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Ep. 43 - Bills Schedule Release
48 Plays1 year ago
This week's pod includes... some opening banter, congratulations to the back to back champion Buffalo Bandits, Sabres coaching changes, MVS signing, and the 2024 Buffalo Bills schedule release.
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
Introduction to 'Let's Go Buffalo'
00:00:08
Speaker
You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast. Your new favorite podcast for everything bills and stables.
Social Media and Engagement
00:00:22
Speaker
what's going on everybody you're listening to the let's go buffalo podcast your favorite podcast for all things bills and sabers with the pals Nigel Tom and Jake episode 43 coming at you
00:00:38
Speaker
Quick reminder, do not forget to follow our social medias. You can find us at the handle. Let's go Buff Pod. That's Buff with two Fs on Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok. Let's get around here and say hello to the fellows. Tom, how are we doing? I'm great, dude. How are you?
00:00:57
Speaker
I'm great dude. Just a great little, great little Sunday, Sunday morning hang here. Actually Sunday afternoon is definitely not morning. Welcome to the afternoon Nigel. Yes. Thank you very much. How are you doing? Yeah, we blew past the morning. Didn't we? I'm great though. It is, it is beautiful outside. It feels like we've been on a bit of a break. We each had some, some busy ass personal lives past week or so. Yeah, we did.
00:01:21
Speaker
So it's good to be here chatting with you guys. Good to be back. Yeah, dude. Absolutely. For sure, dude. For sure. Well, we decided that we're not going to quite do. I mean, like, it wouldn't be crazy if we did a beer corner. It's like 130. But we're sticking with coffee. Tom, do you have any riveting things to say about the coffee that you're drinking? Other than it's in my cool Buffalo Bills mug. No. Cool. Any creamer in there? Just a little half and half. Yeah. A little from down the road, you know, local half and half. So.
00:01:50
Speaker
yeah go straight to the cow kind of deal well i have mine in my saber's cup so i can at least join you on that account and mine's just black you guys have cool mugs i have cool temperature but uh nothing so nice dude is it cold brew or iced coffee cold brew i'm making it in my fridge ah dude okay so at some point today i'm gonna pick your brain about that because
00:02:16
Speaker
I want to do it and I don't know how. Fair enough. I don't know if I'm the best person to ask, but I'll tell you what I do. Perfect. You're drinking yours, which means it's not terrible. That's a great story. Yeah, but I have very, very low standards. Well, it'll be a good jumping off point if nothing else.
Buffalo Bandits' Triumphs
00:02:36
Speaker
Couple of things we want to start off with here while we're just around the horn.
00:02:41
Speaker
Not a team we talk about very often, but still a Buffalo sports team. The bandits are two time or two time in a row, uh, NLL cup winners, which is freaking crazy. Um, that's absolutely incredible. Good for them. Um, if successful, uh, franchise and Buffalo right now. So yeah, so let's go. If we were at all smart, we would, uh, try to watch some more of those games and invest more of our energy into that team. But.
00:03:10
Speaker
Not going to happen for me. I'll tell you that. Yeah. I heard that the, the home arena was rocking. Like I was just full house. It was a great game. Yeah, dude. Albany, 15 to 13, um, held them off and yeah, dude.
00:03:26
Speaker
So cool to see. They made it tight, dude. There was one point where Buffalo was up almost like 10 goals, and they brought it to within two. So that got pretty hairy there. But yeah, dude, Andrew Peters talks about how crazy that atmosphere is for a band's game. So maybe one of these years, we tried to get to one point. That would be fun. Yeah, absolutely. Yes.
00:03:49
Speaker
for sure. Um, and then Tom, you want to talk about our other little quick bullet
Micah Hyde's Charity Commitment
00:03:53
Speaker
point there? Yeah. Um, today on Sunday, May 19th, um, Micah Hyde is rum running his, uh, charity softball game again. So he's done this for the last several years. I'm not sure how long. Um, so really Austin have him back in town and do this awesome thing for the community. They raised so much money, like hundreds of thousands of dollars. Um,
00:04:12
Speaker
and fill a stadium full of Buffalo fans, go watch the Buffalo Bills assortment of players, go hit a softball around. It honestly sounds really fun. If I was in the area, that sounds phenomenal. But so really cool that he comes out, comes out and does that. To be honest, he had another quote this week saying, hey, you know,
00:04:31
Speaker
The Hides will be back for the foreseeable future to always do this every year because they would like to support the Buffalo community. And regardless if he's playing in Buffalo or not, that's his plan. He also talked about saying in other interviews for the softball game, saying that he's essentially at the point where he's either playing for Buffalo or he's retiring.
00:04:53
Speaker
Um, so I have to think that he still has some good, you know, quality football in front of him if you wanted, but I also want the guy to think about, you know, himself as a human being. And like, he's got a beautiful family. Like the guy's had some very scary injuries in a row. So I don't know, but, um, he sounds like he's still not sure, but there's, you know, the door is not shut on him coming back to play this year.
