Lots of love for Josh Allen
I love this dude; you're talking about the 2.0 and the future is here. Everybody's trying to find the next quarterback that is big, that is mobile and can have an arm like a cannon and Josh Allen, he embodies all of that. He's all about family and football, and boy, this dude is the next, and he's here now to stay.
A message to Bills Mafia
My message would only be, be angry this morning, be pissed off. Because the worst thing that any Bills fan could feel this morning is contentment. 'Great season, look how well we did, we made it to the AFC title game.' No. Be angry, you should be there. And I'll tell you this, this is what advantage that the Bills got [Sunday] night in a terrible night for them. Know your enemy. You know who your enemy is, and he wears number 15 for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he ain't going nowhere. So, you can spend the next 10 years being like, 'divisional round, title round, wild card round,' or you can handle Mahomes. I would spend the next offseason, and every offseason after that, battling that enemy named Patrick Mahomes because he's going to live in your house for the next decade if you don't.
The Bills weren't ready Sunday. That doesn't say anything about their season
The Bills entered the AFC Championship Game ranked first in Football Outsiders' weighted DVOA, an efficiency metric that accounts for strength of schedule and gives extra weight to the end of the season. They went from 20th in expected points added offensively in 2019 to fourth in 2020. Their offensive line and pass-catching groups, once problems, were among the league's best. Allen played better and faster in his third season than even the biggest Allen diehards dared dream possible. The Bills weren't far from winning a Super Bowl, even if it felt like their defense wasn't going to stop Mahomes on Sunday, no matter what. This is just what it's going to be like for AFC rivals in the Mahomes era. There will inevitably be relative down years for the Chiefs, just like there were for the Patriots during the Brady era in New England, but Mahomes is always going to be there. Allen just needs to make sure he consolidates his growth. ...
McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have earned the full benefit of the doubt that they will make the right decisions. It is always difficult to get back to the AFC Championship Game, but the offensive foundation they laid with Allen points to annual contention. Their defense -- especially the pass rush -- needs to be freshened up. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver, their top-10 pick from 2019, hasn't quite delivered. This was the worst Bills defense on balance of the McDermott era, although that didn't matter much when the Bills' offense was playing like it was from the Jim Kelly era. That's why Allen's development, in an offense-first league, mattered so much more than a so-so season on defense. Allen and Stefon Diggs aren't going anywhere but up, and the same could be said of the Bills.
Behind the numbers - The power in the number 17
Starting with Buffalo's number 17. #17 is a Pro Bowler, he's on the MVP shortlist and he had the greatest passing season in Buffalo history. But #17 did more than put up stats, he put up belief, and he put up hope. #17 said, come with me, we could do this, even if I have to run for it. #17 seems fun to watch, and he's fun to root for. He's worth every Sunday night trip to the airport and every subzero card table body slam. A win [Sunday] would have been playoff win number 17 for this franchise and something tells me Josh Allen will get that, and a whole lot more before he's done.
Bills are set for a decade with Sean McDermott
I'll go with another coach and it's head coach Sean McDermott, they found the guy, it's just pretty simple. Sometimes you look at a team and the way they progress, and you can put a lot of the credit on the talent of the squad. It's because of the guys on the field, that's the reason why they're successful. You can say that about the Buffalo Bills, but you can also say that about the coaches on the sideline. I feel like Sean McDermott is that dude, every time I listen to him talk, and every time I see him on the sideline. There's an image of Stefon Diggs with his head on his helmet and seeing the confetti fall in front of him. And then there's a separate image of coach Sean McDermott, hugging him almost like a brother or a father would, saying it's alright man I understand your pain and I feel your pain, but we'll be back. He's a coach that relates to his players, and he's a coach that has that experience as a player. But more importantly when you look at Sean McDermott, you think to yourself the Bills are set for a decade, and you can say that about a lot of coaches.
