Ayjent

And that is a special trait of his. Constant self reflection and self assessment while also having humility is a combination that many great leaders have - not necessarily present in modern politics but that’s a whole different conversation not suited for this forum. I want to follow people with those traits and model myself after them. You can see that he takes criticism and failures as an opportunity for improvement, rather than taking a defensive posture and rationalizing his actions. We all want to see ourselves be like that, but walking the walk is tougher than it may appear. It takes the right balance of so many things at once even though it seems simple. McDermott is the right coach for this team and I have nothing but respect for him.

Fox usually goes for the meathead and geek combo in the broadcast booth with a female on the sidelines. They don’t always go that route, but it’s their default. I think they went with the Sanchize hoping for something close to Romo, but it’s more like a bad version of Rich Gannon. I’m a big Gus Johnson fan but for the life of me I don’t understand why they partner him with Randy Moss (who I like as a guy in the studio, but not so much in game). I also loathe Joe Buck, but that is still their best team. Radio guys are much better in most circumstances but syncing things up is a pain in the butt.

Actually Matt Nagy wouldn't be a bad choice if Daboll leaves and has ties to the same coaching tree as McDermott.

Honestly I don't see either one going anywhere. Daboll and the Offensive staff have done a great job with Josh, but you do wonder sometimes what's up with the playcalling and issues on the OL. I'm not sure Daboll will be successful as a HC, and I'm not sure he wants to leave this situation unless it is a really perfect opportunity. I do wonder if this team might be better on Offense now that Josh is where he is with a different OC, but on the flip side it certainly could get worse. Frazier has been good, but he didn't do so well in his stint as a HC and his defense is statistically impressive but not exactly a unit that imposes its will. Teams are sometimes reluctant to try another time with successful coordinators that haven't been very successful as HCs. McDermott also seems to have some point each season where he has to insert his input to change up the D - which he should, but I worry way less about DC than OC with McDermott as HC. My point is that these two coordinators are good, but not great HC candidates. They will definitely get their looks, but I wouldn't be surprised if neither gets a HC job. I can't see the Raiders going with Frazier, and I know that has legs, but the Raiders are not exactly what I see as a fit with their strength on Offense. I could see Leftwich way before Frazier. Also, looks like the Jags are going with Doug Pederson - which is a really bad hire, IMO - after Reich left his staff that team and staff was not the same and Pederson showed himself to be a real clown when things were unraveling in Philly. Reich is a really good coach and its hard not to like him even if you hate the Colts.

Each game is different but I sometimes wonder if they are making things a bit more adverse for themselves than necessary. Beasley has been baffling all year and after McKenzie’s performance last week I think he gets the nod in the slot as a starter. Not bc of one game but bc of things like Beasley’s lack of effort after illegal contact that could’ve been the difference between a called penalty and an Interception. I’ve noticed his bad body language all season and i really liked his play every year before this. Hard not to like a tough guy at that size, but it’s like he carries the weight of his social media battles on to the field and is only sometimes that same guy we’ve seen in prior years. McKenzie is faster and seemed to bring more explosiveness and honestly was a major piece of their most important and impressive offensive performance this season. The Stevenson experiment needs to end. He is taking a punishing and looks like what he is - a return man without vision or ability to avoid a big hit. Big hits cause turnovers. He’s a liability and I’ve thought so from the first game he took over the return duties. I see the speed but that is such a small part of being an effective return man. The Bills screen game is just not good and it looks like the designed screens are never there. The one screen that was called fooled no one and was really too slow to develop. Rarely do the Bills utilize WR screens, but the Falcons put on a clinic on how to do it (well at least with that officiating crew). Other than the pass to Pitts Ryan’s passing yards were in large part due to screens or broken plays. I think one post in a different thread captured what I saw too: illegal men downfield and not just a little bit past the LOS. But they had a plan of how to attack a quick defense in those conditions and it was a solid plan. The Falcons have some weapons and know how to use them. On the positive side the running game is encouraging from Singletary. He ran very well and with determination. I love Josh and how he carries this team whatever way he can. But I don’t like how many hits he takes. Still what a player - there is no one that wants it more on the field. If you don’t like him then you might not like football. The offensive line is playing a little better and I like seeing that bc I’ve thought that has been the teams weakness all year and why this team is not as good as everyone was hoping. They need to utilize a quicker passing game but I’m not sure that it’s there to be had, although we’ve seen it in a few games - the offense’s best games tbh. The play action game should be more effective with the run game going and where this offense has been it’s most successful.

