
Mike, Jenna and Dan break all of that down plus give their thoughts and predictions on the Super Bowl on the latest episode of the Buffalo Plus Podcast.
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A
That is where the ball now goes into Brandon Bean's court. This is his off season. I think that Sean has shown he's adapted, he's grown as a coach. He's grown as that CEO head coach, and that's all signs of improvement. I don't think they played scared. I just don't think they had the horses. When you look down to that top tier of the roster. This is the Buffalo plus podcast to you by Connors and Ferris.
B
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana and Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cotrell. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. We always appreciate it. All right. We're gonna have plenty of offseason coverage, but this week we were thinking about how we could have been, would have been in New Orleans, getting ready for a Bills super bowl, all the things that go into it. And I know a lot of fans are feeling that way as well. So we wanted to break down where this team was at, where they want to go and how you are feeling about this.
C
Well, I wish we were in New Orleans. That would have been a blast.
B
The amount of beignets that I would.
A
Have assumed, the amount of gumbo in my belly.
C
Gumbo would have been elite.
B
Have you ever been to New Orleans?
A
Yeah.
C
Yeah. Oh.
B
Oh, yeah.
C
I have to tell a quick New Orleans story. So Dan and I were down there for Thanksgiving game train white. Okay. And yes, when Trey got injured, terrible. But the game, you'd think New Orleans known for food. First of all, breakfast on Thanksgiving. We ended up with the three day old sandwiches they sell at Starbucks because we couldn't find another place open in the morning because Everybody's out for 14 hours the night before at the game. Not great food in the box. But Dan sitting there with the media food, this crappy sandwich in a box. We might throw the picture up on the pod.
B
It's pretty good. I have it.
A
Yeah, you can cut this pod. You got the pick. Okay.
B
Yeah. You've done a lot today.
C
That was our example of being in New Orleans. It was fun. It was not during a big event. It was just the game on Thanksgiving.
A
It was the night game.
C
Yes.
A
And then the next year was Detroit and they had elite food.
C
Yeah, they did.
A
And that. You always hear about Dallas and the Mac and cheese and everything that they do well on Thanksgiving.
C
Dallas, Thanksgiving was.
A
I had. I had a ham sandwich.
C
So we did have the beignets. Beignet.
B
Right, beignet.
C
So we wanted to go to the famous place In New Orleans.
B
Cafe Dumont.
C
But the line, it was a lot of Bill's fans was like around the block.
A
Yeah.
C
So we did have them on the way to the airport. There's a place in the airport at like five o' clock in the morning. We were getting ready to get on the plane.
A
Yes.
C
And, and they.
A
Cafe Dumont.
C
They are just filled with powdered sugar. Like.
A
Yeah.
B
It's, they're beautiful.
A
It's. It's amazing.
C
It's. It's. Yes.
B
Okay. So we're not in New Orleans.
C
No. That's why we just. That part and then the other part of getting to see the Bills, because as big as the Bills are now, when they do get to the super bowl, the growth will be exponential. People will know they know Josh Allen, but they will know him even more. They will know this team even more. They will know the fan base even more. I mean this is this game with the whole week of build up. I mean they talk basically every day.
A
Yeah.
C
And it's in front of the whole sports world. It'll be cool when it happens and I think it will.
A
Did anything surprise you guys about the media night?
C
It's the, it's awful.
B
Yeah. I think it's horrendous.
C
It is so awkward and clumsy. When they come out, it's like a bad pep rally. Both teams, they ask, go off king kind of dumb questions. The players are standing there next to each other. You don't hear. I mean there's a crowd there, but it's not like a crazy crowd.
A
Right.
C
I, I just that part before they even get to. When they're all at their individual podiums.
A
Yes.
C
The NFL's got to work on that because it is lame.
A
NFL's got to work on a couple things.
C
Yeah.
A
Got to work on writing a better script for better officials. They got to work on figuring out the Pro bowl games or whatever that is because that's, that's a major flop. And I think they still have to work on. And Roger Goodell said like they are testing things to figure out officiating in measurements. I don't think that that's crazy to think. I do agree being talked about it last week was the fact of there is no minor league.
B
Yeah.
A
I think there's something to that. I thought that was the best explanation I've heard as to why they are still using chains and 70 year old men to hold up sticks.
C
They don't use the chains anymore. If you notice that it is cut down by like 70% this year. The times they actually Run the chains out there.
A
Yes.
C
It's kind of wild. It used to happen like all the time and now they don't do it. I will say, yes, I will say this. It's easy to say use because nothing.
A
In territory using the index cardigan.
C
Hilarious that nothing has worked better in pro sports or in sports in general than the line cameras for tennis. Yeah, they're spectacular.
A
Correct.
C
I mean, you see it. It's done like John McEnroe wouldn't have known who to yell at, right?
A
Yes.
C
But there's no people in front of them.
A
Correct.
C
It's so different than bodies in front and the measurements.
A
I've always had the case, like I think what the end. What the MLB actually did somewhat right was the pitch clock. But to Bean's point, they implemented that in the minor league system. They implemented that in other leagues like Arizona League to see how it works. So I do understand that. I think officiating is bad. I think they have an officiating problem. I think it needs to be better where these are. It's the biggest business in the world and your officials are part time.
C
All right, I will push back on this. I think it's by far the hardest sport to officiate.
A
I didn't say it. I didn't say it was easy.
C
And I'd say I don't know what these guys do full time. Right?
A
Correct.
