Bills make STATEMENT in blowout of Rams

Summary

Podcast Summary: Buffalo Plus – “Bills make STATEMENT in blowout of Rams”

Podcast: Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills Podcast
Hosts: Mike Catalana & Jenna Cottrell
Episode Date: September 9, 2022
Main Theme:
A deep dive into the Buffalo Bills’ dominant 31–10 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the 2022 season opener, analyzing key plays, standout player performances, coaching impact, and takeaways for the team’s trajectory.

---

Episode Overview

Mike Catalana and Jenna Cottrell break down the Bills’ emphatic win over the Rams at SoFi Stadium, discussing what made this performance a “statement” to the league. The conversation touches on Josh Allen’s evolution, key play-calling, the debut of Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator, the impact of new additions—especially Von Miller—and what this victory signals for Buffalo’s Super Bowl ambitions.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A True “Statement” Win

• Ultimate message: The Bills wanted the nation and league to know “we are the team to beat.”

• Mike emphasizes that although players remain focused (“it’s just one win”), the magnitude of the performance can’t be overstated:

  “They made a statement to the entire country, to the entire league... It was dominating that first half.” (00:22)

• Jenna details the ironic backdrop—the song “Respect” playing in their hotel basement—as the Bills “garnered some respect tonight.” (01:13)

2. The Josh Allen Effect

• Described as “spectacular” and the undisputed engine of the offense:

  “I’m at the point where if you think Josh Allen is not the real deal, you are an idiot. Like, you just want to choose ignorance...” –Jenna (02:21)

• Allen’s athleticism receives high praise:

  “He’s got speed, he’s got size, he has power, he has instincts. He’s a quarterback… and now he’s accurate.” –Mike (03:23)

• The iconic stiff-arm run is called “violent”:

  “It was shoving the guy out of the way... Come on, it fires up the team.” –Mike (03:57)

3. Deliberate Play-Calling & Ken Dorsey’s Debut

• Dorsey called a balanced game reminiscent of Brian Daboll, with a few surprises:

  “He called a game very similar, honestly, to Brian Dabel. He mixed it up.” –Mike (09:21)

• Notable running back usage—Zach Moss and Devin Singletary both praised for physicality and decisive runs (09:35–10:38).
• The confidence shown in Isaiah McKenzie after his early error is highlighted as a sign of team culture (04:11–05:19).
• Dorsey’s steady halftime adjustments:

  “Ken Dorsey was saying, like, it’s not on... it’s what we need to do.” –Jenna (12:32)

4. Explosive Plays & Player Chemistry

• Gabe Davis’s evolution as a reliable touchdown target continues; touchdown streak mentioned with trivia on Tommy Doyle interrupting the streak (05:54).
• Allen and Stefon Diggs’ improvisational chemistry:

  “Truthfully, maybe this is me being naive, but I feel like backyard football is what Josh Allen does best.” –Jenna (07:03)

• The Allen-Diggs touchdown and beating Jalen Ramsey is a statement moment, especially with reference to past trash talk (07:46, 08:29).

5. Defense Shines, Led by Von Miller & New Faces

• Von Miller’s debut with two sacks is compared to Bruce Smith in terms of quickness:

  “The quickness off the line does remind me of Bruce Smith because it’s… alarming. He’s so good off the snap.” –Mike (15:39)

• Miller’s “slippery” style and leadership elevate the defensive front; Jordan Phillips and young players like Boogie Basham (INT), Greg Rousseau (plays, batted pass), and Dane Jackson (stepping up at CB) all make impacts (17:02, 17:52, 19:21).
• Injury concern: Ed Oliver seen in a walking boot; hosts note this can sometimes be precautionary (18:45).

6. Roster Battles and Coaching Decisions

• Christian Benford (rookie, 6th-round pick) starts over first-round pick Kaiir Elam, in keeping with the staff’s “body of work” philosophy (19:49–20:47).
• This meritocracy is linked to the team’s competitive mentality.

7. Limiting the Rams and Handling Star Power

• The defense held the Rams to just 10 points, with Cooper Kupp doing most of the damage:

  “They shut down the run game. They were all over Stafford.” –Mike (21:02)

• Aaron Donald’s impact was minimized:

  “Donald... did not wreck the game plan.” (21:24)

8. Fan Presence and Atmosphere

• Notably strong Bills fan turnout at SoFi Stadium—estimated at 15–18% of crowd—fuels team energy (24:58–25:39).
• Rams fanbase and LA sports culture get some playful jabs (25:39–26:17).

