Mikie2times

He is very Diggs like in just how smooth he is. Like Diggs, he doesn't need sub 4.4 speed to get over the top, his route running is elite and if he gets you to bite he has plenty of speed for a house call. Crazy him and Beasley played on the same SMU team.

I almost look at the Hyde and Poyer as the start of it all. Hyde had some starts and some ok years but wasn't very heralded. Poyer bounced between teams, rarely starting, coming off a bizarre injury. I would consider neither to be splash signings yet both were young with experience and we inked them to long deals. From day one they started. It's almost like they knew something about them or how they would fit in this scheme that either nobody else knew or just gave them more value in the system. Then this theme has just kept playing out. How they stalked Manny Sands for years. Stole the closest thing to Julian Edelman in todays NFL in Cole. Brushed aside any of the diva hype on Diggs. Disregarded any of the accuracy death on Allen. It goes on and on. It's like they know things about players or look at players in ways nobody else does. The hit rate is just getting overwhelming at this point and just growing with the emergence of Knox and multiple players in the 21 draft class.

Oh, darn it, I wanted it to be real 🤣.......You can tell he likes to have a good time, sort of the eternal kid jokester, those people are great, that and the competitiveness is probably what makes him and Josh so close. They remind me of each other in a lot of ways.

You haven't seen "it" before. Thankfully.

Beane and McDermott had a vision, they properly identified players, then they executed on that vision. Then to throw some stank on it, they're locking up all of the elite young talent to long term deals. Then for even more stank, they seem to found a chemistry in the type of player they like that almost resembles a college team. This team loves each other like few professional teams do.

I really wish I knew more back story on this. Pretty damn funny they all picked Diggs and how they said it. "He's, he's just crazy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d-Smb2DfvM

I very much appreciate the detail in your response. As some have alluded to in the post, I think people have different standards of the words winner or efficient or think about them in different ways. Certainly all of those QB's had other things going and were all stone cold killers. They could all take the top off a defense and Young wasn't some athletic slouch. That said, my view of saying these guys fit the word efficient was just in how the offense was conducted. They knew the ball was going to X pre snap 99% of the time. Levels of accuracy were record breaking or close, pressure was almost impossible just based on the speed of delivery. It was a demoralizing efficiency, which for me felt very similar to the TB led NE drought of the 2000's. I just don't feel that way watching Josh. I feel like teams can get him off the field. He can run hot or cold for stretches. Which to the media and some observers immediately downgrades him as he doesn't fit the style of what so many former greats look like. Then within this, he can run about as well as anybody and makes plays downfield nobody can make. So the game ends and you think, hmmm, Josh could have played better, but then you look at the score and he hung 35+. Then you look at his line and it's 300-350 total yards and 3TD's and and it always is and you have no idea the possible configuration of throws or rushes it took to accomplish that. He creates ways to create points from nowhere, but he does it so consistently, and from my view, yes, it's every couple decade talent, but also, a sheer determination to win. Michael Vick was nothing like Allen, but in freakish talent and general accuracy, he was. Take Vicks freakish talent, apply it to one of the hardest working, highest character, most detail oriented players at the position. What you would see is what we are seeing with Josh. You will have some hot and cold but the is talent is so profound, if the determination is there like it is with Josh, it's almost like a Michael Jordan impact on the field. Things will happen that can't happen and it will happen normally almost allowing a player to singe handedly will a team to victory. As it often appears Josh does for us in closer games in key plays. I say a lot, it's a forum I gave reference to Michael Jordan earlier, he needed experience and help to finally overcome the Pistons. Not having the hardware is part of what is polarizing. If he was the ultimate winner, wouldn't he have won? I still think you need some experience and a supporting cast. Last year very well could have been our 1990 Bulls season, the year the Bulls lost to the Pistons for the last time. You see similarities with the swag and attitude of this team compared to the evolution of the Bulls demeanor towards the Pistons as they got hungrier.

Has to be Bryce Paup, Ted Washington, or TKO. As far as buzz to impact ratio, I'm actually going with Teddy. He was here a long time, was not a splash signing and basically was the blueprint at his position for a decade. Paup had a massive first year. TKO was an excellent player, we paid for such and he delivered. Steve Christie belongs in the conversation as well.

I think off the field Ben is a low character POS. I live about 30 minutes from where he went to high school and the stories vibrate well past me. That said, thank you for the post. I think you really captured what I was trying to convey. On the field Ben was a force, but he was never included with those other players. Still, he could do things those other players couldn't do and often times it's why he would beat those players.

Fair, but I think you need to have a certain level of talent to even be in the running of being called a singular term. Tebow had that level of talent in college and yes, I would 100% define him as a " winner" but his talent just wasn't strong enough in the NFL. High character, determined, these also fit Josh, but they also fit Brady, Montana, Young, etc. Something about Josh doesn't make people feel as comfortable saying he is one of the best and I think in general it's mainly because he isn't that efficient at times. Not like the best have been, but people then get confused and they downgrade him when he actually offsets any efficiency issues by basically being Uncle Rico in a Captain America costume.

