WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:03.000 All right, welcome back to the Buffalo Bread 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.940 podcast. And it's a short week, the second of 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:08.980 the season that the Bills are playing on Thursday 00:00:08.980 --> 00:00:12.980 night. And very much like in the NFL, a short 00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:16.000 week means a short vanilla game plan podcast. 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:19.179 We are not trying to rebuild our entire scheme 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:21.870 this week, Dan. We are just trying to. Get out 00:00:21.870 --> 00:00:24.609 of this game with a W. We just want to get out 00:00:24.609 --> 00:00:27.809 of this, JJ, healthy with a limited amount of 00:00:27.809 --> 00:00:31.050 our body parts on IR and, you know, still try 00:00:31.050 --> 00:00:34.130 to give the people what they want as well. I'm 00:00:34.130 --> 00:00:38.630 ready to get into it, man. I loathe short weeks, 00:00:38.630 --> 00:00:41.390 but if there was any way I would want to enter 00:00:41.390 --> 00:00:43.530 a short week, it would be after watching the 00:00:43.530 --> 00:00:46.020 Josh Ellens. a Josh Allen performance we watched 00:00:46.020 --> 00:00:49.359 on Sunday. What were your thoughts, JJ? Let's 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:52.460 dive right into it on Josh going pixie stick 00:00:52.460 --> 00:00:55.460 Josh and just lining up a line, snorting it, 00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:57.039 and then going out and playing on the field. 00:00:58.030 --> 00:01:01.950 I just wonder like if they did the NFL ever actually 00:01:01.950 --> 00:01:04.430 banned smelling salts because if they did I'm 00:01:04.430 --> 00:01:06.129 pretty sure Josh Allen just replaced the smelling 00:01:06.129 --> 00:01:08.590 salts with cocaine because that was like cocaine 00:01:08.590 --> 00:01:11.129 bear Josh Allen like that was you know cocaine 00:01:11.129 --> 00:01:14.209 grizzly He had the smelling salts surgically 00:01:14.209 --> 00:01:17.129 implanted in his nostrils in his nostrils ready 00:01:17.129 --> 00:01:20.170 to break on a moment's notice I think that most 00:01:20.170 --> 00:01:22.849 Bill's fans have this experience I did my buddy 00:01:22.849 --> 00:01:25.989 George was down with us watching the game and 00:01:25.989 --> 00:01:29.459 the first half we were just like Here we go again, 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:32.579 right? Like the Bills looked slow, sluggish, 00:01:32.980 --> 00:01:36.299 mistake prone. The offense was sort of like, 00:01:36.299 --> 00:01:38.560 you know, hemming and hauling and fitting and 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:41.760 starting. And then the second half just broke 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:43.640 wide open. A couple of turnovers, a couple of 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.340 short fields. Josh Allen barreling in the end 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:48.819 zone multiple times, hitting a couple of long, 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:51.599 long pass plays. It was, it was pretty awesome. 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:54.140 It was, it felt like the Josh Allen we've been 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:56.930 missing. It did. It felt like a throwback to 00:01:56.930 --> 00:01:59.849 2021, and I referred to it a couple of times, 00:01:59.849 --> 00:02:02.370 I think, in our texts, but also on our socials, 00:02:02.549 --> 00:02:06.909 too. It was classic. Early on in the game, Josh, 00:02:07.129 --> 00:02:09.449 I don't even know if he had the jitters. He was 00:02:09.449 --> 00:02:12.110 definitely pressing, but it felt more like this 00:02:12.110 --> 00:02:14.310 time around, JJ, he was just trying to kick off 00:02:14.310 --> 00:02:16.870 the rust. He had not been really unleashed in 00:02:16.870 --> 00:02:19.610 this downfield passing game all season, and he 00:02:19.610 --> 00:02:22.189 was trying to get his bearings. And initially 00:02:22.189 --> 00:02:24.610 in the game has those first couple of bad turnovers 00:02:24.610 --> 00:02:27.409 when the Bills also, I think not coincidentally. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:30.159 don't have great field position. One of those 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.560 coming in there and literally in his own end 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:35.819 zone. But I think once the bill special team, 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:39.060 special teams games got going, gave Josh a more 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:41.159 favorable field. You saw him more comfortable 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:44.479 taking some risks in early downs and listen, 00:02:44.699 --> 00:02:47.759 credit to Joe Brady too. He didn't try to put 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:51.460 the, put the, uh, general or the, what are the, 00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:53.840 uh, the mayor didn't try to put the mayor back 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:57.120 on Josh Allen here. The governor, there we go. 00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:02.500 I'm looking for a non -elected official. That's 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:05.520 the civil leader reference to limiting something 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:08.240 for the governor. Exactly. He didn't try to put 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.680 the governor back on Josh, but instead sort of 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:13.060 leaned into it in the most responsible way you 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:16.439 can when you see your QB1 going off on the field 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:19.080 in the way that Josh was. Brady gave us everything 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:23.289 we wanted. Early down, play action. was a factor 00:03:23.289 --> 00:03:25.710 in this game. The downfield passing game was 00:03:25.710 --> 00:03:28.449 a factor. And also too, I mean, he was sending 00:03:28.449 --> 00:03:31.229 out more than three route runners at a time in 00:03:31.229 --> 00:03:34.610 his passing concepts to really, for once, put 00:03:34.610 --> 00:03:36.949 the opposing defense in conflict. And listen, 00:03:37.050 --> 00:03:39.270 that Tampa Bay defense I get Jamel Dean got hurt 00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:41.629 earlier in that game. That's still a really good 00:03:41.629 --> 00:03:43.889 defense. And the Bills made some nice adjustments 00:03:43.889 --> 00:03:46.069 with how they were shifting to accommodate for 00:03:46.069 --> 00:03:48.530 some of those Todd Bowles pressures. And again, 00:03:48.770 --> 00:03:50.490 Brady just leaned into what Josh was giving them 00:03:50.490 --> 00:03:53.569 and it worked well. It was the most in unison 00:03:53.569 --> 00:03:58.189 I have saw play caller and QB on this team in 00:03:58.189 --> 00:04:01.330 quite some time. Well, I think it was not just 00:04:01.330 --> 00:04:04.629 the most in unison. You saw, you know, Josh Allen 00:04:04.629 --> 00:04:07.530 vibing with what was coming out in the play sheet, 00:04:07.550 --> 00:04:12.129 but it was also the the receivers, including 00:04:12.129 --> 00:04:16.509 Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers doing their job 00:04:16.509 --> 00:04:18.889 to be in the right space of the field with the 00:04:18.889 --> 00:04:22.300 right amount of effort. And especially that Tyrell 00:04:22.300 --> 00:04:25.699 Shavers dot long touchdown where he sort of dove 00:04:25.699 --> 00:04:28.899 for the hands catch. That one, that was six seconds 00:04:28.899 --> 00:04:31.079 after the snap. That was not his route. His route 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:34.240 was a very quick out. and he ended up extending 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.740 it, finding open space, getting behind the defense, 00:04:37.300 --> 00:04:39.720 which is one of the things that we, you know, 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:42.300 in Gabe Davis's best times with the Bills, something 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:44.680 he was excellent at, is the second reaction play, 00:04:45.139 --> 00:04:46.660 just finding open space in the field and run 00:04:46.660 --> 00:04:48.620 the grass. And I think that that's something 00:04:48.620 --> 00:04:51.259 that we have not seen from the Bills, you know, 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:54.079 the Bills with Josh Allen and this wide receiving 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.269 core, other than Dalton Kincaid. And again, occasionally, 00:04:58.430 --> 00:05:00.149 it's not been