← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Our Buffalo Bills 'SEASON SUPERLATIVES' and Super Bowl HOT TAKES
00:37:49
The best and worst of 2023 Buffalo Bills
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- [00:00]
A
I was thinking about it. The worst coaching decision that Sean McDermott has ever made was picking a team in the AFC. That's the bottom line. This is the Buffalo plus podcast, brought to you by Connors and Ferris.
- [00:22]
B
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe. Subscribe to the channel. All right, gentlemen, we are in full off season mode. The Chiefs beat the Niners in the super bowl and overtime last night. So that is done. Case closed, Season over, season over. Let's talk about the Bills, where they're at. A couple of topics. Non Josh Allen, MVPs, guys who come to mind. Most disappointing player this season, biggest surprise. So we're gonna go into it. Mike, I want to start with you though, because the super bowl was pretty, pretty frustrating, I think, for a lot of Bills fans watching. What was your take of kind of the message it sent to Buffalo and to fans after a night like last.
- [01:08]
C
Night that they have company. They have company in frustration with the Chiefs, they have company with the Niners, they have company with the Bengals from a year ago. They have company with the Eagles. They have company with really anyone they've played. And obviously San Francisco in this case, where you think you got them, you're right there. You think you got them, but you don't got them. Right. They just figure a way to do it. Mahomes is awesome, but they've transitioned to a team now that he can. He can play and be the Mariano Rivera closer for them.
- [01:46]
A
Yeah, it sucks.
- [01:47]
C
It does. Because I would tell you this, that team this year was a defensive team with a great quarterback who used his energy when he needed to. I mean, it really was. I mean, because they didn't have great weapons. They can run the ball, they can play physically, but that defense is elite, makes big plays at big moments. And then Mahomes is just in the end of game circumstances. He's just so good.
- [02:16]
A
I don't think it was a very entertaining Super Bowl. No, I thought it was rather boring for three and a half quarters. But I. It may have been Mahomes most impressive super bowl win because all season long, especially heading into the postseason, I was convinced and I still believe it. That team's not good. Like, I don't believe that.
- [02:40]
B
That roster that good, right?
- [02:42]
A
Defensively, yes, absolutely. Offensively, they're a average team with maybe the soon to be greatest of all time. Like on the trajectory of it. Like, yeah, Mahomes Dragged what was I considered a flat tire of an offense. And those guys, Marcus Valdez gambling. And I tweeted out. And Mike, you comment on it. Like, he tried so hard to drop that pass in the end zone. Like, he tried everything he could. And Mahomes still did it. Like, unbelievable job by Mahomes. It sucks to have to admit that because I thought the Chiefs offense didn't deserve to win a Super bowl, but it's the fact that Mahomes did.
- [03:20]
C
I asked you guys if there was a memorable play in the game because there really wasn't. Like, there really wasn't. But maybe my most memorable play was Valdez scantling going backwards and his teammates.
- [03:33]
B
Like, oh, my God, yeah. Solak tweeting them. But what if we made it harder?
- [03:39]
A
It was unbelievable.
- [03:40]
C
And yet they. And yet they still win. That last drive was almost methodical.
- [03:47]
B
We. We talked about. It was. It felt inevitable. Which it reminded me of the Bills game in the fact that the Chiefs did not look like themselves offensively. Like the. Like in. In that game for the 49ers, they were able to cause un.
- [04:03]
A
Not.
- [04:04]
B
I don't want to say uncharacteristic mistakes, but the. The Niners defense was able to slow down considerably. The Chiefs. But on the offensive side of the ball, the Niners were never really able to get consistency going. I mean, they were down. The Chiefs were down 10, they were down 7. Like, even when it felt like the Niners were playing exponentially better than Kansas City, San Francisco never really took advantage. And that's why when you play a game like that, where you're.
- [04:28]
C
It.
- [04:29]
B
It felt. Felt inevitable. And that is what we saw. So when people are like, oh, my God, the Bills can't get over the Chiefs, all this stuff, like you said, misery loves company. A lot of other teams are falling into that category as well. So I think that's important to keep into perspective because sucks like, let's be real. It's annoying that it's always Kansas City, but there's reason there in rarefied air.
- [04:52]
A
I. I think about perspective and. And listen, most of the people on this channel here, you great subscribers and viewers, only focus on the Bills. Take a step back. And I talked about it and I compared, you know, the John Harbaugh and how we view John Harbaugh in this. I was thinking about it. The worst coaching decision that Sean McDermott has ever made was picking a team in the AFC. That's the bottom line. Because out of everything that he's done, it is unbelievable. The fact that Time and time again, if the Bills were in that spot. And Sean McDermott takes the football in overtime, ridiculing him. Even Andy Reid made a couple of really bad coaching moves with wasting time out in all these things. Sean McDermott's not the only coach. Again, I always feel like I'm an apologist. Sean McDermott is not the only coach that makes errors and just take a step back and have some perspective of watching two really good teams. And. And I do believe that the 49ers and Kyle Shahan, we may disagree. Mike. I still think Kyle Shan is a great play caller.
