Can Bills Win The AFC East AGAIN?

Can Bills Win The AFC East AGAIN?

Join Rico & Z-Bot as they discuss whether or not the 2024 iteration of the Buffalo Bills are good enough to win their 5th consecutive AFC East title.

[Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] Y what is up Buffalo Fanatics zbot Rico and it’s a Friday afternoon one of the last Fridays of June summer is here and I just looked today Rico we are 11 weeks away from the NFL season we’re less far less than a 100 days July right around the corner training camp right around the corner kickoff right around the corner and we’re one more Friday in here towards the season talking with you about Bill’s ball Rico talk to me how you feeling today yeah make it sound so good 11 weeks before football starts it sounds sounds like a short distance away but uh it’s quite a bit but you know what these things creep up on us so fast they do all of a sudden we’re talking about holy crow is kickoff already I ain’t ready but you know what here’s how I know right because we just hit the 100 day Mark till my wedding and my wedding is like three weeks after the start of the season so I keep getting reminded of when the wedding is then I can I subtract the days because as you just said it seems to go faster and faster and when you got a wedding coming around the corner I mean nothing seems to be coming closer to the rearview mirror than that because it’s like the biggest event in your life and at one moment it felt like it was forever away now it’s like 95 days away and I always have told Carol this is the way I think in general besides the way I’ve always thought in chunks based usually on football like it’s weird how I think but it’s in chunks it goes from x amount of time to the season starts yeah and you got this section of the season this section of the season the playoffs you know the Super Bowl and then it goes into the next section of off offseason you know whatever you got the the free agency period you got the the draft this and that so when you’re a psycho as we are that’s how you think you think in batches of of football as far as time is concerned well I mean listen this is this is the the uh the tough part of the off season for for Bills fans NFL fans because there’s almost what four weeks of of no football four to six weeks of no football there’s going to be chatter here and there but for the most part it’s players taking it easy what we want are the are for Bill’s players to take it easy we don’t want a Naim Hines situation to arise and all of a sudden we’re down a man right we want everybody to have a good time relax you know I mean take care your body so we can get back into football and um but in between there’s going to be a lot of chatter um and uh the one topic that I do want to here by the way 100 days it’s gonna come back it’s gonna go by real fast so coming it’s gonna come real quick well that’s the and in this part part of the Year too I mean I’m sure you with with the kids as well them being off your time flies because it’s this time of the year where you have more on your schedule I think than ever you have like a a Family Getaway here a weekend thing here and I was just looking at my schedule and I got you know I got something this week and then that week and and and when you look at like the time in which you know you get to that one Milestone because you’re working all week all right when’s the next event or whatever the summer right natur yes and usually the summer is the most eventful season of the year in terms of plans and going and doing stuff so I was just looking at you know kind of what we have on the itinerary and you know like when this once this thing comes then the next thing It’s Gonna Fly it’s gonna absolutely fly by so all hopefully McDavid and the boys can pull it off tonight we get a little bit longer on the ice before it’s strictly just baseball and then hopefully that period just zooms by and we’re in the season brother I’m not a hockey guy but golly that McDavid cat oh my God that McDavid cat kid that boy he’s nasty he is an absolutely nasty if these oers can pull it off if these oers can come down from 03 and pull us off biggest choke job goes to the Panthers but we will we will soon see we got to we got to get to this game we get it’s a home game in Edmonton we got to see what’s what’s going on with those boys um but news around the NFL let’s talk about some news around the NFL brother uh R Andre Stevenson who says running backs don’t get paid rre Stevenson gets strikes a new deal with the Patriots the new regime there was something that came out uh from bill bichi in Bill Belichick’s tenure uh I was listen to satellite radio he said that in his tenure he’s never franchised a player never felt the need to franchise a player it’s CU you’re going to set us behind you’re going to make us have to you know me Shuffle some things around and we’re gonna lose on that back end so he never franchised a player ever I found that very fascinating because I mean Bel is one of the goats of the game right so uh quite interesting but new regime new fresh uh I guess outlook on the Patriots and uh the Patriots signed ra Andre Stevens into a four-year extension uh he gets 17 mil guaranteed uh 36 Mill Mill alog together so big big time money I think he’s like what I think the fourth highest paid running back right now something stupid like that but uh yo kudos to Stevenson he’s a good back he’s a good back he’s given us issues here and there but nothing that we the bills can’t handle but uh you can start to see some things are changing in New England how do you feel about that ra Andre Stevenson extension signing good move for the Patriots well it seems necessary just because I’m thinking of it right now and my God Rico it’s insane to say especially what the state of the Patriots were not all that long ago but you would be hard pressed right now to tell me Five Guys on this Patriots roster I mean that’s just where it’s at right now R Andre Stevenson being one of them and you know damn well with the quarterback situation being what it currently is and obviously they’re hoping Drake May is the next Brady or at least the shadow of that and they’re going to be able to get this franchise off the ground right because they have been underneath Earth since Brady has left they’re going to be a run heavy team I would imagine for the forese future until that quarterback rears its head and allows that team to be able to progress through him so it makes a lot of sense the Patriots as it stands right now you imagine to be a defensive oriented team that’s going to run the ball and allow Drake May to eventually get himself comfortable with this team and move forward so it does make sense and this offseason Rico was a Resurgence for the running back position they had not gotten their fair share of the dough over the last handful of years this off season being a fresh outlier for the running back position a ton of big names got paid and obviously the ran J Stevenson being the newest uh piece to that I I wonder if that’s going to be a recurring theme or if that’s something that’s going to be a one-off this off season maybe it was because there was so many big names that got moved and got resigned or signed at new teams that that’s why it feels the way it does right now but it had felt like it was year after year recently where you didn’t see a guy get a big deal and I could you know go back to right when free agency started this off season and it felt like the majority of the big names did get a big deal so uh it’s interesting because the more we continue to talk about the role that Running Backs play Within the team being diminished the more I think you see a lot of these teams starting to Value I mean for the best example of course being the San Francisco 49ers there’s some of these teams not all and I think that’s why the running back position has become what it has because if you don’t have mcaffrey or Barkley or whatever then it’s not worth it and that’s where the carousel has really started to show itself and it spins round and round you go from one running back to the next but I think you are seeing if you can find that running back and we’re hoping that James Cook can be that for the bills it’s worth keeping them around because it just adds that much more to your offense and like I said the best example of course would be the ners they’re just not I don’t think they’re fraction of what they are today if it’s not for CMC and if you’re thinking about the Patriots on a lesser scale I don’t know what they are without a dynamic running back right now going into the season with as young of a team and inexperienced a team as they currently have plus a brand new head coach who’s never been a coach before a lot of new in New England it’s nice for them to have a Surefire back to rely on going into the future here it’s a straight up rebuild it’s a straight up rebuild and you want to rebuild with with pieces that you trust at the end of the day that’s that’s what it comes down to and they trust veran Stevenson uh 600 yards last year um 69 catches for for for 400 yards so he’s a he’s a he’s a solid back and uh they’ll allow Drake May to chill out and let jacobe brassette come in and run things they feel very comfortable with jacobe running things in New England so it’s gonna be fun to watch New England because it’s a franchise that’s been winning for quite some time they had their their their moment and now it’s the rebuild moment so like do they bounce back or are they going to be the in the dungeon in the basement for a long time here’s a funny stat for you um do who where do you think the Jets uh funny I I I read this and I was like this is incredible where do you think the Jets uh rate they where do they rank in AFC Championship uh division titles it’s it’s the best stat on the planet so you did hear he here I find myself bringing this up on a monthly basis but they’re numero five which is one of stats in exist it is it is like if I had one stat to utter on my deathbed my last statement it would be that stat it’s my favorite stat in existence R it’s the best I’m sitting here I mean thinking what the bills and and I’m listening to serus side radio and and they’re talk about the the AFC and how how it’s going to be a pretty it’s a mumble jumble Division and they said hey what do you think the Jets rank uh in the AFC in terms of how many titles they the title divisions they have and brother said five I said they’re fifth what do you mean the Colts when the Colts were in the AFC East they W more division champs and the damn Jets my goodness uh have uh have the Jets I mean they need they need a bounce back year this is the year they need to bounce back but we’ll get into all that in just a moment so big shout out to raand Dre Stevenson uh striking yourself a deal uh I think that’s pretty cool and uh and the Patriots will we’ll see how they bounce back but the one topic yeah go ahead I was just gonna say I I wanted to because we’re on the topic money I thought it would be a good time to bring this up I don’t know if you have been keeping tabs because we had this discussion last week and I think that’s why it’s so fitting we were talking about how insane it is that Trevor Lawrence and as we know he’s a guy that you’re gonna pay because of the upside what he was supposed to be what he still could potentially be you’re right off that first year with Urban Meyer they’re still trying to get things going in the right direction in Jacksonville not that they haven’t but in that next Direction where the bills are the Chiefs are the Ravens the Bengals what and you’re not going to move off a Trevor Lawrence and if you did there certainly would have been a a variety of teams who would have stepped up to the play and paid the same amount of money but at the end of the day it was still $55 million for a quarterback who has one playoff win in in a fashion that was unlike anything we’ve ever seen from the Meltdown of Brandon Staley and that is all he has to show for his career so far and we know that next in line is going to be Tu a Tong of aloa who does not even have that in his resume the next in line is potentially going to be Dak Prescott who we know at least in my opinion is right there with Tua as far as big game comes around and you just don’t rely on him yet I’m supposed to pay $60 million to this guy this is what it’s become it’s the next man up it’s the next amount uh of money that would equate to the highest paid contract in NFL history well it’s now starting to circulate Rico and I don’t know if you’ve heard this but some NFL owners are talking about the potential of a separate sell recap for the quarterback and I think it’s very fitting that the conversation we had last week transcends into this all of a sudden becoming not just a talking point but something that I think is going to be legitimately debated amongst owners and could potentially be implemented sooner than we think because of the lunacy that the quarterback Market has become and the lunacy you look no further than the idea of of to a tongue of phoa approaching a $60 million contract so that in itself is wild I’m listening earlier however we we had talked about not only this we we also discussed in in relation to that the top 10 paid quarterbacks in the NFL and we know joshen was on the on a cusp of that right like barely eing in with the likes of Trevor Lawrence with the likes of Kirk Cousins with the likes of guys that anybody in the league would take Josh Allen over right I’m listening to Mike floral earlier they’re on Hiatus pro football talk but he’s doing like a 45 minute bit every day just talking about what’s in the new news this being a topic and he was asked if it if and when and I think it’s inevitable at this point we’re at 55 million Now 60 million is inevitably going to be around the corner he was asked course absolutely when there comes a $60 million quarterback who do you think it’s going to be what do you think his answer was buddy I couldn’t even tell you what’d he say 17 who 17 oh and it goes back to what we were discussing last week there is going to be there’s going to come a time where Josh Allen who’s currently making $45 million a year is going to look when inevitably Tua signs a contract here I guarantee you it’s GNA happen at some point I don’t know how it couldn’t what else are they going to do so that happens right you have obviously Trevor Lawrence signing his as of as of recent here Dak Prescott around the corner and it’s only going to keep going Kirk Cousins obviously way up there yep it’s got to come a point where as we refer to all the time when you sit down with the agent and how easy is it to say You’re really gonna tell me that these guys deserve to be making more than my guy I mean it just sells itself uhhuh Florio basically said it is Criminal the amount of money Josh Allen is making and there’s G to come a point where the chickens are going to come home to Roose and he literally apologized to Bills fans and the front office of the bills in this because he feels not only Josh Allen is more than deserving but he feels the way things are going that this is where it could wind up going for Josh Allen now this is this is the the Beauty and the curse I guess of this Rico and I want your thoughts on this the beauty is you have a guy worthy of the 60 million when we look at these other guys who are making 55 million approaching the $60 Million number I feel like the the juice just is not worth that squeeze Josh Allen of course is worth the squeeze and some you pay that guy whatever you want whatever you can but this is where when we’re talking about this salary cap situation being implemented