Mister Defense

STOP IT!!!!!!!!! You are ruining the Haters' fun! They are like hungry sharks, have not had almost anything to eat in months, with 7 wins in a row. They are in a feeding frenzy today, as they feel the entire ocean is full of chum today for them to feast on. Yum, yum, yum give me some more chum... They wait for and cherish the losses, which are few and far between since McBeane/McClappy arrived. But you just shove meaningful, relevant facts in their face?? It is Christmas, Kelly to Allen, so have a heart, feel some compassion for them. They don't get many chances to feed.

Wow to the OP, so true, so factual and so objective. I cannot think of any instances this year when the sub par talent on this defense has made a big, consequential play this season. None at all. Who cannot agree with the obvious factual statements in the OP, that there is "no elite talent on D to make a play from time to time when needed" and that "we have no one to [play above the scheme] do the same to them on D"? What a shame that this entire season has been lost because of such a horrible season by the defense. No big plays when needed. They never get a timely take away. Have not put any pressure on any QBs in timely situations. And have made no big stops when needed. How can McClappy call this an NFL defense? Almost like someone forget to tell Beane and McDermott. "Hey, how about we get a defense that can come through at least once in a while?"

No, no, no you just misunderstand... He is NOT "calling him washed", just throwing that out there in the ether, that idea, after Milano's two games. Just another objective, even handed post from a non hater. Just asking some questions, of course, nothing ultra negative there at all...

A tough one, as I want the Bills to get hit hard in the mouth in one of these games, though to also come out with a hard won victory. Why? There have not been the kind of challenges expected this year and I think they really need some good ones in the last 1/3 of the regular season. These will help them realize they need to keep becoming more aggressive, more physical, in all aspects of the game, to give them the best chance in the playoffs. Bills 27, Rams 17, but the game will be close until late. Hope the Bills do what they did last week, run and run and run some more, opening up the passing game for Cooper, Coleman, Knox, Shakir, and Samuel. And the run game should not be all about Cook, but Davis and Johnson too, with some great screens and such mixed in too. The Lions and the Eagles have great running games--the Bills need to move theirs to its potential more than they have so far--not even close to tapping into what it could be.. And stop the run, forcing the Rams into more of a one dimensional offense, where they can get pressure on Stafford and make lotsa big defensive plays. Then, tonight, go Chargers!

A great post. McDermott often says he is still learning, changing, just as he expects his players to always be doing so--no matter their stature, success. And he is not just talking, he clearly means it, clearly is a deep thinking, intelligent, objecitive thinker who knows he needs to constantly get better, grow. And you are right in the changes you have seen. Less apprehension, less playing it safe, more aggressive. I think he is hearing what Andy Reid has said about winning in the NFL--step on their throats, take the game into your own hands, that kind of thing. Our coach's philosophy is also now more in step with our quarterback's. This is a great thing, a championship thing... And your English is better than that of most native born English speakers.

Excellent point, analysis. Very true. Had more time to be on here the last few months. When I have encountered one of the haters I have sometimes looked at their past activity. Shocking, at first, that they literally hate on almost 100% of these threads, often moving into the most positive of threads to spread their crap. That in itself, the big picture, the unrelenting consistency, undermines almost any individual hate point they now make. It is all the same, just different facades . So your analysis fits in very well with the consistency of their hate--no matter what, even if there is clear evidence to refute their previous ultra negative comments, they will just change the facts, move the goalposts, and start a new line of hate. And, just like now, they get most aggressive when the Bills are most successful: 10-2, have won SEVEN games in a row, scoring 30 points in the last 6, and are clearly one of the top 2-3 teams in the entire league. (But if you read the haters' takes, you would think they are 2-10, have lost 7 in a row, and are one of the worst 2-3 teams in the league.) Can you imagine being like them, and not enjoying this great season?

That is what he and some of the other haters do--ask hypothetical questions, questions that only they have the correct answers to, of course. They do this because their negative views, especially the comically consistent nature of them, with some of them hating on almost every thread, every move the Bills' make, are soo illogical and out of touch they cannot rely on actual facts and reasoning to make their sad cases. So in an effort to show just how bad the Bills are, strange, loaded hypothetical questions are their saviors. Pointless. It would cause them to lose every debate in an entry level middle school debate club, but they don't care, as on here they think they can get away with it. It is such a shame. They should jump on this bandwagon and become Bills' fans. This is such a fun season, run, and it appears to be just getting started...

You seem to have such positive things to say about so many of your favorite teams, other than the Bills. Compared to these powerhouse teams that you heap praise on so generously, the Bills seem soo inferior, so lacking to you. My team, the Bills, will soon have at least 11 wins five years in a row, one of the few teams in the history of the league to do so. You should consider making the Bills a team of choice now. You may, if you open your perspective, enjoy the ride that is coming in the next few months...

Yes, definitely different standards. No offensive players beyond Allen? Shoot, averaging almost 30 points a game, and scoring at least 30 in the last 6 games, makes me wonder what they could do with actual top tier O lineman, running backs, tight ends, and receivers!? Hopefully they could still muddle through the rest of the season, and get some top end talent in the off season..

Well, though my post was tongue in cheek, I do agree that Hamlin has played better than expected--as he not been the major liability I had feared, has not seemed to cost the Bills' games. Good for him, as I had thought he may struggle to find a roster spot in the league this year, and now will likely be a valuable back up for the Bills, or other teams, going forward.

