The Athletic's #1 reason the Bills won't hoist Lombardi (note the final paragraph)

[transplantbillsfan]

https://theathletic.com/2805597/2021/09/03/graham-these-are-the-bills-biggest-hurdles-to-reaching-the-super-bowl-in-2021?source=user-shared-article

1. COVID-19

Buffalo’s locker room became the place to fly your anti-vaccination flag this offseason.

Two weeks before opening what’s supposed to be a vision-quest season, some Bills starters were barred from the facility for five days a pop and fined for their COVID-19 impudence.

 

McDermott remained diplomatic at his next news conference. He measured his words carefully. His body language, however, belonged to that of a man who was about to flip the eff out.

 

“Very frustrating. Very frustrating,” McDermott said. “There’s people’s livelihoods at stake. … Our performance is judged off of wins and losses or how well a person does ‘X’ or ‘Y,’ and some of that is dependent upon other members of the team.

 

“That’s why this is a team game. Being able to count on people is important.”

 

Unvaccinated players create negative competitive consequences. Restrictions are eased for those who have been vaccinated. Unvaccinated players still are subject to quarantine through contact tracing.

 

Even after Dawkins revealed he’d spent four days at Buffalo General Hospital and that he was afraid the coronavirus was killing him and two days after receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis and defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Vernon Butler were sent home, Beasley and receiver Isaiah McKenzie publicly mocked the collectively bargained safety protocols.

 

The NFL had fined McKenzie and Beasley $14,650 for repeatedly refusing to wear masks and/or tracking devices inside the Bills’ facility. NFL Network reported Beasley was spotted on video, while McKenzie failed to comply in the presence of league officials who were at One Bills Drive to give a presentation on COVID protocols. McKenzie tweeted a photo of his NFL notice and joked about the fine. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest data estimates the average Erie County resident makes $33,598 a year.

 

McKenzie, at least, had an epiphany. He eventually posted a photo of his vaccination card. Beasley is telling those around him he never will get a shot under any circumstances.

 

Lotulelei’s decision not to get vaccinated is a noggin-scratcher. Lotulelei took the COVID opt-out last season, and while the Bills could have used him against the run at times, they also proved they could win a lot of games without him.

 

Linebackers Matt Milano and Klein were preemptively removed from practice, an indication that they, too, were not vaccinated. The NFL’s investigation determined Milano and Klein weren’t in close-contact jeopardy and could return to practice the next day.

Beane said last week the Bills’ vaccination rate might be below 80 percent. That was before the 53-man cutdown, which was expected to lower the Bills’ percentage because fringe players are more motivated to get the shots.

 

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians announced Thursday that his defending Super Bowl champions are 100 percent vaccinated, including all players, coaches and staff.

[Scott7975]

I completely respect peoples choice to get vaccinated or not but ffs follow the rules and stop making a mockery of it.  Unprofessional and selfish to do that IMO.

[TailgateChef]

I wonder if negative peer pressure has any influence.

BTW, the other 5 reasons are Crowd Noise, Offensive Line, Pass rush, the Chiefs, and JA17's health.

[Thurman#1]

My guess is that unless personal choices change, the draft, the free agency process and the player development process this year and in the off-season will be focused on finding replacements for Beasley, Lotulelei and the others. Purely for performance reasons, of course.

 

[BillsShredder83]

1 hour ago, transplantbillsfan said:

https://theathletic.com/2805597/2021/09/03/graham-these-are-the-bills-biggest-hurdles-to-reaching-the-super-bowl-in-2021?source=user-shared-article

1. COVID-19

Buffalo’s locker room became the place to fly your anti-vaccination flag this offseason.

Two weeks before opening what’s supposed to be a vision-quest season, some Bills starters were barred from the facility for five days a pop and fined for their COVID-19 impudence.

 

McDermott remained diplomatic at his next news conference. He measured his words carefully. His body language, however, belonged to that of a man who was about to flip the eff out.

