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00:00Sal Capaccio with us now.
00:02If Sal wants in too, we can work something out.
00:05It's not until tomorrow.
00:06Sal is with us now on the Western Hotline.
00:09Bill's practice and injury report, everything's through for the day.
00:12And we have a couple of news items here, Sal.
00:16I guess starting with Jordan Hancock going on IR.
00:19There's the move that maybe they've not wanted,
00:22but kind of been thinking they might have to make to make room for Greg Dorch.
00:27Yeah, you guys know I've been saying that these things tend to work themselves out,
00:30unfortunately, because of injuries, right?
00:32And that's what happened.
00:33To me, it was maybe T.J. Sanders would be the guy to go on IR.
00:36But you do have injuries.
00:37That opens up a roster spot.
00:39This happens throughout the season.
00:40That's what happened.
00:42Jordan Hancock did practice on Wednesday, limited,
00:45and then he didn't practice Thursday.
00:46So it appears that he injured his hamstring on Wednesday,
00:50and they believe it's obviously severe enough where he's going to miss multiple weeks.
00:53So they put him on IR.
00:55Now, Greg Dorch gets signed to the 53-man roster, so no more elevating him.
00:59He's on the team.
01:00He'll be the main punt returner going forward.
01:02And let's just say later in the year, if they need a roster spot and say,
01:06you know what, we're going to release Greg Dorch.
01:08He doesn't have to go through waivers.
01:09He can re-sign to the practice squad.
01:11They could do that.
01:12He would then elect and say, okay, yeah, I'll come back.
01:14Don't worry about it.
01:15And then they still would have one elevation remaining for him.
01:19I was going to ask you, does that reset if he is on the active roster
01:23and then goes back to the practice squad?
01:24But, no, teams could play games with that.
01:26So he still is down to just the one more call-up.
01:29Is he not interesting on offense this week if they're down more and or Coleman?
01:37He is if they're down both of them.
01:39I think if they're down one, you could see him get some time.
01:42Hey, look, now that he's on the 53, I think anything's possible.
01:45He's going to be a part of the game and the team.
01:48So every week, you know he's going to be somebody working with the team,
01:52so they could definitely put plays in.
01:54He's going to be active.
01:54We know that.
01:55So there's certainly a possibility he's going to play on offense.
01:58I would say, though, to me, Skyler Bell outranks him at wide receiver.
02:03So if DJ Moore or Keon Coleman are out, then I think Skyler Bell gets run.
02:10You could certainly see Greg Dorch getting a play here, a play there.
02:14If two guys go out, then I think he elevates.
02:17It's a simple math to me where basically Skyler Bell is the next up,
02:21Greg Dorch is the next guy after that.
02:22But certainly because he's on the active roster,
02:25because he's going to get a game-day jersey,
02:27you can definitely put things in for him.
02:29Now, I don't know how much to put on this,
02:33but Coleman has been playing a lot.
02:36And I feel like, Sal, he's this year's big-bodied outside receiver
02:42that Tyrell Shavers was.
02:44Last year, that Mac Collins was and Gabe Davis.
02:48We know that this has been sort of a staple.
02:50And I feel like Coleman has been, to an extent,
02:52if I'm not just falling into this because of his sheer size,
02:56in that role.
02:57With him out, I wonder if maybe a sure field makes sense
03:01from the practice squad in this game.
03:04If he's out, if Coleman's out, indeed.
03:07Could be.
03:09Trying to think of the numbers here.
03:11Sure, you could do that.
03:12I think the rub here, though, is what are you doing at DB
03:16with Jordan Hancock out?
03:17I'm guessing Jalen Kilgore will be in his place to be active.
03:21You do get two elevations.
03:23So, yeah, you could definitely do something like that.
03:26Even if Keon Coleman plays, I could see a Trent Shurfield still being elevated
03:33simply because, like, I don't know how much you want to put on, you know,
03:36Keon Coleman.
03:37And, you know, you do have to wonder, like, all of a sudden,
03:41you're kind of playing with two guys here who have been iffy all week.
03:44Are you really going to get through the game with both of them?
03:46Like, what happens if you don't?
