UKBillFan

This. The Bills looked out of sorts since the bye. Hamlin alone is just an excuse but I can accept the argument that he was the final straw after a season of setbacks. But if Hamlin hadn't collapsed, I think the Bills would have lost to the Bengals in the regular season and possibly to the Ravens in the wildcard round.

Normally, I think Beane's press conferences are more grounded and reassuring than McDermott's, the latter clearly hating having to do them. Saying that, I thought the latter was far more honest, open and willing to acknowledge issues yesterday than Beane today.

I thought these end of season conferences were supposed to instil confidence? Sounds like Beane is basically saying "we're screwed".

If they win it, quicker than the Bills?

Someone said it before, but it feels like they had almost lost the enjoyment of playing football - and this was before Hamlin’s collapse. In the last two years it was fun watching the Bills and they seemed to be having fun on the field. This year felt attritional, one game at a time, oh it’s a win, hooray, oh it’s a loss, boo, move on. Next game. Particularly, and I don’t know why this is the case, after the bye. It’s as though they had momentum and lost it during that break, never to return. Everything felt difficult, nothing came simple, and every single player, for the most part, didn’t play to the best of their ability.

My feeling is McDermott and Frasier need to go. The Bills are stuck in the 2000s with a defensive set up when the rest of the NFL has moved on. As Simms said, a lot of blame is understandably directed at Frasier but McDermott is a defensive mind too. Two of three key coaching positions are defensive and they couldn’t work out how to play the game. And this is after the draft has been handed to that side of the ball to supposedly improve year after year. In addition, as I have said elsewhere, the McDermott led Bills have showed up woefully unprepared in all sides of the ball in at least one game a year since he’s arrived. Can’t say the same for the Chiefs. With a QB in place, the same has barely happened to the 49ers. If the Bills want to be the best preparation is the key and, under McDermott, they drop the ball - figuratively and literally - too often. I would keep Beane and Dorsey but with caveats. Beane has to be prepared to let McDermott go, which I’m doubtful about. And saying keep Dorsey is dependent on how a seemingly creaking relationship with Diggs can be patched up. But the focus at OP has been wrong for too long. It has to change.

A classless organisation with classless players and fans. To think all that rubbish being posted about by them in supposed support of Hamlin etc. Sooner they get rolled the better.

Here's another stretch. Say that tweet is right about Diggs yelling "Don't listen to him". Say Diggs is telling Josh to ignore Dorsey's play calls. We know Josh respects and likes Diggs, seeing him as a brother, but also gets on with Dorsey and championed him for the job. Diggs saying one thing and Dorsey another is going to create doubt in his mind whereas, to get the best out of him, he needs to be clear and focused. Not potentially having the two people he trusts most in the footballing world telling him conflicting things.

Let’s be honest, he wasn’t allowed to be. This wasn’t a game where he stupidly turned the ball over or made dopey plays. He had no protection and covered receivers who, behind Diggs, are not good enough anyway.

The Bills laid an egg yesterday. Just like they do at least once every year under McDermott. Lack of preparation, lack of schemes, lack of drive. We cannot trust this team because it happens all too often.

I know. Just annoyed with McBeane at the moment. And don’t think McDermott is the one to take the Bills forward.

I’d love Josh and Diggs if they walk up to McBeane and basically say improve the offense or trade us. Of course, neither can be traded due to dead cap etc. but…

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How I read it, the assumption is Diggs to Allen about Dorsey.

I posted this on the How Many Chances... thread but it actually seems more fitting here. My concern with McDermott is, since he's become HC, the Bills have had at least one blow out each season. 2017: vs Saints (10-47); at Chargers (24-54); vs Patriots (3-23); at Patriots (16-37) 2018: at Ravens (3-47); at Packers (0-22); at Colts (5-37); vs Patriots (6-25); vs Bears (9-41) 2019: vs Eagles (15-31) 2020: at Titans (16-42) 2021: at Colts (15-41) 2022: vs Bengals (10-27) Every single season there's been at least one game where the Bills haven't turned up on any side of the ball. Where they look clueless, out of their depth, unsur what they're supposed to do, unable to complete even the simplest of schemes and plans. Can we trust the Bills to turn up and not mess the bed at any given time across the board under McDermott? That's my big question heading into the post season. And surely at least some of that is down to preparation?

