Where are THE BILLS as they head to Pittsburgh? URGENCY, injuries and BRANDIN COOKS

Summary

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Buffalo Plus: Where Are THE BILLS as They Head to Pittsburgh? (November 27, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Buffalo Bills’ standing as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers—a pivotal matchup with major playoff implications. Hosts Jenna Cottrell, Mike Catalana, and Dan Fetes analyze the team's sense of urgency, a mounting injury list, and the impact and expectations around signing veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The episode is characterized by candid behind-the-scenes insight, lively banter, and sharp, veteran analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sense of Urgency & Playoff Stakes

• Playoff Position & Must-Win Mentality (01:01–02:44)
  • The Bills currently sit in the last AFC playoff slot.
  • With the division not locked up (unlike previous seasons), every week represents a critical opportunity.
  • The Steelers game is particularly important: both teams are fighting for the same wild card spots, and head-to-head tiebreakers could be decisive.
  • Dan Fetes: “Desperate is probably the wrong word…but there’s a very high sense of urgency knowing where they are.” (02:02)
  • Mike Catalana: “The reality is they’re coming off a bad loss…they need a victory badly, and they’re going on the road, a place they haven’t been that great.” (03:13)

2. Major Injury Concerns (03:13–05:26)

• The Bills have a significant number of starters on the injury report.
  • Dion Dawkins in concussion protocol after not feeling well post-Texans game.
  • Spencer Brown (shoulder), Terrel Bernard, and Dalton Kincaid all missed practice.
  • Mike Catalana (on Dawkins): “He’s always out there. And you already are having an issue on the other tackles…” (04:26)
• The uncertainty on the offensive line is critical with Josh Allen facing a formidable Steelers pass rush starring T.J. Watt.

3. Offensive Line Accountability

• Offensive Line’s Response to Texans Loss (06:18–07:53)
  • David Edwards addresses taking the poor performance personally after Allen was sacked eight times in Houston:
    • David Edwards (06:41): “As a competitor, you never want to have games like that...you want to be able to go back out there and show who you truly are...I know what we’ve proven, and I feel like we’re going to respond the right way.”
  • Edwards’ candidness and accountability are seen as authentic and encouraging by the hosts.

4. Josh Allen’s Mindset & Mental Reset (08:46–10:07)

• After a bruising week, Allen returned refreshed from a trip to Wyoming, which seemed to restore his perspective and confidence.
  • Jenna: “He felt very refreshed in a way I wasn’t expecting.” (09:00)
  • Reflecting on the struggle to balance past successes with the present urgency—this Bills team can’t just “flip the switch” on past glories.

5. Brandin Cooks Signing – Realistic Expectations (11:13–16:13)

• Veteran Brandin Cooks (age 32) was signed to the active roster to address the depleted WR room.
• Mike Catalana: “He’s played for great quarterbacks…He came here because he wanted to play with 17 [Josh Allen].” (12:00)
• Dan Fetes is skeptical, urging caution against overhyping Cooks' impact:
  • “I’m not sold on the weapon that he can be for this offense…this thought that Brandin Cooks is going to save this offense, I think, is a little bit of wishful thinking.” (13:25)
• Jenna adds: “Do I expect him to be a world beater?…No, but I think you say, ‘hey desperate times call for desperate measures. Maybe he’s got something—let’s add him.’” (14:01)
• Mike summarizes: “He doesn’t have to be play in, play out the guy that he was to help this team more than what they currently have on the roster...he might be great in a couple of moments.” (15:43)

6. Wide Receiver Room & Roster Missteps Discussion (17:19–20:47)

• The hosts analyze the Bills’ WR mismanagement:
  • Dan: “The Bills have a bottom five wide receiver room in the NFL, no question…That’s frustrating for me.” (19:19)
  • The Cooks signing is a patch, not a cure: “This is a guy that his best years…are behind him. And maybe it is to you, too...that’s where I feel like I was speechless.” (20:39)
• Discussion weaves in the failed Elijah Moore experiment and laments the lack of long-term solutions.

7. What Brandin Cooks Brings—Direct from Cooks (22:40–23:19)

• Brandin Cooks:
  • “First and foremost, jump in here and be the best teammate I could possibly be…But at the end of the day, come out here and remind people…that I’m still the playmaker—and that’s my expectation.” (22:46)
  • “Where’s your speed? It ain’t left. It hasn’t left. I can tell you that much…when my number’s called, show up.” (23:09)
• The hosts discuss the "why not" nature of Cooks’ signing amidst injury uncertainty and low expectations from the rest of the WR group.

8. Practice Observations & Urgency Reflected in Actions (24:34–25:15)

• After practice, more Bills players than usual spent extra time on the field—a tangible signal of the team’s urgency and effort to improve.

9. Players to Watch vs Steelers (26:44–29:31)

• Mike: Center Connor McGovern—his role is more critical than ever with an uncertain OL.
• Dan: Dawson Knox & Ty Johnson—for their essential contributions to pass protection, especially chipping on edge rushers.
• Jenna: DE Greg Rousseau—highlighted for elite pressure rates but needing to finish plays.
• All agree the Steelers' offense is predictable, but the Bills must execute.

