1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,020 Alright, welcome back to the Buffalo Bread podcast. 2 00:00:10,020 --> 00:00:15,880 JJ here in what could be a surprise, reappearance on the pod. 3 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:22,320 I've taken remarkably well to dad life thus far and just, you know, not to brag, but my 4 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,600 son is a who arrived last Friday is one and oh as a Bill's fan and Bill's mafia. 5 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,720 He wore his little little bills beanie to the pediatrician for his first visit. 6 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:37,880 So yeah, the bills had a good weekend and I did as well and we're all back together. 7 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,240 Dan, how are you doing? 8 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,760 I am doing well and I have to say I know I said it a couple of times on the pod as we 9 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,920 were expecting the arrival of Theo. 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,160 But again, congratulations to you and your wife, man. 11 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:51,640 Dadhood definitely suits you. 12 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:52,640 I have to say. 13 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:53,640 It rocks. 14 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:54,640 It rocks. 15 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:55,640 It does, doesn't it? 16 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,040 There's nothing like it on the face of the earth. 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:03,560 I have probably a third as much sleep as I did prior to dadhood, but I have like an 18 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,240 infinite amount more love. 19 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:06,560 So it's so fun. 20 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:07,560 Absolutely. 21 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,000 It is the most joyous sleep deprivation you'll ever experience. 22 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,280 So again, congrats to you too. 23 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:15,560 And it is great to have you back on the pod, JJ. 24 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,000 I feel like your return at a really opportune time. 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,720 The bills who when you departed were in the midst of making their must win out to make 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:30,240 the playoff run have thus far proven to be very, very formidable in their rush to the 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,640 postseason here. 28 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,960 So as you know, we have handled our business with the chiefs as we discussed on our reaction 29 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:40,320 pod a couple of weeks ago. 30 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:45,840 Dallas was the next in line of victims on the way to the bills making their postseason 31 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:47,040 push. 32 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:53,840 And this week we have the lowly but still worrisome LA Chargers. 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,840 Like I'm on Bill's Mafia Twitter X, whatever you want to call it. 34 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:04,680 And now NFL Threads and there is there is conditioned trauma in all of these chains because everyone 35 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,840 is saying the word trap game against LA. 36 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,120 And I have to tell you, it may be arrogant for me to say as we get into it, I just don't 37 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,200 think the Chargers are going to keep up with the steam and we can start to dig into some 38 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,200 of the reasons why. 39 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,680 Well, well, yeah, and we'll certainly get into the reasons why, like you said, but I 40 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:25,000 think the thing I think the thing that people are afraid of is that this bill's team has 41 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,680 played down to its competition so much this season. 42 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:29,680 True story. 43 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,360 And we haven't we haven't seen that in prior years with Sean McDermott. 44 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,640 It's actually, you know, there's a few different statistics that point to the bills as double 45 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:44,800 digit point, you know, favorites in a game tended to win by double digits most of the 46 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,120 time under Sean McDermott in his tenure, especially since Josh Ailin arrived. 47 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:54,280 But this year has been a bit of an outlier in that they have won narrow victories or 48 00:02:54,280 --> 00:03:00,800 lost narrow losses to teams that otherwise, you know, had, you know, they came in with 49 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:06,040 it with a huge margin of victory expected or anticipated as favorites, and then played 50 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,440 down, played a crap, turned the ball over to different things. 51 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,120 So that's I think what, you know, the trauma you speak to is real. 52 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,480 I have it a little bit too. 53 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,840 The thing that I keep thinking about it, and it's been said by a number of different content 54 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:26,040 creators and people on the beat around Buffalo Bills is that if the bills cannot bury this 55 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,360 team and it's not like style points matter, right, like they just need to get the win. 56 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:35,280 But it would be really concerning for me, looking at a playoff run, if the bills come 57 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:42,040 in here to an injury depleted team that just had its coach turned over and just gave up 58 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:47,880 63 points to a backup quarterback on Thursday night football against the Raiders. 59 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:53,120 If the bills come in here and cannot put this team away in a way that makes it, you know, 60 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:58,880 look easy, then that that's concerning for how they are going to travel when it comes 61 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,920 to playoff time because that, you know, it's likely they're getting in as a wild card. 62 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,400 The division is still on the table, possibly. 63 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,120 But really, it's, you know, how do you play against teams when you're out of your element? 64 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:15,960 Because that couple is victory was at home where the bills have played remarkably better. 65 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:21,040 Even the Chiefs game, they have not played well on the road other than the commanders, 66 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,520 you know, in the first four weeks of the season. 67 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:23,520 So we'll we'll see. 68 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:24,520 I think that you're right. 69 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,840 There's definitely tones of a trap game. 70 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:30,200 And with a new coaching staff, you never know what you're going to get. 71 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:35,240 It's just such a talent depleted roster in Los Angeles. 72 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:40,440 And you know, quarterback who's starting his second game and has four fumbles in the two 73 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:45,640 games or starting a second game has played in three games, has four fumbles across the 74 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,320 previous two games. 75 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:52,800 Sean McDermott also has a remarkably strong record against quarterbacks with less than, 76 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,120 you know, three or four starts. 77 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,280 Your point on McDermott's success against UNQB is as well taken. 78 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:04,200 And I think an added layer to that this season is how this defense is now being schemed. 79 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:09,880 I was in person for the Dallas game, and I had a chance to lay eyes on how the defense 80 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:10,880 was playing. 81 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:15,480 Now, keep in mind, we're basically down to like Keanu Reeves and the replacements like 82 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:16,480 level of players. 83 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:21,120 Don't get me wrong, these are these are pro caliber players, but we're rolling out at 84 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:27,200 a lot of positions are backups backups and linebacking core and the secondary. 85 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,600 Micahyde not available for this game, AJ Epineza for this game. 86 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,040 And it didn't matter against a really, really good offense. 87 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,320 And a lot of it has to do with the pre snap looks. 88 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:42,240 The McDermott is scheming up and that these players for as well coached as they are are 89 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,320 executing to perfection. 