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Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
The BILLS Schedule BREAKDOWN [including Jenna from the beach]: Primetime, HOLIDAYS & TOUGHEST tests
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- [00:00]
A
Well, I hope your whole family are Bills fans because Josh Allen is going to be spending a lot of time with you on the holidays and we're
- [00:08]
B
going to spend a lot of time on airplanes, going to see the Bills play.
- [00:13]
C
We're here on the beach. I'll send this back to Mike and Dan. I do miss you guys. I love you not bringing you back souvenirs, just so you're aware. Just kidding. Maybe you'll get something.
- [00:32]
A
Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. This is the Buffalo plus podcast. Hey everyone and welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast. Here inside the Connors and Ferris podcast studio, Mike Catalana. Dan Fates maybe may not be joined by Jenna Cottrell who is again enjoying her honeymoon vacation in Greece. Lot to get to today. We're talking about the schedule. We're just wrapping this up. This is a late night pod. We sometimes get a little loopy on these pods but sometimes those are our best pods. So before we get started, like comment, subscribe. We really appreciate it as always. So got back from Game 5 of the Bills game. We're recording this at about Sabers game. Good start. We're recording this at about 12:15 in the morning. What are your initial reactions, Mike, to the Bill schedule that came out? We put out a little short but wondering what your initial reactions are. Then get into the big picture.
- [01:31]
B
Standalone is the word. Standalone games, you know when you're the only game in town. So you've got six primetime games and an additional Christmas at the probably the prime time. I think that 4:30 on Christmas Day against the Broncos is wild. They play on Saturday, they play on Thursday, they play on Monday, they play on Sunday.
- [01:59]
A
Like there's a Saturday.
- [02:01]
B
Yeah. Yes. So like they're all over the place and there's no doubt they're still the primetime team.
- [02:11]
A
Yeah.
- [02:11]
B
I mean they have a great schedule for matchups this year.
- [02:15]
A
Yes.
- [02:16]
B
And add into it they got Josh Allen. So you know they're going to be that team. But wow, six scheduled night games and two holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas is kind of wild.
- [02:29]
A
Yeah, we've always. It's funny every year we kind of look at the schedule and for us and how and how we work in our jobs and our lives. I always just say like please no Christmas, please no Christmas. And let us know what you think. I know we've talked about there are a lot of people that, that love one o' clock games or a lot of people that like the night games. I was picking up my daughter from dance the other night and somebody Was already talking about how they were bummed out that the opener is on Thursday night because she's a teacher, they have season tickets, and she's like, I gotta have to take off Friday. Like, and that's something that, like, doesn't cross my mind that, like, other people have jobs that they have to get to on Friday morning. So. Part of that. So weigh in. Let us know what you think of the schedule. Your thoughts as. As the fan watching all this. But to me, the six primetime games was maybe even a little bit more than what I expected.
- [03:23]
B
Yeah.
- [03:23]
A
On top of the two holidays.
- [03:25]
B
So I'm looking at them and I'm going. There was not a single one of them that I predicted as the primetime games.
- [03:33]
A
Yeah. You had jets and Dolphins.
- [03:35]
B
Jets, because I thought they were going to make them the opening game on a Monday. Dolphins because they throw them in there. But look, the Lions is a really good night game. And it's the opener. The Rams, Monday Night Football. You're the one who called that one,
- [03:48]
A
saying, yeah, I thought that would make
- [03:50]
B
it the, you know, Josh and Haley.
- [03:52]
A
Hollywood, Louisiana. Yeah.
- [03:54]
B
Vikings night game.
- [03:56]
A
Yeah.
- [03:56]
B
Monday Night Football. Okay. Chiefs at night. Like, I know it's Thanksgiving, but, like, the Chiefs has been. Nance Romo, 425. CBS is highest rated game regular season probably every year. And it's a night game on Thanksgiving night. And honestly. So I told my wife, when I said, oh, they're going to play on Thanksgiving night, said, that's not great, you know, for people. And she was like, oh, Bills fans will change around their day.
- [04:26]
A
Yeah.
- [04:27]
B
They'll have dinner later. Lead right into the game.
- [04:30]
A
Yeah.
- [04:30]
B
And I was like, that was her saying that.
- [04:32]
A
Yeah.
- [04:33]
B
After a long day of football. I've always thought the night game. Like, we've experienced the night game. Yeah. New Orleans. Right.
- [04:39]
A
So you did Dallas with Jenna.
- [04:42]
B
But that was 4. 25.
