Full Transcript for What’s Wrong With the Bills Secondary? Carl Jones Breaks It Down

00:03:07.469 it can look like that. 72 00:03:08.250 --> 00:03:10.639 I was trying to explain it to somebody else, like. 73 00:03:11.469 --> 00:03:15.509 DBs and O-linemen, although we have opposite body types, we 74 00:03:15.669 --> 00:03:18.449 all have to be on the same page or. 75 00:03:18.129 --> 00:03:19.469 Catastrophic things can happen. 76 00:03:19.509 --> 00:03:22.789 The quarterback's going to get blown up, the running back, 77 00:03:22.909 --> 00:03:25.370 TFLs and all that if we're not perfectly on the 78 00:03:25.409 --> 00:03:28.090 same page because we all have to be working in unison. 79 00:03:28.110 --> 00:03:31.370 And it's just like a defensive back where if everyone's 80 00:03:31.389 --> 00:03:33.960 not on the same page, if we're One guy is 81 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.479 expecting help on the inside and it's not there. It 82 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:38.639 looks like this corner got smoked or it might look 83 00:03:38.659 --> 00:03:41.120 like this left tackle got beaten. Well, the guard was 84 00:03:41.139 --> 00:03:43.300 supposed to be there, but you're like, okay. 85 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:46.280 Well, that was Dion's fault. Actually, it was Alec Anderson, 86 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:47.300 just using an example. 87 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:49.810 And so it's hard without being in the meetings and 88 00:03:49.830 --> 00:03:53.250 knowing exactly what was called to know some of those instances. 89 00:03:53.370 --> 00:03:56.629 But when you look at it, just from a defensive 90 00:03:56.669 --> 00:04:01.569 backs perspective, like schematically, is there something they can switch 91 00:04:01.729 --> 00:04:05.840 up to either simplify it or is it simply. 92 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:08.500 Just doing better executing the play call? 93 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:10.240 Yeah, that's a good point. I want to get back 94 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:11.800 to what you said about being on one, one, a 95 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:13.280 quarter for a second here. I'm sure you've heard this 96 00:04:13.319 --> 00:04:16.790 phrase before. If we're all wrong, we're all right. And 97 00:04:16.829 --> 00:04:18.990 if we're all right, we're all good. If we can 98 00:04:19.009 --> 00:04:21.029 run the wrong play call on the backend from where 99 00:04:21.050 --> 00:04:23.569 the DC called, but as long as all five of 100 00:04:23.629 --> 00:04:25.589 us are playing the same one, who cares? 101 00:04:25.629 --> 00:04:26.949 Well, we're good. 102 00:04:26.970 --> 00:04:30.240 No one's running Scott free. The problem is the bills 103 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.509 aren't all wrong. They're, Three guys are wrong or two 104 00:04:33.689 --> 00:04:36.189 or just one guy is wrong. And I think the 105 00:04:36.230 --> 00:04:38.490 final play of the game where Cole Bishop up into 106 00:04:38.509 --> 00:04:41.110 the ball is snap is trying to figure out and 107 00:04:41.149 --> 00:04:43.470 help out DeMar Hamlin, who was lining up at nickel 108 00:04:43.490 --> 00:04:45.850 for the first time in his NFL career. And because 109 00:04:45.910 --> 00:04:48.550 of Cole Bishop having to move around DeMar, his eyes 110 00:04:48.569 --> 00:04:50.949 aren't in the right place. And of course, Hunter Henry 111 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:53.339 gets that first down and the game is over. Now, 112 00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:57.120 when you mentioned how can Jim Leonard implement some things 113 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.709 and simplify things a little bit? One thing that the 114 00:04:59.750 --> 00:05:02.050 Bills are doing, if you look at charts, yes, they 115 00:05:02.089 --> 00:05:03.889 are playing zone coverage at one of the lowest rates 116 00:05:03.930 --> 00:05:06.850 in football, but they're doing a lot of split field coverages. 117 00:05:07.029 --> 00:05:10.060 They're playing zone on one side and man on the other, 118 00:05:10.629 --> 00:05:15.100 and that man side, for whatever reason, is not conjoined 119 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:16.779 at the hip right now. I think about that Max 120 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:19.060 Harrison play against the Houston Texans on the final drive 121 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:22.160 where they're playing man, but then he's not on the 122 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:25.480 right accord with the offer. You see all three players 123 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:29.180 are communicating, and someone's running scot-free. I think about The 124 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:32.629 Lions game where Amaral St. Brown is running scot-free through 125 00:05:32.649 --> 00:05:34.490 the middle of the field and no one's touching him, 126 00:05:35.209 --> 00:05:38.149 they have to figure out the split coverage and stuff. 127 00:05:38.189 --> 00:05:39.790 And it's a Nick Saban thing, actually, because he used 128 00:05:39.810 --> 00:05:41.589 to do that stuff all the time with cover seven 129 00:05:41.649 --> 00:05:42.870 and eight, and I don't want to get into X's 130 00:05:42.910 --> 00:05:46.000 and O's. But either he has to simplify it and say, 131 00:05:46.009 --> 00:05:47.920 you know what, we're just running cover three across the board. 132 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:50.600 We're just running four across the board. Everyone's running four. 133 00:05:51.379 --> 00:05:54.120 Because at the moment, that split field stuff is getting 134 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:57.470 them in a lot of trouble because you'll see max 135 00:05:57.509 --> 00:06:00.129 playing man and that's what he's supposed to do. But 136 00:06:00.149 --> 00:06:02.420 the nickel next to him isn't doing the job either. 137 00:06:02.500 --> 00:06:04.759 It's if I were a gym and I'm not in 138 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.060 those meetings, I'll never speak for him in that, in 139 00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:10.160 that regard, but that's the one area that they're struggling 140 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:10.639 with for sure. 141 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:11.860 Yeah, no doubt. 142 00:06:12.139 --> 00:06:15.839 And I've noticed that as well. And, It's hard to 143 00:06:15.920

