Game week thread - Bills at Panthers

[Brand J]

1 minute ago, TheFunPolice said:

Meanwhile, we get zero pressure and everyone is wide open. I am 100% convinced the issue is scheme and coaching, not players. There's just no way the guys we have on defense are this bad. 

We actually do get pressure, but there’s players running so wide open in the zone that the pressure doesn’t have a chance to affect the QB. The back seven is not complementing the pass rush. I can think of quite a few wins where a defender immediately got in the backfield and the QB found a receiver running wide open to negate the win. The best pass rushers in the league couldn’t help the current scheme. It’s maddening. 

[MasterStrategist]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

This is bad news for us IMO. Always tough for a defense to prepare for a replacement QB on short notice, and Dalton can read defenses better than Bryce Young can.

I agree with the premise of preparing for a backup qb.

 

We have major issues, if we are calling facing Andy Dalton "bad news for us".

 

No matter the QB, its a run first offense that has had some very good success lately.  That's the biggest storyline this week -- Hoecht and Oji back, coming off a bye, can our defense stop the run?  Can our offense regain our rhythm?

 

Young or Dalton, to me it doesnt matter.

[colin]

mcclappy is 8-0 in games after bye weeks.  i suspect we win this game in a laugher.

[Dillenger4]

We will need Kincaid and Palmer back for this game. I wish Strong was back so we could sit Tre.

[HappyDays]

13 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

After watching the SF MASH unit that is their defense basically shut down the same Falcons team that ran and threw all over us, I hate this scheme on defense even more. 

 

Without their star DE or LB SF shut down the same offense that had their way with us 7 days ago. Robison and London were non-factors. Penix was under pressure almost every drop back. 

 

Meanwhile, we get zero pressure and everyone is wide open. I am 100% convinced the issue is scheme and coaching, not players. There's just no way the guys we have on defense are this bad. 

 

 

 

Indy hired Lou Anarumo and went from 24th in PPG to 8th.

 

Atlanta hired Jeff Ulbrich and went from 23rd to 8th (tied with Indy).

 

San Fran hired Robert Saleh and went from 29th to 7th.

 

Yeah it's the coaching. 100%.

[strive_for_five_guy]

1 minute ago, Dillenger4 said:

We will need Kincaid and Palmer back for this game. I wish Strong was back so we could sit Tre.

I want Hairston ready ASAP.  This guy is going to be running circles around the rest of our slow DBs.  At least someone will be able to catch running backs when they run past everyone else moving forward.

[RobbRiddick]

I'll always love ginger for getting us to the playoffs but if he has a great game and beats us then we truly are royally screwed 

[Pete]

21 minutes ago, Brand J said:

We actually do get pressure, but there’s players running so wide open in the zone that the pressure doesn’t have a chance to affect the QB. The back seven is not complementing the pass rush. I can think of quite a few wins where a defender immediately got in the backfield and the QB found a receiver running wide open to negate the win. The best pass rushers in the league couldn’t help the current scheme. It’s maddening. 

Bills defenders get to their landmark and stop. WRs park in between, while Bills defenders guard grass.  Tre had a pass breakup against the Falcons.  I believe that’s 3 total PBUs.  AJ has one

[BearNorth]

19 minutes ago, Brand J said:

The back seven is not complementing the pass rush. I can think of quite a few wins where a defender immediately got in the backfield and the QB found a receiver running wide open to negate the win. 

Yeah the dropoff in performance by Benford and Taron is especially noticeable.  Benford has gone from a top 10 CB to bottom qtr of the league, Taron was a top 20 CB two years ago and now just a journeyman.  Rapp is in the Bottom 5 of every down safeties in the league with equally bad coverage and run stop grades.  Hopefully Shaq Thompson will continue his high level of play.

[26TrapDraw]

16 hours ago, Bockeye said:

AFCE runs through NE now. 

Really genius? Win the division before saying that. It’s week 8

Edited 4 hours ago by 26TrapDraw

[Simon]

1 hour ago, PayDaBill$ said:

Super Bowl caliber teams expect to beat  Carolina, Bills? Well we’re somewhat worried. What does that say about the state of this team?

 

That their "vaunted" fanbase is really just a bunch of Chicken Littles?

[26TrapDraw]

15 hours ago, billsherd said:

I'm not sure if McD would put them in first week back if they have not practice for last six weeks. 

