mjt328

Many fans have been waiting decades upon decades for the Buffalo Bills to bring home a Super Bowl trophy. They aren't upset because the team lacks "style points." They are upset, because all objective signs point towards this team falling short of that goal...again...after a season where expectations were higher than possibly any point in the history of the franchise. At 43 years old, I'm getting tired of watching other teams hoist the Lombardi and saying maybe next year. And there are tons of fans who have been doing this way longer than me. Since Week 3, we've all been saying "the Bills would be great, if they could just cleanup the dumb mistakes." Well, we have now had two games of mostly consistent/strong play (Weeks 1-2). And the 12 weeks since that point have been filled with the team CONSTANTLY shooting itself in the foot and making stupid errors to keep inferior teams in games we should have won by 20 points. The Bills were supposed to get right after the bye. Then they were supposed to get right once they were healthy. Then they were supposed to get right when the weather/snow situation was resolved and practices got back to normal. Then they were supposed to get right with the emotion surrounding Damar Hamlin. Then they were supposed to get right for the playoffs. Guess what? We got lucky our Wild Card opponent was missing it's starting quarterback. The inferior teams are now gone. Unless there is a drastic upset or injury to major player, the Bills road now goes through the Bengals, Chiefs and then Eagles/49ers. All teams that are equal or slightly better than us. We have no more room for error. I would like to be optimistic, but I've seen no evidence for 3 months that Buffalo can cleanup the mental mistakes to run through that gauntlet.

Some of the greatest and most winning quarterbacks in the history of the NFL... Tom Brady, Joe Montana... relied mostly on short stuff, and not relentlessly attacking downfield. Even guys like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees seemed to have a balance between short, intermediate and deep. You can't always look at the check-down as a give-up play. Sometimes the game situation calls for smarter and safer plays, controlling the clock and gradually moving down the field. The funny thing is... Dorsey/Allen seem to understand this in certain situations. Give them the ball with 3 minutes left in the half, they will call a nice balance of runs/passes. Chewing up clock and taking the short stuff, so they can get the last score and don't leave time on the clock. If they could take that kind of mentality and use it on maybe 2-3 additional drives per game (while staying really aggressive on the others), I think everything would run way smoother.

We got a brief glimpse of what this team is capable of when focused and fully healthy (during Weeks 1 and 2). THAT team was easily the best in the NFL, and fully capable of rolling through the postseason and winning the Super Bowl. Since that point, we've seen this team knocked down a notch by injuries. At times the sheer number of players hurt was absolutely overwhelming. Right now the team is mostly healthy, and we are starting to see Tre White getting back to normal. But being without two All-Pro talents in Micah Hyde and Von Miller still takes us down a peg from where we started. No matter how good our depth is, losing that kind of talent does absolutely hurt. I'm also starting to wonder if this team is mentally/emotionally drained from all of the drama surrounding this season. I know that I'm already worn-out, and I'm just a fan watching from my living room couch. Nobody came into the league with higher expectations, which is a level of pressure I'm not sure they were prepared for. Almost every starter on this roster has missed time with some level of injury, and been forced to battle through. Then you have the constant battles off-field with weather, costing them valuable practice and preparation time. I don't even know how you can describe the Damar Hamlin situation, and how it must affect the players on this roster. What I see now, is a team that HAD the best roster in the NFL... but is now somewhere amongst the Top 5. What I see now, is a team that shows occasional flashes of greatness... but constantly hurts itself with the same stupid mistakes and mental errors every single week. Turnovers. Drops. Missed tackles. Yes. It was enough to get us to 13-3 on the regular season, along with a slim victory in the Wild Card round. It was enough to make us great on paper statistically. The problem is that (due to the injuries), we no longer have a significant talent edge over teams like the Bengals, Chiefs, Eagles and 49ers. And when teams are evenly matched, it's going to come down to whoever can limit the mistakes. That's where the mental aspect comes in. And I've seen no evidence in the last 3-4 months that Buffalo is mentally focused enough to roll through those teams.

