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Ep. 74 - Buffalo Bills Host the Denver Broncos in Week 1 of the 2024 Playoffs
33 Plays3 months ago
Welcome! The boys breakdown the most recent happenings of the Sabres season - recent losses, where to place blame, possible trades? They also break down the Wild Card matchup between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills.
3 buds. 2 teams. 1 city - The "Let's Go Buffalo" Podcast. Your new favorite podcast for all things Sabres and Bills. Our mission is to be your guide through the ups and the downs of being a Buffalo Sports fan. We are not members of the media nor are we experts - we’re just 3 friends who love our hometown teams and want to bring you along for the ride. This podcast will be for both veteran and newly ordained fans. We’ll have in depth conversation and debate with a few “newbie” questions sprinkled in to keep everyone afloat.
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Transcript
00:00:24
Speaker
What's going on, everybody?
Introduction and Social Media Plugs
00:00:26
Speaker
You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast, your favorite podcast for all things bills and savers with the pals, Nigel, Tom and Jake. We got episode 74 coming at you. Quick reminder, folks, you know the drill. Don't forget to follow the socials. We're on all of them with the handle at Let's Go Buff Pod. Tom, how many F's?
00:00:52
Speaker
two, two, two F's in the handle at let's go buff pod with two F's. Come find us Instagram X, YouTube, TikTok. If you're on YouTube, leave a like, leave a comment helps us out with that good old algorithm.
NFL Playoff Talk and Birthday Banter
00:01:05
Speaker
And with that being said, Tom, to you, I say happy NFL playoffs.
00:01:11
Speaker
Bonjour! What's up, buddy? Hey, going on before we go too far, happy freaking birthday. Hey, thank you, thank you, thank you. You old man, you? Yes, I turned 32 this past Sunday. you're You're our elder. I am the elder statesman here, which means everyone has to respect me and treat everything I say with a lot of respect and care.
00:01:32
Speaker
We definitely already did that. good um It's good to see that most things won't change that. Yeah, that's how it is. You know, it's up, guys. I'm good. I'm good. Happy ah Happy Tuesday. And yeah, dude, right. It's a NFL playoffs are here. It's the time it is. It is torpedo. What's going on, brother?
00:01:53
Speaker
it's cold enough for it yeah it feels like NFL playoff time yeah anybody know what the weather's gonna be like in buffalo for for sunday nippy game i haven't looked at i haven't looked at and also it's western new york so i try not to put too much stock unless it's like 24 hours in advance but that's very smart that's very smart here i could pull it up right here We got, uh, grace guys high at 29. So, but nothing crazy. So cool. I mean, a day, 1 PM football and Orchard park, baby.
Craft Beer Toast and Sabres' Struggles
00:02:24
Speaker
in Love that. Well fellas, we got a bunch to get into here. Shall we start things off with a beer? Yeah. get Beer, please. Hear me, please. Here we go, boys. Ready? Uh, three, two, oh,
00:02:42
Speaker
ah days and equity drinker but I have a all or nothing. so Okay. Fun might fun little, man fun little mantra for the playoffs. Uh, it feels a little too real there, buddy, but yeah, it's a pretty, clear and jake what kind of, what kind of beer is it? It's a nice, skin I'm so sorry. I'm, I'm, I'm lacking here. It's a West coast IPA from threes brewing. I'm really thirsty. I haven't drank since new year's. Um, uh, yeah, it's a West coast IPA from threes brewing. Nice little can Megan picked it up for me the way back from the city ah last week. So hell yeah.
00:03:20
Speaker
Yeah. How about you? What are we sipping on? I'm continuing my, uh, my local tour with, uh, community beer works, petering sour ale. So shout out my cousin. Cheers buddy. I appreciate you and cheers to you guys. Those were great. can How much, how much does it taste like it?
00:03:40
Speaker
but i Yeah. I didn't know that was the first time you're taking a sip of it. It is. Yeah, it is. Jake, that beer is a great color, dude. Yeah, it's it's looking nice. um I guess it looks gorgeous. Thank you. Thank you. ah Thank you. worked hard Thank you, Jake. Well, I'm still continuing my beard is, well, beard is bearded Iris IPA trip here. I think I've done one of these, but attention please is another little West coast IPA. It is a double IPA though. So we're been, that's kind of been my theme lately on the pod with the beers.
00:04:16
Speaker
It's ah for our attention grabbing selves. This is perfect. So yes, that is a good point, Tom. Good point. All right, folks. Well, we're going to start off chatting a little bit about the Sabres here. Oh, boy. um Yes, they're still pretty bad. We dropped all three games on the West Coast trip that we were just on. So we recently played the Stars, the Avs and the Knights lost all three of them.
00:04:42
Speaker
um The abs game in particular, similar to the last game we played against the Colorado Avalanche, was particularly painful.
Sabres' Performance and Cultural Concerns
00:04:50
Speaker
ah We once again got up with a nice lead and then completely choked it away yet again. um That definitely almost happened again last night ah when we played Washington. um And then our game against the Knights too was also just forgettable, lost three to one.
00:05:07
Speaker
um And then like I mentioned we did manage to win last night Against a very good Washington team that is the top team in the Eastern Conference right now shockingly enough um But we we did try to choke that one away, too we ah did give up a lead late in the third period pretty on-brand for us this season and Had to count on UPL to be huge in a shootout But yeah Jake anything anything you want to mention those games there it was more middling hockey there and A lot of very forgettable hockey in there, yeah. ah The Colorado game, they gave up a couple leads. They were up 3-0, and then they were up 4-2, and then 5-3, I believe. They were up 5-3 with 4 minutes left in the game, I believe. They let Colorado tie it with
00:05:55
Speaker
six or seven seconds left on the clock and then just choked it away in overtime. It's fucking brutal. brutal but yeah you I'm glad we don't have to play them anymore. I'm sure the savers are as well. Just just forgettable hockey and dude, you they're riding UPL into the ground. I'm worried about his longevity this year. I think he's propping them up right now, but if he's playing every game like this, I don't know how much he's going to be able to do that. Yeah. He's seeing a lot of rubber, dude. He's seeing a lot of rubber. Indeed. I, um, I, I, one thing about the abs game, I should probably temper everything I said just a little bit because that's another game that like, if the sabers weren't
00:06:34
Speaker
utter dog shit this season, that would be a loss that you can kind of hang your head on a little bit. I thought they played well enough to win that game in terms of their five on five play. It's just more of the same nonsense in the sense that this team can't play with a lead. Like if we had, you know, if if we were a point out of a wild card spot or something like that right now, or or maybe we're in a wild card spot.
00:07:00
Speaker
There's still things you can take away from that Colorado game. They make you feel okay, but not with the way this team is playing right now. You don't get that luxury of being able to get a moral victory there. You just, you got to fucking get some points. Can we just cover the scoreboard? Can we just like cover it up so they don't know that they're, they have a lead?
