← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
THE LEAGUE: The BILLS may NOT be 'GREAT' but is ANYONE 'ELITE' in the AFC?
00:35:00
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- [00:01]
A
I feel a little better about the Bill's chances.
- [00:04]
B
It's funny you say that.
- [00:05]
A
Don't tell me you're joining me with this.
- [00:07]
B
No, I have good news, bad news for Bills fans. The bad news is the Bills may not be good. The good news is nobody in the AFC may be good. Hey everyone and welcome Back to the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel. Mike Catalana alongside Dan Fates. Jenna with getting a. She had a long weekend getting the veteran Monday off. It's another edition of the league sponsored by Stellar Roofing Windows and Siding. We appreciate it as always their support and your support. If you could to like comment and subscribe. So on the league we always talk about big picture stuff. Look around the rest of the NFL where the Bills are. I obviously wasn't in Houston with Mike and Jenna. I've had some time to digest, but I also have some plenty of takes that are simmering to get off my chest as well as looking around the rest of the league. The top five, bottom five and I criticize Catalana's rankings. So without further ado, Mike, Bills 7 and 4, not great. Where are they?
- [01:21]
A
After the game in Houston, I was down on them and I'm still down on the way they're playing. Right. Because it's easy to criticize the defense. Defense isn't good enough. They're losing these games because of the offense. I know they beat Tampa, blew them out or scored a ton of points. But they need the offense to be better because they're better. Then I watch the games on Sunday. I feel a little better about the Bill's chances.
- [01:48]
B
It's funny you say that.
- [01:50]
A
Don't tell me you're joining me with this.
- [01:52]
B
No, I have good news, bad news for Bills fans. The bad news is the Bills may not be good. The good news is nobody in the AFC may be good.
- [02:01]
A
Yeah, that is what I watched the games and we'll talk about the league itself and I think the Colts are a good team. I think they don't know how to win yet. I think you saw an example of what it would be like to play the Colts in the playoffs. They can be good, they can be efficient. They just don't have that little extra. And I'm not sure if the Bills do, but they do have Josh Allen.
- [02:23]
B
Correct.
- [02:23]
A
So that gives you that extra because at any moment Josh Allen and I watched the Chiefs. The Chiefs had the ball for so much of that game. Do you know how many snaps Travis Kelce had on offense in that game?
- [02:38]
B
17.
- [02:40]
A
Travis Kelce, 65.
- [02:44]
B
I had a busy weekend. Okay. I had my one year old daughter's family birthday party and then we had Faith giving.
- [02:50]
A
It's okay that you don't know.
- [02:52]
B
And hey, God, real quick, quick aside, my dad insists on watching six events that are going on simultaneously through pausing and then going back to the other recordings.
- [03:05]
A
Oh, okay.
- [03:08]
B
So I'm sitting there, he wants to watch the Sabres game on Sunday afternoon. Fine. I'm on my phone going, oh man, I can't believe this. And he's going, don't tell me, don't tell me. I'm recording it. So I'm sitting there going through these games, watching two quarters behind.
- [03:25]
A
So he's going to watch the recorded games later.
- [03:28]
B
So he, he records Red Zone. So he was flipping back and forth between the Sabres game and Red Zone. But he joins where like he changed the channel. Like this is my old man who like would. We'd watch baseball games together. We'd watch the Braves game live and then we would go back and watch the Cardinals game back in the day when I was living at home. And then he would fast forward in between pitches.
- [03:49]
A
Wow, he loves that remote.
- [03:51]
B
So in my defense, Mike didn't watch a whole bunch of cheese as I'm following it on my phone going, oh.
- [03:56]
A
So let me go back to this.
- [03:57]
B
Okay.
- [03:57]
A
How many snaps do you think Travis Kelce took in that game?
- [04:01]
B
I'm going to 62, 87. That's nuts.
- [04:07]
A
I looked on the bill snaps for this year. The only game where the offense was in the 80s was the Ravens game.
- [04:14]
B
It's crazy, right?
- [04:15]
A
They had that many. My point is the Chiefs had the ball for so much of that game. Yeah, they had drives of 17 plays, 13 plays, 14 plays. Their offense is, is not great. What it is good at is in those moments they make plays.