- [04:43]
A
Right. And then we did. When was Detroit. That was another 4. 25 one.
- [04:48]
B
It was an afternoon. Might have been 4. 25.
- [04:51]
A
And then we did the New Orleans one, which was the night game.
- [04:55]
B
Was the night game. Yeah. So that was the night.
- [04:57]
A
That was the great meal.
- [04:58]
B
Yes. But, you know, that night game has been kind of a lame game.
- [05:02]
A
Yeah.
- [05:02]
B
Because everybody is. Tryptophan. Tryptophan.
- [05:06]
A
Tryptophan.
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B
Tryptophan.
- [05:08]
A
Yes.
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B
Yeah. When you eat the turkey and you fall asleep.
- [05:10]
A
Yes.
- [05:11]
B
But now it's a Bills game. So that game with them and then Bears on a Saturday. I kind of love the Saturday games late in the year.
- [05:18]
A
Yeah.
- [05:18]
B
That's nice. Because it's, it feels the same.
- [05:21]
A
Except that makes sense because it's this Friday before when they have to play on Christmas, or that's the Saturday, and then they play on Friday, so they
- [05:32]
B
still get the rest At Green Bay. At Green bay on the 13th on Sunday night Football, come back home to play the Bears on Saturday Night Football and then go to the Broncos for Christmas on Friday afternoon football.
- [05:49]
A
Yeah.
- [05:50]
B
So they got a Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
- [05:52]
A
It's funny, my, my first initial reactions on this is kind of what I tweeted out. The six primetime games, the three home games early. So you open up against the Lions, then it's Chargers and Patriots. That's nice. Not to say that it's an easy part of schedule, but three home games in a row is pretty rare. Yeah, I always look to make sure that. Are there any three road games in a row that's a bear to handle. So then after those three home games, there are the two west coast road trips. That's going to be interesting. We've talked about, you know, just when we were driving back from Buffalo, a little bit of they're in LA to play the Rams on Monday night.
- [06:35]
B
So when you think about even in la, times different, but for at home, say the team plays that game, they leave LA at Buffalo time. So let's say the game is, you
- [06:48]
A
know, 8, 15, midnight.
- [06:49]
B
Well, they don't leave. They wouldn't leave. 11, 12, probably one o' clock in the morning. So Buffalo time, they're getting back at 5, 30, 6 o' clock in the morning.
- [06:59]
A
Yep.
- [07:00]
C
Tuesday.
- [07:01]
A
Correct.
- [07:01]
B
And then you're playing Sunday in Las Vegas.
- [07:04]
A
Vegas.
- [07:05]
B
I think there's a chance they stay out west. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know. They could stay out west. They, you know, they, it's not that easy. You got to find a place to practice.
- [07:18]
A
That's the thing. Yeah, I think the first, my first initial thought was they'll, they'll want to stay out west because it's Monday to Sunday. Right. But then he talks about it, like, if you get home Tuesday morning, they have Tuesday off. You then go Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, try and be as normal as possible, and then you can fly out again Saturday morning. Now, it will come down to, this is where we can kind of shift gears a little bit. But like with Sean, you knew, kind of knew what to expect and what they did for travel, Sean was always very much of your rehabilitation, your training room, your facility, your practice. Like you have all of that in Buffalo. So you want to be there. Now, can you find that out there, you're not going to. It's almost like you're already disrupting the week because it's the shorter week.
- [08:02]
B
Right.
- [08:03]
A
But is it more of a disruption to disrupt for a whole week or is it just the 48 hours to tough it out?
- [08:10]
B
Now teams get a chance to look over schedules before they approve it. You know, there's things they can question. So they would have already had this in mind.
- [08:19]
A
Correct.
- [08:20]
B
When they get that. Because it is a Monday night and then a Sunday, technically Sunday, early game, it's four o'. Clock.
- [08:27]
A
It's a little bit like when teams have to go overseas and they kind of get that choice of if they want their buy. So, yes, like there is some consulting that goes on there because you have the two west coast road trips, then you have your buy.
- [08:39]
B
And I love that. I think the time for the buy is great. We talk about this a lot of times on the podcast, sometimes fans. And we will too. You look at it go, oh, is it closer to the middle or the later part of the year? Players look at it is from the moment they hit training camp.
- [08:54]
A
Yes.
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B
That's a, that's a pretty good spot to have a buy.
- [08:57]
A
Yes.
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B
Now you got a lot of games the rest of the way, so, you know, but they've played a lot of football leading up to that week of the buy. So it's. So it's kind of at the midway point of the whole thing for them. I think it's a good time.
