st pete gogolak

Yes, exactly!!! You couldn’t just kick it to the end zone, give them the ball on the 25, and play Charmin soft defense with 15 - 29 yard cushions. They would have trotted Butker out to try a 60 yarder and he would have had a decent chance to make it (he did the following year under similar circumstances). That means that they needed 32 yards in two plays with the whole field in play. Hardly insurmountable. Instead they went all the way to the 32. Even if we were up by four, they would have had a shot at the end zone without a Hail Mary. Face it. They were petrified of Hill and it looked like they were playing for a tie.

Bit off-topic but speaking of Dawson Knox, did we scout him before we drafted him? Just saying because two of his college teammates drafted the same year were AJ Brown and DJ Metcalf. Did any of our scouts say, “hey, these two other guys are pretty good. Maybe we should draft one if they are available in the second round.”

Please. They aren’t losing the equivalent of Diggs, Davis, Morse, White, Hyde and Poyer this offseason. Next year’s schedule is fairly favorable (hardest games are at home), they are bringing a record setting offense back pretty much intact (including the OC), they have specific needs on defense (DL and DB’s), at least some space under the cap (which was not true last season) and a ton of draft picks, including three in the first two rounds. Next year’s team will be better than this year’s team. Whether that translates to a better finish we’ll have to wait and see.

Your analysis of the four SB’s is spot on. Agree 100%. Realistically, how could you fire a HC that has taken his team to four straight SB’s. PR nightmare. On the other hand, they fired a GM who had put together a team that had made three straight SB’s. Even though Washington and Dallas had stronger teams, our performance in those three games was pathetic. Eleven (11!) turnovers in one game! Just thought after the four that Levy would never win a Super Bowl with the Bills.

Spots have been crappy all year long. One of literally a thousand examples. Week before against Ravens near the end of the game. Josh is tackled at the one. For some reason unbeknownst to anyone, it’s spotted at the two. If it was spotted at the one, maybe tush push TD and no late game theatrics and no onside kick and no Benford concusssion.

2020, Bills in AFCC. Josh's third season. He is right on schedule. Bills got beat twice by the Chiefs, handily in each game. No shame in that. Chiefs were defending champs and clearly the better team. 2021. Josh has perhaps the best two game stretch in NFL playoff history. A win against the Chiefs totally breaks the narrative. Breaks Chiefs consecutive AFCC appearance streak, breaks Reid and Mahones myth of invincibility as to the Bills in the playoffs, gives Josh a second straight AFCC and a shot at a Super Bowl appearance and perhaps a Super Bowl win (in hindsight, Super Bowl appearance was far from given. Bengals went into KC and beat the Chiefs and we now know how much trouble the Bengals give us. Although with the way Josh was playing, it would have been hard to bet against the Bills.) We've seen what has happened the last three years. Two more brutal heart-breaking losses to the Chiefs. This nightmare won't end without a victory against the Chiefs in the playoffs or a Super Bowl appearance. I'm old enough to remember the four SB losses. I would have been 100% in favor of moving on from Marv Levy because it was crystal clear we weren't going to win a Super Bowl under Levy. Is the same true for McDermott? I would be against that because I wouldn't trust Pegula to make the right call on a replacement (see Rex Ryan, 14 years of total dysfunction running the Sabres). I would favor going outside the Bills' comfort zone in hiring a DC. I think we desperately need a fresh look at our D. Finally, I remain optimistic about the next couple years. Next year's team will be better than this year's team. Jim Kelly didn't play in a Super Bowl until he was 30. But next year is going to be crucial. I think it will be our best shot to win it all and Beane should move heaven and earth to make it happen.

If anyone suggests more of a move to 4 - 3, the response is always "you can't take Taron off the field". Fair enough. But I don't want to take Milano, Bernard or Williams off the field. I do want us to move towards more 4 - 3 but I want Taron on the field as well. I don't see any reason why Taron can't slide to FS. I'd like to see Bishop starting at SS. When we go five DB's, Taron slides back to slot and Rapp comes in as second safety. Lewis is fourth safety. I don't see Douglas coming back. Benford, assuming he's ok, is solid on one side. If you can't trade Elam for anything worthwhile, do you save on cap by cutting him? If not, might as well let him complete for a spot on the other side with Ingram and a draft pick. If none of that works out, you're probably looking at a mid-season trade for a CB. I'd like to see Hardy get some time at slot. If we add some talent up front, the foregoing should at least be serviceable.