- [04:34]
B
But that was the first game they've really done it. You're right, because they've struggled at that before this, this game.
- [04:41]
A
So they did it. They got rice over the middle and look, the Colts are good. They just didn't play aggressively enough. They were trying to hold on and they didn't get it done.
- [04:50]
B
Couldn't get a first down when they needed.
- [04:51]
A
No. Now if they played again or if they play anybody, it's likely to be an indie. So they got to watch out for both the Texans and the Jags. Yeah, right. Because they're, they're struggling there. So when I watch this, then I say to myself, okay, who's the team I watch the Patriots. They're still really good.
- [05:11]
B
Yep.
- [05:12]
A
They're efficient.
- [05:13]
B
Yep.
- [05:13]
A
Drake May does some amazing things also. Take some sacks, take some hits, make some mistakes. They lost their left tackle maybe four, two, three, four weeks. I don't know. We'll see. Yeah, they got down at the goal line. The Bengals stopped them six times inside the one. Yeah. Back to back series in the same series where there was a penalty, they got a first down and they couldn't get it in the end zone. Look, they're still good. They're winning. They have been a team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes. I was thinking about with the Bengals. They played the Bengals with Flacco. No Jamar Chase and then an injured T. Higgins.
- [05:53]
B
Yep.
- [05:53]
A
The Bills will likely get all three when they play them. That's just sort of the luck of the draw. It's the way it goes but. And then I'm looking around like obviously we saw Houston be good, but I don't think their offense has been consistently good enough. Now I'm not saying the Bills can beat all these teams, I have no idea. But I think some of what in the AFC is going to come down.
- [06:11]
B
To matchups and so much of it in the past has always been or that we've always looked at it specifically with playoffs is the quarterback like it's the elite quarterbacks take you as far and especially in the afc you're not seeing a ton of elite level quarterback play. You're seeing it in the NFC like yeah, you know, like you're seeing Stafford have an MVP caliber season. You're seeing Darnold at times and that Seahawks offense light it up. So it is interesting because I think and I obviously will get to more about the whole league, but it's like it is going to come down to so much about, about matchups because even the Ravens who have Lamar back, who have Derrick Henry whose defense is improving, didn't look impressive against a bad jets team, which credit to them they're fighting.
- [07:04]
A
It's wild though. I mean, Burrow's trying to come back. Lamar coming back has not looked great. Josh has been in it, I'll say a slump for him and Mahomes has been, you know, good. It's not like he's, he's. I don't think he's necessarily the reason they weren't winning those games. They just weren't coming through with the big moments. But it's not like he's been crushing it.
- [07:25]
B
Yeah.
- [07:26]
A
These are the guys you would always look to.
- [07:28]
B
Yeah.
- [07:29]
A
And between injuries and ineffective play. Yeah, I think it's Wide open.
- [07:36]
B
So who's the one team that you would not want to right now had a pick? The one team that you think with their makeup is the favorite in the afc like.
- [07:52]
A
You know I would. Okay. Is it you talking about a matchup with the Bills or just in general?
- [07:57]
B
Just in general, because I have.
- [08:00]
A
I have mine favorite in the AFC.
- [08:06]
B
And there's still a lot to shake out, I think.
- [08:09]
A
I think you almost have to be fair. Is it the Patriots?
- [08:14]
B
No.
- [08:15]
A
Well, because only there. Is it the Broncos? Yes. You're now on team Bronco.
- [08:20]
B
I've been on Team Bronco. I've been on Team Bronco. Like, it's tough at me. It's tough at times for me to stay on team Bo Nicks.
- [08:28]
A
Well, that's a big part of it though, right? That one seed's going to be important to either them or the Patriots.
- [08:33]
B
Correct. But I also would not be as scared Bill's fan, any fan going to Foxborough as I would going to going to Denver.
- [08:43]
A
Think about the difference in how that.
- [08:45]
B
Defense and that snap count and that crowd and that, the altitude, all of those things factor into. I wouldn't want to play there.
- [08:52]
A
Think about the difference between the 1 and the 2 seed this year in the AFC. If you're the 1 seed, you may still end up getting the Bills in the second game. You may end up getting the Ravens, you may end up getting the. The Chiefs. Right. They win that first game, but there's a chance somebody else knocks them off. You sit there and you're waiting. If you're the two or the three.
