BillsVet

It's a good question...that's been asked for more than a year, but now receives scrutiny because it has not worked in crucial moments. You can spend on on a DL, but there's got to be give somewhere else. For 2023 (and it's early), Buffalo is 8th in defensive spending, but only one of the teams ahead have a major QB contract (GB) and they're not a model of efficiency. The time to assess scheme value and positional priorities was last off-season before Josh's extension hit their books. But they didn't and signed 4 UFA DL (not including Von) within the first week of UFA last March. Ironically, it was the last one of that group, D. Jones, who was their best. What is clear is that overall spending on defense, draft and UFA dollars, is impeding their offense more than many here could see until the Cincinnati game. Each of the final 4 teams had several top-end offensive skill players, but Buffalo did not. Good to see the conversation around DL and defense in general, but it's a day late and a dollar short. Now McBeane have themselves in a hole they created looking up at another AFC team built more solidly in less time than theirs.

All GMs make mistakes, but some make more and then get fired. Others achieve moderate results and eventually get fired. A select few, typically those who draft a true franchise QB, win championships and stay on. Then again, it takes ownership to be invested just enough. The Pegula's have given McBeane everything they've asked for it appears...and at some point they'll tire of excuses and bad playoff results with a 258M investment on the payroll.

I've have not observed enough to indicate OBD A) values offense compared to their major AFC competitors B) identifies and acquires talent in the draft and UFA that C) fits an aligned scheme which can succeed in the modern NFL. This off-season has to be a tremendous departure from previous years when they found a reason not to improve their offense around Josh. It certainly could happen, but it should not have taken this playoff loss to reveal this gap.

A mid-season swoon each of the past few years makes me wonder if what you say here is already happening. I gave McD credit for how he handled the Damar Hamlin situation, but how they've fared these last 2 playoffs and maybe even the HOU WC loss were not good looks for the HC or his DC. Agree that some things are going stale and need to be refreshed.

It's funny that when the 2022 league year commenced, Buffalo out of the gate signed Saffold, OJ Howard, re-signed McKenzie, and then Duke Johnson in the first week of free agency. It's now 4 of McD's 6 off-seasons the defense got significant (either talent or pay-wise) upgrades, while the offense got little. Even 2021, they, notably speaking, re-signed Daryl Williams, re-signed McKenzie, then added Matt Breida in the opening 2 weeks of UFA. Not surprising they can't keep pace offensively with Cincinnati and Kansas City...apparently off-season review does not require continuously improving the offense.

Yeah, everyone and their mother knows the OL needs upgrades, but let's not go back to 2009 by using top draft picks for centers and guards because there was a glaring interior line issue. Use more efficient means to address IOL, focus on the priority positions, and don't waste high picks just to fill a need.

More like Private Snuffy for losing his weapon...as the senior officers lose battles and wars.

It's not merely an exit, it's a debilitating loss to a team that was dead last in the NFL in 2019 and went to the SB last year. They've lapped Buffalo. Yes, some are calling for heads to roll, but others have wisely observed that much of this loss occurred in the off-season. Targeting players who could not execute has been an issue, particularly in UFA, for multiple off-seasons now. The frustration is not just over the loss, but that McBeane's plan has finally been revealed as inherently flawed. You can't keep preaching process and then have a season end like that without some fall out. The answers will not be easy, but they've escaped from making substantial changes to stick to that plan. Those days are over after the past 2 playoff losses.

They also have a QB whose cap hit is under 2M this year. It's doable to feature an expensive DL rotation, but not if you're paying the QB and skill players. Buffalo can run the DL rotation because they skimp on skill players.

Resources in the draft and UFA have been devoted for several seasons now on the DL. Lots of money spent there overseen by the HC. As to the run defense, it began unraveling mid-season when they had everyone good in the front 7: Game 7 vs. GB: 208 yards on 31 carries Game 8 at NYJ: 174 yards on 34 carries Game 9 vs. MIN: 147 yards on 25 carries Game 14 vs MIA: 188 yards on 25 carries Something is amiss in how they run this scheme, which is irksome considering how much they invest there and supposed depth. Many teams may run that scheme, but it doesn't require a 8-9 man DL rotation like McD's does.

