THE ROCKPILE REVIEW – At the Bye

[Sierra Foothills]

8 hours ago, PonyBoy said:

Halfway through your book. Good Stuff! 

 

C'mon TBD, let's support this guy! 

The book is called Stories of Buffalo and the Bills- FAN, order one, it's an interesting read if you're from the area or not. 

 

Ok @Shaw66 Make check payable to PonyBoy $1,000,000 😀

 

Actually I get the $1,000,000... I provided the link.

 

🤑

 

https://www.nfbpublishing.com/product-page/fan-stories-of-buffalo-and-the-bills

 

[Pete]

8 hours ago, 1st&ten said:

It seems to me that they are keeping Josh in the pocket more. I think Josh is at his best when he rolls out to the right & left during the game, I think it makes the defenses more nervous & it usually makes a corner back move up leaving more space for a receiver to get open.

Defenses are cage rushing and taking away the middle- Josh has nowhere to go.  And Joe Brady cannot scheme - he’s awful

[GaryPinC]

10 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Three weeks ago, at the one-quarter mark of the season, I was reasonably pleased with the Bills. Now, two losses and a bye later, I’m really wondering whether the Bills are a team that can’t compete at the highest levels.

 

First, a disclaimer: I’m not paying as much attention to the Bills and pro football this season as I have in the past. Last season, if the NFL was on, I watched. This season, I’m watching or attending every Bills game but watching only bits and pieces of other games, sticking with a game if I’m interested, turning it off if it’s boring, or even not watching at all. There’s a sameness to the games that is making me feel like I’m watching the NBA, and the ads are mind-numbing. Point being, I’m writing about my impressions rather than from some deep knowledge and understanding of the NFL. 

 

So, what’s bothering me about the Bills? In no particular order:

 

Speed. I’m seeing teams put a lot of pressure on their opponents with raw speed. I’ve seen clips of the Chiefs, and they’re doing it with Rice back and with Worthy. Gibbs is doing it for the Lions. I guess Elijah Moore and Curtis Samuel are supposed to be the speed element with the Bills, and James Cook, but it doesn’t look the same to me.

 

Power. Several teams, particularly the Eagles and Lions, can consistently drive defensive lines off the ball. They can pound at opponents with good success, and they can protect their quarterbacks in part because they can’t be overpowered. The Bills haven’t shown that kind of power; they’re built to be mobile with enough power to get by, but I haven’t seen them dominate with either mobility or power yet. Strong defensive linemen can overpower them in the passing game. Mike Vrabel brought a powerful, aggressive attitude to the Patriots, and the Bills couldn’t handle it.

 

Fiercely aggressive defense. Some good defenses are coming at the offenses, threatening on every play. The Seahawks seem to be attacking the quarterback and pass receivers relentlessly. The Lions are playing an entire defensive backfield of backups and practice squad guys and still, they play consistently tighter man-to-man defense than the Bills starters ever show. I get that the Bills’ philosophy is shut down the big gains and to make enough plays on the short stuff to stop drives, but other teams are killing the explosive plays AND attacking all over the field.

 

Struggling with mediocre opponents. Michael Penix, Jr. looked like a franchise quarterback against the Bills. A week later the 49ers made him a non-factor. The Dolphins and the Saints pretty much can’t beat anyone, and the Bills were unable to put either team away decisively.

 

Offensive stagnation. In previous seasons, we grew accustomed to seeing the Bills put together long drives, converting on multiple third downs, relentlessly attacking the short- and intermediate areas of the field. This season, the offense has yet to find that kind of consistency. The league seems to have caught up with the defensive style the Bills have featured, and now there are several teams that make that it difficult to sustain drives like that. The Bills offense is struggling against defenses that play the McDermott style, but play it more aggressively. The Bills have been unable to attack weak spots in those defenses, and drives are stalling more frequently.

 

I continue to think that it’s a long season and that the best teams play their best football beginning in December. The Lions, the Eagles, and the Chiefs each are showing signs of becoming dominant teams, and several other teams are emerging as serious opponents.

