Logic

Derp Josh Allen is Mr Hollywood he'd rather put on a fancy tux and walk a red carpet in Paris and knock up a bartender and he doesn't work hard and he'll never be great as long as he takes things so lackadaisically and they sure don't make 'em like they used to THEY TOOK OUR JOBS derppp

As I learned on Hard Knocks last night, the 2023 Giants offense also scored the least points of any Giants team since 1979! When you consider how the NFL is set up to promote scoring these days and the fact that teams play one more game per season now than they did then...I thought that was a pretty shocking statistic.

I haven't watched it yet but I'm excited to do so. I've heard that it's already more interesting than the training camp ones. I find offseason "how the sausage gets made" stuff with GMs and scouts so, so interesting. Arguably more interesting than the zillionth "longshot to make the team, training camp battle, let's cry with him as he gets cut and gets a job as a garbage man" storyline. For what it's worth...I kind of wish the Bills had been the ones to pull off the trade for Brian Burns, salary cap implications be damned.

The amount of change this team is undergoing makes it hard to pick just one thing. The Bills have a new offensive coordinator (this is his first year without "interim" in the title and installing his own offense) and defensive coordinator. They have big question marks at defensive line (will Von Miller be back to form? Will Rousseau and Epenesa continue their upward trajectory?). They have big question marks at offensive line (will McGovern be good at center? Who fills the leadership void left by Mitch Morse?) They have massive questions at wide receiver. They have questions in terms of the overall leadership void created by the departures of Hyde, Poyer, White, Morse, Diggs, et al. When I look at the 2024 Buffalo Bills, I see a team of massive transition and change. Any one of the above listed things could be reasonably marked as "concerns" going into the season. If I have to pick just one -- to the shock of absolutely no one who has read anything I've had to say since the draft -- my answer would be the WR corps. I have allowed cautious optimism to creep in, but it exists among a healthy heaping of doubt and worry. Can Coleman get acclimated quickly and hit the ground running? Can Samuel be the steady veteran presence on the outside? Can Shakir take another step forward? Can Claypool or MVS or Hamler or whomever step up and be an ancillary threat? Tons of questions in this position group. Easily my biggest "concern" on this team right now.

To me, it's not a question of "can Josh Allen make chicken salad out of chicken *****" with an average to subpar receiving group?". He can, and has. To me, the pertinent question is "have the Bills put Josh Allen in the best possible position to succeed to the best of his capabilities?", and to me, the answer appears to be a no. Now...it's completely valid to say that Stefon Diggs was likely in the Bills' plans for this coming season, that his departure was somewhat unexpected to them, and that given the cap situation, their hands were a bit tied as to how much they could really do to respond. I don't think that's ENTIRELY valid, because I would counter that they could've drafted more than one receiver in a loaded WR draft, could've traded a pick for another team's receiver and given that player an extension, etc. In any case, if the statement is "our offense will be just fine regardless of our WR corps because Josh Allen is our QB", then I agree. If the statement is "the Bills have put Allen in an optimal situation to maximize his production and be the best player he can be", I disagree. And that's what keeps on seeming to happen, in my opinion: the Bills keep turning to Josh Allen and saying "hey buddy, we're gonna need you to put on the cape most weeks in order for our team to win", and I don't think that's a desirable, sustainable, or particularly fair or wise strategy.

I feel like this just confirms the axiom that controversy sells. People wonder why journalists write salacious stuff, but it always -- ALWAYS -- gets a ton more clicks, engagement, and readership (and thus generates more money and subscriptions) than a friendly interview with a GM. Dunne rips apart Sean McDermott? Every living person in Buffalo reads it. Dunne conducts a thorough sit-down interview with the Bills GM? You couldn't find someone who's read it on a Where's Waldo two-pager.

Actually, the sheer lopsidedness of the vote -- 30 to 0 as I type this -- tells me that people are probably thinking a bit more with their hearts than their heads (myself included). I think the lasting impression of many Bills fans is of Diggs not being the same player he once was. I also think it's probably sour grapes for a lot of Bills fans, with many still holding a grudge of sorts against Diggs for the way he forced his way out of Buffalo. I'm sure many DO feel Allen will have the better game -- that's the way I voted. But I'd be surprised if people's emotions weren't coloring their answer to this question.

