WEBVTT 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:03.500 Welcome back to the Buffalo Bread Podcast. Dan 00:00:03.500 --> 00:00:06.179 and JJ here with you Saturday morning before 00:00:06.179 --> 00:00:08.919 the Buffalo Bills take on the New England Patriots 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:12.960 at home Sunday night football week five. Bills 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:16.000 coming into this game 5 -0 and the New England 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:21.239 Patriots 2 -2 in second place in the FCS while 00:00:21.239 --> 00:00:26.350 the Bills lead. This game could be... The early 00:00:26.350 --> 00:00:29.589 season, stamp your foot on your division. We 00:00:29.589 --> 00:00:31.910 are heading to the playoffs. Let's lock up the 00:00:31.910 --> 00:00:35.429 seeds and go. Statement from the Bills. Or it 00:00:35.429 --> 00:00:38.030 could be one of those excruciating, annoying 00:00:38.030 --> 00:00:41.369 losses to a team that isn't quite there or on 00:00:41.369 --> 00:00:43.829 their level that we've suffered so many times. 00:00:44.189 --> 00:00:47.469 Look to every best Patriots game of their whole 00:00:47.469 --> 00:00:50.630 season. The Super Bowl type game for a new coaching 00:00:50.630 --> 00:00:52.829 staff under Mike Vrabel and a second year quarterback 00:00:52.829 --> 00:00:56.090 with Drake May. What do you think, Dan? Are those 00:00:56.090 --> 00:00:59.030 are only two options that we get to pick from 00:00:59.030 --> 00:01:00.710 for this? Yeah, absolutely. It's you either stomp 00:01:00.710 --> 00:01:07.109 on their throat 35 to 10 in the first half, or 00:01:07.109 --> 00:01:10.549 it's a nail -biter to the end and they win. That's 00:01:10.549 --> 00:01:15.450 it. Those are the two. I think... Yeah, we're 00:01:15.450 --> 00:01:16.870 going to get into this as we talk about this 00:01:16.870 --> 00:01:20.329 game, but I think based off the New Orleans game... 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:23.719 There are things that the Bills are doing offensively 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:27.000 and defensively that will require adjustment 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:30.159 against the Sioux England Patriots team. I am 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:33.299 stunned at the spread at this point and how high 00:01:33.299 --> 00:01:35.640 it is in this game, and there's been a lot of 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:38.739 action on that. JJ, ultimately, the reason I 00:01:38.739 --> 00:01:42.739 ask why those are only two options is I have 00:01:42.739 --> 00:01:45.939 no idea how this game is going to play out. The 00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:48.420 listeners, please continue to listen to the pod, 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:50.120 even though I'm probably going to give you an 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:54.000 accurate prediction here. But I do think everyone's 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:55.780 billing. This is a litmus test for the bills, 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:58.480 but there are things that the Patriots do that 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:01.180 I think if you are the bills and week five, this 00:02:01.180 --> 00:02:03.719 is a good litmus test for where you've been a 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:06.420 little bit weak, where you've been challenged 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:09.139 by subpar teams. And I think the Patriots do 00:02:09.139 --> 00:02:11.039 some things. Well, there are going to be an interesting 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:14.610 litmus test to see. Are we actually getting improvement 00:02:14.610 --> 00:02:16.710 out of this bill squad? That's why I go kind 00:02:16.710 --> 00:02:18.849 of with a third option. I go with the third option 00:02:18.849 --> 00:02:20.969 of, I think this game is going to be closer than 00:02:20.969 --> 00:02:23.469 we think for comfort, but I think it's going 00:02:23.469 --> 00:02:26.189 to be clean competitive. Unlike the saints game. 00:02:26.870 --> 00:02:29.930 I don't think this game is going to be us watching 00:02:29.930 --> 00:02:32.090 the bill, shoot them in the foot, shoot themselves 00:02:32.090 --> 00:02:35.189 in the foot on offense and defense for like the 00:02:35.189 --> 00:02:37.669 second, third quarters of the game. I think. 00:02:37.849 --> 00:02:40.250 I plan on seeing, especially with the return 00:02:40.250 --> 00:02:43.650 of Ed Oliver and Matt Milano. I see the Bills 00:02:43.650 --> 00:02:46.949 improving in some key areas on on defense, but 00:02:46.949 --> 00:02:49.469 I see a well coached Patriots team that's also 00:02:49.469 --> 00:02:50.930 starting to hit their stride. That's going to 00:02:50.930 --> 00:02:53.030 give the Bills some fits in places. I'm expecting 00:02:53.030 --> 00:02:56.349 a clean competitive game that is going to be 00:02:56.349 --> 00:02:59.750 close, not a necessarily. Why do the Bills constantly 00:02:59.750 --> 00:03:01.569 do this to lesser competition type of thing, 00:03:01.610 --> 00:03:04.110 which we have seen? I would argue the past two 00:03:04.110 --> 00:03:07.060 weeks. Yeah, well and I think that we've talked 00:03:07.060 --> 00:03:09.280 about it before and we we did our kind of this 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:12.659 this state of the season better You know same 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:17.400 or worse exercise last week Josh Allen is He 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:21.020 is locked in like I we can all remember early 00:03:21.020 --> 00:03:25.219 Josh Josh career moments where you saw the like 00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:28.139 Panic in his eyes and you knew he was about to 00:03:28.139 --> 00:03:30.680 either do something magnificent or horrifying 00:03:31.590 --> 00:03:36.090 That Josh has gone. This is a mature, assembled 00:03:36.090 --> 00:03:40.189 person who is every single bit the MVP that he 00:03:40.189 --> 00:03:43.150 earned last year and years prior, but was finally 00:03:43.150 --> 00:03:46.610 awarded last year in terms of acknowledgement 00:03:46.610 --> 00:03:50.129 and expertise in this offense. And I think on 00:03:50.129 --> 00:03:51.530 the other side of the ball, you have Drake May, 00:03:51.590 --> 00:03:54.090 who's like a mini Josh Allen at this point in 00:03:54.090 --> 00:03:56.610 his early career. And then he's does some of 00:03:56.610 --> 00:03:58.490 the same things. He can absolutely kill you through 00:03:58.490 --> 00:04:01.930 his legs. And he is the number one rated passer 00:04:01.930 --> 00:04:04.550 in the NFL right now, especially when passing 00:04:04.550 --> 00:04:07.870 from a clean pocket. So, you know, I think you're 00:04:07.870 --> 00:04:12.090 right in that it's there's not the higher variability 00:04:12.090 --> 00:04:15.090 with this bill's offense that there was in years 00:04:15.090 --> 00:04:19.199 past. because of Josh Allen and Joe Brady working 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:20.759 together. Also the fact that the Bills are the 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:22.379 best rushing team in the league right now and 00:04:22.379 --> 00:04:24.300 James Cook doesn't seem to be, you know, slowing 00:04:24.300 --> 00:04:27.860 down anytime soon. But yeah, I think that the 00:04:27.860 --> 00:04:30.459 variability comes in with Drake May. There are, 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:32.740 you know, he does, he is sackable. He does make 00:04:32.740 --> 00:04:36.060 mistakes, but they are both, you know, giant 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:41.259 Viking warriors. Again, which I, why I think 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:43.120 this is going to be a really good game, a really 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:46.240 good game. JJ, before we get into the full preview 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:50.240 of the Pats itself, any takeaways or anything 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.779 from the Saints game that you, you would like 00:04:53.779 --> 00:04:57.060 to see either change or continue heading into 00:04:57.060 --> 00:04:59.420 the Pats game. I mean, I think we can, we can 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:02.220 both say with confidence. The second and third 00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:04.519 quarters offensively for the Bills were just 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:06.920 atrocious, absolutely atrocious against the Saints. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:10.069 And it is mind boggling. as to why we have a 00:05:10.069 --> 00:05:12.449 QB playing at such a high level and a running 00:05:12.449 --> 00:05:15.069 back playing at such a high level, why that offense 00:05:15.069 --> 00:05:18.009 stalled out against that defense for so long 00:05:18.009 --> 00:05:21.529 of a stretch. I mean, listen, couch offensive 00:05:21.529 --> 00:05:24.290 coordinators are blaming Brady for it. And I 00:05:24.290 --> 00:05:27.250 don't blame Brady after going back and rewatching 00:05:27.250 --> 00:05:30.050 some of the film and some key snaps. But I do 00:05:30.050 --> 00:05:32.769 think I do think there's a like a rope a dope 00:05:32.769 --> 00:05:34.930 thing going on with Brady and the way he is setting 00:05:34.930 --> 00:05:37.689 up some of his future play calls in the middle 00:05:37.689 --> 00:05:40.629 quarters that that I do think needs to change. 00:05:40.629 --> 00:05:44.529 But what did you see, particularly from the offense 00:05:44.529 --> 00:05:47.050 against the Saints that you want to see improve 00:05:47.050 --> 00:05:48.930 or maybe get more consistent here against the 00:05:48.930 --> 00:05:53.230 Pats? Well, I think for me it was a sense of 00:05:53.230 --> 00:05:55.550 it was it was similar to some other games we've 00:05:55.550 --> 00:05:58.709 seen with Brady and Alan together recently where. 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:05.839 I could tell what the plan was. And it sort of 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:08.180 reminded me a little bit of going back to the 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:09.959 previous offensive coordinator whose name escapes 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:11.879 me right now, who I think is still Ken Dorsey, 00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:14.600 Ken Dorsey. Yeah, it sort of reminded me a little 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:17.339 bit of Ken Dorsey's offense at times where it 00:06:17.339 --> 00:06:20.279 was like, OK, I get the design of the play. I 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:21.980 understand what where they're supposed to be 00:06:21.980 --> 00:06:24.459 moving the ball to in this in this play call 00:06:24.459 --> 00:06:28.230 on the snap. But. They were really counting on 00:06:28.230 --> 00:06:31.910 seven or eight pieces going perfectly right for 00:06:31.910 --> 00:06:35.569 that to be open. And that's not the NFL, right? 00:06:35.769 --> 00:06:38.050 Like there's not every person on your team is 00:06:38.050 --> 00:06:39.430 going to win their one -on -one matchup. There 00:06:39.430 --> 00:06:44.670 was some arrogance to it that I feel like was 00:06:44.670 --> 00:06:47.449 disrespectful to the Saints defense. And the 00:06:47.449 --> 00:06:49.290 Saints defense made them pay for that arrogance. 00:06:49.490 --> 00:06:52.250 There were definitely defensive linemen who who 00:06:52.250 --> 00:06:54.250 kind of stood up to matchups that the Bills didn't 00:06:54.250 --> 00:06:56.410 think they'd be able to defeat, split double 00:06:56.410 --> 00:06:59.269 teams, those sorts of things. And so I think 00:06:59.269 --> 00:07:02.069 that that's what I saw from the offense at times 00:07:02.069 --> 00:07:04.449 was it seemed like, oh, we need this. We need 00:07:04.449 --> 00:07:06.889 three critical blocks to spring this run play 00:07:06.889 --> 00:07:09.089 or the shovel pass to Khalil Shaqer on fourth 00:07:09.089 --> 00:07:11.290 down. Like we need Ryan Vandermark, who's not 00:07:11.290 --> 00:07:13.860 a great pulling. tackled to pull through the 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:17.660 hole and crush this block. And he didn't. And 00:07:17.660 --> 00:07:19.459 so, and I don't think it has any fault because 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:22.540 I think he had a great game overall filling in. 