PolishDave

So, are these the Bills' second stringer or third? Cuz it is hard to recognize the names of some of the firsts. So ya never know.

I figured you must be. Anybody who desires a zero win season is hard core.

It is disheartening. Must still be recovering from an Adolphus Washington fart on the plane to Philly.

Boy, you're a real hard core fan aren't ya?

If your 1's are going to play this badly, may as well leave them in. They need the reps.

Still predicting much improved run Defense and a very porous secondary.

Didn't they look great in preseason last year?

That's what happens when you have all new receivers and an offensive line that sucks. No confidence between QB and WR's. No chemistry.

I think we are pretty much in agreement with one exception - The part where you are certain that Taylor isn't the answer. I'm not certain he is the answer. I don't think anybody is certain he is the answer except for Tyrod himself. I am just not 100% certain he is not the answer. He is most likely not the answer if you want to run an offense that requires a pure pocket passer. (Example: An offense where the quarterback never runs the ball and only throws from the pocket usually after making a number of situational decisions (progressions) after the snap) He absolutely could be the answer if you design an offense around his strengths doing things like this: * Designed run plays for the QB - draws and run options * Options where the QB can run or pass * Roll outs that allow the QB to use his evasiveness to extend the amount of time he can hold the ball allowing defenses to get stretched farther + create big plays/homeruns * Pocket passing plays with limited post snap reads - then run option * Play action passing on early downs or otherwise typical running situations * Plenty of deep passing routes designed to get his #1 receiver in one on one coverage Do I expect him to become the Bills franchise QB? Nope. I predict they will replace him within 2 years (could even be this season) with someone they draft. Only way they don't is if Tyrod performs like a top 5-ish Qb in the NFL this year. And I am not predicting that. Just so you know - It isn't/wasn't up to Taylor to design the offense and determine how elementary the scheme is. It is up to the coaches. Since being in Buffalo, Tyrod has ONLY had coaches who believe in running the football while limiting the passing. What part about that is hard to grasp? You, nor me, nor anyone else has ever seen Tyrod Taylor be asked to execute a pass centric offense since he has been a starter in the NFL. That isn't his fault. Those were going to be the same offensive schemes regardless of who the QB was. The Bills may have ran more options with Taylor than they would with a QB who can't run. But the running game being the primary focus of the offense was always going to be the case regardless of who Roman/Lynn had as QB. Dennison is likely to opt for more balance in the passing vs run situation - but we won't know that for sure until the season starts. They are not pass centric like New Orleans, Green Bay or Baltimore in 2016. Dennison's offenses still rely heavily on the running game.

Winning is a team stat dude - accounts for 22 starters plus special teams - plus coaching and staff among other things. There are other stats to measure individual players by. QB's certainly influence wins and losses more than any other player - but they are still only a percentage of the reasons why a team wins or loses any given Sunday. If QB was directly responsible, then teams like New Orleans and the Chargers would be in the Superbowl regularly. Team stats are for teams. Player stats are for players.

When you're right - you're right. Last time the Colts were good, they were in the worst division in the NFL. Jags won 3 games all year and the Titans only won 2. I know it takes more than a QB to win, but he hasn't exactly shined year after year in the NFL. When he was coming out of college he was supposed to be the next Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. He isn't anywhere close to the talent level his predecessor was. IMHO - Luck is over-rated. He is good - no doubt - but over-rated nonetheless. Above average QB. Not top ten. Borderline 10 perhaps. In other words - not good enough to put his team on his back and go win a championship. And that seems to be the standard in quarterbacking that people expect in Buffalo.

You're the only one who said that. Nobody else did. I don't agree with you. I think wins absolutely matter.

Culture has everything to do with it. Some synonyms for culture would be - mindset - attitude - work ethic - confidence - accountability- a combination of those things really. Culture is at least PART of the reason why some teams end up being great come from behind teams - Like the modern era Patriots or the 90's era Bills. Mindset, attitude, confidence, work ethic, accountability - all those things are part of the culture and absolutely DO matter. I thought this was common sense knowledge that like every single person everywhere understood. It doesn't mean it is more important than talent. Talent can certainly trump anything else in the right scenario - But I believe a positive style of culture can certainly elevate a team to play with synergy - slightly above their talent level.

