oldmanfan

We’ll make the playoffs but will lose to a team like the Colts who can physically dominate us.

Quit might be a little strong. But I get your point.

Not if you watched them. We dominated teams physically back then. Football has always been and will always be about physically defeating the guy in front of you. And that demands being tough. Try reading. I said we all loved those SB teams. But that does not mean we ignore we lost 4 times because we got dominated.

Apologies to Big Cass of wrestling fame for borrowing his tag line. But as much as I think Beane and McD deserve credit for putting together a team that got to the AFC championship game, they have put together a team that will have trouble winning it all in my beloved home town. Correction: won’t win. Because it’s a soft team. Back in the heyday of the AFL and the 2 championships, we were tough. We had Cookie and Billy Joe and Wray Carleton, and guys up front like Billy Shaw. We exerted our will. And on D guys like Sestak and Dunaway and Jacobs and Stratton were tough. They exerted their will. They were tough. We all love our Super Bowl teams, we all love Bruce and Jimbo and Thurman. But they were soft teams. In each of the SB losses we ultimately got pounded by the other team’s offense, and our offense as electric as it was couldn’t match the defensive intensity and toughness of the opposition. I fear we’re revisiting the SB years and then some. We are way too soft. Way, way too soft. In the losses this year our O line got shoved around. They were not a physical match for the opposition, and as a result no run game and Josh got pressured all day. And our D line? Any team with a solid running game is going to beat us without Star (and I won’t comment on that as much as I’d love to). People laughed around draft time when I said I wanted them to draft a big fat tub of goo for the D line. But they didn’t, and as a result Oliver and the rest of the D line isn’t as effective. Credit to the Colts but at some point don’t the upfront guys have to summon some pride? Brandon, Sean, I implore you. Get back to our halcyon days of ‘64 and ‘65. Demand toughness. If the guys you have won’t or can’t get tough, get guys who will. Get a big RB that’s tough. Get linemen that can physically compete with the guys across from them. Tony Dungy just said it on NBC: you cannot win games in Buffalo this time of year if you cannot run the ball. Tony knows it. Lou Saban knew it, knew the value of toughness. And the guys coaching against us right now know it, and know they can beat us. Because they’re tough. And we’re soft.

It’s simple. Have said it after each loss this year. The guys on their lines today were simply physically stronger than our guys. Our defensive front got shoved backward all day, and our O line gets pushed back or stood up far too often. I don’t care about teaching blocking techniques, schemes, whatever. When the guy across from you just kicks your ass because he’s stronger you’re dead.

The defense has no pride or self-respect.

A pathetic defensive performance

3 and out. Brilliant.

Defense has to be embarrassed.

They are simply stronger up front. Shove our D line around like they’re pee wee players.

I give up

Does this D have any pride?

They have to change something on D now.

My daughter is there watching her first game ever at the Ralph and we are going to be embarrassed.

You and Brownnand Star need to accept things like facts and science.

No he’s right. It’s a team sport and they let their team down.

We can’t stop the run. Wonder why?

I really hope Brown and Star are feeling good about themselves because their absence has already hurt their team.

We get dominated in the run game because Star is an idiot.

Thanks Star. Hope you’re happy.

Ok boys, let’s matriculate the ball down the field!

Brown. His absence is going to cost us.

I said before the season started we will not win the Lombardi because of Covid and having players miss games because they would not obey protocols and logic. Unfortunately this seems like it will be the case. If we lose to the Colts and/or Saints because of our O line issues, or because we are weaker in the run game because Star is out against Taylor on Sunday, we could not just lose a shot at home field but at the division given how the Patriots are playing. I hope the players who miss games through no choice but their own are proud.

It's possible Ford plays at RT. They have to know he's not strong enough at the point of attack to play RG.

The rules are the rules and by not following them you put your team in more jeopardy. If you foolishly decide against vaccination you put your team in more jeopardy, not to mention the obvious positive benefits. I think they'll play Douglas at RT and leave Williams at RG. They can't play Ford, they know that.