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Ep. 68 - The Buffalo Bills Hand The Chiefs Their 1st Loss Of The Season
30 Plays5 months ago
9-2 baby : ). The Buffalo Bills improve to 9-2 for the first time since 1992 by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs. Come celebrate Victory Monday and revel in the win. The boys also dig into the state of the Sabres, breaking down what's gone wrong so far this season and why things could change as we go further into the season.
#billsmafia #buffalo #bills #NFL #sabres #NHL
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 Podcast
00:00:24
Speaker
Ooh, what's going on, everybody? You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast. What the hell is so funny? Your favorite podcast for all things bills and savers. With some pals, Nigel, Tommy, and Jake. Episode 16 on that bill.
Social Media Engagement
00:00:42
Speaker
I recommend you folks get a drill from all the social medias. You can find us on all of them with the handle at Let's Go Buff Odd Jake. How many F's?
00:00:52
Speaker
who excellent like I said on all of them Instagram X and YouTube quick reminder about the YouTube stuff folks if you're watching on YouTube or if you're not get on a laptop and go and find the video but if you're watching please leave a like drop a comment and Algorithm folks. We're trying to figure out the algorithm and we all decided at the beginning of this pod We said, you know what? We're not above begging. So please please please go give us a hand. It only takes you a second I know you know how to get to YouTube you can find this with the same handle leave a like leave a comment Even if it's not nice, it just helps.
Victory Monday Celebration
00:01:26
Speaker
Let's say hey to my buddies Tommy. What's going on brother? Happy victory Monday to me
00:01:36
Speaker
Our teacher, St. Joshua Patrick Allen, has led us to the Promised Land. And boy, oh boy, oh boy, is it sweet. I'm fantastic. I had a good day. Home with the fam. It was it was awesome. And I get to chat with my boys. So I'm good. I am good, good, good. Big fans of the Promised Land. Torpedo, what's going on, my guy?
00:01:56
Speaker
Oh, I'm good. Yeah. What a game yesterday. i'm I'm battling through it, but I'm here. I'm ready to. This is the best part of my day so far. So hell
Beer Choices and Humorous Discussion
00:02:03
Speaker
yeah. let's wolf pick alrighty Well, folks, let's we were just talking about the beer corner situation. Jake, did you have one?
00:02:12
Speaker
I do. You do. OK, so once again, it's just me. I am the asshole. Folks, we're throw some we're throwing it out to you. And I think I've even said this before, but my punishment is on y'all. Tom had a couple of good ideas, but I said, you know what? Let's throw it out to the peeps. You know, we we we get enough people that listen where if you hear this, we would love for you to suggest a punishment for me. Once again, not having a beer now i busted i'm on YouTube and dropping in a car. I was just going to say that's a great place to put a comment. Now it needs to be safe. Right. I'm not about to risk my life for y'all, but I'm willing to do something pretty stupid and foolish on here. So come up with a punishment for me, y'all. Boys, I'll give you a countdown. You guys ready? Three, two, one.
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs Recap
00:03:00
Speaker
Well, I came up with another one. I think you have to add another five seconds to your what's up intro. 20 seconds of you just holding the note. I would probably, I'd probably get winded, honestly. I'm not, I've been not too active these days. So that might, that might put me in the hospital. I'll get too tired. All right, fellas. Well, hell we got some beers here, or at least you guys do. Let's wait a minute.
00:03:24
Speaker
Let's hear about those beers you're drinking. Sorry, I got too excited. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're ready to roll over, Mr. And I don't drink beer anymore. I know. Whenever I don't have one, I'm like, forget it. Tom, what do you got, bro? I just got a cool one. This is a Roarbach. It's a special edition lager made by Roarbach for my family. My family's part of the GYC there in Rochester. And it's the 90th anniversary what lager is celebrating. And it's freaking good. It's really good. I didn't actually didn't realize it was made by Roarbach until I cracked one the other day.
00:03:52
Speaker
Very good. What's the G.Y.C? Janice, the yacht club. So yeah there's it's one of the one of the couple of yacht clubs in the and in Rochester. And my folks have been part of it for a long time. um And yeah, it's a big part of their lives. So they shared one with me. Nice, dude. Excellent. Torpedo, what are you guzzling on there by guy? I got a it's called a Tiffany lamp from my friends down the street here. It's a sour ale with vanilla passion fruit and mango union street.
00:04:21
Speaker
Union Street. Yes, sir. yes sir Oh my God. Wait a second, Jake. Look in the camera for a moment.
00:04:30
Speaker
ah Look at that. Traveling far. I may not have the beer, but I do have the Union's cheap brewing hat. So hey that accounts for something like counts I'll give myself a four out of 10 today. for at least e All right, boys, what do you say? Should we talk about some bills football? Did the bills do something cool yesterday? Tom, I'm not sure I've been. ah under a rock ah Oh, yeah, they did. Yes, they did.
00:04:58
Speaker
They, the Buffalo Bills, handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season. You're not getting out of Orchard Park without an owl there, Patrick. Man, so good. They defeated him 30 to 20, 30 to 21, excuse me. um And boy, oh boy, was it just a satisfying game. It was everything you wanted out of this game of the the Bills.
00:05:21
Speaker
getting a win against the Chiefs. This is what you wanted it to look like. I honestly couldn't have scripted it any better. It was it was a tough game. The Chiefs are a good team. Holy shit, they're good. And they're going to be a problem. And we're probably going to see them again. um But this the the Bills were ready. they There were some things that we've seen out of this Bills team that we were make sorry i mean that we have not seen out of this Bills team playing the Chiefs as of the last few couple times.
00:05:47
Speaker
So it was cool to see the evolution of how they're approaching this game. And and wow, just so, so good. I think eventually I'm going to throw it around their horn here, but I think we have to start with Josh Allen. we Yes. but Yes. You do have to start with Josh Allen, right? with literally the play of the year called by Jim Nance on on the the uh during the during the game and it just unbelievable fourth and two within I think where we're out just outside the red zone and Josh Allen we had the opportunity to go a kick a field goal go up five with like a little over two minutes remaining
00:06:27
Speaker
Sean McDermott has the test testicular fortitude. Excuse me. I was I was really trying to make sure I was who pronounced that one correctly and to to go for it. Right. I think old Josh. and I think old Sean McDermott would would kick that field. goal I really, really do. And we saw an evolution of our head coach have the balls to put the the the ball in Josh's hand. And Josh just just just absolutely just takes the thing and it just takes over. He takes control. He ah runs about 20 plus yards, breaks four missed tackles and hit as he went to the end zone. Just unbelievable. Just so much fun to watch. I, are we just put the Jake and I would Jake was over, Jake was up. We had just put the baby down for sleep and we screamed our heads off.
00:07:17
Speaker
wait i gotta ask how was katie after that ashti was also excited because she was written she's written for the bills at this point well she yeah yeah i was gonna say really what one she made it clear she wants to cheing for the bill she chairing against the chiefs against the the cool, right, Nigel? like Yeah, dude, i it was I mean, I know Lamar Jackson is like is the is the big running quarterback in the league. And and let's not pretend that as far as a a player with agility, he is not more dynamic than Josh Allen because he is that being said, dude,
00:08:04
Speaker
Holy shit, man. Josh Allen gets going. It looks like a looks like a Clydesdale. I mean, I don't know. I mean, dude. OK, so like we saw him just say ah a buffalo, perhaps a bison or a moose.
