Old Coot

Back in the old days you could cream the QB mercilessly and mug the receivers all the way down the field until the ball was in the air. OL could not extend their arms for blocking. These are some of the significant rules that limited the effectiveness of the passing game.

Good point about the scheme. It would be useful to know whether other teams have reached / won the Superbowl with a passive scheme. Note: this is a general question for the forum. If you know the answer please enlighten us.

Agreed. They have gone from the Drought to making the playoffs each year. Agreed re your first sentence. Re your second sentence none of us really know what the future holds. That said, it remains to be seen whether the team can advance further.

I understand and sympathize with the frustration of those disappointed by the Bills' loss to the Bengals. AS my dear departed dad would have said "They stunk up the joint." I don't think that you fire coaches or the GM until after the organization does a through analysis. Beane's press conference is just that -- a press conference and much of what he said was in answer to questions. The fact is that the Bills are in cap jail. I think that's why Beane referred to Bengals having Burrow on a rookie contract. The trajectory has been up for most of the McDermott-Beane regime. It has stalled but at a high level -- one game away from the AFC championship game. You don't blow up the team or coaching staff yet. If you change schemes (particularly on D) you may need new types of players for the new scheme. That's a step backward. On O it's pretty clear that the Bills need a better O line and at least one very good WR to compliment Diggs. How do you do this when you are in cap jail? Contract restructures, cap going up next year, let some of out FA playrs walk. But above all, the Bills need to analyze their needs and prioritize them. I trust this regime to do that. My 2 cents.

I agree. This is why the Bills play a "bend but don't break" style of D. You are hoping that the D will make enough plays to stop long drives by your opponent's O.

I was afraid of this. During the regular season a good team can win with smoke and mirrors but not in the playoffs. Our defense was throughly outplayed, mostly the D line. Much of this is attributable to injuries to key players as well as the general wear & tear of playing 18 games. Of for the offense, our receiver corps was depleted by injuries. The OL needs to be upgraded. Oh well, onto next season.

Didn't Bease play with a broken leg at the end of lat season?

Beas was money on those underneath whip routes last year. Hopefully he can do it in the playoffs.

Someone ran the wrong route. You never design a play to have receivers in the same area. Coule be that someone ran the wrong designed route or they ran option routes & one of them misread the coverage.

The Bills played a mediocre game today. But good teams win even when they don't play their best. The Bills are a good team. Gotta up their performance for the playoffs.

"Sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for Hamlin."

Dr Reiner on CNN said its probably a blow to the chest that caused the heart to stop pumping. In that case what's crucial is the length of time it took to get him difibrillated. CPR can extend that time so we won't really know damar's prognosis till the hospital gives it.

Dr Sanjay Gupta says its likely not a brain or spinal cord injury because he was able to get up after the tackle. Says maybe a cardiac or lung issue. A blow to the chest can cause the heart to stop. Hoping and wishing for a good outcome

Here's one to get the blood pumping: Men of Harlech

Decades ago the Buffalo fans showered the field with beer bottles. That's why your Genny comes in a paper cup.

This is because you never saw him play. Here are some Cookie highlights:

Some of the offense's troubles lie with our makeshift OL. Last year Josh had noticeably more time to throw when he was in the pocket and that allowed our receivers more time to get open. Maybe it's Dorsey's playcalling but in his after game interview when asked about the 3r quarter performance he put it down to execution. I agree that on the two deep pass plays with two receivers in the same area, that should not happen. The play wasn't drawn up that way. One of the receivers didn't run the correct route.

I read that at halftime the Bills changed their pass patterns (from crossing routes to non-crossing or vice versa, I don't remember) and the Oilers did not adjust their defense. The rest is history.

Eric Mangini on Tua's poor performances against SF and LAC: https://www.the33rdteam.com/category/analysis/have-nfl-defenses-figured-out-tua-tagovailoa/ Clogging the middle of the field. Could be Tremaine Edmunds' time.

From my garage to the tv on the first floor

When is a line not a line?

It is what it is and not something else.

50 odd years from now you youngsters will be fondly recalling the Ralph and getting the same response from the younger generation. As one who played on grass / mud and synthetic turf I much prefer grass / mud. It's softer when you land on it & no rug burns.