Metamorphosis year

[Rock-A-Bye Beasley]

On 8/29/2024 at 2:33 PM, mjd1001 said:

I really agree with 50% of what you said, and totally disagree with 50% of what you said.

As far as what I bolded above:

 

Diggs.  I think he is slowing down big time. Now, CAN he have a big statistical year if they force feed him the ball in Houston? I suppose, but I think he went from a top 5 receiver to 'just another guy' over the course of the last 2 years.

 

Getting rid of leadership?  Yeah, probably. But a lot of those 'leaders' have seriously slowed down.  Both of the safeties last year were 1-2 steps to slow to make plays, and they aren't/weren't going to be any better this year. Diggs, see above.

 

-Von?  He's stuck here with that contract.  I'm hoping (wishing) he is recovered and has one last 'above average' year in him.  But yeah, mostly because of the injury signing him was a mistake in hindsight.

 

-Milano?  If he could stay healthy he is a top 10 linebacker in the league, maybe a top 50 overall Defensive player in the league (that is saying a lot considering there are close to 350 defensive starters in the league. But, he A.) can't stay healthy.  B.)  he is getting older and with those injuries, his athleticism is likely going to be taking a hit when he is on the field.

 

Be honest, you came up with this theory after the trade, didn't ya?

[mjd1001]

5 hours ago, Rock-A-Bye Beasley said:

 

Be honest, you came up with this theory after the trade, didn't ya?

no not at all. If you did take the time to look at my posting history, I was kinda down on Diggs for the past 12-18 months.

[Sierra Foothills]

On 8/29/2024 at 11:02 AM, Mr Info said:

In 2023, the Bills avg age was 4th highest in the league. This year, the Bills are tied for 11th. Both the Fins and Jets have higher average team age in ‘24 than the Bills.

 

Good info, Mr Info.

 

On 8/29/2024 at 12:08 PM, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

 

Do you happen to know who ended up winning this?

 

[Devilmann]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:32 PM, 4merper4mer said:

When Brady fails I’m hopeful McD will realize he needs a real OC that will bring his own offensive philosophy.  Heretofore the focus has been on the offense not putting the defense behind some perceived eight ball.  

At least give Brady and chance. We don’t really know what his offense will look like with a real QB and not some bums ( Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold). It’s gonna be his first season to where it’s gonna be his offense without Dorsey’s fingerprints on a good chunk of the plays. 

[amprov56]

21 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

It must be sad to need attention this much

My thoughts exactly!

[ColoradoBills]

23 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Disagree with me if you wish.  Fine.  That’s the whole idea of opinions on a message board.

 

Yes, and your OP was full of opinions.

 

The definition of "opinion" is "what one thinks about something or somebody; viewpoint. An opinion is not necessarily based on facts".

[smuvtalker]

On 9/1/2024 at 7:54 AM, 4merper4mer said:

Shirley you can’t be serious about this?  Douglas, a vocal leader with GB, at first expressed shock at being traded.  Since then it has basically been crickets.  His entire personality has changed.  I haven’t seen any serious talk about an extension.  He hasn’t played badly but when you heart isn’t in something, you don’t get your best results.  He’s biding his time until he can walk.  

He IS serious...and don't call him Shirley...

 

I'm sorry I couldn't resist

[dave mcbride]

On 8/29/2024 at 2:48 PM, 4merper4mer said:

If it was one guy like Jalen Ramsey then 100%.  But the entire league voted him the most overrated player.  Personally, I don’t agree at all but I’m not on the field seeing what these guys are seeing.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5727310/2024/09/02/nfl-teams-rumors-russell-wilson-skepticism-davante-adams-trades/

‘After speaking with dozens of sources around the NFL this summer, I compiled intel on all 32 teams.

The information ranges from a broad overview of how a team could fare this season to other more specific tidbits regarding particular players and roster construction.

We have a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get right to it. 
 …

Buffalo Bills: Following the release of an anonymous poll of NFL players, there was some debate last week over whether quarterback Josh Allen may be overrated. That certainly isn’t a debate among the many league executives and coaches I’ve spoken with. He is still largely considered the second-best QB in the NFL behind only Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.‘

[Bad Things]

On 9/2/2024 at 7:11 AM, 4merper4mer said:

 

 

Disagree with me if you wish.  Fine.  That’s the whole idea of opinions on a message board.  Don't get SOTeary eyed about it and put words in my mouth.

That is really rich coming from you. Do you ever listen to yourself?

All you seem to do is try to shut down other people’s opinions with your obviously  superior intellect. 

[RangerDave]

On 8/29/2024 at 6:37 AM, 4merper4mer said:

It’s pretty clear to anyone with an objective pair of eyes that 2024 has already been and will continue to be a year of change for the Bills franchise.  Even whe setting aside the looming new stadium and other topics beyond players and coaches, massive change is clearly afoot.  
 

We’ve been a good team for the last few years, we have the number one building block needed for an NFL team, a QB with elite skills, but our first roster build around that QB failed, and we will see where our second build leads, but……this year is neither,  it’s the change year.  Like it or not, 2024 is lost.  Because:

 

We got rid of our best non-QB offensive weapon

We decided to get rid of leadership anywhere and everywhere we could 

We’re still saddled with useless players on ridiculous contracts and/or paying off cap hits from departed players

We have a coach that prefers defense to offense and as such opted for ineptitude at OC for this year

There are clearly players still on the roster that either shouldn’t be, or who the coaches would prefer off

 

Given all of the above, it is silly to expect much from 2024.  The big question is how it will position us for 2025 and beyond.  Below are what I’d like to see happen in and after 2024 to help position us for 2025.  They are not in order of importance really.  Most or all will need to happen.

