[The last 5 years of Bills football]

9 minutes ago, Success said:

 

I've been vocal that we should hire someone else this offseason - but only because of the coaches who are available.  It's rare to have this many proven coaches out there.

 

But, I disagree that he is not top 15, and would even argue that he is top 10.  Coaching in the league is simply not very good.  Reid, Harbaugh & Demeco Ryans are excellent, imo.  After that, it drops off.  Sirianni was hot last year, but his team totally fizzled this year.  McDaniel was hyped, but I wouldn't want him.  I like Dan Campbell, but he still has to prove he can get to a SB also.  Pederson won a SB, but really squandered a talented Jags team this season.  

 

Like, who is that much better than McDermott out of maybe a top 5-7 guys?  He's a solid coach. And he would for sure be a hot candidate if he were available.

 

I’d certainly add McVay to that list.  Peyton?  Tomlin is a McDermott clone with a SB ring.

[The last 5 years of Bills football]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

Yards per play given up in each of our last 5 playoff losses (kneeldowns excluded):

 

Chiefs 2024 - 8.5

Bengals 2023 - 6.0

Chiefs 2022 - 7.6

Chiefs 2021 - 7.4

Texans 2020 - 5.6

 

As a point of reference, the worst defense in the league this gave up 6.0 yards per play. Our best effort on here, 5.6 yards per play, would have ranked 27th.

 

So there are two possibilities to finally break through in the playoffs. Either our defense stops giving up historically bad yards per play, or we build up our offensive supporting cast so that it can consistently produce historically great yards per play. It's very hard to win games when your yards per play differential is negative.

Correcto Mundo!  Staggeringly bad numbers.

[The last 5 years of Bills football]

20 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Peyton Manning considered a top 3 QB of all time only won 2 himself, the last one being carried by an insanely good Bronco’s defense. Not to mention Elway, Favre, Brees are top 10 QBs and only have one a piece as well. People don’t understand how hard it is to win it all even with an elite QB. 

Elway won two.

[The last 5 years of Bills football]

More fun facts: 24 regular season losses over the last five years.  Of those losses, only six have been by more than one score.  Five post-season losses.  Two by more than one score.  Zero and four OT record in regular season; 0 - 2 OT record in the playoffs.  
 

Only one regular season loss in the last three years by more than one score.  That’s a really remarkable stat.

[Mix and match Allen/Mahomes and Reid/McDermott]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

They would have in the playoffs.

You could have had a genetic hybrid of Montana and Brady QB’ing the Bills in the Cowboy Super Bowls and you ain’t beating the Cowboys. Kelly was actually pretty good in the last SB. The loss certainly wasn’t on him.

[Mix and match Allen/Mahomes and Reid/McDermott]

14 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Manning would probably have more rings but not as many as Brady.

 

Aikman for sure would have won us a Super Bowl, Jim was a choker.

This is sarcasm, right?  Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

[Mix and match Allen/Mahomes and Reid/McDermott]

The quarterback debate is, well, stupid.  It’s not Conners v. McEnroe.  The question I always ask is if the QB’s changed teams would the outcome be different.  If Manning and Brady changed teams would Brady still have six rings with the Colts?  Of course not.  How many would Manning have if he played for the Pats?  A hell of a lot closer to six than the one he won for the Colts.  Would the Bills have beaten the Cowboys if Aikman played for the Bills and Kelly played for the Cowboys?  Of course not.  Same with Allen and Mahones. Do you really believe the Bills win a Super Bowl if Mahones had been our QB the last five years?  Do you really believe Allen doesn’t win a Super Bowl being coached by Reid and throwing to Hill and Kelce?  The ongoing arguments are pretty damn stupid. 

[Bills Last Great Defensive Lineman]

1 hour ago, Captain Hindsight said:

I know you are jQuoteoking, but his tipped pass INT of Romo on MNF is still one of the most athletic plays I've ever seen a DL make 

Name Impact Play #2 from Kelsey.

[Interesting stat I saw in regards to regular season losses]

What if this is the deal - Terry Pegula is an awful owner and manager of a sports franchise (see Rex Ryan hire; 2012 - 2024 Buffalo Sabres). He did get very lucky once hiring McDermott, who is a good coach, and Beane, who is a very good GM.  Do you really want him to be making any more decisions with the Bills?

 

What if there is a team with a better coach and staff, make better personnel decisions and have a QB as good or better than ours?  What if there is another team with an elite QB who presents a nightmare matchup for the Bills?  It’s horrible.  It isn’t fair but, personally, I keep McBeane in place and upgrade at OC and DC.  Maybe that will be enough to get us over the hump.

[Sunday’s Loss Was Just a Replay of the Win in KC]

I guess my point is that we shouldn’t be that quick to retain Brady as OC.  The second half of both games was a failure of halftime adjustments and play calling.  Let’s at least see if we can do better.

[Sunday’s Loss Was Just a Replay of the Win in KC]

The win in KC.  14 - 7 at the half. Yards in favor of Bills 226 - 176.  Bills dominate first half and could have come close to closing it out if not for a careless INT by Josh near the end of the half.  
 

Second half.  Chiefs D completely throttles Bills’ O and Chiefs outscore Bills 10 - 6, win yardage by 170 - 101.  Of course, Toney penalty wiped out additional Chiefs’ TD.  Not saying Bills were fortunate to win.  It was a tough, close game but Bills clearly outplayed in the second half.

 

Sunday.  Bills lead at half 17 - 13.  Lead in yards 234 - 164.  Second half, outscored 14 - 7, outgained 197 - 134.  Again, tough, close game that could have gone either way.  I firmly believe Bills win but for the injuries on D.  Nevertheless, the drastic drop off on the offensive side of the ball in the second half of both games is stunning.  
 