- [05:58]
C
I'm with you on that.
- [05:59]
A
But, man, does he back away some massive opportunities.
- [06:03]
C
He is a great play caller and cannot handle game situations. There was a guy that was a coach for a long time who did the same thing and couldn't win the big game. It's a big guy with red hair is his name.
- [06:18]
A
He likes cheeseburgers.
- [06:20]
C
It was Andy Reid. It was Andy Reid. And you know what made him smarter and better?
- [06:26]
B
Patrick Mahomes. Funny how that works.
- [06:28]
C
Yeah. So listen, Shanahan is a brilliant play caller, play designer, all those things. Not a very good game coach. And he's not good with the clock. He's not good managing situations. I mean, how embarrassing is it that his players said they didn't even really go over the overtime rules and they didn't know them? I mean, come on, you had a bye week. You had two. You had two weeks to the Super Bowl. I mean, over burgers one day. You're not talking about the overtime rules.
- [06:56]
A
Unbelievable. And the fact that it just seemed like one player says it. It's kind of like, oh, it was the big joke when Donovan McNabb's like, I didn't know we could tie.
- [07:04]
C
Yeah, you're.
- [07:05]
A
No, that's not the case anymore.
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B
Yeah.
- [07:07]
A
And. And this. This rule wasn't this year.
- [07:09]
C
Like.
- [07:10]
A
Like, it's. It's kind of been going on.
- [07:12]
C
It's the super bowl.
- [07:13]
B
Like, you know, I should be talking about every possible.
- [07:17]
C
And that's.
- [07:17]
B
And you have the real. You have the extra time to do it.
- [07:19]
C
It's a very real possibility. And these. These games have been close. So. Listen, they're great. I will tell you this. You start to hear the goat conversation and all this. The difference is, I will say this for Bills fans, if you look at the history, Brady won three Super Bowls in four years. He won back to back. I was at the game. That was the second of the two. I took my dad to the game. Eagles And Patriots down in Jacksonville. That was their second in a row. Third and four years. They didn't win another Super bowl for 10 years. They made it to two. The Giants beat them twice, and then they finally won at the goal line when, you know, Carroll and then Seattle decided to throw, but they won one. Then he had a second dynasty. He had a second dynasty. Now, look, he got hurt the next year. The only reason I'm saying this is Mahomes could keep winning and keep winning. I guess he could. History in the NFL doesn't favor that history in sports. Yeah, it's. There's. There's this window, but the only thing that's a little different there is they got the veteran coach who's got it done. They're not going to lose coordinators. They have Mahomes and they've already revamped some of the team. But it's a lot of football for all these guys over a period of time. There's no guarantees. Are they the favorite? No question. I saw there was some odds today that had the Niners again. It's fine. The Chiefs are the favorite no matter what everybody says. But they're. They're gettable. It's just that last bit that is very difficult to get done.
- [08:51]
A
That was what I thought about. And I don't know if we talked about it. One of the pods, maybe that Jenna, that we did. The fact of. I think if the Bills play that AFC game again, that divisional game again, I think it goes five and five. Like, you play that game 10 times. I think it's five. I think if you play the. The AFC championship game again, I think the Chiefs win nine out of 10 games.
- [09:13]
C
Oh, the one they played three years.
- [09:14]
B
No, no, he's talking about the one against the Ravens.
- [09:17]
A
Like this playoffs. Like this playoffs. Like.
- [09:19]
C
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [09:20]
A
Everybody hates to hear, like, oh, we were a few plays away and like, it was a close game. Like, the Niners felt so limited at times and didn't, like, they had looked like they had any answers against the Chiefs defense. The Chiefs defense I saw only allowed, like, five touchdowns in this postseason, and three of them were against the Bills. Yeah, like, like, that's how good they were.
- [09:39]
B
Josh Allen.
- [09:39]
A
Yeah, like, let's not sit there and act like the Bills are light years behind the Chiefs. They're just not. And that's me being a homer. I'm not trying to be a homer here. It's just the fact.
- [09:50]
C
It's just that they've lost to them three times, which makes it feel More that way. But listen, you start out with Josh Allen. It's a good place to start because a lot of other teams aren't starting out with Josh. You saw it with the Niners. Brock Purdy is a nice player, smart player, does a lot of things well. He's not a star. He's not a he. You win with him, not because of him.
- [10:14]
A
Yeah.
- [10:14]
C
And you can win with and because of Josh Allen. He just. He just needs a little more help.
- [10:20]
B
Yeah.
- [10:20]
A
Yep.
- [10:21]
B
Thousand percent. All right. The book is closed on this NFL season. Let's wash our hands of it. All right. Let's talk a little bit. Bills, though. Non Josh. Mvp. And we say this because if you were going to put an MVP on the Bills.
- [10:35]
C
Yeah.
- [10:36]
B
Obviously be Josh Allen. So, Dan, I'll start with you.
- [10:40]
A
I was hoping you'd start with Mike.
