It's not just Allen under the microscope this year, so is Daboll

[ctk232]

4 hours ago, ProcessTruster said:

The offensive roster is much better this year, plus Josh is fixing his flaws, plus the playbook is familiar, so production will increase.   All part of the process.   Will he be Johnny Unitas?  probably not.  Lets just go win the Division and go from there.  

The one variable being the potential for a shortened offseason due to COVID if it happens. If, for whatever reason, they aren’t able to hold OTAs/TC, or even partially, I’d like to see Josh get plenty of work in with his new WRs, and have the offense mesh.

 

All up in the air as of now, but it could be an issue for what we see on the field this year.

[Manther]

1 hour ago, JohnnyGold said:

 

Glad I read through this thread before posting, because this is exactly what I would have said.

I believe for Buffalo to win the Super Bowl, they're going to need to stay in attack mode on offense. One trend I've noticed in the NFL that I think our analytics department is a little slow to catch up to: winning teams don't go into "prevent offenses" anymore. Rather, they go for a quota of points, whether that's with 7 minutes left in the fourth, or 2 minutes into the first.

From a totally subjective perspective, it felt like too many times last year we would run safe plays to protect a lead. Against KC, SF, GB, Bal, or any other team that can score 14 on back to back possessions with ease, a 10 point lead can turn into a 4 point deficit in the blink of an eye, and the offense is suddenly struggling to regain their rhythm and tempo. The Wild Card game was the most glaring example of this to me. Trick plays are just as valuable in the late third quarter to increase a lead as they are in the opening drive to stake a lead.

Edit to include an example that came to mind after I hit post: our last playoff win, vs. Miami in 96. I remember endless fleaflickers to Beebe all day. They found a weakness in Miami's D, and relentless pounded it with gadget plays.

Agreed!

[Matt_In_NH]

So if the offense does not do well we will be debating if it is Allen or Dabol?  I could see that, LOL

[Bangarang]

2 hours ago, Homey D. Clown said:

It took Alex Smith more than 5 years to resemble a top tier QB, if Allen doesn't make some sort of "magical" leap this year, but continues to perform as well as he did past year, he's going nowhere.  

He may stick around for his entire rookie contract just like Mariota and Winston but if he doesn’t elevate his game then I doubt BB and McD are going to sit patiently and pretend that he’s good enough.

[ColoradoBills]

3 hours ago, bigK14094 said:

My expectations are not super high.  They will be playing a much tougher  schedule this year, they had a cream puff schedule last year, with lots of losing teams.  It would be a huge leap to do  10-6 imho.  And, that might not win the div or make the playoffs.  So, a good year w/o playoffs could still be an improvement. And, sadly, I fear there might not be a season at all this year.........

 

So does everyone else in the division.  The Bills additional games are the Titans and the Steelers.  Pats* have Ravens and Texans.

10-6 should win the division this year.

 

Daboll and Allen have to find a way to score enough against the Pats to win at least 1 game!

[Ethan in Cleveland]

If they don't make the playoffs because Josh regresses then Daboll will be gone and in 2021 they will find a QB to compete with Allen. 

Beane and McD would be stupid to pin their entire careers on one QB. 

I think Allen will only get better but we just need to wait and see.

If they don't make the playoffs because Josh regresses then Daboll will be gone and in 2021 they will find a QB to compete with Allen. 

Beane and McD would be stupid to pin their entire careers on one QB. 

I think Allen will only get better but we just need to wait and see.

 

Also, if Knox makes one block then Daboll is a genius for calling that Allen end around in OT that would have won the game. So it goes....

[BeastMaster]

7 minutes ago, Bangarang said:

He may stick around for his entire rookie contract just like Mariota and Winston but if he doesn’t elevate his game then I doubt BB and McD are going to sit patiently and pretend that he’s good enough.

Exactly. 

 

It's clear the organization is all in and looking to win a title.

 

Should Allen not show the necessary improvement, I would expect a team with high expectations to at least bring in someone that has a chance to supplant Allen.

 

And I'm as big of an Allen supporter as they come, but he's gotta become a better quarterback. 

[Rampage]

8 hours ago, 32ABBA said:

Josh Allen is here to stay. 

 

If he doesn't develop into some kind of superstar, or whatever this "leap" I keep hearing that he needs to make is, they will instead change the emphasis of the offensive strategy to suit whatever they think he is capable of, rely more on the running game, and probably start emphasizing defense strategically and in the draft.

 

 

He isn't going anywhere for a long while. He is the guy.

