Mister Defense

Shakir across the middle, all day long for his biggest game as a Bill. But I think the last two weeks of excellent offense also opens things up for Diggs--and Davis, again.

No way am I giving this schmo my money--how can I read the other two parts without paying this yahoo?

Go Mitchy Baby!! Ol' Mitch leading an already dysfunctional offense? Only great things can come out of that--for the Bills. Not that Pickett was that much better. Now, maybe one less team the Bills will have to leapfrog over, as the Steelers sink themselves.

Now, with two excellent games of offense in the books, have you reconsidered your analysis of this? It seems Brady is doing his things, as he wants to, and yes, implementing the things McD has wanted, but in a dramatically better way than Dorsey ever could--running the ball, making it not just something to do on occasion but as integral part of the game, using their personnel better, being dramatically better at the details of game planning (and execution of those details), and using the entire field, including what was a barren wasteland under Dorsey, the entire middle, including throwing the ball to the backs... etcetera Don't you like the immediate and dramatic turn around in the offense, into a creative, diverse, and dramatically less predictable and more productive offense? It seems McD got exactly what he wanted and now we'll see if it continues. I think it will and become more creative, more diverse. I just wish McD had insisted on the OC following his philosophy more last year--and then fired him before the season when he realized Dorsey either could not or would not (and I lean heavily to could not). Huge mistake, and yeah that is on McDermott. And I think McD insisted on similar changes after the 7-6 start two years ago, as that is what happened, with the bills running game becoming the best in the league after that and Singletary at the top of the league. Those changes too had McD's handprints all over it, and a very good thing too, just like this year.

I hope all of the Jets' shenanigans this year have caused everyone fearing Rogers going into the season to have no fear at all now, just a healthy funny bone, as the humor and chaos will continue until he is gone (along with almost every other coach and administrator). He was, and is, a QB way past his prime, and worse even better, an immensely insecure headcase. Still loving this train wreck!

I think this entire season was thrown for a loop because of the Dorsey factor. I feel that the Bills would likely be at the top of the AFC standings, despite their injuries if Dorsey was not part of this team this year. The Bills, all teams, will lose games. A game like the Eagles may have been one of those games. But this was an offense that was not allowed to properly develop this year, in no way is hitting on all cylinders, despite playing very well since the firing. For example, just look at one aspect of the offense, his negligent use of the running backs both in the run and pass game. The running backs catching many passes!? It was one of many things not happening until Brady. How much sharper would the backs be in the passing game if they had been doing this since last year, and not over night? Would Cook be more experienced catching balls? Of course he would have been. And maybe he catches that ball early in the game. Etcetera etcetera. Sooo difficult to evaluate things because of the gross incompetence. The fish rots from the head and everything was not as it really was, as it could have been. Too bad, as with a weak AFC I think the Bills would have roller skated into the playoffs--and likely with the #1 seed. Now, it is a very tough road, with no room for error, another huge obstacle created by Dorsey. The Bills should sue him for malpractice. In my view they will have a slew of very high level offensive performances still to come this year.

I agree with some of the specific needs, but why on earth would they create a new need by not signing Jones? He was as good or better than Oliver, who is having his best year, a dominant force against the run and pass before he went out. I cannot wait to see our two tackles back together again. In fact, I am really hoping that Jones comes back this year, and soon. It will change the defense and McD's options. And with so little word on Milano I guess you may be right that his career may be in jeopardy. But what prompts you to say that? Seems extremely overly pessimistic! And again, you seem to create another need even though it is not warranted. I agree with them getting an excellent wide receiver #2 and fast power running back, which are likely two missing elements from this team. I am hoping the (almost always injured) Damien Harris could fill that role, but he is simply not available, year after year. Unfortunately, we likely need a #1 corner because of the whiff on Elam. Safety too. And yes, almost guaranteed that McD gets a D coordinator this year, as you can see it in his face, words, and body language that to be the head coach he wants to be, needs to be, he cannot also be in charge of the defense. He talks more and more about the "details" this year and in his new dual role it is simply not possible to be on top of those details when it comes to the overall team. Likely: Frazier returns? The Bills have needs if they are to rise to the top next year. So let's not add the hypothetical needs at linebacker and D tackle when two players at those positions, two of our best guys, are very likely coming back to the Bills at full strength.

Nope, a lack of talent was not the problem--their offense was dismal in those games, unprepared in general and specifically for those teams. Have you seen the Bills play on offense the last two games? Keep watching them and you will surely see what happened earlier in the season.

Complete nonsense. The Bills don't have a great record because they had an incompetent offensive coordinator who didn't know even the basics of preparing an offense or game plan. THAT is definitely on McDermott and Bean--a series of specific questions in the interview process would have eliminated Dorsey immediately, as he was simply ignorant of so many aspects of the job he was just given. And, yes, once this became apparent, obvious, it took much much too long for them to cut their losses--hence, the losses.. But doesn't the Bills dramatic, over night turn around to one of the best, most productive offenses in the NFL IMMEDIATELY after Brady took over help you to understand this fact? Josh Allen's comment, with the first game of the new season not even finished yet, that he was "f*****g back", should have opened your eyes, but apparently it did not. The problem in Buffalo was not a lack of talent, though of course more and better are always needed going forward to stay relevant. The Bills became a balanced, creative, dynamic and extremely productive offense in less than a week after Dorsey was fired, showing plenty of talent, enough to compete with anyone in this league. That turn around was not a coincidence.

