Josh’s comments on HC change…interesting

[eball]

An article I just read quotes Josh as follows:

 

“We’ve obviously got a new head coach, and so to have those memories being made in a new spot,” Allen said. “I think change is needed sometimes, especially when we’ve been close in the past, even going back to 20-ish, 30-ish years ago, just how close the Bills have been to winning a Super Bowl — I think this is kind of a switch that was necessary and I’m very excited.”

 

Wow. This is the first time I’m aware of that Josh has been this definitive (publicly) on the topic.

 

I’m really expecting some exciting and good things this year.

 

[BillsFan130]

Ya Josh 100 percent signed off on the McDermott firing.
 

There was never any chance Pegula and Beane were canning McDermott without Josh's approval.

[Gregg]

I was a little surprised that Pegula didn't clean house completely. Beane is the GM and puts the roster together. A roster that so far hasn't been good enough to help Allen get to a Super Bowl much less win one. One thing is for certain and that is the pressure is 100% on Beane going forward. He will probably get a few years with Brady but if in 2 or 3 years the Bills are still searching for that Lombardi then I think Pegula will clean house. If that happens then hopefully Allen can have the same type of success towards the end of his career that Elway had.

[Ray Stonada]

Wow. Glad to hear it.

[BillMafia716ix]

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

[Winnebago Man]

What is he supposed to say? 

 

If he is too critical of the firing, that will be taken a certain way; if he supports it too much, it gets taken another.

[Don Otreply]

Josh was very kind in the way he said this, a change was needed, and he is enthusiastic about it.  Josh was just saying what so very many here have said, but without the gory details…, 

[Buffalo03]

15 minutes ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

I hate this argument. I will give you 2023 when he missed the throw to Shakir. However, he did get bumped by Dawkins which I think affected the throw. And even in this case. Bass missed the field goal to at least tie it. 

 

2024- He was robbed of a first down for one thing on that earlier drive. He had it and the refs blew it. But, besides that, on the last drive he also threw a prayer ball up to Kincaid with a million guys in his face and Kincaid was the one that dropped it

 

2025- He throws up a ball to Cooks, which again, I think the refs blew the call on. Cooks had the ball in both hands with a knee clearly down and the defender making contact with him before ripping the ball out. That's a catch. Allen didn't throw it right to the defender, he did the right thing, that play was more on Cooks for letting the defender rip it out in the first place and the refs again, not calling that a catch like it should have been

 

To say Josh is 0-3 and it's his fault in those instances is ridiculous. Yes, he had the ball in his hands but he didn't really lose it for is either. If you would rather blame his Turnovers against the Broncos as a reason. Ok, I will give you that. Especially, the one before the 1st half ended. He clearly didn't play his best. But other than the Shakir pass against KC in 2023, I don't see how those final drives are on him

[Sierra Foothills]

1 hour ago, eball said:

An article I just read quotes Josh as follows:

 

“We’ve obviously got a new head coach, and so to have those memories being made in a new spot,” Allen said. “I think change is needed sometimes, especially when we’ve been close in the past, even going back to 20-ish, 30-ish years ago, just how close the Bills have been to winning a Super Bowl — I think this is kind of a switch that was necessary and I’m very excited.”

 

Wow. This is the first time I’m aware of that Josh has been this definitive (publicly) on the topic.

 

I’m really expecting some exciting and good things this year.

 

 

Link please?

 

Thank you.

 

[transient]

24 minutes ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

Despite the turnovers, the Bills had a lead with 4 minutes left, and then he tied the game with 50s left to work with. In OT he put a ball in Cooks’s hands. The season before he put a ball on Kinkaid’s hands in the face of a blitz, the season before that they’re not even in the game if he doesn’t play keep away with the football all game, only to see Bass miss a 40 something yd FG. Josh has his flaws, but the argument that he should have won those games the last 3 seasons rings hollow when you look at the performance of his supporting cast around him. 

[BillsFan130]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

I hate this argument. I will give you 2023 when he missed the throw to Shakir. However, he did get bumped by Dawkins which I think affected the throw. And even in this case. Bass missed the field goal to at least tie it. 

