- 18 minutes ago
Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase are joined by NFL Insider and Bills contributor Vic Carucci for his weekly segment with the guys. The guys start off by discussing the Amani Hooker acquisition for the Bills, and Vic explains why he really likes the move. Then they move on to a conversation about the Bills upcoming AFC East matchup with the Jets on Sunday, and Vic explains why he expects a dominant Bills win.
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00:00Happy Football Friday. It's a Pizza Friday. Pizza Friday and WGR brought to you by Joey's Pizza. Make your Friday
00:05even better with 25% off any small one-topping pizza. Just order online at joeyspizzabuffalo.com. Click code WGR25
00:11to check out a Football Friday.
00:14I'm in a chicken finger pizza mood. Yeah? That's what I'm rooting for that. Although I have not had the
00:18Hawaiian pizza yet because they specifically brought it the week I wasn't here.
00:22It was very good. I can tell you that. Vic Carucci joining us on the Western Hotline as we gear
00:27up for Bills and Jets. Vic, good morning. Thanks for taking some time today. What's your go-to pizza?
00:36I like white pizza. I like that call. Yeah, right? Nice garlic sauce and just a great flavor. You could
00:44throw occasional onion in there. I don't like a lot of exotic toppings. I just like basic stuff.
00:50If it's not that, it'll be the basic cheese. All right. I like it. I like a good white pizza.
00:54Not even cheese? By the way, you guys, I'm going to, yeah, cheese and also on the white. You had
01:00an ice cream discussion a little bit earlier. I just wanted to weigh in.
01:03Go ahead. I'm listening. Of Italian descent. Yeah. Well, I call it spumoni. It's spumoni. Doesn't spumoni have pistachio in
01:13it?
01:13Yeah. You can, yes. Which is, which enhances its delightfulness. And when you scoop it up, I don't know where
01:21this, like taking, you don't take an individual flavor out. The whole point is scoop up all three. I was,
01:28I was wholly insulted by that thought.
01:31Exactly. By the way, I believe the, we, we looked this up the first time we talked about this, which
01:36is the original Neapolitan. I think pistachio was one of the three flavors.
01:40All right. They're like the first one. I love that. So, well, Vic, we've got a, I'm sure that's what
01:45people want to hear is us talk about ice cream. Absolutely. Speaking of green, gang green in the, the jets
01:51this weekend. Look at that. Look at that little transition for you. Nice. Yeah. Nice transition.
01:55Vic, how do you like the Amani hooker, the Amani hooker trade for the price, for the fit, for what
01:59was called for, you know, this is the first post deadline conversation we've had, we've had with you. Uh, so
02:05how do you like it?
02:06I like it. Um, and I think all the above Jeremy, I, you know, I, I think first of all,
02:12the, the physical fit, the, the player, um, is, is just right for a defense that needs not just every,
02:20you know, talents, the given, but it's the, it's that elevated level of football.
02:24Football smarts of knowing that position, the thinking man's position of the defense. And I'm not saying they don't have
02:33guys like that. I'm not saying Cole Bishop isn't that. Um, but he's more that I think then pretty much
02:39anyone else, uh, certainly that they have at the safety position or had at the safety position.
02:45And he's an Iowa safety. Think about that, right? Think about Micah Hyde. That's, that's the, the lineage, the type
02:52of guys that come out at that position, eight years in the league, obviously the ball hawking nature that he
02:58does have. I know three of the five picks come in one game and that's kind of an anomaly stat,
03:03but overall, um, he, he fits.
03:06And Jim Leonard, the type of coaching that he does, the type of, of, uh, I think the, the integral
03:14or the intricacy, I guess, and nuance that also comes with coaching and designing a defense.
03:23You need players like this who can see through even the basic stuff and see beyond it'll be the in
03:30week, uh, study of video. Now he comes in, obviously, you know, just drops in on this team. And what
03:37are we going to see on Sunday?
03:38I think you're going to see, you're going to see substantial stuff because his head's been in it right along.
03:43And then the, the, the, uh, numbers, the cap fit is, is fine. And of course it took the Dion
03:49Dawkins contract adjustment to help that along, but that was about the right number and almost anything else. And, you
03:56know, all the clamor for Buddha Baker, a lot of that stuff just wasn't going to work.
04:01And the pick exchange really works for me because it's a second for a guy who elevated his play from
04:09a fourth. And then you get that fifth back and that's going to be a good looking fifth from Tennessee.
04:14Yeah. Yeah. An early fifth, more than likely, you know, as we, as we think about this, this deal that
04:19they've made and what hooker represents the fact that he's got term, you know, I would imagine that in their
04:24process of determining which safety was the right one to go out and swing for that.
