BillsVet

The game in 2001 and 2011 when those 2 QBs became starters has evolved considerably. The RTP and PI penalties principally affect how defenses can take on a passing offense. In NE, Belichick didn't need Brady to be much more than efficient those first couple years until he developed. And Newton is a totally different player who actually had some offensive talent around him as a rookie and 2nd year player, especially their OL. McCoach, like most defensive guys, went defense heavy his first 2 off-season and now the offense stinks. He has no one to blame but himself for going the opposite way to success.

As long as Allen doesn't throw the ball directly into JJ Watt's hands for a pick 6 he can't do any worse than a former 1st round pick. McCoach and Beane thought so much of Lawson they signed Trent Murphy and not flip Lawson inside on passing downs. Lawson is a 40 front LDE and in year 3 of his career not an every down type. This despite all the work and personal tragedy he's endured.

There's going to be steep competition for every UFA with all this money floating around in cap space. According to SportTrac, there are 10 teams with more than 50M for 2019. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/2019/# In some ways trades have become more predominant, but if the Bills are going to pull themselves out of the bad to mediocre abyss they've been in the past 19 years, it's not going to be through UFA.

No dissenting opinions tolerated here!

The Buddy and Doug show avoided drafting a QB for the first 3 off-seasons they were running personnel. And they should have known better than to believe Fitz was long term answer given his how 2011 ended. Their strategy was drafting and spending big on every other position. The nice thing is the new regime took a QB, but has whiffed on moves or not taken players to support their franchise guy. Team building the Nix/Whaley way doesn't work. Time will tell about the current group, but if they aren't a playoff team next year I'm not sure their strategy is much better than their predecessors.

If only there was an audible "Easy" button for Sal to use during his segments. I can see his next appearance going like this: Jeremy: Sal, what should the Bills do on offense this off-season? Sal: I would improve the OL and draft the best WR available. There, that was easy! Jeremy: Whoa Sal, how are they going to do this? There aren't many top WRs available through trade, free agency, or ready to step in as a rookie. Sal: They have lots of cap money this off-season and draft picks that's how. Jeremy: Sal, why do we feature you? Sal: Because I do ads for Country Sweet sauce.

The lack of patience comes down to this franchise being no closer to competing today for championships than it was under Dugout Doug Whaley and Wrecks at the end of 2016. Oh sure, they're in better cap shape and have a young QB most fans have hope for, but the roster features a lot of players who aren't long term options. I'd be a lot more comfortable with this rebuild if McCoach hadn't followed the formula of what previous regimes did. Namely, sink a lot of draft picks and free agency dollars into a defense to presumably win close games. DJ, Nix/Gailey, and Whaley/Wrecks all started rebuilds prioritizing the defense and all failed miserably to get this team to even a playoff level. Marrone wasn't hear long enough to do fall flat and worked with the aforementioned Whaley who made some real boneheaded decisions. Most fans want to be patient, but taking steps back in a rebuild is a really bad sign. Winning a game like they did at Atlanta last year or Minnesota this year is nice, but it ups the expectations when the team is really not even average this season. I'll also predict that having 90M in cap room for next year isn't going to suddenly mean the offense is demonstrably better.

The kid has all of 4 games of experience this season. You're ready to declare your prognostication as absolute? Goodness, Nostradamus has nothing on some of you. Let's see how he fares against a Jacksonville defense which a is just a little better than what's he's faced in weeks 1-4. That is, unless you are busy obtaining his measurements for his HOF jacket already.

Truly amazing how many fans posting here just KNOW Mahomes is going to be a star.

Early returns are that Mahomes is really talented and better than what the Bills have. So be it, this debate is not settled but only beginning. Mahomes is good now, has been developed, and through 4 (!) games is in a better spot career wise. He will have his ups and downs as coaches get more film on him. The real issue is McCoach and Beane have prioritized defense above offense in an era where the latter wins games and you just need enough of the former. Next off-season, they'll need to significantly upgrade the offense and it won't be easy. Their strategy is still open for debate and not settled, as is Mahomes' and Allen's NFL careers.

I doubt the NFL would do ever anything to hinder the passing game. They have to love these shoot-outs just like MLB loves the HR. Or the NBA which is predominantly dunks and 3 pointers. It's what gets fans' attention. At some point, I have to wonder if some HC and GM would see the wisdom in putting together a team that isn't predicated on throwing the ball, but is good enough doing that. Defenses are playing more 6 guys in the box and 5 DB sets, so it would make sense that someone eventually builds an offense which can punish those smaller LBs and DBs who are on the field to play the pass. Belicheck seemed to use LeGarrette Blount like this a few years ago.

