Bills PRESEASON debut: Shavers SHINES, Davis DOES-IT-ALL + MORE Cook DRAMA

Summary

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Buffalo Plus Podcast Summary

Episode: Bills PRESEASON debut: Shavers SHINES, Davis DOES-IT-ALL + MORE Cook DRAMA

Date: August 10, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

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Overview

In this preseason episode, the Buffalo Plus trio dives into the Buffalo Bills' 34-25 loss to the Giants in their first preseason game. While emphasizing the preseason's traditional mantra ("we're not going to overreact"), the team breaks down individual performances, key position battles, and off-field stories—including the budding James Cook contract situation. The episode is packed with humorous banter and pointed analysis, offering unique insight for Bills fans seeking more than just the box score.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Preseason Perspective & Standout Starters

• Hosts stress not to overreact to preseason outcomes but acknowledge that "individual efforts" and how players look are what matter most at this stage. (00:31)
• Matt Milano’s Return:
  • Mike Catalana is particularly impressed by Milano, noting his All-Pro capabilities and apparent full recovery from injury:
    • "My biggest takeaway: Matt Milano could be all pro…what we've seen in training camp...he is miles past that now."
      • [04:26] Mike Catalana
    • Milano’s sideline-to-sideline ability, agility, and coverage skills are back in evidence.
    • The pairing with Terrel Bernard could return big-play potential to the defense if both stay healthy.
• Game Planning Realities:
  • Sean McDermott downplays the extent of game planning for preseason—"somewhere between 0 and 1 out of 10":
    • "It's somewhere between 0 and 1. Like that's what I think people (don't realize)."
      • [06:45] Mike Catalana quoting McDermott

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2. Quarterback Room: Trubisky vs. White

• Mitch Trubisky:
  • Gets majority of first-team reps; shows decent athleticism and playmaking ("Better than I expected." – [02:17] Mike Catalana).
  • Team consensus: They want him to reliably step in for a game or two if needed, not as a long-term solution.
• Mike White:
  • Starts rough (“His first pass should have been a pick six.” – [13:28] Dan Fates) but settles in with two late drives and a pair of touchdowns.
  • White's performance prompts question about a genuine competition:
    • "Do you think they really would give Mike the shot with the ones and make it more of a real competition?"
      • [14:16] Dan Fates
  • Hosts agree Josh Allen’s opinion may carry weight, but Trubisky’s “higher floor” and experience likely keep him in pole position.

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3. Wide Receiver Depth: Shavers Emerges

• Tyrell Shavers:
  • Dubbed nearly impossible to cut from the 53 after this game.
    • "Sean called him tough as nails..." and noted his impact both as a receiver (caught a deep ball, solid slant catch) and on special teams. [17:04]
    • "Shavers was saying that he knew going into this weekend it was the biggest game of his life. I thought that was really cool..."
      • [19:04] Mike Catalana
  • Hosts compare his willingness to contribute on special teams with other WRs (Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore), suggesting Shavers' versatility sets him apart.
• Roster Bubble Notes:
  • Zach Davidson and Jackson Hawes, both TEs, are marked as having “arrow down” performances.

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4. Defense & Rookies

• Secondary Standouts:
  • Jordan Hancock: Good at safety, described as “versatile” and “brains and toughness” [08:43].
  • Cam Lewis: Recognized for consistently stepping up and playing multiple roles. [09:22]
  • Scary moment for Taron Johnson (tent for possible concussion), but he clears protocol. [09:32]
• Dane Jackson:
  • Gives up a TD but quickly recovers—his position on the depth chart is tenuous.
• Rookie D-Linemen:
  • Deion Walker: Shows strength and size, including a tipped pass and an impressive “grown man” push [11:21].
  • TJ Sanders: Shows flashes, though hosts want more consistency.

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5. James Cook Contract Drama

• Ongoing storyline: Cook warms up in pads but doesn't play. Sean McDermott reveals he wanted Cook to play, but Cook declined.
  • "Sean said, no, we wanted him to play. I wanted him to play. That’s where we’re at right now. Nothing has changed."
    • [22:22] Mike Catalana
• Hosts discuss how this is unusual but understand Cook’s desire to avoid injury during contract talks. However, they worry it's approaching "distraction" territory.
  • "I think we are teetering on distraction level…I think it's starting to get annoying."
    • [23:09] Mike Catalana
• Noted as the first time in nine years the Bills have faced a contract holdout (per Brandon Beane, [25:34]).

