Beck Water

I'm not so sure the Bills are using a modified Saints system now. Can you tell me more about this?

I'm not a scout, but I'm not sure that's the way "most NFL coaches grade" and would welcome some input on this - any input from guys who've coached at the college or HS level @HoofHearted @Buffalo716? Either way, I think the main point is that the coaches (and scouts) are typically people who have a deep and nuanced knowledge of the game. They're people who can diagnose the defensive coverage based on subtle cues like footwork and body position. We saw this kind of thing with Tony Romo when he started his broadcast career, where he could accurately read the defense and predict what the offense was going to do and the network told him to tone it down. The ability of these people with a lifetime football background, playing and coaching, to deduce the play call, or the coverage, or the protection call, after looking at film, is on a different level. It's my understanding that PFF uses a lot of graders in Ireland and now India whose understanding of the game is taking a few training sessions. Now they claim that only 10% of their employees finalize grades or something like that, and that everything is reviewed, but 🤷‍♂️? Some critiques of PFF: https://sportank.com/media/post/is-pff-reliable-are-they-all-that-credible I picked these because neither are out to just dismiss or trash PFF.

I guess he's not of Watt's stature, but I've referenced before Bills former center Eric Wood talking about PFF grading of OL play. He discussed how coaches grade out players relative to their assignments and it looks nothing like PFF's grading. In a browser, if you click on the tweet so you get a URL that says "twitter" in it and copy that, it will embed.

Actually he looks like this

Well, the other thing he knows is that just like other noisy environments, Highmark does calm down a lot if his team were to manage to get out to an early lead.

Baldy after the regular season game on part of the Chiefs strategy

Don't know if I believe him, but good to hear. Very very good if true.

The challenge of Haack on the PS is the "two elevations per game" rule. If Davis is unlikely to be back (DNP today, per @HappyDays source Grade 2 PCL tear and out for Division round), we really need to elevate a WR. With Dodson, Spector, and Bernard all injured, even if 2 of them can play, elevating AJ Klein seems like a no-brainer. So we have to cut someone to bring Haack onto the roster. Then who do we cut? And do Waiver rules still apply?

You are an Erudite and Intelligent Poster (in the true sense, not the DC Tom sense)

Question: how does IR work during the playoffs? I mean there's only 3 games max left so if we IR someone, does that mean he's gone?

I'm glad it was clear to you. The way McDermott worded it "Phillips 21 day return window opens today", created confusion for me and possibly others. He coulda worded it more clearly. But he's got a lot of other stuff on his mind. Question: When did he find it (Nick Wright find his mind I mean)? And while we're at it, How Would We Tell? I'm right there witcha. Before the season, if anyone had told me Bernard would be the Toast of our D I'd have been "wait wat?"

Good post. FWIW, Brett Kern had an average NYP of 36.6 his last year with Philly. That's 10 punts over 4 games in 2022. Andy Lee is freakin' 40 but that was his NYP average his last year with 'Zona. I think I'd rather Pat O'Donnell than either. For one thing, he was still bopping around the league this season after being cut by GB at the end of training camp, so evidently he still wants to play. On the Falcons practice squad in Oct. then on and off their roster in December. For another, while his NYP average is lower at 38 he did it outside in windy cold weather with Chicago and GB. But I'm not opposed to bringing back Haack. He does have that "familiar holder for Bass" thing going for him.

The problem with Haack, if I recall correctly, was not his punting distance. It's that he seems to have this unusually long windup that resulted in some punts being blocked or scarily close to blocked. Then he would squib some. So if he punted 5 times, 4 of them might travel a respectable 40 yds and one of them only 28. It was like Forrest Gump's box of Chocolates, you never knew what you were gonna get

I think your prognosis may be correct, "Dr Spikes". What I'm worried about is how effective Dodson will be, but those worries are largely based upon speculation from Banged Up Bills which as many have pointed out, is just educated guessing based on his knowledge of injuries and what causes them.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEEeG0YWwAAPAvU?format=jpg&name=900x900 That's ..... a bit scary WTF man we're talking about Filthy Beast. Try to keep up. Of course @Logic is not a troll. Wrong, (peppa)pig-headed and mistaken sometimes, but not a troll. Speaking of which has anyone seen @Logic and Peppa Pig in the same room at the same time?

Actually, I think it shows he's a troll, but that could just be my background. He's for sure no Bills fan and that's a hill I'm ready to die on. Edit: just in case someone else isn't keeping up, I'm talking about Filthy Beast and so is Chongli.

Confirming Haack will be a practice squad signing. Another "No Punt Game" would be fine with me.

Having watched McDermott's presser, my personal impression is that Bernard was not diagnosed with a fracture or with ligament tears requiring surgery, but he's not exactly thinking it's likely Bernard will be able to play. More just trying to keep the "competitive advantage" by placing the issue in doubt.

Hauschka was a field goal kicker, never punted in the league as far as I know.

I came here to suggest this. If you already have a Facebook account, look around for a group in your neighborhood. Also try Nextdoor and even "Buy Nothing", as you might have something you could swap for some help (a couple cans of soup, who knows?) We have a Facebook group for our neighborhood and our town and I know people would be all over giving you a hand, it's just a matter of reaching the right folks. Good Luck OP!

I mean, what was reported? We never get specifics of injuries, and that matters. Banged Up Bills had this to say prior to the Pittsburg round: A "strain" in this context means a muscle injury vs. a ligament injury (sprain). But like a sprain, a strain can be graded as mild to severe. Anyway, if it's been reported "Grade 1 strain" (mild) I haven't seen that. All I know is we've been told before that calf strains can linger.

It could be either, given that today's practice was a walk-through

Well, a lot of us have been Bills fans for >40 years. We've lived through losing the very first AFC championship game after the league merger (and coming off two back to back AFL championships). We've lived through a couple of sporadic good years in the 70s and 80s only to fizzle, then the Marv Levy years of "Wide Right" followed by 3 more Superbowl losses. Hope for the best, but fear the worst is baked into us by now, and BBFS (Battered Bills Fan Syndrome) is a Thing. But no, it doesn't happen before every game. Before the Steelers game, many were concerned because of the weather - bad weather that would negate our passing game and equalize the team more than it should be. There was also some injury concern with 3 starters and 1 regular contributor ruled out (Gabe, Rasul Douglas, Tyrell Dodson, Taylor Rapp) Now with this game we're looking at the injuries piling up even more and cussing. It's huge being potentially down both starting LBs, our starting nickel, and both starting CBs going against KC and Mahomes. I think we'd all feel more positive if we were healthier on D.