GunnerBill

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Not true.... I'll let you work out why 😉

I do like the 2024 class the more college football I watch this year though. I think it is head and shoulders better than 2023. That said, I agree if there is a piece out there than can out you over the top do it. I'm not sure Johnson is that guy though. Not at the cost of a first at least. It reminds me too much of the Kyle Fuller story. Also a Bears draft pick (but 1st round) was pretty ordinary through his first 3 years to the extent the Bears failed to take up his 5th year option then ended up tagging him after he broke out in year 4, paid him in year 5 when he was a 1st team all pro and then never played at that level again, was released 2 years later, bounced around with Denver and Baltimore for a couple of years, and now at 31 is out of football. I like Johnson more than I liked Fuller, and think he is more likely to sustain this level of play.... but a first round pick is too rich for my blood based on his career production.

$6.2m saved with a normal cut, $10m dead cap to be eaten in 2024. $10.4m saved with a 1 June designation, $10m dead cap hit spread over 2024 and 2025 ($6.2m in the first of those years) If a new regime is in place (which I severely doubt) it will be the first of those. If McBeane are still at the controls it will be the second of those, or, they do something with the contract to bring him back so that rather than him being guaranteed $10m over 2 years he is guaranteed $15m but the non-guaranteed chunk is cut to bring his cap hit down and he has the chance to earn some of it back with incentives if he is able to stay on the field. I think with most players they'd say "just cut me" but I get the sense Tre might be the type to take an overall pay cut, for an increased guaranteed amount and a chance to re-establish himself in a scheme he has excelled in and in a place where he is comfortable. Not saying that will definitely happen. But I think it is a potential outcome here.

I was high on Jaylon coming out... but he is balling in his contract year after being basically just above average for his first 3 seasons. I wouldn't give up a first if that is the price.

Exactly, it's narrative. If the Dolphins are 12-5 but look like paper tigers come the end of the regular season with losses to Buffalo (x2), Philadelphia, Kansas City, Dallas and Baltimore it won't be Tua.

Isn't that part of the narrative though? It's not just how well the guy has played it is how much he is perceived to have made his team contenders.

MVP is as much about the narrative as the stats. If there was a vote right now Tua wins it. If Josh goes on a tear against the Bills tougher stretch opponents he could well still end up with the stats and the narrative.

Correction Ed played vs the Giants. He only missed the Patriots game. But was also then on a pitch count vs the Buccs. But he is having an outstanding season.

Probably drunk.

Next man up is nice coach speak but it isn't the reality in the NFL when you lose elite level players. The Bills have three guys who have been first team all pros on defense with this team. Poyer, Tre and Milano. When you lose two guys of that level you can't just "next man up" and on you roll. It isn't true of the Bills defense any more than it is true of the 49ers offense who have the best offensive play designer in the league (and maybe ever) and were 5-0 and scoring 33 points per game. They lost two 1st team all pros in Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel and suddenly...... lost three on the bounce scoring 17 each time and none of the teams that beat them went into those games with winning records. In the NFL it is hard enough replacing starters with backups. But when you have to replace your best starters with backups, it's over. The league is designed in that way - to have that parity. You can't have a Manchester City or Real Madrid bench of stars in the NFL. That doesn't mean I won't criticise the defense when they play poorly comparable to what they have - I was VERY vocal about their failings against New England - both play calling and execution up front. I was highly critical of two stupid discipline errors that extended the final Buccs drive on Thursday totally needlessly and made that game look closer than it was. But I won't criticise the defense if the Benglas offense which is one of the best in the league and is humming now Burrow is healthy scores 30+ next weekend. Because at the moment their offensive talent >>> our defensive talent.

No. The Bills defense is not in position without two of its best 3 players to win us games against the best teams. If the Bills can keep Cincy below 30 that would be a huge win. Realistically these big games are going to have to be won by the offense. The Bills D has played well vs Tyrod and Baker for the most part. They sucked against the Patriots and that was largely on McDermott's gameplan IMO. But they simply don't have the horses at the moment to hold the Bengals. The rest of the way the offense will have to carry is in the heavyweight matchups. They are the ones under the microscope IMO.

