Do you think the Bills current window is closed?

[sammymvpknight]

QBs that run as much as Allen don’t hold up. He’s going to hit a wall or start getting hurt…soon. 

[StatKing]

The window will always be "open" as long as Josh Allen is their QB. There's no doubt in my mind he has the ability to carry a team to a deep playoff run regardless of how they make the post season. The real question is can he put together 3-4 games of clean football.

[bigbadbuff]

4 hours ago, StatKing said:

The window will always be "open" as long as Josh Allen is their QB. There's no doubt in my mind he has the ability to carry a team to a deep playoff run regardless of how they make the post season. The real question is can he put together 3-4 games of clean football.

I agree with this and this has always been the question, mostly with the coaching staff. Josh’s playoff numbers are awesome. He has one clunker which was last year against the Bengals, outside of that he’s been incredible. The defense has choked time and time again though. 

[Ray Reed]

The AFC is wiiiiiide open this year so if they get in they could make a run this year imo

[Trentwannabe]

21 hours ago, FrantikRam said:

 

No matter who the OC has been that story seems to be similar. Daboll *seemed* to have more success, but the run game was never great.

I agree about the DC, but it seems like they need an overhaul offensively just as much. Not sure if that's philosophy or what, but relying on Josh Allen to be perfect isn't a sustainable offense.

I think part of that is the personnel too - coaches get attached to players and you end up winning a lot of games but never take a real hard look at everything. That needs to happen to get better offensively  I think

I think the run game this season has been the best it’s been since Shady. Cook is currently 7th in the league and that’s with quite a few less attempts than the guys in front of him (minus Mostert). Still a work in progress but I actually feel confident most times they run the ball.

It’ll be interesting to see if Brady can keep the offense going over the final 5 games like he had these past two. Gabe Davis is likely gone in free agency and it’s my hope the Bills draft a WR in round 1 to be the future guy while Diggs is still here. Kincaid has been awesome and Shakir looks good in the slot.

[squire12]

It's been a couple years, but i recall a " stat" about no QB and  HC had been together 5+ years and then won their 1st superbowl.

Buffalo needs to move on from McDermott if it doesn't happen this year.

[Soggust]

I'm going to be a contrarian to mainstream media takes per usual and suggest McDermott shouldn't really be on the hot seat.

[ducks]

No, this isn't a ploy to keep Buffalo away from the AFCCG. And it's okay, you can rip me to shreds bc I will admit that idk wtf I'm talking about anyway

But from the outside, the dude took a franchise that hadn't seen double digit wins in basically 20 years and (after developing them a franchise QB) turned them into a perennial contender.

He has a .625 win % in Buffalo. He had one losing season when he was developing his QB and since then he has 4 playoff wins in 4 years in a brutal conference.

Now the guy is 6-6 (not even losing) and it's time to shake up the snow globe because god forbid they miss the playoffs with a mediocre record?

idk man

[bigbadbuff]

46 minutes ago, Soggust said:

I'm going to be a contrarian to mainstream media takes per usual and suggest McDermott shouldn't really be on the hot seat.

[ducks]

No, this isn't a ploy to keep Buffalo away from the AFCCG. And it's okay, you can rip me to shreds bc I will admit that idk wtf I'm talking about anyway

But from the outside, the dude took a franchise that hadn't seen double digit wins in basically 20 years and (after developing them a franchise QB) turned them into a perennial contender.

He has a .625 win % in Buffalo. He had one losing season when he was developing his QB and since then he has 4 playoff wins in 4 years in a brutal conference.

Now the guy is 6-6 (not even losing) and it's time to shake up the snow globe because god forbid they miss the playoffs with a mediocre record?

idk man

Just because he’s better than what we’ve had doesn’t mean he’s the guy to get us to the top. I think he’s a great culture guy, and one that can build a franchise but there’s just too many examples of him costing us games in big time moments. It’s just to the point where he may be falling on deaf ears, maybe like Andy Reid was in Philly. 

[Duluther]

6 hours ago, sammymvpknight said:

QBs that run as much as Allen don’t hold up. He’s going to hit a wall or start getting hurt…soon. 

