1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,880 Welcome back to the Buffalo Bread podcast. We are celebrating in a quick reaction podcast the 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:14,080 Buffalo Bills here on December 10th beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, their house, 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:19,840 in a very, very close affair. And as it was best summarized by somebody that, you know, 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:26,160 failing to name on X right now, holy crap, the Bills won one of quote, those games. 5 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:32,720 And it really felt like that, right? One of those close games that have been all the rage this week 6 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:39,280 to talk about, they pulled one out and it was that the defense that actually sealed the deal for 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:45,840 the Bills. How are you feeling, my friend? How are you feeling? You know, we don't do a lot of 8 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:52,640 reaction pods JJ. I think the only reaction pod you and I have ever done immediately after the game 9 00:00:52,640 --> 00:01:00,960 was I want to say it was back in 2021 after the it was after 20, no, it was 2020, the lead into 10 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,840 the 2022 season when the Bills beat the Rams, I think is the only time that we did that because 11 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,560 we were like the Bills have announced the rival. They are a true Super Bowl contender. 12 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:15,520 17 and 0 all the way. Right. Right. They're gonna they're gonna make history. And then we'll, 13 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:21,520 we know how that went last year. But um, but this game warrants a reaction pod for a few reasons. 14 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:28,160 One, the nature of the victory, which it was an ugly win. It was an imperfect win. But these are 15 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,640 ugly and perfect games that the Bills have found themselves on the losing side of more often than 16 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:39,040 not. Secondly, it comes against a I think we can say this a rival, the Bills have absolutely 17 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:43,360 owned the regular season matchup for whatever that's worth against the Kansas City Chiefs 18 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:49,440 winning three out of the last five since 2020. And then third, and I think most important, 19 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:55,440 this agonizingly keeps the Bills playoffs hope playoff hopes alive. They are now what feels like 20 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,320 they're in a a dozen team way tie with a bunch of other teams at seven and six, 21 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,040 still on the outside looking in of the playoff picture. But this was a massive hurdle they needed 22 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:12,480 to get over JJ in order to keep their playoff hopes afloat. So I there's a couple of different 23 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,880 ways that we could go with this. And we are again, unpracticed in the way of reaction. 24 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,600 But I think other than the general stress of watching how the bills close this out, 25 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,360 there were a couple of things that jumped right off the screen at me during this game. 26 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,480 You mentioned one, it was the performance of the defense. Now, I think a lot of McDermott haters 27 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,480 and a lot of folks that have been talking about their aggression of this defense like me and you, 28 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:40,400 due to age and due to injury, are going to say that, yes, the defense did good, but against an 29 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:46,080 inferior, an inferior offense, this Chiefs offense, I think we can all agree, is not what it has 30 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,640 been in the past. And we covered this on the pregame pod. They don't have the wide receivers 31 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:55,040 that they used to. And I think, you know, one of the things JJ, you and I did not discuss 32 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:03,440 at enough length about the variance between this year's group, and last year's group for Kansas 33 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:09,280 City, speaking of this offense, is the departure of Eric Biennamy. If you look at it, all this team 34 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:16,160 really did in the wide receiver core was lose juju Smith Schuster, and gain Rashi Rice, who I think 35 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:21,680 we would all say Rice, even as a rookie right now is maybe the superior product. But they lost 36 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:27,760 one of their absolute cornerstones that helped, and I think in an underrated way, build this Chiefs 37 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:34,320 offense to what it is. You know, there used to be a time JJ where you could throw any defense 38 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:39,280 imaginable at the Chiefs, and they were kind of like the Borg from Star Trek, where they would 39 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:44,800 always eventually assimilate. And it could be because of the downgrade from Biennamy to Matt 40 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,440 Nagy, nothing against Matt Nagy, he's a nice guy, but Eric Biennamy is one of the best to ever do it. 41 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,640 So you could look at the downgrade from Nagy to Biennamy and say, maybe this team is not as well 42 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:00,160 equipped from a coaching and personnel standpoint as they have in the past, in order to assimilate 43 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:05,440 to what teams are throwing at them. And McDermott gave them a lot of different looks, he threw 44 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,680 some of those multiple looks, some of those odd man fronts, some of those all out blitzes 45 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:15,280 against Mahomes to try to generate as much pressure as he could, and forced Mahomes to 46 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:22,000 hang on to the ball just a little bit longer every time. And I think it worked to great effect. 