LSHMEAB

Got it in reference to the Bills ability to decline the penalty. Preciate the info.

Big fan of Vosean Joseph. Just not sure where he fits. At 225, not so sure he couldn't be used as the big "DB" McDermott likes to use near the LOS. Saw glimpses in the preseason. The guy has some real issues with on field discipline, but he's a playmaker. He'll be a contributor if he can "figure it out."

Based on this hypothetical, why wouldn't the Bills just decline the penalty if the ball is ruled live/recovered by the Bills in the endzone?

I'm not dismissing your thought, but I think you have it backwards. Allen has everything "TV" is looking for in a QB, but he's got to play better in order for the Bills to become appealing to casual fans. Bills, Browns, KC, Indy. These are teams lacking national "luster" for whatever reason; small market, etc. Teams such as the Bills need a star at QB. As much as Allen fits the mold, the play will need to match the image in order for this to happen.

Duke Williams will never be confused with Jerry Rice, was a little gimpy, and the DB made a nice play on his arm. That would have been a pretty tough catch. No such excuses for Brown. That's a routine toe tap.

Sure thing Koko.?

I don't think Brady will be back in NE, but that in no way, shape, or form portends a tank or a rebuild. The team won 12 games with mediocre QB play. I think you need to separate Brady and BB because they've both got individual ego's and motivations. I personally believe Brady will move on and try(unsuccessfully) to win elsewhere and BB will stay, bring in a vet and go from there. Each wants to prove they can win without the other. Problem for Brady is that he still has to PLAY, and that's become a problem.

Guy, re-read my post.

LOL. Yeah. For some reason, I always envision Elway sitting in his suite wondering why Case Keenum didn't just rifle 50 yard frozen ropes on 3rd and long. "Dude, that guy had half a step 40 yards from the LOS. Just fling it!"

I think you're being a bit harsh on Allen, but there's some truth here. Allen has not yet PROVEN to be the guy. That's just the reality of the situation. It's entirely possible that with a better supporting cast, he WILL be the guy. But we can't say with any certainty. McDermott has a PROVEN track record. Sometimes you gotta say unpopular things; fans are more invested in the QB and that's natural. The QB is more important than even the HC in the grand scheme of things. I do think a lot of mud is being slung to justify Allen's up and down play. Some of it is entirely valid and some of it is nonsense. We'll find out a whole lot next season when (hopefully) the team has a skill position player (or two) capable of making contested catches as well as doing something explosive after the catch. Very little "explosion" in the unit that includes WR's, TE's, and RB's. Knox has some real potential if he can get over the dropsies. Brown is a solid receiver. Beasley is a solid receiver. Singletary is a solid RB. Yet, none of these players are what you'd call EXPLOSIVE. Gotta find that guy. But yeah, McDermott is the most PROVEN element this team has going for it. The 4th and 27 decision wasn't nearly as stupid as some make it out to be. Haushka ain't making a 60 yarder and Bojo could very well kick it into the EZ. McDermott was taking a shot and sacrificing some field position in a situation where the defense wasn't able to get off the field. I think he should have punted, but I "get it."

Nah. I was all for paying White until he got beat a couple of times by Deandre Hopkins. Hard pass.

McDummy? Mmkay. The man has two playoff appearances in 3 seasons with a franchise entrenched in a 17 YEAR drought. He's done this with subpar talent and average QB play. Hopefully Allen will improve, but he's not above average right now. Yeah. He's in WAY over his head.

Pretty sure he knows he's not wanted in NE and this is a pre-emptive break-up play. "So I am breaking with YOU." I'd rather face the Pats next season with Brady than Andy Dalton. That's saying something.

It wasn't a good throw, but I do think the DB would have caught up to Dimarco even if he were able to keep running full speed. Get what you're saying, but that DB had his eyes on the ball and a distinct speed advantage. Again, I have zero clue what that formation is about, but Allen did eventually have a guy open underneath.

It was a VERY odd/poor play call, but Brown had worked himself open.

Absolutely. I'm not a fan (at all) of the "less aggressive" approach against good QB's. It's really tough to say who's at fault there, but McD is such a hands on coach that it's hard to believe he didn't approve. Although Frazier has been that kind of coach his entire career, so who really knows? Not I. And Tre did not have a great day in his own right. That much is true. But asking any corner to cover "perhaps" the best receiver in football is asking a whole lot, especially in the second half when the defense wasn't getting to Watson. But I still believe the front 7 is one player away, conservative coaching and all. That guy who demands double teams, consistently disruptive, etc. They've got to force more turnovers next season and it all starts with pressure IMO. Not sure if Yannick is a viable option, but that would be an ideal pickup from my perspective. I don't spend a ton of time researching free agents and their status, but that's what I think they need on the defensive side of the ball.

Really surprised at the number of responses saying () would cost too much. This team is in perfect position to sign anyone they like. If they need to hand out big bucks to Allen in a few years, that'll be a good problem to have. The time to win is NOW.

The defense absolutely did not do enough to win the game. Nobody came up with a big play once Houston got hot. That much is true. That does not absolve Daboll/Allen and company from failing to take full advantage of a bad defense on the ropes. This is not an either/or proposition.

Said it all year. I feel like the 7 sacks are slightly misleading because once they figured out their protection and Houston got hot, they really weren't doing enough to actually bring Watson DOWN or forcing him into bad decisions. The defense didn't really do enough to force QB's into poor decisions all season. Coverage unit is fine, which is why they were excellent against the pass, but BAD decisions by opposing QB's create turnovers. Didn't do that nearly enough. Elite defenses don't give up that last TD drive to Cleveland nor do they allow Houston to march up and down the field late in the playoff game. The missing element is an elite edge player. They don't have one. Hughes is good. Murphy had a good game. There's just not "that guy." This missing element is the reason the Bills didn't flip field with turnovers. They got extremely lucky with the schedule because they faced bad QB's the majority of the season. They're gonna have to add this type of player somehow, some way, if they're going to be elite defensively. That being said, Allen also needs to get better. The personnel needs to be upgraded to make that more feasible, but he's GOT to improve the cerebral aspects of his game if this team is going to improve and make a run next season against a much tougher schedule. Front 7 disrupter on defense. Better play at RT and LG. Better offensive weaponary. Allen improving. All of these things need to happen.

You had me at Monopoly. It's high time Parker Brothers INC. got their comeuppance.

"This doesn't FEEL right, so let's just call it a touchback." Feelings are not facts.

It's tough to say. It's possible that McD is more conservative than he'd like to be because he doesn't fully trust Allen. Or maybe he's just conservative and it's impeding Allen's progress. I'm personally impressed with McD's track record in terms of maximizing win totals. That's how I judge HC's. Maybe he's not a "champion." Didn't coach like a champion yesterday. But I'm not ready to throw him under the bus and he gets a slight pass given his playoff QB's were Tyrod(good guy, very average QB) and a young JA(good kid, very shaky at times.) We shall see.

Agree on Spain. I think LG is where they really need to make a move to improve the run blocking. They generate very little push and they've got to add a mauler. Maybe the guards end up as Ford/Felciaino by virtue of acquiring a legit RT. Kill two birds with one stone.

This is the "spirit of the rule" nonsense they pull in hoops, especially NCAA hoops regarding OOB plays where one player bangs it harder, but it appears to touch the other player LAST. There's no such thing as "spirit" as it pertains to rules. They're just rules. I gather the official will sometimes blow the whistle in situations like the one in question here, and he didn't. It would have been a "cheap" TD, but it should have been a "cheap" TD.

Zero doubt about the bolded.