a consistent thing. So I think 00:05:00.149 --> 00:05:03.410 that was all an excellent kind of view of what 00:05:03.410 --> 00:05:06.230 the offense could be. Again, it's the kind of, 00:05:06.230 --> 00:05:10.600 you know... I was buoyed by the hope and positivity 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:12.600 of the fact that the running game was largely 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:14.759 shut down. James Cook was not finding a lot of 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:17.420 space. The Buccaneers were following a little 00:05:17.420 --> 00:05:20.699 bit of what Miami's defensive game script was 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:23.480 and selling out to stuff the run, especially 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:25.899 spilling out with run blitzes to the outside 00:05:25.899 --> 00:05:29.240 gaps in that zone, kind of wide zone play that 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:32.129 the Bills have been hitting so hard. And and 00:05:32.129 --> 00:05:34.069 it was really not working for the Bills in the 00:05:34.069 --> 00:05:36.189 run game. And they found a way to pivot and use 00:05:36.189 --> 00:05:37.990 the pass game, which is the first time this season 00:05:37.990 --> 00:05:40.990 that it's it's been a team has shut down the 00:05:40.990 --> 00:05:43.149 run and the Bills have had a counter punch. Yeah, 00:05:43.189 --> 00:05:45.949 absolutely. And you make a great point about 00:05:45.949 --> 00:05:48.649 and this is me about to give more flowers to 00:05:48.649 --> 00:05:52.269 Joe Brady. The Bucks were on that wide zone crack 00:05:52.269 --> 00:05:54.870 toss that we absolutely spammed against Carolina. 00:05:55.689 --> 00:05:57.990 The Miami Dolphins had it schemed really well. 00:05:58.009 --> 00:06:00.470 The Bucks had a good plan for it. To his credit, 00:06:00.649 --> 00:06:03.810 Joe Brady did not get stubborn and continue to 00:06:03.810 --> 00:06:06.269 call it over and over. He went to whatever the 00:06:06.269 --> 00:06:08.649 next tool in his toolkit was going to be in this 00:06:08.649 --> 00:06:11.870 particular game. Yeah, dude, I mean, we've been 00:06:11.870 --> 00:06:14.550 shading Brady a lot early on in the season for 00:06:14.550 --> 00:06:17.089 vanilla play calling, predictable play calling. 00:06:17.490 --> 00:06:20.470 I mean, we saw runs out of shotgun with Ty Johnson. 00:06:20.970 --> 00:06:23.170 We saw, as we mentioned, early down play action. 00:06:23.790 --> 00:06:26.250 We saw under center pass game get involved as 00:06:26.250 --> 00:06:28.750 well. I mean, just changing up some of his tendencies. 00:06:29.410 --> 00:06:32.149 And again, I think the first half was less Josh 00:06:32.149 --> 00:06:36.730 pressing and more this offense has not exercised 00:06:36.730 --> 00:06:40.350 those proverbial muscles all season. So we're 00:06:40.350 --> 00:06:44.009 finding everyone trying to reconfigure and reform 00:06:44.009 --> 00:06:46.920 how they were going to operate. within this new 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:48.779 set of play calls that Brady was getting out 00:06:48.779 --> 00:06:51.879 there. I mean, whenever you settle into something, 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:54.100 eventually you're going to get comfortable with 00:06:54.100 --> 00:06:56.180 it and you're going to atrophy at some point. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:58.839 And this Bill's offense just needed, you know, 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:01.040 a couple of quarters, maybe we can say two and 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:03.500 a half quarters to really kick the rust off, 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:05.480 kick the soreness off some of those pass game 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.100 muscles before they really unlocked it. And then 00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:11.160 Brady looked more comfortable as the game went 00:07:11.160 --> 00:07:14.399 on getting into some of these more unconventional 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:18.980 for him. play sequences. It was just, JJ, it 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:21.639 was Joe Brady's best game of the season, without 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:24.199 a doubt. Now, do I think we can replicate this 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:27.620 game plan or whatever actually happened on the 00:07:27.620 --> 00:07:30.420 field against Houston? Absolutely not. That defense 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:32.579 is a different animal. But it was good to see 00:07:32.579 --> 00:07:35.420 the Bills be able to roll out some of these concepts 00:07:35.420 --> 00:07:38.319 to the effectiveness that they did. And it was 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.839 great to see Josh Allen with three rushing and 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:44.560 three passing touchdowns. you know, make a mark 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:47.519 on the NFL that hasn't been done since Josh Allen 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:52.100 last season and before that since 1964. So pretty 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:54.060 remarkable, you know, whenever you see a game 00:07:54.060 --> 00:07:57.160 like that with our guy. And he seemed to be having 00:07:57.160 --> 00:07:58.939 fun, which I think is the thing that we've been 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:01.660 kind of missing, missing so far. Also, I found 00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:03.220 it interesting. And of course, you know, we have 00:08:03.220 --> 00:08:05.959 to mention the fact that Keon Coleman being set 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.980 inactive for missing or being late to the team 00:08:08.980 --> 00:08:11.879 meeting on Friday was a huge storyline of this 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:14.899 game. Tyrell Shavers getting those snaps turned 00:08:14.899 --> 00:08:17.800 them into an excellent game in production. And 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:21.360 also the thing that I noticed in this game that, 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.399 you know, if you're, it could be frustrating 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:26.680 if you're Keon Coleman or Keon Coleman Stan. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:29.800 Tyrell Shavers is being used from the slot, which 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:31.819 means that the person that they have lined up 00:08:31.819 --> 00:08:34.659 at the X is not. restricted from being in that 00:08:34.659 --> 00:08:38.159 slot, it may just be that Keon Coleman hasn't 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:39.940 shown that he's good at his assignments from 00:08:39.940 --> 00:08:42.000 that position, because it doesn't seem to be 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:44.179 a play design issue. I think it's a Keon Coleman 00:08:44.179 --> 00:08:48.220 issue. Eight minutes and 14 seconds. That's how 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:49.879 long it took you to bring up Kian Coleman. I 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.159 just want to want to note the time to that head. 00:08:52.740 --> 00:08:55.740 I bag, I've bagged on him in almost every episode 00:08:55.740 --> 00:08:58.500 of the pod. No, this is great. I finally have 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:01.600 reason. I finally have reason, even more strong, 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:04.200 more strong reason to bag on him now. When you 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:07.440 get benched as a healthy scratch in an NFL, you 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.220 know, NFL week when you're supposed to be out 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:13.950 there helping your team win a game. I mean, what 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:15.809 more can be said? You're just not a professional. 