McKenzie playing scout team Tyreek Hill

[Buffalo716]

  On 1/20/2022 at 9:42 PM, NewEra said:

I don’t think he has any on offense.  He had 6 his rookie year and 2 the following year.  None the next 2 years and 2 this season.  Like you said though, he hasn’t had many touches on O.  
 

i don’t think he should have a full load, but I think he should’ve been getting a minimum of 3-4 plays a game where he’s the #1 option, running or receiving and the. Another 5-10 where he’s in motion as a decoy. The opposing D has to account for his speed. 

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Absolutely he should have a package 

 

Anytime you have to account for somebody on offense it's a positive

[Buffalo716]

  On 1/20/2022 at 9:45 PM, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I think he loves Buffalo and will re-sign.  I think all he needs to hear from McDermott is that he will be a regular rotational player at least.  

There seemed to be some tension from McKenzie's end after the benching but things seem good now.

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Eh I mean he's a professional who basically lost his role playing 

 

I definitely sensed disappointment but I didn't sense any true professional tension 

 

I've lost my starting job before.. definitely was angry.. maybe I gave the coach a cold shoulder for a day

 

But there is a reason in there .. and it's usually to push a player to a new height

 

Sometimes you need to push some buttons to get results

 

 

 

 

[Solomon Grundy]

  On 1/20/2022 at 6:52 PM, Special K said:

Let's make McKenzie the Bills Tyreek Hill instead of the scout team Tyreek Hill!!

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It’s happening right before our eyes. McKenzie will be a significant part of offense through the SB

[Hapless Bills Fan]

  On 1/20/2022 at 9:37 PM, Buffalo716 said:

I don't think it's that many since he got here ... Maybe 1 or 2 

 

But he also took 40 plus returns.. and only had 20 catches this season

 

So he has a lot more chance to put it on the carpet while returning  .

 

McDermott did say it was an issue in practice... And it's hard to give somebody a full load when they are fumbling in practice

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Did McD actually say that McKenzie was fumbling in practice on KR/PR?  Or at all?

 

I had actually seen other people saying "he had issues in practice" but when I asked how that was known, I didn't ever see an answer.

 

Someone - think it was @Shaw66 - talked about being at a game watching warm-ups, and how McKenzie was body-catching the ball.

 

Even if he's not fumbling, if people are telling him "this is how you need to catch the ball" and he's not listening and reverting to bad habits, that's got to change.

[Shaw66]

  On 1/20/2022 at 11:55 PM, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Did McD actually say that McKenzie was fumbling in practice on KR/PR?  Or at all?

 

I had actually seen other people saying "he had issues in practice" but when I asked how that was known, I didn't ever see an answer.

 

Someone - think it was @Shaw66 - talked about being at a game watching warm-ups, and how McKenzie was body-catching the ball.

 

Even if he's not fumbling, if people are telling him "this is how you need to catch the ball" and he's not listening and reverting to bad habits, that's got to change.

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Yes, I was the one who commented about the body catching.   I was so surprised when I first saw it that I watched three or four more reps.  Diggs had people intentionally giving him balls he had to reach for, and he clearly was practicing using his hands.   McKenzie was getting easier balls to catch, and he caught most or all against his body.  

 

I've complained about using him on returns, because a turnover on those plays is the most damaging play in football.  And he flubbed another a couple of weeks ago, which is why Hyde started returning.   When you think about it, it just doesn't matter, relatively speaking, how big the returns are - you get very few long returns, and a fumble is much worse than an occasional return.  

 

So, I wouldn't have him back there any more.  However, he's become an important part of the offensive attack.  The Bills have been featuring his speed, and i think it's evident that McKenzie is a problem for defenses.  When he's on the field, he could run out of the backfield, run the sweeps, catch swing passes, and run routes downfield.  As much as I've grumbled about him and his shortcomings, I think he's important to the offense now.   

 

Will he be back next season?   I don't know.  The reality is that rosters in the NFL turn over pretty quickly, and I think we should expect to see some turnover this off-season.   Oline has already been reshaped, Dline will lose some people, other positions likely will see some change, too.  It's just in the nature of the game.  McKenzie certainly could be a victim.   He's been a contributor, but it might be time for him to move on.  