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6. Running Backs & Special Teams: Ray Davis Does-It-All

• Ray Davis:
  • Not only had a solid outing at RB but also kicked an extra point after emergency arose—despite not having his kicking shoe fully on!
    • Quote: "I think I can go 45 yarder now, I believe. Nah...let’s pray that I never have to do it again." [26:54] Ray Davis
  • Davis shares his high school background as a kicker and the quirky, on-the-spot decision to make the kick.
• Other Backs:
  • Ty Johnson and Frank Gore Jr. both earn praise for their performances.
  • Davis on the competition among RBs:
    • "We went out there, we played football...we started a little bit slow, but again, we were able to ramp up, pick up some key first downs and get the ball moving." [29:18] Ray Davis

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7. Memorable & Lighthearted Moments

• Hosts take comedic jabs at preseason overreactions:
  • "Jackson Dart might be the best player in the NFL." [00:05, 03:03] Dan Fates (sarcastically)
  • Jenna and Mike’s banter about the “kombucha girl” meme regarding Mike White’s performance [16:32].
• Ray Davis’s XP attempt and reaction from teammates and the bench is a highlight respected by all the hosts.
• Geico Ad Spoof (skip content; not included in summary).

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8. Injury Updates & Final Observations

• Taron Johnson cleared protocol, Deonte Hardy went out with shoulder injury, but starters largely escaped serious injury—hosts consider that a preseason win.
• Some disappointment and critique on roster hopefuls (blocking TEs), questions about whether the Bills can afford “luxury picks” at this stage.
• The game itself was, in the hosts’ words, “boring,” with long stretches of uneventful play.

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Notable Quotes (w/ Timestamps)

• "Say it all with me. The fact is, it's the preseason. We're not going to overreact."
  [00:00] Mike Catalana
• "Matt Milano could be all pro. I'm not gonna react to that. Holy cow."
  [03:08] Mike Catalana
• "Preseason is about the individual...Regular season is about the team."
  [07:36] Dan Fates
• "I think we are teetering on distraction level...I think the constant talk about a player that is not participating because of a contract holdout is starting to wear."
  [23:09] Mike Catalana
• "I think I can go 45 yarder now, I believe. Nah, it was cool. ...Let’s pray that I never have to do it again."
  [26:54] Ray Davis
• “His first pass should have been a pick six.”
  [13:28] Dan Fates, on Mike White’s tough start

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• Preseason Philosophy/Intro: 00:00–01:30
• Matt Milano/Defense Analysis: 01:41–05:48
• Game Planning/Sean McDermott’s Approach: 06:24–07:09
• Preseason Is About Individuals: 07:36–08:37
• Secondary Standouts (Hancock/Cam Lewis): 08:43–09:32
• D-Line/Rookies: 11:00–12:32
• QB Battle (Trubisky/White): 12:56–15:22
• Tyrell Shavers & WR Depth: 16:36–19:04
• James Cook Holdout: 21:34–24:46
• RBs & Ray Davis Extra Point: 26:07–29:47
• Injury Updates & Final Thoughts: 31:23–32:09

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Conclusion

This episode offers a genuine, beat-writer’s look at Bills preseason: cautious optimism for key players coming off injury (Milano), key roster battles (especially backup QB and WR), real concern over James Cook’s holdout, and a light-hearted appreciation for offbeat moments (Ray Davis, emergency kicker).
Fans seeking granular insight—beyond the box score—will find thoughtful breakdowns, concerns, and the kind of inside details only a connected panel can provide.

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For more updates, follow the Buffalo Plus Podcast and join the conversation on YouTube.

Transcript

[Mike Catalana]

Say it all with me. The fact is, it's the preseason. We're not going to overreact.

[Dan Fates]

Good or bad, Jackson Dart might be the best player in the NFL.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Future hall of Famer.

[Mike Catalana]

With that being said, my biggest takeaway, Matt Milano could be all pro.

[Dan Fates]

This. This is the Buffalo plus podcast, brought.

[Mike Catalana]

To you by Connors and Ferris.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. Preseason game number one of the summer, the Bills losing this one to the giants 34:25. But we know the preseason, the final score doesn't matter really about the individual efforts and who stood out to you today?

[Dan Fates]

I'm gonna.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What?

[Dan Fates]

Go ahead. You're laughing.

[Mike Catalana]

How was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? That works. For the first time I used it correctly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I actually don't think you did.

[Mike Catalana]

No, because he doesn't care about the play.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But it's inconsequence.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but nobody died, obviously.

[Dan Fates]

Well, I want to lead off with Dan because Dan is even being tougher here. He had to be down on the field today. It was kind of. It was a little steamy.

[Mike Catalana]

It wasn't cold.

[Dan Fates]

Okay.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes, it wasn't cold. I'm sure I will film a game. I think Jeremy White from WGR tweeted, I will probably be on the sidelines or Jenna or I with a hundred degree difference later in this year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, yeah, that's fair. That makes sense.

[Mike Catalana]

That's pretty wild. It was 90. There are probably going to be games that are wind chill or feel that will be in the negative.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Yeah. And you've done those games before that. Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

All right, here's what I wanted to say is they got some starters.

[Jenna Cottrell]

August weather is different than January.

[Dan Fates]

He's brilliant. They got some starters out there which we wanted to see. Joey Bosa said he hadn't played in a preseason game in what, six years? Yeah, he was playing in this one. He was out there and you know, the defense is fine. Trey made a few tackles. Like it's about getting them a few reps, you know, a little bend, but don't break. When the first string was out there and the first string of the offense, at least a percentage of it out there with Mitch Trubisky, I know we were looking for that today. It's like, look, Mitch is going to get an opportunity, at least with a version of the ones he was. Okay.