00:08:20
Speaker
it's just dude like once he gets going and like here's the thing bro i i feel like i'm trying to understand how josh alan just keeps running by dudes because that's what we keep seeing happen dude and the only thing i can think of I wonder if, like, when you're watching him run, it's almost misleading in a way, dude. Like, I'm wondering if, because he doesn't look like he's moving that fast, but dude, his strides, I mean, at 6'5", over 6'5", almost 6'6", dude, I mean, his strides have got to be deceptively long. I think that's part of it, dude.
00:08:55
Speaker
But then add into that, I mean, bro, we watched Nick Bolton, who was right around 250 pounds and a thumping linebacker, not a linebacker that's going to thrive in coverage, but a downhill will bust your face mask linebacker. I watched Nick Bolton bounce off of Josh Allen, dude. And I mean, literally, like,
00:09:15
Speaker
Josh Allen took a fraction of a step to his right when he hit him and kept going, dude. It was astounding. i was my My voice this morning wasn't even working, dude. i my My roommate never watched the game. He's a Steelers fan. He jumped up and gave me a hug, dude. it was It was just unbelievable, dude. There are two quarterbacks in the NFL that could have made that play. One of them is Lamar Jackson. And and I think even Lamar Jackson, instead of just running straight the way Josh Allen did, probably twinkle toes his way around. he it would look different yeah It would look different. Maybe he gets the touchdown. Maybe he doesn't, dude. But my God, to do that against the Chiefs.
00:09:55
Speaker
It's only November, right? And I know Chiefs fans are, oh, it's the Bill Super Bowl, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Lick my ass, dude. It's an awesome win against the best team in the league, like it or not, right? And just for Josh, I want to do that at home on fourth and two. You talked about the evolution of Sean McDermott. He said in his post-game press conference that, you know, those were the options. And I didn't want to give veteran my homes and Andy Reid the football to go and win the game.
00:10:23
Speaker
And that is the correct thing to do. you it's It's the same thing that we didn't do against Tom Brady for 100 years. Right? yeah We always would have kicked that field goal, gone up by five, and then sat there on our couches like this. we supported it out And did we ever? No. I'm super proud of Sean McDermott for trusting probably the second best player in the NFL. I still not ready to take thatron that crown off of Pat Mahomes had yet.
00:10:54
Speaker
Better yesterday. know He lot her yesterday yesterday was better yesterday. better yesterday. But, you know, the the hardware speaks for itself and and I'm not ready to dethrone Patrick Mahomes just yet. But man, oh man, for Josh Allen to do what he did yesterday on that fourth and two men.
00:11:14
Speaker
He's just built different. he's he's he's just He's just wired a different way, dude. There's no other quarterback that's not choosing to make business decisions there. And Josh Allen said, fuck it, we ball. And I said it in the text thread, dude. My thing was, go be great. And 17 said, fuck it, dude. I'm going to go be great.
00:11:32
Speaker
He made five business decisions by running through five Chiefs players, I thought. hey Yeah, seriously. Yeah. Talk about it. Or lag thereof. Dos tres cuatro
Josh Allen and Team Records
00:11:43
Speaker
cinco. Just boom. Just fucking just goes after it. i had So next gen stats is ah is us one of those, you know, 18000 different stat suites that that do work that work on the NFL. But they um They had a, they, they grade plays as, as they get developing things. And they had a, Josh had a 1.2% chance of scoring once he tucked the ball and ran 1.2. And I think they should have, uh, that they need a multiplier for Josh Allen to saying, Hey, yeah I think it's a a little bit higher than that. But yeah, that's just, yeah, unbelievable.
00:12:21
Speaker
Incredible. i um One last thought on that before we move on. I am really proud of McDermott because it wasn't even just a, hey, this is the that was a a decision he made last night and during the game. He said in his press conference, like that was the that was the plan all week. That was the discussion. where're not If we get into this situation, we're closing the game. So knowing that, that hey, as a team, they are taking this mindset, that is it different that's a different approach than they've taken in the past. And I'm so stoked about it.
00:12:50
Speaker
Yeah. 100% dude. And i I think too, like, and you know, this is easy to say right now because we won, but I would have rather lost that game missing that fourth down conversion and having Pat or Pat Mahomes go down and score than us kicking the field goal. And then watching them go down and score on like truly, I would, I would.
00:13:13
Speaker
infinitely a hundred times out of a hundred and hundred, go down swinging, then just, you know, take the weak way out and say, okay, now the defense was playing really well yesterday. I don't know how much I really could have faulted Sean McDermott for, for choosing that route. But all that being said, dude,
00:13:31
Speaker
We've seen the Chiefs actually this season, seven of their games this season, fourth quarter comebacks. That was a stat that was dropped on the broadcast yesterday. So for us to see that and say, fuck it, we're going to put put the needle in this, just awesome. Absolutely awesome.
00:13:46
Speaker
And it wasn't it wasn't fourth and 12, you know, it was fourth and two. If Josh Allen got three yards, we'd still be talking about how the drive continued. He just put an exclamation point on it or maybe five. And then, you know, but push, push the game over over the break. So yeah. Yeah. Yeah. dude Yeah. Awesome decision. um What else? With with that touchdown, he actually ended up tying Jim Kelly for most total touchdowns in team history. Did you go?
00:14:16
Speaker
That is so incredible, dude. I mean, now imagine where the line is going to be. Imagine where when once once Josh Allen. It's it hopefully it's for it's it's in 30 years because they we had a miracle drug and he can play forever. Imagine where that number is going to be. Yeah, but yeah, I do. So and i and now there's one thing. talk to There's one thing to remember there, um and that is that we're talking about total touchdowns here. Now, Jim Kelly was not the mobile quarterback that Josh Helen is. I don't know at the top of my head how many rushing touchdowns Jim Kelly had. It wasn't it wasn't that many.
00:14:54
Speaker
11. I'm gonna guess 11. Probably total ever. Like something like that. So, you know, there's something, there's a layer to remember there and we are not sitting here saying that, and I say yet because I think it'll eventually happen. We're not sitting here saying that Josh Allen is, you know, the more dominant passer than Jim Kelly, but you know, for him to contribute all those touch jumps, excuse me, the way that he has to be right there with Jim, absolutely astounding. Yeah. Super cool.
00:15:24
Speaker
I've got seven rushing touchdowns for Jim Kelly. Seven. Wow. So 237 passing. Yep. Do we do we know what where 17 is right now with passing touchdowns as well in his career? Well, you're producing there, Jake. If the seven rushing touchdowns or something like that. So we can quickly do the math. I'll let Jake do the I can't. I can't quickly do it.
