PBF81

It's hardly "just one game."

Which of anything, diminishes the contribution of the coach, at least to some extent, which can also be argued that extent.

That's easy. It's once we're looking for our next QB after Allen.

Great and accurate post. You nailed it right there. That's the point. If the primary thing that someone, McD in this particular case, brings, isn't apparent when it matters most, what's the point. Everyone gets giddy about our #1/2 ranking unit that plays like the 32nd ranked unit at the most critical point. One has to at least begin questioning the wisdom of having someone that "specializes" in that area when it ultimately and regularly fails to assist the team in achieving it's ultimate goal. Which raises another point. Some here have sincerely stated that they're quite content with simply having an "entertaining" regular season. So it stands to reason when they say that they don't care about playoffs or a Lombardi. I don't get it, but if that's their level of satisfaction, who are we to argue. No one cares about "culture" come playoff time. Every team deep in the playoffs has a winning culture. Nor every team has the coaching required to win it all. We're one of 'em. But for the team, that is the goal, as they say so every year. Getting back to the above, it should be obvious that McD is holding them back in that regard, not providing that "extra" that Super Bowl winning coaches typically bring. After seven seasons, waiting around to see whether a leopard is going to change it's spots doesn't seem like an odds-on strategy to me. Oh, we're relaxed. A little too relaxed now. 😁

And utopia is always just a season away. Free beer tomorrow!

It's quite arguable that he didn't learn from anything, Allen simply became "Allen" and made it seem that way. His offense in NY is DFL. It's not simply bad, it's last. That's not a coincidence that the only two decent offenses he had were two years when Allen came out.

That's a very good assessment! I would add that there's a difference between doing all that you can for him by developing your OL and running game so as to take the burden off in the rushing department, and trying to convert him into a pocket passer. He has to hone those skills, and learn to take what the D's give him, but until this season, and even pending there, he hasn't had the OL to be able to comfortably do that, nor the RB(s), which were probably a product of the former. It simply seems that McD has major and terminal shortcomings in the big-picture view of the team. That's why words like dysfunctional and disarray(ed) have appeared in recent pieces discussing our team. We've had the #1 or #2 D three times in the past four seasons prior to this one, two of those times the best in the AFC as well, and we're 2-3 in the playoffs with wins only over the Skylar Thompson led Fins and the Pats two seasons ago. He seems to have reached his pinnacle.

We'll simply have to disagree. BTW, you forgot Marv's pop-warner accolades in there.

Well, in fairness the question did say of anyone that was a potential candidate. A reasonable answer nonetheless. The only thing we differ on is the last part. And agreed, if we finish 12-5, fine, a stay. But if we only win 9 or 10 games, with Allen, contrasted with the drought era, it should be pretty obvious that McD's reached a ceiling. As you say, we'll see what happens. It seems tremendously likely that the opinion on this isn't going to be anything close to 50/50 as it now is, by season's end. Also, in line with what you said, we had the 2nd ranked Defense in 2022, the 1st-ranked Defense in 2021, and the 2nd-ranked Defense in 2019, and the best we could do was "13 Seconds." Hence my comments about the ceiling. There's nowhere to go from 1st and 2nd is close enough, particularly when the #1 D is in the NFC and you can't even get to that point in the playoffs. I would pose this, if nothing changes, we risk seeing Allen's career being Marv Levied, never even sniffing a Super Bowl much less winning one. If that were to occur, there will no doubt be endless second-guessing on it all for a long time. That would be the biggest pity of all.

Well articulated. I would look at his playoff performances more than I would the regular season. I would also look at our offense and ask why more hasn't been done to support Allen. Granted, we're getting Beane involved, and while many others around the league may not understand the preordained arrangement between Beane and McD, with the latter having brought the former on rather than the traditional visa versa, we do, so I take that for granted. He would be hired quickly, but I think that his flaws would become far more visible at the same time. Either way, unless your answer to the question is McD (is it?), then you did not answer the question. You merely hedged apologetically for McD. If, at the present time, the team were rudderless (aka w/o head coach), your first choice would be McD then? ... of all of the potentially available candidates that is. Not Reid for example. No false choice, don't hide behind it. It's a simple question, whom would you hire for the role if he weren't out head coach? If it's him, say so. And why. Shouldn't be a difficult question. Take as long as you like to answer it. There's on trickery here! Don't use it as an excuse.

