The Season So Far
Bye weeks are boring. I get the purpose — the players need to rest, reset, whatever. But they’re still boring and should probably be launched into the sun. Obviously, I’m joking (mostly). The only real change is the standings move while you just sit there helpless.
So, in our first week of coverage, we figured we’d recap what we missed through six Bills games. Because, honestly, there’s a lot to unpack.
The Good
There’s honestly been quite a bit. For three and a half of the first four games, the offense looked right. Josh took care of the ball. James Cook has earned every bit of that extension — he’s been electric every time he touches it. The offensive line? Exceptional. Dalton Kincaid? Turning into the Tight End that we thought he would be, right before our eyes.
Defensively, there have been bright spots, even if fewer. Deone Walker has been a fantastic Day 3 find. Shaq Thompson’s quietly been one of the best linebackers on the roster. And rookie Cole Bishop is on the upswing, growing pains and all.
The Ravens and Jets games were statement wins. The team looked unstoppable — and that Ravens game? Easily the best I’ve ever been to. It reestablished the juggernaut identity we’ve grown used to. All three phases worked against the Jets, and the offense looked like it was toying with its food versus the Dolphins and Saints.
But even in those highs, not everything was perfect.
The Bad
Let’s start where it has to start — the safeties. It’s been abysmal. Stomach-turning. Taylor Rapp is a defensive liability on nearly every snap. They need an upgrade here more than anywhere else on the roster. Bishop, though trending upward, has had his share of costly mistakes too.
And the hits don’t stop there. Tre White looks like a shell of his former self — and it hurts to even write that. He’s been one of my favorites for years. The Milano–Bernard duo never found its footing either. Milano, another fan favorite, can’t stay healthy, and when he’s out there, he hasn’t been his usual impact player. Bernard? Outside of that game-sealing INT vs. the Dolphins, he’s looked lost.
On offense, the receivers deserve all the smoke. They can’t get open. Shakir makes it happen sometimes, but beyond that, they’ve mostly been invisible. Keon Coleman has been exactly what I thought he’d be coming out of college — and that’s not a compliment. He can jump out of the stadium, but it only turns into results about twenty percent of the time. Josh Palmer, before the Falcons game, was a non-factor — no matter how much Beane tried to sell it to the WGR guys as an upgrade.
And honestly? Josh Allen hasn’t looked right in the last two games. The Patriots contained him, and the Falcons made him look flat-out lost. He looked gun-shy — and that’s not something we’ve said about him in years.
Coaching hasn’t helped either. I’ve never seen Sean McDermott punt on as many critical fourth downs as he has this year. Joe Brady hasn’t looked ready for teams that adjust to what Buffalo does well. And Bobby Babich? The jury’s still out. To his credit, he’s made mid-game adjustments, but too often this defense looks confused and commits avoidable penalties.
The Outlook
We all know it’s been an up-and-down year. But in a season where the Chiefs started 0–2 and the Ravens 1–5, this was our chance to capitalize. The sky isn’t falling at 4–2, but there are some alarming trends — and we’re now in a dogfight for the AFC East, let alone the one seed.
There is help coming. Hoecht and Ogunjobi will be solid additions, though I don’t think either moves the needle for this defense. Max Hairston will be a welcome addition to the secondary, but he’s still a rookie with limited exposure to the system and NFL speed.
Even so, I think the Bills have to make a trade — preferably two. A week ago, I would’ve said wide receiver (again — I’ve been saying it for years). But now? Safety has to be priority number one. Get that fixed first, then worry about receiver immediately after.
As it stands, I’m not worried about Carolina. We should handle them. The Chiefs, though? That’s different. They look every bit as dangerous as ever, and with this defense as it stands, they could easily put up fifty.
Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, I think we’ll be fine. Not great — just fine. I had dreams of the final game at Highmark Stadium being the one where we hosted the AFC Championship. I’m not as confident in that now, but I could still see this team locking up the two or three seed.
If we somehow lose the division, I don’t see us falling lower than five. I still have hope — real hope — that they figure it out. And as always, we’ll ride it with them, through every high and low.