PalmTreeMafia

Fine, but are you also willing to acknowledge that Beane and McDermott can't address every position adequately in two off-seasons? I'm pretty sure the plan has been to fully deal with WR, OL, and the #2 CB in the spring when they will have $90 million cap space and 10 draft picks to use. Can you also acknowledge that the sudden unexpected retirements of Wood, Incognito, and Vontae Davis might have further constrained their plans? Or that Kelvin Benjamin's strange, precipitous drop from top-25 NFL WR to lazy, marginal practice squader affects how the rest of the WR corps perform? And are you able to give a little credit for Beane and McDermott attempting to improve the WR's by adding Foster, McKenzie, and Thompson for their speed? Or how about the emergence of Wyatt Teller at LG? Or Johnson at slot CB? Or White as a top-5 NFL CB? Levi Wallace at outside CB? Or for that matter, how about the job he's done at creating the #1 NFL defense after facing a very difficult first-half schedule? I definitely should have reworded my post so as not to suggest Peterman was the only bad decision they've made. However, all of the bad decisions at QB that they've made are kind of related to him. Benching Tyrod last year, trading Tyrod, trading McCarron before the first game, starting Allen too early in his career, forcing Anderson onto the field a week after picking him up off the streets...they all kind of stem from the singular, wrong idea that Peterman is a capable NFL QB. Even the worst-in-NFL-history WR corps and OL looked adequate when Barkley took over behind center. I just want to reiterate that I'm not a Beane/McDermott apologist; however, there is certainly valid room for opinions on this message board that are looking at the long-term picture and are waiting to pass judgment until more data is gathered. I'll revisit this topic after the next 6 games are played. I expect to see non-trivial improvement from the offense and from Allen after all the bye week changes have been made. I also expect more wins now that we are playing the easier half of the schedule. If not....well then....

No doubt. This regime has yet to prove that they know how to build an offense and identify a QB capable of producing in the modern NFL. However, the regime optimists have a valid opinion as well. They are looking at this rebuilding project beyond the 1.5 season mark. They see the plan as: Year 1: remove all the bad apples from the Rex Ryan Era, i.e. players without the self-discipline or work ethic to succeed in a team environment despite whatever individual talent they possess; establish the framework for the defense. Year 2: eat the remaining salary cap dead weight; find a franchise QB; elevate defense to playoff-caliber; establish framework for offense. Year 3: use draft and free agency to put finishing touches on defense (DL depth, #2 CB) and add key pieces to offense (OL, WR); get franchise QB more experience; get playoff experience. Year 4: fill in roster gaps with another off-season of draft and free agency; I presume contend for SuperBowl?

Or maybe he's just providing an alternative point of view for a message board that tends to be heavily biased against this current regime...much more so than the average Bills fan. I would argue that they're doing a very good job, except for the singular - and absolutely catastrophic - decision to treat Nate Peterman as if he's a capable NFL QB. The vast majority of poor on-field performances and off-field executive moves stem from the nightmare that is/was Nate Peterman.

That's a shame. I kind of miss the goons and the fighting.

Allen needs those practice reps as the #2 QB. As soon as Allen is 100% healthy, they need to cut Anderson. Start Barkley. Peterman needs to be cut by Tuesday morning.

Sure beats Ryan O'Reilly's "woe is me" shtick.

A corner has definitely been turned. We finally look like we belong in the NHL and are not just some glorified AHL team. I expect the Sabres to be competing for those final two wildcard spots up to the very last week of the season. Are we "good" yet? Well no, definitely not in the Tamapa Bay/Toronto class. But this club's potential is off the charts. 13 of the 20 active players for today are 26 years of age or younger. For example, we clearly are not seeing the best that Mitts or Dahlin or Thompson or Ullmark...or for that matter Eichel and Reinhart....have to offer. It's fun to think about where these guys can take the franchise as they accumulate NHL experience and gain maturity with age. And then of course you have our current prospects and the 3 first rounders next year. One last note: I'm giving loads to credit to our GM for his off-season moves. Early signs are that he adequately got rid of the locker room cancers from last year. I was originally disappointed to see Bogosian, Beaulieu, Pominville, Larsson, and Girgensons still on the roster. But all of them have been productive and functional in at least some capacity for the team this year.