03:48Right.
03:48You know, so you just better have somebody on hand to go in there if that's the case.
03:52Yeah, and I'm almost thinking of Shurfield maybe instead of Bell.
03:56Like, not that Bell needs to be elevated, but, you know, he hasn't been active.
04:00And I just wonder if that would be a move.
04:03And it really hinges on how healthy Moore is, you know, will he play at all.
04:07And the same goes for Coleman, too.
04:09But it feels like, I don't know, when we talked yesterday, I think we were in agreement,
04:14more pessimistic about Coleman than Moore.
04:17And now Moore was back today, limited.
04:19So was Coleman.
04:21But I felt like Moore, his reputation is probably mostly why I feel this way.
04:26Like, I'm expecting him to at least suit up.
04:29I don't know how much he'll do, but I'm sort of expecting him to play,
04:33whereas Coleman feels a lot more iffy to me.
04:36I agree with that.
04:37I agree.
04:38I'm also just thinking about the roster construction here and the 48, if you will,
04:44because if they do have two elevations, because they don't have to elevate anybody,
04:48but think about this.
04:51Frank Gore and Greg Dortch have been the elevations.
04:54Well, neither of them are going to.
04:55I mean, Ty Johnson's playing this week.
04:56No reason to elevate Frank Gore.
04:58Greg Dortch is now on the 53.
05:00Like, you don't even have to do anything if you don't want to.
05:02So you could go into this game and not waste elevations on anybody if you don't want to do that,
05:06because every time you do, obviously it counts.
05:09But, yes, if you wanted to kind of really guard yourself about what you're talking about,
05:14I think Trent Shurfield could make some sense there.
05:17Hancock to IR.
05:18DJ Moore.
05:19Keon Coleman.
05:19We will see.
05:20The Barnes Firm injury report update brought to you by The Barnes Firm.
05:26If you've been injured in a crash, call The Barnes Firm, 1-800-8-MILLION.
05:31Well, Sal, here we are nearing the end of the week,
05:33and I feel like I'm, I mean, that's kind of the job, right?
05:37You're just talking all the time and saying some of the same things over and over.
05:40But I've certainly talked myself into some anxiety about this game
05:45because of just, like, the obvious, right?
05:48I mean, maybe it shouldn't be like that.
05:50Maybe it should be the opposite of that.
05:51But I don't like games where I feel like everybody's on one side.
05:55You have the Bills at home, as good as they've looked, at least on offense,
05:59and what the Chargers have been losing pretty much two bad losses in their first two weeks.
06:04Again, we come to the close of the week here pretty much.
06:07How do you feel about how this game smells, so to speak?
06:11Chargers have six players they've ruled out, by the way,
06:14and that goes into your question.
06:15They're banged up.
06:16They're not playing well.
06:18A lot of circumstances going against them, going from west coast to east coast.
06:22I don't know.
06:22I understand.
06:23I think from just a sports fan perspective, you get like that,
06:27where, oh, my God, everybody's picking us to win,
06:30and you're playing against a good quarterback and a tough team,
06:33and they're supposed to be really good this year, and they're not.
06:35They're desperate.
06:36I get all that.
06:37I just close my eyes and think about how do the Chargers win this game?
06:41And it's going to have to take the Bills really screwing it up,
06:44to be quite honest with you.
06:45I don't think the Chargers can do much against the Bills.
06:49Now, that being said, we know the Bills' defense has been leaky in the secondary.
06:53I just don't know if the Chargers can take advantage with how they've looked so far.
06:57This is not like playing against Detroit.
06:59And you're like, okay, here comes Amon Ross St. Brown,
07:01and here comes Jamison Williams, here comes Sam Laporta, and Jameer Gibbs.
07:04Like, who on the Chargers scares you?
07:07Ladin McConkie's a nice player.
07:08He's a slot receiver who gets some volume.
07:10O'Marion Hampton, yeah, you guys talked about him,
07:13how the L.A. guests really likes him.
07:16The same way that I would tell you that Mark Vandermeer,
07:19that play-by-play guy from the Texans, really liked Woody Marks,
07:21headed into week one.
07:23Right?
