[Mini rebuild. Why is anyone that surprised?]

The situation was apparent in March.  Too many departures, too many aging players, too little cap space.  And then Milano, Johnson, Bernard all out.  Geez.

 

I remain convinced the Bills can and should win the AFCE again, but it was never realistic to expect more this year.  

 

Look around the league.  With few exceptions (KC for instance) even the top teams take dips in some seasons, and often they rebound with more excellent seasons.  I think what has Bills fans petrified is our history, that after we get good, we don't dip and come back, we dip and then sink, for a decade or more. The Bills were strong with Lou Saban v.1, then fell apart for six or seven years, got better with Lou Saban v.2, then fell apart for over a decade until Chuck Knox, then fell apart for a decade until Marv Levy, then fell apart for a generation before McD.  To be a Bills fan is to know the abyss is always just around the corner.  I simply don't believe we're in that situation right now.  I think the strong core of the team remains, and added pieces next offseason plus maturity from Cole Bishop on the back end will right things.  

[Are we figured out already? The issues as I see them]

I think the key losses in the offseason were the two safeties -- who were both too old and slow anyway, so it was necessary to move on from them -- and Mitch Morse, who was NOT old and slow and was playing very well.  What Morse did and what McGovern isn't doing is calling the blocking assignments to pick up the packages that defenses are throwing at us.  Josh is running for his life almost every play.  Against the Texans, he had a clean pocket once, when the Texans rushed four and didn't do anything exotic, and Josh hit Coleman for a TD.  And that was the last time the Texans did THAT.  They immediately got back to the stunts and twists, and the Bills just aren't blocking them.  Maybe the Bills need to go 21 or 22, to keep a solid pass blocker in the backfield, and that's probably got to be Gilliam, who's more stout than any of the three RBs.  

 

As for the safeties, Poyer and Hyde did magic, year after year.  Smart, aggressive, fast -- both were terrific players.  NOT easily or quickly replaced.  Hamlin is not the guy.  He was too slow before he died and he isn't faster now.  Bishop is making mistakes, which hurt but come on, he's a rookie learning a complicated system when most of the defensive playmakers are gone.  

12 hours ago, Bangarang said:

 

Our salary cap situation isn't much better next year either.

 

13 hours ago, Old Coot said:

I agree with the posters who say that our WRs are mediocre but remember that we were in Cap jail this off season. We didn't have the money to sign any top free agent WRs.

 

This leads me to a question for our salary cap gurus: How did we come to be in Cap jail?  Where is our salary cap tied up? Of course there's the cap hit we took from trading Diggs and Josh's monster deal but where is our money tied up beyond that?

The Bills took several shots at the bargain bin in WR FA, overpaying for them (Curtis Samuel, OMG, Valdez-Scantling, oh crap).  They're overpaying Bass (who might have us all quaking every time he lines up, but he's actually been doing well).

[Joe Brady...what have you done?]

6 hours ago, Nihilarian said:

to our gunslinger?

 

Zero interceptions so far this season!  Yes, Brett Favre leads the NFL in interceptions over his career...he also has an SB win and 3x MVPs. Favre wouldn't be Favre playing like Trent Edwards or Tyrod Taylor! 

 

Josh Allen 9 completions, and 30 attempts for 131 passing yards. 29 targets against the Texans. Even Dalton Kincade had 6 targets with 2 receptions.

Against the Ravens 16 of 29 for 180 yards passing a QBR of 28.4. 

 

Give us back our gunslinger! Go back and watch what Brian Dabol's game plans looked like throwing the ball. Do you want to run to set up the pass? Well, then throw the darn ball more often. Playaction works. 

Well if it makes you feel better Josh could very easily have three or four picks this year.  A couple of LBs and DBs have had INTs in their hands and have dropped them.  Josh IS trying to do more and more, probably too much, to overcome the deficiencies of the roster.

[The Bills are fine]

With all the departures and losses and the aging of former core players, and no cap money to spend, and a few lousy purchases in FA, the Bills simply don't have a team good enough for the SB this year.  The outlook for this year was always, just see if we can win the division, just to keep the streak going, and then in 2025 and 26 when there's more money available, then make the run. 

 

So it's going to be a rocky year, with a lot more excitement than we're used to.  Fortunately the AFCE is incredibly weak so the Bills should be able to win the division again.  

3 hours ago, 27yankees said:

O'Line needs to get nasty and keep Josh clean, last two games he's been running for his life and unlike previous games he is finding it difficult to find any open receivers

Opposing defenses are focused on taking away Cook and Kincaid, and without Shakir no one else can get open.  

 

The O line problems -- what the hell is going on?  is it pass protection schemes, individual mistakes, or what?

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Isn't that intentional grounding?

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

OK, the Bills are doing better now that I've stopped posting.  C-ya.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Some people here would say Coleman must still be running, he's so slow. 

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Well, Coleman kept the ball in the wrong hand, so let's not get too excited.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Well.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

No reason to go on fourth down.  Not making plays.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

3 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Play action deep ball to MVS on first down

Seems like that's not allowed.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, White Linen said:

Let's draft the WR that makes everyone laugh in the interview and seems like he'll be everyone's best friend.

Coleman will be a great WR2 for years to come.  He's not equipped to be a WR1.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, finn said:

Really? I didn't know that. 

Yeah, that's part of the new kickoff rules.  

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, HappyDays said:

 

What do you mean we don't know? It was a pass and Coleman was run blocking.

What I mean is, it could be a play change wasn't communicated.  

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, finn said:

Now--I swear to god--an onside kick. The only way we win this thing. 

Not allowed until the fourth quarter.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

This is too big for him.

Maybe, or maybe Josh made the mistake.  We won't know.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

The Kincaid completion came against four man rush.  The Texans won't do that again.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Elam not on the field because Benford is better.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

2 minutes ago, TFBillsfan said:

Again we blew a 2nd round pick on Bishop? Not even close to being ready to contribute. 
 

And we can’t find a way to get Elam on the field?

I think Bishop will work out fine.  Keep in mind his partner is Hamlin.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, DapperCam said:

I’m kind of wondering if this is the drive they call like 7 Allen designed runs.

Two things can be true at the same time, or at least on the same drive.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Check on what the dolphins fans think of poyer haha he’s been substantially worse than our terrible safeties which almost isn’t even humanly possible 

I guess I mean, we need our old safeties from 2022.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, balln said:

That down was lost bc they played 15-20 yaeds off giving them an easy 12 yard wr screen

But they held the Texans to a FG!  Big win!!  Not.

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, Draconator said:

At least the Jets lost and we're in first no matter what

What the Jets do is more important than what the Bills do.  

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

Just now, dma0034 said:

Bills need new Safeties

Maybe they need our old safeties...

[10/6/2024 - Bills at Texans 2nd half game thread.]

No Collins or Ward playing against us and we still can't do anything.