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Ep. 72 - The Bills Tame The Lions
33 Plays4 months ago
Join the pals as they break down the glorious defeat of the Detroit Lions and look ahead to the rest of the Bills Season.
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 & Social Media Presence
00:00:24
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast, your favorite podcast for all things bills and sabers with the pals Nigel and Tom this evening. Episode 72 is coming at you, folks. You know the drill. You're going to want to follow the socials, baby. You can find us on all of them. Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok with the handle at Let's Go Buff Pod. Tom, how many F's?
00:00:52
Speaker
Dose. Dose F's. Two F's in the handle. Yes, sir. Quick reminder as well. If you're watching on YouTube, please leave a like, drop a comment, do something, make fun of the way that I look, whatever. We don't care, but do something on there. Helps us out with the algorithm from the bottom of our
Josh Allen: From Doubt to Admiration
00:01:09
Speaker
hearts. We say thank you. Let's get around and say hello to my good buddy, Tommy. How you doing, brother? Hey, dude, I'm good. Happy.
00:01:19
Speaker
victory Monday to you. Yes, it does feel nice. Tom, did you know that the best quarterback on the planet plays for your Buffalo Bills? Oh boy, did I? Boy, I'm out today. Yeah. Last night. and Yeah. Yeah. That over breakfast and drinking, drinking my my coffee and not my ride home from work today. And I mean, how lucky, how lucky are we? It's lucky. That's what it is. It's blessed. It's lucky. It's just, we should be in awe.
00:01:48
Speaker
And it is, it is luck, dude. It is luck because I mean, you go back and you do this quarterback draft again. Josh Allen goes number one and it's not even close. And instead the bills got him at seven. just It just, it just, I mean, I just goes to show dude, like you never know who's going to fall in your lap. You know, like you just never know what a draft pick is going to be. I will, I will still remind everybody when I, when this pick happened, dude, I was ready to resign my fanship.
00:02:18
Speaker
Like, wanted wanted Josh Rosen so badly, dude, so badly. And I am guy so on insurance. Like that guy's not, he's like, not even in the league. I don't think dude, maybe is, I don't know who cares. He's done. He's done. It's just unbelievable that. Yeah. So cool. So much fun, right? It's just been so good. It's just, uh, and it's so fun that a Josh is such a guy that he's so fun to root for, but the whole team is McDermott and Bean and Dion and
00:02:49
Speaker
You know, Matt Milano and Greg. rouss So like all these guys are stand up dudes who we can just just be proud to say, hey, I'm i'm a fan of this team.
Sports Superstitions and Rituals
00:02:58
Speaker
Yeah. And it's just. It's so much fun.
00:03:03
Speaker
Shout out, to I'm going to shout out our buddy Jack real quick, because right before Tom and I started recording, he was talking about how like, you know, yeah know how ah X amount of years down the road when we're old and, you know, kids and we're just the the bills suck again, we're just going to be like, Oh my God, you like talking to the kids about Josh Allen, dude, like, I can't I got my brand new nephew at home that I'm going to go meet for the first time this week. And I can't wait for him to be like someday uncle night. Shut up, dude. I'm so sick of hearing about Josh Allen. And it's just like, that's what it's going to be, dude. Like all we're going to be able to talk about. Yeah. Yeah. So well, Tom, there's a lot to get into here. Should we crack a beverage over at first? Please? Yeah. Sounds good, dude. Nice. we don't Yep. I'll give us a count. Ready? Three, two, one.
00:03:51
Speaker
Mary, are you buddy? me. It works so well last week. I'm going with another the black blue and I'm not changing until it stops working. That's fine by me, dude. Tom and I were discussing in our little prep meeting here. Um, we are super, super stitches, dude. Like oh but we're, we're not washing clothes when things are going well. Like it's, I wear this, this victory Monday sweatshirt on Mondays after we win. And that's it. I can wear it after we've, we went on a Thursday or a Saturday or whatever. I'll wear it after those games, but
00:04:22
Speaker
after a win, the one day, 24 hour period, then it goes away back in the closet and it doesn't, it doesn't come out in the off season whatsoever. Like things gotta be in order. So yeah, yeah. I think, I think the other thing I really love here is nobody made these rules for us except for us. We just, we just adopted and live and die by
Buffalo Sabres: Challenges & Changes
00:04:42
Speaker
these rules, dude. Like even but I like, and I have to make them up a little bit as I go too. Like my girl I was wearing the victory Monday on, not a Monday. And I was like, you know what? It doesn't matter. Like this is an extenuating circumstance. You really, you love this person a ton. Like it's, it wasn't you that made the decision. Like the world is going to allow that. And I just made that rule up.
00:05:04
Speaker
because it worked for me in the moment. So I'll call neurosis. You and I have stats. That's what it is. Uh, all right. Well, before we get into the bills here, what we drink you got tell me what you're drinking and got cheers. Oh, that's right. Oh my God. Tom. Yes. I'm sorry. yeah You eat your beaver. You i yeah with yeah but my to talk about the savers. Got it. Brother. I'd rather eat this can.
00:05:28
Speaker
um I am sticking with my bearded iris brewing ah bonanza here and I am drinking the tunnel vision the tunnel vision IPA so I had one of these before very good just a nice little session IPA we did the double last week and I'm not doing it again this week so there oh yeah bud hey cheers cheers pal Good to see you. Yeah, you too. So talk to me about ah the ah Bill's ugly step sibling, the the Buffalo Sabres. Yeah, so we do. And I'll say it again, man, the the bills or excuse me, the Sabres are dying so that the bills can thrive. It's the only thing I can point to here. Black magic, buddy. wait It feels like it is some voodoo going on.
00:06:11
Speaker
And over the course of this drought, and and folks, I'm going to level with you all right now. We're not going to do with Tump with the Savers, because you could take everything that Jake and I said last week about why they stink and why they're losing, rinse and repeat. It's still the exact same things. There's some extra things to chat about here that we'll get to in just a second, but it's it's just the same shit. We can't play with a lead. It doesn't look like there's a whole lot of tenacity from the team overall. It's not a goaltending issue. um It is just this team.
00:06:42
Speaker
not knowing how to play as a team, seemingly, and and just having... I mean, it just looks like they're getting outworked everywhere I turn. They're getting outworked. It's a two-on-one. It's just... It's brutal hockey to watch right now. I think all these games that we won, if memory serves, we went up first in all of them. We were winning. And then we blew them all.
00:07:01
Speaker
that just start out hot. It's incredible. great yeah Yeah. Yeah. And it's just, you can't even get excited about it anymore though, because you know yeah that the implosion is coming. Yeah. So, um, just to recap the last couple of games since we last were on here. Um, but but but but so yeah, we dropped another three straight to bring the total 10. We have not lost 10 in a row. You need two hands to do that.
