Rocky Landing

That could very well be true. It’s hard for me to decipher so much of what happens in TC through all the tweets, and (at times) contradictory articles. I think many of us end up building a narrative through this foggy lens, and our own confirmation bias that ends up disappointing a lot of fans. There’s always one or two story lines every season that end up making me feel silly.

League Wide: 1) Big Ben does not finish the season. 2) Bucs win their division, but don’t make it to the NFCCG. 3) Titans will be top five in the league in points scored, but bottom half in net points. AFCE: 1) Tua, Mac & Cheese, and Z Wilson all exceed our expectations, and represent upgrades to their position from last season. 2) The AFCE becomes one of the most competitive divisions in the league. 3) Patriots* knock the Dolphins out of wildcard contention in week 18. Bills: 1) Defense carries 10 D-linemen, and double their sack numbers from last season. 2) Josh Allen is not the leading rusher for the season. 3) Two WRs reach 1,000+ yards, two more reach 750+ yards.

Do you have a link to the Gentry catch?

Really the point I’m mostly making is that the relationship and chemistry that Gentry had with Allen upon his arrival, gave him a bit of a head start, and improved opportunities early on in the process. Allen has been throwing him the ball. By most accounts, Gentry seems to have taken advantage of it. If Gentry were merely pedestrian , it would be meaningless. But, apparently, he is showing up.

I agree with that entirely. But I think my points still stand.

I don't think you're in the minority. At least on here, I think I'm one of the few who have been bringing it up. I also think it's less of an issue with Hollister (who I also think, assuming his back injury is no big deal, is close to a lock to make the roster), than it is with Gentry. As I've mentioned before, Gentry is all over Josh Allen's highlight reel, and he has spoken glowingly about Gentry, recently saying that "he has the strongest hands of anyone I know." They're also close friends. Of course Gentry (and Hollister, for that matter) will still have to prove himself to the coaches, and earn the position. And as a #6WR, whomever gets the slot will have to perform on ST. But I have to suspect that what Gentry's relationship, and existing chemistry with Allen does for him, is get him more looks, and targets from Allen in TC (which translates to more opportunities to stand out), and as they are close friends, I could see that if the competition were very close, that the coaches might defer to Josh. They do, after all, want Josh to be happy in Buffalo. They still have to figure out his contract.

I wouldn't discount the relationship that Hollister already has with Josh-- they were teammates at Wyoming, and Hollister plays no small part in Josh's highlight reel, but they are also close friends. And the chemistry is already there. That is especially true of Tanner Gentry, as well, although he obviously has a narrower path to the 53.

I'm still angry that I paid to see Late Nate Peterman's first start.

I'm right there with you. I'm definitely of that homer ilk that really wants to root for players that have compelling stories off the field, as well as on. Obada has an amazing story, and by all accounts, an incredible work ethic, and high character. And, an incredible athlete. Exactly the kind of guy you want to see succeed. He's not an anomaly on this team, though. The fact that Beane, and McDermott place such a high priority on character is integral to the winning culture they have built. What a great team to be a fan of.

I know what you mean. Read about how well Epenesa was doing, and then at the end of the article learn that all of the sacks were against a struggling Brown. It was fun to read that he stood up, and walked 320lb Doyle backwards, though. On the other hand-- Rousseau vs Williams is no joke. If Rousseau is having some success against Williams this early in camp, I have to take that as a very good sign. But, I think of all of the recent acquisitions on the D-line, I am most excited to see Obada. That dude is a beast. I think we're really going to be impressed with him this year.

This is untrue. Smith was asked at a presser what he thought bout Jones, to which he replied: "I'm going to be honest man, I didn't expect Mac to have the kind of swagger that he got ... Mac, hell of a guy," Smith told reporters. "Great energy, bringing life to the locker room, always laughing and a smile on his face. He loves football -- you can't ask for a better quarterback." And that's it. If you can find another instance of Smith "coming out" and praising Mac & Cheese without a reporter asking him about him, let's see it. Nothing about Jones on Smith's twitter feed, either. And I'll say it again-- an utterly meaningless statement from a recent FA acquisition. You're starting to acquire a reputation for grasping at straws on this platform.

