Beane's lament, Purdy's special power, Sean Payton Watch: Playoff musings on our drive to Cincy...
Beane's lament, Purdy's special power, Sean Payton Watch: Playoff musings on our drive to Cincy...
Come again, Brandon? Can Mr. Irrelevant really win a Super Bowl? How will Kansas City defend Ja'Marr Chase? Top 5 to watch. Some thoughts along our 400-mile trek.
Way back during my days covering the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy once told me something I’ll never forget. Away from the podium, where he tended to open up, the team’s head coach said, in so many words, that long drives were good for the soul.
McCarthy loved traveling to Pittsburgh and back by car because he was alone with his thoughts.
Maybe Big Mike is still having problems winning playoff games, but he was spot on with this life advice. On the open road, you’re unplugged from social media. You can think in this chaotic world.
So, with 400 miles of thinking to do from Western New York to Cincinnati for this week’s Friday Feature at Go Long, here are some thoughts on these NFL playoffs on Brandon Beane’s odd comments, Brock Purdy’s No. 1 strength, the Ja’Marr Chase Effect and what Jerry Jones needs to do in Big D.
Win the creative arm’s race
Brandon Beane held his season-ending press conference and, for the most part, it was standard fare. Eerily similar to everything we heard out of Green Bay after disappointing playoff losses. The Buffalo Bills’ general manager defended his team’s success — I lost track of how many times he cited the team’s “13 wins” in the regular season. And big picture? Yes, this franchise is in a (very) good place because this franchise possesses quarterback Josh Allen. Still, the conversation should unquestionably be focused around Super Bowls out of Sunday’s 27-10 drubbing to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Not division crowns. Not 13 wins.
Again, the Bills were a historic Super Bowl favorite heading into this season.
Midway through the presser, Beane was asked about the makeup of the Bengals’ roster, a team that has apparently passed Buffalo by in the AFC.
His response was factually correct but also a cross between a lament and an excuse.
“They right now are on the advantage of a rookie quarterback contract. They had some lean years, and without getting too much into their build, I don’t want to suck bad enough to have to get Ja’Marr Chase. He’s a heck of a talent. I’d love to have him. But you got to go through some lean years to do that. They were able to get Burrow one and I don’t remember where Chase was drafted, but it was pretty high. And those guys are on their rookie deals. We’re paying Stefon Diggs a pretty hefty number. We’re paying Josh Allen a pretty hefty number. So, there is the constraints of the cap. But they have a really good team and they’ve got some good young players. We’re gonna try to get as many players as we can through the draft and through free agency. But again, our cap situation is a little different by whoever’s under the book.”
Let’s untie this knot…
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