47 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:27,600 I am on the side JJ of I want to credit McDermott, and I might credit this defense with what was a 48 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:33,360 really gutsy performance against whatever you want to say about how this team how the Kansas City 49 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:38,720 Chiefs are coached and the personnel they have, it was Patrick Mahomes led attack. And this 50 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:44,400 Buffalo Bills defense held that unit under 20 points, and did something to Mahomes that no 51 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:49,200 one's ever done, handed them a second straight loss. Yeah, no, I think that those are both great 52 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,920 points. And I think that the Eric Biennamy one is one that's lost a little bit. You're right, 53 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:59,840 you're right. It felt a little different watching this Chiefs attack, because they seemed more like 54 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:04,400 the average team that's a good team that the bills have played this year, right? Like, the 55 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:09,360 bills have lost, you know, have let other teams sort of plod down the field and get in scoring 56 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,560 position and score, because of some of those, you know, old slow factors of the defense that we 57 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:21,040 talk about so much. And it felt like that too. In previous years against the Chiefs felt lethal, 58 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,840 it didn't seem that way. And again, I don't think that the change of, you know, talent, 59 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,440 whether we're talking about the tackles on the outside, or the outside talent, a wide receiver 60 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:36,080 was such a stark change that it would account for that contrast. And so I would agree with that. I 61 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:40,080 think that you can also look at, you know, the Washington commanders and what Eric Benamy has 62 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,200 been able to do with Sam Howell, to see that there's a pretty potent attack that he's capable of 63 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:51,520 putting together. And the Chiefs are missing that a little. I will say, though, to play Devil's 64 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:57,440 Advocate, just like so many games, the bills have played and lost close this year. There's 65 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,400 so many small factors that can be counted for this. And one factor that I'm sure everyone's 66 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:08,880 going to be talking about is Kaderious Tony lining up off sides. It's going to be the play of the 67 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:14,240 it's going to be the play that this game is remembered by, absolutely. Right. And, you know, 68 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,560 I think that, you know, certainly Chiefs fans, even Patrick Mahalans are chirping about how 69 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,200 this was like some sort of gift that the bills were given. But if you look at the film, you know, 70 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:29,120 the sideline angle, that line judge, it was so horrendously obvious. It wasn't even one of those 71 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,480 gray areas where you're like, I'm a little forward, but I'm going to let this one slide because 72 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:39,120 they usually do. It's a rare penalty to call because rarely a player is so obnoxiously out of 73 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:43,600 position that you could be counted off sides ahead of the ball. But Kaderious Tony was and it was 74 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:48,640 a self inflicted wound. And what I think that said to me is, yes, the defense did a good job 75 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:54,640 in those last couple of drives, but also they without that penalty gave up a touchdown to go 76 00:06:54,640 --> 00:07:01,760 behind by four. And on top of that, it looked like the Chiefs are able to lose in a very 77 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,920 billsy fashion, which is a nice thing to see. We haven't seen that in a long time. 78 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:12,160 Absolutely. And Patrick Mahomes, you know, if they continue on this trend, he's going to play 79 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:16,880 a playoff road game for the first time in his career if it keeps going this way. I mean, 80 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:22,400 although listen, the Broncos, what are their one game out now? I think they're one game out. Now 81 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:27,200 they've now they have played all of their games against the Chiefs and they've split. But I mean, 82 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:32,560 the Broncos are Broncos are hot on their tail at this point, too. So things could get interesting 83 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:38,880 in the AFC West. We'll ultimately see how that all pans out. But but I mean, to keep the focus on 84 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:46,160 the bills, JJ, this was a this was a game that they needed. And as agonizing and as is sweat drenched 85 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:53,840 as I was watching that, I feel like in this moment, that is exactly the way they needed to win this 86 00:07:53,840 --> 00:08:00,480 game. They needed the offense to turn the ball over to that defense with under two minutes left 87 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:06,320 in the fourth quarter, and sort of exercise these demons of giving up all of these late game leads. 88 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:12,080 JJ, this is the fifth time the Buffalo Bills have been ahead of an opponent with less than two minutes 89 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:17,520 in the fourth quarter of the season. And they are now as a result of this win, one in four in those 90 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:23,280 games. This is absolutely I think the way the bills needed to win this game. And I think to Steve's 91 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:31,040 Bagnola, as he often does, had a great game plan against Josh Allen, brought a lot of heat, brought 92 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:36,800 a lot of pressure. And as we talked about in the pregame, Josh Allen against the Blitz generally has 93 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:43,520 been excellent in his career. Josh Allen, his last five games against the Kansas City Chief splits, 94 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:49,920 has completed under 50% of his overall passes. And it's where he throws the most of his picks. 