1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,880 Welcome back to the Buffalo Bread podcast. We have our week 10 recap of the Buffalo 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:18,040 Bills burst the Indianapolis Colts, which was played this past Sunday in Indianapolis. 3 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:23,320 That game, I think it turned out better in some ways than either of us expected, given 4 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:29,040 the Colts history this season, Dan. What do you think about, you know, what are your general 5 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,480 feelings about the way that game kind of shook that shook out? 6 00:00:32,480 --> 00:00:36,520 The Bills are the master of the ugly 30 point game. And it's something that I'm coming 7 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:44,040 to accept at this point. What I do like about how this team can win is that similar to last 8 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:49,680 season, they can find a multitude of different ways to beat you if you're a certain tier 9 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:55,800 team. Now again, this is a group that's about to be tested with a five game stretch coming 10 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,280 up here on the schedule that starts with Kansas City. But for the opponents that have been 11 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:05,720 put in front of the Bills, they have done a really good job winning in a variety of ways. 12 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,640 And JJ, the positive news of you're a Bills fan is that this is an eight and two team 13 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:17,000 with an extended lead in the division. And it doesn't feel like yet they have put together 14 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,780 a complete game of football. It feels like they're still fighting themselves a little 15 00:01:20,780 --> 00:01:24,880 bit in the past game in particular, which I'm sure we're going to get to in this recap. 16 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:31,040 So if the Bills can hit the end of the season in stride with all of these components sliding 17 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:35,280 into place on the defense and the offense, this could be a pretty scary team come playoff 18 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,280 time. 19 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,000 Yeah, absolutely. I think that that's one of the things that you kind of hear as a refrain 20 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,160 from many of the Bills beat reporters is that this is a team that still hasn't played its 21 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:51,120 best football. And once they do, it could be a scary team. But how many times have we 22 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:57,640 heard that, you know, narrative throughout the Bills seasons under Sean McDermott? Sometimes 23 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:04,240 Yeah, exactly. Hopefully. Sometimes it's a matter of, you know, you have to ask the 24 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:10,320 question of like, we, is it just that they're always going to be inconsistent? I mean, in 25 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:15,480 the playoff exits, they've had inconsistency in their, you know, stretches of losses at 26 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,000 times they've had inconsistency is, is the answer that this team is always going to be 27 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,840 just slightly inconsistent. I think there's a couple of things that in the past have held 28 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:31,760 this team back from really reaching its ceiling. First, it's the general health of the squad. 29 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:36,920 Like it feels like every year we're dealing with some sort of debilitating injury, be 30 00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:41,240 it on the offense or be it on the defense. This season in particular, well, I know a 31 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,560 lot of the, the press and the attentionals on the Milano injury and some of the injuries 32 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:52,120 on the defense. JJ, the health of this past catching room, I think has made it really 33 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:57,480 hard week to week for Josh in a room full of basically new weapons outside of Concade 34 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:03,280 and Shakir to really find a rhythm with this group offensively. And it's not going to 35 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,840 get any better against KC in the coming week, because Keon Coleman, we know for sure is 36 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,760 going to be out for that game. McDermott, sorry, ruled him out. And a Mari Cooper is 37 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:18,440 a big question mark. So I think year after year, it's this a different version of the 38 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:23,760 same story, which is why the bills struggle to often reach their ceiling and hit their 39 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,680 stride when we want them to. Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right. I think that maybe 40 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,840 that's a better kind of thing to focus on with why this team always seems to be inconsistent 41 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,880 is they are almost always missing key contributors. And that can be said about almost all teams 42 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:44,000 at all times in the league. But it is it's peculiar with the bills because the misses 43 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:49,960 are often such critical pieces of very important parts of their game in order to put a full 44 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,360 and complete game together. In the Sean McDermott defense, you need your safety is healthy, you 45 00:03:54,360 --> 00:04:00,160 need your middle linebacker healthy. And you need kind of the kind of right up the gut 46 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,920 of your defense, you need your defensive