GunnerBill

I do manage staff. I don't get involved in their personal lives. It isn't my business to. What did she sue for? Cos I used to advise on employment law (albeit in the UK not the USA). I know pretty well what a court is likely to hold creates a liability.

Does Diggs count as a co-worker? If so I can't promise this.

Yea that is the business risk point though - which I have accepted in response to @Coach Tuesday is a legitimate concern (although I think this is an extreme caution approach). The comment of mine you responded to though was not that, it was about optics.

I agree with the rest of what you say... but what is the "difficult dynamic"? Being judgmental on people's personal lives is acceptable?

Exactly right. It is a risk that is more in the theory than in the practice. But I understand organisations being extremely cautious in this day in age. Though there is no doubt that is what it is - extreme caution - if they were fired to protect the company against harassment or unlawful dismissal claims.

It is true. The Pegulas have not demonstrated they are good at recognising the right people to run their sports franchises. It is why I think they are so beholden to McDermott and Beane. It is the ONE time they have got good, competent leaders. People can question if they are the right people to deliver a championship, that is fair. But McDermott and Beane are clearly very competent and would both be snapped up in a park drive minute if the Bills moved on. And Terry would probably hire Nate Hackett and Dave Gettleman.

I definitely think it is is true that teams will look at some of McDermott's playcalling as it differs to Leslie - especially up front - and adjust. But the Bills getting some critical guys back - especially on the edge up front should avoid some of what we saw Sunday. Similarly on offense the Jags had seen us playing three weeks worth of dink and dunk against zone and were determined to take that away and Dorsey had no counter punch. There will be tests to come for both sides of the ball.

Yea. Rex is a much better salesman obviously.

I didn't quote you whole post because there is a lot in there that is either done to death and it is just opinion v opinion and you gotta pay your money and take your choice and some stuff (mainly the comparison between the McD defense and Frazier defense) where actually I share many of your views.... but just a few things to come back on: 1. Of course you are right on Groot. My mistake. My head always goes to the SEC with the 'canes and I always need to remind myself they are not. 2. I am not one of the people who has been banging that drum. 3. The Jet game is was just one big run really and while I accept Bernard was at fault for that one long run he was at fault in alignment and that was just lack of time on task over the summer. On Sunday the Jags didn't beat us UTM (as you like to say) they beat us by running at weak edges. Neither Floyd nor AJE are naturally brilliant run defenders despite both having good games as pass rushers (that is an area we really miss Groot or Shaq's ability to play early downs) and we had backup corners. They attacked what were known weaknesses. Bernard still had a really good game as a run defender. There are problems with the run defense, they are not really Bernard problems though. 4. I suppose on Ed what I say is this might be a breakout in terms of pure production numbers but in terms of performance he has already broken out. It is just he is getting the numbers his performances the past two seasons have deserved. He has been one of the best penetrating defensive tackles in the NFL the past two seasons. Rousseau has been on a steady incline. He was solid as a rookie. Good last year and looks so far like he has taken another step. Jones isn't breaking out, Jones was really good for us last year and really good in Tennessee earlier in his career (and FWIW I agree his stats at the start of this season would have been unlikely to keep on at that pace). 5. Ed was not a trade up. He was selected at #9 overall which was out original pick after going 6-10 in 2018.

That is what all the Frazier haters were saying they wanted. Let's see if they are happy to live the reality if it continues.

They have the most arrogant coach in the league. The team reflects his personality. It is possibly the reason Kyle isn't Bills coach. The Pegulas interviewed him in the Rex Ryan process and hated him.

That is a different point though - you are saying you think it stops them doing their job properly. Which I accept in theory it could. Not sure in practice it necessarily does but there you go... I understand the need for caution. It is the optics point I don't really agree with. Two adults have sex isn't an optics problem from my perspective. And it feels overly moralistic to make it an optics point. One thrust for every Bills injury?

Is it? Why? If the relationship is entirely consensual and not affecting them doing their jobs what is the problem?

Yes

33-14

Yes. I think ge played well vs the run. If anything he was a little less impressive in coverage than my first instinct. But I still think he played a decent game. Around him was a ***** show. Yea that is completely fair. McDermott doesn't get a pass for poor offensive plans two of the last 3 weeks. He signs off on them.

I don't disgaree with that. But Bernard, certainly in the run game, has not been the issue.

