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Ep. 54 - Bills Preseason Week 1 & 2, AFC East Check-In
32 Plays1 year ago
Wellllllllcome in folks! The pals hang out and talk some Buffalo ball. They discuss the ramifications of the Matt Milano injury and what needs to be seen in the upcoming preseason game against the Steelers. The episode closes with a look around the division at what the other members in the AFC did over the offseason and examine the question - are they a threat for the division?
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
Podcast Introduction
00:00:21
Speaker
Oh, what's going on, everybody? You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast, your favorite podcast for all things bills and savers with the pals, Nigel, Tom and Jake. Episode 54 coming at you.
00:00:38
Speaker
Do not forget to follow the socials. You know the drill, y'all. You can find us on all of them. Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, with the handle Let's Go Buff Pod. That's buff with two apps. Let's get around here and say hello
Hosts' Banter and Updates
00:00:52
Speaker
to the fellows. We got two bozos in one screen over there. Tom, how we doing, buddy? Dude, I'm good. Yeah, man. and My little friend here came to visit. yeah had a good We've had a good little we were a little hang. where I'm good. val i'm good Did you take you probably,
00:01:13
Speaker
um, I couldn't hear what you said, but yeah, I'm i'm up for, uh, up for the night hanging out. We, uh, we bopped around golfing this afternoon. So, but now we only have one mic to rock with. So we're, we're, you know, two, two girls, one mic a little bit right now. So anyways, I'd ask you, how are you doing? But you froze up on us. So anyway, stop. Let's, let's take it away.
00:01:36
Speaker
Sorry about that guys. um but um Yeah, I think I'm back here. You're good. You're good. You're all good. but yeah My life a little bit. I'm good, man. That's all I was saying. How are you doing? What's, what's new with you? how's How's things going? Dude, things are just cruising right along. Um, just, you know, enjoying, uh, the last, the last week has just been like me leaning in big time to the fact that I'm not super far from my honey anymore. Um, so it's just been a lot of, you know, me being super googly eyed and, and just enjoying being five minutes away as opposed to 11 hours. So.
00:02:07
Speaker
Nothing productive has been taking place yet. i My new job starts Monday, so I've just kind of been fun employed and all that fun stuff. That dude's seen a lot of good music so far too.
00:02:18
Speaker
It's awesome, man. Yeah. Yeah, dude. It's been great. All right. Well, fellas, I hear once again might have dropped the ball a little bit. I hit it's it like I said, dude, so so many googly eyes. Hey, let's do this. This is yeah. This is like Yoko Ono kind of issues, huh? I did forget to get beer again. All right. Well, I'm going to tell Kayla to buy you a beer and Yeah, we've been having all of our beers out and about. So yeah none here at the house. Let's get some Nashville breweries going. Yeah, I know, dude. Yeah. I'll have to have to pull my weight on that one a little bit more. Yeah. Yeah. You got quite the selection. Sure. We're not going to have them. That's for sure. All right. Well, we got beers. So here we go. get Give us a little countdown, pal. Yep. I'll catch you down. Ready? Three, two, one. Oh, I feel like I'm a fully, you know, like recorder freaking tears, buddy.
00:03:11
Speaker
um what are you drinking but I don't know, Jake, what are you drinking? ah It's a called She Doesn't Need You from Foam. Correct. Up in ah Burlington. Yeah, they that see, that's very on the nose for all three of us is that's the issue. um But ah yeah, dude, it's a I'm very excited. I haven't I just bought it out of off off hand here and um I'm excited. It's two pandas. I love foam. They're one of my favorite breweries. Are you drinking the same thing, Jake?
00:03:40
Speaker
i am yeah yeah we we have sorry so we we we We just split that baby apart and here we go. So yeah, the same one. ah yeah How are you? I'm very exciting, but it is top notch. So hey, man, whatever gets the job done. Am I right? Exactly. Exactly. We got a lot to talk about. Yeah. Yeah, we certainly do. um Tom, do you mind driving the bus here a little bit? Just because it seems like I am fighting my Wi-Fi a little bit.
00:04:03
Speaker
Yeah, yeah not Nigel's waiting himself, waiting his way through the ethernet here, um the the universe. So um yeah, we're going to start with some Newsy items.
Matt Milano's Injury Discussion
00:04:12
Speaker
Then we're going to check in about last week's week one preseason game against Chicago and then prep for this week's preseason game against Pittsburgh and then actually do a little bit of a kind of go around the horn and check in with what the other division mates or have been up to in the offseason and talk about kind of how that might impact the bills. So let's start with some Newsy items.
00:04:33
Speaker
And this one's just a heartbreaker. The injury bug has bit the Buffalo Bills again. ah Matt Milano went down on Uh, today is Friday. I think it was Wednesday with what seemed to be a left arm injury of some sorts. He went down, left practice was still on the sideline, was being seen by trainers. Um, did some kind of like, the like drop to do a pushup, like pick something up on the sideline, but didn't go to the locker room. So there was a little bit of apprehension of like, Hey, what actually is this? Um,
00:05:08
Speaker
Before yesterday's joint practice against Pittsburgh, Sean McDermott came on and announced that it was a officially a left bicep tear. So that that tendon has been completely ripped off the bow. And he's out indefinitely. So that's great. Dude, first of all, do I sound OK? You can't hear me all right? You sound great, dude. yeah All right, cool. Just joking. Sorry, boys. um Yeah, dude. It's like, ah.
00:05:35
Speaker
I still feel mad dude like I still feel mad at Matt Milano which probably isn't fair even a little bit but like god damn it dude like it's it's I'm not gonna go as far as saying is it's like the equivalent of losing your Josh Allen on defense but like it is losing your best player on defense right like without your Micah hides and your Jordan Poyers and your Jadavius whites like And even with those guys, more than likely, Matt Milano was unequivocally your best defensive player. And then you lose that guy, dude, for the second year in a row after you're all hype, thinking about seeing him with Terrell Bernard and all that stuff, dude. And it is just like getting kicked in the head, dude. like i And then I would even... the I'm going to say it, dude. I'm still mad about it. I'm still thinking it.
00:06:24
Speaker
At what point do you, do you cut ties? Right? Like, because yeah obviously Matt Milano's like insanely good. And maybe this, maybe that's too spicy, but like he's a top three, he's a top three cat pit, right? Isn't that the, uh, the info that you sent the other day, Tom? Yeah, that's ah of a top three, uh, non Josh Allen. It's Josh Allen, Stefan digs, which will make everybody feel good. Um, and then I think it's Matt Milano. No, it's five Miller then Matt Milano.
00:06:51
Speaker
Yeah. So like, and and that guy, once again, you're not going to have him for at least the entire season. Maybe he comes back to the playoffs and then if he comes back in the playoffs, what kind of shape is he in? You know, fresh out of the gates coming off this kind of two big injuries. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Now, I guess like if you want to look at some silver linings, right. I think the biggest one for me is in terms of like the fact like let's assume he's going to stay. Right. Because the best case scenario is we get through this one more time and then he's still a really, really great football player next season.
