Pokebball

More Sar Chasm? Just joshing ya. I too very much like the short to medium throws and think Daboll needs to create more of those opportunities for the offense. These haven't seemed to be early in JAs reads, but perhaps I'm not seeing that correctly. We certainly disagree about needed changes in personnel. We didn't have the receivers that could create separation that early compared to many teams. Beasley is probably the best but he needed a 10-15 route to create enough space, normally. I would argue that the lack of 5 -10 yard passes is more about WRs and TEs. As to JA holding the ball longer than most QBs, I'd suggest that this is actually one of JAs strengths and trying to make him change that might not be the right idea. Jackson and Watson also have this skill. All three can extend plays. All three can scramble for good yards. While I get this statistical comparison with most of the other QBs, why take this tool out of either of these QBs toolboxes.

No doubt in my mind Allen needs to improve. And I said in my post that Allen owns some of the weaknesses. Biases aside, I don't think Allen is in the top three. Many Bills fans, pre JA, didn't list him in their top three either. It's great that there is disagreement on what the top three are. It all needs to be discussed. And as a point of reference, I bought my first Bill's cap when Eddie was picked up by the Bills.

Surprising development?

There were obvious weaknesses on offense and every player owns some of that. If you are asking which weakness had the greater impact on our production this year... 1. TE and edge blocking on pass plays 2. Not having a #1 receiver 3. Getting a lead and going all in conservative

Sure. Dump on the QB to cover up for the poor blocking.

All need to make better decisions (execute better). And I'm not defending Josh in any way because he does need to make better decisions. Lot's of misses in most every play.

I've always said that there are 22 moving parts on each and every play. There is never, ever just one guy, or even just a few guys.

I too was frustrated on that throw. In the NE v Titans game Saturday, Brady threw a pass to the sidelines to Edelman. The pass was quite a bit out of bounds and Edelman had no chance to make the catch in bounds. Edelman still made a leap to catch the pass and was literally horizontal when he crossed the side lines. He couldn't even reach the ball with a finger, but still made all the attempt he could to make that catch. I thought, man, the Bills need a WR like that.

The offense got into the victory formation, clearly signaling they were going to take a knee and run off the last few seconds before the end of the first half. But man, they didn't take that knee. They faked it and took off running. Didn't we see this earlier this year (Ravens I believe). I can see every team now, giving this "I'm not running it out of the endzone sign" and then running it out. We've got a very simple rule in place, wouldn't it be easier to just use it? Why make it as difficult as you seem to want to make it. Just take the dang knee and let's move on.

Do you really want to give game officials this, "rule of reason" you speak of? That'll be fun.

I hope Josh and the rest of the team got more sleep last night than most of you

We need to get 7-8 yards on those run, runs? Those 3rd and 8 plus yards are killers. Texans have struggled with scrambling QBs. McD and Daboll know that. I hope they've planned accordingly.

While I agree with most of this, Watson has a full additional year of experience in the NFL. You can't discount that. I so hope this is correct

I think Watson and Josh are a push in this game. Which defense blinks?

Josh remains a young QB that has a lot of growing yet to do. Most all criticisms of him are valid and things he needs to work on. There are many factors involved in evaluating a QB, including his size, his athleticism, his IQ, his experience, his arm, his legs, his character, etc. Josh was weak on experience and development, but high on every other factor. I don't think there was any evaluator in that year's draft that felt Josh wouldn't need a few year to develop. So where does that leave us? Is his development ahead, on, or behind schedule? I wanted Josh to sit out all of last year. I cringed every time Josh went in, behind what I considered to be one of the worst offensive lines in the league and with some of the worst WRs in the league. I felt very bad for each of the three QBs last year, it was a lose-lose proposition for all of them. As the year progressed, watching the #1 and #2 get eaten alive by the opposing Ds, I knew Josh was going to have to get in and play. It was rough on the rookie and he had to grow up rather quickly, and perhaps in the wrong way. His development didn't go as I had hoped. Move to year #2, nine of the eleven starters are new. Three are rookies. Josh has now started 2 1/2 yrs, two for a G5 college and 1/2 yr behind perhaps the worst O line in the NFL. What are my expectations? My expectations are that these nine new starters take half a season to gel and learn to play with each other, all the while helping Josh to further develop as an NFL QB. My expectation is that the rookie TE and rookie tackle learn quickly, in order to protect Allen's blindside. My expectation is that his rookie RB protect Allen in the backfield and help make the offense a decent two dimensional offense, takin some of the pressure off of Allen. What are reasonable expectations of Josh's development? In these circumstances, he's exceeded mine. If he was drafted by a team with better players around him, such as Kansas City, sure my expectations would be, and should be, much higher. At the risk of offending you and other longtime Bill's fans, Josh was drafted into a very, very weak offense. I am pretty dang excited watching it grow and am looking forward to the improvements to the offense that I hope happens this next year.