CincyBillsFan

If we bring in a Minshew like QB can we also bring in a Leonard Fourenett like RB? You see a dominating RB has something to do with the success of a Minshew type QB. As an aside, did you actually watch Minshew his last couple of games? If Allen had a game as bad as Minshew had in London this season 2BD would be in meltdown mode! I live in Cincinnati and have seen Dalton up close. If you want to guarantee 5 more years of EXTREME mediocrity do what you suggest here. And we DON'T have the cap room to spend $25,000,000 on Dalton if we also want a new Tackle and a stud Pass Rusher and either a game breaking WR or RB.

It's more subtle then that. I suspect they've emphasized what they don't want to see happen and Allen has internalized it a bit to much. Like everything there has to be a happy middle where both can happen in a game. The reality is we are way over analyzing a single play. I'm as guilty as the next poster but here we are spending PAGES of posts talking about a flare pass to the flat that gained 6 yards towards the end of the game. This is all just a part of Allen and the offenses learning curve. Allen IS improving AND we're smack dab in the middle of rebuilding our offense. Things will be choppy for the rest of the season and it may cost us a one & out playoff appearance this year but the Bill's brain trust is moving towards bigger, better and more sustainable success in the future.

To be fair this may just be a recognition by the Bill's coaching staff that they don't have the receivers that can win those 50/50 balls. In fact they might tell you that there are NO 50/50 balls with our receiving group and that the best we can hope for are 20/80 balls and those are not worth throwing.

I had the exact same thoughts on both plays.

That's the problem with fans in general and Bill's fans in particular. I get it because we all have some version of football related PTSS after watching the Bills lose 4 straight Super Bowls and then not make the playoffs for 20 straight years. Some of us express it with to much optimism while others descend into to much negativism. But watching last nights game and seeing all the mistakes Jimmy G made and even mistakes made by the likely MVP Russel Wilson and we're just to critical of Allen and we are to obsessive over each & every play the guy makes or doesn't make.

It was the smart throw. It's not like the choice was between gaining 6 yards and 20 yards. It was between 6 yards and 10 yards. In that case you make the throw that gets you out of bounds to stop the clock. You saw the same thing with Wilson last night. He tries to get into a lot of 3rd & 4's because they're easier to convert. In fact I think it's safe to say that on that play most NFL QB's would have chosen to throw to the RB on the sideline.

How do you know it was better? Even if it gets the first down there's no way Beasley gets out of bounds and we're only talking about an extra 5 yards here. The kick that I saw wouldn't have been good from 48 yards either. IMO the BEST decision was to throw the ball ALONG the sidelines to a RB that is your best threat in space. The failure to get out of bounds is what made that a bad play IMO.

I'll bite: I would put all ten coins on Allen. We really have no choice do we? Doing anything other then that AT THIS POINT is the sign of a dysfunctional organization and a guarantee that the Bills will remain on the outside looking in for the next decade at playoff time. And for the record Allen has shown more then enough to justify a continued investment. And in today's NFL and when dealing with a QB that means you have to be ALL IN.

Not to mention that IF Singleterry is the explosive, game breaking RB we think (and hope) he is getting him the ball in space along the sideline is always a good move. I mean wouldn't you want your QB to get the ball on that play to Cook or McCaffrey or Chubbs or Elliot..................................... How many times in that situation do we see NFL RB's make the guy miss or break the tackle and gain another 10 yards? At worst it would have been a 6 yard gain setting up 3rd & 4 and more importantly getting out of bounds to stop the clock.

Some good comments on this thread: * I agree with others that the Bills coaches may be over emphasizing not turning the ball over at the expense of making big plays by being aggressive. On the positive side Allen has learned as he hasn't thrown an INT in 4 straight games and only 1 in 5 games. On the negative side we may be asking Allen to play with one hand tied behind his back. * I think McD's basic premise in emphasizing limiting TO's is that the Bills have an elite defense and the first commandment of the Bills O is to NOT PUT THE D IN A TOUGH SPOT. The problem with this is that our D is not close to being elite. It's a good D but in no way can it take over and dominate a game in the way that elite defenses can. The lack of 3 & outs and forced turnovers is a real limitation. * The reality is that for all intents & purposes McD is saying I'm okay winning games 14 - 7. Well if that's the case you can't B word when your O doesn't score 20 points now can you? * There has to be a sweet spot where Allen and the O take more chances throwing the ball. One INT is not bad if you throw 3 TD's. But then when you look at our skill players who is going to make those great catches we see in every game? Brown runs great routes , gets open and Allen gets him the ball for some nice gains. But how many amazing catches has he made? And who is going to win those 50/50 balls so critical to generating chunk plays? Why would a defense fear our play action pass when we don't have an explosive RB? And while I'm hopeful for Singleterry until he busts one up the middle for a 50 yard gain he AND Gore represent nothing worse then a 10 yard gain if a D misplays the run. We just aren't there yet on Offense. We're in the middle of an offensive rebuild and we'll have to accept that offensive production will be choppy the rest of the season.

Why? They need to get the ball more to Singletery in space. The play was also along the sideline and the Brown's defender made a great play (or Singleterry didn't make a great play) that it gave the RB a decent chance to get out of bounds.

Agree 100%. Watching a replay of the highlights and you can see Allen making some terrific throws for chunk yardage. And let's not forget that his first deep ball was on target and drew a 40 yard pass interference penalty.

They overvalue the 300 yard passing game because they're trying to win Fantasy Football games and it's easy to mistake reality with fantasy as a football fan. I do it every year as a Bills fan when I think that this might be the year we win a Super Bowl!

And we close out the week with the eleventh game won by a QB who didn't get anywhere near 300 yards and had FIVE quarters to do it in.

Yep and that Damn Allen didn't throw two balls directly at Cleveland players. Instead he threw a couple of great passes to get us to the 35 and then when he tried to win the game he wasn't on the same page with Brown.

And that looked like it would have been good from 52 yards - on grass - just saying.

You mean like throw the ball to the opponents players TWICE and count on them dropping the easy INT?

As an aside does anyone think that teams employ lip readers?

And I wouldn't have any problem with that. Just like I would be very happy today had Buffalo beat Cleveland 16 - 12 yesterday!

But there is such a thing as being to critical. And there is such a thing as losing all perspective in that criticism. Watching other NFL games provides perspective on what we should expect from our team, it's coaches and players.

Like they did to Cincinnati's offense? Every game is different. For all we know our O would have a better game against Seattle then it had against Phily.

I disagree. Since his name isn't Allen he would probably get a pass. Commenting on how players perform in other games isn't meant to excuse Allen but it is meant to provide PERSPECTIVE on the expectations we have for Allen. Tonight Jimmy G's mistakes with ball security have led directly to 21 Seattle points. As you note KD if Allen ever had a game like this heads would explode on 2BD. And Sal Meanyiola would have a conniption.

Yea it's almost like the skill players matter. Who would have thunk it?

Okay can we stop talking about Allen's fumbles? You know the ones he doesn't lose!

Don't we all. But this year we probably won't see it happen. What we have to focus on are the little victories on O. We have to focus on and celebrate the things we're doing better today then we did the last couple of years. I can think of 2: 1) Our Red Zone offense has been excellent this year. 2) When we face 2nd or 3rd & long I feel like we can convert. Yesterday there were several times in the game where penalties forced us into 1st & 2nd and long and we still got the 1st down. Next year, we should see further improvements in scoring and yards gained. I trust Beane & McD but for me Daboll is on the hot seat.