00:09:16.490 --> 00:09:19.029 Yeah, no, I get it. And this was for clear disciplinary 00:09:19.029 --> 00:09:21.149 reasons, missing that Friday meeting, I think, 00:09:21.149 --> 00:09:26.610 as you covered. So, you know, the offense looked 00:09:26.610 --> 00:09:30.809 better without Keon. Everyone's role seemed to 00:09:30.809 --> 00:09:32.909 have a little bit more clarity, aside from, I 00:09:32.909 --> 00:09:35.450 would say, Khalil Shakir, who it still seems 00:09:35.450 --> 00:09:38.009 like Joe Brady just doesn't want to put him downfield 00:09:38.009 --> 00:09:42.590 in any intermediate route whatsoever. at any 00:09:42.590 --> 00:09:45.090 point during the game. He had one catch for negative 00:09:45.090 --> 00:09:47.929 three yards in this game. Some of that too could 00:09:47.929 --> 00:09:50.309 have honestly been he has been battling injury 00:09:50.309 --> 00:09:52.169 and the Bills didn't want to put a lot of volume 00:09:52.169 --> 00:09:55.389 on him. So we'll see kind of what this looks 00:09:55.389 --> 00:09:57.809 like against Houston. But yeah, I mean, Keon 00:09:57.809 --> 00:10:00.289 not being on the field is disappointing. And 00:10:00.289 --> 00:10:04.470 it's also, I think... I see a lot of social media 00:10:04.470 --> 00:10:06.929 arguments raging about, well, the Bills haven't 00:10:06.929 --> 00:10:09.230 used Keon right all year. What do you expect 00:10:09.230 --> 00:10:11.509 versus it's your job to show up. This is what 00:10:11.509 --> 00:10:13.649 you get paid for. You do what the team asks you 00:10:13.649 --> 00:10:18.129 to do. And I think all of that is absolutely 00:10:18.129 --> 00:10:21.409 fine hypothetical conversation to have. But the 00:10:21.409 --> 00:10:24.690 reality is this, this wide receiver core JJ is 00:10:24.690 --> 00:10:27.110 still banged up. So for people saying, we're 00:10:27.110 --> 00:10:29.470 not going to see Keon Coleman again this season. 00:10:29.850 --> 00:10:33.100 I mean, I would say hold the, uh, pump the brakes 00:10:33.100 --> 00:10:36.179 on that a little bit. Um, because Curtis Samuels 00:10:36.179 --> 00:10:38.179 still battling injury, Khalil Shakir battling 00:10:38.179 --> 00:10:41.779 injury, McCole Hardman, uh, Kansas city chiefs 00:10:41.779 --> 00:10:44.720 grade. We may never see again. And Gabe Davis 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:47.320 only got about 50 % of the snap share. They're 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:50.460 still working him up from his debilitating injury 00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:53.720 from a year ago. Keon Coleman, it may not be 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:56.259 this week, but Keon Coleman's gonna see snaps 00:10:56.259 --> 00:10:59.039 again for this squad. And it is in everyone's, 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.100 I think, best interest. to not necessarily use 00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:04.399 this moment as like a victory lap around what 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:07.720 they do or don't think he is, but hope that in 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:10.919 this moment he can sort of regain some of that 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:13.700 mental edge, that enthusiasm he had for the game, 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:16.580 because the squad is definitely going to need 00:11:16.580 --> 00:11:18.940 him. Health has been one of the things that's 00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:21.419 been a constant for this team in that they have 00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:24.360 been unhealthy in a variety of their positional 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:26.740 rooms. Keon's going to see snaps again this year. 00:11:27.460 --> 00:11:31.620 Yeah. And, you know, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:33.840 completely down on him if he shows up and proves 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:36.559 it right like I can believe in a redemption arc 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:40.799 I think that we we as a Bills fan base had our 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:43.620 suspicions of Dawson Knox who I don't think is 00:11:43.620 --> 00:11:47.320 worth his contract but is a solid Second tight 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:49.820 end, you know, I think that the fan base was 00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:53.159 frustrated with Spencer Brown turns out to be 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:55.419 one of the best top ten You know right tackles 00:11:55.419 --> 00:11:59.320 in the league Dalton Kincaid Dalton Kincaid Cole 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:02.799 Bishop like we have we have seen developmental 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:07.480 arcs of players on this team that are there currently 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:11.340 Turn around Torell Bernard Wasted pick and then 00:12:11.340 --> 00:12:13.840 last year looked extra two years ago looks excellent 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:16.100 last year looks good Some reason this year doesn't 00:12:16.100 --> 00:12:17.820 look great, but I think that this was a good 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:20.179 he had a good game this past week This is the 00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:22.179 best game. Yeah, this was his best game. So I 00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:24.740 think there's and I know he also was dragging 00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:26.639 around an injury. So it might just be a sense 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:28.980 of him kind of knocking that rust off too. So 00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:31.519 we'll see as that goes. But I do think that there's 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:34.620 a lot of redemption arcs with this roster. And, 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:38.460 you know, I'm not super hopeful or positive that 00:12:38.460 --> 00:12:41.039 Keon Coleman is going to be in that league with 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:44.059 those players I mentioned. But you're absolutely 00:12:44.059 --> 00:12:46.100 right in that he's going to, you know, he's going 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.779 to have the opportunity to prove it. If he has 00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:49.799 that in his bag, he's going to have a chance 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:53.320 to show it. Yeah, without a doubt. Let's switch 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:55.940 to the defensive side of the ball here because 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:58.620 while it was Terrell Bernard's best game and 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:02.080 Cole Bishop continues just to be, I would argue 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:05.440 the best safety we've had since maybe Poyer and 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:08.720 Hyde at their peak. The rest of the defense, 00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:12.960 JJ looked really, really bad. And unlike the 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:16.100 offense where we have seen some schematic shifts, 00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:19.379 we have seen some play sequencing changes and 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:22.929 upgrades. maximize the personnel on the roster. 00:13:23.490 --> 00:13:25.710 I don't think those same solutions are there 00:13:25.710 --> 00:13:28.529 for the defense. I think the defense is what 00:13:28.529 --> 00:13:33.009 it is at this point. And it could very well cost 00:13:33.009 --> 00:13:35.850 the bills and force the bills to see an early 00:13:35.850 --> 00:13:38.049 round exit in the playoffs this year, the run 00:13:38.049 --> 00:13:40.870 defense. I mean, they can't stop anyone. We've 00:13:40.870 --> 00:13:43.470 got what Nick Chubb and Woody Marks coming up 00:13:43.470 --> 00:13:46.929 this week for the Houston Texans. Honestly, if 00:13:46.929 --> 00:13:50.250 I play fantasy football, I am dropping everyone 00:13:50.250 --> 00:13:52.710 I have. I'm picking up those two and I'm letting 00:13:52.710 --> 00:13:54.809 them be my running back room this week because 00:13:54.809 --> 00:13:56.629 they're probably going to run all over the Bills, 00:13:56.710 --> 00:13:58.990 especially with Davis Mills in the lineup as 00:13:58.990 --> 00:14:03.350 opposed to CJ Stroud. The run defense looks unfixable 00:14:03.350 --> 00:14:06.909 at this point. And JJ, that's by design. This 00:14:06.909 --> 00:14:09.210 is not a team that's ever wanted to stop the 00:14:09.210 --> 00:14:13.250 run. They're designed to stop the pass and they 00:14:13.250 --> 00:14:16.190 need to rely on their offense to control and 00:14:16.190 --> 00:14:20.019 manage game strip. Script to go up 10 14 17 points 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:22.519 so that the run game is not even a factor for 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:24.820 opposing teams This is where the Buffalo Bills 00:14:24.820 --> 00:14:27.679 get into trouble Especially in a game like this 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.039 and like the Rams game last year and the Detroit 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:32.659 Lions game last year Where you've got an offense 00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:35.259 that can go tit -for -tat with Josh even on his 