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We shouldn’t overreact to this because there are a lot of good players all over the map. At the same time, there are some extremes in here:

Some really good and fair points by @GunnerBill and @folz - i do love an impassioned defence! But its going to be tough for people to swallow that there arent issues with the fundamentals of the scheme when year after year we watch dbs standing 10 yards off and being picked apart in the games that matter. I totally get that we are (used to be?) elite against Mac Jones and Bo Nix and whichever other rookie or JAG we play in the wildcard round. But the standard now is SB - fair nor not - and to do that you need to beat the big boys - Mahomes, Burrow, Lamar We have beaten the Ravens twice, absolutely true - and first half last year the D really does deserve credit for bringing out play off Lamar, fair! But almost every single other one of those games, including the second half of that Ravens game we just sit off, allowing ourselves to be picked off by guys we know are good enough to pick us off - and quite famously, managed to make the Chiefs look like a 30 point offence for the first time in about 2 years! This is the very definition of a fundamental issue - because its the same damn issue every single year. As an added bonus, it takes wild amounts of time off the clock at key parts of the game - when 17's greatest value is when he gets in a groove and just goes to work with run and pass. To put it another way - what do you rate the odds of the following scenario? The sky is in fact not falling, Bills get back on track and finish something like 12-5, steamroller some punk 7th seed on wildcard weekend - and then lose to Mahomes or Rogers in a divisional or AFCC game where they complete 30+ passes without taking much risk at all, Josh gets us to within 3 points, but we lose because a third rate wide receiver cant make a catch whilst James Cook watches on forlornly from the sideline, and we all complain that it would have been so different if Benford and Milano had just managed to stay out there? We were unlucky because Josh only got 7 possessions? Because i rate the chances somewhere around 90% 😂😂 We just want to see something different - play man, go no huddle, hurry them up, blitz - whatever - just something different than going there with the exact same !@#$ing plan hoping to win by 3 and ending up just short. Because these guys have a long proven track record in the biggest games of all of doing exactly that! The most fair bit of it is lack of talent - Beane has ultimately failed to find elite talent for the most part. Its shocking overall the last few years. That missing talent on both sides of the ball has really handicapped the ceiling available to the coaching staff - that is absolutely fair. And at this point it is clear Sean cant make lemonade. So go get someone who might know the recipe.

This is also my view with one caveat: we have downgraded at defensive coordinator too. I think Leslie Frazier was horribly underrated by most Bills fans. Blamed for things that were not his fault and given no credit because everyone just said "oh it is McDermott's defense." But neither Sean in his one year wearing two hats or Babich since then have called the defense anywhere near as well as Leslie and the changes they have tried to introduce, the schematic twists on the original recipe have by and large made it worse. So we have less talent and worse playcalling. Those two elements are much more to blame than the fundamentals of the scheme IMO.

I had Logan Wilson for two years in my keeper fantasy league as one of my top 3 LBs (we played with individual defensive players). I was always very happy with his tackle production. But that was fantasy, a couple of years ago, and I have no idea how he would fit in McD's system. He's 29 years old, 6th year in the league (4-1/2 years as a starter). Third round pick in 2020 draft. Bengals fans seem mixed about him. Some still think he is their best LB on a bad squad. Some think he hasn't been quite the same (lost a step) since returning from season-ending knee surgery in week 12 last year (maybe he didn't come back the same, maybe he's still working himself back---he's not quite a year out from the surgery still). Some think he was benched because of performance, some think he was benched because they just want to see what their rookie 2nd rounder can do. Either way, bad look for Cincy to bench a team captain and have him request a trade. Up thread someone said he was a two-down run thumper. But I saw a number of places saying that he was good in coverage (at least before the injury). Yahoo sports said this, "Wilson is a three-down defender with the coverage instincts and range to impact the pass defense. He has 11 interceptions and 11 pass breakups over his career, plus he has averaged seven tackles per game during his five-plus seasons. Wilson would be an upgrade for multiple teams in the middle of the defense.” He is still owed $3 million for this season and has two years remaining on a 4-year $36 million dollar contract.

