Richard Noggin

You don't think the games last year showed some ON-FIELD hostility? Articles have been shared in this thread about the season finale and the bad blood. I think right now the PLAYERS hate the Dolphins more than I do, for example. I don't hate them the way I did in the 80s and 90s. And you're right, that's partially because neither team is currently relevant enough for an intense buildup. But I think the players have some recent ammunition for a legitimate rivalry.

You really don't think you were being hyperbolic or sanctimonious or preachy or some such (very) minor sin? At all?

You really took this roster move and ran with it, huh?

Hurt badly? Really? While it wasn't a classy move at all, and I definitely have never considered involving myself in on-field happenings... This kind of admonition feels a little too sanctimonious to me. The fan was wrong, but Fournette had left his bench to assault a Bills player, was presently trolling fans, and even his handlers were being a bit d@#chey while walking him toward the tunnel. A beer CAN thrown is no great sin.

Right. That's how amazing world-class milers are. They're SUStaining speeds I cannot even ATtain...

Having played a little rugby in college, where this kind of "scrumming" is fundamental to the sport, I can say it's not as rough as it might appear to be. Rugby is largely about wrapping up and driving. Less about violent collisions. Collisions involving dynamic contrasts in direction and velocity are damaging. Like when guys wear helmets and pads and launch themselves at one another at high speeds. ***Plenty of other nifty on-pitch behaviors make rugby a painful sport, of course***

Agreed. But are you giving him a backhanded compliment here? Matt Milano IS athletic for an NFL linebacker. What he's NOT is long or heavy or freakishly fast. If I said I was completely missing your clear transition from Milano to Hyde, do you forgive me? (I looked back at your post mea culpa Matt Milano is athletic etc.)

Strongly, but respectfully, disagree. Milano's game is quickness, fluidity in the hips, range...being a kind of tweener in college. Athleticism is his thing. While he might not have run a freakish 40 or benched like a beast, Milano's combine numbers, for an NFL linebacker, are quite explosive in a couple categories (his vert and broad jump, specifically, rival Jabril Peppers (who was 10+ lbs lighter at the time): 40 Yard Dash: 4.67 seconds 40 Yard (MPH): 17.52 (MPH) 20 Yard Dash: 2.72 seconds 10 Yard Dash: 1.65 seconds Bench Press: 24 reps (225 lb) Vertical Leap: 35.0 inches Broad Jump: 126 inches 20 Yd Shuttle: 4.38 seconds

https://torontosun.com/sports/football/nfl/bills-jaguars-was-chiefs-rams-inverted This author helps us check our QB enthusiasm from an outsider's (also known as a d@#che's) perspective. I mean, Canadians, amiright?! Just joking about the Northern Neighbors dig. I was married to a Canadian once. Kryk, in the article, being kind: "The most impressive positive: Allen had a scintillating first-half pass completion, the best of his young career. He hung in there in a fast-collapsing pocket and, just before getting clobbered, launched a rocket to undrafted rookie Robert Foster, streaking deep behind Jags safety Barry Church. Foster caught it in stride and scored on a 75-yard play. Allen’s cannon arm is for real. Those were the exceptions." You can see the segue here to being...less...kind.

I love this observation. Sure, I can buy this. But without the edge, and the injuries.

I was at the Sabres game last night in Detroit. While the energy level in the arena was meh most of the first two periods, the second half of the 3rd and the entire overtime + shootout was electric. Detroit fans walked away fairly impressed by the Sabres.

As a prelude to a strong post, this point shouldn't be overlooked. Forget the tribalism that infects our culture. Be a fan of the BILLS as a team. Don't waste energy in futile binary debates. It's not a one-or-the-other, zero sum game. The freshly-rehabbed first-round QB took a step forward today. The newly-signed street FA looked really solid two weeks ago. Both assessments are positive.

In false humility, turns out. He SEEMED like such a gracious guy, back then.

He bought me a beer at the Blarney Stone in Syracuse's Tipp Hill neighborhood in 2011. For real. Against character for him (I've interacted with him since), he very humbly endured some off-hand, dismissive comments I made about 'Cuse football at the bar, unaware he was only a few stools away. He got up and paid without much fanfare, and then the bartender told me my beer was covered. I vaguely remember his Syracuse hat and his thinner (at the time) face. He might have smugly or humbly toasted me. (It was a long time ago, and at that time, I had no effing idea who Doug Marrone was.) So yeah, when he was still building his college resume, I witnessed Saint Doug at his most humble, most gracious best. In a Tipp Hill watering hole. Since then I've waited on him as the Bills head coach, during his first free agent recruiting dinners...the Brandon Spikes, Corey Graham off-season stands out. What a different dude he was by then...

Said no Bills fan ever. But have you watched him throw off-platform? Obviously it's easy and probably smart to dismiss this kind of criticism. It could also (eventually will) be lazy, however. What other elite NFL quarterback is forgiven for being hot trash when forced off-platform?

I was always disappointed by his lack of explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He had a catch-and-run or two, but never really displayed the game-breaking RAC he showed in college. Conversely, his hands, route-running, and smoothness as a more traditional boundary WR were better-than-advertised. And he had a knack for those go routes, which was fun. Like Lee Evans, but with a more complete route tree.

Love these threads. Actual football analysis. #realnews

I eliminated the but here, because, well...he's not making smart, NFL reads with the ball. He still tries to avoid contact entirely, often forgoing modest gains inside. Of course sometimes he's got no options. But I've seen a lot of bad reads by him this season. Wish we'd moved him for everyone's sake.

They did change, dramatically, like immediately after his drafting and signing... Wasn't he the last QB draftee before the rookie wage scale was introduced?

Others have hopefully typed this already (apologies, if so): To consider recent examples of what I hope the Bills are thinking, see also: Eagles and Bears picking their QBs and not surrounding them with talent until year 2 (comprehensive FA and draft revamps of offensive skill positions). Rams did it as well, but more by mistake, or fortune, organizationally. There's considerable, current, evidence for drafting the QB and THEN worrying about the supporting cast. Yes. Year Two is when we evaluate the QB they drafted. Because they'll bring in weapons beforehand or get fired. It became clear (last year) in PHI and LAR, and appears to be playing out well (this year) in CHI and HOU (except against the Bills D) and KC (different context).

Three. Bruce Irvin "made" 3 sacks so far this season. But on that defense, three sacks is actually something.

On a somewhat serious note (my apologies): didn't Lorenzo Alexander play some MLB in last year's playoff game against the Jags? I remember him making plays up the middle, especially on the goal line. And I've read some favorable analysis of his play. So, now that no one can call him a liability or any other such nonsense (which was a prevailing narrative heading into this season), given his performance since and including that playoff game... Maybe Zo fills in some at MLB? Maybe on early downs? Maybe Zo and Milano in an early-down big nickel, with Stanford rotating in on passing downs? The man is just plain good at football.

No, it's ZAY 55 yards.

Hey, that's a fair take on it. I got upset at the lack of enthusiasm around me, and especially for being "punished" for my own enthusiasm. Why I spent the majority of the game wandering the stadium and taking it in from different vantage points. Maybe I should only be in the lower bowl from now on. Those people stood for the duration. Or, like you suggest, in my own living room. (But then I upset the dog...)

311. First row. Surrounded by season ticket holders (and a couple Pats fans).