BillsVet

This chart is, according to Warren Sharp, Buffalo's success rate throwing the ball through Week 5 this season. Inside the numbers is pretty good. Outside, well, that speaks for itself. Also find it ironic that Sharp acknowledged today he at one time consulted or advised the Bills, but no longer does. Point is, they calculated the offense would succeed with their current personnel and these past 2 games point to that being a huge error. At some point, the architects above the coordinator level need to own up to planning poorly and not resourcing the offense properly. It's too late for 2024, but there needs to be an overhaul to how this team plays football. Might take jettisoning McD and his version of complementary football.

I presume you mean the pressure is from ownership, but would disagree that a trade necessarily means McBeane are feeling it from ownership to get the ship righted. There have been rumblings that after hiring McDermott and then Beane, Pegula later regretted granting them so much authority over football management. I still don't think ownership wants to do a coaching and perhaps GM search, but would hope at this juncture with Josh getting battered that Terry has asked some questions. That said, if Josh is that one person and he's making comments to ownership, then yeah I'd expect the guy getting paid a quarter-billion's voice counts plenty.

There's been conflict on offensive going back a few years in terms of what they want to do between HC and OC, personnel decisions to fit that scheme, and how it's called on game day. And if there's a strategy issue, it's gonna affect everything downstream of that. It's amazing that we're talking about the WR group, about a potential trade to address what so many people observed all off-season, and how it would inhibit the offense. It's also incredible they spent themselves into a cap issue 5 years after they claimed they had to fix the previous regime's. Whether this is a mini-rebuild or not, the issue is now that they're struggling. They can add a good WR and it'll help, but there's deeper issues going on because... They've found reasons to run it back for a few seasons up to 2023. That's got them here in 2024 and when this season is over, save for a SB trip which appears unlikely right now...there needs to be an honest evaluation of what their identity is AND whether it truly works.

I knew when this group of WR's started playing to their talent level Josh would get blamed by the defenders of this WR group. Never thought it'd take a mere 5 games.

And unless they commit to being an elite offense at some point Josh is gonna say I'm through with this. JA's been playing the good soldier and not been difficult, but the conditions he's playing under are sub-optimal. Not ideal for someone who knows what they can do in the NFL. I'm tired of (this is not directed at you AD) this mentality. As @Coach Tuesday already stated, offense including WR takes a backseat like the kid who isn't mom and dad's favorite. They can always address the offense...in the future. Teams have to make a decision about what their identity will be, which should be easy when you have a veritable top QB. I hear people on TSW all the time reference the Coleman and Kincaid picks as evidence they're serious about offense, but that's the kind of the price of admission for being in the NFL with a strong or better QB. They don't talk about how, after drafting Josh in 2018 they used 6 of their next RD1/2 picks on defense...and the offensive picks were on Diggs, Cody Ford, and Cook. That isn't going to get it done in this era. It's how you end up with WR6 Mack Hollins getting the 2nd most snaps on the team. They are extremely poor at being stewards of Josh's talents. See my response above re: Josh...it's gonna happen without some serious changes.

It is extremely concerning that this organization, with all the plaudits they receive, did not have a plan about what to do with Diggs coming out of their off-season review. They waffled on the issue, then Beane (as @Kirby Jackson noted) was seemingly reassured that their WR group would work. Only slight disagreement I have is that they signed Quintez Cephus and MVS both after they draft so they still had concerns. In that way I agree, they were looking for "lightning in a bottle" with additional bargain bin signings. WR is just not a priority for them in the off-season...and then perhaps 4 games in it is now? Makes me further their commitment to "complementary football."

Or, part of the problem is Bobby Slowik is an underperforming OC who isn't maximizing the resources he has to work with which has contributed to their slow offensive start. This is an issue that goes beyond just player stats.

Diggs is a twit, but it's still speculation why he wanted out and management made that deal. They certainly didn't have a replacement on the roster and weren't going to draft anyone. That situation was the combination of several factors, but no one knows for sure and OBD isn't telling. I subscribe to the idea that leadership should be expected to integrate personalities and not avoid them entirely. Otherwise, you end up with choir boys who lack talent and that last element is not available at WR right now. For all the talk about Shakir, he's still a slot receiver. Coleman, Hollins, MVS, and Samuel are as expected by this point. Going to be other options besides Adams at the deadline, but waiting has a price. And then there's keeping the QB happy and giving him the tools to win, particularly when the game doesn't go according to script. T

I still remember Beane attempting to trade for Antonio Brown in early 2020 who, thankfully, did not want to come here. At some point, the established culture has to be able to take in a veteran and get them to play their way. And if it can't, that's not a good indication all is well.

Warren Sharp today called McD the purgatory HC. He's just not going to get better in-game and adapt philosophically.

Coming home from Mass on Sundays about noon in the late 80s/early 90s I couldn't wait to turn on NFL Gameday...and then later at night Primetime because that's where you got the best pregame and highlights. ESPN was the source for everything pre-internet. And then there was Berman...it seemed like he was the only national media figure that was openly a Bills fan aside from Tim Russet. Miss those days.

Maybe you can invoke Pipp's name when Bishop has a few high level seasons in the NFL like a certain NYY HOF 1B did from the late 1920s to late 30s.

