Ballhawk

Common denominator? Vets vs. rookies (or young 2nd year players). I think it's pretty obvious McDermott favors vets for playing time and gives them every advantage possible (including the one you refer to above)

You forgot, ...make the playoffs and compete for the division. I'm not saying I'm entirely sold on McDermott, but I want one more year with a new OC and hopefully better injury luck.

I think he's (McD) a top rate defensive mind and just needs a really strong up and coming OC to complement him. I think the dropoff from Daboll to Dorsey was bigger than we wanted to admit. Let's face it, it was such a nice narrative to have continuity between Allen and Dorsey. As much as McDermott is not perfect, I think he's good enough with the right OC and personnel. One more year's worth of draft picks with an established OC would be my preference. Also, Beane/McD seem like a package deal and I'm not sure I'm ready to start anew (remembering past GMs and coaches makes me think we're better with the devil we know).

I agree 100%. Drops balls are one thing, but breaking off routes and not being on the same page with Allen have been drive killers at best and INTs at worst. I realize communication is a two way street but I don't see any of the other WRs or TEs doing this as blatantly as Davis. Problem is he makes just enough plays to make the coaching staff keep him in there, but his inconsistency is a major contributor to the offensive inconsistency overall.

True but on balance with: Milano (27) Benford (23) Sherfield (27) Knox (26) Harris (26) Shorter (23) Doyle (25) It's not entirely age driven, in fact as far as roster construction goes there's a pretty decent amount of young guys injured as well. Look I get injuries are often perceived as a weak excuse, all I'm saying is in the extreme (though few NFL coaches will ever acknowledge it publicly) there is a tipping point...

So let me get this straight, everyone wants to fire the coach that has taken us to the playoffs 5 out of 6 years and won the division 3 years in a row all because we are 5 - 5 just over the halfway mark this year (who has a .639 winning %). I believe McDermott is a victim of his own success as Bills fans now expect so much more. Late 90's, 00's and 10's fans be like D amn you be upset because of what now !!! Holly recency bias Batman!

To me this is the problem with fans, treating the game in either offense or defense terms. The injuries to our defense affect the whole team. If you thought the team prior to London was unacceptable then you should want to see McDermott fired at the end of the year. I saw that team prior to London as very promising, the injuries cloud the assessment of the teams performance since then. To me he gets another year.

Injury luck is affected by an old roster but not solely determined by it. I don't care how young Milano was, that knee was not surviving that hit.

I guess you subscribe to the bull#### mantra of "next man up", otherwise you'd account for the devastating injuries to our defense and adjust your expectations accordingly. Next man up, is coach-speak for we don't like excuses (even when it's perfectly legitimate and clearly affecting performance). It takes everything, scheme, coaching, execution and yes... injury luck to get to the AFC Championship/and or the Super Bowl. While it's not clear if we have the schemes, coaching and players to get there, it is clear we haven't had the injury luck the last two years.

As a starting back, completely agree. As a meaningful role player maybe. As a short yardage goal back with minimal touches, I disagree. Buffalo has two quality backs, which makes Fournette and interesting addition. Entirely not worth it given his age to the rest of the league and if Buffalo wants more from him than that I'd agree completely. I just suspect the three headed monster of Murray, Cook and Fournette is exactly the brand of complementary football McD has in mind. I hope the road grading O line men get behind it (yeah I'm looking at you Cyrus!)

So happy. I fully expect we are going to see some ground and pound. Get Fournette up to speed after the bye, alternate with 28 and 4, let's go! Josh will clean alot up if he can complement an effective running game with play action and a timely passing attack. Honestly, I can't understand anyone that is upset with the defense, they've been covering for the O since the Patriots game in week2. Considering we drafted both 1st and 2nd round on offense last year, it's ridiculous to expect a heavily depleted defense to carry this team alone. As for the D breaking late in games, ummm are you new to Buffalo, that's our calling card!

I get that it was not a fumble, but I do not understand how that is ruled a completed pass based on forward progress when the catch did not survive the ground? If you are going to say he is down by contact on his butt, then doesn't it follow that if the ball comes out from that contact it is an incomplete pass. How many end zone catches are deemed incomplete because the receiver ultimately loses control when contacting the ground, sometimes seconds after the initial catch. I really hate the latitude refs have when when they call forward progress or not? It's bonkers, Sometimes they let running backs go forever (without advancing the ball) and you see strips attempts and other times they call it quick saving the offensive team.