00:07:19
Speaker
It's just something's got to happen, dude. I don't know. They've tried pretty much everything except that, Tom. So you might be onto something. But even even even if they were a point out, there's that's still an ugly game. that's if If they were a point out of the wild card, that's one of those games where I'd be saying, man, I hope we don't regret that one at the end of the year. And now yes this is just a putrid level of of yeah just just get past it. its Seasons washed at this point pretty much. Not to be too much of a Debbie Downer, but it it's it's bleak. yes they're they're not it's Is it statistically possible to come back and and make the playoffs? Yes. Is it probable? No. now I refuse to get my hopes up no matter what kind of run they go on.
00:08:01
Speaker
Yeah. um And on that note, despite the fact that we suck, and this is one thing that stinks in particular about us being so bad this year is because this is the most wide open the Eastern Conference has been in in forever, dude.
00:08:18
Speaker
And at this point, we are still somehow only six points out of a wild card spot. But like Jake mentioned earlier, um I think to me before we were getting here and up here, there's eight teams between us in the playoffs right now. So while there's only six points, there are eight teams that are all freaking right up each other's ass and trading spots every single day.
00:08:41
Speaker
you know, for us to get into the playoffs. So that's where it comes into the hole. Is it possible? Yeah. Is it likely? No. And then you want to say the standings, Jake, six points is a lot to overcome for half a season for what if you're battling with one team, you're saying you need to perform six points better than them through only half a season. That is really tough to do. You're asking the savers to do that against eight other teams. And it's just it's just not going to happen. But I agree. Like the chances squandered.
00:09:11
Speaker
a team like the Rangers, who were a powerhouse last year, made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, have faltered. That's a team you could have been in front of. The Montreal Canadiens, dude, they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, which was a weird year, but then they've rebuilt and are now in a playoff spot, I believe, as we speak. It's crazy. It's crazy the chance that it was squandered. Ottawa is in a playoff spot, and that's a team you should be kind of neck and neck with, but they've had their own share of issues and injury issues with Olmarch and things like that.
00:09:38
Speaker
There's a lot of, ah there's a lot of missed opportunities for, for the savers to have made a splash this year and they just simply have not. And it's a, they're mentally weak. I think that's, that's what it comes down to. They have all the talent in the world, but they just don't have the mental fortitude to grab a lead and hold onto it.
00:09:55
Speaker
Okay. Now on that point there, Jake, I'm going to jump ahead to and to another bullet point that I've got here because I think it's a, I think it's a nice segue. Where's the blame going for you with, with that situation being at hand? Is it the players? Is
Sabres' Blame Game: Players or Management?
00:10:09
Speaker
it Lindy? Is it as ah Kevin Adams? Is it a mix of the three? Is it an even split ah of the three? Does one group get more blame than the other? Where do you fall on that? Dude, I've i've thought about this a little bit recently. I don't know if I'm putting blame on.
00:10:24
Speaker
any of them or if I'm putting blame on all of them, but I think it really goes hey goes back to 10 years ago, this this being an issue. I'd put more blame on Pagula and Tim Murray and allowing what happened to have happened. And that's just just tearing the team down to the studs, incentivizing losing to the players and the organization. That's what happened. And I think we all remember 10 years ago, if you were a goalie and you started winning more than one game at a time, you got traded. You got waived. You're off the team. um I think that just stinks and permeates. And there's no there's no way to get the the odor away from the team easily. And I think that's kind of just
00:11:11
Speaker
Lingered. that's that's where that's That's where I go. So to to answer your question, I didn't really answer your question. I think it's cultural. I don't know if it's any one of those people. I think it's in the room. I think the players have all the talent in the world. Yeah. I think the players have all the talent in the world. They're good players. They have talent. It's just not mentally being able to put it together as a team and and go out there and take a playoff spot. They can say all the look in the mirror quotes they want, but it doesn't matter until they put it on the ice. How do you feel about that? That's the difference of a roster versus a locker room. Are you just a roster of good players, or are you able to put it together and play for each other and show up every night? Yeah. Which is why the Buffalo Sabres are the New York Jets. That is why that's the case, because that roster has all the tail in the world.
00:12:02
Speaker
I answer that question kind of similarly, but in the sense that, so if if there's anything to be garnered from the bills, right? Culture started at the very top of Brandon Beane and worked its way down. and Sean McDermott didn't get his culture vibes from, from Brandon Bean, but they were aligned in what the culture needed to be. Right. And and I think if there's anything to to be drawn from that Bill's team is that it has to start with the GM and that your GM and your coach have to be on the same page with, with.
00:12:33
Speaker
culture because I think it is like there is a cancer on this on this buffalo savers team right now and it feels like yeah dude it's just it's just it does feel systemic it does feel something that's like deep rooted like you know like a trade like it like if we trade dylan cousins right like it's not going to fix anything Right because the I think the root of the problem goes much much much deeper than that I think yeah, I think we just keep trying to take a cheap route with the coach and the and the GM and there's there's a lack of congruency there in terms of what the expectation is like I have a hard time believing that Lindy rough and Kevin Adams are on the same page with everything
00:13:16
Speaker
Like, I just don't really believe that. They're two incredibly different people. You know, and not the people that are different can't be on the same page, but like, I don't know, dude, Lindy has been doing this for a billion years and Kevin that has been doing it for almost none. And that's where I'm like. Like, are they on the same page? I'm not sure they are. Go ahead.
00:13:35
Speaker
they They might not. And I just want to say, I i don't think Lindy Ruff is blameless. I think you have every young player on this team has either stagnated or taken a major step back since he started as coach and You're not blaming the GM for that. That's, that's a, that's a coach. And you're not blaming the players for that. If, if it was one player, sure. Like maybe that guy has something going on. It's every young player on this team has either stagnated or taken a step back. In my opinion, could maybe argue Owen power has, has transformed a bit, but I think he's just that good of a player that he's transformed naturally. I think it's a coaching thing with Lindy rough, like not trying to disparage him by any means. I love him, but.
00:14:14
Speaker
I don't know if he was the right pick for this team. I said it back in the summer. I was hopeful, but not sure if he was the right pick. I really don't think he was now. Yup. It's, it kind of feels that way a little bit. Like, I mean, he said 30 games ago, but he doesn't fucking know what to do. yeah wasn't prettytty games ago But he's just like, I don't know. I don't know what to do with these guys.
00:14:37
Speaker
He didn't say it 30 games ago, but he probably was thinking it. He probably was thinking it, yeah. um Jake, you mentioned a name that I want to talk about, and that name is Owen Power. And this is a place where you and I disagree, um because I am having a hard time finding the proof that Owen Power is is a hockey player. And when I say that, I channel my inner, Herb Brooks from the movie Miracle,
00:15:04
Speaker
And, and I want to go to him and and tell him to stop being such a candy ass and tell him that he's not a hockey player. And then I wanted to run at me and be like, I am a hockey player, but dude, I know the offensive upside has been great. And and I myself on this podcast have.