00:07:25
Speaker
ah Lost three to two to the Rangers lost four to two to the caps lost five to three to the Leafs Like I said rinse and repeat as to why if you're really determined to hear me and Jake talk about it go listen to last week's pod because Until someone starts paying me to do it. I don't need to say the same shit over and over again that the Sabres suck right now Here's the two things that are notable to talk about or I guess I'll throw in a third one here real quick, too In last night's game against the Rangers, um we actually or ah excuse me, the Leafs, not the Rangers, the Leafs by that. Jacqueline drew back into the game after being scratched for the last five, I believe it was scored two fucking awesome goals. Vintage Jacqueline unreal snapshots. I mean, they were they were killer shots. Just flat out beat the goalie by himself. Was great to see him. Oh, yeah. Get some goals. Once I saw him score that first one, I was like,
00:08:18
Speaker
I even bought in for a second, dude. I was like, here we go. We're getting back on neurosis. This is, yeah this is another symptom. thank you We're getting back on the train, dude, like Quinn is going to start potting goals left and right. This team is going to be fine. No, but it was great to see him score. Hopefully he can keep riding that. And I do still think if this team does manage to find a way to make it happen, he's going to be a huge piece. The more newsy things that I think are important to talk about right now. Um, I'm going to mention this one about Lindy rough first.
00:08:48
Speaker
Lindy Ruff has coached the fourth most games in the history of the NHL. It is almost 2000 games. It's a lot of games he's coached. He said in his press conference last night, he's at a loss.
00:09:04
Speaker
I mean, he just flat out said he was like, I, he was like, I don't know what to do here, which honestly, I respect to a degree. It's like, dude, like you've been, you've been around as long as Lindy rough has and you've coached as many games and you've seen, I mean, every possible scenario, every scenario. And to his credit, he is trying to stand in front of the bus for the team. He really is.
00:09:27
Speaker
yeah He is, he's, you know, saying that it's on him to figure it out completely on him and on nobody else to get this team to play together. I mean, he is trying to stand in front of the bus.
00:09:40
Speaker
I don't think anybody cares because it's women. We're all seeing the same shit, but good for all tip of the head to linear off for being willing to do that. But a bummer that I mean that coaches that veteran is that a loss? Like your team's really fucking bad. Yeah. but he's Coming out and saying, hey, no, it's nothing's but no nothing's wrong. We're one thing away. Like he knows it's a serious no issue and he's not shying away from it. So he steered into that skid. Like I think that's the right move.
00:10:08
Speaker
it's i mean on paper it's ah it's a great move and and Lindy Ruff has an incredibly long track record ah record, excuse me, of success in this league. Like I don't necessarily know that this is Lindy's fault. I really don't. right Um, so yeah, Lindy is I'm sure, um, here's the real, real, real newsy thing right now. And this does not happen. But today, Terry Pagula flew to Montreal. Okay. So that in and of itself, owners and national hockey league owners,
00:10:39
Speaker
Unless something is really wrong, nobody's flying to meet the team on the road. Now, um to my knowledge, he met with just the team executives today. I don't know if it was with the team. I believe it was just higher level personnel. um Could have been with the players at some point. i don't I just don't know for sure. But we don't have any details, at least not from any reliable sources, um about the details of that meeting today. I have two predictions. And I think one ah one and to one of two of them is going to be correct.
00:11:08
Speaker
Thing number one, potential scenario number one, is something changes, right? Because that's a significant thing. Usually when ah when an owner is going to do something like that, something happens, good or bad, right? right right um So that's my prediction number one, is something is going to happen. Now, ah from what I saw, this meeting happened this morning. And it is 8, 10 Eastern Standard Time right now. And we there are no changes, no trades, general you know everyone still has their job.
00:11:37
Speaker
so kind of leads me to believe that it's going to be option number two, which is basically Terry Bagula just kind of sits everybody down and says, this is who we're riding with. Like, there's no help coming. yeah We're not signing anybody. We're not firing anybody. Like this is the situation. And you all need to fucking figure it out. Yeah.
00:11:57
Speaker
And I mean, probably could have, you know, maybe done that over FaceTime instead of flying to Montreal, but it's just, yeah. So nothing's happened yet. Um, hopefully details come out about what was said. I don't know if they're going to. Right. I mean, Pagola never talks to anybody. Um, Kevin Adams, you could just copy and paste all of his press conferences. So it is what it is there, but, um,
00:12:22
Speaker
I mean, kind not still got a bull, right? Like, that's a big deal. Like, for it for the owner to get on it, get on a plane and and and it doesn't happen like that, doesn't. Yeah. So but yeah I think you you think you guys, I mean, we harped on it last week, but the guys got to do something. Yeah, do something here. Right. I just I mean, pal, I've been watching hockey my entire life as long as I can remember. I just. And at a complete law like, what what lever do you pull at this point? Yeah.
00:12:51
Speaker
There's only one more lever to pull and it's Terry Pagula sell the team, right? I mean we've gone through so many general managers so many different players so many different players that then go on to be Stanley Cup champions, right? Right. Oh Riley Sam Reinhardt Brandon Montor the list just goes on and on you know for players that leave Buffalo and go on to have success so it's not the like it's not exclusive with the players and You know,
Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson
00:13:19
Speaker
what's it? Linus, all Mark went out to be of a, a Vesna, you know, um, or not, excuse me, not that's enough. Um, oh yeah. There's a, there's another caliber goaltender, you know, for the Boston Bruins. So it's not the players we're seeing them lead Buffalo and go and kick ass. So I mean, but you've been through a trillion coaches, a hundred GMs. I'm just, I don't know what lever you push anymore.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah. So, yeah you know, thankfully, thankfully somebody that makes a lot more money than I do is in charge of making that decision. But so, yeah, folks, it's it's bleak. um This is the worst it's felt for me. I'll say that as as my closing thought. I mean, it's never felt worse than this. It's never felt more hopeless than it does right now. Yeah. Which is tough. yeah It's not great. Not good. Yeah.
00:14:04
Speaker
It just it makes me sad, dude. I like I would do I would do anything for this team to be good. Like I am like it's so like you talk about a people that just pick a different team. It's like that's not how it works, man. Like it's it's not it's not the way it works. Like you can't just yeah I mean, some people can. And that's why they're called fair weather fans. But like when you when you sign up for for, you know, caring about ah a sporting sports team, you can't just like close the door on it. You know, like I am here.
00:14:34
Speaker
until the day that I'm in the ground to be a Samers fan. And they might actually be what puts me in the ground at this point. So I don't know, dude. They're helping expediate that process. They certainly are. Next couple of games here. um I mean, there's only one of these teams that I feel like we even have a shot to beat right now.
00:14:52
Speaker
um tomorrow Tuesday December 17th 7 p.m. Eastern against the Canadians Friday December 20th against the Leafs 7 p.m. Eastern we just lost to them ah we're winning three to one and then lost um Saturday December 21st against the Bruins probably going to get spanked in that game seven Eastern time And then Monday, 12 23 against the Islander 7 30 Eastern time. Um, we have lost to all of these teams in the last two weeks, except for the Bruins. So nice. Hey, cool.
00:15:24
Speaker
I'm done. Can we talk about something fun, Tom? Yes, sir.
