Joe, come on, you know where this ends: The Jets. You can't kill them. They will always kill themselves, such as Geno suddenly confusing the football with a live grenade. And them you might bring some luck.
Also, Aaron Judge has, sadly, entered the Stanton Era of his career.
If I remember Sam Wyche telling Cincinnati that this isn't Cleveland, then surely you do. I'm all for searching for a new team if you must, but you cannot land on the Bengals. That would be a bridge too far. Surely you can't stay in the division. Say it ain't so, Joe. (Ok, enough with the old movies...)
Maybe it's different now, and Browns and Bengals fans despise each other. But I grew up near Columbus in the 60s, and my team was the Browns; in fact virtually my first sports memory was watching them with my dad as they won the championship game in 1964, 27-0 over the favored Colts.
Then Cincinnati got the expansion Bengals in 1968 and I rooted for them too, in fact probably more than I did the Browns, because I was getting in on the ground floor. Plus Paul Brown was their coach, and he'd built the original Browns powerhouse of the 1940s-60s. Even their uniforms looked the same.
There was no conflict, because the AFL and NFL were completely different leagues and they only played each other in the Super Bowl. I'm pretty sure lots of people around Columbus did the same. The NFL was on CBS and the AFL on NBC, so both teams were on TV every week.
Then of course after the merger in 1970 they were not only placed in the same conference, but the same division. Some might say "okay, now you have to make a choice, one or the other," but I never did, nor did my brother, who unlike me still lives in Columbus. I asked him a few years ago which team he rooted for and he said "I'm Captain Renault, I blow with the wind." (Although he dropped the Browns entirely when they signed Watson.)
I'm the most casual of NFL fans nowadays, but I still like both teams, although my Browns fandom is in remission until Watson is gone. Maybe people in Ohio who became fans post-merger root for one Ohio team and hate the other, but I suspect a lot of people who were fans before the merger, especially those in the middle of the state, are like me.
So looking at individual leaders doesn't necessarily tell the entire story of offense. Obviously the goal of offense is to score runs, so a look at total runs scored paints a different picture.
2026: 21,769 runs scored/ 4.48 per game.
2025: 21,614/4.45
2024: 21,343/4.39
2023: 22,432/ 4.62
2022: 20,817/4.28
Nearly a 5% increase since '22 in runs per game.
Since 2014 was referenced so often
2014: 19,761/ 4.07, a 10% increase since then.
The individual outcomes might have lessened this season at the top, but the overall offensive outcomes have not.
If I am not mistaken, only one team in the baseball playoffs had a worse home record than their road record, the you-know-who-dians. Last year they finished ahead of the Tigers and hosted (and lost) a three game Wild Card playoff. Also, is there a team that has managed to leave more runners stranded in scoring position?
Please please stay with the Bills! I think it's a fantastic, natural fit - Great Lakes, beleaguered fanbase, etc. This was a perfect game for a suffering fan, new or old. I mean, you don't want to diary an easy/routine win, right?
I can't think of the Bills without remembering the late Bills superfan Tim Russert. I've always felt Joe and Tim to be cut from the same cloth: articulate, passionate, smart, funny. More importantly, possessing that rare "everyman" trait. Just one of the guys. Our guy.
I don’t think it’s gonna happen. Joe gave a real hint and his story. He said. “ the second half was pretty boring.” This was the half where the Bills weren’t turning the ball over every third play. Just seems to me an indication that the Bills are not gonna grab his heart.
I went to a sports bar for the early games, and wasn't watching this game, but every time I saw it on another screen I wondered who the Chargers were playing.
I get that we don’t have any exciting triple crown stats from individual players. But league wide scoring is smack dab at the historical norms of 4.5 per game. Sure there were a few eras with juiced balls or mounds competing with Denali but those, and not this, are the aberrations
My $0.02: the lack of recognizable star level performance is more of an issue for narrative for storytelling. And JoeP is a truly amazing storyteller. That last, to be clear, wasn’t intended as a backhanded slur at all! It just means that I don’t want significant changes to increase scoring when we are already where we IMHO should be.