[NoHuddleKelly12]

The way Josh’s been running why not throw him in there on the scout team as Hill for a series or 2? 🤔

 

(Yes I know, we are in full-on Chuck Norris can do anything territory here with Josh)

[billybrew1]

A few months ago I was making lists of things the Bills need now I'm wondering how in the world will we be able to keep: McKenzie, Wallace, Phillips, Bates and Neal?

 

LOL! Football is weird. It truly is....

 

it'd be great if we could keep them.

 

Go Bills!

[Saxum]

  On 1/20/2022 at 7:24 PM, BillnutinHouston said:

 

"Not a crazy idea..."

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Not a crazy idea if Hill was going to be double covered but single covered no.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Has McKenzie ever run a go route? I don’t recall him going deep even thought you’d think he could get 4 or 5 steps on most dbs… 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

Did Levi say anything about Beasley being on the scout team ?

 

If the Chiefs have a slow white guy that runs 5 yard outs and drops passes, then runs off the field yelling at his coach, we are definitely covered !

[london_bills]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:20 AM, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Did Levi say anything about Beasley being on the scout team ?

 

If the Chiefs have a slow white guy that runs 5 yard outs and drops passes, then runs off the field yelling at his coach, we are definitely covered !

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Did that really happen, the yelling at MCD thing? 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

  On 1/20/2022 at 6:42 PM, YoloinOhio said:

 

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Maybe McKenzie can be used more like Hill here.

 

 

  On 1/20/2022 at 7:23 PM, NewEra said:

Agreed.  I was so confused to why they just stopped using him in the playoffs last year and the first 3/4 of this season for the most part.  
 

Up until the 2nd patriot game he had 11 targets (7 catches) and 6 rushes. That’s a ridiculously low number of touches for someone with his ability.  
 

I’ve been saying it all year, he needs to be part of the offense as well as a long term part of this franchise. He’s everything you want in a player minus the fumbles.  

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Maybe they were trying to keep him fresh for the playoffs?

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

  On 1/20/2022 at 7:41 PM, NewEra said:

the pats have 2.5M in cap space.  
 

he’s going to get a “huge money offer”?  I think you have a strange definition of huge money offer. 
 

I don’t see him signing with the pats.  Little to no chance imo. 

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If the patriots have trouble becoming a SB contender i think it will be hard for them to sign players because the patriot way isnt fun for most players.

 

 

[aristocrat]

McKenzie has one awesome game and we’re like omg! I still don’t know what his future is

[Buffalo Barbarian]

  On 1/20/2022 at 8:09 PM, london_bills said:

Hopefully mckenzie got a raise mid season, such an important player 

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No such thing, (unless there are performance metrics that are built into the contract) they get their raises or paycuts when the contract is up or renogotiated

 

 

 

 

  On 1/20/2022 at 8:33 PM, Chicken Boo said:

 

I wouldn't re-sign here if I were him.  

 

He is criminally underutilized.

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he will if he wants multiple Superbowls 

 

 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:22 AM, london_bills said:

Did that really happen, the yelling at MCD thing? 

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Yes. It was in the @BADOLBILZ thread but it looks like they took the video down.

 

 

[Chicken Boo]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:39 AM, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

No such thing, (unless there are performance metrics that are built into the contract) they get their raises or paycuts when the contract is up or renogotiated

 

 

 

 

 

he will if he wants multiple Superbowls 

 

 

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I understand wanting to win, but they're also professionals.  They want to play and get paid as well.  I'm sure Isaiah sees himself as more than just a gadget guy.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:56 AM, Chicken Boo said:

 

I understand wanting to win, but they're also professionals.  They want to play and get paid as well.  I'm sure Isaiah sees himself as more than just a gadget guy.

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Right , but my point was mid season raises dont happen.

 

 

[NewEra]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:26 AM, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

Maybe McKenzie can be used more like Hill here.

 

 

 

Maybe they were trying to keep him fresh for the playoffs?

 

 

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I don’t think they wanted to keep him fresh, maybe more along the lines keeping him off tape and out of the opposing DCs game plans.  If we used him starting week one, like last year, there’s more opportunity for opposing DCs to figure out how to stop him.  Last year, we didn’t use him when the real bullets started flying in the playoffs.  It seemed like our opponents defended his plays better as the year went on..  No one has really stopped him yet this year yet.  He’s done work since being implemented 

[BADOLBILZ]

  On 1/21/2022 at 1:43 AM, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Yes. It was in the @BADOLBILZ thread but it looks like they took the video down.

 

 

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Nah.    It's still on there.   Page 12.