[Mike Catalana]

Better than I expected.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. He started out a little rough, then Made a couple of nice plays. Athleticism. How about that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I did see some athleticism with the.

[Dan Fates]

Spin and the turn and the throw.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I did see some of that.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. And that's encouraging. And I keep stressing this. It's the idea of needing Mitch or maybe Mike White for a quarter, for a game. Two games. We're not talking about the long term guy. God forbid that ends up being the case. That's not what you're talking about. Can you get us out of a game? Can you help us win one if we need it? And I thought Mitch showed a lot more of that. And Mike White, the same thing. Came in with the twos and the threes and did.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay, say it all with me. The fact is, it's the preseason. We're not going to overreact. Good or bad.

[Dan Fates]

Jackson Dart might be the best player in the NFL.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Future hall of Famer.

[Mike Catalana]

With that being said, my biggest takeaway. Matt Milano could be all Pro. I'm not gonna react to that. Holy cow.

[Dan Fates]

Well, there's one thing about overreacting to a guy who has been that before. Yes, it's a to be. And again, there's another thing about reacting is like, you know, this guy's gonna be a superstar and he's never played in a real game before. Milano has had that. He's been excitement to it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's been that guy.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, he has been that guy. What we've seen in training camp, even going back to last year's training camp, we were like, I think he's starting to get better with the leg and he's starting to move around. And then obviously he tears the peck and the.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, no, I think we were negative. I know I was last year.

[Mike Catalana]

I know, but you started. It was good to see him back out there and moving from that type of an injury.

[Dan Fates]

But he was a. He is miles past that now. That's the thing.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was Dan's point. But you interrupted him.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, but I got tired of interrupting you. I want to interrupt Dan. No, we weren't saying he was coming along.

[Jenna Cottrell]

This is how he's been all day.

[Dan Fates]

No, see, here's the case. You were saying, it's like he's coming along. I disagreed with you at the time. I thought he looked bad last year at camp. The only plus was he was a little bit better. And I thought it took a while until he was back. He's physically back now. This is a dramatic difference from what we saw before.

[Mike Catalana]

Warming up on the sideline like before the game, like him and Some of the players, you know, they run up and down the sidelines. Like his cuts, his, the stride, all of those things. I was like, whoa, that's. And I was like, don't overreact, don't overreact. And then he had like a tackle on the first play and I was like, I'm gonna overreact. I'm gonna overreact.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, he was definitely one of those guys that you saw out there and you're like, that looks like Matt Milano. Like, that looks like Matt Milano of his. Maybe not all pro, but just the ability. His like you talked about the quick cuts, just his agility factor. And that's been. Had been missing from his game.

[Mike Catalana]

His sideline to sideline speed. That was always what was the fact that he could drop back in coverage and cover tight ends and running backs in the flat. That was what I saw today. It's what we saw in training camp a lot. It's what we saw. Flashes of chasing down Bo Nix in the playoffs. All of those things have progressed which have me very excited because if him and Trail Bernard are what we think they can be and healthy, which is the big if for those two guys, you know, in the last two years, it's a massive, massive boost to this.

[Dan Fates]

Because they are playmakers.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

And this team lacks playmakers. Playmakers or there's potential playmakers. We've talked about it on offense and on defense, you need those guys. And we have seen that pair before. It was a limited amount of time, but we have seen it and it was really, really good.

[Mike Catalana]

It was four games before the London game two years ago when everybody got injured in London. That was the Daquan Jones, that was Matt Milano. That was when they got decimated over there in London. So it was really kind of cool. I always think back to that commander's game. That is the game that TV wise, if you need a defensive highlight, you just go right back to that game because there were five interceptions and turnovers and sacks and all of those things. So it was really exciting for me to see that. Where I went in with, hey, I'm not going to overreact if Shavers doesn't catch a pass or anything like that. To see Milano look the way that he did, I really liked it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

First of all, it's just not in your nature to not.

[Mike Catalana]

No. Because last year in the preseason they looked so bad against Pittsburgh and I went, guys, relax. It's the preseason. Like Sean talked about it today, which I thought was very interesting. Great question from our good Friend Matt Beauvais was like, how much do you gameplay? 0 to 10. And he was like, it's somewhere between 0 and 1. Like that's what I think people.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He said that for this game.

[Mike Catalana]

For this game. I think that's what sometimes gets lost. Like, yeah, I didn't love that Tre gave up five or six receptions. I like the way he tackled.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

But in the sense that like I'm not sitting there going, oh, they're picking on Trey. Like it could have just been the huddle seemed short. It. It'd be like base defense break like that. That's what it was. That it wasn't this massive game plan. So take all of that with a grain of salt.

