BeyondTheProcess

Man we lose last-minute to a once in a lifetime, circus catch by a nobody and everyone leaves the building around here. Grow some stones, TBD. Go Bills.

I am certain he is learning after every game. Getting better. Problem is, Pegs knee jerk blew it up in January and the growing pains of a new staff / schemes are showing.

Boy, lose a game and the knives sure do come out, don't they??

Good, we will need all the help we can get to get to the tournament in this coaching transition year. Defense back 7 learning on the fly; Josh pretty obviously has a knee sprain/ is immobile . Let's see some other teams have stuff come up.

The roster is pretty much the roster at this point.

Glad the D is on the road for two weeks. At least they will be able to hear the defensive signal calls/checks and get some real reps running JL's defense. From what I understand, the backend guys can't hear the calls and checks with all the crowd noise. Looks like the new stadium noise factor in some cases is actually working against Leonhard as his backend learns. Fans think they're hurting the opposition offense, but in reality they are hurting a defense executing a new scheme on the fly. Who'd a thunk?

the whole D just needs more reps. everything is a 180 degree flip from what McD was doing. Gonna be a tough next few games. No surprise. They'll turn the corrner by week 10 or so, IMHO. We all knew this would happen.

When Josh doesn't take off even once, that tells me he is protecting something. I think its the left knee. I've had that crashed in left knee thing. Technically a grade 1 (hopefully) or grade II MCL sprain. The knee is simply not stable bc the inside ligament is stretched a bit. Knee feels loose (hard to describe). Straight ahead is "fine", but anything lateral and it's just not stable. A right handed throwing motion fine as well (since it is the inside of the left knee) It heals and shortens back, but it takes a while. Did mine when I was his age and pretty much ignored it as well. Youth is a great thing. If it gets crashed in again it will tear bc no more stretch left (isn't much there in the first place) Go bills

He absolutely knee jerked it. Go back and watch the video of his explanation of how he came to his decision. It was so emotional a decision he could barely rationally explain it. But that is beside the point. The point is that when you radically change the defensive scheme it takes time (with contracts and free agency being what they are) to get the players to play the new scheme, initially and longer term. What is refreshing is that Leonard said this out loud, and still the fanbase is "Super Bowl or bust!" It ain't happening this year, bc by the time the D is in shape and has enough reps to be reasonably effective in the new scheme, we'll be 6-3 and out of the # 1 seed race. Is what it is. With McD you probably get to the same 6-3, and that is why he is gone. You need to bet on this team getting to the tournament with enough D reps to get on a run from the 5 seed with the new approaches. Could happen, but would be a longshot given the lower seed starting place. That's the best case this year.

Agreed. I have been clear that when Pegs knee jerked the entire McD coaching staff + D schemes out the door .. their would be a price to pay. In fact Leonard was clear that it "would take 2 years" to get the roster he needs. I predicted a "high variance" defense for 8 games given the number of misfit defensive roster members. We are seeing that through 4 games for sure. Josh/Brady needs to bail them out, and had for 3+ games. But games like yesterday were inevitable. No experienced man corners, safeties playing completely differently; lightweight, slow, or inexperienced inside backers being exploited. "Live by the sword/die by the sword" defense. Is what it is. This is what Pegs brought upon us last January. He owns the team, he knee jerked it without understanding the implications, IMHO, but it was his call. Go Bills.

Could be. Without AJ Brown and down a couple O linemen and light on D, I see them getting very basic.

they will run it 40 times. will be a short game. Low scoring i would guess. bit of a sleepy one maybe

Exactly. The league has changed. Front 7's are smaller and teams, led by the Bills, are rolling with 13 personnel and running the ball against the smaller fronts. Not sure we will see many 300+ passing games this year. Some. But not like in the past. As long as Beane can maintain the scatter of WR/TE talent he has now, we should be fine. More concerned that the new D with all the misfit parts (Benford, Hairston, et al) will continue to get lit up all season.

washed

NFL+, full replays without the commercials and one version just showing the plays. It's great.