C
I don't know what they would do full time. It's about being on that field and making those calls in real time. I think what it's failing them is they have the technology to help them in so many ways. That's where it fails to me. That play was reviewed. It should have taken some common sense where Josh Allen has his back to you. You know, the ball's not here and it's not here. It has to be here. It had to be over the line. That's the part that fails them because the technology allows us to slow it down in HD and you figure where the line is and yet they still don't change the call. The fact if it was a 30 year old ref or a 60 year old ref, they're not going to see everything but the fact that they don't use it as well as they could. They've gotten a little better with the eye in the sky. Quick changes. They should have done it on the third down play because I thought Kincaid had the first. Yeah, but my point is when they get to the next step, you look and you go, how did they not change that play or why are they not reviewing some of these personal fouls that you see the replay and he's dragging him by the face mask and you don't change the call. That's the part where I think the NFL loses credibility because the technology has gotten so much better.
B
Yeah. That's one of the things I think people get so frustrated with, is that there is the technology available for you to get better at this. And sometimes it feels like the NFL is like, well, no, we. We can't do that. We don't want to do that. And it's like, you have this available. Why wouldn't you want to have people have more faith in your product? And it's. It seems. I agree. Like, not having a minor league does add a wrinkle to that, but also it's. It's something that's been overdue for a while, and the excuse of, well, you know, we haven't done it, to me, is not a good enough.
A
I agree. Well, that's where I've always felt like baseball has sat on their throne of integrity and tradition. And to your point, I understand, because I've always said, especially the strike zone. Yes. There is some subjectiveness to it. Nailed it.
B
Got it.
A
Nailed it.
C
Very good.
A
But you don't want to see a game decided because an umpire missed a call on a pitch that hit the zone and he called it a ball. So you don't want to. And to tennis's point, there's nothing obstructing the pitcher and home plate. I get it. But where there is an obstruction in the NFL game is by the amount of 57 cameras. So to your point. Yes. They have improved the eye in the sky. They have improved those things. It's got to. It's got to advance. It's got to advance where the ref says, this guy throws the flag and says, I think he grabbed him. And then they can quickly see from the other camera angle, which everybody at home sees, he did not grab him. They can say, hey, we're. We're picking up the flag on. Upon review, it is not a foul.
C
Do you really think they should go down that?
A
Yes.
C
I don't. I think. Then it slows the game down. I think there was enough.
A
I don't care about the length of games. I want. That's right.
C
The NFL cares about it.
A
I don't care. It's the same thing with baseball. If baseball games were three and a half hours, but it was umpired correctly. I do not care how long games are, and I don't think Fans and advertisers and money would care how long.
C
Games the league doesn't want the game. Now, I'm saying this. If you watch the minor league baseball thing with the pitches, it is phenomenal. Yeah, it is like, oh, review done, show it, strike, move on. If you blink, you miss it. It is done so quickly and so efficiently. I'm not sure why they don't just bring it to the major leagues. Mean Angel Hernandez was umpiring. Right. He's worse than you know. But I, I wonder, do you want to go down the line of saying, well, was that a hold? Was it not a hold? I think there is a lot of calls that could be changed or added, and especially personal fouls.
A
I think you can expand it. I'm not saying you go fully into it, but I think you can expand it to when Sam Darnold's head gets ripped off and we sit there like, oh, yeah, I. I don't know. I didn't see it. Well, everybody else saw it. So we should have some common sense. It's also what hockey did. For the longest time, hockey was the whole puck had across the net and they had that camera over top and there'd be times where when the puck would go into the goalie's glove and you couldn't see the puck cross the line, see it, but it's in his glove. So you use common sense to say, the entire puck must be in his glove, which is in the net. That's where I feel like they're lacking.
B
I. I completely agree. And it's that because in terms of the fourth down with Josh Allen, it's like they originally ruled that he was short and there wasn't enough evidence to overturn that fact. But if you just use common sense, you realize, well, if where Josh is at and where the ball is, even though you can't see the ball, you know the ball exists. So it's that common sense approach of like, hey, I know we originally called it this, but upon looking at it, we don't have the technical. That's the one thing where I feel like they got caught up in is like, oh, we don't have the technical evidence to see exactly that. The ball did cross the line, so we can't overturn it because of that. When if you just take a step back and you're like, guys, obviously the ball was.
C
The ball is there and you can see it. That's when I say, sometimes it is. It's tough to go all the way to the next step. The part about personal fouls just cracks me up. You have a play where you're. They're judging whether the player stepped on the line or not. They're reviewing it while reviewing is two hands on the face mask dragging them down.
B
Yeah.
C
And yet the league doesn't allow them to make that call. That is absurd. You see it and you could even say it is for player safety because you know what the NFL is going to do after that anyhow? Safety, because they're going to find them. Because as I say, I whine about this, I guess. Whine or complain about it all the time. No league in the world wants to take money from their players more than the NFL.
A
They love it.
C
20,000, 30,000, 15,000, you know, and it's all kinds of nonsense that they love to take the players money and they don't make the call. I mean, Kelsey should have gotten called for taunting in the game.
B
Yeah.
C
It was a blatant example of taunting and they didn't call it. But then there was fine. So I'm with you on that. I mean, there's plays, right. That is always going to be frustrating. The Eagles are playing the Chiefs two years ago in the Super Bowl. Came down to a call at the end. The Eagles got called for holding. There's no review that's going to take away that hold.
A
I agree.
C
The part of that game that was frustrating, especially if you were not rooting for the Chiefs, was they didn't call that the whole game and then they call it. But that's fine with me. If that call is made as a judgment call, a review wouldn't change it anyhow. That might be where you would say that's kind of poor officiating because that didn't need to be called, especially in that moment. But you're not going to change those.
A
But see, I hate that argument of we're not going to change something because we don't want it to go all the way to the other extreme of like not having officials. That's why the MLB was like, well, if you take away the balls and strikes and just get rid of umpires, that's not what I'm asking for. I'm asking for if the umpires, if the referees in football.
C
Right.
