The Athletic - some grim stats (new Tim Graham piece)

[Negan]

3 minutes ago, NORWOODS FOOT said:

 

 

McBeane = good, not great. 
Wasting a generational talent at QB. 

Josh is currently the new Dan Marino.

And even Marino played in a SB.

 

No guarantees, but time to try something different.

 

Honestly, love the Bills but I don’t enjoy watching them play at least half of the time anymore.

It's too bad Allen is basically the Phillip Rivers of the NFL.  Good player, but will never get to a SB unless something changes.  Front office and coaching is the most glaring issue.

[Buffalo Boy]

2 hours ago, streetkings01 said:

It’s what we already knew……this team at the moment isn’t very good. We didn’t need stats to tell us that…..our eyes told us that!

Disagree

There are tons of posters on this board trying to talk themselves and anyone else who will listen that we are 4-2 and still headed for the one seed 

I’m two comments into this thread but would bet my bottom dollar Tim Graham has already been thrown under the bus by someone😜

[RyanC883]

The team is a total dumpster fire from the FO on down with the exception of a few players.  Clean out the entire FO, paritcularly given this: "In a post-draft interview on the Bills’ flagship radio station WGR 550-AM, Beane lashed out at the hosts for criticizing his lack of attention to wide receiver throughout the offseason. The club thought Beane was righteous and entertaining enough to feature his rant — that the Bills even had to bleep — at the very beginning of their behind-the-scenes draft special. The Bills didn’t lead with material about the rookies they drafted; they wanted to ridicule."  

 

Ridiculing a very legitimate question is nonsensicle.  Great rant by Bean.  There's the door  

[harmonkillebrew]

2 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

 

I do wonder if the stacked boxes and heavy blitzing are what is causing the issues? If you have WR's on the boundary that are being left on islands 1 v 1 on the outside and you have 3 LB's 4 DL and a safety high up in the box plus a safety creeped up over the top is there much an o-line can do? 

I think that's exactly what we're seeing. There is no need to play D past 10 yards as the Bills rarely attack that far down the field and don't have the outside WRs to do so, especially against good man CBs. Bills also rarely have packages with two boundary WRs, so further condenses the D toward the ball and LOS. 

 

You could say on any given play there are 9-10 defensive players near the LOS. Add in some creative blitz calls and that's a rough day for the Oline and Allen.

 

 

[RyanC883]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Let’s go get the messenger!!!!!

 

 

The folks who believe the only thing that is keeping us from the drought years are McD and Bean I don't get.  It can't get worse.  You could pick anyone in a NFL FO and coaching staff (or even college) and they would get the same 12-15 wins and early playoff exit.  We need to swing for the SB while Allen is here.  

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

Make no mistake …. NONE of this is Sean McDermott’s fault. 
 

Just ask Sean McDermott

 

 

Sean McDermott worked hard and completed a self evaluation to find that it's everyone else that is wrong. 

 

An older piece by Tim Graham: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5299472/2024/02/26/buffalo-bills-sean-mcdermott-nfl-combine/

 

 

[RyanC883]

2 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

By Beane and McDermott? If this season goes south and really goes south (NO PLAYOFFS) then Terry is going to have to think about cleaning house. But if they do come back both should be on the hot seat in 2026.

 

they should  be gone if they fail to win the SB this year.  Every other team in the AFC was hobbled out of the gate by losses and/or injuries.  Bean did jack during the offseason to improve the roster other than his continual signing of mid-tier FAs.  McD is still running the small D that gets gashed by good-great QBs, and now by medicore ones.  

1 hour ago, BillsVet said:

If no one here refers to Beane as "Big Baller" or a "Wizard" anymore...what is he?  Big Blowhard?  Beane soup sandwich?  

 

Big Blowhard seems appropriate.  

 

McFranklin for the HC.  

Edited 14 hours ago by RyanC883

[Old Coot]

[JP51]

1 hour ago, 26TrapDraw said:

theres already a huge steaming pile. it's our defense

aaron Maybin.... I think it's safe to say he is a disappointment. 

oh your Maybin comment just triggered me LOL 

23 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

The folks who believe the only thing that is keeping us from the drought years are McD and Bean I don't get.  It can't get worse.  You could pick anyone in a NFL FO and coaching staff (or even college) and they would get the same 12-15 wins and early playoff exit.  We need to swing for the SB while Allen is here.  

Agree... just please not Belichik please..

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

The stat that should scare everyone to death

 

Their run defense has done diddly-poo. Despite amassing 26 tackles for losses on runs, fourth most in the NFL, they’ve allowed 5.8 yards per carry, with 3.9 yards after contact, both league worsts. Only the Tennessee Titans, who fired their head coach this week, have allowed more than the Bills’ nine rushing TDs.

[Negan]

25 minutes ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

The stat that should scare everyone to death

 

Their run defense has done diddly-poo. Despite amassing 26 tackles for losses on runs, fourth most in the NFL, they’ve allowed 5.8 yards per carry, with 3.9 yards after contact, both league worsts. Only the Tennessee Titans, who fired their head coach this week, have allowed more than the Bills’ nine rushing TDs.

Not looking good for next week when we play Rico Dowdle, who has been running like a bat out of hell. Please send help Jesus

Edited 14 hours ago by Negan

[The Jokeman]

53 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

they should  be gone if they fail to win the SB this year.  Every other team in the AFC was hobbled out of the gate by losses and/or injuries.  Bean did jack during the offseason to improve the roster other than his continual signing of mid-tier FAs.  McD is still running the small D that gets gashed by good-great QBs, and now by medicore ones.  