00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:38.460 best pixie dust day, you know what I mean? So 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:39.860 I don't know that that's going to be the case 00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:42.000 with the Texans, but JJ, there was a lot in this 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.100 Buccaneers game where you look down the road 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:47.019 at our schedule. There are some concerning matchups 00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.960 coming up for sure. What are some of the things 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.899 that saw from the defense that you want to specifically 00:14:50.899 --> 00:14:54.480 call out? Yeah, I think that, again, Cole Bishop 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.220 had a good game. We already mentioned that Terrell 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:58.460 Bernard looked good. I think Christian Benford 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:01.179 had some snaps where we saw more of his old form, 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:06.409 Christian Benford. Deon Walker's graded out surprisingly 00:15:06.409 --> 00:15:09.289 well in the face of, you know, Sean Tucker, of 00:15:09.289 --> 00:15:12.809 all people, undrafted out of Syracuse. Going 00:15:12.809 --> 00:15:15.750 off for, I didn't have it on my bingo card that 00:15:15.750 --> 00:15:17.769 that guy would get what was like three touchdowns 00:15:17.769 --> 00:15:21.570 and 200 yards from scrimmage. 240 flipping whatever. 00:15:22.309 --> 00:15:24.830 Right, so like, yeah, I think that all of that 00:15:24.830 --> 00:15:27.889 was very surprising and it seemed like the Buccaneers, 00:15:28.009 --> 00:15:30.529 other than some errors here and there in high 00:15:30.529 --> 00:15:33.509 critical, you know, money downs, we're running 00:15:33.509 --> 00:15:35.950 up and down the fields at will. And so I think 00:15:35.950 --> 00:15:41.730 that it was a quintessential Josh Allen doing 00:15:41.730 --> 00:15:44.690 Josh Allen things and the bend but don't break 00:15:44.690 --> 00:15:48.009 defense. And I think that we're seeing Joey Bosa 00:15:48.009 --> 00:15:51.389 starting to slow down a little bit. I think that 00:15:51.389 --> 00:15:54.169 Greg Rousseau, as we've always said, is a role 00:15:54.169 --> 00:15:56.370 player who really needs somebody bringing the 00:15:56.370 --> 00:15:58.210 heat from the opposite side for him to shine 00:15:58.210 --> 00:16:01.590 and is still This game wasn't great for him, 00:16:01.750 --> 00:16:04.289 but it I think still offers as a plus defensive 00:16:04.289 --> 00:16:08.590 end against the run. And so yeah, I think that 00:16:08.590 --> 00:16:11.169 what we're seeing is like what the what the team 00:16:11.169 --> 00:16:14.340 looks like. while they're suffering major injuries 00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:18.059 to Ed Oliver, Michael Hoyt, having an old kind 00:16:18.059 --> 00:16:20.940 of past his prime, Okun Jobe, old past his prime 00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:23.080 and coming back from injury to Kwon Jones. Hopefully 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:24.820 he stays healthy because he was one of the bright 00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:27.919 spots in the game. And so I think there's a lot 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:31.000 of defensive. Milano still looks old and cooked 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:33.240 a little bit here and there. He was getting washed 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:35.899 out in a couple of those run fits where Tucker 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:39.539 was breaking one. So, yeah, I think overall it's 00:16:39.539 --> 00:16:42.460 the same defense. defensive worries that we have 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:46.600 had in the past and I think specifically the 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:48.960 The defensive pass rush not being able to heat 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:53.080 up Baker When they were in must pass mode was 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.639 a little bit frustrating Yeah without a doubt 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:58.139 and the four -man pass rush has been good this 00:16:58.139 --> 00:17:00.820 year but we had noted in our pregame that Baker 00:17:00.820 --> 00:17:04.059 does not respond well to extra rushers and the 00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:06.859 bills chose to rely I think more on that four 00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:09.759 -man pass rush and I mean, listen, it's been 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:12.400 great this year at times and then at other times 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.440 it's looks completely washed out. And I think 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:19.480 that is the story of the Buffalo Bills. And I 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:20.980 want to have this larger conversation with you, 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:24.559 JJ. This is the story of the Buffalo Bills defense 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.319 under Sean McDermott, where we say it's this 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.319 high floor unit. We know what we're going to 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:32.420 get, but they really want to play one way and 00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:35.160 they're only built to be one thing. And that's 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:38.119 the pass game. and everything else sort of hinges 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:41.380 off of that. The four -man pass rush has disappeared 00:17:41.380 --> 00:17:44.119 at times. We noted that they didn't get a single 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:46.980 sack on Tua this year, going up against that 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:49.380 Miami Dolphins offensive line that is suspect 00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:53.680 at best. Yet, a significantly upgraded Kansas 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:56.000 City offensive line is one that they dominated, 00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:58.500 right? Due in large part, I know, to the back 00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:01.059 end coverage that was wildly improved in that 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:04.660 KC game. But still... There has not been the 00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:07.380 consistency of the four man pass rush in the 00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:10.160 McDermott era. There has not been the consistency 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:12.579 of the run defense game, and there has not been 00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:14.779 the consistency in coverage. We've seen individual 00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:17.579 players in this scheme that tries to hide so 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:20.039 many of your weak spots in zone get picked on. 00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:22.740 The Dane Jacksons of the world, the Levi Wallace's 00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:25.079 of the world. This year it's been Trey White. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:31.279 JJ, listen, I think you and I both are still 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.559 semi hopeful that this season ends the way we 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:35.779 wanted to for the Bills, which is with a Super 00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:38.299 Bowl championship won before we die. But the 00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:40.559 reality is, is that if the Bills make the playoffs, 00:18:40.579 --> 00:18:43.700 it's probably an early exit this year in no small 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:47.920 part to this defense. Are we at the point where 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:51.980 if Sean McDermott comes back for a year, this 00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:55.039 would be your 10 right next year. If he is allowed 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:58.559 to come back for season 10, do you Nick Sirianni 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:01.660 him? And do you say you are going to come back, 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:05.640 but you need to pick coordinators that go against 00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:08.460 your specific philosophy? Do they go out and 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:11.720 they invite a Wink Martindale in? Or do they 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:14.279 try to snatch O 'Brien Flores away from Minnesota, 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:18.079 bringing somebody that has the opposite philosophy 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.779 of McDermott on the defensive side of the ball 00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:23.279 and give them the runway to build out what this 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:25.359 defense needs to look like in their own image, 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:30.569 not his. I don't think so. And I don't think 00:19:30.569 --> 00:19:31.970 so, not because I don't think it's a good idea. 00:19:32.029 --> 00:19:34.410 I think it'd be a good idea because we've seen 00:19:34.410 --> 00:19:37.069 this defense crumble in the playoffs in critical 00:19:37.069 --> 00:19:39.670 moments. Even in the regular season in critical 00:19:39.670 --> 00:19:42.230 moments, we've seen that. And I think that what 00:19:42.230 --> 00:19:45.930 we would see is in the event that it's not Sean 00:19:45.930 --> 00:19:48.430 McDermott's defense, it's that he's been relieved 00:19:48.430 --> 00:19:50.990 as head coach. Like I think that's the only reality 00:19:50.990 --> 00:19:54.210 where he's not having a strong influence on the 00:19:54.210 --> 00:19:57.839 defense. I think it's this defense. Sadly, unless 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:01.220 he's out the door. No, I think that's fair. I 00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:04.660 think that's fair. And part of me holds out hope, 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:06.819 you know, that if we're going to get year 10 00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:09.079 of McDermott, someone wakes up and is like, listen, 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:12.240 man, we've seen a decade of this defense. It's 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:14.460 not doing it. We've always got something different. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.720 It always gets cooked against any elite offense. 00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:20.059 Can we please change this? Just ruined, ruined. 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:22.099 All right, man. Let's transition over to the 00:20:22.099 --> 00:20:24.059 Houston game because it is a short week and we've 00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:26.799 got a we have a game coming up the day after 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.359 tomorrow. Houston Texans gonna be without their 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:31.880 lead quarterback CJ Stroud still in concussion 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:34.579 protocol here on a short week for them as well 00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:37.700 JJ I think this whole thing begins and ends with 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:40.640 this Buffalo Bills offense against this violent 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:44.539 ferocious Terrifying fun to watch when they're 00:20:44.539 --> 00:20:47.480 not playing your team Houston Texans defense 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:50.859 JJ What do you think are gonna be the factors 00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:53.240 for the Bills just to survive this game healthy? 00:20:56.190 --> 00:21:00.329 Mean okay, so they absolutely absolutely have 00:21:00.329 --> 00:21:03.869 to set a tone with physicality The Houston Texans 00:21:03.869 --> 00:21:06.630 have the number one overall EPA per play defense 00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:10.089 in the league number one overall past defense 00:21:10.089 --> 00:21:12.869 in the league based on EPA per play and then 00:21:12.869 --> 00:21:15.190 the fourth best run run defense in the league 00:21:15.190 --> 00:21:17.569 based on EPA per play they are they are not to 00:21:17.569 --> 00:21:20.569 be trifled with like if the bills don't show 00:21:20.569 --> 00:21:23.349 up on that this is a Terribly hard thing to do 00:21:23.349 --> 00:21:26.220 show up on the road in a building they've never 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:29.920 won a game in and set the tone from the first 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:33.559 snap. It's going to be, I mean, it's probably 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:35.160 going to be close at the end. I could see the 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:37.900 Bills, you know, making a game of it. But I could 00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:41.160 also see it just being like either a Pyrrhic 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:43.559 victory where they get so beat up that, you know, 00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:45.839 they need the extra three days of rest going 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:48.160 into the following week against at Pittsburgh 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:54.970 or. or a loss with even greater losses physically 00:21:54.970 --> 00:21:59.750 to their team. So I'm worried about this one. 00:22:00.210 --> 00:22:04.569 The Houston Texans are basically built to exactly 00:22:04.569 --> 00:22:06.470 counteract everything that the Buffalo Bills 00:22:06.470 --> 00:22:10.049 bring to the table. They have... a large and 00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:12.890 dominating defensive front four. They have solid 00:22:12.890 --> 00:22:16.329 outside corners. They have a good safety duo. 00:22:17.650 --> 00:22:22.509 And it's the kind of game that they have excellent, 00:22:22.950 --> 00:22:25.369 fast coverage linebackers. It's the kind of game 00:22:25.369 --> 00:22:27.450 where all the buttons, the bills are usually 00:22:27.450 --> 00:22:30.009 pressed to take advantage. You know, the classic 00:22:30.009 --> 00:22:33.210 like Will wears Waldo situation that's not going 00:22:33.210 --> 00:22:34.470 to work here. They're not going to be able to 00:22:34.470 --> 00:22:37.650 find too many chinks in the armor. No, I agree. 00:22:37.750 --> 00:22:39.710 And that piece about the linebackers is the one 00:22:39.710 --> 00:22:41.910 that sticks out most to me. Listen, we all know 00:22:41.910 --> 00:22:44.769 about Derek Stingley, Kumari Lassiter. We all 00:22:44.769 --> 00:22:48.990 know about Will Anderson Jr. I mean, Deniko Autry. 00:22:49.170 --> 00:22:51.690 I mean, we know about this, the studs they have 00:22:51.690 --> 00:22:53.970 on this defense, but that linebacking court, 00:22:54.170 --> 00:22:57.430 JJ, what we didn't see Tampa Bay do a whole ton 00:22:57.430 --> 00:23:01.509 is run out that sort of mug coverage look to 00:23:01.509 --> 00:23:03.490 try to hide some of their coverage plan and then 00:23:03.490 --> 00:23:05.650 keep a linebacker spy on the line of scrimmage 00:23:05.650 --> 00:23:08.250 again. it's Josh. And I think that's not coincidentally, 00:23:08.309 --> 00:23:10.890 this was Josh's easily best running game of the 00:23:10.890 --> 00:23:14.049 season. But that's because like, you've got Levante 00:23:14.049 --> 00:23:16.839 David out there for Tampa Bay and Todd Bowles 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:19.400 has done an amazing job extracting the last bit 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:21.779 of good football out of him that he can, but 00:23:21.779 --> 00:23:24.119 he no longer has the sideline to sideline juice 00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:27.200 to keep up with a guy like Allen. Aziz Al -Shair, 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:30.859 however, absolutely does. And that guy takes 00:23:30.859 --> 00:23:33.920 it as a personal insult if he has not flagged 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:36.779 for a roughing the passer penalty every game. 00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:39.319 So you can bet that even though he's dealing 00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:41.299 with a knee injury right now, according to the 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:44.619 injury report, If he goes, you can bet that he 00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:47.259 is going to be glued to Josh and making sure 00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:50.519 that he is not allowed to escape the pocket whatsoever. 