Alphadawg7

Came here to say this, well said and totally agree with you. Baker was never a bust, but a bust of an organization thought they could do better and set their organization back instead of investing around their young QB. Its going to be interesting to see what Minnesota does...will they commit to Darnold or is JJ still their plans for the future.

💯 - Exactly. No doubt, this is spot on and perfectly stated.

And there are still people on here who will make it seem that we owe our whole season to Cooper and Hollins is still a bum.

Yeah you are right about him. Dareus was a cream of the crop level prospect that draft, so yeah, no team was going to take Watt over Dareus that year who was never going to get out of the top 5. But thats the draft...there are guys who are blue chip prospects, even "generational talents" that go bust, or maybe don't bust but never reach their potential and have underwhelming careers all the time.

Oh don't get me wrong, I feel better about our offense than our defense in this game. And what we have seen from the D the past 2 weeks as Milano gets more and more into form is encouraging. Just hard to get too hyped about that given the offenses we were playing were not too dangerous. I still think we can, and will, win this game...but admittedly, this is the one matchup that concerns me the most of anyone in either conference of the playoffs. IMHO - If we beat the Ravens, we will win the Super Bowl as I don't see us losing to KC (or Hou if they pull the upset) and we already beat the best team in the NFC.

Im in the don't pay big money to RB's crowd...but if we can keep him for under $10M I would be on board.

Im not gonna get too over hyped about middling offenses like the Jets and a rookie led Broncos in his first post season game on the road in Buffalo. Im encouraged, but still concerned about a Ravens team who dominated us in the trenches on both sides of the ball in week 4, and that was when their defense still sucked too and not since being the #1 D since shifting Kyle Williams. We have to win in the trenches for us to beat Baltimore.

The Houston game, I still say those passes were more on Allen than Hollins...but Hollins was still the whipping boy around here and a lot of people had not warmed to him yet so they blamed it all on him in the midst of what was easily Allens worst game since emerging and probably his worst game as a pro. First one was bad ball placement on what should have been an easy throw and the second one Allen passed up 3 wide open players (and where he was supposed to go with the ball) to take an ill advised, and unexpected by both the coaches and Hollins deep shot because Allen said he thought he saw something pre-snap there. And Allen took ownership of both those plays after the game. As far as the penalty today...I loved seeing the fire and swagger...but the flag was fair. What no one is even mentioning, is that the first contact is Hollins pushing Surtain's head into the ground as he first gets up before he even steps over him. So flag was fair but it didn't bother me and allowed us to chew more clock anyway. This team has needed more bravado, attitude, and swagger for years.

Did no one else catch Jim Nantz saying "getting f**cked" on the commercial about college basketball???? My wife and I were like whoa and we went back and listened again and he definitely does lmao. Found someone else who posted a recording of it on twitter

So...do people still not want to address defense this offseason?

This was the most obvious opening and hiring of the offseason, good hire by NE IMHO, not that there was ever any doubt

Totally agree...to be honest, I am not so sure they don't clean house this year had they not extended McDaniels before the season began.

Fair, but if you look at the state of the roster right now, its in pretty bad shape and headed in the wrong direction with the aging guys they went all in on declining and getting older (and wanting out like Hill), some other guys they are expected to lose too, the contracts they have, etc. Which is why I don't think Grier and McDaniels will be there much longer than this next season IMHO. Also fair, and that was the basis of really what my point was, they are poorly built and I don't see a quick fix for them...hence my expectation that Grier and McDaniels will be gone soon.

I see you guys trying to make a case for Tua and the Fins making the playoffs if Tua doesn't get hurt...but my question to is so what if they did, what does that change? You think they spent all that money to be a fringe playoff team each season with no chance to advance? They were the 7th seed in 2022 because Tua lost 5 straight to end the season making Skylar Thompson the savior for even making the playoffs when he stepped in on the final game of the season to snap the losing streak. Entering week 11 they had an almost unsurmountable 3 game divisional lead last year and again with Tua, blew that and lost the division to a team that was 5-5 at that time and just fired their OC. This year, 1-4 against winning teams with Tua. Not only did they choke in 2022 and 2023 with Tua, but in both seasons they had a better overall roster than they had this season. And heading into this offseason, that roster is in even worse shape as the all in aging guns for hire are getting older, less reliable and they are set to lose guys most likely as well. They still have OL issues which isn't ideal when your QB is injury prone and struggles under pressure, not to mention Tua may also lose Hill this offseason. So I just can't see how making the playoffs as the 7th seed would have even mattered or be seen as a successful season or how they can turn it around in one season.

They were losing before that game though lol. They had a massive 3 game divisional lead with just 6 games to go and blew it to a team that heading into week 11 was 5-5 and just fired their OC. Yet the only reason Miami made the playoffs was because of that backup. They lost 5 straight with Tua heading into the final game where its win or go home. Skylar snapped the 5 game losing streak to limp in and nearly upset Josh Allen at home. Why don’t you just admit these attempts to defend Miami is just a defacto defense of how you want Buffalo to spend on WRs. Because now you’re going to realm of ridiculous by even mentioning Josh Allen and the playoffs in the same post as Miami.

Tua was 1-4 against wining teams this year. He apparently can’t get over anyone Miami has just 4 wins in 3 years against teams with a winning record. But you think it’s about him not beating Mahomes? Lmao

On offense its gonna be Shakir and Ty Johnson...I think Denver corners will keep things locked down outside and we will keep moving the chains and picking at their D with short to mid strikes to guys like Shakir and Ty. On defense I am going with our LB's Bernard/Milano to keep Bo Nix for extending drives with his legs.

