BILLS 2023/24 Season Official Thread

[Alaska Darin]

GMBB:  Damar has 2 or 3 more appointments around the country.  BILLS are sending 1 or 2 staffers with him.  Believes Damar's goal is to return to the field.

[Uncle Joe]

23 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

GMBB:  Damar has 2 or 3 more appointments around the country.  BILLS are sending 1 or 2 staffers with him.  Believes Damar's goal is to return to the field.

I have mixed feelings about that but it is totally his decision. 

Best wishes whatever he decides. 

[Augie]

Who here wants to be the new DC? Let’s prove how smart we are! 😂 

[Ninety-4]

4 hours ago, IDBillzFan said:

Leslie Frazier to Take The Year Off.

 

Thank you, Jesus.

 

 

Hopefully his health is good.

 

It'll be interesting to see how they fill this role.  

[Ninety-4]

3 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

Beane:  "It starts from the lines out.  When you have your QB, you have to protect him."

 

Will use free agency and the draft for OLine.  Hasn't ruled out bringing Saffold back.

Excellent.  The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one.  

[Ann]

McDermott presser at the combine 

 

 

 

 

 

[SquirminThurman]

On 2/20/2023 at 2:21 PM, Nouseforaname said:

 

 

Agree 100%. A lot of very good offenses have high target rates to RBs and TEs. I looked at all players with 50+ targets in doing some analysis of Gabe Davis. I found a few interesting things.

 

The Chargers #1 target was not Williams or Kennan Allen, it was Austin Eckeler (127) by a pretty large margin.

The Bengals were 1 of 2 teams who had 2 RBs with 50+ targets. Mixon (75) Perine (51) - that is a lot of targets

Tampa was the other, which makes sense since Brady was laboring to pass downfield (Fournette and White)

KC's leading target was Kelce (152), no surprise there.

 

Burrow and Herbert were lauded for the strides they made as QBs. KC was still as dangerous as ever without Hill. Brady still put up @4700 yards and 25 TDs.

 

Other than Tampa all of these offenses put up points and were considered dynamic or dangerous.

 

Singletary did get 52 targets, but was not very productive with them, and Knox had 65, but didn't 'come on' until later in the season. IMO the Bills need to become more dynamic in the passing game by utilizing the short and underneath stuff more. Attack all levels of the defense. Chris Sims and other analysts have had some good videos about this. If this is Dorsey, he needs to make it easier on Josh. If it is on Josh he needs to make it easier on himself.

[SquirminThurman]

4 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

Beane:  "It starts from the lines out.  When you have your QB, you have to protect him."

 

Will use free agency and the draft for OLine.  Hasn't ruled out bringing Saffold back.

I think he said something similar last offseason and drafted one OL in the 6th round. But hey we brought in an ageing turnstile for LG, which also put Bates in a worse role. I guess the depth of cast-offs like Quessenberry, Mancz, Hart counted as 'building the lines'.

 

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Fansince88]

4 hours ago, Uncle Joe said:

I have mixed feelings about that but it is totally his decision. 

Best wishes whatever he decides. 

Well, it wasn't from a bad heart but a bad hit.....is what they are saying although not saying. 

[Nouseforaname]

12 minutes ago, Fansince88 said:

Well, it wasn't from a bad heart but a bad hit.....is what they are saying although not saying. 

After suffering a heart attack who knows if there is any lingering effects.

[Fansince88]

1 hour ago, Nouseforaname said:

After suffering a heart attack who knows if there is any lingering effects.

Yes, I know this first hand. 

[Nanker]

11 hours ago, Nouseforaname said:

After suffering a heart attack who knows if there is any lingering effects.

Yes. At the very least, some heart muscle has been compromised , if not completely died. 

[Ann]

We shall see

 

 

[Ann]

Nasty

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

43 minutes ago, Ann said:

Nasty

 

 

That would honestly be a welcome change.  I can't help but think that finding a MLBer with a much different on-field demeanor would be a big step in that direction.

[Rochesterny]

On 2/28/2023 at 9:05 AM, IDBillzFan said:

Leslie Frazier to Take The Year Off.

 

Thank you, Jesus.

 

 

Does this mean they go back and play 4-3 defense 

[Spartacus]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:38 AM, Ann said:

Nasty

 

 

a lot easier to play nasty when being aggressive.

in coverage, pass rush, tackling

 

Playing soft in coverage and contain on the DL is not conducive to being nasty.

