ShakAttack

I know we can and will hang with the remaining teams on our schedule. Heck, we are capable of outplaying all of them too, like we outplayed Philly. But the reason I am NOT optimistic personally is because - despite the offense back to playing it’s best ball of the year since Joe Brady took over - we still don’t know how to win close games, and there WILL be more close games! Even worse, We aren’t learning from the great learning opportunities we’ve had in these close losses. Instead, we double down on mistakes made before. It’s remarkable. its very hard to have faith in the Bills going 4-1 down the stretch knowing that will entail winning the types of games that we haven’t been able to win all season, but, my personal opinion may change if we beat KC, because that is a TOUGH team to beat when it goes down to the wire, and if we can do that, well, maybe they’ve turned the page. I am just not counting on that to happen. Not at all.

I respect that perspective, but at a certain point, for me, it’s taking these teams all the way down to the wire, sometimes with impressive QB play all the way through, sometimes with just enough offense to take a lead with 1 more stop needed on defense, but we seem to ALWAYS end up on the losing end of these types of games, and that’s precisely why I am unable to appreciate it for the great game that it was; it’s because this same sh*t is happening over, and over, and over and we keep seeing the SAME ending.

I can relate bro. From start to finish. Personally, I’m not even going to watch the KC game. I’ll just feel better if I sit that one out. And then About 4 hours after kickoff, I’ll check my phone and hope for the very best. But right now, I do expect that watching a Bills-Chiefs game will cause me more anguish than joy, so I’m taking a seat for this one (and Von Miller should, too).

I do remember that. And in fact whenever I have this particular problem, I try to look for the silver lining to move on from it. In this case, the silver lining is the fact that if the Bills do indeed miss the playoffs, McDermott has to be OUT. And if missing the playoffs was necessary for this to happen, then so be it. I’ll make that trade every single time. You know, I was still on the fence about McDermott before Sunday, but that game absolutely sealed the deal for me. I mean how could it not?

Very cool. I hope to mature emotionally to this level. On a side note, regarding your comment on Diggs, didn’t see anything about him post-game. Did he speak to the media?

Usually, I am pretty good about having a “24 hour process” coming off bad Bills losses in which, by Tuesday morning, the game will still come to mind on and off, but I’ll be over it for the most part. This time… I can’t get it out of my system; it’s stuck. Stuck on flashing back to the absolutely ridiculous 59 yard field goal and missed connection to Gabe Davis in OT, specifically. Along with being SO SICK AND TIRED of being involved in “instant classic” games year after year, but being on the losing end of them EVERY TIME!!! I absolutely hate this part about being a sports fan. And I am just wondering how many of you are in the same boat? Because we have gone through numerous BAD losses this season, but something about this one, despite being an NFC opponent, has got me so backed up with sh*t thoughts and I am unable to pass this brain stool.

It depends on how much their much-improved defense can limit our offense. This is the first time Allen faces a KC defense that is actually good. Because we can't depend on our defense to stop Mahomes, especially at the end of the game, if it comes to that (again). Last year, this was the Von Miller game, to me. He had 2 sacks and the pressure on Mahomes that caused the game-winning turnover for Bills. It's a shame we don't have that anymore. Who is going to step up in Von's place?

Yeah it feels similar but the remaining schedule this year vs. 2021 is a lot different.

Agreed. With this defense, and with this coaching. Although there is definitely bad luck sprinkled into like every scenario as well. I.e. if AJ Brown had full control of the ball for a split second longer before it was knocked out of his hands, it's game over. Some here would argue he actually had full control already. I personally think it was the right call - granted, VERY borderline - so I boil it down to just... unlucky and as we always seem to say around here... "almost". Smh.

Have we really though? Pretty sure our record in "close games" would be the worst in NFL among "top tier" teams over the past 3 years, if anyone were to check. Put it this way, just heard the stat on WGR: In the past THREE years, the Bills have only lost ONE game in regular season by more than 1 score (Colts game 2 years ago) That has to be the best in the entire NFL over that span. And yet... we lost 15 games and counting during that time!!! That means 14 of 15 games were lost by 7 or less. Absolutely Incredible. I think we also lead the NFL in "blowout" wins over that span (or games that we win by over 7 points). So what does that tell you? It tells you that the Bills only know how to win one-sided games, for the most part.

I do like the idea of keeping Joe Brady as OC. He has earned it up to this point. Offense is definitely not the issue for the past 2 weeks. But in typical Bills fashion, "if it's not one thing, it's another"

And I felt this way prior to yesterday. The problem with this way of thinking is pretty simple. With our remaining schedule, winning out would mean that we would have to win multiple close games in the process. And the Bills - under McDermott - do not know how to do that. Therefore, even if we are playing our BEST football down the stretch, with teams like Chiefs, Cowboys, Chargers and dolphins remaining on the schedule you cannot count on blowing out every opponent; you have to know how to win close games (like the Eagles) and we do not know how to do that. It’s a shame we are wasting Allen like this but I also don’t know what HC candidate fixes this. Reich? He is an attractive name, sure, but he’s another guy with no playoff success really, so is he an upgrade? I don’t know man, this is tough.

