Nihilarian

While I agree with that about Bledsoe. I also know that the guy who recommended Polian for the Job as pro personnel director was Buffalo Bills chief scout Norm Pollom. It was Pollom, who with Polian helped negotiate the draft and contract talks. They made a trade with Cleveland that allowed the Browns to draft Bernie Kosar which also gave them the ability to draft Andre Reed and Frank Riech. Norm Pollom doesn't get much recognition around here as the man had tremendous influence in the building of that franchise into a Superbowl contender. AFAIK, Beane doesn't have that superstar chief scout working for him, nor does he have the free agency period that NFL was like back then. That free agency allowed teams to keep their star players. As I stated, I think Polian was a great Buffalo Bills GM. Just at different times with different situations. My take is it was much more difficult for Beane nowadays simply because the team didn't hit rock bottom which enabled him to get a first-overall round draft pick like Bruce Smith. Back-to-back 2-14 seasons with the next year 4-12. Beane has had 6-10, 10-6, 13-3, 11-6, 13-3. Because of today's free agency along with the NFL salary cap Buffalo has already lost a 2018 #1 pick in Tremaine Edmunds

I'm not the one missing anything. As I said, I think Polian was a great GM. Alas, he gets far too much credit for the players that were already on the roster. Thurman was supposed to be an early first-round pick and most teams were afraid of all the carries he had in college plus the injury to his knee. Buffalo didn't have a first-round pick that year and landed him in the second round with the 40th pick... a steal to say the least. Again, Smith, Kelly, and Reed were already on the roster. Will Wolford was the result of the Bills going 4-12 to get that first-round pick and Ronnie Harmon was drafted before him. Beane hasn't had the dumpster fire draft picks to build a team like Polian had. Also, like I said in an earlier post it was a different time with free agency and teams were able to keep their star players. Hence, four super bowls. Read my earlier posts in this thread. Not taking anything away from Polian it's just that Beane didn't inherit an HoF QB, HoF DE, or HoF WR as they were already here in Buffalo. Beane actually scouted all the 2018 QBs and picked Josh Allen at #7. Made the trade for Stephon Diggs with a #1 pick. Signed Von Miller after the Rams had given up a #2 pick in a trade the year before. These players are all looking like future HoFers Brandon Beane has been able to build an SB contender with late-round draft picks and free agents... without back-to-back 2-14 seasons or a 4-12 season.

Granted Bill Polian did a lot of great things as he help open the owner's wallet to big screens, a new sound system, better turf, and playing players. The guy who really saved the Buffalo Bills was Chuck Knox! In the late 70s, the love canal, the air in Buffalo was yellow and smelled bad because of the steel mills. TV personalities making fun of the city because of the snowstorms. Does anyone else remember "Talking Proud"? The 1976 Bills went from 2-12, under Saban, and Ringo to 3-11 under Ringo in 1977. Chuck Knox was hired and that team was a complete mess. Stew Barber as GM in 1979. Do you guys remember him as he asked Buffalo's first-round pick Tom Cousineau to dinner and never showed up? Most here are too young to recall, but the Buffalo Bills didn't win a single game against the Miami Dolphins for the entire decade of the 1970s! Ten years man, ten years! That all changed in the 1980 season opener against Miami as Buffalo won 17-7 ANNND the goalposts came down that day! The goalposts came down a few times under Bill Polian too. The difference was that Chuck Knox was the real GM at the time who hand-picked the players the team drafted or brought in as free agents. Bringing in some of his old Rams players to teach the younger Bills players. That 1980 team went 11-5, in playoffs. All GMs have hits and misses. When you have a team as successful as the Buffalo Bills have been the last few seasons with arguably the very best QB in the NFL that this GM drafted... it's difficult for me to find fault. Anyway, I think the best is yet to come under Brandon Beane.

