Buffalo Bills Week 3 -- Buffalo (2-0) vs Jacksonville (0-1). Monday, 9/23 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN (CBS Channel 4 in Buffalo)

[Jim Bob]

'Does the passing game need to return to form'

That seems disingenuous given how the Thursday night game went, and Allen going on a heater the previous week.

Also, I listened to an Allen interview with Shady McCoy and a few others. It appears he has the mental game down. He's dialed in, and if he does take that next step of 'taking what the defense gives me 90% of the time and using my elite skillset the other 10% of the time', then I truly believe he can be the 1a/1b with Mahomes. He'll likely never catch up in the hardware dept, so his legacy won't be as strong. But as someone who watched his fair share of Manning and Brady- I don't think either one was a level above the other. One just went to a franchise that provided more support, and that one is going to be more well regarded because of that.

Regardless, we are so damn lucky to have Allen.

Joe Marino had an interesting stat on his 5 predictions segment yesterday:

In the 9 games, including the playoffs, since Joe Brady took over as OC, Josh Allen has topped 250 yards passing once (Week 18 game in Miami).

So, it may be worded a little more pointedly than you might prefer, but given how good Jacksonville has been against the run, especially in London last year vs Buffalo, this could be a game where they need to rely more on the passing game than they have since Brady has taken over.

The good thing is that the Jags are down a CB and a depth safety that has played a fair amount of snaps so far this season.

 

[Zman5778]

This game makes me nervous. Jacksonville is much more talented than what they've shown in the first 2 games this season. They're going to be super motivated to come out swinging.

Meanwhile, I am worried that this is a bit of a prototypical "trap" game. We go on the road 3 in a row after tonight and all of them against TOUGH opponents. It's only human nature to maybe look past this week as an easier week against what might be perceived as a lesser opponent. I know that McDermott/Brady/Babich are likely trying their damnest to take those thoughts out of their collective heads.....but again, human nature.

Ultimately I think we pull this out.....barely. 23-20 Bills with a 4th quarter FG followed by a final-drive stop.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Drove by the Stadium area early and there were tailgates in the private lots already!

Things are drying out from a soggy night.

 

[Jim Bob]

This game makes me nervous. Jacksonville is much more talented than what they've shown in the first 2 games this season. They're going to be super motivated to come out swinging.

Meanwhile, I am worried that this is a bit of a prototypical "trap" game. We go on the road 3 in a row after tonight and all of them against TOUGH opponents. It's only human nature to maybe look past this week as an easier week against what might be perceived as a lesser opponent. I know that McDermott/Brady/Babich are likely trying their damnest to take those thoughts out of their collective heads.....but again, human nature.

Ultimately I think we pull this out.....barely. 23-20 Bills with a 4th quarter FG followed by a final-drive stop.

After how the past two matchups with Jacksonville went, the players are not talking like they are looking past the Jags. At all.



Ed said those two games were weird a bunch of times.



And I like this mindset from Groot.

 

[Zman5778]

After how the past two matchups with Jacksonville went, the players are not talking like they are looking past the Jags. At all.

I totally and 100% buy that they're talking like that.

I just worry that human nature takes over. That and I'm a Buffalo fan and thus used to disappointment.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1838197414785597926

 

[Jim Bob]

How a board game brought Bills players closer -- and stoked their competitive fire

Buffalo underwent significant change this offseason and has found avenues to bring the team closer.

www.espn.com

Maybe we need to get Catan for our house...

 

[KeyserSoze81]

How a board game brought Bills players closer -- and stoked their competitive fire

Buffalo underwent significant change this offseason and has found avenues to bring the team closer.

www.espn.com

Maybe we need to get Catan for our house...

(Settlers of) Catan is wonderful as a gateway game. It is best at 4 players, but the mechanics are solid despite the game being released in 1995. There is a decent amount of player interaction, and the concepts are very easy to grasp for new players, We used to play this multiple times a week in University (circa 2002-2004). Games have come a long way since then, but playing Catan is sort of like playing Quake II. Other games are certainly better, but it is legendary and great in its own right.

My wife and I have accumulated >100 modern board games, but Settlers of Catan is my origin story.

Side note - I should probably post something about the Bills to stay relevant to the thread. So "Go Bills"! Also, I quite appreciate the 7:30 start time. It takes a couple hours to wind down from watching a game, so I can at least try to fall asleep by 12:30ish.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

This game makes me nervous. Jacksonville is much more talented than what they've shown in the first 2 games this season. They're going to be super motivated to come out swinging.

Meanwhile, I am worried that this is a bit of a prototypical "trap" game. We go on the road 3 in a row after tonight and all of them against TOUGH opponents. It's only human nature to maybe look past this week as an easier week against what might be perceived as a lesser opponent. I know that McDermott/Brady/Babich are likely trying their damnest to take those thoughts out of their collective heads.....but again, human nature.

Ultimately I think we pull this out.....barely. 23-20 Bills with a 4th quarter FG followed by a final-drive stop.

Well, we should be a little nervous. Jacksonville D is good, and they will be desperate, they have a good athletic QB.

BUT, we are have a good home field advantage, Josh is good man on man, If the Injuries on D hold up, etc