10. Food & Football Analogies (31:26)

• Mike Catalana creatively likens the current Bills WR room to pumpkin pie: “It sounds good...but it only is out there, like, at a holiday. No one really chooses this at other times...people get excited until they taste the pumpkin pie, and then they go, okay, give me something else.” (31:26)

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Memorable Quotes

• Dan Fetes (On Cooks signing): “As I’ve said before, you can hope in one hand and shit in another and see which one fills up first.” (13:38)
• Mike Catalana (On Brandin Cooks): “He has 10,000 yards in his career. He is an accomplished player. He doesn’t have to be play in, play out the guy that he was…he might be great in a couple of moments.” (15:50)
• David Edwards (Bills OL): “You want to be able to go back out there and show who you truly are…I don’t feel like that [Houston game] was really a reflection of who we are.” (06:41)
• Brandin Cooks: “It ain’t left, it hasn’t left [his speed]. I can tell you that much.” (23:09)
• Jenna Cottrell: “You talk about urgency…having the players get some extra work in while we’re around, I think that’s important. That’s more than I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks.” (24:57)
• Dan Fetes: “The Bills have a bottom five wide receiver room in the NFL, no question. Think about that.” (19:19)
• Mike Catalana (Pumpkin pie analogy): “People get excited until they taste the pumpkin pie, and then they go, okay, give me something else…That’s the way I’ve looked at this room the whole time.” (31:26)

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Important Timestamps

• Urgency & Playoff Stakes – 01:01–02:44
• Injury Updates & Concerns – 03:13–05:26
• Offensive Line’s Response – 06:18–07:53
• Josh Allen’s Reset – 08:46–10:07
• Brandin Cooks Discourse – 11:13–16:13
• Brandin Cooks – Direct Quotes – 22:40–23:19
• Post-Practice Urgency – 24:34–25:15
• Player of the Week Predictions – 26:44–29:31
• Pumpkin Pie WR Room Analogy – 31:26

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Tone & Dynamics

The episode is a blend of frank critique, inside-the-building reporting, personal anecdotes, and Bills fandom—punctuated by playful jabs and self-aware humor. There's exasperation with injury luck and roster missteps but a shared sense of guarded hope that “experience” and “urgency” could spark some late-season magic.

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Quick Takeaways for Non-Listeners

• The Bills-Steeelers matchup is essentially a playoff game for Buffalo’s wild card hopes.
• Injuries, especially at tackle, may be a decisive factor.
• The Brandin Cooks signing brings veteran steadiness but not a magic fix.
• The offensive line is taking responsibility and vowing a response.
• Josh Allen’s mental reset bodes well, but the team needs tangible improvement fast.
• The WR room is one of the weakest in the league; Cooks is a patch, not a solution.
• Expect a gritty, tight game defined by urgency, role players, and in-game adjustments.

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Transcript

[Dan Fates]

I was speechless yesterday. Not anymore. I got takes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Lucky us.

[Mike Catalan]

Lucky.

[Dan Fates]

This is the Buffalo Podcast.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Welcome back to the Buffalo Podcast. Mike Catalan and Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe, and share. All right, we are not in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio, but we are here in the the building. In the building in Orchard Park. Mike, we're going to talk about it. The injuries, the urgency. We're going to talk about Brandon Cooks being in Buffalo. Daniel here has a ton of hot takes. So I can only imagine what we're in store for today.

[Mike Catalan]

Simmering like the food for Thanksgiving for everybody. It's just the stuffing. Everything ready to go?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, you definitely want to have stuffing. Simmering.

[Mike Catalan]

I guess it doesn't.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, probably. Gravy. Yeah, it's okay.

[Mike Catalan]

That's what I meant. Gravy. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. By the way.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Healthy, happy, all that great stuff.

[Mike Catalan]

I don't.

[Dan Fates]

We're thankful for you.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm just saying we are very thankful for you. Okay, let's get into the urgency piece because I thought that was pretty interesting. We've heard it all season long, but now we're getting into late November. December's around the corner. This team needs to start winning games.

[Mike Catalan]

All you got to do is look at the standings. And I know these guys. Sometimes we'll talk about a game at a time and all those things come on. At some point, you know, you know where you are. They're in the last playoff spot now they're playing a team that they may be battling for a playoff spot. They got to get head to head wins. Like, we can sit there and say it's week to week. Yes. If you keep winning games, then that sounds fine. When you've lost a few, it puts you in a spot. They need more of that, especially on the road, especially with what they're facing this week with their own internal issues.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, desperate is probably the wrong word. And I think maybe the question was kind of posed like, are you a desperate team? Or things like that. That was kind of the mood around at least the media today. And Sean kind of said it's more urgency.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

You know, we know where we are. Josh said it too. There's a very high sense of urgency knowing where they are. And Sean being like, we're in it and it's fun to be in it. I tweeted that out. People didn't seem to like that. But Sean, understanding, like, this is different than years past because most of the time this year the division's locked up. That is not the case this year. Now it is battling for wild card spot. And like you said, Mike, this game in Pittsburgh feels very must win. Not in the sense of it feels must win because it's also big for tiebreaker in seating and all of those things.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I would say because you're going.

[Dan Fates]

You're going head to head against Pittsburgh.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

For wild card spots.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. You look at just the way you said it, this a must win.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I didn't save my chest. That wasn't a take. I got other ones.