It's clearly not widely accepted! Not attempting to be mean here. What you fail to comprehend is that Polian was the director of player personnel for the Chicago Blitz in 1985. So he couldn't possibly have been a part of drafting QB Jim Kelly who was drafted in the 1983 NFL draft. While an employee with the Buffalo Bills when Smith and Reed were drafted in 1985, he was new to the team and wasn't the Buffalo Bills General Manager as Terry Bledsoe was the GM. As I stated, I think Bill Polian was a great GM. Different times though as free agency was different and allowed teams to keep their best players. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, as am I.

Simply do a Google of Bill Polian and find that he was the Buffalo Bills pro personnel director in 1985 and wasn't GM until 1886. Polian didn't draft Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, or Andre Reed as I stated in my post. Both Smith and Reed were drafted in 1985. As I said, Terry Bledsoe was the GM at that time. Was Bill Polian great, you bet! I just feel that Beane has managed to do a top job as the Buffalo Bills GM in difficult times. The best has yet to come. But as I said, Polian was able to build a team that already had some superstars on it going forward. Yes, he managed to talk the owner into making QB Jim Kelly the highest-paid QB in the league. But then he was also motivated by an empty stadium with fans that did show up wearing bags over their heads.

I think he is better than Polian! This GM had to personally scout all those QBs being drafted in 2018 and he got it 1000% correct in Josh Allen. So many of the fan base here wanted Josh Rosen or to give up the farm to move up to the NY Giants pick to grab Mayfield, Darnold, or Rosen. Beane traded up a few times and got it right. Best QB in franchise history! Made the trade for Stephon Diggs with a #1 pick. Signed Von Miller. You guys gotta realize that the GM goes a lot by what his coaches and scouts say as so many have input. Does anyone else notice that the O-line coach that was here when they traded Teller or drafted Ford is long gone? I would also suspect that McD has a huge input in drafting defensive players. Plus, Beane has needed to draft mostly at the back of the draft to find talent. Bill Polian came in after back-to-back 2-14 seasons in 84-85 with a 4-12 thrown in 1986. HoF QB Jim Kelly had already been drafted in 83 and so had DE Bruce Smith, and WR Andre Reed in 1985. Terry Bledsoe was the GM/VP back then. Now think about the last few seasons (2019, 10-6.) (2020, 13-3) (2021, 11-6) (2022, 13-3) This has been a great last few seasons for Buffalo fans and so much is because of Brandon Beane.

DO EEEEET!

I'm not so sure about that bolded part as Buffalo barely beat Miami at home 31-34. Skylar Thompson who was a 7th-round pick of the Dolphins in 2022 didn't play all that poorly considering how the QB on the other team played. He went 18 of 45 for 220 1 TD, and 2 INT. Josh Allen went 23 of 39 for 352 3 TDs, 2 INTs, and 3 fumbles with 1 fumble lost. 7x sacks! This was against the Miami 20th or so-ranked defense 24th in points allowed, 18th in yards allowed. As I said, this offseason the Dolphins hired ex-Denver HC Vic Fangio and traded for CB Jalen Ramsey. Miami just got way tougher to move the ball against. I really hope Buffalo properly upgraded that horrid 2022 Bills offensive line.

From what I've read that 13 seconds was all Frazier and that was when McD saw the defensive he was supposedly screaming on the sidelines. Although, I have no idea why if that were true... why he simply didn't call a time-out and change the defensive play. Looking back at the play-by-play he had time-outs left. I was upset as anyone when I saw that all the Buffalo players besides the D linemen were all 15 yards off the line. Tyreek Hill for 19 yards and the very next play the Bills were in a "prevent" defense again. This time to Kelce for 25 yards. No excuse in the world can forgive that defensive screwup...TWICE! Looking back over the last three seasons it does look like Buffalo's defensive failings are a big reason for the postseason exits. 2020 getting thumped by KC at Arrowhead 38-24. 2021, the 13 seconds. 2022, 10-27 against Cincinnati in Buffalo. Could be that the "bend, but don't break" has gotta go! This 2023 NFL season should be very telling for the Buffalo Bills in so many ways... Still, I'm not for any changes to the Buffalo coaching staff just yet.