--> 00:06:19.100 put the blame on a specific player. Now, Max took 144 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:22.569 a ton of the criticism last week, but when you've 145 00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:24.949 got guys running that wide open and it's just a 146 00:06:25.089 --> 00:06:27.870 motion from the outside receiver just inside the slot and 147 00:06:27.889 --> 00:06:28.810 it crosses you up like. 148 00:06:29.660 --> 00:06:30.870 man, that's, that's tough. 149 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:32.670 Like this is the NFL. This is big boy football. 150 00:06:32.689 --> 00:06:34.910 That does not happen very often in this league. It's 151 00:06:34.970 --> 00:06:37.889 like half the old line run in the wrong direction. 152 00:06:37.949 --> 00:06:40.029 Everyone running into each other. It might happen once a year. 153 00:06:40.089 --> 00:06:42.620 And a lot of people get fired in those situations, 154 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:45.139 you know, when the offensive line does stuff like that. 155 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:48.779 And so I say that that's the type. 156 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:50.819 Of stuff that's got to get cleaned up because we 157 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:54.500 expected the front seven to be In a totally new scheme, 158 00:06:54.550 --> 00:06:57.910 like alignment-wise, to be the slower, to catch up to speed, 159 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:01.930 they've been playing winning football, I'll say. And it's been 160 00:07:01.949 --> 00:07:04.680 the back end that's really cost them. If you haven't already, 161 00:07:04.699 --> 00:07:06.819 you need to go check out Azuna Fresh. They're a 162 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:10.699 Buffalo-based company that my wife and I both love. 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Doesn't take any questions, 171 00:07:37.860 --> 00:07:40.850 steps up at the podium on Monday owns it and says, 172 00:07:40.910 --> 00:07:45.439 look at It was an emotional thing, and I apologize, 173 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:47.160 and I'm up here to answer questions, and I didn't 174 00:07:47.180 --> 00:07:49.839 want to say something stupid in the moment. I know 175 00:07:49.860 --> 00:07:51.279 you've been there as a player in the locker room 176 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:53.100 where you don't want to answer the questions, and now 177 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.139 you're on the opposite end of it now, being one 178 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:58.470 of those ones that are waiting, wanting the answers. Did 179 00:07:58.509 --> 00:08:01.750 you feel like that made up for it, him not 180 00:08:01.829 --> 00:08:03.430 answering the questions when he stepped up on Monday? 181 00:08:04.329 --> 00:08:07.209 Yeah. I mean, me personally, I think his play on 182 00:08:07.250 --> 00:08:09.589 the field is the bigger story than what happened after 183 00:08:09.610 --> 00:08:12.519 the game. I think it just got compounded because the 184 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:14.540 play on the field wasn't great. And, yes, it's not 185 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.180 a good look when the rookie has to answer for you. 186 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:19.569 And I know Max thought about that, slept on it, 187 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:21.810 and came and spoke on Monday. And I thought that 188 00:08:21.850 --> 00:08:23.149 was a very mature thing on him. So I want 189 00:08:23.170 --> 00:08:24.689 to give him kudos for that. But I want to 190 00:08:24.730 --> 00:08:26.709 ask you a question as someone who was a former 191 00:08:26.730 --> 00:08:28.589 first-round pick, right? And you know what it's like to 192 00:08:28.629 --> 00:08:32.330 have expectations. And you dealt with injury early on. And 193 00:08:32.649 --> 00:08:36.039 things weren't, you know, like that climbing up the top 194 00:08:36.059 --> 00:08:37.779 of the roller coaster where you just keep getting higher 195 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:41.460 and higher, right? Who do you lean on in those moments, right, 196 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.600 where things aren't going great? Because I think about Max 197 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:46.779 right now, you're playing a position where you're on islands, man. 198 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:49.960 Like when you mess up, my grandma knows, right? It's 199 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.039 like quarterback. Like when a quarterback throws a pick, well, 200 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:55.440 even my grandma knows you messed up. Cornerback's the same way. 201 00:08:56.179 --> 00:09:00.019 From your experience, how do you get through those moments 202 00:09:00.090 --> 00:09:01.710 as that young guy with all those expectations? 203 00:09:02.210 --> 00:09:04.950 That's a great question, and trust me, there were some lows. 204 00:09:05.190 --> 00:09:08.120 And whether that's leaning on the veterans, it might be 205 00:09:08.129 --> 00:09:11.399 your position coach. It might be the assistant position coach 206 00:09:11.419 --> 00:09:13.539 that you might be a little bit closer to because 207 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:15.419 you spend more time in the film room with them 208 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:19.679 kind of one-on-one. It may be family and your support system, 209 00:09:19.740 --> 00:09:23.929 but someone's got to remind him, and let's say me 210 00:09:23.970 --> 00:09:26.960 in particular earlier in my career, like, our coaches did 211 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:29.220 a good job of if I was struggling or if 212