00:05:20
Speaker
Yeah, dude, I, uh, man, I'm going to be honest. Uh, just because I love my guy and, and, and I don't want to see him be hurt anymore, dude. I kind of hope he just hangs him up. I don't think money's going to be ever be an issue. You know, I just go enjoy the life that you've curated for your family and yourself.
00:05:43
Speaker
You know, one more neck injury, dude. And yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know, dude, like, it's scary to be in a different lifestyle. From the, from the Bill's perspective, they've also seemed to like made a plan to move on without him. Right. So if like he comes back in, it's like, okay, now what do we do? We got Mike Edwards. We got Taylor rap. We just grabbed the whole Bishop. Like we kind of have like set up like, okay, we're planning to not have Micah, which is what they should have done. But if Micah comes back, like,
00:06:10
Speaker
He's probably in a seat for a starting position, you know, like, um, there's probably, I mean, does he just get that spot back or is there a legit battle? I don't, I don't know, but I think it kind of puts, you know, the whole situation kind of a little kerfuffle. So, um,
00:06:26
Speaker
Yeah. I, I would be loved to have him back because I love the guy, but, um, I personally, I'm like, I'm like 72% like disco retire buddy. And we love you and you're welcome back all the time. Can't wait to have you as a legend of the game back, you know. Yeah. Don't mistake my desire for him to retire as like, I don't love the guy because he's the best, but he just, he just makes me nervous, but yeah, neck injuries are scary.
00:06:53
Speaker
Yeah. When you're, when you're that kind of competitor, dude, I can't imagine it's easy to turn that off. So right. Right. Yeah. Totally agree. So yep. I don't know. And we'll see what happens on that front.
Seth Appert Joins Sabres Coaching Team
00:07:05
Speaker
Yeah. If you had to guess Tom, what do you think he's going to do? I think he retires.
00:07:09
Speaker
That's my guess as well. If we haven't heard at this point, like I think he would have, unless he's going to be like, all right, I'm going to stay in shape and get called, you know, part way through the season and we bring him in for a playoff run. Sure. You know, like if just that that that's I think that's my one way that I'd be happy with. That could be I could see that happening, too. That's not out of the question.
00:07:28
Speaker
That could be crazy. To be honest, sees how this new team looks and operates. And if we're in a spot for a playoff push, then maybe he's calling Brandon Bean a couple of times a week to see what's out there. Or if it's not looking like it's going to work out, if they know we need a little bit of a buffer year, then he's probably going to hang it up. Yeah. Well, time will tell on that one.
00:07:55
Speaker
We got we got a couple of savers things to get into here. The biggest one probably being Mr. Seth Appert, who has been the head coach of the Amherst for, I think, the last four seasons, Jake, do you know? Correct. Yeah. Right around Covid, he took over. So four seasons. Cool. Yeah. So four seasons. He is now the assistant, one of the assistants under Lindy Ruff in Buffalo. So Rochester is going to be hiring a new head coach. What are your thoughts on this, Jake?
00:08:25
Speaker
I like it. I think Seth Appert's done a great job with Rochester. I think I was worried that Seth Appert was in line for the head coaching job. We talked about that, the pod here. So I'm happy that he's in an assistant role. I think I was a little
00:08:44
Speaker
Not concerned, but a little hesitant at first, because I didn't know what the relationship was like with him and Lindy Ruff. But it does sound like they talked. It sounds like they're on the same page. They talked a lot about playing a very North-South fast game and driving the net.
00:09:00
Speaker
Um, so I liked to hear that. I liked to hear that they both agreed. Uh, they, they, they said it without saying it, but they basically said that the power play fucking sucked. Um, and it needs work and talked about, uh, I know they had conversations about how power plays operate in the NHL today. Um, so I'm encouraged to hear that. I hope that we see some changes to that now that Seth Abbott will take over the power play.
00:09:28
Speaker
And yeah, I'm happy with it. He has a great relationship with a lot of the younger kids that have come up through Rochester and now play in Buffalo. Uh, JJ Paterka comes to mind. Jack Quinn comes to mind. Samuelson comes to mind. Yep. Yep. Um, some of the other kind of fringe defenseman who knows who stays, who's gone, but UPL. Yeah. Yeah. UPL in particular Levi now. Um, yeah, a lot, a lot of overlap. So I'm, I think it's a, I think it's a smart hire. It's a good hire.
00:09:58
Speaker
Yeah, anything you wanna add there? Yeah, so my question to you about this dude is like, okay, so do you think, because the way it's at least being spun is yes, all those conversations between Lindy Ruff and Seth Appert took place. Like the way it's being portrayed to us as a fan base is this was never like a done deal. It happened because Lindy and Seth discovered that they have so much alignment on so many different ideas.