 

 

 

He'll get another OC, he's not getting a third. Beane and McDermott are smart enough to cut their losses as we've seen.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Rampage

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

If Daboll is calling the right plays but Allen is not hitting the open WR then it’s all on Allen. I thought Daboll did about what was expected with the talent that he was working with last year. I am expecting 20 PPG at the very least with the talent that we have right now.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

BB,  good take as Allen has been fortunate his previous injuries were in the pocket, not on designed runs YET.  

 

Um, concussion in NE game?

 

Part of the point that I'm sure vets like Jim Kelly intend to make with Allen is that his guys "gotta eat" and as QB, it's his job to feed them.  He needs to make the pass or the handoff more, and run the ball in himself less. 

[Phil The Thrill]

3 hours ago, Cripple Creek said:

If unsure you may franchise, but why would a team tie up dollars and years if they're unsure of anything long term?

 

As for being under a microscope Daboll most definitely will be.  It's not just Allen who has all the weapons necessary.  

 

IMO screw this morph from week to week crap.  Figure out what you do well and do it and do it and do it...  Adjust? Yes. Transform? No. Nothing more disheartening to a team than to know what's coming and still not stop it.  Be that.

 

Don't lose your mind mid game.

 

 

I should clarify.... I meant he’ll be extended for a 5th season.  Not a new $30M L/t contract.  
 

I don’t buy that it’s all on Daboll however.  Allen is still a question mark as well.  If the Bills have a bad year I can see Daboll getting fired but I think the Bills will start bringing in completion for Allen.  So he’s not entirely safe

[Thurman#1]

2 hours ago, BeastMaster said:

Fromm is just a cheaper version of Barkley...not even good enough to be a quality backup...maybe in a different stadium, but the wind/weather in NewEra will be an issue for him.

 

The organization is failing itself if they don't push Allen should he not meet expectations this upcoming season.

 

 

No offense, but you have no idea what Fromm is. You might be right. Equally, though, you might be totally wrong. As with most things about new draftees, we'll just have to see.

 

And that last sentence is nonsense. There are a million ways to push a guy, you certainly don't need to start a QB competition to do so. What you do by starting a QB competition this early isn't "pushing a guy." It's demonstrating that you're not confident in him. It's often the kiss of death. When you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any, is the old saying, and that's exactly what you're telling the guy by bringing in someone like that, that you think maybe you don't have a QB. There's a time and a place for that. After the third year is absolutely not that time and place.

 

How well did it work for the Chargers when they drafted Philip Rivers after Brees' third year was a disappointment. Eli Manning's third year was a bit of a disappointment. Did they bring in competition? Or did they correctly understand that they just didn't yet know, and find out the happy news very late in his 4th season when the light came on without a QB competition.

 

They would absolutely bring in somebody who they feel can be an injury replacement, a Fitz type, or maybe they think Fromm or Barkley fills that need. But competition? You're kidding yourself unless he absolutely falls apart. If that happens, everything's up in the air, but IMO a serious regression is unlikely.

 

There simply aren't a lot of great examples of teams spending heavily on a top ten QB, bringing in an expensive FA potential starter after the youngster's third year ... and good things happening.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Thurman#1

[LABILLBACKER]

11 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Everyone knows that Josh Allen needs to take another big step forward this year.  It is his third year in the same offense,  he should enjoy better O-Line play, and he will have more weapons to get the ball to this year.  If he isn't able to take a step forward this year, then we are probably looking at his ceiling and I don't think we win a Super Bowl with him under center.

 

The same thing can be said about Brian Daboll.  The offense has been the anchor around the neck of this franchise the last couple seasons.  Not all of it is Daboll's fault, the offensive cupboard was pretty bare when Daboll arrived.  That's not the case anymore.  With the offensive continuity and the players that Beane has given him, the pressure is squarely on Daboll to produce a much better offense.  He is out of excuses this year,  just like Josh Allen.

 

I think Daboll's biggest problem is that he just seems to outsmart himself at times. This year there should be no excuses for Lee "False Start" Smith being on the field, or DiMarco running routes 20+ yards down field, or Singletary disappearing for huge stretches of games when he is running effectively, or Cole Beasley disappearing for entire halves of games. 

 

Daboll needs to find his groove this year and this offense needs to finally start scoring some points. Barring catastrophic injuries, he has no more excuses, the cupboard is full of talent.  Now Daboll needs to get that talent to execute.  I don't think Beane and McDermott bring him back for a year four if he doesn't get the job done this year.

