Is Babbich on the hot seat now?

[Captain Hindsight]

23 hours ago, uninja said:

Maybe, just maybe, the Ravens are a much better team than the Jets

Whattttttttt? They signed Justin Fields, this is finally the right situation for him

[Mister Defense]

14 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Making this post after 1 week against the most high powered offense in Football and doing it right at the start of the game rather than waiting to see how it went first was a choice.

 

well, yeah, but last year things were not good on the defense, like I said, and though we saw spurts of excellence, there was not a consistent progression in defensive quality last year.

 

I assume a huge majority of Bills' fans had the same kinds of concerns I did.  And many likely the same concerns about Babbich.

 

But the game outcome was almost exactly what I was hoping for when I posted this.  Almost a perfect game defensively.  A good sign, even if the Jets have a weak offense this year, again.

 

[QLBillsFan]

Looks like the Ravens are apparently a good offensive. The Browns held Cinn to 17 last week. Ravens drop 40 back to back. They are a machine. Having said that great bounce back by the Bills vs Jets. A team who scored 30 on the Steelers.. who also have up 31 at home to Seattle. I think all coaches for the Bills will be on the hot seat if the Bills don’t make a serious SB run. But no, not after one week against the best offensive in the NFl. 

14 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

I think it’s a fine topic. Shutting down the Jets was expected. They have a one dimensional quarterback who cannot so much as complete a pass to the flat. Better have whopped em. 

Steelers seemed to struggle and the same OT that handled Watt got dealt with by Bosa

[Thrivefourfive]

So much Steelers talk in here 🤣 I’m not judging Bobby B on how well the Steelers performed against the JETS 🤣🤣 The Steelers, and the Jets, and Seattle, can lick my toes. All I care about is how well the BILLS perform against THEIR opponent, I tell ya

18 hours ago, QLBillsFan said:

Steelers seemed to struggle and the same OT that handled Watt got dealt with by Bosa

Maybe Watt was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning.. 

 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

21 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

well, yeah, but last year things were not good on the defense, like I said, and though we saw spurts of excellence, there was not a consistent progression in defensive quality last year.

 

I assume a huge majority of Bills' fans had the same kinds of concerns I did.  And many likely the same concerns about Babbich.

 

But the game outcome was almost exactly what I was hoping for when I posted this.  Almost a perfect game defensively.  A good sign, even if the Jets have a weak offense this year, again.

 

 

I think the draft and free agency acquisitions showed me that they didn't feel like the 2024-2025 team had good enough players to be a top unit. 

• Douglas and Elam were awful in the postseason, and douglas was largely pretty poor all season.  Replaced by Tre, Hairston, and Strong.  
• Hamlin to the bench for Bishop.  I don't think you should take someones job just to take it, especially when bishop looked poor in limited time last year.  
• Smoot gone - replaced by Hoecht.  Miller gone - replaced by Bosa. Spector gone replaced by Thompson.  Jefferson and Johnson gone - replaced by Sanders and Walker.  Carter injured again - replaced by Ogunjobi.  Got another rookie in Jackson who will contribute this year as well.

2 rotational linemen are suspended, another lost for the year - so a position we were worried about who to cut, is shockingly thin to start the year. 

 

Milano with another soft-tissue injury.  Get him right for later in the season, the depth is there.  Something to think about in the first 2 picks this year might be a WLB.  

 

Hairston coming back healthy will be good, i don't know that i see another season ending injury for tre, but these guys all get banged up and he needs snaps to adjust to NFL WRs.  TJ is also banged up.    

 

Safeties are still working it out, but you get better playing on the field together.  

[Mister Defense]

10 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

I think the draft and free agency acquisitions showed me that they didn't feel like the 2024-2025 team had good enough players to be a top unit. 

• Douglas and Elam were awful in the postseason, and douglas was largely pretty poor all season.  Replaced by Tre, Hairston, and Strong.  
• Hamlin to the bench for Bishop.  I don't think you should take someones job just to take it, especially when bishop looked poor in limited time last year.  
• Smoot gone - replaced by Hoecht.  Miller gone - replaced by Bosa. Spector gone replaced by Thompson.  Jefferson and Johnson gone - replaced by Sanders and Walker.  Carter injured again - replaced by Ogunjobi.  Got another rookie in Jackson who will contribute this year as well.

2 rotational linemen are suspended, another lost for the year - so a position we were worried about who to cut, is shockingly thin to start the year. 