[Mike Catalan]

He's got other takes. And of course it is the one advantage the Bills have. Like they have beaten Baltimore, they have beaten Kansas City. Kansas City doesn't seem to have the advantage over anybody in terms of head to head, I guess except the Colts who could fall out of the division lead. Right. That could happen. So all of those things are important as we progress. But come on, the reality is they're coming off a bad loss. They're 7 and 4. They need a victory badly and they're going on the road a place they.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Haven'T been that great and a place that they've obviously struggled on the road. Just in general, we talked about the stat of 11 and 12 since 2023 when on the road. I think injuries are another important part of this because once again today was a longer injury report. Something note. Dion Dawkins did not practice today. He is now in concussion protocol. You he was cleared during the game against the Texans and then later on.

[Mike Catalan]

Dr. Mike I said do you guys know I talked to him and I just felt like I know the way Deion is. I probably talked to him after just about every game and he just didn't seem the same. And then people commented on plays during the game or where he wasn't right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And he penalty at the end of.

[Mike Catalan]

The penalty at the end of the game. Reasons not excuses. But I didn't think he seemed right. Just because you get checked and cleared that doesn't necessarily blame the doctors. It is not agreed an exact science when they're trying to determine correct. He got up the next day much like AJ Epanessa did in the Kansas City game and he just wasn't right. I'm going to tell you this is we're recording this on Wednesday afternoon. I don't know where he is going to be if he's not out on the field. Unlike Max Hairston with a concussion who.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Was out there limited today.

[Mike Catalan]

Max had a concussion in that game. Deion doesn't miss games.

[Dan Fates]

Nope.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He really missed.

[Mike Catalan]

He's missed what, two in 2022. He missed two, I think due to injury came out of the Detroit game. And I think he was either one or two at that point. He's always out there. And you already are having an issue on the other tackles.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Let me say Spencer Brown dealing with a shoulder injury. Terrell Bernard did not practice today. Dalton Kincaid did not practice as well.

[Dan Fates]

Asked if Kincaid there was a possibility of him playing, I, I think Sean said we'll see about every single player, whether it was about an IR stint or anything like that, but hopefully you get Kincaid back as a possibility. Sean was asked about it, said we'll see.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I mean, it's so tough because. And look, I totally get it at this point in the season, there are injuries that stack up on every single team. But it feels like for this Bills team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, a lot of starters. And now looking at the offensive side of the ball, the questions of will Deion be ready? Will Spencer Brown be ready? We already know Dalton Kincaid's not looking likely at this moment on Wednesday. Those are some big name guys on this team.

[Mike Catalan]

Well, and to go back to the point of when you're talking about Deion and Spencer Brown and I know a lot of you guys are down on the offensive line, I mean, they have not been as good maybe this year, there's still a damn good offensive line.

[Dan Fates]

Absolutely.

[Mike Catalan]

And they had a rough day. But we're talking about Josh Allen being protected against T.J. watt and a Steelers team that should be better at rushing the passer. And you're talking about the two tackles. Like I said, the Bills don't normally play that way. This puts a lot of pressure on whatever they decide to do. And you know Ryan Vandermark and you know, we'll see who ends up.

[Dan Fates]

Tyler.

[Mike Catalan]

Tyler, maybe you know Alec Anderson. Alec Anderson. Right. All of these guys in the mix to see who plays. That is very big coming into this game because we're not talking about just like a pass catcher or a running back. We're talking about the guys who protect Josh and. And Josh took a beating last week, especially last week.

[Dan Fates]

We talked to David Edwards today. We don't normally talk to him.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Great talker, phenomenal.

[Dan Fates]

And he gave some perspective about being a competitor in handling that Texans game where again, you were critical. The national media was critical. Demo Ryan's was even critical, saying, can't believe that they just put it all on Josh's plate and only blocked with five. Here's what David Edwards had to say about that game and bouncing back.

[David Edwards]

Yeah, I mean, I. As a competitor, you never want to. You never want to have games like that.

[Mike Catalan]

Right.

[David Edwards]

You always want to put your best foot forward. You always want to have. You know, we talk about, you know, competitive excellence and toughness here, and when you're faced with a good defense and a good front, like, you want to put your best foot forward at all times. And so just as a competitor, you want to be able to go back out there and show what. Who you truly are. I don't feel like that was really a reflection of who we are. And they. And certainly you got to give a lot of credit to the Texans and those players. They got a great scheme and they got great players, but I know what we're capable of. I know what we've proven, and I feel like we're going to respond the right way.

[Dan Fates]

That was the first time we've heard somebody be like, it wasn't acceptable, but that's not us. And that we feel we will respond.

[Mike Catalan]

And they took it personally.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It felt like a real answer.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Sometimes. And I get it.

[Dan Fates]

Especially after a game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Immediate reaction. We got to be better. We got to look at the tape. That's not us. But it felt like he's like, yeah, we are better than that. It sucks, Josh. Yeah. It felt like there was actual perspective in there, which I understand not every player has the time right after a game to do that, but it felt authentic in that way.

[Dan Fates]

Take the offensive line. Taking it personally when Josh gets hit, sacked eight times, hit 12, and that kind of thing. Mike, you were kind of talking about it with him, and his answer was, we know not how much Josh's means to the team, but to this organization and to the city of Buffalo. Like, that was one of those things. Like, we kind of let a lot. We let this area down with our performance in Houston. And again, the Texans are a really good defensive line. You don't need me to say that, like, that is legit, but maybe that wasn't.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who.

