We are now the worst defense in the league

[JoshAllin]

When you lose the top 2 players in the defense and replace them with the bottom 2 on the team it's not going to look pretty on the stats

[HappyDays]

 

[Low Positive]

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I think the plan was “look at what Frazier did last year and do the opposite.”

[Airseven]

This calls for an Epenesa lucrative extension.

[BringBackFergy]

Does anyone have a good hot dog, meat sauce recipe?

 

[TampaBillsJunkie]

4 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Just one turnover in five games will do that you ...

And sh^t for sacks, hurries and pressure.  

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

16 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

i actually don’t know what people expected him to do. The front 4 can no longer generate pressure without DaQuon and Oliver both commanding tons of attention. He had to send guys.

[Matt_In_NH]

I know the points against have not been there but the defense sucking is definitely something you feel watching the games.   Last night they only gave up 24 but the Bengals always had drives that had several first downs.   Right down to the last meaningful 3-2 where Von dove to air.  Teams are converting 3rd downs.    The blitzing is not getting home, it is hurting this team.   

[Capco]

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Even if the Bills had rotated their decent stable of pass rushers with perfect timing, I don't think they could've gotten sufficient pressure on Burrow with just a 4-man rush vs the Bengals offensive line.  

The defense did get several batted passes at the line and sacks during these blitzes as well.  That part of the game plan was working at times, and had the defense been playing with a lead it probably would've worked even better.

Alternatively, if the Bills had abandoned pressuring the QB entirely and went to a 2-man rush, the Bengals would've simply turned to their running game.  

The defense got out-muscled in the trenches in the playoff game last year, and that was probably on McD's mind for this game given how gut-wrenching it was to endure.  Rushing 5-and-6 in relatively broad, nonexotic blitzes has the added effect of beefing up your rushing defense at the point of attack.  

So schematically I do understand the approach, all things considered.  It just didn't pan out.  

[Alphadawg7]

4 hours ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

 

No disrespect @HappyDaysbut we have not lost a single game because our defense was the issue.  We lost 4 games because the offense sucked.  The defense has held opponents scores low enough for us to be undefeated right now, but our offense is averaging 19 points a game over that stretch above.  

 

The offense isn't sustaining drives and putting the defense back out on the field.  The offense is turning the ball over and giving short fields.  The offense is anemic and hasn't scored over 25 since Miami.  

 

Meanwhile, our offense has 0 relevant injuries...none.  The defense lost arguably its 3 best players in Tre, Milano, and Jones and played games and parts of games without Oliver, Bernard, etc.  

 

If you take your best players off the field of any unit on any team its going to make a significant impact.  Yet that decimated defense has held opponents in check enough for us to win every single game had our offense just did its part.  Instead, we are 2-3 and were one lucky play in each of the Giatns and Bucs games from being 0-5 because the offense sucked for all of half of each of those games.  

 

In 4 of those games, the Bills had just 1 TD scored heading into the 4th quarter.  

 

So for me, just being honest, I can not fathom how there can be any anger towards our defense who despite missing all its talent is still doing enough for us to win while our all world offense that is fully healthy is doing nothing to help us win.

[frostbitmic]

This year the problem is on both sides of the ball ...

 

On Offense - I can't believe that the problem just lies with Dorsey, the OC isn't calling for bad INTS's to be thrown or for people to fumble the ball, however the 6 yard deep handoffs on the goal line and the constant quick outs that gain between 0-1 yard needs to be torn from the playbook. I still believe something is wrong with Josh, whether it's physically, mentally, emotionally, something just seems off with him.

 

On Defense - Watching receivers singing "Born free, as free as the wind blows" on seemingly every 3rd and 10 has to end, this soft zone is almost like playing a prevent Defense the entire game.

 

I'm starting to believe that McDermott is on the verge of losing this team. With the upcoming schedule that could happen quickly.

[AZSanta]

5 hours ago, PBF81 said:

Our injuries are not that bad.  

 

Honestly, Milano and Jones.  White hasn't been around for the vast majority of either of the last two seasons.  

Jones simply started strong, he did nothing even approaching his play in the first few games this season against some of the worst offenses in the league, throughout the rest of his nearly decade-long career.  It wouldn't have lasted.  

 

Our starting line-up is largely the players that they themselves have drafted, and apart from Milano and Jones is what it would have been anyway.  We knew coming into the season that White hadn't played well in the few games he was in last season, so no difference there.  

 

Von Miller, yeah, a 34-year old player that got injured.  Not a problem unless you give him a 6-year $120M contract at the age of 33, with nearly half of it guaranteed.  

 

We have key injuries, but one player shouldn't explain a drop from 1st/2nd to DFL.  

 

If it does, LOL, well, then time for a new "defensively oriented" head coach.  

 

While we're at it, let's get an offensively oriented one since we haven't been able to count on our marvelous 1st or 2nd ranked Ds in the playoffs anyway.  

 

 

Nailed it!!!