[Jenna Cottrell]

The thought behind it, Sean explained, was that we just want to see these guys play. Play.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like the installations, all that stuff will come. We just want to see what the natural kind of reaction is. What is the instinct and what will. What do these players look like when they're just playing free? You then after that kind of add on more stuff to see how much a player can handle. But this game was just about seeing what a guy was able to do where he was at when he was just in flow state.

[Mike Catalana]

Good job. Pause.

[Dan Fates]

I didn't want to interrupt.

[Mike Catalana]

Good job.

[Dan Fates]

I think I have a very good line when it comes to this. And we were talking about it before the game. Regular season is about the team. Preseason is about the individual they want to see. Just like Sean said, can this guy do it? They don't want to cloud his mind. It's going to come where he's got to be able to do that and he's got to know everything about it and it's part of a game plan. It's not what they want to see here. They want to see can this guy hold up, whether that's offensive lineman, how Ryan Vandermark was or what they're looking at. Wide receiver. Can Shavers beat man to man coverage? Like whatever it is, it's not as much about game plan. Game planning hides some of those things. Sometimes it accentuates others. I will say the Giants game plan with their quarterbacks was quick movement, misdirection, everything. So that's why you didn't really see much of a pass rush. They didn't really have much time to rush the quarterback that is set up in order to get those guys on the move because they don't have a great offensive line and you could adjust to that in a regular game. I think that helped them get some passes to Trey White.

[Mike Catalana]

I think Jackson Dart is a future hall of Famer. Like, I think he's there.

[Dan Fates]

He's that close.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Another, other defensive guys that stood out.

[Dan Fates]

To you, I will have to say I like Hancock playing at safety same. I think the guy has ability. I know there's been questions about his overall athleticism. A couple of guys playing in the secondary for this team forever. I'm not comparing him to those guys. I don't think either one of those guys would have won an athleticism test. I think you can play that position with brains and toughness and some agility and a level of athleticism. Believe me, it's a ways off, but I think that versatility is what's going to keep him on this roster, especially when there's been injuries in the secondary.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, seriously, Cam Lewis, you talk about individuals. A guy that just plays and makes plays time and time again.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That dude plays his ass off.

[Mike Catalana]

Unbelievable. Everywhere. Like big hits and playing in the slot and blitzing and playing safety in the second rotation. Like, I can't imagine anybody that's ever said like, oh, Cam Lewis is on the bubble. Like, this guy has such an integral part of this defense. He's what they hope Jordan Hancock can become. That's. That's what it. But like the fact that he fills in for Taren, who luckily is okay and cleared concussion protocol, that was scary. That was a little scary. You never like it when Sean comes all the way out there on the field and he goes in the tent. Yeah, but that he cleared concussion protocol. But like to see that. So going off of your Jordan Hancock, like, great interception. I don't care who lined up offsides. It was the play that you made. I just think that Cam Lewis again can fill in and plug holes when the Bills defense needs to and also.

[Dan Fates]

Want to call out Dane Jackson now. He gave up that touchdown. His coverage was actually pretty good. I gave it to Dart. It was a really good throw. I didn't think Dane reacted very well to it and the guy made the play, but he came right back after that with a really tough play, little hand fighting going on. He got himself turned around. I think Dane Jackson, I don't know what it's going to end up being. He could be one of those guys that gets cut and gets brought back. He could be just a depth guy, but it's going to be tougher for him. But he's got to be able to make those plays, especially at this moment when they need him out on the field with guys banged up.

[Mike Catalana]

I also thought Mike White, who started.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Wait, before you get to that, I want to talk more about the defense.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, yeah, sorry.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay. No, no, you're fine. I just want to say I thought Deion Walker had some nice moments. I thought TJ Sanders, I wanted to see what the rookies could add. Could I notice them on the field? Unfortunately, the only time I noticed Landon Jackson was with the penalty. Yeah, I mean that, that will happen, obviously, but I thought Dionne Walker had got in the face of Jackson Dart.

[Dan Fates]

He got a block pass, did he not? Right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And Oliver too had a tipped pass earlier on in the day. But in terms of the rookies, like what I wanted to see, I thought they had some nice moments. And it's like, how do you build off of that? But in this setting, I wanted to see that. And you were able to.

[Mike Catalana]

I liked the depth that they brought. Like, I know we've talked a lot about that, but they rotated Daquan Jones, Ed Oliver, Russo, Bosa, and then there was a full change and Dwayne Carter got snaps and some of those guys. And then it was like the third wave that came in was all the young guys. I liked seeing that and the fact that I thought they still held their own. I thought Deion Walker just showed his size. The one play that I remember, again, watching it, I was just talking to Jenna before we started filming. It's difficult to see the whole field when you're just looking at through the lens. So on camera, I didn't. I personally just in my watching of the game through the lens, didn't notice TJ Sanders that much. But I saw that people were saying had good pressure in the backfield on a couple of plays, so. But when I was isoling Deion Walker on a play, he kind of got pushed off to the side, but finished the play and like drove the lineman on top of the pile where it was like, oh, that's a grown man move.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, that's the force that he has.

[Mike Catalana]

That's a young man pushing a grown man. Like it was. He was pushing me.

