Beck Water

Part of it is I think a shift in who Erik has breaking down film with him. They used to be almost exclusively former players in HS and college whose knowledge of scheme and plays went bone deep, now it's more journalism interns and stats guys. And he's monetized, meaning he depends upon number of clicks and views to keep them and pay his guys. Right now coverage that blames players would go over like the proverbial "Led Zeppelin" with their viewers. JMO of course. And thank you for the breakdowns.

Just a little comment that you need to take Cover1 with a grain of salt. I truly value them - I don't subscribe but I watch their stuff and find value. You're absolutely correct that they try to be fact-based and don't suffer from vitriol. But they're mistaken sometimes. A lot of the Cover1 guys, including Erik, are essentially what some of the members are here - guys who played football in HS, sometimes college, whose goal is to share their X's and O's knowledge with the fans. Recently he has been bringing in guys who have journalist backgrounds vs. former players, meaning they're what even more of the members are here, passionate fans who are self-taught about X's and O's. At core, they're very knowledgeable fans who put effort and time into their avocation, but not professionals or true experts. They're always worth watching and listening to IMO, but sometimes they're right, sometimes they're "homer", and sometimes they follow a narrative (as all these podcast/youtube guys who depend on clicks and follows to keep sponsors and make money must do). And, as noted above, sometimes they're mistaken. As far as safeties, Micah Hyde is under contract and medically cleared. I personally think Damar will be back. McDermott mentioned that converting Christian Benford from DB to safety is a consideration. I think we'll find safeties.

I'm glad you're not Terry. Seriously. Arians philosophically is like the opposite of what the Bills need for Josh Allen. Google search and read up on some of the stuff that was discussed when Brady joined the Bucs, and how Brady had to get Arians to change his offense.

I hope not. Not because I believe that in hindsight, given a do-over, they wouldn't prefer to have kept Hodgins than to elevate Tanner Gentry for Week 11 and 12 and bring John Brown off his sofa to the practice squad. I'm sure they would. But the only point of evaluating past decisions is to see if you should have made a different decision given the information you had at the time. And I understand the logic of the Bills player prioritization, given the information they had at the time. Kicking yourself serves no purpose.

I would call it "The Fiasco"

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/back-surgery-not-ankle-injuries-responsible-for-bills-receiver-jake-kumerows-shortened-season/article_181816c8-9cdd-11ed-bc17-0f9fac7f9425.html#tncms-source=login

You have to be sure you're searching "this board" and not "this thread". If you're viewing a thread when you search, the default is to search the thread you're viewing.

That is a very good question. Beane's comment about not wanting to suck badly enough to draft Chase made me quite annoyed. Ty Dunne summarized it well: I think it's always a mistake to prescribe positions you want to draft. And an NT drafted in Round 4 is not likely to bolster the LOS over DaQuan Jones. It's your underlying question about the philosophy that is on the money. Since McDermott has been here, the overall draft picks and FA signings are roughly equal between O and D. But when you look at the top 2 rounds and the FA resources year by year, No

?? Starting OL last season: Dawkins-Feliciano-Morse-Williams-Brown Dawkins-Boettger-Morse-Williams-Brown Dawkins-Bates-Morse-Williams-Brown We moved on from Williams, added Saffold, and moved Bates from LG to RG This season Dawkins-Saffold-Morse-Bates-Brown Effectively different at 2/5 positions We started the season with a run blocking scheme I don't think we could actually run effectively Saffold IMHO was a pass blocking disaster at LG. A mauler in the run game at times, but I think Dawkins worked better with Bates next to him.

I have wondered the same thing, but about Dorsey. Especially toss in that Mike Shula was Dorsey's boss in Carolina, the OC while Dorsey was QB coach. I can't imagine a scenario where it would be comfortable to step up to a new lead role with my former boss of 5 years sitting at the side of the table. IF Dorsey had a clear vision for the offense, did it suffer from having too many people with their fingers in the pot. Were Dorsey's efforts diluted by having to align 4 or more viewpoints before he could move forward?

Question: is there any commentator out there who does not think this?

New word is that Chargers have requested to interview him

Von played Edge/DE. He was listed as a LB so that he could have the number he wanted.

