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It is one of a kind, I'd keep it. I doubt anyone will mistake you for the real Josh Allen.

Why such a critical bent towards a guy that has been better each year with tremendous production. He’s not a traditional smash mouth runner but what back in football was better in the red zone. Instead of acknowledging his nose for pay dirt you prefer to call his season an aberration. Please don’t compare Motor or Moss to Cook. Cook has been better than any back in football his first three seasons considering health and production. I’m so tired of using his pass blocking as a knock against Cook. Josh had 8 sacks the whole year. If we want to take advantage of Cook’s skills, Brady has to isolate him on LBs and safeties in the passing game more, get him out more on screens and make him feel wanted. You’re deluding yourself thinking you can just insert another back and not take a step backwards. Singletary and Moss were just OK and any success we had was due in large part to Joshcentric offense with Diggs,Davis and Beasley producing in their prime. I think 2 to 3 more attempts a game for Cook is the sweet spot to maximize production and keep him fresh for the postseason.

Another honorable mention Josh Stamer

We just have one: Keep Josh Allen healthy and standing upright to be this generation's GOAT QB.

Imagine putting that Defense with Josh today!! Talk about a holy terror - for both opposing sides! Ahhh, one can dream....

I have a whole closet of Buffalo Bills past players jerseys. I wear 'em all. They are Buffalo Bills jersey after all. And I paid good money for a lot of them so I get my money's worth. I root for the laundry, not the players. That said,I do have a Josh Allen jersey.

Mr. @Augie with all due respect sir, yes it's not easy to beat Reid. If Reid is playing chess and McDermott is playing checkers, should we try to find a different coach and try something different? It's been 10 years with McDermott. He is 0-5 against the elite teams in the playoffs. Do we try the same thing over and over and expect a different result (Definition of Insanity) Or do we leap forward in a new spirit of daring and try something different? I think Josh deserves better

I keep saying this and it's been said by others as well. McDermott is exactly like Marty Schottenheimer v2.0. He's the perfect coach to lead the Bills out of the drought and back to respectability much like Marty led the Chargers back to respectability. But poor Marty could never lead the Chargers over the next hump which was playoffs and super bowl, Exactly like McDermott People make fun of Rivers but he was a great QB in his day who was a victim of poor coaching. I'm afraid the same fate awaits Josh until we get rid of McDermott. The definition of insanity is to try the same thing over and over and expect a different result. Here we are in McDermotts 10th year and we keep expecting something different to happen. Please remember the lesson of Marty Schottenheimer and Philip Rivers. I pray we're not making the same mistake with McDermott and Josh

The Dolphins are built very oddly. Two elite WRs, a solid QB, good backs and nothing in the trenches. Yeah, they can make some poor teams look bad with some elite skill guys, but when they to stop Josh Allen that have no answer whatsoever

Nothing. Josh could retire tomorrow and get in. He revolutionized the position. Arguably the #1 QB in the NFL if people pull their heads out of their asses and realize it is a TEAM GAME. The numbers don't lie, the film doesn't either. This is why I hold players like DAN MARINO, DREW BREES, and RIVERS in higher regard than most fans. Even Jim Kelly. Is it his fault Norwood missed that kick? Is it Marino's fault the Dolphins defense was hot garbage and his skill players were mid? Is it Allen's fault the defense craps the bed in the worst times imaginable?

I know you hate 1st round CBs Bill, but I believe that Tre' was a key player in turning the franchise around. We can agree to disagree. As for Mahomes, as has been said, it wasn't Beane running that draft and the draft value was spot-on. And Mahomes wasn't considered a sure thing otherwise he'd have been taken by any of the 9 teams drafting before he was taken, who all arguably had a need at QB. And if the Bills hadn't drafted Josh the following year, I'd agree it was a huge mistake.

When McD goes 0-5 vs the Chiefs when it matters most, he will be fired. Heck, Josh may request it.