00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:30.639 I did get hurt, like we drafted you in the 213 00:09:30.659 --> 00:09:31.659 first round for a reason. 214 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:32.759 We believe in you. 215 00:09:32.870 --> 00:09:34.710 We got your back. We did not expect you to 216 00:09:34.750 --> 00:09:37.929 come in and actually played better. My rookie year until 217 00:09:37.950 --> 00:09:39.720 I broke my leg. Then I did my second year 218 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:43.279 coming off the broken leg and, But it's, you know, people. 219 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:45.279 Like we're going to give you time, like get back 220 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:46.559 from the injury. You're fine. 221 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:50.240 We're happy with the way you're playing, the effort, the tenacity, 222 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:52.929 the footwork will come back. The strength will come back. 223 00:09:53.070 --> 00:09:55.590 We know that you keep giving it your all and 224 00:09:55.610 --> 00:09:57.850 we'll stand behind you. Well, that gives you the confidence 225 00:09:57.870 --> 00:09:59.549 to go out there and play a little bit freer 226 00:09:59.610 --> 00:09:59.970 than you might. 227 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:00.340 Have. 228 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.700 If they're like, Hey, you know, you got one more 229 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:05.639 game and we got to see it, or, you know, 230 00:10:05.659 --> 00:10:07.720 we're gonna have to take you out and it's tough 231 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:10.269 for the young guys. And I'm not saying we play 232 00:10:10.309 --> 00:10:12.909 for the money or we play for the clout or 233 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:15.330 the fame or whatever it may be, or the reputation, 234 00:10:15.389 --> 00:10:17.409 the league, But when you have a bad game in 235 00:10:17.429 --> 00:10:20.899 your sixth year, you have financial stability for potentially the 236 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:23.960 rest of your life. You've made a reputation in the 237 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:27.220 league to where, heck, if the Bills cut me, I'm 238 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:29.879 going to go play on another team next weekend likely. 239 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:34.129 And so that gives you some freedom to play with. 240 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:36.860 And then you find yourself playing your best ball when 241 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:39.139 you're playing free. I mean, that just is what it is. 242 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:41.159 And that's kind of been Joe Brady's message all along. 243 00:10:41.210 --> 00:10:44.129 Like quit thinking, play freer, fly around. If you make 244 00:10:44.169 --> 00:10:47.490 a mistake, so be it. And I think Max is 245 00:10:47.529 --> 00:10:51.269 getting in a spot right now where the confidence isn't 246 00:10:51.330 --> 00:10:51.730 quite there. 247 00:10:51.750 --> 00:10:53.549 Like he's not playing like he did when he came 248 00:10:53.669 --> 00:10:54.860 in last year. 249 00:10:55.700 --> 00:10:59.399 And he's running stride for stride with guys and everyone 250 00:10:59.419 --> 00:11:02.220 in the media myself included saying this is the athleticism 251 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:04.860 we needed this is why we drafted in the first 252 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:06.919 round because we had to get faster and more athletic 253 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.259 in the secondary defensively because we've had the games like 254 00:11:11.299 --> 00:11:14.100 at Kansas City where Tyreek Hill runs wild all over 255 00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:16.460 the place or Cincinnati and you got to keep up 256 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:21.370 with Jamar Chase for four quarters like We're saying that 257 00:11:21.409 --> 00:11:24.549 about him last year. Then he takes some bumps and bruises. 258 00:11:24.649 --> 00:11:27.269 And then all of a sudden now it's like, Oh, 259 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.980 we might want the rookie over him. Oh, and Benford's back. 260 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.620 Maybe IGB plays over him. Is this another bust? And 261 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:37.620 a lot of the fan base still has PTSD from 262 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:39.700 Kyrie Loom, who we drafted in the first round. And 263 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:42.700 then he got traded away quickly in his career. And 264 00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:45.799 so To me, that's a great question. You got to 265 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:49.559 lean on somebody. Hopefully there's veterans. I know Christian Benford 266 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:52.580 is one of the greatest dudes in that organization. He'd 267 00:11:52.620 --> 00:11:54.700 be great to lean on a dude who came in 268 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:56.509 as a later round draft pick, but had to earn 269 00:11:56.570 --> 00:11:59.889 his way into fan favor and all that. And then 270 00:12:00.029 --> 00:12:02.149 likely on the coaches and they got to build him 271 00:12:02.289 --> 00:12:05.250 up and just say, buddy, we're sticking by you. You 272 00:12:05.289 --> 00:12:07.440 had a bad game that happens in this league. Those 273 00:12:07.460 --> 00:12:09.509 guys get paid too. What do you got to do 274 00:12:09.529 --> 00:12:10.529 to make it not happen again? 