Rochesterfan

I think the coach made it clear all offseason - they were not handing him the job - he needed to earn it. They started him with the 3’s, but by the third preseason game - he was with the ones - so that suggests the sitting behind someone was less of an option. If game 3 had gone better - JA would have started game 1 - there is little doubt about that. It did not go well - so they pulled him back and left him at number 2. Additionally the coach talked about both his time in Philadelphia (McNabb sitting) and Carolina (Cam starting) and saying that both options worked. What I took away from the coach and those articles was ideally they have a starting QB that allows Josh to sit 4-10 weeks and he gets about 6-10 starts on the season. It did not work that way, but now he has had time to sit and when ready it is time to get him back out. He must be 100% healthy though.

Barkley versus the Jets: 15-25 232 2TDs - negative rushing yards and no TDs Allen versus the Vikings: 15-22 196 yds 1 TD - 39 rushing yards 2 TDs Might need to rethink your statement. Allen’s game against Minnesota was every bit as good or better because he did not benefit Shady being available and only had Ivory to run the ball. Allen accounted for 3 TDs, more yards, a better completion percentage - pretty much every measure was as good or better. Allen even had to do it with the Bills giving KB starter snaps - let’s see what happens with this younger more excited group of receivers. Now - the way I look at it is exactly like McDermott stated - if Allen is 100% he starts - if not then Barkley can start. The difference is they were close to having to start Allen at 60-75% because they could not put Peterman out again. Now they have an option and if they feel an additional week helps Allen - let him sit. If he is 100% and ready to go - let him play. You no longer have to rush him back to the starting lineup. I would also also like to see them IR Anderson- so he can still be with the team and help out, but there is no chance he plays. If you want another QB - go get a guy right now and begin getting him ready, but I do not want to see Anderson play again (and honestly I don’t think he wants to play again).

It said Poncho. it was on his Instagram.

I tend to agree - people keep calling McDermott - Jauron 2.0, but the truth is - when he feels the team has some momentum- he has been aggressive. The problem is the team has not had a ton of momentum over the last 2 years - they struggle with short yardage plays and therefore he has been less aggressive in some situations because he does not want to hand the other team a short field. A day like this allows him to do things like fakes punts and going for a fourth down because the defense is humming and the offense may be able to make up for any short comings by making a play or 2.

I really can not say they mismanaged the position - I can say that the series of events that lead to it makes it appear mismanaged. The fact that we find out that they reached out to DA before even signing AJ means that AJ was never their answer. The fact that they went after a couple of the FA QBs tells me they recognized the situation, but in the end they knew they were drafting a QB and did not want a big chunk money locked into a back-up long term. The fact that they got great value for both AJM and TT and neither is playing shows they recognized that they were not the answers. What we do not know is anything that happened behind closed doors - who and when have they gone after other QBs? What was AJMs comments when it was obvious he was the third QB on the roster - did he request a trade? What options were available at each point is important to understanding how it was handled. I do agree that thinking Peterman was the answer was a poorly drawn conclusion and that they really needed address that immediately after the Ravens game when it became obvious he was not the answer, but again if they started contacting guys like DA and he was not ready to sign that has a part in how all of this went down. In the end - it was not handled well, but I think there is always more to it than just that Beane planned it to be Allen and Peterman.

Yes - he probably will get a wheelbarrow full of money - the funny part is after he gets paid by another team at 15 million per season with the signing bonus he will need to play 14 years to make up what he lost in the stupid hold out. The Steelers have offered him multiple long term options, but always at around 14 million per season- so even then if he gets his demands of 17 million per season (which I doubt) it takes 5 years just to break even. I feel Bell is within his rights to do this, but I also think he will be a bit surprised that he overvalued himself and this stunt will cost him money long term and will cost him security that he could of had with an excellent Pittsburgh team for the next 5 years.

The Bills experienced that during the SB runs - guys would become FA and sign with the Bills to make a run at the SB. It is not unusual for the best teams to get the better players cheaper, but the Brady piece is the killer - to have a top flight QB consistently take 10 - 15 million below his peers makes a huge differences that others cannot compete with.

My wife and I were discussing this earlier also. I wondered if you cut Peterman and place Anderson on IR - so he can still help, but no chance he gets on the field. That would be ideal for me - Allen Barkley Anderson - IR Peterman - cut (maybe PS or find a PS candidate just in case)

The Rams changed over 50% of their team with the switch from Fisher to McVay - just as the Bills have. The difference was the Rams had low cost high draft picks and no cap issues looming - while Whaley and the Bills had a lot of guys looking for or on their 2nd contract and therefore overpaid. When McVay took over the Rams where at the point the Bills will be at next season. People think McVay did not change that personnel, but he has made as much change as Buffalo. All of the WRs, parts of the o-line, D-line, and the entire secondary are new in LA and many of them are on 1 year contracts meaning the team will lose a ton of talent after this season with no cap room or draft picks to make replacements.

By Long haul - was Ian talking about 2 days. Sucks for Dez, but man you could not write a more expected ending. Hold out - miss camp and preseason - work out for yourself (by all accounts in pretty good shape) - tear your Achilles because you have lost the flexibility by working on strength. These guys really need to work on flexibility and stretching muscles when they are not playing. I see a similar ending for Bell, but with a hammy/groin if he comes back. ?

Based on the job Saban did in Miami - I would say no - he is not a better NFL HC than McDermott - they will have nearly identical records after 2 years, but McDermott has a playoff game to his credit.