Bills' Offensive Strategy & Player Praise
00:15:32
Speaker
I'm dreaming of an MVP. Here he comes, buddy. Here he comes. Who's going to debate it at this point? Hey, well, there's, open that can. Here we go. No, let's talk about it. Lamar. No, no. you No, it's not there. Who else? Ravens fans are trying to wave the five touchdowns against the Giants in our faces. And it's like, dude, I think I can have 10 beers and go out there and accidentally throw two touchdown passes against the job or against, yeah, against the Giants.
00:16:02
Speaker
So, I mean, I expect Lamar Jackson to throw five-door sound passes against the Giants. Like, that's what he should do. Yes. Yes, he absolutely should have. ah Yeah. Yes. Josh is. yeah No, it's just not even a conversation anymore. I don't know. It shouldn't. It shouldn't be every week. It was commended yesterday. and Yes. Yes. It absolutely was. Josh came out. I think we got like I said, I'm going to keep starting and ending this conversation with Josh Allen every week when we talk about the bills with with Josh Allen. So um The boy went 23 of 34 for 362 yards, two passing touchdowns, 11 for 68 on the ground and two ah rushing touchdowns. And it was yeah yesterday seems like he was playing a different game.
00:16:49
Speaker
he just He could do whatever he wanted. there it's He still hasn't been sacked in four games. right He hasn't been touched. he's been He's just out there doing what he wants, where he wants, when he wants, why he wants. And there's nothing the anybody you can do about it.
00:17:05
Speaker
Yeah, dude, it is. I mean, he the last two weeks in particular, he I mean, he's just different. He's a different caliber of of quarterback right now, dude. And there's nobody playing quarterback at the same level that he is. It's literally like ah people are going to say that it's you know close with bombs and Lamar. It's not, dude. Just open your goddamn eyes.
00:17:27
Speaker
Yeah, look at the difference in the play. I mean, go ahead. And it's and it's also like not only the within in the passing game, it's the running game, right? It's his full athletic prowess that is on display. Yeah. Eric Goff played awesome. He had almost 500 yards passing on the other side of the field. He could not sniff Josh Allen's jockstrap because it just wasn't the same, right? It's not that it's it's it's it wasn't the same.
00:17:54
Speaker
but does not compute night where where' where my my brain is right now does not compute it's not and is' not a qua and not It doesn't come it compute because Josh Allen's doing things that quarterbacks aren't supposed to do. yeah Right? Quarterbacks aren't supposed to have linebackers bounce off of them. Quarterbacks are not supposed to be able to shake cornerbacks and safeties out of their fucking cleats, dude.
00:18:15
Speaker
like we're watching to be we and and and that's like that's what I always worry about with Bill's Mafia dude like don't you like it's it becomes normal for us it but like dude my god imagine being a Giants fan right now and being like why can't it be my quarterback ah imagine being a sabers fan and wishing that any you know yet any of these good players right like that's it that's it that's the that's the experience right yeah it is dude it is so cool ah it is it's awesome but yeah dude he was i mean he was absolutely dealing yesterday and and you know i'll get into it with a couple film notes here dude but i mean he was able to
00:18:55
Speaker
We we did we did it exactly what we needed to do against this lion's team Which was make them pay for being in that base defense yeah and Josh Allen sure read it the linebackers for the Lions, dude, with the Houston Titans. Oh my gosh, they have a plan, dude. Joe Brady. and And I guess that's probably the next thing we need to get into. I mean, he was so deep in his bag, dude. And again, there will be a specific instance I want to talk about when we get to a couple of film notes. But I mean, are we looking at a situation where Joe Brady is not going to be with with the Bills next year?
00:19:28
Speaker
I would be more surprised than not yeah that if if he's back, if he's back, let me phrase that the correct way. Like if he's back, I'll be in surprise. I think we have maximum two years and I don't think it's going to be two. I think it's one. I think we finish out this year and to be honest, that's, that's, ah that's off season, our problem. Like I'm going to just, that's just let this continue to develop and cook and Yeah, it's yeah, you know, like he and Josh are clearly on the same page. We saw glimpses of of this last season when um they were, you know, when he Brady took over and implemented a much more run heavy offense that started to release to click and has continued to click this year. And it's also opened everything up for Josh. Like it's just such complimentary football that we hear McDermott preach day in day out. Every press conference we hear him talk about it's
00:20:16
Speaker
Hey, the complementary defense, complementary offense, complementary special teams. And it's coming to life. We're seeing it in front of our eyes just every game this this past couple of weeks. Yeah. So like yesterday, dude, was was very much a feature game for tight ends and running backs and and Khalil Shakir, I'd say. Right. ah Amari Cooper, dude, not a single target yesterday. The bills hung up 48 points. not one I didn't even notice the guy. I didn't see him on the field. And and you know what, dude, here's the beauty of it.
00:20:47
Speaker
OK, I'll phrase it like this, right? Let's say imagine a game last year where Stefan Diggs doesn't get a single target. I mean, we're melting down. He's melting. He's melting down. But I'm also melting down because he's melting down. Right. And I'm like, oh, fuck. Diggs didn't get his targets like he's going to pitch all week. Yada, yada, yada, yada.
00:21:07
Speaker
And now here we are where, I mean, I would say a guy that can probably has the most case in terms of a resume to be the number one wide receiver for the bills doesn't even get a glance from the quarterback and nobody gives a shit because that's right. I'll say it again. We hung up 48 points. Yeah, dude. It's wide receiver one was Ty Johnson.
00:21:29
Speaker
Ty Johnson. I mean, come on, dude. He gets a game ball for me, man. He gets a game ball. I think he got the game ball in real life yesterday. ah and So, yeah, dude, Brady Unreal, Ty Johnson. We we got a dude, Ed Oliver. Ed Oliver might listen to this podcast. Thank God. I mean, he might be listening, dude. So, Ed, shout out you, bro. i Maybe I got to start talking shit about you more.
00:21:55
Speaker
But yeah, also, you stink. But also, don't get too comfortable. um Yeah, dude, I mean, just an absolute... I mean, a couple drives that he dominated by himself yesterday. Yeah. oh Throwing bodies, throwing groan, like, number one centers in the NFL. Frank Ragnell just bulldozing the guy.
00:22:17
Speaker
It doesn't happen. It doesn't happen right now. He's supposed to give his kids Christmas presents on Christmas. I don't think he's going to be able to say put his name on the presents anymore. I i would. like I wouldn't. I know this one's from Santa, guys. Sorry. yeah ah This presents for dad. But anyway, it could be from somebody else. I'm a little bit embarrassed of my dad. so that i I try and write dad and it just says Ed.
00:22:43
Speaker
Yeah, dude, that was an unreal play. But I mean, dude, like, and it was, it was both aspects of defense yesterday run block or run defense and, and getting it for the quarterback, dude. I mean, there was some plays in the film, dude, where he, the very first play of the game, dude, where, I mean, we'll talk about it a little bit more because it's part of my film though, but very first play the game yesterday dude he is the the three technique defensive lineman away from the play side right works his way down shucks the block and works his way down the line of scrimmage to make that tackle along with Matt Milan I mean it was just like right from the get-go dude
00:23:20
Speaker
Was just doing like like we talked about with Josh kind of doing what he wanted. Yeah, right against a really good offensive line And here's my one nitpick dude is where the hell is this been for the entire season?
