A time to reflect

[ALLinALLEN]

We now head into the bye week at 4-2 with obvious problems all around. I think this bye couldn't have come at a better time - and not for the "get healthy, get right" reasons. This team needs help.

 

Defense needs a scheme or DC change, CB help, and safety changes. Either we don't have the dogs in the secondary (and we started 11 DBs tonight) or the scheme - because every WR is running wide open, coverage is 5-10 yards off, etc.

 

Offense needs 1-2 WR's that can actually get open, an OC that doesn't run sweep runs with a practice squad level WR when your RB is avg 5 ypc., and a HC that has everyone playing so undisciplined. 

 

Truth is I don't know how or even if this can all be solved mid-season. There are however solutions out there that this GM and HC can certainly do - if they so choose. This is as unique a bye as any previous seasons (maybe close to the 2023 season when we were 6-6). It's unique in that, if they don't admit to the glaring issues and make some major changes (scheme or personnel), and this season ends up another failure, then it will be my lasting impression from a GM and HC I already think have greatly failed our future HOF QB. 

 

 

 

 

[Mike in Horseheads]

36 minutes ago, ALLinALLEN said:

There are however solutions out there that this GM and HC can certainly do

Please expound.

[Matt_In_NH]

Agree with the scheme change.  The back 7 is garbage. The small backers and playing nickel is no longer working. They have to make scheme changes.  You cannot change out a pile of players mid season.  I think they can and will.  Anytime you lose two games in a row this place will be a ***** show. The good news is they don’t give anything away after week 6. Losing an away NFC game is the best game to lose if there is one.  
 

on offense they are not executing on 3rd and 4th and short, high leverage situations.   I am confident they will get that fixed.  Josh is pressing and not at his best, again that will get fixed.  

[mbowman14]

Issues:

1. Extremely sloppy, back-breaking penalties NEED cleaned up.

2. Brady and Babich have had 2 rough games. D needs to be more aggressive and force the issue which they did in the 2nd half. This D isn’t talented enough for bend don’t break. Yes, aggressiveness can lead to big plays, but it can also create mistakes, which is what this team needs . Offensive play-calling and player utilization is an absolute mess especially on meaningful downs.
3. WR1 is a glaring weakness that exposes the O. The lack of respect for our outside WRs is allowing defenses to neglect large portions of turf downfield and outside the #s. They can fill the box more and bring more heat because they have no fear of the perimeter weapons.  
4. Watch other teams Safeties fill in run support then watch ours. The safeties are also slow and indecisive in coverage.

5. I like the guy, but I legitimately think a case can be made that the biggest improvement in the 2nd half defensively is Bernard being out. He is really struggling in base run and isn’t making the splash plays blitzing or in coverage. Don’t know the fix, but he needs to pick it up or sit. 

[4th&long]

Trust the process, we are only 9 years in. 

[BillsFanForever19]

While I agree a scheme change is necessary, the idea that we're going to switch out of McDermott's personal Tampa 2 Style Zone Defensive scheme seems about as likely to me as Rex Ryan switching out of a 3-4. A leopard doesn't change it's spots. These Defensive coaches live and die by "their Defense".

 

We could acquire players that might perform better than what we're getting out of guys like Tre White, Taylor Rapp, and Cole Bishop. And maybe it would improve a little. But the bigger problem to me is that it seems like the blueprint to dismantling McDermott's Defense has been published for mass consumption and is on every team's desk.

[oldmanfan]

1.  The coordinators have done a terrible job the last two weeks.  That botched 4th down and 1 call is almost enough to cost Brady his job.  And on defense the zone is not getting it done.

 

2.  We need to use Cook more.  Not having him in at the end of the game is inexcusable.  And we need to throw more to the backs.  When we did voila Davis scored.

 

3.  Whatever happened to the overload line with Anderson?

 

3.  Our defense is better with Thompson vs. Bernard.  And Williams vs. Milano.

 

4.  Have to sit Tre and start Ingram until Hairston is back.  
 

5.  Have to sit Rapp and start Poyer just for the experience to get guys in the right positions.

 

6.  Package guys like Milano, Tre, Epenesa, Coleman to get a solid WR.  And bring up a guy like Hamler to add speed.

 

These just for starters.

Edited 11 hours ago by oldmanfan

[Sweats]

Brady had the "dream team" at LSU, where the talent on O basically coached themselves..........when given the chance to coach a hapless Carolina team with zero talent, they couldn't run him out of town fast enough, as he was lost and couldn't gameplan with a hapless O.

 

But Buffalo thinks he's our answer, like we stole him from the rest of the league.........you know, like a hidden gem that no one else in the league saw and we were just lucky enough for him to fall in our laps.

 

Only in Buffalo, is other teams' castoffs and garbage, our ongoing future.

You actually don't even want to give yourself some time to sit back and think about it cause it'll make you sick.........sick, i say.

[WNYFAN1]

It could be that we are really just an average football team. 4-2 sounds good, but who have we beaten? Teams that are a combined 3-21.

 

I don't see how you can fix all of this mid-season, but happy to be proven wrong.