tackles healthy. And those are three areas that the 47 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:10,000 bills have struggled with having injuries over the years linebackers, safeties and DBs 48 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,000 in general, and then tackles. And so I yeah, I think it's it's interesting that that's 49 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,400 kind of part of it that plays into it for sure. But I also think it's something that 50 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:24,400 no team in the league can really count on no team can say, we're 100% healthy or we 51 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:30,560 can count on being that the year the bills the 13 seconds year is one of the healthiest 52 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:36,920 seasons the bills have had overall. And I think that that showed in their kind of absolute 53 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:43,120 trouncing of the Patriots and the playoffs. And then of course, in playing the event there 54 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:48,760 the eventual Super Bowl champion chief so hard in that game, I think that in the games 55 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:54,480 that they were, you know, put all together, all three phases of football performances. 56 00:04:54,480 --> 00:05:00,520 I think of the first Dolphins game, I think of the Jaguars game. In those kind of efforts, 57 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:07,280 in those complete victories. I don't know, not even the undefeated chiefs seem to be 58 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:14,120 a team that could stand up to that level of precision and efficacy. And so I know we're 59 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,440 going to talk about that down, you know, down the line and our chiefs preview later this 60 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:22,800 week. But it's really a question of like, is this the team that can get it all done? 61 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,200 And you're right, I think that maybe the biggest difference with so many teams we've seen who 62 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,560 were absolutely considered contenders for good reasons, mostly because of Josh Allen, 63 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,880 but also because of the way this operation has run, the defense and the way that they 64 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:41,240 do not give up big plays. smartly coached smartly played. Is this the team that can finally 65 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,720 kind of get hot at the exact right time and maybe not be completely derailed playing off 66 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:52,220 the couch retired players as starting linebackers in the playoffs because they're so injury 67 00:05:52,220 --> 00:05:58,600 depleted they have no other option. No shaded AJ Klein, by the way, who who you are naming 68 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:04,680 namelessly. I I would not expect him to have performed 69 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:09,320 any better given his status in life. It's just they were in a pinch and that he was 70 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:13,880 the only answer. Yep. Yeah, yeah, he was not put in a position to succeed. But where the 71 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:19,840 bills did to see JJ was their game against the Colts this week. It was the first time 72 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:25,480 the Colts this season in 10 weeks had lost a game by more than one score or participated 73 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:32,920 in a game to conclusion that ended with them losing or winning by more than one score. 74 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:37,400 And the bills, I think other than a garbage time touchdown at the end of the game, I think 75 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:42,200 the bills held their own for a majority of that game. The run defense look shaky in the 76 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:48,320 first half as it has in so many games this season. And then per the per the way it was 77 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:54,080 designed, the game script on offense went more their way. The Colts had to rush less. 78 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,560 Jonathan Taylor only seven rushes in the second half for a total of five yards, the bills 79 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,720 absolutely locked him up. But also the offense was doing its job not as efficiently as we've 80 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,760 seen it, but it was doing its job flipping the game script in a way that was going to 81 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,880 be much more favorable to the bills defense complimentary football, as McDermott likes 82 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:17,000 to say, and force the Colts to kind of play into their hands, which is ultimately what 83 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:23,080 happened. JJ, we were also so close to nailing our prediction about flacco getting benched 84 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:27,920 for Anthony Richardson. We literally said, this feels like a game where it could get 85 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,800 away from flacco and he could throw like three picks. And then at some point we're seeing 86 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:38,080 Anthony Richardson. So flacco did indeed throw three picks. And he had a fumble for total 87 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,720 turnovers in this game, sacked four times by the bills as well under what seemed like 88 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:50,480 constant dress and another big Gregor so game here. So JJ, it was not pretty at times, but 89 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:56,320 it was exactly the type of when you expect this bills team to put together these days. 90 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,320 Where do you want to start? Bill's offense or bills defense? 