McD is a “conservative” coach...

[ColoradoBills]

The Bills did not shut down in the 3rd.

 

The 1st possession they passed 3 times and ran 2.  Josh missed connecting on a 3rd and 2 pass to Diggs.

They moved the ball 20 yards.

 

The 2nd possession started on the half yard line. 

 

Good Grief.

Edited September 21, 2020 by ColoradoBills

[GunnerBill]

6 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I get that, but McD doesn’t want 21.  He’s literally said they want to average much higher points, same with Beane.  That’s my point.  He has no interest in scoring just 21 points, they want to average in the high twenties, always have.  

 

They want more than 21. They don't want to NEED more than 21. That is the point. They want to win games by stopping their opponents scoring. Today they couldn't do that and they showed they were willing to get into a shootout. That is a positive. 

6 hours ago, Fan in Chicago said:

 

Also, in that last drive, a conservative coach wouldn't have allowed those types of throws opting instead to control the ball and march down the field slowly.

 

 

I agree with that. McDermott isn't conservative by nature and if he was they'd have just tried to run out the clock. But he has a template he wants to win by and this wasn't really it.

[eball]

9 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

Regardless of the outcome today, I agree with you.  They got up a couple scores and they tried to shut it down in the 3rd quarter.  They completely got away from everything that had worked in the first half, and then worked again in the 4th quarter, and tried to grind out the game.  The current NFL isn't set up to function that way and fortunately they snapped out of it and went back to what was working for them earlier after they yakked up the lead in the game.  Whether McD and Daboll like it or not you have to keep the hammer down and keep scoring points.  It's a mindset thing and they need to improve their killer instinct, from the coaching staff on down.  If you can bury someone, you need to bury someone.  It's not good enough to try to run out the clock. Hopefully a lesson was learned today. 

 

They didn’t try to shut it down in the 3rd quarter...they were only up 7!  That’s a ridiculous statement.  They lost their rhythm, which is something that has been happening to Josh consistently.  The defense also gave up successive long drives.  There is no lesson to learn from yesterday aside from the lesson that the Bills now have an offense capable of playing in a shootout if necessary.

[eball]

But don’t take my word for it, here are the coach’s words:

 

"I think some defensive head coaches take the approach of continuing to pad their side of the ball and they like winning, 11-9 ... and having no hair, I guess," McDermott said. He lifted his cap to show his bald head and gave the smile of a coach with a 2-0 record.

"Whereas, for me, I don't like winning, 11-9. I like winning. But I just feel like, to have a good football team that can sustain success, you need to have a balanced football team. And, so, Brandon Beane and his staff did a great job of continuing to look offensively what we could add to what we had. I think you're seeing the result of some of that."

 

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, eball said:

 

They didn’t try to shut it down in the 3rd quarter...they were only up 7!  That’s a ridiculous statement.  They lost their rhythm, which is something that has been happening to Josh consistently.  The defense also gave up successive long drives.  There is no lesson to learn from yesterday aside from the lesson that the Bills now have an offense capable of playing in a shootout if necessary.

 

The first drive in the 3rd Quarter was two plays for one first down... then an 8 yard gain on 1st down, a run stuffed for no gain and then the pass that Josh was low on and Diggs couldn't real in.... if he had that was a big gainer from a simple little crossing pattern. Was really good play calling and our two best players on offense the execution was just a little off. The day they both had I think we can probably forgive them that one. The next series under the shadow of our own posts was the one where Josh just gets away with the potential pick 6. That was a bad play design and bad execution but again both drives we failed on 3rd and 2. They were hardly major let downs on offense. They will be frustrated with the first one particularly because both Josh and Diggs will think they could have done better on that play. But compared to some of the 3rd Quarters we had last year, and even a bit last week, where we seemed to go into a funk offensively this was not that.... it was just little details.

[Chandler#81]

14 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

McD is a bad game day coach. Daboll saved him from himself today. Moss has no business getting equal snaps with Singletary. His defense got gouged today and 3rd quarter adjustments are non existent.

 

Pay no attention to Ether in Potland. Air quality is poor out that way. Seems apparent there’s Brain cell loss..😢

[atlbillsfan1975]

I will admit I was one of the people who stereotyped him as the defensive minded coach doing the ‘don’t lose instead of trying to win’. 
It does appear coach knew limitations of his offense and was trying to balance them. 
The only issue I have, and i will admit it’s nitpicking after two great offensive performances, is the way the team comes out after halftime. I don’t think it’s a play calling or an execution, it’s a combo of both.