I had thought by the end of last year that they had about a dozen starters I considered top tier talent. On offense, Allen, Cook, Shakir, Kincaid, Dawkins, and with Spencer Brown likely moving into that position by the end of last year. One of the worst things about Dorsey was that he did not use the talented players right in front of his eyes, such as Shakir and Cook. When he was fired their talent was almost immediately apparent to all. I also considered Knox in that category, though he was seldom used. Great to see that changing now, as he will be a force going forward. On defense, I considered all three starting CBs top tier talent by the end of last year, some of the best at their positions: Douglas, Benford, and Taron Johnson. Bernard had also defined himself as such, as had Oliver, with Rousseau moving into that conversation by the end of the year. And obviously Mialno would be considered top tier talent by everyone, and I was hoping for a full recovery by the start of this season. Their talent, combined with the best coaching staff the Bills have had since Levy's teams, and maybe surpassing that group, had me more optimistic, though I also felt that they could take a step back early in the season if the new players on both sides of the ball took too long to develop/did not come through. The fact that the step back did not happen means they just kept getting better and better and better, to now clearly one of the top 2 teams in the league.

So, yes, he has a few minor areas he needs to sharpen up, to rise to his potential and become a perennial pro bowler.

I apologize. Fixed. Do you think the Bills are now a legitimate Super Bowl/championship contender? Where would you rank them in the NFL right now?

You gotta love this post! "The roster is completely devoid of top tier talent." Soo emphatic, so definitive. I got goose bumps when I read it. 'Homerism' seems to win out, AGAIN, over extreme negativity and irrational pessimism...

Well, maybe you are now a religious type of guy, as the series of miracles have happened, if not the cataclysmic ones to the other top AFC quarterbacks? But instead of miracles most believe the superb leadership at the top of this team, the GM, coach, and the QB just did the things they knew, from experience, leads to great success. Keep hoping though; maybe next year?

Well said. But the facts, and reasoning, won't get in the way of their animosity.

I will try to be more open minded to the haters’ opinions, using your open mindedness as a guide to address those with differing opinions than mine. I will simply use your more generous words and simply imply that that they are mentally ill and “absolutely off their meds” when posters disagree with me. Sick of how this forum has devolved. It seems almost every thread, and even the most positive of OPS, is soon taken over by those who find no good at all in our superb team. Only a tiny percentage of posters are involved, but they are on a mission to undermine. And like I have said, when the Bills are most successful they become even more aggressive, hateful.

Great post, nailed it succinctly. I agree with all, except the implication that the haters will accept McDermott as a good coach when the Bills win the Super Bowl. As almost none of them will do that, of course, after years of their crazy hate bashing they will just dig their heels in. ( For example: "This should be their 3rd SB win"...) But despite the loud and consistent hate from the haters, I believe that the vast vast majority of Bills' fans are on the same page as you. Negativity just stands out more, and haters love broadcasting their hate, as undermining good will and positivity is their main goal--so it makes it seem like there are more of them than there are. It is a tiny percentage, in my view. Thank goodness!

100% correct. It is why it was created. I have noticed that at the times when the Bills are most successful they often become even more aggressive, more furious. Imagine a cartoon character, with steam coming out his ears, eyes popping out of their sockets, face turning bright red--as he watches the team he hates so much win and win and win and... It is as if they don't vent, their heads may literally explode with confusion and fury. Kind of funny when you think of how ironic it is to see this on a BILLS forum...

Thanks, I appreciate the support. But on the other hand, what about posters who literally hate on almost every move the organization and coaching staff make--and do so for years one end? Posters can just go and check the activity for the top ten most hateful haters, and see the extremely clear pattern of hate on almost everything. It is sooo consistent from the top haters on this board...

Or, "Yes sir, can I have some more of that delicious hate! Love me some serious Pegula hate! More more more please!"

Bills find themselves with a tougher task than anticipated. I think they pull it out, but both defenses dominate, Bills 20, 49ers 17

Not sure what your last line, above, means. Not clear, but it seems to be a main point of the post. Ditto for the question in the topic, 'what can change for the main players'. Can you clarify these?

The purpose is to undermine the Bills, plain and simple, and to antagonize actual Bills' fans. It does not matter the topic, one of the haters gets onto many of the threads and then changes the subject to something negative about the Bills. It is their main purpose on this forum. There are not many of them, but they are relentless in their hate. Notice that many have comically negative, and aggressively so, names on here? And the very positive threads about the Bills make them most outraged. They get on those and just pull things out of their kiesters, often as off topic as all get out, and just keep going until the thread is a negative one. Take for example the extremely positive OP by someone recently on Amari Cooper's words after the last Bills' game, just quoting him. I posted early on there how in the previous post on Cooper, a hate post, was inundated by the haters to a comical point. They were ust throwing out completely made up nonsense against Cooper, with nothing to support the ludicrous comments-- things just made up out of thin air about our new 5 time Pro Bowler wide receiver. To get to their motivation--I think they are worried Cooper may be the last piece of the puzzle for the Bills. Then their lives (on this forum) would become meaningless, Bills' haters trying to survive in a world where the Bills are NFL champions. (As they may need a lot of professional support starting later this winter, we should plan on creating several 'go fund me' pages for them.) Then, in that new very positive thread about Cooper, they did it again, with the first hit across the bow going as low as they can go, saying Cooper was "a loser's loser". I now think the answer is to just ignore the haters completely, don't give them any air to breathe in this forum. I have not been good at that myself, as I want to defend the Bills and true fans. BUT I realize now that they thrive on the negativity and conflict; it is exactly what they want, their sustenance. So ignoring them is likely my new approach. If everyone does the same, it will just become the haters responding to the other haters, and that won't be any fun for them, as it defeats their purpose. So let's do it, as they can make this forum a negative free for all. As I have said before there is no changing them, making them positive, logical, or rational, and that day after the Bills win the Super Bowl they likely already have their supremely negative attack lines powered up and ready to go.

That's my boy, Jimmy. Glad to see this post again, one of my favorites this year.