If this is true, then one of Diggs and Dorsey has to go for harmony moving forward. And it shouldn't be Diggs.

Then he needs to deal with it in house rather than blast everyone on Twitter. Interesting difference from what Josh said earlier - something like everyone being in it together?

So is he saying Josh is not up to standard? Not saying he is, but it's how it could be read. He's not helping himself one bit.

My concern with McDermott is, since he's become HC, the Bills have had at least one blow out each season. 2017: vs Saints (10-47); at Chargers (24-54); vs Patriots (3-23); at Patriots (16-37) 2018: at Ravens (3-47); at Packers (0-22); at Colts (5-37); vs Patriots (6-25); vs Bears (9-41) 2019: vs Eagles (15-31) 2020: at Titans (16-42) 2021: at Colts (15-41) 2022: vs Bengals (10-27) Every single season there's been at least one game where the Bills haven't turned up on any side of the ball. Where they look clueless, out of their depth, unsur what they're supposed to do, unable to complete even the simplest of schemes and plans. Can we trust the Bills to turn up and not mess the bed at any given time across the board under McDermott? That's my big question heading into the post season.

I think my concern is the mental exhaustion of the players will be used hide the weaknesses of the roster and the coaching team. Yes, the Bills suffered a lot out of their control this year but that does not excuse a horrific full strength O Line, a lack of wide receiever depth and no clear running game plus a horrific decline in play calling from week one to the Divisional round. That has nothing to do with the issues the Bills have suffered this year. It's underlying which needs to be sorted.

My head says I saw it happening and I can appreciate why. My heart says I don’t care, you’re paid millions to turn up and play. And now you’re telling us the difference yesterday was the Bengals cared and the Bills didn’t. Which just goes to show what a horrible thing emotions can be. I guess I’d appreciate the players more if they came out and gave their day’s salary back to the fans who went, to reimburse them for paying to watch that.

I think this team beats the Bengals if the game was played before the bye.

Under McDermott, the Bills seem to be blown out at least once a year. There were a few in 2017 (Saints, Chargers, Pats x2); I’m actually not going to bother listing the number in 2018; in 2019 it was a 31-19 loss to the Eagles; in 2020 a 42-16 loss to the Titans and, in 2021, a 41-15 defeat to the Colts. For some reason, under McDermott, there is at least a game day each year where the Bills simply do not show up. Unfortunately, for this year, today was it.

A bugbear is that the call to play less hero ball and take what the defense offers has been made pretty regularly, particularly since the bye, and nothing changed.

OK, balanced take as I’ve been someone who has been critical of Josh this season. I think physically he’s the best QB in the league, bar none. He has it all, the arm strength, the running games, the eye to spot amazing plays when others can’t or wouldn’t be able to do it. However, there is an argument that mentally he’s behind Mahomes and Burrow. If he’s still throwing up before games out of nerves, as was revealed before, that’s not a good sign. I appreciate the other two make bad plays and miss reads, but it seems far less often and not as damaging to their teams. But let’s spin it another way. Burrow has the finest talent at his disposal, as a collective, in at least the AFC. Mahomes has the best play caller in Andy Reid, and an out an out world class TE. They get better protection and better schemes. They play with better players. Part of me would love to see Josh with the Bengals or Chiefs, just for one game, and see what he could do with them. Because, like Rodgers in Green Bay, the expectation is for him to do too much on his own. Today was not his finest hour. This season has not been either, but bear in mind he has been on the injury report since week nine with an elbow issue, plus added an ankle problem at the end of the regular season. Personally, I do not like Josh and Dorsey as a combination, and feel they are too alike. Josh needs a calming influence, not someone of similar character. I think it feels like he’s regressed because the O Line - not great before - and play calling has. In truth, he isn’t much different to the regular season last year.