275 00:12:10.549 --> 00:12:11.370 I don't know. 276 00:12:11.769 --> 00:12:13.409 Cause you're probably going to have bad games in your career, 277 00:12:13.809 --> 00:12:17.769 but did you do everything from a preparation standpoint to say, okay, 278 00:12:17.870 --> 00:12:22.419 well on this fourth and eight, you know, I can't 279 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:24.639 go backwards on the snap, even if I'm in an 280 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:28.139 alignment where I'm supposed to be, how am I going 281 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:30.000 to react after the snap in these situations? 282 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:32.120 And so it's a great question. It's not an easy 283 00:12:32.139 --> 00:12:32.759 spot to be in. 284 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:35.879 NFL players aren't out there looking for sympathy each and 285 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.299 every week. 286 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:36.980 I promise you. 287

00:12:37.950 --> 00:12:41.129 But, man, when the pressure's on, you trade positions with 288 00:12:41.169 --> 00:12:44.039 a lot of people. When you're the one that's getting 289 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.279 picked on each and every week and you feel like 290 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:49.340 you let everyone down, it's not a fun place to 291 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.659 be in. I thought you made a great point on 292 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:55.529 X talking about how you weren't– everyone wants to say, like, 293 00:12:56.409 --> 00:12:58.289 Harrison was lined up eight yards off the ball on 294 00:12:58.330 --> 00:12:58.870 fourth and three. 295 00:12:59.929 --> 00:13:00.970 Like, what is he doing? 296 00:13:01.169 --> 00:13:03.470 Well, you're like, well, you're going to get auto-picked if 297 00:13:03.509 --> 00:13:05.840 you guys are both up at the same level. They 298 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:08.139 just checked to a pick play. The problem was going 299 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:12.440 backwards afterwards. Like, that's good stuff. Like, Deion Dawkins getting 300 00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:14.639 run over at the goal line. That's all anyone sees. Well, 301 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:17.360 if you look closely, Shakir knocks him off his pass set, 302 00:13:17.379 --> 00:13:20.740 so he loses his footing. I mean, Carl, either of 303 00:13:20.820 --> 00:13:23.259 us could have run over Dion in that instance just 304 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:25.120 because his feet were all crossed up. But it looks 305 00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:28.399 terrible on Phil, but it's like that's either Shakir's fault. 306 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:30.490 It might have been Josh's fault because of the motion 307 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:33.429 timing or whatever it may be. Maybe Dion went backwards 308 00:13:33.490 --> 00:13:34.850 more than he should, and he should have. 309 00:13:34.789 --> 00:13:35.529 Been going out. 310 00:13:35.970 --> 00:13:36.389 I don't know. 311 00:13:36.990 --> 00:13:40.009 But he didn't just get run over. There's reasons for this. 312 00:13:40.570 --> 00:13:43.169 And that's the cool thing about some of these all-22 313 00:13:43.389 --> 00:13:46.090 copies we get now, like people that can actually speak 314 00:13:46.169 --> 00:13:47.210 into those instances. 315 00:13:47.250 --> 00:13:48.830 So I thought that was really good stuff. 316 00:13:49.509 --> 00:13:51.809 Thank you. And it's funny you mentioned that. I needed 317 00:13:51.830 --> 00:13:54.309 the all 22 to watch that playback because when you 318 00:13:54.350 --> 00:13:57.269 see the highlight that the NFL tweets out, they never 319 00:13:57.370 --> 00:14:00.029 show the motion. They just show the ball being snapped. 320 00:14:00.370 --> 00:14:02.620 So I'm like, why is Max like this far off? 321 00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:06.659 But then he was initially impressed. Then they motioned to 322 00:14:06.700 --> 00:14:11.740 the stack. And for whatever reason, when he follows the 323 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:15.100 motion in, he starts to backpedal. And that speaks to 324 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.220 what you said earlier about some of the confidence stuff. 325 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:20.279 I won't ever speak from Max's perspective. psyche. I don't 326 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:21.820 know what he's looking like. I don't know what his 327 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:24.059 brain is at the moment. But when you watch the tape, 328 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:27.519 it looks like a player who's not pulling the trigger enough. 