04:29But they wanted a guy that Leonard would have, would have signed off on just because he's got two more
04:33years on his contract. So the, the defense with Bishop and, uh, hooker back there, like that, that's your tandem
04:38now for multiple seasons.
04:40Yeah. And we've had this discussion before, right? We, you know, you don't, I think a rental would not have
04:47been a good idea. Uh, it might've, again, the name, the splash might've appealed more. I think it's to me
04:54about term and, and it's a guy who's what he's under contract through 20.
04:5920, eight, he's 28 years old. Uh, he fits on that count and this defense, which I do think is
05:07improving incrementally for real, um, uh, asterisk aside on, on the quarterbacks, I think was playing, uh, was showing improvement.
05:17This guy gives it a chance to take a, a, a, a bigger jump.
05:21What level of test do you feel like this week is against the jets? They have, they have good, talented
05:25skill position players. Um, but the numbers still aren't really there for the overall.
05:32Yeah, Joe, look, their offense is, is good. Um, and it has, uh, that's where a bunch of talent lives.
05:40Frank Reich as offensive coordinator has done well. Uh, I think propping up and getting the most out of Geno
05:47Smith, but I, you know, the, the, the, the shortcomings, big ones that they have on the defensive side, uh,
05:54have been their biggest problem.
05:56But I think it also plays into this offense. I, I don't think you can keep going at a rate
06:01of success offensively when your defense can't stop anyone.
06:06And, uh, and as you know, the, the common thought here is if they're going to have any chance in
06:11any game, the jets, they're going to have to win a shootout type of game, which, you know, that would
06:16play into the hands of the bills.
06:18And the second part of this back to this defense hurting offense thing for the jets is they can't stop
06:24to run. And you look at what the bills could, I I'm envisioning doing in a big way and are
06:32willing to do, you know, they, they, they don't back off this notion of, okay,
06:35even though you got Josh Allen, you, you, you, you, they pound the football and they're committed to that. And
06:41that was, I think I was the most impressed of anything in that Minnesota game with the commitment to the
06:46run, even when it was two or three yards of carry.
06:50Vic, we spent a lot of time this morning, Vic Rucci joining us on the Western hotline and on our
06:53YouTube stream as well. Uh, we spent a lot of time this morning talking about the one seat race. The
06:57bills are in the driver's seat. Who do you look at as the major challenge? The number one challenge for
07:03that?
07:05I don't know that I single anyone out, Jeremy, to be number one challenge. I, a cluster of teams that
07:13I would, I would say are the Bengals. I would say are the Jaguars. Uh, I'll, I'll put the chiefs
07:20in that conversation, but I'm, I'm still, I'm, I'm more on the fence about them, uh, in, in light of
07:27just how they're, how, what we've seen.
07:30And the vulnerability that we see still with that offensive line. And I don't know that you have to even
07:36be a great defensive front to beat up on that line and therefore beat up on Patrick Mahomes or screw
07:42up what they're doing offensively.
07:44Uh, but the Bengals would, you know, obviously the receivers and burrow, as long as burrow stays in one piece,
07:52and that can be iffy behind that offensive line. Uh, their defense is inconsistent and the Jaguars, I'm just not
07:59buying the way I know some others are that, and, and yes, they were aggressive at the trade deadline and
08:05that got, uh, people's attention.
08:07I see the bills as they can, they hold serve. They don't, this, their biggest opponent is the bills. If
08:16you, if you want to list things, it's the bills, number one, and then these other teams. And you know
08:21what I mean by that? Don't, don't screw it up. You, it, the table is being set as well as
08:26it's been set in years to go from seven and one to a top seat.
08:31Can I, can I pick your brain a little bit more about the Jacksonville part there? Cause I think you
08:34mentioned that last week too. Like what, what is it about them that you think is tough to try? Is
08:40it just the quarterback? Like, cause they look good in most areas, but I know I still have the same
08:46feeling too. Like, I'm not sure I want to trust Lawrence to take them all the way.
08:51I, that's where I am with you, Joe is, is his, is, is Trevor. Inconsistent would be too strong a
08:58word, but we have seen what he looks like when he's not consistently on it. And I hope that makes
09:06sense. I see a guy, this towering, you know, physique that he has and who, who, there was a stat
09:14at one point, he gets a lot of balls knocked down at the line of scrimmage.
09:18I mean, his delivery, whatever it is, um, it, that shouldn't happen. And why is it happening? Two things. Trajectory
09:26is one, but the other thing, and I've, I've, I'm not, this isn't my own observation.
09:31I've consulted with some others who tell me this too, is being as pure a pocket passer as he is
09:37for the most part. Um, he's not adjusting to the lanes that can avoid that as well. Josh Allen, obviously
09:45the towering guy that he is can maneuver his himself in ways that avoids that.