 

Maybe what we’ve seen is all part of Sean McDermott’s plan for the season: Play vanilla offense and defense to the bye, then begin to ramp up. Maybe his plan was to go 5-1 before the bye and the plan bit him a bit. Maybe those big cushions the Bills cornerbacks give receivers are going to start tightening up, maybe the unexpected blitzes are coming, maybe the offensive line will begin to flash in the run game, maybe Josh Allen will come out of his funk and begin slicing and dicing defenses with the precision we’ve seen in past seasons. I don’t really know.

 

What I do know is that the Bills we’ve seen through six games do not look very much like the teams that are emerging as dominant forces in the league. It’s time to get going.  

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

 

Thanks for the great writeup, totally agree with your points.

 

Offense stagnation:  against the Pats and Falcons, I feel like our O-line didn't bring their aggression,  they seemed very passive and I don't know why.  But Atlanta regularly brought 5 and 6 rushers, gambling our receivers couldn't get separation in time.

 

Defensive stagnation:  Our gap integrity zero-stunts mantra gives almost no creativity on our pass rush and it's painful.    Undersized LB's seldom crowd and rush from the LOS.  Better coaches are now planning and taking advantage of It.

 

It was painfully clear in Atlanta that our secondary is not communicating and setting assignments properly. Sideline pass to Robinson late 4Q, Tre had zone coverage but inexplicably peeled off to cover the middle leaving Robinson wide open.

 

Bottom line, better coaches have figured us out.  It's adapt and be dynamic or die time for our coaches, especially on D.

8 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Shaw as always, great work.  I feel the league has caught up,and neither coordinator or McDermott know how to adjust.

 

I feel Josh has changed completely this offseason and its good for him,bad for us.  He now says a Superbowl is no longer the goal, that going out and playing etc is.  He said Hailee has helped him realize he isnt just a QB.  I see a guy who now is just there.  Im not saying he doesnt like to win,but if we do we do, if not its ok,he is going home to his wife.  I just dont see the fire or passion of years past.

 

This is his 9th year, and this team is honestly further away from getting to and winning a Superbowl, so maybe part of it he has said screw it.  He sees Beane hasnt done crap talent wise and maybe he doesnt think McDermott can get the job done...so he isnt going to put as much of himself into it.  Sure fans think its impossible,but he is human and just got married to a woman who has opened his eyes to life.  

 

I am wondering if next year is his last.  10th season, 1st in the new stadium, married for 2 and just over 30. He has set NFL records and if this team is still stagnant or worse going in reverse... I can fully see him retiring.

 

Beyond that... you are 💯.   No speed, no power, no aggressiveness and we cant even execute fundamentals.  

Great point about Josh, I don't agree that his fire is gone, just that he's going to be more judicious with it.  I don't agree that his career is drawing to a close, but agree that he's tired of always wearing the superman cape to keep this team afloat.  We'll see what that means.  More welcome (IMO) pressure on this FO.

[SoonerBillsFan]

7 hours ago, 90sBills said:

I’ve noticed this as well. Just before the season he was saying he envisions a Super Bowl parade in Buffalo. Now he’s saying essentially whatever happens happens and that he’s more than just a football player. Why do you think that is? My opinion is he wants to temper expectations and focus on one game at a time. At least I hope that’s what it is. 

Personally I think he feels it isnt going to happen with this regime.  I think its been eating at him an Hailee has helped him with that.

[Sweats]

10 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Shaw as always, great work.  I feel the league has caught up,and neither coordinator or McDermott know how to adjust.

 

I feel Josh has changed completely this offseason and its good for him,bad for us.  He now says a Superbowl is no longer the goal, that going out and playing etc is.  He said Hailee has helped him realize he isnt just a QB.  I see a guy who now is just there.  Im not saying he doesnt like to win,but if we do we do, if not its ok,he is going home to his wife.  I just dont see the fire or passion of years past.

 

This is his 9th year, and this team is honestly further away from getting to and winning a Superbowl, so maybe part of it he has said screw it.  He sees Beane hasnt done crap talent wise and maybe he doesnt think McDermott can get the job done...so he isnt going to put as much of himself into it.  Sure fans think its impossible,but he is human and just got married to a woman who has opened his eyes to life.  

 

I am wondering if next year is his last.  10th season, 1st in the new stadium, married for 2 and just over 30. He has set NFL records and if this team is still stagnant or worse going in reverse... I can fully see him retiring.