00:07:23
Speaker
But if they're like a little bit of a silver lining here, the two injuries that ended the season, and not at all related, right? Like you're talking about a fracture and a bicep tear. So like, yeah. Two different parts of the body and and also not an ACL. That's gonna that's not going to affect his athleticism, right? Right. It's something he has to heal from. um I can kind of just pull from my experience. I'm also a big fan of ah like Strongman. And oftentimes they end up ripping bicep tendons right off the bone, mostly because they're picking up a 500-pound stone. But um it's not once you rip it, like you can't really do anything more to it.
00:07:59
Speaker
right Like once it's off, it's off. You can't hurt it more. um And once you put it back on and get it surgically repaired, it does take time to feel comfortable trusting it again. Kind of probably what he was going through with his leg, of you know his his but his fracture in his leg. He was probably getting used to being um getting that comfortable. But I think this allows him some time. to His leg will be fully 100% by the time he's able to come back, if it's this season or next.
00:08:28
Speaker
um And then he's just got to be ready to trust his arm and feel like he can reach and extend and wrap with the tackle, right? that's That's the motion that's going to be taken away from him. His reaching and his ability to then pull and wrap somebody from away from his body, that's the thing that's going to suffer and him he's going to have to work through.
00:08:44
Speaker
um so Man, yeah, I think it's okay to still be mad about it. I think I just to kind of go back to your initial thought knives, like, your best availability is your, you know your best ability is your availability, right? Like, yeah, that's the one. Yeah, I worked my way there. ah My best ability is my use of words. um Thank you.
00:09:04
Speaker
um So especially when you're a big cap, it we need these cap hits to to make impacts on the roster. And right now, Josh Allen, knock on wood. Thank God he's like, you know, the best thing to come to Buffalo. Stephon Diggs, next biggest cap. He's not on the team, so he's not going to affect the team. um Von Miller, we were hoping and praying is something. And now it's Matt Milano who is out for at least the majority of the season, possibly coming back in December. um So.
00:09:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's not not good, right? It's at some point. This is morbid to say. And I this is sick. I don't wish injuries on anybody. But can can we have a deaf player have a seizing ending catastrophic injury? Like, can we stop having starters, please? Yeah. Yeah. If we're going to have a guy do it, I'm sorry. I'd rather be somebody else. You know, like, but that's terrible. That's terrible. I, you know, we're hand up. I'm sorry. I apologize. amazing Whatever. desired But I get the gist.
00:10:05
Speaker
Before we get into who's going to fill that hole, Tom, I'd like you to maybe maybe tell the people who's responsible for this for this injury. Folks, I have a ah confession. If you're on YouTube with us, please look at your screen. I have purchased a cup, which I was very excited about. And I think it came in the mail on like Tuesday or Wednesday. It is a 26, Del Reed, 26 shirts cup, Orchard Park, Matthew Milano, cookie, linebacker cup. um And I was very excited. It was going to be the one bills thing I was going to purchase this year. um And yeah, it was ah apparently a terrible idea.
00:10:42
Speaker
So yeah, Tom, you'll be, you'll be receiving a very strongly worded letter from me. I can tell you that to say the least. It will not be kind. Thank you very much. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, now, and then one more quick good thing about this, like at least now we know, we know there's no map Milano, so we're not trying to figure this out week four or week five or whatever it was last year. yeah We're going to, we got, we have a little under a month.
00:11:04
Speaker
to sort it out right before the season even starts. And yeah, i come yeah this is the time that they of day of the all the times to happen. It now is the time. Yeah. So replacement options. Right. I think I think probably the number one expected or or I guess rather, I would say the guy whose job it is to lose at this point, probably Dorian Williams. Would you say Tom? Yeah. And from everything we've heard out of coming out of camp, he's been running as the third linebacker um all through camp.
00:11:32
Speaker
um And to be honest, from what I've heard is kind of looking very similar to how he looked at the end of last year of, man, the kid is great chasing after the run, getting involved. And when he fires, he fires, but that's also like his, his biggest weakness is when he fires, he fires and he can be kind of, you know,
00:11:51
Speaker
goaded into following a play and and all of a sudden breaking coverage. and um So this is his time. um Yeah, I think he's he's he's he's the next logical you um replacement.
00:12:05
Speaker
The thing is for that is I think we're expecting another big step up from a linebacker and as awesome as it was to see Terrell Bernard do that and I love the guy and I hope he shows out in year two as a starter and and plays out of his mind. How many times can you roll those dice?
00:12:23
Speaker
super fair Yeah, dude, I think um it's it's tough to have the same level of expectation, right? Because at the end of the day, I mean, what we got out of Terrell Bernard last year was super, super, super significant.
00:12:39
Speaker
like and and So like like, and you kind of touched on it, the strength you get with Dorian Williams is that downhill click and close ability, right? Like, like so we've heard some from pretty much every beat reporter, the guys downhill game, game, excuse me, is great. It's the coverage stuff, particularly zone coverage. right which the bills run almost primarily. He's super athletic, so he might do fine in those man um coverage opportunities. But in terms of his ability to play zone, right which is arguably Matt Milano's best trade, right you know we he looks completely lost. right He's not capping routes. He's not carrying guys when they come through his zone. And yeah, he's getting to his landmarks, but then he just kind of keeps going a little bit. right like he's not like and There's no head on a swivel. There's no awareness of where the ball could go.
00:13:26
Speaker
right so and in the Stevens you need that so like what do we look at now are we're looking at another situation like last season where you know you got to bring in you know another safety ah you know I don't know whoever insert insert safety number two or three here you know like on those on those obvious passing downs because you know so Bernard can't or excuse me Doreen Williams can't do it I don't know man So a solution I've seen floated is Dorian Williams on obvious running downs and then
00:13:59
Speaker
veteran linebacker Dion Jones, who was signed this year, who has been looking really well playing, looking like he's playing really well in coverage. Maybe he's on obvious passing downs, right? And so it is kind of a rotation like we did last year with, with bringing in Jordan, bringing down Jordan Poiter from the safety to kind of play more of a quasi linebacker on obvious passing plays. Maybe it's something like that. um Possibly it could be a bail inspector.
00:14:23
Speaker
right? He's been very involved in this defense. Unfortunately, he's always injured. He's always got something going. He's currently injured right now, right? Like, so exactly. Again, your best availability is your ability. No, your best ability is your availability. See, I know what I'm doing, folks. No, that was on purpose. Um, okay, go ahead.
00:14:43
Speaker
Third time's the time. A little bit of a tangential question, maybe. But as far as Terrell Bernard, how much trust do you guys have in him being able to replicate his performance from last year? Because he did look great. Is there concerns that he doesn't look quite as good as he did last year? Or do you think it pretty much put to bed that he will be able to replicate that?
00:15:00
Speaker
I mean, he played the vast majority of last season as the number one linebacker and looked good the entire time. I mean, I got exposed a couple of times here and there by a really big offensive lineman. He's not a huge guy. And you know once a big offensive tackle gets his paws on him, that's where he's going to struggle the most. But I mean, I don't know, dude. The sample size of him doing the job and doing the job at a high level is significantly bigger than the sample size of him not.
00:15:29
Speaker
So for me right now and for the sake of my blood pressure, I'm thinking, let's not give me something to worry about until I absolutely need to. um And that's kind of where I'm going to be with Terrell Bernard for right now. Especially because we saw him do it in a similar situation. It wasn't like, oh, Terrell Bernard had a great year next to Matt Milano.