What is it with some Bills fans already talking about cleaning house...firing McD, Beane and the season hasn't even started. Yes, the Bills ended last season with an ugly loss to the Bengals at HOME. Still, it was a 13-3 season fraught with so many injuries on defense and with a rookie play-caller on offense. You guys do realize that Brian Daboll had 8 seasons behind him as an NFL offensive coordinator...and yet. The Buffalo Bills also ended the 2020 season with an ugly loss at Arrowhead and kept improving the team. Some of you need to recall who the first guy the Peguals hired as the Buffalo HC was. Yes, this season is going to be very trying for this franchise. The Jets got better by finally trading for a top QB...that defense! The Dolphins went 9-8 with a 20th-ranked defense and this off-season hired a top DC while trading for a top CB in Jalen Ramsey. The Patriots got better by finally obtaining a real NFL OC who used to be an HC, their offense should be way better this season. Bills fans can hope that the Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots all beat the hell out of each other. I know I'll be rooting for that. Anyway, have some dang faith that this coaching staff will get it done this season. The hotter the fire...

My greatest concerns with the current Buffalo Bills are...that Josh Allen will end up seriously injured like Cam Newton, Michael Vick, or RG3. Cam Newton, who played 11 seasons in the NFL, played a full 16 games in only five of eleven seasons. https://www.draftsharks.com/fantasy/injury-history/cam-newton/4690 Also, I also wonder if McD is another Head Coach like Denver's Dan Reeves. a man who was also a defensive-minded HC who had a superstar at QB in John Elway. In his twelve seasons as the HC of the Broncos with 3 AFC Championships...no SB wins. Buffalo has yet to even win an AFC Championship. Will Buffalo OC Ken Dorsey continue to ride on Josh Allen's arm while using the running game as an afterthought to get a head coaching job? If so he had better take a long hard look at the end of the 2021 season and how Daboll worked that run game for the betterment of the offense. The AFC East is no longer a cakewalk of lousy teams...

I get it. Those 90s teams were in a different era, with different rules. Every Bills fan loves those old teams. Okay, I'll say it. The current Buffalo Bills have had a prolific passing offense no question. Perhaps one of the best of the times. I think more highly of Buffalo QB Josh Allen than any other QB in the NFL today. That said, Buffalo hasn't yet reached a super bowl with this regime. Today's Buffalo offense has been excellent in passing, (#2 overall in 2022.) (#3 in points scored, and #5 in yards in 2021.) (#2 overall in 2020.) Which has been has been one of the very best offenses over the last three seasons. The offense looks good enough to win a super bowl. The Buffalo defense has usually been more than good enough the last few seasons. Middle of the pack in 2020. Number one overall in 2021. #2 in points allowed, #6 in yards allowed in 2022. So, why no SB? In 2021 it was clearly the defense's fault, those 13 seconds. In 2020 the defense was smoked by the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game 38-24. So, Brandon Beane went all out for an elite pass rusher in Von Miller. The problem was the defense was dealing with injuries everywhere all season in 2022. My thoughts are it wasn't just the defense as both the Chiefs nor Bengals field a defense that good. The 2022 Chiefs fielded a middle-of-the-road defense #16 in points allowed, and #11 in yards allowed. 15th in pass rush win rate at 41%. Number one in offense though. Not just a passing offense as they could run when they needed. a 7th-round RB managed 15 rushes for 76 yards and a TD against the vaunted Eagle's defense. Not to mention that Patrick Mahomes was playing with a gimp ankle in that SB. That Eagle's defense led the NFL in pass rush win rate at 52%. Yet, the Chiefs allowed no sacks on Mahomes in that SB. Allow me to reiterate, Dorsey, run game, O line. Plus Balance! Today's Buffalo teams are so dependent on one player to carry the team and if for some reason he falters, the passing game falters. The win goes out the window. In 2021 Buffalo lost to the worst team in the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars 6-9 WTF? So much pressure on the QB. This game gave teams the blueprint. Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills leading rusher is so many games, and that... needs... to... stop! The Buffalo run game looks good stat-wise because of all the QB runs. Lastly, while relating to the 90s Buffalo Bills. I must say that today's teams have no one even close to the talent of RB Thurman Thomas! Nor the level of talent on that offensive line. Center Kent Hull was great, all pro, pro bowler. LT Will Wolford was excellent, pro bowler. LG Jim Ritcher, pro bowler. Not to mention a one-of-a-kind special teamer demon in Steve Tasker.

