Straight Hucklebuck

I agree. Following WGR there is a sense of excitement about Anderson starting, especially with Mike Schopp. And I think he has positive memories from the EJ Manuel switch to Kyle Orton. When you look at Anderson's career, this is not a Kyle Orton bump. He's older than Orton was and has one full year as the starter in his career, whereas Orton was the starter for 4 years. Following 2007, Anderson was ultimately benched and he never resurfaced again as a viable starting QB. Anderson is a career 54% passer with 60 TDs/60 Ints across 76 games. Now he gets off a beach towel to come in here Week 7 and play? It will be better than 82 yards, but it's probably 150 yards and an interception. And I'm sorry, but McDermott talking about how much Allen is going to learn from watching Anderson handle a walkthrough is insulting. Allen was a first round pick, who took Glenn, #12, #53 and #56 to get. He should be propped up like McDermott loves his ex-Carolina guys. This is not some great learning opportunity Coach. It's a debacle we're here, with all the familiar Billsy spin like "learning from a veteran" and "blessing in disguise". Doug Whaley said the exact same lines about EJ Manuel when he got benched 4 years ago.

Its possible this is 2013-2014 with EJ Manuel all over again. Project QB, garbage QB's on the roster, not impressive in the games he'd played outside of one (EJ-Carolina, Allen-Minnesota), hurt midseason, not impressive, team invests in WR to "help" young QB, young QB still sucks and is benched 4 games into second year for a veteran QB who was talked out of retirement.

1. Born in WNY. 2. The Bills represent the nostalgia I have for WNY and are a tie to family. 3. Doug Flutie's naked bootleg against the Jaguars

Still waiting for that big Sammy explosion ... Still waiting for all that talent to put together one season better than any Steve Johnson had in his 3 year stretch as the Bills #1. The Rams couldn't coax a huge season out of him, and he's clearly behind Hill and Kelce in the KC pecking order. A lot of games in his career with 3 catches and <35 yards.

Can't stand 18 games. It waters down the product. The rosters expand, so players that normally would be cut are now playing. Before the NFL changed scheduling to emphasize Divisional games late in the year, the good teams that had already clinched were resting guys 2 weeks before the Playoffs started. Its a stupid money grab to sell more commercials and dilutes the importance of winning in a tighter 16 game schedule.

Not with McDermott running the show. Nate P is the exact player McD loves. Faith based player and all around swell guy.

The 18 game schedule waters the product down. The players don't want it and I don't blame them. Longer season, pushes the draft later and later. .

Roger's Plan? Shoe-horn a team into London Force 18 games Then talk about player safety as the #1 goal

Not much. The Head Coach looks for a stylistic match to his philosophy.

I agree. The FO is paid to know more than the fans. This what you get with a defensive coordinator for a Coach, who thinks it’s 1946.

The Cardinals “did the right thing” and got a veteran starter in Sam Bradford. He stunk up the joint like everyone knew he would and that’s $20MM sitting on the bench. The Broncos paid for Case Keenum and they’re 2-4. The Bills tried to give AJ MCCarron his chance, and he played like Matt Cassel, a dump off machine. Bottom line is Allen struggled, didn’t look good, so the Bills are stuck scrambling. If EJ was good in 2013, then the folly of signing Kevin Kolb would be forgotten.

This is 2013-2014 all over again. We get to the end of this season and don’t have a firm evaluation of Allen, spend numerous resources on offense to help Allen, ignore the strong defense, then get 4 games into 2019 and realize he sucks, bench him for another career journeyman and Allen never plays meaningful snaps again.

A few unconnected thoughts here: 1. McDermott believes in the running the ball because we play in snowy Buffalo. 2. McDermott values culture over strategy and seemingly talent. 3. Beane can't get his head out of Carolina. The number of ex-Panthers added to this team in FA and trades speaks to that. I think the I think it's fair to question whether McDermott and Beane have the mindset to build a modern NFL offense, with real focus on passing the ball. Despite drafting Allen #7 overall, I question whether McDermott is going to build a vertical passing offense. Deep down, does he really want speed WR's who get down the field? We haven't seen anything else in Buffalo for the majority of time since 2006. Buffalo has lagged compared to the rest of the league in the adoption of passing offense. What can fans gauge/ascertain from McDermott's 22 games as HC in on what offense he believes in? Does he really believe that he can win big in the Playoffs trying to win games 17-13? In one aspect I do not want the Bills to look at the defense and consider it finished, while devoting all resources towards the offense. A large chunk should go to the offense, but this team has two 35 year old's that are starting and playing well in Williams and Alexander. Keep adding to that side of the ball, and go quality over quantity at WR.

I also clearly stated that I want Allen to play more. My gut tells me that the initial returns (5 games worth) are he is the same guy we saw in Wyoming. But I also don't want Bills fans to hand out extra credit for run of the mill plays. This offense flat lined after the Vikings game. How could there be any other conclusion? The team was shutout in Green Bay, had 13 against Tennessee and Allen had the Bills at 3 points against the Texans before he left. Hopefully Allen gets back out there and keeps playing. And for sure he'll get (and should get) the start in 2019 with improved personnel around him. I agree with the OP that Allen needs to learn NFL open and improve pre-snap ability to read a defense. Of course the latter will take time. No final judgement on Allen there.

The Bills will have to run a 1914 Army playbook, maybe even older with the 1899 Harvard playbook. Peterman restricted to handing off and pitches to running backs. Run all three downs. At this point Peterman is in the category of Duke Williams. Very early it became apparent that he can not see the field. With Williams he was a liability in coverage and a walking penalty. Peterman is a noodle-armed turnover machine.