Lazy analysis. Randall Cunningham was 35 when he had arguably his best season. All of Michael Vick's best years (not just highlight reels) were in his 30's. Steve Young put out HOF tape until 37. Backyard Brett was Josh Allen before Josh Allen and he lasted to 40. Fran Tarkenton, the OG modern QB runner, played until he was 38. Jeff Garcia, a great pocket scrambler, played until 38. People also said Big Ben wasn't going to last long and he played until 39; he lasted longer than the two other near HOF QB's in his class who were pure pocket passers (Rivers and Eli). Even Donovan McNabb's lazy *** lasted as a starter up to 35. The longest-lasting journeyman currenty in the NFL is Tyrod Taylor (34) who is in part a runner.

What running QB's didn't last long specifically because they took a beating due to their style? Culpepper... who had the same injury Tom Brady and others get from in the pocket? Was Chad Pennington, the most often injured QB ever, a runner? Was Drew Brees so safe as argaubly the most pure-pocket passer in recent memory - the man who can't throw a football anymore due to injuries? Has Lamar Jackson, the most prolific running QB ever, been hurt running or in the pocket (answer: in the pocket)? He's sure going to last a long longer than his Louisville counterpart - pocket passer Teddy Bridgewater. Who lasted longer: the pocket passer Troy Aikman or the next great Dallas QB, the backyard football playing Tony Romo (Answer: Tony Romo)? Which top 2 Jaguars QB lasted 9 years longer than the other: scrambler Mark Brunell or pure pocket-passer Byron Leftwich (answer: Brunell)? For every Cam Newton (played well until 32), there is a pocket passer whose duration matches.

You have no data to back up your claim. Sit down and stop spouting nonsense into circulation. We're all dumber for it. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Duluther

[Trentwannabe]

49 minutes ago, Soggust said:

I'm going to be a contrarian to mainstream media takes per usual and suggest McDermott shouldn't really be on the hot seat.

[ducks]

No, this isn't a ploy to keep Buffalo away from the AFCCG. And it's okay, you can rip me to shreds bc I will admit that idk wtf I'm talking about anyway

But from the outside, the dude took a franchise that hadn't seen double digit wins in basically 20 years and (after developing them a franchise QB) turned them into a perennial contender.

He has a .625 win % in Buffalo. He had one losing season when he was developing his QB and since then he has 4 playoff wins in 4 years in a brutal conference.

Now the guy is 6-6 (not even losing) and it's time to shake up the snow globe because god forbid they miss the playoffs with a mediocre record?

idk man

I honestly go back and forth so much. I agree with a lot of what you said. But there’s also plenty of examples over the last few seasons where his decisions or lack there of have cost us games. I think the best argument for moving on is that he has taken this team as far as he can.

There’s no denying they’re currently going backwards.

2020: AFC Championship game
2021: OT Loss in the divisional round on the road 
2022: Divisional loss at home by 17.
2023: Risk of missing the playoffs 

However, there is a report from Tim Graham that there is currently a zero % chance that Pegula fires McDermott and that is coming from 4 different sources within the org. So unless they lose out and it’s clear the team quit on him, I don’t see anything happening with him.

So, my hope is McDermott not only gives up his DC duties but hires an outside voice to run that part of the team and not just promote a potential yes man from within. Offensively, things remain to be seen but I think Brady could be back as OC.

[Soggust]

10 minutes ago, bigbadbuff said:

Just because he’s better than what we’ve had doesn’t mean he’s the guy to get us to the top. I think he’s a great culture guy, and one that can build a franchise but there’s just too many examples of him costing us games in big time moments. It’s just to the point where he may be falling on deaf ears, maybe like Andy Reid was in Philly. 

I guess I just wonder if the next guy not only gets you further than McDermott, but also does all the things that he did to get you guys there in the first place. 

And if the next coach isn't better, what's the cost to Allen's career being a team that's continually cycling through coaching staff.

If I'm Buffalo, I think I'm more inclined to reward the homie who's gotten us 4 great seasons with 4 playoff wins by giving him grace on an underwhelming mediocre season.

But again - maybe the answer is simply "yes I think they will because he's that obviously been that much of a problem". I'm just playing madden here I don't watch them weekly lol.

[Soggust]

12 minutes ago, Trentwannabe said:

I honestly go back and forth so much. I agree with a lot of what you said. But there’s also plenty of examples over the last few seasons where his decisions or lack there of have cost us games. I think the best argument for moving on is that he has taken this team as far as he can.

There’s no denying they’re currently going backwards.