 

“Very frustrating. Very frustrating,” McDermott said. “There’s people’s livelihoods at stake. … Our performance is judged off of wins and losses or how well a person does ‘X’ or ‘Y,’ and some of that is dependent upon other members of the team.

 

“That’s why this is a team game. Being able to count on people is important.”

 

Unvaccinated players create negative competitive consequences. Restrictions are eased for those who have been vaccinated. Unvaccinated players still are subject to quarantine through contact tracing.

 

Even after Dawkins revealed he’d spent four days at Buffalo General Hospital and that he was afraid the coronavirus was killing him and two days after receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis and defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Vernon Butler were sent home, Beasley and receiver Isaiah McKenzie publicly mocked the collectively bargained safety protocols.

 

The NFL had fined McKenzie and Beasley $14,650 for repeatedly refusing to wear masks and/or tracking devices inside the Bills’ facility. NFL Network reported Beasley was spotted on video, while McKenzie failed to comply in the presence of league officials who were at One Bills Drive to give a presentation on COVID protocols. McKenzie tweeted a photo of his NFL notice and joked about the fine. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest data estimates the average Erie County resident makes $33,598 a year.

 

McKenzie, at least, had an epiphany. He eventually posted a photo of his vaccination card. Beasley is telling those around him he never will get a shot under any circumstances.

 

Lotulelei’s decision not to get vaccinated is a noggin-scratcher. Lotulelei took the COVID opt-out last season, and while the Bills could have used him against the run at times, they also proved they could win a lot of games without him.

 

Linebackers Matt Milano and Klein were preemptively removed from practice, an indication that they, too, were not vaccinated. The NFL’s investigation determined Milano and Klein weren’t in close-contact jeopardy and could return to practice the next day.

Beane said last week the Bills’ vaccination rate might be below 80 percent. That was before the 53-man cutdown, which was expected to lower the Bills’ percentage because fringe players are more motivated to get the shots.

 

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians announced Thursday that his defending Super Bowl champions are 100 percent vaccinated, including all players, coaches and staff.

At this point McD needs to focus on controlling what he can control. This horse has been beat to death. Get this team to play to its potential, and hope you learned enough from AFCC to get over the hump.

 

Love our staff sincerely, but we were so completely out coached that game. Keep the players and other coaches and himself focused.

 

Coach doesn't strike me as the type who enjoys losing like that.  One of the younger guys in the league, kiss the wife goodbye and you'll see her in February, time to outwork everyone else 

 

[NickelCity]

1 hour ago, Scott7975 said:

I completely respect peoples choice to get vaccinated or not but ffs follow the rules and stop making a mockery of it.  Unprofessional and selfish to do that IMO.

 

Wild that someone could "barf emoji" this post, but here we are.

[billsherd]

McD looked to me  like a frustrated and  defeated man in that press conference.

[Richard Noggin]

It's really unfortunate that there is an NFL team/organization registering a 100% vaccination rate, and the Bills are NOT that team. And I say this as a purely competitive football observation. The Bills have on their roster a handful of important players who have chosen not to get vaccinated, which means the team's roster is potentially more vulnerable to COVID-related disruptions during the season than the teams they're competing against. 

 

Last season's champions, for example, the Bucs, have ALL elected to be vaccinated (coaches and players). Even snake-oil salesman TB12 and his well-hydrated acolytes have fallen in line; not necessarily because they each believe in the efficacy of the vaccines, so much as they have decided, collectively, to place team accountability above individual skepticism. I'm actually surprised by a Brady-led 100% compliance rate, given the QB's documented history as a pseudo-science guru.

 

Good for them, in terms of collective accountability and compliance. It pains me to type it.

[machine gun kelly]

Probably the best post on this thread Noggin.  I do think the media hype on unvaccinated in Buffalo is far overblown.  You don’t think behind

closed doors there is some level of influence.  McKenzie flipped quickly.  I just think they aren’t going to advertise their change.  They had the perfect excuse once Pfizer’s recvd full approval.