It is irritating that this is Allen’s OT record too. Oh sorry, 0 for 6 with Allen, because in at least a few of those games he did everything humanly possible to win. We NEEDED to get a TD on that first drive today. Damn shame that Cover 0 essentially beat us in the Denver game, but we couldn’t cash in against Philly. Cover 0 - to me - is usually a gift in that situation.

2021 Playoffs Allen indeed. Complete with the OT loss. Sigh. Not bashing Allen btw. Just feeling disgusted with the fact we are like 1-6 in 1 score games this season and it has been a trend going back at least 2 seasons.

It wasn’t too long ago I remember a thread in here “does James Cook EVER break a tackle?” Boy this kid has grown.

in the past it would happen most weeks I believe, especially during the first half of the season, but there were more exceptions than this year (only 1 so far) I would have to go back and look, but what I can tell you for certain is the Bills and Raiders have only won on the same week once this season, and they have yet to lose on the same week

I know everyone is rooting for the Raiders here, but here's a stat you have never heard yet. Through 10 weeks this season... Every week the Bills win, Raiders lose Every week the Raiders win, Bills lose Except for ONCE (the controversial Bills win vs NYG) As as a California native with many Raiders fan friends, I can tell you I have actually been following this trend for a few years and it's VERY weird.

This game is equally "must win" for Jets. I'd still be surprised if he didn't play. Plus, if I read correctly, he got in Limited practice all week and no DNPs.

The fact we lost in itself did not surprise me. It’s how we lost at the very end, more than anything else. In one moment, the most important moment of the entire game, we witness The ultimate representation of coaching failures we have endured for way too long. Proof that where other teams GROW from these experiences, we do not. Defending Hail Marys are the perfect example there. I knew the Bills were not very good this season, and I knew losing was a real possibility, as I said, but it’s when you lose by doing sh*t that NO OTHER TEAM IN THE NFL does… that’s when it’s unbearable for me. Wish I could be numb like a few of our other fans….. truly. As ugly as last night was, as bad as the team looked, I am still a die hard Bills fan and I still care a lot (unfortunately), so for a very brief moment, even more brief than “13 seconds”, I believed we won the game and I was literally jumping for joy……… but of course it ended up being too good to be true.

Usually after games like this, there is at least one major “I am done with the Bills” thread. Considering we just hit our latest “rock bottom” and also considering the way in which we lost, I was certain we were going to see at least one of those threads, but I didn’t. Likely, most of us had already come to the realization this team didn’t have a shot this season, so maybe this factored into our emotional investment gradually diminishing over the past 4-5 weeks, and maybe that is why this one didn’t appear to nauseate our fan base as much as it would have in previous seasons. In my case, I wasn’t even the least bit excited for this “must win” MNF game, and yet, due to the WAY we ended up losing this one left me with the worst feeling I’ve had all season and I guess I’ll be the first to admit, I found myself wishing I wasn’t a Bills fan in that moment. I mean, seriously, 12 men on the field on a game winning field goal attempt?????? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME ANY OF YOU SAW THAT HAPPEN IN ANY GAME???? Only the Bills… The team’s rock bottom was also my own rock bottom as a fan this season. problem is, I have felt this way at least 100 times over the years, and another realization I’ve come to is that, if you’re a die-hard fan, you can never “stop” being a fan, whether you like it or not. In my case, if there was a way out, I would have taken it long ago. But there ain’t, so I will continue to hope for “one Super Bowl before I die” like many of you. As an out-of-town Bills fan that grew up in the 90s watching the Bills lose 4 straight SBs and then other heartbreaking playoff exits prior to the 17 year drought, being a Bills fan has ALWAYS been about winning a Super Bowl, ONE Super Bowl, lifting the curse after all these years. And I truly believe that if that day ever came, I would be fulfilled as a Bills fan. Anyway, just to clarify, this was not the “I quit being a Bills fan thread” but it definitely is “I wish I was capable of not being a Bills fan”. So, the best thing I can do is continue to work on not allowing games like this to ruin my day (and sometimes the next day or two). Best I can do!

Is it just me or did McDermott appear to be shaking with anger / twitchy in a few instances during the post-game interview. Despite throwing ppl under the bus, I actually appreciated the fact that McDermott showed some damn emotion for once, and was truthful in response to a certain questions he was asked. Doesn’t make him a better coach unfortunately, but I’m just saying it was a little easier to watch as opposed to the typically 100% predictable responses we get every week that never tell us anything.

13 seconds… 12 men on the field… who wants to bet there’s going to be something bad about the number “11” for us?

I mean I thought we scored too fast too, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing, because you can’t assume you can take 2 additional downs and get a TD on 4th and goal. While that ends up being ideal, it’s way too risky. We aren’t talking about only needing a field goal here. You take the TD when you can get it.

So Fournette is definitely not playing today? This is all confusing. Reports online says he is playing, Greg says he isn’t, and then I see this (which I wasn’t aware of frankly, I thought game day was the deadline for PS elevation announcements)

Idc if Murray is running the meeting, but Fournette needs to move ahead of him in depth ASAP.