Nov 10, 2026 · 46 min
Buffalo weighs defense-first moves as NFL contenders reshuffle
Hour 2: Do the Bills need to make a significant trade?
The episode tests which teams should buy at the deadline and whether roster upgrades can change the NFL’s playoff hierarchy.
- 1Buffalo needs secondary and pass-rush help after a dominant win and Jacksonville’s roster improvements.
- 2Minnesota’s quarterback search raises questions about whether Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, or Kyler Murray best fits its scheme.
- 3Stephen A. Smith ranks Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Jacksonville, and Buffalo atop his post-Week 9 NFL list.
Don't miss
Stephen A. Smith reveals a top five led by Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Jacksonville, and Buffalo, then receives a B-minus from the panel.
The brief
Buffalo’s win over Minnesota exposes a paradox: the Bills look dominant, yet the panel sees secondary and pass-rush needs before the deadline.
Minnesota’s quarterback search turns on fit rather than name recognition, with Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, and Kyler Murray debated as possible answers.
The panel weighs whether Dallas should trade George Pickens, balancing his market value against defensive needs and the cost of retaining him alongside CeeDee Lamb.
Stephen A. Smith’s top five—Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Jacksonville, and Buffalo—draws a B-minus after the panel challenges Buffalo’s top spot.
The show broadens its lens to Tennessee’s athlete agreement, the Jalen Brown–Jayson Tatum reunion, Pittsburgh’s overlooked strengths, and Chris Canty’s Giants trade wishes.
The episode’s central tension is whether deadline aggression can separate genuine contenders from teams merely reacting to recent performances and roster pressure.
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