PolishDave

Not sure what you mean. I didn't invent the stat. Merely commenting on what it suggests. I don't think it is a great stat either. I think it is pretty weak and definitely too vague to prove anything decisively - as almost every single stat is. It is just fun to discuss things.

There is a character trait in humans labeled as "emotional intelligence". It is the ability to control your emotions and the ability to dampen your animal spirits at times when letting your animal spirits reign doesn't benefit you. Not suggesting McCoy is dumb in any way. That is just what it is labeled as. People like McDermott (stoics) use their more evolved Neocortex part of their brain to dampen the reactions that their amygdala (lizard brain) tries to get you to respond to emotional situations with. For example when an object is flying at your head, your amygdala tells you to duck. Your neocortex tells you don't bother ducking if it is a feather flying at you because it won't hurt you. Some people will just duck no matter what whether it is a feather or a brick. Some try to train their brain so that they don't duck when it is a feather. In the example of McCoy - it is his lizard brain that has him reacting that way. Some people try to dampen that response and remain as calm as possible. Some don't. It is a life choice. And sometimes you can't dampen it depending on how emotionally attached you are to something - example would be the death of a family member. That is why some players react with violence (lizard brain reaction) and some react with a handshake to their opponent. It depends which part of their brain they are allowing to control the situation. And how much practice they have at trying to control it. I think most people don't practice controlling it at all. It is a choice.

That's not what the stat measures nor tries to measure. Take from it what you will.

How is it that you single out Tyrod for this. Dennison is old enough to be Tyrod's father. And he is the coach. What about the QB coach? What about the head coach? Why aren't you sharing the blame where it belongs? Tyrod could have noticed it sure. But friggin nobody did. And those other guys have WAY more experience than Tyrod breaking down defenses. You are blaming Tyrod just because you are a hater. You aren't being objective about it at all. Realistically it is a complete COACHING fail. If the coaches come out and say they did notice it and did integrate that into the game plan and Tyrod just ignored it, well then okay - Tyrod's fault. I didn't hear anyone say that. Did you? I hate defending Tyrod now because I think he flat out sucked in that game. You bastards make it impossible to ignore though because of your incessant blame on him for anything and everything that isn't Tom Brady perfect. WTF man? WTF?

Okay. But what good is it to install a system when the personnel are going to be different next year? Different QB. Different receivers. Exactly who is the system supposed to benefit for next year? Zay (stone hands) Jones? Whatever system Dennison ran is going to be new to whoever comes in here next year anyway. Kelvin Benjamin wasn't here till late in the season. Can't say it was for his benefit that they ran some system they intend to run next year. Dennison should have schemed to maximize the physical talent of his starting QB and starting half back. He did neither. Tyrod has tremendous physical skills not tremendous cerebral skills. Everyone but Dennison knows that apparently.

I didn't mean to nor am I suggesting all those guys have as much upside as Alex Smith. Maybe some do - like the ones who haven't played much and are still young - like Barkley or McCarron. I doubt it though. Or perhaps maybe a McCown or Fitzpatrick has the year of their career and surpasses what Smith could do? Also unlikely. The think is, I wouldn't be bringing Smith in for possible chance to lead the team deep in the playoffs. I would be bringing him in solely for the purpose of helping the rookie(s) learn the game quicker and better. That is why I suggest that other QB's can do the same thing for a lot less money. If you want to get the best veteran out there who still probably can't help you win a Superbowl, that guy is probably Smith. I just don't see the value that's all. I want the offense to become dominant where they destroy their opponents like the Patriots did to teams year after year. I think you have to find your best Tom Brady clone through the draft not through free agency. Alex Smith isn't that guy. I honestly don't think he is much better than Tyrod. Better yes. But not by a mile. If the Bills are going to pay up for a guy, I would rather see one of the Minnesota quarterbacks - not sure who will be available for sure though. Bills could have had Smith the year KC got him. They didn't. And if they had, they would likely be getting rid of him this year for the same reasons KC will likely get rid of him.

Didn't Shady post a list? BradfordMcCownDerek AndersonMatt MooreKellen ClemmensBrock Osweiller Matt BarkleyTom Savage Fitzpatrick Honestly I would probably go with either McCown or Fitzpatrick if I am drafting a rookie that I want to start ASAP. McCown starts until the rook is ready. Then he mentors him. I think both McCown and Fitz would be excellent mentors - as much as or more than Alex Smith would be. If you want to gamble on a guy then go get Barkley or AJ McCarron. And start them hoping they magically become awesome while you wait for the rookie to get up to speed. But I think you still need another vet in here if you are going to get a Barkley or McCarron. And I would still want that vet to be a cheap one who likes to pass a lot like Fitz or McCown. I'm not going to be horribly upset if it is Smith. I just look at him as serving a mentor role only, so why spend large amounts of valuable cap money. I would really love for the Bills to get a vet and draft 2 quarterbacks in this draft. 21 and 22 if they are unsure between two guys. Let them prove it on the field in practice.

Honestly I always thought everyone called it whipping the bird. This thread is the very first time I have ever heard anyone not know what that is. And I am amazed that more than one person didn't know that. I must really be getting old or something. The times are passing me by.

Yes I am going off memory. I did specifically look into it last year trying to figure out why the passing game looked so dominating at times and yet so crappy other times. Those scenarios are what stuck. That is why I refer to Tyrod as a back yard baller. His best performances remind me of backyard football. I think he has gotten as far as he has on his sheer athletic ability. He is so gifted athletically, that he just runs away from would be tacklers and buys so much time that eventually some receiver has two steps on his guy. He sees him and chucks the ball just like anyone of you did playing backyard ball as a kid. A pure pocket passer he is not and never has been. He can beat you on the ground with his legs. And he can beat you on a deep route where a guy clearly has his man beat. This offense isn't designed to allow him to beat the defense with his legs. And it isn't designed to spread receivers in routes where they are in constant motion so they become more open over time. Those are two reasons that contributed to its failure this year in my opinion. And I know the Bills aren't going to change their stripes. So they may as well change the QB. This experiment was a waste of time. Probably would have had a better offensive production with Fitzpatrick in all honesty.

