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the Hernandez and Cruz show. Welcome to Hernandez and Cruz show. It is NFL week seven review. You already know Mike and Josh coming at you out New York Giants Buffalo Bills fans here and the New York Giants one at home against a division for the commanders 14 to seven, second win of the year, and Tyra Taylor was a QB at the helm. Mike, what's your reaction and is there a QB controversy brewing for the New York Giants?
Speaker 2:Well, like you said, second one of the year. Reaction to the game first half Great, second half Not so much. Third quarter was born to me, but we got to win 14 to seven. We pulled it out. You could say technically the defense pitched the shutout because we made two special teams mistakes. One time resulted in a fumble, but second time in the second half when Eric Gray left the game, injury and even before that he was struggling catching punts. At times Sterling Shepherd muffed the punt and Washington recovered and that's how they scored on a short field. So we had some special teams blunders, but other than that, you know we played a good game.
Speaker 2:Olin drastically improved over the last two games, giving up seven sacks which for a two game period, considering how they've done all year, that's a drastic improvement, given that they've given up 10, 11 sacks in the game. As far as Tyra Taylor, he was Aaron S out and had damn near 300 yards. He had like 278 somewhere within that range 18 and 29,. You know the two touchdowns. Darren Wilder had a big day on National tight end day Seven catches, 98 yards and a touchdown. They finally got him involved. We finally showed the weapon that he was in Oakland. We got the ball to seven different receivers, eight different receivers in that game Overall. As far as if they're the QB controversy? Yeah, there is, I think.
Speaker 1:What.
Speaker 2:I was wrong about Daniel Jones the last two games, man, what Tyra has done, not only from managing the game standpoint, but just from the fact of us being able to move the ball. Like I know, part of the issue with Daniel Jones is a confidence issue and the fact that he was getting smacked this whole damn career. And, like I said, the last two weeks, with the changes we've made with bringing back Justin Pugh, we have Andrew Thomas on the way. Hopefully he'll be back with the game versus the Jets, but we've bring it in pew in certain him. Thankfully Evan Neil didn't play, so there's no Evan Neil drama talking about him and how bad he's been blocking. So his replacement actually did solid at right tackle, um, you know, but it seems like Justin Pugh and the other additions along the line is stabilizing the line. So that goes a long way and you know what Tyra Taylor is able to do.
Speaker 2:Don't get me wrong. I tell you, throughout his career has always been a serviceable backup and he proved that again the past two weeks. So, yeah, I really think there's quarterback controversy because, starting to think, if we started Tyra Taylor out the gate week one, we probably have a winning record. Because you go back, look at these games. We were in the game in the fourth quarter versus San Francisco. We were in the game versus y'all last week, you know. So there was times where things go differently. We might have four wins, maybe five or at least three. So I definitely think the quarterback controversy thing. There's another case to be made from an on the field performance standpoint, from a salary standpoint. You know quarterback makes out of bread. There's no controversy there. So they're going to play Daniel Jones and we know that because no owners gonna allow an $82 million quarterback over two years. The city's ass on the bench this last two weeks really got me thinking. Damn, daniel Jones really been making the old line not only look bad but also you could tell with his inconsistencies and With his lack of confidence it's derail. The team thing is Daniel Jones has zero trade value. So we're probably just gonna end up riding him out all the way up into the end of next year. If we start tight, right, taylor, the rest of the year. I think we're in too deep of a hole to make a playoff. But with the way the season is going, who knows? We might be able to pull off a streak, a long streak Five, six games and getting it at hunt. But if we do that, if we start time right, taylor, it's gonna knock us out of a Concentration to get the top two quarterbacks in next year draft for sure. So we'll see what decision they make. Do they want to tank or do they want to try to salvage the season?
