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40 is like their default number for new running backs that come in. Both Karlos Williams and Jonathan Williams started with 40 and then switched later. Wonder what's significant about #40.

I thought he'd stick given his importance as a special teams guy, played every special teams snap last season. But he's a major liability in coverage when he has to play LB. Minnesota made easy pickings of him a bunch of times the other night. They also seem invested in Vosean Joseph and Tyrel Dodson.

I've wondered this myself. Only thing I can think of is that he has some kind of injury/health condition that's giving pause to any teams wanting to sign him. This is just my guess. Haven't even heard of him taking any visits. Maybe he's done and hasn't told anyone? Dammit, Ryan, where are you?! We must get to the bottom of this mystery.

Anyone ripping on Luck for retiring isn't a fan at all and can just go get... yeah. Some people just don't care, they don't care to consider what these guys go through and what they're going to have to deal with in the future. Some people think, "Oh, well they get paid millions for it, so big deal, who cares?" and it's like they demand blood or something. Yeah, they get paid very well but I rarely ever see anyone griping about the billions made by owners who don't have to sacrifice their health to gain it. Money aside, they're still human beings and I commend the guy for making such a difficult decision. There's a strong likelihood that we don't know the whole story. Who knows, he could've been told that he'll never get back to 100% physically, or that he developed a condition that would interfere with his ability to play on a consistent basis. Rodgers on the other hand... great QB, weird dude.

Even if I wanted to switch teams (which I don't), I couldn't if I tried. I don't get the same sense of excitement/nerves watching any other team, just not as invested as I am with the Bills.

Hmm. I wonder if things have changed at all with the Peguals doing all sorts of renovations. I have a friend who gets to go to all sorts of events at the stadium since his mom is an employee and he's always said the events they have at the field house for the kids and stuff are great. Bummer that the stadium itself seems like a dud.

I think if anyone can rearrange the offense to fit Brissett's skill set, it's Reich.

-I don't think Josh McDaniels will be the next great head coach. He has horrible people skills, has a reputation as a sh*t-talker and a backstabber and of never being honest and forthright with players and fellow coaches. And him backing out on Indy adds to his already dumper of a reputation. He thinks he's the smartest guy in the room even if he was in a room full of Mensa scholars. -Adam Gase might be a good X's and O's guy but he can't bring together a team. Time and again those Miami teams would quit on him the minute adversity struck and he was never really able to rally his guys. -I agree on Lotulelei, and it kinda coincides with one of my unpopular (I guess?) takes for this... the Bills sign certain players for things they do besides their on-field work. Lotulelei is here because he's the kind of guy McDermott wants younger players to model their approach after. Same as Gore, same as DiMarco. He goes about his business and does whatever the team asks of him without caring if he shows up on the stat sheet. -I don't give a rats behind what OJ Simpson did on the field, he's dead to me and I'd like to see his name removed from the wall and his HoF bust pitched into the ocean. Guy is a skidmark in Bills history. -Five or ten years after he hangs it up there'll be a massive story on Tom Brady and all the crazy illegal substances he used to keep playing until 45. -Bill Belichick is one of them crab-people from South Park.

Everything you said is fair. I suppose I mean I wish some fans would exercise a bit more patience and leave room for errors, especially with a kid as young as him stepping into a new position. He's gonna make mistakes and miss things but that's the only way he's gonna learn. At times it feels a player can do 99 out of 100 things correctly and some fans would ignore the 99 and focus on the one wrong thing. I guess I just prefer to wait it out and see what happens. If the guy is blowing assignments by mid-season this year, then yeah, I can see some cause for concern. But some people are just so quick to judge. Especially some draft nerds who look to find anything to reinforce their evaluation. Josh Allen could go out there and throw 20 for 22 for 350 yards and 4 TDs and that Cian McFartface guy would write 10,000 words on the two passes he missed.

Stadium tour sounds cool. I've always wanted to check out New Era but I don't think they give tours. Anyone know?

The near-constant "out of position" stuff drove me nuts last season. Yeah he's gonna get caught out of position, he's moving from playing outside for most of his college career to moving to middle linebacker and being asked to command the defense... at age 20. It's as if some "fans" expect perfection right out of the gate and if not, "FIRE BEANE!"

Barf. I wish the words "nervous" and "concerned" were treated like curse words on this board haha. Kid has played like a combined 40 snaps in three preseason games where they run a light version of their scheme and we've got "concerns." Bah.

