BigBuff423

In the past I (and probably many others) would say having all of that Draft capital and FA money is great - but it doesn't amount to a hill of beans unless you actually produce something with it. Today, as I review this team and the TOTAL roster make over that has occurred in just two short seasons (we're in the third before someone pipes up) is simply incredible. With Beane at the helm and his FO staff and the people he's put in place to scout and get information along with McD and a clear synergy of vision between the two that translates to coaches and players, for the first time in more than two decades it feels like this team really IS going places and those assets will be realized into verifiable game production. Beane has been good to great so far as has McD when you think about how he took this team and made the playoffs the first year, re-tooled after an ugly second year, and now with still most of the games left, looks good to be making big strides forward. If it all continues, not only will this team change but the DNA of the franchise and the actual brand culture will be drastically altered as well.

According to NFL Draft Diamonds, Browns are beginning to listen to offers for Odell Beckham Jr. https://www.sportsgossip.com/browns-are-reportedly-listening-to-trade-offers-from-multiple-teams-for-odell-beckham/ I don’t l know that I would change the WR room drastically at this point. I think Bills need Offensive Line and LB help. But, fwiw... Edit: Mods I didn’t see any threads with this info, if I missed it - apologize and delete at as you will, thanks.

I know there it is tempting to try and win against Miami with a plain / simple / "vanilla" Offense, but the concern I have is two-fold: 1. NFL - Any Given Sunday: any NFL team can beat another, it's why despite horrible teams only ONE has gone 0-16 2. Divisional Game: no reason to think you can play soft and win a Divisional game. In addition to these two reasons, I think it is hard to not regain the killer instinct in young players when they pull the hand off the throat a bit. Great teams go in with great game plans and hold nothing back and if they throttle the team, so be it. But think of what Miami did to NE last year. NE rolled in to town and thought they would just keep rolling over the Fins and on a wild play at the end, walked out with the giant L. My point being, this game and every game should be treated like the Super Bowl. You bring the beast and unleash its power and you never....let....up until the clock is at 0 and the W is in the books. Killer instincts, no mercy and then you game plan for Philly. Just my opinion, but this team has shown me too many times over the last 20 years: waltz in and get cute, and your backside will look like shredded cheese when it's over. Go Bills!

What excites me most about Josh Allen, is his growth. He has demonstrated measurable growth from year one to year two and as CBS pointed out on Sunday (and others) he just finished his 16th game. In the same vein of thought, he continues to improve and he continues to show progression in certain areas. Sunday was an example of how you could see him fighting his instincts to run too often or run going head first and you can see when he threw the ball into the ground he hated it, but I think he knows it's about a strategic loss of the battle (play) in order to win the war (game / season). Allen's physical traits coming in were just - "Wow!" - but it was his maturity and insatiable pursuit to be better that made me believe the kid could be great. Now, we see some of that unfolding. Honestly, I feel like this is a 3 year journey: Raw / Terrible Decision - to Game Manager / Bursts of Wow - to top 5 QB for career. I see the Bills taking a methodical approach to his development by telling him this year the Defense is amazing, manage the game, make some throws, move the ball - but learn to harness your talent and use your mind. Then, with experience and maturity, along with better players around him, next year we see the realization of his full potential. The rest of this season remains to be seen, but you know who that career arc reminds me of? Big Ben. Great D and HOF RB, make some throws, manage the game and allow the game to mature you. Not just because of his size or arm, but because of how it seems Allen is showing his maturation. It needs to continue, but all promising looking toward the future as he grows.

