Bill Murray

Hadn’t thought about a pass rusher really until reading all the comments in this thread (genreally have been rooting for OL the whole time) but I think I now agree if we can take a rush DL we absolutely shouldn’t hesitate. Looking at mocks right now, seems Bosa, J Allen, and Q Williams are quarenteed to be gone. Now it could get interesting.. the QBs always ascend up the board later in the process so after those 3, if we get 2QBs taken ahead of us, plus maybe Greedy Williams and one of the OTs (J Williams, Ford, or Taylor), we could end up with one of: Clelin Ferrell, DE Ed Oliver, DT Reshan Gary, DE/DT Jeffry Simmons, DT Jachai Polite, DE Christian Wilkins, DT Montez Sweat, DE all projected in the top 15 or 20 in various mocks

Would i do this? Yes. Would the Raiders do this? I think unlikely.

I just want the pats to make it to the game, and then in the lead up, a low level pats assistant gets caught taping the other teams walkthrough in a way that gets out on Twitter before the league covers it up. Now THAT would be popcorn worthy TV.

i think the Jags are quickly climbing up that list. a gritty playoff game followed by an all out brawl. as good a choice as any for us. im hoping for us to develop a nice browns rivalry for years to come with baker and allen going toe to toe. that would be fun.

To be fair to the "there is a Carolina pipeline" narrative people, there have been a lot of players with connections: Tolbert Benjamin Star Kaelin Clay Joe Webb Derek Anderson Leonard Johnson Dean Marlowe Newhouse (traded to Carolina from Buffalo) Now i dont think it matters and think Beane and McD are doing a great job, but to say its a false narrative is understating the connection by an equal amount as people saying they only hire Carolina people and its weak. Both sides are far from reality https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article173506866.html https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/9/17669920/buffalo-bills-are-loaded-with-former-carolina-panthers-sean-mcdermott-brandon-beane-kelvin-benjamin https://www.catscratchreader.com/2018/3/30/17177796/are-the-nfl-carolina-panthers-buffalo-bills-in-a-committed-long-term-relationship http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24796233/marshall-newhouse-traded-carolina-panthers-buffalo-bills

No brainer

For the people debating the value of Shaq’s ability to block passes at the line vs sack the QB, I would submit that the NFL passing game has evolved in a way that should significantly increase the value of DL pass blockers. Quick slants, WR moving pick plays, etc are the new norm of passing offenses. These plays are extremely difficult, if not impossible for the DB to defend (boarderline but rarely called offensive pass-interference) and the ball comes out so quickly a sack is nearly impossible to achieve. These plays are called frequently on important downs such as 3rd downs and near the goal line. Also slants and other quick strikes frequently turn into huge plays (Tyreek Hill for example). On WR moving pick plays (Patriots run them all the time) outside of the QB/WR making a mistake, the only surfire way to defend these plays is to bat the ball down at the line. Shaq has found a niche for this and should improve on as his experience and awareness grows. This is not to say that sacks aren’t the more impactful of the two... just don’t discount the increased importance of pass defense within 3 to 5 yds of the line of scrimmage given how passing games have evolved.

Remember when Rex Ryan sucked and then we hired him immediately following his firing? And remember when we then fired him before he completed his second season? Good times.

if i remember correctly, Gruden loved Mariota coming out of school when he was doing his Gruden QB segments for ESPN or whoever. Maybe the Raiders go from one brutal QB deal to another...

completely agree. i think to the original comment, there is close to zero chance he goes #1 overall to the cardinals, but easily someone could trade up so #1 and take him #1 overall... Cards would probably LOVE to trade down as well and retool, so might even trade out of #1 for a discount IMO

I thot it was dumb...then looked at his IG account and it is curious, I must say. Antonio Brown??? Lol.

McD can’t win bc of the overall record and the QB descisions early on, although I like how he keeps the team playing hard even after they are out of it. Milano, Hughes, and White were all great, but I think Allen was the only Bill that changed the game when he was in there vs when he wasn’t. T Edmunds prob was best non-QB player down the stretch post the bye.