91 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,600 Let's start with bills defense. And she already sort of kind of teed off on that a little 92 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:09,000 bit with the flacco sacks, interceptions and fumble lost. I really liked what I saw from 93 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:13,680 this defense. And while I was watching this game, the thing I kept thinking about is our 94 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:20,120 conversation about the bills run defense and how but by the look test, it seems completely 95 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,880 porous and miserable and terrible. But once you dig into the advanced analytics in terms 96 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:31,760 of rush success rate, EPA per rush, that they've really been top five top 10 in the league, 97 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:38,200 they've actually started in the last three or four games, hitting hitting beyond top 98 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:44,720 and working their way towards the upper part of the league in success on stopping the rush. 99 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:52,320 And this game, even with, you know, 100 and what was it, 121 rushing yards by the Colts, 100 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:58,800 their ability to cancel successful rush pit plays by the Colts was at an all time high 101 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:03,920 in terms of, you know, they were not Jonathan Taylor busted one big run, but for the most 102 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:09,680 part, his yards per carry was pretty low. And he was not getting at least 40 to 50% of the 103 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:15,680 expected yards on each play that he needed to get in order to help them stay ahead of 104 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:21,560 the sticks. And so this was a perfect example of they they only played heavy boxes 28% of 105 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:27,160 the time. And they still kept the rushing game down with who is a really excellent runner 106 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,360 in this league still elite at his age. 107 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:37,120 Yeah, absolutely. And you know, it, Greg Russo continues to impress in both the run game 108 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:42,160 and the, and the pass rush game, I feel like we've lauded him a lot this season. I want 109 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:48,400 to turn it over to Taryn Johnson, not only because he had that that awesome pick six 110 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:54,040 to start the game, I mean, what a way to start the game on defense. But when I looked at 111 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:59,320 a lot of the film from the Miami game last week, we had noted in that recap that at Oliver 112 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:05,080 seemed to be getting pushed around by Liam Eichenberg, any chance he got. What the what 113 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:10,480 Mike McDaniel did neutralizing Taryn Johnson in the run game, we're so often he kind of 114 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:16,040 has that fit over third linebacker. I mean, finding a way to release a guard in the second 115 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:23,200 level to neutralize Taryn Johnson, having a wide receiver erase Johnson from from run 116 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:29,640 stop coverage was really well done. Johnson was way more on his game finding his run fits 117 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:36,880 a lot quicker and defense. He to me JJ is such a crucial part of this defense. And it seems 118 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:42,960 like he is even in in Bill's media world where he is so respected. It feels like game 119 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:48,640 to game because Russo is coming up with these splash plays. We are forgetting how integral 120 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:53,600 Taryn Johnson is to what they want to do not just in the past defense game, but in the 121 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:58,440 run stop game as well. And this is a game where because he found his fit so quickly, 122 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,040 he was really a difference maker, particularly in that second half and shutting down this 123 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,160 cold rush offense. 124 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:11,840 Yeah, Taryn Johnson is you know, I'll say he's the absolute best slot corner in the 125 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:17,440 entire NFL at fitting the run. You don't need to remove him and add a third linebacker 126 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:25,240 and they don't. Because he fills gaps like like he's Khalil man, he fills gaps like he's 127 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:30,400 twice his weight and twice his strength. And it's excellent to I mean it's the most exciting 128 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,080 thing to watch as a Bill's fan because you know you got your guy he was what like a fifth 129 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:40,280 round pick that is such value in the draft to have to turn around a Weber state product 130 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:46,160 into the best run support corner in the league and one of the best coverage corners in the 131 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:52,520 league in the slot. So yeah, Taryn Johnson's game is massive. Just quick note on Greg Rousseau, 132 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:59,280 his his ability to set the edge in the run is like just sexy as hell to watch game in 133 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:06,800 game out, you watch him like he works. He's being actively engaged in blocks. And he's 134 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,800 still just tackling running backs. He just like doesn't care that there's a human being 135 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:18,240 who's like 320 pounds pushing on him with incredible you know, benches 600 pounds strength. 