00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:53.779 So assuming that the Texans can successfully 00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:56.599 take Josh's running game away like Miami did, 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:00.109 like other teams have. It's going to come down 00:24:00.109 --> 00:24:02.450 to, I think, taking advantage of the aggression 00:24:02.450 --> 00:24:04.569 of these edges. We have already mentioned Will 00:24:04.569 --> 00:24:06.589 Anderson Jr. You've got to Neil Hunter on the 00:24:06.589 --> 00:24:09.750 other end. They love to pin their ears back and 00:24:09.750 --> 00:24:12.250 come for it. But off the edges, when you look 00:24:12.250 --> 00:24:14.890 at their splits between running outside the tackles 00:24:14.890 --> 00:24:17.710 versus inside the tackles, these guys can be 00:24:17.710 --> 00:24:21.180 had a little bit. Now I will say. Teams are on 00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:23.339 to this crack toss game that Joe Brady is rolling 00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:24.960 out there. So he's gonna have to find another 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:27.119 wrinkle. But I think the game plan's got to start 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:29.799 with getting James Cook involved early. Like 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:31.880 you said, setting the tone on that offensive 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:34.819 line to let our guys push and maul a little bit, 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:38.539 but really let James Cook take the tempo of this 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:40.579 game. Because if you put Josh out there and he 00:24:40.579 --> 00:24:42.740 starts slinging it down the field against this 00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:45.279 secondary in the same fashion they did in the 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.700 first half of that Tampa Bay game, Houston is 00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:50.529 the type of defense that can... type of defense 00:24:50.529 --> 00:24:52.049 that can make you pay for that in a way that 00:24:52.049 --> 00:24:54.509 Tampa Bay couldn't. Yeah, absolutely. Well, and 00:24:54.509 --> 00:24:57.049 I do think that the other problem that the Bills 00:24:57.049 --> 00:25:00.029 have on offense with the run game right now is 00:25:00.029 --> 00:25:03.390 teams are basically, they're just mirroring Reggie 00:25:03.390 --> 00:25:06.099 Gilliam. and having their best linebacker fly 00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:08.039 to wherever the heck on the field Reggie Gilliam 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:10.539 is inserting because they know that that's where 00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:13.019 James Cook is going to be or safety. I mean, 00:25:13.059 --> 00:25:14.940 I've seen safeties flow to that position too 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:17.039 recently. Well, exactly right. They just they 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:20.339 send some mirror match to Reggie Gilliam to blow 00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:23.039 up the block and then have somebody feel behind. 00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:26.119 It's really a kind of two man game to shut down 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:28.019 that run play because it's basically just follow 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:31.519 Reggie Gilliam, follow Dion Dawkins or follow 00:25:32.140 --> 00:25:34.240 Jackson Hawes and you're gonna you're gonna know 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:36.799 exactly where where James Cook is on every play 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.720 so unless Brady needs to pivot off of that in 00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:42.380 some ways to have some kind of misdirection some 00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:45.059 counter plays where the strength of the blocking 00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:47.900 and the the kind of usual suspects for leading 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:50.240 through the hole are maybe leading through a 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:52.700 false hole and then we're doing some different 00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:55.180 things with angles so it without that counter 00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:57.210 punch I think that the They're going to they're 00:25:57.210 --> 00:25:59.329 going to need to find way different ways to get 00:25:59.329 --> 00:26:01.049 James Cook involved because the way it is right 00:26:01.049 --> 00:26:03.690 now, scheme wise, the scheme isn't winning any 00:26:03.690 --> 00:26:05.630 battles. So essentially it comes down to each 00:26:05.630 --> 00:26:08.269 of the offensive linemen and other insert blockers 00:26:08.269 --> 00:26:10.990 and the wide receiver tight ends and fullback 00:26:10.990 --> 00:26:15.029 to win their one block and for all of them to 00:26:15.029 --> 00:26:17.690 win their one block. Right. Like you can't have 00:26:17.690 --> 00:26:20.309 run design like that usually is not sustainable. 00:26:20.890 --> 00:26:23.779 Yeah. Somebody loses a block on each run. And 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:25.880 then what you would build off of the run game, 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:28.380 what we saw in the Tampa Bay game, early down 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:30.960 play action to keep the defense guessing. JJ, 00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:33.279 this is also the number one team in the Houston 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:36.579 Texans, the number one team in defensive EPA 00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:39.259 per play when defending play action. They don't 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:41.539 bite on misdirection. They don't bite on motion. 00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:44.640 They're extraordinarily well -coached and well 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:47.339 -disciplined. And again, super physical. I think 00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:49.599 this is going to be a really, really tall order 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:52.319 for this Buffalo Bills offense in its current 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:55.400 state. Even if Josh decides to go Super Saiyan, 00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:57.599 I really do think this is going to be a really 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:02.680 tall order for the Bills to to put up some points 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:05.799 against this defense. Let's switch. Do you have 00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:07.420 any more thoughts on the Bills offense against 00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:09.220 the Texans defense or you want to move over the 00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:11.940 other side? No, let's let's flip it around. All 00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:16.380 right. I implore anyone listening here. If you 00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:18.859 are not rostering Nick Chubb and Woody Marks 00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:22.859 on your fantasy football team, do so before this 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:25.680 game, friends, and thank us on Friday morning 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:28.940 after this game is done. Because JJ, listen, 00:27:30.380 --> 00:27:32.460 this Houston Texans offensive line has a ton 00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:36.519 of questions behind it. Davis Mills is capable 00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:39.619 as a backup, but he is not the threat from the 00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:44.259 pocket that CJ Stroud is. One would think... 00:27:44.509 --> 00:27:47.150 that what that is basically going to mean is 00:27:47.150 --> 00:27:49.470 that the Buffalo Bills defense is going to be 00:27:49.470 --> 00:27:51.410 able to sit back and actually load up to stop 00:27:51.410 --> 00:27:54.190 the run game. And I'm not confident that they 00:27:54.190 --> 00:27:56.269 can. And I don't have any other sophisticated 00:27:56.269 --> 00:27:59.289 analysis beyond that. This is a squad that has 00:27:59.289 --> 00:28:00.750 struggled with the run game. And I think they're 00:28:00.750 --> 00:28:04.530 going to continue to struggle with it here. Yeah, 00:28:04.530 --> 00:28:07.450 absolutely. And it's not even like this offensive 00:28:07.450 --> 00:28:10.369 line isn't a bunch of world beaters, but it is 00:28:10.369 --> 00:28:14.630 some capable, large human beings. And I think 00:28:14.630 --> 00:28:18.630 that especially with, you know, Dequan Jones 00:28:18.630 --> 00:28:21.769 still coming slow to return, TJ Sanders slow 00:28:21.769 --> 00:28:25.049 to return, Bosa definitely dealing with some 00:28:25.049 --> 00:28:28.849 kind of risk thing. It's a situation where Bernard 00:28:28.849 --> 00:28:31.809 Milano are both getting like, they're like bottom. 