Rochesterfan

I am expecting some 5-2-4 defenses today. Spread out the d-line and play some coverage. Get the ends outside to keep Cam in the pocket and pressure up the middle. Go Bills.

Oh - so over the last 3 years with multiple playoff appearances they have not been winning the games they are supposed to win. WTF are you on about. This coaching staff has been exactly about that. They win the games they are favored and struggle in games they are underdogs and no amount of your BS changes that. Just because you are a lying troll - does not mean others should have to listen to the BS. Can’t wait for them to just slam you out for repeated trolling.

Not really worried about the Dolphins - they have already lost 2 games in the division and are facing their tough stretch. The move to Tua was always about next year and the plan seemed to be to make the switch at the bye week to give time needed to adjust the offense to fit him. The bye was was later in the season until COVID and the plan was allow Fitzpatrick time to mentor him and get them through this tough stretch to the more cushy end of the season. The change in bye week moved up the switch and I do not think he or the Dolphins will be as prepared for this upcoming stretch and therefore - I think they will falter before ending the season on a higher note based solely on schedule (much like the Jets last year). Good Fitz was their best chance at winning the next couple of weeks, Bad Fitz late in the season might have cost them. Tua will be steadier long term, but I am not sure he is ready to face a pressure team like the Rams and we saw how Donald could handle a big, strong cantaloupe farmer like JA if he gets his hands on him - he might catapult Tua to the moon during this game if he gets interested. I still think by the end of the season - they and the Pats are tied for second and third in the division and the Pats will be second based on division record.

Not quite true as there are 2 teams worse this year - including Tennessee - who is dead last at over 60%. There are also 5 teams within 0.5% or about 1 first down right now. Also looking at the data - the majority of teams are significantly worse - so maybe rather than historical review - we try to understand that without preseason and fans - most defenses are struggling and are trying to figure out how to get fired up to make plays. This is a unique year and we are already seeing many NFL norms falter because of the pandemic.

Ties are rare and I don’t really mind - adds to the thought process of winning a division.

So the Bills will be irrelevant for the next 10 years if we don’t make a trade that you feel is owed to the fans. Got it. Makes no sense, but ok. The loss of Brady has opened the division and currently we are 1.5 games up - so seems the GM and HC have thought about that. The point is our window should not be just JA’s rookie contract, but his entire 15+ year career. The HC and GM are making a desirable destination making the playoffs 2 of the last 3 and once they win this division this year 3 out of 4. None of that changes if they make or do not make a trade. What does have to be considered is does a trade this year cost us players next year and beyond. Does bringing in a rental player for the end of this year mean we lose draft picks and players and what impact does that have. Again - they owe you nothing - the HC and GM have repeatedly spoken about building a winner and a sustainable winning culture and that to me is more important than blowing a load this year and falling back into the same problems we have had year over year under prior regimes.

Yeah - I mean living through the 0 for the 70’s, the end of OJ, Joe Ferguson, the lovely 2-14 mid eighties- you’re right - I never bled - I never sat in the end zone during the 51-3 playoff game and cheered and cried with my fellow fans. Yes - we finally have a tandem coach and GM that has given us reason to believe, but they do not owe us a trade that costs us in the future. They owe us to be rational and smart - to make deals so that we can enjoy the next 10 years and be relevant - rather than make that deal that will look great and then when we can’t re-sign Milano and the defense gets worse next year - we go back to perpetual 7-9. I think they have looked at the big picture and will do what is the best interest of this team now and going forward and if that means no trades - so be it and if that means multiple trades great. I want them to do what they feel is in the best long term interest of the team.

I hate this, but it is part of the issue with all of the people that always want Allen to Slide. This is one of many QBs that are running and slide late as the defender is coming in and when they slide - the QBs head is now in line with the fender that was going to hit his mid section. This is the most dangerous thing for a rushing QB. The defender has some responsibility, but these QBs run and then just as the defenders are arriving decide to slide and then take a huge shot. If Dalton decides to slide 1 -2 steps earlier he does not get hit and if he stays up and keeps running he takes a big shot to his hip. The worst thing is sliding late and you expose your head to that type of shot. Bostic deserves some punishment, but I think we either need to eliminate the slide or make these QBs slide earlier. Kyler Murray is great at this watching him - he runs and then looks like he is going to slide, but then changes direction as the defense slows. Then if the defense is coming he slides late and gets personal fouls called. He did it 3-4 times against San Fran, but then looks like he is going to slide and busts it for a TD. It is unfair for the defense. I get the rule, but would have no issue if they did not call it because he tried to slide with a defender within 1-2 yards.

Owes it to the fan base - what a terrible sentiment. He owes it to the team to do what he can to win now AND ensure they can re-sign players and win in the future. He does not owe the fan base anything. His responsibility is to provide talent to the team and he has done that. If he has an offer that makes sense and can help the team now and in the coming years - he will explore it and decide if it works. The fan base wants immediate gratification and does not look long term or for what is good for the team and if they mess up - the fan base turns and blames others for doing something short sighted. I want a GM with a long term outlook to grow and nurture the team over the next 3-5-7 and 10 years to adjust to what is occurring and keep pushing forward.

Nope - really dislike the college rules. It cheapens the entire game and I much prefer the NFL OT.

Not sure I agree with that. The Browns have looked better without him. I think his personality forces Baker to target him and creates issues. Baker looked significantly better after he went down and utilized his TEs more. I think that is a better fit and will actually help the Browns. I do wish him a quick recovery and hate to see injuries, but I don’t think it hurts the Browns at all to have him out.

This is exactly what people said before the season. Even if they are better - their record may not show it, but they have an excellent chance to win the division. Seems like everything is going as predicted so far.