I agree with your first statement. I do not think that our defense has played well vs. the Chiefs in the playoffs and obviously, Josh and the offense carried us in those games. I was just noting that most defenses appear to get "smoked" by elite offenses. As I noted, the Chiefs offense was basically only stopped 3 times in 21 playoff games (since Mahomes has been starting). Most defenses do poorly against them and we have had to play them 4 times in the post-season (which leads to playoff stats being skewed in comparison to other teams or in comparison to the regular season stats, etc.). Yes, to be the best, you have to beat the best. And if you measure McD's success vs. Andy Reid, sure he does not measure up because he hasn't beaten him when it counted yet (and doesn't have the hardware). But if you are using ONLY the Chiefs games and maybe the Bengals game to measure McD vs. say other coaches or whatever---then you have to look at those coaches only against elite QBs/offenses also. I understand that we have had some very good statistical defenses that have not been able to be dominant or impose their will in the playoffs. Believe me, I would love to see that too. And the defense has fallen off a bit the last couple of years, but I think that is more personnel than scheme or coaching. I guess I just give McD some grace because it is the Chiefs (elite coach, elite QB, elite offense, formerly elite TE and WR, elite DC, darlings of the NFL and referees, the whole Taylor Swift bs, etc.) and because of how close to beating them we have been (and that we have beaten them in the regular season---Sean is 5-5 vs. Reid overall; Interesting note: Reid is 20-5 vs. all of his other former assistants, not named McDermott---yes, I know, McD has Josh---but why do we never say, yeah, Reid has Mahomes?). Anyhow, the average points by a playoff team in a playoff game (over the last 5 years) is 22 points/game. If you take away the Chiefs' games, the Bills defense has held six clubs to at or below league average (3, 7, 10, 17, 17, 22, and 22 points). They have allowed 4 teams to score more than league average (24, 25, 27, and 31). And 2 of those teams had elite (not just legit) QB play and offenses (Baltimore and Cincinnati). Just pushing back against some posters who seem to think that playing the Chiefs 4 times in 7 years doesn't skew our defensive playoff stats, or our previous chances to reach a Super Bowl. Obviously, we still need to be able to beat them (or the like) to get to the promised land...I guess I just still think that McD can do it (with the right pieces)---but I understand that others don't agree with that. The whole idea of offensive and defensive schemes being figured out is overblown imo. All teams run variations on probably less than a handful of schemes. You can outsmart a team in a game or on a play, but the idea that you could come up with a scheme that no one can figure out doesn't seem to make sense to me. So, coaches would need to change schemes every 1-3 seasons (as their schemes get figured out), if that was really a thing. I think it is much more about personnel, player development, team culture, and execution. Do you not think that the defensive rankings going down could have something to do with Tre, Poyer, Hyde, Milano, and even Johnson aging out over that time? Our secondary (and back seven) was a major strength and a key part to our defense from 2018-2023. We have not been able to match that talent level and experience overall the last couple of years. I think that has a lot more to do with it than our scheme being figured out (is McD so smart that it took the NFL 8 years to figure out his scheme, that is probably just a variation of Jim Johnson's old scheme?). The transition in personnel may be taking a bit too long, but hopefully we will start seeing improvements as the year goes on.

I think Terry would do nothing at all even if the wheels fell off. The team could go 8-9 and Allen demand a trade, and he still wouldn't do a thing. No, we need to look elsewhere for salvation. Me, I look at blind luck. If Beane keeps throwing darts at the dartboard, he's bound to hit somewhere, right? He hit on Walker and... Did I mention Walker? He definitely hit on Walker, and..... Just give me a second. I'll get back to you.

I stand corrected....you're right, most pundits think he could be had for a 2nd or even less due to the 4 concussions. Maybe Shaheed is the better value?

When you pay huge contracts to average players, you cannot sign superstars to play opposite to them. You either get washed up players or players that are injured.

Agree..the only time he is good on the boundary will be in the end zone where he can fight off the defender.

Watson was the QB of the Texans when we played in the WC game. We were leading 17-0 before losing that game...This is the game where Allen caught a TD pass from Brown on a flea flicker.