90 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:51,280 They're confusing veteran QBs like Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes on a regular basis pre 91 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:53,280 to post snap. 92 00:05:53,280 --> 00:05:58,200 That is going to have a compounding impact on what it does to a young and experienced 93 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,080 QB like Easton Stick. 94 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,600 To me, JJ, as long as this defense regardless of the personnel they run out doesn't take 95 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,600 their foot off the gas when it comes to these pre snap looks and some of the aggression 96 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,320 that they're playing with at the line of scrimmage. 97 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,600 This sets up to be a pretty long day for these these LA chargers. 98 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:21,320 Well, and especially if you look at the pressure rate when it comes to the bill's defense is 99 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:28,200 still super high and we have enough data now from the season to, you know, make some inferences 100 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:34,960 about how capable they are without even a, you know, reasonable level of on Miller play. 101 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,720 It's been really nice and Easton sticks. 102 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,800 All the snaps he's ever played, he has a abysmal QBR against pressure. 103 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,880 And so I think there's great opportunities here. 104 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,480 You know, they turned over five times against the Raiders, which really inflated that score. 105 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:56,680 And it was what it was 63 to 10 or 63 to three and like the start of the fourth quarter. 106 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,360 It was 42 nothing at half time. 107 00:06:58,360 --> 00:06:59,360 Oh yeah. 108 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:00,360 Yeah. 109 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:01,360 Yeah. 110 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:02,360 So I mean, it was embarrassing. 111 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:03,360 Yeah. 112 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,920 And you know, that's that's getting fired territory for sure. 113 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:11,240 And I don't expect the bills to do that because I do believe there's a bounce, you know, the 114 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,360 teams get energy from the fact that sometimes they're playing for more now than they were 115 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:19,680 before the coach, you know, if they don't believe in what the coach is selling, they 116 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,200 can maybe believe in themselves and they have pride and they got worked on national TV. 117 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:28,680 So I expect to see them come out with a little bit more fire, but I'll tell you right now, 118 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:34,840 if the bills are able to get up early and set the tone of that game, especially the veterans 119 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:39,600 who have nothing to play for without a, you know, playoff birth in their future are going 120 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:45,240 to be looking at, you know, tickets to Cabo on the sidelines because it's it's time to 121 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,840 to move on and turn the page, especially those with expiring contracts. 122 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,080 They're not going to want to get hurt. 123 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:54,120 They're going to lay it on the line just for pride alone. 124 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,720 So you know, I don't want to say anything, you know, cast aspersions about the level 125 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:02,120 of commitment or work that Los Angeles Chargers players are going to want to make. 126 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:08,360 I just think that after seeing what the bills did against the Dallas Cowboys, how they came 127 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,680 up, you know, showed up against the chiefs. 128 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,800 This is a team that has shown better focus and they've shown better, you know, want in 129 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:16,960 these games. 130 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:22,400 And I think that they bring it to LA because without winning out, the division is completely 131 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:24,040 off the table in my mind. 132 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,880 They're, you know, two games behind the dolphins, they have to have the dolphins lose at least 133 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,960 one if they have any dream of getting the division off of them, and that means that week 18 is 134 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,320 for the division because if they finish with a tide record and they sweep the dolphins, 135 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:42,200 they get, you know, they get the division and that, you know, seed into the playoffs. 136 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,760 So I think they know that they need it. 137 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:45,880 I think they're going to want it. 138 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,400 I think we're going to see inspired play. 139 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,840 I think we're going to see the things that you're saying about pressure on on Easton 140 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:57,000 stick and the, you know, the disguising of coverage, the rotating of safeties late, the 141 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,720 making the pre snap and post snap picture different for him. 142 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:06,480 All of those things wreak havoc on a young QB and why McDermott has had such success. 143 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:12,760 And then on top of that, when you're only, you know, receiving targets for the, the chargers 144 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:20,400 are, you know, Jalen Geithen, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnson is a rookie who has been pretty 145 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:21,400 poor. 146 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:27,360 He's never show a separation, has a lot of physical gifts, but doesn't really, you know, 147 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,560 doesn't really use them in any real way. 148 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:31,040 And catch the ball. 149 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:32,040 Yeah. 150 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:33,040 Catch the ball. 151 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:34,040 Yeah. 152 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:35,040 It's been a disappointment in a lot of ways. 153 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,640 So really you're looking at, you know, Austin Neckler, who I have so much respect for is 154 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,880 amazing, but is having a little bit of a down, yeah, a little bit of a down year. 155 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,200 Gerald Everett is a good tight end. 156 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:49,000 Donald Parham has shown some things as a young tight end, but that's not a lot. 157 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,200 They do not have a lot of, you know, weapons. 158 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:58,000 And again, this bill's team with enough of a sample size now on the front four with pressure 159 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:04,080 is I think they're going to show some things and really get Easton sticking in a bad position 160 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:05,640 as they go through this game. 161 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,680 And I think it's going to be tough for the chargers to really get anything going on offense. 162 00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:17,880 And so that leaves it to the, the bills offense, if the defense can do their job to really 163 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:22,080 make some hay and we've seen so many games this year when the bills were in kind of that 164 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:27,840 slump where the defense showed up and showed out and then the offense pitifully left that 165 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:28,840 let them down. 166 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:30,360 And so we've changed coordinators. 167 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:35,760 It's looked a lot better with Brady 30 plus points in two of their three games under him. 168 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,160 Three, actually three of their four games. 169 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:39,160 Yeah. 170 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:40,160 Yeah. 171 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,080 And with the only, you know, one short is the chiefs game and they still had a winning 172 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:45,080 effort there. 173 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,080 It gets a good defense. 174 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:51,200 I don't know, man, I think it's, I feel good about it, but I understand the shared trauma 175 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,160 that's existing out there. 