It's February 15. What's going on at OBD?

[blacklabel]

10 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

When he came to Buffalo, some article said McD had bookshelves full of notebooks full of his notes about how to be a coach.   He's been studying coaching for 10 or 15 years.   I think it's only natural that he'd be emulating stuff that he's seen Belichick do.  

 

In fact, I think if you asked him, you'd discover that he emulates Belichick A LOT.  I see it several things.    I've heard a few interviews with Belichick lately, where he talks about what he does, what he's thinking about, how he sets goals.   A lot of what I've heard sounds like the way McD approaches things.   

 

That's why, for example, I think the Bills are interested in Cousins.   Cousins is a Brady-type guy in the sense that he's always thinking about how things work, always trying to build his knowledge, always practicing the things he needs to do better.   I'm guessing that McD sees how Belichick has been able to leverage that kind of guy at QB, and I'm guessing that McD is looking for that type of guy.   

 

I'm sure they've had plenty of discussions about Cousins and what it'd take to bring him here. I wouldn't doubt that they're interested, I'm sure every team in need of a QB is interested but they're gonna put a value on him and likely won't be willing to go past that. Beane has made it pretty clear that he wants to clear up as much cap space as possible, plus he's expressed his philosophy on team building is through the draft. 

 

I've said it before in other threads, in order for them to trade up I think they'd have to hit on a remarkable deal that would be too good to pass up. They could go after one of the free agent QBs, and if they go after someone like Cousins, that allows them to focus their efforts in the draft elsewhere and likely allows them to keep all their picks. But, they're gonna be careful not to back themselves into a corner in terms of money and cap space by breaking the bank for a QB.

 

It'd be great to be a fly on the wall over there. They do that GM For a Day thing where a kid gets to hang out with the GM and team executives all day. One of these years I'mma enter. "Yes sir, I swear I'm 12, I just passed 7th grade, lots of kids my age have full beards these days..."

[whatdrought]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't think so.   If you listen to Belichick, he's processed last season and the Super Bowl.   He's working 100% on 2018, and he's dwelling on the fact that he lost the big one.   He doesn't have time.   He knows that time spent thinking about 2017 is opportunity lost for 2018.

 

McD operates the same way.   Every day, he's fighting the temptation to pat himself on the back for last season.   He does that in some quiet moment one night sitting at home, relaxing.   At work, he's working, and last season is irrelevant.

 

Except, there is still a lot of work being done reviewing last season's game films.    There's information about players to be mined there. 

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear. My meaning was that they feel free to do things their way and build things how they want it. Granted, they did that last year, but the difference is, because that goal of hitting the playoffs isn't suffocating (obviously that is still the goal, but I'm sure we all agree it was different in Buffalo before the dawn of 2018) and forcing them to win as soon as possible, they can continue that into year two instead of doing something crazy to create a spark. I imagine walking into a 17 year playoff drought brings a certain kind of "on edge" feeling that breaking that drought probably helps relieve. 

[frostbitmic]

1 minute ago, Shaw66 said:

Right, but at the same time isn't he also creating a playbook?    I suppose he knows 90% of the plays, but if he isn't being creative about the next 10%, he's already a step behind the best.   So I'd think he's doing that.   

 

And he's supervising his assistants, who are probably the ones who really are doing the film study.

As an offensive coach and an offensive coordinator I'll bet he has been creating plays his entire life. The final 10% of his plays will be created once he knows who he has to run those plays.

 

For instance a designed QB run would be great for Tyrod but probably wouldn't be so good for Peterman or a rookie and would be downright foolish if your QB is Bradford. So I think the final chapter to his playbook can't be written yet.

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, whatdrought said:

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear. My meaning was that they feel free to do things their way and build things how they want it. Granted, they did that last year, but the difference is, because that goal of hitting the playoffs isn't suffocating (obviously that is still the goal, but I'm sure we all agree it was different in Buffalo before the dawn of 2018) and forcing them to win as soon as possible, they can continue that into year two instead of doing something crazy to create a spark. I imagine walking into a 17 year playoff drought brings a certain kind of "on edge" feeling that breaking that drought probably helps relieve. 