Speaker 2:But to get back to the game versus Washington my bad guy don't track there, so I ride did a hell of a job Utilizing a tie-riding offense coordinator and table they all did a hell of a job and utilizing waller, Utilizing Jalen Hyatt I believe he caught two passes for like 77 yards and we're finna arrange 75 77 yards, um, and like I said, we spread the ball around, say one. You can still tell he's dealing with some nicks and bruises and you know it's football, everybody's hurt. But he started out good with good runs and then he got hit early in the game on like his Thy area and then that kind of slowed him down and he wasn't really able to break nothing big. But he still averaged about 3.8 yards this week versus Washington. It's not good enough long term. We definitely need more production than that versus the Jets Against their stop defense following week, but for Washington it was good enough. And the defense man, what we said, same, how, six, seven times, something like that. We pressured him constantly. I mean, he's been the most that quarterback in the league, and you know, Dexter, lawrence, leonard Williams, k Von Tiber, though whoever you want to name. It was basically Thanksgiving. It was Feast week, basically for the defense, so they all ate there and Deyonce banks.
Speaker 2:He got his first career interception rookie out of Maryland, you know. So right now he's been shutting down receivers, it seems, so far this year in his career. So he's building the reputation slowly, you name it. He's covered this year and for the most part, he's done a supreme job, you know. So. He got his first career pick. We definitely hit on that pick for sure. You know, besides, that one school that Washington got, which they shouldn't have got, we should have really won that game for See nothing, but you know we muffed that pun. So we got some things to work on, this special team for sure, and One of the things I would like to see, I would like to see us get more production from Ed rushers sack wise, numbers wise with K Von Tiber, though, but that'll come. He's only a year or two, okay. Okay, the linebacker keeps flying around the field making plays. I like it from that standpoint. We got we got that signing right. We signed him out of the coats. So I mean I like where we had it.
Speaker 2:It's just a damn shame that it took Daniel Jones to get hurt for the offense to Kind of get rolling and to kind of see the potential it had. We'll see what they decide to do this week. If they want to win, they'll start tie-rod. If they want to tank, they'll start Daniel Jones. It's that simple what direction they want to go in. Because I think, no matter what, if you want to keep the locker room together, even though you're paying the quarter back 82 million over two years, you'd have to bench Daniel Jones at this point. Because if you don't, that just sends a terrible message to the locker room and Dave will have to definitely do some managing of the players to try to keep that team together.
Speaker 2:Because I know Tyrod saying politically correcting with you know Daniel Jones is our leader, he's our captainess, that and all that other stuff. Yeah, he may be the captain, don't get me wrong. That's cool. Well, what's he done on the field besides last year? What has he done this year to really be Considered a true captain as far as play goes. So I don't know, man, I'm off the Daniel Jones excuses, man. I know at the end of the day, man Tyrod did his thing and he deserves to be the starting quarterback for this year. But yeah, man, I don't blame the Giants for signing Daniel Jones, because they were kind of in a Lutlu situation and if Tyrod didn't pan out then it's like, well damn, you could have signed Daniel Jones. And it's not the Giants or any team's fault at where the quarterback market is. That's just an unfortunate situation.
Speaker 2:Overall, with the win I'm happy, but I know with each win that pushes us further and further away from getting a future quarterback through the draft. So who knows, we might have to trade for a quarterback or just Sign one, a free agency. We'll see. But I'm looking forward to the game versus the little brother Jets this coming weekend On Sunday. I believe it's a one o'clock game. That's gonna be an interesting game because the Jets got a hell of a defense. That's one thing. So even if we start Tyrod versus the Jets which will be a smart thing to do because the line is giving up 10 sacks versus Seattle and all these other shitty teams 7, 6, 8 sacks versus shitty teams and Defenses that are average or sub par. Imagine what the Jets would do to Daniel Jones. So yeah, just leave Tyrod out there for at least one more week versus the Jets, because Otherwise Daniel Jones might end up back on the injured list with the way this line has been.
Speaker 2:But, uh, let's cut into your team's game, man Cuz. Uh, y'all had an interesting week, interesting last couple weeks, with the fact that y'all barely beat us this week. So let's cut into how y'all did versus the Patriots and how you feeling about losing the. The crab family Order back, mr Mac and cheese.
