1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: And mel Kiper Yesterday was just the latest and kind 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: of a long line of people expecting big things from 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: the Bills. We expecting big things from the Bills. Most 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: of our listeners expect big things. But you're right, that 5 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: is a Twitter poll today. Are the Bills ready to 6 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: be the hunted rather than the hunter? Peter Schreker on 7 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: NFL Network Good Morning Football, kind of a start of 8 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: this discussion among us, saying the other day that the 9 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: Bills are going to be, you know, the hunted now 10 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: they've got a target on their back rather than being 11 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: the hunter. Which role do you prefer for the Bills 12 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: this season? Give us a call eight oh three five 13 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: fifty toll three one eight eight eight five fifty two 14 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: five fifty. Do you like being an underdog for the 15 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: Bills or do you like being the favorite? Early tally's 16 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: from the Twitter poll one hundred eighty votes in so 17 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: far being the underdog sixty four percent, two out of 18 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,959 Speaker 1: every three. Bills man says, I'd prefer to be the underdog. 19 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Maybe it's because it's so comfortable. Thirty Yeah, We've been 20 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: the underdog for years. I think people feel comfortable. There's Steve, Yeah, 21 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: it's the expectations are less. You know, it's easier to 22 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: exceed expectations when you're the underdog. If you give them 23 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: a good game, well you can still feel good about it, 24 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: right because you weren't supposed to win. The simple fact 25 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: of the matter is if you've got a good team. Um, 26 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: I think the predominant view is for the NFL locker 27 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: rooms is act like it. Yeah. Well, here's where we're 28 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: going to tap into your expertise. Would you have nine 29 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: years in the NFL steam thirteen thirteen? I'm sorry, give 30 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: me the short change of those four years. In those 31 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: thirteen years, were you aware that you were an underdog 32 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 1: or a favorite or a heavy favorite? I mean, were 33 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: you were aware that you were a hunted team as 34 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: opposed to a hunter? Your team got good. You didn't 35 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: start out good, but you got good. Did you notice 36 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: a change in the way opponents approach the Buffalo Bills 37 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: once the Bills got good? Just? Yes, yeah, both both 38 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: collectively and individually. Um, you got a guy like Bruce, So, 39 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: you got a guy like Andre, You got guys like 40 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: Cornelius Bennett. You got some really good players James Lofton. 41 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: When you got some really stellar guys on your roster. 42 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: Teams play your team differently than they do other teams. 43 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: When you get on film, you have to watch. You 44 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: watch more of your own film as an offense than 45 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: anybody else, even when you're trying to get ready for 46 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: the other defense, because you'll watch film. And I knew 47 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: this as an individual too, when I took the field 48 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: as a special teams player, I would never they would 49 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: never run the same returns or coverage or return schemes 50 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: against our team, or at least against me individually, that 51 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: they ran against everybody else. Bruce Smith would never get 52 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: blocked by an offensive line the same way that they 53 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 1: blocked everybody else. Because he was Bruce Smith. They would 54 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 1: come up with different schemes that he couldn't get on film. 55 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: So what you would do is watch how other teams 56 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: defended you and think that, yeah, other teams are going 57 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: to try something similar to this. So it was almost 58 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: it was almost crazy. You'd go out, you'd watch all 59 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: this film during the week of the opponents and what 60 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: they did here, what they did here, and you get 61 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: on the field and they never do that to you 62 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: because you're different. Um now, okay, let me just interrupt you, 63 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: because you were different, or because you were perceived as 64 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: being good. Because teams what I mean that teams mean 65 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: teams adjust every opponent, right, yeah, exactly, But when they 66 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:21,959 Speaker 1: come up against somebody, they ain't got them one on 67 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: one matchup they can win. They there's a number of 68 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: different ways they can do it. They can double team 69 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: you from here, double team from there, and they never 70 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: get it. You never get a chance to see him 71 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: do that to anybody else. They don't treat anybody else 72 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: the way they treat you. And and it is a 73 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: level and it is a sign of respect, no question 74 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: about it. But it's no fun to try and get 75 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: ready for you know, so uh And as a team, 76 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: you're very aware collectively of what what the perception is 77 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: of you by your fans and by other fans and 78 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: by the opponents. You get you get an idea of 79 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: what it's about, and before, during, and after the game, 80 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: you get a chance to understand what they thought about 81 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: you coming into the game. And you carry that around 82 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: with you for sure. And it does affect your preparation. 83 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: Does it affect how teams play you? Do they play 84 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: harder against a good team if you're the favorite. Do 85 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: you think I don't think they play harder, but they 86 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: prepare harder. You know, that makes a difference. It seems 87 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: like they're playing harder. They you certainly get their best swing. 88 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: Uh certainly too. That are if they're a team. There 89 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: are teams who who aren't good or don't have a 90 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: great culture, or don't prepare well. They come in and 91 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: they kind of give you their best punch and if 92 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: you can take that punch and punch them back, they 93 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: fold up. You know, they go away. They continue to 94 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: go through, but that you can they're going through the motions. 