00:28:31.950 --> 00:28:35.490 bottom 10 in the league and run fills as linebackers 00:28:35.490 --> 00:28:37.670 right now, they're getting swallowed up. And 00:28:37.670 --> 00:28:39.589 so I can see that happening in this one as well, 00:28:39.950 --> 00:28:41.509 especially like you said, if they're not going 00:28:41.509 --> 00:28:43.390 to lean on Davis male slinging it all over the 00:28:43.390 --> 00:28:47.470 yard, expect to run early and often. And I'm, 00:28:47.609 --> 00:28:49.950 I think it's going to be pretty successful. Yeah, 00:28:49.950 --> 00:28:52.950 I do too. And that is very likely going to take 00:28:52.950 --> 00:28:55.829 the air out of the ball, keep Josh off the field 00:28:55.829 --> 00:28:58.029 for long stretches, which I think is the path 00:28:58.029 --> 00:29:02.140 for Houston to win this game. Um, When they do 00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:04.660 need to sling it Nico Collins is still on this 00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:08.019 roster I would expect even though he's dealing 00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:10.000 with an ankle injury. He's been a full participant 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:13.380 in practice so far early on I would anticipate 00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:15.880 that you're gonna see Benford shadow Nico a lot 00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:18.420 now in fairness last year in that Houston game 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:21.740 that broke us all. That was the game last year 00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:24.019 that broke Bill's mafia. We didn't have Christian 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:25.980 Bennifer on the field. We didn't have Taron Johnson 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:29.079 on the field. Do you see them being able to make 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:32.160 a difference in limiting this passing game? Should 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:34.839 the game script flip in the favor of the Bills? 00:29:36.579 --> 00:29:39.539 I think so. I don't actually I'm not afraid of 00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:42.200 Nico Collins because I think he's their only 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:45.140 I mean, Dalton Schultz and Nico Collins are really 00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:49.579 the only people to worry about in this one. It's 00:29:49.579 --> 00:29:52.480 not, you know, they don't have a super high powered, 00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:54.180 especially with Davis Mills back there. They 00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:57.180 don't have a super high powered passing attack 00:29:57.180 --> 00:30:01.539 and their offensive line is not exceptional at 00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:03.720 pass blocking. So I think that there are chances 00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:07.180 to, you know, and Davis Mills is also not an 00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:09.460 extreme athlete or known for his pocket savviness. 00:30:09.579 --> 00:30:13.140 So I'm not worried about the passing game. I'm 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:15.880 pretty sure if the Bills can control game script 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:18.680 and get ahead on the scoreboard. that they can 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:21.339 do enough to stop Nego Collins. It just builds 00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:24.980 mafia. Fair warning. He's going to get like a 00:30:24.980 --> 00:30:26.819 third and 12. He's going to convert a third and 00:30:26.819 --> 00:30:29.680 12. He's going to find some open space on a long 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:33.559 and late down seconds before Davis Mills is buried. 00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:36.500 And it's going to be so frustrating. But that's 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:38.759 I can see that happening. It really is. The other 00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:41.839 thing I could see frustrating the crap out of 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:45.359 us, JJ, is us loading up to stop the run. And 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:48.279 then Dalton Schultz leaking out of some of those 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:50.519 run looks. Cause he's, listen, he's been a yak 00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:53.500 God at tight end this year. Um, and he's been 00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:55.940 targeted at one of the highest rates on his route 00:30:55.940 --> 00:30:58.660 runs this season. I could see as you, if you 00:30:58.660 --> 00:31:00.599 are the Houston Texans and you have a backup 00:31:00.599 --> 00:31:03.579 QBN. You know, the opposing offense is going 00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:05.640 to sell out to stop the run because that seems 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:08.640 to be your most capable offensive phase. I could 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:10.539 see them actually doing some things with Dolton 00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.720 Schultz. They get him in the short yardage game, 00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:15.220 get the ball in his hands and let him make plays 00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:17.640 down, let him make plays after the catch, which 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:19.299 is something he's been doing successfully all 00:31:19.299 --> 00:31:22.759 season two. You have just given me a really fun 00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:25.579 over under for our prediction sure to go wrong 00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:28.279 based on your third and 12 comments. OK, I'm 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:31.230 going to I'm going to. Keep that one in the chamber 00:31:31.230 --> 00:31:34.430 for the next couple of minutes here. JJ, any 00:31:34.430 --> 00:31:36.349 further thoughts here before we do get to our 00:31:36.349 --> 00:31:38.609 prediction sure to go wrong for this game? I 00:31:38.609 --> 00:31:40.829 mean, just my general thought for the Bills to 00:31:40.829 --> 00:31:42.869 win this game, they need to establish physicality. 00:31:42.890 --> 00:31:45.650 They need to find ways and wrinkles in the run 00:31:45.650 --> 00:31:48.529 game to overcome what is a monumental task in 00:31:48.529 --> 00:31:51.450 this Houston defense. And then on the on defense, 00:31:51.490 --> 00:31:55.230 the Bills need to be stout against the run. They 00:31:55.230 --> 00:31:57.490 need to make tackles. They cannot miss tackles 00:31:57.490 --> 00:32:00.829 in this game. And their coverage needs to marry 00:32:00.829 --> 00:32:03.609 and complement the rush pass rush or it's going 00:32:03.609 --> 00:32:07.559 to be a long day night, Thursday night. Long 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:10.859 long day. Do we do we finally see Max Harrison 00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:14.819 here on the short week? Take over the the CB 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:18.059 to roll in a more full -time capacity He's still 00:32:18.059 --> 00:32:20.819 been limited or I shouldn't say limited splitting 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:23.859 reps with Trey white But do we see more Max dares 00:32:23.859 --> 00:32:26.339 in this game? I think we see the same amount 00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:27.819 of Max Harrison I think they're gonna give him 00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:30.779 a full week kind of full week of practice before 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:32.700 they do that kind of transition it feels like 00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:35.910 the kind of thing where again brand new first 00:32:35.910 --> 00:32:39.049 time in a league, you know, never played on Thursdays, 00:32:39.049 --> 00:32:41.670 probably, you know, anytime before. So short 00:32:41.670 --> 00:32:43.309 week feels like the kind of thing you don't really 00:32:43.309 --> 00:32:45.589 put the rookie through to give them the full 00:32:45.589 --> 00:32:48.250 snap share. Yeah, no, that's fair. That's fair. 00:32:49.369 --> 00:32:54.470 Man, I would say the week 14, week 15, like he, 00:32:54.470 --> 00:32:56.069 we've got to get him ramped up. We should see 00:32:56.069 --> 00:32:59.349 him in that role. 99, 99 % of snaps has to come 00:32:59.349 --> 00:33:02.089 this season for him. It's got to. It's got to. 00:33:02.329 --> 00:33:04.210 All right, JJ. Prediction sure to go wrong. Here 00:33:04.210 --> 00:33:07.150 we go. The line on this game is Bills minus six. 00:33:07.289 --> 00:33:10.390 God, I hate you, Vegas. You suck. You suck. You 00:33:10.390 --> 00:33:13.410 suck. Over -under on this game, 43 and a half. 00:33:13.430 --> 00:33:18.670 That seems high for this game. Yeah. Smash the 00:33:18.670 --> 00:33:22.630 under, folks. It seems high. We are not professional 00:33:22.630 --> 00:33:25.210 bettors. Don't take our betting advice, but this 00:33:25.210 --> 00:33:27.890 is a really good defense going up against a backup 00:33:27.890 --> 00:33:32.259 QB. Oh, God. All right. My prediction's not gonna 00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:34.759 leave the teens. All right, JJ, final score prediction, 00:33:34.819 --> 00:33:42.640 what do you got? Bills... Bills 24, Texans 21. 