- [10:41]
B
All right, Mike, I'll start with you.
- [10:43]
C
I'm gonna go off the board here a little bit for multiple reasons. This guy is. Do you want to go? Yeah, go ahead. You better not take my guy.
- [10:52]
A
I'm going to trail Bernard.
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C
Okay.
- [10:54]
B
See, I was going to put him as biggest surprise.
- [10:56]
A
I got a different guy for biggest surprise. I think trail Bernard was such a cornerstone of that defense. And especially when the offense wasn't very good, especially earlier in the year, I thought the defense was held their own. And again with all the injuries around them, obviously you come up into the last, you know, last week that, that you. You have the. The injury that keeps Bernard out, but I. I think it was. He was the most valuable player on that defense that needed to be good at times when the offense wasn't. So I thought Bernard was. Was a surprise, but also probably the most valuable.
- [11:30]
B
Yeah, I. I do think that's incredibly fair. I didn't pick MVP because I. I wanted him. I thought him. Him as even more of a surprise this season considering we didn't even think he was gonna. It was him and Tyrell Dotson. Yeah, whatever. I don't want to bring it up. That isn't ugly face the way you just did. I mean, mine doesn't look better right now, but that, like.
- [11:53]
C
Well, here.
- [11:53]
A
Mine's also jaundice. Like, can we. Can we also factor in that I look super pale?
- [11:58]
B
It's because we're like, are you okay?
- [12:01]
A
So if you see me putting this up in front of it, it'll balance me out for a second.
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C
Just a little behind the scenes and.
- [12:06]
A
Then I'll get whitewashed. And there I go.
- [12:08]
C
Jenna got in that seat. She looked great. Dan went Back in.
- [12:12]
B
What's the color of your shirt?
- [12:14]
A
The hoodie.
- [12:14]
C
Can I pick mine now?
- [12:16]
A
Yeah, that's fine.
- [12:17]
B
Oh, wait, I might. No, I'm kidding.
- [12:20]
C
I'm going off the board here. I think off the board. I think this guy's been underappreciated his whole career. Taron Johnson, they've had so many issues in that secondary, issues with linebackers. That guy is so good at his job. McDuffie beat him out by what? A vote. I think it was for all pro. So he's second team. I think the guy has done so much for this organization and without, you know, Poyer and Hyder back out there, they're not the same guys. I think he's going to be the new Poyer or Hyde in terms of a different type of leader on that defense. It's just like. Yeah. I mean, look at what played at corner was constant change once Trey was out and. And you just. I won't say you forget about him, but it kind of is. He's a nickel, but he's a starter.
- [13:09]
A
Yeah.
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C
And I just think he's so good at his job. I think they use him in so many different ways. And look, doesn't mean he doesn't give up plays. Had a couple of late plays and he's out there. He got the penalty the one time.
- [13:22]
A
But I think he saved the game against the Giants.
- [13:24]
C
Saved the game. I just think he's so important to that defense. And when I say underappreciated, he's just not the first name that pops into your head. And I would. That's who I would say for this defense. They especially needed him this year.
- [13:37]
B
Yeah. I'm struggling to think of anyone on offense other than Josh L. And Dan has someone at his door. It's the ring camera.
- [13:47]
C
Yeah, it's. It really is. Anybody, you would say mvp. The. The one guy that I might have thrown in there was Dion.
- [13:54]
A
I was gonna say offensive line wise.
- [13:56]
B
That is something. Yeah. That also could be biggest surprise, though, in terms of them all staying healthy throughout the season. And I mean, Josh Allen was sacked the least amount this year in the NFL.
- [14:06]
A
Yeah. I think it'd be fair to say that. Not trying to be pessimistic about next year, but you may not get that again.
- [14:12]
B
Yeah, yeah, that's. That's fair.
- [14:13]
A
That's what we talked about before.
- [14:14]
B
Like, that's reasonable to say there's some.
- [14:16]
A
Luck that you need.
- [14:17]
C
Yeah.
- [14:17]
A
Like there's just some luck that you need to get to. To go to a sport.
- [14:21]
C
Why you need to have quality depth. You need to have guys step in for a game or two or three, you know, whatever it is. And sometimes teams have that.
- [14:29]
B
My non Josh MVP is defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. I think he weathered the storm earlier on in the season.
- [14:37]
C
She's really proud of that one.
- [14:39]
B
No, I'm not.
- [14:41]
C
No, I'm saying is because it's very different.
- [14:43]
B
It's a very different, it is different. But I think the pieces that he had, obviously Trey White going out, Matt Milano, all those types of players going out and to see the way the Bills defense was able to kind of bend and not break, I think was pretty impressive. Obviously you talk about in the Chiefs game, well, they didn't do enough. You were without Terrell Bernard. I mean, Tyrell Dotson, A.J. klein literally was. I was about to go to Key west on vacation. You pulled him off the couch. I was very surprised as well with what he did as defensive coordinator this season, especially considering we didn't know it was going to happen until really the combine when everything went down. So I was impressed by his ability to call the defense, the way the defense was able to adapt throughout the season and really the level of play they were playing at as a unit heading into the playoffs.
