Can everyone just take a freakin breath?

[LABILLBACKER]

19 minutes ago, dpberr said:

I think a lot of this mess is fixable without mass firings and unloading a draft class of picks for talent.  

 

The Bills need some legitimate man defense corners and run a man defense.  I don't think zone coverage fools your football-smart NFL quarterback anymore because they all see a ton of it in their college games, and the OCs at these colleges are not DIII level strategists. They know where the open pockets will be.  It's easy to get the ball out and find the running lanes.

 

Bills have to play man defense and get some personnel that can do it for long stretches of the game.  White and Benford are getting penalized because they are literally hanging on for dear life out there keeping up with their assignments. Need quicker legs out there.  I'd be trying out corners and trading for man corners.

 

  

 

 

 

 

We don't have the dbs to play man press. Trust me, I wish we did. But McD was obsessed with his zone scheme. We'd have to replace most of our dbs.

[HamptonBillsfan]

I agree overreaction is the constant on message boards. The problem is we have a profound talent shortage on the roster and if you want to delude yourself into thinking Josh can overcome that and pull wins out of his rear end against playoff quality teams consistently, you’d fall into the category of a homer with his head in the sand.Our players are out of position defending good receivers( Diggs,London), pushed around by O-lines in the run game and then missing tackles and on offense receivers unable to separate. Josh is starting to get hit hard looking for 3rd and 4th options against extra rushers looking to take his head off. Factor in draft choices and veterans who should not be here always hurt and unavailable and you’re left with Sean saying wholesale changes are necessary. Doesn’t give optimists much confidence.

[8BallSippin]

The worst thing that happens this season, is they miss the playoffs and the Bean and McDermott era are over, which might not be such a terrible thing to happen- I think we would all welcome the change.  They have been great, just not great enough.

 

That being said, there appears to be a lot of parity in the league this season, and we lost to two young and hungry teams, no shame in that.

 

I always saw this as boom or bust year, with the team at the end of a window... if we boom, awesome, if we bust, make changes and go a new direction.

 

I don't know, I would take a down year to bring in a new mentality.   I just don't think the current philosophy gets it done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

17 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I can't answer this question until after this season ends but I have this uneasy feeling that we are less talented then last year.  Part of it is that players who I thought were on upward trajectories, like Knox, Rousseau, Bernard, Benford, Bishop, Coleman, Shakir, Williams, & Davis have leveled off or might be regressing.  Only Kincaid seems to be clearly playing better.

 

The other issue is that some players are regressing or hurt a lot:  this would include Milano, Rapp, Epanesa, and BOTH Ty & Taron Johnson.

 

Overall the O line, Allen & Cook are playing about as well as last season and the FG/XP kicking might be a bit more consistent but the punting has been worse.

 

And the draft with 2 exceptions, Walker & Hawes, has not helped the team.  Ditto for the FA signings whose contributions to date have been mediocre at best. Elam & Douglas were better at pass coverage then White has been so far.

 

So yea, the 2025 Bills seem to have regressed from an overall talent perspective.  And unless Allen can replicate last seasons extraordinary performance the rest of the way this Bills team may be in real trouble.  

 

Like you I'm hanging my hat on the fact that the Bills have been here before over the last few seasons and rebounded nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correct and if it did work in the NFL I could make a great argument for why a lot of those lost years sucky Bills teams were Super Bowl caliber starting with that Bledso team that beat the Pats 31 - 0 in a season opener.

 

 

It doesn't say much for something we don't talk about enough does it? Talent Development!!!!!!

[henry jones]

[muppy]

2 hours ago, Bruffalo said:

You're not wrong, but I think it's pretty apparent there are some major structural problems with the Bills right now. 

 

I think most people are probably hyper aware of the coaching staff and their deficiencies, and are frustrated that there hasn't been any meaningful growth in those areas.  

The season's not over, but there needs to be a lot of looking inward at the gameplanning over this bye.

just one more point adding to yours. I agree with e very thing you said

 

who says the Bills are guaranteed playoffs? we are guaranteed of exactly squat.  They need to earn it. One game at a time.

 

I'm not saying they won't but I don't have an entitled attitude about it either

[Gigs]

1 hour ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

Wait.., we're going to the playoffs but we've already fumbled the year away with 11 games remaining?

 

If this is your perspective, you're new to football. Teams in the NFL are almost always very different heading into game 16 than game 6.

 

Once again, take a breath.

Stop being a ***** smart ass. They had an easy road to the superbowl and fumbled that. Christ almighty, guy, my son reads better than you and he's 5. Ive been watching this team for over 30 years and Im ***** tired of the same stupid bull####. 