They were 2 - 5 the week before against the Texans.

During the 2024 season, the Chiefs were 22nd in the league in red zone efficiency (53.95%). In two games against the Bills, Chiefs were 100% (6 for 6). Brutal.

It's fun to do the "what ifs' understanding that there isn't a single NFL GM who doesn't whiff on draft picks. But it's fun to daydream. What if we picked Humphrey and jumped the Chiefs for McDuffie? Are we winning Super Bowls? 2019 draft. We desperately needed a DT. Wilkins, Simmons and Lawrence were picked after Oliver. Any one of them would have been a huge upgrade. How about Metcalf or AJ Brown instead of Ford in round 2 that year. If we pick Brown, do we trade for Diggs? If we don't trade for Diggs, does Jefferson fall in our laps? If Jefferson is gone, do we pick Tee Higgins? Can you imagine Allen throwing to Brown and Jefferson? Mind-boggling.

Oh, so now Worthy is a "great" player? LOL.

i'll put this in the form of a question(s), since I'm not sure what the right answer is on a lot of this. Offense - remarkably few decisions to make in the offseason. OL and QB are set. Sign Hollins and Ty Johnson? Yes, if the money is right. Sign Cooper? Probably not. If no, find a decent boundary WR in FA and draft some for some speed outside. Trade Kincaid or Knox? For whatever reason, team never really seemed to run a lot of plays out of two TE formations. Preferred extra OL or three wide set. That's about it on the offensive side. Defense - tons of questions. First, do we stick to a base 4 - 2 - 5 or move more to a 4 -3? It won't happen but do we have personnel to run a 3 -4? Up front, Miller's gone, Rousseau, Oliver, Carter, AJ and Solomon are back. To me, Rousseau would be a prototype 3 - 4 DE. Could Oliver play role of a DE in a 3 - 4? Would need to draft NT early. Even if we stay with 4 - 2 or 4 - 3, need to draft some heft up front. Probably draft a DE early. LB's - Milano - Bernard - Williams in a 4 -3. Solomon plays rush LB in a 3 - 4. Backups Andresson and U. DB's - Benford (hope he is ok), Elam (I know, I know but might as well have him play out the contract), Ingram, draft pick, Bishop SS; can Taron needs to be on the field, can he play boundary CB or FS? Move to nickel when needed? Rapp. This year was the best Bills team with Josh. Next year's team will be better. To me, the biggest issue is a change in defensive philosophy. We simply must be more aggressive overall and more aggressive going after the QB.

Should have done everything in their power to resign Barkley and franchise Jones. Winning a playoff game was the worst thing that could have happened to the Giants.

“Relentlessly targeted”. Hilarious. He can be called for false start or not being on the LOS 50% of the time. Actually being called once a game is hardly being targeted.

So the most handsy defensive backfield in the NFL goes another playoff game with zero DPI, illegal contact or defensive holding calls. (Sorry if I missed anything.). I’m curious how many times they’ve been called for any of those penalties during their current run.

Agree 100%. Bills should have went for two at the end. “We’re winning this thing right now!” should have been the attitude. Unbelievably, had they gone for two and made it, the defense was so soft, KC would have had a decent chance to score a TD at the end (made it to the Bills’ 30 yard line in two plays).

Denver’s defensive metrics this year were on the whole better than Baltimore, significantly better in most regards, more sacks, #3 in rush defense (Ravens #1), much, much better in pass defense. Ravens are very good but they certainly beatable.

Yeah, but what is Burrow’s Corsi?

I don't think you did. If a politician won an election with 60% of the vote it would be considered a landslide. Sixty percent is significant.

I loved the play the Commanders ran a couple of times Sunday night. Daniels fakes a handoff (on an RPO?) and throws a slant to a wide open McLaurin. Would love to see us run that, especially if Shakir is on the receiving end.

I agree with most of this but NOT at safety. In 2021, Hyde and Poyer were far from washed. In fact, Hyde’s interception in the New England playoff game was one of the greatest Bills defensive plays of all time.

I don’t think Bowles is going to move.

That’s sure what it looks like.

Still don’t get what’s up with Cooper. Thought they were somewhat keeping him under wraps until the playoffs. Is he going be under wraps until the Divisional Round? AFCC? Super Bowl? Honestly thought he would see a lot of targets today. Note: not complaining, just curious.

Man, McConkey is good. I know we didn’t need a slot receiver but it would be sweet having on the Bills.