UKBillFan
-
Posts
9,733 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Gallery
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by UKBillFan
-
-
Could be famous last words, but I'd be happier if they promoted from within rather than going all out for Vrabel.
-
5 minutes ago, PBF81 said:
Roger
Brady could easily add plays however. It's ridiculous to think that he can't. Let's not forget however that he's novice, inexperienced, and OJT.
Think about all that was said that was positive about Dorsey when he replaced Daboll. And that is no minor reference to the oft-repeated notion that Allen wanted him as OC.
But the point is that people are saying that the offense has improved, whatever the circumstances, when the opposite is the case.
They're/we're also saying that the defense has improved, and while it has not gotten worse, that also isn't true.
How long are false and/or flimsy narratives going to carry McD's water.
I'm not seeing a ton of evidence that the issues you cited are gone despite unsubstantiated narratives simply claiming that they are.
As to "managing the QB's (Allen's) mental state, you won't find a bigger critic than me given that he's had three different OCs in as many seasons and may have a fourth next season as well.
Whose fault is that? Obviously not McD's, he's only the head coach. It can't be, the narratives don't support that.
The masses will figure it out at some point. In the meantime, more damage to the QB's mental state, including no consistency from season to season, will occur.
Meanwhile, that QB, with nothing but his physical and mental talents individually carries this team.
The impact of this game is much bigger than people realize.
This may get downvotes but if the Bills lose to the Steelers I will be an advocate of moving on from McDermott. And it's partially down to something you refer to above - the churn at OC not helping the key player on the team. Get in someone with OC experience as Head Coach and we can at least hope for some stability, even if the churn at OC continues.
Getting past the Steelers then losing to the Chiefs or Ravens is uncertain ground, as I think under anyone they would be 50/50 match ups which could go either way. But I am with you that having a defensive minded head coach, as well as he has done for the Bills, is not the best thing for the franchise.
-
1
-
-
Yep, here comes Vrabel. The big question is what they'll do at QB.
-
10 hours ago, PBF81 said:
I understand that, but keep in mind that narratives often if not typically form based largely upon pop-opinion and without any objective basis.
At the end of the day games are still won by scoring points and preventing points. Our offense has scored fewer per game and our D has allowed about the same, and that including against a third-rate Charger offense, the horrible Pats, the Jets, a Chiefs team without its second best skill position player on offense, and a Miami team minus two of its three top offensive skill position players. As mentioned, Dallas and Philly were a wash in results. So it's hardly a positive.
You say that the running game has looked better. What do you mean by that? What's your "viewing" baseline?
That's what I have trouble with, this "eye test" stuff that ignores any data.
I look at it like this. If we went to work and simply said "I feel great, better than ever." But we didn't perform whatever it is that we do better, but argued that we were performing better than we ever have, how is that possible? Make sense?
Here's the thing: Pitt likely won't be a slumping Dallas team with road issues; They're not playing a QB like Shtick, Jones, or Wilson. They're not missing their starting skill position players on offense. Their current QB is playing better than anyone they've had since Roeth. That could be temporary from a "newness" of sorts, but untio that proves to be the case. They're also not missing their top WR, or any of them for that matter. So it's really going to be a different team than most that we've faced since Brady was installed as the OC, on either side.
Can't argue against any of that. From a workplace point of view, I would argue the manager has now given the tools to the workers to complete the job to the best of their ability; now it is time for them to execute their tasks. Whereas before the workers were being hamstrung by the manager's requirements - receivers ending up in the same zone, poor play calls at key times, seemingly struggling to manage the QB's mental state.
I do part of the issue is Brady is having to work with Dorsey's playbook whilst slowing implementing his own style. Think is was Fournette who said he has never seen something so complicated when he first joined.
Does this all mean I have faith in the offense? No, sadly not. Other than the Cowboys - which was a very different approach - and the Eagles, it has not looked really good since the home win against the Dolphins. If it clicks, then the Bills could finally win a Superbowl. If it doesn't we could be sitting here next week with nothing to talk about but the close season.
-
28 minutes ago, PBF81 said:
Well yeah, the regular season hasn't been the problem for sure. No one has complained about our division wins or regular season record. But our postseason performance hasn't even approached matching that, in any way, shape, or form.
