BillsFan4

Bummer. Figured Gaine was gone as soon as Green Bay hired Brian Guntekunst. He was supposedly the guy the Texans wanted, with Gaine being choice #2. Really sucks Gaine didn't even have one draft here. But I'd assume that he's done a lot of work on this draft class, so at least we have all the player evaluations he's done so far. The Texans could really screw us in this draft, though. They draft in front of us in every round.

Yeah I am sure there was no way Belichick was trading Garoppolo pretty much anywhere in the AFC. Im just glad they traded him. I don't think I could take a Brady clone torturing us for the next 10+ years.

I feel just the opposite. If Dennison stays, then they should move on from Tyrod. He just doesn't fit his offense. There seemed to be receivers running open quite often that Tyrod didn't see. You can't blame that on Dennison. But if they bring in another OC who will utilize Tyrod more like Roman/Lynn did and go back to the power run game, then it makes more sense to keep TT (assuming they can't find any potential upgrade). I actually think Dennison's offense could be much better with a guy like Alex Smith running it though.

"Ben will actually see the blitzes coming and actually try to complete some passes down the field. He's not just going to hold onto the ball and try to run away from them all" Ouch. lol

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2018/01/how_cleveland_browns_were_froz.html#incart_river_index If true, I am glad that the Pats didn't end up with the #4 overall pick in the draft. It it also shows just how much Belichick wanted to make sure Garoppolo went somewhere where he would have success (again, if true). Theres just too much stuff that doesn't add up (about Belichick/Brady/Kraft claiming to be on the same page) for this story to be fake. I really do think Belichick wanted to keep Garoppolo over Brady. Or at the very least wanted to keep Garoppolo AND Brady (even if it meant tagging JG).

Id sure like to hear that argument... what players are even left from the Marrone era? There's hardly any players left from the Rex era, let alone Marrone's time here. This team and the success it had with this rag tag group was all McDermott. One thing I'll give Marrone some credit for - he knows how to hire defensive coordinators. Once again the offense, his supposed specialty, SUCKS arse in Jax. The defense carried that team all season. He's pretty much hands off with the defense, same as he was here. His offense and O line was terrible while here was here (again, his 2 supposed specialties) and the defense carried the team. Once again his offense is terrible in Jax and the defense is carrying the team. I give Coughlin just as much credit as Marrone. That Jax team looked just like the hard nosed ground and pound teams that Coughlin had in NY. I really dont don't get how you can say Marrone out coached McDermott anyway. Did you not see the difference in talent level between the 2 teams? That Jax team is filled to the brim with very high 1st draft picks. They've been collecting talent in the top rounds of the draft for the past, what, 5+ years? Their talent level compared to Buffalo was night and day. They should have easily handled us, yet we were in it right to the end and only allowed 1 TD. With a bit better QB play we win that game easily. Considering the disparity in talent level, Id say McDermott did a brilliant job coaching that game and this entire season. We had no business winning many of the games we won. It's not just in game coaching that counts, it's how well a coach prepares his team during the week. McDermott may have made a few rookie game management errors but he had his team very well prepared almost every week.

I think it really all depends on what the Bills do this offseason. As they stand now, I think it'd be tough to get back to the playoffs next year. If theyre able to ulgrade the D line and LB corps, the defense could be even better. The biggest thing will will most likely be what they do on offense, especially at the QB position. Whether they go with a veteran or rookie, and the quality of that veteran or rookie. If they land land a good veteran QB like Smith or a Cousins or Brees (yeah I know, Brees won't happen...) I like our chances at the playoffs, especially if the Bills can hit on another draft class like this years. If they go with a rookie, it could go either way. It all depends on if he has a stellar rookie season or an up and down one (which would probably be the most likely scenario if they go that route). So, we could either be due for a nice step forward or a small step back, depending on what happens at the most important position on the team. Both scenarios are (probably) better than just staying status quo though... I'm ready for Buffalo to find their QB.

Actually, I think it was the D line coach John Blake who may have played the biggest role in landing Washington. Obviously Whaley and Rex played a role in it and had to ok it + pull the trigger, but Whaley said after they took him that John Blake thought Washington was the best pure pass rusher in the draft and that he really pushed for the Bills to draft him. Whaley said he (Blake) was thrilled when the Bills took him. I think its it's too early to give up on Washington though. They definitely need to upgrade the starting DT position but there's really no reason not to keep him around as a rotation guy and try to develop him (unless some team wants to give up a decent draft pick for him...).

Surprising that we haven't heard of him interviewing until now. Wonder if he chose to take a break from the game, or if there honestly just wasn't interest until now. I find it a little hard to believe that nobody had any interest in him, looking around at some of the DC's in the NFL the past 2 seasons... i always thought he was he was a good D.C. Rex's defense sure went downhill once he left. Also thought he did a good job as HC of the Browns. They probably should have just kept him. They may have been better off right now if they had. I have to think he'd have won more than 1 game in 2 years.

