Buffalo Bills Season's End: The Off-Seasons Starts Now

[kirby11]

They showed Dorsey calling a few plays last night and he looked frantic in a too hyped kinda way. Imagine Josh Allen on the other end getting fed that type of energy in his ear every play. Might explain why no huddle worked so well. It wasnt a healthy relationship. One fed into the other. It was right to move on from him. Little too late but getting to draft in the teens might be best thing for this team. You can still get top end talent in that position

I wonder if some of Josh's switch to a "low positive" approach was to offset Dorsey's intensity. There were so many games in the second half of the season last year, and even during the Dolphins playoff game, where the script would go something like:
-Offense establishes a 2 score lead and is moving the ball
-Dorsey dials up a deep concept around midfield, Allen tries to force the kill-shot to get up 3 scores in a joint sugar-high moment
-Instead it gets picked and returned for 30+ yards
-Opposing offense scores a TD to make it a one-score game, Bills offense suddenly gets stuck in mud
-Hang on for an ugly, uninspiring win

 

[joshjull]

 

[Husko]

McDermott will spitefully sit anyone who fumbles, especially running backs. It is an absolutely stupid move that just undermines the player's confidence while hurting the team. Zach Moss could write a book on McDermott punishing him. So they trot out the Ty Johnson's of the world and take talent off the field.

Except Singletary. One of the worst fumble rates in nfl history, but he was a McDermott favorite so he never got benched.

I really liked Dorsey and think he got a lot of undue criticism. The underlying numbers and tape showed he was running good offenses, but critical errors just kept piling up. End of the day, moving on is the right decision both to try to spark the offense/salvage the season, but also to see if Brady can handle the job. Even if all else is lost, we should at least have an answer to whether he is the OC going forward by end of year.

 

[Husko]

I do think that labeling this as scapegoating and hyper focusing on McDermott's mistakes on the last drive is silly. Did the defense technically blow the last drive? Sure. Was the offense the way bigger problem the whole game and most of the season? Absolutely.

 

[Zman5778]

For all of Dorsey’s failures, one of the more obvious was an inability to use secondary weapons. Just nothing from Hynes last year. Nothing from Sherfield and Hardy this year.

Maybe Brady can incorporate talented players a little better

To me, the big thing with Dorsey is this -- he always, ALWAYS never stuck with what worked. He always tinkered and adjusted to the offense's detriment. Allen commented earlier this year that he needs to stop thinking and just go ball.

What I want Brady to do is find what works in a given game and STICK WITH IT.

Right now, it seems like tempo with quick, West Coast-style passing is what works. So use it.

Is Diggs happier this morning? Or is his relationship and faith in McDermott ruined?

I think it all depends on how much "meddling" McDermott did with Dorsey/the offense. We know Diggs is big on character and big on loyalty. Diggs will know how much "meddling" McDermott did. If McD was truly hands-off with the offense and Dorsey was the root of the offensive problems......Diggs is a happy man. If McD was meddling with Dorsey......and Dorsey just got fired, Diggs is pissed and likely done with Buffalo. He'll see McD firing Dorsey as a scapegoating situation, and he will not be happy with that.

 

[sabres4ever]

I don't know if this was the right move. Time will tell. Maybe he was "a" problem, but I don't think he was "the" problem. I think it goes much deeper than this. If they continue this kind of play, I see very few wins the rest of the season. The remaining schedule is brutal.

 

[Husko]

Joe Brady is actually perfect when you consider he made Darnold look competent and Allen has been doing his best Darnold impression the last month

 

[joshjull]

 

[joshjull]

I do think that labeling this as scapegoating and hyper focusing on McDermott's mistakes on the last drive is silly. Did the defense technically blow the last drive? Sure. Was the offense the way bigger problem the whole game and most of the season? Absolutely.

Fair or not, I think some are looking at it as a pattern and this is a just another example.

 

[Zman5778]

Joe Brady is actually perfect when you consider he made Darnold look competent and Allen has been doing his best Darnold impression the last month

Not to mention that he helped make Joe Burrow what he is today. Hell, he's likely the one that unlocked the true form of Burrow.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I'm pretty stunned he did it tbh on a short week, mid season, likely to save his job, if it can still be saved. It's a little weird though because KD had it going vs Miami but then it went all down hill steadily.

Brady's criticism in Carolina was he threw too much.

5-2 "might" get you shot at the division the final week of the season in Miami. We will see. Tough Jets D to start it out.

Pretty surprised Smiley has survived the sword, I would think Martin is gone today after any tryouts or a signing then ? But he is also the holder so ?

Last night pretty much zapped any energy I had left though, so the holidays and overtime will soon take over my focus.

ps anyone catch Diggs brothers tweet ?

 

[Jim Bob]

I’m not saying it’s not true. But what’s the working theory on his meddling on offense I keep seeing referenced?

A lot of it is McDermott talking about Allen needing to take fewer hits and then Dorsey stops calling designed runs for Allen early in the year for one.

Not to mention that he helped make Joe Burrow what he is today. Hell, he's likely the one that unlocked the true form of Burrow.

He was the passing game coordinator at LSU for one season. Let's not overstate how much he impacted Joe Burrow.







Joe had to stop doing his All-22 review of last night for the emergency pod.

 

[misterchainsaw]

I don’t care what anyone says, the 12 men is on the players. That’s an execution mistake not a coaching mistake.

And why salty about zero blitzes? The first resulted in a sack and the second caused an odd target pass…

Dorsey was a problem. Not the only problem. But the coordinator goes before the head coach if you don’t right the ship.