136 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,080 He's just like now I'm just going to keep working my way towards the edge and turn 137 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:27,080 this thing up inside and use my giant pterodactyl wingspan to bring this guy to the ground. 138 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,080 It's amazing. 139 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:33,400 It is he said he's having such a good season to at a time where we really needed him to. 140 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:39,440 Now I know sack production has not been where folks would like to see it. But he is a difference 141 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:46,680 maker on almost every play it feels like. Now we have joked and by we I mean me of putting 142 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:51,400 Greg Rousseau in the Jerry Hughes zone where it's all pressure no sacks. But dude, his 143 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:57,760 pressure is meaningful. He's laying hands on QBs. He's eating up double teams to your 144 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,600 point earlier setting the edge on the run in a way we have not seen an edge defender do 145 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:09,760 on this unit in a very, very long time. He is having he is having as good a season minus 146 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:15,040 the sack production as one could have and he is an actual legitimate disruptor. And to 147 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:20,000 me JJ it's it's made all the more amazing by the fact that no one else on the defensive 148 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:25,940 line safer Dwayne Carter I think in spurts when he's been healthy has played up to the 149 00:13:25,940 --> 00:13:30,000 level we thought they could. I mean to Juan Jones we talked about it last week is getting 150 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:36,480 erased and double teams at Oliver. You're you're coming last week about his little piston 151 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:42,400 arms not pistoning anymore right. He seems a little bit slow on the get off. And it just 152 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:48,440 is he's getting pushed around by interior offensive lineman. And then eponnes has always 153 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:54,800 been inconsistent in his run fits but he's had some splash splash sacks. So Rousseau is 154 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,680 doing this I don't want to make it seem like it's this Herculean effort where he's the 155 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:04,040 only guy producing because there are other guys producing in spurts but he is the only 156 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:10,080 one in my mind for my money JJ who's doing it consistently weekend and week out and in 157 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:16,760 meaningful spots as well. So Greg Rousseau give everyone every all the listeners another 158 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:25,840 analogy to Greg or to I'm sorry to at Oliver's hand fighting and Oliver last season was a 159 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:31,160 expensive Vitamix blender. He was the blades in the bottom of a Vitamix blender. Anytime 160 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:35,720 somebody tried to get hands on him in terms of how his little arms were swinging around 161 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:43,920 in ferocious little circles. This season he's like your grandpa's Oster that has been hand 162 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:49,600 down four generations cannot can no longer make a smoothie and only one half of the blades 163 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,200 are still there. That is like that's it's so like people get their hands on him and 164 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,240 they stick to him and that's never happened in his career. I don't know what happened 165 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:06,640 to at Oliver. Also it. Go ahead. Yeah. I was going to say also as an aside. I think we 166 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:11,320 both I think Dequan Jones was sort of playing out of his mind through week five last year 167 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:18,520 and this is more accurate to what you see what Dequan Jones game is. 168 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:27,360 Yeah. I listen I appreciate what Dequan Jones has meant to this defensive line. You could 169 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,800 argue that since star LaTula lay was on the squad he has been the best running mate for 170 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:39,480 Ed Oliver on that defensive line. My concern was always his age the the tread on the tires 171 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:47,240 so to speak and how quickly at that position decline comes as you age out of it. And I 172 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:52,040 just think we're seeing that with with with Dequan Jones especially when you take into 173 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:58,240 account the severity of the injuries that he's had pile up over the past couple of seasons. 174 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:03,320 I think his decline was somewhat inevitable that we hoped he could stave it off for a 175 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:07,480 little bit of time. And listen he's a veteran player. Maybe he's got some juice left for 176 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:13,440 a for a hopeful playoff run here but he looks pretty ineffectual at this point. JJ another 177 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:18,960 area I want to point your attention to is in the secondary because while while this Buffalo 178 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:24,880 Bill secondary Taryn Johnson the surprising playoff DeMar Hamlin Taylor wraps consistency 179 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:29,600 and of course the lockdown nature of Christian Benford have all been really great stories. 