Got it.   I did miss the point.   I think you're absolutely correct.    I think that regardless of what happened last season, they were going to be going full-bore, doing what they think is the right thing.   But if they'd missed the playoffs, there would always have been that nagging feeling in the back of their heads that the pressure was on, that their jobs were closer to being on the line, etc.   The Pegulas would have been telling them not to worry, but anyone in that situation, with ANOTHER seasons without the playoffs, would be at least a little on edge.   They definitely are free of that feeling. 

 

Instead, of course, they live with the knowledge that wild-card loss isn't enough.   They have to get better.   These guys live with the pressure of having to get better every day.   Belichick lives with that pressure.  

[whatdrought]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Got it.   I did miss the point.   I think you're absolutely correct.    I think that regardless of what happened last season, they were going to be going full-bore, doing what they think is the right thing.   But if they'd missed the playoffs, there would always have been that nagging feeling in the back of their heads that the pressure was on, that their jobs were closer to being on the line, etc.   The Pegulas would have been telling them not to worry, but anyone in that situation, with ANOTHER seasons without the playoffs, would be at least a little on edge.   They definitely are free of that feeling. 

 

Instead, of course, they live with the knowledge that wild-card loss isn't enough.   They have to get better.   These guys live with the pressure of having to get better every day.   Belichick lives with that pressure.  

 

And I think the reason that we made it to the playoffs is because these guys seem built for that pressure. I honestly think that incredible coaching elevated the entire team and that moving forward this team will develop talent wise and will be a force. 

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

As an offensive coach and an offensive coordinator I'll bet he has been creating plays his entire life. The final 10% of his plays will be created once he knows who he has to run those plays.

 

For instance a designed QB run would be great for Tyrod but probably wouldn't be so good for Peterman or a rookie and would be downright foolish if your QB is Bradford. So I think the final chapter to his playbook can't be written yet.

I agree with that, but I think there's more.   I think these guys also are studying film from last season and analyzing where offenses, including their own, have evolve.   And they're thinking about things will evolve next.   They aren't just sitting around copying plays they see other teams run.   If that's all you're doing, your offense is always a step behind.   So they're thinking about what they can do that's new.   A lot of that is driven by what they see defenses doing on film.   They're thinking about how best to counter the developments in defense that happened last season.  Some of that has to do with what talent you have, but some of is general offensive and defensive strategy.  

[Marv's Neighbor]

After they threw all you busy bodies out, they'd get back to "the process."l

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, whatdrought said:

 

And I think the reason that we made it to the playoffs is because these guys seem built for that pressure. I honestly think that incredible coaching elevated the entire team and that moving forward this team will develop talent wise and will be a force. 

I'm very much with you about this.  McD very clearly has a system he believes will work, and I believe it too.   A couple of players have commented about the night and day difference between 2016 and 2017.    The sumo wrestling comment above was closer to the truth than we'd like to admit - the Ryans were playing at being head coaches; McDermott is working at being one.  

 

I agree about being built for the pressure.   McD's mantra is to stay focused on the process.   Don't think about anything other than what the process says you should be doing right now.    There's nothing in the process about thinking about the pressure.   The process is captured, I'm sure, in Belichick's mantra - do your job.   If you're thinking about doing your job, there's no room for pressure. 

 

I hate seeing Hogan succeed for someone else, but I see him as a perfect example of what Belichick does and what I think McDermott is trying to do.   Get a good athlete who's focused, who's a good soldier, and teach him exactly what you want him to do.   When you look at the relative train-wreck the Bills' receiving corps was in 2017, can't you see how much better off the Bills would have been?   A guy who's fast enough, sure-handed enough, who just does what he's supposed, to every play - runs his route, makes his blocks.   You train a guy like Hogan, and pressure isn't part of the equation - he's just focused on what he's supposed to do, like a good soldier.   

[sir andrew]

Debates on who's buying lunch over at Danny's.

[Toledo Bill]

2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Wouldn't you love to see what's going on at OBD today?   I would.   Just walk up and down the halls, asking people what they're doing.

