mjt328

Agreed. I would add that if these charges end up being true, the Bills need to cut him immediately, regardless of the cap consequences. No sympathy for someone that assaults a pregnant woman. I've always said that Tyreek Hill does not belong in the NFL, and it's disgusting any team would employee him. Same would go for anyone on the Bills.

Sadly, this was the first thing that came to my mind too. Von Miller was always a high risk/high reward signing. Can't blame Brandon Beane for taking the shot. It was really working out before the ACL tear. Hard to see a guy at his age coming back the same.

I agree the media overblows Josh Allen's turnovers (you must include fumbles, not just interceptions). But that doesn't mean he can't do better. He does have the most in the NFL this year, and over the last 4-5 years. For me, the question is what he provides to the team vs. what he takes away. He's got 209 touchdowns in 89 career games (2.34 average per game), along with countless 1st-down conversions that nobody else in the league could manage to make. Compare that to 96 turnovers (1.07 per game). If you look at the Bills losses over the last 4-5 seasons, I would say very few were due to excessive turnovers. At the same time, the Bills probably don't make the playoffs in any of those years without the special contributions of Allen.

Yep. It's happened way too many times to be a trend. Every offense in the league has their normal offense, their red zone offense and their 2-minute offense. Sean McDermott's defense consistently does great against the first two. It collapses over and over against the third. At this point, it can't be a coincidence. It happens pretty much every time. So the question must be asked. How is McDermott adjusting to opponent's 2-minute offense? Are his coverage schemes too soft? Is he blitzing too much? Not blitzing enough? Too predictable? Whatever he is doing isn't working.

"13 Seconds" is king of the mountain for Sean McDermott. It ranks with "Wide Right" and the "Music City Miracle" as the worst losses in Bills history. Last year's Minnesota loss was strangely one of the lowest moments I've felt as a Bills fan. Justin Jefferson with the greatest catch ever on 4th Down. The fumbled snap in the end zone. Patrick Peterson's interception. Despite our great record at the time, that was the moment my expectations for the season came crashing and I knew this team wasn't going to win the Super Bowl. Just felt like this team was cursed. 12 Man Field Goal is probably the most incompetent loss during McDermott's coaching tenure. Unbelievable he could let that happen in such a vital game. The Houston playoff game, Philly/Jalen Hurts OT, Bucs/Tom Brady OT (along with 13 seconds) are the greatest examples of where McDermott falls short as a Defensive coach in the biggest clutch moments. The 2020 Chiefs Championship loss and 2022 Bengals Divisional loss are the best examples where his defense simply doesn't show up in the biggest games. It's absolutely crazy that I've named EIGHT games from the past 5 seasons. And I still haven't gotten to the Hail Murray. The Wind Game against the Patriots. Josh Allen slipping Monday night against the Titans. The Josh Allen vs. Josh Allen bowl. Aaron Rodgers Achilles game.

Injuries are going to be an excuse almost every year. The team was very healthy in 2020-2021 and failed to finish the job. Agreed it was a horribly officiated game. However, the refs played very little part in the two drives we allowed with under 2 minutes left or in OT. This team is supposed to be in the window of a Super Bowl run, with one of the best QBs in football. If our talent level is significantly below anyone, then everyone in the front office should be fired. Home. Road. Who cares. He's reached his peak. This team can regularly win 10+ games in the regular season, win the AFC East when the other teams are mediocre or less and win the Wild Card Round against middling playoff teams who barely deserve to be there. But to get past the Divisional Round, Championship Game and Super Bowl, he's going to need consistently strong defensive performances against QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, etc. No evidence he's got the ability to do that. It's McDermott's defense that continually allows offenses to drive the field with the game on the line. His soft coverage allowed them to EASILY complete underneath passes, because he was scared to have the defenders contest the receivers. The reason the Bills have become underdogs to the top teams is because... THEY ARE NO LONGER A TOP TEAM THEMSELVES. How does that not (at least partially) fall on Sean McDermott??????? They blew a lead against the Jets. They blew a lead against the Patriots. They blew a lead against the Broncos. This team is 6-6 and will miss the playoffs. And I'm supposed to be happy, because they came close to beating the Eagles?

