Archives for November 4, 2018

‘The Bills twice passed up the chance to take him, despite drafting defensive linemen with their first two picks, neither of whom ever played for the team. (Both selections, Carl Eller and Dick Evey, opted to play in the NFL, which at the time was widely considered the superior league. Philbin also was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, but couldn’t resist the allure of New York City.)’

‘“We saw it last week in Tampa Bay with Jameis Winston against Cincinnati. We saw (Ryan) Fitzpatrick come off the bench and get them get them tied up in the fourth quarter (before the Buccaneers lost in overtime). You’ve got to have that guy, and right now Buffalo doesn’t have that backup quarterback.”’

‘Thus, it’s Peterman time. Watching him is compelling in the same way as a car crash. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly throw another interception, he does. Will that continue, or can Peterman show the Bills were right and the world was wrong by proving he’s a capable NFL quarterback? Either answer will be fascinating to watch.’

‘Bears 20, Bills 17.’

‘Here’s how I would say you can “trust the process,” though: We’ve seen the alternative, and we know that doesn’t work. The Bills have forever cycled through coaches and general managers. That has proved to be a recipe for failure. Since Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott took over, they’ve been consistent in expressing how this “build,” as they call it, will take some time. I understand the skepticism right now based on how the offense has looked, but it’s too early to pull the plug. I’m far from convinced that Josh Allen is the answer, but it’s not that uncommon for rookie quarterbacks to struggle, and there is no denying he needs a better supporting cast. The fact is, we simply don’t know right now if he’s the right man for the job.’

‘Trubisky beat a Miami blitz on this play in Week 6, hitting Cohen, a running back, for a 50-yard gain on a circle route out of the backfield. Miami blitzed, and rookie linebacker Jerome Baker was stuck chasing Cohen in one-on-one coverage.’

‘It’s been troubling to hear players talk about not being prepared for what the other team was going to do, particularly after the loss to the Colts. That’s on the coaching staff. McDermott is doing his best to focus on the positives, but that’s getting increasingly difficult to do. The results under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll have been disastrous, but it’s tough to truly judge him because of the woeful weapons he has to work with. The defense under Leslie Frazier has been very good three out of the last four weeks, save the Indianapolis meltdown.’

‘The progressive choice is to vote Beane out of office. In over his head from Day One, the team and roster have regressed. What we needed before, and now, is a football czar to take over all football operations, and then hire a steady, experienced cabinet to report directly to him.’