A
Need help on something, they should have the help using the technology that the NFL has poured into every other aspect of the sport. Yeah, I'm not expecting umpires to be perfect. I'm expecting if there's a bang, bang play at first base or we should be able to take a look at it with the technology that everybody has on their phone, on everything else to say, oh, he was out and the Uber called him safe and we can fix it. MLB's gotten quicker at that.
C
Okay, so if MLB's ahead of you.
A
So I'm not, you know, you're having trouble. So I'm not sitting there saying, oh, we have to review every single holding call. So people are like, well, well, no, you can't review penalties because then you have to review. No, but you can review personal files. Did he hit him in the head? Did he grab his face? That kind of stuff. Should be able to have common sense to say, hey, how many times have we seen a face mask? And I've had somebody sitting next to me, not Michael, say, well, the umpire or the ref isn't looking there. Where is he looking? Where is he? The guy is carrying the ball and his head gets jerked back and we're sitting there and it's like, well, he wasn't looking there. Okay, well, there was a camera somewhere that saw it and it should be easy to buzz down and say whatever you want to say. Upon further review, there was a 15 yard face mask.
B
Boom.
C
Game moves on and to your point and you guys are on the field. The game moves fast.
B
It does.
C
It's big, strong fast. So we don't expect them to see everything.
A
That's my point.
C
That's where I say to the NFL, there is so many options to make it better than it is. I do like the idea of the quick reviews on certain things, but they don't do it enough. And I don't know exactly what it is where they'll say, oh, he was ruled a yard short or whatever it happened to be. And keep moving, moving it along because you have the cameras and you have the technology. It's just the NFL is hypocritical a lot of times with what they say, what? And yes. And then what they actually do.
B
Do you feel like. Because obviously 20, 21 overtime game, Josh Mahomes, they changed the rules after that to allow the other team to get possession. Because essentially of what happened in that game. Now they come out after this game most recently saying that they're going to look into electronically measuring first downs and stuff. If you're a Bills fan, are you like, of course. Or like, how can you approach that? Because it does feel frustrating.
C
Well, it's one thing because your guy is in the biggest games, right? And when it happens, it happens and it happens to be that case. Of course, you know, it used to be overtime Kick a field goal and you win. Then they made it into a touchdown and then they made it where both teams get the ball no matter what, as long as they start that way. Of course, last year in the super bowl, in the old rules. Old, you know.
A
Yeah.
C
When the Niners kick the field goal, they win the game.
A
Right.
C
Chiefs got the benefit of it drove down, but they got the touchdown to win it.
B
Yeah.
C
Yeah. This one about measuring. I still think that fully doing that is off a little bit of time, but. And I don't know, listen, I'll say this. I think it was a bad call and a bad review. I wish it was more obvious. I wish he was a foot and a half past the line, two feet past the line. It was like, it was bad, but it wasn't the worst non overturned call I've ever seen. Yeah, but to the point you guys made in the beginning to. The common sense element just is so frustrating because that's what. It's common sense for the refs during the game. Why shouldn't it be common sense when we're looking at the replay.
B
Yeah.
C
And you see where the guy was and what the intent was. So they've got a lot to work on. But. And listen, it does hurt if you're a Bills fan.
A
Yes.
B
It's interesting though that like both of these times it feels like it's been.
A
In response and, And I understand.
C
And the Chiefs get benefit. Yeah.
A
And I understand all of that. And you know, Goodell's like, oh, the script that I wrote. And like, I get it. Okay. Like, I, I do think some of the ref talk is a little bit hyperbolic. I think it's a little bit conspiracy. I think it's a little bit the government controls the weather. Like when they give you stats and say this, the chiefs are not 19 and two with this official over this. It's like the Chiefs have won a lot of games.
C
The Eagles probably the Bills too.
B
Right.
C
They win a lot of games.
A
So like that I, I don't buy, you know, this, this official.
C
They have that media day you were talking about and you got some dipshit walking around saying to the Chiefs, who's your favorite official? Like, I know they give credentials to like a lot of people.
B
They give credentials to like everyone wild.
C
By the way, if you do nothing more than post yourself on the field for an Instagram story, that doesn't mean you cover the team. That is not the way it goes.
A
That is correct.
C
Like if you just take your picture, like, that doesn't mean you cover that team.
A
Correct.
C
They had people at the. At this media day, just clowns. And I think it. I shouldn't even say, because most real media people think that is, like an absurd night. Like, you try to get. It's all the. But to be doing that with the Chiefs only feeds into the Chiefs a little bit more because they're sitting there taking these questions and Patrick Mahomes, say what you want. Doesn't deserve that question at the podium at the Super Bowl.
B
I agree. Yeah.
C
It's comically.
A
It's embarrassing for us. It's funny for us in the podcast, when we had Haley on and it was like, so are the Chiefs on the officials? Do they live in Kansas? Like, yeah, that's funny. I do think that's the humor of creating content. I wouldn't go up and ask Patrick Mahomes that question.
B
See, that's why it's so surprising to me, though, that they credential as many people as they do and as many people who are like that, because it's like, combine.
A
Similar.
B
But here's my thing. The super bowl is already a spectacle. People are already excited and watching and all that stuff. So, like, to make it a. A mockery, it's kind of. It's like you're almost devaluing your own product.
C
You're going to compare it to the combine.
A
Everybody and their mother goes to the combine, gets approved. No, no, no. I'm talking about the level of the amount of credentials that they hand out.
C
Yes. But I would say most of the people at the combine are there to talk football. Football to Genesis.
A
All I was saying was the amount of credentials.
C
Yeah.
A
Every single person. If you're watching, you could probably get credentialed for the NFL combine.