00:23:33
Speaker
yeah know I know, like that's what I don't understand. You pick a game against an elite offensive line, which that isn't a lead offensive line. They're top ranked top five in every category that matters. I'd say back then best best of the best cohesive unit in the NFL. And I mean, you got, I mean, Penny Sewell, I think for a lot of people's money right now is the best offensive lineman in football.
00:23:53
Speaker
I've heard him called the best player in football. He's, I mean, he's elite dude, nothing short of elite. So, I mean, for, you know, I don't know, man, ah just to do what he did against that offensive line. There's no reason that I can think of outside of nursing and injury.
00:24:08
Speaker
that keeps him from doing what he did yesterday all season. So I'll tell you what, heading into the the last stretch of the season, as we're still competing for the one seed and heading into the playoffs, dude, I'll forgive the first whatever amount of games where he was at, where he was invisible. I will yeah just carry it. Keep it up going forward. That's all I ask.
00:24:28
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Right. I mean, McDermott said in um in a press conference either this morning or or last night saying, you know, if if the media, if it maybe I think you guys pissed him off. I think he was talking to the media and said, I think you guys pissed him off. So whatever you're doing, keep doing that, please. Because he came to life and. Yeah. sure if that's what it took you know but like buddy what are we doing you could you we knew that he was capable of this that wasn't a hey man i hope ad can do this it's like no we've seen him do it right right and that's why i got so frustrated last week because you know the potential is there and he's not i mean this isn't exclusive to ed oliver we're talking about dae kwon jones here too
00:25:02
Speaker
who had a who had a better game yesterday. He had some good plays and good moments too. um But I mean, obviously the story of the defense yesterday was at Oliver, at least for my money. yeah So that was absolutely killer. um Let's see you here. We got to shut out the running back room.
00:25:18
Speaker
I mean, we did a little bit with Ty Johnson, but I mean, all three of these guys, dude, all three of these running backs yesterday contributing in huge ways. James Cook over 100 rushing yards, which you forget about because Ty Johnson was awesome, yeah particularly in the receiving game. But James Cook over 100 yards, I think 130 something and two touchdowns. Ray Davis with a handful of yards and a touchdown. Ty Johnson. I mean, good God, Ty Johnson.
00:25:45
Speaker
I mean, in the receiving game, step up to the plate, you know, like it was clear that he was those that he was part of the design. He was part of this the plan to go in and attack these linebackers. Right. They stay in a three linebacker set pretty much exclusively. And Brady and Josh Allen and the rest of this ah offense decided we're going to attack that. We're going to make them pay. And can you actually cover running backs and players in the slot? And no, no, the answer was no flash. No, they could not.
00:26:12
Speaker
It was a firm no dude. Yeah. Five for 114 dude and caught every ball thrown his way. Um, some of them easier than others, but there's a couple that he came back and helped Josh with, right? Like it was a, not a great throw and he he made a good catch and then did something with it after the ball. I think it's so exciting. This is in my mind, the best running back room that Sean McDermott has ever
High-Scoring Offense & Playoff Implications
00:26:32
Speaker
had.
00:26:32
Speaker
Oh, there's no question. right It's not only the best, but it's the most complete. If you got you um go ahead. If you told me that, hey, we need to design a game that we have James Cook and he's going to have to be the lead back. Awesome. You tell me that it's got to be Ray Davis this week. Awesome. You tell me it's got to be Ty Johnson this week. Okay. Sounds great.
00:26:52
Speaker
Yeah, it's I would not. I would not be ah upset if there's God forbid something happens and somebody can't play one week. We got we got the right. We have the horses in the stable.
00:27:04
Speaker
Yeah, it is. It is the best running back room that we've ever had because in my opinion it is the most complete running back room that we had ever had. You have an unbelievably solid one-two punch in James Cook and Ray Davis that compliment each other so well. We've talked about it, don't have to go in crazy detail. Ray Davis more that bulldozing fire hydrant kind of running back whereas James Cook is the slasher, right? But then you add in Ty Johnson who I mean, after yesterday, dude, you could absolutely make a case. And this is, I mean, a tough thing to make a case for, I guess, for anybody. But maybe the best third down back in the league, when you take into consideration his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, his ability to run the ball and his ability to pass block on third and long situations. That is the ticket because he does that way better than the other two. Right. And I think Ray Davis will find his way with that. James Cook is never going to be a good pass blocking running back.
00:27:58
Speaker
But he he doesn't need to win this in this running back room. You know, so it's it's I think it's the best because it is bar none. The most complete running back room we've ever had. Yeah. Not for nothing. James Cook is for rushing touchdown short of breaking the bill's season record. He has 13. The record is 16 set by OJ Simpson. um And so four would break and reset the new record, which is four breaks it.
00:28:24
Speaker
Four breaks it, three ties it, four breaks it. There's three games. I think there's with which will in theory, we'll have a lead. So yeah we'll be running the ball. I think it's not out of the realm of possibility. yeah Can I hammer the over on that dude?
00:28:39
Speaker
I know, right? Damn. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I bet he does it. Three games left with the way that he's playing right now, dude. I mean, I feel like he averages two touchdowns a game practically. At this point, if Josh doesn't take him from him. Yeah, that's well, and that's the kicker, right? Well, that's OK. They each had to. They got to share. They got to share. Right, right, right. Let's see. A couple more things here that I want to talk about in my game notes or my film notes, if that's OK. Tom, touch on this last bullet point real quick before we get to the next section here about this.
00:29:09
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's, it's, you cannot be overstated of how much we already said at the beginning of our pod here and commit way through. And we've said it probably seven times. This bill's team is on a different level.
00:29:22
Speaker
They are currently tied for the NFL record for the number of times to have scored 30 plus points in a game. They've done it eight times. The other teams that have done it, you'll recognize them. 2013 Peyton Manning Broncos, the 2007 and 2010 Tom Brady Patriots, and then the 2000 Rams greatest show on turf.
00:29:42
Speaker
And now the twenty twenty four Josh Allen led Buffalo freaking bills with three games left on the season, all with within division that could be pretty juicy. So pretty good company there. Could he set it at 10? Could we could we know 11? I'm sorry, 11. Yeah, three I could do that. Well, Tom, you're a drummer. So, OK, we kept out at four. Did we just max out at four? There's no two ways about it. um Yeah, dude. I mean, absolutely. late Right. Absolutely. You could.
00:30:11
Speaker
but Let's do it. Here's here's my question, right? Is how long like and and again, I I'm not here to disrespect anybody or any teams. Well, I'm here to disrespect the Jets and the Dolphins. But Patriots, I'm not here to dog the Patriots. They owned us for forever. I am not ready to start dunking on Patriots fans. I'm not going to do it. i They still. Yeah, I jockstrapped for too long. I'm not ready to do it yet. Yes, championships will do that. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So I'm not ready to dog those guys yet.