- [09:17]
B
You got to go through two of them.
- [09:19]
A
Yeah.
- [09:20]
B
I mean, you.
- [09:21]
A
You think you do. Yep. Depends on how it plays out. So it. Normally. Normally it's top heavy.
- [09:29]
B
Yeah.
- [09:29]
A
The better teams, the better quarterbacks and usually they. Like I said, I'll give you that with them. I. You can make an argument for the Colts in a different way because they do normally run the ball so well. And I guess I was thinking more Bill centric, which, you know, Jonathan Taylor is not a great matchup for the Bills.
- [09:47]
B
Agreed. But I look at it as what the Texans did to. To the Bills. And I'm going that defense would give them problems. And I think the Bills have enough issues on their own offensively. But to go to Denver is a lot scarier in my opinion, than going to Indy or even going to Foxborough.
- [10:05]
A
I mean, you're probably right.
- [10:05]
B
Foxborough would just be. It's two teams that know each other well. It's all that stuff. But You've had success there before. I just think it'd be really tough to go to Denver.
- [10:15]
A
That's a good point.
- [10:16]
B
Altitude, all that stuff.
- [10:18]
A
And Bo Nix got a little taste of the playoffs last year.
- [10:20]
B
Yes.
- [10:21]
A
Well, obviously the Bills handled him, but he was in the game and it was against Bills. Whereas Daniel Jones had one good playoff game with the Giants. That's been a while now and obviously it's his first year with the Colts, so I will give you that.
- [10:35]
B
But, but the Bills. Yeah.
- [10:36]
A
You know, the Bill's biggest issue to me is they have not been good on the road.
- [10:44]
B
They haven't been good on the road. And my other thing is, I guess in the, the chaos that was that Houston game, and as you're trying to like digest it as the week goes on, I think you and I will disagree a little bit on the offensive line. I don't think they were great.
- [11:05]
A
Right.
- [11:06]
B
I don't think that they were as bad as what the stats will show it offensively. I also look at it and I go, and it wasn't until Sean said it afterwards on Friday when he's like, defense gave up 61 yards in the second half. And I was like, oh yeah, the offense was so bad that it took away from what I think the defense did pretty well.
- [11:31]
A
Yeah.
- [11:32]
B
And again, I understand it's Davis Mills, I understand it's a backup quarterback, but the defense needed stops to give the offense a chance and they did. And it's very similar to what they did in Miami where you can look at the end of the stats and, and Sean said it maybe even more.
- [11:48]
A
So what they did in Atlanta, they went from as bad as you can play in the first half.
- [11:53]
B
Absolutely.
- [11:53]
A
Basically shutting them down in the second half.
- [11:55]
B
But I look at that Miami game and you can go, man, the defense was bad and Hn had all these runs. Like, I think some of that was garbage. I think some of that was gassed. Yeah. Like you were trying to do everything that you could, but you gave the offense time and time and chance and chance. And it was a 16 point game in the fourth quarter when you scored to make it a two score game and you failed on a two point conversion and then the wheels kind of came off. Okay. So I look at that game in Houston and even when they were down seven, it felt like 70.
- [12:23]
A
Yeah.
- [12:24]
B
Like so. But, but we're sitting there and it's like another three and out, another three.
- [12:27]
A
And out so many times because he was just getting chased. But I will say this, a percentage of those Sacks, no doubt. Go on. Josh Allen, especially the first one of the game. I mean, he. I'm not saying necessarily ran into him sometimes it's clean pocket. He moved. He's trying to make. And I get it. He's trying to make a play. And some certainly go on the wide receivers. There's no question in my mind. But the offensive line had a rough day. Now, I will also.
- [12:54]
B
But I was expecting. But I had a rough day.
- [12:56]
A
Yeah. But not eight sacks, 12 hits. Agreed. I will say this in the locker room afterward. In the room, Deion left and got checked for a concussion. I'm not saying he had a concussion because he cleared, but I do think he was impacted.
- [13:13]
B
Sure.
- [13:13]
A
Connor McGovern got hurt, stayed in the game.
- [13:16]
B
Spencer Brown.
- [13:17]
A
Spencer Brown was really hurt.
- [13:19]
B
Play. Was trying to block an All Pro with one arm.
