Mango

He didn’t even give a thumbs up from the stretcher. Really tough situation.

There’s a scenario where that’s a career ender. Edit: After googling there’s a scenario where he doesn’t leave the hospital.

That is a lot of words to say “Buffalo has a harder SOS right now and aren’t even ranked number 1”

I didn't say rookies never start under McD. All those guys certainly didn't start because of "experience". Tre White was better than EJ Gaines out of the gate. Maybe they were comparable? But who was going to challenge for starting CB? Shareece Wright? What a joke Josh Allen, The guy who was the back up to Nathan Peterman coming into the season. Josh didn't start until Peterman had an abysmal Ravens game. Josh started because the only guy in his was was Nathan Peterman. The proud owner of the worst half of NFL football in the history of the league. Ed Oliver...started 7 games. He started when he was ready. Edmunds was the only serviceable MLB on the roster. He was better than Ramon Humber on day one. He didn't get the not at MLB because there was a better MLB on the roster and Edmunds needed "experience" Elam's extended run as a starter? It has been one game. The list of Kaiir Elam's starts is 1. @Miami. List over. I am taking your stance as Elam will only start because he needs experience. Sean McDermott doesn't start players for experience. He only starts players who have earned it. It is a consistent part of his ethos in building the roster. He will not start a lesser player because of their draft status or need for experience. Full stop. If your take is that Elam is the better player flat out than Jackson right now, I would disagree. But it is a topic worthy of discussion. But starting because of draft status and experience (which you cited as the reasons in your OP) isn't in this teams DNA.

My response was to the OP who said "Elam will start because he needs experience" (paraphrasing) I am saying that he won't start because he needs experience. McD has no issue keeping a rookie on the bench. As of the last game both Elam and Jackson played, Jackson was the better player. Elam will only start when he wins the job.

Right, so I can get behind that. If/when Elam is the better player he will start. It is certainly possible that happens at some point this year. This staff has made a career of sitting rookies forever in favor of vets regardless of draft position. Nobody is starting for "experience". They will only start because they are starters. I took the post as Elam starting now regardless of who is better for the purpose of experience. If OP thinks Elam will start because he is the better player right now and will start that is fine. But it isn't what was said.

We aren't benching marginally better 6th round rookie Christian Benford so that Elam can get experience. We aren't benching the player that is significantly better in Dane Jackson so that Elam can get experience. Especially without Hyde and a possibly still banged up interior DL. Elam will rotate in, but Dane Jackson isn't getting benched when Tre comes back.

Not super concerned about Benford if Dane Jackson can go on Sunday. Certainly rooting for his health, but I think the drop in Benford v Elam is likely small to negligible. Hoping this is the last week without Tre and we are playing Jackson/White on the outside at home vs. Pittsburgh. At that point Elam and Benford become depth. The reason Poyer doesn't get the credit he is due nationally is his ability to diagnose and support run plays. Those plays just don't show up on the stat sheet. He'll be a huge loss against Baltimore if he isn't ready to go.

But is that the differential the league requires? Does the report read "no evidence of concussion"? or can the report from the independent neuro's report read "Patient was pushed backwards and become unstable upon standing. Mental cognition is within the normal limits of previous evaluations. Team physician says unstable gait has appeared in the past due to ongoing spinal issues". This feels reasonable to me. I have had some health issues the last few years and have seen doctors all over the country. Many of which have written similar reports to the above. Specifically around the history of my spinal health along the lines of "Patient reports shortness of breath, lower back pain, and swollen lymph nodes. All blood work is normal. Patient states he has herniated discs in his lumbar spine and that these issues arose around the time of being covid positive. Likely long term sequalae from previous infection" While others have written reports along the line of "unlikely back pain is due to herniated discs. Swollen lymph nodes, shortness breath and back pain may be due to enlarged spleen as patient is tender to touch in the area. Referred to hematology with the recommendation of abdominal CT with contrast and excisional lymph node biopsy." I am pro doctor and pro science. But the above are two doctors with the exact same information and two totally different differentials that just happened in the last few weeks. I have had similar reports on multiple occasions, with multiple doctors, in multiple networks. It is certainly feasible that the independent contractors are able to provide a medically feasible differential outside of a concussion to avoid protocol while also protecting themselves legally.