- [15:34]
A
I agree.
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C
Yeah, I think that's a good call.
- [15:36]
B
Most disappointing person slash player. Dan.
- [15:40]
A
Gabe Davis didn't have to think too long about that. We, we've talked about it. I think at times he's held this team back for a few years. I won't take a victory lap. I've already, I feel like I've taken.
- [15:51]
B
I love when he says that because by doing it. Yeah, you're taking him. I won't take a victory lap. Pause for dramatic.
- [15:59]
C
You're like the Harvard guy.
- [16:01]
A
Yeah, I could fit Harvard into, into.
- [16:02]
C
Any sense he could take back in Harvard.
- [16:04]
A
Yeah, I could fit, I could fit Gabe Davis in this. And again, this was, this was a case of I just never thought he was ready to be that number two guy. And the moves that they have not made because of Gabe I think have been disappointing. And last year it was. Hey, by the way, did you guys know he was injured the previous year and his ankle and all of these things. It was one thing after another. Multiple games with no receptions and you have to Again, I like Gabe. I, I, I like it when he has these big games and I'm not sitting here like rooting. I've never been a guy that roots against him. I just had my, I was apprehensive about what I thought he could be. I. What his limitations are and the lack of consistency. It's great when he has these big games. It's awesome. Those are few and far between. And unfortunately where we dogged on Tremaine Edmonds at times, like, gets him in and out of the huddle. It's like Gabe's a great run blocker. It's like. But you pay him to catch footballs.
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C
Yeah.
- [16:59]
A
And that to me is always worrisome.
- [17:02]
C
What you said about the moves they didn't make, I think that's the key. They held him up there as a two. Not a two.
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B
Yeah.
- [17:10]
A
Not a two.
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C
Yeah. Von Miller.
- [17:13]
B
That's easy. I figured that would be your first in multiple ways.
- [17:19]
C
I don't know how much influence he had on when he came back on the field. Meaning what he's telling them looks, their training staff is really good. I think they. He probably passed every test they wanted. He's. He's physically an incredible player. He always has been. But he was bad on the field, did nothing. I mean, they started to get to the point you were looking at him like some undrafted guy out of whatever and you're like, hey, the guy made a play, he got a pressure. And then the off the field thing, whether there's Chargers or not, whether anything comes of it, it certainly was. He put himself in a terrible spot. I don't know enough of the details, but it was in a terrible spot for this franchise and supposed to be a leader during the bye week. So that caused massive headaches for this team. And then he didn't perform on the field. And he's costing you a ton of money. So incredibly disappointing. And I don't know if that disappointment will change on the field.
- [18:12]
A
Yeah.
- [18:13]
C
Next season, depending on what it is. But.
- [18:15]
B
Yeah, I hear that.
- [18:16]
A
But how was the rest of the play? Misses off the field, Injuries.
- [18:22]
C
Yeah.
- [18:23]
B
I was trying to figure out who was my most disappointing player because I think of Deontay Hardy, Trent Sherfield. I. I know Dawson Knox had some injuries this season, but I felt like I was. I've been waiting for him to take that next step. I think he can make some incredible plays, but some of the more routine passes, I don't always have confidence in him. And then I thought about Tyler Bass and it's probably recency bias as well. And I want to admit that. But at the same point, he used to be such a safety blanket for this team. Hey, at least you know you can go out and get three points.
- [18:57]
A
Yeah.
- [18:58]
B
And in situations down the stretch, we talked about it. Do the Bills have a kicking problem? And what is all the things we talked about in the postseason, those little mistakes that you see glances of in the regular season, they are exposed in the playoffs. And that is why Tyler Bass really stuck out to me.
- [19:18]
C
The Chiefs kicker, Harrison Bucker, 44 of 46 this year.
- [19:23]
A
Yes.
- [19:24]
B
He like, he could have won MVP. I mean, he wasn't gonna win MVP.
- [19:28]
C
Over Mahomes, but kicks over 40 yards. Made them all. Seven over 50. Made them all. I mean, I guess both made them all. Made everything in the playoffs. I mean, yeah, he's got range. He's got everything. I'm not saying you got to be him. That's a good one on Bass. He was very disappointing, I thought.
- [19:45]
B
Yeah. Just especially for what he has meant to the team. Yeah, he's someone that has done a great job contributing.
- [19:52]
C
Doesn't mean he can't bounce back.
- [19:54]
B
Agreed. And there was a point throughout the season where he ebed and then you thought, okay, he was able to get it back. But you know, at the December, January when you need a guy to be there, he wasn't.
- [20:05]
A
Good point.
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B
All right. Biggest surprise, we'll start with you.
- [20:11]
C
Okay.
- [20:12]
B
Okay.
- [20:13]
C
I'm going to say Tyrell Dodson.
- [20:15]
B
That's. I. I think that's fair.
