BIGGEST Bills QUESTIONS Right Now: EXPECTATIONS, PRESSURE and Will We SEE A NEW LOOK OFFENSE?!

Summary

Buffalo Plus Podcast Summary

Episode Title: BIGGEST Bills QUESTIONS Right Now: EXPECTATIONS, PRESSURE and Will We SEE A NEW LOOK OFFENSE?!
Date: May 8, 2026
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

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Episode Overview

This episode sees the Buffalo Plus trio—Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, and Dan Fetes—tackle the central uncertainties and pressing topics for the Buffalo Bills as they enter a new era with significant organizational changes. Key questions include team expectations with a new head coach (Joe Brady), projected offensive shifts, whether GM Brandon Bean "did enough" this offseason, the search for a new defensive face, and who faces the most pressure entering 2026. The episode is rich with experienced analysis, lively debate, and signature banter, reflecting the authentic tone of long-time Bills reporters.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Expectations for the 2026 Bills (05:22–14:44)

• No Lowered Expectations Despite Change
  • The crew sets the tone by immediately raising expectations:

    “Can we just say this in the beginning? Your super bowl window is open because 17 is your quarterback.”—Mike Catalana (00:00)

  • Joe Brady (new head coach) faces intense pressure:

    “It’s almost unfair to say in year one. But it could happen. You have Josh Allen... Our goal this year is to get to the super bowl and win the Super Bowl.”—Mike (05:55)

• Continuity, Not a Gap Year
  • Dan flags that this is not a “gap year” for the Bills:

    “It is still sky high expectations… it starts with... they have to win the division.”—Dan Fates (07:14)

• First-Year Head Coach Pressure
  • Jenna challenges whether it's fair to expect a Super Bowl run from a first-year coach:

    “Is that also a realistic expectation to put on a first year head coach who is the youngest head coach in franchise history?”—Jenna (08:17)

• AFC “Minefield”
  • Mike underscores the growing competition in the conference with a run-on list: Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers, Ravens, Jacksonville, Houston, Cincinnati, New England (12:35)
  • Dan concludes, regardless of uncertainty at head coach, expectations remain high, mainly thanks to Josh Allen (14:26).

2. How Will the Offense Change Under Joe Brady? (15:28–25:49)

• Limited Major Changes Expected
  • Dan and Mike downplay the chance of a dramatic offensive overhaul:

    “I don’t think there’s some governor, I don’t think there’s something that was being held back... I don’t expect the Bills offense to change that much.”—Dan (15:43)

• Personnel, Not Philosophy, Was the Limitation
  • Mike attributes last year’s offensive limitations to a lack of passing weapons, not coaching restraint (20:10–21:02):

    “I think the roster kind of held Joe Brady back more than anything anybody else was doing.”

• Need for Balanced Attack
  • The offense was “best-in-league” running last season, but lacked vertical threats. Both Dan and Jenna argue for the need to stretch the field and balance the attack (24:51):

    “They need to be able to stretch the field vertically. They were so horizontally, like—and it bunched everything up.”—Dan (24:51)

  • Jenna emphasizes:

    “For the longest time the Bills were this high flying passing offense. Then this last season, they were running the ball... I want them to be able to do both.”—Jenna (23:03)

• Bottom Line
  • “Because of that, I think the offense can change, but I think we’re going to see a lot of the things that we have seen under Joe Brady, because this is an evolution of his offense.”—Jenna (23:53)

3. Did Brandon Bean Do Enough This Offseason? (25:49–30:15)

• Offense Addressed, Defense Incomplete
  • All agree Bean was more aggressive at offensive skill positions than in recent offseasons, citing DJ Moore and Skyler Bell additions (27:42–28:54).
  • Mike:

    “I do think he’s done a decent amount on the offensive side to make them potentially better than last year.”—Mike (27:42)

  • Defense remains full of question marks, especially after an influx of young/untested talent.
• Lingering Skepticism
  • Dan says he wanted as strong a retool at WR as there was for the defense, but:

    “So much of what you’re saying about him addressing the offense lies on what DJ Moore is.”—Dan (29:16)

  • Jenna:

    “I wish they did more… But they also have done more in this last offseason than they have in years past.”—Jenna (30:15)

4. Who Is (or Will Be) the Face of the Defense? (30:15–40:22)

• No Clear Face in 2026
  • Dan makes it clear:

    “They don’t have currently a face of the defense.” (30:45)

• Who Was It Last Year?
  • Mike suggests Shaq Thompson was the in-locker room leader, sparking a passionate debate:

    “When they walked in that room and walked in that huddle, everybody’s paying attention to Shaq.”—Mike (32:27)

  • Jenna counters that’s not the same as “face,” suggesting it should be the most impactful, notable player.
• Possible 2026 Candidates
  • CJ Gardner-Johnson (personality), Ed Oliver (if healthy), and Trael Bernard are all discussed, but all admit it’s wide open.
  • Dan:

    “They want it to be Trael Bernard... but as of right now, they don’t have a face. They are faceless.” (37:42–38:12)

• Wildcard
  • Cole Bishop and Bradley Chubb mentioned as possible future leaders/“faces.”

5. Who Has the Most Pressure Heading Into This Season? (40:42–51:48)

• Initial Takes
  • Dan makes a case for Keon Coleman, given how hard Bean and Brady have defended and depended on him:

    “Joe Brady and Brandon Bean have not doubled down. They have tripled down on Keon Coleman… If they swing and miss on this, that’s on them.”—Dan (42:55–44:40)

  • Mike and Jenna dismiss this as “micro” compared to organizational stakes (41:04–41:22).
• Consensus: It’s Bean, Brady & Allen
  • “If Keon fails, it’s a blip on the radar for the team. They move on from the player... The big picture, it’s on Brandon Bean.”—Mike (45:04, 41:51)
  • “Of all the moves that were made in the offseason, the fact that he got a promotion, that he can say unequivocally, this is his team... you have the most pressure.”—Jenna (47:01)
• Organizational Framing
  • Mike underscores the unprecedented responsibility:

    “Bean picked Joe Brady to be the head coach. If Joe Brady isn't working out, that is franchise altering.”—Mike (50:47)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Super Bowl Windows (00:00):

  “Your super bowl window is open because 17 is your quarterback.” — Mike Catalana

• On First-Year Head Coaching Pressure (08:17):

  “Is that also a realistic expectation to put on a first year head coach who is the youngest head coach in franchise history?” — Jenna Cottrell

• On Joe Brady’s 2026 Offense (23:53):

  “Because of that, I think the offense can change, but I think we're going to see a lot of the things that we have seen under Joe Brady. Because this is an evolution of his offense.” — Jenna Cottrell

• Face of the Defense Laughter and Debate (30:32–34:41)

  • Mike’s adamant claim that Shaq Thompson was the leader sparks Jenna’s incredulity and Dan’s laughter.

