Beck Water

That. Wasn't. Funny.

Kelce has 74 ypg this season. Last season it was 78. 8.7 vs 8.8 y/tgt. Not much fall off. 3.9 1st downs per game vs 4.6 is probably significant. The Chiefs rookie 2nd rounder Rashee Rice is at 52 receptions and 49.3 ypg, though that's a bit skewed by 100+ yd game vs. LVR. So no, factually, Davis at 39 receptions and 49.6 ypg would not be the Chiefs #1 wr (and factually, the Chiefs #1 receiver has been Kelce for several years now) Diggs of course would be their #1 WR, but Shakir is at the same level of contribution as the Chiefs Justin Watson or MVS. Kincaid is starting to contribute, thankfully

You're not entirely wrong, but Pacheco and an aging Kelce is A Lot.

I think the question for McDermott is "who does he replace on the roster?"

Right, I talk about the Bills actually being quite aggressive sometimes in how they handle injuries and I've taken some flack for it because supposedly McDermott is "super conservative". But the decision to play Knox with a wrist that needed surgery for 2 weeks...Benford played with a club on his hand...Beasley played with broken ribs and a broken ankle.... Milano was allowed to try to play when he couldn't lift his arm to make a tackle, Ford when he couldn't lift his arm to make a block No, I don't think the Bills are "super conservative" in how they handle injuries.

Oh, hell to the noes....but I can neither confirm nor deny that my time watching Sam Fricker reels may have doubled

Already did, she says she's fine. I assume there is great sadness among the ladies in the WNY clubs

I agree with most of this - but, Josh absolutely throws with anticipation at times. He did this regularly with Beasley. If you watch some of the Youtube videos with guys who break down film, they absolutely point this out. What Josh doesn't do as much, that I witnessed Purdy doing last night, was take the quick throws to the open receiver/RB. Part of this dynamic with Purdy may be he's got an all-world player at RB in McCaffrey, so why wouldn't you get the ball into his hands quickly? Frankly, I think part of Josh's issue last season and this is a weapons question. Kincaid seems to be coming on, but I think losing Beasley and believing that Davis could step into Sanders/Browns shoes and McKenzie then some combo of Shakir/Harty/Sherfield could step into Beasley's shoes was a big Fail by Beane. But the point is, you can have a QB who has elite weapons and if he's not a "real" QB he can fail to take advantage of them appropriately.

I thought GB's LB and secondary were practically sieve-like last night. Paddy routinely manipulated them to leave huge holes for Kelce in zone. The difference is GB was able to 'get to' Mahomes for 3 sacks and a number of pressures, and he's lucky he was only picked once and not 2-3x. GB DL was 🔥 The big improvement for GB has been offense. They averaged 282 yds their 1st 5 games, and 389 the most recent 5 games. Their points scored didn't go up so much, but sustaining drives and keeping the ball away from the opponent has been huge. It's not like he left in FA or asked to be traded. Beane made GB an offer, and they thought they had good depth behind him to take the draft picks. I don't think the Packers got better on defense since trading Douglas. They're giving up scary yards rushing and the Lions had a >300 yd game. But their offense has gotten its proverbial act together.

They went over the uncalled DPI and the Hail Mary at the end of the game, I could be wrong but I think it was the first time they brought in their 'officiating expert'. You're probably correct that Collinsworth went on a bit about it affecting the outcome of the game, he has that tendency where Paddy Mahomes is concerned. IIRC during a SNF game in ?2020?, he went on and on about a final drive 'roughing' call on Josh Allen that was legit by rule, but sometimes uncalled, and allowed the Bills to keep their drive alive and choke out any chance of the Pats coming back to score - I'd have to look up which game that actually was

Like I said up front, I appreciate your POV as a guy who plays, and I'm 100% on board with "if you're not a player or a coach". But what drew me out to respond was you saying "I don't care if you're a coach, an injured player in civvies..." Pretty sure I've seen coaches and injured players in civvies putting their hands on opposing players to block them off of their own players and try to break up a fight. Not sure that's undesireable, nor universally frowned upon.

But by that same logic, it's impossible to evaluate Burrows with Chase, Higgins, and Boyd not to mention Mixon. Maybe it's impossible to evaluate Tua with Hill, Waddle, Achane, and Mostert. etc etc. These are all QB playing within a system that tries to make their job easier, and with top notch skill players. They still have to make the right reads, choose the correct receiver, and put the ball in the right place while avoiding 'interceptable balls' and mistakes and anyone who thinks that's simple while 3-6 behemoths are chasing you full speed ought to strap one on. It seems to me that you want to re-define "NFL QB" in a way that rules out some very competent, good players. You know, Josh Allen has wide open players at times he doesn't choose to throw to, in favor of a higher degree of difficulty deeper throw.

I can see why it strikes you that way (see what I did? har har) but that wasn't my intent. My point is that you can't lay it out that simply for non-players and inactives. They're going to want to put their hands on an opposing player to keep him from further going after and potentially injuring "one of their own", or to help break up a fight etc. No question that it shouldn't have happened and it crossed a line, I'm just saying I don't think you can boil it down as simply as "if you're not one of the active players dressed for the game, hands off". It's simpler to just say "you don't mix it in and escalate, ever."

