Forward Progress

This summarizes exactly how I feel about reviews. It addresses the two biggest compaints: 1. Reviews take too long... Not an issue with this proposal, as each coach only has 2 or 3 challenges per game. 2. The NFL wants (insert big market team name here) to win.... Not an issue with this proposal. It is up to the coaching staffs to use their challenges judiciously. Coaches will be careful not to waste their challenges on calls that don't significantly impact the game. Instead of complaining about the referees affecting the game, the discussion will be on the coach who didn't challenge or who wasted challenges earlier in the game.

When the Jets traded up, I was concerned that it would make it more difficult to get our Franchise QB. It makes sense that Beane and company were concerned about how this affected the draft-day landscape. The price to trade up to 2 with the Giants would have been too much, leaving us to fight for the third or fourth QB off the board. In hindsight, it couldn't have worked out any better. We got our QB without giving up too much, such that we were still able to grab Edmunds in the same first round.

I agree with the OP that our WR’s are not elite, but at least we now have Brown and Beasley who would start on any NFL roster and Jones and Foster who are young and improving. The only way Beane could have made our WR core stronger would be to trade for AB or OBJ. Each of these risk damaging the team-first culture they worked so hard to build and would sacrifice draft equity that will improve the team further before week 1. I think we’ll be adding a stud D-lineman, but we will add at least one, maybe two week one starters in the draft. I think our WR core is much better than a year ago and I think our first round pick is better used to improve another position. FP

So wait... the Bills and Browns know what they're doing? You have now entered... the twilight zone.

He just secured two third round comp picks with the big-money signings of Trey Flowers and Trent Brown. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Sarnia is home for me. For the record (like most Bills fans from Ontario), I did not want the Bills to come to Toronto. The ticket prices would double and be harder to get and the tailgating would suck because of Ontario liquor laws.

This is exactly how I feel. I don't want to see Brady leave on top. I want to see him hang on too long, whining to the refs and blaming his supporting cast on the sideline.

This is how I feel. I don't want Brady to end his career with an injury. I want him to hang on too long as our up-and-coming Bills beat him again and again, while he whines to the refs and blames his supporting cast.

Wild Card - Beat the Titans with a touchdown as time expires. I have never recovered from the Music City Debacle and my therapist agrees that I need to get this out of my system. Divisional Round - Thump the Patriots. I want to see Brady whining to the refs and screaming at his teammates on the sideline as we pummel them. A few tears would be a nice touch. Conference Final - Epic matchup with the Browns with several lead changes, but the Bills pulling through in the final quarter. The Browns have the foundation for a great team if they can assemble an effective coaching staff. I would like a world where the Bills and Browns are the class of the AFC. Super Bowl - LA Rams. The Rams (in my opinion) are the most complete team on both sides of the ball and will be for the remainder of Goff's rookie contract. If you want to be the best, you need to beat the best.

I don't hate Gilmour because he's a former Bill. I hate Gilmour because he plays for the Patriots.

Are Brady/Belichick the most successful QB/coach tandem in NFL history? The wins and Superbowl titles say yes. They are both the best at their profession and that has earned them all of the recognition they have received. They have the persona of super villians, with little regard for rules and fair play. If you think the only rules that they have broken were when they got caught, you're kidding yourself. They've been obnoxious and arrogant with opponents, officials, reporters and fans. While I can respect what they have achieved as a football player and coach, I just don't respect them as people who believe in integrity and respect. Do I want to see them leave the game on top? Not a chance! On the contrary, I want the end of the Patriot dynasty to begin with them right where they are. I want them to lose their way out of the game. I want Brady to hang on too long and be ineffective as his body can't do what is needed from an NFL quarterback. I want them to usher in the next era of Patriot futility that prevails for the next two decades.

HE TRASH

With the money we will spend this offseason, there is zero chance that we are in contention for comp picks this year. There was no benefit in waiting until the end of the year for comp picks.

I like the addition of addition of speed WR's (McKenzie and Foster) to the lineup to stretch the field vertically. This is the perfect complement to Allen's arm strength, forcing the defenders to stay with the receivers, opening up the underneath routes and running room.

What I like most about Allen is that he plays to win the game. Every third down play he throws (or runs) with the goal of getting a new set of downs. It drove me nuts when Tyrod would hit the checkdown for a 4-yard gain on 3rd and 8. Tyrod gets a boost to his passer rating on the play, but the result isn't any better than an incomplete pass.

I agree. The best way to improve our defense is to have an offense that can sustain drives to keep our defense fresh.

Me too. We need more guys with the heart of Freddie. I think Kyle Williams has it... anyone else who brings a full competitive effort for every play? Tre White? Jerry Hughes?

I agree with the path chosen by McDermott and Beane to shed overpriced contracts, eat all of the dead cap in one year and grow from there. It's too early, even for me, to say they have done a great job. I am optimistic, but can't declare this process a success until a consistently winning team takes the field each week. That won't be this year, but should be to expectation of the 2020 Bills. In response to your successes... 1) McDermott did a great job last year and the team outperformed their talent level. In hindsite, this playoff birth probably hurt us as we needed multiple picks to draft Allen, instead of just one and applying the other picks to fill the other holes on the team. I still enjoyed ending the drought, so I'm not complaining. 2) I like Allen, but other than a couple of great throws in the preseason and some athletic drive sustaining runs in the regular season, he hasn't shown to be ready today. It is too soon to give him the Franchise QB designation. I do believe he has the intelligence, work ethic and determination to improve. I'm looking forward to next year's version of Josh Allen. 3) When the defense is good it is really good. When it is gassed from being on the field too much, it isn't good at all. If our offense can be average, our defense can be great. 4) I agree that the bad contracts are gone. It may take more than one off-season to allocate that cap space to talented players who make our team better.

The OP could be on to something. Our offensive linemen look like they’ve mastered the swinging gate manoeuvre to me.

I'd like Savior Peterman to weigh in on this...

So I agree that the dead cap of about $50M less to spend on talent relative to your opponents is a sizable disadvantage this year. Whether you like it or not, this is the rebuild plan - trade away big salaries for draft picks, find foundational players in the draft (Allen, Edmunds, White) to build your team and absorb the dead cap this year. McBeane even admitted to a reporter that he proposed this plan during the interview process. We are not a contender this year, but will will have better talent next year and should be better again in 2020. I don't enjoy watching our team handcuffed by a lack of talent, but I accept that this is the right process.

This is the point I was about to make. If the offense could sustain drives some drives, our defensive stats would be even better.

If Shady will be traded, I think the deal is already done and expect an announcement on Monday. There wasn't time this week for Shady to be ready to play for the Eagles on Thursday night, so it made sense for the Bills to benefit from one more week where he can help us win an important game before he goes. Pure speculation on my part, but I think this is Shady's last game as a Bill.

I will meet you half way. I promise not get too low when our rookie QB makes rookie mistakes, even when they cost us wins. However... When Josh Allen lights it up and carries our team on his back to victory, I am going to lose my s#!+ with joy and declare Josh the saviour that the prophets have talked about.

The Eagles have two second round picks. The other is from the Ravens - also looking like a pick late in the round.