Logic

Mike Florio of PFT pointed out to Peter King recently that in the past decade, the MVP is almost ALWAYS from one of the top two seeds -- usually the top seed -- in either the AFC or NFC. In other words, "Most Valuable Player" has REALLY come to mean "The best player on the best team", or even more accurately "the quarterback of the best team". So in addition to Josh continuing to put up good numbers, the Bills likely need to be one of the top two seeds in the AFC for him to have a good shot at MVP. And even then -- even if the Bills are the AFC's #1 seed and Josh has a great season -- it's possible Russell Wilson has an even BETTER season down in the NFC and wins the thing. Lord knows the national sentiment this year seems to be "It's Russ's year!". And hey, if they named an MVP tomorrow, I'd have to vote for Wilson. His stats are better across the board than Josh's. I mean...he just threw 5 TDs in back-to-back weeks!

We have two pieces of information to go on. One: The recent report that the Bills were talking with the Dolphins about their gameday process for admitting fans. Two: John Wawrow of the Associated Press stated that prior to the start of yesterday's game, there were instructions on the video boards explaining to fans how to safely get into and out of the stadium in a distanced way. A trial run, I'd guess. These two pieces of information combined lead me to believe that -- barring a massive spike in numbers in New York State -- there will be fans allowed back at the stadium at some point this season.

I mean..hey...even elite corners sometimes get beat for touchdowns by...*checks notes*....Lee Smith. Ahem.

Picture of the day (From the Lee Smith TD): Jalen Ramsey. LOL.

Scoring is up across the league. Lack of offseason and preseason and lack of fans in stands is hurting defenses more than offenses. Things will even out over time. I'm not the least bit worried that a McDermott/Frazier coached defense with almost the entire roster back is suddenly terrible. Ain't happenin.

The entire D is not up to snuff. Hell -- defenses across the entire LEAGUE are not up to snuff. For whatever reason, the lack of offseason, preseason, and fans in the stands seems to have hurt NFL defenses more than offenses. Things will even out over time, I think.

It's so weird to me: When the Bills used to play conservative in the second half and run the ball and run the clock, everyone said McDermott and Daboll were "too conservative" and needed to have a "killer instinct". Now that the Bills seem to have DEVELOPED that killer instinct and the urge and willingness to go for the throat, I'm hearing that McDermott and Daboll are too aggressive and should stick with the run. Ya just can't win.

The coaching staff who -- during a complete rebuild -- managed to bring the Bills to two playoff berths? The coaching staff who -- now that the rebuild is just about complete -- has a 3-0 squad, with the latest win coming over a legit Super Bowl contender? The coaching staff who has schemed an offense that scored 94 points through three weeks? You're entitled to your opinion. I just disagree with it. The coaches are not immune from criticism, and there are things they could have done better today -- as is the case with MOST games. If you're angry with the coaches after today's game, though, you're barking entirely up the wrong tree. This is what makes America great, though -- the freedom to have wrong opinions.

Good point. Once upon a time not so long ago, players cut by the Bills usually washed out of the league completely. Nowadays, they start for other teams or catch touchdown passes on Monday Night Football. Overall, a great indicator of the depth and competition level of the Bills roster.

The truth is this: Right, wrong, or otherwise, he would have been cut by Buffalo if he wasn't traded away instead. At least we got a 5th back instead of nothing at all. Also, good for Teller. Seems like a good dude and is fun to watch. I'm rooting for him in every game where the Browns' opponent is not the Bills.

In that case, it is my opinion that you should make that deal. The keeper/round forfeiture aspects you described push Drake over the finish line for me as the better option. Then again, I'm the guy who was just in here asking OTHER people for advice, so what the hell do I know?

Just like I would like to say to the real Josh Allen: Slide! I am with everyone else here in being irritated by the lack of ratings boost for Allen. In my opinion, he should have gotten bumped to 80. That seems fair to me. On the other hand, even with his ratings just as they are now, I do pretty well online controlling the Bills. He has 1-3 bad misses per game for me, but then, that's pretty reflective of how Allen actually plays! Diggs is absolutely, positively dominant in this game. It's beyond easy to rack up receiving yards with him. Likewise, Tre White is a beast. I always use the coaching adjustments to select "matchup based on overall ratings" to ensure that White follows the opponent's best receiver around. White and Diggs are winning me games, man. *Edit* And yes, I agree with everyone else that Madden, in general, has suffered from the lack of competition and has gone downhill. I, too, wish 2Ksports was still allowed to make simulation NFL games. They're not, though, so I really only have one choice if I want to play video game football. That being the case, I try not to worry myself too much about it and to just enjoy the game. Even with its deficiencies, it's still MILES ahead of what we were playing 10 and 20 years ago.