 

Coach needs to walk the walk and make it happen

 

[IDBillzFan]

 

Sorry to hear Boettger was resigned to signing with team. I was hoping he'd be more enthusiastic.

[SquirminThurman]

2 hours ago, Spartacus said:

a lot easier to play nasty when being aggressive.

in coverage, pass rush, tackling

 

Playing soft in coverage and contain on the DL is not conducive to being nasty.

 

Coach needs to walk the walk and make it happen

 

I think we need to look at this from a strategy perspective and a personnel perspective.

 

Strategy:

The defense McDermott wants to run is the former Panther/Eagle defense. It requires a DL that can handle being aggressive with a 4 man front and very little blitzing. This is why 'the rotation at DL' is so important. This strategy has it's roots in the Jim Johnson defense of the Eagles, who usually had excellent DL. The front 4 has to be able to wreak havoc on its own. That is pressures, sacks, fumbles etc. It also has to be able to contain the run game and force it outside where the speed and numbers in the back seven prevent break out runs.

 

McDermott will give up 4-6 yard runs all day if he can strangle and stop an opponent's passing game, and not give up chunk plays. Most teams will abandon the run because they are not equipped to perform it, or will abandon it early if they fall behind or have only modest success early. Any DC worth his salt knows this. The worst losses in the McDermott era are teams that refuse to abandon the run.

 

The Carolina DL was mostly 'unknown players', but were very effective executing this strategy as a unit. This allows the back 7 to clog up passing lanes in a complicated zone that is masked by the S unit, and makes it hard for a QB to recognize the type of zone coverage pre-snap. At most an opponent can send 5 players into pass patterns. 7 defenders > 5 receivers (WR/TE/RB). This is the strategy. Get disruption from the front 4 and cover with the back 7.

 

This usually implies 2 stud LBs. Everyone knows who Luke Kuechly was. Keuchly was the prototype LB with size, length and speed. Edmunds is supposed to be Keuchly in this defense. Keuchly is 6'3 240, Edmunds is 6'5' 250. Keuchly did it all for Carolina and made game changing plays. Despite the athletic traits, Edmunds is not Luke Kuechly. Not in this scheme.

 

Most folks forget Thomas Davis. He was a smaller game changing LB for Carolina. An excellent LB. Milano is our version of Thomas Davis. Davis is 6'1 235. Milano is 6'0 230. Both make game changing plays.

 

Personnel:

Beane has invested heavily on the DL for this purpose. 2x 1st round picks and 2x second round picks on the DL are well known. (3 DE and 1 DT). Add in 1x 1st round LB pick too.

 

We have had 2 FA DL rebuilds on top of the draft picks. 2018-2020 (Murphy/Addison/Lotulelei/Butler/Jefferson), and 2021-2022 (Jones/Settle/ Miller). A lot of FA $ was tied up on DL. Despite all of this investment the results on the DL have failed the strategy. Daquan Jones and to lesser extent Addison performed to expectations. Some unexpected success was found with Corey Liguet and Jordan Phillips.

 

The DL front 4, despite the high draft picks and FA capital is not meeting the requirements of the strategy. Frankly, neither has Edmunds. He may be an excellent MLB or SLB in a traditional 4-3.

 

This strategy also requires an excellent pair of S and 1 (+) CB. McDermott's first offseason before Beane proves it. He brought in Hyde and Poyer as mid level FA and drafted White. The secondary had the tools to succeed, and executed their part of the scheme well. He also drafted his Thomas Davis equivalent in Matt Milano. On top of it he drafted an above average LT in Dawkins. Even McDermott knew investment in the OL was important.

 

Beane has delivered 1-2 players in five drafts (2018-2022) who execute this scheme well. Taron Johnson, who is a stud NCB and I think Rosseau is a + player. Basham/ Oliver/ Epenessa/ Edmunds do not thrive in this scheme. The strategy is CB2 friendly and there have been mixed results there, but little actual investment until the last draft. There has been no succession plan to replace Poyer or Hyde, despite a strong S draft last year. Dumb.

