You take the ball and score a TD you get a real advantage, not just a hypothetical one.Originally Posted by Novacane
You take the ball and score a TD you get a real advantage, not just a hypothetical one.
My tebya razdavim
OK well you stop them on D then take the ball and score a TD you have created an even greater 'real advantage'.
ok. But our O went 3 and out on the first two drives and only managed 10 points all game.
You take the ball, you go 3 and out, they march down the field and score a touchdown, and now it's 5 min in the game, and they have a 7 point lead and get the ball first after the half.
Your whole argument is predicated on the assumption that the Bills would have scored if we got the ball first. That's not a realistic assumption.
The game does not mandate an equal amount of possessions.
If you take the opening kickoff, it's entirely possible to wind up with one more possession than the other team, and with all things being equal gives you a serious mathematical advantage.
That's why I think deferring to the 2nd half is viable...because it would be more important to have an extra possession in the 2nd half than the 1st!
We're just going to go back and forth on this one anyway as it is somewhat arbitrary.
Again, you are not addressing what I wrote. We are talking past one another. I’m talking about the slim margin of error that caused the only three losses of the regular season.
If any of those went the other way, and the Bills win just one of those three, the playoffs THIS year could have been far different.
The team’s “systems” did not cause Josh to short hop a 4th down pass vs Miami that would have won the game.
The team’s “systems” did not cause Josh to fumble a game winning kneel down.
The team’s “systems” did not cause Gabe Davis to drop….an incredible pass...a DIME throw 60 yard in the air, after Allen’s elbow was almost taken off....on the Jets 20 yard line thrown right into his hand (or breadbasket…..either way, a professional NFL WR HAS to make that catch).
The most glaring event that was completely out of everyone’s hands and had nothing to do with the “system” was having a player literally DIE on the field. That had a HUGE effect on the team.
It’s a wonder, and goes to the stellar leadership of McDermott and all the other coaches, that team did not fall apart. Until the last game, of course. To discount that is to discount human nature and reality.
This thread is about “firing McDermott”. And I believe (as Beane and Pegula probably do) that is a massively stupid idea.
You don’t blow up a team when looking realistically as to what transpired this season.
You don’t fire the OC. You don’t fire the DC. How ****ing stupid.
The “system” had the Bills with only 3 regular season losses…..and EVERY ONE of those could have (and should have) been wins if not for players ****ing up….especially Josh Allen.
I love Josh and do not want any other QB for this team. The realistic observation is that he is NOT the best QB in the AFC. He regressed this season, and it was not because of Dorsey’s play calling (although I suspect that could have been better). He #3, and has a lot of work to do to rise to the level of Mahomes and Burrow.
I believe he will. And he has presented very strong support of Dorsey. He is not going anywhere. Nor should he.
The “system” did not cause two of their best defensive players go down with injuries. In particular THE player that was specifically brought in to address a shortcoming from 2021.
The “system” did not cause injury after injury after injury all across the starters AND backups.
If only ONE defensive starter on a team was able to play in every game (Taron Johnson) it is going to have a negative effect. But, despite that, the Bills defense stood tall.
It is clear as can be that the OFFENCE let the team down over and over and over again.
Scoring only 10 points vs Cincy was THE problem. I today’s NFL scoring only 10 points almost assures DEFEAT.
I was curious so I did a little research. In the 2022 regular season, there were SEVENTY ONE teams that scored 10 points or less. Their W-L record in those games?.....
2-69.
Week #11….NE 10 – NYJ 3.
Week #13….BAL 10 – DEN 9.
Playoffs is even more stark. Since 2000 (including 2022 so far) there have been 45 teams that have scored 10 or less points (excluding Super Bowls). Their record??...
0-45.
The last time a team scored 10 or less points in a playoff game and won??
1997. PITT 7 – NE 6.
The Super Bowl is even MORE stark….in ALL 56 Super Bowls, one ream has scored 10 or less points SIXTEEN times. Their record????...If you are paying attention you guessed it…..
0-16.
Interestingly, the last team to score 10 or less points in a SB was not very long ago….2020 season, Tampa Bay 31 – Kansas City – 9.
After that shocking and devastating loss there was no (credible) talk of blowing up the Chiefs. No talk of firing Andy Reid. No talk of firing the OC or DC…
And the Bills ending the season with a terrible effort and bad loss does NOT mean you blow it all up. It was ONE GAME. A game that Cincy played almost perfectly….and the Bills emotional baggage finally caught up with them.
“any given Sunday” is not a unrealistic excuse….it’s real because the NFL wants it that way.. Ask Cincy who got their asses handed to them by lowly Cleveland in week 8, losing 32-13.
"….what is it going to take to level-up in the playoffs?”
I’m certainly not qualified to suggest that I have all the answers....NONE of here do. BUT, blowing up the team, and the coaches is absolutely NOT the way forward.
It’s not any one (or even a few) things that need to change that will propel the Bills.
Coaches have to come up with better game plans….the O-line and D-line talent must improve….the Bills have to develop a real running game, by both improving the O-line and the RB position….the WR room has to improve….the Bills need a real threat at #2WR….they players have to PLAY BETTER…and Josh Allen HAS to stop playing with his head up his ass sometimes.
It’s a group effort….and I am not the pessimist that some fans here….I never have been and never will.
The Bills are closer to getting over that playoff hump than an overwhelming majority of the other teams in the NFL.
Firing the HC is NOT the way forward if one is serious about contending.
The answer is somewhere in the middle. Taking the opening kickoff is an aggressive move. Only do it when you are confident and need to make a statement. Like how the Bengals did it to us in the first match-up.
Something a robotic coach is incapable of doing.
I think taking the ball shows confidence.
Giving the ball to the other team shows nervousness.
It's all about analytics to McDermott. Analytics likely say defer because of that "2 for 1" possibility at the end of the first half, which was usually when the Bills scored. Unfortunately, vs Cincy, they had that opportunity but squandered it.
McD is a robotic HC. Lacks a feel for the ebbs and flows of a game. Always has.
Mace (01-27-2023)
Yes, he's a pure analytics guy.
More like he found an analytic he can point to because it suits his timidity, and then he can tell himself "see, I can use analytics".
Timid, overly conservative, a chicken, a choker.....he's not evolving.
CommissarSpartacus (01-27-2023)
I just don't see that. The Bills rarely take the high percentage move.
What's crazy about this thread. After the hamlin incident many fans and media were saying McDermott for coach of year. Now we want him fired? I'd prefer to fire both coordinators. I think Josh needs a more experienced offensive coordinator.
notacon (01-28-2023)
They aren't going to fire McDermott, he's an enthusiastic great person, and successful in the regular season. He's a motivational HC, and a manager type. That means he needs nuts and bolts coordinators and he needs to know when to manage them and when to get out of their way because he's frankly no great football mind and timid by nature.
But he's got to take a hard look at himself in the mirror because his job has one goal. If he can't do that, Beane or Pegula need to kick him in the seat of the pants and remind him what the point is. The point is not being a nice guy and great person. So he either gets coordinators and/or stays out of their way and/or manages them, or the window closes with playoff chokes.
He should be starting to sweat, and complacency is not an option or we wasted a franchise QB.
notacon (01-28-2023)
This thread should be fired.
notacon (01-28-2023)
Just like the playoff game we won that flip and deferred.
Cincinnati capped its opening drive with a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Burrow to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.
The message they wanted the ball and we helped.
Shake and Bake.
Last edited by Woodman; 01-31-2023 at 12:50 PM.
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Wrong coach being fired today. This is a last ditch effort to save face aboard a sinking ship.
Just don't see us making the playoffs. Game over Sean.
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