00:15:50
Speaker
He's got 185 passing touchdowns in his career. 58 rushing. OK, so I mean, 158. He's going to. Let's see. oh and And for those for those adding those up, that is one short. He has one receiving touchdown as well. Hey, if we remember back to 2020. Yup. Yup. We did the Buffalo special there. Yeah, dude, I would say before I think Josh Jones, 27, dude. Oh, man, I wouldn't be surprised if he broke the passing touchdown record before he was 30 or by the time he's 30.
00:16:19
Speaker
Yeah, I would not be surprised. Yeah, so I think let's have some fun. um What else did you like about this game, pals? Jake, take it. take Take your first stab at the pinata, buddy. I'll take one. let's let's continue We're definitely going to talk about the defense. But continuing on the offense, somebody that started slow to the year looked didn't really make any splashes didn't look visible on the field sometimes but Curtis Samuel has stepped up I thought he was very noticeable against the Colts and continued here against the Chiefs five for six for 58 yards and put a touchdown in a crucial touchdown in a crucial moment so ah yeah just wanted to shout shout him out and say that I think he's been stepping up especially with other receivers out
00:17:00
Speaker
I think those injuries he suffered pre-season were really, and I think he came yeah us he was coming he came to us with an injury too. So I think he was just yeah they getting settled in with the team and recovering from an injury. And yeah, it's so cool to see him step up. He was he was elusive yesterday.
00:17:18
Speaker
He was. Yeah. And and crucial for him to step up in a game where you're missing Keon Coleman Dalton Kincaid. You know, you're missing arguably to maybe maybe right now. Oh, no, because Khalil Shakir. But so not including Khalil Shakir to like your two top weapons. I would say right now the top three weapons in that offense passing at least Shakir Kincaid Keon Coleman. Right. You were down two of those guys. So for Curtis Simba to step up the way he did. Sensational, dude. Yeah. Yeah. so Is
Buffalo Bills Defensive Highlights
00:17:46
Speaker
it my turn? Yeah.
00:17:47
Speaker
Bro, the defensive line in particular, bro, what has been the knock against the Bills defense against Patrick Mahomes since he's been Patrick Mahomes? It is that we can't pressure him enough, dude. couldn't Can't rush him at all.
00:18:05
Speaker
Well, how do you do, buddy? Might not be the exact exact numbers that we would all love to see in a perfect world. But boy, oh boy, that man was running for his damn life several times yesterday. I got to give a shout out to Ed Oliver against what is probably the best interior three in terms of an offensive line in the NFL. And I don't, I don't think that's really like a, like a hot take. I think that's a pretty widely accepted opinion about the chiefs. Somehow at Oliver decided to make that game his best game of the season, or at least for my money. What I saw was his best game of the season. He was in the backfield a lot, dude. And then I felt like I watched our defensive ends finally beat up on those tackles for Kansas city, dude. And
00:18:50
Speaker
you know maybe I wouldn't be shocked if like if somebody was like yeah that was the difference I'd be like probably was that probably was the difference between us winning and us losing that game because I mean we still saw some great moments from Patrick Mahomes I mean those touchdown passes to Noah Gray particularly that second one I mean It's probably only one of the quarterback that can make that throw and his name's Josh Allen. He's the guy on the other team last night. You know, that was an absolute seed while on the run to the back of the end zone. So I mean, Pat was still doing pat things yesterday, dude. But I mean, I think the defensive line got there just enough to to be the difference maker, dude. So.
00:19:28
Speaker
God please don't let that this be the one game where we get to him I mean you got you're gonna have to do it again in December you're just gonna have to and there's no two ways about that it's I mean you know I'll knock on wood but I think we're all ready to assume that the bills are probably gonna play the Chiefs again Yeah, no, yeah, yeah, the I agree. Go ahead, Jake. Those players on the D line, they just not none of them are Max Crosby, Chris Jones level, but they just seem to work together really well and create pressure from their cohesiveness. Yeah. And then there was a couple of plays where like the group like force Pat Mahomes to have to step up into the pocket right into the arms of Von Miller for his sack. Like there was lots of times when they could they they they caged Russia is really what it's called, where instead of just like
00:20:12
Speaker
pushing him one way and just letting him roll out, which just like Josh Allen, Josh and Pat are more than happy to just roll out and and play in space. Um, but if you can keep them where they're at and have to play within the pocket, you can eventually get them because you can just compress them like a bow constrictor and just get there. Exactly. It was, this is where they, yeah, the, the D line made, made their presence. No, they, they, they, they knocked on the door and said, hello, welcome to Buffalo. We're going to, we're going to make this happen.
00:20:39
Speaker
And the huge thing, to to piggyback off of that, um what you just said, Tom, because you're absolutely right, that that compression move from the defensive line there, that's ah that's a ah ah idea that is meant to be complementary, right? It's not meant for one guy to just be the game wrecker. But when you're talking about a quarterback like Pat Mahomes, who can wreck you with his feet, man, that ability to keep him within the pocket, I just have to,
00:21:04
Speaker
yeah I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be as a defensive lineman, particularly an edge rusher to not get really far up the field, right? The integrity from the defensive line and the linebackers yesterday was absolutely phenomenal. And without that gap integrity, that cage style, you know, rush doesn't happen, dude. You don't lock him up without that gap integrity. And that is nothing short of outstanding discipline from, from the front seven, dude.
00:21:31
Speaker
Yeah, just absolutely. Yeah, just crushing. And you're right. like we Mahomes played well, right? He had some drives where he diced. They moved the ball. There was that one drive where Xavier Worthy basically touched the ball every single game every single throw, um every single snap. um I'm sure they were just trying to parade x Xavier Worthy kind of in front of us there. I'm sure that's what that was all about. Had to be a loner, right? I think so. But then guess what? I don't think he had another touch after that drive. I don't think he touched the ball again.
00:21:58
Speaker
so um Sure, have have fun with with Xavier Worthy. But they held that this Chiefs to a season low, 259 yards of total offense, which is a big deal. And yeah, just for, fort and and also for some havoc plays, right? Interception on the first drive and an interception at the end of the game. Like that that's big. And thats that changes the game and puts the tips, the the scales in in the bills direction. And they they showed up. It was awesome to see them just play their brains out.
00:22:29
Speaker
Yeah, 100%, dude. Absolutely well said, Tom. Defense all around yesterday. Just nothing short of badass, dude. I was really excited to see Chris Jones kind of have a little bit of a quiet game. He e he affected them. You know, he definitely got his paws on Josh once or twice. Josh was not sacked at all, though. um But I think that that is a tip of the hat to Osiris Torrance, our second year ah second year wrote right guard. The guy played a heck of a game.
00:22:58
Speaker
Just his ability to anchor, play with strength, that's his game. He's a big dude, super strong, can handle and not be pushed off his spot. And Chris Jones was was was kind of mitigated with that, right? He was able to hold him off and and really stop Chris Jones, who is a certifiable game wrecker and has wrecked our, has ruined our, you know, piston arch areas more than once. Like, it was cool to see OSIRIS have a game against that. It was it was awesome. OSIRIS, excuse me.