 

1. McDermott fully realizing complementary football doesn’t simply mean a nerfed and vanilla offense letting the defense get more rest during the year, but also allows for situational strategy and games where we are high octane.  
2. An off season hiring of a real OC, not a puppet.

3. Bye Bye Von.  Take your big talk with you.

4. Apparently some our our leaders and their styles hurt the feelings of some snowflakes so Diggs, Morse, Tre, Poyer, and more are gone.  Emergence of new leaders and new leadership styles is a must.  If you’re going to get rid of a player like Diggs because he hurt some feelings, you’re going to learn the easy way or the hard way, that sometimes hurt feelings are necessary.  You simply can’t have a bunch of “fun” leaders.  Josh or someone will need to fill that void as the team navigates the turbulence inevitable in any season.  Based on recent press disclosures, the amount of respect for Josh around the league is slim to none,  I wonder how much of that stems from his lack of seriousness.  Rousseau is no longer everyone’s understudy.  Now is his time.  Who will be the others?
5. Like #1 but different……McDermott either deciding to simply get rid of players he doesn’t like or deciding to live with them.  No more trying to play the middle with back handed compliments like the ones he throws at James Cook for example.  You can’t change everyone,  Either roll with them or don’t.  
6. Let players that clearly don’t want to be here walk,  I’m not sure why Douglas doesn’t want to be here but it’s pretty obvious.  
7. Be objective and clear the decks of traveling hospital wards like Milano even if they were great while they were here.

8. Ditch enablers to the goofball leadership style even if they are decent players.  Get something for them.  I really like Dawkins and Knox as players and think they are underrated but they also don’t appear to take winning seriously.  There is too much of that in the locker room.

9. Beane’s accurate assessment of all of the above as 2024 plays out.  The cap stuff will be mostly gone moving into next year.  Does he go right after it in 2025 or is it time for a major re-set?  No more a little bit of both.

 

2024 is a metamorphoses year.  We will emerge in 2025.  Are we in a cocoon this year so we’ll emerge an ugly moth or are we in a chrysalis so we can emerge a beautiful butterfly?   We’re about to find out.
 

You call Diggs a leader.  A leader does not cry and run away when things go badly.

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, RangerDave said:

You call Diggs a leader.  A leader does not cry and run away when things go badly.

Diggs is assertive in desire to win.  When others on the team react like snowflakes, that’s on them.  They might want to consider growing up.  I will grant that part of it is on Diggs too.  Ideally he would have adapted and been more nurturing.

[loyal2dagame]

 

[Augie]

21 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

Do you happen to know who ended up winning this?

 

I think it’s actually on ESPN3 now! 

[oldmanfan]

46 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Diggs is assertive in desire to win.  When others on the team react like snowflakes, that’s on them.  They might want to consider growing up.  I will grant that part of it is on Diggs too.  Ideally he would have adapted and been more nurturing.

They might want to consider growing up.  
 

Easily the winner of most ironic post of the year.

[Augie]

On 8/29/2024 at 5:01 PM, Simon said:

 

Catchin' any?

 

 

I’d say things are going quite well! 

[Fan in Chicago]

57 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Diggs is assertive in desire to win.  When others on the team react like snowflakes, that’s on them.  They might want to consider growing up.  I will grant that part of it is on Diggs too.  Ideally he would have adapted and been more nurturing.

If Diggs performed like he talked, we wouldnt be having this debate. For all his bluster and bravado, he consistently came up small in the playoffs and in the second part of last season. A leader performs on his own and earns the right to demand better from his team mates. He faded down the stretch in the past 2 seasons and yet kept whining and complaining. 

If he kept up his first half season performance for the rest of last season, he would still be a Bill despite his self centric attitude. It is just baffling that you continue to defend him. 

[4merper4mer]

15 minutes ago, Fan in Chicago said:

If Diggs performed like he talked, we wouldnt be having this debate. For all his bluster and bravado, he consistently came up small in the playoffs and in the second part of last season. A leader performs on his own and earns the right to demand better from his team mates. He faded down the stretch in the past 2 seasons and yet kept whining and complaining. 

If he kept up his first half season performance for the rest of last season, he would still be a Bill despite his self centric attitude. It is just baffling that you continue to defend him. 

Perhaps his production went down just as we got a new and clueless OC that deemphasized him?

 

And for the record I’m not defending Diggs; I’m lamenting the fact that we had a viable stable of weapons and now we do not.  Diggs has been made public enemy number one for no realistic reason.  Did he play a role in the diminishment of our offense?  Sure.  But so did McD, Beane, Brady, Allen and more.  Our offense is weaker.  That’s the bottom line.

[Simon]

33 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I’d say things are going quite well! 

 

[RangerDave]

2 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Ideally he would have adapted and been more nurturing.

I don't think a leader has to necessarily be more nurturing.  There are made shades of leadership.  Running away from the team after a loss is just not any sort of leadership.

 

I agree with you that the rest of the players you cited were good leaders and their leadership will be missed.  At some point, though, management has to make difficult decisions on how much of the cap they can afford to spend on veteran leaders who command a high salary, however deservedly.  At some point, it is time to turn the reins over to younger leaders.

[Rigotz]

7th best odds in the NFL to win the Super Bowl this year and some fans are so new to this franchise, they don’t know how to enjoy it and are desperate to press Fast Forward.

 

Honestly… remember this feeling. You wasted what could have been a joyous and exciting year.

Edited September 3 by Rigotz