9. The Press Box Experience (Light-Hearted Segment)

• LA’s generous press box food (Bulgogi, taquitos, spicy cucumber salad, candy, even beer) compared favorably to other NFL stadiums (23:54–24:44).
• Playful banter about who gets the best experience and “wine and cheese” pairings (24:46).

10. Optimism and Perspective

• Hosts warn against downgrading the win by focusing on Rams’ deficiencies instead of Bills’ dominance (27:05).
• Jenna and Mike marvel at Allen’s unique talent as Buffalo’s quarterback:

  “I’ve never seen anybody play like Josh Allen… and we get to do it.” –Mike (29:47)

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Josh Allen’s skeptics:

  “If you think Josh Allen is not the real deal, you are an idiot.” –Jenna (02:21)

• On Allen-Diggs chemistry:

  “He just told me to run and I ran. And then Josh was like, ‘Yeah, he got open and I threw it.’” –Mike, paraphrasing post-game interviews (07:03)

• On Von Miller’s influence:

  “He’s intimidating standing there on the line… Rousseau made a big play… Boogie Basham with an interception. Poyer had an interception. Jordan Phillips, though, a couple of sacks.” –Mike (17:21)

• On the Bills offense:

  “The Bills didn’t punt.” –Mike (28:14) “They really won. By the way. I don’t do math, but that seems three touchdowns.” –Jenna (27:30)

• On Bills’ approach:

  “This was straightforward. This is what we do. We do it better than you. And they did in this game.” –Mike (21:41)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Statement win, national respect: 00:22–01:28
• Josh Allen’s dynamic performance: 02:21–03:57
• Allen’s iconic stiff-arm: 03:57
• Analysis of key touchdowns: 04:11–07:46
• Dorsey’s play-calling & halftime adjustments: 09:19–12:56
• Diggs on making Dorsey look good: 12:56–13:18
• Von Miller’s impact and D-line praise: 15:37–18:45
• Young CBs and defensive rotation: 19:21–20:57
• Limiting Cooper Kupp, Rams’ offense: 21:02–21:18
• Bills fans at SoFi, LA culture: 24:58–26:17
• Final thoughts on dominance: 27:05–28:14
• Allen’s legacy & host reflections: 29:42–30:11

---

Takeaways for Listeners

• The Bills showcased why they are Super Bowl favorites—combining elite QB play, versatile weapons, a newly invigorated pass rush, and confident, steady coaching.
• The win signals growth in physicality, mental toughness, and depth, with veterans and rookies contributing.
• Allen’s ongoing development and chemistry with his weapons is now a cornerstone of Buffalo’s identity.
• The Bills made a clear statement to the NFL: not just hype, but substance.

---

Episode Tone

The conversation is fast-paced, passionate, and candid—filled with enthusiastic observations, playful banter, and honest reflections from two veteran reporters who clearly enjoy their insider access and each other’s company.

---

For full Bills coverage and more post-game podcasts, catch Buffalo Plus each week and follow on social media channels.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris. Mike Catalana. I'm Jenna Cottrell. The Bills with a beat down of the Rams in SoFi Stadium, 31 to 10. Buffalo with a dominant, dare we say, statement, win on Thursday night. Mike, what do you make of this game?

[A]

You called the right word statement. I mean, you know, they've told us the same thing. We were in there for the post game. We asked all the players, and it's just one win. I give them credit for that. I give them credit because I actually think they believe it. But they made a statement to the entire country, to the entire league. To start out the year with. It was dominating that first half. They outplayed the Rams, made those few mistakes with the turnovers, but, man, when they came out in the second half and got the ball, went right down and scored, you could see it was just different. They were like, enough messing around here. What did we say before? They're the better team with the better quarterback. They played like it. Yes, I know, I know. The Rams won the super bowl last year. That's true. But the Bills are the better team and they proved it on. On a national stage.

[B]

Yeah, it's so funny. We're recording this podcast in our hotel, in the basement of the hotel, and the song playing right now is Respect by Aretha Franklin. R E S B E C T I think the Bills did a good job of garnering some respect tonight.

[A]

Yeah, it's respect. And it's also. It's kind of weird, isn't it, because they were named the preseason super bowl favorite, right? And then a lot of people like, yes, the Bills, they look great. And then the natural way it works, we have that. And then people start going, wait a minute, why are the Bills that team? I mean, come on, you know, they can't beat the Chiefs in the playoffs, and Cincinnati made it to the super bowl and all that. So typically, in this cycle of the way the world works, we prop the Bills up. And I say we, but in general, they were propped up. And then it was like, okay, Bills, let's see what you got. And, you know, in the Nick Wrights of the world tweeting about Josh Allen during the game, I'm like, nick, I know you got a big gig and all, but I don't think he was watching the game. He was blaming him for the interception. Like, Josh Allen was spectacular in this game.

