mjt328

The Bills were a much better team from top to bottom. Better running back. Better receivers. Better O-Line. Better defense. Jim Kelly wasn't the best Quarterback in the NFL during those years, but we had the offense to win a shoot-out with anyone. Our Achilles heel was against teams with big/strong offensive lines and really good running backs. At the time, most of those teams were in the NFC. And we always seemed to play them in the Super Bowl.

Exactly what I was going to say. We are averaging 4.2 yards per carry. That is more than 1 yard per carry less than in 2016 (we averaged 5.3 ypc) and a half-yard less than in 2015 (4.8 ypc). Dennison's blocking scheme changes made this rushing offense worse. No doubt about it.

The team didn't show up for the Jets game. Effort was suspect. Afterwards, they were whining about the short week. It was pathetic and embarrassing to watch. That was the game which should haunt the players throughout the offseason. You never take a game off, and I don't think they gave it a full effort. It's hard to say what the Chargers game would have looked like if our Quarterback hadn't thrown 5 interceptions. The rest of the team had no chance. That was the game which should haunt Sean McDermott. Everyone questioned his timing with us in the midst of a playoff race. Now that game may cost us the playoffs.

He's a fantastic complimentary pass rusher. But he's not good enough to carry the defensive line and create consistent pressure by himself. A few years ago, teams had to account for Mario Williams on the other side (before he quit on us). They had to stop Marcel Dareus from coming up the middle (before he quit on us). It's fair to question if Kyle Williams has lost a step this year too. He's not as quick off the ball as we are used to seeing (which is the quality that makes him special). Our D-Line has fallen off a lot since Jim Schwartz was in town.

Unfortunately, that loss against the Jets is going to cost us. The Bills are not good enough to beat the Patriots. The best we can hope for is a 9-7 record, which then puts us at the mercy of tie-breakers. Baltimore has two easy games. Maybe they drop one, but not both. Very likely they end up with a better record, or hold a tie-breaker over us. Tennessee has two tough games, but will they lose both? That would put them on a 4 game losing streak to end the season. I don't see this happening either. San Diego already has seven losses, but their last two games are easy. For sure they have the head-to-head matchup against us. I think someone explained our playoff chances like this: - We finish 10-6 (unlikely) or we finish 9-7 plus.... - San Diego loses 1 more, and either Baltimore or Tennessee loses 2 - Tennessee beats Los Angeles, but loses to Jacksonville, creating a three-way tie

When does it actually touch the ground?

Ball moved. But did it hit the ground? Not one replay showed the ball hitting the ground. Ask the replay official if he saw the ball hit the ground, and I guarantee he says no. There is supposed to be undisputed evidence to overturn a call on the field. But the refs decided to overthink it. The refs are the worst part of the NFL, and have been for a long time. The league thinks controversies like this are gold. But they ruined the premier game they have been hyping for months.

Too many scenarios to consider right now. But I can guarantee you that any losses by the Patriots, Titans, Ravens or Chargers going forward would be a good thing.

My biggest concern isn't draft positioning. My biggest concern is the Bills front office being able to identify a franchise QB and then develop him. I know that technically Doug Whaley was still in charge. But Sean McDermott was in the building when we passed on Deshaun Watson. And that's with nobody in the room (Whaley or McDermott) sold on Tyrod Taylor as our future. Guys like Derek Carr and Dak Prescott have been slipping through the cracks in recent years. We don't need a Top 10 pick to land our guy. We need smart people running our team.

Even if a person isn't going to jail, getting falsely accused can completely ruin their life. The accused person's reputation becomes sexual predator. They can get fired (just because the company doesn't want to be associated with the charge), and then have trouble getting another job. Imagine what this can do to a person's marriage. You act like proving innocence is always simple. If a woman says "This person touched me inappropriately at work when nobody was watching," then how can you prove it was a lie? It's one person's word versus another. I agree that multiple accusations can (sometimes) lend additional credibility. But not always. When it comes to celebrities, most of these cases result in settlements (because it's easier than fighting the bad press) and the first accusation often signals that an individual is an easy target. Believing these things about politicians is almost always hard to swallow. Especially when they conveniently seem to happen around election time.

I'm against sexual harassment/assault just as much as anyone. But at some point, doesn't there need to be at least some proof about all these allegations going around? New claims against celebrities/politicians suddenly seem to be coming every few days now, but virtually none of them have evidence. Most have happened so long ago that proper investigations can't even be done. Yet if a victim makes a claim, it's pretty much believed without question. The accused loses their reputation, their job, their marriage, etc., without a fair trial even taking place. Honestly, it's a scary place for society to go. Guilty until proven innocent. Especially when the definition of harassment is getting broader almost daily.

