2021 Season Reflection

[TFBillsfan]

The pain is still raw but I find myself reflecting back on the season and trying to look ahead.

 

Josh Allen: What more can you say. The guy is just a flat out playmaker. Josh has done everything and then some from a franchise QB. Going into next season I hope this coaching staff takes some of the burden off of him as Josh has masked numerous shortcomings. The guy shouldn’t have to be perfect every game. 
 

Knox and Brown exceeded my expectations.

 

Great to see Ed, Milano, Poyer and Hyde play at the level they did.
 

Good or Average? My eyes tell me this team can play with ANYONE. However, when it mattered the most, this team fell short on every close game. (Pitt, Jags, TN, TB, NE and KC) Everyone of those losses had a common theme. FAILURE to adjust which lands squarely on the coaching staff. For all the the accolades the coaching staff has received, we beat one solid team (KC) early in the season. Sure we can debate NE, but I just don’t think they were that good. Otherwise we were 0-6 in one score games and the Bills had an easy schedule. So while our stats were good (D feasted against bad teams) our eyes told us this D was no where near the top ranked D. When it mattered the most time and time again, the D couldn’t deliver or Daboll struggled to adjust. The Bills are a really good team but they need playmakers on D. Outside of Trey, they are sorely lacking. There’s a reason none of the Bills players were recognized on D. Sure they are a solid unit but they lack a difference maker. 

 

Edmunds: The guy oozes with the physical skills, but time and time again fails to react or make an impactful play. I’m not sure what you do here but it’s an obvious question mark going into next season.

 

Star, Hughes, Addison, Butler, Feliciano, Ford, Beasley are all major question marks on if they will be back.

 

As we look ahead I expect this roster and coaching staff to dramatically change.  I think Daboll is gone but I think Frazier has too many questions and last night hurt his stock on a number of fronts. Is Beane and McDermott satisfied with this D?
 

Areas of need: DE, CB, OG, WR, RB, Backup QB

Traits needed: Speed and Physicality 

Next year’s schedule should be stronger (TN, @ Rams, @KC, Cinncy, @Baltimore) GB included if AR returns. NE and Miami should be better.

 

This is a huge offseason for Beane and McDermott. The narrative has changed, the playoffs are expected but can they get this team to the next level?  Beane needs to be aggressive and make some difficult decisions. Late round draft picks aren’t making this roster so be aggressive in the draft and free agency. All things considered, it’s  hard to  give this coaching staff anything better than a C+ all things considered.
 

I’ll remember this season as missed opportunities and failure to meet expectations. Sure winning the division and making the playoffs are good, but we all expected that at the minimum. 

[Southern Bills Fan]

Last year KC beat us because we were too conservative on offense in the championship game. This year they beat us because we were too conservative on defense. Our coaching staff seems a little too slow to adjust. Sitting back and watching Mahomes pick us apart obviously wasn’t working but we never tried anything else. We gave up 44 yards on 2 plays in 10 seconds to allow the tie. That’s on the coaches. 

[RyanC883]

5 minutes ago, TFBillsfan said:

The pain is still raw but I find myself reflecting back on the season and trying to look ahead.

 

Josh Allen: What more can you say. The guy is just a flat out playmaker. Josh has done everything and then some from a franchise QB. Going into next season I hope this coaching staff takes some of the burden off of him as Josh has masked numerous shortcomings. The guy shouldn’t have to be perfect every game. 
 

Knox and Brown exceeded my expectations.

 

Great to see Ed, Milano, Poyer and Hyde play at the level they did.
 

Good or Average? My eyes tell me this team can play with ANYONE. However, when it mattered the most, this team fell short on every close game. (Pitt, Jags, TN, TB, NE and KC) Everyone of those losses had a common theme. FAILURE to adjust which lands squarely on the coaching staff. For all the the accolades the coaching staff has received, we beat one solid team (KC) early in the season. Sure we can debate NE, but I just don’t think they were that good. Otherwise we were 0-6 in one score games and the Bills had an easy schedule. So while our stats were good (D feasted against bad teams) our eyes told us this D was no where near the top ranked D. When it mattered the most time and time again, the D couldn’t deliver or Daboll struggled to adjust. The Bills are a really good team but they need playmakers on D. Outside of Trey, they are sorely lacking. There’s a reason none of the Bills players were recognized on D. Sure they are a solid unit but they lack a difference maker. 

 

Edmunds: The guy oozes with the physical skills, but time and time again fails to react or make an impactful play. I’m not sure what you do here but it’s an obvious question mark going into next season.

