BillsVet

Perhaps this is a case of the OL coach trying to coach up the players, who aren't talented enough to get the job done. Reminds me of Mouse McNally circa 2007 when he had almost nothing, outside of Jason Peters. Then again, I would expect that an OL made up of a a guy who just got a huge extension (Dawkins), a 2nd round pick (Ford), a high priced UFA center (Morse), and experienced veterans (Winters, D. Williams) to show better than this. It's a small sample of plays, but given how they cannot run the ball, probably representative of their issues with technique. Allen's improving and their pass blocking has been fairly good. But they can't afford to become one-dimensional without a threat running the ball. If I were Singletary I'd be ticked they are allowing plays to get blown up like that.

I love the new posters who talk about how fans need to be patient. They’re quick to pronounce 4th round picks as “monsters” and how losses to the teams Buffalo needs to play down the road is no big deal. The “process” has a lot to prove. McD’s in-game and game-planning decisions are being rightly scrutinized. It’s overdue in the timeline of roster makeovers that this team win against the AFC’s elite at home.

Perhaps McD will move one DL from his 10 man rotation over to play guard. On second thought, he probably needs an 11th DL. Because you can never have enough high motor slightly replacement level DL.

Sorry to remind you of that very low point in Bills history. I about fell out of my chair when I heard RW negotiated it. Here's to better days at OBD.

6 games into McD's 4th season and we're talking about trades to address glaring weaknesses? This, after losing back to back games to teams better than Buffalo right now? If we're talking trades, the question points to the HC and GM who have totally overhauled this roster save about 2 players. Why is a trade so necessary? Did they not acquire their guys in the past 4 off-seasons? Did they not implement their plan, er, "process." Talking about the front office generally is over the head of some fans, but in terms of strategy they've followed McD's course. We're not one player away and that's evident. Is McD's "process" showing its ceiling? I guess we're going to find out, but I expect nothing less (barring something catastrophic) than a playoff win this year. They gotta go with what they got and McD needs to start earning that extension, which was probably a bit premature. They shouldn't need trades now that McD has everything he needed. For the record, Mike Vrabel is in his 3rd season, has an AFC Championship appearance under his belt and Tennessee remains undefeated.

McD sets the strategy and it requires a 7-8 man rotation DL. And 4 years into the "process" that's brought multiple questionable contracts. Star, Murphy, and Klein immediately come to mind. There are exceptions, but McD loves his high-motor type players who aren't the most skilled. And that shows up against top competition where he struggles to win. Maybe it all works out. Maybe McD's plan is flawed and topping out. Or, perhaps Josh carries this team and McD lets him.

Won an off-season award ostensibly for conditioning. Not sure what happened, but not a good look for the front office to go form a 3 year contract extension to releasing him 7 months in. Someone in the beer industry is starting at LG? I knew Buffalo needed help at guard, but not that much.

Celebrating the punter in the NFL is like praising the person who deploys smoke to obscure a retreat in combat. It's a loss, only by how much.

Shades of RW telling Wade to play RJ at what became the MCM. Not a football decision and I suspect ordered from on-high by management. With Florida permitting fan attendance, Fitz ain't moving the needle in fan excitement even though he's played fairly well.

What, they might not trust the "process" anymore? Come on man!

Gotta love how the OP cited position needs after Week 6 be improved by the GM and HC who picked those very players who need replacing. And now it's come to promoting guys from the PS. That's Jauronian. McD's overall personnel strategy to fit his scheme has been flawed and the "process" altered so many times it's doubtful they'll fix it in mid-season. It's too late.

December 9, 2019: https://www.buffalobills.com/news/quote-sheet-no-moral-victories-for-the-bills-after-a-tough-loss-to-baltimore October 19, 2020 https://billswire.usatoday.com/2020/10/19/buffalo-bills-sean-mcdermott-makes-clear-moral-victories-over-kansas-city-chiefs/ I predict we'll have another "no moral victories" comment by the end of the season.

To a previous poster's point, he's been darn lucky playing easier schedules. In fact, last year Buffalo managed to play the 3rd easiest schedule and outscored opponents by 55 points. I look to the guys the have been paid as the "process" vets. Dawkins, Tre, Poyer, and Hyde among others. The first 2 are homegrown and got major contract extensions. Hyde is a veterans of 7 seasons and so is Poyer, who also just signed an extension. Or, what about Morse, who received one of the largest contracts for a center in NFL history?