Um, no? I don't think any NFL GM has the option to rework a player's contract for "underperforming". Contracts get renegotiated (as far as I know) three ways: 1) the player's salary is converted to signing bonus and amortized over the length of the contract or even beyond. This is called "kicking the can down the road" and the Bills did it with Tre White, Von Miller, etc. 2) The player is owed a substantial salary, none of which is guaranteed, and the "dead money" the team will accrue is minimal if he's cut. (Mitch Morse a few years back). So the player accepts a salary cut in exchange for guaranteeing most or all of the lower salary. 3) A player who retires while he's under contract, in principle, can be asked to repay the unamortized portion of his signing bonus. In practice, players file grievances over this and it's disliked as a practice, so teams seldom seem to request this In 2024, the Bills owe Von $32M in dead money if he's cut, $23M if we keep him. The only relief we're likely to get on that is $1.3M/game if he's suspended, so $7.84M if he's suspended the "minimum" 6 games for DV after the league completes its investigation. Agreed. And don't "bet the rent" on that retirement re-negotiation favorable to the team occurring. It didn't with Eric Wood. It didn't with Andrew Luck. I can't think of a case where a retiring vested veteran did this, actually - I believe there was a LB with SFO who retired before he'd played a down in the league who repaid his signing bonus, but that's about all.

I don't know if I believe that "the game is fixed" in the sense that the NFL says "we want Team Bird to win the game over Team Turd" or the like. I think that the word is out at times to "protect the stars of the game" leading to star QB like Mahomes getting the benefit of the doubt on roughing calls. I also think there may be a mandate to "keep it interesting" by giving the underdog the benefit of the doubt early in the game. I also think individual refs have personal biases that interfere with their judgement. As the saying goes "let a man get a reputation for rising early, and he may sleep 'til noon without changing it". MVS is a 50% catch rate guy. If he were CeeDee Lamb or Tyreek Hill with a >70% catch rate, maybe he gets the call. I also think betting can influence things - I don't think refs are allowed to bet, but what stops their buddy Fred from betting on their behalf and quietly sharing the loot?

But @Simon, all respect for your personal experience but, don't we see all the time coaches putting their hands on players? To stop them running into sideline equipment, to help them up, to keep them on the sideline, to separate them in a developing brawl, etc etc?

I give this a lot more credibility than Benjamin Albright's Broncos-based "insider knowledge"

Purdy is a real QB. He is leading the league in completion % and Y/A, #4 in passing TD, and top 10 in total passing yards and YPG. His TD/INT is >2. He is executing the SF offense as it's designed to be executed and can make enough deep and sideline throws to take advantage of what he's given. Purdy is a real QB, just more in the mold of Brady or Montana than Favre or Rodgers. I remember you. 🧌

I understand the point you're making, but the counterpoint is, they're discussing the calls or no-calls as soon as feasible after they happen, then moving on. The "unnecessary roughness" on Jonathan Owens was called and discussed earlier in the drive, so re-hashing it would look like debating the officiating game-long. Meanwhile, they didn't have a pause to really discuss and replay the no-call DPI with their "officiating expert" before the game ended. If you want agreement that Collinsworth and Co have a narrative and are biased, I absolutely can agree with that - all game long.

If we're going to discuss blatant and obvious officiating mistakes, how about the "personal foul" late hit on Mahomes who was running for the first down marker and contact by Jonathan Owens was clearly initiated prior to him reaching the marker in an attempt to prevent reaching it? Then the clock stoppage when the runner (I think that was the pass to MVS) went out of bounds backwards? If those football moves are correctly officiated, maybe it's 3rd and 1 from the KC 39 and we never get to that no-call PI (which, IMobservation, is often a no-call) My point is if people want to call out mistakes that change the course of the game, need to look at all the mistakes, or even just the mistakes on the final drive.

I mean, they did consult their officiating expert about the phantom late hit that was actually in bounds and a solid football move. I don’t recall them saying the KC player was going backwards. Is it just that they didn’t bring it up at the end that chaps your grits? I don’t think I’ve ever heard commentators recap all the questionable calls or non-calls at the end of the game - wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the NFL has “guidelines” against that for broadcasts. I think it’s gone a bit far for a crush, or even a first date, personally

Eh. There’s a cream cheese-containing buttercream frosting that’s a pretty common frosting and decorating icing. I find it hard to work with but my friend uses it all the time. Her signature cake is white chocolate with white chocolate ganache filling.

I mean, how would you know it’s “silence as usual”? The questions on the officiating take place internally between the team and the league - I’m sure they’re not silent in raising questions there.

Nice replay of 4th and 1 conversion with the OL’s hands in the KC defender’s face

Does it date me to acknowledge I have an unreasonable love for that “what’s in your wallet?” Ad with Santa channeling John Travolta?