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:24.680 Um, but it's, it was, it was that kind of thing 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:26.899 where it was like, ah, I can't understand what 00:07:26.899 --> 00:07:29.779 you're trying to get done here. But the execution 00:07:29.779 --> 00:07:32.360 was, was either poor or sloppy, or you just had 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:34.560 way too many moving parts. You were trying to 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.800 be too cute about it rather than just do what 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:40.040 you needed to do. Like they calmed things down 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:42.779 in the fourth quarter. we're just running the 00:07:42.779 --> 00:07:45.699 ball with James Cook and playing in doing under 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:48.480 center play action off of it to You know wide 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:50.040 receivers, which I think is their bread and butter 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:52.720 this season. Hopefully they've learned You know 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.459 why complicate things you don't need to out trick 00:07:55.459 --> 00:07:58.139 yourselves, right? Like make the defense stop 00:07:58.139 --> 00:08:01.100 you at what you're exceptional at and Now that 00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:03.899 was the thing I saw in that in that Saints game 00:08:03.899 --> 00:08:06.600 JJ You mentioned specifically the play action 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:08.620 that I thought was a really nice adjustment. 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:12.180 We we have bang the drum on this pod for, since 00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:14.980 I think Brady became the OC, that we want to 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:17.500 see more play action, particularly more first 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:20.480 down play action. Try to get some chunk yards 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.399 and prove that first down efficiency. You're 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.540 so good at running the ball with James Cook on 00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:27.199 first down. Everyone is keying in on that kind 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.800 of stuff. I think what I saw Brady do too, and 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:34.620 this is my only criticism of Brady, is like a 00:08:34.620 --> 00:08:37.720 boxer who, you know, the famous rope -a -dope. 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:39.779 Right. That Muhammad Ali pulled off against, 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:44.379 I think it was George Foreman, right? Like constantly 00:08:44.379 --> 00:08:47.700 lull the defense into a sense of predictability. 00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:51.200 I mean, they were smashing the button, JJ, on 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:54.279 this compressed offense, throws no more than 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:56.899 like six or seven yards beyond the line of scrimmage. 00:08:57.059 --> 00:08:59.240 And I do think ultimately that's going to become 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:03.279 a problem if that trend persists later on down 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.820 the season. But then to your point, in the fourth 00:09:06.820 --> 00:09:09.500 quarter, We see some first down play action. 00:09:09.779 --> 00:09:12.559 Jackson Hawes gets a shot. James Cook gets a 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:15.059 shot and you start to see what Brady has been 00:09:15.059 --> 00:09:17.480 setting up the Saints for for so long because 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.000 this passing offense doesn't necessarily put 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.039 a team in individual conflict because we know 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:26.539 we don't have a dude. Everybody eats right? So 00:09:26.539 --> 00:09:29.600 there's not a single player like a la Stefan 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.659 digs that will put the defense in conflict and 00:09:32.659 --> 00:09:36.440 force them to double Brady. Over and over again 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:39.299 was trying to manufacture that conflict and finally 00:09:39.299 --> 00:09:41.559 got it there in the fourth quarter in particular 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:44.460 a lot of these these check down shots that Alan 00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:46.600 was heading to James Cook out of the backfield 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:49.340 He ran a lot of those looks is cook is the first 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:51.899 read out of 12 personnel And then we saw out 00:09:51.899 --> 00:09:55.100 of 21 personnel to which which was the touchdown 00:09:55.100 --> 00:09:58.289 45 -year touchdown to Dalton Kincaid You see 00:09:58.289 --> 00:10:00.809 when you watch it on film that after James Cook 00:10:00.809 --> 00:10:02.769 had kind of eaten them up with four previous 00:10:02.769 --> 00:10:05.610 catches in that middle zone of the field area, 00:10:05.990 --> 00:10:08.669 you finally see safety help get sucked in. Then 00:10:08.669 --> 00:10:10.990 you see Brady add the wrinkle of also putting 00:10:10.990 --> 00:10:13.649 Ty Johnson out of the backfield, who everyone 00:10:13.649 --> 00:10:15.909 is aware when he is on the field is a threat 00:10:15.909 --> 00:10:18.990 to catch the ball. He pulls in the slot corner. 00:10:19.210 --> 00:10:22.690 So then all of a sudden you've got Kincaid streaking 00:10:22.690 --> 00:10:25.419 to the outside. Against a cornerback for New, 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:27.600 for New Orleans who's expecting safety help over 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:29.500 the top, but it's not there because it got sucked 00:10:29.500 --> 00:10:32.840 in by cook and then boom 45 yard explosive play. 00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:36.700 My only criticism of Brady, cause you can see 00:10:36.700 --> 00:10:39.080 him as you watch his sequencing throughout the 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:41.000 game, even that dead period in the second, third 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:44.190 quarter set that up. You can see his sequencing 00:10:44.190 --> 00:10:46.730 leading to that moment. My only criticism is 00:10:46.730 --> 00:10:49.649 can we get to that moment without blowing two 00:10:49.649 --> 00:10:51.929 straight quarters? You know what I mean? Can 00:10:51.929 --> 00:10:55.029 we create that conflict earlier on? And that's 00:10:55.029 --> 00:10:56.529 what I want to see against the Patriots. I want 00:10:56.529 --> 00:10:58.549 to see more first down play action right off 00:10:58.549 --> 00:11:01.529 the bat. And I want to see them with some of 00:11:01.529 --> 00:11:05.230 these 12 and 21 personnel looks, put the Patriots 00:11:05.230 --> 00:11:07.950 in real defensive conflicts that we get actually 00:11:07.950 --> 00:11:11.100 scheme some of our guys open. Yeah, I mean it 00:11:11.100 --> 00:11:13.700 feels like they're working a little too hard 00:11:13.700 --> 00:11:15.860 to establish things that they've already established 00:11:15.860 --> 00:11:19.879 on film. They should lean on the fact that defenses 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:22.779 are going to play them in ways that will open 00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:25.299 things up if they just give them the right looks 00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:28.659 without having to, like you said, lull them in 00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:31.840 over a course of, you know, 17 plays and three 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:33.740 quarters and four punts and an interception, 00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:37.980 right? Like we need to have a sense of urgency. 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:41.340 Trust that the other team is going to have some 00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:43.960 tendencies Have some tendencies based on what 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:46.860 you've shown and just get to get to the wrinkles, 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:49.379 you know faster Yeah, I think that's that's a 00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:52.519 great observation You know and speaking about 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.559 that Saints game, you know I think we both had 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:59.000 the the measure of the game pretty pretty even 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:01.600 up when we did our pod last week in that You 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:04.960 know, I had predicted 35 18 bills over Saints 00:12:05.629 --> 00:12:09.309 They win 31 -19. You'd predicted 28 -17, so we 00:12:09.309 --> 00:12:10.970 were like kind of right there in the strike zone 00:12:10.970 --> 00:12:13.830 of what we expected it to be. Neither of us presumed 00:12:13.830 --> 00:12:17.490 it was going to be a 42 -3 kind of drubbing like 00:12:17.490 --> 00:12:19.450 the, you know, some of the oddsmakers were saying 00:12:19.450 --> 00:12:23.049 with the 15 -plus point spread. But it, you know, 00:12:23.090 --> 00:12:26.090 we were kind of, no Deion Walker sack, unfortunately. 00:12:26.809 --> 00:12:29.649 Couple of good plays. And then Keon Coleman, 00:12:29.929 --> 00:12:31.549 I didn't, I don't think he had a 20 -plus yard 00:12:31.549 --> 00:12:34.220 reception, did he? He had three for 45. Yeah. 00:12:34.340 --> 00:12:37.559 He did not. Yeah. I mean, he was efficient. Yeah, 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:39.659 he was solid. He didn't have an explosive. Yeah. 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:42.779 So, yeah, I think it was like, you know, it's 00:12:42.779 --> 00:12:47.580 weird. NFC matchup. The Bills get, you know, 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:49.639 Josh Allen gets sacked three times, which I think 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:53.740 is a kind of a surprise, especially since at 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:56.039 least two of them I thought were ones he usually 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:59.940 doesn't take. And so it was a weird game. I think 00:12:59.940 --> 00:13:04.220 that... You know, it tells me a lot about where 00:13:04.220 --> 00:13:06.659 this Bill's team is, that it could look like 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:09.559 such a poor performance, kind of, or could feel 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.259 like such a poor performance for half the game, 00:13:11.259 --> 00:13:14.539 and they still win 31 -19, right? Like this, 00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:17.200 it's been such a long time, and I think a word 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:19.259 that you've used to describe this offense that 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:22.220 I love, it's been such a long time since the 00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:25.700 Bill's offense seemed inevitable, right? Even 00:13:25.700 --> 00:13:28.200 in the Josh Allen era there have been seasons 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:30.259 where we're like, oh no, are we gonna get one 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:32.799 on this possession? But the last two years two 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:35.279 and a half years. It's been like, okay We don't 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.460 worry about points, right? Like we worry about 00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:39.019 our opponents points, but we don't worry about 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:44.500 bills points exactly exactly I Listen, I have 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:47.480 faith in Brady that to your point. He's got more 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.620 wrinkles. It's not it is not about points, right? 