this moved to the political section) 

 

25 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Good post. I need optimism!

 

Good post for optimism and excellent writing too.

 

Kudos!

 

26 minutes ago, Artful Dodger said:

Is James Lofton still available?  He's only 69 years old.  

 

 

18 minutes ago, skibum said:

It's going to be Amari Cooper 2.0. Let's be realistic. 

 

Better than Mecole Hardman 2.0.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Sierra Foothills

[gordong]

well the other thing is the QB for the saints is not Josh Allen so that could explain the 8.7 yards per catch... I know but dream big.   Stranger things have happened and if you bring in enough of these guys one is bound to hit, so why not now. 

[Ballhawk]

I will be interesting to see if Josh's deep ball is accurate enough to take advantage of Cooks skillset. While he has one of the strongest arms in the league, it's not clear to me that he can throw the deep pass accurately. It's been hard to gauge when the WR group is partially to blame, but over his entire career the deep ball doesn't seem to be a strength (understanding that two deep safeties have focused on taking this away from him).

Excited to see if Cooks can get separation...just imagine a defense that has to account for that and what James Cook can do with additional space. It's good to have multiple cooks in the kitchen! 

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, YodaMan79 said:

Could the addition of Cooks be too little, too late, maybe about four years too late? Yes. That was my immediate reaction, and I doubt I was alone during the past 12 hours. I woke up this morning actively hunting for reasons this could work, trying to drag myself out of the “our front office is operating with a Magic 8-Ball and this roster is a resource-allocation dumpster fire” mindset. Honestly, I’ve been in such an NFL funk I’m barely even pretending to be excited about the rest of the season.

 

So why not at least attempt to convince ourselves something good could come from this? At least until they inevitably prove they have absolutely no idea how to use him. I’m shoving every memory of Hines and Hardy into the mental junk drawer where I keep stuff I don’t want to talk about.

 

Here’s today’s episode of “Delusional Positivity I’m Forcing on Myself”:

maybe Brandin Cooks can be this team’s James Lofton.

 

Yes, I know, the ’80s NFL was a different sport entirely. Just roll with it. We’re in survival mode.

 

On the surface, by the numbers (before joining the Bills):

James Lofton arrived in Buffalo in 1989 at age 33.

11,085 yards

Five 1,000-yard seasons 

54 TDs

And averaging an absurd 18.3 yards per catch

Then in 1991, at 35 (and 36), he had a straight up resurgence: another 1,000-yard season, 8 TDs, a Pro Bowl (back when that actually meant something), and most importantly he helped ignite the Super Bowl run.

 

Brandin Cooks arrives here at 32.

9,687 yards

Six 1,000-yard seasons

60 TDs

A career 13.3 yards per catch (and yes, we’re all collectively pretending this year’s 8.7 doesn’t exist)

 

I’m digging deep here. I fully admit I have absolutely no clue who the Andre Reed equivalent is supposed to be, please don’t ask, it’ll collapse the whole house of optimism I’m building. But hey, could he also help propel this team into the big game? Stranger things have happened. Probably. Maybe. Don’t fact-check me.

 

If you squint hard enough, and I mean squint like you’re trying to read directions on something you're trying to air fry at 46 years of age, there are some parallels. And at this point, a little delusional hope is all we’ve got.

 

So with that, I give thanks to Brandon Beane for the next 96 hours of optimism. It may be borrowed, delusional, and doomed, but hey, why shouldn’t Bills fans get a little joy before reality smacks us again?  We're rooting for you Brandin! 

 

Let's go...never mind (I don't want this moved to the political section) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. No Jim Kelly and the K Gun offense that pushed the ball down the field.

 

2. No Andre Reed.

 

But Kudos on the positivity!!

[YodaMan79]

Just now, SoonerBillsFan said:

1. No Jim Kelly and the K Gun offense that pushed the ball down the field.

 

2. No Andre Reed.

 

But Kudos on the positivity!!

Please tell that the sarcasm wasn’t lost on you? 

[SoonerBillsFan]

2 minutes ago, YodaMan79 said:

Please tell that the sarcasm wasn’t lost on you? 

Sarcasm is my love language 😁 I was just being a smart *** . Which my grandpa aways said beat being a Dumb ***  🙂

[YodaMan79]

19 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

 

Good post for optimism and excellent writing too.

 

Kudos!

 

 

 

 

Better than Mecole Hardman 2.0.

 

Also didn’t burn a 3rd pick. 

[vtnatefootball11]

Love the positive thinking, I've been straining myself to get a glimmer of hope out of this. 

