finn

Don't forget Spencer Brown's idiotic and cheap tripping penalty he committed lying on the turf after being beat badly, again, by his man. Those 15 yards, followed up by a phantom holding call against Morse, killed a promising drive, "promising" because Allen completed two long passes for first downs before the penalties. Spencer Brown, the gift that keeps giving.

Doesn't really work like that or else every QB would do rush for TDs themselves instead of handing the ball off. It takes a rare talent--a Hurts, Allen, Lamar, etc.--to score that many TDs on the ground, creating a dual threat that teams have to account for. If anything, QB rush TDs should be valued MORE than pass TDs.

In one more game than Lamar, to be fair. But Allen could easily surpass Lamar's yards and total TDs with just the NE game (16 games).

You know what Allen would say.

Right, maybe that's all we can do. Given the context we're discussing, it's most accurate and fair to say that the two appear to be of the same caliber, and that the discrepancy in stats may or may not be due to the quality of their respective teams. But that's a mouthful and way too nuanced for most fans and commentators, who prefer simple answers to complex questions. So until further notice, Mahomes remains the Messiah and Allen the turnover machine. Whatever.

I meant what am I missing given that Mahomes played most of those years with two future HOF receivers in Kelsey and Hill and behind one of the best lines in football. Mahomes is special, no doubt, but I'm less impressed than you when I look at his teammates. By contrast, Allen has to dodge at least one rusher on virtually every pass drop, and besides Diggs, he's been throwing to a bunch of scrubs his whole career. A simple thought experiment: Put Allen behind the KC line all these years and throwing to the KC receivers. And have Mahomes behind Spencer Brown and Roger Saffold and throwing to the Bills receivers. Be honest and objective: Do you really think Mahomes would still come out ahead?

Why do you think he's the best QB? I'm honestly interested. Is it mostly the MVPs and Super Bowls? Because otherwise, I don't see how he's any better than Allen, even with better weapons and better protection over his career. Only now is he playing on an offense of the caliber Allen has had all these years, and the results speak for themselves. What am I missing?

I'd rather the waterboy getting reps at end, the way he looks.

I'd like to see his run-blocking grades next to his pass pro. My guess is that they're night and day (and so average overall).

Rename the prize "Most indispensable player," and Allen would win in a landslide. Purdy is good. Allen is great.

Brown also blew the block on a blitzing linebacker late in the game. That's when Allen threw off his back foot to Shakir for the apparent touchdown. The conventional wisdom, based in part on PFF grades, is that Brown is "much improved." But watch him on the highlights, this or any other game. He routinely whiffs. Routinely, as in pretty much every pass pro where he has to, you know, block. "Allen goes back, dodges a [Brown] pass rusher, gets the throw off." Sound familiar?

The Morse penalty did not look like a hold. But the one against Spencer Brown as inexcusable. He gets beat, again, and he leg-whips the guy. He's both mediocre and dirty. I don't need to hear how much he's improved either. Just watch how often Allen dodges the man Brown fails to block. But the heck with Brown. I'm smiling thinking of Allen, Shakir, and Oliver.

Yeah, the narrative should be a Chargers team full of heart barely beaten by a resilient Bills team. Instead, it will be more about Allen's turnovers. Who cares, though?

Wow, my blood pressure is still wicked high. Spencer Brown would have been the goat if they had lost, hurting his team like that. Ed Oliver the opposite: a clutch hero.

Allen is definitely off, but the holding call killed that drive, just like it kills most drives. Bad call, too. What, he lifted his jersey?

Right? How many games have we expected a cake walk this season only to find a dogfight, which they suck at, by the way?

I felt the same before the Jets game--and Jags, and NE, and Denver... Even so, I feel the same now. What a roller coaster ride it's been.

Good news about Fournette. I was afraid Baltimore would take him off our practice squad. They're hurting for RBs.

Yeah, you would think losing Andrews would put a dent in things, even with Beckham to throw to. I hadn't heard about Keaton Mitchell. I wonder if the Ravens will sign Fournette off the Bills' practice squad. Roquan Smith... Now, that's a linebacker. Great pickup for them.

Is Baltimore for real? I haven't seen them play. Are they getting all the respect I'm seeing mostly because of their record or because they're as good as their record?

Nick Wright dismissed the Bills fast start this year, saying they were a "September team."

If Allen wins MVP, this will be a key reason why. Scenario: Allen keeps scoring TDs and avoiding interceptions and the Bills win the division. His stats, especially that key one, plus the Cinderella Bills story, might be enough, especially if Purdy lays an egg against a very good Baltimore defense. But even if he doesn't, voters may ask, "Who is more essential to their team: Purdy or Allen?" The answer is pretty clear. Incidentally, Mahomes' rep really has taken a hit, hasn't it? I get a sense people are getting tired at worshiping at his alter.

I think this is a fair assessment. We all want things to be black and white since it's so much easier and more gratifying that way. But the truth is usually more nuanced, and the truth is that McDermott has been very good in some ways and really pretty poor in others. In sum, his contributions probably amount to a wash. Firing him would not be worth the disruption and risk of ending up with someone worse. No, McDermott is a permanent part of the Josh Allen era. We have to acknowledge that he has played a key role in getting the Bills this far--and also a key role in their faltering several years in a row. His Achilles Heel is the close game. Let's hope he has applied his vaunted Process to himself and learned from his many mistakes.

My understanding is that McDermott hired Dorsey largely because Allen pushed hard for him. That was a mistake. I wonder if McDermott was uneasy with his decision at the time. I also wonder if Beane drafted Kincaid instead of LaPorta because Allen pushed for him. Not saying it was the wrong choice necessarily, but it crossed my mind that McDermott and Beane may be bending over backwards to please Allen, possibly against their better judgment.

I stand corrected; my bias against McKenzie is distorting my memory. Thanks, GunnerBill.