mjt328

We didn't even get a 1st Round pick out of the deal.

It's only preseason, but I came away with several early impressions as well. First, the good... Running Game This team is still going to be a monster on the ground. Even with Shady taking the night off, there was no drop-off from what we saw last year. Jonathan Williams looked great. Mike Tolbert looked good. And the offensive line was opening huge holes. Defensive Line Everybody knows that our team was a better fit in the 4-3. The lack of pass rush under Rex Ryan was obvious to anyone. If last night was any indication, our front 4 may soon return to 2013-2014 status. The group was relentless after the QB from the get-go. And how about that Eddie Yarborough guy... Secondary Not much to say here. Coverage was very good on the back end. Nobody was complaining after the game about the loss of Stephon Gilmore. And our first round pick was a non-story, which is usually good for cornerbacks. Tyrod Taylor/Sammy Watkins Sammy looked healthy out there. Which is great. Tyrod targeted him early and often, and was accurate when the pocket was clean. Which is great. We all know what Sammy is capable of, and it starts by making him a target and not a decoy. Now the bad... Pass Blocking As good as the run blocking was, the pass blocking was just as bad. Specifically the tackles getting beat off the edge. No Cordy Glenn wasn't playing. But with his foot injury, there is no guarantee he won't miss time during the regular season. Seantrel Henderson was a poor fill-in, and I wasn't impressed with Jordan Mills or Dion Dawkins either. Linebackers I have a feeling, this spot is going to be a weakness. While our pass rush was good and our coverage was good, our pursuit at the second level was not. Screens and covering tight ends could be a problem. And anyone that isn't worried about Reggie Ragland going forward isn't paying attention. QB Depth TJ Yates was awful. Let's hope that the rookie steps up, because things could get ugly if Tyrod goes down for even 1-2 games.

Not sure why this is alarming or groundbreaking in any way. At this point, I think everyone knows what Taylor brings to the table and what we are hoping he improves upon. The Bills have also made it very clear to everyone what they think of Taylor, based on their refusal to give him a true long-term contract.

People need to understand that coaches see more than fans and the media. EJ Manuel only got 14 starts, but he had 4 years to prove himself to two different coaching staffs. Nobody questions his physical potential or attitude. Or that he made nice throws occasionally. The problem is, EJ just never got better. His biggest flaws as a rookie in 2013 were still his biggest flaws in 2016. Look at the last game in 2014 (against the Texans) before he was benched for Kyle Orton. Look at his big chance to step in for an injured Tyrod Taylor in 2015 (against the Bengals and Jaguars). Then finally his last appearance against the pathetic Jets in 2016's finale.

Coaching is a problem. But even with great coaches, I don't think Buffalo would have much success with the Quarterbacks we have fielded the last 15 years. - Rob Johnson was a backup before he came to Buffalo. After we let him go, he was a backup in Tampa Bay and never did much. Out of the league within 2 seasons. - Drew Bledsoe was declining before he came to Buffalo. He went to Dallas after us, played about the same as here, and then got replaced by Tony Romo. Out of the league within 2 seasons. - JP Losman never started a game after leaving Buffalo. Out of the league within 2 seasons. - Trent Edwards started 1 game after leaving Buffalo. Out of the league within 2 seasons. - Ryan Fitzpatrick has been the same guy for the last 9 years. Puts up decent stats, but is inconsistent with accuracy and destroys his teams with bad decisions and poor accuracy.

Sounds like a lot of fans are upset with this trade. But Cardale Jones was always a tremendous long-shot to have success in the NFL. Regardless of his physical ability or potential. Most of those who cover the team believe he was very unlikely to make the roster this year at all. Tyrod Taylor is our clear starter at QB. TJ Yates gives us an experienced veteran. Coaches obviously believe Nate Peterman has a better shot at NFL success. Odds are high we are targeting a 1st Round QB next year. This means that Jones was probably looking at the practice squad (at best) in 2017 with very few reps, only to be in a similar or worse position to make the team next year. If a team was willing to give up a draft selection, can you really blame the Bills for taking it?

Despite what some believe, the Bills are not tanking this year. They will try to make the playoffs. Once you understand that, it's not hard to figure out why the staff likes TJ Yates. If the starter (Tyrod Taylor) goes down, you want a veteran guy that can potentially win games in his absence. Not an inexperienced developmental project like Cardale Jones or a rookie like Nathan Peterman. And if your backup is forced into action, would you rather have a guy that has been working in the current system, who knows the playbook and has been practicing with his teammates.... or a guy that was signed off the street on Monday afternoon?