Those two games Buccs and Raiders were the key to that season IMO. We were all similar level teams on paper and it is a stretch that previous Bills teams would have come out of 1-1 and when you got to January you'd look back and say "that's the one that cost us". But they got through 2-0 and it was such a shot in the arm.

3-1 or better we definitely make the playoffs. 2-2 and no more major injuries we remain very much in the hunt. 1-3 or worse and it is over and there are some tough questions for the regime.

We will need one "good" win somewhere to be assured of making it and to not lose any more games to teams we should beat. But there is definitely a route to the Bills missing out. I would say no chance if we were 5-3 but healthy. 5-3 but banged up is a different kettle of fish. Down two 1st team all pro level defenders. Down another defensive starter who we don't have great depth for. A QB with a gimpy throwing shoulder. And a tight end with a broken wrist. Not exactly a positive picture. I don't see us winning any fewer than 9. But I don't see us winning any more than 11 best case scenario.

Yes. I enjoy non-Bills Sundays. They are stress free!

I don't try and make people look bad. I think it was just a difference in playcalling. But actually looking at the evidence above from @Einstein there were still plays there to be made beyond the sticks. We just didn't make them.

I was speaking specifically on RTP for Josh. He gets more than his share of those. I think Josh has got a couple that even under the current rules are not flags.

Yea. On the gameplan. I don't doubt that at all. But I don't think he is there up 14 in the 4th saying to Dorsey "keep everything safe short of the sticks".

What I do when I am challenged is engage in debate. What I don't do is make it personal. I think it was Dorsey. Who knows if McDermott is on the headset saying "only throw safe short of the sticks" but I just don't think he is that involved in play calling on offense and to be frank whenever you have seen him this season when the offense is out there he is barely watching he is looking over the defense on the tablet. He said himself last week he isn't seeing all the plays on offense because he is working with the D between series. I think that is an issue for what it's worth. But I don't think he is getting involved in offensive playcalling. I don't think anyone did. I get it a lot of people want to pin everything on McDermott but I don't see any evidence that supports it. I don't think that equates to fingerprints. I have seen their pressers. McDermott in his admits he doesn't even see every offensive play.

I am not generally a reactionary or a "cut to make a statement" guy. But I'd cut Jordan Phillips. His play has been basically awful and he just overall lacks discipline. He lacks it in his rush lanes and he lacks it in key moments. That facemask cannot happen. I'd cut him. Put Eli Ankou on the roster. I think their play levels are much of a muchness. Phillips is living off his one career year in 2019.

Same. First punt I'd definitely have punted. Second one I'd have thought about going because you are two scores up and given the time at that point if you convert the game is basically over. But I understood the decision to punt. Last one you had to punt because the spot made it 4th and a long 1 and a TD won Tampa the game. But they got a bit safe in the playcalling. The first of those 4th downs was caused by that mess at the end of the 3rd Quarter of course. Hard to put that on coaching. And I don't think the Tampa guy did jump either. Looking at it I think it was a good no call. I just don't know why they were playing for that. They were 2nd and 1 in FG range. Just let the quarter expire, even if you are stopped you have all but killed the game if you go up 17.

He gets some calls. The big name QBs tend to. Josh gets more roughing the passer calls than I think he is due because he has mastered the flop.

The two penalties on the last drive were both fouls IMO. Just piss poor execution by players who should know better.

I still think our offense played in fits and starts. I thought the playcalling on the two drives in the fourth quarter where we punted inside their half was really conservative. We stopped attacking. Before that other than the bemusing goalline sequence - shovel, shotgun run, rub route against a zone - I thought Dorsey called a decent game. The Patriots loss was much more on the defense than the offense. But before that final drive we had stopped twice (until needless stupid penalties) the Buccs only got inside our 30 once in the whole game and that was when Allen turned it over. I just think at the moment the two units need to play more complimentary football. That means the offense cannot keep putting the undermanned defense in bad spots with turnovers and it means the defense cannot keep hurting itself on 3rd and 4th down with penalties that extend drives and keep the offense on the sideline. We need to be more disciplined and our execution MUST improve. There have been positives in both games on offense and there were some positives on defense in this game too once McDermott put the blitz away.