That's a tough one. I tend to think of good running backs as harder to come by than good receivers. Drake had an ADP at the top of the 2nd round. Godwin at the bottom. I suppose it would depend on what else you have at each respective position. This website has it pretty close, too: https://www.lineupexperts.com/football/trade-analysis?trade=chris-godwin_for_kenyan-drake

Thanks for the response, but may I ask WHY you suggest not doing it?

Wish I could. 12-team league with more bench spots than usual. There is nothing -- and I mean nothing -- on the waiver wire at RB. Conversely, I could land sneaky waiver wire TEs like Jordan Akins (2nd in targets on Texans) or Drew Sample (2nd in targets on Bengals). It feels like I'm leaning yes...but trading away a guy like Kelce is tough to pull the trigger on. Then again, getting a guy like Chubb back is hard to turn down.

Yes, which I realize limits Chubb's upside. Still...I can't stress the terribleness of my current running back depth chart enough. lol. Gibson is still a total wild card, and Singletary's floor is really low most weeks. Hmmm...

I mean...Chubb out-carried Hunt in week 2. Hunt is clearly the preferred receiving back, and will see more work if the Browns fall behind. On the other hand, The Browns under Stefanski are poised to have one of the run heaviest attacks in the NFL. It's a tough one...

Okay, so Saquon Barkley being out for the year has decimated my RB corps. I currently have Antonio Gibson and Devin Singletary starting. Yeah. Ugly. I am being offered Nick Chubb (RB9) and TJ Hockenson (TE9) in exchange for Travis Kelce (TE1) and Devin Singletary (RB32). Obviously, getting my hands on a top 10 running back in a run-heavy offensive scheme is a great get, AND I still get a top 10 TE (so far) back. On the other hand, giving up TE1 is no easy decision. It just seems like an uphill battle to try to win a fantasy league without any top end running backs. Does the improvement in production from Singletary to Chubb outweigh the drop-off in production from Kelce to Hockenson? What say you, fantasy experts?

31-27 Rams

People are gonna ***** all over the article. I think it's fine. FiveThirtyEight writers are the epitome of stat nerds. They're not watching football games, analyzing film, or breaking down individual plays. Very simply and specifically, they look at numbers -- a data set -- and make conclusions and predictions based off what the numbers are saying. Their conclusions are telling them Allen has improved. Their predictions are telling them his performance may regress to the mean in the coming weeks. If people are truly that bothered by the predictions of stat nerds, I suggest they learn a new strategy: It's called "stop caring what people you've never heard of think about Josh Allen". I've been trying it out the past couple weeks, and it's working wonders.

15 years. 8 teams. Love Fitzy. Always will.

Ah yes, just saw your post. Sorry, didn't read the thread first and should have. Great minds think alike.

Fair. I will only say that the things pointed out in the article -- going through progressions, looking off safeties, delivering the ball with anticipation and improved accuracy-- theoretically aren't things that will go away when the quality of competition goes up. He will produce less gaudy stat lines and may have less success overall, but the nuances of the game in which Allen is starting to show proficiency are cause for optimism that continued success overall is likely.

I don't see why "Metcalf over Oliver" is even a discussion. We could have had BOTH. I will eat crow on my assertion that Ford was the right pick over Metcalf. While I believe that offensive line trumps wide receivers in importance, Ford has not shown himself to be anything better than a replacement level guard, while Metcalf is clearly an ascending star at WR. So yeah, forget picking Oliver over Metcalf. That was the right move. It's picking FORD over Metcalf that was, in retrospect, no bueno.

Excellent stuff here from both of you. This has to be one of the best football discussion forums on the internet. For whatever reason, I just don't see either defense limiting either offense too much. I see a shootout, through and through. I think we'll limit the Rams running game and Robert Woods, but I see Higbee and Kupp having big days, and it being enough to put points on the board. If this comes to pass, we just have to hope we have the ball last and see 4th Quarter Josh again. It's nice, at least, to finally have an offense that has the ability to hang in shootouts. To not ALWAYS have to depend on our defense is a great step forward.