Hoecht would be better than Greg “ I show up for work every once in a while” Rousseau

[Governor]

1 hour ago, Brand J said:

I know the Chiefs had some dreadful defensive rankings during their earlier SB runs, but they usually stepped up and got stops in the playoffs. We can only hope ours follows a similar path. 

Absolutely. They were in the teens and then looked top 5 in the playoffs and SB years they won. We’re much much worse than that.

[harryS]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

We also have a team that has won 82% of all it's games after the bye week in the last 5 seasons, going 30-7 in that time when not playing a game resting most starters like week 18 last year.

 

While I tend to agree that the Bills will play better after the bye, I'm not sure that stat is very meaningful.  In those seasons, those teams never had to deal with the combination of poor secondary talent, poor LB depth exacerbated by injuries and substandard LB play, and poor WR corps to the extent that this team is dealing with.  Because of the defensive issues I mentioned, the Bills have only generated 5 turnovers in 6 games, which is very un-Bills like.

 

We've had seasons where we had to overcome a struggling unit but we've never had this combination of poor DB, LB, and WR play, and we usually have always generated turnovers.

[Goin Breakdown]

1 hour ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

How do fans sense urgency during a week of practice?  I think maybe - I'm just guessing here - that's just your lack of faith in our coaching staff talking.  I know McD has flaws but I don't think complacency is one of them.  I think the Bills know how badly they've been playing, know the situation they're in, and are fully committed to winning this game.  

That won't mean they will because there's a real roster deficit to deal with.  But, as someone who doesn't attend practices and has no insider knowledge, my guess is that urgency is not an issue.  

Thats a fair question. Typically there will be rumblings be it media or through interviews. Take last year for example. We all knew they were looking for a WR. We knew they wanted Adams as soon as adam

doesn't go through not a couple hour went by the signed Cooper (who was another target reposted that Buffalo was monitoring). I remember after the Hail Murry, we all just sensed that Buffalo was going to take that loss out on the rest of the league that season, and for the most part they sure did. Can I say one way or another for sure, nope, but as many of us diehard fans are, I am tuned in and that's the best I can give you. 
To say I don't have faith in the coaching staff is also very fair. I really don't. From team building, asset spending and sometimes philosophy. In that due to the drought? Is it 13 seconds with no one owning up to that ridiculous fail? Idk. After years of being a great regular season team and coming up short to elite teams in the playoff, we have heard fans and media question what it is that hold the team back. We all have our opinions and, I think for the most part those opinions are right and wrong. The ways we think we can fix the team are right and wrong because there is nothing as fan that we can do. 
 

[PromoTheRobot]

6 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Ain’t nothing like a normal 1 PM game to get our mojo back!
 

Give me Solomon wilcots and we are ready to roll! 

 

"Buffawo Beewwwwwws!"

So are Ogunjobi and Hoecht eligible to play this weekend?

[RiotAct]

6 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Ain’t nothing like a normal 1 PM game to get our mojo back!
 

Give me Solomon wilcots and we are ready to roll! 

and a well-timed CBS “In the Hunt” graphic!

[RunTheBall]

Lots of games to be played yet. I’m not too concerned about Carolina, I’m looking more long term and expect this defense to fail again in the playoffs if we make it. Too many guys have regressed, and I don’t think Hecht and Ogunjobi are going to blow the doors off anyone. Sure, I expect the D to play better but I have zero confidence in them for an elimination game.

 

I hope Bernard is hurt because he is playing like ass right now. I hope that’s an explanation because he isn’t even in year 1 of that extension. Rapp is god awful and shouldn’t be out there. Benford is playing like a bottom third CB and Tre is toast. Groot looks like he woke up and Oliver will go back to his habit of showing up every 4 or 5 games and we will blame it on the high ankle sprain. Glass Milano is good for a 1/2 a football game now every 3-4 games. I’m hoping with Hoecht  out there the scheme is going to change up a bit and uses his versatility. When you can’t stop the run and can’t stop the pass, you aren’t a good defense.

[gobills404]

40 minutes ago, 26TrapDraw said:

Hoecht would be better than Greg “ I show up for work every once in a while” Rousseau

Just when you thought the run defense couldn’t get any worse

[boyst]

1 hour ago, Stretch said:

Ditto this.  I haven’t made Saturday plans yet.  Going with my wife and 2 kids middle school/high school aged.

@jburt2625

 

yes - tavern on the tracks has been the place to go historically. i don't follow the bills backers bars or pay much attention to the facebooks but it'll be tavern again the night before i am sure. 

 

i'll find out where kenny is going and that'll usually be the spot everyone goes.