 

Big Blowhard seems appropriate.  

 

McFranklin for the HC.  

Joey Bosa is mid tier? I disagree. Who exactly do you think we could have added that would make us better than we are now?

[CincyBillsFan]

2 hours ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Disagree

There are tons of posters on this board trying to talk themselves and anyone else who will listen that we are 4-2 and still headed for the one seed 

I’m two comments into this thread but would bet my bottom dollar Tim Graham has already been thrown under the bus by someone😜

When you look around the AFC the Bills at 4 - 2 are not in bad shape for the #2 or even the #1 seed.  It's really quite simple, if the Bills repeat last seasons play then they will contend for the #1 seed.  On the other hand if the doom & gloomers are right and the last 2 weeks are a sign of a systemic rot then the bottom is going to fall in.  Either way, we'll know the answer after the next 2 weeks.

 

 

[mannc]

2 hours ago, Negan said:

It's too bad Allen is basically the Phillip Rivers of the NFL.  Good player, but will never get to a SB unless something changes.  Front office and coaching is the most glaring issue.

Except Rivers was never in the discussion for best QB in the league…

[Gregg]

Just now, mannc said:

Except Rivers was never in the discussion for best QB in the league…

 

Marino might be a better comparison although he did play in one Super Bowl.

[Julio Hopkins]

5 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6720217/2025/10/16/buffalo-bills-josh-allen-brandon-beane-gm/

 

Open-field tackling has been diddly-poo. At safety, Sports Info Solutions has Taylor Rapp down for seven missed or broken tackles and Cole Bishop for three, most comically on Bijan Robinson’s 81-yard touchdown run Monday night. Also, 34-year-old Jordan Poyer is on the field again.

...

On the 15 balls thrown into White’s coverage, he has allowed 11 receptions (73.3 percent) for 114 yards and a touchdown, while also committing pass interference twice, defensive holding twice and missing four tackles. And he missed a game.

 

Christian Benford has surrendered an even higher passer rating, 18 of 28 attempts (64.3 percent) for 174 yards and four touchdowns with a pass interference, a defensive hold and an illegal contact.

 

I've seen a lot of posts about the injuries being the main reason the secondary looks so bad.  Even if Hairston comes back and plays at a high level, it just doesn't solve the problems.  

 

Rapp and Bishop are legitimately awful.  This safety combo is the worst I've seen since Donte Whifner, George Wilson, and Byran Scott.  Honestly, I would probably take both Wilson and Scott over Rapp/Bishop.  Will they even start Hamlin over these guys when he comes back?  

[Buffalo Boy]

33 minutes ago, Julio Hopkins said:

Will they even start Hamlin over these guys when he comes back?  

[Tulsabillsfanz]

7 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6720217/2025/10/16/buffalo-bills-josh-allen-brandon-beane-gm/

 

"Pass protection has been diddly-poo. Allen was sacked 14 times last year. He has already been taken down 12 times, eight over the past three games. Pro Football Reference has charted Allen with a career-low 2.0 seconds of pocket time and 15 scrambles (rushes on plays designed to be a pass), which would put him on pace for 71 this season. His career high was 57 scrambles in 2022.

 

This is the biggest problem with our offense this season.  Josh is an amazing QB, but he’s still human.  Every QB that has no time to throw & gets hit hard from multiple angles multiple times is going to get punch drunk and make mistakes.  This is especially true when your receivers don’t get open initially and don’t know how to get open when Josh is scrambling.  
 

We must improve protection, by o-line improvement, by pre-snap formation…more spread alignment, by receiver awareness of blitzes and adjusting their routes for quick throws & by better overall play calling. 
 

If we put Josh through more games like the last two, our biggest concern will be his health.  If Josh gets injured, the only positive I can see is a high draft pick next April. 

7 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Edited 11 hours ago by Tulsabillsfanz

[QCity]

8 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

 

To make a similar deal now, of course, would require Beane to admit he was wrong this offseason.

 

 

Great article and I found it hard to disagree with anything he said.

 

Will Beane swallow his pride and make another October move for a WR?

 

 

Closing snippet - 

 

The Bills might not lose consecutive games again this year. They should win more games than they lose. The playoffs are nearly assured.

Buffalo probably will pull out of this funk, but what then? In their roles, Beane and McDermott own the highest regular-season winning percentages in club history by a lot — and there’s the rub.

 

The regular-season victories will keep coming and they will keep thinking they’ve got it all figured out.

 

Historically, that’s what this Buffalo Bills era has been good at.

 

 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by QCity

[ScotSHO]

4 hours ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

The stat that should scare everyone to death

 

Their run defense has done diddly-poo. Despite amassing 26 tackles for losses on runs, fourth most in the NFL, they’ve allowed 5.8 yards per carry, with 3.9 yards after contact, both league worsts. Only the Tennessee Titans, who fired their head coach this week, have allowed more than the Bills’ nine rushing TDs.

That is the description of a bad defense that has to gamble against the run to hope and contain them.  When they guess wrong - high percentage of a long run/TD happening.

 

I just wish they'd gamble against the pass more often too.  Just blitz baby.  Buddy Ryan all day every day.