- [09:10]
A
Yeah. And then there's only two home games in December and January. Yeah, that is tough because they have been so good. And that is where you kind of feel about Buffalo being that home field advantage for a lot of teams.
- [09:28]
B
That's stress. Home with the Chiefs at the Patriots at the packers, home with the Bears at the Broncos. That's. That is a. That's as tough as it gets in the NFL.
- [09:41]
A
That was the first. That was my initial reaction of, wow, that is a Bear towards the end of the season. And then it's Dolphins, jets, you obviously end with the division, but I thought of just one of,
- [09:55]
B
Sorry, sorry, that's a Patriot.
- [10:02]
A
So that was the. I originally thought that was the toughest part of the schedule.
- [10:07]
B
But wait a minute. You're going to come up with a tougher part than that?
- [10:13]
A
I think you can make a case that the beginning isn't much easier. And I say that because. And this is kind of where we can go through and maybe we'll kind of, again, we're not going to go Win loss right now or anything like that. But starting at the Texans is a
- [10:30]
B
place that 17 and Ohio.
- [10:32]
A
You got 17.
- [10:33]
B
Oh yeah.
- [10:34]
A
Good start.
- [10:35]
B
Or eight and nine. I don't know. It's somewhere between those two, obviously.
- [10:40]
A
Texans, Lions, Chargers, Patriots, Rams. That's not an easy five games to start the season.
- [10:47]
B
Yes. Three in the middle at home.
- [10:50]
A
That's. That's the difference.
- [10:51]
B
Yeah.
- [10:52]
A
Whereas you look at some of those games where it's only the Chiefs and Bears at home and you're on the road for the Patriots, packers and Broncos
- [10:59]
B
starting at the Texans.
- [11:05]
A
So I can look at it two ways. I can look at it and say that you have all off season to try and maybe realize that you should leave a tight end in to chip a defensive end and. And work on that.
- [11:21]
B
Yeah.
- [11:21]
A
To slow down. I could also look at it as you're get it out of the way.
- [11:29]
B
It's a big combination of games. Josh, as great as he is is has not been great on opening days.
- [11:36]
A
No.
- [11:37]
B
Some games he's really good. He had a really good game. I think it was against the Dolphins the one time. But he said some not that great first games.
- [11:43]
A
Yeah.
- [11:45]
B
He said not had great games in Houston at all. And they're playing in Houston. So.
- [11:51]
A
Yeah.
- [11:51]
B
And then you got the quick turnaround to the Lions game. You find a way to go win that first game. Makes. Makes that next stretch really good.
- [12:00]
A
Yeah. You think about that. The Bills are the line that is already out. The bills are two and a half point favorites in week one. And again we're recording this on May 15th.
- [12:12]
B
Uncle Dan says that's. What's that line tell you?
- [12:16]
A
I have no idea. I had no idea. I don't got anyone there. But it's. We were joking around like the. The Texans. Who knows what C.J. stroud is. Mike, we don't have enough time. We don't have enough time at this late of night for you to go on a rant.
- [12:32]
B
I don't have. Just not that good. Yeah.
- [12:34]
A
So. But the defense is.
- [12:36]
B
Defense.
- [12:37]
A
Defense is very good. So you have to factor that in and then you're going to have all the emotion when it's a short week and they always talk about week two defenses are the most sore.
- [12:52]
B
Yeah.
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A
That you're the most beaten up.
- [12:55]
B
And here they are playing three days after you play, four days after you
- [12:58]
A
play a physical, physical Texans team against a very high powered offense in the Detroit line. So like to me you're getting Joe Brady and the offense tested right out of the get go and Then you're going to have the defense tested by the Detroit Lions.
- [13:15]
B
I would have loved it to be a Monday night game with the Lions and then you're still home for the Chargers, still home for the Patriots to 1 o'. Clock. Sunday games would have been nice but they gave him the Thursday game so that's what it'll be.
- [13:29]
A
Yeah. And like not to go and like I said, win, loss, win loss or anything like that. But again that's a tough schedule and there are. There are no training wheels on this schedule for a first time head coach Joe Brady.
- [13:41]
B
Yeah. Look, the Bills have talked about Joe and feeling like he can be the guy to take him to the next step. I don't care who your coach is with this schedule. The. You know. And I know the Patriots have a tough schedule too. Similar.
- [13:55]
A
Yep.
