The Athletic: Q&A with Brandon Beane - Bills adjusting to life as SB contenders

[YoloinOhio]

https://theathletic.com/2814800/2021/09/09/bills-adjusting-to-higher-expectations-and-life-as-a-super-bowl-contender-qa-with-brandon-beane/?amp#click=https://t.co/ylAwyFie3E

Quote

What’s your gut reaction when you hear NFLanalysts on major platforms predict the Bills will win the Super Bowl?

You want to be respected, so it’s better than the other end of the spectrum. But it means nothing. I’ve been in this league a long time, been on teams that went to the Super Bowl that were not in anybody’s prognostication, and I’ve been on teams that came off the Super Bowl, and we didn’t do anything. Every team is unique, and until you get into battle, you don’t know how they’re going to react to certain things.

And probably not until your sixth or seventh battle.

Exactly. So do you figure your team out? You have to tinker along the way, especially with injuries. But just like when somebody predicts you’re going to win six games, you’ve got to tune that out. Otherwise, if you accept that, then why are you here.

Quote

What is the Bills’ updated vaccination rate?

We’re in the single digits (of unvaccinated players). We’ve definitely moved the needle, so to speak. But we’ll see. I know there are guys that are still doing their research. We’ll continue to educate them.

Our guys have handled it well, no matter what your viewpoint is. I know at times out there (gestures toward outside) …

How have you kept the organization on the rails while dealing with the vaccination debate more than other teams?

Sean (McDermott) and I believe in letting our guys be themselves. Guys that have strong beliefs on either side, we were allowing them to do that. We believe it’s important for them to be able to express themselves. But when we’re in this building, it’s about football. That’s not been an issue in this building, and when it gets to football, all the nonsense is quieted down. That’s what I respect about those guys, and I think they respect it about us. “Hey, when we get into real preparations for training camp, games, we’ll shut some of that down on social media or interviews or whatever.” Everyone knows the common goal. That has not changed. No matter how loud any person has been, their No. 1 focus has been on being the best version of themselves here as a Buffalo Bill.

 

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Why didn’t you make another move at cornerback before setting your final roster?

We thought it was a good battle between Levi Wallace and Dane Jackson. Unfortunately, both of them got nicked up there a little bit in the preseason. We had to get them through the last game. They both played for us in real games, and they’ve both done a good job, and we like where they’re at. We think they both had a good offseason. We didn’t feel there was anything out there better than what these guys are going to bring us. But, again, we’ll always look at all positions. If we thought there was a better solution, we would’ve made that move.

A few good excerpts 

[BuffaloRebound]

So at worst, 9 out of 53 not vaccinated.  That’s 83% worst case.  Makes me feel a little better in terms of players being available.  

[mushypeaches]

Just affirms how glad I am to have a measured, thoughtful, intelligent, and aggressive guy running the organization

 

Too many past regimes failing to plan, and planning to fail

[TPS]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRebound said:

So at worst, 9 out of 53 not vaccinated.  That’s 83% worst case.  Makes me feel a little better in terms of players being available.  

In the interview, he says they are in single digits for unvaccinated.

[Dr. Who]

4 minutes ago, TPS said:

In the interview, he says they are in single digits for unvaccinated.

So, the fella said, "at worst, 9 out of 53" because, well, 9 is the highest single digit. What are you correcting?

[Kelly the Dog]

9 minutes ago, TPS said:

In the interview, he says they are in single digits for unvaccinated.

Yep. So likely six total players because he’s almost for sure including PS and IR guys who are on the field or in the building. Maybe five total players. 

3 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

So, the fella said, "at worst, 9 out of 53" because, well, 9 is the highest single digit. What are you correcting?

Almost for sure including 16 PS guys and probably Stevenson. 

[TPS]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

So, the fella said, "at worst, 9 out of 53" because, well, 9 is the highest single digit. What are you correcting?

Sorry, I probably misinterpreted Beane.  I was thinking in % terms, so his 83% is what I reacted to.  Re-reading it, I'm sure Beane meant # of players.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

https://theathletic.com/2814800/2021/09/09/bills-adjusting-to-higher-expectations-and-life-as-a-super-bowl-contender-qa-with-brandon-beane/?amp#click=https://t.co/ylAwyFie3E

A few good excerpts 

 

I singled right in on

Quote

We’re in the single digits (of unvaccinated players).

 

[Dr. Who]

Just now, TPS said:

Sorry, I probably misinterpreted Beane.  I was thinking in % terms, so his 83% is what I reacted to.  Re-reading it, I'm sure Beane meant # of players.

Yes, KTD explained. I see what you mean.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRebound said:

So at worst, 9 out of 53 not vaccinated.  That’s 83% worst case.  Makes me feel a little better in terms of players being available.  

