McD will be the scapegoat to hide the real issue this week

[Sweats]

10 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

The defense was gashed all day by a 6-6 team. That's coaching. Or a crappy roster. One of those is true. 

 

 

 

 

A dangerous 6-6 team that is still fighting for a playoff spot...........I said it all week long and no one wanted to listen to ole Sweats.

[CNYfan]

11 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

The defense was gashed all day by a 6-6 team. That's coaching. Or a crappy roster. One of those is true. 

 

The Rams were 5-2 since they got their key pieces back.  Now they are 6-2.

 

The Rams had a perfect offensive performance, everything clicked for them.   I am not sure that is sustainable.  

[atlbillsfan1975]

McD is reportedly great at reflecting and self evaluation. If this is true he will begin to realize the error in his ways and find some ways to correct it. I will say the effort yesterday by the entire defense looked poor for the first 3 quarters or so, like they had soaked in a little to much of the LA Vibes. When I see Groot being blocked by a WR something is wrong. 

[BearNorth]

11 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

If you play zone you need to either pressure the QB or confuse the QB. If you don't do either you get what you got today.

Stafford is one of the most savvy QB's in the game, with two top 10 receivers - so confusing probably doesn't work.  We have highly paid; Miller, Oliver, Jones, 1st Rounder Rousseau [who we have for 1 more season before he backs up the Brinks truck], and no one got near a 36 year old not noted for his elusiveness.

[Casey D]

12 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

The defense was gashed all day by a 6-6 team. That's coaching. Or a crappy roster. One of those is true. 

 

They are a 6-6 team because of major injuries early on.  If you don't think the Rams are good with Nacua and Kupp playing, and their O-line healthy, I don't know what to tell you.  But why let facts get in the way of your anger.

[DrDawkinstein]

"McD's horrible in-game decisions will be the scapegoat to hide the real problem: McD's soft defense!"

 

lol

[SCBills]

After sleeping on it, I realized that the past few seasons when our defense looks like a wet napkin in the playoffs, we always had a built in excuse… injuries. 
 

And it’s been valid.  We’ve had horrible injury luck going into and in the playoffs, especially in that side of the ball.  
 

Theres no excuse yesterday.  We were as healthy as we’ve been all year.  
 

I guess we can say that maybe Smoot comes back and Milano/Carter shake off rust and get better down the stretch?   That’s it, that’s all I’ve got.  
 

One of the worst defensive performances in years and we don’t even have a valid excuse this time. 

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, SCBills said:

After sleeping on it, I realized that the past few seasons when our defense looks like a wet napkin in the playoffs, we always had a built in excuse… injuries. 
 

And it’s been valid.  We’ve had horrible injury luck going into and in the playoffs, especially in that side of the ball.  
 

Theres no excuse yesterday.  We were as healthy as we’ve been all year.  
 

I guess we can say that maybe Smoot comes back and Milano/Carter shake off rust and get better down the stretch?   That’s it, that’s all I’ve got.  
 

One of the worst defensive performances in years and we don’t even have a valid excuse this time. 

 

The only thing we can really do is chalk it up to "one bad day". Considering we are 10-3, have the Division locked up, and are now just trying to cruise into the playoffs at full health, it isnt the end of the world.

 

However, when discussing in the context of McDefense's career, it is a bit maddening.

 

I'm just hoping we make it off of that Detroit turf with no major injuries next week, then cruise through 3 divisional cupcake games, likely resting our guys week 18.

[T master]

13 hours ago, Cray51 said:

Fans are already piling on McD for his end of game decisions (accepting the penalty with 5 minutes left and the TO after the sneak).  I think there is fair criticism to both plays, however those two decisions are NOT why we lost the game. 

 

Defense today:

11-15 on third down conversions (was 11-12 with about 5 minutes left in the game

1-1 on fourth down

0 sacks

38:30 time of possession for the Rams

457 total yards allowed

 

The game wasn't lost in the last 5 minutes, it was the poor playcalling by Babich and execution in the first 55 that really hurt us.

