Kirby Jackson

Lack of separation…

You are probably right. The situation was weird. It was a little like Samuel earlier in the year. I’m absolutely open to Cooper returning but I want him to play if that’s the case. If you use that 6 targets a game that I threw out there, it’s 102 targets on the year. Maybe he catches 70 of them, at an average of 14 YPR, and you are looking at a 1,000 yard(ish) WR. That’s not a stretch.

I don’t think the question is, “what is a bigger problem offense or defense?” The question is, “what is the quickest way to close the gap with KC?” The 2 most impactful moves are an alpha WR & an elite pass rusher. Adding a good safety or run stuffing DT doesn’t make the impact of those other moves (hence the contracts those positions get). This thread is about a guy that could have potentially closed that gap by making timely, explosive plays.

I was on board with Johnson earlier this year because I thought he could get open. He’s a disaster as a person and they need to stay away. The Bills were so concerned with how many targets that Diggs had that they overcorrected with “everybody eats.” Once they traded for Cooper they should have made a point to give him at least 6 targets a game. He’s capable of dominating games. They didn’t and the whole situation didn’t fix the problem. If they address the top of the depth chart next year they need to prioritize getting the ball to their best. It doesn’t have to be forced like it was to Diggs but you need to throw the ball to your best players more often than you throw it to your lesser players.

Beasley and Diggs were all-pros as Bills. Coleman’s future is a role player. He is a slot WR playing outside. He can’t get open from there and this isn’t new. That’s how you end up catching 1/2 of the targets. Every ball is contested. They had different issues then (play calling, OL, pass rush, coaching). Our offense is ahead of the defense but not good enough. The biggest impact that the Bills can make this offseason is an alpha WR and an elite pass rusher. The Bills need better talent at the most important positions (excluding QB & LT).

I don’t disagree there. The biggest issue with the WR room is that they didn’t care about the most important quality. Separation is the most important quality in a WR. Can you get open? Can you find space? If the answer is yes, Josh Allen can get the ball to you. That wasn’t the case so Josh had to force balls to him like that fade the other day. They need a surgeon running routes.

Cool, he’s trash. He’s never open. He caught 1/2 of the balls thrown his way because he’s never open. Worthy is a threat to take it to the house on every play, rushes & receptions. I’m not saying that he was the perfect guy for the Bills but he’s way better than Coleman. The Bills had a massive need at WR and missed. That’s the only option and Shakir is best there. It was just a mistake. That’s not hindsight.

Lol, if a guy is open enough to have 112 targets, 82 catches and 1,149 yards, that’s success. I don’t care who the other options were. Coleman caught 29 of those 57 targets! 51% of your targets is not acceptable. That happens when you’re not open. I’m not going to hammer on it all offseason but WR was a MASSIVE need and they drafted a guy that isn’t good.

Worthy is a weapon. He isn’t a volume guy but he’s a playmaker and potential game breaker. He’s a big play waiting to happen. He’s never going to be a guy that has huge yardage on the season. Coleman is somewhere between project and stiff at this point. His separation is a MAJOR issue. He has good ball skills but if you’re NEVER open, how many balls can they throw you? He’s a 4th or 5th WR that will hopefully become a red zone threat. He was absolutely not worth the 33rd pick (and this isn’t hindsight). Ultimately, McConkey was the pick. He’s the guy that can find space and handle volume. There were lots of WRs in this draft so some were going to succeed and others fail.

The biggest impact is WR and DE. Coleman was a mistake. I know that it’s early. I clearly wasn’t a fan of the pick but that’s neither here nor there at this point. You win in space. If you can’t find space, you can’t consistently contribute. It was our biggest need and we filled it with a guy that is a 4th or 5th WR. You need a guy at the top of the depth chart still. It could be Cooper IMO but you need to use him like that. DE is the other obvious need. I’ve said that I would trade Rousseau this offseason. He’s pretty good IMO. He has pro bowl potential. At the same time, I don’t believe that you can write a Pro Bowl type of contract for a guy that may end up being a solid role player. Rousseau and a 2 for Crosby or Rousseau and a 1 for Garrett. You’ll still need to draft another one and hope that Solomon develops. A space eating DT is the other biggest need. It would have been nice to figure out how to use Poona Ford. You need a CB or 2 as well. The safeties aren’t very good either (Rapp is okay). I’d try to sign a DB as my pick FA move (assuming that I could get Higgins or someone like that).

I’m of the belief that 90% of NFL caliber coaches can accomplish what we have with prime Josh Allen. McDermott gets credit for building the culture and stabilizing the organization. He was a great guy to build the program. At this point, I’m more convinced than ever that if they are ever going to get over the hump someone else has to be the guy. I often use the Dwayne Casey and Nick Nurse example because it fits.

Basically, when you restructure contracts or release people you can change when certain dollars are allocated to the cap. For example, Josh Allen’s cap hit is scheduled to be $43.2M in 2025. When they give him his new deal that number will be WAY less. Bonuses can be spread over multiple years. When you hear, “they are converting the base salary to a signing bonus” what they are doing is writing a check to the player but spreading the cap hit over multiple years. If you convert a $40M base into a signing bonus over 4 years (for example) you take the cap hit from $40M to $10M, $10M, $10M, $10M. You kick the can down the road.

I’m good with it. Last year’s draft looks awful so far. You got a depth WR that’s never open and a safety that has no idea what he’s doing. The year before you got a rotational TE and the year before that a corner that can’t play. Beane has been good with the middle and back of the roster but failed at the top.

It has been all year despite what some wanted to believe. I give Mack credit. He has balls. Cooper and Shakir are both good. Kincaid sucks which is a surprise. The backs are good. Everybody eats until they don’t. Go get an alpha.

I’ve been done with McDermott for years and I’m more done now than ever. Playing not to lose vs. playing to win is a huge difference. Another year goes by of Josh Allen’s prime without reaching the Super Bowl. This is Dwayne Casey and Nick Nurse to me. it’s fine that his team is good. If they, continuously, aren’t good enough in the biggest moments, I want someone else calling the shots.

Incredible that they didn’t run the tush push The rush push has 2 guys behind Josh and everyone up. We are 0-3 and have not run it the entire night.

Incredible that they didn’t run the rush push

I’m disgusted by this half. Absolutely disgusted

Help me understand the defensive game plan? Why play Elam if he is going to be 15 yards off? His only value is as a physical gambler. This defensive game plan has been atrocious.

On our heels and now playing without Benford. What a horrendous start

Worst possible start. Josh is anxious and the game plan is bad. The safeties also made mistakes. Force them outside the numbers!! Better get it together and quickly.

I haven’t stopped. This game/season hasn’t left my head in weeks. Usually I spend a lot of time on here or Twitter talking X’s and O’s. “If this happens then that needs to happen, etc.” That just hasn’t been the case for me over the last couple of games. There’s an eerie calm that I’m feeling. People talk about “the calm before the storm” and for those of you that have been through a hurricane, you know that feeling. I have that now but without the threat of the storm. I was just sure that the Bills were going to win last week. There wasn’t a scenario that came into my mind where they lost. That’s how I feel again this week. I don’t mean that in a dismissive or arrogant way. It’s just time. Strategy aside, this is their destiny.

That’s your biggest fear? Mine is getting buried alive.

I think that I agree with this. It’s chaos and next-level incompetence. This move was wild. The timing of it all is beyond messy.