BigDingus

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/260353/whats-next-for-nfl-teams-out-of-playoff-race In this article discussing where it has gone wrong for NFL teams out of the playoff race (or about to be), Rodak discusses our offensive & defensive struggles, the latter of which he attributes a lot to the offense (and Tyrod specifically) and then follows up on what needs to happen next. To the question on if a coaching change is the answer, he writes: "Not a chance. McDermott will be given two years at a minimum to turn things around in Buffalo and most likely longer. McDermott is the third coach who has worked under owners Terry and Kim Pegula since they bought the team in 2014. Turning to a fourth coach in five seasons would work against the message of continuity and long-term building that ownership has stressed." He continues in a more detail about why it won't happen, and I completely agree. What coach worth his salt would want to come here after the history previous coaches have had with this ownership? And with expectations to end an 18 year playoff drought on top of that? Heck no! In regards to the defensive struggles, this is something many on here have been trying to explain but too many people ignore it. " It is fair to pin some of the blame for the defense's struggles on an offense that often has failed to stay on the field. The Bills have the NFL's second-worst offensive time of possession and the sixth-worst starting field position for their defense. The problems can be traced to quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the passing game, which has averaged 174.4 yards per game -- third worst in the league." The defense has been far & away the main reason we've won ANY games this season. To try and defend Tyrod in those losses saying "can Tyrod stop the run?" or "can Tyrod play corner?" while then trying to pile on is just deflecting. Even the best teams face opponents that score on them, but they're expected to respond offensively to do their part. Even in the games we lost, the defense made several stops, but the offense responds with a quick 3 & out. How demoralizing is that to you as a unit when you've fought tooth & nail to finally get off the field, only to be sent right back out before you can even catch your breath? Is the defense really expected to gift the offense 3+ turnovers a game & amazing field position on every drive for us to even be competitive? Anyway...take a look at the Bills section of the article. For once I agree completely with Rodak. Keep McDermott, draft a QB, continue revamping what you inherited with the last regime and move on.

Although Glenn is good, his contract is enormous for a guy who is often hurt. 5 years, $60 million salary? $12 million a year is a LOT for a good but not great, injury-prone player.

But he's had 800+ yards every season until he had Tyrod throwing to him, and even in those 3 prior seasons he didn't have great QB play to support those numbers. Every season he had 100+ targets, while this season he's had a whopping 36.... I'm sure there'd be plenty of interest, but I also doubt he'd go back to Philly. I think the Bills will take a shot a resigning him.

I'm all for doing what you got to do to select YOUR guy. Say the next Aaron Rodgers was available (or the guy you think is going to be the next Aaron Rodgers), you could justify trading any number of picks to move up & select the guy. If you need to send both 1st round picks this year, and some picks next year, so be it. Obviously you have to save some draft picks for supporting this QB and filling out the rest of the team, but hitting on a QB could turn around the fate of your franchise for years to come.

Wow... I'd just like one season where the Bills aren't consistently losing their best players...

Not just our two best corners, didn't we lose the entire starting secondary?

Most of the media doesn't watch our games or pay attention to our struggles over the past decade+ It's painfully obvious when they try to talk about Bills news stories that get any national attention. They throw their 2 cents in and try to sound like they have an informed opinion, when in reality they just hear what one person says, read some stat lines & box scores, then create an echo chamber regurgitating whatever each other said. Even though Peterman was awful in the Chargers game, leading up to that point they acted as if Tyrod had been Peyton Manning for us, and we committed some unforgivable sin. They also completely ignored that we'd seen this all before (the 5-2 starts that collapse from that point) several times, and were in the midst of a 3 game losing streak in embarrassing fashion, it was looking to be coming to fruition yet again.