Really like how Barkley's been playing. He's poised in the pocket, accurate, and clearly his teammates have faith in him running the offense. Duke Williams stood out as well. Not only made the big TD catch but also threw a great block to spring McKenzie for his TD. I also like that all three of the running backs had big gains. Gore trucked one, Shady got loose, and Singletary showed great patience and vision on his TD run. Cody Ford also mauled his guy on that play. I think TJ Yeldon might've earned a roster spot. He's had a couple decent carries and he consistently gets loose over the middle in the passing game. The sideline catch he hauled in was nice. What I also loved on that play was seeing guys like Feliciano and Dion rooting him on. People can bag on the culture thing or whatever but they've got a team that truly wants to play for one another and see everyone succeed. I love that.

I don't think many teams would give up a one for Zeke, and I don't think he'd be valued as highly by another team considering Dallas' offense revolves entirely around him. On just about any other team, he's going to be featured in the offense but not as heavily as he is in Dallas. So with that type of situation, I don't think any team would give him a monster deal knowing that he wouldn't have to take as much pressure off their QB as he does with Dak. That said, I'm sure Beane and his team would discuss it if it got out there that he was on the trade market, but ultimately I think they'd pass because Zeke is, for lack of a better term, kind of an a-hole with an ego problem who likely wouldn't fit in well with the whole process here.

He Hate Me FTW!

"Meh, my name's Schopp, mah pants are filled wif doodie!"

Looking at how much of a mess the team was last season, it was something that they still won six games. McDermott really knows how to get a lot out of a little. If the defense can continue to build on what they've done, and Allen figures it out even just a little and can get at least 21-24 points on the board per game, I think they have a shot at winning double digit games.

Saw a great quote on reddit regarding Mayock's "all in or not" comment. It was from a Steelers fan and it said, "He's gonna be kind of in, some of the time, and a pain in the arse all of the time."

Before or after the ice cream? Because if it's after then it's gonna go from a bounce house to a barf house real quick.

Whaley didn't do too bad in terms of building the roster, it was the contracts he dealt out that kinda ruined his tenure. And if you hold up Beane's misses against his hits right now, you can see that he's hitting way more than missing. First, it's obvious that no GM is going to succeed on every single decision. Second, the chatter about Morse being paid (or any other FA) too much is weak. If you flip it around and the Bills *didn't* sign Morse, the same people complaining about his deal would be the first ones to call out Beane and the team for being "too cheap." I mean, people understand that the Bills are always gonna have to overpay a little bit for the FA's they really want, right? Although many players who come through here praise the fans and the game-day atmosphere, on paper, the Bills have been missing the playoffs, losing more than they win, all with a near-constant state of upheaval and turnover in the front office/coaching department for the last 20 seasons (save for one flukey playoff appearance). That's going to turn off most any player from wanting to come here. That's why the Bills always have to up the ante with the contract a bit. Same story year after year. Some fans are just always gonna find a way to gripe or think they're the only real genius of the Armchair GM Club. It's always, "They need to do this, and then that, and then this other thing!" *Team proceeds to do this, that, and the other thing.* Some fans: "No, no, no! Not like that! UGH! Fire Beane!" Also - this wasn't directed at you, unbillevable, I was more responding to the quote from your original post.

First one was a pre-season game in '96 against Minnesota. Next one was a regular season game against the Raiders in '98. Home opener vs. Pats in '03. Home opener vs. Jags in '04. Home opener vs. Pats in '13. Week 15 vs. Packers in '14. Home opener vs. Colts in '15. I think that's it. I know I've been to a few other pre-season games but I can't recall those off the top of my head at the moment. I'd have to dig through the ol' ticket stub box at home. I only remember the Minnesota game in '96 because it was the very first game I'd ever been to. The best one was the '03 opener against the Pats. The big win over the Packers in 2014 is a close second, crowd may have been louder during that one.

Sweeney is really growing on me. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the 53.

I normally like what Lance Zierlein writes but he kinda lost a few points with me based on these grades. He knocked Carson Wentz for missing games due to injury yet he ignored another player missing games due to suspension and focused only on the on-field performance. Kind of a double standard.

That's a nice breakdown. Bummed me right out that Zay didn't catch that, I mean, I can get how Allen sometimes puts the ball in not so great a spot but this one hit him right in the face and he dropped it like a hot potato. I wanna see Zay succeed, I think he has talent, and, well, if he succeeds it helps the team, so... but the drops (especially these ones) can't happen.

Dude literally wants to do whatever he wants and basically have the team thank him for it. I'm pretty sure he'd love to skip every practice and meeting and just show up for games on Sundays. Complaining about the helmet is real amateur hour stuff. He has to know he comes off looking like a jackass, but whatever, in his mind he can do anything he wants.