The interception off Cole Beasley's hands was definitely not Josh's fault. The fumble recovery/touchdown absolutely was his fault. The deep shot interception to John Brown is iffy. Unclear if it was a bad throw, or receiver breaking off the route. The sack/fumble (we thankfully recovered) was not his fault either, being a blindside hit to his arm. My frustration with yesterday's game was more than just the turnovers. It was the brazen attitude that if the Dolphins brought a blitz, we were going to throw it down the field and make them pay NO MATTER WHAT. There was a sequence after the Dolphins made it a 3 point game in the 4th quarter. This was the time for a slow/methodical touchdown drive, not a kill-shot. Instead we took two deep shots down the sideline to Gabe Davis, and then got sacked. Total wasted drive that immediately put our defense back on the field. We barely escaped yesterday. We have barely escaped games for most of the last 2-3 months. That type of play isn't going to cut it anymore. Our next three games (assuming we go that far), will likely be against the Top 3-5 teams in the entire NFL. You are right. Beat the Patriots. Lost to the Broncos.

There needs to be balance to Josh Allen's play. It's possible for him to be extremely aggressive attacking downfield... but also have an element of patience and willingness to take some of the underneath stuff when it's left open. It's possible for him to move around and escape defenders in the pocket... but also know when it's time to accept the play is dead, protect the ball and take the sack. It doesn't necessarily have to be an "either/or" situation. Right now, Allen's career trajectory is moving very similar to Brett Favre. Favre had a big arm, with a gunslinger mentality. Every Packer game was filled with highlights of incredible throws and jaw-dropping plays. He was easily a Top 3 quarterback in the NFL for the majority of his career, and one of the game's premier faces. The media adored him, and opponents feared him. By his retirement, he had loaded up the stat books as the all-time touchdown leader. First ballot Hall of Famer all the way. But from a TEAM perspective, the Packers were huge underachievers during Favre's career. Over his 16 seasons in Green Bay, they won the division 7 times and made the playoffs 11 times. Despite constantly being favorites to win the Lombardi, the team always seemed to get stuck in the playoffs... mostly because of Favre's erratic decision making and turnovers. He particularly had trouble getting past the Dallas Cowboys (like us and the Chiefs). Nobody can question Favre's toughness or greatness. But the fact his team only made it to one Super Bowl (barely winning it), is definitely a huge disappointment.

Brady has played 23 years in the NFL, and never had a top QB in the same division. During the 20 years he played for New England, all three of the AFC East teams were without a franchise quarterback. Probably the only division in the NFL with a stretch that long ever. The same year Josh Allen broke out and became Top 5, Brady left and signed with Tampa Bay. Then in Brady's first year with the Bucs, we saw a significant decline in the skills of both Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. Of course, Brees retired just a year later. Ryan got traded to Indy this past season, leaving the NFC South as the worst division in all of football.

That is conventional wisdom. Run the ball. Control the clock. Keep Josh Allen off the field. Hope your defense creates turnovers and limits points. I'm going the complete opposite direction. The Bills have only had two games under 20 points this season (17 and 19 points). That is the absolute floor for this offense. So even if their defense plays lights out, I'm not sure a Skyler Thompson-led team can put together enough long methodical drives to put up 20 points. My gameplan would be tons of trick plays, and taking at least one deep shot every drive. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, you might get lucky and get a couple big plays. I'm taking the chance they can get 2-3 bombs for touchdowns, over the same number of 8-9 play drives.

I was hoping Lamar Jackson would play, but it's not looking promising. The situation in that game will be similar to ours against Miami. The Wild Card team would have a good chance with their starting QB, but will probably get clobbered without him. I think it's more possible Los Angeles knocks off Jacksonville, and then gives Kansas City a run for their money. Odds are very strong that our road to the Super Bowl goes through the Bengals/Chiefs though.

As many stated in the game thread, this shouldn't really be surprising. With all circumstances surrounding the player, team and league in general... it always seemed like a longshot for him to play. Now if Tua does make the decision to retire (that seems much less likely), I would imagine Miami will be a VERY hot destination for any potential free agent QBs in the offseason. And it's not a crap list either. Names like Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr could be available. I don't think it's a long-shot for Aaron Rodgers to get traded either.

My optimism for this postseason has just increased dramatically. We really need Micah Hyde for the Bengals game (assuming both teams win this weekend).

