finn

So who's the backup to the backup?

Not exactly a defensive battle.

True with most quarterbacks. They need to be pressured. Only the good ones read and react quickly or, like Allen, scramble to buy time. How many times have we seen Brady having time to eat a sandwich--then be called brilliant because he completed a pass?

Take care of business, boys.

Maybe they'll use Dawkins as a sixth lineman on run plays, take a play out of the NE playbook.

That's a good place to start if you want to see if the refs are corrupt: follow the betting, especially late bets. Let's see if the flags go in the Bills' favor today.

You be careful among the English, now.

This might end up being an asterisk season.

I wonder if Williams is the best choice for left tackle. That leaves Brown at right tackle and Boettger and Bates at guard. Yes, Brown had no time to prepare for left tackle, but he played about as badly as anyone can play over there. What a mess.

Being allowed to throw just three times will do that.

Right on. Plus, even diehard Pats fans--those few who aren't completely delusional, anyway--would much, much rather have Allen that Jones. "We got a Hulk."

That puts things in perspective. It's only a game.

Yeah, but it's not like their choice affects just them. Unvaccinated people are more likely to get the virus, more likely to spread it (potentially killing or damaging many others), and more likely to end up in the hospital, which the rest of us pay for either outright if they can't pay for it, or in higher insurance costs. How do people miss this point? People boast they're unvaccinated as if they're brave or free thinking, instead of dense, ignorant, reckless and selfish. And people like you (although I'm sure you're not any of these) say they respect them. Really hard to understand.

And that's if they all stay healthy until and during the game. There's only Doyle and practice squad players behind them. And meanwhile the Pats have lost how many to Covid? One backup?

Maybe the water boy would be a better choice...

Even if they do miss the playoffs, they'll be the darling pick for the Super Bowl in the offseason. The die is already cast.

Is it my homer ears or are commentators much more eager to say the Pats* have the best defense than they were to say the Bills had, even though they Bills led in terms of both points and yards? The media overall really really wants to push the Pats and downplay the Bills. What is that all about? Could it be as simple as their winning streak, and the Bills' up and down season? Maybe they're just reflecting fan energy. Diehard fan though I am, my enthusiasm certainly takes a dive when they lose. And they've been a rollercoaster ride all year. Same with the Pro Bowl voting. Do the Colts really have that many blue-chip player than the Bills?

I was just thinking that. If Brown or Williams has to come out, who goes in? The water boy?

No, they didn't, not adequately. I don't blame Beane for assuming Feliciano, Dawkins and Williams would play at the same level, but he appeared to be counting on a third-round draft pick from a small college (Brown) to play swing tackle in a year of COVID uncertainty. He also seemed to assume Ford would be a starting guard, at least after Lamp went off. If the Bills lose Sunday or otherwise go south, it will be almost entirely due to those two missteps. To put it another way, if Beane had secured a Ty Nsekhe-caliber swing tackle and found a starting (not replacement) caliber guard, the Bills could have gone undefeated. They're that good in all other positions--yes, including running back.

That would truly be bad news. They'd have a terrible left tackle, a mediocre/backup left guard (if Feliciano doesn't play), a terrible right guard, and a mediocre/struggling right tackle. And it's not like the center is pro-bowl caliber, either. Can the Bills just not catch a break this year?

It's a double snub to Allen in that voters are insinuating that he's not good enough even with a Pro Bowl left tackle, when in fact he's had a terrific year despite Dawkins playing at a replacement level until recently--with even worse play at guard and right tackle. Are they voting for the players they see most on television? Lamar Jackson is still a one-trick pony, no matter how many times the announcers pronounce "He's a pocket passer now."

I notice the Bills protected Isiah Hodgkins. I think of him as a replacement for Davis, since they're built the same and seem to have similar strengths and weaknesses. But it's Beasley they need to replace. Any news on Sanders? If he's a no-go, I suppose McKenzie is the next man up, followed by Stephenson. After that, they'd have to put Kumerow in the slot, I suppose.

I hope so. I think a key will be getting Singletary involved. With Allen playing under center and handing off for successful runs, the RPO and play-action options open up.

Corporations that don't need to pay taxes on the luxury boxes, or the first-class flights that get the wealthy people there, or the martinis they drink on the flight and in the boxes. That's all underwritten by the fans sitting in the nose bleeds with their families because that's all they can afford, in part because they have to underwrite the boxes, flights and martinis of the rich guy. Would be nice if the boxes were set aside for die-hard fans who can't afford tickets. Tell that to the anti-vaxxers.

He wasn't much of a factor against the Colts when he replaced Edwards.