Dr. Who

Well, despite the continual ribbing you get from some posters, I think your insight on qbs is good. I surmise you make a distinction between John Gruden on ESPN and off-camera? He seems to like pretty much everyone on his show.

Why can't we have scantily clad women playing drums?

SoTier, Sound description of the situation, but it leaves me wondering if there is any prescriptive advice hidden in the description. Or is it mainly a matter of chance? My view is that we likely do not have a franchise qb on the roster. I expect us to draft a qb early unless someone we have now unexpectedly emerges as a franchise qb. I surmise there must be some rational basis for determining which highly rated qbs in 2018 are more likely to achieve NFL success.

John Wayne always plays John Wayne. The screenplay for Bridges' film is stronger and he is one of the better actors of his era. I prefer the remake to the original. Wayne's best western is probably The Searchers.

Frustrating about Listenbee

This. The OP presupposes a false dichotomy. It also adds on a bunch of ridiculous aspersions because it isn't a serious proposal.

Please be wrong.

Right. Pro bowl does not mean what it used to. It isn't just smh befuddling that many Bills' fans are not sold on Taylor. He's not that good.

You would have to create two upper management jobs that were obvious promotions. I suppose its possible.

It would be ironic if McD is the quiet, hardworking grinder version of Rex Ryan's penchant to promise too much. And if McD is right, it is probably JaCrispy's scenario that equals short-term, low ceiling prize at the cost of long-term, sustained chances at a super bowl.

Yep. This is the year to tank. Maybe Pegs is gunshy because of the Sabres tank which should still end up working if they play their cards right. Fortunately, we may be bad in any event, though I can see 7- 9 because Bills . . . alas, we are just not that bright.

I concur. Jets are doing it right and they got Adams this year, one of the best picks in the draft.

My guess is after a year of scrutiny, probably two will shake out as above the rest. It's a question whether we will be in a position to get one of them. The extra first isn't all that helpful, as I indicated above, if it is in the twenties. Also, if the two worst teams need a franchise qb, unlikely they are going to trade out.

You left out Darnold.

We need some of the injured 2016 draft to show up and for McD to find a way to use them. I suspect your assessment is correct, however. This is not a bad year to be bad given the 2018 qb class. Mediocre never gets you anywhere, however, which is our brand of treadmill.

I expect us to somehow manage to be mediocre, so I am hoping KC flops. If we are picking 10 to 15 and the KC pick is in the twenties, that probably doesn't get you close to a franchise qb unless the 2018 class really is four to six deep.

The premise of the thread is fine, I suppose, if one defines one's terms correctly. An irrational downer is someone who instinctively faults everything OBD does and perhaps uses "17 years" as justification. There are irrational optimists who the former often call "homers." Over the years, I have often been branded a homer, so I find it ironic that recently I have caught flack for being a "downer" because I question the direction of the current team. Imo, it is somewhat unsettling to see how much power McD appears to have accrued before he has ever coached a down as head coach of an NFL team. I generally liked Doug Whaley, though his performance was mixed and it's fine if the Pegulas decided to go another direction. The way they have chosen to do so, however, apparently investing an unproven first-time head coach with inordinate power, causes me to suspect McD is just the latest infatuation, rather than part of a well-thought out logical command structure. I could be wrong on this and I hope it works out. Further, imo, the difference in the NFL from when I was a kid and today is the hyper-inflated importance of the qb. The rb used to be of equal or more importance. Until we get a franchise qb, we will always be hoping to catch a ton of breaks just to top out at a wild card team or so. I certainly don't see Super bowl wins without one and I have always thought that was the point of the game, not just to make the playoffs. I don't think Cardale Jones and a fifth-round rag-arm qb are likely to turn into a franchise qb. Hooray if they do. Taylor is a bridge, but only if you end up with a franchise qb destination. If Taylor makes a huge leap, fantastic -- I will be very surprised. So, if emphasizing the need for urgency and intelligence in securing a franchise qb, hopefully in 2018, makes one a downer in some folk's books, have at it. My main "tactical" worry is that we will continue to be a mediocre team, too good to get a prime draft pick and too bad to be more than a team whose mathematical possibility for the playoffs dwindles to zero some time in December.

You know I agree with you, Jeff. I'm tired of arguing with folks on the other side of the argument. We will all see soon enough. (I allow for the minute possibility that Taylor, Peterman, or Cardale somehow blossom into a true franchise qb.) I suspect most will be on board with a qb in 2018 by the time the draft rolls around. It remains to be seen if we will be in a position to get one.

Solid post. I have the same concerns. Pegulas are great folks, but they seem to need a football czar/hockey president to help prevent "infatuation errors."

Agree with all these points. I hope McD is successful, but on what basis has he acquired all this power? He has yet to coach a single down as a head coach.

I think that is a fair analysis, but the idea that he was just terrible that some folks have is about as sound as the view that TT is a franchise qb. As it happens, these are often the same folks.

Happy birthday, JW. At least there is one competent sport's journalist in Buffalo.

If they think Cardale has any future at all, Yates will be cut.

I definitely saw folks in the shoutbox saying Leroi said we were trying to trade up for Jones on Friday afternoon. I missed Leroi's actual post or shoutbox message.

This is smart.