Happy

Star and Harrison Phillips are too small for the 1-tech position, especially if Tremaine Edmunds is going to stay at MLB. The 1-tech DT rotation needs to be upgraded.

I don't expect an implosion, I agree with you that McD and Beane will most likely be here in 2021. What I do worry about is 9-7 or 10-6, leading to one and done year after year as being acceptable. I don't blame the Pegula's for not liking the press storing their doors, but repeatedly losing the Wildcard round and being swept by the Patriots year after year will lead to a lot of questions and them having to defend McD and Beane. I just don't want to see an extension before sometime in 2021; they still have too much to prove. Marrone was inherited, then quit. Can't associate the Pegulas with him. Rex was 100% their fault and seemed like a knee-jerk hire - live and learn. Neither means that mediocrity should be acceptable from current coaching staffs.

I'm fine with that; not looking for big names, just good players. What I am hoping to see is guys like Star and Ford compete for their jobs and playing time, not just given a spot because McD "believes in them" or that he "is their biggest defender." Guys like Murphy should get cut because they're just not good enough, rather than being kept around because they "have that DNA."

I think we're going to find out quite a bit during FA and the draft. What positions are they looking to upgrade and holes are they looking to fill? What are they willing to roll with, as is? SF turning over most of the 2016 roster in 2017, so Beane and McD can certainly upgrade multiple positions on both sides of the ball in the next several months. I'd like to see them as outliers, but time will tell on that one.

Not surprised. AJ Green is a good security blanket for a rookie QB. They'll keep AJ for a year then get rid of him.

If drafting smart and making good FA acquisitions is an outlier, then I guess they are an outlier. All you are doing is lowering the bar for all other teams, including the Bills. You could be right regarding Bosa and Samuel. But why stop there; how about Kittle, Mostert, and Juszczyk? All big contributors on offense. How about a strong offensive line? Without that, no way Garappolo does anything. The point is they made a complete overhaul of Chip Kelly's disaster in a two year timeframe. It is possible to get to the SB within three years...outlier or not.

I think you miss the point on SF. They built from the lines out; i.e. the o-line and d-line are where their resources went first, and that goes a long way toward helping your QB. Jimmy G is not a superstar, he's ok. If SF didn't have a very good o-line, no way they come close to the SB. I don't think the key for the Bills is another QB. They need to address the right side of the line and get a WR1 and RB, offensively. They need to get an OLB, and DE this year on defense.

I feel the same way, especially about the "good enough" part. Too many people are so giddy that we went 10-6 and made the playoffs, and that is good enough going forward. Well, if they look underneath the hood, there are some glaring weaknesses...both coaching and player personnel wise. The players can be upgraded, but the coaching staff I'm concerned about, especially philosophy as seen during the playoff loss.

SF may be considered an outlier by some only because few teams have a GM as good as John Lynch, or an offensive mind as good as Kyle Shanahan. Game management-wise, Kyle is still learning, but that is beside the point. McD and Beane need to step it up this year - beat NE, win the division, and be a legitimate SB contender. I don't think they necessarily need to go to the SB, but they need to take a step forward. Anything less is either status quo or a step back; either one and changes need to be made. Can't accept platitudes in lieu of progress.

So making good personnel decisions and building key areas (i.e. offensive and defensive lines) is an outlier? I beg to differ; what SF did is repeatable. Getting Garappolo was one piece of the puzzle, as is getting Josh Allen. The most important piece, IMO, is philosophy. They built the trenches by focusing a lot of resources on them, then filled out from there. McD and Beane seem to be DB focused, which I personally feel is the wrong approach. It leaves you vulnerable to being run on and not getting pressure on the QB (defensively), and not having consistent run lanes open as well as constant pressure on your QB (offensively.) Again, how long do you want to go 10-6 or 9-7 and be one and done in the playoffs? The Pegulas have to ask themselves how long should being a legitimate SB contender take.

How long do you want to go 9-7 to 10-6 and losing in the Wildcard round? I get that McD and Beane intentionally rebuilt the team to the way they wanted and acquired the players they wanted. In today's NFL, a 5 year rebuild is dragging things out. This is year 4 coming up and expectations should be high. Look at SF, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan took the helm in 2017 and changed the entire roster, in 2019 they went to the SB. What is the excuse for failing to at least get to the AFCC this year?

Some of the players didn't play the entire game. Edit: Looking at that again, good question. I think I'm wrong about that.

McDermott treated that game like a preseason game; rested a number of starters and played a vanilla scheme. The very next week, a depleted Dolphin team beat the Pats in a game NE had to win to secure a first round bye. I don't understand the rationale used by this regime sometimes.

If he was with Miami at the time, yeah, I think so. Pretty funny.

Well, are they interviewing another Dez Bryant-like candidate?

I want to see the Bills in the AFCC next year, anything less is a failure. They obviously don't need to win the division to get there, but it helps. Brady or no Brady, McD should be able to beat NE; none of this "if Brady is gone" nonsense. He has started sliding off the cliff, performance-wise. New England can be beat.

If I was Derek Carr, I wouldn't be fine with Brady coming in. Carr would probably end up leaving and going to another team. The Raiders would have Brady for a year or two, then need another QB; they're setting themselves up to be high and dry in the QB position. I would hope Gruden is smart enough to see this; at the least Mike Mayock should be...unless the plan is to develop Peterman over the next year or two. ?

This is interesting. Most people ran away from the Bills when the team collapsed and started wandering through the desert in the 2000's. In fact, the younger to mid aged people I have met over the past several years, who have hailed from upstate NY, are typically Patriot fans.

The Bills are still looking for who they thought Sammy Watkins would be in Buffalo. Last I heard, they are still looking.

Still haven't got past the Wildcard game and how it was coached, especially the 3rd and 18 play. Completely dumb and cause for some concern. Too many complain about bad calls (there were a few, and there always is), but this defensive bungle did us in. I do think they're bringing in some good talent and I like Beane. Hope they continue to address the offense (WR, RB) as well as both lines some more. McD will have to beat everyone in the AFCE twice this year if he wants to win the division; I see us dropping a couple of games to the NFCW opponents, though can't drop all four.

Look at his games started from 2016 on, when he signed a 5yr, $60M contract: 2016 11 2017 5 2018 13 2019 1 As pointed out earlier in the thread, that is 30 games in four years and out of 64 scheduled games; less than half. He had multiple injuries that were drawn out both in Buffalo and Cincy, where both teams were trying to get him back on the field. Coincidence? Funny how that happened once he signed his big contract in 2016. Prior to that, here is his games started: 2015 16 2014 16 2013 16 2012 13 Night and day difference. Signals career preservation mode.

A TE at 37 years old? Nah, time to retire, Jason. Good career, now go to the booth.

When he got paid here and then in Cincy.

Until he gets paid, then mails it in. Pass on Glenn.

2017 was pure luck. 2019 they got in on their own merit, but were also benefited off an easy schedule.