95 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:55,440 And the pressure on Allen tonight was hot and heavy throughout the course of the game. There 96 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:59,600 were a couple of imperfections. And I think this is really the first time I think we saw Brady, 97 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:07,520 Joe Brady lacking as a play caller. And the big thing to me, JJ was the the variance in play in 98 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:12,720 play sequencing from first half to second half. In the first half, they seemed very committed to 99 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:19,920 the run, and very, very committed to getting their wide receipt, getting their running backs involved 100 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:25,600 in the game plan. Flash forward to the third quarter. And they seemed to almost be forcing the 101 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,840 forcing the issue to digs and some of these outside guys that had not gotten involved in the game. 102 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:34,960 This to me feels like a young play caller trying to get all of his stars and all of his weapons 103 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:39,840 as equally involved as he can. But in that moment, Brady should have stuck with what has been his 104 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:45,600 strength over this, this run as play caller for the Buffalo Bills. And that is throwing against 105 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,640 the opposing team, the thing that they cannot defend or defend poorly, until they prove they 106 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:55,440 can stop it. And the Chiefs did not prove they could stop the run. James Cook was a man of 107 00:09:55,440 --> 00:10:01,280 fire in the first half, he should have had 250 total yards and 30 plus touches in this game. 108 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:07,280 But he was an absolute non factor in the second half until until the bills final field goal drive 109 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:14,480 of the game. So there are definitely I think, some things and listen, Brady is not the experience 110 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:19,520 play caller that spags is on the other side of the ball. This might have been sort of the old 111 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:25,440 master teaching the young kid a lesson or two. And hopefully, the bills are Brady will take some 112 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:31,520 things that he can learn from this game as well. But offensively was not I think the effort, the 113 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,840 gutsy effort outside of Josh Allen that the defensive side of the ball put out. 114 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:41,280 Well, and I think that what what I saw in the, you know, in the second half that Spag was doing 115 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:48,000 so effectively that really kind of foiled Joe Brady scheme was he was doing a little bit more of 116 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:56,320 showing loaded stuffed boxes, and then either backing out, or just basically he was lolling 117 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:02,400 Joe Brady into the belief that there was over the top opportunities, and then bringing so much 118 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:08,000 pressure, or clogging so many of the passing lanes by late, you know, drops into middle zones and 119 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,120 robber coverages, that really was a situation where Josh Allen's only open option, he could 120 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:19,280 have had things over the top. But Spagnolo knew that there was not going to be a four second clean 121 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:24,400 pocket for Josh Allen to be able to see all of his over the top options. Like Gabe Davis, you 122 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:29,200 know, on the field goal drive, he completely missed Gabe Davis wide open in the end zone, 123 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,160 a blown coverage, because the pressure was too heavy that he wasn't able to get an angle on it, 124 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,400 and see that you know, Gabe Davis was there. And so that's the kind of thing that, you know, 125 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:43,440 hopefully Joe Brady is able to study this film after he goes back and see, okay, this is how 126 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:49,520 Spagnolo was playing me was was trying to lull me into shooting for the outside the number throws, 127 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:55,440 or over the deep over the middle third throws. But knowing full well that none of those passes 128 00:11:55,440 --> 00:12:00,000 would ever develop because of the pressure that the bills were giving up up front. I think that, 129 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,840 you know, some of that was on a couple of times I saw it look like Josh Allen made the wrong 130 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,800 protection slide. But that's what you expect against this defense the Kensley chiefs are 131 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:13,040 well like seventh in the league and Zach rate. They're right up there with the bills is one 132 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,640 of the best teams that bring in the quarterback down and getting pressure consistently. 133 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:21,760 And they showed it fourth and total sacks to yep, yeah, seven seven, seven, sex rate, 134 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:28,240 fourth and total sacks. Yeah, they they absolutely did it was a and I might not be talking so 135 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:34,800 so respectfully of this unit had the bills not won this game, because I think similar to that 136 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:43,520 similar to that 2021 AFC championship game that these two teams played these DBs for the chiefs, 137 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:49,840 they were getting a lot of love by Romo for their coverage, they were basically draped all over 138 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:55,040 these bills. They were just doing penalties. They were that's it right and I'm like, I'm like, 139 00:12:55,040 --> 00:13:01,120 okay, now I get why teams like sauce Gardner because like all all you need is a DB that holds 140 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,760 guys all the way down the field. So my question is why is Kyrie Lum not getting playing time 141 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:10,640 right because he's good at that we've seen really good at that right he's really good at doing penalties. 