329 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:30.299 A player who's not all the way comfortable with what 330 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:33.659 he's seeing. Because Max has played cornerback, I don't know, 331 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:35.759 since he's been able to walk, right? He's been able 332 00:14:35.779 --> 00:14:39.039 to go backwards. He knows on fourth and three, going 333 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:41.759 backwards doesn't help anybody. You're the fastest, most athletic dude 334 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:44.779 on the football field. Especially in the red zone. They're 335 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.370 not running past you down there. You should be willing 336 00:14:47.429 --> 00:14:49.830 to I don't want to say gamble because that's not 337 00:14:49.870 --> 00:14:52.649 the position that we play, but you should be playing 338 00:14:52.669 --> 00:14:55.730 the percentages and understanding the routes at hand. So I 339 00:14:55.750 --> 00:14:58.190 think for Max, at least from my vantage point, that 340 00:14:58.250 --> 00:15:01.529 confidence that we saw as a rookie and even in 341 00:15:01.549 --> 00:15:04.230 the Kentucky tape where he's jumping routes, right, all those 342 00:15:04.309 --> 00:15:08.029 flat routes, that didn't go away. How does he recapture 343 00:15:08.070 --> 00:15:10.399 that magic? That's where he, as long as with the 344 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:11.539 Bill of Staff, got to figure that out. 345 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:13.759 Let's take a quick break to talk about our friends 346 00:15:13.860 --> 00:15:16.100 over at Dano's. We've got a new deal for you. 347 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:19.159 You can now save 20% off any product when you 348 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:22.559 use the promo code WOOD20 at checkout. 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leading the league in scoring average 358 00:15:49.149 --> 00:15:54.309 per game. But, you know, you see DJ Moore go 359 00:15:54.490 --> 00:15:58.190 out and it kind of looks a lot like 2025 360 00:15:58.190 --> 00:16:01.700 where it's another really good offense, but just not, maybe 361 00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:03.759 not as explosive, but Keon shows up and this and that. 362 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:08.570 All that being said. do you think that this. 363 00:16:08.019 --> 00:16:10.730 2026 offense needs to primarily lean into the run game 364 00:16:10.750 --> 00:16:13.090 and the play action off of it? Or is it 365 00:16:13.129 --> 00:16:16.169 more game plan specific where new England likes to run 366 00:16:16.210 --> 00:16:19.610 heavier personnel? So we go more 11 personnel last week, 367 00:16:19.649 --> 00:16:21.029 more just straight dropbacks. 368 00:16:22.049 --> 00:16:24.590 I don't know, man. I love the play action stuff 369 00:16:24.610 --> 00:16:26.549 that they did the first two weeks. I love it. 370 00:16:26.629 --> 00:16:30.029 And the numbers back it up when the bills, like 371 00:16:30.049 --> 00:16:31.799 I know the Rams last year led the league and 372 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:34.090 play action and they were the, I don't know, the 373 00:16:34.169 --> 00:16:36.610 ring leaders of the 13 personnel stuff. Although that cracks 374 00:16:36.629 --> 00:16:39.250 me up because the bills ran 22 and 21 at 375 00:16:39.269 --> 00:16:42.029 a high rate last year because Reggie Gilliam, but nonetheless, 376 00:16:43.029 --> 00:16:45.980 the rates, when you allow Josh Allen to just hit 377 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:49.480 his back foot on those 13 personnel with the heavier personnel, 378 00:16:50.379 --> 00:16:53.639 it's so lovely to see. Like if I'm the bills, cool, 379 00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:55.470 you guys run base a lot. I don't know. I 380 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:57.350 like our third, I like our 13 better than what 381 00:16:57.389 --> 00:16:59.480 you have going out there. And that, Reminds me of 382 00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:02.080 this offseason where Joe Brady used to always say, you 383 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:04.500 have to play the Buffalo Bills the other way around. 384 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.000 And don't get it twisted. There are certain matchups where 385 00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:08.680 you have to add some wrinkles in there. When you 386 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:11.059 play the Texans, yes, all hands on deck. I'm trying 387 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:13.069 to slow down the NASCAR drivers off the edge. I 388 00:17:13.150 --> 00:17:17.890 get it. But you still got probably the best tight 389 00:17:17.910 --> 00:17:21.049 end room in football. Lean into that. I understand when 390 00:17:21.069 --> 00:17:23.529 you lose DJ Moore, things change in terms of your 391 00:17:23.549 --> 00:17:26.339 playbook and what you want to access. But even when 392 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:28.359 he was out there, they weren't leaning into that heavily. 393