for the quarterbacks alone almost like the NBA does where they have certain guys who are able to make more against the cap just based on the Superstar I don’t know the exact terminology behind it but there’s a way that the NBA is able to circumvent the salary cap by paying their top players more than others in order to keep them on the roster Yep this is where the bills would drastically benefit from something like this and where I think that the NFL might need to really take a serious look into this because Josh Allen is more than deserving of that 60 million but we’ve been kicking when I say we I mean Brandon Bean kicking that contract of his down the road year after year and luckily for us Josh Allen willing to be a part of that for the betterment of the team but eventually that can can only go so far and he’s going to have to get mega mega bucks we’re going to talk about it throughout this show here Rico sure right now have about half their roster from last year gone half this roster is brand new and Josh Allen’s contract ain’t kick in yet Reiko it ain’t in there yet 60 million around the corner imagine what this roster is looking like so talk to me when you hear about that potential what where do you where do you kind of go with your mindset and when you think about the separation of the salary cap from the quarterback position and the rest of the league do you think it’s doable and is it something that you’d want to see implemented into the league I I’ll tell you man you’re not far off I mean when I say you’re not far off you’re you’re bang on it’s going to happen where Josh or whoever is going to hit that but there comes a time where you’re like enough is enough this is getting out of this is getting lud this is ludicy like you said it’s crazy it’s ludicrous to have a an individual because you you hear this and you hear this in chats all day there are people that are deserve way more money than these NFL athletes that are getting 60 mil what about the police officers that are out there what about the surgeons that are out there they deserve you know what I’m talk about there there are those folks that my my fiance is a nicku nurse I’ve never seen her hurdle a linebacker in real time okay I’m sorry I have I haven’t seen it when I see that we can start talking we can start talking but it and all seriousness I mean you you have to ask the question when when will it stop yeah there’s going to be a point where somebody’s making seven 5 mil a year to to to throw the football around it comes a time where you’re like okay let let’s put a cap in it now allegedly there are owners that are mumbling about it and there are owners that are like stop messing with this stuff this is leave it the way it is it’s the it’s the market there’s a whole lot of things that play in play a factor to but realistically speaking man there’s got to be what they’re trying to do is they got to separate the quarterback from everybody else and that’s what they’re talking well allegedly talking about separating the quarterback from everybody else and having their in their own category because the amount of money these boys are going to start getting paid in the next 10 years is going to be ridiculous and are they going to be worth it like will Josh be worth when it’s time for him to get paid I mean I think he’s gonna be surpassing 60 mil if that’s the case if two is on the verge of potentially getting 60 and I whether that happens or not who knows but when you’re looking at these average contracts right so I’m looking at right now as of right now Joe burrow Trevor Lawrence leading the way okay then is Jared gof at 53 Justin her at 52 Lamar Jackson at 52 Jaylen Herz at 51 all right let’s I mean you guys already know the list Josh out at 43 all right Daniel Jones for crying out loud is at 40 so clearly you know Josh is gonna get paid whenever it’s time for him to to jump into that category but where does it stop you gotta you gotta cap it somewhere until it it it’s just going to get ridiculous but NFL keeps making Juggernaut type money these players are looking at the the contracts and saying listen you got owners are just making what do they say hand over fist of money you’re gonna pay me so there’s going to be guys that deserve this that that are going to get this paid but like the real question is like where did where will it stop if 55 mil and you’re getting joe Trevor Lawrence at 55 mil and you know Josh Allen is m in my opinion a much better quarterback at 43 we said it before man Brandon Bean got a absolute steal an absolute steal when he signed Josh as quickly as he signed Josh and now we’re talking about potentially in the next couple years hopefully there’s a Super Bowl in hand in the next couple years but man oh man uh these boys are gonna get paid and there’s a lot of guys that are up like you said tua’s up um I’m trying to think of the next quarterbacks are gonna be up get paid D dak’s gonna be up shortly um even Matthew Stafford was talking about hey man uh yes yep he’s another one I’m looking at getting a little bit more money fellas you got to talk to me now at age 33 um so these brothers getting paid they’re G and Rico the problem is not them getting paid the problem is them getting paid in relation to what everybody else is getting paid and how that winds up translating into the team you put out on the field that’s why I think the idea of this is interesting but the struggle I have with it is it’s going to set a precedent that could be hard once you let p out of the box it’s going to be tough to put it back in you’re going to then have the defensive ends clamoring for their own salary cap you’re gonna have the wide receivers right because we’ve watched this trickle down started at the quarterback position then it went to the wide receiver in the defensive end position where it was next man up most money and it’s getting astronomical you know year in and year out as the salary cap goes up as the revenue goes up and it’s all linear I don’t think this would be happening if the the NFL didn’t sign the multi-billion dollar broadcasting right deals that they have over the last couple of years and the salary cap has gone up more than anybody would have expected but you know even with it all being linear and it all kind of evening out you’re still talking about a quarter of your salary cap going to one player and now you’re watching these teams who have these great quarterbacks be put in a tremendously tough spot more so than they ever have it’s always been tough to pay a quarterback and succeed that’s why it’s you know everybody talks about getting that guy and winning it within that fiveyear window because that’s the best time to do it but it’s almost getting to the point now where it’s going beyond that where it’s going beyond that difficulty and entering into a whole new realm where you’re wondering if it’s even going to be sustainable and I like the idea behind it but I just don’t know if it’s feasable I think the idea itself sounds like a good plan sounds like it could work out but it to me feels like it’s just a little too convenient something would have to come from it that would be a real detriment to the rest of the you know the NFL and how they get paid I’ll tell you I I’m I’m thinking about it I’m looking at all these I’m I’m thinking about all the other sports that are that are being played right now soccer players get paid big type one big time one and nobody bats an eye right uh you look at these baseball players getting 300 300 mil 4 like it’s in it’s absolutely insane these have no salary cap they’re they’re you know like the Dodgers and the Yankees they can spend whatever they want so that’s why it doesn’t sound as crazy because you looking at these other sports that are getting Boku money you got players like the NFL players are are saying you know what I look at all these other athletes getting you mean getting paid listen this is just the way the way of the business this is just business at the end of the day and uh I want to get my I want to get mine I mean Justin Jefferson’s the the leading leading uh contract getter 35 mil a year AJ brown right after him at 32 mil my gosh I never thought I’d say here AJ Brown making $ 32 million a year and he’s a baller don’t get me wrong Aman Ros Brown just got himself paid 30 mil a year Tyreek Hilter those are the guys in the 30 in the 30 family right now and you got Brandon auk that’s trying to get paid and he’s trying to get something in the 30 mil it’s just not gonna stop man these guys are gonna keep getting paid and uh there’s gonna come a time where they all just it’s just GNA be it’s just everybody’s gonna be whispering on the sidelines it’s going to be a lot of corruption going on at a point where they’re all going to sit down and be like yo we got to make something happen that will be sometime later because it’s not as crazy but it’s going to get to a point where okay enough is enough we’re gonna cap it but I don’t see anything happening anytime soon these boys are gonna get paid and if you want to win you you gotta pay me that’s just what it is you want to win you gotta pay me and uh these boy it’s not gonna stop so uh big shout out to uh to the next quarterback that gets paid though is it going to be Tua at 60 mil is it going to be Dak Dak get paid 60 mil could you imagine I could I mean I really could oh that’s gonna be something that’s gonna be something but yeah man uh these guys listen will they cap the QB uh Market at one point or another I’m sure uh there’s there’s I mean these conversations are happening now how deep these conversations are one will never know until you start seeing things start to really drastically happen and it all started because of DeShaun Watson they gave that brother a guaranteed contract and he open up the you talk about Pandora’s Box being open the Browns open it up by giving that that big ass contract guaranteed contract 235 mil to deshun Watson which is absolutely crazy for what he’s given them thus far that was a huge Catalyst we remember how difficult it was for the Ravens to resign Lamar Jackson because because he was right after now luckily all 31 other owners outside of Cleveland realized how I mean they hated Cleveland for doing that because it was almost Unwritten rulle that you just don’t give a guaranteed I mean and and you know Cleveland’s paying the price now and that’s why that’s why even though you technically can do it and Cleveland did you’re not going to see anybody do it anytime soon I don’t think because look at what’s going on in Cleveland you don’t think if they had a magic wand and could go back in time and redo it they wouldn’t do it in two seconds they so no matter how good of a situation you think you have I mean we and we see this in the NBA all the time I mean it just happened with Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons I don’t know if you saw but they fired Monty Williams after one year with the Detroit Pistons they’re going to pay him five they’re going to pay him $65 million guaranteed over five years so what happen in all these Sports even at the coaching position the guaranteed money I mean I if you have something in place that winds up being exactly what you paid for at the time and it lasts over that longevity hey good for you but man that is an awfully risky role of the dice every time you do it and of course it’s Pro Player and I totally understand the player wanting that but you also have to understand the ownership and why they would not want to go down that Avenue because you see time and time again all of a sudden one year goes by from the next you go back to Carson Wentz is a great example Carson Wentz on PA win the MVP the Eagles win the Super Bowl that year and Carson Wentz has basically been you know non-existent ever since then all around the league imagine a scenario like that where he doesn’t get hurt they pay him a super max or what ever this stuff happens all the time certainly does pan out so very interesting R but we are currently in a time where we are watching so much evolve so quickly we’re watching the season expand we’re watching The League expand well beyond the borders of the uh of North America we’re watching it blow up all over the world and them going from country to Country we’re watching the money explode like crazy it’s a wild time right now in the National Football League absolutely is uh let’s kind of let’s kind of transition a little bit because we’re talking about owners having conversations we’re talking about the league having conversations and we had this very conversation uh maybe a few a couple weeks ago maybe a few weeks ago we were talking about Awards being given I mean we’ve talked about all year as well Awards being given to certain players you got the MVP you’ve got know I’m saying uh Defensive Rookie of the Year offensive Rookie of the Year all those things but there’s one in particular um award that gets given out there now people are talking about it how about this ra how about this comeback Player of the Year guideline change there’s a change happening and uh and let’s let’s dive into this a little B because uh we talked about this and uh I mean everybody was talking about how I mean this thing is rigged if Demar Hamlin doesn’t take this comeback Player of the Year award and then the real question becomes what is a comeback player of the year what are you coming back from yep and I was listen I felt that if you are worthy of the award for comeback play of the year is because obviously you had to go through some kind of adversity and you came back and played well enough for people to say all right he’s deserving of this and the the last person that wanton it was I mean I mean I could say Gino Smith was one that won it and some people were talking about I mean yeah he was he was relegated I mean he was um sent pretty much to die and he’s like you know what they sent me off to die but I didn’t write back or something like that came back and won the whole thing right so what what say you about these these changes now before I I get your opinion on opinion on these these changes here’s what the they’re trying to figure out so the new language the spirit of the AP comeback Player of the Year award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness physical injury or other circumstances that led to him to miss playing time the previous season all right so we’ve seen countless of situations happen where somebody gets hurt something happens and they don’t play the year before the year previous because of the injury or whatever the situation is they come back the year after and they do well and earn the right to have that award so now because you I mean people have been talking about it I’m sure that’s the the situation here people have been talking about it they want to make some changes here right for example they said Russell Wilson has played 17 games in 2023 he wouldn’t be eligible if he 7 plays like Mr unlimited right that’s one of the things that that they’re talking about so if Russell because a lot of people put money on Russell Wilson getting comeback play of the year last year going from playing mediocre to being benched and just relegated to just cast off to just die Pittsburgh Steelers picks him up on a cheap contract this is the comeback play of the year he’s gonna kill it no matter what now they’re trying to change things up now it’s about injuries it’s about you didn’t get a chance to play it’s not about being benched so what say you about this comeback player of the year award uh we were talking about it being separated you should separate there should be a separate award for those that do get injured or something crazy like what happened toar Hamlin