Chiefs made adjustments, Bills didn’t.  If they played five more times, I see it happening over and over.  Yeah, it’s the coaching.

[Josh made the right call to go for the TD]

You know what would have been a great call on 2nd and 9?  A screen pass to Cook.  Safe play, would have killed clock even if it didn’t go anywhere, potential to break big. 
 

Plus, it would have caught the Chiefs totally by surprise because we haven’t run a GD RB screen all GD season.

[Sorry to say... But Diggs is done.]

You’re right that it wasn’t a significant game but if Clay makes the catch, that play would have been a candidate for play of the year.

[Predict Next Year’s Starting Defensive Lineup]

Just now, Clyde Smith said:

Von

Greg

Ed

Da'quan

Terrel 

Matt

Rasul 

Christian 

Taron 

Jordan 

Calen  2nd rounder

I think this is pretty spot on. There isn’t going to be mass turnover as some are predicting. 

[Was the old playoff format better?]

Seven is awkward.  Go back to six with two byes or eight with no byes.  Seven gives too much of an advantage to one team.

[Hey, Talking Heads, Please Look at the Stats Before You Speak]

2 minutes ago, ngbills said:

It goes both ways. If the D played lights out in the long run its Allen won x number of playoff games. 

 

I think many of the talking heads look at individual plays. The Allen miss to Shakir will stand out as a "he has to make that play". Never mind that the Chiefs likely march down and win the game anyway. 

Mercifully, no pundits stated what was obvious to all Bills’ fans.  If Bass hits the FG, Chiefs march down for winning FG (99%). If Allen hits Shakir for TD, Chiefs march down for winning TD (90%).  See above re 8.5 yards per play.

[Hey, Talking Heads, Please Look at the Stats Before You Speak]

I know, I know. They’re Talking Heads. They need to talk about Josh Allen (is he  really great or not, can he get over the hump, yada yada).  I haven’t heard a single pundit talk about the Bills D in reference to the last four playoff losses (Orlovsky was the only one I heard mention the injuries on D in Sunday’s game).  
 

The stats are sickening. In the four playoff losses, Bills have surrendered an average of 33.5 points, 398 yards, have four sacks for 10 yards and forced two turnovers (one on special teams, zero interceptions).  On Sunday, Bills gave up 7.7 yards per play. Excluding kneel downs, an astounding 8.5 yards per play.  That’s a full three yards per play better than KC’s season average and a full yard better than their best game of the season against the Chargers.  
 

If Lamar Jackson and the Ravens win on Sunday, I guarantee that it will be because a great Ravens D shuts down Mahones and the Chiefs.

[Gabe plans to test free agency]

Is there an under the radar FA WR who wants a big pay day but needs to pump up his stats to get it, that is one year of Josh Allen throwing him the ball on a cheap one year deal?  It’s nuts if Buffalo can’t attract quality FA WR’s.  Of course, that would apply to KC and Mahomes.  Crazy that their WR’s we’re as bad as they were this year.

[Roster 2024]

Ironically enough, I look at this off-season as similar to the Sabres’ 22 - 23 offseason.  Sabres were an up and coming team (of course that differs from the Bills who are an established playoff team) with well defined needs (veteran goalie, vet D man to partner with Power, add some grit up front).  Kevin Adams failed miserably in the off-season and the Sabres have paid the price.

 

Bills, like the Sabres, have well defined needs going into the offseason - WR, S, depth on the DL.  I have no doubt that Beane, unlike Adams, will adress these needs in free agency and the draft.
 

 

[[per Simon] Should we sign Winfield, jr to make our team better.]

Did you see list of Bills’ FA’s?  There isn’t going to be any big splashy FA signings.  I’m not a doom and gloom we’re in cap hell guy.  The recent drafts have turned out to be pretty damn good and that’s going to help.  Just have to have another strong draft and sign a couple of our own guys, especially Jones.

[So we're firing McD, right?]

7 minutes ago, Gunsgoodtime said:

Honest question.  Would you prefer to bring back Mcd with his solid win record in the regular season and complete failure against the Chiefs every year or to bring in an offensive minded coach to help the offensive?  It's a very real question right now with so much failure with Josh Allen as your qb.   Let's get real here

I hear you.  If we had a strong owner, I might agree that a change is imperative.  I do not trust Pegula to make a good decision.  Again, look at the Sabres for proof.

[So we're firing McD, right?]

Be careful what you wish for.  It wouldn’t be Beane’s decision. It would be Pegula’s.  Look at the Sabres.  Three assclown GM’s and four assclown coaches.  Oh yeah, first Bills’ hire was assclown Rex Ryan.  
 

Our best hope is that McDermott brings in a DC that will bring some wrinkles to the D but still mesh with McDermott’s philosophy.

[Game Thread: Green Bay at San Francisco - 8:15 PM FOX]

Is Darnold really worse than Purdy?

[The New Tuck Rule]

Many good points brought up.  Maybe the rule is like democracy.  It’s imperfect but better than any other system.

[The New Tuck Rule]

Pretty sure everyone on earth  (except if you lived in New England) thought the tuck rule was stupid beyond human comprehension.  Never heard a reason why it was in the rule book to begin with.  
 

I think the new tuck rule is the football is out of bounds when someone in play touches it even though the ball is inbounds.  Why is this a rule?  What purpose does it serve?  The stupidity of the rule was really driven home in the regular season when a kickoff was close to the sideline (but still inbounds by a foot or two) and the Steeler jumped out of bounds, touched the ball (still inbounds) and drew a flag.  Everyone said it was a smart play. It was but it still seemed idiotic.  
 

Honestly, does anyone have a rationale why this is the rule?