Having said that we get first round (aka WC Round) wins is one thing, but our D has still underachieved in those games. Last season vs. Miami (Thompson) for example put up their season offensive average plus a defensive TD with Skylar Thompson at the helm, including a 75-yard drive late in the 3rd to pull within a FG. In '20 we allowed the Colts with Rivers to log their most offensive yards all season and within four points of their season average. They nearly beat us. In '19 and '17 we lost our WC games. The only game that our D played well was vs. NE featuring Jones as a rookie, but we also got plenty of help from Allen and the offense putting the game away by the half with Allen having a career game.
So yeah, while we do get first round wins, it's hardly been because of our defense playing even average.
Completely with you there. There's a lot of narrative hype re: Brady that simply isn't true. Cook isn't resurgent, in fact, other than for the Dallas game he's playing worse than he ever has over any stretch. Diggs' numbers have all but been halved and he's got one receiving TD under Brady vs. 7 under Dorsey. Allen's averaging 1.4 passing TDs/game, down from 2.1 under Dorsey. That's not to say that Dorsey was good, he wasn't. It is to say that Brady's no better if not worse.
Our offense has averaged a pathetic 19.3 PPG over the past three games, none of which were against above-average defenses. Remember, we needed a defensive TD to beat the Pats, otherwise they'd have swept us. We also didn't play well against the Chargers with their crap D and Bosa out, Shtick at QB and a bunch of third-rate WRs with Allen out too.
Yeah, be good to find out what happens. The more research I've done however the more concerned I've gotten. I originally thought this would be a blowout, now I'm not so sure. If we play, offensively the way we have over the past three weeks we'll be lucky to win. I don't see 20 points winning this game for us. We're not playing Zappe, Stick, or a half-depleted Miami offense, we're playing one that's averaged 27 PPG and with a QB that's playing well above-average on a team with a very good coach. We are playing a team that's playing a helluva lot better football now they have the rest of the season prior to Rudolph starting. That will get them up for the game. Also, and in fairness, we're talking about a QB that's never been given a reasonable chance to start for more than 6 games completed, now he has, and he's got a 120.3 Rating over those three games. We are at home, so that helps.
Having said that, we are still the better team, simply not playing like it recently. Hopefully we won't be arguing the reasons for it following the game.
I think it’s down to the eye test that makes the offense look better under Brady. Despite the lack of points scored, the movement down the field seems easier and more dynamic. How many points were left on the board because of individual errors? The Cook drop, the Johnson incident, Josh’s first INT (miscommunication with Davis seems seriously bad this year, under both Dorsey and Brady). But then they don’t appear to have receivers run in the same area, as under Dorsey. The reliance on Diggs isn’t so prevalent, as you noted above. Shakir seems to be developing well, and Kincaid being an increasingly important part of the offense. I’ll believe you when you say Cook has been worse under Brady but generally I think the running game has looked better. Then, personality wise, whether after a fair or foul play, Josh seems more on a level now. It felt like we saw the “deer in the headlights” look from him more often than not whilst Dorsey was OC.
I’m not saying Brady should be hired on the spot, nor disputing what you highlight in your post, but I can appreciate why others are feeling more positive about the offense, despite the low PPG return.
As an aside, I cannot imagine two teams who sacked their OC mid-season meet in the play offs that often.
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:
As I mentioned earlier, I think the end of year vote weighs too much on recency bias with the end games and overlooks the bulk of the season. Here is a thread about some alternate ideas on how to handle the MVP race
Whereas the Pro Bowl is opposite - IIRC it takes into account less than two thirds of the season at the point the vote opens (after week ten). I mean, still over a third of the season left and people can vote on who's been best throughout the season? The end results each year speaks volumes about the stupidity behind that.
-
1
-
-
16 minutes ago, Gambit said:
His hesitation made me laugh - as though he was thinking "How the **** do you expect me to answer that?"
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:
It sounds like the Carroll situation is that the Seahawks want to move on, but are leery about ungraciously showing a long tenured and Super Bowl winning coach the door, so they are promoting him to "advisor"
Robert Kraft is now phoning the estate of Paul Allen to find out how they did it.
