finn

The refs are really letting them play. I prefer that to a flag-fest myself.

My point is that Bishop is not making plays, even when he is in position, such as that lame tackle attempt on Henry. Compare to the textbook open-field tackle by Cooper DeJean.

But he probably assumed Bishop would do his job, which he evidently didn't. Can we all at least agree that Bishop is not a budding superstar making brilliant play after brilliant play?

Run it up the middle three times, Brady! That'll fool 'em!

And this with a defensive head coach. Let that sink in. How many years has it been--and how many more years will we be making the same observation?

Hey, look at the bright side: It might be 38-16 in the fourth quarter, but at least the Baltimore defense will be tired in the fourth quarter from all those runs! That'll show 'em!

Brady has brought mud boots to a track meet.

Truthfully, I was ok with the Bills losing, I just didn't want another embarrassment on national TV. Oh, well.

Maybe 17-7 will snap Brady out of his myopia.

Exactly my thought.

Three and out not much help to the defense, either.

Exactly. It was a different era.

We didn't have enough time to savor that win. Every SB since then (I think) has been two weeks after the conference championships. That one was just one week. Remember Marv Levy blew off the mandatory press conference because he was too busy preparing the team?

I'm fine with him having some lapses as long as he makes some plays, too, or at least isn't a major liability like Elam in the KC playoff game. Not just for the sake of this game, but for his confidence going forward. The Bills are doing to need either Strong or Hairston this year, maybe both.

The Bills protect their fragile secondary by hitting Henry in the backfield and flustering Lamar with the blitz. Meanwhile, a balanced, efficient Bills offense marches down the field again and again. A comfortable win for the Bills, 30-20. (Post-game commentary: endless excuses for Lamar's struggles--Ricard! Likely! Jaire!--shrugs for Allen's impressive 3-TD game.)

What a yapper. All that air time and says nothing that couldn't be said in three sentences. So many of these commentators talk while they're still figuring out what to say. Why not pause, gather your thoughts, and speak concisely and clearly? It's like they're being paid by the word.

The play reminds of J.D. Williams, for any old timers out there. Great speed and athleticism, first-round pick, but for some reason couldn't track the ball. Got beat again and again, just like this, watching the receiver catch the ball.

I missed that (and the game) and really, really would have enjoyed seeing it. Who was bickering? Then he calls for the flag!

The new system of having just one team per conference having a bye is absurdly unfair. Witness last year, when the Bills were in a dogfight, injuries accumulating, while KC watched the game on TV, resting up a full two weeks before hosting the winner in their own stadium. Give the team with the best record the homefield advantage, sure, but an additional week off in addition--and only for them? That's tipping the scales way too much at the end of the season, when players are hurt and exhausted.

If Collinsworth were one of the announcers, he'd make it sound like Patrick Mahomes was outplaying Herbert.

And who's behind them if one of both of them go down? Covington? Hancock? Lewis? The water boy?

Truthfully, no. Aside from national games and games against the Bills, it's mostly his highlights I've watched. That's when I noticed that most of the highlights were runs and throws to wide-open receivers. Again, this isn't to say there aren't some remarkable throws, just not (subjectively) more than any other QB's highlight reel. But I am persuaded by the stats you provided. (Thanks for pulling those together.) They represent objective evidence that he really is an elite passer. I'm ready to eat crow. I still would take Allen over Lamar every time, though.

Allen is hands-down the best player. No contest. He is approaching Lamar as a runner (because he can truck people) and far surpasses him as a passer. Watch any game, any highlight reel, and you'll see Lamar running brilliantly. But throwing brilliantly? Not so much. No more than any other starter in the league. He throws a pretty ball, I grant you, but I don't see any consistent brilliance, not like you see from Allen, Mahomes, and Burrows, even Stafford. I think people expect great passing from Lamar, since he's such a good runner and throws a pretty ball, and they see what they expect to see, not necessarily what is there. Flame away!

Maybe ball control, inching down the field, milking the clock even early, using Allen's legs and the tush push to eke out fourth downs. And hope the Ravens don't score on every possession. Too pessimistic? Allen is a god, easily the best player in the league, and he'll make a few spectacular plays. But will that be enough?

You can say that again.