WideNine

I can't see us stopping a stiff wind with 3 down linemen. The Ravens will just straight up run on us; just about any blocking concept would be successful - Stretch Zone, ISO, Trap, Pulling, or Duo and we would watch helpless while their running back is 12 yards down the field before the first defender gets a hand on him. That may work for the Titans with their personnel - the Bills do not have the kind of players to pull that off. Nope, I think we will play zone and a bunch of guys in the box, be disciplined to prioritize contain on the edges not the rush - with maybe some run blitzes to disrupt their timing and blocks being setup. This is not going to be easy for this particular defense, but we knew going in that we have a good, but not great defense that has often been carried by the offense this season. It will be important for our DE's to just focus on not getting too deep on their rush and not taking any inside moves that give up the edge. Their primary job will be to funnel runs back inside and not let anything leak outside. This defense will be susceptible to screens so I expect a few of them to be successful against us. Our chances of winning hinges on our offense being able to move the ball and score and hope we get a few 3 and outs to force the Ravens into a more one-dimensional offense and get Lamar to press. I am not counting on our defense just flat-out stuffing these guys - I would be perfectly happy if they prove me wrong.

So... Parlor nut jobs are back. Is China a threat - yes. Does just about every country in the world leverage their products - yes. Will it take time and a variety of leverage to counter them - yes. Was Trump tough on China - maybe. For years the US has been positioning themselves and their allies to make a push back on China, part of the reasoning around the TPP was to provide alternatives to Chinese-dominated trade and supply chain options. Of course, Don the Con could not stand that effort because it was started by Obama so he sank it. Then launched a trade war with few if any partnerships and little or no global leverage. I am not against a tougher stance on China - Australia was the first to sound the alarm on their more aggressive tactics, but I think it is something that has to be well thought out policy-wise, not something you approach half-cocked.

This guy (not you K9) Per ESPN How it was resolved: Bills coach Sean McDermott called a timeout as the Colts hurried to the line of scrimmage, but he could not challenge because there was less than 2 minutes remaining in the game. During the timeout, NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron reviewed the call. I have watched far too many Bills games where all roads to every purposefully terrible call seems to lead to this clown.

That's the tough part there were also many evangelicals that equated Trump to some kind of righteous saint. All while he is openly hostile, petty, vindictive, attacking women for being "ugly", paying off porn stars, cozying up to murderous dictators... It boggles the mind. I have a few in my own family that lived in that virtual world created by right-wing Fox News, YouTube channels, and Twitter feeds. My own sister sends me the most stupidest tripe that I debunk over and over....and they all start out, "MUST SHARE, liberals and deep state resources are caught ....blah blah". And like an obedient troll bot she just circulates that crap around her nut job echo chamber of contacts. She finally got tired of me providing her with the facts and shedding light on the dubious rumor sources that she mercifully took me out of her feed contacts.

I am hoping this is the case. The Bills rarely have 2 poor games in a row and they did not play their best ball vs Indy. Offense does have to start out fast because I think our D will need to be better late in the game. They gave up too many quick scores to Indy late and were horrible on third downs. Need to step up their game.

There were some head-scratchers out there where we went away from things that were working at odd times in the game. Also, I am ok with Allen on the QB-draws when they are focused on hemming him in on the edges and there is no one in front of him. I am fine with Allen running RPO plays or scrambling when nothing is there, but when I saw the Allen designed stretch play rear its head again after so many disasters running that last year I damn near choked. I think some of it may have been Beasley being not at 100%, but I cannot fathom why McKenzie was not more involved then sharing snaps... Want to see some film break down of what Indy was doing - they definitely kept a LB roaming the shallow middle of the field as a spy on Allen and to follow his eyes to take away the shorter stuff... Whenever Allen broke contain that guy closed in on him in a hurry.

Not sure if it is all that much of an issue. The Bills straight up were the 2nd seed in the AFC so if we get an extra day to prep for a Wild Card team we earned at least that much. Not going to lose any sleep.