• Pressure on Keon Coleman (42:55–44:40):

  “Joe Brady and Brandon Bean have not doubled down. They have tripled down on Keon Coleman... if they swing and miss...that's on them.” — Dan Fates

• Bean’s Responsibility (47:01):

  “It is his group. He is making the decision making. He was the guy that helped promote Joe Brady. Because of that, you have the most pressure. That's how it works.” — Jenna Cottrell

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Expectations for the 2026 Bills – 05:22–14:44
• How Will the Offense Change? – 15:28–25:49
• Did Bean Do Enough? – 25:49–30:15
• Face of the Defense Discussion – 30:15–40:22
• Who Has the Most Pressure? – 40:42–51:48

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Episode Tone & Style

The team’s dynamic is lively, candid, and occasionally irreverent, featuring plenty of inside jokes and mutual roasting that break up the weight of heavy football analysis. They seamlessly blend detailed, insider breakdowns with asides and digressions, keeping the show entertaining and relatable for Bills fans.

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Final Thoughts

The Bills, for all their coaching and roster changes, enter 2026 with one unavoidable truth: As long as Josh Allen is on the team, expectations remain sky high. While some questions linger about how the offense will evolve and how the defense will establish a new identity, the real pressure sits squarely on GM Brandon Bean. His roster and coaching changes will define the Bills' fate in a loaded AFC, with nothing short of a Super Bowl appearance satisfying fans and ownership alike.

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Listeners are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comments:

• Who will emerge as the face of the defense?
• Who has the most pressure in 2026, and why?
• What would you consider a successful season?

(For more in-depth Bills content, subscribe to Buffalo Plus on YouTube.)

Transcript

[Mike Catalana]

Can we just say this in the beginning? Your super bowl window is open because 17 is your quarterback.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So because of that I think the offense can change. But I think we're going to see a lot of the things that we have seen under Joe Brady because this is an evolution of his offense.

[Dan Fates]

They don't have currently a face of the defense.

[Jenna Cottrell]

They.

[Dan Fates]

They do not currently have one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who has.

[Mike Catalana]

Who?

[Dan Fates]

Who?

[Jenna Cottrell]

What's that? I see my time. I see my time.

[Dan Fates]

What is it? The hot takes man on the Buffalo Plus. I see myself. I reclaim my time. I reclaim my time. Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio.

[Mike Catalana]

This is the Buffalo plus podcast.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel. Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment, comment, subscribe and share. We are here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. Today we're going to be talking about some of the big questions that remain as we're now at this point in the off season. What are the expectations now? How will this offense change with Joe Brady having full say? Did Bean do enough? And who will be the face of the defense? Those. Just a couple of the questions we want to get to, but a lot to talk about. The draft has come and gone now it's time for rookie minicamp coming up, the continuation and then training camp coming around the corner. But before we get into that, there's some shout outs you'd like to do.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. So Dan and I happen to be at the Sabers game last night. Had a few people come up, Sean and Tyler. I told you guys we were going to mention you on the pod. They're very enthusiastic. I hope you enjoyed the game for game number one against the Canadians. So thank you for coming up and saying hello. And Ashton who's from Rochester area, Ronda Coit came up to talk to me when I was editing. At the end he's like I love Buffalo plus. So Ashton, thanks for coming up and saying hello. And we say this all the time when you see us.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Come up and say hi. And if it's not, you're talk.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If you're talking to Mike, you'll be fine. If you're talking to us, we might be awkward but that's just how we are.

[Dan Fates]

Facts.

[Mike Catalana]

Really? I don't think so.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, slightly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You're. You're a pro.

[Dan Fates]

You're a pro.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

You're hall of Famer.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. So can I add one other thing about the Sabres game? Dan and I had a little thing going last night. We so they have a 50, 50.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You know me.

[Mike Catalana]

So we bought tickets.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

And when we won, we were going to tell you that we won and then say we were going to give you like $11,000.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'll take it. I'm not about to hate on it.

[Dan Fates]

Mike did look at me at one point and goes, if we win, do we win or do we win? And I said, well, it's we. And he's like, yeah, yeah, yeah. He goes, but we. Don't we make it seem like.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, we make it like. Just like Dan and I are keeping the money.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, well, who started us on the 50, 50 train?

[Mike Catalana]

You did.

[Dan Fates]

You're the first person to ever buy 50, 50 ticket.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I've gone to a lot of games, Mike. We've never bought a 50, 50, 50 ticket before. We did that day.

[Mike Catalana]

That's right. I had never, never done that before. But anyhow, we were ready. And by the way, breaking news, we didn't win.

[Dan Fates]

So we're still here. Other housekeeping stuff. We're recording this on Thursday afternoon. Friday is the Bills rookie mini camp. Mike and I will be up there. It's a busy day because the Sabers also have game two, so there won't be an immediate post pod reaction. We. We'll save that for next week. So for everybody setting their calendars for Buffalo, plus at home, we will break down and we're going to talk to the rookies, but then we got a jet right across town to go to the Sabers game two. So we will have something either Monday or Tuesday of next week.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. And next week also is when the schedule is going to come out for the NFL. At least that's the impression. So.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

What are you going to be doing?

[Mike Catalana]

I'll be working. You going to be working?

[Dan Fates]

I'm going to be working. John, what are you gonna be doing?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Not, no, I'm gonna be on my honeymoon. My husband and I are going to Greece. So I will. I might pop onto a pod depending. But I will not be making my schedule around being on the pod.

[Dan Fates]

Less than 3% chance you come on a pod.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, well, don't give me that because then I'm gonna show up now.

[Mike Catalana]

She's gonna show.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, but no, we're gonna, we're doing

[Mike Catalana]

questions about the Bills at this time of the year. Let's start with the most important question. What exactly are you going to miss about not seeing Dan and I for two weeks?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'll have peace in my life.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, I'm kidding. I'm. I'm excited. It's gonna be fun.

[Mike Catalana]

It's good. Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And I appreciate you guys letting me take the time.

[Dan Fates]

You're welcome.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, Dan's really gonna be.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

That's the last day off you're taking for a long time.

[Dan Fates]

Also, I know there's some like, we've been trying to keep the content train rolling here during this off season. If you have any ideas for podcasts, questions to answer topics or ideas, feel free to drop them in or message us. Hey, Buffalo plus is for the life, advice, questions, all of those kind of things, send them there. Just, you know, so many people come up to us and ask us questions. It feels like in person, whether we're at Sabers games or out and about, it is very cool. Like, if you just want to say, hey, what do you think about this, this topic?

[Mike Catalana]

We can talk about it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Hey, Buffalo [e-mail]. be sure to check it out. Okay. All right, let's get into our questions for today that we came up with. I actually thought this was a really fun exercise and I thought the best place to start would be, you know, there's a new coaching staff. Joe Brady taking over, Pete Carmichael as the O.C. now, Jim Leonard as the D.C. what are the expectations for this team now as we enter the 2020, 26 season, knowing what they have been in the past, do those changes, what do they look like? Mike?