00:10:25
Speaker
do you think that all that actually happened or do you think that this was a lock and they're just spinning it this way so that nobody gets pissed off about that boy that's a good question because very recently there was
00:10:43
Speaker
the organization saying, oh yeah, we talked to double digit people and we did our process. And then, you know, Elliot Friedman saying, yeah, no, they knew who they were hiring and they went and got him. So I think there's some dissonance there. I think I lean towards that it was probably a bit more of a lock. I think he was coming up and
00:11:10
Speaker
I think Lindy talked to him and they were aligned on some things and that's more of a benefit. I think probably there was some persuading to get Seth Appert down I-90 and in Buffalo. Do you agree? Do you think differently?
00:11:30
Speaker
My guess, honestly, it's probably a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B. And so what this screams to me now is that Lindy is a two-year plan. And after that, Seth Abbott is going to be the head coach. I think you might be right there, yeah. Which I don't know if I love just having that be the automatic plan.
00:11:54
Speaker
Because like, you don't know who's going to be a head coaching option, you know, two years down the road. I mean, look at the guys that just came up out of nowhere. Like who's this guy that came up out of Edmonton that took over as their internment has been crushing it. Yeah. Like, you know, like I never heard of that guy prior to that job.
00:12:12
Speaker
I think it illustrates the point that being a good assistant coach does not make you a good head coach in the NHL. We talked about that when Don Coronado left. Great, great player development coach, great assistant coach, but couldn't, it seemed like couldn't really hack it as a head coach. And then you look at somebody like Peter Laviolette, for example, who travels and journeys around.
00:12:32
Speaker
but, and, and people throw the argument around like, ah, it's just a retread, like just, it's a well-known name. That's the only reason he's there. No, that's not why he won the president's trophy and they're in the Eastern conference finals. He's an excellent, excellent coach. So.
00:12:48
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I don't love the succession plan either, if that is truly the plan. I mean, maybe it's just, it gives him the option. He's in the organization already. He's going on the bench already. So it gives him the option two years down the line, but I just don't want it to be a guarantee. I just, I just, you know, and, and man, I gotta be honest. I heard a couple of reports that like Craig Barube was interested in the Buffalo job. And now he's the head coach in Toronto.
00:13:14
Speaker
And I'd be lying if that didn't make me a little bit concerned, because I feel like exactly what Toronto needs, aside from some contracts off the books, is a guy like Craig Barube. So I don't know if we'll ever find out if there was ever a legit conversation with Craig Barube. I would love for somebody to ask him in a press conference
00:13:41
Speaker
but I doubt it'll ever happen. I doubt he'd say. I agree. I agree.
Sabres' Potential Trades
00:13:47
Speaker
It scares me a little bit, but. Toronto's going to Toronto. Yeah, I think so. I'm curious to see too. I really do. I he.
00:13:57
Speaker
He went on a hell of a run with St. Louis, but it was tied very closely to Jordan Bennington getting extremely hot too. And you look around the league and you show me a good coach and I'll show you a good goaltender behind that coach. So I don't know. I don't know. I'm hesitant. I'm hesitant. I think we'll see what happens with Brube in Toronto. Yeah. Yeah. And that's a very, that's a very good point there about Bennington getting
00:14:22
Speaker
I mean, not even just hot, dude, like, like, at the right time, six months straight and then fell off. Yeah. Good for that guy. He's six months straight, won a cup, cashed in on like a six year deal and then kind of bottomed out and then became perfectly mediocre all within two years. The man's timing was terrific.
00:14:44
Speaker
It was outstanding. Yeah, good for him. Another thing, just kind of in the rumor mill, and this came from a Twitter account that is very much typically a rumor mill, fourth period on X. But they reported that Gergensons and Olufsen are definitely going to be shopped this offseason by the Savers.
00:15:06
Speaker
Jake, what are your thoughts on that? I know for me, I like that. I like both of those. I like both those guys being gone. I just think Ergensen's, that relationship has to be so unbelievably stale at this point. And Vic, I would trade for a bag of pucks at this point.
00:15:27
Speaker
I think yeah, I think all of sin great great player to find in the seventh round. So I think he's his developments noteworthy. I think he just kind of lost his footing on the team. I think he he needs a fresh start as much as Buffalo probably needs to free that roster spot up and his cap space up.
00:15:43
Speaker
So I think I've seen it confirmed that he will explore free agency as he should go off, get paid, get an opportunity on another team. So I'm happy about that. I will say about Vic, there's not a single player I trusted with their puck on their stick more when we were down five to one in the third period than Victor Olafson.
00:16:04
Speaker
that the
00:16:15
Speaker
I love him. He's the longest tenured saber. I don't want him gone, but I think it's probably time to free up a roster spot for some of the younger talent coming up. And I think he probably needs a fresh start too. I think that door is slightly more open. I know he wants to explore free agency. I think he could find his way back if he doesn't find a deal out there.
