Success

Is Feliciano really done for the season? I hadn't seen that, and nothing came up when I googled except that he's on IR. I feel like the line could be just good enough for a playoff run - ONLY if they're completely healthy, with Brown and Feliciano. Not what you want, but at least there would be a chance if both guys return.

Many have said Allen isn't playing as well and is reverting to "hero ball" sporadically, which is all true. But there are reasons FOR that, that are obvious, imo. He has no time in the pocket, or running game. When the game starts to get away from the Bills, he feels like he has to take it on himself. And he's not necessarily wrong.

I keep waiting for the story on the "players only" meeting. Maybe I missed it. But I agree - they need some kind of spark. They look lost right now.

For me, one of the real losses of the "Brady/BB" era was the diminishing and eventual disappearance of all other rivalries. I feel that most acutely w/ the Phins & Jets, who I can barely muster dislike for anymore. But I used to hate the G-men, and now I love them, for keeping the evil empire from 2 more rings.

If I was a Saints fan, this would not be exciting news for me.

Man, if Ford could pull it together & play w/ some consistency, it would really solve some problems. Here's hoping that he's turning a corner. Outstanding, detailed analysis. Thank you, OP.

Appreciate the response, and I still feel okay about the season. Not as good as I did - but like you said, there are enough games on the schedule that we should be favored in, and if we can just split w/ the Pats, or beat TB, or both - we could be right back in one of the top positions heading into the playoffs. I just feel like the team needs to find its way again. They look disinterested at times, and the penalties/undisciplined play is really costing us. I believe there is such a thing as a "championship winning mentality." We don't have it now - the Colts did yesterday. We can get it back, but I don't think that happens magically. They have to work at it, at all levels.

I smiled at the reference. And I kind of know what you're saying. I thought of another movie yesterday after the game, "Bull Durham." I love the scene where Crash tells the coach to "scare 'em," and he throws all of the bats into the shower and does the whole "lollygag" speech. That's what the team needed yesterday, and I just don't know if McD is that kind of coach. I mean, I get that this analysis is really narrowing what a coach needs to be, but sometimes you have to make it clear to a team that certain play can't be tolerated. We know BB does that, to a micromanaging fault.

I respect that, and it does seem like the short game should be easier. It's kind of like we have it now as a fallback, instead of being designed that way - maybe if we go into a game and that's the gameplan, like the Pats do w/ Jones. But I see the hero ball & lack of help as being intertwined. I think Allen has gone back to more hero ball out of desperation - basically, because there isn't much help out there for him. You can only take so many sacks & have so many 3rd & longs before you start forcing the issue.

I have always said that I only want to go back to the SB if we had the kind of team that could win it (obviously, any team that makes it there can win - but I wouldn't want to be out-matched, and have to rely on luck or a few breaks). Right now, I don't think this is that team. Of course I'd still want to make it if they got on a run, but that week will be much more nerve-wracking. It feels like we will need luck the whole way if we want to be that team that's still there at the end.

Ultimately, the Bills don't have the personnel on the 2021 team that they need to make the adjustments that they really need to make. They need better O-linemen, and they need a better starting RB. Every RB we have is a #2 or #3. They need more creativity to overcome those 2 glaring flaws if they want to contend THIS season. We use McKenzie like this sometimes, but the wideouts need to get involved in the running game more. Throw in more reverses & misdirections. It's gimmicky, but they even need more trick plays. This is chess. Teams have 'figured the Bills out' and play the same cover 2 that they do against TB and KC now. The Bills have to adjust to that and figure out how to make teams pay for that. They have the personnel to find that answer. They have to put it together w/ duct tape & glue until the cavalry can arrive in the form of offseason acquisitions.

Great post! Same here. I love being a Bills fan, despite the ups & downs. It's a big part of who I am, which sounds weird sometimes to non-sports people. I'm all in, and always will be. Hopefully, we all get that ultimate pay-off at some point w/ a SB win, but if it doesn't happen, I'll have no regrets.