[Mike Catalana]

So we have to be fair to Joe Brady and really even Jim Leonard and everybody in a sense of saying, well, it's first time head coach and first time NFL defensive coordinator. And I want to be fair to say there is some adjustments, but I'm sorry, the Bills set. The expectation is go to the Super Bowl. I mean, Terry Pula fired Shawn McDermott saying, We couldn't get over the hump. This guy's going to do it. And I think it's almost unfair to say in year one. I mean, but it could happen. You have Josh Allen. You want to do better than you've done in the past. You felt like ownership and decision makers felt like Sean wasn't the guy to do that. So Joe is put in a spot here. Not to say be good. They've already been good. Not to make the playoffs. They've already done that. They've won playoff games. Dan, the. The team has set the goal. Our goal this year is to get to the super bowl and win the Super Bowl. And I. It's hard to say that's the expectation, but it's the. Every team would hope for that. Yeah, but where the Bills are, I don't think it's lowered at all. I think it's still go to the Super Bowl.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I don't think this was some. For all the changes that we've talked about with this roster, I don't think that this was some okay gap year.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Like, okay, now we're, you know, hey, temper expectations. That just doesn't feel like that's this team, that's this organization, that's Josh Allen. Like it. It is still sky high expectations. And I was thinking about this as I was driving in. Like it's. Every team will say their expectation is to win the Super Bowl. There's only, as Josh likes to say, there's only one team that ends their season with a win. I really do think it starts with. I think they have to win the division, like knowing kind of the turmoil that's going on in New England. I don't know if you knew this. They had a really easy schedule last year. They won't this year. I think that has to be the bar.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, it's goal. It's certainly. It always started out as the goal and they didn't win it last year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Correct.

[Mike Catalana]

So.

[Dan Fates]

But you've talked about it too and we were talking about it on the way home from the Sabres game. It's really to win two playoff games.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Because like, like that's the expectation.

[Dan Fates]

Yes, because that's, that's the life that Bill's fans and have become accustomed to.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And anything short of that would be a disappointment.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I hear that. Is that also a realistic expectation to put on a first year head coach who is the youngest head coach in franchise history?

[Mike Catalana]

Well, he. Joe's also in a unique spot of not only being part of the program, being part of the organization, a big part, but he comes in with what. And he's been very complimentary and understanding of what Sean McDermott built. But then having to take it to the next step. It's not like he's walking in taking over a team that hadn't done anything.

[Dan Fates]

He's not taking over the Lions. No, no. Like when Dan Campbell took over. Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[Mike Catalana]

No, I see. What you're saying is he's. He's not taking over the jets here or even a team that commanders that like had a little flash that hasn't been there. No. And you are, you have Josh Allen. Can we just say this in the beginning, your super bowl window is open because 17 is your quarterback. Right. That's what it's been. So when you have him, your window is to be there. So it's high pressure, but it also is a good place to be because Josh Allen is your quarterback. So.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, you have a unicorn.

[Mike Catalana]

I think it's. That's why I say it's a little unfair because no training wheels here.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. I just feel like that's a really tough spot to be in for any

[Mike Catalana]

coach, especially year one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I know that Joe Brady is established with this franchise. He's been around. He knows the players, he knows the. The people. But I also do think that it's different when you're the guy that's now the guy. And when the expectation is to get to a Super bowl, it's something this team hasn't done since the 90s. Yeah, that is a ton of pressure. And I don't. I don't know if I'm going to calibrate my brain for the season thinking that, like, that is the expectation to me, because I think it's a little understandable for things to dip in a first year for.

[Mike Catalana]

Because, Dan, we know for the last how many years that has been all of our mindset for this team and the whole organization because they just have been in that mix so many times.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And that's not me, like, saying this team couldn't make it to a Super bowl and win a Super Bowl. It's just the expectations being so high, but also the understanding of the background of everything that has changed and what goes into getting to a Super Bowl. And I think sometimes, yeah, that's just a lot to put on someone's plate.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And a lot has changed. But it wasn't the control. Alt, delete, reset, get a new computer. Like, you kept a lot of the same pieces. That was the decision they made to keep Joe Brady and to keep that continuity. Now, Mike and I were talking and we were doing an experiment on the way home, talking about the best coaches in the NFL. And we were kind of going, look, there have been a lot of new coaches in new places, especially this year. And we were talking about who are the top 10 coaches in the NFL right now.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

And it's a fun dynamic. Mike and I may disagreed on. We disagreed, I think, on d'. Amico. Ryan's was the one we disagreed on. I thought he was a top 10 coach. Coach. When we were split a little bit on Jim Harbaugh because we said had

[Mike Catalana]

success in the past, this has been okay.

[Dan Fates]

And I was saying that they had no left tackles or they had no tackles. Yeah, they Were missing two all pro tackles. That being said, how many times do we do our live show and comment in like I want to hear your guys opinion on this. But we go into games and we say, man, I don't know roster wise how it all shakes out. I remember specifically going into that Jacksonville game in the playoffs and going, I think the Jags are a really good team. I think they're a better roster last year. Right. But we always come back to the biggest advantages are coach and quarterback. And I remember picking the Bills because I thought they had the better coach. I thought they had the better quarterback and those turned out to be true.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

I'm not saying that Joe Brady is a top 10 coach right now. I'm not saying Joe Brady is not a top 10 coach. We do not know.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

But what I'm saying is, is that you're going to go into games this year where we're going. The Bills have the advantage at quarterback. They may not have the advantage at head coach.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, because you. Right. Because he hasn't had the experience. The other part I wanted to mention about the expectations is the Chiefs were way down last year. If they get Mahomes healthy, they made a few moves like we'll see what they are. The Broncos have gotten closer and closer. They've been the team that's been, you know, getting moving their way up. You just mentioned the Chargers. The Ravens made changes and also were very aggressive in their off season. Right. So you start looking around and you're like in Jacksonville was good. Right. I mean you start looking around Houston like what they can get. Cincinnati if they're healthy. They added actual defense this year. I just look at and go, I think the conference like moved up too, or at least potentially did. And we'll see where New England is this year because they were very good last year. So it's a really tough minefield of a season to go through. But yeah, it's still Josh Allen.

[Dan Fates]

It's kind of like we've talked about expectations with players. You know, we talked about TJ Sanders and what are the expectations and how do you grade his first year? And we kind of said even Max Harrison, it's kind of an incomplete.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

Like you're not really sure. So going into the season as we record this on May 7th, like it's unknown. You knew what you had with Sean and now you're, you're doing something different. And again I think we'll get to the offense but there is some changes that may be expected on offense. But there's a big change in the philosophy. The. The messaging that is going to be different. And I know a lot of people have asked about the vibes. What are the vibes? Like, are the vibes going to be different? All that plays into it, but I'm just saying, like, it is an uncertainty at the head coaching position, but it does not change the expectations that they have built. Mainly because like you said of Josh

[Mike Catalana]

Allen, they have Josh and Josh and they said it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's true. I feel like you, The Bills felt like they knew where their ceiling was with Shawn, and now you're hoping that that ceiling is higher with Brady.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But you also don't know yet where the floor is.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. Because they've avoided that. Yeah, that's a good start. That's a good first question.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. All right, also real quick, I feel like being a head coach, like, I love children. I've been a lot of. Around a lot of kids. I feel like it's like becoming a parent. I'm not a parent, but I see, like, I feel like I know a lot, but then, like, when you're in that spot, it's just. It's just different. And I think we've talked to a lot of coaches that have become first time head coaches, and they say essentially that, yeah, you. You think you know and then you find out.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, well, when you do become a parent, we're going to have high expectations for you. You're going to have to meet this.

