Buffalo Plus Podcast: "THE LEAGUE: Do NOT OVERREACT to THE PRESEASON"

Date: August 11, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana & Dan Fates (Jenna Cottrell on veteran day off)

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, insightful exploration of the perennial tendency within NFL media, fans, and even some insiders to overreact to preseason performances. Mike and Dan dig into why these reactions can be so misleading, drawing on recent Bills action, rookie quarterback play across the league, and infamous cases from preseason past. They stress the importance of proper context and caution against letting a single August game alter expectations — for better or worse.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Overreactions to Preseason: Why Do We Do It?

• The Preseason Contradiction:
  The hosts Jokingly summarize fan logic:

  “Player you like, does well: ‘I told you he's awesome.’ Player you like does poorly: ‘Preseason doesn't matter, look who he was playing with.’ Player you don’t like does poorly: ‘I told you he sucks.’” – Mike Catalana ([00:13], [11:06])

• Hunger for Football Skews Perspective:
  “We're in desperate need of football being back because we treated week one of the preseason like it was real football.” – Dan Fates ([02:32])

• Sample Size and Context Matter:
  Citing young QBs such as Jackson Dart, Tyler Shough, Shedeur Sanders, and J.J. McCarthy, the hosts note how quickly a solid series turns into media hype.

  “You should be excited... But to go, ‘the Giants have their quarterback’ off one preseason game? What are we doing?” – Mike ([01:54])

• Preseason ≠ Regular Season:
  The hosts stress how performance against 2nd/3rd string defenses with little game planning doesn’t project to Sundays in September.

Media and Fan Hysteria

• National Voices Stir the Pot:
  “I turn on ESPN and I’m... hearing people say, ‘The Giants got themselves a quarterback.’... It’s the first preseason game.” – Mike ([01:50])

• Statistics and Grading Overvalued:
  “I'm still seeing PFF reports and grades about how good Deion Walker looked and TJ Sanders. ...I don't know how much I'm going to live and die by them after week one of the preseason.” – Dan ([10:21])

Individual Performances: What’s Really Valuable?

• Encouragement vs. Overreaction:
  “I'd rather have [a QB] do well and be encouraged ... but I don't understand why... we act like preseason results matter.” – Dan ([04:20])

• Using Preseason to Build Young QB Confidence:
  “A coach told me years ago, you want to make a young quarterback look good in the preseason... You do bootlegs, you do play actions, you set him up for success.” – Mike ([08:00])

• Shedeur Sanders Discussion:
  “He looked competent, but that doesn’t mean the quarterback controversy is over in Cleveland.” – Dan ([05:37])
  “Dan Orlovsky... said it best: ‘I think Shedeur earned the right to get more time with ones and twos.’ That’s the way it works on an NFL team.” – Mike ([05:49])

The Reality of NFL Preseason Preparation

• Minimal Game Planning:
  “Sean McDermott was asked, if zero is nothing and 10 is Super Bowl, where are you in preseason game planning? He said, ‘Somewhere between 0 and 1.’” – Dan ([11:49])

• Preseason is for Individual Evaluation:
  “The preseason is about the individual. How does this guy look in this setting? ...The regular season is all about the team.” – Mike ([15:34])

• Coaches Want Health, Not Wins:
  “No matter what happens here, the only goal is no injuries.” – Dan ([10:27])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ross Tucker’s Preseason Evaluation Guide:
  “Player you like, does well: ‘I told you he’s awesome.’ Player you like, does poorly: ‘Preseason doesn’t matter, look who he was playing against.’ Player you don’t like, does poorly: ‘I told you, he sucks.’” – Repeated by Mike, originally from Ross Tucker ([11:06])

• Jackson Dart’s Self-Assessment Brings Gen Z Flavor:
  “I did love that Dart said his play was ‘mid’.” – Mike ([06:45])

• Caution vs. Excitement:
  “Be excited and then move on. Move on because the regular season’s coming. Then we can overreact. Then—” – Mike ([26:40])
  “First game win, I will be riding shotgun on the overreaction bus.” – Dan ([26:54])

Examples from Bills Preseason and League History

• Josh Allen’s Preseason Struggles, EJ Manuel’s Preseason Stardom:
  “Do you know who didn’t play well in the preseason? Josh Allen. … Do you know who did? EJ Manuel.” – Mike ([01:41])

• Preseason Misleading for Teams, Too:
  “The Bears ... game-planned, took the Bills apart. ...What happened? They didn't have a good year. Fire the coach, change everything. And the Bills are a whisker from the Super Bowl.” – Mike ([13:15])

• Veteran Health Observations as Takeaways:
  “[Encouraged] by how healthy and fast Matt Milano looks.” – Mike ([18:32])

Broader NFL Discussion: QB Rankings

• Mike Sando’s Athletic QB Rankings:

  • Top 4: Mahomes, Burrow, Allen, Lamar (order varies)
  • Not much debate at the top: “I think Allen—You can make a case for any one of them to be one.” – Dan ([19:58])
  • Jaden Daniels’ rookie year praised above CJ Stroud’s: “I thought Daniels absolutely carried that team.” – Mike ([21:44])
  • Herbert and Goff are “the most confusing” to Dan ([22:19])
  • “Jalen Hurts ... I would have him ahead of Herbert, I’d have him ahead of Goff and Stroud ... been tremendous in the playoffs, big moments ... Also adds the running element.” – Mike ([23:01])

• Russell Wilson’s Decline:

  “These last two years have tainted so much of what an underrated career was in Seattle.” – Dan ([27:45])

Hall of Fame & Bills Legacy Discourse

• On Dion Dawkins as Hall of Fame Candidate:
  “Nope. He doesn’t have an All-Pro. … But he’ll have his number retired in Buffalo.” – Dan ([28:53])

• Why All-Pro Status Matters:
  “You have to be elite elite. That all-pro status really does make a big difference.” – Mike ([29:54])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Setting Up the Episode (Avoiding Preseason Overreactions):
  [00:13] – [01:36]
• Young QB Performances and Media Hormesis:
  [01:36] – [06:00]
• The “Preseason Doesn’t Matter (but also, it does)” Debate:
  [03:59] – [10:05]
• Ross Tucker’s Preseason ‘Guide’:
  [10:46] – [11:18]
• Sean McDermott on Game Planning:
  [11:46] – [12:09]
• Bills Preseason vs. Regular Season Lessons:
  [13:05] – [14:53]
• Why Coaches Play Starters/Don’t in Preseason:
  [14:53] – [16:47]
• QB Rankings & Evaluation:
  [19:35] – [25:46]
• Russell Wilson, Hall of Fame, & Dion Dawkins:
  [27:17] – [29:54]
• Wrap-up & Key Takeaway:
  [26:40] – [30:20]

Episode Tone and Final Takeaway

Mike and Dan keep the mood witty but serious, regularly poking fun at themselves and football media while delivering experienced, measured analysis. The ultimate message is clear:

“Be excited [about preseason breakout players], and then move on. … Then the regular season’s coming—then we can overreact.” – Mike Catalana ([26:40])

For those who didn’t tune in, the pod offers permission to enjoy preseason football—but not to let it warp expectations for September.