JP51

Right, I think everyone under the sun is expecting that they do... it makes total sense... then you remember, oh wait, they are the Bengals... so... who knows where they end up... but tbh, if this kid sh#$s the bed again this week... they have got to do something...

Yeah barring an injury to Lamar I just dont see them missing the playoffs especially now with Burrow down... their division is not a gauntlet...

This is exactly what I am saying... its like playing in no mans land... go after them or dont... especially younger QBs...

Oh I would agree that the mis execution pre snap, tacking missed assignments is Babich

Yes to all of this... someone needs to reimagine this defense looking at the players we have... I do not want McDs philosophy any more... attacking defense.. punishing... you get beat... so what you got Josh... our slow retreat defense that relies on turnovers and hopes to hold teams to FGs... fine in the regular season... has not got it done in the playoffs... if we run this back to the playoffs in the same lane I would suggest we probably get the same result we have gotten for 5 or 6 years.

Ok I love these points... so I think our number 1 problem is we are last in the league at stopping the run... 2 is we are poor at getting to the QB.... and for that I also blame Beane and McD... . Missed assignments and tackles, poor pursuit Babich needs to be involve in the blame here... 100% I like your call on the nickle dime.... this is getting to part of the crux of my concern .... we have very small lbs who are blocked too easily and rarely shed them in pursuit, this is a McDermott staple, likely imo to beat KC... back off on the rush, be able to spy Mahomes and contain him... make them drive down the field and hope to hold them to a field goal... is this Babiches fault no... is the execution Babiches fault partially its partially on the personnel... From my perspective, I worry less about getting beat with the big play, more about using the speed of the LBs and guys like Oliver etc.. to shoot gaps and blow up plays... SO yes, better conceived blitzes and run blitzes... less ultimately bend dont break... reasoning, you have Josh, he is gonna score, you can afford to take more chances here... this means a new overall philosophy with respect to risk tolerance... I do not believe it is Babich to drive that change I think he is executing McD's philosophy... a solution is to get a defensive mind in here to reimagine what this defense looks like and to take advantage of the skill sets they have... Bottom line, the under performance of this defense to your point starts at Beane with the talent level, moves to McD with the over all philosophy, and ends at Babich in terms of the execution and lack of development of existing players... I say all this and it sound like I am saying everything is wrong... etc... I am not... I am looking SB and saying we are pretty much in the same defensive space that we have been in... that has not worked out well for us... we need to manage improvement .... how or what might that look like.

I guess my point is that it is the same base defense and philosophy quite honestly I am less into the cover 2 or 3 and more looking for being aggressive up front. I think McD prevents the big play in a more passive defense i think when you have Josh Allen you can take far more chances and be far more aggressive with your defense than when you have say Justin Fields or Joe Flacco... so we can talk zone scheme cover scheme whatever scheme you want my issue is 1 the lack of effectiveness overall 2. The lack of aggressive play go ahead and get beat deep you have Josh but to sit there and suffer through these long drives 3rd and long completions hoping to hold the other team to a FG while we score TDs falls flat and in my opinion needs to change

The results look very much the same very much this defense as it stands needs to be better if we are to win it all... you dont think so, you like what you see, you think it takes us to the promised land that's awesome we dont agree and in the end I hope you are correct. But as I see it... same missed tackles, 3rd and long failures, gashed in the run game, problematic pass rush defense....

LOL maybe you are right maybe you arent... here is my thing... and I posted it before way back... is this Babich, maybe.... Is this Beane and the personnel choices maybe is it McD... again maybe I tend to think its all three.... I believe this... to win a Superbowl we need the Defense to improve... to this point i am not seeing it... the overall concern is what you have is an outdated version of a McD defense that worked for him 10 years ago... Babich to me is simply implementing that defense... from my perspective regardless if it is McD or Babich we need to get a defensive mind in here that can reimagine what we are doing... that means I think Babiches seat should be hot... Debbie Downer LOL... I guess if that is how you see it... from my perspective not so much... we seem to get the same type of result year over year that is fine in the regular season but gets us in the end... we only have so many years of Josh left, for me I want something different on defense...

When it looks the same as it always has it gives you a pretty good indication that you are going to get more of the same...

and McD's defense is old... like 2015 old... that is why we need a mind in here that can reimagine what this defense is... and for the folks that think this defense was built to stop Mahomes... I dont agree, I think this defense was built to contain threats play soft and pray you hold teams to FGs while your offense score TDs...

and that is what makes this board great... if we all thought alike how boring would this be lol.... I think I elaborated on why I dont think a pass for babich is right... you do not agree... fair enough... heck I am not even pointing and saying I am right and you are wrong.... (I understand nor are you) hey I could be dead wrong here.... but I don't think I am... time will tell as it always does... thanks for the good discussion!