00:15:46
Speaker
he had a great He had a great year without Matt Milano. He had a great year without Daquan Jones up front, who is it you know an amazing one tech. and you know And in theory, we have Daquan. He's currently a little beat up. But in theory, we have Daquan for the majority of the season. And so hopefully the pieces around him will be at the very at the minimum similar to last year and hopefully more than likely better than last year.
00:16:10
Speaker
Exactly. So yeah, well, um, that's, that's probably the most expected thing right now is Dorian Williams. There are, you know, like Tom mentioned, Dan Jones, like that's an absolute possibility. It's a guy who had a run as one of the top linebackers in the entire league early in his career.
00:16:25
Speaker
Um, reset the market in his prime, you know, as a linebacker. So yeah and he's only 29. Um, wasn't a lower bottom injury that put him down and kind of derailed things. It was a shoulder injury that he, I mean, he was playing his best ball on the last day and four years at the end of last season and when he was in Carolina. So there's reason to hope that he could, you know, be on the up. Um, but yeah, as of right now, like, and, and I guess maybe we can kind of jump out a little bit out of order and one that we should.
00:16:54
Speaker
finish up these other injuries. um I'll finish that thought later when we get to the previous. OK. Some other, these ones are less significant, thank the Lord. QB3, Shane Bushell, old run around Bushell, has sustained a neck injury in last week's preseason
Buffalo Bills Roster Updates
00:17:13
Speaker
game. So he's out several weeks, been placed on the IR. We have signed quarterback Ben Danucci to the roster.
00:17:20
Speaker
um He is a very serviceable QB3. He's not somebody who's going to push Mitch Brabisky for cornerback 2, right? He's not expected to be that. He has started games. There was a little run there where he started in Dallas. um And he had a little bit of spark, a little bit of zip. And then it kind of fo with i fizzled out because he's not a starting quarterback in the NFL.
00:17:43
Speaker
Um, he actually played last year in the XFL. So he played kind of in the minor leagues, you know, a little bit like that and played very well. He was very successful there, but it was also the XFL. So, um, I think he's a very fine, uh, addition to the roster at QB three. Any thoughts there?
00:17:59
Speaker
Yeah, I just think it's, I think it's super, super, super telling, um, that we did not go back and get Matt Barkley for this position. Yeah. Despite him, you know, being super close with Josh and all that, like he clearly as a quarterback just doesn't have it at like to the point where you're picking up a guy like Ben Denucci, who has no familiarity familiarity, excuse me, with your scheme. You know, so like, I just think that's super, super telling that like really Maybe we were in a tougher spot than we thought for a couple of years with he's our QV3. And yeah, he's had success in the preseason, um, pendant Nuchi. So I think it'll be fun to watch. It'll be at the very least. It should be, hopefully. Um, I guess I'm not gonna wood, but hopefully should be entertaining if nothing else.
00:18:46
Speaker
Right. though The biggest role the quarter quarterback three plays on the roster is on the practice squad and being the scout team quarterback. So every week when they're we say first week we're playing Arizona, he's going to be the simulation of Kyler Murray for the for the first team defense to play against. So that's the biggest role that a QB three plays and just another contribution of helping Josh Allen get ready for the week. That that's his role. yeah So um I think it's a fine audition. Yeah. hundred um Another just kind of interesting move here was Chase Claypool was placed on first was placed on like a injured reserve kind of thing um because I think he had to sustained some kind of toe injury. I actually don't remember the specifics of it. to Unite.
00:19:28
Speaker
I believe it was, it was turf toe. I think you were right. So, and then he was released on an injury settlement. So what that means is he at this point is no longer part of the Buffalo Bills. He can sign with any other team, any of the other 31 teams. But um if you'd like to come back to Buffalo, he has to um wait for the duration of that settlement, which is at the moment is unknown. It's not disclosed to the public. It might be in the future, but at the moment it's not.
00:19:52
Speaker
um plus three weeks so whatever duration in that settlement plus three weeks then Chase Claypool can come back to the Buffalo if you'd like which is possible to be honest it's just this is this is the rodeo that Chase Claypool is now like we this is exactly what I expected to happen when we heard that we signed Chase Claypool and is like okay yeah a couple flashes in camp and now he's doing nothing so um In response, the Brandon Bean went out and signed veteran wide receivers Demir Bird and Dionne Kane, who are probably not threats to make the roster.
00:20:26
Speaker
No, the mere Demir Bird had a couple, you know, he had a couple little flashes in New England a few years ago and had a decent season like a couple catches for 600-ish yards and um so ah started NFL games. um So good competition to bring in and veteran competition um and makes it clear that they're not happy with what where we are at the bottom end of that wide receiver room.
00:20:47
Speaker
um So I think that's that's really more what what that's telling us is not necessarily that they're pushing to make the roster but hey we need bodies and we also we need some kind of you know some new looks here. I would say it's also practice squad competition right like you still want you still want the best player you can on your practice squad. I know it's it's essentially the lowest part of your roster as far as players go But, you know, the iron sharpens iron. So the better your practice squad is, yeah the better your team becomes on paper. um But yeah, nothing super noteworthy there. It's bottom of the roster type ship. yeah Just making room for more important stuff like bend a new shape.
00:21:26
Speaker
No big deal. Yep. um And then my last little newsy item is that the official date for a roster cut to 53 players. We're at 91 right now is August 27th. So that's after the third preseason game and before week one. um That's when we'll know what the bills roster will be. Was it as early as last year that it was like multiple rounds of cuts? I thought I remember that being a thing. This is the second year, second year. It just seems crazy that it's a mass exodus of players at that date.
00:21:57
Speaker
it's it is yeah it's it's like yeah exactly just like within a matter of an hour it's like a cut in half almost Yeah, so I think that the logic behind it is it used to be like every preseason we could be like 10 or 12 players kind of lopped off the end of the roster. The thought there was like, oh, if they got like you know released and the preseason one, they can now sign with a different team and try and make that roster kind of deal. But I think so this was negotiated by the NFL, PA. So they feel that this is better for for you know these are their players, that they have a better more likelihood of sustaining and making an and NFL roster if they're in the same camp.
00:22:36
Speaker
and for the longer duration and be able to see but be seen by more by those coaches then also they have well they might have more tape to be put out too because if they're cut and then not signed then they're not creating more tape right right back to yeah that kind of thing so uh yeah it's it definitely is it's new ish but not not not not this year new
00:22:58
Speaker
All right.
Preseason Game Analysis
00:22:59
Speaker
I think we got to first talk about um preseason week one versus Chicago. And I have one word. Sloppy. Yeah, it was bad. It was bad. um Tons of penalties. Tough, tough ah offensive line moments. and I remain concerned about James Cook in in a bunch of different ways. um But that game just revealed more pass blocking issues with James Cook. um Offensive line, you know they're dealing with typical guys in new positions timing type stuff.
00:23:33
Speaker
I'm just hope you can work it all out now. um I haven't heard anything too much about honor government and his snapshot. And I guess maybe with that no no news, good news. You heard anything.
00:23:46
Speaker
Um, no, he it's kind of just by Nigel's bring it up as there was some very sloppy snaps between and like a handoffs between kind of McGovern and Josh Allen. Um, just, you you know, irregular and not the same and not clean, um, you know, hands off of the ball when they're, when you snap from the ball. So I know I haven't heard anything, but hope to God that continues.