[B]

I'm at the point where if you think Josh Allen is not the real deal, you are an idiot. Like, you just want to choose ignorance, which, I mean, whatever. But, I mean, Josh was spectacular, especially in that second half. I look back at some of those touchdowns. I mean, the touch, the rushing touchdown. He had the one to Isaiah, and then obviously the. The one to Stefan Diggs. I mean. And let's talk about the stiff Arnold. I was. I was on the field shooting the game. I was recording the game for our TV station as well, so I didn't get a great angle of it, but it seemed. I mean, it's all over TV right now.

[A]

He's just a violent player. And you don't say that about a quarterback very often.

[B]

That's. Yeah, that's very true.

[A]

I heard people before. It's over the last two years talk about Josh maybe being the greatest athlete to ever play the position. And sometimes you hear that and you're like, there's all different ways somebody can be an athlete. Yeah, he has them all.

[B]

Be an athlete.

[A]

Be an athlete. He has them all. He's got speed, he's got size, he has power, he has instincts. He's a quarterback. He's got the legs, he's got the arm. I mean, and now he's accurate. He does all the things that you need to do as a quarterback. And he is a physical force. Running. And the stiff arm was violent. That's the way I would describe. Yeah, it was shoving the guy out of the way, and he was asked about it. You know, typical Josh, he's like, I'll do whatever it takes to win, but come on, it fires up the team. It just does.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, it's your quarterback out there. I just thought, I mean, we can go through. Let's go through a little bit of the plays that he made in the game. You mentioned that one. How about the touchdown run itself when he got into the end zone?

[B]

Well, I felt like they were. They were trying to figure stuff out. I think they went to Moss a couple times, and then we were on the sidelines of the other photographers, and we're like, this is Josh all day. Like, you just knew that he was getting not. I don't want to say frustrated, but he was like, all right, we need to score. I'm going to have the ball in my hand type of thing. And that, to me, was just. It started to. That's when I was like, okay, this is real momentum. You know, the MacKenzie touchdown. You're like, okay, yeah, like, the Bill is getting on the board. They needed to score there, all those things. But that, to me, that rushing touchdown. But Actually going back to the Isaiah McKenzie one, that was big for him. He had the stumble early on in the first half. And we know this Bills team, you know, Isaiah is expected to have a bigger role. And I. You could tell how disappointed he was, obviously walking off the field. But for Buck Buffalo to go back to him, Josh, to have that confidence. You know, I'm on the sidelines after the touchdown and I see Mitch Morris talking to Isaiah and it was kind of a quiet moment, but at the same point I think he was saying, hey man, you stuck with it and it paid off. And I think that's huge for what this team can do and what that message says.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, it was, it was a much needed touchdown to give them the lead.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And after a long drive like that. And you're right, because Isaiah made that mistake. I mean, again, is it 100% on him? It's a lot. But he did make a mistake and it was early. And then you had the first touchdown, the one great call. Ken Dorsey. And we could talk about Dorsey. Great call. Third and short. And there's Gabe Davis running free. And at that moment, Gabe had had five consecutive touchdowns from Josh Allen.

[B]

I didn't even think of that.

[A]

I'm gonna see if you know this. I asked somebody in the press box and they got the answers. John Scott from Spectrum. I said, it's actually at that point, Gabe Davis had caught six of the last seven Josh Allen touchdowns. Do you know who the player was in between that run of touchdowns between Gabe and Josh Allen?

[B]

You're making me think it was the Tommy Doyle.

[A]

It was Tommy Doyle. You got that right. Yes, it was Tommy Doyle. So, yeah, Gabe has just become that guy. I mean, he's a touchdown maker, so he gets that. So you mentioned those two. And then we go to the one. You know, obviously he made the, the run for the touchdown. And then we go. That was after the pass to Gabe to set it up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Then we go, nice pass to the digs. Touchdown.

[B]

That was special to me because that's one of those plays that's just unguardable. You know, it seemed like Alan, Alan was on the move. He jumps out of the pocket.

[A]

Wait a minute, what are you talking about? The way the Allen and Diggs described it to us was, well, Josh just told me to run and I ran. And then Josh was like, yeah, he got open and I threw it.

[B]

You know what, though? I, I truthfully, maybe this is me being naive, but I, I feel like backyard football is what Josh Allen does best. And I feel like him and Diggs have that chemistry of. It's like, hey, why don't just run? I'll find you. Just run.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, he just. He. You know, our seat. My seat in the press box is.

[B]

I didn't have a seat.