What really bothers me is that the Buffalo FO / McD simply doesn't get this. We all saw it and it was a literal thrill to watch that Buffalo offense led by Josh Allen destroy the NE Patriots in that 2021 playoff game 47-17! Then the next game against the Chiefs that went into OT was lost because of some bad calls on ST and defense at the end of regulation. Buffalo had like a 98% chance of winning that game with 13 seconds left... The Buffalo offense was spectacular that day and is a big reason why Brian Daboll was hired by the NY Giants. Alas, It's like Bills OC Daboll never left when you watch the Buffalo Bills play calling at times this past season. However, Buffalo finished #2 overall in points scored, yards. Which equals Dabolls best season as OC in Buffalo. So, I question If the Buffalo Bills will just keep doing what they did offensively in 2022 and ignore the fact that their AFC rivals improved enough to contend for that AFC title. Let me say again that the 2022 Miami Dolphins went 9-8 with the 24th in points allowed, and 18th in yards allowed defense. They understood this and hired a new DC in Vic Fangio, who many know to have an excellent reputation as a defensive coordinator. Not only that the Dolphins made the trade for Jalen Ramsey. Buffalo used to match up well against the Dolphin's defense because of the scheme they would attempt to run with the wrong personnel. NOT ANYMORE! Now more than ever Buffalo needs to build a proper power run attack that will bring balance to their offense and give the Buffalo offense more options. Take some of the workload off QB Josh Allen and allow that offense to become even better...like it was at the end of 2021. Then yes, it might be said best ever! Buffalo still has some options at RB. Dalvin Cook... https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-trade-rumors-dalvin-cook-minnesota-vikings-cap-space Also, Like I mentioned previously that a trade might be made with the Chargers to acquire RB Austin Ekeler. Who puts up numbers very similar to CMC. Ekeler was a walkon and is currently underpaid by other top back standards at 6 mill per. It might take as much as 11-12 mill per to make him happy. I keep mentioning Ekeler mostly because of the numbers he puts up in the passing game, very much like Thurman Thomas used to do.

Those 90's Buffalo Bills teams managed to go to four straight super bowls... which is something no other NFL team has ever managed to do. Yes, they lost them all... As prolific as the current Buffalo offense has been these last few seasons 2020, 2021, 2022. Do I need to say it...

Those late 80's early 90's Buffalo Bills teams were very balanced and as a matter of fact, they actually ran the ball more than they threw some of those first great seasons. They might have nicknamed that offense the "K gun" after TE Keith McKeller. Although actually, it was more of a 'hurry up" offense that kept defenses off balance so badly that they simply couldn't keep up. It also restricted the defensive substitutions which meant that defenses needed to keep the same players on the field for all three downs. As for that 1992 AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos, on January 12th, 1992. That was a game for the ages in a defensive struggle. Jim Kelly went 13 of 25 for 117 yards, 2 INT. Thomas went 25 attempts for 72 yards. Near the end of the game, the Buffalo offensive line was so badly banged up / injured that TE Pete Metzelaars came in to play tackle. I feel that the O-line injuries might have been a big reason for the poor showing in that year's SB. Anyway, that 1991 Denver defense was #3 in points allowed, and #5 in yards allowed. The Broncos went 12-4 that season BTW, that perfect January day the temperature was 33 degrees with a wind chill of 25 degrees. Still, Buffalo won that AFC Championship playoff game 10-7. P.S. It would be nice to see the current Buffalo Bills become as balanced as those 90's SB years were. Currently, the Bills depend on one offensive player far, far too much, and live and die with that magical unicorn. This reminds me of those 80s years in Denver with the great QB John Elway...3 SB losses. Denver didn't win an SB with Elway until RB Terrell Davis.

