BillsVet

None of this matters now...McBeane determined he was capable of going from WR3 to WR2 and it's clear he's not that guy despite having Josh Allen throwing him the ball. And, they eschewed the outside WR position in UFA. See above, now add in the injury history. So much of this board focuses on whether the player performs or doesn't, while almost completely ignoring the personnel and strategic decisions that go into the player being into the position he is. The OL and WR positions point to a larger issue that OBD does not do offense from a personnel standpoint all that well.

I'm concerned that this investment will hinder the HC from adding another depth DT, 4th DE, or backup SAM who can play ST to say nothing over another safety.

Teams watch film. Player/scheme versatility and talent in the right areas helps to adapt.

Whatever happened before the salary cap is completely irrelevant and only a historical footnote in comparison. Colts success was underwhelming considering what they had on offense. Packers never lived up to expectations in the last decade, went defense over offense often and banked on Rodgers since he became starter in 2008 on offense (BTW...he was not on team from 2000-2004). Besides, the players are predominantly Gen Z and later Millennial types. They don't respond to the coaching of guys like some of those referenced above. It's why McD preached "trust the process" to gain some sort of support when he had little in the track record area. There's nothing wrong with doing trend analysis, but it really doesn't begin until around late 00's/early 10's when offensive production became the key to winning in the NFL. It's noteworthy that 4 of the last 5 HC's to win the SB came from the offensive side of the ball, with the lone exception being Belichick. Before him it was Pete Carroll in 2013. Speaking of Carroll, they found themselves a QB with Russell Wilson, but made sure to go defense heavy. Eventually, that defense got older/more expensive and their run as a contender ended. He's probably the closest comp to McD, who loves him more defense but can't seem to figure out what to do with a franchise QB.

The Pegula's have some off-field issues going on and probably aren't paying close attention to the HC, but their quarter-billion dollar QB investment taking hits to keep drives going should alarm them about the HC and his roster construction/vision.

Still don't understand OBD prioritizing RBs over WR's after drafting Josh. You take a guy 7th overall in 2018, and the follow that with 3 2nd/3rd round RBs in the ensuing 4 drafts? And now they've traded for Hynes and before that signed Yeldon? When it comes to pass catching RB's they go all out, but receivers evidently aren't as critical to their offense. Compared to RB, even after their offensive spending in '19 with Brown and Beasley followed by the Diggs trade in '20, their highest pick at WR was the 4th on Davis in '20. And before that Zay in '17. You get into trouble around here wanting to see them address problems before they become obvious, but their inability to give Josh more WR options is something they'll address in the off-season. That's too late for this year. People seem hopeful that OBJ will sign, but your off-season planning shouldn't bank on that situation working out. What's also interesting is they've historically under McD struggled with scheme/personnel versatility on defense as well so it's not surprising the receiver group is constructed this way.

The chroise had some special powers. Hell of a throw...and he did it when it mattered. Now, if they can get him better receivers aside from Diggs...🙂

Irregardless of the result, Buffalo needs to resign some of their DB depth, orientate to the playoffs and straight up play dominate football. My gut tells me they must of learnt something from this game. 🤣

Roster construction is effectively over this season (cue the OBJ reference) so the issue is now moot for 2022. Josh's contract kicking in for 2023 and the cap used on defense is going to be something to watch this off-season. Teams with a big QB cap hit cannot spend ~50% of their cap on defense and maintain a solid offense. The draft has never meant more to them as being solid in rounds 2-4 will be more crucial to replace the talent they can't afford to re-sign.

Definitely has a voice for print.

They need to demonstrate being more than a 75-85 point team this year AND the several youth show the team's trust in them. Because at some point prospects go from being that to either players or not. I'm not a fan of being patient much either, nor an overly-deliberate rebuilding strategy...but they're 1/5th of the way into the season.

Adams' first year with Kruger (2020-21) I consider Year 0, followed by the tear-down ahead of last season as Year 1 and now they're into the second true season. They'll probably be short of the playoffs, but at some point the young talent particularly up front has to show something because I expect a playoff team in 2023-24. I'm stuck between the idea that rebuilding a NHL team takes multiple seasons and wanting results this season. It's not like the NFL where you have a guy become your franchise QB and you begin winning. At the same time, Adams and Granato getting extensions mean it's pretty much their show or bust now. For now, I'm not as concerned about being frugal with cap spending if it means they're intent on re-signing Dahlin and Power. Those 2 should be cornerstone players for several years to come, but they'll be going in circles if either do not see success and want out.