 

I'm new to football? Kiss my ass, guy. You can live in fairy land and pretend the playoffs are all we need to be a good team, I'm going to clamor for the SB like a real man and real fan. Im tired of this pussyfooting from "fans" who are content with mediocrity. Just go ahead and jump off the bandwagon and let us real fans watch them fail again...because we are the only ones who do.

[JohnnyBuffalo]

32 minutes ago, KOKBILLS said:

No way...

I've been waiting for this moment since 2019 when they took Cody Ford over DK Metcalf. 

Still...I knew it would come... 

I thought it would come with Boogie...

I was SURE it would come with Elam... But then Benford got them off the hook somehow.

I REALLY figured folks would have enough with Coleman over McConkey...But Coleman gets the MVP endorsement and all is forgiven...

I hated...and I mean HATED the DeWayne Carter pick because I wanted Troy Franklin... And yes I realize Franklin is not exactly Ja'Marr Chase... But he's better than Carter...

I even thought there was a chance when I was dropping Poona Ford and Tim Settle stats I could get a ground swell going... But that was crickets...

But last night did it... And no one can take it from me... Finally we can open the books and have the discussions... Fair and honest discussions.

 

Seriously though...I like McBean as people. I think they have redeemable qualities especially as people managers. They seem organized. But I've always felt that they were in over their heads when compared to the best in their profession in personnel evaluation, scouting, coaching, and game to game schematics. And it has especially begun to show up over the past few years. 

Sounds like you are and have been dialed in.   So, and this is a very sincere ask, who’s the duo you want to replace them that can do what we all want them to do?

 

I have to be honest I don’t know who that would be in the slightest.  

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

16 minutes ago, jlatas said:

I keep seeing these posts about trading for 2 or 3 new pieces to the team. Do we all honestly think that Beane will even trade for one player, let alone several?? It wouldn't shock me to see the Bills roll with who they currently have. Do we even have any cap space to make a significant trade(s)???

He’s traded for players midseason the last 3 years I’m pretty sure unless I’m goofing on the Hynes trade year  

[RkFast]

2 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

We're making the playoffs.

 

You dont know that. 

 

2 hours ago, Gigs said:

Dude we know they're going to the playoffs

 

No, we dont. 

 

See "Mets, New York."

 

Edited 6 hours ago by RkFast

[Bruffalo]

6 minutes ago, muppy said:

just one more point adding to yours. I agree with e very thing you said

 

who says the Bills are guaranteed playoffs? we are guaranteed of exactly squat.  They need to earn it. One game at a time.

 

I'm not saying they won't but I don't have an entitled attitude about it either

That's where I'm at as well. 

 

This team can still go on a run, but there needs to be some accountability and ownership of the fact that what they've game planned (at least on defense, and situationally on offense) has been a spectacular failure. 

 

I think we're all justifiably nervous that the coaching staff won't be able to pivot in a meaningful way. 

[KOKBILLS]

Just now, JohnnyBuffalo said:

Sounds like you are and have been dialed in.   So, and this is a very sincere ask, who’s the duo you want to replace them that can do what we all want them to do?

 

I have to be honest I don’t know who that would be in the slightest.  

 

I really don't know... But that's mostly because I've never really dove into that part... I do know, especially right now in Josh's prime there would be no shortage of potential candidates. But the cap issues make it really scary...

[RyanC883]

I don't get giving this FO/coaching staff the benefit of the doubt anymore.  They are the PSU equilivant of the NFL.  Calm down everyone, we will go on a tear then lose in the playoffs and waste another year of Allen.  

[Taro Nimbus]

2 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

This freakin place is so awful after a loss. Obviously 2 in a row makes it way worse.

 

We're making the playoffs. That's all i care about. I would love the #1 seed, but I reject any notion we need it. McDermott's playoff road record may be 0-whatever, but that leaves out the fact that other than 2019 (when we weren't this iteration of the Bills and Josh Allen wasn't yet Elite), every road playoff loss came against the Chiefs.

 

That proves somehow we're doomed on the road against other teams in the playoffs??? Totally disagree.

 

I also think this crowning of NE is really premature.

 

Guys, before the season started looking at our schedule to start the season I think we all would have been happy with 5-1 at the bye. We're one game off that pace with a mass of circumstances I think we underestimated.

 

Let's just take a step back for a moment and look at what really happened against Atlanta.

 

Our #1 receiving weapon who's become Josh’s most reliable target and finally seemed ready to break into that "Elite TE" category was out.

