Buffalo Plus: "Josh vs Lamar MVP Race, the Bills’ Matt Milano Dilemma, and Playoff Matchups in Buffalo"

Release Date: December 27, 2024
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Overview

This episode dissects the tight MVP race between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, explores the repercussions of Matt Milano’s injury for the Bills’ playoff hopes, and scrutinizes potential AFC playoff matchups. The Buffalo Plus team brings humor and candor as they debate narratives, stat lines, and team philosophies, while giving listeners inside perspectives on the Bills’ locker room and coaching decisions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Christmas Day Results and the Evolving MVP Race

Timestamps: 01:50 – 16:41

• The Bills had Christmas off, while the Chiefs locked up the #1 seed and the Ravens won handily, propelling Lamar Jackson into renewed MVP conversations.
• Dan Fetes questions the reactionary nature of national MVP debates:

  "If that Texans-Ravens game was played at one o'clock on a Sunday, we wouldn't really be talking about it all that much... It’s a little bit like, Mike, like you were saying before we got on here, a prisoner of the moment." (04:00)

• The hosts note Josh Allen’s consistent high-level play, despite national focus frequently jumping to whatever is latest.
• The criteria for MVP are unclear: Is it stats, wins, seed, narrative, or a combination? Team performance and standout moments on big stages often overrule pure value.
• Jenna: "When I look at this season and I look at this Bills team, to me it's abundantly clear that Josh is the MVP because of the weapons around and what was expected of this team heading into the season." (04:38)

2. Team & Locker Room Perspective on the MVP Debate

Timestamps: 08:49 – 11:51

• Evidence that Allen’s teammates want to win him the MVP: Dion Dawkins gifted linemen diamond necklaces engraved MVP17.
• The MVP debate motivates the offensive unit, but Allen and the coaching staff focus primarily on team goals.
• Dan: "You don't think that plays into their hands? You don't think that they feel...[that they want Allen to win]?" (09:09)
• The crew laughs about the shifting rules for what MVP “should” mean, with social media exacerbating the whiplash: "This whole debate sucks." (10:51)

3. Bills’ Approach to Resting Starters & Seed Implications

Timestamps: 11:52 – 16:12

• If the Bills clinch the 2-seed before the season’s end, Sean McDermott may choose to rest Josh Allen in the final game, prioritizing playoff health over MVP chances.
• Allen himself would rather win a Super Bowl than focus on individual accolades:

  “I genuinely think Josh would say, eff it, MVP, whatever. I want to win a Super Bowl.” (12:37)

• Mike Catalana: “Sean McDermott I think is going to play it the way is best for the team. I think Josh will, too.”

4. Jets Matchup Preview and AFC East Context

Timestamps: 16:41 – 21:14

• The impending Bills-Jets game is analyzed with humor and some disdain for the Jets’ organizational chaos (especially around Aaron Rodgers).
• Dan: "It's a circus there... because of Aaron Rodgers and his aura, if you want to call it that. How unlikable somebody can be is just—he continues to top himself." (17:01)
• The Bills are expected to win, though Mike cautions they aren’t at full health, so the game could stay close.
• Motivation for the Jets dwindles, as many players consider their futures over their immediate performance.

5. Bills Defensive Injuries & The 'Matt Milano Dilemma'

Timestamps: 21:14 – 28:12

• Rasul Douglas appears ready to return; Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, and Matt Milano all have uncertain statuses (brief injury report at 30:41).
• The hardest personnel choice: how to use Matt Milano, beloved and established but working back from a major injury, versus inserting more in-form younger players like Dorian Williams.
• Sean McDermott (via Jenna): "We owe that to Matt. Like, we owe that to him of letting him be out on the field. And...he’s going to be given every opportunity to get back and to perform. It is going to take some time, absolutely... So I think we owe him that. And there is certainly a team element to this bigger picture." (24:33)
• The hosts acknowledge the harsh nature of the NFL: even icons have to re-earn their spots after injury, and the team may transition to youth sooner than fans expect.

6. AFC Playoff Picture and Potential Matchups

Timestamps: 29:02 – 31:57

• Simulated scenarios: if Buffalo is the two-seed, they could face the Broncos or Chargers, whom the hosts find more dangerous than 4/5 seeds like Pittsburgh or Houston.
• Dan: "I think the six and seven seeds are more dangerous than the four and five seeds. I think the Broncos and Chargers are way better right now than the Texans or the Steelers." (31:17)
• Kansas City, as the presumptive 1-seed, may have an easy second-round path.

7. Predictions and Closing Thoughts

Timestamps: 32:13 – 32:54

• Quick-fire Bills vs. Jets score predictions:
  • Mike: 27-23 Bills (closer than expected)
  • Dan: 33-13 Bills (blowout)
  • Jenna: 27-17 Bills
• Brief note on expected weather: balmy, rainy, mid-50s, but not likely to significantly affect Buffalo’s game plan due to their improved running attack.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Fetes on MVP debate whiplash: "If that Texans Ravens game was played at one o’clock on a Sunday, we wouldn’t really be talking about it all that much... Like, Lamar completed 10 passes. Like we’re, we’re going to sit there and act like he torched them because of what you saw." (03:55)
• Jenna on Allen’s MVP case: "It’s abundantly clear that Josh is the MVP because of the weapons around and what was expected of this team heading into the season." (04:38)
• Mike Catalana on Milano’s future: "You get in these games, it’s one thing to say go play and let's see how it looks. And then the next thing is when it’s a playoff game, if it's not happening, the other guy’s in. And then when we get to this offseason... that’s the transition that’s happening anyhow." (28:12)
• Dan on Jets dysfunction: "It's a circus there... How unlikable somebody can be is just—he continues to top himself." (17:01)
• On player motivation late in the season: "Maybe that’s what Rodgers is trying to do. He’s just the exact wrong person to be saying it, but... hey guys, like we gotta be in the moment." (20:45)

Segment Timestamps (Key Content Only)

• 01:50 – Christmas Day results & MVP landscape
• 04:00 – National perception and MVP narrative
• 08:50 – Locker room chemistry & MVP sentiment
• 11:52 – Resting Josh Allen vs. chasing awards
• 16:41 – Bills-Jets preview; Jets drama
• 21:14 – Injury notes, defensive concerns, Milano’s status
• 24:33 – McDermott’s loyalty dilemma: Milano vs. youth
• 29:02 – Playoff matchups & seed analysis
• 32:13 – Score predictions and final assessments

Tone & Style

• The conversation is candid, fast-paced, and peppered with empathy for the real-life aspects of roster moves and player health.
• The hosts combine deep knowledge with fan-level passion, and inject humor (especially at the Jets' expense and about the "interesting" overuse of certain words).
• Relatable personal anecdotes close out the episode, showing the hosts’ personalities away from football.

Summary

Buffalo Plus uses this episode to pull back the curtain on both the Bills’ current playoff outlook and the league-wide debates shaping MVP voting. Listeners get both statistical context and emotional insights, especially around how team dynamics, fan narratives, and the harsh realities of injuries play into key decisions. The episode closes with predictions for the upcoming Jets game and a look ahead to the high-stakes postseason.