[Dan Fates]

A bad day paired with a bad plan. Plan against a really good defense is a recipe for that kind of a game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Game. Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

I mean, I would say this. If somehow they matched up with the Texans again, it would be a really tough matchup. This offensive line would play better. I think the plan would be different. I think they would approach it on a more holistic way of. It doesn't matter how you get the protection done. You got to get it done.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We Will talk about Brandon Cooks in a second. But we also got to hear from Josh Allen today, who was on the injury report, but a full participant. Soreness.

[Dan Fates]

General soreness.

[Jenna Cottrell]

General soreness.

[Mike Catalan]

He was in the Civil War, wasn't he?

[Dan Fates]

General soreness.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do think that's funny. But we got to hear from Josh after practice and I was genuinely. He was. He felt very refreshed in a way I wasn't expecting.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

He talked about the weekend. Going back to Wyoming and Laramie was kind of that, that reset.

[Mike Catalan]

I'm just hitting on all of them. I said that to you the other day. I think that was big.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You say a lot.

[Mike Catalan]

I was. Come on.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, about it.

[Mike Catalan]

I said that I thought him going back to Wyoming, just listening to the way he talked to that team about that.

[Dan Fates]

He embraced the way that he felt after a loss.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You know, I think it gave him.

[Mike Catalan]

Perspective, though maybe he didn't have it until he watched us say that on the Buffalo.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Maybe not.

[Dan Fates]

He likes comments and subscribes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We already know that. Yeah. But I do think that that offered him the chance to look back at everything he has accomplished in his career, which has been a lot because I think his confidence understandably might have been just a little bit shaken, in my opinion. I know you're going to say he's Josh Bleep and Allen and I believe in all that, but I think for him it was a moment to a take a step back, be with the people he loves and see remind him of what football means to him and the incredible player that he is.

[Dan Fates]

It's funny because I look at this too as we look at the playoff picture, the big urgency and all these kind of things and if the Bills didn't have that past and the AFC Championship games, the last five AFC east titles, the last five years and all these things. And you were just to look at this season, the Bills are in with the Jaguars, they're in with those middle of the Chargers where you're going, hey, they got a lot of strengths but their weaknesses are costing them. And that's where it's, it's weird where it's like if you the Men in Black and they erased your mind and you looked at it just this season like they're not a division leading team, they haven't played good enough to be that. And so that's where it's weird where you're trying to think about the past, the good moments and what this team has been able to do and people, you know, talk about, well, in 2023 they were 6 and 6 and all this stuff, but it's different. And David Edwards even said we look at every year differently and how we. We stack up. And you can't always sit back and rest on the laurels of what you did in the past and. And thinking that you're going to flip the switch and all of a sudden be this team.

[Mike Catalan]

But the difference between the Bills and those teams is Josh Allen.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Mike Catalan]

And the reason this team needs to prioritize keeping him upright and trying to get him some help. And I know we're going to talk about that in a minute. By the way, can I add one other thing? I try to take credit sometimes. I'm just not as good at it as you are.

[Dan Fates]

You're not.

[Mike Catalan]

I mean, I just.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No one is as good at it.

[Mike Catalan]

Like, I don't get separation. Right. I really don't. I try to say it, and then I'm trying to pat myself.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Are we gonna have to bench you?

[Mike Catalan]

I don't know. You're just so good at it.

[Dan Fates]

I'll coach you up.

[Mike Catalan]

All right. Thanks.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You haven't missed meetings, so there's that.

[Mike Catalan]

That's true.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, let's talk wide receiver. Obviously, Brandon Cooks signed by the Bills to the active roster. Y. You got to. You got to have a moment.

[Mike Catalan]

He was great. I thought he was great. Well, I had a moment talking to him like this. See, I relate to the veteran players he's been around.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's 32.

[Mike Catalan]

He's seen some shit, right? He has.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It is pretty remarkable when you look at all the places he's played.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah. And he's played for great quarterbacks. He's played for Breeze. He's played for Brady, Played for Dak a little bit, though he ended up because Dak was hurt. One of those years. He's been around this league, and he's got good perspective. He came here because he wanted to play with 17. Yep. That's what he said. I mean, that's. Come on. When you're looking around this league and it's a team that. I don't know if you've heard any of this that might have a need for a player to step in, maybe. All right, here it is.

[Dan Fates]

Well, no, I thought social media was incredible yesterday. The people that in. Hats off. And I don't know them off the top of my head, like the accounts, but them tweeting out, you're good. The Brandon Cooks catching passes from Drew Brees being like, I can't believe the NFL let Josh Allen have this guy. And Then to read the comments, people are like, yes, Drew Brees from 2009, he's like, that's the joke. And my thing yesterday, and if you watch the emergency pod, I didn't. I was speechless and I'm not against. And I ended up getting in Twitter fights yesterday. It shocking. It wasn't about the fact of why not? Because you're right, why not? I'm just not sold on the weapon that he can be for this offense. That's where I have the disconnect where it's like people are saying, well he could do this, he could do this. As I've said before, you can hope in one hand and shit in another and see which one fills up first. So this thought that Brandon Cooks is going to save this offense, I think is a little bit of wishful thinking. I think you have to be realistic for what this piece is for the offense. That's what I don't think I explained well when I said I had no words and I really had no care about the signing because I think it's kind of a non factor. Could it be something. I'd love to be proven wrong in this case, Somebody goes watch him go out and catch two touchdowns on Sunday. That would be great. I would love to be Colt takes exposed again for something like that. I just am not going to sit there and every time the Bills sign somebody because it's Josh Allen, have this rose, you know, rose colored sunglasses and go watch this guy go now. Yeah, I just don't think that's the case.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do think that's a little bit of a straw man because I don't think people were saying that he's going to completely change. And if they, and if they were, then I don't think their opinion matters, if that makes sense. Because where this team is at, the limitations on this roster and the limitations of what can be added to it at this moment, it makes sense to sign Brandon Cooks. Do I expect him to be a world beater light that set the world on fire, any of those things? No, but I think you say, hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. Maybe he's got something, let's add him.

