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With Allen, can the Bills de-emphasize skill positions?


Success

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11 hours ago, Success said:

 

The Bucs were kind of a different story. They were loaded at skill positions.

 

I didn't really expect the kind of negative reaction this one got.  It was just a discussion thought - the Pats definitely had a blueprint for their 2 decades of success, and it wasn't cheating, or investing too much capital in skill positions.  

 

The only thought I had was, is that worth emulating? Or do we forge our own path?

 

 

You're advocating that the Bills force their franchise QB to function at HOF-worthy level with JAG weaponry in order to build a mythical "championship caliber" defense so the Bills can emulate a Pats dynasty that hasn't proven to be replicable ...  and you're surprised at the negative reactions?  

 

1 minute ago, Dr. Who said:

No one has said defense is unimportant. If you read through the thread, you'll see what is intended. We need to allocate more prime resources to offense. This regime has not shown itself averse to spending top picks on D. So far, it's got you a pretty good defense. If they want to kick that up a notch, they're going to have to get someone like Chandler Jones which another poster suggested. A speed cb2 would help. Folks can see what could improve that side of the ball and that's fine, but the idea that the offense is good enough and it's the D that needs attention is not correct imo.

 

Exactly.  Just because a QB is a potential HOFer doesn't mean he doesn't need protection and targets.  Exhibit A is the Seahawks.   Russ doesn't cook too well when he only has no offensive line and only Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to throw to.

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Outside of Moss, Brady DEFINITELY made the careers for most of the top Wideouts he had. None of them would have ever accomplished 50% of what they did had they not played for Brady. That said, he made good WRs great, but the years when he has poor WRs they only were elevated to average WRs. Elite QBs like Brady and Allen can elevate WRs, but they can’t make a poor or average WR great. You must surround them with good WR/TE talent at a minimum.

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Give Allen a good OL and he will torch anyone, but we also need playmakers to lessen his load.  
 

I think too many people are clouded by recency bias.  “Josh Unleashed” in the Playoffs.   That. Is. Not. Sustainable. Over. A. Full. Season.  
 

We need guys that will win us games necessary for the 1 seed, without demanding Allen do it all.  
 

If teams are going to Cover 2 shell us again, we need players to wreck that.  That means a running game and guys who provide us YAC.  
 

We have enough good players on defense to supplement it (CB2) and another pass rusher, but give me an elite offense and solid defense every time.  I could care less if we paper tiger our way to a #1 defense again next year. 
 

People got way too obsessed with a beat up KC OL and gimpy Mahomes getting beat down my Tampa’s DL last year. 
 

 

Edited by SCBills
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1 hour ago, SoTier said:

 

You're advocating that the Bills force their franchise QB to function at HOF-worthy level with JAG weaponry in order to build a mythical "championship caliber" defense so the Bills can emulate a Pats dynasty that hasn't proven to be replicable ...  and you're surprised at the negative reactions?  

 

 

That's an interesting characterization of the OP.

 

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18 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I would not want to de-emphasize skill positions, and Josh isn't Brady.  They have different skill sets despite both being great QBs.

 

I think Josh needs good WRs more than Brady did.

 

I would continue to pump assets at improving the offense, especially at skill positions.

 

 

Agreed. McD seems to make any defense solid regardless of the talent level. Invest in offense and Josh can drop 30+. We would likely go 14-3 or 13-4 for years 

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19 minutes ago, nucci said:

They ignored the D. Bills do not. You can have both

 

They also ignored the running game, which was a much larger part of NFL offenses back then.  When they got to the playoffs, teams with good Ds would shut down Marino and they had no answer.  

 

The way to build a perennial playoff team/Super Bowl contender, especially today, is to support your very good/excellent QB with enough playmakers on both sides of the ball so that he isn't asked to carry the entire offensive load as well as make up for serious defensive deficiencies.  IOW, a team has to have a good/great offense but at least an above average defense.   It's not easy to do, especially over several years.   I think to do that, a team has  to draft well and then make strategic trades or signings, which takes a really good FO with excellent scouting and player evaluation departments.    IMO, it's the scouting/player e v a l  aspect that has come to separate the best teams from the mediocre ones. 

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No.  Beane has not de-emphasized the skill positions on offense and he won't in the future.

