PBF81

Well, let's take what you did say then ... They go into every season expecting to win the Super Bowl. I'd say that almost every fan posting here had that expectation going into this past season. We can look up your expectations, I suspect you were among them. But here's the thing, we have to ask ourselves several things. First, are we doing the most and best with what we have? It's a Yes or No question. I don't think that there's a fan or NFL media type out there that would answer "Yes" to that. Would you? I see some negative notations to my posts in which I've asked some key related questions. What I don't see is anyone answering those questions, to their thoughts. The question are objective questions although any answers would be subjective. I'm not angry. Frustrated perhaps, speaking for myself. There's more in life to football for me. My life doesn't revolve around how the Bills do. I have family and things going on. But I'm a fan like everyone else here. I bother to take the time to ask myself the tough questions rather than simply make excuses. It is a business, plain and simple. The owners treat it like one, the coaches and GMs treat it like one, the front office people treat it like one, the players certainly do. So I do as well. As such, I ask myself whether as a paying customer of one variety or another, even if only TV game subscription from afar, or merch, whether I'm getting the most from what I've invested, money perhaps, but more importantly for me, time, precious time. I'll never root for another team and if the Bills were to move I'd be done with the NFL altogether. But in the meantime, I ask myself that tough question. If the answer is no, I begin to consider why not. Here's what I see here in the forums in terms of discussing what's wrong with our team and why it's not making the most of the roster that it has. McD's at fault. But he's excused because Beane hasn't "given him the necessary tools." OK, so Beane's at fault. No, he drafted Allen, and despite lackluster drafts otherwise, that carries him. McD's not doing him a solid. It's Frasier's fault. No, can't be, McD's running the D in reality at the most crucial times, which have cost us our seasons. It's McD's fault then. No, it's Frasier's D. Offensively it's Dorsey's fault for poor play-calling. But McD's in charge, not Dorsey. McD put Dorsey in place. OK, so it's McD's fault. Nope. Dorsey's only working with what he has and Beane hasn't done him a solid. OK, so it's Beane's fault then for not providing good OL-men, WRs, and RBs. Nope, Dorsey's not using them correctly. It's Allen's fault, way too many risky throws into coverage, not taking the short high-percentage stuff. Nope, he's doing the best with what he can. Now Doctor says he can't throw short accurately anyway. So not him. Gotta be Dorsey then. Nope, revert to circular logic above. It never ends. it's no one's fault. Everyone's exonerated. Beane's done a fantastic job with the Drafts despite producing no impact players. McD's a fantastic coach that just needs another decade, or what, the rest of Allen's career, to come around and finally learn well enough so that he too can win a Super Bowl with a much greater QB than many other Super Bowl winning coaches have done. Frasier's been great. Nothing defensively is his fault. The players, well, not an issue since Beane's done such a fantastic job. I mean LMAO, ... But we shouldn't expect that we win the Super Bowl with Allen as our QB. ... if we cannot reasonably have that expectation annually until we do, then what's the point of being a fan. And if it's not happening, again, then why not? I've asked this a number of times and all I get are negative image responses, no one has answered the questions posed as such. I think that once people start asking themselves that question, and start answering themselves honestly, than it'll be clear. People have difficulty doing that however. I'll ask again ... Who was responsible for "13 Seconds"? BTW, something that absolutely no one on the team came clean on. No one. Who was responsible for massive underachievement in our two playoff games this season, again, one of which against a 7th round rookie QB that had never started regularly much less in a playoff game, and who won't ever start regularly in his entire NFL career? Who was responsible for our 2020 playoff loss to the Chiefs in which we allowed 439 Yards, 29 1st-Downs, and 7 Yards-per-Play to the Chiefs in the game where we allowed the second most points all year? It was their best playoff game by a country mile. There are answers. Not everyone wants to admit that. Since it's playoff performances we're discussing here, and as I see it, what most fans are dissatisfied with, it's relevant an has become a hump that we've been unable to overcome. Why? Who's responsible. I don't think anyone's upset, generally speaking, with our regular season performances and records despite issues existing there, and despite off odd games like the Jags game last year for example. What I'm seeing is that most fans are upset by us seeing a different team come the playoffs. The excuses posed there are circular logic too. So back to what you did say, I don't see that the fans were "angry at the Bills organization every year." After 2020 we were understanding and realized that KC was very good. Now it's evident that perhaps they weren't that good but that we helped make them look better. If any fans are "angry" as you put it, I would strongly suggest that it's not because of any single season, but rather at the established PATTERN that has developed of our very much inadequate and underachieving performance in the playoffs, again, now three seasons straight with entirely befuddling and inexplicable reasons why, with a coaching staff and GM that refuse to come clean on any of it. So they can look in the mirror for at least part of the current perceptions as such. They're far from innocent. It's a pattern with no reason to think that it will change.