happened have that separate what say you on these guideline changes and what they want to try to do here well I think they saw what just unfolded and they finally had the straw needed to break the camels back because for so long up until this point it made no sense as to what that award actually meant because you have Demar Hamlin the Sure Fire winner of that award last year lose it to Joe flacko who comes off the couch and starts throwing it like he’s Brett Favre again but a handful of years ago you have Alex Smith win the award for a very similar situ well I shouldn’t say very similar but a similar situation to Dear Hamilton the fact that he was incredibly injured comes back and plays nobody ever thought he’d play again he does he wins the award so you were having these precedents set in different ways where you could win the award by coming back from an injury or you could win the award by just coming off the couch and playing well there was no direct definition correct they’re halfway there Rico what there needs to be now there needs to be a most improved player and there needs to be a comeback player The Comeback player you might as well just name the Demar Hamlin comeback player of the year because this is why this award is being changed for sure there I mean there’s no if the Demar Hamlin situation does not occur and last year unfolds the exact same way does and Joe flacko wins the award no one bats an eye no one questions it no one cares the way that it went down made everybody realize that there is absolutely no Rhyme or Reason to what this award actually signifies what it means and what’s it what it represents so you have that unfold everyone discusses it everybody now realizes wait if dear Hamlin can’t win this dying on the field coming back and playing then what the hell constitutes winning this so they’re halfway there they’re now defining the comeback player of the year they need to introduce a most improved so a most improved Rico in this situation last year Joe flacko would get the most improved I guess right because you go from being a guy who everybody thought was on his way out the door retiring to improving himself into towards the end of the year in an elite sqb for the Browns who let him to the super or let him to the the playoffs and then you would have the comeback Player of the Year being Demar Hamlin and that way I think you get an adequate winner for two different awards that represent two different things instead of somehow mosh pitting these two things together and then when you watch the results unfold you sit there and say well this just doesn’t make any sense at all there should be two Awards one for a a player who comes back off of an injury one for a player who improves dramatically whether that be like you said Russell Wilson getting casted away from Denver say he comes out to Pittsburgh this year in balls great he wins it and then you know for um comeback player you know Joe burrow just an example goes down last year comes out this year wins MVP comeback Player of the Year from coming off of an injury just an example so that to me because you want I think in all in all transparency I’d like to see both you’d love to see a guy get rewarded from coming off of a of a major setback you’d also love to see a guy get rewarded for proving himself when others doubted I think it’s a perfect opportunity for the NFL to introduce a new award that would be able to represent both of these situations within the same year I I not like it and and it almost it almost feels like they’re setting it up for you know who and if you if you look about who was injured last year and we’re supposed to have a massive year and and this is the comeback year and they’re trying to set it up for Aaron Rogers they’re trying to set it up for Aaron roders is just he’s gonna come back he’s gonna get the Jets In Contention Maybe they make the playoffs and and outdo the the bills or they outdo the the Miami Dolphins who and then automatically you know they’re giving it to him but you also have someone like Nick chub Nick chub could come back and and have a moner year he where Kirk Cousins goes to a team right think about the the possibility there’s a ton that’s why it makes so much sense absolutely listen Anthony Richardson bum shoulder rookie year comes back and they’re trying to you know I mean remold him to to to stop taking those big hits so this makes absolute sense to really put some some some some lines in the sand to say this is what constitutes as a comeback play of the Year based on XYZ and this is for your most improved what did you improve from being benched and and being whacked or you mean you got outdone by another player and you got yourself an opportunity to play again and here you are whatever the case is right you find yourself in the doghouse from the coach and then you find yourself back on the field I mean listen the person the person that could really win this this comeback play of the year or most improved uh would be uh former Jets quarterback going to the Broncos in Wilson uh excuse me I’m say uh Zack what’s what’s my man’s name keep keep forgetting the Jets former Jets quarterback that just went over to um oh Zack Wilson yeah that’s right Z Wilson yeah he could he could be a shoe for most right so this will be fun this will be fun to see I mean listen you can even throw Matt Milano in there even you know another example like last year like if Flaco doesn’t happen like Baker Mayfield would have been the perfect winner for that that type of situation he exactly in that situation that that would be perfect so I mean it’ll be interesting to to see that they’ve they’ve now said okay listen the guy D Hamlin should have won as we all know that right everybody’s talking about it but you gotta play you gotta do something on the field for us to say okay this is what constitut so now there’s going to be some differences in here so I like I like this I like that they they finally they’re listening to the the murmur I guess and they’re listening to the people talking about things and the fans and all that it just makes too much sense like last year it didn’t look good on anybody Joe Flaco couldn’t have felt great going up there right knowing that everybody thought it was gonna be Hamlin the NFL couldn’t have felt great about it knowing everybody was gonna be like what the hell is this dear ham we had this conversation right after it happened like the fact Demar Hammond’s in that building it essentially feels like it was going to be you know a moment to honor him for coming back from that and whatever and it wasn’t like I think the NFL real realiz yeah you know there’s no harm in separating one from the other and creating another award now I know we keep talking about this as if it’s a certainty that new award hasn’t been implemented yet the way that they’re talking about this it’s going to be strictly based on um an injury if I’m not mistaken right or something of that of that nature so there the way I see have a lot to do with it being injured coming back from something catastrophic it it’s going to have a lot to do with that just merely being bench for whatever reason or or you just you mean you didn’t play the last year you took a year out who knows but there’s there’s got to be distinction and uh I’m sure in within the year maybe you never know uh or by next year they’ll have they’ll implement it they’ll make it very clear uh that this is what going to happen but right now these are the new guys that’s being being discussed uh and I’m I’m here for it I’m absolutely here for it and uh I think deserving winners will get uh their their just due but I do love this most improved uh aspect as well I like that category for itself and your comeback Player of the Year obviously you’re coming back from something you’re coming back from something that caused you not to be able to play so I’m I’m looking forward to seeing what the league does and uh how they decide to to go and Implement that but I’m having a lot uh a lot of fun of going back in our conversations yeah we were talking about this man we were on it so uh God it’s it’s really it’s really good to to see that being talked about right now so um one of this I know that we had some topics that we want to hit on I I have one that uh that I really want to touch on and uh it happens a lot you see it a lot in the NFL you see it a lot in the NBA uh more specifically NBA and uh the question I have uh for I guess I I gotta put that out for you is the individual Competitive Edge leaving Sports I I bring this up because uh AJ Brown AJ Brown had a question for I guess his fellow receivers and uh I guess he was just he just put it out there he put it out there in the universe and uh he wanted uh he wanted to have conversation and the conversation was merely guys can we get like a a receiver Summit if you will to just get together and just work on our skills and be together and we can you know I mean sharpen each other’s you mean sharpen each other university there similar that like tight end University there like he said he even mentions tight end Unity why can’t we do that why can’t we do like the defensive ends the defensive ends get together and they start doing things and it made me it reminded me of uh of the NBA because a lot of NBA guys will work together in the summertime and a lot of some of the guys they don’t do that like Giannis and an I can never say that brother’s name man ano anmo right he’s like I ain’t about that yeah I work the off season so I can you know I mean and I’m paraphrasing you so I can murder these cats I’m not trying to work out with them the Competitive Edge just leaves now NBA is far different um than the NFL because I mean the receivers all they all play the same position they’re all different teams and so on and so forth but like for me I want to be able to work out do my own thing have my own regimen and when I’m in there I’m ready to kill so you guys are like yo what the heck did this guy do all offseason this is amazing I don’t want you doing the same thing I’m doing I don’t want you having the same nuances I want to be number one and I’m not giving you any Edge how do you feel about these I mean AJ Brown bringing this up about yo let’s get together guys let’s let’s let’s sharpen each other up let’s let’s do this why why can’t we be like the defensive ends and the tight ends let’s do this how do you feel about that I’m intrigued that you are opposed to this because I think this is a direct result of what we discussed last week with CJ Stout uhhuh this is what it’s become now it’s become come on my podcast like Micah Parsons does after the game I mean didn’t Micah Parsons have someone on the podcast after a game when they had just played each other like last didn’t that happen he had a on after they just played that team yeah this is what has become of this new wave where everything is very you know for better or worse like I said there’s really no right answer to this but it’s it’s become very player forward to a degree in which like you’re questioning here is the individual individual Competitive Edge leaving Sports it makes you wonder because it does seem as though everything is far more buddy buddy than it ever was I mean when you hear these old stories about how guys wanted to literally kill the person across from him I think there’s still some of that I think Max Crosby would be a great example I just saw a bit on him recently where he was talking about how he had the the guy he was playing week one last year I forget exactly who it was he kept a picture of that guy he was going against around with him at all times kept a picture of the guy just waiting until they Square it off again I loved it because you don’t see that it was like last you know however many months ago it was now when Dion Dawkins was talking about the Jets that’s why I loved it so much because you don’t hear it you don’t see it anymore and frankly Rico it’s what I’ve been loving about the WNBA recently you don’t hear about this much anymore like this Angel Reese Caitlyn Clark thing is kind of awesome because really isn’t that I mean we know there’s Mahomes versus Allen or whatever Mahomes and Allen are like buddies off the field I mean I know it’s when they’re on the field it’s all bets are off they’re absolutely they both want the other one to to fail I mean there’s no question they’re not working out together you see them working out together right I need that Competitive Edge back there’s something to it where I mean even when you know Allen was coming up right when he was drafted I mean he was working with Sam darnold in the offseason with Palmer it was always this is what it is and this is what these guys have been doing for quite some time now and it’s becoming more and more you know Collective and I think I like the tight end University in the sense that it is this is where I struggle with this Rico like when we talk to Dawson Knox about it uhuh like it was really cool like the way that they were talking about it because I could feel what he was saying where’re like we’re a fraternity it was really cool there’s a part of me that really likes it but there is that part to me Ric where I’m like you where I’m like I got it I got to shelter this on my end because we’re we’re going to war and we’re sharing tactics here there’s something to it and this is where I struggle with this Rico because I don’t know if there’s a a right answer but there is something a bit offputting about all of these guys getting together absolutely when the name of the game is I gotta be better than you come Sunday and and it’s it’s it’s it’s two ways of looking at it right I use tight end University as one you got all the top tight ends getting together and they’re they’re mostly in my opinion I feel like they’re they’re getting together show you we are one of the best athletes on that field you want us to block we block we you want us to split wide we split wide you want us in line we’re in line and do all the things that you need pay us so they the the more they get together and the and the the more they they they they they put their minds together and get these and sharpen themselves up it’s about getting that long-term deal that long term contract but that’s one part of it right to to kind of like this is what I’m doing with my with like it’s it’s it’s all a mind to kind of like how are you guys getting your new contract yo KD you just got your new contract what you do this and they talk about it they figure things out but like I need that competitive like I need that Charles Barkley Edge I don’t care who you are I’m here to murder you right I need that um I’m trying to think of who like Charles Haley mind set like I’m here to kill you I don’t want to be friends with you like we could be cool I see you at the bar I see you somewhere but I ain’t working out with you bro because like when we get on that field I’m trying to be the best at my position and I’m sunning you guys I don’t want to be I mean sharing I mean Jordan hated Isaiah Thomas so much they didn’t let him on to the Olympic absolutely right I mean that’s I I know what you’re saying like I know what you’re saying and there was something that there was something unique Rico too that I think was different here about the tight end situation and Dawson Knox explained this to us it was a position for so long and I think think the reason why it doesn’t feel this way anymore is because it isn’t this way anymore but the tight end position forever was extremely overlooked and these guys were getting together because they felt like it was a fraternity of guys who all shared a hive mind in the sense of you know we are looked at at like you know KD