Fair point; though we know what we have in those two and that may not be good enough

To be fair to Beane, those speedy receivers are gone in the top half of the draft and that is not where we were pickig the past five years. The other speedy receivers that go in the 4th and 5th rounds are 'flyers' taken on one-trick ponies. There is a rare chance that they become superstars like a Tyreek Hill; but the odds are against it. The only mistake Beane may have made is swapping picking McConkey vs Coleman. It is somewhat a wash as both are inconsistent at best with McConkey being slightly better than Coleman (For every McConkey highlight reel, one can find a similar Coleman highlight reel).

lol, yeah, it's not like there have been any drafts with great wide receivers all these years since Beane has been here and us having tons of pics to use them on a plethora of talent that's been widely available on cost-controlled contracts that can actually separate with speed. No, we need more defensive lineman cuz eventually McDermott will need them to eventually have a good defense. He is a defensive guru after all! It's comical.

Anyone they got off another team's Practice Squad wouldn't be trusted to come in and immediately start either. They'd need time getting up to speed with the Defense, just as Hairston will. If someone were to step in between now and then for White until Hairston were ready, it would be Ja'Marcus Ingram or Dane Jackson off our own Practice Squad before someone from another team's Squad.

Randy Moss went for like a fourth round pick If you don't think players at certain times can go for not 1st rd pick I don't know what to tell you Marcel Darius was a recent all pro that we traded for like six or seventh rounder where you are drafted means jack once you're in the league... You say Josh's had four concussions but he's the NFL iron Man right now for quarterbacks He doesn't miss games.. your best ability is availability.. olave is good but I would offer a second round pick for the highest pic

Correct, this is a culmination of so many bad draft picks, so many bad contracts and so much misuse of draft capital year after year! It's infuriating and Beane's big ego, clueless talent evaluators on his staff along with him and McDermott's stubbornness to ever change or adapt, is par for the course at this point sadly.

Everyone in the NFL has had concussions. Hell Josh has probably had 3 or 4. Olave is a 1st round wr who can stretch the field. You're not getting him for a ridiculous 3rd & 5th. They'll just laugh at you. Now if you want a WR with a far more extensive injury history, go get Watson....knock yourself out. Or even better we can sit on our hands, do nothing and save those picks for future failed defensive players. It's not like we've ever done that?

Lotta focus on the defense, which is fine. But without being MORE focused on the offense? The defense is what it is: mediocre. There will be bad games, we know, and there will be really bad games. And a few okay games. The D isn't the most critical branch of the Bills. The offense is. As they go, we go. -Would be nice if the defense could pick up the offense now and again, but didn't they do that in the 1st half against New England? And didn't they kind of do that in the 2nd half against Atlanta? Neither offense ran away with it, despite some chunky gains and clustered scores. It was the Bills offense that failed more impactfully. In my opinion.

They are PERFECT for what Reid and Mahomes want to do. Different kinds of speed and quickness and RAC and possession guys who can attack every part of the field. RB is that offense's only average-to-meh group, imho. Could see KC drafting a TE and/or RB on Day One or Day Two. Or of course a CB or S or DT. So...really narrowing it down here. But enough about Hoecht and Ogunjobi...

🤔… it’s all so clear now. Only a well rested team could make the Bills continually shoot themselves in the foot like that. What an amazing gameplan to take away Cook by having Brady inexplicably limit him to 17 carries despite the fact he was averaging 5+ yds per carry and had 37 yds on 5 rushes the first drive of the second half to propel the Bills to their only points of the half. Getting the Bills to only give him 4 more touches the rest of the game in what was mostly a 1 score game was masterful by the Falcons. And on offense, convincing the Bills that tackling Robinson and covering receivers on 3rd down were against the rules… ~~chef’s kiss~~ offensive strategy masterpiece.

He was a good player in Anarumo’s system. We used to complain about how Mahomes toyed with Edmunds but when Pattie went against the Bengals, Wilson wasn’t as easily fooled. His steps and awareness in coverage were mostly correct. I have no idea who he is now as a player, only what he was then.

That's wonderful! So certainly since 2024, we have to still be #1, right? Or at least still in the Top 5? Because that would be some really concerning metrics that would lend credence to OP's point that the scheme has been figured out if we were #1 since 2018, but since 2024 weren't even in the Top 10...