00:23:27
Speaker
he He also also missing an offensive lineman too. I thought Ryan Mandemark did a great job subbing in, but still it's not. It's not the usual guy that's on, you know, in the trenches with you. So I imagine that creates a little more stress and just uncertainty. A great point. yeah Yes, clearly, clearly didn't didn't throw him off too much at all.
00:23:46
Speaker
Yeah, dude, ah it was I was honestly and and not for nothing, man. And I'm i'm disappointed in myself for this. I didn't really notice Cybo having the game that he did, Cybo being Osiris Torrance. Didn't see him having the game that but some of the film later shown today, dude.
00:24:03
Speaker
man, like because I would not put Osiris Torrance in the category of a super athletic ah offensive lineman, certainly not to the level of like of athleticism that, um, Oh my God, Chris, Jesus, what the hell is his name? jones tackle Thank you, Chris Jones. who Um, yeah, I know. End of the day.
00:24:22
Speaker
I collect out of work two minutes before hopping on the podcast here. Bear with me. Yeah, dude. um Like you said, Tom, certified game record, Chris Jones. But I mean, dude, like, I mean, let's, let's look at the physiology for a second here. Cybo's ass is four feet wide, dude. I mean, the base on that guy, I mean, once, once he gets set,
00:24:41
Speaker
He's difficult to get around, dude. I mean, he's so big. he he's He's so strong and so strong, dude, particularly in his hips and his leverage, dude. So, I mean, you were seeing a clips of, you know, Chris Jones hit him with, with some speed and some ferocity. And yes, I both might take a step back a little bit, dude, but nine times out of 10,
00:25:04
Speaker
Chris Jones hits an offensive guard with that kind of speed and power, and they're on their back, dude. And Cybo was able to absorb so much of it, man, considering the level that he that Chris Jones is, and the fact that Cybo is as early in his career as he is, for him to even, even if it wasn't the entire game,
00:25:22
Speaker
for him to have the amount of reps which was three minutes worth of clips courtesy of ah Baldy, Brian Bollinger on X, ah just about three minutes worth of clips back to back of him straight up handling Chris Jones dude and that is Sensational, no two ways about it. Right? he He can now parlay this into the next game and when he's playing other big D tackles, because that's those there's the D lines that can come in and wreck games in the playoffs. And for so ah for Torrance to have this this experience here um is huge. Absolutely. Yeah.
Running Game Analysis and Adjustments
00:26:00
Speaker
How about these? Go ahead. Go ahead, Jake.
00:26:02
Speaker
I was going to ask about the run game because it it sputtered often. I know James Cook had two touchdowns, but it's it seemed like he had a hard time getting things going and same with the other two running backs. The play on the third and two before the fourth and two hero run. um Yeah, it just seemed like that a tough time getting going. I know we talked about the Chiefs run defense being really stout. um Yeah, talk talk to me about what you saw. What what what do you think stuffed him up?
00:26:29
Speaker
Uh, it's that run defense that that's their bread and butter is that the chief's run defense is just a brick wall. Like so, so good. Um, I, I was not expecting the Buffalo bills running backs to be very productive yesterday. I am very glad that they were able to punch it in when they did. Right. Josh, uh, James cook still had two, two, two rushing tests down. Josh Allen had one, right? Like, so we were able to punch through when we needed to. Um, but I think it's just, I think we gotta, you can chalk it up to the chief's defense.
00:26:57
Speaker
That's their bread and butter. That's how they win games, is they force you out of a run game. um So I think that's one side of it. for The other side of it for me is I was a little frustrated with our continued usage of run plays on first in tech. I do kind of look at, if you look at um ah the amount of time that the Bills had the ball, the amount of times the Chiefs had the ball, like I think these runs contributed to that, that we had some game control, some clock control.
00:27:24
Speaker
Um, and I'm sure that helped, but man, it was frustrating when every time you see these little tight bunch sets and the bills try and just run it up the gut, run you know, inside zones and things like that, like, and just not go anywhere. The repeated use of that was frustrating.
00:27:39
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, totally. I think I said it in our group text yesterday. You know, if we're blessed that the bills came out with a dub, dude, because, and again, I should have had the numbers on this, but the amount of third and long conversions that we had yesterday More than any team should A, have to be in, we were in way too many of those situations. B, converted way more than I would have expected us to. I mean, several, third in 8, third in 9, third in 10, 11. You know, so that's a really, really, really
00:28:11
Speaker
difficult way to win a football game. We were not as productive as we needed to be on first and second down yesterday. And yes, the running game was not as productive as we would have liked for it to be. um Because I think what's really important for this bill's ah offense is the fact that Joe Brady has married so many of the passing and running plays in the same formation, right? So like, i you know, I saw some people being like, get out of the condensed formations and stuff like that.
00:28:38
Speaker
And I hesitate to say that be aired to to agree with that because that's what I feel like has made the bills or at least part of part of what has made them successful on offense this year is formations don't give anything away. Right. We want we run running plays, passing plays, play action screens, any of that stuff, all out of the exact same formation with the exact same personnel. Right. Which helps to mitigate what defense is and what defenses can expect based on what they're seeing pre snap.
00:29:06
Speaker
Right. So I think that's a really, really, really significant thing to bring to the table here. The other thing then, and I think this is super important. Yes, it wasn't working, but they never gave up on it. They kept Kansas City in a position where even though it wasn't successful, they had to honor it because we didn't stop. True. Right. So I think that's another really important thing to bring to the table here, because if you if it's not working and you stop,
00:29:33
Speaker
you can just drop everybody into coverage and then it's over. You're playing you're in the game they want us to. Exactly. But if you keep hammering it and and to their credit, dude, or maybe not to their credit, I mean, we kept fucking running to Chris Jones. You know, like we weve we made them under the run, which You know, did we get a lot on the ground from it? No. But I think there's something to be said for keeping that in the back of their mind. Like this team is going to keep coming at us on the ground. Yeah. So, you know, tough to really say that it was totally unsuccessful because I think the threat of passing out of those same running formations helps this offense. And, you know, they were never able to get out of a mentality where they had to honor that run.
00:30:14
Speaker
I, um, I also think that it's, it was also based on what the chiefs were giving us. I think there was a lot of too high safety looks that Josh Allen, what gets to the line, it's a run play called and excuse me, a pass play called. And it's not going to set up the, what the look that Josh is getting, isn't going to be a success, something that's successful for that play. So he actually checked in to a bunch of these runs.
00:30:35
Speaker
But it's what the, it's based on what the chiefs were giving us. They were giving us maybe net lighter boxes. I'm kind of, I'm not sure of that. So I need to go check and watch the tape here. But I know that there was a bunch of too high safety looks that that that Josh Allen checked into run plays. And that's, and that's, yeah.
00:30:51
Speaker
yeah Right, and that's the rule right that this this offense has ah has rules that Josh Allen follows of hey if we see this coverage, we're going to we're not going to attempt this this type of play we're going to check into this type of play and and Josh Allen was just playing his game and not being not.
00:31:07
Speaker
following the rabbit hole down the rabbit hole of hey, wait a second, I can try something different or follow do exactly what the Chiefs are trying to get bait them into doing. So as frustrating as it was, looking back, I am kind of I'm thinking that that's kind of your approach. So I think it was it was good that they were not baited into doing things, not the bills way. and and And that was good. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Keep us rolling, Tom.