Kelsey you’re looked at as The Playmakers but they don’t talk about the things we’re doing on every other down blocking as hard as the linemen are every down you know not being seen on the majority of these plays where were not involved they were talking about what made them kind of do this thing that’s where I felt like it was unique to the tight end position it was unique for sure right so this is where it kind of feels like this is so interesting to me this is so interesting to me because because where does the buck stop Rico are we gonna get all of the quarterbacks together every year now and start then that to me is where I’m drawing the line where I’m like dra the line now like how often do we we want see celebration how often do you want to see uh courland finnean and uh freaking Andre Johnson go at it right we like that type of that competitiveness and we like that you know that edge so like all this Kumbaya stuff that’s happening man yo bump all that man I want I want some some fire and I know they’re all the same position I get it it’s not like they’re going against DBS and so on and so forth but I kind of want you to stand alone and be like I’m that guy right I want you guys to be watching what I’m doing when I’m when I’m putting up 150 yards receiving and touchdowns yo how’s he doing it yo his feet work who’s he working with but the problem too is these guys all grw up going to the same camps collegiately yes high school so they’re somewhat familiar with one another right different different they go up they just know from more than I I just want there to be a killer be killed that type of mentality so you want to know what it really all stems down to and I wasn’t even alive for this but it’s just based on what I hear from the old days but when free agency became as big as it now is that’s what really killed this because it’s no longer I’m on this side and I’m it’s now I one day could be playing with you I mean the amount of these guys who wind up playing on two three four teams in their career or more it’s the vast majority of guys that’s why we we celebrate the guys who stay with one team yeah their whole career because it’s so rare So when the free agency was initiated to the degree in which of course it is now I think that’s what really killed this and then like you just I think it was a great point you mentioned the seven on sevens and stuff did not exist back in the day now football is a year round sport they’re out there playing all year and these guys in these top 100 camps or whatever they know each other from 14 years old so look here’s where I stand on it I guess I’m fine with it as long as when you get out on the field and I think that that’s what it is I don’t think anybody’s out there looking to give somebody an edge that’s going to outdo them but I do understand the image that it kind of puts across where man you know I like we like we always talk about I like to look at things from the quarterback perspective yep and if I knew that like Allen and Mahomes and burrow and and Lamar were out kind of like I you go back to Brady the reason we hear so much from Brady now talking about you know this and that and him mentoring guys because he never did it going through and could you imagine Brady and Manning getting together in the off season and sharing trade secrets on how each other could get better I mean my gu what world no so I don’t know Rico I I think you and I are are es and it’s especially weird for me because I’m younger than you but this is a very I’m I’m approaching a lot of get off my lawn territory with some of this stuff and I totally understand what you’re saying but at the other on the other end of it there is something kind of cool about it so I’m torn but I think that there has to be a line drawn and my line to me the line to me would definitely be the the quarterback if it got to that point yeah because you said that last week you’re you’re that’s where your thing is right there you s you st at the quarterback I get I get that part but yeah it’s just I just see that like especially in the NBA like these guys are working out together and so on and so forth but like these guys are going up against each other so this whole notion of you know I mean working with each other and and now I’m facing LeBron I just I just went I just went at you all Camp so I kind of know what you going no man I don’t want I don’t want any of that stuff you going you gonna train somewhere else I’m gonna train somewhere else and we get on the field It’s Gonna Be Blood that’s just that’s just I guess that’s the old school way I look at it but yeah man I found that very interesting that AJ Brown wanted to have like like a power let’s get all the receivers together I I want to let’s be able to learn learn from one another like let’s let’s come together and all that good stuff I was like man just keep working on your craft and I mean you you you be all right you don’t need you don’t need to to get together with everybody else I just don’t think it’s necessary this is interesting I just looked this up Ryan’s right I guess I just looked this up he said pton said that him and Brady did used to train together I got a Sports Illustrated article up saying that they did confirm they used to have private workouts together but they ensured information was kept behind closed doors so I don’t know I mean maybe there I guess now everybody’s got a quarterback coach everybody’s got a a quarterback guy that to go see I mean Palmer was Josh’s guy so with Sam Sam darnold so they’re all I mean everybody’s in that in that realm but I would say I lean more towards not having a problem with it but I also totally understand sure the problem within it if that makes sense no no I listen it’s it’s it’s it’s good conversation to have I’m just like you want that Killer Instinct right you want that you want that part of the the game and that’s that’s me not me working out with you I don’t need to work out with you I I’ll do my own thing individually and then you just watch my scores and watch my stats you’ll know who’s been working hard you I mean that’s why I look at it but uh like you said man these guys have been working out together like crazy I guess the ultimate Line in the Sand would be if the running if the wide receivers were getting together with the corners okay then maybe that’s you know what I’m saying I guess the more you’re thinking about it the more I mean these guys aren’t going against each other so to speak so I guess that’s the the probably the right way to look at it you know yeah but fair is fair it’s it’s interesting topic nonetheless I like that that AJ Brown uh let’s jump into a Super Chat real quick before we get into our our next uh topic um we got our guy oh we haven’t seen Jeff King in a minute what up Jeff King K the kinger in the building Jeff King drops a hundo shout out to my guy Jeff King you know we got to ring that we got to ring that Bell for my guy Jeff King what up Jeff uh can they just so Jeff is referring to the title of our of our pod today which we’re going to get into uh shortly can they win the AFC East that’s the question here’s the beauty folks nobody and I effing mean nobody knows what this offense is going to look like no more Diggs no more Gabe it’s a new show with new athletes maybe maybe the greatest show ever or a complete flop and he’s right it could be a and we we really hope it’s not a flop we can’t we can’t afford to have a flop year we just can’t we just gota we got to keep this train going um with a few you know I mean a few new conductors here and there a few new pieces on the squad we should be able to but uh Jeff King is right man we don’t know what’s going to happen we’re hoping for the best uh but um two big key pieces gone so we’re we’re about to get into how we the bills can Faire uh in this AFC East but we’ll get into that just a moment and uh signified knows uh remember for two months salute salute to my guy signifi no says screw that I don’t want separate caps so teams like the Dolphins can ruin their roster by playing by paying mid QBs that’s the thing it’s a double-edged sword like where it would where it would disadvantage the bills it would also severely disadvantage the the Dolphins far more severely than it would the Buffalo paying Josh Allen so I hear you signified signified knows you pay that man I think luckily for him and for all of us I guess we’re ways away from from that I just think from the legality standpoint I mean you got to remember this is all a union based this is a union-based league and I don’t know if if you’re going to be able to circumvent all the other positions simply to favor one position being able to make so much more money than the others that they’re getting their own realm yeah it’s a very interesting this is why I’m dying to see what ends up coming from this if anything but the fact that it’s even out there is certainly intriguing because I mean obviously we’ve never seen anything like it so no doubt about it now before we get into our main topic did you want to hit any uh any topics before we get into the meat of the potatoes of our show today well I wanted to talk real quick about something that just came out today via the one and only our guy Tyler Dunn Tyler Dunn the infamous Tyler Dunn actually came out with an article today they had interviewed they did a one-on-one with Brandon be there were a couple of experts out there that were very intriguing to me one in which was the fact that Tyler Dunn this past off season actually sat down with McDermot for over an hour and he said in the article that McDermot initiated the conversation and they didn’t even really speak about the three-part series that had come out midseason questioning a variety of different factors when it came to mcder the entire article essentially Rico boils down to how Brandon Bean has cheffed up or essentially he is he is gathered the recipe or the ingredients for the recipe for success for these bills Brandon Bean has gathered all the ingredients that are out on the the the chef table to be thrown together to create that five-star Michelin star meal and it’s up to Shawn McDermot the chef to put it all together for sure and he essentially in this article talks about something that you and I know very well and every body watching this and anybody who’s a DieHard Bills fan knows very well and that is the and this is this is his words in there the Buffalo Bills here we go moment kind of like last year where Diggs drops the ball Allen gets hit by Chris Jones Miss field goal it’s the oh it’s Buffalo here we go here we go again what he’s referring to in this article is how it’s basically the future of these bills and this can parlay right into us talking about the bills and their chances at winning the AFC East for a fifth consecutive year coming up here in 2024 it comes down to McDermott’s ability to have this team in position to where the Chiefs currently are and I like the way he worded this when momes takes the field or when the Chiefs take the field whether I mean honestly at this point it’s not even just momes because we watched in the Super Bowl last year the defense for the most part win that game for the Chiefs against the 49ers Spagnola and Chris Jones and that beautifully orchestrated defense really was was the MVP collectively of that game nasty the Chiefs are at a point when they go out on the field whether it be offensively or defensively you have the mentality not only as a viewer but I’m I’m guaranteeing you as a player we’re gonna get this done I don’t know how I don’t know why I don’t know when I don’t know what I don’t know it’s gonna happen and he’s he’s basically talking about how McDermot needs to get the bills into that mindset where they walk out on the field and it’s going to happen and he had talked about the variety of different things that have happened in the past to where they don’t exude that confidence and the result shows it but he targets in on one particular play in last year’s divisional and it’s the infamous Demar Hamlin fake Punt and he was talking about how that was sort of showing how Shawn mcder despite despite the fact that that play was as bad as it was it was showing that McDermot is is of the mindset now that they can’t just win based on conservativeness they can’t just win based on going out there and you know relying on one or two players to get it done it has to be you got to basically do whatever you can to overcome your obstacles in front of you to get over that hump and what I found intriguing about this article Ric I’m interested on your thoughts it’s basically po poising the question is sea mcder with what he has in front of him here capable of getting the bills to the point where when they go out on the field you don’t have that anxiety and I know this is impossible to think about because this is all we have ever had as far as a mindset is concerned with these bills can he get them to the point when you go out there or when they go out there you’re sitting there thinking they got this he feels like Brandon Bean has put the pieces in place they got the quarterback in place it’s up to mcder to get those bills into that position to then get them to move forward so I ask you with the question posed do you think that mcder has shown signs of his ability to get the team there and do you think that that’s something that we’re eventually going to feel as fans when that big moment comes out when that do or die moments on the line we have the utmost Faith as opposed to the here we go Buffalo Bills once again here we go again so uh I have a tough time answering this question because I’m a big fan of mcder I think everybody knows I’m a big fan mcdermit uh but I also um understand that listen this is what we’re going into years seven yep years seven guys don’t sometimes coaches don’t even last five five years with a franchise and you haven’t given me the results that I need I’m looking elsewhere what muddies the waters is the fact that both Brandon bean and mcder got themselves extensions does that ever mean anything ask Monty Williams all right he’s gone after one year does that happen in the NFL sometimes it does right look at Urban Meyer gone right so those things do happen I like Shawn mcder but it makes me go back to you probably heard this already uh Tom Brady was on with Colin coward MH he Colin coward is your guy so I I definitely know you heard this yep or maybe you didn’t oh I did he perfect you know you heard what what Tom Brady said Tom BR they he the conversation was have you ever are you pretty much paraphrasing here are you like just racked before the game starts are you just so nervous and you’re so uptight because of Bill bich and how he has you guys he’s like on the contrary we’re as relaxed as can be cuz because we prepare for everything so there is no oh here we go it’s we’ve done this before we know what’s happening but to go into more detail and I don’t know how indepth uh mcder and the team goes but it’s to the point where Brady was like yo there’s a 5 per chance that this play could be run let’s just move on to the next one no no no run it back if there’s a 5 per chance that could be run let’s look at three different variations of this play of if this happens here are three things we’re going to do here here’s the audible I’m going to make here’s a this check I’m G to check out of this I’m gonna detail and when you have a coach like bck and you have a guy like Tom Brady things change now question is we all know that mcder ain’t no belich and Josh Allen is on his way up could he be a Tom Brady who knows Tom Brady was different but those two together has me kind of like is is that the duo that’s going to make this thing happen and