Rocky Landing

Up for grabs??? https://www.nfl.com/news/afc-east-torch-up-for-grabs-with-patriots-sputtering

That's having Cam Newton as your QB. This is just my opinion, but part of the genius of Belichick* is risk management-- risk vs. reward. The risk of the onside kick was giving the Bills good field position-- but only by about 15-20 yards. Belichick knows the Bills offense, and knows that if they get into a groove, they can compensate for field position quickly. But, even if the Bills take advantage (as they did) it also gets the Pats* offense back on the field that much quicker. But, regarding the field goal, you have to assume the end of the half, with 12 seconds on the clock, and knowing Newton's proclivities, Belichick* felt going for third and long was too likely to result in leaving points on the field rather than getting the TD, and that not leaving points on the field was the more important outcome. And giving Newton 12 seconds to screw things up was too risky for the moment. Sure, it all seems a bit desperate, but you can't argue with the results-- three points, and a stupid Newton fumble from a tie game, with clearly inferior talent.

In all fairness, these are the sort of decisions that easily could have swung the game in their favor. Belichick was trying to win a game against a superior team, and he came frighteningly close. You don't win such games by playing it safe.

The deep shots are important for all the plays that come after. As the Bills play calling goes for short yardage throws, and runs, the defense starts to tighten the field, bringing the pressure closer to the line of scrimmage. The deep shots, even if they're unsuccessful, will "keep the defense honest," as they say, and force them to respect the deep threat. It takes pressure off the run game, and short yardage plays-- crossing routes, slants, etc-- that ultimately win the game.

Sorry, but Josh Allen ain't no Cam Newton.

IDK, I feel like we "should" have beat the Titans. A lot of poor execution that game.

I've been right about a few things this season, and wrong about a lot more. When we signed Klein, I went and watched several of his games with the Saints last season. What I saw was a low-motor guy who spent a lot of time waiting for the play to come to him, and was slow to get after it when he did go for it. I'm sorry to have been right about that. In a way, he reminds me a bit of Trent Murphy, in that once, or twice a game he will make a decent play. With Murphy, though, it's really a matter of poor execution. Klein looks disinterested half the time. He's a bum. But, I'm very happy to have been wrong about Feliciano, and Moss. I really didn't think Moss was going to amount to much, and nothing he did in the first five games, or so did anything to assuage my concerns. But, he really did emerge today. Today it finally looked like we have that one-two punch that everyone else has predicted. Nice. And, man was I wrong about Feliciano. All the way up until last week, I really didn't think he offered more than what we had in Spain/Ford, or Ford/Winters. I even thought that Boettger would work out his kinks, and settle in to being a decent option at G (I still think he might). But, man, Mongo showed his value today. I truly don't believe that Moss would have made that TD with anyone else out there. Especially impressive to me was how well he transitioned to C, and was still just as effective in his blocks, especially in the run game. Wow.

Considering his concussion history, you may be right. Certainly, considering his concussion history, he'll be in concussion protocol for longer-- perhaps to IR.

My guess: Highly unlikely.

IMO, we need a decent LB more than anything else. After that, I would put equal standing to: Another decent LB Tight end Edge Before today's game, I would have said RB. But, I think I was wrong about Moss.

This thread has been moderator-tagged for [Name Only Title]. But, I don't think there is a single person entering this thread who doesn't know exactly what it is about.

I guess this is as good a thread to post my opinion on the coaching as any-- I was very impressed with the majority of Daboll's play calling, and for the second week in a row, I was impressed with his halftime adjustments. IMO, his halftime adjustments have, up until now, been one of the weakest aspects of his offensive coordinating. Our offense looked complete, today. In both halves. And, I really don't have any complaints regarding our defensive play calling, either. Whether it was McD, or Frazier making the calls, we were especially good at scheme for third downs. There were a few times during the game where I looked at my son and said, "that was a good defensive play call." Given the struggles we are experiencing on defense-- really in every defensive unit-- I am impressed with how well McD/Frazier has built a schema that does the most with what we have. Frankly, I think it's going to take Beane getting us a couple good signings before the deadline Tuesday to fix this defense. Kinda doubt that's going to happen. But, in answer to the OP, and the ridiculous premise of this thread, we won against what most analysts consider to be the best coach in the history of the NFL. And, in the final minute of the game, we did it on defense. You'd have to be insane to want to fire the coaching staff because of this win.

I was born and raised in Rochester, and yeah, my life sure is different living here. In all honesty, I would love to move back, and I'm trying to plan it. Tough with my career, though.

I was going to make a joke that the wind might have a 50/50 chance of correcting Newton's passes.

The 20mph windspeed is just the prediction of the prevailing wind. That prediction doesn't account for wind gusts. Here's a site that I use in Los Angeles for sailing, and it's generally (at least, for LA) the most accurate I've found. it has the winds gusting to 36mph, and with rain? That's pretty brutal. https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/buffalo

In one aspect, it may actually have taken some pressure off Mayfield. I don't remember which game it was, but earlier this season, I remember a shot of Mayfield on the sideline with Beckham, and Landry, and you could tell he was trying to deescalate the conversation. At the time, my thought was that he looked like a babysitter trying to keep a couple of spoiled kids calm. The Browns may not be better without Beckham, and I'm sure Mayfield will miss having one of his playmakers, but I could certainly imagine that somewhere in the back of Mayfield's head he may have breathed a sigh of relief.

New York football is great. It's the New Jersey football that's miserable. That's pretty good, though. "Free comedy..." 20mph winds? ugh... That works against us.

Is this a rhetorical question?

How do you expect us "die hard homers" to go about "not tolerating" two losses to the Pats*? Should we write strongly-worded letters?

Was Belichick* always this loquacious? I feel like he didn't used to be? I feel like in years past I remember him saying almost nothing during press conferences other than boilerplate cliche's imbued with a monotone that just seethed with disdain for the assembled press. Could it be that he finds himself feeling like he needs to prove that he's the smartest person in the room? Just conjecture.

I do believe he's been a leader. I believe he's the longest tenured player on the team.

I have yet to find a football fan forum that comes close to the page counts of TBD.

Holy smokes! Y'all should see what you get in Los Angeles for $750,000 bucks!

I feel like a shoutout needs to go to coaching. I honestly believe this is the first time I have seen the Bills under McD/Daboll/Frazier make proper adjustments at halftime in both offense, and defense.

Poor Kroft had nothing but open road in front of him.