GunnerBill

I don't remember that story but if its true expect them to have some interest. Beane has done it a few times gone back to guys he liked at the draft who didn't pan out elsewhere. Not sure they'd claim him because they'd have to put him on the 53. But if he makes it through waivers then I'd imagine the Bills might offer him a PS spot. Yea me too. I thought he was a day 3 guy.

No I got the point. But as you say it is designed this way from months out. We know the two networks get to protect one game a year from prime time and we know for a second year running CBS chose Bill - Chiefs. So I don't think it is startling or susprising. It is just the way the broadcast contracts work.

There are no other CBS games in the late window. There are only three late window games and the other two are all NFC (9ers - Hawks) and NFC at AFC (Falcons - Broncos) so are both Fox under the normal broadcast rules. I am sure anyone who isn't a fan of those other 4 teams will have CBS on and be watching Allen and Mahomes but the lack of a broadcast map is because CBS only has one game.

If Cooper was properly healthy, sure. If he isn't personally I'd hold him out.

Actually not true. The 13 second game he was very good indeed. Easily the Bills best defensive player.

Get. Him. Healthy.

If I am defining "move forward" as the next two years it is Josh Allen and Taron Johnson. I do think Rousseau is close if we are thinking realistic price. If someone offered me a top 5 pick I'd probably trade him. But nobody is going to. For anything approaching a realistic price he might just be the 3rd guy.

That is interesting actually. Makes me even more of a mind that I am not forcing him out there this week if I have a chance to get him fully healthy and have him as a weapon they haven't seen before at playoff time. I know he is hardly some unknown quantity, but if the DBs haven't got a feel for how it is to go against him, his release, his level of physicality etc I can't help but think there may be some, slim, advantage in that at playoff time.

See @NewEra's post earlier about yards given up in the run game with Groot on the field vs without. It appears to me based on the actual evidence that he does "overcome the scheme" to quite a large extent actually.

That's awesome. I have seen Zidane, Messi and Maldini in the flesh I think they are probably the best 3 players I have had the pleasure to see live.

Not only our best win but I think the 2nd best team we have played after Baltimore. I'd take them straight up vs Houston.

I get Cincy at 9-8 as the 7th seed playing at Buffalo in the wildcard. I might be too low on Denver in my picking games. I'm frankly amazed they have won as many as they have thus far. Interestingly in the NFC I ended up with San Fran missing out at 10-7.

Yea Osman was before my time. But I remember Wark from his third spell at Ipswich early Premier League years when men were men and shorts were short.

You fell in love with the chain gang? Yea.... that might just be you. I think officiating has always been about the same. The thing that leads to so many unwatchable flag fests now is the rule book has got ever more complicated and that is where I'd start in trying to tidy it up.

He was playing hurt in the Bengal game two years ago. From memory I think he was healthy last year.

Ah yes I have seen it. Years and years ago tho with my grandad. Pele, Bobby Moore, Ossie Ardiles and, bizarrely, John Wark.

Josh Norman had a career year playing for McDermott's D in Carolina the year they made the Superbowl in 2015. He never played at that level before or after. But he was a pretty good player in 2013 and 2014 with the Panthers and in 2016 and 2017 with Washington. He never lived up to his contract in Washington but that is because he was paid on the back of that one career year as the best paid corner in football (which was always silly). But his first two seasons there he was still a good corner. As for Tre White... Tre was an elite corner in the league. Pointing at struggles in LA after two major injuries doesn't prove your point. Douglas is who he is. I don't think he was great anywhere else or has been great here and Levi Wallace for reasons I've already explained to you is not a legit comparison. You are just wrong on Benford.

Maybe he can, maybe he can't. Maybe he re-injures it and it DOES affect whether he can play in three weeks. I'm definitely not.

That isn't how injuries work I'm afraid. His wrist is hurting now. Not in 5 weeks.

Haha I will be as loud as anyone on Sunday.

I generally agree. The exceptions being win or go home games when you might push a guy. This isn't that so they should be cautious.

It is worth fighting for. I am not saying this game does not matter. Not saying that at all. I am just saying it isn't a prize worth taking any unnecessary injury risks with players nursing things.

As I said in my first comment in the thread, it's definitely concerning that there may be some disconnect between the team and the player about whether he is ready to go. But ultimately if the only difference between the two positions is whether he plays this week I'm absolutely fine with erring on the side of uber cautious. If he misses Sunday, has the bye and is still saying he can't go against the 49ers that is the moment to really freak out about it. For now it is a concern but a concern with a small impact.

He obviously doesn't think he is healthy enough to play. Players know their bodies. Of course some have higher pain thresholds than others, but I just don't see the sense of taking a risk at this point if he is saying he is not healthy enough to play.

There is a difference between forfeiting the game / not trying to win and pressing a player who is not fully healthy into action ahead of time. If this was week 18 and a win and you're in game, or it was a playoff game they should do absolutely everything to get Cooper on the field. But it isn't that. It's a regular season home game at 8-2. If you play Cooper this week and he re-injures or further injures the wrist I think that would go down as a bad risk/reward decision.