Style used to reach 4.5 r/g however is a different issue.
I guess it's good that the Bills won yesterday otherwise Joe might have fans of teams he is thinking about rooting for coming here begging him NOT to. I mean the Browns haven't lost since Joe gave them up for good (and he really means it this time). Da Bears scored 3 points and lost their QB for a month the game he roots for them. The Bills turn the ball over 5 times and look like crap most of the game but luckily are playing the always overrated Chargers so they manage to win. Joe's track record isn't very good.
He may mean it – or thinks he does. But he stated pretty clearly that his disgust is with the quarterback. I mean the team too for bringing him aboard. But the quarterback is in his last season of his contract I believe most likely he will not be on the team next year and Joe may go back to rooting for the Browns. What would be the worst outcome for Joe is that the Browns actually win and make the playoffs this year and they re-sign the quarterback for a few more years. How cruel a fate would that be?
Don't fight it. Give in to power of the dark side already and embrace your true destiny. Joe Posnanski and GangGreen will join forces and rule the galaxy as fathe . . .
Well, you get the idea. Just embrace it, dude. You know it's the only way.
It’d be one thing if offense was low at the expense of a bevy of all-time pitchers building out massive Hall of Fame careers, but it also feels like every pitcher who hits that level for a season or two breaks and vanishes for long tracts of time, leaving us with guys who appear in the historical record as flashes in the pan. (Corbin Burnes comes to mind for me, obviously great when healthy, but limited by injury)
Joe, come on, you know where this ends: The Jets. You can't kill them. They will always kill themselves, such as Geno suddenly confusing the football with a live grenade. And them you might bring some luck.
Also, Aaron Judge has, sadly, entered the Stanton Era of his career.
If I remember Sam Wyche telling Cincinnati that this isn't Cleveland, then surely you do. I'm all for searching for a new team if you must, but you cannot land on the Bengals. That would be a bridge too far. Surely you can't stay in the division. Say it ain't so, Joe. (Ok, enough with the old movies...)
Maybe it's different now, and Browns and Bengals fans despise each other. But I grew up near Columbus in the 60s, and my team was the Browns; in fact virtually my first sports memory was watching them with my dad as they won the championship game in 1964, 27-0 over the favored Colts.
Then Cincinnati got the expansion Bengals in 1968 and I rooted for them too, in fact probably more than I did the Browns, because I was getting in on the ground floor. Plus Paul Brown was their coach, and he'd built the original Browns powerhouse of the 1940s-60s. Even their uniforms looked the same.
There was no conflict, because the AFL and NFL were completely different leagues and they only played each other in the Super Bowl. I'm pretty sure lots of people around Columbus did the same. The NFL was on CBS and the AFL on NBC, so both teams were on TV every week.
Then of course after the merger in 1970 they were not only placed in the same conference, but the same division. Some might say "okay, now you have to make a choice, one or the other," but I never did, nor did my brother, who unlike me still lives in Columbus. I asked him a few years ago which team he rooted for and he said "I'm Captain Renault, I blow with the wind." (Although he dropped the Browns entirely when they signed Watson.)
I'm the most casual of NFL fans nowadays, but I still like both teams, although my Browns fandom is in remission until Watson is gone. Maybe people in Ohio who became fans post-merger root for one Ohio team and hate the other, but I suspect a lot of people who were fans before the merger, especially those in the middle of the state, are like me.
Joe, you know deep down that you would love to be a Steelers fan.
So looking at individual leaders doesn't necessarily tell the entire story of offense. Obviously the goal of offense is to score runs, so a look at total runs scored paints a different picture.
2026: 21,769 runs scored/ 4.48 per game.
2025: 21,614/4.45
2024: 21,343/4.39
2023: 22,432/ 4.62
2022: 20,817/4.28
Nearly a 5% increase since '22 in runs per game.
Since 2014 was referenced so often
2014: 19,761/ 4.07, a 10% increase since then.
The individual outcomes might have lessened this season at the top, but the overall offensive outcomes have not.