BTW, were you around then to attend playoff games? I can tell you that there was indeed an expectation that we would win a Super Bowl. In fact, we had a better team than the Giants and even than the Cowboys in the fourth SB. The reason why we lost had little to do with talent available. We easily had the better QB, possibly in all four since Rypien was a statue behind the best OL in the history of the game. You're way off about that statement. We went to games, home, away, on TV, expecting to win every game. That included the Super Bowls.

I think that you're splitting hairs here. Any of us would take a mere one SB win during the Allen era. But what, we're to go into each season, as fans, expecting exactly what then? How do you divide that then, take a Vegas type gamble resign yourself to a specific year in terms of expectations? Otherwise, what I see in your point is that we all expect to win the SB every year that Allen's here, which is ridiculous. Your position implies that we should all simply take what comes and be happy with whatever the outcome. Who are you to impose that standard upon the millions of other Bills fans? Because what I'm reading between the lines here is how so many fans are simply excited to be posting winning seasons and playoff appearances, despite not winning. My point is that there are reasons for not winning, but not changing anything and allowing that opportunity to slip away is a waste. As is said, doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. For fans that are happy with merely making the playoffs and an entertaining regular season, great, fantastic even, but they have no right to impose their standards for expectations upon those what aren't satisfied with simply and and who want more. It's wrong to impose anything like that upon others. Either way, I have no idea how we should expect a singular Championship win without having that hope every season, at least until we do. That's the implication of your statements. How does a fan separate that? Because it's funny, at the beginning of all of the recent seasons here, anyone challenging the notion that cannot win it all is lambasted. That contradicts what you're saying here. Just sayin'. The question is about McD. Has he then met your expectations? That's the question posed.

Since they've been in contention, the question then becomes why they didn't achieve the ultimate prize. I would strongly suggest at looking at the reasons as to why our playoff runs over the past three seasons ended, specifically. As in why did we lose the 2020 KC playoff game, specifically; why did we lose the 2021 playoff game to KC, specifically; why did we underachieve in the playoffs this past 2022 season and nearly lose to a 7th-round QB named Skylar Thompson, who's likely to never start in the NFL for any team ever, and get pounded by a Cincinnati team with 60% of its starting OL out, both games at home. Specifically. What's the common thread there. Many are still in the Denial phase on that, which is fine I guess, it simply doesn't change it. But here's the thing ... Once the Allen-era in Buffalo ends, whether it's because Allen opts out after three more seasons, whether his career is shortened because of injury, or he cannot simply do the jobs of the QB, RBs, OL, WRs, Defense, and coaches all at once after another half-decade or so, if not sooner from being worn out, if we have not won a Super Bowl, much less even been to one, after four straight with Kelly 30 years ago, a fraction of the QB that Allen is, the latter whom is gifted beyond perhaps any QB that's ever set foot on an NFL field, then every true Bills fan is going to be saying that it was an opportunity squandered BIG TIME! That failure is going to make Rex Ryan's failure here look like getting the wrong order with DoorDash. Let's face it, we will in every likelihood never again see a QB that even sniffs how good Allen is. Kelly was good, but not Allen good, and we've had crap in the NFL era otherwise over 50 other years. It's like Herb Brooks told the US Men's Hockey Team in 1980 before the title game against Finland trailing 2-1 after two periods, he told the team, "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your f'ing graves!" I wish Herb Brooks were our coach! It's not too far off of that here. If we don't win a Super Bowl/Championship with Allen, it's not likely to ever happen. Given your sentiment above, there's no argument to that. If we're not going to expect a Super Bowl win now, with Allen, I don't know when we would reasonably expect one. If you ask me, any reasons for this expectation are higher than they will ever be again, and quite reasonably at that. The question is why can't we even have the extent of success of the Kelly/Smith-era teams that went to four straight. That fact that so many don't seem to think that this expectation is quite reasonable is a little disturbing. This team has had 6 seasons to "make progress." We're not progressing, we're diminishing. "The Process" has failed!