[Dan Fates]

She got Taylor down for a nap the one time, and I walked in there and she's still there. She's like, what do I do? Well, I was like, set her down. Set her in the crib.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I know, but I'm like, I don't want to drop this sweet angel, perfect be.

[Mike Catalana]

Maybe I should lower the expectations now.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Should I be like a player? No one has higher expectations than I do for myself. Than I do for myself. All right, so that brings us to our next question. How will the offense change with Joe Brady having total say now? And I think that's an important question. What do you think, Dan?

[Dan Fates]

I don't know how much it's really going to change, and I don't mean to try and dodge that question. I just don't know. I think there's enough that we know about Joe Brady in his time here in Buffalo that I don't expect some massive change. I know we talked about a little bit on previous podcasts. I just don't think there's some governor I don't think there's something that was being held back. I don't think Sean McDermott was ever going around going, I don't want to score points. You know? And there was a time that I asked Sean, he said, my goal, what I want for my team, is to move the ball and score points. So I think that Joe has struggled at times. Part of that is the personnel.

[Mike Catalana]

I forgot about that. That was. That was funny.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was funny.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. It was probably not for you.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I felt uncomfortable for you.

[Mike Catalana]

What do you mean? Didn't he say that to you? Basically what he said.

[Dan Fates]

I said, were you.

[Mike Catalana]

You had a good answer.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We were. We were to set the scene. We were in a Sean press conference. This was how many years ago?

[Dan Fates]

So this would have been 2019.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, okay. It's been a minute.

[Dan Fates]

2019, I think it was.

[Mike Catalana]

And you asked about his offense midway

[Dan Fates]

through the season, asking about the offense. And I said, are you happy with the performance of your offense? Something along those lines. It wasn't some. Talk to me about your offense. It was. And he kind of. You ask a question and you expect to get an answer. And instead I got a question back.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, from Sean, which you were prepared.

[Dan Fates]

I had written out, like, you are 23rd in yards per game. You're 28th in points per game. Is that good enough? And he's like, what do you mean, happy? And I'm sitting there as my third year on the beat, being in a. In a way, grilled by the head coach that, like, this is a clown question, bro.

[Mike Catalana]

And.

[Dan Fates]

And I kind of came back. I was like, are you satisfied with this offense? Is this offense good enough? And he gave it back to me and said, at the end of the day, I'm only happy when we move the ball and score points. And then walked off. And that was. And the best part was the following year, it was zoom. It was Covid, and the offense was awesome. And I got to ask him, hey, Sean, last year I asked you, were you satisfied?

[Mike Catalana]

Of course you did.

[Dan Fates]

You were satisfied about your offense. And to see the kind of. The smirk in Sean's face as the question kind of. And he's like, yeah, I'm a lot happier with the offense this year. So I. That's a grand. It's a detour to get to the point of, like, I don't think that Sean was some. Again, he's an Andy Reid guy. He wants to be able to put up points and have a. An offensive attack. Did he have maybe different philosophies or his mindset yeah, that's the head coach's job is to say, this is how I think we can attack a team this week. And let's put a game. Let's install a game plan for that. But I, I don't. I don't expect the Bills offense to change that much. The question is, is DJ Moore. And this is kind of the question inside. The question is D.J. moore a true number one wide receiver for Josh?

[Mike Catalana]

Just by the way, you doing this and saying DJ Moore, we got to put music to that. It's just.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Just clip that.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Real quick, real quick. No, no, just a quick aside. Yesterday, Dan and Mike were at the Sabers and they sent back something for me to run in the 11 o' clock newscast. And Dan, the entire time you were talking, Mike was like rubbing his hands. It felt like that gif. Or the meme of like the moth. That's like doing this. It was just very funny. And you were kind of. You were kind of doing that.

[Dan Fates]

I don't know what to do with my hands. I wasn't holding the mic. What. What do I. What do I do with my.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hold your hands like this. Whatever.

[Dan Fates]

So Joe Brady.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Do you expect there to be.

[Mike Catalana]

Here's the.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Here's the way I say psychological, but I meant philosophical.

[Mike Catalana]

The offense had success. The Bills have highlighted that success. They have promoted Joe Brady. Josh won an mvp. The running game was number one in the league. So I don't think there are things that Joe Brady was not doing with this offense. Was there influence by the head coach? Well, there always is. And Joe Brady is going to have influence on Jim Leonard. He's the head coach.

[Dan Fates]

That's what the head coach does. Right. He doesn't have a side of the ball.

[Mike Catalana]

That's true. But I look at this and go, you can't. Joe said if you, if you go by this and say Joe not only got the credit, it got a promotion with the team, you. It doesn't mean you don't think there are ways he can improve the offense. I just find it hard to believe that. You believe. You think people will think that, like they didn't want to do better. Joe worked hard on making this offense very efficient with, as we have talked about, limited options in the passing game. So to Dan's point about DJ Moore, maybe he does open things up this year and then Josh can throw the ball at a level equivalent with his. Not even. You can't get to his level. There's only a few people at his level, but his numbers passing have been Pedestrian for as great as he is

[Jenna Cottrell]

the last couple of seasons.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes. So if DJ Moore helps, if Dalton Kincaid is healthy. Right. If you get something out of Skyler Bell or Keon Coleman, then I think they'll pass the ball more. But the thing was, when they ran the ball, it was because that was the best thing they did, right?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

And they were effective and everybody's made the point. They scored 30 points a game. Venus said it. They've all said it because it worked. So it's not like you're like, oh my God. What faulted this offense where there was a flaw was big plays and big moments. That wasn't just doing it. Exactly. And it's what's happened to playoffs. I had a guy asked me today the legitimate question about the defense giving up the points in the playoffs and you're right about total numbers. But sometimes it does come down to a dude making a play to help Josh Allen and they haven't had that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So there are moments between the numbers that are not always talked about, but those moments can make or break a team season just as much as the numbers can.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep, we know. It was so obvious last year in the, you know, not to pin it all on Brandon Cooks, but it comes down to a play. If, if he does hold on to that, the Bills win and they go to the AFC championship. I mean, they would have.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And they're throwing in that moment to a guy that joined the team in week 13.

