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jahnyc

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Posts posted by jahnyc

  1. I have been wondering when there would be some news about discussions among the Bills and McD/Beane about contract extensions (I believe they each signed five year deals).  I hope that the stuff going on with PSE doesn't impact the interest of McD and Beane to re-up with the Bills (or serve as an excuse to not do so).  If the Bills make the playoffs again this year and show further progress, McD and Beane would be hot commodities when their contacts end with the Bills.

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  2. Not sure that Cooks will be able to stay healthy.  I believe he had a couple of significant concussions last season that kept him out of a number of games.  I also think he has a prior history with concussions (at least five in total).  You can never know whether a player will be healthy in any given season or over longer periods, but Cooks' concussion history is concerning.  For this reason alone, I would rather have Diggs.

  3. These articles perpetuate a perception that may be changing by including a number of negative quotes from players who have no real experience with Buffalo and who may have no idea about the current team and coaching environment.  i kind of wish they would stop publishing these types of articles until after we have had some additional winning seasons and playoff appearances (hopefully over the next couple of years).

  4. Did not understand the play calling in the second half of the game, particularly the fourth quarter.  Gave up on the run and should have had more screen passes.  Overall, we seemed like a different team in the second half.  We looked so poised in the first half.  Not in the second half.  Josh played really undisciplined in the second half.

     

    Just a really strange game, and, ultimately, very unsatisfying.

  5. Some thoughts below.

     

    1.  It is comforting to see Allen showing improvement in his ability to throw the short passes.  He is clearly a work in progress, and he will need to show that he can connect on the long throws like he did last year, but he does seem to be showing that he can get better.  Overall, Allen is a great fit for McD, the team and Buffalo in terms of his work ethic, demeanor and personality, but he will need to continue to improve and show that he can have success throwing the ball when the Bills need it (i.e., when they get behind in games or in a high scoring battle).

     

    2.  Our recent first round picks (Allen, Edmunds and Oliver) were boom or bust types to a degree when drafted, and they all seem to be a work in progress.  I really don't know whether Edmunds is playing well or not.  Does he have the instincts to be the long-term answer at MLB?  Does he move over to OLB if Lorenzo Alexander retires after this season?  Way too early to make judgments about Oliver, but I would like to see more, even in his first year.

     

    3.  While I am not sure that our recent first round picks are fully meeting expectations at this point, particularly given the draft capital used to move up for Allen and Edmunds, I have been impressed with some of the later round picks, including Knox, Sweeney, Darryl Johnson, Siran Neal, Singletary and Taron Johnson.  I am confident in the ability of our front office to identify talent, as noted below.

     

    4.  It has been years since I have felt this way (since Levy, Polian and Butler), but I am really comfortable with McD as our head coach, Beane as our GM and the quality people we have in our front office.  I hope they are here for the long-term, because I believe over time they will build a very strong program (and have already put into place some building blocks).  This team, at least at this point, lacks the circus atmosphere and in-fighting that we seem to be seeing with so many other teams.

     

    5.  I did not understand all of the free agent signings this past off-season for the o-line by the front office.  I understand now with the various injuries, and it is a nice change that the Bills have some depth at the position given where other teams are struggling with injuries to their o-line (as the Bills have in past seasons)  Not sure if all the new players are starting caliber, but, at a minimum, they do seem to be quality depth.

     

    6.  Teams will continue to run the ball on us until we show that we can stop it.  I would expect this from the Browns tomorrow, and we have the Ravens and Steelers upcoming on our schedule.

     

    7.  Next year will be a critical year.  We will have significant cap space, in part because our young players  (i.e., White, Allen, etc.) will still be playing on their rookie contracts.  We will go into next season with fewer needs than this past off season, but you can make the argument that the defense will need some significant upgrades at d-line and linebacker.  A pass rushing end and a run stopping DT should be high on the list.  A number one WR is on the list for the offense. If Brady retires or moves to another team, even better for next season.

     

    8. I don't care that we have had an easy schedule.  We are 6-2, and I am enjoying this season.  We have had to deal with the Pats and Brady for so many years (playing them twice), so there is no reason to apologize for a soft schedule, particularly since the AFC is weak overall this season, and other teams are benefitting from this as well.

