Beck Water

They seem to suck in the moment, like when they're giving up TDs, but then at the end of the day you look at the box score and they've given up 231 yds of total offense, stuffed the run for 42 yds total, collected 2 interceptions , and allowed 25% 3rd down conversion. We don't remember the 12 3rd downs and 1 4th down they stuffed, we remember the 4 3rd downs and the 1 4th down they allowed to convert.

Exactly. Beane didn't elevate Hodgins to the roster and then cut him and subject him to waivers just for shucks and giggles. He did it because he was dealing with an overall roster numbers-crunch at the time, that required him to sign someone to the 53 man roster because 2 PS elevations weren't enough, and required him to shed a man from the 53 man roster in order to sign Dean Marlowe and Tre White. If Beane had kept Hodgins and not traded for Marlowe, we'd now be looking at a safety duo of Poyer and Jaquan Johnson or Cam Lewis. People get all up in their "feels" OMG Beane cut a good player we could be using! But does anyone think that would be a better idea? I will say this - Beane seems to place an outsized (ha!) value on the contributions of Smurf WR. But when it comes down to opponents playing press man and referees saying "let 'em play!", Smurfs are easier to jam and hold and take away sometimes. I was disappointed that the Bills let go of the WR who best fit the "big possession receiver" type.

The Dolphins were sending a lot of Cover0 blitzes. There are two ways to beat a Cover0 blitz: 1) a quick pass, like a screen 2) deep passes - but that requires keeping extra men in to block and protecting well enough to let them develop The Bills were choosing Option 2 a lot. Josh was also sometimes choosing to extend plays rather than to take his checkdown option. I'm also wondering just how hindered Josh is from having that dirty ankle shot vs. the Bengals. He doesn't seem to have the escapability he usually does. Am I the only one who didn't know that Wade Phillip's son Wes is the Vikes DC? I think Eberflus (who I'm pretty sure is the real DC for the Bears) is a true defensive coaching talent.

I dunno. Were people predicting them to win over the Vikings? I will say that I think the Giants are more likely to be competitive and pull off a win over the Eagles than the Vikes. I'm not a betting person so I don't tend to predict outcomes. I see the Vikes as a team that was squeaking out wins all year on improbable catches by Jefferson and a lucky horseshoe shoved up their butts. I thought the Giants dominated them yesterday on both sides of the LOS. The Giants played the Vikes tough 2 weeks ago while sitting their 1st string QB and RB and several other players. I think Daboll will have the Giants BELIEVING they can beat the Eagles. Like OK they drubbed us by 26 points mid-season, we held them to 22 points and they only beat us by 6, 2 weeks ago, we can do this, LETS ***** GO!

Back that thought up a little bit. "Why wasn't he given an opportunity?" Ask yourself what role Hodgins would fill on our team. He's a big-bodied outside WR, correct? That would be the role Gabe Davis holds. Then there's Diggs, who is the star and plays "everywhere". There's McKenzie, the intended quick nimble and fast guy. There's Khalil Shakir, the intended quick nimble and fast guy of the future. Hodgins really doesn't fill any of those roles. When you look at it that way, the question comes down to "is Hodgins better than Davis, or is Hodgins not better than Davis?" Davis had 6 receptions on 9 targets for 113 yds and a TD yesterday. Hodgins had 8 receptions on 9 targets for 105 yds and a TD yesterday I'd like to see Davis catching a few more balls, but overall, No, Hodgins is not better than Davis. He's not a better route runner, he's not faster, he's not a better blocker. So as far as opportunity, Hodgins opportunities with the Bills fell into three categories: -injury replacement (avert!) -the few snaps Kumerow and/or Shakir were getting -special teams ( and his special teams play in preseason was not All That ) Do I think the Bills would have loved to keep Hodgins, Absolutely! But why was it a mistake? Part of being a competitive team is that you need to let go of players who can play in the league, especially when the GM has to make roster choices - like the choice to put Tre White on the active roster while he wasn't ready to play, necessitating keeping an extra DB. Maybe we could say the same thing about a mistake letting go of Ray Ray McCloud, who is 5th and 6th in the league for PR and KR with the 49ers.

More like Guinness THEN Sushi - I tend to overdo the wasabi paste from time to time so I need a glass of water around. But essentially, yes Of course, or I wouldn't be able to tell that this evening, Sushi was especially delicious! I smiled! Mmmm, Sushi! Yes! Strangely, judging by Dawkins interview, they seem able to both enjoy and savor the win, AND recognize that there are things to improve and learn from.

I just caught a Shirley Temple some big guy just threw out a window. Lemme offer it to you. More than one thing can be true. It can be true that Josh made fantastic plays that won us the game, and also plays that could have cost us the game. I actually don’t think either of the INTs were on him - the one hit Bease in the chest, the other looked like a route mismatch and Romo seemed to think it was on Brown. A fan can love Josh and admire his fantastic plays, and also want him to take a little “tune up” where he takes some of the easy underneath throws to move the chains and sustain a drive a bit more.