Love to see some play call percentages and also yards gained in third quarter vs the other quarters. Maybe it’s perception being wrong on my part. 

[Beast]

14 hours ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

Something about playing the DOLPHINS bring out the killers in Allen/Coach McDermott.

 

I mean...Allen has had more TDs in 1 game vs Miami and he had FOUR today!

 

You always have something negative to say. Are you and Scott Laww BFF's?

 

Two weeks in, to include last week, this offense is much different. If you can't see that I don't know what to tell you.

[GunnerBill]

12 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

 

Pay no attention to Ether in Potland. Seems apparent there’s Brain cell loss..😢

 

You can't lose what you never had.....

 

10 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

I will admit I was one of the people who stereotyped him as the defensive minded coach doing the ‘don’t lose instead of trying to win’. 
It does appear coach knew limitations of his offense and was trying to balance them. 
The only issue I have, and i will admit it’s nitpicking after two great offensive performances, is the way the team comes out after halftime. I don’t think it’s a play calling or an execution, it’s a combo of both.

Love to see some play call percentages and also yards gained in third quarter vs the other quarters. Maybe it’s perception being wrong on my part. 

 

I think in general there has been an issue coming out from halftime dating back to last year. As I said above in my reply to @eball I don't think it was that yesterday. The play calling bar the out that was nearly a pick 6 was still good and was not conservative it was just little details.

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by GunnerBill

[SCBills]

14 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

They had to go for points today because the D couldn't get the job done. I doubt that is the way McDermott wants to win.... but it was the way we HAD to win today and we got the job done. Excellent.

Spot on.  
 

If our defense wasn’t banged up and looking like trash that entire second half, maybe we try to run the clock out, maybe not.   
 

McDermott knew he needed the offense to seal the game.   Finally, we have an offense that can do that.   
 

Here’s to hoping that’s just who we are now, because even if the defense was playing up to it’s standards, our offense has proven they deserve to be a unit who is trusted to dagger opponents.  

Edited September 21, 2020 by SCBills

[H2o]

14 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

What I said in the injured linebackers thread - good that it happened early in the season and  could force McD to let his offense win a divisional game on the road, which goes against all his natural instincts.

 

IT IS TIME.

[SCBills]

9 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

Regardless of the outcome today, I agree with you.  They got up a couple scores and they tried to shut it down in the 3rd quarter.  They completely got away from everything that had worked in the first half, and then worked again in the 4th quarter, and tried to grind out the game.  The current NFL isn't set up to function that way and fortunately they snapped out of it and went back to what was working for them earlier after they yakked up the lead in the game.  Whether McD and Daboll like it or not you have to keep the hammer down and keep scoring points.  It's a mindset thing and they need to improve their killer instinct, from the coaching staff on down.  If you can bury someone, you need to bury someone.  It's not good enough to try to run out the clock. Hopefully a lesson was learned today. 

I thought against the Jets we did that.  Not against the Dolphins.  
 

For how insanely good Allen was, he was terrible in the 3rd Quarter. 
 

Missed Diggs on a wide open underneath route that forced us to punt on Drive 1 and then almost threw a pick six when he didn’t see Van Noy drop into coverage on Drive 2.  
 

That was it for the quarter.  Two drives.  Two punts.  
 

Edited September 21, 2020 by SCBills

[bmur66]

It's hard to soar like an eagle when your running with turkeys

Edited September 21, 2020 by bmur66

[atlbillsfan1975]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

You can't lose what you never had.....

 

 

I think in general there has been an issue coming out from halftime dating back to last year. As I said above in my reply to @eball I don't think it was that yesterday. The play calling bar the out that was nearly a pick 6 was still good and was not conservative it was just little details.

 

I agree, yesterday was more on the players execution. I also agree it does go back to last year. Knee jerk is ‘ McDermott is trying to run out the clock in the third quarter’. I don’t think that’s the case. I wonder what is the issue? 

[HOUSE]

Kick 10 Field goals, just win baby

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

49 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

You always have something negative to say. Are you and Scott Laww BFF's?

 

Two weeks in, to include last week, this offense is much different. If you can't see that I don't know what to tell you.

Yes.  The passing game is much improved to start 2020.

 

But also, even when McDermotts Offenses we’re struggling to score 17-20 points per game in 2018- 2019

 

Even during those “lean” times, whenever they played MIAMI, they seemingly took on a Assassin Mentality and really went for the kill.

 

I mean the numbers are what they are.  Allen/Buffalo just light up Miami in this Era.

 

I don’t think you have to consider that a bad thing we Buffalo fans have definitely been on the other side of that with Tom Brady’s ownership of the bills in many seasons.

