Yobogoya!

I've wondered about this a lot, not just in recent years but in general. McD's first few seasons, we had relatively little in the way of season-ending injuries -- particularly to key players. I thought he must have brought in some S&C guru's that helped to provide that, but now the last couple years our injury report is miles long and key players are dropping like flies. Are we maybe investing too heavily in aging players? Paying guys lots of money after age 30 and putting them in key roles might be a factor here, at least as far as nagging injuries are concerned.

They aren't going to fire McD mid-season, not as long as the season is still salvageable. Frankly as much as I'm a critic of the man, I think he's earned that unless the wheels come completely apart over the next few weeks. But I think the door is open for him to be fired after this season. I didn't think that would be possible even with our early struggles, but I do now.

The data is actually interesting in a vacuum, but it's missing context. It may SUGGEST RANDOMNESS, but these games are NOT determined at random. This isn't a Madden simulator. In real time, coaches are making decisions and calling plays. At the end of these games, players are on the field trying to execute those decisions. Those decisions have led to such infamous outcomes as the Hail Murray and 13 Seconds. They've led to us losing in humiliating fashion to mediocre teams several times this year. Was it "random" that Tom Brady and Belichick routinely won these games? Is it "random" that Mahomes and Reid now do the same? Well, like you say: It's food for thought I guess. 😏

Lol, I'm really not sure why this is your hill to die on right now. Regardless of how you get there, if the game is close at the end someone is (probably) going to win it. This season we're 2-5 in those games, and the two games we won the argument could be made we never should have had to survive a last gasp effort by those teams. Especially Tyrod and the Giants, it's just inexcusable. But if you're ok with our clown-shoes coaching staff sending 12 players onto the field to blow another close game, in prime time, at home, in laughable fashion, go ahead... keep defending them on this.

Yes, even worse than just losing these types of games is that we love to lose them in some gaffe, clown-shoes type of way. This last game with the 12 men on the field negating a missed goal that would have sealed our victory was just hilarious because it's exactly how we routinely blow these games! haha

I actually didn't leave out 2020, I mentioned that year second line in my post. It's part of what makes the last three years so frustrating. I feel like the point you're trying to make is that everyone sucks in one score games, so we shouldn't judge McDermott too harshly in this regard. Which is fine, except the top team in this graph is the exact team that stands between us and a championship EVERY year. Frankly the Chiefs and Mahomes are the primary team I'm concerned about comparing against. And as you've illustrated perfectly: the Chiefs close out and win these games very well. We don't. If you're OK with that, that's fine. But our best chance for a super bowl came down to 13 seconds. Remind me: the top team in your graph won that game, didn't they? Well, I guess it's fine if we lost since your chart shows 27 other teams probably would have lost too. I guess? Right.

What would make me feel better is if we didn't blow a go-ahead score to QB's who suck. QB's like Mac Jones. Take a look at this image of Mac Jones' passer rating this year. Does anything stand out to you? What would make me feel better is if the Bills defense, coordinated by our head coach, wasn't the worst at shutting down an absolute train wreck of a QB this year. That would make me feel better. A little bit anyway.

That number includes playoffs. It's a similar 6-13 if you don't include those games. This is after a 2020 season in which the Bills were 4-1 (including playoffs) in games decided by 7 points or less. I knew Josh was a gamer after his rookie season in 18, despite the struggles. There were flashes of greatness my eyes had never seen in a Bills QB (I was just a tot when Kelly played and had no real appreciation for the game back then). After 2019, there was progress and a sense we were turning the corner. But after that 2020 season, when Josh was not just a great QB but a guy who routinely led 4th quarter comebacks like it was nothing? Man, I remember thinking: "THIS is it. THIS is what it feels like to have a QB where you just KNOW you can win any game at the end." Since then, this team has coughed up more winnable games -- and against some downright terrible competition mind you -- than I ever thought possible. And even though Josh has literally "thrown away" a couple of those games, there's been plenty where he's led us to the go-ahead score just for it to fall apart afterwards. That's on the culture. That's on guys in the locker room who just don't have the "gamer" in them to close out and finish. That's on coaches missing the key detail that gets the stop. And I hate to say it, but we've seen this for a long while now... even despite the strong records this regime has put up and the massive point differential we were boasting about for a while there. We need guys on the field and on the sideline who "know how to win." This team has looked its weakest in the biggest moments they've faced. That kind of says it all, doesn't it?