 

Maybe, just maybe, Cooks can be the equivalent of Emmanuel Sanders to this offense. And maybe, just maybe, Keon comes back with some fire and shows some promise. 

 

If by playoffs we are rolling with a reinvigorated Keon and Cooks on the outside, with Shakir in the slot, and rotating in Davis and Palmer, that may not be the end of the world. Maybe Keon doesn't have it and Davis takes over that spot. Still not a good WR room there is no way around that, but could be slightly better than what we have had so far this season, and just enough to get it done while leaning heavy on Cook and Kincaid. This is what I am clinging to! 

Edited 5 hours ago by vtnatefootball11

[Comebackkid]

1 hour ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Good post.

 

But also it is exciting to know we're about to have Lofton and Stallworth on the field at the same time.  Look out Pittsburgh!

Pretty soon we'll be bringing back all the 90's era players at the rate we are going!

[BlazinBill]

This entire thread just has me grinning from ear to ear- fantastic first read of the day

[Sierra Foothills]

24 minutes ago, gordong said:

Well the other thing is the QB for the saints is not Josh Allen so that could explain the 8.7 yards per catch... I know but dream big.   Stranger things have happened and if you bring in enough of these guys one is bound to hit, so why not now. 

 

That's right!!!

 

If not now, when?

 

If not here, where?

 

If not us, who?

 

And the other question I can never remember... how?

 

6 minutes ago, vtnatefootball11 said:

Love the positive thinking, I've been straining myself to get a glimmer of hope out of this. 

 

Maybe, just maybe, Cooks can be the equivalent of Emmanuel Sanders to this offense. And maybe, just maybe, Keon comes back with some fire and shows some promise. 

 

If by playoffs we are rolling with a reinvigorated Keon and Cooks on the outside, with Shakir in the slot, and rotating in Davis and Palmer, that may not be the end of the world. Maybe Keon doesn't have it and Davis takes over that spot. Still not a good WR room there is no way around that, but could be slightly better than what we have had so far this season, and just enough to get it done while leaning heavy on Cook and Kincaid. This is what I am clinging to! 

 

The talent is not good but it's disheartening that the coaching staff is so poor that they're unable to self-scout and make the corrections necessary to minimize the offensive dysfunction.

 

[muppy]

I read this thread title just now and it made me smile BIG

 

lol what a great thought I love it

 

AMEN!!!

[vtnatefootball11]

1 minute ago, Sierra Foothills said:

The talent is not good but it's disheartening that the coaching staff is so poor that they're unable to self-scout and make the corrections necessary to minimize the offensive dysfunction.

 

 

100% agree, nobody is saying the WR talent is good or that the coaching staff is good. It's quite obvious to most Bills fans that Allen has masked a lot of coaching and roster deficiencies for years now. The topic is about is there any possible chance Cooks makes a difference. 

 

We are literally picking from a trash heap here at WR post trade deadline. The only silver lining here is that this is a straight up admission by Beane that the WR room is not good enough and that is an absolute indictment on him as GM. Hopefully Pegula is paying attention. Short of a miracle superbowl appearance this year, Beane and McDermott need to go. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 hour ago, skibum said:

It's going to be Amari Cooper 2.0. Let's be realistic. 

I don't thinks so.

 

When Cooper came here there were way more expectations. He was brought in and everyone thought he would be the WR1 we needed 

 

No sane person is laying those expectations on Cooks. Honestly if he gives us a few timely plays, maybe a dozen catches, around 200 yards and a TD or two, I think that's meeting what realistic expectations should be.

 

Also Cooper cost us a day 2 pick, Cooks costs us nothing but a small portion of salary.

[Special K]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

If Cooks can come in just before December and revitalize his career leading the Bills to glory...well it may just inspire another Hallmark Christmas Movie. 

 

"All you need is one more "Cooks" in the Kitchen."

[RyanC883]

I love the dedication to the delusion.  But who is Andre Reed in this WR room?  

[chris heff]

4 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

1. No Jim Kelly and the K Gun offense that pushed the ball down the field.

 

2. No Andre Reed.

 

But Kudos on the positivity!!

You have a short memory, the K Gun was introduced a year after Lofton’s arrival. He was an integral part. Prior to Lofton the Bills offense struggled, Chris Burkett was WR opposite Reed. Reed’s first 1000 yard season was Lofton’s first year with the Bills. With Lofton the Bills were significantly better.

[boyst]

5 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Good post.

 

But also it is exciting to know we're about to have Lofton and Stallworth on the field at the same time.  Look out Pittsburgh!

Donte stallworth would be an improvement....