176 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,160 I do too. 177 00:10:54,160 --> 00:11:00,600 And, and as we were kind of doing our, our preseason examination of the schedule, where 178 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,160 could some trap games be, where could some trouble spots be for the bills? 179 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,840 I think everyone pointed to this stretch here at the end of the season where it was going 180 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:12,400 to go Eagles, chiefs, Cowboys, chargers, Patriots, then dolphins. 181 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:17,160 Everyone expected most of those teams to be good and expected the Patriots also to be 182 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,760 better than they have ultimately ended up. 183 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,040 But if you had told me preseason, we were going to be facing at the end of the year 184 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:28,920 in LA and Austin Eckler led offensive attack with Justin Herbert under center. 185 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,720 I would have said this was going to be a trouble game, but the reality is is Herbert 186 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:33,720 is hurt. 187 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,120 The season for the, the LA Chargers has not gone in the direction they hoped it would 188 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,480 and Austin Eckler is having a down year. 189 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,360 And not only is he having a down year, this is a team that over the past three years has 190 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:52,000 sunk a boatload of calories, calorie salary cap space into both sides of the line. 191 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:57,320 And JJ, the LA Chargers are losing the battle on the trenches game in and game out. 192 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:02,000 This is a team with a pass block win rate that is 19th in the league. 193 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,880 Yet their salary cap hit for that offensive line, they've got a couple of productive rookie 194 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:10,040 contracts on there, but their salary cap hit is top third in the league. 195 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,120 And this is a pass rush win rate that is 25th in the league. 196 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:18,200 So Eckler is having a down year, but he is getting zero help from the slide. 197 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,920 And then on the other side of the ball, this team is 29th and 21st in those similar defensive 198 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:27,440 splits and pass rush win rate and run stop win rate. 199 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:34,560 This is a team where the investment in draft capital and in salary cap has not paid off 200 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:36,920 to any great effect. 201 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:41,040 But that coin over to the bills, and those are two units over the course of the past 202 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:46,440 few years, you and I have been very critical of the offensive line and the defensive line. 203 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:52,160 JJ, it is remarkable to me, the amount of consistency in the trenches that the bills 204 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,120 are producing day in and day out. 205 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:58,880 And the zenith of that may have very well been that Cowboys game where they physically 206 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,680 dominated on both sides of the ball in the trenches. 207 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:07,360 What should have been I want to say superior competition, but definitely competition that 208 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:09,960 was to their level in my opinion. 209 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:14,320 And the bills clearly were heads and tails, the better unit on the defensive line and 210 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:15,760 the offensive line. 211 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:20,320 With regard to the offensive line, a lot of that has to do with health and continuity, 212 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,680 which the bills have been very lucky to have. 213 00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:27,080 But JJ, it is phenomenal what this team is doing on the defensive side of the ball. 214 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,480 When you think about, as you mentioned, the under production of on Miller, the injuries 215 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,560 that this unit has suffered now to Phillips, but also epinezza throughout the course of 216 00:13:35,560 --> 00:13:36,560 the season. 217 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:39,320 We know we lost to Juan Jones on that line as well. 218 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:45,240 The fact that there has been such a minimal slip in play from this defensive line speaks 219 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,600 volumes to the effort that the guys on the roster that are left are still putting out 220 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:55,520 there and also to the coaching acumen of one Sean McDermott, who has been under fire the 221 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,840 past few weeks, but deserves a ton of credit for the consistency that that line is playing 222 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,840 with. 223 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,000 Well, yeah, I think that's a great point to kind of like, you know, get out some some 224 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,920 some of my like, summary thoughts like we're far enough in the week that the Cowboys game 225 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,400 is a little bit in the distance. 226 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,880 James Cook, you know, AFC play offense player of the week with his first performance, I 227 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,800 think again, you've seen, you know, people have talked about it's now an offense that 228 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,440 doesn't just need Josh Allen to put on the Cape to win. 229 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,360 And we've been talking about that for years now, we need a different component. 230 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,720 And I agree with you, the the place where this all started was upfront in the offensive 231 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:34,120 and defensive lines. 232 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,320 And I also agree that Sean McDermott deserves a lot of credit for getting a lot out of a 233 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:43,080 defense that on paper is going to be a little bit older, a little bit slower than many of 234 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:49,000 the competition it faces, but has found a way scheme wise to shut down some of these attacks 235 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:54,320 and some excellent attacks with the Eagles, the Chiefs, the Cowboys games they've either 236 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,680 played incredibly close or one outright. 237 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,200 And so we've seen amazing things there. 238 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:07,040 He made Dak Prescott look pedestrian because of the ability they had to kind of rotate 239 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:11,040 coverage and change the pre snapped to post snap look. 240 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:16,080 They did some more man and they also had a lot more kind of single high safety trying 241 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:21,760 to close the middle of the field, which really stymied Dak Prescott's looks. 242 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:25,320 And I think the biggest thing is like you couldn't look at that game film look at that 243 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:31,640 game back and say that, you know, the Buffalo Bills had an extremely, you know, incredible 244 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:35,000 coverage game where they had an extremely incredible pass rushing game. 245 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:42,080 What they had was a defensive game where everything worked in unison in a really good way. 246 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:46,120 And they basically erased what the Cowboys wanted to do to them. 247 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:47,560 So it was all scheme based. 248 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,080 I think that I mean, on both sides of the game, on both sides of the ball, this was 249 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:58,200 probably the first game of the season I saw from this Buffalo Bills unit where I felt like 250 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:04,760 our coaches on the bill side completely destroyed the opposing coaches from the position of 251 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,480 putting their players in a place to succeed. 252 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,920 I mean, Joe Brady, you know, planned some some different run looks. 253 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,240 And then basically they saw the box counts and the looks that they wanted to run against 254 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:22,200 and they just kept kept hitting that button and Dallas did not sub out their, you know, 255 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,440 205 pound diminutive linebacker. 256 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,160 They just, you know, the bill just ran directly at him the entire game. 257 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:33,000 And so that was, you know, that was smart scheming and that was the coaches winning. 