Yes, that does explain why Philly had more success in the second half. But I think most of the frustration from Bills fans comes from the trend over the last 4-5 years, where the Bills can NEVER seem to get big stops at the end of games. Not just failing to stop them, but putting up zero resistance along the way. It was expected that we couldn't totally shut-down the Eagles offense all game. But we had the lead twice (under 2 minutes left in regulation and then in OT), only to watch the defense look totally incompetent on the final two drives. I'm not an All-22 expert. But I have been watching this sport for 30 years and I do know some things. But from what I can see from my couch, McDermott's coverage schemes get much softer during those key late drives. He's afraid of getting beat over the top with a big play. So he's willing to just let teams take the underneath stuff all the way down the field. I believe that's why Brandon Beane has dedicated so many resources towards the D-Line. He realizes this is what our coach does (and won't change), and figures our only hope in these situations is getting immediate pressure with the Front 4.

The offense was responsible for both of those losses to the Jets.

Ken Dorsey was the root of the problem on offense. Yes, we still seem to have trouble with turnovers, penalties and drops. This offense benefits tremendously by upgrading at WR2, and Josh Allen not having a weekly brain-fart throw. But even with those issues, we can still score 30+ on good defenses when the playcalling isn't so stale and predictable. However, the defense's inability to close or show-up in big games is STILL a huge problem. It was a problem with Leslie Frazier for the last several years. And it's been even worse with Sean McDermott running the show by himself. Firing Dorsey earlier could have saved the Broncos and Patriots games. We would be sitting at 8-4 and stressing about the AFC East title instead of just making the playoffs. But once the postseason rolled around, would it have really made a difference? This defense would still collapse on itself just like it always does.

If someone was to describe Sean McDermott's defense like a college prospect, I would say his system produces a very high floor. Statistically, his units consistently rank pretty well. Very good in overall points allowed. Pretty good in overall yards allowed. Excellent against the pass. Average against the run. Solid in turnovers. Solid in pass rushing. The Bills have been a Top 10 unit for the entire duration of his time as coach, and snuck into the Top 5 a couple times. The problem is, McDermott's units also have a very low ceiling. It's basically the Kirk Cousins of defenses. Every year, they beat-up on the bad and below average QBs of the NFL. Most of their sacks/turnovers come when the offense is playing well, and the opponent is trying to force the ball down the field. They also do a pretty decent job of shutting down gimmicky offensive systems like Miami and Baltimore, which rely on misdirection and confusion. But against a top QB willing to be patient and attack the holes in their zone defense, McDermott's group becomes absolutely helpless.

And if they make the playoffs... who cares. It's just setting us up for another heartbreaking postseason exit. I no longer believe a team with Sean McDermott running the defense can win the Super Bowl (which is the only real goal). The guy just doesn't get it. His reputation as a strong defensive coach is built on stat sheets. Not real-life success. His 2-minute defense has to be the absolute worst in the NFL. 0-6 in overtime. Three losses this season when leading with under 2 minutes left. The Hail Murray. The list goes on and on and on and on and on and on.... The Bills would be better off losing out, giving the Pegulas no choice but to can him and start over. Maybe they pick someone worse. But trying is better than just being satisfied with 10+ win seasons and losing in the playoffs.

Josh Allen is the opposite of Sean McDermott's defense. Yes, he makes mistakes and turnovers. He sometimes struggles early in games. His stat line may not always be pretty. But when it reaches the 4th Quarter, Allen usually makes the plays needed to tie the game or put the Bills in front. The defense looks nice on paper. They usually come out of the gate strong, and keep the score low early. But when they need to make a big stop at the end, they always fold.

It was totally gutless. Tony Romo said we could have gotten "strip-sacked" in that situation. We could also have gotten "strip-sacked" when we got the ball in overtime. With 20 seconds and a timeout, we could have easily gotten into field goal range. The Chiefs did it to us in 13 seconds without one.

It's all about the scheme. We always play good against Lamar Jackson, because he's not the kind of QB that can take advantage of the holes in our zone system. It's the same reason we always play terrible against Joe Burrow, because that's his bread and butter. Quick, fast, underneath throws. Patrick Mahomes struggled to play like this until about the mid-point of the season last year. He's gotten a lot better at it since our last game. At this point, it's pretty clear that McDermott doesn't have a curve ball. Our defense is what it is. The only way we beat teams like the Eagles is by Josh Allen playing totally out of his mind. And even then, the defense probably chokes it away.

