Buffalo Plus: BILLS vs Chiefs LIVE Preview
Episode Theme & Purpose
A detailed live preview of the upcoming Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs game, focusing especially on the state of the Bills’ wide receiver group—why none have emerged as a reliable threat for Josh Allen to “eat”—and what that means for the team heading into a pivotal matchup. The Buffalo Plus team (Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes) draws on their insider experience to break down roster decisions, recent performances, and big-picture implications.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The “Nobody is Eating” at Wide Receiver Theme
- Opening Rant (00:00): Mike expresses frustration with the “everybody eats” philosophy. “I want somebody to be that good on this wide receiver group that he's just a pig and he just stays up there, just eats everything. Right? You saw Drake London... Let's just throw it to this guy, like, 15 times in the game.”
- Dan builds on the metaphor: “Get rolled out of a buffet. That's what I want.” (00:18)
Context: The team laments the lack of a dominant wide receiver presence for the Bills, wishing that Allen truly had a go-to, matchup-winning target.
2. Big Picture Significance of Bills vs Chiefs (03:34)
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This matchup is unique; both teams are currently second in their divisions, not playing for the #1 seed as in previous years.
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“This game is vital both for now and for the future. Both those teams.” - Mike (02:44)
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Dan adds that while the Chiefs are on an “uptick,” both teams need wins for playoff leverage, but don’t overreact to the result—it may not fully decide playoff seeding.
3. Recap and Relevance of the Panthers Game
- Dan and Mike debate the importance of Buffalo’s blowout win against Carolina—a confidence builder, but “just a spot to get right” (07:24), not necessarily a sign the team is playoff ready, especially on offense.
- Josh Allen and Sean McDermott both called it “the standard,” but the panel agrees the litmus test is against top teams like the Chiefs.
4. Strengths: James Cook & the Run Game (09:14)
- Jenna highlights James Cook’s consistency and dynamic play: “That is what they're putting their horses to is James Cook and his ability to run.”
- Mike: “James Cook has been their most consistent player and high end player. I think this season to this point, he's been their best player, no question.” (09:31)
5. The Broken Passing Game, Allen’s Support
- Jenna: “The passing game has left some things to be desired... is Josh Allen broken?” (10:22)
- Dan: “No, Josh Allen isn't broken... The players around him— they're failing Josh. He can't throw and catch the ball... Guys have to win and when players have had good games [see: Kincaid], Josh will reward you.” (10:36–12:15)
- The group universally agrees that the wide receiver group lacks the necessary talent and no one in the crowd raises their hand to defend them (12:41).
6. Gabe Davis, Keon Coleman, and WR Roster Moves
- Discussion of potentially elevating Gabe Davis (13:06ff):
- Dan is skeptical: “He'll have a jersey and a helmet. I just don't know what is left in Gabe Davis's game now.” (13:31)
- Mike argues McDermott is pushing competition—“not a terrible thing for guys in that wide receiver room to see a guy there who's had success with Josh Allen ready to go on the field” (14:32)
- But Dan counters that Coleman hasn’t truly earned his playing time: “There has never been a player that has been given so much that has done so little as Keon Coleman.” (15:50)
Key Insight: Roster politics and meritocracy at wide receiver are not matching up— Coleman has not lived up to front-office expectations.
7. Trade Deadline Talk—Will the Bills Move for a WR?
- Jenna asks, “What would you say right now is your expectation percentage-wise, that the Bills would make a trade before the trade deadline?” (17:08)
- Mike: “A trade, 50%. ... I don't even think about wide receiver.”
- Dan: “I think it's like a 5% chance they trade for a wide receiver. ... If they trade for a wide receiver, that is all I need to know about Keon Coleman.” (17:40)
8. Steve Smith’s Critique of Keon Coleman and Response
- Dan, quoting Smith: “You can't teach a dog to bark. Either you got it or not.” (20:01)
- Keon’s response: “No, no comment. Next question.” (20:32)
- Mike: “If you just get ticked off and you want to prove Steve Smith wrong, that would be great... I just don't know if he's got that in him.” (20:48 - 21:19)
9. Playcalling, Joe Brady, and Accountability
- Jenna notes a defensive attitude in Joe Brady’s recent answers: “Sometimes I feel like it can always be better... so to say, like, well, we didn't need to pass the ball, I wonder if there's a little bit of ego in that answer.” (21:51)
- Mike is more concerned with accountability, particularly when McDermott criticizes the offense for being “too cute.” (22:56)
10. Injuries, Defensive Rotation, and ‘Meritocracy’
- Panel notes an increased rotation due to injuries and performance (“it’s a meritocracy on defense”—Mike (26:27)).
- Sean McDermott is managing benchings delicately, as in Taylor Rapp’s situation, protecting player reputations when performance necessitates changes.