I’m questioning it and this is a big year to make it happen so will we have those moments of here you go yes we will because it’s just what it is if we he hasn’t shown us that it can’t be here we go so it bothers me to say this but like this is the year and I’m gonna repeat myself this is the year that mca’s got to get over the hump and getting over the hump is against the Bengals getting over the hump is against the Kansas City Chiefs especially in the playoffs is what it is we can’t take we don’t have an answer for for burrow and the Bengals we haven’t found an answer for the Chiefs in the playoffs where 0 and three against the Chiefs there comes a time where owner ter Pula and Kim Pula are like should have get off the pot we gotta F find a way to make this happen and are you the coach to make these things happen and that is where I’m I’m I’m like I don’t know I can’t confidently say mcder is going to do it because we’ve had seven years and we we keep falling at the same spot we keep falling at the same spot it’s the same old leg out and we trip and fall on our face what are we G to look down and see oh yeah I’ve seen that before we keep doing it in different variations it’s starting it’s starting to be tough as a as a fan to say bring that brother back bring mcder back because I trusted him and I want him to because I want him to be there but there’s my trust fully in him knowing these seven years I’ve gone by and it’s been the same damn result every time to the same way same team there there there comes a time where you’ve got to get over that hump and this this has to be the Year this has to be the year and it’s gonna be mcder Bean ain’t going nowhere Bean is sticking around it’s gonna be mcder is gonna have to bite that dust but that extension does it muddy things do they want they do they want continuity along with the coach or is your bread and butter with Josh Allen so if your bre Brothers with Josh Allen then you better get some of that that can align himself and get yourself a damn champion ship the bills are due they’re due for a championship this franchise is starving for a championship we have the franchise quarterback we haven’t had that in a long time we have the franchise quarterback don’t squander it because a lot of bills fans right now are talking don’t squander this man in his prime he’s in his prime do not squander it and is mcder the pairing we need with Josh Shen this this got to be a this is a very very big test for mcder and this team uh but I’ll flip it what’s your angle in all of this and and how you see this all playing out with mcder and him sitting with Tai dun and and saying conservativeness has to go I got to be more aggressive fam you’ve had seven years bro what we doing what say you it’s all very fair points all accurate points that you’re making 100% And I would agree this year how could it not be the biggest test not only for mcder but also in my opinion Josh Allen and perhaps this team as a whole because what we’re going to see this coming year is going to be representative of what we’re going to be seeing throughout the foreseeable future here the bills of the past are gone half this roster is brand new so what you’re going to see coming into this year for the most part is going to be what you’re going to be seeing for the near future here but what has me more confident now than I’ve ever been is what we saw about the halfway point of last year going into the end of the year parlaying it into this season now I know I’m a you know a broken record when it comes to this point but it is 100% the truth mcder is not the only one who cannot get over this proverbial hump of the Kansas City Chiefs Kyle Shanahan boy Genius everybody wants Kyle Shanahan to be their head coach he is the modernday guru of the offensive side of the ball cannot get over the hump of the Kansas City Chiefs two blown leads in the fourth quarter in the Super Bowl to those Kansas City Chiefs You could argue the Heartbreak that the Chiefs have caused the ners is even worse than it’s caused the bills because they had a championship 15 minutes away from them two different times and blew it you could say the same thing about the Ravens you could say the same thing about a variety of different teams the Chiefs have done this to everybody but McDermot of course is the poster child to this because of the amount of times that it has happened I mean we have three times now where the bills have ended their season at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs but what we saw out of McDermot last year despite the loss to the Chiefs and of course we know that a big reason for that was how depleted that defense was and just how miraculous the chief’s offense was against it you go back and look at the statistics and based on the dvoa that was Far and Away of course it was I say this all the time because it’s incredible to me that this of course was the inevitable outcome that was the best offensive performance of the entire year by the Kansas City Chiefs against against those bills on the road in the divisional and it of course secured them the win but at that halfway point the bills were backed into a corner the bill season was over I mean after that Denver Broncos loss with too many men on the field I thought that this season was over and then you go into the Eagles game as well I mean there was so many moments where the season just felt over and then you had that article by Tyler done come out the the forementioned Tyler done there you had that come out you had so many things stacked against this team last last year not to mention the injuries of course as well the firing of Ken dorsy what sha mcdermit did last year for better or worse getting this team not only into the playoffs but the two- seed and a fourth consecutive AFC TI AFC East title was insanely impressive to me last year we went into last year with the same exact sentiment that we’re going into this year with we were saying massive year for mcder you don’t have a defensive coordinator you’re going to be calling the shots here you’re under Fire here based on the way that the season before that ended you go out sad against Cincinnati of course the year before that the 132 debacle what do you got McDermot and it looked like he was going to fold drastically under that pressure at the halfway point what he was able to do to turn around this team to be able to get them into the position to even be in that game against the Chiefs you know much less the playoffs at all to me was astounding and what we saw from him about that halfway point was drastically different than I think we had saw from him prior to that he was willing to allow Josh Allen to essentially be Josh Allen that was one of the biggest difference makers of the second half of the season last year Josh Allen was playing without any training wheels on so to speak it also seemed like mcder was far more willing to go forward on fourth down far more willing to be more aggressive far more willing to have faith in his team not to mention the fact that he was able to take a disassembled defense and put them out on a weekly basis and make them more than competitive I know the season of course didn’t end the way we wanted it to and I know this year is a massive test for mcder especially when you’re talking about two very young coordinators in Bobby babit and Joe Brady one both of them being in their first full year as coordinators with these bills major test but if you’re gon to have any confidence in mcdermit it should be at it its peak right now based on what we just saw so every everything you said is 100% accurate and everything you said should have everybody as skeptical as they’ve been because we have to be because this is what the inevitable outcome is every year it winds up coming down to the same conclusion and mcder of course winds up being the face of that but I will say if you’re not confident I would argue to you that as it stands right now this should be the most confident you’ve been or at least this should be your most optimistic you’ve been in regard to his ability to go out there and prove the doubters wrong what he was able to do over the second half of last year I think if he’s able to put a full year together like that to to me that would answer the call I I I just think what he did last year answering the bell at the halfway point if we’re able to see another progression of that this year I think that things are trending in the right direction far more than they’re trending in the wrong direction what what do you want to see from mcder because the one thing that he said he needed to do and it’s documented he said it is is is ditching the conservativeness conservativeness excuse me and and getting a little more aggressive you saw that the amount of times he went up for fourth down sure amount the amount of challenges that he took he didn’t just sit there and and swallow the flag you know mean he sat there and let me call that whether right or wrong let me do that so what what’s going to change this year he got more aggressive okay so now now you we’ve seen that you can get more aggressive now what what is it dude we’ve had it’s not like it’s he’s going into year three year four this is year seven Yep this is year seven there comes a time where you’re like fam like and I like MC I’m a fan of mcder I really like mcder I’d like him to be the coach for for a a good chunk but you got to give me the results and the results that Bills fans need is not that AFC Championship that AFC Championship is cool it’s cool but we’ve got to get over the hump man like some might say the roster that we fielded a couple years back was the best opportunity and chance we ever had to win that Championship now we’re going into two years later we’ve we’ve lost two of our experienc safeties we don’t know m going to return but let’s assume he doesn’t return we’ve lost our onew punch at receiver position we lost our experienced Center that’s had time with Allen right so can this roster get it done a is McDermot does he have what it takes to get this team over the hump with this new roster are we better today than we were last year and this and and how do we win this AFC East are we gonna win this AFC East now I’m confident don’t get me wrong I want Bills fans to know bot and I are very confident but we gotta really talk we gota I mean we got time until the season starts so we really gota ask these questions and and find out what’s what’s really good is this honestly speaking is this roster better than it was last year and can you take this roster to win not only the AFC East but push the Kansas City Chiefs push the Cincinnati bagels push the freaking Cincinnati RAV I’m Cincinnati Ravens you got the Baltimore Ravens fam it’s it’s getting to the point where and listen Joe Miller said it man sometimes the conversation is just about mcder versus Andy Reid and Andy Reid has got MC’s number so what do you do then how do you get round Andy Reid it’s gonna take that’s what 3 that’s what 31 other teams in the league are asking themselves absolutely are that’s the problem but 31 other teams don’t have Josh Allen you gotta you gotta figure it out with that boy you gotta figure it out 17 is special but and the crazy thing is though and this is the Nutty thing is of course he has a winning record against them in the regular season the majority of which is on the road in Arrowhead and they’ve pretty much outplayed or played with the Chiefs in nearly every game I I I mean that that’s the that’s the thing that’s crazy is it all comes down to a couple of plays and that’s why mcder gets the criticism that he does but unfortunately that’s what it comes down to for so many of these teams that’s why the Chiefs and their Dynasty here has been so frustrating for so many because the majority of these teams are in it to the very end with the Chiefs and wind up losing the majority of the time um that’s where I struggle with this so much is because mcder has been just as comptitive as anybody in the league probably more so than anybody in the league against Andy Reid but the outcomes certainly don’t show it in the biggest moments but they do show it overall so that’s the key Rico because it’s not that he can’t go toe-to-toe he certainly can I mean he’s got a winning record that against him on the road in Arrowhead in the regular season but we know that nobody gives a damn about that but this is where I get frustrated with this with this conversation because it ultimately comes back to mcder can’t do it no he can do it the problem is is that they’ve just come up short in the biggest moments and we all know a couple of those short Mo a couple of those moments where they came up short I mean it wasn’t just coming up short weo it was coming up by by an eyelash so that’s what’s so frustrating about this and I just go back to Allen of course at the podium as devastated as anybody on the planet in that moment after the the divisional game last year and he just said got to make one more play than them and that’s really what all it is I think McDermot is more than good enough to be Andy Reid and he’s proven it time and time again it’s just this one play here this one play there and I’m telling you mcdermitt’s not the only one in the league asking himself that question losing sleep over it at night I’m telling you that what what what’s that cliche uh the cliche line it’s a game of um is it inches yeah I think it’s it’s a game of inches fam I don’t want to hear it I I’m getting to the point and and you’re talking to a big MC supp but I don’t want to hear it it’s a 13 seconds here it’s a 12 men on the field here here’s my question to you that get it done but here’s my question to you so say today so say so say the Niners have the same ex so say let’s fast forward a year from now and the same thing happens McDermot loses by an eyelash to the Chiefs in overtime in in the playoffs the ners which they very well could go back to the Super Bowl as do the Chiefs and once again the ners lose in dramatic fashion late in the in the ball game in in the Super Bowl again so say both teams had enough the bills fire McDermot and the Niners fire Kyle Shanahan Kyle Shanahan would be his phone would probably blow up from overheating based on the amount of phone calls he’d be getting to come and Coach the next team looking for a spot including the Buffalo Bills because if they’re looking for a coach with mcder being out Kyle Shanahan was available I promise you the call would be made I probably would assume that when that call is made it would entail probably the highest paid coaching position in the league what’s ironic about that is both of those coaches would share the exact same outcome in in the circumstances in which they both got fired that’s what I find to be so interesting about this it is inter he got a coach that is considered to be maybe the best in the league right now who’s had his season end in the same fashion mcder has in the bigger moment so this is what’s so odd to me you fire mcder okay fine you would assume Kyle Shanahan would be a better hire he would be the instant hire if he was available yet ironically enough that was his downfall the exact same thing that got mcder fired and we all have to come back Rico to the center of all this and it’s the mother effing I hate him so much I can’t stand him can’t City chase it’s just it leaves you it leaves us sitting here doing this time and time again not just us ners fans I mean you name it fill in the blank it’s just incredible what honestly stands out and and it’s sad is the zero and the three when it comes time when it really matters zero and the three you can’t go zero and four against the same individual it just can’t happen