BillsVet

Some people have way too much time on their hands starting click-bait or otherwise type threads. Waaaay too much time. "You could have the franchise QB and still not win." Unreal.

And Jerry Rice didn't sign on either. The NFLPA and De Smith deserve each other.

Because an allegation is always true and the accused is guilty...unless they can prove their innocence beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of public opinion. That's how the American justice system works now, right?

Too bad seasons and careers, or for that matter personnel decisions aren't or qualified after 2 games. The instant analysis crowd really struggles when there's a need to see things over the long haul. Tuh-rod spent 3 season in Buffalo with declining numbers, specifically YPA, yards passing per game, and of course, struggled to win games coming from behind. Baker is their guy and he'll supplant TT at some point this season when the latter goes back to doing what he normally does: take few chances downfield.

It's garbage like this why the NYDN loses millions, which leads them to further reduce sports coverage.

The golden goose is being cooked slowly. De Smith is laying the groundwork and opening new fronts in the next CBA battle because he knows how badly he got his butt kicked in the last CBA deal in 2011. He's already acknowledged or is threatening a work stoppage in 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2017/09/20/nflpa-re-election-demaurice-smith-sets-stage-next-nfl-labor-war-lockout-strike-roger-goodell/687199001/

I'm trying to balance 2018 expectations with the reality of another season after nearly 20 years of bad to mediocre football have created. It would be great to come out of 2018 knowing you've got an up and coming QB, but that alone isn't enough, nor is the prospect they'll have 70M in cap room for next season. Still, it's rare for a rebuild to move in reverse, which is what this one appears to be. Most concerning has been the defense's inability to stop anything despite investing a ton on their guys to play McCoach's scheme. And, not to mention the DC has had play-calling removed from his responsibilities. Agree on the questionable pro personnel decisions (Benjamin, V. Davis, OL). This is almost as bad as some of the bad contracts that the previous regime handed out which they got out from under. I'm seeing a lot of the old school thinking dressed up as otherwise in terms of their insistence on "their" guys. The rebuild has taken an unnecessary detour to adhere to this outdated principle of team building.

Why is Preston Brown, months after the team let him hit UFA, still considered an authority on the current state of the Bills' locker room? Brown wasn't a leader in Buffalo, said nothing of consequence, and is a remnant of the previous failed regime.

The question now is whether or not one believes the current leadership has a real plan for the long-haul. It’s very true that they have made some mistakes in personnel evaluation and overall roster building strategy. I’m still of the opinion they know what they’re doing but it will take some flexibility, better talent evaluation, and even patience. Still, the saving grace will be knowing they have a QB and I was good with Allen yesterday. One has to hope Allen improves, they stop under utilizing resources, and they surround the QB with better talent.

Might not have been the best Bills QB, but he's one cool dude. That performance was outstanding.

Both Belichick and McDermott both lost today by the same score. Ergo, both coaches are equal. I blame opinion polls for these ridiculous compare posts. Next thing you know, someone will want to compare McDermott to Marrone. Oh, wait.

Not good when your boss has to do your job. Then again, giving up 75 points in 6 quarters leads to that happening.

I've heard of him!

The big concern with McCoach and Beane is that they (more the former) prioritized defense in an offensive driven league during the first 2 years rebuilding. It's not surprising, but a flawed strategy that many DCs who become HCs follow. In 2 off-seasons Buffalo has, on defense, signed Hyde, Poyer, Lotulelei, Murphy, and V. Davis as free agents. They've used high picks on T. White, Edmunds, and Phillips while inheriting Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes, and Lorenzo Alexander. Their additions on offense are limited to Allen, Dawkins, Z. Jones, and Benjamin. After the departures of Incognito and Wood, the holdovers on offense from the RR years are McCoy and Charles Clay. It's not surprising that a DC turned HC wants to rebuild the defense first. It's just not a good strategy.

I don't think Jauron was gutting the team. That was an effort led by a front office with a bare bones NFL budget that had decided competing was too expensive, especially with a septuagenarian owner. You can't tell me it was DJ who wanted Peters gone,. nor was good with seeing Fletcher or Clements gone in their prime with nothing to replace them but rookies. I think it's wrong to say McCoach is worse than DJ. It's more accurate to say McCoach is more dangerous because he has more control. And if his process doesn't work, the impact will be much worse.

Beane is either the GM, playing the role John Schneider plays in Seattle, or McCoach's errand boy. And it's not the last two options. It doesn't have to be GM telling HC what to do. I get the impression the two are on the same page, which is what you need in a GM-HC relationship. They don't always agree, but it's most certainly not HC giving the GM orders.

The last thing for people to criticize or highlight is the mental health of a 22-23 year old man. His parents may be aggressively protective but I cannot stand seeing people throw around terms like "crazy" and "nut." Mental health is not a joking matter.

And without a GM to get him HOF and Pro Bowl talent...so far. One thing Marv did was manage the enormous personalities in the locker room. I'm not sure McCoach is close to that either.

I just want to make sure our 2019 compensatory picks aren't being jeopardized by signing street free agents. I know those things are mutually exclusive, but I need something else to be angry about.

The jury is still out on McCoach/Beane. Whaley is running a third rate college all star game. McCoach/Beane are 9-8 in the regular season. Neither McCoach or Beane strike me as the type who were content rebuilding and not really competing for 2 seasons. Their decisions are open to criticism, but the book has not been written on their tenure. Whaley's NFL career is, at the least, on hold no matter how well he dumpster dived. Last year was not a tank year and neither is this season. Think they would have one of the oldest rosters in the league if that were the case? Doubtful. Or spent what they did in UFA this off-season? The main issue now is how flexible are they with the process. It got them through last year's peaks and valleys. This year will probably not result in playoff contention by week 12.

You're the one debating the issue. And, comparing LTs to DEs is comparing apples to oranges. Both, at the time of their trade, were elite NFL players at hard to find positions.

Where is Buddy Nix to re-sign him to a four year 24M contract provide solid veteran leadership?

Russ Brandon did in 2009 with Jason Peters. Mack wasn't playing this year despite being under contract. Oakland is a small market team and paying 2 players 25M per eats up a lot of cap with a number of other contracts coming due. Not many teams can afford a guy like Mack and a top QB. Besides, teams aren't prioritizing defense at the expense of their offense and winning consistently. It's a methodology that doesn't work long term.

The only thing McBeane have shown is that they can deconstruct a roster. Whether they can rebuild it is another story. They've taken their QB of the future and McCoach got his LB in 2018. Beyond that I see little to nothing in talent on the OL (besides Dawkins), the WR group is and has been poor and the RBs are old. The defensive is by no means close to being a strong unit either despite plenty of UFA dollars and draft picks going to that side in the past 2 years. I had/have high hopes for the GM and HC, but entering the 2nd season of this rebuild looks like it's already stalled.

McCoach will be the first to go unless he changes his ways. And it's ridiculous to write that given how long he's been an assistant, a coordinator, and now a HC in the NFL. If he doesn't reinvent himself he'll end up like Jauron, albeit with far less time in the league. And that means getting away from being a defense first, conservative offense type who doesn't take risks and believes it's better to have choir boys who trust the process than talented types. This franchise is a mile away from competing. Some is the result of a previous flawed GM who wrote checks that are now coming due. But both the GM and HC are not demonstrating anything other than how to tear down a roster and rebuild the long way.