Buffalo Plus Podcast: Bills vs. Ravens Preview

Episode Date: September 29, 2022
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Week 4 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens, focusing on the highly anticipated quarterback battle between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. The Buffalo Plus team—Mike, Jenna, and Dan—analyze the evolution and impact of both QBs, discuss injury concerns, break down key weaknesses in Baltimore’s defense, and debate the significance of the Bills' struggles in one-score games. The tone is passionate, analytical, and conversational, with the hosts using their combined decades of experience covering the Bills to give rich context and candid opinion.

1. Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen: More Than A Regular Week 4 Game

[00:01-04:40]

• The hosts set the stage by lauding the growth and impact of both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson since their 2018 draft days. What started as uncertainty has turned into a premier QB showdown.
• Mike Catalana: “I love this matchup. I love that the teams depend on these quarterbacks so much and they don't shy away from it at all. And I've always been a Lamar fan… is he perfect? No... But he's a guy who can win any game.” (00:59)
• Dan Fates: “He's like a foxhole guy... a guy that, like no matter what, you just want him on your team.” (01:54)
• Discussion about Lamar’s evolution, emphasizing how critics underestimated his passing ability.
  • Vaughn Miller quote via Dan: “He should be the highest paid player in the league.” (02:53)
• Lamar’s weaknesses: still not the guy to overcome huge deficits with pin-point passing, but leads league in touchdown passes and makes up with explosiveness.

Memorable Moment:

• Jenna notes the “maturation process” for both Jackson and Allen, setting up why their duel means so much: “It scares me because of, you know, and we can talk a little bit about the injuries and stuff, but Lamar has been that guy in Baltimore, and it's... tough for their team...” (02:53)

2. What Makes Each QB Special

[04:40-08:43]

• Comparing styles: Allen—a strong-runner and prolific passer, capable of any throw and playing with physicality; Lamar—deadly speed, improved reading defenses, can turn any play into a touchdown.
  • Mike: “Josh’s runs are everything all built into one… Lamar just blows by you.” (03:33)
• Acknowledgement that defenses can out-scheme but not always out-execute against Lamar: “You can do everything right, and Lamar can still turn you inside out.” (Dan, 05:22)
• Weapons comparison:
  • Ravens: Thin at WR after Hollywood Brown trade; rely heavily on TE Mark Andrews and speed/utility players (Duvernay).
    • Mike: “I don’t think his weapons match up to the Bills in that case and in the passing game, but he's made it work...” (06:35)
  • Bills: Allen’s arsenal is deeper, has dedicated organizational investment.

3. Doing More with Less: Organizational Differences

[08:43-10:15]

• Dan: “I think Lamar makes more with less… that’s what’s impressive for what Lamar does because it seems like at times, instead of an organization like the Bills have done... Baltimore takes [weapons] away and goes, 'Hey Lamar, go do it again.'” (08:43)
• Offensive philosophy: Baltimore has built the offense around Lamar (using Greg Roman’s schemes), but without (yet) giving him the big contract extension.

Mike: “They run things to accentuate what Lamar does... they've added more movement... [he’s] seeing the field a lot better.” (08:43-09:37)

4. The Weight of Expectations & Quarterback Critique

[10:15-13:31]

• Jenna raises the scrutiny Allen faces: after a loss, blame falls on him, mirroring high QB expectations league-wide.

• Dan and Mike both push back on the idea Allen must be “superhuman” for the Bills to win—he has legitimate support, but the stars shine brightest under pressure.

  • Mike: “I don't think he has to be superhuman... He has help. Diggs is really good. Gabe Davis... Knox... [the Bills] are a better all-around team than the Ravens.” (12:18)

• Allen’s response to adversity: after the Miami loss, Allen was “pretty pissed, pretty down,” per Dan.

  • Dan: “We've seen this before with Josh... like you can see it on his face after games.” (13:31)

5. Injury Status and Game Matchups

[14:25-20:48]

• The Bills enter the game with a banged-up defense, but the Ravens’ secondary is also decimated.

  • Dan: “They’re not good... The Ravens are down two corners already... they let Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill just run past them…” (15:21)

• Potential Bills advantage: Allen could exploit depleted Ravens DBs, unless weather intervenes.