00:15:21
Speaker
uh... given his flowers for his office of production and there's nothing to i don't want to take away from his office of production but own powers not a forward own powers of defense man and i can show you you know three highlights in the last four games where he is the reason that we're losing or that we're going into overtime late late late in the game and to me it just looks like this kid is fucking soft and I'm nervous about it and and I think we disagree Jake so I'm gonna give you the floor now but I have growing own power concerns
00:15:57
Speaker
I think it's fair to be concerned, but I don't think it's fair to to judge or label yet. He's still, he's what, 21 maybe? He's young. He is he never he never was He never was brought in into the league. He never was drafted as a ah ah big mean shut down hockey player type of guy. He was drafted as a free flowing offensive creator that is gonna make you pay in the offensive zone. And to be honest with you, that's that's kind of what he's done. I mean, he's he is good at that. um I think a failure of the organization is to not find somebody to pair with him that compliments that.
00:16:39
Speaker
and sticks him with Yoki Haryu and says, well, we did our job. He's got a partner. um And the the other thing, just addressing the physicality. Physicality is important, but I will also remind a lot of people were saying the same thing about Rasna Stalin five years ago. Um, he's soft. He doesn't know how to block out in the defensive zone. He's not good in his own end. He can only score and look what he's turned into. He's a two way monster. He's gets in guys faces. He's, he's a prick to play against. Um, so I, you know, I'm not, I, I think the criticism in a bubble of this year, super fair. And I totally agree. There are games where he's fucked up.
00:17:24
Speaker
But on the flip side, he's super young. He's, he, I don't think he's hit 200 games in the NHL yet. Um, you know, he's got room to grow, I think so. Yeah. i yeah that's my success He is a, he is 22. So you're right. He in terms and defensemen, I mean, correct me if you would disagree, I think defensemen hit their prime, like.
00:17:44
Speaker
28 to 32 is I feel like is like where some of those primes are like they're mid to late 20s into their Early 30s just because I feel like being a defenseman in in hockey is such a cerebral thing You know and and hockey in general is a cerebral thing like you've got to be able to think five steps ahead But yeah, I mean if your prime is 28 or 27 He's still five years out of that at at the bare minimum. So I can and I can buy that and you do have an outstanding point because I think I said these same words about Tallinn, maybe even less than five years ago. So you have another great point there. It's just hard for me. And this is I and this is another player I want to talk about. um
00:18:26
Speaker
But like, you know, you see Zach Benson with this absolute pit bull mentality, dude, and he's in everybody's face and he's stirring every every you know pile of shit he can and just just being he's reminding me, dude.
00:18:41
Speaker
and then And I'm not saying the skill is there, but but Zach Benson is giving me like Brad Marshawn kind of vibes. Do you like he's becoming a bit of a rat to play against? And I love that. And and so when you when you so when you see a 19 year old like that with that mentality with his size, ah that's that's a tough one for me to look at own people like own power, be like, brother, like, get a tablespoon of that into your game.
00:19:09
Speaker
You know, so we, we thought we fall a little bit short of one another on this one, but I don't think we're miles away from each other. you No. Agreed. Agreed. Yeah. that um Go ahead. that that That Colorado goal with Zach Benson was, was ugly. I completely agree with anyone. The whistle should have been blown. I don't know about you, but I, you know what, dude, I, yeah, I would agree with that. I think that, I think that should have been blown dead. I also don't think that the goal of getting hurt was Zach Benson's fault. He was very clearly to me pushed into the goaltender. So like avalanche fans that are preparing to send death threats to Zach Benson.
00:19:52
Speaker
And for those of you that might not be aware what we're talking about and the Colorado game, um one of the goals that the Sabres scored was it from Zach Benson. um But, you know, maybe five seconds beforehand, Zach Benson got shoved into the back of the goalie's leg. And the goalie was very clearly in pain, injured, not paying attention to the play. And Zach Benson got free and scored a very easy wraparound goal that were escorted against the Sabres. I would have been I probably would have broke my TV.
00:20:20
Speaker
So I agree with did you Jake. That but Victor had been goal early in the year. UPO went down. You know. There you go. Yeah. It happened already. So yeah yeah. I don't think it should have scored or it should have counted. I agree with you on that. But the blatant hate that Zach Benson is getting is horseshit also in my opinion. Blame the Colorado guy. Yep. Okay. I wanted to say a potential trade thing before we move on but I wanted to see if you had any other thoughts. I think we should close with that.
00:20:48
Speaker
Yeah, just real, real, real quick. I got one more. pi I got a shout out. Alex, talk Alex, it's been unreal, massive, bright spot. I don't know. This feels like the next guy to not re resign and go into Stanley Cup the next year to me. But maybe growing up a Sabres fan, he resigns. I don't know. But Alex Tuck is horribly underpaid and I'm very grateful for his presence on this team. And he thought there real quick. I totally agree. Yeah, he's he's excellent. I totally agree. if he If he moves on, he's a great candidate to win another cup somewhere.
00:21:19
Speaker
Yeah. Coolik, looks like he's hurt. Doesn't seem like it's anything horribly serious, but he is supposed to get evaluated from what I saw yesterday, Monday. I haven't gotten any update on that. Have you seen anything, Jake?
Trade Talks: Zucker and Pettersson
00:21:31
Speaker
No, nothing. Just out for some time, I guess.
00:21:34
Speaker
Okay. And then last one, we have two more sort of big picture things to talk about before we switch over to the bills. I'll ask mine first. This one's been burning up for me lately because Jason Zucker has five goals in the last three games. And um ah the question is starting to come up pretty regularly. What are we doing with this guy at the deadline? He's 35 years old, or I think right around 35, maybe 33 to 35 somewhere in there.
00:21:58
Speaker
He's on pace to have his best statistical season ever in his career. um So Jake, if you're the GM, are you looking to re resign Jason Zucker as a veteran that seems to be succeeding here and keep that game around as you you know just a veteran presence in the room? Or are you looking to flip? So you're not looking to flip him with the deadline for a second round pick?
00:22:22
Speaker
No, fuck no. It's long past the time of flipping veterans for futures. we've we've We've talked about it here. People have talked about it all over. You need veteran presence to shape the locker room. They've been the youngest roster in the NHL for years, and they've shot themselves in the foot by doing so. He fits with the team. The guys like him. He's liked in the locker room. He scores. He's good on the power play. Re-sign him. Re-sign him. No-brainer, re-sign him.
00:22:49
Speaker
We're on the same page on that one. Do you re resign him again to a $5 million dollars deal? It depends on the term. If it's another one year, sure, why not? you know Depending on cap, i I'm not saying throw the bank at him, but you know if you haven't made a call to his agent to see what it would take, you're fucking up. You're stupid. Yeah, okay, yeah cool. we yeah We align very much on that one. All right, Jake, your trade scenario hit me, dog.