09:52And also he's got a more over the top trajectory.
09:56Vic Carucci on the Western hotline ahead of Bill's jets. Finally, I want to ask you about, you know, we
10:01mentioned a few of those AFC teams, the, the other deals that were made, the Jags went very heavy, the,
10:06the chiefs and whether or not Josh Downs can really give them the missing thing.
10:10They're looking for in their passing game. Um, you know, as we, as we watch what happens in this, in
10:15this conference and these contenders really did it. Do you think one, do you think those teams kind of found
10:20some of their answers, the bills included?
10:22And also will the NFL continue to push this direction on trade deadline day where contenders are routinely doing this?
10:31I, I think so. Um, because it's kind of a natural jumping off point for, and when we think about
10:38the NFL, just remember it's, you know, it's the collective decision of ownership and what ownership looks at is, uh,
10:45and you know, like anybody else, um, are we in it or are we not?
10:50And you, you, you get to that point, you get to Halloween, you get to shortly thereafter. And then this
10:56window that comes up to the trade deadline and you look at what you have and you start the fire
11:01sale thing. You start saying, look, it's not happening here. Um, we'll, we'll, you know, move on from these respective
11:09players and then hit the reset button. And that's, what's going to follow most of these teams that are unloading,
11:16uh, these players and, and the business part of it takes over.
11:20I think the timing of it, you know, sits just about right because at that point, you know, who's doing
11:26the acquiring the ones that have somewhere to go for sure. And, and they make their moves and I, yeah,
11:33I, I, and I think by the way, the NFL loves this.
11:36They love that they can generate conversation on top of game conversation for the bad teams, the teams that people
11:45lose interest in, right? From a, from a, you know, from whatever, from the standpoint of their losing, but okay.
11:51What are the Colts going to do? Who are they going to unload? There's been a lot of Colt conversation,
11:55right? For a team that's dead in the water.
11:58Vic Carucci on the Western hotline. Vic, thanks very much. We'll chat next week.
12:03All right, guys. Vic, part of our football Fridays, his appearance brought to you by Northtown Volkswagen, Northtown VW, Western
12:09New York's number one VW dealer.
12:14Spumoni. Spumoni.
12:16I had a buddy text me that the reason that Americans changed it to vanilla was because pistachios were not
12:22as readily available.
12:24More expensive.
12:25So it's a, you know, it's like a supply and demand thing. Like, we don't have pistachios, so we'll put
12:28the, throw vanilla in there.
12:31They are more expensive.
12:33Yeah.
12:33Pistachio ice cream rocks.
12:36Yes.
12:37Very, very good.
12:38Who likes a good one of those ice creams I would not have liked growing up and now like into
12:43it.
12:43You hit it.
12:44Mint too.
12:46Mint.
12:47Hated it growing up.
12:48Now I'm like, yeah, I'm in.
12:50Mint.
12:51I thought of a good game we could play.
12:53I don't know if you want to put this together in the next 10 minutes.
12:55This is something you're very good at.
12:57Like, we, at 9 o'clock, we do the Super Great American Football Friday Frenzy.
13:00Yeah.
13:00We'll remember some Jets.
13:02I just thought of a good game.
13:04The game is simply called, Was He a Jet?
13:07Ooh.
13:08You immediately know what the game is, right?
13:10Yeah.
13:11Like, Ryan Fitzpatrick.
13:12Yes.
13:12He was a Jet.
13:14Was, and then deeper and deeper we go, did that guy ever have a tour with the Jets?
13:19Because the...
13:19Are you thinking just quarterbacks?
13:20I'm thinking about any position you want.
13:22Any money?
13:22Okay.
13:22Any position you want.
13:24Because the Jets, what happens in a big, long drought, and especially a team like the Jets,
13:28is they'll try anything.
13:31They'll, you name it, they're going to try it.
13:33And it might just be a fun exercise going down memory lane of, like, very, very random Jets.
13:39It's remembering some Jets to the next level.
13:42Yeah.
13:43Was he a Jet?
13:44So, I don't know.
13:45If there's anything in there, go for it.
13:47If not, it's fine.
13:48Just, I feel like we'll remember some pretty random Jets along the way.
13:52803-0550.
13:53It's Football Friday.
13:54Jeremy and Joe here.
13:56We've got plenty to get to.
13:57We're going to state your case on Bills and Jets, why the Bills will win, how they'll win.
14:01State your case brought to you by Dan Chacha, Injury Attorneys.
14:03Don't worry, Chacha's got you.
14:05So, state your case about what the Bills need to do to get a victory.
14:08We'll take some more of your calls.
14:09We'll remember some Jets.
14:10We'll have some fun.
14:11We'll say goodbye to Joe Calley on the morning show, all before we get out of here on WGR.