Nextmanup

Yes, this was explained for anyone watching the game on TV and listening to audio. The game was, for the most part, terribly officiated. Nothing new there. I liked the "TD" the Bills scored which was then taken away, seeing as the Bronco who "Fumbled" was down by contact about as much as you can be "down" and for several seconds before the ball came out. I still can't believe someone called that a TD.

I don't think you understand what it means to "tank." A lot of sports fans don't. I would be more hopeful if the OP defined the term "TANK" for purposes of this thread, so we are all on the same page.

It is critical that Pegula step in and not allow your timeline to happen. 2 more years + adjustment time = Josh's career thrown away. Time is of the essence here; I hope SOMEONE is telling that to Pegula.

Miller and Knox are both utterly untradeable due to their contracts! It's precisely why those deals were so bad. Most fans haven't gotten this far in their thinking yet, but I totally agree with you that this team is due for some major personnel changes going into next season and beyond. Basically, the team that Beane and McDermott built to win a SB has now failed to do that, and this group is NOT going to do that. Things need to be reinvented around here.

The vocal, snarky, majority here is almost always wrong regarding the biggest, most important points.

There likely will be no changes in-season, and that's for the best from a fan's perspective. We have not bottomed out yet. This is going to get worse. By the time the season ends, Pegula may have no choice but to make major changes. My first choice as new HC would be "best available" among those who are fired this year anyway with experience and achievement. We won't know who they are until the season is over.

He's great at pointing out how the team he coaches frequently fails to play complementary football, as though that has nothing to do with McDermott himself. He has been setting up a "the problem is the guys on the field, not the staff on the sideline" defense for at least 3 or 4 games now.... This guy will throw everyone and anyone under the bus to save his skin.

I can't FATHOM surviving this season; he's gone for sure. The question is who else is gone with him. If McBeane remain, not sure much will change, especially if McDimwit is dictating playing style to the OC.

He might go as low as 10th, or something around there. I haven't really gotten that far in my thinking yet, but is it possible we pick as high as 10? I guess we have to see.

I was looking at McDimwit throughout the game, particularly at the end with the 12 man penalty and then the second made FG, and it kind of hit me: "Oh wow, I think he realizes he's in trouble." I don't think he has felt that way before, but he looked like he knows it tonight.

The thing is, unlike McDermott, Beane has a number of redeeming qualities, and this team is naturally headed toward a time period of huge change as it is. It might be nice leaving Beane in place to architect the retool. Having said that, if Beane has to go with McDermott, so be it! Better both go than neither.

He actually made a tackle tonight! I couldn't believe it. He's basically a zero on the field, a total non-factor. I wonder if his career is straight up done, as is Tre White's and almost certainly Hyde's. Don't be surprised when Hyde never plays another snap in the NFL. This team is going to have a LOT of changes to make, and those HORRIFIC Von Miller and Knox contracts are going to kill our ability to make those changes.

The shock value of a loss like tonight will prove to be a blessing if it contributes to regime change (meaning McDermott gone). I have a feeling this season will now start to come off the rails completely, and that this IS not as bad as its going to get. That's all a blessing too. Our worst fear here (as fans) should be Pegula being slow to realize the scope of the fix, and dragging the McDermott era out another 2-3 years. That will destroy Josh's career.

A mistake like THAT, at THAT time of the game, HAS to fall on one man's shoulders: McDimwit. It's 100% his responsibility.

I wouldn't put the mishandled hand-off on Cook; that was more on Josh. Josh had one of his increasingly typical HORRIFIC games tonight,.

I would urge everyone here who isn't really into hockey or the Sabres to investigate the recent career of D-man Rasmus Dahlin. Horrific coaching damned near derailed his entire career, despite being an elite talent. The coach was fired, a massively better one was brought in, and Dahlin's game went straight back to being exceptional. Coaching is real and it DOES matter.

I had a similar sense of relief when we lost; it's a lot healthier to be this way than to get all bent out of shape. Just let it go and be in harmony with the whole thing. I just wanna see one SB win before I die.

McDermott is your classic, traditional, idiotic, "football guy." Of course he benches players when they fumble. He always has. And yes, it's idiotic. So is the team; no way he's back. Then again, hopefully the regime is gone too, so who knows how this plays out. It's going to get worse (this year) before it gets better. We haven't seen rock bottom yet, not by a long shot.

Back in? I'm doing what I've done since the '70s...watching every game and hoping for the best. But no, I won't be "back in" if that means thinking we are going anywhere this year. We're not.

The Sabres have a potential Norris Trophy winning D-man who was the #1 overall draft pick, and he turned to COMPLETE GARBAGE under the "tutelage" of Ralph Krueger. Krueger gets fired, a real coach comes in, and Dahlin's game is back to looking fantastic. It's amazing what bad coaching can do.

In fairness to Josh, this is the type of thing that only becomes an issue, or even a thought, when we are losing and things aren't going well. If we are undefeated right now and Josh looks like the MVP, no one is talking about his summer time golf. It does seem like he isn't as committed as he could be. Most guys at this level are not.

McDimwit has been doing that for a while now, it's SOP in his post game pressers... He will throw everyone on the team under the bus if he has to in order to try and preserve his own hide. This organization has a lot of rebuilding to do and I just don't trust Pegula to come anywhere close to pulling it off...so there we are . Damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Please define "OK." Do you mean "we will still exist as a franchise in the NFL after this season?" I agree with that. If you think we are making the playoffs, this year, you're out of your mind.

I love the way McDimwit benches Cook, as though the fumble was intentional or the product of "carelessness" and as though being benched will somehow prevent him from fumbling again in the future. These guys are pros and they are trying their hardest all the time. If he is the best runner, you play HIM, McDimwit. McDermott is like an 8th grade gym coach compared to the elite coaching minds of this league...