A few more:
2015 4.25
2010 4.38
2005 4.59
2000 5.14
1995 4.85
1990 4.26
1985 4.41
1980 4.29
1970 4.34
1960 4.3
1950 4.9
There is a gravitational force around that approximately 4.5 figure.
If I am not mistaken, only one team in the baseball playoffs had a worse home record than their road record, the you-know-who-dians. Last year they finished ahead of the Tigers and hosted (and lost) a three game Wild Card playoff. Also, is there a team that has managed to leave more runners stranded in scoring position?
Please please stay with the Bills! I think it's a fantastic, natural fit - Great Lakes, beleaguered fanbase, etc. This was a perfect game for a suffering fan, new or old. I mean, you don't want to diary an easy/routine win, right?
I can't think of the Bills without remembering the late Bills superfan Tim Russert. I've always felt Joe and Tim to be cut from the same cloth: articulate, passionate, smart, funny. More importantly, possessing that rare "everyman" trait. Just one of the guys. Our guy.
I don’t think it’s gonna happen. Joe gave a real hint and his story. He said. “ the second half was pretty boring.” This was the half where the Bills weren’t turning the ball over every third play. Just seems to me an indication that the Bills are not gonna grab his heart.
Crapshooty may be the best word I've read in years.
I hope Joe wasn't responsible for Buffalo's hideous uniforms yesterday.
The Bills won ugly in every way yesterday, as the Browns moved to 2-0 after Joe gave up on them.
I went to a sports bar for the early games, and wasn't watching this game, but every time I saw it on another screen I wondered who the Chargers were playing.
I would only support the Bills if they had a public bonfire of those unis. Yuck!
Josh Allen is my fantasy team QB. I couldn’t figure out why he crapped the bed yesterday. Now I know.
I get that we don’t have any exciting triple crown stats from individual players. But league wide scoring is smack dab at the historical norms of 4.5 per game. Sure there were a few eras with juiced balls or mounds competing with Denali but those, and not this, are the aberrations
My $0.02: the lack of recognizable star level performance is more of an issue for narrative for storytelling. And JoeP is a truly amazing storyteller. That last, to be clear, wasn’t intended as a backhanded slur at all! It just means that I don’t want significant changes to increase scoring when we are already where we IMHO should be.
Style used to reach 4.5 r/g however is a different issue.
Please don’t try out the Chiefs
Yeah if Joe Burrow has his yearly leg injury next week, I would suggest Joe not visit Cincy for a while.
I guess it's good that the Bills won yesterday otherwise Joe might have fans of teams he is thinking about rooting for coming here begging him NOT to. I mean the Browns haven't lost since Joe gave them up for good (and he really means it this time). Da Bears scored 3 points and lost their QB for a month the game he roots for them. The Bills turn the ball over 5 times and look like crap most of the game but luckily are playing the always overrated Chargers so they manage to win. Joe's track record isn't very good.
He may mean it – or thinks he does. But he stated pretty clearly that his disgust is with the quarterback. I mean the team too for bringing him aboard. But the quarterback is in his last season of his contract I believe most likely he will not be on the team next year and Joe may go back to rooting for the Browns. What would be the worst outcome for Joe is that the Browns actually win and make the playoffs this year and they re-sign the quarterback for a few more years. How cruel a fate would that be?
Joe -- J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets.
Don't fight it. Give in to power of the dark side already and embrace your true destiny. Joe Posnanski and GangGreen will join forces and rule the galaxy as fathe . . .
Well, you get the idea. Just embrace it, dude. You know it's the only way.
This broader trend with baseball offense is real. No doubt.
At the same time, we've had two guys hit 60 homers in the last several seasons. A catcher just did it last year.
Individual seasons can be weird outliers.
The greatest trick Stefanski pulled was convincing the Browns he didn’t exist.
(The 2-1 Browns…)
It’d be one thing if offense was low at the expense of a bevy of all-time pitchers building out massive Hall of Fame careers, but it also feels like every pitcher who hits that level for a season or two breaks and vanishes for long tracts of time, leaving us with guys who appear in the historical record as flashes in the pan. (Corbin Burnes comes to mind for me, obviously great when healthy, but limited by injury)
So it stinks on both ends.