2020: AFC Championship game
2021: OT Loss in the divisional round on the road 
2022: Divisional loss at home by 17.
2023: Risk of missing the playoffs 

 

See I look at it like 10-6, 13-3, 11-6, 13-3,.... I mean you guys are always competitive. I don't see a lot of shame in losing to the Chiefs or Bengals tbh because they are all good teams and 3 games is such a small sample size and you've been able to beat us at least, just not in the playoffs. Like, in 100 different universes, you guys are probably super bowl champs in quite a few of them. 

And if we say "that's 100% because of Sean and X will do better" then aight, but I just hope they do the rest of what he's been doing too, bc you guys have been really freakin strong with him at the helm.

 

12 minutes ago, Trentwannabe said:

However, there is a report from Tim Graham that there is currently a zero % chance that Pegula fires McDermott and that is coming from 4 different sources within the org. So unless they lose out and it’s clear the team quit on him, I don’t see anything happening with him.

So, my hope is McDermott not only gives up his DC duties but hires an outside voice to run that part of the team and not just promote a potential yes man from within. Offensively, things remain to be seen but I think Brady could be back as OC.

This makes a lot of sense to me. I think people, even HCs themselves, underrate the HC part of being a HC.

It's like they just want to be coordinators with more power.

The best HCs are great coordinator evaluators / mentors and are consistently inspiring and fielding a prepared team imo.

[squire12]

26 minutes ago, Soggust said:

I guess I just wonder if the next guy not only gets you further than McDermott, but also does all the things that he did to get you guys there in the first place. 

And if the next coach isn't better, what's the cost to Allen's career being a team that's continually cycling through coaching staff.

If I'm Buffalo, I think I'm more inclined to reward the homie who's gotten us 4 great seasons with 4 playoff wins by giving him grace on an underwhelming mediocre season.

But again - maybe the answer is simply "yes I think they will because he's that obviously been that much of a problem". I'm just playing madden here I don't watch them weekly lol.

If buffalo doesn't feel like McDermott can be the HC to get to the top, being afraid of the next guy being bad , so you keep the current isnt really a way to run a team. 

Being afraid to fail isnt a great recipe to succeed

[Soggust]

34 minutes ago, squire12 said:

If buffalo doesn't feel like McDermott can be the HC to get to the top, being afraid of the next guy being bad , so you keep the current isnt really a way to run a team. 

Being afraid to fail isnt a great recipe to succeed

Agreed, but I think this is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Again, if the thought is "McDermott is preventing us from winning because of X, Y, and Z and we don't believe he's capable of fixing that or improving", then sure. If the team is revolting Josh McDaniels style, sure. In these scenarios it makes sense to move on.

What I'm saying is that usually in seasons like this, there is plenty of blame of to go around. We know he's capable of taking the Bills deep in the playoffs. So, why should he not be afforded a mediocre season, given his production to date?

Quite frankly, when's the last time a coach didn't have a ~ .500 year prior to winning a SB?

I would argue that being patient with your head coach is absolutely the recipe to succeed.
 

Spoiler

22 Chiefs - After winning 2020 SB, the Chiefs "went the wrong direction" the next two years by losing the SB embarrassingly and then losing in the AFCCG. 

21 Rams - McVay goes 9-7 after losing in the 2018 SB. He then goes 10-6 with a playoff win, then goes on to win the SB.

20 Bucs - Arians went 7-9 before getting Brady. Say what you want about Brady showing up, but Arians was an integral part of that SB success. 

19 Chiefs - Andy Reid had a TWENTY year history of "not being able to get it done" prior to 19. He figured it out. 

17 Eagles - Pederson goes 7-9 in his first year (Arians style) after the team went 7-9 the year prior with Chip Kelly.

15 Broncos - Kubiak comes in, wins the SB. He leaves after going 9-7 and the team hasn't hit 9 wins since. 

14 / 16 / 18 Pats - Bill went 10 years without winning one, but let's be real he was never in jeopardy lol.

13 Seahawks - Carroll had two 7-9 seasons prior to winning the SB. 

Got bored after this

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Soggust

[squire12]

55 minutes ago, Soggust said:

What I'm saying is that usually in seasons like this, there is plenty of blame of to go around. We know he's capable of taking the Bills deep in the playoffs. So, why should he not be afforded a mediocre season, given his production to date?

Do we know it was McDermott that was the main coaching reason for the deep playoff runs?  Or was it Daboll as OC?