142 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:15,120 Yeah, and it's the modern NFL waited to cover, you know, wide receivers just penalize them. 143 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:20,800 Absolutely. And listen, we're we're fans, like we we we are going to complain about the rafts, 144 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:26,000 I think no matter what. So I don't want to make this one about, you know, the bills got so many 145 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:33,200 calls and the chiefs got so many calls because I think overall, the the refs called a very consistent 146 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,840 game. Like there were points where Taryn Johnson, there were points where Christian Benford because 147 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:44,000 he couldn't seem to keep up with anybody, anybody today. There were times where they also got away 148 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:49,680 with some holds and some DPI down the field and stuff like that. I will say the refs called a 149 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:54,320 consistent game, if not an aggravating game for the amount of stuff that they ultimately missed. 150 00:13:55,280 --> 00:14:00,960 But they got it right against Tony, which I really appreciate for once. Yeah, for once it does. It 151 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:06,960 feels like it feels like in this game. Patrick Mahomes got a taste of what it was like to be 152 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:13,120 Josh Allen with your wide receivers dropping balls, calls not going your way on every single 153 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:18,320 play and every single down. Mahomes had to work through a little bit of adversity tonight, I think. 154 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:25,040 And and he didn't react well to it, JJ. He didn't react well to it at all. At all. Yep. I'm looking 155 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:30,000 up my phone here because I'm curious as well. The press post game conferences are going to unveil 156 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,480 and Mahomes was very honest. The headline is, you know, Mahomes rips refs for that that Tony 157 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:40,080 off side call. And I get it. But like Pat, go back and look at the film, my friend, like he was 158 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:45,760 just so obvious. Yeah, right. It was a very clear penalty. I'm sorry that Travis Kelsey can't bail 159 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:51,040 you out of yet another bad performance. But like, yeah, I mean, just just take it and live with 160 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:56,720 it, man. I'm sorry that none of these refs are big Taylor Swift fans. Seriously. Oh my god, 161 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:01,280 mercifully, mercifully, Kelsey was. And listen, we're huge Swifties in this house. My daughter loves 162 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:07,440 Taylor Swift. For now, three years in a row, Taylor Swift has been my number one artist on my 163 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,560 Spotify end of year, wrapped, right? Yes. Just for that message that she sends all her fans, 164 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:17,520 my daughter eats that stuff up, right? That's awesome. So yeah, listen, no shade at the Swifties, 165 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:23,440 but I was it was merciful how poor Kelsey played in this game that there were so few cutaways 166 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,080 to Taylor Swift, because my daughter was watching the game. And I don't need my daughter becoming 167 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:33,360 a chief's fan. Right. Oh, Taylor Swift. Can you imagine? I didn't give her for adoption, but she's 168 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:38,880 also like, she's also my favorite one in the house. You like that kid. She's pretty good. So 169 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:44,080 so um, but yeah, I mean, that was that's something but like that's something that I think is is a 170 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:51,120 talking point that I want to do like 30 seconds on. Travis Kelsey, I know he had like a like knee 171 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,920 contusion thigh contusion. He had some sort of early preseason injury that held him off for a 172 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:59,600 couple of games. He don't he don't look right. He doesn't look right. That's the whole that's the 173 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:05,520 only point I want to make is he doesn't look he does not look fast or agile like usual. And that's 174 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:12,000 something that's noticeable. And that's probably a major piece of why the chiefs have been productive 175 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:19,600 on offense aside from Isaiah Pchenko. Losing Pchenko in this game for this game, I think was huge 176 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:26,240 because the chiefs were making hey, I am in the run game even without him. And again, like the 177 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,640 bills that they kind of went away from it. I think they stuck a little bit more consistently to it 178 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:35,840 in the third quarter, which is what got them back in it. But they went away from it in the fourth and 179 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:41,360 JJ to I can't believe why both of these teams were absolutely running the ball down each 180 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:47,520 other's throats. And I get they've we both have both of these squads have all world QBs. But I 181 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:54,800 mean to back away from the thing that's working in this game was never, never such a such a point 182 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,520 differential between these two teams where you needed to go so past heavy. It really wasn't. 183 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:05,040 Yeah, at no point was either side in a position where they needed three quick scores, right? 