07:23I mean, like, O'Marion Hampton's averaging 3.9 yards a carry,
07:27and for what it's worth, the Bills have been pretty good against running backs this year.
07:30The only thing that's hurt them really running the ball
07:33has been maybe outside of running backs.
07:35Quarterbacks have a little bit.
07:37I just don't know what the path to victory is for the Chargers
07:39unless the Bills really kind of give it to them.
07:41And Hampton has fumbles in both games, for what it's worth.
07:48That's fine.
07:49It's all fair.
07:50What is the answer to that?
07:53It's players that are not on the Amon-Ross-St. Brown level
07:57that have just not done anything yet,
08:00and they probably will do something at some point.
08:03That's Quinton Johnston.
08:05Right.
08:05I mean, he had a good year last year for touchdowns.
08:08That's big plays.
08:08I believe in the Gadsden theory here with the other tight ends hurt
08:13that he's a good pass-catching player.
08:15You know him from Syracuse.
08:16Like, he's talented.
08:18Trey Harris has a lot of fans in my community.
08:21Like, they're sort of waiting for the right opportunity for him.
08:24And so there you go.
08:25I mean, the Lions weren't deep.
08:26I was never worried about Detroit.
08:29I mean, I can get worried.
08:31I was never worried about Detroit.
08:33Basically, how you're talking about this game is how I was talking about that game.
08:37All right, really?
08:38Can you really see the Bills losing this game?
08:41And I just never could.
08:42First game in the new stadium.
08:44Right.
08:44All of it.
08:44Right.
08:44Prime time.
08:45I just never could.
08:47I'm not saying...
08:48They're so tough to beat.
08:50There's covering the spread, and then there's actually winning.
08:53And so I guess I'll go as far as to say I'd expect a close game here and to be
08:57nervous.
08:58But do the Bills get beat in the end?
09:02I mean, there'd have to probably be...
09:04I shouldn't say probably.
09:05I think there might be just some play.
09:09You know, some turnover or some sack fumble or something late that...
09:13I guess I'm out of time.
09:14I guess that's it.
09:16Yeah.
09:16Otherwise, I'm with Sal.
09:19You know, otherwise.
09:20But those things do happen.
09:21I do think seven and a half.
09:23Is that what it is?
09:23Seven, seven and a half, right?
09:24I mean, that's a large number in the NFL.
09:27So I can certainly see the Chargers covering that, losing by six.
09:31It might take a backdoor cover or something.
09:35I mean, to me, it's about controlling the game, though.
09:38Like, I don't know.
09:39The Bills were in control of that game pretty much the whole way against Detroit.
09:42They did make it a 10-point game at one point, but they controlled the game.
09:45And that's kind of how I see this one, which is, like, I don't see the Bills having to,
09:50like, fight to come back and win.
09:51It's possible, certainly.
09:52Hey, it's the NFL.
09:53Anything can happen.
09:54Right.
09:54I just think that they should be able to control this game.
09:57Yep.
09:57Yeah.
09:59You get, like, Detroit, it happened a couple of times where, like, okay, the Bills get
10:04the ball back.
10:05I could use a drive here.
10:07It's a 10-point game.
10:08And then, okay, there's a drive.
10:09And there's, okay, we're fine again.
10:11You know, it's just, like, that kind of deal where it's kind of at arm's length.
10:16But you can get a little tight thinking, well, if, you know, one play here, like Mike
10:21just said, some defensive play, something happens, suddenly it's a field goal game.
10:25Oh, no.
10:26What happened?
10:26I thought I was in control.
10:29Yeah.
10:29I mean, I kind of like that.
10:30How do you feel about this game up front?
10:33I mean, the Chargers, there's been a lot of talk about inside.
10:37They can't open holes.
10:40They can't protect Herbert.
10:41We know what Deion Walker's looked like for two weeks.
10:44So, I feel pretty good.
10:45And maybe Ed Oliver's back.
10:46He's questionable as well, but certainly has participated the last couple days.
10:51So, I want to be hopeful, at least, if not optimistic even, about that.