Celebrating Bills' Success and Fan Experience
00:31:33
Speaker
um I think we we there is a little bit of bad and ugly to that game because of it's really nice the fact that the Bills are not playing their best ball yet. right there There's still lots of games to be played and hopefully some some postseason games. um The Bills aren't firing in all cylinders. Josh had an ugly interception.
00:31:50
Speaker
um was which was made worse by a big return. I do think I still think it was a miscommunication by him and Dawson he expected Dawson to kind of bounce out and into more of a post kind of route and and Dawson didn't either got tied up by the defender or was going to turn around and kind of just do a little curl.
00:32:08
Speaker
um And then it just turned into a big a big interception with the return. So that was and essentially gave giving the ah Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs a ah short field, which which was not ideal. um So I don't love that. um Any thoughts there?
00:32:24
Speaker
Um, yeah, the, the int was super ugly and, and for my own mental health, I also want to agree that it was, um, a miscommunication because initially dude, and I think I said this to you guys last night too. Initially, man, it looked to me like Josh was just trying to throw it away and got lazy with it. Right. And like, didn't, didn't respect that defender enough to, you know, like, was like, oh, he's not going to make the play and just dumped it. And then it was an int for a big return.
00:32:54
Speaker
Looking at it again, I do think that it was a miscommunication between him and Dawson Knox, which
00:33:03
Speaker
I don't know, man. I mean, 10 weeks into the season, you know, those two have been playing together for several years now. I don't even really like giving them a pass on that. but I mean, I can't find a good reason, a good excuse that Josh Allen and or excuse me, Josh Allen and Dawson should be having miscommunications anymore. Agreed. right Like that that, that just can't happen. So, you know, I don't know whose fault it was. Luckily, it doesn't look too, too ugly because we won the game. But I mean, could have been a different ball game, you know?
00:33:30
Speaker
good Yeah. I mean, I mean that defender breaks two tackles. That's a pick six. You know, so really ugly there in that moment. Um, but that happens. The injuries, um, did we talk about the, but the couple of injuries that happened? Scares at least. Yeah. I don't think yeah. affirms Yeah.
00:33:45
Speaker
No, and I think they're completely fine. Dawson has got poked in the eye. I don't know if he scratched his cornea or whatever, but he came back in, had another catch. I think he's all good. um Same with Dion. He just got his ankle taped up um and came back in. I imagine he's going to be fine too. They'll both, at least I would imagine Dion will probably spend most of, if not the entire week limited. He might not even practice this week.
00:34:08
Speaker
if If it's going to the buy two, right? So he's yeah, I forgot about that. yeah oh Yeah. So yeah, I think I'm not worried about those two even a little bit to be totally honest with you, dude. I'm expecting everybody that's been out in matters, including number 58, Matthew Milano acting for the 49ers game. That is two weeks from tomorrow or yesterday. Excuse me. Yeah, before we roll into the kind of the rest of the season stuff, I think it's I think this is a big signature win, you know, like like Nigel said at the beginning, don't I don't think this is Bill's fan. Let's not write this off. I know I even was quoted. I was probably on here this podcast talking to this very microphone saying, hey, this is not an important one. I don't really care. um It's still cool. Right. We're in a we're in this space where in our lifetimes, we're watching Josh Allen make plays like this in Buffalo for a crowd like that, where they're all, you know, they're singing the killers in the fourth quarter. And like, it's just so cool. Right. And we have to soak this in. Right. This is not going to be forever. This is not right. And we have to just enjoy this nine and two. It hasn't happened since before we were born, boys. Like a big fucking deal. It is so cool.
00:35:20
Speaker
This is the first time that the Bills have ever beat a team that was better than 6-0. The record to date ah is 0-8 in those games. okay Wow, really? All right. Nice stat there, Jake. Oh, I like that. Yeah. Wow. I didn't take a second to realize that i because I it did it in my head like, oh, 1992. Cool. My ass wasn't even born, dude. Or 93. So might maybe maybe we were. Maybe maybe it was the season. No, no, no, no, no. Because I think I think the last time we were nine and two, I don't think we were nine and two and 93. I think it was 92 if I remember right. OK. Yeah.
00:35:52
Speaker
I think that's crazy. Right. So and just we have just we don't let this this is not our Super Bowl. There is yeah bigger games to play. There is more to do. But enjoy this. Right. victor I'm going to wear my Victory Monday shirt tomorrow.
00:36:07
Speaker
You know, yeah like it's so good. The life cycle there it and every team goes through the life cycle, dude. And right now we're at the fun part of our life cycle. But yeah, as we all know, shit is temporary and we'll say no more than that. So I do think while it can't be our Super Bowl and we can't absolutely lose our minds over it, I do think you're absolutely right, Tom.
00:36:28
Speaker
Don't forget to take a moment, folks, and enjoy the fact that Joshua Patrick Allen is the quarterback for your team and you get to root for him and laugh at everybody else who bitches about him.
00:36:40
Speaker
Yeah, that was not always our life as it was not no especially for us who grew up watching Tom Brady just fucking kick our ass two times a year every year. Yeah, fucking ridiculous. So one more quick anyway. Yeah, we have to. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I didn't give the old salute.
00:36:59
Speaker
to Khalil Shakir, my my guy. Oh, my God. The yards after catch, the putting the apps, the putting the body on the line to make the play, dude, the the trust that Josh Allen has. I mean, ah dude, I would I would run through an absolute wall for Khalil Shakir, dude.
00:37:19
Speaker
That third and long completion or reception that he had where he got hit pretty hard. Annihilating the kidney. It hurt my kidneys. yeah And he rolled around for a second dude, but he got right back up. I think he missed two plays and was back in. So. clelia shaki
00:37:37
Speaker
So cool. Yeah. He's, and he's just so sure handed and just when he has the ball in his hand, like he's a fricking pinball out there. I love it. It's so cool. Like it's, it's like, you know, as a little kids, did you guys ever have those little like Velcro balls and Velcro boards? We threw the ball at the board. That must put Josh feels like when he throws it at, at, ah at, um, clear Shakir, you know, just like, I know this is going to stick. I know this is coming down with it and we're good. He's going to.
00:38:04
Speaker
Yeah, it's got it's just got to feel good mentally as a quarterback to know that when you throw the ball to somebody, there's a there's a 99.9% chance they're going to catch it. Yeah, he's not fucking with it. Yeah. Yeah. yeah So we um next week is is the bills by week. So no bills next weekend. Everybody gets to have a nice relaxing weekend of watching some NFL football.
00:38:23
Speaker
um But I think, and and I'm sure next week we'll kind of have some different conversations of mid-season check-ins just for right now. Just, is there any prevailing thoughts on your brains of, hey, looking forward, what are some things you're excited about? What are things that we should keep in mind? Like, I'm going to kind of open it, open bag here um of any thoughts, kind of pushing into the end of the season here, second half. Jake, you want to go or you want me to go? I guess just keep playing like they're playing. I mean, keep looking better and better.
