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They looked like they belonged on the field tonight physically speaking (I'll stay out of the ridiculous post game thread) which is a marked difference from the playoff game last year. So I am disappointed but encouraged. Tough to go to a real contender's place in prime time (who needed a win badly) and pull one off. Although I still think we can go to KC and win. 5-4 sucks but it is what it is.

This is a 40/60 to win game for the Bills as I see it, going on the road against a hot team and QB who handled us last season. The Bills CAN pull it off, but will have to win the LOS on at least one side of the ball and Josh needs to play really well. I'll be disappointed if they lose but if they look like they belong on the field out there I'll be encouraged that we can still make a run and peak toward the end of the season. A win would put me in a COMPLETELY other place mentally and confidence for the season would be high here on out.

Good post @Simon, and I agree... To add, I think they've realized this back to the off season. The interior O-line adds and development of a running game have been good adds that should help at the end of the year and in the playoffs vs. tough, physical teams like the Bengals. I think the 3 recent additions will certainly help as we go as well, but I am concerned with how much they'll be able to add tonight. I wish we had one more week, especially for Douglass to pick up the disguised looks and terminology. It also sucks that Daquon Jones has been out for both the playoff game and today.

Yeah I haven't seen anything either. Maybe @HappyDays knows something :). Beyond that, I think the "soon" was a false account, as some here have pointed out.

We still don't know if there was ligament damage to go with Milano's fracture, or do we? It would certainly make a potential difference in rehab time.

...to take it further, that ankle has been injured since training camp. (there were reports on it at the time) They keep these things on the DL where they can, this isn't unprecedented. How many times do we get to the end of a season to hear "So and so was playing all year with a partially torn ________"?

Certainly not obvious that the Bills tried to trade him. Keep trying to develop him while he's on his rookie deal. We know the talent and physical skills are there. Wait and see. Doesn't hurt anything.

LOL maybe. We'll see how it pans out!

He is and has been a starter people. Seriously, watch other games and teams before making your claims. He is 100% for sure better than Dane, and likely Benford too. Might take a couple games to integrate to our system.

no

I got one too Lol

It has been explained on here before (Hoofhearted for example) but the Shotgun runs that many are yelling at the wind about is a big part of our successful read-option (RPO) game. Sure, it hasn't always worked, especially on the goal line, but overall it HAS worked. The shortsighted takes over and over and over without learning anything about the game are so muich fun to read through though!

That pass rating against stat some sources use is 100% subjective outside of in one on one man coverage situations. There, I put it nicely.

Hopkins is the only one that makes sense to me as well on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, I could see us acquiring a DT or LB, but IDK... it still seems most likely that we will acquire no one (not saying that would be my choice).

All but one, maybe two of Gabe's catches the other night were hands catches, plucks out of the air, previous history not withstanding. Give credit where credit is due, even if its just for one game. Everyone has already heard umpteen million times about his poor hands. All of both Gabe and Kalil’s catches are displayed here- Hard working players actually can improve on occasion too ( I know some don’t seem to agree with this), so there is hope, atleast while we have them and can afford them.

Bills have been much improved in RAC all season long. Normally, they are between 29 and 32nd in RAC each season. Not the case this year.

LOL Chris has got to ease off on the "Try Hard" a bit.

Exactly.... Which is also why catches per target is kind of an empty stat. Catches per targets that are catch-able would be much more of a telling stat with regard to the reliability of a receiver.

OMG did he really say that?

Yes...That. Plus lets freakin' face it.... Those 4th down and drive extending penalties at the end were a pile of BS. McD even calls them out in his very subtle way in his post game presser, which he almost never does. We and all those around us in the stadium could not believe what was going on out there toward the end! I don't pay attention to spreads very often but what was it for this game? Because that final "TD Drive" for the Bucs was some BS. I try my damnedest to avoid mentioning flags as a reason for a loss, but since this was a win, those refs can suck it! They were awful in the end. Closest I've ever come to thinking a game I witnessed live was officiated in a biased, intentional manner.

I think I love you (in a totally platonic way of course), and your takes in this thread. EXTREMELY refreshing. We need more folks like you.

This would be the 1st I've heard of a guy costing more on the cap because he's injured

I didn't see any such discussions on here yesterday unfortunately. It's been all the typical yelling from the mountain tops with unfounded takes and generalities, and lots of the posters who only come out in times like these from under their bridges, trying to claim their victory in saying that we were going to suck 3 months ago. YAY. This is the general summary that my family and I discussed after the game, because my brother was unable to watch it as well like you: - Josh threw a gift INT on our first play on offense. Starred down the WR and didn't see the DB peeling off of his underneath target to follow Josh's eyes. That cost us 7 pts. - The offensive line couldn't pass protect to save their lives in the 1st quarter, and into the 2nd. That issue was present in the 2nd half as well, but not as prevalent. - The D in the 1st half was solid but unspectacular. Slowly, over the course of the game, they tired and were taken further advantage of. The Interior D-line play was awful with both backups in there, and Ford. - Josh missed on some key medium and deep medium throws as the game went along, but mostly got himself back in order and played well overall. - Cook and Kincaid were excellent all game long (They went away from Cook a bit more once they were down 22-10, understandably). - In the 2nd half, the offense finally got going and climbed all the way back in the game and took the lead. Key contributors there were Diggs, Kincaid, Shakir on a cpl plays, Murray on a cpl as well. Through that all though, Bass missed another FG and Knox dropped a key 4th and 2 pass that was right there for him... - While the D was tiring and our blitzes weren't getting home, they still managed to force a fumble (Poyer) to secure the ball for the offense and the lead. - The Pats had the ball last, and took it right down the field methodically with little resistance and punched it in with the TD to Gesicki for the win.

Seriously... No meat to that claim whatsoever when the Bills have blown out more teams that they are "Supposed to beat" than any other team in football since 2020.