Probably. Interesting to note just how difficult our first 9 games have been: NE, GB, Minn, Chicago, Baltimore, LAC, and Houston are all playoff-caliber teams. We went 1-6 against them. Tennesee and Indy aren't too awful, either. 1-1 against those guys. NYJets twice, Miami twice, Detroit at home, Jax at home, and NE in possibly a game that will mean nothing to them for playoff seeding...this looks a lot easier. Too bad we have the worst offense in modern NFL history - without hyperbole - to take advantage.

I'd like to see Mogilny, Turgeon, and Barrasso in before Martin.

As an update of this comment of mine, check this out: https://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2018/week-9-dvoa-ratings After 9 weeks, the 2018 Bills offense is noticeably worse than all of the historically awful offenses that the NFL has seen since the mid-80's. This includes the 1992 Seahawks, who were only 6th worst in the past 33 years after 9 weeks of play.

The fact that the 2018 Bills are pacing so close statistically to one of the all-time 10 worst NFL offenses - one that played 26 years ago in a very different football era with much fewer offense-friendly rules - leads me to believe that the 2018 Buffalo offense is the more pathetic.

McDermott and Beane have now been involved in blow-out losses for 10 of their 25 career games in Buffalo. That is simply astonishing and atrocious. In terms of point-differential, the 2018 Bills are on pace to be the worst team in franchise history (worse than the 1971 Bills). You can make a strong statistical argument that this is the worst NFL offense at least since WW2. Their mismanagement of the singular position of quarterback has destroyed whatever other good they have done. I have ZERO confidence that they will ever build a good offense or ever properly develop Josh Allen. I now long for the days of Dick "7-9" Jauron and Chan "6-10" Gailey...two deer-in-the-headlight coaches who at least were capable of taking inferior talent and keeping them competitive in games.

I think I've just about lost all interest in following this team for as long as McDermott and Beane are still employed here.

I care whether or not they are. I still believe in the concept of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law. And you don't have to be a rich, good-looking man who regularly frequents bars and night clubs in order to meet gold diggers or women with borderline personality disorder. Those kinds of women are everywhere. And I'm not suggesting this accuser is one of those types of women. Or that Kane is innocent.

I count 6 of the top 14 as now having been affiliated with a Sean McDermott offense. Impressive.

McBeane are safe this season and next. I've been hearing that Allen will be shelved for these last 8 games. How convenient. This was supposed to be a 2-3 week injury two weeks ago. So basically, 2019 will be Allen's rookie year and that will be the excuse for another season of total incompetence on offense.

I'd be okay with him at half his current salary ($2.5 million) for 1 year.

Jeebus...can't believe I forgot that game. Nice catch! Yes, it counts as a MNF game in my book because it was played on a Monday night and is professional football.

Where are you going with this? Running up the gut 3 times and punting isn't an example of a ball-control offense. That's an example of a bad offense. Right, my point was that the Bengals didn't slow Mahomes down. They are one of many defenses that may not be built to adequately do so. The Bills, oddly enough, may only be a solid #2 CB away from being one of those teams that can match up well with KC.

Exactly. NFL history shows that teams adapt to trends all the time. Defenses will adjust to the KC offense in time. Right now, many defenses aren't built to contain them. The Bengals were one of those teams on Sunday. Any team that is deep at CB, has fast LB's, and can dial up creative blitz packages should be able to slow Mahomes down this year. Also, it should be noted that having an identity of a "ball-control offense" does not necessarily mean that the offense is incapable of scoring quickly when circumstances warrant it. Every offense, for example, runs 2-minute drills and has specialized players on the roster needed to execute these plays. And of course I don't subscribe to the idea that scoring in 4 minutes is inherently superior to scoring in 8 minutes. Time of possession is often a very important factor in deciding games.