Speaker 1:So, before I go into the bills game, do you believe, as currently constructed with Tyrod Taylor, that giants are a playoff team? Is that what you were saying? You guys got a chance if Tyrod stays as QB.
Speaker 2:We would need a lot of help from other teams losing. So I would say no. But if we started the season with him as the quarterback, I think yeah, we definitely would have made a wild card. But with us only having two wins at this point in the season now, we're too far back.
Speaker 1:It's too yeah, too far gone, okay. But yeah, let's talk about the bills game. You already talked about it. We lost 2925 on a final drive to Mac and cheese Jones and the Patriots and, and yeah, the last two out of three games.
Speaker 1:I think all of Bill's mafia is wondering what is going on with the slow starts on offense. It's been everything from penalties, blocking, drop passes, missed throws, questionable play calling and situational football, and all no points until, usually, the third quarter. Some. It seems like a little bit of a mess and I wish I had an easy answer. I don't know what the answer is. Obviously our line has turned back into our old line. They look like hot shit again, which is nothing new, josh. I've been overcoming that shitty offensive line for what are we going on six years now. So I keep hearing from the coaches and bills mafia. They're saying it's all about execution, and I'm hearing it through the players as well. But I guess what begs the question after that is what do you mean by execution exactly? Is it the play calling? Is it not enough run plays? Is it communication during the game? Is it miscues? Is it not adapting to the defense? I don't know. But what I do know, mike, as bills mafia, after this third game, has Started to turn on our offensive coordinator. But I think that's Maybe one of the problems, but not the main problem. But you know, going back to the game, the bills Didn't do anything until the third quarter.
Speaker 1:Josh Allen started the game out with an interception. So right then, and there you already put in yourself and your defense in a bad position and the Patriots just took advantage. And then, yeah, they waited until about the fourth quarter. Their offense went off and it just seems to be a reoccurring theme these last few weeks. The offense waits to the second half to get going and Unfortunately you're not playing horrible teams every week. So when you play those great teams, that's not gonna work and the bills will get flooded out of the stadium. Now, fortunately, I don't want to say the Patriots are a playoff contender, but they're a team that you should be able to beat and that shouldn't have been a question. The Giants no shade on you, mike. That's a winnable game and it shouldn't have came down to what it has come down to.
Speaker 2:No, I agree, Y'all should have won by like 30 or 40.
Speaker 1:In any event, nfl's crazy Minnesota just beat San Francisco I mean. So I get that part of it any given Sunday. But those are games that you need to win, because now that's our second division loss in an AFC East which is probably now the second best division in football behind the AFC North, because almost every team has got a winning record above 500 except the Patriots. But you need to capitalize on these wins, especially in division. They are more crucial games because you still want to win division Now. Are we only one big game behind Miami? Yes, because Miami also shitted the bed in their game against Philadelphia, but that's Miami.
Speaker 1:I'm not expecting big things from Miami, miami's Miami at the end of the day. We'll see how that pens out, but I think at this point I don't know what the answer is with the bill's offense. I mean James Cook, he had a great game. They just need to keep feeding him. Once they stopped feeding him, I was getting a little concerned. I mean, josh Hanlon threw to nine different receivers and Kade had eight perceptions. But the thing that the bills were being successful at early on underneath rows taking. What the game gives you is some of these big, huge ass plays, and I don't know if it's the offense getting impatient or they need to prove that they are the best offense in the league, even though there's still a top five offense in the league. They don't need these big plays, they just need again paper cut to death. Just take what the defense give you, josh, run it when you need to on a key third down, and they just haven't been doing that and I don't know what it is. I don't know how they're going to get out of this funk, but they got a chance coming this Thursday night, short week against the Bucks at home. Go ahead and get a W and the Patriots and the Jets are playing so right, there is going to knock out one of them as far as contention in your division. So they just need to step up. I mean the offensive line. Like I said, turn back office, they can block shit. I just there. I don't understand how the team is always in the backfield, like Allen doesn't even get through his actually stepping back before he has to fucking throw or move. So I don't know if they're going to fix that. I mean the defense. Honestly, even though they didn't get the stop at the end, which is in true Buffalo fashion. Usually at the end of the games, they find a way to blow it. Lately it's been, you know, the defense carrying the team until the fourth quarter and then the offense turns it on. But then the defense I don't know if they're just so tired from stops all game. But you know, at the end of the game when there's time to get a stop. We couldn't do it Now. Worked out against the Giants but it backfired against the Patriots and it didn't work against the Jaguars. So the bill's offense needs to change it. You know it's seven games into the season. I'm not really concerned. They're second in the division. They're only one game back.
