ctk232

I'll give the guy credit, sure. But given our state of the team and our starvation for the post-season, he'll need to make more accurate throws when it counts. What I thought you were going to say here was on that throw to O'Leary on 2nd and long setting up 3rd and 2 late in the game. I think even Trent called it out saying O'Leary had 15-20 yds of open space to not just make the 1st down, but extend into red zone/1st and goal territory. I think the game was 16-10 at that point and we really needed a field goal at the least to help our defense. O'Leary may have been able to stay on his feet, but TT put it just below his waist and slightly behind enough that O'Leary had to open his shoulders while crossing the field and couldn't stay up. I wish TT had hit him in stride for the extra 15-20, as I'm sure he wishes he had as well. Nonetheless it was one play and our defense came up big - but I'd rather count on our offense to put points on the board when it matters, and TT making these independent throws matters.

Thank you for saying what no one on this board wants to hear, but what is also necessary imho. Don't get that QB now - this is not a team to develop with. Line play should be the focus, and our number of picks this year helps us in addressing our MANY positional needs more so than packaging them for one chance on a QB. Do we even know if this upcoming class has potential franchise talent or are we just speculating over what's the best out there this year? '18 fix the trenches. Can't play successful NFL football without establishing dominance on the LOS. Maybe a late round RB talent to help there too as this will be a top priority once Shady starts declining, if not already. '19 hopefully find the QB, it's difficult when it depends entirely on the draft class, but with focusing on an overall rebuild, having the record from '18 to draft high in '19 would be more likely. Albeit at the expense of our battered fanbase. Continue to work on filling positional needs at LB, DB, RB, WR. And for god's sake development of players, something I haven't seen this team do in the past decade in most any position. '20 find the QB if it didn't pan out in '19 - hopefully our line play is starting to come along at this point and we've at least established starters at most positions. From this point and on we should be able to focus on the QB solely, and if not only a hand full of other positions. '20+ continue the process

Combined with the roster moves and aging players this year, yep. When you bring in a guy who wants to turn your top 5 defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 for more than a year, allow him to bring in guys to fit the scheme, and then try to fix it all in one offseason with a new Coaching staff, you're going to have a bad time. Rex didn't have an entire upheaval of the system, but he changed enough to make the switch from an already established 4-3 defense systemically different. You add this with the fact that Rex is a player's coach and all the guys love having him, change to McD or any kind of regulated coach is also an adjustment. Rex created a tumor, yes, but the underlying issues were there before he arrived in not sustaining talent development pipelines at key positions. It's alright guys we gotta rebuild for a change, not just piecemeal it over 17 years and hope each little change every year is the one that helps us build a perennial contender.

AGREED - case and point (if not us) is the Browns. We may have the longer drought by a couple years, but I'd rather be in the Bills organization right now than the Browns with their turnover rate and instability/incompetence on multiple levels of the organization exceeding all other teams' at this point (imho).

Well with words like "process" and "rebuild," seeing these outcomes usually takes longer than a year. Which is what our beginning 5-2 record seemed to make a lot of us (myself included, admittedly) forget. I agree this team is no where near a solid perennial playoff contender, much less a single season threat. Our roster has quickly began to age out at key positions of need, over paid in select areas, and we have neglected or suffered through mediocrity for too long at other positions just to sustain "potential" playoff berths and "chances" that pop up every now and again. I want the drought to end. Now. Yesterday...okay I wanted it over before it began, But I want a perennial contender more than I want us to not go 20 years of drought. This is a 2-3 year process in and of itself. I agree with all the identified positions of need you drew out here, probably with more emphasis on the OL and defensive Front 7 and moving from there, but agreed. We're on the way there, but rebuilds and processes take time, period.

Without a question - we have two players who are not starting on other teams in Ducasse and Mills. Wood/Incognito are aging and are certainly not youthful/good enough at this point to make up for and entire lack of a right side to the OL. Ritchie can play but not at the level he's been graded at the past few seasons with us; the season is becoming longer for a lot of guys on this team. LT, I just don't know. We're paying Glenn a good contract to be hurt a lot and Dawkins looks more interior than LT to me. We desperately need Dawkins to develop into a starting OL player so we don't have to sink a ton of picks into our line. But as it stands we desperately need 2-3 new OL's of starting caliber. It just demonstrates what a draft need the OL is, and exactly how long it will be until we see a January contender in Buffalo. Revamp our OL and Front 7 on D.

Arm strength could very well be an overrated trait (again point to Philip Rivers and late-career peyton especially). But the point of this is arm velocity and exactly what Buffalo716 says here. Now having arm velocity and accuracy translates to more viable offensive plays in the book, WRs being "open" more frequently, improving 3rd and long conversion percentages, etc. - it may not be the most valuable trait in a QB but that's the difference between getting a TD on 3rd down in the red zone and settling for a field goal enough times for it to matter.