I don't recall anyone claiming that he's flawless. But he is unique. And a unique QB is going to take a coach, both OC and HC, that understands how to work that uniqueness into their gameplan. It would seem that if a poll were taken as to which one, Allen or McD, meant more to the ultimate successful functioning of this team, it would be pretty lopsided in favor of Allen. Imagine McD with the litany of QBs we've had since Kelly. He would be a DC somewhere else right now. As asked above, suppose we were without a head coach right now and we had the ability to hire anyone that would be available after the season, and knowing what we know about McD to date. Would McD even make the short-list? Why would he be the primary choice or even close to be the one to get the most out of this team's offense? So since this is your post I'm responding to, what would be your answer to those two questions? What ya got?

Interesting and great post. I've actually thought similar. I've been wondering whether Dorsey's been trying to work Allen as if he's a pocket passer, like he was, and therefore is unable to provide the necessary creativity in that way. Here's the thing, this shouldn't be something that surprises an OC after having had plenty of opportunities to watch Allen, even if only on TV for games like everyone else. In short, it shouldn't take anything approaching genius or brilliance to be able to see that. Taking him and matching an offensive system would tend to take some level of competence in that area however. Whether or not we've seen that appears to be a raging debate. LOL At the same time, implications are that McD has nothing to say about it to contribute to corrections, which on a team that revolves around it, is problematic. As many surmise, if the strength of your team is defense, McD might be the right guy. But if it's offense, what are the reasons, besides the soft measure of culture, whatever that even boils down to, which isn't doing anything for us now, then it's a reach to suggest that McD's the right one. Putting it into an alternate context. Suppose we were without a head coach right now and we had the ability to hire anyone that would be available after the season, and knowing what we know about McD to date. Would McD even make the short-list? Why would he be the primary choice or even close to be the one to get the most out of this team's offense? It all reads like a loyalty thing on Pegula's part. Well, he's the one that brought us back (not Allen more so apparently), so he deserves the benefit of the doubt for continued opportunity and to run Allen's tenure into the ground. Why this makes sense to anyone is puzzling. Then again, it is primarily a business, and TV revenues, "Bills Mafia" recognition, ticket sales, TV appeal, international appeal, player endorsements, etc., are at an all-time team high. So from that end apparently that's all that matters. Lombardis are for sentimental fans.

Congratulations!!! When's the little newbie going to get its first wing? I wish I lived closer, I'd have been happy to bring you guys a meal. Sounds like you're all set up though.

Then there's that. The problem is that when things go wrong with no explanations, unfortunately that's exactly what happens. The speculation on the parts of reporters start. In fact, one reporter even said that in the thing about Diggs' interview. He said when players say something that has implications, but don't provide the adequate background, that causes the true journalists out there to go and try to gather information and statements from other players. At the end of the day we're a team that has once again started strong, a McD hallmark, but then levels off to more of a steady state. The current three-game streak that we're on we've not seen since 2019. Phillips played much better that season raising questions as to why they can't get more out of him now. He had 9.5 sacks that season. Milano was a shell of himself back then. Other than our secondary we really didn't have that many great defenders and Oliver was in his rookie season. What we did have was more conventional players. more conventional LBs for example, not a bunch of lightweight speedy gonzalez types that can't tackle. Maybe our 30th ranking in missed tackles is much more the issue. That all points to coaching. Sorry to say. If our offense had been able to score 1 TD in the first half, we'd have won. Not impressively, but we'd have won. We've had the second easiest schedule to date. If we cannot do better than the 2019 10-6 team did, with the 23rd ranked offense, and today with a better OL, better RBs, better WRs, and a better receiving TE, presumably, than we've ever had, then it's not going to be good and there should be no expectation on the part of anyone that the coaching staff be the first place to point fingers.

Oddly, it's been reported that they are friends. Maybe that side of Rodgers is getting into Allen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You're right. Dorsey's got this offense humming along on all cylinders. Not sure what I was thinking.