Speaker 1:The way this season, nfl season, is shaping out is there's going to be a lot of teams with a lot of losses. I mean it's just the way it's going to be. So it's going to be a tough year and every win, I think, will matter this year. So this one, you know it's the Patriots of all teams. You hate to lose to them just because, as any bills fan would tell you, they hate the Patriots just as much as they hate the Dolphins. But we can't. We can't lose games like that, especially against Mac and cheese.
Speaker 1:Now, yeah, did the Patriots play a good game? I have to give credit. Mac Jones played a very efficient game. I think you only had like four missed passes. They capitalized when they need to. Obviously they had pressure on Allen all game, but at the end of the day you still should win that game. You have more talent. You know this team. You've beat them seven, I think six out of the last seven times you played them. They're usually an automatic W since the Allen regime is taken over.
Speaker 1:But here we go again. Buffalo Bills, you know not closing the game. And yes, we do miss a defensive closer right now. Von Miller is. He only played six snaps in the game, so I don't even understand that. They're really taking their time with him, which I don't understand. It's like you pay this guy all this goddamn money. You got to get him out there to win game because we don't have a closer on defense.
Speaker 1:Most Super Bowl teams they have that dude on offense and they have that one guy on defense like oh, this motherfucker is gonna come up with a big play Now for us. We unfortunately had a lot of injuries on defense, so our best three defensive players aren't playing. But Again, you got to overcome that. I don't think defense has been the problem. They had their stops when they needed to all game the offense. If they would have scored, start, you know, first few drives, first couple quarters, now the whole Dynamic of the game is gonna change. But with the Patriots, no, we, just we would three and out, three and out, overthrow, drop, pass, offense, sack, fumble, like it's just.
Speaker 1:It doesn't look good and it's weird because they have a lot of talent, meaning their position players good enough, and I've seen this offense humming before when they're clicking on all cylinders and it just you don't get it game to game. I'm not saying you should see the bill score 50 points every single game, because that's just not realistic, but for three games in a row you guys haven't. You guys kind of waited and I don't know what's going on. The body language Is they look like they're sleepwalking half the time. There's no energy, so I don't know if that's a factor. I don't know what's going on with them. They got to get it figured out. They got time. They're coming up with Tampa Bay again another winnable game. You need to capitalize on this game, buffalo.
Speaker 1:I just can't get my Bearings around what is going on with this team and this offense. You know, mike. If you know, please let me know. I have no idea, I can't put my finger on it. It just seems weird to me. That's where I'm at, and and oh, by the way, on the offense, we just lost Dawson Knox for two months. So Okay, can. Cade was hurt last week and then our third tight end, q Morris. He was hurt. So I don't even know if we're gonna have a tight end come the remainder of the season. So go ahead my bad question question. Go ahead with your questions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my two questions was this what do you want to see Josh Allen do differently to try to cut down on the turnovers? And the second question is with these slow starts, do you feel that's more of a Coaches not preparing the team or do you think that's just an execution problem?
Speaker 1:So with Allen, again, the turnovers. He's only had seven interceptions to his got six. My home's got six. Like those Don't bother me because the turnover thing I don't know. I guess I can't stress this enough. That's who Josh Allen is. I will take all those turnovers because I know he can close games.
Speaker 1:I don't think the turnovers are the problem. That ain't gonna change. I just don't even give a fuck about that. What I give a fuck about is his health and what he can do differently. I think maybe he needs to actually run a little bit more, but situationally run Instead of trying to situationally pass because the old Josh Allen a third and long and the bills were getting into a lot of Third along in situation because of dumb fucking penalties, which is again very uncharacteristic of the Sean McDermott Teams.
