BigDingus

Just out of curiosity, I looked up the past 27 Cowboys Thanksgiving games: 2018: Cowboys 31, Redskins 23 (Divisional Rivalry, Tons of History) 2017: LA Chargers 28, Cowboys 6 (1st Thanksgiving game since moving back to LA) 2016: Cowboys 31, Redskins 26 (See above) 2015: Panthers 33, Cowboys 14 (Panthers 1st Thanksgiving game ever) 2014: Eagles 33, Cowboys 10 (Divisional Rivalry, Tons of History) 2013: Cowboys 31, Raiders 24 (Raiders have a huge national fanbase too) 2012: Redskins 38, Cowboys 31 2011: Cowboys 20, Dolphins 19 2010: Saints 30, Cowboys 27 2009: Cowboys 24, Raiders 7 2008: Cowboys 34, Seahawks 9 2007: Cowboys 34, NY Jets 3 2006: Cowboys 38, Buccaneers 10 2005: Broncos 24, Cowboys 21 (OT) 2004: Cowboys 21, Bears 7 2003: Dolphins 40, Cowboys 21 2002: Cowboys 27, Redskins 20 2001: Broncos 26, Cowboys 24 2000: Vikings 27, Cowboys 15 1999: Cowboys 20, Dolphins 0 1998: Vikings 46, Cowboys 36 1997: Oilers 27, Cowboys 14 1996: Redskins 10, Cowboys 21 1995: Cowboys 24, Chiefs 12 1994: Cowboys 42, Packers 31 (Bills lost to the Lions 21 to 35 on this Thanksgiving too) 1993: Dolphins 16, Cowboys 14 1992: Cowboys 30, NY Giants 3 Some big games, some duds, but nothing that particularly points to why THIS game had such massive ratings. Interesting to see they've played the Dolphins 4 times, tied with the Redskins for most games as the Cowboys opponents during that stretch. Guess the nation is just more interested in the Bills than the either of them

I could go into great detail what I don't like about his game, but as I've said all year I'll keep my mouth shut once we beat a team with a winning record, and when he plays well for a full 4 quarters just once. He played well for a full 4 quarters against the Dolphins in game 2, and now he beat the Cowboys on the road in prime time. That's proof of development, which is all I wanted to see. So for the time being, no need to crap on the parade, rather just be proud of the team & hope for the best next week.

The curiosity factor could definitely be it, but on the Cowboys side of things it feels weird since they ALWAYS play Thanksgiving. But for whatever reason, out of the last 27 Thanksgiving games the Cowboys have played, facing the Bills ended up drawing the most interest. That's just strange to me, but pretty cool at the same time. If anything, this should certainly guarantee us more prime time games next year. Bills are now officially a draw & ratings magnet ?

Just read an interesting stat. The Bills are 11-0 when Josh Allen's completion percentage is 60% or higher. That's it, just 60% and we win. That'll be something to pay attention to going forward for sure.

And most watched non-Super Bowl game on any network period the past 3 years. https://deadline.com/2019/11/buffalo-bills-dallas-cowboys-thanksgiving-day-game-most-watched-27-years-cbs-sports-1202797442/ 32.538 million viewers on average, with a peak of 35.453 million viewers. It was also the most watched TV program, sports or otherwise, since the Super Bowl in February. That's pretty incredible. Makes me curious as to why THIS specific game had such huge interest. Maybe a lot of closet Bills fans decided to check in & see if we were legit? Is the bandwagon about to get going again? Time will tell!