180 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:37,560 It result Douglas seems to be as as Benford's running mate seems to be struggling over the 181 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:42,880 past couple of weeks and past coverage over the past and by couple I mean four weeks over 182 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:51,360 the past four weeks QB's have an average QB rating of one 17.5 when they're targeting 183 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:56,160 result Douglas. Now listen when you're going when you're going up against the Buffalo Bills 184 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:00,800 you do not want to test Christian Benford too often. So of course Douglas is going to 185 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,640 see his fair share of reps come his way but still JJ based on what we saw last year and 186 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:12,320 the fact that this dude is an opportunistic corner who when he closes in separation seems 187 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:17,280 to come away with a pick he hasn't been generating a ton of turnovers over this this latter part 188 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:23,560 of the first half of the season and he's allowing a lot more separation on average than he did 189 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:29,360 last year and he's giving up a lot more yak yak so far over the last four weeks than he 190 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:34,800 did to start the season as well. JJ are you concerned about Rizul Douglas being right 191 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:40,080 now maybe a sneaky weak link in that secondary. 192 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:45,840 I am because I've noticed the same thing you have in that he has not been the kind of tenacious 193 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:51,200 in your face corner that he showed out to be all last year after the trade deadline. I'm 194 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,680 not sure what's going on he he hasn't really had any reported injuries of any kind or anything 195 00:17:55,680 --> 00:18:00,480 that would cause him to be like you know responding a little bit slower to coverage snaps. 196 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:07,440 So yeah it's a curious thing but it also in a lot of ways you know it sort of makes the 197 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,760 the makes the fact that the bills did not choose to extend him and that he's playing out the last 198 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:16,640 year of his deal make a little bit more sense in that they might know know something of course 199 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:22,560 seeing him every day in practice or in the game to say that what he was presenting last year with 200 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:27,440 what was it like in an interception for consecutive games or something like that like that that was 201 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:34,240 not necessarily his regular standard production and might have been sort of a you know a fluke 202 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:41,600 a little bit that would make some more sense. I'm all I'm gonna say they have Kyrie Lym for one more 203 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:49,040 year if they feel like Christian or Christian Benford is the guy right and then Russell Douglas 204 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,440 is not getting it done maybe it's Kyrie Lym's opportunity to earn a starting job. 205 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:59,920 He's played well in the limited reps we've seen him this season he's managed to I think 206 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:07,120 maintain his physicality without getting flagged so much for his pure aggression and I think that 207 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:12,160 was the thing by and large that was holding him back from being a regular part of this rotation 208 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:17,040 but I agree with you listen ride with Douglas it wasn't too long ago we were calling Douglas and 209 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:22,880 Benford the potentially the best cornerback duo in the league or at the very least in the AFC East 210 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:29,600 ride with it but I do think it's a trend worth noting especially as we head into this stretch 211 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:37,360 where we're going to be facing Casey Biowik San Francisco LA and Detroit those are teams with 212 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:42,720 legitimate wide receiver weapons and it's going to be very very interesting to see how how Douglas 213 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:48,800 holds up at the end of that stretch you could be looking at it's especially to JJ if the bills do 214 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:54,480 in fact have the division locked up by early December you could be looking at Kyrie Lym getting a 215 00:19:54,480 --> 00:20:00,880 little bit more run to see what his usage is going to be like in the postseason and I like it because 216 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:07,920 I think that Kyrie Lym a couple of things that I was always really upset about after the Kyrie Lym 217 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:12,800 Elym pick when he would get on the field is that he didn't have a great feel for zone coverage he 218 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:18,240 didn't know how to squeeze routes from his designated zone he would sort of hit his landmark and just 219 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:24,480 sit there as people gained separation around him or he would hit his landmark stay there and then 220 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:29,360 lock onto one target in his zone and not recognize that there was somebody sneaking behind him in 221 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:35,200 coverage and so those things have actually improved quite a bit in kind of rewatching the Colts game 222 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:41,040 in in all 22 for his few snaps and then just other times throughout the season that he's been on the 223 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:46,880 field especially late in games when the bills are winning he's shown out pretty well and then of 224 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:52,160 course