What did I say, Doresy, run game, O line. Yes, I mentioned the O line. In that Cincy playoff loss, OC Dorsey only called 13 RB carries which is clearly not enough to get that run game working. Besides, if the run game isn't working at all so just keep asking the QB to throw when that isn't working either. Shades of Brian Daboll in that first Baltimore game or that 2021 6-9 loss to Jacksonville. There are many, many run alternatives to off OG, OT, and up the middle. If the QB is having an off day keep working at finding what will work in the run game, misdirection, and counterplays. Make those defenders run sideline to sideline and wear them out. Anyway, there were series in that Cincy playoff loss with seven straight passes...punt! Yes, there were times when both the passing game and the run game didn't work. When the run game did work they stopped calling runs, two runs by Singletary for 6, 7 yards for a first down. So they went right back to the pass. The Buffalo offensive line wasn't up to the task that day in pass blocking while allowing far too much pressure on the QB. This is on the OC to see this and make some changes. If the QB, passing game is not working in a game there needs to be a plan B. Bengals QB Joe Burrow didn't have a career day against that Buffalo defense. He isn't the sole reason for their win. 23 of 36 for 242, 2 TDs. It's because the Bengals had balance and were able to run the ball. 34 rush attempts for 172 yards, 1 TD. Yes, the Buffalo Bills have an alien unicorn at QB. The thing is, as QB Jim Kelly stated, Allen can't be expected to carry every game. Josh Allen needs help from a running game just like Jim Kelly had in his day with Buffalo.

Stats... That Miami playoff game shouldn't have even been close against a 20th-ranked Dolphins defense. The Fins sacked Josh Allen 7x, he threw two INTs, and had 3x fumbles! Why? because the Bills...just... kept... throwing! THIS is the reason that Buffalo desperately needs a strong run game. The final score was 34-31. Sure, put it all on the QB! Problems? Dorsey, run game, O line. In the Bengals playoff game, the Buffalo offense scored a miserable 10 points and lost 27-10. It wasn't as close as the score suggests. Again, it was all on QB Josh Allen. The Buffalo run game went 19 rushes for 64 yards and Allen had 6 of those rushes... pathetic! Meanwhile, the Bengals rushed 34 times for 172 yards. Cincinnati had the 21st-ranked pass rush win rate in 2022 at 37% and Allen was under constant pressure. Problems? Dorsey, run game, O line. Division foe stratagy. Find a way to get in the face of the Buffalo QB...and they got nothing else!

As good as the 2023 Buffalo Bills offense might be there are some real questions about the 2023 offense going forward. In my view, the biggest question going forward has to be Bills OC, Ken Dorsey. Will the Bills ever build a decent run game to take the pressure off the QB when needed? The Buffalo QB should never again be the teams leading rusher in a game. That stuff needs to stop. I was hoping that was gone with Daboll. Also, I really was kind of thinking that Buffalo would make a trade for the Charger's RB Austin Ekeler. An RB who puts up numbers very similar to the guy everyone wanted in CMC. But then, is that Buffalo offensive line improved enough to actually open holes for the RBs this season? The Bills moved on from Singletary who was pretty darn good with a 4.6 YPC AVG... considering he was being hit in the backfield so often. New Buffalo RB Damien Harris lost the starting job in NE and his YPC AVG has been declining from 5.0 to 4.6, and last season 4.4. Can he stay healthy? The Jet's defense which was ranked #4 overall in 2022 should be improved as should the offense with QB Aaron Rodgers. If they can beat Buffalo with a scrub at QB... They drafted a DE early and went O-line with the next two. The Dolphins also split with Buffalo and then almost beat Buffalo in a playoff game 34-31 with 7th-round Skylar Thompson at QB... talk about a scrub. Miami should not have been in either of those last two games and yet could have won both. Disconcerting... That team has even more speed on offense now. That Dolphin defense got better with the new DC Vic Fangio along with Jalen Ramsey. Ex-Titan LB David Long. Miami went 9-8 with a 20th-ranked defense last year. The Patriots should have an actual offense this season... with an actual offensive coordinator in former OC Bill O'Brien. Rather than what they had last season in their old DC calling the offensive plays...what a joke! Still, they went 8-9 with that clown show. The Patriots should be improved. The Buffalo offense seemed to fall off a cliff at the end of last season in the playoffs... the defense actually had excuses with so many injuries. A lot comes down to how improved that Buffalo offensive line is this season and if they can run the ball when needed. Lastly, I can't figure out if McD calling the defense will be better or worse. Who will play Mike? I'm not as optimistic as some here.