 

Beyond that... you are 💯.   No speed, no power, no aggressiveness and we cant even execute fundamentals.  

 

 

 

 

 

I could see JA pulling a Barry Sanders in the near future..........if the team is stagnant and not going anywhere, then maybe early retirement is the only way out and that was the only way Sanders saw his departure from a failing franchise

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

10 hours ago, DuckyBoys said:

Scary thought, we fans B word about Josh getting older and never think about him pulling a "Barry "and walking away  Who could blame him

The more I think on it, your Barry Sanders comparison is 💯  spot on.  I wanted him and Thruman from College at Ok St. Through the NFL, and you could just see it in his face.

 

Im starting to see it in Joshes, and who can blame him?

Just now, Sweats said:

 

 

 

 

 

I could see JA pulling a Barry Sanders in the near future..........if the team is stagnant and not going anywhere, then maybe early retirement is the only way out and that was the only way Sanders saw his departure from a failing franchise

 

I just posted the same thoughts.  At what point does he say " enough is enough"? The kid loves ball, has battled through biblical level disappointment on the field as well as injury. 

 

He isnt stupid, he can see the failure of this org to get talent and better coaching.  But I see him putting in his 10th season and opening the stadium he helped build, unless something really goes sideways this year.

[CSBill]

Somehow, I missed that one of our own has written a book (considering the subject, it has to be a tear-jerker 🙂 ). But it makes perfect sense, having followed Shaw66 for years on TBD. It will now go on my Amazon Christmas list:

 

 

Congratulations, Shaw66. And sadly, as much as I don't want to, I think your assessment of the current Bills is on point.

 

[billsfan89]

Bye came at a good time. I usually don't like an early bye week but I think mentally and physically they needed a bye to settle things down a bit after back to back losses. PED Twins get back from suspension and there's a lot of week to week type injuries that needed a rest. Overall I think the Bills got the bye at the best time for them.

[90sBills]

3 hours ago, Sweats said:

 

 

 

 

 

I could see JA pulling a Barry Sanders in the near future..........if the team is stagnant and not going anywhere, then maybe early retirement is the only way out and that was the only way Sanders saw his departure from a failing franchise

 

Andrew Luck’s wife influenced him to retire early. Might we see the same with Hailee?

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, 90sBills said:

Andrew Luck’s wife influenced him to retire early. Might we see the same with Hailee?

Possibly.  I know fans don't want to hear it, but Life and Marriage are more important than Football. I think maybe Hailee has shown him that. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

The Bills aren’t a consensus top 1 or 2 team in the AFC like I initially thought the first 4 weeks of the season. They are what they are at this point. Part of a handful of AFC teams that you can interchange. There really is no top AFC team IMO. The Colts are great, but I don’t think they are the juggernaut the media portrays. I think the representing team for the AFC in the SB will be whichever team gets hot in the postseason and stays relatively healthy. It could be a blessing in disguise to have all of these injuries early and the DTs returning from suspension this week.

[hondo in seattle]

16 hours ago, 1st&ten said:

It seems to me that they are keeping Josh in the pocket more. I think Josh is at his best when he rolls out to the right & left during the game, I think it makes the defenses more nervous & it usually makes a corner back move up leaving more space for a receiver to get open.

 

Our receivers struggle to get open while our OL has been seriously inconsistent in protecting Josh. 

 

I agree with your general idea that under these circumstances, Josh needs to use his legs more - both on designed plays and improvisational stuff.  

[frostbitmic]

Josh looks like someone that could use a little sugar rush this season, he looks a little bit bored.

 

 

[Big Turk]

19 hours ago, Psautcsk said:

"Mike Vrabel brought a powerful, aggressive attitude to the Patriots, and the Bills couldn’t handle it."  This is the sad truth-Thank you for expressing it so well.

 

More like Allen seemed determined to attack them downfield and refused to take the easy throws and easy runs that were routinely there like has has for the past year and a half almost without hesitation. He has also had happy feet inexplicably and has been bailing from clean pockets, especially against the Pats where there was no pressure and if he would have simply waited a half second would have had some wide open throws come free.

 

Perfect example is on that Shakir INT against the Pats. Huge lane for Allen to take off through that likely gets him a first down or even if the 2 Patriot defenders end up coming up towards him from like 15 yards downfield, he is still picking up 7-8 yards making it 2nd and short. Instead, he doesn't take it and tries to fit a ball to Shakir that he simply didn't have to and there was no reason to throw that ball.

