Buffalo Plus: Bills Survive Mistakes, Advance to Play Bengals on Sunday

Date: January 16, 2023
Hosts: Mike Catalana (A), Jenna Cottrell (B), Dan Fetes (C)

Episode Overview

This special playoff edition of Buffalo Plus recaps the Buffalo Bills' nail-biting 34-31 victory over the Miami Dolphins, dissecting the team's error-filled performance, key player moments, and what it means for their upcoming showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. The hosts deliver candid analysis, highlight areas of concern, and name their MVPs of the game.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bills’ Win—But at a Cost

• Main Takeaway: The Bills won, but “survived” is the operative word. The trio repeatedly expresses concern over the team’s inability to put away opponents and the volume of self-inflicted mistakes.
• Mike (A): “The positive is they won the game and that's the most important thing. But... at some point, it's gonna catch up to them.” (01:16)
• The hosts agree that while winning is paramount in the postseason, the Bills are skating on thin ice with their level of play.

2. Mistakes Galore: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams

• The Bills gave up a big lead via turnovers and poor execution:
  • Josh Allen’s Performance: "He can keep both teams in the game at the same time. I think Josh Allen did that today." (Mike, 01:26)
    • Allen had 3 turnovers (2 INTs, 1 fumble returned for TD).
  • Compounding Errors: Mistakes piled up across units—punt returns, missed tackles by standout players like Matt Milano, and end zone mishaps.
    • “How many mistakes, Dan, can you make in a second quarter to just give another team life?” (Mike, 04:53)

3. Team Identity: Imperfect, “Icky” Wins

• Jenna (B): “I'm not shocked by the way that this game went... This isn't anything that's that new to this team this season... but it works and that's all that matters.” (02:17)
• The hosts debate whether the team is truly elite or simply living dangerously.

4. Handling the Skylar Thompson-led Dolphins

• While Skylar Thompson's stats were poor, the Bills failed to capitalize:
  • Mike (A): “When that guy needed to make a throw, he hung in there. He put the ball where his guy could get it.” (06:42)
  • Good field position helped the Dolphins stay in the game.
• Dan’s Game Plan Critique: “I thought it was a poor game plan. I thought they poorly executed that game plan, and I thought they did exactly what they couldn't do.” (07:38)
  • Miami had no drives over 40 yards but scored thanks to short fields and Bills errors.

5. Offensive Frustrations: Allen Trusts Himself Too Much

• The conversation zeros in on Josh Allen's tendency to “press,” sometimes to the team’s detriment:
  • “Josh has taken this whole season upon himself... At some point, somebody needs to step up and say, there is 10 other guys on the field.” (Mike, 11:06)
• Diggs’ involvement is cited as crucial. The Bills' offense is visibly less potent when Allen doesn't focus on him.

6. Key Players Step Up

• Kair Elam (CB, Rookie) Gets His Due:
  • "I think we all agreed the turning point of this game felt like it was the Kair interception.” (Dan, 13:25)
  • Also made a crucial fourth-down break-up late in the game.
• Gabe Davis’ Return to Form: Over 100 yds and a TD—“He looked like the old Gabe today... he was good.” (Mike, 14:28)
• Cole Beasley’s Impact: Caught a TD and a critical third-down conversion, but also contributed to an interception.
• Rookie Khalil Shakir: Noted for his big third-down catch—“That was a great catch.” (Mike, 19:25)
• Tremaine Edmunds (LB): "He made impactful plays we haven’t seen enough... He looked like that guy today." (Mike, 22:08)

7. MVP Picks

• The group agrees Kair Elam was the stand-out MVP for his timely plays.
  • “I'll say Elam because he was really impactful...came up with a big play.” (Mike, 17:45)
  • Jenna also highlights Elam’s off-field moment with a young fan battling cancer (21:43).
• Other mentions: Gabe Davis, Khalil Shakir, and defensive contributors Boogie Basham and Shaq Lawson.

8. Locker Room Tone and Press Box Antics

• The hosts mix serious breakdowns with light-hearted banter, including “Grandpop” jokes, a culinary review of the press box vs. field food options, and media suite etiquette lessons.
  • “Jenna thought 10 minutes to go in the second quarter was enough time to wait [to eat].” (Mike, 24:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the team’s dangerous habits:

  “It’s an old joke about quarterbacks. They’ll say he can keep both teams in the game at the same time. I think Josh Allen did that today.” — Mike (01:26)

• On ugly victories:

  “Icky, I think was one of the words we described it as.” — Jenna (12:07)

• On Kair Elam’s emergence:

  “Somebody's got to step up and make a play... and that's exactly what Elam did.” — Dan (13:25)

• On Allen’s play:

  “Josh has taken this whole season upon himself, and there are times he is spectacular.” — Mike (11:06)

• On team frustration:

  “Usually you see Josh, he'll go to the bench, he'll get his iPad... but he just kind of stood by himself... And that's where I got worried.” — Jenna (10:07)

• Touch of humanity:

  “Kair went over, picked her up, twirled her around, gave her a big hug...That was great. That looked so genuine and nice and sweet.” — Jenna & Mike (21:41)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:52 – Game recap and opening thoughts
• 03:10 – How a 17-0 lead disappeared
• 04:56 – Compounding mistakes across all three phases
• 07:38 – Debating the Bills' defensive game plan
• 11:06 – Allen’s mindset and need for supporting players
• 13:21 – Kair Elam’s interception and turning point
• 14:28 – Gabe Davis’s bounce-back performance
• 16:23 – Cole Beasley’s contributions (good and bad)
• 17:45 – MVP discussion; Elam consensus pick
• 19:16 – Big catch by Khalil Shakir
• 22:08 – Edmunds’s standout showing
• 24:25 – Humorous press box stories

Atmosphere & Tone

The hosts balance frustration with cautious optimism, laced with bills-fan candor and good-natured ribbing. The sum: The Bills survived a game they could have lost, red flags remain, but young contributors offer hope heading into the Bengals matchup.

Summary Takeaway

Buffalo Plus emphasizes that the Bills must clean up their mistakes to continue advancing. While key young players like Elam and Shakir showed up in the clutch, and veterans like Davis delivered, the team’s penchant for dangerous, error-prone stretches remains a major concern with the Bengals looming. As Mike succinctly put it: “At some point, it's gonna catch up to them.” (01:16)

For listeners seeking insight, accountability, and a dash of behind-the-scenes color, this episode delivers a real-time autopsy of a hair-raising playoff win.