-
2
-
-
1 minute ago, Jukester said:
But we didn’t decline it. We accepted the penalty and the extra 5 yards was added to the end of the run as someone else explained above.
But it wouldn't have made a difference whether the Bills declined or accepted the penalty. The clock would have still stopped and not restarted until the next snap.
-
1
-
-
5 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:
Next Miami game someone 300 pound guy “accidentally” steps on his hand…,
I'm sure Brown would be delighted to, if he gets the opportunity.
-
2
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, Steptide said:
I'm almost to the point where I don't even care if the bills win the superbowl, I just want them to get there so all this Allen talk stops. It's so annoying. The reason we don't hear this kinda stuff about Mahomes or burrow is because they've gotten their teams to the big game. Get there and all this goes away
It won’t go away for Josh unless the Bills win it and he’s the reason they win it. The talking heads have too much on him being the “wrong Josh” until he gets a ring, as unfair as it is.-
1
-
3
-
-
1 hour ago, Pokebball said:
I've always thought about the ratio of good Josh to bad Josh. For discussion sake, lets assume it's 2 to1. If you remove one bad Josh, do you remove 2 good Joshes? Obviously, we'd like to see the elimination of bad Joshes without any impact on good Joshes. Is that possible?
I think that's what Dorsey was trying to implement and it got him fired.
If there's going to be an improvement on that score, it'll be down to work in the close season. IMO it's too late for this season now.
-
1
-
-
10 minutes ago, brianthomas said:
idk how you guys feel about it but i hope we still look for another OC in the offseason. The team has sure responded great after Brady took over, but i haven't really seen anything that would sell me on him to be the guy going forward.
He probably wouldn't want to go back down to be an assistant after his stint as "the guy" but this team can compete for a title any year. Give me the best OC to make that happen. Please at least look at who's available in the offseason. I hope we do our due diligence & evaluate all our options.
In fairness, the stats are skewed by the anomaly against the Cowboys where Brady adjusted the offense, which was the right thing to do. I do agree they need a proper look into who to hire as OC over the close season, unless the Bills win the Superbowl carried by, or at least with significant input, from the offense.
-
8 minutes ago, Albany,n.y. said:
If he drafts the right QB at 3, he'll be good again. If he drafts the wrong one at 3 like Trey Lance or Sam Darnold, he's toast. Look at the carnage from Carolina drafting Young over Stroud. GM & coach gone.
I don't believe it was Frazier's decision to leave, nor will he be able to decide to come back.
I agree, but I thought that's the way the Bills represented it?
-
16 minutes ago, dma0034 said:
I don't want to look too far ahead but the Bills have a OC and DC position open. Wonder who will fill both.
I imagine the OC position is Brady's to lose, depending how the Bills do in the play offs on that side of the ball. Wouldn't be surprised to see Rivera come in as DC, but that depends on whether McDermott wants to relinquish the role. I mean, isn't he supposed to just be a stop gap as a DC until Frasier makes a decision on whether to return? Not that I can see that happening now.
-
5 minutes ago, GottaRun said:
I don't think people are scared of the Steelers but I do think we are scared of the Bills, a team good enough to beat everybody, a team that can be bad enough to lose to everybody. My thinking is this, as a team the Bills are gelling at the right time, and it's a team game, someone is going to make the big play at the crucial time. No reason why this can't be our year.I remember last year where the Bills welcomed the Skylar Thompson Dolphins to Orchard Park with most expecting as blowout, and in the end it was a three point win. And that was a pre-cursor for an awful performance against Bengals. I think you've got it right - there's no reason we should be fearing the Steelers, with Rudolph at QB and probably no Watt, but there's every reason to fear the Bills.
-
2
-
-
2 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:
Bring me the PICKS!
Good luck, Terrance!
We've had enough of them this season, thanks.
Oh, you mean draft picks? Sorry, carry on. 😊
-
5
-
-
I was reading an article on Jacksonville's defeat (posted on the Jaguars at Titans game thread), and two comments were picked up - from their Josh Allen and Pederson.
Allen talked about the difference being that this Jaguars’ team lacked a certain fire, determination and desire. They kept waiting for a spark and “it never got lit.”