 

2024- He was robbed of a first down for one thing on that earlier drive. He had it and the refs blew it. But, besides that, on the last drive he also threw a prayer ball up to Kincaid with a million guys in his face and Kincaid was the one that dropped it

 

2025- He throws up a ball to Cooks, which again, I think the refs blew the call on. Cooks had the ball in both hands with a knee clearly down and the defender making contact with him before ripping the ball out. That's a catch. Allen didn't throw it right to the defender, he did the right thing, that play was more on Cooks for letting the defender rip it out in the first place and the refs again, not calling that a catch like it should have been

 

To say Josh is 0-3 and it's his fault in those instances is ridiculous. Yes, he had the ball in his hands but he didn't really lose it for is either. If you would rather blame his Turnovers against the Broncos as a reason. Ok, I will give you that. Especially, the one before the 1st half ended. He clearly didn't play his best. But other than the Shakir pass against KC in 2023, I don't see how those final drives are on him

Fantastic post.

 

People just like to look at football like it's an individual sport like tennis, boxing or golf.

Context matters a ton in team sports, and what you said is spot on.

Saying "Josh is 0-3 with the ball in his hands at the end", is an extremely lazy and ignorant statement 

[GunnerBill]

44 minutes ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

 

It isn't all, or even primarily imo, on Josh that we are 0-3 in those spots - but you are right to point out that three years in a row in that spot the offense has had the ball last which is what you are supposed to want in those scenarios with an elite QB and we have not gotten it done once. That is simply not good enough. I think it has primarily come down to the offensive talent around Josh - blocking not holding up and/or receivers not making plays - and is primarily on Brandon Beane. But they have promoted the GM who build the roster, promoted the OC who called the plays and obviously Josh is going nowhere. 

 

I know a lot of people think "well just play better defense and it will never come down to the end" but I went back through like 20 years worth of Superbowl winners and I think I found one that hadn't played a one score game somewhere down the playoff track. Your better side of the ball better be able to come through in those clutch moments - and ours the past few years in the playoffs has simply not done so.

Edited July 10 by GunnerBill

[KHAN]

44 minutes ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

To be fair, in 2025 he hit Cooks with a ridiculous throw, and in 2024 the free blitzer made him throw a desperate heave that also could have been caught, probably winning both games. But yeah, he didn't get it done in the end.

[SectionC3]

2 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It isn't all, or even primarily imo, on Josh that we are 0-3 in those spots - but you are right to point out that three years in a row in that spot the offense has had the ball last which is what you are supposed to want in those scenarios with an elite QB and we have not gotten it done once. That is simply not good enough. I think it has primarily come down to the offensive talent around Josh - blocking not holding up and/or receivers not making plays - and is primarily on Brandon Beane. But they have promoted the GM who build the roster, promoted the OC who called the plays and obviously Josh is going nowhere. 

 

I know a lot of people think "well just play better defense and it will never come down to the end" but I went back through like 20 years worth of Superbowl winners and I think I found one that hadn't played a one score game somewhere down the track. Your better side of the ball better be able to come through in those clutch moments - and ours the past few years in the playoffs has simply not done so.

There's a great deal of truth to this and, like you, I think it's important to look at each of the losses in context.  

 

The KC divisional at home was a MASH unit on the defensive side of the ball, and we had to play nearly a perfect game.  It should have gone to OT, and it didn't work out.  Nobody's fault, really.  

 

The Denver game was lost on an atrocious call and some casual play by Josh.  But, again, let's not forget that he was playing on a compromised foot that probably affected him a lot more than he'd let on.  The throw to Knox in Q4, and what I think was a missed TD to Samuel earlier in the game, probably reflect that.  And, on top of that, if we could have had a *bit* more from the defensive side of the ball, that one still is likely different. 

 

The KC AFCCG was lost on a bad call, a missed offside call at a high leverage moment, and a Kincaid drop.  Plain and simple.  And, again, that's another one where if we get just a bit more from the defense, then it's a different game.  

 

I don't disagree that Josh has to be better.  (Too much casual play against Denver is the big thing.)  But it's hard to fault the guy for either of the KC losses.  

[GolfandBills]

It’s ok to make comments like that and still respect the guy who got fired.  I highly doubt Josh hates McDermott

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

There's a great deal of truth to this and, like you, I think it's important to look at each of the losses in context.  

