The Frankish Reich

I don't know how much is on Beane vs. McD. They've been joined at the hip since coming here together, so I guess I just have to assume every decision is a joint decision. But here's what's bothering me: some GMs do a great rebuild job. That's what Beane did. But then they tend to overvalue their guys who helped them turn things around. And so they get complacent. Jon Feliciano ... nice find! Our O line got better with him in there. Bring him back. Dion Dawkins ... turned into a solidly above average LT! Pay the man to the tune of $58 million even though pretty much everyone agreed he's certainly not a top 10 LT. The great GMs (Belichick with his GM hoodie on) are ruthless. There's no "this guy made us better, he's not elite, but we better lock him up because it's not easy to figure out how to replace him" going on. Remember this one? https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4812167/patriots-stay-true-to-financial-discipline-in-absorbing-tough-loss-of-nate-solder You're not gonna pay Tom Brady's blindside protector? Really? No, you're not. Nor are you going to pay Malcolm Butler or Danny Amendola. You are going to go out and find UDFAs and guys off the waiver wire and mid round draft picks to ensure you don't let yourself creep right back into salary cap hell.

That was what was driving me nuts. Watching Levi Wallace on the field with the Pats going against the wind, letting the whole world know that they had zero intention of throwing the ball.

Looks like Star pitched a shutout last night. No tackles. I don't want to be a "boxscore scout." So I'll leave it to the All 22 reviewers to show me how he occupied two Pats linemen most of the night, allowing Tremaine Edmunds to be the run stuffer we always knew he could be. I don't want to see him fired for exactly these reasons. But what I want or don't want to see doesn't matter. The Bills' turnaround under McD has bought him at least one more season, but realistically only one more season. It's hard to see this team advancing to the AFC Championship again. If that doesn't happen (particularly if they blow it and don't make the playoffs at all), it's one step back instead of one step forward to the Super Bowl. And coaches on teams considered to have "the most talented roster in the conference" don't last long unless their teams play like that's true.

I didn't see that in the box score. That's lame. Breida just muffed the handoff. It didn't even have anything to do with the weather.

I agree. It took away most of the reasons fans (not Bills/Pats fans, just football fans) want to watch a game for a division lead. Having said that, if you told me an NFL team would completely abandon the pass I'd have told you they'd average about 2 yards per carry. The Pats averaged 4.8

Don't tell me he fumbled. I mean, fumbling even once gets you in McD's permanent doghouse. At least that's what I heard ...

And they controlled the clock against the wind in the 3rd quarter, causing us to lose our best opportunity to score with the wind.

They actually had all 179 lbs of Levi Wallace out there on some plays when the Pats were going against the wind and weren't making any pretense of throwing the ball. I'm not saying you have to play all linemen and linebackers, but there is something about adjusting your personnel to what the offense is sending out there and what the game conditions appear to be dictating. Wasn't he pushed back 3 yards on a Mac Jones QB sneak? Sure, he may have been double-teamed some, but he had a truly unimpactful game.

I was thinking the Broncos Tebow offense. But with a QB who can't run. So basically they ran for 222 yards with NE playing 10 against our 11 since Mac Jones just passed the baton from the Center to a nondescript RB.

And it's not like Belichick's Pats haven't been there themselves. They got very pass happy a couple times during the Brady years, but Belichick always managed to build a running game, including in the middle of a season. I fear it's too late for the Bills this year, so it's certainly time to start working in that direction for next year.

If you'd told me that an NFL team would throw 3 passes for a total of 19 yards, I'd have told you no way they'll score more than 3 (barring a Pick 6, kick return, etc.). So, no, holding them to 14 while allowing them to run all over you is not "all you can ask for."

For one: on offense, you have to commit to establishing a run game. Personnel is a problem, particularly with no active FB today. It's a cliche but teams that commit to the run sooner or later will develop at least a useful running game. Tonight was weird since everyone knew both teams would be run first (even more weird in that it didn't help our defense), but with the passing game back in play, there's no reason we can't effectively run the ball.

It's almost as if Belichick has been through this before and he adapts his personnel and strategy to win in sub-optimal weather conditions!

Ouch. I'm not confident about that one at all, but I am confident that it will be an entirely different type of game and an entertaining one. How about a 41-37 shootout?

Yep. He was good. Didn't embarrass anyone (that's not his style) but clearly communicated that all is not right and that this isn't simply a bad weather fluke. I suspect we'll see some changes right away.

Allen: that's about as well as I've seen a QB play in conditions this horrid. With a couple makeable catches he's got a win and, amazingly, 200+ yards passing in a game where his counterpart had 19. Probably everyone but Allen shares some of the blame for how this one went.

Good point. The Pats RBs didn't have huge holes on all those runs, but they found the gaps and make the good cuts that got them decent yardage.

I get your point, but to me the message of the game is simple. We talked all week about how Mac Jones wouldn't be able to throw in bad Buffalo weather. Belichick agreed; he didn't throw it at all. He signaled that very early and never deviated from it. We knew - particularly against the wind - that every play would be a running play. And then they ran it for 222 yards. We have the great playmakers, and that was almost the equalizer tonight. Almost.

And not particularly big and powerful either. Other than that they're just fine.

Exactly. It is the confidence to know that your gameplan is a sound one for the game conditions, and the discipline to stick with it. Any other coach would've thought "I'll at least show them pass a few times to keep them honest." No. Zero passes against the wind, 3 with it (and 2 of those at the very end). No FGs or PATs attempted against the wind. We almost stole one here because of the incredible playmaker we have in Allen, but almost doesn't count. The boring disciplined guy is ahead of us in the standings, and probably for good.

Fair point. It did take him till the Jets game (the week after the Jags fiasco) to even try to bring Allen under center, use a power running formation, etc. even though it was abundantly obvious by October that the offense had become far too pass happy.

You did see the 15 yard punt?

Silver lining: yeah, now only about a 23% chance of winning the division. But still a 74% chance of making the playoffs! (per 538) And the best news: all road games! Maybe some in domes or So Cal!!

I can assure you that ZERO passes were completed against our CBs tonight. I count that as a win!

Hard to say. I mean, it sounds stupid to say that, but we don't know what input Daboll has on personnel decisions. Did he say use draft picks on pass rushers and not O linemen because he thought we were pretty sound there? Bring in Sanders and not a competent fullback or second block-first TE?