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:30.700 I love Josh Allen play action. I think it's one 394 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.640 of the most efficient plays in football. More of that, 395 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:35.099 good for the Bills offense. 396 00:17:35.529 --> 00:17:38.309 Yeah, I'm in agreeance on that. And maybe that's why 397 00:17:38.329 --> 00:17:40.650 I struck the question how I did. How I asked 398 00:17:40.670 --> 00:17:42.910 you that question is one of my pet peeves. And 399 00:17:42.950 --> 00:17:45.230 I didn't realize it until about halfway through that question. 400 00:17:45.269 --> 00:17:47.369 But I was like, it's like when someone's already got 401 00:17:47.390 --> 00:17:49.170 their story written and they ask a question in a 402 00:17:49.190 --> 00:17:51.890 way where like I set you up for it. But 403 00:17:52.309 --> 00:17:54.380 I'm glad you still agreed on it. And I assumed 404 00:17:54.390 --> 00:17:56.880 you would, but I realized I did about halfway through. 405 00:17:58.509 --> 00:18:01.170 It's funny because I'm still young in the space, so 406 00:18:01.190 --> 00:18:04.519 I'm learning as a journalist. Every once in a while, 407 00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:07.599 I'll ask a leading question to a player like, hey, 408 00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:10.019 so yeah, you guys did X, Y, and Z really 409 00:18:10.059 --> 00:18:12.660 good instead of letting him say it. But yeah, I 410 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:13.380 do it all the time. 411 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:14.299 Yep, yep. 412 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:16.769 What are your thoughts on what the Bills need to 413 00:18:16.829 --> 00:18:21.289 do to get a win against the Rams this week? 414 00:18:21.369 --> 00:18:23.109 Well, take care of the football. I mean, seven turnovers 415 00:18:23.170 --> 00:18:26.890 in two weeks. I mean, you're not beating many teams 416 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:29.390 doing that, let alone the L.A. Rams, who are still 417 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:32.240 near the top in terms of Super Bowl odds. Let's 418 00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:35.519 start where the Bills are on defense first. Obviously, Puka 419 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:38.240 Nakula and Devontae Adams are one of the best receiver 420 00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:40.920 duos in the sport. If Christian Benford can go, that 421 00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:42.539 will go a long way to trying to slow down 422 00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:46.099 that passing attack. On the road, surprisingly, will help out 423 00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:48.279 with the communication piece. Now, to be fair, the Bills 424 00:18:48.299 --> 00:18:52.589 struggle with communication down in Houston week one. But figure 425 00:18:52.609 --> 00:18:54.910 that out. And obviously they're going to play as little 426 00:18:54.950 --> 00:18:57.809 man coverage as possible for obvious reasons. Figure out the 427 00:18:57.829 --> 00:19:00.390 communication piece, stop the run on early downs and force 428 00:19:00.410 --> 00:19:02.819 the Rams into third and long. Matt Stafford is a 429 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.700 great quarterback, one of the best in football, but he's 430 00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:07.500 not great on third and long. He just, it's just 431 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.799 not who he is at this point in his career. 432 00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:10.880 So stop the run on early downs and force him 433 00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:13.680 in the obvious drop back situations. Then on the other 434 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:15.680 side of the ball, if DJ Moore can't go, I 435 00:19:16.549 --> 00:19:19.450 lean heavy into 13 P and then also let's, let's 436 00:19:19.490 --> 00:19:22.079 stick with cook in the back a little bit, 12, Carries, 437 00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:24.900 I don't think were enough. And I know game flow 438 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:27.140 changes things. The Patriots take the ball, take like eight 439 00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:29.299 minutes off the clock. I get all of that. But 440 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:32.220 lean into that. I think this Rams defense can get got. 441 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:35.079 I know the numbers they have are impressive to this point. 442 00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:39.509 But without Jalen Watson, their other outside cornerback, Trent McDuffie's good, 443 00:19:39.549 --> 00:19:41.519 but I don't think the other guy is that great. 444 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.170 The linebackers, red dot treatment. I saw week one against 445 00:19:45.170 --> 00:19:47.779 the 49ers. Lord have mercy. uh the rams invested a 446 00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:50.599 lot of positions not linebacker so i think if you're 447 00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:53.619 dawson kincaid we need that red dot on whoever is 448 00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:57.480 at micro will this entire next monday night yeah. 449 00:19:57.460 --> 00:20:00.109 Yeah that's a great point and there's times where you're 450 00:20:00.130 --> 00:20:03.329 like how do the Rams have superstars at every position? 451 00:20:03.369 --> 00:20:06.349 How can they afford all these guys? Well, they've drafted 452 00:20:06.390 --> 00:20:08.609 well at times and kind of filled out their lines 453 00:20:08.630 --> 00:20:10.569 where they don't have to pay their own line, a 454 00:20:10.589 --> 00:20:14.180 ton of money they've drafted tight ends. And then you 455 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:16.970 skip over some spots here and there. And, uh, Yeah, 456 00:20:16.990 --> 00:20:20.130 to your point, the inside linebackers aren't going to be 457 00:20:20.170 --> 00:20:23.170 the top guys on the scouting report you're worried about 458 00:20:23.230 --> 00:20:26.019 on a week-to-week basis, and I like your synopsis there. 459 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:31.039 Through four games, we're almost a quarter way through the season. 460 00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:33.920 How would you grade Joe Brady's performance so far as 461 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.420 a head coach? 462 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.799 A-minus, I guess. I've been very impressed with what I've seen. 463 00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:42.559 I was super