Disagree on your first point. The NFL has been about the quarterback first for a very long time. Over the last 30 Super Bowls, the following 5 quarterbacks have accounted for 23 of the AFC appearances: John Elway, Jim Kelly, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady The Patriots issue is bigger than almost anyone considers though. If it wasn't for never making the playoffs in 17 years, the Bills are roughly in the same boat as several other AFC teams. Have teams like the Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Raiders been THAT much better over the last 15-20 years? Not really. And without doing the math, I would bet the Bills have a better overall winning record than a good chunk of those teams during the drought. Not very many teams have been true Super Bowl contenders over the last two decades. What sets us apart is the drought, and the Patriots are a good reason why we can't get that extra 1-2 wins each season and push ourselves into a wild card spot.

Investing high dollars or high draft picks in wide receivers is mostly a waste. You need to have the Quarterback first. New England has consistently featured a high-powered passing game. Outside of 1-2 years with Randy Moss and this year adding Brandin Cooks, they have invested almost nothing in their receiver corps. It's all about Tom Brady. You could literally put anyone on that offense, and they will still be Top 10 in scoring. Look at the guys who have surrounded Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning etc. through their careers -- then look what happens when those players go to a lesser Quarterback in free agency. Most of the time, they disappear and are never heard from again. Calvin Johnson was probably the most talented receiver to play in the NFL in the past 10 years. He retired and the Detroit Lions offense doesn't even miss him. In fact, I can't think of a single offense in the NFL where a Wide Receiver carries the team. Even the great Jerry Rice always played with strong QBs during his career. Would he have been so great playing with a bad QB his whole career, instead of Joe Montana, Steve Young and Rich Gannon? Doubt it. Draft a Quarterback who can see the field quickly, then deliver accurate throws into tight windows... suddenly the Bills will have a strong group of receivers.

The continuous turnover of coaches has been disastrous for this franchise. Keeping Doug Marrone would have allowed us to keep Jim Schwartz. Which would have erased the Rex Ryan scheme change, and stopped the wasted draft picks of Shaq Lawson, Reggie Ragland, Adolphus Washington, etc. It probably would have kept Mario Williams and Marcel Dareus motivated. I have no doubts our defense would have played 10x better if the coaching change hadn't been made. The offense is harder to determine. Marrone hated EJ Manuel, so it's likely we would have brought someone else in as starter. Probably not Tyrod Taylor though, because he was a Ryan recommendation. Would we still have traded for Lesean McCoy? Would we have still signed Charles Clay? So many questions that can't be answered here.

It's all about coaching. We have never been able to match up with Bill Belichick, and probably never will. The Bills offense had a nice first drive. Then Belichick and the defense adjusted, and we didn't do anything for the next 50 minutes. That interception sucked, but I don't believe it would have made a difference in the end. The Bills defense kept the Pats in check for the first half. Then Belichick and the offense adjusted at halftime. We let up 14 points on their first two drives in the 3rd Quarter. And just like that, it was over. It's not good enough to have a good plan coming into the game. To beat the Pats, you have to constantly be adjusting and finding ways to keep them off balance. Belichick is the master of football's "chess game" and is 3-4 steps ahead of almost every other coach in the NFL. It's already pretty clear that Sean McDermott is nothing special. He thinks he can defeat the Patriot Way by creating a culture change at One Bills Drive, and copying what worked for him in Carolina. Just another glorified coordinator, who is in way over his head.

I don't see McDermott going for Baker Mayfield. It's already been established how important he considers character. Mayfield already has an arrest, and the whole crotch-grabbing incident against Kansas this year. Maybe he's not getting busted for drugs or beating his girlfriend, but those actions are going to weight heavily against him.

New England is tied for dead-last in rushing defense (4.9 yards per attempt). The Bills need to attack them on the ground relentlessly. If we can't gain yardage in the run game this week, Rick Dennison should be fired on Monday. Once we start moving on the ground, use play action to push the ball downfield. The coaching staff needs to have the mentality of scoring 25+. Just avoiding turnovers will not suffice this week. On defense, the strategy is always the same against Tom Brady (but difficult to actually accomplish). Get pressure with a 4-man rush, especially in his face. Since our DTs are struggling with Marcel Dareus, I would recommend a lot of stunts and moving around to cause confusion. On the back-end, you have to mix up coverage packages. Don't let Brady know what is coming before the snap. Don't cover Rob Gronkowski with a single linebacker. Be prepared for the short stuff (slot receivers and running backs), and don't miss tackles. In my opinion, the offense could put up some points this week. But the defense matches up poorly.