C
I think the majority of the people at the combine cover the NFL on a regular basis. What? Genesis. There are people there that is, you know Joey's Chuckle Hut, that he's got a podcast and he gets a Super bowl credential.
B
Yeah.
C
And he's standing there talking. Patrick Mahomes.
A
We're agreeing on the same things. I'm just saying the amount of credentials that are handed out is exorbitant on both places. I'm dropping big words left and right.
C
I would say locked in. I would say the. Yeah, you're right. There was a lot of people.
B
I would say, though, the volume of credentialed people is massive for both events. What always shocks me about the super bowl is just the amount of people that are literal. Literal, like charades. Like, it's like you are. Yes. Yeah. Where you're like you're not even.
C
And they do 6,000 credentials for the Super Bowl.
A
Their media room was in the parking garage.
C
I know. I don't miss that.
B
Okay. This was not where I was expecting.
C
No, but I think this is. And this is. Listen.
A
And Bill's fans, you have all the right in the world to continue to post screenshots of the. The line that you draw and Josh and continue to do it. You have all the right in the world to be upset. Like, I get it. That's the, that's the part of being a fan that is fun and sucks at the same time. When your team gets host.
C
Bad call, bad review. Didn't need to let them go down and score a touchdown and get a two point conversion. But your team drove down, got a touchdown. Their team went down, you held them to a field goal and you had a chance to win at the end. So bad call, all those things. The Bills overcame the bad call and still lost the game.
B
It's like when you're dating someone, you're like, you did all these things wrong. And then later down the line, they're like, you know, I should change. And you're like, I told you, you were wrong in the moment.
C
Yes.
B
Okay. All right. So super bowl week. What does this team need to do, Mike, to get there?
C
Oh, they're there. They are right there. You know, and they, they did it this year with a roster that was good but lacking top tier. Top tier. A few top tier players. But I say that when they are a score away from beating the Chiefs, back to back years, of course, this year would have taken them to the Super Bowl. So to think that they're not right there with the Chiefs. It's that extra level now does that mean it's, you know, one pass rusher, one corner, one wide receiver. I don't know. Those things would all help. But it still comes down to those moments. It's like that play, like some of it is executing on things that you have done. Some of it is a mindset that changes a little bit. As I wanted to bring that up about what makes the Chiefs so good is they play with an openness and a freeness. That's the way Andy coaches, that's the way Spags coaches, that's the way Mahomes plays because they've already won. They've won multiple times. Spagnolo comes in and goes, I'm saving that blitz until I need it, need it, need it. And then he comes up with it. I think that's where the Bills lacked a little bit. I thought Joe Brady had a great, great year, but I think they played the hits a little too much and then got away from running the ball a little too much in that game. And I think it's because you are not sure if you can get past and you stick to what works. Yeah, that hurts them a little bit and you got to get past that. You said they played loose and I think they did after the beginning. They were a little tight in the beginning.
B
Yeah.
C
But then they, they did. But I think it helps to be the team that's won and it frees you up a little bit.
A
Yeah, I think it's also, I mean that's why they can do the merry go round plays and make themselves look silly and, and that kind of stuff because like, hey, you can laugh at us. We, we've won, we win, we've done it. So I think that's part of it, I think a little bit it was just inexperience. Like the Bills are never going to go into a matchup. The Chiefs go into every single game having the head coach and the quarterback advantage.
C
Yeah.
A
Like, and I know there will be people in the comments and I respect it and I understand it. I may not agree with it, but people were saying the Bills had the better quarterback in that game. They didn't. I, I'm, I, I, I hate to say that. It's just the Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes.
B
I, I think it's hard in the.
C
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B
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A
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C
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B
How do I say this? Statistically, obviously Mahomes did not have the best season regular season last year. But when you look of the body of work, the accolades that he has accomplished, the places that he has been, it's hard to just to dispute that it is.
A
Mahomes, like he's, I mean we're talking about, I mean every talk show can do it is like is this run more impressive than what the Patriots did? Like this is a historic hump like this. Okay, so like it was funny but like the fact matters is that like the resume is as much for a quarterback as it is your talent level. Do the Bills have the more talented quarterback? Yes, I would. I, I believe that full heartedly he's still full. You can do Fuller whole. I. I'm gonna. It's.
B
That's okay. You had hyper ball.
A
Yeah. Yeah.
C
You were on the roll. This one's just a minor bump in the road.
A
This was a heat.
C
Jack Curry, you were accurate. But just no one uses that phrase.
A
Yeah.
C
Other than you.
A
So I. I know the comments, they.
C
Were like full hearted.
A
Yeah. Full hearted.
C
Full hearty is like when you do a full heartedly.
A
We're getting into a grammar podcast. I don't like it.
C
Okay.
A
But.
C
But to your point about Josh. Josh is incredible, a great player. Mahomes is one. He's won. He's won. He comes through in the clutch. That. I'm not blaming that all on Josh. But their resumes end at a certain point.
A
Correct.
C
And you can say numbers, you can say this. The guy's got super bowls, he's got MVPs. He has beaten him head to head four times in the playoffs. Is it all Josh's fault? No. Is it all Mahomes? No. Chris Jones has helped him get a couple of those rings a lot. But they have the best. And it's funny, they have the best coach and the best quarterback and Andy was never that guy until they got together, these two. And then it's been the advantage in the big game.