He’s been scaring me every time he gets the ball kicked to him - he has horrible vision on where the tacklers and blockers are, runs upright, and doesn’t have good hands. It’s baffling. I would put McKenzie back out there. I’m just not sure what the staff is thinking on this one.

Yeah. Stevenson put himself in some bad situations with his choices as well. He got absolutely lit up a few times. Inexperienced mistakes? Maybe, but honestly I'll take McKenzie as a returner if I had to pick right now. PR/KR is not the main issue with the team, though - so I'm not really that invested either way. The inconsistency on both O and D lines and the playcalling on Offense that is not recognizing the issues on the O line is what is driving me crazy watching this team. The one thing that I think gave this team holes in the run game when the line wasn't very good in years past was due to McKenzie's motion sweeps (technically a pass) and that has been something that they haven't utilized but a handful of times this season. If they have little confidence in McKenzie's ability to keep the ball secure that makes some sense as to why they aren't using that play as much, but there are other players that can fill that role and run that play.

I think the loss to the Jags was just the humble pie they needed to refocus and get into championship form. The Bills spent much of the first half of the season seeing if they could get certain aspects of their offense working with very mixed results. The running game is just pedestrian, and although I don't want to blame the backs too much, I think it is equal parts the line, the backs and the scheme. Nobody fears the Bills running game, but I think they have wrinkles to pull defenses horizontal that can open things up in the run game between the tackles, like the McKenzie motion sweep. I sometimes wonder if Antonio Williams is the back the Bills should bring back on the active roster to run tough to bring some variety to the run game. Sometimes its more about how the talent meshes with the scheme and we've seen enough of Moss and Singletary to know its inconsistent results. I like the way Moss has power but IMO he looks for too much contact rather than daylight. Singletary is probably their best back bc of his vision, receiving and shiftiness but I just can't help but feel that RB is the spot this Offense needs to keep on tinkering with until they find something more consistent. Breida is pretty fast, but I don't think he is a player they can rely on for blocking in pass protection, and you know that fumble is not sitting well with the coaching staff. I also think that putting Ford back on the bench with Brown and D. Williams on the right side is a huge upgrade. Ford unfortunately just doesn't have it, and I thought it was his opportunity to lay claim back to his starting position and it would help the run game if they focused on running right. Neither happened and the line was an absolute sieve with him in there both running and passing.

A whole lot to see I would bet, but the NFL is going to protect its owners and itself from any further black eyes, its clear as day. Not that I want it to go away and think there should be a ton of reckoning for the NFL and some of its owners, but selfishly I don't particularly want it to be distracting from the amazing season the Bills are having so far. Would be far better suited as a storyline for Feb. 2022 after the Superbowl.

I think maybe you sat in front of me at a Dolphins Bills game with Kelly Holcombe starting at QB - many, many years ago "Holcombe-maniacs"?

Shaw good observations. One thing that really struck me after the game was the demeanor of the team. As much as I know they really wanted this one and it meant more than the 4th win and the 5th game, there was something really sincere about the focus that this team has that came through in the post-game interview with Josh. It's like the sting of the Pittsburgh loss and any air that the team had thinking they've arrived and it will be easy was an early and necessary lesson that they took to heart. They can't ride this victory for too long before getting down to business. Tennessee beat them up and stole their lunch money last year. I am actually glad that this is their next opponent because they have to focus on the Titans and demonstrate that they can beat a circus act offense followed by the polar opposite physicality of the Titans' offense. I think the Offense is due for a consistent showing where they can dominate a game and the Defense can rely on the Offense to hold the water. So far this season they have played very complimentary football. While there is no question in the outcomes of the games they've won, as you pointed out, there seems to be a much higher ceiling and feeling that the Offense is still in a cocoon waiting to fully emerge. You see glimpses of it, but Diggs hasn't really gotten consistently going, Davis hasn't been as involved, and Beasley has been enigmatic. You know all of these guys can get white hot and be a huge part of the offense on any Sunday. They've found consistency in the run game when they need it, and I think inserting Brown on the OL and moving Ford out of it has been an all around good move - I'd like to see them utilize Brown's athleticism more because the guy is a freak of nature with his speed and power and he could definitely help in the screen game.