Two back set with TT and McCoy and NP under center - would never happen but would love to see how this would go.

I agree - I think we've put off truly sacrificing for a QB. Our inevitable mediocrity certainly hasn't helped us in this regard either, but even when we've had a top 5 pick, we haven't capitalized on the QB position. What's worse is there isn't a franchise QB in every year's draft, which is what everyone who feels this way wants and will give our entire teams future and their first child to get it. I agree that stacking defenses doesn't translate to success as much as getting your QB. But looking at our current team, it doesn't matter if we have Brady/Rodgers at QB if our OL is old and porous, our DL can't pressure or stop the run, we have mediocre LB's and play, our RB is aging and can't be the whole offense when we have no solid RB2. McD has a lot more to deal with in this regard than we know, and I don't think it's worth giving up our number of draft picks this year just to take a chance on a QB if you're really looking to build to the future. I'd rather address our D/OL positions this year, and LB/RB2 than address none of these and take a risk on a QB.

For sure, not expecting this kid to come out the gate hitting windows like Brady and Rodgers, there's plenty left to develop. Just want to see his accuracy there more than anything really and not have an INT fest, especially to help spell our defense that seems to be getting tired more quickly lately. And I agree with that last point, too - I don't think the Chargers defensive game plan really changes all that much right now. Peterman is absolutely a different QB play style than TT - but as a rookie their top goal would be to pressure and make him as uncomfortable as possible. And with Ingram and Bosa on the line, they don't need to give up much in coverage to accomplish that, especially if our OL continues at the previous two week rate. Would be a great time for Peterman to get some footwork in, lol.

No doubt - don't disagree that it's difficult, or not necessary in the least. Elaborating may have helped here: team chemistry > individual talent. And that can extend to include a talented individual who's attitude and personality negatively impact a teams chemistry to the point where it affects performance of the team overall. Also not saying that is what happened with Dareus - I think what caused him to leave was the relationship with McD, don't actually think the rest of the players thought poorly of him if I'm remembering correctly.

Bucky assumes teams haven't stacked the box the last two weeks anyway seeing TT as only a running threat. And even with that threat teams are able to make TT a non-issue. Better passing game/threat of passing attack opens the run game far more, just as the run opens up play action. Agreed - NP is still as green as a rookie QB can be at this point in their first season. Therefore, the Chargers will still focus on pressuring him in multiple looks most every down to see what happens. They don't exactly need to give up much to achieve that either with Bosa and Ingram. If NP can't handle the pressure, especially with our OL, we're not likely to see much of an offensive change.

Chemistry is better than talent, but you still need talent no question. Why not both? Get a run stopping DT that also fits the chemistry

Stop trying to make the Wildcat a thing, it won't ever be a thing. Just want a modern offensive scheme and offense, please, thank you.

Arm strength can be second to accuracy (i.e. Late career Peyton and Rivers - both successful noodles). But if you aren't consistently accurate with your throws, which includes timing, you're in trouble. Here's to hoping his strength develops, but I'd rather see the accuracy piece first. He's going to need that 50 yard accuracy AND strength if we ever get a break with one-on-one coverage.

I wish for him nothing but the best. But who knows, they might bring him back in depending on how Peterman does. Let's assume we part ways with TT though: A real class act and great personal story. I have tremendous respect for him and I don't even know the man personally. He wasn't the first QB to be told he was too small, and he still managed to make enough waves in the NFL to give us something we've all been holding onto: hope. Regardless of how you feel about his ability/play, as a QB he hasn't changed the organization, but he did give us chances. The only thing that will make this truly depressing is when NE picks him up in the offseason after we let him go.

I'm certainly hopeful and want nothing for this kid to succeed both as a Bills fan and an NP supporter. I like the kids attitude. But he's young and just simply doesn't have the reps or experience yet to not throw a pick or two. But I don't think what we saw in NO can be fully translatable - defense wasn't giving effort, nor did they prep for him and his timing/decision making. No one can honestly outside the preseason, but I don't know that that was a good trial balloon. He did make some great throws that we can hold onto for support, but it's going to be a lot more than just fitting throws. TT has left us hungry for a real passing game. My issue is if the OL doesn't show up, he'll need to continually throw quick. This may or may not turn into an issue, but with Bosa and Ingram coming at him this isn't an easy first NFL game, nor the pressure of the circumstances looming around him. I wanted him to have a genuine chance and this has the potential to be much more detrimental to his development than not. But here's to hoping.