184 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:10,160 Like it was always close. You know, and I think the chief is surprisingly especially because the 185 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:16,160 chiefs were down two scores and use the run to get close the gap and tie the game like that was, 186 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:20,560 you know, their method for doing it. So I was more surprised that they went away from it. 187 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:24,960 And less surprised that Joe Brady went away from it because of what you said, I think it was the 188 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:32,000 kind of thing where he he Josh Allen certainly stuff on digs maybe even gave Davis was like 189 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,400 calling for the ball right like get get let's hit him or the top let's do some things because 190 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:41,760 Spagnolo was was he was keeping one single high safety and playing a lot of man coverage 191 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:46,560 and sending the house. He was baiting Josh. He was beating Josh. Yeah, he was baiting him into 192 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:51,200 throwing it outside the numbers knowing that his DBs were holding basically the whole time and 193 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:56,480 probably the ball wouldn't be able to get in there. And so it worked for you know, that defense 194 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,120 worked for them and Joe Brady you know his his plan for the second half kind of he fell right 195 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:06,080 into a trap it looked like. Yeah, absolutely. And again, I think something like you said he 196 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:10,880 can watch the film and can hopefully learn from it because we are about to go up against another 197 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:17,440 really aggressive defense and aggressive defensive play caller and the Dallas Cowboys and their DC 198 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:23,840 Dan Quinn in Buffalo this upcoming weekend to try to keep this playoff this playoff run alive my 199 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:32,160 friend. So JJ I think in summation here, you know what were your two or three big takeaways from 200 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:39,280 this game? So first of all, Josh Allen is still Josh Allen. I think that he he looks like I expect 201 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,600 him to look for the rest of the season. And I think that he's the reason the bills will have an 202 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:50,160 opportunity at the end. He and James Cook look amazing, right? So as we'll see what kind of the 203 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:54,560 game shakes out in terms of injury wise to see what the roster looks like going into the Cowboys. 204 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:59,600 But I think that Josh Allen is Josh Allen, and we can all kind of count on you know, 205 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,320 as long as he continues this level of play, we're going to be in it to the end. 206 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:10,160 That's one of my key takeaways. The other key takeaway is that the defense showed up and was 207 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:15,360 a little bit more plucky at times when they needed to be nice to see at Oliver make a game 208 00:19:15,360 --> 00:19:20,720 impacting play other than just being consistently pressuring up the middle he made a like a real 209 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:26,720 game turning play with that tip ball. So that was wonderful. Yeah, I think it was a good it was a 210 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:31,920 gut check game. And you know, I think you could see in Sean McDermott has had a heck of a week. 211 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,400 His reaction on the sideline when that fourth and 15 ball fell incomplete. 212 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:42,640 He looked like the big exhalation that you hope gives him, you know, the confidence going forward 213 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,080 to really put the game in Josh Allen's hands and do some other things because he got one. 214 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:51,280 He finally got one. Yep, he did. And he got one in the way that he needed to. No, JJ, 215 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:58,880 I think that's really well said. I think my takeaways are defenses in the NFL are not built 216 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:05,120 to stop a guy as dynamic as James Cook. I think the league overall is written off running backs. 217 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:10,000 And when you look at how modern defenses are constructed with light boxes, basically everybody 218 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:15,040 playing nickel, everyone wanting to play three cornerbacks and two line backers in this league. 219 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:21,840 I think there is a world where a guy like James Cook can do a lot of damage and keep 220 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:27,280 this offense moving at times where it stalls out because everyone is focused on locking down your 221 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:33,520 outside weapons. JJ, I would be so bold as to say that right now in this moment and again, 222 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:39,680 this is reaction pod. So don't hold this against me. Outside of Josh Allen, our most dynamic 223 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:46,160 playmaker on the offense is James Cook. And Cook needs to be the needs to be featured in the offense, 224 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,720 not just in this crazy rotation they've got with Ty Johnson, who I thought Ty Johnson had some great 225 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:55,760 burst, great acceleration, turn the corner a lot of these outside zone runs a lot quicker that I 226 00:20:55,760 --> 00:21:03,120 expected him to. But enough with this, enough with this platoon between Murray and Ty and Cook, 227 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:08,800 you've got to give the bulk of these snaps to cook. He needs to be touching the ball at least 25 228 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:14,640 to 27 times a game in both the passing game and the run game, because modern NFL defenses 229 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:20,560 are not built to commit a guy to stop someone as dynamic as that. So that was my first takeaway. 