00:16:40
Speaker
because he is a fairly replaceable player. He's a fourth liner, kills penalties, but you can find that a lot of places in the NHL. I do think he's a Lindy Ruff style kind of guy. I think he's the kind of guy that Lindy would like. I'm just wondering if that relationship isn't... I don't want to say too far gone. It's not like it's bad terms, but... No, I don't think so. I think he really likes playing in Buffalo. Yeah, just stale.
00:17:09
Speaker
So yeah, we'll see what happens there. Jake, you want to touch on this next thing that you have in our planning deck here?
Interest in Nikolai Ehlers
00:17:16
Speaker
Yeah, just very quickly, and I think we'll get more into this when we talk about offseason stuff with the Sabres. But I know when I've heard rumor that Winnipeg is actively shopping Nikolai Ehlers. He's a 28 year old left winger. 20 goal scorer responsible player creates a lot offensively, so I'd be interested in him. He signed for one more year at 6 million before being a UFA. I think he's someone that Buffalo might be looking like the type of player that Buffalo might be looking to add.
00:17:45
Speaker
So I know they're interested, or they should be, and we'll see if anything comes from that. I imagine that's a player you move at the draft. So we'll see. I think, again, we'll get into this more before the draft, but I think that number 11 draft pick that Buffalo has, 31 other teams should be getting a call about that pick.
00:18:06
Speaker
Hmm. And you're really that's your opinion. I think so. Move it. Yeah. Yeah. Who gives a fuck about that player being good in four years? You need you need to be better in in in October. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What do you what do you think? What do you think a trade for Ehlers looks like? I think I don't know if I think it includes a first rounder. I think it's probably probably 11. Probably. Yeah. Maybe 11 and 11 and
00:18:34
Speaker
to to be prospects. I don't think you're trading Matt Savoie for him, but yeah, agreed. Especially giving number 11. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Maybe if maybe Savoie and. Two seconds or something like that, I don't know. Yeah, a young a good a good young player, a high end first second round draft pick and maybe another kind of throw in prospects on like that. I think probably gets it done. Yeah, I would agree with that and it still feels a little bit steep,
00:19:03
Speaker
Paul Hamilton always says you have to be willing to trade to get big names. That's the cliched phrase, too. If both sides walk away unhappy, it's a good trade, right? Yeah, exactly. Is Ehlers a big name like that? Not to extend this conversation, but I'm sitting here flabbergasted by the amount that we'd have to give away for a player who wasn't, at least you guys weren't talking about, like a world beater.
00:19:26
Speaker
Well, no, he's not a world beater, but he's you know, he's a top. He's a genuine top six forward and a player in his kind of right around the prime of his career. Players like that typically go for a first round pick, a prospect and a lesser prospect is like the win. And he's not he's not too far under a point per game for his career. No, he's a good player. Yeah. Yeah, he gets his scores.
00:19:53
Speaker
When you say top six, um, like top six wingers that we said, or is, is that on the team or is that across the NHL? No, no, no. I'm on the team. Like, so you have four forward lines. So that the top, so the 12 players, the top six. So play playing on the first two lines.
00:20:08
Speaker
Cool. That's what I thought, but I just wanted to clarify, because if it was like, oh, yo, he's like a top six, you know, left-winger in the NHL, then I think that's a different conversation. Yeah. You're paying a lot more. For sure. All right. Interesting. Yeah. All right. Well, I'm excited to hear more about those conversations because I'm always a little flabbergasted by NHL roster construction.
Buffalo Bills' Wide Receiver Dynamics
00:20:32
Speaker
Awesome. Tommy, can I toss it over to you? You want to get us into some build stuff, Bill?
00:20:37
Speaker
I would love to. Yeah. So our big kind of talking point that today is going to be the schedule, which I think will be really fun to run through. But before we do that, the bill signs. What I see is somebody who's going to be on the 53 man roster come September. So the bill is signed. Mark has Valdez Scantling, wide receiver, who is a free agent coming from Kansas City.
00:20:59
Speaker
to a one-year contract, 1.125 guaranteed, million guaranteed, and worth up to $4.5 million with some unlikely to be owned incentives. Owned. Unlikely to be earned incentives. And yeah, man, I think the guy, I've warmed up to this.
00:21:22
Speaker
The way I want to start this conversation is I want to read off the number of players that we now have in the wide receiver room. And I would love to see what you guys think of who is actually making this team. Jake, I have thoughts that I want to say to your face about some things.
00:21:47
Speaker
Well while Tom's doing the infinity screen, yeah This is good for that's for later
00:22:00
Speaker
OK, he has issues with my face. Yes. OK, OK. All right. Ready? Curtis Samuel, Kian Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins, Marques Valdez-Scantling, Justin Shorter, Andy Isabella, Tyrell Shavers, KJ Hamler, Chase Claypool, and then a few players that I think are practice squad players. It is quite the smorgasbord we have going on here in the wider receiver room. Yeah. Nij, who do you see as roster locks?