00:23:14
Speaker
So this one's come up a lot. So Elias Pettersson is the number one center in Vancouver. There is some serious fallout going on there and there are some risks around him, but it is very much known that he is available for trade. Number one, are you interested in him and number two,
00:23:31
Speaker
What does the package look like? And so I'll paint the picture this way. I've seen trade you know proposals on online and stuff of Dylan Cousins, a first and a second should get it done. And yeah, I'm smashing that trade button. But realistically, it's going to be a lot more painful to pry a player like that out of Vancouver.
00:23:50
Speaker
um he's he's young he's 26 25 26 he's a number one center he is dominant um he is he has a no movement clause until uh that doesn't kick in until july so we could get him now which is not rare or ah sorry that is extremely rare um and finally There's some injury concern. I think he has some lingering tendonitis that will probably stay with him for a while. So there's some risk there. What are you willing to give up? And if the package was Dylan Cousins plus someone like Owen Power, are you biting?
00:24:28
Speaker
So obviously I'm interested because I think Elias Pettersson is objectively, probably I would say a top seven center in the NHL. Top eight, absolutely top 10.
00:24:43
Speaker
right and worth every dime of his eleven and a half million dollar contract. If the deal is Dylan Cousins and Owen Power, am I doing it? oh That's a tough one because I, here's where I falter. Right now,
00:25:03
Speaker
Okay, i'll say it I'll answer it like this, right? If Owen Power remains the same player that he is now and doesn't gain an edge in his defensive play, and let's say he even improves by 15 points a year offensively, I am making that trade.
00:25:19
Speaker
because I am okay with not another high offensive upside defenseman because I've got Rasmus Dallin and I've got Bowen Byro. That being said, if and and this is where I struggle a ton because I missed on Taysh Thompson,
00:25:36
Speaker
I was ready to give to age away for a bag of sticks years a couple of years ago. I did say the absolute same shit about Rasmus Dowling that I'm saying about Opie now, just too soft. and Look at what Dowling has become and look at which stage what Tage Thompson has become. so I might be the poster child for not giving guys enough time to develop. so Given my track record, the smart thing for me to do would be to say no to that.
00:26:02
Speaker
Because if my track record stays the same, Owen Power is going to blossom into a top 10 defenseman in the NHL, and then suddenly the Sabres have two of the top 10. And that is a big fucking deal. Yeah, so agreed.
00:26:18
Speaker
Yeah. ah Agreed. that is it's It's something I've seen fly by. People peoples throwing that rumor out there. So I thought I'd bounce it off of you. And I agree with you. I don't think you give up Owen Power. I don't think you give up Dylan Cousins. Elias Pederson is certainly an upgrade on Dylan Cousins. I don't think dylan i think Dylan Cousins would agree with you. um But he's still 23, something like that. He's 6'4". He's a right shot center man. He's had a 30 goal season in his career so far.
00:26:43
Speaker
that's that's a player that has a lot of opportunity to get back to that. So you know I don't think I would go for it, especially with the risk around Pederson. The one thing I will say though, it I do salivate at it because Pederson has a very similar to Tage Thompson-esque player with him in Vancouver in JT Miller. So if you slide Tage Thompson down to your number two center and you have a Elias Pederson on your top line, that's a pretty damn good top six center pipeline. so Food for thought, I don't know. Just wanted to throw it around. Yeah, i um yeah crazy. ah Crazy that he's available. I don't know what's going on in Vancouver. But all that being said, it's probably time to transition to our our team that's actually good, boys. is Anything else you want to touch on real quick, Jake? Are you all set? No, sir. let's Let's get on to the the important team here.
Bills' Loss and Playoff Preparations
00:27:34
Speaker
Tommy, would you like to hop into the driver's seat or would you like me to continue driving this bus of bozos? Well, I don't know. I think maybe the the bills are the bus of bozos because we have the Patriots dismantle us last weekend. Sixteen to twenty three loss, boys. My goodness. I have not sent more. Congratulations on your wins. Text to my New England Patriots fans friends than I did this past weekend.
00:27:58
Speaker
ah money and I don't know about a better situation. And I'm pretty sure Sean McDermott knew exactly what he was doing. um the The best thing that came out of this game was that there was minimal injuries. There's only been one reported and we need to hear more. um Joe Baskal out of the athletic was reporting that ah Brandon Codrington well what ah has a hamstring injury reported from that game.
00:28:20
Speaker
Not, not a great guy to have an hamstring injury. Cause that guy seems to be spring loaded and I'm ready to see him rip one off in the playoffs, but hopefully that's going to be something that may, may just resolve itself. Though I don't have much faith because a hamstring is usually something that lingers. Um, hopefully more than, um, but the the Patriots won and, um, unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, they fall from the first overall pick to the fourth overall pick.
00:28:46
Speaker
And I can't tell you how many of my my my buddies out here have been just just this absolutely ripping their hair out over that that how that happened. But real quick aside, how big of a deal is that actually? if you like It's three picks. You know, that's fucking huge. And the big thing is, is the trade package, right? Right now, the big thing in the NFL is the top couple picks are all quarterbacks. The Patriots have an awesome young quarterback in Drake, May, who's going to be a problem in the AFC East. So they don't need the quarterback. But guess what? They can just open the open the gates and say, hey, come on in highest bidder who wants to pay up and come get this first overall pick and they get the hall.
00:29:26
Speaker
They could still get a haul for the fourth pick, but they're not, I mean, teams are going to be trying to go knocking on the doors on the first and second pick and try and move their way up there. So the big issue is um they could have just taken the best available player and, you know, um ah at the first overall pick. But I think it was more likely that they would have traded down 10, 12 spots and and gotten in a haul.
00:29:48
Speaker
Okay. my hysterical like you It felt to me like a colossal fuck up dude. I, you trade out of that number one pick with the you knowing that you have Drake may there's like, to my knowledge, there isn't any, like, you know, there's no like miles Garrett ask edge rusher coming out of this draft. Like nobody liked that dude. I, I was concerned that they get the number one pick they trade out and somehow they end up with like.
00:30:16
Speaker
Five picks in the top 100, you know like that. I'm more future first or whatever, right? They then they will know that they have a whole just you know, just ah like a whole Shotguns worth of of picks to go go taking stabs at in this draft and next year's draft. So yeah um it yeah It felt like a colossal fuck up to because the the quarterback class going into this draft too is doesn't look awesome and the difference if you're a team that needs a quarterback the difference from one to four this year might as well be 20 picks so it's it's pretty significant that they lost that dude I was honestly completely shocked that's yeah
00:30:57
Speaker
freaking ah Bazooka Joe came out and had himself a game, dude. He looks good. Bro, I mean, Joe, milk I mean, yeah, he looks good. He he he came out. He was ah six foot five two fifty, like Josh Allen number, like, you know, size. And he came out and played. He's obviously been working and was ready to kind of display himself. And he did a nice job. This might have been Gerard Mayo's kind of goodbye gift to the rest of the team um because he was ah very quickly shown the door by Robert Kraft um after that game. and i'm I'm curious if he knew that he was showing the door and there's gonna be a Lovey Smith situation where he ah kind of just won that game out of spite.
