finn

I'm starting to get excited about the Bills defense. Seems like McDermott has decided to assume the coordinator role, and the results are impressive: better tackling, more aggressive attitude, a renewed determination to force turnovers. Or at least what I think I'm seeing and hope will continue. They've struggled with tackling against the run, and if they really have fixed that, as it appears, they have a chance to be excellent, barring injuries. Shaq for Bernard is a key change, as is Poyer for Rapp. Sanders at end might be something. Still concerned about the pass rush, so it's not all daisies, but I do think this unit could do its part and more. Maybe, just maybe, soft zones and bend don't break have been shelved. Offense... I keep thinking of those games--New England, Houston, Atlanta--where the D gave them a chance and they didn't take it. I've made Brady my whipping boy and stand by that take, but I think they can do better despite his input. Allen could audible to different plays, Cooks could end up being a late-model Diggs, Kincaid might not be injured the second he returns. Heck, Brady might even stumble across "play action" while browsing online some night and boldly put it in his game plan. Admittedly, it would mean the end of his quest for the NFL record for runs on first down, but he might be man enough to put his ego aside for the good of the team. A fan can only hope. EDIT: I meant say all this by way of agreeing they have a chance to go all the way to the AFCCG.

Not sure about Milano--did you see something I didn't?--but I agree Poyer has been solid. He can long chase down anyone if he takes a bad angle or is out of position, but he's seldom either, at least the last few games. Good signing by Beane, who has been criticized for dumpster diving. White was solid yesterday, too. But let's see how they do against Burrow and Chase next week before we look into playoff tickets.

No argument here. As I said, the stars aligned for Brady's offense, since the conditions, including the injuries you mention, dictated a game plan that required no imagination, insight, flexibility, or any other quality except a play-calling sheet about four inches long. Like the proverbial stopped clock, even Brady is going to be right once in a while. But consider: a competent coordinator would have also stuck with the run in the second half, since it was starting to click, in large part because the defensive turnover and late hit on Allen fired up the team. But that competent coordinator would also have mixed in a few potentially explosive plays that the constant running set up. Even Shavers or Coleman can catch a long ball if they're not covered.

Sounds good. But you misspelled "Brady."

Reasons for optimism: Allen, all three running backs, Cooks, Hawkes, offensive line, McDermott taking over as defensive coordinator, overall veteran moxie, Benford, Bosa, Hawkes, Gilman. Reasons for pessimism: Milano, Poyer, Bernard, Brady, Coleman, another six Kincaid injuries forthcoming, decline/misuse of Shakir, Brady. (Did I mention Brady?)

Well, more precisely it worked in the second half. This board wanted Brady's head on a stick in the first half, before the defense unilaterally turned the game around with the two turnovers. Brady's game plan paid off because of that momentum shift, but up to then it was spluttering--again. Say the Steelers scored a field goal at some point to make it 10-3, not an unreasonable scenario. We would then have been treated to more of Brady's "passing game," likely with no more success that up to that point. The stars aligned for Brady yesterday because the defense gave him the perfect conditions for his limited repertoire of plays. When the Bills next face an opponent that can stop the run, or the defense doesn't dominate, Brady's glaring weaknesses--no creativity, adaptability, or flexibility, and utter predictability--will once again be on full display. Yesterday might have been a Pyrrhic victory, since a loss might have finally prompted McDermott to fire Brady, and the new coordinator might have helped them win out. Now, we're stuck with Brady and his JUCO-level play calling for the rest of the season. I still have hope, since the defense might have found an identity and we still have Allen, Cook, and an offensive line. But on the other hand, we have Brady, who might end up cancelling out all those advantages all by himself.

Not so solid when he did an ole-tackle on Washington in the fourth quarter. I don't blame him in a way; Washington outweighs him by 75 pounds and he was running full speed. Still, you can't pass up tackles.

I don't know, they looked pretty good against the Ravens offense.

It's that kind of season. They have fire, but only sometimes.

