Mister Defense

The more physical team, especially on the lines, will win. Nix and Payton are too good of a combo, so the Bill defense needs to disrupt their plans today. If the Bills are going to win it all, the D Line needs to take the next step today, no matter how well the offense plays. The D line needs to be consistently more productive now and going forward. Short passing game opens up the run and long passing game. Cooper and Coleman come alive, as the Bills take more steps forward as an offense today. Almost every game in which the other team's defense is put on a pedestal, the Bills' defense is the one that dominates. Bills 35, broncos 17

Always good to bring in competition and to possibly improve and save money. It seems like Sam Martin has had an excellent season, much better, more consistent than last year. I cannot think of almost any games this year when he has not come through with good kicks, including being very good at pinning teams deep on their side of the field. Also seems to fit in well with this team. Loved how Martin supported Bass in his hard times and then acting like a supportive dad when he started to turn it around. How does Martin rank in punter stats and ratings? Punts inside the 20? or other important stats?

You sum up some of his many fundamental weaknesses well. Add in: almost no apparent connection between the running and passing game, very poor use of motion, often for the sake of motion only. Etcetera etcetera. But I think that was his scheme; see bold above. I laughed when I heard that the Browns had made him the OC soon after I had said he may never get an opportunity to be an OC again. I then predicted on here, like last year with the Bills, that he would be fired by Thanksgiving, so I was off there in the timing. With proper training, and extensive supervision, dorsey could make a great sideline Gatorade boy.

But the worse thing was he never corrected this and his other faults, and that is why he is so disliked here--he seemed extremely lazy, careless. And yes, incompetent, as if he did not know a significant amount of what needed to know to even consider being an NFL OC. While his problems were being increasingly called out by some in the national media, like Mike Robinson and Dan O, it just got worse and worse.

Well, I want to also see Carter and Solomon do some great things. And Bishop. I almost keep forgetting the Bills may have some of the defensive players they need to take the next step next year (and in the playoffs?) Pass rushing, run stuffing line man and a new starting safety are their main needs. If some of these rookies can take the next step, then the Bills will be even better next year.

I agree with all of what you say above. He is not just bad, but incompetent, as if he literally does not know what he is doing as an OC. McDermott's biggest mistake as a head coach, and I think he would agree. But I replaced your 'college' with what I think is more accurate, in bold.

But like I said when he was the OC here--if the big obvious things are so glaringly bad, and often incompetent, just imagine what the 'smaller', detailed work of being a coach looked like behind the scenes, the things details that make an offense go. Like Josh Allen said after he was fired, "it had to be done", for a coach he had said he loved. Imagine how bad the things we did not see directly were, behind the scenes..

A few years ago this may have looked like a good idea. But Rech looked like he had no interest in his job in Carolina. Miserable and uninterested. Yes, a bad organization, but he took that job and then looked like he did not care. He did not know how to get the most of his players and the offense was a disaster that showed no signs of improving. No way do the Bills bring in a coach who may be done as a coach in the league to coach their dynamic offense. Loved him as a Bill, but I think he does not have what it takes to coach anymore.

Poor guy, another tough break for him. Soo dedicated, soo talented, yet not appreciated. After all of his hard work, dedication, diligent prep during the week for the game, and great play calling, he was fired by the Bills. Now this same work ethic and high level skills mean nothing, again, for dorsey. Just like in Buffalo, a scapegoat once again, like many on this board recognized after he was fired. It was McClappy that was, and is, the problem. If Brady gets a head coaching job of course the Bills should consider hiring dorsey for another round, to work his magic here again.

Ray Davis runs like a madman, and shows what he could do as a receiver too. But the Bills don't beat them and let them get a King's bounty in next year's draft.

Funny how so many seemed to have gone with the conventional wisdom, often based on the wisdom of national analysts who don't know what they are talking about, who do not actually watch many of the games that we do, that we see every year, and don't understand how superb this head coach, GM, and players have been, consistently. Next--be great to see one of the predict the AFC East and AFC threads from before the season now. How many actually bought into the ludicrous theory, CW, that the rodgers led jets! would best the Bills?