It really is, and I look forward to watching the inevitable 30 for 30 on it Sometimes Karma shows up and lets you know its still out there

Yeah totally agree with all of this. And I remember you and I were totally aligned on this all offseason expecting a step back. And I agree Holland is likely gone and I would also love to see him land in Buffalo. Personally, I am not so sure this regime is back this next year if they had not given McDaniels an extension before the season began. And I can't see how they can turn things around next year as they seem poised to potentially lose more guys and like you said, so much invested in older guns for hire that are not going to sustain the level of play they were paid and brought in for.

My bad...I thought they dropped to the final seed with our win. Thanks for pointing that out, didn't see @Einstein's Dog post above. Doesn't change anything else I said for me though, it all still stands the same. But will edit to reflect the correction

You realize that if they did that the punter would just change the angle of the punt to get even more yards just giving us bad field position no matter where they are punting from on the field. Gotta have someone at the very least fair catch, if not return it.

As what...the 7th seed again, and to do that they needed to win 2 more games. But let's say they did win 2 more games and limp in with Tua, they were still 1-4 this year with Tua against teams with winning records. So what then when they get in the playoffs and have to go to Buffalo round 1 who has owned them regardless of where the game has been played all of Allens career? 2022 - 7th seed 2023 - 6th seed 2024 - 7th seed (missed, but lets say they made the playoffs like you suggested if Tua plays a handful more games) They have limped in as the 7th seed after losing 5 straight with Tua, blown a 3 game divisional lead with 7 games to go to a team who had to fire their OC in week 10 to limp in as the 6th seed, and then maybe limping in again as the 7th seed this year if Tua plays a couple more games. And why, because they struggle to win games against teams with winning records. How many GM's and HC's keep their job after spending as much money as they have and whose best hope is to be the 6th or 7th seed every year and win 0 playoff games? The expectations for the Dolphins is not to be a borderline playoff team that has no real shot of advancing. That is not why they paid Tua, Hill, Waddle and made big trades like getting Hill and Ramsey. This was a team that has pushed their chips in chasing a divisional title and SB push and haven'teven won a playoff game. And they already had repercussions of their moves and spending last year when it cost them players and had to start resetting the cap. Now this year Hill wants out already which would leave Tua with just Waddle at WR who in 15 games managed to only put 744 yards with Hill on the field drawing the defense. I will be stunned if this staff and FO last past next offseason.

But I never said winning in the trenches was more important than a great QB, said nothing of the sort. I said you need to also be able to win in the trenches...never said in lieu of finding your QB. My comments were about how Miami built their team...which includes paying big money to a QB with injury issues, a sub par arm, and struggles when the protection breaks down. You want to mask some of that, you better build up his protection. Yes Josh is a "contender" every year...but he has 0 SB appearances. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy in his 2nd year reached and nearly won a SB because they win in the trenches and don't need a QB to be superman. You want to wait around for a once in generation talent like Allen to try and win a SB, well you wont be a GM very long given those are rare players. And even when you find one, it still isn't enough. Just ask Allen himself...or Lamar...or Brees and Rodgers who each only reached one despite being indisputable top 10 all time QB's by most peoples rankings. Or ask Marino, Kelly, etc who never won one if it's all about the QB. No one is ever going to dispute having a great QB is important, or even the most important thing, especially me. But if that was all it took then there wouldn't be so many great QBs now and throughout history that have 0 rings or just 1. You need to build a competent team around those QB's, and you would be hard pressed to find a better place to do that than the trenches.

I don't disagree with you about a lot of what you said here except really the part about the trenches thing goes too far. Keep in mind, it doesn't mean you must have the #1 OL and #1 DL in football. Just means you better be capable to win up front when you need to. I agree with you about Tua and his limitations, in fact, agree with all of it. I do think Purdy is a better QB than Tua having watched all of Purdy's games (given my wife is a die hard Niners fan), but like Tua he also has limitations. I just think he has better vision and pocket presence than Tua which for me makes me believe Purdy has a better chance at a SB ring in his career than Tua will. I also don't disagree with you about Allen if he and Tua switched places, but that is the value of an elite QB. But lets be real...part of that is because the Jets and Pats still stink this year, and the Bills wouldn't have Allen so they would also not be any good, so of course Allen in Miami is a runaway divisional title. And you can say the same thing about the Jets...Allen on the Jets and they would have won the division too. Allen is one of one...a generational talent like the NFL has never seen who isn't even 30 yet and already set many QB records in both regular and postseason. Its unrealistic to for a team to go find an Allen who can make up for a teams deficiencies and elevate a team the way he can. So it's not really a fair comparison IMHO, especially in an effort to rebuke the value of winning in the trenches. As far as the trenches goes...Josh Allen just played behind the best offensive line he has ever had, and that helped contribute to his most efficient season of his career and quite possibly his first MVP despite an offensive skill group around him you don't think is very strong. Now look at Mahomes...3 straight seasons of issues at WR but they are back to back reigning SB champs, this years #1 seed in chase of a 3rd straight title. Now his OL had issues in spots of the line this year, and Mahomes had a down season for his standards as part of that. But they kept winning because they were still tough in the short areas of the field and could win in the trenches, were able to run the ball in key moments of the games, and the DL was stellar again. There is obviously no single "must do" way to win...but I can assure you that winning in the trenches is, and always has been, a component of many winning formulas and as close to a "must" as it gets in football. And you would be hard pressed to find a HC, if any, that would say otherwise too.

The devastation across the whole region is unbelievable. Pacific Palisades are like 90% or more gone. Fires are all over the southland, more areas facing mandatory evacuations as new fires pop up. Its unreal...I will be stunned if they still play in LA, they should be using Sofi as an evacuation center for those in need.