- [20:17]
C
And I don't know what his future is with the Bills. I don't know what they're going to do.
- [20:21]
A
Yeah.
- [20:22]
C
I never looked at him as a starter. I thought when he had his opportunity, it wasn't. He wasn't the guy. But I give him credit. And he was big on Bobby Babbage.
- [20:33]
A
Yeah.
- [20:34]
C
Came out with a big quote. Everything about believing in him. But I saw that.
- [20:37]
A
Deleted that tweet.
- [20:38]
C
Oh, he did.
- [20:39]
A
Have you noticed that?
- [20:40]
B
No.
- [20:40]
A
That tweet's gone for whatever. For whatever. It's worth taking for what you want.
- [20:44]
C
That's interesting.
- [20:45]
A
That tweet is gone.
- [20:46]
C
I wonder why that would be.
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A
No idea.
- [20:48]
C
Maybe. I don't know. I don't know what his future is.
- [20:51]
A
Just context of just providing.
- [20:53]
C
The reason I say that he surprised me is because my expectations were this guy's a special teams player. He did try to fight everybody at training camp.
- [21:02]
A
He did.
- [21:03]
C
And then got into the season. Nothing in the beginning. And then I thought he was a real contributor to that defense when they desperately needed somebody to do something to help out. Especially when Bernard got hurt, too. I mean, that's tough, but not like a game changer. But they were just hoping for good. Good play.
- [21:23]
A
Correct.
- [21:23]
C
And he is always physical. He's a physical.
- [21:25]
A
He didn't hold them back.
- [21:25]
C
Nope.
- [21:26]
B
Yeah. What about you?
- [21:28]
A
Well, I saw yours. Do you want to go? Because I, I saw what you wrote down. I was cheating. I was looking over, oh my God.
- [21:34]
B
Cheating off my test.
- [21:35]
A
But. Because I, I would have had that too, but I, I got a different one if you want to go first.
- [21:39]
B
I, I was thinking K. Shakir.
- [21:40]
A
Yeah.
- [21:41]
B
I think especially at the end of the season, some of the catches he made, some of the touchdowns he had. I'm not saying he will ascend into the two on this team, but I think for the Bills he is a quality option at 3. Continue to take steps forward. Yeah, I was really impressed by his composure because he made some big time plays and big time moments and we saw in the super bowl yesterday, Jennings when, you know, there wasn't a lot of options, you could rely on him and I think for the Bills that could be someone this upcoming season.
- [22:12]
A
Good instincts. I love it when, when they talk about. McDermott talks about that he doesn't test well, but he's a football player.
- [22:19]
B
I, I love that too. Not the fastest, not the biggest you. You know, not the most physical.
- [22:24]
A
But Tess. Well, is a football player. Obviously he had some drops last year as his rookie year, but I thought he was really solid this year. At one point he caught like 16 out of 16 targets in a row going back to the Dallas game. I really liked all those things. So again, I actually feel pretty comfortable moving forward with what he can provide and find a little niche in this offense. So yeah, I like that one a lot.
- [22:46]
B
And he's versatile.
- [22:47]
A
Yes. For me, the biggest surprise, throw a dart at the offensive line and. And I'll go, Spencer Brown because. Because I don't think.
- [22:55]
B
Yeah, that's fair.
- [22:56]
A
Sibo. I was not expecting for him to be as good as he was. I wasn't expecting for Connor McGovern to play as well as he did. Wasn't expecting this offensive line to play at all. And the. It's not fair to. I'm not trying to sit here and mock but like the. Hey, Gabe Davis was injured. Did you guys know that? Like hey, Spencer Brown's back was injured and was like, hey man, this guy was a, you know, D1 double A guy. Like maybe they shouldn't have put so much faith in him. Spencer Brown balled out this year. I was very surprised in the way that he anchored that right side line, the way that he. His game against Max Crosby, the game that he had against Washington. I thought he looked like the guy that we saw as a rookie and whether it was a sophomore slump, whether it was the back injury, I was really impressed by the way that Spencer Brown bounced back because I thought again, it's reasons, not excuses. I. I was debating on maybe just not. He's just not that good.
- [23:47]
C
Yeah.
- [23:48]
A
He looked more mature. He's a guy that. He's a different kind of juice than Dion, but he's a guy that again, wants to fight everybody on the other team.
- [23:57]
C
Yeah.
- [23:58]
A
I think he provides a toughness that this offensive line can feed off of. So I. I thought the offensive line was offensively the bright spot, the shining star of this offense.
- [24:08]
B
Yeah. I would agree.
- [24:09]
A
Not named Josh Allen.
- [24:11]
C
Yeah.
- [24:11]
B
They could have definitely gone as big a surprise.
- [24:14]
A
Yeah.
- [24:14]
B
Yeah. Just the entire unit. Overall, I think that's fair. Most encouraging player going forward.
- [24:22]
A
Yeah. What you're most encouraged about moving forward.
- [24:24]
B
Oh, what? I'm. I can't read Dan's handwriting.
- [24:28]
C
Yeah, it was. Yes.
