Richard Noggin

Sure, championships are now the bottom line, but there are ALWAYS metrics by which we can evaluate performances among a pool of everyone else who didn't win. It's not like every team who doesn't win the SB each season is somehow rendered equally inept once the season ends. Despite the post-hoc narrative, the SB does not crown 1 celebrated, championship-caliber team while also by default designating 31 equally undeserving also-rans.

It's reasonable to criticize Burrow for not lighting up the Rams in the SB last season and the Chiefs in the AFCCG this season, especially considering how talented his weapons are. It's also important to mitigate that criticism with a healthy recognition of the kind of debilitating pass rush pressure he faced early and often in both contests. The Bills failed to exploit the Bengals o-line. The Chiefs succeeded. Simple.

Yes, he's supplied for a "finesse" offense a valuable, physical spark that fans should appreciate, but his short-striding, violent, stompy gait probably maxes out close to what we've seen this season already. Which is a fun, physical, fairly effective style. While the runner is explosively healthy. At the same time, with sparser usage, especially early in the season, James Cook has flashed 0.8 ypc MORE productivity, yet is far less acknowledged, possibly due to draft status (and lineage/expectation).

Taron Johnson? Got benched going into the Tennessee game in 2021, but then reinserted when Cam Lewis got hurt early in that game, and never looked back...

It's important to acknowledge that sometimes necessity is the mother of invention, with respect to roster utilization. The Chiefs have undoubtedly been more progressive and aggressive recently than the Bills in their fielding of rookies and inexperienced players throughout the depth chart. I wonder how much is forced by injury, and how much is deliberate. And how much has to do with what matters most: the LOS. The Chiefs defensive front pressured Burrow effectively with a variety of approaches, taking advantage of an obvious injury-related vulnerability (Bengals missing 3 starters on the OL). This allowed even the rookies in KC's secondary to play with a certain conviction and clarity. Those inexperienced DBs weren't hung out to dry often enough to be exploited under this approach.

I have expected the Bills to look into him eventually, given his personal relationship with JA17 and relative affordability combined with decent traits for a backup.

Great post. No one is FORCED to support McD as HC, but likewise NO ONE can deny McD's record (and team stats and analytics, including actual in-game coaching prowess) since taking over. A lot like Daboll did in NY/NJ this season, McD earned some credibility with that somewhat fluky playoff appearance in 2017. Both guys have demonstrable leadership chops. Now we will see if McD can truly continue to reflect/self-scout and grow in new ways, in a climate that absolutely DEMANDS INNOVATION of schemes married with optimization of roster traits/utilization. 2023 will tell us a lot, innit?

Over the years, Andy Reid has spent some serious offseason time studying (and stealing from) college offensive coaches he admires; that guy never stops innovating, which, ironically, often involves imitating. A quick google search by someone less lazy than me would provide specifics. But no one can deny that Reid's offenses have been progressive in their adoption of college schemes including spread concepts, RPOs, etc. The perfect coach for Mahomes, to be honest.

Kelce went 8-for-108 in the game THIS season. And yet it didn't swing the result; probably in part because Kelce was kept out of the endzone?

For sure Cinci will employ quick passing and determined running; I'm expecting a LOT of bending by Buffalo's defense, even in a winning effort. Frustrating yardage and 1st down conversions. The fans know the drill this season. As long as the offense shows up, we'll be fine.

I'm thinking in terms of high school; he was a Lewport kid, wasn't he?

The Bills definitely did NOT seek to absolutely shut down Kelce earlier this season, at least not the overt Belichick way (physical jam at the line, every play, plus double coverage), yet won nonetheless. In fact, didn't Kelce have over 100 yards in that game against us?

Oh yeah, Moose is definitely a Lewiston guy. Nevermind.

Are you talking about Daboll? If so, isn't the Dolphins thing explained by actually being Canadian?

AJ Brown is mad about what? I tuned out for a bit, and see Sirianni getting NO acknowledgement from the player as he (the coach) talks into his ear, and then the player even shakes off his head after the coach pats his head.

NO idea how that could be, huh?

Come on. It's so blatant.

You have provided zero evidence to support Hendrickson's innocence except for his alleged faith (lol), which does not exactly distinguish him from most of the NFL's players. I have provided video evidence of what I saw, and what more of the viewing public would have seen and remembered had something serious and unprecedented not immediately consumed our attentions thereafter. Watch the main broadcast again when they briefly show us the Hendrickson transgression before cutting to commercial. It's unmistakable. Watch the 2nd replay. His momentum stops, then suddenly he accelerates again and spins into the QB's ankle, miraculously. The network feed even caught his eyes registering the intent (not pictured).

Some of that signature "high drama" came from Van's relatively minimalistic play-by-play: he'd often call the snap and dropback on a passing play, but not say more until the ball (and on-site fans in the background) completed the play. He actually did a great job of slow-playing a lot of high intensity moments in favor of only REALLY amplifying the best moments. His inflection was legendary. Such a fan with such an iconic voice.

That's a complicated dig based on layers of cultural recognition. And I commend it.

I'd argue that Rick Bates is still incredibly valuable as the backup OC (apparently less beloved as a RIGHT guard this year than on the LEFT last year) and longer term as the #1 candidate to take over for Mitch Morse whenever he hangs it up. Morse is NOT old for an interior OL, but we're all forever vigilant about his concussion history. Bates (signed for 3 more seasons at a reasonable rate) should take over at LG next year and the Bills should draft a STUD RG and/or RT.

I find it fascinating that Brown was SO excellent as a calm, concise, and controlled reporter for BB.com for so many years, someone I really appreciated, and then suddenly his performances on One Bills Live took on this hyperbolic, animated, shrill tone that caught us all off guard... And now this loud, excitable, shrill persona might actually be effective on the radio play-by-play? I believe it. Especially given Wood's super flat affect, the Bills need an animated play-by-play guy.

His reputation as a man of faith has NOTHING to do with his behavior on the field. Come on. Be reasonable. Especially after two/three weeks of questions.

LOLOLOLOL this is high level satire. Bravo

While you MIGHT be taking some liberties with MY thinking (beyond what I've shared), I have not yet seen convincing refutations of my take on the Hendrickson/Allen ankle rollup. The live ESPN broadcast stream showed the damning replay angle right as they were going to commercial, but it didn't really get a chance to fully play. What I've seen since does not convince me that nothing happened. Yet, I AM willing to be proven wrong. I'm even HOPEFUL that I'm wrong, because I effing HATE dirtbag cheapshots in such physically brutal sports.