Bills 30, rodgers' wreck 20 The Bills should do what they have been doing--run and throw to runners. No need to play our star running backs much, Cook and Johnson, so give us a slew of Davis. He comes through again. But they also have some fun with the passing game, getting Coleman and Cooper more involved so ready for the playoffs. (If Josh throws much which is a big if to me..) Defensive line looks good against a poor o line and this causes more turnovers.

Oh, maybe instead of that, just write what it is the anniversary of? Confusing to add that at the end. But great news! Good timing.

Great--the red from last week should never be used again. Auction those costumes off and give the money to charity. I kept thinking the Bills were the pats and visa versa. I think the Bills were themselves confused by the strange, other-team costumes through much of the first half.

What is a BTW?

But it looks like he is incapable of "cutting it loose" physically any more. He looks old and slow and almost all of the burst, quickness, and moves he had are gone. Hope you are right and I am wrong. He should take some kind of special energy supplement during the playoffs to end strong, as this is likely his last season.

They did not do this in the first half yesterday, got anxious when they fell behind and all but abandoned their best play--being a physical running team, and then the complimentary football improves dramatically from there. But they then returned to their base, the running game, and everything changed. And they threw the ball to their running backs, again, and more so. Keep doing that and this team is, like I have said, almost unbeatable. Great to see Brady is now doing what he has not done enough this year, and it is enabling the Bills to take that championship step forward.

The Bills continue to do what I have calling for them to do for the last few years, which I believe will make them a championship team--run the ball and use the backs more, all of them. Last week it was the run game that set up the pass game, as once they run very well, with one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, they are unstoppable, even with defensive limitations. This week I want more of the same. Ray Davis takes the lead? They have the best running backs in the league, and the best groups of receiving backs. THAT, as yet somewhat untapped potential, continues to be the recipe for domination--and growth. Bills 31, Pats 17, with lotsa big defensive plays at home as well.

Stroud has seemed a little on the feminine side to me, so I was not surprised at how emotional he became. While it does show that the team is close, or some of the team, it also was not a great look for Stroud in this important game, at that vital time in the game. Since Stroud repeatedly pointed to how much happier Diggs was now that he was in Houston I have less respect for him. But I think he will become a great player if he loses the emotion to some degree, though I am rooting for him less.

This post will continue to be as sharp and legitimate in the coming weeks, and months, and years, as it was on the day he posted it. Soo uncanny how the Bills blow literally almost every "game of the year." Year after year after year after.... Who could ever argue against it, that the Bills, when playing in what the media calls a "game of the year", have almost no chance to win? (Maybe just cut out "almost"?) And his choices for games of the year, such as the Hail Murray game, and Bucs game, though the Bills were @500 at the time, show just how objective, and astute, the OP is. No filtering his logic through hate and animosity as some tend to do on this board. Pure objectivity, just pointing out the obvious facts, facts no one can argue against. I cannot think of one game in the last five years under McClappy when the Bills won a so called "game of the year" in this span, including this year. They cannot win a big game under this coach if their lives depended on it. Time to have serious discussions now on whether the clap master will EVER win a big, important, "game of the year".

The scary thing is the OP very likely thinks this is real..

Yuk, what an awful thought, the Bills without the natural elements. It is part of this town, part of this team. Sooo happy the Bills made the right decision and kept the lid off the new stadium.

Last week I said the Bills needed to get "hit in the mouth", as they have not been challenged enough this year and need to toughen up for the playoff run. Hopefully it would come in a win. Their defense did get smashed in the mouth and the Bills lost. This week they need to prove that they can beat a high level offense, and on the road, and maybe the best team in the league. After last week the Bills looked like they needed several weeks to prepare for this powerhouse offense--but instead they lost a vital practice day and vital players. But it is HUGE game for the Bills, a team that I think has a dramatically better opportunity with a bye and home field advantage. I believe with a win today the Bills will win out and get the #1 seed. If not, if their defense cannot hold up, again, then it may be a short playoff run. Then a laser like focus on the defensive line in the off season. More running, more of all of the running backs, some big plays on defense, a key turnover or three, and the passing game will look good with key players back. So, Bills 31, lions 24

The article is wrong if it states that. In fact, it would probably not be a great fact for Ward if that were true.

I believe you are wrong, and that Ward took 4 games or so off. He did not play the week after that tragedy.