[Mike Catalana]

So now bean has addressed the wide receiver position. Right. You brought in a guy second round and you drafted a guy in the fourth round. So if that improves the offense, then I don't think it comes from him being held back. I think the roster kind of held Joe Brady back more than anything anybody

[Dan Fates]

else was doing, 100%. I think that's why they leaned so much into the running game was they were.

[Mike Catalana]

Because they're good, strong suit of the team.

[Dan Fates]

They were leaning into what they did best.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

It's just what was frustrating at times was that it's tough to build the entire boat out of a running game. Like it's the NFL in 2025.

[Jenna Cottrell]

This actually you were talking about this and I feel like for the longest time the Bills were this high flying passing offense. Then this last season they were running the ball, showing that physicality. It's like I want them to be able to do both because you need to be able to win in multiple ways in the NFL. And I think that's kind of what you were talking about. I'm not Saying both have to be exceptional, wouldn't that be amazing? But just being able to be. Have the option to have wide receivers make big catches in big moments, or be able to go to James Cook and have him break off a huge run and just the stress that would put on an opposing defense. And now I do feel like there is a more balanced personnel on this team that. That opens up that option. So because of that, I think the offense can change, but I think we're going to see a lot of the things that we have seen under Joe Brady. Because this is an evolution of his offense.

[Dan Fates]

Exactly. I don't think now that. Exactly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Because my point was. Right. I'm trying my best.

[Mike Catalana]

Dan Fates, he's like, wait a minute. You said exactly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You said exactly.

[Mike Catalana]

Got done talking.

[Dan Fates]

Well, Jenna was actually going off of my point where she was saying that

[Mike Catalana]

I just took credit.

[Dan Fates]

Did you see how I pretzel that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

You're disgusting.

[Dan Fates]

It's a skill. What was that? Let me get that clipped up.

[Mike Catalana]

And we already have DJ Moore.

[Dan Fates]

Well, that's where it goes. Like, I don't think all of a sudden that we're gonna not see why bubble screens like that is.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, my God. Speaking of that Sabers game, every time they pass it back on the power play, people are like, it's the version of the Bill's bubble screens. Because people get frustrated. No, you can use those things. But Brandon Bean also recognized the python game's got to be better. He used a second and a fourth in effect.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

On wide receivers, they need to be

[Dan Fates]

able to stretch the field vertically.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

They were so horizontally, like.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And it bunched everything up.

[Dan Fates]

Right. And that's where we talked about this ad nauseam. So I'm not trying to rehash something like that. We've talked about a bunch. But, like, a lot of guys do their best work in the same areas. And you need to have a little bit more versatility. You said talk about well balanced attack. Sean would always talk about it. You want to be two dimensional because defenses can take it away. If they. If you're one dimensional and they take that away, then you're playing with, you know, your hands behind your back, and that's a tough way to play. So when it felt like every team is inevitably going to be in third and seven, third and 13, what are you going to do? And to your point, yes, they leaned into the running game, and that's what they were really good at. It just felt like the best running teams don't have Josh Allen because you have this asset that felt like you weren't maximizing his. You're investing ability in the passing game.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes, yes.

[Mike Catalana]

Because he's a unicorn still running the ball, but like.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, yeah. And he's a unicorn passing the ball, but he's trying to catch the ball. Yeah, yeah. No, it's fair. Brings us to our next point. Next question. Did Bean do enough this off season? Michael, with where things stand right now, the draft has come and gone, obviously. The free agent editions, D.J. moore, they traded for you, brought in Bradley Chubb, C.J. gardner, Johnson, some of the bigger names to talk about. Garrett D. Alford. Where do you think. Did Bean do enough this season, offseason? Where do you fall on, you know,

[Mike Catalana]

referencing what I just said about the offensive side? Look, they. They needed that. And if. If Skyler Moore and. Or Keon. Skyler Bell.

[Dan Fates]

No, I. I was doing that all last night. I literally had, like, a mental breakdown being like, what is the. What.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What.

[Dan Fates]

What's my guy's name?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And I kept coming to Skyler Moore and I was like, that's not it.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, there's Skymore.

[Dan Fates]

I'm aware.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

And then I. I just. I. I didn't have it.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I. I know. And so. So I look and say, okay, these are two prominent moves he made on offense. He brought back Conor McGovern. I think that's a big move. And basically the rest of the offense, other than losing David Edwards, which that's going to be something to pay attention to on the defensive side, I got no idea yet. I mean, I like C.J. gardner, Johnson. I think he will bring a lot to the defense. And Bradley Chubb fits that idea of a player in that spot. So the hope is that he's better, but I just think it's so wide open on the defensive side. There's so many young players they've brought in in the last two drafts that truly. Yeah. So. And a bulk of them are on the defensive side of the ball. So I think that's still incomplete because they want to help the deep. But I do think he's done a decent amount on the offensive side to make them potentially better than last year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

The defense is definitely still a question mark just with how much we haven't heard from. Also Jim Leonard, AKA the Wizard of Oz.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes. Behind the screen.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But I do think Bean has done more to address the offense than he did in the last couple of years.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, with adding in DJ Moore, I know they drafted for Keon, and that was a couple years ago. In the second round. But them adding another fourth round wide receiver.

[Mike Catalana]

You don't agree with that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm not. Hey, hey. We can also say that we want there to be more but I think he's done more than he has in

[Mike Catalana]

years past because in other years you

[Dan Fates]

brought in done more.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I know. It was more DJ More. Oh my God, you're disgusting. They brought in. They brought in Kincaid the one year. They brought in Keon, another year and in this case using a re for them a higher draft pick at with Skyler Bell. I think then you add into the very much on brand with Keon's going to be better this year. All these things would help the passing game if any or all of them work. So no, I think he's done. I mean let's also say this. They do have a good offensive line.

[Dan Fates]

Yep.

[Mike Catalana]

They do have a unicorn quarterback. They kept the running back room together and they have a great back. Like there's a lot of talent on that offense that needed higher end talent in the past catching game. Maybe they got one. Maybe they got more than one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Last year they brought in Josh Palmer. I'm just saying. Talking about how I feel like they addressed it more this year.

[Dan Fates]

So much of what you're saying about him addressing the offense lies on what DJ Moore is.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, that's fair because we could say Josh Palmer and it's like that didn't equate to a hill last season, unfortunately because they, I mean they signed him

[Mike Catalana]

and you never know with Josh Palmer. I mean like he's had some success in this league and he really could never get any traction. Last year he got hurt. It just was a bad.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It felt like it took so long for him and Josh Allen to get on the same page and then as soon as that did happen, he got injured.

[Dan Fates]

I guess there, there's a part of me that wanted the retooling that they did defensively which was needed. I wanted that in the wide receiver room.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, that's totally fair. But I'm. I'm saying again, I think there's.

[Mike Catalana]

But on offense you're Two things can be true at the same time. But on offense you're taking over a group that's had a lot of success. Joe is still the coach and you're tweaking more than overhauling it did.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I wish they did more. Lol. More. Yes. But they also have done more in this last off season than they have in years past. Yes, two things can be true. Okay, this is a really interesting question. Who will Be the face of the defense.