Speaker 1:They rarely get penalized. And then this year I understand because of a lot of rookies have come in, they've got a lot of those penalties. But Going back to Allen, I need to see him. I know started alongs. Maybe just kill him with the lays because he hasn't been a big threat with his legs this year and teams Can sit on the pass now and wait for Alan to get flustered because he's again.
Speaker 1:He has 1.9 seconds to throw the ball less than two. He doesn't even have to a full two seconds, which is most quarterbacks get. Now he's getting less, so he's got to adapt to that. But, bro, you maybe just take off. There's a few third downs. He had like wide open space, just run it and slide. But that's the. That's the key thing I want to see from Josh. You know the turnovers. You got to live with him because the guy can take. You know like again he took. He took a team down the field, put him up three two-point conversion and the deep. You know two minutes left in the game and you know the defense gives it up. So you know. As far as the coaching goes, I think was the second part of your question, is that right, mike? You were saying Something with the coaching.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Do you think the coaches aren't preparing the players and that's why it's just slow start? Or do you think it was just an execution that the players aren't doing? Yeah, shit.
Speaker 1:I wish I knew. But it's got to be a mixture of both, like it has to be. I don't think McDermott can pay attention fully to a game when he has both responsibilities. But maybe, you know, I know other coaches can do it, but head most coaches that do it are usually Offensive head coaches. Again, that's where I think Sean McDermott can improve.
Speaker 1:To is like Keep track of what's going on the offensive side, like okay, guys, we've been passing too much, let's just keep running the ball. And I think that's where he needs to override Dorsey instead of letting Dorsey just kind of roll solo and he's got Josh Allen's. He's like well, I can do anything I want to with you know, a call, any play I want to, and do all these crazy things. And I think they need to rein it in. And if they have to rain Josh Allen in to say, hey, bro, you know why are you forcing the ball, you know what I mean, that those things need to happen. So I think, with bad penalties, bad blocking and then just a Random play calling where you, you find something successful, they go away from it and then, once they figure out, oh, maybe we should go back to what was successful, the game is probably over or out of reach. So you know the bills, you know you got plenty of time. I'm not gonna, you know, overreact because again, it's it's a long season. Anything can happen, injuries can happen. We're not getting our best players back. So the offense really, you got all the keys You're gonna have to carry this team and defense, you're just got the step of make-up play and so right now, I don't know who's to blame.
Speaker 1:I think Bill's mafia is really trying to put it on coaching. But shit, guys, you've had the same system for four or five, six years now. I guess maybe the only Next option would be yeah, you're gonna, they're not gonna fire the players, are not gonna get rid of the players, they're gonna get rid of the coaches. So, unfortunately, that'll happen. If they don't have a successful season now, do, I think, still think they'll make the playoffs? Yes, absolutely. They can make the playoffs now when they get there. If they're playing like they are now, they're not gonna, they're not gonna get out of the first round. They wouldn't even get out of a wild card if they end up being a wild card. So, yeah, man, I think the coaching, I think Something has to change there mean and I don't necessarily mean a job change, I just mean from a standpoint of philosophy and how we get in and out of the huddle and and our guys are on it Everyone's clicking like that's.
Speaker 1:The coach's responsibility is to make sure his team is ready to go. So, mike, you are right in that. In that aspect, all these dumb penalties, all these bad play calls, I think it does ultimately fall in the coach. But you know, the offense hasn't looked freaking great either, though. I mean they're just looking like shit. And Maybe it's cuz. Alan hat is playing her. I don't know. He's been known to play her. He played her all last year with a fucked up elbow. This year he's got a fucked up soldier. He's getting hit. He's probably can cuss, definitely he's been can cuss a couple teams. I know he went in the blue tent in a couple games already. So Fuck man, I don't know. Bro, I wish I had an answer for what's going on with the bills, but you just got to keep plugging it away and hopefully, you know, the chips will fall on the bill side. A little bit of luck, I guess here's the thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I got a short week coming up cuz you played Thursday. Um, what's your confidence level going into the game and what do you expect?
