corta765

The Bills team from the BAL game to now is different which I have to keep reminding myself of. Between the team being far healthier and Cooper coming which evolves the offense tenfold I can't compare what we saw then to now. Don't disagree that Seattle is a tough matchup and probably their hardest until KC, but the circumstances are also different too. Seattle is just a tough place to play though and that team has a ton of pride where even if Buffalo gets up early its going 4 quarters.

There have been rumbling that the Mara ownership has become more hands on over the last decade also coinciding with the teams regression. My personal belief is when Jones had his one decent season which he had that great playoff game Mara felt they had their guy at QB and directed Schoen to resign him. Barkley I think he arrogantly thought they could do better without paying on Schoen was perfectly fine letting him gone. The whole organization for a decade now has reeked of mismanagement internally.

They did it to themselves specifically owner and GM by paying Jones but then not paying Barkley who was key to Jones best seasons. Daboll is no fool and knows they don't have the horses up front and Jones is a crappy QB. But you can't do much when the Gm/Owner are driving the ship the way they have. It still is mind blowing to me that a GM who saw the proper way to address the QB position and how to maneuver as best as possible in the draft, leaves to become a GM and then overpays a crappy QB when the time was then to draft a kid. Their decision based off their 1st season would've been like if the Bills kept Taylor for 4 more years after 2017 instead of moving on to get Allen.

Complete side note but one of my favorite things in a sad way about the Browns is when they returned in 99' they had Drew Carey do a pump speech pregame. Place went wild, he told all the haters to shut up etc their back in the NFL deal with it .... they got shut out at home against the Steelers 43-0 lol Hard hard reality check real quick out of the gate lol

This to the max. Ironically drought era I probably watched more football on Sunday because the Bills were almost always a 1pm slot so you just watched 1 to SNF. But when they are not on Sunday until night or at all I am wayyyy more productive plus with kids now the wife and I just do more stuff out of the house with them instead. I will say I think the NFL hit a really awesome peak between new players, changing of the guard, passing attacks, and overall games from 2018 to 2021. In that time the Patriots got their last title who were a draw because they were hated by most and that last win was when KC exploded onto the scene with Mahomes who almost knocked them out, Mahomes himself urshed in a new group of young guns that included Allen Lamar & Burrow, you had 4 different SB winners NE/KC/TB/LAR so that was cool, Brady did finally fade though which was a thing same with Big Ben which was the last of the old guard, and the offense was insane during that time. The last two years KC has become an immovable object that has stopped a lot of quality teams and QBs from breaking through, offenses are down, and the games themselves have seen running games reemerge which for viewers is not as exciting. Honestly I think the NFL is quietly hoping KC fades in the post season for the next 3-4 years so some fresh faces make it in the AFC to the SB and add some new storylines. I do think they are very close to oversaturation and the streaming piece is not the best thing as it has finally made it slightly tough to find games sometimes.

So the stadium situation there is messy. They lost their team despite being ready to fund Modell a new stadium, when they got the expansion team back the timeline was tight and required a stadium to be ready for open in 99' which gave just 3-4 years tops to get it done. From everything I have read back then and by CLE folk the stadium was a rush job and things as simple as have multiple escalators etc were cut or not done to save cost and also get project done quicker. For the 14-18 events a year there it brings a lot of people there, but in retrospect everyone there has realized what a colossal waste of space it is on prime real estate. So in terms of the current stadium the renovation idea really is kind of a bad idea between the cost required and the location itself. With that said the Haslams have zero desire to have a stadium still downtown, they want a complex the way everyone else is building them where ancillary development can be made surrounding the stadium #moremoney. The stadium itself looks like a factory built by Benderson and the Shein version of the Vikings stadium which is beautiful, this is atrocious in terms of design. Apparently Cuyahoga County though is not exactly thrilled with this idea of the Browns moving there and the city still desires to have the team. Per usual like most stadium fights it breaks down to this: Owners - desire the site they found which maximizes their income City - doesn't want to lose team but will work on a deal that is middle of the road in owners eyes Fans- Split because some want new, some want current, some have nostalgia... in the end they lose the worst Best Solution - Never gets explored which is taking time to find a spot in the city of CLE that keeps the team downtown while letting the owners have the potential for some development. This won't happen because the owners are greedy, the city lacks vision, and it actually would take some time