00:24:06
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. So yeah, that and then, you know, I think another, that mostly bombers from that game, right? I think like the thing that I'm probably the most excited about at all with that game would be the screenplay to Curtis Samuel. um That was cool. We don't do screens as well. So it was cool to see that screen go incredibly well.
00:24:24
Speaker
Well, that won't work really well. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, Oh, that's what these are supposed to be like. I think exactly what won a game now. Yeah. I think was, I think we could start to see more, especially with how athletic the offensive line is. I mean, all of those guys, they, they sold their blocks and then they all got on their horse. I mean, you had the undockens across the opposite end of the offensive line making blocks. So it was, it was a great play. Um,
00:24:48
Speaker
yeah Are there any other huge positives that jump out besides that? Nobody got crazy hurt. yeah Yeah, nobody got crazy hurt. Josh looked OK, right? Josh, they were yourba they were out for not even a full series, right? Actually, to be honest with you, the like and quarter ended and Sean McDermott pulled them. The rest of the ones stayed out, and Mitch Brudice-Draviski finished the that series with them. um But yeah, it'll be interesting to see more of Josh. I think he looked fine, right? Especially with this is new.
00:25:16
Speaker
um the pass blocking look okay. The run blocking did not. no Nope. Nope. And it's important. I mean, they, so the bills on the, uh, the stat chart, it was like eight sacks. Most of them were Shane Bischell, QB three, because he was running around pooping his pants. Um, the guy, like, I mean, if you take, if you went to look at it, like the guy was literally running his circles in the backfield.
00:25:41
Speaker
Like, yeah, he there's it looked like a kid playing Little League football for the first time and like, you know, playing peewee and didn't know what he was doing. of So <unk> i don't put that on the I don't put that on the offensive line. I think um i think that's a majority on the quarterback play.
00:25:58
Speaker
um And lastly, and I kind of forgot about this as I was watching, it is important to note that these teams don't game plan for preseason games in the same way they do for regular season games. So the Bills weren't going in like, hey, we're going to beat them with X, Y, and Z. They were going into like, we're trying some concepts and trying players in certain situations.
00:26:19
Speaker
that's more of what you're trying to get out of this preseason game. So I think that's an important caveat that is sometimes forgotten that like this isn't the preparation isn't the same for a preseason as it is for a regular season game. Yeah, yeah, that's a good point. It's but still, you know, like, I don't know.
00:26:35
Speaker
Yeah, just, just super sloppy things. The good news is preseason. And hopefully, you know, with all that sloppiness, you get a lot of coaching opportunities for the coaching staff and and guys just get better. But I think that's probably a game where I mean, don't put, don't put stock in it, right? It's the preseason, like, don't like, it's okay to be bummed about it for a second, but like, No, it's not. It's not an indication of what a team is really going to do in the offseason. The Detroit Lions when they were going like 0 and 16 or 4 and 0 in the preseason. So like, you know, nobody needs to be panicking over this. Tom just said it. We don't game plan. um I would say one other negative.
00:27:13
Speaker
was nobody wants to hear this but Keon Coleman was kind of a bummer in that game just proved to be not able to get away from the ones on the other team or or even the two is really just he had that one catch that was great um in terms of the route like it was a great route and he had probably five yards of separation But he had a couple of opportunities in the red zone that, you know, the, the place where it's designed to go to him and he just couldn't get off his guy. And that's supposed to be where he's, you know, the most effective is contested in the red zone. So, I mean, again, Mitch, you missed the throne of the ball, but.
00:27:52
Speaker
That's the ticket for me. like Mr. Biskey doesn't hold a candle to what Josh Allen will do and where Josh Allen will put balls. So i would I'm very excited to see them him and Keyon play again this this weekend. And hopefully we see a little bit more.
00:28:08
Speaker
um I think, again, it's great tape that I'm sure, I'm sure that the tape, though on the position rooms were not fun to be in this week. um but I'm sure that was terrible and degrading. And yeah, not fun whatsoever. So I'm hoping he learned something and can show us something different. But I'm, yeah, I agree. It wasn't, wasn't what we wanted. But I also, I'm not ready to, I'm not counting them out.
00:28:34
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So no, obviously not counting them out, but it was just, you know, his whole thing is supposed to be contested catches in the red zone. And, yeah yeah and you know, he had two opportunities and couldn't make a plan either. I didn't think the ball placement from Mitch Trubisky was, was bad from being honest. I thought it was, I mean, Ken was blanketed on both opportunities. I mean, you know, who knows it's, it's tough to say what could have been with Josh Allen, but just something that that caught my attention and something that definitely bummed me out a little bit. but We'll be he's learning see him fix that or show up a little bit more this week. Yeah. Well, he's going to get a good opportunity, Tommy, because we found out today on what's today, Friday, found out today, Friday that the starters are going to play. Sounds like just shy of two quarters, about a quarter and a half, yeah um according to Sean McDermott. So and I assume that is both sides of the ball offense and defense. So hopefully before too long here, what time is the game tomorrow? Do you remember, Tom?
00:29:31
Speaker
It's like a seven PM game, I think. Yeah, it's pretty late. Um, so yeah, I'll be able to watch that one. So I'm pretty excited to check up and, um, you know, check that out. Give, be able to watch Josh Allen throw footballs for a quarter and a half. That's seven PM Eastern. Just so you know.
00:29:47
Speaker
So 6 p.m. my time. Got it. Let's see. Let's do it. We're helping our new we're going to get a new you know demographic. Will you be in in the Midwest? I don't know. So hopefully we get a whole new new fan base here. Let's see. Does my phone automatically switch to central and like in my apps and stuff? Yeah, it says 6 p.m. tomorrow.
00:30:04
Speaker
nice So I would have caught it. I can't wait to text Nigel at at five, say, a dude, did you see that play? Oh, my God. i And i it'll get me for a split second. too Hopefully, hopefully my digestive tract will cooperate with me in this. But so real quick, just to boil this down, give me one thing because we've talked a lot of offense just now about like last piece of the game, looking at this preseason game against Pittsburgh. Nige, what do you want to see on the defense from the starters? Like, what is something you want to see and boil it down to like two or three bullet points?
00:30:34
Speaker
Dorian Williams, that's going to be the number one thing. I'm going to be collude to see what what he's doing, particularly in coverage. Um, outside of him, uh, pass rush. I'd like to see the passion pass rush pass rush, get home against this, um, Pittsburgh team. Again, their offensive line is kind of dog shit. So it should be a team we can beat up against in terms of getting to the quarterback. Um, do we know who the quarterback is going to be for Pittsburgh tomorrow? I think it's Russ. I think it's for us. So, I mean, this should be a situation where this defense hopefully can beat up a little bit.
00:31:07
Speaker
Um, but you know, we'll see, but yeah, it's going to be Dorian Williams for me. I'm going to be glued to whatever he's doing pretty much the entire time. I like that. I, my two are going to be safeties. Who's in at safety, right? Are we at, especially if it's okay. These are the ones who's starting, who's out to start. And then number two, do they do a rotation? Do we get somebody else in with the ones to see a different body? Yeah. And how quick is the rotation too? Is it like every other drive? Cause that to me says there's an ongoing battle.