You can't play 7 games in 6 weeks. That said, I see the quibblers are out in full force. Keep trying.

They were 2-4 in the middle of last season from (EDIT: games) 8 thru 13. Teams with a goal of being the #1 seed do not have mid-season drops like this. Now quibble about that goal.

They've arrived at a 6-3 record in very different ways. Last year in games 7-9 they were 2-1, with pretty solid wins over Miami and the Jets. Their loss in game 9 to Jacksonville was bad and signaled the start of their mid-season drop in play. From game 10 to 13 they were 1-3 and didn't rebound until the final 4 games of the season. By comparison this year the drop began in game 8 losing to the Jets and has continued last week. If anything, it demonstrates they begin falling apart around mid-season for about 6 games before adjusting and getting back on track.

Who advises the HC on how to build/scheme an offense? And if there is someone, does he listen to them? And who thought signing Saffold, Bates, Duke Johnson, OJ Howard, Crowder, Austin and Quessenberry were the answers? Then, drafting Cook with another high pick on a RB? 2021 off-season on offense was similar in terms of signings and a lack of quality picks used on offense. Running it back 2 years in a row on offense should set off some alarms about the decision making process at OBD.

As long as he brings along Jim Monos into the podcast. I'm waiting!

Not re-signing a top 10 pick would be cause for concern, but the issue is fitting him under the cap in the same year JA’s deal hits.

Does Beane have the guts to tell the guy who effectively got him hired his priorities are misguided and need to change? I've been waiting 2 off-seasons for a transition to a team that supports Josh 100% and not one that uses high picks and more $$$ on defense. I don't see it happening. This is why McD is the weak link in this franchise. It's as if he and Beane have the Carolina prototype for roster construction, struggle to embrace anything different, and keep pushing that model. I get being stubborn sometimes, but it can become a major weakness when you don't adapt to changing circumstances.

The bigger issue is being forced to line up David Quessenberry at RT and thinking Buffalo will not have more hits to the QB in passing situations. Yeah, he's the swing tackle, but Brown's play to finish last season combined with signing DQ probably not what a good decision when Josh Allen is your QB.

"It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my tail off and McDermott gets a few ranks higher on defense, I don't see another dime; so where's the motivation? And here's something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now." Peter Gibbons was ahead of his time.

LOL at the comparisons to Bills teams from 30 years ago. Pre salary cap when Buffalo's roster was exceedingly better than just about every team in the league. It's as if people cannot comprehend the game's changed markedly in the intervening years. The loss to Miami was not good, nor the Jets loss. It happens and every reasonable fan knew they weren't going 16-1 or 17-0. Doesn't mean it's fun to see division rivals win, albeit when they're home. At this point, it's time to see what this staff can do. For all the plaudits given them, at crucial times they seem caught flat-footed. Time will tell.

Lot of vitriol directed at the goofy owner, but GM Chris Ballard is on the hook for this as well if not more. Teams that try reclamation or declining veteran options at QB typically aren't successful, especially when their OL is hot garbage. That said, there aren't many career-minded coaches in (or out of) the NFL who would take an interim HC gig, the losses which will inevitably follow and put it on their resume.

It is hard to understand how, for an organization that fails forward quickly, they insist on a defense first approach with Josh a franchise guy these last 2 off-seasons. They swung the trade for Diggs in 2020 ostensibly to give their QB all the chances to succeed...and he did, but their focus on defense (particularly the DL) remained the same. This year, Buffalo has 9 DL getting between 25 and 65% of snaps at mid-season. Looking at other teams, including those with defensive based HC's, you don't see that kind of depth there. But it's something Buffalo has done since early in the McBeane tenure. I once had hopes that Beane would move the HC away from the defense first approach, but he's either aligned with this plan or too weak to push for a new strategy. And I sincerely doubt ownership will insist on changes as they deal with difficult off-season issues. Makes one wonder what they talk about during off-season review.

And it's not just that it happens ever year, it's how this last for about 6 games: 2020: A 3-3 stretch from weeks 5 through 10 with a bad loss to Tennessee, the KC MNF loss at home, recovered against SEA 44-34, and then the away AZ loss. They only beat NYJ 18-10, NE 24-21 the latter of which on a Newton fumble to secure the win. 2021: Went 2-4 in weeks 9-14 starting with the Jacksonville loss, being run over by IND, losing to NE on MNF and then TB. Blew out NYJ and NO.