As we are in the last quite part of the football year before it cranks up I wanted to do a fun thread based on a podcast I am listening to. Albert Breer & Connor Orr (both from SI) are going division by division with a optimistic season outlook and then a more realistic expectation for every team. It is a great listen if you do podcasts and I recommend it. But I did my own version for all 32 teams with a brief snippet for an optimistic look for each team vs a more grounded expectation. Let me know your thoughts or predictions! 1. Atlanta Optimistic: They win their division and make a surprise NFC title game appearance Realistic: Penix looks for real, the offense is dynamic for 17 games, and the playoffs are win and get in week 18 2. Arizona Optimistic: Surprise division title as the offense is electric throughout and Murray has his best season yet as a darkhorse MVP candidate Realistic: The Cardinals are playing meaningful games come December near a playoff spot and Murray/the offense doesn’t fade at the end 3. Baltimore Optimistic: Superbowl appearance with MVP season from Lamar Realistic: AFC title game at home as they win a tough AFC North 4. Buffalo Optimistic: Superbowl win with another MVP from Josh Realistic: Finally make it back to the Superbowl 5. Carolina Optimistic: Surprise playoff berth against a favorable schedule as Bryce Young puts together a solid year and the defense is better than expected Realistic: 6. Chicago Optimistic: Ben Johnson has the offense playing Banana’s at Caleb Williams looks like a top 10 QB and the Bears make the playoffs at 10-7 Realistic: Caleb Williams looks like a top 15 QB, the offense is consistently decent to good, and the Bears have some meaningful games in December while finishing 8-9 7. Cincinnati Optimistic: Win the AFC North as the offense is super good again and the defense is enough to win with and win a playoff game to get back to the AFC Divisional round Realistic: Make the playoffs as Burrow is really good and the defense is not as bad this time around showing some new foundational pieces. In the playoffs terrify whoever they play that Burrow single handedly can go on a run. 8. Cleveland Optimistic: Sanders or Gabriel emerge as a legitimate starting QB they can build around for the future and the defense solidifies into a top 5 unit as the youth from the draft emerge quickly with the players they already have Realistic: The defense is in the upper half of the league but is wasted as the offense cannot do much and they go 3-14 but miss out on the top draft pick (NOLA gets it) 9. Dallas Optimistic: The offense explodes on all cylinders with a top 5 year and leads the Cowboys back to the playoffs where they win a game Realistic: The Cowboys are in the playoff hunt throughout as the offense is better but the past injuries to Dak catch up and lack of talent overall holds the team back as they finish 8-9 with more questions than answers 10. Denver Optimistic: Bo takes a step forward to be a top 12 QB mixed with a great defense and they finally knockout KC for the division crown before making a run to the AFC title game Realistic: Bo takes enough of a step forward mixed with a great defense and favorable schedule to nip KC for the division crown and they win a playoff game. 11. Detroit Optimistic: Despite losing both coordinators and some talent, the Lions still win a competitive division and make it back to the NFC title Realistic: The Lions make the playoffs and win a playoff game, despite not winning the division and the offense taking a small step back 12. Green Bay Optimistic: Jordan Love has his most complete season and emerges as an MVP candidate while leading the Packers to the 1 seed and NFC title game Realistic: The Packers win the division, Love emerges into the top 10 QB group, and the Packers win a playoff game 13. Houston Optimistic: The defense is the best in the league, Stoud jump back into the top 10 QB wise as the offense is dangerous, and they make the AFC title Realistic: The Texans defense is top 5 again and lead them to another division crown while Stroud is a bit more steady throughout and they win another playoff game at home 14. Indianapolis Optimistic: They make the playoffs with a surprise division crown as Jones has a season like 2022 where he lets Taylor do the running and compliments it nicely Realistic: The Colts play meaningful games in December as Jones is solid enough to keep them a float before missing out on the playoffs at 8-9 come seasons end 15. Jacksonville Optimistic: New talent & new coaching unlock Trevor Lawrence into his best form as the offense becomes top 10 in the league and win the division crown Realistic: Trevor finds stable footing with the new coaching staff and the Jags are in the playoff race right to seasons end as Travis Hunter is the real deal on both sides of the ball 16. Kansas City Optimistic: AFC title game at home rinse and repeat Realistic: They finally don’t win the division as the AFC West presents a big enough challenge mixed with talent lost and years of playoff games take their toll on the roster. It is a playoff year instead of division championship year. They still make the AFC divisional round and show they won’t fall without a fight. 