 

This was to a large degree an issue with the Falcons game as well. Allen has not been mentally sharp and that, in and of itself, has been the largest problem on offense the last 2 games. The team also not being as mentally sharp the last 2 games has gone along with that. 

 

Honestly, it almost seems like the constant fan and media questions about "why aren't they attacking downfield at all" has started getting to both Brady and Allen.  Instead of just doing what they do, which is piling up 30+ point games effortlessly, they seem like they are trying to silence the critics.

Edited 22 hours ago by Big Turk

[Figster]

11 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

Josh looks like someone that could use a little sugar rush this season, he looks a little bit bored.

 

 

Might actually be some truth to this because Josh Allen has trouble sleeping. Says his mind is always working overtime. A night game like the Atlanta Falcons might interfere with Allen's normal sleep routine IMO. Resulting in a sleepy Josh Allen in Prime time.

 

https://thesportsrush.com/nfl-news-josh-allen-reveals-what-he-does-to-get-better-sleep-despite-a-hectic-travel-routine/

 

Want some coffee with lots of cream and sugar Josh?

Edited 11 hours ago by Figster

[Shaw66]

Several people jumped on here, piled on in fact, with the notion that the Bills are bad or in need of serious talent upgrades. 

 

I'm not there yet. What I wrote about is how the Bills have looked through six games compared to what I've seen from some good teams in the last couple of weeks. The comparison doesn't look good for the Bills. 

 

However, as I've kept saying, the season is about winning enough games to be relevant for the first half of the season, and then being downright good for the second half and into the playoffs. I don't think the season is lost, not by a long shot. I think McDermott's overarching plan always is to have a team full of guys who are intense competitors and to put them in a system where, when they're all competing at a high level, the system makes them better than their collective individual talent.  That's what he's trying to do, year after year. I think McDermott expects his coaches to build those competitors in a high functioning team in the second half of the season. 

 

What's troubling this season is that a lot of different areas of the Bills' game all seem to need to be turned up a couple of notches. It seems like it's more than a tweak here and there. 

 

They need a win at Carolina, and they need to beat the Chiefs. The outcomes of those two games will say a lot.

 

We'll see. 

[Buffalo ill]

Not saying the Bills are bad, but McBean has taken a Josh Allen/James Cook team and turned into an average team.

[Shaw66]

29 minutes ago, Buffalo ill said:

Not saying the Bills are bad, but McBean has taken a Josh Allen/James Cook team and turned into an average team.

That's certainly the way it looked through six games. 

 

We'll see. 

[Thurman#1]

On 10/22/2025 at 8:23 AM, Shaw66 said:

Three weeks ago, at the one-quarter mark of the season, I was reasonably pleased with the Bills. Now, two losses and a bye later, I’m really wondering whether the Bills are a team that can’t compete at the highest levels.

 

First, a disclaimer: I’m not paying as much attention to the Bills and pro football this season as I have in the past. Last season, if the NFL was on, I watched. This season, I’m watching or attending every Bills game but watching only bits and pieces of other games, sticking with a game if I’m interested, turning it off if it’s boring, or even not watching at all. There’s a sameness to the games that is making me feel like I’m watching the NBA, and the ads are mind-numbing. Point being, I’m writing about my impressions rather than from some deep knowledge and understanding of the NFL. 

 

So, what’s bothering me about the Bills? In no particular order:

 

Speed. I’m seeing teams put a lot of pressure on their opponents with raw speed. I’ve seen clips of the Chiefs, and they’re doing it with Rice back and with Worthy. Gibbs is doing it for the Lions. I guess Elijah Moore and Curtis Samuel are supposed to be the speed element with the Bills, and James Cook, but it doesn’t look the same to me.

 

Power. Several teams, particularly the Eagles and Lions, can consistently drive defensive lines off the ball. They can pound at opponents with good success, and they can protect their quarterbacks in part because they can’t be overpowered. The Bills haven’t shown that kind of power; they’re built to be mobile with enough power to get by, but I haven’t seen them dominate with either mobility or power yet. Strong defensive linemen can overpower them in the passing game. Mike Vrabel brought a powerful, aggressive attitude to the Patriots, and the Bills couldn’t handle it.