Because people need their scapegoats. Simple as that.

We're well on our way to chasing out of town the man with the best winning percentage in Bills history over a single middling season.

For the record I absolutely think going without a DC was a mistake and that he should hire someone there that aligns to his philosophy this offseason.

But I love all these "He'S MeDdLiNg WiTh tHe OfFeNsE" accusations when the reality is he probably has too much to do already just coordinating the defense combined with the head coaching duties.

 

[Zman5778]

He was the passing game coordinator at LSU for one season. Let's not overstate how much he impacted Joe Burrow.

True.....but in that one season he went from "barely on the NFL draft radar" to "#1 overall pick". Some (most?) of that is on Burrow himself......but Brady put Burrow in the best place to succeed.

My hope is that Brady puts Allen in the best place to succeed. Then it's on Allen.

 

[Zman5778]

We're well on our way to chasing out of town the man with the best winning percentage in Bills history.

You say that, but I don't think that's reality. I don't think Beane/Pegula are going to be overly swayed by public opinion here.

The only way Pegula could be swayed by public opinion is if fans stop buying tickets and merchandise, which would cut into Pegula's bottom line. Bills fans have proven time and again that they show up even in the worst of times. Bills fans aren't going to suddenly stop buying tickets en masse if McDermott is still coach.

 

[JLewyB]

A lot of it is McDermott talking about Allen needing to take fewer hits and then Dorsey stops calling designed runs for Allen early in the year for one.


He was the passing game coordinator at LSU for one season. Let's not overstate how much he impacted Joe Burrow.







Joe had to stop doing his All-22 review of last night for the emergency pod.

So does this mean we arent getting Patrick Kane? #nodistractionneeded

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Schopp is a d*ck but that bit (along with the Colorado School of mimes) is pretty damn funny. The Cheektowago 5 back offense, river of urine, and train horn killed me.

 

[Jim Bob]

True.....but in that one season he went from "barely on the NFL draft radar" to "#1 overall pick". Some (most?) of that is on Burrow himself......but Brady put Burrow in the best place to succeed.

My hope is that Brady puts Allen in the best place to succeed. Then it's on Allen.

Way more is on Burrow and all the talent they had on that offensive unit, IMO.

Plus, Brady was not even the official OC on that team.

Brady got fired in his second season as an NFL OC in Carolina. I think it is wishful thinking that he unlocks something with this offense mid-season. I hope it happens, but I wouldn't bet on it. Especially with the Jets coming to town on a short week after the OC got fired.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Way more is on Burrow and all the talent they had on that offensive unit, IMO.

Plus, Brady was not even the official OC on that team.

Brady got fired in his second season as an NFL OC in Carolina. I think it is wishful thinking that he unlocks something with this offense mid-season. I hope it happens, but I wouldn't bet on it. Especially with the Jets coming to town on a short week after the OC got fired.

Yeah I don't see how they can make fundamental changes mid-season. Maybe they can install some wrinkles over the bye week, but the scheme is largely going to stay the same. Doesn't seem super fair to Brady, but maybe they're planning on going outside the organization no matter what in the off season.

So basically it's a new playcaller and a different voice in Allen's ears during games. We'll see if it makes a difference I suppose.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Dirty Dog]

Yeah I don't see how they can make fundamental changes mid-season. Maybe they can install some wrinkles over the bye week, but the scheme is largely going to stay the same. Doesn't seem super fair to Brady, but maybe they're planning on going outside the organization no matter what in the off season.

So basically it's a new playcaller and a different voice in Allen's ears during games. We'll see if it makes a difference I suppose.

They don’t need to make fundamental changes though, they just need to stop making so many mistakes! Which I don’t think has much to do with the offensive coordinator. I think the hope is this just gives the offense a jolt and they start executing a little better

 

[tmlms13]

If this goes off the rails even more they should fire Joe too.

The other one finally goes away but we thought it would be a good idea to get another one. The curse is real.

 

[SundherDome]

Except Singletary. One of the worst fumble rates in nfl history, but he was a McDermott favorite so he never got benched.

I really liked Dorsey and think he got a lot of undue criticism. The underlying numbers and tape showed he was running good offenses, but critical errors just kept piling up. End of the day, moving on is the right decision both to try to spark the offense/salvage the season, but also to see if Brady can handle the job. Even if all else is lost, we should at least have an answer to whether he is the OC going forward by end of year.

Singletary was benched when he fumbled the problem was, we would then see Ivory or Moss and they were abysmal and Singletary would go back in because the defense would hone in quickly. I have zero issues with benching Cook for a drive or two. He definitely ran harder when he came back in and still fumbled so, it's a growing pain at this point.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Singletary was benched when he fumbled the problem was, we would then see Ivory or Moss and they were abysmal and Singletary would go back in because the defense would hone in quickly. I have zero issues with benching Cook for a drive or two. He definitely ran harder when he came back in and still fumbled so, it's a growing pain at this point.

And Murray had a couple of elite cuts between the tackles we haven't seen from Cook even when he's been in there so...

Obviously Cook is better in space, but he's not great between the tackles yet. Murray was really able to gash the Broncos there last night.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Stephen A Smith thinks that Diggs might be part of the problem and needs to go. Not a surprising thing, as receivers can be a pain in the ass for QBs sometimes.

Hypothetical for all the cap guys on here: assume that Diggs asks out and the Bills agree. Is there any way for the Bills to move on from Diggs this off-season without crippling their cap? Could Dallas agree to take on money if the Bills trade him for peanuts?