 

Don;'t forget 1 yes just ONE play changes the out come of this game and that was ST's . If the Bills linemen didn't allow him self to get knocked on his A** which was a total embarrassment and the Rams scoop & score Bills win !! 

 

Yes Babich and his D had no answer for what the Rams were doing but stop that one play and all of the McD criticism goes away .

[Straight Hucklebuck]

13 hours ago, Cray51 said:

Fans are already piling on McD for his end of game decisions (accepting the penalty with 5 minutes left and the TO after the sneak).  I think there is fair criticism to both plays, however those two decisions are NOT why we lost the game. 

 

Defense today:

11-15 on third down conversions (was 11-12 with about 5 minutes left in the game

1-1 on fourth down

0 sacks

38:30 time of possession for the Rams

457 total yards allowed

 

The game wasn't lost in the last 5 minutes, it was the poor playcalling by Babich and execution in the first 55 that really hurt us.

Well he's the Head Coach correct? 

 

I mean he's the man with the headset and at any time can veto any of the plays that are being called here.

 

So, he doesn't just get absolved... 

[boyst]

56 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

The only thing we can really do is chalk it up to "one bad day". Considering we are 10-3, have the Division locked up, and are now just trying to cruise into the playoffs at full health, it isnt the end of the world.

 

However, when discussing in the context of McDefense's career, it is a bit maddening.

 

I'm just hoping we make it off of that Detroit turf with no major injuries next week, then cruise through 3 divisional cupcake games, likely resting our guys week 18.

i was told it is new turf than the previous years + injuries was.

 

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2023/09/14/detroit-lions-nfl-grass-ford-field-aaron-rodgers-turf-debate/70852624007/

changed prior to the '23 season.

 

if the injury concern is there than it should be that the Lions play with such high intensity and so hard that they are injuring themselves as much as anyone else. they have a  back, kirby jospeh, who goes low with his head down who's hurt a lot of people this year. there was a player interviewed back a while ago and another after the Lawrence hit that had said that if a QB runs on them they're coached to hit him as if he was a runner. they're going to try to hurt QB17.

Edited December 9 by boyst

[Straight Hucklebuck]

2 hours ago, CNYfan said:

The Rams were 5-2 since they got their key pieces back.  Now they are 6-2.

 

The Rams had a perfect offensive performance, everything clicked for them.   I am not sure that is sustainable.  

Yeah the old WGR classic excuse - they're the only team that can do that to us. 

10 hours ago, vincec said:

I honestly thought the defense was better last season with McDermott calling the plays. More aggressive and more effective when blitzing. This defense looks a lot like Leslie Frazier’s.

The numbers were nearly identical coming into the Rams game. 

 

I don't know about EPA per yard per drop back per quarter, but yards, points, style, alignment all very similar. 

 

Edited December 9 by Straight Hucklebuck

[st pete gogolak]

13 hours ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I really want to see this offense with a different defensive mindset. I hate how passive aggressive we always are. Obviously I hope we just win the Super Bowl this year but if we don’t, I wasn’t someone else. Hire Belicheck or make Brady the HC. I want to keep the offense the way it is but I want a guy that understands basic gameday management. McDermott is good Monday through Saturday, on gameday he’s horrendous 

Remember the Greatest Show on Turf?  Warner throwing to Bruce and Holt, Marshall Faulk running and catching?  Their defense had mediocre talent (quick- name someone on that defense other than London Fletcher) but it was absolutely designed to be in sync with a high powered offense. Ultra aggressive, designed to come up with a few big plays a game. Same with KC when they had Hill and in his prime Kelce but their defense wasn’t the shutdown defense it is now. But Spagnola was very aggressive and came up with a couple of big plays per game, enough to win a couple of Super Bowls. It’s undoubtedly too late this year to do a 180 degree turnaround but if we don’t have playoff success this year, we absolutely need to go in a different direction next year.  You know what they say about the definition of insanity.  Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

[Taro Nimbus]

Can’t forget a multitude of missed calls by the refs on both sides today.   Mainly that egregious false start that was never called. 

