Bacchus44

I agree with those that said that the Thurman/Ryan scheme has gotten "too cute". You would think that good coaches can change things up from week to week to counter what type of offense they are playing against, but it seems to me that they are playing the same way every week. While their scheme might seem to work against a younger QB, it isn't working against a good veteran QB. I assume that as other good offensive coaches see this, they might carbon copy their offense to play the same way. In looking at their remaining schedule, they certainly have a chance to win against any of the teams - except the Pats and Cowboys (if Romo is back, obviously). Only problem is that as soon as we have to face a good QB in a playoff game (if we make it), we will see the exact same thing as we saw against NE, Cinci & the Giants. The good QB's will have our defense for lunch.

I agree with your comments, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Our d-line is just not buying into this scheme and until they do (or they change it), good QB's are going to pick us apart and make us look silly. And the penalties...don't even get me started on those!

Get well soon, Bill...I always look forward to your thoughts versus the 'Fire (insert name of current coaches or GM here)' crap that is always on here after the team loses.

Word. While I was upset at his botches, wasn't he listed as questionable earlier this week and held out of practice? Cutting him tomorrow would be the stupidest move ever.

I think that we can all agree that the Bills could have and should have won this game. So freaking disheartening that they didn't which always leaves us fans upset...let's just all have a drink, take a deep breath, and hope that the Bills can come back next week and play more disciplined, smarter football!

Ate their last night and had the 1/2 chicken and ribs - both fall off the bone. Sides were the corn/zucchini and BBQ rice w/meat - both really good. While I have only eaten twice here, both times were excellent. Get their early though or prepare to wait a long time for a table.

Amen...well said. And with that said...while the poster Jeff was responding to mentioned that he didn't drink during the game, I also did not drink during the game, but am now treating myself to a Crown Royal Manhattan (or three). Think of it as...rethinking my game plan.

"Let's rephrase then. Teams that want to challenge for the playoffs don't prepare poorly, play undisciplined over-emotional football and get out coached in 2 of their first 3 at home..." ^Agreed. Just because the team doesn't win every Sunday and people criticize the play, officiating and coaching doesn't necessarily mean that they are a troll. People that just come on here to say "F#$% The Bills - they suck"...now that is definitely troll-worthy. Sometimes (and in most cases with the Bills) the truth hurts... The team was most DEFINITELY out-coached and out-classed by two SB winning coaches at home, which says that they are not "there" as much as some Bills fans would like to believe. Coughlin is a damned good coach, I don't care how lousy they may have looked coming into this game. He had his team properly prepared & the Bills simply outplayed themselves with dumb penalties, bad special teams and poor tacking at inopportune times. While I wouldn't go as far as say that 60,000 fans were duped by a sales job, I will say that I had lower level seats cheaper than ticket price in hand last week and decided to sell them. For some reason, I just had a bad, bad feeling about this game... I hope that people don't think that I am not a "real fan" because I did this as I have watched the Bills for over 27 years win or lose. After you spend that much time watching football, you can get a pretty good idea on when you know when a team is "special". I think that they still have the making to be a really good team & I think that Rex can pull everything together, but he and the players just need to be....a little better prepared, more disciplined and not take dumb penalties at critical times in a game - especially against former playoff and SB winning teams. That's a real good way for a coach to get run out of town after just a season or two.

I agree 100% with everything that the OP mentioned - good post!

The biggest thing that this team can do is stop with the stupid, stupid, undisciplined penalties. If they can also clean up some of their horrendous special teams gaffes (holding, missing field goals/xtra points, calling fair catch at inopportune times, trying to run the ball out of the end zone, etc), this team will continue to improve. If they don't right those two major problems in a hurry, I'm afraid that it's definitely going to be another long, painful season with no playoffs. At this point, it would be foolish to turn our backs on the coaching staff, but a lot of this silly crap that I'm seeing going on is stuff that coaches can (mostly) control. If the players are making stupid, bone-headed plays, you either ream their butts on the sideline after the play, let the other players call them out in the locker room, and/or sit them for a series (or even a game or two). Or all of the above!