I am really, really looking forward to seeing Davis Webb play in the preseason. The truth is that I have just about no idea how well he is able to play his position in an actual game. But, the role he seems to have engineered for himself on this team is absolutely remarkable-- to the point that more than a few people have opined that if he can't play his position well enough to be the backup, that he should be hired on as a coach. It's hard to quantify what he brings to the team. Truly, a remarkable dude.

Kind of a weird post here. "I think we all know there is more to QBing than just that. Hence why Stidham has never started." That would imply that the fans' perception has something to do with who starts. I'm sure you're not suggesting that. Jonnu Smith telling the press that he has been "really impressed with Jones?" I have to assume that he was answering a question, and for him to state otherwise would be bizarre. It's literally a meaningless statement under the circumstances. If he had come out and said, "I hope Mac starts over Cam," THAT would be something to mention. It would also be close to inconceivable for a recent team acquisition to show any preference whatsoever as to who starts. As far as the fanbase debating who should start-- that's also close to a meaningless debate. I've actually been following the Patriots* fan forum, and its tenor is certainly not surprising. Fanbases are notoriously fickle. A QB who essentially craps the bed, as Cam did last season, will be met with such expert analysis like, "Cam sucks." The newly acquired rookie quarterback, on the other hand, will be viewed as the next coming of Brady*, and every excuse will be made for why his obvious weaknesses should not be a major concern. I've read it all: "He's a perfect fit for what Belichick* is trying to do..." "He's the most NFL-ready QB of the draft..." "His accuracy is off the charts..." And, for those who are trying to temper their expectations: "He doesn't need to be great for us to win..." "Once the game slows down for him..." "Belichick will put him in a position to succeed..." (On that last oft-claimed point: one might wonder why Belichick* couldn't do that for Can Newton...?) Especially for Pats* fans, I think it's exceptionally hard to temper expectations of an incoming, first-round quarterback. You guys have been so used to winning for so long, it's hard to imaging your team floundering. But, flounder they will.

Well, anyone who gets that slot will have to contribute to ST, so there's that. Also, with the depth we have at WR, I could easily see the #6WR getting worked into the rotation, especially with the number of four WR sets the Bills employed last season (15%, second highest in the league https://www.sharpfootballstats.com/personnel-grouping-frequency.html). Add to that the age of our new number two, #1 Sanders, and I think whoever gets that slot will see the field plenty.

As far as I can follow what's going on in NE, I'm not sure that I would characterize Mac & Cheese's performance as being "better," necessarily. I think what is undeniable is that Mac is more accurate than Cam, and at times, far more accurate. But, as anyone who understands the game knows, there's a lot more to QBing than that.

From at least in a purely statistical perspective, is pretty much inarguable on every metric. Also, from the notorious "eyeball test."👁️

Don’t sleep on Tanner Gentry, either.

If we traded a 3rd round pick for a backup QB, would you not be furious?

Even if Fromme plays well, there’s just no need for a third QB on this roster this season— too much talent fighting for spots as it is. By the time the season starts, most teams have their backup dialed in to their playbook. Unless he absolutely lights it up in preseason, Fromme will be perfectly safe on the PS. If he gets an offer from another team, they can counter offer if they feel like it.

Are people sleeping on Kumerow? Seems like he's getting a lot of press, and buzz. Be that as it may, I certainly wouldn't agree with keeping him over Diggs, Sanders, Beasley, Davis, or McKensie-- at least at the moment. That leaves him battling for likely one remaining spot. If we don't keep him, it's because he will have been beat out by one of the other WRs. Seems like at the moment, he's right in there for competition at that spot. But, it's way too early to say with any confidence who should get it.

To be fair, I think you would have to rank Tua as the third best QB in the AFCE. (Second best among the starters.)

Interesting that Josh walked out with Forest Lamp, Brandin Bryant, and Jack Anderson. Am I reading into it too much to think of that as exceptional leadership?

Wonder if Colts are thinking about Watson right about now? EDIT: Wonder if Watson might also be thinking about the Colts?

I read about that a couple hours after I sung his praise on here-- nothing better than a healthy dose of confirmation bias! Thanks for the link, though. I didn't know it was on tape. As I said above: fierce!

What's up with the Jets?