I feel like your prediction is slightly closer then my Bills 27 Titans 16 although the game goes the same way

Bills 27 Titans 16 Bills come out hot between the good vibes from beating the Jets, finally being healthy, and Cooper now in the fold to go up 10-0 by the end of the first with Josh getting Shakir a TD on the Bills opening drive and an INT turning into a FG. The Titans manage a drive and Pollard runs it in mid 2nd to narrow it to 10-7, but the Bills go downfield and Samuel scores on a screen from 10 yards out to make it 17-7 Bills at half. Titans make a drive out of half but it stalls and forces a FG to make it 17-10 Buffalo. The Bills go on a long clock killing drive with Cook rushing in from 6 yards out and the Bills are up 24-10 late 3rd. The Titans don't do much but Josh finally throws an INT which hits Kincaids hands. Not to worry the defense holds and forces a FG. The Bills then drive again and get a FG, Titans got a late FG to make it close but the game is already decided. Allen 265 yds 23-31 2 TD 1 INT 15 yards rush Cook 81 yards 1 TD 12 att 20 yards rec Shakir 89 yards 7 rec Bonus prediction: Cooper 68 yards 3 rec

Yep, but the flipside is the NFC all four divisions are complete toss ups right now. I wouldn't be stunned if DET ends up being a WC team just given how tight that race is and they are probably the best team in the NFC

They are def in a weird spot. 2-3 but the schedule has some very winnable games and IF IF IF Tua were to comeback fully healthy and the offense can get back to being productive the playoffs could be a very real thing in what seems like a very open AFC. But that also feels like a lot of things needing to all happen at once AND Miami realistically needs to go 7-4 to get a spot while also being 2-2 already in conference

All indications seem he will at some point even if the team is 4-9. Not saying I agree but I would be more surprised if he doesn't play at this point.

I believe after 2025 it does lighten where they can do what Denver did with finally absorbing a ton of dead cap. But its bad real bad regardless, they have had for 3-4 years now a very very solid roster not including QB and by the time they can probably address it properly you will have to reshape it.