[eball]

Nailed it, @Richard Noggin.  I simply can’t believe players like Beasley, Davis, Milano, Klein, and Star — guys who see the best chance they’ve ever had to win a SB before them — letting their teammates and coaches (and fans) down out of sheer ignorance.

[FLFan]

The title of this thread is a bit misleading.  The article is a discussions of the top challenges Buffalo must overcome and is written by a local writer, Tim Graham. He certainly is not predicting they will not succeed.   I thought it was an excellent article and spot on in terms of the questions and obstacles the Bills face, despite being a team fully capable of doing it.  Whether you agree that the potential disruption to team chemistry and the potential impact of key players missing games due to Covid protocols is the number 1 issue or not, it clearly belongs on this list.  Good read none the less.  

[ProcessTruster]

Agreed with the Athletic.   This is the issue that will get them a couple losses they cannot afford, if anything does.   

[Mr. WEO]

Guys going out of their way to mock even the protocols.  Then, in a county where 13% of the population lives below the poverty line, laughing off a $15K fine....

 

 

....and the owner's take on all this?  Who knows?  He has his PSE mouthpiece Wilkinson busy telling these same Erie County residents they will have to cough up or maybe, you know.... the team goes away.

 

 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Can't argue with it. could happen

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Vaccinated and non-vaccinated people are getting Covid. 

 

How does your team being 100% vaccinated make your players less likely to contact the virus? 

 

I have nothing against vaccinated people, or unvacciated people, fyi. 

 

 

[4merper4mer]

34 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

Guys going out of their way to mock even the protocols.  Then, in a county where 13% of the population lives below the poverty line, laughing off a $15K fine....

 

 

....and the owner's take on all this?  Who knows?  He has his PSE mouthpiece Wilkinson busy telling these same Erie County residents they will have to cough up or maybe, you know.... the team goes away.

 

 

The Bills are just so terrible in every way.  Got a take on Mr. Wonderful Mac Jones you can share?

[fergie's ire]

17 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Vaccinated and non-vaccinated people are getting Covid. 

 

How does your team being 100% vaccinated make your players less likely to contact the virus? 

 

I have nothing against vaccinated people, or unvacciated people, fyi. 

 

 

"Less likely" is not the same as "prevent."  Six seeds have won the Super Bowl, so getting the six seed does not prevent you from winning the Super Bowl.  But a one seed is more likely to win a Super Bowl.  So, you would much rather have the one seed than the six, and you would much rather have everyone vaccinated to decrease (but not eliminate) the chance of exposure and/or contagion.

[4merper4mer]

1 minute ago, fergie's ire said:

"Less likely" is not the same as "prevent."  Six seeds have won the Super Bowl, so getting the six seed does not prevent you from winning the Super Bowl.  But a one seed is more likely to win a Super Bowl.  So, you would much rather have the one seed than the six, and you would much rather have everyone vaccinated to decrease (but not eliminate) the chance of exposure and/or contagion.

The good news is that if the Bills are one of the 31 teams that don’t win the Super Bowl, some douche will find a way to point to his article as the reason by using twisted pretzel logic because a backup’s third cousin got sick.  Hooray for journalism.

[f0neguy]

Looking at the above noted statistics, any guess as to the percentage of Bills fans that will be vaccinated at the opener?  55-60%?  More, less?  🤔

[galept]

If we lose a game and had players sitting at home during that game because they didn't get vaxxed, I'm not sure how those players could look their team, or the fans in the eye after that and be proud of their decision.

 

These players have sacrificed their bodies for this game, some of which may have brain issues later in life that leads to an early decline. No physician would recommend doing what they're doing because of the risks. But a shot? A shot is where they draw the line, which is probably recommended by just about all physicians.

 

It defies all logic.