00:38:55
Speaker
but push to the playoffs. I mean, that they they're more than likely going to lock up the division. So get get ready for January. With that, which is a little bit of math for your folks, the bills can clinch the AFC East with combination of the number two. Okay. It's just two. All you need to do is count to two, either two losses for the Miami dolphins or two more wins for the bills. And that clinches the division.
00:39:20
Speaker
that That's some New England Patriots shit from when we were little boys. Like that is shit. like We could go into Thanksgiving. No. We're in our AMC East division champs. Right. I can't believe that it is. What is it? Week 11. I can't believe it's week 11 and we're talking about the ways that we can clinch the division. That is some that's some major. I can't help but laugh a little bit. That's awesome.
00:39:44
Speaker
That's a hey, a few Jess fans, a few Miami fans. And that's why I'm laughing, dude, because those sons of bitches were so insufferable for so long. And you all are such ass, dude. You're so bad. You're so fucking bad. The Jets in particular, you all suck so much. God, you guys so bad.
00:40:06
Speaker
Do you guys remember who was a voted most overrated player in the NFL? I remember Josh Allen for five. who who What is Josh Allen for 500? Yeah. And do you want to know who's now has the highest odds to win MVP? What is Josh Allen for 400? Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Unbelievable. Yeah. I might. I think one thing I'm excited to kind of push it into the end of the season here is I think Nigel Nadel a second to ago, we were getting some players back to right coming out of the spy. We're going to get healthy.
00:40:34
Speaker
Let's just that stay healthy. That's been a big issue. we we We limp into the playoffs the last two seasons with AJ Klein coming in at linebacker, right? With Terrell Bernard can't play, Matt Milano's out. like we We gotta to get into the playoffs as healthy as possible. and And at this point, having a little bit of ah a a lead in the division, let let maybe we're gonna be a see the the Bills be a little bit more um kind of reserved with some injuries. Maybe players might sit out a an additional week more than they would have if we don't you know necessarily need to fight for it as much. I don't know. So but anyway, whatever we do, get healthy and go into January.
00:41:13
Speaker
Yeah. i guess I guess my prevailing thing looking forward, dude. The big one for me, dude, it is it is dependent on Curtis Samuel keeping up what he's done, what I feel like in the last two weeks. right Are we seeing a mirage of of Curtis Samuel you know being being effective or is he coming into his own? and Now, here's the thing to remember, dude. Obviously, you get Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman back.
00:41:41
Speaker
You add a contributing Curtis Samuel to that with the way we're seeing Josh in on play right now, which is on an elite point guard just distributing the the ball to where it needs to go.
00:41:54
Speaker
You add it back in a Dalton Kincaid and a Keon Coleman, who, I mean, when their number's been called, they've been very solid for this season. I'm not gonna say perfect, but very solid. And you add into that the Russian game that's been great all year, and then you add into that an emerging Curtis Samuel that is starting to find his ways to contribute. Whoo, man. I think if you can marry all that offensively, I mean, i mean watch out.
00:42:22
Speaker
I thought Josh Allen was gonna struggle because Stefan Dix was gone though. Fuck. That's right. I forgot it. That's right. I completely pack it up. My bad. Come on, guys. Come on. We just trade them. Let's trade them. Anybody. might We should just go to vacation. Everybody should just hide. You know what? Take three by weeks, Buffalo. We could do that. We'd still win the goddamn division. Yeah, because. Oh, shit. Anyway. All right, folks. Well, so we'll be back next week with more say ah bill stuff. But for now, we have some sabers things to talk about.
00:42:53
Speaker
Oh, do we have to? We sure do, Nigel. Come on folks. I can't, I can't wait for this feeling in the podcast to change. I, okay. Do you guys think we'll get to a spot where it's fun to talk about both? I hope so. Do you think we ever will get that?
00:43:13
Speaker
You brought up a good point that we think one there's some curse going on, where the bills are good, the savers are bad, and vice versa. It feels like one of them has to die, dude, for the other one to live. and don't Don't get me wrong. Both can be bad. It's not tied correctly. Also true.
00:43:31
Speaker
But since we since we last talked, there's been two games, the comeback win over St. Louis, four to three at home, and then an ugly, ugly loss that we'll get into a little bit against the Flyers on the road Saturday night. They lost five to two. I think five to two is generous given how they played.
00:43:46
Speaker
um Yeah, we'll get into that game in a bit. But first, some some newsy
Buffalo Sabres' Recent Challenges
00:43:51
Speaker
items. A couple of roster moves. So the first one that we haven't talked about is James Reimer got reclaimed from Anaheim. So backup goalie coming back to Buffalo. ah Corresponding move to go with that is Devin Levi was sent down to Rochester today. ah Much needed playing time. Nigel, are you on board with that or you wish he was up? Nope, I'm totally on board with it, dude. here's The bottom line is, Devin, and I'm also not going to sit here and say that the defensive play in front of Devin Levi has been outstanding because it has not been. That being said, I don't think dev Devin Levi has looked good this season in Buffalo. And I don't know if that is just because he's maybe
00:44:29
Speaker
You know, ah just maybe not their confidence wise or, ah you know, tie into that. The defense hasn't been playing awesome in front of him. You know, there could be a lot of factors. I think the biggest thing that I don't like right now with Devin Levi is he's played like three games in the last 26 days or something like that. And when you've got a young guy that is developing,
00:44:49
Speaker
ah for For the plans that I feel like we have for Devin Levi, I want him to be playing, dude. And honestly, i and I would rather see him down in Rochester, play 60 games or whatever down there, than be playing, you know, once a couple times a month up in Buffalo. I mean, right now, it's it's not a tandem situation. UPO is the unquestioned number one goalie.
00:45:15
Speaker
And Devin's gotten the last couple of starts because UPL has been hurt. But it's not a long-term injury that UPL has. He might even be good to go Wednesday, last I checked. So I just i want Devin to be playing. I want him to get the reps, dude. I am massively in favor of this move. Keep riding UPL because I think UPLs look good.
00:45:34
Speaker
Yeah, agreed. he's He's not looked great. I agree with that. I don't think he's looked awful, but playing time. Playing time is the the magic phrase there. um And it's it's not all his fault. the The defensive giveaways, particularly in the past couple of games, have been atrocious. But with that said, it's the same defense as playing in front of UPL. I imagine they're The effort of the team, the structure of the team is not changing drastically between who's in net and who's not. I think you could make that argument with the Sabres in the past. I think like Eric Comrie got left out to dry sometimes, and he did himself no favors after that. But still, it's it's it's the same team. that both Both goalies, is there's a difference between the two. And UPL is just clearly in the lead right now. So you get Devin some playing time.
00:46:20
Speaker
Absolutely. And James Reimer is what he is. he's a he Everyone and their mother knows that James Reimer is a backup. That's all he ever has been. It's all he will ever be. So in this role, which has been Devvins playing a couple times a month, and I'm fine with James Reimer in that spot.