I agree with his "remaining areas" for improvement. NFL open and Pre-Snap/Reading a Defense. However, he is averaging 151 ypg passing across five starts and hasn't thrown a TD pass in (3) straight starts. Now that defenses have some tape on him, can Allen overcome those scheme changes? In terms of progress, it would be one thing if there was a 40 yard throw, followed by an ill-advised interception, followed by a 27 yard laser over the middle, followed by a poor throw on an out route. That would correctable rookie mistakes, but using the arm talent to create chances. But what I am seeing more of is a stagnation in the offense. Nothing happens. What you don't want to have happen is the familiar discussion of is Allen being told to not throw the ball or is he simply unwilling to pull the trigger or he can't see "NFL open". This discussion has been had ad nauseam by Bills fans with Trent, EJ and Tyrod. I want Allen to keep playing as soon as he's ready. Derek Anderson starting is a waste of time and the Bills are just going to have to put Allen back in anyways. We saw this in 2014. Had the Bills known at the end of 2013 that EJ was not the answer, they could have had Carr or Bridgewater and been on their way. Instead, they traded a #1 and a #4 for a WR to help EJ, and that experiment lasted 4 games, with EJ never playing meaningful snaps again in the league. Until QB is solved, we have to keep taking one. The QB room is going to be cleaned out anyways because Anderson is not coming back next year and neither should Nate Peterman.

1. DE ** unless a good QB falls. 2. WR ** unless a good QB falls. 3. OLB 4. CB 5. TE 6. OG/C 7. OT 8. RB 9. CB/S 10. DT 11. WR Continue adding to the strength of this team, the defense. We failed to do so in 2014 when we took Watkins instead of Mack, coming off a 2013 defense where the Bills had 57 sacks on the year. If the QB (Allen) is not good, then a WR is a waste of a pick. WR do not drive wins in the NFL. I understand the offense is atrocious. But going out and selecting WR, WR, RB, OG, OT, WR, TE and then going WR, WR, RB, WR in Free Agency is too much. There are not enough footballs to go around, and this Coach is not going to turn the Bills into the LA Rams. As mush as I'd love to flush all the WRs and start over, it is not realistic to expect 3-4 rookies and old FA WRs to come in and be productive. The FA WR is shaping up to be a horrible class, unless there are cap cuts. I think the smart move would be to continue adding to this defense. Lorenzo Alexander is 35, Kyle Williams is 35. Take a WR early in the draft of course, interior OL is a problem and Jordan Mills has been our starting RT for 3 years.

I didn't mean that you were making a case that the Bills are an outstanding team. To me, what we are seeing is Dick Jauron football. I really think that's Sean McDermott's approach to football. I think the Texans game, the Titans game, is his blueprint for winning in the NFL. You're watching these games where QBs have 396 yards and 4 TDs and that's never going to be McDermott. I think he wants 17-13 with a lot of punting. Maybe if Allen can deliver a few more clutch throws and not turn it over at all, then he can be viable. What if the Bills went totally against the grain, doubled down and tried to load the defense this offseason? Of course add a running back, a guard, and a few WRs. But really went hard for a DE, another LB, another CB? What if they really could build a sustainable defense? That's one to help Allen I guess. Keep opposing offenses down to 15 ppg. But we've seen with the Ravens, Bucs, Seattle, Denver, Jags that you can usually only squeeze 1-2 years of that level out of a defense before guys get nicked up or leave in FA.

I just think you drafted a guy 7th overall. Get the answer this year instead of getting 4 games into 2019 and deciding to sit a healthy Allen after spending all offseason adding personnel to help him ala EJ Manuel. Realistically the Bills need to draft another QB this coming draft. Anderson won't be here next year and Peterman should be gone already.

I don't know what games your watching Shaw. The Bills have a hard nosed defense. But you are looking a complete offensive teardown and rebuild in the offseason. Allen has few wow throws where you see the rocket arm applied. Last week it was Outstanding. The Bills are scoring 12.7 ppg.

Start a 35 year old street free agent who was out of football and on a family vacation when he got the call. About as Billsy as talking a washed up Kyle Orton out of retirement.

Among other things that this FO has done, it's concerning how hook line and sinker this regime fell for him. They ended the drought, but this season is a slog and so it's going to be an offseason where they need to hit a home run. This team is scoring 12.7 ppg right now.

Glenn, #12, #53 and #56 Our GM was convinced he'd be great. Still might be. But I would think by now you'd see signs, albeit erratic, that he might work. You'd see a 40 yard pass, then an ugly pick, followed by a bullet over the middle, then a pass out of bounds just high. Instead you are seeing inaccuracy and hesitancy to pull the trigger, an overwhelmingly stagnant offense. And that's been the model for Jauorn, Marrone, Rex and now McDermott. Play defense, punt, field position, running game, and hoping the other team makes a mistake. Hard to win that way without all-time level of defense.

We had a huge thrown down in another thread today about this. Could the best QBs today play back in the 1980's, or would they be beaten down by the physicality?

WGR has nailed this theme for awhile - are we supposed to be surprised? That a middling prospect from the Mountain West, with pedestrian stats and shaky accuracy is playing exactly like his Scouting Reports? The chances were always slim that he would defy the odds and become a top end starter. Our GM loved him because he was tall, strong arm and reminded him of Cam Newton.