They still haven't found their consistency on Offense, but they are explosive. If they find consistency towards the end of the season and the D plays as well or better than they have, they will be really tough to beat. I think they are still figuring personnel out and adding wrinkles, trying to be more balanced. That actually paid off on the sleeper hold drive that sealed the game. That's what they are trying to do - be able to be an offense that can seal a game and isn't over reliant on the passing game. I think that was how they are responding to what took them out of last year's playoffs - being able to beat teams if they are going to let defenders get away with PI and Defensive holding. It's been a little ugly at times, but still very effective. I also think that they are trying to figure out the right combo on the OL.

Yeah it was especially frustrating last year as the Bills receivers were getting mauled without calls and then to see the one sided affair continuing, albeit in a different way by the officiating, in terms of calls impacting the momentum of the game in one team's favor far more than the other. In any event, you are right. When you play well enough for it not to matter that is a beautiful thing. There was no question who was the better team last night.

That was simply a phantom call Yeah I think McD was upset about where they enforced it from because the hold took place not as far upfield - it should have been something like 1st and 12. It was beyond the LOS but not 15 yards.

Can we just make them co-LVPs?

KC Penalites called in their favor that were much more crucial - KC gained 5 first downs by penalty on offense, and the Bills had 2 first downs taken away that were absolutely huge plays on third down that were called back (the Dawkins hold in 1st Quarter, and the Morse hold in the 4th Quarter). The Bills got one of those calls and everyone is focusing on how that changed the entire complexion of the game. It's not even a game in question in the 4th quarter if the score on critical calls isn't so 7-0 in KC's favor up until that point.

One of the great things about Madden when he was at his prime was that he would let the stadium atmosphere and sounds be while he would just be quiet. Romo does a lot of the great things Madden would do and really the good ones all do, focusing way more on good plays. Romo breaks down the strategy so the average fan can understand, especially before the play starts. That's what's really good about watching him. Madden would be quiet before the snap sometimes and that just you let you absorb the situation. Collinsworth is just annoying a lot of times. He focuses on mistakes too much. But his biggest thing that makes him a hard listen when its more than just casual viewing of a game and its your team - he seems to focus on the built up reputation of players and coaches rather than what is going on in the game that contradicts that narrative. To be fair he isn't awful all game, but when pivotal plays happen he usually has a take that is like "What?!! STFU Collinsworth!" Al Michaels has a good voice and is a decent play by play guy - past his prime, though.

I’m talking about college not pro. I never thought this would work out, he’s an egomaniac that doesn’t fit the successful type for the pro game. He’s better in college where he’s the biggest man all the time while great talent comes and goes under his watch. Much easier and better fit for him, but make no mistake he’s great at that college gig where you can stack the deck with recruited talent and surround yourself with decent to good coaches to utilize that talent. We'll revisit in a year or two and see what he’s up to - maybe he’ll hang it up after the Jags but I doubt it. I don’t think he lasts more than this year in the NFL.

How many times was he in the BCS championship, Conference Title Game and Top 10 in his entire career? He's a successful college program coach - and he could be successful wherever he goes - he's a great recruiter. He may not win another but he could certainly be in the conversation every year.

You would like to think it would impact his chances, and maybe it will with some programs, but Urban Meyer wins national championships and honestly that means some decent program desperate to regain glory will take him. It's really that simple. This stuff will blow over after a little time, and he will be a hot commodity before you know it. Whether he has the "heart" to get back into it is a different story.

That line sounds about right. The Bills haven't played but one really good offensive game. The Defense has been really good, but the Offenses they faced are not anywhere near the Chiefs. The Bills will have to be able to maintain drives and come away with TDs, executing better than they have outside of the WFT game. A good barometer game for both teams.

