Success

This is it for me. I know a lot of younger Bills fans, and I've been ridiculed a little for my irrational fear of TB - but if we make the big game, I just want to enjoy it w/out all of the baggage, and hearing every day about his record against us & all that. Just normal championship stress is plenty.

I always feel bad for kickers. I know they get paid & all that - but what a lonely job.

That's fair. That was great fight from Motor on that last run - and he does that a lot. It's close w/ both of them, and I'm glad we have 2 guys there who can make big plays.

Elam had some big plays yesterday - but if you watched throughout the game, he was basically blanketing whoever he was covering. Cook is our top RB. I love how Motor plays, but Cook has a better ability to turn nothing into something, and is more of a threat to break it when he gets the ball. Shakir had the drop - but he's an exciting player. He has a 5th gear that our other receivers don't really have, and it seems like they're starting to trust him more & work him more into the offense. Benford is great depth. With JA's contract kicking in, good drafting is going to be the key to sustained success. Beane looks to be up to that challenge, imo.

You may as well ask when we'll turn off America. The dollar rules here. I'm okay w/ it.

JA played great yesterday. I might put the long pass INT on him, though Romo was saying it was more on Brown. The Beasley pass is one we've seen completed many times - that wasn't on JA. Bease also got interfered w/ there. On the fumble, that was just tough all the way around. JA had the quick outlet w/ the RB on the left, but there was no way he could even get into a throwing motion - the defender was on him almost immediately. He has to protect the ball, but pass protection cannot break down that quickly. Otherwise, he made all of the usual JA plays that win us games. No QB in the league I'd rather have.

If we still had Von, I wouldn't be too worried about this game. Cincy has a tough situation w/ that O-line right now. As it is, we should still be able to create a lot of pressure. I don't think Allen really turned into a pumpkin yesterday - the picks really weren't his fault, and the way the rush was on the fumble, he didn't even have time to tuck the ball back in. Obviously, we have to clean up the mistakes, but I don't expect a repeat of yesterday or anything close to it. And I think the Bengals will have challenges stopping both our run game and the pass attack. In a way, I'm glad it worked out this way. I want to see how we match up w/ that team. This will likely be the 1st of many times we'll see them in January.

I hope they continue to make investments in the line. It's such an important aspect of a franchise QB's longevity. I always thought the Pats did a great job w/ that - they'd put more into the line than in skill players. Yesterday was rough, but as others have pointed out, there are some reasons for that which go beyond the line. Still, we're likely going to face another tough pass rush or 2 if we want to win the whole thing.

I was definitely pulling for the Ravens - but in a way, this kind of challenge is more fun. I certainly got VERY tired of the narrative on twitter & elsewhere that "the Bengals were on their way to winning that game" from a few weeks ago. I could only conclude that most of those people haven't watched a full NFL season.

Kind of identical games, in a way - 2 better teams struggling w/ division foes, and getting kind of lucky. I felt like our near miss would be good for us next week - so the same logic applies to Cincy. It will be a battle.

I thought he broke the plane on the long run - I was surprised they didn't review that. Oh, well. The Cincy D will be tired - maybe they can tie it up.

I know millions of people said the same thing about the Bills today - but Cincy is a bit overhyped.

Well, waddaya know? Maybe division games are tough, after all...

Patriots fans are the most bitter "fans who have many championships" that I've ever seen. It's why I'll never envy them. Bitter, petty insecurity is just in the DNA there.

Hodgins is a really good WR - and Danny Jones is making a case to be the starter for the next decade. He's really good.

Oh - one of THESE threads....

We had it today. The Chargers did NOT yesterday. Both games evolved in very similar ways. When it counted, the Bills dug in. And they really did - they stopped Miami before the delay of game, and after. We were all worried, but our D has some real pride. Thompson driving for a TD there was unlikely. I still don't know if this team is VERY tough mentally - but they are tough. They don't fold. Miami got everything that an underdog hopes for today - and we still held.

We'll be playing after January 20th. Any one of us would have taken that 5 years ago, and been pretty stoked about it.

I can't disagree w/ anything in the OP. But, every time we advance, we start from scratch. It would honestly not surprise me if we beat Cincy (if they make it) by multiple scores next week. We're so talented, and explosive at times. We'll give every team a fight.

JA - a few times this year - has reminded me of Houston playoff game JA. But he showed great resiliency today. That drive that culminated w/ the Davis TD was special, and happened when his confidence was at a low ebb. JA is my QB, though thick & thin. There is still no one I'd rather have.

Division game. I'll never get so spoiled w/ this team that I can't smile after a W. It's a more relieved smile today - but it's a smile.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe more relieved - but I'm happy right now.

Let's just take a moment to appreciate that we DO have a playoff team, making these January Sundays fun & still making plays that none of our drought teams could have made. Clean slate next week. We can beat anyone - but we can also (clearly) lose to anyone.

I actually think it will HELP us, which probably sounds weird.

Classic "survive and advance."