It has been almost a month since I did the AFC rankings so time for October. These are based off current status of clubs both record and roster for how it looks they will go, obviously things change. As always comment, disagree, get wild: The Four Horseman ... These teams are the AFCs clubhouse leaders and the true favorites at this point although they all have a degree of question when facing each other Kansas City- Undefeated and seemingly immovable they have staved off losses despite a roster which needs help. The defense is stout, but the offense is noticeably down and the injuries have been major. Mahomes is Mahomes but even by his lofty standards he has not been great. They need WR help badly but with Adams and Cooper gone the amount of major needs is low for a team that needs a real emergence. Baltimore- Derrick Henry was the best addition to a team in terms of fit this year. This offense is scary and can enforce their will on you by seemingly command. The defense though is not as stout as prior years and I am curious how the offense handles the war of attrition the regular season gives by seasons end. 1 seed would do wonders to let everyone heal up for a run. Houston - The new kids on the block look stellar and truthfully they may be the must fun team to watch in the NFL. Even with Collins out for a bit their lethal and the defense is pretty solid. Postseason will be fun to see if Stroud and crew take that next step. Buffalo - Pre Cooper trade they were not in this category but with him in the fold the offenses ceiling is back to the level needed to compete with the other 3. 17 is having his most mature season yet as he has evolved into far more a field general then the cowboy of the past. As the defense heals this team will hit its stride across the board the final 4-5 weeks (give Cooper some time) and setup the potential run to finally break thru. Playoffs!.. Actually Yeah Playoffs Pittsburgh - The decision to go to Wilson ranges from curious to awful. Fields is by far not a perfect QB but the offense at least had a bit of flash with him and his mobility created a threat that no longer exists. The defense is stellar as always, Tomlin finds a way for this team to hang around for 17 games, and despite a tougher schedule they have banked enough wins early that a playoff miss would be a bit surprising... but could happen. LA Chargers - Good coaching always does wonders and they are playing like a team very honest about their talent which is always a scary issue for an opponent. Their schedule features KC/BAL/CIN down the road, but it still has a lot of easier games where they can stack some wins. Curious if they trade for a WR to help out the kids and make a greater playoff push The Path & Opportunity Is There... But Someone Is Missing & Stealing The Headlines Cincinnati - Burrow is playing some of his best ball and the offense is for the most part back in form. But they have already dropped some winnable games, play in a buzz saw of a division, and the defense has faded thanks to injuries/talent that has left. The schedule has opportunities for the Bengals to get back into it, but cheap ownership not keep good players makes it feel like a last dance of sorts with this group and the pressure keeps adding to Burrow to keep it together. Palmer was right years ago that ownership would cost them and it already feels true. NY Jets - Adams will help the offense find a more stable dynamic footing, but Rodgers still is 40 and it shows mobility wise. His arm is there so with some protection they can hang around and the defense is solid. BUT they have lost to Denver already so even games that feel like gimmes on what is a weak schedule maybe shouldn't at this point. Not sure what is more Jets missing the playoffs the last day when it is win and get in at like 9-8 or make it in at 10-7 only to get steamrolled the next week. Aquatic Mammals Exist Miami- Tua will come back but it does feel like Miami is really letting him take his time, but even before he went out the offense already started feeling shaky and as though McDaniel was low on answers. But this roster just lacks depth even if Tua comes back 100% and with the offense already shaky it feels like they will need a solid regroup in the offseason just to get back to where they had been. Horsey Teams! ... They kick a bit but don't have the "horses" to go the distance Denver - Bo Nix has had some moments and Payton has gotten them to be relatively competitive, but the road ahead is really tough and this offense has no juice to really make it through the season. Still they will play four quarters and pull upsets because of it. Indianapolis - Nice story with Flacco right now and offense can do things. They will probably be in the hunt still in early December and maybe they get lucky like CLE last year, but they just feel like they plateau and get passed by better teams especially with a near league worst defense. On To 2025 ... four of these teams have a long painful road for fans to watch while the other has a rookie QB that hopefully inspires hope Cleveland - The impact of the Watson trade just keeps getting worse. Playoff caliber roster that is sunk by a QB they refuse to remove and ownership too stubborn to admit their mistake. Roster windows open and close fast and it feels like by the time Watson is out of the picture they will have to reshape the talent base again. Poor brown fans Jacksonville - It is truly amazing they were 8-3 and top of the AFC less then a year ago. Whatever has went wrong here starts with QB Trevor Lawrence who has failed to improve, but it runs far deeper given how out of sorts the team itself is. Very tough questions will need to be answered this off season and so much rides on ownership getting it right. For the record GM Trent Baalke is on his second operation where a talent base existed and as his reign continued seemingly eroded. Las Vegas - It really feels like they literally have wasted a year; no rookie QB to break in, roster isn't win now, and no real plan. They have the best stadium to visit to as an opposing fan and are really a sad franchise especially the potential that exists given the market they play in. New England - Standard rebuilding year with a rookie QB. The kids has some nice attributes physicality and the biggest hope is he along with some of the kids on offense grow. Tennessee - Levis isn't the guy which means again going after a new QB in 2025. They rolled the dice to see what could happen at least and better to burn out the way they are trying out a youngster then go middling at 7-10.

I think your being slightly to harsh on Beane in terms of underperforming. He doesn't coach the team and was not responsible for 13 seconds nor the lack of defense vs CIN. I would argue Beane is close to a top 5-10 gm league wide and without a doubt the better of the GM Coach combo that currently exists. Additionally COVID effectively screwed some of the cap work he done to maximize Josh's rookie contract and it gave him one chance to go big which was Von and unfortunately has not gone as hoped. I have my criticisms of Beane and the WR corp especially you could see from the moment Diggs and Davis left they were hoping for a lot of growth which didn't feel realistic. To his credit he addressed it even if later then we all wanted. WR is probably his biggest buggaboo draft wise as his best selection so far was Gabe Davis. His best WR moves to date are all trade or FA related, he certainly has not hit yet on anyone (Coleman too early to judge). My trust with Beane is vastly different vs McD who I think knows he has until 2025 season to make it or he is out. Looking at the team and its failures to break through since 2019 my finger is pointed far quicker and stronger at McD then the GM as I would argue all of the losses have had coaching mistakes that created failure. Last year is probably the only playoff loss under McD where I have little to gripe with given the needed gameplan because of the injuries and the one I would look more at the GM at.

