Jerome007

He's an elite RB, and BTW I love me some Shady so don't want to downplay the position, but the OFFENSIVE LINE matters more- hence that's where the money should go first. The Steelers proved it this year as they barely lost a step without Bell. And when the Cowboys had the best one for Elliot and Prescott rookie seasons these two looked like superstars, while the line is diminished now and they look OK, no more. Yeah Mahomes is playing awesome, and his Wrs, backs and TE are off the chart in talent as a group, but again that OLine is one of the best. Not coincidence. If Bills fans can't see how losing Incognito hurt badly this year, maybe you should pay more attention when watching games... The duo Incognito-McCoy was MONEY. The Bills OLine is the least paid in the league this year and the offense is the worst, with all QBs except Allen having horrible stats, and even Josh's numbers are damn low compared to his obvious talent.

Training together and preseason help build chemistry between players (like QBs and receivers), learn some nuances of the playbooks, etc. To say it means nothing is ridiculous. But 80% of the plays and timing and skills are there already if you're a NFL level player! But a good 10-15% of the remaining 20% is earned through training and playing together, video sessions, meetings, etc. The final edge is earned through focused playing and added work. So while I do think 80% is the same so players could move from team to team easily without too much obvious adjustments needed, that extra 20% matters a lot, especially for QBs, and makes those small differences in games between winning and losing. We all hate the Cheatriots but it's those small differences (and suspect favorable ref calls and spying) that affect a few plays here and there that have made them so consistent throughout the years.

Keeping Tyrod would have been way more costly in cap space! They would have had nothing for free agents. It's like you want to find any reason to bash Beane And if Allen and Edmunds become great, it will have been super wise moves. If they bust or are gone within a few years, quite the costly gambles. But I like that they go for broke and aim high, staking their jobs on it, rather then playing safe with 8-8 seasons. People bitched and moaned about that, and now it's all about having used to much picks for potential stars! At least they have guts.

You guys are harsh. He made a lot of mistakes, and some moves didn't pan out. And he explained the situation pretty well, including that Tyrod's cap cost was a big factor in trading him. IDK what people expect him to say? Beg on his knees? His 15-1 and 6-10 Panthers mentions are on point to anyone who has played any team game. Just like the playoff 9-7 Bills season was an anomaly, this awful season could be too though the offense sucks so bad - but he does have a point, good players are not just stocked on a shelf for GMs to pick them. Anyway, it's all on the next two years. But if they lose as badly next year, they won't (well shouldn't) see 2020. Otherwise, the plan has been obvious, he explains it well, and this season sucks. Even more so if Allen and Edmund see little playing time. Otherwise, now that deception is digested, this year is judged on the young guys' progress. Too bad some good older players like Shady, Kyle, Lorax might not be here or too past their primes. And I wonder how vets feel being led by rookies... Crazy that Eric Woods not playing uses more cap space! They sure didn't plan to lose him!

Yes. By design. To get that elusive "franchise QB". That draft was considered the year of the QBs. Way too early to know if it was the right decision, but it was well worth the risk, and made sense. People have criticized the Bills brass, whoever it has been, for only "stocking the cupboard" but never addressing the most important position, QB. They did. What is the right move? Nobody knows yet but you can't fault them fort going all out. Next year and 2020 they have lots of draft picks and big money. This will decide what the future of the team is. That and Allen of course.

They hoarded picks so they could select high for a QB! That was well known. People are never happy. I agree that the strategy will hinge on how well Allen does, but it was a calculated move. They hoarded picks so they could then trade to move up in the 1st round of the draft this year. And guess what, they have a lot of picks and cap space in the next two years. So the plan makes total sense! It remains to be seen if it's executed well or not, if they pick the right players and set them up to succeed. That certainly remains to be seen, but very sound strategy IMO.

Exactly. Things can turn quickly in the NFL! Both upwards and downwards but come on, easy to improve this current roster. At worst it'll be same level, which would be going down as FA and draft picks would have been misses. I know the Bills have been on the losing side for years and are currently one of the NFL doormats just after making the playoffs, and that is hard to take, but the "everything will be bad forever" crowd are tiresome. Keep the exact same coaches and players but add just one very good OLineman and one very good WR, put Josh back in, and suddenly a lot things become better on offense, defense is as good but doesn't have to be on the field so much and on and on. The Bears and Trubinski have got from 30th offense (and a supposed bust) to a top 10 offense in a year. Ravens looked good early with the added WRs. Raiders have been the doormats, then a serious playoff caliber team, now back the cellar super quickly. This year Bills have the least paid active roster of the NFL, the OLine by far the least paid. Hopefully they get some quality players next year in FA and draft. They have the $$$ this time. McD and Beane's reputation depend on next year's draft and Allen's success or lack of.

I'm defending him on this thread, but as a 3rd stringer, and did mention he only played average, if that. He failed at being a starter for sure, but from now on, barring injury like now, he is not asked to be a starter and certainly not paid as one. I just find him not paling ever again in the league is an overreaction.

Agreed on the first point. But a lot of 3rd stringers have no upside... let's not sugarcoat what goes on in other teams.