17. LA Rams Optimistic: They make the SB after getting the NFC 1 seed with the offense being top 5 and the defense rising near the top 10. Realistic: They win the division and win a playoff game again showing they are an incredibly formidable team. 18. LA Chargers Optimistic: The Chargers finally put it all together and reach the hype analysts constantly give with a division crown and Herbert being an MVP candidate. They win a playoff game and make to the divisional round for the first time since 2017 Realistic: The Chargers are in the wildcard mix all season but miss at 9-8 as the division improvement keeps the Chargers back. 19. Las Vegas Raiders Optimistic: Geno is as solid as he was in Seattle mixed with Jeanty at RB lead a Raider offense that can go toe to toe with anyone and they make a wildcard appearance. Realistic: The Raiders week are still in the playoff hunt in mid December as the offense has some teeth and the defense is stout thanks to Carroll shaping them up 20. Miami Optimistic: Tua is healthy and good for the year leading the Dolphins to a wildcard spot as the offense is still quite potent enough to score in bunches. The defense is not a full sieve. Realistic: The Dolphins finish 7-10 as they lack the talent to compete on defense and the offense is good against bad-average teams but fails to carry the load against top teams. Tua plays in 15 of 17 games but sticks as a middle of the road QB (decent but not great). 21. Minnesota Optimistic: JJ lets the weapons do the work and has a very solid rookie season as the offense stays in the top 10, the Vikings win the division, and win a playoff game Realistic: JJ has some ups and downs, but the Vikings are still in the playoff race come the final two weeks as the offense is still in the top half of the league 22. New England Optimistic: Drake Maye takes a big next step turning into a top 15 QB, the offense is top 10 rushing, and mixed with an improved defense they make a wildcard appearance Realistic: Drake Maye takes a strong step forward and the offense moves to middle of the road. The defense is able to complimentary ball and mixed with Vrabels coaching the Patriots are in the playoff hunt in late December before falling short at 8-9 23. New Orleans Optimistic: rookie QB Tyler Shough looks like a QB you can build the future with and the offense is able to do some things and they are in most games finishing 5-12 with some young building blocks Realistic: The years of pushing the cap down the road catch up as the Saints go 2-15 as the offense is putrid, Shough looks like a rookie QB, and the Saints march to their worst season in decades but get the #1 pick 24. New York Giants Optimistic: The lines both solidify and become a strength for the team as their RBs combine for 2000 yards again from the line of scrimmage and the defense is terror on the d-line. Dart takes over with 4 games to go and looks ok as they finish 7-10 with many building blocks to work with. Realistic: The defense does round into form allowing the Giants to stay in games but the offense lacks the talent to do enough while the QB play is erratic forcing Dart in much sooner and he is overwhelmed. They finish 5-12 with questions continuing on the offense and QBs future. 25. New York Jets Optimistic: The Jets rushing attack is dynamic as they mix Fields in and end the year top 5 running the ball. The defense reverts back to a more solid form with Glenn as head coach and with good complimentary ball the Jets are in the playoff hunt come mid December before finishing 8-9. Realistic: Glenn stabilizes the foundation of the team as young players emerge and pieces like Sauces & Wilson restore their footing. They still finish 6-11 as they need talent and QB, but it is a much quieter season and it feels like something is being built for the long term again with the defense finishing in the top 10. 26. Philadelphia Optimistic: Another Super Bowl win and 1 seed Realistic: NFC title game appearance and division crown 27. Pittsburgh Optimistic: Rodgers shuts up and gives top 15 level QB play as the offense finally can attack a bit vertically while the defense is good as always ending with a division crown and AFC title game appearance. Realistic: The offense is decent as Rodgers is steady and the defense is good like always, but the best they can do is a wildcard appearance and loss in a tough close game. 28. San Francisco Optimistic: The 49ers heal up across the board on the way to a division crown and NFC title appearance. Purdy looks worth the money providing really solid QB play and young pieces like Ricky Pearsall (WR) come into their own. The defense rounds into shape with Saleh back at DC also. Realistic: The 49ers get back in the playoffs as health stabilizes the ship, but it isn’t smooth sailing and requires a week 18 win to get back in the dance. Purdy is solid but more Tua then Burrow at QB and can’t lead a comeback drive in the playoffs as the 49ers fall wildcard weekend. 29. Seattle Optimistic: Sam Darnold is not a pumpkin and plays at a very high level as Smith-Njigba becomes a true #1 WR and Kupp is healthy allowing for a top 10 passing attack that brings Seattle back to the playoffs. Realistic: Darnold is more average then good as the Seahawks offense can’t compliment a decent defense and Seattle is out of the playoff race by mid December. 30. Tampa Bay Optimistic: Baker & the offense stay dynamic, Bowles defense is sound, and the Bucs win another division crown and then make the NFC title game. Realistic: The Bucs don’t have to comeback from a 3-5 start to win the division, but they still need a week 18 win to get the division crown. 31. Tennessee Optimistic: Cam Ward looks like a future stud as the back half he has some big games passing and the offense is able to do some things finishing middle of the road and staying in more games then people think. Realistic: The offense has too many aging parts to help Ward, he gets beat up, and they lose a lot of weeks 27-13 with more questions on the roster then answers at seasons end outside of the QB position. 32. Washington Optimistic: They steal the division from PHI and make it back to the NFC title game again. Realistic: They make the playoffs as a wild card going 10-7 as some bounces don’t go their way this year and they have to grind for more wins. No worry as Daniels has a big week 18 win to clinch a wildcard and delivers another playoff win the next week.