00:22:26
Speaker
roster locks are going to be Keon Coleman, Curtis, Samuel go little Shakir. Um, I know I'm blanking on somebody there. Mack Collins. Yeah. Mack Allen's. Thank you. And then, yeah, I think I, at this point, I think your obvious five is, is your obvious number five is MBS.
00:22:50
Speaker
Yeah. Yep. I don't even think it's, I don't even think it's, I mean, at this point is, is it much of a debate? No, no, I don't think it is either because underneath him, it's Justin Shorter, Annie Isabella, Tyrell Shaver's KG handler, Chase Claypool, all fighting for that six roster spot, which is honestly not guaranteed because the bills have not rostered six wide receivers for several seasons. Exactly.
00:23:12
Speaker
But I think this might be the season we see it, especially because we don't have the glowing top of the roster. Yeah, I guess that's possible. I think depth. I think this is the year we might see six. Um, he's also a bigger bodied receiver, right? So he's, um, I don't have his stat. I think he's like six to two or five. Like the guys, he's a bigger dude, um, kind of in that Mac Hollins kind of almost to be honest, it's kind of feels like we're if he's fitting the Gabe Davis role.
00:23:42
Speaker
The Jacksonville Jaguars just paid Gabe Davis three years, 39 million, I think. And we just paid MVS, you know, one year, 1.125. So I think we just got a Gabe Davis who is a little bit more athletic, has slightly better hands, and we paid him significantly less. Yeah. Yeah, athletically, it is definitely an upgrade over Gabe Davis. I'm not
00:24:07
Speaker
They've both had their issues with drops. So I'm not like positive at what a what a Significant upgrade it is there but probably a little bit Cape Davis drop-offs all the time So but it is definitely definitely a speed
00:24:22
Speaker
Um, upgrade and you get a little bit, a little bit more versatility, not a ton, because he's going to be asked to have to have the exact same role, right? It's going to be a clear out guy, but you know, he's not second on the depth chart. In my mind, he's definitely a fifth or six, which is where that kind of role, when you're, you're, you're going to catch 40 balls a year. Like that's fine for my fifth pride receiver.
00:24:44
Speaker
You're probably, you're probably getting 40 targets a year, dude. And he's the fifth wide receiver, but don't forget, even if he's the fifth wide receiver, he's probably seventh in the pack, like in the packing order there for targets. Correct. Because I'm putting Kincaid and actually he's maybe eighth Kincaid Knox and Cook.
00:25:04
Speaker
Yeah, I would totally agree. So I think this doesn't really extend the ceiling of the wide receiver room, but it does bring up the floor in it. It varies up the skill set, right? We didn't have this down the field player who can really stretch the field and actually make defenses have to account for him. So I think that's huge. Yeah, I think
00:25:29
Speaker
I'm interested to see how this is all going to go. He's also won two of the last two Super Bowls in the last two years. So the guy has playoff experience. He knows what it takes to be on a Super Bowl winning team. I'm OK with it. Yeah, for sure, dude. I think you made a great point. It raises the floor. I think that's a great guy. I think that's really well said.
00:25:48
Speaker
Because otherwise we're looking at Chase Claypool, KJ Hamler, Andy Isabella, one of those guys making the roster. And it's like, I don't know. You like that last? Yes. Mucho less. That's Spanish for very last. Very multicultural here. All right.
00:26:12
Speaker
Uh, what happened to my planning doc? There it is. Um, any other thoughts on MVS signing? No, man. I think I think you hit it. Cool. Well said. See you. You guys are going to make me need to get a beer.
00:26:32
Speaker
Or a Cerveza, if I may. Let's move on. Let's move on. Yeah. Okay.
Analyzing the 2024 Buffalo Bills Schedule
00:26:39
Speaker
So the NFL schedule was released Wednesday night. And this is always fun because now we get to kind of, we knew who the bills are playing and now we get to see, okay, in what order, how are things stacking up? When are we seeing people? Which makes a difference, you know? So I am going to attempt to now screen share a better screen.
00:26:59
Speaker
And we're going to read off the. Give me this one, I think.
00:27:10
Speaker
Yeah. OK. There we go. I did it. All right. You did it. The Bill's 2024 schedule. Now, if you are listening along, that is awesome. But we'd love to see you along. So come on over to YouTube at Let's Go Buff Pod 2 apps. We're over here live every week. And we are now presenting the schedule. So you might have better if you're a visual person. This will be easier.
00:27:33
Speaker
Regular season, Sunday, September 8th, kickoff, Arizona in Buffalo, hosting Arizona. Week two, we are going to Miami, 8.15 prime time Thursday night football. Then Monday night football against Jacksonville in Buffalo. And then Sunday night football in Baltimore, playing the Ravens.