[Mike Catalan]

I'm with you on that. I. I think anybody. And look, we go on social media, there's somebody who thinks he's gonna be at 200 yards in the game.

[Dan Fates]

Hey, Saints didn't use him correctly. You know that. That's what. That's a. Look who's throwing in the ball. Yeah, there's a lot of that, right?

[Mike Catalan]

Those are also contributing factors. There's somebody out there that's going to sign Elijah Moore and say the Bills didn't use him properly. And I don't care if he had Josh Allen. They weren't throwing him the ball. He wasn't activated. There may be something to that. Right. We'll see what he does in another place. I think there's something in between here. I don't believe he solves all problems. I think you are playing in a series of huge games. Huge games are about big moments. And there is nothing preventing a guy with his experience in this league to go out there and make a big play. Trent Sherfield had a chance to make a big play in a game. Nobody thought of him as some kind of great player. MVS with the Bills does nothing. Makes two huge plays for the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. I'm just saying, with this guy's experience, he doesn't have to catch 10 balls for 120 yards, but he damn well could make that one play in a key game. That could be Sunday. It could be in Foxborough. It could be whatever. I have more confidence in him to be able to do it based on his history than I do in Tyrell Shavers or maybe even Gabe Davis. Those guys. He's got Keon. This man has 10,000 yards in his career. He is an accomplished player. He doesn't have to be play in, play out the guy that he was to help this team more than what they currently have on the roster. That's all I'm saying. You have to be great. He might be great in a couple of moments.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I agree with some of your points. I will interject. Very wrong about mbs. Very wrong. Right hand up if you've been on this channel long enough. Thought last year he would lead the Bills in receiving yards. Bad take. I was spot on about Elijah Moore. Insert clip.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's so good.

[Dan Fates]

Insert clip here. They haven't talked about Elijah Moore on Hard Knocks. Not that Hard Knocks makes sense.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hamler is just like, magnetic in front of a camera.

[Dan Fates]

I'm just saying. I. I just. I'm waiting.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Do you think they cut him?

[Dan Fates]

I'd lean towards yes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Really?

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

This is also coming from a guy hand up. That was never on the Elijah Moore hype train in the beginning. I never understood it for a guy that. And let me just say this, too. This is whenever we.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who's a hater.

[Dan Fates]

No, no, no. But whenever we talk about, oh, Elijah Morris had bad quarterback play. Right. That's what we hear A lot. Hey, give him with Josh Allen now. He's going to be great. Garrett Wilson was still pretty damn good with the same quarterback.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Jerry Judy. Jerry Judy had a massive year last year with the same quarterback. So don't always blame the quarterback for wide receiver production. It's the cop out way where I'm sitting there going, if you're really good, you make plays.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I hear you. I, I definitely hear that. I think, can two things be true where you want more out of your quarterback play, but also it's on Elijah Moore to make the plays to make up for the fact that his quarterbacks before this have been less talented.

[Dan Fates]

If, if the offense, if nobody caught passes and they were, you know, there was both of those wide receiver rooms that he was in weren't very good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No.

[Dan Fates]

And some guys balled out and Elijah Moore didn't. And that's why he's on his third team. And whatever I, I hear hand up again, this is just coming from a guy that was never on the, the hype train. I was never on the Elijah Moore hype train.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I will give you credit. You were not.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah, I was.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

I don't think that train had a lot of people did it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No. I feel like that's, that's. I, I do think that's revisionist.

[Mike Catalan]

Did we ever say it?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do think that was a bit of revisionist history.

[Dan Fates]

The bill, he was a second round pick. You know, he was. Look at who his quarterbacks were.

[Jenna Cottrell]

See, I stand in the middle, but it's because there's a. I see both sides.

[Dan Fates]

Like, this was the thing where people. And that was.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You were gaslighting him.

[Dan Fates]

That was such a gaslight.

[Mike Catalan]

Well, you were very excited. The poor man just got out of the building.

[Dan Fates]

Apparently he was liking tweets that they weren't using him correctly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I did see that.

[Mike Catalan]

He probably feels like that he's gonna have a chip on his shoulder going to the next place.

[Dan Fates]

He was the guy that asked out of New York and they were like, oh, he's going to come in here and be a. He's going to be a great teammate. What's the expression? Lion doesn't change his stripes. Like.

[Mike Catalan]

Well, leopard doesn't change his spots.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, that's it. Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

By the way, I'm, I'm not critical of you for saying that. I just thought as the year went on, I didn't have very many expectations for Elijah boy.

[Dan Fates]

But in the beginning, when he was signed, in the beginning, right after Bean said, hey, guys, bitching about a Wide receiver.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

The dumbest thing ever. Signs Elijah Moore the next day. Like, this is where they're at. The Bills have a bottom five wide receiver room in the NFL, no question. Think about that. And we talked about it on the Buffalo plus show that airs on tv, but Brandon Beane said it was a transition year when they moved on from Stefan Diggs two years ago, and it was the signing of Keon Coleman and they brought in Matt Collins and they didn't really improve it. So that's where it's frustrating to sit here and be struggling offensively. Is there anybody behind me?