Part of the job... if you have one. Well boohoo at the WSJ mocking him and the Bills. You don't make a man lose his job for that. I would have been fine with him getting cut this year, but find it unfair to do so after the last game. Unless the new QB shows some good enough stuff to be the 3rd stringer now, with Allen and Anderson soon coming back as 1st and 2nd.

Yes but he is not paid at all as a great QB, was a 5th round pick, and was thrown in as a starter while the obvious plan was for Allen to replace him at some point. 95%+ of us agree he is not starter material, but what many fans want is for him to be punted out of the league. His LAST showing was NFL level for a 3rd stringer. He's getting the heat for all that is wrong on offense and that's pushing it IMO.

He failed big time at being a starter. But is he really worse than most 3rd stringers? Often times these guys are not set to start games but have to be ready to come at any time and take over. He seems to know the playbook well enough, is ready, he just doesn't have the arm strength. Anyway, not my decision to make and it shouldn't be that controversial a topic. Questioning McD's judgment on QBs? Sure. Questioning Beane's judgment at having only 2 QBs for so long on the roster, not getting some OLine or WR help this year? Sure. Mocking Peterman all the way out of the NFL? A tad pushing it, as if he had become the focus point for all the anger the fans feel.

Well, I partly agree. IF, and it's a big IF, we forget about his other two starts, it would seem he had an OK game with a bad supporting cast and unlucky bounces. Because of his prior short history, the 3 INTs look awful but they were not. Still it was a very average dink pass kind of game, but the few times he did throw "long" they were damn accurate, and it's also true he wasn't confused by the Bears D. Basically, he would have seemed like a decent 3rd stringer or occasional backup. Not a starter for sure, but not either deserving of all the crap thrown at him. Meanwhile guys like Clay and Benjamin are making over 10 times what he makes and get some criticism but not to that extent. Such is the life at the QB position but McCarron couldn't cut it, Anderson's stats are almost as bad this year on this team, and even Allen's stats are bad. All QBs for the team this year suck, OLine is the least paid one by far in the NFL, receiver group might be the worse, so it's kind of unfair to run Nate out of the NFL but who said life is fair?

It's not a video game but I still agree with the premise of this thread: since short passes and runs aren't working, try a lot more long passes! Sure most won'.t work but what is going on now isn't either will little payoff.

This. He was picked in the 1st round and given multiple chances and years, yet he's implying racism now? Damn. If he thinks that bitching will get him hired in the NFL from now on!

I watched him when I realized he was in there. He didn't get pushed back but didn't get any push either (on run plays). But he held his blocks. We need.... to watch the film

That and the multiple blowouts should make McD uncomfortable. A losing season he gets a pass, 2019 is the test, but losing that badly, and seemingly not caring more about the offense are red flags indeed. Allen needs help to develop! They better surround Allen with talent this offseason! Priority #1. Their success and Allen's are connected a lot so they better have a sense of mission doing so.

Agreed but we also need to point out that they didn't really plan on playing Josh until mid-year, if necessary... The Bills have are what, 2-2 with Allen and 0-5 without him? Or 2-3 and 0-4. Anyway, whatever happens elsewhere, I hope he and Edmund come back soon to learn on the fly.

I've written that a few times here too. Feels often like speaking to a wall so thanks

Yep. The positives are for NEXT year. Overall on defense, the few losses to FA, retirements and whatnot should not impact defense much, and if the Brass focus on the offense with FA, trades and picks, it could get better quickly, just like the Bears. Lawson had a good showing, and under 200 yards allowed is damn good. OK I'm done

But sometimes the run blocking looked half-decent. Not today...

Kind of irrelevant? What? While I do agree a bad team in a small market makes it harder to get some guys and have to "overpay" compared to other teams, saying it's irrelevant is just being a pouty negative crybaby. Which after a stretch of games like this year can be easy to comprehend but come on.

Come on now. He deserved to be cut for his other performances, but not after today. Was he good? Nope. But he did look like a lot of 3rd stringers in this league. And he was accurate And besides a few flashes by Allen, no QB has looked good on the team this year! None. Maybe it's the team and not all on them? WRs and OLine, suspect playcalling - though last 2 games can we really blame Daboll? Man this team needs new players on offense next year! Shady was tackled in the back field all day long. But why not throw to him again? Run from swing passes instead of it in the middle? Why not see 2 back sets and unique sets like last week? So I guess I just had a turnaround moment on Daboll!

Shady's stats are awful this year, but any one of us watching the game can see that it's not on him! Just like the Bear's offense and Trubinski went from 30th last year to top 10 this year, he can bounce back for sure. His desire to perform and win are there for sure. Stats don't say everything! He can still play. And by the same eye-test evaluation, so can Allen. To what level we don't know but they have not been in awesome situations so far... This year it has a LOT to do with an awful they are. The Bills have the least paid active roster in the NFL because of all the dead cap space! So yeah it matters. But for next year, cap space is what they'll have more than any other team so keeping Shady makes sense.

What? At 3-6 or 2-7, you can show you're "desperate". Or truly care about helping the QBs on the roster...