[ren1701]

Look at all the McD homers just blindly ignoring the 800 pound elephant in the room. 

 

Here's the real deal - we are all, whether we want to admit or not, watching a preview of the next playoff exit this year and that's what is really scaring us - not the loss. We have an  out dated and stubborn head coach that will not give up on playing that defensive nickel 72% of the time. It simply does not work anymore against real QB's. He had no answers last night while McVay took him to school, as we were all watching Stafford and co shred that zone coverage with both the run (really nice watching 330 pound guys run over 200 pound guys) and in the pass zone - McD iwas stubborn he DIED on that hill last night, sat in that nickel rushing 4 with very little adjustments, and just water bucket blitzing when he wanted pressure, Brady in the broadcast was literally calling the multiple level open wr's in that zone almost every play.

 

Not even going to get into not declining the 3rd down penalty and giving that team who has been steamrolling you, another shot??? Who does that? He does. 

Now, I hope I am wrong, I hope maybe McStubborn puts it all together before we face (insert top 5 QB here) in the playoffs, but to say this year it will be different in the playoffs after 4 exits in this fashion is foolish and the definition of insanity.

 

17 could possibly be the greatest of all time and he is being wasted now by a stubborn head coach that will never be fired because 17 will always insure a winning record and by the time Allen realizes it, he will be past his prime. This kid should be working on multiple rings right now, period.

 

All the others talking about Belichick not the guy - probably half hose Lombardi's he hoisted was from a killer defense not TB12, take him in NY second. 

 

[st pete gogolak]

2 minutes ago, Taro Nimbus said:

Can’t forget a multitude of missed calls by the refs on both sides today.   Mainly that egregious false start that was never called. 

I’ve come around on the false start and accepting the holding penalty.  4th and 5, 4th and 7, 4th and 10, the Rams are going for it on that series and they probably make it.  Giving up 12 yards on 3rd and 17 was a killer.

[cgg716]

14 hours ago, Cray51 said:

Fans are already piling on McD for his end of game decisions (accepting the penalty with 5 minutes left and the TO after the sneak).  I think there is fair criticism to both plays, however those two decisions are NOT why we lost the game. 

 

Defense today:

11-15 on third down conversions (was 11-12 with about 5 minutes left in the game

1-1 on fourth down

0 sacks

38:30 time of possession for the Rams

457 total yards allowed

 

The game wasn't lost in the last 5 minutes, it was the poor playcalling by Babich and execution in the first 55 that really hurt us.

Guess what the defense is him too, his tired, old, uninspired, undersized scheme, that folds like a cheap suit to even the smallest amount of offensive creativity. 9th verse same as the 1st

[Offside Number 76]

The real real issue is that LA has palm trees and Buffalo doesn't.

[ProcessTruster]

11 hours ago, Eastport bills said:

I listened to Sean’s post game presser and it sounded like he didn’t understand calling a TO was effectively giving up. Then he said that they didn’t have enough men on the field to rush the punter. I love the guy and the players play hard for him but he is not buttoned up at crucial times in big games. 

that game was over when Rams got to 44.   even if we go the low percentage route and try to  throw for the TD (for 42 points) and succeed (for the 1st time all season) , 3 time outs would not stop the Rams from getting a first down if they really needed one, (based on the D's inability to stop anything) and they kneel out the clock just as easily. 

 

 game was over at Rams with 44 points.  

 

All this bashing McD for calling the timeout is a bunch of whiny BS .  Grow up fanbase.  Move on. 

 

go bills. 

[hondo in seattle]

I absolutely believe McD and Babich could have and should have prepared a better defensive game plan and called a better game.

 

But I also  believe that our roster isn't extremely talented on either side of the ball.   We have Josh and to quote McVay, "Josh is an alien."  We have some nice players beyond Josh but every team has nice players, including the Rams despite their record. 

 

The Bills aren't 10-3 despite McD.   They're 10-3 because of McD - and Josh.  Take those two away and this is a sub .500 team.