Exactly! This is what people need to understand. These offensive coordinators are working with some pretty hot garbage when they come here, and they sugar coat it to the fans and media by saying they're running a "run-first" offense as if it's by choice. We run to try to cover up our deficiencies at the QB position. Sometimes the play calling appears weak because they're trying to figure out different ways to run the ball over & over & over until they find a weakness. Almost every team in the league with a bad QB says they're trying to win with defense & running the ball. It's not a coincidence. Looking at the teams leading their divisions, which ones are "run-first" teams trying to pound the ball the majority of the time, who only pass when necessary? Rams? They have Gurley, but he's not the focal point anymore. He's the beneficiary of a suddenly good passing game. He has 939 yards, 4.2 ypc, & 8 TD's on the year already, up from 885 yards, 3.2 ypc, & 6 TDs all of last year. The Saints? Their run game has certainly stepped up, but they're a very balanced team. Brees already has 1,200 more yards passing than Tyrod, while their run game is benefiting tremendously. Even the Steelers with Bell rely on the pass just as much, if not more than the run game. A good QB would actually help our run game a TON, as well as the obvious in improving our 30th ranked passing game.

You're right, RB for sure. I figured WR since they want to keep playing the "surround our QB with more weapons!" game that they usually do every couple years as if that's the problem. We've also spent 1st or 2nd round picks on White, Darby, Gilmore, and McKelvin in recent years, so sure, why not another lol

He Macho Man elbow dropped a defenseless player and injured him. That's why.

Then we take a WR and a small LB with the picks instead, and everybody riots.

Also want to point out comments like these are straight up lies. People ALWAYS say dumb stuff like this, and it's never true. If you're 0-12, you would not be sitting here saying anything different than what you're saying now. It's easy to say that, because guess what? We're not 0-12, and there's no way to back up your claims! I'm sure the Browns fans are thinking the same thing, oh wait.... I'm positive though that if they only lost the games the right way (whatever that is), you'd love the coach right? If a team is 0-12, what in the heck could they be doing so much more right than McDermott? If you point to a team that drafted a franchise QB who struggled in their first year but did great their second, don't bother. That doesn't apply here. We don't have a franchise QB. There's no Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman or even a Jared Goff (lol) on the roster that is taking their licks before they turn it all around. So please, what 0-12 team lost in an acceptable way to you that lead to a good plan for the future?

If McDermott goes, you're guaranteed to get an even worse coach. A looming 18 year playoff drought that you're expected to rectify (the longest in all North American Pro Sports across ALL leagues) A 2-year HC who willingly quit...Followed by.... A 2-year HC that got fired...Followed by... A 1-year HC that got fired. No coach worth a darn is going to step within 100 miles of this organization with that resume. The leash is short, the expectations are impossibly high, and you have to do it with the previous regime's players. You will not get a chance to draft your own, much less develop them. So yeah, fire McDermott after 1 year. Only coaches you'll have willing to come here are assistant special teams coaches from Division III college programs.

So you're still of the belief that we can make the playoffs with a Tyrod-lead offense? I'm not. In fact, after today I'm certain we won't. Combined with how every team we needed to lose ended up winning, I can't see it happening. I rather see Peterman get stomped each week, take his bumps, and see if there's any hope in the guy over seeing more of what we already know from Tyrod, still lose the games, and get nothing.