Sean McDermott's defensive system is built to prevent big plays, confuse the QB and force offenses to gradually work the ball down field. - It usually works against young/crappy QBs, because they are easily confused and suck. That's how we build up our stats and high rankings every year. It doesn't work against the top guys in the NFL (especially in the playoffs). - It works really good when we have a big lead, because teams have no choice but try and make plays downfield. That is pretty much the only time we force turnovers, is when we are already piling it on. It doesn't work well when teams are able to be patient and mix in the run game. - It ALWAYS FAILS in big moments...especially in overtime, because the 2-minute drill is purposely constructed to beat this kind of defense. Routes are quick, underneath and to the sideline. Not pushing the ball downfield in big chunks. Over and over, Brandon Beane has poured resource after resource into building a defense that perfectly fits McDermott's desires. Draft picks and cap space. The most expensive D-Line in the entire NFL. And in these situations, we continue to get NOTHING. No pressure. Guys wide open. Over-pursuit and missed tackles. The stat (0-6 in overtime) says it all. To win in OT, you absolutely MUST have a defense that can get a stop. And McDermott's defense CANNOT. We have seen it again and again and again and again.

Kaiir Elam was drafted into a weird situation. The biggest reason Cornerback was a need in the 2022 draft was because of Tre White's injury and unknown timeline for a return, along with the idea that we could upgrade on Dane Jackson... who was a solid, but unspectacular player. Even though it was probably our biggest need that year, CB never really was a huge hole. The Bills traditionally prefer scheme-fits at Cornerback (Levi Wallace, Jackson), as opposed to project guys with elite physical traits. Elam was always going to take a little more time than other 1st Round guys to get up to speed. Especially getting drafted into a zone style system he wasn't used to playing. And especially on a Super Bowl contender who didn't have the luxury of letting him learn through mistakes on the field. Making things more complicated, Beane then hit on Christian Benford in the 6th Round. Less of an overall athlete, but certainly a better scheme fit for the Bills defense and more ready to play. He won the job Week 1 2022, and has really looked the part ever since. Benford really is a good CB. By the time Elam really started getting playing time his rookie season, White was back in the lineup and trying to regain his Pro Bowl form. Bottom line, I don't think the Bills have the patience to let a CB learn on the job. And that's what Elam really needs to grow. Rather than risk allowing big plays, they would rather just go with the safe/solid guys they can trust like Jackson and Benford. Now that Rasul Douglas is on the team, I really can't see him going anywhere on this roster.

Ken Dorsey did a horrible job at utilizing the offensive talent. The pass-catching RB situation is the most obvious example. Beane drafts James Cook and trades for Nyheim Hines. One becomes a returner and the other spends most pass plays blocking. It literally took one game out of Joe Brady for this to improve. Despite all the talk in the offseason, Dorsey also had no idea how to utilize two TE sets. It's not a coincidence that Dalton Kincaid suddenly broke out after Dawson Knox got hurt, and became a prime target in the offense. It will be interesting to see if Brady can figure out ways to make Deonte Harty effective.

The majority of snaps should be going to Leonard Floyd and AJ Epenesa right now, with Shaq Lawson/Kingsley Jonathan coming off the bench. Von Miller isn't anywhere close to back, and is making zero impact right now. Greg Rousseau should probably be sitting and getting his foot better. I don't understand having so much depth, and then making guys play at 75% percent.

Sean McDermott is a good defensive coordinator. He is an average head coach. I believe he's smart, with a strong football mind for that side of the ball. And he did a great job rebuilding the culture in this locker room, rescuing us from the drought. But he struggles in high-pressure, big-game moments. Details get missed and mistakes get made. His defense has also crumbled in the postseason against the league's better quarterbacks, and thus far he's not had an answer. To me, the real question is whether the Bills players still believe in him leading the team. If they have lost confidence, this team need a fresh start.

Yes, the QB situation for these teams is not great. BUT they ALL hold tie-breakers over the Bills, and half of them have better/equal records. There are basically 9 teams somewhat in the hunt, besides us. This is what we need to happen: - Browns lose 5/7 - Steelers, Texans lose 4/7 - Colts, Broncos, Bengals lose 3/7 - Raiders lose 2/6 - Chargers, Jets lose 2/8 If less than 7 of these 9 scenarios happens... then the Bills will need a record of 11-6 to make the playoffs. No more than one loss.

