Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills Podcast

Episode: The new Josh Allen, a surprise player so far and a Commanders preview
Date: September 22, 2023
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fates

Episode Overview

This episode dives into Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen’s recent performance and growth, the emergence of surprise players through two weeks, and a preview of the upcoming matchup against the Washington Commanders. The hosts balance in-depth football analysis with their signature friendly banter and analogies, offering both fan and insider perspectives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is Josh Allen “Fixed” After the Raiders Game? (00:29–19:33)

• AFC Offensive Player of the Week: Allen’s “solid, steady” play in the win against the Raiders, emphasizing discipline and restraint—qualities sometimes absent in his game.

• Hosts’ Consensus: Allen isn’t “fully fixed”—he’s evolving, showing greater awareness, but his aggressive tendencies are part of what make him special.

  • Jenna Cottrell: “I think it's all fixed. I think he will never turn the ball over again...[but] Men can change. They just...don’t change all the way.” (01:14)
  • Dan Fates: “This is who Josh is. Like this. This is what it is. You take the good with the bad. I don't know if he's fixed.” (01:59)
  • Mike Catalana notes the importance of discipline, describing Allen’s maturity: “Sometimes things are…discipline. That was a word Sean McDermott said…an important piece about getting older and maturing.” (04:03)

• Allen as “Butcher or Surgeon” (Analogies):

  • Dan Fates compares Allen’s play to both a chef and a surgeon: “Great quarterbacks either fall into butcher or surgeon categories…a chef that shows restraint and a chef that goes I can throw a hundred different things and use all these impressive ingredients...And that's what we saw, I think, from Sunday with Josh. I called it Chef Allen, and he was a lot of fun to watch.” (07:00)

• Game Management: The hosts address how Allen’s self-control is tested in big moments. They wonder if Diggs or another teammate can calm Allen during rough patches, or if Allen can develop self-discipline.

  • Mike Catalana: “The thing I want to see next is someone being able to reach him in a game...Or maybe it's him that realizes it.” (12:07)
  • Dan Fates: “Is Josh able to reach himself though?...That would be the pinnacle of him being able to control…and play the way that he wants to play.” (15:45)

Memorable Quote:

• “He’s not going to dull one edge of his sword to just become a check down Charlie.” – Dan Fates (17:10)

2. Defensive Dominance & Standout Players (19:47–29:11)

• Adjustments & Growth: The Bills defense rebounded well after shaky stretches, particularly against the Raiders.

  • Dan Fates: “I liked the adjustments that they were able to make after that opening drive of the Raiders. Sean complimented the staff, the coaches, all of those things, because that's, that's new again, like, this is the first time…he's still kind of shaking off the rust on some of these things.” (22:07)

• Emergence of Front Seven: Typically a strength in the secondary, the front six/seven has been “really, really impressive,” with Greg Rousseau, Ed Oliver, and Matt Milano highlighted.

  • Ed Oliver's impact as a run-stopper and backfield presence impresses the group: “He's been living in the backfield, he's been winning constantly in the games...” – Jenna Cottrell (23:09)
  • Dan Fates: “Rousseau, Oliver and Milano have just played at such a high level that it has been a. They've dominated so far these through two weeks.” (23:02)

• Matt Milano's Absurd Level: His athleticism and splash plays, including a standout interception: “Matt Milano is just absurd.” – Mike Catalana (27:42)

• Christian Benford: A quiet but effective contributor at cornerback, described as a “humble and hungry” practice player (43:16).

3. Surprise Players and X-Factors (29:11–47:30)

• Greg Rousseau’s Leap: Now playing with “nastiness” to match his physical skills—a confidence shift that makes him more dominant. Dan shares insights from a conversation:
  • “I dare them to run the ball my way, those kind of things. … It's not a shock because we knew how good he was and could be, but now he's doing it at a consistent basis.” (40:54)
• Ed Oliver: Lived up to his contract extension and is winning battles up front consistently (43:30).
• Matt Milano: Still somehow surpassing already-high expectations with his impact and splash plays (41:20).
• James Cook: Emerging as a weapon in the backfield. “He has just that little bit more of shiftiness and speed...it’s a three yard gain or a four yard gain, but it would have been a one yard loss.” – Mike Catalana (46:36)
• Ken Dorsey: Jenna reluctantly calls him a “surprise,” praising his best game called in the win versus the Raiders, adapting well to more 12-personnel sets (43:50).

4. Commanders Preview: A Dangerous Matchup (30:33–38:48)

• A Franchise Reborn: The sale of the Commanders has energized their fan base, and the team is 2-0 for the first time since 2011.
  • Mike Catalana: “What Daniel Snyder did to that organization is criminal. It probably was criminal.” (31:32)
• Commanders’ Defensive Line: The deepest threat to the Bills comes from Washington’s elite D-line; Dan Fates likens facing them to “four Max Crosbys...interior wise, they’re probably better than the Jets and the Jets defensive line gave them tons of issues.” (33:39)
• Offensive Test for Bills: The hosts are wary that Washington could “yuck this game up” by making things difficult for the Bills offense, especially with constant pressure on Allen (34:47).
• Atmosphere: After years of apathy, Washington's home games are now selling out—something that could give the team an energy boost after years of dormancy (37:34).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Discipline & Evolution:
  “It's that discipline. It's that restraint.” – Mike Catalana (18:33)
  “Men can evolve.” – Mike Catalana (11:33)

• On Allen’s Improvement:
  “Spectacular in moments like most men are, and then still steady and good the rest of the time.” – Jenna Cottrell (03:08)

• On Defensive Playmakers:
  “He has so many physical attributes and to see him kind of coming into his own…this is the year to really put it all together.” – Mike Catalana on Greg Rousseau (26:16)

• On Team Atmosphere:
  “They're sold out now. They're going to be some Bills…back to back sellout.” – Mike Catalana (37:32)

Notable Timestamps

• 00:29–19:33: In-depth discussion on the “new” Josh Allen and what his performance signals for the future.
• 19:47–29:11: Bills’ defensive highlights, adjustments, and key contributors.
• 29:11–47:30: Standout and surprise players thus far, offensive improvement, and analogies galore.
• 30:33–38:48: Commanders franchise turnaround, preview, and key matchup breakdown.
• 43:16–47:30: Deeper dive into Benford, Dorsey, Cook, and emerging x-factors.

Style, Tone & Banter

The hosts blend serious football insight with lighthearted conversation and food-centered analogies:

• Dan Fates on Allen: “It was like when you show a dog a treat, and the dog's like, oh, I want the treat. I want the treat. And you have to be like, sit, sit. Stay, Josh, sit…” (05:42)
• Ongoing references to “Chef Allen,” “butcher vs. surgeon,” and signature dishes, tying quarterback play to cooking metaphors.
• Analogies and humor about pastrami, tomato pie, and restaurants keep the tone friendly and approachable.

Conclusion

This episode of Buffalo Plus offers a rich blend of analysis, anecdotes, and anticipation for week three. The hosts debate the sustainability of Josh Allen’s discipline, praise defensive standouts, spotlight surprise contributors, and set the stage for a sneaky-tough Commanders matchup. For fans seeking both hardcore football insight and entertaining banter, this episode delivers.

For further interaction, the hosts ask fans to comment on what’s most encouraging so far and which player has surprised them most as the Bills enter week three.