mjt328

The main criticism for Sean McDermott (especially over the last two seasons) is that he was good enough to turn the Bills into a contender... but not good enough to get this team across the finish line. But over the first 4 games of the season, we may be seeing that Leslie Frazier was actually the primary reason for this. And honestly it shouldn't be that surprising when you stop and think about it. Frazier's strength has always been fundamentals. Knowing your job. Being in position. Disguising coverages, but rarely blitzing. Keeping plays underneath and then buckling down in the Red Zone. And every season we saw the exact same results. Totally shutting down the low-level QBs on our schedule and achieving a Top 5 defensive ranking in most categories, but then totally collapsing in the playoffs against elite passers. McDermott seems to be living in both worlds. He's got the veterans (Poyer, Hyde, Milano, White, etc.) who have been playing together for years. They know the fundamentals. They know where to be and what position to be in, especially on the back-end. But the aggression has also been dialed up to a 10 with the pass rush. And by stressing opposing blockers with blitzing, it's allowing us to finally maximize the deeply talented D-Line we've been building for years.

Maybe I'm wrong. But I just feel like way too much hype is being generated, based on the results of one game. Two weeks ago, the Dolphins were considered among the Top 5 most explosive offenses in the NFL. But after the Broncos game, they are suddenly unstoppable. They are suddenly able to score at will on absolutely everyone. Suddenly even the best defenses in the league will be lucky to hold them under 45-50. Would everyone be saying the same thing if the Dolphins scored in the 50s last week? It was an amazing performance, no doubt. But they did have two touchdowns handed to them (turnovers within the 10 yard line). They were still bombing the ball in the mid-4th quarter, when most teams would be running clock. And the Broncos were clearly gassed and simply gave up on the last touchdown run (at the very least). I guess we will find out on Sunday. Are the Dolphins a great offense, who had an exceptional record-breaking day? Or have they found a revolutionary scheme/talent combo that will destroy every remaining opponent on their schedule?

Last year, the McDaniels offense scored 21, 29 and 31 points against us. No, they didn't have Tua in the playoff game. But we also gifted them 3 turnovers, and a touchdown off a fumble return. We were also missing Micah Hyde for all three games, Tre White and Jordan Poyer for one, Von Miller for two, amongst others. The Sean McDermott defense has always been about confusing the QB and preventing the big play. And with the Dolphins posting 70 last week, I'm sure that will be an even bigger focus than usual. Speed becomes less of a factor in the Red Zone. They will be OK allowing some yards, as long as we keep them out of the endzone. Honestly, I would be shocked if the Bills defense gets totally destroyed this week. I'm very confident we can hold them under 35, pretty confident we can hold them under 30, and wouldn't be totally surprised if it's under 25. McDaniel will have the same idea against us, so it will be crucial that we score in the Red Zone. And of course, don't turn the ball over.

Totally agree. All the pressure is on the Dolphins to replicate last week's performance, against a far superior defense. Bills fans have been witness to many fantastic offensive performances over the years. There is no guarantee that success will continue the remainder of the season, or even another week. For example: After absolutely destroying the Raiders 51-3 in the 1990 AFC Championship, the Bills went on to score only 19 against the Giants in Super Bowl XXV. Of course they also lost that game. In 1992, the Bills started the season with ridiculous offensive numbers, scoring 40, 34, 38 and 41. This included the NFL's first no-punt game against the 49ers. Then in Week 5 they hit a wall, scoring 10 and 3 points, losing both games. Listening to the media, they are already trying to crown the Dolphins as the greatest offense ever. Not so sure about that. Not to take anything away from scoring 70 points. But a lot of things went right for them in order to hit that total. For instance: In the Bills perfect playoff game against the Patriots, we got 7 possessions (not counting two kneel-down situations at the end of both halves) and scored 47 points. The Dolphins got a whopping 13 possessions (not counting a kneel down before halftime). Almost twice as many. Two touchdown drives also came after Bronco turnovers that put them inside the 10 yard line. Miami was still throwing deep while up 56-13, with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. I don't really care if they decide to run up the score. But most teams in this situation would be trying to burn clock.