 

Maybe Allen/McDermott just own Miami.

[soflabillsfan1]

Hated the last series on D.  Should not have come down to an onside kick.

[Coach Tuesday]

10 minutes ago, soflabillsfan1 said:

Hated the last series on D.  Should not have come down to an onside kick.

If anything they were too aggressive on D yesterday.  Really didn’t like the consistent double A-gap blitzes which Fitz kept burning them on.  I think (without evidence) McD was livid at Frazier and became involved in the playcalling by the fourth quarter.  They had no business blitzing up the middle and leaving the area inside the hashes exposed - that’s Fitz’s calling card.  Baffled me.

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, Coach Tuesday said:

If anything they were too aggressive on D yesterday.  Really didn’t like the consistent double A-gap blitzes which Fitz kept burning them on.  I think (without evidence) McD was livid at Frazier and became involved in the playcalling by the fourth quarter.  They had no business blitzing up the middle and leaving the area inside the hashes exposed - that’s Fitz’s calling card.  Baffled me.

 

Completely agree. Hated the blitzes yesterday. Hated them. Hated them. Hated them. That isn't who this defense is. That must have been top 5 games for blitz % of the McDermott era. Certainly felt like that anyway.

[soflabillsfan1]

Just now, Coach Tuesday said:

If anything they were too aggressive on D yesterday.  Really didn’t like the consistent double A-gap blitzes which Fitz kept burning them on.  I think (without evidence) McD was livid at Frazier and became involved in the playcalling by the fourth quarter.  They had no business blitzing up the middle and leaving the area inside the hashes exposed - that’s Fitz’s calling card.  Baffled me.

They were a little over aggressive all day but the last series was ultra conservative.  A little tighter coverage and they force Fitz into sacks or a turnover instead of letting him go down the field in 2 minutes and get a cheap TD.

[Coach Tuesday]

1 minute ago, soflabillsfan1 said:

They were a little over aggressive all day but the last series was ultra conservative.  A little tighter coverage and they force Fitz into sacks or a turnover instead of letting him go down the field in 2 minutes and get a cheap TD.

Probably an over-reaction by the coaches after the blitzes kept backfiring but goal was not to let them score quickly.

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, soflabillsfan1 said:

They were a little over aggressive all day but the last series was ultra conservative.  A little tighter coverage and they force Fitz into sacks or a turnover instead of letting him go down the field in 2 minutes and get a cheap TD.

 

In that scenario playing prevent makes sense. Ideally you want to stop them but the main goal is make sure if they score they are relying on recovering an onside kick which these days is almost impossible unless you are playing the Falcons.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

17 hours ago, eball said:

I’ve been saying until I’m blue in the face, we can’t call McD “conservative” because he hasn’t had an offense.

 

All of you know-it-alls can stuff it in a sock.

 

He has changed. 

 

When he came to Buffalo he talked about establishing a physical run game. Our OC was Rick Dennison. 

 

Signed guys like Mike Tolbert, Chris Ivory. Even last year Frank Gore, sucking up carries because of veteran leadership. 

 

In 2017-2018 the Bills WR group was deplorable, with Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones, Andre Holmes, Jeremy Kerley, Jordan Matthews, Robert Foster became the defacto #1. 

 

 

But there have been changes in the offensive approach at OBD. The Bills finally drafted their own QB, instead of 10/11 years with backups - Edwards (3 years), Fitzpatrick (3 years), Orton (1 year), Tyrod (3 years). When Beane tried to trade for Antonio Brown, when McDermott watched his offense collapse in Houston, when Beane made the move for Diggs, the start of better skill players last year in Knox, Singletary, Beasley and Brown, and now FINALLY this year benching useless Lee "Blocking Tight End" Smith. 

 

McDermott hasn't always been like this, but yesterday when he talked in the postgame about not trying to win games 11-9, pulling all your hair out, I think has turned the corner in regards to seeing how the offense can make life easier for his defense, and frankly, how you aren't going to win anything without a top flight one. You aren't beating Mahomes and Jackson 17-14. 

 

 

 

 

[Fan in Chicago]

2 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

 

He has changed. 

 

McDermott hasn't always been like this, but yesterday when he talked in the postgame about not trying to win games 11-9, pulling all your hair out, I think has turned the corner in regards to seeing how the offense can make life easier for his defense, and frankly, how you aren't going to win anything without a top flight one. You aren't beating Mahomes and Jackson 17-14. 