 

[Governor]

1 hour ago, motorj said:

When you lose the top 2 players in the defense and replace them with the bottom 2 on the team it's not going to look pretty on the stats

That really shouldn’t happen on a team where the GM and HC use all of the resources on the defense year after year. It makes them look even more incompetent.

[BuffaloBillsGospel2014]

I mean I know we don't like to use excuses here but it was going to happen when you lose Milano, Tre White, Daquan Jones and Von Miller still isn't back to himself. This would be hard for any team to overcome and I thought we played the Bengals awesome in the 2nd half only giving up 3 points.

[Thrivefourfive]

6 hours ago, dorquemada said:

 

It's a sign that the Bengals took their foot off the gas.  It's nothing the Bills did.  They watched our geriatric secondary struggling to catch their breath and took mercy

This is it. The “positives” that I’m hearing about this game is that the defense showed up in the second half. That’s simply not a sign of anything. The Bengals played with the lead, and made damn sure that they weren’t going to hand it to the Bills. It’s what good teams do sometimes. The Bills have done it. They win, and completely control the game, but only score 24 (it happened last Thursday for crying out loud!).
 

At no point in last night’s game did I feel like the Bills had any control of that game, the entire 60 minutes. You’ll all say admit the same. 
 

I’m hearing all these comparisons about how the Bills defense held the high powered Bengals offense to three second half points, and the Bills started scoring the second half.. BELIEVE ME, if the Bills showed any life earlier in the game, the Bengals would’ve shot them with an elephant gun, right away. 

1 hour ago, frostbitmic said:

This year the problem is on both sides of the ball ...

 

On Offense - I can't believe that the problem just lies with Dorsey, the OC isn't calling for bad INTS's to be thrown or for people to fumble the ball, however the 6 yard deep handoffs on the goal line and the constant quick outs that gain between 0-1 yard needs to be torn from the playbook. I still believe something is wrong with Josh, whether it's physically, mentally, emotionally, something just seems off with him.

 

On Defense - Watching receivers singing "Born free, as free as the wind blows" on seemingly every 3rd and 10 has to end, this soft zone is almost like playing a prevent Defense the entire game.

 

I'm starting to believe that McDermott is on the verge of losing this team. With the upcoming schedule that could happen quickly.

Great. Candy a$$ quarterback. All we need. 

[Big Blitz]

We might be down 7 starters on D Monday 

[78thealltimegreat]

We have so many resources and money tied up into the defensive side of the ball that even with the injuries they should still be average and be in the 10-15ish range. 
The problem is obviously the lulls this offense has against even mediocre defenses. When your number 2 receiver has literally zero catches and your QB is your teams leading rusher….again that’s a problem….a big one.

[major]

7 hours ago, dorquemada said:

certainly matches the eye test.  They can't stop anybody, especially when it counts.  Thank God we spent most of our draft capital on the D so we can watch opponents march up and down the field

Guess Frazier was smart to take that sabbatical 

[Dr.Sack]

To be fair the defense has created 1 turnover the past 4 games, while the offense has turned over the ball 7 times. 

[78thealltimegreat]

29 minutes ago, Thrivefourfive said:

This is it. The “positives” that I’m hearing about this game is that the defense showed up in the second half. That’s simply not a sign of anything. The Bengals played with the lead, and made damn sure that they weren’t going to hand it to the Bills. It’s what good teams do sometimes. The Bills have done it. They win, and completely control the game, but only score 24 (it happened last Thursday for crying out loud!).
 

At no point in last night’s game did I feel like the Bills had any control of that game, the entire 60 minutes. You’ll all say admit the same. 
 

I’m hearing all these comparisons about how the Bills defense held the high powered Bengals offense to three second half points, and the Bills started scoring the second half.. BELIEVE ME, if the Bills showed any life earlier in the game, the Bengals would’ve shot them with an elephant gun, right away. 

Great. Candy a$$ quarterback. All we need. 

Didn’t watch the game did you? The entire second half the Bengals were going for a knockout punch and couldn’t do it. As for the QB being a candyass when he’s your leading rusher in the game…again that’s a problem.  

[DrPJax]

5 hours ago, Rubes said:

Definitely not good. At the same time, I’m eager to see how that changes once the new guys acclimate and start playing more. Maybe we’ll even see Miller start getting back to form before it’s too late.

 

Holding the Bengals to 3 points in the second half last night could be a sign of things to come.

 

     Mcd is having his worst year since he started.  Let’s forgive the injury bug, but small and fast guys on defense seem to get injured just as quickly as thEIR 40 times.  What happened to earning your snaps ?  I get Von is paid 120 miL to spectate, but he didnt even know the teams record was 5-3 prior to the game in an interview. Not engaged enough to know the actual record despite all the podcasts , endorsements and providing cute sound bites like dont blink!  Maybe at least dont blink long enough to actually know the teams record you now have 120 mil $ paying for your podcast equipment and chicken feed. Is that too much to ask of a ‘superstar”?  