It's funny, because leading up to the game, both Diggs and the Bills will insist that there's no hard feelings, and that it's "just another game". In reality, I expect the Bills to make it a point to take Diggs out of the game, and I expect the Texans to make a point of trying to feature him. I expect Diggs to be very "up" for the game, and I expect the same from Allen. No one will ever admit to it, but both sides will be motivated to show out against the other. Can't wait.

Crazy that this thread got to six pages without a single one of the people posting in it (or myself) having actually been able to read the article. Never change, Bills fans.

So um... Has anyone cracked this thing yet? I want to hear what ol' Beaner has to say.

I agree with the notion that the Bills need to do a better job of surrounding Josh with offensive talent and making his life easier, as I have stated here many times and in many ways this offseason. But I think that even IF they do that, he's still always gonna take off and run through a linebacker sometimes. He likes it. It loosens him up and gets him out of his own head and gets his competitive juices flowing. I'm not saying I think that's smart or good long term planning on his part or anything like that -- and it's not really for me to say. I'm just saying that even in a hypothetical world where the Bills surround Josh Allen with the best offensive cast imaginable, I don't think he's ever gonna stop doing the Superman/tank hurdle-and-smash routine sometimes. It's just who he is. It's just how he's wired.

Respectfully, if I ever see you hold hands and sing kumbaya, I'll eat my hat and livestream it. I don't believe it's possible.

I swear, some of you will never be happy. They rein in Josh's aggressiveness, he starts passing up scrambling opportunities and plays from the pocket more? "They're taking the dawg out of Josh Allen! You've gotta just let Josh be Josh". They take the leash off and let him play the way he wants to play and he has a career high 15 rushing TDs? "psshh no wonder he's injured, what are Beane and McDermott thinking?". Cannot -- absolutely CANNOT -- win with some of ya.

It's an interview with Brandon Beane, presented AS an interview, in question and answer format. I understand people are still salty about the McDermott thing, but I don't think this piece is the same. To each their own, though.

Looks like ol Ty-Ty has put up quite the security barrier on his site. We need Delta Team 7 mega hackers on this one, stat.

Now that this thread has been revived for some reason or another, let me just say... While I have been vocally critical of the Bills' handling of the WR position this offseason, I think the MVS signing will pay dividends. I think he'll end up playing a bigger part -- and having more big plays -- than many are likely giving him credit for. If Claypool also happens to revive his career -- and all signs so far are good, albeit early in the offseason program -- then the addition of the two vets, Claypool and MVS, will go a long way toward giving this WR corps some depth and skillsets that it lacked. These were good, low cost additions that I think will help our team this year in a tangible way.

Yeah. I'd say "maybe someone who subscribes could share some of the goods with us", but...something tells me there aren't too many Ty Dunne subscribers left on this forum 😆