What would you do on the pass rush points? I think Shaq Lawson has come on strong and definitely should remain as starter opposite Hughes...so need a sort of rush OLB type? Would you mix in more 3-4 using Lawson, Star, and JH in 3 fronts and then bring in Harry Phillips for 4 fronts to play the penetrating DT role Kyle played? Given this draft is so D heavy thats maybe where we go? (i want OL, in partic the guy from alabama if he is there)

I’m as pumped for Levi Wallace and his future as anyone on here, but you’re not being fair. PFF grade ppl on % positive plays without taking into account the volume of plays or who they were playing. Ward was their CB#1 playing almost every down against the other teams top WRs. Levi worked into the game in situational circumstances. Most the time it was an almost certain passing down, and was rarely against a genuine #1 WR bc Tre almost always covered the true #1s. He didn’t even play the first 9 games of the year. So, Levi is promising for sure, but did not have a better year than Ward, who won AFC ROTW for 2 of the first 5 weeks of the season, and played as their #1 CB all year.

Also keep in mind the tons of drops his WRs had. A number of third and longs were dropped over the back 6 weeks. Clay dropped a 40 yard TD at the end of the first Miami game. i think his numbers don’t really tell the story. He is a playmaker. If he gets surrounded by some more playmakers, this offense could be electric.

as a fan of the league, the one thing that is AMAZING is that between Mayfield, Darnold, Allen, Jackson, and then throw in Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, all these QBs are in the AFC. Years and years to come of marquee QB matchups reminiscent of Kelly, Marino, Elway, Moon, Kosar, Esiason etc. Unfortunately for us Bills fans, it makes the road to the super bowl more difficult for years to come, but at least should be a treat to watch.

i hope all the "pocket passer purists" do not discount the importance of this. There are a number of reasons our run game was so much more powerful the past few years (scheme, better OL, younger shady), but one major reason i believe it was better then, and less so now, was the threat of the read run-option w TT at QB. Misdirection in the run game kept a LB spy home on most downs and allowed us to match numbers of all defenders with blockers. The major downside of TT was inability to push the ball down the field credibly, which eventually allowed the safeties to drop down and tipped the numbers back towards the defense. with JA, you now have not only the rushing threat, but also a credible passing threat, and a medium and long range one at that. Most JAs runs have been impromtu on breakdowns thus far, but i think going forward there should be a lot more called read-option and designed QB runs. This will benefit the normal running game greatly in keeping LBs honest on their assignments and not being able to overload pursuit. Lastly, if that is coupled w JA pushing the ball down the field (in particular taking shots on first downs), it will keep the secondary back. With a combination of these elements, i think the Bills could have a supremely balanced offense and really could be the embodiment of complementary football on offense.

While I agree w you that he is a slot, facing another team’s top corner is no excuse for the dropped passes that hit him in the hands and numbers. He has shown improvement this year, but from a very low base. Must become more consistent. Given how he has played so far, I would say his ceiling is Stevie Johnson (can get open and make some plays, drops too many passes, including clutch ones that are catchable). Edit: just reread your comment, I think we are in agreement.

100% agree... in the Miami game, CONSECUTIVE 3rd down conversions were wiped out on offensive penalties. It’s a fools errand to quantify all the drops and offensive penalties on “what would have been” huge plays and so “what would have been”better stat lines. Bottom line is the kid has the stuff and as the team around him gets better, his numbers will also get better. Right now the stats are misleading and also largely irrelevant...

should have cut him at halftime!!

TAKE THE FIELD!!!

i agree with this post. If we lose the other games in a similar way to yesterday, but beat NE in NE, i think that is the best go-forward scenario for the remainder of the season. Would absolutely LOVE to see Allen throw it all over NE and out-shoot Brady.

i said that at the time... the play where Allen got taken down by the neck & helmet almost ripped off...if it happened to Brady the defender would have been ejected from the game.

disagree. his pass to demarco out of the backfield had both great touch and anticipation. he is a rookie, but that pass shows its something he needs to improve consistency on, not its something he cant do

eff it, trade 2019 and 2020 1st and 2nd round picks and get both of them. They will provide much needed depth behind our young superstars Robert Foster and Isaiah McKenzie