the game that Christian Benford was was fully out Kyrie Lym has presented pretty well. 225 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,760 Yeah absolutely JJ I want to flip it over to the offensive side of the ball here 226 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:02,480 and kind of in the same way that we went good and bad on the defensive side of the ball I want to 227 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,280 do the same thing offensively but I want to start with bad because I want to end at a high note 228 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:12,000 because I think there was more to like about the bill's offensive effort than the tape and the 229 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,680 stats would allow but I want to start with something and I want to get your take Dalton 230 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:20,320 Kincaid now I know he's struggling with an knee injury looks like he got pretty banged up in this 231 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:28,080 Colts game but this has not been the season we expected from Kincaid now granted tight ends it 232 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,280 takes them a while to find their fit in the league and this is only his halfway we are only halfway 233 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:38,640 through the second season but JJ I think it's fair to ask is Kincaid regressing at this point 234 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:44,320 he is on pace for less total receiving yards than he had last season despite the fact that he's been 235 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:50,240 targeted at a higher rate this year than he was in his rookie year over the past two weeks he has 236 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:58,640 seen a total of six of 15 targets and he's only hauled in six of those catches for 56 yards over 237 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:06,000 the last two weeks his catch rate this season is his catch rate over expected this season is minus 238 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:13,040 12.5% now you pointed out various stootley I think last pod that they are using him in far more 239 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:20,080 downfield situations than he they did in his rookie year and his air yards per target has increased 240 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:27,280 from 5.5 yards last year to 7.6 yards this year which tells me yes they're using him further down 241 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:33,200 the field but JJ is this a is this a skill thing or is this a scheme thing because some of these 242 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:39,280 numbers for Kincaid they do point to a downward turn and not the growth and development we thought 243 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:48,320 we would get I worry a little bit it's a you know it's a skill thing because you know as you mentioned 244 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,640 hit scheme wise he's been asked to do more that he's unfamiliar uncomfortable with 245 00:22:55,280 --> 00:23:01,440 but uh skill wise I think that there's something to be said for this dude's been battling injuries 246 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:08,320 it seems ever since he came into the league and that we've seen that from so many promising you 247 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:12,880 know young football players off of their rookie first year second year that they start to like 248 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:18,320 drag around these big time injuries because they're playing in a big time league and they look less 249 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,640 effective and sometimes that they recover fine sometimes you know it's the kind of thing where 250 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:29,200 they realize over time that they're always going to be injured and they play through it they they 251 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:35,280 buck up and other times it's like oh well they were not able to rise up to the physicality of the 252 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:40,640 league and um it was sort of too much for them so the question I have right now is like what 253 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:47,200 what did the second half of this season look like for Kincaid and most specifically the biggest thing 254 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:54,640 I'm interested in is what does Kincaid's usage look like in games if they can get some kind of a 255 00:23:54,640 --> 00:24:00,720 stretch where Amari Cooper and Kean Coleman are both on the field and that's the hard part to 256 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:07,920 gauge too because as we have noted this wide receiver room has been a constant work in progress 257 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:13,120 you had Mack Hollins through the first three games who seem to be your wide receiver one despite all 258 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:19,680 logic pointing to the fact that he shouldn't um Khalil Shakir in and out early in the season 259 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:25,600 banged up a little bit Kean Coleman is a rookie finding his way the Amari Cooper piece seemed so 260 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:31,840 important because then everybody slotted exactly the way they needed it to be and it's it's no 261 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:37,360 coincidence that in the one game this this pass catcher room has played together fully healthy 262 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:43,200 Kincaid had one of the stronger games of the season so it could be it could be a skill thing 263 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:50,800 but I'm thinking scheme not that Brady is scheming up poorly for Kincaid but I do think they have a 264 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:57,280 vision for his skill set in this scheme but it does rely so heavily on everybody else doing 265 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:04,240 their one 11th on that offense for it to work um so I've got I've got concerns JJ that we might not 266 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:08,880 fully realize that vision because I don't know that this