I know, I know...the mere MENTION of the name Tyler Dunne makes some Bills fans' blood boil. Still, this one does not appear to be a hit piece, but rather a pretty long and thorough interview with Brandon Beane. Alas, it is behind a paywall, and I am not a subscriber. For those that are, it seems well worth a read. https://www.golongtd.com/p/1-on-1-with-brandon-beane-inside ORCHARD PARK, NY — Brandon Beane can finally relax. This incoming lull on the NFL calendar is a golden opportunity to decompress. For a month, there’s no need for the Buffalo Bills general manager to agonize over an AFC title loss or “13 Seconds” or a blizzardy beatdown to Cincinnati or a 44-yard kick that sails wide right or any of the other razor-thin moments that’ve come between his franchise and a Super Bowl appearance. Time to exhale. Maybe… ? Possibly… ? No. Hell no. The breaks of the game are too stupefying. The pursuit of a championship is too all-consuming. Fresh off the most consequential offseason of his career since selecting Josh Allen seventh overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Beane admits the hunt for a title will inevitably be on his mind. And when training camp commences at St. John Fisher College in late July, he’s back to thinking about that Super Bowl quite literally every single day. “It drives you,” Beane says. “It eats at you. You want it so bad.” Most all GMs and coaches serve up “one bounce away” cliches. Too often, it’s contrived. Snake-oil jargon spewed to convince the masses a team is closer to a championship than it actually is. But here, it’s real. The Bills genuinely have been one bounce from glory. Images of those dynastic Kansas City Chiefs basking in confetti could’ve driven this GM to the point of insanity. So, the backdrop for this conversation is fitting. Beane is seated inside an office at One Bills Drive after his team’s minicamp practice. Over one shoulder, across Abbott Road, the team’s new stadium is under construction. It opens in 2026. Towering cranes are at work, positioning steel beams into the second level of the bowl. A reminder that hard work — shameless work — and day-to-day patience is always required in life. Over his other shoulder is the current stadium, the site of his team’s latest heartbreak. One look could elicit one memory that spikes urgency and reminds the GM of one cruel NFL reality: You only get so many opportunities. Beane is the man tasked with balancing the present and the future. Fresh off another excruciating playoff defeat, the Bills entered salary-cap hell. (Roughly $41 mill in the red.) His star wide receiver wanted out. (More on that later.) His defense fell flat at the worst time. (Again.) All while, the clock ticks. And ticks. This team’s prized possession is undoubtedly at the peak of his powers. These Bills are armed with arguably the best player this side of Patrick Mahomes. Yet, all-time greats will also tell you that title chances did not last forever during the reigns of Michael Jordan, of Tom Brady. These Bills are at risk of vanquishing in the same vortex. It was time to drastically reinvent the roster around Josh Allen. Time for Beane to drive this organization a bold new direction. This week, the GM sat down exclusively with Go Long to detail his vision for the Buffalo Bills. For an hour, everything is discussed. - His thinking behind Buffalo’s “transition,” and the search for a new nucleus of leaders. - Letting Josh Allen be Josh Allen. Last offseason, the Bills seemed oddly determined to reel in their 1-of-1 QB. The GM sings a different tune in our chat. He knows Allen has the mentality of a “linebacker” and does not want him to change. - Stefon Diggs is off to the Houston Texans after four years in Buffalo. Why? - Revamped WR room. Beane had his choice of any receiver amongst that second tier of wide receivers in the draft. Why Keon Coleman? Is speed a concern? The GM details the substance behind the man in the discounted yellow coat purchased at Macy’s. (He expects big things out of Dalton Kincaid, too.) -Team psychology. Beane sees value in refueling a roster with players who didn’t experience those playoff losses. He also wanted a healthy number of players with a nasty “edge” to their game. Piecing together a roster is not a matter of talent, and talent alone, to the GM. He calls every team “a chemistry experiment.” One bad chemical, he says, and everything can combust. -To get his ’06 Indianapolis Colts over the hump, Hall of Fame GM Bill Polian told us he started to weigh playoff performance on a critical curve. Beane is doing the same. -Is Sean McDermott the coach who can deliver a Super Bowl? Our series from December is brought up. - He knows time is of the essence: “We can’t waste these opportunities.” In a profession full of filibustering extraordinaires, Brandon Beane is an outlier. Candid. There’s no need for a high-powered magnifying glass to decode his words. Our entire conversation is below:

Respectfully -- and this is coming from someone who has been vocally displeased about some aspects of this offseason -- I don't see how the guy who presides over the second winningest football team of the past four years could be considered anything less than a B. Unless it is your contention that the wins are solely due to Allen and McDermott, but even then, it was Beane that DRAFTED Josh Allen. To each their own, I suppose, but B- seems a tad harsh for the GM of such a consistently winning and successful football team.

B+ to A-. One of the top 10 GMs in the league, and very possibly one of the top 5. Positives: Intelligent, thoughtful guy with a deliberate plan to his team building strategies. Works well with the owner and head coach. Seemingly has a good to great relationship with his players. Always builds an excellent staff around himself, as evidenced by all the guys that get poached. Even-keeled rather than hot headed, and it typically shows in his decision making. Consistently finds good value in free agency. Consistently turns players who might not make the roster into draft capital. Generally drafts pretty well. Handles player contracts, extensions, releases, and the salary cap well. Identified, moved up for, drafted, and put a support system in place for Josh Allen that allowed him to grow into a franchise QB. Is willing to be aggressive during the draft to get the guys he wants. Negatives: Has not drafted enough difference makers. Can be overly loyal to the players he drafts past the point at which it seems logical to do so. Gives lip service to the "Best player available" draft strategy, but in reality he often drafts for need, sometimes seemingly missing out on good value. Sometimes struggles with knowing when to make big, bold moves and when not to. His attachment to his draft board and aggressiveness associated with it makes him impatient during the draft a bit too often for my liking. At the end of the day, he presides over a team that is perennially amongst the best in the league. The Bills have won their division four years in a row, routinely enter the season top five in Super Bowl odds, routinely post double digit win seasons, and have typically fielded a deep and quality roster. In my opinion, you don't achieve these results ONLY with coaching and QB play. It takes a good GM to achieve this type of consistent success. Beane has already won an AP GM of the year award, too, so he is viewed favorably outside of Buffalo. The ONLY thing that stops him from getting a solid A to A+ is the fact that he hasn't drafted enough difference makers outside of Josh Allen. Still, he's a very good GM overall and the Bills are lucky to have him.

