Keep telling us McD wasn’t the problem…

[HoofHearted]

22 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

Thanks very much for the breakdown. I see where there are opportunities for disguise and creativity that are exciting. Do you have any thoughts on the plan for Jackson to bulk up and move inside or whether there's much hope that Carter will be useful? It would be nice to not have to just write off recent investment in the DL.

IF Jackson can add the weight and sustain it I think he's a better fit as a 4i than a 5tech. He's very stiff which doesn't bode well on the edge, but the further you move inside the less of an issue it is. I'm just not sure how much more weight his frame can hold. Likewise Carter seems a better fit inside than as a 4i as he's more compact. If he can still maintain his ability to move laterally with the extra weight he should do fine, and opens a bunch of options for us movement-wise with our front.

[noacls]

34 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I can't believe you are looking forward to the Bills sucking.  LOL.  What a fan.

Thank you fan police. 🤣

 

I did not say they were going to suck, I sd the defense was. So it's no difference since Josh has been here. 

Edited April 29 by noacls

[Billy Claude]

 

One aspect of McDermott's culture change was that he was able to squelch the constants leaks that the Bills had during the drought almost immediately.   This is a very bad look that someone, I assume pretty high up in the Bills organization, felt that they needed to kick McDermott to make themselves look better.

 

 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

This subject can go away any time!!!! Sean McDermott did a great job rebuilding a winning culture and did some really wonderful things. At the end of the day, be thankful, but he didn't complete the job. And, there are are serious reasons to wonder that without some philosophical adjustments if he'll ever get there. It was time for a change. LET IT GO!

[Paup 1995MVP]

12 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Nothing in the article is incorrect.  Those are statistical facts.  It’s not about it being a hit job, it’s the facts.  
 

In 3 of the last 4 losses to KC in the postseason, the Chiefs went on to lose the next game.  PPG vs Bills was over 35 and PPG the next week in those 3 losses was 17 PPG.  
 

2024 AFCCG, KC scored 32 on us and we lost despite scoring 29.  KC didn’t score 30 in any other game that season, reg or post.  29 should have beaten them, but our D again gave up 32.

 

In our 6 playoff losses, our Def gave up production average greater than the 2007 record setting Patriots offense averaged.  
 

Facts are facts - as much as I think McD is a very good HC, his playoff defense was a problem and it’s the main reason we never reached a SB yet.

The stat about our defense giving up on average more points than the 2007 record setting Pats scored on offense is really interesting telling and disheartening.  That McDermott did not look at those numbers after the losses by the end of say the 2023 season, shows a coach that has an extremely rigid and narrow view of things.  And thinks his way, regardless of success or not, is the only way.  He had to go with that mentality.  I am glad that the light finally went on in Pegula's brain to make a change.

 

I am really excited to see how a different defensive scheme is going to work with the players we now have.  Lets go Buffalo.

[LarryMadman]

33 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

However you look at it, it is hard to argue that Sean's defense gets stale. The improvement is pretty much depended on the "BETTER" talent we get that fits the scheme. And when you are consistently drafting at the bottom of each round, and you are paying a top 2 QB (it is a constrain however you look at it), it's hard to get that "difference maker" on D.

 

 I'd like to see a D coordinator able to adapt to take advantage of the talent you have. We'll if Jim Leonhard is that guy, but the pick of Parker seems to me is closer to BPA than need or scheme fit or diversify skillset (as in we already signed Chubb who has similar skillset). Not drafting a NT also signals that we may see more 4-3 than we anticipated of the 3-4 shift. It also makes sense that not throwing everything out in one swoop 

Except the eagles and chiefs have been able to do it consistantly.

[GoBills808]

ngl it's pretty surreal seeing everyone coming around to this

[PoundingDog]

17 minutes ago, LarryMadman said:

Except the eagles and chiefs have been able to do it consistantly.

Which defensive star has KC drafted since Chris Jones? They hit some guys in the 2ndary but they have to trade away when they have to pay them, meaning 1) cap constraints and 2) they are not at the level of HoF star like Chris Jones.