It's good that he recognizes the frustration of the fans (not to mention some of the players who have been here a long time). But taking blame in something that happened before he arrived is kinda stupid. The only thing that matters is what McDermott does going forward.

I think Chiefs management just isn't content with being a 11-12 win team, then exiting shortly from the playoffs. And good for them. They shouldn't be OK with that. So they aren't afraid to make the changes necessary to "potentially" get them over the edge. Most people have correctly identified Alex Smith as one of the key pieces holding them back. He's an OK quarterback, but probably not the guy who will win you a championship. That is the reason for the Pat Mahomes pick. It's possible the move backfires badly. But at this point I think they would rather be aggressive than sit on their hands and be stagnant with Smith. The front office changes are questionable, because Reid bombed his last time with more control. But the Chiefs seem to be confident that he learned and will be better the second time around.

So the team is worth roughly $100 million more than when Terry Pegula bought the team 2-3 years ago. Sure wish I could make a "bad investment" like that.

It's possible. But after being let down by this team over and over again, I think most fans are going to be skeptical until the Bills actually do something on the field. I keep seeing predictions that our defense gets back to 2014 form with the switch back to a 4-3 scheme. It's not going to be that easy. That defense had Mario Williams playing at a Pro Bowl level. This defense has a completely unproven Shaq Lawson. That defense had Stephon Gilmore and Nigel Bradham. This defense has two starters (Tre White and Reggie Ragland) that haven't played a snap in the NFL. Not to mention our safeties have been overhauled, Kyle Williams is aging quickly and it's fair to question Marcel Dareus' commitment since his big contract was signed. Some believe the offensive changes and simplified passing concepts will benefit Tyrod Taylor and the passing game. Maybe. But it's not like our passing schemes were really complicated to start with. And it's not like we made a big upgrade in weapons. Improvement in the passing game is up to Taylor's development... which seemed to stagnate last season. It's also fair to question whether offensive changes (new blocking scheme for example) takes our rushing attack down a notch.

Even with the posted article, some people just don't get it. The difference between a "good" team in the NFL and a "bad" team is not very high. So many things can change during the season, especially injuries. Just an example. Last year, Arizona was supposed to be one of the toughest teams on our schedule. They ended up with a losing record.

Still, he CHOSE to pursue an NFL career. So he should accept the salary limitations and health risks of an NFL career. One of the problems in today's American society is that most people spend too much time jealous and envious of people with more.

If Sammy wanted to get paid like an NBA player, he should have worked harder at basketball and become an NBA player. Honestly, I don't have a problem with athletes making the money they do. Good for them. But it does come across as selfish when a guy making almost $5 million per year acts jealous of how much other people are making. Watkins decided to join a sports league and play a position where the highest paid WR of all-time (Calvin Johnson) made roughly $18 million per year. And Watkins is nowhere close to Calvin Johnson level. He barely cracks the Top 20 in the current NFL, in my opinion. NFL rosters have over 50 players. NBA rosters have less than a dozen. It's pretty simple to understand why NFL guys don't make as much.

A fanbase cannot be judged until they are forced to support a bad product. Really? How hard has it been to support a team like New England or Pittsburgh, knowing they will always be in contention for a Super Bowl? The Patriots haven't been bad in 20+ years now, so how can anyone consider it impressive for them to fill out their stadium? The Browns have never won a Super Bowl. They are regularly one of the worst teams in football. The NFL even moved their team to Baltimore. Yet they continue to pack out their stadium and sell-out games. That is a great fanbase. Same thing with us. The Bills haven't made the playoffs in 15 years, but the team continually gets exceptional support.

Not a great start to the thread. I definitely disagree with your "truth" and I see I'm not alone. Watching around the NFL, I see bubble screens being extremely successful around the NFL with lots of receivers of all sizes. I've heard the Bills don't like running those plays because Tyrod Taylor doesn't have a quick enough release. Is it true? Who knows. The Bills didn't do them with Kyle Orton under center either.

The link you posted was passing attempts. "One big dirty stat" as you put it. And I'm telling you that ATTEMPTS doesn't matter. Passing more times and running less isn't going to make the Buffalo Bills a better offense. In fact, it will probably make us a significantly worse team. The best parts of our team are LeSean McCoy running the ball and Tyrod Taylor scrambling. If you want to argue that Taylor needs to get better throwing the ball, I'm with you. I will agree with you 100%. He needs to get better as a pocket passer. He needs to get better using his arm. He needs to get better with accuracy and quick decision making. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. But getting better and more efficient at passing is NOT THE SAME as passing the ball more frequently. And I don't understand why so many Bills fans have trouble understanding this fact. We don't need to become a team that passes all the time to be successful. We just need to get better WHEN we pass the ball.