 

If you count the practice squad 87%

[Logic]

My favorite answer was the one Beane gave about Stefon Diggs. Basically, it suggests that you can do certain things to take various receivers out of games, but Diggs isn't one of those guys. He's essentially unstoppable. He can beat man coverage, can beat zone coverage, can beat the press, has elite route running, good speed, hands, and contested catch ability. What could anyone realistically list as a weakness in Stef's game?! Add in the intangibles, like the leadership and contagious swagger he has brought to the team, and you have one of the best trade acquisitions in Bills history.

Here's the exchange:

 

What makes [Diggs] such an asset to the offense even compared to other great receivers?

"Physically, his release is really good. He’s hard to press. Some guys can get open versus man, but they don’t have a feel for zone. Some guys are zone players; they just can’t separate at the top of the route. Stef can play inside, or he can play outside. So no matter how you play him, he can still factor in the game. You can take certain receivers out of this game because of their skill set, and Stef makes it much harder to do that.

His game speed? You can tell, even at practice, when he is in game mode, whether it’s one-on-ones with Tre’Davious White out there. He practices hard, but there are some days where you can see he’s going to be on a heater. You KNOW he’s going to catch it.

To me, I see confidence, just like a cloud of confidence around him. I think that started with our quarterback, and now just the whole team feeds off his confidence, his swagger."

Edited September 9, 2021 by Logic

[RoyBatty is alive]

56 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Yep. So likely six total players because he’s almost for sure including PS and IR guys who are on the field or in the building. Maybe five total players. 

Almost for sure including 16 PS guys and probably Stevenson. 

I am lost, how do you get to six?

[JohnBonhamRocks]

19 minutes ago, Logic said:

My favorite answer was the one Beane gave about Stefon Diggs. Basically, it suggests that you can do certain things to take various receivers out of games, but Diggs isn't one of those guys. He's essentially unstoppable. He can beat man coverage, can beat zone coverage, can beat the press, has elite route running, good speed, hands, and contested catch ability. What could anyone realistically list as a weakness in Stef's game?! Add in the intangibles, like the leadership and contagious swagger he has brought to the team, and you have one of the best trade acquisitions in Bills history.

Here's the exchange:

 

What makes [Diggs] such an asset to the offense even compared to other great receivers?

"Physically, his release is really good. He’s hard to press. Some guys can get open versus man, but they don’t have a feel for zone. Some guys are zone players; they just can’t separate at the top of the route. Stef can play inside, or he can play outside. So no matter how you play him, he can still factor in the game. You can take certain receivers out of this game because of their skill set, and Stef makes it much harder to do that.

His game speed? You can tell, even at practice, when he is in game mode, whether it’s one-on-ones with Tre’Davious White out there. He practices hard, but there are some days where you can see he’s going to be on a heater. You KNOW he’s going to catch it.

To me, I see confidence, just like a cloud of confidence around him. I think that started with our quarterback, and now just the whole team feeds off his confidence, his swagger."

Awesome to read.

If I had to try to produce a Diggs weakness I’d say he lacks elite athleticism and by that I mean I wish he had Hill’s quickness or Metcalf’s sheer freak-of-nature-ness. I’d be picking nits though. 

[Kelly the Dog]

Just now, RoyBatty is alive said:

I am lost, how do you get to six?

My bad. When I first read the Beane quote I whipped through it and thought he meant “single digits” in percentage of players. Because that it how we have been hearing teams described. 93% or 96% or whatever. So I was going on he was referring to probably 91 % of 71 players (53 + 16+ Stevenson who would be on team and in building). That’s where I got 5-6.
 

Reading it again, he most likely meant players and not percentage of players. But I also think it may not be 9. He’s very diplomatic. It could be 8 or 7 or 6 and he just didn’t want to give a specific number to protect further scrutinizing which ones. 

[RoyBatty is alive]

Just now, Kelly the Dog said:

My bad. When I first read the Beane quote I whipped through it and thought he meant “single digits” in percentage of players. Because that it how we have been hearing teams described. 93% or 96% or whatever. So I was going on he was referring to probably 91 % of 71 players (53 + 16+ Stevenson who would be on team and in building). That’s where I got 5-6.
 

Reading it again, he most likely meant players and not percentage of players. But I also think it may not be 9. He’s very diplomatic. It could be 8 or 7 or 6 and he just didn’t want to give a specific number to protect further scrutinizing which ones. 

I dont think he wants to disclose an exact number then people as in this forum (and the media) will start trying to name/ guess who the unvaccinated are.

[Kelly the Dog]

4 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

I dont think he wants to disclose an exact number then people as in this forum (and the media) will start trying to name/ guess who the unvaccinated are.

Yeah, that’s what I meant in my last line.