That Aud Smell

Any such internal news would leak within hours.

He didn’t have to refuse to answer questions. He also didn’t need to concoct a ham-fisted soliloquy on the team’s heart beat and doing right by the steel workers (or whatever) sitting up in the 300s. Stick to the facts: Jack failed his physical. We disagree on the surgery issue. Jack won’t be here during camp. We continue to explore options that are best for the Sabres. The captaincy thing is just theatre. Bad theatre.

Agreed with all of this - especially this first bit. Super focking petty.

I posted it elsewhere: What was the point of this press conference? My kid's high school has a poster in the cafeteria about things that you say -- something like, Is it Kind? Is it Helpful? Is it Necessary? Something like that. For GMKA ... what was helpful or necessary about this statement about the captaincy?

Today's press conference is confusing to me. What's the point? How has this improved anything?

More than fair. I just feel like - every NFL team probably has at least one significant weakness on either side of the ball - a hobbled guard who can't really pull, a plodding TE, a linebacker who overreacts and shoots the wrong gaps (ha - a joke). Beane is clever, though. I'm sure he remains on the hunt for CB candidates.

When a team is structured such that they send QB pressure in waves from its front 4, has 2 very good linebackers, has a top-5 tandem at safety, and a shutdown corner, I'll venture that CB2 is among the very lowest priorities on the defensive side of the ball. If a defense like that is clicking, JAG CB's can look like pro bowlers.

I like the term, for both the team and player. Bit of a win-win. I'm reading that it's a little "rich." So be it. This team projects to have plenty of cap room.

Very interesting. It is no more than cold comfort, if that, for this to be the most complicated player-personnel issue in recent NHL history.

This is getting weird.

Epenesa was a BEAST. What a welcome development. Him + Rousseau (sp?) -- gimme gimme. Did Basham dress?

Good post. Schopp and Bulldog had on a guy from USA Today (?!) yesterday who I thought was just excellent. Ferrare, maybe? I can't recall hearing a talking sports person who more insight and who was able to relate it in such an understandable way. Anyway, his take on the Bills-Steelers game is in-line with what you initially say above -- they have elite personnel, and had an excellent game plan that they executed superbly. It was especially interesting to hear him talk about how defensive game plans against Allen evolved from man coverage, blitzing, to zone schemes, to post-snap trickery, and so on. And how evolved safety-play in the NFL has allowed good defensive teams to play nickel or even dime, and not get overly gouged by the run. Hopefully, the Bills O. can rebound against the Fish. I'm not sure what Daboll is going to do about the run-pass imbalance. I do think he is committed to throwing the ball as much as possible. Perusing one of the Twitter accounts that reviews plays (Yards Per Pass?), I was reminded how, at times, the Steelers essentially begged the Bills to run. I mean, like there were times when there were 5 (4.5?) players in the box on the Steelers D. You *have* to be able to pick up 5 or 6 against fronts like that. Just take it. The USA Today columnist recalled a Chiefs game last year when Clyde E-H (sp?) toted for ~25 carries and ~125 yards and a score because the opposing defense essentially dictated that sort of game flow from Mahomes. (Was that the Bills game?!) I'm old enough to get reflexively fired up for Miami Week. Squish the Phish!

I dunno, man. I know he's on the wrong side of 30, etc., but, as I peruse the clips that get circulated on Twitter by the various bloggers/podcasters, it strikes me that the Steelers may have game planned as much, if not more, to contain Beasley's role as they did any other Bills WR. So much of what Beasley does -- and IMO does extremely well -- is essentially a substitute for a traditional run game.

Those Beasley and Ferguson Quote Retweets are truly a special kind of stupid.

But, like, how? It’s a huge development that bears directly on the subject of this thread.

It’s unfortunate that the new COVID policy thread got migrated like this.

Yep. We attended, and there was zero mask wearing in the stands. Zero. And I know damn well that ~1/3 of the crowd was unvax'd. There was some mask wearing in the concourses ... but that was at less than 10% (and was supposed to be 100%).

Good. Overdue, imo. The mask compliance on the concourses was ~5%. In terms of faking or forging, there will spring forth a cottage industry of people capable of making a forged digital Excelsior vax card. So be it. This will, in all events, greatly reduce the number of unvaccinated people at games, concerts. We were required to show proof of vaccination to go to a couple Blue Jay games. The level of scrutiny from stadium staff was ... well, it wasn't confidence-inspiring. (I acknowledge that the Bills run a more robust organization than the Bisons.)

Yo - this fairly blew my mind.

I think the defense was good. Not very good - good. Generally, Big Ben was getting the ball out so fast that there was no opportunity to have a pass rush. That guy's arm is shot, but he has enough savvy to get the ball where it needs to be -- just no zip on it at all. Anyway, a good defense should be enough for this team, as built. I will give credit where it's due: The Pittsburgh D is frickin' nasty. I don't recall seeing a single blitz, but they got pressure over and over. And with specific regard to Sanders, he managed to get wide open for a sure fire touchdown, and Allen overthrew him.

Can we please stop quoting the troll? I have them on "ignore," but that doesn't work when others quote them.

I feel some concern over the fact that Allen made his case for being a franchise QB when there were no fans in the stands, and seemed to regress as fans came back into the stands (although he played really well in that first playoff game against the Colts, no?). I am concerned that, with fans there, with all that energy, Allen looked less than sharp. That ball he overthrew to Sanders in the 1st quarter (half?) was an *easy* 6, and (Sugar High) Josh just put too much on it. I think this is something that he can manage, but it is a matter of concern. Go Bills!

I’ll be there, with my youngest. Go Bils!!