258 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:38,000 And then like, you know, to your point on the defensive side, Sean McDermott basically 259 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:45,640 just came up with a way to, you know, identify where Dak Prescott wanted to hit CD lamb, 260 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:49,400 take away that as an option with some of those bracketed coverage is that they highlighted 261 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:54,920 on the broadcast a number of times where Terrell Bernard or Tyrell Dodson in some cases was 262 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,720 cutting underneath the CD lamb route. 263 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,720 And then he had safety on the top and a corner stuck to him. 264 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,320 And it's just like, what are you going to do in that situation? 265 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:07,480 You're basically only option to throw to CD lamb was to throw into triple coverage. 266 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:12,800 And for that, he had, you know, a couple of decent gains, but the one gain he had on a 267 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,000 nice underneath route that he turned into a really excellent run after the catch in 268 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:21,880 the first half was the exact same play that Christian Benford showed, you know, excellent 269 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:27,200 wherewithal peeled off of his route on his coverage and was sitting in the hole that that 270 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:28,680 ball ended up sailing into. 271 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:30,280 That's why it looked like such an easy pick. 272 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:35,880 So yeah, I think that the scheme, the scheme in this game was the piece that kind of show 273 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,200 the star that's shown the brightest for me. 274 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:45,280 And it was it was a great evolution, I think of Brady on the offensive side of the ball, 275 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:49,720 not just with his scheming, but his play sequence play call sequencing. 276 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:54,880 You and I in the reaction pod were really critical to to of Joe Brady for how he kind 277 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,840 of let Spagnolo teach him a lesson, right? 278 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,200 Master versus Pad 1, so to speak. 279 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:05,320 And I was a little bit worried heading into this game that Dan Quinn, who is also a wildly 280 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,360 defensive coordinator in his own right. 281 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:12,320 If Brady didn't make an adjustment was going to have similar success. 282 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:16,760 But Brady to his credit, saw what the Dallas defense was giving him saw that they did not 283 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:21,320 have either a schematic or personnel counter punch to any of that. 284 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,920 And he's simply stuck with what worked. 285 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,720 And a lot of the post game since the Dallas game, Brady was very candid. 286 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:32,680 He was like it was not our intention to run James Cook as many times as we did in that 287 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:33,680 game. 288 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:35,080 But we saw how effective it was. 289 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:36,960 We saw Dallas was encountering it. 290 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:41,200 So he figured why go away from something that was that was working. 291 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:48,160 And that to me is the key difference is Joe Brady is a play caller versus Ken Dorsey as 292 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,120 a play caller, not to beat the Dorsey thing to death. 293 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:56,120 But you and I were critical of Dorsey, either stubbornly, stubbornly so sticking to the 294 00:18:56,120 --> 00:19:01,280 scheme, where he would try to target funnel or force targets to digs or to Davis, even 295 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:06,120 when it clearly wasn't working, or his failure to adjust what the defense was giving him 296 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:07,920 mid game. 297 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,640 That has not been a problem for Brady outside of that Kansas City game. 298 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:16,640 So I think what we're seeing on the offensive side of the ball is a coordinator who knows 299 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,440 keenly what the weakness of the defense is. 300 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:25,760 And he's willing to press on that weakness relentlessly until that team counters. 301 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,680 So I thought Brady did a great job in the scheme. 302 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:32,840 And then yeah, McDermott, I mean, dude, we played a ton of dime in that Dallas game. 303 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,240 We basically stayed in dime. 304 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:40,200 A lot of that was because the lead that the offense got the team out to, we knew that 305 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,040 running the ball for Dallas who are not a great running team to begin with was not going 306 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,320 to be a factor. 307 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:50,720 But we were able to play in a schematic set that was comfortable for us that allowed us 308 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,960 to do a lot of the things pre snap that we wanted to do, but also play the coverages 309 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:56,480 that we wanted to as well. 310 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,560 I mean, honestly, this looked a lot like the Miami game and the way that we bracketed and 311 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:06,440 we played we played cover six over CD lamb, we were doing the same or Tyree kill, we were 312 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:11,480 doing the same thing with CD lamb with a few added wrinkles to it. 313 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:16,800 So props to this coaching staff for, and I'm going to say it, out coaching the opposing 314 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:21,440 team, which is something as Bill's fans, we have not been able to say a whole lot. 315 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:26,320 And JJ, I think that's a good segue to get into the LA game, because this should be another 316 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:28,440 game as we have already alluded to. 317 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:33,160 We're from a personnel standpoint, but also from a coaching standpoint with LA being 318 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,880 a team that is in true transition as an organization. 319 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:41,600 This should be a game that we have a lot of advantages on on both sides of the ball. 320 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,400 Yeah, I agree. 321 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:48,680 I think that, you know, when you look at the LA Chargers, they are, you know, they're 322 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,400 there, it seems like every year they're suffering from some sort of terrible injury luck. 323 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:54,840 And this year is no different. 324 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,360 Keenan Allen out for this game, their best wide receiver, Justin Herbert, of course, 325 00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:02,760 out for the year with a broken finger on his throwing hand. 326 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:07,680 Mike Williams, who is a override receiver, that's like basically all I can say about 327 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:08,680 him. 328 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,960 It's been sort of disappointing his entire career because he's either injured or just 329 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:14,040 ineffective. 330 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,000 But then there's flashes of this amazing down the field passcatcher, he's out. 331 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:19,000 He's on IR. 332 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:25,120 You know, their backup center is on IR, and their starting center Corey Linsley is who 333 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:27,880 is probably one of their best offensive linemen. 334 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:32,080 He's out, so they're playing a third string center on defense. 335 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,760 You know, they're down their left cornerback. 336 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,080 Dean Leonard is out. 337 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,400 So and they're of course, you don't want to bury the lead. 338 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,320 Joey Bosa, their excellent pass rusher is down. 339 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:49,760 So they have to Lee to pull out to who is a rookie and a person who's shown some flashes 340 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:51,160 here and there. 341 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:57,840 And then of course, Khalil Mack, fellow UB alum and late in his career, but still chasing 342 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,600 and I think he's got like 12 or 13 sacks or something ridiculous. 