Random Thoughts on the Game...

[Thurmal]

-- our defense has an awful habit of complacency where, any time the Bills get a lead, they just take a dump and give up points as if the game is already in the bag. That Oakland drive at the end of the first half, and the next four drives afterwards were inexcusable.

-- LeSean McCoy is the best player since the SB years, and, as is the Bills' nature, his career is being wasted

-- I am done with the Tyrod Taylor experience. Missing open receivers, holding on the the ball too long, NEVER coming back from behind, etc. We should play Jones the rest of the year to see what he's got.

-- Justin Hunter comes up with big catches...why does he only play 25% of the game? Why didn't they keep going to him today?

-- Our secondary is awful. I honest-to-God think that, outside Corey Graham, Ed Reed coming out of the booth at 40 is a better option at safety than what we currently have.

-- Rex Ryan's claim to fame is as a defensive guru; the D gave up 30 points in about 20 minutes of gameplay in the second half. Awful. No pass rush, no turnovers. When you have a 15-point lead in the second half, you should not lose by double digits.

[k-oneputt]

Every safety on this team stinks, we need two new starters and two backups.
The corners are not much better either.

[Mace]

I'm still just infuriated it takes us 30-33 seconds of clock to run every damned play even when trying to hurry up and playing from behind. That was blamed on Roman and Roman is long gone now.

This team goes through the motions and if it works, great, if it doesn't, no sweat. You don't see guys stepping up their game, fiercely determined or fired up, which is just flat out weird playing under a coach known supposedly for his motivational ability.

[kingJofNYC]

Every safety on this team stinks, we need two new starters and two backups.
The corners are not much better either.

Graham is pretty good, everyone else is garbage.

Preston Brown is so bad in pass coverage.

Our special teams stink.

Shaq Lawson is just a guy so far, 2016 draft is garbage.

When Woods leaves in the off season we'll have one legit starter at WR, and said receiver has a history of getting hurt. No depth at received or TE.

Our DL looks slow.

[justasportsfan]

Graham is good? Hes usually late to the party.

[kingJofNYC]

He's above replacement level, we need to get younger at the position, but he's not garbage like everyone else.

[k-oneputt]

Graham should be a backup but on this team of garbage he's the best of the poor bunch.

[Mace]

I noticed too, Del Rio was never concerned. He was absolutely comfortable with what his team could do. Kept them even keel and methodical, didn't blow timeouts too early or go for 2 too early. He knew even down 24-9 that the game was there for the taking. Ryan tries to project that, but comes off oblivious, impassive behind the mirrored shades. Del Rio learned from his time as an HC down south, Ryan didn't really learn anything since NY.

[Mr. Pink]

I noticed too, Del Rio was never concerned. He was absolutely comfortable with what his team could do. Kept them even keel and methodical, didn't blow timeouts too early or go for 2 too early. He knew even down 24-9 that the game was there for the taking. Ryan tries to project that, but comes off oblivious, impassive behind the mirrored shades. Del Rio learned from his time as an HC down south, Ryan didn't really learn anything since NY.

It's easy to remain comfortable, even down 24-9, when you have an actual QB on your roster who has proven he can put a team on his back, play with some urgency and lead the team from behind to a victory. Derek Carr seems to be good at 4th quarter come backs.

Tyrod Taylor doesn't know how to do any of that. It's painfully obvious that this team doesn't trust Tyrod as their QB but their wagon is hitched to him and they will sink or swim with him. Sammy Watkins even looked PO'd in the 4th quarter on a pass that was well overthrown when he would have ended up in the endzone for a TD.

I'm not making excuses for Rex Ryan because he's a moron, but I don't know how comfortable I'd feel during a game with that crap behind center.

[Novacane]

Rex is the dumb ass that wanted Tyrod. He gets no pass whatsoever. On top of wanting a bad QB his defense sucks.

[Mace]

I'm not making excuses for Rex Ryan because he's a moron, but I don't know how comfortable I'd feel during a game with that crap behind center.

My thought is that you at least need to attempt a hurry up offense if your pocket attempting, lazy offense isn't working. I mean at worst, it won't work. So why not even try speeding it up with several plays ahead of time and audibles ? If it's horrible, just go back to plodding, but wth is the problem with at least trying it instead of falling back on the stupid solved wildcat to waste a few plays ?

[Topas]

I noticed too, Del Rio was never concerned. He was absolutely comfortable with what his team could do. Kept them even keel and methodical, didn't blow timeouts too early or go for 2 too early. He knew even down 24-9 that the game was there for the taking. Ryan tries to project that, but comes off oblivious, impassive behind the mirrored shades. Del Rio learned from his time as an HC down south, Ryan didn't really learn anything since NY.