I think the seat is warmer than it was but I don't think he is under any immediate threat. I can respect wanting him fired for 13 seconds. It was a huge failure. I don't put the Bengals loss on him it was squarely on the players and I even then I cut them some slack. They started slow and with everything that year they had no mental reserves to respond. They all looked vacant and lifeless. To put that on coaching you almost need to believe McDermott told them to play like that. The Bills have been beaten by more than 1 score twice in like 3 and a half years and that was one of them. It was an anomoly. But if, like me, you are willing to give one mulligan for 13 seconds then he doesn't get a second one. Missing the playoffs unless Josh is hurt is a second huge failure and he'd have to go. Likewise losing a playoff game to a non-elite QB. Likewise any playoff defeat whatsoever that has a 13 second like blunder. As for where Pegula is... the regime might survive a winning season where they miss the playoffs at 9-8. Possibly. If they have a losing season they are toast. They might survive a narrow playoff loss to a non-elite QB on the road. At home? Riskier. Another blunder like 13 seconds I think Terry fires McDermott. In that situation and only that situation do I think there is a chance the coach goes and the GM stays.

Years ago, I had a friend whose brother-in-law was selling knock off jerseys & he gave me a Trent Edwards counterfeit jersey. It looked pretty real. I wore it to one game & then the Bills cut Edwards. Because the name on the back of the uniform was a separate cloth sewn into the jersey, I was able to cut out the name Edwards. Then the Bills changed their uniforms & I never wore it again. I still have the jersey in a closet with other stuff I can't wear. In 2018 I bought a real Josh Allen jersey at a local mall after the Vikings game and it's the only Bills jersey I need, and I don't have to worry about Josh getting cut.

Sensitive? Idk about that. Passionate for sure. Comparing Beane to Veach he hasnt won enough. Comparing Beane to the previous 20 plus years before his arrival its night and day. Building a consistent playoff team and contender is not the norm. Cincy made a run and have been going in reverse since. 49ers and Rams have been really good and really bad. Chiefs, Ravens, and Eagles are the closest to Buffalo in consistency over the past 6 years. They also have been well run franchises for over a decade. Beane and Mcdermott don't get the national credit they deserve. Turning a NFL wasteland franchise to a top 5 Superbowl contender annually. Mcdermott is always on the positive side of analytics. As a defensive coach he gave the ball and franchise to a young Allen and let him go. Was using cover 4 and 2 deep safety for as long as Fangio but he doesnt get any of the credit for it. Not winning the ultimate prize diminishes their historical impact nationally. Beane carries that with him. When doing interviews that can come out.

The Bills only beat the Dolphins in week 18 because they imploded? Lets not look at it as we closed the season on a 5 game winning streak. I mean, when a franchise QB and one of the best in the NFL like Joe Burrow goes down, that definitely changes the landscape. Just like if Allen, Mahomes, Jackson etc....go down. There is not a unhealthy obsession from anyone. You pumping up Stefanski for doing it twice, I point out McDermott also made the playoffs with a bad QB.....now I'm attached to that event? I mean talking up a coach with multiple posts, from another team with a career losing record AND on a Bills message board sounds more like an obsession to me. Its not the same because Tyrod will not or ever will take you deep into the playoffs.

I'd have fired him if they missed the playoffs in 2023 and I said as much after the Denver loss. Missing the playoffs with Josh Allen is fireable.

Take it another step further. If Miami and Jacksonville don’t implode week 18 in 2023, the Bills miss the playoffs. With Josh Allen at QB. No one is forgetting the TT year. the point is that McD’s claim to fame is sneaking into the playoffs once with a crappy QB. Which is exactly what Stefanski has done. not surprising though. Bills fans have an unhealthy attachment to that event. There was a hefty number who didn’t want to trade TT because “he broke the drought” and “who knows if the next QB is better, he could be worse!” 100% of them are still posting the exact same noise about McDermott.

What a shame, so over rated and Josh was his Daddy

Let me be clear. I respect your football knowledge quite a bit and admire your posts. You also seem like a nice person. That said, just because you say something "multiple times" does not necessarily make what you say factual. If that was the case, everybody could say something again and again and be 100% correct just by virtue of doing so. We will never agree on this topic, nor is there any real way of finding out the truth. It's all cool. I am not defending Beane at all! I am putting the blame on McDermott for continuing the Bills tradition of too much focus on defensive backs, despite other bigger needs. This started with the trade of the Mahomes pick to the Chiefs and extends all the way to this season, when instead of providing Josh more weapons, he drafted another first round corner.