Patrick Mahomes was taken with the #10 pick in the draft. He is expected to be a franchise quarterback. The whole purpose for Kansas City trading up to get him, was because many believed Alex Smith was holding back a potential Super Bowl contender from getting over the hump. And despite a red-hot start to the season, Smith has settled back into his expected role over the last 2 months. The Chiefs are struggling badly, mostly due to his missed throws. At this point, Andy Reid and the Chiefs can't just be content with a playoff spot. Their window is closing and they should be gunning for a championship. Nathan Peterman was taken in the 5th Round. Very few people outside of Buffalo actually believe Peterman will become a starter in the NFL. Most believe his ceiling is a good backup. And even though Tyrod Taylor was struggling badly at times this year, it's hard to call him the biggest reason for the Bills slide -- when the defense is letting up 40+ weekly and doesn't force a punt for nearly 2 full games. On top of that, the Bills were in prime position to break a 17-year playoff drought. While the ultimate goal should certainly be higher, I think it's vital for the morale of this team and city to just make the postseason.

Honestly, it's probably going to take awhile. One of the big problems with what Bean/McDermott have done to the roster... is they traded away young talent in order to rebuild. Guys like Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Marcel Dareus and Reggie Ragland were supposed to be the foundation of this team's future. Some of the solid young pieces remaining like Shaq Lawson and John Miller are questionable scheme fits, and may need to be replaced for that reason alone. The best players we have left are closing in (or have already passed) 30 years old, and are nearing the end of their contracts. The way I see it, the following positions are huge holes RIGHT NOW and need an immediate upgrade: Quarterback, Right Guard, Right Tackle, Defensive Tackle, (All Three) Linebacker Spots That comes to SEVEN holes that need to be filled in the starting lineup. That is more than enough to handle in a single (2018) offseason, even with multiple high draft picks and plenty of cap space. Then consider that Jordan Matthews, Kyle Williams and EJ Gaines are free agents, who will need to be re-signed or replaced. That bumps the number to TEN starting spots. Ouch. But it gets worse. LeSean McCoy turns 30 years old next year. His dead cap hit drops to $5.2 million in 2018, then to $2.6 million in 2019, and he is a free agent in 2020. It's unlikely he will be around for when this team is ready to compete again. Ritchie Incognito turns 35 next year. His dead cap hit in 2018 is $1.15 million, and he is a free agent in 2019. The team needs to start thinking about replacing him as well, because the age cliff is approaching fast. Based on contracts and age, I anticipate we will keep Charles Clay, Cordy Glenn, Eric Wood and Jerry Hughes for another year (maybe). But all of them have easy contract outs in 2019, and they are all creeping up in age. None of them have solid roster footing moving forward. From what I can see, this team has only a few solid/young pieces to build on. Kelvin Benjamin, Tre'Davius White, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer. Then we can hope that Zay Jones, Dion Dawkins, Matt Milano and Shaq Lawson develop into good players. But that is pretty much it.

1. It can't just be offensive coordinators "figuring us out." This team literally went from one of the NFL's elite during the first 6-7 games, to historically bad over the last 3 weeks. I'm a big believer in strategy and game planning. But things don't flip THAT much by simply spotting tendencies on film. 2. It can't just be the loss of Marcel Dareus decreasing our talent on the D-Line. For starters, Dareus wasn't playing a high percentage of snaps. And most of the writers who study All-22 replays will quickly tell you that Dareus wasn't even playing well. 3. It can't just be the lack of turnovers. Although the interceptions and fumbles were HUGE boosts for helping us win those close games, it doesn't explain why our defense can't even make teams punt anymore. 4. The idea they are "tired" because the offense isn't playing well (too many 3-outs) is absolutely ridiculous. Against the Jets, Saints and Chargers, this defense has been getting gashed from the opening drive. Fatigue may be an excuse in the 4th quarter. But the Bills defense has already let up 35+ by that point. From a fan watching from his television... I see a team that WAS aggressive and flying to the ball early in the season, but is now jogging and half-a$$ing it. I see a team that WAS showing fantastic tackling technique and gang tackling opponents, but now uses arm tackles and poor technique. I see a team that WAS quick off the snap, but is now getting blown off the ball. To me, these are all very clear signs of a team that has quit. In my opinion, the REAL question isn't what happened (it's obvious from watching us play every Sunday). The REAL question is why they quit. Why did a team that was 5-2 and in full control of a playoff spot, decided to throw in the towel on a 1st-Year coach? Did something happen behind the scenes that hasn't been reported? Part of me wonders if the trade of Dareus did something to the morale of this team. Unlike the Sammy Watkins/Ronald Darby trades, which actually netted high draft picks and starting caliber players in return, the Dareus trade was nothing more than a mid-season salary dump. You have to wonder if that particular trade sent a message to the other veterans. You could also question how the trade for Kelvin Benjamin was viewed in the locker room. Here you have a coach that preaches family, but seems to want everyone from the "old guard" gone and jumps at the chance to bring in guys from his old team.