something’s got to change and uh and most folks I guarantee you if we fall to the same team the same way for whatever reason they will be calling for that brother’s head the media will say don’t do that to Josh that’s what it’s gonna be about it won’t certainly it won’t really be about mcder it’s gonna be don’t do that to Josh don’t do that to that guy this guy’s got he he’s on his way potential Hall of Famer never know if it continues to do what he’s doing he could be there don’t do it he’s 20 what 28 don’t do it to that guy man so if Bean has to make a decision on the guy that he drafted that he felt that this could be the guy but I’ve been with you for so long you’re my guy yo tough decisions are gonna be are going to be made and you damn right Shan has phone’s gonna be blasted off the hook but here’s a question for you does mcder have to get us to the Super Bowl this year at least for you and I to be okay with him having more time with the bills that’s a fantastic question Silas always has the hard headers sounds an [ __ ] um I mean my answer is no my answer is no because really yes I mean to me that is just an it’s an unfair bar it’s an unfair bar and I I think if you set that precedent which of course all these teams do they have to that’s the pr Joe’s I think you guys are on the same page proceed sir I I will say though you know like Joe’s saying if and you know me I love mcdermid too but I’m more than willing to hear things out I’m all for the betterman of the Buffalo Bills whatever that might be we agree right at the end of the day okay unfortunately if that has to come at the at the loss of X Y and Z here I mean at the end of the day I’m I’m rooting for the logo that that’s the way it is but I do like mcder there’s a lot of things about him I really do I really do like there’s obviously things about him I don’t I don’t think the bar being get to the Super Bowl is fair however what Joe’s bringing up is something that I do think is something to be considered if the bills get to the divisional for the fifth consecutive year and they lose in some similar fashion or you know what honestly frankly they just lose I understand the conversation I point blank understand it if you lose in heartbreak fashion or if you lose the way you lost the Cincinnati either way it’s a loss and I can’t I don’t I don’t know which one’s worse to be honest with you there’s part thought the way that they lost to Cincinnati was just worse it didn’t show up nope I’m telling you it’s it’s fair I saw a list the other day from CBS Sports I I forget the the writer to give him credit but he gave out a top eight list of coaches on the hot seat and mcder rounded out the list at eight which I thought was fair because I don’t think he’s on the hot seat but what I thought the writer was insinuating was he’s on the cusp based on the result cuz nobody’s thinking he’s going to have a rough regular season no one’s thinking he can’t lead this team to the playoffs the seek gets warm in the big moment that’s what this team boils down to so I guess to to answer the question is it fair to weigh the options after having a hard time with this one it’s beyond Fair Rico it’s beyond Fair of course but my question will always be this what is the replacement and not not only that does anyone else consider how much this defense might suffer from the change because this is the one thing that nobody ever wants to talk about it all comes down to Josh Allen the offense and no one ever wants to give credit to the fact that this defense has been a top eight or so defense every single year that mcder has been the head coach the problem with the defensive head coach is it’s not sexy they’re not drawing up the plays for Allen they’re not getting the credit when the offense is dominant ating that’s the problem so I have two questions that I POS and but mind you I’m in the camp of all all be all bets are off if they lose in the fashion that they do year in and you’re out here again I’m all in favor of hey let’s let’s take a look here but you have to ask yourself one who’s the replacement and two what’s the loss going to be on the defensive side of the ball because a lot of people out there take for granted what this defense has been under sha mcder and a lot of it has to do with what he has brought to this organization on that side of the ball all right this was a tough one for you I could tell it I mean how could it was a tough one great question it is tough how could it not be you’re talking about you’re talking about you’re not firing a guy for being bad necessarily that’s what’s so tough about this you’re not getting rid of a guy for being a bad coach that’s what’s so hard you know to go forward with this because it’s a results driven business right and I pay you for results actually I pay you for you to give me a Super Bowl that’s why I pay you that’s why I pay you I pay you to coach these guys and get me to the Super Bowl I pay you for your brain to figure things out figure these players out and get me to the Super Bowl I pay Bean for him to get the damn groceries here’s the Black Card go and get what you need to get all right Bean did his part whether you want to call it by luck or not he got the quarterback boy does he have the pieces on the offens side of the ball too here here comes down he comes down to this brother it really does come down to this I got to bring up silas’s question again does mcder have to get us a Super Bowl this year at least for you to give him an okay sorry for you to for him to be for you to be okay with him give him more time yes he has to go I’m glad you said this now I’m gonna pose this then I have to pose this then since you said yes all right what happens if they play let’s say they play uh the ERS okay just easy example and he loses in the same fashion that he loses to the Chiefs but to the ners in the Super Bowl okay he got there results the same at the end of the day results the same what’s your answer then the results are the same but I pay you to get me to the Super Bowl what happens to Super Bowl I mean it is what it is but you g you gave me the opportunity to have a chance to be the World Champ that means you took care of business against the Chiefs that means you took care of business against the Ravens the Bengals whoever you got me there but if you stumble against any of these teams he’s in a lose lose situation because this AFC is gonna be tough and just imagine the Jets make it and we falter to the Jets then we got to have a conversation you’re out of here you’re out of here whether you lose to the Jets the Ravens the Bengals the Chiefs you have to make it to the Super Bowl you have to and and what makes this what muddies the waters is that damn extension what does that mean does it mean anything if they didn’t give him extension I would say he’s as good as gone if he doesn’t get it done see I don’t I don’t give any Credence to that at all I think it means nothing you think it means nothing I think and you’re probably right you’re probably right but the fact that they did do it it bothers me you know that was a PR move last year though big time they did that right in the heat of all of that [ __ ] about mcder and the team unraveling don’t you remember that’s when it happened that is true it was odd we’re like really yeah that that happened it was a confidence exactly right from Terry hey put put this to rest we got our we know at the end of the day it doesn’t matter it does and now and he has to get a Super Bowl and I’m sorry and I’m gonna tell you right now the bills will be a very hot destination for a coach and they’re gonna need to get a coach that just has to be able to tap in now here’s another thing too you were talking about like who’s going to coach the defense and who’s goingon to do this typically if mcder is doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do and that’s get us to the championship and they decide you know what both ways or mcder says I’m walking away instead of you firing me I quit whatever okay he pulls that whatever the case is he’s out maybe the new offensive Corner that comes in maybe they retain Brady who knows right but let’s just say they come in and grab a Top Flight guy they might keep babage let’s say babage is a star in the making you and that defense is humming which is we couldn’t get done with mcder yo babage could easily take over this defense I’m not saying we’re about to find out this year how well he can do but maybe he they retain his Services keep things intact it’s the office that we want to make sure that we get things rolling it’s it’s Josh Allen that we want to take want to tap into something even more to get him to where he’s getting and it’s and it sounds crazy to me because the offense is not the issue it hasn’t it’s just we just can’t get over the freaking hump why decisions things that just happened along the way Andy Reid is the issue either way he’s got to get it done it’s it just has to happen all right so then let’s say okay you’re telling me that this time next year if it doesn’t happen you’re gonna be pounding the table mcdermid’s gotta go it’s gonna be tough for me to do that but I’m gonna be like dude well that’s what you’re saying you’re saying gotta get to the Super Bowl he’s gotta he’s gotta get there okay he’s gotta get there man so okay so let’s just talk hypotheticals based on what’s going to probably be out there would you say would you swap them out from Vel no I don’t like Mike Vel now here’s one here’s one to me that would be the all-time like most Disney Channel original movie [ __ ] you’ve ever seen and that’s Bill Bill mother F and bellich stop it coming in and winning it for the bills I can’t think of anything more effed up than that but do do you know how crazy that would sign up for that do you know how crazy that would be it would be the most insane thing ever ever I can’t Rico I’m sitting here thinking about it I I want to like I want to like pull my skin off my body in in both frustration but also in the fact that it would be The Greatest Story Ever Told oh my God can you see it now can you see it now whipping wins in Orchard Park in the middle of January bills Chiefs in in in bellich checks on the sideline with that gigantic bills Parker and he calls up you know what I’m talking whatever whatever the hell he’s hoodie he’s he’s rocking that hoodie baby let’s go even see his face it’s it’s it’s redder than an apple he’s got nine layers on he’s pissed as hell and he dials up a Malcolm Butler type play for the bills to beat the chief I mean can you even this is insane where we got how do we get here well we got here because we got to talk about because at the end of the day people want to have this conversation and the conversation needs to translate into okay well who’s the next who’s next St belich is going to get a job next year get to the game this year the game being the Super Bowl or Shawn you’re gone just saying it it’s business those are the ABCs of business folks always be closing and he’s got to close the deal anyway it’s a it’s a tough It’s a listen Silas you listen silus with that damn question great question it really is a great question and I we want success for our bills and is there a is there a a way that the bills don’t make it to the Super Bowl but they retain the services of McDermot he has to take the Bengals take them down he has to beat the Chiefs in a way um in the playoffs dude you’re nuts to think though if they go like 12 and five again and losing the playoffs that they’re firing him I I just don’t see it listen do you know who Marty shimer went 14-2 this guy could not get it done he had R I know he had LT one of the best running backs ever you you had a bevy of stars in that Squad 14- two this is the epitome of like yo he had us 14- two and we get to the playoffs and it’s the same freaking results you got to go you got to dude I can’t get over the idea bellich went in a Super Bowl for the bill I I don’t even know what I do the fact that you have that even in my head right now that’s crazy to me that’s crazy so this I’m telling you if that if this comes to fruition what you’re saying like if what you want to happen happens bellich che’s a top three candidate immediately you think Pulu could do it you think he can bring himself to doing it if it’s business I mean that’s what it is bring him here it’s gonna be it’s gonna be I say I’m on the record for this though if it does get to this point I want to see what an offensive head coach looks like if it does get to this point so that’s why I’d be out on belich if it does end up getting to this point I would like if we’re gonna if if you’re gonna change then change you know what I mean that’s probably why I’d be out on Mike Vel as well yeah but belich belich has ties man he’s been in the game a long time maybe he goes and says you know what I’m just going to get myself a sexy offensive coordinator from the Collegiate level and and let’s roll I’ll be head coach you on the offense I don’t meddle in those things so many things can happen but we’re not there yet we’re not there we want the Bills trade for go know what that would entail but that would be where I’d sign on the dotted line oh yeah that you’d give up a lot brother if if you saw what the Broncos gave up for Shawn pyton oh God the bills would have to give up a whole lot I I’m not I’m not in on trading for coaches I I don’t like that at all I it’s very odd it’s odd it’s very odd for me trading for a coach ye but Patriots stranger things have happened and I’m telling you right now shoten Heimer was a fantastic coach had the team winning every year perennial Super Bowl Contender well the reason that’s a great example is because that’s unfortunately that’s the the track the bills have been on they have been on the path of the Philip Rivers and and and somebody in the chat earlier said I I forgot who said it but it was Andy and this is what we can hang on Andy Reid 20 plus years of not even sniffing he’s another one he got fired after multiple appearances you know what would suck if mcder was let go and he went somewhere else and he got the job done that’s another thing you have to consider he’s gonna be hired within a week if he gets fired listen let’s talk good Juju here please he says please so what what I what I want to come down to is this can this is this roster better than last year’s so let go position to position and you let me know how you feel about it obviously quarterback room is better right off the bat with the backup quarterback I’m glad Mitchell trabis is back I think he’s this the best backup for Josh Allen that anybody can ask for he’s mobile enough he’s got starting uh he’s got starting under his belt uh starting games under his belt I mean this it’s it’s he’s the type of quarterback that can get you to 500 he’ll lose you a couple but he’ll win you a couple that’s just what it is the backup situation is far better than last year’s Kyle Allen my gosh I don’t know what the hell that was I didn’t I hated that it’s my buddy I don’t care about who your buddy is all right quarterback room better running back room better you’re pretty much coming back with the same guys but you added some Youth and you added a dog in Davis in Ray Davis I think the running back room is better I think we’re going to run the ball a lot more you saw what what Joe Brady was able to muster when he took over he says we’re going to change the philosophy a little bit we’re going to run the ball we’re going to keep defenses honest and we’re going to win games and that’s exactly what they did they went from a point whatever percent chance of making the playoffs to shoot we just won the den division tight end room the same same watchh move it over let’s go to