I noticed that too. DelRio was not concerned at all at half time. that was amazing!
And that also says a lot about the Bills.

[swiper]

Graham is pretty good, everyone else is garbage.


It's coaching, scheme and injuries moreso than the players they have on the roster.

I say this every week: This team goes as McCoy goes. He certainly is great fun to watch.

The problem was that the lousy QB, o-line, coaches, defense, WRs and schemes got in the way.

- - - Updated - - -


I noticed that too. DelRio was not concerned at all at half time. that was amazing!
And that also says a lot about the Bills.

Del Rio knows Rex better than any coach in the league.

[swiper]

And here's a random thought for you: that whole Raider team should be the Bills.

From Del Rio as coach to Khalil Mack and Derek Carr. The whole team could be your Buffalo Bills right now. Yet they are not. That's because Russ Brandon is telling Pegula what to do.

[Dmoney]

And here's a random thought for you: that whole Raider team should be the Bills.

From Del Rio as coach to Khalil Mack and Derek Carr. The whole team could be your Buffalo Bills right now. Yet they are not. That's because Russ Brandon is telling Pegula what to do.

Funny.... I as thinking the same thing. Two guys on that team that were worth 2 1st round picks are Mack and Carr....Sammy is a fine WR, but Carr and Mack are Great Great players...and Mack was right in Buffalo's back yard to watch play his college ball....

[Historian]

I was hoping the Bills would have taken Mack simply because of the Buffalo connection, but we had just given 100 million dollars to "Super" Mario.

[sdbillsfan2]

I see the Tyrod loyalist trying to deflect the blame of this loss back onto the defense. While some of that be true , ultimately it goes back to poor Qb play. The biggest reason in my opinion was that Tyrod once again loves him some 3 and outs. We all know that keeps your defense on the field and the other team more opportunity to score. The Bills left the door open a crack and Oakland kicked that mother in the rest of the way .
When your Qb can't amass more than 89yds passing in the second half .when he completes less than 50% of his passes ..theres a problem !
How many sub 200yd gms and zero passing tds do people need to see? Oakland was suppose to have a weak secondary...way to take advantage of it Rex/Lynn/ Tyrod ...
Unless you blow this puppy up completely....#18 will be staring Bills fans in the face.

[Skooby]

In the first round of 2017 the Buffalo Bills select Safety..... in the second round Safety....third round Cornerback.....

[swiper]

In the first round of 2017 the Buffalo Bills select Safety..... in the second round Safety....third round Cornerback.....

Where's the QB, Mr. Belvedere?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

And here's a random thought for you: that whole Raider team should be the Bills.

From Del Rio as coach to Khalil Mack and Derek Carr. The whole team could be your Buffalo Bills right now. Yet they are not. That's because Russ Brandon is telling Pegula what to do.

We could only have had Mack or Carr, not both. The Raiders picked ahead of us in both rounds until the Watkins trade.

[trapezeus]

I'm no TT apologist and that game cemented it for me that he isn't ever going to be the Seattle TT that people raved about. he is not capable of bringing you back. he almost never throws within 2 second of the snap. he instead decides to run around and see what he can pick up. it must drive the WR's crazy since they have to learn the plays and then learn TT's tendency and maybe get a chance to catch the ball.

that being said, TT and the offense had 24 points. the d needs to make a stop or force a fG. to let a team move down the field as easily as they did and repeat that over and over again is on the D. and its on the coach who is supposed to be good at d. and ultimately it ends up at the foot of Brandon, but half this board is so obsessed apologizing for him that we'll just get the same search by the same guy while other teams get better, we end up in the basement.

this season really killed a lot of my love for the team. I watch, but I know how it's all going to play out and I do other things with my sundays. and this seems to be the case for a lot of us. even this board over the last 2-3 years has quieted down. the passion of our arguments a lot less pointed. we all know what we have. a logo and city we love with a fourth rate organization abusing us at every turn.

[cookie G]

Where's the QB, Mr. Belvedere?

Starting for the Raiders.

But people said we couldn't take a QB a year after picking EJ. :)

Anyway, I think he's joking, at least I hope he is.


BTW, remember last year when it was "Bradham and Preston Brown are the worst LBs in NFL history?"

or

"If Mario didn't check out, it wouldn't be like this?"

This year..its the safeties.


People will always find an excuse for him..and always find a personnel reason for his defenses being subpar.

Its why he got a defensive player with his top pick in each of the past 7 drafts.

And its why his teams are what they are.

[feldspar]

I liked Carr in the draft, but I knew it was out of the question to take him because we had just gotten EJ the year before. Luckily, EJ continued to start in 2015...for the first 4 games. That was it. Definitely worth it. Carr wasn't even taken until the second round, either.

