ctk232

Honestly not trying to make the dead horse deader here, but it seemed like it was mostly check down plays, either to the flats or 5-7 yards out on 3rd and longs. I know we've picked apart yesterday's game on this board today and we've all pointed out the one or two plays TT missed an open receiver. There's always going to be missed open receivers but the frequency is what matters. So here's my long-winded question: It might have been just me, but the amount of check downs seemed much more noticeable yesterday. You can attribute it to lack of pocket protection, TT not being able to see over the line, or just general TT hesitant play period - but either he's frequently missing open receivers, or our receivers just aren't open. If it's the latter, how much of "Receivers not being open" is on the WR corps, and how much is on the OC and the scheme? Are the routes/playbook not that complicated/too similar for opposing defenses to adapt to in a week's time?

To be fair, I'm not sure retaining Dareus would lead to that playoff berth. A lot of other things would've had to keep happening, too: cray turnover differential, offense putting up 21+ points at least per game, no injuries to Shady or anymore players really at all, etc. Does it leave a hole in our run defense now? Sure. Was it the only problem? No. In case anyone was wondering, that's not sustainable for this team. That being said, let's keep with the roller coaster and win out!

Agreed - except what earlier season form? You mean our defense? It's not likely they regain energy lost at their age. If the DLine can't stop the run the rest of the defense will suffer. Remains to be seen how you can address such a shift in play this late in the season post trade deadline. But our offense hasn't exactly "won" any games for us this year, especially not in a convincing manner. Turnover differential bouncing our way and limited mistakes helped us win those 5, but it's slowly becoming more true that those losses at Carolina and Cincy weren't "one-offs" but games where our offense showed it's true colors unmasked by turnover diff.

Forget Taylor's skill set, we just need a modern, forward-thinking offense for once. Including personnel to execute it.

Not only is that, in and of itself, an issue, but as the Offensive Coordinator, you should understand by this point in the season what is effective in your run game and what isn't. Considering it's half of all offensive football, and specifically what this team's offense has been predicated on for the past couple years. This is different than a simple, "hey Juan, let's get together and discuss the run game" in so many words.

Lawd, Rico.....I'd like to see the All-22 footage or any coverage of those 3rd down plays to see what was called. Have to believe Rico is partially responsible for these 3rd Down checkdowns to Tolbert/O'Leary for 5-7 yds when we're 3rd & 15, as much as TT is. Also can't believe he calls Castillo to seek insight into our run game...

Thank you - he isn't an idiot. Though I do believe he supports both Tolbert and Ducasse, and every other player this board has a gripe with starting (rightly so). But no HC would openly hang their players out to dry without calling instability/media "crisis" rhetoric into question, which kills seasons more quickly than TT and porous line play. It would help if he added in more sincere "we will evaluate these positions" moving forward, but doubt anything comes of it this season. Tolbert may be around next year as a locker room guy, but many of these guys will be either let go or not starting here next season. I doubt McD see these guys as integral building blocks for the future.

Seriously - I'd also add: I can't believe this thread. I'll be back on Thursday/Friday when most of this has dissipated.

I'd agree. I'd say rule changes, too much owner oversight, too many commercials, horrific referees, and pitiful announcers. I only watch the Bills because of my fan loyalties, I care as much about the NFL as an entity as it affects the Bills to be quite honest. Also never thought I'd say this, but at least Romo is an announcer now. He's by far the best color guy I've heard in a very long time.

Only thing making last night's loss less miserable is the thought of seeing Clay, Benjamin, Matthews, Jones, and Shady all on offense against the Saints. I know Benjamin won't be fully up to speed but that's a healthy list of targets and weapons for our offensive. Glad we'll have Gaines back to help the secondary. If the OL shows up should be a good game and hopefully W.

We're 5-3 guys, come on. Not 3-5. Was this a game we all wanted and for sure, should've won? Absolutely, nothing ruins my weekend more. 6-2 is no doubt a better place than 5-3 but we're halfway through the season. What happened last night was a complete turnover differential reversal. This is a good team, but their wins have come from being on the right side of the differential. If the team lacks consistency, the differential can swing at any moment and that's what we saw happen last night. Porous defensive/offensive lines prevented us from establishing an offense, and controlling a line of scrimmage. The team that didn't show up to the beginning didn't show up to the second half either. I wouldn't get too worked up over this loss until we see how the team responds with a 10 day mini bye and goes up against a tough NO team. I say it every year to my friends who ask me when the Bills start winning if this is the year - I won't make a judgment call on that until week 10. Terrible loss, but the blame is on the entire team.

Gotta love a healthy dose of reality Though OP's point still stands, right now if Shady goes down, or at any point this season, it's on to next year

Down 7 with 3 minutes and change left with TT leading us down the field? 25% chance is what I told myself...then we scored. Still scared when TB had the ball, AAAAND still scared when we kicked off with 14 seconds left (forward lateral ptsd), AND on that last play with the laterals waiting for them to end it... I don't think any Bills fan over the age of 25 sat through that last four minutes and at any point had absolute confidence.