Old Line room this is the key slightly worse I would somewhat agree your left tackle is the same your right tackle is the same some might say he’ll improve I’m very interested to see what the impact of the loss of Mitch Mars yes so the qu so the conversation is some folks might say Mitch Morris last year was okay or they might say he was great actually you know what let’s let’s not just us talk about it I’m but as as I I’m going to look into the PFF grades I mean that’s the only thing we can some people say the only I trust from PFF is only the old line if they if they if they jump on the old line then cool so let’s let’s go to the old line and see uh what it looked like for I think he was the third overall grade behind Dawkins and Spencer Brown I believe how does that make you feel well I’m fine with it I mean you know Morris obviously up there numerous injuries and uh you wanted to see the elevation of Spencer Brown so I was I was some fine with that um because it wasn’t wide margin I believe so let me share my screen real quick because Mitch Morris is a fascinating uh topic of conversation because you’re you’re you’re losing some somebody that that Josh had great rapport with it’s number one and uh you’re looking at the grades that he had during the season you’re going have 60 against the against the Jets 71 50 2 against the Washington commanders 65 61 71 this is so interesting to me though because like the commanders game for instance they they won by like 30 this is where these things get interesting to me isn’t it very interesting for sure but you’re going up against dogs that line do you do you remember that line yeah that’s a good point that line was ABS Dr pay uh Allen they at the time I mean listen they had some boys on that Squad same with the uh Eagles right there which Eagles right look at the Eagles game um so that gets the Jets 79 Gra then against the Eagles 44 58 52 against the Chargers that Chargers game was a tough one for us right so 49 against the Pittsburgh Steelers right and win so it’s it’s interesting so some folks might say ah he was okay he was getting older so a lot of those things are are playing out but to me I look at it as we moved on from an aging player we got younger in Conor McGovern some might say that Mitch Morris is better than Conor McGovern so then what are we talking about here at the center position we got younger is Conor mcgoverin that much better is it a better fit so now you got weaker at the center position some might say because if Mitch Morris is better than Conor McGovern you’re weaker I think we have to say because we just don’t know what it is and you’re weaker at the left guard position yes so slightly slightly weaker yes all right I think we can both agree unless some people feel different right now silus is saying yeah but the grades weren’t good in terms of uh I guess with M with Mitch Morris right I mean the bar is high right now because last year was the best overall Collective performance by this offensive line since Josh Allen’s become the quarterback so the bar is it’s about as high as it’s been right now for this offensive line I say it’s about like it’s about the same or just slightly below yeah I think we have to say slightly below just because we’ve had we have had Mitch Morris snapping the ball to Allen his entire career we don’t know what it looks like without him therefore we have got to say it’s a it’s a step down until we are proven it’s not absolutely and then we have Cedric van pran Granger sitting in the wings but we we can’t we can’t depend on that we gota we just gota for guys that have played in the game and played the league and you got Conor MCG saying I’m going back to my natural position so maybe he’s excited maybe he’s ready to roll we’ll see let’s go to the receiver room better or worse I mean he says I mean h i mean let’s let’s break it down let’s figure it out Gabe Davis gone Stefan dicks gone we already know what time it is with Stefan dicks one of the best in the game he’s a top 10 receiver I think he’s a top five top six receiver I just I I like his game right but there’s some dogs in this game so we’ll we’ll be nice to say top 10 receiver Gabe Davis complimentary piece inconsistent but we gain rookie k Coleman will he be able to get separation in this game to be determined we got ourselves a jack of all trades and and Curtis Samuel we got something there KH Shakir is looking to have a breakout year but we had him on the squad last year so are we better at the receiver position if we’re being honest and we’re we’re doing the same thing we did with the offensive line we slightly got worse I mean we can’t say slightly it might be as it stands right now it’s one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL all right I want to see if you want to keep it a buck you’re keeping it a buck with me but but it’s it’s interesting I’d say nonetheless because it is now going to one I think alleviate pressure from Allen I think that that’s inevitable here I think removing the constant need mentally whether it was was executed or not to get Diggs the ball is certainly something and I think the fact that you don’t have an alpha means you have to rely on a collective effort I think there’s a lot of interesting aspects to this but as far as Personnel is concerned it’s definitely worse and as far as the roster makeup is as it stands right now it’s not it’s not great it doesn’t scare anybody but there’s something awfully intriguing about it nonetheless and I don’t know why but for some reason Rico I just think it’s going to bring out the best version of Josh Allen we’ve seen I I’m with you in that regards because I mean the and this is not anything new I think people know this when you have an and it’s weird because Tom Brady was talking about it too when you have a number one receiver you cannot go two and a half quarters without hating your number one receiver something is wrong with that picture and there were moments that Jo my man Diggs wasn’t getting involved I wouldn’t say two and a half quarters worth but there were moments where he wasn’t getting involved Jo Bri did a good job of getting him the fo the football with whether it was a receiver screen or quick slant or whatnot I didn’t like those plays for Stefon digs but it is what it is but the I think silence is hitting it the receiver room has a lower Talent ceiling but a much higher floor at talent I trust these receivers could be a good group I I agree I think this is where bot I yeah I mean that’s the exciting part it’s the unknown it’s also the nervousness of it that’s right there’s no pressure to look for my number one receiver where is he now it’s play free man whoever is open you getting it right if it’s if it’s my guy don’t K that’s getting 18 targets you’re getting 18 targets because you can’t be stopped right or we’re spreading the football around you’re getting three receptions you’re getting four receptions nobody’s getting 10 it might be that way and Josh Allen thrives we’ll see so the receiver room although you don’t have the big names in Gabe Davis and you don’t have the big names in in ston Diggs we’ll say it’s a slightly lesser it’s it’s a lesser receiver group but we’re very intrigued to see what’s going to happen with thatou and and to me it’s ultimately the reason why I think Josh Allen wins the MVP this year I think Josh Allen wins the MVP this year I’ve actually never been more confident in him winning an MVP than I am him winning it this year yes because I think that these are things that are taken into account from a voting perspective and I think that his play is inevitably going to increase based on the need for it to increase with the lack of talent around him I think that when you factor in the departures because I think he’s going to have a big year and I think when you factor in the departures then you also factor in the the notion that it has to be a great year for him in order for them to succeed now that’s the same that’s the case every year but none more I would say no more so than than this year coming up here just based on the losses so I think that there’s there’s something odd about the step back in the wide receiver room somehow being a step forward for Josh Allen I don’t know how to explain it there’s just something to me about the the it’s going to free him to some degree I think I get what you’re trying to say and I also just think Rico on top of that and this is crazy to say because every game every year you need him to pretty much play like Superman in order for them to win that’s been one been one of the biggest criticisms of the bills but I just feel like it’s never been more inevitable than this year that that that has to be the case and I just think that if he rises to that occasion it’s going to be that much more impressive based on what he’s out there with not only that with the combination of a full off season with Joe Brady you saw what Joe Brady was at able to do in half a year and kind of scrapping things from his own repertoire and and taking things from from the previous OC and kandori so now you got a full off season you don’t have to game plan for okay got to get this guy the foot now it’s okay the the new Dynamic things have changed so this is going to be an interesting group to watch this year so that’s why I’m looking at this roster can it compete is it going to be the same is it better than last year you see what’s happen in the AFC East very interesting so defensive line better or worse I would say pretty much much the same you got coming backer can do you got Solomon coming back I mean coming back we drafted Solomon uh we’ve got a better interior line in my opinion you got dcoin coming back uh you got uh Duke we just drao the Duke which I think is going to be an absolute dog so I think this D this deep front will probably be slightly better slightly better I’ll give the edge and Von Miller coming back a lot a lot healthier I think slightly better Lineback and crew better you got those two boys coming back healthy contingent on health definitely absolutely better cornerback room pretty much the same name obviously Trey white leaving but Trey white was gone early so we Douglas and Christian Beford Christian Beford was actually I don’t know if you saw this was number one rated Zone Corner according to PFF really so we got something really special and KY was having a phenomenal off season so there’s your quarterback three intriguing quarterback room the most important one is the safety room are we better or worse at the safety room we got younger but do we necessarily get better we lost Jordan puer it’s another one where I feel you just can’t definitively you have to say worse until you’re proven I mean you had the maybe the best safety tanm in the league for seven years going so it’s really hard to sit here and say it’s not I mean you can’t sit here and say it isn’t worse but that’s that’s the whole that’s the whole thing back to the wide receiver room Rico where it’s like you get younger you have this up side potential it’s the unknown that has us both excited and of course somewhat worried as far as what this year is going to be I mean have you ever been more unsure of what the hell is about to unfold this coming season oh Bo because there’s a lot of uncertainty there’s there’s a honestly there’s a sense of excitement there’s a big sense of excitement uh and I’m looking forward to it but I I do want to post something though uh Bobby pointed this out to me we were talking about we were just talking about this last night about like this this this safety room and the fact that we’re youth verse obviously age and experience right and when you look back at Jordan Pier’s playoff grading his coverage yikes it wasn’t good in the playoffs it was it wasn’t good he graded a 44 in coverage in Kansas City although he had a a a a game altering it wasn’t a good one now mind you he’s probably helping a lot on AJ kle AJ kle was obviously on the field so there’s probably a lot of help in there but regardless didn’t grade well against Pittsburgh 52.8 and did not grade well against the Kansas City Chiefs so it goes to show you okay listen maybe it wasn’t as bad as maybe it wasn’t as bad as a decision to move on from those boys and bring in some youthful guys so it’s going to be fun to see how this plays out so this in totality this roster and what we’re bringing this year can this roster win the AFC East again for the fifth time can will this roster go f go five go five in a row Drive for Five what say you absolutely I have absolutely no qualms in saying that whatsoever I I have no loss and confidence in this team’s ability to win the AFC it’s not even necessarily based on my confidence in the bills more so than it is my lack of confidence in the rest of the division you remove New England entirely just because you have to there’s just no shot in hell and then once again I don’t understand where the confidence comes from in in in the Jets who haven’t play made the playoffs in 12 years and it’s just constant what the hell is going on in New York every time you read something right there’s just there’s no way that that organization as dysfunction as it is can go out and do that until I’m prove it otherwise I mean the fact that people have the confidence that they do in this team despite all the dysfunction in that organization blows my mind especially to the extent in which people have the confidence it’s not just going and winning the AFC East the amount of people that have this team making a Super Bowl run is nuts to me been over a decade the longest drought in the NFL and for some reason there’s just a insane amount of confidence and that of course is all contingent on the health of Aaron roggers and we shall see what that ends up looking like so I mean I I have at the end of the day you can go through these divisions and the majority of the time the winner in which you’re going to choose from each division is going to probably have the better quarterback the bills have the best quarterback in that Division I don’t think it’s particularly Clos the Jets have a phenomenal defense and a great young roster that’s certainly upcoming but I mean let’s face it this team has gone out of its way to be a dysfunctional mess for the last decade or so and they’ve given you no reason to think that that has jamed so why should I think it has changed so once again I will believe it when I see it with the New York Jets and then of course the Miami Dolphins I have the exact same sentiment almost more so because they have proven that they’re there to do it and they still can’t do it last year to me was the biggest Telltale of all of this the Miami Dolphins had a three-game lead in December on these Buffalo Bills it was tortoise in the hair type did absolutely and here comes the taurise and the Buffalo Bills at the end of the year crossing the finish line by by by a a nose hair three game lead they unfold I mean they absolutely unravel against will Levis and a Tennessee Titans team who hadn’t had uh a home Victory I think up until that point or something crazy in that game blw what what was it a 21o lead or something in the fourth quarter it was a wild game first of all I turned the thing it was one of the most insane games I’ve ever seen in my life I couldn’t believe what I was watching unreal and then and then at the end of the day it all came down to them just having to beat the bills despite all the unraveling that happened in Miami they just had to beat the bills and they couldn’t you look at Josh Allen stats against Miami you look at the bills overall stats against Miami and the success against them year in and year out I mean I I understand the the the sentiment around the bills