dave mcbride

I was OK with the pick because I figured I didn't know enough, but the accuracy issues yesterday alarmed me. He was all over the place. Some passes were on target, but you can say that about any qb -- some passes will always find the target (law of averages and all), even for the least accurate qbs. You also always hear that accuracy can't be taught, and given his college accuracy issues, that concerns me. That said, Bortles (very inaccurate early on) has clearly improved, so we should really give him a lot of time -- as in 3-4 years before determining whether he's a franchise qb or not. (Plus I couldn't help but compare him with Rivers, one of my favorite QBs of this century in terms of his game.) Allen's arm strength is breathtaking, and he's a good athlete. I'm also less worried about the obviously poor footwork because that can be taught. The thing to bear in mind is that for most QBs, even blue chip prospects, it takes time. Making snap judgments after one start is a fool's errand, although I realize I don't need to tell you that! I will continue to pay attention to the accuracy issue, though.

I agree, and don't really understand the "traitor" charge. Marrone made a power play and lost. He was going into the last year of his contract too, and there was no way they were going to extend it given the failed power play. The power play wasn't stupid either; he thought that Manuel was terrible and Whaley was continuing to push Manuel on him. He didn't want to live with that situation.

Agreed, the clear lack of accuracy was worrying. His mechanics looked really sloppy too, but that could have been the relentless pressure.

Look at the bright side: Magary's 2018 "why your team sucks" column on the Bills was lackluster, but I'm now figuring that next year's version will be pretty damn funny.

Huh?? No, he did what a warrior does: launch himself across the table at the sleaziest and most awful human ever to coach the Bills. (This was according to a number of reports, and it as widely discussed here.) He was allegedly suspended for that act of angry insubordination toward Gregg-o, and that's why he didn't play in that final game. For the record, he did not leave of his own accord; the Bills sent him home themselves.

Which comment? That I should never post again or that Dawkins is better? Assuming the latter, I actually am in complete agreement about who is the better player going forward, and Dawkins is obviously more important in the organizational sense (young, under control, talented, plays LT). I’m just saying that over the last 9 games or so (going back to last year) Ducasse was the third best player after Incognito and Wood. He did get exposed in the Chiefs game in the first half, bit otherwise he has done his job. Do I expect that to last much longer? Perhaps not given previous performances, but he has been better than I thought he’d be of late. Dawkins had a couple of rough outings last season (eg, Saints, San Diego), but that’s to be expected of a rookie. He had a good rookie season overall and I expect him to improve.

Agreed, to a point, but the question is if it's ever right to truly bottom out to 2-14/1-15. That's my concern, although I remain hopeful they can win 4-5 games.

He's really not that bad, although he was terrible early on in 2017. There's no sustained argument here. Point? (PS - i have an earlier post breaking down philly offensive performance from 2001-2010, when they finished in the top 12 almost every year.)

Really?? (As an aside, being a snarky d**k in debate just makes you look like a jerk.) I like Dawkins, but he's currently average at best. He has potential, but he ain't there yet. More to the point, with regard to your snark: https://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/joe-b-buffalo-bills-all-22-review-week-1-vs-baltimore-ravens https://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/2017-buffalo-bills-all-22-in-review-guards_centers https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/2/25/17032128/2017-buffalo-bills-had-some-salary-cap-bargains-disappointments-jerry-hughes-vlad-ducasse-zay-jones https://www.profootballfocus.com/nfl/players/dion-dawkins/11818 https://www.profootballfocus.com/nfl/players/vladimir-ducasse/5586

Judging from his game-one grade and also his grades from the second half of last season, Ducasse is the hands-down best offensive lineman on the team right now. I'm not saying he's good, btw. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Halfway to 98!

I am not actually in favor of starting Allen. I don't think McCarron is all that good at all, but I think he is leagues better than Peterman. He gets you to 5-11 and some close losses; peterman gets you you to what you've seen so far with him. Unfortunately for Nate, not every game can be played in a howling blizzard where qb skills are essentially equalized. That is what I don't get.

Rico: you think this team has any chance to be other than terrible? I mean, i get rebuilding, but truly bottoming out puts you in Lions/Browns territory.

Wow. - Joe B is brutal on Benjamin. And he's not wrong. "The most confusing part is that Benjamin is in a contract year, so you would think he would go all out every snap he's out there." ?? - Why is this confusing? He's an idiot, based upon both his public comments about former teammates and his anti-MENSA Wonderlic score of 7.

I like the Browns and hope they win 8 games. They won't, though; Cincy, Baltimore, and Pitt are a lot better than them. They will win a couple-few games, however. Moreover, Tyrod didn't miss a 42 yd fg that would have ended the game. That's the Browns for you.

Hiw do you justify Peterman at this point?

My mind is open about all the parties involved, but who traded a 3rd round pick last year for an injured and certified moron -- Benjamin -- who got a 7 on his Wonderlic and had the gall to publicly criticize Newton, who won the mvp the year Benjamin was injured??

Benjamin got a 7 on the Wonderlic. That is not a misprint. You have to TRY to get a score that poor -- filling in answers randomly will generally get you a better score.

The Browns couldn't win a game in which they were +5 in tnurnovers. Since the browns re-entered the league in 1999, teams that are +5 in TOs are 132-4-1. Of those 4 losses, 2 are by the Browns. The one tie is of course the Browns too.

I've been saying this for a year -- Benjamin runs a 4.8 on a good day and a 4.9 on a regular day. He is not good. Plus he's not bright.

Dude, the Browns are a TERRIBLE model. They have been basement-level horrible for forever--one of the worst runs in the history of modern US team sports. In Europe, they would have been relegated years ago and never made it back. Never say that again.

The lack of effort there from Benjamin -- just wow.

Here's the list for next season. I focused specifically on WR and o-line (the two positions we need to absolutely address if Allen is to have a chance at succeeding.) https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/

Like I said, we don't really know. We should stop pretending either way that we do. (Also, small point, but the percentage of self-identifying Republicans vis a vis Dems and Independents in national polls has been shrinking, so that should be factored in.) Having said all of this, he will NEVER play for Buffalo. I don't lose sleep over the issue.

Word. The FA pool next year is extremely weak. Smart teams lock up their good players because they understand that the cap really isn't an issue. Beane's recent bloviating about cap jail is the thing that bugs me the most about him; he assumes fans don't understad a cap that goes up by leaps and bounds every couple of years.