[Mike Catalana]

I love this.

[Dan Fates]

Wait, I thought the question was who is.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, well, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, we don't know. Yeah, I can say who will be.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay. Who is the face of the def.

[Mike Catalana]

Is or will be? You can answer it either way because

[Dan Fates]

they don't have currently a face of the defense. They, they do not currently have one if they had to play a game tomorrow.

[Mike Catalana]

So let me ask you this question before we get to it. Who was the face of the defense last year? Because I have an answer.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Ed? Nope. Benford?

[Mike Catalana]

Nope.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I. Greg?

[Dan Fates]

No, no. I, I know where you're going with this.

[Mike Catalana]

Who am I going to say?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Trey.

[Dan Fates]

Nope.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Am I just going to name the entire defense?

[Dan Fates]

You're going to say, and I agree with this, you're going to say Cole Bishop.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, okay.

[Mike Catalana]

Wait, don't do that again.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm going to clip that too. Who are you going to say?

[Mike Catalana]

Shaq Thompson.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, that's crazy.

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He was a one year. I love Shaq. I love Shaq.

[Mike Catalana]

Timeout. Shaq was a leader. When Shaq played. He was a. Who was more impactful in his role when he was playing than Shaq.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Michael White for seven, for seven quarters

[Mike Catalana]

and played ten snapshots played way more than that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Cole Bishop.

[Dan Fates]

You said in the time that Shaq played, who was more impactful in the small time that played.

[Mike Catalana]

Shaq barely played. Michael Hoyt barely played. Shaq played what, two thirds of the season. And I'm saying is because he gave them an identity on that defense. I thought more. I love the way Cole Bishop played. Even personality wise. I don't see Cole that way yet. Maybe he will be. You're saying who's the face? I'm telling you, when they walked in that room and walked in that huddle, everybody's paying attention to Shaq.

[Dan Fates]

You can't be the face of a defense on a one year deal.

[Mike Catalana]

It was last year was the one year. Oh, I, I'm, I'm, I feel very

[Jenna Cottrell]

much, I'm curious in the comments what people will think of this.

[Mike Catalana]

First of all, over the map was

[Jenna Cottrell]

the face of the defense in 2025

[Mike Catalana]

in the context that I'm talking about.

[Dan Fates]

So you're just making up your own.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

First of all, it's the pot calling the kettle black or whatever.

[Mike Catalana]

That's it. I, that's why I want to see him back. I think he brings, brought something to that defense. You know how Jordan Poyer just added that stability and brought confidence out in other players. I thought maybe even the Combination of those guys on the field was just made them better. They were not an overly talented group. You had. And by the way, personality wise too. Like, Ed's got a personality that is a leader, but he wasn't on the field at all. Really.

[Dan Fates]

When, when we talk in. My criteria.

[Mike Catalana]

Sure.

[Dan Fates]

Is they play Monday Night Football. Who's on the graphic on the D?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, it's so funny. I was thinking about that. Well, that's, yeah, that's, that's what we were saying.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but I wasn't thinking for other people. I'm talking about in the room. I think Shaq was one of those kind of guys that they needed. They needed.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, I, I, I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

It was impactful. I'm looking for face.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but I'm.

[Dan Fates]

The question is face.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but I'm saying is.

[Dan Fates]

The question is face.

[Mike Catalana]

So who's the best player on question is Fates. Who was the best player on the defense last year? Is it Christian Benford?

[Dan Fates]

It was Ed. When he was on the field.

[Jenna Cottrell]

When he was on the field. But that's so tough.

[Mike Catalana]

So little.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He really did. He didn't play enough.

[Mike Catalana]

He didn't play at all, really. He played opening game. What did he end up playing? How many games did he play? 2.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Spirited discussion.

[Dan Fates]

I thought he got injured in Carolina.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No. Well, that was. Yes, he did. He was the bicep in Carolina. Yeah. Yeah. Let me look. Oh, hold on.

[Mike Catalana]

Don't worry about that. I'm saying is you're to your point. I can see where you're saying is like in that case of like looking on and money. By the way, breaking news. Three.

[Jenna Cottrell]

They're on three games.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. So three games. When Mike. When you were looking for a face of the team. It's Josh Allen, right. He's on the graphic. There's nobody on the defense that's on the graphic. The only guy they've had would have been that guy would have been V, maybe Joey Bosa.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But just on name alone.

[Mike Catalana]

Just on name alone. But they didn't. I thought, I was thinking more of like stunned. Who brought something to the defense that way? I thought Trey brought again. These guys were more like bringing stability to the defense.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, I'm stunned that he didn't. This was your, this was a layup for you, Cat. This is a layup.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't think Greg was that guy. No, no. Unlike you, I'm entitled. That was a nuanced.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was way too much.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. He's got a lot going in this. How many Celsiuses today?

[Dan Fates]

That's just one not a sponsor. Wish it was save a lot of money ads.

[Mike Catalana]

No, I, I was saying is like I think they. That group looked towards Shaq. That was what. That was where I was going for.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I, I think that. I hear that. But to me, face of the defense is not that. Okay, but I see what you're saying. My face of the defense for 2026 coming up. I. I don't know.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, what the hell kind of answer is that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I just.

[Dan Fates]

I think two things can be true at the same time. They can have a face and not have a face.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I think that point. But I think that plays into what we're talking about as is we've. We've talked so much about them trying to figure out this defense and trying to make it impactful and we're still trying to figure out who that guy will be that can do that and show up in the biggest moments that

[Mike Catalana]

I have hope for Cole Bishop. If his personality as more of a leader. I will say the guy's going to be playing next to him has all the personality for both of them. Them CJ is.

[Dan Fates]

But it's. I'm not even talking about. It's not the who's the personality of the defense. It's who is the face who's the

[Jenna Cottrell]

best, who's the most impactful. That is what the face of the defense is.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

They want it to be trail Bernard. That is who they would like it to be.

[Mike Catalana]

And that was my. I'm time out for a second. And that was my only point about Shaq. Shaq came in and he was better than Bernard and Bernard wasn't healthy. And it was like we got to have Shaq on the field. I thought that's the reason I was looking at it that way. That's been the problem with this defense. Who knows? They. They have not had. They used to have a bunch of dudes, right? They had a bunch of guys. Trey was an all pro. Milano was an all pro. Ed was playing every year. Their defense there it was. It was Poyer and Hyde. They haven't had that. So maybe it's just because last year was so hodgepodge. Oh my God. So much again.

[Dan Fates]

I think in a perfect world they would love trail Bernard to be perfectly healthy and to play at the level that we have seen him play. They want him to be. He's the captain. They only had two captains.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

They want him to be the face of the defense. I think if I had to guess going forward who they wanted to be I think they'd like it to be Cole, but I think I'm not ready to put that stamp on yet, because it was 10 good games or 10 games where you went, hey, Cole Bishop could be a dude, could be the impact player that we've been waiting for. But as of right now, they don't have a face. They are faceless.