For that matter he hasn't de-emphasized the OL either.  

 

Beane has to constantly reevaluate every aspect of this team and attempt to balance it the best he can.

He has had some pretty good misses on some draft picks and FA signings.  Every team does.  This causes

gaps in long term planning.  You don't have to look any farther than Cody Ford to see what I'm saying.

 

He's got a number of holes to fill this season and will have a number of holes to fill next season and the one after that.

For every hole he fills on defense there will be keyboard warriors condemning him for neglecting the offense and vice versa.

All GMs and HCs go through this constantly and I think Beane and McDermott have been doing a pretty damn good job so far.

Keep it up guys!

 

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Josh is a ridiculous over the top superstar. Our OL could use some improving. But if I ever have to watch any team go 45 yards in 13 seconds again, my head will explode. Get a better Defense around Allen. And don't ever give me this #1 D crap.  Hopefully our HC will eventually stop with the stupid in game mistakes. 

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5 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Its not really their approach though.  KC keeps going after more skill - they acquired Watkins, Gordon, and rumor has it they’re going to go hard after OBJ this offseason.  They traded a first for a LT, signed Bell, etc.  If Kamara became available they’d be the first team in line.  And they’ve done the same on defense in terms of targeting pass rushers, Honey Badger etc.  Not all of their moves have worked out but they keep trying.  I wish the Bills pursued skill as aggressively as KC does - the skill disparity was on full display last weekend.

 

McD is really the CEO (with Beane as COO) of the football side of the house...and his football worldview has infused itself at TBD.  He's a cautious guy by nature as many NFL HC's are, but I would hope by now he understands that being bold in-game on in personnel is absolutely essential now to take the leap into being a SB winner.

 

You're correct about KC...they have been aggressive making changes, adding talent, replacing underperforming players, etc.  Buffalo has operated in the image of their HC: safe, careful, and only occasionally taking a chance here or there.  I'd like to see McD evolve into being a risk-taker and be open to changing his outlook.  Because if he can't do it now after losing to KC in the playoffs twice and seeing he has a veritable franchise QB he never will.  

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2 hours ago, nucci said:

They ignored the D. Bills do not. You can have both

 

They actually used quite a few early picks on defenders in the late 80s up through the end of the Shula era.  

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/draft.htm

 

The reason the Dolphins couldn't beat the Bills is because they couldn't quite match the firepower the Bills had at WR and they had absolutely no equivalent for Thurman Thomas. 

Edited by Brandon
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47 minutes ago, Brandon said:

 

They actually used quite a few early picks on defenders in the late 80s up through the end of the Shula era.  

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/draft.htm

 

The reason the Dolphins couldn't beat the Bills is because they couldn't quite match the firepower the Bills had at WR and they had absolutely no equivalent for Thurman Thomas. 

They had Duper and Clayton. They just had a bad defense

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2 minutes ago, Chicken Boo said:

If you want to have success in today's NFL, you had better surround Josh with the best talent that you can at the skill positions.  

 

The Bills are not the Patriots.

 

No argument there but trading another 1st and 4th and $20M per year for another WR are some of the ways I disagree with "the how".

LOL.

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1 hour ago, BillsVet said:

 

McD is really the CEO (with Beane as COO) of the football side of the house...and his football worldview has infused itself at TBD.  He's a cautious guy by nature as many NFL HC's are, but I would hope by now he understands that being bold in-game on in personnel is absolutely essential now to take the leap into being a SB winner.

 

You're correct about KC...they have been aggressive making changes, adding talent, replacing underperforming players, etc.  Buffalo has operated in the image of their HC: safe, careful, and only occasionally taking a chance here or there.  I'd like to see McD evolve into being a risk-taker and be open to changing his outlook.  Because if he can't do it now after losing to KC in the playoffs twice and seeing he has a veritable franchise QB he never will.  


When they traded for Diggs it was heralded as this Earth-shattering epiphany: McBeane finally being comfortable enough with the state of The Process to take the bold step, to make an aggressive move for that final piece of the roster puzzle.  
 

For many teams that’s just a normal offseason activity, acquiring a high-priced piece of talent.  
 

