BigAl2526

Yes. The Bills did not sign or activate any player after they put Baylon Specter on IR.

I know the gets brought up from time to time, but I'll ask it any way. Should this be a game where Buffalo plays more 4-3 defense as opposed to their usual nickel alignment? The weather may not be great for passing offenses. There is speculation that the 49ers might utilize Deebo Samuel quite a bit as a RB. On Buffalo's side of the ball. Matt Milano is a great coverage linebacker and Dorian Williams has improved in that area over the course of the season. At the same time, they both have the speed to disrupt the running game and chase down McCaffery if he plays.

The difference between the Chiefs and last year's Eagles is Mahomes. Mahomes is as tough mentally as any QB in the league and has a range of unorthodox ways to make plays when the called play breaks down. Jalen Hurts is a good athletic QB, but I don't think he improvises the way Mahomes can. Mahomes has pulled off a number of wins this season that most QBs could not have. That said, the Chiefs are vulnerable this year in a way they have not been some years and are nowhere close to a sure thing in the playoffs. Even if Buffalo doesn't gain a playoffs bye and home field throughout, I think their odds are decent against the Chiefs playing in Kansas City.

Considering they limited Detroit to one TD in the first half (so far) in four possessions, that's not too bad. Yeah, they're giving up yards in chunks between the 20s, but at least in the second quarter, Chicago's defense has to be getting tired because of their offense's inability to sustain a drive. Looking ahead to the Detroit-Bills matchup, Buffalo should be able to do more on offense. That game looks like it will be a high scoring affair for both teams. If Buffalo can force more field goals like Chicago is doing, they could be in good shape.

Yeah, I don't see how they can be controlled on the ground when a defense overweights the deep passing game. Notice, I didn't mention the name of a future Detroit opponent that might tend to overweight the deep passing game defense at the expense of controlling their opponent's running game.

We were planning to visit my mother-in-law either the day after Thanksgiving or on Saturday. That's not happening. She lives in the heart of the area expected to get three to four feet. Still looking manageable for Orchard Park in that map. Road crews in southern Erie County surely are accustomed to moving a couple feet of snow over 3 days.

My guess is they are not considering that possibility at the moment. The talk is that more snow is expected south of Orchard Park than at the stadium up to and including the game. Of course, that is subject to change. The other bit of conversation is that this is expected to be a multi-day lake effect event. Total snowfall could be a few feet, but that could be over a span of five or six days. Those who plow snow will be busy, but it is easier to manage that kind of snow total over five or six days than over three days. I'm sure that travel will a messy proposition, but I don't think it will shut things down to the extent that it has for some past snow events.

It's not going to be picnic weather then the Bills host San Francisco.

I'm hoping the town picks up leaves one last time. Our trees drop their leaves very late (four silver maples and one Norway maple. We just picked them up again yesterday for what will be the last time. We put them on top of the piles next to the street that we made last week. There are still a few leaves on the Norway maple. We'll have to mow those in the spring. When developers built the homes in our neighborhood back in the 1960s, they planted silver maples because they grow fast. I can give you a whole list of reasons why they make terrible trees for street planting. The late leaf drop is just one of them. On to a football response: In September, I would have rated San Francisco as one of the three toughest opponents Buffalo would face all season. Now, it is in the category of a "should win" game for the Bills. That, of course, depends on the Bills playing a tough clean game, keeping penalties and turnovers (on offense) down. It does look like weather is going to play a significant role on Sunday.

Kyle Shanahan does seem to have a very QB friendly system in San Francisco.

Me too, and I actually watched it back when players tried to compete in the pro bowl.

Well, he's been in Cleveland, which isn't all that different.

Before KC lost some key receivers to injury, they didn't need Worthy to be a "regular" receiver. If Reid drafted Worthy in the late first round because he thought Worthy could be a great gadget player, that's not necessarily a bad approach to the draft for a relatively complete team like the Chiefs.