[Pete]

Jack Bech is a WR I really like for Buffalo.  He would be a very useful WR for Bills IMO

[JohnnyBuffalo]

One of the most glaring and concerning topics that has been brought up that is completely self inflicted is the decision making of coaching staff on offense to take James Cook off the field and run plays that are not bread and butter  short yardage plays.    Now this problem has been on display, at a minimum, THREE times with colossal failures.   You’d think a highly paid and regarded OC wouldn’t need more than one time to realize that should be eliminated from the play book.   But nope they went back to it 2 more times.   
 

Why I say that’s one of the most glaring is that it shows a complete lack of self awareness and self regulation of your decision makers.   This then makes all other adjustment needs questionable…can they recognize the need.  Are they able to be self critical?   
 

The defense never quit yesterday and they had some back up guys come in and play hard.   The offense did not have that.   Worse it looked like Josh had had enough.   The blue print to fluster him appears to have been written.  Do they have the brains to adjust to make sure it’s not printed in ink?

[dorquemada]

6 minutes ago, WNYFAN1 said:

It could be that we are really just an average football team. 4-2 sounds good, but who have we beaten? Teams that are a combined 3-21.

 

I don't see how you can fix all of this mid-season, but happy to be proven wrong.

 

We have to adjust to the reality that this is not a Super Bowl team and wont become one with the sorts of minor tweaks that will be hailed as major innovation by our anachronistic coach and GM.

 

We did OK around here for a long time with middling expectations.  An ahistorical few years left us thinking big, but reality always finds its way back to the front.  Beane and McDermott have been given far too much leeway and this team is the result of that.  I’d feel better if Josh or Dawkins called a players only meeting and held each other to account because McD is incapable of enforcing any kind of discipline.  It’s a bad product and hard to watch.

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

32 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

And bring up a guy like Hamlet to add speed.

I’d check with Shakespeare to see if he’s available 

[oldmanfan]

2 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I’d check with Shakespeare to see if he’s available 

Thanks, fixed!

[billsfan_34]

41 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

While I agree a scheme change is necessary, the idea that we're going to switch out of McDermott's personal Tampa 2 Style Zone Defensive scheme seems about as likely to me as Rex Ryan switching out of a 3-4. A leopard doesn't change it's spots. These Defensive coaches live and die by "their Defense".

 

We could acquire players that might perform better than what we're getting out of guys like Tre White, Taylor Rapp, and Cole Bishop. And maybe it would improve a little. But the bigger problem to me is that it seems like the blueprint to dismantling McDermott's Defense has been published for mass consumption and is on every team's desk.

Sad they can’t learn anything else. That’s what it really boils down too.

[corta765]

lol I am sorry but all I could thing of when I saw the title of this is the Byrds Turn Turn Turn which ironically feels quite fitting right now

1 hour ago, WNYFAN1 said:

It could be that we are really just an average football team. 4-2 sounds good, but who have we beaten? Teams that are a combined 3-21.

 

I don't see how you can fix all of this mid-season, but happy to be proven wrong.

Beating BAL before their team got destroyed by injury did carry some meaning, but gut check time has come quick and the schedule is far more formidable post bye.

[ALLinALLEN]

HC can:

• Start by taking D play calling away from Babich, or move to more man
• Stop Brady from running ridiculous sweep plays, install more safe "Go - to" plays situationally
• Play Cam Lewis in the Tre spot, even when Hairston comes back
• Play Poyer in Bishop spot, I can't trust him back there

GM:

• Explore the CB, S, and WR market either via FA or a trade partner. I'd prefer all 3 spots get a body, but realistically need at least 2
• Promote Gabe Davis to active roster, release Shavers
• Don't go on radio shows and belittle hosts that turn out right

 

Just a few to your snarky response.

 

 

[Sweats]

3 hours ago, 4th&long said:

Trust the process, we are only 9 years in. 

 

 

 

 

it's 10 years of the process when we really start seeing something

[Low Positive]

3 hours ago, dorquemada said:

 

We have to adjust to the reality that this is not a Super Bowl team and wont become one with the sorts of minor tweaks that will be hailed as major innovation by our anachronistic coach and GM.

 

We did OK around here for a long time with middling expectations.  An ahistorical few years left us thinking big, but reality always finds its way back to the front.  Beane and McDermott have been given far too much leeway and this team is the result of that.  I’d feel better if Josh or Dawkins called a players only meeting and held each other to account because McD is incapable of enforcing any kind of discipline.  It’s a bad product and hard to watch.

Maybe they can call that meeting after they get back from their week-long beach vacations. The players are going to be sitting with sand in their toes, drinking Mai-Tais while all of Buffalo and Bills Mafia stew for a week. 

[dorquemada]

1 minute ago, Low Positive said:

Maybe they can call that meeting after they get back from their week-long beach vacations. The players are going to be sitting with sand in their toes, drinking Mai-Tais while all of Buffalo and Bills Mafia stew for a week. 

 

I love that this post came from forum username 'low positive' almost like we've been here before

 

But yeah, for real, players are going to be a million miles away physically and mentally.  Surely McD will still be putting in time at OBD practicing his clapping though, so we have that going for us