pass catcher room is going to be healthy 267 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:14,800 we know they're not going to be healthy for the KC game and that's a big one right so if you're Joe 268 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:20,720 Brady do you ask yourself I'm going to be without Kean Coleman against KC I'm potentially going to 269 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:27,360 be without Amari Cooper do I need to use this young tight end weapon in a different way than I have 270 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:34,880 been to maximize not just his role in the offense but try to maximize the offense because this was 271 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:42,240 not a great Josh Allen game either right and we saw for one of the few times this season the 272 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:49,280 Houston game being another notable one where his completion rate completion rate over expected 273 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:54,480 was below where it should have been and I mean he missed uh on quite a few throws in this game 274 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:59,760 that wide open look to Kincaid where it felt like Kincaid hitched a little bit on that first 275 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:05,440 quarter route where Josh just missed him but outside of that that was a very very that was a 276 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:10,960 that was a play that Josh should have connected on there just seems to be something JJ that is not 277 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:16,720 yet fully realized in this passing offense that I can't quite put my finger on I am talking it up 278 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:22,000 to health like I've been consistently throughout the course of this pod and I hope I'm right and I'm 279 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:27,840 hoping they're healthy we see what this pass game could look like because that feels like the one piece 280 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:33,920 of this offense they're lacking in identity their identity in the run game is very very clear very 281 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:38,400 very well defined and that's also where they've been the healthiest on the offensive line and in 282 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,800 the running back room this season the pass game though doesn't feel as quite well defined at this 283 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:48,960 point in the season yeah I think you're absolutely right I think that it's the biggest thing is like 284 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:54,800 who's available and how much reporter they have with Josh Allen it if I'm watching this team and 285 00:26:54,800 --> 00:27:02,000 having so much familiarity watching every snap of Josh Allen's career um what I see is a lot of 286 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:07,280 players that he's not super comfortable with other than uh Kalo Shakir in the wide receiver room 287 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:11,200 and other than Dawson Knox in the tight end room and that includes Kincaid I think that they 288 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:16,880 not they being Allen and Kincaid put a lot of effort and energy this offseason into being more 289 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:22,480 familiar with each other spending time on and off the field um building that rapport but it 290 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:28,000 still doesn't seem like he perfectly knows you know how to hit Kincaid where he wants the ball and 291 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:33,200 and and where to kind of throw in on certain routes he tends to sail balls on Kincaid a little bit 292 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:39,760 more than than expected um and so I think that you know it's a question of where do we you know 293 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:45,040 let if we take a snapshot of now and then take a snapshot of the final game of the season of the 294 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:50,160 regular season that Josh Allen and the starting offense plays in what does that look like and 295 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:56,560 who steps up who stands out on the receivers um specifically the receiver room and tight end room 296 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:03,600 and who kind of fades into the background a little bit because I was actually I mean this colds game 297 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:08,240 I know Keon Coleman's not out there and no uh you know Cooper's not out there 298 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:12,400 Mack Hollins like impressed me I had said multiple times I didn't think he had any value to this 299 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:17,760 team other than a fourth or fifth wide receiver and special teams but he you know when he when 300 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:23,280 push came to shove he had a lot of very clutch moments and very excellent routes yeah absolutely 301 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:30,160 um clutch I think is the perfect way to define Mack Hollins performance in that game and listen 302 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:36,000 it through give the guy give the guy guy's flowers because we have been I think rightfully critical 303 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:41,600 of his outsized role early on in the season in the passing game um I love the fact too 304 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:48,720 that early on you saw Curtis Samuel Joe Brady try to get Curtis Samuel going as well I they're just 305 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:55,040 kicking the tires on so many of these pass catchers still JJ you wonder if the clock isn't going to 306 00:28:55,040 --> 00:29:02,320 run out eventually because otherwise offensively this is a team that's got a pretty clear identity 307 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:08,880 that offensive line continues to great in the run game and they've just they get better it feels 308 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:14,320 like each and every game they're in addition to that their pass block