 

Fiercely aggressive defense. Some good defenses are coming at the offenses, threatening on every play. The Seahawks seem to be attacking the quarterback and pass receivers relentlessly. The Lions are playing an entire defensive backfield of backups and practice squad guys and still, they play consistently tighter man-to-man defense than the Bills starters ever show. I get that the Bills’ philosophy is shut down the big gains and to make enough plays on the short stuff to stop drives, but other teams are killing the explosive plays AND attacking all over the field.

 

Struggling with mediocre opponents. Michael Penix, Jr. looked like a franchise quarterback against the Bills. A week later the 49ers made him a non-factor. The Dolphins and the Saints pretty much can’t beat anyone, and the Bills were unable to put either team away decisively.

 

Offensive stagnation. In previous seasons, we grew accustomed to seeing the Bills put together long drives, converting on multiple third downs, relentlessly attacking the short- and intermediate areas of the field. This season, the offense has yet to find that kind of consistency. The league seems to have caught up with the defensive style the Bills have featured, and now there are several teams that make that it difficult to sustain drives like that. The Bills offense is struggling against defenses that play the McDermott style, but play it more aggressively. The Bills have been unable to attack weak spots in those defenses, and drives are stalling more frequently.

 

I continue to think that it’s a long season and that the best teams play their best football beginning in December. The Lions, the Eagles, and the Chiefs each are showing signs of becoming dominant teams, and several other teams are emerging as serious opponents.

 

Maybe what we’ve seen is all part of Sean McDermott’s plan for the season: Play vanilla offense and defense to the bye, then begin to ramp up. Maybe his plan was to go 5-1 before the bye and the plan bit him a bit. Maybe those big cushions the Bills cornerbacks give receivers are going to start tightening up, maybe the unexpected blitzes are coming, maybe the offensive line will begin to flash in the run game, maybe Josh Allen will come out of his funk and begin slicing and dicing defenses with the precision we’ve seen in past seasons. I don’t really know.

 

What I do know is that the Bills we’ve seen through six games do not look very much like the teams that are emerging as dominant forces in the league. It’s time to get going.  

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

 

Thoughtful and interesting.

 

I disagree about a few things, I guess.

 

About speed, Cook is fast, and it's still showing, IMO. When our 1st round pick comes back, we should see some more of that on defense as well. You say that the Chiefs have speed and give Rashee Rice as an example. Rice really isn't that fast. 4.51, if I remember correctly. He's more quick than fast. And plenty of times quickness can serve in place of speed.

 

I have no problems with our power, or at least on the OL, the part you mentioned. Dawkins, Torrence and Brown are wildly powerful and McGovern's a big strong dude at center as well. I don't think that's a problem at all. On defense I can see this as more of a problem, particularly with DaQuan out.

 

Offensive stagnation and struggling with mediocre opponents I think are very reasonable criticisms. Particularly the past two games or so. Hard to tell whether this was a bad streak or a season-long problem, but it's certainly true of what we've seen recently.

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

I am just as worried about injury trends and the awful riptide of penalties lately. Plus the fact that the D isn't getting turnovers. That's never been a problem in this D before. 

 

IMO a lot is to do with the safeties just not confusing anybody. They aren't as wily and in synch as the guys we grew used to.

21 hours ago, Sweats said:

 

I could see JA pulling a Barry Sanders in the near future..........if the team is stagnant and not going anywhere, then maybe early retirement is the only way out and that was the only way Sanders saw his departure from a failing franchise

 

 

 

My guess on the odds of that happening?

 

0.02%. As a result of serious injury.

[Ray Stonada]

This was an very balanced, realistic summary of how we look after six weeks. We've had this lull around weeks 5-7 the last four seasons. One difference is our defense looks much more helpless. I am hopeful that the players will improve and gel into a solid unit.

 

But I wish we'd play the younger guys with more physical abiliity more: Hancock, Ingram, Walker, etc., over the vets who are barely hanging on, like Tre. Even if they have growing pains, they often improve with game play.

 

A guy like Elam, who has a lot of talent, didn't get the time to develop here. Now he's starting for Dallas and played damn well the last two games--it might be coming together for him finally.