95 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: That kind of thing happens not not very often in 96 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: the NFL, because you're playing against a bunch of really 97 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: prideful and guys who can really go, but as a 98 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: team they can't put it together. So you do sense 99 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 1: some fragility in their you know, in their motivation and 100 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: in their preparation. So when you do hit them in 101 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: the mouth, you do get up a touchdown on them. 102 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: You can feel them kind of start to tighten up 103 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: and you steal them, feel them starting to press a 104 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: little bit, and you know you kind of get on 105 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: top of them. Other teams they're a handful. They think 106 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: they're gonna beat you. They can beat you. They're out 107 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: to prove they can beat you. They know they're in 108 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: for a battle. They know you're gonna get a couple 109 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: of good shots in on them. You're gonna score a 110 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: touchdown here and there, You're gonna score a certain amount 111 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: of points. They're ready for it, and it doesn't bother 112 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: them when you do. Those are the kind of games 113 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: that are really great NFL games. You're playing against an 114 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: opponent that's got a chip on their shoulder, with something 115 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: to prove, and they're good, which is the way we 116 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: were when we were coming up, And that's the way 117 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: we played in playoff games a lot of the time, 118 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: not so much in Super Bowls, but in playoff games 119 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 1: we were tough, and the reason was we felt like 120 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: we had something to prove. One more question for you 121 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 1: about your experience as a player in this in this 122 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: particular area is Steve, which which did you prefer? Which 123 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: is more fun being the hunter? You know, going after somebody, 124 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: being the underdog, or or being the top dog and 125 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: you know, putting your best effort out there knowing that 126 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: you'd probably win. Which is more fun as a player? 127 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: Tough to say, I mean, it's well, it's fun being 128 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: appropriate yet you're great. That's a great question. M um. Um, 129 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: it's it's fun both ways. When you win, it's both fun. 130 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: If you can carry it off both ways, it's fun. 131 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: Um and nothing matters and no matter how you feel 132 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: about it if you lose. But we had a lot 133 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: of success in both ways, you know, as an underdog 134 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: and ash and as the favorite. It's fun both ways 135 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: when it works, so you know, and both ways can 136 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: be effective. And I we've said it. You know if 137 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: you watched the thirty for thirty but we're going to 138 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: our second or going to our third and fourth super 139 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: Bowls and people are like, yeah, we you know, you 140 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: guys are horrible. Get go away. You know, particularly after 141 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: the third super Bowl when we got beat and turned 142 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: it over nine times by the Dallas Cowboys got blown out, 143 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: people are like, g just go away. You know, we 144 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: don't want you to the super Bowl. And we were like, okay, 145 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: you want a piece of us, come get it. You 146 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: want to you want us not to go to the 147 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: super Bowl, come knock us out. Let's see if you 148 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: got it. You know, that was a big rallying point 149 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: for us. We're gonna go again. Then you know and 150 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: when we did so, um, you know you can and 151 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: you've seen it. Man. People players jump through hoops to 152 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: motivate themselves. They conjure up some slight teams do that too, 153 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: and it's and when it's effective, particularly when it's effective 154 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: once Murph, you can bet they're gonna go back to 155 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: the bag and pull that motivation, that technique out again 156 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: and do it again. So it once it works once, 157 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: it's gonna work forever. In your opinion, you know, you're 158 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: just gonna keep going back to it, all right. So 159 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: we're asking Bills fans today the fans perspective, So the 160 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: Bills mel Kiper yesterday and many of our guests over 161 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: the last few couple of weeks, they give the Bills 162 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: a lot of credit. Some people have said the Bills 163 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: are the favorites to win the AFC East. That was 164 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: unusual to hear the first time. Some people have said 165 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 1: the Bills are the team to beat in the AFC East. 166 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: That's unusual here. Mel Kiper said the Bills are gonna 167 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: win twelve games yesterday. Are the Bills fans ready to 168 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: have their team be the hunted rather than the hunt 169 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: What do you prefer for the Bills this year. Give 170 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: us a call. Let's talk about eight oh three h 171 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: five fifty toll free from outside Buffalo one eight eight 172 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: eight five fifty two five fifty. We're gonna read some 173 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: of your tweets from the tweet geet. You can tweet 174 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: it in at One Bill's Life. You can vote on 175 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: the Twitter poll at One Bill's Life two hundred waf 176 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: so far, being the underdog the preference of sixty three 177 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: percent of our respondence. Being the favorite preferred by thirty 178 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 1: seven percent. You know what, that's a much better poll 179 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: than I thought it would be. I gotta say steam, Yeah, 180 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: it kind of it kind of forces you to think 181 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: about what you like about being a Bills fan? Right? 182 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: Did you nobody like you know, seventeen year playoff drout? 183 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: But did you like it that the Bills can sneak 184 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: up on teams? Or would you prefer to have, you know, 185 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: a target on your back. That's what we're asking fans now, right, right, 186 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: And it's and it and it also comes down to, 187 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: you know, the stress fans feel sometimes they want to 188 00:08:58,360 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: bail out this and I want to be the underdog, 189 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: so I don't want to have that expectation where we've 190 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: got to beat this team or else everything is law. 191 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: The whole season goes down the tubes, that kind of thing, 192 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: and it's and it's hard to get around that. You know, 193 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: you just don't want to go to a game and 194 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: be filled with tension the whole time. That's part of 195 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: the fun of it, but it's only fun. Like I said, 196 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: when your team wins and comes through, then it's the best. 197 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: But man, living through that pressure of you know, caring 198 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: about your team so much, and it's the same thing 199 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: for players. It's caring about your team so much and 200 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: really wanting to play well and knowing it's going to 201 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: be a stressful, a stressful three hours. It's sometimes hard 202 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: to live with.