- [13:22]
A
One arm. That offensive line, it was a physical game, and they were by far the. I think the more physical team. The Ravens 100. So that.
- [13:31]
B
Texans.
- [13:32]
A
Texans.
- [13:32]
B
Yeah.
- [13:33]
A
I'm just so used to saying Ravens in that way. And I think that really impacted that O line. I think they got. I think it's beaten up.
- [13:42]
B
I think it spooked Josh a little bit.
- [13:43]
A
It did. Now, I will say this in fairness. That is a rarity for this offensive line. I know Josh has been hit more this year. Last year was really just exceptional how they played. I know he was hit more. He's been hit more this season than last year. But they don't usually have games like this. No, they don't have games like this where he can't get a pass off. Like, he can make plays. So I think that was a very good defensive line and a bad game for the offense and the. And the O line and the combination of O line and wide receivers.
- [14:16]
B
Yeah.
- [14:17]
A
And Josh making some bad decisions.
- [14:19]
B
And like, that's what stood out to me the most, was I looked at that game and in some of it, the only. What do you say? It's not reasons. It's not excuses. It's reasons.
- [14:29]
A
Yeah.
- [14:30]
B
Like, that was such a vanilla game plan by Joe Brady.
- [14:34]
A
Yeah.
- [14:34]
B
And maybe the Texans are the worst team you want to play in a short week, but they had no creativity. They didn't chip any of the All Pro. And I know they don't normally chip.
- [14:45]
A
No, but you have to.
- [14:46]
B
But that's. That's what I'm saying. That's what frustrated me where I'm going. Look, your tackles are having trouble. And again, some of these sacks are. And Deion's efforts been questioned. This past week about. He wasn't blocking through the play. If you block a guy, Daniel Hunter or Will Anderson for three seconds and you think you pushed him out and you think the play's over, like the ball should be out because somebody has to be getting open. Like there are so many times that we look at sacks and there are bad offensive lines to give up a lot of bad sacks. But I looked at a lot of those as it's Josh being timid, not comfortable, and nobody's open. Yeah, like there's. We always joke around that corners can't cover for seven, eight seconds. I'm not expecting the offensive line to block for seven to eight seconds until somebody gets open.
- [15:30]
A
People love the clip. They got the clip of Dion where he's blocking block and then he sort of feels like he backs off. And I don't know what happened on that play. I think it's pretty easy to look at that and go, oh, look, this is what the guy was doing. And I'm. I'm just telling you, I'm not making excuses. I think they were beaten up a little bit. And I. And I think it was. And then at that point, Josh wasn't making any plays. All that being said, somehow they convert a 4th and 27 and they're in a position. Did you think Gabe had a touchdown? Heck of a catch.
- [16:04]
B
Great effort.
- [16:05]
A
It was. And I thought that was.
- [16:07]
B
Gabe ran a really good route. That was their good route.
- [16:11]
A
That was their shot.
- [16:12]
B
Yep.
- [16:13]
A
Deion's false start. That really hurt.
- [16:15]
B
Yep.
- [16:16]
A
Because it's fourth and. Yep. One or two. And instead it gets to fourth and seven, 10 possessions.
- [16:22]
B
You only score on your opening drive. That I thought was aggressive. I thought it was physical. I thought it was pre snap motion. It was play action. The problem is. And like, this is where it's. The one thing that has been consistent about this offense this year has been their inconsistency. And I go back to some of the things that Joe Brady said about the play calling and things like that. And I remember the one time Joe even kind of pushed back, being like. And it was about the fourth down play, whether it was the. The place to James, James Cook after the Miami game. And he's like, well, you want. There's part of you that wants you to be predictable so that you can counter off of it. The defense does that. They're now so predictable and they don't have anything to roll off of that.
- [17:03]
A
This.
- [17:03]
B
You've seen it all over social media. We're not all 22 guys we're not offensive gurus. That's not what I'm here to do. But like this mesh concept, they're running it all the time. And you saw it on Thursday night on social media. Nate Tice was one of the first guys that pointed out on from Yahoo. Sports, like, they just run this play all the time. And it's on third downs, it's on fourth downs, it's causing turnovers. And when you give an elite defense, which is what the Texans are like, I didn't expect it to be a. A high scoring game, but when you give them the ability like they were running the routes for the Bills wide receivers.