That's the opposite that I'm getting. I'm seeing so much praise heaped upon the Bills it's insane. They're acting like we just beat a world beater of a team. "Bills win biggest since the Kelly Era" - https://www.yahoo.com/sports/bills-win-over-cowboys-could-biggest-since-kelly-215521636--nfl.html "Bills dismantled Cowboys in front of largest TV audience since the Super Bowl" - https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2019/11/29/buffalo-bills-vs-dallas-cowboys-most-watched-on-tv-since-super-bowl/4333393002/ "Bills players mock Cowboys' signature celebrations after dominating in Dallas" - https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bills-players-mock-cowboys-signature-celebrations-after-dominating-in-dallas/ "The Buffalo Bills are winning the AFC East, says ESPN's Ariel Helwani - https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/2019/11/the-buffalo-bills-are-winning-the-afc-east-says-espns-ariel-helwani.html "Josh Allen dismantles Dallas, Buffalo stymies Dak Prescott in convincing win" - https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bills-at-cowboys-final-score-josh-allen-dismantles-dallas-buffalo-stymies-dak-prescott-in-convincing-win/live/ "Buffalo Bills' Cole Beasley has best showing of season in 1st game back in Dallas" - https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28185529/buffalo-bills-cole-beasley-best-showing-season-1st-game-back-dallas All Bills Twitter/Stats roundup (Bleacher Report) - https://bleacherreport.com/buffalo-bills "Bills take control of AFC wild-card race with win over Cowboys" - https://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/33963/bills-take-control-of-afc-wild-card-race-with-win-over-cowboys I mean there's a ton more, from small clips of TV discussion to Twitter reactions from pros & "experts," to articles from every publication... I haven't been able to escape the overflow of Bills praise from the media lately. Of course, there's a ton of people crapping on the Cowboys, but nobody is taking anything away from the Bills or saying the Bills didn't prove they were a top team.

I dunno, is Zay Jones still a bust? A lot of people claimed he was a bust his rookie year, but others argued he would be fine, it was just adjusting to the NFL and needed a couple years. Now that those years have passed, how I'm guessing he's killing it now? Point being, giving these guys more time doesn't necessarily change anything. Some players you can tell when they're rookies, others need that time. Aaron Maybin was a bust right away, Oliver could go either way. We don't now yet, but pointing to a game or 2 for either side of the argument doesn't make sense.

This offense must be cursed. How many times can you get into great field position only to move backwards??? There's gotta be something mentally preventing them from being successful. There's no way you can be so consistent in negative plays/penalties everytime you're threatening success.

Two turnovers in a row. Can't say we're a good team if we come away with 0. The offense needs to pull its weight, not go 3 and out, settling for 50+ yard field goals. But of course we're, going backwards to start each drive.

And this is why your QB needs to be able to throw for 300+ yards. If the opposing offense is going to score at will, you'll need to respond. If we get behind by double digits early, we can't go out there and do nothing drive after drive with no sense of urgency. That's what Tyrod did, and it ensured we lost those games.

He had 2 great years, so can't be a "one year" wonder. Having one down season after 2 great ones doesn't mean he's exposed. If anything Goff's limitations are being exposed more than Mcvay. Gurley's been banged up throughout the year, and Kupp has been injured off & on too, combine that with playing in the toughest division in the NFL it's not surprising they took a step back. But considering they still have a winning record, can't say he's washed up or anything. 3 years & 3 winning records when the Rams were a complete disaster for years prior to his arrival still says he's a good coach.