343 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,840 So but he had seven in one game. 344 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:07,240 So he gets them in bunches and he has a number of games without a single sack. 345 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:14,840 So when you look at this team, also Derwin James, good safety has had a down year doesn't 346 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,400 seem to know what he's doing is because he's playing all the positions of defense because 347 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:21,400 they don't have enough talent elsewhere. 348 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,240 So he's he's sometimes roaming the deep middle. 349 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:25,240 Sometimes he's in the box. 350 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:26,960 Sometimes he's playing slot corner. 351 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:32,040 Sometimes he's playing like sort of a heavy nickel linebacker role and he's not seeming 352 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:37,320 to be able to do any of them very well, which is tough to watch because he's an excellent 353 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,920 player has been his whole career. 354 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:43,760 But yeah, it's it's a team that has been, you know, racked my injuries. 355 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:50,000 They also, you know, for Brandon Staley during his tenure, they'd never seem to settle on 356 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,720 any one scheme. 357 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:57,400 They're a base three, four defense, but they don't do any particular three, four over three, 358 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,400 four under alignment. 359 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:06,400 Well, they don't tend to be a predominant cover two, cover three zone team or press man team. 360 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:12,720 Like they just seem to never have an identity and get roasted regardless of their talent. 361 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,360 They have some talent on defense. 362 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:20,600 So you had some stats on on kind of where they are in DBOA EPA, right? 363 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:22,200 Oh, yeah, absolutely. 364 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,960 So you know me, I always bring these numbers to the table. 365 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,960 So here it is, the comparison of our beloved Buffalo Bills to the lowly L.A. chargers heading 366 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:32,800 into the game on Saturday. 367 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:38,640 So currently in passing EPA and rushing EPA, the bills are fourth and third respectively. 368 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:43,480 So to know that is a bit of a dip. 369 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:48,080 One rank each from the Dorsey days since Brady has taken over. 370 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:52,240 But I think with these numbers, illustrate JJ, A is that there is no one single number 371 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,080 that tells us how good a team is no matter how much we would like that. 372 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:01,520 But two, there is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. 373 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:06,200 And under Brady, I think it's hard to argue this bills team is not more effective under 374 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:07,800 Brady. 375 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:12,840 The chargers on the other hand, 11th and passing EPA, but obviously we've only had one week 376 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,800 of Eastern stick that number is very likely to come down. 377 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,320 A lot of that is still Herbert and his influence on the offense before he got injured. 378 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,720 And then rushing EPA, 29th in the league. 379 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,240 It's a negative score for these chargers when they try to rush the ball. 380 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,440 So what that means for the folks listening at home is that basically every time the 381 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:37,320 chargers hand the ball off, they are theoretically costing themselves points on the scoreboard. 382 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,480 When you get to the defensive side of the ball, passing defense EPA, the bills are still 383 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:42,480 a top 10 unit. 384 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,680 Again, a credit to this coaching staff and McDermott in particular. 385 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:50,520 And then rushing defense EPA per play, very similar to what it's been all season. 386 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:55,320 They're sitting right squarely in the middle of the league at 15th, not giving up anything, 387 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:56,640 not gaining anything. 388 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,480 The rush defense is serviceable at this point to be but to be expected when the bills are 389 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,440 playing so many nickel and dime looks. 390 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:10,720 The chargers on the other hand, 28th and both passing defensive DPA and rushing EPA as well. 391 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,360 So this is a charger team with not a lot of bright spots throughout the course of the 392 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:16,720 year. 393 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:22,800 And JJ again, I don't want to speak too confidently, but it feels like at least on paper, this 394 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:27,160 game should not be a competitive game for too long. 395 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:32,600 Well and that's the hope too is I think that, you know, as I said on the front, you know, 396 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:37,000 when we were kind of previewing what we thought about this game, you know, McDermott very 397 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,920 good about rookie quarter or very good against rookie quarterbacks. 398 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,560 McDermott actually as the play caller is something we haven't seen against a rookie 399 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:50,160 quarterback or a young quarterback since maybe Sam Howell this season. 400 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:56,240 And so there's an opportunity here for the Buffalo Bills to show, you know, what a Sean 401 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,840 McDermott called defense can do differently. 402 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:04,080 Because up to this point, all those statistics about how good he is about against young quarterbacks 403 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,320 were from a Leslie Frazier called D for the most part. 404 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:11,080 And so I think that this is this will be an opportunity for McDermott to kind of put his 405 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:16,640 stamp on one of these games where he shows, you know, how his scheme can really stymie 406 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:21,840 and stifle somebody who hasn't seen a lot of looks in the NFL or played at that NFL level. 407 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,120 I worry a little bit about this game. 408 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:28,280 Of course, you know, the trap notion are the bills going to show up flat, those sorts of 409 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:29,280 things. 410 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:33,200 But also Easton Stick is like a fantastic athlete. 411 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:38,040 He's not a great quarterback when it comes to throw pocket passing, but he is incredibly 412 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:42,960 fast and had, you know, something like 2800 rushing yards in his college career. 413 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,520 So I worry a little bit about that for the same reason that teams worry about facing 414 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:50,400 the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen running the ball is when you come out when it comes down 415 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:56,160 to box counts and you add your quarterback into the rushing attack, you get an 11 on 11 416 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:57,160 game. 417 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,800 If your quarterback is just handing the ball off, it's 10 on 11 and you have an advantage 418 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:01,960 on defense. 419 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:07,080 And so there's a chance, you know, I don't really love the offensive line for the Chargers. 420 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,680 I don't think that the wide receivers are exceptionally good at blocking, but there's 421 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,960 a chance that they dial up some of the QB run stuff with Easton Stick to try to lean 422 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,720 into him as a weapon. 423 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:24,080 And we'll see, you know, I'm trying to think of a, who's the guy in the Saints that they, 424 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:25,840 you know, like quarterback tight end. 425 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:26,840 Taysome Hill. 426 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:27,840 Yeah, Taysome Hill. 427 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:32,640 See some Taysome Hill type package stuff and because they're going to, if they want to 428 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,520 win this game, I feel like the Chargers have to pull out every stop. 429 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,640 I don't think that their defense is going to be able to slow down the bill's offense. 