Nailed it, especially number 4 - I also think people aren't as likely to watch on Monday night as opposed to Sunday night. Just given the general weekday, and the fact that from a West Coast perspective the game is on from ~5-8 ish. A lot of people have kids and weekday post-work/school life going on that win out over teams that aren't theirs.

^This is how the OP should have went...well said We can only realistically trade away draft picks, and only teams looking to make a post season move would consider trading for Shady now that he's getting older and demanding a higher salary. Something which this league has turned and said "we won't pay top dollar for RBs." We only have draft picks to trade away which hurts our future and shouldn't be done at this point just to maybe win now. We knew WR and DB depth were an issue going into the season, well, at least TBD did. But now with our offense, barely acceptable when healthy, now hopelessly depleted we can't really expect us to capitalize on another season where other perennial top teams are struggling on more than one side of the ball.

You're right, but that decision should never be based on record. TT isn't the reason we're 3-2. Def played a role, but without our defense we're not 3-2. That's not TT's record

We're 3-2, I know others have said here, but that's pretty good in the league right now. Is 4-1 better? Sure, so's 5-0, point is they aren't in a place to just hand it over when they've only played 5 games with TT in their new offense. Everything's still taking shape. And idk what you mean by offensive skill players...right now Shady is the only one. Clay finally showed up this year, but he went down yesterday. Matthews is our only WR skill player by default but having watched him in Philly every week prior to his trade and my personal move across the country, he's a solid WR2 on a playoff worthy team. And he can't lead a 4th quarter comeback 100% of the time. It's more the lack of consistency in getting an offense to convert first downs more than 60% of your possessions. I can't remember the last time I watched out offense take the field and feel confident in the fact that they will move the ball. But again, new year, system, and plenty of injuries providing variables. Just wait and see what comes out the other end of the bye week. Two weeks to prepare for TB at home (two roommates are bucs fans and this is a very beatable team, but easy to lose to if we don't come out focused). Great trial game for us to see how the new regime handles regrouping at the bye week.

I mean, don't we desperately need cover LBs? Especially against the TE's in the league and Gronk over in NE? I get his size limits him here, but wouldn't it make more sense to adapt certain schemes to this ability if that's really where his strengths are?

I LOVE being the underdog - gives this team a reason to show up which, as we all know, is our Achilles heel: consistency. I remember the year we fleeced the Chiefs in the opener back with Gailey and Fitz, started out strong and all the experts were picking the opponents for the first few games. Once we started winning and media hype began to come around, we just tanked. I ALWAYS want the media to pick the other team, call me superstitious but I think it matters to us imho.

Pretty much - not a huge deal though. We're not the only team with this characteristic - Green Bay, some would say Detroit now with the fiscal issues, Charlotte isn't the biggest of cities, heck, I've heard it from Pittsburgh. All that gets curbed with a winning culture, something we haven't had in 17 years. It'll turn around, as will Buffalo's economy.

Be pretty great to still have Zach Brown, regardless of injury to Humber

Trent Green was a QB, of course he would side with the QB in this call regardless

^This... I'm living in Seattle now and this is the best for me. Don't have to wait til 1, and win or lose I have the rest of the day for whatever I want to do. Same for MNF/TNF, game's on by the time I get home from work and I still have the rest of the night for whatever else. Weird when the bills actually play on the west coast

I mean, barring a turnaround season from him, look for FO to off-load him in the most cap friendly way possible. Sunday the Defense didn't really miss his presence - a lot of which had to deal with Kyle and the rest of the Front 7. But your point here also gives them some reason to keep Dareus around. If he proves enough, we need young talent at our positions so that we can maximize our upcoming Draft picks. Biggest concerns are DT/OL (aging Kyle, Incognito, and Wood), not popular or sexy given our lackluster WR corps, young DBs, veteran RBs, and a questionable QB. But teams are built and defined by the trenches, it's time we got ours. But hey, 2-1 so far, let's see where this goes.

Was it a missed call that could have helped us? Absolutely - but don't make the mistake thinking that lost the game. We had a whole football game, up until that point, to make offensive progress and production. What was it, the first 7 drives of the game were 4 and out punts? 36 yds of total offense in the first half alone? This game wasn't lost on a missed facemask call. Our offense hadn't scored the whole day. What about being 1st and 10 from the 26 with 1:20 left to play inspired confidence? You could also point at McD waiting to call that first timeout on the final drive, letting 26 seconds run off the clock prior to that play. Point is this, the game was not lost on that missed call. Could it have put us in a position to win the game? Sure. But good teams put themselves in positions to win games. Our offense just didn't show up yesterday. Plain and simple. On to Denver.