It really should just be the MO at this point.  Fine to be cap-responsible but you’ve got about ten years of the Allen Window left and you CANNOT squander it like the Packers have done.  

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22 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

I’m content going into next year with Diggs, Davis, McKenzie (re-sign), Stevenson, Hodges, and another fast draft pick maybe in the first 3 rounds. Oh and competition for Knox, Gesicki would be a great signing even if he hardly blocks.

Need one more target.  Gesicki would be perfect if you ask me. 

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22 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

I’m content going into next year with Diggs, Davis, McKenzie (re-sign), Stevenson, Hodges, and another fast draft pick maybe in the first 3 rounds. Oh and competition for Knox, Gesicki would be a great signing even if he hardly blocks.

Bills won't sign Gesicki. Have  seen contract projections from 10 to 12 million.  Bills aren't going to pay a TE that much to share the position with Knox, who still has upside. 

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1 hour ago, nucci said:

They had Duper and Clayton. They just had a bad defense

 

Duper and Clayton were good,  yes, but the Bills had two Hall of Famers,  plus another at RB.  They didn't have as much top end talent on D,  either,  but their 90 and 92 defenses statistically were solidly in the top half of the league.  

 

They were probably the 2nd best team in the AFC those two years,  but the Bills had more of everything than they did outside of QB,  where it was more or less even.

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1 hour ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

No argument there but trading another 1st and 4th and $20M per year for another WR are some of the ways I disagree with "the how".

LOL.

 

Nobody has suggested that.    What most posters are saying is that the Bills need to continue to provide Allen with weapons in response to the OP's idea that the Bills should "de-emphasize" skill positions in order to concentrate on improving their defense because Allen is such a great QB.  

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3 minutes ago, SoTier said:

 

Nobody has suggested that.    What most posters are saying is that the Bills need to continue to provide Allen with weapons in response to the OP's idea that the Bills should "de-emphasize" skill positions in order to concentrate on improving their defense because Allen is such a great QB.  

 

I know, sorry for being facetious but I'm preparing for all the "Beane should sign this offensive player" threads.

Brandon will get who he can.

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Alot of good to very good players on this team. But no true great players sans Allen.

 

Diggs is good. But he's not a #1 in the mold of Adams or Tyreek.

 

Defense has good, not great players.

 

In order to beat the Chiefs we need to improve on that.

 

On talent alone (Arm strength, accuracy, and mobility) I believe Allen is better than Brady.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

When they traded for Diggs it was heralded as this Earth-shattering epiphany: McBeane finally being comfortable enough with the state of The Process to take the bold step, to make an aggressive move for that final piece of the roster puzzle.  
 

For many teams that’s just a normal offseason activity, acquiring a high-priced piece of talent.  
 

It really should just be the MO at this point.  Fine to be cap-responsible but you’ve got about ten years of the Allen Window left and you CANNOT squander it like the Packers have done.  

 

And this mentality you've mentioned is hamstrung by needing to get what I'd term "process" types who, while decent talent, aren't moving the needle on game day.  They've made far too many of those signings at lesser priority positions in recent years.  There's been a point made about not having difference makers on defense...and that's again the HC who values players and positions which aren't as necessary.

 

An interesting off-season is ahead and all eyes are on OBD to be more audacious in personnel.  If they go status quo, gonna be hard to beat KC or the up and coming teams that, especially on offense, are better than Buffalo.    

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On 1/29/2022 at 5:48 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

The whole thing was typical Beane. Even when he tries to play his cards close to his chest he tells you things without meaning to. His language, his turns of phrase, his tempo, he tells you what he thinks without saying "I think he was good" or "yea he sucks we need to move on." 

 

He is a great listen. His end of season pressers are fantastic as are his pre-draft ones. I picture Sean watching them head in hands thinking "shut up Brandon stop telling them things!" I reckon you could listen to Sean speak to the press for 3 days and get nothing. Beane speaks for 3 minutes he has told you something.

 

A full year (or more) before drafting him, Beane I think went on AND off the record about "that big kid in Wyoming." He was openly hoping Allen had a down year leading up to the draft so they'd have a shot at him. And he meant it. (I definitely overheard something to this effect at Tempo.) Maybe he truly didn't believe he'd have a chance at him, so had no qualms admitting the interest? 

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