00:46:36
Speaker
And he's used to playing in front of atrocious defenses, playing with Anaheim for a month. So he's, he's warm. He's ready. Yeah. He actually made, this might be a massive improvement, maybe not weather wise. I'm sure you probably rather live in Anaheim, California than Buffalo, New York, but sucks to suck buddy. You don't get a choice. yep you you say You signed, you signed on the dotted line. That's right.
00:46:58
Speaker
um some other injury news. I agree i heard the same thing. I think U. P. L. W to play Wednesday night a couple other injuries. Th going around a little bit. t thompson's been out the past couple of games and boy does it show ah he should be back on wednesday but it's not a guarantee but he He came out and said, if if Saturday night was a playoff game, what are those? He would have played. So we got to have some fun doing this. Yeah. right i have to have in our own misery yeah um So I think that it's all but guaranteed that he plays.
00:47:33
Speaker
Tage Thompson also dealt with a bit of an injury. He played Saturday against the Flyers, tweaked something as questionable for Wednesday. another He's been terrific, so that would be another huge loss if he's out. Real quick, Jake. That's Alex Tuck. You're talking about there. You said Tage Thompson. I think you meant Alex Tuck. Oh, my God. I read Tage. I almost did it again. I read Alex Tuck. The wires are crossing. Yeah, al Alex Tuck. Thank you for that. Yes. yeahp got Jordan Greenway also down.
00:48:02
Speaker
Uh, he's week to week. He hurt himself again. St. Louis didn't play Saturday and initially day to day. And he got downgraded to week to week and he's, he's had a great year. I thought he's looked really good. So that's a, that's a tough one to lose for an extended period of time.
00:48:17
Speaker
yeah Any of those who want to hit on or expand on, Nij? I don't imagine, and I'm actually, as I'm talking, I'm trying to see if there's any updates on Alex Tuck, because I did not get the impression that his injury was very serious. um but but but but but Let's see, Paul Hamilton, as of seven hours ago, I asked Alex Tuck, and he said he's going to be fine for the trip. So I imagine Tuck, he's going to be absolutely fine, um which is great, because he's been awesome. My heart breaks a little bit for Jordan Greenway, dude.
00:48:46
Speaker
After the shit that everyone I gave him last season, um he really has started off and looked what I would say is fucking awesome this year, just playing the way that I would like to see a guy that is built like that and states like that. He's flying around, dude. He's banging into everybody. He's looking like a skilled player, right not just a wrecking ball, but still using that size and speed to his advantage.
00:49:12
Speaker
as he should because it's what is going to make him a super effective NHL player. At least I think so. And it seems he's kind of leaned into that. I don't know if Lindy just managed to push the right buttons or said the right things. But Jordan Greenway has been awesome. Feel bad for him that he's hurt right now. But you know if it's just week to week, hopefully it's not more than two. um That'll be you know five to six games that he'll miss. And that shouldn't be what makes or breaks the season, obviously.
00:49:40
Speaker
You know, with the savers, it could be a situation where we are a point or two out of the playoffs and maybe those games will have mattered more. But um sad for Jordan Greenway, but hopefully doesn't, you know, end up being the thing that keeps this team from making the playoffs. But I feel bad for him hoping that he can come back from injury and look the same.
00:49:59
Speaker
Yeah, but agreed. yeah The points maybe aren't piling up for him, but he's looked like a different player this year than last, I think. And he's, he's somebody, he he is good at getting to high danger areas. He, he crashes the net with, I mean, he's, he's massive. he's He's a big guy and he plays like it. So I think that's invaluable. Yeah. You know, he's not, he's not Dave Thompson that can score from, from a distance, you know?
00:50:24
Speaker
Right. No, but I think his play beneath the goal line is like down in the corners and stuff, dude. I mean, he comes up, it feels like he's been coming up with almost every buck. He's just battling his absolute bag off, dude. So. Yeah. Notable absence. So to combat those sabers made some moves, uh, Saturday they called up Jerry Koolick and he got in against Philly. And today they called up Isak Rosine, Roseanne from Rochester as well to make the trip with them. I doubt he gets in if everybody's healthy for Wednesday, but.
00:50:55
Speaker
You know, I, I would be, I would be 0% surprised if we may be sat like, like a Nick Alba kubel, um, for, um, for Itzhak Roseanne. Um, I think we talked a little bit about Roseanne at the beginning of the year. Is, is this, I mean, are we at the point with Roseanne where it's this year or fuck it?
00:51:16
Speaker
It's it's close. Yeah, I mean he's he's 21 got drafted in 2021. He's young. It's still young. Yeah, um but I mean he's he's putting up numbers in the HL. He has for the past couple of years. He's got 13 points in 14 games with them this year. I I think it's it's getting close to.
00:51:34
Speaker
Can you make the leap? And if not, what are we going to do with you? Yeah. And I feel, I guess I feel shitty saying this and I should have learned my lesson because I mean, I even, I somebody, I don't know if I ever told you guys this, um, when Tage Thompson had his big breakout, somebody in the hockey.
00:51:50
Speaker
Content creation world took a bunch of tweets of people saying he was a bust guess who was featured in that? time but It was me. I don't know if I told you guys that that's totally not but and did Roasted me for saying hey Thompson was a bust So I don't tweet about those anymore because I'm afraid of getting busted again But I mean, like, and I don't want to, but I, I'm hesitant to not say the same about it's not Roseanne, especially because he doesn't even like, he doesn't have that taste Thompson potential, right? That insane skill to be able to, you know, stick handle on a phone booth at the height of six sex, you know, it doesn't have that potential. At least I don't think so. So, I mean, yeah I need something from Roseanne to, like you said, like figure out what the hell are we going to do with you?
00:52:36
Speaker
Yeah, agreed. and And by no means are we saying yeah know if he doesn't if he doesn't make the jump this year, then we cut ties. I'm saying like this is this is a good trade chip. He is a good young player that that it can put up in the AHL if you trade him to a team that has more of an opportunity at forward. I think he very well could stick in the NHL. But yeah you know I just don't see him. He hasn't gelled and fit into the top six. And that's that's really where he should be playing. He's not ah he's not a defensive grinder. He's he's a ah more skilled player on the wing. Yeah, he that's where he should be. so you know And we we very well could be wrong. Maybe we're not patient enough, who knows? But um I'd like to see him do a little bit more when he does get opportunities in the NHL. 100%. All right, let's keep it moving. I think that's all the newsy things there. But let's let's talk about that Flyers game a little bit. We got to dissect it because it was it was one of the more ugly ones. and
00:53:33
Speaker
We talked about the Montreal game last week, Tom and I, and this Philly game kind of ties into it. Of two of the last three games looking flat, looking awful, awful, awful in the defensive zone, terrible turnovers that lead directly to scoring chances that get capitalized on. It was it was just a nightmare game on Saturday night. so ah Tom, your first your first Savers game to watch in completion this this year was a a real rough one.
00:54:00
Speaker
you had a good You had a good suggestion there, pal. Yeah, that was fun. but but yeah yeah i've been I've been catching the highlights. I've been catching parts of games. I've been trying to watch as many game recaps as possible just to really to start learning. um But this is my first full game. The big thing that I took away from it, it just felt like the sabers were flat.
