GunnerBill

Well he has been late multiple times going back to his rookie year, he was late to meetings in his rookie camp. That is not a good sign. It is unacceptable.

Win on Thursday and the playoffs are all but certain I think. I'm on holiday in Mexico too so I don't need to be up in the middle of the night to watch.

Maybe. I just don't think the upside is worth it, especially given the off field behaviour.

The problem is a lot of those guys are not coming back this year. Hoecht is done. Jackson is done. Strong is done (and who knows career wise). Rapp is done (maybe a good thing). Oliver at best is back for the playoffs. I still think it can go half a second sooner. He has not been decisive enough in multiple games. When he overthinks he makes mistakes. When Josh is playing instinctive and decisive it doesn't matter whether he is going short or long he is hard to stop.

I don't want to overreact to one game with Shavers, but I think he looks better outside.

I think McD taking over the playcalling HAS worked. When I was advocating for him to do it, even before the Falcons game where it became obvious he had to it, the two things I said I thought it would fix were third down and the confusion pre-snap. While Tampa had a good day on 3rd down on Sunday overall the 3rd down D since McD took over is singificantly improved (was about 20% points better before Sunday). And the pre-snap miscommunications have been better the past game or two after being an issue all season (including the first couple of McDemott games). He isn't going to magically fix the rest of it. I think the talent on D gives it a pretty clear ceiling. Someone said it elswhere they are kind of between two stools.... older guys who are dropping off and young rookie / 2nd year guys who haven't established themselves yet. The prime age/experience guys on this D are basically the three they resigned this year - Groot, Bernard and Benford - and Oliver who is done for the year. I was pretty clear at the time I wasn't necessarily in favour of extending Bernard. And I was on the fence with Groot. The positives on defense from this year are Walker, Bishop and Hairston. Three talented young guys who have really shown some promise.

It is different to Bishop. The issue with Cole was never talent. It was mental. It was waiting for the light to come on. It finally has. With Keon I don't see the talent. Maybe if they didn't have an established answer that they'd paid in the slot already I'd be saying move Keon inside and try him there before you give up him. But they do. I'm not taking Shakir off the field to try and rescue Keon's career. The reason Keon can't play outside receiver in the NFL is he doesn't have the skillset to do it.

I thought WR2 was his absolute ceiling coming out of the draft. I am now pretty sure that is a ceiling he isn't reaching. He is at best a big slot. But the chances he totally busts out of the league are now pretty high.

And the touchdown run isn't Poyer's responsibility. Obviously ultimately you want your safety capable of saving a touchdown there and making Tampa get it in from the 10 or something but the failure was on the 2nd level (think Milano) who misplayed his assignment.

I think it is pretty high. The issue was a pretty low floor and until JoPo got in alongide him that is what we got. But no question - Bish has been great the last 4 or 5 games. Very optimistic now for his future. Bishop, Benford and Hairston is three nice young building blocks in that secondary.

McDermott is calling the defense. The problem isn't the read. Or Knox. Josh is just late on the throw. I think a lot of his issues in recent weeks - including the poorer throws in this game - have been due to timing. If that is thrown half a second sooner it is a completion.

I thought I saw multiple snaps with a bear front, but I was watching it on my ipad in an airport hotel so I wouldn't stake my life on it haha. I agree on all three points in your second para re. both scheme not being the issue, DL not having anyone that commands doubles without Ed, plays too upright and the second level defenders being a problem. I think the second level has been worse than the DL personally. Pretty much all season.

That is true but trust me the Tampa defensive backfield is a mess.

I think their Quarterbacking has still been better than their playcalling and scheming.

He should do.

Agree with this. Bad Tampa pass D but my word I'd rather Shavers and Gabe rotating than Keon. He is a net negative to the offense.

Some thoughts: On #1 - nobody wants Josh to be a glorified game manager. But the reality is this time runs it better than it passes it for the most part. That is because our weapons in the pass game struggle getting open. That is a bad Buccs secondary we played today and so unlike other games when Brady dialled up the deep shots, particularly on play action Josh went deep rather than checking down which he has been doing. I think he checked down once to Cook over the middle. Every other shot play he threw deep. He hasn't been doing that because guys haven't been open and I think Josh has been a bit safe in challenging tight windows. On #2 agree nobody here is a featured peice. I think running out of 11 occasionally to keep teams honest isn't the worst call but the Bills run it best in big personnel. They need to get out of the pitch obsession and get back to the trap and off tackle runs. When they ran some traps in the 4th Quarter Cook was back to churning out 5 plus most carries. On #3.... it's missing On #4 agree the D can't hold people. The 3rd down defense was a step back yesterday but partly because they lost too many 1st and 2nd downs. Generally since McD took over playcalling it has been much improved on 3rd down. Let's hope they get back to that next week. On #5 I don't understand but sure 😂. On a serious note - I have always thought Josh is better when the ball is in his hand, he is high volume passing and can get intona rhythm. That said last year he won MVP in a more balanced offense. I do think the last few weeks other than when laser focussed vs the Chiefs he has looked a bit lazy in his fundamentals as a lower volume passer. So there is something finding an appropriate balance.

It did early, for sure. Think the offense found some rhythm 2nd half.

That does surprise me but I think a Mahomes stat more than anything.

You mean 2023 not last season, but agree. The division is basically gone for them now. And the wildcard race.... I think the Bills and Jags make it. Texans, Chargers, Chiefs and Ravens (or Steelers) for one spot.

Yes. They will beat both AFC North teams and could win both of the others too.

But he is separating well at least...... separating himself from his rookie contract 😆

If he is no longer a Bill it ended well IMO.

He is right.

The Eagles fired Andy after a 4-12 season on the back of an 8-8 and no playoffs year. I'm not sure McDermott and Beane would survive a single no playoff season. This defense as currently constructed is trash though. I'd be stunned if we held good teams down in the post season.