[Dan Fates]

I saw Michael Hoyt get some pressure. I saw one time he got himself caught. Didn't protect the edge on a short yardage play. They ended up getting nine yards.

[Mike Catalana]

Protected that edge.

[Dan Fates]

Damn right he does out there. Starter, he is just waiting. He can just feel double digit sacks this year. He and I talked about it before the game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, you did. You guys go way back.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, he said 12 plus.

[Jenna Cottrell]

12 plus? Yeah, we love the plus.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Talked a little bit about Mitch. We wanted to have I wanted to see more Mike White, right. So I wanted to see maybe they flip flop. Maybe Mike White gets more run with the ones or if the ones are done. I don't know how that's going to work for the rest of the preseason, but I thought Mike White started terrible. Yeah, like. And I'm sitting there like, well, I guess this competition isn't much because Mitch had a nice ball to Tyrell Shavers. A little under thrown, but still to complete the pass, step up in the pocket. That was nice. I thought Mike White bounced back and looked really good the last like two drives.

[Dan Fates]

His first pass should have been a pick six.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

And right away he gave this. So he knew he had made the mistake on the read. And then he had a couple of drops. Just one behind a player and it was like, I think he was over his first four something one for five. And then he picked it up. But listen, you would just talk to him. There's a little bit of anxiety. He knows this is his moment. He's waiting. Watching Mitch play, the roster starts changing rapidly. It's twos and three, three pluses out there. But he did step in the game and then started to get a little rhythm. Had a couple of touchdowns. I thought that was. I thought that was really a plus. I wonder what you two think. Do you think they really would give Mike the shot with the ones and make it more of a real competition? Because they haven't really pushed that in training camp so far.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I think what we're missing is Josh Allen's opinion, because I think that matters a lot more than we would expect. Because I think if he wants it to be Mitch as the back, which it has been, I feel like it would be Mitch. If he wants it, he's like, you know what? Mike White is the guy. I feel like that would actually have way more say than we. We would imagine.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't know.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You don't know?

[Mike Catalana]

I don't know if there's a cheaper option.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, that's the thing. Mitch is also more expensive.

[Mike Catalana]

Not in the building, no.

[Dan Fates]

But Mitch has more experience. Honestly, I think they want to have Mitch prove he can be the backup. I don't think they're as.

[Mike Catalana]

You want the higher floor than the higher ceiling for the two.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, I feel like that would be Mitch.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That would be Mitch.

[Dan Fates]

It is. And so listen, you know, if they decide to make a move, they decide to make a move. It is a bit of a money savings, but I don't know if they're gonna do it there it's the kind of thing you don't need the guy until you need him, and then you really need them. So that would be the case. But I don't believe they're gonna say, maybe I'm wrong. I don't know if Mike gets the ones. I think it stays this way, but we'll see. We'll see how it plays out.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I feel like that. That is kind of like, traditionally what they would do. But I think if it's a real competition, you will see Mike White rolling with the ones, but we'll have to see if that's actually the case. Yes, Mr. Gekko, you're a huge inspiration to us all. But who was your muse?

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[Dan Fates]

Did she go somewhere?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Geico Spokesperson]

Extended quilting trip.

[Mike Catalana]

Get more than just savings.

[Dan Fates]

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[Jenna Cottrell]

My thing is, when Mitch was out on the field, like, oh, Mitch. Athleticism. And then we saw some of those plays where I was like, okay, that is some athleticism. And then when Mike White was out there, it was like, all right, Mike, what are you gonna do? And, like, the first couple plays, I was like, dear sweet baby Jesus. Like, oh, my goodness.

[Mike Catalana]

I've been sitting here. We've been talking on the podcast. I've done a couple other ones, and I'm sitting there like, I think Mike White's got a high ceiling. And I got a text from Joe Miller. He goes, I think we were wrong about Mike White. And then it was like, wait a second. Two nice drives put together. I like seeing that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's like the kombucha girl. Like.

[Dan Fates]

I'm gonna set Dan up here. It was right here. Someone made a spectacular catch, though it did not count because the second foot went out of bounds. Dan, who was it?

[Mike Catalana]

Christian Wilkerson.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Love it.

[Dan Fates]

You were on, by the way. That was a hell of a catch. He, like, reached around the guy and made the catch, and that's what he's been doing. Second one is. You mentioned Shavers a couple times. How are you keeping this guy off the 53?

[Mike Catalana]

You're not going to. I think today was one of those moments, not just that we talked about. Sean called him tough as nails and those kind of things. To have the deep Ball to have some impact on special teams. To see him out there on kickoff and punt return duties, that was a plus. And then to see like he caught a slant his first pass. And I know that like they're different football players, think differently. But I'm just sitting there like, you want to do a seven yard slant over the middle and you know you're going to get hit.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And he's not 100%. And to catch that ball knowing like I'm going to get punished is just like, yeah, I'm sitting there like that's going to be the scariest thing ever. And him to make that play, to see the reaction on the deep ball there, I'm just sitting there going, this is. He's this kind of guy.