 

The KC divisional at home was a MASH unit on the defensive side of the ball, and we had to play nearly a perfect game.  It should have gone to OT, and it didn't work out.  Nobody's fault, really.  

 

The Denver game was lost on an atrocious call and some casual play by Josh.  But, again, let's not forget that he was playing on a compromised foot that probably affected him a lot more than he'd let on.  The throw to Knox in Q4, and what I think was a missed TD to Samuel earlier in the game, probably reflect that.  And, on top of that, if we could have had a *bit* more from the defensive side of the ball, that one still is likely different. 

 

The KC AFCCG was lost on a bad call, a missed offside call at a high leverage moment, and a Kincaid drop.  Plain and simple.  And, again, that's another one where if we get just a bit more from the defense, then it's a different game.  

 

I don't disagree that Josh has to be better.  (Too much casual play against Denver is the big thing.)  But it's hard to fault the guy for either of the KC losses.  

 

I wouldn't frame it as "Josh has to be better" I'm not sure that is a fair interpretation. But "the offense has to be better" in those situations is absolutely undeniable in my view. The fantasy that if the defense just plays a bit better we will march through the playoffs winning 31-20 or similar is just that in my view - a fantasy. Somewhere along the line we will play at least one game decided by a single score. And in that game one or other side of the ball will have to step up and win it at the end. Until this offense shows me it can come through in those spots in the postseason I will be fearful of them failing there. 

[SectionC3]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I wouldn't frame it as "Josh has to be better" I'm not sure that is a fair interpretation. But "the offense has to be better" in those situations is absolutely undeniable in my view. The fantasy that if the defense just plays a bit better we will march through the playoffs winning 31-20 or similar is just that in my view - a fantasy. Somewhere along the line we will play at least one game decided by a single score. And in that game one or other side of the ball will have to step up and win it at the end. Until this offense shows me it can come through in those spots in the postseason I will be fearful of them failing there. 

A fair point.  Kincaid drop, Cook fumble, etc.  But I'll push back a bit.  When was the last time the defense won us a playoff game?  The shutout in Pittsburgh?  It seems like every year under McDermott we get into these slogs where style of play hurts us (too slow, in my view, and self-limiting possessions) or we just turn into a sieve at crunch time (13 seconds, Denver, I think fits there as well).  So the offense *definitely* has to be better in tough times.  But the defense could help a bit, too, and I think that's why the change had to be made.  

[Mr Wild]

1 hour ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

 

I would say it was 2021-22 with 13 seconds was our best chance.  Arguably our most complete roster.

[GunnerBill]

Just now, SectionC3 said:

A fair point.  Kincaid drop, Cook fumble, etc.  But I'll push back a bit.  When was the last time the defense won us a playoff game?  The shutout in Pittsburgh?  It seems like every year under McDermott we get into these slogs where style of play hurts us (too slow, in my view, and self-limiting possessions) or we just turn into a sieve at crunch time (13 seconds, Denver, I think fits there as well).  So the offense *definitely* has to be better in tough times.  But the defense could help a bit, too, and I think that's why the change had to be made.  

 

Nobody is disputing the defense hasn't been good enough in the post season losses. That is unquestionably true and is a big part in why the change was made. 

 

But you HAVE to be able to win in the clutch at some point in the post season. The last time the O came through in the clutch like that was the 13 second game. It's had chances since and not got it done. And I will say again.... just saying "well the D plays better we never end up in those clutch scenarios" is to my mind a fantasy that is unlikely to come true. 

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

1 hour ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Everyone wants to sing Josh’s praise but nobody wants to hold him accountable. Last 3 playoff losses he’s had the ball in his hands on the final drive with a chance to win the game. He’s 0-3.

 

Last year was probably our best chance to get to the dance and he goes out there and commits 4 turnovers vs Denver. Fast forward to now…they got him a WR, they fired the coach, they changed the defense. What’s else does he need? He's the best QB in the game. Love Josh but now it’s time to put up or shut up for the whole organization. 

Josh Allen is the reason the bills have been contenders for the last 7 years. He’s almost single handedly turned an entire franchise around. He’s in no way at fault for anything when it comes to playoff losses. He has not only not been a problem, he’s been great. He’s the best thing to ever happen to this organization and without him we’d still be floundering. No. The problem was identified.