If our entire season is gone because of a few injuries to our defense, then something's terribly wrong. #1 Jersey sales are 17 for a reason. And if we need is a game manager, then trade Josh and get one in here and get some adequate depth so with the loss of two players we don't go from 1st or 2nd to 31st or 32nd on defense. That sounds like the wrong approach for 2023 where everything revolves around offense, including the rules to support it. But hey, what do we know. Maybe a good question would be why our OL and WRs aren't better. But that's to impugn Beane, so we can't have that. LOL It apparently has nothing to do with coaching either many still maintain. LOL Well, alright ... We've had the second easiest schedule to date of any team in the league. The only team with an easier schedule to date is the Bears at 2-5. The Bengals had most of their OL missing and still managed to go to KC for the AFC CG and take it to the wire. I'm sure that those weren't their only injuries. As one example. Joey Bosa, you know, Joey Bosa, perennial 1st-Team All-Pro, on a team bereft of D otherwise other than Mack for the most part generally speaking, and yet they went 8-4 in his absence. Three of the four teams that they lost to during that stretch were playoff teams, two of which were the Niners and Chiefs. We struggled against the Giants, which as a reminder would have been a loss except for absurd blunders by their coaching staff and backup QB, and the Mac Jones Pats, whom the Raiders and Saints beat. Besides Crosby, who on their defenses is significantly better than, as whole, we have now? And what, our offense isn't capable of even approaching the offensive output generated by Carr, Olave and some JAGs and a rookie in NO?

I'd still swap NE's offensive play-calling in that game for ours. Not sure what two plays have to do with the overall game. It was simply better. Quite outstanding actually. Also, everyone's also complaining about the D, but in one of the pieces linked on the homepage, the writer mentions that we're ranked 30th in missed tackles. That's not an injury thing, that's a poor fundamentals thing and it's also not the first time under this staff that it's been an issue.

Diggs' long catch was 25, but sure. I'd have swapped our offensive plan for New Englands any day. But wait, I'm not sure we could actually run theirs without the superlative skills of Rhamondre Stevenson, Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, or TE Pharoah Brown. So yeah, since we don't have a bona fide #2 there's no way we can compete with the likes of them. Maybe we can trade Davis for Dougless, Kincaid or Knox for Brown. Maybe then we could pull it off. But yeah, you're right, it's a tall order for us given the shabby talent we have. Maybe we can get Jefferson and Kelce in the offseason via trade. Maybe then we can be consistently good. Oh well, poor McD. That what you wanna hear?

That's true, but "fired up" doesn't always mean running like a maniac. I rewatched parts of the New England game and what stood out to me was the creativity with the play calling, on both sides. It's as if Belichick properly did all of his homework before the game but questions remain as to whether McD & Co. did any. And if they did, which surely they did, then they were not good if not outright awful at it.

Good catch! NPI

Did he? I was wondering about that. LOL That's actually fine. Whatever you have to do while entering the field. Listen to certain music, yack, hop around on one foot, eat 3/4 of a donut, etc., whatever. That's all fine and good. But we seem to be leaning into new age mantra crap or the like. What's next, crystals over the exit to the lockerroom. It's a physical game that relies heavily on the player's conditioning and skills. It's also an intellectual game. Nothing more. The coach's job is to put it all together to yield the best possible results. That's what practices are for. These guys certainly get enough money to do exactly that. If the answer is simply letting Allen run wild, then serious questions need to be asked as to what McD's role actually is on that side of the ball. We'll see what happens on Sunday, but if it's anything but a decisive win, it risks getting fugly.

They need to just go out there and get it done. If they cannot do that, then there's a lack of leadership, and that starts, on just about every team in every sport anyway, just seemingly not here, with the head coach. This team is currently playing to our non-best drought era levels, which is entirely inexcusable given the fact that we have Allen now.

If the health and wellness of this team depends upon Allen's mental state in entering every game, we and he are in trouble. These guys have a job to do and practice that job routinely. They get paid tens of millions in Allen's case. Get up and go and do your job. It's called execution. This shouldn't be anything more than that given his talent. This siht show leans more increasingly to coaching, or the lack of proper coaching, by the day now. SMH Honestly, WTF is next, some special ritual by the team before games. Mental safe spaces? This is starting to play out like some bad B-rate comedy-drama.