00:13:50.700 --> 00:13:53.539 It's about game script which we know the bills 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:57.110 from from their strategies last year needed to 00:13:57.110 --> 00:13:59.629 control game script in a certain way. And they 00:13:59.629 --> 00:14:02.370 have over the past two weeks, seated control 00:14:02.370 --> 00:14:05.690 of that script back to the opposing team. And 00:14:05.690 --> 00:14:07.029 that's really more of what I'm talking about. 00:14:07.049 --> 00:14:09.690 We are not sitting here complaining that the 00:14:09.690 --> 00:14:12.690 Bills are have scored 30 points, at least 30 00:14:12.690 --> 00:14:15.090 points or more to open up their first four games 00:14:15.090 --> 00:14:17.870 of the season. What we are saying is they're 00:14:17.870 --> 00:14:21.690 allowing teams that they should be, that should 00:14:21.690 --> 00:14:23.970 be. I don't want to say lesser competition because 00:14:23.970 --> 00:14:26.230 in the NFL, anybody can beat anybody, right? 00:14:26.570 --> 00:14:29.370 But they are allowing teams control over certain 00:14:29.370 --> 00:14:32.190 aspects of the game where the Bills have obvious 00:14:32.190 --> 00:14:35.649 personnel advantages. And that's, and when it 00:14:35.649 --> 00:14:38.250 is, when that happens, you always look to scheme 00:14:38.250 --> 00:14:40.070 to be like, all right, what is happening? What 00:14:40.070 --> 00:14:42.769 is happening here? Brady is not predictable, 00:14:42.769 --> 00:14:45.929 right? He is just taking a really long time to 00:14:45.929 --> 00:14:48.440 get things ramped up in game. And I think the 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:51.620 bills need to, to address that quicker, particularly 00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:53.419 as the comfort, the con, listen, the competition 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:56.019 is going to stiffen up the Patriots. Um, and 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:57.960 we're going to talk about it. They're a solid 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:00.299 football team. They've had some up and down performances 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:02.779 and I get they're coming off a win against the 00:15:02.779 --> 00:15:04.980 Panthers, but that is a team that is getting 00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:07.080 healthy. Christian Gonzales back in the lineup. 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:10.379 It looks like, right. And it is a team that is 00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:12.679 figuring out the schemes that they, they want 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:16.440 to run on offense to with a really young. Very 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.080 dynamic QB that presents a lot of issues, a lot 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:21.860 of issues that the Buffalo Bills have not been 00:15:21.860 --> 00:15:24.580 able to address, i .e. someone who can scramble 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:26.460 on third down, right? Someone who can use their 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:29.080 legs to buy time in the pocket. So yeah, I just, 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:32.360 I just think. The bills are going to need some 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:34.759 of that to your point, inevitability on offense, 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:37.200 but some of that consistency on offense too, 00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:39.059 if they are going to get back to controlling 00:15:39.059 --> 00:15:41.019 game script in the way that they need to, to 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:43.220 kind of hide the warts on this defense until 00:15:43.220 --> 00:15:45.100 we get all our guys back. Yeah. And I think that 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:47.720 that's a good point to, to, you know, talk about 00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:50.080 the guys on defense a little bit, the bills, 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:54.399 uh, this weekend at the injury report. It's not 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:57.759 looking good, Dan. We feel like we say that every 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.220 week. I know. Starting right tackle Spencer Brown, 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:03.600 questionable. Starting inside linebacker Matt 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:06.820 Milano, questionable. Best defensive tackle at 00:16:06.820 --> 00:16:10.840 Oliver, questionable. Bad but hopeful rookie 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:14.080 defensive tackle TJ Sanders, questionable. And 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.139 then Dorian Strong, Dorian Williams. It's a bad 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:19.500 week to be named Dorian. Both out this weekend. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:25.379 So, you know, when you have five, you know, five 00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:29.460 defensive players, questionable or out of a preferred 00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:32.519 starting unit, or mostly three or five starting 00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:36.940 unit, that is a lot of juice out of your 11 starting 00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:40.120 defensive players to be missing. So especially 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:44.139 against a team in the Patriots who is, you know, 00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:46.320 10th in the league in points scored per game. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:49.360 They are middle of the pack in yards per game. 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:51.980 pretty high, you know, high in the rankings in 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:56.100 terms of passing offense, low and rushing. But, 00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:58.159 you know, middle of the pack in time, possession 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:01.000 10th best in the league with third down efficiency. 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:05.519 You know, and so they're a team that is not, 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.380 they're not joking around. And I mentioned before 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:10.539 that Drake may is a little bit like young Josh 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:13.839 Allen in that he's variable and probably takes 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.720 more sacks and has more turnover worthy plays 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:17.960 than he should at this stage, but is also one 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.839 of the best passers in the league so far this 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.000 season. So it looks like he really has kind of 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.390 clicked in place. I'm just hoping that for the 00:17:25.390 --> 00:17:28.390 Bill's sake, this isn't, you know, Drake May's 00:17:28.390 --> 00:17:30.730 version of Josh Allen's 2020 season where he 00:17:30.730 --> 00:17:34.289 shows up on the MVP conversations. Yeah, we don't 00:17:34.289 --> 00:17:36.609 need that. We don't need that smoke yet, dude. 00:17:36.609 --> 00:17:38.930 And that's a good place to jump into this preview, 00:17:38.930 --> 00:17:41.950 I think, because I'm I am, of course, always 00:17:41.950 --> 00:17:44.309 interested in what the our offense is going to 00:17:44.309 --> 00:17:46.589 do against the opposing team's defense. But I 00:17:46.589 --> 00:17:48.940 do think. just because of the injuries that you 00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:52.160 mentioned, because of the deficiencies that we've 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:54.839 seen on defense with our squad. I want to start 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:56.920 there. I want to start with this New England 00:17:56.920 --> 00:18:00.880 Patriots offense against our Buffalo Bills defense. 00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:06.680 The New England Patriots, JJ, they are in terms 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:10.700 of win rates for both pass blocking and run blocking 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:15.339 night and day, right? The inefficiency of this 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:18.380 New England Patriots team to establish the run 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:20.680 is not because of their offensive line. They're 00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:23.680 actually fifth in run and run block win rate. 00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:26.259 The issue has been they have not been able to 00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:29.440 figure out the right cocktail of their skill 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:33.490 players. behind Drake May in order to lead the, 00:18:33.490 --> 00:18:35.589 lead the charge on the, on the ground. And I 00:18:35.589 --> 00:18:37.549 think they began to correct a lot of that against 00:18:37.549 --> 00:18:40.730 Carolina, where you saw Stevenson take less of 00:18:40.730 --> 00:18:43.250 the snap share and you saw Henderson, their dynamic 00:18:43.250 --> 00:18:46.150 rookie running back, get more in both traditional 00:18:46.150 --> 00:18:49.109 run reps and pass catches out of the backfield. 00:18:50.190 --> 00:18:52.490 So the numbers to me here four weeks and don't 00:18:52.490 --> 00:18:54.490 tell the whole story about this New England Patriots 00:18:54.490 --> 00:18:56.450 rushing attack, because I do think they're going 00:18:56.450 --> 00:18:58.470 to lead a little bit harder into their rookie 00:18:58.470 --> 00:19:01.309 because they've seen. how a pass catching running 00:19:01.309 --> 00:19:03.769 back can absolutely put this Bills defense on 00:19:03.769 --> 00:19:06.829 its heels. And I would anticipate with a solid, 00:19:06.890 --> 00:19:09.450 not great, but solid offensive line that knows 00:19:09.450 --> 00:19:12.049 how to block in the run game, I would anticipate 00:19:12.049 --> 00:19:14.269 that the New England Patriots are going to take 00:19:14.269 --> 00:19:17.009 the air out of the ball. And they are going to 00:19:17.009 --> 00:19:19.609 run the ball very, very hard against the Buffalo 00:19:19.609 --> 00:19:20.890 Bills. And the Bills are going to have to make 00:19:20.890 --> 00:19:23.289 a stand against that run game early. And again, 00:19:23.289 --> 00:19:25.230 this is where game script on the offensive side 00:19:25.230 --> 00:19:27.450 for us is going to come into play too. Because 00:19:27.450 --> 00:19:30.720 if you let Henderson in May, do what Rattler 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.140 and Kamara did last week. It's going to be a 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:35.799 very, very long night for this Bills team. And 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:37.819 they've got to take advantage of their opportunities 00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:40.140 against what is a good run blocking offensive 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.500 line, but it's not a good pass blocking offensive 00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:44.640 line. And to your point, Drake may as a QB that 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:47.680 will take sacks despite his mobility, right? 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:50.240 He's still a second year player. He still takes 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.880 a half second longer than he should to make some 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:55.460 of his decisions. So I think if you're the Buffalo 00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:59.039 Bills, it's all got a shocker start in the trench. 