430 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,560 So they're going to need to try some things, some wild things. 431 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:44,560 Yeah, absolutely. 432 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,440 And you want to flip to the offensive side of the ball for the bills and talk a little 433 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,360 bit about that. 434 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:52,240 I think JJ for me, this is a pick your poison type of thing. 435 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:57,200 If you're the, if you're the LA Chargers, the passing offense has been, I don't want 436 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,120 to say hibernating the last two games. 437 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:06,360 It was very effectively schemed away to a large extent against the the chiefs, particularly 438 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:12,160 in the way that they they took away digs and the Cowboys were committed to it too. 439 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:19,080 But at some point, these defensive coordinators that the bills are facing are going to have 440 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,280 to make a choice. 441 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:26,680 Are you going to continue to let the this bill squad chew you up underneath and destroy 442 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:31,720 you in the run game as you play light boxes to prioritize resources that shutting down 443 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:37,640 our outside wide receivers, or are you going to eventually reprioritize some of those defensive 444 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,440 players to stopping what the bills are doing? 445 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:45,560 And that is going to be the pivot point that I'm interested in seeing from Brady, because 446 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:51,040 if the Chargers, which is they are not a defense like the chiefs that can play multiple, if 447 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,400 the Chargers come out with light boxes, and they are signaling to everyone, we are going 448 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:59,160 to go ahead and we are going to shut down Davis, we are going to shut down digs, and 449 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:03,800 we're going to let the bills running backs and Dalton, Kincaid and Dawson knocks beat 450 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,320 us. 451 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,800 That is going to be very telling if it doesn't happen. 452 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:13,120 Or if the Chargers Chargers adjust mid game and they decide to prioritize more resources 453 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:18,240 to the middle of the field in the box, it'll be interesting to see how Brady decides to 454 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,960 get digs and Davis involved, because that's something that we haven't seen to great effect 455 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:24,080 yet. 456 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:27,760 Davis is not running a lot of creative routes and he is effectively in the Joe Brady era 457 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,080 been a pass blocker. 458 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:35,000 We saw a lot of targets to digs in that Kansas City chiefs game, but a lot of it were screens, 459 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:39,720 a lot of it was gimmicky, just stuff that looked like he was very, very forcefully trying 460 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,800 to get digs involved, like he was trying to force the game to him. 461 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:49,400 We have not seen Brady scheme for these two wide receivers in a way that is more natural 462 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,640 based on what the defense is giving you. 463 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:56,400 So be very curious to see that if the Chargers decide to prioritize middle of the field and 464 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,520 dumping more players into the box, how digs and Davis then factor into the scheme. 465 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:06,680 Well, and I think too that that's going to be, some of that is going to be the pride 466 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:11,640 of the Chargers and the players, the Chargers coaching staff and that sort of thing is 467 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:15,080 the scheme that they try to elect against this Buffalo Bills team is going to tell you 468 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:19,520 right away how seriously they want to actually win. 469 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:23,560 It's possible that they play some younger talent and come out with like, you know, very 470 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:28,600 vanilla type defensive approach and try to just play their like foundational unit defense. 471 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,720 And I think the bills are going to chew that up no problem. 472 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:38,120 And so I will be curious to see if this Chargers defense tries to add some wrinkles or tries 473 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:44,440 to get pressure or tries to hit the Buffalo Bills in some, some weak spots. 474 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:48,720 Things like maybe lining up Khalil Mack on the inside over Osiris Torrance for a snap 475 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:49,720 or two. 476 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:53,680 Things like sending Derwin James and Cleo Mack from the same side because that's something 477 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,080 the Chargers haven't done this season as much. 478 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:01,880 That seems weird to not do this, but Derwin James is one of the best pass rushing DBs in 479 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:06,800 the league and they have not used him in that regard like hardly at all. 480 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,920 And so, and it's largely because he's covering up for so many flaws in the back end of that 481 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:14,800 defense and he'll still have that responsibility. 482 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,120 But you know, if you're a new coaching staff, you might want to just pull all the levers 483 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:20,720 and all the triggers you can. 484 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:26,440 And one of them might be Derwin James safety blitzes from either edge, you know, behind 485 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:30,720 Khalil Mack or opposite Khalil Mack to see if you can make some hat having chaos back 486 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:31,720 there. 487 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:36,720 So there are some things that I'm also curious, same as you, does this Buffalo Bills passing 488 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:37,720 attack get going? 489 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:42,560 We haven't seen much from any of the wide receivers since Joe Brink took over it hasn't 490 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,800 meant a focus of any of his game plans. 491 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:50,880 You know, a little bit of clear Khalil Shakur work over the first couple of games of the 492 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:52,640 Brady era. 493 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:58,960 But that's not, you know, that seemed more like a reaction by Josh Allen to teams taking 494 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,640 away digs or trying to take away digs. 495 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,400 And Davis having longer developing routes, which has always been a thing with Gabriel 496 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,000 Davis, it's part of the offensive design, they send him over the top. 497 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,840 And so if Josh Allen has any pressure at all, Gabe Davis is basically off the table. 498 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,480 So it's interesting, I think it's tough. 499 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:19,520 It'll be tough for Gabe Davis to get a second contract that's lucrative. 500 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:23,560 If he continues to get zero targets, zero catches, no touchdowns. 501 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:30,160 All right, JJ, are you ready for what we are all here for? 502 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:31,160 Prediction sure to go wrong. 503 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:35,560 That's why people keep calling back to hear us make fools of ourselves on the podcast 504 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:36,560 universe. 505 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:37,560 All right. 506 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:38,960 So why don't we start with score? 507 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,680 Where do you sit with the final score? 508 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:46,080 I see this is going to be sort of disappointing for all the bills mafia out there who are 509 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,160 like, Oh, I want to see a 50 burger. 510 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:54,080 But I see the bills, even though the Raiders did that, you know, 63 points is obscene. 