- [17:36]
A
Yeah.
- [17:36]
B
That is what is the most frustrating to me. Yeah.
- [17:40]
A
Fourth, third downs and long. They're playing rush for single high safety. They are showing Mike zero respect.
- [17:48]
B
Emmanuel. Emmanuel don't really like Emanuel Acho. He did a breakdown. He did a cut up of all of the. The eight sacks that the Bills that Josh Allen had.
- [17:57]
A
Yeah.
- [17:58]
B
On third and 20, Acho's like, this is textbook. He goes all the way forever. It is cover 2. It is zone coverage because you do not want the possibility of your defensive. Your. Your defensive back tripping over his shoelace. And then there's a guy wide open on third and 20. They're playing, man.
- [18:16]
A
Right.
- [18:17]
B
The lack of respect that an opposing defense has for your wide receivers is staggering.
- [18:24]
A
Especially when Josh Allen is your quarterback. Like, he can get the ball to anybody anywhere, and they don't. Yeah. They don't have the respect for him.
- [18:33]
B
Yeah. Talk to our buddy. Like Carl Jones played at Syracuse and he's like, played a really good high school football, obviously played D1. And he's like, that's next level. Like it. It's almost like you don't even. In theory, you don't call a play in the huddle because on third and long, it's just zone coverage.
- [18:48]
A
Right.
- [18:48]
B
And for them to still be playing in. They played a man the entire game. And there's nobody that can win one on one. That is staggering. And I thought a lot about this. Where I go and I think. I can't remember who I was talking to was Jenna on the drive in the one day. And I was like, I have thought about this team. My thoughts are the same way I feel about this team as I had the last four years. This team will go as far as Josh Allen's back will carry them.
- [19:11]
A
Yeah.
- [19:12]
B
And Josh hasn't been good and they haven't been good on the road.
- [19:17]
A
Mike, you know what's funny is James Cook ran for what, 128 yards?
- [19:22]
B
Yep.
- [19:23]
A
I think it was in the game. And even that didn't create any more respect for the passing game.
- [19:29]
B
Nope.
- [19:30]
A
Like they were not content. They certainly didn't want to give up that touchdown Cook early. He got off to a good start. Even in the rest of his carries, he averaged over four yards a carry. They just really weren't that concerned about it because they knew the Bills couldn't throw the ball on them. And that's the Texans. So nothing is guaranteed. It's kind of like, you know, you look at who their matchups can be. I do think that's going to be important for the Bills. First of all, they got to get there.
- [19:55]
B
Yeah.
- [19:55]
A
And this week is a big game for them. But before we go there. All right. White claw crab life by the claw and everybody enjoy. You probably needed a few extra on Thursday night.
- [20:15]
B
Absolutely.
- [20:16]
A
To get through the game, we always come up with something. Try to be a little creative on the grab of the week. Dan, what do you got for grab of the week?
- [20:23]
B
We're in a lot of grabs, but the one grab and maybe the one bright spot has been over these last few games. Ray Davis grabbing the kickoff, bouncing off of somebody and then taking it to the house. So Ray Davis gets our white Claw grab of the week for his 97 yard kickoff return.
- [20:39]
A
Yeah. Did a little spin off of his own players and it was on his birthday. So. Happy birthday to Ray.
- [20:45]
B
Yes.
- [20:46]
A
It's funny. It gets lost in a game like that. It's like you can't really. We didn't really talk about it. Even though it was a great return.
- [20:54]
B
Correct.
- [20:54]
A
They haven't had one since the Nahim 9:2 in the games against the Patriots after kickoff returns. But that was a heck of a play. I was going to say Gabe's catch, the corner of the end zone was a heck of a catch.
- [21:08]
B
Yeah.
- [21:09]
A
Unfortunately, he didn't get his feet down and so it wasn't a catch. So that would have been it.
- [21:13]
B
Permission to be snarky for one second right ahead.
- [21:15]
A
When do you ever need permission for that?
- [21:19]
B
I'm shocked. Gabe Davis didn't fix the Bills offense.
- [21:23]
A
Okay. Do you want to see Keon back out there?
- [21:29]
B
Nope.