A
And it's not a knock as I said. Like Brady and the Bills stuck to who they were the entire season. It was a damn good season. Yeah, they won 13 games. Could have won 14. Like all of those things there. But Andy has the experience, the knowledge. He's better at me. Saying he's a better offensive coordinator than Joe Brady isn't a knock. I'm not kicking Joe Brady while he's down. It's the fact of, you know, Greg Russo goes. We watched all the film. We never saw those two plays that they ran. That is what Andy Reid has. Joe Brady may get there. I believe that he had a great season and he used to your point, the best that he had. But he's not Andy Reid. That's fine. But give Joe some more talent to. We were talking about of like do we think they're super bowl conducting? How close are they? The rate bleep in there. Right. So sit there. Just don't have Mac Hollins be the only guy catching big third down passes in Kalil Shakir and give him some more weapons. Yes. Look for how good Andy Reid is. Is when they retooled their offense. They then went out and traded up for wide receiver. They went out and Signed Hollywood Brown. They went out and did things to improve their offense. That is where the ball now goes into Brandon Bean's court. This is his off season. I think that Sean has shown he's adapted, he's grown as a coach, he's grown as that CEO head coach. And that's all signs of improvement. I don't think they played scared. I just don't think they had the horses. When you look down to that top.
B
Tier of the roster, I think you mentioned the experience factor and I, I, I wholeheartedly agree with that.
C
Nice.
B
Because Andy Reid has the experience to know when to stay true to what you been doing and when to mix it up because it has been successful. And, and for Joe Brady, in that moment, I feel like he was like, this is what has got us here. This is what we're going to keep doing. I don't want to zag now because we've been so good at what we've done. Whereas in that moment you could say, hey, like what you're saying, what Greg Russo said, we hadn't seen those plays all season long. Like it's, it just comes with experience. And that's why I do feel so hopeful of what Joe Brady can do because he did have such a great regular season that you can learn from that game. But the pieces, you're right, it's now on the pieces and what you can do to improve that. This team came together in a way that no one was expecting and it showed you that with belief you can get to a certain level. But, but talent is what will take you over the top.
C
Yeah. The house is really well built. It needs some high end fixtures.
B
Yeah. Zach.
C
No, but you know what I'm saying is now they need those difference makers because guess what? As great a coach as Spags is and Andy Reid, you know, he has those difference makers.
A
Yeah.
C
He has Chris Jones, he's got, you know, McDuffie.
B
And, and I do think it's important. It's like, it does have to be the right talent.
C
Yeah.
B
Also, I don't want people to be.
A
Like, blind, like, because sometimes they're not signing Tyree Kill.
B
That's what I'm saying. Like you think of Stefan Diggs made this team immensely better. But I think with where the team is at now, it was.
C
I know, but there's part of me that was like, what would that be like? Bad.
B
Bad.
C
Tyreeks running down.
B
Oh. Oh. Tyree Kill.
C
Yeah.
A
Bad.
B
That's cr. That is honestly crazy.
A
I just go back, you know, when Bean Talks about his big board.
C
Yeah.
A
Like free agents. Tyreek's not on that list.
C
Okay.
A
I just still will. Always.
C
I like to go back to history. Patriots, most buttoned up organization in the world. Randy Moss got thrown out of Oakland. He wasn't straight cash, homie, doing nothing. They got him for a 4th round pick.
A
Nope.
C
And he came in and Brady went nuclear that year. They lost in the super bowl, obviously, but they won every game. He was putting up 40 a game. I just. I just look sometimes and go, man, what would Josh do with. He's an. I know he's wacko and all, but, man, that kind of talent, that kind.
A
Of speed, there's still. That's a historic dynasty. That's a franchise that's. I just don't see it in the cards.
C
But I will say Andy did it. That one year when they brought to. In McNabb, they had. It was sort of like the Bills, good players, not great. They brought ton. They went nuts, and they made the Super Bowl. I'm just saying. I'm not saying it's got to be him, but.
A
Well, it's funny because I think about Bean saying you're, you know, you're never one guy away.
C
Yeah.
A
And he. He did kind of push his chips in on Vaughn, and we never got to see what that would be like in the postseason, you know, in that first year when Von was still Von Miller. But he does. It's like a little bit like he's not talking out of both sides of his mouth, but he is contradicting himself a little bit when he says, hey, we're not one player away, but these games come down to one play. And who are those guys that make those plays consistently, those players that you're one guy away?
C
You know what I was thinking of? It was like Brandon the other day said, those guys aren't available very often. And then like three hours later, yes, they are. Miles Garrett is like, hey, I want to get traded. And it's almost like, you know, in those circumstances, in a game where you're going to go fight the other guy, but you really want your teammates to hold you back. So you're like. You're like, yeah, somebody hold me back. And then you're like, please, somebody hold me back. Like, in this case, you say it because you don't expect anybody to be out there. And then in a heartbeat, maybe Miles Garrett doesn't mean the Bills can get them. And we have an entire video on that.
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah.
C
But it is kind of like they aren't Available That. Oh, he's available.
A
So, yeah. It's like, quarterbacks don't get fully guaranteed contracts, and then the Browns are like.
C
Wait, I guess that's the Browns. Yeah.
B
Yeah.
C
Yeah.
A
I'm sensing a trend.
C
Yeah.
B
Anything else we want to discuss?
C
No, I think, you know.
B
Oh, do we want to do credit to me.
C
Okay.
B
Okay.
A
Yeah.
B
You start.
A
Do we want to talk at least what we think? The Super Bowl.
B
Oh, yeah. That's probably good. Yeah. You start.
A
Why don't we give the Eagle fan.
C
You go right ahead first.
B
Oh, yeah. Wait, no, yeah, yeah. E. What? Who is it?
C
E, L, G, L, E, S. That's the mayor.
B
Yeah.
A
What did the mayor of Boston say?
C
Oh, he couldn't say David.
A
Or was it Rajan? Rondo was. What? He messed up, too.
C
Oh, but I thought it was something about Big Poppy, too, one time, like.
A
I don't remember Big Ortiz, I think he called it or something like that.
