BillsVet

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."

Because they've linked their identity to this team and to admit being wrong is a direct blow to their fragile ego. That, or they think mom's basement must be insulated from the challenges of the outside world.

Reminds me of something discussed here seemingly every off-season. There are starting guards available at pretty decent bargain prices each year in free agency. Rarely though do you find physical type WR's with excellent speed when the new league year begins. Positional value has long been disregarded or flat-out not taken into consideration during free agency and the draft on TBD. Because, when Metcalf and Ford are up for their next contract, a guard of Ford's level isn't getting paid more than a WR like Metcalf.

Defense is overrated in the 2020 NFL. No one's marching to the post-season as a 1 or 2 seed with a top defense and an average offense. With slight exceptions for a few games, Buffalo hasn't had a strong offense that can regularly score big points in 25 years. Sure, they need to make stops in certain key situations, but it's not the critical requirement some are making it out to be. Out-scoring your opponents like their LAR game is the best way to reaching elite team status in the NFL of today.

With an avatar like Brick (EDIT: Tamland) and a thread title in all caps I expected more. As in, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!" OR "LOUD NOISES!"

Bill O’Brien’s spectacular fail this year after that off-season doubling down on bad moves means his career above position coach is likely over.

I'm glad Buffalo isn't on that list because new HC's mean new schemes, which often require new personnel. That said, Buffalo has had consistency among their HC and coordinators to instill their scheme. I'm not the biggest Daboll fan, but I believe Josh has grown enough that he could work with a new OC or perhaps an internally promoted candidate. At this point I do believe he can be replaced.

The herds at Yellowstone descend from the last ~200 remaining at the end of the 19th century. Hiked in Glacer NP a few weeks ago...no bison but that is an amazing place.

Wait, Commandant Lassard plays for the Packers?

The context for how these teams employ the player needs to be talked about. Tre is playing a lot of zone and he was a 1st Team All-Pro last season. No minimizing that because Buffalo hasn't had many with that accolade in the past 20 years. Still, guys who largely play zone are not gonna get paid like M2M types who can hold down their man as Humphrey does. A contract extension for positions like CB have a lot do with how a team uses them. That factors in to how the deal is structured and its size. For the record, Humphrey received 11M more in guaranteed money over Tre's deal, which is how I view NFL contracts, not in AAV.

Kroft had 4 catches for 24 yards with 2 TDs on 5 targets against LAR. That moves Knox down the depth chart? 1 game? I wish there was a knee-jerk emoji to use here. I'd go with Kroft's career, which shows 77 catches on 114 targets through 65 games. Knox has more potential and should not lose his position unless his level of play falls off. Buffalo didn't invest a 3rd in him to push him behind Kroft after 1 game.