- [13:55]
B
You know, the way it works out. But this is, this is pretty daunting in total and I do think it's. It's spread out kind of nicely in you know, in one way you get some early games and at home get their feet under them a little bit. There's not any three weeks in a row where you're playing on the road and maybe you get the jets and the Dolphins there in this stretch.
- [14:19]
A
Yeah.
- [14:19]
B
You know, even at the Vikings we'll see how they are right before you get that stretch with the Patriots. It does end with that. The Dolphins and the jets, which is nice to keep in your back pocket if you are. You know. But keep in mind that early Patriots game is the game that in many ways determine that season. Losing at home to New England early on that Sunday night game. So you get.
- [14:42]
A
And that's one o'. Clock.
- [14:43]
B
Yeah.
- [14:44]
A
The two head scratching one o' clock games were the Patriots and the Ravens.
- [14:49]
B
Yeah.
- [14:50]
A
I was.
- [14:50]
B
Teams that were. You would think now the Patriots would be a primetime game. I think the second matchup at the Patriots is a 425.
- [14:58]
A
Yeah.
- [14:59]
B
But the Ravens at one. The Rams. I mean the. Who's the other? Well, the Patriots. Yeah. At one o' clock and then the Chiefs as a night game.
- [15:07]
A
I would have thought that it would have been Vikings be a one o' clock game and the Ravens be that Monday night or Sunday night.
- [15:14]
B
The Vikings is like the Falcons last year.
- [15:17]
A
Yes.
- [15:18]
B
It's like you wouldn't have picked that as a night game but it ended up being one. So for me too, like I have not been to the new Vikings stadium. Of course I've been to the old one and have been to Vegas. Haven't been to the Vegas Stadium. Never been to a game that's, that's the one NFL current NFL city that I've never.
- [15:38]
A
We did the draft.
- [15:39]
B
We did the draft there, but not, not the game. Plus we go to Green Bay in December and yeah, that's going to be full lambo effect and October 18th, Raiders. So we're working on a Buffalo plus event in Las Vegas. We're working on it. So we'll let everybody know so you can meet us in Vegas.
- [15:56]
A
Yes.
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B
Which would be, which would be something.
- [16:00]
A
And we do have a special addition to this video as Jenna from Greece wanted to weigh in and had this message on the Bill's schedule.
- [16:11]
C
Hey guys, here in Greece or Yass. We're learning a little bit of Greek here. Kalimera to you all. Which means good morning. So we are here, here on the beach. It's, it's been really beautiful. We've been eating a ton of food, enjoying ourselves. Zach and I have been relaxing and just kind of again, probably eating way more than we should be. But it's been fun. The NFL schedule coming out, I think the biggest takeaway for me was just like, okay, this is another step and for Joe Brady it's going to be a challenging schedule. I think for this team. We know how well the Bills have played in the past. That's why they have six non Sunday games. But I think it's going to be something for Joe Brady of like this is the next step for him and looking at this roadmap, I think it's going to be exciting. But also there's a lot of things to navigate on the schedule. I think having the back to back games out west, like how does the team handle that? How does Joe Brady make his decision around that? What does he decide to do? I think it's great that they have a lot of home games early on. I think it's really important for this team and for Joe Brady with it being a new era to kind of establish things there early on. I think that's easier to do at home. Also just excited for fans to out the gate be able to experience the new High Mark stadium. Just see how beautiful it truly is from there. Bye week earlier on. I don't love that but what can you do? I think really the biggest thing looking at it is just all the prime time games games and especially having the holiday games right. Like Thanksgiving night. I do think that's going to be awesome. Like the Bills have never hosted a Thanksgiving day game before. So having that opportunity, they've certainly Earned it. And I think that's awesome, especially being later on in the day. Like, I think that'll be really fun in western New York, and then from there. That stretch, though, is going to be really challenging. Like, I look at that game and then capped it off, capping it off at, like, the Christmas game out west in Denver. That's going to be a gauntlet stretch for this Bills team. And. And so you would love to have the bye week a little bit later to set you up better for that stretch and then hopefully the playoffs after that. But, yeah, just looking at the schedule, I was like, man, there's. It's challenging. We know the Bills have played a tough schedule every year, But, yeah, I think it's. It's gonna be something for this team to have to navigate. So we'll see what Joe Brady does in his first season and some of the decisions he makes. But overall, we knew it was going to be a tough schedule for the Bills, and I think that's what they got. So we shall see. All right, we're here on the beach. I'll send this back to Mike and Dan. I do miss you guys. I love you not bringing you back souvenirs, just so you're aware. Just kidding. Maybe you'll get something. All right, love you. Bye.