 

He is less than a year out from the acl repair and so far his  main contribution has been failed recruitment of every other aging star searching for one last bag ’ and i did see him biting or grabbing the ankle of a qb in one game , ala Monty pythons black knight who was limbless yet yelling he would bite the other passing knights kneecaps !  Nothing of significance  since the injury. That’s ok and to be expected at his age and less than a year fro surgery.

     BUT mcd preaches earning snaps and you can not convince me had they not made the desperate 120 mil $ deal for a vet, he would never in any other  scenarios be out there actually making the defense worse if mcds philosophy was consistent and his actions meant more than his obsessive dependence on vets over developing younger talent. You  dont think players are aware of these inconsistencies?  Especially as the losses mount? You could tell at practice and certainly within one series, if he does not belong on the field yet in crtical game situations , like last nites last series, there he was being beaten .  Stats  don’t lie , but  mcds coach speak is getting more insufferable. 2 guys off the street looked more in place than Von did AT THIS TIME    It’s not consistent with his process message that is also wearing extremely thin.  This whole process now rings  hollow and the results dont lie, this team is at a crossroads as they, imo, are very unlikely to make the playoffs and even if they somehow do, this is by far the team most likely to make a one and done appearance.  They are what their record says they are now as we are past the halfway point. It’s not like i am making some profound hot take; every analyst who saw the bllls as SB CONTENDERS LAST YEAR, HAve  all referred to them as frauds, pretenders with no identity, and almost ever one Has agreed their SB WINDOW HAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED!  Hey , in josh’s vernacular , these guys get paid too!  Hard to believe they are all misinterpreting what they are seeing. 

 

New guys on defense are irrelevant to this putrid , faceless offense , and TD Lenny will in all likelihood go the way of last years RB addition ,,,maybe catching a few passes because Dorsey ‘s offense will prob be too complicated for the Lombardi winning TD Lenny to displace cook, or our two other powerhouse backs. Once eliminated , TD Lenny may somehow end up on the ir once he realizes backs and Dorsey are oxymorons!  Yet , i still saw some content providers expecting us to finish 13-4 or with a flurry where we are favorites from the wildcard spot or still win the east. Talk about seeing the glass as half full; i don’t think that’s meant to be meaning you drank the firs half before your podcast!  Lol.  Gotta laugh or you are going to make yourself sick. 

 

 Delusions are difficult to eradicate.  It’s in reality a bad year , with bad injuries , but i dont understand the disconnect that allows some to believe josh Will stop leading the league in ints and go two games in a row without a turnover; i mean its a trend since 2018 if i am correct. I really like him as an athlete , but this coaching staff has turned him into a joyless , indecisive , defensive PR machine for a head coach obsessed with process, yet terrible with game time decisions and one of the worst at challenges , blown time outs , and a leader of one of the poorest tackling and idiotic penalty producing teams this side of jauron and REX Ryan.  The big question is in the face of needing funding to continue for the new great stadium , doe PEGULA have the balls without his beloved , fully functional KIM (GODSPEED) to make the decision we all see is needed before we are forced into another decade of journeyman QBs, and mercifully hire an offensive minded coach

 

     .  Let’s  see what beane might be capable of out from under mcds thumb.   It’s tough to face these things , but its folly to ignore them and bury ones head in the sand as the fins, bengals, ravens, eagles, chiefs , jags all keep making a strides with creative offensive play calling and we are stuck adding more assets  to an overly inflated d line , backed by dbs that hold or get flagged for pi routinely on third and long and blitz leaving Po or Hyde trailing receivers at least once a game as we now give up copious explosive plays.  

 

      It’s not jet lag , it’s coaching lag now, and the best solution is letting it play out , and realizing its only possible to progress with change!  Remember . No qb /coaching duo has won  a SB  if they didnt do it within 5 years.  It’s not hyperbole that this window has closed, and its time for those new hurricane proof windows heading into that new glorious , well deserved home for the greatest fan base of them all ,,,aka the MAFIA!  We all endured  4 straight SB  losses , wide right, music city miracle , 13 seconds, at least one Hail Mary , playoff blown leads , and not one recent SB APPEARANCE..  COME ON MAN , IS IT REASONABLE TO BE ASKED TO HAVE TO ENDURE MORE NONSENSICAL PROCESS TALK AND A OFFENSIVE MIND WHO GOES TO A SHOTGUN RUN ON THE HALF YARD LINE?     Remember , no one is twisting your arm to buy the probably required seat license fees just to have the chance to buy a seat to endorse being one of the few franchises to have no Lombardi trophy to display at their  glorious venue. The teams STAYING IN BUFFALO. As the saying goes, much is expected to whom much has been given!  It’s the BILLS TURN TO GIVE , AND FORGIVE ME MCD , YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MAN, PERHAPS GREAT DC, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN SURPASSED AS A HC.  HEY, EDMUNDS LOOKED OK AS A LB UNTIL WE TOOK THAT CHANCE AND LOOK WHAT  POSITIVE a  simple CHANGE MADE.   This franchise is treading water now, it might just flourish!  Best wishes , enjoy each game as the season flies by.  Have fun , dont attack others as no matter how you slice it, there’s always two sides! It’s harder to think, that’s why so many are judgemental.  Nothing like reverting to  name calling , right mr unlimited bettor?    Too funny!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 

[Thrivefourfive]

24 minutes ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Didn’t watch the game did you? The entire second half the Bengals were going for a knockout punch and couldn’t do it. As for the QB being a candyass when he’s your leading rusher in the game…again that’s a problem.  