impressed with how he bounced back in 464 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:44.460 the second half against the Chargers. You learn a lot 465 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:47.150 about not just the man, but A person in general, 466 00:20:47.190 --> 00:20:48.730 when their back is against the wall a little bit, 467 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:51.220 how do they bounce back after a little adversity? And 468 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:54.700 I thought he handled that amazingly. Down there in Houston, 469 00:20:54.740 --> 00:20:56.880 that's the boogeyman, right? That's the venue that the Bills 470 00:20:56.900 --> 00:20:59.160 have struggled in, that the defense has gotten after them. 471 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.019 They put up a whole bunch of points on them 472 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.680 and get the dub down there. Obviously, Thursday night football 473 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:06.089 was amazing against the Lions. You took the L against 474 00:21:06.109 --> 00:21:08.609 the Patriots, so I can't give you an A-plus or whatever. 475 00:21:09.049 --> 00:21:11.130 But I've been impressed with what I've seen so far 476 00:21:11.190 --> 00:21:14.700 with the Bills in totality and especially Joe Brady. Like 477 00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:19.640 no obvious clock management issues, no terrible challenge flags, no 478 00:21:20.250 --> 00:21:23.029 press conference mishaps or anything of the nature. I've been 479 00:21:23.069 --> 00:21:24.470 impressed to this point with him. 480 00:21:24.990 --> 00:21:27.529 Yeah, I feel the same way, and I feel like 481 00:21:27.730 --> 00:21:30.910 all throughout the offseason, his messaging has been great. The 482 00:21:30.930 --> 00:21:34.460 team seems to have really been adapting to kind of. 483 00:21:34.470 --> 00:21:38.359 His energy, his motives, his kind of swagger. 484 00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:40.880 It's a little bit different out there, and I think 485 00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:43.599 you can give Joe Brady some credit in those instances too. 486 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:45.259 All right, we're going to get to a few bonus 487 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.160 questions brought to you by Dano's Seasoning. 488 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.980 We're going to switch it up a little bit here. 489 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:52.869 Number one, back in your Syracuse days, how'd you fare 490 00:21:52.910 --> 00:21:57.660 against my Louisville Cardinals? E, E, come on, man. I 491 00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:59.839 did not look this up, I promise. Was this a 492 00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:01.140 Lamar Jackson-Heisman game? 493 00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:07.789 My first start, quick story on this, I'm sorry. I'm 494 00:22:07.789 --> 00:22:10.849 18 years old. We play in Louisville, Friday night lights. 495 00:22:11.289 --> 00:22:13.470 I'm telling all my friends, like, yo, if our starting 496 00:22:13.509 --> 00:22:16.450 corner goes down, I'm in there. He goes down, like, 497 00:22:16.509 --> 00:22:19.170 first drive of the game, ACL gone. I'm out there. 498 00:22:19.269 --> 00:22:21.099 And the whole week scouting, they're like, hey, they have 499 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:23.539 this mobile quarterback. Just keep him in the pocket. Like, 500 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:26.529 we'll be all right. We weren't all right. We put 501 00:22:27.369 --> 00:22:30.490 up like 600 total yards. By far the best athlete 502 00:22:30.509 --> 00:22:32.450 I've ever been on the field with. Then the next 503 00:22:32.470 --> 00:22:35.950 year we go to Louisville. It's cold. It's frigid. Coach says, hey, 504 00:22:36.329 --> 00:22:39.539 we got this great game planned for you. I promise. No, 505 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:42.200 it was terrible. But it didn't matter because he was 506 00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:45.839 that darn impressive. I don't even know what happened my 507 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:48.720 junior and senior years against Louisville because that was so bad. 508 00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:52.559 I got PTSD from Lamar. So to answer your question, 509 00:22:52.599 --> 00:22:54.460 I did not fare that well against Louisville in college. 510 00:22:55.009 --> 00:22:58.849 Hey, hey, it's all great. I had my experience going 511 00:22:58.890 --> 00:23:02.569 against Syracuse in college. At the time, I believe it 512 00:23:02.589 --> 00:23:06.509 was the biggest upset, like true upset with the point 513 00:23:06.529 --> 00:23:10.329 spread in college football history. We were a 28 and 514 00:23:10.349 --> 00:23:13.910 a half point favorite at home and lost straight up 515 00:23:14.190 --> 00:23:15.539 to Syracuse in overtime. 516 00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:19.339 And we didn't get it done then either. So I 517 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.400 get it. I get it. It happens. All right. 