 

Star, Hughes, Addison, Butler, Feliciano, Ford, Beasley are all major question marks on if they will be back.

 

As we look ahead I expect this roster and coaching staff to dramatically change.  I think Daboll is gone but I think Frazier has too many questions and last night hurt his stock on a number of fronts. Is Beane and McDermott satisfied with this D?
 

Areas of need: DE, CB, OG, WR, RB, Backup QB

Traits needed: Speed and Physicality 

Next year’s schedule should be stronger (TN, @ Rams, @KC, Cinncy, @Baltimore) GB included if AR returns. NE and Miami should be better.

 

This is a huge offseason for Beane and McDermott. The narrative has changed, the playoffs are expected but can they get this team to the next level?  Beane needs to be aggressive and make some difficult decisions. Late round draft picks aren’t making this roster so be aggressive in the draft and free agency. All things considered, it’s  hard to  give this coaching staff anything better than a C+ all things considered.
 

I’ll remember this season as missed opportunities and failure to meet expectations. Sure winning the division and making the playoffs are good, but we all expected that at the minimum. 

 

Bingo.  And while coaching played a large part of it, Bean failed to improve the roster over last season.  Other teams improved.  It's a recipe for going nowhere.  He drafted poorly, and brought in zero FAs during the offseason or trade deadline that made an impact.  

2 minutes ago, Southern Bills Fan said:

Last year KC beat us because we were too conservative on offense in the championship game. This year they beat us because we were too conservative on defense. Our coaching staff seems a little too slow to adjust. Sitting back and watching Mahomes pick us apart obviously wasn’t working but we never tried anything else. We gave up 44 yards on 2 plays in 10 seconds to allow the tie. That’s on the coaches. 

 

 It's 100% on the coaches, but 100% on Bean also.  If we had an impact player in the front 7 that doesn't happen, despite our poor coaching.  We have no one to cover up the D's poor coaching and it showed.    

[Wo-Bah]

If we're reflecting on the entire season, the losses to PIT and JAX can't be ignored (the Jags game sticks out in my mind so much). The conservative play calling needs to go; play to your team strengths - which right now is Josh.  Make sure the team is prepared each week and know that on any Sunday, any team can be beaten by any team.  That's on coaching.

 

All that being said, I did enjoy the game last night.  Sucks we lost in that fashion, but, man, what a game.

[Greg S]

Disappointing. No other way to look at it. We should be getting ready to host the Bengals in AFCCG and were not. I think I saw a stat that said the Bills have lost their last 9 road playoff games. So next year they need to get the #1 seed. The Bills with Allen are 3-0 at home in playoffs 0-3 on the road.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Greg S

[LittleSammy]

Out of this world progression for Josh Allen but, unfortunately, the season will simply be remembered for the "13 Seconds of Stupidity".

[Big Blitz]

Who this team has passed on in the draft the last 3 years and what they ended up with instead - if not for Allen we would be 4-13 and looking at another house cleaning.  

 

 

Since 2019:

 

Knox

Taron Johnson

Wyatt Teller 

Singletary 

Moss

Ford

Harry

Oliver 

AJ 

Brown

Rousseau

Basham for some reason 

Gabe Davis

 

 

Davis Knox and Brown are long term most promising with Oliver being close.  And overall the offense will be elite as long as 17 is here.  

 

But running back - love motor but can't rely on him being #1.  He makes the team he can be a 1B but need a game changer there that scares defenses.  

 

 

And just not enough on "freaks" on defense.   

 

White Hyde Poyer and Milano are the defense.  Nothing else is remotely special.  

 

We passed on Humphrey.  Who was excellent yesterday - franchise center for a franchise QB.  But at least we got Boogie Basham.  

 

 

Honeymoon period is over for the front office.  You can build an elite defense quick.  It's stunning how badly they are botching this Dline.    

[Big Turk]

Coaching staff let these players down at the worst possible time. 

 

• No squib kick to run at least 3 seconds off the clock. Fail.
• Rushing 4 when they could have rushed 2 and then used those other 2 players to jam Kelce and Hill at the LOS and play man against them with the deep zone underneath.  If you are going to get beat in that situation, why let it be by their two best players?? Fail.
• Why are they having Wallace guard the sideline and give up the middle of the field when KC has 2 timeouts left and only enough time for one play? Were they afraid of a quick sideline throw and then having to defend against a Hail Mary? Fail.

 

So pissed about the coaching decisions that made absolutely no sense in that 13 second sequence.  They say they practice everything, but why did they appear so unprepared for that moment from a coaching perspective?  They really really let these players down.