Depends on the QB, eh?

Cash in on the lopsided time of possession. The Steelers defense has got to be spent.

Me too!

And theirs will be tired.

Bodes well for the fourth quarter. (See Ravens game.)

Josh is going to be sore tomorrow.

This is a team that can tackle. McDermott should take notes.

We'll feel better tomorrow when we hear McDermott finally fired Brady.

Brady had the bye, did nothing with it. He had the the mini bye, same. If McDermott fired him this minute, they could not do worse. The man is a complete liability to this team.

Blacked out here in New England. I gather Brady is being an idiot again?

I was going to say the same thing. His podcasts (I've only heard a few) seem like mashups of the discussions on this forum, conventional wisdom on Coleman, the wide-receiver corps, the run defense, Brady, McDermott... I didn't hear any fresh insights or observations. I come here for news and analysis, although I like Greg Cosell and one or two others. But I'm glad to be told I'm wrong. Does anyone have recent examples of Marino commentary they found valuable?

The game today will tell us a lot about McDermott. If he is a Super Bowl-caliber coach (despite a growing consensus that he's not), he will ensure that either Brady finally does something with this offense or he'll fire him. I don't care about injuries or how many yards and points they've scored this season. With the hand he's been dealt, Brady has fallen on his face so far. If the offense sputters again, and Brady is still the coordinator going into the New England game, the verdict will be final, at least in my book: McDermott is never going to take this team to the Show. A Super Bowl coach does not tolerate mediocre coordinators.

I don't think it's entitlement. He strikes me as just very young, like a 14-year old. Did you see him dancing on the sidelines in his street clothes before one of the games? A good kid, fun-loving, a bit lazy, not too bright, definitely not a full-grown man. He's a bit surprised everyone is making a big deal of his being late to a few practices, but he shrugs and thinks, "Whatever." To him, missing a few games is a bit of a bummer, maybe, but it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a great game tomorrow, not because McDermott game him a stern talking-to or his teammates disapprove of him, but because he's just in the mood to play well. Maybe he'll get on a roll and keep contributing the rest of the season. Or maybe it'll rain, he won't get targets, and it won't be much fun, so he'll start jogging his routes again and not bother fighting for balls because he doesn't feel it. Like so many people his age, he's a man-child. No one would much notice or care except he's in the NFL and his team badly needs him. If I were to project his future, I would say he'll do very little this year and next, get cut, picked up by another team, cut again, then, if given one last chance, suddenly explode not into a star but a solid contributor at age 27, when he finally grows up.

It's a reach, but Allen was frustrated on the sidelines after his last interception after Brady got the call in late, which caused the offense to rush the play. Maybe that will be the last straw and Allen will finally tell (or signal to) McDermott that, despise "loving him like a brother," Brady has done an awful job all year long and is directly responsible for at least three of the losses. I suspect McDermott realizes Brady is bad, but maybe he will finally be moved to action by Allen's increasingly evident frustration. It's not too late to save the season.

Especially if the Ravens also miss. The offseason storyline will be "Changing of the guard." Fine, since that's BS. But does it have to be New England? This is shaping up to be one of those quirky years when a totally unexpected team goes to the Show. Maybe Denver or the Chargers.

They'll win. It's next week that concerns me, mostly because they will win tomorrow. This team can't seem to stay focused two weeks in a row. It's almost like get excited only by challenging games, like KC or Pittsburgh. If that's the case, the weak schedule has worked against them. Same with KC. Both teams have been dominant for so long and have played so many more games than any other team, they're just no longer hungry. Put them in the playoffs, and they'll shine, is my guess. The trick is getting there, or maybe giving them challenges. Maybe they'll see New England that way, instead of another Atlanta-Houston-Jets-Miami-Saints patsy. I'm guessing they think Pittsburgh is a patsy, too, but Allen will be excited to play against Rogers, and his enthusiasm will spread. In fact, he might be the one with the ennui.