- [21:29]
A
Okay.
- [21:30]
B
Oh, that was my one thing. I talked about this on local radio the one day. Um, you. Did you go back and listen to any of the broadcast?
- [21:38]
A
No.
- [21:39]
B
Maybe you at home listen to the broadcast one. I think Al Michaels. I don't know if he likes football anymore. I think we're all done Like I think just it's okay to not want to do this anymore. That one of the worst broadcasts for a national broadcast that like just didn't know anything about it seemed like the team and they kept referring to Keon as they were without Keon Coleman tonight, as if it, as if he was injured.
- [22:05]
A
Yeah.
- [22:05]
B
And then they kept bringing it up and showing him on the sidelines as if he was an all pro wide receiver that had a hamstring injury. Yeah. You know, the Bills are really struggling offensively today and they're without Keon Coleman. They're without Keon Coleman because their offense was bad with Keon and then he couldn't show up to meetings and we're not going to get into another big long Keon thing. But the broadcast I just thought was so disingenuous about the way they were painting this Keon Coleman situation as they were without him, as if it was an injury of their star player.
- [22:35]
A
So is that just from that that's not some pandering to the Bills or pan. Right. Is that just not getting aware?
- [22:43]
B
They, they had the lower third up that said miss team meetings. So why he was out but never really talked about like it was for disciplinary reasons. They just kept saying he's out.
- [22:53]
A
Yeah.
- [22:54]
B
And, and I think out and benched is a very different distinction in the NFL.
- [22:59]
A
He was benched for that game and the benching continued. And I would say it was yes, I know Elijah Moore played and he had not played in the game on Sunday. It was an easy call. I thought for Sean McDermott to say stay out. Agreed that we are recording this on Monday. Do you think he's active on Sunday? No, I think he is. I think he is. I would tell you this. If he's not active on Sunday, he's not active the rest of the year. And I don't know if they're going to do that with a second round pick to just see what they have for the next five, six weeks. Maybe I'm wrong. We'll see. We'll see what happens when we get up to practice on Wednesday. Because your reasoning is now your benched and you can't get on the field.
- [23:51]
B
The only thing that intrigues me is when do they sign Gabe to the active and when they sign him to the 53, who gets caught? Yeah, that's the only, that's the only thing. I don't know.
- [24:07]
A
I mean at this point, I mean they got a host of guys wide receiver wise, right.
- [24:14]
B
Is it a wide receiver? Is it Chase Lunt? Like I, I don't know who's the guy that you're.
- [24:20]
A
Yeah.
- [24:21]
B
Letting go. So.
- [24:22]
A
So we'll see. We'll see how it plays out. We'll do top six or top five? Five. All right. Let me start with my bottom five.
- [24:30]
B
Okay.
- [24:31]
A
I'm putting the Titans at number five.
- [24:33]
B
Okay.
- [24:34]
A
They're playing hard.
- [24:35]
B
Okay.
- [24:35]
A
They show fight.
- [24:37]
B
Yes.
- [24:37]
A
Like they lost a tough game last week the two weeks ago to the Texans and then honestly they fought back against the Seahawks, got themselves back in the game. They have the worst record in the league. They're probably going to end up with the number one pick. They'll probably have a new head coach because I think it's the, you know, it's the internal guy in there. But I like their show and effort. They're showing some fight.
- [24:57]
B
Yes.
- [24:58]
A
I have them five.
- [24:58]
B
Okay.
- [24:59]
A
I have the Raiders. Four. They're terrible. Awful. They fired Chip Kelly. Chip. I do like some of Chip's phrases like big people beat up small people. That was what he used to say. I think the Bills could use a little of that big people.
- [25:12]
B
Instead, I would have had. The Raiders is probably my worst. So I'm.
- [25:15]
A
Well, they're right there.
- [25:16]
B
Yeah. I'm interested to see where else you're.
- [25:17]
A
3. I have the commanders. They're a mess. And I see this thing about Jaden Daniels. Commanders. Do the young guy a favor. Leave him out. Why in God's name are you putting him on the field? Yeah, you're done. The season's over. It was an elbow injury. Let them sit. Raise up. I think they have their number one pick. I don't think they traded it.
- [25:37]
B
No.