  • Weather concerns: Anticipated rain from remnants of Hurricane Ian.
    • Mike: “When it's that monsoon kind of thing... it's almost like those kind of games when the snow is so heavy that it's like, you know… and you have a monsoon... all bets are off.” (16:27)

• Bills injury concerns: Highlighting key losses among DBs, Ed Oliver, Jordan Poyer, Jordan Phillips, and mentioning the hopeful return of center Mitch Morse.

  • Jenna: Mitch Morse is the “glue guy” for the offensive line. (20:27)

6. The One-Score Game Problem: Stat or Substance?

[21:19-31:01]

• The Bills are 0-7 in recent single-score games, which the panel debates as a real concern vs. statistical blip.
  • Dan: “That is something that the Bills have been dynamic and awesome in their blowout wins, but how do they turn the tide in terms of that? Because you're going to get in close games and you got to find a way to win.” (21:45)
• Situational execution is flagged as the missing ingredient—the Miami game left 3 points “off the board” due to end-of-half mismanagement (Dan).
• Mike lists various late-game failures from the past year (Tennessee, Kansas City) and what they say about the team’s ability (or lack thereof) in crunch time, concluding:
  • Mike: “I'm sorry, you can't dismiss that. It's seven in a row, and when it gets tight, they don't make the extra play. And that's against bad teams like Jacksonville [and] great teams like Kansas City.” (24:21)
• Jenna and Dan agree that it’s “worrisome”—giving it a 5 or 6 out of 10 on the concern scale—but not cause for panic in Week 4.

7. Mentality, Execution, and the Importance of Breaking the Trend

[25:54-31:01]

• Dan: “At some point, it's a mindset thing that they just have to get over. And it only happens from success... until you win these games, I feel like that monster and that monkey on your back gets a little bigger.” (27:19)

• The hosts use analogies from golf, basketball, and hockey to illustrate how close games expose a team’s true mental toughness and execution, not just overall talent.

• Jenna: “It was like the football gods were like, no, no, here's another opportunity [in Miami]... but [the Bills] couldn't take advantage.” (28:40)

8. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Mike Catalana, on Lamar’s uniqueness: “He’s unapologetically Lamar.” (00:59)
• Dan Fates, on the run game vs. Lamar: “You can do everything right, and Lamar can still turn you inside out.” (05:22)
• Jenna Cottrell, on concerns over close games: “I think you use the word worrisome, which I think is the perfect way to sum it up...” (25:03)
• Mike Catalana, on narratives: “It’s reasons, not excuses... Third stringers on the o-line, a secondary filled with rookies and... guys from the practice squad.” (19:02)

9. End of Episode: Predictions & Fan Engagement

[32:39–end]

• Mike predicts the Dolphins will lose to the Bengals on Thursday Night Football.
• Jenna asks listeners/viewers to comment on their emotional state going into the Ravens game.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------------|----------------| | QB Battle (Josh vs. Lamar) | 00:01 – 04:40 | | What Makes Each QB Special | 04:40 – 08:43 | | Doing More With Less (Ravens Offense) | 08:43 – 10:15 | | QB Scrutiny & Bills Expectations | 10:15 – 13:31 | | Bills Injuries & Matchup Pros/Cons | 14:25 – 20:48 | | One-score Game Narratives | 21:19 – 31:01 | | Mentality & Breaking the Trend | 25:54 – 31:01 | | Predictions/Listener Engagement | 32:39 – end |

Takeaway Summary

• The matchup is more than just a regular season contest—Allen vs. Jackson represents two modern MVP-caliber QBs carrying their rosters.
• Baltimore trusts Lamar but hasn’t given him elite weapons, contrasting with Buffalo’s investment in Allen’s supporting cast.
• Bills’ banged-up defense is a concern, but the Ravens secondary is arguably worse and ripe for Allen’s exploitation.
• Both teams enter with situational challenges: the Ravens making the most of limited weapons, the Bills needing to flip the script on one-score losses.
• The 0-7 single-score game record is a notable red flag, but not yet a crisis—execution and mentality must improve.
• Weather is an X-factor but, barring a monsoon, the panel sees a clear advantage for Allen and the Bills passing attack.
• The hosts’ tone: Cautiously optimistic, respectful of the opposition, eager to see narratives put to rest and statement games delivered.

For Buffalo Bills fans, this episode delivers honest, informed commentary on the state of the team heading into a pivotal matchup—with just the right amount of debate, humor, and real football insight.