 

 

Changed ? How do you know he is conservative" by nature and not simply game planning based on knowledge of his own personnel ? Those who proclaimed him to be the next Jauron simply were too early in their assessment. Credit McD with trying to recognize his team's shortcomings (and now strengths) and instructing his coordinators accordingly. I was shocked (pleasantly) when Allen continues to sling the ball in the 4th Q attempting to WIN and not play "do not lose". Its been a very long time since I have experienced such exhilaration due to the Bills O. 

[TigerJ]

One thing I haven't seen out of Buffalo so far is a killer instinct.  The closeness of the Miami game certainly was due in part to the injuries Buffalo had to their linebacking group.  Had Edmunds and Milano been healthy, maybe we would have seen the killer instinct, but it sure looks like Buffalo is letting up in intensity when they have a comfortable lead, and we're also seeing what happens when a team does let up.  I don't know that we're going to see any blowouts over the next few gams as Buffalo has a tough stretch coming up, but the next time Buffalo plays a supposedly bad team, I want to see them step on their neck and laugh (figuratively speaking of course).  By letting bad teams stay close you keep alive the chance they come back and win.

[hemma]

I just tried stuffing it in a sock.

 

I kind of like it.

[eball]

2 hours ago, TigerJ said:

One thing I haven't seen out of Buffalo so far is a killer instinct

The Allen to Brown bomb while up 24-20 with 3:00 to go says “hi.”

[TigerJ]

1 minute ago, eball said:

The Allen to Brown bomb while up 24-20 with 3:00 to go says “hi.”

Maybe, but that didn't happen until Buffalo had a laps in intensity that allowed Miami to come back and take the lead.  It was the sec ond week in a row that the Bills had that lapse of intensity going into the the half and lasted through most of the third quarter.

[Putin]

18 hours ago, Gene1973 said:

I still don't understand the 3rd QTR stuff...

I still don’t know who is it I should blame for the 3 QTR staff ? 
Daboll play calling?

Allen’s execution? 
or both ??

[Straight Hucklebuck]

2 hours ago, Fan in Chicago said:

 

Changed ? How do you know he is conservative" by nature and not simply game planning based on knowledge of his own personnel ? Those who proclaimed him to be the next Jauron simply were too early in their assessment. Credit McD with trying to recognize his team's shortcomings (and now strengths) and instructing his coordinators accordingly. I was shocked (pleasantly) when Allen continues to sling the ball in the 4th Q attempting to WIN and not play "do not lose". Its been a very long time since I have experienced such exhilaration due to the Bills O. 

Yes changed, listen to McDermott talk about offense when he first got here, his first OC choice, his obsession with old Panthers, to throwing all game and not sitting on leads, going for it on 4th downs now.

 

He used to talk about a defense that held people to 17 points. 
 

McDermott has changed his offensive philosophy. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

2 hours ago, TigerJ said:

One thing I haven't seen out of Buffalo so far is a killer instinct.  The closeness of the Miami game certainly was due in part to the injuries Buffalo had to their linebacking group.  Had Edmunds and Milano been healthy, maybe we would have seen the killer instinct, but it sure looks like Buffalo is letting up in intensity when they have a comfortable lead, and we're also seeing what happens when a team does let up.  I don't know that we're going to see any blowouts over the next few gams as Buffalo has a tough stretch coming up, but the next time Buffalo plays a supposedly bad team, I want to see them step on their neck and laugh (figuratively speaking of course).  By letting bad teams stay close you keep alive the chance they come back and win.

The 3rd quarter is still a problem for this team. 
 

They typically run 3 passive plays and punt for a couple of series. 
 

And that stalls the team for a whole quarter typically, the defense starts letting easy scores in. 

[Captain Hindsight]

19 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

Sure hope so.  Love the Fitz,  but wow.  This game should not have come down to a recovered onside 

Agreed. I think if Milano or Edmunds had played it wouldnt have been that close. But I also think Miami is better than people think. They wont win a ton, but they wont be an easy out most weeks

[BobbyC81]

15 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

They want more than 21. They don't want to NEED more than 21. That is the point. They want to win games by stopping their opponents scoring. Today they couldn't do that and they showed they were willing to get into a shootout. That is a positive. 

 

Exactly.  There are usually only a couple of teams each season that can both score a lot of points and shut down other teams’ offenses.   Most competitive  teams are either high scoring teams that can’t stop the opposition or strong defensive teams that have trouble scoring.

 

With how the Bills are built now, they should be able to adapt due to the opposition (having to score to keep up with a team like the Chiefs) , injuries and game situations.  

Edited September 21, 2020 by ColeB