C
Yeah. Politicians just stay out of it. Look, the Eagles have a great roster. They have the best roster in the NFL. They do. The Chiefs have the best quarterback, and the coach is what they have. I mean, I don't. I don't think anybody would really argue with that. It's a very different team than the one that played them two years ago, which is kind of wild because they basically have changed the defense. I mean, they have two rookies starting. I mean, they've got some guys now how they play. I mean, they got Zach Bond. They signed his defensive player of the year. Maybe he wins that. They sign him and Jalen Carter and all those guys. They. Their defense a lot better. Their defense was so bad two years ago in the Super Bowl.
B
How bad were they?
C
I mean, they didn't stop anything at all that the Chiefs did. I think it's a different kind of game. I think Saquon's been incredible. I think if Hertz plays well, it doesn't have to be spectacular. But if Hertz plays well, throws it deep, the Eagles will score on the Chiefs because they will open it up and Saquon will run. So I think they have a very good chance to win the game. But if it comes down, it's close. It's just the same thing Bills fans say. If it comes down as close, Mahomes wins those games. That's the thing. I think the Eagles best shot is to get that lead like the Bills did on him in the regular season, and then the kill shot to put it away. That's their best shot. I think they can do it. I think they have a very good chance to do it, but we'll see Sunday.
B
Score prediction.
C
If I'm picking a score, I'm going to pick the Eagles. Just because I'm not picking the Chiefs, I'm going to say 30, 25 Eagles.
B
Wow.
A
Unlike that kid that's holding up the sign that says, I just hope both teams lose. Like, that's. That's kind of how I feel. But I'm just never going to bet against Patrick Mahomes in that big of a game.
C
Yeah, I mean, he did lose 31 to nine in a Super Bowl.
A
Yep.
C
He did played one of the worst games the quarterbacks ever played in the Super Bowl. Oh, he got sacked like, six times.
B
Yeah. Yeah.
A
The look to Jenna wasn't. I don't remember that Super Bowl. My daughter was getting her first cast. We watched it in a New Jersey Hyatt house.
C
Did you?
A
Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Covet, like, not a single person in a hotel. It's kind of weird now.
C
He'll play great. He always plays great.
A
Yeah. It also comes down to these spots where it's. Who has the advantage at quarterback and head coach. I think I would love the Eagles. I'd love. Honestly, I know wouldn't happen, but like, a little bit for the narrative. Jenna. I would love the Chiefs to score, like, 35 points because everybody's like, well, the Chiefs haven't scored that many points all year. I'd kind of like that to be the narrative a little bit. To be like, I can't believe they gave up the most points all season. So I'd kind of like that. Especially against a really good Eagles defense. I think The Eagles win 20 or. Sorry, I think the Chiefs win 31, 27. Something like that.
B
So I. I think it.
A
Rooting for the asteroid.
B
No, I'm fine with the Eagles winning. Like, I think that would be really fun. I have a lot of friends that live in Philly and they love, like, the Eagles. Logan.
C
Thank you.
A
Yep.
B
So I think that would be cool. I love Saquon, but I do expect the Chiefs to win this game. I just feel like if it's close, they can close the door. And they've just been so good in that spot. And I think it's hard. I always think about going into a game like, quarterback and coach, who do you trust more? And both. I'm on the side of the Chiefs trusting more. I also kind of feel like, in terms of this job, like, if you were like, the Bills have been so good, but it's always Been the Chiefs eclipsing them. That it's like this team, this chief team has been so dominant that I. I expect them to win.
C
Yeah, well, we've seen it. I mean, we've seen it up close and personal with the Bills. Like, yeah, it has been incredibly frustrating. Could have, shoulda, woulda how many times against them. And the Eagles experienced it and the Niners experienced it, and everybody did. It's also a bit of a test in this case about building a roster, because I would think you go back a long, long time to find a team with a better offensive line and defensive line than the Eagles.
A
Agreed.
B
No, that's fair.
A
Like.
B
Like, on. On paper, I'm like, this is Eagles all day. But then I. I factor in who the Chiefs are, and some of those things are not. Are not quantifiable. On. In terms of.
C
It is kind of wild. That.
A
Quantifiable.
C
Can't spell it, but it is kind of wild.
A
You. You.
C
The best game Hertz has played was against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. He put up 35 on him in that game.
A
That was a while ago.
C
Was two years a while ago.
B
That was 2023. That's nuts.
C
That's without Saquan Barkley in that case. And honestly, I hate to say this, I love Jason Kelce. I think the offensive line is better this year.
B
I'm trust tree. I'm so sick of the Kelsey brothers.
C
Yeah. There's too much Kelsey.
B
It's just.
A
It's Kelsey. Jason is everywhere.
B
They're all everywhere. And I, I. It's just a little bit too much overexposure.
C
Yeah.
B
In my, in my opinion.
C
Well, they haven't made it on Buffalo plus, so we'll keep them off.
A
We'll get Jason, we get Kylie.
B
I love. I love Kylie. I just. It's a lot.
C
I also want to thank fellow bomber Mike Faber, Buffalo plus subscriber, Bill's fan, Western New Yorker. We sent him. I think we sent him some hats. I believe we should have. Yes, I think we did. And he sent us a gift of candy popcorn and chocolate lattes. Jenna ate all I had.
B
Yeah, I was bad.
C
It was really good.
B
Real toffee.
C
And it was spectacular.
B
It was toffee popcorn with, like, almonds in it. Yeah, I love toffee.
C
Yeah. So good.
A
Credit to me. Didn't have any of it.
B
Well. Because I ate too much almost.
A
There's not a candy guy or like, grow up. I think you're better than me.
C
This is pretty good. It was pretty good.
B
Yeah. See, but that's why I like the popcorn too, because it's salty sweet.
