smuvtalker

I don't think they look all that bad to be honest. I've seen worse.

Love em! You weren't kidding, you went big AND bold my friend! Swing for the fences right?? Okay here's mine: NFL Wide: 1. Deshaun Watson will be suspended 6 games, upon his first game returning he will suffer a season ending injury. The Cleveland Browns will win 2 games total. 2. The New Orleans Saints will win the NFC South, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will miss the playoffs entirely. 3. Kenny Pickett will win Offensive Rookie of the Year. 4. Josh Allen will win league MVP. Bills specific: 1. Gabriel Davis, not Stefon Diggs, will lead the team in receptions, yards, AND receiving TD's. 2. James Cook will finish the season as the number one RB. 3. Von Miller will record 14 1/2 sacks. 4. The Buffalo Bills will FINALLY hoist the Lombardi trophy, beating the Dallas Cowboys. Josh Allen is named Super Bowl MVP after throwing for over 300 yards and 4 TD's, and rushing for 76 yards and another TD. I am arrested for multiple charges of drunk and disorderly conduct and indecent exposure for getting caught running butt naked down Chippewa with a Bills flag in one hand and a Guiness in the other.

Can certainly see that being the case. I was very pleased with the Crowder signing, and believe he is a significant upgrade from Beasley. However, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have high hopes for McKenzie this year, and am pulling for him to nail down both the slot receiver position AND full time PR/KR duties. His speed is undeniable, and I feel like he really turned it on towards the end of the regular season. That game against the Pats he flat out destroyed every DB lined up against him, and IMO he truly earned Josh's trust in him. 😅😅😅😅

Me personally, I feel like this is the year McKenzie finally nails down the punt returner spot, AND takes one to the house during the regular season. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have high hopes for him. If in fact he does become our full time KR/PR, and then I assume Diggs, Davis, Crowder, Shakir all lock up roster spots, who's on the outside looking in? And how many receivers will the Bills carry?

Excellent points regarding the team's success once we both committed to and established our run game. I feel like we have great to elite level talent in our WR's, and, JMO, adding Crowder to replace Beasley is a significant upgrade. Plus I fully expect McKenzie to push for more playing time as well considering how he's earned Josh's trust. With all that said, I would not be the least bit surprised to see Buffalo display a much more balanced offense this year, which fully supports your statement that Knox's numbers could take a dip this season. We have a ton of talented mouths to feed, and I have no doubt Josh is ready to spread the wealth.

Can certainly understand that being the case. Unarguably one of the best pure hitters MLB has ever seen. Hey maybe when it's all said and done we will remember Araiza as one of the best pure punters ever to grace the NFL....

Agree 100%. The only other thing I could possibly envision is he paid McKenzie a chunk for it? I've heard of players approaching a player who's jersey number they want and offering them cash for the right to acquire their jersey number...but you're right, as a rookie, 6th round pick no less, approaching McKenzie for his # would take some brass cohones....

Well said sir. Well said. While I am in pretty much 100% agreement with basically everything you said, particularly regarding parity in the NFL, and so many other factors(including luck) coming into play for a team to win it all, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have the highest hopes I've ever had for our team this year, ever, and anything short of a Lombardi trophy would be considered a disappointment in my book. This team is just friggin stacked, and we have, at least to me, the most dynamic, most talented quarterback in the league under center.

😅😅 Let me be the first to admit, I am a complete wuss when it comes to cold weather games. The last cold weather game I went to was back on the Monday night game vs the Browns, I want to say back in 08. We bought 40 yard line seats about 15 rows from the field. The temp at gametime was a balmy 32. I had a thermal top on, thermal bottom, nice, big winter coat, hat, had hand warmers in my gloves, hand warmers in my boots, and I was STILL MISERABLE. Couldn't even much enjoy the game. It was back then I swore I would only attend games in September and October...... God just reading that makes me feel womanly....my wife wouldn't even attempt to go with me to the game so I took my 23 year old cousin who was in college at Niagara University at the time. At least he enjoyed himself.

Well said sir....well said.

Love to hear this from JA. The kid works hard every year to be better and better. I don't think it's possible to be any more excited for an upcoming season as I am for this one. One question I have regarding Allen is, as excellent and lethal of a runner he's proving to be, because he's never been more valuable to this team then he is today, will we see significantly less called QB runs? I don't think it can be underestimated how back-breaking his runs have been to opposing defenses.

My friend you are speaking 100% straight facts. I am bewildered as to what is taking Goodell so long to make a decision regarding what Watson's punishment will be. I don't know why, but I have this horrible, sinking feeling deep in my gut that Watson will get what amounts to a slap on the wrist. I don't have any legitimate explanation for feeling this way, but I do. I agree with you wholeheartedly that I don't think he should ever be allowed to play again. However, I can't shake this negative feeling that Watson somehow dodges a big one, and gets something like a 3 or 4 game suspension.