00:27:55
Speaker
Week five, we're at Houston. Week six, we're at New York Jets, Monday Night Football. Week eight, we are hosting Tennessee. Week nine, we're going across the country to Seattle. Week 10, we are hosting Miami in Buffalo. Week 11, we are going to Indianapolis.
00:28:19
Speaker
Week 12, we're hosting Kansas City. Actually, that was week 11. I got off of my count. This is a really high quality podcast here. Week 12, we got the bye week, Thanksgiving week. And then week 13, we're hosting the Niners, Sunday night football.
00:28:40
Speaker
The next week we're at LA playing the Rams. Then we're going at Detroit, then hosting New England, hosting the Jets and playing at New England.
00:28:51
Speaker
So quite a gauntlet in several places here. I'm going to keep it presented just because I think we're going to help us with our talking points here. But Nigel, what are some games that start with the positive because we're positive here? What are games, what are things about the schedule that you feel good about? Well,
00:29:14
Speaker
I like to think that if you need to get on a run and stack a couple wins, you have that towards the middle of the schedule. When you have Tennessee, Seattle, Miami is a tougher one, and Indianapolis all within
00:29:30
Speaker
that span of four weeks there. I think three out of four of those games should be super winnable. So if you need to stack a few wins there, I think that's the spot to do it. I also like that if you need the opportunity to get some wins in the division, maybe to win it towards the end of the season, you close out your last three games within the AFCE.
00:29:52
Speaker
I think that puts you in a good spot there. I like opening the season against Arizona. I think that you lose that game. We're going to be having some really tough conversations. Those of us that are in the fan base here. So that should be a game that you start one. Oh, it's a classic Sunday one o'clock game. I love it.
00:30:15
Speaker
So, but yeah, that should be, that should be an easy way to start. Um, and I think that's it for things that I like. Oh, oh, that's not true. Um, week 12 bye. Love the late bye week. Um, that's, that's huge for getting right towards the end of the season and hopefully getting into the playoffs. So, um, and there is also direct correlations to the last several Super Bowl winning teams and a late bye week. So that's a lot of, a lot of
00:30:44
Speaker
keep it in the back of the mind. But that's it for things I like. Well, let's go unpack those a little bit and talk those a little talk about it. So let's start with the season kickoff at home one p.m. against Arizona. I agree with you that hopefully is a nice, easy bring across the country, a new team with a relatively new coaching staff, a Kyler Murray coming off an ACL, really young, to be honest, a very broken roster last year and kind of putting things together.
00:31:14
Speaker
They have a big influx of young players. Right. Marvin Harrison Jr. We get to see Marvin Harrison Jr's, you know, NFL debut in the regular season in Buffalo, which could be kind of cool. Hopefully doesn't completely, you know, terrace could be super upsetting or not. Right. Wide receivers generally don't come in and in like tear the world apart. Their rookie season, it sometimes takes to the end of the rookie season. Justin Jefferson wasn't starting the first two games of his rookie season.
00:31:43
Speaker
You know? So we'll see. But yeah, no, I totally agree with you. I think that's an awesome game to have right off week one. Yep, for sure. Absolutely. And then, dude, this next stretch here, dude, is like OK. And I like you said, well, do you want to stick with the positive still, Tom? I'm sorry. No, I think I want you to go negative. Here we go. Yeah, OK.
00:32:12
Speaker
I could very eat like if you told me if you said okay Nigel and here's your crystal ball and just so you know this is a fact the bills start one in five this season and this is the schedule I'd be like
00:32:25
Speaker
Okay. Like it sucks that we couldn't find a way to win one of those, but like, I get it. Your next five games are at Miami Thursday night, which you do get a small blessing there with it not being during the day. It's still going to be hot. It's still going to be humid, but you're at least not cooking in that Miami sun. What's, what was your name for the dolphins fans out there? All upset, all a butt hurt that we're playing at 8.15 PM.
00:32:49
Speaker
God it was something mean. I'm sure I don't know It was terrible. Yeah, it was very mean cuz they're yeah, they're definitely being a little butthurt about that. So Any nerds muffins You're beside themselves it's honestly hilarious but so that is a little bit of a blessing there for us no doubt about it But Miami's still a great team. They they you know
00:33:17
Speaker
They got worse this off season, except for defensively. I still think, I think the middle of their offensive line in the middle of their defensive line are susceptible, but you still have an insane amount of speed out there with Jaylen waddle and, um, about HN and Tyree kill and Reheem Oster, they went and got, uh, John U. Smith is a super athletic tight end. So there's still a problem. I'm not worried about, yeah, I'm not worried about John Smith.
00:33:42
Speaker
I mean, they had Micah Secchi for all those years and he never did anything against us, right? Like I think I think John is way better than Micah. I put him in the same bucket. The I agree that they're definitely a team that we have to always take seriously. But man, we've had their number. We've had their number for so long. Like, good luck. Come on. You know, I think we absolutely go into go in heavy favorites there. I don't think it'll be heavy. I bet we'll still be favorites, but it's probably going to be. I bet you it's I bet you it's no more than three.