Maybe, but who is beating us out in the division? The Dolphins have played the easy part of their schedule and are only 3-3 - they have maybe 3-4 more wins - so 6-10 or 7-9. The Pats if things get corrected have 5 more wins potentially on their schedule - that gets them to 7-9. I still see the Bills as a 9 win team just as I did at the start and I do not see any other AFC East team getting more than 7 wins and therefore we should lock in a #4 seed.

They won the games right. So now the game has to be later in the season to be signature, but can’t come on the road against a perennial playoff team that rarely loses at home because they are playing a back-up QB that was starting most of the season and the team was favored and which ever team wins goes to the playoffs. The game also can’t come as the premier Thanksgiving game on the road against a team that historically plays well in that spot and was shooting for another playoff spot until we beat them to help keep them from making the playoffs. The rules for a signature win are tough - do we get an automatic bye? Does it somehow make us winning the division easier? Win games, make the playoffs, get better and find ways to improve.

Aww - except Trolls engage - which is why you are here - if the Bills blew the Jets out - we would have a peaceful week without you trolling, but just another in a long line of wins means we get to enjoy your takes for another week. See moving goalposts - now it is not a signature win, but one that satisfies a troll - nearly impossible, but have fun.

Ahh the typical response of the boarish troll

Aww so the Titans win on the road against the future AFC championship team does count, LA Rams don’t get to count. If you are not happy - go root for Seattle or Pittsburgh and get out of here, but no you need to troll - so have fun. As I said even if we win those games you will find a way to belittle the victories- so it does not matter. Win games - make the playoffs and keep getting better.

If Pittsburgh wins that game - even with Duck Hodges - do they go to the playoffs? Yes that win was against a non-playoff team because we won it. It is not like the Bills were 20 point favorites - they were slight dogs on the road for a playoff birth.

My God - you would think we are the Jets or something with all of the trolls on board. Getting a “signature” win for this team is tough because trollish fans want to move the goalposts after each game. Let’s see we went on the road in 2018 as huge underdogs to Minnesota (a team that was in the NFC championship game the year before) and dominated them as one of the biggest underdogs to outright win a game with several signature plays, but that gets pushed aside. Last year we go on the road and beat Tennessee (a team that went to the AFC championship and should of beat KC) - a signature win - maybe for some fan bases, but not you. Pittsburgh/Dallas in prime time - both games propel us to the playoffs, but our wins knocked them out - both wins on the road and both as slight dogs. Going through your criteria the Bills have several wins that hit you definition- they have dominated games in all 3 phases, they have road wins against frequent playoff teams, gutty come from behind wins, putting first or critical losses on teams, but they do not seem to count for you. The issue is after each of wins - trolling fans find reasons to lessen the Bills wins and the same thing will happen with the next 3 games. If they beat the Pats does it mean anything? That would move them to 2-5 and therefore mean nothing once done. Seattle is no longer unbeaten and could be on a 2 game losing streak when we play. The Cardinals are so up and down that if we win by the end of the year it might be meaningless. Just relax and enjoy another playoff year and see where it goes.

I tend to picture the contested drops from last year as that is who he is. A way below average WR that can not get open and has to make contested catches because of that. Then when he gets an opportunity- he muffs 2 TD catches because DBs are all over him. Even the terrible DBs on the Jets are not going to be afraid of Duke - he just can not get open in the NFL. 4 years has shown that. He is also not big enough to play a post-up style and his hands just are not good enough to make enough plays. I wish him the best, but if Duke is on the field for this offense - something bad is happening because he is legitimately the 8 or 9th best receiving weapon behind the other WRs, TEs, and RBs that are active.

I don’t think Duke does anything. My guess is about 4-6 plays and no targets if he is even active.

Nope - never heard that. Teams with multiple positive players can get shut down while they do checks for contract tracing. Knox was not on the field with the team so the contract tracing was easy - just the guys in the meeting. This is not real complicated.

I believe there are many more people - already in the coaching ranks - that are significantly better at predicting plays that he is. The difference is that it does you no good to predict a play just as it is getting snapped. That has nothing at all to do with coaching. Plus his access to the opponent includes the ability to talk to the coordinators and see bits of practice that as a coach he would not have access to. Let’s understand what he is - a guy that talks about a game he played and still has a lot of friends in contact with. Each year he becomes less accurate at knowing exactly what teams are doing and he becomes more general in his assessment of plays - especially pre-snap. I do not see anything that would suggest he would make a “great coach” or consultant. I see a guy that talks well and makes an above average commentator, but that does not translate into coaching in any meaningful way.

I think he is good at what he does, but I do not think it would make him a good coach at all. Currently - he gets weekly access to both teams and can see practices and talks to the teams about gameplans prior to the game being played. He mixes that with his knowledge and it helps him, but each year away - his ability to “know” what is happening has become less and less accurate. I think what is needed to be a coach or even some type of consultant would be shown to be a farce without the access to the opponent on a weekly basis. I guess the other question would be how does recognizing a potential play just prior to the ball being snapped help a team - he is not playing and by the time he recognizes the formation and talks about what is coming - most of the time the communication would be shut off. Plus since he is wrong or only close about 1/2 the time does that create issues? I think he is uniquely situated to do exactly what he is doing? Airman when he first started did much of the same, but over time as he got away he lost that edge and the same thing is happening to Romo - Plus it is fun and easy to do sitting in the booth with no skin on being right - as a coach he would not have that freedom and therefore I think he would just become like any other coach and nothing special. Not a chance.

Nope - he would still need to pass COVID protocol. They would need him in a week early while still suspended to clear the 5 days of negatives to be cleared to enter.