I do believe that only Klein and Dodson are listed as MLB. The first has 10 years exp and the latter 3 years. They might be swapped out depending on the situation, down. Just a thought.

Indeed...He had him rated as the #9 out of his top 150 players.

For now. Just remember that this is his first stint at GM and he has made some mistakes no question. Also, he stepped into the job needing to hire a completely new scouting staff and get them up to speed quickly. I look at Beane as being a better GM mostly because he didn't have a battle-tested QB in Jim Kelly who started his rookie year in the USFL. Two seasons under Mouse Davis teaching him the run-and-shoot offense. Josh was a true rookie and out of a small college too. Unlike Kelly who went to the U. Plus, Polian already had an HoF pass rusher in Bruce Smith on the team and was able to use a #1 pick on Will Wolford. So when they went to the playoffs so quickly as the roster was built because they were so bad and were able to use some early draft picks. Back-to-back 2-14 seasons and the next 4-12 with Polian as GM. Brandon Beane hasn't had those early draft picks to be able to make the team better. Look what the Jets have done with some early draft picks vs late-round picks... a huge difference. Beane has had to work so much harder to build a playoff team. I'm giving Beane the nod. Now let's hope he builds a team good enough to overcome the Chiefs, and Bengals and get the team the AFC Championship...several times.

This! I'm not going to worry about it either as these men have a plan. You don't build a top 5 defense year after year and not know what you are doing. Are Bills fans expecting a Ray Lewis in the 3rd round? The top LBer in this year's draft was Jack Campbell at #18 to Detroit. If the Bills somehow had drafted him you can bet that some would be complaining about it. Yes, he is a developmental project that will be regulated to start on special teams...deal with it.

No. 91 - Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane The Bills selected Williams midway through the third round, which is quite the surprise when looking back at the stage he and his teammates Tulane were at a year ago. The Green Wave finished the 2021 season with a 2-12 record doing a complete 180 in 2022, going 12-2 and winning the Cotton Bowl over the talented USC Trojans. Williams was a major reason why, as he did a little bit of everything. Along with posting a career-high 17 tackles in that 46-45 win over USC, he led Tulane in tackles (131), sacks (five), was second in passes defended (seven), had two interceptions and forced two fumbles. "He's a tackle machine, he's very athletic," Beane said. He has his elite closing speed to thank, something he showed flashes of when he tied for the fourth-fastest 40 time among linebackers at the combine with a 4.49. This kind of 4-4 speed while rushing toward the quarterback or forcing running backs to cut it back inside could be a major reason why Beane said he'll be starting out at outside linebacker. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bills-day-2-draft-recap-buffalo-selects-tackle-machine-for-defense-immovable-object-for-offense/ar-AA1avpBj?cvid=9c026ab8824e4a6f90ae7dcf1e36ce6b&ocid=winp2fptaskbar&ei=

Projected rounds 3-4. Judging by the way other teams seem to gobble up players Buffalo is looking at I don't see why they wouldn't grab a guy they like. He was the Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP with 17 tackles in the win over USC. https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dorian-williams/32005749-4c24-3940-708f-17c023a4d993

Good stuff, protect the franchise!