230 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:26,960 I was that impressed with James Cook. And not to mention also, James Cook is not a frail running 231 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:32,080 back. He's kind of late in the late in the lower body and kind of, you know, lanky a little bit. 232 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:38,480 But he seems to hold up in contact way better than I expect him to. His contact balance is 233 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:43,600 incredible. People come in and crack him and he somehow always spins it into an extra two or 234 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:48,800 three yards when you'd expect him to just get gobbled up. So, you know, and I do agree with 235 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,520 you, I think that a rotation if it's a rotation should be kind of scrapped and just give Cook 236 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:58,560 those touches. I do know at least three or four plays in the game when he was rolling, he called 237 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:03,120 for somebody to come from the sidelines. You know, you saw him running off the field after 238 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:10,240 a 16 or 17 yard gain and grabbing some somebody come in for him. So after five, five straight touches 239 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:15,760 and straight touches sprinting, five games of 10 yards or more. Yeah. So yeah, I was tired too. 240 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,600 I was tired watching them. Well, and it's funny because at that point in time, I remember him 241 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,680 like waving for, you know, relief and somebody coming probably Ty Johnson coming in for him. 242 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,760 He like sort of wasn't back in the game for after that. Like I wonder if there was something 243 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,360 then what if he dings something up that we don't know about because it wasn't he didn't 244 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:36,240 get on the field. So there's a possibility that that changed things for Joe Brady because I don't 245 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:41,120 even remember him being in a lineup for a couple of series. Yeah, he was out of the lineup for a 246 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:47,600 couple of series and you could be right. I just chalked it up to this this offensive staff does 247 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:53,280 not know how to platoon these guys like and I don't understand the logic behind it. And we 248 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:59,520 encountered some of this too with the Zach Moss Devon Singletary era where it never seemed like 249 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:04,560 they knew who to keep in, you know, for certain stretches. And I'll say this too. I think I 250 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:09,520 might have the answer for you. Even if Cook is healthy, they might have pulled him and put in 251 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:15,600 Latavius Murray because of the blocking pass block. If they wanted to lean into the pass and they 252 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,440 wanted to have a personal protector back there for Josh Allen, that's Latavius Murray. That's 253 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:25,120 person you want there over James Cook. Yeah, that changes the dynamic of the offense in a bad way. 254 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:32,000 I agree. I agree. It takes away it takes away another route tree, another pass catcher, 255 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:38,640 another offensive threat. Not that not that Murray is is wholly ineffective. I mean, he had he had 256 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:45,280 probably the game. Right. And then fumbled it and then fumble and knock it out of bounds. Yeah. 257 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:51,040 Yeah. Right. So that's no shade of Murray. But he but again, Cook was almost single handedly 258 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:56,640 negating the pass rush because they had to account for his running and his ability to get yards 259 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:02,880 after the catch. So I he to me. And again, I know Stefan Diggs is still on this this roster. 260 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:07,360 And I think Diggs deserves a lot of credit too. Because when you look at the broadcast cameras 261 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:12,560 cutting to the sideline, he's always chirping at guys in a good way to keep them energized, 262 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,960 keep them focused. He's always in Gabe Davis here about the next thing that they should be doing. 263 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:23,120 And credit to Gabe gave his Gabe Davis to those are to those are the two primary receiving options 264 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:29,200 on this team. And Stefan Diggs is a bona fide superstar. Not neither of them were getting 265 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,680 the touches they probably wanted in this game. Yet they were on the sideline keeping the team 266 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,760 invested keeping everybody's energy up. That's what leaders do. That's what team captains do. 267 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:43,520 So credit to them when on the field, things weren't necessarily falling their way off the field, 268 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:50,080 they were able to keep this team juiced up and in it. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. 269 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,680 Oh, I was just gonna say one more thing about Stefan Diggs. You know, somebody else posted 270 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:58,960 like the photo of Pat Mahomes losing his mind of the refs. And they were and it just said like, 271 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:03,520 imagine if Stefan Diggs had this reaction on the sideline, what the what the stories would look like. 272 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:08,160 Trade him. He wants out of Buffalo. Mahomes wants out of Kansas City. Kelsey's too distracted to 273 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:18,080 Taylor Swift. He wants out. He hates the coach. He wants Andy read out. Oh my god. Can you imagine 274 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,880 Jesus? And then JJ, I think my final takeaway from this game, you already you already took the 275 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:29,600 Josh Allen one, which I I appreciate because someone's got to go there. I think outside of James Cook, 276 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:36,160 the defense while it held today, we definitely have a CB two problem. I think that that was very 277 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:44,720 clear. Benford did not have a great game. Rizul Douglas. I mean, he was almost he was he was the 278 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:50,640 personal bodyguard on Travis Kelsey for a lot of this game. I had no idea that dude could play 279 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:57,520 that physical. But he's he is a he continues to surprise and delight to me as someone who can 280 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:04,720 