Remains to be seen. I am not sold yet that we are better at receiver. Maybe we are. Maybe we are worse. Maybe we are the same talent wise but different enough in style that we find more explosive pass plays. I hope you are right, because if that is true it might make for an easier Cook decision next summer (on the basis he doesn't sign a deal this summer). We did keep drives going well. But that is a hard play to live drive in and drive out for 17 games plus playoffs. And even in terms of turning what was really 4 or 5 yards into 9 or 10 Cook is among the best in the NFL over the past two years. He was also THE best in the entire league last year at yards lost in tackles for loss - he was tackled for a loss just 21 times (second fewest among qualifying backs behind Jahmyr Gibbs) and those 21 losses cost us just 37 yards - the lowest in the NFL among qualifying backs. It isn't JUST that Cook can break a big one. He is critical part of their everyone eats small ball offense too. As to the contract, I agree the Bills and Cook are obviously apart on the overall value of the package right now. We don't know that is just AAV, it might be, but my strong suspicion is it is as much about length and guarantees. There are $15m per year deals I'd do, given his value currently to this offense. But he'd have to be willing to leave some team flexibility on the table in terms of guarantees and contract length for me to get there. I'm a don't pay running backs guy. But he is clearly the second best offensive weapon on the team behind Josh Allen right now and unless this O can prove to me it is built different in 2025 then my instinct is you have to try and find a way to retain what he brings without tying yourself to an expensive running back contract for the longer term. His 4.7 average is bumped up somewhat by 5.1 ypc as a rookie when he did not, for the most part, start and we have seen sometimes being just a change of pace guy inflates those numbers. He is a plodding backup level talent. Cook is way better at making the first guy miss and way better at getting 5 or 6 yards out of 2 yard holes. Because his vision is on a different planet to Singletary's. Singletary has had three starting jobs in the NFL now. The Bills let him walk after his rookie deal and replaced him with Cook, the Texans and the Giants ended up benching him for rookies. He is who he is. A plodding backup.

Concern, I understand. But we aren't the offense we had last year. We're already better at WR, and Kincaid being healthy could very well be another major step upwards. It's possible Josh could keep having problems working together with him as he did last year, but I'd guess it's not the way to bet. And while we didn't create many explosives last year, we did keep drives going without explosive plays, really well. Again, I would love to get Cook back. But I understand totally that they seem to have a value that they're willing to give, and that they don't want to go beyond it. I myself simply wouldn't give $15M per year. Well, we'll see what happened. Oh, and I'd disagree with calling Singletary a plodder. He wasn't. He also wasn't nearly the breakaway threat Cook is. But he was terrific at making the first guy miss and turning 2 yard gains into five yarders. You look at his 4.7 YPC, with an OL that wasn't as good as the one we've got now, and it's not reasonable to call him a plodder. Not nearly the long threat Cook is but a good solid back.

Our offense relied less on the run then though. This is the point I keep making on Cook. I'd much rather the Bills were explosive in the pass game and could churn out backup level talents like Singletary and Moss to plod around the backfield on rookie deals like they were in 2020/21. If they were I'd let Cook walk to a team that relies more on the run quite happily. But right now when we do NOT create many explosives in the pass game other than Josh on broken plays I'm reluctant to give up one of the best explosive runs running backs in football. If you replaced Cook with a backup level talent plodder in THIS version of the Bills offense as otherwise constituted I'd be concerned.

Um, I guess you're saying that I poorly mis-stated what you said? I don't see it myself, they appear nearly exactly the same. But let's say I completely messed it up. Thing is, what you actually said was every single bit as dumb as my recap of what you said. The idea that because something is said at a PC rather than a written interview ... that it wouldn't show up on the internet isn't just dumb, it's false. PCs have reporters covering them, and they put what is said into print. PCs these days are also on video. Again, they are covered ferociously, strip-mined passionately. If Josh had said something as incendiary as that at a PC, it would have been quoted a million times and been not just able to be found on the internet, but ubiquitous for days afterwards. The reason you can't find it is he never said that. As I pointed out before, all those things that Josh gets quoted on on the net? He said pretty much all of them at PCs and interviews. Hell, he said the thing you're quoting about Cook at a PC/interview. That somehow got reported on the net, didn't it? If you want to keep kidding yourself about that, go ahead. But the reality is the reason you can't find it is he never said it. Oh, and I love McDermott and Beane, both of them. I hope they'll both be here ten years from now. You know he said this at a press conference, right? And yet somehow you can find it on the net, in many many places. Which is how it works.