00:31:34
Speaker
That if that was the case, dude, if that comes out, I love that. I know. I know. And for Bill's mouth. All right. Fuck you, you know, like here and have a good time, too. um I think it was really cool to see that the Bill's coaching staff was clearly trying to get a lot of our players, these incentives, these contract incentives. Sam Martin ah scored a big payday. Von Miller scored a big payday. Mac Holland scored a big pay payday. um And I'm sure there is more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
00:32:03
Speaker
um But I think that's a big thing. I think that shows exactly what kind of culture we have here in Buffalo. um You go down to Dallas and you see Jerry Jones accidentally forgetting that Cooper Rush was gonna have a huge $500,000 incentive that if he played this entire game and then sat him to play What's His Nuts. um Yeah, that players will notice that Sean McDermott was out there letting Sam Martin punt at the Patriots 35. to go get all right he just needed one more point within the 20 to get like a good size bonus I think it was like $200,000 and he punted in a spot where if this was a real game and this was a game that mattered they were absolutely going for it and there's no problem we we're getting points out of that drive um and that's a big deal that ah players free agents they're gonna notice that Sean McDermott's a players coach and ready to like this is a family we're here for you get your money
00:32:55
Speaker
And you said the big one there, Tom, free agents, right? That is something that you're absolutely right, dude. Age agents will write that down and make that a note about, you know, about the bills. Right. So that when the bills come calling to a guy and, you know, it's probably not going to be a top flight free agent.
00:33:13
Speaker
But when we go to that agent and be like, Hey, we're interested in this player, he goes, man, this is a team that looks out for their guys. If nothing else, yeah, it's cold, but this team fucking wins. They've got the best quarterback in the world right now and they take care of their boys. And that is, I mean, everything you said is correct. Tom, I don't have to say it again.
00:33:29
Speaker
Absolutely. Just I'm so proud to be a fan of the bills because of something like that. Right. Like just, you know, because you could be a fucking prick like Jerry Jones and keep it like du Cooper Rush is only going to make a couple million dollars in his career. Correct. Right. Like it's it's not like paying Josh Allen half a million dollars or five hundred thousand, which is a drop in the bucket for him. I mean, five hundred grand to a guy like Cooper Rush is significant.
00:33:56
Speaker
And Jerry, like, it's just, you know, that's the difference. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that's a huge thing to bring up. Good call by you to touch on that. um And ah other than that, I'm really excited for this next game to talk about is anything else to really touch on from this Bill's Pats game? I mean, it was a it was a preseason game, right? Nobody. We didn't give huge monumental injuries. Josh Allen got to extend his his start, his start ah record. And I think it looked good.
00:34:25
Speaker
We couldn't get Reggie Gilliam in the end zone and I missed out on 150 bucks, but that's neither near nor there. a bitch I was I mean, they would try to set it up, dude. they It was there. Did you try to try? Yeah, I can't get mad about that. Damn. All right. Well, yeah, we have a game that matters to get into your time. You want to get us in? Sure. Yeah.
00:34:46
Speaker
The Denver Broncos are coming to Orchard Park Sunday, new December, twe oh my gosh, January 12th, holy cow, January 12th, 1 p.m., 1 p.m. football in Orchard Park. Let's go, baby.
Bills vs. Broncos Wildcard Preview
00:34:56
Speaker
The Broncos are coming to town for the wild card weekend. This is gonna be a big one. I'm excited for this one. This is a young team that's gotten pretty hot here at the end of the season, looking really good. Sean Payton has these boys coached up. Bo Nix is looking like a little bit of a guy.
00:35:11
Speaker
It's gonna be a cool one. um Nigel, is there what what kind of like what are the big keys or what's a big key for you for for this matchup? Big key for me, dude, is we have we have a significant best on best situation here, right? And when we're talking about best on best, we are talking about the fact that the best part of the Broncos is their defense. I don't think they have a um a statistic, a defensive statistic that measures like outside of the top six or seven. um And then you're talking about the bills offense, which is the same.
00:35:43
Speaker
um So you you're you to Goliath in terms of their strengths that are going to be facing one another that's gonna be where this game is is decided um either that or the bills defensive line, but I think the big one is gonna be ah Can the bills put up points against this Broncos defense because it is arguably the best in the league and And we know that the the game script for the bills is the best when the offense puts up points and that defense can just tee off on the quarterback because they know they're going to be looking to pass the ball. I totally agree. I think.
00:36:18
Speaker
So there's a couple points here that I think really help paint this picture. um And i have I have a big ah i have a big ah prediction that I want to kind of like plant my flag on for for this game. The Broncos play ah lots of man coverage. They're at the third highest rate in the NFL. um So they trust their back seven to take care of business and then let their front defensive line go in and play have um use stunts.
00:36:42
Speaker
very blitz aggressive. Like they have the horses in every part of that defense to really impact a game and take over a game, to be honest with you. um That interior densive defensive line um is led by DJ Jones, who's just a stud. He's he's he's everything I want Daequan Jones to be right now. Like he's everything I want Daequan Jones to be. And unfortunately, Daequan is nuts, but ah DJ Jones is. So um our interior three are going to have their hands full.
00:37:08
Speaker
um with DJ Jones. um I think it's important that ah Patrick Sertain is their star cornerback stud. The guy's amazing. Probably the best cornerback in the league. I love Christian Benson. I think he's a top five cornerback in the league. Patrick Sertain is my vote for number one. Thankfully, there's only one Patrick Sertain on that team. And then we have five, six, seven, eight different weapons, right? if we were If this was last year's team and we had Stefan Diggs, and yep, we need to funnel everything through Stefan Diggs,
00:37:38
Speaker
I'd be concerned. I'm less concerned because we have multiple solutions for something like this where, sure, you can take away Keon Coleman on this play. You can take away a Mary Cooper on this play. OK, like Josh has five different answers, and we've been playing that way all year. You're not asking us to do anything different. um I think, and this is my big prediction, I think this is going to be a big Ty Johnson game.
00:38:02
Speaker
Josh has the seventh highest success against man coverage in the league this season. and And that's very much rooted in his ability to get the ball out to his running backs. The Denver Broncos are 31st in DVO way against running backs in the passing game.
00:38:19
Speaker
I think they could be had. And we've already seen Ty Johnson and we've seen a Bill scheme and a Bill's game plan center around Ty Johnson. I think he's going to have a big role again. I think all these running backs, I think Ray Davis and James Cook are going to be catching patches passes as well. But I think this is a Ty Johnson game. Here's my rebuttal to that. And this is not I'm just curious because it just popped into my head as you said it. Do you think that Bill's lost the element of surprise by with playing that card against Detroit?