00:31:37
Speaker
Yeah. um And then offensive side of the ball. I'm excited to see this. I want to see some better run looks. I want this offensive line to figure out the timing. I am not convinced that it was a complete disaster with the run um blocking. I think it was a complete disaster of, Hey, what? Okay. Let me, let me, let me rewalk that back. It's not a complete disaster. It's a miss me communication on unfamiliarity with each other's timing. Um, so hopefully they, I'm sure Aaron Cromer and, um,
00:32:08
Speaker
Joe Brady just kind of ran these guys into the ground this week, trying to get that timing down and get familiarity. So that's my big thing. And then I'm actually really excited. I want to see more Ray Davis. If James Cook's going to be kind of be this, you know, wishy washy waffly guy, like I'm excited for Ray Davis to maybe take a pretty good one B role on this team.
00:32:28
Speaker
Yeah, totally, dude. I think that could be. And it would be interesting to see like where the running back depth chart falls, right? Because Ty Johnson should be playing tomorrow. I think he's back. And so we'll see. Yeah, let's see. Let's see. How how does Tyler because he looks great at moments last year. I mean, I was excited to see him get the ball. Absolutely. Absolutely. I bring some juice. He's you know, he catches the ball well. So yeah, that could be interesting. um I think it'll also be interesting to see.
00:32:55
Speaker
It's tough to really, for me at least, to like expect or get excited about what kind of passing things we'll see because you know Joe's going to keep like the core package is probably pretty close to the vest or chest. Excuse me. So it's, you know, like I want to, like I want to say I can't wait to see some of the passing concepts, but I can't imagine we'll see a ton. um Like they exercised like we just talked about that screen last week.
00:33:21
Speaker
um But who knows what that'll look like this week, if anything. um But yeah, I would like to see it. I'm still I would like to see Keon get involved a little bit. I think that'd be good for my soul. and some sustained drives would be nice, not ah not a lot of three and outs of, hey, let's keep the ball moving. yep Again, yep keep it vanilla, but let's let's stay on the field here and not be not let the Pittsburgh defense take us off. Yeah, absolutely. One final, Tyler Bass make everything. Tyler Bass don't miss anything. Don't do anything. All you do is kick it through the pipes. That's your job. was it We'll Well, OK, anything else to touch on there, pal?
00:33:59
Speaker
No, I think we're good. And then just come out, come out with no injuries. No injuries. Yeah. Stay healthy, still healthy, stay healthy. Everybody do every voodoo trick you got like the candles, you know, pray to your grandmother, whatever it is that you need to do. Like that's, that's keep everybody healthy.
00:34:13
Speaker
yeah All right, so um our last little segment here is going to be a AFC East Little Roundup. We're going to check in on our division rivals, the Patriots, the Jets and the Dolphins. And um this could be a weeks long discussion. So I wanted to boil it down a little bit of, hey, where are they at kind of their win totals? Like what is expected for them? What kind of a success are they expected to have?
00:34:38
Speaker
Then what are the some big changes they've had this season? And then the last question, are they a threat for the division? Because despite what everybody wants to say, the division still runs through Buffalo. The division, right? And until somebody else proves otherwise, it's still it's it's Buffalo's division to lose. So I want to kind of end each discussion with each team of, are they a threat? um ah where are Where are they at?
00:35:03
Speaker
Yeah. Vegas wind totals. I want you guys to say over, under definitely. No, no. Yeah. Just gut reaction if they're over or under that amount. Okay. Sweet. So we're going to go in um kind of reverse order. So we're going to start with the fourth division last year, New England england
Patriots Offseason Changes
00:35:19
Speaker
Patriots. They were four and 13 in 2023. And this year, the Vegas wind total is set at 4.5. I'm going to go under. Hey, I'll go over. Okay. Jake.
00:35:33
Speaker
go I'll go under. All right. So there's a lot of turnover here in New England, um being living in Vermont and having many New England england Patriot friends. um It's definitely a little bit of turmoil, right? It's kind of, to be honest, kind of fun to see him squeam a little bit. See him be a little squeamish. So the big move, Bill Belichick was released after the season, was not re resigned, was not kept around, released.
00:35:59
Speaker
land anywhere? ah Pat McAfee show. Not what I was expecting you to say. Yeah, he's going to go into media this year, which unfortunately the guy seems like when once he's not, you know, coaching, the guy seems very likable and like I'm honestly very excited to see him on Pat McAfee. I think he'll be unbelievable in a media type role, dude. I think he'll be so good, especially at McAfee, where there could to be a little more goofball no and like he can kind of play into his dry humor. So unfortunately, he's probably going to be rather likable. Yeah. Oh, well.
00:36:31
Speaker
Yeah, too bad. So the in this place, they signed Gerard Mayo, who was in-house signing. And Elliott Wolfe took over as player um player personnel, director of player personnel, essentially general manager. Some of the big changes, they've released D-Tackled, Lawrence Guy, Safety Adrian Phillips, and cornerback J.C. Jackson.
00:36:52
Speaker
Um, special team or Matthew Slater retired, who is one of the best to ever do it. So that's a big deal, especially with these new special teams, like changes. Like, I'm sure he would have had, he would have been sick in that in this case. Yeah. Yeah. Like he would have been sick. So very cool. The guy, like one of the best to ever do it. Hats off to him.
00:37:11
Speaker
um He's retired. the They have re-signed Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Duggar, and given a contract extension for defensive lineman Christian Barmore, running back Ramon J. Stevenson, safety drill peppers. um They signed wide receiver KJ Osborne.
00:37:32
Speaker
Um, and then, uh, through the drafts, they, uh, before the draft, they actually traded back Jones to the Jaguars. So max time in New England is over and they drafted third overall quarterback Drake may, I think in my mind, that's the biggest and most significant change here to the, um, New England's team and New England's kind of outlook is. I'll highly drafted quarterback. He is their success is going to ride on his shoulders.
00:38:00
Speaker
Alongside him, they actually fleshed out this wide receiver room with two other rookies, ah wide receiver Jevon Baker and Jalen Polk. And ah most recently, just this week, they um actually traded Edge rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a third round pick. So um there's a lot a lot of kind of turnover there. um In my minds, they're still rather toothless, right? They still don't really have those really significant make an impact splash players. Christian Barmore is one that kind of sticks out to me. Kyle Duggar sticks out to me. um But we got a rookie quarterback with a very inexperienced wide receiver room. And you got to hope that they can kind of put it together and support him. But this is not like Kayla Williams going to the Chicago Bears. um So I think that's kind of going to be the interesting point here. Yeah, ah Tom, i don't I don't know. Did they have Jacoby Preset last season?
00:38:58
Speaker
Um, I boo, I'm not sure. You're not sure. So I can't, write that if he wasn't on the team, I think that's also a super significant signing, right? Because I think at this point, he's the guy that's slated to start for them. Um, I don't think it's going to be Drake may. Um, I think they're going to put Jacobi Bressat in that starter role. Um, so I think that's going to be like, I think that's going to be the number one reason that I think they'll be better.