- [25:37]
A
I think they have their pick. Take the high draft pick. Leave them out. I don't understand.
- [25:41]
B
They need a lot of help.
- [25:43]
A
Two, I have the Jets. One, I have the Giants. Giants right now. Really? I have the Giants right there because why they have a worse record than the jets over the last five years. They were officially the first team eliminated from the playoffs. They fired their head coach and they fired their defensive corporation coordinator. This is not specifically about the players or specifically about how they're playing. I'm giving it to the entire organization. They don't know what they're doing. And mark my words, they will give Mike Kafka a legitimate shot to be the head coach. You watch because I don't know, some people.
- [26:19]
B
They're a good enough team to get five double digit fourth quarter leads, which is something. The Raiders games are over after the second quarter.
- [26:27]
A
2 and 10 eliminated from the playoffs. Again, I'm just giving them their flowers here. That's what I have. So you would have. I think the Raiders are probably.
- [26:38]
B
I think I would go Raiders worst.
- [26:41]
A
Yeah.
- [26:42]
B
Commanders second worst. Jets, Giants, Titans. I'm with you. Yeah.
- [26:49]
A
I like having the jets and the Giants together.
- [26:51]
B
Yes.
- [26:52]
A
New York City tough guys, best sports city disastrous football team.
- [26:56]
B
You just, you just want to have a team in the NFC east. Be the last place.
- [27:00]
A
But. Yeah, I can't talk any crap this week. After the Eagles collapsed. Here's my. I'm so. I'm gonna. I'm gonna do my top five.
- [27:10]
B
Go ahead, sir.
- [27:11]
A
Number five. I don't know how good they are, but I have to give it to them. I put the Bears at number five. They're winning games. Offense has been better. I don't think they're great, but they're finding ways to win games. Their point differential is bad, even.
- [27:25]
B
Yeah. Their defense has been decimated.
- [27:28]
A
They were without a lot of injuries.
- [27:29]
B
They were without all three of their starting linebackers.
- [27:32]
A
Jermaine Edmonds is on IR now.
- [27:33]
B
And then two of them got injured in the game.
- [27:35]
A
In the game. So they're hurting in that way. Yes.
- [27:38]
B
Finding ways to win. They are not finding ways to lose, which is what the Bears have always done. So give them credit there. I'm with you.
- [27:45]
A
So I kept the Colts out. Know I've been a Colts guy. Colts, you gotta. You gotta sit and learn your lesson. You blew that game against the Chiefs. You had a shot. You blew the game. So right now you're out of my top five. Because at four, I have the Broncos, who I think are good and I think they have a chance. They get that one seed, to your point, playing in Denver, couple of wins, you find yourself there. At three, I have the Patriots.
- [28:11]
B
That's. I think I'd flip them.
- [28:14]
A
And they did not look great. No, but they got the record. They're winning. They're going to be AFC east champs. I think we know that. I mean, I guess there's always a possibility, but I'm not expecting that. I don't have a two.
- [28:28]
B
I have a two.
- [28:28]
A
I have no two. Because I think the Rams are head and shoulders above every team in the NFL right now.
- [28:34]
B
No question.
- [28:35]
A
Matthew Stafford's playing lights. Lights out. Devonte Adams. That tells you how bad Aaron Rodgers was because he couldn't get the ball to devonte Adams, a guy he knew. He is looking like he's 25 years old, playing, having fun. And their defense is good. That is an all around, well coached Good team who has fixed their cap, has draft picks drafted. Well. They. This is their year, though, to get there. Because Stafford, I. You know, the way he's playing.
- [29:07]
B
Yeah.
- [29:07]
A
I would be surprised if he doesn't.
- [29:08]
B
Father time is knocking on the door. Eventually it is.
- [29:10]
A
But he's with that team and the way that offense runs. That's why I didn't have a two.
- [29:16]
B
Yeah.
- [29:16]
A
I didn't have a two. I skipped it. As I said, they deserve that spot by themselves.
- [29:19]
B
There are a few things I'm more passionate about in my life than my family and my hatred for the salary cap. But a lot of teams say, oh, this like less needs said f the picks. Right. Had all these contracts, did all these things. The Broncos also, oh, you can't cut Russell Wilson because of the salary cap. They did it. You know what freaking helps you with the cap? Drafting well.
