GASabresIUFan

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2024/06/03/best-bills-players-of-all-time-we-rank-buffalos-top-100/72586456007/

Last season the D essentially collapsed in the playoffs under the weight of so many injuries. History seems to be repeating itself as 3/4 of the starters in the defensive backfield are now out and the Bills surrendering 86 points over the last two weeks. Remember this is a D that has held 5 teams to 10 points earlier in the year. Josh’s heroics not withstanding, the Bills are only going as far as the defense allows them to go. This team can’t win in the playoffs with a defense playing at its current level. The good news, I think, is that we now have 3 weeks of winnable games against bad teams that we can beat without rushing anyone back into the lineup. Of the injuries, Douglas and Milano are the most concerning. Douglas missed the Lions game, and Milano left with a groin injury. Even though Douglas hasn’t been great this season, Elam and Ingram aren’t up to the task of replacing him. Williams is good enough to replace Milano, but he too is playing through an injury. Spector is 3rd string for a reason. Hamlin and Rapp aren’t “out” longterm but nursing injuries that hopefully will be healed by the playoffs, if not sooner. Bishop is improving, but he also got injured against the Lions. Cam Lewis is good depth, but not a starter.

Yes. They had to do a zoom meeting instead.

I don’t if Milano is done or not, but I do think the Bills D was better prior to his return.

Can we just fire him already? Can he take Cook with him when he leaves?

Snow

Other than by the goal line late in the first half. Getting cute cost us a TD.

That was a mindboggling decision. Why run any other play. Time wasn't an issue and scoring a TD there would have probably made the entire second half garbage time. Sometimes I think all these HCs and Coordinators get too cute.

Mahomes is week to week.

Detroit and KC are 25-3. Two of those losses are to the Bills.

And still think the Bills would be somehow better without him.

I’m proud of the Bills. They played without Douglas, Rapp and Hamlin. Then Bishop went down. The officials did a great job keeping Det in the game. Despite this the Bills found a way to win. Hopefully the DBs will be back before the playoffs.

13 TDs ytd. How many geniuses on this board said we should dump Cook before the season and even during the season?

Doesn’t everyone feel better about McD now?

Seriously? Why no tush push? Come on Brady.

And Douglas. Very scary if they can’t get pressure on Goff.

His cap hit is 9 and his dead cap 7. He is definitely cuttable and likely will be cut or re-negotiated.

Besides starters Douglas and HamlIn? The big names under contract, as listed in the OP, are the problem - Milano, Oliver, Miller, Jones and AJE. We are paying big $ and getting replacement level play. Unlike the offense where the players are under contract and performing at a high level nearly across the board.

Except Cooper and Hollins, nearly the entire offense is under contract or control for next season, including both QBs, the top 2 RBs, the entire starting OL, top 2 TEs plus Samuel, Shakir and Coleman. Don’t expect big $ investments on offense other than re-signing Hollins and seeing if Cooper wants to comeback. OL depth beyond Grable and SVPG is a small need if Anderson and/or Van Denmark walk. Unlike the offense, there are big questions on each level of the defense. The entire DL is suspect. Milano is an expensive question mark at LB. Douglas, who is not having a good season, is going to be replaced but are Ingram or Elam really viable options. Hamlin is also probably gone at safety. Bishop likely slides into his slot, but there is little depth beyond Rapp and Bishop. I kind of started this thread because of how butt awful AJE was against the Rams. He needs to go.

Even without the D failures at LA and Baltimore, the defense was going to be the focal point of this coming off-season as DB starters Hamlin and Douglas are FAs and Groot is up for his 5th option. However, those two collapses have centered on the performance of the D line as it got gashed against Balt’s run offense and then failed to get any qb pressure vs the Rams. That raised questions about the viability of Epenesa, Miller, D Jones and even Oliver. I believe those performances will echo in Beane’s mind as he tries to find ways to improve the rushing defense and pass rush and some of the signed vet players will be replaced. Is there a chance no one returns except Groot and the two kids Carter and Solomon? I also wonder about Milano’s viability beyond this season. Is Williams ready to take over? The Bills have a ton of money invested in these defensive players. Miller’s 2025 cap is 23.874 (dead cap 15.415), Oliver’s is 20.75 (dead cap 26.475), Milano is 16.122 (DC 17.253), Jones is 9.048 (DC 7.632) and AJE is 6.287 (DC 4.148). Given the extra cap space gained, I can see Miller, Jones and AJE all getting cut. Even If cut how do the Bills afford the upgrades?

I live in the ATL and I'd like the Falcons to actually play well. I will never root for the Lions. Not now or ever. Is it a nice story that they finally have a good team? I honestly don't care. They are just another stepping stone for the Bills to overcome to win a Super Bowl and bring a modern championship back to the long suffering fans of WNY.

I agree. Good teams learn much much more from games like LAR than they ever learn from games like the 49ers. D line play was the Achilles Heal against the Rams. This film should give McD plenty of ammo to get the D-line to refocus.

As we celebrate our SEC Championship and 2nd seed in the playoff. 😜 As I said before, the SEC screwed GA and Bama with the schedule. They had every chance to make balanced schedules and force Texas to play someone beside GA. Still you have to win the games on your schedule and Bama lost to big to an Oklahoma team that Texas beat 34-3. FYI I'm actually a DeBoer fan from his time at my alma mater Indiana (my wife and kids are Bulldogs).

Considering he had nearly 1500 yards as a rookie last year and has over 700 yards this year in 7 games, I think your assessment of him as a player may need to be re-thought. We should be so lucky to have a receiver who has averaged over 100 years per game since the start of his career.

I don't think either D line got any pressure on either QB all game. If Allen and Stafford have time, they will destroy you and they did. This game was a D failure from the opening drive. They allowed 11/12 3rd down conversations. No one can win in the NFL that way.