Yeah...the Cincinnati loss and a less than ideal end to the season the last 2 years happens when your off-season reviews are flawed. Which leads to bad personnel priorities and decisions. Spending big on UFA and some extensions covered up that they weren't drafting and developing enough of their own players who could provide solid play at lower cost. Players who could step in to give them room. It's why the talk of extending Edmunds is pure madness at 10M+ season with protection and WR depth issues.

He's not gonna give away the classified details...because their off-season review just begun. He's doing a lot in these PC's...sending subtle messages to players/agents, trying to assuage the fans, show disappointment without begin negative. It's theater in a way. But there is serious concern as evidenced upthread that the Cincinnati loss wasn't just a 1 game issue and saying an injury or two was the culprit is absurd. McBeane have responded to the last 2 off-season with a run it back approach. Yet, their last 3 of the last 4 departures from the playoffs were real head-scratchers.

If that's the response after a disappointing end in the playoffs, then Terry ain't pushing them hard. His mind is, understandably in some regard, occupied elsewhere. Going back to McD's hire...he was given authority over football ops and that's the way it's remains. His grip on what this team does in personnel, scheme, and everything in-between remains iron-clad. Ownership won't push him to do anything. But, Beane's stood up there and done the subterfuge dance before. Signed Miller out of nowhere. We'll see.

I'd really like to see the term, "hater" applied to people who highlight easily anticipated problems to die. Permanently. It's a clown term to separate fans into 1 of 2 camps and there's no way to make it a binary issue, i.e. pro or anti-team. Perhaps you're using it somewhat casually, but it's hard to discern intent on a message board. Aside from that, good post.

Ownership just invested 258M in their franchise QB. Focusing the offense on handing off to a 1-2M/year RB doesn't make much sense. Then again, McBeane was trying to build a mauling-type OL this year.

After last off-season, if the owners were engaged, I wondered if they might ask McCoach how he was protecting their quarter-billion investment in Josh Allen. Sadly, I don't think they're engaged given Kim's health and second, because the money is flowing. Seeing Josh plunge into the line and take off running like he did down the stretch tell me no one is pushing them on what should be a significant concern.

They had RT Daryl Williams on a 1 year deal for 2020...whom they then re-signed and promptly stopped playing hard. But yeah...not much talent for a lot of big UFA money over their tenure. But it's the price you pay when the the drafting doesn't result in many value types there either. For all their "wizardry" McBeane have drafted (to date) in 6 years one decent OL, 1 TE, and 1 WR3 (Davis). But sure spent a lot of picks on RB, DL, DB...many of whom are OK, but not the money positions or not solid starters. I'd say aside from Milano and Taron Johnson they've gotten nothing in the way of good starters from Round 3 and beyond. Lot of work to do.

I just like that your screen name currently shows you have 180 posts, or the year Marcus Aurelius died. If anything, their 1st round picks indicate that their board is weighted toward defense with 5 1sts out of 7 used there. That strikes me more as a McD influence than the GM. I'll go back to being stoic now.

Have to ask...have you ever been in a real two-way live fire exercise?

I still remembering being in quarterback purgatory under the previous GM. You mean to tell me there's a head coach one too?

In neither of those wins did Buffalo dominate another top offense. The Colts game was 27-24 with 6 minutes left and a Lamar was hurt in the 2nd half...for a Ravens team that held Buffalo to 1 offensive TD. Regular season ended a few weeks ago. The regression is from losing the AFC CG 2 years ago, to losing a divisional game last season in the waning minutes, to getting the snot kicked out of you this season. If that's not regression I don't know what is No contending team falls back on regular season success in the wake of a playoff blowout.

Stubbornness can be an excellent character trait...or it can be the enemy of progress and growth.

No. The worst thing is seeing the Cincinnati Bengals lap your organization 2 years running.

Your mind-reading skills are truly underestimated.

Completely missed the point. Doesn't matter who the coordinators are if the HC who drives personnel decisions, determines scheme and game-plans continues doing what he does. I am not advocating for firing McD...but he needs to overhaul everything: the schemes he plays, the players he tells Beane to acquire to staff them, and how he game-plans. Then we can talk about coordinators.