Ummm, did you see that they fired the one man solely responsible for the offense's problems, and listen to all of the accurate criticism of said coordinator in the last year +?? Almost all of which is not just spouted off by irate fans but people who have played the game for years and know, in detail, what they are talking about. And have you see the proof of the problem in the dramatically improved offensive production in the first two weeks of the new season ? To just disregard the facts in your post makes it very illogical and your analysis just crumbles like a house of cards. This offense has enough talent to win the division, the AFC--and the Super Bowl. Yes, it may be to late because of what that incompetent hack did to this offense, costing them game after game, scoreless quarter after scoreless quarter, but the talent is there and they are showing it, big time.

I am loving the train wreck of a team the Jets are this year! Comically inept in many ways. With Rogers calling the shots they are also likely stuck with Hackett for next year and some of the players Rogers gave big contracts to. I love that Rogers is calling the shots for a competitor of the Bills, the same man who believed Jake Kumerow was an excellent receiver. This year has been fun to watch, but wait until next year.

The Hope is for the playoffs, but they are good enough to beat any team right now. That makes them a contender.

This offense can beat any defense now,, and they are just getting started--their actual season started with the 2nd Jets game, a new hope. So now they will be a bit green, as we saw with the lack of scoring that coincided with their yard total, time of possession, and otherwise almost complete domination of the Eagles' defense. The offense will just get better and better now. While you (and Parcells) are right, there is still hope, right? To me, better to have that hope now, rely on it, as we won't have that feeling again until next season once this year is over. And that wait will suck.

They kept the Bills in almost every game this year, despite Dorsey preventing the offense from even scoring in the first quarter--or first half. This despite losing their best linebacker, best cornerback, and to me, best D-lineman who was playing great against the run and pas--and despite a slew of significant injuries in game after game. The facts.

Yes, more for him would be great--and seems very likely to happen. When does Harris come back????

You need to rewatch those games, I think, or watch them for the first time. But I also agree with the Pats game, one of the rare times McD's defense did not come through this year.

Okay, then I definitely agree. I think that the Bills need a power runner too, that Cook is not the every down back that can plow through the line. He is going to be a great player, is maybe there already, but not that kind of back as he is too slight. In fact, I think if the Bills think he is, it will diminish Cook's skill set and get him injured. Damien Harris now?? Though I have also been calling for more of Murray since the first week of the season and very happy to see Brady using him much much more. In the draft next year, the Bills will likely get a top tier every down bruising back. Perfect skill set needed? A Maurice Jone Drew clone, almost unstoppable, great runner, great speed, great at catching the ball, and great at blocking.

i said that the day it happened. A very un Bean like move, splash play, without almost any chance of being worth it. He isn't an O lineman or QB, where at that age you can still be elite, but an edge rusher who relied on speed and athleticism and yes, skill set, football smarts, but not very relevant without the physical traits.

The Bills should just pay her more than Miller did, 5 million?, to get her to follow through and press charges. That could be a great investment, well worth it! Dead weight now, but one of the highest paid defensive players in the league.

Lol! You still think that the Bills should just forego the run, basically!?? Were you a Bills' fan during the 2021 season? What made them maybe the best team in the NFL after their 7-6 start? They became the #1 running team in the NFL after that, after making Singletary their featured back--that is what made Allen reach his potential for the rest of that year and then in the playoffs. I think it is laugh out loud funny that some are sticking by this ignorant take, that Allen should just throw it, that the running game is not important. It is vital, in the most literal sense of the word, for the Bills to have a shot.

The defense did enough to win every game this season except for the Patriots' game (and maybe the Eagles' game now). The inconsistency (consistency?) was only on offense, but that was very clearly because of the gross incompetence of the OC, now gone. They are clearly good enough, one of the top, most dynamic teams in the NFL. But that incompetent yahoo set them so far back in the win column that there is no margin for error now--and the loss last week may have been enough to seal their fate. They should sue him for malpractice--love to see that moron on the witness stand, given game scenarios and such and listen to his answers. But I still think they can get in to the playoffs. If they do, watch out...

The Bills are definitely a contender, are one of the top teams in the league now. Behind the 8 ball because of an incompetent OC, but definitely a contender.

They stopped the Miami defense and they have kept the Bills in almost every game this year. The Bills are not in this position because of the defense, but because they had an incompetent offensive coordinator who literally did not know what he was doing. He is gone. Too late, yup, but there should be no questions now by all about what the problem was. I would love to bet you on that last assertion... You think Dak Prescott at the Ralph, the Bills with a two game winning streak on the line and a playoff spot, is not only going to beat the Bills but beat up on them, dominate them? Strange that you have more confidence in a QB who cannot beat a good team in a meaningful situation if his life was on the line than a team that looks as good as any in the NFL right now.

Well, it is still very relevant that they can shut a team down like that--and we have seen that over and over this year, keeping them in almost every game. Need to be able to see that--and the weakness too--to be able to fix things, make it all work without these gaps. You sound like you want them to throw the baby out with the bath water, rather than to fix the problems. There are reasons why this very short handed defense has been able to look so good so often this year, just like there are reasons for the lack of stops late in games.

I did not look back at the game summaries and will now. But I don't recall thinking the defense falling apart on vital drives like they have too often this year. I had thought that the Minnesota loss was more the result of some bad/fluke plays by the offense, and in the Arizona game it was the hail Mary play that was the major breakdown. That kind of long run by Cook was not common against Frazier's defenses and those things happen in NFL games And for the Bills not a pattern, a fluke, one big play In any case, this D played a superb first half, on the road, against the best team in the league.