[Jenna Cottrell]

No.

[Dan Fates]

Okay. And sit there and go. There are a wide receiver room that's along with the Raiders, the Titans, the Browns and other bad teams. If you can name five worst wide receiver rooms, drop them in the comments below. But I really don't think you can. And that's frustrating for me. So when there's the idea of bringing in Brandon Cooks and saying, well, why not? I guess I'm still just frustrated as the situation that I'm in. So that's where that probably clouds my judgment of looking at it objectively when I'm going, how the bleep did we get here in the first place? That in week 13 or 12, we're signing this?

[Jenna Cottrell]

13. Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

That's what's frustrating me. That's where I'm left speechless, where everybody's going, hey, you know, this might work. It might work. I'm not saying it can't, but this is a guy that his best years, Mike, to all that you say are behind him.

[Mike Catalan]

Oh, no question. So years I'm talking about. I mean, the bar is low.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

And that's what's frustrating to me.

[Mike Catalan]

Oh, no doubt.

[Dan Fates]

And maybe it is to you, too. And, like, that's where I feel like I was speechless, where I'm trying to compartmentalize the impact he can have while also realizing the spot that they're in with an offense that is trudging along in a passing game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's funny because Josh was saying after practice, like his coach Bull had a saying, like, you dance with whom brought you and Josh, like, talking about, like, where this. This team needs to be in this.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But that to me is not exactly a positive connotation. Like, do you know what I'm saying?

[Mike Catalan]

Is he. Was he referencing, like, just like the.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Offense in general, like, you dance with who brought you. Which to me, I'm kind of like.

[Dan Fates]

Said that before, too.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He has said that before. But I just. To me, I was like, huh, I don't know if I would take that.

[Mike Catalan]

In, like, if you're talking about getting.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Back to as a woman. If it's like, well, I'm gonna dance with you because I brought. You'd be like, well, I want you. If you don't want to dance with me. Yeah, exactly.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Honey, do you want to go somewhere? If you want me to. No, I want you to want to.

[Mike Catalan]

Yes. I would say that it's about go. Go to what your strengths are. What has gotten this team there. The problem was those strengths have been gone this year, certainly in that type of passing game. And so, look, they're flailing a bit. Right. When you're talking about bringing Gabe up from the practice squad, signing Nicole Hardman, and now bringing in Brandon Cooks.

[Dan Fates]

So I was a little mari Cooperish.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Except you're getting him in December was a treat.

[Mike Catalan]

That makes it even worse. You are getting him in December. So it is spot duty. It is. Get him out on the field. I did talk to him a little bit. I think he believes, and Josh even mentioned it. The guy's got the playbook already. He's a veteran. He's been around a lot. They would give him a package of plays, whether it's for this week because you're not holding on. What are you waiting for, another week? I think he's probably going to play.

[Dan Fates]

I agree.

[Mike Catalan]

So we don't know about Keon. We don't know about anybody else.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do think I'm trending more towards Keon playing, especially with Elijah Moore being cut.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. And hear a quick sound bite of what Brandon Cooks had to say about what he expects to bring to the Bills.

[Brandon Cooks]

You know, obviously, first and foremost, jump in here and be the best teammate I could possibly be. You feel that around here. That's what I'm about, Right? Be a leader. But at the end of the day, come out here and remind people around this league that I'm still the playmaker, and that's my expectation. Go out there, make plays, be the best teammate I could possibly be, and let everything else take care of itself.

[Mike Catalan]

Everybody talks about your speed. Where's your speed? I mean, where?

[Brandon Cooks]

It ain't left, it hasn't left. I can tell you that much. But, you know, at the end of day, not going to talk too much about that. Just going to continue to sharpen my blade, and my number's called show up.

[Dan Fates]

Where's that speed, Mike? Where's that? That's a. That was a Dan Patrick question.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah, I know.

[Dan Fates]

Where's that speed? It ain't left.

[Mike Catalan]

It ain't left. That's what he said. So good for him. And. And it's all relative in terms of, like, if you timed him in the 40, maybe he was. I don't even know what his fastest time was. 4.3. Whatever it was, maybe he's 4.4.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. But Sean said he had good speed and knows how to use it in the position. He said some players are fast. They're not good wide receivers. He said he's a nice balance of both.

[Mike Catalan]

He does play prominently on the outside. Hallelujah. Somebody who knows that position and isn't being pushed out there. So I guess that's a positive. His experience is a positive.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Why? Why not?

[Mike Catalan]

The question is, is Josh gonna have time to throw Sunday? You know what I mean? Like, it's gonna be. Get the ball out of his hands.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

I think you're gonna see some screen passes Sunday. Be ready.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I mean, that's.

[Dan Fates]

The Bills offense is a mesh.

[Mike Catalan]

That's good.

[Dan Fates]

Now.

[Mike Catalan]

I said it, but Dan stole it. He did it so effortlessly.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, it's so good.

[Mike Catalan]

I have so much I can learn from Dan. I really can.

[Dan Fates]

Hall of Famer, the future, learning from me. Learn from the hot take king.

[Mike Catalan]

He's so good at it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay. Anything else? Oh, we should do player of the week, but anything before we get to that?