     

     

     

     

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  6. Did seem that we were out coached today on both sides of the ball, which surprised me, particularly with the defense.  In this kind of weather, we should have been more prepared for an attack focused on rushing and short passes.  They ate us alive with the screen passes, which they used frequently.

     

    On offense, I sometimes have no understanding of Daboll's game plan.  Hard to tell if it is Josh Allen's efforts to implement the play calling, or something else.  Of course, Josh Allen needs to play better and not turnover the ball as much as he does.  His fumble before the end of the half was a momentum changer.

     

    Embarrassing to lose this way at home, but we really have not beaten anyone decisively  so far this season.  Still, in terms of our record, it is a good start and we have a very winnable game next week with the Redskins.  If we win next week, we are 6-2 with a good shot to go at least 10-6 (and hopefully make the playoffs).  

     

     

  7. We certainly had our opportunities.  Defense was great today.  The interceptions killed us, as did the blocked punt.  We were out coached on special teams.  Out punter did not have a good game (blocked punt and shanked another).  The punter for the Pats helped them significantly with field position.  We will never beat the Pats in a game if our QBs throw four interceptions.

  8. It is hard to forget the Whaley era when the NFL Network rebroadcasts recent drafts, including the 2014 draft where we traded up to the fourth pick in the first round to select Sammy Watkins, giving up our first round pick in 2015.  We could have selected Mack or Mike Evans with that pick, or stayed at our original spot and selected Beckhan or Donald.  In the second round, Whaley selected Cyrus Kouandijo.  Still painful.

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  9. Very few things to be sure of with this draft other than it is unlikely the Bills draft a QB.  They signed a lot of free agents this offseason, which means fewer available roster spots. As a result, I also do not expect that the Bills will use all of their picks, instead packaging some to move up in the draft, particularly since Beane does seem to target players he wants.  

     

    I think we go DT or DE in the first round.  Kind of surprised that there is little talk about our needs at LB.  I think it is an overall area of need and the Bills draft a couple of LBs and at least one CB.  I think the draft will heavy on the defense.

  10. I really like the addition of Morse, but I seem to be in the minority with the view that the rest of the OL free agent additions appear to be quality back-ups and and not quality starters.  Nsekhe is 33 and seems best suited to be a swing tackle.  Same with Waddle in terms of being a quality swing tackle.  Long has the ability to play center and guard, which is great for a back-up, but the Jets were eager to replace him after signing him in free agency and then releasing him.  I can see Spain as a bridge to drafting a guard with strong potential.  Feliciano is potentially a quality back-up guard.  

     

    I know we have other needs, but I continue to believe that we need to draft a RT or LT and a guard in the early rounds of the draft.  Not sure I understand our current strategy with the o-line other than creating competition and expecting that many of the players on the roster before free agency (and possibly some signed in free agency) will not be making the final roster.

  11. Other than Morse (who is a clear upgrade) and Dawkins (who needs to play better than last year), it seems like we have a bunch of guys with significant question marks, at least in terms of being potential starting upgrades from last year's o-line.  It will be interesting to see if Nsekhe can be a quality starter at RT given his experience and recent play, but he is older and I don't think we can count on him being the long-term solution at RT.  Long played poorly last season at center for the Jets, but he played with an injury.  Hopefully, he can be an upgrade at guard.  No idea about Feliciano and whether he can become a quality starter.

     

    At a minimum, we currently have more quality depth along the o-line compared to last season's group.  Hopefully, some of the free agents we signed for the o-line can be upgrades.  I still think we will pick a guard and/or tackle in this year's draft in the early rounds.  At this point, I believe that target will be Lindstrom (BC) in the second round if he is available.

  12. We will see about their player evaluation abilities with the addition of these free agents and, among other things, trading up for Allen and Edmunds last year.  Ultimately, performance on the field this year will be the best way to assess this front office.  I have concerns about overpaying for what I would have thought were tier two and tier three level free agents and the injury history with some of these players, but we will see.

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