dave mcbride

I'm not saying Oakland has a great running game, but it's not like SD does either. It doesn't help when your best running back is out, however. No, his numbers aren't great this season, but he's had some good games. Against a sieve D like Buffalo's though, he would likely have put up 100 if the team had decided to feed him the rock. In his last two games, he had 14 carries/57 yds and 2 strong TDs against Miami, and 11 carries/67 yds against NE. Also, they only ran it 14 times against Buffalo, which in retrospect was a huge coaching error by Del Rio given what we know now.

I think this is a pretty good thread (even if I disagree with aspects of your argument); thanks. I disagree with you about Watkins pretty strongly, but I can see where you're coming from. For what it's worth, I do expect his numbers to go up now that Woods is hurt, however. He has looked very explosive on the all-22s lately even if the ball doesn't come his way. I also think that he's the sort of receiver that is great for a qb who shifts into sandlot mode on a play, which TT does more than most QBs. He's simply the best athlete on the field in those situations. The Rams offense is very, very structured, and Goff's throws are truly dictated by coverage.

In the three games Jax has played since Dareus has joined them, they have allowed 166 rushing yards (53.3 per game) on 65 carries (2.55 per carry). Prior to his arrival, their rush defense was at the bottom of the league. The Bills' D had one solid run defense game against Oakland, who just happened to be missing their most talented RB that game. Since then, they have not been decent, to say the least. It's hilarious to think that giving up 146 yards and 2 rushing TDs on the ground represents a massive improvement over the previous two weeks.

Kidding, right?

NE is in the Steelers' division?

Tell that to the 2011 Giants.

I take your point about taking chances, but this wasn't like going for it on 4th and 2 at the opponent's 39 yard line -- it was more like deciding to punt on 3rd and 11 from your own 30 yard line in a fit of (wrongheaded) cleverness.

Just to clarify, the "allergic to turnovers" coach didn't deem it necessary to make the hook until 5 TOs and 37 points had happened. Then it was ok for the superior-yet-flawed qb to come in. dennison has to go.

It is now halftime and peterman is still qb. Season was on the line, and mcdermott didn't put tyrod back in. Looks like Vic's theory was essentially correct. They will not play him no matter what despite the fact that after int 3, it was clear he gave them a better chance to win. The defense has quit on this coach too.

Lol! This game is some damn fine comedy.

It is clear to me that this team has quit.

I stand by what I said. Not a good decision at all. I am very skeptical of this coach going forward.

Almost picked though ...

I disagree. Taylor is fun to watch, at least in my opinion. anyway, this change is an epically bad decision. One for annals in the history of bad Bills coaching decisions.

Stating there is no difference is foolish. Seriously.

14, should be 17.

There is actually a huge, huge difference.

What??? The Bills scored a td on a 2-play drive featueing only shady runs. Nothing to do with the qb

Good post. Sums it up.

Yup.

Daryle Lamonica. Is it even arguable? He's one of the best qbs in league history and spent 4 years on the bench in Buffalo behind an inferior qb (Kemp). The Bills were good between 1964 and 1966 because of defense and the running game. Kemp was bad. Lamonica's teams went 66-16-6 when he started, and his numbers in Oakland were off the charts. ? - Say what you will about Flutie, but he had a special connection with Moulds. The best receiving year in all of Bills history is Moulds' 1998 season, and it ain't even that close.

I will say this about Peterman: the Pitt offense put up a crapload of points last year in essentially every game, and they played a lot of good competition. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/pittsburgh/2016-schedule.html They beat both Penn State (Rose Bowl participant) and national champ Clemson in shootouts, and they lost by a point in a shootout against Mitch Trubisky and UNC. Pitt's offensive output the year before was pretty impressive too. Why did he last until the fifth round?

I think you're partly right, but I think you're overestimating it a bit. Lynn doesn't coach defense, and it's really up to John Pagano to stop the opposing offense. Lynn obviously knows Taylor, but that only goes so far. Moreover, a lot of other coaches "know" him pretty well at this point. Todd Bowles had faced him five times going into the Jets game. The Bills desperately need to win this game. Don't rule anything out.

If they win on Sunday, they have Indy at home and two games against a collapsing Miami team. Those latter two teams have just as many issues as the Bills have, albeit different ones. A 9-7 team will make it this year.

9-7 isn't usually playoff worthy. It probably will be this year, however, and it's even possible that an 8-8 team gets in if the Bills tank and the Ravens lose to either Detroit or GB. If a team is in the playoffs, they're a playoff team.