- [18:59]
A
Mike, what was your thoughts on the Bill's schedule release video?
- [19:04]
B
I don't think they produced them for me. I. I have a lot of respect for the people that do that stuff. They're really good. The Bills people are really good. It just. It didn't connect with me.
- [19:20]
A
It's the crystal.
- [19:21]
B
Do you think they were. I wonder what Mike Catalana will think of this. I don't think I was their target audience.
- [19:28]
A
I want to shout out X for a phenomenal performance. And my friend Andy Meyer was one of the people in the quartet that was singing.
- [19:36]
B
Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, X works in media relations, and he is an actor.
- [19:42]
A
He's an actor.
- [19:43]
B
I knew. He's a baseball player. We know he's an actor.
- [19:45]
A
Yes. So thought he did a very good job.
- [19:47]
B
Yeah. And Josh is in there.
- [19:49]
A
Yes.
- [19:49]
B
He likes appearing.
- [19:50]
A
And I will say, Titans stole the show again.
- [19:54]
B
Phenomenal. The Titans video was.
- [19:56]
A
They have Nashville. Like, we've said. Like, Mike and I were talking use
- [19:59]
B
Nashville for that, but it was.
- [20:03]
A
That was pretty good.
- [20:04]
B
Fantastic.
- [20:04]
A
Yeah.
- [20:04]
B
Yeah. So they had that. I. I know this has become a thing, like. And it's like the Chargers and everybody has their videos, but I just didn't care. I wanted to know the schedule. I like the leaks.
- [20:17]
A
Yes.
- [20:18]
B
And the Bills actually put it out before 8 o'.
- [20:21]
C
Clock.
- [20:21]
A
Yes, a lot of them did. At 7:30 it felt like.
- [20:24]
B
Yeah, a lot of them came out because those shows, let's be honest, do you really want to sit and listen to the NFL Network guys tell you about how awesome everything in the NFL is?
- [20:33]
A
Yeah.
- [20:33]
B
No. You want to hear about the Bill stuff.
- [20:35]
A
All right, so comment in with what you think of the schedule specifically. What do you think maybe the toughest stretches. What game would you. Are you planning on going to if you're traveling to an away game? Things like that. And then do you like the late. The six primetime games? What do you feel about the holidays? All of those things kind of weigh in. Give us your opinions. Because I was fine with Thanksgiving, especially being at home. It's even better that it's the night game because you can see, like for us, we can still spend some time with our family before Christmas. I got three little girls, so I.
- [21:13]
B
Christmas is a challenge. And it's Denver.
- [21:16]
A
Yes.
- [21:17]
B
And they never have weather issues. We got enough in Buffalo and their
- [21:20]
A
airport is super smooth and efficient, so. And then the other thing people are asking, the travel drafts will be coming up in a few weeks. I know a bunch of people that that's their favorite. One of our favorite podcasts that we do each year. Jenna's on vacation, obviously, now with the honeymoon. Then Mike goes on vacation. So I think when Mike comes back and maybe we have to. I've gotten some suggestions. Maybe we need to get a podium. Maybe we need to turn in cards. It's not a bad idea to the commissioner.
- [21:47]
B
And there's also a punishment draft or not a punishment draft, but a punishment podcast coming.
- [21:54]
A
Yes, the hot ones.
- [21:56]
B
Yeah. Because you lost. You finished in last place.
- [22:02]
A
Yes, but you did. Yes. But I think we're going to do Jenna as the winner and we're all going to do the punishment.
- [22:11]
B
Oh, really? I think I tied with Jenna.
- [22:13]
A
I think we're all going to do read mean. Read mean comments. So feel free to drop in a mean comment that.
- [22:20]
B
That can go. We'll read your main comment on the three of us.
- [22:23]
A
All right. So appreciate it as always. Another fun late night. This is just like the season, just getting back late.
- [22:30]
B
Yeah.
- [22:30]
A
Here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio knocking out a video. So again, please be sure to like, comment and subscribe. Appreciate the support as always as we keep the content rolling.
- [22:40]
B
And don't worry, Jenna will be back soon.
- [22:42]
A
Yes.
- [22:42]
B
Full time. Probably. I don't know what she taking another month, I think.
- [22:46]
A
So. She's just gonna. She's just gonna be Greek. She's just gonna be Greek. That's it.
- [22:51]
B
Now. She'll be back.
- [22:52]
A
Yeah. From Mike Catalana. I'm Dan Vates. Thanks for watching here on the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel, Buffalo Plus.