cover your best wide receiver, though that will be tested against CD lamb and Kenan Allen and and 281 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:09,440 and Tyree kill. But he seems to be a guy right now that can cover your wide receiver one, but has 282 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:14,720 some athletic chops in order to cover whoever your primary weapon might be, might be, which I think 283 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:21,920 is great. But to me, it creates an even starker contrast with the drop off from Douglas to whoever 284 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:26,320 it is is going to be playing on the other side of him to anyone else like, you know, whether it's 285 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:31,680 you know, whether it's Dame Jackson or whether it's Christian Benford or whether it's in who maybe 286 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:36,000 it's kind of you know, I think that you know, the the practice window is back open for him coming 287 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:41,840 off IR. He wasn't ready to go to day. But if if it really was an injury that was holding him out, 288 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:48,640 maybe it may be, then I'm interested to see if they they lean into him and bring him on the field, 289 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:54,480 because I agree. If you have a situation where you need more, more capable corners on the field, 290 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,720 then just Rasool Douglas and Taryn Johnson, you're in trouble. Like if you need to cover 291 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:03,600 three targets with some level of athleticism, you are absolutely in trouble. Well, they're 292 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:08,480 going to need to figure out a way to cover CD lamb and Brandon cooks coming up this week. So 293 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:14,960 that is that is going to be very interesting. Also worth worth keeping in mind the health of 294 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:19,840 my cahide. When you're going into a game not to get too much into the Dallas game, but when 295 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:26,000 you're going into a game with two legitimate deep threats and lamb and cooks could be a long day 296 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,920 if my cahide is not fully ready to go despite the decline in play that he's seen this year. 297 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,600 So, oh yeah, I was gonna say what do you want to do? 298 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:39,920 Well, let's let's jump to a quick recap of the day before the Bill's game just like the Patriots, 299 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:45,040 of course, come up come up big and winning against the Steelers. We saw that one. The Bengals beat 300 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:50,160 the Colts, which is what we wanted to do. But then the rest of the games didn't land the same way. 301 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:54,080 We wanted the Jags to beat the Browns. The Browns won that one. We wanted the Broncos to lose to 302 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:59,200 the Chargers, but the Chargers lost that and they possibly lost Justin Herbert, who went out of that 303 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:04,560 game with a injury to his throwing hand. So that'll be interesting to monitor for the next two weeks 304 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:10,880 because the the bills have cowboys and then Chargers. Yep. And and you wonder too, are they 305 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,280 are they gonna let Brandon Staley finish out the season there? Like their season is pretty done in 306 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:22,640 LA. If Herber is also done, you might as well pack it in and start the off season off season 307 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,920 scheduling now and move on from your head coach and put everybody out there that I noticed that, 308 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:33,760 hey, we are looking for someone to come develop our stud QB. So yeah, LA just in generally just 309 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:41,360 is a situation that is interesting to still keep an eye on JJ. Jacksonville, man, like they seem 310 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:45,600 like such frauds at this point. I think back to that London game, and I'm like, man, we should 311 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:51,760 have had that one. But moreover, like is Trevor Lawrence good? Like, are we are we sure about 312 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:58,880 this? Is he good? I don't know. Yeah, I'm not sure. I like because it's weird, right? Like he, 313 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:05,200 he Trevor Lawrence was he in his third year? He's not his third year. Okay. And he's had a plateau. 314 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:10,240 Yeah, well, what that's what I mean is like the best Trevor Lawrence we've seen is all like 315 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:15,040 Josh Allen's rookie season. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, it's a situation where you're like, 316 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:20,160 wow, only like one guy or four guys in the world can make that throw. It looks amazing. Then it's 317 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:26,240 like five consecutive plays where you're like, why would you do that? Like that's a terrible choice. 318 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:32,720 Yeah. He doesn't seem to be growing and progressing at a rate that you would put someone with his 319 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:39,040 draft pedigree and draft rating on. And yeah, that offense is just disjointed. I mean, I just I 320 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:44,080 don't know what to make of it. And how do you how much do you pack, you know, pack in on Trevor 321 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:48,960 Lawrence and how much do you chalk up to the coaching and kind of player development capabilities 322 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:53,360 of the Jaguars? Yeah, I mean, this happened with Peterson and Philly, although granted, 323 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:59,760 Peterson did did squeeze a championship out of Nick Foles and Carson Wentz. But you saw the plateau 324 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:07,600 of Carson Wentz happen after that 2017 season. It was MVP level got injured. His best season after 325 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:15,280 that was maybe 2020, maybe 2019 after that. But you've seen similar things happen. You wonder if 326 