Ugh. This again. According to the link you posted, the following teams were Top 5 in pass attempts: Baltimore, New Orleans, Arizona, Green Bay, Jacksonville One playoff team in the bunch, with a combined record of 35-44-1. The Super Bowl champion Patriots ranked 13th. The NFC champion Falcons ranked 27th. Again. It doesn't matter how much you pass or how much you run. It matters how much you score, and stop the other team from scoring. Your own link disproved whatever you were trying to say.

Most of this statement is short-sighted and incorrect. The marks of a good offense are POINTS SCORED, AVOIDING TURNOVERS and EFFICIENCY. How a team manages to accomplish these things (running or passing) is completely and totally irrelevant. Does this mean our passing game is good enough right now? Absolutely not. There are going to be times where the team is behind without much time on the clock, and Tyrod Taylor is forced to move the ball with his arm. These are moments when the run game will not help and the QB can't afford to play it safe. We need Tyrod to get better in these moments. No doubt. But I hate when people suggest the Bills should just forget the run and become a passing team, because "that's what wins in the NFL." It's just not true.

Most people would say the best cornerbacks in the NFL are those who are excellent at 1-on-1 man coverage. Not to say that "zone guys" are not talented, but their task is probably a little easier. For example... As good as Richard Sherman is (Seattle plays mostly zone/Cover 3), his ability has never approached what Darrell Revis offered the Jets in his prime. The ability to shut down an opposing receiver by himself, with no help. I'm not sure Sherman would be considered elite, if he didn't have Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor behind him - not to mention an all-world defense around him. The Bills are going to play mostly zone coverage now. That doesn't mean we can get by with scrubs at cornerback. But it does mean that our CBs won't need to be shut-down to succeed (like Ryan's defense seemed to require).

I think the article is "trying" to say that Marcel Dareus may not fit Sean McDermott's defense, because the new coach isn't going to tolerate his off-field nonsense. I don't think it's referring to his fit in the 4-3 scheme. Either way, the article is written poorly, has a misleading headline and has very little substance.

Cap issues fluctuate frequently. Sometimes 1-2 signings or cuts can completely change a team's position. Go back to the 2015 offseason, and the Bills were in a fantastic position with the salary cap and went on a spending spree. A year later, they pretty much just had the money to re-sign their own guys. This offseason they couldn't really afford to even do that. A few cuts and moves later, they are back into position to make a move for Jeremy Maclin. Truthfully, looking at salary cap space tells you nothing about how smart or stupid a team is. Nobody can afford to sign everyone. And the more good players a team drafts, the harder it will be to keep everyone under the salary cap. People just wanted to use the "cap hell" excuse as another strike against Doug Whaley and the Bills front office. To specifically answer your questions though: 1. The Chiefs have been a very well run team the last several years, and with a better QB may be true Super Bowl contenders. The team deemed Jeremy Maclin expendable because they managed to draft Tyreek Hill in the 5th Round, and they believe he can be a #1 WR for them. Finding gems in the late rounds would be one of the signs of a good front office. 2. The Bills lost quite a few free agents and cut others. They were unable to land several of their offseason targets. So they have some extra money to spend, and this would be a good use of it. 3. Proof the Ravens are "better run" is in the wins. Not in salary cap figures.

I can't see why anyone would be against us signing Jeremy Maclin, especially on a short-term deal. There really is no downside. 1) In my opinion, he is a better player than Robert Woods. And there is a good possibility we can get him $1-2 million per year cheaper than what it would have taken to retain Woods. 2) Free agency is over. Draft picks are signed. We still have plenty of unused cap space.

Our team sucking for the last 15 years takes nothing away from the greatness of the 90's teams. While the Bills have struggled on the field, I have still very much enjoyed watching all those contributors (Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Ralph Wilson, Bill Polian and Marv Levy) get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Although we never won a Super Bowl, seeing all those guys getting rewarded for their play does bring some justification.

It's hard to judge the upcoming season on talent adds/losses alone. The biggest change is going to be a new coaching staff (with a rookie head coach, no less). This means new philosophies and game plans. New schemes and playbooks on both sides of the ball. Nobody can really know what to expect. Good or bad. Some players will be stronger fits for the new system. But it's possible other players will really struggle to adapt to the changes. It also may take some time for the players to come together and execute to their full potential in the new schemes. Not to mention, the Bills will likely have (at least) three starters who have never played an NFL snap. Reggie Ragland, Tre'Davious White and Zay Jones are probably early favorites to earn starting roles as first year players. It's quite possible that Dion Dawkins pushes that number to four by the start of the season.