Welcome to the boards. Some of us have seen this show before and good starts mean nothing.

I’m sorry you have low expectations and are afraid to think this team should be defeating good teams at home by year 4 of McD.

What’s unbelievable is losing a playoff game to Bill O’Brien up 16-0 with 21 minutes left in the game. That was the last big primetime game McD was in. Entering this season McD was 3-17 against playoff teams or in the post-season. He did nothing tonight to show he can be anything but unimaginative in game-planning and game management.

4th year of the HC and four drafts later. With his hand-picked GM. The same DC and third year of this OC and QB. And people brag about Buffalo being no worse than 5th in the conference. Not encouraging, unless you’re a results optional type fan who can’t have expectations for fear they won’t be realized. McD leaves a lot to be desired in big games.

I get the impression EJ had been told he was great by one too many people during his HS and college years and believed it. But the NFL quickly highlights your deficiencies and Manuel had plenty. His mechanics were poor and didn't throw receivers open among other things. You just cannot get away that in the pros. The first thing I remember about EJ as a Bill was his proclaiming the Bills playbook was easier than FSU's: https://miamiherald.typepad.com/florida-state/2013/05/ej-manuel-says-fsu-offense-harder-to-learn-than-buffalo-bills-.html That's a clown statement if there ever was one from a rookie QB who hadn't even taken a NFL regular season snap. How about being a little humble and say you're learning? Nah. And then last thing to EJ's career was his "retirement" just prior to being cut by KC when he'd be competing with multiple QBs for the third string job. EJ's ego is the thing that needed to come down a peg and still apparently hasn't. Claiming an injury as a Bill was at fault for his career is weak.

Reminds me of their approach to WR in 2017-18 when they sought out the big lumbering type receivers who couldn't separate but had a larger catch radius. Those were some lean years in the passing game. I'm not clear why they've been a step behind in prioritizing it, aside from a gadget type player. My theory is McD's strategy is what Beane adheres to. And I'm not confident that McD knows enough about offense to know how to fit personnel to build an up-tempo scheme.

Remember that night as well. Sick as a dog and missed the day at school (7th grade). Woke up to see they'd been trounced in Arrowhead and went back to sleep. Not sure why but recall that MLB manager Leo Durocher died that day. Why I remember that, who knows? Main difference is, that Buffalo team had just come off a SB appearance. This Bills team hasn't won a playoff game. Hopefully they get their stuff straight and correct things. My concern is that the HC and COORDs did a poor job readying the team and it's another game of film on them. Means they gots to adjust and fast. We're going to find out of McD is improving or regressing as a NFL HC real quick.

They could always trade with Carolina to get Julian Stanford back into the mix.

McD has always been a proponent of getting pressure with the front 4 and not so much on the blitz. I get it and am will not disagree with that philosophy, although he has changed when the situation required more pressure. We're at that point now. LBs aren't used to rush the passer in his defense, and, to your point, none are capable of getting to the QB. Perhaps Edmunds, but he's banged up to and they seem reluctant to feature him as a pass-rusher. An issue I'm seeing from McD on defense is he's more into getting his guys who'll fit in his scheme but are not as talented. The DL is a prime example in that some are OK, but not going to make impactful plays. Phillips, Jefferson, Butler, Murphy...to me they're JAGs. I'd put Star (when he didn't opt out) on that list. The 2 guys he had to figure could be difference makers - Edmunds and Oliver - are anything but.

Seattle is last in pass yards allowed. And 5-0. Defense is bad around the league and I suspect will continue to be the entire season. Buffalo's run defense isn't bad, but the pass defense has regressed. Some of that may be injuries, and perhaps age (Hyde, Poyer). I'd like to see more impact plays to cut these opposing possessions short. Tennessee got that INT as Buffalo was only down 21-10. That's something the Bills need to get more of it, and perhaps that's where the pass rush has not helped. They're not forcing QB's to make bad throws.

Top 10 DT picks, I would expect, should be able to make plays on their own. I cannot stand when the point is offered a highly drafted player needs another player to complement them.

Sometimes I read posts on TBD and think that the SNL Superfans skit was just previewing where fan-hood was going. "We're not talking a repeat, a three-peat, or even a four-peat. We're talking minimum eight-peat."