 

Buffalo is at a real crossroads now. The DB group is ageing and has had significant injuries. They had an incredible 4-5 year run. 1 of 2 LBs has excelled in this scheme, and it was not the 1st round pick. Buffalo was a year or two late in signing an ageing vet superstar like Miller or Mack to go all in. The scheme was too inflexible to sign the one Carolina standout that could have helped (Reddick). The investment in the front 4 has failed. Buffalo should have a young and nasty DL, but we have what we have now. Average age, expensive and underwhelming.

 

Buffalo has to pivot now. It has to get younger and cheaper. Only one unit has a young superstar locked up for any considerable time frame. That is the offense with Josh Allen. Buffalo flubbed on getting multiple super stars on the team during Allen's 5 year rookie window. They have never gotten the DL right, and it has damaged the rest of the team. They did add Diggs, 1 superstar, who is also pushing 30 now, and too late added a Von Miller type, who is ancient by NFL standards. I would have much preferred adding James Bradberry and Hassan Reddick than Von Miller last offseason.

 

Buffalo's approach was volume of middling players at positions other than DL, and it mostly failed. They need to focus on offense and make it as dangerous as possible. OL investment is terrible. WR investment is average at best. RB investment has been pretty strong, but 2x3rds and 1x2nd = James Cook. Not good. Moss is gone, Singletary is a UFA and Hines costs $4 million next year...

 

I believe the Bills still have a solid Offensive nucleus. JA is the start. Diggs has 1-3 more productive years. Cook and Knox need to be more involved in the passing game. At $10 million a year how is Knox not a focus of the offense? I am not as down on Davis as many. But Buffalo needs to invest in OL and 1-2 young WRs. If a stud RB falls in their lap they have to consider it.

 

The defensive strategy needs to be more flexible. Why not try a 4-3 while Edmunds was here? They could have had Milano WLB, Klein MLB (moving forward) and Edmunds SLB. Why not grab a Reddick to play in the Alexander role that McDermott employed early on in 2017?

 

In short, the strategy and personnel decisions were aligned. The DL has been a terrible bugaboo for this team. Once the DL failed to live up to its investment, the DC and HC unwillingness to employ a 4-3 or a modified scheme utilizing a role like Alexander made them miss on an obvious FA pick up like Reddick.

 

The team MUST focus on the offense. Buffalo may have a year or two of bad defense. That is ok if the offense improves and becomes more dynamic. The best defense is a strong offense in today's NFL. There is a capable play maker on each level of the defense as it stands. Rousseu and Von Miller on DL, Milano at LB, Hyde/White/Johnson at DB.

[Spartacus]

6 minutes ago, SquirminThurman said:

 

I think we need to look at this from a strategy perspective and a personnel perspective.

 

Strategy:

The defense McDermott wants to run is the former Panther/Eagle defense. It requires a DL that can handle being aggressive with a 4 man front and very little blitzing. This is why 'the rotation at DL' is so important. This strategy has it's roots in the Jim Johnson defense of the Eagles, who usually had excellent DL. The front 4 has to be able to wreak havoc on its own. That is pressures, sacks, fumbles etc. It also has to be able to contain the run game and force it outside where the speed and numbers in the back seven prevent break out runs.

 

McDermott will give up 4-6 yard runs all day if he can strangle and stop an opponent's passing game, and not give up chunk plays. Most teams will abandon the run because they are not equipped to perform it, or will abandon it early if they fall behind or have only modest success early. Any DC worth his salt knows this. The worst losses in the McDermott era are teams that refuse to abandon the run.

 

The Carolina DL was mostly 'unknown players', but were very effective executing this strategy as a unit. This allows the back 7 to clog up passing lanes in a complicated zone that is masked by the S unit, and makes it hard for a QB to recognize the type of zone coverage pre-snap. At most an opponent can send 5 players into pass patterns. 7 defenders > 5 receivers (WR/TE/RB). This is the strategy. Get disruption from the front 4 and cover with the back 7.

 

This usually implies 2 stud LBs. Everyone knows who Luke Kuechly was. Keuchly was the prototype LB with size, length and speed. Edmunds is supposed to be Keuchly in this defense. Keuchly is 6'3 240, Edmunds is 6'5' 250. Keuchly did it all for Carolina and made game changing plays. Despite the athletic traits, Edmunds is not Luke Kuechly. Not in this scheme.

 

Most folks forget Thomas Davis. He was a smaller game changing LB for Carolina. An excellent LB. Milano is our version of Thomas Davis. Davis is 6'1 235. Milano is 6'0 230. Both make game changing plays.