Perhaps the most winner, winner play of his career thus far. He has these singular plays that describe who he is in a much broader sense. What separates him from everybody. If you asked fans to describe the style of play of those players, I don't think it would be winner. It would be methodical or efficient and Josh is neither. Remembered as a winner? Sure. I would certainly agree with that.

I'm not thrilled at the hypocrisy of the NFL in any of this. That said, Gruden was sacrificed because he said what he did against two of the most influential people in the NFL. Take a shot using the same words Gruden did against your CEO on a business email server. Is that something any of us would expect to survive?

Josh seems to be a very polarizing figure in the media and while he is adored by the fan base, at times you see the that polarizing effect even leak out into Bills fans when he plays poorly. I’m trying to understand that more. While I might drop a stat or two, in my opinion stats almost muddy the waters even more. As an example, last year, Josh was had several games where he carved teams up and put up QBR's as good as it gets. But if you said describe Josh in one word, I think the last word I would choose would be “efficient”. If you asked me to describe most the legends in the QB annuals in the last 20-30 years, I would say efficient would be the most common word used. Brady, Montana, Young, Brees, Manning, “efficient” just dominates your mind when you hear those names. They had a robot-like consistency and that is what we have come to visualize when looking at the greats. More recently you see guys like Mahomes who I would also not call “efficient” as far as the first word to describe them. Perhaps, “talented or unique”. Mahomes is pretty consistent in his play, but it’s what he does that so few can that makes you scratch your head. He is also a Super Bowl winner and former MVP, so if he appears inconsistent once in awhile benefit of the doubt is given. If I described Josh in one word it would be “winner”. He is probably the most physically talented QB in the NFL but I feel his drive to just win games is even greater than his talent. At times he can go stretches looking awful and that's what confuses people . Then he does something nobody can, not even Mahomes. Then he leaps a defender gaining 20 yards on the ground. A few hours later you look at the score and we put up 35 points and think, Allen probably could have played even better. With Allen, he will always produce points, because even when he looks inconsistent, he can still become Houdini by air or land at any moment and he is the 2nd most impactful running QB in the NFL. To me Josh fits the term “winner” more than any QB in the NFL at this time. That said, Josh has not won the big one. Justifiably so, it’s hard to anoint him as the ultimate “Winner” until that time comes. Until then he seems to be stuck in this efficient ideology of NFL’s QB’s and if that shifts, he then goes to competing against a Super Bowl winning former MVP who is the only guy that can even come close to replicating some of the plays you might see from Allen week to week. Josh is not a normal QB. I don't think he will ever just unload for 5 yards unmercifully breaking your will like his predecessors. As for his sham wow ability, he probably is the top guy, but he's also getting compared to a MVP with a ring. That said nobody will ever convince me Mahomes wants it more or is as tough as Allen. Allen will run through your DT's. He isn't a Brett Farve comp, Brett Farve is a Josh Allen Comp. Farve, even with his stupid arm strength is still less physically gifted and he certainly couldn't run 1/10th as effective as Allen can. It might be hard for Allen to carve out a true identity which makes people question how good he really is. It unlikely he ever gets the efficiency label applied like many former legends have. That said once the SB rings come, It will be much easier to just label him for what he is. A winner.

It is awfully righteous of the NFL to act like they have ever cared about the rights of black players. Colin Kaepernick was all but kicked out of the league. It was publicly OK at that time to not condone his actions. 50%+ did not side with his actions saying he dishonored the flag. The NFL appealed to them. Now the NFL appeals to the advancement of black people and BLM because more than 50% believe in that movement. The NFL is basically a politician with nobody to hold them accountable. I imagine, face to face Grudens interactions with black people were fair. Mike Tirico seemed to almost be pleading for his job Sunday night. Gruden had a very positive reputation with his players, black and white. Still, people sometimes hide the truth in public, at the least, behave differently in private. Some people don't understand the gravity of what they say, others do. I don't think I'm confident I will know exactly where Gruden falls on the scale of prejudice. I certainly do not think he is alone, plenty of executives would likely be found guilty of a putting something in writing that is derogatory about sexuality or race if under the same telescope. Again, no more or less acceptable. Both the NFL and Gruden really are no better than each other.

I wouldn't say teams have 100% given up on the blitz, but Allen has gone from 42.7% last year to 13.7% this year. So they virtually have given up on it. Which we really adapted to after week 1. Allen is much more aware of his check down, Moss has done well in that role and Daboll has got much more creative and consistent in the run game. It's almost like Allen didn't expect it week 1, especially from Pittsburgh, now he's onto how teams are playing him. As is Daboll and I love the counter punch which in the end just gives the offense diversity. No reason a team like this can't pivot to a Roman like approach with a QB like Josh. We just need a few plays that do single wing/rpo concepts, we don't need to build an entire offense around it.