C
One other thing I want to add. Tom Brady will be bad in the Super Bowl. I was listening to a podcast. They were describing Brady and I want to tell these guys, these guys are at the ringer. They have a great podcast. But they are describing Brady as an announcer the same way teams describe their young quarterback who hasn't come around yet.
B
Gets them in and out of the huddle.
C
It's no, but it's like, I think he'll get better. He'll do this, he'll do that. He's not wired to be good as a broadcaster. He's not self deprecating enough. He doesn't see the game or communicate the game in the same way. He may have some moments, honestly, and then people criticize him because he can't. You started out top, top, top, and you aren't that level of a broadcaster. You replaced a guy that you're not as good as. I think there's several guys on Fox that would have been better. Olson was better, certainly better. And he's going to do this game. And if you're going to listen, I think he's going to frustrate you. I know he's won seven Super Bowls. He's the greatest of all time. I don't know if that necessarily makes you a great broadcaster.
A
Agreed.
B
I don't think he's that bad.
C
I think he's pretty mediocre.
B
I think he's mediocre too, but I'm not like, I'm like, I don't know. He doesn't. I'm not like, I can't believe it.
C
But you can't be Tom Brady and be mediocre.
A
Correct.
B
That's fair. I don't mind Tony Romo, so I feel like a lot of people can.
C
Tony Romo was a talented but flawed guy and he talks like he's at the bar and he's got that element.
B
I know, but a lot of people hate Tony Romo.
C
They do, but they hate him. And then there's other people that love him. I susp.
B
No, I don't think people love him anymore.
C
Maybe they've lost. He's lost also.
B
These glasses make me feel like I'm. I have like 3D glasses.
A
I can't wait till ABC gets the game. Or is it espn you want to hear?
C
You want to hear Aikman ripping?
A
I want to hear aik.
C
Aikman is lit now, man. He just goes after people.
A
Club foot king. Club foot king. He is awesome.
B
Oh, no.
C
Yeah, Dan tracked him down.
B
Oh, I don't remember.
C
I look over, we're on field, give.
B
Backstory in case people, oh, my daughter.
A
Was born with a club foot. And I knew that it was the Demar Hamlin game and there was the Monday night. And I remember catching up with they were. They walk around the field pre.
C
Hang on one second. I'm standing there on the field. I go, where's Dan? I look, he's holding court with Aikman and Buck. Yeah, it's Dan and Aikman and Buck. And they're going and going and going. I'm like, damn, does not shock me.
A
And we're sitting there, I was like, well, I gotta John Roms also born with a club foot. I talked to him at the PGA Championship about it. And so it's just something I'm passionate about. And obviously when our daughter was born and you think that her foot is facing her, she's never going to walk. And people tell you, oh my gosh, don't worry. Troy Aikman had a club foot and this person had a club foot and they're all grabbed. Mia Ham.
B
What did Joe Ham had a club foot?
A
Yeah. Michelle. Michelle Kwan.
B
And tell the story of what you said to Renee.
A
Oh, yeah, well, like it was a C section. So I'm going the first one to go over and see our daughter. And I was unaware at what babies fresh out the oven look like. And my daughter's foot was turned this way. And so for a split second I was like, maybe that's how all kids are tucked inside the belly. And so I sat there to the nurse and I said, hey, what's up with her foot? And she's like, oh, she's born with a club foot. You didn't know that? And I was like. And I had to walk back to my wife and be like, she's beautiful hair, she's healthy. Her left foot makes a right handed turn. She's still open on the table. And she starts flipping out. And like the doctors from behind the curtain are like, it's going to be fine. Don't worry. She's going to be fine. So one of the names that first came up was Troy Aikman. So they're walking around the field, fast forward a few years later. My daughter's great, running around, everything's great. And I see Joe Buck. We kind of make eye contact and I make the first comment of like, hey, love you on pardon my take, because he always talks about how he goes on there and he said, love.
C
You on Buffalo Plus.
B
Yeah, big fan.
A
And he sits there and he's like, oh, I really like to talk to Troy. He's born with a club foot. So is my daughter. And Buck looks at me and goes, no, he doesn't. I was like, I'm 99% sure that Troy Aikman had a club foot. And he's like, I no, I don't think so. So I'm sitting there trying to explain Troy Aikman to his longtime friend and broadcast partner, and I'm like, he's got a foundation. I, like, looked it up right then and there. I was like, he's got a clubfoot foundation. And so finally.
C
This is so good.
B
I didn't know that.
C
Yeah.
A
He said there. And he's like, oh, Troy, come here, come here. Talk to him about the bracing, the casting that my daughter has gone through. And he goes, back then, they pretty much just broke your foot and set it. And then when it started to regress, they broke it again and set it. So he talks about, obviously the arthritis that he has dealt with in that foot. But it was one of those things where I was like, I'm the guy that told Troy Joe Buck that his broadcast partner was born with a club foot.
C
That was well done. And to the point that on a T shirt, to the point about broadcasters, Troy Aikman just, I think, woke up one day and wanted violence. Right?
B
Yeah.
C
He just goes after everybody, the officials, mahomes for faking falling down. Like, love it. He just is. He just is like, I don't care.
B
Yeah, Love it.
C
It's good. It's good stuff when he's going like that. So.
B
All right. What are you doing for the Super Bowl?
C
I am with family. Oh, we're going to do. Are we going to do quick Credit to me.
B
Sure, go for it.
C
All right, I'm going to say credit to me. I am going to Jersey, be with my family, including Buffalo. Plus subscriber Terry Catalana. My mom, who will be watching the game, she just had a birthday. They're all substantial to all of us.
B
Yes.
C
We'll keep the number to it, but it's a. It's a good number for her.
B
Yeah.
C
And she's doing great. So we will all be watching Go Birds at the game.
B
Yes. All right. Credit to you.