 

Josh Palmer got injured on the 2nd series and I really think that killed our offensive passing game. It was clear to me the Bills were about to integrate him more into the offense. Even the commentators brought up the conversations they had with Bills coaches last week about Palmer's deceptive speed.

 

Daquan Jones suffered a calf injury during warmups leaving us with 3 active DTs, one of them being Ed Oliver coming off injury. (Side note: Deonne Walker is going to be awesome!) 3 DT rotation against Bijan and Algier??? Yikes!

 

Bernard gets hurt mid game and exits. 

 

McGovern gets hurt and comes back clearly still hobbled.

 

 

Plus we have 2 important defensive reinforcements coming in right after the bye and hopefully Hairston can play soon after.

 

Say whatever about our remaining schedule but none of these teams are that scary. The Bengals will probably still be starting Flacco and their D sucks. The Eagles (as stated) look like the NFC version of us. 

 

Kansas City is, in reality, an inconsistent up and down team we're going to play at home and is the one team on our schedule this team doesn't look past. Yes they got players back, but they lost last week against the Jags with Worthy and it baffles my mind the way Rashee Rice is talked about as an Elite WR who will inevitably unlock their offense. The guy has played 20 NFL games and surpassed 100 yards a whopping 4 times. I'm not saying he won't be good and won't help, but the whole "uh oh!!! It's the high power Chiefs of 5 years ago!" is pretty ridiculous.

 

The Bucs and Steelers look good, but how much do we really think that lasts?

 

We aren't going undefeated after the bye, but who cares? January into (hopefully) February is all that matters. Just get there.

 

Take the bye, get healthy... take a breath. 

How dare you come in here with a shred of optimism!   No one here wants that nonsense!   😂

[jkeerie]

2 hours ago, Bruffalo said:

You're not wrong, but I think it's pretty apparent there are some major structural problems with the Bills right now. 

 

I think most people are probably hyper aware of the coaching staff and their deficiencies, and are frustrated that there hasn't been any meaningful growth in those areas.  

The season's not over, but there needs to be a lot of looking inward at the gameplanning over this bye.

You are exactly right.  Both the defensive and offensive coordinators need to be taken to task.  Babich may make adjustments in the second half...but why does it take an entire half of bad defense to make those adjustments?  It was clear as day that zone secondary was NOT working versus the Falcons.  So go to man sooner.  Why wait?  As to Brady...the Bills have two offensive weapons that are stellar.  Josh Allen and James Cook.  So why is Cook only playing 52% of the snaps?  Why is he not on the field on 3rd downs?  Brady is playing around trying to look clever.  Stop it!  Get back to the formula that works...run the ball, give Josh outlets to counter the blitz.  The downfield plays will develop when defenses have to adjust.  

 

Finally...we need WR help.  Period end statement!   Coleman looked like he was developing early in the year.  What happened???   Why the regression?   One or two pieces get injured, and the whole thing falls apart.  If you are missing a key piece...use the key pieces you have left.  Don't take them off the field.

 

It's early.  Things can be fixed...but actions need to be taken.

[Budkin]

I'll say it. I don't think we're making the playoffs unless major changes are made.

[Green Lightning]

1 hour ago, Chicken Boo said:

The Falcons were a bad style matchup.  I knew that going in.  The loss, for me, was expected.

 

The playoffs are the only thing that really matters, but even then these same problems will persist.

 

Any physical run team will have their way with this defense and there aren't enough difference makers on offense.  

Yup, so some on the board hope we make the playoffs and pray nobody runs on us. Seems like a plan. 

 

This D is broken. We have mini-me LBs who can't stay on the field, clueless safeties, average but slow CBs and a DLine that just can't close out the deal. Throw in abysmal tackling and a DC who has the CBs 15 yards off receivers and you have our defense, which cannot stop the run or pass but hopes the other team makes a mistake along the way.

 

[boyst]

1 hour ago, JP51 said:

I hear that Josh is pretty good at pancakes... would you settle for waking up with Halee and having Josh cook.... asking for a friend ..... LOL 

only if there is sausage  

[Irish Dave]

I wish Daboll had become HC.  He grew up in Buffalo and really thought he would stay as OC having Allen as his main guy.  The offense hasn’t been the same since he left.  

[skibum]

8 minutes ago, Irish Dave said:

I wish Daboll had become HC.  He grew up in Buffalo and really thought he would stay as OC having Allen as his main guy.  The offense hasn’t been the same since he left.  

It's too bad the emergence of Dart has probably secured Daboll's job in NY for another year. For a while there, it was looking like he might be available come December.