Pederson took Allen’s point another step further, pointedly adding: “I think that’s accurate. But the thing is, you can’t sit around and wait for a spark. You got to be the spark right? That’s either me being it, or Josh being it, or Trevor being it or something when that other team catches fire.”
I know I was critical earlier but we all know who is the spark for the Bills in that situation.
-
2
-
-
3 minutes ago, Jerome007 said:
I have, or had, a very dim view of Tua. And was glad Miami built around him. But he does throw some amazingly great passes once in a while. Sure, these plays are schemed, but still, he places them perfectly. He simply has no grit and dog in him.
Throwing amazingly good passes once in a while shouldn't be a good enough reason to vote someone onto the Pro-Bowl roster, though. It's not just Josh who should feel hard done by; CJ Stroud could as well.
It is a bit daft to have the vote open so early though - think people can make their choices from week ten, when there's still a large portion of the season left.
-
2
-
-
12 minutes ago, Neo said:
Clean up, aisle five. Clean up, aisle five, please.
Should be six, really... 😉
-
1
-
-
3 minutes ago, DapperCam said:
I actually think Dak should win it. He has the volume and efficiency, and his team is #2 seed. I don’t really understand the infatuation with Jackson.
Seems like whoever drives the narratives for these things in the media has decided though (Disney?)
I think the poor performances against the Bills may have cost him.
Worth noting he had five less turnovers than Josh but six fewer TDs. Both got their teams to the number two seeds. Prescott does have higher pass completion and around 200 more yards. I don't think Josh should be in the MVP discussion, but I'm not sure about Jackson or Prescott either.
-
Just now, Einstein said:
I’m honestly not sure Kincaid gets that first down at the point of time Allen was looking at him, and I think that’s why Allen didn’t throw to him. Allen looked right at him and saw the defender closing in on him and probably felt it would be a bang-bang play at the LOS.
This is when Allen was looking at Kincaid:
Maybe he does get it, but we are really bad at those boundary passes and catches, and if Kincaid does get blown up, Miami has the ball near the 40. Im guessing that Allen is looking at the defender closing in and decides it’s a risk to release it.
AFTER Allen moves past his Kincaid read and onto other progressions, is when the Miami defender gets caught up in the pick (momentarily). That’s when Collinsworth focused on. But he didn’t mention the fact that Allen was onto his other reads when the defender was more out of the picture.
That's fair enough, looking at it from that shot. Fading one to the end zone and letting it land wherever makes more sense than risking that. Shame the defensive player didn't stumble a moment earlier!
I'm onto the fourth quarter. Thought the fumble wasn't Josh's fault at the time and watching on repeat back it up. Was a great play by Wilkins, but Josh tried to get the ball as close to his body as he could. Morse needed to switch to support Torrence in that situation, but perhaps that's hindsight.
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, pocoboy said:
The stupid part is that they have gotten to this point in Gabe Davis's career without him and Allen being able to make a sight adjust on an all out blitz. This shouldn't be happening. You would have thought the solution would come after it reared its head in the Iggles loss. It wouldn't surprise me if Fangio shaded coverage to the side opposite Davis knowing that this kind of thing could result.
I'm not sure if it's just me but the communication between Josh and Davis seems worse this year to before? Similar can be said with the long throws, for the most part, to Diggs but I think that's down to both Josh and Diggs carrying slight injuries affecting arm strength and speed.
-
7 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:
Fields is Tyrod Taylor? Fields is a blue chip prospect on a terrible team. I don't know if he would be much of an improvement over Tua but I think he could do what Tua does, 1 read throws. Tua led the NFL in passing this season so that's saying something, plus Fields would add the extra dimension of being able to run if the play is not there. Everyone knows if you get Tua off his first read he has absolutely no solution. It's not as crazy as it sounds if they decide to go in another direction rather than make Tua the highest paid player in NFL history!
Yeah, I'd definitely prefer the Fins keeping Tua than somehow trading for Fields.
-
2
-
Steelers @ Bills. Monday, January 15th at 4:30pm.
in The Stadium Wall
Posted
A higher degree of competence from Dorsey may have reduced the immediate churn somewhat, but having a defensive Head Coach means OC's have to look elsewhere for HC opportunities without having an offensive minded head coach in place to keep things ticking over.