 

Like Brian Daboll.  What's he doing today.   Some part of his work is reviewing scouting reports, on college agents, on guys who are potential free agents, on guys the Bills have on the roster.   He's reviewing film.   He's giving his views about players to McDermott, Beane and the scouting team.  He's asking questions about these guys.   But he's probably also studying film and designing his offense.   Where does he start doing that?   He's managing his team of assistant coaches, giving them assignments.    Maybe he's doing some preliminary plans for workouts when the team starts to get together for spring workouts.    He's planning the preliminary installation of the offense.    He probably has a worklist, a to-do list.   McDermott has tasked him with things to do, and he's doing those things.  

 

That's happening up and down the halls.  Everyone has a job to do this morning, this afternoon, and this evening.   They're working hard.   

 

Beane is talking to coaches in the building.  He's on the phone to scouts, telling them what new information they need to dig up.   He's talking with cap people about how they could manage the cap to acquire players he's interested in.  He's working on big decisions, like do they want Cousins, and if he's already answered that he's moved onto other decisions.   He's talking to other GMs about what's happening in the league, thoughts about players, possible trades, interest in moving up or down in the draft.   He's collecting information. 

 

Some other people are trying to figure out how to sell more tickets.  

 

We're sitting around yakking about some sports witer's latest tweet, but those guys in Orchard Park are working all day long, working to implement plans and directives, all designed to get ready for (1) the beginning of free agency, (2) spring workouts, (3) the draft, (4) training camp.   

 

I'd love to see it.  

 

Russ keeps sticking his head in their offices offering "opinions"...

 

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, Toledo Bill said:

 

 

8 minutes ago, Toledo Bill said:

Russ keeps sticking his head in their offices offering "opinions"...

If that ever was true, I get the sense that it isn't true any longer.   I think this is a pretty tightly run ship now.   The Pegulas have told people what their jobs are, and you do your job.   

 

They collaborate, and they're interested in the opinions of others, but I doubt McBeane are worrying too much about what Russ thinks or says.   Russ has his own job to do, and McBeane don't report to him - they report to the Pegulas.   Now, on the organization chart, they may report to him, but I seriously doubt that this time around their jobs depend on what Russ thinks.   McBeane was a Pegula hire, and the Pegulas will decide their future.  

 

Just my sense of how things are operating. 

[blacklabel]

12 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

In terms of Daboll and his offensive staff ...

 

1. Study the tape of guys he already has and figure out if they're a fit for his offense

2. Study the tapes from a long list of available free agents that can fit his offense

3. Study the tapes from the top couple hundred offensive players in this years draft whom can help his offense.

 

Frazier and his staff are doing the same with defensive players.

 

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall listening in to their meetings.

 

 

From everything I've read/seen on Daboll he appears to be the type of OC I believe all teams should have, which is a guy who can analyze and identify the natural skill sets of his players and build a scheme/playbook around that. I've never really understood why so many coaches wanna force players to learn/execute a scheme that isn't a good fit for them. Why make them play in a system that doesn't highlight what they do well? Just like Rex for example... why take guys like Dareus and Kyle Williams and throw a check to them at the line that changes their assignment from pass rush to dropping into coverage? Clearly, neither player is suited to be covering any WR/TE/RB yet we saw plenty of it with ol' Rex. Sometimes these coaches/coordinators get a little too fancypants for their own good. A good coach/coordinator finds out what his guys do well and bases things around that.

 

An underrated/less discussed aspect of schemes and playbooks is the importance of coaches/coordinators discovering what type of learners their players are and how best to engage them. Now some can say, "Bah, these players are paid bajillions, they should figure it out." Well, if you want success and a solid locker room, you're gonna wanna find out if your players are tactical (hands on/on the field) or visual/audio (watching film, listening to coaches) that way you can best apply your plans to them and put them in a position to succeed. It clearly doesn't work when you waltz in with a playbook the size of an encyclopedia and tell your defense, "OK, so on any given play we could have four checks, depending on what the offense does. If the QB farts, the mike needs to take two steps left. If the RB sneezes, I need the left end to put his right foot in and shake it all about..." Again, that's a knock on Rex. 