So in Dawkin’s post game presser, one of the reporters asked him how the third date went. ”Oh, you’re funny!….I’d say We knew exactly what was coming, We took that lemon drop, we took that Shirley Temple, we threw them out the window and said “we don’t want no pieces, Go Home”

If he hadn’t called them and the Dolphins got easy yards or points because we were out of alignment, you’d be screaming at your TV for that reason so

Wilkins knew it was the QB and (I think) said something along with his shove. That wasn’t immediate “blocking mode”. Then he thought he’d go into blocking mode and that’s how the shove would be interpreted. Allen had other notions.

Mitch Morse presser is a must-watch “Do you remember a time when you’ve been fired up on the football field as you were today protecting Josh?” ”Um…. No.” (Then says a lot of classy stuff about let’s not make it bigger than it was, we talked afterwards, I have a lot of respect for the way he plays, he’s a competitive guy) “Tempers flare on the football field, we had our moment, then it was mitigated and we were able to continue playing…but No. I’ve never been…No.” ”When you see your QB in trouble for want of a better word, what’s the thought process for an offensive lineman?” ”In the moment, you sort of lose consciousness for a little bit” ”I mean, that’s your Guy, that’s your Quarterback, you just want to be there for him. And it escalated, like you saw” Gotta actually watch the interview, it’s the tone of voice and the body language that are priceless. Like Mitch Morse underwent a transformation on the football field and discovered an inner Hulk he didn’t know he had, and is kind of taken aback by it Bonus: at the end, someone asks Dion “How that third date went?”

I love the analogy and the detailed breakdown of the Dolphins scoring drives. What do you suggest against the Demons? Some people seem to feel sprinkling salt, burning sage and prayers are enough, but others believe sacrificing a rooster is necessary. The deep throw deep throw deep throw thing has been a pattern all season. Josh moved away from it for the KC game. It isn’t helped that we’re often running a 11 personnel, so a back and a TE kept in to block and then releasing on short outlet routes. Josh hates to take those outlet routes. How much was Beasley actually out there? I think after the season we’re going to learn that Josh’s elbow injury was worse than anyone let on, but to be fair today Josh was under a huge amount of pressure. Pressure causes poor throws We better exorcise those demons quickly because Cincy has had a lucky horseshoe up its butt with regards to Ravens miscues all night

I may be responsible for confusion. Wilkins started it - he gave Josh a shove after Josh threw a pick. Josh then started the “defense of his honor” by giving Wilkins a good ol’ shove, leading his OL to weigh in

I gotta give the Ravens props. They aren’t folding their tents a bit.

I’m concerned about this, superficially from this angle it doesn’t look as though it hit his arm during the forward throwing motion and Josh didn’t seem to react the same way afterwards (no grabbing of his elbow or shaking his arm)

Is it petty? I dunno what goes on, on the line or in the bottom of a pile when Josh is sacked or tackled. I do know that a couple years back when Bosa corkscrewed Josh and it looked like it might have been serious, he was going from OLman to OLman babbling about how he wasn’t trying to hurt him, he was just trying to tackle him, etc etc. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t concerned for Josh; he was concerned for having his nuts or his head ripped off by one of the OL in retaliation if they thought he was out of line. And extracurricular stuff on Josh shut down pretty well when it was clear the OL wouldn’t stand for it. It may be something that had to be done. Pretty sure Wilkins will hear about it from his coaches and maybe he’ll turn it down

“If you’re willing to throw on 3rd and 1, you’ll be getting a 1 on 1 with your best player for a big gain” -Cris Collinsworth, just after Huntley threw to Andrews for a big completion on 3rd and 1 Of course, if you don’t get a completion, then you’re just a Big Dummy

O-line managed to block Barkley to #4 in the league this year - not too shabby Jones threw for 301 yds and 2 TD that game - wish that Allen had had his TTT

Would like to have seen Josh have the time to throw they gave Jones

Worried about re-injury to Josh’s elbow after that strip sack Also to Dawkins Guess we won’t know until Wednesday

TBH I think the Giants may be the more dangerous team. Which means it will be interesting to watch the NFC playoffs work through

Yes. He’d played better at guard than Vlad Ducasse but the whole OL stunk in 2018

I think the ref was too busy trying to break it up to worry about the details. Gave one penalty to Wilkins for starting it, and a joint penalty to the Bills OL for finishing it The “defending honor” thing. I see your point, there’s better wording.

I’ve been trying to figure out whose helmet it was, anyone?

I Hear You, and hope for a big step between year 1 and 2. But it’s the reason why his snaps have been limited, which all the people clamoring as though he’s a finished product the coaches inexplicably refuse to start, can’t seem to acknowledge. And I don’t want to take away from or discount Simon’s OP post because it IS important that his reaction to a ball he could and should have had was to come back focused and contribute a beautiful focused catch so 👍