dave mcbride

Some eye-opening numbers from last night: The Bills held the lead for 37 minutes and 18 seconds of regulation. The Jets held the lead for 1 minute and 46 seconds of regulation. The score was tied for 20 minutes and 56 seconds of regulation. Josh Allen dropped back 46 times (41 attempts; 5 sacks) and ran it another six times (half of which were scrambles if I recall correctly). The Bills' running backs ran it 16 times. Think about that.

He also had a potential pick dropped by CJ Mosley. Last night, he looked like an unholy combination of Trent “Captain Checkdown” Edwards and Ryan Fitzpicksix. Also, the coordinator is really not good. That game plan made no sense, particularly the situational aspect. I have quite low expectations for this season. I am expecting 9 or even 8 wins.

I am definitely a bit more low energy this season.

Nothing is ever called consistently. I am just saying that linemen are given more leeway than in the past because they're facing far better athletes than their predecessors were 25-30 years ago or so, especially since the league decided it wanted to be a passing league with fewer injured QBs. Good big-men athletes get fed into the d-line from early on; the lesser specimens become o-linemen. There are of course some good o-line athletes, but on average they're measurably inferior.

As Chris Simms has repeatedly said (and I agree with him), o-line players across the board are getting more non-calls going their way these days because today’s defensive linemen are SUCH better athletes than before — and better athletes by a good ways than offensive linemen on average. They’re basically changing the rules to account for this disparity without actually officially changing them. I have come to accept it because at least I know the unwritten rules now. I suggest just accepting it. The league wants to protect QBs, and this is how they do it in a context of physically overmatched offensive linemen.

As Chris Simms has repeatedly said (and I agree with him), o-line players across the board are getting more non-calls going their way these days because today’s defensive linemen are SUCH better athletes than before — and better athletes by a good ways than offensive linemen on average. They’re basically changing the rules to account for this disparity without actually officially changing them. I have come to accept it because at least I know the unwritten rules now. Well, the asterisk is appropriate with regard to Mahomes last night. Mahomes did nothing wrong to lose that game. It was all on his bad receiving corps. That’s the truth.

I just woke up after only watching the first half. I watched the second half highlights, and it appears that Toney basically cost them the game — with his two drops of good passes costing them 10 points. Is that right? Both looked like egregious drops to me.

https://nesn.com/2023/09/asante-samuel-trolls-patriots-bill-belichick-tasteless-linda-holliday-breakup-joke/

Yes, my bad. A small brainlock. More evidence, though, about counting stats: Kirksey had far opportunities to make plays than Edmunds last season because the Houston D was on the field for 1,134 plays while the Bills D was on the field for 997. In 2021, the Bills’ D played 1,014 plays to Houston’s 1,101. The Bills D simply gets off the field more quickly than Houston’s because opponents’ drives are shorter and consist of fewer plays.

That is not true. Look at the advanced stats—the passer rating against Edmunds last year in passes thrown his way was 69.9, which is below the proverbial Mendoza line. Kirksey’s stat was 90.1 and three years ago it was 155.8 — which is a perfect rating in the NFL qb rating system. Bottom line: stay away from the shiny object of counting stats. There is a tackle on every play that isn’t a TD play, and someone has to make the tackles — just like someone on the worst NBA team averages 20+ points because even the worst NBA teams average 90+ points a game (and someone has to score those points). Kirksey was cut from a truly horrible team for a reason and Edmunds got paid a TON of money for a reason, and these decisions were made by people who are far more informed than message-board warrior fans. That said, I’m more than willing to give Kirksey the benefit of the doubt. But if you can’t pass cover as a LB, you are a liability who*will* be exploited.

Already back on the colts. His cut was a mere procedural move: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/colts-re-sign-wr-isaiah-mckenzie-place-te-jelani-woods-on-ir

More like “Team Kyle or Team Carson”!

Shades of Shady!

I have watched a fair bit of Rudolph in Pitt, and I think he stinks. It pains me that he was allegedly the Bills guy if they couldn’t get Josh Allen (when Lamar would have been there).

Whoops. Regardless, close enough.

Wyatt Teller.

Yes, 0-3 because he really sucks. The QB is the most important position on the team by far.

https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/marlon-humphrey-foot-injury-ramifications

The last time Beane traded a sixth round pick entering his second season, it didn't work out too well for the Bills. I think Benford might simply be the starter. We'll see.

And that's exactly what I said! I agree with you. Kyle Allen gets you to 0-3 over a three-game stretch, pretty much, unless the Bills get lucky with ST plays and defensive TDs.

It actually doesn't matter for season ending injuries on a team like Buffalo. It matters for SF, which isn't so dependent on QB1. For a four-week separated shoulder or MCL sprain, it absolutely matters. But if Allen tears his ACL in week three, then the best thing that could happen would be for the Bills to Bengalize the season and get next year's version of Chase (Harrison). The entire offense revolves around Allen, just like Indy's offense revolved around Payton.

“The linebacker mob” — love it!

But Edmunds was actually very good last season. Is that even arguable? I mean, come on. Opposing QBs had a rating of 69.9 against him and his missed tackle rate was a minuscule 1 percent. This is one of the dumber narratives in Bills fandom, in my opinion. Time to let it go.

I see your point, but if you look at the long arc of teams led by great quarterbacks for long periods of time, there are almost always some down seasons: 7-9 a couple of times for Brees, 6-9-1 and 8-7-1 for Rogers, 8-8 for Roethlisberger in his prime, 9-7 for Brady after winning a SB, 9-7 for Russell Wilson while in his prime, etc., 8-8 (with Shanahan) and 7-9 for Elway, 8-8 for Favre in his prime in GB, etc. I'm not saying that the Bills will suffer a dip this season, but they most likely WILL suffer one at some point during Allen's prime. This year makes a certain amount of sense given the schedule, the division, and the cap situation (which prevented them from signing higher-level FAs). But they have the potential to win 13 games again too.

To be fair to SI, the gimmick generated major mainstream media coverage! https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/style/martha-stewart-sports-illustrated-cover.html and https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/05/16/martha-stewart-sports-illustrated-swimsuit/