00:30:41
Speaker
But how long do we even see Josh Allen in those games against the Patriots? You know, like that's the question I think that we have to ask ourselves. It depends on what we're trying to get here. Right. Are we trying to really put that we all stamp on that MVP? Then maybe I think the biggest thing it depends on, honestly, because I i don't think Josh nor the organization cares about the MVP. I think really what it depends on is if we're still gunning for the one seat or not. Yes, that's going to be the difference maker, yeah which yeah so.
00:31:11
Speaker
You still spend the realm of possibility. Can you, while i'm while I'm talking real quick, can you look up the Chiefs end of season schedule just to who their opponents are? Or do you know them up top of your head? I think it's so, in in no particular order, it is um the Steelers. And that's all I remember. I have to look it up. Sorry. go ahead I was trying to you know give you a meatball here, buddy. but All right. So at the moment, the bills are, um we are a few games back, right? We have secured the two seed, but we it's not without out of the realm of possibility. We have three games in front of us that are are ah can be had. um and But the bills need to take care of business. These are indivision games, which we all know, indivision games can be wonky.
00:31:50
Speaker
You never know. And these three teams are, or sorry, two teams, three games are ones that they are people, they're going to want to come on and piss in our cheerios. So, right. This is going to be ones that they're going to want to try and be in, but it's possible. So who, what's the end of season for the, for the chiefs here? So dude, three very loseable games for the chiefs. In my opinion, call me crazy.
00:32:14
Speaker
Next week or actually this coming Saturday Saturday, not Sunday Saturday 12 p.m. I'm sorry 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time playing the Texans Okay Christmas Day playing the Steelers Okay, and then um on January 5th someone's birthday Somebody on this podcast turns 32 that day crazy. my God you old fuck. I know dude. Just put me in a home, bro Playing against Pwnix in the Broncos So, I mean, three very loseable games in division. That's a division game for them. That's the most important part for me is like, yeah, that's a division game. And they're also going to be vying for, you know, that's, that's messy. They're sick of being under their fucking heel. Like here's here. Okay. And then I'm trying to try and very hard to remove my bias. Right. Yeah. But here's my prediction for this cheese team. The rest of the way, I think they lose. I think they beat the Texans. Okay. I think they dropped their last two.
00:33:14
Speaker
Oh, dude, that that would set up some drama because we just know we need to drop two. We just need to tie them. We don't need to beat them. We need a tie because we have the tiebreaker. Yep, exactly. We just got tied. But that requires us to win out, which.
00:33:28
Speaker
needs to happen, right? Should happen should happen against these teams. I prefer full disclosure. We close Patriots, Jets, Patriots. Those are the final games for the bills. Yeah. So should beat the snot out of everybody. But Tom's absolutely right. Division games are one care business and they're going to want to come and piss in our Cheerios. 110% Tom is correct on that. So I mean, who knows at the end of the day, you take the second seed You know, it guarantees the home playoff game yeah and you're playing the worst CD in the playoffs. two yeah Yeah, exactly. So yeah, you you take that. Right. But my prediction for the Chiefs, dude, I'm going to clip this. Yeah. Chief fans, you're going to go one and two the last three weeks. You heard it here first. You're going to beat Texans and then you're going to lose to the CEOs and you're going to lose to the Broncos. That's what's going to happen.
00:34:15
Speaker
See an orchard park. See an orchard park, baby. Again, for your fucking demise.
00:34:23
Speaker
um Tommy, anything else you want to jump into here? um We should probably talk. You want to talk about injuries real quick? I do. And then I have I have a kind of a big picture question. Let's talk injuries and we can end with that big picture question before we move on um to other things. so I guess so. film lets too so Yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, then let's end. My big pressure question will be after those. OK. So um a bunch of injuries um suffered in that game. Matt Milano went down. um I have not seen many new um much news about that other than it was day to day. um Actually, can you go? Nigel, I'm doing this. Can you go to Sal Capaccio's Twitter feed? he has he He posted something about Sean McDermott talking about ah injuries and where everybody was at. Dorian Williams.
00:35:06
Speaker
um He ah also went out at some point. ah Cole Bishop left the game with Cramson, did not return. And it already depleted secondary. um we're our We were already down Hamlin. We were down Rapp. We were down. We're still Douglas. So we really got to hope that these guys can can figure out how to get back in over these next few weeks. But again, like we've kind of said, we do have a little bit of some some breathing room here of hopefully we can maybe get some guys healthy.
00:35:35
Speaker
I can't find that tweet, but I do have, um, I texted it to the group chat today, giving all the injury updates. So, but um, as of right now, Rasul Douglas, Taylor wrapped tomorrow, Hamlin Casey to Hill, Matt Milano, who left with a groin injury yesterday. That was something we didn't talk about all getting better. We'll see how it goes. According to Sean McDermott, Curtis Samuel and Dorian Williams are day to day. Um, those are the big ones there. So I based on the the comments from Sean McDermott, nothing,
00:36:04
Speaker
clarifying or glaring, clarifying. Oh my God, that'll be the beer and maybe some other stuff.
Injuries & Durability Concerns
00:36:09
Speaker
ah Glaringly terrible, glaringly terrible injury situations there based on that. I mean, Sean McDermott is usually pretty good. I feel like an indicating whether he wants to or not, what's going to happen. It sounds familiar. Everybody's trending in the right direction.
00:36:24
Speaker
So, you know, obviously like we got through a game with Cole Bishop and, and, um, some backup secondary players. We'd like to see Taylor Rapp and tomorrow Hamlin come back next week, but I mean, keep in mind who our last three opponents are. I'm okay with giving guys a little bit extra time to rest as well.
00:36:42
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. Get healthy for, for January. Yeah. I also think just quickly on injuries, I think it's really important that Josh has not been sacked in four games because guess what? He's not getting run over. He's not getting beat up. He's running the ball and getting tackled, but I think he's healthy. We just saw my homes. He's out with a high ankle sprain right now. Who's in, he's at the moment week to week or day to day, like right. Something like that. So, um, like I think that's important.
00:37:06
Speaker
as we roll into the end of the season here. Super important. And I want to address something real quick because I saw some piece of shit Chiefs fan the other day on Twitter or x excuse me, sorry, he's probably in my ceiling or something. um Some piece of shit Chiefs fan was like, I can't wait for Josh Allen to get injured and running the ball.
00:37:25
Speaker
Fuck off. Right. Which is nobody roots for injuries, especially from the best player in the game right now. That's entertainment from everybody except you because you're a Chiefs fan. But I digress. Quarterbacks don't get hurt when they're running the ball. Right. That's not where that's not where quarterbacks get hurt. Where quarterbacks get hurt is an offensive lineman getting blown up by defensive lineman and a quarterback's ankle gets rolled up on me because their offensive lineman fell on it. Yeah. That's how quarterbacks get hurt.