In my opinion, you can still win big in this league with a traditional formula that would make Lou Saban and Chuck Knox blush with pride: that is, a great defense and a run-oriented ball control offense with an efficient, opportunistic passing game. Where McDermott and Beane have failed so far is that: 1. They have yet to build an elite defense. 4th overall in yards/game is very good, but they range from mediocre to poor in most other metrics, including 22nd overall in passer rating allowed and 26th overall in 3rd down %. This is not exactly the 85 Bears or 00 Ravens or 02 Bucs or 13 Seahawks here. 2. They have yet to build a strong running game on offense. The Bills are currently among the bottom quarter of rushing offenses in terms of yards/carry (3.9). 3. They clearly have yet to put together an efficient passing game. The median team passer rating in the NFL is 94.6, a number which was once the domain of the truly elite passing offenses in the 20th century. So the definition of "efficient passing game" is now skewed to somewhere in the 90's. Where are the Bills currently at? 48.8. I kid you not. Forty-eight point eight. Next closest is the vaunted Arizona aerial assault with 64.7. Their excuses for the aforementioned include: dead cap space, unexpected Wood/Incognito retirement, necessary rookie QB growing pains, etc... I was sort of willing to accept these reasons, but only to a point. Getting blown out in what will be 5 of 8 games this season does not make me "trust" whatever "process" is being espoused. Not-so-fun fact: the Buffalo Bills last won a Monday night football game in 1999. They have been 0-6 since.

The bottom line is that Skinner is worth that risk if he's still performing well by the early spring. This isn't a Leino/Hodgson/Moulson situation or even an Okposo situation. Skinner is on another level of ability. We've been looking for a genuine top-line winger who is fast, can score goals, can play well with Eichel, and isn't a locker room cancer. VERY early indications are that Skinner fits that description, so why not try to keep what you need? I think he's still young enough (will be 27 in May) to be considered part of the new Eichel/Reinhart/Mitts/Dahlin/Risto core. And besides, it's good to have a more veteran member of the core and also to have a more even distribution of ages among the roster. For those concerned about the salary cap ramifications: remember that a bunch of dead weight is coming off this summer, Bogo's $6 million comes off next summer, and Okposo's $6 million dips to $4 million before coming off the books completely in 4 years. JB can easily work in a lengthy 7- or 8-year Skinner contract and not jeopardize the team's ability to keep their Mitts/Dhalin type of players long-term. Also, I'm happy to see the poll is overwhelmingly in favor of signing Skinner rather than trading him for future prospects. I was afraid that the classic Buffalo sports fan mentality would creep in...that is, always hoping to build for a better future at the expense of wanting to win in the present.

That might have been me earlier in the season, but I seriously doubt you can find any Bills fan now who can defend the current Beane/McDermott regime. Four blowout losses in seven games this season! Fielding the worst statistical offense in the modern NFL era! Before today, I might have made the argument that McDermott is at least building an elite defense. But it appears that he just completely lost the locker room. His antics and incompetence surrounding the positions of QB, WR, and OL are too much. And we all are aware of it now, fans and players alike. You can't pray and clap away stupid, apparently.

And Regier pretty much did the same thing in 2013. Tim Murray was an all-time incompetent GM, but so was post-lockout Regier. From 2012-2014, the Sabres had SIXTEEN draft picks within the top 74....5 of them 1st rounders and 7 of them 2nd rounders. Only 4 of those picks are currently on the team (Girgensons, McCabe, Risto, Reinhart). The draft day incompetency during the early years of this playoff drought is the biggest reason why the franchise is where it's at right now. Murray should never hold an important job in the NHL ever again; the same goes for Regier, wherever that joke of a GM is in this world. Anyway...this is a great thread, so I'd like to update it. Keeping the rules simple, rank all Sabres prospects based on their estimated long-term NHL impact. This includes their pure hockey talent, work ethic, development time remaining, etc... Exclude those currently with the big club (so no Dahlin, Mitts, Tage, Ullmark) and those whom you think have no long-term NHL future: 1. Nylander 2. Pilut 3. Guhle 4. Asplund 5. Olofsson 6. Davidsson 7. Samuelsson 8. Luukkonen

Sure, but in the year 2018, I would call that fantastically stupid advice.