[A]

Well, my seat is perched high above and we're watching from behind. And you could see Diggs running free. I would say I'm good at the perch. And I see him running free. And the ball just comes out so quick out of Josh's hands. And there's Diggs and beating Jalen Ramsey.

[B]

They were talking smack all night. It's just fun, honestly. It's just fun to watch. But you could see them chirping one another. And at one point I was like, oh, okay, let's see. Because they've obviously had some history together. I know last time the Bills and the Rams played, Diggs didn't have a great game. But tonight. Yeah. That touchdown.

[A]

What do you mean? Jalen Ramsey had a perfect game.

[B]

That is absurd.

[A]

We have pro football focus. I had the numbers. I think when he targeted. He was. They were. The Bills were six out of seven with two touchdowns. I think maybe was the numbers. And however they do their exact numbers, you know, it's like they had perfect. And I mean. Meaning, like, he couldn't have had a worse rating.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Than he did for that game. And there was a lot of talk. And not just Diggs and Ramsey. Josh Allen got in on. Because we know Josh is trash. I believe that's the way Ramsey referred to him back from the Jacksonville days. And you remember. You know, that was a big deal at the time because Josh hadn't even done anything yet and played, and all of a sudden he's trash. So he ain't trash.

[B]

Has Josh beat Ramsey every time then that they've gone up. He's. He's faced him. They beat the Rams.

[A]

Well, I mean, he beat the Jags and they beat the Rams. Now, he lost to the Jags last year, but Ramsey wasn't on the team.

[B]

Yeah, it was the same.

[A]

Yeah. Urban mire.

[B]

That's a dark moment.

[A]

That was. But that's Josh. He spread the ball around, got it to everybody. Now, while we're sticking with the offense.

[B]

What does it say? Ken Dorsey or you had a great game?

[A]

I thought he had a great game. And you know what, though? The truth is, he called a game very similar, honestly, to Brian Dabel. He mixed it up and it was funny, you know, I didn't think Zach Moss was going to touch the paw as much as he did.

[B]

Blown away by that. Yeah, that was one thing where I was like, wow, they are really feeding Zach Moss. And I didn't know if it was maybe because Cook had the fumble, if that kind of changed things and they just wanted to go with well.

[A]

But Moss had had carries in the beginning, got in the ball, and by the way, he was effective. I thought Singletary looked great. And right before the Mackenzie touchdown, Singletary caught a little swing pass. It was second down, and it would have left him with like a third and four if he got tackled and he broke the tackle. Big hit. He was the guy dictating the play and he got the first down. And those plays get lost a little bit with all the spectacular plays they made. But I honestly thought Singletary had a real burst and he showed that power. I know. I take that back. Burst is the right word. Hit the hole quick. Got through. You look up and you go, that's 26 again. I thought he looked really good.

[B]

I felt like he showed some physicality, though.

[A]

Oh, no doubt.

[B]

He would absolutely, absolutely get be, you know, met by a defender and he would keep on moving.

[A]

Yeah, it's.

[B]

You're right. It's those little plays that get lost in the shuffle.

[A]

The only guy tonight that. That really didn't have a contribution was, I would say would have been Dawson Knox. Offensively.

[B]

Yeah, he had the sort of a.

[A]

I don't know if it was a drop.

[B]

It was low.

[A]

It was kind of tough for you to see on the replay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But he really didn't have. At least in the passing game, didn't really have a role. But, you know, they did just fine throwing the ball without him, and Knox will have big games for them, so I'm not worried about that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At all. But now let's talk about the defense.

[B]

Wait, I'm not done on. On Ken Dorsey.

[A]

Oh, go ahead.

[B]

Yeah, just because we asked Stefan Diggs. I asked Stefan Diggs after the game, which he said it was the last question.

[A]

Yeah. They say if you guys don't know when you're in the press room as your answer, and, you know, it gets to a point where they hear a bunch and they got to move it along so they'll say if somebody's ready to go. Last question.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So they say, last question. And Jenna starts talking and then Digs.

[B]

Says, you better make it a good one. But all I heard was, you good. And let's be real, I was sweating all game. I was sweating. I was like, back pretty far from Diggs. I couldn't hear anything. And I was like, what?

[A]

You did? You went, what? What? And Diggs was laughing. And then we were. Everybody looked at you, and they're like. And then you asked your question, and then you stopped in the middle of the question. Did you.