The decision is not supposed to start with the Miami Dolphins. It's supposed to start with independent neurologists, who need to first clear the player to play. I agree that Miami will do everything in its power to get Tua on the field, even if it's risky for his long-term health. And Tua has already stated he wants to play. But will these doctors risk their careers over it? With everything else going on with Tua, the Dolphins and now Damar Hamlin... you also have to believe the NFL will be watching this whole situation VERY closely. They can't afford to look the other way and take the chance of another serious on-field incident. Bottom line, I don't think the Miami coaching staff will have the ability to detour around the rules this time. They already did that in Week 3 and got busted. This time they have to go by the book. Not because it's the right thing. Because the risk of getting caught isn't worth the reward.

Stats can be misleading, and are dependent on a number of factors. Scheme and opportunity are large among them. Does anyone remember Robert Foster during Josh Allen's rookie year? Over 500 yards and 3 touchdowns. By the end of the season, he was the #1 target in our offense. A year later we added John Brown and Cole Beasley. The next we added Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. And just like that, he wasn't even good enough to make the roster. What you are seeing with Isaiah Hodgins is Foster 2.0. A guy who developed a strong connection with the QB, and is taking advantage of targets on an offense with no other options. He had three seasons to break into our lineup from the practice squad, and just couldn't do it. There was a time TY Hilton was a better NFL receiver than Brown. I'm not sure the difference is that significant today, and Brown has the advantage due to system knowledge and rapport with our QB. If you swap these guys, I highly doubt Hilton would have more than 2 deep targets with the Bills (just like we've gotten out of Brown). It's pointless to compare Kadarius Toney and Beasley. First, because Toney cost a 3rd Round Pick earlier in the season (before the Bills were really looking to add another WR). Beasley was a late-season free agent addition that cost us nothing. Second, they don't really play the same position. The Bills were looking for a reliable slot receiver, way more than an outside guy. Despite his struggles, Toney wasn't going to displace Gabe Davis in our lineup.

Supply and demand. As long as there is a shortage of elite QBs, teams will be forced to pay huge contracts to keep them.

The NFL had to do something, and apparently making-up the Buffalo-Cincinnati game wasn't a viable option for the league. Considering the Chiefs ended up as the only AFC team with 14 wins, you really can't argue with them getting some of the #1 seed benefits. But since the Bills also could have easily gotten the #1 seed (had the game not been cancelled), they really can't argue with losing homefield over us. This was an OK compromise. There are basically three advantages of the #1 seed. 1. The first-round bye 2. Homefield advantage 3. Lower seeded opponents My problem is the Chiefs getting 2/3 of these benefits, and still having the nerve to complain about getting screwed. And it's not even like they totally lost homefield and have to play in Buffalo. They get a neutral field that puts both teams on equal footing.

There is a protocol to follow, and every situation is different. The first step is recognizing there was a head-injury, so the player can get tested. Miami came under scrutiny because Tua fell to the ground wobbly after hitting his head hard, and then claimed it was a back injury (which made zero sense). There was nothing on the hit Josh took versus Green Bay that suggested he had a head injury, other than him playing crappy for the next several quarters. Also, just because a player is being tested for a head injury, doesn't mean he actually suffered one. Much less a concussion. To my knowledge, they never said that Taron Johnson actually had a concussion during the Bengals game. He was taken off the field on the series before Damar Hamlin went down, so all the reporting on his situation fell through the cracks. Once a player has been tested, it's about passing the tests to get cleared by doctors. It was surprising to see Morse get back so quickly, but it's possible the severity was very low. He does have a history of concussions, but this was his first in 2-3 years. Much different situation than Tua, who has suffered three in the last four months... and shown pretty severe symptoms each time. The first he was stumbling around. The second he was lying on the ground with his fingers curled up. On the latest one, the Dolphins coaches say he was forgetting the plays from the game.

I see a lot of comments that Miami will "miraculously" find a way to get Tua cleared, so he can play against us on Sunday. Now in the recent past, I can definitely see that being the case. It's a playoff game, and what would stop some shady doctors from looking the other way... But after everything that has transpired recently, I just can't see it happening unless he's really 100% ready to go. The NFL just had a player almost DIE on the field during a primetime game, less than a week ago. It was one of the biggest stories in the entire country. And despite it clearly being a crazy freak accident, it did raise a lot of new questions about the safety of the sport. Combine that with the very public controversy surrounding Miami/Tua earlier this season regarding concussions. The Dolphins caught a lot of heat for failing to follow the proper protocols, and forced the league to conduct an investigation into how his injury was handled. And that's not even considering the other major scandals involving the organization in the past 12 months (tampering with Sean Payton/Tom Brady; the owner allegedly ordering his coach to tank games). Let's just say, the NFL has zero incentive to turn the other way in regards to player safety. It's already a Sunday afternoon playoff game. They gain absolutely nothing in the ratings by Tua playing. They have everything to lose by him suffering another terrible head injury on national TV. I believe the league will be watching Miami like a hawk, and making sure all the proper steps are followed. We are talking about THREE concussions in the span of 4 months. I would honestly be surprised if any doctor clears him to play.