- [24:29]
B
That looks like Wheat. Wheat. Most.
- [24:32]
A
It was what? Most courage.
- [24:34]
C
Yeah. I'm going to say Christian Benford. I like him. I like him as a player. I think if he can be on that other side. Because we don't know what's going to happen with Trey. I still think they're drafting a corner somewhere in this draft. I mean, they can say what they want about Kyrie.
- [24:52]
A
Not in the first round. Just for the.
- [24:54]
C
No, no, no, no.
- [24:55]
A
For anything. No.
- [24:56]
C
I don't see that happening. But I think Benford can play. I think he can play in league. He's got to stay healthy. I'm encouraged to him going forward. They need that. I think Douglas is going to be around.
- [25:08]
A
Yep.
- [25:08]
C
I mean, he's got the contract. I think he's going to be around. And we'll wait to see on Trey White. But I'm not expecting that. I said to you guys, I don't know how that will work. We'll see how Trey is coming back. They need Benford to be pretty good. And then at some point you need to get younger players.
- [25:24]
B
Yeah.
- [25:25]
C
In there, too.
- [25:26]
B
Why are you laughing?
- [25:27]
A
Another guy that I was really high on the training camp and I was right.
- [25:30]
B
Yeah. But we weren't not high on.
- [25:33]
A
Yeah, I know.
- [25:33]
C
Just the guy. Started week one last year.
- [25:36]
B
Yeah.
- [25:36]
A
Over.
- [25:37]
B
Over your first round draft.
- [25:38]
C
Yeah.
- [25:38]
A
And when we were talking about. I don't think we were even in the studio yet, but I was saying that like, I think not Christian. I think Christian Benford, as you said before, you talked about how. How versatile and important valuable that Taron Johnson is to the defense.
- [25:52]
C
Yeah.
- [25:52]
A
I think Benford can be that guy. Whether they think about. Remember we were last year at the combine talking about, hey, could we move him to safety? Yeah, I know there's talks about, hey, what about, Could Trey White play safety? I. I agree. Oh, it was just.
- [26:05]
B
He's just making the point.
- [26:06]
C
I know you're so mad.
- [26:08]
A
This happens.
- [26:09]
B
Oh, my gosh. It bothers me.
- [26:11]
A
This happens so much in the sports office. We'll be sitting there and I will read another person's tweet and you'll be like, dan, what are you talking about?
- [26:20]
B
And I go, are you an idiot?
- [26:21]
A
I'm not talking about it. It's somebody else. I'm just relay. It's like they kill the messenger.
- [26:27]
C
You're fair. That's fair.
- [26:28]
A
So it's like, trey, what are you crazy, dude? I didn't say it was my idea. I'm saying that there are other people out there.
- [26:34]
C
Who.
- [26:34]
B
Who's out there?
- [26:35]
A
Other people, because. Well, the. The comparison, I think, is that Patrick Peterson switched to safety this year for the Steelers.
- [26:43]
C
Yeah. Okay.
- [26:45]
A
I'm just saying.
- [26:46]
C
Oh, no. There's been corners.
- [26:48]
B
This is what he does.
- [26:49]
C
There have been corners gone to safety.
- [26:51]
B
This is what he does. Well, why would they say that? I don't know. They. They wrote it, though.
- [26:55]
A
Yeah.
- [26:56]
B
They typed it out. I don't know what's going on.
- [27:00]
A
Yeah, I didn't.
- [27:01]
B
I don't know.
- [27:02]
A
It happens all the time in sports office.
- [27:04]
B
I have Osiris Torrance, or as Dan likes to say, Cyrus Otoris.
- [27:08]
A
That was the best.
- [27:11]
B
You mentioned him, though. I forgot he. Like you forget he's a rookie. Forget this was his rookie season. He was seamless in. In the way he came into that offensive line. Even Dion talked about the progress that he made throughout the year. Definitely encouraging, considering they've had issues keeping guys in and out of the lineup, all those things, so. Oh, I almost did it. Osiris Torrence.
- [27:32]
A
It takes me a second.
- [27:34]
B
Cyrus Ot Torrence is just phenomenal, though. Yeah.
- [27:37]
A
Yes.
- [27:37]
C
You guys call him, right?
- [27:38]
A
Yeah.
- [27:38]
B
Yeah. But when Dan made him Irish.
- [27:40]
C
Oh, I know.
- [27:42]
A
Cyrus Otorance was just.
- [27:44]
C
Got a big day coming up.
- [27:46]
B
The Irish. Okay. Biggest concern.
- [27:48]
A
Well, I guess I don't get to answer my question.
- [27:50]
B
Oh, did he not answer? I thought you already know.
- [27:53]
C
He just kept talking.
- [27:55]
B
He said, Christian Bedford.
- [27:56]
A
No, Mike did.
- [28:00]
C
So who was your answer?
- [28:01]
B
Sorry.
- [28:02]
A
Well, it's another guy that I was going to take another victory lap.