00:39:25
Speaker
is because um they have a veteran quarterback and it's not like it's not Mac Jones, right? That wasn't assigning this year. You're, you're a hundred percent right. He was signed March 15th. So, so yeah I think that's super significant because the floor with the, you get what you call your percent is pretty high, right? And it's significantly higher than the floor that came with Mac Jones, right? So there, I think they're going to maybe try and do, I mean, it's tough to call it the, the,
00:39:51
Speaker
Aaron Rodgers treatment because you could be reset it can't hold Aaron Rodgers jockstrap But like let ah give Drake may an opportunity to just kind of chill behind a veteran quarterback You know take a season to sort of redshirt learn and I would imagine like you think he's ah he's gonna redshirt most of the season Yeah, I definitely think so i think that's a smart thing to do because what are the expectations in New England?
00:40:14
Speaker
Right. Vegas has been four and a half wins. I think if you're a fan, and you do the smart thing. You, you just buy one more season, right? Because you need Yvonne Baker and Jalen Polk to season up a little bit too. Right. Give those guys a year to just get something else from Jacobi reset. Let Drake may, you know, have an off season to learn and acclimate and get reps in practice and then have him be the starter next year, depending on what Jacobi resets contract is.
00:40:39
Speaker
It's a good point. I just, I kind of wonder if there's going to be a demand to see Drake May play, you know, he's, he looked honestly kind of decent in his first preseason game. The demand will come from unintelligent New England fans. That's who the demand will come on. The smart ones will recognize that there and there are some smart ones. I know I've met them before they do exist. The smart ones will recognize what could be done here and the opportunity that that is here. I mean, if, if for some reason,
00:41:05
Speaker
They start to get really hot, you know they're they're winning games with their sick defense and she go be reset is a bit of a liability. Maybe you see Drake me but I think that's the only situation, or if for a second, sir. I'm going to kind of piggyback off of a comment you just made. Do you think the defense is as sick without Belichick.
00:41:24
Speaker
i don't I think they'll still be very good. You're not male was, was an outstanding player. Not that, not that amazing players automatically translate to good coach, but I think go ahead, go ahead. Finish. No, no, no. That's that's pretty much it. He's been on staff. So correct correct. But I think the Belichick magic is a thing.
00:41:42
Speaker
Right. I think the guys want the best to ever do it. And I think there's a I think it's going to be a drop off. I guess we'll see. Especially I don't think it'll be crazy. I mean, creating their best Ed rusher, Matthew Gina, not going to pay them. They have the cap space.
00:41:59
Speaker
They have, they have, they, they are swimming in cap space right now and they traded it away. Well, that, that, that to me would indicate sites set down the future, right? Like, are you going to pay an aging magic? Do they have, do they have a free agent that's going to be on the market that they're going to throw the bag at next year? Man, I'm very glad that Brandon Bean has set us up to not be in a spot where like, yep, this is a throw a year. Yeah. Well, that's, I mean, you know, you know, when you've been,
00:42:25
Speaker
Yeah, it's that's what it's always is long game is to yeah just keep the window open as long as you can. Yep. OK, so kind of final question. Are they a threat for the division? No, I got this one. Fuck no. Thank you for your analysis. Moving on. Yeah.
Jets and Aaron Rodgers' Potential
00:42:43
Speaker
OK, the New York Jets Vegas win total is set at nine point five for this season. Last season, they were seven and 10 in 2023. So this season set at nine point five. Where do you put them, Nige?
00:43:00
Speaker
So, oh man, this is a tough one, dude, because it literally all rides on Aaron Rodgers, right? If Aaron Rodgers hops in a time machine and is the Aaron Rodgers of like four years ago, then this team probably wins the division just based on Aaron Rodgers and the defense. You know, of all players in NFL,
00:43:19
Speaker
Aaron Rodger might figure out the time machine ayahuasca might be the time machine could be a dude ayahuasca might be the trick maybe that's what time machines run on is ayahuasca I don't know hey you know like yo of all players NFL I probably trust him to go figure that out so trust him to do what else but yeah dude like if if he's the Aaron Rodgers of four years ago like I said this team there's a chance they win the division right Garrett Wilson is an unbelievable number one wide receiver and the defense is undoubtedly sick, not to mention Breece Hall. um If it's the Aaron Rodgers from two years ago, where it was his worst season in Green Bay, it's probably, I mean, which is the last time we've seen him play actual football?
00:43:59
Speaker
Correct, correct. Um, it's probably closer to like a nine and eight situation, you know, eight and nine. So, i um, I think this team rides on Aaron Rogers. It rides on the defensive starters staying healthy and this ah offensive line being able to do anything. and that's like That's the big question mark. That's the second one after those three things happen. I think it's an over, I think it's a very clear over and I think they are fighting for the division. Um,
00:44:29
Speaker
If one of those three things happens, I think it's an under. I think if any one of those three very precarious things don't fulfill what they need them to, I think it's an under. So I'm taking an under on 9.5.
00:44:42
Speaker
Um, I gotta be honest, dude, I don't feel good betting against Aaron Rodgers. I, I, I want to, I want him to be very bad for some reason, dude. I, uh, I feel, uh, Aaron Rodgers, fuck you tour coming. Could be and like, i I just, I don't have a Walker doing it, but yeah, he might. yeah ah I don't know, dude. It might be coming. Okay.
00:45:10
Speaker
There's a lot of boomer busts, but I agree. I think, I think Aaron Rodgers can pull them there and the defense is so good that I'll go over, but it's a, it's a, it's a tenuous over. Yeah. And that could also ride with them being in a third place schedule, you know, like there's, so I don't have it without the schedule in front of them, in front of me right now. That would kind of also sway me a little bit, but, um, talking through their big changes for them in 2024, they have re-signed linebacker CJ Moseley and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas. They have signed quarterback Tyra Taylor, which I think raises their floor.
00:45:41
Speaker
Yes. Because last year, their their court, their backup was Zach Wilson, which which dropped out the floor and was ah was nonexistent. Why they signed wide receiver Mike Williams, they traded aforementioned Zach Wilson to Denver.
00:45:56
Speaker
Um, and the big things here kind of are Aaron Rogers coming back. Breece Hall continue to come back from his ACL injury. Um, Hassan Redick, this is hilarious. We'll talk about that in a second. And then, um, they're kind of, like I said, hinges on a healthy O-line, including an Elijah Vera Tucker coming back from an injury. So, um, I think, man, I think they are, and and I, from the more I see Roger Salop is not a leader of that.
00:46:24
Speaker
I am it's tough to say right because his defense is so sick right like he it's like he's able to i guess i'm it's yes you're hundred percent percent sorry i um yeah that's ah that's okay um maybe it is know But i pretty sure nice okay for fantastic um but ah yeah, dude like he seems to be able to lead the defense and whatever is going on with that offense it's it's tough to say dude because like What's he working with? He's working with Zach Wilson. So like, I don't know how much you can really put on Robert Saul. I mean, his quarterback luck has been really, really, really, really terrible. So I don't know. It's tough to say, but I, I think the biggest, besides Aaron Rodgers, I think it is that offensive line. There's a lot of question marks in there for sure.
00:47:09
Speaker
And I think that rides on Breece Hall's year. I think that rides on Aaron Rogers the year. And we love Tyrod, like Tyrod, I'll love that guy until the guy retires and beyond. Like, but if he doesn't have a good old line behind him, he's, he can, you know, do a little bit, but he's not winning games for them. You know, no definitely um so it hinges on a lot there. So, um, are they a threat for the division?