To me, 99% of Allen's regression is factors he can't control. Bad protection & run game. Similar issues to last year when he did well - but clearly, defenses have adjusted to who the Bills are. When a D doesn't respect the run game, it gets much harder for a QB.

I'll probably get laughed at, but isn't Antonio Williams still on our practice squad? I felt like he played well when given the chance, and he's a different style of back.

Seems like the make or break of the season. How quickly things turn in the NFL. I have faith that they can do it, and turn this thing around. But I'm ready for anything. Saints are desperate also.

So, cherrypick the bad moves, and leave out the many good ones? No GM bats 1,000, or even close to it.

I was trying to remember the last time I watched a Bills game and thought, "wow - they're not even trying." It felt that way in the 4th yesterday - particularly the defense. There was one drive, I think it was after Allen's 2nd INT: The Colts had a 2nd and 10 from the 11, and Taylor kind of danced through our D to get to the 1. There was a guy who had a chance to tackle him right away, and then every other yard or so. Just half-hearted arm tackles the whole run. They were mailing it in at that point. There is no way they were putting forth even close to full effort. The body language was bad the whole 2nd half. It looks like guys were either sulking or not taking the game seriously - which reflected the comments of one of the Jags defenders after we lost to that team. It's a bad sign when a team quits on a coach, and combined w/ how undisciplined they are w/ all of the penalties, I feel like many of our problems start w/ the coaching staff right now. I'm a huge McD supporter and I'm happy he coaches the Bills - but these are issues that they need to find a way to correct.

So, your mindset is "we're winning the Super Bowl!" ? Got it. Good to know where you're at. This thread is for realistic takes.

I mean, we made the AFCCG last year. So, not for awhile.

That's realistic, and I'd take it. At this point, I just want to get in. 5-2 could change that equation. Maybe we can right the ship.

It's overreaction Sunday. Every Sunday is basically overreaction Sunday. This was the 1st game where the Bills didn't have a chance. Think about that one for a sec - it's Thanksgiving week, and this is the 1st game we didn't have a chance in w/ 2 minutes to play. So, it's not a bad team. We're really just as good as anyone, the way this season is going. We're entering a crucial stretch, and the toughest part of our schedule. I don't think anyone would argue that the Saints game HAS to be a win. If we can't pull it together for that one, it's not the team that any of us thought, or even close to it. From there, I see a split w/ the Pats, a loss to TB, and MUST wins over the Panthers, Falcons and Jets. No room for error on those last 3; we've had our share of mulligans. That, to me, would likely give us the division win, or at least a sure WC. 11-6, if my math is right. That's where we need to be, and where we CAN be if this team gets their edge back.

I feel like Beane has a blind spot. I think he's brilliant - but he miscalculated BADLY on the O-line and RB's. I can see the psychology of that. We have amazing WR's, and an MVP caliber QB (sorry - that's a true story, despite today). He probably thought that would be enough, as long as we had a competent running game & blocking. And from there, he probably talked himself into the idea that the talent in both of those units was, in fact, competent. But it's not. It's November, and every fan of this team is trying to figure out how we can go on a run and make the SB with such glaring flaws in 2 incredibly vital units.

The positives: - Beane nailed the QB decision in that draft. Josh is the best (and please don't bring up today). - Beane ended this team's drought, and in a few years, got the Bills to the AFCCG and made them a SB favorite, at least for one offseason - His drafts and offseason acquisitions are generally very good The negatives: - He KNEW going into this offseason that O-line and RB were major issues. He addressed those areas, but didn't attack them with desperation. They needed to be attacked w/ desperation. It seems like the latter was just a blind spot or something. Or too much wishful thinking about the talent we had.

I think once they made some investments in the line, they wanted to believe & stick w/ those guys. But has anyone in that unit met expectations? I'm not a good evaluator - I just know that the line as a whole is not good. We had high hopes for some of these guys, like Morse & Dawkins. Should we just scrap it and start from scratch? No answers here. The only thing that is 100% is that the O-line has to be the top priority in the offseason.

I mean, if the bolded really panned out, I'd probably seek hypnosis to remove the idea of football from my mind.