 

Eagles' Hurts cap numbers by year:

2023: $6,154,234 (Rookie year + extension proration)

2024: $13,558,800

2025: $21,769,800

2026:$31,971,800

2027: $42,132,800

2028: $47,549,000

 

Allen's cap numbers by year:

2025: ~$41.3 million

2026: $44.2 million (post-restructure)

2027: ~$58.1 million

2028: ~$64.3 million

2029: ~$86.1 million

2030: ~$79.8 million 

 

However you look at it, Allen's cap is significantly more than Hurts, at least 1/3 more, and rightfully so! That's not a small number.

Edited April 29 by PoundingDog

[Buffalo Junction]

11 minutes ago, LarryMadman said:

Except the eagles and chiefs have been able to do it consistantly.

Both have been able to take advantage of higher draft picks and extra draft picks from trades, comp formula, etc. The Eagles in particular have sort of a cycle approach where Roseman pushes all his chips onto the table every few years then retools. In either case they’ve had more top 20 picks than the Bills have over the last five years. Random down years can net excellent cheap talent as can getting picks from teams like the Dolphins. 

[Nihilarian]

The 2025 Buffalo Bills fielded the #1 pass defense, and they did this while being 20th in pass rush. Groot was the best pass rusher with 7, Bosa next with 5. Know how many sacks they managed to get on Bo Nix in that final playoff game? NONE! Buffalo had 36 sacks in 2025. Denver had 68.

 

That said, now think about that first game against the Baltimore Ravens and who caused that fumble by King Henry to help win the game at the end? It was Ed Oliver who played in 3 games all year. He returned for the Denver playoff game and then left after the half with an injury. Michael Hoecht looked like a game wrecker in his whole 2 games this past year, and he had a great game against the Chiefs. 

 

Nineteen defensive players missed games throughout the season, and I'm pretty sure that Joey Bosa played injured most of the season. It's crazy how many injuries this team had on both offense and defense, and yet kept winning. 

 

McDermott's defensive scheme worked pretty well when he had healthy players, which was almost never at the end of a season.

 

Hey, wanna blame the HC all the way back to 13 seconds...feel free. If it makes ya feel better about his firing, then feel free to jump on the pile. Mistake? I dunno because the Bills were probably going to lose Joe Brady to another team, which in itself justifies the change.

 

105-59 wins/losses 640%, and only the KC Chiefs had a better win-loss record 715%. https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/best-winning-percentage-nfl-team-last-10-years

 

Sean McDermott (2017–Present): Holds the highest winning percentage in team history (over .630) and ended the longest playoff drought in franchise history, ranking second in total wins. Only Marv Levy had more total wins. 

[ColoradoBills]

4 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

Which defensive star has KC drafted since Chris Jones? They hit some guys in the 2ndary but they have to trade away when they have to pay them, meaning 1) cap constraints and 2) they are not at the level of HoF star like Chris Jones.

 

Eagles' Hurts cap numbers by year:

2023: $6,154,234 (Rookie year + extension proration)

2024: $13,558,800

2025: $21,769,800

2026:$31,971,800

2027: $42,132,800

2028: $47,549,000

 

Allen's cap numbers by year:

2025: ~$41.3 million

2026: $44.2 million (post-restructure)

2027: ~$58.1 million

2028: ~$64.3 million

2029: ~$86.1 million

2030: ~$79.8 million 

 

However you look at it, Allen's cap is significantly more than Hurts, at least 1/3 more, and rightfully so! That's not a small number.

 

Hurt has a $51M AAV contract.  There is a lot of void years with huge dead cap.

[Don Otreply]

1 hour ago, Juice_32 said:

Shortcomings? I have a lot more than most people I'm sure. Thankfully, I'm surrounded by people, who tell the truth. 

 

McD is being characterized as a saint by many, he was an average coach who was super lucky to have the best player on earth. I'm really glad he's gone. Really really glad.

No one considers him a saint, now you’re just making crap up, step out of your echo chamber, I say this being one of many fans who wanted him fired . 

[PoundingDog]

By reference Mahomes' cap number by year:

2026: $34.65M

2027: $85.25M

2028: $53.01M

2029: $55.41M

2030: $56.41M

2031: $48.37M

 

Mahomes' original 10 year $450 million contract looks like such a bargain --- as he has not complained about it. 

