Success

We'll have sporadic windows as long as Allen is QB. I'm not sure if the current one is closing or not. But if we get a Lombardi, it's as good as guess as anything that we'll get it w/ a team that none of us expects will go on a run. This year's team was the top favorite, and peaked pretty early. I'd bet that when we do go to the SB, it will be a team like last year - where we're up & down, not getting any huge expectations, and get hot late.

I think most of America now has Mahomes/Burrow as 1a & 1b, and Allen being on top of the "2nd tier" QB's. I don't really care. I'd still take Allen over anyone.

At this point, that's what it's all about for me - the "just one before I die." I think I had grander ambitions last year, but after the last 2 exits, I'm realizing how hard this is gonna be. The AFC is stacked, and will be stacked for most of Allen's career. We just have to break out of there one time.

Good analysis - but I find my hope waning today. Maybe it's just a "day after" thing. But man am I weary. I went through the 4 SB's and all the rest since. Never would have imagined that I was signing up for the history we've had when I became a fan, but that's fandom for ya.

Yesterday was a real eye-opener - but we've seen it ever since Miller went down. The Bengals were missing 3 out of 5 starting O-linemen, and our pass rush was still anemic. They were saying in the post-game how outside of Miller, we don't have 1 guy in the top 40. And we've also seen that many SB champs have this as a strength. Think of the Bucs line from 2 years ago, or the Rams last year. Multiple players who are good or great at getting to the passer. How do the Bills fix this? It feels like they have made every investment they can make - high draft picks, getting the best pass rusher in FA. It's a glaring weakness.

It was pretty easy to see. I've gotta give 'em a pass on that. They're human beings. Buffalo has been to hell & back over the past year.

It was a bad day. The team was emotionally drained, banged up, and the elements didn't help (we're a finesse team, not physical - and the snow exposed that). We do need to become a more physical, tougher team. But McD isn't going anywhere. I'd be fine w/ any changes outside of that.

I'm really struggling. I went from thinking we were the best team in the league for much of the season, to feeling like we're miles behind the "real" contenders. Beyond that, I feel like we're going backwards now. Was that our window? Will we look at 13 seconds as the missed chance? I'm not ready to go that truly dark place yet - but I'm seeing teams that are better coached, and have playmakers everywhere. We said it all year - Josh carries this whole team on his shoulders, every week. Burrow & Mahomes have better coaching, and better teams. I'm just not sure how we get past them.

I'm not that worried about Tre White. Coming back from an ACL is a bigger deal than a lot of fans make it out to be. It's not that unusual for the 1st season back to be less than stellar. We need a bruiser at RB. Cook is a great burst guy, but watching Mixon & basically every other team, it seems like that's what we're really lacking. Allen is our bruiser, and that isn't sustainable. The O-line. So much work to do. Great analysis overall. I'm sure a lot of folks will disagree about the coaching. Personally, I'd be fine if Beane did a hail mary, got Payton & started w/ a whole new crew. But the current crew certainly isn't terrible, and I expect them all back. We need to be tougher, and more physical. Speed/finesse teams can win championships - but need more things to line up to make it happen (like not having bad weather).

We're a speed team - not a physical team. We have to learn to be both. A great team has to be great no matter what the conditions.

I'm a hypocrite, because I started a thread praising McD, which got bumped today. This is McCarthy/Rodgers all over again. The Pack lost out on multiple Super Bowls, while Rodgers made his coaches look good and led them to winning seasons. Winning a SB is a whole different animal. If you go back through history, very few average coaches have won a ring. I think McD has a lot of strengths, but this is 3 years in a row now. Probably won't happen. I think he'll probably be here for the long haul. But it's definitely a fear that this is what we'll get - great regular seasons, and early playoff exits.

We have about a dozen years where we'll likely make the playoffs - maybe miss a year or 2 - and will have chances. But man, it's a bit easy to lose faith at a time like this. We just didn't compete.

That is WHERE THE GAME IS WON. Every time, Especially in the playoffs. Both lines. Keep investing. High draft picks, FA's. That's it. That's all I wanted to say.

Beane needs to build BOTH trenches.

Bengals have been a one-half team ALL season. The Bills keeping it at 10 is huge. Big drive coming up. If they score, the crowd will be rocking. You don't want to be the team that had the big lead, and gave it up - on the road.

Beane seems like a wizard w/ the cap, too. I'm not too worried about being able to maintain contender-caliber rosters. There may be a down year here or there, but I think the window is wide open as long as JA is QB.

I was older. I broke stuff.

Let's check our ages: who remembers when Ferguson trotted out there in the playoffs w/ a bum ankle? I think it was against Cincy, too...

Let's just get to next week. This is a much more beatable KC team than we've seen in the past.

That long pass to Kirk looked okay. Lawrence could take an Allen-like leap next year, imo.

Gotta tip my cap - Kelce is quite good.

Jags going w/ the "hot knife through butter" defense. Bold.

I remember when the Jags upset the 1 seed Broncos decades ago. I think the QB was Brunell - it truly shocked the sports world. They've got this.

I think most of us felt even more pain from the 13 seconds situation after Cincy advanced last year. I was, at that time, POSITIVE that we would have beaten Cincy and made the SB if we had beaten KC and hosted the Bengals the following week. Not much difference this year. These are still basically the same 2 teams. I have a little less confidence this year - but I think it's more because of the Bengals hype. We're the better team, at home, and should win tomorrow.

In case anyone is wondering - YES, the Jags can win this game. Pederson is one of those guys - not consistently good or great as a coach, but definitely a "big game" kind of coach. He'll pull out the stops today. And the Jags are no fluke - the defense is very solid, and they have some great skill players on O.