It'd be pleasant to be able to watch games with a coach that's coaching your team to the extent that it's obvious what's going on in his mind as it is played out on the field, that it seems like the best approach, and that he's effectively competing with his opposing coaching peers while coming out on top. I don't get that impression. Plenty of high-profile prime-time blunders and incompetent moments corroborate that. It's difficult if not impossible to be satisfied with that given the circumstances otherwise.

LOL, ... same adult world that consistently provides a never-ending string of pressers that never say much of anything or otherwise provide any definitive information, seemingly designed specifically so as to keep things as unclear, murky, and ill-defined as possible. Thanks for asking.

Who's the one(s) making these decisions?

Indeed, which further raises questions as to what's really going on behind the scenes regarding coaching. At the end of the day we simply don't know, McD has never made it clear. I do think that fans are growing tired of this secretive approach yet lacking the required results. Notice we haven't heard much about "The Process" anymore.

No, but he's gone above and beyond in proving that he's unlikeable over the past six or seven years, and to understate it. Anyone that likes Antonio Brown now deserves whatever he dishes out to them when, not if, it comes at them.

Agreed, but people should see beyond this as McD's endorsed this for 6 seasons now, despite it having been problematic in three post seasons now, at least. That's all I'm saying. As you said, they're masters of spin, but this spin only plays so far, even if believed. I simply don't think that McD's the right person for the job going forward. Certainly he knows this D inside and out, and if he cannot affect a change this coming season, then that should be it for him. He shouldn't "need three more seasons" to "install his D.

Quite possibly, but has it ever been made clear, other than in passing remarks during pressers, that LF was really the "brains" behind the D? I'm not sure it has, everything about how this team runs appears to be shrouded in at least some level of secrecy. Either way, 6 years in ...

McD's the one that has kept Frasier on for his full 6 seasons here. It's taken him 6 seasons to figure out what he wants? On top of that he promoted Frasier to Asst. Head Coach halfway through as well. He's passing the buck to a now departed Frasier, deflecting any and all heat away from himself. It makes one wonder if he and Frasier didn't have a discussion to force Frasier to "step away from football for a year" in a completely unprecedented move, with the intent of trying to start deflecting to keep his own job, and apparently, with the decision seemingly being his (Frasier's) to return after the year is up at his pleasure. Just sayin' ...

Ya know, entirely on point here. Although I think that it's worse than nothing, he might have been better to not have said anything here. Otherwise, he's had 6 seasons now to install his version of whatever it is he wants. In addition to passively throwing Frasier under the bus here, it's taken him what, 6 seasons to figure out what he wants? If so, was he really the best hire to begin with. I shudder to think of where we'd be right now on his watch without Allen. Peterman probably would have been starting two seasons, then they would have likely drafted another QB in 2019 with Murray, Jones, Haskins, and Lock being the "prizes" there. LIstening to that he says "... and sometimes when you're a new coordinator and your fastball's out there and they know it, and people adjust, so let's give credit to the opponent and some of the defenses we faced middle to end of the year. But that said, there's, to me a chance to improve and adjust to what we've done." Seriously? He says that if in-season adjustments are difficult to undertake. Is there any sense in even mentioning in-game adjustments. Let's simply give our defensive opponents credit for outplaying us. Nice job guys!! (speaking to our opponent defenses and defensive players and coaches.) And while he's figuring it out for next season, other coaches are changing up their ways too and are clearly much better at in-game/in-season adjustments where we rank poorly and have on McD's watch. Brings to mind the "He's a tough one!" scene from My Cousin Vinny.

A lot of people are, that's why I brought it up.

Right, so why are people arguing that it's not, or at least from the premise that it isn't?

And honestly, arguing whether other teams do it or not is besides the point. It's how we do it, not the fact that it happens, ... again, not once, but regularly now in the playoffs unless we play offensively bereft teams like NE with Jones. I mean honestly, and we still haven't gotten an explanation for "13 Seconds" or the sihtshow that was the Bengals game. I mean how is that defended? What, yeah, we thought that the best approach there was to hand them 40 yards and hope that their K, who would have been under extreme duress, kicked Wide Right. The lack of transparency, or the "cover-up" we can call it, is just as troubling as what actually happened, particularly since absolutely nothing seems to have changed, and McD's promises of "learning from it and improving" simply haven't happened.