00:19:59.019 --> 00:20:01.599 is where the bills have not been great. Getting 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.119 at Oliver back to me is going to be big. And 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:06.259 I'm going to be curious JJ to see, and I'd love 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:09.880 your take on this. Let's say Oliver, he was limited 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:11.920 in practice, but he has been practicing, which 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:15.559 is a good sign that he may apply. If Oliver is 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:19.640 in there, are we seeing more of Dequan Jones 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:22.319 next to him? Or are we seeing more Deion Walker 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:24.980 and Key's situations next to at Oliver? What's 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:27.549 your take? What do you think? So I think that 00:20:27.549 --> 00:20:29.490 it's if it's a passing down it's absolutely gonna 00:20:29.490 --> 00:20:32.990 be Dianne Walker Because I think the Quan Jones 00:20:32.990 --> 00:20:34.990 has not looked bad this season. He's looked solid 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:37.069 He's looked better than he did many points last 00:20:37.069 --> 00:20:40.950 season in terms of looking healthy Looking, you 00:20:40.950 --> 00:20:43.849 know not not looking his age in a lot of ways 00:20:43.849 --> 00:20:46.369 And so I think we actually see more Dianne Walker 00:20:46.369 --> 00:20:49.289 because I think that his juice in a pass rush 00:20:49.289 --> 00:20:53.009 Has forced teams to double him on clear passing 00:20:53.009 --> 00:20:57.190 downs third and longs that they have not had 00:20:57.190 --> 00:20:59.269 had anybody other than that Oliver the team was 00:20:59.269 --> 00:21:02.309 worried about in those situations. And so I think 00:21:02.309 --> 00:21:05.130 that it's a matter of you force a matchup problem 00:21:05.130 --> 00:21:07.369 for the interior three offensive linemen and 00:21:07.369 --> 00:21:09.430 say, okay, pick which person you want to one 00:21:09.430 --> 00:21:12.250 up. Can you handle them between, you know, at 00:21:12.250 --> 00:21:14.690 Oliver and Deion Walker? Because I think Dequan 00:21:14.690 --> 00:21:18.630 Jones has been, he's shown to win one -on -one 00:21:18.630 --> 00:21:20.789 matchups in certain high leverage passing downs, 00:21:20.829 --> 00:21:24.440 but he has not. He's not been as effective against 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:27.140 double teams in those same situations. So I think 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:29.740 they lean into the rook with a little bit more 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:33.279 size. Yeah, Daquan Jones, to your point, doubled 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.940 on 72 % of his snaps so far this season when 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:38.240 he was on the field. And his sack production, 00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:40.200 he's leading the team in sacks. He's got two 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:42.660 here through four weeks. A lot of that is Bosa 00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:45.519 chasing guys into him because Bosa has been such 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.980 a maniac off the edge. Which is the next place 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:51.009 I want to go. Um, we are very likely to see JJ 00:21:51.009 --> 00:21:54.769 Joey Bosa versus Will Campbell, the highly touted, 00:21:55.029 --> 00:21:57.210 somewhat high variance right now, rookie left 00:21:57.210 --> 00:21:59.589 tackle for the New England Patriots. Campbell 00:21:59.589 --> 00:22:01.890 a little banged up dealing with some injuries. 00:22:02.250 --> 00:22:04.289 He says some up games. He'd said some down games, 00:22:04.410 --> 00:22:08.349 but overall he is so far the weak link in pass 00:22:08.349 --> 00:22:12.319 pro. on that New England Patriots defensive line. 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:16.559 He has given up the most QB pressures on Drake 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:20.380 May out of any other individual in that lineup. 00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:26.579 JJ, I think exclusively Joey Bosa should be rushing 00:22:26.579 --> 00:22:29.680 Will Campbell mercilessly in this game. Joey 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:33.059 Bosa has 15 QB pressure so far this season, leads 00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:35.839 the team in that respective category. And I was 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:37.740 looking at his get off because he just looks... 00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:41.019 I get in space against speedy running backs. 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:43.519 He's looked a little bad, but part of that too 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:45.920 is because he is so quick off the ball and he 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:48.839 finds as a result and run stops. He finds himself 00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:50.819 way out of position because he's not maintaining 00:22:50.819 --> 00:22:53.279 integrity. He just wants to, he just wants to 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:57.920 kill the QB. His get off JJ for a however oft 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:02.119 injured old player he is. 0 .79 seconds. It's 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:04.220 seventh and it's seventh in the league right 00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:07.779 now amongst all defensive linemen. Joey Bosa 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:10.539 has been an absolute maniac for the squad. And 00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:13.200 I love the matchup of him against Will Campbell 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:16.599 because I'm not so confident about the other 00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:20.859 side of the defensive pass rush here. Greg Rousseau. 00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:23.779 Dude, I don't know what's going on. His, his 00:23:23.779 --> 00:23:26.500 get off is like exactly where it's been for the 00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:29.819 past few years. His pressure rate way down and 00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:32.000 dude, his time to pressure. So Bose's time to 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.759 pressure 2 .72 seconds. Uh, Greg Rousseau isn't 00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:40.759 like 4 .3 or something. It's almost double that. 00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:43.680 It's almost double that of Bose's. So like Rousseau 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:46.359 gets off the line quick and then he is just getting 00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:50.140 clogged up. Uh, in a lot of one -on -one matchups. 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:52.880 Yes, he tends to get chipped. He gets the tight 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:55.259 end chip on his side of the field, but I mean, 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:57.039 he's just getting clogged up in a lot of one 00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:58.839 -on -one matchups, which you would not expect 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:02.259 for a newly paid $20 million a year pass rusher. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:04.720 Well, it's, it's, it's worrying. I think all 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:07.519 Bill's fans, you know, have the PTSD of Marcel 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:10.829 Darius who had these like. great, two great seasons 00:24:10.829 --> 00:24:13.309 at the end of his rookie contract and then just 00:24:13.309 --> 00:24:15.150 took it out of gear and it was terrible the rest 00:24:15.150 --> 00:24:17.410 of his life. Like at football, like, you know, 00:24:17.750 --> 00:24:20.750 was treated and then out of the league in three 00:24:20.750 --> 00:24:23.210 years later, you know? So like, um, and I don't 00:24:23.210 --> 00:24:25.809 think, I think that people knew Marcel was that 00:24:25.809 --> 00:24:28.910 guy when he was a rookie, just because of the 00:24:28.910 --> 00:24:32.329 choices he was making. Um, I don't think Greg 00:24:32.329 --> 00:24:34.269 Rousseau seems to be that guy. He seems to be 00:24:34.269 --> 00:24:35.970 a little bit of a hard worker and like care about 00:24:35.970 --> 00:24:38.960 doing a good job at it, but it is worrying. that 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:41.059 uh that he has disappeared i mean he's got a 00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:42.880 bone bruise in his knee or something like that 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:45.220 so he's playing through because they've needed 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:49.160 help but i'm i'm not i'm not super i'm not super 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:50.839 excited about it and it's the same thing we've 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:54.539 always talked about the the bills i mean they're 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:58.359 best they're best outside pass rusher is a late 00:24:58.359 --> 00:25:01.960 stage oft injured veteran right like it's it's 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:05.640 no different from years, you know, the years 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:07.359 in the past when we were always like, can't they 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:10.019 just get this thing right with one drafted, you 00:25:10.019 --> 00:25:12.900 know, outside pass rusher? And now they have 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:15.900 land injection who even with injuries has been 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:18.279 on the shelf because apparently in practice, 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:20.920 he's showing absolutely nothing worthwhile to 00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:23.880 bring up onto the active roster in a game. So 00:25:23.880 --> 00:25:27.940 I'm worried. I'm worried because, yeah, Will 00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:29.980 Campbell, fourth overall pick this year's draft 00:25:29.980 --> 00:25:36.130 at left tackle. It can be had. I think that they're 00:25:36.130 --> 00:25:40.730 guards. Jared Wilson, who was also drafted this 00:25:40.730 --> 00:25:44.710 year at left guard has looked okay. A glowing 00:25:44.710 --> 00:25:46.630 when you at right guard has always been their 00:25:46.630 --> 00:25:50.029 best offensive lineman like year over year. Garrett 00:25:50.029 --> 00:25:54.349 Bradbury is, you know, what I like about Garrett 00:25:54.349 --> 00:25:57.410 Bradbury is his pass blocking. So that's maybe 00:25:57.410 --> 00:25:59.809 not the person you want to attack. Um, but run 00:25:59.809 --> 00:26:02.269 blocking wise, he can get washed out. He has, 00:26:02.269 --> 00:26:04.230 he's not great at climbing into the second level 00:26:04.230 --> 00:26:07.009 and those sorts of things. There should be opportunities 00:26:07.009 --> 00:26:08.950 off the edge, but that's what we thought last 00:26:08.950 --> 00:26:10.769 year or last week. And that's what we thought 00:26:10.769 --> 00:26:12.769 two weeks ago against the dolphins, right? Like 00:26:12.769 --> 00:26:15.170 they've, the bills have seen some very, very 00:26:15.170 --> 00:26:18.109 poor offensive lines the last few weeks and have 00:26:18.109 --> 00:26:21.269 still not seemed to be able to get it done. Last 00:26:21.269 --> 00:26:23.690 week, of course, the bills had three sacks. Almost 00:26:23.690 --> 00:26:27.779 all of those came in the fourth quarter. with 00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:30.140 Joey Bosa and then A .J. Appanessa. It really 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:32.299 was like two Bosa sacks, but A .J. Appanessa 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:34.640 was credited with one and he's still celebrating 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:37.779 it today. Might be the only one he gets. Right. 