The oddsmakers are considering a lot more than a single game's results. And they have a pretty good track-record. Yes, the Dolphins scored a whopping 70 and nearly broke the NFL record for points in a game. And they deserve all the credit in the world... But the Broncos defense they assaulted also let up 35 points just a week earlier to the to the Commanders. And those same Commanders barely managed a field goal going against the Bills defense. Not to mention, Sean McDermott's scheme is built to stop the big-play and force opponents to work underneath. Looking at recent history, the Bills offense and Josh Allen have also done VERY well against the Dolphins defense. This is a trend going back 3-4 seasons now (playing at least twice per season). In the few exceptions where they didn't put up 30+ points, the Bills still moved the ball easily and just struggled to put the ball in the endzone. The key to this game is going to be Red Zone efficiency. Both teams are going to allow yards and give up some drives, but then try to clamp down in the Red Zone.

Week 1, our quarterback refused to take what the defense gave him. He forced throws into coverage, and ended up turning the ball over 4 times. It's hard to judge how anything else is working when your QB is playing like this. Week 2, the offense played fantastic. Week 3, we moved the ball pretty well all game, but struggled putting it into the endzone. There were a couple drives killed due to penalties. My opinion is that our short-yardage play calling was iffy too. From my seat, it seemed that Ken Dorsey went away from the short/quick pass game again this week. The quarterback was back in shotgun (instead of under center), and the goal was attacking mostly downfield. The tight ends were almost invisible in the passing game. This kind of offense is fun to watch, but it's much more inconsistent. Not sure if Dorsey has a reason for continually going back to this strategy. Maybe it was how Washington was playing us. But it seems the offense clicks WAY better when we attack with check-downs and underneath throws.

My guess is that he saw a quick path to the starting MLB job in Buffalo (just like the rest of us). But after two weeks, it suddenly seems that Terrel Bernard has a pretty good chance of holding onto the job. Doubt he wants to spend the whole season inactive and on the practice squad.

Year 3 is the big one for quarterbacks. You can usually make a pretty strong assessment by that point. Justin Fields showed some promise last year, but almost entirely on the ground. This is the time he needs to show his development as a passer. It's not been a good start.

It's really hard to say. We have only seen the first two weeks of the season, and the only team who can really be knocked down a peg is the Jets (because of the loss of Aaron Rodgers). Yet they already gave us a loss, and their D has given us fits almost every time we've played. All those top teams are still there... Kansas City, Philadelphia, Dallas... And I do expect the Bengals to figure things out before we play them in November. They started really slow last season too, and destroyed us in the playoffs. Los Angeles never seems to take that next step, but they are still very talented. The Jags aren't elite, but they are good. The Dolphins are going to give us a real run for the division this year. They gave us a push last year, but stumbled mid-season with the Tua concussions. It's not a guarantee (like some people think) that he will get injured again. I could see the AFC East going to Week 18 this time around.

I always feel like sacks are overrated. It's more about applying consistent pressure, especially if you can get it done with only 4 guys.

The pass rush looks very good through 2 weeks, even without Von Miller. Very excited about how Groot is looking in particular. The run defense has been mostly good, with the exception of a couple big plays. Film watchers are saying that was due to misalignment, which may fall on Terrel Bernard. That makes sense with him being so inexperienced at MLB. That should improve. Agree with everybody that our secondary isn't showing the normal speed/explosiveness. That was my biggest worry in the offseason, considering the ages of our safeties and Tre White possibly never returning to normal. Also, Matt Milano is our best player on defense right now. He may have another All-Pro season incoming.

Josh Jacobs led the NFL in rushing last year. He had -2 yards yesterday. When a team gets smaller at linebacker, it's supposed to be a liability in the run game.