Honest question. How can they say "The NFL prefers the team approach, especially since the team doctor knows the player well." , "If there is any disagreement it is a no-go" AND "once we make a decision the independent doctor keeps an eye on the player". (paraphrasing) I doubt the league prefers the "team approach" because a guy who might have a concussion is behaving in a clinically insignificant way and the team can step in and say "No doc! You don't understand, this is not normal for Tua. I know you were going to clear him, but you can't this is dangerous ". It is far more likely that the team rep/doctor is there to explain things that are clinically significant to the independent evaluation, but explainable by past behavior. IE. Tua is wobbling, "no sir, that is just a back issue". In fact, having another doctor to explain Tua's back issues no longer allow the evaluation to be independent. I will go a step further to say that having the team doctor present and consulting is actually there to provide legal protection to the league/team because there is another physician providing clinically plausible explanations outside of the possibility of concussion. Miami Dolphins: This guy bashed his head and was wobbling around. Couldn't even stand on his own. Doc 1: Not good. Likely concussion. Doc 2: Could it be because of his history of back issues. Doc 1: Sure. Miami Dolphins: Get back out there and win this football game Tua

Surely weather did not help, tough to get an accurate read on why he had a bad go of it Sunday. I noticed Brown getting pretty early in the game. I assumed he was benched. Guys went down for the heat, but I "think" that Spencer might be the only one that went down for the heat and never returned. I could be wrong on that though.

They're one of two undefeated teams. It is what it is. Everything will regress to the mean.

I would argue that because of his size and his running style Josh takes significantly more abuse than Lamar. We rarely see Josh get lit up. But not that long ago we saw Josh get wishboned and thrown to the ground. Lamar does a good job of avoiding contact where Josh in some instances welcomes it.

Bigger, faster, stronger to start. But also, I think less time in the facility is a big part of it. Less time working daily with S&C. Getting stretched out, massaged, even just kept an eye on during workouts. I’d be happy for owners to even halve padded/contact practices but get everybody in house full time on June 1. That’s a 5 month break for half the league. In a game that is trying to work on safety more practice is the only way to get guys playing with better technique consistently. WR will run better routes. DB’s will have better coverage. Players will actually develop rather than burn out.

Ah, Schitts Creek! That is something that had not occurred to me. Ugh....

Honestly, this one feels easily replaceable. We need depth and people who can play given all the issues we are having across the board. But I feel like if pro personnel has been doing their job we can get somebody off of a PS to get up to speed.

Yeah, it will add some urgency going forward. But honestly, even if this team plays 3 rounds of playoffs on the road, I think they can handle any team by double digits when healthy.

Kumerow has had a great start to the season. He has made some plays in spot duty. Already more productive than all of last year. But I think this is likely a great opportunity for Hodgins to get some reps which I am excited about. I don't want guys limping through our season starting at week 3/4. Give the starters the time they need to get to 100% and lets roll!

Well this is a dumb... We lost by 2 and we had something like 14 starters go out at one point or another during this game. We are going to get Morse, Poyer, Tre, Jackson, Oliver, and Philips back. How can you not be amped going forward?!

Healthy team and it isn't close. I can't imagine there is a single person who disagrees. This team can beat anybody on any day. Get healthy and pin your ears back.

I will give repeating myself a go. Haha. Weather didn't cost us a game. I don't care about any of it. Shade v no shade. I don't care about the altitude in Denver. It is all fine. The one thing I do take issue with is that teams can't use reasonable tools that are normally available to help navigate the game. Using Denver as an example, everybody is using O2. What if it is 5 degrees out and the new stadium is built on a hot spring, but it only warms the Bills sideline? Under current rules visitors couldn't use a heated bench. As a Buffalo fan I would say that is a BS homefield advantage. It is a rule I didn't know or care that much about before my team was effected by it. I won't deny that. But I also think there is a very real need to change the rules. The equity rule should likely only be for in game communication and technology and the NFL should have an "always available" list for sideline equipment that includes heated/cooling benches, heaters, fans, misters and oxygen.

It can be 30 degrees cooler on the Miami sideline. Reports yesterday were that in the sun it was between 110-120. That means it is a manageable 80 and shady on the other side of the field.

Totally agreed. That is be my entire gripe. I don’t mind the sun or temperature change. But teams should be allowed to try and navigate it. Inversely, could you imagine if the Bills layered up on a cold day and the opposing team had no jackets or heated benches. Being in the cold is the home field advantage; not the ability to get warm.