The Ringer: A Beginner’s Guide to the Bills’ surprising 5-1 start

[YoloinOhio]

The Buffalo Bills have made the playoffs once since 2000. They have not won a playoff game since December 1995—five months before their current starting quarterback was born. Building a winning roster, as the current regime has done, is an accomplishment.

 

The Bills’ 5-1 start is the most surprising development in the AFC this season. Their record is better than the leaders of every AFC division except their own. They have, according to FiveThirtyEight, a 79 percent chance of making the playoffs. I talked to the Bills front office and staff about how they built the roster—and their organization. If you’re looking for a guide on how the AFC’s most surprising team got here, it’s this:

They solicit feedback.

McDermott said he’s heard too many stories of coaches getting fired and a subordinate finally telling them what they were doing wrong. Or a coach who doesn’t ask for advice until he’s fired. “Instead of that, why not do that every year?” McDermott told me. Feedback from players has resulted in the Bills having later meeting times and allowing for more rest. Beane said it caused the team to change its travel schedule and weekly schedule—like having Mondays off in the second half of the season, for instance. “You have to be open to criticism,” Beane said. “In today’s age, you have to have an openness between front office, coaches, and players. That’s just the way it works now. The money you’re paying players, they have a certain leverage, power; especially the ones you’re paying big money to. So if you don’t have that relationship, I think some of these teams, that’s where you see a split.”

[Seasons1992]

[CaliBills]

Good read!

 

Thanks for posting that

 

[WhoTom]

20 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

McDermott said he’s heard too many stories of coaches getting fired and a subordinate finally telling them what they were doing wrong. Or a coach who doesn’t ask for advice until he’s fired. “Instead of that, why not do that every year?” McDermott told me. Feedback from players has resulted in the Bills having later meeting times and allowing for more rest. Beane said it caused the team to change its travel schedule and weekly schedule—like having Mondays off in the second half of the season, for instance. “You have to be open to criticism,” Beane said. “In today’s age, you have to have an openness between front office, coaches, and players. That’s just the way it works now. The money you’re paying players, they have a certain leverage, power; especially the ones you’re paying big money to. So if you don’t have that relationship, I think some of these teams, that’s where you see a split.”

 

Leaders who refuse to accept criticism aren't leaders - they're tyrants, and one way or another, they always lose their power. I've worked for some, and the damage they caused was devastating.

 

[Royale with Cheese]

"Is that where to boo boo is?  Let me pat it to make if feel better."

[ChevyVanMiller]

Wonderful read. Thanks for posting.

[Reader]

12 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Leaders who refuse to accept criticism aren't leaders - they're tyrants, and one way or another, they always lose their power. I've worked for some, and the damage they caused was devastating.

 

 

It is, to me, amazingly ironic. Coaches have a job of evaluating players, identifying mistakes they are making and working tirelessly to fix them. It seems so strange that the idea of applying that same feedback to themselves is novel.

[Punching Bag]

Inaccurate Allen having the highest-graded passer on short and intermediate throws?  Something does not fit here.  Last year he was killing them over the top.