ngbills

Phillips- 543 snaps (52%); 9.5 sacks; 16 QB hits; 20 QB Pressures; 31 tackles; 13 tackles for loss Bills Comparison Oliver- 556 snaps (54%); 5 sacks; 8 QB hits; 12 QB pressures; 43 tackles; 5 tackles for loss Star- 482 snaps (46%); 2 sacks; 3 QB hits; 4 QB pressures; 19 tackles; 3 tackles for loss Non-Bills Comparison A Donald- 926 snaps (84%); 12.5 sacks; 24 QB hits; 32 QB hurries; 48 tackles; 20 tackles for loss C Jones- 646 snaps (58%); 9 sacks; 20 QB hits; 27 QB hurries; 36 tackles; 8 tackles for loss Phillips is right up there. If he goes who replaces him pressuring from the front 4?

Depends what you do with it. If its used up extending and keeping your own guys primarily then are you getting better? Or sustaining what you have?

Yep - Huge year fro McD, Beane, Allen. If they have a tough year with similar look - good defense, inconsistent offense, inability to beat good teams, etc then you have to question the approach. Not saying that means they all go, just that you have to really evaluate if they can win and what changes are needed to get there.

I like him but he is a goner. We gave Star $50M...someone will give Phillips much more than that.

So you judge him buy his actions as 21 year old? I bet you never did anything dumb or anyone else has at that time in there life. And anyone who did should be judged forever based on it. You clearly do not know the guy or what he does. He has matured a lot since his Buffalo days as do most people. The guy has done a ton and does not have to. He could easily have rode of in the sunset with his "chicken" and laid low. No he is out working for his community and trying to help others.

Exactly - not sure why they cant have the rule be consistent with any other roughing type penalty or make it illegal to block anywhere but the line of scrimmage. Soo much power to refs if they cant be consistent. Then to fine a guy for play like that...and as others note not fine a guy who dives helmet first at a guy and knocks him out of the game.

This reminded me - did not like the Beane or McD comment recently "we are only in year 4 of building". Hopefully the expectations are not that low...I dont think they are as these guys have to know we better be a playoff team for the foreseeable future.

My biggest concerns that could lead to a disappointment: 1. Offense - FO thinks they are headed in right direction and will all improve. So no need to bring in more talent. 2. Injuries - We were one of the healthiest in the league. 3. Defense - There were times when the defense was not able to get enough pressure. Even so, much of the pressure was from the front four. If Phillips and Shaq walk could this be more impactful? 4. Defense - Age...dont want to call our defense old. But between Hyde, Poyer, Hughes, Star, Murphy there will be a number of guys 30+. I am confident overall. Clearly seeing Allen progress will be the biggest factor. We need him to become a consistently good passer. I dont think you can sustain the chaotic style that we now have with Allen making plays with his legs more than his arms, converting broken plays, etc. We need to see some of what you get from a Mahomes - drop back and boom with the occasional scramble or escape and improvise. Not saying he needs to be Mahomes, just more in that direction vs a Watson who still relies heavily on his running and improvising.

I specifically watched for any "blindside blocks" all weekend. I may have missed it but did not see any called. However I did see plenty of plays worse than Ford. Absurd he is getting fined for that. NFL should be ashamed of themselves. Double-downing on the we didn't make a mistake like so many think we did. Horse crap.

We will sign a Bilal Powell type player is my guess. Lower tier 1-2 year deal.

I predict someone will offer Shaq a 4 year deal in the $35-40M range. Our options if we think we can upgrade... Ngakoue - 6 years for $100M+ Clowney - 6 years for $100M+ Barrett - 6 years for $100M+

And the only way around the round earth is by boat. No plane or other options available. It can be something other than perfect throw and bad catch. It can be bad catch, but different throw should have been made. If the plays are really that rigid then maybe that is why the offense struggled. "Hey, I have to run straight toward where the defender is waiting so I wont be open. Never thought if I angle away from the coverage then I become open." I simply dont believe any of these coaches would have jobs in the NFL or college if they were sticking to pee wee and high school playbooks. Hmm let me think...here is what I could find in less than 5 mins. There was also an article in The Athletic a few weeks ago on Cole Beasley and how he has benefited from flexible route running. 1. A matter of trust. Brown didn’t get open the way the route was designed on the touchdown pass with 3:00 left. It was a stutter-step-and-go route down the left sideline. “It was just a double move, and the defensive guy had great position on the ball,” Brown said of Jets cornerback Darryl Roberts. “It was supposed to be thrown over the top, but the guy took the top off of it.” Recognizing the need to adjust, Allen showed trust in Brown to stop his route short and make a play. Allen threw it as if it was a back-shoulder play, and Brown caught the ball in front of Roberts, who couldn’t change direction in time. “The guy had great coverage, and Josh was able to see it,” Brown said. “That takes a lot of trust. The guy had great coverage, and I was just able to come back to the ball. … Josh just made a perfect throw.”