- [28:04]
C
Oh, that's why. Who's that?
- [28:06]
A
Well, I'm just I'm very encouraged about Joe Brady.
- [28:09]
C
Okay, so let me ask you this question, Janet. He says it like he liked Joe. We all like Joe Brady.
- [28:15]
A
No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm taking it because I really didn't like Dorsey and I was right.
- [28:22]
B
So he wants like victory lap being right about Ken Dorsey by being extra right about Brady. Okay, Correct.
- [28:29]
A
It's just I've got this feel for offensive coordinators because I was right on my feel for Ken Dorsey not having any play calling experience. I think that the Bill's going all in supporting Brady with his guys. Now we're seeing the quarterbacks coach coming in, Ronald Curry, who worked with him with the Saints, the assistant coach that just got promoted today. They have ties back to lsu. Together they are going to give Joe Brady everything that he wants to make this offense his offense.
- [29:00]
B
So you trust him with the keys to the Ferrari?
- [29:02]
A
I absolutely do. Because also you've seen it and it was the ability where we talked about with Kyle Shanahan where it's you can call great plays, but can you call a great game?
- [29:12]
C
Yeah.
- [29:13]
A
And I thought I saw Brady at times be really good at adjusting on the fly. The Dallas game sticks out to me more than anything. And it where everybody's like, well, he failed in Carolina. It's like, I don't think anybody was going to succeed in Carolina when he took over.
- [29:26]
C
And I think there's levels of success when you're in a place like Carolina. They were a dumpster fire.
- [29:32]
A
Well, and it's again was. Yeah, you're sit there and go like, oh, Andy Reid finally got over the hump. It helps to have a great quarterback.
- [29:38]
C
Right.
- [29:39]
A
You're now giving Joe Brady Josh Allen and I really am excited to see what he can do with a whole offseason. His flair, as Jenna likes to giggle about.
- [29:47]
B
It's just funny off the space where.
- [29:49]
A
Where he can go, surrounding him with his people and getting to see the whole spectrum of it. And I think he's learned from his mistakes, from failing with Carolina, getting a second chance, sitting behind Ken Dorsey, kind of watching Dorsey fail. Like I, I think you're learning to see. Hey, you don't. I remember he talked about it. He goes, you don't need to be the smartest guy in the room. Like let Josh Allen be Josh Allen, support him and give him some more creative ideas onto this offense. I'm looking forward to it.
- [30:17]
C
DJ Mangus, by the way, I believe is the coach.
- [30:20]
A
Yes.
- [30:21]
C
That was named Quality Control. All right, so he took a Victory lap. And he goes.
- [30:27]
B
Also, we. It's. It's not that we didn't say we didn't like Joe Brady.
- [30:31]
A
So I'm not saying.
- [30:32]
B
So here's my question for you to play devil's advocate, like you said last year with Ken Dorsey taking over the. The offense, and Josh Allen was the one who said, you know, Ken is my guy, all this stuff. So you're okay with Josh being like, brady's my guy. You're okay with them doing this?
- [30:48]
A
Once again, Brady's driven a car before.
- [30:51]
B
Okay, that's fair. I mean, he.
- [30:53]
C
And they did get to stay with the analogy. They did get a test drive on him for half a season. That's so they've seen.
- [31:00]
B
I don't like making this argument because I like Joe Brady. It is funny, too. I think about the viral moments, and it's not fair, but, like, Ken Dorsey's is slamming the iPad.
- [31:09]
C
Yeah.
- [31:09]
B
And Joe Brady's is, you know, dapping it up with the boys after a good play. Those look.
- [31:15]
C
Because he started running the ball more. Wait till next year when they're ground and pound. Josh is a game manager. Why did I say that about brain?
- [31:25]
B
He's gonna be. He'll be like. But I was right. But I don't like it. Biggest turn.
- [31:33]
C
Is it me first?
- [31:35]
A
You can go first.
- [31:36]
C
I would say my biggest concern is the revamping of the D line. They have a lot of empty spaces there. Who's coming back? What are they going to do? Because I thought the D line let him down again.
- [31:49]
A
Yeah.
- [31:49]
B
In the biggest moments.
- [31:50]
C
Yeah, biggest moments. And now you. You got a lot of guys as free agents. A lot.
- [31:55]
B
Yeah.
- [31:55]
C
Who's coming back is like AJ Epanessa coming back. You know, there was guy. You. You need depth. You need guys there. You need some, you know, again, what. What is the plan? How many of these free agents are going to return? And then how much do you dip into the draft again? What. How much capital do you want to use there? Because I think there's four guys on the D line under contract now and.
- [32:17]
A
Only one defensive tackle.
- [32:18]
C
And what do you activate in a game? 10.
- [32:21]
A
Yeah.
- [32:22]
B
Usually about.
- [32:23]
C
Yeah. That's a lot of players in that spot that are active in a game. So we got a lot of work to do there.
- [32:29]
B
That's your biggest concern?
