The Buffalo Bills have gotten the old band back together for their next playoff run. The team is not just satisfied with Josh Allen’s aerial attack of weapons of mass destruction, that features Stefon Diggs one of the top receivers in the league, Gabe Davis, who is making a name for himself, could be consider a number one guy on many teams in the NFL. Then the Bills have some nice slot options in Isaiah McKenzie and Khalil Shakir. Allen is a quarterback that can distribute the ball all over the field and get it in the hands of all his play makers as the Bills have a high-powered offense that has many moving parts to use. The Buffalo Bills added two guys who helped Allen develop into the quarterback he is today. The Bills bring back John “Smoke” Brown a 32-year-old wide receiver that has blazing speed in which the fly pattern is his best friend. Allen’s big arm can get the ball to him throwing the deep ball hitting him in stride. Then Allen’s security blanket is back in the building, the “Bease” in Cole Beasley. Now you know the whisky is rye. Beasley is 33 years old and left Buffalo for reasons not just about money or contract, but political views in Covid protocols. Maybe a contract would have kept him in Buffalo. Sometimes friends in low places are what a guy needs when facing teams like the Bengals and the Chiefs in the post-season.

When you played football out front of your house when you were a kid, your father or your brother or maybe even a friend would tell you, “Go deep.” Then your little legs would spin & then suddenly break out in full sprint stepping on some old summer weeds as you look up. A ball floating in the air bigger than your head would fall in your arms. If you caught it, you’d scream, “Touchdown,” for one of the best plays in the game. John “Smoke” Brown’s only catch this regular season in his return to Buffalo came against New England in the last game of the season. It was a 42-yard bomb thrown by Josh Allen and it connected like old times. Like two guys in a rhythm and blues band playing their instruments for the first time since they played at the clubs decades ago. Like riding a bike, the sound was still there as the bomb between the Smoke and Allen was still there. Brown’s best years came in an Arizona Cardinal uniform. In 2019, Brown’s best year in a Bills uniform & his first season with Allen, he caught 72 balls for 1,060 yards with six touchdown passes. Then the following year, Smoke dealt with injuries and played less games but caught 33 balls for 458 yards with 3 touchdown passes. Brown left Buffalo the next season. The last few years he has went from practice squad to practice squad. Brown tried to stick to an active roster as he was signed by the Raiders, Jaguars, Broncos, and Buccaneers. Brown would play in 2 games with the Jaguars and 2 with the Broncos. He had only one target no catches. It’s amazing how Brown can come back without playing an actual game in over a year and reconnect with his old quarterback.

Many wonder why the Bills didn’t reach a deal with Cole Beasley and bring him back for this season when his contract expired. Beasley is loved in the Bills club house. Did the front office get scared off by his conspiracy theories thinking he could be a distraction to the team? Bills had some salary cap issues, there just was not enough cake to go around as Bease would require some frosting on his. It seems many teams were scared off by Beasley’s off the field beliefs because he was home most of the season until the Buccaneers gave him a call. Suddenly you think Beasley was like a cat landed on his feet playing with the best quarterback of all-time, Tom Brady. After two games & 4 catches for only 17 yards for the Buccaneers, Beasley would have had enough and retired from the game. You’d think the Bills would be out of Beasley’s rear-view mirror as he sold his house in Buffalo and continue his conspiracy posts on the social media. The Eagles got back together after they said, “Hell would have to freeze over before we play again.” Hell did freeze over and the Eagles would get back together and name their next album in the 1990’s, Hell Freezes Over. Cooler heads prevailed and Beasely is back in a Bills uniform. In two regular season games, Beasely only had two catches for 18 yards. Last week versus Miami, Beasley scored his first ever playoff touchdown as he took a slant pattern over the middle of the field and found himself in the end zone for a score. Last year, Beasley caught 82 passes & 693 yards with one touchdown. Beasley’s career in Buffalo he has 233 catches for 2.456 yards with 11 touchdowns during regular season play. Beasley can move the chains, convert third down plays, and keep the offense on the field.

Another guy I root for is wide receiver Tanner Gentry, who has a cult following in Chicago. Tanner is a former teammate of Josh Allen back in their college days playing for the University of Wyoming Cowboys. Tanner has been cut so many times in his career he probably does not even unpack his suitcase. Gentry may be even living on Allen’s couch. Gentry found action in 2017 for the Bears when he played 7 games catching 3 passes for 35 yards. Gentry was one of those guys that made those dazzling catches in pre-season, playing against other team’s second stringers. In 2022, Gentry played in 3 games for the Bills with no catches but had one target. Gentry recently was cut by the Bills, but will probably be brought back next season as you root for the 28-year-old latching on with his old friend. Guys like Gentry back at Wyoming University and John Brown along with Cole Beasley helped make Allen the player who he is today. Allen would like to repay these guys, his friends, back with a Superbowl ring. Don’t be surprised to see Brown or Beasley chip in during this playoff run to help Allen and Buffalo do the unthinkable. Buffalo has that small town feeling compared to many of the big cities in the NFL. The Bills seem like they have a tight and unique locker room almost like a small college feeling. It’s a feeling like a Garth Brooks song where Allen does have friends in low places where the whisky is rye and the snow chasers.