JohnNord

Achane hurt his hamstring and will not be 100% healthy even if he plays. Besides wasn’t he healthy in Week 18?

Read again. I never lack of talent….i said lack of “high-end” talent. Which WR on the team is WR1 caliber?

You aren’t wrong… We saw this on display yesterday. They are missing high-end talent at the WR position. The same complaint I’ve had since moving on from Diggs. I had no problem with the trade but thought they should have done more to replace him. The main players Coleman, Shakir, and Samuels are solid complimentary options but not for your primary WR. I think the best chance would be to try to run the offense through Dalton Kincaid

He started off really well and made a play on LaPorta in the endzone to prevent a TD. IMO he looks about the same as he did in 2022.

It’s too bad because I don’t think he’s a bad coach but they never should have given Jones that extension. It seemed like Joe Schoen wanted to move up for Daniels Maye. As good as Nabers might become I don’t think he was their top choice

Dorsey is the OC on paper but Stefanski calls the plans and run the show. The Cleveland offense is pretty loaded with Cooper, Juedy, Njoku, and Elijah Moore. Watson just killed them today.

I didn’t like the runs in the second half either and felt they were great opportunities to run play action. I do wonder how much concern there was about Josh’s wrist

Need to find the right balance but I think this was an example of the team leaning on their advantage

I agree on Smiley - whose ST unit was mediocre at best last season. I think McDermott wanted to give him a little more time. I thought Brady called a pretty good game today. It was a little run heavy for my liking but it was working. My only problem was continuing to run in the second half after Arizona was selling out to stop it. Ideally I’d like to more downfield throws but it was his first game. Babitch in the first half was really bad but I saw a Bills DL (with the exception of Groot) who failed to win their matchups and Dorian Williams struggling at LB. Overall I think OC and DC just need more time

It wasn’t Bishop that the picked turned into, it was DeWayne Carter. I agree with everything else here though.

Araiza did ok. I read he had a net average of 33 yards and I don’t think our old friend Deonte Hardy had many PR yards

I wouldn’t be surprised if Thomas was their target in Round 1 and hoped he’d fall closer to 28. They either could trade up or didn’t want to give up the draft picks to move up. Could probably say the same thing about Rome who seems like a perfect fit in Buffalo. I believe the reports that they rated the rest of the WR crop similarly and traded back knowing they’d get someone early on Day 2. Like RB’s, I always wondered whether Beane and McDermott undervalue WR’s. Not to say they dismiss them but they aren’t going to take the big swing to land one.

I’m still not completely sold that the “everybody eats” mentality is going to work on the team. At point, they’ll need a true WR1 and that’s why I was hoping they’d draft multiple WR’s. Ideally I wanted Legette and Worthy. I was ok with the Coleman selection as most had him mocked as a high-to-mid 2nd round selection. But the WR I really wanted was Javon Baker from New England who many regarded as an underrated prospect. Right now he seems to be somewhat buried on the NE depth chart There were also a couple of big bodied WR’s with good speed and separation too. Would have been nice to drafted one

So funny how before Week 1, EVERY NFL is going to be “sneaky good.” LOL

There were plenty of chances to improve the WR room. Beane chose not to and repeatedly said he likes the group they currently have

Weren’t they ranked #2 overall in 2022 when he started 13 games? He wasn’t perfect but I don’t remember worrying that Hamlin was a liability.

It’s not a surprise. Half of that is Diggs. That’s how badly they wanted to move him off the team.

If he’s worried about his legacy then maybe he shouldn’t drop a potential game change pass or fumble the football. Diggs worst football typically come at the biggest moments in January.

…because football fans (especially ones that are new to the game) have such great ideas for play design 😂

It was think about this topic recently. Safety was the biggest reason for pessimism from Joe Buscaglia. But Joe Marino echoed much of the same sentiment as you did regarding McDermott and safeties. I think the best example is Damar Hamlin in 2022. As a 6th round draft pick he stepped in for Micah Hyde and played decent given limited experience. Having Poyer probably helped as did being in the system for a second season. But I think recent example should give optimism.

Damn, you wouldn’t normally expect this in San Fransisco but I’ve heard about an increase in crime and homelessness in that area. Hope he is ok

Yeah I think part of the problem was that Daboll and later Dorsey never really developed a run game. When Dorsey tried to last season it was incredibly bland. Brady seemed to have more success including in the AFC Divisional Game versus KC. In my opinion, I think releasing Morse was primarily about his contract and age. But I also think they saw it as an opportunity to get more physical up front.

I’d completely agree with your point on physicality on both sides of the ball in 2021 and 2023. But this past January the OL was decent with running the ball and protected Josh fairly well sans the missed throw to Shakir. But the common denominator has been a failure to pressure the QB in the post season. The numbers that Mahomes and Burrow put up on the defense in the postseason is disgusting and I think it starts with a lack of pass rush. Whether it’s Mario Addison, Jerry Hughes, Greg Rosseau, Ed Oliver, or AJ Epinesa the Defensive Line has been invisible in the biggest moments. The guy who was signed to be their “closer” has been hampered by injuries. Again…crappy luck

Some of this is true. I remember John Brown and Duke Williams not coming up with receptions. But not sure how you can watch that game and not come away with the realization that Josh was pressing. This is “Sugar High Josh”. He was completely reckless. His legs is what help take the game to OT. Had he just relaxed and taken what was given to him, rather than forcing the ball to Pat DiMarco or trying an horrible lateral to Dawson Knox late in the game. His fumbles and failure to generate points allowed Houston to climb back in. To your point - I do believe that Josh and the entire team learned from this failure

It’s speed and explosiveness. Ben Albright who covers Denver said Virgil impressed in the preseason and they were really hoping to get him on their PS