[Dan Fates]

Oh, a little bit about Keon. He was running routes with Josh after practice. I thought that was a little bit of an encouraging sign. Josh said he hasn't lost any faith in him. Whenever his number's called. You talked to him for a little bit. I saw. Watched the interview. He seems very matter of fact. Just nothing I can control.

[Mike Catalan]

Just gotta get out there. So we'll see.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do wanna know. You mentioned the after practice work. I felt like there. We saw a lot of players out here.

[Dan Fates]

It did feel very much.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It felt like. And I like to see that we talk about urgency and what this team has talked about, having the players get some extra work in while we're around. I think that's important. That's more than I've seen in the last couple of weeks now. We're not always in the building, so I don't want to discredit the work that is done after practice normally, but that was something to note from today.

[Mike Catalan]

You know what's wild, I was thinking about, we're at training camp at St. John Fisher in July and they're talking about reps and the important reps and we gotta get reps here and Reps there. And now here we are sitting at the biggest games of the year, and the guys taking the most important reps may end up being guys like Jordan Poyer. Right. Gabe Davis.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Shaq Lawson.

[Mike Catalan]

Shaq Lawson. Like, this is just the way it goes. And you mentioned it briefly, I want to say injuries for this team. Yes. There could be some of the stuff with the. With the soft tissue and all. They've had a lot of other injuries. Knees, elbows, shoulders, concussions.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Sorry, we just were naming head, shoulders, shoulders and toes.

[Mike Catalan]

You're going to sing this song. So, you know, that's not about the training staff. They can't do anything about a poor player getting a concussion. And it is a violent game. And things do happen sometimes. So hopefully we'll get a more of an update on some of these players as the week goes on.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right. We had Picasso's pizza today.

[Dan Fates]

Delicious.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Really tastes very good. Yeah, I love the pizza. The cup and char.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

The corner piece.

[Mike Catalan]

It was a corner.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Good change up, too, before Thanksgiving.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah. You went back for seconds.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So did Dan.

[Dan Fates]

I did.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Don't be clocking my eyes.

[Dan Fates]

There wasn't a green fish sitting right next to me.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, I did get a salad.

[Dan Fates]

Didn't even touch it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I actually ate the salad.

[Mike Catalan]

I said to you, fake salad on the.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But I actually. I've been trying to eat the real salad.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Sometimes I just use it for decoration.

[Mike Catalan]

Can I go first on the Picasso's.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Player of the week?

[Mike Catalan]

I'm going. Connor McGovern. His job is so, so, so important. It's always important as a center, but to get this line ready, we don't know as we're recording this. I guess it could be Deion and Spencer Brown. I don't think maybe either one of them play, but we will see. He's going to have guys who either aren't used to playing them any snaps or certainly maybe even out of position, depending on who plays there in a loud environment and with a tough defense, at least defensive line that can get after it, even though they haven't been great. You know, TJ Watt is out there, so I think McGovern's got a lot on his plate for Sunday.

[Dan Fates]

Go ahead.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, okay.

[Dan Fates]

Go ahead.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Go ahead. I was thinking while Mike was talking.

[Dan Fates]

I got it then. Okay, I got two. So I'll give half one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay. Wait, offense, defense. Both, both.

[Dan Fates]

Offense.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Both offense. Okay.

[Dan Fates]

Dawson Knox.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Ooh, Ooh. Okay.

[Dan Fates]

And Ty Johnson. Both of those guys are going to have to do a little bit more in pass protection. Those are going to have to be the guys that are staying in to chip T.J. watt and those edge rushers and that pass rush, which again, I don't think the Steelers are that good at times. They have been very mediocre at best on their pass rush. But without both tackles, I think there's going to be an added effort by Joe Brady to give help to whoever is starting a tackle in that game. So I think it's going to be Dawson Knox as well as Ty Johnson getting a lot of snaps because he is a better pass protector than James Cook.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, my player. I'll go the other side of the ball. I'll do your boy Greg Russo. Do we know numbers are good?

[Dan Fates]

Pandering to the boss.

[Mike Catalan]

Numbers are good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What is he gonna give me a raise?

[Mike Catalan]

No, I just think fourth in pressure rate. He's tied with Micah Parsons. Fourth in the league.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

So the Catalanalytics.

[Jenna Cottrell]

This is.

[Mike Catalan]

I'm just reading it on the Internet.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So Greg has had. Seriously. So I saw that tweet Mike showed me. It pointed it out to me, then pointed out to me again. But let's see some.

[Mike Catalan]

This is why she was going back.

[Jenna Cottrell]

With that pizza to deal with that. But we know Greg. I just want to see some of the finishing on these plays. Do we know if it's. Is it going to be Mason Rudolph? Is it going to be Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday here? We don't know.

[Mike Catalan]

But either way, Rogers is like not today.

[Dan Fates]

I so Classic Rogers.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

This is. I'm going to blow up my Achilles and I'll be back in four months.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Let me throw passes on the sidelines before a game.

[Mike Catalan]

I think he plays.

[Dan Fates]

I don't think he plays.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, I don't think he plays either.

[Dan Fates]

And I also don't think it matters. I think they run the same exact offense and the quarterback level is very even at this point in Rodgers career.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm not willing to say that. I think you get. There is obviously more of an upside with Rodgers. It's just some of the pace, some of the throws. But you're. I hear you where at this level in his career, it's obviously a step down from what he's been.