[Mike Catalana]

Bradley Chubb does walk in with that veteran. He's been around the league. He's a respected guy. Oh, good work.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, go ahead.

[Dan Fates]

Got it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You got it? Yeah, got it. Because they're computers.

[Dan Fates]

C A C H E Cachet.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Wow, that was well done.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay, well, we got one, right? I will say Bradley Chubb, I think, walks in and there's respect. Yeah, he does, you know, aversion.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Supposed to compliment me so we could make fun of Dan.

[Mike Catalana]

Not. Not Von's level. Obviously. Von, when he came in, he was. He's a. Yeah. You know, future hall of Famer, which he is. So that would be the only thing. And I. I agree. I think they need a mix of players, too. They need. And they need guys to stay on the field like Ed might. This may be a great year for Ed Oliver.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Health seems so encouraging that he comes

[Mike Catalana]

back and then he becomes. Because Ed's got all those things going for him. He's respected, he's got ability. He's been around.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's got personality.

[Mike Catalana]

He's got personality, too. I think he's. You know, so.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So who do you think will be the face of the defense?

[Mike Catalana]

I gotta. I gotta bag out like you did, and just say I. It's gotta be determined. We don't know who's going to be on the field. I'm with you on thinking. They want it to be Cole. They want Cole to be a leader.

[Dan Fates]

And I want it to be Bernard.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I agree.

[Dan Fates]

I think it will end up if the current trajectory. And again, we always talk about.

[Mike Catalana]

Sean McDermott wanted it to be Bernard. Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

You don't think Jim Leonard wants his safety to be safety. You don't think that he's going to want to have the general, the leader back there where he is most comfortable?

[Jenna Cottrell]

You said. You said Terrell Bernard.

[Dan Fates]

That's why I said they want it to be that. I think who it will be is Cole.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

Because of Jim Leonard.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

Because I think he.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, that's.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I would. Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Comment in with who you think and why.

[Mike Catalana]

Mike is right. That it was Shaq and will be cold this year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Don't. Don't know.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm gonna be.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Let's let's. Let's hear what the people have to say.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right. To follow this up, the final question. This one is very intriguing to me. Who has.

[Mike Catalana]

Who.

[Dan Fates]

Who. One more.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who has the most pressure heading into this season?

[Dan Fates]

I have the answer. Keon Coleman.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't think so.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Mike does this thing where he's incredibly dismissive of your idea, and you can't act like you're offended, but you're just like, what do you mean?

[Mike Catalana]

I don't think it's Keon. Yeah, he's got pressure.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Honestly, Keon did not enter my mind.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I think that's like the micro level Keon. But if you zoom out.

[Mike Catalana]

Brandon.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's Brandon Bean and it's Josh Allen to me.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. And to some extent, Joe Brady. But that's unfair to Joe.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

He hasn't been a head coach. It's always on Josh and it's on Brandon Bean. I don't think anybody's getting fired at the end of this year, but I don't either. But I would say the pressure first and foremost has been on Brandon Bean. There's no question. The big picture, it's on Brandon Bean. I mean, Sean's gone.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He.

[Mike Catalana]

They've picked Joe to be.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He got promoted.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. And we'll see how it plays out. I see what you're saying. So as a player on Keon, I look at it and go, if Keon's not good, maybe Palmer is. Maybe Bell. Bell.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

It's the way that the coaching staff, that Bean has handled it this summer.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

This offseason.

[Mike Catalana]

That's why there's put a lot of pressure on Keon.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes, they have, but not the most pressure. Keon will never have the most pressure.

[Dan Fates]

This is a new chapter, right. They have turned the page. Right. From Sean.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm. I'm. We listen and not judge.

[Mike Catalana]

They'll quickly.

[Dan Fates]

No, no, no, no.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hold on.

[Dan Fates]

If we had a sound guy, we'd cut Mike's mic for a second.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, no, we listen. Now Mike is mouthing into the mic. We listen and we don't judge. So go ahead.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, we judge.

[Dan Fates]

May I speak?

[Jenna Cottrell]

What's that? I seed my time. I see my time.

[Dan Fates]

What is it? The hot takes man on the Buffalo. Plus, I see myself. I reclaim my time. I reclaim my time. I think. I'm not talking about. We all know how good Josh is. We all know all of these things. Like, the pressure is being put on not by outside. It is being put on inside the building. And Joe Brady and Brandon Bean have not doubled down. They have tripled down on Keon Coleman. That, to me, can become a stain on their kind of reputation because it hasn't been like, hey, give Keon some time. Like, relax, guys. It is. He's going to do this. I believe in Keon. We believe in Keon. And that if we talk a lot about, like, following the actions and. And listening to. Don't listen to what they say. Follow what they do. If they swing and miss on this, that's on them. That's a mark on them because of how hard they have gone for Keon. And it reminds me a lot of times of when Josh said I wanted to prove the people inside this building. Right? And now Keon has that opportunity to have the head coach and the general manager continually stick their neck out for this guy. And it's not going to be, he's a young player anymore. He's gone through all of the ups and downs. He's been benched. He has to prove the president of football operations and the new head coach, Wright, because they have gone out to the extreme ends to defend him. And if he comes out and shows up late to meetings again, that's on being. That's not on Bean and Brady.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Dan, I hear you, but you're wrong.

[Mike Catalana]

No object. You know why it is? Because there's an old.

[Dan Fates]

I reclaim my time.

[Mike Catalana]

There's an old phrase flows downhill, right? And I. This is the NFL. They have propped up Keon there. We're giving you a chance again. Guess what?

[Jenna Cottrell]

It.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't mean this is. This sounds more harsh than I want it to be. If Keon fails, it's a blip on the radar for the team. They move on from the player. I'm telling you. Nope. I'm telling you, they've already prepared. I'm telling you, they. They can say all that, but it's going to be Keon's fault if he's not good.

[Dan Fates]

Agreed. But they're hitching their wagon today.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, they're hitching it only so far. They're. They're pushing it and pushing it. They are going to want to say, we wanted to prop them up. We wanted to give them all the support.

[Dan Fates]

Then what happens to the next player? That happens to the next player that they hit that they say, we got this guy. Well, we. We have this guy.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If that player plays that. Not. Not every player.

[Mike Catalana]

Not every player. And Keon may do well. Like, we don't know how he's going to play.

[Dan Fates]

I just don't.

[Mike Catalana]

Maybe it's just me. I, they've made him in that sense, they've made him seem more important to this team than he is. I don't listen you Ben.

[Dan Fates]

They could have given non answers.

[Mike Catalana]

They could have.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

This becomes more narrative driven. I'm just saying it's.

[Dan Fates]

But they're the ones with the narrative. This isn't, this isn't crazy. Kyle. Nope. The guy that always is great podcasting.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

The scepter guy.

[Mike Catalana]

Kyle Brandt.