right now isn’t what it used to be there’s definitely a loss in confidence and I understand that based on the veteran leadership that’s been lost the amount of new guys on this roster but I want to know the argument to the replacement of this Bills team at the top of the throne because right now despite the losses for these bills I mean the bills were down to their last leg on defense last year going into that game against Miami and they still pick off two on the final drive of the game to win it the the Miami Dolphins offense couldn’t do anything in the latter half of that game and the bills offense for the frankly couldn’t do anything either and they still found a way to beat him so it’s not even as much of my confidence in the bills Rico as much as it is my lack of confidence surrounding the rest of the AFC East so to answer the question yes the bills to me should 100% still be the favorite to win the division and the way I look at it this way is the road to getting that AFC is through Buffalo this just it’s that you’ve got to take us down before you can uh my man said that he’s got the photo of my man Hassan reck in Japan playing Mulan instead of being a mini camp training camp and all that good stuff so we’ll see how that all plays out I don’t know if he’s trying to get a new contract who knows um but uh listen at the end of the day roster or not the key factor in this is having 17 and having 17 focused and having 17 understanding what’s at stake here people are going to be watching the bills with a just everything the bills do they’re going to be watching the bills they’re going to be combing through everything with a fine tooth comb to find out how and when the bills are going to collapse they want to see it they somewhat want to see it but they also are looking for the bills to have great success without Diggs without puyer without you mean the old heads the squad Mitch moris can mcder and bean right the ship and get these guys back on track to get in the fifth straight we have the absolute Firepower to do it so I’m with you I think we both agree is happening now I do have a offthe cuff question for you if you’re picking one AFC team that is going to throw a lot of people off and they be better than people anticipate who is that AFC team like uh a team that wasn’t there last year that Will was in the playoff last year and they’re going to push and potentially make the playoffs but people are going to put be put on notice by this team Ela Chargers oh the Chargers edition of Jim Harbaugh is going to do wonders for this team I think that there was no team in the NFL more held back by their coach than the Chargers were by Brandon Staley that roster was way too good to fold the way they did year in and year out and I think that those days are done in La under Jim harba I just do not think that that is going to be the case I don’t think he’ll allow it to be the case now the the only issue for them is that that is the toughest division in the NFL so it might take a bit but I think they’ll certainly be better the one other team I would look at Rico is the Indianapolis Colts as well I think the Colts will be right there they almost made the playoffs last year with Gardner mshu Anthony Richardson will be back in healthy real good young upand cominging team with a good young coach I think they’ll be on the cusp as well and that division’s winnable I mean obviously Houston’s gonna be the top dog right now but those are the two teams I look at as far as teams that I think will be in the mix and will be better give me give me these two teams give me the Raiders actually I was going to say the Browns but that division is just too tough I don’t know if the Browns can can go against the Bengals and Steelers I’m gonna give the Steelers a chance too but anyway but Tennessee Titans bro Tennessee Titans bro I think they’re going to shake shake the a the AFC South they’re gonna shake it up a little bit they’re gonna they’re gonna give the Texans a run for their money I think they’re going to give I think they’re going to give some boys for the Run for the money man the Jaguars I don’t know about the Jaguars man I’m not I’m not in on Trevor Lawrence I’m not buying it I’m not buying Trevor Lawrence and I he’s a good quarterback I just not buying Trevor Lawrence he’s all right he’s all right but well and the other thing we gotta fact though bro they’re gonna be something man what made you say that bro it’s it’s just the new coaching def they they firep powerered on defense they got themselves some weapons on offense Calvin Ridley dehop uh third year player um trayon Burks uh Powell at running back you got will L is gonna be killing it they improved that old line fam they’re going to be a much improved team they they brought in um cornerback from the from the Chiefs uh Sneed yeah that’s true good squad they’ve improved vastly now I’m not saying they’re going to kill the game I just think they’re going to be a much improved team and they will be pushing for that playoff contention for sure but that AFC South is goingon to be stacked as well because you know the Colts are like you said Colts are Colts are going to be doing it man a Mitchell out there I I’m hearing great things out of AD Mitchell so you got ad Mitchell and them boys out there listen it’s gonna be something it’s gonna be something it’s gonna be something cool man this AFC is like you got Joe burrow back that’s what I was just gonna say how quickly we forget that’s the team that really should be the answer B the Bengals fam this is gonna be it’s gonna be this that’s why it’s imperative that these bills handle their business in the AFC East because we can’t do what we did last year of like are we gonna make it are we not are we gonna be a wild card are we this are we that win the freaking division win the division because this AFC is going to be a gauntlet yet again y yet again man oh man so we’ll see but uh great conversation today um I thought that uh it was interesting with what we do with mcder if mcder doesn’t go to the hump I think that’s GNA be a question uh through training camp first few weeks how do the bill how will the bills look because the first four weeks are very telling very telling on on how a potential team is going to look man going 0 and two 0 and three I’m not saying the bills will do that but like it’s hard to dig out of a 0 and three start or one and two or a one and three start that’s tough and that schedule is something oh my gosh let’s talk about the schedule fam it’s gonna be tough man um but I mean we both we sat there and we said 12 and five a lot of bills fans think we we go 12 and five uh we did a a poll a fan voting with the Buffalo fanatics on Instagram we have 100,000 follows bro Bills fans hat is going 15 and two I think I think Pierre must have voted a $100,000 I was about to say Pierre was all over that man um but it’s gonna be fun man it’s gonna be fun silence my man says Tennessee also shot Shawn mrey button at cornerback man they also drafted sweat to put next to Simmons this team is gonna be something man I’m tell yo people better not sleep on the Tennessee Titans bro and the Bills playing and uh week seven bro we are we’re going to have our hands full number one in week one first and foremost I mean the first six weeks are pretty wild it’s G it’s gonna be something man it’s really gonna be something but uh the beautiful thing about this whole situation is we got a quarterback in 17 that is uh has got himself uh an opportunity to prove to a lot of folk to prove to his counterparts to prove you I mean to certain players that decided to leave the squad and go elsewhere that we still got what we got I mean we still going if me at 17 me me under Center we we got it we gonna roll out and we gonna make sure that we’re safe and we’re still we’re good it’s just that when we get to the playoffs this is when things heat up who steps up who doesn’t and we’ll go from there in so we’ll see we’ll see uh anything else did you wanted to touch on my brother before uh we dip out of here that is that baby one Friday closer to the season inch and close next week will be uh will’ll be 10 weeks and we we’re we’re drumming on and uh training camps right around the corner I’m getting excited brother yeah listen I’m getting excited for two things first and foremost uh the drive I was looking at how long it takes to get to New Roch show uh it’s a good 12 hour drive not bad I didn’t know we’re one hour away from New York City though yeah new only an hour yeah it’s right there if it wasn’t for traic you could get there probably in like 25 minutes shoot hops keeping a jump in New York City yeah wifey’s never been to New York City I’ve been there countless times she never been to New York wow she’s she’s it’s too big city for her I don’t know if she might like it we’ll see we see G be a weekend for the gang I’m telling you hey watch out by the way did you see um I mean I don’t know if it’s true but the Madden ratings came out I kind of I got I got my feelings a little bit uh I thought they were the Madden ratings people were saying no it’s not the Madden ratings it’s the it’s the current ratings right now the Real ratings haven’t come haven’t come out yet but what say you on this they had Pat Mahomes out of 9999 I’m good with that it’s Pat Mahomes he’s that dude they had who was it they had uh oh they had um Josh Allen 93 92 Joe burrow 93 they had Lamar Jackson at 98 I lost it after that one I said yeah that’s I’m Allen’s at four Mo F folks are telling me that that’s not the real rating it’s if you’re playing Madden right now that’s what they have it as as we speak so when the Real ratings come out your top three quarterbacks and what will they be rated we’ll say top five top five what I think it should be or what I think it will be what you think it should be momes Allen Lamar burrow and Herz um yeah or would you put Dak in there I wouldn’t put Dak in there you got to refactor in too and in Madden the running is is huge it is huge so that’s why Lamar is probably ranked as high as he is so Lamar is rated 98 and M that’s out right now this is so right now they have 99 for for Pat Mahomes 98 Lamar Jackson 93 burrow 92 Allen Dak Prescott cracked to 90 88 Tua Herz 87 Herbert 87 Brock pury 85 and Kurt Cousins 84 I can’t believe kurk cousins got up there to 84 but that’s that’s odd that’s weird but anyway um Pat mahes will probably still be n He he’ll be the 99 Club yeah who’s gonna be the second best rated quarterback if if I were ranking I would have Mahomes at 99 I would have Allen at 96 I would have Lamar I agree at 95 I’d have burrow at 92 really yeah you’d have him that low huh well because you can’t really run with burrow in the game like I’m like Allen you’re running the ball with him I mean Mahomes can really scramble in that game too and then Lamar I mean I almost understand Lamar being rated higher in the game than Allen just because you can you can run with Lamar in that game um CJ st’s GNA be up there yeah I mean interesting enough that might be who I consider there’s a kraken 90 thees CJ Stout in second year crack 90 no but I bet like 80 an 88 or an 87 I bet you is what they have him at 87 sou of our right yeah did hey is the college game out yet three weeks I am so excited dude three weeks from uh Monday it’ll be out gof should be r around that around that Mark maybe 89 dude when gol’s on he’s on Stafford above Goff or below Goff from a talent perspective Stafford’s above but that Lions team is just stacked dude BR that team is good they’re solid bro they are solid 85 that Lions team might they have one of the best rosters in the league who does the Lions do the Lions have a better roster than the 49ers some say the 49ers have the best I mean they should have they they were wiping the floor with sanran last year until they weren’t I’d probably I man that’s tough I would take the Lions roster just because it’s going to be better for longer than the Niners roster is so many young studs on that Lions team s says July 19th baby you want the Xbox or PS5 zbot PS5 baby I cannot wait so it’s July 19th but if you pre-order uh if you pre- order it you get the three-day Early Access dude I’m going to be grinding in that game I cannot wait who you rolling with well I’m going to be rolling with my NY Lions but I think I’m also you’re not rolling with Colorado well no no I think I’m gonna be I think I’m gonna rebuild uh UB though in a dynasty oh that’d be fun yeah that could be fun because it’s fun to start with a real rough program and bring it up uh because in the game you know it’s tougher to get recruits tougher to compete so that’ll be fun dude the last time I played college ball I think I was running with I was uh I was I was messing with Nebraska then I went to Cincinnati I like the uniforms of Cincinnati yeah Bearcats I was running with that God it’s gonna be fun man I gotta get my I gotta get my college game up and yeah it’s gonna be real fun I’m excited all right folks that’s it for us if you uh enjoyed the show obviously you guys know what to do smash that like if you guys have not subscribed you guys are new to the page to the channel y’all know to do do that for us and uh zebba you got any the last words for these uh these fine folks that been hanging us with us for the last two hours appreciate you guys tuning in as always have a terrific weekend and um catch you on the next one baby catch you on the next one we’ll see you guys next week listen guys it’s a slow period it’s gonna be one po a week it’s my man zebar we’re gonna be kicking it on Fridays Friday seems to be the The Sweet Spot and uh you CR crank up your weekend with your with the boys and then you can have a great one and we’ll see you guys next week now if something pops off you know I mean in the middle of week you know emergency pod we on it so uh you guys you guys enjoy yourself and uh we’re going to get this intro pop this outro popping and uh we’ll get ourselves out of here man you guys have a great weekend I hope you guys had a great Father’s Day weekend last weekend that was great and uh if you guys are cooking on the grill I know uh you guys have a holiday coming up soon don’t you what holiday is coming up July 4th coming up July 4th July 4th is coming around the corner and ours is July 1 we got candidate coming so that’s gonna be interesting oh I didn’t even know that was a thing oh my gosh shut your mouth zbot we got Canada day that goes on July 1 and then the second party happens July 4th so I know you guys are really having fireworks like crazy it’s funny you guys have fireworks that uh that take place right in front of your driveways I love that we had that a couple years back there’s one guy I don’t know what I don’t know where he got his fireworks man he laid that thing down and what you’d see in a typical video fireworks about to go down and for some reason it tilted over and it just fired all over the place kids running all over Place pure chaos one girl got it right the chest boom reverse oh my gosh I was like I can’t believe this is happening everybody take cover and this this poor girl got hit in the chest with it and she was fine the guy that did the fireworks felt absolutely horrible how could apologizing he got on the community Facebook was I’m so sorry and people were the parents were like how could you irresponsible I felt bad for the guy he just wanted to do something for the kids it turned sideways it turned sideways poor guy anyway uh so enjoy yourselves uh guys and uh we’ll definitely uh catch up next week no doubt much love everybody thanks for tuning in hit the little outro Here There It Is enjoy the Friday folks enjoy the weekend we’ll see you on the next one go bills oh bills baby