[Dan Fates]

The Bills and Joe Brady have been criticized a lot this season for their predictability. If you think the Bills offense is predictable, the Steelers are like hold my beer because I'll say right now, first play of the game is a dive for two yards. Then they're going to run a toss to the outside that's going to go for three yards. It's going to be third and five. They're going to throw a pass to the tight end, whichever one in the.

[Mike Catalan]

Flat, 2 yards short of the first.

[Dan Fates]

Game, it's going to be four yards, and it's a matter of if he's tackled before the sticks or if he gets the first down.

[Mike Catalan]

And then what do they do on fourth down?

[Dan Fates]

They punt. Like, this is a two yard, a three yard and a four yard play and a punt on opening series.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I think you do have to give. When you look at. Because you know that Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott. They went to college. They went to college.

[Dan Fates]

Next you're going to tell me Fitz was at Harvard.

[Mike Catalan]

No, he was.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Unbelievable stuff. But I think Sean has done a good job of evolving.

[Dan Fates]

Chris Hogan played the cross, and as.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Soon as you said Fitzpatrick, Harvard, I'm like, damn it, I need.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, I couldn't think of the next one. It's Chris Hogan.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But that being said, I think you got to give credit to Sean. You've seen him evolve on fourth down in particular, whereas you see Tomlin a lot of times.

[Dan Fates]

A lot of times. Forever.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Decades.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

He loves to punt the ball.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I was being generous.

[Dan Fates]

Why?

[Mike Catalan]

Oh, I forgot my analogy. Can I put my analogy in?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

The Bill's wide receiver room. And this is perfect for tomorrow or Thursday, whenever you're watching. This is like pumpkin pie. Oh, it sounds good in theory when it's out there, but it only is out there, like at a holiday. No one really chooses this at other times. So when I look at their wide receiver room, people go, oh, Elijah Moore. And I'm saying, oh, Brandon cooks.

[Dan Fates]

Curtis Samuel.

[Mike Catalan]

Oh, pumpkin pie. 350 other days of the year, you wouldn't be out.

[Dan Fates]

So choosing that turkey.

[Mike Catalan]

Right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Actually, that might be better.

[Mike Catalan]

Well, I was only thinking pumpkin pie because there's many pies that are better than pumpkin pie.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All of them.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah. But on Thursday, somebody's gonna come in, oh, I got the pumpkin pie. Everybody gets excited until they taste the pumpkin pie, and then they go, okay, give me something else the next time. That's the way I've looked at this room the whole time. It's like people, oh, well, Keon. Oh, well, maybe he'll fit.

[Dan Fates]

Is that your base baseball analogy, too? No, you said you had a baseball analogy.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, he said he had a food analogy.

[Mike Catalan]

Food, food, food.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That was the food.

[Mike Catalan]

So if you want to go with turkey. Like turkey. Yes. Maybe that's. That's probably more optimistic. But I was thinking pumpkin pie because everyone's gonna get excited about it on Thursday, and then you got to fill it up with other stuff to make it good. Yeah, like whipped cream or something.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Cinnamon on top.

[Mike Catalan]

Like next Tuesday. Are you ordering pumpkin pie?

[Jenna Cottrell]

I don't even eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.

[Mike Catalan]

Okay, so there you go.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Chocolate pie.

[Mike Catalan]

Sorry, I'm not even as good at the analogies. I am struggling today.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, my gosh. All right.

[Dan Fates]

My day yesterday saved all my words.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We want to remind people to, like, comment, subscribe, and share. And then also, if you need a gift for this upcoming holiday season, check out the Buffalo plus store. Buffaloplus store dot com.

[Mike Catalan]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Got some really cool stuff with Starter. A collab. We have some great. We had the letterman jacket that I wore. A lot of people were a fan of. That's also up there.

[Dan Fates]

We are on Snapchat. No, I was gonna say we are.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's like, we are.

[Dan Fates]

We are on Tick Tock.

[Mike Catalan]

Tick Tock.

[Dan Fates]

Instagram.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Twitter as well. Yeah.

[Mike Catalan]

Insta Face.

[Dan Fates]

Because when we mentioned that the one day we got a ton of new followers on the Tick Tock. So be sure to.

[Mike Catalan]

How about the Instagram that Dan controls?

[Jenna Cottrell]

We both don't have access.

[Dan Fates]

That leads me segue into shout out to Ramon. There have been a lot.

[Mike Catalan]

Is he gonna help us get the Instagram account going?

[Dan Fates]

People DM us on the Instagram account and it goes into, like, the request folder so you don't see the notifications. We went back, like, a few months ago. Somebody wanted us to do a gender reveal for their kids. Yeah, terrible. Another people, they listen in somewhere in between Spain and another country, and they're like, we love you guys. My wife's from Buffalo. We're coming in. Do you guys have a live show this upcoming? Messaged him. He sent me a voice memo back this morning. So shout out to Ramon. We'll try and get something together. Yeah. But just appreciate it. And if I don't see these comments right away, we. I got to do a better. I have to. I want to say we.

[Mike Catalan]

We can't.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I'm the only one.

[Dan Fates]

Lock down those requests.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay. We love it. Okay. We hope everyone has three months ago. A wonderful Thanksgiving, healthy, happy with the people you love, all that great stuff.

[Dan Fates]

We are thankful for you.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We are really thankful for you, for Mike and Dan. I am Jenna, thank you so much for watching Buffalo plus presented by yours, your love, your support, your everything. We'll catch you next time. Bye.