Some of us are old enough to remember the 2001 absolute destruction Nate Clements leveled on Tom Brady in the Buffalo Bills home game and others have seen it posted ad nauseum this week on YouTube, Twitter, etc. And while much of the criticism surrounding the hit yesterday was either about how dirty the hit was and how it if it was Brady then it would have had a different result OR how Josh can't keep taking the beating and needs to be smarter about how he handles himself in the game. Both are valid and I won't argue the merits of those as it's done in multiple other places on this board. But, what I did want to take a moment to think about is the possibility that Josh Allen does with this hit what Brady did with Clements' hit in 2001: learn from it. Brady was running down the sidelines and trying to make a play in a game where New England led 6-3 in the 3rd Quarter with over 9 minutes left. Josh Allen's hit came just after starting the 4th Quarter. Josh was trying to convert a 3rd and 8 and Brady a 3rd and 17. There are parallels here but the one I hope happens is after this Brady got the message: get the ball out fast one way or the other and take it to the next play. Brady was not great his first few years, he relied on a great Defense and a solid running game. Sound familiar? Brady had to learn to trust the other parts around him and survive to fight another play. Josh is supremely more gifted than Brady in terms of athleticism and arm strength, but Josh needs to remember his greatest strength comes between his ears no matter how far he can throw the ball. How many times did Brady throw it away yesterday? He had a bad day for any QB but especially for Brady but they still won. Josh, that's the point. You don't need to be great or perfect, but you do NEED to be smart and actually IN the game in order to make a difference. From yesterday as a result of his play the Bills got the first down, but they lost the game. THAT, right there, is the point. You play to win the war (game) not the battle (play). I'm hoping this terrible and atrociously dirty hit on Josh (unlike Nate when it was legal) turns his head and he now understands why the emphasis is on getting rid of the ball on time, staying in the pocket, learning to take a loss of down vs. a total loss like an unnecessary hit or sack or throwing off your back foot for an INT. He MUST learn this now if he or the Bills have any chance at success this year or in the coming years. Hopefully the parallels don't stop just with avoiding hits, but translate to wins and production. Brady changed after that hit - unfortunately for the better - and I'm hoping Allen does as well. He's a terrific kid, perfect fit for Buffalo, but if he doesn't heed caution - it will all be for naught. GoBills!

I wish the optimist in me could see the Bills getting a win this weekend, but I don't think that happens. As for all the media pundits expressing their confidence in the Pats' win, there's just no way to justify that they shouldn't. Until the Bills can win consistently AND prove they can beat the Patriots, I don't blame a single person for doubting it. That said, if the Defense shows out, then the Bills are in this game no matter what. I think I'm MORE concerned with the Pats Defense holding the Bills Offense than I am the Bills Defense holding the Pats Offense. Brady will Brady....but I could see the Bills' D keeping the score low while giving up yards.

According to Banged Up Bills Twitter feed, they said it was the same knee from 2015.

I find a cosmic irony in the fact the day the Buffalo Bills honor Pancho Villa and is so tied directly to Phillips, is the same day he goes down for the year. I don't know what universal meaning is embedded in this irony, but it strikes me as odd. Phillips was on his way to showing great growth and I was excited to see how he could take Kyle Williams' mantle for the middle of the Bills D-Line, but every team deals with serious injuries every year now. So, next man up and prayers for full recovery and strength to Phillips (disclaimer: I am concerned it's the same knee from several years ago, that doesn't bode well IMO). Best wishes Harry!

I also think it’s something as simple as you get better at what you practice. We all know the focus was on short and intermediate throws b/c deep ball game is rare in the NFL. With that, I’m sure he’s a bit out of practice because he’s not doing it much. Furthermore he got better with the long balls as the season went on last year, because he kept throwing it - I’ll take what he’s done so far and when he connects on the long ball and he will eventually, it will open things up even more. I will also say - Bills need to use the running game more. When they do, it’s proven successful. They just need to use it earlier and more often.

Sometimes, we fans are our own worst enemies...to the folks saying that "you can't have it both ways" when referring to the meh percentage completion to what would be an acceptable NFL level completion rate. It was never that 52% didn't matter, or that last year his accuracy was not where anyone on this board wanted it to be - it's that everything happens in context. His poor completion percentage in college has been covered ad nauseum on this board and elsewhere, but obviously the Offensive line in college and then the level of receivers capable of catching his passes played a role. He was raw (still is in many ways) and last year, I don't know a SINGLE person that was a Bills fan or media professional that thought the receivers they had last year was anything worth calling a starting caliber set of WRs. Zay was in his second year, Benjamin was a joke and bust, and Foster came out of nowhere to be Allen's best target mainly because of his speed and separation. Add to the total disarray of the Bills' Offensive Line with two unforeseen retirements and a GM dead-locked committed to fixing the Cap mess, and you have a recipe for utter disaster. Given all of the above, it is AMAZING to me that Allen took the strides he took at the end of last season. His final four games were a sight to behold as we watched this raw, young Rookie begin to take leaps forward. Now, this year committed money and assets to the line and to the WR position, as well as a TE we've not yet seen in Kroft, plus a young RB and you have real growth from Josh Allen. You can see his maturity as he scans the field, you can see putting more touch on the ball, you can see him making reads - and you can see him getting protection from his line while getting separation in his receivers all of which lead to his completion percentage going up. The argument from many folks was that no matter how good the circle of receivers you put around him, no matter how well you protect him, he just didn't have the tools to be an NFL accurate QB. It's only two games, so while I'm not ready to say he's definitively answered his detractors permanently, I think we can see how the things most of us saw he needed is making a difference. As well as his work ethic and dedication to take coaching seriously and make the adjustments and changes. We'll see how the rest of the season goes, but I said it last week: their first half of football last week will be the Offense's worst half in terms of mistakes and poor production. Offensive line chemistry and game speed with receivers takes a little time. I think the Offense keeps getting better for a few more games. JMO

Cannot understate the importance of chemistry on the Offensive Line and with Morse not playing a snap in Pre-Season, I think the first half will be their worst half of Offensive football all year. I think the Offense keeps getting better each week for several weeks - many new parts. Not just Ford.

So, when the Pats* do it for almost the entirety of Brady's career, it's genius and creative, when the Bills second year QB does it because the coaching staff is DRILLING him into knowing when to take the easy 5 yards and NOT toss a 100 yard bomb that's intercepted, *that's* just poor QB play.....riiiiiight, got it.

I'm fine with trading Shady, mainly due to the great talent and early signs of real promise from Singletary as well as Gore and Yeldon holding down the backfield. But Zay is in his 3rd year, had a crappy QB to throw him the ball plus he was injured his entire Rookie season with a torn labrum and then had a piss-poor Offensive line to protect a Rookie QB. Zay had a really great final quarter last year when, you guessed it, Allen started to put together his season and his arrow was pointing directly up. Give Zay this year where I think he won't be asked to be the focal point, Offensive line should be better to give Allen more time, and he's fully healthy. Three really important things, not to mention continuity with a progressing young QB, to any WR's development. This should be a year where you see Zay have a great complimentary role as a #2-ish. There is no real #1 which is why I put the -ish on it. Beasley will hold the slot most of the time, Brown will be the primary outside target, and Zay will be able to find those open holes between the two. IF, big if, it all goes according to plan and the line and Allen stay healthy.

I think Josh Allen WILL run less and I think he SHOULD run less. Last year's rushing attempts and yards was a direct result of two things: 1. Rookie learning new Offense and how to adjust to Defenses while standing in the pocket to pass 2. Because he HAD to run given the lack of protection in front of him. I think this year Josh will start to use his running and athletic ability much more situationally - i.e. designed runs, and to scramble to find an extra second to pass - much the way Rodgers and Russ Wilson do. I am NOT comparing him, don't put words in my mouth, I'm only saying I think given his development (as it seems much discussed thus far) as well as an improved Offensive line, we'll see him use his running ability along those lines more so than last year's use of his legs. JMO

RE: the bolded portion - I completely disagree with this perspective. Primarily because that's a WR's job - to go across the field and make the catch. Now, I don't blame Zay for dropping it in terms of being bent out of shape about it, but I absolutely think Josh put the ball where it needed to be. It was a middle of the field throw through traffic right at the goal line, and it's the WR's job to make that catch, absorb the hit and hold the ball. If this were a wide open field and he "led" the receiver into a hit, then I can agree. But in the Red Zone and trying to fit that ball right at the goal line with no open field in front of the receiver, this is what a QB does. Has the league become so squishy that it can't even acknowledge that WRs make catches in the middle of the field with the threat of getting hit and then getting hit? What's next? A QB has to walk the ball to the WR and tap on the rear and tell him go slowly toward the end zone? For the rest of it, I can't say I agree except where Josh was rusty and made some early game jitter mistakes, but I think he really started to get into a nice groove before he left the game. Also, it was Ed's first game going against one of the best O-linemen in the NFL and Cosell says he struggled against double-teams....you don't say? Tempered expectations from me for Ed, and I don't expect him to be this game changing force right out of the gate, but to say Ed didn't have a solid to promising debut, would be failing to take the whole situation into context, IMO. All of the other thoughts seem "safe" to me....not much insight and just about anything one of us paying attention could articulate.

Look, for those who have made some comments about Beane and his questionable decision-making in signing Morse, keep in mind the recent history of the Buffalo Bills. More specifically, in years past the fan base has lit the FO up for not taking chances on supremely talented and qualified players and then he does, and now some folks want to grab their pitchforks and torches. First, we don't know yet what is really happening until the season starts. Second, I'll give Beane credit for going out and signing the ONE guy who was head and shoulders above the rest at his position and was THE position of truest need for Allen to develop. He swung for the fences and threw some caution to the wind to do it. Most of us have been tired of the Jauron-esque super anxious, safe approach to signing players, but now Beane has gone about trying to sign the the *right* players at the *right* time. Beane took his chance, so I give him credit for making every effort to address the position and we'll see how it works out.

I'm not a Ducasse fan at all, but objectively I'll say Joe B. did a deeper dive into Ducasse's play last year and found him to be one of the better points on the line. Actually, the last two years which I think has more to do with assignments than anything else. That said, it's wonderful to see that last year's starting G / C can't hold the jock of the guys projected to start this year. Talent upgrade and superior production is believed to be on the horizon. Last night's glimpse was encouraging, but we do need to see consistency and get Morse out there to build the chemistry before we start comparing them to Dallas and Indy as terrific O-line units.

Obviously, nobody knows but the Bills Coaching staff right now, so you may be right. I just think the way this coaching staff and FO plan things out, they see Singletary as the guy they're grooming to take Shady's spot, but with Shady and Gore manning the two-headed monster and Yeldon being the receiving weapon I think they want on 3rd down, it would seem prudent to have Singletary take a 4th row seat. Again, who knows?

Given the type of RB room the Bills have right now, I don't think it's too prudent to cut Yeldon. He proved last year with Fournette out with injuries just how productive he can truly become. Yeldon is absolutely the cushion against age and wear and tear on the two at the top of the RB pile. The one who I think sees less time is Singletary this year. I think he gets a share here and there, but I think they're running him a bunch now so that when the season starts, they don't have to for him to learn the Offense and continue to grow. If all 3 stay healthy, I think he and Yeldon split the "also-ran" duties of the RB chart.

To piggy-back on the Thurman parallel (NOT saying you were implying or that I am, that Singletary will be like Thurman), but Thurman wasn't a blazer. He didn't have the straight line speed. He and Emmitt Smith (sadly enough) were similar in that they got you the 5 yards, shimmy and get 12 or 15, and then just keep getting small chunks and fall forward for an extra yard. Honestly, as fans we've become so enamored with the "big play" we've forgotten how football was won for decades. It's the moderate chunk plays that so often dictate a good game Offensively, not so much the 70 yard TD. Something I hope Allen is learning and IMHO, it's something Singletary does well. He bounces and shifts and gets 5, 7 yards but won't string out a Defense and turn the corner for 50. That's perfectly ok if he keeps the moderate chunks coming. It also means he's not speed dependent and in the Red Zone, you don't have 20 yards to use speed, you get a few small feet to shimmy, shift, and wiggle through the pack over the line. Again, Thurman-esque. So, let's see - but I'm not concerned with his Combine speed.

IMHO, great leadership begins with humility. It takes a humble person to openly ask for constructive criticism and genuinely intend to use that criticism to improve and then be accountable for how that insight was used to get better. If all of this is accurate and sincere, McD and his coaches will continue to show why he was deemed one of the top up-and-coming coaches by the committee who researches these things for the NFL owners. Proof is in the pudding....but I think over the next two years, this pudding is going to taste fantastic. As long Cosby isn't anywhere near Camp.

If I remember correctly he held the bench press record for a few years at 52, I think? Sad....it goes to show a strong, young person does not mean they're not susceptible to these types of injuries or harm. Wish his family nothing but peace and strength during their time of bereavement.

Your condescending attitude is noted. Additionally, I’m not the one who made wide-sweeping statements as I quoted you, be more upset that you attempted to demonstrate a knowledge base you don’t have and accept that your intent is to denigrate a coach and FO who don’t do the things you think they should or the way you think they should, despite a first year of inexplicable success. That said, continue ramming away at an argument only you seem to be having as I’m done with this nonsense. Enjoy your Sunday.

I appreciate your perspective and I have no issue with saying it took luck and some key timing to get them into the playoffs - and be happy with the result. My response was to the statement when the poster said “good luck” finding a team who made it into the playoffs with worse stats. To wit; my link to the article from a few years ago that ranked 25 teams who statistically were pretty bad to “meh” and made the playoffs. It was my way of saying, “They weren’t great, they were just ‘good enough’” and that not giving McD credit for breaking the drought with that team, is unjustified while giving him too much credit to the point of an extension isn’t logical either.

To your point, here's an entire list of other teams, many of which were worse than the Bills were in 2017, that made the playoffs (pay attention to the last one): https://bleacherreport.com/articles/958403-the-25-worst-playoff-teams-in-nfl-history#slide25 You can now let this sleeping dog lie, or you can keep poking at something where we can agree to disagree.