Whites Bay

And doesn't it figure that the Pats* close the season by hosting the Dolphins...

While the subject of this thread focuses on the season finale against the Jets, I'm eyeing the season opener. The national media may look at the Bills@Jets game as a junior varsity match up, but I see it as critical to the Bills going 10-6. And I do believe this team - on paper, with this schedule - has 10-6 in them. Key to this is a split with the Jets. But if they can sweep the Jets in that last game, it's playoffs. What an important bookend series. If Darnold and Allen keep growing, the national media won't be treating it like a junior varsity match up by late December.

My bold prediction is that this front office will not draft the likes of Donte Whitner, Aaron Maybin, John McCargo or Mike Williams. Or "Joe Fill-in-the-Failure-blank". It's over now. Let's move.

Good post, and the above is an interesting point. The "win now" aspect has been covered with (as you say) 19 free agency signings. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Beane ends up with another team's 2020 selection. Building for the future...

The early comparisons on Williams were with Eric Moulds (in terms of size and speed). Well, THAT would be a winner. I'd be just as happy if he ended up as the second coming of Marcus Easley. And special teams is my guess as to where he ends up.

Last time I checked my phone, One Bills Drive isn't texting ME for advice. With that said: 1) I'm loving what they did in FA, and am already sleeping better at night. 2) I'm not sold on the RT situation yet, and I'm 100% on board with Risner. I wouldn't be the SLIGHTEST bit surprised at that pickup, and that would be a monster move. 3) I'm guessing it's a great trade down scenario, and would be thrilled with it. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if they picked the best DE on the board at 9. Or this year's Edmunds, and be done at LB for the next 3 years.

CBS Sports thinks the Bills did a good job so far, Buffalo Bills Quietly, Buffalo is putting together a very nice offseason. It's impossible to just go out and make massive splashes when you're in a position like the Bills. Instead, they've done a very good job assembling some cheaper talent to put around Josh Allen. I'm not one to whine about the national media bashing the team or the city, but this one has me puzzled. "In a position like the Bills..."? Huh? It's a team that shed a ton of salary money last year (and, consequently, couldn't spend much), with the specific and stated purpose of clearing things out so as to go shopping THIS year. I mean, that's just plain ignorant. I guess the author is referring to the oft-stated opinion that big-time players don't want to play in Buffalo. Mitch Morse says hello from his front deck...

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I just don't want the Jets to get TOO good.

This is incredible! Talk about a front office with a plan. Jesus. It's just leaving my head spinning as to where they go in the draft. Lots and lots and lots of holes got filled.

A couple of thoughts: 1) I don't know the level of coordination, but I'm guessing this is being done so as to ensure there are state-level charges in place when the boy leaves office. As we all know (by now) these charges are outside the scope of a Presidential pardon. It makes me smile a little bit to think the Bills could be the reason Donald Trump finally gets his *%&# caught in a mousetrap. Side note - I wouldn't be surprised if we see additional state-level charges from other venues like Virginia and Florida and the like. All for the same purpose. 2) To echo a poster above, thank heavens Trump didn't buy the Bills. It would have been all bunting, and flashbulbs, and confetti and hoopla out front...and in the back room, we'd have Allan Weisselberg mopping his brow as he tries to figure out how to make payroll and cover the note to Deutsche Bank this month. Everything would have been leveraged to the hilt. I read a number of the comments yesterday about the Raiders' cash flow situation - this would have made the Raiders look like Fort Knox. Good luck trying to renew ANY contracts. Thank heavens for Terry Pegula.

Not meaning to pee on any barbecues, but wasn't the "knock" (maybe "question mark") that he had concussion issues? Or did I misread that on TSW? Again, not dumping. I'm thrilled, to be honest. Now get a tackle, and on to the draft.

I guess I don't understand the whole "Darnold" thing. The draft was held on April 26th, and the Jets traded for the Colts' #3 slot on March 17th (if I'm reading the old headlines correctly). This was a week after the Bills had moved up to 12, and it was the Bills' move that spooked the Jets into giving up a king's ransom. Long story short - the Bills weren't going to get the chance to pick whomever the #2 QB was in that draft. It just wasn't going to happen. Could they have done back flips and traded for the #2 pick with the Giants? Well, theoretically, yes. But in the view of hindsight, the Giants were pretty damn happy with where they stayed (because they probably got a number of calls from other teams, and turned them all down), and they ended up pretty damn happy with Barkley (because they certainly were in a position to have grabbed Darnold, Allen, Rosen or Jackson, or any other QB except Mayfield, but didn't). So the Giants didn't, and weren't going to, trade for what the rest of the NFL was offering, right? That's what history shows us. The Jets gave up a LOT to get Darnold. A LOT. And we'll see if that was the right move in 5-6 years. But the Bills just weren't going to get Darnold. That path wasn't available to them, and that path was paved in concrete as soon as the Jets traded with Indianapolis what looks to have been 5 weeks before the draft. And I apologize if I have the dates wrong, but that's the date I'm reading on an article from last year in the Indianapolis Star. But the point still stands. Bills weren't going to get Darnold. The Jets had locked that up.