win rate has gone all the 309 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:19,440 way up to fourth according to ESPN stats and info this year so this is a crew that is winning at 310 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:25,680 the point of attack in a way that we and by we I mean me didn't think could be replicated based off 311 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:30,480 the stellar performance of last year's offensive line but this group while they still have not 312 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:35,840 hit the statistical heights of last year's group they are approaching that point and they're approaching 313 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:42,240 that point at the right time and do James Cook like I not his best game statistically of the 314 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:49,520 season but when you watch it on film that dude is running fast he is running angry like he is 315 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:54,880 as complete a back as there is in the league I put him up there with the macaferies and the 316 00:29:54,880 --> 00:30:01,120 Barclays as far as what his impact on this offense can be for the Buffalo Bills moving forward 317 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:08,960 again a lot to like there we saw Brady go a little bit away from the run game 318 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:14,560 in the second quarter which we've seen him do a few times in his play sequencing when it looks 319 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,120 like the defense is sort of figuring something out on the run game but he very he very wisely 320 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,880 went back to it particularly in the second half as the bills were starting to close things out 321 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:28,480 it JJ game script and always go the way the bills wanted it but they all ended up pulling out the 322 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:34,240 win in the end and again there's a lot to like about this off this team's offensive identity 323 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,720 if they can figure if they can get a passing game that complements this run game it's gonna be 324 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:44,080 it's gonna be a scary year to come play often yeah absolutely and that's I think the thing 325 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:49,040 that we talked about when we kind of opened the pot about the team being inconsistent 326 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:55,840 and variable game to game it's just like so many you know Josh Allen and Sean McDermott teams that 327 00:30:55,840 --> 00:31:00,880 we've seen in years past if they can put put together all the phases that they need to nobody 328 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:05,200 will stop them it's just the reality of the talent that they've assembled and it's part of the reason 329 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:11,760 that I trust Brandon being anytime he makes moves because he pays attention to depth he pays attention 330 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:17,040 to the combination of players he's smart with his money and he's smart with his draft picks and I 331 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:22,560 I like the team I like the roster construction I'm very happy this season with the integration of 332 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:27,200 rookies into the lineup I can you know go for a little bit more specifically when it comes to 333 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:32,320 Cole Bishop Cole Bishop yes red Cole Bishop let's see it let's make it happen let's see some more but 334 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:37,920 I for the most part everybody else has played more than I believe they they normally would 335 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:44,800 you know I think we both are Javon Solomon fans I think we both are interested in uh Cedric Van 336 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:51,680 Prand Granger but without good this offensive line is playing don't mess don't mess with it just to 337 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:56,240 try to get a rookie on the field let him cook let him cook behind you know behind the scenes 338 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:04,720 and also you know when I look at James Cook and Ray Davis I see two two bell cow backs I don't see 339 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:13,680 a 1a 1b I see two backs who could both handle the 20 plus touches a game and so what that looks like 340 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:20,640 to me is that you know even as much as we might love James Cook if he commands a pretty big contract 341 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:25,520 at the end of next year we could probably see him walk and the bills try to get a compensatory 342 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:30,880 with Ray Davis and the wings ready to take that that workload absolutely and then plenty of draft 343 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:37,840 capital here lining up for the 2025 draft as being a great job accumulating a stable of draft picks 344 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:42,400 they could use to potentially build toward continue to build towards the future of this roster 345 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:47,760 all right JJ great thoughts on the win for the bills great win overall for the bills 346 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:52,560 we now head into chief's week my friend and I'm looking forward to talking about that one because 347 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:57,840 it's going to be interesting for so many different reasons but for all of you listening at home this 348 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:02,560 is the last time that you will have to listen only to this podcast because starting with our chief's 349 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:08,720 preview we are heading to YouTube but until then stream or download us wherever you get your podcasts 350 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:20,160 Apple Spotify and as always go bills go bills 351 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:39,520 you