JohnC Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) I tell you man, keeping a cautiously optimistic attitude while writing these things can be exhausting sometimes. I try to give myself some time to cool down and be more levelheaded, but the predictable 5-2 collapse was just too much again. This isn't a Buddy Nix coached team. The wrestling coach isn't going to allow his players to wallow in their misery and collectively slump. Players who fall by the wayside will be replaced. As I said in my prior post and other posts that this team is being rebuilt. Half the roster has been turned over from last year. As far as the right side of the OL the reality is the talent level simply is not there. In this past game the left side played just as poorly as the right side. It was simply a complete unit failure. I agree that we are exceeding expectations this year, but that doesnt make you want it any less when its right there for the taking. Plus, to see the same crap right side of the line march out there, when everyone can see its crap, drives me nuts.[/quote[ The Bills are not collapsing---they are overachieving. That's a testament to the coaching. As far as the right side of the line the explanation is simple: a lack of talent. There is no exotic explanation other than the players are mediocre. How McDermott keeps sending those guys out there and only rushes 4 is getting maddening as we are wasting a great opportunity. The defensive line rush with four players is part of McDermott's zone defensive system. All season long there have been few blitzes incorporated in his defensive calls. That's a reflection of the coach's philosophy which he has been schooled in Philly and Carolina. Will he change much? Probably not. Good news is, with our upcoming schedule plus last nights performance, my expectations are right back to where they should be...as a Bills fan I'm much more optimistic than you are because I'm taking a longer perspective. When all is said and done I see this team being a 9-7 type of team. That is a step up from what I expected before the season started. Where I become much more demanding is that I strongly believe that the qb position needs to be upgraded so that the person taking the snaps can run a full offense. Until that is done this franchise will continue to at best meander in the middle. Edited November 4, 2017 by JohnC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinceThe70s Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) We aren't a playoff team until there's an "x" next to our name in the standings. We've proven nothing so far. No matter how it feels, we are 5-3 again with some scary opportunities. I'm starting to get worried about our inability to generate any pass rush, road game intensity, and how easily our offense can go flat. We have some good teams coming up that will exploit these issues and things could get ugly quick. I'm not saying we will finish 7-9 again, but 8-8 is a very real possibility. Go Bills I needed a day to digest this loss and I'm still taking antacids. I'm not an X's and O's guy but from what I saw we were dominated on both sides of the line and it was a totally demoralizing loss, especially coming in with high expectations after the uplifting win on Sunday. I'm cautiously optimistic. We aren't a playoff team but last I checked neither are any other teams right now. we are 5-3. 8 games ago I would have signed on the dotted line for 5-3. I like the idea of looking at the season in quarters. 1st quarter we were a surprising 3-1. I didn't expect another 3-1 but I was hopeful. 27 hours ago I could smell 6-2 but it didn't happen and that hurts, but 5-3 is more than I expected. We have some good teams coming up the next 4 games and I remain cautiously optimistic. I think it's rare that any team goes a full season without getting thumped at least once and I'm not trying to sugarcoat the loss, but schitt happens and yesterday it happened to us. Yesterdays game is far less important than the next. The Bills have been pretty resilient this year, going 5-3 despite only putting the first points on the board in one of those games. Lets hope they bounce back from a brutal loss with a W against the Saints! Go Bills Edited November 4, 2017 by SinceThe70s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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