10:57I feel like the Bills might just have answers up front that as much as we're talking about,
11:03you know, who's going to make a play down the field for them, will they have time regularly
11:08to make plays down the field?
11:10Yeah, that's right.
11:11And by the way, Ed Oliver, officially questionable, but the fact that he has practiced all week
11:16is obviously a very good sign.
11:17So, hopefully they'll get him back.
11:19And yeah, I think that, you know, they should be able to put some pressure up the middle
11:24on Justin Herbert.
11:25And the way that, you know, Greg Rousseau's playing on the edge, obviously that can only
11:28help him as well.
11:29Well, it's going to have to be more of a quicker, rhythmic, timing, passing game.
11:34Really, that's what Mike McDaniel was known for anyway, in Miami, with Tua, when he was
11:39there.
11:40A very good, you know, run-oriented offensive coordinator who knows how to get the most
11:44out of the run game, but quick, timing, passing.
11:48I like what Joe Brady said about a Mike McDaniel offense.
11:52I asked him this week, like, what challenges does he pose?
11:56You've gone against him.
11:57Maybe not, you know, that side of the ball, of course, but he's seen it up close and personal.
12:01And he said they really, what he likes to do is they force you on defense to communicate
12:07a lot.
12:07They force you to really have to kind of check a lot of things.
12:10And that's right.
12:11I remember one year they came to Buffalo.
12:14They wanted to lose in the game, but I can't remember which game it was.
12:17It wasn't the playoff game.
12:18It was that year, though, where, man, they did a great job of putting motion and getting
12:22Karen Johnson in the box and having to defend.
12:25And now you're, you know, you're a lot smaller because they did a great job of having you
12:29kind of say, okay, what do we do here?
12:30Okay.
12:30We got to move our slot corner.
12:32And now all of a sudden he's got to go against these big guys.
12:34Like that's, that's Mike McDaniel.
12:36Like he is smart.
12:37He's a, he's a really smart coach.
12:38And when you're talking about having to communicate in a loud environment, because you're on defense
12:44and your crowd is going nuts because they're on offense, that can make it challenging.
12:49So those are the things the bills are going to have to look out for.
12:52But I think once that ball is snapped one-on-one, they should be able to win most of those
12:57matchups
12:58up front.
12:58This is the same Mike McDaniel that kind of sort of maybe turned down this head coaching
13:03job in Buffalo this off season.
13:05This is the guy we're talking about.
13:06Yeah.
13:07I mean, I don't even know.
13:08I mean, whatever Dan Levitard heard from someone and put it out there.
13:11I mean, the guy didn't even interview, how can you turn down a job you didn't get interviewed
13:15for?
13:16I mean, he pulled out of the interview process before he was actually interviewed.
13:21I have turned down so many jobs.
13:23He turned down the opportunity to be considered for the job.
13:27The technicality here.
13:29I have turned down countless jobs that I did not interview for, but it's because I was not
13:33considered.
13:33So I just, you know, I'm not going to go get, I'm not going to go get the Amazon Prime
13:38lead
13:38play by play job.
13:39I'm not at all, I mean, I think, I don't know, Sal, I'm assuming you, I mean, I think
13:45very highly of Dan Levitard.
13:46It didn't even be said.
13:47I mean, he's a giant in this field.
13:51When that, that, that happened on Tuesday and it was Ross Tucker that was a part of
13:56that conversation.
13:56I had Ross on Tuesday afternoon and we talked, we talked about it like, cause I felt like
14:01Ross sort of got, it was just like, what is this?
14:05Yeah.
14:05Yeah.
14:05And, uh, one of Levitard's guys said, why are you attacking Ross Tucker?
14:10Right.
14:10Right.
14:10Uh, cause you don't have the right kind of sources.
14:13They don't know.
14:13Like, I don't know.
14:14I cannot, I cannot at all rectify the bills fire.
14:20Sean McDermott after nine years, eight of them in the playoffs, all these winning, all
14:24this winning, a lot of it at the hands of almost making fun of the dolphins.
14:29And they're going to hire Mike McDaniel as the head coach coordinator.
14:33That's a whole nother thing.
14:34Head coach.
14:35I mean, that would have been outrageous.