Did. If the Bengals were going for the knockout punch, and they didn’t get it, AND the Bills ended up with no picks, no fumbles, and 1 sack,, I’m more depressed than I thought I was. 

[Big Blitz]

 

[Rubes]

35 minutes ago, DrPJax said:

     Mcd is having his worst year since he started.  Let’s forgive the injury bug, but small and fast guys on defense seem to get injured just as quickly as thEIR 40 times.  What happened to earning your snaps ?  I get Von is paid 120 miL to spectate, but he didnt even know the teams record was 5-3 prior to the game in an interview. Not engaged enough to know the actual record despite all the podcasts , endorsements and providing cute sound bites like dont blink!  Maybe at least dont blink long enough to actually know the teams record you now have 120 mil $ paying for your podcast equipment and chicken feed. Is that too much to ask of a ‘superstar”?  

 

He is less than a year out from the acl repair and so far his  main contribution has been failed recruitment of every other aging star searching for one last bag ’ and i did see him biting or grabbing the ankle of a qb in one game , ala Monty pythons black knight who was limbless yet yelling he would bite the other passing knights kneecaps !  Nothing of significance  since the injury. That’s ok and to be expected at his age and less than a year fro surgery.

     BUT mcd preaches earning snaps and you can not convince me had they not made the desperate 120 mil $ deal for a vet, he would never in any other  scenarios be out there actually making the defense worse if mcds philosophy was consistent and his actions meant more than his obsessive dependence on vets over developing younger talent. You  dont think players are aware of these inconsistencies?  Especially as the losses mount? You could tell at practice and certainly within one series, if he does not belong on the field yet in crtical game situations , like last nites last series, there he was being beaten .  Stats  don’t lie , but  mcds coach speak is getting more insufferable. 2 guys off the street looked more in place than Von did AT THIS TIME    It’s not consistent with his process message that is also wearing extremely thin.  This whole process now rings  hollow and the results dont lie, this team is at a crossroads as they, imo, are very unlikely to make the playoffs and even if they somehow do, this is by far the team most likely to make a one and done appearance.  They are what their record says they are now as we are past the halfway point. It’s not like i am making some profound hot take; every analyst who saw the bllls as SB CONTENDERS LAST YEAR, HAve  all referred to them as frauds, pretenders with no identity, and almost ever one Has agreed their SB WINDOW HAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED!  Hey , in josh’s vernacular , these guys get paid too!  Hard to believe they are all misinterpreting what they are seeing. 

 

New guys on defense are irrelevant to this putrid , faceless offense , and TD Lenny will in all likelihood go the way of last years RB addition ,,,maybe catching a few passes because Dorsey ‘s offense will prob be too complicated for the Lombardi winning TD Lenny to displace cook, or our two other powerhouse backs. Once eliminated , TD Lenny may somehow end up on the ir once he realizes backs and Dorsey are oxymorons!  Yet , i still saw some content providers expecting us to finish 13-4 or with a flurry where we are favorites from the wildcard spot or still win the east. Talk about seeing the glass as half full; i don’t think that’s meant to be meaning you drank the firs half before your podcast!  Lol.  Gotta laugh or you are going to make yourself sick. 

 

 Delusions are difficult to eradicate.  It’s in reality a bad year , with bad injuries , but i dont understand the disconnect that allows some to believe josh Will stop leading the league in ints and go two games in a row without a turnover; i mean its a trend since 2018 if i am correct. I really like him as an athlete , but this coaching staff has turned him into a joyless , indecisive , defensive PR machine for a head coach obsessed with process, yet terrible with game time decisions and one of the worst at challenges , blown time outs , and a leader of one of the poorest tackling and idiotic penalty producing teams this side of jauron and REX Ryan.  The big question is in the face of needing funding to continue for the new great stadium , doe PEGULA have the balls without his beloved , fully functional KIM (GODSPEED) to make the decision we all see is needed before we are forced into another decade of journeyman QBs, and mercifully hire an offensive minded coach

 

     .  Let’s  see what beane might be capable of out from under mcds thumb.   It’s tough to face these things , but its folly to ignore them and bury ones head in the sand as the fins, bengals, ravens, eagles, chiefs , jags all keep making a strides with creative offensive play calling and we are stuck adding more assets  to an overly inflated d line , backed by dbs that hold or get flagged for pi routinely on third and long and blitz leaving Po or Hyde trailing receivers at least once a game as we now give up copious explosive plays.  