00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:45.400 Seems to be a popular score that we're going 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:47.900 with here recently. All right. So you are, in 00:33:47.900 --> 00:33:50.460 fact, going to take... That's the over, if my 00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:53.819 math is right. Oh, wait. Yeah, it is. Yep, you're 00:33:53.819 --> 00:33:56.319 gonna take the over. And you're gonna take the 00:33:56.319 --> 00:33:58.180 Bills to not cover, which is fine, and the Bills 00:33:58.180 --> 00:34:03.910 to win. JJ... Karma is our friend. Every time 00:34:03.910 --> 00:34:06.789 I've picked the bills to lose a football game 00:34:06.789 --> 00:34:10.170 this season, they have won. And the Houston Texans 00:34:10.170 --> 00:34:13.300 game. was one preseason that I'd pick them to 00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:15.119 lose. I'd actually pick them to go on a little 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:17.719 two -game mini losing streak here against Tampa 00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:20.880 Bay and against Houston. Josh Allen is 0 -3 in 00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:23.460 Houston. It's literally some of his worst moments 00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:26.440 as a professional football player have happened 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:28.420 in the city of Houston. I don't know what it 00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:30.800 is. He just doesn't like playing football there. 00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:34.500 Add to the fact, too, that this is a short turnaround 00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:38.019 against a very violent and capable defense. I 00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:45.079 am going to go. Texans, 19. Bills, 17. Nice. 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:48.420 I think this is going to be a disastrous, horrible, 00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:50.519 low -scoring, we're going to want to pull our 00:34:50.519 --> 00:34:54.039 hair out of fair on Thursday night. There's a 00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:56.800 path for the Bills to win, and I believe, I hope 00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:59.619 in my heart of hearts they do, but we need karma, 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:01.940 man. I'm not going to pick the Bills to win another 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:04.960 game this season until I pick them to lose and 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:07.199 they actually lose. Or until I pick them to lose 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:09.619 and they actually lose. Yep, that's right. Yeah, 00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:12.639 I understand no and that that's fair so I like 00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:15.139 the prediction and you did hit the under as we'd 00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:19.039 advised people to do I just find it hard to believe 00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:23.260 that My biggest thing is the Bills offense as 00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:25.900 much as we have complaints about it It's hard 00:35:25.900 --> 00:35:29.139 to believe they score under 20 in a game, but 00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:32.880 we'll see And then the Bills defense is so leaky 00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:35.119 that the concept of them not letting another 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:39.400 team score over 20 is preposterous to me I think 00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:41.900 we could see, I think we just see both teams 00:35:41.900 --> 00:35:46.199 take the air out of the pool. I really do. It's 00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:48.619 like the old Cleveland Browns bills like six 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:50.719 to three, three punts game or something like 00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:55.219 that. It could happen. Like each of these teams 00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:59.019 could only get like five or six total offensive 00:35:59.019 --> 00:36:02.420 drives. Like it's just, it's just, it's just 00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:04.800 lining up to be a weird Thursday game like that. 00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:06.940 So, all right. And it's one of those games that 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:10.480 you could see where like teams have long sustained 00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:15.340 drives with like 12 or 14 plays and in a turnover 00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:19.400 on the seven. And you're just like, uh huh. A 00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:23.429 hundred percent, a hundred percent, man. Um, 00:36:23.789 --> 00:36:25.269 what do you have any prop bets for this one? 00:36:25.590 --> 00:36:28.989 Um, just one, you know, I, I would like to see, 00:36:29.110 --> 00:36:32.429 um, I would like to see Cole Bishop keep his 00:36:32.429 --> 00:36:34.809 kind of streakiness alive, uh, over under Cole 00:36:34.809 --> 00:36:37.610 Bishop, half of an interception. Yeah, I'm going 00:36:37.610 --> 00:36:39.190 to go, I'm going to, I'm going to take the over 00:36:39.190 --> 00:36:42.369 on that one. Cole, Cole Bishop, absolutely killing 00:36:42.369 --> 00:36:45.110 it as far as I'm concerned. Really pleased with, 00:36:45.670 --> 00:36:47.329 really pleased with the level of effort that 00:36:47.329 --> 00:36:49.889 he's putting out there. Um, Cole Bishop's the 00:36:49.889 --> 00:36:53.860 guy. He's the guy for sure. Cool. I got one quick 00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:55.880 over under for you, JJ, before we wrap this thing 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:59.179 up. Over under two and a half times, the Houston 00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:02.800 Texans will convert a third and eight against 00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:05.480 the Buffalo Bills. Third and eight or more? Third 00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:08.920 and eight or more. Oh, over under two and a half? 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:11.940 Yeah. Oh, over. Yeah, no, it's going to be a 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:16.159 minimum of four times. Yes, even with Davis Mills. 00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:19.099 Those might be the only third down conversions 00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:21.579 they convert, but those are going to be the backbreakers 00:37:21.579 --> 00:37:25.860 that are like, come on. How could you get 19 00:37:25.860 --> 00:37:29.079 yards on the third and 17? Absolutely. It's going 00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:30.679 to suck. It's going to be terrible to watch. 00:37:30.739 --> 00:37:32.699 It's going to hurt so bad. It is going to hurt. 00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:34.860 It is going to hurt. But hopefully, folks, listening 00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:37.420 to this podcast doesn't hurt you. We appreciate 00:37:37.420 --> 00:37:39.059 you joining us here on this short turnaround. 00:37:39.460 --> 00:37:40.940 And hopefully, you're going to enjoy watching 00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:43.440 some Bills football on Thursday. For all of you 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:45.059 at home, like, share, and subscribe wherever 00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:47.519 you get your podcasts. Google Apple, Spotify, 00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:49.960 and YouTube. And as always, go Bills. Go Bills.