I've always had a great respect for Chiefs fans, and that franchise in general. But if they are going to complain about how the NFL didn't just hand them all benefits of the #1 seed, then every single one of them can go to #+!!. Out of the four teams involved, Kansas City easily got the best end of the deal. Going into Monday night's game, every team had a BEST and WORST case scenario that depended heavily on the results. The NFL compromised by putting everybody into a middle-ground. Nobody got the best situation they could hope for. Nobody got the worst situation they could hope for. If things went right, both Buffalo and Kansas City were hoping for the first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. If things went wrong, either of those teams could have easily found themselves playing on wild card weekend, and later going on the road for the championship game. The biggest difference was, only Buffalo actually controlled its own destiny. Pretty much everyone with a shred of humanity agreed that Monday's game shouldn't have continued. And the NFL couldn't find a feasible way to finish it with only one-week left in the season. None of this falls on either the Bills or Bengals, and neither team should be penalized for it. A few days ago, the Chiefs had no control over their own destiny. They walk out of the situation with the greatest gift of all, allowing them to completely skip the first round. As a bonus, they also don't have to play a January playoff game in Buffalo. How their fans can whine about this... I have absolutely no idea. The Bengals don't even got a shot at the #1 seed anymore (even if other games fall their way), and both North teams could be losing homefield advantage based on a freaking coin flip.

Seems like a decent compromise across the board. Everyone gets a mix of the good/bad scenarios that could have happened to them, depending on the results of the Monday Night game. With a win, Buffalo could have gotten the bye and homefield throughout the playoffs. With a loss, we could have been forced to play on the road in the divisional and championship games. Instead... we lose the bye, but do get a home game in the divisional playoffs and won't be going to Arrowhead.

Nope. In that scenario, the Bengals have a chance to get the #1 seed.... dependent on their game against the Bills. Bottom line. If they don't makeup the Bills/Bengals game, someone gets screwed... no way around it. The Bills/Bengals could both have the chance to get the #1 seed. The Ravens could have a chance at the AFC North title. Of course, the only team that has nothing to lose in the event of a cancellation/forfeit/etc. would be the Kansas City Chiefs.

If they are going to finish the game, this is really the only option. None of the playoff games have been scheduled yet, and can easily be pushed out another week. The Pro-Bowl can be pushed to after the Super Bowl (where it used to be). The biggest issues with this are the NFL losing revenue from missing out on the extra "media week"... along with giving all the other playoff teams (outside of the Bills/Bengals) an extra rest week to get healthy. However, you are creating an even BIGGER competitive disadvantage by forfeiting the game. If you don't play the game, it likely hands Kansas City the #1 seed and potentially allows the Ravens to win the AFC North. At this point, I question how the Bills can even move ahead with their game on Sunday against the Patriots. With all the weight of this season, they may be mentally shot anyway.

Speaking for myself, it hits closer to home when you are watching something like this live on TV. The news reports on horrible tragedies everyday, but not visually witnessing it does give a level of disconnect. As someone who has watched the NFL for over 30 years, I think a certain level of risk is accepted. Until last night, the worst of the worst seemed to be the few times where players have become paralyzed. The realities of concussions are just starting to become clearer and taken more serious. But nobody expects to see a player getting CPR and fighting for his life while lying on the field. It's a nightmare. I've watched videos from several doctors today, and most seem to believe it was simply a blow to the chest that caused his heart to stop. It was a one-in-a-million freak accident, and didn't even look like a vicious blow in real-time. I was reading that bulletproof vests for police officers are designed specifically to avoid this. Because even if the bullet doesn't penetrate, the force can cause something similar to what we witnessed last night.

