Buffalo Plus Podcast: Bills SURVIVE Saints ‘SCARE’ and stay UNDEFEATED

Date: September 29, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Overview

The Buffalo Plus team recaps the Buffalo Bills’ narrow but hard-fought victory over the New Orleans Saints, maintaining their undefeated record at 4-0—the best start since 2020. The episode dives deep into the resilient but uneven performance against a spirited Saints team, breaking down key plays, player impact, and ongoing concerns, especially on defense. The tone is candid, blending the hosts’ blend of humor and deep football insight, and offers a nuanced perspective for fans who expect Super Bowl contention.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Another Win, Another Nail-biter

• The Bills beat the Saints, 31-19, but the game was closer than the score suggests.
• The team’s ability to win while not playing their best is both encouraging and concerning.
• Mike Catalana: “They found a way. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things. Cole Bishop made a spectacular play.” [01:07]

2. Offensive Bright Spots – Josh Allen, James Cook, Khalil Shakir

• Josh Allen: Delivered critical plays when needed, including a “Superman cape” scramble.
  • Jenna Cottrell: “When it mattered most, you got to see Josh Allen do Josh Allen things… Like, even on defense, as bad as it was, guys stepped up.” [02:20]
• Khalil Shakir: His contact balance on a key touchdown was highlighted as exceptional.
  • Mike Catalana: “His contact balance should be studied.” [03:00]
• James Cook: Continues to be the bell cow for the offense, now with a franchise-record eight straight games with a touchdown.
  • Dan Fetes: “James Cook is now officially underpaid. He has been the bell cow of this offense and a guy that they can lean on when things aren’t going well.” [02:40]
  • James Cook's emergence is noted in running, patience, and situational carries.

3. Defensive Struggles & Missed Opportunities

• Despite giving up “only” 19 points, the defense struggled with tackling, edge-setting, and allowing sustained drives.
• Mike Catalana: “They do dumb stuff. They do not set the edge... They made Spencer Rattler look like a starting decent quarterback.” [04:10]
• Concerns about a disappointing pass rush, with high investments bringing minimal returns (e.g., Greg Russo, Joey Bosa).
  • “Their defense just is flat out not good enough.” [14:37]
• Lapses were less about coverage busts and more about poor tackling from core players.

4. Changing Philosophies and Personnel Usage

• Observable shift: James Cook is getting more snaps and more trust as a versatile feature back.
  • Jenna: “James Cook is on the field now more than he has been before… Ty Johnson still comes in on some third downs, but on fourth down it’s back to James Cook.” [06:43]

5. Coaching & Game Management

• Praise for OC Joe Brady’s ability to adjust and stick with what’s working—especially the ground game—but also questions about deviation from that approach.
  • Dan Fetes: “That’s what Joe Brady has been so good at, is just hitting the repeat button.” [11:18]
• Substitution and time management issues were noted as a negative.
  • Penalties and “burning timeouts in really questionable spots” [13:38]

6. Critical Game Moments & Turning Points

• The overturned Saints’ touchdown (reviewed and called back) was a massive momentum swing. [22:24]
  • Jenna: “I didn’t know if there was going to be enough to overturn it. Massive play.”
• Cole Bishop’s key interception at the end of the first half prevented a Saints “double-dip” and was highlighted as a rare defensive highlight.
  • Dan Fetes: “Credit the one play they made, big play they made, is Cole Bishop to stay home on that trick play… That’s just reading and reacting and being a dude.” [17:35]
  • Mike Catalana: “That was as athletic a play as we’ve seen on this defense.” [18:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jenna, on the team’s inconsistency:
  “Sometimes the Bills like to play with their food and this was a perfect example… Hope is a hell of a drug.” [12:59]
• Mike, on defensive frustrations:
  “It’s not a bad recipe. It’s bad ingredients. Is that what you’re saying?” [16:33]
  • Dan: “The ingredients are fine. They're just stale right now. Like they're expired ingredients.” [16:38]
• Mike (on being a Super Bowl-caliber team):
  “The Bills are a Super Bowl contending team. We are nitpicking. That's what happens when you've reached this caliber of a team.” [25:09]
• Jenna (on regular vs. postseason):
  "It's usually the problems in the regular season are the things that end your season in the playoffs." [25:53]

Segment Timestamps

• [00:22] Episode kickoff; Bills start 4-0; overview of main talking points.
• [01:07] Immediate positives: strong plays from Allen, Bishop, and a lucky call.
• [02:05] Positive takeaways – team finding multiple ways to win, offense versatility.
• [03:00] Khalil Shakir’s touchdown and impact after the catch.
• [05:17] In-depth on James Cook’s emergence and usage.
• [06:43] Philosophical shift to Cook as feature back.
• [09:27] Discussion: Cook as second-best player on the team.
• [10:29] Humorous moment—Jenna yelling for Josh Allen not to block.
• [11:18] Joe Brady’s approach to offensive play-calling.
• [12:59] The Bills’ tendency to let underdogs hang around.
• [14:37] Defensive concerns and roster limitations.
• [16:33] Cooking analogies for defensive issues.
• [17:35] Cole Bishop’s key interception and evaluation.
• [19:03] Saints’ near 'double-dip'; importance of crucial turnover.
• [22:24] The reviewed Saints touchdown—momentum swing.
• [24:46] Upcoming schedule concerns: tougher offenses waiting.
• [25:09] On “nitpicking” at the highest level of performance expectations.
• [29:08] More on pass rush woes and lack of impact from key DEs.
• [30:19] Shout-outs to fans and event appearances.

Final Takeaways

What’s Working

• The Bills remain undefeated despite inconsistencies, relying on individual brilliance (Josh Allen, James Cook, Shakir) and delivering clutch moments.
• Coaching staff, particularly Joe Brady on offense, is showing adaptability.

What’s Not

• Defensive issues—can’t get off the field, tackling lapses, and a muted pass rush—are glaring and could be exploited against stronger opponents.
• Penalty and substitution issues reflect imperfect execution and game management.
• The team “plays with its food” and lacks killer instinct at times, allowing weaker teams to stick around.

Looking Ahead

• There’s cautious optimism for the next few games, but real doubts linger about how these issues will play out against upper-tier teams and in the playoffs.
• The hosts urge fans and themselves to keep expectations realistic but acknowledge that “hindsight wins” help build the road to playoff seeding.

For New Listeners

This episode offers a balanced, expert-level breakdown: while the Bills’ perfect start garners deserved enthusiasm, the analysis won’t let the team’s flaws go unnoticed. Expect candid football talk, a dose of wit, and perspective relevant to both diehards and those jumping in midseason—without glossing over why fans still worry, even in victory.

Hosts: Mike Catalana | Dan Fetes | Jenna Cottrell
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