 

 

I'm not and never have been a Daboll fan. He's too inconsistent and sometimes wierd in his play calling. Last year his decision to play an aging Gore over Yeldon or even Singletary was stupid and frustrating. Just like watching Lee Smith or Patrick Dimarco contribute nothing to this offense. I just don't find Daboll to be the Belichick disciple we had hoped. I've seen enough of Allen to realize he will get better. I can't say the same for Dabs.....

[stuvian]

Josh and Diggs need to get telepathic

[boater]

I thought Daboll was effective when he moved upstairs at mid-season.

[Don Otreply]

As everyone knows, Josh needs to step up this year, that’s a given.  That, and good coaches are supposed to  taylor their schemes to fit their players skill set (LJ), I will admit that at times I feel Daboll loses sight of this concept, maybe our GM & HC have had a chat with him, and as well stress heavily to the offense that execution is paramount to winning the division and more...?

   I do believe that we have ample capacity on this team to achieve these and other things... not because they are easy, but because they are hard, ask not what your team can do for you, but what you can do for your team... I’m shooting for the moon baby!!! ??

 

Go Bills!!!

[Happy]

45 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

I should clarify.... I meant he’ll be extended for a 5th season.  Not a new $30M L/t contract.  
 

I don’t buy that it’s all on Daboll however.  Allen is still a question mark as well.  If the Bills have a bad year I can see Daboll getting fired but I think the Bills will start bringing in completion for Allen.  So he’s not entirely safe

 

Most of it is on Daboll.  He is the OC and has to make the offense score points with what is given to him; Daboll has to find and utilize playmakers strengths.  Allen was a project with a high ceiling coming out of Wyoming.  Daboll knows this and has to help develop and facilitate Josh's strengths by designing and calling plays that utilize these strengths vs the opponent's weaknesses.  If Daboll can't do that, he should be gone.  

 

I think Josh has a long leash and the organization will continue to be patient with him; he has to work out.  What's the alternative?  Tanking for the next crapshoot at QB in the draft?  Paying an obscene amount of money for a 'meh' or over-the-hill FA?  No to both as are probably worse options than changing coaches.  Josh is here to stay unless he pulls a Manziel, which I don't see.

[HOUSE]

Oh no, not the Microscope.....

God I hate that

[Phil The Thrill]

8 minutes ago, Happy Gilmore said:

 

Most of it is on Daboll.  He is the OC and has to make the offense score points with what is given to him; Daboll has to find and utilize playmakers strengths.  Allen was a project with a high ceiling coming out of Wyoming.  Daboll knows this and has to help develop and facilitate Josh's strengths by designing and calling plays that utilize these strengths vs the opponent's weaknesses.  If Daboll can't do that, he should be gone.  

 

I think Josh has a long leash and the organization will continue to be patient with him; he has to work out.  What's the alternative?  Tanking for the next crapshoot at QB in the draft?  Paying an obscene amount of money for a 'meh' or over-the-hill FA?  No to both as are probably worse options than changing coaches.  Josh is here to stay unless he pulls a Manziel, which I don't see.

I completely disagree.  I think they are both under the microscope.  Like I said, if the offense falters this years, Daboll probably goes.  He’s had 3 years to get something going.
 

Allen will obviously stay for year 4 and will get renewed for year 5.  But I have a hard time believing it’s automatic that he’ll get a second deal.  
 

They will bring in a veteran to push Josh and yes, to possibly compete.

 

This is not the Buddy Nix or Doug Whaley led Bills who were made excuses and were afraid to do anything at QB.  This administration has never shy to make a hard decision, and they will move on from Allen if necessary 

[Happy]

44 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

I completely disagree.  I think they are both under the microscope.  Like I said, if the offense falters this years, Daboll probably goes.  He’s had 3 years to get something going.
 

Allen will obviously stay for year 4 and will get renewed for year 5.  But I have a hard time believing it’s automatic that he’ll get a second deal.  
 

They will bring in a veteran to push Josh and yes, to possibly compete.

 

This is not the Buddy Nix or Doug Whaley led Bills who were made excuses and were afraid to do anything at QB.  This administration has never shy to make a hard decision, and they will move on from Allen if necessary 

 

At the least, I think we can agree that Daboll is under the microscope right now, as well he should be.  McD's second OC in four years.

 

If it gets to the point that a vet FA QB is brought in to compete with Josh in two or whatever years, McD and Beane are in trouble, as well.  Trading up for a QB is not a decision that can be hid, or trading up for a RT for that matter.  There are things they have done right, but also enough they have done wrong.