Still think the Chiefs are the toughest potential opponent. When Patrick Mahomes is on his game, he's pretty much unstoppable. And without Micah Hyde/Von Miller, our defense is not even as good as last season. As we learned last year, even an all-time great QB performance from Josh Allen was only enough to make the game a toss-up. The Bengals are a terrible matchup for us on paper. Hope that I'm wrong, but I really think the Bills are in for a rude awakening on Monday night. Considering the trouble our CBs have had with average receivers, this group is a nightmare. And if they focus on blanketing Stefon Diggs, I'm not sure anyone else will be able to step up. After those two, I also think the Chargers WRs would cause us big-time problems. What usually is our strength (the secondary) is a weakness this season. Los Angeles has disappointed much of the year, but are getting healthy and hot at the right time. I believe they could make some real noise in the playoffs. The defense hasn't been great, but they are just getting Joey Bosa back. The Dolphins could be dangerous if Tua returns, but I really wonder if there will be pressure to keep him shelved the rest of the season. I'm not really worried about the Ravens. I think our defensive staff has figured them out, even with Lamar Jackson playing. We would severely outmatch the rest of the playoff teams. At this point, I think Buffalo gets the #1 or #3 seed... depending on the Bengals game. Unlikely we end up at #2. My rough guess at the pathway to the Super Bowl with each scenario: #1 seed = Bye, Chargers (Home), Chiefs (Home) #3 seed = Ravens (Home), Bengals (Away), Chiefs (Away)

My standard for a "good" draft is emerging with three NFL starters (meaning players who would be in the starting lineup on MOST of the 32 teams). - Any draft where the 1st Rounder doesn't eventually start is a massive failure. No exceptions. - A GM should be able to find success with either his 2nd or 3rd Rounder. - That leaves one additional starter in either the final 4 rounds or undrafted free agency. This regime succeeded in doing this in 2017 (White, Dawkins, Milano), 2018 (Allen, Edmunds, Phillips, Johnson, Teller) and 2019 (Oliver, Singletary, Knox). They are the foundation for why this team has become one of the NFL's top franchises. Unfortunately, the 2020 draft does not measure up to those standards. Stefon Diggs was obviously a huge hit. But he's really the only solid starter we got. Gabe Davis showed promise, but has disappointed in what was supposed to be his big breakout season. Everyone is calling for Dane Jackson to be replaced, and I don't think he starts on most teams. AJ Epenesa is also a backup. Tyler Bass was a nice grab, but I don't like to count kickers. 2021 is looking iffy so far. Greg Rousseau looks like a hit. Spencer Brown has been inconsistent. Damar Hamlin has been up and down with his big opportunity. Boogie Basham will be lucky to reach the Epenesa's level at this point. But like I said, I'll give them until Year 3.

Most positions take about 3 seasons to determine what a player will become. I'll wait until next year before forming my final opinion on Boogie Basham. This is the year I'm taking a close look at the 2020 draft picks. AJ Epenesa is a solid rotational DE in this league. Not a starter, but an OK backup. Flashes a decent pass rush, but often a liability against the run. Zack Moss was a bust and probably doesn't belong in the NFL. Gabe Davis is a nice deep threat and very good run blocker, but lacks the versatility and hands to be a high-end #2. Jake Fromm has been bouncing around practice squads, and doesn't seem long for the league. Tyler Bass is a very good NFL kicker. Isaiah Hodgins is finally flashing potential as an NFL backup. Dane Jackson is good depth on the cornerback chart, but doesn't have the athletic talent to be a starter. Overall, this was Brandon Beane's worst draft. Not a single offensive/defensive guy that really belongs as a starter in the league. Mostly high-end backups. Good thing we walked out of the day with Stefon Diggs.

There are two different beliefs about this Bills team: One side saw this team as the dominant Super Bowl favorite before the season. But since the bye, their many flaws have been exposed. An overmatched offensive coordinator. A below-average O-Line. Not enough weapons around the quarterback. Sloppy with penalties, drops and tackling. A paper tiger defense that flops in big moments, and can't stop elite quarterbacks. The other side also saw this team as elite before the season. But nothing over the last two months has shaken their confidence. They see a team persevering through massive injuries and terrible weather. Battle tested, and finding ways to win close games. All of the problems are self-inflicted, and they will surely get everything cleaned up for the home-stretch. Fans have been arguing non-stop over which narrative is true for the last two months. I have a feeling that Monday night will give us a really strong indication which side is correct.