To answer the main question posed, I don't believe Cook is in the Bills top five, and likely not yet in their top 10 either. That said... I've had the "does any team's top five all time Running Backs depth chart match the Bills'" discussion many times. While someone else already mentioned the Browns, Cowboys, Oilers/Titans, and others, I think the all time top five running back depth chart belongs to the Chicago Bears. Walter Payton Gale Sayers Bronco Nagurski Red Grange George McAfee All five are Hall of Famers, and Payton is firmly in the conversation for greatest running back of all time. To my knowledge, no other team boasts five Hall of Fame running backs.

Speaking of Bills fan battles that rage on and on, here's a true story: In the Rob Johnson vs Doug Flutie training camp battle Summer, I attended training camp. I was a young buck at the time, and I was wearing a Rob Johnson jersey. I was just about the ONLY Johnson fan in a see of Flutie jerseys. Bill Pucko from R News in Rochester noticed and came over with the cameras to film me for the daily "camper of the day" segment. That night, there I was on the news, explaining that I know everyone loves Flutie, but that I believed in Rob Johnson, that he was a great young talent, and that I thought he would be leading the Bills for many years to come. So...needless to say, my bad personnel takes started early and have never abated. p.s. My comments may have been embarrassing, but they weren't as bad as my cousin who was sitting next to me, who also got interviewed for the segment. He was wearing a Bruce Smith jersey, so they asked him about Bruce's recent departure from the Bills. His response? "When ya gotta go, ya gotta go". He was edited out of the news story that night. 😆

Absolutely. It's easy to sit here in hindsight and say that it was an awful idea to hire Rex. The reality of the situation is that there was some real merit to the notion. Rex Ryan had led the Jets to two straight seasons where they won back-to-back road playoff games and qualified for AFC Championship games. He routinely beat the Tom Brady Patriots in both the regular season and the playoffs. He brought a swagger and a national interest to the Bills that had been sorely lacking for a very long time. We all know how it wound up playing out. It was clear from day one that he lacked the discipline needed to continue to be a successful NFL head coach, and it showed in the sloppy, undisciplined, brain fart riddled play of his defense. Aside from that, I think that NFL offense just evolved past his defensive schemes and he had no real answers. Anyway, no matter how cynical anyone can be now with 20/20 hindsight, I'd be willing to be that every single one of us were excited when he was sitting at the Big Tree with Jim Kelly and eating wings and talking big things to come. Alas, we now seem to have the diametric opposite of Rex Ryan as our head coach, both in terms of personality and coaching style, and in terms of the type of defense he employs.

I just wanted to mention this: You already talked about hastening the Patriots' demise and about Allen's greatness, but... Specifically, that "perfect offensive game" in the playoffs against the Pats is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever watched. That should get its own category called "extreme schaudenfreude". It was as if the previous two decades of frustration and futility against the Pats just...washed away in the span of one football game. It was SO therapeutic and SO fun to watch. Generally speaking, some of the ways we've crushed our division rivals' dreams in recent years has been firmly in the "good" column. The year the Pats media declared the Bills' AFC East dominance over and Mac Jones the new Tom Brady, only for us to win the in-season rematch and the playoff game. The way we've continued to smack around the Dolphins and the way we won the division against them last year despite their several game lead on us. There has definitely been a sprinkling of bad, and a healthy dose of "weird" (I'll second the notion of the Diggs/Allen bromance/breakup progression being a very bizarre unsolved mystery), but overall, I think the "good" column has been chock full for most of the past decade.