It took me a while, but I think I finally realized you're joking lol

Before the season, all the fans expected us to not be even semi-competitive and to win 5 or less games. That hasn't happened. To try and now describe the "proper way to lose" (as if there is such a thing) is ridiculous. And to expect a coach to actually TRY and tank is even more absurd. Armchair judgement is just goofy in and of itself. Trading for Benjamin made complete sense at the time. When you're exceeding all expectations, try and give the offense a much needed upgrade and hope to help support the defense that's winning us games. Signing Anquan Boldin a move every team does, sign experienced vets for short contracts to fill spots. Nothing more, nothing less. Convincing Kyle to come back is solely on Kyle. He's a grown-*** man and makes his own choices. He has been a part of this team forever, and not once sniffed the playoffs. To think he didn't know what he was getting into is absolute speculation and nonsense. He knows we have a rookie head coach, and are building for the future, it's all on him if he wanted to stay...He wouldn't blame others, and neither should you. It's all conjecture and a non-issue. If you think starting Peterman was about Peterman more than it was about Tyrod, you're looking at the wrong thing. The offense sucked. It has sucked all year. It still sucks. We were losing more & more ground with a huge inept offense that was desperate. Our defense had won us 5 games, but when the turnovers and dominant play stopped, so did the team. They've been winning in spite of a horrendous offense all year. Throwing for sub-100 yards multiple games, and leading the league in 3 & outs is a great way to get stomped. He made a change to see if something would change. It didn't. At least he tried SOMETHING instead of sitting by and watching the collapse like a bystander as we crap away the season ONCE AGAIN (this isn't the first Bills team to get off to a fast start, then nearly lose out the remainder of the season). Trading Sammy was again, before the season started. We only had him for another year, might as well get something out of him. How can you be against Benjamin and for Sammy? Mesh with Tyrod's skillset? You mean his skill to dump off to RB's on 3rd & long? Or the skill to never throw to anyone unless they're 6 yards open on all sides? A good receiver is a good receiver. It's up to the QB to get him the ball. McDermott didn't know we would be 5-2 almost half way through the season. Nobody did. So trying to obtain draft capital heading into the season isn't shocking in any way. Dennison, Gailey, Roman, Lynn, Hackett, etc. are always the scapegoat for why our offense sucks. One thing they've had in common? The QB sucks. They don't execute. Every friggin year people point to the OC when the offense fails, but it makes no sense when game after game there are countless plays left on the field that were screwed up by the guy behind center. Romo pointed out countless times Tyrod's ineptitude (in the nicest ways possible), throwing a dump pass to a man in double coverage short of the sticks, while if he just looked 3 feet over he had a man wide open. Dennison didn't make Tyrod run 19 yards backwards & take a sack. Dennison didn't make Tyrod throw at O'leary's feet when he had 15 yards of open space in the KC game that made him have to fall short of a 3rd down, giving the ball back to the Chiefs with a chance for them to win the game (fortunately the defense bailed him out), Dennison didn't make Taylor throw a softball right to a defender on 1st & goal, Dennison didn't make Tyrod throw over receiver's heads... I mean it happens ALL THE TIME, yet we just implement a new scheme every damn year, as if that'll just flip a switch. In 2017, you have to be able to pass the ball. Trying to be a running team with only spurts of passing when needed is cute, but ineffective. It's basically a nice way of saying "it's our only option because we don't have a QB capable of being a QB." And yes, the O-line matters too, and it needs to be upgraded, but that again just leads to execution on the field. The line is not executing, just as Tyrod is not executing. Go ahead, hope the coaching carousel continues. I've had enough.

Anyone who is young should be playing. Anyone who isn't Tyrod should be playing at QB.

Yes, the Bills are bad at evaluating talent, that's why when talent is basically d*** slapping you in the face like is the case with Tre'Davious White, you keep the SOB lol And see, told you the Pats turn other teams' scrubs into gold ;P

Helllll no! Do NOT offer Tre' Davious White! I hope that was a joke lol. Does nobody understand that we NEED to keep our draft picks in order to be successful? Look at how many 1st & 2nd round picks are still on this team over the past 7 years! Since 2010, we only have TWO... Shaq Lawson, and Cordy Glenn. That's it. I don't remember if we're dead last or second to last, but in terms of the amount of draft picks on our roster we're at the very bottom of the league. All the successful teams rank at the top in draft picks retained on their rosters. And if there's 1 QB I don't want the Bills to go after, it's Eli Manning. He was never a great QB, just played great in certain moments. In his prime, he was certainly better than what we have now, and possibly still is to some degree. But we need to develop our own guy for once, or get somebody young enough that they'll be on this roster for a long time (like Kirk Cousins). Even Alex Smith is only 33 and could potentially play 5+ more years... Drew Brees is 39 and still playing great, so imagine if we had a chance to grab him when he was 33, then have him for 6 years. That could be Smith. If for some reason we wanted Eli, I'd hope we'd at least have the common sense to give up no more than a 4th round pick or later. I mean we took a 6th for Dareus, and at this point in his career he has far more impact than Manning would at his respective position.