King Kong easily as Godzilla has short arms and no lateral movement. Give me Godzilla though against the Army as King Kong was downed by 1930s planes with propellers and Godzilla has the breath weapon.

They were a middling team with a 16 million dollar QB that was not good, a WR in Sammy Watkins that would have required us to pay what about 15 million this year, guys like Dareus that was making huge money, but had been an issue under the last 2 HCs and had already been late for things under McDermott, an over paid TE, etc. If they tried to keep that middling team together they could have, but that meant the issues with the salary cap would continue for the next several years. They elected to try and eliminate as much of those future burdens as possible all within 1 year to begin to build what they want. They knew they could not afford o keep doing what had been done under the previous regime and continue to pay for guys that were not productive for long term. I agree they could have done things very different, but then we would be sitting here with a better team, but no way to improve and slowly trying to make changes. It was either rip the band-aid off (take the cap hits and know that in 2019 you will have 90 million) or slowly peel the band-aid (keep the players and slowly change them out, but know that we would have 10-15 million per year until guys like Dareus & Clay were gone). I do not agree with all of the moves, but I understand it. The Rams have basically gone all in on this year because they have brought in a ton of guys with 1 year contracts - so the money they spent to resign guys that kicks in next year will mean many of these players are gone.

Because when McVay was hired the Rams were at the point the Bills will be next year. Lots of Cap space to sign FAs, a young cheap QB, and lots of draft picks to begin trading for players. If you think McVay comes to Buffalo and has even a semblance of the success he had in LA - I would call you crazy.

Who are are these great coaches that do not change their roster. I keep hearing guys like McVay for this - when in reality since he arrived the entire WR core, 1/2 the OLine, The D line, the secondary - have all been changed out. In his 2 years well over 50% of the starters are new. The difference between Buffalo and LAR was they had the cheap QB in place and were able to begin to spend FA money as soon as McVay arrived. The Bills had to clear some cap space because of the timing and the contracts given to try and win under Rex. The truth is all coaches change the locker room and the players to fit what they want. The timing and the amount they can spend varies because of the salary cap. I think people confuse immediate success and rebuild with changing or not changing the roster, but teams like the Rams changed a large percentage of the roster, but because they had a huge amount to spend - they brought in improved players rather than having to fix things first. Even places with young offensive minded coaches like SF/Chicago have moved a large portion of the roster to fit their current needs ( see Chicago’s WRs).

The throw was behind Zay because of the defender. If he threw in front of Zay it is right to the defensive player. As it was the defensive player hit Zay well before the ball got there. Therefore either Croom needed to do a better job of shielding Jones on the throw - or based upon the defense Zay needed to settle down to allow the back shoulder throw and turn it up field to get the first. There is no overall defense of Peterman - it was a bad performance, but if you watch around the league - there are throws that get caught by other WRs that bail out the QB and here the WR seems to bat that ball up for an Int. Some is on the QB, but the WRs/TEs do not help.

You are describing Sucky and Bully to a tee.

Good for the Bills - Sucky and Bully can go cover the Pats then since this does not happen on other locations. It could not happen to two more deserving knuckleheads. Good for Buffalo.

I agree - except they tried to get Anderson in the off season and he was not interested at the time. They talked with Matt Moore - he was not coming back this off season. McCown decided to resign with the NYJs where he had already played last off season. They talked with a lot of options, but the veterans were mostly already signed or holding out to see what opens up. So the real options were pay big money for Keenum or Bradford - or take a risk on McCarron/Bridgewater. With little money - the Keenum/Bradford option was eliminated (and that was good as neither has played well this year in their new homes) - so that left what they did McCarron. They could not go into the camp with Bridgewater unless they were sure he was 100% and if he was not allowing physicals - there is your answer. The Bills would of had to sign both and although that is an option- I believe they wanted Josh to get as much time playing as possible. The big issue is Peterman- they trusted what they saw in preseason and that was their mistake. They seemed to want to get to about the bye week with an alternate starter and Peterman blew up a half into week 1. They lost a gamble - bad on them. Since that point they are trying to get in order, but they have limited options and just need to get through until Josh is healthy again. They bungled the Peterman situation badly, but it is not like he was not the best in training camp at all levels against 1,2, &3s - so that sort of pushed them into the bad choice.

Agreed - the issue is once you sell - then speed helps increase the separation and we lack speed. KB is not going to get separation hardly ever - no matter how good the teaching is. He is to slow and deliberate, but he makes up for that with height (just needs hands). Zay has better body control and tends to get open on his breaks, but that requires a QB to trust that he is going to get open and get the ball to him. Shortly after that the defenders are back on him. Holmes actually seems has the best ability to get open, but he seems better on outbreaking routes and our QBs struggle with that route. The youngsters are all still learning and some plays are better than others.

Agreed, but Romeo was prior to 2010 and in 2008 Pittsburgh was the last game. It is just a funny coincidence, but that is an impressive streak.

Nope happily employed in NY.

At least it was not right before a game like Rexy in Cleveland a few years ago. Ahhh Rexy time - thank god that is over.

LOL - this I find funny ?

A good interim choice I think plus they are done with Pittsburgh- so Al can end another streak. Per CBS “Jackson is the sixth straight Cleveland coach to be fired following the team's second game against Pittsburgh. Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski and Mike Pettine all met the same demise.” Just unbelievable how Pittsburgh is in Cleveland’s head as bad as NE is in ours.