 

Milano with another soft-tissue injury.  Get him right for later in the season, the depth is there.  Something to think about in the first 2 picks this year might be a WLB.  

 

Hairston coming back healthy will be good, i don't know that i see another season ending injury for tre, but these guys all get banged up and he needs snaps to adjust to NFL WRs.  TJ is also banged up.    

 

Safeties are still working it out, but you get better playing on the field together.  

 

 

Yes, it was clear to all, I think, and clearly indicated by McBeane, that they were undermanned on defense last year, rebuilding, especially in the secondary and line.

 

Yes, Douglas was a great, needed pickup, and played well, but fell off a cliff last year.

 

I really don't think those 2 new D-line suspensions will have much of a negative impact though.  They were so dedicated to that area in the off season that they should be fine. Especially true because of the rather easy schedule early, with games against the squished, Saints, Pats (maybe their most difficult test until the Chiefs) but in the Ralph, the Falcons, and Carolina coming up.  Those suspensions could pay dividends even---the young'uns getting lotsa playing time--some fresh D-line players for the 2nd half run.

 

Let's hops we see Bishop continue to grow and grow, but I like the fact that he is playing better now and more physical.  I think how well he plays, and Hairston, will be key in the second half of the year. 

 

If those two come through, and the D-line keeps improving, I think that will be enough to make this a great team by December.

 

 

[QLBillsFan]

12 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

So much Steelers talk in here 🤣 I’m not judging Bobby B on how well the Steelers performed against the JETS 🤣🤣 The Steelers, and the Jets, and Seattle, can lick my toes. All I care about is how well the BILLS perform against THEIR opponent, I tell ya

Maybe Watt was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning.. 

 

Well you seem quick to judge Bobby B after one week. The Browns also get worked by the Ravens. Don’t care that you don’t care. The Bills played well against the Jets and very poorly against the Ravens. If you want to put BB on the hot seat, feel free. Bit early for me. 

[vincec]

Babich and the defense will be judged by how they perform in the playoffs against the strong offenses. The game against the Ravens showed that they have a lot of improving to do over the course of the season. Hopefully, they will do it.

[Thrivefourfive]

1 hour ago, QLBillsFan said:

Well you seem quick to judge Bobby B after one week. The Browns also get worked by the Ravens. Don’t care that you don’t care. The Bills played well against the Jets and very poorly against the Ravens. If you want to put BB on the hot seat, feel free. Bit early for me. 

What’d I do? 🤣 Do you mean to say I gave him a glowing review after 20 games last season, and I’ve turned on him after the Raven’s game? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Sorry.

 

Bills defense looks bad against the Ravens. Disagree? I’m not all done wondering is Babich can win a Super Bowl because of how the Steelers defended the Jets week 1. Okay with that? Last season ended when the Bills defense couldn’t stop a college team. Their coach is Babich. What exactly is the controversy you’re trying to stir up. I suggest you pump the brakes, let people have understandable, reasonable questions about the DC in a thread about the DC on the hot seat. If anything, I’ve cooled the “hot seat” talk by saying I don’t think, want, expect him to get canned during the season. Even though Super Bowl contenders have done just that, with success I might add.

 

[GerstAusGosheim]

On 9/14/2025 at 1:03 PM, Buffalo Junction said:

He won’t get fired. McD will just take over play calling duties. That’s his protege, so there’s probably a little more leeway. 

 

Then the D will just get worse. When he called plays in 2023, Sean’s D folded in key moments against the Eagles, Bucs, Broncos, Pats, Giants, Chiefs. And 2 of those losses were partially the result of a mistimed zero blitz. Oh, and yes he was calling the D for :13 so there's that. Meanwhile, Leslie's D was ranked #1 in 2021 and #2 in 2022. Imagine that paired with Josh and Joe Brady.

[GerstAusGosheim]

On 9/14/2025 at 12:58 PM, Mister Defense said:

The defense was poor last year. 

 

Wasn't very good the year before that either. 

[billsfan89]

The Bills defense in 2023-2024 had this pattern where it tends to "beat up" on bad offense well while also capably handling mid-level offenses. Above average offenses the success rate is 50/50 where they can give up big points or hold them in check and top 10 caliber offenses most of the time give them indigestion and usually can spot upper 20's or more points. 

 

Of course this year the Bills through 2 games have the same exact pattern. I think that for now the Bills simply just have to handle the bad to mid-level offense well and "get fat" while they can. We will see later in the season when they face better offenses just where this defense is at (although if Burrow is hurt for the Dec 7th game the Bills may only face Philly and Tampa as elite offenses the rest of this season). 