[Dan Fates]

Kyle Brandt.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

This isn't Kyle Brandt. Like saying, I believe in Keon Coleman. This is the head coach.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. But, but this is the NFL and when he fails, it's going to be the player's fault.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes. Because they have they.

[Dan Fates]

But he's already failed because I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I agree. I, I, I think it's, look, it's not a great.

[Dan Fates]

You guys both agreed, but I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

But they'll buzz right by that your

[Jenna Cottrell]

answer is especially to the wrong question. If your answer is to the wrong

[Mike Catalana]

question and if Skyler Bell is really good and Keon's gone, nobody will pay a stitch of attention. He'll be like, oh, that's just the way the league works. Right?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Thousand percent, Mike.

[Mike Catalana]

It's the way the league works.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who has the most pressure?

[Mike Catalana]

I say it's been, it's gotta be Bean. Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Because of all the moves that were made in the off season, the fact that he got a promotion that he can say unequivocally, this is his team. There's no Sean McDermott left.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like, it is his group. He is making the decision making. He was the guy that helped promote Joe Brady. Because of that, you have the most pressure. That's how it works. And then outside of that, Joe Brady will also have pressure because he is a head coach that has Josh Allen at the quarterback and your super bowl window is always open. And then also Josh Allen because he has not been able to get this team to where they've ultimately always wanted to go.

[Mike Catalana]

Now I will say this. What they have done has oddly. I said this before made me feel a little badly for Keon.

[Dan Fates]

Agreed.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. Because it's like he's, it feels like

[Dan Fates]

Keon has shown us, shown the team, like who he is like, and they're continuing to back that. And so that's how I feel now. Like it's the fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. And it feels like they're doubling down. That's where it feels like then that kind of stock, that kind of stuff sticks to head coaches that hitch their. That hitch their wagons. But in the wrong.

[Mike Catalana]

In the place. If Keon's got support from people, they're going to want that the team is supporting.

[Dan Fates]

But hear this. Hear me this way. Mike McDaniel, like, was all about Tua, and Tua failed and he got fired.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Tua was a franchise quarterback. That's not the same as the correct fourth wide receiver.

[Dan Fates]

Correct. That's why. But there's even more right to me, but there's.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That he would. That Keon would have.

[Mike Catalana]

It's a lot harder to move on from a franchise quarterback.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Than it is from a. I talk

[Dan Fates]

about the repercussions of it, but it's the fact of. To me, it's. It's a little bit of. Of your reputation.

[Mike Catalana]

Beans, the off season move of Sean McDermott getting fired blows everything else out of the water. Yeah, I understand.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I. That's why I don't. I just don't think. I think Keon has immense pressure on

[Mike Catalana]

him for his own career.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Correct.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But when you look at the entirety of this team and the organizational structure, Keon is on the list, but he's definitely not top the list.

[Dan Fates]

I'm just saying there are so many things about this team that, that we do know. We know how Josh is going to play. We know how the offensive line is going to be for the most part. We know how James Cook is going to be. We know Khalil Shakir. We know a lot of these things. And you don't really know what to expect with Keon. And we have said maybe he goes out and has a thousand yards this year. That would be awesome. That would be great for the team. That'd be great for Keon. I just. The expectations that they have put, from what they've done to what the expectations are, the biggest gap that we have heard from Bean and Brady is Keon Coleman.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, but you say that actions speak louder than words. They got D.J. moore and they drafted a wide receiver in the fourth round.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And they continue to talk about.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, but they do. But I'm saying their actions are saying, yeah, we need more guys at wide receiver.

[Dan Fates]

And there'll be people in the comments and say, why you guys keep talking about Keon? Because they keep talking about Keon.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, I just. I feel bad for Keon in the sense that there is all this expectation on him.

[Dan Fates]

So there's a lot of pressure on

[Jenna Cottrell]

him there, but there's not the most pressure. The. The question in the prompt was who has the most pressure? There is pressure on every NFL player, there is more pressure on Keon this season, but the most pressure undoubtedly is on Brandon Bean. I almost. You almost let me finish. Well, yeah, you almost let me get to the end of my point.

[Mike Catalana]

Who's the most pressure on?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Brandon Bean.

[Mike Catalana]

Didn't I let her say that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Thank you.

[Mike Catalana]

No, the only thing I was going to say is Bean picked Joe Brady to be the head coach. If Joe Brady isn't working out, that is franchise altering. Right, Keon?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Just another guy on the team.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I mean, they drafted Kair Elam in the first round and it was bad. Now, Kair was not had the. Did not have the same off the field struggles that Keon has had. But still you. You kind of keep it moving.

[Mike Catalana]

You trade was right in there.

[Dan Fates]

I'm not saying the team will stop if Keon doesn't meet expectations.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who has the. Who has the most pressure?

[Dan Fates]

Well, it's Josh, because if he stinks, the team stinks.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I still think it's on Bean. You can look at Josh's body of work and say, well, something's not working. And Josh Allen has for the last almost decade.

[Mike Catalana]

I like this. I like this. Going on a honeymoon.

[Dan Fates]

I know.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I just.

[Mike Catalana]

She is ready to go. I'm just.

[Dan Fates]

I. I can't wait to talk so much while she's gone.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You sh. You talk to my face. Anyway,

[Dan Fates]

hey, don't worry, Sabers fans. She's not going to any more games. She's been a playoff jinx. There we go.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Also, I've won when they. They have won when I'm in the building.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So there is that.

[Mike Catalana]

Not in the playoffs.

[Dan Fates]

Did Maple Dumb Dumb Divots text you? That was cold.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was cold. That was cool that you brought that up.

[Mike Catalana]

They're gonna keep. Let him keep while you're in.

[Dan Fates]

Gloves are off. You could cool off.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who has the most pressure?

[Mike Catalana]

Going back to the question.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's fine. I'll be on a beach in Greece.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Who do you think has the most pressure? Be sure to comment in below.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes. This was a really fun pod. It was a little spicy.

[Dan Fates]

I see my time.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What are they. Is it seed?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

When they reclaim their time. When the people just random.

[Mike Catalana]

I want my time back, Chairman.

[Dan Fates]

I reclaim my time.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm gonna. Next time you interrupt me, I'm gonna say, I reclaim in my time.

[Dan Fates]

That's it.

[Mike Catalana]

That's good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's perfect. All right, that'll do it for us. Spirited pod. Oh, my gosh. A spirited podcast. Yeah. Thank you so much for joining us. Be sure to comment in about, like we talked about, the most pressure. Who will be the face of the defense?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. What was, what was the most contentious

[Mike Catalana]

question when I was right about Shaq?

[Dan Fates]

No, they don't have a face.

[Mike Catalana]

Please make sure to, like, comment and

[Jenna Cottrell]

subscribe for Mike and Dan, I am Jenna. Thank you you so much for watching the Buffalo plus podcast. We'll catch you next time, Honeymoon. We'll catch you next time here. You won't miss you. Almost everyone but Dan.

[Dan Fates]

Buffalo plus.