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:20,640 if Peterson is the guy to get them over the hump, it seems odd to say for a coach who has won a 327 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:26,880 Super Bowl with a backup QB in spectacular fashion. I think the Philly special will still go down in 328 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:32,080 history as one of the greatest Super Bowl players of all time. But it seems weird to say that. But 329 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:36,640 I mean, the proof is kind of there two years now in the system and Lawrence doesn't seem 330 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:43,120 any more proficient or any more comfortable in it. And I say that JJ because if the bills can somehow 331 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:47,920 wade through the quagmire of the Cleveland's, the Indianapolis's, the Cincinnati's and the 332 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:55,600 Pittsburgh's and find their way in, I would argue that other than Miami, there is not a team in the 333 00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:01,600 top four that really scares me as a Bill's fan. And the only reason Miami does I know we've got 334 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:06,960 that big win against them, we are not the same defense that we were when we played that team. 335 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:12,720 And that defense granted Phillips is out has progressed. And now have they equalized it enough 336 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:19,840 to close a 21 point gap? I don't know. But that is a team that seems right now the most well 337 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:27,280 rounded on both sides of the ball. I was watching some of the Ravens Ravens Rams game today. And 338 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:34,320 Zay flowers, man, that could can play for Baltimore. But to I look at that offense at points, and I'm 339 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:41,120 like, it looks disjointed, it looks uneven, they don't look like they have a script beyond the first 340 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:48,560 five or 10 plays. So other than Lamargo make something happen. And he's great at doing that. 341 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:55,520 That defense feels somehow the Baltimore defense is performing in every major statistically 342 00:31:55,520 --> 00:32:02,560 category in a top five rate. And Mike McDonald's doing a great job coaching that defense. But 343 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:08,000 then I look at the guys on the roster and I'm like, is that sustainable? Is that real? Like 344 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,480 today they played a real quarterback with real wide receivers and Matt Stafford, 345 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:19,680 Puka Nakua and Cooper Cup and they got absolutely shredded. Like so I don't know who's real. So 346 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:25,360 I say all of that bringing it back to the bills and that if the bills can get in, there's maybe one 347 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:32,320 team that really scares me heading into a postseason run here. So we'll say and that one 348 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:38,560 team that scares you is a team that Josh Allen has absolutely made his children in the past. 349 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:42,640 And Jaylen Ramsey still thinks Josh Allen sucks. So let's not forget about that. 350 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:48,480 Other things to keep an eye on a little bit. You mentioned Mike Hyde also AJAP and after 351 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:53,840 looking like he was going to have a man on fire game out with rib injury. So maybe out for the 352 00:32:53,840 --> 00:33:00,400 next game we'll see. But yeah, I mean overall I think that it was a good one. It was tight. 353 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:05,280 We both predicted the bills to win but we both predicted to be a higher scoring affair. You had 354 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:10,000 the bill getting over 30. I had them getting 28. And both of us had them winning by more than a 355 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:15,680 touchdown. None of that happened. But they got the dub. They got Patrick Willens on the ground 356 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:20,640 one time, which was less than we thought they would. And they did get an interception, which we 357 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:26,800 both picked the over interception. So yeah, absolutely. No, it was a productive day for 358 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:33,520 the Defounds for sure. So JJ, one more thing to keep an eye on for all of our listeners at home. 359 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:40,560 This is going to be JJ's last pod for a short amount of time, an indeterminable amount of time 360 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:46,560 because our boy on the other side of this pod is expecting a baby boy this week. Very excited 361 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:51,680 for you JJ. Congratulations. Thank you, Dan. I appreciate that. Yeah, I, you know, we're going 362 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:59,120 to bring home our first child this week. And at that point, I will be week to week on the pod. 363 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:05,600 Yes, absolutely. Not IR maybe, but probably week to week did not participate. 364 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:11,280 Absolutely. What are you expecting to bring home, young Bryce? 365 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:17,280 Thursday or Friday. All right. Please sleep for the next 72 hours. 366 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:23,520 I'll do my best. You're going to absolutely need it. But congratulations to you. Congratulations 367 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:28,720 to your wonderful wife, Maya. And it is awesome that you're going to be a dad, man. I'm very excited 368 00:34:28,720 --> 00:34:34,720 for you. Awesome. All right. So how that impacts the pod is almost inconsequential because nothing 369 00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:39,600 is bigger than life stuff. But for those of you curious, we are going to have a guest host or two 370 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:44,400 lined up this week. And then depending on JJ's availability, we may be pulling some more of 371 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:49,360 our guest host off bench. But until then, for those of you listening at home, like, share, 372 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:54,320 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, Google, Apple Spotify, and as always, go Bills. 373 00:34:54,320 --> 00:35:24,160 Go, babies.