The general issue when trying to predict performance and hinging on growth/improvement/whathadbeendoneprior is it all based on only the positive not that things could regress or be worse for players. If you were optimistic about this group like this poster was preseason it was based on the idea of Shakir/Kincaid both evolving into stronger larger roles, Samuel reverting to good years prior, Coleman having a really solid rookie year, and MVS/Mack improving back to one off seasons they were better. It ignores the idea of plateauing or regression which unfortunately with Kincaid the regression is quite real, Samuel I think everyone thought would be better but that does happen with FA signings, & MVS/Mack honestly are what they are and it is not surprisingly they have had a small impact especially MVS who is cut now. I call it Perfect World Syndrome where you base all predictions on everything going best case scenario while ignoring reality that some things can and will go sideways or fail.

Going off of what the team has said about 2024 being a transition year I would be flabbergasted if they moved on from McD if they win the division and lose in the playoffs. Everything has indicated while they are being competitive this year (yay Cooper!) the true goal was 2025 between reopening the cap space and draft picks. 2023-2025 drafts have all been about building the future and resetting the base talent wise. I think if by end of 2025 season the Bills have not at least made the SB they finally move on. It would be 9 years and at that point I do not know how much is left to say and I personally think Josh would finally say something.

It is interesting because with coaches you do feel like the leash has its limit but with McD it does not feel like it exists. At the same time I do wonder if buy end of 2025 season there is no SB appearance they finally pull the plug so Josh gets a new voice while still in prime. I think the sun is setting on my belief in him, but I will credit that the KC playoff loss last year was some of his best coaching despite the end result. In a game where they had to have a very specific gameplan due to injury and lack of horses on offense, they pretty much pulled it off and lost on crappy circumstances. Still a loss, but I do give him credit that they pushed KC that hard and got more points on them then anyone else.

I want to make a quick point about NFL coaches. MOST of them even the good ones make some truly stupid blunders for their teams from time to time. Until Andy Reid got a ring he was criticized regularly for his clock mgmt and game mgmt itself. Kyle Shanahan gets a ton of praise... but also was the OC in the SB up 28-3, HC of a team up by 10 in the SB AND again last year blew it in the big game. Mike Tomlin who is widely respected as coach (and possible crisis mgmt expert thanks to dealing with AB that long) is known for some errors by Steeler fans and his seat is warm despite being a guy who would be picked up in a second by another team. My general point is the list of coaches that at this time are perfect in terms of decisions and game plan is probably Reid & McVay at this time (whose team currently is 1-4). Does that mean I am against McD being replaced? Nope I would have done so after the loss to CIN when the old core still had another year left. BUT any coach brought in will have warts and probably make a mistake from time to time even when you expect better. Having BB in division for two decades was probably the worst thing for all opposing fans because he was perfect. I think I can count on my hand the number of truly poor game mgmt // time mgmt moves the dude made. Love him or more likely hate him the standard in terms of coaching he set truly was impressive and how good he was in those situations. It is why the Pats seemingly weaseled their way of a lot of games, the guy had his team ready which mixed with Brady was so hard to stop. The other thing coaching wise is if you dump McD who you replacing him with? Ben Johnson? Cool I like it but also expect growing pains as he finds his way, the defense regresses, and a new scheme is brought in. Like any relationship what starts off hot and fun, later on you see the warts and mistakes or annoyances faster as the years go by. I am not trying to sway anyone with this as its pretty well documented where people are at with McD, as much as just show its far closer to a universal feeling league wide.

It takes a lot to get me to feel any sympathy for an opponent let alone a rival. I left the game feeling bad for Jet fans because if we lost I would've been beyond furious at how much the game was altered and destroyed by the refs. It was that bad So interesting thing is Keon is pacing right now 34 rec 570 yds 6 TDs. For a rookie that isn't too bad at all. He needs time to develop it took Shakir a year and half to find his way and use his best attributes properly. Keon as WR3 is fine although he should prob be WR4 (#makethetradeBrandon). The much bigger issue is Samuel/MVS/Hollis. The rookie is ahead of all of them which is both good but also very bad given what he is pacing for and what you had hoped they wouldve done.