00:34:11
Speaker
could be my guess, but could be Jacksonville is, you know, of the stretch here, I think is the one that we should win the most. But whatever reason this team struggles against Jacksonville, we always seem to shoot ourselves in the foot against Jacksonville. So if we did that again, I wouldn't be like
00:34:29
Speaker
Super surprised and they're no slouch to their Josh Allen gives our Josh Allen fits You know, it's a game we're playing Gabe Davis so you never you know, he's gonna be juiced. I don't know
00:34:43
Speaker
We just, we just struggle against them. I agree. I do like that. We're playing Thursday and then we have like a 10 day window. We almost have a guy there until we play on Monday. So for, and we're hosting them, like we're not going to Jacksonville. We're not playing them in London, right? We're playing them at our house. Like, I think, I think that kind of put some check marks on our side, but I agree. We've always been goofy against them for whatever reason. I don't understand.
00:35:05
Speaker
We can if there's always a goofy game. So that's the one that I'm like most of like, to be honest with you, all the games on this on this schedule, that's the one I'm like most like voodoo scared of, of like, I just don't know. There's something in the air in the universe about playing Jacksonville that just doesn't feel good. So I agree with you.
00:35:23
Speaker
Yeah, Baltimore dude you've now got in that backfield Derek Henry and Lamar Jackson. That's, that's a super scary backfield. They still got a decent crop of receivers nobody that's like kind of in the same bucket as the bills know like legit legit number one.
00:35:41
Speaker
But, um, I mean, safe flowers shop, Bateman, like those guys aren't slouches. They can take the top off of defense. So, and then you got Mark Andrews who, I don't know if he's going to be ready to start the season, but they'll get him back eventually. Um, so that's, I don't know. Take people time, right? We've seen that multiple times in the bill. So I, yeah, I wouldn't count on, on Mark Andrews being too much of a, except maybe in short areas and to, you know, in the red zone. Um,
00:36:07
Speaker
You know how he's used there. But, yeah, no, they're a great team. And especially we're playing at their house Sunday night football like that's going to be a game that could go either way. Mm hmm. For sure. Houston, dude, I know they got a young quarterback, but he did not look like one. And they only went and got better. They had an unreal draft. I mean, yeah, dude, this is a scary Houston team. I'm just and I'm telling you, I Stefan Diggs is going to have our number that game, I think.
00:36:38
Speaker
He might, or he's going to look like an old man with a walker. It's one or the other, right? He's either, it's not going to be in the middle. It's what I think we can agree on that. That is not going to be in the middle. I think with how we look in the first four games, we'll dictate how I feel about that Houston game.
00:36:56
Speaker
You know, if we're looking like we're clicking and Josh Allen and Joe Brady are on the same page and we can move the ball, then I'm like, let's go. Let's go toe to toe. It's going to be a good game. But yeah, if we're having some hiccups and it's not looking smooth, then that's going to be a concerning game.
00:37:12
Speaker
And then you got the Jets, dude. We don't know what Aaron Rodgers is going to look like. I'm not super afraid of him. I have to be honest. I'm not terrified of that whole situation, but that defense is still something to be reckoned with, and they give Josh Allen fits.
00:37:31
Speaker
the the
00:37:49
Speaker
If you're losing five games, it's probably seven plays total that didn't go your way. And that's why you're losing those games. But I could see it, man. It's a tough way to start.
00:38:02
Speaker
It is. Yeah. Yeah. And to be honest, or we come out four and two and that's awesome. Right. That's great. Yeah. Right. Because we've we've we've put some conference wins, you know, on the scoreboard and in the wind in the wind column. And like that's kind of set us up for late in the season. I totally agree. Now, just a side tangent about the Jets. I think it's hilarious that they're having the Jets open Monday night football again. Dude, are they hosting the Niners or are they going to the Niners? I can't remember. I think going to.
00:38:30
Speaker
So going across the country, like, dude, like the end of it, it's like this so savage to help me out with the name, too. But the guy that was on the bills that was in on the play that made him snap as Achilles, he now plays for the Niners. Who is that? Leonard Floyd. Yeah. So he's staring across from him. Yes. Yes.
00:38:52
Speaker
Dude, that left Achilles, baby. That left Achilles could do something hilarious. Oh my God, dude. I don't cheer. Injuries aren't funny injuries. Yeah, I don't cheer for injuries. But man, it would be situation would be pretty fucking funny. I'm going to be totally honest with you guys. I'll cheer for this injury. I think it's hilarious.
