dave mcbride

I'm talking about fan perceptions of team identity and glory eras. For the Bears, it's about defense literally going back to Papa Bear: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1963.htm. You're thinking far too rationally about this. No really good Bears team in the past 75 years was good because of the offense. You'd have to go back to the Monsters of the Midway for that, and that team's defense was good too.

One of those home losses was to the Jets at the end of 2019 season, where Allen played three plays. If that game had mattered, they would have destroyed the Jets.

You literally said he was a scout and that's it. Now you're shifting the goal posts and avoiding addressing what I was actually responding to -- your statement that he was a scout and a scout alone. Just own up that you were wrong. it's OK. And anyway, I said he was average. 56-56 is the very definition of average. Also, what is "the lowest team scout"? Can you define that? Also, he was fired by the cretinous Vinny Cerrato in Washington, which is ... never a black mark in my book.

In my view, the Bills opted for a "hide our scheme diversity" approach to that game and played very, very vanilla all game. They figured they could win on talent alone. Allen tried to push it down the field all day and didn't take easy first down throws. The offensive line was a mess that day because Spencer Brown was out and Cody Ford came in. He was bad. So was Daryl Williams, who moved out to RT. And there were a dozen penalties. They clearly were looking past a team that hadn't won a game in nearly 20 tries.

You are misremembering: https://www.buffalobills.com/video/josh-allen-with-a-14-yard-touchdown-pass-to-gabriel-davis-bills-vs-patriots. He just bolts down unengaged the field and doesn't get called for it.

When the Bears have been good, it's never been about the offense. They were an elite team in 2018 because of their defense and lost in the playoffs on a doinked FG. In 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2012 -- all good-to-excellent seasons -- the D carried them. And obviously that goes for the period from 1984-1991, when their defense utterly dominated. Don't write off those 1980s years; those form the bedrock of Bears fandom now, much like the Kelly era in Buffalo. They are legendary among Bears fans to this day.

He was director of pro personnel for Washington from 2001-07. They made the playoffs twice in those years. He was director of pro personnel in Philly from 2010-2013. They made the playoffs twice in those four years. Four playoff appearances in 11 years isn't horrible. It's average given that 32 percent of teams made the playoffs in those years (and the Bills made it precisely zero times in this time frame). And it's a lot of experience. And I am responding to this comment from you: "What in the pickles tarnation does he know about being a GM? I mean, I guess he was a scout for a short time, like 10 years ago." That's not accurate.

I dunno ... Monday Night games just suck in general. I never make it past halftime at best unless the Bills are playing, and I always regret that. The whole idea of Monday night playoff football blows.

I can't imagine they'll slot Buffalo in a Monday night slot in the middle of January. The temp that night is supposed to be 17 degrees and moderately windy. That's just cruel to everyone involved.

He's a legit candidate based on his experience.

https://www.clnsmedia.com/lazar-patriots-currently-have-the-least-explosive-passing-attack-in-afc-playoffs/ It's projected right now that there will be a high of 27 on the 15th and 23 on the 16th, with cloudy skies and snow showers both days. The wind doesn't like it'll be awful, but that can change. Williams did the exact same thing in the first NE/Bills game and didn't get flagged for it; it was on the TD pass to Davis and a blatant illegal-man-downfield penalty. They were looking for it this time because I'm sure BB told them to look for it, and Williams gift-wrapped the penalty to them. All his fault. No excuses.

The call on Williams was the right call though. Can't say that was a bad call.

Allen played terribly in the Jags game, refusing easy passing plays all game long. It might have been his worst game as a Bill considering the competition. Yes, the line was bad, but that was partly because Allen was looking downfield all game.

Think about the Bears' fan base though: the Bears have for decades been a defense-first team, and a former excellent Bears player on one of the greatest defenses of all time who just DC'ed the number one yardage and #2 points allowed unit in the NFL (the 2021 Bills) would seem to me be a relatively easy sell. Interestingly, after a great 1985 season, his career ended because of a major knee suffered while returning a punt in that 46-10 rout of the Pats in the Super Bowl. He never played again.

Last year, opponents had an 82.24 rating in Orchard Park (well below league average) and over 90 when the Bills played on the road. The Bills played some very good QBs at home last year too (Mahomes, Wilson, Herbert, Goff, Roethlisberger). Allen's passer rating at home last year was over 100 -- a differential of nearly 20. In the postseason last year, over two games opponents had a 77.3 rating and the Bills team passer rating was 95.2. Again, differential is what matters. Basically, over this season, last season, and the 2020 playoffs, the Bills team passer rating differential advantage hovers at around 20 in every instance.

He has had a good season, no doubt. But in four instances -- NE at home, TN, TB, Jax -- he has been in position to win the game and hasn't gotten it done. Vs NE and Jax, he threw to the wrong receiver; against TN, he ran a very predictable sneak that TN read easily; and against TB he threw a high, low-percentage throw to Diggs, who is not a jump-ball guy. Sure, he was interfered with, but Diggs pushed too. Chris Simms faulted the Bills for that play call, and I agree with him. The point is, he made those plays last year (Rams, Cardinals). They lost the Cardinals game, but Allen did his job to put them in the lead.

Well, a safety leads to what is basically a punt. A punter even kicks the ball away too.

Weather has affected our opponents more negatively than the Bills. Our opponents' collective team passer rating through 8 home games this season is 60.9. Totally agree.

How are the opponents' home/road splits when it comes to playing in Orchard Park? The differential is what matters, not Allen's numbers without surrounding context.

Makes a ton of sense, actually.

Huh? Allen is good this year, but he was definitely better last season. I mean, the record tells the tale: 13-3 vs 10-6, and this year's defense is a lot better than last season's. He also hasn't come through in crunch time once this season. That wasn't the case last year.

He’s quite injured right now.

The Bills' passing game is better in Buffalo weather than our opponents' passing game is. That's what matters.

Just did the math for 2021: the rating for opposing QBs in Buffalo in 2021 through 8 games is 60.9. The Bills have a massive positive rating differential of over 20 (you have to factor in sack yardage lost into team passer rating, so it'll be a little less than 85.8 for the Bills). Anyway, the differential is over 20. That is huge. With regard to Buffalo weather, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander: opponents have to play in it too. In 2020 and 2021, when Allen's rating became a thing, they will be 15-4 at home including the playoffs assuming they beat the Jets.

The most predictive stat of team success in the NFL is team passer rating differential. What's the differential in the Bills home games during Allen's time here between the Bills and their opponents? That is truly all that matters. https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/06/23/most-importantstatpasserratingdifferential