Success

Just a quick reaction to the personality/demeanor thing - I heard Allen say in his presser the McD "we have to play more complementary football" line, and my heart kind of sank. The team parroting and taking on the outlook of this HC is not a good thing. I also thought of a memory from the '90s. Bledsoe's Pats were down a score against the Bills with not much time left, and I think it was a crucial 4th down play they had to make, or something like that. There was a lot of confusion on their side, and from what I remember, Bledsoe almost let the clock run down but took a TO just in time. As he was running over to the sideline, Pete Carroll was looking at him and giving a kind of wry smile. I also think of Rollie Massimino during Villanova's title run way back when calling a TO in a key moment and saying something like "who could go for a hot fudge sundae right now?" And then our own Marv Levy w/ "Where else would you rather be?" Most of these players are in their 20's and are pretty impressionable. It really helps if the coach doesn't make everything seem like it's ultra-serious and tries to lighten the tension once in awhile.

I'm ready for anything. My expectations are way down from even a few days ago. If we lose another primetime game, to the Broncos - or the Jets sweep us - or both...it's just not the year. No fighting that, and just something to accept & move on from. I don't think that's the way it will go. I think we win both, and then see what happens w/ the top teams. But, as I said - I'm ready for anything.

I might be projecting some of my own feelings as a longtime fan onto this: but I see a team that looks like it has a 2-ton weight on its shoulders. They look heavy - as you allude to, they are not having fun anymore. I remember that COVID season, it was such a young, optimistic & loose team. Now, they look like me - like they're carrying wide right & the MCM & the drought & 13 seconds around like a ball & chain. Teams like the Jags & Bengals don't look like that. They look more cocky, more confident, and are playing more loose. And we're soft. We shrink under the lights a bit now, and take time to recover when we get punched in the mouth, as we did in the 1st half last night. I like McD, and think he has done a great job turning this team into a contender. But he seems to have hit a ceiling, and I don't see anything I just talked about changing w/ him at the helm. We need someone to come in and fundamentally change the attitude and culture of the team.

It depends how they're playing at that time, and who is healthy. Joseph & Douglas just got here, and I thought both looked pretty solid yesterday. We MAY get Milano or Jones (or both back). And we might just get hot. This team IS good enough to get on a run. There is usually a surprise team or 2 in the playoffs.

We can beat ANYONE on that schedule. The flip side of that is that we can lose to anyone. But I don't think we should be writing off games like the Eagles & Chiefs. We'll be rightful underdogs in those games - but on a good day, we CAN beat any team in the league. I think the Dolphins are weaker than we are. We'll see how things play out. I think that last game will likely be for the division.

We have a bye in between Philly & KC. We kind of have to win ONE of those games. If we can't beat on of the top teams - making the playoffs is pointless.

Coaching, imo. We should be better than last year w/ some of the upgrades. We looked like our old selves against Miami - I thought that was the start of something, but it looks flukey now. The playcalling is generally lacking. It was actually thrilling to see the one trick play yesterday, even though it didn't work. I feel like our scheme is predictable and easy to gameplan against. It's almost vanilla/preseason at times.

We missed Knox yesterday. He is both a bit overpaid, and also underrated (on here). Cincy has a tougher time covering TE's, and he probably would have given us a boost yesterday.

I was so stoked when we got Von - but that contract is really hurting us now. We could have gotten Adams, we could have gotten Hopkins. Take your pick. Miller is contributing absolutely nothing on the field right now, and a real #2 receiver would have had us in a much better position for the stretch run. I hope Von CAN make it back - but right now, it's looking like that move set us back.

I remember how low this felt, and Pats fans ALL telling us the ol' 'thanks for keeping our place at the top of the division warm' stuff. The title-winning teams have almost always been the ones that got hot later in the year. I hope this team has a run in them - it's hard to predict, and I genuinely think things could go either way. But the way this team is, it wouldn't shock me a bit to see them catch some fire and beat even the Eagles & Chiefs.

The OP is right, and I appreciate this. My issue is that I saw this 2023 team as the best that Beane has put together. He filled most of the holes, and we looked so strong for a stretch after the Jets debacle. Obviously, the injuries hurt. But I also overrated how good we were/are. This just doesn't look like our year. The Chiefs have the best coach in the league right now (imo) - and they were also built better out of the gate. I believe they will have some down years, though. Even this year could have been if their division was tougher. Kelce really keeps that offense going right now.

Yeah - I noted that play. Philly did the same as we would have in the Dallas game. I give Taylor credit for playing to WIN.

That's fair. And I hate it when opposing fans do that. But, if Kincaid doesn't fumble, it's at least a 50/50 kind of game. Reading the discussion here, it feels like the Bills got blown out. And I felt that way too - but I realize that's just because of the 1st half. We found some footing in the 2nd half and came back well in that game. I don't think there was a point where we outplayed Cincy, but the 2nd half was more what I expected. 2 pretty evenly matched teams.

We probably win if not for Kincaid's fumble (which I don't blame him for - great play by the defender)

I 100% do not believe in jinxes.

JA's play wasn't the issue yesterday.

I started the post saying the Bengals are a great team, and could absolutely beat us. But happy to provide you w/ a "told ya so" opportunity.

Been through too many drought years to give up on THIS season. We're one game back in the division to a team that's a bigger pretender than we are. We can still pull out the division, imo - thought I'd admit it's an uphill climb. From there, who knows. We are NOT as good as some of the other teams in the AFC this year. But as we all know - it's not always the best team that wins in the end. It's the team that gets hot at the end.

And here I thought I was the most positive here. The OP found more hope than I can tonight. I appreciate it. There is a scenario where we can get back on track. But I can't give them that benefit of the doubt right now. I don't even know who this team is at the moment.

I wish I could quit this team. So much heartbreak & disappointment. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Allen is a great QB, but it's not enough in a conference FULL of great QB's. We are currently an afterthought in this AFC. After 13 seconds, I really assumed we'd be trading titles w/ KC.

My expectations for the rest of my time as a Bills fan are altered. This one was tough.

This is depressing. I have to talk myself into the fact that we "should" beat the Broncos & Jets, even though we could easily lose to one. I have to talk myself into the idea that we could beat 1 of the Eagles or Chiefs. I have to convince myself that we can put a December/January run together. And all that, just to get a mid to low seed, so we'll have to win at LEAST 2 on the road in the playoffs, if not all 3.

Yeah - figured this thread would be an easy one after this game. Check the 1st line. And we did overhype them. But I overhyped the Bills.

The only positive I can take from this game is that they hung in. Honestly, the way it was played - the Bengals were dominant, and should have won by 3 scores. The players kept fighting. The coaching was as bad as I've seen since the drought.

To be fair to the D - they have done really well in the 2nd half. The offense? I just don't get it. Yeah, there is the fumble on a good drive. But 10 points? Cincy's D isn't elite - they're good, but not elite.