GunnerBill

Every team has player specifications for what their scheme needs the Bills are not unique on that. Indeed even the teams you probably think are more just draft the best player are probably the strictest on that specification - Ravens and Eagles for example . But I don't think it is ever "just get me a fast linebacker." And if it is then Beane failed with Terrel Bernard! Although to be fair to Beane he did take the best remaining linebacker on the board when he selected Bernard two rounds ahead of where most had him pegged. He is actually an example of a good draft choice (though I am less persuaded he is a good contract extension and said that at the time). They do value coverage ability at linebacker, they value length at edge and at corner, they value movement skills on the offensive line. But I don't think it is their player specifications that is hurting them with the exception that I think they do under value speed, generally across the roster. I think their positional value is the bigger issue. And that is on Beane. He drafts to the Gettleman / Hurney rules. And he tells us himself that is what he believes in. Defensive front 7 and Quarterbacks early, oline and running backs next, boundary players last. I know he has drafted two 1st round corners as well but that is only really cos he whiffed so badly on the first one. Elam, Hairston, Bishop and Taron are the only DBs he has taken in the first four rounds in SEVEN drafts.

Beane runs the draft. The overall strategy McDermott has a say in so if you want to argue too much on defense etc its legit to point to both of them. But Beane is 100% the one evaluating and selecting players.

I agree with speed. They lack it almost everywhere. Don't have a speed edge rusher. Don't have a fast receiver. They finally have some at corner with Max but he is still a bit up and down at the moment. They used to have speed at the second level that was the trade off for lacking size - if you threw short of the sticks to the flats Milano and Taron chased you down and tackled you. But the injuries have taken their toll on both. But fundamentally, even more than speed.... they just don't have enough talent.

I think it is the other way round. If they keep asking McDermott to coach a Beane built roster it won't get any better. But they are tied as far as I am concerned. One goes both go.

He had a bad night last night. A real bad night. And why he is getting away from Cook I have no idea. Early 4th Quarter, down 1 score Cook who had our only offensive touchdown.... had ELEVEN carries. That is inexcuseable.

Yes I think he would.

We were explosive last Sunday because the Tampa secondary sucks. Conversely the Houston secondary is really good. It is as simple as that. Against a good set of DBs our guys failed to get open, again.

McDermott has fixed the 3rd down defense since assuming playcalling. Through the Falcons game with Babich calling things (I think they swapped at half time but let's just count that game as him - it got better after half but I'll give Babich the benefit of the doubt) the Bills 3rd down D was giving up 40.8% - which over the season would be good for 23rd in the NFL. Since then with McDermott calling things the 3rd down D is running at 34.2% - which over the season would be good for 4th in the entire NFL after Denver, Chicago and Houston. He has also fixed the miscommunications pre-snap. Took him a couple of games and they had to use time outs to fix some in the Kansas City game, but since then, better. They were the two things I said he woild fix. And he has. The rest - including the run D - I just don't think that is a coaching fix. Last night in that first half the Bills had the right calls on all but 1 run. They had a guy in the right gap. And they couldn't make a play. Do I have some sympathy with bench Taron and bench Bernard? Sure. But fundamentally players just have to make plays. Whoever said it (I think it was @Kirby Jackson) a couple of week ago about the D was spot on. They are between eras. They have 4 or 5 first or second year guys with some promise but they also still have 4 guys starting from the 2018 defense plus Jones up front who are past their best. The only prime age starters are Groot, Bernard and Benford and two of those are looking like bad contracts for sure.

Watching Joey Bosa walk around is not fun for me. I missed some of the 3rd Quarter last night. I am on holiday and decided to prioritise some time with the other half. I don't often turn off or miss bits of Bills games but we have players out there not giving their all. Especially Bosa whose effort is laughable. And that does piss me off. They were absolutely terrible but the Gailey teams and the Jauron teams they tried. There were guys especially on defense first half last night who I guarantee you were not playing with 100% effort.

Haha. I still think Sean McDermott can coach. I don't buy that he couldn't coach a team to a Superbowl. But he can't coach this team, built this way, to a Superbowl and while I accept at least at the strategic level he has an input into the roster build he isn't the one responsible for the talent acquisition or for selecting the pieces for this roster. And the roster is not good enough. I don't see how it gets better with a GM who is very good at finding guys but very bad at finding THE guy.

I don't want to miss the playoffs to force regime change, no. But I am increasingly of the view Beane has to go. I know we have some injuries but this roster beyond 4 or 5 guys sucks. It really does. And by extension that means McDermott has to go, because to me they are a package deal, I want my GM and coach being a package deal and replacing one then forcing a new person on the other almost never works.

On defense it is ABSOLUTELY effort. Especially first half. I'm sick to death of Bosa. He isn't trying at all. But he isn't alone. Embarrassing.

We didn't deserve to win. The defensive effort first half was pathetic. I'd cut Joey Bosa tomorrow. He doesn't want to try. The offensive line was brutal and only about 5 guys played like they wanted to win. Ironically two of those 5 were responsible for the five turnovers. Joe Brady was awful. I don't think the defensive coaching was bad. But a message needs sending to the locker room. Half efforts won't cut it. And that starts with Joey. See ya later. Half assing fraud.

Ah man that play was there

Hard but Gabe has to get a foot down there.