Well I had a couple shots too 😅

There's a sick part of me that hopes Allen can't start a game this year (not that I want him hurt, of course). Some people on this board deserve to see what this team looks like with Kyle Allen as it's QB. I can assure you it will be the clusterf--- of the McDermott era. Possibly even worse than the Peterman debacle.

This team has become entertaining for all the wrong reasons. If you have a couple cocktails and just sit back and enjoy the show you can still find the value in watching, lol.

Taron running into a guy who's wide open from behind feels like a running gag at this point. Like Lucy yanking the ball away from Charlie Brown. Everyone knows it's coming, even Taron. But he can't help himself and does it anyway. 😂

Yeah that's what gets me: the defense has made stops and played well at times, but the guys they simply aren't closing out games against... Zach Wilson. Mac Jones. The shell of Russell Wilson. Even Tyrod should have won that game for the Giants if we're being honest. But how did we let it even come to that ref's split second decision against Tyrod Taylor and the worst offense in the league?? Even battered and bruised, a defense should be able to close out against those types of QB's. Every time.

I swear our blitzers are specifically looking for blockers to run into, lol. It's sad. Or they run untouched into the QB and whiff on him. See that a lot, too.

I’m sorry but that’s hilarious lol

I mean I have a feeling that if McDermott was starting a rookie Tommy Devito at QB the results of the game would greatly resemble that time he started a rookie Nathan Peterman at QB. The real lesson is that Josh Allen is an all world QB who will make all coaches look better for playing for them.

Pretty sure that segment was to show the contrast between the vanilla zone runs the Bills typically implement and some of the inserts, fold blocks and motions that those teams which have SUCCESSFUL run games are using much more often than we are. I personally loved that part, because it showed the subtle yet very important differences between our run game and teams that are using the same concepts to far greater effect.

Dodson has Tremaine Edmunds’ instincts but without the benefit of being a generational-type physical specimen to bail him out. Linebacker is just a huge liability at this point, but if Dodson sees a bulk of playing time I think it’s gonna be tough to watch. 😣

I think it demonstrates a lack of creativity, and when you're talking about a sample size of 1 1/2 seasons I do think it's at least noteworthy to consider if it speaks to a broader lack of Dorsey's ability to evolve the offense and target specific weaknesses of an opponent. See Daboll is almost the flip-side of that, as it felt like sometimes he would force in trick plays to the detriment of the offense when we were humming along just fine without them. But when those plays work to great effect, it almost feel like "stealing" points from the defense.

Can't even scheme up Spencer Brown to get the big man open in space, smdh

I've been harping about this for a while now. I think we finally attempted a gadget play last game with a double flea flicker or something... and of course the defense didn't bite even a little bit and it failed miserably. Trick and gadget plays are a a noticeable weakness of Dorsey's. Can't scheme them, can't call them. I feel like the poor screen game - which is at least something of a trick play conceptually - may be connected to whatever is holding back his ability to coordinate these types of plays. 🤷‍♂️

Not that I think he would've worked out here as a head coach, but there's an irony in that we hired two DC's to be HC's after him and yet his defensive scheme while here arguably outclasses both of them. Although it's hard not to give McD an asterisk for the year with the injuries they've suffered. First few weeks in, while healthy, his Defense really did look the part.

One way to think about Harbaugh is that he’s a guy who got Colin Kaepernick to a Super Bowl. Another way to think about him is that he’s a guy who lost to Joe Flacco in a Super Bowl 😵

I don't think it's the ideal plan for sure. But under the assumption McD's record and success is going to make it hard for Terry to fire him, I think it's the next best thing.

I think we'd have to target someone with a decent resume as an OC who's also flamed out already as a head coach at least once. Just for example: Pat Shurmur. I wouldn't be super excited for him, but he's done reasonable well as an OC while never having a QB of Allen's caliber. But he's already flamed out TWICE as a HC, which combined with his age makes him very unlikely to get another shot even if the offense here is lights out.