GaryPinC

Yep, except we will see a risky passing game downfield if the game situation calls for it. Ball control offense and open it up as needed. My worry is if Josh is only drinking and dunking his accuracy and timing may be off for those few downfield throws.

Yep, but this isn't supposed to happen with McDermott's rotational system. I hope he seriously reevaluates it after the season.

I picture all this being truer when Daboll was here and a huge influence on young Josh. McD was too risk averse and didn't see eyeball to eyeball with Daboll and Josh stubbornly clung to hero ball which Dabs rolled with. Is McDermott chummy with any of the players on the team? While he'll high five and support, he seems to maintain a coach-player separation. He's no Dan Campbell to be sure. Lastly, look how much Josh has bought into and emulated McDermott's philosophy. "One game at a time", etc. They say the same things at their press conferences. By his maturity of play-style and philosophy, Josh has bought fully into McDermott's philosophy. I would bet their relationship has grown and is just fine now.

Uh, hello? They just made snow angels together. Sometimes love is a late bloomer.

Creativity when things aren't working, making rapid adjustments, not just at the half. Exploiting what is working before leaning on what you think should work. Stunts, delayed blitzes if our D-line isn't effective, staying aggressive on offense late to maintain possession, no prevent D too early. Coaching in the moment and two steps ahead for smart clock management. No problems with the wrong number of men on the field for special teams. Our defense prepared and lined up in time for hurry up offense. Baltimore is a great team and victory cannot be presumed because it's going to take some luck. In short our coaches need to keep pushing for momentum and putting our players in good positions to make plays. I can absolve McD if Baltimore just happens to make enough plays to win when our guys were in position to stop them. I don't want to hear "we'll learn from this" if we lose. There's nothing to be learned 8 years in that shouldn't have already.

First off, let me say I don't want McDermott fired at the end of the season. He's earned at least one more year. He simply needs to show more of the continuous improvement he preaches. He is the head coach 8 years in. He needs to tweak the details to get us over the hump. 13 seconds was completely his fault. He took two timeouts to control that situation and failed with the prevent. He's improved since then, but then you have Allen's failed goal line scramble in the Rams game this year. He's got to know better, and plan better in that situation. It's these little details that make a difference in the playoffs. He needs to have the pressure on him to grow in this way. We only have so many years with Josh. Regarding a change, you can look to the Cleveland Cavaliers who made the tough decision to fire their coach last year (who went to Detroit) and keep the roster intact. Their new coach has taken them to a higher level and old coach has really improved Detroit. Both coaches are being mentioned for coach of the year. If you make the right change it can work. One thing's for sure with me. I don't want to watch this team remain futile in the playoffs. What if Marv had fired Walt Corey after the Washington superbowl and brought in a strong, established replacement?

Always gotta sweat for a game as big as this one but the Bucks are playing the way they are supposed to and I think they will take control of this game at the latest third quarter. ND is strong but just doesn't have enough talent.

Surreal connection for me, Dr. Spock died in 1998 and Dr. Robert Needlman edits/writes and oversees new editions of Spock's books. Only reason this matters is Dr. Needlman works at my hospital and I took my son to see him a few times. One of his residents mentioned the connection, I thought it was cool. 😎 I never did ask him how he got the gig though! https://www.metrohealth.org/physician/robert-needlman-105577 https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Robert-Needlman/18496734

I think the next three possible games will be pretty evenly matched. Coaching, and some luck are needed. McDermott's done many, many things right and for me he needs to more creative and intelligently aggressive in the playoffs. And I think he's starting to realize this. D line did a good job, we didn't retreat into a pure prevent defense and we stayed aggressive late in the game to keep momentum. Keeping momentum is key. Someone on Denver's D mentioned the Bills O did a great job of confusing them because of changing their zone blocking schemes frequently. Great stuff, and what I want to hear. McD in his PC mentioned making defensive adjustments at halftime but before halftime whenever possible. As long as he keeps coaching this way I think he gets at least another year before considering a change.

Honestly, I felt like they purposefully did that against the Broncos and will do it throughout the playoffs to protect their D. Eat up the clock on offense, they're good enough and Josh is smart enough. If a team get us out of that, I'll know it's trouble.

This seems most likely, based on body language and Josh. I can't see a ref going over to simply warn/scold Josh about his behavior, body language would be different. Josh didn't want to fully discuss the exchange because he's too intelligent and classy, he only took accountability for his failures. The ref coming over to say "hey, we did miss the call but you can't treat us like that again" seems most likely. Maybe an apology but I doubt it because none was needed. It's part of the game.

Yes, but this is a re-tear several months later. I am not a doctor but I've got to believe the 4-6 month window will be significantly longer. That's also assuming Watson will want to work hard to get back ASAP.

It is brutal, Bills fans have nothing to complain about by comparison. I've lived in Cleveland since the early 90's and it's crazy what they've had to endure. Start with the team leaving and that being known since the beginning of their last season. Then repeated cycles of ineptitude punctuated by the Hue Jackson years: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jan/05/cleveland-browns-fans-finally-get-a-parade-only-one-they-never-hoped-for Then you could see the talent coming together. 2020 they were getting close to having a winning culture and Haslam mucked it all up a year later. Nothing compares to our teams from the Superbowl years but in 2020 the Browns were akin to the 87 or 88 Bills. Imagine if Ralph decided to get rid of Kelly and invest heavily in a tainted QB. Closest thing I can come up with. That and CLE never had anything akin to the Fitzmagic years to ease the suffering. My heart definitely goes out to them. They aren't much different than Bills fans.

I'm ok with the 12, despite some lopsided games. There's always going to be subjectivity in the rankings and finally, FINALlY they just play it out. No more excuses about how a team lost because they were too beat up by their superior conference coming in. Shut up and go home! I think the non-playoff bowl games will grow because they'll still be money makers and I predict the bottom or bottom two seeds will eventually become early bowl play-in games.

Don't put it on the players for that stupid game plan. Congrats to the Bucks. I think they just won the toughest game they'll play this playoffs. Love their crazy good goal line D!