Brand J

McD is king of vagueness, but I thought his comments were unmistakable: “If Tre feels he needs to be at this level…” There’s no tiptoeing around that, Tre doesn’t feel right. As I said earlier, McD could’ve ended any and all attention towards Tre if he said from the get go “we don’t feel he’s ready to contribute in a game.” Instead it’s “we’re taking it day to day…” and that has been the message since he returned to practice almost a month ago. Tre is physically ready, any thoughts that he’s limping around on the field or had a setback are just crazy given how the Bills have treated his comeback and what McD continues to say “or not say.”

It’s “player X doesn’t feel he’s at the level he needs to be to compete and we’ll support his decision.” That’s a team decision. Saying “team decision” was also another way to prevent the pitchforks from really stabbing at Tre. Could you imagine if he was blunt with that reporter and said “it’s been Tre’s decision not to play, our team doctors cleared him long ago.” Good luck getting any free agents here if they believed the head coach doesn’t have your back.

Probably just as fast as before. The real issue coming off an ACL is cutting/changing direction.

McD’s response was in regards to a reporter asking point blank “is it Tre White holding himself out? Or is it the team doctors?” He said it was a team decision, he’s not going to throw his players under the bus. Closest he got to that was his response on the 16th of this month when he said “Tre doesn’t feel he’s at the level he needs to be at, it’s like the gap coming out of training camp, but at some point we’ve got to go.” That was the closest he’s been to pointing the finger directly at Tre. Nowhere did McD say that he, the position coaches, or anyone else doesn’t feel he’s ready to contribute in a game and if he did, it’d put to rest all the animosity towards Tre.

It’s a team decision in the sense the Bills are supporting Tre’s wishes, but if Tre wanted to play, or felt he was ready to play, he’d be on the field. The “team” wouldn’t say no.

He does, but if we did have Kelce, would Josh use him? He’s never had a reliance on the TE. I feel like Knox gets open far more than the ball comes his way, so I’m not sure Kelce would dominate the same way with Josh under center.

Hit the nail on the head with this post. I do wonder if his timeline would be altered if sitting out meant losing money. I wonder if he’d ease himself back into the games rather than make himself an inactive. There’s no financial incentive for him to be back on the field, he’s getting paid regardless. I don’t mean this as an attack on him sitting, but money is a great motivator.

Apparently the Chiefs have won 25 straight games in November and December. November is typically when the Bills struggle and lose to lesser teams. I think Buffalo is truly the only AFC team at KC’s level and the fact they struggle during a period where KC excels, there’s no wonder the “Arrowhead Invitational” is a thing. We don’t have the same consistency or the wherewithal to pull out games we should lose.

Kenny Pickett, Zach Wilson, Kirk Cousins, and Jacoby Brissett all had statistically their best games against this defense. We’re 2-2 in those games against scrubs.

Oh yeah, I’m not advocating cutting him, that’s just some of the frustration going on with other folks, but what I thought was the issue all along turned out to be correct: Tre is healed from the ACL injury and after the strenuous rehab has gotten his strength back in the knee, but isn’t satisfied with how he’s looked going against NFL receivers in practice. We’re talking about an all pro player, ego is real! He doesn’t want to look bad with millions watching. In all seriousness, only Tre knows his timeline, but the organization probably needs to start gently nudging him. We understand it’s a 2 year process to get everything back, Tre. We don’t expect all pro caliber this year, but your leadership and knowledge are needed on the field.

“At some point we’ve got to go” Puts the holdout squarely on White, not the organization, but does so in an understanding McD way.

I think you missed McD’s thoughts on this from a few days ago. “At some point you just have to go.” I think the decision is entirely Tre’s and the organization has been supportive and in his corner up until this point. The longer this draws out, you start to see chinks in that support, especially with teammates playing under various ailments.

Agree with all the above except the bolded. He was running flat out full speed towards the pylon. I don’t know if you’ve played sports, but when you have your full momentum going one way it’s impossible to change direction without slowing down. If he slowed down to cut it up he runs into the defender anyway as that guy was behind the play and had the angle. He didn’t think the defender also had the speed to catch him. The fault on that conversion is for Gilliam missing his block. Also, I find it curious McK hasn’t been crucified for what he was doing on Josh’s first pick against the Vikes last week. I heard others mention he just stood out of bounds the entire play, but I didn’t realize the extent to which how bad it was. It was a benchable offense. He was literally run out of the play by Peterson and then stood in place as Allen ran his way and Peterson intercepted the pass. At a bare minimum, when Allen was running that direction McK either has to run the opposite direction to pull his defender away from Allen, or block his defender from tackling his QB in the event he should run. He did neither, just stood and watched everything for a good 5 seconds from out of bounds. Didn’t even pursue Peterson after the INT.

Might as well go ahead and give Mahomes that league MVP trophy.

I wonder how Kelce would do in this offense with Josh’s lack of reliance for the TE.

Because Edmunds would've held in check all those big plays the DBs gave up in the second half? Like I said, I don’t want to see the likes of you criticizing Edmunds when he gives up plays. No wishy washiness allowed.

Edmunds just doesn’t move the needle enough for me on most game days. Milano is the heartbeat of the defense. To all those whining about how much Edmunds is missed, I don’t want to hear any criticisms about him when the defense gives up plays with him on the field.

Cousins was dropping absolute dimes in the face of pressure last week. So many pinpoint accurate passes where he just looked like he was throwing the ball up for grabs. Brissett was also playing out of his mind against the Bills but didn’t get much help from his supporting cast. We’re getting these teams best shots, no doubt. And Buffalo can’t get out of their own way. It’s been a perfect storm.

I suppose my standard for what constitutes a “fantastic” run defender is quite different than yours.

I’d be willing to bet the decision to play or not to play has entirely been White’s to this point. The link I referenced where McD said “at some point you just have to go” supports that.

McD on Tre White sitting out All but confirms what I suspected was the issue all along. Tre doesn’t want to hit the field until he feels closer to the player he once was. Bills have been patient to this point, but as McD says “at some point you’ve got to go.” He’s been medically cleared, has practiced for weeks, there’s nothing wrong physically, it’s on Tre to step up and play.

The irony is that he was probably better than Rodger Saffold has been this year, but I don’t see him going to any team. OL has to be one of the most difficult positions to go from sitting on your couch, or even working out, to suddenly trying to impose your will on other 300+ pound guys.

Would‘ve been nice to have Edmunds, but he isn’t a strong run defender anyway.

Murph is the one voice I never really liked on Bills radio. His voice and the high pitched “touchdown! Touchdown, Buffalo!” never liked it. That’s the extent of his passion for the game right there.

Love Knox the person, but that was a bad contract extension.