On the first interception, Josh Allen had plenty of clear space to run for the first down. And Dawson Knox open down the sideline for a possible touchdown throw. He instead launched it into double coverage. On the second, there was definitely pressure and I understand why he didn't want to take the sack. But he could have thrown the ball at James Cook's feet (at the very least). He made the worst possible decision and once again launched it into double coverage when Stefon Diggs had zero chance. On the third interception, Josh Allen had two receivers open past the first down marker. He instead got greedy for another 10-15 yards and underthrew a corner route, allowing the safety to undercut the throw. On the fumble, he completely took his eyes off the snap. Then tried to run into traffic without fully securing the ball. This is not a rookie QB who hasn't been taught properly. This is a 6-year-veteran with a ton of experience and success to his name. Fans always have the kneejerk reaction to blame coaching. But none of this is on Ken Dorsey or Sean McDermott. It was a total meltdown by our quarterback. Plain and simple.

This is professional football. There is only so much a coach can do. All the teaching in the world means nothing if the player refuses to apply it in game situations. One of my kids is very similar. He's got a temper problem, and has a real tough time controlling himself when things get heated. When he finally calms down, I can sit-down and reason with him. He completely understands how his behavior needs to change. But when he gets upset, the same problems start rising up again. Now in Year 6, I'm afraid we may need to accept that Josh Allen isn't going to change. In the middle of a fast-moving, high-pressure NFL game... he just can't control himself from going nuts and trying to single-handedly take over. Even in his greatest games, you rarely see him play smart and efficient from the pocket for 4 full quarters. It's mostly big throws down the field, scrambling around the backfield and lasers in-between defenders.

After 13 seconds, the talk about Sean McDermott has been that although he was responsible for reshaping the locker room, changing the culture and turning us into a legitimate contender... maybe he's just not the leader needed to win us a Lombardi trophy. And it's a fair question to ask. Nobody wants to say it, because he's easily the most popular player in Buffalo. But maybe it's time to have that same tough discussion about our star Quarterback as well. Yes, Josh Allen is the main reason this team has been a Super Bowl threat the last 3 seasons. Without question. He's a Top 5 quarterback in the NFL. Without question. He's on pace for a Hall of Fame career. Without question. But as the on-field leader of this football team, does he have the mental capability to win this team a championship? I'm really starting to wonder. Think about the QBs with all the rings like Tom Brady and Joe Montana. They were known for being cool, calm and collected in even the highest pressure situations. Then think about what Allen is like. Chaotic. Undisciplined. Out of control. Flustered. Impatient. Unwilling to trust his teammates. For all the strides Allen made mechanically to develop himself into a star QB, we haven't seen the same growth from him mentally. The guy I saw on Monday night was the same guy stupidly lateralling the ball in the Texans playoff game four years ago.

Every team is adjusting to new things. It's Week 1. Not an excuse in the slightest. The problem is that our star QB no longer seems to know what he's doing. There was a noticeable drop in Josh Allen's play after the bye week last year (starting about halftime of the Green Bay game). 10 interceptions and 3 fumbles lost in the final 10 games of the season, along with several substandard performances. He followed that up with 2 interceptions and 3 fumbles (1 lost) in the Wild Card Round, almost costing us a postseason game against Miami's third-string quarterback. That of course was followed up an embarrassing team performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, including another clunker from Allen, that officially knocked us out of the playoffs. We heard all the excuses in the offseason about Damar Hamlin, his UCL joint and the weather. The team upgraded the interior O-Line and added new weapons. And with an entire offseason to refocus and get his head right... we are treated to possibly the worst game of his career to kickoff the 2023 season. Coming out of college, the big knock on Allen was his mechanics. He had all the athletic talent in the world. By fixing his throwing motion and improving his accuracy, Allen was able to develop into a Top 5 NFL quarterback. But over the last year, we've seen him hit a mental plateau. In Year 6, he still lacks patience and composure. And until he breaks through that ceiling, the Bills will have no chance at winning a Super Bowl.

This is the answer. Anyone who watches game film will tell you, the problem is not Ken Dorsey. The easy plays are there for Josh, but he's JUST NOT TAKING THEM. Bottom line is that he's impatient. Instead of taking what the defense gives him, he's always looking for the big play and the kill shot. And when the game starts spiraling out of control, he's starts pressing even MORE and the mistakes start compounding.