00:37:53
Speaker
Right. So um I'm so done with people looking like being like, oh, Josh, it's playing style isn't isn't, you know, sustainable. It's like, dude, shut the fuck up. Look at what he's done for the last five years, first and foremost. Right. He's been the best tool for a quarterback in terms of running and also passing numbers. So relax Ravens fans, because, yeah, Lamar is a better runner and has been. But Josh, Josh is throwing numbers, which is better. Sorry, cry about it.
00:38:19
Speaker
Um, ah like it's, it's never, it's never when he's doing that part of his game where he's going to get hurt. It's going to be because somebody gets blown up and somebody falls on his ankle. He's also been the most durable quarterback or durable player in the league. right Yeah. I mean, I'd be pissed about it. Yeah. Like i you're you're like, is that where everyone's happy? They like the rooting for him to get hurt. Like dude, fucking tell me you're scared without telling me you're scared. That's some bitch shit.
00:38:46
Speaker
Anyway, um, yeah, that was, I just wanted to address that real quick because I saw that and it really pissed me off that people are rooting for injuries. But good work buddy. You did a good job with that. like Thanks. I appreciate that. Right up for me.
00:39:01
Speaker
Tell me anything else there. Should we get into a couple of film notes here? Hit me with the film notes. And then I got a big picture for you. All right. I'm ready. um I'm just going to, I'm going to breeze through with these folks because we chat about it. A lot of them real quick, but this is Josh Allen's world and we're all just existing in it right now. Thank you. um Gladly. Yeah. i I love living in Josh Allen's world, dude. um We talked about Joe Brady. Joe Brady is so unbelievably deep in his bag. And I just want to talk about one quick example. And when I say deep in his bag, I'm not, ah I'm not just talking play calls, but his play design.
00:39:33
Speaker
is so good couple instances yesterday and and one huge one i think we can all probably think back and remember to the dawson knocks one-handed grab at the end of the game that was catched what a catch not a great throw by josh what a catch but that play happens and dawson knocks is so open there Because the bills love to run what is known as the tackle rap running play or in some it's kind of like a dark concept so basically the tech rep. Kind of the way it sounds the tackle on the opposite to the play side polls meaning they move off in their spot and run across the line of scrimmage to be a lead blocker in some sense for the running back.
00:40:15
Speaker
The Bills ran that a good amount yesterday and to both sides because it's also worth mentioning very quickly. We cannot. We are so blessed with these tackles. Oh, my God. He and Dawkins and Spencer Brown are so unbelievably athletic, but they ran tackle rep to both sides because we have unbelievably athletic tackles that played also knocks play. They ran tackle rep the exact same way that they did the last six times they did it, except Josh Allen pulled it away.
00:40:46
Speaker
made it look like it was about to be a quarterback run. And then. just a quick little lob to Dawson Knox, dude. And that play existed the way that it did because you set up and cooked the Lions several times prior with that tackle wrap. And that is what you talk about with the evolution over the course of a game with an offense, is being able to do the exact same thing, but have a different result, right? You set up that tackle wrap, boom, run it six, seven times, different directions. And then you do it, but you pull the rug out from underneath them.
00:41:20
Speaker
oh My god, dude it was and and and I like spending time with the film a little bit that I did folks And it's not it's not a ton. It's as much as I can give you, you know work being a full-time not sports guy, but Yesterday's film dude was nothing short of poetry in motion The the the wide receiver schemes that Joe Brady had dialed up yesterday complement each other so well Also took a page out of Sean McVay's book um and one thing that we took advantage of big time yesterday. Well, I mentioned last week they're running the the Rams running plan was to run the ball the opposite direction of the polling offensive lineman.
00:42:01
Speaker
The Bills did that. I mean, we had multiple guys pulling on like tons of running plays and they never indicated where the ball was going. Guys were chasing after these offensive linemen only to be on the complete offices out of the field where James Cook was. it It was I mean, dude, it was it was I was I was talking like like um my girlfriend was watching me watch film tonight and I must have just been looking like I was in heaven, dude, because like you on the broadcast, like you never get a chance to watch it the way you do on the film. Right. You see the play once. And usually what you see is throw catch and then the result. And you go, wow, shoot. Right. But watching the way everything has been developing yesterday or was developing on Sunday with Joe Brady scheme, dude, it was like, like, dude, I could cry about it. It was be beautiful to watch had his way with the linebackers in particular. It was. I mean, Joe Brady just
00:42:58
Speaker
They're all the flowers from yesterday. So had to talk about that. Um, the bill's defense was willing to run for the first time in what felt like, let's see if my watch is right. A hundred years brand for three defense, three linebackers on the field at one time. Yeah. Thorian Williams, Matt Milano to Robert and it fucking worked. It was awesome. yeah hit Those plays where it was those three. Now, Bayland specter also came in for a lot of snaps yesterday. Those were very bad.
00:43:27
Speaker
bain spectra did not look good yet Not great. Yeah. No, not at all. Yeah. I saw that like during the game. I saw. Oh yeah. I know. Yeah. And I was like, Oh yeah. Yeah. I think we texted about it actually, but dude, that will, I don't Doreen Williams to over and under the field. Wow.
00:43:42
Speaker
Nice. I mean, hell yeah. That's a nice trio of linebackers. Yeah. So I would be super down to see that more so um than what we've been seeing. I think we had Oliver's, I hope so. I think a huge part of an Oliver's success yesterday was due to the amount of stunts that we ran yesterday, which has been limited.
00:43:59
Speaker
So far this season, now a stunt real quick, um for those that might not know, it's just a crossing of defensive linemen. So usually a defensive tackle and a defensive end. So let's say, for example, Ed Oliver and then Greg Russo. God, this is so weird to do. um instead of ed you know Instead of Greg Russo continuing to work the outside and Ed Oliver work the inside, what will happen here is Greg Russo cuts to the inside and then Ed Oliver wraps around and attacks the outside. That's a stunt.
00:44:27
Speaker
Just kind of throws out the timing for the offensive lineman. Worked really well yesterday. The more stunts equals good for this Bill's defensive line. I think that's because they're so athletic, right? at out first yeah guy But super athletic. Um, let's see. We talked about how we made them play for being a base defense. The linebackers got exposed.
00:44:48
Speaker
We're not talking about Christian Benford enough. And I feel like I mentioned him every podcast and it's not enough. It's not enough, dude. That fumble that he forced on Amun Ross St. Brown yesterday that met Milano recovered is due exclusively to Christian Benford never fucking quits. dude Until that whistle is blown, that play is live and he is coming for that ball.
00:45:12
Speaker
And that's what he did yesterday, dude. I'm gonna say Brown makes the beautiful catch, right? It was a great player, but God damn, dude, Christian Benford just goes straight through the whistle. I'm gonna say I'm gonna say Brown does not. It's a forced fumble. Bills have the ball and go score a touchdown on both. He's he's an he's and all pro cornerback. Go ahead, Tom.