I have said this over and over on some other threads. Watch the entire play and you see Brown raising his arms saying throw the ball. Josh throws a touch pass not angled as closely to the sideline and its an easy TD. Instead Josh makes a good throw if it was tight coverage and you needed the sideline. Brown needs to make that catch in bounds. But it was not needed there. 10000% guarantee Josh and Brown would watch the tape and agree.

Funny - People say Duke clearly proved he belongs. Robert Foster clearly proved he belongs the year before. I had debates over if we need another WR and many said your forgetting Robert Foster. He was a rookie and already looks like a #1, etc. Rarely do you get a Duke or Robert Foster that proves everyone wrong. I know it makes for a fun story but is just not as common as people like to believe.

Thank you for the route tree explanation. That is what I spent a big chunk of time teaching high school players. This is the NFL. Guys dont run paper routes. Go watch the good WR / QB tandems out there and you will see what I am talking about. If a DB is playing you man to man your route will need to be adjusted based on coverage - man vs zone, how tight is playing you, if he is trailing you or what side he is on, where the first down marker is, the goal line, etc. In this case the guy was trailing Brown so he did not need a sharp 45 degree but should take the route deeper. Think about that - a sharper turn gets the defender in better position to make a play. You create separation you want to keep it. Go watch the Bills practice and I guarantee you will see what I am talking about. It is what they call good chemistry between QB and WR. They are on the same page knowing when a guy will take the sharp 45 angle or take it up field slightly vs cut in sharper - all dependent on where the defender is.

There is a big difference between hey I know my route is an out but I will run a post and taking a corner route deeper or sharper. Allen puts more touch on the pass and angles it further from the sideline and brown can slightly adjust his route. Brown in this case needed to slow down because the ball was late and angle towards the sideline sharply.

Brown should have gotten those toes down no question. My best guess is he just mistimed his jump...though he is going full speed and has to slow down to make the catch which also throws off the timing. But he needs to make that play. This was not a perfect pass as too many people are saying. Watch the entire play- link below. Brown timing is likely off because he immediately sees a TD and wants the ball. You can see him raise his hand as he passes the numbers and if thrown then we have an easy TD. Allen needs to throw that ball sooner and not directly to the sideline. A TD pass, not an out of bounds play. No excuse for Brown not making that catch, but should not have needed that level of difficulty. I would bet that you have Allen and Brown watching this tape rate now they both say that.

Bingo. This is my point. Both players had a part in this and will work to improve upon it. Brown needs to make that catch but Josh throw was not perfect. We need to get in the end zone and better throws and this team scores a ton more TD's. Most routes beyond a few yards have some flexibility in todays game. Its not the pee wee leagues of follow this cones and stop right there. WR and QB adjust balls ALL THE TIME. Come on now.

Anything worse than 11-5 will be a disappointment.

We can agree to disagree. When a WR raises his he is usually saying get me the ball I am wide fricken open. Not wait a few more seconds and put it on the sidelines to stop the clock. I played in college and a bit post college, then coached for a number of years. I have watched enough film to know a thing or two. Like I said not an awful pass just one Josh and Brown would want back and get that ball out sooner so Brown gets in the end zone with it.

Watch the entire play not just the catch. Allen throws this ball sooner it is an easy catch for a td. Not trying to say Brown should not still make that play. But Allen would tell you himself he threw the ball a bit late and two far outside. Brown beat his man immediately and it was an easy TD. Watch closely and brown even throws his arm up - ball should have been thrown then as he passed the numbers not all the way to the sideline where he needs to even slow down and keep is feet in.

Yes - fail on him. Also not a perfect pass sorry. The throw is late and too far to the corner. Watch the entire play not just the catch on the sidelines. He throws it sooner and it is a TD.

Again - miss the point. Throw was not perfect. Throw was perfect we have easy catch for td. Brown catch was bad. So we have a less than perfect throw with bad work from wr.

Bingo. They pay for 7 of his 10.

Not saying Brown should not have made the catch. Saying a better throw and it turns a more difficult catch on the sidelines to an easier catch in the end zone. He is behind the defender and the safety is nowhere close. As BarleyNY says - these catches can be made. But better QB play eliminates the need to make those plays. Why can we not have higher expectations? This is the NFL. This is our top 10, franchise QB. Not expecting perfection but there i no question he can improve and he would be the first to admit. So many fans want to deny and make excuses. I guarantee you both those throws Josh would say he wants them back.