[Dan Fates]

Well, you look at the roster and you look at those receivers and you got a guy. You got a guy like Curtis Samuel who's got a lot of money, he's not on the field and it was an issue last year. You got Elijah Moore a couple of moments, but we haven't really seen a lot. That's what I'm saying is never on.

[Mike Catalana]

The Elijah Moore High.

[Jenna Cottrell]

People really have a lot of faith in. I think people really expect him to be able to carve out a role. I guess for me, I just haven't really seen that pop that other people have talked about.

[Dan Fates]

And then when we talk about this guy, you know, Shavers, we're talking about him at basically the end of the receiver room on the roster. Giving you some time on teams because they don't really get that. I mean, Elijah Moore is not giving them that. Curtis Samuel's not giving him that. Is there something different? He's got size, he can play on the outside, he runs well and they love him. So when we're talking about this guy, I do believe you could probably cut Tara EL Shavers and probably get him back. There's a lot of receivers like that Giants roster seems like has 100 receivers. They're all going to have guys they like. I think you have to be really exceptional. But on this team, I believe in that role of like that fifth guy to sixth guy and playing special teams, I think he's earned that.

[Mike Catalana]

Shavers was saying that he knew going into this weekend it was the biggest game of his life. I thought that was really cool to understand that magnitude and to watch him like warming up and stretching. Like you could see like this. It's so funny. I thought the game was kind of boring. I wonder what you guys thought. Like, like comment and subscribe. It is the first preseason game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Not gonna lie. I was yawning on.

[Dan Fates]

The second quarter was really boring.

[Mike Catalana]

The third quarter lasted an hour and a half. The last six minutes of the game lasted two hours.

[Dan Fates]

Thank God they did that review with 30 seconds left in the game.

[Mike Catalana]

That was important. But I'm sitting there. I did so to see him step up because I thought arrow down. Zach Davidson, Jackson Hawes.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And I know it's this blocking tight end, but I'll say it again. Do you know who's better? He could be the best blocking tight end in the NFL. Do you know who's a better blocker than he is? The worst offensive lineman on the team. You know, and so you gotta be able to do something.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What did we say after? I mean Jackson Hawk's hands looked like blocking tight.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like it was like. And it makes, it makes me just think like that feels like a luxury pick a little bit. And I don't know if the Bills are in the position to have luxury picks. That's just how I feel.

[Dan Fates]

I'm kind of with you now. That doesn't mean he's going anywhere. You don't know what they actually think. But you don't have to be Travis Kelce to be a non blocking like just because you're a blocker. I mean Lee Smith used to catch the ball when it was thrown to him. Not great. But he, it would hit his hands, he usually would catch it. And he was a proven NFL moonshine guy too. Dude made his own moonshine. It's awesome. But I'm saying is he had that opportunity that is. And it was a prototypical tight end pass. Turn your body looking towards the play.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Just catch the ball. It doesn't mean you got to go 80. Just catch the ball.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, it didn't.

[Dan Fates]

Wasn't great to see that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Didn't love that. I also honestly, going back to Shavers real quick, I love and appreciate the honesty for him.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like this is a huge game for me because for so many players, I understand whether they want to downplay it because of the nerves or they want to downplay it because of the attention. But like these games for guys that are fringe, it's their Super Bowl. It really is. And so for Shavers to show up, make the plays that he did today, you know the stock going up for him. But I, I just, I, I feel like I gotta appreciate him being honest about like that's a, that's a big opportunity and he played legged.

[Mike Catalana]

Two other things I Think we need to mention off the field.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

Cole Bishop was in pads, went through warmups, did not play in the game. The starting safeties were Cam Lewis and Demar Hamlin. Also James Cook. I know, I think some people are over this and I know that the mood would change instantly if there is a deal that is reached. But right now, I know people are over it and we see it in the comments. But Sean McDermott said after the game that him and James had a good conversation yesterday. They agreed that he would participate in warm ups, but James said he was not going to play in the game. The follow up question was, was that the plan all along? And Sean.

[Dan Fates]

Long, okay, we know where you're headed. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And Sean said, no, we wanted him to play. I wanted him to play. That's where we're at right now. Nothing has changed.

[Dan Fates]

It is kind of fascinating. I understand James's point of view. Right. He doesn't want to get hurt. He's trying to get the deal. But to go to your coach and say, I'm not going to play is not normal in the NFL. Right. Unless a guy is injured. But these circumstances are not normal. And I think Sean is navigating this pretty well. I just think it's getting to the point where it's a little. I'm glad there's communication.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Because the other day, I don't know how much communication were. And then it got a little confusing at practice. But right now he's like, you're here. I want you on the field. And then he's not. I don't think that's great. It could be way worse, but it could be better, too.

[Mike Catalana]

I think we are teetering on distraction level. I. I think the whole day, I.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Don'T think we're there.