11. Questions from the Crowd (31:00+)
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On Bean’s approach and the WR room:
- Nigel: “Is [Brandon Bean] on the hot seat?” (31:20)
- All: No, Bean and McDermott aren't on the hot seat unless the season completely collapses, but there is increased scrutiny of the WR decision-making.
- “Bitching about wide receiver is the dumbest argument I've heard.” –- Jenna, quoting Bean (31:58)
- Dan: “The offense has issues... Chiefs have never been complacent, always aggressive about adding to the WR room.” (32:33)
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On pushing for answers about WRs post-game:
- Greg asks if they’ll press coaches/Bean about WR moves. They explain the challenge (coaches answer weekly; GM Bean does not) (36:39)
12. National Narrative & The Chiefs Comparison
- National media is finally “catching up” on the Bills’ lack of WR weapons: “It is almost like an avalanche of a narrative at the moment.” – Mike (41:15)
- Dan: The trade for Xavier Worthy (now starring for KC) will be a national broadcast storyline and ongoing comparison versus Keon Coleman (40:34)
13. Can the Offense Match Up with the Chiefs?
- Bills receivers didn’t complete a single pass beyond the line of scrimmage to a WR in the first half vs Carolina. “That's not good enough with Josh Allen as your quarterback.” – Mike (44:12)
- Dalton Kincaid praised as their most dynamic pass-catcher (but still not a true WR threat) (47:26)
14. Game Picks and Predictions (49:10+)
- All hosts pick the Chiefs to win, feeling KC is in better current form and the Bills lack firepower.
- Jenna: “...I just don't have the thoughts that the Bills can stay up with a track meet if that's what Kansas City gets this game into.”
- Mike: “There's just too many things that need to go right for them.”
- Dan: “There are a couple ways the Chiefs can win and maybe only one or two ways the Bills can.”
- No panic, but real concern the Bills offense is outgunned at present.
15. “Picasso Player of the Game” / What Has to Happen for the Bills to Win
- Mike: “Joe Brady needs a big game. Run the ball. Get the ball out of Josh's hands... Blitz beaters for him...” (56:34)
- Dan: “We need to see special Josh Allen... He's going to have to make some plays.” (57:42)
- Jenna: Defensive impact needed from front seven, specifically Rousseau and Bosa.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On WR accountability:
“There has never been a player that has been given so much that has done so little as Keon Coleman.” – Dan (15:50) -
On national media finally noticing Bills WR issues:
“It is almost like an avalanche of a narrative at the moment... This is what's going to hold them back.” – Mike (41:15) -
On Josh Allen needing help:
“I tweeted that in Atlanta. He deserves better. They do not have the talent for him.” – Mike (16:42) -
On playcalling and ego:
“The best thing he did for this team was to increase their ability to be physical and run the football. But to marry that with the passing game... That is hard to replicate.” – Mike (47:26–48:01) -
On game forecast:
“There's just too many things that need to go right for them. I think they're too good of a team to have this many question marks at this part of the year.” – Mike (53:42) -
On the 'everybody eats' philosophy:
“I'm so sick of that saying, everybody eats. I want somebody to be that good... that he's just a pig and he just stays up there, just eats everything.” – Mike (00:00, repeated at 45:29)
Important Segment Timestamps
- 00:00 – “Everybody eats” rant, opening theme
- 02:44 – Why Bills-Chiefs is especially significant this year
- 09:14 – Praise for James Cook and the run game
- 10:36 – Breakdown of Bills’ passing game struggles and Allen’s lack of support
- 13:06 – Will Gabe Davis return? Debate over his potential impact
- 15:50 – Critique of Keon Coleman’s handed-down opportunity
- 17:08 – Trade deadline probabilities for WR
- 20:16 – Steve Smith’s “you can’t teach a dog to bark” quote/Keon’s response
- 27:00 – Discussion on defensive rotation, meritocracy, benchings
- 31:20 – Crowd Q&A: Is Bean on the hot seat over the WR room?
- 41:15 – National narrative now catching up about the Bills WR problems
- 44:12 – Shocking WR stat vs Carolina
- 47:26 – Dalton Kincaid’s role as top passing threat
- 49:10 – Picks and predictions: all hosts take KC
- 56:34 – What the Bills need to do to win; “Picasso Player of the Game”
Tone & Style
Lively, candid, and often humorous; the show blends strong opinions, insider reporting, and audience interaction. The rapport between Mike, Jenna, and Dan adds color to sharp, critical analysis, with local flavor and Bills fandom evident throughout.
Summary Takeaway
This episode provides a no-holds-barred look at the Bills' glaring receiver issues (“nobody is eating”), their relative strengths (James Cook, defensive talent influx), and the daunting challenge facing them as they face Kansas City. The podcast doesn’t shy from tough opinions—on roster moves and player performance—but balances frustration with humor and community, setting the stage for a crucial AFC showdown.
For more, visit BuffaloPlus.com or join the live YouTube chat and Q&A segments, where your questions (and critiques!) may get featured on air.