Seems kind of soon for Nagy to get a HCing job to me. He barely has 1/2 a season of play calling experience. How about that Andy Reid coaching Tree though, eh? Matt Nagy John Harbaugh Doug Pederson Sean McDermott Ron Rivera Steve Spagnuolo (current interim HC) all current NFL HC's. As well as Leslie Frazier, Pat Shurmur, Brad Childress who were HC's at one time. You could even even say that Todd Bowles is (somewhat) from Reid's coaching tree as I'm pretty sure Reid gave Bowles his first shot to be a defensive coordinator in the NFL.

It sounds like Brian Gutekunst was actually the favorite for the Texans GM job until he took the GM job with the Packers

I wish Gaine luck in his interview but if I am honest I am Really hoping we don't lose him so quickly.

I don't see how Keenum could have possibly been looked at as an upgrade before this current season. Not one team went after him to be their starting QB this past march, or ever, really. He threw for 9 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and something like a 43 QBR in 2016. He was pretty bad. He has had a great season, but I don't think anyone would have called him an upgrade over Tyrod before this year... Nobody expected him to come in and play so well. He couldn't even earn/keep a starting job on the Texans (who had no decent QBs on their roster - he couldn't beat out Fitzpatrick or Ryan Mallett) or the Rams (who had Foles and eventually Goff) Keenum entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and has been not much more than an afterthought until this year. He's spent a lot of time on practice squads. He was waived multiple times by multiple teams. Hes definitely been a great surprise story this year though.

There really was no upgrade available in free agency. They did try to sign Brian Hoyer (to back up/compete with Tyrod) but he got a last minute offer from SF to start so he took it. I think passing on a QB in the draft was more about McDermott not trusting Whaley's ability to evaluate the QB's than anything else. I think he knew that a new GM was coming in after the draft (likely Beane) and figured that the Bills would probably be picking high again this year, so he picked up another 1st for next year giving the new GM (that he had more trust in) the ability to take a shot at a QB with one of those 1st round picks. Thst is just pure pure speculation on my part, but IMO it makes sense. If you were McDermott and you had worked for 2 decades to get a HC job would you want to gamble it all on a rookie QB drafted by a GM you didn't have faith in and knew was out the door? I don't think I would...

Thanks 26. I'm hoping a bunch of people show up to greet them.

Thanks for the kind words. I, for one, am proud. At least we don't constantly have to see that "17 year playoff drought" graphic up on the TV screen all the time, and hear commentators constantly bringing it up. I think we have our coach, and if this year's draft is anything like last years we will be in good shape. We we are still a few years away from making any real noise but I think we are finally headed in the right direction. Just the culture change alone was huge. We are finding ways to win instead of always "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory", which is great.

Oh I agree for sure. We need a QB and we need defensive line help desperately, among other holes. But i I take issue that he hasn't been around in months, celebrating the playoffs with us all. If if you don't seem to take any joy in breaking that 17 year drought and getting that huge anvil off all of our collective shoulders, then I have to question if you are a true Bills fan. Most true Bills fans felt the weight of that 17 year playoff drought hanging heavy over everything and took immense joy when it was broken. How can you not make one post about breaking the drought?! And then show up today to make this thread...?

Definitely very optimistic about the future. I think we we might have our coach. He's had the team prepared pretty well for the majority of games this year and has them playing good, fundamentally sound football. We have a bunch of draft picks in the top 3 rounds. We broke the drought and may hopefully be a bit more attractive to free agents. The Bills have talent at certain positions. There's too many holes to plus by next year. But a strong draft and some more savvy free agent signings like Hyde + Poyer will go a long way towards making the Bills even more competitive than this year. They NEED to make upgrading the QB position a priority though. Even if it's only a veteran stop gap, like Alex Smith, to help groom a future successor. Overall, I am happy with this season. They definitely outperformed all expectations. They actually found ways to win games instead of finding ways to lose. That in itself is HUGE. McDermott seems to have done a heck of a job changing the culture at One Bills Drive, and that is something that was desperately needed. Thank you Bills for getting that 17 year anvil off our backs!

I'm thinking it'll probably depend on what we do at QB. If they bring in an upgrade at QB or at the very least bring Tyrod back, I think the chances of him coming back are greater. If they decide to go with Peterman +"a rookie and Kyle knows it'll probably be a learning year for them then I think he may choose to call it a career.

Go back into hiding please. Your terrible takes were not missed here.

It's so annoying that some posters only crawl out of the woodwork after a loss... Where were you when the Bills made the playoffs? Nowhere to be found, when all us real Bills fans were celebrating. If if you don't think that breaking a 17 year playoff drought with a rag tag group,of cast offs is an accomplishment and take joy in it, then I have to wonder if you are actually a Bills fan.

Well, at least we won't get humiliated against the Patriots next week.

Al Riveron could !@#$ us one more time so of course he did. They didnt stick with the call call when it was against us.

I'm not sure if that's a catch. But its Al Riveron, so we don't stand a chance.

Game over. Peterman needs to work on his his arm strength. Ball just took too long to get there.