511 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:58,000 I see the bills probably putting up 28 or so. 512 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:02,560 I could see him getting over 30, but I think it's going to be a 28 to 13 type of game. 513 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,320 And I think that the 13 probably comes with a field goal and touchdown in the fourth 514 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,400 frame with a lot of Kyle Allen time. 515 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:10,400 Interesting. 516 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:11,400 Interesting. 517 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:19,720 I listen, I have, I have retraced all of my former missteps in cursing our beloved Buffalo 518 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:23,920 Bills as they enter a game where they should handily win. 519 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:28,320 And yet I feel like as I put nonsense and overconfidence into the universe, that somehow 520 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:30,680 has dragged them back down to reality. 521 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,680 I'm going to say bills 27. 522 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:35,680 Chargers 10. 523 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:45,040 I think I think there is going to be an emotional boost, as you mentioned, from a lot of these 524 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:50,280 Chargers players kind of coming out from under the shadow of the brain and staley era. 525 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:54,720 And there's been a lot of great stuff written by the athletic and ESPN on how that era came 526 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:57,120 to an end and what it was like. 527 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:01,400 And I won't get into too many details on it, but I can tell you that anyone who's worked 528 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:06,200 in a work culture as the one that is described in the Chargers locker room, there's always 529 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:13,400 a sense of newfound freedom, independence and an aware with all to do your job. 530 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:16,560 When leaders of that nature are removed from their positions. 531 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,440 So I do think there's going to be a legitimate boost to this Chargers team. 532 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:23,680 And I think it gets them a touchdown early on, but I think the bills clamp it down and 533 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,000 do what we know they can do, which is when this game pretty handily. 534 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,400 So I'm going to go 27. 535 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:29,400 10. 536 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:30,400 I like it. 537 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:37,080 I think that I hope and I think that this could be one of those games that has like a 538 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:45,160 27 13 28 17 type score that feels way less stressful than that score would indicate. 539 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:46,160 You know what I mean? 540 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:49,240 Like we've seen a couple of bills games throughout the years where they cover the spread, they 541 00:34:49,240 --> 00:34:54,000 get ahead early and they dominate top to bottom. 542 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:59,760 But for some reason, a few drives ending, you know, field goals or the opponents have 543 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:04,520 some long drives that shortens the game and it just really, you know, you're never really 544 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:06,020 worried about it. 545 00:35:06,020 --> 00:35:07,760 But the score doesn't look like a blowout. 546 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:08,760 Yep. 547 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,400 Yeah, no, I agree with that. 548 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,280 All right, prop bets. 549 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:13,600 I've got one for you. 550 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:14,600 All right. 551 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:18,760 Over under half a defensive score for the Buffalo Bills. 552 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:24,440 And I say this with last Thursday's game against the Raiders and the Chargers fully in mind, 553 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:29,880 where the Raiders were so ready for a lot of the behind the line of scrimmage screens, 554 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:34,680 the dink and dunk game that they figured the Chargers roll out with a new QB and Eastern 555 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,760 stick at the helm. 556 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:41,240 He's had a little bit of a longer week to get acclimated to the offense through their 557 00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:42,640 their want to run. 558 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:46,240 So but it's hard to shake those turns. 559 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:48,240 It's hard to shake turnovers of that nature. 560 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:53,280 And I don't think there is a complete regression to the mean for mean for stick. 561 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:58,120 So I think the bills are going to pull a couple of turnovers. 562 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:01,680 But the question for you, JJ, is will one of them lead to a score? 563 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:06,840 Well, I mean, the the predator natural ability of Jack Jones and the Raiders team to grab 564 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:12,800 the wide receiver screen out of the air believable one handed while in a full kind of leaping 565 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,560 sprint to the end zone was just bananas. 566 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:17,880 They just knew it was coming. 567 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,560 And I'll say this, I'll qualify my response. 568 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:25,880 I think a defensive touchdown happens if AJ Epinezza plays. 569 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,200 Oh, batting down some of those lateral passes. 570 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:31,200 Yeah, absolutely. 571 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:36,040 Because I do think I do agree with you that there's going to be there's the Chargers probably 572 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:40,760 only path to victory is going to be trying to get Austin Echler in space. 573 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:44,440 And so I could see some pitches and some screens and different things like that that put the 574 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,400 ball in into harm's way a little bit. 575 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:51,960 If the bills come in prepared for them and then on top of that, like I said, and you 576 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:56,120 know, off the jump, Easton Stick has four fumbles in two games. 577 00:36:56,120 --> 00:37:00,720 So he's not a player who has been shown to have very good ball security. 578 00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:02,640 Yeah, no, I agree. 579 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:03,640 I agree. 580 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:08,480 Like I said, it's hard to regress the meme back to the main on turnovers like that in 581 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:10,640 just one week of extra preparation. 582 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:12,680 So I've got a prop for you, my friend. 583 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:13,680 What do you got? 584 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:16,760 Stefan Diggs 100 yard plus receiving game. 585 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:19,440 I mean, this feels like it should be the case, right? 586 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:26,040 Asante Samuel, Jr. solid DB to me, not one that can keep up with Stefan Diggs one on 587 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:27,040 one. 588 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:33,240 And even if the Chargers bring a help over the top with James or another member of that 589 00:37:33,240 --> 00:37:38,360 secondary, as you've noted, that that safety duo for LA is having a down year. 590 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:40,080 James is having a down year. 591 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:42,600 He seems spread really, really thin. 592 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:47,200 Now that was under Stanley, who was a head coach who called defensive plays. 593 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,400 So that could very well change for this game. 594 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:57,160 But if any of the patterns this LA Chargers defensive laid out for us before in our indicative 595 00:37:57,160 --> 00:37:59,560 of this game, I would say digs. 596 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:05,800 Digs as opposed as was a very weak secondary and has a has a breakout game under Joe Brady. 597 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:07,400 Love to see it. 598 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:08,400 I think that's it. 599 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,360 I think that's it for me and my props. 