00:45:34
Speaker
I don't think we win that game without that play. Right. That was the one thing I came into this game saying, Hey, like this is either going to be whoever scores 35 points first or who can take care of the ball better. And we stole a possession because they were dealing, right? This, this, at that point of the game, the lions offense was moving the ball couldnst stop and they probably were going to score on that, on that possession, but getting the ball, forcing, forcing the turnover from Benford and Milano picks it up. Like that, we, we won by six points, right? That's.
00:46:05
Speaker
that's like That's the difference in this game here, is Christian Bennett. Very well could be. Or it could, I mean, in in tandem with that, I mean, the difference could also be pointed to the fact the the first four possessions of the game, right? Detroit scores zero, Buffalo scores 14. You know, right then and there, I think is Yeah, so to to just kind of tie in with the Christian Menford there. um This one, I just feel like I have to say it makes me sad. It is going to suck when we don't pay James Cook. James Cook is incredible, dude. His speed and lateral movement. Oh, my God. He is a joy to watch. It's going to really suck because we're I'm telling you right now, we're not going to pay him the 10 million dollars plus that he's going to command. It's just not going to happen. He's outpriced himself.
00:46:52
Speaker
So go win so and idiot on um he'd be a fool to to take to take ah a lesser deal, right? That's when he goes, yeah don' go get your money. Running backs have a much shorter, um generally have a much shorter career. Like go get your money, bud. yeah I just, I agree. i I would be incredibly surprised and probably disappointed if Bean commits cap dollars to a running back like that. Yeah.
00:47:16
Speaker
Yeah, considering we have Ray Davis and Ty Johnson in the backfield, right? Like what we just talked about 20 minutes ago. Right. So, yeah, it's going to it's going to sting. It's going to sting when you watch him go play for somebody else. But yeah, you're right, dude. He's got to go get his money. Running backs have a much shorter shelf life than than anybody else. So, yeah, go get your bag. um Last last film note here.
00:47:36
Speaker
Cole Bishop is going to be a problem for this league, dude. He, the the first of all, the improvement from that first game that he started, I don't remember who was a Houston member, Houston. Thank you. Where he looked bad, bad.
00:47:51
Speaker
and yeah It was liability. Liability. And yesterday, dude, I thought he looked I mean, not perfect, but the improvement and that short span of time, dude, especially when he comes down into the box, dude. Oh, boy. He is going to be a better Jordan Boyer once he's. Oh, yeah. Once he gets the experience, dude, his play down the box is unbelievable. There was one play in particular pretty early in the game where actually there's two plays I want to talk about with him real quick.
00:48:22
Speaker
He just it just coming down to the box takes on the block the right way and and and just makes the tackle on David Montgomery Who is a physical physical back dude, but I mean within a split second Cole Bishop reads identifies triggers takes on the block the correct way and Right. Well, so locks up with that block, but allows himself to not get buried and a keep eyes on the running back disengages, makes the tackle. It was, I mean, the stuff you dream about from a downhill safety. hall you And then he had an unbelievable open field tackle on Jameer Gibbs, which I mean, for my money right now, I don't know if there's a better open field player aside from Tyree killed and Jameer Gibbs right now. Yeah. I mean, he's he's unbelievable in the open field. So good. So good.
00:49:07
Speaker
He makes the first four guys he runs by look absolutely silly. Cole Bishop takes a great angle, breaks down, so gets himself under control to be able to follow whatever cut Jameer Gibbs wants to do. Jameer Gibbs tries to throw him a head fake. Cole Bishop is in control and able to break down so he's able to go with the head fakes and not lose balance. Jameer Gibbs has nowhere to go and it's just a simple perfect form tackle and and a tackle for a seven-yard game that could have been a 72-yard touchdown hell yeah just just i mean so good from coal bishop yesterday i don't love that as a professional athlete he left with cramps and couldn't come back but we'll chalk that up to inexperience and having not played a ton
00:49:52
Speaker
the field that when he was on the field yesterday liked what I saw particularly in the film.
Defense Concerns & Playoff Preparedness
00:49:57
Speaker
and That's it. That's so exciting. Like, yeah, I'm gonna go check that out. He's gonna be awesome. So looking forward, we just played two games where the defense allowed 44 and 42 points.
00:50:11
Speaker
So in my mind, the way I'm looking forward here, and as we get to the playoffs, every team we get to the playoffs, they're going to be good teams, right? There's not going to be a team that's going to be a complete pushover in the playoffs. At some point, this defense is going to need to make a stop. ah We're going to need them. that Josh is going to put up points. He's going to. I'm not worried about that. But and at some point, this defense is going to need to step up.
00:50:40
Speaker
Is this what's happened in the last two weeks in your minds of symptom of a we played the Rams and a Hall of Fame quarterback and Matt Stafford who played unbelievable in a incredible game and then be we played the the um the Lions who are just a boss of an offense to begin with.
00:50:57
Speaker
And, and you kind of talk it up to that like wow we played two incredible offenses right in a row, and thank God we have Josh Allen and can put up points to, or, or is this is going to be an issue at some points, it'd be nice to win with 28 points instead of needing to be 42, you know. Yeah, I think I think you raise a.
00:51:17
Speaker
I think you raised the question that's on everybody's mind at this point, Tom, right? like Because it's it's this has been what we've seen the last several years in the playoffs. It's never Josh Allen, it's the defense, or a very questionable coaching decision, right? So here's my, and Ian, here's what I'm willing to do on these last two weeks.
00:51:37
Speaker
You talked about it. It took a historic, and I say that literally based on his EPA per play and his historic performance from Matt Stafford. That coincided with, I mean, a borderline career game for Pukanakua, right? That went into a game against an offense that is an absolute buzz saw with three of your secondary starters missing.
00:52:03
Speaker
Right. yeah Right. So I have more grace, honestly, for the Lions game, because we have three secondary starters missing and and and that I do for the Rams game. And I think I mean, I honestly do the Rams game.
00:52:16
Speaker
I mean, we just, we haven't, the sample size of the bill secondary being so unbelievably good. ahead It's just so much bigger than the, these last two games. Right. So I'm willing to say against the Rams that we just put up a stinker and we're victims of an elite historic game from Stafford into Kua.
00:52:37
Speaker
And then we went up against another buzzsaw offense with an offensive coordinator that, I mean, very much deserves a head coaching job, right? Arguably the best OC in the league right now, right? Aside from maybe Joe Brady, um but you know, and with, without three of your starting secondary. So like, that's kind of where I fall right now. Again, the the sample size is just way bigger of that secondary being very good. And until that sample size gap starts to close significantly,
00:53:08
Speaker
I'm not ready to panic in terms of us stopping the pass. If that makes, if that makes sense. Where I still have reservations because, and again, I'll go back to the bigger sample size. Right. Where I still have hesitation is our ability to pressure the quarterback specifically on the defensive line. Right. yeah Because we have a couple of games this season of them looking good, but a lot more of them looking nothing short of mediocre.
00:53:34
Speaker
And it's just weird that it was they look good against the the Lions. They look good against the Chiefs like two of the like the top two teams in you know the number one seat on both sides of the conferences. So like what? but Yeah. OK, so so I think like what is that? What does that indicate to me? Mentals 110 percent. Right. You come into those games against the Chiefs and the Lions with a motherfucking attitude.