00:38:48
Speaker
No, because i think I still think the fact that Denver is clearly not that they're a bad defense, but that seems to be a a chink in the armor of their defense. um What are they they still need to stop it, right? And it's not like all their 10th in DVA weight. No, they're 31st out of 32. Right? Like, like, that's not great. so Sure, they may adjust for it. But then that opens up other solutions.
00:39:12
Speaker
right That opens up something else. I'm sure that Joe Brady and Josh Allen are ready to say, hey, if they decide to then take away this first solution, we have solution B, C, D, and E in the um in the back pocket ready to go.
00:39:23
Speaker
Yeah, you're absolutely right about Pat certain too. I think he is the best cornerback in the league right now. And I think what Denver is probably going to do with him ah because there's no like legit number one weapon that we funnel all our targets to. I imagine what they're going to do is just plant him on that offensive right defensive left side because that is where Josh Allen is most dangerous when he rolls out. And that is where he likely is probably his most dangerous in terms of improvisatory plays. So I would imagine they put Pat Sertain on that side in order to try and mitigate some of that stuff. um My other concern about Denver, this Nick Bonito guy is is a problem.
00:40:03
Speaker
I mean, you're talking about maybe the best defensive end in football right now. You know, obviously you got your Miles Garris and stuff like that. Um, TJ Watts and everything, but this guy is a problem. He has been a problem all season. He's twitchy. He's fast. Um,
00:40:18
Speaker
Obviously, the bills have great offensive tackles, but I'm a little bit worried about this guy against Spencer Brown, as Spencer Brown has shown to be the tackle that can be had against really twitched up guys, which Bonito is. So that is something for me to watch in this game as well as Nick bo mean Bonito and how he is deployed against this bill's offensive line.
00:40:37
Speaker
But Spence has but spenence has handled his business this season. I agree. Last season, sure. i'd be I'd be worried. This season, he's had 17 games of he's solid. ah I think, again, this is good on good, like you said at the beginning of our conversation. This is good on good. Somebody is going to be had. I think Bonito is going to get his way once or twice, maybe three or four times. But I think I think i trust this offensive line to keep Josh safe.
00:41:04
Speaker
they're the, he's the least sacked quarterback in the league. They have the, they allow the least pressures in the league, right? Like it's, I think, I think we're going to be okay. I agree that that's going to be a spot where it's going to be, ah it's going to be a battle. It's going to be a really cool spot to watch as you're, as this game is going on. So pay attention down on that, um, in the trenches, but i'm I'm feeling okay. I might be feeling a little, you know, be drinking the juice a little bit, but I'm feeling pretty good about this.
00:41:27
Speaker
Yeah, and I'm notoriously nervous about everything. I get I bug out over everything. I'm already so nervous about this game. I think this is the bill's toughest wildcard round opponent in the last several years. Sure. Yeah, that's because let's run that back. Who was it last year? That's a great question. I don't remember. OK, well, here I'll look it up. I'll look it up. I got it was in Miami, Miami, Scott Thompson, Miami last year.
00:41:54
Speaker
was that last year? I thought that was a couple of years ago. no that was yeah I was there. okay oh Was I there?
00:42:03
Speaker
you might have been good yeah I think i will know we said and know we've had Indianapolis in the wild card recently. Yeah, it's just this Denver team and here's it's the It's that defense, dude. That defense is good at everything. They're good at stopping the pass. They're good at stopping the run. They run a 3-4 defense, which the Bills have not seen a ton of this year. 3-4 defenses are unique in the sense that they allow a lot of flexibility in terms of disguised coverages, right? So there was a clip flying around on Twitter of a particular defensive setup that the Broncos had, and it looks like a 4-3.
00:42:39
Speaker
But then the defensive ends dropped they blitzed a linebacker and then the safety that looked like he was going to be the cover one of the The one high safety shoots down into the hole down by the linebackers to take away a crossing route and the two cornerbacks and in addition or Excuse me that one of the cornerbacks and the nickel drop and have the deep parts of the field covered So it's just going to be some really unique looks dude um this this defense is just not to be trifled with, dude. And good defenses this season have been an issue for the bills. They just they just have been. So, Tom, you're looking at me like you're ready to say something. No, I'm agreeing with you, man. I think I think it's going to be a tough matchup. I do think that the Broncos are going to have have their way with the bills a couple of plays. I don't think this is going to be a monumental offensive output on this game. I don't think we're going to see something crazy. I think it's going to be a low scoring game.
00:43:34
Speaker
um And i I think they're going to they're going to really kind of get put put Josh Allen through his paces. But I trust Josh to come up with solutions because he's going to have his way to he's going to. um And I think it's going to be really interesting. um I'm really excited to see Von Miller play against his former team. He he won a Super Bowl right with the Denver Broncos. He was Super super Bowl MVP in 2015 with the Denver Broncos. So kind of cool that he gets to kind of see them back. um Oh, before I go even further, one past point about the defense, I'm really glad that we're playing this one at home.
00:44:05
Speaker
right So we don't have to deal with crowd noise while on defense, right? And like we can will be we'll be okay here. um Sorry, while on offense, excuse me, ah and helping the the the Denver defense. um ah Our our ah Orchard Park fans, Bill's Mafia is gonna be able to help out the the Bill's defense and and really get in in the bow next his head here.
00:44:25
Speaker
Yeah. And, and while we're talking about bone nicks, I like, obviously we wish we should probably get to him.
Broncos' QB Analysis and Past Games
00:44:31
Speaker
This is a guy that is not to be taken lightly, dude. He is a rookie quarterback and he shows moments of truly being a rookie quarterback. And there is no denying that, but I see a little bit of a Josh Mellon, Josh Mellon, Josh Allen mentality in this kid, dude, he's just a gamer. And when I say he's a gamer, and he's ready to do whatever he needs to do.
00:44:55
Speaker
To get that burst down whether it's throw a crazy pass put his body on the line Like the kid is not to be taken lightly. He's athletic. You have to make sure you contain him Right, which which which means the front front floor has to be? um Sound in their gap responsibilities and the linebackers included there, right? Because, you know, if this guy starts to get going with the legs, like it's going to be a wrinkle that we're not going to be ready to deal with. So you got to keep him contained. um And you just, I mean, the proof is in the pudding these last several weeks, dude. Bo Nicks looks like a competent NFL quarterback.
00:45:32
Speaker
Correct. And I would like to rebuttal against who? He play i guess he he played ah the the Chiefs backups last week. But prior to that, he played Cincinnati, which clearly is not the the the ah defense that we thought they were.
00:45:53
Speaker
Um, he played the, uh, the charges defense. They're good defense. Uh, he played the Colts. I don't know if we're going to really say much about the Colts. He played the Browns. We're not going to say much about the Browns. He played the Raiders, right? Like Falcons chiefs again, right? He, they, they only beat the chiefs. They lost the chiefs by two points, right? Like, um, but I don't know. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not too worried.
