BillsVet

I don't care for state and local money tax revenue and tax expenditures paying for stadiums. That said, those who make spending decisions are duly elected (for the most part) and their constituents have a say. The Federal government passing a law to bar public spending probably doesn't even survive a committee vote. Kinda late to be even thinking this way given that it's been a practice for decades already throughout the nation.

You can't win in Fantasy Football without 2 solid backs...and if one of them is Saquon Barkley, well...CHAMPIONSHIP!

It's a secret government plot to drive you and all the reasonable Bills fans crazy. I'm tellin' ya!

Both

"If you were a hot dog, would you eat yourself?"

Yep. Some people are getting their shovels and digging even deeper on this subject. Pretty soon they'll need a backhoe.

61 games played and 37.5 impact plays made (INTs, forced fumbles, sack, TFLs) in that time. In fact, he hasn't forced a fumble since the 5th game of his rookie season. If your MLB isn't making more impact plays then something's either wrong with the player or scheme. I see people rotating to making it about the front 4, which is ironic because the HC has spent more UFA and draft resources and somehow it's not enough. The Bills ranked 2nd in DL spending last season.

It's a government plot against Bills fans to stealthily invade TBD with mouth-breathers. The sleeper cells are activating now.

Buffalo picking up good vibrations and Love giving them the excitations.

I don't think Flores ever wanted Tua but was overruled because who Ross and by connection Grier wanted was the marquee name. Not the first time that's happened (Ralph once wanted Flutie over Bruce Smith) but in this case Flores made it worse by being distant from their QB selection. I think this perceived show of disloyalty was a part of the decision to move on. And Flores is Honduran.

This off-season is about the CEO (McD) and COO (Beane) looking in the mirror and ditching the play it safe mentality. The last 2 off-seasons have been all about Josh's development and surrounding him. CEO and COO need to match Josh's improvement as it relates to identifying better offensive and defensive schemes. Then, finding personnel to fit those schemes. Buffalo doesn't make the leap without this happening this off-season.

I get the impression Flores wasn't wearing enough flair. Translation: he had disagreements with the front office and they wanted more of a yes-man. Of course, when the front office and the HC aren't on the same page with a QB it makes for an interesting situation. I think Ross and by extension Grier wanted Tua, but Flores did not. The HC did not have a close relationship with the QB and Ross/Grier began looking bad. The rift with Flores meant they needed a scapegoat. The other stuff I'm not going to comment on.

It could be all speculation. Or not. But if true, how did that relationship break down over the 4 seasons Daboll worked in Buffalo? The same years Josh went from overmatched big armed QB into the guy who is among the league's best at the position. Not saying that was all on Daboll, but there had to be philosophical differences.

Mike Shula is kind of young...I was hoping they'd interview Mike Ditka or see if they could get Tom Moore from Tampa Bay now that Brady is retired. It'd help if people knew what the OC does outside of game-day and calling in the plays. He's using advanced scouting reports and analytics to build a game-plan within the HC's overall plan for the opponent, coordinating with position coaches, etc. Maybe Dorsey's good at that and ready for the promotion. The OC hire is not limited to keeping the QB happy...this hire reflects directly on the HC making the decision to promote from within.

I'm interested to know if they hired Dorsey because he was the best one for the job or because JA wanted him. Perhaps it was a combination of both. Still, players have more say in the direction of coaching hires and free agent signings. At the same time, the easy hire isn't always the best. These jobs aren't about checking boxes...but we'll see how it goes.

If I'm reading between the lines, it comes down to control and ego...which most people have issues with. I think McD sees his game plan as enough and subject, as evidenced by his post-game reference to execution, only to players playing his scheme. The opponent isn't going to dictate to him what he does. I don't see the HC changing his spots this late into his NFL career. All NFL HC's are strong personalities, but it's becoming McD's worst feature: a stubborn insistence his defensive planning is correct and adaptation to the opponent isn't necessary. It'd be interesting to know how the players feel about a confined system that permitted KC to move the ball effortlessly against that scheme. You'd think with so much experience on the back 7 that McD and Frazier would trust these guys more...especially Hyde and Poyer.

I get that. But drawing comparisons to the pre-cap days to illustrate that something is relevant now is almost irrelevant. Front offices and HC's have to consider cap implications in personnel spending...as in paying a QB in Buffalo's case about 20% of their cap dollars beginning in 2023. Sure, there's an on-field component, but it's not a scheme or plan that can be viewed only in that frame. Because, if Buffalo is spending ~20% on their QB and another 23% (as they did in 2021) on their DL, it definitely creates a challenge to support the QB who just got a quarter billion dollar extension.

They also didn’t have to deal with the cap, pay a QB to the degree we do in the NFL now, and then of course Dallas got into serious cap jail issues we don’t see anymore. Needing a deep DL is more luxury than necessity. Particularly as Josh’s contract kicks in for 2023.

“Take my wife…please.” -Henny Youngman

Some are aiming too low in trying to identify the problem on defense...it's the scheme and the overall play it safe mentality which didn't start with that game. Being conservative to mitigate risk is, at times, required. But it's all more of the default posture of the HC and his DC who calls the scheme the HC desires. Against top competition, trying to get a lead, protect it, and win is not the way in the NFL of the 2020s. Wholeheartedly agree with your final point that McD take a long look in the mirror and ask himself why he needs the personnel and scheme that he does this off-season. Their exits in 3 straight playoff games combined with the ascendance of Josh should be enough for McD to see that he needs to evolve and stop holding on to outdated ideologies.

And this mentality you've mentioned is hamstrung by needing to get what I'd term "process" types who, while decent talent, aren't moving the needle on game day. They've made far too many of those signings at lesser priority positions in recent years. There's been a point made about not having difference makers on defense...and that's again the HC who values players and positions which aren't as necessary. An interesting off-season is ahead and all eyes are on OBD to be more audacious in personnel. If they go status quo, gonna be hard to beat KC or the up and coming teams that, especially on offense, are better than Buffalo.

McD is really the CEO (with Beane as COO) of the football side of the house...and his football worldview has infused itself at TBD. He's a cautious guy by nature as many NFL HC's are, but I would hope by now he understands that being bold in-game on in personnel is absolutely essential now to take the leap into being a SB winner. You're correct about KC...they have been aggressive making changes, adding talent, replacing underperforming players, etc. Buffalo has operated in the image of their HC: safe, careful, and only occasionally taking a chance here or there. I'd like to see McD evolve into being a risk-taker and be open to changing his outlook. Because if he can't do it now after losing to KC in the playoffs twice and seeing he has a veritable franchise QB he never will.

Who McD hired in 2017 has almost nil to do with what's going on now. For one, entering that season, they had Tuh-rod Taylor at QB with good old Nate Peterman backing him up. And, their skill players were extremely weak Translation: it wasn't an ideal job to take and Dennison never excelled in the role. Fast forward 4 seasons and Buffalo has a legit franchise QB who I'm uber-confident several coaches would kill to work with. It's not all on McD to have connections...people are going to come to him now for that job.

TBD angst continues… I’m sure McD has a plan. At worst, now with Allen you’ll have candidates lining up for the job. It’s okay not to know how things are gonna work.

Do players get slower during their career? I'm guessing their 40 times from the Combine probably don't apply when they're 7 year veterans. And it's OK. OP.