I believe Beane knows they need another true starter at WR. I believe he tried for Adams and would try for Higgins. I am not confident at all given his devotion to the cap and picks we will actually pull the trigger to bring someone in that really moves the needle and I am prepared for a 5th or 6th to go for Wan'Dale Robinson.

I was pissed off at the team for the last two weeks so I had no beer, went to my part time job and watched the game on my phone. This could become lucrative lol

I am just going to open with this. W T F DID WE WATCH? I WATCHED THE BROWNS BILLS 6-3 GAME WHICH WAS ATROCIOUS... ANDDD THAT STILL HAD A BETTER FLOW AND WAS MORE WATCHABLE THEN WHATEVER WE CALL THAT PRODUCT LAST NIGHT. Back to normal talking here are my takeaways from last night: 1. Right The Ship- Smackdown vs BAL, Blown opportunity vs HOU meant it was put up or shut up time and credit to the team for winning while still missing or playing with hurt starters. It wasn't the prettiest for sure or the easiest (HAIL MARY SERIOUSLY) but your 4-2 after a brutally tough open. More importantly Buffalo in division is 2-0 and in conference 3-2. They have massive opportunity to stack a bunch of wins here with TEN/at SEA/MIA/at IND before the last gauntlet of the year. To early to worry about seeding and they need help at WR if they really plan on being an issue come January, BUT they have set themselves up where a 3-1 stretch is very possible to get to 7-3 and really can help before the stretch run. All I truly cared about after starting 3-0 was just please be 4-2 by TEN and they did that while ugly. 2. Offense Back In Drive- I would call last night efficient which if they can do in the majority of their remaining games will lead to a really good record. Josh was superb and rebounded nicely after a concerning bad game in HOU, the running attack was stellar, and the pass catcher did enough. I thought Brady had a good gameplan and even when things got rocky 3/4th quarter they stuck with what worked. Note that Shakir only played 38% of snaps and to me he was healthy enough to be a decoy that forced the Jets to gameplan for him. That speaks volumes to his importance, but they really need another guy to step up. 3. Cook Contract Will Be Interesting- He has one year left on his rookie deal and he has been very good since arriving in Buffalo with a well earned Pro Bowl nod last year and potentially another this year as he has been quite good. BUT Ray Davis looked stellar last night, the offensive line is pretty strong, and Ty Johnson is a good spell back. I have to believe Beane is looking at this very interestingly as they could just let him walk like Singletary if he wants too much. The RB market and overall feel is quite curious because rushing attacks are certainly back in vogue, but teams are hesitant still it feels for big deals. I wonder if Cook just wants a sizable payday if Beane even considers it or with the horses already here it is a non starter. 4. Defense Refresh Feels Really Good Long Term- They had their moments last night, but overall the defense long term feels really good and is to me a highlight in Beane's work to reset the talent base. Right now you have a very nice core developed that includes Oliver, Rousseau, Epenesa, Bernard, D Williams, Benford, & T Johnson. I love Douglas but Ja'Marcus Ingram was really good when put into the lineup and I wonder if Beane considers letting Douglas walk to save the money for elsewhere and let some of the talent sitting there emerge. Most importantly Bernard & Benford have emerged into true blue chip starters aka guys who make game altering plays regularly and without them the defense is not the same. With Tre White's sad departure and Milano seemingly aging (that blows) you needed some new young faces to show up. Entering this season Taron Johnson (nice to see him back) was the one guy I looked at who was in his prime as a blue chip guy, adding two more guys to this mix makes me feel a heck of a lot better for the future. Safety is the one area ironically where they are going to need a guy to emerge that is young and hopefully Bishop can. Rapp has been solid this year and Hamlin is at least being a serviceable starter, but to me if the defense is going to go back to being a top 5 unit they need safety to solidify for real (another pass rusher would be good as you can never have enough). Dorian Williams also has taken a nice step and while he is not the best in coverage yet, his tackling and thumper hits have been a nice addition. You hope Milano can return to form when/if he returns in December, but realistically Williams has made me no longer worry about that spot anymore. 5. What About That Bass- Yea.. yikes. For the record a lot of people point to the KC game as when he should've been cut, but he had the yips far earlier in 2023 as he missed two against the Giants and pretty much from then on you could see the shakiness emerge with the PHI game especially being a disaster. I feel for Beane because up until 2023 he was a very dependable kicker and at his age you can't really plan on a guy getting the yips that early, but he does seem to have lost his fast ball. Cut him? Would love to but the free agent pool is pretty barren and the contract hit is atrocious also. I firmly understand wanting to move on and if a good solution was present they need to. With all of that said if the option is cut Bass but it costs the ability to add a WR I can tell you which way I am heading and it means keeping my bass in the pond for the remainder of the year. 6. Coaching.. the Good the Bad the Ugly: Good- Offense founds it flow and Brady seemed to be ahead of the Jets all night with play calls. Babich got the defense going and the pressure increased by the 2nd quarter after allowing NY 10 pts early. McD has the team prepared and the physicality was nice after the last two weeks. Bad- Does the defense realize they are allowed to tackle on screen passes? This team could be given massive blinking sign that says incoming screen pass and they still would let it go for 10 yards plus. Babich has been solid for the most part in year one, but the screens have been eating us all year. Dion Dawkins what in gods name are you doing killing drives with Unsportsmanlike Conduct? I get he loves the rivalry and getting the opposition off, but that penalty start of the 4th quarter was a complete drive killer and by that point the coaching staff needs to have the guys in line better. Ugly- Hail Mary. I mean it is comical at this point between the coaching timeout and then the actual defense put out there. I need the stats on Hail Marys allowed because the Bills have to be near the top historically with this coach specifically. 7. The Very Visible Elephant In The Room- The division feels pretty certain and I have no issue saying this is a good team with some nice pieces, especially on defense. But this is not a great team at this moment that will go toe to toe with the best in the league without a perfect gameplan and 17 being at his max. Khalil Shakir is the 2nd most important person on the offense after 17 because the WR corp just isn't enough. Mack is a fun player and has had a few decent moments, but him and MVS overall have been pretty bad. Samuel finally had a few decent plays last night but overall he just isn't making a mark. Coleman has honestly had probably the best moments of the pass catching group after Shakir, but he is a rookie and that means major ups and downs. Probably the greatest disappointment for me has been Kincaid who has clearly regressed. Adding a true outside boundary threat like Amari Cooper (example does not have to be him) would do a world of help to shift the WR Corp to their better spots and make the offense far more diverse to defend. 6 games in your 3rd WR (Samuel) is pacing for 34 rec and 261 yards on the year, that isn't nearly enough if your goal it the SB. The bad teams are out there with some talent that will be available from big names to just solid names, but failure to add anything feels like the teams is cursed to the same close loss outcome they had against KC last season.