Concern regarding making the playoffs - 4 Concern regarding how we finish the last 5 games - 8 Just don't want to see us lose against ever decent team left on the schedule. Just win 1 or 2 of those, that's it. I'd rather us beat the Steelers & lose to the Jets, not for the playoff spot but just to say we beat a team with a winning record.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28157571/barnwell-2019-all-underrated-team-picking-24-nfl-players-tannehill-judon Wide receiver: John Brown, Buffalo Bills Brown has a well-earned reputation as a downfield burner from his time in Arizona, but when the Bills signed Brown away from the Ravens on a three-year, $27 million deal, it was to serve as Buffalo's primary wideout. In 2019, he has proved that he can be more than just a deep threat. It's telling that Josh Allen's 34-yard touchdown pass to Brown past Chris Harris Jr. on Sunday was Allen's first completion in 16 attempts on a pass traveling 30 or more yards in the air in 2019. That's not a criticism. Allen and Brown have been able to form a productive relationship without having to rely on desperate heaves downfield, with both maturing in the intermediate game. Brown has caught 36 passes thrown between 5 and 15 yards in the air, which ranks ninth in the league alongside superstars such as DeAndre Hopkins (37), Keenan Allen (36), Amari Cooper (34) and Julio Jones (30). The 29-year-old is being targeted on just under 25% of the routes he runs, which is right in line with guys such as Cooper (24.6%) and Allen Robinson (also 24.6%). The field-stretching ability finally showed up on Sunday, and given Allen's arm and Brown's legs, I doubt it will be the last long touchdown for the Pittsburg State product. The Bills hoped Brown would become a No. 1. Their hopes were answered. Cornerback: Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills We've all come to a conclusion that Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback in football. I'm not going to disagree, especially after he erased Amari Cooper from existence during Sunday's win over the Cowboys. If we're trying to pick the second-best cornerback in football, though, you could do a lot worse than White, who repeatedly doesn't get the attention he deserves while anchoring one of the league's best defenses. While Gilmore was locking down Cooper, White was the one shutting down Courtland Sutton for 27 yards on eight targets, despite giving up five inches to the Broncos standout. The Bills don't always have White shadow the opposing team's No. 1 wideout, but he has helped shut down those guys. Opposing No. 1s have caught an average of just four passes for 53 yards against the Bills this season, and the only top wideout to catch a touchdown pass was DeVante Parker, who caught the touchdown when White wasn't covering him. Like Gilmore, the Bills have built their defense around encouraging opposing quarterbacks to challenge their best corner, with White the closest defender in coverage 65 times already this season. White has allowed a passer rating of just 43.1 on those throws, the fourth-best mark in football. He's a superstar. * * * * I think Matt Milano deserves a nod too, but I'm probably a bit biased It's also crazy to think about how good this defense could've been had we been able to keep Stephon Gilmore. That would've been a nightmare for opposing defenses. Really hope we don't let White go once his contract is up.

If we can beat at least ONE of those teams, being one & done in the playoffs will still feel special. But if we close out the season going 1-4, losing to every team with a winning record to back into the playoffs, it'll definitely prove all the doubters right about this team. I'd rather make it to the playoffs than not, but how can anyone feel good about a team that literally cannot beat a single good team all year? It's not like the Steelers, Cowboys or Eagles are even "good" necessarily either, they're simply not AWFUL trainwrecks like the Dolphins x2, Jets x2, Bengals, Redskins, Broncos, Giants etc. But hey, we can at least point to the Titans as a team with a winning record that we've beaten after yesterday! Even though we beat them when they were 2-2 & starting Mariotta, they've gone 4-1 since starting Tannehill. They're now 6-5 on the year, so we officially have one win against a winning team! YAY!?

There's still a LOT that needs to improve, I don't know how anyone can say otherwise. Winning by 17 points when your opponent scores only 3 isn't a testament to the offense this week, it's a testament to the defense. The offense had such amazing starting field position so many times throughout this game, yet wouldn't go anywhere with it. They also couldn't capitalize in the redzone, often going backwards instead of putting up any real threat of scoring TD's. If the offense was "figured out," they sure didn't look like it yesterday. When you consistently start around the 40 yard line (or in opponent's territory) and keep coming away having to punt, it's a sign there's a LOT of work to be done. If you think this means the Bills have escaped the "scrape by crappy opponents" by putting up a whopping 20 points against a 3-8 team and 37 points against a 2-9 team then I'm happy for you. But if we're going to use those teams as measuring sticks, I guess the Jets are even more dominant having beat the 6-5 Raiders by 31 points and the 2-9 Redskins by 17 points (we only beat them by 16!) The Browns also just blew out the Dolphins 41 to 24... I thought everyone was saying Baker Mayfield was trash? But since we're now claiming scoring 20 points against the Broncos & 37 against the Dolphins means we've arrived, I guess Mayfield & Darnold have arrived too! At least both of them have beaten teams with winning records.

Trust me, I totally agree with you on YouTube related sports & Bills content, but discovered this guy during the offseason and now myself and a couple friends grew attached to his brand of humor & news. He's an unashamed Broncos homer, but CONSTANTLY goes to bat for the Bills & covers the fans and now I'm even watching his random news videos throughout the week. Here's his recap video for the early games yesterday (skipped to the Bills part) - The fact he barely even spoke about it made me laugh. That's the smallest amount of time he gave to the Bills or Broncos for anything this year, you can just tell how pissed he was. Anyway, I'd just recommend giving his videos a couple more views & seeing if they click with you. I really enjoy him, and like you, don't follow any Bills related/sports related stuff on YouTube at all. Also, here's his offseason Bills breakdown that got me interested in the first place:

I've been following this guy's videos for quite a while, he's a huge Broncos fan but covers the rest of the NFL. He frequently discusses the Bills too, as he loves Bills fans & their tailgating. He's a funny guy, figured I'd share in case anyone else was interested. He's definitely not your typical wannabe sports analyst, doesn't take himself seriously, and I honestly enjoy watching his videos more than traditional outlets recently. Figured I'd share this one for anyone who wants a laugh, and maybe you'll end up following his stuff too. He talks about the Bills enough, so couldn't hurt

The media HAS pointed out their soft schedule, many, many times. Maybe you just haven't been looking at Cowboys coverage... Also, I think it's pretty obvious why they're getting a lot of attention, and it's not just "media bias." Anyway, our schedule is still easier in comparison. Second, their offense is #1 in the league, and Prescott is playing like a true franchise QB. Lastly, even though our record is better, we haven't looked nearly as good in our wins as the Cowboys have in theirs. If we played like we did last week against the Dolphins all year, we'd be getting talked about just as much (especially if Allen was playing like Dak). I know we all hate the Cowboys, but their offense has looked great most of the year. Dak has hit the point where he can put the team on his back & carry the team himself, which is a huge sign that he's cementing himself as a true franchise guy. He's thrown for 400+ yards 3 x times (and threw for 397 another game), and that will get attention regardless of who it is against. Even if he is just beating up on lower teams, it's something many other QB's including Allen have shown they can't do yet, regardless of opponent.

Pitt is playing very well, and they've won 4 out of 5 already. After Ben went down in game 1, here's what their losses look like: Lost by 2 points against the currently 8-2 Seahawks Lost by 4 points against the currently 9-1 49ers (@ San Fran) Lost by 3 points against the currently 8-2 Ravens Lost by 14 points against the currently 4-6 Browns (@ Cleveland) So aside from last week's against the Browns, they've lost by an average of 3 points against 3 teams with a combined 25-5 record. That's without Big Ben. Their remaining schedule is: @ Bengals (0-10) Browns (4-6) @ Cardinals (3-7-1) Bills (7-3) @ Jets (3-7) @ Ravens (8-2) I don't see why people are so convinced the Steelers can't win out, or at least win 5 out of 6. Their chances are certainly better than ours for doing that. If they were playing the Ravens earlier it might change things up, but considering the Ravens will likely be resting starters week 17. Winning 9 of 11 wouldn't be that shocking, not at all. After their game 1 blowout, they had some very close losses to the best teams in the league. Since then, they've won everything aside from the Browns (which we also lost). So discounting their ability to win the rest of their games is weird to me.

Donovan McNabb, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and even current players like Russell Wilson, DeShaun Watson & Lamar Jackson I'd put over most of those names.

But apparently we still need a #1 receiver... People won't be convinced we have a #1 WR until we get one who is doing minute long endzone celebrations, posting hundreds of nonsensical things on Twitter, and won't shut up to the press. Once he's officially pissing off our own locker room, only then can we say the Bills have a "true" #1 receiver!

I think he's in the 16-20 range, but putting him in the same category as Garapollo feels weird. I've watched quite a few 49ers games this year, and Garapollo definitely feels like he's playing at a higher level than Allen, Mayfeld, Tannehill, etc.

Sprite? ? I think a lot of that has to do with the plays being called for him. When he comes in, everyone knows his purpose & what the Bills want to do with him. The fans, the defense, the announcers, everyone. The majority of it has been on short yardage downs, just trying to bulldoze through to get the 1st. They could mix it up a bit more, but it seems they're saving that for Singletary.

The one guy that put them at #1 was probably just trying to skew the average, otherwise they're just insane. 12th is fair, nothing wrong with that. If we can beat either the Cowboys or Ravens and keep the other one close, we'll shoot up the rankings. If we lose both or get blown out in either, we'll probably sink to the 15th-18th range.

Fans wanted him fired, blamed all of Tyrod's failures on him (it's a common theme when the QB isn't executing or the team is losing), and Rex needed to fire someone to stay afloat. He was a solid coordinator, we just didn't have the right QB to go with his offense.