If and when Beane finds a pocket passer that is so good at it that it outweighs the other big play, chain moving qualities that Tyrod possesses, I will be happy to see Tyrod replaced by that guy. I think most fans would. It would mean the Bills have a truly outstanding "elite" passer. And then if they can get enough other pieces in place, the Bills would be a perennial playoff team. If the Bills had improved the offensive line this year, retained their number one receiver (Sammy) and brought in Zay and Boldin, I think this existing offense could have steam-rolled opponents - and easily been a top 10 offense (probably much higher) even with the existing QB. Hoping they are going to be "good enough" anyway this year - but I doubt it.

Your posts are totally valid. With a lot of people around here, Tyrod Taylor is like Rodney Dangerfield - he gets no respect. As a QB, Taylor is actually much better than he is given credit for by 1/2 of Bills fans. It irks some of them when you show how good his numbers actually have been compared to QB's they hold high esteem for. Truth is, Taylor (in some ways) out shines some very good quarterbacks. If you took all of Tyrod's talent and could redirect it into being a pure pocket passer - a statue - Tom Brady style - more of the fans around here would be goo goo over him. People around here don't want a QB with athletic talent off the charts. They want a guy with pocket passing skills off the charts and nothing else. Taylor is never going to be that guy. And many will continue disliking him because of it.

You are correct. And if you want a team to play to win you have to keep their minds in the right place. You have to give them as many reasons to be optimistic as possible. Ditching one of their top 2 players on offense when there is no cause to do it this year is a great way to gut punch the entire team. Bills staff "Yea we want to win. But, if you are super talented and going to want to make big money in this league next year, we don't want you here this year." This translates onto the field by players more easily developing a "Who gives a crap" attitude. Who gives a crap about this year, who gives a crap about this team, who gives a crap about this organization. - Those types of thoughts. Say you're in a game and the other team gets up 2 scores on you. Instead of digging deep and looking for a way to come back on them, you might start thinking "Who gives a crap?" And once that mentality hits - well, it just becomes that much harder for you to come back in that game. Instead it is more likely that the failure gains momentum and turns into a blowout. Don't emotionally gut punch every player on your team and then expect them not to feel bad.

And Preston Brown said "Coach took care of us when we need to be taken care of." What does that mean? Is that a sexual reference?

Well Jauron was a free safety in the NFL right? McDermott was a DB in college. So............. Maybe they both thought they were the most important people on the field then too.... ey?

Sad he never tried any random corner bar in Sloan/Kaisertown for the picked pigs feet, fresh polish sausage and kapusta. Oh... and da beer.....

If you live near the Rockpile, you aren't going to get many people taking that bet. Awe come on....Can't we have another thread on this?

Probably spent a decent amount of time at the Canadian ballet.

Yet they got embarrassed by the lowly Buffalo Bills when they came to town. Sucking for Luck failed miserably.

I think they just tipped their hat to the fact that they honestly don't care about the 2017 season. They are "pretending" to care. That is why there is tank talk. Fans imagine Sammy Watkins as (talent wise) being the type of receiver (when healthy of course) that every single team in the league wishes they had on their team. Bills finally had him healthy. So ditching him without a truly compelling reason seems like a move only made by a GM who doesn't care if his team is worse this year. Obviously some people think what Beane got for Watkins was enough. Many do not agree. If Beane is surprised by the tank talk, then he doesn't have his finger on the pulse of the Buffalo Bills fanbase - which is bad news for a GM in my opinion. This reaction was highly predictable. Could have been a lot worse. Still could be if this team ends up sucking big time this year.

If you were going to bet one way or the other, that would be the safer bet. It will look really, really bad half way through this season "IF" the offense is really sputtering.

Sarcasm bro. Well I meant it a little. This isn't the "This Year's Defense Sucks" thread. But I suspect we will have one before the end of week 2 - maybe 3.