 

      It’s not jet lag , it’s coaching lag now, and the best solution is letting it play out , and realizing its only possible to progress with change!  Remember . No qb /coaching duo has won  a SB  if they didnt do it within 5 years.  It’s not hyperbole that this window has closed, and its time for those new hurricane proof windows heading into that new glorious , well deserved home for the greatest fan base of them all ,,,aka the MAFIA!  We all endured  4 straight SB  losses , wide right, music city miracle , 13 seconds, at least one Hail Mary , playoff blown leads , and not one recent SB APPEARANCE..  COME ON MAN , IS IT REASONABLE TO BE ASKED TO HAVE TO ENDURE MORE NONSENSICAL PROCESS TALK AND A OFFENSIVE MIND WHO GOES TO A SHOTGUN RUN ON THE HALF YARD LINE?     Remember , no one is twisting your arm to buy the probably required seat license fees just to have the chance to buy a seat to endorse being one of the few franchises to have no Lombardi trophy to display at their  glorious venue. The teams STAYING IN BUFFALO. As the saying goes, much is expected to whom much has been given!  It’s the BILLS TURN TO GIVE , AND FORGIVE ME MCD , YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MAN, PERHAPS GREAT DC, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN SURPASSED AS A HC.  HEY, EDMUNDS LOOKED OK AS A LB UNTIL WE TOOK THAT CHANCE AND LOOK WHAT  POSITIVE a  simple CHANGE MADE.   This franchise is treading water now, it might just flourish!  Best wishes , enjoy each game as the season flies by.  Have fun , dont attack others as no matter how you slice it, there’s always two sides! It’s harder to think, that’s why so many are judgemental.  Nothing like reverting to  name calling , right mr unlimited bettor?    Too funny!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 

Holy smokes, dude.

[Taro Nimbus]

Bills rank in the top 10 in all defensive categories.  Yet they are the worst defense?   Ok. 

[Bangarang]

I think the only solution is to draft some more DL in the 1st round and spend our limited cap space on other DL. It’s the Beane way.

[Old Coot]

"DVOA" is a term I have seen used several times on the board but was unfamiliar to me so I looked it up.

 

For those who are as clueless as I, I quote from the following site:

 

"That term is “DVOA” or “Defense-adjusted Value Over Average.” Not “Dorks Value Only Analytics,” as one ESPN reporter put it this week.

Did that just bring your brain to a screeching halt? That’s okay, it’s done the same thing to me too.

Football Outsiders, who uses DVOA as the heart of their work, defines the statistic as the following: “DVOA breaks down the entire season play-by-play, comparing success on each play to the league average based on a number of variables including down, distance, location on field, current score gap, quarter, and opponent quality.”

So in layman’s terms, DVOA is a statistic that takes things into consideration plain old stats might not. For example, Kirk Cousins had a decent day in the box score on Sunday (19-25 for 259 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception plus 34 yards rushing) but his DVOA took a bit of a hit because the Vikings were playing from behind, which does have some impact on how DVOA is calculated as noted above (Cousins ranked 9th in DVOA after Week 1). DVOA looks at the average result of a play in a similar situation, and when teams are down big, they tend to throw a lot and go for chunk plays. Cousins was successful in doing that (over 10 yards per attempt), but because the baseline is higher, his value over average dips."

 

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/by-the-numbers/2020/9/17/21441001/dvoa-a-beginners-look-at-a-misunderstood-metric-packers-football-outsiders

 

Hope this helps.

[Thurman#1]

8 hours ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

 

 

DVOA doesn't tell you that much over shorter periods of time. Four games is too short. This doesn't mean they are the worst, it means they haven't been playing very well.

 

Which is hard to argue with.

[Thurman#1]

1 hour ago, DrPJax said:

     Mcd is having his worst year since he started.  Let’s forgive the injury bug, but small and fast guys on defense seem to get injured just as quickly as thEIR 40 times.  What happened to earning your snaps ?  I get Von is paid 120 miL to spectate, but he didnt even know the teams record was 5-3 prior to the game in an interview. Not engaged enough to know the actual record despite all the podcasts , endorsements and providing cute sound bites like dont blink!  Maybe at least dont blink long enough to actually know the teams record you now have 120 mil $ paying for your podcast equipment and chicken feed. Is that too much to ask of a ‘superstar”?  

 

He is less than a year out from the acl repair and so far his  main contribution has been failed recruitment of every other aging star searching for one last bag ’ and i did see him biting or grabbing the ankle of a qb in one game , ala Monty pythons black knight who was limbless yet yelling he would bite the other passing knights kneecaps !  Nothing of significance  since the injury. That’s ok and to be expected at his age and less than a year fro surgery.