Only thing I can think of is that Samuel's still hampered by an injury (turf toe?). 17 snaps a game seems odd, but... Reminds me of the in-season trade for Nyheim Hines a few years ago. Always seemed like they wanted a pass catching RB, they get him and...he's used as an expensive kick returner. McBeane tend to over-value (Gabe Davis) or under-utilize offensive skill players all too often. There's a disconnect somewhere offensively across multiple OC's and the front office. It's as though the players are acquired without a good plan for maximizing their strengths. I've always wondered who in that room has a voice to represent the offense? Because I don't think rookie/young OC's are that person.

One would hope Pegula is asking the HC and GM why their 250M QB is this exposed to hits (EDIT: so often in situations the QB shouldn't be the first option). HC or his offensive staff aren't suited or willing schematically to stop relying on him though. Something has to give immediately. An offense that needs Josh to convert in short yardage, run it as often, and escape more pressure is asking for an injury...if he isn't hurt already.

He's on a diet and wasn't ready to eat tonight.

I don't answer your questions...because they're frankly pretty bad.

I don't have a "leader" and encourage you to interact with whomever you think that is by responding to them directly. No sense beating around the bush, right? Still amazes me that the defense of all things Bills hits many here so close to home. It's like the state religion that the peasants aren't allowed to question.

You referenced the Daniel Jones QB'd Giants with Nabers in a thread about the Bills cast at WR. "I watched the Giants/Cowboys game last night, and saw Jones force feed "true WR1" Nabers the ball 11 or 12 times for over 100 yards. The Giants still didn't score a TD and lost a game in which they held Dallas to 20 points." What's the inference? That having Daniel Jones paired with a young highly regarded WR is the wrong way to go? Well yeah...it's Daniel Jones. Buffalo doesn't have WR versatility. Some of you in this thread could run for office with such a command of sophistry, half-truths, and denials. It's actually quite hilarious in a way.

Lot of if's though. Not impossible, but need to see it when they're locked in a close game. As in, the guy who becomes their go-to receiver in obvious passing downs. Would like to think it's Kincaid because he's a former first round pick and is probably the most talented of the WR/TE.

Good offensive coordinators can sneak up on opponents. They can't scheme their way out of personnel deficiencies for an entire season. Joe Brady has put together some nice calls, buy he can't overcome having a bottom-quartile WR group. Especially not one that's less of a proven downfield threat.

I haven't played fantasy football in 10 years. It's boring to me. Point is, the way the WR/TE are being used is reflected in their YPC...which is about 11.5. For a TE, that's OK but for an outside WR that's dismal. They're throwing short and taking what the defense gives them. Great. Many in this thread expect that to remain the same...why exactly? Why would a DC just keep letting a successful offense keep right on doing what's worked against previous opponents? BTW, are you comparing Daniel Jones and the NY Giants to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills? Those 2 teams? Come on dude. Aside from maybe GB, there isn't a team in the NFL taking this approach on offense. And given that Buffalo hasn't been an offensive trend-setter after 2020, I doubt very much this will catch on. Teams still are looking for a 1 and 2, signing some to big contracts. What makes you think the opposite approach is going to be sustainable for an entire season?

Jim Brown didn't play QB. Also typical you with some hyperbolic nonsense about throwing it "50 yards down the field." No rational minded fan expects a QB to throw it like that all the time. Point is, they have a QB who can hit throws no other QB in the league can save Mahomes and surrounded him with WR's who don't complement that. Their passing game is designed to throw close to LOS and to Josh's credit he's hitting those throws. But some of you can't wrap your heads around if that's hindered how they would respond with that group of WRs needing to make catches downfield.

This is the problem throughout this thread as it's continued during the season. Some keep focusing on what's happened to predict what will/could. I've seen you somewhat yield that things like defenses do change...but then go back to referencing how good they've been. Others have anticipated and used their intelligence guided by experience to predict that what's working now will be hindered as the season unfolds. And therefore...they'll need something to respond. Typically, that's through winning 1 on 1 matchups. Go on believing that past performance reasonably is a barometer. Right now, the scheme is covering up a deficiency...the lack of better WR talent...and it will be brought out into the open. Average reception for WR's right now is about 11.5 yards. Same with TE's. That doesn't cut it and it's a reason why the Comp % is so high.

What I'll always remember about those years is the 2011 season. Buffalo was 5-2 and hosting the Jets having averaged over 30 points that year. Jets jammed their WR's at the LOS and set the blueprint on stopping Bills' offense...which was contingent on Fitz making short timed throws to a poor group of WRs. Bills went 1-8 the rest of the way and offense fell off a cliff. It's an absurd comparison because Buffalo then was limited at least by A) their weak-armed QB needing an offensive design like that and B) a poor WR group. Now, they have perhaps the best QB in the NFL surrounded by an ensemble cast of unproven or middling WRs and it's by design. In the first example, the offense had to hide their weaknesses. In the second, they've minimized their strength at QB.

Ironic that they've run this poll at the beginning of the season, unless of course it's only backward looking, i.e. 2023 and before. Because they finally had to take their medicine during the 2024 off-season after having poorly managed the cap for a few years, notably via some bad UFA decisions. And, it remains to be seen whether the ensemble cast thing at WR will work...that's very much TBD, yet a major factor in post-season success. That is, whether complementary football is a concept that wins or just raises the floor of success a little.