- [29:42]
A
Yeah.
- [29:43]
B
Drafting well. Hitting on your draft picks. That Rams defense is nasty.
- [29:48]
A
They are.
- [29:48]
B
And they are homegrown drafted guys.
- [29:51]
A
It's so weird. They just flipped. They went the other way.
- [29:54]
B
So, like, don't say that like you're going to mortgage the future for 10 years. They won a championship four years ago.
- [30:02]
A
Yeah.
- [30:03]
B
Retooled. While also being a playoff contending team. Yeah. Had some seasons with seven, eight wins. We're still in the mix in that NFC West. Always.
- [30:11]
A
Right.
- [30:12]
B
Dealt with injuries, had great coaching staff and coordinators that made things work. It's just.
- [30:18]
A
Yeah. They are, to me, the best team in the league. And barring some injuries, I think they. I think they're going to be the 1 seed. I think they're the favorite.
- [30:26]
B
Yeah. And then I have my number two because I was looking at this, I. I really think Seattle.
- [30:32]
A
Yeah. I don't trust him.
- [30:33]
B
I don't trust him because of just Darnold.
- [30:35]
A
Of course it's Darnold, like, in big moments. So that's the thing. Like, they've been good. That's won a lot of games.
- [30:42]
B
It's just trying to think of who is. You're still trying to think of who Sam Darnold is.
- [30:46]
A
I think we kind of know who he is. I think that's a tough place to go. Like, first playoff game. Go in there. But the moment gets bigger. I worry about Sam.
- [30:57]
B
They pushed the ball down the field.
- [30:58]
A
They did.
- [30:59]
B
Relentlessly. And Jackson, Smith and Jigba is awesome. That defense flies around. And for as much as we think the Rams are head and shoulders above everybody else, which I totally agree.
- [31:10]
A
Seattle gave him. Seattle's defense gave him a lot.
- [31:13]
B
Seattle Hussein Darnold was atrocious in that game. Still had a chance.
- [31:18]
A
They had a chance. You're right.
- [31:19]
B
So that's where I, I look at that. You're right. I, I do think it's Rams, big gap, but I look at. Yeah, Seattle, Denver. And who's your third team or fifth team? Who'd you have? His five?
- [31:31]
A
I had five as the Bears and the Colts were right there. So the Bears, the Broncos. I mean, the Colts are good. Like, you know, if you'd have talked to me at the end of the first quarter, I would have had the Eagles back in there, but then they decided to go to sleep for three quarters. Cowboys fought. They deserve that game.
- [31:46]
B
Defense is getting better in Dallas.
- [31:48]
A
They are.
- [31:48]
B
And their offense is awesome.
- [31:50]
A
Yeah, they can throw the.
- [31:51]
B
They can throw.
- [31:52]
A
Can throw the ball. They play the Chiefs on Thanksgiving. That's going to be interesting.
- [31:56]
B
Yes.
- [31:57]
A
Good games on Thanksgiving.
- [31:58]
B
Good games on Thanksgiving. All right, that'll do it for us here. Another edition of the league sponsored by Stella Roofing Windows and Siding. Appreciate their support. Appreciate your support. Closing in on 42ish.
- [32:10]
A
Yeah, 2ish. 42.
- [32:12]
B
42,000 subscribers. Telephone.
- [32:14]
A
Wait a minute. I have to say yes. Edwin. Edwin was getting my glasses fixed there. Good. Dude there with his family, loves Buffalo plus, watches the podcast all the time. So shout out to Edwin. Thanks for. For saying hi.
- [32:29]
B
I was going through, I think, wegmans on Friday morning and some, you know, somebody goes, dan, go Bills. I was like, not the best time to.
- [32:39]
A
Yeah. Was it?
- [32:40]
B
Yeah, it was a rough Friday morning.
- [32:42]
A
Yeah. Hey, good fans.
- [32:44]
B
Yes.
- [32:44]
A
They're happy.
- [32:45]
B
Be sure to like, comment and subscribe. Appreciate it. As always, tons more content coming the rest of the week as the Bills get ready to face, we think Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers in Pittsburgh. From Mike Catalana, I'm Dan Fates. We'll catch you next time. Here the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel.
- [33:09]
A
Sa.