     BUT mcd preaches earning snaps and you can not convince me had they not made the desperate 120 mil $ deal for a vet, he would never in any other  scenarios be out there actually making the defense worse if mcds philosophy was consistent and his actions meant more than his obsessive dependence on vets over developing younger talent. You  dont think players are aware of these inconsistencies?  Especially as the losses mount? You could tell at practice and certainly within one series, if he does not belong on the field yet in crtical game situations , like last nites last series, there he was being beaten .  Stats  don’t lie , but  mcds coach speak is getting more insufferable. 2 guys off the street looked more in place than Von did AT THIS TIME    It’s not consistent with his process message that is also wearing extremely thin.  This whole process now rings  hollow and the results dont lie, this team is at a crossroads as they, imo, are very unlikely to make the playoffs and even if they somehow do, this is by far the team most likely to make a one and done appearance.  They are what their record says they are now as we are past the halfway point. It’s not like i am making some profound hot take; every analyst who saw the bllls as SB CONTENDERS LAST YEAR, HAve  all referred to them as frauds, pretenders with no identity, and almost ever one Has agreed their SB WINDOW HAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED!  Hey , in josh’s vernacular , these guys get paid too!  Hard to believe they are all misinterpreting what they are seeing. 

 

New guys on defense are irrelevant to this putrid , faceless offense , and TD Lenny will in all likelihood go the way of last years RB addition ,,,maybe catching a few passes because Dorsey ‘s offense will prob be too complicated for the Lombardi winning TD Lenny to displace cook, or our two other powerhouse backs. Once eliminated , TD Lenny may somehow end up on the ir once he realizes backs and Dorsey are oxymorons!  Yet , i still saw some content providers expecting us to finish 13-4 or with a flurry where we are favorites from the wildcard spot or still win the east. Talk about seeing the glass as half full; i don’t think that’s meant to be meaning you drank the firs half before your podcast!  Lol.  Gotta laugh or you are going to make yourself sick. 

 

 Delusions are difficult to eradicate.  It’s in reality a bad year , with bad injuries , but i dont understand the disconnect that allows some to believe josh Will stop leading the league in ints and go two games in a row without a turnover; i mean its a trend since 2018 if i am correct. I really like him as an athlete , but this coaching staff has turned him into a joyless , indecisive , defensive PR machine for a head coach obsessed with process, yet terrible with game time decisions and one of the worst at challenges , blown time outs , and a leader of one of the poorest tackling and idiotic penalty producing teams this side of jauron and REX Ryan.  The big question is in the face of needing funding to continue for the new great stadium , doe PEGULA have the balls without his beloved , fully functional KIM (GODSPEED) to make the decision we all see is needed before we are forced into another decade of journeyman QBs, and mercifully hire an offensive minded coach

 

     .  Let’s  see what beane might be capable of out from under mcds thumb.   It’s tough to face these things , but its folly to ignore them and bury ones head in the sand as the fins, bengals, ravens, eagles, chiefs , jags all keep making a strides with creative offensive play calling and we are stuck adding more assets  to an overly inflated d line , backed by dbs that hold or get flagged for pi routinely on third and long and blitz leaving Po or Hyde trailing receivers at least once a game as we now give up copious explosive plays.  

 

      It’s not jet lag , it’s coaching lag now, and the best solution is letting it play out , and realizing its only possible to progress with change!  Remember . No qb /coaching duo has won  a SB  if they didnt do it within 5 years.  It’s not hyperbole that this window has closed, and its time for those new hurricane proof windows heading into that new glorious , well deserved home for the greatest fan base of them all ,,,aka the MAFIA!  We all endured  4 straight SB  losses , wide right, music city miracle , 13 seconds, at least one Hail Mary , playoff blown leads , and not one recent SB APPEARANCE..  COME ON MAN , IS IT REASONABLE TO BE ASKED TO HAVE TO ENDURE MORE NONSENSICAL PROCESS TALK AND A OFFENSIVE MIND WHO GOES TO A SHOTGUN RUN ON THE HALF YARD LINE?     Remember , no one is twisting your arm to buy the probably required seat license fees just to have the chance to buy a seat to endorse being one of the few franchises to have no Lombardi trophy to display at their  glorious venue. The teams STAYING IN BUFFALO. As the saying goes, much is expected to whom much has been given!  It’s the BILLS TURN TO GIVE , AND FORGIVE ME MCD , YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MAN, PERHAPS GREAT DC, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN SURPASSED AS A HC.  HEY, EDMUNDS LOOKED OK AS A LB UNTIL WE TOOK THAT CHANCE AND LOOK WHAT  POSITIVE a  simple CHANGE MADE.   This franchise is treading water now, it might just flourish!  Best wishes , enjoy each game as the season flies by.  Have fun , dont attack others as no matter how you slice it, there’s always two sides! It’s harder to think, that’s why so many are judgemental.  Nothing like reverting to  name calling , right mr unlimited bettor?    Too funny!

 

 

 

 

What difference does it make whether or not Von knows their record or not? None whatsoever. Completely insignificant to him. All he has to know is that the next game is the only important one for them this week, that it was a wildly important game. Did he seem not to understand this? If anything it means he's correctly focused. The past shouldn't matter to the players. The next game is where all of their focus should go. The idea this matters is pure dumb.

