Ziatzev would easily be our second best RD
- homiedclown

Won't pretend to watch Ottawa at all. First thought on it is simple: if they don't want him, neither do I.

mahomes with another int in the red zone

mahomes with another int in the red zone
- homiedclown

The turnover discussion is overblown at this point. What matters more is whether or not your quarterback is good enough to overcome them. Both Mahomes and Allen have the ability to do that in spades.

I simply can’t believe the Bills decided to keep 30 year old Jake Kumerow and McKenzie over Hodgins.

Kid might be for real

I simply can’t believe the Bills decided to keep 30 year old Jake Kumerow and McKenzie over Hodgins.

Kid might be for real
- sbroads24

Agreed, but I also don't think the Dorsey and Co. really know how to use him. McKenzie, for instance, was at his best as a gadget play receiver, such as using him on jet sweeps. Daboll is very good at identifying that. Dorsey might be with experience as the years go on, but he definitely isn't now.

denver 10
kc 7

Agreed, but I also don't think the Dorsey and Co. really know how to use him. McKenzie, for instance, was at his best as a gadget play receiver, such as using him on jet sweeps. Daboll is very good at identifying that. Dorsey might be with experience as the years go on, but he definitely isn't now.
- buffalofan19

McKenzie should always be your #5 guy at best. Kumerow shouldn’t be rostered imo.

I just am kinda shocked they didn’t give Hodgins more looks

denver 10
kc 6
- homiedclown

Fixed.

Fixed.
- buffalofan19

forgot that botched that snap

McKenzie should always be your #5 guy at best. Kumerow shouldn’t be rostered imo.

I just am kinda shocked they didn’t give Hodgins more looks
- sbroads24

In a perfect world, I agree, but I also think where the two teams are factor into it. If the Giants came into the season as a Super Bowl favorite, I doubt even Daboll would be experimenting with guys as frequently. The Bills are in a spot where every man on the roster has a role that's expected of them. The Giants are still figuring out who can do what, even though they still will likely make the playoffs. The 2017 Bills team was a lot like that too, except they didn't have an offensive-minded coach.

In a perfect world, I agree, but I also think where the two teams are factor into it. If the Giants came into the season as a Super Bowl favorite, I doubt even Daboll would be experimenting with guys as frequently. The Bills are in a spot where every man on the roster has a role that's expected of them. The Giants are still figuring out who can do what, even though they still will likely make the playoffs. The 2017 Bills team was a lot like that too, except they didn't have an offensive-minded coach.
- buffalofan19

Eh, I get what you’re saying, but it still doesn’t make a ton of sense from a management standpoint.

You invested a draft pick in Hodgins, spent two years developing him, got him healthy and some reps and then thought that chasing punts was more important

I think they thought they’d sneak Hodgins to PS one more time and whiffed

McKenzie should always be your #5 guy at best. Kumerow shouldn’t be rostered imo.

I just am kinda shocked they didn’t give Hodgins more looks
- sbroads24

Good post

I think the Bill's leaned towards veteran players 🤔

Ziatzev would easily be our second best RD
- homiedclown

He's been a 20-minute defenseman the last two years. Power's partner has to play 25 a night. He can't handle that at all.

Marchands goal should have been too many men penalty, not a goal.

https://twitter.com/pham1...&t=gf_-jH-QyTZ_Jsonz9Op1g

Eh, I get what you’re saying, but it still doesn’t make a ton of sense from a management standpoint.

You invested a draft pick in Hodgins, spent two years developing him, got him healthy and some reps and then thought that chasing punts was more important

I think they thought they’d sneak Hodgins to PS one more time and whiffed
- sbroads24

I definitely agree with that. It's obvious the guy can play, but trusting in veterans over a guy like him isn't just a Bills thing. It's a league-wide thing. The teams that usually stumble on these guys are the ones that either aren't very good or go to these guys out of necessity. At the end of the day, if the Bills don't win the Super Bowl this year, it won't be because Isiah Hodgins couldn't crack the 53 this year.

I definitely agree with that. It's obvious the guy can play, but trusting in veterans over a guy like him isn't just a Bills thing. It's a league-wide thing. The teams that usually stumble on these guys are the ones that either aren't very good or go to these guys out of necessity. At the end of the day, if the Bills don't win the Super Bowl this year, it won't be because Isiah Hodgins couldn't crack the 53 this year.
- buffalofan19

Special teams is a big part of their decisions too.