[Buffalo Junction]

6 hours ago, GerstAusGosheim said:

 

Then the D will just get worse. When he called plays in 2023, Sean’s D folded in key moments against the Eagles, Bucs, Broncos, Pats, Giants, Chiefs. And 2 of those losses were partially the result of a mistimed zero blitz. Oh, and yes he was calling the D for :13 so there's that. Meanwhile, Leslie's D was ranked #1 in 2021 and #2 in 2022. Imagine that paired with Josh and Joe Brady.

Well, you better get on your knees and start praying for the defense to get and stay healthy; especially Bosa, Ed, and Groot. Without those three guys performing at a high level McD or Babbich will be trying to manufacture pressure in high leverage moments. 

[Don Otreply]

Silly topic premise, the team is currently 2-0 have scored seventy one points in two games, and the defense closed out the first game with three, three and outs, and a Forced fumble recovery, and then totally dominated the jets, so No, his seat isn’t even warm, 

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Beck Water]

On 9/14/2025 at 11:58 AM, Mister Defense said:

The defense was poor last year.  But worse, overall they did not seem to improve last year, just tread water, not being able to stop the run, 3rd down conversions, long plays... The sharpness and discipline that had been hallmarks of McD's defenses previously were missing too often.

 

It was tough to determine how much of that was related to the player turnover and/or the Bills clearly being undermanned in the secondary and D-Line.  And how much fell on game preparation and play calling--the coaching.

 

With Dorsey, it was easier to find the culprit, as the offense had not undergone those kinds of changes.  And then we all saw it get worse and worse under him in his first year, not better and better.  Before the next season started I said Dorsey was the biggest concern for the Bills that year. 

 

Then, early and often we saw the offense look unprepared, confused even, as if they did not know what they were doing and why things were not working.  The players looked dazed and dumbfounded, even our fearless leader.  Like Dan O said, about our previously special offense, loaded with talent: it was the easiest offense to defend in the entire league. Thankfully McD did not do the conservative thing, and wait to the end of the season, but cut bait before the season was lost.

 

The defense looks sort of ike that now--both unprepared and poor play calling, a lethal combination.  Players seem lost and confused, and the defense doesn't seem to improve on the weaknesses in a consistent manner.  And even supposedly high level players, including our linebackers and lineman, are getting wiped out. We have 3 number one picks starting on the defensive line now.

 

I am not  completely there yet, but do people think  as I am thinking, leaning in the direction that the fundamental problem with the defense is it is poorly coached?

 

The secondary has significant question marks and weaknesses, so it is still hard to evaluate the defense, but  are there signs to you that it is more about Babbich than anything else now?  To me, we should get considerably more answers to this question today and in the next few weeks. Hope the defense progresses today and going forward, but if so many things continue to look poor on defense Babbich may be in over his head.

 

You wrote all that based on...one game, against one of the strongest offensive units in the entire NFL?

 

The Bills D was 11th in the league on PA last season, 17th on yards.  By the standards of McDermott's tenure as HC, it's "not up to our standard" as McDermott would say, but factually, that's not "poor", it's middle-of-the-pack

What I saw last season was that the D suffered when multiple starters were out and we played a good team. 

[Beck Water]

On 9/14/2025 at 1:37 PM, Royale with Cheese said:

Do you think I could get one reception on the Jets defense?

 

I actually thought the Jets D played pretty well.  Seemed to me they had a very aggressive pass rush and very aggressive pass coverage.  They got bitten a bit because of Josh's pocket presence and escapability, and because the refs actually called a few DH penalties and a RTP on them.

 

On the other hand, they got Josh for two intentional groundings (rare) and our WR for an OPI and OH.

[BigAl2526]

Granted, the Jets are not nearly as formidable as the Baltimore Ravens, but the Jets offense was pretty productive against the Steelers that typically has a pretty tough defense.  That's been the case in the years since Ben Roethlisberger with the offense usually being mediocre.  It's been defense that kept Pittsburgh competitive.

[jethro_tull]

They are good now but let's see what happens on the back end of the season when Hairston, Hoecht and Ogunjobi enter the picture.  

[DJB]

We have a defensive head coach and yet our D still can’t get it done 

 

Switch coordinators, blame different coordinators and yet same results 

[Bookie Man]

whats wade phillips up to these days?