[B]

Well, I. I was. Well, then I got nervous because everyone turned and started staring at me, and I was like, oh, my God. Yeah, you love error. No. Yeah. You know me. I absolutely despise that. But, no, I asked him because I felt like, you know, they had some success early, early on in that game, but then in that second half, everything started to click. It was like they flipped a switch. And he talked about how at the half, Ken Dorsey was saying, like, it's not on. It's not what they're doing. It's what we need to do.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And Diggs even said, like, you love that as a player. Like, okay, there's calm. There's not panic. It's. What can we do? What do we need to do? Let's do that. And, you know, they obviously made some mistakes earlier on in that game, but I just. I was impressed. If you were to tell me that that was called by Brian Dable, I would have believed you.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. It just would have been. It would have been that kind of play. What I asked Diggs was because if he. That this past week, he said he thinks Dorsey's really smart. And then he said, we're going to do everything we can to make him look smart, make him look good. So I said, did you. And he goes, what do you think? Yeah, I heard what he said to me at that point.

[B]

I. I'm gonna be. Ozzy Osbourne's mic check took some.

[A]

Oh, my God, Ozzy.

[B]

It was so loud on the field, by the way.

[A]

You know, look, I'm of the age when, like, Ozzy. I. I didn't pay attention to Ozzy back in the day. I don't pay attention to him now. He's 140 years old. He looks. I'm like, ozzy, didn't you sa. What do you got it? Why you got to do this?

[B]

Why are you.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, honestly, I don't know what the reception was around the country and all. I thought it was kind of pitiful. I'm just like, okay.

[B]

Pitiful?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I just thought it was weird. I was like, oh, that's kind of strange. Like, I would never expect Ozzy Osbourne. But it was funny because on the. All the, like, ribbon boards, the TVs, they had like, you know, flames for Ozzy Osbourne. And let me tell you, it was so hot on the field, L.A. is in the middle of a heat wave, all of that. We were told when we got our tour of Sofi Stadium on Tuesday or Wednesday, that it's open. It's. It's. It's like an umbrella. It's covered over the top, and the sides are open, so you get a nice coastal breeze. I was like, where is that breeze?

[A]

Yeah, it must have been on the other coast, because it wasn't here. And I talked to a guy who's been here for years, and Kurt Sandoval from NBC, and he's like, I've lived here 23 years. This is the hottest stretch of weather we've ever had. And this is the warmest I've ever felt it inside this building. And I realized, by the way, real quick, you're down there hustling, running around. As a reporter, you come in a lot of times, I'll wear a sport coat and a shirt. I said to Jenna, I go, there's no way I'm doing that today. Whatever. And I had one of the other reporters, like, yeah, I figure, I'm fine. I'm down here. Whatever. I saw him before the game started, and this guy's big time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he came walking in, soaked, top to bottom, totally soaked. Like, he had to dry out. And it was, you know. Oh. And maybe even watching the game, you could tell, like, it was impacting the players.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Get some. Ready for Miami in a couple weeks.

[B]

Actually, it. I will say that is something that I was thinking of. But, yeah, it was incredibly hot. All right. We talked a lot about the offense and the heat. Let's talk about the defense, because I.

[A]

Love watching Von Miller.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I love watching him at practice. And I kept thinking he does, and. And he is so fast. And I said this to you guys different, because he's lined up, he's standing. It's an intimidating thing. He's so quick to get around a defender. But the quickness off the line does remind me of Bruce Smith because it's. It's alarming. He's so good off the snap. He's got the guy half beat off the snap. And then he moves his body. The second sack, when you look at the replay, he gets around the defender, so gets to the quarterback. I don't. They barely touched him, let alone block.

[B]

Miss that one. I missed that sack because it was so fast.

[A]

It's two plays. You said you missed.

[B]

I missed.

[A]

Do you need me to come down on the field.

[B]

I gave Davis touchdown. First touchdown of the season. Because I bid on the fake.

[A]

Just like the Rams.

[B]

Just like the Rams. And then I missed the Von Miller.

[A]

So Von was really good.

[B]

I'm not done talking about Vaughn.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

He. I feel like if you were to have a. Just all the Bills defensive linemen in a huddle, and I didn't know Von Miller was Von Miller, I would never pick him out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? Like, he is obviously a big guy, but he's not. He's not super tall. He's muscular, but he's not like, wow, overwhelmingly built, all this stuff, but he is just. I think Dion Dawkins said he was slippery.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that's the perfect way to describe it because he just. He moves so fast.

[A]

And by the way, his. He's 33, and everybody mentions his age, but his fluidness of movement is that right. Is just. He doesn't look like he's lost any of that. And that can go away, too. He doesn't move. Not as loose.

[B]

Yeah, he can.