Just a note that Oliver is not a 1 tech and has only been asked by the Bills to be a 1T on a rotational basis, when Lotulelei opted out in 2020 and Harrison Phillips/Vernon Butler weren't getting it done and the story was "play 1TDT for a few snaps and we'll reward you with some 3TDT snaps" Oliver has a big cap hit and is on the last year of his deal, but here's the thing - one almost always has to overpay for FA, and I don't see it as a great thing to trade Oliver and then leave a gap we need to fill with a higher draft pick or by overpaying a FA. The reason I feel that way is that I believe we're way past due to start putting some Draft Pick Respect and FA investment in the offensive skill players and the OL. Now if someone would offer to trade us a WR like AJ Brown for Ed Oliver and a draft pick, I put a bow around Oliver and send him off. I think Ed Oliver is very physically talented. I don't think he came into the league believing he needed to learn and listen, and I think his motivation is kind of spotty. He really wants to spend his life 4-wheeling and riding horses and doing other Texas Country Boy stuff.

How about BOTH! Football AND Housewives! "The Housewives are on the Field! The Housewives are on the Field!" This has been discussed many times. I don't think you can actually find too many plays this past season where there wasn't at least one open target underneath. You acknowledge this yourself - "this team all year hasn't taken what the defense has gave them and has continuously just tried for the big play" means there are in fact targets "the defense is giving them" underneath. BUT Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie just were not good enough this year to be our #2 and #3. And I like them both, but right now there is a significant talent gap between our #2 and #3 target guys, and the Bengals or the KC (yes, KC) #2 or Eagles #2 and #3 and I think you could make an argument for SF, though their offense is built differently enough. Sometimes the receivers get separation, but it's later than it needs to be to work for the protection - even when the protection gives Josh some time. Yeah, I think we need a WR upgrade. I think we had better WR in 2021 with Sanders and a fading Beasley. Maybe the upgrade comes from Davis taking a step in his 4th season and Shakir taking a big step between year 1 and 2, but I'd rather not 100% count on that, and if they do, having 4 top WR would not be a horrible thing.

Poyer was a 7th round draft pick and Hyde was a 5th round draft pick, and both have done very well for us. On the other hand the Bengals have 2 2nd-round picks as their safeties KC has a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick On the third hand, the SF49ers have an UDFA and a 5th round player as their safeties The Eagles have a 6th round pick and a 4th round player It's probably true overall that not many 6th round draftees wind up starting anywhere on a football team It seems like a "lock" that one of the two teams playing in the Superbowl is gonna be starting late round safeties It seems to be a general consensus that the Bills DL (maybe any DL) critically depends upon being gap sound AND getting pressure up the middle. That wasn't happening last Sunday for the Bills, due to the injuries the post you responded to pointed out. I personally think that the 1TDT is of especial importance to McDermott, but I've been told I'm incorrect there by someone who ought to know more than I so 🤷‍♂️. All I know is that Edmunds and Milano looked hella better this season with the DL keeping them clean, and Oliver was here last year but DaQuan Jones wasn't.

Certainly, I just think he has a preference to give a guy a hot minute to call around and line something up and then "leave to pursue other opportunities" because that's how it was handled when Andy Reid fired McDermott as DC - it was painted in the media as a decision to pursue another opportunity with the Panthers as their DC, even though it was rumored to be a firing (and actually was). I agree that if he needs to fire someone, he will.

I was disappointed in our OL, that's for sure.

A lot of players have said they were not "themselves" the first year back from an ACL.

McDermott *did* fire Rico Dennison and the following year Juan Castillo. But I think the list of coaching assistants who have "pursued other opportunities" is longer.

I think Joe Marino is usually reliable? Anyway Thanks for the source.

Where? It's actually not the McDermott way to fire people. He prefers to allow coaches to "pursue other opportunities", like McDermott did when Andy Reid fired him. Heath Farwell, the DL coach a couple years back, etc. I do believe that it's time for Leslie Frazier and Sean McDermott to get a divorce, though. If Frazier wants to continue to coach and be considered for HC positions, he needs to go somewhere else and install a top defense there, out of McDermott's shadow where it's ambiguous who is really responsible for various decisions.

*blink* Did NOT see that coming. People have said this, but I can not find anywhere: where is the info on Frazier's contract or the lack thereoff?

Oh, Dear.