00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:40.660 Like he just goes back to Highmark Stadium and 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:42.740 like just jumps up and down and waves his freaking 00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:46.519 hands in the air every night just for fun because 00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:50.720 of that one sack he had. Yeah, I mean, I don't 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:54.019 know. I think that one thing we haven't talked 00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:56.950 about at all And we really should about this 00:26:56.950 --> 00:26:59.309 defense versus the Patriots offense. Stefan Diggs, 00:26:59.390 --> 00:27:02.630 man. What do you think? Stefan Diggs returning 00:27:02.630 --> 00:27:07.049 to Highmark Stadium. I think Drake May is going 00:27:07.049 --> 00:27:11.930 to target him 24 times and is going to make sure 00:27:11.930 --> 00:27:16.029 that even if it is, even if it is first and goal 00:27:16.029 --> 00:27:19.049 to go on the one yard line, he is throwing three 00:27:19.049 --> 00:27:20.910 straight passes to Stefan Diggs to try to get 00:27:20.910 --> 00:27:23.359 him a touchdown. I think, and I think this is 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:25.099 where the Bills can potentially exploit it. I 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:28.900 mean, listen, Stefan Diggs, he is leading that 00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:32.579 New England Patriots team in targets. And, um, 00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:34.380 which is shocking because you have Hunter Henry 00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:36.779 on that team and Henry is still a legitimate 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:38.759 offensive weapon. Diggs does look good. I mean, 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:40.559 don't get me wrong. He's looked okay for them. 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:42.960 He's doing exactly what they need him to do. 00:27:43.660 --> 00:27:46.920 But I mean, listen, Christian Benford versus 00:27:46.920 --> 00:27:49.859 Stefan Diggs, that's a matchup. I am very curious 00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:53.819 to see. I think Diggs is going to command targets. 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:58.000 I think you saw how emotional he was in that 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:00.460 Houston versus Bills game last season after that 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:03.119 win. His return to Highmark Stadium, he is an 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:05.059 emotional player. He is a competitive player 00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:09.799 and he is going to be a very loud squeaky wheel 00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:12.599 on the sideline if things are not going. his 00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:16.059 way or this offensive way very, very early on. 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:18.059 And I think it could be in conflict with the 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:19.920 strategy that the Patriots are going to run out 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.579 because again, they're going to want to run the 00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:23.039 ball. They're going to want to run the ball against 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:25.200 a defense that has proven they cannot stop the 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:29.400 run. Add to the fact too that The bills are going 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:32.619 to be susceptible unless something changes against 00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:35.859 Drake May, third and five, third and seven scrambles 00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:40.240 as well. May and Allen, it's almost identical. 00:28:40.700 --> 00:28:43.720 They are six and seven respectively and scramble 00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:47.619 rates for QBs this season. And May gets his most 00:28:47.619 --> 00:28:51.259 juice and unscripted scrambles on third and long 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:55.019 or greater. So I, listen, I can see digs getting 00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:57.559 frustrated with that really, really quick. I 00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:00.759 really can. And it'll be interesting to see if 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:03.839 he is almost exclusively on Benford, or if we 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.799 see him line up in the slot a little bit more, 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:08.740 and we see him and Taron Johnson at all. I think 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:10.799 whoever is on digs, you got to be physical with 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:13.240 them at the point of attack, at the line of scrimmage, 00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:15.500 without a doubt. I want to see them beat him 00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:18.059 up a la Gabe Davis in that Jags game last season. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:23.740 Yeah, they were ruthless with Dave Davis. You 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:28.619 wouldn't think they even liked him while he was 00:29:28.619 --> 00:29:30.240 in Buffalo based on the way they treated him 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:33.500 as an opposing wide receiver. And I agree completely. 00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:35.559 I think if they get inside of Dig's head, he 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:38.059 could become the Bills best player on the Patriots 00:29:38.059 --> 00:29:42.099 sideline, right? he um you know he still you 00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:44.279 you paid him 30 million dollars last year when 00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:46.799 he wasn't playing for you so he still owes you 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:49.920 you know some favorable uh um production and 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:51.980 his production might be just sowing seeds of 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.279 dissent if the bills are able to get ahead on 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:56.900 the scoreboard and he's he's what he believes 00:29:56.900 --> 00:30:00.359 is underutilized in the recovery effort of that 00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:04.609 game Yeah, so absolutely. We've seen from multiple 00:30:04.609 --> 00:30:06.970 playoff games when Diggs was on the roster that 00:30:06.970 --> 00:30:09.390 if you are physical with him, you can take him 00:30:09.390 --> 00:30:11.329 out of the game very early because he just gets 00:30:11.329 --> 00:30:14.269 frustrated and then he plays sloppy. And so that 00:30:14.269 --> 00:30:16.849 may be the strategy. But I do think that between 00:30:16.849 --> 00:30:20.490 Matt Collins or other, you know, I'd say of the 00:30:20.490 --> 00:30:22.569 two former Bills wide receivers on the outside 00:30:22.569 --> 00:30:25.549 there, everyone feels a little better about Matt 00:30:25.549 --> 00:30:27.960 Collins, even though Stefan Diggs had pretty 00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:31.319 legendary stats for this team and was a cornerstone 00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:36.279 for four years before it got weird. You know, 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:38.960 I think that people miss Matt Collins more and 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.839 he's also looked good. He leads the Patriots 00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:44.220 and touchdowns and is doing exactly that utility 00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:47.200 workman like job that he did for the Bills so 00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:50.680 well. Just got too pricey because of his expertise 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:53.819 in that third wide receiver role. And so it's 00:30:53.819 --> 00:30:56.319 an interesting, interesting outside matchups. 00:30:56.650 --> 00:30:58.829 Um, a lot of it's going to depend on, you know, 00:30:58.970 --> 00:31:01.170 without Dorian strong, it's clearly going to 00:31:01.170 --> 00:31:03.970 be Trey white, uh, and Benford on the outside. 00:31:04.529 --> 00:31:09.670 And we will see, I believe having seen, um, you 00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:12.549 know, variable against the bills in the past, 00:31:12.690 --> 00:31:14.470 they are going to target who they believe is 00:31:14.470 --> 00:31:18.150 the weakest link outside at corner. And so whoever 00:31:18.150 --> 00:31:20.390 is lined up against Trey white is going to get 00:31:20.390 --> 00:31:23.460 a lot of targets. Can we talk about weakest link 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:25.259 for a second? And this is going to sound like 00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:26.980 Christian Bedford's slander, and I don't mean 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:30.099 it to be. I'm on the record with Christian Benford 00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:33.119 all around is probably the best, if not one of 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:35.660 the top three best defensive players on the squad. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.500 This is going to sound like slander, right? But 00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:40.240 we talk about weak link in the pass game. JJ, 00:31:40.380 --> 00:31:43.599 Christian Benford this season has the worst passer 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:46.359 rating allowed when he is targeted as the nearest 00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:49.900 defender out of the entire CB room. and he's 00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:52.579 already given up four touchdowns this season 00:31:52.579 --> 00:31:57.319 in coverage as compared to four all of last season. 00:31:58.259 --> 00:32:01.279 His passer rating allowed is 121 .4 compared 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:05.440 to last season, which was 82 .6. Teams are not 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:10.180 afraid to go after him in clear passing downs. 00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:14.930 And I just wonder, I just wonder. If when you 00:32:14.930 --> 00:32:16.609 say like they're gonna go after the guy they're 00:32:16.609 --> 00:32:18.829 gonna go after the guy who is the weakest link 00:32:18.829 --> 00:32:22.730 I Wonder if they're not gonna test Benford early 00:32:22.730 --> 00:32:25.589 on with digs to see what they can get out of 00:32:25.589 --> 00:32:27.769 this Buffalo's Bills defense in the passing game 00:32:27.769 --> 00:32:30.630 I just wonder if Benford is not so much an island 00:32:30.630 --> 00:32:32.589 in this game And I wonder if he is gonna be fair 00:32:32.589 --> 00:32:35.109 game for Josh McDaniels in this overall scheme. 