- [32:32]
A
Yeah, I'm a little bit concerned about Babich. I want, like you said, the most. The MVP being McDermott calling the defense. I would like to continue to do that. Yeah, I would like.
- [32:43]
B
But can you keep Moving the goalpost back is.
- [32:46]
A
Yeah, I just don't. Again, I was. I'm always worrisome. A little bit of first time play callers. It just worries me so.
- [32:52]
C
Well, we don't know for sure. You got the call. Yeah.
- [32:54]
A
Correct. And that's. I guess that's where my level of concern is, is that what are they going to allow Babbage to do?
- [33:01]
C
You and I are going to be at the combine, so I'm going to ask you the question like you're Sean McDermott and I say, so, Sean, what are you guys going to do? Who's going to call the plays this year?
- [33:11]
A
Well, we're going to take it one day at a time. You know, we're. We're going to work this.
- [33:14]
C
We're still working this out.
- [33:15]
A
Yeah. It's early in the offseason.
- [33:17]
B
Babbage, like all of my assistant coaches, he can make it better. Everyone's so.
- [33:22]
C
Oh, I know. He just broadens it.
- [33:24]
A
I. I don't.
- [33:25]
B
Josh, like all of our quarterbacks like Josh, so. Yeah, yeah.
- [33:30]
A
So great. I knew exactly what he was gonna ask.
- [33:32]
B
Yeah. All right. My biggest concern overall is that they play in the AFC because the inevitable that is Mahomes and company. But I would say I'm, I'm concerned about the weapons that will be around Josh Allen next season and what will be done to upgrade where they're at. They tried to bring in Deontay Hardy. They had Trent Sherfield, obviously the second half of last season. Diggs, obviously his production went down. You know, can you figure that out? I think you can, but what do you do? Do you resign? Gabe Davis? Who do you bring in to be that two role? Are you getting enough out of Dalton Kincaid? I think so. But at the same point, how do you continue to have him develop? I mean, Brandon means. Talk about. That's their fastball.
- [34:16]
A
Yeah.
- [34:17]
B
So what are you going to do to help that actually become back once again your fastball? Because last season it really didn't work out that way.
- [34:25]
A
That's a really good point because that I, I remember after watching the championship Sunday, we said like, hey, like, how do you, you know, kind of bring this back into the Bill's perspective? More weapons, More weapons, more weapons and more weapons. And like, that's on Brandon Bean, because for the most part, like I said, we said minus the Miami game, that had a punt return for Hardy, which again won you the division.
- [34:48]
B
Yeah, that was a huge, huge play.
- [34:50]
A
Absolutely. And the catch by Sherfield in the end zone on the Defective pass. They were non existent. And so I'm not saying you have to sign a guy that's going to catch 10 touchdowns, but you got to have guys that can contribute and contribute consistently. Because what we have seen throughout the rest of the spectrum of the playoffs is that you need more weapons. Because like you said, Juwan Jennings was the guy. When the top two Chiefs corners are covering your number one and number two guys, you got to have more options. And the Chiefs, I felt like offensively didn't really have a ton of options, but you just had Patrick Mahomes. And I'm just sitting here like, I. I want my fourth wide receiver to be able to make plays. I want. I want. I want the second your back, your backup running back to come in to make plays. I want the Knox and Kincaid to be able to make place. Like, you need more and more answers to the questions that Steve Spagnola is going to present to you because he's. You're going to see him again.
- [35:45]
C
Yeah.
- [35:45]
B
Yeah.
- [35:46]
C
Well, we know they see him in the regular season and the chances are.
- [35:49]
A
Yeah.
- [35:49]
C
Decent. You're going to see them in the playoffs.
- [35:51]
B
Yeah. No, it's very true. All right, let's wrap up here. I have to finish my story.
- [35:57]
C
No, best moment. No, worst moment.
- [35:59]
B
I thought we could do that in another podcast. We could. We could.
- [36:02]
A
Wow, there's a tease.
- [36:03]
C
Wow.
- [36:04]
B
Best moment Princess over here. We can do wrapping this season. Worst moment of the season. And then we can do a little inside baseball episode of she's just hosting on the fly.
- [36:14]
C
I know. Look at this.
- [36:16]
B
Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
- [36:21]
C
Wow. Dan just can't handle when someone takes credit.
- [36:24]
B
Yeah. Seriously, let me take my victory lap for coming up with an idea to break up our content into more episodes. No, but I have work to do. That's why. Because I put off doing work. Like, I procrastinated. This is on me.
- [36:38]
C
Yes, you did.
- [36:39]
B
I'm sorry.
- [36:39]
C
Okay, well, you said me. I'm coming in. I'm doing my story. I come in. How far is it? Not really at all.
- [36:46]
B
I just haven't even started. It was on Twitter. I got sucked in. All right, for Dan and Mike, please be sure to, like, comment and subscribe. I am Jenna. Thank you so much for watching the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel presented by Connors. And we will catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus channel.
- [37:13]
A
This is the Buffalo plus podcast brought to you by Connors and Ferris.
- [37:20]
C
In.
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A
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