Speaker 1:My confidence is ultimately high Like this is the first time. I'm always confident in my team in every game, because this is the first time, and since I was a young man, that we've actually had a great team. Now, short week, I don't care they, everyone gets paid an, an ungodly amount of money in the NFL. I'm just sorry they just get paid so fucking much money. I don't want to hear shit about playing a game on Sunday and then Thursday and not. You play a violent sport. You know what you're getting into, that there's no excuses when. Oh okay, you play on Sunday, play on Thursday. I understand that that affects the game, but Winning teams win on Sunday. They went on Thursday, they went on Saturday, they went on Monday. They'll win in a freaking farm field with no lies, no out of bounds. They'll find a fucking way to win and that's what the bills have to ultimately do.
Speaker 1:I don't care what it looks like last year at this time, mike, they're four and three. Guess what they were last year? Six and one, and that is beat the Kansas City Chiefs, and we all know how last season ended. So, yeah, you can look great for a regular season or you can look good for half a season, but when it matters most and where the chips fall and where legends are made is in the playoffs. And did you win? And that's the only thing that's gonna, you know, define this bills team and this regime is did you guys Win when it mattered?
Speaker 2:That's a valid point. I mean, y'all haven't gotten it done in the playoffs when y'all have been there, so I guess we're knowing Three months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, no, yeah, yeah too. I mean it's gonna come up quickly, right, january is usually and hopefully Vaughn will be in full swing, but that's you know, that's looking like a bad decision on the bills, right? I'm not gonna lie the Vaughn Miller when he's in there at his full strength, he's amazing. But you know, yeah, hurt last year wasn't there. Now this year not looking good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is what year two of Vaughn.
Speaker 1:Year two. So after this year y'all can cut him right, I don't know actually I don't know how his contract is structured. I'd have to look at that. Is that a thing?
Speaker 2:I figured probably either after this year or not after next year. Y'all could definitely cut him, cause you know that does look like a bad signing. You know injuries are unfortunate. He is a future All-A-Famer, but yeah, that hasn't worked out for y'all.
Speaker 1:And he came in to be our closer. Now we don't have a closer on defense. It's like fuck. You know what I mean. So I don't know, and I think the bills should make a move defensively, because that is where they're thinnest. I don't think they need an offensive move. I think they need to make a move on defense because we are so malnourished there you know what I mean Like we're out of cornerbacks, we're out of lineback, we're out of some defense alignment, and I understand that's all teams. But the bills need to go ahead and make a splash defensively. Deion Dawkins, just you know, restructured his contract to give him a little bit more caps, or it's about, I think, four or five million in caps space. So what does that move for? I don't know. I hope the bills do something. Trade deadline is what? October 31st, mike, so usually around there.
Speaker 1:Are they gonna do something at the deadline? Maybe like a signing trade, like maybe get you know I hate to say this maybe get Gabe Davis off the books, maybe get you know, cause he's gonna do be due for a contract. You know, I don't know Like to get it. We need a piece on defense. Only because we have so many injuries there and you can see it. I don't think the offense needs to make another move.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, here's my thing. What position, if y'all want defense, do you feel would be the most urgent?
Speaker 1:Most urgent Linebacker it really is. We have a rookie out there. You know the cornerbacks. We got one of our starters back, so we've been decent in the secondary. And when you have an all pro-poe and you have Mike Ahide, who's an all pro like, those guys can really help the secondary. It's just that that second tier middle linebacker man Like once Tremaine was gone and we had Dotson and Bernard and now Bernard's there but what if these guys, if one of these linebackers gets hurt, then we're really fucked man. So I think that's the position of need most.
Speaker 2:But yeah, man, hopefully we don't lose to the Jets. We got to beat the little brother team, but we'll see what happens. Be back next week. Make sure y'all subscribe to the Hernandez and Cruz show.
Speaker 1:All right, y'all peace.