00:32:35.109 --> 00:32:36.910 It's a reasonable thing to wonder I've been I 00:32:36.910 --> 00:32:38.750 think most bills fans have been disappointed 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:41.180 Um, he looks like a guy who's playing with an 00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:42.759 injury, but we know there's nothing going on 00:32:42.759 --> 00:32:45.799 there. Uh, you know, in terms of his hesitancy, 00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:48.400 you know, he's not attacking routes in the same 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:51.880 way that he has in the past. His press coverage 00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:54.819 has not been as rock solid as we know it can 00:32:54.819 --> 00:32:58.359 be and has been. Um, and so I really, you know, 00:32:58.440 --> 00:32:59.660 it's the kind of thing where it's like, okay, 00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:01.339 Christian Bedford, here's your chance to prove 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:05.200 your money. Not just in run support. and run 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:09.180 blitzes, but in your coverage snaps. And I think 00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:13.279 that if they do, I like Christian Menford so 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:16.359 much, you know this, I hope he sees this as an 00:33:16.359 --> 00:33:19.180 opportunity to kind of prove his merit and prove 00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:21.920 his medal. And the only way he's going to do 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:24.039 that and scare quarterbacks off of throwing into 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:26.680 his coverage is if he gets a couple of picks, 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:29.539 right? Like he needs to have a game where he 00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:33.250 is aggressively defending the football and not 00:33:33.250 --> 00:33:35.509 allowing completions into his coverage, not just 00:33:35.509 --> 00:33:37.589 being the closest defender and tackling, tackling 00:33:37.589 --> 00:33:41.150 soundly. Um, because to this point, I think that 00:33:41.150 --> 00:33:42.710 that was, that's the only thing he's been offering 00:33:42.710 --> 00:33:45.190 this defense is the ability to tackle soundly 00:33:45.190 --> 00:33:48.789 and provide some run support. You know, I wonder 00:33:48.789 --> 00:33:52.630 a part of this too, JJ is, and you know, We as 00:33:52.630 --> 00:33:56.230 both bills fans, we kind of asked for this, what 00:33:56.230 --> 00:33:59.670 I'm about to say. I wonder too, is, is if because 00:33:59.670 --> 00:34:02.730 the bills are going through what to me feels 00:34:02.730 --> 00:34:05.240 like a schematic overhaul. Right. They're no 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:07.440 longer locking down in nickel. I mean, I think 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:10.460 they played nickel like 90 .8 % of their snaps 00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:12.659 last season. This year, they've only rolled out 00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:15.840 nickel at about a 66 % clip on all defensive 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:19.000 play calls. They are asking their DBs to crash 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:21.920 down even more than they normally do and run 00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:24.900 defense because the Buffalo Bills cannot stop 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:27.639 the run. Christian Benford is on pace to have 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:32.010 more, to have about Uh, 34 % more run stops from 00:34:32.010 --> 00:34:34.510 his position at cornerback than he did last season. 00:34:34.650 --> 00:34:37.889 Uh, and the bills are blitzing a whole lot more. 00:34:37.989 --> 00:34:40.550 So we've seen Benford on an island and man coverage 00:34:40.550 --> 00:34:45.190 a lot more this season. I wonder if this is, 00:34:45.230 --> 00:34:48.329 I wonder if the issue with Benford is not necessarily 00:34:48.329 --> 00:34:51.190 the player. Cause to your point, he looks healthy. 00:34:51.650 --> 00:34:54.110 I wonder if the hesitance is because everyone 00:34:54.110 --> 00:34:57.710 on that defense is adapting to a schematic change. 00:34:57.849 --> 00:35:00.849 By the way, the schematic change we have all 00:35:00.849 --> 00:35:03.389 been asking for for years. And now this is what 00:35:03.389 --> 00:35:05.550 it looks like as you try to adapt on the fly. 00:35:06.829 --> 00:35:08.889 I wonder too, if they're adapting to the fact 00:35:08.889 --> 00:35:11.690 that they're playing a lot more young guys on 00:35:11.690 --> 00:35:13.989 defense that are not necessarily owning their 00:35:13.989 --> 00:35:16.090 roles. You've got Cole Bishop, who looks like 00:35:16.090 --> 00:35:17.969 he's ascending, but he's a second year player. 00:35:18.050 --> 00:35:20.170 And last year he didn't put much great stuff 00:35:20.170 --> 00:35:22.969 on save. You've got two interior defensive linemen. 00:35:23.150 --> 00:35:26.789 They're having a really hard time getting to 00:35:26.789 --> 00:35:29.530 the QB. with the exception of Walker and a couple 00:35:29.530 --> 00:35:31.610 of key places, but consistent pressure on the 00:35:31.610 --> 00:35:34.050 QB from the interior, which is something the 00:35:34.050 --> 00:35:36.329 Bills have been trying to build towards for years. 00:35:36.789 --> 00:35:39.170 And he's been playing opposite a lot of times. 00:35:39.630 --> 00:35:42.250 A rookie six round pick in Dorian Strong is the 00:35:42.250 --> 00:35:45.610 CB2. We saw Strong and White platoon a lot against 00:35:45.610 --> 00:35:48.570 New Orleans. I just wonder if, if because of 00:35:48.570 --> 00:35:50.610 the high variance of some of the players on the 00:35:50.610 --> 00:35:53.809 squad and because this Bills team has been missing 00:35:53.809 --> 00:35:56.429 key pieces. as they've gone through a schematic 00:35:56.429 --> 00:35:58.550 overhaul. I just wonder if some of Christian, 00:35:58.630 --> 00:36:00.510 Christian Benford's struggles are more finding 00:36:00.510 --> 00:36:02.829 his fit with the way the Bills want to play this 00:36:02.829 --> 00:36:05.230 defense now. Well, I think if you think about 00:36:05.230 --> 00:36:07.250 it, I think you're onto something because I've 00:36:07.250 --> 00:36:11.869 also had watching the Bills all 22 film on defense. 00:36:12.250 --> 00:36:15.190 What I see is that their play design is often 00:36:15.190 --> 00:36:17.809 this person is going to be left solo and this 00:36:17.809 --> 00:36:20.309 this corner is going to be in like a split mix 00:36:20.309 --> 00:36:23.760 match zone. I think that the intention and design 00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:25.719 of their defense is to have Maxwell Hairston 00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:29.639 play the Christian Benford role as a as a more 00:36:29.639 --> 00:36:32.739 elite physical talent and kind of somebody who 00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:34.880 has the traits, just the physical traits. I know 00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:36.400 he's he's young in the league and we have no 00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:37.980 idea what he's going to be like as an NFL starter. 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:41.840 But I think that Hairston looks to be the type 00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:44.699 of player who can play that role in this in this 00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:47.780 scheme better. And that then that leaves Benford 00:36:47.780 --> 00:36:51.639 in the Trey White role. of more zone half zone 00:36:51.639 --> 00:36:54.619 reads or run support and run coverage towards 00:36:54.619 --> 00:36:57.360 the strong side of the defense. And I and I think 00:36:57.360 --> 00:37:00.059 he'd be exceptional in that because he has looked 00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:02.460 like you have mentioned he's looked rough in 00:37:02.460 --> 00:37:06.340 the in the lockdown man island role. And so it 00:37:06.340 --> 00:37:08.659 seems like in my regards anyway, it's like they 00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:11.460 planned a certain defensive aspect based on who 00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:13.630 they believe that they would be. able to use 00:37:13.630 --> 00:37:15.949 in those roles. And then Harrison's injury kind 00:37:15.949 --> 00:37:17.510 of turned it upside down and everyone's sort 00:37:17.510 --> 00:37:20.329 of playing out of position at this point. That's 00:37:20.329 --> 00:37:22.690 a great assessment, dude. That's a great assessment. 00:37:23.190 --> 00:37:26.230 So I think to kind of put a bow on this talk 00:37:26.230 --> 00:37:28.190 about the Bills defense against the Patriots 00:37:28.190 --> 00:37:31.300 offense. I think what I want to see is I just 00:37:31.300 --> 00:37:33.460 want to see improvement. I want to see improvement 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:37.239 for the defensive line. I have zero confidence 00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:39.699 that the squad can stop the run effectively, 00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:42.159 but I'd love to be proven wrong. But I think 00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:45.139 ultimately what I want to see, JJ, is improvement 00:37:45.139 --> 00:37:47.659 in winning one -on -one matchups. I want to see 00:37:47.659 --> 00:37:49.880 Joey Bosa with quality reps against Will Campbell 00:37:49.880 --> 00:37:52.480 because we know he can get them. And I want to 00:37:52.480 --> 00:37:56.340 see the Bills actually keep contain and rush 00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:59.920 lane discipline. against Drake May because I 00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:02.579 cannot have my heart ripped out game after game 00:38:02.579 --> 00:38:06.760 watching a opposing QB scramble 15 yards for 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:09.039 a first down on third and seven every single 00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:11.059 game. You know what I mean? So I just want to 00:38:11.059 --> 00:38:13.539 see an improvement on QB containment and I want 00:38:13.539 --> 00:38:16.539 to see the DBs like do what they can to lock 00:38:16.539 --> 00:38:18.840 up some of these some of these wide receivers 00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:21.019 for New England and put Drake May in just a little 00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:24.179 bit of conflict. Yep. He's, he's, I mean, Drake 00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:26.800 May's, you know, rating goes from one, like a 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:30.940 115, 118 down to like 60 when pressured. So they, 00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:32.960 this is the game they need the pressure. They 00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:34.440 need pressure to show up more than they've ever 00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:37.079 have this, this season so far. It's the key. 00:38:37.119 --> 00:38:38.699 It's going to absolutely be the key for them. 00:38:38.880 --> 00:38:41.119 All right. Let's switch gears, JJ. Let's talk 00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:44.019 about this Bills offense against this, uh, New 00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:47.019 England Patriots defense that again, very solid 00:38:47.019 --> 00:38:49.039 has some pieces that I think are going to be 00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:52.579 problematic for the Bills for sure. Um, but ultimately 00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:54.760 a defense that's still putting it together under 00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:57.880 under how variable wants to run it. So JJ, what 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:00.900 are some of your keys here? Um, I think that 00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:05.300 they need to they need to try to run at the They 00:39:05.300 --> 00:39:07.719 need to run at the corners. They need to secure 00:39:07.719 --> 00:39:10.820 the interior. The defensive line is good. Harold 00:39:10.820 --> 00:39:12.579 Landry has always been excellent at setting the 00:39:12.579 --> 00:39:15.699 edge. Kaila Mancheson came on after bouncing 00:39:15.699 --> 00:39:17.800 around a little bit and being a high draft pick. 00:39:18.119 --> 00:39:20.440 Has come on recently and looked like a solid 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:22.519 run defender. Christian Barmore and Milton Williams 00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:23.980 in the middle. You're not really going to get 00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:26.940 the gaps you want. Especially with somebody as 00:39:26.940 --> 00:39:29.860 small as James Cook. Kind of running into the 00:39:29.860 --> 00:39:32.199 teeth of that defense in the center So you got 00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:34.500 to secure the edges the pin pull concepts some 00:39:34.500 --> 00:39:37.460 of the zone concepts use the physicality of the 00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:39.900 offensive line in terms of their ability to pull 00:39:39.900 --> 00:39:43.079 and to seal edges and get James Cook talk towards 00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:46.139 the outside or Hey, Ray Davis. You've looked 00:39:46.139 --> 00:39:49.000 like absolute garbage trash this year Maybe you 00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:51.440 get a chance to run off the you know off tackle 00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:54.639 or off guard In some gap schemes this game and 00:39:54.639 --> 00:39:57.320 not be tackled upon somebody breathing on you 00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:03.260 too heavy Yeah, no. My criticism of Ray Davis 00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:05.320 is going to continue to be ruthless until he 00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:09.300 shows something. He's been bad. And so really, 00:40:09.380 --> 00:40:13.019 it's a situation where, you know, the story of 00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:14.880 the Bills offense for me always is like, you 00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:17.679 know, that team might be good in this, good in 00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:20.099 that. The Bills are the only team with Josh Allen. 