Miami had stretches where they looked explosive and uncoverable. Most of the time it was on medium (10-15 yard) crossing routes, where Tua hit the receiver (mostly Tyreek Hill) at full speed and then he broke away for another 20-25 yards after the catch. There were a couple other times the Chargers let Hill go deep with no safety help, and got predictable results. However, there were a handful of other plays where Tua badly underthrew his WRs, almost resulting in disaster. One was the pick in the endzone. On another, Hill got nailed in the back by the safety. Anything Tua threw outside the hash marks lacked enough velocity to be completed. This is the blessing and the curse with Tua. He's smart and extremely accurate. But his arm strength just isn't on the same level as the other NFL elite. Smart defensive coordinators will find ways to clog the middle of the field and limit YAC. Not sure I would call them a gimmick (they will almost certainly still be a Top 5 offense this season), but they can be limited with the correct gameplan. In my opinion, the weakness for Miami is going to be the defense. It's been proven in the NFL time and again. It doesn't matter how "good" you are at coaching. Your players MUST fit the scheme to be successful. I'm not sure the players on the Dolphins roster fit a Vic Fangio defense.

Josh does admit in the interview there was "something" between him and Stefon Diggs, but they have since worked it out. Surprised that part hasn't gotten more attention (or speculation). Hopefully there are no more issues moving forward.

Quarterbacks can make average WRs look good, and good WRs look great. But they can't do anything if the WR fails to actually get open or catch the ball. Last night's game reminded me of Week 1 last year with the Packers. The front office traded Davante Adams, and surrounded the MVP-quarterback with a bunch of young inexperienced talent (hoping he would elevate it). It took exactly one game for Aaron Rodgers' frustration to totally boil over. Of course, Patrick Mahomes will have Travis Kelce back soon, not to mention an offensive mastermind on the sideline. Things will surely get better. But I could definitely see the WR corps being somewhat of a problem all year.

Kadarius Toney averaged 2 catches and 25 yards for the Chiefs last year (7 games with the team). That is after completely flaming out with the Giants, who drafted him in the first round and then gave up on him in less than 2 seasons. Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross are both rookies. The latter is a UDFA. Maybe they all turn out great. But right now all I see is inexperience and question marks. If any other franchise besides Kansas City fielded this WR room, everyone would be talking about it being a massive weakness.

I understand both perspectives. There are some fans who are just happy the Bills are winning again. There are others who will never be satisfied until the Bills bring home the Lombardi trophy.

As I mentioned in another thread, the biggest issue with this team is age. On paper, the Bills roster looks more balanced than last year (when everyone was picking them to win the Super Bowl). And despite the no-show against Cincinnati in the playoffs, this team did finish 13-3 last year... even with tons of injuries, pressure and adversity. There are legitimate reasons this team could still be a Super Bowl contender this season. And the people in the media picking us to finish in last place are clearly doing it for attention. However, almost all of the stars on our team are pushing 30 years and/or coming off major injuries. It would not be totally surprising if a couple of our premier guys take a step back. Not enough Bills fans are acknowledging this. And although this team is very deep at several positions, it would absolutely hurt if guys like Von Miller or Micah Hyde don't return to their old selves. The margins in the NFL are slim. I can't see the Bills totally bottoming out, unless there is a significant injury at QB. But at the same time, it's not unrealistic for them to finish behind the Jets and/or Dolphins. Which in turn could result in us missing the playoffs. Both teams have excellent rosters.

Kingsley Jonathan made the roster. Which means Basham was almost certainly getting cut, if not for us swinging a trade first. Very fair to call him Beane's worst draft pick so far.

There are a couple ways to look at this. Is trading for Jonathan Taylor a smart move for the Dolphins long-term, considering the draft compensation it will require AND the huge contract? The answer is almost certainly no. But will Taylor make the Dolphins a harder opponent for us in the short-term, making it much more difficult to win the AFC East, end up with homefield advantage, and ultimately reach our goal of winning the Super Bowl? The answer is almost certainly yes.