GunnerBill

Agree with all that. I expected more from the Jets but the Dolphins is a badly constructed roster with a serious lack of leadership at HC IMO. I said so pre-season and I stick by it. Peolple will say "ah but Tua was injured" and that is fair but they were beyond useless with the various back ups. Like couldn't move the ball at all bad. And they are 1-3 in games Tua has played. Sure two of those were the Bills but the one win was the narrow opening day win Jacksonville that but for an Etienne fumble inside the 5 they almost certainly lose. So while I agree they are better than 2-6 if they don't lose Tua, at the same time they are not a LOT better IMO. They are a flawed team mortgaged to the hilt. At the very least they will fire the GM I think and despite the deal he signed pre-season McDaniel needs a strong finish to keep his job too. I'd be inclined to give him another shot but I'm not sold on him as a Head Coach despite his obvious skill as an OC. I expected better of the Jets but there was always a chance that Rodgers was more of a hinderence than a help and so it has turned out. He is his worst enemy and has been for a while. They were an "all in" team this year and there is some blowing up to be done there at the season's end. Totally new regime I think and a year of gutting the roster of all the high pricer vets ARod insisted on taking as much of the pain as you can in one year. The worry is they have wasted two cheap years of Wilson and Sauce and they will both need mega deals soon. They could rebound if they draft the right QB imo... but they have to get a lot right. The Pats are an unknown but if Maye can legit play they will contend sooner than later. Maybe not 2025 for the division but possibly beyond that. The problem for all three is that this was the weakest point in the Bills cycle. And they competitors missed it. Might be 3 or 4 years before the roster is this week again.

No but he decided to cut him. That was the decision I was wrong and he was right about.

So the narrative shifts from "we don't win close games" to "we win too many close games"?

He has played both for the Bills in fairness. He is/was better at as a 3T. His big year in 19 was as the rotational 3T.

Where Beano and JPhil are involved little makes sense.

Someone tie Beane's hands behind his back. He loves him so overpaid JPhil.

Wish Tre the best. I'd have kept him tbh he played one of his best games as a Bill before the achillies last year against the Fins. But Beane was right on that one. He looked a poor imitation of himself for LA. Don't see him as an upgrade in Baltimore at this stage.

Nothing burger.

Because he was going in with a GM he knew and wasn't going to be warring with. The previous year he made it clear the only job he wanted was the Chargers with Telesco who again, he knew. I think he was trying to choose his GM as much as his franchise. That might well have been a critical mistake.

Except Johnson has passed jobs up two years in a row. He passed on interviewing there. The Washington job was his and he had an about face last minute and turned it down. It wasn't quite Josh McDaniels and Indy but it wasn't far off.

Mingo sucks.

See the difference is I think he has had those chances and failed. It is the end of year 3 now. He played better the other day, that is a positive. But there is a body of work to judge him on.

That applies to Bishop more than Elam for me. I want them to have packages to get Bishop on the field on D even if its in relatively limited ways. Reason being is I think our corners are very good indeed. Our safeties are not. So get the high potential rookie involved somehow now the division is all but won.

So the better head coach wins every playoff game? Is that seriously your contention? Come on, that is nonsense. There is waaaay more correlation between QBs and playoff wins. The better Quarterback is successful in the post season way more often. And we have lost 3 of 4 to Patrick Mahomes. We lost to a better coach too I accept that. We did lose to an inferior coach and slightly inferior QB (there isn't a massive gap but Allen > Burrow) vs Cincy. But the Bills just stunk that day. It was a clanger the likes of which this team puts it at a lower rate than every other team in the NFL over the last 4 years. Unfortunately it came in a playoff game.

Sports fans under estimate the importance of culture. It happenes in every single sport. But anyone who has played or coached at any kind of serious level knows it matters. Talent is always what matters most, but the Bills culture isn't nothing and I think it is pretty safe to assume at this stage it is part of why they have been able to withstand a ton of turnover and still be 7-2 at this point. No doubt tougher tests still lie ahead and I have said all year, and stick by, this roster is a longshot to be a genuine Superbowl contender. We are short of experience in some key spots and talent in others. And add to that except for Josh the only other elite player on the roster is a nickel corner. But this year could have been a really tricky one for the Bills and they haven't let it become that. If they can continue to develop and add one or two key pieces I'm already pretty excited about 2025.

This is the best Josh has played IMO. Certainly the most in control he has been of the offense since 2020 (when no fans definitely made it a little easier). I'm loving this version of Josh. It is what I have always wanted to see. Putting the cape on 3 or 4 times a game when it is really needed but the rest of the game trying really hard to play within the structure of the offense. For whatever reason he played a poor first half in Houston. But the other 8 and a half games he has been unbelievably good and consistent. That four game stretch against KC, SF, DET and LAR is going to be decisive in the MVP battle and I don't totally rule Goff out if DET ends up 15-1 or something. But it is going to come down to Allen or Lamar IMO.

Encouraging. Outside corner is an important spot to have depth. I think ultimately Kaiir's last chance as a Bill will be in the competition to replace Douglas next camp. My guess is they bring in an experienced cheaper vet and let that guy, Kaiir and possibly a day 2 / early day 3 pick compete for the job. If Kaiir wins it he will be going into a contract year because no way the Bills are picking up his option. See above. By PFF 7th among outside corners. I think 10 to 20 is low. Agree with the rest

Your dime also has to transition from moving backwards to moving forwards (and vice versa) quickly a ton. And THAT is and always has been the biggest deficiency in Elam's game IMO. It is why he is much better in man than zone. Zone is a lot more read and react and you are going back and forward. Man it is just possibly press at the line then turn and run with your guy or in off coverage simply turn and run.

Benford is already playing well above average. Top 3 corner is a stretch but he has been one of the top 10 corners in the NFL this season. He's having an excellent year. Just had a quick look, he is ranked 7th by PFF once you discount the slot guys. I know PFF isn't everything, especially for corners, but above him are: Zyon McCollum (similar to Benford picked in the 5th round of the same draft isn't getting the buzz but is having a breakout year), then Jalen Ramsey, DJ Reed, Marlon Humphrey, Jaire Alexander (who are all established very good or elite level corners respectively) and then Kristian Fulton who I loved coming out of LSU got lost in Tennessee but has been a revelation in LA with the Chargers. Yea there is no way I'd trade Benford straight up for Ward. None whatsoever. I don't think the 9ers make the trade the other way either mind you.

You can't. It is a penalty.

Smoot is a bit of a blow. Been our best run down DE except for Groot.

I think that is just good clock management. In that scenario I want 3 to be a game winner. So I want to leave no more than a pitcheroony opportunity. Now granted I'd like that FG to be a 41 yarder rather than a 61 yarder but that was about execution not clock.

As I always suspected would happen as the rate of going for 2 goes up the frequency of making it is going down.

I like the "new core" description. I think the last 3 drafts the Bills have picked up some really good young players. What they need is one or two of them to really elevate to "star" status for Allen era II. The Poyer, Hyde, White, Diggs, Morse, Milano, Dawkins core was great for this franchise. No doubt. But hopefully as this new core matures into those leadership roles they can help us get over the hump.

I think the Bills will try very hard to sign all the top 4 on my list.