In other words, QBs cost too much and reducing the investment in one with a similar or good enough level of play is essential. I will say it's easier to get decent to good QB play now than it was 10 or 15 years ago when the rules weren't slanted toward offense as much. I think all of this is market driven. If there are more guys capable of playing, the options for a team are greater and cost should go down. But we've not seen that yet with the passing game being primary to successful offenses. I also don't think there will be, unless offenses evolve even further toward the college game, enough supply of QBs for this concept to work.

If you ignore winning Super Bowls with the Giants as a DC and as a HC getting the Browns (!) to the playoffs as flukes then, yeah, BB lucked into all his success. I love seeing Belichick upset and when Buffalo beats them. But to minimize his achievements as a NFL HC to "Brady" or "cheating" is absurdity.

I'm shocked there's only been one post in this entire thread mentioning the name Dez Bryant. Figured there'd be at least 5. That said, the WR's are underperforming, namely the no-effort Benjamin and Mr. Invisible, Zay Jones.

I know exactly how things go here and it's become much worse over the years. The evidence is that many long time solid posters are no longer active or post less. That's because there's a whole lot less debate/discussion and a lot more instant analysis, attacks, and the rise of chronic posters who live on this board all day every day.

There doesn't have to be a rush to judgement each time something good happens. Buffalo winning on the road the way they did is what any fan of this team would want. Yet, it's one week and 13 games remain on the schedule. Cautiously optimistic about Allen, the defense, and their chances the rest of the way are how I see it. I am amazed at the fans who need to be the first on their block to yell when one game goes well. Give it some time and let's see how the season continues. And it doesn't require all these "instant analysis" threads that posters are starting.

McCoach and Beane wanted NFL footballs with the Panthers logo on them to remember the old days. Probably place them in their offices.

Allen was 12th in the NFL in getting the ball out at 2.92 seconds. That had a lot to do with the "improvement" at least in pass protection.

He was targeted once on 22 attempts. Perhaps if they needed to throw much in the 2nd half he'd have more targets, but that's alarming how little he factored into this game. I think he's got the rest of the season to show he's starting material. 2nd round picks that you trade up for should be producing and Allen has definitely not shown complete tunnel vision like TT did.

TBD's college scouts have written up their report and are apparently taking the next 7 months off until draft day. You haven't heard? ?

Metrics won't be used to hand TT his job back in Cleveland. These guys and their analytics. They're useful to a point but not the whole story and I know Schopp won't relent.

Don't forget Buddy fooled 'em all by saying that Cordy Glenn wasn't an OT. Just like he did with Michael Jasper being a DT and then switching him to an guard. Or drafting Aaron Williams high in the 2nd round of 2011 to play CB thereby passing on Andy Dalton. Williams couldn't play CB and was moved to safety. Have to laugh at Buddy's draft "prowess" in taking players who couldn't play their established position and converting them. That ain't a strategy, it's a fall back to cover your losses.

You didn't know?

I'd put money on you having said this during the Nix/Gailey rebuilds, the Whaley/Marrone rebuild, and, perhaps during the Jauron era. That said, when I see people refer to posts, articles or whatever with words like "eviscerate" or "destroys" or any language like that, I already know it's drama to get clicks. Sports media being so competitive, the normal coverage isn't going to get ratings and ad revenue. So I take this analysis with a grain of salt, especially because it was Allen's first start. Did anyone think he'd tear it up with that and a poor surrounding cast?

Marv Levy said something long ago to the effect of if you listen to the fans, you'll wind up sitting next to them in the stands. The writer of that article didn't consider that apparently. This. I was set up to fail multiple times in the military and learned better through adversity than having an easy or only slightly challenging situation. I think Allen's been dealing with plenty of adversity, professionally speaking, since he was a kid. Getting to a D-1 school, succeeding there without a top supporting cast, and then being drafted demonstrates this. He's got a bigger challenge now, and while it's not under ideal circumstances, it's not a fait accompli that he'll fail because his predecessors did. Besides, the idea that he'll fail because Manuel, Edwards, and Losman did is just Bills fans conditioned to pessimism. It's a defensive mechanism if things go wrong and we want to say we're right. I've got more faith in that kid that anyone Buffalo's drafted at QB in a long time.