Matthews would be an all-star on that team. He has 3 straight years of 800 or more yards with no decent QB play, but now got stuck with the lowest of the low in Tyrod (expect similar results with Benjamin when he returns). Belichick likes special team contributors so Tate would definitely get a look. And Jones started off slow but has rebounded about as well as anyone could with this crappy team. He has the most receiving yards of any WR on the team, and has great upside with good size. Again, Belichick & Brady have taken FAR worse and lesser known WR's and won Super Bowls with them. Brady would have a field day with him as a target. And again, Clay would pair up nicely with Gronk, and we know Belichick likes to run double TE sets.

I'm actually not sold on Cleveland drafting a QB #1 overall. They just spent a high pick on Trubisky, and though he hasn't been good this year, we've seen rookies have awful first years & come back strong the second (looking at Goff right now). There's also a ton of QB's becoming available in FA, so you never know who will fill their spots that way. And Elway likes the old veterans to go along with a dominant defense. Brees will be available. Who knows?

Every year people say "this year's class is weak, wait until next year when ______ & _________ come out!" At some point you need to take your shot & stop second guessing. Fans are the ones who really get cold feet. They're really high on people until that year comes, and if they fall short of a Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck in their play, they waiver. People act as if there's a 100% sure-thing, and that person will always be "next year." It's that mentality that has made us made us pass on some great QB's over the years. There's also times we could've traded up and drafted a guy but have been too afraid to. Even Goff & Wentz were called reaches last year by many... Mariotta, Winston before them, and so on. We didn't have shots at those guys, but it's still a reoccurring theme come draft time. It's very likely that 2, if not more, QB's in this class are going to turn out to be true franchise QB's. Determine who your guy is, do what you have to do to get him, and stick with them. If we drafted Goff, and he played like he did last year for us, Bills fans would've already been calling him a bust and been ready to move on. It's crucial we put him in the best position to succeed, surround them with talent, and have a coach that calls plays geared towards his respective skillset. McDermott deserves a chance with "his guy." Then, regardless of how the 1st year goes, stand behind him going into the following season. Keep the same scheme, build up the lines, give him a dynamic supporting cast, etc. We've got to stop calling for coaches heads and instilling new schemes every year. And most importantly, we have to stop waiting until "next year" for that 100% guaranteed QB that doesn't exist.

You guys would be singing a different tune if Buffalo lost the only 2 Pro teams it had... And don't even act like the Bills weren't at risk of moving. As we've seen the past 2 years, nothing is sacred in the NFL. The Bills would've easily been at risk of being moved...The Rams, the Chargers and the Raiders all leaving their cities, while the Bills are still here. We can all pretend like it wouldn't have happened, or be so angry that we'll exaggerate & say dumb s*** like "would've been better if they weren't here!" but in reality, that's not true at all. Dennison, Hackett, Lynn, Gailey, whoever.... people like to always blame the offensive coordinator when in reality it's the awful QB that isn't executing the plays who's at fault. Let's just keep firing coordinator after coordinator, installing new offenses year in & year out. Yup, that'll do it.

One thing they had in common while they were here - they all had crap QB's. Well the idea that they can't win has been debunked. It's often more about the right situation and the right players than anything else. And as Bills fans, we don't have much patience anymore. We're so sick of losing year after year that we end up shooting ourselves in the foot by firing head coaches & coordinators over & over. We have a new defensive or offensive system every year. We have coaches wasting time cutting all the old regime's players, then spending the draft & Free Agency replacing the holes they created. By then we're still losing, so we fire them & start over. Just look at this board. We have people already calling to fire Dennison & McDermott.... They try to justify it through some mental gymnastics. One thing's for sure - if we fired them before the end of their first season, we'd be guaranteed to only have the bottom of the barrel of coaches willing to come here. Nobody worth a damn would even step foot in this toxic environment with such a short leash.

Well Geno Smith played better than Tyrod today, that's for sure.