Quite simply. Quarterback is not the same as every other position. And any coach who treats them the same is a fool. The starting Quarterback is the on-field leader, and easily the most important position on the entire roster. Anyone who argues this point either doesn't know football, or trying too hard to have a differing opinion. The decision to change your starting QB should never be taken lightly. Smart coaches do everything in their power to avoid the QB controversy. Not only does it disrupt the entire timing and working of an offense, but it mentally divides the players in the locker room. Over the last week, it became very obvious how well RESPECTED Tyrod Taylor is - both in the Bills locker room and around the NFL. There were numerous players from other teams tweeting about how stupid McDermott's decision was. That should tell you something. And how our coaching staff couldn't see it (or refused to see it), is beyond me. And even if you believe Nathan Peterman is eventually going to be a fantastic QB in this league, he is still a 5th Round Rookie - playing the hardest position to transition from college to the pros in all of sports. Use some common sense. At best, Peterman was going to play OK and have some growing pains. At worst (which is what happened), he was going to crash and burn like 95% of the late-round rookie QBs to enter the NFL. There was no way Buffalo had a better chance with Peterman in the lineup.

Yes. Missing out on the playoffs (after a 5-2 start) definitely hurts. Especially with the opening other AFC teams have left us. But what REALLY hurts the most... Somehow Sean McDermott has already lost the locker room. After only 9-10 games as the coach. The players have clearly quit on him. It's not just us "getting exposed" or us struggling with the trading our top talent. The last three games, we have seen an obvious and alarming lack of effort. This is the NFL. The vast majority of games are close. Nobody gets embarrassed like this 3 weeks in a row (two against opponents with losing records), unless there is something else going on. The proof is all there. It's not technique. It's not mental lapses. It's not stupid mistakes. Teams are simply lining up, man-to-man and utterly destroying us. Defensive players aren't flying to the ball anymore. They aren't even trying to tackle the ball carrier, or trying to get off blocks. Both lines are getting physically manhandled on every snap. All these signs point to our guys not giving 100%. Despite what some fans are whining and crying, this team has talented players. I'm just convinced most of these guys just aren't trying. I'm not sure what caused it. But I'm almost certain that something happened between the Raiders and Jets game. Something that killed the morale of this team.

Yep.

"The Process" isn't about winning now vs. winning later. It's about getting rid of players that don't fit McDermott's scheme (Darby, Ragland, Taylor), don't fit his character/team-first attitude (Dareus) or simply don't make financial sense with the salary cap (Watkins). Our front office has always been looking to the future of the roster... but they also believed they could win in 2017.

I've said this before. Good coaches look closely at the talent around the locker room. They properly evaluate where players are strong and where they are weak. The gameplan is then carefully structured in a way that highlights the strengths and hides the weaknesses. Unfortunately, most coaches in the NFL are nothing like this. Most coaches are brilliant at teaching 1-2 positions, but are completely out of their element with other parts of the team. Most have only proven successful in a single scheme/system, and really don't know how to adjust to something different. Most aren't brilliant strategists or students of the game. They were just fortunate to have the right pieces at the right time, and it helped them move their way up the ranks. Rex Ryan was blasted in Buffalo for pushing HIS SCHEME onto a defense, where it clearly didn't fit. The square peg in a round hole analogy. Around the league, Ryan was considered a defensive mastermind before taking the Bills job. But in reality, he was no smarter than any other defensive coordinator. He was just fortunate enough in Baltimore and New York to have the pieces he needed to run his system. Buffalo's strengths/weaknesses were completely opposite to those Ravens/Jets teams. So Ryan was exposed. Sean McDermott's style is nothing like Ryan. He is quiet and reserved, instead of loud and boastful. He is calculated and organized, instead of wild and chaotic. He is all-business, instead of fun and free. But when it comes to the football field, McDermott is just as hard-headed, stubborn and clueless as his predecessor. Of course, instead of forcing players into his schemes, McDermott just trades them away for draft picks. The quarterback switch (just like the Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Reggie Ragland and Marcel Dareus trades) was ALL ABOUT getting his guys on the field. That's what "the process" is all about. Purging players that don't fit his system, or don't display the character and attitude he wants to see.