 

The problem with Von is not that he's not engaged. It's that right now he can't win his pass rush battles. He's not back yet. Will he every get back? No way to know, but that's the issue with Von, not whether he knew something irrelevant to his Bengals game prep. But if playing him now gets him closer to what he could be, we should all be for it. If our pass rush isn't better soon 

 

They are what their record says they are, you say? Yeah. Fair enough. Correct. They will have to get a lot better to make a difference this year. You're dead right on that count.

 

Edmunds looked very very good as an LB. Then we put in the new guy, knowing he's a bit small and that injuries might be a concern, as they were not for Edmunds. Look what happened. He's played very well. Now he's injured.

 

I guess I'm glad to see you're al heated up about stuff. But perhaps thinking before you type, maybe a bit of editing, would work better for you. A lot of nonsense in there alongside the relatively few times you make very good sense.

 

You say the coaching staff has made Josh joyless and the other word salad you used. But then you point out he's been the same player all along. That would tend to show the opposite, that it's not the coaching staff, that it's Josh, that he's an up and down guy. Where's the evidence that it's the coaches that did all this? There is none, it's just what you want to believe.

 

They do need to make some changes. The coaches have got to do better. So do the players. If this team continues playing at this level they shouldn't be considered Super Bowl contenders even if they make the playoffs.

 

I agreed with what Joe Marino said this week, that we blitzed way too much against Burrow, a guy who loves the blitz. That's a coaching error.

 

Marino also went through the film and found that the drive-stopping plays were on the players and a bad penalty call/non-call or two. The players without the slightest question deserve their share of the blame in this. Not that that leaves the coaches blameless. They're not. But this is NOT all on the coaches. 

 

[brianthomas]

Simply put the talent is there, we know this. The issue then becomes about how we're using them & for that the blame goes to our coaches.

Easy who to point the finger at, Sean & Dorsey should go. Wont happen, Dorsey will be the fall guy for this season but if this team implodes maybe the pressure on Beane gets hot enough that Sean gets the axe.

Whatever the case this is unacceptable & like the coaches say: there needs to be accountability... and that needs to start at the top.

[Thurman#1]

1 hour ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

 

Yup, the injuries are huge in terms of how the defense is playing below capacity.

 

But the offense has been healthy and they're performing worse.

 

 

3 minutes ago, brianthomas said:

Simply put the talent is there, we know this. The issue then becomes about how we're using them & for that the blame goes to our coaches.

Easy who to point the finger at, Sean & Dorsey should go. Wont happen, Dorsey will be the fall guy for this season but if this team implodes maybe the pressure on Beane gets hot enough that Sean gets the axe.

Whatever the case this is unacceptable & like the coaches say: there needs to be accountability... and that needs to start at the top.

 

 

Just because the talent is there doesn't mean the players are playing well. It just doesn't.

 

People want to say that because we're not playing well the blame goes to the coaching. That's not solid logic in any way.

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Thurman#1

[Utah John]

10 hours ago, dorquemada said:

 

It's a sign that the Bengals took their foot off the gas.  It's nothing the Bills did.  They watched our geriatric secondary struggling to catch their breath and took mercy

Teams that aren't up by more than four scores do not take mercy.  It's too common for a team to score quickly and put a lopsided game suddenly into play.  The Bills had a relatively big lead on the Bucs and still nearly lost.  Not that the Bills showed mercy or stepped off the gas -- it's more that the disorganized Bills offense could no longer move the ball, and the Bucs caught up.

10 hours ago, LeviF said:

Friendly reminder that the GOAT (yes it's Brady) has zero rings in years without a top ten defense and only one Super Bowl appearance during those years.

Part of the reason the Pats had top-10 defenses those years was also Brady, actually.  Complementary football.  He got the Pats into leads, and forced opponents to go one-dimensional.  Complementary football is actually a thing.

 

But, your point is still well-taken.  It's silly to think the Bills offense could ever compensate for the huge holes in the defense.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

 

cant blame this on coaching, lost too many all pros

 

 

[Utah John]

9 hours ago, MasterStrategist said:

Don't disagree. 

 

But how bad is our talent in the back 7?  

 

LBs: Bernard - overachieving some, has some limitations physically, good value on a rookie deal. Dodson- he is replacement level, not sure he's a top backup on many other teams

 

CB: another overachiever in Benford, athletically limited.  Dane same boat.  Rasul has some talent, as does Elam; but that's looking to future (likely without Tre).  Still lacking a true #1.  Taron is a high performing nickle.

 

S: slow, at this point Poyer/Hyde bring vet experience, but don't excel at any one thing now.  No longer are they consistent in coverage or blitzing, just not impactful is the point.

 

This is on Beane/McD, and Tre injuries killed a good portion of capspace.  Beane decided, or Coach influenced, the decisions to keep the secondary mainly intact.  Knowing full well we struggled last game of year/lacked speed.  I think they put too much faith into Hyde/Poyer being able to regain their 2021 form...which hasn't been the case, and again Tre is just bad luck/nobodies fault.  

 

That's all to say, next offseason should be focused on 2 new safeties, and developing Elam/determine early enough if we need to invest more at CB.  Likely Tre, Dane, Poyer, Hyde all gone...time to retool.

