Richard Noggin

Danny, say bye-bye to your team wittle guy.

College classes begin over the next three weeks in WNY. My classes start next week, in-person (although I've designed our developmental English course to be mostly online for the inevitable shutdowns we'll experience). K-12 plans vary by district. Some fully remote, others hybrid. Erie County's infection has essentially doubled over the last few weeks, albeit still relatively low and manageable. And that increase predates these school openings. I've already seen resident students on campus not wearing their masks. Our hallways are narrow, and our classrooms are small. The main building does not have HVAC. It just doesn't seem realistic that we'll get far without issues.

I work in a restaurant, and I work on a college campus. People don't always or even mostly follow protocols unless forced to, repeatedly. I get to listen to unmasked dining guests whine about Cuomo while I sweat under my mask and march through actual (but invisible) plumes of respiratory droplets. It feels remarkably unsafe, especially as Erie County's infection rates quietly climb. But recognizing the ridiculous and inconsistent nature of various Covid policies doesn't then logically lead to: EFF IT, WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GATHER DRUNKENLY AND SCREAM ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN THE THOUSANDS! Just because our current policies seem arbitrary and selective and put people at risk doesn't mean we should knowingly make it worse. The whole two-wrongs-don't-make-a-right thing? People are kind of childish, huh? They want what they want (in this case, Bills football in-person) and they'll bend reality to justify it. That's what my toddler does.

#mealso (notice I avoided the more obvious, more (rightfully) contentious, and possibly funnier hashtag)

^ He's right, you know...

Sorry, but I really need to check with everyone who has read this thread: did someone on page 2 actually, solely call-out CSPAN for "telling me what to think"?! I ask this objectively to ensure I'm not hallucinating. As for the network, I'm thinking YES is the best-case example of such a dedicated channel, with respect to quality content/programming. But YES Network amounts to an unknown portion of my bloated monthly cable/internet bill, but which, along with MSG, is the only reason I pay for cable service (Yankees and Sabres games of course). That's an expensive two-channel/team subscription. So this Bills media endeavor would follow a different model? I'm listening...

I'd find a way to rationalize it.

No. You get fired up.

Here we go! This is great. I'm excited!

So we're all just gonna leave Mr. Striker hanging like this?

Anyone notice BOTH interviewers have wonky pinkies? I knew about Baldinger's bent-a$$ lineman finger from the NFL Matchup days, but I didn't realize Warner's got one, too.

Tre is remarkably charismatic. Just the way he listens, processes, responds...so authentic. Football guys must LOVE talking football with him. Rarely are such talented (and young) players (especially CBs) SO engaging and likable.

Amen. Got any pull with Frazier or McD? Point of clarification: is said baby screaming disconsolately?

That'd be swell. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! Position flex.

Or mighta been making a funny.

Thanks, but I meant I CAUSE those things.

That's not how thinking works.

Got a credible citation for that stat?

Masks.

Record me losing my mind at home. I'm good for at least one false start or delay of game each week.

So be it, then. Let the best five play. I hope they don't factor in draft capital when making the final depth chart. Give him every chance to succeed now, sure. But don't try to justify what it cost to acquire him by forcing it once the regular season kicks off. All I ask on that front.

I agree in large part. But...am I the only one who thinks the Dolphins will be even more difficult to play this season? (Let the record show: they gave the Bills "fitz" last season, and look to be improved in 2020. Obviously, QB is the wildcard here.) I think they're being built to be a pain in the A$$ for opposing QBs...

I think for most analysts, and many GMs, talent in the secondary has become the most important piece of the defensive puzzle. Heard some pundit on WGR the other day emphasize this point, and certainly we're seeing contracts and cap allocations indicate or at least suggest as much: your secondary sets the tone in a passing league. Pass rushers will always matter, but they can only get there so fast on most plays. They need the back end to force the QB to hold it just a little bit longer, to come off his first or second read, or to doubt what he's seeing just long enough to get home. Brady has always been a great example of this: they say pressure up the middle is his weakness (same goes for all QBs of course), but really, it's always been about making him hold the ball just a LITTLE bit longer through disguise and execution on the back-end, which then exposes his risk-averse, nut-less tendency to turf the ball as real NFL football players close in on him. With this in mind, Buffalo and Miami (and of course New England) have built modern defenses. The Jets are some vestigial anachronism of the 90s and early '00s where Greggo's machismo was rewarded. Eff the Jets. They suck. Miami, for example, is built more progressively.