Dr. K

Who is asking anyone to clean house?

I've been trying to step back from all the Bills psychodrama and evaluate what McDermott has shown about himself as a coach and what that suggests about him going forward. How good a coach is McDermott; what does he do well, what could he do better, and is he capable of doing those things better? This is all just my opinion of course. So . . . PLUS SIDE: He seems to be able to motivate his players and create a positive atmosphere. He seems to be able to prepare the team in advance of the game. His team is much better disciplined than Rex's was. He has gotten good performances out of players who are not stars. He has drawn up some effective defensive schemes to meet particular challenges He has an even temperament. He is not a blowhard. He insists that whoever plays the best determines who gets into the games. MINUS SIDE: I am not sure I believe #6 above. Either he plays some favorites or else his judgment of who is performing best is not the same as mine. There are several examples but one clear example is Tolbert. This suggests to me that he may not be the best evaluator of talent. Maybe Beane is equally guilty here, though I think Beane is not doing anything McDermott doesn't want. (I am one of the fans who did not like the fire sale of players that went on in the off season, or the abandonment of Dareus). I don’t think he is a good game manager. He wastes time outs. He does not seem to make adjustments at the half. This could perhaps be the fault of his coordinators to some degree, of course, but the buck stops with him. Sometimes I get the feeling in the middle of games that he is in over his head, and cannot think on his feet. There is some evidence that he is willing to take chances, but overall he is a very conservative coach. For instance, he seems willing to sit on a lead. He is risk averse. I don't think this is going to serve the team well in the long run. The jury's out yet on whether he will dump Dennison or at least hold him responsible for some of the mystifying play calls he has made. This may be related to the idea that he is loyal to "his guys" and will not let performance determine his decision making. I am not ready to say whether he will be successful as a coach here. He shows some encouraging qualities, but he also shows traits that could sink this team. I was one who thought the team would be lucky to win six games this year, so good on McDermott for exceeding that expectation. But I am not sold on "the process" which seems to me to be a glorified term for "do it my way." I suppose every coach wants that; I just wonder if he has the flexibility of mind to change course when things are going wrong, and the imagination to consider alternatives.

Whaley intended Jonathan Williams to take his place. Instead we get tub of goo Tolbert.

I think we know your opinion on this matter, since it's all you post, all the time. Take a break and give us all a vacation.

I despair whenever they run a play for him. Second and 25, and they give the ball to him? Beyond idiocy.

About as much fun as visiting the dentist. And I watch them anyway. My syndrome exactly.

Whaley thought Jonathan Williams would be the backup rb, not freakin' Mike Tolbert. I put the blame for the lousy backup running squarely on McDermott & Beane. If Tolbert had not gotten hurt Cadet would probably never have seen the field.

This

If you think the Bills will win this one, you are in for a big disappointment.

It took Eric Moulds three years before he began to show what a great receiver he could be. Jones is going to be all right.

This would certainly go a long way toward shutting me up, too.

0-3 I am afraid.

My feelings exactly.

I think the biggest factor is being in the same division as the Patriots. That means the Bills essentially start the season 0-2 and are always digging themselves out of a hole. This doesn't excuse them for seldom being able to beat the Patriots, but nobody in these 17 years beats the Patriots regularly. Lots of teams in other divisions have gotten into the playoffs who would not have had they been in the AFC East. No excuses—the team needs to be better. But the Bills (and Jets and Dolphins) have less margin for error than other teams. Just an observation.

This is my take, too . He will get another chance, sooner or later, with another team. THIS, too.

Bills vs. Houston Oilers, 1966. Bills won on last minute 67-yard pick six (on Houston QB George Blanda) by cornerback Haygood Clarke. You could look it up.

Peterman. But I think the Bills will start Taylor.

That one playcall was enough to say bye bye to Dennison.

He calls an empty backfield play for the Bills when they are on the Pats two yard line, 4th and goal? That was idiotic.

This is my view, too. The true test of Whaley as a GM would have come if he had been able to choose his own coach.

Yes

There have been many many worse losses by the Bills than the Peterman debut. How about the 6-3 loss to Cleveland in the snow? The 30-13 loss to the Cowboys in the Super Bowl after leading 13-6 at the half. The previous year's 52-17 loss to the Cowboys in the Bowl. The Loss to the Cowboys on Monday Night football. The collapse against the Patriots where we were ahead 21-0 and lost 49-21. The other loss to the pats when were were up by 11 with four minutes to go. In person I saw them lose to the Colts in 1971 43-0. Then a few weeks later they lost to the Colts again, 24-0 (the team was 1-13 that year). The Saints loss this season was more disgusting than the Chargers loss. You are very young, grasshopper.

Thank god somebody understands what Whaley was doing. Overall, he was an excellent talent evaluator, and got the players to fit the schemes the coaches insisted on running. The reflexive Whaley hate here is moronic.

This is the way I feel about Tyrod. He has skills, but he is immensely frustrating to watch. the team may not win as much at first without him, but I am convinced they will not make it near a championship game with him at QB.

Four first downs in the second half. Many opportunities to put them away and they cannot move the ball. Dennison's play calling was terrible, and Tyrod is the definition of a limited QB. But they won.