[A]

He. He's just. Now, again, it's one game, but he starts out with two sacks. Made a play in the back. Backfield. Forced a penalty, you know, on a. On a false start. He's intimidating standing there on the line. And they had Rousseau standing on the opposite side standing. Those two standing. And Rousseau made a big play. And he also batted down or knocked up a pass. And then you got Boogie Basham with an interception. Poyer had an interception. Jordan Phillips, though, a couple of sacks. He was having a ball.

[B]

It was like 29, 19, I was to say. Yeah, I. You could tell. And, you know, I was on the sidelines during the game.

[A]

Yeah, you mentioned that.

[B]

And. Well, you always get the press box.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The nice wine and cheese pairing, by the way.

[A]

We'll talk about that. We're going to talk about.

[B]

Oh, yeah, we will talk about the food, but all the guys coming up to the game to Jordan Phillips and just, you know, like, you can tell the. The juice that he brings, the energy that he brings, and the players have talked about that, but it was just. It was a cool moment for him. You could tell, because he felt like, you know, contributing and he wants to be on this team and all those things, but, I mean, that is something that this Bills team lacked last year is just that defensive line pressure and to get that tonight. Look, it's. It's a. It's a long season. It's only one game, but it's just such a huge point of impact and something they've needed.

[A]

I'm concerned about one thing. Ed Oliver left the game. Then he came back. I saw Joe Biscalia, must have seen him in the locker room, said he was in a walking boot. Now, a lot of times, like we saw Josh last year in a walking boot after the Tampa game, and then he came back and played the next week. So sometimes it's a precaution. He had gone, he came back. I hope it's just that I don't think it's major. That would be good to see because Ed's a very valuable guy obviously on the inside there. So we'll see. And by the way, I was very happy for Dane Jackson. And you know what? I have not given Dane Jackson enough credit.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And when I hear Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, when Dane's name comes up, man, those guys start nodding their head. They love Dane Jackson and I know he's her teammate and all, but I mean, you can tell they have a lot of faith in that guy. And so, you know, they had the two kids playing. Everybody seemed to think that they played well. Again, coaches are going to go over the tape. Christian Benford got the start.

[B]

Yeah, I was going to ask you about that.

[A]

And what did McDermott say?

[B]

I don't remember because I was sweating so much.

[A]

Based on their body of work to this point. Yeah, so he had outplayed Elam. They basically rewarded Benford. Benford. It also, I don't say, sends a message. That's not what it is. It sticks with their philosophy that come in and play. And it wasn't major thing in terms of playing time. They both, they would alternate them. They play a couple series and all. But you gave the start to the sixth round pick, not the first round pick.

[B]

I think that messaging to me would say, like, Elam, you better bring it.

[A]

Ed Oliver got that messaging when he was a rookie. Remember that?

[B]

I thought of that actually because I was going back and forth of who I expected to start. And I said, I was thinking, well, Kyrie Elam, you know, he's your first round draft pick. You don't want to ruin that confidence. But obviously the Bills went with Christian Benford and I think that is. You're right, that's the, the messaging. And, and like you said, Ed Oliver learned that.

[A]

Yeah. And came back really strong.

[B]

Yeah. So I think that's, it's. It makes sense to me. But yeah, I thought they played well. And you're right. Dean Jackson does not get enough love because he stepped in and he was Fantastic last year.

[A]

10 points to the Rams.

[B]

Yeah. Like, that's crazy.

[A]

Oh, Cooper cup is phenomenal. I mean, that guy. But right now, the Rams. Look, I'm not going to denigrate this Bill's win by saying the Rams. But they're lacking weapons. Yeah, they really are. And. But the Bills made them lack. They shut down the run game. They were all over Stafford.

[B]

I. I was impressed with the offensive line, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, Aaron Donald seemed essentially.

[A]

He made one play.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And then. Honestly, he did not wreck the game plan.

[B]

No, he did not.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I just. There's so much that goes into this first game of the season. I feel like you're game planning for so long and, you know, both teams, they don't have any tape on one another, but at the same point, that's.

[A]

You know, but that. You make a good point about that. You look at this and you say sometimes it happens where you don't have tape and the game is screwy and all. You know what. How did the Bills beat the Rams? They beat the Rams with Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Von Miller. Like, it wasn't. Like there was some crazy surprise. How did they beat him? They ran, they threw, they got after the quarterback. Like, this is what this team does. So it's not like, oh, the Bills had this great plan they weren't ready for. You know, there was a game years ago where the Patriots played the Dolphins on the first game, and I think they used the, you know, quarterback runs, and it sort of took them by surprise. And they won the game. And everybody made a point about it. There was none of that. This was straightforward. This is what we do. We do it better than you. And they did in this game.

[B]

Scary good.