Running Animals 20 Flying Winged Objetcts 16 Honestly I see this as a controlled ugly game where the Bills just by virtue of having less distractions and issues internally manage to grind the Jets throughout but they hang around because neither team is making major strikes. Josh and the offense get a TD early as Knox decides to show life on 3rd and goal from 4 yards out. Jets respond with a FG and both teams trade additional FGs as each offense stalls around the 30 as they enter the 2nd 10-6. The Bills pick off Rodgers late 2nd and get a FG to go up 13-6 at half time. The Jets go on a methodical drive out of half capped by a Bryce Hall screen TD as the Jets tie the game at 13-13 with 6 mins to go. Buffalo answers as they themselves have a 7 min drive capped by Josh running it in from 7 yards out to put the Bills up 20-13. The Jets move into the Bills redzone but the drive stalls and Rousseau sacks Rodgers. They kick a FG with 5 mins left to make it 20-16, the Bills offense does it best to kill the clock but the Jets get the ball with 25 seconds and put the fanbase through the motions of a Rodgers hail mary which thankfully is batted down. Allen 18-24 201 yds 1 TD 51 yds rush Ty Johnson 78 yds 12 att Coleman 72 yds 4 rec Rousseau 2 sacks

I would watch 13 seconds 5x over before I watch sundays game again, at least 13 seconds was exciting and the offense was doing stuff.

Congrats for winning the dumbest take of the year award.