That's an amazing and awful clip at the same time!😆

The D Line didn't look as good as the last 2 games and it was a bit of a let down, but I also think that they were being mindful of Heinicke getting outside of the pocket, which he still did, but when they kept him hemmed in he wasn't very effective. I mean he wasn't really very effective either way, but I do think that they respected his ability to move, maybe even too much. I think they wanted more pressure still, but I don't think that they were crashing the pocket like they were against the Dolphins and Steelers. The problem with Josh the first 2 games was that he was looking to make a play downfield too much and pressing instead of taking advantage of the plays that were there. Whatever footwork was or was not problematic didn't matter as much as that. Watching those first 2 games and where the passes were going, you could just tell that if they changed the focus to hitting passes quicker and not as far upfield that the passing game would resemble last year. That's exactly what happened. I don't have the Athletic subscription and didn't read the whole article last week, but if he is focusing on footwork and not the part about where Josh was going with the ball, then he is missing the bigger picture. The gameplan and playcalls against Pittsburgh weren't a shining moment for Daboll either, and I think last week, it was still a bit of pushing it downfield without really setting it up with effective high percentage passing.

That 4th down play in my view wasn't a great call no matter how you slice it. A fairly horizontal attack where a lot could go wrong and not a lot can go right. A tipped or bobbled pass has pick 6 potential, you give a defense that is definitely geared toward protecting the chains and tight on the LOS a lot of opportunity to attack the ball. I get the concept and why it should work, but it's got risks and its not taking advantage of the situation. 4th down plays are always a chess match, but attacking with quick hitting intermediate routes they couldn't cover all day was probably a much better strategy. But better to figure that out when it doesn't really matter in a game pretty clearly decided by that time. I also read an ESPN excerpt that questioned the Bills' pass rush and inability to get to Heiniecke. I really don't think that was the gameplan at all. Sure they wanted to create pressure and get sacks, but the edge rushers seemed to be focused on containing him in the pocket more than coming in hard on the edges and leaving running lanes for him to scramble. They weren't exactly successful in containing him from getting out on the edge and making plays with his feet, but they did their job for the most part and I think they were perfectly fine with the way they played him. He made throws he shouldn't have turning it over because he was being contained in the pocket. I would have liked to see more push on the interior, but as you pointed out Shaw, they didn't generate much offense outside of garbage time and a nice screen play. Bottom line is that it worked and the staff knew it would. Not to take anything away from the Bills defense, but I don't think Washington is very talented on the offensive side of the ball, The Bills asked them to beat them playing pretty vanilla Defense and they couldn't muster much. Gibson is a nice back, but not necessarily a feature back, McLauren is a decent receiver, and Logan Thomas has really improved as a TE - but these guys are at best role players on a more talented team. Washington's Defense has taken a huge step backwards and their line didn't create much pressure or problems for the Bills. Maybe they just found their stride last year and had momentum, but what I see is that they aren't a very good Football Team and that they are unlikely to be anywhere near .500, unless they sweep their division and get lucky.

The Bills did what a good team does. They exerted their dominance at will, even with a couple of things going against them in succession leading to the game tightening up. I also saw what the Offense was leaving on the field the first two games in the passing game being taken advantage of finally and it made all the difference in how well Josh looked. He took what was there (the jabs) rather than the big play (the uppercut). I wasn't particularly worried about the passing game, because it looked very correctable. However, I was concerned that maybe Sanders being part of the team had changed the dynamic in the passing game and was looking for Gabe Davis to be more involved and hope that he is more involved moving forward. He is more physical and bigger bodied than most of the other receivers and is someone that we will need in the playoffs as defenses get "sticky" (i.e., get away with more illegal contact and holding). I would like to see more emphasis on using the RBs and it does seem like they are working in Moss more and more especially in the red zone. I do think an effective screen game is still missing from this offense and think that it could make them even more potent. Daboll hasn't really utilized it much in his time as the OC for the Bills. The McKenzie motion wrinkle has also been noticeably absent. But I think the Offense still is moving towards its best games and they haven't reached anywhere near their potential yet.