[A]

Yeah. Let's. When we wrap this up, let's talk press box. Every week we're gonna mention this because I, you know, we work at Channel 13 and in Rochester, New York. In Rochester, New York.

[B]

And I, the booming metropolis, go to.

[A]

The press box because that's my spot every game.

[B]

And Mike does not use a camera.

[A]

Yeah, I use my cell phone.

[B]

You know, Mike, again, Mike does not use a camera.

[A]

So Jenna and Dan Fates alternate games shooting. They're both outstanding shooters.

[B]

Dan's better than me, but that's. Yeah, I was shooting everything else. I crush them in.

[A]

So. So the funny thing is, photographers are not treated well in a lot of places. In terms of food especially.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like, even in.

[B]

There's, like, there's like ice chips in the sandwiches.

[A]

Yeah. It's not great. And look, people say it's not about paying or whatever for it. There's no access. It's the only place you're going to eat. Like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At the game.

[B]

Yeah. You can't bring.

[A]

And usually in the press box. It's kind of. Most places. I gotta tell you. I think the only place maybe that I would have put above this was Dallas. And then we were there on Thanksgiving. It was spectacular, that spread. But for down in the photographer's area.

[B]

The food was, the food was exceptional. Yeah, I had bulgogi, Korean barbecue, Korean beef. I had a amazing chicken. Yeah, great. You had a spicy cucumber salad.

[A]

Oh, it was phenomenal. Like restaurant quality here.

[B]

Like truly really good chicken taquitos. And at the half.

[A]

And basically what they served upstairs in the press box is what they serve downstairs.

[B]

Yeah, no, this is.

[A]

And to Jenna's candy.

[B]

Yeah, they had candy.

[A]

Candy. You like that?

[B]

You know, I love candy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I love sweets.

[A]

So I can't even, you know, usually.

[B]

Say I love, I love food.

[A]

I. I usually can lord this over a little bit and Jenna can be. But you know, cuz I'm upstairs and.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, we used to joke that the hardest thing in the press box was if the wine pairing with lunch didn't work. By the way, I think there was beer in the press box too.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah. I didn't.

[B]

That's so la.

[A]

I'm having one now, but I didn't have one.

[B]

I had a margarita during this. So I will say I was impressed by la. I was impressed by how many Bills fans were at the game.

[A]

Oh yeah, we didn't even talk about that. I would say I set it at about 15%.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which is a nice number.

[B]

Considerable considering it's 3,000 miles.

[A]

Well, we went to a Bill's tailgate before. It's great. People are there, they're having fun.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But when you put in a stadium of 70,000 people.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like even if you have a good number, it's still, you know, relatively small to the place. 15% there was that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Maybe it was 15, 18. I don't know.

[B]

I actually think it would be more.

[A]

See, say it was, you know, somewhere.

[B]

The lower Bull in particular.

[A]

Well, they came down to upstairs. There was a ton.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I say it was very noticeable when the Bills did something. You heard them, by the way. I mean, come on, it's la. Like these fans are lame. They're just lame. They're not real fans. They're not. I mean, Dallas is lame for a different reason. I'm sorry.

[B]

It's your nfc.

[A]

Well, it just is, but it's like it. It's just different. Even. We talked to a guy who works here. He's like the fan base is what it is. You know, they go to the beach, they do whatever. Sorry, this not. It's not even. Not Buffalo. It's just not.

[B]

If they lose, people are not going to go.

[A]

Yeah. So it's different. But it wasn't some sort of takeover here of the stadium. I mean, there was a lot of Rams fans.

[B]

It wasn't a takeover of the stadium, but it was again, a considerable.

[A]

And the fans were loud by the.

[B]

End of the game.

[A]

Yeah. And you know, this is what happens. We've been on the road enough. At the end of a game in a blowout. You note mentioned it. You know, when the Bill scored the touchdown and all the fans were scurrying away. Well, they leave early anyhow because. Because the traffic that's always here. But then at the end, all those Bills fans come down and the players were celebrating with them and all. It was great. That was really good.

[B]

It was. One of the reporters asked if it was like a signature win, which I don't. I don't think it's that, but I think like what we talked about earlier, just like a statement win.

[A]

It was a state again. They're not going to make too much of it. I'm just telling you the way it's going to be perceived around the league. Yeah, that. Okay. The Bills are good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And now you're going to hear this. Be ready, Bills fans. They're going to tell you how bad the Rams are. Rams aren't the same team. And I just said it. They're not like, whatever. But the Bills dominated them. And without a couple of odd mistakes that the Bills made in the first half, this game could have been even worse.

[B]

Oh my gosh.

[A]

I like the way it went. Tied at half.

[B]

Oh, you're okay with the way it went?

