jkeerie

Yes...but this is where our OC has to counter with better game plans. Josh is a sitting duck in shot gun. Everyone knows what's coming.

We really haven't faced "injured" teams that much. We faced the Steelers, Titans and Colts at full strength. Yes, we faced a lot of backup QBs on the weaker teams...but the starting QBs for those teams are no great shakes either. Whereas other teams in the conference have had the benefit of facing teams that have been injured. Look at KC last week...they faced the Cowboys down their starting WRs. NE will get the Titans without Henry. We really haven't gotten any "breaks" this year, but on the other hand, we've played really poorly in two of the last 3 games, even with our starters out in key positions. Losing to the Jags was inexcusable. Using to the Colts wasn't. It was the way we lost that was.

Couldn't agree more. Even Tasker said that the Bills had 8 men in the box the majority of the snaps versus the Colts. We were just overmatched.

According to NFL network, Freddie Kitchens will call the plays. https://www.nfl.com/news/new-york-giants-firing-offensive-coordinator-jason-garrett

You are just such a ray of sunshine, aren't you? Can we just take one game at a time?

Game time.

I actually thought it was going to be a game...for all of about 21 minutes.

That was a bit of a snoozer, wasn't it?

It's a positive in that it offers our hopes that this team can bounce back from a bad game and be the team we all hope them to be. Nothing wrong with that. Either they're capable or they're not. If they are...yay rah! If not...more work to do. They learned how and built themselves to beat the Chiefs...now learn how and build yourself to beat the rest of the AFC.

I agree with you that what McD says in his pressers is vanilla and doesn't offer much...but you are concluding that he talks the same way to the team. He's not coaching the press. As to contradicting himself...he did say the Bills are a physical team...but they lost their individual physical battles, i.e. the Colts were more physical. That's not a contradiction. That's a comment on his team.

I enjoyed this post because of the metaphors and how well it is written. Bravo! And as a member of the female persuasion I appreciate your disclaimer. I think every Bills fan can agree that this team is flawed and much improvement is needed (albeit some fans express that sentiment more vehemently than others). It's easy for us to express "why didn't they do this or that", because as fans we operate without constraints...the constraints that those who have to make actual decisions for the team operate under. We look with hindsight, while they had to act in the need or reality of the moment. No...we needed them to have foresight...to have seen this coming. As someone who has painted as a hobby I understand stepping away from the canvas and letting your eyes do the blending of the colors and strokes. When you're too close, all you see are the brush strokes...you don't see the creation...the "big picture" so to speak. As fans we look at plays, quarters, games and seasons; this draft pick vs that one, this free agent signed, this one not pursued and we draw drastic conclusions. We lose perspective...and perspective is critical to any great work of art. So, Hondo in Seattle...thank you for your perspective and for sharing rational thought. I suspect it will go largely unappreciated by many on this board...but not all and not me.

Wash your mouth out with soap! No...no self-respecting Bills fan EVER roots for the Pats to win another SB.

No.

No...you're commenting on something you have no knowledge about. None of us do. Just because McD doesn't call out players in front of the media doesn't mean he doesn't call them out or doesn't challenge them. I don't recall Belichick ever calling any of his players out publicly. Arians did comment on his thoughts about Brady one time last year. I remember that presser. But moreso you hear coaches talking in generalizations...for example, Arians saying his players play stupid football. That's what McD did. He said his players weren't physical at the point of attack and committed costly penalties. It's not a matter of players feelings. It's a matter of good, effective coaching and communication.

I don't. And none of us do. That's the point.

How do you let Brady run for a first down? At least kick his crutches out from under him!

I don't believe he's cavalier at all. There is a difference between what McD says to the media and what he says to the team behind closed doors. A good manager never calls out an employee in public. That doesn't motivate anyone, but rather makes employees resentful and unreachable. Every coach uses cliches McD is not alone. The only one that doesn't use cliches is Belichick who just grunts and mumbles.

I'm watching.

Yes...playing with the Playoff Machine at ESPN...even though it doesn't have week 18 as yet...has scenarios where every current contender is eliminated by just dropping a couple of key games here or there.

I also think they need to put Josh under center. It opens up play action, so that opposing defenses don't know what's coming.

No...but it's up there.

This is true, but the Bills have one of the lowest player vaccination rates in the NFL and unfortunately, Covid has impacted a number of player's availability and especially now when the schedule is getting harder. I do think there are plenty of reasons behind the Bills' fall from grace. This is just one more thing that has impacted.

Last year there was no vaccine. The rules were the same for everyone and they were united on what they all could do and needed to do to prevent covid from impacting the team. This year is different. I said this in another thread, the covid vaccine issue has divided this country, families, workplaces, communities. It stands to reason it can divide a team. I do agree that the team is not as mentally strong as we've seen in the past. It seems that any adversity gets them rattled, particularly on defense...and they start getting frustrated and take stupid penalties.

I think you are likely more right than wrong on this. This team isn't as together as they were last year. Covid and the vax issue has divided this country, workplaces, communities, families. It stands to reason he could divide a team. In the pressers the players and coaches are very guarded when the subject or player availability is mentioned.

On the former point, I think he wasn't happy with the offensive game plan particularly with a back up o line. We had a balanced attack last week and went back to putting everything on the passing attack. He referenced the team's mental mistakes a lot in his presser and losing badly at the point of attack. This is the first game where they were soundly beaten in all three phases. I think that surprised him.