I think the Bills had Gale Gilbert behind Frank Reich behind Jim Kelly. And I'm just too lazy to look it up, but I think Gale Gilbert became the only player to go to five Super Bowls in a row, as he ended up with San Diego after the Super Bowl run for the Bills. That has to make him special.

I just don't see it yet, Shaw. Not without a pass rush, and that doesn't exist. We all draw comparisons to the rebuild in 1985-1986, in which the Bills would beat the opponent up, but still manage just barely lose. That "beating up" was Bruce, but he's not here. I get the argument, and I want to see it happen, but "it ain't soup yet". Maybe that's where Beane goes in the draft.

The thing that causes me to doubt it will be Julio Jones is venue. Most of these receiver contracts are based on production metrics, right? I mean, they're going to make their money on number of catches, yards after catch, touchdowns, etc. I think it's pretty quantitative. So if you're Julio Jones, you're going from a situation in which you're guaranteed to play 9 games in a dome to a situation in which you're going to play essentially every game outdoors (depending on the division through which you're rotating). The only decent weather you can be guaranteed is the away game in Miami, and even THAT might be raining. You're going from no wind, no rain, no snow, 72 degrees and perfect conditions to a crap shoot. I'm certainly not saying it can't be done, but my GUESS is that this has to figure into the calculation. If he's looking to move on and he wants to maximize the numbers for what will likely be his last contract, he might be better off in a place like Minnesota, or Indianapolis. Guess it all depends what offer is put in front of him. But I wouldn't be surprised if this figures into the decision.

I was at that game. The entire defensive line met Montana at the same instant. What a train wreck. I agree. That would work as a perfect career-ending moment for Brady.

And you, sir, should get that litter box changed. It has to burn after awhile. Have a great Christmas!

Personally, I'm hoping we read these daily Allen worship posts for about 15 years. If you REALLY enjoy rooting for a team that has churn at the QB position, there's an opening for you in Jacksonville. That hot mess ought to go on for years. You'll be at home there.

Just looked at the 506 maps, and called the local station to make sure I wasn't seeing things. It's been switched to the Cowboys-Colts game. Heading for the local sports bar. Damn you, Jerruh...

This is exactly it. Thanks for putting it up here. Now that I'm as old as my father was when he passed away, I understand the Upstate New York pastime of bitching about taxes. Jesus, it's like whining about the weather in November. Duh. Taxes are high. And the schools are damn good and you get healthcare for your pre-existing conditions. When these kids are in their 20s and making league minimum - which is like 8 million times more than I'll ever make in my life - the LAST thing they're worried about is a 5% differential between New York and Tennessee. I mean - just knock it off. Go back to bitching about taxes. And get off of my lawn.

Weirdly, you've pretty much encapsulated a typical Amtrak experience in once sentence. Thoughts: 1) Shaw - thank you. A well thought out write up. 2) I have been pulling for Foster since preseason, and have the thread contributions to back it up. I hope the kid continues to grow, because those legs and Allen's arm are going to be mind-twisting for defensive secondaries if they stay on the same page. Talk about ripping the top off of defenses. 3) We're all agog about Allen's running ability, and we should be. But I was blown away by Allen's SPEED on the 45-yard run. It wasn't Chris Berman's "Rumblin' Bumblin' Stumblin"", but it also wasn't darting around like RG III in his heyday (when he had knees). One second Allen was in the backfield, and the next second he was FLYING past linebackers. I mean...they weren't going to catch him once he opened it up. He looked like Eric Dickerson out there - a very big man running upright with deceptive, quiet speed.

I remember Elway really stumbling in his first year. But I also remember him throwing INCREDIBLY hard, fast passes. He was known for breaking fingers. Marino went to a Super Bowl in his second year, and everyone thought it would be the first of many. The kid was amazing. Very, very quick release. Eason went in 1985 and got so shell-shocked that he never recovered. Allen reminds me of Elway. I don't know why.

This is it. There are a slew of teams in the NFL that get talked up because of past successes, and Baltimore sits among this group. The conventional wisdom is acting like Ray Lewis and The Goose are still on the team. It's a shell of its former self, but they have the Super Bowls, and therefore... Very beatable by a lot of teams. I don't know about this Sunday, but a Bills win wouldn't really surprise me.

So...we're done crusading now?

I've been saying since Day 1 that Allen's arm reminds me of Elway's. On one hand, I think the throws (like Elway's early days) are almost TOO strong. On the other hand, I think of where it got Elway, and I'm pretty cool with it. The receiving corps - present and future - are just going to have to know what they're facing with Allen on a third-and-four crossing route.