00:47:35
Speaker
I'm going to I'm going to say, yeah, I'm going to say yes. I'm going to I'm going to predict the Aaron Rodgers. Fuck you, Tor. And I'm going to say the Jets are indeed a threat for the division, for sure. OK, certainly a threat. Like I said, a lot has to go right. But if those things go right, I could easily see that happening. um Yeah, fuck you, Jess fans. No, you're not. All right.
00:48:00
Speaker
I knew that. Sorry, that was. That's OK. You got to get it out. OK, yeah, it's OK. No, I think it falls apart. Like I said, I think they have three things that will make or break their season for Aaron Rodgers. O-line defensive started staying healthy, and that feels like a very, very fine line that they're walking. Hit it. One of them drops. I think I think one of those three don't come through. I think they're going to struggle. Yeah, it is. It is a thin line. you I agree with that.
00:48:27
Speaker
So that's where I'm at and I'm just going to be I'm going to be divisive. OK. Finally, the Miami Dolphins, man. Is is there another fan base that the Bills are just in their heads? Holy shit, dude. Do you want to talk about it for me? It's unbelievable. Just like I've just I've never seen I've never seen a fan base talk so much shit after just just choking in the in the most incredible fashion.
00:48:56
Speaker
the season prior dude like it it is like where do you get off like i don't know about you guys but like i was able to shit talk jets fans and dolphins fans back in the day because they also sucked i never bothered shit talking patriots fans because what was i gonna say not right without without making myself look like an absolute idiot like it is it's astonishing to like especially with the most recent season the absolute choke fast that we saw put on display in Miami dude like shut up shut up Vince fans I'm sick of it
00:49:35
Speaker
But it was cold. Oh, my God. Yes, dude. If anybody wants some of the nice, the great entertainment, go file a night of go follow Nigel at his Twitter handle here. And he's he always often toys with his food out there. So um so if you're looking for some entertainment, he's out there doing the doing the the Lord's work. i do So. um The ah Vegas win total for the Dolphins is also set at 9.5, the 2024 season. Last year, they were 11 and 6, tied with the Bills at 11 and 6, but the Bills had the the tiebreaker um in 2023. Where are we taking?
Dolphins Roster and Win Potential
00:50:09
Speaker
Win over or under, Nigel?
00:50:11
Speaker
I'm taking hammering that over too, for sure. That that feels criminally low. yeah Yeah, I think they should. i think it's I don't know if it's criminally because I think it should be 10.5. I think it should be 11.10 should be the line for them. so i'll bill what's What's the bill's win total set? do you know take Can you produce for a second? Here's my phone.
00:50:35
Speaker
Bill's win.
00:50:38
Speaker
I think that I think they might be 10 and a half, i'm not but I don't remember for sure. um Any event. Yeah. Well, Jake is searching the the universe here. um I would like to start because they had some very significant um signings this offseason. And I kind of just a little bit of a short tangent of kind of roster construction conversation here real quick. um The big three are that um before we do that, the bills win total is 10 and a half.
00:51:08
Speaker
Yeah, that's what I thought, which cool. I think it's fair, especially given our schedule. We have a tough schedule. The number one schedule is a freaking tough schedule. Yeah. I, um, I, I honestly, I, I can't get myself into a spot aside from the last couple of seasons. Like, like, yes, we've beaten, we've continuously beaten Miami, ah but these rosters right now, I have a hard time imagining why they're not at least the exact same. I would.
00:51:39
Speaker
I didn't mean to cut you off. Wait, I think I learned something new. You said you earlier, you said the number three schedule and I said the number one schedule. So your schedule the next year is based on where you finished the prior. Yes. Why we play the Patriots or the Chiefs all the time. ah Yeah, I guess it's because they're also number one in their division. If we were number two, we'd be playing the number two and then we'd be playing like the Raiders and it sounds great.
00:52:04
Speaker
Oh, Tom's got it. So report back for next week, folks, as we're talking the schedule. ah And then we'll be able to tell I'll be able to give you a real actual fleshed out thought out answer of do I think the bills are over 10 and a half or under 10 and a half. Right now, i've I'm going to just my bills helpful is over.
00:52:22
Speaker
Okay, focus Tom, focus. All right. um The three big signings were Jalen Waddle was extended for three years, $84.75 million dollars contract, $76 million dollars guaranteed. um This also does include his fifth year option, so technically four year extension.
00:52:40
Speaker
Well, four years and all ah more on the team. Tua was extended by four years. We had $212.4 million, $167 guaranteed. That was the second highest quarterback contract ever but at siding. And then Tyreke was given, essentially, a pay bump of a kind of move money around. He's now signed for four years, $106.5 million dollars guaranteed.
00:53:10
Speaker
that's a lot of money tied up in some offensive weapons. Nigel, what are your thoughts there on that? Those decisions that the Miami dolphins made this off season? Yeah, it it is. It is a lot of money. Um, but I mean, those are guys that you just simply pay, right? Like you pay a Jane Jalen waddled Tyree kill. I mean,
00:53:31
Speaker
this is This is my honest opinion, right? My my honest, honest, honest opinion is to is to his main strength is what? As a quarterback, it says accurac but it's right? It's his touch and it's his downfield accuracy and timing, and timing right? So when you lose Tyreek Hill, which is within the next two seasons, I would think, right? Because like that, I don't think he was extended for more than four years. I think it was the same Same amount of years as the last contract, you just got to bump up in cash was my understanding. Was it an extension? I think you're right. I think you're right. Yeah. I think it comes up in the details here. Continue. Yeah. I think i think his his years stayed the same and they just recognized that he's the best wide receiver in football and bumped up his money accordingly. All this to say, I think he's done after this contract, which I think is it's one or two more years, something like that.
00:54:24
Speaker
I think once he's gone, Tua is going to get exposed. I really, really, really think so because I mean, Tyree kill on any given route has minimum two and a half yards of separation. right And if you're an accurate quarterback, even like without arm strength, the way that, you know like because here's the thing, Tua's accuracy is objectively better than Josh Allen's, the downfield touch accuracy. The numbers prove it. there's I'm not and that giving a hot take here. What Tua doesn't have
00:54:56
Speaker
is the arm strength of a Josh Allen and a Patrick Mahomes. And when I say arm strength, I'm talking about being able to drive the ball down the field 20 yards on a rope and fit it in a window that's two inches bigger than the size of a football. right When you lose a guy like Tyreek that separates like that, that element of being a quarterback in the NFL becomes way, way, way, way, way more important. And two is not going to suddenly obtain that. right All of a sudden, you're going to have Jalen Waddle to worry about.
00:55:24
Speaker
It's really tough to do Tyreek and Jalen Waddle. It's a lot easier to do just Jalen Waddle. Right. So this is my whole thing with with the two assigning. I think it's great right now. And you guys are going to be able to dunk on it for as long as Tyreek is on the team. Once Tyreek is not on the team, I think you're going to see to get exposed. I really, really, really, really do. Because he's not going to have the separators. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's going to be more on his shoulders and not Tyreek just making him look good.