Well, I think if you read what I wrote I said I do not think it is hot... but I think it should be... the reason would be several fold, 1, performance no one can look at this defense and believe it is acceptable... again, gashed by the run, poor tackling 3rd and longs etc... 2. Scheme, I think McD has a lot to do with scheme and I think the personnel needs to be looked at by an exceptional defensive mind whose existence for the past several years has been focused on defense in a changing league, not a 2nd yr out of his league Dco and a head coach who has been focusing on head coaching since the 2000 teens... Bottom line defense needs to improve, has needed to improve for years... Babich is not improving the defense... most would say not even really changing it... Your point about personel is a very good one... leads me to a chicken and egg thing... because I do not think we have drafted well, nor signed quality FA for the money we have spent... whose fault is this... could very well be that Beane and McD cant pick talent... could be... could be Babich isnt getting the best out of them... could be both, probably a combination... but the lack of improvement from Rousseau to straight out regression to me move to coaching... like the regression of Ed Oliver last year... he did play a good game this year lets hope that continues... the regression of Douglas last year... I might even have a little gnat in my thoughts wondering if Benford has seen a regression.... lets see... these things move to coaching to me... lack of tackling and proper angles is killing is... this moves to coaching to me... so the bottom line like anything, its never just 1 thing there is blame to go around... but Babich to me is not making the best out of his talent, they do not seem prepared to play and they are performing like the same ol same ol.... with respect to the rookies... Jackson, Sanders.... is it them... is it how they are being coached, do we have them in a position to be successful... me personally, I think its their own limitations... Hairston, not sure why we are mentioning him... he had an injury cant really put that on Mc D Beane or Babich... Bottom line, same problems for years... Babich has not made a meaningful change in our performance and sometimes assistants go because of the sins of their bosses.... like you said, but we need more, we need a true pro in here that can improve this defense because Babich isnt...

I think Babich seat is not hot... I think it should be hot... lots of talk about defensive improvement... yet watching this Defense is like watching a gut wrenching slow death most of the times... he doesnt have it... like Dorsey didnt have it... bring in a defensive mind... question about mid year does it help... I dont know thats a heavy lift, it did when we booted Dorsey... but if this continues they need to rethink who is co-ordinator. This^^^^

Honestly, I think there is a chance its San Diego... just a feeling I have... if not them KC... but I think the Chargers may win the division.

Oh I am not suggesting we dont have a problem... I mean to me it is obvious that this is not a defense that is going to win us games... in fact with out 17 we have issues... but it did occur to me watching some of the points these teams are putting up... that we are not alone. 1950s-1960s: Around 14.5 points per game per team. 1970s: Approximately 15.3 points per game per team. 1980s: Averaged about 15.8 points per game per team. 1990s: Increased to approximately 20.2 points per game per team. 2000s: A further increase to about 21.1 points per game per team. 2010s: Averaged around 22.6 points per game per team. 2020s: Started strong with about 22.9 points per game per team, but saw some fluctuation, according to StatMuse. There is clearly a trend... obviously the changes to favor offense are in full effect... but that does not excuse bad tackling, lack of a pass rush and performance on 3rd and long as well as being about last in the league in rush d... we are looking at winning a championship not being the Fouts led Chargers in the early 80s

I think Klein or Norman... er wait..

I agree Gabe Davis plays before we start trading... right or wrong I think that is where we are at...

So I dont see him as surpassing... I see Hawes as a Lee Smith with downfield pass catching ability but a voracious blocker... quite honestly the 3 tight end set with 3 guys that can catch is an interesting thing for a defense to have to defend... I think Hawes has played well, really well, but he is still a rookie... I think if he continues his trajectory this won't be a replace Knox, but it may be a makes him expendable... in the end though, I have rarely seen effective 3 TE offenses to me this is a new wrinkle that maybe we are even ahead of the game on... Bottom line, I think Knox is here thru his contract... I think the roles are a bit nuanced and he may lose some snaps, but I also think that there is a place for all of them...

Yeah it was literally out of position from the knee down it looked like ... kinda like the who leg turned 90 degrees from where it should be

That was just nasty ... like worse than Theismann nasty if I saw what I think i saw

just those things LOL... the one thing that drives me nuts is their pursuit laterally and getting off blocks.. they seem to get block easily and teams force things outside very successfully... although they did look better yesterday.

(James Cook tilts his head...)

1. Do you have ridiculous game day rituals? - absolutely absurd rituals, like literally call the wagon rituals LOL 2. Do you wear the same clothes on game day? - see above unwashed 3. Do you have rituals during the game, like changing seats if things aren’t going well? - no I stay in the same seat (see above regarding rituals) 4. Do you pace around during commercials? - no I dont move during the game not even to go to the bathroom or get a drink (see above regarding rituals...LOL) 5. Do you read and watch anything and everything that might mention the Bills after a win? And grumble if they are not getting enough recognition? - Yes and no, I read alot after a win, I would prefer to avoid the recognition, I like the under the radar thing... 6. Do you avoid anything or anyone that may mention the Bills after a loss? - dom't you LOL 7. Did you watch every game the season that Kyle Orton was the quarterback? Dude, I watched every game Clod Collins was QB actually, Vince Ferragamo too... and Nathan Peterman, of course Alex Van Pelt.. come to mention it Dennis Shaw... You have made me feel better though with it only being an affliction... I was starting to think I was nuts ...LOL

I salute and thank you for your sacrifice... please keep up the good work LOL