00:54:19
Speaker
They did not come out ready to play. And I don't necessarily think that the Flyers were playing out of their minds. I just think that they, they took advantage of the Sabres mistakes and, and, and capitalize and and got so um goals on them while the Sabres didn't do the same. They couldn't get out of their own fucking way. Um, so that that's what I was seeing is I wasn't seeing the Flyers necessarily out playing them, you know, you know, head over heels, but I think they were, I think they just played more cleanly and more efficiently.
00:54:48
Speaker
There's one name that comes to mind for me. I'm sure you're thinking the same name, Nigel, but John Tortorella coached team. That's a, that's a trademark there. Skill, skill, fuck skill. You're coming out hard to play against. And that's what that's the flyers identity that he's built there.
00:55:03
Speaker
hundred percent and that And that is, I mean, that's you're absolutely right. The Tortorella staple, dude. I mean, yeah, because there's, there's, I mean, the very few guys on that team that are crazy skilled guys. Now I think, um, Mitch cough is going to be ah an absolute problem in this league, dude. He looks crazy. Good. Um, I think, I mean, shout out Danny Brier, dude, for not worrying about You know, because the whole thing with Mitch Koff in his draft year was when the hell is it going to be able to get over here? He's under contract with, with a team in Russia planning the KHL, you know, is it going to be five years before we can see him? I think he only spent a capriov situation. Exactly. I think he only spent one year over there and then was in the NHL. Am I right on that trick? Yeah, you're correct. So I mean, 110% worth it. I mean,
00:55:57
Speaker
watching your guy developing the khl and absolutely destroy the khl shout out danny brayer for not being afraid of that thing because he got i mean that was a pretty late pick considering the skill level um i think he went seventh yeah should have gone but i mean he's a tough skill wise the the only reason he wouldn't have gone one is someone named connor bedard Yeah. Rightly so. Yeah. Right. Totally. And and dan Danny Brea, no fear, but also he he had the inside track. Michkoff wanted to play in specific markets, is what people have said, and and Philly was one of them. So Brea knew picking him that he he had a good chance of getting him over sooner than elsewhere. And Brea also has been
00:56:37
Speaker
bringing over a lot of Russian players. he He helped a couple of players get out of Russia and get over to the AHL or NHL. So he's he's got some secret magic. He's got the connects over there. He's just got the, he's got a tunnel underneath the ocean. Dave, just bring it up.
00:56:54
Speaker
Yeah, dude, it's i mean you're right. Tortorella, you have to know those guys are going to come out with their absolute hair on fire. just no other way Nothing else to expect from that team. Yeah, and hard for checking. And that's exactly what they did. And that just doubled down on us not being able to get out of our defensive zone. ah lot that There was a handful of times where it just we just it felt like the puck was stuck behind our net, even though we had possession and just couldn't break it out into the neutral zone. And I don't, yeah, I don't know. I think a lot of that is ah not not being ready to to use your speed against a team that you are, you are more skilled than the majority of their players, I would say. So yeah, troubling, troubling there, especially going into
00:57:42
Speaker
a big west coast trip that we'll get to in a moment here, which we're always super good at. We always do really well on the west coast trips. the
00:57:54
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, savers after dark is not always fun. So, um, um Yeah. Silver lining to that game. We have only, we've lost two of our last six or said another way. We've won four of our last six, which is a, that's a good stat. If you do that over the course of a season, you got a good shot of making the playoffs. So the the sky isn't falling, but two of the last three games were real stinkers to watch. Anything else you want to, you want to talk about from that Philly game or should we look ahead a bit? I would say i just, I mean,
00:58:28
Speaker
I want to be able to say, just, just put it behind you and move forward. But I mean, how many games, if the season's so early and how many games have we had like that now that we just want to forget the Philly game, the Montreal game. There's at least two or three more, you know, like but those two those first two games like in in prog against the devils i was just gonna say yeah like like so there's four stinkers right there but like i mean i just man i just want to be i just want to look competent man like i'm so sick of these games where we just look like absolute dog shit it's so good losing to me i don't know how you can
00:59:06
Speaker
from one game to the next look dominant and then go so far the opposite direction. I get it's a long season. I get there are a ton of games. I get that. I mean, I don't think there's anything more grueling to the human body than 82 game NHL schedule. I know baseball players have like 180 to fucking bad. You stand in there for four hours. Fucking shut off.
00:59:27
Speaker
So i mean as as athletic as chess players, it's like football. Yeah. Thank you. Football games. I mean, you know, there's only 17 games, one a week. You know, I just I get there's a lot for the body to handle and all that stuff. But the the the disparity in this team for the last several years is so maddening. there Yeah, it's it's no excuse. Everybody plays the same schedule. that's Yeah. Yeah. Everyone's got back to backs and travel time and Fuckin' A, just beam find a way to be more consistent. That's all I have to say.
01:00:01
Speaker
And I think, but so excusing the two Devils games, because I don't think this is the case of that. But I think a worrying trend over the past couple of years is playing down to the level of competition or up. Like, you know for example, going into MSG and just shit-housing the Rangers, they were fired up for that game. They came out and used their speed and skill to to destroy the Rangers. But then they go into Philadelphia and just look flat, outworked, not ready for it. so It's been a couple of coaches. It's been a couple of different sets of players. But it's hard not to put put a finger on that and say, wow, they they seem to just kind of buckle against teams that are less skilled than them sometimes. 100%. So with with that said, we've got three road trip games coming up.
Sabres' Upcoming Road Games Preview
01:00:52
Speaker
West Coast Swing next week, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, LA, Anaheim, San Jose.
01:01:00
Speaker
All three of those games are winnable games. And in my opinion, the final two, Anaheim, San Jose, are very winnable games. You need to beat those teams. They are not good. They are toiling towards the bottom of the league. And I'm not trying to to bash them, but that's just where they are in their team building cycle.
01:01:19
Speaker
um You got to win. Anaheim doesn't have their star goalie yet. you know San Jose is a dumpster fire, pretty much. um
01:01:31
Speaker
it's It's worrying because I think that trend could come up again where where the Sabres look like they're playing down to competition and not able to to break free and and dominate games like that. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong. But it's it's it's nagging doubt in the back of my mind. Yeah.
01:01:50
Speaker
I don't have anything else to say. you're ah you just you stu i mean like yeah that's that's what What else is there to say? you know like you just hit it on L troubling. i mean They're still a good team without Drew Doughty, but Anze Kopitar, he's trending towards the Joe Pavelski life cycle. He's looking good in his his older age. What is he, dude?
01:02:11
Speaker
yeah So look, some of the teams you're battling, for example, Detroit is on this exact same road trip right now. There are two games through and they're 0 and 2. So take that for what you will. Detroit takes a step back, maybe, if you can go in and and and you know win two of these three games, you put yourself in a good place against a team like that that you're battling for a playoff spot for. so Go in, take care of business. Stay up late with us and watch the games. Go Savers. I got nothing else. Get us out of
Conclusion and Social Media Call to Action
01:02:42
Speaker
here, Tom. 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.