He's been a 20-minute defenseman the last two years. Power's partner has to play 25 a night. He can't handle that at all.
- lacaprup

Don't think we want any of are D constantly playing 25min a night, still a long season

He's been a 20-minute defenseman the last two years. Power's partner has to play 25 a night. He can't handle that at all.
- lacaprup

power plays about 20 minutes a night 5 on 5

then gets pp time and pk time


your move

Don't think we want any of are D constantly playing 25min a night, still a long season
- Buff36

maybe when joker comes back he can be reminded how joker needs to be sheltered to 15 minutes a night

I definitely agree with that. It's obvious the guy can play, but trusting in veterans over a guy like him isn't just a Bills thing. It's a league-wide thing. The teams that usually stumble on these guys are the ones that either aren't very good or go to these guys out of necessity. At the end of the day, if the Bills don't win the Super Bowl this year, it won't be because Isiah Hodgins couldn't crack the 53 this year.
- buffalofan19

It also won’t be because they were slightly worse at covering punts.

Kumerow and McKenzie are both almost certainly not rostered next season. Hodgins would have probably been

It also won’t be because they were slightly worse at covering punts.

Kumerow and McKenzie are both almost certainly not rostered next season. Hodgins would have probably been
- sbroads24

I am ready to see a little more shakir

I am ready to see a little more shakir
- homiedclown

As much flack as I gave Davis, the biggest issue is McKenzie not being a reliable slot receiver.

It’s a HUGE downgrade from Beasley’s first few years here

As much flack as I gave Davis, the biggest issue is McKenzie not being a reliable slot receiver.

It’s a HUGE downgrade from Beasley’s first few years here
- sbroads24

https://buffalonews.com/s...ed-9d14-3bbf91a0913a.html



Let’s start off 2023 with the first mailbag of the year …

Al Runkel asks: How did the wide receiver group go from what was considered a strong group prior to the initial roster cuts to us putting retired/unsigned players placed on the practice squad and, called up for game day? What’s next, have open tryouts at the stadium?

Jay: Because everyone, the team’s front office included, overestimated what it had on the roster. Go down the list, and other than Stefon Diggs, every other receiver on the roster has either not met or not come close to meeting his preseason projections. The ridiculous performance against the Chiefs last year in the divisional round convinced everyone Gabe Davis was ready to be a breakout star, and that hasn’t quite happened. Davis has 45 catches for 797 yards and seven touchdowns. While those numbers aren’t bad, they aren’t at the level most expected them to be 15 games in. Isaiah McKenzie has 40 catches for 404 yards and four touchdowns. Perhaps the biggest misconception during training camp was that McKenzie was going to be able to step into Cole Beasley’s role as the every-down slot receiver. They play different styles, and Beasley was perhaps the best slot receiver in the NFL for at least a portion of his time with the Bills. Those were unfair expectations to put on McKenzie. We also shouldn’t forget the loss of Jamison Crowder, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 4 against the Ravens. He was signed to provide that veteran slot presence, and we saw in the first three games that he was going to play a role for the offense. We can keep going down the list, too. The love that Khalil Shakir has received from Bills fans feels a bit overblown in my mind. Shakir was a fifth-round draft pick. It always felt like a stretch that he was going to have a significant role as a rookie, and that’s played out. Shakir is getting a decent amount of playing time, playing somewhere between 10-25 offensive snaps in most weeks, but he’s not being targeted when he is on the field by Josh Allen. It should also be noted that he’s also on the field a decent amount for running plays, so perhaps the Bills like his blocking ability. You could argue he should get more of a chance as a route runner, but clearly the Bills’ coaching staff doesn’t think so, because it hasn’t happened yet. After that, we’re down to the sixth receiver who started the year on the 53-man roster, Jake Kumerow. He’s been on injured reserve for much of the season because of an ankle injury. Losing two of six receivers from the opening-day roster will test any team’s depth. I recognize many people will blame the Bills for not signing Isaiah Hodgins to the active roster when they had the chance, instead trying to sneak him back to the practice squad and watching as old “friends” Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll claimed Hodgins for the New York Giants. Hodgins has made the most of his opportunity in New York, catching 29 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. That’s a fair criticism of General Manager Brandon Beane, but it should be pointed out he has to consider the entire roster when making decisions, and Hodgins had gone unclaimed on waivers before. It was an understandable risk taken by Beane. When you consider all of that, it makes sense how Beasley and John Brown have ended up back in Buffalo.

mahomes with another int in the red zone
- homiedclown

I mean, Justin Simmons is one of the highest paid safeties in the league for a reason