00:53:59
Speaker
Yeah. And then you probably take you don't probably don't give the Rams enough respect and then they roll over you like that. Yeah. You know, so I think it's, I think it's very much mental for this team, dude. I mean, you got to go into every game. Like you're playing the chiefs and the lions for the super bowl. And maybe that's, maybe that's all it is. You know, it's just a mentality. That's that like the example that you just gave the fact that we looked the way we did against those two teams. That screams mindset to me.
00:54:29
Speaker
I, that's a good point, dude. That's a really good point. And hopefully that means as, as we get into the playoffs, still have that mentality, but again, we got to see it. So anyway, that's kind of been in my mind of like, man, thank God we got Josh Allen. He can do, you can make, you know, break history every week, but, uh, uh, at some point here, we're going to need this defense to really kind of, you know, batten down the hatches a little bit and yeah and and i think and take care of business.
00:54:53
Speaker
And I think there's two things to that'll tie into that. A is the secondary getting healthy. But B, dude, we have one thing that we haven't talked about that I think we need to remember is there is no warm up period right now for Matt Milano. True. who It's been who hasn't played a game prior to coming back from injury this year, hasn't played a game in over a year, over 400 days. Right. So like he's there's no you can't convince me he's still not ramping up. And the film shows is that he's still ramping up. He's not in game shape right now.
00:55:22
Speaker
Right. Does he get to game shape after being out that long with three more regular season games? I guess I'm not positive. yeah yeah I mean, you like to think so. Right. 90%. Like can I get from 75 to 90? Like 90% man, Milano is still better than 98% of the linebackers in the league. Yes. So, I mean, I think, I think those two things in, in conjunction with one another will help to batten down the hatches a little bit. So I think, I think it's important to mention that nugget about that
Game Preview: Bills vs. Patriots
00:55:51
Speaker
Milano.
00:55:51
Speaker
Yeah, here's open. So anyway, it's up to the kind of thing about as we progress forward. Speaking of progressing forward, the the bills are ah hosting the New England Patriots on Sunday, December 15th, just recently flexed to four twenty five p.m. So if you had a new calendar, go change it. um I imagine it's because the league wants ah everybody to go see Josh Allen play.
00:56:13
Speaker
um yup So one thing I'm excited about this game, I'm excited. i've been i've been i have i live in a ah I live in New England, and my wife's a New England fan. um So we've been watching the Patriots every week, and it's been fun to watch Drake May start to continue to progress. like the he's The kid, he looks good. He's he's making some fun plays. He's um man, I hope.
00:56:35
Speaker
Well, personally, I hope they don't figure it out around him. But that's what that's what this this is this this organization needs. They need to get the rest of the pieces around Drake May. And I think they're going to have some success. They need to figure out the offensive line. They need to figure out weapons and coaching staff and just get get the pieces in there. And it's a big ask, but that's what they need. But Drake May is looking really fun to watch right now.
00:56:57
Speaker
Yeah, dude, I haven't. and And I said it. I said it earlier to you, Tom, like I am not in a place mentally yet where I'm just going to dunk on Patriots fans because they kicked our asses for a thousand years and have six Super Bowls in like a very short amount of time. I'm not here to dunk on Patriots fans. I still have a lot of respect for what that organization did.
00:57:19
Speaker
um I think Drake may is going to be a problem. Or at the very least, I think Drake may has the potential to be a problem. And I haven't watched a lot of Patriots games this season, but the highlights and things that I do see every time I go, damn, Drake may.
00:57:33
Speaker
Yeah, like I think he looks good. Now, it's a different management organization there now or different management personnel. Are they going to be able to draft the same way and get the pieces in place? We we don't know that. Nobody knows that yet. Right. But it does seem like they've put the biggest piece in the place, which is the quarterback position in the NFL. Drake means very big, very strong, very strong arm.
00:57:56
Speaker
and seems to be figuring it out quicker than a lot of his compatriots. I think it's just, yeah you don't notice it as much because the team itself is so bad right now. Right. Historically, Sean McDermott licks his lips when rookie quarterbacks come to town. So I'm sure that they'll have, a you know, they'll give him a, this is going to be a test for Drake May. Um, so it'll be, I'm sure he'll see some, some stuff that maybe he hasn't yet this year. Um, the big thing that I'm seeing from this team is that they're struggling to maintain momentum.
00:58:23
Speaker
either defensively or offensively. They make good plays sporadically and have good flashes, but it's just at some point it breaks down and they can't maintain that. So that' that's what they're seeing. Hunter Henry right now is their number one target, um has been playing really well and been very reliable.
00:58:39
Speaker
just as he's kind of always been. He's always been a, hey, kind of middle of the field, be a good, good hands, big guy can, can make athletic plays. He's been pretty good. And he's their number one target right now. Christian Gonzalez and Kyler Duggar are so much fun to watch. Christian Gonzalez is probably a top 10 cornerback in this league. I would say pretty easily, like very, very good. He's crazy.
00:59:00
Speaker
Yeah. And just making plays left and right. He's, he's borderline shut down corner. Um, so he, I'm sure he'll be on a Mark Cooper or Keyon Coleman. That'll be a fun, but let's put Keyon and Christian Gonzalez together, see what happens, go up and get a ball. ah be cool I'm sure it'd be kind of 50 50. I'm sure Gonzalez will win some and I'm sure Keyon might win some. Um, and, uh, but I mean, that's kind of their, their two leaders on, on, on defense there. Um,
00:59:28
Speaker
Dietrich Wise leading the team with five sacks. So kind of getting a little bit of little bit of production on that defensive line, but um I think our O-line is going to be ready for them. I think they're going to be able to kind of take care of business. yeah I obviously not a game we should lose even a little bit. um it's it's But divisional games, go handle your business. That's all I guess I'll say. It's just go go go do what you're supposed to do. Go handle your shit. um it's and Again, I'm not here to dog on Patriots fans. I have i have a ton of respect for the organization.
01:00:01
Speaker
but it's a bad football team right
Closing Remarks & Fan Engagement
01:00:03
Speaker
now. It's a, it's objectively the worst football team on paper and it's not particularly close. Don't fucking choke this game away. Right. Just, just handle your shit. That's all. Yep. That's, that's all it is. it is yeah It's a rookie. It's a rookie head coach. It's a rookie quarterback. Like just go handle your business. Absolutely. Totally agree.
01:00:27
Speaker
All right, folks. Well, hey, I'm just going to remind everybody, go wear your bills gear this week. Like, go rewatch the game. Like, go have fun with this. Like, we get to enjoy this and savor this right now. We're going to be awfully sad about whatever, however this season ends. Good, bad, ugly, um amazing, whatever it is. We're going to be still sad about it in April. So enjoy it. Right? Soak this in. Go talk about it with your friends and your family and watch rewatch the clips on on Instagram or YouTube or come hang out and on this podcast and hang out with us. So um we really appreciate it. Just go have some fun. Freakin' Go Bills. 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.