Buffalo Bills: Things We Know This Week

I am always the one to handle debates about Coach McDermott and General Manager Mr. Beane with aggressive passionate bulwark I drink the process cool aid. I have and continue to fancy to let the process play out. Front office turnover this century is disconcerting and not effective. I appreciate many of the moves the Buffalo Bills have made in a short time to build what I believe is a championship level defense gaining strength since half way through the second game of the season.

This is where I have continued to question the acumen of management. We have been told all along that a veteran quarterback was not needed, even after Nathan Peterman’s ridiculous delegation as the starting quarterback which lasted about one half of a game.  The only events that were shocking about this failing decision, was that it was not even imaginable when predicting this was the wrong move that he could play another game as bad as the Los Angeles Chargers game, which he certainly matched.

After accepting the decision based on being preached to as to how impressive Peterman was in practice, training camp and OTA’s, in regaining the trust of his teammates and coaches and how he handled the huddle and looked to be right at home leading the offense. It was reiterated countlessly how professional he is. They were selling him as the second coming of Peyton Manning. The problem is by the time Manning was reduced to playing with Peterman level talents, he still was so intelligent and experienced as well as being surrounded by an all-star cast, he could fly below the radar winning a Super bowl. Please do not forget that Peterman was a college journeyman drafted as a fifth round reach who possibly would have been there in the seventh round or undrafted had the Bills not snagged him up like a free taco at Taco Bell. Do not forget Manning was a legend in college and the undisputed first overall pick, unless you were like me suggesting Bill Polian should have taken Ryan Leaf.

Here is the worst part that really has caused me anxiety that could, on the wrong day, turn me in to Negative Stanley in a nutty professor or Incredible Hulk transformation. After the performance that was displayed in week one resulting in the seventh overall pick who was to be the quarterback that needs time to develop and adjust before stepping on the field, he was now the starting quarterback. Understandable only because they traded away Tyrod Taylor last year and A.J. McCarron this year who both could have been temporary bridge quarterbacks as opposed to your quarterback that you want to be brought along slowly having no one on the team or practice squad other that the disaster from last season being Peterman. I will go along with all of that in the justification that Beane and McDermott are much more knowledgeable than the average fan or media personality.  

Let’s just go with what has been said so far was the right decision, and it was not, they still said after switching from Peterman to Josh Allen as the starter very early in the season, that the plan is still to go with the two quarterbacks that are on the roster. They were sticking to the decision as much as many questioned how they could possibly have Peterman be the only plan behind Allen? Then, before Peterman ever had to play again, they went out and got that veteran that was available along with others after week one.  

Had they signed a veteran back after week one, that quarterback would be comfortable in the system by now and we would have a combination of Allen and a steady veteran as opposed to a rookie out of Wyoming with major adjustments and learning ahead of him and a horrible fifth round selection that has already showed he is out of place in the NFL.  Peterman does not belong in this league.

I do not want to hear about Tom Brady being drafted so late. Do not forget that new England passed on Brady four times. If they were so good at predicting talent that equates to success on the field in the NFL and knew Brady’s future, they would have taken him in round one or even traded up for the first overall pick to be certain to land him. Instead they signed Drew Bledsoe to a league high huge contract while Brady backed him up. They would have that is a huge exception to the standard results. A fifth round quarterback typically is either out of the league quickly or if they find any success as a third stringer or backup, it is done being brought along slowly. Practice squad, former developmental leagues, CFL only to be asked to see real live action usually after years. I think of a bust like Todd Collins, much higher than a fifth round selection, but a bust deer in headlights for the Bills just the same. After failing as a starter in Buffalo, he was a backup not asked to do anything until the tail end of a long backup career. By the time he was asked to be the man, he had years and years of reps in practice and knowledge of the game giving him a huge comfort level. Like the way Doug Flutie looked out of place in the league forcing him out of the NFL, until his return from a decade of dominance in the CFL giving him a ton of experience, they both found some short-term success being brought along like a preparing the main course at a pig roast. They took forever to get overcome shortcomings with experience leaving them only the very tail end if an NFL career to blossom. 

Things We Know About The Buffalo Bills This Week:

• McDermott kept tradition alive by saying little and giving up less at the press conference Monday.  “Josh Allen will be week to week,” said McDermott. “At this point I’ll leave it up to the docs. It’s a week to week situation.”
• One may consider the statement McDermott made about Peterman very scary. McDermott maintained that he still has confidence in Nathan Peterman going forward despite his two turnovers late in the game against Houston. As the teenyboppers would say” OMG”  
• Newly signed 13 Year veteran QB Derek Anderson has been putting in extra time in an effort to familiarize himself with the playbook. “He’s a work in progress having joined us last week,” McDermott said. “He’s working hard with our quarterbacks’ coach (David Culley) and Brian (Daboll) to get up to speed.”
• Buffalo’s vastly improving defense came into Sunday’s game with five takeaways in their last two games. They continued that trend registering a total of four takeaways against Houston in the form of two interceptions and three forced fumbles, two of which they recovered. The turnovers were largely thanks to their dominant pass rush.