00:40:21.420 --> 00:40:24.079 So like that's, you know, if that's braggadocious, 00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:29.440 whatever. I just don't see a lot of skill for 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:32.139 the Patriots outside of their defensive interior 00:40:32.139 --> 00:40:36.039 line. Spillane and Ellis in linebacker, okay. 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:39.219 Marcus Jones is an awesome return man, but a 00:40:39.219 --> 00:40:42.860 kind of sloppy slot corner. And so, and then 00:40:42.860 --> 00:40:46.840 they're playing a rookie in Craig Woodson at 00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:51.119 safety, a fourth rounder. opposite Jalen Hawkins, 00:40:51.539 --> 00:40:53.320 they're doing everything they can possibly do 00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:55.559 to try to keep Kyle Dugger off the field, which 00:40:55.559 --> 00:40:57.360 I think is peculiar because we both liked him 00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:59.559 and he was looking good and they paid him a crap 00:40:59.559 --> 00:41:02.539 ton of money, but he has not been in favor with 00:41:02.539 --> 00:41:06.400 this defensive personnel. So it's a lot. It's, 00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:11.059 I would say, you know, The bill's best bet is 00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:13.159 of course game script. You have to get these 00:41:13.159 --> 00:41:15.440 guys tired. You got to have long sustained drives. 00:41:16.179 --> 00:41:18.360 And probably the best route to do that would 00:41:18.360 --> 00:41:20.920 be the short to intermediate passing game with 00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:22.699 Josh Allen. You got to hold up in coverage long 00:41:22.699 --> 00:41:25.099 enough to get those between five and 15 yard 00:41:25.099 --> 00:41:30.219 completions. Yeah. This offense dude in the passing 00:41:30.219 --> 00:41:32.820 game has been so compressed It's been so compressed 00:41:32.820 --> 00:41:35.460 and despite that the Buffalo Bills are number 00:41:35.460 --> 00:41:38.360 one in the league in EPA per dropback when they 00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:42.000 play at 11 personnel I think if there was a game 00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:46.019 where you were to Utilize play action on early 00:41:46.019 --> 00:41:48.320 downs to your advantage. It would be this game. 00:41:48.579 --> 00:41:52.079 I mean listen The Buffalo Bills are seeing man 00:41:52.079 --> 00:41:55.280 coverage at a 47 % clip this season. That's like 00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:58.460 ninth highest in the league right now And the 00:41:58.460 --> 00:42:00.880 New England Patriots, they play man coverage 00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:04.039 at about 47 % of their defensive snaps. You know 00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:05.820 you're going to get one -on -one matchups, right? 00:42:06.119 --> 00:42:07.420 You know you're going to have the opportunity 00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:11.079 to attack downfield. I just want to see the Bills 00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:14.340 stop voluntarily, keeping the game so close to 00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:16.500 the line of scrimmage and making it easy on the 00:42:16.500 --> 00:42:18.760 opposing defense. You've got Christian Gonzalez 00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:20.780 on one side. You've got Carlton Davis on the 00:42:20.780 --> 00:42:24.820 other side. They are both capable corners of 00:42:24.820 --> 00:42:26.579 locking down whoever you put on the outside, 00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:29.239 be it Josh Palmer, who has not been a separation 00:42:29.239 --> 00:42:32.599 God. This season has previously advertised, um, 00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:36.079 and Cian Coleman on the outside. Um, so give 00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.460 me Khalil Shakir in the slot. Give me James Cook 00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:40.840 out of the backfield and give me Dalton Kincaid 00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:44.199 on some play action shots downfield. And let's 00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:46.719 see what we can do to put this defense in conflict 00:42:46.719 --> 00:42:49.969 because The Patriots are going to line up in 00:42:49.969 --> 00:42:53.489 configurations that you should be able to exploit 00:42:53.489 --> 00:42:56.090 schematically that again, it just seems to take 00:42:56.090 --> 00:42:58.849 Brady so long to ramp up to those concepts in 00:42:58.849 --> 00:43:00.929 game. Just hit the put the pedal to the middle 00:43:00.929 --> 00:43:02.730 a little bit quicker and let's get this game 00:43:02.730 --> 00:43:05.639 script in our favor. Yeah, absolutely and I think 00:43:05.639 --> 00:43:08.219 that that's exactly right. I think that the Bills 00:43:08.219 --> 00:43:12.320 defense is going to Be at his absolute best even 00:43:12.320 --> 00:43:13.800 though it's been a poor defense through four 00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:16.460 games It's gonna be its absolute best if they 00:43:16.460 --> 00:43:19.480 know that Drake may has to pass it if they know 00:43:19.480 --> 00:43:22.059 that the the Patriots are feeling pressure by 00:43:22.170 --> 00:43:25.309 time by the time on the clock or the number on 00:43:25.309 --> 00:43:27.929 the scoreboard, feeling the pressure to have 00:43:27.929 --> 00:43:30.530 to drop back and pass it. That's when the Bills 00:43:30.530 --> 00:43:33.090 will be able to dial up some interesting coverages 00:43:33.090 --> 00:43:35.829 and some interesting pressures, which we think, 00:43:35.849 --> 00:43:37.909 well, I think anyway is like the, that is the 00:43:37.909 --> 00:43:41.429 core philosophy of their defense is to use the 00:43:41.429 --> 00:43:44.110 fact it's to use Josh Allen on defense, right? 00:43:44.219 --> 00:43:47.139 Make the other team know that they have to do 00:43:47.139 --> 00:43:50.880 something with urgency in order to keep up Because 00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:53.300 then you can kind of wreak havoc turnovers, you 00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:55.340 know There's a reason that the Sean McDermott 00:43:55.340 --> 00:43:58.840 led defenses 10 years in a row our top 10 in 00:43:58.840 --> 00:44:02.000 turnover rate and percentage and that you know 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:04.159 It's because the design is we're gonna play we're 00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:05.579 gonna be frontrunners and we're gonna make you 00:44:05.579 --> 00:44:08.800 make mistakes Yeah, yeah, and it all starts with 00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:12.300 this offense Especially if the defense does give 00:44:12.300 --> 00:44:15.500 them the ball back early on in the game, not 00:44:15.500 --> 00:44:17.420 squandering that opportunity like they did against 00:44:17.420 --> 00:44:20.139 Miami and like they did against New Orleans as 00:44:20.139 --> 00:44:22.840 well. So Drake, dude, Drake may, he's not afraid 00:44:22.840 --> 00:44:26.260 to play in Buffalo. His first start last season, 00:44:26.539 --> 00:44:29.420 first drive takes them right down the field on 00:44:29.420 --> 00:44:32.079 a six play touchdown scoring drive. And Hunter 00:44:32.079 --> 00:44:36.579 Henry. Who who we can who we gonna have it's 00:44:36.579 --> 00:44:39.099 gonna guard Hunter Henry, right? So listen the 00:44:39.099 --> 00:44:41.320 bills got to get this game script in their favor 00:44:41.320 --> 00:44:43.800 and that means the offense has got to find its 00:44:43.800 --> 00:44:46.699 flow and its rhythm Early, and it's got to keep 00:44:46.699 --> 00:44:51.059 its foot on the gas. Absolutely Really hope Spencer 00:44:51.059 --> 00:44:54.139 Brown is back for this one. Yeah me too Ryan 00:44:54.139 --> 00:44:56.199 Vandermark is a solid player, but not a starting 00:44:56.199 --> 00:45:00.059 caliber player yet and even though the even though 00:45:00.059 --> 00:45:03.809 I worry about Harold Landry, but the The pass 00:45:03.809 --> 00:45:06.289 rush Ed spots for the snowing and Patriots team 00:45:06.289 --> 00:45:09.050 are not great, but they are solid enough to give 00:45:09.050 --> 00:45:11.389 a player like Vandermark a little bit of issues. 00:45:11.769 --> 00:45:15.409 So we'll see. Vandermark looked great in in in 00:45:15.409 --> 00:45:17.449 run blocking like that is that dude's bread and 00:45:17.449 --> 00:45:20.090 butter. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Well, it's interesting 00:45:20.090 --> 00:45:22.449 because Vandermark is also the he's a pure natural 00:45:22.449 --> 00:45:25.789 left tackle. And so I think that if if he if 00:45:25.789 --> 00:45:28.670 he and he we saw this had to fill in for Dion 00:45:28.670 --> 00:45:31.630 Dawkins, it would look quite quite a lot different 00:45:31.630 --> 00:45:36.079 and better. Than you know his his filling in 00:45:36.079 --> 00:45:38.539 for Spencer Brown. I think and left tackle the 00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:41.900 drop -off is a lot less for Vandermark Without 00:45:41.900 --> 00:45:44.579 a doubt. All right, JJ. Anything else here about 00:45:44.579 --> 00:45:47.360 this offensive mass matchup against the Patriots? 00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:49.340 You want to get to prediction sure to go wrong. 00:45:49.340 --> 00:45:52.679 Let's go to predictions. All right, here we go, 00:45:52.760 --> 00:45:56.000 dude This game, you know, the the spread on this 00:45:56.000 --> 00:45:57.679 has been interesting. It opened up at nine and 00:45:57.679 --> 00:46:01.849 a half, which I found offensive Um, I don't Vegas 00:46:01.849 --> 00:46:04.510 love you guys, please stop giving the bills these 00:46:04.510 --> 00:46:09.650 giants. I don't understand it at all. I thought 00:46:09.650 --> 00:46:11.570 this game would have been six and a half maybe, 00:46:11.750 --> 00:46:13.750 right? Something like that. Eight and a half 00:46:13.750 --> 00:46:17.190 points. It's just, it's right now it is offensive. 00:46:17.929 --> 00:46:19.929 This spread did get down earlier in the week, 00:46:20.070 --> 00:46:22.010 JJ to about seven and a half points, which tells 00:46:22.010 --> 00:46:23.510 you that there was some public money going on 00:46:23.510 --> 00:46:26.309 the Patriots. Then as we got into injury reports, 00:46:26.829 --> 00:46:29.429 Milton Williams has been limited for the Patriots. 00:46:29.849 --> 00:46:32.230 That line shot back up to about eight and a half 00:46:32.230 --> 00:46:36.090 percent Over under forty nine and a half. I am 00:46:36.090 --> 00:46:39.090 absolutely taking the over in this game Mm -hmm 00:46:39.090 --> 00:46:42.909 JJ. Where are you at final score? So I think 00:46:42.909 --> 00:46:45.590 that the I am hitting over as well. I think it's 00:46:45.590 --> 00:46:50.730 a bills bills win but I think it's it's Contrary 00:46:50.730 --> 00:46:53.409 to my opening remarks about the nail -biter that 00:46:53.409 --> 00:46:56.650 the bills lose or an absolute blowout I think 00:46:56.650 --> 00:47:00.030 it's a nail -biter the bills win 31 28 There 00:47:00.030 --> 00:47:02.809 you go Every time I pick the bills to not score 00:47:02.809 --> 00:47:05.170 30 they score 30. We're gonna continue that trend 00:47:05.170 --> 00:47:09.909 I've got bills 27 Patriots 24. I think and again 00:47:09.909 --> 00:47:12.679 what I'm looking for As I'm looking for a clean 00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:15.079 competitive game. I want to see the bills improve 00:47:15.079 --> 00:47:17.420 in some of those key areas that we talked about, 00:47:17.659 --> 00:47:20.699 particularly with just pass rush, rush efficacy 00:47:20.699 --> 00:47:22.880 against a QB and Drake may who was excellent, 00:47:23.139 --> 00:47:25.900 but takes a lot of sacks still. And I just, I 00:47:25.900 --> 00:47:27.940 want to see them keep may in the pocket, right? 