 

Personnel:

Beane has invested heavily on the DL for this purpose. 2x 1st round picks and 2x second round picks on the DL are well known. (3 DE and 1 DT). Add in 1x 1st round LB pick too.

 

We have had 2 FA DL rebuilds on top of the draft picks. 2018-2020 (Murphy/Addison/Lotulelei/Butler/Jefferson), and 2021-2022 (Jones/Settle/ Miller). A lot of FA $ was tied up on DL. Despite all of this investment the results on the DL have failed the strategy. Daquan Jones and to lesser extent Addison performed to expectations. Some unexpected success was found with Corey Liguet and Jordan Phillips.

 

The DL front 4, despite the high draft picks and FA capital is not meeting the requirements of the strategy. Frankly, neither has Edmunds. He may be an excellent MLB or SLB in a traditional 4-3.

 

This strategy also requires an excellent pair of S and 1 (+) CB. McDermott's first offseason before Beane proves it. He brought in Hyde and Poyer as mid level FA and drafted White. The secondary had the tools to succeed, and executed their part of the scheme well. He also drafted his Thomas Davis equivalent in Matt Milano. On top of it he drafted an above average LT in Dawkins. Even McDermott knew investment in the OL was important.

 

Beane has delivered 1-2 players in five drafts (2018-2022) who execute this scheme well. Taron Johnson, who is a stud NCB and I think Rosseau is a + player. Basham/ Oliver/ Epenessa/ Edmunds do not thrive in this scheme. The strategy is CB2 friendly and there have been mixed results there, but little actual investment until the last draft. There has been no succession plan to replace Poyer or Hyde, despite a strong S draft last year. Dumb.

 

Buffalo is at a real crossroads now. The DB group is ageing and has had significant injuries. They had an incredible 4-5 year run. 1 of 2 LBs has excelled in this scheme, and it was not the 1st round pick. Buffalo was a year or two late in signing an ageing vet superstar like Miller or Mack to go all in. The scheme was too inflexible to sign the one Carolina standout that could have helped (Reddick). The investment in the front 4 has failed. Buffalo should have a young and nasty DL, but we have what we have now. Average age, expensive and underwhelming.

 

Buffalo has to pivot now. It has to get younger and cheaper. Only one unit has a young superstar locked up for any considerable time frame. That is the offense with Josh Allen. Buffalo flubbed on getting multiple super stars on the team during Allen's 5 year rookie window. They have never gotten the DL right, and it has damaged the rest of the team. They did add Diggs, 1 superstar, who is also pushing 30 now, and too late added a Von Miller type, who is ancient by NFL standards. I would have much preferred adding James Bradberry and Hassan Reddick than Von Miller last offseason.

 

Buffalo's approach was volume of middling players at positions other than DL, and it mostly failed. They need to focus on offense and make it as dangerous as possible. OL investment is terrible. WR investment is average at best. RB investment has been pretty strong, but 2x3rds and 1x2nd = James Cook. Not good. Moss is gone, Singletary is a UFA and Hines costs $4 million next year...

 

I believe the Bills still have a solid Offensive nucleus. JA is the start. Diggs has 1-3 more productive years. Cook and Knox need to be more involved in the passing game. At $10 million a year how is Knox not a focus of the offense? I am not as down on Davis as many. But Buffalo needs to invest in OL and 1-2 young WRs. If a stud RB falls in their lap they have to consider it.

 

The defensive strategy needs to be more flexible. Why not try a 4-3 while Edmunds was here? They could have had Milano WLB, Klein MLB (moving forward) and Edmunds SLB. Why not grab a Reddick to play in the Alexander role that McDermott employed early on in 2017?

 

In short, the strategy and personnel decisions were aligned. The DL has been a terrible bugaboo for this team. Once the DL failed to live up to its investment, the DC and HC unwillingness to employ a 4-3 or a modified scheme utilizing a role like Alexander made them miss on an obvious FA pick up like Reddick.

 

The team MUST focus on the offense. Buffalo may have a year or two of bad defense. That is ok if the offense improves and becomes more dynamic. The best defense is a strong offense in today's NFL. There is a capable play maker on each level of the defense as it stands. Rousseu and Von Miller on DL, Milano at LB, Hyde/White/Johnson at DB.

so add some more DL is the answer