If you look back at the passing plays the Bills were most successful at the two years prior to Dennison, you will see they often came in 3 and 4 receiver sets where the receivers ran routes that created more and more separation over time. There were some plays in there where the receivers bunched up in their routes. Those plays generally sucked. The Bills could not execute them and they would go incomplete. The big plays were ones that took longer to develop and had the receivers in every corner of the field. Then Tyrod would find the right guy and throw him the ball.

Yeah. I am sure Tyrod holding onto the ball an extra long time also did skew this somewhat. It wasn't just Tyrod holding the ball though, it would be the combination of him holding the ball and the routes the receivers are running. When you have a receiver run a 10 yard route and stop or sit in a spot, the coverage on that receiver is going to get tighter over time because the defenders are going to sit right next to him if they have enough time to do so. If, however, you have receivers running routes where they keep running - like a go route, well then you have increased separation as time ticks on. The problem with Dennison is he historically doesn't do much of those long developing routes. He does the short ones. I think that also helps explain the backwards regression this passing offense took compared to the last two years. If Dennison was an awesome offensive coordinator, you would think he would have more plays where receivers got more open over time to exploit the two truly awesome things Tyrod can do for you regularly 1) extend a play way beyond what defenses should allow and 2) hit fast receivers running deep. This is why I think Tyrod would absolutely kill defenses if he was used in that manner. Maybe I am nuts and totally wrong. It is just my opinion. He should have been used that way all year. Use his legs to extend plays. Used designed plays that spread the defenders way out farther and farther over time so there is more separation than should ever be allowed by a defense. Score in a handful of plays instead of trying to perfectly execute 15 plays to get to the endzone. Anyway, I don't think Dennison did these receivers any favors in the schematic design of this passing game.

That was just explained. It was measuring all the receivers on the field at the time the ball was thrown. In other words, the entire receiving unit as a whole on average. Not just the targeted receiver. So on average, play after play, game after game over the season, the Bills receivers got less separation than other teams. In fact, worst in the league at getting and/or staying open. As some people accused them of being.

Yes. It would suggest that they are inferior as a unit in that one specific area (getting separation). Not any others. Maybe there are advanced stats for other areas. I gotta look at that link 26 sent. Earlier in the year there were some people (Kirby was one I think) who made the observation that the Bills receivers sucked at getting separation and therefore made it harder for a guy like Tyrod (who likes wide open receivers) to throw to. As per usual, people just said it was because Tyrod sucked and that these receivers were just fine. Turns out, it looks like the receivers weren't fine. Maybe Tyrod sucked too. But the receivers weren't doing at least one really important part of their job requirement. And I am not trying to defend Tyrod. I am done with him too. Must be upgraded ASAP. I am just pointing out, they were right about the "not getting enough separation" thing all along. And I think it has a lot to do with the offensive scheme too. It is generally easier for a defender to play tighter coverage on a short route inside 10 yards than it is for them to cover a guy going for the endzone. If you have receivers constantly running straight down the sideline you will often see the coverage back off a bit and give them the underneath stuff so as to not give up the big play. This year it didn't feel like defenses gave them anything really.

To give someone the middle finger. Seriously, you never heard of that?

It doesn't necessarily mean their receivers are better talent wise. It is a measurement of the finished product on the field at the point the ball is thrown. It is entirely possible that on average, the Jet's receivers had more separation than Pittsburgh's did. Doesn't mean Jet's receivers are more talented overall. Just means they outperformed the other guys in that one area. Separation doesn't necessarily equal production though either. It is one part of their job which makes delivering the ball and catching the ball easier. Other important factors come into play in terms of scoring points or completing passes. Catching ability. Catching radius. Ability to win battles. Raw speed. Ability to break tackles. Jump ability. etc. Seems this just measures their ability as a unit to consistently get separation. How else would you measure it? Isn't that essentially what they are trying to measure. Is there a different stat somewhere that measures separation somehow?

It is essentially a reflection of the finished product. The combination of individual talent and the coaching/passing schemes across numerous situations in game throughout the season. Doesn't paint a rosy picture for either the coaches or the receivers themselves.

So then I presume it measures receiving corps as a unit over the course of games and the season. That does suggest that the Bills receivers as a unit are inferior.

You are stupid. I pointed out why you are stupid. Yet you are too stupid to understand it. You are blinded by hatred without cause. Lowest interception percentage translates across number of passes genius. 3 years as a starter for almost all the games those years is plenty of data points to measure trends. The proof is right in front of your face in writing. But you can't fix stupid. Nice try though Crusher. Your posts still suck as bad as they did before your new choice of aliases.

You are flat out stupid. He has the lowest interception percentage in history numbnuts. Get your head out of your ass.

But McDermott is a stoic man. Certainly not Mr. emotional.

How old are you? I thought that is how everyone said it? Need to start a poll. This is important and must be answered. How do you say it?

We would have lost on a gut retching late 4th quarter interception during the potential game tying/winning drive. Wait...didn't we just....

This is one of those times where a person should have actually created a new thread. It's an entirely different discussion.

But I do know who you is.

Mahomes is going to be the next Donavan McNabb. That is why Reid was enamored with him. He had flashbacks of yesteryear.