00:46:18
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not too. yeah i Yeah, it's it's a yeah, it's fair, man. It's just I don't know, man, like and regardless of who your opponent is, your mentality stays the same. Right. And true. It's just it's just the fact that it's the playoffs and yeah you don't get a second shot. I know. I know. That's the thing. That's the thing. It's crazy. um But I'll take I'll take Sean McDermott and and Bobby Babbage against a rookie quarterback any day.
00:46:44
Speaker
Yeah. And you said the key name there. Now, here's my only concern, right? We just played a rookie quarterback in Drake May a couple of weeks ago. And what did we do? We threw the kitchen sink at him in terms of blitzes trying to confuse him. And he didn't even flinch. Right. So here's what I can't see. I can't see a repeat of that. Right. Don't. yes and And now I don't know that Bo Nicks and Drake May are the same on the cerebral level. And if I had to guess based on what I've seen between the two, they are not.
00:47:12
Speaker
Right. Japonics has a little bit of that wild card Mustang Josh Allen vibe to him where Drake may is going to be a little bit more reserved and take that safe play. So, yeah, yeah I don't know. I know. I'm sort of repeat myself a little bit, but it's just yeah continued. um No. And I think I think I agree. I think he's he's going to he's going to make some spectacular spin. Wow. Hello. Something that's accurate plays. That would be the sour. Thank you very much. Hey. um So he's going to have his place and it's going to be fun to watch. But I think at some point he's going to show his his rookie colors. I agree. The Broncos have their wins a against Baker Mayfield in the Buccaneers. Aaron Rodgers in the Jets. Gardner Minshew and Aiden O'Connell in the Raiders. Gardner Minshew and ah Devin. No. are And Ritter from the Raiders. ah Spencer Rattler. Bryce Young. Kurt Cousins. James Winston. ah Richardson in the Colts and Carson Wentz.
00:48:11
Speaker
I hope that their defense not locks them down. I hope that they they look dominant and look like the best in the league. They've lost to Herbert twice, they lost to Mahomes, they lost to Lamar, they lost to Justin Fields and the Steelers, um and they lost to Geno Smith. So I think Josh Allen joins that list on the right. I think it's very easy. you know he would right he and He absolutely does. You're 100% right. There is no debate that he's right in that bucket of Mahomes and Jackson.
00:48:36
Speaker
And my nerd is going to come out because Josh Allen, his playoff Josh Allen is super saying Josh Allen, right? The guy, right? He turns on another level. So we know that's coming. We know it. he He's, ah he's shown it every year, every time he's hit the playoffs. So I'm ready to take him. I think, I think this is, this is going to be, I'm excited to kick off this, this, this post-season, the bills need to go home, go out and take care of business for home, play in front of your home crowd, builds mafia, take care of business.
00:49:04
Speaker
They should on paper. This is a team that should that the bills are a team that should win on Sunday. But I did. Defense does make me nervous. But there is no doubt in my mind right now that Josh Allen right now at this point in time is the best quarterback on the planet. And I will ride with that every single time. One hundred times out of one hundred. No questions asked. Yeah. I just got myself a little jazzed up. Let's go, Bill. Yeah. Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby. So I think all respect out to Broncos country. We appreciate you guys. I hope it's a great game. I hope it's everybody gets out healthy. But I do think this is a Bills win. I think we do some score predictions. And then I think we do a playoff bracket real quick together as a pod. So my score prediction, I think it's going to be low scoring. Nigel, you had actually stolen my score prediction. I think it's going to be 24-20 Bills. Low scoring game. And I think we're going to take it out.
00:50:00
Speaker
yeah I go 21 17 bills. I think it's tight. I don't know that we hang our normal 30 points on this Broncos defense And I think our defense which is absolutely suspect. I don't know if we talked about that and enough the bills defense in fucking I think Nick Cortland Sutton who's a big that we feel what season I think they're gonna get their licks in but I I I just have to, I got to ride with my boy. I got to ride with 17 dude. So I'll say it's going to be close. 21 17 bills. I got 28 20 bills. Okay.
00:50:34
Speaker
All right. I like it. So ah for our audio listeners, come on on over to YouTube and we're going to project and look at a a playoff bracket together. So if you want the visual, come on over. Sure. Round one. We should we should set some ground rules here real quick. Are we doing um ah like this? This is predictive, right? Our honest gut opinion. Yes. But it's too. it's But it's ah it's a trio. So we get to yeah vote each other if we need. Yes, absolutely. OK.
00:51:03
Speaker
All right. um Well, I think we just said that the Broncos are winning this one, right? Nope. Bill's beat the Broncos. Wildcard, AFC wildcard game two, Ravens versus Steelers. Who are we taking here, boys? I'm going Ravens here.
00:51:21
Speaker
im ri i I would tend to agree with you, though I think it's interesting that it's a ah um ah divisional matchup. It's the third time they're playing this season. You know, like already won. He had already won once this year, too. Right. Does which Russell Wilson shows up, I think determines this game. but Bingo. Right. But I agree with you. Let's go Baltimore Ravens. The third what AFC wildcard round game is the Texans versus the Chargers.
00:51:47
Speaker
I'm going Chargers here. I just don't. let The Texans feel like they're limping into the playoffs to me, and the Chargers look pretty solid. I go Chargers here. Yeah, I agree. I think the Chargers. And I think the Chargers are built for the playoffs. They have a great run game and a great defense, right? Yep. Everything Harbaugh wants out of that team. So I agree. i' I'm going Chargers. All right, divisional rounds. We're doing the whole AFC side of the bracket, and then we'll get to NFC in a little
AFC and NFC Playoff Predictions
00:52:11
Speaker
bit. ah Kansas City Chiefs versus the lo Los Angeles Chargers.
00:52:15
Speaker
Do this one to me, I, I, if I'm a chiefs fan, I don't, I don't want anything to do with this. Uh-huh. Now, which I love. I am not ready to bet against pet my home. So I'm going to take the chiefs here, but if I am the chiefs, I want nothing to do with this game. I agree. I love that. That's a divisional game.
00:52:37
Speaker
um And that's that's that's the matchup I want the Chiefs to have to play. um i'm I'm also taking Chiefs, but I think that could I could very easily see this Chargers. Jake, do you have anything to sway us or going with the Chiefs? No, I think the Chiefs will win. All right. Buffalo Bills hosting the Ravens in the divisional rounds. What do we got here, boys? This is where, God, dude, I don't even want to put out the voodoo. i um We don't have that power. I think we all have to raise our right hand. We don't have that power. We we do not have that in the universe. We think we do because we're sick in the head and we're delusional. You're right. you have so we do not You're right. I did need to say that, dude. I actually, okay. My honest opinion here though.