The Bills D misses Star clogging the middle and the leadership of Lorax. Been a tough year too with injuries getting in the way too. All we can do is root for the guys that are going to be laying it on the line next week.

The holding non-calls seem to be the norm this year as holding penalties are way down across the board. I think it is a purposeful shift by the NFL competition committee to improve game flow with less flag festivals and open up scoring. The early results this season look like it is having the desired impact with a 2000 yard runner and all the QBs lighting up team record books. I did watch a clip that I cannot find now that said that Rivers had no pressure in the pocket on over 80% of his drop backs. Either their line is that good, or we are just that bad - but usually the truth is in the middle. They did have some ball-control concepts in their game plan - milking the clock and following up with quick hitters designed to eek out just a few yards and 1st downs.

I think this only works if the QB has all day to let that late arriving receiver come across the field and into that vacated zone sans coverage hand-off. Rivers had all day, so probably the best adjustment we could make is to do a better job pressuring the next QB and forcing him to get rid of it earlier. We have done similar plays ourselves when Allen has had (or bought more) time; bringing receivers out of the slot or bunch on the right all the way across to the deep left after clearing out that zone and taking advantage of a miscommunication on the coverage hand-off. Also, you are right. If we can't get to the opposing QB we have to be a lot tighter and more disciplined in zone, but hard to expect db's, linebackers, and safeties to hold coverage that long. Here's hoping we have a better defensive plan against the Ravens that does not rely on the Ravens imploding on our doorstep over and over after marching down the field virtually unimpeded

These games can go either way as that Indy game showed us. We had the football gods weigh in on that last game with recovered fumbles and a chip-shot FG from Indy doinking off the posts. Stuff happens, but going to be exciting to watch either way. I am just not used to watching games that have meaning this deep into the year. I was shocked we earned that 1st playoff last year and now we are into the 2nd round. Would feel better if we had better horses up front to stop the run this year, but hey the Bills have to ride the horses that got them here. One thing for sure is that McD and the coaches are going to be burning the midnight oil coming up with the best plan they can. Dabs got that interview out of the way and perhaps will be able to devote his undivided attention to this upcoming match up.

All is forgiven Not all those guys were complete ****s, there was one guy that seemed to know as much about the Bills as most Bills fans and toned it down.

I am sure this is not the way a veteran QB wants to leave the game, but not everyone can have a Tom Brady career and Ben has taken a lot more shots that Tom who had a zebra colored force-field around him for years. But he would not be the first QB that just had to realize it was time to hang up the cleats, but he looked bad the second half of this year.

I think I would hate Pittsburgh less if a company located there had not bought the company I worked for and they and their fans were insufferable. Especially once they caught wind that I was a Bills fan - it was the Steve Johnson "God hates me" era. Ugh.

Van Pelt is getting Baker on track. Liked it better when he was all mouth and less execution, but glad for the Browns in general and their fans.

The Steelers played better with their backups... that should tell them something.

I think we may more easily own our division unless NE and Miami can magic up a QB. Kind of fun to think of the Steelers sharing the basement with the Bengals in the AFC North.

So resting all your starters... the argument continues. 4 interceptions for Big Ben. Steelers did not look ready to play.

Queue the fat lady

Wow - dump off pass to the middle of the field. May as well hoist the white flag.

This year it is hard to argue... you have some of the old guard still advancing and the young guns nipping at their heels.

That Teller kid looks pretty good on the Brown's o-line.

Yeah, the Browns showed early that they were going to shift coverage and defend that left side, but he threw it there any way. That is a play where Allen just says "not there" and bootlegs to the right to make something else happen.

That 3-man rush and zone defense the Steelers were throwing at Mayfield was getting no where. Wonder what they will do this time.

Not sure if I am just used to seeing Allen's passes, but a lot of Ben's throws look so slow to me - like they are traveling thru water.