Omenihu is a good defensive end, but I don't think he makes so much of a difference to the Chiefs' defense that the Bills O-line can't protect Josh Allen. I saw both Torrence and Van Demark handle Chris Jones one on one at various times. In theory, Spencer Brown should be better than Van Demark. Someone suggested that David Edwards struggled a bit Sunday, so the Chiefs might try to test him some more in a rematch, but I think the Bills can adjust to one slightly weak link in the offensive line. Omenihu is a big strong defensive lineman and had 7 sacks a year ago, but he's not more disruptive than Chris Jones. If Mahomes gets some of his offensive weapons (Rice and Hollywood Brown) back, he'll definitely be dangerous. A healthy Matt Milano would help neutralize that threat.

Rottweilers? Actually, some of these guys on big contracts could probably hire someone to personally guard their homes.

Well, that means they're still facing zone coverage the majority of the time. Man coverage generally means it's tougher to run the ball (with running backs at least. It also means probably facing a higher percentage of plays with a blitzing defense. On the flip side, it makes defenses more vulnerable to Josh ripping off big plays on the ground. If a receiver does catch the ball and get free of the DB covering him, he will have a chance to gain big chunks of yardage after the catch.

Five players voted for Prescot out of the 110 surveyed.

Yes, please!

Interesting how the thread has evolved to revisiting draft reactions. I don't recall what I might have posted specifically about Bernard. I tend not to make snap judgments. My strongest negative reaction is usually along the lines of "I was hoping they might have picked _______ instead or I was hoping they would pick a ______ instead of a linebacker. If I were to guess my reaction to the drafting of Bernard, I probably worried about his lack of size. Still, I have always accepted that I don't know what the Bills know about prospective players.

When the Bills are in 4th and short (a yard or less) going for it is not a huge risk. It's almost impossible to stop Josh Allen on a QB sneak. The 4th and 2 at the end of the Kansas City game was a bit different. I think that happened because of the history Mahomes has of being able to move the ball in critical situations at the end of games. I don't think McDermott is a conservative coach though. I would like to see Joe Brady mix up his play calling on first down though.

I think voters look for turnaround situations in coach of the year voting. Brandon Beane will get credit for Buffalo being consistently among the league's elite teams. It's coaches who get credit for a team going from mediocre to really good or great in the space of a season. Dan Campbell is another coach who's done a real good job this season. I doubt he gets coach of the year consideration though, because the climb of the Lions has been too gradual over the last few years.

I think it is a common affliction among fans of teams enjoying a dynasty period. I hope that if my Bills should be so fortunate to sting some Super Bowl wins together, that I and my fellow Bills fans will maintain some self-awareness and avoid falling into stupidity.

I don't see Cleveland as the threat to KC that some do. I think the legit threats to the Chiefs in their last seven games are the Chargers, Steelers and Texans. For Buffalo, San Francisco may not be the threat they would have been a year ago, but I'll still be wary of Kyle Shanahan. Detroit is the biggest threat, obviously. Every other team on the Bills schedule is beatable if they play like they're capable of playing. The Detroit game will be every bit the challenge that the Chiefs game was, except it won't happen in the friendly confines of Highmark Stadium. I think there is a decent chance Kansas City loses one more game this season. If Buffalo can get past Detroit, I think they have a decent chance to go undefeated the rest of the way.

I agree that he and Hollis will get snaps and receptions. Will it be enough for fans to see him as a star? That's another question. I happen to think that Kaiir Elam is a talented CB. He was solid when he had to sub in for a starter (Douglas?) a few games back. With Benford and Douglas on the team, and healthy, Elam for all his potential is basically only going to get snaps in garbage time at the end of games when the score is not close. I know it's not the same thing with cornerback, but it's simple mathematics that say opportunities will be harder for Samuel to come by with all the receivers healthy.

Not surprising. I think many see Mahomes - Allen as the new Brady - Manning. It's a rivalry between the two best QBs in the NFL, and America loves rivalries.