TigerJ

The forward progress rule applies. However, there is still a question in my mind that there was conclusive video evidence that the runner wasn't already down by contact before he reached the ball across the imaginary first down line. I remember seeing replays from a couple angles that really should nothing about where the runner's knees might have been when he reached the ball out.

I understand your point, and there is something to it, but having Tyrod as one's QB can skew the issue somewhat. Tyrod clearly throws the ball far less frequently than the league average, and there are some kinds of passing plays where he is not very effective at all. Knowing that, defenses can adjust their defensive strategy in certain situations. If the Patriots aren't very good defending the run against teams that represent a significant passing threat, they could still be very good on run defense if they overplay the run because they don't respect the other team's passing offense.

Pretty much this. Some teams on the schedule may not be greatly different from what they are this year. some will be very different. Indianapolis could be very different, as could the Texans as a team with a healthy and somewhat experienced Deshaun Watson. I think if Buffalo changes QBs they could be a fairly different team.

Well, given that Kyle Williams may retire and his cap number of 7.4 million could disappear, I think financially speaking anyone on the list is fair game as long as his skill set fits what McDermott has in mind.

While a Bengals win over the Ravens combined with a Buffalo win at Miami puts Buffalo in the playoffs, I think the odds are better for both the Tatans and Chargers to lose than for Baltimore to lose. Either way provides a path to the final wild card spot. Nothing is probably, however.

The odds of making it are well under 50/50 IMO. If we made the playoffs, I think we're out after the wild card game. It still would be nice to officially end the drought, but if I have to I can wait another year with hopefully a few more holes filled.

I think a Baltimore loss is less likely than the Chargers and Titans both losing.

This make sense. McDermott had a middle linebacker in Carolina who combines incredible athleticism with football intelligence and instinct. Brown, I believe has OK football intelligence and instinct, but very average athleticism. I can see McDermott wanting to upgrade. Roquon Smith comes to mind, if the Bills can snag him.

I think it is possible for a team to make the playoffs with Tyrod as their QB if they have enough talent and experience throughout the rest of the team. I don't think that is enough of a reason to not try and upgrade if you can. I don't really think a team could make a deep playoff run with Tyrod at QB.

For those who didn't read the article: Apparently NFL rules state that if a player has been activated from IR, he cannot be placed back on IR for the same injury. If he is, the same rule specifies that the player be released from his contract and becomes a free agent. A player can only be put on IR twice in the same season if it is for a different injury. A number of teams have apparently accused the Packers of violating that rule. Aaron Rodgers was place on IR a second time in the 2017 season, and there is no indication it is for a different injury that originally landed him on IR weeks ago. My guess is the league will figure out some way to give Green Bay a harmless slap on the wrist. There is too much history associated with the Packers and Rodgers is too important a player to let him go somewhere else to the highest bidder.

This. You can't overturn that call. The evidence is not conclusive, unless you're trying to help insure a Patriots win while the game is still close.

I only imagined I saw the Patriots holding on several plays.

One of an assortment of bad calls today. I think the vast majority favored the Patriots today.

Actually, it probably is not an X. The origin is probably the Greek letter Chi, which happens to look like an X, and is the first letter in the Greek word Christos. If that looks like Christ, that's because it is (the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "hameshea" which is "messiah").

Well, Tyrod is still who we thought he was, but I don't expect a change to happen. It's possible the Bills win with Tyrod as QB in Miami. I know I didn't see anything in the game today to suggest Tyrod is going to be here next season.

Hindsight is 20/20 . . . or not. I don't know the answer. Clearly Peterman had a terrible game and wasn't ready for the opportunity. I guess you can say it was a mistake to start him. However, Tyrod had had two terrible games. Looking back, I don't think there is any convincing evidence he would have played well in the first half had he remained the starter. Coming in the second half he played well, but was that because of the message he had received from his benching? We'll never know. We also don't know what kind of career Peterman will have going forward. Will he be a starter? Is he a career backup? Is he going to wash out of the league in a year or two? It depends on a lot of things, and nobody here knows the answer.

Yeah, I know he's been a non-participant in practices. It became official as of today.

White is going to play Gronk the same way he did last game. If Gronk loses it and retaliates in some way that includes violence after the play, the league will have to give him a longer suspension, that may will stretch into the playoffs if not all the way through the playoffs. I'm sure Belichick has tried to impress that on Gronk.

Sometimes. Sometimes not. I would like a few more blowout wins to reduce the stress of watching, but I'll take wins however I can get them.

I haven't seen any post on the subject, so I'm starting one. Alan Branch is a major cog in the Patriots interior run defense. Him not starting makes things much easier for Wood, Incognito and Ducasse. It means Shady can probably be pretty productive on inside runs, and that will make it a little easier on Tyrod. This doesn't solve the problem of Gronk, but it may help the Bills efforts in time of possession and keep the defense fresh enough to do a better job of defending against Gronk for a whole game versus the first half like last game. Thoughts?

I'm somewhere between optimistic and neutral.

I have a 34 year old son who is a big time Bills fan, and he is training his son the same way. My girls weren't into football. My one daughter got married this past summer. If possible, they plan on having kids but it will be a while before I have any idea whether or not they will be into the Bills, or even football in general.

I think Josh Allen's struggles against big time competition is probably the biggest sign that he is a project QB. Primarily, he's got to get his footwork down better. Lamar Jackson is a very different QB, but I look at Desean Watson's success (until he got injured) as in indicator that Lamar Jackson could have success sooner rather than later. I see a lot of Watson in Jackson. That doesn't necessarily mean I think the Bills are going to draft him.

This.

I don't know what the future holds, but if there is a divorce between Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick, I'm sure it would make Bills fans everywhere very happy, me included. I'm already comforted by the fact Brady is 40 years old. I'm hoping his recent struggles are signs of him approaching a wall.