14:40I agree.
14:42Aesthetically a hundred percent.
14:44Right.
14:44I would also add this.
14:46It is clear.
14:47The bill did not want to change their offense.
14:49They hired Joe Brady because they wanted to keep what they had going offensively.
14:55Mike McDaniel would be a complete departure from Joe Brady and his philosophy and how
15:00he coaches offense.
15:01I mean, look at now what we're talking about with Justin Herbert and this big arm quarterback
15:05and what he does and how, okay, I don't know if it's the right kind of fit and all that
15:08kind of stuff.
15:09Like, there's no way I think the bills would have done that.
15:12I can't even remember the guys in Jacksonville and the Rams that they were going, they did
15:17interview offensive assistants on those places.
15:21Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:21Rams was a, Rams was a Shula.
15:24No, it was ninth.
15:24It was Nathan, somebody with a long name, Nathan.
15:26Yeah.
15:27Then the other one, yeah, there were two guys actually for the Rams, I think.
15:30Okay.
15:30I mean, now they're distant memories.
15:32Right.
15:33Sal, did you watch Atlanta Green Bay?
15:36I did, yeah.
15:37And I love what you talked about with Bijan.
15:40I tweeted last night, Bijan Robinson is so damn good.
15:42It's so smooth.
15:43He is, he is fun to watch.
15:45Isn't it really one of the joys of watching football is the great running back?
15:50Yeah.
15:50Unlike a pass play where you cannot see what the quarterback is seeing.
15:54You have no idea when the ball leaves his hand, what is going to happen.
15:58That's its own kind of drama.
16:00With a running back, you can see it all.
16:02Except for like a guy like this, these creases and stops and starts.
16:08I mean, it's just got to, for a coach, it's just got to be mind-blowing.
16:13And just for me as a fan, for all of us as fans, to see him operate like that.
16:17This is funny.
16:19I brought it up to my son at breakfast, like six in the morning.
16:22Hey, you missed the game.
16:23It was a Bijan show, Atlanta won.
16:25And I said, I made the same point to him before he got on the bus.
16:28And he said, that sounds like Le'Veon Bell.
16:31And like.
16:32Exactly right.
16:33I thought about when you were describing him earlier.
16:35Me too.
16:36And now listen to this.
16:37Then, we have the conversation that you heard three hours ago.
16:40And I get a text.
16:41Bulldog and I get a text from Owen.
16:44And he basically says that verbatim.
16:46Right.
16:46It sounds like you're talking about Le'Veon Bell.
16:49I didn't really know that Le'Veon Bell was like so specifically attached to that kind of.
16:54It works.
16:55You know, I was going to text you that too.
16:56I'm not kidding you.
16:57I was going to text you.
16:58I feel like every.
16:59Like Le'Veon Bell.
17:00Yeah, every game he played, once he became like, once he was a known star in the league,
17:05they would highlight his, how, like, how he paced himself to the line of scrimmage.
17:11Yeah.
17:11And it was, you know, had this sort of, you know, stop and start kind of thing.
17:15And so that was absolutely, that was going off in my head as we were talking.
17:19I never said it.
17:20And then, yeah, we get the text from my son.
17:22It's like, okay.
17:23I was going to text you the same thing.
17:25He was so patient.
17:26That was his biggest thing.
17:26He was so patient.
17:28And he would just wait and wait.
17:29Oh, there's the hole.
17:30And I can go.
17:31You know, James Cook is a little bit like that.
17:32Right.
17:32I mean, what you guys always say, like, you hear me talk about him in the hole.
17:36I don't know how he sees these guys.
17:37He has this uncanny ability.
17:38LaShawn McCoy was like that.
17:39They see guys.
17:40Their, their vision is incredible.
17:42What separates a lot of these running backs is their vision.
17:44And, you know, Bijan has that, but he also has that patience and he has a burst as well
17:48about it.
17:49If I can, you've been asking, and you were talking about what you love about the game.
17:54You asked Paul this about football and all that.
17:56I thought about it because I said, well, what if they asked me this?
17:58And I do love that.
18:00Like, it really is great.
18:01But, you know, I'll tell you, I really, I got disenchanted, I guess I'd say.