00:53:24
Speaker
I don't think I'm not something I don't think I don't like the Bill's chance to win against the Ravens. I don't. I don't think this defensive line is built to handle Derek Henry. Um, this defense is, is limping into the playoffs and Baltimore is still dominant. Lamar's playing out of his mind right now, offensive player of the year candidate. That's it though. So no i'm just i reit just my re but it's hard to beat a team twice in a year and we're home this time.
00:53:54
Speaker
Yeah, and i would I would buy both of those, but i just I don't know, man. I don't know if this Bills team is built to beat this Ravens team. OK, well, I'm going Bills. Jake, what's your vote? You get to be the this way. Oh, man, I get to be this way. I i think it's going to be tooth and nail, hard fought, but i it's on that it's hard to be a team twice, especially where we're on we're at home home field this time. I'm taking the Bills.
00:54:18
Speaker
All right, so we get to the AMC Championship game, the game that everybody wants to see the whole NFL. Any fan out there wants to see this game Chiefs at Bills or Bills at Chiefs, excuse me.
00:54:29
Speaker
guys, this is like, this is the game of our nightmare. Yeah. The fact that this is the way that you want this to happen. If you, if we were to go to the super bowl, this is what you want us to have to go through. Um, Ravens have to go through Buffalo and then Buffalo to have to go through Kansas city. That's how you want it to happen. Yeah. ah Agreed. I wouldn't want a single chief fan to be like, Oh, well you didn't beat us. So it doesn't exactly. Right. Exactly.
00:54:52
Speaker
And and and boys, I'll jump on this one first. I've never been less afraid of the Chiefs. I'm sorry. I just don't see a thing that has me afraid of them right now. I if this if we get to this point, bills, yeah and I'm not even sure it'll be that close. All right. The only reason I would disagree is because of fear. And I don't think that's a good reason.
00:55:17
Speaker
Right. But and I think I mean, we beat him by two scores earlier in the season. We have the formula. Bobby Babbage had a great game plan for the ah for the Chiefs offense. Like I think I think we can take care of it. So I'm going bills. Let's go to the Super Bowl, boys. Hell yeah. All right. NFC wildcard rounds. Eagles um ah Packers at Eagles. Excuse me. I have to do that right. that We're at in the right order.
00:55:37
Speaker
I think this is a easily Eagles team. I think they're a very well-rounded team and they're, they're a wagon right now. And I think the Packers are just falling to pieces. They're just, they're, they're inching their way into the playoffs right now. The Christian Watson injury is huge. Jalen hurts is still currently under concussion protocol, but I think, you know, that's go not gonna be a thing by this week, you know, even if he is still concussed, he will probably play the game on Sunday. So yeah, yes he's to play.
00:56:04
Speaker
All right, Eagles. OK, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Commanders. This will be a fun game. I'm actually excited to watch this. I am also excited to watch this one. Mostly because I don't really care about either one. but You know, I don't have a like I also I'm kind of indifferent. um I think Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers can turn it on. Right. Mike Evans and Bucky Irving, like they can turn on and figure it out. But um I think the commanders have a lot going on. I'm going to take commanders in this one. But Yup. And we differ here, Tom. I'm going to go, I'm going to go with the veteran presence in Baker Mayfield over Jayden Daniels here. So I would take the bucks. Jake, you get to tie break. Oh man. I was hoping not to tie break this one. I, I'm which company like better Jake. No, I, I watching Jayden Daniels this year, Tampa Bay has won a championship recently. So for purely those reasons I'm picking Washington. Yeah, I think that's a good story, right? Get Jayden Daniels a first playoff win.
00:57:01
Speaker
I love that. All right. ah The ah Vikings are going to Los Angeles, which is just but bonkers, right? they had that but that last night That week's game was crazy. um I think the Vikings take care of business. I think their run defense is awesome. I think Sam Darmold can put on the hat one more time for one playoff game. I just don't think it goes very far.
00:57:20
Speaker
Yeah. Sam Donald's the it's I'm still, and and maybe it's not going to happen due to maybe all this time. He's been great. I'm still just waiting for the regression to the mean, um, with Sam Donald, but I don't think it happens against the Rams. I'm with you, Tom. I go Vikings in this one. I agree, I agree. I agree. Cool.
00:57:42
Speaker
All right. Lions commanders. I think the commanders had a nice little run. It was a nice story, but hello to the buzz. Lions take this one. Lions. Yes. OK. Vikings at Eagles. though We're another really awesome game here. I think the Eagles take care of business here. And yeah despite the Vikings run defense, I think Saquon just takes over. and And this is just a ah bananas game.
00:58:08
Speaker
Yeah. And this Eagles defense is good, dude. This has to me all over it written or written all over it. Sam Darnold struggle. Yeah. OK. NFC Championship Eagles at Lions. What a game. Whoo. Yeah. I'm not voting against the Lions. I think you can't. um I think the story has been written already. um And I think unless they've sustained more injuries in that prior game and that divisional around game, I think they'll be OK. Yeah.
00:58:36
Speaker
All right. ah Oh, my God.
Potential Super Bowl Matchup: Bills vs. Lions
00:58:39
Speaker
Oh, Bill's Lions for the Super Bowl. I don't think I think we leave it here. I think we don't. I think this is the voodoo. I don't want to touch. Oh, OK. Tom, i I'm honestly fine with that. OK, but I think this is a picture and a picture that we would all just we would take 10 times out of 10 and twice on Tuesday.
00:58:57
Speaker
Yup, and and I will say this again, dude. i ah just Just because it's the we talked but it's the Lions and the Bills we're talking about here, I am as excited as I am for Bills Mafia because we deserve this. right We deserve every bit of every success because we went through some shit. There is no other fan base that went through the same amount of shit or anything close to it than Detroit. So any Detroit fans that maybe you know see this,
00:59:21
Speaker
I am if it's not us, I hope it's y'all because it's about time that somebody else gets their flowers. So cheers to you guys. I'm super stoked that y'all are having such success. You had a fucking hell of a team over there and nothing but respect the Lions fans. So.
00:59:36
Speaker
Totally agree. That's the matchup we want, right? That's the matchup everybody wants. Everybody I talk to, they're all like, oh, what? Imagine if it's Bill's lines. And I just crumple. I'm like, oh my God, I don't know. I don't want that. Yeah, I chew my pants. But we'll cross that bridge and we get to it, boys. Yes, sir. We got to get your Denver first.
Closing Remarks and Listener Appreciation
00:59:52
Speaker
Yeah, Bill's at Bill's at, or sorry, Bronco's at Bill's this Sunday. Get out there, folks. Have a great night.
00:59:57
Speaker
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for spending some time with us. Please give us a like and a follow on Instagram, X, TikTok, and our YouTube channel at Let's Go Buff Pod. These are my pals, Jake and Nigel. My name is Tom, and you're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast. We're sending you love wherever you are. Go Bills. Go Savers. Let's Go Buffalo.