Edited April 29 by PoundingDog

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

If he was so bad, then why did everyone copy what he did?
 

He created the blueprint on how to stop Lamar, which was copied. He did the same against Mahomes, which the Bengals copied to go to the SB. He did the same against the great Drake Maye, which everyone copied and caused him to have a terrible last few games. 
 

I think you can criticize him for a lot of things, but not really for having some predictable and dumb mind.

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

If he was so bad, then why did everyone copy what he did?
 

He created the blueprint on how to stop Lamar, which was copied. He did the same against Mahomes, which the Bengals copied to go to the SB. He did the same against the great Drake Maye, which everyone copied and caused him to have a terrible last few games. 
 

I think you can criticize him for a lot of things, but not really for having some predictable and dumb mind.

lol when did we every stop Mahomes when it mattered

[folz]

Yeah, let's keep kicking a good man when he's down.

 

When are we hiring the bus down to Carolina to burn his lawn?

 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

[Augie]

There were a lot of problems. It wasn’t one thing or one guy, it was a lot of things. Trying to simplify things to pin it on one person is silly. We were one bad call from the AFCCG and quite possibly the SB last year.

 

Let’s not exaggerate how terrible things were, and be aware there is a real chance that it actually gets worse this year during the transition. 

[MasterStrategist]

My biggest question, for those praising McD and dumping on Beane (or questioning the talent) --- what if we didn't "luck" into the playoffs under Sean season 1, does that change your view of him?

 

My point being, we have been a consistent playoff contender on the back of Josh Allen --- and who made several pre-draft trades/moves to make it possible?  Answer is primarily Beane.

 

Not taking anything away from Sean --- bottom line, is that his "speciality"/defensive side of the ball absolutely cost us games in every playoff loss.  Time will tell if that was "talent" or coaching/scheme.  McD from day 1 always had a HUGE voice in who they acquired on that side of the ball. 

 

So if the issue was "talent", that's condemning on both him and Beane (we won't ever know the full extent).  But what we do know, is how many retreads (DaQuan, Shaq, Jordan Phillips, etc etc) have they brought back so far?  McD prioritized his scheme and his comfort with guys who could execute that scheme, above anything else.  Nothing wrong with that, you're the Head Coach, but to then point fingers at Beane when he's giving Sean guys he wants (size, measurables, skillset) seems like a nice cop-out from the truth that Sean captained the ship on that side of the ball.  Not including putting Babich at defensive coordinator and continuing with him WAY too long --- Bobby is another great guy, but was over his head and was loyal to Sean.

[Augie]

8 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said:

My biggest question, for those praising McD and dumping on Beane (or questioning the talent) --- what if we didn't "luck" into the playoffs under Sean season 1, does that change your view of him?

 

My point being, we have been a consistent playoff contender on the back of Josh Allen --- and who made several pre-draft trades/moves to make it possible?  Answer is primarily Beane.

 

Not taking anything away from Sean --- bottom line, is that his "speciality"/defensive side of the ball absolutely cost us games in every playoff loss.  Time will tell if that was "talent" or coaching/scheme.  McD from day 1 always had a HUGE voice in who they acquired on that side of the ball. 

 

So if the issue was "talent", that's condemning on both him and Beane (we won't ever know the full extent).  But what we do know, is how many retreads (DaQuan, Shaq, Jordan Phillips, etc etc) have they brought back so far?  McD prioritized his scheme and his comfort with guys who could execute that scheme, above anything else.  Nothing wrong with that, you're the Head Coach, but to then point fingers at Beane when he's giving Sean guys he wants (size, measurables, skillset) seems like a nice cop-out from the truth that Sean captained the ship on that side of the ball.  Not including putting Babich at defensive coordinator and continuing with him WAY too long --- Bobby is another great guy, but was over his head and was loyal to Sean.

 

This is where we run into trouble, imo. This is not a binary situation where you are for one guy and therefore against the other. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and it’s possible to recognize that. I don’t see anybody praising McD, but I see some people who recognize that he was not the root of all evil. Like Beane, it’s not all good or all bad.