A
Everybody in our house is sick, so credit to all the parents out there that are dealing with this. We went through it during Christmas break. I have a two month old, the one and a half year olds in daycare. Shane, the four year old is in school. We finally, like, got all the. We like, just put the stuff away. We just put the saline spray and the snot suckers and all of that stuff.
B
Repulsive.
A
Just wait, just.
C
She's out now.
B
I'm way out.
A
And so. And then it was like, instantly. And our daughter was coughing last night and now she's been home sick for the last two days. So credit to all the parents out there that are dealing with young kids going through the. Just the. They're just petri dishes coming home with viruses and stuff.
B
Yeah, it's really, really gross. I'm sorry.
A
Just wait.
B
Credit to me. I've been doing a lot of hot yoga. Been dying on the mat. I know. It's been so bad.
C
That's.
B
I like, sweat a lot.
C
He goes from snot suckers, I believe.
B
Is what you said.
A
Yep.
B
I'm doing hot yoga. No, I'm dying.
A
Credit to me. I'm hot.
B
It's so hot in that bleeping room. No, now I'm blushing, but no, it's. It's. We're gonna figure out when we're gonna do the Pilates video for Mike now. It's not gonna be heated. It's not heated, so.
C
Oh, it'll be heated.
A
All right.
B
Yes. Not in the temperature. Not in the temperature, but. So we have plenty more off season.
A
I'll partake to a level.
B
Okay. Oh, great. Okay. And then we're gonna have season superlatives, MVP stuff, best plays of the year. We got some big stuff coming down the pipeline off season, so all of that great stuff, but just wanted to let everyone know that Michael will be. Yep, can't wait.
A
All right, but also let us know if there's anything you guys want to us to do.
B
Yeah.
C
Oh, maybe another hot.
A
Yeah, we were talking about hot ones. I think got a really good reaction. We'd like to do that again. So if there's any other things that you see, like, obviously we watch around other podcasts trying, you know, replicate ideas if there's anything that you guys like.
C
And one last thing. We just did a personal appearance in Rochester right in the beginning of the playoffs. We will be doing one in the spring, into the summer. We're not exactly sure we'll keep you up to date on that, but we will be out and about.
B
Favorite super bowl food? Favorite Super Bowl.
C
Super bowl food.
B
Like, like, we all make, like, pickies. Like.
C
Yeah.
B
You call them pickies.
C
Yes, my mom does too. It'll be pickies. I mean, honestly, I. I'M just. It's. It's nachos. It's chips. I mean, I have a problem. I know I have a problem.
A
I'm a chip. Buffalo chicken and dip.
C
Yeah.
A
With a. But I. I like it when you get, like, the. The French baguette cut up.
B
Oh, that's always a French roll.
C
Oh, yeah.
A
Like, you get the little squares.
B
Yeah.
A
Like the untoasted.
C
Oh, I know what you're talking about. That's pretty good.
B
I like when you get the Italian sub and you cut it up.
A
That's good.
B
And then you have, like, 17 pieces. You're like, yeah.
C
Oh, yeah. We'll have all that Sunday.
B
Okay.
C
It'll be loaded.
B
All right.
A
Will there be lasagna? No.
B
Red sauce. It is Sunday.
C
No, no, no, no. This is full on. We're at my brother's house.
B
Wings pizza. Yeah. Yeah, that's classic.
A
Shout out. Angelo Chandra, my college roommate, he watches the pod. He said he. He just texted me today saying historic Humps was very funny.
C
Yeah.
A
And then he listed why we're the best Bill's podcast.
B
Very sweet. We appreciate that. All right. For Dan and Mike, I'm Jenna. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. Let us know in the comments what you want to see content wise, this offseason. Well, plenty more coverage on the Buffalo plus channel. Thank you so much for watching. We'll catch you next time here on Buffalo plus, presented by Connor's and Ferris.
C
Go Birds.
A
This is the Buffalo plus podcast, brought to you by Connors and Ferris.
Date: February 6, 2025
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
This episode focuses on the Buffalo Bills' near-miss season—how close they were to the Super Bowl, the lessons learned, and the path forward. The team dives deep into the NFL’s enduring officiating controversies, how technology should (but doesn’t always) help, and what changes could make the game better. The show finishes with lively Super Bowl predictions, plenty of fan talk, observations on NFL media chaos, and some relaxed banter (and food favorites) as postseason sets in.
Bills’ fans have reason to feel burned, but need to balance frustration with realism:
Ref talk can veer into conspiracy:
| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------|------------------| | Quick New Orleans/Travel/Food Stories | 01:14–03:04 | | Media Night, Super Bowl Media, NFL Image | 03:38–05:01 | | NFL Officiating, Technology, Reviews | 05:11–15:09 | | Rule Changes Post-Bills Losses | 15:09–17:08 | | Super Bowl Media Credentials Critique | 17:45–20:32 | | Bills' Fan Frustrations | 20:41–21:22 | | What the Bills Need Next | 21:38–28:48 | | “You’re Not One Guy Away” vs. Reality | 30:43–31:53 | | Super Bowl Predictions | 32:18–37:12 | | Media and Broadcaster Personalities | 39:06–44:22 | | Parenting, Real-Life Story (Clubfoot) | 41:07–43:59 | | Super Bowl Food/Party Chatter | 47:26–48:28 |
The episode features candid, conversational back-and-forth, often lighthearted (sports banter, food talk, Bills fandom, and in-jokes), but gives way to sincere, critical analysis during serious NFL topics (officiating, technology, postseason heartbreak). Quotes and insights retain the hosts’ authentic, spontaneous tone, marked by “real fan” passion and locker-room candor.
For more offseason content, the crew encourages fan suggestions and promises continued coverage—and maybe another “Hot Ones” style video in the mix.