[Mike Catalana]

The fact that Sean, he was asked. Sean addressed it right off the bat because he knew that's what everybody wanted to talk about. Because we didn't know if we would see him here.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

So to see him here and in pads, you're like, is he gonna play?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay. Is this where this is? And then the fact that he was asked by Joe Biscalia of the Athletic, like, do you expect him to practice this week? And he's like, enough with this. I don't want to talk about it. Let's talk about the players where they are. Let's talk about the players that played today. I think it's starting to get annoying. I think the constant talk about a player that is not participating because of a contract holdout is starting to wear. I think it's wearing on the fans, I think clearly, again, and by the time this comes out, there could be a deal and you could be watching this on Sunday afternoon and we could be saying there's a deal and this would all be over and end it. But I just think that. Where is he? Is he here? Oh, he's here. He's in pads. And then Sean to say. Sean didn't have to say. He said he didn't want to play. Sean chose that to share that. It was a good conversation. I wanted him to play. We wanted him to play. He didn't. It's James situation. That's where it is. That's where we're at. Nothing has changed. That to me again, for all of the. He didn't say today. I love Jimbo. That wasn't said.

[Dan Fates]

The circumstances are a little different. I. I do think, again, the majority of it is a positive. It just creates an odd dynamic for a coach, especially a guy like Sean McDermott. He is not a authent. Wait a minute. What is that?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Authenticity?

[Dan Fates]

No. A authentarian. No. What's the word?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Authoritarian.

[Dan Fates]

Authoritarian. Well, I was kind of with you there.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, Sorry.

[Dan Fates]

Happens sometimes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I got it.

[Dan Fates]

He is not.

[Mike Catalana]

I know. Been there.

[Dan Fates]

He is not that kind of a coach as much as old school. He really is. But I think this is. It's tough to look at one of your guys and a guy like, I'm not going to play. That doesn't. Doesn't fit.

[Mike Catalana]

Is the preseason.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I know it is the preseason, but you're right. I think Shawn McDermott is way more of a player's coach than he gets credit for. But also, this is a fine line to walk and a tough dynamic for any coach to kind of navigate, let alone a situation where. Is there. Is there a resolution in sight? Like, we don't know.

[Dan Fates]

Wow.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Thank you, guys.

[Dan Fates]

God, I hit one.

[Mike Catalana]

Also, I go back to thinking about when Bean said, this is the first time I've had this happen in nine years.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

San Fran deals with this. It feels like every single season because somebody's holding out, like they know how to deal with this stuff. I think the Bills are still trying to navigate this the best way they can. I feel like everything that has been said in the media has been kosher. Like it has been by the book. This, to me, was the first time where I'm like, yeah. Oh, Sean's getting a little annoyed here.

[Dan Fates]

I think it's because it's a game. I think it's because there's a plan.

[Mike Catalana]

And it's taking away attention from the guys that played. We're sitting here talking about James Cook again.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Well, let's talk about the guys that played. I thought all the backs looked good. I thought Ray looked good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I thought Ty Johnson looked really good.

[Dan Fates]

Loved Tai running the ball. I have to give Frank Gore Jr. Some props.

[Mike Catalana]

All over the place.

[Dan Fates]

He was all over. He was hitting people, he was making plays. He was specialties. Yeah, yeah, Good for him. But Ray with the extra point. Oh, spectacular. He got his opportunity. And what was it like for Ray? Take a listen.

[Ray Davis]

I have enough time to put my shoe on in case, like, if I were. If I were to score, we would have enough time to run off, get the shoe on, get back in case, kick it. So once Dawson scored, we were on the sideline trying to get my shoe on. I think it was halfway on when I kicked. I didn't even fully, fully kick the ball with my shoe fully on.

[Mike Catalana]

So how would you assess the full.

[Ray Davis]

You know, I guess, run of it there? You know what? I think? I think I can go 45 yarder now. I believe. Nah, it was cool. I mean, it was a great experience to be able to do it in the preseason game, you know, again. Let's pray that I never have to do it again. You know, we have a wonderful kicker within t bass, but if anything ever does happen, at least McDermott knows I'll be able to kick a field goal if he needs it. Ray, can you give us your background in kicking? Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Ray Davis]

I played soccer when I was younger. In high school, I was our kicker, I was our punter. So I've always had that background of being able to kick the ball. And I've always been trying to, every year in college convince somebody to let me kick the ball. And it took about five, six years. Five years of college, of people saying no, two years in NFL. Finally, for sure, somebody say yes. So that's my background right there.

[Dan Fates]

It's pretty wild that it was the NFL where it actually happened.

[Ray Davis]

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty wild. All I can think about is either I'm gonna have a great night tonight and have a bunch of Instagram followers, or my DMs are going to be talking about how I cannot kick a ball. That was my thought process throughout the whole time, but once I saw it going in, Brad was like, holy, it went in. And we were like, holy, it did go in. So we. That. That was pretty cool.

[Dan Fates]

You know, it. It could have ended up with a chance that it came game winning field goal. Were you ready if that was the case?