Sunday's going to be sack city with more INT's - QB change doesn't fix our OL or protection. Just hope his quick throws are on target a lot...

Hope not for his sake, this kid deserves a real chance and has the attitude for it - I don't think this is gives him a real chance unless the coaches know something about his development and 1st team reps that we don't, which wouldn't be crazy. 5-4...and we making waves. Sounds like us. I really wondered this myself - did the OL and/or Defense give up on TT? It did seem like the open support for him from teammates diminished from the onset of the season til now. ^I'm trying so hard and hoping to anything that this goes well. As much as I disagree with the decision and think it's way too soon, I hope I get proven wrong. ______________________________________________________________ For what it's worth, everyone should be ready for seeing more INT thrown. And if line play doesn't change, then it'll be the same.

It's a vicious circle though since QB play helps both of those areas out. If the QB is a threat to throw, you have less defenders in the box stopping the run and in coverage. OL contributes, but the perceived threat has to be there. Same with the Defense, it's a mutually-beneficial/detrimental relationship; if the defense can't force three and outs it ices the offense cold, and if the offense can't get first downs, it burns the defense out. Until he establishes himself as a passing threat, teams will continue to force us out on 3rd down 82% of the time. 82%......(that's a stat for the Saints game only, we're 40% on the year) It's not "garbage time." When you're winning 40/47 to 3 (not 10, not 14, not 18....3) your defense doesn't have to provide ample effort. Put in subs and play primarily zone coverage over the top. Combine that with literally zero preparation on Peterman's timing, throw percentage, run ability, and any tape outside of the preseason and the defense is just responding to whatever the offense does. He showed positives, like fitting the throw in to Benjamin and hitting Matthews for the 1st, and even on missed throws to Thompson and others. Give a team a week to prepare for him and you won't see what you saw in that quarter. This coming from someone who thinks Peterman has genuine potential. It's true on our side of the ball as well - Peterman has only received developmental reps with the first team. He hasn't had the time to work with receivers or command the team. We're so ready for Peterman because our offense literally can't move. 3 points the entire game with TT and the OL, not many fans can endure two losses like that in a row, much less this starved fanbase, without starting to call for the proverbial QB change, coaches/coordinators being fired, all the way to needing a new stadium. Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. I could see him playing meaningless games if this team eliminates itself from the playoffs, but until that happens I don't see the switch happening either. Nor it being worth it just to see some semblance of a productive offense.

Think we're all pissed about only getting the 6th round. But a guy with known attitude issues and lack of effort doesn't exactly "sell high" and the Jags made out on this trade. If he ended up giving us another 2nd or 3rd maybe, but I think this sours the situation more than anything else. For the immediate impact, I can't believe that Dareus getting traded is the reason our Defense did, well, whatever it did, the past two weeks. Since the Oakland game, two things have happened: 1. we stopped getting turnovers at an unsustainable rate; and 2. we traded Dareus. Yes we've had injuries along the way that have contributed, but to the point of this thread, these are two key pieces that are definitively no longer. While Dareus certainly served as a run stopper in his limited snaps, our defense could still stop the run earlier in the season - he wasn't always on the field. Additionally, while I would've never said this was one of the best defenses in the league at any point this season, they were never this absent or inept. How much of the past two weeks is actually due to missing Dareus in the middle? The type of play that we saw the past two weeks, is far too much of a drastic shift to point to Dareus leaving or any combination of pieces. Every single player has changed the way they play, not just the line. So wtaf is going on? Something behind the scenes?

Gotta say I have my fair share of "we're doomed" posts, particularly yesterday after these last two games - but this is the reality that's fighting everything I've seen in the last two games. 5-4 and their fate is still technically in their hands. It started with the Jets and more so with the Saints but at least we'll know what this current team is made of, if anything to help us figure out what team will be here next year

But...third times a charm?

Ah to be a Bills fan. It looks terrible right now, and there's nothing we do better than pessimistically scrutinize everything, myself included. We are probably the most critical fans every week of the season in the NFL. But no matter what we need to let them play out the season and prove us one way or the other. And we, usually at the expense of our mental health, support them nonetheless.

Can't like this post enough - I was hoping my engendered Bills-flavored skepticism would finally be wrong. I give them til November every year no matter what. And while I still hold optimistic hope for a turnaround, it's beginning to look more like it was the turnover differential. Our offense hasn't changed. Defense was the pleasant beneficiary of our +14 differential, and now without the ball bouncing our way 2-3 times a game, we're left with what the team actually is. I have yet to remember a time where I watched the Bills offense with confidence that we will do more than go three and out. And yet, I still hope they prove me wrong this year!