This was not entirely unlike when the Bills picked JP Losman in the first (actually traded up to do that), and therefore weren't going to draft Aaron Rodgers the next year.

You never are going to be a consistent contender if you can't rely on your QB to rally the team from a deficit...especially in crunch time. And you can't reach for need in the draft, like the Bills did with EJ or JP...and even Sammy, for what we gave up for him.

EJ and JP are BS. Not only were they really bad picks, but picking them set us back years in horrible ways.

[Arm of Harm]

Rex is the dumb ass that wanted Tyrod. He gets no pass whatsoever. On top of wanting a bad QB his defense sucks.
The Bills' initial signing of Tyrod Taylor cost the Bills little salary cap room and nothing in terms of draft picks. Rex probably couldn't pry a bigger investment in the QB position than that out of Whaley. Whaley felt he was "all set" at QB due to E.J. Manuel. That's one of the reasons why Whaley passed up the chance to draft Derek Carr in 2014. Of the low priced QBs we could have signed back when we first signed Taylor, I don't know that any would have been a big upgrade over Taylor. (Unless I'm forgetting someone?)

I'm all for the Bills upgrading their head coaching spot during the offseason. Not much question about that. But, on the specific issue of the Bills' failure at the QB position, the primary, secondary, and tertiary culprit is Doug Whaley.

[trapezeus]

I remember reading an interesting article on CArr before the draft. it was all about how his brother talked to him about the pitfalls of beinga QB and what he would do different if he had a second change. and Derek carr seemed like he understood he was the second chance. I left thinking he was very intriguing. but the article was also how evaluators were very scared of taking another carr and having another bust. there were undisclosed personnel men saying as such in the article. and I thought the same thing, how could a snake bit franchise be the one to gamble on carr? without knowing what we know now, I thought it was too risky to take him.

that all being said, I think you have to keep your qb hopper full of development and if you have a BPA as QB and you just took one, you take one again. this is something new for me.

[feldspar]

I remember reading an interesting article on CArr before the draft. it was all about how his brother talked to him about the pitfalls of beinga QB and what he would do different if he had a second change. and Derek carr seemed like he understood he was the second chance. I left thinking he was very intriguing. but the article was also how evaluators were very scared of taking another carr and having another bust. there were undisclosed personnel men saying as such in the article. and I thought the same thing, how could a snake bit franchise be the one to gamble on carr? without knowing what we know now, I thought it was too risky to take him.

that all being said, I think you have to keep your qb hopper full of development and if you have a BPA as QB and you just took one, you take one again. this is something new for me.

Could be worse if we're talking about regret.

The Houston Texans had the #1 overall pick in 2014. They could have even taken Derek Carr in the second round before the Raiders. But they were worried about the legacy his brother David left behind in Houston, who was taken #1 overall there. On that basis, it was pretty much out of the question taking his brother Derek at all in 2014.

Crazy.

Now they have a way overplayed and worse Brock Osweiler in Houston instead of Carr, who is a legitimate MPV candidate this year. I'd be upset about all this if I were a Texans fan.

[swiper]

We could only have had Mack or Carr, not both. The Raiders picked ahead of us in both rounds until the Watkins trade.

Only if the Bills stood pat and made no moves. Yes I'm well aware.

[swiper]

Could be worse if we're talking about regret.

The Houston Texans had the #1 overall pick in 2014. They could have even taken Derek Carr in the second round before the Raiders. But they were worried about the legacy his brother David left behind in Houston, who was taken #1 overall there. On that basis, it was pretty much out of the question taking his brother Derek at all in 2014.

Crazy.

Now they have a way overplayed and worse Brock Osweiler in Houston instead of Carr, who is a legitimate MPV candidate this year. I'd be upset about all this if I were a Texans fan.

They weren't the only team scared off because of the older Carr's failure. Many were as I recall reading scouting reports of his possibly dropping farther than he did. To the Raiders credit, they made the pick and it has worked out.

[Mace]

I don't mind pointing out I was anti-Carr and anti-Mack. I figured Carr would be his brother, and the couple UB games I saw, especially one they needed to win, Mack just didn't dominate inferior opposition like "I" thought he should. I wasn't even real impressed by Carr after last season, figuring he'd fall on his face this one.

I was wrong, duh & duh-er. Also though McKenzie was dumb as a brick as Oakland GM & wth was he doing ? Duh. Del Rio as a coach after what I saw from him in Jacksonville ? Don't make me laugh. Duh again.

Truth is, Oakland actually did have a plan, executed it well, and the GM and HC appear to be in tune.

Sure wish I was that wrong about the Bills.