GunnerBill

They don't have a top 10 RB. But yea Wilson, Williams, Gardner are top guys at their positions (although Sauce hasn't had that kinda season).

Hmm is there a single coordinator in the HoF? I'm sure this came up with Dick LeBeau when he retired (if ever a guy was HoF worthy for his work as a DC it's him) and the answer was no.

It was a good play call IF the protection held, but it didn't. Von got there in time disrupted the throw and Johnson picked it off. So I don't think it was just luck. The Colts had a play called that required them to execute and the Bills executed better.

Groot is vital to our run defense. It is an additional concern with Smoot out because I don't really trust any of our other DEs in that spot.

We have been to a Conference Championship game though. Only the Browns, the Commanders and the Dolphins have longer conference championship game droughts than Dallas. There are teams like the Bills and the Lions and the Jags etc who have been dysfunctional for long parts of the last quarter decade but have had periods of being good (some shorter than others) and in their best seasons have made Championship games. Dallas has actually made the playoffs 11 times in 25 years. 7 times they were one and done, 4 times they won a wildcard game and lost in the divisional round. For comparison of those other conference championship drought teams - the Browns have made the post season 3 times in 25 years, the Commanders 6 times in 25 years and the Dolphins 7 times in 25 years.

He knows the defense. This scheme asks a lot of its safeties mentally. Hamlin makes few mental mistakes. I'm on record as saying I think he is a borderline NFL talent physically and I stick by that but he is smart and he knows his job and the idea that you just throw someone out there who doesn't because they are more physically talented is the epitome of fan logic over reality.

He had a poor game in Seattle with decision making otherwise I think his decisions have been pretty solid. I saw him getting some flack in the GDT and I don't get it. Sure he got lucky with a fumble, can't have those, but generally I think he has been decent. We are 2nd in the entire NFL in average drive start at our own 32.6 (Denver first at 32.7) and that doesn't come with a returner who is constantly making bad decisions.

I don't think any of those guys are elite difference makers. Good players, certainly. But they are a level or two in each case below that top level. We have two elite level players. Allen and Johnson.

That is a good point actually. Currently he is cancellong the Samuel signing in the comp formula. I think week 11 is the cutoff for that so it could affect us comp pick wise.

Agree with this. I think they likely think down the line he can be an interchangeable piece - Po could play single high (and indeed 2017 and 2018 he did more of that than Hyde, it was 2019 where they really took off with Micah playing single high and Po coming into the box) - but he was an all pro playing closer to the line and I think that is sort of what they'd hope for Cole. But given he missed almost the entire camp and what we saw at Houston I imagine they are very conscious not to overload him at this stage.

I think post trade deadline everyone does. That certainly was the rule for a while. I'm happy to be told I'm wrong if they have changed it.

I agree with this too. If you play Bishop for Hamlin you are moving Rapp as the vet to the centre field role. Although arguably with us playing so much 2 high this year to protect both safeties the difference is less important than in the Poyer / Hyde era.

I believe everyone is post trade deadline.

He has to pass through waivers. But if he does he will be a Bill and immediately upgrades our backup situation.

On defense? Yes. I am extremely confident it is.

He's been really good with the pass pro tho....

The one not called on Epenesa for their touchdown was scandalous. He was dragged to the ground.

I wouldnt do it until the stretch run personally. Pats - Jets - Pats if the division is done and the 1 seed is out of reach.

No it damn well shouldn't. I have no leave left as it is!! Gonna be a tough out for the Bills down Cooper, Coleman and Kincaid. Shavers and Virgil both ran wrong routes at least once last night. Maybe another week on task it changes but I'm not convinced. And KC are tough to run on these days. Got to get the backs involved more in the passing game for me.

I don't think that Bishop playing now makes any difference to the options we do or don't have in the post season. And I don't have him pegged as a player who can't help us. I have him pegged as a player who isn't ready and doesn't deserve to start. Do I think Hamlin will be physically overmatched in the playoffs? Yep. But that is a less bad option than a guy that is mentally overmatched. You can do things schmeatically to protect a physically overmatched player. Not much you can do when the guy is just misdiagnosing plays and playing his repsonsibility incorrectly. Especially at the safety position.

That is the other point of it. He is really a Rapp alternative more than a Hamlin alternative for exactly the reason you state. I think he wants to play downhill and in the box.

It was half a retooling. The job of refashioning this roster for Allen 2.0 was a 2 offseason job. But so far so good

Also @Freddie's Dead - I think we should be at Taron Johnson automatic gameball status. He is the 2nd most impactful player on this football team, week in, week out.

I don't care about Basketball so all that is lost on me. They actually didn't hand TB the job in camp. He battled Tyrel Dodson for is and they were hoping one emerged. Bernard won a pretty uninspiring competition and started. It's fair to assume had it gone badly they'd have flipped to Dodson quickly. They didn't have to. Bernard earned the right to stay on the field. That's always how it works. As for Beane giving McDermott a warning... this shouldn't need repeating again but Beane is NOT McDermott's boss. He has zero power to warn McDermott of anything. They both report independently to Terry Pegula.

I don't think the Dline is helped by how they are playing behind them to try and protect the safeties - especially in the run game - but I think the pass rush from the front 4 has been really disappointing for the most part. AJ and Greg have flashes but not consistent enough. Ed Oliver had a great game in Seattle but otherwise is having his worst season since 2020. Daquan Jones has fallen off a cliff. Von has been suspended sure, but has struggled to make an impact. It's not been great. How many of them have as few elite talents as this Bills roster? I dunno. I just don't see the game changers beyond Allen and Taron Johnson.