Imagine how much worse it would be if Beane had given Poyer the big, multi-year contract he was after.  The hole would be that much deeper.

[GETTOTHE50]

The whole team has been figured out and McDorsey has no idea what to do. 

[GunnerBill]

Honestly I think the right play today would be for Sean to relinquish playcalling and return to being a proper Head Coach. Concentrate on pulling the locker room together and righting this ship. 

 

I was never in love with the idea of him calling the defense and at the moment all the stupid blitzing is reminiscent of Rex Ryan. At the same time the offense is not executing at all and Sean doesn't have any answers because - in his own words - he isn't even watching all the offensive plays. 

 

So often in people, especially in leaders, their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. I have no doubt McDermott's single mindedness has been an asset to him and to the Bills. But right now if it prevents him making the right calling and passing off play calling to Holcomb, Washington or Babich it is hurting him too.

[GoBills808]

12 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

cant blame this on coaching, lost too many all pros

 

 

the defense lost 2 all pros, they still have 2 left

 

serious question- how many all pros does the defense need?

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Just now, GoBills808 said:

the defense lost 2 all pros, they still have 2 left

 

serious question- how many all pros does the defense need?

 

Lost 3 and now Bernard is down and Von isn't playing well and oliver has been dingged up as well. Poyer and hyde haven't been at an all pro level in 2 years.

 

 

[Dr.Sack]

The defense did a good job against the run, bludgeoned Burrows throwing finger, and mostly shut down Chase. What it failed to do, was in sending safeties and 6 man pressures account for the tight end blockers who simply chipped took a few steps forward and turned for wide open passes. Screens and lobs always defeat an overly aggressive defense. We did this against the Texans in the 2020 playoffs and we continually allow unaccounted for gains. 

[DrPJax]

2 hours ago, Rubes said:

Holy smokes, dude.

      Just was up late, unfortunately having been in a lot of discomfort as 5 discs Have collapsed im my cervical spine , trapping my cord and surgery was not successful in getting any feeling , except dysesthesias  ( permanent feelings of numbness superficially coupled with the feeling of pins and needles in my upper extremities. as if your limb fell sleep that persists 24/7 .   Not complaining as im still walking , but ironically my friend .the neurosurgeon , who is the reason i can still walk, rolled his minivan in a freak accident , killing one of his twin 12 yo daughters   and  his own cord was severed , resulting in his becoming a quad.  It’s been a few years but the holidays are the anniversary of his tragic loss.  No history of trauma to my neck, just discs collapsed with no warning as my left leg gave out while walking down a hall to see patients. The typing which is poor on a iPad with its spell correct, was a distraction from the discomfort and i have great empathy for Hyde. . Unfortunately i require pain management , but our gov has outsourced many med s to other countries and at least in fl there is an unpredictable shortage.  Advil and tens units sometimes just aren’t enough and i didnt mean to be cranky  or share too much).  Been a bills fan since ‘63 , and they are great entertainment.  I tend to be a realist, heap praise and have had great respect for mcd.  But Also see nothing wrong with constructive criticism.  I’m 66 , been to 2 super bowls when younger . 27 and 28 , and reality is time may be running out for both the bills and myself regarding a sb title.  Lol, that’s life!  

 

     It just strikes me as a possible  wasted year with a franchise qb that we can prob agree is not a common luxury to have. I like mcd , but i just wonder  if anyone else ever tires of the constant coach speak , as it’s not like he is guarding some great secret to success while the team is faltering. It really means nothing in real life , but on the other hand it might be entertaining if mcd occasionally came out from behind the curtain and was occasionally genuine. Many would be understanding which could help his longevity. Reporters have a job to do as well, and they really are frustrated with the rhetoric and it seems unnecessary to be belicheck jr.   Levy was a great coach and i enjoyed his communication style and vast knowledge of history and he seemed to be a very good leader. Like he said , winning cures most issues , and if you dont watch many content providers , its either doom or a 180 flip insistent we will be 13-4 and afc east champs even now. It’s hard to find rationale thinking that the results will prob be somewhere in the middle. Try having a civil conversation and see how that goes.these days. 

 

With mcd , It just seems odd this year , as he has more control, the beat reporters  are saying cracks and leaks are appearing. It’s only an observation , yet  the qb seems a little edgy as he even critiqued the fans who adore him. It’s just a study of behavior that interests me. However , any critique of the team , even from a loyal, respectful  fan of 40 plus years , is met by personal attacks and name calling , even when just kidding or being sarcastic to lighten the mood of those who might take the season results a little too seriously.  This board was always a great place , and i have met several friends on my time here.  Now , if one offers any critique ( despite the many calls for mcds and Dorsey’s jobs) , it’s personal attack time and rude name calling. It’s just the internet so why be bothered?  Well , it’s a slippery slope of lost civility.    Hey , all im saying is i miss a quality product from a hobby that i enjoy and has some health benefits for me  ; very high pressure job and sometimes change is progress for everyone. Best wishes !