GunnerBill

I understand that difference but I still say it is an unhealthy way to look at it. It's always the journey and not the destination.

I don't think it is disingenuous at all. I think it is about a mindset. There is barely a post on this board about the Patriots game on Sunday. But there is a post about firing the coach if he doesn't make the AFCCG. A game that is FOURTEEN weeks away. If people want to be that way that is up them but I promise you it will suck your enjoyment out of sport. I lived that life for 4 years with my other sporting love in the 00s. Then we went through a barren period we have just come out the other side of and I am experiencing this era of being a contender totally differently. I am loving every moment of it and just enjoying the journey. We should have won the Premier League last season, we didn't. Oh well. Life goes on. There is always another season with its own twists and turns to enjoy. I think is is partly age as well. I have a pretty full on, intense, stressful worklife that I didn't have when I was a uni student 20 years ago. I could afford to expend stress on football (the round balled sort) seasons. I can't now. sport has to be my escape, it has to be my relaxation. I have zero influence over the outcome and so I just enjoy the journey. It's the climb. And the debate about what is wrong with the team NOW as we stand here in the present day I have absolutely no issue with. That is what you do as fans. It is the extrapolating out to doom in 11 or 14 weeks time. That is the big I don't get and honestly, isn't healthy. By all means let's talk about what is wrong with the offense, whether the defense can overcome the injuries, whether the playcalling and coaching decisions against the Giants were good enough. Absolutely let's talk about that. That is there here and now. I am absolutely NOT saying "let's only be positive" I hate that type of approach. It is toxic positivity. But I'm just saying the people whose heads are already in January are going about it the wrong way.

Yea he definitely isn't what he was two years ago but after a really rough first couple of weeks he has settled down and played pretty solid ball. He hasn't been the difference maker of past years, but he has been really steady from the Commanders game on.

Sorry? You watched that clip and concluded Williams wasn't blocked? I'd call your local optician if I were you. He does, arguably he did there too. 'Cos he allowed the blocker to engage. But McDermott wants his LBers playing faster downhill this year compared to recent years. So I suspect, actually, that he played his assignment properly and ultimately his blocker just got to him and got him out of the play.

No, @Bill from NYC believes McDermott runs the draft right up to the present day and that Brandon Beane is GM in name only. On 2017 there is no dispute. McDermott was in the chair for that draft and it was his decision that was final.

No. He hadn't been. 2017 was McDermott's draft. No dispute on that. He was making the decisions that year.

I haven't been in that war room but I have spoken to two separate people who have been in that building and have been in those rooms and have heard those conversations. Brandon Beane runs personnel. Of course he has input from Sean because they are basically joined at the hip. But the idea he is a puppet GM just picking who McDermott tells him to is just wrong. That is not how the building is run.

I think what has happened to the fanbase, and it does sadden me, is they have stopped living in the moment. We are in week 7 and all they can think about is January. It never used to be this way. When we were scrapping to be .500, to have a playoff shot in the final couple of weeks, we used to live in the moment game to game. I get it people are desperate for a Lombardi and there have been heartbreaking losses and we have Josh Allen... but sport is supposed to be fun. You can't fixate on the destination. It will rip the fun out of it for you. The fun bit isn't the destination. It's the climb.

He is not very good. Beaten out in NYJ by an UDFA rookie. KC was the only team he had any value to. Their WRs suck and he at least knows their offense (whereas Skyy Moore halfway through year 2 runs routes like he has never even opened his play book).

He was in charge of the 2017 draft. He has not been in charge of the draft since. You can think the opposite if you like, but you are wrong. Does he have a big influence, yes because he and Brandon trust each other implicitly and are absolutely aligned. But because he trusts Brandon implicitly he lets Beane run personnel.

If the Bills were in the NFC McDermott would have made a Superbowl. I have zero doubt.

Because I think the fact that Terry constantly marries up their contracts tells you that he sees them as joined at the hip. And my contact in the organisation says they are totally a pair and it is inconceivable to imagine one without the other.

He is a nickel.

If course it is Terry's call. But I am telling you it won't happen. It is both of them or none of them.

These two are not those two.

There is no world in which McDermott goes and Beane stays.

This shouldn't be relevant to the decision on McDermott but HELL NO. Terry has hired one good HC-GM combo in multiple attempts across two franchises. His reluctance to move on from them may in part be that he knows he sucks at this.

It isn't just combine measurements, it is experience of having done it or not.

If the Bills go 4-13 like Arizona did McDermott and Beane are in trouble. But it would take that sort of disaster for Pegula to fire them after this season IMO.

Humphrey is 6ft, has 32 and 1/4 inch arms, runs a 4.41 and played outside corner in college. He also always played outside corner in Baltimore in base, but then he'd go inside in nickel and they'd bring another boundary corner in. Similar to how Denver used to use Chris Harris back in the day. Taron Johnson is 5ft10 with 30 and 7/8 inch arms, runs 4.50 and has never played outside corner ever. I love him as a slot. He is one of the best 3 or 4 slot corners in football. But he just doesn't have the length or speed to play outside for me.

I don't know yet. It totally depends how the season plays out. Personally I don't see this as a Superbowl team this year in any event. I was 50/50 before we lost the guys to injuries. Now I lean towards no it isn't. There are ways it could go where I'd support a Head Coaching change. The reality is, however, barring a total collapse McDermott and Beane are going nowhere this year. Terry just extended them and remains committed to them.

None of those are contest catches. The first onr he gets hit after he caught it. The second is a good catch to be fair to him, the third is just a good throw. Hardman sucks. He is likely faster than Harty at this point but that is about it.

I don't recall Hardman ever demonstrating that. He is a gadget / speedster too and got beaten out by an UDFA with the Jets. I think he still has his speed whereas I am not convinced Harty does but other than that they are the same guy.

I agree re running the whole tree. I think what they lack most right now is a separator (beyond Stef). Washington, Vegas and Miami sat in zone and the Bills picked them apart. Jacksonville and the Giants have basically used the same approach. Double Diggs then man up everyone else on a large % of snaps. We really need someone who can separate. I'd be in on Marshall as a buy low option though.

I actually don't hate it as an idea but not for a 4th rounder. I like him coming out of LSU. I think he has had some moments in the pros but hasn't demonstrated he can perform consistently. Still I like him better than Mingo who they spent a 2nd on this past draft. If they'd take a 7th, that could become a 6th if he hits performance thresholds I'd be interested in doing it. He is a bit of a shot in the dark so much more than that would worry me.