[Ray Davis]

Yeah, I was. I was ready. I don't know if the shoe would have been ready at that time, but yeah, I was. I was ready to go. I really did want one more try at it. I was hoping we got put in a position where it was potentially longer than a 25, 30 yarder, but again, my time, my time is my time, and I enjoyed it.

[Mike Catalana]

How did you earn the opportunity to.

[Dan Fates]

Win the job of emergency kicker with.

[Mike Catalana]

Tryouts or how did you get the.

[Dan Fates]

Opportunity over other guys?

[Ray Davis]

Yeah, I mean, I had asked during OTAs and, you know, minicamp, like, let me kick the ball. So we did. We try out with kickoff, and I did pretty well during kickoff. And then the day of the red and blue scrimmage, we went out there and I think I went 2 for 3. And I think that's all it was, you know, to get try to win the second drive.

[Dan Fates]

Who was your competition?

[Jenna Cottrell]

What was going through your mind?

[Ray Davis]

Put the shoe on. I think we had 10 seconds left on the clock. Probably expedite my steps and just take a deep breath and don't try to kick it hard to go right down the middle.

[Dan Fates]

This spring, was there competition in this room for the backup kicker? Did you think you have real competition?

[Ray Davis]

I mean, yeah, I mean, you know, when. When you got guys like Dawson and Dalton who say they can kick, you kind of get a little bit intimidated. And then you see them kicking with their toe, and I was like, oh, I won this job automatically. So I knew, I knew it was no real competition at that time.

[Mike Catalana]

What'd you make of the offensive performance.

[Dan Fates]

In the first half?

[Ray Davis]

You know, we handle what we need to handle. Right. You know, we went out there, we played football. I think, you know, obviously, like coach said, we started a little bit slow, but again, we're able to ramp up, pick up some key, key first downs and get the ball moving. You got to know, shout out to our quarterbacks, man. Mitch, obviously, again, Mike White and Shane O stepping in today while Josh was down. And, you know, they played a huge, huge part in us staying in the game. Right. And competing at all facets of the game in terms of trying to stay ahead of the chains and just giving us a spot spark when we needed it.

[Dan Fates]

I love that his holder is going, oh, it went through amazing. Which is hilarious. He was like, you know, he said, I got my opportunity. They looked at it that way. He did. I think he actually said, I wasn't sure if my shoe was on properly when I got it. And I said, did you have competition during, like, spring practice? And he said, yeah, Dawson. Dawson and Dalton both said they could kick. And then I watched him kick straight away with their foot. And he's like, I have no competition. Then he went out and made that one. It would have to be. Well, it could. That's the one that could happen. They actually had another kicker today. You wouldn't have another field goal.

[Mike Catalana]

That's what was so funny for me on the sidelines. Dawson Knox scores the touchdown. They celebrate right over there. Dom Trimble and I, we're right there in the middle of it. So we look up and I didn't even start to film because I wasn't thinking they signed a kicker for today, like, for the fact that Tyler Bass is still dealing with that nagging injury. So I was like, oh, you're not even filming it. And the ball got kicked and I went, that was a shitty kick for a kicker. I'm like, that's the new guy's kick. And I look up and they're going nuts because I'm like, oh, it was Ray that kicked it.

[Dan Fates]

How about that?

[Mike Catalana]

But I go, it was low, went through. That's all that matters.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's all that matters.

[Mike Catalana]

If it's an ugly golf shot and it still ends up, the result is good. It's a great golf shot.

[Dan Fates]

In a game. They're going for two.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I mean, most of the time, probably, that they're going for two fun moments.

[Dan Fates]

It was great. And Ray is. He's just cool. He's a cool guy. So that was fun to hear.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was. That was cool. So you didn't get that on video.

[Mike Catalana]

Did not get that. The celebration efforts.

[Dan Fates]

That's good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's honestly what we would probably use.

[Mike Catalana]

And it was like 90 of the team.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Love that. Also, just something to note. I know you talked about Taryn Johnson a little bit earlier. He went into the tent. Clear concussion protocol. It does seem like the Bills are avoided serious injury for the most part.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So that. Knock on wood. Yeah, you're right. Thank you.

[Dan Fates]

And Taren, he just. He just. That's the way he plays head down and it kind of looked that way.

[Mike Catalana]

He's an honorable mention for crash.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Deontay Hardy shoulder. We saw him, we were watching, and we were like, he didn't look right. And then eventually he went out with the shoulder. But in terms of the starters, seemed like they did pretty well with the frontline players who played, getting them in and out of the game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. All right. Anything else of note?

[Dan Fates]

No, I don't think so.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Comment in your takeaways from this preseason game. Number one, who you thought stood out in a good way? Maybe someone who stood out in a bad way. And your thoughts on the Ray Davis kick, because that was the extra point, was pretty cool. All right, for my Catalana and Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment, subscribe and share. We'll catch you next time here on Buffalo Plus a of piece podcast presented by Connors and Ferris.

[Mike Catalana]

In the time it takes you to actually board a flight from Group 8.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Now boarding Premier Altitude Elite Club members.

[Mike Catalana]

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