Did we overpay to get him? I won't refute that statement, but the bottom line is, ANY team besides the Rams would have had to do the sams, that's just the nature of the business nowadays. And while yes it's about the money to a healthy degree, I genuinely believe everything Von said regarding wanting to come to Buffalo, wanting to play for another contender, and with Josh Allen. I was particularly moved by the conversation he had with his dad, and how his dad felt like Buffalo just made all the sense in the world. I personally admired the way Miller handled the whole process..and he hasn't even played a down yet and he's already having a substantial impact to this team. Not to get too far off topic, but remember the days when players only used Buffalo as a negotiating standpoint? KNOWING we would have to throw the bank at top level talent to even get them to entertain the idea of coming? Only to wait til we threw the Brinks truck at em and then get a better offer elsewhere? Long gone are those days...and I LOVE hearing so many players now say how much they want to come here, to a winner, to a top notch organization, with a culture of winning, success, family...we ARE the destination now....

Effing love to see stuff like this. I really don't think it can be emphasized enough just how influential Von has the potential to be. And to see all 3 of our young edge guys there in attendance says to me they're serious about taking their games to another level. Nothing but good things to take away from this...

Agree 100%. I love watching that clip as much as the next man, but damn seeing Brady jump up like that, clapping his hands, as much as I hate him, I have no choice but to respect him for taking that mollywhop....if that was me getting hit like that, I woulda just turned into a pile of dust, right on the field...

Not to sound cliche, but this really is just about business, and Poyer is the least of my concerns at this time. He's a consummate professional, a hard worker, and he wants to be here, and Beane WILL get it done.

Thank you for all your insightful articles and for all of your hard work. I certainly appreciate all the time it takes to contribute such well thought out pieces, and will also miss your regular write-ups. That just means when you do post content, we'll all be that much more appreciative. Thank you again, and may your pen flow like the mighty Niagara when you DO take the time to bless us with your articles.

Agree 100%. Better to get that long west coast trip out of the way, and more importantly, IMO, week one is completely unpredictable. Yes LA will be pumped up for this game, but so will we. And I think that the unpredictability of the game will benefit the defenses more than the offenses, and I would LOVE to see Von collect two or three sacks right out of the gate, on his way to a 16 sack season. When I dream I dream big...

I enjoyed all of your nicknames, but these 5 were hilarious!!! I gotta go with Donte Whiffner as my fav of the bunch!! 😅

Nice!! Keep the primetime games coming! I can't wait for Thursday to get here, I'm PRAYING we get that Thursday night season kick-off game vs the Rams! We gotta get it, it makes the most sense, from a ratings standpoint, as we're already looked at by a great many as early super bowl favorites, the Rams are the defending champs, and Von will be facing off against his former team....it's THE matchup!!

I have to say I disagree with you on one aspect. With regard to the DE's Beane has invested in the past two years, Rousseau, Basham and Epenesa, I don't think that if they don't take big steps this year that our defense will be like last years. I think the addition of Miller, plus Settle and Jones, and to a lesser degree Lawson and Phillips, we are going to see a much improved defense. Honestly I think Miller is going to help the young DE's tremendously, and I do believe we'll see strides from Rousseau, Epenesa, and perhaps even Basham. But I highly doubt we see the same thing we saw last year...

Not so Grumpy Old Men... Not gonna lie that pic is just a tad spooky....but hopefully it's one of them many years and at least two or three Lombardi trophies later...

You make a very good point about rookie CB's lining up against seasoned, pro bowl caliber WR's, which is what I envision with us, seeing as though we'll most likely be playing in January for years to come. And the only CB's in this draft I feel could do that year one with minimal developing are the big 4, Gardner, Stingley, McDuffie, and Booth. Even if you factor in players slipping due to runs at other positions, reaches, and head-scratchers, I fear all 4 may be gone by pick #25. If we do go CB round 1, then Beane may have no choice but to trade up to have to go get our guy, which I'm totally okay with. If he stays put my head says we go WR, which I believe a very attractive option will still be available to us (Williams).

My sentiments exactly. If we're gonna go the route of undersized, speedy WR's, I'd much rather prefer Austin. I will say I like Moore's physicality over Austin's, he isn't afraid of contact, and will fight for balls. However, Austin's got blazing speed and gets separation routinely cause of that extra gear. Moore ran a solid 4.41 forty, but Austin ran a smoking 4.32. Austin also has the potential to be a PR.

You'll get no argument out of me. I posted the same sentiment in another thread yesterday, because an article in the Syracuse Post Standard had a mock draft that had us trading up with the Giants for their 1st rounder at #7, and had us only giving up our 1st this year, our 3rd this year, and next year's 1st and 5th rounders. In my opinion that trade seemed too light. To jump 18 spots I believe it would take much more than a swap of 1sts, our 3rd, and a 1st and 5th next year....if the Giants made that trade I imagine they'd purchase one London as well..