Wow...definitely was not expecting this at all! Can't believe that we actually went after a big name coach as I figured that Reich would have been the "hometown favorite" safer choice. While I like Reich, I am not sure if he has the fire and drive to be a successful head coach in this league. The thing I like about Ryan is his passion. He is not going to take any crud from underachievers and he will not be a stone faced Jauron, Marrone or Gailey on the sideline either. Should be interesting to see what happens with the QB & free agent situation now as I think that more decent players might want to come to town to play for him!

This crow is going to taste pretty good for dinner this evening...well, actually it will be a turkey that I have had in the oven all day, but still. Finally able to pick up a win in Gillette which is nice...and actually looking formidable against the NE starters was refreshing. I still have major major concerns about that o-line, but at least they are acknowledging that they know...just hope that they can do something positive about it in the off season.

If Brady and Gronk play one half: 34-9 Pats... If Brady marches down the field and scores TD's on two drives and then sits the rest of the game: 24-9 Pats. Their running backs will be able to easily take hand-off's up the gut for big gains if Garoppolo is in there. Knowing Belicheat, I am sure that he will also be taking some safe, deep shots down the field against the secondary with Gilmore out - just so we can't always stack the box against the run. Now that I think about it, maybe I make it 41-9? Sorry to be a downer, but given that we have never won in Gillette and have nothing to play for except pride, I don't see the Bills doing anything relevant unless they get some breaks on special teams and score on defense. I am sure that BB will have his team ready to get after Orton so I wouldn't be surprised to see Manuel in this game at some point before all is said and done. Whether Orton goes out hurt or just sucks so bad that Marrone puts EJ in for the 2nd half...we will see.

Let's trade 2016's #1 pick to move up and grab him!

This IS Buffalo after all... I can easily see the Sabres tanking intentionally and then falling to 3rd or 4th in the draft & not even getting McDavid or Eichel - wouldn't that be the Buffalo way?

^^ Win.

Like my avatar? I agree with you that anyone that thinks the Bills can run the table must be taking some good drugs. 7-9 is right where I figure they will finish.

100% agree - seven wins is what I see as well.

It's just sad to see such a good defense being over-shadowed by an offense that can't score td's in the red zone. As much as I want this team to succeed, there is no way they can until they fix this horrendous offense and learn how to put teams away when they have them down. And as much as I like Orton's leadership skills, he is certainly not the answer at QB and (unfortunately) not sure EJ is either.

Agree with all ten points...well done! ^ Was it another stat like 3rd down efficiency, or was it Red Zone where they said they were ranked 29th? I assume that both have to be hovering around the same general area.

Have to agree with you there. I kept wondering how they were going to mess this game up. And when it started happening, it was just like deja-vu all over again. The worst part is the Leodis fumble was so reminiscent of the one against New England when we also had a chance to win. I guess the good thing about this is that it isn't nearly as devastating to me anymore...it's just sad and expected. So my temper and blood pressure might thank me later?

Have to agree...Trentative is exactly who I was thinking of today. Captain Checkdown 2.0 did just that today and Watt made him pay dearly. Clearly was a game changer and don't think for one minute that their opponents aren't going to forget that play.

Balloon officially popped. We have again been exposed as a team that can't throw the ball down the field enough so the defense can just stack the box on the run - pretty easy game plan when you can't/don't throw to your receivers Get a good o-line that can protect the QB and our defense is anything but "elite." Definitely looks below average today. Fail.

I have to agree with this. While I wasn't a fan of SJ's showboating and attitude, we just unloaded a veteran guy and put even more future stock in Watkins. I had my doubts on draft night about trading up to get this kid, but I am willing to wait it out and see how this all turns out. He seems to have a decent head on his shoulders (despite the pot incident early in his college career) so maybe they thought Stevie might tarnish his virgin-like qualities? What surprises me is that more people aren't ticked about them moving up and then not taking Mack. To me, he seemed like the "safest" pick in the draft and the thought of having him in a lb corps with Alonso, Spikes, Hughes and Lawson seemed downright scary. Guess they figured we were deep and talented enough at LB to not take Mack despite the fact they just drafted one in Round 3.

At least with the late game, I don't feel as guilty about drinking Crown Royal Manhattans to drown my sorrows. Oh well, at least Denver is up 31-0 on Oakland. So take that New England...no home field advantage for you!