Yesterday's game was fun. And the NFL graphics still have us within a half game of the #6-7 wildcard spot. But mathematically, the Bills are still very unlikely to make the playoffs. I've been playing with the ESPN simulator. Due to their losses in the conference, the Bills lose pretty much every tie-breaker in the AFC. Bottom line, a 10-7 record probably isn't going to be good enough. To finish with 11 wins, the Bills cannot lose more than once more this season. Against a schedule that includes possibly the three best teams in the NFL: Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys. Not to mention the 7-3 Dolphins. Otherwise, they would need the Browns to lose 5/7, the Texans to lose 4/7 or the Steelers to lose 4/7... and hope another team like the Broncos, Bengals, Colts, etc. doesn't sneak into the picture as well.

Mathematically, the Bills are obviously still in it. I actually saw that if we beat the Jets and the Cardinals beat the Texans, we could slide back into the #7 spot this Sunday. The teams above us will be playing each other a lot over the next several weeks (especially the AFC North), so many of these teams are bound to drop-off. The recent injuries to Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow could also play a big factor on how things play out. Of course the biggest factor is the Bills own schedule, and taking care of the business in front of us. Our remaining schedule includes possibly the two best teams in the league on the road (Eagles and Chiefs), a first place team seeking revenge (Dolphins), another Top 10 team (Cowboys), an underperforming roster with a strong offense (Chargers) and two teams that have already beaten us (Jets, Patriots). Absolutely brutal. The Bills need to go at least 5-2 in the final run. And even then, it's possible the tiebreakers don't work in our favor. Very hard to see it happen, considering this team's last several weeks saw losses against the Patriots and Broncos, and us barely scraping by the Giants and Bucs. Some of the worst teams in the league here.

Not sure if I agree with this article. The Bills struggled on offense in the playoffs, in what he calls the "magical" 2020 season. Most fans feel the team actually had it's best chance in 2021, due to the team clicking on offense in playoffs. But then 13 seconds happened. And even last year, the Bills were still leaning very heavily towards the pass and still allowing Josh Allen to run the ball a ton. And here in 2023, all the metrics are showing the Bills offense works better when they are running the ball. James Cook was pretty much the only thing working on Monday night. It's very probably that Sean McDermott is trying to limit Allen's running, and I agree that it's a problem. But part of the problem with the Bills is being too one-dimensional and predictable. Teams have caught-up to the heavy passing offenses, and it's vital to keep teams off balance. If McDermott was preaching that, he's not wrong.

Ken Dorsey is very obviously the scapegoat. But that doesn't mean his firing wasn't justified. Everyone always seem obsessed with finding THE problem. Like there is a single fix needed, and suddenly everything will run smoothly and we can start planning the Super Bowl parade. In reality, it's never just a single thing. Dorsey was a terrible offensive coordinator. Horribly predictable. No planning or reasoning behind his playcalling. But Josh Allen is also a huge problem, and has been trending down for well over a year. His turnovers and stupid mistakes are killing us. The defense is good on paper, but crumbles at the worst moments almost every time and can't be counted on for a big stop. Special teams has quietly become a disaster, and also factored heavily into the Monday Night loss. Sean McDermott ties everything together. I never believed in firing the guy just for the 13 second mess. But the mistakes are now compounding, and it's becoming increasingly obvious that he's lost the locker room. Once that happens, it's only a matter of time. The Pegulas may be standing by him right now. But there are still 7 games left, and he's running out of places to point the finger. I don't see Joe Brady suddenly turning the ship around. There are too many other problems. I see this team falling flat on its face over the next month, and the Pegulas will be forced to start over with the coaching staff.

Not sure how much Joe Brady can fix in such a short amount of time. There is literally zero room for error. And even if the offense finally steps up, this defense won't have much chance against teams like the Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys, Chargers, Dolphins, etc.. I truly believe teams aren't pressing against us, because they know the offense can't score and they just need to wait for turnovers to put them in scoring position. If the offense starts clicking, the defense will be exposed. I try to be a realist, who tries not to react too strongly to individual games. After the way 2022 ended, I was not terribly optimistic coming into the season. The Dolphins game was first time I felt some legitimately good feelings about this team. That ended pretty quickly in London, not because of the loss, but because of the players we lost.