00:39:09
Speaker
Yeah, take that Erin. So it'll be fine. He's got all the money in the world. A little bit more. I was going to be watching. We'll see. Yeah, dude. I don't know. So we'll see. But I agree with you. This next little John here is very winnable. Right. These are all teams that are with a lot of flux, a lot of turnover. Going to Seattle is going to be tough. Going every time you go to the West Coast and you travel all the way across the country. That's always a tough, tough travel bit. But, you know,
00:39:36
Speaker
We'll see. Then my favorite kind of, um, well, not my favorite. I do love having the week 12 by week, but I like having Kansas city by week Niners, right? Let's put some space there. Let's get some, right. We're, um, we're not playing either of those guys off of a bye. And in fact, we're not playing anybody all season off of a bye week, which I think is pretty cool. Cause that, that, that other team doesn't get the extra time to, uh, to plan for us. So I think that's significant.
00:40:05
Speaker
Talk to me more about the late bye and how that's exciting.
00:40:10
Speaker
I think the biggest reason is just injuries. You get a week to heal up from injuries late in the season as you're getting closer to the playoffs. That's literally it. For whatever reason, yeah, no, I completely agree. It just helps teams stay healthy or get healthy later on as opposed to having to, okay, you get through the first couple of games, week seven by, which we've had, I feel like we've had it recently, maybe last year.
00:40:37
Speaker
And then then you have to play like 14, 15 weeks in a row to try and get deep into the playoffs, which is which is tough. Yeah, just all to do. So it just gives you gives you a chance to lick your wounds a little bit at the at the at a better time. OK. Yeah. Yep. Yep. But man, Kansas City, San Francisco, L.A. Rams, Detroit, like that's a tough stretch, too. Yeah. That is a gauntlet. Like, you know, the Rams are out of that. I'm not terrified of the Rams there, but
00:41:07
Speaker
those other three. Yeah. I mean, yeah. Tough ones could go either way. Yeah. Either one of those are kind of right now feel feel like toss ups. I'm sure once we get into the season, we'll have better opinions. But right now, flip a coin, baby. For sure.
00:41:20
Speaker
And I do like having the, um, let's have some AFCs gauntlet here at the end, right? New England, new, uh, jets and the new England again. Um, I think at that point we'll know, like Drake may we'll have started, right? We'll kind of know what Drake may is. Um, it's a little weird having new England twice so close to each other. Um, there's not going to be much differences in game plan at that point, right? Like it's really going to be very, very similar. Um, so.
00:41:47
Speaker
I, yeah, but it could be a time where we can really, if we need to go like win the division, that's going to be our ticket, right? The division is not going to be decided because we, the bills are still ending with three divisional games. Yeah. Hopefully they're in the driver's seat for those games, you know, like do your business. You don't need to rely on help or anything like that. Just kind of go out, win those games and take the division away.
00:42:08
Speaker
The bills have been lights out in December, the last couple of years. I don't think we've had a loss in December. I'm going to knock on wood. But I trust the bills to be ready to go in making a playoff push or divisional push if they need to at that time. Agreed. One of my new season resolutions is going to be to not overreact if we don't look
00:42:30
Speaker
Incredible when I would like like first thing because we always at least recently and again also knocking on wood But we seem to be able to rally to get ourselves to where we need to be. So yeah, yeah But yeah, dude, this is I feel like overall this is a super top schedule. I mean you only get one team that's really like What would be consent? There's no easy opponents in the NFL but like yeah as far as opponents in the NFL go and
00:43:00
Speaker
You got, I think in my opinion, one in Arizona and it's, and it's the first, yeah, but Tennessee, I wouldn't, not as, not as Arizona, Arizona is bad, bad, bad. I put Tennessee, Tennessee got a bunch of new receivers.
00:43:16
Speaker
Um, that are going to be a problem over there. So still Tana help or no, no lettuce. It's lettuce. Well, yeah, yeah. It's well, and he do something with it. Is there going to be the question there? Yeah. Yeah. And then there's, I, I, what I worry about with that situation is their coaching style versus what he's good at, but I digress. I don't give a shit. I think they're better than Arizona by at least a little bit, but outside of, outside of those two, dude, like it's not an easy schedule. No, this is a first place schedule. That's for sure.
00:43:45
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Yeah, but this is what we asked for so yeah. Yeah, dude put up or shut up
00:43:52
Speaker
Cool. So as we get closer to the, you know, preseason things, we'll make some more predictions and kind of more breakdowns there. But exciting to see. Right. Exciting to see they have the schedule. That means, you know, that the NFL is on its way. We're getting there. Yeah. Yeah. So that's right. We need a touchdown or should we get the heck out of here? I'd say let's let's let's get let's give the people some relief.
00:44:19
Speaker
All right, folks. Well, thank you so much for hanging out with us. We really do appreciate it. If you could please give us a like and a follow on Instagram X, TikTok and this YouTube channel at Let's Go Buff Pod. That's with two F's. These are my buddies. That's Jake and that's Nigel. My name is Tom. And you're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast. We're sending you love wherever you are. We'll fill those papers. We'll band it. Go Buffalo.