DrDawkinstein

Cant re-write history a couple years later hiding behind one stats screen, fam. We all saw it, we all were here discussing it in real time. It was then, and forever will be, a coaching botch game. It was a MAJOR tipping point for me as someone who was an ardent McDermott supporter to starting to see the flaws and becoming a McDermott skeptic. The memories of that night are still clear. There were plenty of questionable coaching calls against an inferior opponent. He's the one who fired Russ, Rex, and Whaley and hired McDermott. His approach to the Bills is a complete 180 from how he handles the Sabres. So, while I'm not 100% confident he'd make the right hire, I'm willing to risk it.

Bad moment for sure. I dont think that one cost us the playoff standing since it was the Dorsey year and we ended up 11-6, so plenty of bad losses that season to blame.

McDermott botched managing the game clock the last 2 drives of the game, then with the game on the line somehow had 12 men on the field for the FG the Broncos missed, giving them another chance from 5 yards closer, and they hit the winner. It was a poor showing from the coaches. The numbers dont tell the story of in-game situations. Look at that TOP difference even though we had bigger numbers. The Broncos controlled the game and kept it close against a far superior opponent. Thats coaching.

1. Won a Super Bowl already 2. Even when saddled with a hapless Russell Wilson and a crappy roster, out-manuevered and out-coached McDermott in 2023, leading the Broncos to a last second win over the Bills. 3. Has the Broncos winning and relevant again with a lesser roster and Bo frickin Nix at QB. No one can say he is coasting on talent in Denver. That team is clearly being coached up while they beat the likes of the Eagles. While the Bills and Josh Allen are winning in spite of McDermott too many times, and are now losing as they show up unprepared, undisciplined, and unmotivated.

Oh sure, the Browns are a dumpster fire, and will be as long as Jimmy Haslam is calling the shots. Pretty much any criticism anyone can say about the Browns is valid and correct. Have 2 of the best WRs in the league. Call quick slants. Also have coaches that identified Pittsburgh's trend to bracket WRs, and have a plan in place for when they do. They managed to have Flacco prepared for that situation in mere days (hours really), and he hits the big shot to Iosivas the one time they do it. We have no WRs, no slants, and no one is prepared for what the opposing D does...

Rough morning in Cleveland.

omg...

"Josh is obviously rattled and having a bad game. Better pull our 2nd best player for the entire 4th quarter and squash our own running game. That should help the QB" -Bills coaching, apparently.

I dont think Kraft is that smart, but he does seem to be that lucky.

Is it not on Brady to have him prepared to read the Falcons defense and their tendencies correctly? Yes, the bulk is on Josh, and maybe they did review it and Josh still made the mistake. But when I see so many players looking lost, including our MVP QB, some of that rolls to coaching and preparation.

The Pats also have $55M in cap space compared to our $3M...

And I dont disagree with any of that! The only "good" thing we have going towards that is that the defense needs a complete overhaul and new players anyways, so we either rebuild it to this lame scheme or to a new scheme.

But we arent losing because we are so out-classed on talent. We're killing ourselves with dumb mistakes, lack of basic fundamentals, and bad game plan/play calling. We just got our lunch eaten by the Patriots who are/should be considered a less talented team on paper, but they outclass us at coaching, and it showed. Vrabel is spinning 4-13 straw into competing for the division. We're showing up unprepared, undisciplined, and uninspired.

Let's be real, do we even have the cap space to make a single move?

This is only going to lead to more frustration. We aint in the mix.

For what it's worth I liked Marrone for most of his tenure here except forcing Hackett on the world. Would love to see what he wouldve done with a real QB on the roster with that Defense.

It's still the middle of the work day and you are THIS high? I have 2.5 hours left before I can catch up, I'll be back then.

Would Pegula be willing to steal him from his precious Penn St? Is Cignetti not Marrone 2.0?

Have players line up in formation correctly. Have players line up onsides. Have players remember how to tackle. Have game plans that play to strengths of our team and the weaknesses of the opponents. Have schemes that arent outdated and figured out. Have the team show up like they actually care and arent zombies going through the motions. Really just the basics of coaching, and he isnt even doing that.

It's even more frustrating because Brady famously did just that against the Cowboys in 2023 when it became apparent they couldnt stop the run. Brady got a ton of kudos from the players for getting away from his game plan and adjusting to the thing that was working and continuing to call it until they stopped it (which they never did).

Most of what we discuss here are things that will never happen. You just have to roll with it for the sake of discussion and glean the good points that are made either way.

IMO Rex's Ds being "horrible" was more on Rex/Rob and dropping Mario back into coverage than it being a personnel issue. I think it's fair to go back as far as 2012, when Whaley was AsstGM/Director of Player Personnel, to start looking at the changes and how much re-tooling he had to do year over year. Moving from Wandstadt to Pettine to Schwartz to Rex/Thruman to McD/Frazier. Some very good years in there as you pointed out, and some down years, but never outright horrible, and we were never so many PLAYERS away from being good on Defense, it was almost always a scheme issue. All in all, we agree. The fear of change shouldnt stop Pegula from making the change. At worst we have one anxious year where we still make the playoffs.

Good points, but we're a little lucky that Pegula treats the Sabres much much differently than how he manages the Bills. Additionally, Josh has a very different level of cache than Eichel ever did. As to the result? It at least should get those wheels turning in Terry's head and make it known that his top players arent happy/confident in the staff. What he does from there, who knows. But I believe it would at least change the mindset from "Everything is fine, I can ride these guys for the next 10 years, they have carte blanche" to "I need to keep an eye on if they are making changes/improving". If word got back to McD that the conversation happened, I completely agree he would not be happy. No one would. But then he needs to ask himself why it happened.

I'm not sure what you're arguing here because we agree. I called it a coaching issue. OC is a coach. It's mostly on Brady, but McD isnt in the clear since the buck stops there.