518 00:23:21.460 --> 00:23:26.140 So you're originally from Cleveland. The Browns, to me, like 519 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:28.500 I watched them on Thursday Night Football last week. 520 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:32.869 They're young. They probably don't know how maybe untalented they. 521 00:23:32.829 --> 00:23:36.150 Are at some spots, and they play hard as heck 522 00:23:36.210 --> 00:23:40.410 out there. I mean, their D-line is tenacious. Like, Munkin's 523 00:23:40.430 --> 00:23:43.430 got them playing extremely hard. Do you feel like they're 524 00:23:43.470 --> 00:23:46.170 for real with Deshaun Watson at QB right now? 525 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:49.460 For real in the sense that I think that there 526 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:52.680 are pieces that, you should be excited about. Yes. You 527 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.359 mentioned all the, there are like last two drafts. Now 528 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:57.539 that they have draft picks after trading for the Sean 529 00:23:58.220 --> 00:24:00.440 are amazing. I think like their first three rounds, they're 530 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:03.579 like nine for nine, like really good contributors in terms 531 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:06.029 of for real. And like playoff stakes. I don't think so. 532 00:24:06.089 --> 00:24:08.609 I think

the quarterback play as long as well as 533 00:24:08.990 --> 00:24:11.089 a couple areas on defense that I think can get 534 00:24:11.109 --> 00:24:14.930 got no, not that for real, but people back home 535 00:24:15.029 --> 00:24:16.789 are very excited. What they seen through a month. 536 00:24:17.210 --> 00:24:17.940 Yeah, they should be. 537 00:24:18.490 --> 00:24:20.769 All right, so doing some research, I saw that you 538 00:24:20.809 --> 00:24:22.930 love an MJ or LeBron debate. 539 00:24:23.910 --> 00:24:26.039 Are you an MJ or LeBron guy? I need to 540 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:26.740 know that first. 541 00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:30.180 Okay, listen, Carl Jones Sr., if you're listening to this, sorry. 542 00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:35.160 Your boy is a LeBron guy. I'm sorry. LeBron went 543 00:24:35.180 --> 00:24:36.839 to high school like 10 minutes down the road, so 544 00:24:36.859 --> 00:24:38.180 I've been influenced since I've been a baby. 545 00:24:38.769 --> 00:24:39.480 Yeah, I get that. 546 00:24:39.930 --> 00:24:42.289 I grew up watching LeBron. I started following him when 547 00:24:42.329 --> 00:24:46.329 I was 14. He was 16. I got his jersey 548 00:24:46.569 --> 00:24:47.829 signed in my basement right now. 549 00:24:48.089 --> 00:24:48.809 Love LeBron. 550 00:24:49.390 --> 00:24:52.250 Can't put him over MJ in the all-time rankings, but 551 00:24:53.109 --> 00:24:57.089 I am a big LeBron fan. These team switches are 552 00:24:57.109 --> 00:25:00.119 getting a little harder for me. There's a couple times 553 00:25:00.140 --> 00:25:03.700 where I'm like, just go back to Cleveland. Save face forever. 554 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:06.960 You'll be a hero. Everyone will say, you moved around. 555 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:09.319 You can go play with Donovan Mitchell. You got some 556 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:13.670 star power there. But now it's Philly, I'm like, I mean, 557 00:25:13.710 --> 00:25:15.849 I guess I'll, I mean, I'll be watching Philly games, 558 00:25:15.910 --> 00:25:18.130 but I felt like it was a perfect opportunity for 559 00:25:18.190 --> 00:25:18.710 him to go home. 560 00:25:19.190 --> 00:25:22.279 Man, who are you telling? Like, once they got eliminated 561 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:25.819 and the Cavs got eliminated again, I'm telling everybody, like, 562 00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:28.700 you should buy some season tickets, like, collab on some 563 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:31.809 season tickets. LeBron coming back, farewell tour. Like, I got this. Like, 564 00:25:31.829 --> 00:25:33.529 when they go to Toronto, easy for me to go 565 00:25:33.569 --> 00:25:36.099 up there from Buffalo. And then he goes to Philly. 566 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:37.700 I'm going to still watch, but it was disappointing for 567 00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:40.000 me as well. Like, LeBron, get a little home, man, 568 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:42.220 and just relax for the last couple years. It should 569 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.220 have been the land, but I guess it'll be Philly. 570 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:47.220 Yep, for sure. All right, last one. What's been your 571 00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:48.680 favorite wing spot in Buffalo? 572 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:55.289 Okay, I will tell you, Barbell, having said that, I 573 00:25:55.329 --> 00:25:57.210 went to Carbones. I used to live in, like, Lower 574 00:25:57.250 --> 00:26:00.009 West Side. I went there and got, like, some honey, like, 575 00:26:00.069 --> 00:26:04.569 wings with some drizzles. Man. That's an underrated spot. I 576 00:26:04.569 --> 00:26:06.710 don't know if anyone that's come on your show has 577 00:26:06.750 --> 00:26:11.519 said that. Marville is my favorite, but Carbones, low-key Laura Westside, 578 00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:14.079 got it done for your boy a couple times. All right. 579 00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:15.519 I'm going to go check those out next time I'm 580 00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:18.349 in town. Carl, I appreciate your time, brother. Keep killing it. 581 00:26:18.359 --> 00:26:19.460 You're doing an awesome job. 582 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:23.490 Glad to have you part of this Buffalo media team, 583 00:26:23.529 --> 00:26:23.890 I'll say. 584 00:26:24.569 --> 00:26:27.230 Thank you so much. I really appreciate you having me. Yes, sir.