Success

It doesn't really work that way when a QB as good as Allen is in the division. They got so used to owning the division that it seems like they think once they get back in 1st place, there won't be any looking back & it will be the Brady years all over again. Even if they continue on their current trajectory (still kind of a big if), it's not like the Bills won't challenge for the top spot every year that Allen is here.

Last night reminded me of when we beat them w/ Fitz - I think that was the 6th game of the season. I remember thinking we had turned a corner, and would challenge for the division. Then we crumbled. And like the Pats last night, we really only won because they turned the ball over so much.

Obviously, he had a good game. And the standout "amazing" play was when he was getting dragged down and got it to Diggs. But the hype I've heard today is off the charts. He had a good half - but I thought his big throws were more a product of our defense faltering in that half. The receivers were pretty wide open, and we stopped getting good pressure on him. He didn't throw a TD all night. I still didn't see "elite" out there, and some are already putting him on Allen's level. It seems like some analysts and others want him to be that guy more than he actually is that guy. But we have a proud history of making a lot of QB's look better than they are.

They might lose to the Saints next week. On the question of "did the Pats win, or did the Bills lose?" - we lost. We gave that game away. This isn't denial. They're a mid team. They're not back.

It's funny that we now see this kind of game as a "bad" Allen game. He made some pretty ridiculous plays, and brought us back from another 2 score deficit in the 4th. He made some mistakes, but man is he good. Another fun thing - watching Pats fans celebrate online as wildly as they are. And I mean it -that's a fun thing. Because would you ever have imagined in the 1st couple of decades of this century that they'd feel that way about beating Buffalo in week 5 of an NFL season? The turntables, and all that.

We usually play great the 1st couple of months. We haven't so far. Maybe that's not a bad thing. We'll get 3 key defenders back (not sure on Hairston's timeline, but 2 very soon). We definitely need Hairston to play like a 1st rounder, but if he does, it really solves a lot. Tre is one of my favorite Bills of this era, but he's just too slow now. Tonight was sort of a perfect storm of Diggs playing probably the best game he'll play this season, the Bills uncharacteristically turning the ball over 3x, and the refs doing too many ref things. If we play tonight's game 10x, we likely win 8. As some others are saying - the worst part is that it's the Pats. I was hoping we'd have a lopsided record over them in the Allen era, but they've played us more or less even. Those couple of decades really did a # on me, but it's a process.

I'm a little worried about the division. The Pats schedule is - well, it's somethin'. At minimum, there is a very good chance they take the division lead at some point in the next 6 weeks. We absolutely have to win the rematch, which we should. But we have the Chiefs & Eagles - and they don't.

This is a really good point. I mean, they basically won by a long FG after we turned it over 3x and committed more penalties than I can remember us ever committing. I'm starting to calm down. It's good to put it in perspective.

It just feels like we'll need some luck to actually get a title. I guess you can say that about almost any title team - but it's just more so w/ us. Allen is as good as anyone out there, but the team is just lacking. Always. We don't have the big playmakers that you need on both sides of the ball. I'm reserving full pessimism until we get Hairston & the suspended guys back & see if it makes any kind of dramatic impact. I'm not holding my breath, though. I hate to be so negative. I mean, we MIGHT win it all this year. But we'll need some bounces w/ the way this team is.

Such deja vu. The D got a big stop in the Ravens game - but those are so rare when the game is winding down. In the KC playoff game this past season, you could feel that we weren't going to stop them to get another chance, and it was the same tonight. What I'd give for one of those drought-era defenses that came up big even though we couldn't score at all.

That NE fanbase is so delusional. I'd be excited about the win too if I was them. But the way they talk about it - like once they "reclaim" the division, it's another 20 years or something. Most of them didn't come of age at a time when divisions were actually competitive and teams fought it out, and no one dominated for decades.

It was sort of a Murphy's Law kind of night for us. They had some mistakes too, but we really left the door open for them on a few occasions. I think we get the split, and probably win comfortably next time. But the division is a bigger worry. Their schedule is ridiculously soft.

A couple of plays really turned that game. Most impact was Shakir's PI - we probably get a TD there without that. The next is the non-PI that forced us to kick at the end, instead of taking a 4 point lead. The Pats were playing like everything in their world depended on it. They earned the win, but it wouldn't shock me if they had a tough one w/ the Saints next week. This was a huge game for them.

Hey, lurking Pats fans - "YOU WON YOUR SUPER BOWL." And the only reason I'm saying that is because you couldn't let us enjoy our 3 wins against you in the Brady era without saying exactly that. Though, you are celebrating like you won a title online.

Allen doesn't have the guy. How many times tonight was he absolutely incredible evading defenders & buying time in the pocket? And STILL when he threw it, it was to a guy who was completely covered. Everyone is raving about Maye - and he earned it tonight - but his throws were often to guys who were wide, wide open. That's the difference in a game like this. If we had even one guy who could separate, it's probably a comfy win.

Defense looked better than they have all season. Just need the O to be the O, and limit penalties/mistakes. Glad we have the ball coming out of the half.

Just let Allen sling it. Is that so hard?

I thought that flag on Tre was kinda weak. Good to hold them to a FG. They're really not very good - but we're PLAYING bad.

I usually want more creativity on offense. But I feel like if we just ran the ball, and passed the ball, we'd be up by 11 right now.

I'm retiring from cute.

Man, I just love watching the Bills.

Ah - that makes sense.

Do QB's actually look at the #'s?

Tired of the "Pats are back" hype. Tired of the "Maye is Allen" hype. Tired of the "are the Bills for real" hype. Tired of the hype, tired of the Pats, tired of hot takes. Win this one BIG. Please.

Too tight for me. I'm going 34-16 Bills.