18:06Well, I've always loved football, but several years ago when it just became way too easy
18:10to score and everybody's scoring points all the times.
18:13And I'm like, this sucks.
18:14Like, defense should matter, right?
18:15Especially in college.
18:16I'm like, every game is 55 to 50.
18:19It just seemed out of hand and ridiculous.
18:21I love the fact that we've gone a little bit back the other way.
18:24I don't need 10, seven games.
18:25I need defense to matter.
18:27And what I love about football now is it seems like it's not that easy for a quarterback
18:31in a passing game just to complete passes.
18:33I love watching good contested plays down the field, mid-range, like DBs, you know, sticking
18:39on people and batting balls away.
18:41I like that.
18:42I think that's good.
18:43You catch the ball at eight yards, I'm tackling you before you get the first down.
18:46To me, that's the way football should be.
18:47It should not be, I'm just going to have every single opportunity to throw the ball
18:51and get 400 yards passing and score 40 points.
18:54This game, Sunday, total is 50 and a half.
18:57Bills by seven, so 28 and three quarters, 21 and three quarters, that kind of game.
19:03Fairly healthy game total on Sunday.
19:07Le'Veon Bell against the Bills.
19:08I'm certainly, I remember this game and thinking much the same.
19:13I just didn't realize he was the only name for this.
19:14But 38 for 236 and three on the ground for the Steelers that day in Buffalo
19:20as we neared the end of the Rex Ryan experience.
19:23That was the pellet game on the field.
19:26The pellets that all came up.
19:27Oh, right.
19:29Yes.
19:30There was snow on the field.
19:31There was snow and they tried to clear the snow and all the pellets came up above the turf
19:35and they had, yeah, it was a mess.
19:36Yes.
19:37That's right.
19:37We're in the post-pellet era.
19:39Yep, right.
19:40Thank you, Sal.
19:41Enjoy the game Sunday.
19:42Maybe we'll talk after.
19:44All right, guys, you got it.
19:45Thanks.
19:45That's our Sal Capaccio on the Western Hotline.
19:48His appearances are always brought to you by New York's Only Outlet Liquor.
19:51When you need to stock up, it's the place to buy a case.
19:54What's your outlet?
19:56When did Le'Veon Bell stop playing?
20:00It's been a while, right?
20:02Well, that was maybe the end for him in Pittsburgh.
20:05And that was 16?
20:06That was 16.
20:07Yeah.
20:08And then the Jets were, oh, I mean, 21.
20:13He played another year in Pittsburgh, sat out 18.
20:15Owen is 24 years old.
20:17So, I mean, it's not like he was a little, little kid, but, like, I don't remember watching
20:21Le'Veon Bell play with him, but he probably was in the room and the announcers were talking
20:25about this and he remembers it.
20:27How do you think I feel?
20:28My son is eight years younger.
20:29Right.
20:30Where did he get that poll from?
20:32Right.
20:34But, you know, awesome.
20:36Yeah.
20:37Just osmosis?
20:38Like, what happened there exactly?
20:40Le'Veon Bell finished his career with?
20:43Oh, it's not the Jets.
20:45Played for three teams after the Jets.
20:47Oh, my gosh.
20:48Tennessee.
20:49Tampa Bay.
20:52Was he ever in Tennessee?
20:53No.
20:54No.
20:54Okay.
20:54Never.
20:55He refused to go there even when they played the Titans on the road.
20:57They would have given him all the money he wanted, too, and he just wouldn't go.
21:00He refused to go to tennis.
21:02No, Jetskis.
21:03Yeah.
21:05Played for Kansas City and Baltimore.
21:07And then Tampa Bay.
21:10I remember Kansas City.
21:12I remember being, don't tell me this guy's going to go there and be good again when he
21:17went to Kansas City and that didn't happen.
21:20COVID year.
21:20They played the Bills in those playoffs.
21:22I don't know if he was in that game.
21:24NFL picks and one college pick.
21:26I always forget to include college, but that's part of the very ever-popular pick segment
21:33that comes your way after sports.
21:35Mike Schoep and the Bulldog.