First of all, you didn't say that in your original statement, so then it's not the same, and my original ascertion is correct, namely that this is unprecedented. I haven't even read that either, that his contract ended. From the best that I've seen we don't know this as a fact. Plenty of people have been asking. Where are you getting this info? Perhaps I missed it, can you provide a link where it formally states that he's no longer under contract, namely that his existing contract ended? That would be great info to have and yes, it would definitely change things ... slightly. There's still this, that if that's the case, then why is he under the impression that he can return here whenever he's finished with his little vacation, and continue to be the DC, which is what we've read. Schwartz, as you cite, went to a different team in a different role after his resigning. This entire travesty with Frasier appears to revolve around pressure being exerted on the team and more specifically McD.

Agreed, with only nominal amenities seemingly, and at a significant price increase. We'll see how it plays out. I agree with the sentiment (was it you?) that the new stadium is designed to change the types of fans that go to the games and weed out the drunkards, of which there seem to be no shortage. But in doing so they're going to price out a lot of other people too.

Part of the problem is that McD won't come clean on who's responsible in the coaching ranks and whose D it is to orchestrate. Which is fine, and ultimately it falls back on him. But when clear issues exist, as they do, and little if anything is done except fire the Safeties Coach, which was laughable, and without any further clarification by McD, presumably in his own personal interests, then it only leaves room for speculation, but based upon what's reasonable. Frasier was the DC for example, so if he's merely a fixture of sorts without any function. Either way, it's difficult to respect our playoff defense. How that manifests itself falls upon McD's leadership, or lack thereof in this instance.

And honestly, how difficult is it to "upgrade" a 50-year old stadium. I will say, larger concourses comparable with modern standards would be nice. Walking around shoulder to shoulder with more than enough drunks to make that experience somewhat less than pleasurable isn't fun or modern.

Schwartz resigned. Has Frasier resigned? If so then I missed that part of it. Resigning is resigning, "stepping away for a year" is not resigning.

Don't worry, everyone can go down to the heated concourses and watch the games on TV there. 😁

McD says almost nothing in most of his pressers. He's not forthcoming, even with this Frasier thing. Did Frasier's contract end and not renewed? I mean who in this league gets to decide to step away from a Coordinator position for what essentially amounts to a sabatical? I've never heard of this. "We'll have to watch the video and adjust." Sure Sean. We don't even adjust to our own reasons for success on the field in any given game. "Hey, the run's working great." ... "Yeah, let's abandon that and let Josh do everything again." Everything seems shrouded in mystery with this team. It's the least forthcoming with information for the paying fans side of the business (or media part of the business) that I ever recall at OBD. I mean we've had coaches that probably should have shut up during their pressers but didn't. We can't get anything at all from these guys. I don't see this lack of communication ending well.

Sometimes contracts are restructured because the player is no longer worth it, and when that happens they often refuse for one or more reasons. Keep in mind, they often backload contracts with ridiculous annual numbers that they never have any intention of paying, but it looks good to the player who seems to want to be "the highest paid" or whatever their thing is. I don't always understand it, but as we've seen, a 5, 6, or 8-year contract may actually practially only be a 3, 4, or 5 year contract. Didn't we offer Beasley a restructure and he refused in '21? Generally speaking, for younger up-and-coming players however, you seem to be correct.

To add some context, all of which except for one were against non-playoff teams with mediocre to average QBs. In the other game, Minnesota, it was against the third most sacked QB in the game. In the first game when the entire team was playing as if it were the Super Bowl, he had 4 QB Hits, 1 TFL, and 1.5 sacks. After that he averaged one sack every fifth game or so, about 1 TFL every other game, and fewer than 1 QB Hit every two games, and all of them against mediocre or bad QBs other than for Cousins in that one game. In the playoffs he did nada, in two games, despite playing nearly 50% of the snaps. We need players to step up against the best teams, not the weakest ones. To your point though about snaps taken, aka "part time role," if he really is better than that, then let's point the finger at coaching. Players are defended by not being coached properly and low snap counts. Coaches are defended because the players aren't stepping up. Beane is defended by the players not being used propertly. So at the end of the day it's no one's fault for any of the poor decisions and dysfunction, so nothing changes.