Yea I completely get it. Our run D hasn't been good. But on film it is pretty clearly not a Bernard issue. And I say this as someone who started week 1 saying he would be a liability. I think the defensive issues Sunday were about personnel. I think our offensive gameplan was garbage. I am not even sure it was that much about them. It was about us. We majorly underperformed across the board.

It was based mainly on an upgraded offensive line. They didn't look that upgraded this past week, but I put that down to poor schedule planning and the jetlag. I'll get worried about the OL if we start to see repeats of last week.

He was playing well before it. He played hurt a lot last year and he was still playing better than the pure production numbers. At some point that always evens out.

And we ended up with a PS defensive tackle at the other edge spot opposite AJE in the 4th quarter on Sunday because Floyd and Jonathan had various nicks in the game. Edge depth matters.

Ed Oliver was a BEAST in college. Thinking otherwise means you never watched him. The level of competition point is fair, Groot played in the SEC but Ed was dominant against his competition. While I recognise his career has had some inconsistency - good as a rookie, disappointing but playing out of position as a 2nd year player, up and down year 3.... he was very consistent when he was healthy last year though. Since the start of last season whenever Ed Oliver has been healthy he has been a game wrecker. By the end of last season he was held together by sticky tape. I don't think that is hedging I think it is being adult about it and recognising there are a range of possible outcomes. If you want a prediction - fine - then so long as he stays healthy I think by the end of the year Ed O will be right on the cusp and the conversation will be "he has had an elite season but is one season enough to say he is an elite player?" and Groot I think will have the best production numbers of his career in terms of pressures and sacks but won't be in the elite level conversation just yet. No - Milano and White. And we didn't disagree at all on Milano pre-season. You keep accusing me of being one of the "linebacker will be alright" crowd I wasn't. I was in the "MLB is a liability on this team" crowd. I'm just big enough to say through 5 games Bernard has absolutely proved me wrong. And even on Sunday after Milano went down he was very good - ESPECIALLY against the run. I think WILL linebacker is very likely a weakness on this team now unless Williams can really get going quickly. Because Beane's draft record is better than average overall. Not many busts in 6 drafts. Not enough elite players though, on that we agree. You have to factor in stars, but drafting isn't only about stars. It is about having enough guys that can be solid starters in the NFL and enough people who can play roles to fill out your roster and he has been above average at finding both of those. A tick below in finding stars. I am sticking to that but that isn't the only way to judge a GM. Mahomes, Jones, Kelce (all drafted by Dorsey, though Mahomes was Veach in all but name) Humphrey and Joe Thuney who they signed as a FA. Carter has been very good but again I'm not calling a player elite based on 5 games. I think he is a stud though and by the end of the year we may well be talking about him as elite. Smith is a good WR2. He is really a 1B. But the best receiver on that team, as the best receiver on this team, came via trade. AJ Brown is elite. And they did not build their team through the draft basically AT ALL. Higgins like Smith is a 1B. I was a bit fan of him coming out. He's the guy I'd have taken if we didn't trade for Diggs. I think he will prove a good #1 somewhere next year but I don't think he is elite. When I watch Brock Purdy I don't see an elite QB. I think he is good, but at the moment I think the elite is Kyle's offense not Brock Purdy. Beane could have drafted elite players outside round 1. No argument there. His second round picks in particular haven't been great. I mean all of them haven't. I gave you the numbers. Some have, some haven't. But it is by 1 or 2 players. Beane needs another major hit soon though. I completely agree. I think what this comes down to is you'd be much more trigger happy in terms of firings than I would. That is your prerogative. I do think there is some level of pressure on Beane to come up with more true elite difference makers. Stef, Matt and Tre are all in their late 20s. Tre is now off a second bad injury. Matt is going to be coming off one too. He needs an Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, Dalton Kincaid, James Cook, O'Cyrus Torrence, Terell Bernard to really hit. Otherwise in 2/3 years we might be looking and saying this team is Josh and not much else.

Yea absolutely fair. The light for AJE went on mid 3rd season althought the Bills deserve some responsibility for that in that his first season was lost to a body transformation and then an adjustment to his play style. Equally they are asking Elam to basically change his game to fit their scheme. Boogie Basham meanwhile is bad at football.

In fairness to them Bernard did play well on Sunday even with the utter chaos around him. But on any play where the Jags were able to neutralise him the rest was a mess. Particularly our outside contain. Was a good plan from Jacksonville. They knew we were thin on the edge and down to backup corners outside and they called their run game accordingly. Does happen to play to ETN's strengths as well.

Cover 1 are good at what they do. But they are homers.