Just poor wording on my part. I meant we don't need to blitz to get pressure this year. I see it exactly as you do.

I'm not sure if many recall this, but we targeted Manny first, I wonder if he was decisive if we still get Diggs? Now we have them both. Beane clearly never forgot about Manny and I laugh when they call him old. He one of those age isn't relevant players. Just as smooth as it gets in his routes and can play anywhere. The riches we have at WR is just not fair. You could make two teams have a fairly decent group out of all of them. https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2020/4/1/21202749/the-buffalo-bills-had-interest-in-wr-emmanuel-sanders-stefon-diggs-trade

If you look at Mahomes and Allen, you see a variation in how teams are going about defending them. Neither is getting blitzed like they once did. Allen's career blitz average is over 40% per attempt, this year it's just 13.7%, while Mahomes is at 13.8%, down from his career average of 23%. You saw how we played Mahomes and how teams have played us. Rush four, try and disrupt the pocket and play coverage. Is the blitz obsolete? Obviously not. We will never see the 85 Bears again. Reduced contact within 5 yards allows plays to start faster rendering the blitz more risky. I think teams have learned with Mahomes and Allen if you blitz and they evade you, it's over. You will be down defenders in coverage and they can throw from any position extending plays 6+ seconds. It isn't just saying don't blitz, you also need a defensive line to disrupt the pocket with only four rushers and enough meat in the middle to not get gutted in the ground game (sounds a lot like Pittsburgh). Excellent back end coverage certainly doesn't hurt either. Last year we didn't have the make up to do all these things. Very few teams have the make up to do all these, I thought Tampa Bay was about as close as anybody at the end of last year. Buffalo was built around it's coverage at DB and LB. We also have aggressive blitz packages. Getting a top notch DL was never something I envisioned as a real possibility this early. This year Star has been a different player. Maybe the year off revitalized him. He's absorbing two blockers and not conceding any space. Zimmer has been a very solid rotational player. Groot, Boogie, and AJ have injected another dimension into the pass rush. Then Hughes, Addison, and Oliver can all flash at anytime, all current or former starters, all of these guys rotating. Which is key, they stay fresh and offensive lineman never get a beat on tendency. It has to be maddening to face so many styles. We saw this style of defense on display all night and we dominated. We saw a much more aggressive, blitzing style defense on display previous weeks and we dominated. This defense was built on coverage and now it is a considerable threat without blitzing to get home. We have not had that luxury in the McDermott / Frazier era and they have had a lot of success without such a benefit. This defense has a chance to be historically good this season. We can play any style we want. DVOA from Football outsiders actually has us as being historically good as of this time with the KC game being against far and away the #1 offense in the NFL.

Jersey sales are not the meat of this discussion unless you think Mac Jones is also in the conversation. Everybody who wanted a Mahomes jersey this year already had one. Where Josh ascended last year, from being a jersey mostly bought by WNY and die hard fans to being the jersey of an MVP candidate. That is why Josh leads the league in jersey sales. In a couple years, regardless of how it goes, it won't be the same way because everybody will already have an Allen jersey. Having said all this, you saw how they marketed Favre. Allen is more charismatic than Favre. Allen could go directly to ESPN right now based on his communication skills and background. So yes, Allen will become the face of the league if the Bills win a Super Bowl. It's a no brainer to push things in that direction for the league. His back story is phenomenal, he plays a style that is as gritty as they come, he has interesting anecdotes, excellent communication skills, athletic freak, man of the people, and Bills mafia is actually becoming a rather popular brand for the league. They like to sell our passion as a fan base more so much than jumping through tables, but yes, Bills mafia is becoming an NFL brand and that will only grow with further with success.

He really is. If you just watch his more casual conversations in interviews he just keeps people laughing. Quick wit and really good sarcasm. One of the better ones to watch.

It almost looks like we are running the same defensive plan the Steelers did week 1. That said, this DL is the difference right now. They're getting home rushing four.

The KC OL has been holding Groot on almost every play.

It really was the shared vision and lack of ego between him and Beane that has made the difference. How many coach/GM combinations are actually friends, sharing the same vision on how to build a team, never in conflict with each other, never fighting for who is the biggest reason things have went well. Then with Terry and Kim, I think they both did a great job in identifying the right people and not micro managing them. We had one of the worst front offices in the NFL for almost 20 years and it really didn't matter the moving parts, it just never fit together. A lot of teams still look just like we used to or like we used to have an owner that gets too involved.

Be sure to send a strongly worded letter to the Bills analytics department that their contributions aren't relevant. But if we win based on said analytics wouldn't that make them relevant? Is your mind relevant?

All of us are pausing, which words should I pick? D*** V***** O? A**