The most provocative moment in the season premiere of “Hard Knocks” came when Christian Benford, Tre’Davious White, and Maxwell Hairston were praying on camera following Hairston’s right LCL sprain. Mainstream media has been focused on the suppression of religious faith and Christianity in particular for so long now that it was refreshing to see such an authentic exchange occur within the framework of an episode that otherwise came off as pandering to an already devoted fanbase.
These Bills are so buttoned up and benign under Sean McDermott that it’s hard to believe that HBO chose to put them under the microscope, but that decision speaks to the power of Josh Allen. He’s the reigning MVP and already one of the greatest figures in Buffalo sports history, so watching him set the tone for the 2025 season still makes for compelling television even if there’s not a Richie Incognito-type personality around to spice things up.
I’m not saying that they need to be the 1986 Miami Hurricanes, but I am surprised that Casey Bloys thought that the casual viewer would be interested in K.J. Hamler extolling the virtues of his pregnancy pillow or Dawson Knox getting an assist from his wife when packing his suitcase. As fans, we already know and love most of these guys whether they win or lose and including the moment that Hall-of-Famer Thurman Thomas speaks to the team served as a way to whet our appetites for the season even more.
What stood out most to me as the credits rolled was the realization that the franchise remains in good hands despite the string of playoff debacles that continue to pile up. Perhaps I’ll feel differently once Week 8 rolls around, but, for now, I have no choice but to give in to whatever shred of optimism I have left.
Five Key Quotes –
“Josh Allen is so f—— good, man. Damn, man. I love it” – Joe Brady
“Man, I’m having the best fun of my life. Like, this is family, bruh. It makes me come with the most … I really love these dudes.” – Tre’Davious White
“The Bills do things their way.” – Liev Schreiber
“That’s it. That’s what we get paid to do. Keep the f*cking MVP clean.” – Dion Dawkins
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