Kincaid's production is going to fall off a cliff when Knox returns. This coaching staff strongly believes in given proven starters every advantage over young promising rookies. In spite of his production and the need for his high catch rate or the need for him in the offense, I am convinced McDermott will play Knox over Kincaid a lot in 11 personnel once he's back (I say McDermott and not our OC, as the tendency to play vets seems to come from our HC).

It sounds like 'global' means, I'm juggling the short term vs the long term interest of the organization. The long term interests being, figure out if your 1st round 2nd overall pick can play or not (in a year where realistically your superbowl chances were over 5 minutes into game 1). The record is a mirage, the jests know this, which is why you play Wilson and see what you've got. 5-4 and sideline shots of Rodgers throwing the football is a nice story for the media, but it's not real. I give Saleh a lot of credit for the coaching job he's done to get this team to 5-4, but anyone thinking they can make the playoffs and make a run has not been following the the offensive brand of football in the NFL for the past 10 years.

I don't care if we go winless the rest of the season and 0-17 next year (with Josh at QB). I'd ride and die with that player hurdling stud. After the litany of mediocre to sub par QB's since Jim Kelly you should be ashamed of the mere suggestion of trading Allen away. You wanna trade Kyle Allen away, ok.

The defense hasn't been great, but it's been good enough. Against the Bengals it gave the offense a realistic chance to steal that game last night had it not been for the second turnover late. The Defense has been frustrating in that it can never get critical stops at the end of the game. If we lost last night 27 - 25, I'd harp on them again, but this one is on the offense. To make matters worse the offense got most of the draft capital in 2023 and seems to have regressed with no significant injuries. The next man up mantra, breaks with too many losses (and that is showing with out D). This Defense has been adequate given that the offense should be carrying it (in light of resource allocation and injuries).

Bills 35 Bengals 31

I'm not sure if our lack of YAC is entirely driven by our scheme. I don't think it's a major problem as some others have suggested, but it is odd to have your starting quarterback seek contact as a runner more than your leading receiver. Diggs seems to have one spin move, and then if that doesn't work, drops like a sack of potatoes. I wish if were the other way around!

This reminds me of how teams schemed against Peyton Manning at his height. I agree, time of possession will help. Surprisingly this has been a weakness for the Bills the last few years, but seems to be an area of strength this year (hopefully because of an improved running game). I personally think, that the key to the game will be the Bills getting the lead. It's pretty obvious from the last few years, that our nickel defense is better when they have the lead (13 seconds notwithstanding). Lost in all the Dolphins talk, is the fact the while Tyreek and Tua are great, they have had solid, but not otherworldly numbers this year. The Dolphins running game is what blew that 70 point game wide open. We get a lead, eat some clock and make Tua pass into our nickel defense I like our chances. Easier said than done ! Here's praying to a quick start.

I don't know why the Bills simply don't run screens off the right side, where Brown getting beat actually helps create an opening behind the DE driving up field? Just seems like a nice way to capitalize on this weakness while possibly inserting some doubt in the DE (once we ran a few successfully). Brown hasn't been great, but I think he could slow the DE down just enough to setup the screen.

I think the problem is that Dorsey is not recognizing how this offense works best. Daboll understood we have to pass to set up the run and use Allen's legs to run in the crunch. This coaching staff seems to want to will this team to be run first and make Allen a pocket passer. Let's face it, the best version of this team is a finesse air attack with a complementing run game. I wish that were not the case and this administration seem to acquire guards (Torrence) and RBs (Harris) to change this narrative, but it's not enough. Nothing about last night convinced me we will assert ourselves and run successfully into loaded boxes for short yardage conversions. By trying to make this offense into something it is not, it is actually worse. I actually believe our defense could be special with Von and Kirksey. I would take the highflying passing attack that uses Allen's legs and the running backs once we've loosened up the box with this defense over what we are seeing. It is only one week and the Jets clearly have a great defense (I actually thought ours was as good arguably better). Until this staff stops trying to adjust player style to the offensive scheme we will see this offense continue to regress. Just think if we had the 2020 Offense under Daboll with the 2023 defense under McDermott this year.