[A]

They. They dominated. They really dominated.

[B]

One by 21 points.

[A]

They did. They really won. By the way. I don't.

[B]

I don't do math, but that seem. Three touchdowns.

[A]

I don't bet like, I'm not like Dan. Dan likes to bet. But I like took one of these little flyers for a couple bucks on a parlay and I had.

[B]

How much money did you win?

[A]

I won like a hundred bucks.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

I don't.

[B]

Getting a raise.

[A]

Yeah. So it was Josh scoring a touchdown Not a pass. He had to get in the end zone. He did.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was throwing for over, I think, 270 yards.

[B]

How many yards did he finish with? I honestly haven't even. Was it four or something like that?

[A]

And then it was winning by more than five and a half. I was most confident in the five and a half.

[B]

Bills didn't punt.

[A]

They didn't punt again. I know. Punting. Yeah. But I will say Sam Martin was flawless as a. Yeah. As a holder.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So that's good.

[B]

I'm not gonna lie. The first kick, I was like, let's see.

[A]

Let's see how he is. Yeah, he was good.

[B]

Hey, the Bills. The Bills were good. Yeah, they were better than good. I'm almost nervous about.

[A]

Hey, this is a nice way to start. It's a road game. I know the Bills were favorites, but this would have been. If you would have lost a close game, it would have been like, it's the Rams and whatever.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, they came out and won. They're one to know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They got a little time because they got extra time now because it's a Monday night game. It's going to be fun. It's going to be fun at the stadium next Monday.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. I can't imagine, considering how this was.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Pandemonium.

[A]

Yeah. All right.

[B]

Anything else you want to.

[A]

No, I was.

[B]

Again, Mike's a talker, so I always like to check.

[A]

No, I was impressed. I was impressed. Leslie Frazier, we got to mention him. I thought he did a great job at defense. Was ready. Yeah, they made plays. They were great against the run. Got a bunch of contributions. And, you know. Oh, Brandon Beam. We saw Brandon Bean taking some photos.

[B]

Yeah, he was. Yeah.

[A]

Boogie, bash him. Make a play. Dane Jackson, make a play. Greg Russo, make a play. His big free agent signing.

[B]

Good night.

[A]

Yeah. He spent money and resources on that D line. They came through. And by the way, that quarterback's pretty good, too. 17.

[B]

Yeah, he's not bad.

[A]

Yeah, he's not bad.

[B]

I think he has a future in this league.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Something tells me. I'm just looking at your tweet right now. Josh Allen is ridiculous.

[A]

He. It's. It's all I could think of at that moment. Like, he just. I don't know. It's really something. I. I've said this to you before. Back in the day, Jim was great. He's great leader. The game was different back then, but certainly week in, week out. I've never seen anybody play like Josh Allen. And I used to think what would it be like to cover somebody like that? And we get to do it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So good for Josh. Good for Bill's fans.

[B]

Yeah, we love to see it in terms of coverage.

[A]

Please. Jenna's wearing her football guy shirt.

[B]

Yeah, I got my football guy awl. Shout out, if you know what I'm talking about. All right, thank you for listening. Be sure to subscribe to the.

[A]

Yeah, and we'll be doing this post every game morning of.

[B]

Yeah, this is unique.

[A]

You get unique content. It'll be. It'll be after every game, but we'll have it ready for the next morning. So, you know, for your ride to work or hanging around the house or whatever you're doing.

[B]

I like to listen to podcasts when I clean.

[A]

You clean?

[B]

I should say when I go on walks, I don't really clean. Not really. When I do the dishes.

[A]

That's it.

[B]

That's such a sham, by the way.

[A]

What's that?

[B]

I have to clean the kitchen every day. It's trash.

[A]

Why don't you have your help do it? Oh, yeah. She's gonna say, why don't you pay more?

[B]

Yeah, that's exactly where I'm going. All right. If you aren't subscribed, we always appreciate it.

[A]

Subscribe.

[B]

Subscribe. And then also subscribe to the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel. And then you can follow Mike, Dan, and I on Instagram @BuffaloPlus. Underscore. Or on Twitter @Buffalo plus. Underscore.

[A]

Or on tick Tock.

[B]

What? Yeah, actually, we do have Tic Tac, which is unique video. I'm still trying to figure it out. Mike's not helping.

[A]

I'll show you. I'll show you.

[B]

Mike's not really.

[A]

I'm a big tick tock guy.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What's. Yeah, I would love to see you put together a tick tock.

[A]

It's happening.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Soon we're gonna put one together.

[B]

Yeah, Indefinitely. All right, thanks for listening for Mike, I'm Jenna. We'll catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris.