mjt328

As the season progresses, it becomes more clear which players are holding a team back. The ones who keep making critical mistakes at crucial times. In all three of the Bills losses, it can be argued that Gabe Davis cost us big with drops... and Isaiah McKenzie cost us big with mental mistakes.

It's long past time for Isaiah McKenzie to take a seat, and let Khalil Shakir get some snaps. To be a good starting slot receiver in 2022, a player needs to: - Be shifty in small space, with the ability to get open with quick moves. - Be very reliable with his hands. - Have a instinct for getting a few extra YAC on third down. Cole Beasley had all three of these traits. Shakir has shown flashes of all three. McKenzie has some quick burst speed, but isn't a great route-runner, struggles to make difficult catches, and tries to avoid contact. He does have some usable skills with the right offensive coordinator. A creative play caller who can find 3-4 effective plays for a speedy gadget guy. That OC doesn't appear to be Ken Dorsey, who is struggling with much simpler stuff.

The two main jobs of a WR are to: a) Get open b) Catch the ball If Davis can't be relied upon to catch the ball, then having him on the team is pointless. Any #2 who can simply catch the ball would be an upgrade. We can't afford to have a guy constantly killing drives. Put in Khalil Shakir or Tanner Gentry, or sign a guy off the street. Run the ball more. And I'm someone who was pumping up Davis in the offseason, expecting him to go off this year. (And no, I don't gamble or play fantasy football). Hopefully he turns things around quick, because he's one of the guys killing our season.

His yardage stats are very misleading, because he's been totally boom or bust. For every big play he makes, he's also dropping a catchable ball. He had another one on Sunday that killed a promising drive (settled for a field goal), and almost blew an onside kick. As someone else mentioned, he dropped what should have been a touchdown against Miami (we lost by two points). He dropped a bomb on the final play against the Jets (would have put us in field goal range in a game we lost by three points). And if the refs called for a booth review, they would have taken away his sideline catch against the Vikings (on the drive that sent us to overtime). All of the criticism directed his way has been totally justified.

I'm an old timer (been watching since the late 1980s), and that's probably why I feel so much urgency to win this year. I've seen how quickly the championship window closes in the NFL, and how few chances most teams actually get. This year we are watching the sun set on a few great/really good QBs. Aaron Rodgers had one Super Bowl win. Russell Wilson the same. Matt Ryan had one appearance. The idea that we have another 10-15 years ahead of us with elite Josh Allen is probably wishful thinking. I really hate to say it. But history is not on our side. Look at the careers of QBs who play his style (Cam Newton, Michael Vick, Steve Young). Those guys really had 7-8 years of high-level play, and then fell off a cliff. It's easy to say Allen will just adapt to becoming a pocket passer. But we really don't know for sure. Everyone thought Russell Wilson was an elite passer, until he stopped using his legs. There is a really good chance the defense takes a significant step back in 2023, due to free agency and the salary cap. The Bills really need to seal the deal with this group.

To be fair, most of us came into the season expecting the Bills to win the Super Bowl. THIS YEAR. Anything less is going to be considered a massive disappointment and utter failure of a season. Regardless of injuries or adversity. Looking inferior to the team who has eliminated us two straight seasons SHOULD upset fans, and sound warning bells. Just one month ago (at the bye), we were in the driver's seat for the #1 seed in the AFC. Just defeated the Chiefs in Arrowhead. Boasted the best record in the conference AND had tiebreakers over every other division winner. In the course of only three games, the Bills managed to lose control of the #1 seed AND their own division. The AFC East still seems winnable, since we still have another game against Miami. But homefield in the playoffs already looks long-gone. Most of us aren't upset because we honestly feel the Bills stink or that they will miss the playoffs. Most of us are upset, because this team is repeating the same pattern as in 2021. Bad luck. Blowing winnable games. Losing to inferior teams. Letting homefield slip away. And it all culminating in another crushing playoff defeat in Kansas City.

The Bills had a few questions going into the season (just like every team in the NFL). Especially on offense. Most of us didn't worry too much, because they all seemed like easy lay-ups. But just like typical Bills luck, almost every gamble we made on that side of the ball has totally backfired: Could Ken Dorsey step into the offensive coordinator role, and replace Brian Daboll? Since Dorsey had been on the staff for three seasons, and was handpicked by Josh Allen, most of us figured he would be fine. Maybe even an upgrade. If things got rough, all he needed to do was pull formations/plays from last season. Things looked good for a 2-3 games, and has been horribly inconsistent ever since. Our Red Zone performance is embarrassing. Could Gabe Davis take over the #2 receiver role? After two seasons of stellar play off the bench, and absolutely torching the Chiefs in the playoffs, many of us saw him as our version of "Reggie Wayne" or Torry Holt" in a record-breaking scoring attack. Instead, Davis has struggled badly with drops. Last week, the Vikings said he can only run three routes and is easy to defend. Could someone step into the slot role and replace Cole Beasley's production? Another slam-dunk, right? Beasley played hurt most of last season, and his head/heart didn't seem to be in it anymore. Jameson Crowder was a somewhat proven vet. Khalil Shakir was a promising rookie. And Isaiah McKenzie beat them both in training camp. At least one should work out. Crowder got hurt. McKenzie is good for one dumb mistake per game. And Shakir is invisible. Could the return of Aaron Kromer and addition of Rodger Saffold help upgrade the O-Line, and give us a strong pivot with the running game? For the most part, the answer has been no (hopefully Sunday was a positive sign). This team only seems to have consistency running with Allen, or when the defense is expecting the pass. Yes. The additions to our D-Line have been great, and we have two very promising rookies at cornerback. But that improvement has been totally offset by injuries. Micah Hyde gone for the season after Week 2. Tre White still not back after 10 games. Almost every starter has missed at least 1-2 games, if not more. This season has been especially frustrating to watch... when you consider the Kansas City Chiefs traded away one of their best players and haven't missed him in the slightest.

I see a lot of smart@$$ comments, about how the Bills still rank high statistically in offense. The problem is, we ran up the stats big in Week 1-2 and then against Pittsburgh with two really big passing plays. Things have been trending down very quickly since that point, especially in the Red Zone. Starting in Week 3 (against the Dolphins), the offense has been very spotty and only played good for 1-2 quarters per game. They either start strong and fade after halftime, or start really flat and need to catch-up. With all the injuries on defense, the Bills can't afford to take multiple weeks to "figure things out" on the offensive side too. If we don't fix things quickly, this season is going to spiral out of control, and this team will be in serious danger of missing the playoffs.

Hate to say it, but our chances at the #1 seed are probably gone at this point. Kansas City will probably lose another game. But then again, so will the Bills. And I still wouldn't count out teams like the Titans, Ravens or Dolphins. Winning the AFC East is going to be a real challenge.

If you really think about it, those AFL Championships (1964 and 1965) are almost an extension of this franchise's ridiculous bad luck. The Bills were a very dominant football team those two seasons... which of course were right before the league's merged and the Super Bowl was created (in 1966). Had the Super Bowl been invented only 1-2 years earlier, we are the ones facing off against the Packers and quite possibly pulling off the legendary upset that made Joe Namath famous a few years later. By 1966, the Bills weren't quite as good. They got upset by Kansas City (who was easily defeated by Green Bay in Super Bowl I). Buffalo continued to stink for the next several years, and didn't even win another division title until 1980. Today, the NFL doesn't even recognize championships won before the Super Bowl era. I think all teams have heartbreaking losses on their resume. What sets Buffalo apart are the unbelievable collapses, which defy the laws of mathematical probability, and no sane person could ever believe actually occurred without witnessing it. Until Sunday, what are the chances that a team could make a 4th-Down Goal Line stand with a minute left on the clock... then fumble the snap on a QB sneak, while attempting to run out the clock? Probably .0000000001 in a million. But here we are.

Wow. Probably the most respect I've ever had for Tom Brady. Good for him being honest with Antonio Brown, and trying to make him aware of his self-destructive behavior. You have to wonder how many "friends" in Brown's circle refuse to tell him the truth. Not surprised that Brown lacks any self-awareness about his own antics, and thinks making this public will paint Brady in a bad light.

I'm definitely not a superstitious person. But I do believe the mental aspect of sports is hugely underrated. Players know the history of the franchise they are playing for. Everyone in the locker room is fully aware of how the Bills always seem to choke away games in the most unbelievable ways. If there is a 1/100 chance something bad can happen to a team, you know it will happen to us. - Wide Right - Four Straight Super Bowl Losses - Music City Miracle - Monday Night vs. Dallas (allowing 8 points in 17 seconds) - Hail Murray - 13 Seconds - QB Sneak Fumble Touchdown There is a cloud hanging over this team, and it's been there for well over 30 years. And it will remain there unless the Bills defy expectations and somehow win a Super Bowl.

The Bills will do enough over the next 8 games to make people optimistic going into the playoffs. Maybe that will be winning out. Maybe it will be only losing 1-2 down the stretch. Who knows. That's when the rug gets pulled out, just like it always does. Kansas City bounces them for the third season in a row? Another miraculous/heartbreaking defeat in the last seconds, like we always seem to do? How about we get to the Super Bowl and lose to Tom Brady? What could be more Buffalo Bills than that?

The great success of Brandon Beane/Sean McDermott is how well they are connected, and always seem to be working on the same page. However, it's starting to become (very) apparent this is ONLY true on the defensive side of the ball. Why did we give Dawson Knox a big extension, and then completely stop using him? Why did we draft James Cook and Khalil Shakir, then make no effort to get either involved in the offense? Why did we trade for Nyheim Hines and then not use him either? The offensive side of the ball is a mess. It's Josh Allen forcing the ball to Stefon Diggs, and then nothing.

If the problem is mental, then you can probably forget him ever getting back to playing at an All-Pro level.

The Bills running game ONLY works when: 1. The defense is expecting the pass, and we catch them off guard 2. Quarterback scrambles and designed runs When our O-Line is asked to block head-up on a handoff and our RB needs to get 3-4 yards, we get stuffed. Every. Single. Time. This offense looks nice and pretty on paper, because of all the big highlight plays. But it's absolutely terrible in short yardage (because the defense is expecting the run in those situations), and in the Red Zone (where the field has been condensed). It also makes it difficult to run the clock out with a lead, because again... the defense is expecting more runs. I honestly believe that Ken Dorsey WANTS to run more, but gives up easily (especially late in games) because it's forcing him into 3rd-longs and killing drives. At the same time, our QB sees that we are struggling to score and feels the pressure to put the team on his back. He's also bought the media hype that he can literally do anything. So he's trying to force passes into places he's got no business, and in the process is throwing the game away.

Been watching this team for 30+ years. The Buffalo Bills always find the most inexplicable ways to lose football games. They have been dealing with normal football adversity since Week 3 and the injury bug started hitting. This is not adversity. Either this franchise is truly cursed... or we have a locker room full of players who have lost their mental confidence, and know they are going to choke the game away.

I would like to blame it on the injuries. But games like yesterday have become the hallmark of a Sean McDermott/Leslie Frazier defense. Sure, they can beat-up on all the crappy QBs. They have no problem capitalizing with sacks/turnovers when the opponent is playing from behind, and desperate to push the ball downfield. At the end of the season, they can boast about another Top 5 ranking. Hooray. It's all just fools gold. Their run defense is awful again. They continue to get blown off the line, and miss tackles. They had yet another mental mistake on 3rd/4th and a mile, somehow failing AGAIN to knock the ball to the ground. And before anyone praises them for the 4th down stop at the end... the refs missed them having 12 men on the field.

Josh Allen has become one of the premier faces of the NFL, and one of the highest paid Quarterbacks in the NFL. He's on numerous commercials, and even has a weekly segment with a national football show. He gets all the adoration and praise from the world when he's playing well. Mr. MVP. So he can sit back and take the venom that comes when he's playing like trash. And that's exactly what he's doing right now. How many "wake up calls" does Allen and this team need to learn from? This is the second week in a row that he's given a winnable game away with stupid turnovers. It was only Green Bay's stupidity and ineptitude that it's not three in a row, because believe me... if the Packers had been throwing during the third quarter, they would have absolutely come back and won. The debate over Allen vs. Mahomes needs to stop, because it's not even remotely close right now. Allen is basically a mix of Jameis Winston and Lamar Jackson. Good for big stats and fun highlights, but doesn't have what it takes to be a champion.

The question isn't about beating a crap team like the Browns. Who. Gives. A. $#!+. The question is whether this pathetic franchise is going to finally win a Super Bowl at some point, or just continue to be a ridiculous embarrassment to their loyal fans. There is no team in the history of sports with a history of hyping up their fans and then choking it away like the Buffalo Bills. Wide Right. Losing Four Straight Super Bowls. The Music City Miracle. The Hail Murray. 13 Seconds. Whatever the F you call yesterday, fumbling on the 1 yard line Things were easier to swallow when this team was bad. Most of our embarrassments weren't on national tv. You could pretty much relax and start looking to next season by Thanksgiving. There was nothing to get our hopes way up, and then crush them. The expectations for this team are going to be just as heartbreaking as the 90s. Trust me, I lived through them. This defense is a paper tiger that looks good in the stat column, but crumbles in the big moments. The offense is a two-man show, and Josh Allen makes too many dumb mistakes to carry this team through an entire postseason (3-4 straight games against strong opponents). And when push comes to shove, this team will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS find inexplicable ways to lose football games. The only thing you can count on.

I know that people are reading this thread as nothing but "negative" fans complaining, but it's a very legitimate discussion. I've seen many comments about us resting players to make sure we are more healthy for the postseason. But I think it's very short-sighted to just assume we are going to coast through the rest of our schedule at 75% effort and make the playoffs. This team could easily drop from the #1 seed to the outside looking in, even before our Thanksgiving game.

It's not just Josh Allen. It's also Jordan Poyer, Tremaine Edmunds, Greg Rousseau and Kaiir Elam that aren't expected to play. We aren't sure if they Tre White is able to come back yet, or what condition he will be in. Not to mention a half dozen other guys who are pretty banged up like Matt Milano, Dane Jackson, etc. The Vikings aren't a pushover in the slightest. The Bills have strong depth, and have been dealing with injuries all season long. At some point though, I'm afraid this is going to start overwhelming us and become a 2021 Baltimore Ravens situation. That team was 6-2 at one point (like us) and in control of the #1 seed in the AFC. They were 8-3 going into December, and then dropped their last six games to miss the playoffs.

Both of Josh Allen's interceptions were thrown directly to defenders, with no chance of being completed. The Jets defense showed very little pressure, and the scheme really had nothing to do with either play. Just awful decisions by the quarterback which cost us the game. Both of Gabe Davis' drops came with good coverage. But they were both still plays that should have been made, including the final pass of the game that should have put us into field goal range. The defensive scheme also had nothing to do with horrible call that negated Tremaine Edmunds INT, the missed field goal by Tyler Bass or the poor tackling that resulted in multiple first downs and extended drives.

Gabe Davis by far. I thought he was going to step into the "Reggie Wayne" #2 roll on a high-flying pass attack. The guy is pretty much a deep touchdown catch or a horrible drop. Nothing in between. He hasn't even been a factor in the red zone this year, which is baffling. Isaiah McKenzie was always a wildcard. I figured he was going to be a backup to Jamison Crowder, and was surprised when he won the job in training camp. The injury to Crowder was a much bigger problem than most would have guessed. I don't understand why Khalil Shakir hasn't taken the job yet. Dawson Knox is a total mystery to me. He signs a big extension, then completely disappears from the offense. It's not like he's dropping passes. We clearly need an underneath threat, but he's just not doing anything at all. Davis also dropped a touchdown pass against Miami. If he catches that deep ball on Sunday, we are in field goal position and have a legitimate chance to win the game. So it's not a real stretch to say Davis played a significant role in both of our losses. He's been a huge disappointment this season, and the main reason OBJ has gone from a luxury signing to a must.

This defensive staff has accomplished way more than either of those DCs ever did. Just looking at points per game (the only stat that really matters), our defense is still #1 in the entire NFL. They were also #1 overall last season. I agree that our coaches seem stubborn, and unwilling to adjust. But when you step back and look at the overall results, maybe it's our expectations that are out of whack. The Bills defense hasn't allowed over 21 points yet in a single game. Does it really matter if they allow some big runs, if they are holding the opponent out of the endzone? Our offense is clearly a bigger issue. Our MVP quarterback leads the NFL in turnovers, and scoring has been inconsistent since Week 2. When the offense is hitting on all cylinders, we can blow the opponent out of the stadium. But I would give-up all those blowouts for an offense that could just consistently put up 25. We have only done that in half of our games.