00:55:53
Speaker
And maybe I'll be wrong. Can I ask another question on the offense? That kid, Devin Achan came in, like, torched the league in this first couple of games. Do you see him as a threat or is it really all where he most are? Like, what's what's the running backs look like? Both. Oh, yeah. Both are a super legit threat. Achan is a yeah he's a baller. He's a baller. He's ah unfortunately he's kind of like a ah glass arrow, a glass cannon. Right. So glass here is not a thing. A glass cannon is, though, um the ah
00:56:22
Speaker
He's a glass cannon where he um when he hits, he hits. But then he's a fragile boy. right he Even last year, he missed time. um So I think he's got the speed, and Mike McDaniel has the ability to scheme him in ah of tremendous ways. I'm sure he's going to be a danger.
00:56:42
Speaker
um Raheem Mostert is an interesting kind of dude. he he's ah He's an older running back. I think he's in his 30s. He's like 31, 32. He just signed an extension this year, another extension I wanted to talk about. um so which but yeah Possibly, right he could be, but he could also be like at some point the wheels fall off on running backs and he it could that that his time could be here. So hard to tell.
00:57:07
Speaker
the um Yeah, so that's a good question. But I think there's a lot of offensive weapons in there, right? There's a lot of offensive weapons. In that last year, Mike McDaniel's was hard to figure out for the first couple of games. And then that's what people figured it out. And that's why they shit their bed and the Bills were able to take the division to come from behind and and take over because the Dolphins ah offensive schemes were figured out.
00:57:33
Speaker
So it'll be interesting. It'll be interesting what wrinkles, what details can he add this year to continue kind of that um really, really great success. Yeah.
00:57:45
Speaker
I want to ah real quick, I want to touch on the, the free agent signing. So they also signed Johnny Smith, uh, OBJ and then, uh, defensive lineman, Callias Campbell, but I want to focus specifically on Johnny Smith and Odell. Um, so Odell doesn't scare me anymore. He just doesn't, it's whatever. I think he gets hurt and he gets paid for the year and he doesn't play.
00:58:07
Speaker
Yeah, it could be. It very well it could be that that's something that he does. But even if he does play, it's not something that concerns me truly. um I think he's whatever. um Where I do get a little bit concerned is a Mike McDaniel with an athletic tight end like Johnny Smith, in addition to the other weapons.
00:58:25
Speaker
I think this could be a bit of a game breaker for the Miami offense, because one thing they have been missing in terms of their offense is a tight end weapon, right? Now, Johnny Smith's numbers the last couple of years, I was doing a lot of shit talking recently, and if memory serves, he has never eclipsed, um like, it's either 400 or 600 yards. I can't remember. I want maybe i think it's six, actually.
00:58:48
Speaker
um So like, I just, there's not a single part of me that is concerned about OBJ, but I do think the Johnny Smith signing could be potentially. Something that is a bit of a game breaker for for the offense, because it's an added wrinkle that they haven't had in the past. Right. And then you add that into a Tyree kill, Jalen waddle, Devon HN for email start offense. That gets pretty hairy. I Mike, so that's your there. They had Mike Ozeki.
00:59:18
Speaker
Excuse me. Um, I wouldn't put him much behind John who Smith as an athleticism. Would you? I we remember thinking about you would. Yeah, I would. i Yeah. Mike, Mike kasii is he's fucking terrible. No two ways about it. The last. Well, I mean, the issue is like last year, the entire tenant room had like less than 300 yards in that Miami offense. Yeah. That, you know, to have led the the league in passing yards. So like you'd think they'd get, you know, a couple, you know, a percentage of that. So It's possible. I'm going to, I'm going to say that's a, I'll believe it when I see it kind of deal. Yeah. ah jes it it is and All this is proven or, you know, that situation, but it's just something that's been on my radar a little bit. A two other or three other big kind of things is they ah released a safety, Xavier Howard. Um, they replaced it with Jordan Porter.
01:00:08
Speaker
We'll see. I don't think that's going to be what they think it is, but that's fine. Um, and then, uh, both edge washers, Bradley Chubb and Jalen, Jalen Phillips are on the active pup. So I think especially us as bills fans, we know best of players coming off of ACL tears and MCL tears and ligament tears. They're not the same the following year. Jalen Phillips was like a December tear.
01:00:33
Speaker
Bradley Chubb don't remember when, but it was mid season. I don't think they're two premier pass freshers are actually going to be back. I don't, they might be on the field, but I think it's going to be very similar to a Von Miller situation last year. Like the guy started and he was on the field, but was he doing anything? Not really. So I think that's a big deal.
01:00:54
Speaker
Yeah, it's, ah it is a big deal. Um, but you know, that you gotta remember Von Miller is, is like twice the age of a Jalen Phillips, right? Like he's much, much much older. Um, and correct I mean,
01:01:07
Speaker
Yeah, tough to say for sure. What's, what's going to happen with that. Um, but I, I would give Jalen Phillips a little bit more credit than I would von Miller just because he's so much younger. Um, but he wins the same way wins with speed and stuff like that. So it's, it's a tough call, but I think, I think he's going to be what have a sizable impact. He's going to be seven months removed from that injury. Like I don't think that's enough time. I don't, I really don't. Um, it is, it is short.
01:01:36
Speaker
Right? Like he's, it's unfortunate that it was a late season injury that essentially in my mind talks him out for this year, but we'll see. We'll find out. Um, also very exciting that Christian Wilkins, the old.
01:01:49
Speaker
so taper ball yes Sack ball. sack tapper ball grabber. I don't know. I was trying to figure out the best way to say that um is out of this division. So he's now playing in the Las Vegas. So that's cool. He and Josh Allen had butted hedge for a while and he was a pain in the butt and annoying and ah kind of a dirty player. So I'm excited for him not to be there are kind of our final wrap up appearance thing here. And I are the dolphins a threat for the division.
01:02:13
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah, i agree that they are. That's a good defense. It's a sick offense. It's arguably the best offense in the entire league. Um, they got good players on defense too. I think their pass rush will be better this year. You know, I, people still try to make Jalen Ramsey a factor. and I don't think he is that much Josh Allen owns Jalen Ramsey. So you can keep trying to hang your head on that one, Vince fans, but The numbers don't lie. ja Josh Allen, absolutely. It might actually legitimately be Jalen Ramsey's father.
01:02:46
Speaker
so
01:02:48
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I know, right. So yeah, it'll be be seen. I agree. I think they absolutely are at that division. um They could. yeah I mean, last year they had it. They had it in the bag and then they and then they they they dropped the bag and spilled it all over the floor and tripped over it. um So we'll see what happens. But we had this is a very exciting division. I think we had one of the most competitive divisions in football and the bills. It's again, it's the bills to lose. However,
01:03:16
Speaker
They got to go out and do their take care of business. Next week will be a fun week where we talk about the ah the entire build schedule, walk through what we think will happen, how what games are in play, what games are maybe going to be tough ones and challenges. So that's going to be a really indicative one to me of how this season is going to go. Well said, Tommy. All right, folks. Thanks for hanging out. We love you. We'll see you later.
01:03:40
Speaker
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for spending some time with us. Please give us a like and a follow on Instagram, X, TikTok, and our YouTube channel at Let's Go Buff Pod. These are my pals, Jake and Nigel. My name is Tom, and you're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast. We're sending you love wherever you are. Go Bills. Go Savers. Let's Go Buffalo.