600 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:14,480 I'd like to see Greg or so have a big game, but I don't know what stat I think that's 601 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,120 going to appear as. 602 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:20,880 I'm just waiting for him to kind of put a stamp on things because I think it's fine 603 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:28,760 for him as a first round pick to make a career as a solid run and edge defender who gets 604 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:35,400 maybe five sacks a year and has occasional impact plays that very much feels like a Tremaine 605 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,520 Edmunds arc, though. 606 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:41,000 And so I would hope to get more from him as a first round pick. 607 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,880 So hopefully we see a big Greg or so game. 608 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:47,800 That would be my other prop is, you know, over under half of an impact play, whether 609 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:52,320 it's tackle for a loss sack, you know, interception, something like that. 610 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:53,960 But we'll see what happens. 611 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:54,960 Nice. 612 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:55,960 Yeah. 613 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:58,240 I just kind of want to see a healthy Greg or so game. 614 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:02,800 Like, I feel like we haven't seen that in in a season and a half. 615 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:08,520 Greg or so playing healthy, playing it at 100 percent, because I think that version 616 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:14,680 of Greg or so can be a game changer, can be a 10 sack a season guy. 617 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:16,240 I just I just don't know. 618 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:23,080 And with his frame being as kind of the unusually large and unwieldy as it is, I just wonder 619 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:28,240 if we're ever going to see a dude of that size with that kind of flexibility, truly 620 00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:30,920 be healthy and truly be able to hit their ceiling. 621 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:32,760 But yeah, that is speculation for a minute. 622 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:33,760 Or another day. 623 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:34,760 But I agree with you. 624 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:35,840 I'd love to see a big Greg or so game. 625 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:37,160 I have one more prop. 626 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:39,080 Edie BD prop before we end. 627 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:44,000 Dalton Kincaid over under one and a half drops. 628 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,360 Oh, so yeah. 629 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,000 So he had two drops in the Dallas game and you can blame the weather. 630 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,480 You can blame whatever. 631 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,920 But this is a player who was very sure handed in college. 632 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:56,120 He has come to the NFL and he has a drop problem. 633 00:39:56,120 --> 00:40:01,600 Now granted, he is catching fireballs from Josh Allen that are basically thrown at him 634 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:03,840 at point blank range. 635 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:08,280 But he had two very, very critical drops in that Dallas game. 636 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:13,000 After the first drop, the bills on the very next offensive series went right back to him 637 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,200 on the first play and I loved it because I was thinking in my head, go back to Kincaid, 638 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,680 get him worked into the game because you need some semblance of a passing threat. 639 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:25,080 Because at that point, the game was not fully put away. 640 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:26,240 They go back to him. 641 00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:27,240 I'm like, yes. 642 00:40:27,240 --> 00:40:30,840 And I'm cheering for my seat and I see him drop and I'm like, they should probably not 643 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:32,720 throw to him again for the rest of the game. 644 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:33,720 And they didn't. 645 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:34,720 Right. 646 00:40:34,720 --> 00:40:37,440 So drops are something this kid's got to figure out. 647 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:41,160 Maybe his injury status has something to do with it, but the drops have been a persistent 648 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:42,680 problem for him this season. 649 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:44,880 So over under one and a half drops, JJ. 650 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:46,280 I'm going to go under. 651 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:51,560 It was a thumb injury and by all accounts, he has an opportunity to rehab it enough this 652 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:52,560 week. 653 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:56,800 But I think that he was kind of in the middle of it with the elements, with the piss missiles 654 00:40:56,800 --> 00:41:01,560 as we like to say on this podcast that Josh Allen whips out there. 655 00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:04,400 I think that it was, you know, there was a lot of factors. 656 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:10,440 I still trust Kincaid's hands and I think that he has under 1.5 drops this game. 657 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:14,240 And as we go farther away from the injury, barring another setback with the injury, I 658 00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:18,680 think that he continues to improve that particular factor. 659 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:23,120 I'm going to go under two, but I'd love to see more consistency. 660 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:25,720 The beginning of the season was not his fault. 661 00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:27,400 Everything was game plan for him. 662 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:33,080 But really from week six or seven on, he's been a featured part of the offense and granted 663 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,560 rookie tight ends tend to struggle. 664 00:41:35,560 --> 00:41:39,360 But a lot of it has been poor execution in his part as to why he's at where he's at 665 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:40,360 right now. 666 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:41,360 Still having a good year. 667 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:42,360 Don't get me wrong. 668 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:47,880 But we expect more from a first round pick that we hope will supplant Gabe Davis should 669 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,080 Davis move on as the number two target for Josh Allen on this offense. 670 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:52,080 So for sure. 671 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:53,680 All right, JJ. 672 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:54,680 That's it. 673 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:57,600 Welcome to your first podcast as a dad. 674 00:41:57,600 --> 00:42:03,280 I know I've got one tiny like final comment before we close out here. 675 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:06,200 A scouting report on my son Theo. 676 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:08,760 Oh, let's hear a combine numbers. 677 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:09,760 Yeah. 678 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:14,760 So a one week scouting report that is, you know, it'll matter in the draft in like 21 679 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:17,120 years and five months. 680 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:18,120 Not that we're counting. 681 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:19,120 Yeah. 682 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:20,120 He's in the 80th percentile. 683 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:23,800 He's an average, you know, length and weight baby. 684 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:30,240 But he's in the 80th percentile and head circumference and abdominal girth. 685 00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:32,560 So I think we got maybe a center on our hands. 686 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:34,440 Oh my God, that would be amazing. 687 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:36,800 That would be absolutely amazing. 688 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,720 Intelligence and the denseness, I think points to offensive line. 689 00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:41,720 But we'll see. 690 00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:42,720 I agree. 691 00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:43,720 I agree. 692 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:45,320 You need smart, girthy people on the line. 693 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:46,320 Exactly. 694 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:49,440 May Theo rise to that destiny, sir. 695 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:50,960 We appreciate that. 696 00:42:50,960 --> 00:42:51,960 Awesome. 697 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:52,960 Awesome. 698 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:53,960 Thanks for watching. 699 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:55,640 Like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. 700 00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:56,640 Google Apple Spotify. 701 00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:58,640 Feel free to chop a review. 702 00:42:58,640 --> 00:42:59,960 And as always, go bills. 703 00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:16,080 üimes binnen in