00:47:28.000 --> 00:47:30.139 Not I'm, cause I'm not saying may is a bad pocket 00:47:30.139 --> 00:47:33.039 passer. I'm saying you cannot let may get out 00:47:33.039 --> 00:47:35.599 and rush that do that scramble drill that he 00:47:35.599 --> 00:47:38.079 is so adept at particularly on third and longs. 00:47:38.219 --> 00:47:40.900 So just keep maintain pocket discipline. and 00:47:40.900 --> 00:47:43.500 please for the love of God, Buffalo Bill's defensive 00:47:43.500 --> 00:47:45.960 line, and I will be happy. And then Joe Brady, 00:47:46.780 --> 00:47:49.780 dial up some of these shot plays off of play 00:47:49.780 --> 00:47:52.219 action and early downs a little bit earlier than 00:47:52.219 --> 00:47:54.139 the fourth quarter, please. That's all I'm asking 00:47:54.139 --> 00:47:56.760 for, all I'm asking for. All right, any prop 00:47:56.760 --> 00:48:01.579 bets, JJ, out of you. I've got three, but I'll 00:48:01.579 --> 00:48:03.780 hit you with them really fast. Khalil Shakir, 00:48:03.960 --> 00:48:07.039 over -under, half touchdown. Christian Benford, 00:48:07.280 --> 00:48:11.079 over -under, half interception. With Milton Williams 00:48:11.079 --> 00:48:13.079 saying that Josh Allen will absolutely not get 00:48:13.079 --> 00:48:18.119 past us Josh Allen over under 49 .5 yards rushing 00:48:18.119 --> 00:48:25.239 I'm gonna say I'm gonna take the Over on cool 00:48:25.239 --> 00:48:27.280 Shakira. I think he does get a touchdown Okay, 00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:29.480 I mean listen for this everybody eats mantra 00:48:29.480 --> 00:48:31.099 that the bills have been rolling out there, which 00:48:31.099 --> 00:48:34.090 I love and appreciate Their top three leading 00:48:34.090 --> 00:48:36.550 receivers by yardage are exactly who you would 00:48:36.550 --> 00:48:38.969 expect it to be. It's Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, 00:48:39.030 --> 00:48:42.110 and Dalton Kincaid. So those three guys have 00:48:42.110 --> 00:48:44.510 been the primary go -tos, go -to for Josh this 00:48:44.510 --> 00:48:47.010 season. So I think Shakir, and a gotta have it 00:48:47.010 --> 00:48:49.170 moment, absolutely gets a touchdown. Christian 00:48:49.170 --> 00:48:53.530 Benford? No. I'm going to say no, just because, 00:48:53.650 --> 00:48:56.250 I mean, I'd like to see it, but again, to our 00:48:56.250 --> 00:48:59.070 point earlier, whether it's schematic, whether 00:48:59.070 --> 00:49:01.820 he's dealing with an undisclosed injury, just 00:49:01.820 --> 00:49:04.719 not there overall right now and the way the bills 00:49:04.719 --> 00:49:07.599 want to run this defense. And he's never been 00:49:07.599 --> 00:49:09.760 a massive turnover machine. He had only had two 00:49:09.760 --> 00:49:12.199 picks last year to four TDs given up. So I'm 00:49:12.199 --> 00:49:13.920 going to say no, Benford doesn't get a pick. 00:49:14.099 --> 00:49:18.360 And then Josh Allen over under. Ah, man, it's 00:49:18.360 --> 00:49:21.420 hard not to take the over in this particular 00:49:21.420 --> 00:49:25.260 scenario, because I think they're gonna need 00:49:25.260 --> 00:49:27.510 it. I think they're gonna need a break. break 00:49:27.510 --> 00:49:30.730 glass in case of emergency Josh Allen performance 00:49:30.730 --> 00:49:32.650 where he takes over with his arm and with his 00:49:32.650 --> 00:49:35.050 legs as well. Yep. All right. Well, I like it. 00:49:35.050 --> 00:49:38.010 And I just want to see him stiff arm Milton Williams, 00:49:38.110 --> 00:49:39.989 which is like not a thing you really want to 00:49:39.989 --> 00:49:44.289 do. Like, but we've seen Josh Allen's stiff arm, 00:49:44.510 --> 00:49:47.869 Aaron Donald, which was before that moment in 00:49:47.869 --> 00:49:50.289 time, not observed in the scientific universe. 00:49:50.829 --> 00:49:55.289 This is true. This is true. Um, yeah, I think, 00:49:55.289 --> 00:49:57.500 I think the Listen, teams have been doing such 00:49:57.500 --> 00:50:01.900 a good job of locking down Josh on his unscripted 00:50:01.900 --> 00:50:05.019 scrambles like his I think I talked about this 00:50:05.019 --> 00:50:08.380 last pod, but his rush yards over expected as 00:50:08.380 --> 00:50:11.099 a negative territory after four weeks, because 00:50:11.099 --> 00:50:13.019 teams are really keying in on him. And I think 00:50:13.019 --> 00:50:14.860 that the Patriots are going to do the same thing. 00:50:15.159 --> 00:50:17.139 But I'm fine with that because Josh has also 00:50:17.139 --> 00:50:19.579 been a surgeon passing the ball too. You just 00:50:19.579 --> 00:50:21.300 got to get some of these wide receivers open, 00:50:21.480 --> 00:50:25.019 which play action on early downs would help with 00:50:25.019 --> 00:50:27.840 Joe Brady. All right. I'm done with that. I'm 00:50:27.840 --> 00:50:30.440 done with that. All right. I got one, I got one 00:50:30.440 --> 00:50:32.280 prop for you, but it's on the Patriots side of 00:50:32.280 --> 00:50:37.300 things. All right. Drake may over under 275 and 00:50:37.300 --> 00:50:44.389 a half pass yards in this particular game. Ooh, 00:50:44.389 --> 00:50:48.050 275. It'd be a lot. And listen, May for all of 00:50:48.050 --> 00:50:51.389 his effectiveness this season, I mean, he's had 00:50:51.389 --> 00:50:53.829 up and down performances. He absolutely was, 00:50:53.829 --> 00:50:56.110 you know, nails against Carolina, but that's 00:50:56.110 --> 00:50:57.869 Carolina and they're pretty, they're pretty beat 00:50:57.869 --> 00:51:00.730 up right now. Did not play well against Pittsburgh 00:51:00.730 --> 00:51:02.750 early on in the season and did not play well 00:51:02.750 --> 00:51:06.320 against Oakland. I'm gonna give a hat tip to 00:51:06.320 --> 00:51:09.179 Bill's Mafia on this one, and I say he's gonna 00:51:09.179 --> 00:51:12.139 be under, because I think the operation of that 00:51:12.139 --> 00:51:14.440 offense is gonna be difficult in the hostile 00:51:14.440 --> 00:51:18.480 territory that is Highmark Stadium, because of 00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:20.860 what the 12th man, what Bill's Mafia brings to 00:51:20.860 --> 00:51:23.280 the table. So I think that it's, yeah, I think 00:51:23.280 --> 00:51:26.130 that... in a neutral field, I probably would 00:51:26.130 --> 00:51:28.750 be smashing the over, but in, because he's going 00:51:28.750 --> 00:51:31.849 to be playing at the Bill's house on Sunday night. 00:51:32.190 --> 00:51:36.750 So all of Bill's mafia has, you know, dozen hours 00:51:36.750 --> 00:51:39.570 to get kind of juiced up before that game and 00:51:39.570 --> 00:51:43.550 tailgating. Right. I think that, yeah, this, 00:51:43.550 --> 00:51:46.030 this one, it's a, it's a divisional matchup. 00:51:46.289 --> 00:51:50.030 It's in the Bill stadium. It's Sunday night football. 00:51:51.000 --> 00:51:53.719 With all of those things compiled, I think it's 00:51:53.719 --> 00:51:56.860 a hard road for him to get close to 300 yards 00:51:56.860 --> 00:51:58.699 passing. So I'm hitting the under. How about 00:51:58.699 --> 00:52:02.860 you? I'm also going to take the under, not because 00:52:02.860 --> 00:52:06.159 of a lack of faith in Drake May. You know, because 00:52:06.159 --> 00:52:08.300 they have Marcus Jones in the return game, the 00:52:08.300 --> 00:52:10.880 Patriots have actually benefited from really 00:52:10.880 --> 00:52:15.469 positive starting field position, right? And 00:52:15.469 --> 00:52:17.869 the Buffalo Bills special teams has not been 00:52:17.869 --> 00:52:20.530 reliable and we're rolling out our third punter 00:52:20.530 --> 00:52:22.710 of the season this year. I think it's going to 00:52:22.710 --> 00:52:24.769 be under, but not because Drake may is going 00:52:24.769 --> 00:52:26.650 to be bad. I think it's beginning going to be 00:52:26.650 --> 00:52:29.010 because the Patriots are going to have some pretty 00:52:29.010 --> 00:52:31.570 favorable field position in this game. That's 00:52:31.570 --> 00:52:33.650 going to get them some really great opportunities 00:52:33.650 --> 00:52:37.230 to take some shots at the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, 00:52:37.269 --> 00:52:40.250 and I mean it's also worth noting that with the 00:52:40.250 --> 00:52:42.989 kind of horrible -looking Impact on Johnston 00:52:42.989 --> 00:52:45.829 last week and the signing of Mitch Wishnowsky 00:52:45.829 --> 00:52:50.150 The Bills are basically leaning into this and 00:52:50.150 --> 00:52:52.349 it's probably just because it was available But 00:52:52.349 --> 00:52:55.050 they've only been you know rolling with Australian 00:52:55.050 --> 00:52:59.650 punters this season, so Are there any really 00:52:59.650 --> 00:53:01.929 good New Zealand? You know Kiwi punters out there 00:53:01.929 --> 00:53:04.230 like let's just keep this this South Pacific 00:53:04.230 --> 00:53:08.119 thing going Had no idea had no idea that that 00:53:08.119 --> 00:53:09.900 was the case. I love that Yeah, they're both 00:53:09.900 --> 00:53:11.820 Australian where they had they grew up playing 00:53:11.820 --> 00:53:14.219 Australian rules football both of the punters 00:53:14.219 --> 00:53:17.099 the bills have signed this season Wildstead of 00:53:17.099 --> 00:53:18.780 the day wildstead of the day. I can't believe 00:53:18.780 --> 00:53:20.500 you sat on it till the end of the pod. That's 00:53:20.500 --> 00:53:24.039 impressive. I know it's string most most important 00:53:24.039 --> 00:53:27.000 position on the field to write punter so There 00:53:27.000 --> 00:53:28.800 you go. It should have been a feature at the 00:53:28.800 --> 00:53:31.199 lead of this pod. But yeah, man, you know I think, 00:53:31.199 --> 00:53:33.400 I think, I think under overall for sure. Well, 00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:36.519 and what's funny is, is I feel like if, if, if 00:53:36.519 --> 00:53:39.639 Wishnowsky gets like hurt too, I feel like the 00:53:39.639 --> 00:53:41.900 Bill's move might just be like, save the roster 00:53:41.900 --> 00:53:44.159 spot for some of these guys coming off of, you 00:53:44.159 --> 00:53:47.599 know, um, and just have Josh Allen throw like. 00:53:47.760 --> 00:53:50.119 throw the punts, right? Like, all right, dude, 00:53:50.639 --> 00:53:53.559 drop back, have freaking, you know, have the 00:53:53.559 --> 00:53:55.559 long snapper snap you a ball and just throw it 00:53:55.559 --> 00:53:57.559 as far as you can. And then they catch it. And 00:53:57.559 --> 00:53:59.800 let it get picked. Yeah, exactly. Let it get 00:53:59.800 --> 00:54:02.199 picked. Call it. He'll have like 20 interceptions 00:54:02.199 --> 00:54:04.519 on the season. But if people dig into it, they'll 00:54:04.519 --> 00:54:06.460 realize, oh, it's because the Bills abandoned 00:54:06.460 --> 00:54:08.599 the normal punting game and just had Josh Allen 00:54:08.599 --> 00:54:11.219 throw arm punts for half the year. It's basically 00:54:11.219 --> 00:54:13.179 what that pick was he threw against New Orleans. 00:54:13.440 --> 00:54:14.920 Yeah. Like third and 17 or something like that. 00:54:15.039 --> 00:54:17.659 Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. Yeah. Um, shoot, dude, 00:54:18.079 --> 00:54:21.219 I, I'm looking forward to this game, but man, 00:54:21.280 --> 00:54:22.719 I'm going to be watching this game with Brandon, 00:54:22.800 --> 00:54:24.440 our friend of the pod, not friend of the bills. 00:54:24.679 --> 00:54:27.159 Yeah. Uh, noted Patriots expert. We're going 00:54:27.159 --> 00:54:28.300 to be sitting down at his house. We're going 00:54:28.300 --> 00:54:30.099 to be watching the game. It's going to be a, 00:54:30.099 --> 00:54:31.880 it's going to be a fun affair. I'll have my notebook 00:54:31.880 --> 00:54:34.320 out and taking notes, uh, ready for the recap 00:54:34.320 --> 00:54:37.320 of this for sure. Good deal. Awesome. All right. 00:54:37.500 --> 00:54:39.559 For all of you listening at home, like, share, 00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:41.139 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 00:54:41.260 --> 00:54:44.119 We are on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and as always, 00:54:44.260 --> 00:54:45.380 go Bills. Go Bills.