 

Overall, it seems like Daboll has a good reputation based on what players that worked with him have said and his mindset of coaching to his players skill sets and devising ways to be a multi-faceted offense so they're prepared to beat any defense they face is all encouraging stuff. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

2 hours ago, Lfod said:

I don't envy Brian Daboll right now. I am curious as to what he thinks. I wonder what his plan is to fix a very broken passing game. I wouldn't feel job security in the Bills OC position. 

It is his job, he could have turned it down.

 

He just got here, and makes a lot of money.

 

His job is a challenge, and I'm sure he's looking forward to solving it.

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, horned dogs said:

It is his job, he could have turned it down.

 

He just got here, and makes a lot of money.

 

His job is a challenge, and I'm sure he's looking forward to solving it.

I don't think McD would anyone who wasn't looking forward to the challenge.   These guys live to show up there every day and figure out one more little thing that will help them win.  

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

They've had that meeting, a month ago.   They met again to talk when Smith was traded, and they met briefly when Garoppolo got his deal.   But they know pretty much where they want to go.   If there's a guy in the league now that they're interested in, they've already had the first informal talks with people like Cousins' agent, the Eagles GM about Foles, agents for the VIking QBs.    This is the period where everyone bends the rules a little bit - they're trying to figure out how the game is going to be played for a guy like Cousins, but they aren't allowed to talk contract yet.   

 

But after Beane's had a conversation or two today about the QBs, he's done and moving on to other stuff.   I think they're busy with stuff all the time.  

Hey Shaw! Do you have sources or are surmising this?

 

I've been a fan of the Cousins idea because of the draft capital still being available to build the roster.

 

I will admit that the Rosen trade up idea is intriguing though. We'd still have some high picks. Your thoughts?

[JohnBonhamRocks]

2nd Annual Intra-Staff Wrestling Tournament is what I heard.

 

Currently, they are breaking in the newbies. Luis Guilamo (Director of Analytics and Application Development) and Jeff Mueller (Video Director) have been a pretty even match-up thus far.

 

Stay tuned for updates. 

 

No source, sorry. 

[cba fan]

4 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

They've had that meeting, a month ago.   They met again to talk when Smith was traded, and they met briefly when Garoppolo got his deal.   But they know pretty much where they want to go.   If there's a guy in the league now that they're interested in, they've already had the first informal talks with people like Cousins' agent, the Eagles GM about Foles, agents for the VIking QBs.    This is the period where everyone bends the rules a little bit - they're trying to figure out how the game is going to be played for a guy like Cousins, but they aren't allowed to talk contract yet.   

 

But after Beane's had a conversation or two today about the QBs, he's done and moving on to other stuff.   I think they're busy with stuff all the time.  

What do you mean they can't talk contract yet??

 

Redskins just traded for Alex Smith when the trade period is closed.

They also agreed to a contract before they are allowed to talk contract.

 

NFL makes no sense sometimes.

[BuffaloHokie13]

Just now, cba fan said:

What do you mean they can't talk contract yet??

 

Redskins just traded for Alex Smith when the trade period is closed.

They also agreed to a contract before they are allowed to talk contract.

 

NFL makes no sense sometimes.

The rules for players under contract are different than the rules for free agents.

[cba fan]

4 minutes ago, BuffaloHokie13 said:

The rules for players under contract are different than the rules for free agents.

OK.

 

Then why was the media reporting a couple weeks back, that Broncos were close to a deal with Cousins.?? https://247sports.com/nfl/denver-broncos/Bolt/Colin-Cowherd-reports-Broncos-close-to-deal-with-Kirk-Cousins-114466121

 

None of this is allowed until new league year starts.

Edited February 15, 2018 by cba fan

[BuffaloHokie13]

Just now, cba fan said:

OK.

 

Then why was the media reporting a couple weeks back, that Broncos were close to a deal with Cousins.??

 

None of this is allowed until new league year starts.

They weren't, other than Cowherd who knew nothing. The rest just reported that Cowherd said so. And when Denver Execs were asked they denied it completely, because they would be subject to penalty if it were true.