finn

So now we're down to one offensive lineman, Dawkins, who is above replacement level. One.

Allen sucks. Why wasn't he covering Waddle?

The offensive line is exactly that. Worst part of the team.

This defense is an obscenity.

I'm predicting Duke Johnson will be activated. We need to pound the rock in the snow. This is the kind of week Tommy Doyle would have been helpful. The big difference in this game might end up being Allen running.

That's a thought. Brown has been a liability in pass protection outside. Maybe he'd do better with someone on either side of him. But Quessenberry on the outside isn't much better.

That's not what The Athletic says this week in its all-22 review of the Jets game. Excerpt: "The starting safety made a flash play near the end of the game to force a turnover, which was impressive. So, when you look at the grades, you might wonder why his is among the lowest listed. It’s because there were several examples when Hamlin had a one-on-one tackle opportunity, only to lose the ball carrier and not even slow him down enough for teammates to arrive with help. It usually happens in the run game, and to Hamlin’s credit, he has done a nice job of sniffing out where he needs to be for those opportunities to limit gains. But the execution of the tackle was lacking, allowing the Jets’ Zonovan Knight some of his best runs Sunday. The Bills were pretty good against the run all game, but a few of the Jets’ best runs happened on Hamlin’s watch. The trouble with tackling isn’t isolated, either. Hamlin has shown this is a bit of a weakness in his game since he entered the starting lineup. There isn’t much the Bills can do about it at this point because he is easily their best starting option of the active roster players, but it could hurt them against more explosive running backs."

The wind and visibility will help the Dolphins, who otherwise couldn't keep up with the Bills on either side of the ball. Just like the wind game against the Pats and the heat game in Miami. Frustrating. This game will come down to who turns the ball over where how often. If the Bills throw deep, throw anywhere to McKenzie, or return punts in these conditions, they deserve to lose. But I expect them to win simply because they're better.

Buffalo Rumblings has a nice video breakdown of all of Beasley's catches in TB. Upshot: not very impressive, but at least he catches the ball. https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2022/12/14/23505398/bills-news-cole-beasley-signed-jets-game-recap-dolphins-week-15-preview

Maybe we'll finally see Elam play again, since his strength is supposedly man/press.

This sounds right. By now, it must be apparent to McDermott and Beane that Davis is a better third or fourth receiver, McKenzie is a liability, and Shakir (like Elam and Bernard) isn't ready. With no one of merit on their or any other team's practice squad, they're gambling that familiarity with Allen will offset Brown's and Beasley's declining skills. I wonder if Allen is pushing for his old buddies to come back. He goes back to throw, and if Diggs his covered, he can a) check down; b) throw to MacKenzie, who will drop it; or c) throw it to Davis, who never gets separation and will likely drop it anyway. Must be deeply frustrating, especially when he see Tua throwing to Tareek and Waddle, Brady to Evans and Goodwin, and Burrow to Higgins and Chase. Imagine Allen with Diggs and Jefferson.

Do you think he'll put two and two together? Earth to Ken: Change your game plan BEFORE the game.

See the last line in my post. Allen throws the ball into the hands of his receivers and sometimes they even catch it. If not, Allen runs the ball and, at times, Singletary and Cook also pick up yards. I would say that sometimes Saffold and Brown pick up their assignments, allowing Allen to take his time in the pocket, but I don't want to exaggerate. No one but Chris Simms and the NFL Films guy seems to be seeing the obvious: Except for Allen and Diggs, this offense is mediocre from top to bottom. Let me put it another way. Say you put an truly incredible player--maybe the best overall player the league has ever seen--in an offense with just one blue-chip player. How would you say that would work out. Answer: the 2022 Bills.

Almost like calling him a clutch player without mentioning his choke picks, such as against Cincinnati last year and us this year.

That Jets defense is excellent, maybe better than ours. Really impressive at all levels. But they didn't even need to be that good to slow our offense down. Our O-line is below average, Knox is ordinary, Gabe Davis is a very nice fourth or fifth WR, and MacKenzie should be on the practice-squad. Very few national commentators have realized that, outside of Allen and Diggs, this is a mediocre offense. Allen especially makes everyone else look far better than they are.

Be nice if we had more than two offensive players who would make a roster on another team. Mediocrity or incompetence across the board. Shows you just how great Allen is.

Such a predictable offense!

Do the McKenzie defenders out there have anything to say? How many more drops before you too realize he's more of a liability than an asset?

Repeatedly stopping them then giving up third and long has to be demoralizing. Sure seems like a pattern this year.

Maybe this is the one drive the Bills defense allows even in their best games.

So will the Bills and Miller agree to an injury settlement? I assume he'll be out a good part of next year, too.

The Chiefs game is blacked out for me. Would someone mind tell me how the Chiefs look offensively? I gather not so good?

What a combination: size, speed, arm, athleticism, accuracy, pocket presence AND work ethic, heart, ferocity... There's nothing standing between him and GOAT status but injuries and the team around him.

Because he dropped one pass, missed others, and just stalled a drive by himself, that's why. He's more of a liability than an asset at this point.

He's not human!